//------------------------------// // Wait... What?!!! // Story: Ex-Bolts Rising // by Melody Song //------------------------------// "...So that's why I wanted you to consider adding the Sonic Rainboom to our routine." Rainbow Dash said as she walked beside Spitfire, heading for the fiery mare's office. "Well, you make some good points. And we have been getting a lot of our shows cancelled. This might be just what we need to increase our popularity. As long as you don't mind teaching a few of us how to perform it, or at least the theory of it, I don't mind." Spitfire replied to Rainbow as she put her hoof on the door, about to push it open. "Great. If you're not busy we could call some of the high-ranking 'bolts in and get started, I'll need to teach you the theory before we start flying, or somepony might get hurt." Rainbow said eagerly. "Heh, yeah." Spitfire chuckled, opening the door while keeping her head turned towards Rainbow "We definitely don't want that, the 'bolts are so much more than just great flyers, we're-" Spitfire broke off as she looked into the room. "What's wrong Spits?" Rainbow asked, following her gaze and gasping. Lightning Dust was leaning back in Spitfire's office chair, a smug expression on her face. She was wearing Spitfire's Captain Uniform, complete with Spitfire's signature aviator sunglasses and whistle. Wind Rider was standing beside her, smirking at the two. "Dust! What are you doing here?!" Rainbow asked. "Are those my pictures?!" Spitfire cried, pointing at the trash can, which was overflowing with the personal belongings that had once decorated the office. "Yep. That one in the drawer was cute. Didn't know your hair was that long, how old were you in that picture? Three?" Wind Rider responded. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" Spitfire snarled, lowering herself down into an attack stance. "Easy Spitty. We just came to tell you that this place is ours now." Lightning Dust replied, leaning forward to make the chair come back onto all four legs. She traced her hoof lightly along the desktop, smiling. "What are you talking about?!" Rainbow asked. "The Wonderbolts are about to be replaced by the new 'best of the best'." Lighting responded, and they heard shouts from outside. Spitfire raced to the window, Rainbow following. Their friends were being chased and knocked out of the sky by Pegasi in black and dark purple colored flight suits, the colors were separated at the neck and hooves by jagged lines of bright yellow. Their flight goggles were narrow, covering their eyes with sharp yellow and dark purple rims. The mark on the sides of their flight suits was a skull with wings. "Meet the Shadowbolts." Wind Rider said coolly. "Did you just say the... Shadowbolts?" Rainbow choked out, gulping. "Something wrong Dash?" Lightning teased "Yes. YOU'RE IN OUR HQ!!!" Rainbow yelled, almost as loud as Spitfire could have done. "And we're not leaving. Didn't you hear me? The Wonderbolts aren't the best of the best anymore, we are. So, we're taking over your job as aerial military for the Princesses. That means, legally..." Lightning Dust passed some papers over to Spitfire, who looked down at them in shock. "That the title of 'best flyers' and the rights to the Headquarters, belong to us." Wind Rider finished for Lightning, and Rainbow lunged at him. "You'll have to take it over my dead body!" Rainbow yelled, extending her hooves to pin Wind Rider to the floor. Spitfire grabbed Rainbow by the tail with her hoof, tugging her back. "Easy Crash. Come on, we'll get HQ back, just not on our own. We have to rescue our friends first." Spitfire warned. "Crash?!" Lightning Dust echoed "Your nickname is Rainbow Crash?!" she burst out laughing, falling onto the floor. "Come on Rainbow." Spitfire muttered. She stalked over to the trash can and pulled out a few pictures. Spitfire tucked them under her wing, then crumpled up the documents Lightning had shown her, tossing them at Wind Rider's face. They left the office and started walking down the hallway. "What are we going to do?" Rainbow asked "Captain?" she pressed. Spitfire had closed her eyes and was massaging her temple with her free wing. "W-we're going to...I don't know anymore Dash." Spitfire sighed. "I don't know what to do anymore. Being the Captain of the Wonderbolts is the only thing I'm good at. Flying is the only thing the whole team's good at. If those two and their team are in control of HQ now...what are we supposed to do?" she asked, taking a picture out from under her wing and letting a small sob escape. "Is that you?" Rainbow asked, trotting closer. "Me and my best friends. You know, Soar and Fleet? It was the day we became official Wonderbolts" Spitfire replied, smiling softly. The picture showed the three in Academy uniforms, smiling and waving their wings at the camera. "I thought she'd be calling Fleet her marefriend by now" Rainbow thought, but shrugged it off. "Now is not the time to think about that Rainbow Dash." she reprimanded herself. "We're going to figure this out Spits." Rainbow told Spitfire, then placed a wing on Spitfire's back in comfort. "You really think so?" Spitfire muttered. "I know so, now come on, let's save our friends." Rainbow said, taking off and heading for the doors that led outside. Spitfire shook herself and extended her wings, dropping the pictures onto the floor. Spitfire followed Rainbow out, seeing Fleetfoot pinned down nearby. Spitfire let out an enraged yell and flew at the Pegasus holding her. Spitfire knocked the pony to the side, then helped Fleetfoot up. "You okay Fleety?" Spitfire whispered, pecking her cheek. "I'm fine baby, thank you." Fleetfoot breathed, nuzzling her. "Come on, stay close Fleety." Spitfire nuzzled her back and led her towards the Headquarters. "What happened?" Fleetfoot asked. "I'll explain once we save everypony." Spitfire assured her, taking off with her marefriend fast behind. They worked with the other Wonderbolts to try and fight off the Shadowbolts. "There's too many of them!" Misty Fly yelled. "It's too dangerous to keep fighting!" Wave Chill added. "Your orders Captain?" Soarin asked, and Spitfire froze. "Captain, orders?!" he demanded. "Shut it Clipper, I'm thinking." Spitfire snapped. "We can't give up, or we'll lose HQ." she added. "We'll what?!!!" the other 'bolts cried. "You need to do what's best for the team Spitfire, we can find another way to get HQ back, but right now it's more important to make sure we get out of here safely." Soarin said. "You're right. Which is why you're my Co-Captain. Wonderbolts, we need to get out of here. I think I can get us ten minutes to go into HQ, grab any personal belongings we need, then we'll need to fall back." Spitfire instructed. "How are you going to do that?" Rapidfire asked. "...By doing exactly what they want." Spitfire sighed. "Spits, what do you mean?" Sun Chaser asked. "WE SURRENDER!" Spitfire shouted, and the Shadowbolts froze, landing and standing at attention. Lightning Dust and Wind Rider emerged. "They're behind this?!" Soarin snorted, rearing. "I'll rip them limb from-" "Cool it Soar, I promise I'll explain what they're doing here later." Spitfire said, resting a hoof on his back to calm him. "And why Lightning Dust is wearing the Captain's uniform?" Thunderlane added. "Yes, that too." Spitfire led them down to the runway. "So, you decided to give up huh? You're an even bigger chicken than I thought Spit." Lightning sneered. "Just let us by to gather our belongs and...and you can have our Headquarters." Spitfire said, holding out her wing. "Deal?" Lightning Dust laughed loudly and held out her own wing, shaking Spitfire's. "Deal. When you're done you'd better scram. Or I'll use your wing feathers to line my jacket." she growled. "Understood." Spitfire let go of Lightning's wing and turned to the others. "You heard her 'bolts. Go get your stuff and meet back out here." she instructed, and they headed inside, talking in low voices to each other. Spitfire sighed as she followed them. Her pictures were still lying in the hallway, right where she'd dropped them to help her friends. Spitfire bent down and scooped the precious memories up, inspecting them for damage. A few cracked frames, but otherwise they seemed okay. She then trotted down to her private room, packing up her things and placing them gently in her saddlebag. After pulling down her Wonderbolt posters and putting them in as well, she put on the saddlebag, meeting up with the others. "Are we all ready?" she asked, and they nodded solemnly. "Then let's go." she sighed, leading them out of Headquarters. "And don't come back!" Lightning Dust called. "Lemme at her!" Rainbow said, lunging. Soarin grabbed her around the waist and whispered something in her ear that Spitfire didn't catch. It seemed to work, at any rate, because Rainbow calmed down. "Get out." Wind Rider pressured. "We're leaving, okay?" Spitfire snapped. "Good riddance." Lightning muttered as they took off. "What now?" Surprise asked. "We need somewhere to land so I can explain what happened. Any suggestions?" Spitfire asked. "I've got one." Rainbow said. "Where are we going then?" Lightning Streak asked. "Ponyville."