//------------------------------// // A Sky-High Rivalry // Story: A New Era // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// A few miles away from Applewood, the Wonderbolts were performing before a stadium of cheering fans. Spitfire was naturally at the lead, followed by Soarin and Fleetfoot. Rainbow Dash had her place in the formation, and as usual, was giving 110%. "Alright 'Bolts, big finish!" Spitfire declared. "Right behind ya, Cap!" Soarin nodded. "Let's give 'em something to remember!" Rainbow whooped. As one, the Wonderbolts flew upwards in a corkscrew move, then dropped down to the ground, turning just a few feet above it, and flew straight forward across the field. They rose up into the air once again, this time splitting up and ascending in different directions. Using their cloud trails, they drew the Wonderbolt symbol, then they united in formation once more, bursting through the symbol in a blaze of lightning (and one rainbow trail). The crowd cheered wildly, stomping their hooves in approval. "You hear that, team?" Spitfire grinned. "Oh, yeah." Fleetfoot grinned. "Best sound in the world." Rainbow nodded. Soon after, the Wonderbolts were making their way back to Cloudsdale. "Great show, 'Bolts." Spitfire congratulated her team. "Just like always." Fleetfoot smirked. "...Did anypony else notice that the crowd was a little smaller than usual?" Soarin asked. "We usually play to a packed stadium..." "You worry too much, Clipper." Misty Fly rolled her eyes. "We can't expect to sell out every performance." Spitfire pointed out. "Maybe the local ponies just had some tight schedules this week." Rainbow suggested. "It's not like there's some other thing they'd wanna see more..." Just then, two Pegasi sped through Rainbow's flight path. "Hey, watch it!" Rainbow yelled. "Sorry!" One of the Pegasi apologised. "Kind of in a rush here!" "Come on, move it!" His companion urged. "The show's about to start!" The Pegasi flew downward to ground level, where several other ponies were lining up before a ticket stand Just up ahead, a set of bleachers had been arranged. "Looks like we just found the something ponies wanna see more." Fleetfoot noted. "Must be quite a show." Soarin declared. "Whattaya say, boss? Can we check it out?" "Eh, why not?" Spitfire smiled. "We've got some spare time before we're due back at HQ. And I think we've earned a little downtime." "Sweet." Soarin chuckled. The Wonderbolts descended down to the ground. As they did, Rainbow couldn't help but feel an odd sense of déjà vu from the surroundings. "Nice setup." High Winds mused, looking around. "Tickets, concession stands... And is that a merchandise booth over there?" "Kind of like looking at one of our own shows." Fleetfoot mused. "Only weirder." "Yeah..." Rainbow frowned, noticing a unnervingly familiar color scheme among the merchandise. "Must be some kinda show to draw in so many ponies." Spitfire acknowledged. "I think I know what kind of show it is..." Rainbow said darkly. "What's with you, Crash?" Misty Fly frowned. "You look like you've seen a ghost." "More like something way worse." Rainbow said flatly. "Well, well." A voice that Rainbow had hoped not to hear for a long time filled the air. "Isn't this an unexpected surprise?" As one, the Wonderbolts turned to see the Washouts approaching them: Rolling Thunder, Short Fuse and in the lead, Lightning Dust, all wearing their signature black and green uniforms. "Lightning Dust." Rainbow Dash said through gritted teeth. "Had a feeling this was your show..." "Hey, Dash." Lightning Dust said through a false smile. "Been a while, huh?" "Yeah." Rainbow smirked. "Last time we saw each other, you were getting carried away into the sky by your own stunt rocket. How'd that end up working out for ya?" "Got a couple of bruises from that one." Lightning Dust admitted. "But you should know by now that nothing keeps me down for long." "A pony can dream..." Rainbow scoffed. "So these are the Washouts Dash has been telling us about." Spitfire appraised. "You mean the rejects who decided to risk their lives doing crazy stunts for Bits?" Soarin smirked. "Not as impressive as I thought they'd be." Surprise admitted. "Me neither." High Winds agreed. "And I didn't think they'd be impressive at all..." "Nice outfits." Fleetfoot smirked. "Do they glow in the dark?" "YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN US?!!" Short Fuse erupted with rage. "WELL, DO YA?!" "Still got that temper on you, I see?" Spitfire noted, unshaken by Short Fuse's outburst. "You should try yoga sometime. It's great for calming a pony down." "I AM CALM!!" Short Fuse screeched. "So you're still finding ponies to watch you doing those way too dangerous stunts?" Rainbow glared. "Don't act so surprised." Lightning Dust smirked. "Ponies these days expect to see a little more action in the skies. And thanks to our new friend, we've been taking things up a notch lately." "New friend?" Misty Fly narrowed her eyes. "Who'd be dumb enough to throw their lot in with you thrillseekers?" "That's be me." Another familiar voice announced. To the Wonderbolts' surprise, a middle-aged Pegasus stallion joined the Washouts, one they all recognised. "Wind Rider?" Rainbow gaped. "What are you doing here?" Spitfire glared. "Well, after that unfortunate incident in Canterlot, I spent a while traveling around Equestria, trying to find a new livelihood." Wind Rider replied spurly. "A few months back, I ran into these three putting on their show, and rakin' in the Bits. I got to talking with them after, and we learned that we had something in common: namely, being unfairly kicked out of the Wonderbolts." "'Unfairly'?!" Rainbow growled. "You tried to get me kicked out of the Reserves!" "Details, details." Wind Rider shrugged. "Anyway, since I had nothing but free time on my hooves, I offered them my services as a trainer/agent." "And thanks to him, we're pulling off bigger routines, and gettin' bigger crowds than ever." Lightning Dust smirked. "But you already knew that, didn't you?" "Saw the size of the line as you dropped in, didn't ya?" Rolling Thunder taunted the Wonderbolts. "So trying to frame one of our up-and-comers wasn't enough for you?" High Winds glared at Wind Rider. "Now you're working with the enemy?" "They're not my enemies." Wind Rider smirked. "I'm not a Wonderbolt anymore, remember? I don't owe you anything." "Don't take it personally, Rider." Lightning Dust grinned. "They just can't stand it when the ponies they unfairly cast out wind up being better than they are." "Oh, please." Rainbow snarled. "You really think you and your bunch of wannabe daredevils are better than the one-and-only Wonderbolts?" "Not think, know." Lightning Dust shot back. "Say, didn't you guys have a show today? Didn't sell many tickets, did ya?" "Oh, no..." Soarin cringed, putting two and two together. "Gee, I wonder why?" Short Fuse interjected. "Maybe because ponies would rather see the Washouts in adrenaline-fuelled action than watch the Wonderbolts going through the motions?" Rolling Thunder jeered. "No way!" Rainbow snarled, her temper flaring. "Yes, way." Lightning Dust sniggered, enjoying how their words were getting under Rainbow's skin. "Face it, the Wonderbolts are yesterday's news." "Says you!" Rainbow spat. "Easy, Dash..." Spitfire tried to defuse the situation. "Don't get me wrong." Lightning Dust smiled wickedly. "You guys had a good run, but every act gets stale eventually..." "The Wonderbolts have been the best fliers in Equestria for over a thousand years!" Rainbow pointed out. "Which just proves how much the novelty's worn off." Lightning Dust said coldly. "Give it another year or two, and the Washouts will be Equestria's new top fliers, while the Wonderbolts will be nothing but a bunch of has-beens." "Oh, that is it!" Rainbow exploded. "You think your team of rejects will ever be better than the Wonderbolts? That will never happen!" "Says who?" Lightning Dust jeered. "Dash..." Soarin muttered. "Says me!" Rainbow spat. "The Wonderbolts could outfly the Washouts any day of the week!" "Sounds like a challenge to me." Lightning Dust smirked. "Maybe it is!" Rainbow growled. "Hold on..." Misty Fly frowned. "Challenge accepted." Lightning Dust nodded gleefully. "Henceforth, the Wonderbolts will take on us, the Washouts, in a contest to decide which team is Equestria's real greatest fliers." "You got it!" Rainbow snarled. "Wait a second!" Fleetfoot yelled. "Who made you this team's mouthpiece, Dash?" "You know we can take these guys!" Rainbow insisted. "That's not the point!" Surprise growled. "They're right." Spitfire agreed. "The Wonderbolts are all about discipline and honor, not taking part in petty grudge matches." "But Spitfire-" Rainbow started. "But nothing." Spitfire said bluntly. "We've got nothing to prove to anypony. I know you and Lightning Dust have some bad history, but that doesn't give you the right to speak for this team." "I-" Rainbow floundered. "There will be no challenge." Spitfire said with authority. "Not today, not ever." "As, what's the matter?" Rolling Thunder taunted. "Afraid you'll lose?" "Afraid of being second best?" Short Fuse smirked. "Wonderbolts aren't afraid of anything!" Soarin retorted. "Except doing whatever it takes to be a really great flier." Lightning Dust sneered. "Last I checked, great fliers don't risk themselves, and others." Spitfire rebutted. "We don't have to lower ourselves to dealing with you reckless fools." She turned to her team. "We're outta here." "But-!" Rainbow started. "That means now, rookie." Spitfire silenced Rainbow with a look that could cut through stone. As Spitfire made to lead the Wonderbolts away, Wind Rider chuckled mockingly. "Oh, this is too perfect." He cackled. "Now we get to tell all those ponies waiting for the show, and all our future spectators, that the Wonderbolts rudely refused our humble offer of a friendly contest." Spitfire froze in place. "What?" She looked back. "Ooh, imagine how they'll react." Lightning Dust joined in. "They'll either think you're some high-and-mighty snobs who think you're too good to fly against our humble, self-made team..." Short Fuse mocked. "...Or that you're just a bunch a' cowards who are too scared to face up to a real challenge." Rolling Thunder finished. "Cowards?!" Soarin growled. "Either way, that's not gonna look good for the ol' team image." Wind Rider relished the thought. "Talk about a PR nightmare..." Spitfire's eye twitched in annoyance. "We can't let them drag the Wonderbolts' good name through the mud!" Rainbow pleaded with her. "We've gotta defend our honor!" "Well?" Lightning Dust smirked. "Having any second thoughts?" "...Okay, you're on." Spitfire said defiantly, to Rainbow's glee (and the others' shock). "Just name the time and place." "How about noon tomorrow, right here?" Lightning Dust suggested. "We'll be there." Spitfire nodded. "Good." Lightning Dust grinned. "Now, if you don't mind, we have a show to put on. So unless you wanna buy a ticket and watch, this is where we say see ya for now." "Can't keep our ever-growing legion of fans waiting." Rolling Thunder bragged. "Because their opinions actually matter to us." Short Fuse drawled. "Good luck for tomorrow." Wind Rider chuckled mockingly. "You're gonna need it..." After the Washouts headed over to their starting positions, ready to start their show, the other Wonderbolts turned on Rainbow. "Way to go, Crash." Fleetfoot glared angrily at her teammate. "Hey, I was just defending our honor!" Rainbow justified her actions. "Honor that could end up being torn to shreds!" High Winds frowned. "All because you've got a grudge against this Lightning Dust character!" Misty Fly growled. "And you just had to drag us all into it!" Surprise added. "That's enough." Spitfire said firmly. "I'll admit Crash let her mouth run away with her, but we can't let these Washouts besmirch their reputation with their lies." "Yeah, we're not cowards!" Soarin added. "So we're going to face those upstarts tomorrow." Spitfire declared. "And we're gonna win. End of story." Aside from Rainbow and Soarin, the team didn't seem to share Spitfire's optimism. "Now let's head back to HQ." Spitfire nodded. "Then we'll spend the rest of the day training for tomorrow's showdown." "So much for our downtime..." Misty Fly scowled. As they flew back to their home turf, most of the Wonderbolts gave Rainbow the cold shoulder. The newest Wonderbolt couldn't help but feel a little guilty about what she'd gotten her team into. 'Me and my big mouth...' She lamented. The morning after, the Wonderbolts suited up and returned to the spot where the challenge had been made. To their shock, the group saw an even bigger set-up in the area than the day before, with multiple bleachers filled with spectators. "This doesn't look good." Misty Fly noted. As the team landed, the Washouts and Wind Rider moved to greet them. "So you showed." Lightning Dust sneered. "I was half-hoping you wouldn't have the guts." "What's all this?" Rainbow pointed out the crowd. "What, you thought this was gonna be a private grudge match?" Rolling Thunder smirked. "We weren't going to pass up an opportunity to make some extra Bits selling tickets for our big showdown." Wind Rider grinned. "Besides, I think there should be as many ponies to witness your humiliating defeat as possible." Lightning Dust taunted. "Once we're through with you, all of Equestria will know who the new top fliers are: the Washouts!" "Again, I say: way to go, Crash." Fleetfoot stared daggers at Rainbow, who wilted slightly. "So, how are we doing this?" Soarin asked. "Wing-up contest? Best formation flying?" "Just look up." Short Fuse scowled impatiently. Up above, a group of Pegasi were busy positioning clouds. Some were dark and stormy, others were producing hail and snow, and a few were pouring out torrential rain. And on top of that, some clouds had gale force wind-producing turbines mounted on them. "I paid the local weather patrol to set up a few obstacles for this little contest." Wind Rider revealed. "After each round, they'll change things up a little, just to keep everypony on their hooves." "This'll be a set of one-on-one races through the roughest weather we could hire." Lightning Dust summarized. "So, which of your squad of hasbeens will be taking us on?" Spitfire looked over her team. "That'll be Soarin, Fleetfoot..." She declared. "...And Dash." "Seriously?" Misty Fly scowled. "She's the one who got us into this mess!" "Then she'll be the one to help get us out of it." Spitfire shrugged. "You're not taking part yourself?" Wind Rider frowned. "What's the matter?" Short Fuse jeered. "Is the high and mighty Captain of the Wonderbolts afraid of losin' in front of all these ponies?" "More like I have faith in my team." Spitfire retorted. "Faith that they're gonna win this." "We'll see about that." Lightning Dust sneered. She looked at her teammates. "Who wants to go first?" "That'll be me, boss." Rolling Thunder stepped forward. "Who wants to try their luck against yours truly?" "I will." Fleetfoot announced. "This oughta be an easy win." "Yeah... For me." Rolling Thunder smirked. "Let the show begin..." Lightning Dust grinned. "Ladies and gentlestallions, prepare yourselves for the ultimate aerial showdown!" The voice of the Washouts' unseen announcer blared out of every speaker in the area. "Washouts versus Wonderbolts, with the title of Equestria's greatest fliers on the line!" The crowd cheered wildly. At the same time, Fleetfoot and Rolling Thunder trotted over to the starting line. "First up, we have the Wonderbolts' Fleetfoot versus Rolling Thunder of the Washouts!" The announcer continued. "The rules are simple: all they have to do is navigate their way around the wild weather above us. First to go full circle and return to the starting line wins!" The crowd cheered once more. Both Wonderbolts and Washouts waited on tenterhooks. "Without further, let's get this grudge match moving!" The announcer whooped. "On your marks, get set.." Fleetfoot and Rolling Thunder readied themselves for takeoff. "Go!" The announcer yelled. The two rivals shot up into the sky like a pair of rockets. "Go get 'er, Fleetfoot!" Soarin cheered. "CRUSH HER, THUNDER!!" Short Fuse booked. Up above, the two Pegasus mares began to negotiate the the hazardous weather. The crowd watched eagerly through the official commemorative Washouts binoculars they had bought at the ticket booth. The first hurdle was a gauntlet of high-speed winds, which were doing their best to push the fliers back. Fleetfoot and Rolling Thunder pushed back, beating their wings against the gales, and pressing forward. "Having trouble keeping up?" Rolling Thunder jeered at her opponent. "In your dreams, reject!" Fleetfoot snarled. After finally breaking through the wind, they reached the next obstacle: clouds pouring with sleet. They struggled through the freezing cold, the icy downpour collecting on their wings. "If Fleetfoot doesn't get out of there soon, her wings could freeze!" Surprise fretted. "She'll make it." Rainbow nodded. "She has to..." Fleetfoot was starting to feel the effects of the sleet on her wings, which were growing more numb by the second. But she could see clear sky ahead. "Just a little further..." She told herself. With a supreme effort, Fleetfoot finally emerged from under the clouds. The warm sun above melting away the ice, Fleetfoot felt ready to finish the race. Unfortunately, Rolling Thunder was right behind her. "Thought you'd left me out in the cold, eh?" Rolling Thunder smirked. "Think again!" "The day's still young, Thunderhead..." Fleetfoot growled. The race continued, through rain and hail, the two Pegasi jockeying for position. "This is it, folks." The announcer declared, as Fleetfoot and Rolling Thunder were close to returning to the starting line. "Final leg, and our two racers are still neck and neck. But there's still time to change that..." "Almost home." Fleetfoot told herself. "Gotta really push it..." The Wonderbolt put on a burst of speed, pulling slightly ahead of Rolling Thunder. It seemed like victory was assured... Until their flight path brought them into a large storm cloud, filled with bolts of lightning. "Whoa!" Fleetfoot yelled, halting herself to avoid being zapped. "Wimp." Rolling Thunder sneered as she kept going, regardless of her surroundings. "This is the kind of weather I love flying through!" "You're crazy!" Fleetfoot yelled, trying her best to keep up while avoiding the lightning. "Crazy like a winner!" Rolling Thunder retorted, spinning and diving between the bolts with reckless abandon. Despite Fleetfoot's efforts, she fell behind; Rolling Thunder emerged from under the storm cloud with a substantial lead. "And to think, I was kicked out of training because of moves like that!" Rolling Thunder boasted. "Ain't that some delicious irony?" "I'll give you irony, you smug-!" Fleetfoot snarled as she exited the storm. Fleetfoot tried to clear the gap between them, but there just wasn't enough course left. Rolling Thunder landed on the starting line first, to the cheers of the crowd. "That's how's it's done!" She crowed triumphantly. "Yeah!" "And there you have it, folks!" The announcer blared out. "Rolling Thunder and the Washouts take the first round! This isn't looking good for the Wonderbolts..." Fleetfoot hung her head as she rejoined her teammates. "Sorry, guys." She apologised. "I blew it." "Don't beat yourself up, Flatfoot." Surprise consoled. "They just got a lucky break." "Luck had nothing to do with it." Lightning Dust taunted. "So don't even bother making that excuse when you lose the next round." If I were you, I wouldn't count my cockatrices before they hatch." Rainbow glared. "Soarin, you're up next." Spitfire declared. "Ready to roll?" "Always." Soarin nodded. "Short Fuse, it's your turn." Wind Rider instructed. "Keep this winning streak going, ya hear?" "With pleasure." Short Fuse smirked. After a short break (during which the weather hazards were rearranged), the second round was about to begin. "And now, for our second matchup, we have Short Fuse versus Soarin!" The announcer told the cheering crowd. "Ready, set, go!" Once again, Wonderbolt and Washout took off, and began to negotiate the hazards. Short Fuse managed to compensate for his small size with increased aerodynamics, allowing him to keep up with Soarin as they flew through back-to-back rain and snow clouds. "We got us another close match on our hooves!" The announcer noted. "Who will win?" "What kinda stupid question is that?" Short Fuse muttered under his breath. "You might not like the answer, shorty." Soarin smirked. The two stayed equal in position until they reached the turn that would bring them back to the starting line; the curve too them through a snow cloud. Soarin's larger wings allowed him to make a wider turn, which he used to pull ahead of Short Fuse. "What the-?!" Short Fuse gaped. "Sorry, pal." Soarin grinned. "But this race is all mine!" "NO WAY!!" Enraged by Soarin's lead, Short Fuse experienced a rage-powered burst of speed, allowing him to almost catch up to his foe. "Oh, boy..." Soarin gulped, not liking the mad look in his eye. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!!" Short Fuse roared. "NOPONY OUTPACES ME! NOPONY!!" The diminutive Pegasus veered into Soarin, slamming into his side. "Yeow!" Soarin yelped, just barely managing to stay in the air as they headed the wind gauntlet. "Are you crazy?!" "I HATE WHEN PONIES QUESTION MY MENTAL STATE!!" Short Fuse snarled, readying for another attack. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!!" "I don't think so!" Soarin evaded his foe's charge, causing Short Fuse to fly straight into the gale force winds. "OH, COME ON!!" Short Fuse yelped, as he was sent spinning out of control. "Ooh!" The announcer gasped. "What a shocking upset! Soarin pulls off a win for the Wonderbolts, tying up the score! That means the next round decides everything!" The crowd cheered loudly as Soarin returned to his teammates. "Way to go, Clipper!" Spitfire grinned. "That's showin' 'em!" High Winds slapped him on the back. A dizzy Short Fuse shakily returned to his teammates, collapsing the second he touched the ground. While Rolling Thunder showed some concern, Wind Rider and Lightning Dust's only emotions were anger over the defeat. They both glared hatefully at the Wonderbolts. "Enough playing around." Lightning Dust scowled. "Time to end this..." Another short break, and it was time for the grand finale. Rainbow and Lightning Dust stood ready on the starting line. "This it, folks!" The announcer bellowed. "The final round, to decide which team will be going home winners: the Captain of the Washouts, Lightning Dust, versus the newest Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash!" The crowd cheered more loudly than ever. "Get ready to lose, Dash." Lightning Dust growled. "You wish." Rainbow glared back. "Ready, set... Go!" The announcer yelled. Rainbow and Lightning Dust flew up into the breach, the crowd roaring. "You can do it, Crash!!" Surprise whooped. "Put that wannabe in her place!" Misty Fly cheered. "How sweet." Lightning Dust jeered as she and Rainbow negotiated a blizzard. "Think they'll still be cheering after you lose this?" "Not gonna happen!" Rainbow shot back. "I could always outfly you, Dash." Lightning Dust scoffed. "Because I was willing to do what needed to be done to win!" "At the cost of other ponies!" Rainbow pointed out. "But I'm good enough win without hurting others!" "We'll just see about that..." Lightning Dust smirked. The two continued on, taking each obstacle with practiced skill. "I don't think I've ever seen such evenly-matched fliers!" The announcer declared. "Don't know about you, folks, but I am giving my hooves!" All too soon, Rainbow and Lightning Dust reached the final leg of the course. The only thing in their way was a giant dark cloud, spitting out hailstones the size of Bucknell's. "This is it." Lightning Dust declared. "The final test. Who's got the guts to win this?" "Guts is one thing..." Rainbow mused. "But common sense is another!" Rather than fly through the center of the hailstorm, Rainbow stuck to the outer limits, where the downpour was thinnest. In contrast, Lightning Dust flew straight through the middle. "That's always been your problem, Dash." Lightning Dust sneered. "Never could take the risk, could you? That's why I'm gonna win this!" "It's not over yet." Rainbow said through gritted teeth, evading the hailstones as best she could. Like the old saying goes, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Lightning Dust was nearing the edge of the cloud. "It'll be over sooner than ya think!" She smirked. Just before she reached the edge, a hailstone struck her wing. "Ahh!" She screeched, wobbling from the impact. "And that's always been your problem." Rainbow declared, exiting the cloud first. "You're just too reckless!" "You haven't won yet!" Lightning Dust followed her out of the cloud. Her wing was still intact, but heavily bruised, reducing her speed. In spite of that, she still put her all into her flying, and closed the gap between them. "This time, I win!" The two were neck and neck as they headed to the finish line. But Rainbow, bolstered by the need to make her team proud, put on a burst of speed just in time to cross the finish line first. "And it's all over!" The announcer declared. "Rainbow Dash defies all odds to secure victory for the Wonderbolts!" Barely a second after landing, Rainbow found herself being tackled by her teammates. "You did it!" Soarin cheered. "Way to go!" Surprise smiled. "Nice work, rookie." Spitfire declared. "Great work!" High Winds added. "Yeah!" Misty Fly agreed. The crowd were going mad with jubilation. "WONDERBOLTS!! WONDERBOLTS!! WONDERBOLTS!!!" They cheered. As the Wonderbolts released Rainbow from their group hug, the Washouts approached, sour looks on their faces. Clearly, they weren't pleased at how their attempt to show up the Wonderbolts had resulted in the exact opposite outcome. "This isn't over, Dash." Lightning Dust scowled. "You mark my words: One of these days, the Washouts are gonna be Equestria's top fliers, and the Wonderbolts are gonna be nothing but a footnote in the history books!" "Yeah, sure." Rainbow said sarcastically. "Like I said, a pony can dream..." "Let's get outta here." Lightning Dust told her comrades. The Washouts took off into the sky, followed by Wind Rider, who cast a cold glare at his former teammates. "Great work out there, team." Spitfire smiled. "Especially you, Crash." "I couldn't let you guys down." Rainbow sighed. "Especially since it was my big mouth that got into this mess in the first place." "I'd say showing that egomaniac who's boss more than makes up for it." Fleetfoot smiled. "Yeah, that was awesome." Soarin grinned. "Way to make the 'Bolts proud." Surprise agreed. "And helping to put those Washout upstarts in their place." Misty Fly grinned. "Guess their little plan to humiliate us really backfired, huh?" High Winds chuckled. "Like they ever had a chance at taking our place as Equestria's top fliers..." "And they never will." Spitfire declared. "Not so long as ponies like you are on the team. Come on, 'Bolts, let's go home." The Wonderbolts took off into the sky, the crowd still cheering them on. The team flew back to Cloudsdale with pride, for they had defended their position as Equestria's best fliers. While the Washouts would no doubt rear their helmeted heads again in the future, not a single Wonderbolt feared that they would eclipse their team in popularity. Not as long as a single Wonderbolt was willing to give their all to honor their teammates, and all the Wonderbolts who came before them.