PROLOGUE
It was a pretty normal day at the Wonderbolts Academy. Of course, the day was just getting started, but it was sure to be just an average day of training. Spitfire smiled a bit as she stretched her neck, making her way to the mare's locker room. She had gotten a good breakfast, and was ready to start! All she needed was her suit! Still though.......There was something on her mind.......Or rather........somepony........She sighed in thought.........Rainbow Dash.........That was her name.........And before you get the wrong idea, it wasn't an 'all-encompassing love' thought.........No..........It was purely in marvel at this one mare's talents..........As captain of the Wonderbolts, she had to be strict on who made it in.........And lately, they'd been lax in their training apparently. They may have been a stunt team........But they were also Equestria's Air-Force.......And lately, they've been failing at that duty.......The young Flier's Competition? They'd failed to save that mare.........That dragon attack on Ponyville? They'd easily been disposed of.........And don't even bring up the Nightmare Moon, Discord, and Chrysalis incidents........
But Rainbow Dash? She had been the one to save that mare and them........She had played a key role in stopping that rampaging dragon........And as the Element of Loyalty, she had also been a key player in saving Equestria many times.........And on top of that, she'd displayed many other important traits.......After all, she WAS the Embodiment of Loyalty. Sure, that Sonic Rainboom was impressive.......but it wasn't just that...........No, it was mainly how she had stood up to her during her week at the Academy........As Captain, she couldn't play favorites. It was her duty. But how she had risked her dreams to do what was right, and calling her out on her mistakes? That took bravery. Needless to say, she was impressed.
"Something on your mind?" a voice suddenly snapped her from her thoughts. She turned, to see her friend, Soarin looking to her. When he had arrived, she didn't know. Spitfire rolled her eyes. "Shut up Pie-Face." she joked. He laughed a bit at that. "Hey, I can't help it that Sweet Apple Acres makes the best pies around!!!" he exclaimed. She laughed a bit and shook her head. "Yeah, you're doing that place all sorts of business. I wonder though.......Is it the pies, or that pretty farm-mare you're interested in?" Soarin's eyes widened at that. "WHAT!? How could you say that!?" he exclaimed. She laughed. "Just a thought......" she teased. Soarin rolled his eyes. "Let's just get ready for practice......." he muttered.
She grinned, as they went their separate ways into the Locker Rooms. Teasing Soarin was always fun. She noticed that the only other pony here was Fleetfoot. Another member of the group. After a quick greeting and conversation as she opened her locker, she suddenly realized something was missing........Her Uniform wasn't there........Instead a lock of a mane........A mane that she didn't want to believe she was seeing........ "FleetFoot?" she asked. "Yeah?" the white-maned mare asked, already suited up. "Call the police......." was all she said, still in disbelief and denial.
Saturday, September 28, 10:03 AM
Wright and Co. Law Offices
It was a quiet morning. It had been a few months since the whole fiasco with Derpy and the muffins, and the victory party that followed. In that party, Phoenix and Maya had met The rest of Applejack, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie's friends. Rainbow Dash, an athletic pegasus, who's life long dream is to join the Wonderbolts, Rarity, a Fashionista Diva of a unicorn who really knows her way around a sewing needle, and Fluttershy, a timid pegasus who loves caring for animals. They all seemed like nice ponies, and he trusted them. On this particular morning, Phoenix was sitting at his desk, flipping through old case files, while Maya was asleep on the couch nearby. Just then, the phone in the office rang, shattering its peaceful tranquility. Phoenix rolled his eyes and answered the phone. "Wright and Co. Law Offices. Phoenix Wright speaking."
"PHOENIX!!!!" Shouted the voice on the other line. It as definitely recognizable. It was Rainbow Dash. "You gotta help me!!" She exclaimed. She sounded desperate.
"AAAGH!!!" Phoenix screamed, from the pain of Rainbow's voice ringing in his ear. She was a little too loud, even over the phone. The scream woke Maya up. "Meh...Huh? Wah?" She said.
"Rainbow Dash?" Phoenix asked. "Is that you?"
"Yeah....listen Phoenix, I'm in BIG trouble! For something I didn't do! YOU GOTTA HELP ME!!! HERE!!!" She shouted through the phone.
"What?!" Phoenix said in disbelief. "Ok, Rainbow, slow down... start from the beginning."
Rainbow sighed through the phone. "Ok....look...I got put in detention for apparently stealing Captain Spitfire's suit! But I didn't do it! Honest!"
Phoenix shook his head. "Alright, we're on our way, Just stay calm until we get there!" He told her.
"I'll try...." She remarked flatly.
Saturday, September 28, 10:08 AM
Ponyville Detention Center
Visiting Room No. 2
Rainbow Dash sighed as she sat in the detention room. "Where is he?!" She said to herself. She didn't want to admit it, but she was scared. This would ruin her reputation with Spitfire, and it would get her kicked out of the Wonderbolts academy! And even worse....her closest friends would think she's a dishonest thief....Sure, Rainbow had made some mistakes from time to time, but she would never take something from somepony without asking! Ok, maybe that wasn't entirely true, there was the whole situation with The Daring Do book and the hospital, but she was going to put it back when she was done reading it!
Just then, Phoenix and Maya arrived at the Detention Center, and sat down at Rainbow's window. "We came as soon as we could!" Phoenix said.
Rainbow glared to them. "About time!!!" she exclaimed, before her expression softened. "Ah........I'm sorry.........I'm just a LITTLE bit agitated........" she muttered.
"What happened?" Phoenix asked. "We'll only be able to help you if we know all the details."
Rainbow sighed. "All I know is that when I woke up this morning, the Royal Guard was at my door, saying that I was being taken in for stealing Spitfire's Wonderbolt Uniform........But I didn't do it!!! I swear!!!"
Phoenix put a hoof to his chin in thought. "Are you sure that's all you remember?" He asked.
Rainbow looked at him fiercely. "Yeah!!!!" before looking down. "Well......Besides that they said they had decisive evidence........"
Phoenix's eyes widened. "Evidence? What Evidence?"
She looked down even more, before muttering "A lock of my mane......."
Maya looked shocked at that. "WHAT!? How did that get there!?"
Phoenix put a hoof on Maya's shoulder. "We'll have to find out....we'll take the case, Rainbow!"
Rainbow grinned. "Awesome!!! Knew I could count on you, Feen!!!" At that moment, the door once again opened. "Rainbow!!!" Twilight's voice came as she, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluutershy stepped in. "We headed over here as soon as we heard!!!" Applejack exclaimed.
"Somepony framed her for theft!" Phoenix exclaimed. "And we were just about to investigate!"
Maya looked confused. "Uh....Nick?" She asked. "How can we investigate? The Wonderbolt Academy is in the sky! And we're not Pegasus Ponies!"
Phoenix's expression sank. "Oh.....right...."
Twilight smiled. "Leave it to me. The Academy itself is actually mostly ground based, so Unicorns and Earth-Ponies can access it. I can easily get us up there by balloon. Plus I have cloud-walk spell if we need to use such areas, or go to Cloudsdale."
Rainbow crossed her hooves. "No fair!!! You guys get to go to the Wonderbolts Academy without me!?"
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Uh........Sugarcube......We're goin' 'cuz o' ya......"
Maya giggled.
"Well, that solves our problem, then!" Phoenix said with a smile. "I think we should split up. Half of us goes to the academy, and the other half stays here and finds out who's prosecuting."
"That sounds like a good idea......" Fluttershy said.
Twilight nodded. "Right.......I'll go to the Academy, since I sorta need to."
"And I will too." Fluttershy followed up with.
"Me three!!!" Pinkie grinned.
Applejack adjusted her hat. "I reckon 'll stay down here.....'m more comfortable that way."
Rarity nodded her agreement. "Yes.....I must say, after the last two visits, I have had quite enough of Cloudsdale......." she said remembering the events.
Twilight nodded. "Sounds like a plan........Unless you think that's too many ponies going to the Academy, Mr. Phoenix?" she asked.
Phoenix shook his head. "No, the greater, the better!" He said.
"Well then let us begin then!!!" Rarity said excited.
Twilight nodded. "Are both you and Maya going to the Academy as well?" Twilight asked Phoenix.
"Hm....I think it would be better if Maya stayed down here." Phoenix said.
His assistant nodded her head. "Got it!"
Twilight nodded. "Right. So me, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Mr. Phoenix at the Academy, Rarity, Applejack, and Maya at the courthouse......."
Rainbow then grumbled "And I'm stuck here......"
"It's alright....we'll come back for you." Phoenix said.
"You'd better!" Rainbow said.
Rarity sighed. "That's our Dash...."
Maya smiled. "Alright, Investigation Team! Let's go!"
'Investigation Team?' Phoenix said in his head.
Twilight shrugged. "I guess that is what we are..........I know we're all going to Cloudsdale........Where are you three going to start?" she asked looking to Maya, Applejack and Rarity.
Maya put a hoof to her chin. "Well...after we find out who's prosecuting....we could check out the Ground Base!" She said. "I'm a huge Wonderbolts Fan! They have a base right below the Academy!"
"She's not wrong!" Rainbow said, with a small smile, happy to see a fellow 'Bolt fan.
"Alright.......Let's stop by the Library so I can get that spell for all of you.......Then we'll get to the Academy to investigate." Twilight said, Pinkie bouncing excitedly behind her, Fluttershy giving a brief nod.
Applejack nodded. "Right......An' why ya'll're doin' that, me Rarity, an' Maya'll head tah the court house, and then their ground-base." she said beginning to split off, Rarity right behind her.
Meanwhile, Phoenix's group left the Detention Center as well.
Saturday, September 28, 10:13 AM
Twilight's Library
As they stepped inside Library, Twilight immediately called out "Spike!", the baby dragon immediately running downstairs. "Yes Twilight?" he asked.
"We need the book of "101 Ways of Elemental Manipulation." she said simply.
Spike gave a quick salute. "Of course!" he said before running to the shelves to look.
"Wow....that's a wordy title...." Phoenix said.
Spike simply shook his head as he returned with it, Twilight then grabbing it with her magic, and getting lost within the pages. "You think that's bad? You haven't seen some of her favorites......"
Pinkie nodded excitedly at that. "Ooh! Ooh! Like the 'Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy'?"
Spike shuddered at the mention of THAT book. "Yeah.........Like that one........"
Phoenix's eyes widened. "The Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy?!" Phoenix said, sounding flabbergasted that there was a book with a title that long and wordy.
Fluttershy nodded slightly, Spike simply sighing. "Yeah....."
Meanwhile, Twilight grinned widely as she got to a certain page. "Aha! Found it!" she chirped.
"So, this spell will allow us to walk on clouds without falling through them?" Phoenix asked.
Twilight nodded. "Yes! Don't worry, I've cast it many times before and its always worked!"
Pinkie nodded excitedly. "Yeppers! And its great! I mean otherwise, we wouldn't be able to EVER see Cloudsdale close up!!! Do you know how many ponies that means I can't befriend? A LOOOOOOOOOT." she commented in her normal Pinkie fashion.
Fluttershy merely swung her hoof from side to side in a shy fashion. "Oh yes Mr. Phoenix..........Its worked well on the times we've used it........"
"Well....alright then! I trust you!" Phoenix said."
"Alright.........Here goes!" she announced as her horn began to glow, the magics then flying towards Pinkie and Phoenix, swirling around them and enveloping them before........suddenly the beams were gone. "There! It should be good now!" she proclaimed happily.
Phoenix blinked a tiny bit. Nothing much seemed to change about him and Pinkie Pie. "....That's it?.....Really?" He asked Twilight.
"Yep! Its actually quite simple." She remarked proudly.
"Huh.....that's.....surprising." He remarked to her.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What's so surprising about it?" she asked.
"Well.....it didn't hurt!" Phoenix said.
Twilight laughed a bit at that. "Not all spells have to." she commented.
"Maya's spells usually do...." Phoenix said, shuddering a bit.
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "Her spells..........hurt?" she asked meekly.
"Huh...someone should tell Maya that..." Phoenix said, shuddering. Maya had used him as the guinea pig for some of her spells, and considering she's not very skilled with magic outside of dealing with the spirits....the results were usually disastrous.
Twilight placed a hoof to her chin in thought. "Maybe I can help with that........"
"Maybe you could!" Phoenix said.
Twilight beamed at that. "Ohmygosh........I can just imagine.........My first student........" she seemed to be getting lost in a daze before Spike snapped his claw, sending her back to reality. "Focus Twilight!" He said. "Shouldn't you guys be heading out?"
"Right! Let's head to the Academy!" Phoenix exclaimed.
Once they reached the balloon, they all stepped inside the basket. Twilight prepared the balloon....and off they went.
September 28, 10:17 AM
The Wonderbolts' Academy
Front Gate
Once they were at a good enough altitude, Phoenix looked out over the edge of the basket, down at the country-side, which looked much smaller due to their height. "W-Wow! Truth be told, I've never ridden in a balloon before!" Phoenix stammered, amazed by the sights.
Twilight smiled at Phoenix's amazement. "After a few more rides, you get used to it." She said.
Fluttershy nodded. "O-Oh yes....come to think of it....I see Twilight in this balloon almost every week....Oh, there's nothing wrong with that of course...." She timidly hid her face behind her mane.
"Oh, that's for the title sequence, silly!" Pinkie said.
Everypony in the balloon gave her a peculiar look. "Title....sequence?" Twilight asked.
Pinkie just giggled. "Oh nothing!" She then slyly winked to you, the reader.
"Everypony! Look!" Twilight exclaimed.
Phoenix, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all looked to one side of the basket. There, off to the distance, was Cloudsdale, the beautiful city of the pegasus ponies....rainbow waterfalls and all.
"Uhm....pardon me...but it just looks the same as ever..." Fluttershy whispered. She had lived in Cloudsdale as a filly, so seeing it again, wasn't much of a wow for her.
"Wow....it looks amazing!" Phoenix said.
Twilight giggled a tiny bit at his amazement. "Yes, the pegasi really know how to build a city!"
After the baloon had finally reached Cloudsdale, it landed at the gate of the Wonderbolts academy. The investigation team filed out of the basket one by one, Phoenix being a little hesitant at first, for he didn't know how well the spell Twilight casted on him would work. But, as soon as he trotted out, he found the clouds under his hooves were as solid as concrete! It was as if he was a pegasus!
No surprise to them, they saw the Royal Guard stationed in different areas of the gate. They were all investigating, questioning recruits, and among them, wearing her military captains' wear, considering her suit was missing, was Spitfire.
"Captain Spitfire!" Twilight shouted.
Spitfire growled a bit and walked over. "I thought I told you, cadet, DO NOT ADDRESS YOUR CAPTAIN UNLESS SHE ADDRESSES YOU FIR-- Oh.....Princess Twilight...." She bowed her head slightly. "Apologies....I thought you were one of my cadets...." She sighed. "It's been a long morning...."
Twilight nodded compassionately. "It's ok, I understand."
"Hiya, Captain!" Pinkie said with a wide grin, while Fluttershy was hiding behind Phoenix, shivering from being spooked by Spitfire's yelling.
Spitfire nodded at Pinkie Pie, and looked back to Twilight. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Your Highness?" She asked.
Twilight blushed at being called Your Highness..... "W-Well.... ahem..... it's come to my attention that you've had one of my friends arrested...."
Spitfire sighed. "Right....." She said. "Look, I didn't want to do it, and I could hardly believe it myself, but somepony made off with my uniform, and that somepony had to be Rainbow Dash. A lock of her mane was found at the scene."
"That's precisely why we're here, Ma'am!" Phoenix said, stepping forward a bit.
Spitfire raised an eyebrow at the blue-suited stallion. "And who are you?" She asked.
Phoenix extended a hoof. "Phoenix Wright. Rainbow Dash's attorney." He said, as Spitfire shook his hoof firmly. "We'd like to do some investigating, if you don't mind."
Spitfire nodded. "Go right ahead. I'll lead you to the locker rooms."
September 28, 10:23 AM
Wonderbolt's Locker Room No. 3
Inside the locker room, the smells of sweat, and determination filled the air. It was particularly pungent....and the investigation team seemed slightly grossed out by it. Well, everypony except for Pinkie Pie and Spitfire.
"Ooooh! It smells like my second cousin Pizza Pie's gym socks!" Pinkie exclaimed with a smile. "A hint of mozzarella...." she licked her lips at the thought, and that seemed to gross everypony out even more.
"Well, this is it." Spitfire said. "Come and find me outside when you're done." She then began to step out of the room.
"Wait! Captain!" Phoenix exclaimed.
Spitfire turned back around. "Yes, Mister Wright?"
"Is there anything you can tell us about the crime scene and what you saw?" He asked.
Twilight held up a note pad and a quill pen with her magic, ready to take notes, while Pinkie Pie had somehow gotten a Sherlock Holmes hat on her head and a magnifying glass.
Spitfire sighed. "Look, I'd love to help, but I can't. The guard said I can't answer too many questions about the case until I'm called to the stand in court tomorrow."
Phoenix nodded. "I understand. You can go now."
She nodded and walked back outside.
"Alright, everypony look around!" Phoenix said. Everypony did just that. Twilight was looking inside other lockers, Pinkie Pie was looking under the benches, and Fluttershy peeked her head in the showers.
"HEY!" Somepony inside shouted.
"EEK!! S-Sorry!" Fluttershy meekly said, pulling her head out of the showers, her cheeks a bright pink.
Phoenix walked over to Spitfire's locker, which was all wrapped up in police tape. He put a hoof to his chin as he cleared the tape and opened in up. "Well, here's the lock of Rainbow's mane they found...." He said, as it had been left there in a plastic baggie. "Wait a minute....Look at this!" Everypony else looked over.
"What is it, Feenie?" Pinkie asked.
"Looks like the mane hairs weren't the only thing they found!" Phoenix said, drawing their attention to another plastic bag.
"It's.....feathers?" Fluttershy said in a questioning tone.
"Right....one teal, one brown..." Twilight said.
Pinkie looked closer, and then gasped. "I'D KNOW THAT FEATHER ANYWHERE!!!!"
Everypony was shocked at Pinkie's loudness and backed up a bit. "P-Pinkie!?" Twilight asked.
"The brown feather, sillies!" Pinkie said. "It belongs to that super duper grumpy meany mean pants, GILDA!!!!"
Everypony except for Phoenix seemed shocked at that. Especially Fluttershy. "Gilda?" Phoenix asked. "Who's Gilda?"
"She was a super meany meany big dumb bully mean pants who made Fluttershy cry!" Pinkie said.
That only seemed to confuse Phoenix more.
Twilight facehoofed. "Gilda was an old friend of Rainbow Dash's.....she...didn't have a very nice attitude....she was yelling at ponies....stealing from food stands....and she didn't seem to like Rainbow's new friends that much."
"S-So...Rainbow told her to go away...." Fluttershy squeaked.
"Right....so that explains the brown feather....and why she would have a motive for framing Rainbow Dash....but what about the other feather?"
Twilight looked closer at the teal feather. "It could belong to Lightning Dust....
"Lightning Dust?" Phoenix asked.
"A former Wonderbolt recruit.....she was kicked out of the Academy for being to reckless...and for knocking us out of our balloon when we came to see Rainbow Dash." Twilight said, Fluttershy shuddering at the memory.
"Looks like yet another revenge motive!" Phoenix said. "Looks like we have all the evidence we need! Let's get back to the ground and tell the others!"
September 28, 10:28 AM
Wonderbolt's Ground Base
Main Lobby
"So, we're headin' tah the ground base first, right?" Applejack asked.
Maya nodded. "Yeah! Nick told us to investigate, and find out who's prosecuting, and I figured that whoever's prosecuting might be investigating too!"
Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought. "That is a well thought out assumption, Darling...." She said.
"Well, we'll never know unless we git in there!" Applejack said, holding the door open for her friends. Rarity and Maya filed into the ground base. It looked very busy. There was a front desk with a receptionist, an area where ponies could fill out their letter applications to become a recruit. As they looked around, something, or rather, somepony caught Rarity's eye. "Applejack.... do you know who that is?"
Applejack looked over. "Ah think we have more important things tah to tha--What in Tarnation?!"
Maya looked over. "Why are you so surprised! It's just a Minotaur!" She said.
"That ain't just any Minotaur, Sugarcube!" Applejack said. "That's Iron Will...."
Sure enough, Applejack was right. There he was, half man, half bull. He had the legs, horns, and face of a bull, yet the torso and arms of an athlete built like a brick wall. He had a black tie around his neck, and what looked like a small microphone headset hooked onto his ear.
"Iron Who-now?" Maya asked.
"Iron Will..." Rarity whispered. "He hosts this seminar on how to be more confident and assertive....Fluttershy took his courses....and....things didn't go very well....It wasn't really his fault....he just didn't seem to care when Fluttershy took the lessons too far..."
"Iron Will....hm..." He didn't seem very bad.....Maya wondered what he was doing here. She walked up to him, and tapped a hoof on his shoulder. "Excuse me?"
The minotaur turned around, looking down at the spirit novice. "You tryin' to block?" He asked.
Maya seemed a bit confused, but he was bigger than her,and he didn't want to make him mad. "N-No..." She said rather timidly.
"Oh.........Iron Will offers his apologies then, ma'am........Iron Will has been undergoing some financial difficulties as of late.........And it has made him a bit grouchy......" he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Financial difficulties?" She asked.
Iron Will nodded. "Indeed.......I work as an Assertiveness trainer, renowned for my technique, and generous work ethic!!!" he exclaimed, giving a pose before suddenly dropping it. "But........Business has been a bit hard of late......."
"Well....what happened?" Maya asked, feeling a bit sorry for him.
He shook his head. "I promise that my clients don't have to pay if they're not 100% satisfied!!!" he exclaimed before suddenly slumping over. "But apparently I have been losing my touch.........The rhyming.........the yelling.......They haven't been working quite as well........And it started with that Fluttershy, Mare.......THAT was a mess...." he said in thought.
"Well....I'm Maya Fey! And I hope that you get your money troubles figured out!" She extended a hoof, and Iron Will shook it.
"A pleasure to meet you! Well, thankfully, Iron Will found himself another job!" He said, his expression suddenly brightening. "Iron Will needs to pay the bills....otherwise...there's gonna be a lot of eels...." He them face palmed. Y'see? That one was terrible....this is why I need something on the side..."
Maya smiled. "Well, that's good! What is your second job?" She asked intrigued.
Iron Will adjusted his tie with a smirk on his face. "Iron Will just got outta law school! Yer lookin' at Ponyville's new prosecution attorney!"
Maya's smile faded. "P-Prosecution Attorney?"
Iron Will nodded. "Yeah! If ya can't do the time, THEN DON'T DO THE CRIME!!!" He laughed at himself, happy with that new found rhyme.
"Well.....Are you working on a case right now?" Maya asked.
Iron will nodded. "Yeah! As a matter of fact, that's why Iron Will is here!" He crossed his arms across his chest. "Iron Will just got back from investigating the academy himself! He's gonna be bringing a no good thief to justice! I have a motto when it comes to theft.... If it doesn't belong to you, then keep your hooves off, Fool!" He pointed his finger at her much like an attorney would.
Well...much to Maya's dismay, she now knew who was prosecuting.
"Alright....well it was good meeting you!" Maya said, giving him a smile, before turning and walking back to the group.
"Well? Did he tell you why he's here?" Rarity asked.
Maya nodded. "He's the prosecutor...."
Applejack and Rarity both looked shocked at that, letting out a simultaneous "WHAT!?"
Maya nodded, and looked back at the minotaur, to make sure he wasn't listening. "Yeah....we gotta tell the other group! Hopefully they found some evidence!"
September 28, 10:30 AM
Twilight's Library
Phoenix, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Maya, Applejack, and Rarity all made it back to the library to talk about what they found. First, Phoenix began, telling them about what he, Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie found in the academy locker room, about Gilda and Lightning Dust's feathers. Then, Maya told her story about speaking to Iron Will, and about how he was the one prosecuting Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy looked visably shaken when she heard Iron Will's name, yet at the same time...compassionate. She wasn't one to hold a grudge. "H-He's just trying to find another way to make ends meet....since I kinda...messed with his reputation..." She quietly stated. But talking about it here wouldn't mean a thing. What mattered is what would be said in court the next day....
TO BE CONTINUED IN: TURNABOUT WONDERBOLT - PART 2