//------------------------------// // Entering Cloudsdale // Story: Vanishing Act // by Axel IV //------------------------------// Major Ironhide was a mighty pony; he was a stallion among stallions, a veteran who had seen countless encounters, and a seemingly immovable, intimidating mountain of muscle. Not only that, but he had graduated with the highest marks in his class during his years of East Point Academy. He was a sharpened, all-rounded officer with a jet black mane and a rough, red coat. He had blazing yellow eyes that could send shivers down a manticore's spine, with a fearsome scar that ran down the left side of his face. His blue uniform was decked with shimmering medals commended by Princess Celestia herself. He strutted proudly through the Cloudsdale Military Base, receiving looks of awe and appreciation from the younger, outranked guards and officers. They saluted him proudly when he passed, standing up straight with their hooves held at their foreheads. "Morning, sir!" One of the guards greeted nervously, standing at attention. "Good morning." Major Ironhide responded, his eyes staying forward. His icy voice froze the backbone of the guard, his cold breath making the others tremble with just two words. Just. Two. Words. The Major made his way down the hallway, his head held high upon his shoulders. His large hoofs were like thunder on the cloud floor, quaking its surface with his powerful stride. His intimidating muscles quivered with every step, his sculpted body fishing in the eyes of the female troops he passed. Sorry, ladies... he's married. "M-Major!" A weak, hesitant voice leaked into his ears from behind. The major's ears twitched, filtering the voice's pathetic tone so that he could actually notice it. He calls it... auto-tuning. "Yes?" The Major asked, his hooves stopping in their place. His posture could have been right out of a portrait. But only if the painting was done by him personally. He was also a well-known painter that was said to be past his time. Truly, a master of the arts. "Are you on your way to meet the colonel?" The guard asked, stopping within four feet of the Major. Any closer, and the Major's masculine aura would crush his bones. It wouldn't be the first time. "Yes." The Major answered. The word itself was enough to make the mares all weak in the knees, their hearts petrifying in their chests. The stallions themselves turned to stone, their bodies refusing to move at the simple sound coming from his lips. "Is this... the first time you're going to meet the colonel?" The guard asked nervously, a worried frown pulling at his weak, insignificant lips. The Major glanced back, but didn't make eye contact. He didn't want to boil the young lad's eyes with his striking gaze. "Is there a problem?" The Major asked, cocking an eyebrow. Just from that, an Ursa Major fell unconscious in the Everfree Forest. "Um, well..." The guard pawed at the ground uncomfortably. "...Good luck!" He saluted his superior and spun around, steadily making his way back down the hallway. The Major frowned, turning his gaze back to the proper path and resuming his thunder-stomps. He had heard rumors of the Colonel in the Cloudsdale Military Base... and some tales firsthand from those who had personally seen him. The Colonel almost never left his office, and when he did he was clad completely in armor. His voice was described as a blazing inferno that could shatter morale and defeat his opponents with a single breath. But he was always told to be wary of the Colonel's eyes. The Major stopped before the doorway, lightening his gaze so that he didn't burn a whole through its surface. The stares of the lesser troops and guards had evaporated, having stopped as soon as he took his place in front of the Colonel's office door. It was odd indeed... but the Major was ready to face any challenge. "Colonel, this is Major Ironhide." The Major stated proudly, knocking onto the door with his mighty hoof. "I request an audience immediately." His voice rumbled through the door, disrupting any possible peaceful airwaves that lay within. The Major was answered with silence. ... ...Nopony answers the Major with silence. "Colonel." The Major said again, the anger burning fumes into his stern voice. "This is Major Ironhide. I said, I would like to request an- " "Enter." The Major's eyes widened, albeit very slightly. If he had been a much, much, much, much, much lesser pony, just a murmur from that tone would drive a very, very, very tiny sliver of fear into his heart. Whoever it was that owned the voice, was in the the same league as the Major. And the Major was in a league of his own. The Major laid his powerful, giant hoof against the surface of the door and gave it a puny shove. The force was hard enough for the door to swing open, but soft enough so that it didn't dent the wall at the end of its short journey. The Major had the perfect touch. He often used it in hoofball, and he never lost a game. The Major stomped proudly into the office and took in the surroundings. It was fairly big, as it was expected to be. The corners of the room were smothered by shelves backed with books, with paintings of battles with mighty beasts and monsters hung up on the walls like trophies. Black curtains were drawn over the large, single window in the back of the room, causing everything to appear dim and isolated. A large desk lay before the black curtains. Just from one glance, the Major could tell what material it was made from. The wood of Timberwolves. When his blazing yellow eyes adjusted to the dark in a mere half-second, two figures behind the desk appeared to him as clear as day. In the center he spotted a large, mystical black chair with its back turned in his direction. To its right stood a mare officer, her blue uniform also decked with numerous medals and commendations. Her coat was golden, her crimson mane tied up in standard military fashion. Her stern, iron gaze was locked onto the Major's, her green eyes not fearing his deadly stare. "Good morning, Major Ironhide." The mare saluted, her pose showing not even the slightest signs of faltering. "We apologize for the delay, as the Colonel was not expecting you." "What's your name and rank?" The Major inquired, feeling rather impressed at the stoic beauty. "Lieutenant Stormwings, sir. I'm the Colonel's right-hoof pony." "Nice to meet you, Lieutenant." The Major nodded, turning his gaze to the back of the chair. "We received a letter informing us of your arrival just a few hours ago." Stormwings stated, "but it didn't state your purpose of the visit. May we ask what your reasons may be?" The Major straightened, "I'm on a personal errand from Princess Celestia. I'm afraid I cannot share such information." The lieutenant's ears twitched in mild annoyance. "I understand, Major." She nodded. She then leaned over to the Colonel, whispering quietly into his unseen ear. The Major was left staring blankly at the back of the Colonel's chair. ...It annoyed him. "Colonel, I request that I see your face." The Major spoke, not afraid to yank on the chain of command. "It is not polite to hide one's face... especially from that of a veteran officer who has served Celestia for decades." Though his pride was immense, it was caught in a strange stalemate with the uneasiness leaking from the Colonel's unseen form. Lieutenant Stormwings furrowed her eyes. "The Colonel prefers to avoid eye contact." Major Ironhide inwardly grinned. The Colonel refuses to meet his eyes? He must be even less of a stallion than he thought. "There is no worry," Ironhide stated, "I'll be sure to keep my gaze soft." "You don't understand, Major..." The Lieutenant shook her head. "It's not for the Colonel... it's for your protection." The Major blinked. "Wat." "Please understand." The Lieutenant insisted. The Major let his anger take slight control, his eyes burrowing holes into the back of the chair. "Nonesense! I have stared deep into the eyes of a wyvern, gazed down into the abyss pits of Tartarus, and shared a glare with a deadly cockatrice! What could a simple glance from the Colonel do to me?" Stormwings opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a gentle, armored clad hoof touching her shoulder. "Colonel... are you sure?" She asked, her face as stiff as stone. A smile of victory tugged at the lips of the Major. The chair turned slowly, swiveling silently in the dark room to face Ironhide. "Hello, Major." And thus screaming ensued. "Did you hear something?" Sky Strike stopped, his wings flaring wide in the chill morning air. His body quickly decelerated, the rush of the flight stopping right in its tracks. Rainbow Dash did the same, coming up to his side wearing a frown. They had flown for no longer than five seconds, and it was driving her nuts. "Nope." Rainbow Dash aimed a glare at her father. "So let's go!" "Rainbow Dash... Sky Strike..." "Ah," Sky Strike smiled, reaching his hoof forward to ruffle Dash's mane. "Then you still have a lot to learn, young lady!" He glance to the left and to the right, his ears twitching lightly. His hearing wasn't that incredible, but Sky Strike had a good awareness of his surroundings in flight. It was a unspoken, necessary skill that wonderbolts obtained through their extensive training. "H-Hey!" Dash protested, "w-what's that supposed to mean?!" She pouted, swatting his hoof away. "Rainbow Dash... Sky Strike..." The whisper in the wind repeated. Sky Strike finally scanned the small town of Ponyville below and spotted a familiar pink maned pegasus staring up at them. She looked like an ant, her wings hardly keeping her in the air. She wasn't that far up in the sky, and it was clear that she had no desire to ascend to their elevation. "It's Fluttershy!" Sky Strike exclaimed, his body gliding into a face-down position. In a single beat of his wings, Sky Strike was launched downwards, the sudden rush whipping his mane back. Rainbow Dash wasn't too far behind, her body spiraling down right behind her father. Fluttershy couldn't help but gaze up at the duo in wonder, her jaw slightly dropping. While pegasi were the ponies of the air, it didn't mean that their flying abilities were astounding. Having wings meant that they were able to fly, not perform incredible acrobatic twirls and loops in midair. But for Sky Strike and Rainbow Dash, it was obvious that they were the best compared to the others. Rainbow Dash was a little rough around the edges in her style, but her speed and maneuverability made up for it. Sky Strike, on the other hoof, made his moves and tricks look easy, and his experience and training allowed him to flow between maneuvers with ease like water. Rainbow Dash was an aggressive flyer, while Sky Strike was more graceful and elegant. Fluttershy dropped slowly onto the streets of the small town, waiting for her friends. Sky Strike made a smooth landing, his hooves tapping lightly onto the earth with his near-perfect deceleration. Rainbow Dash's landing was heavier, but had more impact, her hooves striking the ground and kicking up a thin layer of dust. "Morning, Fluttershy!" Sky Strike greeted with a wide smile, "what are you doing up so early?" "Oh, I was just on my way to buy Angel some fresh carrots." Fluttershy happily answered, "he gets so cranky when we run out." "Do you need us for anything?" Rainbow Dash asked, her irritation seeping quietly into her words. Today was her first long flight with her father, and so far they were off to a slow start. Fluttershy didn't appear to notice Rainbow Dash's masked aggressiveness. "Oh, not really. I was just wondering what you two were up to." "Oh, I thought we told you." Sky Strike chuckled, "I was planning on heading over to Cloudsdale and visiting your dad!" The color drained from Fluttershy's face. "U-Um," she stuttered, "I-I don't think t-that would be a good idea..." Her ears drooped, her eyes suddenly finding the dirt street very interesting. Sky Strike blinked, his smile slowly deteriorating. "What? What's wrong? Is your father doing okay?" His voice dripped with concern, his ears flickering nervously in the chilly morning air. Rainbow Dash glanced back and forth, her wings trembling lightly from anticipation of their planned flight. Fluttershy's eyes scanned over the empty streets. It was still rather early, and the cakes haven't even opened Sugarcube Corner yet. A few morning workers passed by now and then, but they were too busy in their own world to pay attention to the trio of pegasi in the center of the town. Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Well," she started, her voice coming in as a whisper. "H-He hasn't been the same since..." Her voice trailed off, her blues eyes gazing up innocently at Sky Strike. Sky Strike frowned, turning his head to look away. Her hoof pawed at the ground, digging up loose dirt that dissipated quickly back down to the earth. "Oh... I see." Sky Strike grew quiet, the mixed emotions weighing down his heart. "I'm sorry... I didn't even think about how one of my best friends would have felt when I left." "It's okay," Fluttershy tried to smile. "I-It's not your fault." "How did he change?" Rainbow Dash butted in, suddenly growing rather concerned herself. "W-Well..." Fluttershy stammered, "he..." She stared back down at the ground, her wings flat against her head. Sky Strike took in a deep breath, lifting his hoof to pat Fluttershy's head softly. "It's okay." Sky Strike said, a sad smile hanging from his lips. "You don't have to say anymore. I think I know what's going on." Fluttershy blinked, her eyes widening in confusion. "You do?" She whispered. "Yeah," he chuckled, setting his hoof back onto the ground. "He's my oldest friend. I know what goes on in that shy little skull of his." Sky Strike tapped his head at the notion, a wide smile gracing his face. "I'm sure it's something that both you and Rainbow Dash will understand someday. Well, if you don't yet already." Sky Strike's wings lifted from his sides, swooping into the air to lift him up gently from the ground. "Y-You sure?" Fluttershy whispered, "I... I haven't even heard him laugh since..." Sky Strike only answered her with a smile, turning his focus to the morning sky. In a blink of an eye he shot upwards, his wings climbing through the chilly morning air with ease. "Don't worry, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash grinned, her wings prepping for take off. "If someone can fix this... it's my dad!" She took off, launching a gust of wind that tackled the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy barely had time to brace herself, the burst of air blasting her mane wildly to the side. When she finally collected herself, the two blue pegasi were nothing more but dots Celestia's golden sun. Fluttershy sighed, combing her mane back down with her hoof. "I sure hope so..." She said to herself quietly. "Professor Starlight?" Tesla Coil called, rapping lightly onto her office door. "Professor Starlight? Are you in there? I need to talk to you!" Starlight cringed, setting down her hot coffee mug onto her desk. It was the middle of the afternoon, a gentle breeze filling her well-sized office from a nearby cracked open window. She sighed, closing the book she was reading and placing it gently beside her mug. She slowly got off of her chair and walked towards the door, glaring at it like it was her worst enemy. "Please!" Tesla Coil's voice rang from the outside. "It's really, really important!" Starlight gripped the doorknob with her hooves, twisting it and yanking the door open. "What?" Starlight asked, an annoyed edge to her voice. Tesla looked as messy and overworked as always, and was clutching a dozen papers in his hoof. Tesla was startled, backing away a few steps. He took a breath to collect himself. "C-Can I come in? It's really, really urgent..." "Is it, now?" Starlight inquired, "you have a habit of researching pointless subjects thinking that they could somehow cause a world-wide catastrophe." "Please, Starlight! It will only take a few minutes! I just want to ask you some questions!" Tesla whined, his lower lip quivering. Starlight grumbled, opening the door to give him room enough to come in. Tesla gave her a happy nod and trotted inside. All of the professor's offices (except Tesla Coil's) were spacious. Starlight's in particular was clean and organized. She had large file cabinets on one side of the room, and her desk and workplace in the other. The windows were unblocked and open, sounds of idle chat among the college students occasionally coming in. "What is it that you want?" Starlight asked, sitting back down at her desk. "There are tests I have to grade, and essays I have to read. Make it quick." "U-Um, right..." Tesla nodded, looking around for a seat. Finding none, he stood awkwardly in the middle of the room and pulled out one of the sheets of paper that he clutched to his chest. "I've been currently studying magical essence, and recently there has been a giant shift in its stability. In other words, magical essence is completely off balance and has been fluctuating to alarming rates. Erm, you do know what magical essence is, right?" "Just get on with it," Starlight grumbled, "and of course I do. Everypony with a degree should know what it is." "Good," Tesla Coil nodded, "then it should be easier to understand. So, I managed to find the exact date that the magical essence in this world really started to change... and I also found the location. It was in Ponyville." Starlight glanced at Tesla. "Ponyville... that's where my daughter lives..." Tesla Coil nodded again. "Yes... I find it odd that the magical essence had gathered to the place where all six elements of harmony live. Is it a coincidence? I don't know for sure.... but there is something that was really taking my interest. Do you know what a magical essence storm is?" "Yeah," Starlight nodded, "a storm created by gathered magical essence." "That's a brief understanding, but yes." Tesla Coil answered. "A magical essence storm is created when the essence is able to physically manifest itself into the weather. The storms are violent and rather powerful, and they've been known to shape the landscape beneath them." "Wait," Starlight raised her voice, "are you saying that one of those storms... formed over Ponyville?..." "Correct," Tesla frowned, "and ten years ago before then... one of those storms formed over Cloudsdale. I believe you were present for that." Starlight looked away, her pupils slightly dilating. She brought her hoof to her chest, a familiar pain throbbing in her heart. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. "I'm thinking that there's something that connects the two..." Tesla thought aloud, pacing around the room. "But it's very unclear... it was exactly ten years ago, but the storm was in an entirely different spot. But what was really different was that after the storm over Cloudsdale, magical essence returned to normal. But after the storm in Ponyville, magical essence went out of whack." "...Why are you telling me this?" Starlight asked, facing her desk. "There isn't a reason for you to." "I just thought you'd like to know..." Tesla shrugged. "Your daughter was involved with the storm in Ponyville." Starlight blinked, quickly turning to face Tesla. "I-Is she alright?!" Starlight asked, standing up from her chair. "Erm, yeah..." Tesla blinked, taken back by her sudden reaction. "In fact, I heard that it was a rainbow-maned pegasus that took care of that storm. No need to worry, Professor Starlight.” "I see..." Starlight nodded, "okay... good..." She turned back around, sitting back at her desk. "Anything else, then?" "Just one little theory I have," Tesla answered, tucking the paper back into his hoof. "Whatever these storms are... I think they're directly tied to the disappearance of your former husband. I have a hunch, and if this is true, then-" "Leave" Starlight stated harshly, opening her book. "I don’t want to hear anything about it. You’ve said what you had to say, and I want you to leave.” "But-" "Leave." "...Okay..." Tesla sighed, turning towards the door. Starlight heard him twist the knob and open the door, the sound of his hooves leaving the room. When she heard the door close, she reached over to one of the drawers on her desk and pulled it open. The drawer was completely empty, with the exception of a worn photo in its center. Starlight reached down and slowly brought to to her eyes. "Damnit..." she grinded her teeth, "why do you still haunt me?..." "Fluttershy looked kinda scared back there." Rainbow Dash stated, flying shoulder-to shoulder with her father. "Didn't you say that her dad was ever shyer than she was? It almost looks like she was afraid to just talk about him." Sky Strike frowned, mixed emotions boil behind his eyes. "Well," Sky Strike started, "believe it or not, Fluttershy's family has had a long military history that even dates back to the time of Commander Hurricane. The males in the family were all strong, stubborn, and frightening... not only that, but there's a secret power that travels only through their bloodlines..." "Is it the stare?" Rainbow Dash inquired. "Huh? You knew about that?" Sky Strike blinked, his jaw dropping slightly from his surprise. "So that means that Fluttershy has it as well? Wow... I never expected that." "Really? But you just said that it travels through their bloodlines." Rainbow Dash was confused. "Yeah, but it's still pretty rare. And for a father and daughter to have the same special ability is actually unheard of. Well, according to Fluttershy's family at least." "So much for a secret." Rainbow Dash giggled, rolling her eyes. "Well, it's supposed to be, but things changed and the stare was appearing less and less. So now there are two ponies who have that ability." Sky Strike tapped his hoof onto his chin. "Anyways, getting back to what I was saying, the males in the family are pretty ferocious... with the exception of Fluttershy's dad." "Really? Why?" Rainbow Dash frowned, "what makes him so special?" "Um, well... it's kinda weird to describe..." Sky Strike scratched the back of his head, "so you're just going to have to see it to believe it." A strange gurgling sound echoed in Sky Strike's stomach, grabbing Rainbow's attention and tugging a smirk on the corner of her lips. "Anyways, I'm starving!" He laughed, patting his belly softly with his hoof. "Come on, Cloudsdale isn't too far away!" Rainbow turned her gaze to the front, spotting the cloud city growing closer and closer by the second. She suddenly smirked, giving her father a cocky smile. "Alright, then. Race you there!" In a single, powerful swoop of her wings, Rainbow Dash launched forward like a rocket. The rush of air from her quick acceleration blasted at Sky Strike, plowing into his side and shooting him side ways. Sky Strike smiled, easily overcoming the shock with his flying experience. "You're quick, but I'm faster!" Sky Strike grinned, his larger wings propelling him straight after his daughter. Their identical rainbow manes whipped back from the stream of air, their bodies whizzing through the sky. Pegasi that were on their way to the city were nearly blown away by the two blue bullets, nearly knocking a few fillies and colts right out of the air. "Sorry!" Sky Strike called back, a wide smile on his face. His daughter was unbelievable! When he was her age, he could barely fly a third of her speed! But even with his heart heavy with pride, his competitiveness wouldn't let her win so easily. It wasn't long before they were nearly directly above Cloudsdale, but they were so high up that it looked like the size of a pancake. Sky Strike grinned, his wings slicing the wind with his sudden adjustment in speed. He popped up beside his daughter, breaking the cocky grin that had locked her lips. "It's time for the real flying to start! Try to keep up, kiddo, 'cause I'm a leaf in the wind!" Sky Strike took a sudden nosedive, his body rapidly spinning on his descent. Rainbow Dash, not wanting to be beaten, took after him immediately. The G-forces ripped across her face, her eyes watering with the intense speed. If they increased their velocity even by a little, it would be possible to shift into a sonic rainboom. She could already feel its magical warmth spread over her wings, the excitement building in her heart... ...but she couldn’t do it. Not with Sky Strike present. It was barely a second before they had to start dodging the other ponies left and right, ignoring the gasps or scattering papers in their wake. Although Rainbow dash was faster than her father in terms of speed, she had yet to match his finesse and technique. Sky Strike elegantly swerved and twisted, moving just enough to avoid the obstacles. He truly was a leaf in the wind. But now came the hardest part. Landing. With their bodies closing in on the streets, it was time to decelerate. Sky Strike extended his wings, his muscles rippling from the force. He swooped upwards, pulling his body so that it was level with the cloudy streets while still avoiding the shocked and rather agitated pegasi. He decelerated cleanly, his hooves plopping softly onto the cloud. "Yep," he smirked, "I still got it!" A blue blur shot down beside him, rippling the cloudy streets beneath his hooves. It was a heavy impact, but thankfully it was a cloud that his daughter head-butted. Sky Strike burst out in a maniacal laughter, his daughter's head completely submerged under the surface. "Gah!" Rainbow groaned, tugging her soaking head right out from the ground. "You did that on purpose! You know that my landings still need work!" She punched her laughing father roughly in the arm, making him wince with a smile. She shook her head, her wet mane sending droplets of water everywhere. "Hey, I didn't give you permission to beat me yet." He grinned, ruffling her mane with his hoof. Pulling away his hoof, he stopped and took a quick look around. After ten years that passed him as fast as a blink of an eye, things didn't look too different. The streets were busy and loud as always, along with the cheerful ponies that filled them. The stands were all set up nice and neat, selling apples, watermelons, and other fruits and vegetables. The sky was filled with rushing pegasi on their way to work, and he spotted the weather team transporting and receiving clouds high above the buildings. "It's still the happy city that I remember." Sky Strike chuckled, glancing down at his hooves. "Everypony here has moved on with their lives..." He felt a nudge on his side, his daughter putting her wing over his shoulders. "Come on, dad..." She frowned sadly, reaching in to nuzzle his cheek. "Let's go get something to eat, okay?" Sky Strike let out a sigh before smiling, nuzzling his daughter back. "Right. I think I know just the place." The two pegasi took off side by side, wandering down the streets of the city. "So why are we back in Cloudsdale again?" Soarin inquired, gently spreading the shutters in their hotel window. "The anniversary show is in a few days, isn't it? Shouldn't we be out practicing with the team?" Spitfire laid on her back on one of the twin beds, a blue wonderbolts magazine clutched in her hooves. It would be strange to see the two most famous wonderbolts in such a cheap hotel room, but the duo preferred it. They were used to smaller rooms, and they felt uncomfortable in the larger, much more regal suites. "Because we need rest," Spitfire responded, flipping through the pages. "If we keep practicing day after day for the show, chances are that we'll be burnt out when we perform." Soarin sighed, "I hear you. But why Cloudsdale of all places? Can't we just sit around at our apartment in Canterlot?" "If you didn't want to come, you should have said something." Spitfire shrugged, turning the magazine sideways. The centerfold pages opened up, causing Spitfire to grimace slightly. "Ugh, I swear that my pictures are just getting uglier and uglier..." Soarin chuckled, giving one last look out the window. "Yeah, you're definitely been getting a little more gaunt lately." He winced when the blue magazine collided with the back of his head, sending his face straight into the shutters. "And you've been getting a little more annoying lately." Spitfire glared, throwing her hooves off the side of the bed. "Anyways, I'm hungry. Why don't we stop at that bakery?" She made her way over to the door, reaching her hoof towards the knob. "Hey!" Soarin protested, instantly putting his body between Spitfire and the door. "What are you thinking going out looking like that? One glimpse of us and we'll be chased all across the city again!" "Oh," Spitfire blinked, "yeah, I forgot about that." She laughed, scratching the back of her mane. "Don't want an incident like last time... man, being famous is such a bother at times." She spun around, trotting over to her suitcase. When they finally left their room, Spitfire and Soarin were completely disguised. They both wore black sunglasses, their manes combed forward instead of their usual hairstyle. Soarin had on his worn, black pleather jacket while Spitfire had her blue scarf hanging loosely from her neck. They made their way out of the hotel without a fuss, the other ponies not even batting an eyelash. "Too easy," Soarin chuckled, "dress up all spiffy and act like you have nothing to hide!" "I'm pretty sure it looks like we have something to hide, Soarin." Spitfire nudged, "so let's hurry. Today's their special apple pie special, and we don't want to miss it!" "Pie!" Soarin roared, breaking out into a sudden gallop. "Hey!" Spitfire blinked, her legs pumping after her childhood friend. "Wait up!" The two wonderbolts didn’t notice the two rainbow-maned pegasi far behind them, heading in the exact same direction.