The sun was very close to setting as the gang of seven trudged on through a rocky mountain path. They had been wandering aimlessly on a trail heading nowhere for hours. Then they all realized that not one of them had any clue where they were going. Rarity was whining about her hooves hurting while Twilight read the map.
"How in tarnation are we supposed to find this Zoom Blade if we don't even know where to start looking?" Applejack asked.
"Let's just stop and see where we are so we can get our bearings." Twilight announced folding up the map. Everypony stopped where they were and observed their surroundings, but all that could be seen were rocks, rocks and more rocks.
Spike was the first to ask about the elephant in the room. "Uh, does anyone know where we are?"
"Somewhere you're not supposed to be." A voice came from up overhead. It belonged to a dark red pegasus mare with a yellow mane and tail who spoke with a British cockney accent. She was accompanied by two scruffy looking pegasus stallions, Dumb-Bell and Hoops. They were all wearing purple uniforms that were similar to those of the Wonderbolts, except these ones had black lightning streaks, red goggles and bat-winged demon faces on the flanks.
The seven friends saw them all floating there, but didn't quite know what to make of them.
"What do we got here, guys?" Hoops asked with a sinister tone.
"Looks like a bunch of trespassers to me." Dumb-Bell responded.
"Yeah and look who's with 'em." Hoops acknowledged Rainbow Dash standing there. The two boys flew right up to her.
"Well if it isn't old Rainbow Crash." Dumb-Bell taunted. Of course, Rainbow Dash hadn't expected to run into these clowns again.
"What are you guys doing here?" she demanded.
"And what are you wearing?" Rarity added.
"That's none of your business." Dumb-Bell snapped. "The better question is what are you doing here?"
"Who cares?" The red mare stated, getting impatient. "They're trespassers. We gotta call the captain so she can-"
She was cut off when another voice proclaimed "That won't be necessary, Leatherwing." This voice belonged to none other than the ponies' pre-determined target herself, Zoom Blade. She flew in wearing the same uniform as her lackeys. She raised up her goggles her goggles to address her visitors.
"So who do we have here?" she inquired "A group of lost hikers taking a short-cut through the mountains?"
Rainbow Dash was a little intimidated by the supposedly dangerous ex-Wonderbolt, but she definitely wasn't scared. She picked up her courage and spoke right up.
"No. We're here to take you down, Zoom Blade."
Zoom Blade was surprised to here somepony she'd never met call her by name. She looked her straight in the eye and said "How do you know my name?" And then it hit her.
"Wait! Don't tell me. Spitfire sent you to try and stop me, didn't she?" she mocked "And you brought all your friends along to help."
She burst out laughing, but Rainbow was far from being amused.
"Oh, that is rich." Zoom Blade said wiping the tears from her eyes. "How much is she paying you?" she asked. "No wait! Even better. She's offered to make you a Wonderbolt. Am I right?"
"Uh..." was all Rainbow Dash could utter.
"Ha! I knew it!" Zoom Blade roared with laughter again and this time, her three lackeys joined in on it. All this mocking laughter made Rainbow's teeth clench as she grew really aggravated.
"Shut up!" she exploded. "My name is Rainbow Dash and I am gonna stop you and become a Wonderbolt!"
Pinkie Pie jumped in. "Yeah, 'cause Rainbow Dash here is the fastest and best flyer in all of Equestria."
Zoom Blade flew right up into Rainbow's face. "You think so, huh?" she said. "Well, Rainbow Dash, you must be off to a good start since you've just found not only me, but three more of the Wingstrikers to boot."
The three punk flyers landed on the ground behind their leader, standing proudly.
"The Wingstrikers?" Twilight asked.
"That's right, princess. Equestria's newest and greatest flight team." Zoom Blade boasted. "Outstanding flyers, every one of them, and all brutally rejected by the Wonderbolts, but that doesn't matter because now, we have each other." She wrapped her forelegs around her teammates as if she was really buddies with them all.
"But captain. Isn't the whole point of the plan to-" Zoom Blade bopped Hoops in the face, queuing him to shut up.
"You know, Rainbow Dash," she continued. "I like you're attitude, so if you think you're such a big shot, let's see what you've got." With that, she flew up into the air and challenged "Catch me if you can." Rainbow Dash accepted the challenge and took off after Zoom Blade through the open sky, determined not to let this creep escape.
"You three." Zoom Blade addressed her minions on the ground. "Make sure those others don't go anywhere."
The three Wingstrikers surrounded the six friends still on the ground.
It was a high-speed chase all across the open sky. Zoom Blade was fast alright, but so was Rainbow Dash. She stayed hot on her tail until Zoom Blade flew straight into a large cloud. Rainbow followed her inside, but when she got in there, it was as if Zoom Blade had disappeared. The fog was really thick and almost eerie as Rainbow looked all around and listened for the enemy. She felt like a sitting duck.
Suddenly, a silhouette flew right passed her and she kicked in that direction, but all she hit was fog. Rainbow Dash was starting to get really annoyed.
"Come on out and face me like a mare." she demanded.
"Yoo-hoo! Up here!" Zoom Blade taunted from overhead before flying straight up and out of the cloud. Rainbow Dash followed her and saw that Zoom Blade was waiting for her when she emerged. "I thought you said you were a fast flyer." she teased before taking off again with Rainbow in hot pursuit.
Rainbow Dash realized that she was still wearing her saddlebag, which was slowing her down a bit. She wondered why it felt so much heavier than usual, but she took it off and tossed it away regardless.
Suddenly, what should fall out of the bag but a little orange stow-away named Scootaloo. She was free-falling right out of the sky, much to the shock of everypony on the ground below. Rainbow Dash could hear Scootaloo screaming for help. She couldn't believe it, but she dove in to save her. Scootaloo buzzed her wings trying desperately to fly and save herself.
"Come on, you stupid wings. Fly!" she cried. Scootaloo was only a few feet from the ground before Rainbow Dash swooped in a caught her, giving her a dirty look. She giggled awkwardly, knowing that she was in big trouble now.
"Hi Rainbow Dash." she said nervously. "Uh, I can explain."
Rainbow Dash set Scootaloo down on the ground when she heard Zoom Blade say "Better luck next time, Rainbow Dash." from way up in the air. "Let's go, guys." The three minion pegasi took off, following their leader as they all flew out of sight.
Everypony shot a nasty glare at Scootaloo, who chuckled awkwardly. Rainbow was, of course, especially mad.
"Scootaloo, where did you come from?" she said angrily.
"Uh, sorry. I haven't had that talk with my parents yet." the little filly joked trying to ease the tension. But the angry adult pegasus didn't go for it. "Okay. I'm sorry." she pleaded. "I just really wanted to help you catch Zoom Blade so I snuck out and followed you. And then I hid in your saddlebag."
"I told you to stay home." Rainbow Dash shouted. "Why didn't you just listen to me? I've already got enough responsibility without worrying about your safety on this mission. And now, thanks to you, Zoom Blade just got away."
Scootaloo laid down defensively, a little scared by her hero yelling at her. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash."
The blue pony only groaned, turned around and started continuing down the path. "Come on. We gotta find out where they went." she ordered.
Applejack spoke up. "Rainbow Dash, we can't bring Scootaloo with us. We gotta take her back to Ponyville."
"We don't have time to head all the way back home." Rainbow declared. "We gotta find out what Zoom Blade and her gang are up to."
"But Rainbow." Fluttershy chirped.
"She's just gonna have to tag along and try not to cause anymore trouble." The blue pegasus said. "Now, are you guys with me or not?"
The other ponies and Spike all exchanged a glance with each other, clearly starting to worry about their friend. But they decided to follow her anyway wherever they were going.
Scootaloo was still stunned by Rainbow's yelling. She could hardly believe what had just happened. Twilight called back to her to come on and she snapped out of it and trotted to catch up to the others.