//------------------------------//
// S2E10: Higher Ground 
// Story: My Little Zombie: Friendship is Dead Season 2 
// by Nortes432 ft Spitfire 
//------------------------------//

	"They're taking forever." Rainbow complained, stamping her hoof impatiently.
"Be patient, Rainbov." Zeinwolfe told her. He looked over at her with a playful smile. Rainbow looked back and shook her head. It was a beautiful day, there has not been an attack or incident in a while. The guard challenges were almost over, and the winner will be announced in three days. 
Zeinwolfe was able to convince The Circle to release Rainbow and let her move back with her friends, as long as Rainbow does not blow her cover. She became good friends with Zeinwolfe, and promised that they will get out alive. 
"Is zat zem?" Zeinwolfe asked, pointing at a group of approaching ponies. Sure enough, it was. Twilight, Applejack, and Scootaloo approached Rainbow happily. 
"Twilight! AJ!" Rainbow flew over to them. "Hey kid!" She patted the little pegasus's head, Scootaloo smiling. After saying her greetings, she looked around. "Where's Spitfire and Applebloom?" She asked.
"Applebloom is gettin' our food." Applejack told Rainbow.
"And Spitfire is preparing for the ceremony." Twilight added.
"Ceremony?" Rainbow asked. "What ceremony?"
"It's been a year since the outbreak. Celestia thought it would be a good idea to have a party and celebrate instead of grieving!"
"A party?" Zeinwolfe asked, approaching them. "I vould like to attend." 
Twilight and AJ looked at Rainbow, and Rainbow smiled awkwardly back at them. "Meet Zeinwolfe."


Intro


"I ran into Rainbov when we were out on the trip." Zeinwolfe finished. "Rainbov told Zeinvolfe she had very nice and interest friends for Zein to meet. It seems zat she vas right." He nodded towards Twilight. "Princess."
Twilight looked at him. "Please, call me Twilight." She said humbly. "A friend of Rainbow is a friend of our's." The others around her nodded in agreement.
Zeinwolfe chuckled. "Vatever suits you, 'Twilight'." He said her name, exaggerating his own accent humorously. The others erupted into laughter, and Zeinwolfe smiled with glee. 

After the meal, Twilight took Rainbow to the stadium where the festival would be held. It was big, and could fit every pony in Canterlot. Many performers lined the field, performing stunts of all sorts.
Rainbow's eyes settled on the Wonderbolts, who were chatting among themselves. Spitfire turned her head and saw Rainbow. "Dash!" She called, trotting over to the pegasus. "It's been a while."
"Yeah. How ya been?" Rainbow asked.
"I've been alright. Just hanging out and doing tricks." Spitfire answered. "The usual."
"Good to hear. Can't wait for the festival!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Spitfire said. "The festival will be awesome. I put my bits-worth on that bet."
Soarin' trotted over to the two. "Hey! Rainbow! You're back!" He exclaimed, shaking her hoof. Zeinwolfe approached the group with a large smile. 
"This is Zeinwolfe, my friend I met when I was gone." Rainbow said. 
"Nice to meet you, Rainbov's friends." He greeted, shaking their hooves.
"I'm Spitfire and this is Soarin'." The mare introduced. "I like your accent."
"Vhy thank you. Zeinvolfe doesn't get that a lot." Zeinwolfe said, chuckling. They laughed a little, and then they went back to setting up for the festival.

The next day, at noon, the festival was about to begin. Ponies flooded the stadium, waiting for the grand opening. The clock hit 12, and fireworks erupted into the air. Cheering flooded the crowd as the sound of exploding fireworks filled the air. Rainbow was backstage with the Wonderbolts. Zeinwolfe was with her friends, on the stadium bleachers. 
"We're getting ready to go on, Dash." Spitfire said. "You ready for a show?"
"Heck yeah!" Rainbow cried in joy. "Go get 'em!" With that, the Wonderbolts took off to perform. Rainbow watched from backstage as the Wonderbolts did tricks for the cheering crowd. Rainbow felt a moment of peace and calm.
That was until she was interrupted by a friend.
"Rainbow, it's been a while." Rainbow jumped as she turned her head to Secret. He wore a decorative mask to blend into the crowd. 
"Secret!" She exclaimed. "Do you have to sneak up on me like that?" She asked, a bit annoyed.
"I'd rather not be caught." He said. "What's going on out there?"
"Wonderbolts are flying. Man, I wish you could see this." She said.
"Yeah, me too." He mumbled. Rainbow opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off as a ringing sound went off. Rainbow put her hoof to her ear and pressed a button. She had a small earpiece in her ear, given to her by The Circle. It was supposed to be used during emergencies, so she got worried. 
"Rainbow here." She said. Secret perked his ears and listened.
"Rainbow. Where's Zeinwolfe? I lost contact with him." The Completionist said from the other end.
"He's in the stands, watching the show. Why?" She asked.
"No time. The show has started?" The Completionist asked.
"Yes sir." Rainbow answered.
"I need you to look up at the booth to your left." He said. Rainbow peeked out and looked up into the stands. Near the top, she saw a booth. "Inside, there's an assassin by the name of Stryker. His target is one of the Wonderbolts. The yellow one."
"Spitfire?" Rainbow asked, gulping. 
"Yes, that one. When they're near the booth, signal Stryker. He will take her out." He told her. "Don't fail me."
"I won't, sir." She said, turning off the earpiece.
"What's going on?" Secret asked.
Rainbow took a deep breath. "Spitfire is being targeted by The Circle. The assassin is in the West booth."
Secret perked his ears. "We need to stop him." He said. He turned and trotted out, calling Twilight as he left.

Secret and Twilight headed to the booth. As soon as they arrived at the door, Secret stopped Twilight. "Stand back. You have to stay safe." Twilight nodded slowly, and Secret bursted through the door. 
A single pony was wearing a campaign hat and uniform, decorated and fierce. He held a sniper rifle in his hooves as he aimed it out of the booth and at the Wonderbolts. He turned his head at the blind intruder. "Who are you, maggot?!" He cried, reaching for a hoofgun. Secret charged at him and knocked him to the side, sending the hoofgun skidding across the floor. Secret whacked him a few good times until the pony was no longer responding. Secret went back over the rifle. "Twilight, get in here!" He called.

"You want me to fake an injury? Over." Spitfire asked as she flew around the stadium.
"Yes." Rainbow answered into a large mic. "Make it look like the assassin tried to complete his task. Over."
"Man, I was wanting to do this routine for a while. But, since it's for the princess... Over..." Spitfire mumbled into her own earpiece.
"When you hear the gunshot, just let loose. Land on that mattress down there, being used for another stunt. Over." Rainbow ordered.
"I copy all, out." Spitfire said, sighing. A minute passed, and Spitfire led her team closer to the booth. When they were close enough, Rainbow raised her hoof and waved at the booth.
Twilight saw it, and shot a bullet into nowhere. Hearing the gunshot, Spitfire fell limp and fell down towards the ground. Gasps erupted from the crowd, and the other Wonderbolts quickly flew down and caught her. Spitfire groaned in fake pain, and the crowd quickly started to evacuate the stadium.
Rainbow sighed in relief, and Twilight took a deep breath. "Nopony got hurt..." She told Secret. Secret smiled, but then they froze as a gunshot rang out. Twilight screamed as a bullet flew past her head, sending a ringing sound into her eardrums. The rifle went off, sending a stray bullet flying through the air. 
And Soarin' was hit right in the chest. 
Soarin' began to fall to the ground, but other pegasi rushed out to catch him. Spitfire looked from where she was being held, and not having a word to say. 
Secret turned and pulled out his shotgun, shooting at Stryker. "Gah!" Stryker screamed as his face was torn apart by the shotgun blast. Twilight covered her eyes and hit the ground in fear. Secret took a deep breath. Twilight peeked up her hiding place, seeing the limp Soarin' being carried by Rainbow and Cloudchaser.
Secret then heard the words of failure. "Soarin'...he's dead..."