Task Force Harmony

Cloudeseum, Cloudsdale
December 25th, Year 22 under the Four Princesses

The night of Hearth's Warming Eve had fallen over Equestria. Another day of celebrating the foundation of their homeland for many ponies had passed as expected, coming together and remembering what had brought them to where they were now. For some though, it was also a day to remember their history and heritage, a larger celebration of what it was to be an earth pony, pegasus or unicorn. Nowhere was this more evident than the city of the sky that current sat above the plains of the north; Cloudsdale. Pegasi had a proud history as fighters and the whole city was embracing that fact with a night of honouring their modern warriors: The Sky Wing of the Equestria Defence Force, twenty squadrons of the finest fliers and support teams alive. Tonight had become every bit as much a celebration of their accomplishments as much as it had been their bonds.

From the determinators of the Sky Wraiths to the brutal efficiency of the Firestorm unit, every single squadron had a reason for their efforts over the years to be recognised. Some things never changed though and as always, the most renowned team present was none other than the Wonderbolts. Even those that had studied the millennia long history of the team thought that they had been at their highest peak over the last ten years, thanks in large part to the 'Legendary trio' that had led the squadron through dozens of civil and military matters. Though only two of the trio still flew today after Soarin 'The Efficient' retired from active duty several years ago, their remaining duo and rising stars had ensured that the squadron remained at their best. For the eight members of the main team, tonight was simply a chance to relax and unwind with an air show performance, like the old days of being performance masters before becoming part of the EDF.

Within a locker room deep within the Cloudeseum that stood alone in Cloudsdale, removed from the crowds gathered above, one lone pegasi of the team sat, lost in thought. Much of her body was covered in the ever familiar blue and jagged yellow flight suit of the Wonderbolts, though her identity was easily seen by her sky blue muzzle, shining purple eyes and six tone mane that ran from a messy red, orange and yellow at the front to a green, blue and purple that flowed back to between her wings. With the same six colours on her tail, anypony would recognise her at a glance; Rainbow Dash. Nicknamed 'The Extreme' after she created one of the most memorable stunts in Equestrian history, also known worldwide as the Element of Loyalty, ranked Second Lieutenant in the Equestria Defence Force and for some time now, second-in-command of the Wonderbolts.

She didn't begrudge the fact that in her eighteen years as part of the team, she had never been approached for so much as a chance to become captain. Spitfire hadn't earned her nickname of 'The Eternal' for nothing after all. Besides, she'd been a fantastic leader who'd guided her wingponies through so many trials. That just made it all the weirder to think back to earlier that day, being called into Spitfire's office and told in private that this would be their final performance together. After twenty-six years, Spitfire would finally be retiring after tonight and command of the Wonderbolts would be passed on at last. On one hoof, Rainbow would finally have a chance to spend the later years of her career as captain. On the other, it was going to be impossible to imagine the squadron without the constant leadership, close knit team bond and yelling that only Spitfire could provide.

So who would be taking up the mantle in her wake? Rainbow Dash herself was an obvious candidate but she couldn't pretend that she was the only one. There were two ponies only a rank below her, Gyr and White Squall, both of them capable flyers in their own right. Both younger too, Rainbow knew that at age thirty-nine she was approaching the point where her abilities were going to start to tail off. Then again, Spitfire had been able to keep going until she was fifty-five before making the decision to call it quits, so hopefully Rainbow still had enough left in her to be worthy of becoming captain. Hopefully it would be a chance to-

"You with us, Crash?"

Rainbow blinked back into reality as a covered hoof waved in front of her face. She leaned back slightly to get her bearings and took in the cloud walls around her, the furniture that required a pegasi's touch to remain safely on the cloud floor. A quick look sideways revealed the hoof belonged to one of her fellow Wonderbolts, a gold coat visible through the face and wing holes, aged but focused brown eyes and a windswept orange mohawk mane that lightened to amber near the base.

"Y-yeah, sorry Boss," Rainbow Dash replied as she shifted in place, dangling her front hooves over the edge of the bench she was on. "Just thinking about tonight."

"Trust me, it's as weird for me as it is for you." Spitfire said as she sat down next to Rainbow, sighing slightly. It was only then that it occurred to Rainbow just how hard it had to be for her captain as well. Her time as leader of the squadron was nearly enough to qualify as the longest serving Wonderbolt in the team's history on its own, adding in the years before she ascended to the role and it was clear that just stopping like that wasn't going to be easy.

"So, what're you doing after tonight?" Rainbow asked, getting a surprised look from Spitfire in return. "Dad used to try and motivate me by hearing what I dreamt of doing and telling me 'and then what?'. Like what do I do after I'm living the dream? What do you do when you've gone down as a living legend?"

"I'm guessing your 'then what' was the cluster rainboom," Spitfire commented, getting a grin out of her friend and chuckling herself. "Well, firstly the Institute wants my input on some project they're working on for the defence force. While I'm in Canterlot, I'm probably see a doctor about donating some eggs. I'm a bit old for foals now and, I guess I want to pass on something more than a reputation. After that...Probably find a nice beach house in Seaward Shoals where I can relax and live off my royalties from Wonderbolt merchandise."

"A nice, peaceful retirement...You'd go crazy inside a day," The two of them both managed to share a laugh at that. "You'll probably end up crashing our training and yelling at all the recruits again. Hopefully you'll see me living up to you as captain when you do."

"Yeah. I'll made my announcement on my successor during debriefing," Spitfire glanced back toward the exit to the room as she said it before motioning that way. "Alright, let's go, the team's waiting."

"Yes ma'am," Rainbow sprung up to her hooves and clambered off the bench before stopping. "And, captain? In case I don't get a chance later. It's been an honour to fly with you all these years, Spitfire." Her hooves snapped to attention and she saluted, holding it for a moment before Spitfire smiled warmly and saluted her in return.

"The feeling's mutual, Rainbow Dash. Now come on, I've got a hell of a routine for our final show together and I'm not about to ruin it by starting late."

Six sets of hooves snapped to attention as Rainbow and Spitfire entered the flier's lobby, the last staging area before pegasi entered the arena itself. Rainbow Dash glanced around at the room, her eyes settling on a familiar marble pillar. She could remember curling up next to that same pillar over twenty years ago, frozen in fear at the prospect of completely blowing her best young flier performance in front of her friends, her idols, even Princess Celestia. Things had worked out a lot better of course, she'd ended up saving several lives, pulled off a sonic rainboom and effectively taken her first real step to becoming a Wonderbolt that day. Managing all that in one day had done wonders for her self belief. Now she was back again and ready to show just how far she'd come. For now she stepped into her place with the waiting team, next to a white stallion with mottled brown patches visible on his muzzle.

"Alright fillies! This is our final major event of the year and we've got a crowd out there ready for us to show what it is to be a pegasus!" Spitfire barked as she paced in front of her seven wingponies. "Plus I know for a fact that an old friend of ours is in the audience and we do not want to disappoint him, do we?"

"No ma'am!" Seven voices declared in unison. Spitfire grinned and nodded.

"Good. Now, your wings for tonight! Mobius, you're with Gyr! Skyla, with Rainbow Dash! Downdraft, I think it's time to lose your newbie stripes. You're with White Squall tonight! Bone Arrow, you're with me!"

Rainbow watched as each of her squad mates nodded and moved over to their wingponies. Skyla quickly made her way over, a mauve coloured mare with a springy, olive gold mane and tail and bright blue eyes behind her flight goggles. Her team nickname was Tailspin after getting her tail caught in her flight suit and knocking out a whole team of trainees on crash landing.

"Keeping it trimmed?" Rainbow asked as her wingpony joined her, smirking slightly.

"Possibly, you made sure there's no trash cans in the arena?" Skyla replied in kind, her voice slightly harsh but clearly teasing. The two of them simply chuckled and hoofbumped before Skyla took her place at Rainbow's wing.

"Now we're going big for the routine so I hope you've been keeping up with your precision training. 'Specially you, Reaper," Spitfire continued, giving Mobius a pointed look as she spoke. "Me and Crash's wings will go high and start clockwise flybys on the crowd, Merlin and Stormy will pass under the stands, loop over the top and start counter-clockwise flybys. Go for near misses but don't break position."

"Recommended range, captain?" White Squall asked, her name something of a misnomer since her coat was actually cream coloured.

"Medium to wide, if you think you can brave going closer without risk, try," Spitfire clarified. "After eight loops of the Cloudeseum, every wing re-joins in the center for a spiral streak. Break off at the burst point and drop back toward the stadium. We go in a seven point formation, full pelt, soon as we hit the tip of the city, Crash'll come up at the center of formation and we close out with the cluster rainboom. Any questions?"

"No ma'am!" The squad called back, fitting their goggles into place.

"Then, let's do this! Wonderbolts, take off!"

Eight sets of wings shot out as the team lined up in their pairs. Rainbow Dash exhaled slowly as she got into her show mind-set. She could hear the announcer for the Cloudeseum beginning to wind up the crowd for their entry, just moments to go. A quick glance to her side confirmed that Skyla behind her and Bone Arrow before her were both out of wing radius. With a single downward beat she pushed off the ground and into a hover, adjusting her goggles slightly and bracing for body for the rush of a rapid launch. Seconds later, Spitfire took off toward the opening that led to the main area, the rest of the squadron following closely.

The night air outside was chilly but clear, being above the clouds meant they didn't have to deal with the snow that blanketed Equestria below either. The roar of the crowd was something else though, thousands of ponies all making their admiration for the eight ponies entering the arena known. Rainbow took them all in as she banked left, clearing space for Gyr and Squall's wings to soar downward. A small part of her regretted that Fluttershy couldn't be here to see this tonight, but she was in no state to travel any serious distance right now. She caught sight of another familiar face in the premier seating section though. Pale blue coat, deep blue mane, green eyes...Yep, that was Soarin cheering them on up there. Right there next to him, watching with contentment, a familiar lilac mare that had to be Flitter. Rainbow and her were still friends from their days on the Ponyville weather team but she had more commitments nowadays, both to her husband beside her and the year old, navy blue colt in her arms that was giving his dad a challenge in being the most hyped up member of the audience.

'Dart Wing, future Wonderbolt.' Rainbow thought with a chuckle before she blinked back onto the task at hoof, sliding into position to buzz the crowds. Her left rear hoof twitched inward and she felt Skyla drop into her slipstream, following her every move. A quick glance to the right confirmed that Spitfire was pulling the same move on the other side of the Cloudeseum with Arrow sticking to her tail. A few moments later, Gyr and Mobius completed their pass over the stadium and dropped into the same stunt, passing a few feet over her head as they passed in the opposite direction. Seconds later, White Squall and Downdraft approached on the same curving vector but on the same level. Rainbow instinctively snapped onto her side and folded her wings in just long enough to maintain altitude.

The stunt paid off and she slid between her two teammates by inches either side. Skyla was just about able to react in time to follow her through, dropping back several feet as she did. The move went the crowd wild though and Rainbow made the snap decision to hold the angle as she kept flying, doing the same stunt to flick onto her back the next time Gyr came round. By the time she had completed her second full roll in this way the crowds were going absolutely ballistic, their cheers ringing in her ears. A glance backward confirmed that Skyla had managed to follow her the whole way, a steely focus in her eyes. Rainbow looked over toward Spitfire's position and saw her leader flex her front right hoof toward the center of the floorless arena. As if telepathically instructed, all eight Wonderbolts broke off from their circling and dropped below the bottom edge of the stadium before meeting in the center.

The spiral streak was a major test of fast precision flying, each one of the pegasi engaged in it not only rotating around a pre-arranged axis and spinning themselves, but it was all done at a rapid ascent while keeping formation. Most ponies couldn't keep it together with three ponies in the formation, now the Wonderbolts were doing it with eight. Rainbow Dash knew the methodology of the stunt though. You kept yourself angled, leant into your own spin so that it matched the rotation of the formation, head placed so you could check your position on every rotation. She had to trust everypony else was doing the same. Five seconds and nothing had hit her. Ten. Fifteen, her burst point was at seventeen seconds. As soon as she reached that point, she straightened out and shot skyward in a fresh burst of speed, the rest of the squadron shifting formation to fill the gap.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes as she moved high above the city, her breaths becoming deeper as the air began to thin out. Practice flights in her younger years had taught her that she could hold up here for several minutes before starting to suffer ill effects, though a few seconds was all she needed right now. Her teammates had reached their own peaks and were starting to drop back toward the Cloudeseum. Time to do what she did best. She flipped backward and put everything she had into one full strength flap of her wings before tensing them, shooting downward like a bullet. Her timing was off slightly but at this point she was committed, the others would have to adjust instead. She could feel the light around her refracting to form the rainbow trail behind her, the shuddering of the air as it began to form into a mach cone at her hooves, the way it buffeted her extremities as if nature itself was fighting to stop her.

This part never got any less fun.

Rainbow grinned as the cone narrowed, her whole body primed for her sixty-second sonic rainboom. She could see Spitfire motion for the others to break off sideways and seven figures start to spread out. Right as she shot past them, she pierced the resistance and a resounding boom rang out as she broke the sound barrier, the familiar rush of the sonic rainboom shaking the world behind her. As she passed straight through the center of the Cloudeseum like a bolt of technicolour lightning, several identical booms rocked the skies above her, too quickly to count. Even through the shockwaves she managed to grin proudly to herself. Her back flexed and she was flung into a half spin, using her wings as airbrakes to come to a halt upright.

A look upward only made her smile more, where there had been one rainboom moments ago, now there were eight. The new ones a paler but still clearly rainbow colour and surrounding Cloudsdale in seven vertical rings of expanding light that, even as she watched, merged into each other, along with the lone horizontal boom, and faded into a shimmering light that bathed the entire city. A cluster rainboom, the tenth one she'd successfully pulled off. It relied on her teammates as much as her own ability, trusting they could ride the shockwave of the rainboom to push them into hitting the sound barrier themselves. Rainbow simply watched for a moment, winding down from the adrenaline rush before she moved back toward the Cloudeseum at a more relaxed pace. The rest of the Wonderbolts had made their way back down just before her and were soaking up the crowd's admiration, which only intensified as she joined them in the center of the arena.

"That, was awesome!" Rainbow Dash panted as she took in the sight of so many ponies who'd enjoyed the show. Spitfire looked over at her with a grin and offered a hoofbump, one she eagerly returned. "So, who kicked the most flank out here tonight?"

"Other than us?" Spitfire commented, getting some good natured glares from the others as she chuckled. "Honestly, for pushing herself through moves above her level, I'd say tonight's wings of wonder go to Skyla."

"Woo! Way to go, Tailspin!" Rainbow said as she wrapped a hoof round Skyla's neck and giving her a friendly noogie. The rest of the squad joined in the mid-air dogpile congratulating the mare almost immediately.

"Alright, thank you everypony!" Spitfire called to the crowds, getting another round of cheers in response. Her grin grew into a satisfied smile as she looked up toward Soarin's spot and saw him with Dart Wing on his shoulders, both looking like they were having the time of their lives, complete with Flitter giving them that motherly look that both questioned why she'd come with them and knowing exactly why at the same time. "We'll be out in the plaza for the next hour taking autographs, queries and photoshoots. Hope to see you out there! Goodnight Cloudsdale!"

To one last round of cheers and applause, the Wonderbolts headed back into the flier's lobby. As soon as they touched down, the teammates set to congratulating each other on their performances. Rainbow Dash grinned to herself and braced before, as expected, Downdraft jumped on her back and wave a whoop of success, something he did to random wingponies after a show. She simply bucked him off, waited until he'd recovered into a hover and then swung round to high-hoof him, as he anticipated. It was a little quirk she'd just grown used to as she'd gotten close to her teammates, sharing a bond with them as close as any she'd felt for years with the other Elements of Harmony.

"Alright, good work out there everypony," Spitfire reaffirmed to her squadron as she wiped the sweat off her brow. "Take a few to catch your breath and get some water. Then get out there and have some fun with the fans. We meet back at base for debriefing in two hours...And guys? Thanks, for making this a show to remember. Dismissed!"

Rainbow nodded and started straight toward the plaza at the entrance for the Cloudeseum, she could easily find something to drink there and take a much needed breather between autographs or something. Most of the team seemed to have the same idea and followed her that way. They were all already chatting about their evaluation of each other's flights, what their plans were for Hearth's Warming, or just general nonsense that only they would understand. As she let herself slow down slightly and join in with them, Rainbow Dash reflected that this was something that had been missing from her heroes in the years before she'd been part of the team. Tightly knit trust, camradere, a desire to not only be the best, but to help propel your friends to be the same.

That was what it meant to be a Wonderbolt, and no matter how many time she flew alongside them, she was proud to be one of their number.