Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were hugging each other for quite some time now. Not too far away from the apple tree they were sitting under, Applejack and Rarity were scolding their little sisters.

"What were you thinking?" Rarity asked in a very severe tone. "Going to that dreadful place without any of us knowing? You fillies deserve the grounding of your lives!"

"We're sorry..." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said at the same time while looking down at the grass.

"Y'all can never participate of Twisted Metal ever again, y'all hear me?" Applejack said. They nodded. "Alright, then. Y'all can go now!"

The fillies smiled and ran.

"Wait a second, that's it?" Rarity asked. "No no no, that can't be it! Is that the only punishment you could come up with?"

"Yup!"

"Applejack! Are you sure you know what they did?"

"Ah know, Rarity, but..." Applejack wrapped a foreleg around Rarity's neck and turned her around, then pointed at the pegasi. "Look at that. Since this thing started, Rainbow Dash only lost. She lost her wing, her dream, her best friend, and even Scootaloo! And now things are finally startin' to go back to normal to her, all thanks to what those three did together. Do ya really want to punish 'em for givin' a mare some happiness back?"

"Well, when you put it like this..."

Applejack smiled and tapped Rarity's back before approaching Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo.

"Hey there! Ah made some apple pie, who wants some?"

"I do!" Scootaloo said with a smile.

"I don't know..." Rainbow Dash said.

"There will be cider!"

"Then count me in!"

Applejack smiled and the three ponies went back to the house. Rarity, too, left the area, leaving only two earth pony fillies hiding behind a tree - one was pink and the other was grey.

"Now ain't that just great?" Diamond Tiara said, sitting on the ground and crossing her forelegs. "If they can't participate, then our plan is ruined!"

"Can't you, like, convince them?" Silver Spoon asked.

"I doubt it! Those three are dumb like a door, but after working with them on the Foal Free Press, I learned that they know how to recognize authority!" she then glanced at the house and smirked. "But not all of them promised to not participate."

Blackfield Asylum. Pinkamena was lying on the floor, staring at the only window with a vacant expression. The white cushion under her head was stained with her drool.

"Friends..." she mumbled. "Don't leave... Friends... Love friends... Don't leave... Friends... Love friends... Don't love... Friends... Leave friends..."

The room suddenly got dimmer and the light started to flicker, but Pinkamena payed no attention to it. She then heard the sound of the door being unlocked.

"I already took my medicine today..." she mumbled. "Leave me be..."

"Well, then it's a good thing you have no more unfinished business here today." a deep, male voice said.

"Dr. Stable?" she asked, still mumbling, but still not moving.

"I am no doctor, young mare, but I know what will make you feel better." the metal door slowly opened, revealing the corridor, which was strangely brighter than the room itself, which led to another open door. "Is 40 ccs of freedom good enough? Or do you need an extra dose?"

She slowly rolled on the floor, turning to look at the door, still expressionless.

"Is this another dream? If yes, then please, let me wake up. No more false hope."

"Is it really a dream? Why don't you get up and find out?"

She took a deep breath and slowly got up. After staring at the door for a few moments, she sighed. "Whatever." Pinkamena walked toward the door and, as soon as her four hooves were out of the room, the corridor got dimmer and the solitary got brighter.

"Yes, Pinkamena, just like that. One hoof after the other. No need to hurry, you did nothing wrong, there's nopony after you."

"Who are you? What do you want?" she asked, her brain now slowly starting to work properly again.

"I am just a friend doing you a favor, who wants nothing more from you but another favor."

"A favor for a favor, huh? Sounds fair enough." she said, her pace now getting steadier. "What kind of favor do you want from me?"

"You will know soon enough. But, first, tell me about your experiences with... Twisted Metal."

She stepped out of the second door, which quickly shut itself behind her.

"I hope you understand and forgive me for what I'm asking you to do." Princess Celestia said while standing in front of her throne.

"You don't need to worry about it, Your Highness." Spitfire said, saluting her. "It is our duty to both entertain and protect the ponies of Equestria."

"Pardon me if I sound rude..." Soarin' said. "But what about the Elements Of Harmony? We are usually your plan B for when the situation is out of control."

Princess Celestia sighed and Spitfire glared at him.

"I'm afraid this kind of situation is too much for them to handle on their own. They have dealt with many foes, but never before they had to deal with the loss of their closest friends. I'm asking you to help them not because I don't trust them, but because they need ponies with experience and who went through what they're going through right now."

"We won't let you down, Princess!" Fleetfoot said, sounding very confident.

Celestia smiled. "I know you won't! Spitfire, Soarin', please follow me. I'll take you two to the car you two will use to compete."

"Yes, Your Highness." both said at the same time.

"And... What about me? Your Highness!" Fleetfoot asked.

"I have a special mission for you, Fleetfoot. Well, two!"

"Then tell me what I have to do and consider both missions done."

"Pinkie escaped?!" Rainbow Dash yelled in shock. "How did that happened? When?"

"We believe that it happened last evening." Fleetfoot explained. "We're almost sure that she was helped from the inside, since the door was unlocked and she wasn't spotted by a single guard, a feat only possible for somepony who knew their entire patrol route."

"And what is Canterlot doing at a time like this?"

"Don't worry, the Royal Guards are already working on it. If somepony there has some information, they'll squeeze it out of them!"

"And what about my friends? Do they know that yet?"

"Uh-huh! I already warned all of the Element Bearers. I only decided to come to you last because I need to speak with you about one other thing."

"And what is it?"

"Well, I'm terrible at this formality stuff, so don't ask me to say it again." Fleetfoot cleaned her throat. "Rainbow Dash from Cloudsdale, current residence in Ponyville, due to your admirable loyalty, not only to the Royal Sisters but to the kingdom as a whole, as well as your impressive feats, outstanding performance in the Wonderbolts Academy and valuable experience in a situation that can be proven useful to the rest of the Team, Your Highness Princess Celestia of Equestria judged you worthy of joining the Entertainment and Rescue Team, The Wonderbolts." she dropped her businessman façade and smiled. "Congratulations, team partner!"

Rainbow Dash quietly stared at Fleetfoot, mouth wide open.

"I... I... I'm in?" she suddenly hugged Fleetfoot and flew in circles around her cloud house while still hugging her. "I'm in, I'm in, I'm in, I'm in!"

Fleetfoot cleaned her throat, making Rainbow Dash realize what she was doing. The colorful pegasus landed back in front of her house and let go of the other pony.

"Heheheh. Sorry!" she said, blushing of embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it, Rainbow Dash! We're teammates now, remember? You can hug me as much as you want. Just don't overdo it, ok?"

"Oh! Ok, alright, I won't!" Rainbow Dash said, crossing her wide open forelegs. "It was a one time thing, I'm not a very huggy pony! So, now what?"

"Well, your first mission as a Wonderbolt has already been requested!"

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my go-- I-I mean..." she saluted her. "What is my mission, ma'am?"

"Remember that part of my speech where I mentioned that you have 'valuable experience'? Well, I was talking about that Twisted Metal thing. So, basically, you'll be doing the same you've been doing for the past few months. Mostly! But, this time, I'll go with you as your race partner!"

"So, my-- I mean, our mission is to stop Discord?"

"Yup!" Fleetfoot then pulled a suit from her saddlebags. "Except that this time you can do it while wearing this super cool uniform!"

Rainbow Dash didn't waited another second to grab the suit from Fleetfoot's hooves and stare at it for a few seconds with a huge grin on her face.

"I'm game, sister! Discord is going to be sorry for crossing the path of the Wonderbolts."

"Determination. I like that on a teammate!"

"I got determination enough for three Rainbow Dashes!"

The mares smiled and bumped hooves. They then said at the same time:

"Discord is going down!"

Author's Notes:

I guess you could say that the Wonderbolts joined Rainbow Dash's Team. And look at that, now she is getting paid to play Twisted Metal!
Who is the mysterious voice that freed Pinkamena? What is he/she/it planning? Why is he/she/it so interested in Twisted Metal? I bet - well, more like hope - that you guys are squirming in curiosity! But don't worry, everything shall be explained in due time! Until then, wait for the next chapter, where... Things will happen!