"Since we're stuck like this as it is, wanna get some practice in?" he asked her.
"Sure! If the stupid thing won't come off, might as well make use of it and try that neat-o trick you were talking about."
"For a lift-off, we need higher ground."
"No problem; I know just the place."
They make it to a cliff outside of Pony-Ville.
"Whoa…" Soarin' looked down, "That's a pretty big drop." then, he remembered the cool mare next to him, "But not big enough for Wonderbolt material."
"Well, I could always find a higher cliff…" she acted smooth.
"No need; this will do. Okay, this will require precise timing. We have to keep close together. Our wings have to touch."
"Like this?" she put her right wing on his left wing.
"Yeah… exactly that…" they faced each other, then quickly turned away blushing. He cleared his throat, "Right, so let's move back." they did just that, "Now, lean down and get ready for take-off. We have to do it together."
"Right, together."
"Alright, get set… and… Now!" they ran together to the edge of the cliff and were about lift up until a certain being popped up.
"Whatcha doing?" gestured Discord.
"Ahhhh!" the blue pegasi screamed and screeched to a halt.
"Discord!" Rainbow shouted, "What do you think you are doing?!"
"Thought I give that chain another shot, but if you want to go hurling to your deaths…"
"Just never mind with trying; we're going to use it for an important trick." Rainbow said.
"May I suggest a better practice method, just so you get the feel of it? Plus, Fluttershy would never forgive me if something terrible had happened to you."
Dash sighed, "Fine… What is this method?"
He snapped and Soarin' and Rainbow had a hang guilder on them.
"There, now you can practice without getting hurt. You're welcome."
"You know…" said Soarin', "He does have a good point."
"Ready to lift-off?"
"As long as you are."
"Oh, I'm ready."
"Then let's…" they moved back and started running, "Go!" they glided off the cliff and moved through the air, seeing below them the sights of Pony-Ville.
"Boy, I sure missed this feel!" she said as the wind was blowing through her mane.
"Totally!" he caught a glimpse of her and couldn't help but stare.
"What?"
"Uh, nothing! Nothing at all!"
They kept gliding along.
Daring Do was way ahead of Twilight and Flash.
Flash noticed the princess was having a hard time keeping up. He called out, "Uh, Miss Do?"
She shouted back, "Call me Daring!"
"Uh, Daring," he flapped next to her, "Prin- um, Twilight is having trouble. Think maybe we should slow down?"
"Not if we want to lose Caballeron!"
"You mean, that guy right there?" Flash pointed below to a campsite near a temple.
"That's him!" she shot straight down and ducked into bushes.
Twilight and Flash joined her. They overheard his conversation.
Caballeron played with the Wings of Valor, which he didn't know was the fake one, "Soon, this whole valley and its treasures will be mine."
One of his hench stallions asked, "But what was the point of grabbing a stupid medal?!"
"Oh, my simple hired hoof. This is no ordinary medal…" he recapped the story on what Thunder Blast had already told.
Twilight whispered, "Of course! How could I not remember reading about that!"
Daring Do shushed her and they continued listening in.
"Legend tells that with the Wings of Valor, it will be the key to a great treasure that lies in the temple!" he pointed.
"Then what are we waiting for?!" another stallion demanded.
"Well, first, I have to get rid of Daring Do, don't I? What's the point of having the greatest treasure of all time if she's just going to stop me?"
"You're darn right I will!" Do said under her breath and was about to leap out until Twilight stopped her.
"Wait! You need a plan!"
"Daring Do doesn't need plans. She does what she has to do!" she jumped out of the bushes.
Flash questioned, "Is she like this all the time?"
"Here and in her books."
"Hey, Caballeron! Looking for me?"
"Daring Do! Get her!"
She was surrounded by the stallions, but merely gave a smug grin. As the stallions aimed for her, she dodged them all, Daring Do-style. Suddenly, a rope wrapped around her and she was dragged down. She struggled to get free, but was overwhelmed by the other stallions.
Twilight breathed, "No…"
"Aw, such a shame… And now Daring Do, feast your eyes on the richest stallion in Equestria!" he placed the medal dramatically, and once the sphere was put in the wall, it did nothing. "What?! But that should have worked!" he forcefully took it back out, only to realize… "A fake?! It is a fake?!" he furiously threw it across the temple floor.
"Aw, poor Caballeron… Looks like you're doomed to be treasure-less for the rest of your life."
"Don't assume too much, Daring Do, for I have an idea of where the real medallion is… Boys, keep an eye on her while I go find a certain ex-colleague…"
Once he had gone, the stallions sat close to the bushes while keeping guard.
Twilight whispered for Daring to hear, "Don't worry, we'll get you out…"
"No." she whispered back.
"But how…?"
"It's up to you to stop Caballeron. This way, he'll be distracted knowing I'm here, giving you the chance to stop him from completing his plan…"
"Wait…" Flash said quietly, "Were you planning on getting captured all along?"
"You might say that… as long as you're here, might as well put it to good use… Let's just say I picked up a few pointers from your friend… Tell her I said 'hi' by the way."
"I'll do that." Twilight replied.
"Now go!" she murmured.
They did as she said and took to the sky again. Once they were in the clear, Flash questioned.
"Where to now?"
"Canterlot. I need to learn more about the Wings of Valor, and then… we stop Dr. Caballeron!"
"Maybe it's best I read the Daring Do books while you complete the research."
She giggled, "That would be a good idea…"
It was late afternoon when Rainbow and Soarin' landed safely next to Sugar Cube Corner. They took the guilder off.
"Well, that was a good practice session." he said.
"Yeah… it was…" she rubbed her front leg, "Well, I'm hungry, are you?"
"As a horse!"
There was silence between the two, blinking, until they burst out laughing.
She pointed out, "Let's go inside. Pinkie will have something made, I'm sure."
They walked through the door only to see… a full-blown scale party going on! There was music provided by Vinyl Scratch and flashing lights going on.
"Uh, does this usually happen?" he asked.
"No! This must be one of Pinkie's party days!"
"Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie cried out from across the room, "Join the party! Cheese is here!"
"Cheese? As in Cheese Sandwich?! Here?!"
"Yup! He's in the other room! I'll go get him!" she danced to the beat as she was moving along.
"Wow! No wonder it's crazy! Cheese is here!"
"Just, um… who is this Cheese Sandwich?" Soarin' inquired with worry.
"Oh, he's-" but before she could answer, the orange stallion made his appearance.
"Hi-ya, Rainbow Dash!"
"Cheese! Great to see you again!" she hoof-bumped with him, "Haven't seen you since my birth-versary, which by the way was still the best party I ever had!"
"I was hoping you would say that!"
Soarin' felt threatened at that moment of Rainbow hanging out with this stallion, which she obviously had a history with. He cleared his throat, pointing out he was still there.
"Oh, hey, Cheese, do you know Soarin'?"
"Not Soarin' of the Wonderbolts, Soarin'?!"
"That's me!"
"Oh, gee! This is an honor!" he shook his hoof excitedly.
Being moved by the hoof shake, he vibrated, "Than… Thank… Thanks!"
Rainbow explained, "Yeah, Cheese helped me with my birthday and my anniversary of arriving in Pony-Ville. Well, him and Pinkie; it couldn't be done without the both of them."
Cheese sighed, "Yeah… she was super awesome…" he made googly eyes.
"Wait…" Soarin' observed, "So you and Rainbow don't have…"
Dash gasped, "No way! Sure, this guy's fun and all, but he's not really my type. Huh, no offense, Cheese."
"None taken! In fact, one of the reasons I'm back is because I want to ask Pinkie out on a date…"
"Then go get her, tiger!" Rainbow egged him on.
"You bet!" he said in a singsong tone, "Oh, Pinkie!" he went to her.
"Wow… I thought…" he rubbed his neck.
"Pssh, no biggie. I only hang around stallions if they're cool enough, like you are."
"That's… pretty awesome for you to say…"
They gazed into each other's eyes unaware of a small white cat prowling around and quickly left out an open window. It went straight to the Everfree Forest where it met with its boss.
"Well?" Ahuizotl demanded.
The cat merely pointed to town.
"Excellent… We got them…" he motioned his army forward.