Starswirl Academy - Original Rainbow Dash Route

Bad Badge
Description: “You and Rainbow Dash share the apple cider. You are given a gift, as well as some difficult food for thought.

Note: “All the students at Starswirl Academy wear a badge that is symbolic of their personality. For the Mane Six, it was their cutie marks. These badges can be clearly seen on the current concept art so no spoilers there.

"WOW! This is incredible!" Rainbow Dash savored the cider as we sat on the hill that overlooked the sports field. "It’s like sex and candy compressed into an apple…then crushed by a monster truck and its juices strained through a fountain made of gold.”

“…uh…it’s yummy?" I said. I was good, but she was overselling it. A lot.

I could see it in her face; it took Rainbow all of her willpower to not chug the cider down. But forced restraint, knowing that she wasn’t getting more for another year. Maybe longer given her pitiful track record.

I drank mine just as slowly. It was good. But she was overselling it.

“This is the best. Festival. Ever!” Mid-sip, her hand slapped my back.

“Ack!”

“Oops. You okay?

“I’m cough fine.”

She nudged me and continued drinking. Without apologizing.

The last time I hung out with a girl that wasn’t Twilight, I got nervous and said stupid stuff. I didn’t feel nervous around Rainbow. Maybe because she forced me to not be, because she demanded people pay attention to her, or perhaps because it was hard to be less awkward than she was.

That last thought made me wonder if I was a little being sexist. But sexist or not, it was a factual point that she didn’t act like other girls.

She handled the cup in her hands like it was beer, her jeans were torn at the knees, her nails weren’t colored, and if she wore makeup it was so little that I couldn’t tell.

She got to the point, didn’t expect anything, and treated everyone the same regardless of manners, expectations or circumstance.

She was so simple that it was confusing.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t act like everyone else.”
“Nope.”

“Well…why not?”

“Why would I want to? That’s boring.”

“I guess. But fitting in…that’s nice too. Is being ordinary really that bad?”

Rainbow Dash stared at me like I had three eyes and antlers. “You’re a special kind of dork, aren’t you?”

“I don’t think I’m that much of a dork.”

“Haha, riiight. And I like to think I’m not that weird. But who am I kidding?” She finished off her cider with a loud gulp, a smack of her lips and cracking noise as she crushed the plastic cup in her hands. “You like being ordinary huh? You like fitting in?” Her voice was difficult to analyze. She was either a little mad or mocking me with sarcasm. Or maybe that was just the way she talked?

“I mean…I like feeling like I belong. And having a lot of friends.”
"You get your friends by being something you’re not?”

“Well no. I didn’t mean that. I meant--"

Rainbow Dash: “Remember the gentlemen that gave you that black eye? They fit in. They have tons of friends. They haven’t changed since they were kids. I know, I remember telling them to get bent back in second grade. They spent their time being assholes back then too. I was too busy being myself to make all of the ‘friends’ they made. If I have to act like them to ‘fit in’, then I’d rather be an outcast.”

"…when you put it that way, you make it sounds like only jerks can be popular.”

“That library friend of yours is a sweetheart, but how many fans does she have? Meanwhile, Trixie’s got guys are asking her out to the Gala already.”

“But…people can be nice and still liked. Why can’t they?”

Rainbow Dash: “That’s so not the point Newbie. I’m saying I am Me. Rainbow Dash. I’m not who am because of the people I hang out with, or because someone gives me permission to be what I want to be. I’m an objectively incredible because I define myself according to myself, and not because I am with anyone.”

“You really don’t care if you people like you?”

She growled in frustration. “Of course I do! You’re not listening.”

“I am listening.”

“You’re listening but you’re not hearing what I am saying.”

“Well, then what are you saying? Since I’m apparently not getting it.”

“I’m saying that if I changed to please everyone, I wouldn’t be worth knowing. I wouldn’t have any real friends if people got to know a fake me.”

It was hard to argue with that, but it was also hard to digest. I think everyone is told to ‘be true to themselves’ at least once growing.

But I noticed that older I got, the more people I met, the more responsible I became, somewhere in all of that messy growth, being myself had become a lot harder.

I was Twilight’s friend, the A+ student, the gifted boy my parents loved. I was defined by other people. I never thought that was a bad thing. Why would approval be a bad thing if it was from a person you cared about?

And yet, this unshakable presence sat next to me. A girl who received approval and hostility from all sides but refused to change.

She soaked in praise like a plant soaks in sunlight. I am sure she loved the attention she got more than she let on.

Whatever she was trying to tell me, I didn’t fully understand. It had been years since I was in this situation...where I didn’t comprehend what the teacher was teaching.

“Any other major question buddy?” That strange tone came back.

“No. I’m good.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. So what about you?”

“What about me?”

“You act just like everyone else. Why do you do that?”

“What!? No I don’t.”

“Yeah, you kinda do. You’re so well behaved that it’s painful.”

“Well be-…becau-…I’m just not a punk.”

“That’s for sure. But why do you always do what you are told?”

“I don’t!”

“When was the last time you said ‘No’, to anyone?”

“Eh....”

“...need a minute?”

...crap! I can’t think of anything. Why can’t I think of anything?!

“What do you even want?” She asked like she was challenging me.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Out of life man. What you really want? Why do you wake up in the morning? What makes you happy to be alive?” I couldn’t say. I hadn’t thought about it as much as I probably should have by now.

“Well, what about you? Do you even know? Does anyone really?”

“Trust me Newbie. I know what I want.” She looked up at the clouds. “I’ve always known what I wanted.” A breeze lifted her bangs up. She closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the feeling of wind on her skin. “Oh! I almost forgot.”

"Forgot what?"

"Hang on." Rainbow reached into her back pocket. Then the other one. Then the one on the side of her right leg. “It’s here somewhereeee…yeah! Got it! Catch!” She threw whatever it was towards my chest. I spazzed out and I tried to nab it without spilling my drink. “Hahaha! Hey, not that it’s urgent, but the basketball team is looking for new players. With reflexes like yours, you may be the next big thing.”

Protag: “Heh. Y-yeah.” A witty comeback didn’t pop into my head so I tried to brush off her mockery. I examined the gift she ‘handed’ me.

The palm sized object was a hand stitched badge of two yellow lightning bolts crossing over each other like clashing swords. Both had orange trim that enhanced their bright and bold colors. It appeared to be handmade; the colors ran a bit in a few places and the stitches were thick. It was partially crumpled on the edges because it had been in Rainbow’s pocket all day.

\“What’s this?”

“Gang signs, G.” She made a hand gesture.

“No seriously.”

“It’s a gift man. A badge, like the one on everyone’s uniform.”

“Really?! You’re giving me this?”

“No, I just want you to hold it for a few months and give it back later.” She rolled her eyes. “Yes, I am giving it to you.”

“Thank you.”

“We’re even now.” She gestured towards her empty cider cup, to say thank you I suppose. But she obviously made or bought the badge long before I gave her the drink. “Now don’t go telling people I’m a bitch anymore.”

“Deal! Wait, I didn’t mean…I never…”

“Wow, smooth save.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to...”

“Relax. It’s water under the bridge. I wasn’t the friendliest of welcoming parties.” That wasn’t technically an apology. But it was probably as close as I was going to get.

“So…what does this mean?”

Rainbow said nothing for a second, and her eyes went up and body my body nervously. “Uh…what does what mean?”

“What does it mean? Pinkie said that they everyone’s badge has a special meaning to the person wearing it.”

“Oh! That. Right.” She shrugged. “Iunno.”

“What?”

“I. Dun. No. I don’t know.”

“…do the lightning bolts mean that you think I’ve got a lot of hidden power or something?”

"Pffft, hahaha yeah. That’s toootally it.”

“Um…are the colors a metaphor for something?”

“They represent ‘lightning’.”

“Y-yeah. But what does…”

“Oh for crying out loud, do you want it or not? It’s a badass pair of lightning bolts, what’s not to like? Geez.”

“Sorry. I thought that this was supposed to have a special meaning to it, that’s all.”
“Yeah, yeah, but that’s not my style. I’m not for that symbolism, astrology, ‘you’re a special snowflake’ mumbo-jumbo.”

“…oh.”

Well that was disappointing. I had hoped for a bit more than ‘just because’. Even if she made it up on the spot, forced sentiment is still sentiment.

After a few seconds of awkward silence and obvious dissatisfaction on my part, Rainbow sighed.

“Look. It’s a gift. From one friend to another. All you need to know is…I don’t think you’re a total dork.” She smiled softly. “And standing up for Fluttershy waaas pretty rad. So if you’re hungry for a special meaning, that is your official ‘I’m cool enough to hang out with Rainbow Dash’ Badge.”

“I guess that’s-”

“If those bullies ever come your way again, show them that and they’ll know you’re with me.” Another hard slap to my back. I had lost count of the bruises she gave me today alone.

But that made me feel better. Her elaboration, not the red mark on my spine. I didn’t get poetic meaning with it, but I got something else.

A friend.

And though she was stubborn, rude, confusing and a little weird, I could tell she’d be a loyal one.

“Wanna get food?” I asked.

“Wanna pay for me?”

"Not…really.”

"Meh. I’ll watch you eat.”