Rainbow Dash stood patiently in the hallway outside the office of the Wonderbolt commander, Spitfire. She had met with the Commander on several occasions in the past, but this time, she was certain that the reason Spitfire had requested this meeting was to finally tell her the words that she had wanted to hear ever since she had discovered what the Wonderbolts were.
That she had finally been accepted.
It had been a long time getting here, in spite of having pulled off the incredible Sonic Rainboom maneuver on multiple occasions, winning the Young Fliers Competition, achieving top honors in the Wonderbolt Academy, and nearly besting the ‘bolts in the Equestria Games, in spite of having the handicap of having Bulk Bicep on her team. Not to mention all of the times that she had had a hand in saving all of Equestria from certain destruction.
This had to be her time.
Sure, up until her last birthday, she had technically been too young to join their ranks, but now that she was finally sixteen, she was positive that all of her hard work was going to pay off.
“Rainbow Dash, please come in.”
The Commander’s voice sounded mildly frustrated. Rainbow Dash took no time in the act of passing through the door. She was suddenly very nervous.
Spitfire wore her full uniform, with all the insignia and trimmings marking her rank in the Wonderbolts. She sat behind her large desk, and regarded Rainbow from behind her sunglasses. On the desk was a stack of papers in a neat, orderly stack, though if the Commander’s profile was accurate, it was likely because she had not touched them all day, rather than any particularly fastidious nature. Beside the stack was a single file, which Rainbow imagined to be her own. Idly, she wondered at what might be written in there.
Rainbow shook her head slightly, reminding herself that she had to stay focused on the matter at hand. This was no time to let her mind wonder. She stood at attention, waiting for the Commander’s leave to speak.
Spitfire sighed and pushed herself up. “Rainbow Dash.” She said gravely, “I am afraid I have to ask that you stop applying to the Wonderbolts.”
Rainbow’s jaw hit the floor. “W-what?” was all she managed in response. This was… not at all what she had been expecting.
Spitfire hung her head slightly. “We cannot let you be a Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash.” She said.
Rainbow’s eyes narrowed. “Why?” she demanded in a hurt tone.
Spitfire sighed and put her hoof on the file in front of her. “Rainbow Dash, have you ever actually read your file?” she asked.
Rainbow shook her head. She had always figured that such files were only for administrative use, and as such had never seen fit to investigate hers.
Spitfire opened up the file. “Do you know what an HVA is?” she asked.
Rainbow searched her mind for the answer for a moment. “A High-Value Asset.” She quoted from memory, glad for Twilight helping her find the photographic memory that she can use while flying. “High-Value assets include anypony of sufficient status in society that it is deemed necessary that their safety be secured for the good of all of Equestria.”
Spitfire nodded. “Okay,” she said, “do you know what your titles are?”
Rainbow Dash blinked. “Titles?” she asked.
Spitfire tapped her hoof on the page in the file. “Officially you are Element Protector Rainbow Dash, a member of the Element Protectorate.” She said, “Recently, you have been added to something called the ‘Council of Friendship’, and you are considered a Pony of High Value to Princess Twilight Sparkle. That makes you a High-Value Asset by definition.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened. “But… Does that mean I can’t be a Wonderbolt?” she asked, her voice breaking slightly, filled with pain over the thought that her fondest dream might be for naught.
Spitfire watched her levelly. “Rainbow, if you were a Wonderbolt, and Princess Celestia came in requesting to join, what do you think your response would be?” she asked.
Rainbow thought for a moment. “I would have to say no.” she said, “The Princesses are the highest value assets there are.”
Spitfire nodded. “Your level as a Protector on the Council puts you at one step below the Princesses.” She said, “Your word is law anywhere in Equestria, and can only be countermanded by the Princesses themselves, or one of the other Protectors. Even Civic Leaders of the Cities are not as important as you are.”
Rainbow Dash’s face fell. “So my position makes me a High Value Asset.” She said slowly, “Which means that I am too important to become a Wonderbolt…”
Spitfire nodded. “I know…” she said, “It isn’t right. We would have loved to have you. You have the right attitude, you have the drive to succeed, and, to be honest, you are a better flyer than the Wonderbolts have seen in recent memory.”
Rainbow blushed and kicked the ground. “I… I’m not really THAT good.” She said, “You beat me in the Equestria Games, remember?”
Spitfire shook her head. “I recall you having come back from a five second handicap to finish neck-and-neck with me.” She said. “I was giving it my all, so I can honestly say that if it had been a straight race, I would have lost. There is no shame in that.”
Rainbow Dash blushed, and then sighed. “So, why didn’t I hear about all of this earlier?” she asked, “Why was I even allowed in the Academy, if me being connected to the Elements made me too important to join? Why get my hopes up?”
Spitfire shrugged. “Because we did not know about it at the time.” She said, “Near as I can tell, Princess Celestia has been playing the entire thing pretty close to her chest. She announced her sister’s return, and the fact that the Elements of Harmony had been recovered, but gave out little in the way of how or why.”
Spitfire shifted several pages in the file folder. “According to this File, there was an incident involving Discord last Fall, but details were sketchy at best. Nopony knew who was involved with stopping him, if they had heard about the incident at all.” She said, “And near as I can tell, by order of Prince Shining Armor, the Royal guard were set to keep all the details of the Changeling Invasion at Canterlot an internal matter. We were not told about it, in spite of the fact that some of our own were involved.”
She flipped to another page. “From what I have heard, most of Equestria was not even familiar with the name and face of Princess Twilight until she started doing public events like the Trader’s Exchange and the Equestria Games.” She said, “And the rest of you did not hit the public limelight until the Tirek incident planted a new Castle in Ponyville, complete with thrones for each of you. Tirek was a Nation-wide disaster, and the facts of its resolution could not be held back from anypony, which is why we know all of this now.”
Rainbow hung her head slightly. “So much for my dreams of flying with the Wonderbolts.” She said sadly.
Spitfire chuckled. “No offense, Rainbow Dash,” she said, “But I think you would be taking a pretty big step down joining us anyway. You kind of outrank us.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened. “I what?” she asked.
Spitfire put her hooves together. “In terms of military Rank, you and all of your friends count as Fleet Admirals.” She said, “You personally are the highest ranking Pegasus in any position in the world. Thanks to your training and experience, only the Princesses and Prince Shining Armor rank higher than you. Basically, you could order me to bake myself into a pie, and I would be expected to do so.”
Rainbow stared at her with wide eyes. “Seriously?” she asked.
Spitfire sighed. “Yes…” She said, “except for the pie part… Please don’t try that. It would take forever for me to get the flour out of my mane. You can basically command the Wonderbolts however you wish. You just can’t be one.”
Rainbow nodded to herself. “And if I want to fly out with you?” she asked.
Spitfire smiled. “Me personally, or all of the Wonderbolts?” she asked, a playful smile crossing her face.
Rainbow blinked, and then blushed. “I… um…” she answered eloquently.
Spitfire laughed. “If you fly out with the Wonderbolts, we will follow your lead.” She said, “On my own, however, I am a bit more of a rebel than that. Assuming that you can even keep up.”
Rainbow saw in Spitfire's eyes the same need for speed that she knew burned in her own. “I can do better than that.” She said with a smile. “You’ll be eating my wind.”
Spitfire smiled challengingly. “You’re on.”
It was a good time to be a Wonderbolt.
