Twilight Sparkle was not one for this kind of thing. But in this case, she could make an exception.

As Rainbow Dash and the rest of the Wonderbolt cadets flew off, she watched Lightning Dust be led away by several Pegasus stallions, her head held low and a crushed look in her eyes.

But Twilight also saw something else in those eyes, something that made her want to know the full story. Rainbow had explained the whole mess already of course, and Twilight was very happy to not be dead of course, but she felt there was more to it.

As Pinkie Pie wailed on about something or another, Twilight turned to follow the other group.

"Where are you going Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

"I want to talk to her. I want to hear her side of the story," Twilight replied, not looking back at her friends as she did.

"Ya think Rainbow was fibbing?" Applejack asked.

Twilight shook her head as she sighed. "No, but there are always two sides to every story, and I want to hear Lightning's side." She frowned. "And I want to know what else has been going on around here."

"Why is that?" Rarity asked.

Twilight turned to look back at the girls. "Because, even though Spitfire is Captain of the team, Princess Celestia is still their commander. Even Spitfire reports to her."

"So what happens if there is something fishy going on?" Pinkie asked, as she watched Rainbow and her fellow cadets finish another lap of the course.

Twilight frowned. "Then she will want to know about it. What happens after that is up to her."

***

Lightning Dust tried to fight back her tears as she gathered up what possessions she had in her hoof locker at the foot of her bed. Ir was easier said than done.

She knew she'd bucked up. Spitfire and Rainbow's anger over what she had almost done was nothing compared to what she was feeling right now. She considered being kicked out of the Wonderbolts small consolation, seeing as she had almost killed five ponies.

It was even worse when she had gotten a good look at them once they were safe on the ground. For all they might not have flaunted it, those five were national heroes to all of Equestria twice over with their defeat of Nightmare Moon and Discord.

Okay, so maybe Lightning had let the fact that she was wingmates with Rainbow Dash go straight to her head. What Pegasus wouldn't? Though she had never told Rainbow, Lightning had been over the moon about it the whole time.

And then there was Twilight Sparkle. The personal student of Princess Celestia herself, and a known friend of Princess Luna. If anything had happened to her, Lightning didn't want to think about what the Solar and Lunar Diararchs might have done in their grief and anger. Or her brother and sister in law for that matter.

Being blacklisted out of the Wonderbolts was probably the best she could hope for out of all this. Her hopes of joining the team were done and over with for sure. It was more than she felt she deserved.

So caught was she in her thoughts and packing that she didn't even notice somepony else had entered the barracks until she heard someone clear their throat. Turning around, Lightning found herself face to face with Twilight Sparkle herself, who was giving her a concerned look.

Before Twilight could say anything though, Lightning beat her to it. "Look. If you're here to yell at me, save it. I already got all I deserve and more from Dash and Captain Spitfire."

Twilight shook her head. "I'm not here to yell at you," she replied, before sighing. "I already heard about what happened from Rainbow. But I want to hear your side of the story."

Lightning rolled her eyes as she put the last of her things in her saddlebags. "Then you already know the full story. I got cocky, and I nearly got you and your friends all killed for some stupid reason."

Twilight bit her lip. This was important. "Did you know we were there?"

Lightning shook her head as she gave the unicorn a hard look. "No. Do you think I would've done that if I had? I don't know what Rainbow's told you, but I don't want anypony dead on my hooves any more than anypony else."

Twilight smiled as she came closer. "That's all I was hoping you would say," she said, as she put a hoof around Lightning's shoulder. "I don't think you're a bad pony Lightning. Anypony can get caught up in the spirit of competition."

Lightning snorted, but she relaxed a little bit anyway. Twilight rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe not as bad as today, but still."

Lightning shot her a confused glance. "Why do you care so much? We don't even know each other."

Twilight smiled. "True. But I care because I don't think anypony should be left alone, and I think you do deserve another chance." After a moment though, she sighed. "I've heard enough to write a strong report to Princess Celestia about what goes on around here."

Lightning slumped at the idea. "Even?"

Twilight grimaced. "Yes, even what happened today." Her smile soon returned though, and Lightning couldn't help but brighten up a bit at it. "But I will make sure to mention that you are genuinely sorry for it and never meant for it to happen."

Lightning looked away. "That won't help me with the Wonderbolts though."

Twilight sighed. "No. But it will help you with whatever you want to do now." She gave the mare a quizzical look. "What will you do now?"

Lightning sighed as she slung her saddlebags over her whithers. "I don't know. My parents passed away a few years ago, and I'm an only child. This was my dream since I was a filly. Now? I've got nothing."

Twilight pulled her close. "I know what it's like to have a dream since I was a filly. I may not know what it's like for you, but you don't have nothing."

Lightning looked at her. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Twilight's smile softened. "You've got your whole life ahead of you now. Don't spend it wallowing in what-ifs and could have been. You can be anything now."

Lightning wanted to argue but stopped herself. In her heart, she knew that Twilight was right about this. Wallowing in despair wasn't doing her any good at the moment.

Twilight's smile grew before she pulled away and began to leave. Before she did though, she stopped and looked back, and smiled in a way that made Lightning's heart beat faster. "If you need somepony to talk to, or maybe just a friend, call me," she said as she produced a card in her magic and floated it over to Lightning, who caught it with a hoof.

It wasn't much in the way of a card. Just Twilight's name and address in Ponyville. But it was enough for Lightning, who could only look at Twilight in shock.

Twilight's smile softened. "Just, think about it. I'm usually home," and she was gone.

Lightning Dust stood there dumbstruck for what felt like hours but was only a moment before she came to her senses. That conversation had awakened feelings she'd never had before.

As she left the Wonderbolt Academy behind, she vowed to remember all that Twilight had told her. And maybe, just maybe, one day take her up on that offer.

Author's Note

So I first need to make a shoutout to Morion87. This whole story idea was originally his, but he never did anything with it himself. He said I could.

So here I am. This is also partly based on how much I hate The Washouts episode, so that has been erased from existence.

So aside from Twilight and Lightning's romance, and Twilight forming her own guard unit, and the removal of that episode, this will still follow Friendship is Magic as we know it. At least for now.

Cover art done by Strawberry-Spritz.