The Cost of Second Chances
"Lightning Dust - Report to the Wonderbolt Academy Main Office immediately; I repeat, immediately."
Lightning Dust stood outside of the closed doors to the Wonderbolt Academy office, taking in a deep breath. Whatever was waiting for her didn't sound too pleased over the intercom, but only time could tell.
Lightning Dust hesitated to push the door open with a forehoof.
"Do you know why we called you here?" a pony asked as immediately as Lightning Dust walked in. The pony, a yellow pegasus with a wild mane resembling blazing fire and a blue suit, sat at the far end of the room behind a wooden office desk.
"I don't know why you called me here, ma'am," Lightning answered after stopping in the middle of the room, only feet from Spitfire.
One of the stallions behind Lighting closed the door in respect to the conversation.
Spitfire's eyes narrowed on the soon-to-be un-Wonderbolt trainee. She physically showed her tenseness by leaning forward in the cushioned chair, a gesture which upkept her image.
"I didn't say 'I' called you down here, private. We called you down here. This entire academy. We've heard of your apparent lack of integrity on the training course this morning, and we wanted a few words with the accused."
"But ma'am, I can-" Lighting Dust's response was cut off almost instantly, as Spitfire wasn't done in lecture.
"The Wonderbolt Academy has a strict rule when it comes to integrity and responsibility. Let me ask you this," Spitfire began, leaning back in her chair, eyes still tense and fixed on Lighting.
"Say you were a Wonderbolt, and you were called to the duty of clearing the sky of storm clouds. And imagine that one of these said clouds was in close range of pedestrians on the street, and you happened to be rather recklessly throwing a tornado around the town to rid the sky of the clouds."
This scenario started to sound familiar. Lighting's gaze turned to the carpet below as Spifire went on, more to escape from the pony with the authority, rather than to hide from embarrassment.
"As of what we know of your performance in today's training, and now more obviously, your behavior ever since you stepped foot on academy grounds..."
Spitfire's voice faded again. Lighting closed her eyes.
I know that I was a little reckless. Is it really a bad thing?
Spitfire's voice came back.
"Are you listening, private!?"
Lighting winced at the sudden question, and she took a step backwards. "Ma'am? I mean, what was the question, ma'am?"
Spitfire shook her head. "I said, would you have let the tornado travel through the pedestrian-filled streets just to clear one grey cloud?"
"I would have not, ma'am," Lighting said with a voice that betrayed her usual image of boldness.
Spitfire scoffed. "Are you sure, private? We've called you down here to explain your actions, not to reason with us just to stay on this campus. And that means that we don't need lying here. Now, based upon your earlier actions, would you have endangered the lives of those pedestrians, or would you not have?"
This time, Spitfire's voice tried to fade from Lighting's mind, but the question was still there. And waiting.
"I--" Lighting gulped. Do you have to make me confess my flaws?
"Well?" Spitfire asked, "We don't have much time here; I'm to attend a meeting at one."
"I... would have, ma'am."
"You would have what, private?"
"I would have let my recklessness get the best of me. I would have endangered the lives of those pedestrians. But I would not have let a single life slip by without my assurance of their safety, ma'am."
Another scoff from Spitfire. Lighting flinched at this, again. "I highly doubt that you would have attempted to save any of those ponies."
This accusation almost shattered Lighting's heart.
"In fact, we recall that in the earlier report of your reckless behavior, the lives of five actual pedestrians were put on a line, where were you when this happened? What did you do to assure their safety?"
Lighting couldn't answer. She wanted sympathy, but that was never something she received.
"What did you do, private"
"Ma'am," Lightning began, but gave up in her response shortly after.
"You weren't there to save them. You left the task to a pegasus who actually cared enough to saved those endangered," Spitfire finished Lightning's response.
Lightning cringed. She hated when names where brought up in arguments.
"Rainbow Dash. She was the one who obviously had more responsibility in a situation that needed it most."
"You left the job to your wing pony. We initially chose for you to be positioned as the lead pony during these training courses, but I wonder if you were ready for the responsibility."
Spitfire leaned back in the chair, "And responsibility, alongside integrity, is something I look for. Something the Wonderbolts look for in our trainees. Something that you evidently don't have."
Lightning chose not to respond.
Spitfire continued. "Which is why we've come to a decision on your rank, on your status as a Wonderbolt Academy inductee."
Please...
"We're going to take a stroll down to the campus' main airstrip. Follow me, and get your belongings ready to take with you."
This was it. Lightning was about to lose her chance at turning her life around.
