Aces High

by Shadow_Wolf

Rating: teen
Tags: Lightning Dust, Slice of Life, Wonderbolts, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash
Length: 5722

After everything that happens at the Wonderbolt Academy, Rainbow Dash finds that she still can't leave another pony hanging

The events of the Wonderbolt Academy have played out and Rainbow Dash is in the stretch to achieving her dream but still has a hard time getting a certain erstwhile friend out of her mind. After taking a few minutes to contemplate things, she decides that she's been given enough second chances in her life to see to it that somepony else gets one as well.

Rated Teen for some language later on, though nothing extremely vulgar.

Published 2012-12-18 12:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-12-18 12:00:01 UTC

Wingmates

"Wingmates"

Sometimes I'm tired, sometimes I'm shot
Sometimes I don't know how much more I've got
Maybe I'm headed over the hill
Maybe I've set myself up for the kill

"Now get up there and give me twenty!"

Though it was by no means the volume of the Royal Canterlot Voice, when Spitfire gave an order, everypony knew it and as the words died down, Rainbow Dash shot into the air to be greeted by the others and receive their congratulatory salute. Seeing this simple action, she felt pride swell within her chest and she returned it eagerly, a steely gleam in her eyes as she motioned for them to follow, the group sailing into the sky as one. The fact that they would defer to her and join her in her 'reprimand' being a more galvanizing and powerful honor than any award she could ever win.

Despite her often bragged upon fearlessness, cavalier attitude and daredevil ego, Rainbow Dash was no stranger to extremes in both mood and performance. However, the all but literal roller coaster of emotions she had endured over the past few days had more than taken its toll, nearly pushing her to the breaking point and robbing her of almost all her remaining energy. After the day she had endured, the twenty laps around the airfield were nothing more than a brief cool down exercise; albeit one that was desperately needed.

By the time she split off from the other cadets and returned to the tarmac to finally open her friend's care package, she was so hungry and exhausted that even the damaged cake looked like a banquet. Taking a much needed bite, she sat amongst her friends to regale them with the stories of her week and simply enjoy their company again. Through it all though, she could not shake the concern she felt at the disappointment in the eyes of her former wing-leader, and erstwhile friend. Likewise, the memory of the teal green pony being lead away towards Spitfire's office made her insides churn uncomfortably.

Rainbow Dash was many things -- some good, some not so much -- and she knew that for all of her strengths, she had an equal, if not greater, number of flaws. Of course, she'd generally prefer to march through Tartarus with her wings clipped before ever admitting that. But, when all was said and done, everything about her came down to just one simple truth; even after everything that had happened, she just couldn't leave a pony hanging.

Excusing herself from her friends, Rainbow Dash trotted off towards Spitfire's office.

Her body felt like lead; her gait sluggish, her head low and her wings dragging the ground in defeat, her mind in even worse shape than her physical form. She wanted to raise her head and look around in the vain hope of seeing just one friendly face or find somepony who might take her side in the situation; one who would stand up for her or at least make some kind of acknowledgement that she would be missed. But vain hope was just that, vain; she knew that nopony would be coming and had already resigned herself that they were likely just glad to see her go. Considering the looks she had gotten after the ill-fated tornado, she could hardly call herself surprised.

The walk through the barracks felt more like the last mile of a condemned prisoner making their way to a guillotine than a walk to the locker room; a fate which, she reflected, would be preferable to the life of obscurity that waited beyond the academy.

"Just another in a long line of disappointments," Lightning Dust thought to herself.

As the droopy pegasus made her way into the locker room, she wondered how a pony could be at the top of the world one minute only to have it all stripped away in the next. Her movements felt mechanical, her breath labored and shallow as she made her way to the plain metal locker; plain except for the golden wing insignia across its front, above which her name had been printed in neat hoof written letters. That should have been proof she had finally made it, but instead it was just another reminder of her failure.

Staring silently at the metal locker would bring her no answers, but she reasoned for a moment that if she waited long enough, maybe somepony would realize what a mistake it was letting her go and come in to welcome her back. On the other hoof though, she knew that if she waited too long, the guards would come in looking for her and the humiliation of being escorted off the premises in full view of everypony else would be more than she could take. Repressing a sigh, she nudged open the locker to look at her meager possessions inside, pulling them out and stuffing them unceremoniously into her worn duffel bag.

Most of the things in her locker where simple and practical without any emotional attachments to them, but as she came to the last article, she paused, looking at it closely. It was a news clipping stuck to the back wall of the locker with an old Wonderbolt magnet, the picture showing a familiar cyan blue pegasus with a polychromatic mane being carried off the field in Cloudsdale Stadium, the headline reading "Best Young Flier performs Sonic Rainboom! Old Mare's Tale Proven True!" in bold but fading letters.

To say that Lightning had been surprised that the Rainbow Dash had been part of her Wonderbolts class had been an understatement. She had admired the elder pegasus ever since flight school for the daredevil actions that she seemed to perform with ease and had always wondered what it would be like to meet her face to face. Every article she had found had described her as a brash, devil-may-care stunt pony whose ego often wrote checks her body couldn't cash; but who could pull of stunts that even the Wonderbolts weren't capable of. When they had finally met face to face though, Lightning didn't want to come across as an overzealous fan girl and so she had played it cool, pretending to know nothing about her fellow cadet and enjoying the fact that the celebrity wasn't all that much different from her.

She thought she had found somepony who could finally understand her, somepony she could relate to!

But she guessed what they said about heroes was true, and that when you finally met them, they always let you down.

"Buck it all," she said quietly. "Buck. It. All! I made it here on my own! Me! The freak! The screw up! I proved you right and I proved everypony else wrong, I followed my dream and I made it! But then she had to buck it all up because of her stupid... her stupid friends! It's not my fault they showed up when they did! It's not my fault she had to side with them! Spitfire made me the Wing leader, not her! Why would she do that if I wasn't better than her! Okay maybe she was a little faster on stuff and maybe she made it all look easy. But I pushed myself harder than she did! That's what Spitfire said! She said she made me Wing leader because I pushed myself... because I worked for it!"

She hadn't realized she was shouting at the locker until the last words began to boil her blood as her heart raced. A cry of rage and frustration worked its way loose from her throat as she spun, hind legs pulled up as she felt her muscles coil before kicking out into the locker. Her hooves connected with the heavy metal solidly, slamming the door closed and leaving a good inch deep impression in its facade. Unfortunately, the sudden violence robbed her of the last of her adrenaline and she sank down to her haunches with a whimper.

"I'm not gonna cry," she told herself, repeating the words over and over like a mantra even as she felt the first tears begin to slide down her cheeks. "It wasn't supposed to be like this... I was supposed to come here and wow them and join up without any problems. I worked hard for this, I worked hard like you told me to and she... she just made it all look so easy so I just pushed harder. That's what you told me to do... that's what I've always done and now... now cause of some stupid mistake... was I really that wrong?"

"What am I supposed to do now...?" she asked herself, watching the small puddles made upon the floor by her tears. Her spirit in turmoil, she almost missed the sound of the door opening, but as her ears piqued up, she quickly wiped the tears away with her foreleg and did her best to straighten herself up. Turning slightly, she felt her heart skip as a familiar pegasus stepped into view to stand at the end of the row of lockers.

"Hey," Rainbow Dash said lightly.

Lightning felt the depression and self-loathing instantly replace themselves with righteous fury as she surged to her hooves, wings flaring as she reared back on her hind legs, forelegs thrashing. The look on Rainbows face was unreadable, but the Wing leader badge that glimmered on the other mare's chest was as mocking as any insult. She wanted to tear it off of her and shove it down her throat before beating her to a bloody pulp.

Rainbow didn't even flinch as the teal mare slammed her hooves into the floor with a clack as loud as thunder.

"What do you want!?" she shouted. "Come to gloat!? Come to rub the fact that you won in my face? I'll save you the trouble, ha ha ha, poor Lightning Dust, you bucked up and now everypony knows it, I'm so glad you're going home because now there's nopony else that's got a chance of beating me!"

Silence was the only response.

"Please, don't keep quiet on my account!" she continued. "What's the matter? Timberwolf get your tongue? Don't bother trying to sugarcoat things, just insult me and get it over with! Say it! Come on! I know you want to! I know I'd be gloating if I got somebody kicked out who was a threat to my dream! I'd be up there doing loop the loops and shouting about it to all of Equestria! You know that right? I swear I'd be..."

"No," Rainbow said, cutting her off. "You wouldn't be."

At that simple statement, every remaining words died on Lightning's lips. "Bu... wha... huh?" she began.

"I know your type, Lightning Dust." Rainbow said matter-of-factually. "You'll rub it in, but not like what you're saying you'd do. You know how I know that you're that type? Simple, it's because I'm the same way. I have to push the envelop and be the best there is when I want something as bad as I want this. I've got to show my stuff and be better than everypony else because that's the way I am. That's the way we are."

Lightning stared for a moment before she began to laugh ruefully.

"Oh... oh ho ho that's rich... oh that's a good one! You think you know my 'type' huh? Well I happen to know your type too Rainbow Crash!" She shot back, smiling cruelly as the other mare's ears flickered just a little at the old and unwanted nickname. "Yeah, that's right, I know all about you. Best Young Flier two years running, Element of Harmony and the only pegasus to ever pull off a Sonic Rainboom. Want more? I know your dad's the commander of the Air Wing branch of the Royal Guard and your mom's one of the most renowned distance fliers in all of Equestria. I see you in the news all the time and I know that all of your friends always stood up for you when you bucked up. And you know what else? I idolized you, Rainbow Dash! I wanted to be like you and for the the life of me I can't figure out why anymore! You've had everything hoofed to you your whole life to where you only ever had to do your damned practice and stunt flying and occasionally do a little weather work when you got bored."

She paused to breath, but continued quickly.

"Well guess what? I never had any of that! I had to work my way up here! I had to fight for everything I've had in my life. I don't have famous friends or rich parents or the princess of Equestria pulling strings for me... and you've got the nerve to sit there and tell me you know my type!? Face it, Rainbow Crash, you're just as arrogant and self-centered as I am! So don't you dare preach to me about my type because, filly, you don't got a wing to fly on with that one!"

Shaking with anger and humiliation, Lightning Dust flared her wings one more, silently challenging Rainbow to refute her words.

"Finished?" Rainbow asked, her tone still matter-of-fact. "You're right, I come from some money. I've got some famous relatives and I'm famous in my own way. But the truth is that that doesn't mean a load of horseapples in my family; we work hard for what we've got too and I honestly don't give a hay if you believe that or not. I'm just as arrogant, cocky and brash as you were today and I know that. I've toned it down a little over the years thanks to some help from my friends, but I'll never completely give it up, mostly cause I wouldn't be me if I suddenly turned humble or something. But you know what? I'm okay with that."

"You're.... you're okay with that!?"

"Yeah, I am, and do you know why? It's because the difference between us isn't in our upbringing or skills or who we know." Rainbow said, her tone still even and calm. "I'm a practical joker, Lightning, I love pulling pranks and it makes me smile. I"ll happily let any pony eat my dust fair and square and I'll take a challenge just for kicks. I push myself hard and I've done that every day of my life because I want to be the best there is and, yes, I've been reckless more than I care to admit. But, the difference between us is that I've learned the hard way that pushing myself for no good reason is the last thing that needs to be done and that I would never step on another pony just to get what I want. Not anymore."

Lightning felt as if she'd been slapped by those words and recoiled slightly, backpedaling until her rump connected with a bench, causing her to inadvertently sit down. Rainbow Dash... the Rainbow Dash, had just admitted her own faults without batting an eyelash -- in a way that sounded like she was almost bragging about her downsides! -- and turned everything that had been so clear into a complete jumble without ever raising her voice. Lightning stared at the cyan pony before her, her eyes wide and her jaw slack, her brain barely able to register the impossibility she had just witnessed.

"I... I didn't... I mean... I wouldn't...." she started, but Rainbow wasn't done yet.

"You did." She said. "You did everything you did these past few days to prove you're the best, maybe to prove that you're better than me because like you said you... idolized me... fine, I get that; and on any other day I'd be going gaga over the fact. But what I don't get is why you think the others are weak just because they can't fly as fast as we do or bust clouds as fast as we can."

She blinked. "W-well aren't they?"

"Ponyfeathers, girl! Do you even hear yourself? You're just looking at their wing power, that's it. I'll bet you didn't know that Cloud Chaser is one of the best shading-scouts in Cloudsdale did you? Did you know that Thunderlane, lazy as he is, is the best storm organizer this side of Las Pegasus? Hayseeds, even Barbell, for all his muscle and 'yeahs!,' is an Equestria renowned snowflake artist! They can all fly great and they've got a good chance at making it on the Wonderbolts even though none of them can match either of us in speed or agility. Sure, I'll crack jokes and throw my ego around, but I don't think that they're weak just because they're talents are in different places than me and because they don't push as hard."

Taking a moment to breath, Rainbow trotted forward a few steps, pausing as she noticed Lightning cringing back some, the last of her earlier bravado spent under the torrent of words. She saw the turmoil in the other mare's eyes as she tried to bring her thoughts back into cohesion and knew that if she wasn't careful, the teal-green mare's frayed emotions could snap. Sighing, Rainbow stepped back to give her some room.

"I knew somepony once, Lightning... a gryffon actually. Her name was Gilda; she was my best friend back in flight school and in the Speedsters. But she was doing the same thing I used to do and the same thing you're doing now. She was all about winning no matter the cost, it didn't matter who she put down or stepped on so long as she looked cool and came out ahead. I did that a couple of times and it always left a bad taste in my mouth, but I didn't see how she really was for a long time because I was the same way. It wasn't until I saw how she was treating my friends that I woke up and actually started to see just how bad I could be and let my friends, my real friends, show me a better way to do things. She walked out and I haven't spoken to her since. I don't want that happen to you, Lightning, because when I look back on the times before I met my friends, I really, really don't like what I see."

Head lowering, ears pinning back, Lightning sighed, "Friends huh?"

"Haven't you ever had a really good friend that was always there for you?"

"Yeah, my dad... but he died a while back. Everypony else... well... they always thought I was just a freak because of the way I act. I thought I might have found a friend here, you know? But I guess all I've done is push everypony away... push you away!" Pausing, her earlier anger returned as she met Rainbow's eyes once more. "What do you want me to say, Rainbow Dash? That I was jealous of you? Okay, fine, I admit it, I was jealous. I've pushed myself because I was jealous. Being a Wonderbolt has been my dream since I was a chunky little pegasus filly that could barely fly and everything I've done in my life was to further that dream. But then I looked at you and the way you made everything look so easy and so... so awesome, it was like all my hard work was for nothing because I just couldn't measure up. Do you have any idea how that made me feel!?"

"Yeah," Rainbow said. "I think I do, but do you know why I make everything look so easy?"

"No, why?"

"Because flying and agility are my talent, Lightning Dust," she answered. "Sure, I work hard -- despite what some ponies think -- and I play hard and yeah, I'm good at a lot of things, but speed and agility are what I'm great at. They're what make me, me and that's why I make it look so easy."

Lightning was about to reply, but the sound of a third set of hooves echoing in the locker room made her pause, her eyes turning slightly to the left to see who was about to come in and find the pair of them like this. Of all the ponies who could have walked in at that moment, however, Spitfire was not high on the list, but both Lightning and Rainbow saluted out of reflex. Spitfire raised a golden furred leg and waved the gesture off before slipping her glasses off and hooking them to the breast pocket of her captain's uniform.

"You done?" She asked Rainbow.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Good," she replied, turning to fix her amber eyes on Lightnings quivering golden ones. "I'm gonna ask you a question, newbie and I want you to think very, very hard before you answer it. Got it? Good. Now, why do you want to be a Wonderbolt so badly?"

Staring into Spitfire's hard, uncompromising gaze, the younger mare trembled and felt her wings rustle slightly before she could get them under control. She had already been torn apart verbally and dismissed from the academy with barely a chance to defend herself. She had been publicly striped of her rank -- informal though it had been -- and humiliated in front of her fellow cadets and a bunch of civilians. She had tried to explain herself, even foist some of the blame off on Rainbow, but had been told summarily to shut her mouth and pack her bags. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out why she was being asked this now.

"C-captain Spitfire, ma'am... I don't... I mean I'm not...." she stammered.

Spitfire would have none of it.

"You got one chance to answer my question, newbie. You throw it away with some lame explanation, I walk and that's the end of the line. You lie to me, and I swear by Celestia's Crown and Luna's Mane that I'll not only throw you out on your plot, I'll personally buck your flank all the way from here to Cloudsdale, get me?"

Spitfire had gotten progressively closer with each word until her nose was scrunched against Lightnings and her own wings had flared out dangerously. Lightning, for her part, swallowed hard and found she had nowhere else to go and no real choice other than to mull over her answer for several heartbeats. Spitfire backed up, barelyn to give her breathing room.

"You'll think I'm playing a sympathy card if I tell you," Lightning answered at length, ears pinning back and eyes unable or unwilling to look into the Captain's.

"Try me," Spitfire replied.

"My special talent is storm monitoring... lightning and thunder specifically," she said. "I found it when I was six and I've hated it ever since... I didn't want to be a weather pony, I wanted to be racer or a stunt flier and when I got my cutie mark for storms, I thought that dream was gone. Dad, my real dad, sat with me for hours after that and told me I defined my talent, not the other way around and that if I wanted to be a racer, I just needed to set a goal and push myself till I got there. He told me I could be anything I wanted to be if I put my mind to it, special talents be damned. So... that's what I did, I pushed and pushed but all I've ever been able to do is come in second place at best."

Lightning missed the glance exchanged between Rainbow and Spitfire as she continued.

"Dad died when I was nine and mom remarried when I was twelve. The guy... my stepfather that is... that mom married, he's okay I guess. I mean, he took care of me and he takes care of mom and he loves us both, but he can't understand why I'm not happy with my talent. His talent is similar to mine and he's a foreman at the weather factory who got me my first job; he just can't understand why I keep chasing 'unreachable dreams' when I should be happy that I've got something I'm good at already." She paused to take a deep breath. "He's never said it directly, but he thinks that if you don't use your talent you're not really a pony, just... just a thing that doesn't know it's place in the world. A lot of ponies I know say or think the same things because they're happy with what they do and can't figure out why I'm not. I just... wanted to prove everypony wrong, okay? I wanted to show them that I could do something they said was impossible and maybe... maybe inspire some other ponies along the way to do the same thing. You know. be the pony that ponies look up to for once, instead of the pony that everypony talks down to. I guess... I guess I got so caught up in trying to prove myself that I forgot about that and went about it wrong."

"Is that all?"

Lightning nodded as Spitfire stepped forward again, raising her foreleg slightly and causing Lightning to cringe as if awaiting a slap. But rather than feeling a strike, she felt the hoof rest on her shoulder comfortingly and raised her head to look into the older mare's eyes once more. Spitfire patted her shoulder lightly and stepped back.

"That's a pretty good reason, newbie" she said. "Lightning Dust, you endangered your fellow cadets, caused your wing-pony to be injured, damaged Wonderbolt property with an excessive use of weather force, nearly cost five civilians their lives and basically alienated your entire class with your attitude. Any one of these infractions is cause for dismissal under Wonderbolt Charter... taken collectively, I should throw your out on your plot right now."

Lightning blinked, "Didn't you um... do that, ma'am?"

"Yeah, I guess I did," She replied. "But... having said all that and listening to your story along with everything that was said between you and Rainbow Dash, I feel I also owe you an apology. I was harsh on you earlier, I admit that and was a lot harsher than was necessary. I know I expect a lot out of ponies because I expect a lot out of myself; especially ponies I put in a position of command. I felt like I'd screwed up making you wing-leader and I was taking my anger against myself out on you, I'm sorry for that. But at the same time, I'm not sorry I stripped you of your status. You made mistakes, sure, but Celestia knows I've made my share over the years and I've always had somepony give me more second chances than I probably deserved. I guess today is just another of those screw-ups on both our counts."

"Ma'am, I don't.. .what are you...?" Lightning stammered.

"A good friend of mine," Spitfire began, casting a sidelong glance at a sheepish looking Rainbow Dash, "came to me this evening and we talked about a few things. She asked that the record be set straight and that she regretted a few things she said before asking that I consider giving you a second chance. She thinks that under all the bravado I've been looking at there's a Wonderbolt worth holding onto. I guess I do too, since I'm here and all."

"WHAT!?" Lightning shrieked. "After I nearly killed your friends!? After all the stuff you said, after what I said?! Wh-why would you...?"

"Because I'd like to consider you a friend, Lightning Dust," Rainbow answered. "There aren't too many ponies out there that can keep up with me and like I said earlier, we've got so much in common it's almost scary. I guess I kinda felt guilty for some of the stuff I said too and because I know what its like to have a dream that ponies say you're not gonna get to see come true. That, and when I screw up, my friends stand beside me and give me another chance. I thought, you know, maybe you'd be up for the same thing? That's what friends do for each other."

Lightning simply stared.

"Also," Spitfire said. "I get to see plenty of would-be elite fliers; some of them even make the cut. But, I rarely ever get to see too many potential aces around here. I'll deny saying this and I'm not gonna show a shred of favoritism, but you two are a couple of the best fliers I've seen in years, you've definitely got potential and if I toss it away just because of a screw up..." she shrugged. "However, I'm gonna make this crystal clear, this ain't no free ride, period, end of story, exclamation point. You're officially on probationary flight status until further notice and will bounce back and forth between the teams each day while Rainbow Dash will be your primary wing-leader. In a couple of weeks we'll reevaluate you and see if you've learned from your mistakes."

Leaning forward again, Spitfire glared. "And don't think for one second that I am gonna cut you any slack, newbie. I'm gonna ride your plot like you're a two-bit dock mule and I'm gonna watch every move you make like a dragon watches a gem mine. You screw up again, you have so much as one feather out of place or one hoof over the line, I'll toss you out on your plot before you can blink, you get me?"

"Y-yes ma'am, I get you ma'am!" Lightning said, raising a shaky salute.

"Good... and you," she added, looking squarely at Rainbow Dash. "If you ever storm out of my office again without waiting for me to dismiss you, I'll personally make sure you end up shackled to weather factory till you're too old to fly, get me?"

"Yes ma'am, I get you ma'am!" Rainbow replied, saluting.

"Good, then get your lazy flanks out of this locker room and in the sky. You both get one-hundred laps before you can call it a day. Now move it!"

With that, Spitfire replaced her glasses, snapping off a glare to both cadets before turning and, with a flick-snap of her tail, trotted off and away without another word, the slamming of the locker room door the only sound to mark her passing. As soon as she was gone, Lightning turned to stare at Rainbow Dash in disbelief.

"Did you just... did she just... I don't... how did...."

Rainbow just smirked.

"Wingmates again, huh?" she asked quietly.

"Naw," Rainbow said, shaking her head. "We're at least twenty percent cooler than that, so let's go with friends instead."

"Friends, huh?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Rainbow answered

"Yeah... I think I would too... I just... well... I guess 'thanks' doesn't really cover it... and um... I'm sorry for the shouting earlier. Thanks for... yeah, never mind, I'm no good with the mushy stuff. I'm glad your friends are okay, though."

"I was running high on adrenaline there and everything just came to a head, I'm sorry I lashed out. Besides, you don't save Equestria as often as we do by being easy to take down, you know." Smirking, Rainbow extended her foreleg and gave her new friend a half-friendly, half-challenging smirk. "Don't make me regret this, Lightning," she said. "I still think you're a bit on the dangerous side, but you can be my wing-pony anytime."

For her part, Lightning stared at the hoof for a few seconds, mixed emotions evident on her face before she finally returned the smirk and lightly bumped her hoof to Rainbow's. "Horseapples... by the time I'm off probation you'll be mine again."

"Wanna bet?"

"Oh it's on."

"I thought so... onetwothreego!"

In a flash, Rainbow was gone, the only sight to mark her passage being a rapidly fading rainbow jet trail which Lightning stared at for a split second before realizing what had just happened. Wings flaring as she screamed for Rainbow to get back and race her fair and square, she shot forward as if fired by a cannon. Throwing everything they had into the rush, the two sped out of the barracks and into the rapidly darkening sky above.

Neither of them noticed the two uniformed ponies standing in the shadow of the building watching them.

"They're gonna be at it a while, Spits... wanna go get some pie?"

"You and your pie, Soarin," she replied, chuckling.

"Hey, I can't help that that cute farm pony brought some with her! Let's go get some before its all gone huh?"

"You go ahead, I'll catch up."

"Suit yourself," he said as he flew off.

From her position at the edge of the barracks, Spitfire watched the two future aces above her and smirked lightly, spreading her own wings to take off and head for dinner before Soarin ate it all.

"You know," she said to herself. "I think those kids are gonna be okay."

Sometimes I lie awake, night after night
Coming apart at the seams
Eager to please, ready to fight
Why do I go to extremes?

Author's Note

This idea, literally, would not leave me alone until I got it on paper.

I make no excuses for the fact that Rainbow Dash is my favorite pony amongst the main six. She has been since I first started watching the series and I've loved seeing her go from a brash, self-centered tomboy to a more team minded and well rounded individual. She still has her ego (she wouldn't be her without it) but it's toned down and she's taken on less of a self-centered role and become more of a leader.

"Wonderbolts Academy" has thus far been my favorite episode of Season Three and definitely one of my top five all around. I loved the character of Lightning Dust; I loved how she and Rainbow worked with but antagonized each other and I felt like she really was the way that Rainbow was in the beginning in a way. I also thought she deserved a second chance so I decided to write one up.

Cover image used by permission from the very talented High-Roller2108. Make sure to visit her Deviant Art Page if you've got a minute :)

I hope you enjoy it everypony and Thanks for reading!