Grounded

A Dream Dashed

Lightning Dust waited in a chair by the door to Spitfire’s office. She had been lead there by two of the other officers. Three hours ago, Spitfire had walked by Lightning Dust and into her office without a word. Each minute dragged on as Lightning Dust considered her impending doom, the doom of her only dream she worked so hard for. The doom of everything she devoted her life to.

She stared at the door to Spitfire’s office. The other cadets had walked in and out of the office one at a time, each escorted by an officer. None of them even glanced in her direction. The last pony of her class that she saw was Rainbow Dash, the only one who did look. Lightning Dust only felt resentment when she saw her walk in. This is all her fault, she thought to herself. She saw Rainbow Dash leave and Lightning Dust was left alone, other than a single officer who remained to watch over her.

Nopony else came in or out of the room. The officer’s sunglasses were too dark to see his eyes behind them, but she didn’t need to. She knew he was watching her. The arrogant little pony who almost killed a bunch of civvies that appeared out of nowhere.

Her anxiety was building up; she just wanted it to end at this point. She was already stripped of her rank as lead-pony, how much worse will it get? Will she get kicked out of the Academy? Shunned by her family? Something worse? There wasn’t much worse than that for her. It didn’t help that Spitfire and Lightning Dust were familiar with each other in the past. No, that only worsened the situation. Only thing worse than letting somepony you know down, is if that somepony was also your hero.

Lightning Dust was staring at the floor when the door opened. Spitfire did nothing but stare at her and keep the door held open with a single hoof.

“Uh, ma’am?” Lightning Dust asked.

Spitfire said nothing in reply but nodded toward the room. Lightning Dust got up and walked in quietly. A cold chill from the movement fell over the hole that remained from when Spitfire ripped the lead-pony badge from her chest. Spitfire then locked the door behind her and took her place behind her desk.

Lightning Dust looked around the room. Nothing really changed since last time. The same little statue of a pegasus in mid-flight. The same lamp shone brightly over the paperwork on Spitfire’s desk. Sometimes it would be posters she’d be signing for some lucky fans, other times it was actual paperwork. This time, it was different. It was neither paperwork nor posters. It was her file. It had her picture on the front. An unsettling feeling came over Lightning Dust. She quickly turned away from it to take her mind off what it meant and examined the rest of the room. Some ponies had pictures of their family in their offices. Spitfire had pictures of Wonderbolts from past generations. There were also a few Wonderbolt posters up around the room as well. Everything was pretty much the same since the last time she was here. The only real differences were the circumstances.

“I hope you know why you’re here.”

Lightning Dust was getting angry; she was going to fight for her dreams no matter what, even if it meant talking back to the one who held those dreams in her hooves.

“No actually, I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know what I did wrong. What I did to deserve this. I did everything that was expected of me and more.”

She stared into Spitfire’s flaming eyes. Spitfire put aside her paperwork and leaned forward onto the desk, placing her hooves together as she sat there in contemplation of Lightning Dust’s disappointing response.

“You don’t know what you did?” Spitfire asked as she arched an eyebrow and glared at Lightning Dust. Lightning Dust simply shook her head.

“Then after all this, hurting your partner, the other cadets, the twister incident, and your reckless behavior, being punished is not what you expected?”

Lightning Dust just stared at the floor.

Spitfire slammed her hooves on the table, “Then what did you expect? A reward?”

Lightning Dust looked back up at Spitfire, “I was rewarded last time. You made me lead-pony. I thought it was what you wanted; I pushed myself further than was asked. I’m pretty sure I set an academy record.”

“Yeah, you did. Both you and Rainbow Dash.”

She flinched. That struck her like a slap on the face. It was only a few hours since the incident, and she already could not stand to hear that name. Spitfire didn’t notice Lightning Dust’s reaction.

“And that’s the difference between the two of you. Rainbow Dash keeps others in mind when she does what she does. Everything you did, you did for yourself.”

That blow struck her even harder than the first one, but she wasn’t willing to take this beating lying down.

“Well, I thought this was the Wonderbolt’s Academy, where you go to prove you’re the best of the best. Not some charity where you go to serve food to the poor.”

“It is the Wonderbolt’s Academy, and the best of the best have proven themselves here. But this only lasts a week and it’s only a small part of the process to becoming a Wonderbolt. We aren’t just showponies, celebrities that go to school. No, we’re more than that. We’re leaders, role models, ponies that you can look up to. And it is our duty to serve others. That is why we train recruits so hard, and only the best are considered. When they do become Wonderbolts, they also become officers. The other Forces, like the Royal Guard, have their own process. You start out as the lowest of the low, and work your way up as you prove yourself with dedication and skill in the field. Our process is different. We take the best there is, because we can’t afford to have anything less. Everypony relies on us, and we can’t afford to let them down.”

“But I am the best. I even made it easier for you by weeding out the weaker ones. If they can’t keep up, then maybe they don’t have what it takes.”

Spitfire sighed, “You still don’t get what it actually takes though. It’s more than just speed, skill, and endurance. You have to be a leader. That’s why we have you split into two-pony groups: lead-pony and wing-pony. Both equal in skill to one another, but one to make the right call and the other to make sure it’s the right call. You two must be synchronized, understand each other, act and think as one. When you don’t, the results can be disastrous. But sometimes, you may disagree with each other, because while you may be the best there is, you’re still not perfect, and sometimes, there isn’t a right decision.”

Spitfire turned around, leaned back on the desk, forelegs crossed over her chest. She stared at one of the Wonderbolt portraits in silence.

“The lead-pony makes the decisions. When you make a decision, you take a risk. We always hope for a better way, but often there isn’t. And the longer you wait, the worse it gets. Some risks are acceptable, and some aren’t. Acceptable risk is the risk associated with the best of available alternatives, not the best of the alternatives we hope to have available. When you know you only have one option, the risk is acceptable. But you usually do have other options. The wing-pony must help the lead-pony make the best decision, choose the best option. Sometimes you’re not happy with it, but it’s right. If you’re in doubt about something, you ask the wing-pony. If your wing-pony is in doubt about your decision, she tells the lead-pony. But you just haven’t been listening.” She paused for a moment, “I started a little bit of listening of my own though. I talked with the other cadets, and all their stories have been the same. You’ve been putting them all at unnecessary risk this whole time. It’s understandable when there isn’t much time to think, and you have to act on instinct. But you had plenty of time in each of these cases. And that is unacceptable.”

This battle was lost, but Lightning Dust would not give up the war. “But you know me! You know how good I am, you know how much this means to me!”

Spitfire turned around to face Lightning Dust again. “Yeah? Well guess what, I know Rainbow Dash too.”

Lightning Dust was taken aback. The blows just keep coming harder and harder.

“What?!”

“You heard me; you know that mare who won the Best Young Flyers Competition? Who saved me and two of my teammates from our death? Yeah, you guessed it, Rainbow Dash. You know what else she did? Let’s take a look at her file, shall we?” She pushed aside Lightning Dust’s folder. Underneath was a much larger one with a picture of Rainbow Dash on the front. Spitfire began flipping through the pages. “She leads the weather division down in Ponyville. She led the pegasi of that small town in creating a hurricane to send water to the Cloudsdale Weather Factory, even though they were down several ponies. She didn’t even take credit; she gave that to her friend. She’s saved countless other lives. She helped save Equestria from both Nightmare Moon and Discord.”

The war just turned into a brutal back alley brawl with a helpless puppy.

“And that’s why I made her wing-pony. She didn’t need the leadership role. You did. I hoped that by pairing you two up, you would learn from her; listen to what she had to say. I saw you two hit it off rather well in the beginning too. I thought of all ponies, you would listen to your equal.”

“After all that, how can you call her my equal? She is obviously better than me.”

“She is not better than you in skill, but it’s what she does with her skill that makes the difference. I know you are capable of all the same things. But all those achievements she has, she did it for her friends, the ponies she cared about. She did what she thought was necessary for their well-being and would stand by their side to whatever end. She serves them as a lead-pony and supports them as a wing-pony would. I tried not to play favorites, with both you and Rainbow Dash, but you have to take more than a pony’s skill into account when training pegasi to be Wonderbolts.”

“Why didn’t you just make her a Wonderbolt then and be done with it? If she’s already got everything it takes, why bother with sending her to the Academy?”

“Like I said before, I’m trying not to play favorites. Everypony has to go through the same process as everypony else. If Celestia herself wanted to be a Wonderbolt, I would put her through the same process. I am confident in both Rainbow Dash’s and your own skill; I know what you’re capable of. But the Wonderbolts are still a military organization, and we work a bit differently than a simple weather team. We have to know you are all capable of performing under the kind of stress we have thrown at us during actual missions. But the ponies you meet here will help you during those missions.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that the Wonderbolts aren’t just leaders either, we’re a team. And it’s high time you started acting like a team player. If fame and fortune is the only thing on your mind the entire time you’re here, you’re doomed to fail The bond you build with the other members of this team is something unique. Not many other ponies can understand it. We all have one another’s flank when we’re out there, and we trust one another. As a team, we are unstoppable.”

“But, but…”

“But what?!”

“But how can you trust her? She chose her friends over the team. Who says she won’t do it again when she’s needed?”

“I don’t think it’ll come to that.”

“But what if it does? What if one of them does something wrong and the Wonderbolts have to deal with them? What if she betrays the team?”

“I doubt any of them will do something like that, it would betray the Princess. The Princess holds the highest authority over all of us. She seems to trust them, and that’s good enough for me. In fact, I think one of them knew the Princess even before she knew her friends. Besides, that’s a worst-case scenario. You were probably going continue constantly putting everypony at risk.

I can’t let her get away with treating me like this, Lightning Dust thought to herself.

“You talk about being fair and not taking sides or being biased, but you’re still not! She also defied the chain of command! She spoke openly against you! You said that this was a different environment. Any of the other Forces would have her court-martialed! You are encouraging her to speak out against her superior officers! She’ll do it again if she thinks it’s right. She’ll disobey orders and openly challenge the pony who gave them. She’ll spread dissent among the others and they’ll question your skills and leadership. It’s just a matter of time before she goes from speaking her mind to going AWOL. Horseapples, I’m even doing it right now!”

Lightning Dust took a deep breath. “I don’t get you; you reward ponies who do what they’re told with demotions and humiliation, but punish those who openly defy you by giving them praise and making them lead-pony.”

“Look, I’m not infallible, none of us are, and I don’t always see what’s going on, despite what ponies say. But that’s why Rainbow Dash was promoted. She knew something was wrong and I didn’t see it. Blind loyalty is not what we are looking for in the Wonderbolts. We need our lead-ponies to ask questions so they get the job done right. I was hoping you would learn something about the responsibility of being a leader, but it looks like I was wrong. The only way you’ll learn is by example.”

“Yeah, from Lil Miss Perfect,” Lightning Dust avoided Spitfire’s gaze and looked away, “you make it sound like you wish she was your daughter or something.”

“No, she’s not perfect, and I don’t wish she was my daughter, or even my niece. But she is more to me than just a random pegasus who’s good at what she does. Despite what she did, I don’t see her as my savior either. I see her as yours.”

Lightning Dust was confused at this point. My savior? What the buck is she talking about? Rainbow Dash was the one who doomed her to this fate.

Spitfire disrupted Lightning Dust’s thoughts before she could decipher the puzzle. “Is it true? Do you really have no friends? Have you tried so hard to be the best, that you didn’t take the time to stop and make some?”

Lightning Dust tried to stay calm and collected while gathering her response.

“I don’t need friends. They’ll just slow me down. Hold me back.” There was a slight change in her voice, it was only momentary, but it gave away her real feelings.

“Damn it Lightning Dust! Have you been listening to me at all?! So you make no time for anything except making yourself the best. Tell me this, what then? Say you become a Wonderbolt; say you are literally the greatest Wonderbolt of all time. What then? What do you do with yourself at that point?”

Lightning Dust didn’t answer. She merely closed her eyes and bowed her head, her ears lowered in defeat.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been the best role model lately. It’s a little funny to think that it took the potential deaths of some random civvies, Rainbow Dash’s rebellious behaviour, and this little talk with you to get me to remember who I’m supposed to be…”

Lightning Dust looked back up at Spitfire.

“And that’s why I’m giving you a second chance.”

Lightning Dust’s ears came back up and her eyes widened as she stared at Spitfire in shock. “Wait-, what?”

“It was Rainbow Dash’s idea really.  When I talked to her, she told me how you didn’t care what about her friends’ safety. She said she realized it was because you didn’t understand how important friendship is. My best friends are also Wonderbolts, I met them here at the Academy, and I would do anything for them. I believed that was possible with you and Rainbow Dash. That’s also why I paired you two up. Not just because you two were the best, but because I saw you becoming friends. She said she’s willing to give you another chance, are you willing to take it?”

Lightning Dust thought for a moment. She didn’t deny to herself that, up until a few seconds ago, she hated Rainbow Dash’s guts, especially after learning all about her reputation. But Rainbow Dash had also been the only one to treat her like a friend. Even at this point, after all that’s happened, she still cared. Rainbow Dash never really even did anything wrong to her either. All she did was stand up for herself, her beliefs, and her friends. She stood up for *me***. Lightning Dust owed Rainbow Dash her loyalty.

“Yes, I am.”

“You’re making the right decision Lightning Dust, and I want you to know that I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks Mom…”

“Excuse me?”

Lightning Dust cleared her throat and saluted, “Ma’am! Thank you, ma’am!”

“That’s what I thought…Now naturally you’ll be reinstated as wing-pony, so here’s your new badge,” she said as she pulled out a slightly battered silver badge from her desk drawer, “and you’ll be working with Rainbow Dash again. Don’t forget to pick up a new uniform at the supply depot.”

Lightning Dust looked back at the portrait of the Wonderbolt, but this time, she noticed something else, a silver badge. She smiled and replied “I won’t let you down ma’am!”

“I know you won’t. Dismissed!”