Follow Your Dreams, no Matter the Cost
Days at the Academy
Follow Your Dreams, no Matter the Cost
Blazing Thunder was the epitome of speed, strength and agility.
Lightning Dust gazed up in awe from her perch at the front row of the Wonderbolts stadium as the stallion performed countless breathtaking tricks and stunts, leaving the entire crowd breathless. She was just learning to fly herself–her tiny wings fluttered behind her in excitement–but she one day hoped to match the brilliance that was Blazing Thunder. He was fast, he was agile, he was awesome; he was everything any young flier aspired to be.
Ever since she was old enough to form coherent thoughts, Dust had wanted to fly. She had only managed to hover several hooves off the ground since she started trying, but her parents had told her that she was making great progress. Most pegasi her age couldn’t even manage that, being only a few years old as she was.
From the moment she realised that her dream was to become Equestria’s greatest flier, Blazing Thunder had been her idol. She looked up to him, admired him and followed his every trick with the utmost attention to see if she could learn anything. He was a good role model too: he was talented but humble, he never talked down to anypony and he had not once refused to sign an autograph. He was one of the best stunt fliers in the Wonderbolts…
He was also her father.
Dust cheered as loudly as she could as Thunder finished off the final loop in his signature trick before gliding down to the stage where the rest of the Wonderbolts team waited. He panted, sweat visible on his ears, wings and nose, which were the only places visible in his full-body outfit, as he took his place in the line. The team bowed before taking to the sky and winging it out of the stadium, trailing their trademark crackling smoke streams.
Dust immediately leapt off her grandstand chair and wove between the legs of the milling crowd towards the backstage exit. She was momentarily accosted by the security pony guarding the entrance before the stallion recognised her and let her through with a quick ‘great show huh kid?’. She tore down the corridor, which was, in stark contrast to the massing crowd outside, completely empty, before eventually making her way to the locker room.
As she entered the pungent change room, she was greeted with friendly smiles and exclamations of ‘hey kid!’. The entire Wonderbolts team knew her–she was the envy of all her school friends–because she was always coming backstage to see her father after a show. She made her way excitedly towards the back where she could see glimpses of her father towel-drying his mane after a quick shower.
It had been a fantastic show, there wasn’t any doubt. There would be crowds lining up at the Wonderbolts’ exit stretching as far as the eye could see, all ponies wanting their posters or flight goggles autographed or simply wanting to catch a glimpse of their favourite Wonderbolt up close.
It hadn’t been Dust’s first show: she had been to several, getting free entry for her and a friend because she was the daughter of the main attraction. All her friends had been busy on the day of this performance though, but Dust didn’t mind. She wasn’t overly fond of most of her friends anyway. They were all too fussy about how their manes were styled or whether their hooves were filed just right.
That wasn’t to say that she didn’t care for them . They were her friends after all, but they just shared so few interests. None of them cared much for stunt flying, though not all of them were pegasi. Being brought up in a multicultural town like Fillydelphia probably didn’t help, but it didn’t overly worry her. She tended to pay more attention to the show than whoever she ended up bringing anyway.
She would be a Wonderbolt one day. She would try as hard as she could, for as long as it took for her to earn the right to don the blue skin-suit, emblazoned with the golden lightning bolts. She would do whatever it took.
~~~~~~~~~~
The swift breeze made a dull roaring noise in Lightning Dust’s ears, heightened by the fact that her eyes were closed. Not that the wind was that strong, just that she had found the precise angle to turn her head so that the air whooshed past her ears just right. She liked the sound. It made her feel like she was flying. Opening her eyes, she looked around at the clouds floating around her.
That’s right, she was flying.
The ground wasn’t far below her: the clouds she was flying around were low-hanging and very wispy. That didn’t stop her from relishing in the exhilaration of flight though. She had only been able to keep up sustained flight for a few weeks and she had been loving every single moment she spent in the air. She could almost make it to school without taking any breaks and was getting closer and closer every day.
On this particular morning, a nice, sunny Monday–which just happened to be a pupil free day at school–Dust was winging it over to a friend’s place to work on a school project. It was all pretty standard stuff and she didn’t need the help, but it was a group project, so there was no getting out of having to work with other ponies. She preferred to work alone: everypony else just seemed to slow her down, or get in the way.
She flew a few laps around her friend’s house, just so she could stay in the air a little bit longer, before landing and knocking on the door. Her friend opened the door to catch her panting, head lowered as she tried to catch her breath. As much as it galled her to admit it, she wasn’t a brilliant flier by adult pegasus standards. The fact that she was a better flier than every other pegasus her age, as well as the fact that not even her father had been as capable as she was at her age, mattered little to her.
She would be the best, not matter what it took.
The day passed swiftly and Dust’s mind wandered. Her father had performed at a Wonderbolts show in Cloudsdale the previous day, but ever since she had started middle school almost half a year ago, she kept getting bogged down with homework and assignments. She hadn’t been to a Wonderbolts show in months, but she was enjoying school, even if it was really easy, so it didn’t bother her too much.
She spent all her free time flying anyway, so she never felt like she was missing out on any aerial action, though her own moves were a far cry away from the Wonderbolts. It was a little disheartening sometimes, when attempting a simple flip sent her into a spin that usually ended with a jarring impact with the ground. She couldn’t let a few setbacks stop her though.
Dust already knew all of her father’s moves by heart, even if she couldn’t perform any of them yet. She would always watch him whenever he practiced at home–which wasn’t as often as Dust would have liked, but she knew he had other commitments–so she always saw his new stunts before anypony else.
Dust’s favourite was the whirl-whip, in which Thunder would spin in a circle, making a fierce whirlwind, before cracking his tail like a whip and using that force to send him shooting off in the complete opposite direction the whirlwind was spinning. He came out of the spin going seriously fast, which he usually followed up with some high-speed rolls, spins and other stunts.
Eventually, they put the final touches to the project and called it day. She had worked on it with her friend every afternoon and most weekends for almost two weeks so it was about time she could put it to rest. She would head home home only for as long as it took to check the mail and grab a late lunch, then she would be going to the meadow outside of the city after that to get some free-flying into the remaining hours of the day.
Lightning Dust’s mother, Shimmering Dust–though most ponies just called her Shimmer–worked long hours tending to the aged ponies in the nursing home. Thunder was famous enough that Shimmer would never have to work another day in her life, but she loved her job, and said that she wouldn’t stop working even if they were rich enough to be royalty.
This was a sentiment that Lightning Dust didn’t really understand. Why work if you didn’t have to? You could spend your time doing something way more productive, like flight practice.
Her mother working for most of the day usually meant that, even when she had school, Dust usually got home before her mother did, and so was usually the one to grab the mail and let the cat out of the house.
Dust used her key to open the door and was immediately suspicious when there was no ‘click’ indicating the lock had disengaged. Her mother couldn’t be home yet and her father wasn’t due back for another few weeks, so why was the door unlocked?
She experienced a moment of fear as she hesitated outside her own front door, before she flung the door open and charged inside. She certainly wasn’t expecting what she saw.
A strong, blue-coated stallion with an electric-white mane and a tornado for a cutie mark stood in her family’s living room. He held himself rigid, straight-backed and strong-legged, but the look in his eyes betrayed a great sadness.
Lightning Dust knew this stallion.
He was Tornado Twist, captain of the Wonderbolts and her father’s best friend.
“Hey there kiddo” he said morosely as he noticed Dust’s entrance, his voice as heavy as his expression. “I’m afraid there’s been… there’s…” he trailed off, seemingly unable to finish the sentence that, even incomplete, filled Lightning Dust’s heart with dread. She was already crying by the time Tornado managed to utter the words that would bring her whole world crashing down around her ears.
“I’m so sorry, but… there’s been an accident.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The words echoed through her head, again and again, every repetition almost tearing her to pieces. They were words she wished she had never heard, but once had been said, could not be taken back.
“Your father has been in a terrible accident. He’s currently being treated by Equestria’s best doctors in Canterlot. I’m… I’m so sorry Lightning Dust.”
So now Dust found herself nestled in her mother’s embrace, despite considering herself much too old for such an act, riding the train to Canterlot, Tornado’s words constantly tormenting her as she worried fretfully over her father.
Part of her wanted to vehemently deny the accusations that her father was in hospital, that he had messed up a trick and seriously hurt himself. The more rational side of her knew that this was a foalish hope and that she should face the reality of the situation. She wouldn’t be on a train to Canterlot otherwise.
Her mother was putting on a brave face, but Dust could tell that Shimmer was just as worried as she was. The way her eyes glistened ever so slightly, and the way she was absently biting at her hooves gave her away. Lightning Dust was nothing if not observant.
The train ride seemed to take an eternity–two if she counted the wait at the Fillydelphia train station–but finally the train pulled up at Canterlot station. Dust was the first off the train, her mother and Tornado Twist, who had accompanied them on the trip, close behind.
They were met on the platform by two more Wonderbolts. They were new recruits, seeing as Dust didn’t recognise either of them, and they were attracting a lot of attention. Their terse, serious-business stares were more than enough to hold the mob at bay and they snapped crisp salutes to Tornado Twist before leading the way off through the crowd.
Dust followed the two Wonderbolts all the way out of the station and into a waiting taxi carriage, which took them straight to Canterlot Private Hospital, the single most advanced medical facility in Equestria. There, the two newby Wonderbolts had a quick discussion with some of the doctors before turning straight back around and taking off out of the hospital.
The doctors approached Lightning Dust and her mother.
“You are Shimmering Dust and Lightning Dust? Blazing Thunder’s wife and daughter?” one of them asked. She was a slim unicorn with a ruby-red coat and maroon-coloured mane, wearing a white doctor’s coat which only just showed her stethoscope cutie mark. Shimmer nodded and Dust could only just bring herself to nod along. The doctor continued.
“Very good, I am doctor Tender Heart and this is doctor Peak Health.” The two doctors turned to Dust’s mother. “Your husband’s condition is… well, it’s uncertain. Mister Tornado Twist can fill you in on what happened.”
Doctor Peak Health stepped forward and put a hoof on Dust’s mother’s shoulder, before she spoke in a soft, supportive voice. “We’ll let you know when the situation changes. I’m so sorry…” the two unicorns turned and trotted off down one of the hospital’s many hallways as Captain Twist cleared his throat.
“We’re not entirely sure what happened…” he began hesitantly. “The routine he was performing was his standard stuff. Brilliant and awe inspiring in every way, but nothing we’d never seen before. Up until right at the end anyway.”
Dust clutched her mother’s foreleg, trying to shut out the words as they were being spoken. She didn’t want to hear this. Hearing it just made it all the more real.
“He suddenly pulled a trick that none of us had ever seen before” Tornado continued. “It wasn’t choreographed and we certainly didn’t plan for any surprises. He... he couldn’t seem to pull it off though.”
Tears began running freely down Lightning Dust’s face. The part of her mind that was trying to convince her that all this wasn’t real, that it was a dream or that everypony was lying, was sounding extremely tempting at that moment.
“Before anypony knew what had happened, he had gone from mid-trick to a tailspin so fast he hit the ground before I could blink. He landed on his back. The doctors say that at this point, he has a fifty-fifty chance of surviving. Either way, he’ll never fly again.”
That was it: the final straw. Lightning Dust couldn’t take any more. She had time to hear her mother gasp, and Captain Twist make a startled exclamation before she hit the ground, passed out cold.
~~~~~~~~~~
The sterile whiteness of the hospital was getting to her.
Lightning Dust wasn’t normally bothered by hospitals, but after spending almost the entire night swapping between sobbing into her mother’s coat and pacing her way around the waiting room, it was starting to put her on edge.
She had spent a few hours sleeping after losing consciousness, but that didn’t make her any more patient, nor any less tired. Her body called out for sleep, but her mind firmly declared that it would not rest further until she knew her father was alright.
She was just about to start another round of pacing after she managed to dry her tears and pull herself away from her mother’s embrace again, when the doors to the patient rooms opened and a familiar pony walked through.
“Mrs Dust?” Doctor Tender Heart called.
Lightning Dust’s mother was on her hooves in less than a heartbeat and Dust herself bolted over to the waiting doctor. Before Shimmer or Lightning could speak, Doctor Heart wrapped them both in a quick hug.
“You may see him now.”
A small part in Lightning Dust’s mind found it odd that the Doctor had not actually informed them of any specific changes to the situation, but this part was lost in the sea of joy that she could see her father again.
She took off at a gallop down the corridor, pausing at each intersection to wait for the Doctor and her mother to catch up so they could show her the way. She felt so full of energy she thought she could burst.
Finally, after what seemed like hours of navigating the twists and turns of the hospitals hallways, Dust stood in front of a door, no different from the others except for a hastily-made plaque that displayed her father’s name.
Blazing Thunder
Dust waited a few moments for the adults to catch up again and was about to open the door in front of her when she was momentarily distracted by her mother’s expression. It hadn’t changed much since the waiting room, but Dust could tell. She was hiding something. Something important, something she didn’t want Dust to know. What had she and the doctor talked about while she ran ahead?
Her train of thought was interrupted when Doctor Heart reached over and opened the door with a hoof, giving Dust a gentle nudge into the room.
This room was much like any other place in the hospital: it was white, too clean, and smelled like chemicals. It was a private room, so there were no other patients, leaving space for a few sitting cushions beside a large white bed.
Dust’s observation of the room immediately ceased when her eyes caught onto the occupant of that bed, and she immediately dashed over to the bedside and threw herself up beside her father.
Blazing Thunder lifted his head, his deep cyan mane hanging matted and limp around his face. He smiled weakly at his daughter’s antics, and released a pathetic chuckle. Lightning Dust pulled her face out of Thunder's side and gazed into his eyes. Immediately, she knew something was wrong.
Dust heard a wail from behind her and turned to see her mother, tears streaming down her face, running full pelt from the doorway towards the bed. Why was her mother crying? Dust didn't understand, her dad was alive wasn't he? It was all going to be alright now, wasn't it?
These thoughts got lost in the moment as the three family members came together on the hospital bed, all crying into each other's coats. While Dust didn't know why she was crying, she did anyway. Maybe she was just so happy that her father was okay that she was crying. Yes, that must have been it.
The group hug was interrupted as Thunder cleared his throat. Dust once again found herself pulling her teary face out of his fiery orange coat to crane her neck up so she was looking into his eyes.
“I...” Thunder began, but he didn't seem to be able to form words. His mouth opened and closed several times, but no sound came out. Dust had never seen him this hesitant before. She had never seen him this seriously hurt either, but that only served to heighten her worry.
“I have some bad news...” His voice was croaky, barely more than a whisper and lacked all the strength and determination it was usually imbued with. “This crash was... it was pretty bad. The doctors they... they don't think I'm... they don't think I'll...” Shimmer gazed lovingly into his eyes as she raised a hoof to silence him, which he weakly tried to batter away.
“We know honey. You hurt your wings, you might not be able to fly any more. We know it was a huge part in your life but I'm sure we can...” She trailed off as she saw the look Thunder was giving her. It was one part exasperation, one part sadness and eight parts hopelessness.
Thunder lay his head meekly back onto the pillow as his mouth worked soundlessly. The monitors made several erratic beeps before calming down once more, bringing the doctors to the bedside in an instant.
“Just a pulse spike, nothing too serious.” Tender heart turned to Shimmer, a look of grim determination mixed with utter sadness on her face. She muttered something that sounded like 'this is the part of the job I hate most' before clearing her throat and resting a hoof on Shimmer's shoulder. “He wanted to tell you himself, but it doesn't look like he's in fit enough shape even for that. You already know he won't ever fly again. The part he wanted to tell you himself was...”
Dust's heart stopped as the doctor paused. What could be worse than not ever being able to fly again? Doctor Heart's next words sent echoes flying through Dust's mind, impacting painfully against the walls of her brain before bouncing back in a constant stream of torment.
“He probably won't make it through the night at all.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The words were still sinking in when Dust heard a wheeze from her father as she lay curled up at his side in the hospital bed. Her head bolted upright and she saw that he was awake. He smiled to her briefly, but soon frowned at the expression she wore.
“The... The doctors told you then?” Dust could only nod meekly. The news had hurt more than anything else she had ever experienced. Her father was probably going to die? He still had years and years of life left ahead of him, dreams of becoming captain of the Wonderbolts, millions of fans who still needed him to autograph all their posters and plush toys and mugs and flight goggles.
And then there was her. Thunder was her idol too, and he autographed everything she pushed in front of him as well, but he was also her father.
Dust threw herself back into the comforting warmth of his coat, matting the already ragged fur with her tears. As she sobbed into his side, Dust was dimly aware of her mother whispering to him on the other side of the bed. She paid no attention to what they were saying. Her world was coming crashing down around her head.
After a few moments, Dust felt a hoof stroke her mane. She looked up to see Thunder staring lovingly at her, one hoof reaching towards her, the other wrapped firmly around her mother. She almost couldn't contain a fresh wave of tears as he moved his hoof to underneath her chin. It was as plain as day that he was struggling. His limbs shook slightly and his breath was growing more ragged by the minute.
“Lightning Dust,” he breathed. “My little Lightning Dust...”
Dust couldn't hold back a sob at how weak his voice was getting.
“Your mother has been telling me how hard you've been trying, how you're already better than all of the fillies and colts at your school.” Dust felt herself beaming with pride under all the layers of sadness. “I'm so proud of you Lightning Dust. So proud...” He coughed a few wracking barks and grimaced.
“D-daddy?” Dust whimpered, her voice trembling. “Daddy, don't go. Please, I don't want you to go. You still need to be captain of the Wonderbolts, and I need to join, so that you're my captain too, and, and...” she trailed off, overcome by sadness. Tears welled in her father's eyes and he embraced her.
“I'm so sorry Lightning Dust. I can't be your captain of the Wonderbolts. But I'm not leaving.” Dust looked up at him, hope beginning to brim up once more. “I'm never going to leave you, because no matter what happens, no matter where either of us go, I'll always be with you” he lifted a hoof and put it to Dust's chest, right over her heart. “I'll be with you in here.”
The hopelessness returned, stronger than ever before. Thunder continued, even as his voice grew so weak and faint, it could barely be heard by anyone but Dust and her mother.
“Just remember, my little Lightning Dust. Remember that I'll always love you, I'll always be there for you in your heart. And remember: Never give up. Follow your dreams, no matter the cost.” His voice petered out, and he rested his head back on his pillow. His hoof went limp, dropping from Lightning Dust's chin down to the bed. One of the machines that had been beeping changed to a steady, high-pitched tone.
Dust frantically moved closer. “Dad? Daddy? Daddy?!” No response came from the prone form of her father. “Somepony help! Help please! Somepony please help, my daddy isn't-” she was cut off by her mother, who gently took hold of her, and hugged her close. Dust struggled for a moment, before collapsing into the embrace. The two ponies sobbed into each other’s coats until the doctors came to take her father's body away
~~~~~~~~~~
It had been almost two weeks and Lightning Dust had barely left her room. She was vaguely keeping track of time by the meals her mother brought her, but she paid little heed to the passage of days. She rarely ever touched the food anyway.
Her friends had stopped by, trying to cheer her up, or at least get her out. A few of her pegasus friends had offered to go flying with her, which was something they never did because they could never keep up with her, but she had turned them all away. She didn't feel like the company of other ponies, and she certainly didn't feel like flying.
Her heart had become hollow, her mind empty. She would lay in bed for most of the day, staring blankly at the ceiling before getting up a few hours after her mother brought lunch. She would then read through all her father's old letters he had sent her while on tour with the Wonderbolts. She would cry the entire time.
At this point, she would sometimes run an errand or two for her mother, but never with any great enthusiasm. If nothing needed doing, she would lay on her floor, staring blankly at the wall. Eventually, dinner would come and she would poke at it until it went cold, sometimes nibbling on a bit of carrot, but often not eating any of it at all. Then she would crawl into bed and cry herself to sleep and repeat the entire process the next day. She hadn't been to school once the entire time.
She rarely felt the hunger, or the weakness, or the soreness from lack of movement or activity, but she almost wished she did. It would put her mind on something other than the hollowness in her heart, for a few moments at least.
She was losing weight, as well as muscle tone, but she didn't care. She couldn't seem to bring herself to care about anything anymore. She saw the tears in her mother's eyes every time she brought a meal. She knew her mother was upset, but she had her own sorrows to wallow in, without having to worry about somepony else's.
It just wasn't fair. Why did her father have to be taken away?
Dust vaguely noticed her stomach growling. She still didn’t feel the hunger, but in the silence of her room, the sound almost echoed around the small space. Looking at the clock, she noticed it was about time for her mother to come up with breakfast. She probably wouldn’t eat it, but the consistency of the event every morning was somewhat comforting.
Several minutes passed by the clock’s reckoning, and there wasn’t even as much so a sound from downstairs, let alone a gentle knock on the door.
The comfort of the morning routine broken, Dust struggled to her feet, feeling for the first time in weeks the weak limbs and muscle pain brought on by so much inaction and malnutrition. She winced. Why the sudden return of feeling?
Dust stumbled to her door and, upon opening it, heard hushed whispers coming from downstairs. Curious, she crept out along the hallway to the staircase and began a shaky descent. Upon reaching the bottom, she moved over to, and poked her head through, the doorway to the living area.
Her mother, Shimmer, was in a teary-eyed discussion with Tornado Twist. The presence of the Wonderbolt’s captain was curious enough, but it was what the two were talking about that caught Lightning Dust’s attention most.
“I just don’t know what to do with her…” Shimmer was saying. “She doesn’t do anything anymore. She doesn’t go out with her friends, she rarely leaves her room at all. She barely eats and she’s always screaming or crying in her sleep.”
Captain Twist gave Shimmer a pat on the shoulder and stared morosely at the floor. Shimmer smiled sadly at him. “I just don’t know what to do…” she concluded, a fresh wave of tears pouring down her cheeks as she buried her face into Tornado’s chest.
The sight of her mother in so much distress struck a chord deep within Lightning Dust, and she let loose a tiny sob. The sob was quiet, but enough to immediately draw the attention of the other two ponies in the room.
“L-Lightning Dust?” Shimmer stuttered. “Oh Celestia, I… I don’t… I didn’t… honey, I wasn’t…” Dust was confused. Her mother was supposed to be sad because her father had died. She didn’t even mention him, but there she was, crying into the chest of an old friend.
Shimmer kept on stuttering until Captain Twist coughed pointedly and laid a hoof on her foreleg.
“Let me handle this Shimmer” was all he said, to which she merely nodded, before collapsing onto the floor.
Lightning Dust observed all this in a state of slack-jawed silence.
Tornado approached her slowly. “Lightning Dust?” he queried.
Dust looked back up at him with large, watery eyes as she tried to process what was going on.
“Little Lightning Dust.” The phrase sent a jolt of painful memory stabbing through Dust’s mind.
My little Lightning Dust
She stared up at the approaching stallion, too stunned and confused for tears.
“Come, walk with me.” His tone half kind and caring, like a loving uncle or family friend, half stern and commanding, like the Wonderbolts captain he was.
Lightning Dust followed as he led her through the house, out the front door and down the street. Not a word was said for a long time. They just walked through Fillydelphia, a stern expression on Twist’s face, while Dust’s had devolved back into the emotionless gaze she had worn for the past two weeks as she stared at the ground.
“Your mother worries about you, you know.”
Dust snorted and shook her head. “My mother has her own problems to worry about. Like how my dad died.”
Captain Twist suddenly stopped. They were standing at the edge of the city, gazing out over the fields in which Dust used to practice flying. Low hills dotted the landscape as sunlight shone down around the sparse cloud cover in the sky. It really was a beautifully picturesque landscape.
Dust closed her eyes and breathed in deep, savouring the fresh air and the faint scent of the small flowers that dotted the field. She felt herself smiling and quickly opened her eyes again. Looking up, she saw Tornado was staring off into the distance, his eyes focused on nothing. He suddenly spoke.
“Your father would always practice his stunts here, you know. Before he met your mother, he was out here almost all day, almost every day.” Dust experienced a moment of curiosity before she remembered that Tornado had been good friends with her father before he had joined the Wonderbolts. Tornado continued.
“She was wandering these fields when she saw him practicing one day. Most ponies would have just gone about their business. Not her though: she called out, complimented him on his flying. They started going out after that and they were pretty much inseparable from then on.”
Dust flopped down onto the grass and rested her chin on her hooves. She had heard this story before, but Twist kept on telling it anyway.
“She was the love of his life, and he the love of hers. They were the most important things to each other for the longest time. But not long after they got married, something came along that meant more.”
Dust looked up, curiosity stirring beneath the layers of emptiness. She hadn’t heard this part before. What could possibly be more important to them than each other?
Twist saw her staring and gave a small chuckle. “Do you want to know what it was?”
Dust nodded her head slowly. Twist chuckled once again before answering.
“You.”
The single word sent a shock through Dust’s system, but before she could form any semblance of thoughts on the matter, let alone say anything, Tornado continued.
“Since you were born, you’ve been the most important thing in both their lives. Your mother hasn’t been crying because she lost her husband. She’s been crying because she’s worried about you.”
By that point, Dust wasn’t sure if she could take any more revelations. She stared off over the fields, contemplating everything that Tornado had said.
My mother is worried, about me? But what about dad? Doesn’t she care? An image flashed through her mind, of her mother sobbing beside the hospital bed, trying to keep up a brave face for Dust.
Of course she does, she just wants me to… wants me…
Tears filled her eyes as the walls of emptiness collapsed and she felt the full brunt of two weeks worth of malnutrition, inactivity and bottled up emotions. Dust buried her face in her hooves and cried.
Twist let her cry for a few minutes, before brushing her side with a wing. Looking up, she saw him staring down at her with the kind expression she had always known him for.
“Come on” he said, spreading his wings. “Let’s go for a fly. I’m certain your father wouldn’t want you to give up like this.”
An echo of a memory drifted through Dust’s mind.
I’m so proud of you Lightning Dust. I’ll always be with you.
Dust gave a nod and, still crying, spread her wings. A flare of pain stabbed down her limbs at the sudden movement, but she grimaced and moved through it. She had been doing nothing for long enough now.
I’m sorry daddy. I’ve been letting you down. I’ve been wallowing in my own misery, when I couldn’t even notice how I was making mum feel. But not anymore! I’m going to make you proud daddy. I’ll become a Wonderbolt, you’ll see! I’ll follow my dreams.
No matter the cost.
~~~~~~~~~~
Rrrrip
Lightning Dust gaped in shock. She could feel the hole in her uniform that had been opened when Spitfire had torn off her Lead Pony badge. She had been doing so well in the academy. She had been certain that Rainbow Dash was the only one who had a problem, but now this?
She had pushed herself to her limits for years. She had endured deep cuts, harsh abrasions, broken bones, and all manner of other hardships to get to where she was now. She had sacrificed so much, and for what?
She felt her dreams come crashing down around her as she turned around and walked away. Her first impulse was to get angry, and she flicked a wing towards Spitfire’s back before she could stop herself. Her anger was quickly overwhelmed by a phenomenal sense of despair however. You couldn’t get into the Wonderbolts unless you graduated from the Academy, and now she had blown her only chance.
The two security ponies flanked her as she made her way to the barracks. They didn’t say a word as they traipsed across the flight field and towards the residential block. The silence was held when they entered her quarters. They did, however, speak up when she started packing her things.
“What are you up to recruit?”
Dust paused, looking from the scattering of clothes she had placed on the bed to the two ponies who were looking at her with amused expressions.
“I’m packing my things, duh. I thought that would have been obvious. Just as obvious as how Spitfire just kicked me out of the academy.” One of the security ponies brought a hoof to his face and shook his head, the other let out a short laugh.
“Recruit, you will refer to her as Captain Spitfire while you’re under her command. Besides, did you actually hear her tell you to leave the academy?” the guard who had laughed asked.
Lightning Dust thought on this for a moment. Spitfire hadn’t said much of anything at all, which was what led her to believe that she had been discharged. If she hadn’t then…
“Yes, that’s right recruit.” The security pony continued after seeing the look of realisation cross Dust’s face. “Spitfire wants to see you in her office in ten rookie, so put on a new flight suit and get moving.”
Dust only vaguely registered that the pony was still talking. She didn’t have to leave the academy? She felt all the doors to her future that had just been closed in her face, open again to reveal a bright sunny sky in which she soared through the clouds wearing the uniform of a Wonderbolt.
The joy of revitalised hopes and dreams was just brimming to the top when she remembered why she had been worried in the first place. Spitfire wanted to talk to her? What was that all about? Dust didn’t even know why she had been stripped of her Lead Pony rank. Everything she had done in the academy up until that point had garnered nothing but promising feedback from Spitfire. So what had she done?
She was broken from this reverie by one of the security ponies giving her a light push on the shoulder. She stumbled out of her introversion and only just managed to keep her balance. She was about to hotly reprimand the pony for shoving her, until she remembered who he was.
“You need to get going recruit, or you’ll be late. Captain Spitfire isn’t appreciative of ponies who make her wait.” Dust couldn’t stop her eyes widening slightly. She had seen Spitfire lose her cool at a pony who had been just a few minutes late. It hadn’t been pleasant.
She ripped off her torn recruit uniform, completely oblivious to the two guard ponies still in the room, and pulled on a fresh one from out of the wardrobe. The security detail had to gallop to keep up as Dust bolted out the door and across the flight field towards Spitfire’s office.
The journey wasn’t a long one and Lightning Dust wasn’t even panting when she arrived. She had to catch herself before she simply charged in through the door and demanded answers–she was walking on thin enough ice as it was–instead, she knocked firmly on the door.
“Enter,” came the stern voice of Spitfire from inside. Dust was struck with a sudden case of nerves. Spitfire was indeed a strong-willed mare who commandeered everypony’s attention just by being in the room. It was quite intimidating.
“Ma’am?” Lightning Dust snapped a salute before she could stop herself, and grimaced. Rainbow Dash had been rubbing off on her too much.
“Let me ask you something Lightning Dust.” Spitfire looked up from the report she was reading. She took off her aviator sunglasses, slowly folded them up, and placed them on her desk. “Do you know why I took away your Lead Pony badge?”
Anger flared up in Dust once more. “No ma’am, I do not. You’ve had nothing but praise for me and everything I’ve done at this academy up until now. But now you throw this in my face? What is the deal with that?” She paused for a few moments before grudgingly adding: “Ma’am.”
Spitfire sighed. “I know, and I apologise for that. The things you’ve accomplished at this academy have been outstanding, astonishing. You’ve been breaking academy records with Rainbow Dash ever since you got here.”
Dust growled. “So why then?! Why did you strip me of my Lead Pony badge?”
“I’m going to ask you another question Lightning Dust.”
Spitfire’s calm, collected tone cooled Dust’s own temper somewhat, and she nodded.
“What does it mean to be a Wonderbolt?”
The question caught Dust off guard. “I’m not sure I follow Captain.”
“It’s a simple question rookie. What do you think being a Wonderbolt means?”
Dust thought for a moment. “Ma’am. Being the best, ma’am. Being a great flier, putting on a great show. Showing the ponies of the world what a real flier can do.”
In reaction to this, Spitfire put a hoof to her face and shook her head. “Oh rookie, you’ve got no idea. Being a great flier is part of how you become a Wonderbolt, sure, and putting on a good show is part of what a Wonderbolt does.” Spitfire moved around her desk and placed a hoof on Dust’s shoulder. “But what it really means to be a Wonderbolt is being a leader. Putting other ponies before yourself, doing everything in your power to help and protect them.”
Dust couldn’t help but stare. What Spitfire was saying was striking several memories from long ago. Something her father had told her when she was very young.
Spitfire continued.
“Many ponies don’t know this, but the Wonderbolts are actually a military outfit, in more than just protocol.” Spitfire moved back around to the other side of her desk and sat down. "In states of emergency or times of unrest, the Wonderbolts are a first-response and reconnaissance team that are sent straight to the point of disturbance.”
Dust’s stare didn’t break. She knew the Wonderbolts, or the academy at least, behaved like a military organisation, but the Wonderbolts themselves being actual soldiers? Her father was a soldier? An actual warrior, not just a stunt flier?
Spitfire released a short burst of laughter. “That’s right. The look on your face says it all. Now that you know this, I’m going to ask yet another question. Take as long as you want to think it over. Do you believe that what you’ve accomplished at this academy was worth all the ponies you had to throw aside to achieve it?”
Lightning Dust froze. Ponies she had thrown aside? She had only been going after her dreams. Was that so wrong? “I… I don’t know, ma’am. My… my father was a Wonderbolt-”
Spitfire interrupted. “Yes, I am well aware. I knew Blazing Thunder, if not very well. I know he was a pony of skill, courage and dignity.”
Dust nodded. “When he… when he passed away, I was at his side. He told me… he told me to follow my dreams, no matter the cost. All I’ve been doing at this academy is following my dreams.” She paused for a moment, contemplating Spitfire’s words. “No matter the cost.”
Spitfire grimaced. “You always were a hot-headed one Lightning Dust. On the several occasions I met your father, he would always rant about you. How promising a flier you were, how much you were developing. The words your father gave to you were a good piece of advice, but you’ve taken them out of context.”
Lightning Dust couldn’t help but cock her head in confusion. What other meaning could there possibly be? Unless…
Do you believe that what you’ve accomplished at this academy was worth all the ponies you had to throw aside to achieve it?
A smile crossed Spitfire’s face. “Yes, you’re starting to understand. Following your dreams is about pushing your limits to the max, always trying your hardest and being the best you can be, no matter the personal cost. It doesn’t mean other ponies have to suffer or fall in order for you to achieve your dreams.” She turned away from Dust to look out the window behind the desk.
Dust followed her gaze, and saw Rainbow Dash flying laps around the academy in perfect formation with the rest of the squad of new recruits. She was giving them hoof-signals, ordering them into different flying patterns, pushing them through their paces. They were following her without question or hesitation. She thought back to the scornful looks they had all given her after the incident with the tornado and the balloon. She doubted they would follow her the same way.
“You see Lightning Dust.” Spitfire was smiling proudly. “Rainbow Dash is a brilliant flier, just as good as you are yourself. But she got to where she is by sacrificing herself and herself only. At first, all I received word of was your accomplishments alone. I didn’t know about how you went about getting them. That is a failing on my part, and this academy almost lost the greatest pegasus ever to be trained here when Dash tried to quit.”
“But you just said that we’re just as good as each other!” Lightning Dust protested.
“I said she is as good a flier as you are.” Spitfire replied, her tone not quite harsh, but not quite gentle either. “In fact, I’d say there wouldn’t be a shred of difference between both of your flying skills. But the fact that she puts other ponies before herself, sacrifices herself for them, even, makes her a better candidate for the Wonderbolts.”
Dust wasn’t sure whether to feel insulted, or proud that Spitfire admired her new friend so much. Then she only felt sadness because her actions has probably cost her that friendship, and for what? Something she could have accomplished anyway? What did that make everything she had done up until that point then?
“I understand ma’am. I understand everything. Everything my father tried to teach me, everything you’ve been trying to tell me. Everything Dash…” Dust trailed off. Dash was the only pony she had ever met, outside the Wonderbolts, who could fly as well as she did herself. Dash had been the only pony to understand her. Or so Dust thought.
Spitfire grinned and sat back down behind her desk. “I’m glad. Your father would be proud.”
Dust took a moment to wipe a stray tear from her eye. “What happens now ma’am? When you ripped the badge off my uniform, I assumed you had kicked me out of the academy. But then the guards told me…”
“What?” Spitfire interrupted, jumping forward in her surprise. “Kicked out of the academy? By Celestia, no, you’re one of the greatest fliers we’ve had come through here in years. You’ve been breaking academy records left right and centre since you got here. You’d have to do something seriously out of line for me to resort to that.”
Dust shook her head. Spitfire’s signals were so incredibly mixed, she had no idea what was going on. “So, what then? I don’t understand ma’am.”
The Wonderbolts captain chuckled. “Well, despite everything you’ve accomplished here, and your recent epiphany, I cannot allow your indiscretions to go unpunished. Rainbow Dash has been given your position as Lead Pony, so you will be her Wing Pony.”
Dust was about to argue but, seeing the pointed look on Spitfire’s face, decided to let it go. Spitfire continued.
“You’ll also be given some community service time, due to your disorderly conduct and the mistreatment of your fellow squad mates. You’ll be cleaning the mess hall every afternoon after training for the remainder of your stay here.” Dust opened her mouth to argue, but Spitfire cut her off.
“No complaints Lightning Dust. You may realise your folly now, but a little hard labour will help it sink in. Rainbow Dash and the others should just be about to finish up now, so you can go have dinner with them, then report to the kitchens for cleaning duty. Dismissed recruit.”
Lightning Dust snapped another salute before she could stop herself. “Yes ma’am.” Turning, she strode out of the door. It was going to be an awkward meal. She knew she had to talk to Rainbow Dash, but she wasn’t sure she could bring herself to do it just yet.
~~~~~~~~~~
She had been right. Dinner had been awkward. Very awkward.
All the other cadets had spent the entire meal shooting her hateful glares from across the mess hall. She had sat herself down as far away from everypony else as she could, but she still couldn’t avoid it. The worst part of all was Dash’s reaction.
Rainbow Dash had ignored her completely.
The rainbow-maned mare had spent the entire time talking with her friends, who had ended up staying a while, but the stiff back and absolute refusal to look anywhere even near her convinced Dust that she was being very consciously ignored.
She spent most of the meal with her head low, eating sullenly from the plate in front of her. She was even looking forward to having to clean the hall up, just to get away from the cold indifference everypony was showing her.
Eventually, the hall began to empty, until it was only Dash and her friends, and Dust herself. Dust was about to make her way to the kitchens when she heard a cough from behind her.
Turning, she saw Dash’s friends walking out the doors while Dash herself stood on the other side of the table Dust had been eating at.
Dash coughed again, and made to speak, but Dust cut her off.
“Look Dash, I know you must be pretty upset with me right now. I haven’t exactly been the greatest friend since we met, but I want you to know that I’m sorry.”
Dash glared, anger written all over her features as she rounded the table. Dust took a step back, not sure what the other mare was intending. When they were standing face to face, Dash opened her mouth to speak once more. This time, Dust did not interrupt.
“You’re damn right I’m upset with you. I said my piece back on the runway, but I’ve just thought of one more thing I want to say to you.”
Lightning Dust only just managed to stop herself squinting and turning away. She would face anything that Rainbow Dash had to say to her. She would face it head on with courage, dignity and pride, just like her father would have.
“I forgive you.”
Dust did a double-take. Did she hear that correctly? Looking again, she saw that Dash’s expression had softened somewhat, and was now only mostly angry. It now contained parts of sadness and worry. Before Dust could even think of something to say, Rainbow kept talking.
“You know, being the element of loyalty is a tough job. I’m loyal to my friends from Ponyville, but I’m loyal to you as well, because you’re my friend too.” Dust drooped her head, ashamed of herself. Dash just kept on talking. “I don’t want to have to choose between you and them Lightning Dust. They may not be like you or me, but they care about me more than you know. If you push me, make me choose, you know that I can’t choose you.”
Dust’s head was almost touching the floor at that point. “Dash… I wouldn’t blame you. I haven’t been the best friend since we’ve known each other, and I know now that everything I’ve done at this academy has been wrong.” Dust forced herself to lift her head a little, just enough so that she could look Rainbow Dash in the eye.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you never want to talk to me again, but I’d like to stay your friend. I’d like to make it up to you and everypony else I’ve thrown aside here at the academy.”
Dash beamed and drew Lightning Dust forward in a hug. “I’m glad you came to your senses Dust. I really enjoyed the time we’ve spent together here at the academy and I was really hoping that Spitfire could talk some sense into you so we could still be friends. It’s just not gonna be the same without you. When do you leave?”
Lightning Dust stared at Dash for a few moments, before releasing a short burst of laughter. “Oh Dash, I'm not leaving.”
Dash’s mouth fell open again and it was her turn to stare. “But, I thought… Spitfire, she… your badge… what?”
Dust rolled her eyes. “I know, right! I thought I was getting the boot too. But, she wasn’t ready to give up on a flier as awesome as me just yet.”
Dash laughed, and soon Dust found herself laughing along. It felt good, laughing with Dash. She had never had any friends as forgiving, loyal and true as Rainbow Dash, and she was unbelievably relieved that their friendship wasn’t over.
Dash turned around and made for the door, still laughing, and Dust was about to follow, when she remembered she still had work to do.
“Dash, you go ahead. I’ve gotta clean the mess. Punishment for my actions and all.”
Rainbow Dash turned around, a smile still touching her lips. “Oh, okay. Let me help you.”
“No, that’s okay.” Dust lifted a forehoof and gestured towards the door. “You’ve got your friends to think about. They came here just to see you after all. Besides, if I let somepony help me with my community service, I wouldn’t be learning much would I?”
Dash chuckled again, and snapped a salute which Dust gladly returned. “Alright Dust, you win. The girls are going home first thing tomorrow and after everything that’s happened today, Spitfire’s given us tomorrow off. Did you want to practice some tricks with me?”
Tears almost came to Lightning Dust’s eyes. Dash had forgiven her, just like that? And now she wanted to go flying? It was more than Dust could ever have hoped for.
“You got it Dash. Meet you on the training field tomorrow.”
Dash winked and trotted out the door.
Lightning Dust was vaguely aware of Dash calling after her friends outside, but her attention was focused on the path to the kitchens, her thoughts turned inwards. Amends had been made with Rainbow Dash, but she would still have to work hard to earn the forgiveness of everypony else on the squad.
I’m finally on the right path though, she thought. I can finally say that I’m on my way to becoming a real Wonderbolt. Dust hummed a tune as she entered the kitchen, attracting strange glances from all of the kitchen staff. She hummed as she washed all the dishes, and she hummed as she wiped the tables and mopped the floors.
She had never felt such happiness before. Even the thrill of flying couldn’t compare to what she was feeling.
I’ll follow my dreams, but this time, I’ll do it the right way. I’ll make you proud, dad.
I’ll become a Wonderbolt someday, you’ll see.
Author's Note
Wow, this took way longer, and was way more complicated than I thought it would be when I started writing it. It was originally planned as a small multi-parter, but finding a good place to put a chapter break ended up in the too-hard-basket, so I gave up on that idea and made it a one-shot.
If this gets a good enough response, I might consider writing a sequel about how I think the rest of Dash and Dust's academy days happened.
Anyway, like and fave if you liked, dislike if you didn't, but either way tell me what you think! Feedback is the life-blood of my stories.
Enjoy!
~True Blood
