Lightning Dust was beginning to become very worried. She stared at the sheet of paper that laid before her, contemplating about her own future. Taking the sheet into her own hooves, she began to read the results in her mind, every word being a blur in her head with only one clear indication: She was failing. Failing in all her academics.

The only solace rested in her physical education, but that, compared to her other subjects, was a tiny component in her overall score.

“The hell am I supposed to do with all this?!” She yelled into the air, throwing her results slip into the air. She slumped into the bed that she had been sitting on, laying limply on the mattress as she stared into the ceiling above her.

Her life flashed before her eyes.

Or, at the least, what she had constructed as her life. All this time having just sailed by in school, she had reasoned, was going to spell trouble in her life.

She thought back to the incident on that fateful day when she had gotten her cutie mark. The memory felt fuzzy now, though however fuzzy it was, it was still much more crystal clear than any of the things that had gone through her head when she had been sitting in her classes.

‘It started… on an empty field… in the morning! No, in the afternoon!’ She struggled to find the details in her head. The fuzzy nature of these memories kept pushing her from being able to form any good images of the incident during that day.

A spark came to her eyes as she turned her head around to look at her flank, now adorned with the image of a lightning bolt striking down towards the ground, some stars spraying outwards from the spot that had been struck.

The memory of the day she got her cutie mark became clear as day.

The destruction she had caused that day even moreso.

But that only made her poor heart burst with glee.

Because perhaps the only thing that came first to her mind, above all, was all the attention she got as a result of that. As a result of all her unintended destruction…

All the barraging comments and questions she had gotten after that only served to fuel her pride, having been able to stir up quite a crowd that day.

And she loved every minute of it.

It didn’t care to her at all if most of them were blasting about how much money it would cost to rebuild it from the ground up!

‘What did they care about the destruction, anyway?’ Lightning Dust scoffed merrily at the memory of all the scathing remarks. ‘No one got hurt and there wasn’t actually a building there in the first place!’ She laughed cheekily at all the silly remarks.

“How much money cost to preserve some stupid dirt field, eh?” She managed to guffaw out between giggles. “I bet the world that that… thing was much more awesome than some silly grass…” She turned her head to look at a poster that had been posted on the wall…

The Wonderbolts…

“Why should I bother, it’s my brother’s dream anyways…” She muttered under her breath with a dejected sigh.

“It’s not mine to begin with.” She flung her hooves up in the air. “I don’t even know what mine are to begin with!”



Dejectedly, she laid on her bed and dozed off to sleep, her results slip still held tightly to her body as she softly cried to sleep.

---

Today was as good a day as any other.

Today, she was finally going to inform her big brother of her decision, having thoroughly thought through the situation that laid before her.

Her parents already knew at this point. They didn’t seem to care much for it, however.

‘’Just anything to get you to a better life than you are at right now. Only you can decide what is the best for you.’ they said.’ She thought inwardly, putting on a mock tone and voice in her mind as it relayed the quotation that she had remembered, grumbling under her teeth as it registered once more into her system.

Now was as good a time as any other. She stood there, patiently awaiting for something to happen. Waiting for the door to stop being an imposing figure in her mind.

She puffed her chest upwards, deeply inhaling, as she pushed the door inwards and entered the room. She heard a groan come from inside the room. Looking further, she noticed in a flash the look of displeasure plastered on her brother’s face. She had always recognised that face of disapproval, a cheeky, humourous soul hiding behind it.

On this day, however, she’d rather not be bothered with it.

“Remember what mum said, Light?” She winced a little at her pet name, but nonetheless reciprocated in kind.

“Always knock before entering.” A chuckle came from her brother’s side, his mood having been lifted, but his expression stayed stuck. Lightning Dust rolled her eyes at this.

“Whatever, I’m not here to pick a fight.” She continued, staring dejectedly at the floor as her brother looked up from the book that he was reading.

‘Something is just not right, isn’t it?’ His mind asked rhetorically. The words had also been blurted out and, in kind, Lightning Dust fidgeted in her place. This fueled the worry that was growing in him because it had increasingly become clear to him that something was very wrong.

As such, the stallion stood up, walking towards her and, expression softening as quickly as it hardened, wrapped his hoof around her.

“What’s wrong, Light?” He asked, readying himself for whatever it was that she had wanted to throw at him.

“I’ve…” she choked the words out unsuccessfully. “I’ve decided to be a Wonderbolt.” She sobbed softly, leading to her brother becoming very confused. He lifted her chin up with his hoof and looked at her reassuringly in the eye.

“Silly girl,” he began, rubbing her hair with his free hoof, “Why would you think that I would find that a problem?” Lightning Dust sniffed softly, fighting the tears back into her eyes.

“Really?” She asked almost pleadingly. He let out a nervous laugh.

“Absolutely.” He nodded, pulling his sister closer into a hug. Lightning Dust reciprocated in kind.

“This is going to be be something that we would do…” He held her tighter as he said his next words.

“We’ll get there.” His voice was practically a whisper at this point.

”Together.”

---

“It’s here! It’s here! Finally, today, it’s here!”

Her brother shook his head at this, flying past the corridors of their house attempting to catch up to her.

“Slow down there, Light!” Lightning Dust turned around and stuck her tongue out at home.

“Not a chance!” She smirked and dashed towards the front door.

‘Aye, she’s starting to become like me.’ He pushed himself forward towards her.

The intensity was getting high in the race between siblings. They sped past the clouds, getting ever closer to the mailbox pitched at the ground, the two ponies diving towards the ground neck and neck…

BLAM

They both crashed onto the mailbox’s vicinity, wrecking the ground around them.

Lightning Dust took the time to look around at the destroyed grass patch surrounding the mailbox and took a deep breath.

“That. Was. AWESOME!” She yelled, darting up into the air and landing as soon as she leapt off, falling into the hooves of her bigger brother.

“It sure was!” He agreed, laughing away as he glanced at the other craters that had been made, now covered with hints of grass.

“Okay, serious now. We’re gonna have to see who-”

Too late. Lightning Dust had already pulled out the two letters from the mailbox, ripping the first letter enthusiastically, thinking that it had been addressed to her.

“Dear Skystrut Dust-” Lightning Dust looked back to her brother and back to the letter again.

“Heh, I got too excited.” She chuckled nervously, handing the letter to him as he rolled his eyes. “Here you go, Sky!” He rolled his eyes again, smiling knowingly, as he took the letter into his hooves.

Skystrut Dust smiled fondly upon Lightning Dust as she ripped the second letter open, reading through the contents. Her grin grew wider as she looked at the contents of the letter, shooting her free hoof up in the air, promptly pumping it down.

“Yes! I got in! I got in!” Her own pride grew into pure enthusiasm as she ran towards him and hugged her brother, who hugged back in kind.

He then took the time to read through his own letter and his smile dropped from his face. Lightning Dust saw through this immediately and grew concerned.

“What’s wrong, big bro?” Skystrut Dust sighed.

“They said here that both of us were qualified… and…” Lightning Dust grew even more worried, wrapping her wing around him.

“And?”

“They said they didn’t want any chances of nepotism… and that since you were the better flyer…” He sighed and dropped the letter, letting it float onto the floor and fighting the tears back. Lightning Dust patted his back.

“Don’t be upset… I’ll take your place! I’ll work doubly hard in order to show off my stuff!” Lightning Dust promised. Her brother wiped his own face to clear off any possible tears on his face.

“Really?” He asked weakly. Lightning Dust hugged him.

“Really.” Lightning Dust smiled weakly, hugging him more tightly than ever.

The enthusiasm of possibly being in the Wonderbolts to show off her stuff eventually came crashing down to her, which prompted her to smile at her brother.

“I’m going to the Wonderbolts.” She said bleakly and happily. Skystrut Dust smiled back.

“That you are, my little sister. That you are.”

---

“Yes ma’m!” They all chanted in unison.

Okay, Lightning Dust. You can do it. You can show ‘em your stuff! Just remember what your brother always told you: Be… assertive.

“Well then, let me be the first to tell you… you don’t!” Spitfire spat the words out at her cadets.

Well, now’s the time more than anything. Of course I am! That’s why I’m here in the first place!

“Still think you’re something special?”

Umm… I mean, yes ma’m!

Celestia, I’m going to be horrible at this, aren’t I?

Okay, just take some deep breaths… act calmly. Act cool… yeah…

Okay, I’m feeling pumped again! Finally in the Wonderbolts!

“You look like you’re the worst flyer in the whole academy!” Spitfire said, prompting Rainbow Dash to narrow her eyes in return.

Fueled adrenaline, eh? Doesn’t look like it, then.

“No, ma’m! I’d never quit, ma’m!” Rainbow Dash responded, resolutely.

Okay, Lightning Dust: She’s now in front of you. Now’s your chance.

“-you couldn’t fly past the flagpole without getting winded.” Spitfire spat the words out softly, Lightning Dust’s attention returning to her, placing as cocky an attitude as she could.

“Try me ma’m.”

Cockiness succeeded. I’m in the zone.

Lightning Dust saw from her right Rainbow Dash, darting her eyes nervously at the situation, prompting her to respond in kind on the que of her expression.

“Let me show you what I’ve got, ma’m.” She replied as smoothly as she did just now.

“Huh-” she muttered softly, “-you want a chance to prove yourself, huh?” Lightning Dust glowed.

“Yes ma’m!” Spitfire seemed to look pleased at her gungho enthusiasm. She turned to face the rest of the cadets in the line.

I’ve got this all in the bag no-

“Give me five hundred laps. All of you!” She sternly instructed, jumping into the air as she yelled the second sentence, her response being the awwing from all but the two cadets closest to her then.

I’ve got to stop thinking too much to myself.

Chuckling inwardly to herself, Lightning Dust took off at the sound of the whistle, noticing Rainbow Dash tagging beside her in near-syncronised motion.

She’s gooood.



“Lap 499!” Spitfire yelled after Cloudchaser had been pushed aside and behind by the adrenaline-charged pegasi, both flying at equally impressive speeds in tangent to each other.

“One more lap to go!” Rainbow Dash yelled, in full focus of her flight, quickly turning her head towards Lightning Dust’s.

Oh, gotta respond in kind.

So she did. Both their expressions had bravado written all over their faces, Rainbow Dash winking in Lightning Dust’s direction.

“You’re on!” Lightning Dust replied in kind, speeding past Rainbow Dash in the millisecond after she replied, only to have Rainbow Dash catch up to her in that instant.

That mare is something! Two sharp turns and she’s still going… Like I am!

Hay, I’m- no, we’re going faster than before!

Annnnd Lap 500! We’ve finished, baby!

“Five hundred!” The two pegasi both skidded into a halt on the runway.

“Not bad.” Spitfire complimented calmly as she walked past them.

“For a couple of newbies…” She said softly towards herself, the ire of the two pegasi having not been present for they have both found each other fantastic flying buddies.

“Name’s Lightning Dust.” She said coolly, extending her wing as she said it. Rainbow Dash reciprocated in kind.

“Rainbow Dash.” She said, slightly nervous.

Doesn’t matter that much. She was awesome!

“Wanna grab some grub in the mess hall?”

“Definitely.” Rainbow Dash replied, flashing a little of that cocky attitude on her face once more. Lightning Dust smiled in return.

Looks like I didn’t really need you, Skystrut Dust. For I’ve got the company of a mare just like you.

Smiling at the thought, she approached the entrance of the mess hall, opening the door to allow Rainbow Dash to enter first. She looked rather pleasantly pleased at this.

“Thanks, Lightning.” She smiled as she walked in.

No problem.

And with that, Lightning Dust followed behind Rainbow Dash into the mess hall.

---

Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust were both standing in their Wonderbolt suits, goggles strapped onto their heads, almost eagerly and cockily awaiting what was going to happen today.

This is going to be awesome!

Whatever the heck this is.

“This-” Spitfire paused as the cloth enveloping the contraption was removed. ”-is the Dizzitron. It's gonna make you very – I repeat – very dizzy.”

Heh, like in a million years that that’s gonna happen.

“-fly straight again, as soon as possible. Once you have recovered you must come in for a smooth landing.”

Easy feat… I think.

Quite enthusiastically and contrary to her truly personal disposition, with a cocky smile standing next to her more enthusiastic friend, she raised her hoof, following in kind to her. She managed to hold her composure well.

“You…” Spitfire pointed in Rainbow Dash’s direction. Lightning Dust looked perplexed.

What? They should have me try-

“You’re up.”

Wait, her?

“Me?” Wild Flower answered nervously, holding her head out to her left as she saw the machine, the mere sight of it scaring her from trying.

“Now!!” And with that, she flew straight out from her standing position towards the machine’s straps. Lightning Dust still held her smile in place, thinking the situation through.

She doesn’t seem be able to handle it, though… Then again, tough luck for her.

“Ready?!” Spitfire asked. Wild Flower took the time to nervously dart her eyes from side to side.

“Yes ma’m.” She answered nervously.

Yeah… she ain’t gonna make it. Only the best for the best, after all.

She looked towards the direction of the other cadets as well, nervously focusing their attention on the spinning machine.

I could pretty much say the same thing for them as well. How the hay did they get enrolled into an elite flying squad, anyways?

Spitfire took the time to look at the machine, mentally counting the seconds in her head for the machine to be released.

“Release!” Spitfire commanded. With the pull of a lever, Wild Flower was off spinning round, dizzily falling and flying towards where the ground might be and landing on her haunches, causing her to skid along the runway towards her destination, collapsing as she came to a stop on all fours.

“Huh…” Spitfire did a double take on her stopwatch. “Fifteen seconds. Decent, but I wouldn't go writin' home about it!”

Yeah. Of course you wouldn’t.

“-next?” Rainbow Dash reciprocated in kind by raising her hoof. Lightning Dust followed shortly after.

“Alright, Rainbow Dash.”

Her? I should go first…

“Let's see what you got.” Rainbow Dash saluted with her right hoof.

“Yes, ma’m!”

Eh, then again: She’s probably worth her ego.

Rainbow Dash flew up towards the straps on the contraption and proudly, she wore the goggles on her head.

“Okay… go!”

And there, the machine went. Like before, Spitfire counted down the seconds before releasing Rainbow Dash into the air.

“Release!”

And there, Rainbow Dash went.

In spite of the spin-off caused by the machine, Rainbow Dash was very easily able to recover and flew, in zig-zag motion, towards the runway. Spitfire looked dearly impressed.

“Six seconds? That’s an academy record!” Her face returned to her usual expression, looking upon Rainbow Dash smugly landing towards the floor.

“You made it look sooo easy.” Wild Flower whispered in admiration. Rainbow Dash looked back, just as smugly as she landed, and laughed.

“I make everything look easy.”

She’s sure got one big ego. But hay to it!

“Okay Lightning Dust!” Her train of thought was interrupted as she faced Spitfire.

“You’re up!” She jumped up and flew towards the machine’s straps as well.

So do I. I’ve got an idea, in fact.

“Ma’m,” she started off condescendingly, “can you put the Dizzytron at maximum speed?”

“I want to push my limits.”

Good job. Remember: Bravado, not patronise.

“-sure about that?” Spitfire asked. Lightning Dust looked doubly confident in her proposal.

“Yes, ma’m!” She enthused proudly as she placed her goggles on.

“Okay… you asked for it.” Spitfire intoned as she glanced over the pony handling the machine’s controls, prompting him to flip the switch on.

Don’t get dizzy. Remember to be calm. Just set your sights on the runway once you’re done.

The machine began to spin more quickly, eventually speeding up to its maximum limit.

Just… remember!

She held onto the metal strap, the wind threatening to tear her face off her head.

“...Release!” Spitfire commanded.

And so Lightning Dust went spinning.

Great. I’m better than this than I thought!

She eventually stopped spinning and, in a split second, had an idea going through her head.

She flew upwards, stopping midway, then proceeded to dive in straight down, wings snapped closed, before she pushed her head down and faced the runway straight on, using her wings only to handle her descent, as she headed for a landing past the two ponies standing beside it.

Spitfire looked shocked at this as well, but regained her composure faster this time around.

“Six point five seconds. Not bad.” She said more calmly this time.

Lightning Dust trotted up towards Rainbow Dash and, spontaneously, gave each other a hoofbump.

“Yeah!” They both chanted in unison.

“Next!” Spitfire cried out. Both ponies looked dearly shocked.

No breaks for anypony, I suppose. Such is being in the Wonderbolts.



Both Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust stood on the runway’s side as they looked on the rest of the cadets in their squad failing at their recovery stages. The most recent one they had seen was one of of a yellow mare dizzily flying in towards the runway, crashing on the runway.

Both ponies watched her flying in before crashing, Lightning Dust wincing at this.

“No pony even came close to six seconds.” Rainbow Dash softly remarked, still looking at the aftermath of the crash, before turning her attention towards Lightning Dust.

“They should make us Wonderbolts right now.” She replied in kind.

Yeah they should. That’s what she’s gonna say. We’re both practically the same ponies!

“Listen up!” All attention turned towards Spitfire now.

“For the rest of the camp, you'll be working in pairs. 'Morrow morning, I'll post the teams, including who'll be lead pony and who'll be wingpony.” She gave the announcement as all the cadets got up and fully recovered from their dizzying flight, looking at her in a certain degree of confusion.

“Good luck.” Spitfire closed off as she walked back to her office.

Hey. Try me ma’m.

“Like we’re gonna need it.” Lightning Dust said to Rainbow Dash and held her hoof out in anticipation, to which she responded in kind.

“Heh,” Rainbow Dash extended her hoof out, “yeah.”



Lightning Dust was looking up at the board enthusiastically, trying to find out where she was in the sea of cadets. She looked rather pleased at the group that she had been assigned to, too.

“A wingpony?” Rainbow Dash moaned.

Oh, there’s Rainbow Dash! Gotta get through… hmm…

She proceeded to push all the other cadets out physically and made her way towards Rainbow Dash.

“They made us a team!” Lightning Dust enthused as she placed her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s back.

“Isn’t that awesome?” Rainbow Dash smiled nervously as she turned to face the floor, ashamed.

‘Yeah… sure.’

---

Lightning Dust took out her gold pin and admired it for awhile.

This is some wicked badge. Oh hey, there’s Rainbow Dash!

Rainbow Dash walked towards her downtrodden.

Wow, she looks sad. Maybe this’ll cheer her up.

She held the badge in her left hoof, smiling earnestly as Rainbow Dash smiled a little uneasily.

…eh, close enough.

Lightning Dust pinned the badge onto her outfit as she looked confidently up. Rainbow Dash looked up as well, though slightly more perturbed.

“Today, you will all be participating in a flag hunt.” Spitfire began.

Well, this should be easy.

“-and blue!” A pony suddenly appeared from behind her and the three other ponies around her, shocking all four of them, but confusing Lightning Dust more.

Celestia, how’d he get there?!

“-finds the most flags of the opposing team’s colour,” she paused briefly, “, wins.”

Chanting could be heard from all the other cadets, Lightning Dust looking smugly at Rainbow Dash. In turn, Rainbow Dash was smiling broadly herself.

We’ve got this, the two of us.

“If you think this is gonna to be fun,” Spitfire began, yelling at the two cadets on the far right of the row, “you are sadly mistaken.”

Well, that killed the mood.

“...purposes. This is not recess. Lead ponies and wingponies must fly together.” Spitfire instructed as she walked in front of the row of cadets, all diligently still in their positions.

“If any pair splits apart,” Spitfire stopped to leap towards Snowflake and Cloudchaser, “they will be immediately disqualified.” This prompted the two ponies to lean towards each other in cowardice.

“Do you understand?” Spitfire queried.

“Yes, ma’m!” All the cadets cried in unison.

Just try and stop us.

She took a brief moment to turn to Rainbow Dash in lieu of the thought.

Then the whistle blew. And off everypony went, taking off towards the skies.

Lightning Dust looked at Rainbow Dash knowingly.

“Ready to rock and roll?” She said, looking confidently. Rainbow Dash replied with just as much bravado.

“Ready.” Both ponies proceeded to fly forward, past the other two ponies in their team, flying past the side of the plateau, eventually circling it to catch any glimpse of any red flags.

This isn’t working at all. Better head up to look.

Rainbow Dash followed suit.

Nope, not here.

Lightning Dust flew back down and Rainbow Dash tagged along.

Nooooo, still not here, darnit!

She flew back up again. Rainbow Dash held a backleg forward as she slowed down, flying towards where Lightning Dust flew off.

Eventually, she caught up to Lightning Dust, who was simply flying around above the plateau once again.

Where are those cursed flags?!

“You spotted any flags yet?” Rainbow Dash shook her head.

“Not yet.”

Damn.

They flew by and looked down towards an opening in the ground, Rainbow Dash being the first to see that there was a red flag down there.

“Oh, there’s one!” The two ponies halted mid-air.

“Good eye!” Lightning Dust started first, flying straight in towards the hole before Rainbow Dash followed suit, the two ponies now flying neck in neck.

“We should slow down.” Rainbow Dash cautioned as she flew beside her. “It doesn’t look like both of us could make it at-”

Heh. Try me.

“Peh.” Lightning Dust flew ever closer towards the hole.

I’ve got an idea now. She can probably follow along.

Lightning Dust continued flying at ever increasing speeds towards the flag, not once having turned around to see the look of worry on Rainbow Dash’s face, before she repeated her stunt at the Dizzytron by diving straight down into the hole.

Hah. Nailed it!

She retrieved the flag from the small, rocky plateau and flew through the valley and back up onto the main plataeu, landing on all fours with stride.

“Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash found the first flag!” Spitfire cried out.

Lightning Dust looked rather proud of her achievement, eventually turning around to see that Rainbow Dash got hurt.

It simply looks like a wound, nothing wrong with that.

“Come oon!” Lightning Dust cried out as she ran past Rainbow Dash. “Let’s find some more!” She readied herself in takeoff-position, looking back at Rainbow Dash, who seemed very uncomfortable with flying in her condition.

Hay, it’s just a bruise.

“Um… sure, just give me a second…” Lightning Dust rolled her eyes as she took off.

“Oh, you’re fine…”

She’s definitely going to be. That’s not why I’m working with Equestria’s… second best flyer!

---

As always, Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust get to their places first before the rest of the cadets did.

“Today, we’ll be doing our air obstacle course!” Spitfire began. All the cadets looked up as they saw the maintenance ponies prepping up the weather conditions for the exercise.

“The object of this exercise is to work on your precision flying under extreme circumstances.”

Both Spitfire and Rainbow Dash, as always, held their positions, readying themselves to focus on the task at hand.

“And don't worry about winning.”

Yeeeeeaaaah. K.

“-not a race.”

Lightning Dust let her face relax a bit, winking towards Rainbow Dash as she failed to register to shock on her face.

“Now everypony, get on your marks!”

Lightning Dust wore her goggles on.

Heh. So much for this not being a race.

The whistle was blown, signalling all the ponies to begin flying through the obstacle course.

For awhile, everything went smoothly. Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash both simply flying through the course, easily missing all the given obstacles thrown at them.

Ah, now’s our chance to speed up.

She flashed a wide, arrogant grin as she began flying through, Rainbow Dash following suit. They easily avoided all the jets of lightning clouds that were being fired towards them, flying past that obstacle before Lightning Dust slowed down to a halt in front of the other cadets.

What. The Hay.

“Ugh! Can't they go any faster?” She bemoaned, flying back to be in sync with Rainbow Dash’s position. “It's no good, I can't get around them!” Rainbow Dash lightly elbowed her in response.

“Doesn’t matter.” Lightning Dust had her eyes narrowed onto Rainbow Dash now.

Yeah yeah, whatever.

“-fly completely in sync and blow Spitfire's mind with our moves!”

Not convinced…

“...I guess.” was Lightning Dust’s response.

They flew past the previous obstacle to go through the hoops, easily passing through them and doing a loop-de-loop themselves.

Woohoo, the best part’s coming!

Lightning Dust agressively flew towards the rain clouds, diving straight into the bad weather, eventually having to slow down behind two other cadets who were being pushed back by the strong winds within the strom clouds.

“What are they, a couple of snails? It's just a little weather.” She complained as Rainbow Dash looked at her quizzically.

Hay, this is what I had to go through everyday before coming here!

Eventually, they both saw the glimmer of light passing through into the clouds, seeing the obstacle having come to an end.

Ha, finally, there’s some way to get throught these slowpokes!

“Now's our chance to pass these slowpokes!” Rainbow Dash looked confused at this, but tailed behind Lightning Dust anyways.

Everything became a blur for both pegasi apart from the imminent streams of water in front of them and the faint cry of the pegasi from behind them.

They’re the ones who decided to come to be subjegated to this.

Eventually, the next clear thing that came to them was them skidding down towards the runway, eventually reaching in front of Spitfire, who was holding a stopwatch in her hoof.

Yeah. This is totally a race.

“Not bad! And in record time, too! Definitely made the right decision making you two a team.”

Heh, yeah!

Lightning Dust looked pleased at the compliment and felt a wave of relief that her plan had worked like a charm. Rainbow Dash also seemed awfully pleased with the result there and then as well. Spitfire walked towards a telescope and looked at the other cadets from afar.

“The others seem to have had a little trouble with the precision part of the exercise. I'd better go help sort them out. Why don't you two go hit the mess hall early?”

“Yes, ma’m!” Lightning Dust replied, proudly walking towards the mess hall.

Like a damn charm.

“Um… Lightning Dust?” She turned around to face Rainbow Dash.

“Next time, maybe we don't cut the other teams off like that.” Lightning Dust scoffed inwardly, the words eventually coming as she thought of them. And so did the motions that, to be frank, it felt like a blur to her.

“Hey, you snooze, you lose! Besides, Wonderbolts are supposed to be able to recover from a spin-out. You saw them on the Dizzitron! They could use the practice. I mean, it's not our fault we're so much better than those other guys! Not every pony is destined to become a Wonderbolt. Only the best of the best, right?”

Just like my brother always said… The best of the best.

“...I guess you’re right.” Lightning Dust smirked.

“'Course I'm right!” She said, bucking the door open.

“Now let's go fuel up! Kicking all that tail has made me hungry.” She said as she flew straight into the mess hall.

---

Another day at the academy. Today, it was kicking clouds out of the skies.

Just like yesterday, the entirety of its beginning felt a bit like a blur for Lightning Dust, simply punching and flying through the clouds that were present in the sky as a part of their training.

They didn’t keep track strictly, but through all their slicing, pinball-lite action and what-not, they figured that they were well ahead of the other ponies.

That’s not enough though… I got it!

“I have an idea about how we can literally blow away our competition.”

Rainbow Dash looked towards the other cadets as she saw the state she was in.

Their loss. Bad luck struck them and they got the bad clouds.

“But we're already way ahead.” Lightning Dust rolled her eyes at this.

“Are you in or not?” Rainbow Dash seemed removed entirely from that situation. Zoned out beyond belief to Lightning Dust. In retrospect, however, Rainbow Dash nodded and replied enthusiastically.

“I’m in!”

Lightning Dust smiled. “Then follow my lead!”

She flew off first, flying towards a spot within the grounds of the academy, flying round and round with Rainbow Dash trailing off behind her, eventually forming enough of a difference in pressures to create a tornado within the Academy grounds, sucking up all the clouds around them.

Lightning Dust, on her part, however, could only sense roughly how much she could take.

It turns out that that limit was very small in this instance.

“I can’t control it!” Lightning Dust yelled, flying out from her own creation as she spun out of control back to the Academy pleateu.

Awww…. hay.

And with that, she struck the ground and became unconscious.



Ugh…. my head hurts… where the hay am I?!

“... some crazy tornado drill.” Applejack spoke.

What the hay’s up with that accent… Wait… It’s all so clear to me now. The tornado.

Sweet Celestia, that was glorious!

“That... was... awesome!” Rainbow Dash glared at her.

Huh. She doesn’t seem to share that enthusiasm well…

“-could’ve been smashed to pieces!” She then saw the other ponies around Rainbow Dash.

Eh, they’re probably the ones she’s talking about. Can’t be that important.

“Yeah, but they weren't, right?” Lightning Dust retorted, dashing off towards the skies to see… nothing.

“Can't say the same for the clouds. We totally wiped them out with that tornado.”

Even more smugly and arrogantly than before, she floated down towards the ground as she spoke her next piece.

“The other cadets will have to be up there for days to bust as many as we did.”

I’m sure she’ll agree with me. I mean, we did it after all. Hoofbump?

“A hoofbump?” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously as she shoved the hoof away. “Seriously?”

Um… yeah?

“...me clip my wing.” Rainbow Dash began, growing increasingly angered at Lightning Dust’s actions.

Here we go about the wing… and the class. I mean, their fault they aren’t good with spin-offs!

“...unleashed a tornado that nearly demolished my friends!” Rainbow Dash was nearly beserk at this point. And Lightning Dust was getting more and more angered by her animosity.

“Yeah. And?” She retorted once more.

“And I get that you want to be the best. So do I! But you're going about it in the wrong way.” Rainbow Dash attempted to explain, but Lightning Dust brushed it off, the words coming to her easily at this time as well.

“The Wonderbolts don't seem to think so. After all, Spitfire did make me the leader and you the wingpony.” She said incredulously, their friendship with each other eventually straining to a breaking point as the hierarchical relationship is made fully known.

Yeah… you got this down. You’ve showed her…



Tartarus, Rainbow Dash. To Tartarus with you….

With that, Lightning Dust solemnly flew off into the skies, flying back to her dorm room in shame.

---

‘Dear Spitfire,

I have decided, on accord of my own attitude issues, to cease my training with the Wonderbolts.

I feel that, as an individual, I would be able to achieve far more than I would ever be able to within the structure that has now been presented to me.

I had initially joined the Wonderbolts in the hopes that I could expand on my own special talent. I’ve always interpreted it as being my abilities to create a storm. Firing the imaginations of the audience by performing these awesome, daredevil spectacles.

I have become aware, however, that that is not the case with the Wonderbolts.

I feel that I should be disappointed. All this time, you and the seniors in the Wonderbolts all seemed to be so supportive of my actions, whatever accidental harm they caused being easily justified as this being a training grounds for elite flyers. Only the best of the best, right?

I now realise, of course, that that was a mistake. Eventually, you gave this organisation a turnaround and Rainbow Dash can now happily be ‘pushing in the right direction’ with the rest of the cadets.

I do not feel bitter, however. It sounds that way, but as I write this letter, I feel a weight lifting off my back, feeling more and more assured in myself in the decision that I take.

I feel a sense of solace as I write this, Spitfire.

I thank you for having made me realise how poorly my decision was, how my life was set up for disappointment from the moment I decided that I had wanted to join.

I have tendered my resignation from the Wonderbolts to the formal captain of the Wonderbolts already, as you may have heard. Quite shocking to hear this voice now, a few years in advance, I will admit.

I am in a better position, however.

I assure you that I am only writing this letter to rub it in your face while you glance upon what could possibly be a great pile of fanmail right now.

Whatever the circumstance, I wish you the best of luck. And send regards to Rainbow Dash as well.

Yours sincerely,
Lightning Dust’

Lightning Dust looked at the letter that she had written, sighing a little as she shook her head at the contents.

‘What a sentimental piece of garbage. What exactly was I thinking?’ She laughed softly as she reflected on the words that she had decided to send.

She then took the time to reflect on her current life as she sat on the train, heading its way towards a new town. She felt quite satisfied with how far she felt that she had come in her life, the weight of having been in an organisation she had grown to hate having long gone, left as soon as she felt resolute on her decision to leave Cloudsdale.

‘A new destination. Just another day for me.’ She chuckled to herself, fondly thinking back towards the brief friendship she had with Rainbow Dash.

Some day, she may come back to rekindle it, possibly catching up on old times.

Until then, she felt content just being alone.

Flying solo into the distance.