“Alright guys,” Spitfire voiced before Smolder and Gallus. “Today is our last performance for this tour. I want you guys to show everything you’ve learned and have a great time out there, alright?”
“Yes ma’am,” the students said with a salute. It was pretty much a habit that developed with their supervisor.
“Since this is the last day,” Lightning entered the tent. “I think it’s about time you really represent the program, don't you agree?” Before Spitfire could ask what Lightning meant by that, Lighting pulled a uniform into the tent and held it before Spitfire.
“Oh no,” Spitfire stepped back. “There’s no way I’m putting that on me.”
“C’mon captain Spitfire,” Smolder voiced. “You’re Washout like us.”
“Yeah,” Gallus joined. “We’re supposed to be a team here.”
“You guys can’t be serious,” Spitfire turned to the students.
“Pleeeaaase,” Gallus and Smolder beseeched their supervisor. Their plea inevitably got the best of Spitfire and she begrudgingly dawned the Washout uniform.
“How does it feel to be a Washout?” Lighting asked with a grin.
“Wrong,” Spitfire answered. “Weird, uncomfortable, and every bad thing I can think of.”
“Don’t be a spoil-sport,” Lightning chuckled. “It’s for the kids, remember? Now how about we take a group picture?”
“Don't push it,” Spitfire said.
Their last performance took place at a stage at Manehattan, where Lightning’s astonishingly talented crewmates performed before the largest crowd of ponies and creatures that the Washouts have ever gathered. Short Fuse and Rolling Thunder are definitely going to be disappointed to miss out on this.
Lightning and Spitfire observed them from the stadium entrance as Spitfire began, “You know, I got to say, I’m kind of impressed you haven’t done anything to screw this up.”
“Not like you were giving me any options,” Lightning said. “You could have ended everything I’ve built if I didn’t do things your way.”
“You're still not getting it, aren’t you?”
“What’s there to get,” Lightning voiced. “All these safety precautions you added to their stunts are messing with the art of the trick. You never understood that. It’s probably why you kicked me out of the Wonderbolts.”
“Lightning, I always knew how great of a flier you were. I’m not blind to the potential you had. I had honestly hoped to have you and Rainbow Dash on the team, but that constant disregard for the safety of others made things complicated. I couldn’t let my own bias hurt the team and you made it impossible for me to consider you when you were so against changing your attitude.”
“That’s because you don’t get me!”
Spitfire sighed and rubbed her temple. “Fine then, then why not enlighten me. Why do you think precaution is a bad thing?”
“All I want is to prove my worth,” Lighting Dust answered. “I trained so hard to be a Wonderbolt because I wanted to feel like I mattered."
"Matter to who? Did your friends and family doubt you or something?"
"Of course not! But it's not their opinion that mattered most to me."
"Then who?"
"Me, okay!" Lightning flared her wings. "I wanted to feel like I mattered to myself."
YOU ARE READING
The Washout Program (My Little Pony)
FanfictionThe Washouts have been a wide sensation across Equestria as Lightning decided to do a tour all across its lands. Things were going smoothly until her crew were caught in an accident during practice, locking them in the hospital for the rest of the t...
