When your life is as dull a gray as the world that surrounds you, the mundanities can make it all seem meaningless. Sometimes all we need is a little color -- or six -- to reintroduce us to what truly makes life worth living.

*6-16-2017 Edit, added Rainbow Dash tag because it triggered knighty.*

Something about Lightning Dust just seemed a little 'off'. Sometimes she didn't react the right way to the world around her, and sometimes the way she reacted was positively frightening... but it wasn't until she laughed off nearly killing a couple of ponies that anypony actually realized just how messed up she was.

Cover art is by the amazing and godlike Conicer.

*Not a gluefic.

A leader can't be nice...that's a weakness.
She has to be strong.
I learned that quite a few years ago.
Even now it seems I haven't quite figured it out.

I don't know what I was expecting when I came to this academy...
Not a friend who turned against me.
Not a mare who happily stripped me of my rank.
Not this.

I'm not a leader.
I'm just...
Reckless

Written for the Everfree Northwest Fanfic Competition