//------------------------------// // Familiar Faces // Story: No Gift is Free // by libertydude //------------------------------// FOUR YEARS LATER “...and that’s all, folks!” The announcer called out. “Thanks for coming out, but these daredevils need to have a little rest! Tell your friends, and be sure to stop by for tomorrow's show!” Lightning Dust couldn’t help but grin under her helmet. Another day, another defiance of death, another round of applause from the adoring masses. It was enough to make a mare want to thank everypony that got her there. Of course, Lightning Dust only had one pony to thank for that, and she saw her every day in the mirror. With that in mind, she flew down to the tents behind the death contraptions. She’d find a place to sit down, relax, chat it up with her crewmates and plan the next big- She saw the pony’s tail first, sticking out between the tents. The distinctive rainbow pattern shot through her mind like a brain freeze. It didn’t do anything, not even flicking in the minor breeze blowing through the Washout camp, but Lightning’s fur still stood as if she could hear a predator stalking her through the grass. Maybe it’s just a distant relative, she thought. Or some rando who just happened to have the same hair. The brief moment of hope died as she got closer, seeing the coat’s distinctive cyan coloring and the flat mane perked along the head. Not even the cutie mark allowed denial, her flank spouting a cloud emitting a rainbow lightning bolt. Rainbow Dash was here, and she was talking to the other Washouts. For a second, Lightning didn’t think anything. Her brain simply couldn’t process her torturer was right here, right now, right where Lightning Dust had to be. The hatred began to creep back the more the rainbow tail swished in the air, gleefully unaware of the fact Lightning Dust was right behind her. I should do it now, she thought. I should just zoom in and land on her. Say it was an accident, say I didn’t mean to bend your wing that direction and ruin your Wonderbolt career. It’d be just an unfortunate accident, one of those karmic justices that surprise even the pony on karma’s good side. What modicum of self-control she had kept her from launching forward right then and there, and she gently floated to the ground. “Oh, hey there!” Rainbow Dash said. Another bout of confusion filled Lightning Dust’s mind. How can she talk to me so casually? she thought, an annoyance tinting her voice. Did she think we were still buddies? Then she remembered: her helmet was still on. Combined with the Washout jumpsuit, nopony could recognize her. “Me and my friend here just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the show!” Dash pointed to the small pegasus standing next to her, a little orange thing with a purple mane. “Y-You guys totally rocked!” the little filly cheered. For a moment, Lightning Dust considered just nodding. Just keep the helmet on, let her never know she enjoyed the work of the mare she ruined. There’d be an irony there Lightning could savor for the rest of her days. No, that just wouldn’t do. Rainbow Dash needed to see that she’d been wowed by her victim, that Lightning could produce something so beautiful even Dash’s immoral soul could only gape in wonder at it. Alright then, she thought. She took off her helmet, a slight scowl on her face. Dash gasped. “Lightning Dust!” she growled. “Rainbow Dash!” Lightning Dust growled back. She gave hers a little tone, as if she’d actually been surprised. “You two know each other?” the little filly said. “Know her?! She threw me out of the Wonderbolts!” Lightning Dust said through gritted teeth. “Well, it’s not like you didn’t deserve it!” Rainbow said, lips pursed. So, she was still putting on a show. The good ol’ ‘She Deserved It, Not Me’ spiel. Still putting in for that performance award nopony would ever notice but Lightning. No, I have to change tactics, Lightning thought. Trying to shame her wouldn’t work. How do you shame somepony who hurts anypony without a care in the world? Just play it cool. Don’t even act fazed that she ruined your dream. “And it was the best thing to ever happen to me!” Lightning Dust said smirking. “Yea-! Huh?” Rainbow Dash said. “Because I got thrown out of the Wonderbolts, I was able to go and start my own group with these knuckleheads.” She pointed to her teammates, now massaging one another. “Um…Okay,” Rainbow Dash said. Good, Lightning thought. She’s getting confused. Let’s keep this going. “In fact, I really should be thanking you, Rainbow. None of this could’ve happened had we not made that little twister and gotten my creative juices flowing.” Dash’s eyes narrowed. “That ‘little twister’ almost made my friends fall out of the sky.” “Alright, I made a mistake,” Lightning Dust said. The acknowledgement made her want to shiver, but she kept her face calm. “Either way, we’re both pretty happy. I’ve got my daredevil group, and you’re up there with your flyboys. Splits even, yeah?” “I…I guess.” This was rich, Lightning thought. Dash couldn’t react with the usual indignity, the usual moral presumptuousness she had as one of the Elements. Now she just had to admit she got what she wanted and leave it at that. “And what about you, kid? What’s your connection to old Dashie?” “Oh, she’s my sister, only she’s not my actual sister, but we’re pretty much sisters anyway and oh my Celestia you were so amazing!” she squealed. Lightning grinned. “Tell me something I don’t know.” “Do you think I could one day get into the Washouts?” “Aw, you’re sweet, but part of our shtick is that we only take those who couldn’t get into the Wonderbolts.” “Ooh, ooh, what if I went to the Wonderbolts and failed there?” “What?” Rainbow Dash said. “C’mon, Scoots, nopony ever fails the Wonderbolts on purp-“ “My wings aren’t too good, so it’d probably come naturally! I could be ready here by tomorrow!” “That’s it!” Rainbow said. “I’m taking you to see the Academy right now.” With that, she grabbed the filly’s hoof and flew up in the sky. “Say hi to Spitfire for me!” Lightning Dust snarked. She wandered back towards the tents, another smile plastered across her face.