"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" Season 10, Episode 13
"Flight School Reunion"
By Jeff Snyder (TwilightSparkle3562)
Edited By SuperPinkBrony12
…
It was a well known fact to all by now that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy came from Cloudsdale. They were born there, and they'd grown up there more or less. It was said that many of the greatest flyers in Equestria came from Cloudsdale, but not everypony from Cloudsdale lived up to such lofty expectations.
One morning, Rainbow Dash was reading her latest copy of Daring Do when there came a knock at her door. "Coming!" She called from her bedroom as she flew down to the door, opening it she saw a grey coated pegasus pony in post office garb with what appeared to be a letter in her hoof. "Oh, hey Muffins. Whatcha got there?"
"Oh, it's a letter." The clumsy pegasus replied.
Rainbow Dash was not amused. "I can see it's a letter. What I wanna know is: Is it addressed to me or somepony else?"
"It's addressed to you, Rainbow Dash." Muffins answered.
"Can I have it please, Muffins?" Rainbow insisted.
Doing as she was told, Muffins hoofed Rainbow Dash the letter. Suddenly, as Rainbow Dash was opening the letter, Muffins realized something. "You seem to not be the only one who's gotten this kind of letter, Rainbow Dash," She remarked. "I gave the same letter to Fluttershy earlier this morning."
"Uh huh," Rainbow Dash muttered, not paying attention to Muffins. "Probably a coincidence. Thanks, anyway, Muffins."
Once Muffins was gone, Rainbow Dash took the letter out of the envelope, opening it to reveal what appeared to be an invitation. "Dearest Rainbow Dash," She read aloud as she flew back into her bedroom. "This coming Saturday is our five year flight school reunion. We are looking to make this a reunion to remember and we are trying to get everypony in our class to attend. We would love to see you in attendance. Signed, Captain Thunderbolt."
Putting the letter down on her desk, Rainbow turned her attention towards her pet tortoise, Tank. "Well, how about that, Tank? The old gang is getting back together again," But then suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks with a look of fear on her face. "All of the old gang?" She gasped! "Oh no! If they're truly getting everypony back together, then that means…" A look of horror befell on Rainbow's face when she realized that there was a pony in her class that would also be making a return.
…
…
Flying at high speed to Fluttershy's cottage a short time later, Rainbow Dash could only imagine what bringing her entire class back together would mean. Before Rainbow could knock on the door to Fluttershy's cottage, the door itself opened to reveal Fluttershy trembling, her copy of the invitation clutched in her left wing.
"Di…di…did you get this, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy stuttered, showing Rainbow Dash her copy.
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash stammered and gulped. "Is he gonna be there?"
"He probably will," Fluttershy whimpered. "Oh, I don't want him to see me again. If Rough Air ever shows up…"
"He'll just make our lives miserable again," Rainbow Dash bitterly remarked. "Remember when Rough Air would always pick on you first and then me?"
"But he may have changed, don't you think?" Fluttershy pondered. "He wasn't the only bully there, even if he was the most prominent."
…
But right away the two pegasi began to think back to their days in flight school, back when a fellow classmate worse than the three bullies that they were forced to tolerate would pick on them.
"Hey, Rainbow Crash!" A young, gray coated pegasus pony teased in a Manehattan accent as young Rainbow Dash tried to complete an aerial obstacle course. "You stink! Is that the best you can do? Where's that Sonic Rainboom you're always yapping about?"
Rainbow Dash got so distracted by the calling of the bully that she ended up messing up the course and crashing, much to the delight of the rest of the class.
Young Fluttershy saw what happened and attempted to hide, but was sent up next by a classmate. "Fluttershy, Fluttershy! Fluttershy can hardly fly!" The young pegasus cried as Fluttershy timidly attempted to complete the obstacle course. But the more younger Fluttershy tried, the more she struggled all the while the taunts grew louder and louder. Eventually, she gave up on completing the course and could only hide behind a cloud and cry.
…
"I…highly doubt it," Rainbow Dash remarked. "He's gonna have it in for us, I just know it! Even though I'm a Wonderbolt and a princess, he'll still have it in for me and you! I was top of the class at flight school, but he still picked on me anyway."
"Yeah, he'll just do about anything to get us down," Fluttershy complained while taking the invite and crumpling it up, tossing it into a wastebasket. "I mean, perhaps Discord could help us out. Or maybe we could reach out to Gilda?"
However, Rainbow Dash saw otherwise. "Do you think they'll even want to help us confront a bully like Rough Air? They'll just tell us to deal with it ourselves, and they'll be right. If we have to depend on our friends to deal with him, he'll just keep insisting that we're too weak to face him."
"Uh, I think he's caused enough trouble already," Fluttershy nervously remarked. "But maybe you can get some of the other Wonderbolts to provide protection?"
Rainbow nodded. "I can see them later today and beg them to help us! I don't want to be called a loser or a featherbrain again. Or even worse, Rainbow Crash. I want to put that nickname behind me, forever!"
"But didn't you learn to accept that name for what it was?" Fluttershy wondered, remembering how Rainbow Dash had eventually accepted the nickname when she became a Wonderbolt.
"Yeah but that is different," Rainbow Dash complained, hovering over Fluttershy. "This is Rough Air we are talking about. The pony who would always drill into your mind, causing you to feel worthless. And nopony at flight school ever cared, they all told us to stop whining. Spitfire and the other Bolts have to help us, Fluttershy! They've just got to! Nopony in their right mind would dare cause trouble with the Wonderbolts around!"
…
…
Later that day, Rainbow Dash arrived at Wonderbolt Headquarters and came to their team meeting with the intention of enlisting their protection against Rough Air.
"Look, Rainbow Dash," Spitfire remarked, at the team meeting. "I'm sorry you have to deal with a bully from your past, but cowering like a coward goes against our code of honor. And we Bolts make it a point not to fight other ponies battles for them. You and Fluttershy have dealt with bullies plenty of times before, and you can do it again."
"I agree with Spitfire, Rainbow Dash," Soarin' added. "This Rough Air isn't our problem and you know it. Unless he intends to cause significant harm to you…"
"He does, Soarin!" Rainbow Dash cried, getting into the face of her group's second-in-command. "It doesn't matter if I am a Wonderbolt and a Princess, I'm basically going to be pummeled by this guy. He did it more times than I care to remember, always when he was sure nopony was looking. And I wasn't his only target."
"But what good will he do to begin with if he does try to start something?" Spitfire questioned, looking right at Rainbow Dash. "You said it yourself, you're a Wonderbolt and a Princess, you could dish any kind of punishment you wanted if he attacked you. Besides, maybe you did something to him that made him want to bully you and your friend? Perhaps you should see the situation from his point of view."
"The only thing he thinks we ever did to him was to be high and mighty or low and cowardly," Rainbow Dash protested, going over to the blackboard and beginning to draw on it. "I mean, this is Rough Air!" Rainbow Dash drew a large, towering pegasus representing her enemy while two small pegasus ponies represented herself and Fluttershy. The Wonderbolts weren't moved.
"You know you're much better than that, Crash," Fleetfoot remarked. "You're not that small. Heck, you're not even much of a newbie anymore."
"Fleetfoot's right," Soarin' added. "The way you're sounding seems to us like you're being threatened by an enemy of Equestria. And we know that's not the case. Being a Wonderbolt means that sometimes you have shown guts when facing an enemy, no matter who that enemy might be."
Right away, Rainbow Dash realized that she wasn't going to get the support she wanted to get. Knowing she didn't have a lot of options, she then proceeded to channel her inner Rarity, puppy dogging her eyes.
"You're kidding me, right?" Spitfire huffed, not amused by her comrade's behavior. "You are honestly kidding me, Crash?" But the more Spitfire and the other bolts resisted, the more Rainbow Dash insisted. Finally, they had no other choice. "All right," Spitfire groaned, giving into what Rainbow Dash was trying to do. "We'll provide backup for you and your friend, Crash! But, just remember that you are going to have to face him eventually! We're only there to make sure he doesn't start anything."
Happy to have won over her comrades, Rainbow gave a fast thanks and flew off.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." Spitfire muttered, placing a hoof on her face.
"Come on, boss, it won't be that bad,"Soarin' suggested. "I mean, we can get a chance to meet some of our fans at this flight school reunion of hers, right?"
All Spitfire could do was roll her eyes, embarrassed that she was forced to aid Rainbow Dash in taking on somepony that she could take on herself.
…
Happy that her fellow Wonderbolts would be their bodyguards, Rainbow Dash returned to Fluttershy's cottage and explained to Fluttershy the good news.
"At least I feel a little better about the reunion now," Fluttershy sighed as she and Rainbow Dash sat at Fluttershy's kitchen table. "The last thing I want is to hear that horrible chant again."
"Well, it took a little convincing, but I got the bolts on board," Rainbow Dash replied. "Well, just to be there to protect us more. And you mostly if we're being honest, not that we'll really need protection but you never know.."
"So what happens now?" Fluttershy wondered.
"I guess we go to the reunion with somewhat of a decent peace of mind. I guess." Rainbow concluded.
…
A few days later, Rainbow Dash stood in front of her bathroom mirror trying to take in several deep breaths before leaving for the reunion. "Okay, Rainbow Dash," She whispered to her reflection in the mirror. "You've got the Wonderbolts backing you up. There's no way that Rough Air is going to mess with you and Fluttershy. We're princesses and we have our bodyguards."
Leaving her bathroom, Rainbow Dash heading downstairs just as there was a knock on her door. Opening it up, she saw Spitfire and her fellow Wonderbolts behind her. "All right, Rainbow Dash, remember what we discussed," Spitfire reminded, a hint of embarrassment reflected on her face. Behind the Wonderbolts was Fluttershy who was already at peace somewhat. "We're only here to back you up and protect you if Rough Air tries to start something, not to fight your battles for you."
"I got it, Spitfire. Now let's going." Rainbow commanded.
Flying past the squadron of protective Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy headed for the reunion at their former school. However, upon arrival, Rainbow Dash learned that her one time rival was also in attendance.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the pony who tried to brainwash Scootaloo?" Rainbow Dash sneered, staring down at the reckless Wonderbolt Academy dropout, who was now in a full body wing and hoofcast. "What are you doing here, Lightning Dust?"
"I'm here supporting my boyfriend," Lightning Dust replied, much to Rainbow Dash's amusement. "What are you doing here?"
"Attending my flight school reunion," Rainbow Dash remarked. "In fact, given your reckless nature I'm surprised you even have a boyfriend. Who is he?"
"Only the toughest Pegasus you will ever meet," Lightning Dust chuckled. And at that moment a gray coated pegasus with a light gray mohawk landed in front of Lightning Dust, causing Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy to gasp in horror.
"Well, well, well," The pegasus pony laughed in a sinister manner. "If it isn't my old friends, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Did you miss me or what?"
Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy could only shake in fear of facing their enemy from their past. Yet here he was, standing in front of them in all his glory.
…
…
The grey coated pegasus could only snicker at the presence of his two victims. "So what have you been up to, Rainbow Crash?" He laughed, pointing at Rainbow Dash with his wing. "Heard you're a full fledged Wonderbolt now and a princess too."
"Yeah," Lightning Dust added, rolling her wheelchair over to Rainbow Dash. "I almost couldn't believe that you were even princess material. Was this all part of your plan to make yourself look good? To embarrass me? Because the joke's on you, I'm not embarrassed, not like you soon will be."
"Hey, I only became a princess because Princess Twilight had a mental health breakdown, Lightning Dust!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "I should've figured you and Rough Air would get together, jerks like you deserve each other."
"If you're a princess, Rainbow Crash," Rough Air sneered, once again pointing at her. "Then where's your crown? Or are you not really a princess at all?"
"We are princesses!" Fluttershy cried. "Both me and her! We don't need crowns to prove that!"
This made Rough Air turn all of his attention towards Fluttershy. "What did you say?" Rough Air remarked. "You're a princess too? Look at this, Dusty, your biggest rival and her little stooge are high and mighty princesses. Clearly they must think they're special, more special than any of us." Both he and Lightning Dust laughed at the remark.
"Well, why don't you go back to your thrones where you belong?" Lightning Dust demanded. "Why waste your time here?"
"They're here because they were your classmates," Spitfire called out in that commanding tone of hers and then flew in front of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, much to their relief. "And as for who we are…"
"I get it, you're the Wonderbolts," Rough Air sneered. "Why did you ever decide to recruit such a loser as Rainbow Dash? What good has she ever done to you? Did she kiss your hooves or did you all kiss her hooves? Kissing up was the only thing she was ever good at when I was around, she did that a lot if she thought it would save her."
Grabbing Rough Air by his neck, Spitfire glared at him. "Okay wise guy, that is going too far!" She cried out in an angry tone of voice. "If you were a Wonderbolt, I'd drum you out for such behavior! Rainbow Dash got to her position the same way all Wonderbolts do. And don't think I don't know about tough love, I've disciplined and dismissed many recruits who thought they were hot stuff."
"You sure did, didn't you? You thought I was too good for you, that I would do what you wouldn't. And that's why you had me booted out of your silly academy." Lightning Dust remarked, only for Spitfire to turn her attention over to Lightning Dust.
"Stay out of this, Lightning Dust," Spitfire hissed, pointing her hoof at the disgraced pegasus. "I'm not going to allow you to brainwash me into believing you were victimized. You were too reckless, being a Wonderbolt is just as much about restraint as it is about ambition. And your boyfriend here…he doesn't have his mouth where his bits are. If he's wise he'll keep quiet and we can all get through this reunion without any trouble."
Rainbow Dash was amazed at what her commander was doing.
"Hey, you leave my girlfriend alone!" Rough Air countered, defending Lightning Dust from Spitfire's wrath. "It's your fault for taking on a loser like Rainbow Crash here. She always talked a big game but against true talent like myself she always came up short. And I made sure she ate her words."
"I've heard just about enough out of you," Spitfire snarled, glaring at Rough Air before turning to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. "I'm starting to see why you're scared of this guy, Rainbow Dash. This guy doesn't know when to back off."
"Told you." Rainbow whispered.
…
At that moment, an older looking, purple coated pegasus pony came forward, having heard everything that was going on. "Rough Air, what are you doing?"
"Oh, Headmare Gusty Winds," Rough Air nervously chuckled. "I...uh, was just having a friendly conversation with the Wonderbolts here."
"It didn't seem like a friendly conversation to me," The headmare remarked with a shake of her head. "I should have known you were still up to your old tricks, Rough Air. Especially, when you're going against a former student of mine who graduated a year ahead of you. The very pony who's now Captain of the Wonderbolts."
Rainbow Dash's mouth dropped at this revelation! "Spitfire, you went to this school?!" She gasped.
"Of course I did, Crash," Spitfire replied while smiling warmly. "Look on the wall. Don't you see my legacy is imprinted here?" Spitfire directed her subordinate and her friend towards a series of pictures on the far right wall of the gymnasium. Rainbow could see the fame and fortune Spitfire had obtained through her accomplishments. Dozens of trophies, medals and blue ribbons, all proudly displayed by a team with a filly Spitfire in the center of them.
"Wow!" Rainbow Dash gasped while looking back at her commanding officer. "I didn't know you were such a big shot here!"
"Of course, because if there's one thing that this loser doesn't have it's respect." Spitfire declared while sharply turning back to Rough Air.
"Oh really?" Rough Air cried, catching the attention of the two Wonderbolts. "You think that little speech is going to do anything? Well, let's see how much of your so called 'respect.' is still here."
Flying towards Rainbow Dash, Rough Air grabbed her by the throat and threw her up against the wall of the gym, much to Spitfire's shock and disbelief and to the horror of everypony in the gym! Taking action, Spitfire and Soarin' charged at Rough Air, pushing him against the wall with blunt force while Fluttershy raced over to check on Rainbow Dash.
"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked.
"I've…been better," Rainbow Dash groaned as she struggled to her hooves and shook off the force of the hit against her. "Time to teach this clown a lesson. Ready, bolts?"
Taking action, Rainbow Dash and her remaining squadron raced over to Spitfire and Soarin's side as they struggled to fend off Rough Air. Without much of a fight, Rough Air was restrained by Fleetfoot and the other bolts, while Spitfire and Soarin' were helped by Rainbow Dash.
"For a pegasus that isn't a Wonderbolt," Spitfire remarked, groaning as she was helped to her hooves. "He sure packs quite a punch. No wonder you were always so scared of him, Crash."
"Perhaps now you see why I was scared to begin with because of this guy," Rainbow Dash remarked. "But, I can't keep running away from him forever. If there's ever a time to be a princess, it's now. I'm not going to let it be another Lightning Dust."
Taking to the air, Rainbow Dash approached her former bully with a stern glance on her face. "You're right about one thing," She told Rough Air. "I am a princess. And being one, I have the authority to deal with ponies like you however I choose."
"You're still a loser, Crash!" Rough Air cried as he was led out of the gymnasium. "And you always will be! All that's changed is that you rely on others to fight your battles for you. If it weren't for your meddling fellow bolts, you'd be begging for mercy like you always did."
"That's enough out of you!" Fleetfoot snapped and turned to Rainbow. "What do you want us to do with him, Crash?"
It didn't take long for Rainbow Dash to give her answer. "Take him to the Castle of Friendship," She answered her forelegs crossed over one another. "For that matter, stick him in the dungeons. I think he has a lot to learn about other ponies feelings."
All Rough Air could do was grunt and protest as he was led away, looking at a pegasus pony who somehow was no longer showing any fear against him.
"Wow," The pegasus pony declared as he approached Rainbow Dash. "For one of his victims, you were quite brave."
"I was, wasn't I?" Rainbow Dash remarked, turning around towards her fellow classmates. "It took a pegasus pony like me to become brave for him to be stopped. Now, if only he can understand what it feels like to be victimized. I doubt he's ever had a chance to see what his actions have caused others, until now."
Headmare Gusty Winds only shook her head. "It's a shame Rough Air turned out the way he did," She turned to Lightning Dust. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave, your boyfriend's actions are inexcusable and I will not tolerate anymore bad behavior during this reunion."
Lightning Dust just hissed. "You haven't seen the last of me, Rainbow Dash. You will pay for this!" And she trotted away with an angry scowl on her face.
…
…
Acting on Rainbow Dash's orders, Rough Air was brought to the Castle of Friendship and placed in the (up until then unused) dungeons. The bully could only take note of the confining walls that he was now surrounded by.
Just then, the door opened and Rainbow Dash stepped down with Fluttershy behind her.
"You trying to scare me with this little charade?" Rough Air snapped. "Well, it isn't working!"
"Perhaps now you can see what it's like to be the victim, Rough Air?" Fluttershy commented. "This cell is a representation of how Rainbow Dash and I felt when we were bullied by you all those years ago."
"Spare me your lectures, Fluttershy," Rough Air scowled, his hooves clutching tight to the bars. "As far as I'm concerned, you're both losers to me. Now get me out of here! I don't belong here!"
But neither Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy gave any indication of giving into their bully's demands.
"Tell me something, Rough Air," Fluttershy pondered. "What made you the pony you are now? Why are you the bully who wants to use fear to bring down your enemies? There's always something that makes you bullies tick, something that makes you what you are. And we're going to get to the bottom of it."
"What does it matter to the both of you?!" Rough Air cried as he spat in general direction of Rainbow Dash's face, but Rainbow merely brushed off the act like it was nothing. "You don't know what it's like growing up in Strautusberg, being overlooked by your own family who have favorites and knowing that you aren't one of them. I was told that I would never be the best or a Wonderbolt!" Rough Air cried. "How does that make you feel, huh?"
"Jealous?" Fluttershy guessed .
"Of course, I felt jealous!" Rough Air yelled, his voice loud enough for all within the Castle of Friendship to hear. "All I ever wanted was to be a Wonderbolt, but when I was told I would never be one, I had to figure out what to do with my life while also trying to come to terms with my disability."
Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy gasped in shock at what they just heard!
"Disability?" Fluttershy pondered. "What do you mean? You seemed perfectly fine being a bully. What could you possibly have for a disability?"
Rather than answer the question, Rough Air turned sharply around with his back now showing towards them.
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "The Princess of Kindness just asked you a question, Rough Air! You will answer her!"
"My answer isn't kindness related," Rough Air retorted while bitterly pacing back and forth in his cell. "It's all about being jealous, Rainbow Crash! Since I couldn't be a Wonderbolt because of my disability, I decided to take my frustrations out on other ponies. I wanted to bring them down, to make them feel hurt and ashamed like I am now. It's…" Suddenly, he stopped pacing and lowered his head away from Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. He seemed to be beginning to show fear of being ostracized for his disability.
"But you had no reason to lash out in the way you did," Rainbow shook her head. "What you've just said is no excuse for what you did. For all those times you picked on others just to feel good about yourself. There are other ways of dealing with your frustrations and you took it the wrong way. Why don't you think about this for a while? Think about what you could've done instead of being a bully."
…
…
Turning away from their caged tormentor, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy returned upstairs and went into the castle's throne room, They sat in their respective thrones in deep thought.
As the two pegasi thought about what to do with Rough Air, Starlight Glimmer entered the throne room. "I take that the interrogation didn't go over well?" She remarked.
"He said he has a disability, Starlight," Rainbow Dash replied. "And made us and other ponies fear him because he didn't have any other way of dealing with it."
Hearing this, Starlight joined her friends at the table, sitting down in Applejack's throne.
"I mean, I want to sympathize with him, we both do," Rainbow remarked, looking down at the map. "But it just doesn't seem like I should after all he did to us."
"It wasn't easy for Twilight to forgive me for what I did, but she found a way," Starlight spoke up, trying to use her redemption as an example. "I feel that as a pony who's been down the path of redemption, I can tell you firsthoof that it isn't easy. Not everyone will say you should be forgiven."
"What he might need is guidance," Fluttershy remarked. "If we just let him go, he'll just torment other ponies to get what he wants or until he goes too far. Perhaps we can…" The two pegasi turned to Starlight Glimmer, thinking if there was a place in the School of Friendship for him.
But Starlight had a look on her face that said otherwise. "Look, I'd love to take him on as a student, but he's your age and you know him a lot better than I do," Starlight explained as best she could. "And since it's a multi-creature school, I don't know if he's going to behave any differently."
"We should give him a chance though. Right, Starlight?" Rainbow suggested. "Not everypony can get a second chance every now and again, right? I mean, it's no excuse for his behavior towards me and Fluttershy. But if we turn our backs on him now, without trying to help him, that would just mean we're bullies to him, wouldn't it? Don't we have an obligation as princesses to show him a better way?"
"I agree," Fluttershy added as Rainbow Dash suddenly got a moment of inspiration. "What is it, Rainbow Dash?"
"Wait here, I'll be back!" Rainbow declared! "There's somepony we really need to consider if we're going to do this. Somepony who's been through a lot of what we're going through now"
Flying out of the throne room, Rainbow Dash soon arrived at the home of her little sister figure. In her mind, there was only one way to give Rough Air the direction that he needs. "Is Scootaloo home, Auntie Lofty?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Oh um, yes, she's home. Why do you ask? Couldn't it wait until my darling Holiday comes home from work?" Aunt Lofty stammered, just as Scootaloo came down the stairs.
"What's up, Rainbow Dash?" The young pegasus wondered. She didn't have to wait long to find out. "There's a pony that used to bully you?" Scootaloo asked a short time later as she and Rainbow Dash conversed on the couch.
"Yeah, Scoots," Rainbow Dash somewhat chuckled, her face slightly blushing. "Kind of like how Diamond Tiara used to bully you until she turned over a new leaf. But this bully is kind of like you more than Diamond Tara, it seems he isn't able to fly. At least, that's what he told me."
Scootaloo processed all that was said to her. "I get it," She commented quite slowly. "But what I can do? Does he even have a cutie mark?"
"All I'm saying is, he could use a friend who's just like him, Scootaloo," Rainbow Dash suggested. "Somepony who can understand him while being on the same level as him. Tell you what, why don't you come with me back to the Castle of Friendship and I can introduce you to him?"
…
Getting approval from her Auntie Lofty (who promised to inform Holiday if she got back before Scootaloo did), Scootaloo was accompanied by Rainbow Dash back to the Castle of Friendship and soon found herself face to face with Rough Air.
"So, have you come back to make fun of me, Rainbow Crash?" Rough Air bitterly asked before his eyes fell upon Scootaloo. "And who's the runt?"
"This 'runt' just happens to be my honorary little sister," Rainbow Dash retorted, being slightly protective of Scootaloo. "So you'd better not try anything funny with her. As for what she's doing here, I believe that you both have something in common."
"And what would be that?" Rough Air questioned.
"That you're both disabled." Rainbow explained.
"Pah!" Rough Air scoffed and waved his hooves. "What good is she to you?! Look at her wings, they aren't grown so of course she can't fly. Mine are fully grown and I should be able to fly!... But I can't."
Rainbow remained steadfast. "That doesn't matter," She told Rough Air. "It's better to talk out your feelings with another pony than bully others so they'll feel like they're less than you. Your disability is not a license to be cruel!"
Scootaloo stepped forward and extended her hoof out to Rough Air. "Rainbow Dash is right," She explained. "I struggle with my disability, but I don't let it get to me. The times I did I ended up making mistakes that nearly cost me everything. Luckily, I had friends who cared about me. And Rainbow Dash was there to make sure I didn't give up on myself. So now I think we could understand each other well, just as Rainbow Dash wants."
Rough Air looked down at the filly. He started to realize something looking at her. For the first time since he couldn't remember, he had a pony who wasn't afraid of or looked up to him because of what he liked to pretend to be. This was a pony who saw him for what he was, the true side of himself that he'd gone to great lengths to conceal. Until now.
Rough Air began to realize that if what Rainbow Dash said was true, maybe he could get a better understanding of those he'd victimized. "Kid… I… need some time…" He began.
Just then, Spitfire and Soarin' entered the dungeons.
"All right, Rough Air," Spitfire spoke up. "It's time we got you back home. I hope you've learned your lesson about being a bully."
Rough Air said nothing and instead kept his gaze right on Scootaloo as he was let out of his cell.
"Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo remarked, looking up at her big sister figure. "I don't think that he…"
"…Give it time, Scootaloo," Rainbow Dash interrupted, draping a wing over her little sister figure. "Give it time to let his true feelings sink in. Hopefully he'll realize just what an idiot he's been to others and will change."
…
…
The next morning, Rainbow Dash was back in her bedroom and reading her copy of the latest Daring Do book, when she heard a knock at her door. Going downstairs, she opened the door and there stood Spitfire and Soarin'.
"What's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What are you doing here?"
"We…just wanted to check in and see how you were doing, Rainbow Dash," Soarin explained. "You didn't come back to the flight school reunion, and neither did Rough Air."
"How's Rough Air?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Is he…?"
"Hopefully, he can start to learn the error of his ways, Rainbow Dash," Spitfire replied. "Maybe introducing him to your little sister-figure is a good start. At least it seems he's staying out of trouble and not starting anymore fights."
"It should be a good start," Rainbow Dash remarked, inviting her commander and second-in-command inside her home. "And I think it was probably a good thing I asked you to come with me to the reunion. Because without you two, I wouldn't have learned the truth about Rough Air."
"I guess you're right on that, Rainbow Dash. Though while we may have helped you in some way, in the end, you helped yourself and that's what being a Wonderbolt is all about sometimes," Spitfire explained. "You proved yourself well against a fillyhood foe. Showed that Wonderbolts lead by example."
Saluting one another, Rainbow Dash absorbed the compliment that was given to her, but realized that there was perhaps a chance for Rough Air to see the error of his ways.
…
However, somepony else saw otherwise.
"If Rainbow Dash thinks she is going to brainwash my boyfriend into believing he should embrace his disability, then she's wrong!" Lightning Dust thought to herself as she sat in her wheelchair looking out the window of her home that she shared with Rough Air. "He's mine and I'm going to make him embrace his aggressive nature…whether anypony likes it or not."
Very soon, Lightning Dust would make her move on her rival not by being a reckless flier, but by being a reckless pony in general.
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END OF EPISODE
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