I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Standing before the glimmering gold-plated door that was twice her size, Lightning Dust’s crippling doubts had very nearly gotten the better of her.
She was at her breaking point; her legs were trembling, her chest was aching, her heart was racing, and the heat of the sun above her was beating down on her so relentlessly that she felt like she was cramped inside a furnace.
She had been standing there, stiff as a board, for a solid three minutes, fruitlessly attempting to convince herself that she didn’t really have to do this. Her hooves felt as though they were stuck in the hazy cloud surface she was standing on, which was hovering hundreds of feet in the air.
In the reflective shimmer of the gold door, Lightning made out the blurry familiar image of herself, and came to wonder once more whether the other side of that door truly had what she needed.
Had it really come to this?
To her despair, Lightning knew she had finally run out of options. Astray in an unforgiving world with a seemingly cruel knack for karma, Lightning Dust had dragged herself up to the cloud-seated house she was currently standing in front of, for one reason and one reason alone.
She was in desperate need of help.
Rainbow Dash had just finished off an especially sweet red apple, tossing the core remnant in the garbage bin by her kitchen counter. She had already opened the windows seated above her sink, and made an effort to take in that soft summer air every time she trotted past. At that moment, her cloud-bound house was floating over a small lake below, where a flock of birds could be seen gathering. For a pegasus, especially one of Rainbow’s caliber, a beautiful day such as this was best spent in flight. Rainbow’s mind was already wandering, with thoughts of new tricks to pull off and places to visit.
Her daydreaming was cut short, however, when a sudden knock came pounding out from her front door. Rainbow stopped in her tracks en route to her bedroom, having just disappeared into her bathroom to freshen up for the day. She glanced across the living room at the door, her eyes narrowed with skepticism.
“Who could that be?” Rainbow muttered. It was awfully early for visitors, even for the pesky pegasus solicitors that never seemed to leave her alone.
Taking a quick look in the mirror to ensure she was decently presentable, Rainbow cautiously trotted over to the door, gripping the handle and swinging it open towards her.
The door opened sooner than expected, Lightning having hoped that Rainbow Dash wouldn’t even be home. She tensed up immediately, at the sudden reveal of Rainbow inside, whose eyes had widened in surprise.
“Lightning Dust?” Rainbow said, shocked to see her old rival standing there at her doorstep.
“Hi, Rainbow Dash,” Lightning said, sheepishly, deathly afraid of angering the pony she had come to with the intention of asking a sizable favor. Rainbow laughed in disbelief, having hoped that Lightning would never dare show her face around her again.
“What do you want? You’ve got some nerve! Coming here after everything you pulled!” Rainbow exclaimed, notes of disgust emanating from her harsh dismissal. Lightning squirmed, guilt pricking at her heart like a spool of barbed wire.
“It’s nice to see you too,” Lightning muttered, her eyes locked down at the ground, too nervous to even make eye contact. Rainbow noticed Lightning’s atypical demeanor, and instinctively backed down slightly. The more Rainbow got a look at the green pegasus, the more Rainbow began to become concerned. Lightning had scratches and bruises all over her, and a halfway-healed black eye. Her shoulders hung low, and she appeared to have completely lost the superlative sense of snakish pride that had definitively characterized her in the past. And most bizarrely, Lightning had yet to lob any mean-spirited insults Rainbow’s way.
“Uh...Are you alright?” Rainbow asked. Lightning eyes lifted from the ground, meeting with Rainbow’s confused glare.
“Is it ok if I come inside?” Lightning said, “I just want to talk to you. About something important.”
Rainbow couldn’t help but become intrigued, albeit hesitant, considering Lightning’s strange behavior and her questionable condition.
There was a pause, as Rainbow thought it over, though Lightning’s silent, wide-eyed hopeful expression softened Rainbow’s heart enough to at least give her a chance.
“Ok, sure. But this better not be a trick,” Rainbow cautioned.
“It’s not,” Lightning replied, without delay.
Rainbow slowly stepped out of the way to allow Lightning inside.
Lightning, immediately, was swamped by an unexpected wave of envy. Rainbow’s house was splendorous indeed, much to Lightning’s amazement. Rainbow possessed everything Lightning had ever wanted: a well-paying career, fame, popularity, wealth, a beautiful house. And there was she: a mere guest to that unattainable grandeur, an outsider brought in just to be reminded of how insignificant she was by comparison. She scoffed, as if to comfort herself, though she couldn’t do much but collapse into pity when faced with the spoils of her loathsome rival.
However, Lightning had understood walking in that she would have to endure some minor humiliation if she was to save herself from a terrible fate. Her pride would have to be put aside if she was to ever find redemption, and she knew it. If only it wasn’t easier said than done.
“Wow. You have a really beautiful home,” Lightning said, as a formality, though Rainbow naturally took it as insincere.
“Cut it out. You didn’t come here for a tour of my home. So why are you here?” Rainbow said.
Lightning was slightly taken aback by Rainbow’s impatience, having expected her to possibly be more forgiving. Though, Lightning supposed, Rainbow’s dismissiveness was not undeserved, considering the things she had done. Lightning took a deep breath, bracing herself to sacrifice what dignity she still had.
“OK, look, it’s just...Ever since I got kicked out of the Wonderbolts Academy, it’s been hard. Hard to get my life back on track. Hard to get things right,” Lightning said, her voice soft and reserved, her head still slightly lowered.
As Lightning had anticipated, Rainbow seemed utterly unimpressed.
“What happened to your little daredevil troupe? The Washouts?” Rainbow asked, unsympathetic to Lightning’s mopeyness.
“The Washouts?” Lightning repeated, as if it was a distant memory, “We disbanded. Things didn’t work out between me and the others. They’re in Las Pegasus now, doing shows. Without me,” Lightning said, spitefully. Rainbow could guess by Lightning’s grieving tone that the breakup was Lightning’s idea.
“And it was getting a little dangerous, too. I guess,” Lightning added, hoping to try and appease Rainbow.
“You think? You almost got my friend killed!” Rainbow said, tempestuously. Lightning recoiled from the impact of Rainbow’s verbal attack, biting her lip out of shame for her past actions.
“I know, I know. That’s one of the reasons I came. Look, Rainbow, first I just wanted to apologize,” Lightning said, hoping Rainbow wouldn’t just throw her out the door without a second thought.
“Oh please. You’re not sorry,” Rainbow shot back, flatly. Lightning twitched, terrified of losing her last chance to better her life. Rainbow, however, had little room for pity for the pony who had been nothing but a nuisance in her life.
“I am! I am sorry! I made a mistake! A bunch of mistakes! And I’m paying for all that, and I don’t know how much longer I can go if I don’t just admit it and try to make things right again,” Lightning said desperately, her voice quivering.
Rainbow, despite her inclination to distrust her, found herself beginning to wonder whether Lightning really was looking to redeem herself.
“Keep going,” Rainbow said, cautiously, hoping to catch Lightning in a lie and prove she was only trying to exploit her for something. Lightning, meanwhile, had become consumed by her emotions, practically breaking down into a panic attack as she continued her admission of guilt.
“I was reckless, and-and stupid. I endangered your friends’ lives, and Scootaloo’s life, and your life. I was irresponsible. And I regret it,” Lightning said, wiping her eyes with her hoof before Rainbow could catch her crying. Despite how low Lightning had been feeling as of late, she still hated to appear weak, especially in front of her greatest rival.
“You can be sorry all you want. Spitfire’s still never going to let you back in the Wonderbolts,” Rainbow said, mercilessly, assuming that was what Lightning was after.
“I know! I know she doesn’t want me back, and neither do you, or any of the Wonderbolts. Just...I’m sorry! Ok? Can you please forgive me?” Lightning asked, biting her lip anxiously.
Rainbow had no idea what to make of it. There had to be some ulterior motive, but she couldn’t quite place it. Did Lightning truly deserve to be forgiven? Rainbow knew it wasn’t good for her to hold onto a grudge, especially against a pony who, all things considered, seemed to be genuinely sorry for her mistakes. Still, Rainbow couldn’t bring herself to do it, not yet, at least.
“I’ll think about it,” Rainbow said, and Lightning supposed it was better than a ‘no.’
“Ok...well, there’s another thing,” Lightning said, nervously.
Rainbow tilted her head, unsurprised. Here was that ulterior motive.
“I need your help, Rainbow,” Lightning said, still terrified of being flat-out denied.
“Help?” Rainbow said in disbelief, “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why would I ever help you? You probably just want to try and hurt my friends again, I won’t let you!” Rainbow said, taking an aggressive step towards Lightning, who submissively shrunk down in fear.
“I’ve ruined my life, Rainbow, ok?! I’ve got too many debts that I can’t pay off! Nopony will even hire me because of my record, my friends won’t even speak to me, neither will my family! I don’t have anypony, I don’t even have a home!” Lightning said, bursting into tears uncontrollably as she released the pain ruminating inside her.
Rainbow was caught off guard by the last remark, beginning to rationalize Lightning’s unkempt exterior and erratic state of mind.
“You...You’re homeless?” Rainbow asked, sullenly.
“Right now, yeah,” Lightning said, quietly, as if she didn’t want everypony to know, despite there only being one other pony around, “That’s why, I was wondering if maybe, I don’t know...You could let me stay with you?” Lightning asked, aware of the impact she imagined it would have.
Rainbow’s response was an unhindered fit of laughter, unsure whether Lightning was joking or being serious, and unsure which one was more of a riot. Lightning scowled while Rainbow carried on, her desperate situation being reduced to a joke.
“Just long enough that I can get back on my hooves! Please Rainbow, please help me!” Lightning cried, practically begging.
“You’re trying to tell me that you don’t have any friends at all to help you out? That you had to come to me?” Rainbow asked, trying to hold back her laughter.
Lightning tried her best not to cry, though it was becoming difficult. Rainbow didn’t take long to realize how hurt Lightning was, and quickly dialed back her aggressiveness.
“What do you expect me to say, Rainbow? No, I haven’t got any friends. Happy?” Lightning said, turning her head away in embarrassment and spite.
“Ok, hey, I’m sorry. That was mean,” Rainbow said, apologetically.
“I thought...I don’t know. I know we were always trying to beat each other, and I know you hate me for what I did...But I kinda considered you a friend, sort of. I respected you,” Lightning said, expecting a subsequent similar admission of secret admiration from Rainbow.
She wouldn’t be getting it, unfortunately.
“Lightning, we are not friends. And we’ll never be friends. Your life sucks right now? Tough! It’s only because of the choices that you made! You’re only here because you finally drove yourself into a corner, am I right? Because you’re too stubborn to pick up on any wake-up calls! You’ve only ever cared about yourself!” Rainbow said, practically yelling. In truth, Rainbow was angry with Lightning, but more so because of the ruined potential for a terrific friendship between them. Rainbow mourned the day Lightning went too far at the Wonderbolts Academy, the day she lost her wingpony. Rainbow thought of Lightning Dust as little more than a boorish narcissist with a pension for recklessness, relatively incapable of humility of selflessness.
“I know, and I was wrong! I want to change, I really do! I want to get my life back on track! But I need your help, Rainbow, I’ll do anything!...Please?” Lightning said, earnestly. It had taken hitting rock bottom for her to come to the understanding that she needed to fix her attitude. To her hope, Rainbow would be the means to facilitate that self-improvement.
Rainbow sighed, still struggling to believe Lightning was truly sorry. For all Rainbow knew, every word of the Washouts’ disbandment and Lightning’s homelessness was all a lie. Though it had to have been the kinder option to give Lightning the benefit of the doubt and help her, the monumental nature of the request, in addition to the personal conflicts felt towards Lightning, drastically weakened its favorability. Not to mention, Rainbow felt an admittedly selfish sense of delight at seeing Lightning succumb to misfortune.
“No! I hate you! Now get out of my house! I never want to see you again!” Rainbow yelled, recalling the pain Lightning had already put her through.
Lightning’s face flickered with shock, as tears continued to envelop the corners of her eyes. She nodded sheepishly, forcing herself to accept Rainbow’s decision.
“It was worth a try…” Lightning muttered to herself, dragging her hooves as she turned to head back towards the front door.
But, as Lightning made her way, with her head hung low and her hopes depleted, Rainbow gradually became overcome by guilt. If Lightning was truly lying, surely she would have put up more of a fight. It seemed Lightning had finally given up, and, despite Rainbow’s distrust of her, it angered her to see a pony of such talent and potential fall down a terrible path.
“Wait...” Rainbow said, causing Lightning to come to a stop after a few seconds’ delay, “Lightning…”
Lightning spun around with wide eyes, hopeful that Rainbow had perhaps changed her mind.
“I’m sorry...You can stay here,” Rainbow said.
“I can? Really?!” Lightning asked with starry eyes. She was practically bouncing up and down in excitement.
“Yes. But on two conditions,” Rainbow said, flatly.
“Ok!” Lightning chirped, eagerly flying through the air towards Rainbow.
“First...If you’re gonna live here, you’re not just going to lounge on my couch and eat my food all day. I’m going to have you cleaning everything, all day, until I get home. I’ll pay you a very small amount for that, enough until you’re ready to get a proper job,” Rainbow said, creating her terms of rent as she went.
“So...Like your maid?” Lightning asked, feeling slightly degraded.
“Sure. Is that gonna be a problem?” Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No! Uh, no issue! I’ll be your maid!” Lightning said, forcing herself to smile while her heart burned with humiliation.
Rainbow could see how irritated Lightning was becoming, and began to realize the potential in bossing around her rival all day.
“Good. Now, second...You have to give me a real apology. About what you did wrong, how you’ve been a bad pony, and how you need to learn your lesson. Can you do that?” Rainbow asked.
Lightning sighed, wishing she didn’t have to go through this.
“Seriously?” Lightning said, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.
“You’ve got twenty seconds to say it before I change my mind and kick you out,” Rainbow threatened.
“Why? Why do I have to say all that?” Lightning said, bitter over being forced to bend to Rainbow’s will.
“Because I said so, dummy,” Rainbow said, giggling at Lightning’s bright red face, “Fifteen seconds.”
Lightning kept her mouth shut, unsure whether it was worth giving up her pride completely to get a second chance at her life. While Lightning was hesitating, Rainbow had reached into a nearby drawer and retrieved her video camera, turning a few dials and presson a few buttons to activate its recording feature. A bright red light came on, right as Rainbow aimed the lens of the camera directly at Lightning’s horrified face.
“Ten seconds,” Rainbow said, grinning as Lightning’s eyes stared into the camera lens in terror.
“Rainbow, a camera? That’s not fair, come on!” Lightning pleaded, desperately.
“Seven.”
“Please?”
“Five.”
“I’ll do anything else!”
“Three.”
Lightning, panicked, struggling to submit and bring herself to do as Rainbow desired.
“One!” Rainbow yelled.
“Ok, ok! Rainbow Dash, you’re better than me! You’re faster, and you’ll always be faster, and I’ll always be worse,” Lightning managed to say, though the words caused her immense pain, “I don’t have any friends, because I drive everypony away, b-because I’m a bad pony,” Lightning said, coughing over her words, her tear-ridden cheeks apple red with embarrassment.
“Good,” Rainbow said, approvingly.
“Everypony hates me, and everypony loves you. And I always hated how you would think you’re better than me! But...you’re right, I’m just jealous of you. I try to pretend I'm strong, and that I don't care, and that I'm the fastest and the smartest...but I'm none of those things. I need to learn my lesson, and...be a good pony from now on,” Lightning said with a quivering voice, all the while Rainbow was holding off from laughing.
“Wow, I can’t believe you actually did it,” Rainbow said, after turning off the camera, “Maybe you really have changed...You really do want to be a better pony, right?”
“...Yes,” Lightning said, sighing in defeat.
“Alright. Then I can help you. I can’t help you if you don’t admit you have a problem,” Rainbow said.
Lightning didn’t reply, though reluctantly had to agree with the sentiment. She only hoped Rainbow wouldn’t be as cruel towards her in the future.
“This is gold right here. Wait until everypony at the Wonderbolts sees this,” Rainbow said, glancing from the camera to Lightning to wait for a reaction.
“W-What?! Rainbow, please don’t show that to anypony! I’ll never be able to show my face again!” Lightning cried.
“Oh, don’t worry...They won’t see it, for now...But if you start acting out, they might. So are you going to act out?” Rainbow said.
“N-No," Lightning replied, realizing Rainbow had now resorted to blackmail.
“You’re going to behave?” Rainbow asked.
“Yes...I’ll behave,” Lightning said, gritting her teeth in anger.
“Good. I do want to help you, and I think this can work, but you have to work with me,” Rainbow said.
“Yeah. Ok. I will. Thanks for doing this, Rainbow...It means a lot,” Lightning said, trying to focus on the positive.
Rainbow smiled, recognizing the potential Lighting still held to one day be a good friend. Now, they both had a chance to work together.