Once the four of us, including Rainbow Dash, are back outside, I can see Rainbow Dash is really shaken about initially being right about her Wonderbolt nickname.
“Rainbow Dash,” Bow starts. “Windy and I are so proud of you for achieving your dream to be a Wonderbolt. And we just wanted you to have the best experience you could possibly have with them. We couldn’t just take Spitfire’s name-calling lying down as your proper biggest fans.”
“...Aita, was it true all along? Was I seriously right to be upset at the tour?”
“Rainbow Dash, think about my experience at Canterlot High School. The Wonderbolts do the same exact thing the superintendent did. Even if it is lighter and more amicable, it’s still a terrible thing to do. This isn’t even considering where your nickname comes from.”
Rainbow Dash ends up hugging Bow and Windy, hearing me oppose the Wonderbolts’ sole outdated ideal.
“I… I get it… I really wish I went to Spitfire during the tour. You guys are right; nopony deserves to be bullied, even if they do mess up. But what do we do? We can’t go around changing policy just because one newbie Wonderbolt opposed it.”
I start tapping my forehead with my hoof, trying to think. Those pears the fake Applejack ate… that’s perfect! I widen my eyes in the epiphany and set my hoof back down. “Maybe if someONE opposed it.”
I teleport in four pears, giving one to each of us. “Here, eat these pears. I know what to do with the seeds.”
Some time later, I put the pear seeds into the saddlebag and lead Rainbow Dash and her parents back to the locker room.
Spitfire is still on the bench on our right when we do enter, everyone else gone to wait for her outside.
“So, we good this time?” Spitfire asks, relatively impatiently. “We’re supposed to get back to practice soon.”
“Yeah, although you might want to get everypony back inside,” I answer. “We’ll all need to talk to someONE about this naming policy.”
“If you say so.” Spitfire dashes past us with a bullhorn on her left hoof. ATTENTION WONDERBOLTS! YOU ARE NEEDED IN THE LOCKER ROOM RIGHT AWAY!
I begin to smile, knowing what’s about to happen.
The rest of the members come in behind Spitfire.
“Alright, Aita. Let’s make it snappy.”
I nod, then float the pear seeds onto the floor as corners for a perfect square. The moment the last one is set down, the seeds’ shells split open in the direction opposite of the each other. They shoot beams in a way that creates this perfect square, another set targeting about a foot and a half off the ground of the center of the square.
The moment Chrysalis is on screen, I bow.
“Hm… young Aita. You called? And where are you anyway?”
“That’s what I called you about, Chrysalis. The map sent me to Wonderbolts HQ, and I was struggling with something Rainbow Dash’s parents made a stink about.”
“Those are her parents, right? The ones not in uniform?” I nod. “So what are their concerns?”
“It’s about the naming policy for the Wonderbolts. Each member’s first day determines what they’re called.”
The moment Chrysalis hears Rainbow Dash’s explanation, her mood turns bitter. “And THAT is why changelings have single-word names. They’re so short and simple, you might as well use that instead of whatever the Wonderbolts call each other. They are single-word right?”
“Affirmative, Queen Chrysalis,” Spitfire salutes. She opens her mouth, only to be cut off when Chrysalis raises her hoof.
“No examples please. Verification was enough. What I want to know is why you still have such an outdated policy running today; when you went to school, Spitfire, did faculty have the same rule that you enforce on your team?”
“Of course not. It was a public space anypony can access. But Wonderbolts don’t need the formality schools do. Besides, we-”
Chrysalis raises her hoof again. “Spitfire… you’re not receiving the full picture. When my teacher carried on her predecessor’s army, she enforced that all members be referred to by their legal names; so even an evil queen can wrap their head around common courtesy. Your team is supposed to teach resilience, not bullying.”
Soarin’ steps forward. “Huh? Really?!? So you’re saying all this time I could’ve been called Soarin’ under your army and saved the humiliation?!?” Chrysalis nods. “Well, no more Clipper for me then. I rally to adopt Chrysalis’ policy.”
During Soarin’s declaration, Chrysalis’ cheeks turn red with embarrassment over what she just told everyone here. “...Also Aita… please don’t tell Areola I said that. I’d get an earful if you did.”
“You have my word, Chrysalis.”
The other Wonderbolts start chatting among each other, probably talking about joining Soarin’s rally. Then each one steps forward with Soarin’ one at a time.
“I’m Fleet Foot, and I join Soarin’ in his fight for change.”
“Surprise here, and I’ll join too.”
“Misty Fly!”
“High Winds!”
Spitfire stammers. “You serious? ALL of you?!?”
“Yes Spitfire… and besides, my name’s. not. Crash.”
“...Okay. If it’s a rule change you all want, then I must oblige.”
Chrysalis nods as Spitfire heads to her office. “Very good. I look forward to see how progress goes around here. So Aita, was that all you needed?”
“I think so. I did pretty much all I could do around here. I’m confident that stylus should be glowing in no time.”
And right on cue, I hear the shimmering sound from when I got home from Bow and Windy’s. I take out my DS, confirming the stylus is glowing.
“I’m very proud of you, Aita. You’ve just solved a friendship problem all on your own. I look forward to the time we collaborate.”
And so, the signal cuts out and the seeds go back to normal. I float the seeds back into the saddlebag along with the DS, which still has its stylus glowing.
“I’m hoping we get to do that too, Chrysalis,” I say mostly to myself, blushing from Chrysalis admitting her pride.