//------------------------------//
// Dust in the Wind 
// Story: The Truth Hurts 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//

"And, go!"

Lightning Dust wasted no time taking off into the air.  At blinding speed, she flew circles around the entire gym, swiftly dodging every punching bag and exercise equipment that got in her way.  From below, her trainer Haymaker watched her work, a stopwatch ticking away in his hoof.  Her mind methodically counted each lap around, and she made sure not to take the same route twice.  Finally, at the hundredth lap, she landed on a gym mat, causing the entire carpet to ripple from the impact.  Haymaker reached over with his wing and tapped the stopwatch off.

"W-well?  Wh-what's my time?" Lightning Dust panted, wiping some sweat from her brow.

Haymaker took a look at the stopwatch and smirked. "Huh.  Not bad, kid."

Lightning scowled. "Not bad?  Gimme that."

Before Haymaker could say anything, Lightning dashed up to him and snagged the stopwatch from his hoof.  She looked at the time and snorted in disgust.

"Seriously?  I could do a hundred laps in a quarter of this time in my sleep," she griped.  She then tossed the stopwatch back to Haymaker and got herself a sweat towel. "Ugh, must be having an off day or something."

Haymaker took another look at the stopwatch and raised an eyebrow. "Kid, what're you talking about?  You managed to fly a hundred laps around the gym in just under two minutes.  I'd be surprised if you could do it in half this time."

Lightning looked over at Haymaker and gave him a coy smile. "Oh really?  Would you say it'd be impressive by, Wonderbolt standards?"

Haymaker groaned and rolled his eyes. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, kid.  I'm not going to get you back into the Wonderbolt Academy, and that's final."

"Well, not with that attitude," said Lightning with a shrug. "But once you get me to unlock my true potential, you're gonna realize that the Wonderbolts need a pony like me."

"You mean a loose cannon who almost got several ponies killed?"

"Hey, that was a goof!  I-it's not my fault they flew in when they did.  Besides, 'almost' only counts in horseshoes.  Nopony really got hurt, so no harm, no foul.  Rainbow Snitch was just overreacting and being a tattletale."

Haymaker sighed. "And once again, you miss the point entirely.  Did you forget how you endangered the lives of the other cadets as well?"

Lightning Dust shrugged again. "Well, that's their fault for not being able to keep up with me.  I can't help it if I'm awesome."

Haymaker folded his forelegs and gave Lightning Dust a disappointed look. "Y'know, it boggles my mind that after all this time training under me, you still refuse to take responsibility for your actions."

"Whoa, now.  That's not fair, old man.  I fully admit that the tornado was a goof on my part," Lightning clarified. "But Spitfire didn't have to kick me out over it!"

"That's her call to make, kid.  Not yours," said Haymaker sternly. "If I told you once, I told you a thousand times.  You had your shot at the Wonderbolts, and you blew it.  There's nothing you can do about it now."

"Says you," said Lightning with a sneer. "I'm gonna keep getting better and better until you realize just how much I deserve to be a Wonderbolt.  You'll see."

Haymaker let out an exasperated groan and massaged the bridge of his nose with his hoof. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm talking to the punching bag."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," said Lightning as she finished toweling herself off. "So, what's next?  Wing-ups?  Combat maneuvers?"

Haymaker took a look up at the clock on the wall.  It was just after eleven o'clock at night, but despite the late hour, Lightning Dust was still fired up and ready to go.  Haymaker had gotten used to this by now, as it had been his routine with Lightning Dust since the beginning.  After a pause, he shrugged.

"Alright, kid.  Fifty wing-ups on the mat, and then we'll pack it in," he said. "But don't ask me to time you this time.  I keep telling you; that kind of exercise is not supposed to be a race."

"Okay, okay.  Sheesh, picky picky," Lightning muttered.  She flexed her wings a few times and let out a sharp breath.  She leaned forward with her hooves outstretched, allowing her wings to break her fall.  She was just about to start when she heard a knock on the door.  Haymaker arched an eyebrow.

"Now, who could that be at this hour?" he wondered. "Hang on, kid.  I'll be with you in a moment."

He flew over to the door and undid the latch.  As soon as it was unlocked, the door swung open.  When Lightning Dust saw who it was, her jaw dropped to the floor.  Standing in the doorway was a proud-looking stallion she was all-too-familiar with.  His wavy mane; his sleek blue coat; his Cutie Mark depicting a flight helmet with goggles.  His very appearance caused Lightning's wings to give out on her, and she collapsed into the floor face first.  She made a hasty recovery and rubbed her eyes in disbelief.  Haymaker, however, was less than starstruck.

"Whaddya want, Wind Rider?" he grumbled.

As soon as Lightning Dust heard that name, her heart skipped a beat.  Was it really him?  As if reading her mind, the stranger chuckled.

"Come now, Haymaker.  Is that any way to treat an old friend?" he asked. "Your lights were on, so I thought I'd drop by and have myself a bit of a late-night workout."

Haymaker snorted. "Well, I'm kinda busy at the moment, so if you don't mind—"

"E-excuse me."

Haymaker and Wind Rider turned over to Lightning Dust, who was barely able to contain herself.  She quickly cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

"Y-you would't happen to be the Wind Rider, would you?" she inquired. "You know, the greatest Wonderbolt who ever lived?  The pony who holds the record for the long-distance Mustang Marathon?"

Wind Rider smirked. "Heh.  Methinks my reputation precedes me."

Lightning Dust let out a squeal of glee and flew around Wind Rider excitedly. "Omigosh omigosh omigosh~!  Th-this is so cool!  Oh man, if this is a dream, I do not wanna wake up right now!  I'm, like, your biggest fan!"

"Wouldn't be the first time I heard that," Wind Rider laughed.

Haymaker merely let out a grunt, giving Wind Rider the evil eye.  Lightning Dust didn't seem to notice this as she continued to fawn over her great hero.

"Oh, I should probably introduce myself.  Name's Lightning Dust, Wonderbolt hopeful," she said, holding out her wing. "It is such an honor to meet you in person, sir.  Y'know, you're actually my greatest inspiration."

"Huh.  You don't say," said Wind Rider absently.

"It's true, though," said Lightning. "I train myself every day just so I can be as awesome as you.  In fact, it's my dream that one day, I'd get to fly with you!"

"Hate to burst your bubble, kid, but that's not going to happen."

Lightning turned to Haymaker and narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare embarrass me in front of Wind Rider, old man," she snarled. "He doesn't need to know about any of that."

"That's not what I'm talking about, kid," said Haymaker, shaking his head.

Lightning Dust blinked. "Wait, it's not?  Then, what're you talking about?"

"You mean you haven't heard the news?"

Lightning Dust shrugged her shoulders and chuckled sheepishly. "I kinda find current events boring."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised," said Haymaker, rolling his eyes.  He then let out a sigh. "Listen, kid.  There's no nice way to say this; Wind Rider's been dishonorably discharged from the Wonderbolts."

Lightning's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "Wh-what?!"

"H-hey, it's nothing to get bent out of shape over," said Wind Rider, still playing it cool. "Just a minor setback, that's all.  Spitfire made a mistake."

Haymaker scoffed. "A 'mistake?'  Is that what you're calling it, Wind Rider?" he growled, pointing an accusatory hoof. "You forged a letter saying that Stormy Flare was sick, sending Spitfire on a wild goose chase.  Then you had the gall to pin your crime on an aspiring young private in the Reserves.  All because you couldn't let that young private beat your record.  After all that, you think Spitfire stripped you of your Wonderbolt status by mistake?!"

Lightning Dust couldn't believe what she was hearing.  Wind Rider was the greatest Wonderbolt of all time; there's no way he would do something like that.  She was about to object when Wind Rider stepped in and snorted.

"I did what I had to in order to protect my record," he stated coldly. "If you wanna be the best, you can't let anything be an obstacle.  And sometimes, that means playing dirty.  Any Wonderbolt can tell you that."

"Really now?" asked Haymaker, stroking his chin in thought. "Because I seem to recall that somepony else had the long-distance record before you did.  Did they try to get you kicked out of the Wonderbolts?  And what about the pony before that?  And the pony before that?"

Wind Rider glared at Haymaker. "What exactly are you trying to say, old timer?"

"I'm saying that if General Firefly heard about what you did, she'd be doing barrel rolls in her grave!" Haymaker snapped.  His harsh tone caused Lightning Dust to jump slightly, but Wind Rider remained steadfast. "The Wonderbolts are supposed to inspire ponies to follow their dreams, not take them away!"

"You don't know anything," Wind Rider shot back. "You never were a Wonderbolt, so don't lecture me about my job."

"It ain't your job anymore, sonny," Haymaker said firmly.

Wind Rider's intense scowl changed into a sinister smile. "Heh.  That's what you think," he said slyly. "The Wonderbolts need a pony like me, and they'll realize it soon enough.  That hotshot punk Rainbow Dash has made them all soft."

The mention of Rainbow Dash's name snapped Lightning Dust out of her shock. "W-wait, you don't like Rainbow Dash?"

Wind Rider scoffed. "Pfft, what's there to like?  She thinks just because she's some national hero, she gets to decide what the Wonderbolts stand for.  And the worst part is ponies like Spitfire and Soarin' lap it all up and hang onto her every word."

Lightning placed a hoof to her muzzle and furrowed her brow. "Yeah, I hear you, sir.  She can be a bit of a high horse sometimes.  Actually, I wasn't going to mention this, but she got me kicked out of the Wonderbolt Academy just because I made one little mistake."

"I wouldn't call it a 'little' mistake, kid," Haymaker muttered under his breath.

Wind Rider suddenly turned towards Lightning Dust, his eyes sparkling with interest. "Is that so?  Sounds to me like we have a common enemy, Lightning Dust.  Say, how'd you like to be my wingpony?"

Lightning Dust tilted her head. "B-but I thought you weren't a Wonderbolt anymore, sir."

"Not now, but I will be again," said Wind Rider, draping a wing over Lightning's shoulder. "And I think you can help me out.  In fact, I think you should be in the Reserves instead of Rainbow Dash.  If we work together, we can find a way to put you on a fast track and take her place."

Lightning swallowed, suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable. "T-take her place?  I dunno, sir..."

"Why so hesitant?  You want to be a Wonderbolt, don't you?" asked Wind Rider, a sinister grin spreading on his face. "Well, I can get you into the Wonderbolts no problem.  All you have to do is follow my lead, and you'll be flying with the best in no time."

Haymaker suddenly let out a dry snicker.  Wind Rider's smile instantly faded.

"What's so funny?" he snarled.

Haymaker turned around and gave Wind Rider a dark look. "It's one thing to make a promise you can't keep, Wind Rider.  But I wouldn't go around making promises you have no intention of keeping."

Wind Rider let out an angry snort as he left Lightning Dust's side and advanced towards Haymaker. "What're you blathering about now, geezer?"

"I've seen this kid's talent with my own two eyes, Wind Rider," said Haymaker. "And boy, does she have some major talent.  Fast, agile, determined, energetic.  She's got it all in spades.  In fact, I'd bet bits to bagels that she could shatter your record without even trying."

Lightning Dust beamed and puffed her chest out in pride. "Heh.  About time I heard some real praise from you, old man."

"Yeah, but think about it, kid," said Haymaker gravely. "Wind Rider just said he was willing to frame somepony and get them kicked out of the Wonderbolts just so that they wouldn't break his record.  What's stopping him from doing that to you?"

A sinister chill jolted up Lightning's spine. "Wh-what?  Th-that's ridiculous," she chuckled nervously. "I'm Wind Rider's biggest fan, and he wants me to be his partner.  H-he wouldn't hurt me like that."  Her smile faded as she looked over at Wind Rider. "Would you?"

Wind Rider stared down at Lightning Dust, his face nondescript.  He didn't say a word.

"Hey, the kid asked you a question, pal," Haymaker said gruffly. "I think she deserves an answer."

Wind Rider looked over at Haymaker and snorted. "Th-this is absurd.  Of course I wouldn't hurt her."

"Don't tell me; tell her," said Haymaker, pointing to Lightning Dust.

Wind Rider gnashed his teeth and leered at Haymaker. "This doesn't concern you, old timer.  Mind your own business, or else."

"I'm making this my business," Haymaker retorted, getting right in Wind Rider's face. "I won't stand by while you rope this poor filly into whatever scheme you've got cooked up in that head of yours.  You want her to trust you?  Then turn around, look her right in the eye, and tell her what you would do."

Wind Rider didn't comply.  He simply glared daggers at Haymaker while he did the same.  The gym was so quiet, one could hear a pin drop.  Lightning Dust watched Wind Rider with bated breath, hoping beyond hope that he'd tell her that this was all just some big prank.  The longer he refused to acknowledge her, the more her world began to fracture.  Sweat formed on her brow; her legs shook and trembled; her heart was skipping every other beat.  She kept trying to ignore her fear, but the pressure within her simply kept mounting.

"We can wait here all night if we have to," said Haymaker. "But I'm not letting you off the hook until you tell that kid exactly what you would—"

In one swift motion, Wind Rider interrupted Haymaker with a powerful punch to the face.  At that very moment, Lightning Dust felt her world shatter into a thousand pieces.  She watched Haymaker's body fall in slow motion, face planting against the gym mat with a deafening thud.  She gasped in horror, covering her mouth with her hoof.  Wind Rider simply dusted himself off and snorted.

"I warned you," he said darkly.  He then turned to Lightning Dust and gave her a wan smile. "Now then, where were we?"

"Wh-what the hay did you do that for?!" Lightning shrieked.

Wind Rider huffed. "What?  The old fart was getting on my nerves with all his nonsense," he said with a shrug. "Take it from me, Lightning Dust.  When you're the best, you don't let anypony tell you otherwise."

Lightning Dust scrunched her eyes shut. Wake up, Lightning Dust.  Wake up, Lightning Dust, she chanted mentally.

"Hey, it's okay," said Wind Rider in a silken smooth voice. "You don't have to put up with that washed-up geezer anymore.  Now, you've got me, your biggest inspiration.  I'll help you get back into the Wonderbolts, and then you can live out your dream of flying with me.  Isn't that what you want?"

Lightning tried to say something, but no words escaped her lips.  Every muscle in her body tightened as she fought the urge to run away.  Suddenly, she heard a weak cackle echo around the gym.  When she opened her eyes, Haymaker was getting to his feet.

"You, my friend, have just made a terrible mistake."

Before Wind Rider could react, Haymaker closed the distance between them and landed a blow of his own.  Wind Rider spun back head-over-tail across the room before catching himself in midair.  He snickered.

"You really wanna do this, old timer?" he bellowed, pounding his hooves together. "There's no way you can beat me.  You're beneath me, just like that punk Rainbow Dash!"

Haymaker scoffed and cracked his neck. "See, I don't think you believe that, Wind Rider.  If you did, you wouldn't have tried to frame her."

"Sh-shut up!"

Wind Rider flew towards Haymaker at top speed, only for Haymaker to roll out of the way.  With an angry roar, Wind Rider swooped back and threw another punch.  This time, Haymaker blocked and countered with a swift jab to the jaw.  From there, the two clashed.  They flew all around the gym, flailing their hooves at one another in rapid succession.  Lightning Dust could only stand and watch as the two went at it.  It wasn't long before she started to notice something about the battle.

Wind Rider kept going for cheap shots.  He grabbed at Haymaker's wings; he spat in his eye; he tried to lure him into crashing into the equipment.  And while he managed to get some licks in, Haymaker stood strong and dominant.  With the agility of a hummingbird, he darted back and forth, weaving around Wind Rider's punches and following up with some of his own.

"How can a trained soldier like you fight like a pathetic street punk?!" Haymaker barked. "Straighten up and come at me like a proper Wonderbolt!  Or is honor another one of these 'obstacles' to you?"

"If you think I'm going to let you get away with slandering me like that, you've got another thing coming!" Wind Rider proclaimed.  He threw another punch, which was blocked by Haymaker.  The two were locked in a standoff.

"Slander you?  I'm just telling it like it is," Haymaker grunted, flapping his wings with all his might. "If you want to blame anypony for sullying your good name, just look in the mirror!"

Haymaker shifted his weight, causing Wind Rider to stumble forward.  He then drew back his hoof and pounded Wind Rider in the gut.  Wind Rider coughed and sputtered before tumbling away from Haymaker.  Before he hit the ground, he stopped himself in midair and took some time to catch his breath.  Haymaker looked down, panting heavily and wincing in pain as his body began to ache.

"Oopha.  I-I might've overdid it there," he grumbled, clutching his shoulder.  He then snickered. "Guess I'm not as young as I used to be."

Wind Rider saw Haymaker struggling, and his eyes glistened. "Now I've got you," he said, drawing himself to full height. "Time for me to teach you a lesson you'll never forget, old timer!  I'm the best there ever was, and nopony's gonna take me down!  Not Rainbow Dash, not Spitfire, and especially not you!"

At that moment, Lightning Dust couldn't take it anymore.

"STOP!"

Just as Wind Rider was about to land a blow on Haymaker, a streak of lightning swooped into his line of sight.  His hoof suddenly collided with Lightning Dust, who blocked the blow with her own forelegs.  Wind Rider's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in anger.

"Get out of my way, Lightning Dust," he snarled. "This doesn't concern you."

"No," said Lightning Dust, shaking her head. "I don't want to see you like this anymore."

Wind Rider blinked and withdrew his attack. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lightning Dust hiccuped as her eyes began to water. "Wh-what happened to you, man?  Th-this isn't how I remember you.  You used to be cooler than this."

"You're just letting that old man fill your head with gibberish," said Wind Rider haughtily. "Don't listen to him."

"And why should I listen to you, huh?" asked Lightning Dust.

Wind Rider smirked. "'Cause I'm the greatest Wonderbolt who ever lived; your hero.  That's why."

"Really?  Because I don't think the greatest Wonderbolt who ever lived would lie and cheat his way to the top," said Lightning Dust, folding her forelegs. "That sounds more like something a coward would do."

Wind Rider's eye twitched. "I'd be careful, Lightning Dust," he warned. "You don't want to end up saying something you'll regret."

"I could say the same to you," said Lightning. "By the way, you never did answer my question."

"What question?"

"If I got back into the Wonderbolts, would you hurt me like you tried to hurt Rainbow Dash?"

Wind Rider let out an insincere laugh and cast his gaze upward. "Are we really doing this again?  C'mon, you know I wouldn't do that."

"No, actually.  I don't," said Lightning firmly. "Look me in the eye and tell me what you would do to me if I was a Wonderbolt.  And no, I won't accept a punch to the face as an answer."

Wind Rider closed his eyes and shook his head. "This is a great opportunity for you, Lightning Dust," he growled through gritted teeth. "We could get our revenge against Rainbow Dash together, and you're just letting that fly out the window."

Lightning Dust blinked. "Revenge?  I only want to get back into the Wonderbolts.  I'm mad at Rainbow Dash, sure, but I don't hate her."

"But, she's the reason you got kicked out of the Wonderbolts in the first place."

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sore about that.  But I'm not about to crush somepony else's dreams just to live out my own.  I don't go out of my way to hurt other ponies like you do."

Wind Rider let out a low growl. "Last chance to get on my good side, you naïve little punk.  'Cause if you keep acting up like this, maybe I'll make it so that you never get back into the Wonderbolts."

Lightning Dust simply averted her gaze. "I think you should go," she said with a sniffle.

Wind Rider let out a huff. "Fine.  But next time you need a favor, don't come crying to me."

"She's asking a favor of you right now, Wind Rider," said Haymaker, pointing towards the door. "Vacate the premises."

Wind Rider snorted and gestured at Haymaker. "This isn't over."

With those last words, he flew off.  Haymaker sighed and shook his head.

"Not exactly how I wanted to end my day," he muttered.  He looked up at Lightning Dust. "You gonna be alright, kid?"

Lightning Dust hiccuped and let a few tears fall from her face. "I-I dunno," she whimpered. "I-I can't believe this.  My greatest hero is nothing but a b-bully.  I-I looked up to him."

"Lots of ponies did, kid," said Haymaker, guiding her to the ground. "But he's not that kind of pony anymore.  He'd rather cling to the past than forge a better future.  He'd rather keep all the glory for himself than inspire others to follow in his wing beats.  And worst of all, he doesn't have the guts to accept reality."  He then sighed. "Kinda like somepony else I know."

Lightning Dust looked up. "Wh-what?"

Haymaker sighed again. "I really want you to pay attention this time, kid.  'Cause if you keep obsessing over the Wonderbolts like you have been for all this time, you may very well end up like him."

Lightning Dust's lip quivered. "No.  No, I-I'm not a coward.  I-I would never do what he did."

"It's easy to say that now, but ponies can do dangerous things when they become desperate," said Haymaker darkly. "That's what happened to old Wind Rider.  He's so desperate to stay at the top and so afraid of being forgotten that he'll do anything and hurt anypony just to keep things the way they are.  The ironic thing is that by refusing to change, he only destroyed himself."  He gave Lightning Dust a sad look. "I think you're a better pony than that, kid.  And I certainly don't want that to happen to you.  That's why I stood up to him in the first place."

Lightning Dust sniffled. "B-but being a Wonderbolt is my dream," she squeaked. "I-I can't just give up on it.  Th-that would also make me a coward."

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, kid, but not all dreams come true," Haymaker said somberly, patting Lightning Dust on the shoulder. "Besides, there's no shame in throwing in the towel when it'll save your life."

"But, if I give up on being a Wonderbolt, what'll I do with the rest of my life?"

"I can't tell you that, kid.  You need to figure it out on your own."  Haymaker then smiled. "And I believe you can do that, Lightning Dust.  You're a smart pony with a good heart, even if your ego gets in the way sometimes."

For the longest time, Lightning Dust just sat in silence.  Her tears stained the gym mat beneath her while Haymaker stood right by her side.  Finally, she got up and dried her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, Haymaker," she said. "Th-this is just too much for me to think about.  I-I need to go home and really consider all this."

"Of course.  Take as much time as you need," said Haymaker with a nod. "And if you want somepony to talk to, well, you know where to find me."

Lightning nodded and walked towards the door.  She then stopped and turned her head. "Hey, old man?"

"What?"

Lightning smiled through her tears. "Thanks."

With that, she took off in a blur of lightning.  Haymaker breathed out a small laugh.

"You have to understand, kid.  I'm not the kind of pony who advocates blindly giving up on stuff just because it's hard or frustrating," he whispered to the empty air. "After all, I didn't give up on you, now did I?"