The Washout Program (2e)

by AzuraKeres

Chapter 4

"Trixie, do you think I made the right choice when I let the two do this?" Starlight asked her friend and employee, Trixie. "I mean, daredevil is a really dangerous profession regardless of the precautions you make, isn't it?"

"Trixie thinks you should relax," Trixie laid a hoof on her friends back. "You've already done your best picking out the right pony to keep that reckless mare in line. It'll be fine."

"You're right. I guess all I can do now is hope that it works out," Starlight sighed as she and Trixie viewed the large field from the bleachers.

A large crowd had assembled in an open field of Vanhoover for the Washouts’ return on their tour. Starlight wasn't the one performing, but she could feel a swarm of butterflies already fluttering in her stomach. She hoped that her students didn't have it as bad.

The show began with Lightning standing before the crowd to welcome the ponies and creatures that came out for them. She briefly mentioned the absence of her regular crewmates and then hinted on the debut of ‘new bloods’ of Washouts. Not exactly the word Starlight would prefer, but then again this isn't her show.

The performance began with the pair of students, who garnered in their personal Washout uniform, that Starlight was anxiously observing. She could only imagine the wild things Lightning would have them do. She felt she had to come down there and save them, but Trixie held her hoof and other her back to her seat.

"Hold on Starlight," Trixie urged. "Just give them a chance. This is their big moment.."

One of the students that Starlight immediately recognized as Gallus began with hurdles around hoops that were set across the field in the oddest fashion. Never had Starlight seen a griffon fly so smoothly across the air and connect through hoops that required flexible maneuvers. It almost looked like he was dancing. But then Starlight's assurance was immediately squandered when she noticed five hoops suddenly cast on fire.

Smolder had pushed a cannon before the hoops and then Gallus descended inside it. Smolder took off a helmet that she and Gallus were wearing and lit the fuse of the cannon with her breath.

"Is he crazy," Starlight voiced. "He's going to catch himself on fire."

"What do you mean," Trixie said. "You see Trixie do this all the time."

The cannon exploded Gallus away and he soared through the flaming hoops swiftly and carried its flame to the sky. The crowd awed at Gallus’s sprawl amongst the sky as the flames coated around him and gave him the appearance of a phoenix.

When the flames dissipated, the crowd applauded the griffon's performance as he took his bow to the ground.

"How did he do that," Starlight wondered.

"Trixie must admit that was a very impressive feat," she commented. "Though Trixie would've gone for more colors."

The show continued with various tricks being performed by Smolder, and gradually Trixie noticed how riled Starlight was becoming. She never thought there was a secret soccer mom in her friend as Starlight began to loudly cheer for her students.

Smolder's last performance involved the setup of a long pool that extended to the end of the performance field as she hopped inside a cannon. When she was shot out by the lit of the fuse, a large blue aura surrounded the dragon as she swerved around the ends of the pool. The aura created a large wave amongst the waters that quickly became frozen solid. The wave extended high above the creature’s bleachers as Smolder left behind a frozen sculpture of wild waves.

Starlight bellowed loudly along with the other creatures as Trixie tapped her chin and gazed analytically at the ice.

---

The performance ended with banger as the creatures left the field loudly voicing their amazement of the show. Starlight and Trixie diverged themselves from the crowd to enter a tent that was set afar from the performance field.

“You guys were amazing,” Starlight voiced at the four creatures that were in the tent.

“Headmare Starlight,” Smolder and Gallus approached their principal as Trixie joined inside.

“Here to have their autographs,” Lightning voiced.

“I’m just happy that they’re enjoying themselves and are safe,” Starlight responded.

“Yeah,” Lightning sighed. “Well, you guys can go ahead and catch up. I’m gonna get some shut-eye.”

“Right now?” Gallus questioned. “Aren’t we supposed to be selling merch and giving autographs right about now?”

“Spitfire’s the supervisor,” Lightning said. “I’m sure she can do it.”

“Really?” Spitfire voiced and then sighed. “Fine, guess I’ll do my fair share then.”

“I'll give a hand,” Smolder offered as Lightning exited the tent.

---

Lightning headed into her personal tent and tossed the helmet she was caring off to the ground as she planted her face upon a desk. The show went great. Every creature loved it and now the tour is sure to have a resurging comeback into their tour.

“That was terrible,” Lightning grumbled. “Why the heck do they still have those crutches on? It’s ruining the whole point of the trick.”

Lighting groaned and then picked out a blueprint from a chest. She laid it upon the desk and then said, “Since Spitfire wants to be a pansy about safety, I’m just going to have to do something big to make up for it. Yeah, this’ll definitely work. Just gotta work out the quirks to make it perfect.”

Lightning began the scribble upon the blueprint as Gallus peered through the tent from behind her view. He ducked out and then gritted his teeth. “Not dangerous enough huh?” Gallus mumbled. “But maybe if I do that thing she has there, then she’ll have no choice but to see me as a real Washout.”

Comments

[Scyphi]

"What do you mean," Trixie said. "You see Trixie do this all the time."

Oh yes, I'm sure Trixie sets herself on fire doing her tricks all the time.

[Scholarly-Cimmerian]

"Is he crazy," Starlight voiced. "He's going to catch himself on fire."

"What do you mean," Trixie said. "You see Trixie do this all the time."

Again, I'd advise different punctuation here. Starlight's supposed to be stressed, yet the punctuation doesn't suggest any of that intensity as compared to something like "Is he crazy!?" and "He's going to catch on fire!"

Lightning headed into her personal tent and tossed the helmet she was caring off to the ground as she planted her face upon a desk. The show went great. Every creature loved it and now the tour is sure to have a resurging comeback into their tour.

That should be *carrying*

Still, this was fun seeing them do the show.

[Yoshifan30]

Oh boy I just hope Gallus Doesn't Get hurt over this I know hes trying to impress her but I really hope he doesn't get hurt