The Washout Program (2e)

by AzuraKeres

Chapter 6

“Thank you for showing me around,” Luster Dawn thanked Headmare Starlight as the two strode through the halls of the friendship school. “I know you must be busy, given your role as Headmare.”

“Not at all,” Starlight assured. “I’m happy to be of help to all of my students. You’ll have a lot to learn about friendship, so I think it’s important that you get your bearings around the school grounds.”

“I promise that I’ll do my very best,” Luster said. “By the end of this semester, I’ll be one of your top students.”

“I do like that motivation in you, but as long as you pace yourself and enjoy yourself, then that’s all that matters to me. I think there's a pony here that can teach you all about that.”

“Like whom?”

---

Starlight took Luster Dawn to the school field where a group of students had gathered. Luster perked her eyes at individual students that hopped into a cannon that was pointed at hoops that suddenly cast on fire.

“What are they doing?” Luster asked.

“This is our stunt team,” Starlight said. “Creatures get to perform all sorts of feats with guidance from a very renowned performer in the past. Does Lightning Dust ring a bell?”

“You mean the leader of the Washouts? My parents talk a lot about them. Wait, she works here?”

“She sure does,” Starlight confirmed. “As our P.E. instructor and coach of numerous sports we run here. All with the help of her assistant, Smolder.”

“You,” the two heard a voice shout. It was Lightning, who flew before a cannon and confronted a griffon that was inside. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m about to do the stunt coach?” The griffon inside responded.

“I don’t see a soak of water on you. Get out of there.”

“But I can do it, coach,” the griffon argued. “Just watch me.”

“I am not watching nothin. You think I want to see a roasted griffon because he didn’t have the time to get the whole trick down before doing it for real? You want that on my conscience?”

“No ma’am,” the griffon faltered.

Smolder descended behind the cannon and leaned it down for the griffon to fall out. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to show off to your friends.”

“I’m sorry, okay,” the griffon said. “I’ll dunk some water on me.”

“I want you in my office after this,” Lighting told the griffon. “We’re still going to have to talk about this.”

“Oh, come on,” the griffon complained.

“She’s a very serious pony,” Luster commented. “Isn’t she?”

“Only because she cares about her students,” Starlight said. “She has pride in their potential, but she won’t let them go beyond what they are capable of. She wants them to succeed, but she wants them to be as safe as possible while doing so.”

---

Lightning had entered her office after concluding the practice session with her students. She’s had another to attend to in two hours, but she thinks she may be late after she gives talking to that reckless griffon. Thankfully, she has Smolder to take over for her.

She heard a knock on her office. “You can come in,” Lightning answered.

The door had opened. She had expected to see an anxious griffon that would be scared if he were being dropped from the team, but instead, she was visited by a rare guest. “Rainbow Dash?”

“Hey,” Rainbow said. “Thought I come by to see what you’re up to.”

“Well, take a seat already.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Rainbow sat before Lightning’s desk. “So, how’s being a coach of a thousand sports treating you?”

“It’s not like I’m doing a lot,” Lightning said. “I got Smolder running like a fraction of them on her own. You know she wants her team to win the big leagues in the Equestria Games?”

“Why wouldn’t she?” Rainbow shrugged. “You've practically had an endless winning streak. I bet she just wants to make you proud.”

“That idiot has nothing to prove to me. I already think she’s one of the best in my book. Still, I’ll cheer her on.”

“Good to see you’re enjoying yourself.”

“Why? Because you thought I would hate it since I’m just a replacement for your old job?”

“What!? N-no…Okay, kinda.”

“Well I did at first if I’m being honest. But I think I’ve made this job my own.”

“I’m sure Spitfire is proud.”

“You say that as if she died,” Lightning said. “Aren’t we meeting up with her at Las Pegasus later this month?”

“Heck yes, we are. It’s about time the Gold Horseshoe Gals reunited.”

“I still don’t like the name,” Lightning commented.

“Eh,” Rainbow shrugged. “Take it with our founders.”

“So,” Lightning said. “How about you? Has being the captain of the Wonderbolt been going nicely?”

“Yeah, about the same as you feel about your job.”

“Heh, it’s weird that we ended up becoming the same in a way, you know. You’d ever figure us to be teaching ponies?”

“Doesn’t really feel unreal anymore? It just feels right to me.”

“I get ya...So, what’s up with you and Applejack?”

“Oh, come on, not you too!”

Comments

[Scholarly-Cimmerian]

That last line made me laugh. XD

[Yoshifan30]

That would have been an awesome redemption story of lightning in the show to see her work at the school after knowing about the safety of everybody's And how much she cares about her team mates

[Yoshifan30]

Over all I think this was a pretty good redemption story of lightning dust having Her to understand about the safety of her teammates and friends And becoming a teacher of the Friendship of school so good job on it