Ripslinger stared at his reflection in the mirror. In it he saw a green and black suited man with long black hair stare back at him. On the table near the mirror was a Glock. "Should I do it?", he mentally asked himself, "It's my fault that my career was ruined. Dusty, if you can hear me, I just want you to know that I'm sorry for trying to kill you." He slowly picked up the gun with his left hand and pointed the barrel at the side of his head. Then he pulled the trigger. CLICK! *GASP!* No bullet came out of that barrel. His whole body started shaking as he moved the gun away. Turning it over, he pushed the button on the handle and the clip fell out as a result. Rip looked at it and was shocked at what he found. "I forgot to load it. Perhaps some other time." His hand shook violently as he dropped the gun, causing it clatter onto the floor. Then he fainted.
Rip opened his eyes and found that he was in the hospital in one of the rooms. He was on a bed, and a white gown replaced his flight suit. Then he saw a group of reporters and photographers with cameras taking pictures of him through the window. Then they turned their cameras away from him, focusing on someone else. The door opened, revealing a very young man with slightly messy orange hair. He had a black, orange and white flight suit on his body, and blue eyes to match it. The man closed the blinds of the window. He took a chair, put it next to the bed, and sat down on it. A tear came out Rip's eye, acknowledging that the man was none other than Dusty Crophopper. "Why?", Dusty simply asked him. "Why what?", Rip asked back. Dusty replied, "Why did you try to kill yourself?" "You know why!", Rip snapped, trying to scare Dusty away. This, however, did not make Dusty even budge. "No, I do not know why.", Dusty said to him. "Don't play dumb with me!", Rip snapped again. Dusty said, "I'm not."
"Fine!", Rip snapped yet again, "I'll tell you why. I had it all. Friends, hot women, money, and fame. I was so stupid and arrogant. I don't want you to feel guilty, so I'll tell you this. You were right to screw it all up for me! I deserved it! And why am I still alive?!" Dusty replied sternly, "Because you have so much left to live for." "Like what?", Rip asked him, "I tried to kill you! How can I ever live with that? Ned and Zed are in prison because of me!" "That's why I'm trying to get them out of there.", Dusty explained, "The longer they are in prison, the greater chances they have of getting killed by radical inmates." Rip was stunned at what Dusty had just said to him. Dusty continued. "They were only doing your bidding. Listen, Rip. I don't care if you tried to kill me. I know there's good in you. I can see it. I understand that for many years you were ignored by society. I was bullied in school a lot. I knew that my plane was not built for racing. The only reason I didn't qualify was because Fonzarelli used nitromethane. But that's beside the point. Right now, I want to ask you something." Rip was curious, so he leaned closer to listen.
"Would you like to come to Propwash?" Rip's eyes widened. He'd never seen this coming. "Are you kidding?!", he asked Dusty, "After what I did to you?!" "Let me finish.", Dusty said, cutting him off. Rip shut his mouth and listened. "You're out of a job, Rip. My old boss needs another pilot for the fields." Rip was stunned even more. "You mean, you want me to-" "Yes, Rip. I want you to work as a crop duster. I want you to see why aerial application is very important. So what's it gonna be?" A few moments of silence fell between them. Then Rip finally said, "Okay. When do I start?" "A week after you get out of here.", Dusty informed him, "I want you to get to know the locals first. However, I'll make sure you and Skipper stay away from each other." Rip nodded. Dusty got up from the chair and walked to the door. As he was about to open it, Rip said something that Dusty never expected. "Thank you...Dusty." Dusty stopped and turned his head to look at his rival. He half-smiled at Rip, then opened the door and exited the room. As soon as that door closed, Rip immediately started to contemplate the life-changing decision he'd just made.