Lightning landed at the outer limits of Fort Trotterdale late into the night. As she touched down, Lightning yawned and shook her head to relieve some of her drowsiness. Spotting a building that still had a fair amount of it’s lights on, Lightning headed for it.
Walking through the door of the building, Lightning saw an earth pony guardsman seated behind a desk. As she walked up to the desk the grey stallion turned to her and nodded.
“Evening ma’am.”
Lightning returned the nod. “Could I sleep somewhere here for the night? I’ve got business with a sergeant Mayfly and I doubt she’d appreciate being woken up right now.” Lightning yawned again. “And I could use some rest after flying here from Manehatten.”
The guard nodded and walked out from behind his desk and started down a hall to the left. “Follow me.”
Walking a short distance down the hall the guard opened a door. “This is the barracks for the new recruits, but we won’t be getting any till next week. You’re free to use it for the night.”
Lightning nodded. “Thank you sir.”
The guard turned to leave and looked over his shoulder. “One more thing ma’am. We assemble at dawn around here so you’ll get about three hours of sleep.”
After the guard left, Lighting sighed and dropped into the first cot she came to. Rolling onto her stomach, Lightning closed her eyes and was asleep in seconds.
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Lightning felt no sooner than had she fallen asleep that she was woken by the morning revelry. The sound of the bugle echoed around the room and caused Lightning to pin her ears tightly against her head.
Rising from her burrowed cot, Lightning groaned in a mix of discomfort and annoyance. “What a wonderful way to start the day.” Gathering her saddlebags, Lightning left the building and began looking for someone who could tell her where Mayfly might be.
After an hour or so of aimless wandering, Lightning decided to ask one of the officers if they knew where Mayfly was. Walking into a building marked as the officers’ quarters, Lightning walked up to an earth pony mare doing some paperwork.
“Excuse me, I’m looking for Mayfly. Would you know where she is?”
The mare put down her quill and nodded. “Mayfly was deployed to the Griffonia, Equestrian boarder. There’s been some tension there and our commander felt that Mayfly could handle it best.”
Lightning arched a brow. “When will she be back?”
The mare shrugged. “I’m not sure. She’s been gone four days now and we’ve gotten no reports from her.”
Lightning sighed. “That’s just perfect. Where is she exactly from here?”
“If you go south from here you can reach where Mayfly is in a day. With an airship that is.”
Lightning shook her head. “And if I fly?”
The mare tapped her chin in thought. “If your wingpower is at least fifteen you could get there in two days. A day and a half if you don’t stop.” The mares eyes widened. “Wait, you’re not thinking of going there are you?”
Lightning nodded. “I need to talk to Mayfly and I don’t have time to wait for her to get back.”
As Lightning turned to leave the mare ran in front of her. “Are you crazy? If something’s happened and there’s trouble you could get hurt. Have you seen what a griffon can do to a pony? It’s not pretty.”
Lightning scoffed. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a changeling. And I was an accomplished siege drone. I can handle myself.”
Lightning walked past the mare and exited the building. As the door closed, Lightning turned south and leapt into the air. Gaining a good amount of altitude, she began flapping her wings as fast as she could.
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Hours later, Lightning’s flight muscles felt like they would tear themselves apart if she flew anymore. Panting as she exerted herself, Lightning descended and landed in a field below. After taking a few moments to catch her breath, Lightning exhaled heavily and tested her wings by fluttering them. Wincing as pain shot through the overworked limbs Lightning’s eyes narrowed and she began galloping as fast as she could in the direction she’d been flying in.
Lightning kept galloping even after the sun set and the moon rose into the sky. Her lungs bellowed faster and faster as Lightning pushed herself to keep running, one thought driving her forward: I need to do this. For Scootaloo.
Gritting her teeth, Lightning pushed through her growing fatigue and continued making her way to the Griffonia, Equestrian boarder.
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After near constant running and flying for hours, Lightning finally caught site of an airship in the distance. And under where the ship was anchored, tents spotted the area. Sighing in relief, Lightning made her way towards the camp. Once there, Lightning was approached by two guards.
Holding up their spears, one of the guards fixed Lightning with an intense glare. “Halt, and state your intentions!”
Lightning panted and held up her hooves. “Wait....I..I need....to talk to Mayfly.”
The guards arched a brow. “You mean the Captain? What business do you have with her?”
Lightning sat heavily. “Personal business.” She wiped her brow. “Could I get some water?”
The guards looked at eachother before shrugging and one of them walked away. The other lowered his spear and stepped closer to Lightning. “I’m afraid I’ll need more then that if you want to see Captain Mayfly.”
Lightning nodded. “It’s a medical emergency. I need to ask her some questions. It’s confidential so that’s all I can tell you.”
As she finished talking, the guard that had walked away returned with a waterskin. Taking it in her hooves, Lightning gulped down several large mouthfuls before setting the skin down and sighing happily.
“Thanks.”
The guard Lightning had spoken to nodded and inclined his head. “You’re welcome. Now follow me. I’ll take you to the Captain but you’ll be under our watch until she tells us otherwise.”
Lightning nodded and followed the two guards as they led her through the camp. Before long the guards had led Lightning to one of the larger tents and as they came to the door built into the tent frame one of the guards knocked.
“Ma’am, permission to enter.”
The door was opened and Lightning got her first face to face look at Mayfly. As Lightning tilted her head up to get a look at the pegasus, her mouth dropped slightly. Holy tartarus, she’s huge!
The pegasus mare towered over them by a good two heads and had a build that would put Big Mac to shame. Lowering her head, Mayfly eyed Lightning for a few seconds before nodding. “Let her in, and get back to your posts.”
One of the guards hesitated. “Ma’am, the changeling could be a threat. Are you sure you want to be alone with her?”
Mayfly scoffed. “I think I can handle myself, Private. Dismissed.”
Saluting, the guards marched away and Mayfly stepped to the side of the door. “Please, come in.”
Lightning nodded and walked into the tent. Inside were a few simple furnishings. A desk, a few small collapsible tables, a cot and three chairs. Mayfly walked passed Lightning and sat on one of the chairs. She motioned to the other empty seats. “Have a seat and tell me why a lone changeling would come all the way out here to find an old guard mare.”
Lightning sat and reached into her saddlebag, pulling out the page with Mayfly’s information. “You lived in Ponyville about twelve years ago right?”
Mayfly nodded. “I was stationed in that area and lived in the town. But why does that concern you?”
Lightning sighed. “I was wondering if you had a foal while you were there and left it at an orphanage.”
Mayfly’s brows shot up. “And why would you need to know that?”
“I adopted a filly, Scootaloo, and I’ve recently found out she has an illness that is passed from mother to foal. I wanted to know if you were her birth mother and if so what strain of the illness you had so scootaloo could get treatment.”
Mayfly nodded. “I see. I’m sorry to tell you but I never had a filly while I was in Ponyville.”
Lightning slumped in her chair. “Great.”
“However.”
Lightning’s head shot up as Mayfly continued. “My sister did.”
Lightning tilted her head. “Sister? But I wasn’t able to find any other records of ponies that matched the timeline for Scootaloo being left at the orphanage.”
Mayfly nodded. “And you wouldn’t have. My sister is part of the Solaris task force. An organization started by Celestia. I can’t say any more than that.”
Lightning leant forward. “What? But if she was scootaloo’s mother I need to know where she is.”
Mayfly sighed and shrugged. “Sorry. The members of Solaris are secretive. They’re the princesses eyes and ears in Equestria and other places. All I know is that while was in Ponyville I met with my sister and she’d told me she’d had a foal. I don’t know anything else.”
Lightning groaned in frustration. “Perfect. Can’t something in my life ever be simple? Just once?”
Mayfly chuckled. “If life were simple there wouldn’t be a need for ponies like us who go to the lengths we do to keep our lives.”
Lightning sighed but smiled. “I guess.” She shook her head. “Anyway, I need to get going. I’ve got to get back into Ponyville in twelve hours if I want to get back in time to work.”
Mayfly arched a brow. “Did you fly here?”
Lightning nodded. “Flew and ran when my wings got tired.”
Mayfly stared at Lightning incredulously. “How are you still standing?”
Lightning laughed. “Force of will mostly. I’m nearly out of energy.”
Mayfly shook her head in amazement. “I wish more of my troops had the dedication you do. I wish you the best of luck in trying to find my sister.”
Lightning nodded and exited the tent, making her way through the camp again. Once she was at the edge of the camp, Lightning pulled out her map and found that if she headed northwest she’d be in Ponyville in a day. If she went at a fairly fast pace. Sighing at the task ahead of her Lightning put the map back in her saddlebag and started her way back home.