//------------------------------// // Two // Story: Blue and Black Wings // by MDNGHTRDHTLN //------------------------------// “It’s coming down pretty hard, huh?” Rainbow asked to no one in particular. She sighed. I know, I know...why ask the question when there’s no one to answer you?, she thought to herself. Come to think of it, I’ve always been kinda alone. Have I? I mean, I have the girls...but I still feel...empty, y’know? She sighed again. That’s right, Rainbow. Just keep talking to yourself. There was a loud crack of thunder and a brilliant blue-white bolt of lightning. “Gah!” someone shouted, probably in pain. The voice definitely came from outside, and was masculine. Rainbow, intrigued, rushed to her window. She saw a black pegasus with a white mane flying around, trying to buck some clouds during the storm. Thunderlane, she thought to herself. She bolted to her front door. Putting her hoof on the knob, she turned it clockwise and pulled towards her. "Thunderlane?" she called out to him. "Thunderlane! What're you doing bucking clouds in the middle of a storm?" "Rainbow Dash?" he responded, taking a temporary break from his work. "Hey, it's...uh, it's been a while, huh?" "Yeah, it has! Come on, it's dangerous out there! Come inside." "I don't want to impose..." "It's not imposing if I invite you in! Now, come on!" "Um...okay, then." He propelled himself towards the house. Another bolt of lightning crashed through the sky, and Thunderlane yelped, trying to avoid it. Once he was safely inside, he started to pant. Rainbow could see his breath. “You okay, Thunderlane? Want me to get you a towel? Something to eat or drink, maybe?” “A towel’d be great. Do you have any wine?” “You’re a wine guy, huh?” He blushed. “Yeah.” Rainbow chuckled. “It’s cool. I am, too.” She walked up to her bathroom to get him a towel. She returned with a blue towel, with her cutie mark stitched onto it. She also poured Thunderlane and herself a glass of Marelot wine. When she returned with the wine draped over her back and the wine tucked beneath her wings, Thunderlane graciously took both. After he dried himself off, he sat down on Rainbow’s cloud couch and sipped his wine. “This is some pretty good Marelot, Dash.” “I know, right? I bought it when I took a trip to Canterlot with the girls.” “The girls? Oh, the other Elements of Harmony, right?” “Yeah. You ever met them?” “Um...I know Fluttershy and you, of course. I caught Rarity from falling once, I think...and the others are Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Princess Twilight Sparkle, right?” “Yep.” “Yeah, I’ve never actually met the others. Rarity and I exchanged a few greetings, but that was it.” “She’s pretty cool. I’ll introduce you to them. So, uh...it’s been a while.” “Yeah. Ever since you got me kicked out of military school, I haven’t seen you.” Military school. Thunderlane hated it there. The drill sergeants were pricks, the food was terrible, and the living conditions were sub-standard. It actually violated many Equestrian Health Services laws and regulations, but, being a government body, it was allowed to make life hell for the recruits. One day, Rainbow came to visit. “Hey, Thundie,” she had said. “Oh, hey, Dash,” he returned, folding his clothes. “How’ve you been holding up?” “Pretty well. You?” “If I said anything other than that I love it here, then I might be lynched,” he said, turning to her. She laughed. “Good to see you’re doing well.” She moved closer. “Hey, about what happened at flight school graduation...I’m...sorry.” “For what?” “For making it seem like...y’know, we could keep doing it.” “It’s okay.” He turned back to his clothes. She turned him back towards her. “It’s not. I feel bad.” “Don’t feel bad. You didn’t do anything wrong.” “I led you on! I mean, you know I love you, but...I don’t know if I love you like that! I mean...you know what growing up was like for me. My parents probably robbed me of all of my emotions.” “No, they didn’t.” “How do you know?” “Because you came here,” he said, and pressed his lips against hers. The kiss came as a surprise to Dash first, but she settled into it quickly, throwing her hooves around Thunderlane’s neck. As the kiss grew more and more passionate, Rainbow Dash felt more and more right. She pulled away for a second. “Are you sure about...this? Y’know...can there be an us?” “Of course.” “So, we, uh...gonna do what we did at flight school graduation?” “Well, we can’t lose our virginities again.” She laughed. “You know what I mean.” “I do,” he said, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He flew them over to the bed and began planting small kisses on her neck, and eventually moved on to doing what they did at flight school graduation. “Thunderlane?” a female voice asked. Thunderlane looked over his shoulder, only to see his mother and father standing in the doorway. “Yeah...while my parents and I had our argument over that, an instructor heard, and...well, you know the rest,” Thunderlane explained. “I do. I never heard from you, again, though. What was up with that?” “Well, after I was kicked out, my parents lost their rights as Rumble’s legal guardians. I got custody, and I spent the next couple of years trying to find the right place to raise him. He’s adjusted pretty well to them being gone. I think he was as fed up with them as I was.” “How’d they lose their rights?” “Well, my father had hit me. The same instructor saw. He was actually my favorite. He was the weapon handling instructor.” “You use the word instructor a lot.” “That’s what they were called. Not teachers, not educators, not professors. Instructors. Anyways, he had an investigation opened into my parents and found everything out.” “Everything?” “Everything.” “Wow. I mean, I knew what was going on...I always felt kinda bad for not saying anything, but I didn’t know where to go. Most, if not all, of the police force was corrupt and screwing my mom...I mean, who else was I supposed to go to? My dad? He’d have beat me for being a snitch!” “You didn’t do anything wrong, okay? My brother and I were neglected. I raised my brother, and he’s growing up to be an awesome guy. You did nothing wrong. Okay?” “Okay. Now, you tell me something.” “Yeah?” “What the hell were you doing out there?” she cried, motioning outside, where the storm was still raging. “I heard you scream! Did you get struck by a lightning bolt?” “Only a small one...and it only nicked my side…” Rainbow Dash noticed the small patch of singed coat on his side. “Celestia, Thunder! Why were you out there?” “I needed money.” “What?” Thunderlane’s voice started to shake. “I had to buck some clouds for extra money...because I just lost my other job. I need to pay bills, send my brother to school, and buy food! I can’t...I can’t do it alone!” He put his head in his hooves and started to cry, his body shaking with every sob. “I...I can’t. I might have to go take out a loan, but then how am I supposed to pay them back?” Rainbow Dash felt sorry for him. He had to support himself and his brother alone. Nopony should have to do that alone. What Rainbow Dash did next might make Rarity jealous. “You won’t have to take a loan.” “Why n-not?” “Because you and Rumble can stay here. With me.” “What? No, no, no! I mean, I really appreciate the offer, but...I mean, can you really afford two more people living here?” “Thunderlane, my house is huge. Scootaloo and I live here. No one else.” “But…” “What?” “Rumble can’t really fly that high.” “I’ve seen him fly!” “I mean, he can fly, but...all the neglect? He never got any nutrients as a foal. His wings haven’t developed properly.” “Oh, Luna, Thunderlane, I didn’t...I didn’t know.” “It’s okay. You couldn’t have known.” “Well, then...I’ll sell the cloud house.” “What!? Dash, I could never ask you to-” “Don’t, Thunderlane. I actually have been planning on selling it, anyways. It’s hard for Scootaloo to get up here, too.” “Well...I…” He sighed. “Fine. But you and Scootaloo are gonna move in with Rumble and I.” “Deal.” Rainbow moved in to hug Thunderlane. Thunderlane reciprocated. “Don’t worry, Thunderlane. It’ll all be okay,” Rainbow said. “It’ll be okay. It always is.”