Lighting Can Strike Twice

by Lightning_Colt

Chapter 9: Requiem for a Rainbow

As I approached the light, new smells and sounds were emerging. I could smell smoke but it wasn't from a coal fire, it smelt like it was from wood, and I could hear a low roaring sound, not like an animal but like some unstoppable force. The path curved the left a bit and then opened out and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A town engulfed in flames. I walked down the burning streets, how did this happen? Looking around seeing book stores with burning shelves in the windows and burning ponyequins in boutique fronts. A scream pierced through the rumbling sound of the sheer volume of fire and I dashed to the voice's source. And sprinted past burning mail boxes and flowerbeds when I spotted a tree, it looked familiar but I couldn't place it. The scream echoed out again, it seemed to be coming from the tree. Studying it closer I saw a door and the right hand side and barged through forcefully.

It was almost impossible to breathe in the tree, the smoke was so thick I could have cut it like butter, it seemed to have the same consistency as it entered my lung s and left me coughing and spluttering for cleaner air. I looked around to find the owner of the scream as I moved from what looked like an entrance hall into a main library. The walls of the library were dancing with red hot flames, the books acting as kindling for the blaze. I noticed some stairs and blearily climbed up them, my vision was starting to blur from the lack of clean air but I pressed on. I rounded the corner at the top of the stairs and saw what looked like a balcony, "Oh goody" I spluttered as I made my way out of the double doors and breathed in cool, clean air. Another scream. Louder, scarier this time, I turn to my right and see a purple unicorn "Twilight?" I ask.

"Why did you do this?!" she screamed at me.

"What? I didn't do anything!" I defended, honestly having no idea what was going on.

"How could you side with him!?" Twilight demanded, tears welling up in her eyes and running down her cheeks.

"Who?" I questioned.

All Twilight could manage to do was lift a hoof and point towards the sky, before she passed out and fell off the balcony. I turned to see what Twilight pointed at only to see a weird snake/dragon thing flying away and laughing malevolently when I heard a deep but slightly menacing voice said "Soon Lightning, very soon all will come to light...ning " It chuckled after the last remark as fiery branches above me snapped and crushed me.

"Aaaaaaahh!" I shouted as I bolted upright. I was breathing heavily and covered in a cold sweat. Staring down at the ground and then looking around to take in my surroundings. I was still on the ridge in the middle of the orchard. I could make out the tops of the apple trees in the light of the full moon which was making its way slowly down towards the horizon. I sighed a short breath of relief, only a dream, but how come I keep having these dreams of death and destruction? I didn't like them, but I didn’t like the idea of my friends finding out. A branch snapped on the other side of the tree I was leaning on and my sense snapped to attention. I bolted into a standing position and held my hooves in a make shift kung fu pose.

"S-stay back!" I shouted nervously, "I-I know k-kung fu!"

"No you don't". Replied a voice in an arrogant tone. A dark figure came around the tree and into the moonlight and I noticed the cyan coat and a flash of rainbow behind the head. "Oh, Rainbow" I said lowering my hooves into a more comfortable standing position.

"Hey Light" Rainbow replied "How ya doing?" she asked as she sat down in the moonlight. I walked over and plonked myself next to her.

"Oh, I'm… fine" I said before realising how lame it sounded.

"Really?" She asked "didn't sound like you were fine" Rainbow commented.
"Oh, you heard that huh?" I asked.

She nodded and I sighed.
"It was… a bad dream, and it's not the first." I said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, inquisitive eyes staring at me in the moonlight.

"Well, I've had several bad dreams since running into twilight in Canterlot and coming here to Ponyville. All of them have been horrible and scary."

"What do you mean?" Rainbow wondered

I looked at her with a serious face. "Are you sure you want to know? I asked.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"All right then", I sighed, "I'll start from the beginning".

Rainbow was extremely quiet while I was explaining everything to her. She started to become teary eyed when I got to my parents death and when I broke down in the Canterlot castle sculpture garden. But she stayed quiet and patient until I finished explaining my most recent nightmare.
"Wow" Rainbow uttered. "You've been through a lot haven't you?"

"Yeah, but that still doesn't change how badly I treated you, Rainbow" I said, looking deep into her magenta eyes. "I'm so sorry I shouted at you. I shouldn't have done it. I was wrong. I cannot forgive myself for what I did. And I don't expect you to either. Tears welled in my eyes as the guilt rose from the depths of my heart.

"Lightning I-…"

"No Rainbow! There's nothing I can do to redeem myself!" I said loudly, turning my back to her.

"Yes there is". She said quietly.

"What? How?!" I replied desperately.

"Just sit there and listen." She began, "Five years ago me and my parents were flying home from a Wonderbolts air show. We were almost home when we flew right into a thunderstorm. My parents were cool about it but I wasn't, I’d never flown in one before we always avoided them. I was flying around panicking and somehow I left my parents behind. They tried to catch up but before they could gather speed my Dad was hit by lightning, and because my Mom was close by the lightning arced over and hit her before it bolted to the ground. All I could do was watch their lifeless bodies tumble down and hit the ground. I sat with their bodies until the storm let up and then I buried them where they landed. Since then I make trips to their graves on the anniversary, but since I met you I went every other week, I didn't want the others to know so I lied and that I was going to conventions. I'm not angry at you for shouting at me. You had every right to do so, you were angry. But…" She turned and stared me dead in the eyes "I fully understand what it feels like to see parents die right in front of you, so don't you ever think that I don't. YA GOT THAT?!" she yelled.

"Oh Rainbow" was all I could muster to say, the full force of what the mare explained stunting my vocabulary. The only way I could convey my sympathies was in a big, teary hug. She hugged me back and whispered in my ear "Apology accepted."

A couple of minutes had passed before we broke off the hug. The sun had peeked over the horizon making the whole sky a brilliant orange. The warm beams of light felt refreshing as they hit my face, lighting up my face and my heart.
"I suppose I'd better see Twilight, She's probably rushing all over Ponyville wondering where I am" I said with a small grin on my face
"Yeah", said Rainbow. "Let's go" as she walked down the ridge and away from the sunrise.

We made our way into Ponyville and it seemed to be the normal hustle and bustle of a market day. Ponies left, right and centre were selling various fruits of their labours. "Where does Twilight live?" I asked Rainbow, who had cheered up a bit. I liked to see her happy, I don't know why but I was happy to see that she's happy. "Oh, she lives at the library with spike" she giggled, her mane shaking.

"What's so funny?" I ask completely puzzled at her attitude.

"Well… she's, an egghead! Isn't it funny that a really smart pony like her is living in a library?" She said looking at me as though it were obvious.

"I guess…" I replied, not really seeing the funny side of her comment as we continued towards the library in awkward silence.

When we got to the library I was surprised by what I saw, I didn't realise the library was in a tree. I stood there, temporarily stunned before realising that I had seen this tree/building in my dream. I don't know why I'm surprised to see this building since I've seen it before. But also how could I see this in a dream if I've never seen it before? Thinking this sent chills down my spine and give an involuntary shudder. Rainbow didn't seem to notice as she burst through the small doors at the base of the tree and I followed suit.

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[Enceledus]

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[Lightning_Colt]

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in time my dear jamaca in time, every thing will come to light

[Enceledus]

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