Old Pains, New Friends

by PrincessStarlightGlimmer

Discovery Upon Return

Later that day, Twilight and Spike had returned home from Canterlot. Twilight knocked on the door and shouted "Starlight, we're home." There was no response. They trotted into the castle, and Twilight kept calling for Starlight with no response. After trotting by one of the guest rooms, Twilight heard a loud sneeze.

When she opened the door, Twilight and Spike had surprised expressions on their faces. They saw Starlight sick in bed with a turquoise pegasus mare laying beside her and used tissues scattered all over the bed with a tissue box in front of the two ponies. "Welcome home, Twilight.", Starlight said before she blew her nose noisily.

The purple alicorn princess smiled and said, "You certainly had an interesting weekend." "I made a new friend. *sniff* Her name is Lightning Dust." Starlight replied in a congested-sounding voice.

"Spike, can you make some soup for Starlight and...Lightning Dust, here." The purple dragon saluted and left the room.

"So, how did you two meet?", Twilight asked. Starlight replied, "Lightning Dust was pretty drunk last night. I'm sure you're aware of that huge storm they scheduled for last night." Twilight nodded, and Starlight continued. "Anyway, she was in no condition to fly in that kind of weather, so I let her sleep it off here. *sniff* After she woke up, we talked for a bit and found out that we have a few things in common."

"Hmm.", said Twilight. "Normally, I wouldn't condone you bringing a random drunkard off the streets into the castle, but I understand that a pony in her condition shouldn't fly in that kind of weather, so I'll allow it this time. However, I don't want you making a habit of this." "I understand, Twilight. Thank you.", Starlight said, then blew her nose again.

Spike walked in with two bowls of soup. "Here you go.", he said as he handed then to the two sick ponies, and they began to eat it. "Great job, Spike.", said Twilight. "Now I'm gonna need you to bring a trashcan for all these tissues."

When Spike left the room again, Twilight looked to Lightning Dust and said, "Something about you seems familiar. Something about your name and your face rings a bell, but I can't seem to put my hoof on it." "Ya know, said Lightning Dust, her voice sounding as congested as Starlight's. "You seem familiar to me too." "I am a princess.", Twilight said. "You may have just seen a picture of my on a sign or in the paper." Lightning Dust then answered, "No." *sniff* Even when I see you on a sign something seems familiar."

Spike then returned to the room with a trashcan. Twilight levitated all the used tissues on the bed into the trashcan. Twilight then asked "Hey Spike, do you recognize Lightning Dust at all?" Spike scratched his chin and said. "Hmm. I think she might be that reckless mare that Rainbow Dash met who nearly killed you your other friends at the Wonderbolt Academy."

"Yeah.", said Lightning Dust. "I'm sorry about that. I wasn't expecting a bunch of random ponies showing up in Academy skies when we were doing the cloud busting drill." "It's okay.", said Twilight. "Starlight, here almost wiped out Equestria without knowing it." "Yeah, She told me.", replied Lightning Dust.

"ah-choo.", she sneezed. This was quickly followed by a sneeze from Starlight. The two mares blew their noses and threw their tissues in the trashcan.

"Bless you two.", said Twilight. "I'm kinda surprised that you didn't take this worse.", Starlight said, wiping her nose with another tissue.

"Don't worry.", replied Twilight. "I learned my lesson from last time. I now trust you to make your own friends. Besides, it's not like this one was actually evil or anything, right?"

Starlight's face bore an expression of anger and annoyance. She simply threw her balled up tissue in Twilight's general direction. Twilight dodged the tissue and said, "Sorry.", as she levitated it into the trashcan with the others.

"But, I do respect your right to make your own friends, and I won't even tell Rainbow Dash about this." Starlight hadn't thought of that before. Should she keep her friendship with Lightning Dust a secret from Rainbow Dash?

It probably would be a good idea for Starlight to tell Rainbow Dash about this. That way, she could help the two mares work out whatever problems they may have still had with one another. Besides, it would probably be better for Starlight to tell Rainbow Dash of her friendship with Lightning Dust, rather than have Rainbow just see them hang out.

"Thanks, Princess Twilight. I dunno if I can confront Rainbow Dash right now, Lightning Dust said before blowing her nose. "Actually, Starlight said. "Maybe we should tell her once we get better. That way we can clear the air much faster, you know. "I suppose you could be right.", Lightning Dust said before she grabbed another tissue and wiped her nose.

---

After Starlight and Lightning Dust had finally gotten over their colds, they had decided to tell Rainbow Dash about their friendship. "Are you ready for this?", Starlight asked. "As you said, it's better to get this over with now.", replied Lightning Dust. Starlight then said, "Alright. I'll head up first."

The cyan-coated, prismatic-maned mare in question was relaxing on a cloud in the sky above Ponyville. "Starlight levitated herself up to the pegasus on the cloud.

"Oh, hey, Starlight.", said Rainbow Dash. "What's up?" Starlight then replied, "I made a new friend." "That's awesome, Rainbow Dash said. "Who is it?" "It's somepony I think you already know pretty well.", Starlight said somewhat nervously.Then, Lightning Dust flew up to the two other ponies. "Hey, Rainbow Dash. Long time, no see.", she said.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!", screamed Rainbow Dash, as she fell off of the cloud and quickly got back on. "Lightning Dust?!", she asked. "Why are you friends with Lightning Dust?! She almost killed my friends!"

Then, Starlight remarked, "Yet, you're friends with a pony that almost destroyed Equestria?" Lightning Dust then said, "Look, Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry for everything that happened back at the academ..." She was then cut off by Rainbow Dash. "I don't wanna hear it!", she shouted. "I'm telling Twilight about this right now!" Then, Rainbow Dash flew off as fast as she could towards the castle.

Author's Note:

As it turned out, I managed to fit Rainbow Dash's reaction to Starlight's friendship with Lightning Dust into this chapter.
While the storyline may not be complete, I decided to end this particular story here, since I feel that the rest of this storyline would be better in a story centered around Rainbow Dash, but I would rather keep this particular story centered around Starlight Glimmer and Lightning Dust, so please expect a sequel to come out.