The Legend of Lightning Ace: Childhood

by LightningAce7

Summer Flight Camp part 1

Lightning finally had the strength to get out of bed and preen himself as he still was distraught over what had happend. He had told himself to move on, but he knew things would never be the same. For the sake of his mother Sky Breeze he decided to try to believe that perhaps his father wasn't gone and would one day return. It was a happy thought, though somewhat hollow concidering what he saw. Lightning did have one other thing to remember him by, his study. Thunder had told him about the Thunderstorm Tribe, and their link to the Elements of Harmony. About how they could control weather without clouds. Like gods. It all sounded far fetched to Lightning, but two things kept bugging him. The first thing was what had happened in Old Canterlot in the Everfree Forest. How he felt some sort of connection to the strange statue. Especially how he felt the pressence of not only his friend Rainbow Dash, but four complete strangers as well. He also felt a really strong connection to one in particular, but he couldn't put his hoof on it. It also felt like something, or somepony was missing. Like it was hidden. He needed answers.

So Lightning headed to Thunder's private study, to read The Elements of Harmony, hoping it might hold the key to his mystery. He entered the dusty room and flew up to the bookshelf that the book he was looking for sat on. He struggled to get it down and managed to get the heavy tome onto the table. He studied the book for hours as it pratically led him in circles. By the end of the book he really only learned that there was something called "the spark" and a redirect to "Mare in the Moon". He decided that he would go to canterlot after Flight Camp and before school to read it. He would solve this mystery for dad. To finish what he started. "Lightning! Your going to be late for Camp!" came his mom's voice from down the hall.

"Coming!" Lightning yelled back. He closed the tome and carefully put it back. Before leaving the room he looked back into it. In the study, he felt almost like Thunder was still there. He closed the door and flew down the stairs and past Sky. "Bye Mom! I'll write!" All Sky could manage was a wave, as Lightning was already out of earshot.

It was an average day in Cloudsdale, generally clear sky, little to no wind, warm, a typical day. Lightning met Derpy and Rainbow Dash halfway, then they flew the rest of the way together. "You ready for a summer of awsomeness?" Rainbow said.

"You know it Rainbow!" Lightning chirped cheerfully.

"What's with the large bag?" Rainbow asked.

"I...I'm not going back home after camp." Lightning said.

"Why?" Derpy asked, a confused look on her face.

"I...I just can't. I need to..to think. I don't know. My Dad was trying to solve something and I feel like I need to finish what he started. A book in Canterlot might hold the key." Lightning explained. "I'm doing it for him."

"Well more power to you Lightning."Rainbow said. "Look! We're almost there!" She said, pointing a hoof towards the Flight Camp itself. As the three of them passed over a ridge of cloud the camp started to come into view. It's dominant feature, the runways, were sitting on a large cloud surrounded by several smaller clouds that had biuldings and.small take off platforms. At several points around the camp were small cloud rings positioned at various points that formed a course of sorts. As they got closer more details came into view. Lightning could make out the start line, complete with bleachers and flags. Around the main runway were a few large biuldings with a few tall flag polls with large red flags. As they started the final approach, they were greeted by a rep from the camp. She was a slender mare that wore a hat bearing the logo of Summer Flight Camp. She had a clipboard in one hoof and a pencil in the other.

"And you three must be the last of the newcomers!" She said excitedly. "Welcome to Summer Flight Camp! If you'll follow me I'll take you to the others. They should be on the runway now waiting for the opening orentation." She then led them down to the others who had already gathered on the runway itself. The four of them landed on the hard road like surface as the mare trotted over to the coach. The coach was a tall and strongly biult stallion that sported a coaches hat and whistle. His cutie mark was a checkered flag, indicating that he may have been into racing before he was a flight camp coach. His coat was light grey and his short mane and tail were dark grey. His eyes were a light yellow. He trotted up and down the crowd of foals before him, essencially sizing them up. He made his way to a spot were he could see them all and turned to face them.

"Welcome everypony to Summer Flight Camp!" The Coach said. "I am Coach Steel Wings, but you can call me Coach Steel!" The crowd looked eager to start as he looked upon them. He knew it would be a long summer.

to be continued...