The Legend of Lightning Ace: Childhood

by LightningAce7

Train Ride part 1

The group had finally reached the train station. Applejack was most eager of all to get to Ponyville, as it is her hometown. The group entered the station in search of the ticket booth. Upon reaching it a couple of royal guards stopped them, causing them to feel a little nervous. "Don't worry little foals, we're not here to arrest you." The first guard said, noticing the foals' nervousness. "We are here on orders to see you and the book safely to Ponyville."

"Umm...pardon m...me but m...might I ask why?" Lightning nervously asked.

"There has been made a threat to the city by the cult Sons of Pegasopholus, and yes, the Princess knows about the fire on Foal Mountain. We believe they intend to make an attempt on your lives. Just know that we're here to keep you safe."

"Sweet! It's like we get our own bodyguards!" Flash said excitedly. The guards found this amusing.

"One more thing, you need not worry about tickets for the ride. You are on official royal bussiness and all costs are already taken care of." The second guard said.

"Thank ya kindly sir!" Applejack said to the guards.

"Yeah, thanks for the warning too." Lightning said.

"ALL ABOARD THAT'S COMIN ABOARD!" the train conducter announced.

After the announcement was made the group made their way on board and found their way to their seats. Meanwhile at the rear of the train three foals entered the train followed by a couple of robed adults. After the group sat down the guards took positions at both doors in the car. A loud whistle signified that the train was about to leave. "We might as well get comfortable, it's a three hour ride. I don't know about you two but I'm going to take a nap." Flash said. "Wake me when we get there." With that Flash curled up and dozed off. Lightning was looking out the window when Applejack put a hoof on his shoulder.

"Ah can't wait to show y'all around mah hometown! Applejack excitedly said. "Ah just know y'all ol love it there. But Ah do have one question, when are y'all going home?"

"Aside from my wing being broken, I made a promise to finish my dad's work." Lightning said. "He was on the verge of solving a major mystery about my familys history but he died on our last exploration..." Suddenly the event played before Lightning's eyes. Getting cut off from his father, the legions of undead, the alpha timberwolf, the blood curtling scream as Lightning ran as his father held the beast back. Once the flashback had ended a tear rolled down Lightning's face. He then found himself being hugged by Applejack. The hug calmed him down. "Anyway I don't know where I'm staying. I actually didn't think of that part."

"How about being my roommate? It'll be AWSOME!" Came a familiar voice from behind. Lightning turned around to find the voice belonging to his friend Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow!" Lightning said. "Wait...isn't Flight Camp still going on?"

"I...dropped out." Rainbow Dash said, looking at the floor.

"But your dream..." Lightning said.

"After I heard about what happened to you during that race I decided to do some investigating into my 'friend' Cloud Breaker'." Rainbow said. "After rummaging through his things after he mysteriously disappeared shortly after you left I found some disturbing books in his saddlebags."

"What's this about books?" Lightning asked.

"It was his journal, and a strange book with an equally strange emblem on it." Rainbow said.

"Wait a minute...emblem?" Lightning asked, getting a sudden chill. "Before you go on I need to show you this thing we found during our journey from Manehattan to Canterlot." Lightning then buried his head into his saddlebag for a moment and then reemerged with the clasp from the assassin in his mouth.

"What is that?" Rainbow asked.

"We're actually not sure. It came off of an outfit worn by an assassin that tried to kill us. The emblem on it is a pegasus with crossed spears behind it. Take a look." Lightning said as he hoofed it over to Rainbow.

"This looks just like the emblem on the book I found back at camp!" Rainbow said.

Lightning then had an idea. "Hey uhh, guard!" Lightning called, to which one of the guards trotted over.

"Yes my little pony, how may I help?" The guard asked.

"Can you tell me what this is?" Lightning asked pointing at the clasp that was in the hooves of Rainbow Dash.

"Hmmm..." The guard levitated the clasp to eye level, then examined it. "What you have here is a clasp that is common on the robes worn by assassins of the Sons of Pegasopholus." The guard said. "How in Equestria did you get your hooves on this?"

"We were passing over Foal Mountain when a stranger in wraps attacked us. After Flash well, exploded she was gone. All that was left was her sword and this clasp." Lightning said.

"The Princess is aware of your friend's pyrotechnical display, but what astounds me is the fact that you three survived her attack." The guard said. "By the way, call me sargent Thunder, or 'Sarge' if you prefer. No offence but being called guard' by someone you've been ordered to guard gets old. That and I like to get to know other ponies."

"Fair enough to me, Sarge." Lightning said. He thought on Sarge's name for a moment. It was the same name as his father, but it wasn't him. For starters he was a unicorn. And he had a white coat and dark brown mane and tail. Lightning's eyes were drawn to his brilliant armor as well. Gold in color with it's crest bearing the emblem of the Princesses in cast gold. "You have the same name as my late father." He said to Sarge.

"The Princess has informed me. Wasn't he a famouse archeologist?" Sarge asked.

"Yeah...he was amazing. He was so much more than just an explorer, he was my dad."

Meanwhile towards the back of the train, a pegasus colt was donning his new cloths. "Are you absolutly positive this is the path you want?" said one of the robed pegasi.

"If it means ending the life of Lightning Ace...then I'll do whatever it takes..." The foal said.

to be continued...