> Dangerous Secrets > by Feather Luxray > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feather stared up at the cloudless sky as she made her way down the street. She was looking for a job in Manehattan. Suddenly, she bumped into a strange stallion. The white Pegasus shot up into the air, her wings fluffed. Feather surveyed the scene below her, diving and landing on the ground after she realized that it was just a stallion. "Sorry," She apologized, eyeing the figure caitiously. He did look strange. He wore a large coat and sunglasses. "It's fine," he grunted. "So," Feather started. "Do you know where I can find a job?" "A job?" He looked around. "Why, yes. Come to my house and we can talk about this over tea." Feather turned around. "No thank you." She had no interest in going to this pony's house. She didn't even know him. "Wait!" The stallion called after the mare. "What?" Feather turned. "Excuse my bad manners. My name is Thunder Clap, but you can call me Thunder. And, I'm willing to tell you about a job if you answer a few questions." He removed his sunglasses. Feather noticed his unusual eye color: red. "Ask away," She answered. Thunder Clap pointed a hoof at a nearby empty bench. "Why don't we go sit?" Feather sat on the bench next to Thunder. "So, Thunder, what job do you have for me?" Thunder shook his head and smiled. "Questions first. Patience is a virtue." Feather snorted. "Fine." The stallion ignored the rude noise, and started talking. "Where do you come from?" "Canterlot." "Are you reckless?" Feather pondered this for a moment. "A little, I guess." Thunder nodded. "Ok. Final question. Are you willing to face danger for others?" Feather stared at him in utter confusion. "Yes," She finally answered. "If I believe it is for a good cause." Thunder stared into her eyes, his gaze boring into her. For the first time, she noticed his cutie mark: an open eye. "Ok, follow m-" Thunder stopped, his eyes widening. Ten ponies surrounded the bench. They were dressed in black masks, makig it impossible to observe their identitiy. Only one pony had no mask. A unicorn with blue eyes and a black coat stepped forward. "My, my, my," He began. "What a lovely couple!" Thunder scowled. "Don't even think about it." He hissed. "Why not?" The strange stallion smiled. "You've obviously used your talent already." Feather glanced through the thick crowd. She wished to find some pony in the street, but it was deserted. "What talent?" She asked, eyes narrowing. "Telephaty, of course!" The unicorn sneered. Thunder averted his eyes. "No," He lied. Feather flew up a few inches, but the Unicorn pointed his horn at her. She felt searing pain surge through her, and she fell to the ground. Thunder crouched over her. "Feather!" She got up and hissed at the Unicorn. "Buck you! Who is he, anyway?!" She turned to Thunder in anger. Thunder looked down. "Lightning. My brother. He has the power to... mind control." Feather turned to Lightning. His horn was glowing bright yellow. "Buck you! I swear to Celestia, I'll-" Thunder watched in utter anguish as Feather fell under the spell. Her aggression had made it easy for the magic to take hold of her mind. Lightning smiled as Feather's eyes grayed. Thunder attempted to tackle the Unicorn. "Leave her be! It's me that you want!" The Unicorn turned away, Feather following with heavy hoof-steps. "True, but I can use her to get the information that I want. So, I don't think so. Blood, get him." One of the ponies punched Thunder. He fell, unconscious. Feather attempted to fight against the spell, but it was not use. No matter how hard she tried, she was just a prisoner in her own brain. Lightning gathered magic from the area around them, and in a flash of bright light, they teleported. -------------- Thunder woke up, his head throbbing from the recent hit he received. He looked around, noticing that he was in an electrified cage. Any close contanct with the bars would result in immediate pain, if not death. His eyes lit up at the sight of Feather, laid down in the middle of the cage. "Feather!" He attempted to crouch over her, but an invisible barrier separated them. Thunder tackled the barrier, but he bounced off. Feather looked up, emotionless. Her eyes remained gray. Suddenly, the lights brightened, revealing Lightning and hench men watching the scene, amusementt in their eyes. Thunder looked down, defeated. Lightning got up, and trotted over to the cage. "Tell me about the Storm Breakers." Thunder looked up, rage in his eyes. "Never!" Lightning glanced at Feather. "Oh, really?" Thunder suddenly smiled. "Yes, really." Lightning's eyes grew wild. "What?! What did you do?!" A loud explosion filled the room with smoke. Lightning coughed, covering his eyes with a hoof. Once the smoke cleared, there was an enormous hole in the wall. Five ponies, one Unicorn, two Earth Ponies, and two Pegasi appeared. "I don't think so." A voice came from a unicorn, a mare. The team of mysterious ponies launched theselves at Lightning's allies. The Unicorn, in the chaos, headed for the cage. "Thunder, are you alright?" She asked as she attempted to break the cage with a spell. Thunder smiled. "Yes, Tecna. I'm fine." Tecna glanced at Feather. "Who's she?" Thunder averted his eyes, a habit he had. "A mare I met. I think she's qualified." Tecna raised a brow. "Are you sure about that?" Thunder stared at her, firmness in his gaze. "Yes. Positive." "All right," The cage broke, and Thunder leaped out. Feather's eyes were still gray, her gaze emotionless. Pain seemed etched into her features. Thunder approached her, Tecna by his side. "Feather? We're going home." He lifted the Pegasus onto his back as Tecna took out a whistle. She blew it, and all the ponies on their side leaped towards her. She lit up her horn and in a flash of light, they teleported. ----------- > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feather woke up to find herself in a small room. She was on a bed, and a small tray of pills laid to her right. The confused and disoriented mare looked up at the ceiling. Her life had just been... she didn't know how to describe the strange train of events that had occurred not long ago. Or was it? She couldn't tell the time, as the room had no clock. Feather heard a knock on the door, and she turned. "Come in." Her tone was flat. Thunder came in, a box in his hooves. "Hey, glad to see you're awake. You can open the box later. Bye." Feather flapped her wings and landed in front of him. "I don't think so. You have answers, and I have questions. So sit the buck down." She hissed. Thunder sat, and sighed. "Fine. After the... incident with Lightning, we brought you here. Welcome to Storm Breaker's HQ. We're a team of secret agents, created by Celestia her self. We protect Equestria. Lightning wants to destroy Equestria, and claim it for himself. We're trying to stop him." He explained, eyes wide. Feather gave a harsh laugh. "And I'm an Alicorn," She retorted. Thunder's eyes narrowed. "It's true. And we want you to join us." The strong Earth Pony got up. Feather closed her eyes, finally taking in everything. "It was so... cold." She murmured. Thunder nodded, sympathy in his gaze. "I understand." He placed a hoof on her shoulder. Feather stared at him. "And you want me to join you? Why me?" The stallion cracked a grin. "Because you're qualified." The Pegasus mirrored the grin. "I guess I am. What do I have to do?" Thunder Clap glanced at a window. "Take a few tests, go on a practice mission, the usual." Feather nearly burst out laughing. "The usual? Sorry, Thunder, but I don't think I am qualified." Thunder stepped in front of her. "You are." He insisted. "I believe you are." Anxiety surged through Feather, and she fluffed her wings. "You really think so?" "I know so." ---------------- As Thunder and Feather stepped into a room full of computers and other equipment, Feather gasped in amazement. "Wow," She announced, excited. Tecna turned at the voice. "Good morning," She greeted, "I see you're finally awake." She flashed a smile. Thunder approached one of the computers. Lights flashed, and he clicked a button. A video started playing. "Hey, this wasn't here before." He looked puzzled. Tecna turned to the stallion. "Really? Let me see." Thunder moved to make room for her. "It's source is unknown, as you can see here. It was sent less than a minute ago. Should we open it without the boss?" He frowned. Tecna shook her head. "We should tell the boss first." Feather approached the computer. "Hey, what's that red thing?" She asked after spotting a small symbol in the right corner of the screen. Tecna's horn lit up as she started to control the mouse. "Lemme zoom in," She muttered. Thunder paled. "Looks like we've got ourselves a practice mission, Feather." He said nervously. Tecna paled as well. "Our base is being taken over!" She screeched. Frantically, she brought up the camera files. "Oh no. No. No." Thunder leaped at a button, attempting to close the door to the computer lab, but a figure got in before he could finish. The figure leaped at the agent, pulling him to the ground. "I've finally found you, brother!" Feather's eyes widened. "Lightning! Get off him!" She narrowed her eyes and ran at Lightning. He sidestepped, and she stumbled into the door. "Now, now dear Feather. You don't want what happened to happen again?" His smile was sickly sweet. The angry Pegasus grinded her teeth in frustration. Tecna grabbed a gun from an emergency kit on the wall. "Feather, catch!" She threw the weapon. Feather flew up to grab the gun, but Lightning levitated it away. She narrowed her eyes, but they widened when she heard something. Feather! "Thunder?" She whispered. Yes, me! Now, Lightning has a weakness. I want you to know something... you might find... strange. "What?" She whispered again. Lightning wants you on his side. The other agents know about this already. I want you to be a spy against him. Pretend to be on his side. Tecna is going to teleport something to you. Keep in touch. Feather was reluctant. "I don't know anything! And what if I get caught?" Lightning by now was noticing that something was strange. "What are you doing?" He hissed at Thunder. Hurry! Feather summoned all her courage and approached Lightning. Putting on one of her best evil faces, she started to speak. "You know what? I want to go with you. Who needs these goody-goodies anyway?" Lightning raised a brow, puzzled. You need to make it more convincing! He's not an idiot! Lightning, however, fell for it. "Fine." He let go of Thunder and approached the mare. "Besides," He murmured, "You're wonderful." Feather flinched. Does he fancy me?! She thought. "Come. We have no use of this place, now that I have all the information I need." Lightning steered her through a window, where a helicopter waited. Feather glanced back at Tecna and Lightning, fear in her gaze. She wanted to smack Lightning and run back to them, but she couldn't. Tecna levitated a small device and the box Thunder had brought to her before to Feather. Feather grabbed them. Lightning stared at them, and she thought quickly. "Just something I stole from them." Tecna had to hold Thunder back from running after the retreating Pegasus. "Thunder," She muttered sympathetically. "She has to do this." Thunder looked away as tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "But.. what if she never comes back...?" His usual confidence was gone. "No," Tecna replied firmly. "She's strong enough." "I hope so." Thunder whispered.