Chapter 1
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all related characters belong to Hasbro. Lobo and all related characters belong to DC Comics.
This story is 50 percent VunderGuy's effort and 60 percent of mine
The Flash's Theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ghrNMiBU2A
She awoke slowly, groggily. The only other times she remembered waking up and feeling this bad was when she wore herself out training for the day she'd finally get drafted…or pulling all nighters at the weather patrol station. Considering the lack of wet grass, dry leaves, or dirt she could feel caught in her fur it was probably the latter. Though perhaps she had spoken too soon. For, as she tried to get up, she felt a throbbing in her head that couldn't have been caused by an empty (read: half dozen) of cider, tiredness, and her head colliding against her workstation, snoring and drooling. Well…except for those nights where she was working on the ground based, brick and mortar based, patrol station. Let's just say she'd had to hoof the Spackle bill more than once.
But…she wasn't on the terra-firma station or the cumulus one last night. Nor was she in the fields in-between Ponyville and the Everfree Forest…was she? No. No... none of those three options felt plausible to her aching cranium. In the brief moments in-between the flickering of her eyes as she tried to adjust to the light of her new surroundings, she tried to remember just where her old ones were.
Suddenly, the events of the past twelve or so hours came flooding back to her…in a flash…
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EIGHT P.M. THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.
"Alright everypony! Shut-up and listen good, or else yer pay's gonna get docked all the way in Japony!" Yelled Cloud Kicker, storming into the Cumulus Station's main workroom with a stomp (and a voice) that echoed throughout the building.
Previously, all of the various Pegasi were doing something typical they did at about this time (shooting the breeze until eight ten, when they would finally be allowed to return home). Rainbow Dash herself was wrapped up in a very polite conversation with Thundermane about whether the Wonderbolts or the Chineighse "Great Ten" were the better team (with the angry shouting, hoof waving, teeth baring, and snarling that was custom).
Cloud Kicker's voice, though strong enough to put out fires and knock over buildings, however, could not quell these two, as embroiled as they were in the inferno that was their conversation.
"Any day of the week Rainbow Crash! Anyone of the ten could take down Spitfire, Soarin, and everypony else on that team o'yours any day of the week!" Said the Black Stallion.
"What'd you call me you dumb little—"
"Rainbow D. Dash!" Yelled out Cloud Kicker, interrupting and finally getting both of the two arguing ponies' attention. "If you don't want me telling everypony here what the "D" stands for, then stow the talk about performin' monkeys in their pajamas right now!"
That shut her up. That shut her up good. The same, however, could not be said for Thundermane, who was busy trying to suppress a bout of school coltish giggling with his forhooves.
"And as for your Mr. Mane!" Cloud Kicker exclaimed, pointing an accusatory hoof his way. "If you don't stop laughing at Rainbow's expense, I'll have half a mind to stuff ya in a box and ship ya off to Shanghay! See how much you like the reds when your sorry plot is impressed to work on one of their ships for the rest of yer life why don't'chya!"
Now, just like Dash, he shut up. And whimpered. Something Dash didn't do that made her very happy at that moment.
"Now, speakin' of monkeys," continued Cloud Kicker, "I just got off the phone with somepony who told me got a politician rolling into our humble little hamlet here A big one that goes by the name Barricade or, in case you chowder heads haven't bothered keeping up with current events, the flyin' mare in charge a' runnin' this here country of ours, one of the Executive Heads!"
A blade of murmurs grom the ponies in this impromptu assembly cut through the silence like a certain awesome cyan maned Pegasus mare did through the air. Rainbow Dash, however, remained strangely silent. This was because this shocking revelation was not so shocking or revealing to her. For, she was childhood friends with Barricade's daughter, Fluttershy and if she knew the timid Pegasus's mother (which she did, sometimes less amicably than she would have liked back during junior flight camp), and official visit to the two would serve a second, hidden purpose (that purpose being an excuse to visit her less than outgoing daughter and catching up). Plus, Rainbow Dash was the best weather pony to ever live, capable of clearing the skies of unwanted weather in ten seconds flat.
So, while the Pegasi about her chattered excitedly or worriedly, her muzzle opened not a peep, thought a satisfied grin extended from ear to ear on her face. This did not escape the notice of her boss, who shot her a look halfway between confusion and a glare.
"Ms. Dash! Why isn't that trap a'yours flappin' yer gums!?"
"I dunno." Replied Rainbow earnestly, shrugging her haunches. "Should it?"
Cloud Kicker's eyes bore silently into Rainbow Dash's own for a few tense moments. "Should it? SHOULD it!?" She loudly asked rhetorically. "We just got wind that one of the three biggest wigs in the nation is comin' down from Canterlot Palace over here outta the blue, and you, you, are the pony keepin' quiet!?"
"Yeah. That sounds about right."
A pair of steam clouds could be seen whistling from Cloud Kicker's ears. "Right? RIGHT!? There's nothin' about this situation that's right you polychromatic creep! Do you know what this visit means!?"
"That we all get to go home on time and come to work tomorrow like any other day?"
"WRONG! It means that everypony's gonna stay here an hour or two till we can find someplace to put that big booming thunderstorm ol' Granny Smith and all the other farmers have been demandin' I schedule!"
A resounding chorus of "Awwws…" and "Nooos" came from the crowd, including Dash herself.
"Whoa there boss, take it easy! Relax a little." Said Rainbow, making gestures with her forhooves that suggested as much.
"I AM RELAXED!" Cloud Kicker yelled out loud enough to be confused for a crack of thunder down below by Ponyville's inhabitants, hyperventilating audibly afterwards.
Rainbow Dash was speechless for a moment. "…I can see that…" As her boss realized her outburst and regained her composure, the rainbow maned pegasus said, "Really though Kix, you ain't gotta ruffle up your mane over this. Just keep the storm for tonight and make the weather all nice 'n stuff tomorrow. Barricade's a military mare whose been to places a lot worse off, so she ain't gonna whine and complain about a little bit of mud and a few branches on the ground like one of those stuffy Canterlot types even though she lives there now."
Cloud Kicker (as well as everypony around her) quirked an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash.
"Really? You wanna tell the class how you know so much about Barricade when I'm surprised you can remember to lock your door or bring your key with ya when you go out sometimes?"
Wow. Rainbow Dash remembered taking A LOT of smack from her boss. She'd have to remember to rectify that with a prank or two…completely good-natured ones, of course.
"Because, kix," She emphasized a bit more vehemently than last time, "I've been in good with Fluttershy since we were fillies and she's Barricade's kid. Heck, she used ta' take the two of us for ice-cream after hoofball practice! If she starts wantin' to cut ponies' careers short just cuz of a little bad weather, you can send her my way and tell her it was all on me!"
More murmuring erupted from the crowd that Rainbow Dash couldn't rightfully remember. Suffice it to say, one could imagine what was uttered after another, even more shocking revelation.
As the majority of the pegasi in the room chattered though, Cloud Kicker was rubbing her chin with a forhoof in though. "Hrmmm…if your right then I won't have to spend the night worrying over nuthin', everypony goes home, the farmin' folk in town won't be protestin' at the mayor's office, and I wouldn't have to see your ugly muzzle in here 'till tomorrow. If yer wrong though, the full force a' one of our commanda 'n chiefs is gonna come down ta skin yer hide, and yer hide only, and I'd be free of one of my best—"
"—The best." interrupted Rainbow Dash with a massive smile.
"—One of my best," continued Cloud Kicker, "workers. Impatiently, she began tapping one of her hoofs against the ground. "Decisions, decisions…"
After mulling it over for a minute or so (and looking at all the pleading faces of her workers, Rainbow Dash included), Cloud Kicker let out a defeated sigh and said, "Alright Ms. Dash, we'll do it yer way. But, if this comes back to bite us in the flank, it's gonna be yers that's gonna take the most damage just like ya said, capishe?"
With enthusiasm, Rainbow and her coworkers echoed their boss's last word, the rainbow maned Pegasus even giving a mock salute.
"Good. Now start flappin' them wings a yers and beat it ya mooks. Yer holdin' up the nightshift!"
Not needing to be told twice, the Pegasi all ran out the door and took to the sky "wahooing," Rainbow Dash leading the herd, of course.
"Uhhh…I swear to Celestia that these kids are gonna give me an ulsa' one of these days." Cloud Kicker said, massaging her temples as the night shift entered.
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EIGHT O'SIX P.M. THE PREVIOUS NIGHT
Not long after being let go for the night, Raimbow Dash made it to her humble cloud abode in the sky. Fervishly, she checked her mailbox and her front porch and, finding that her special package had not yet arrived, pulled the mailbox out of its post and pulled the welcome mat off of the ground to check if maybe it was in either two locations. With a sigh, she placed both her mailbox and mat on the steps leading into her home and pulled out her key.
No…wait. She just turned the knob with her teeth and strolled right in. As it turned out, she had forgotten her key when she went to work, but, as fate would have it, she also forgot to lock the door. Head injuries. Whatchya gonna do?
Sheepishly grinning as she remembered Cloud Kicker's comment about her forgetfulness, she walked in and said, "Hello! If anyone decided to bust into my house while I was away, you better come down here right now so I can give ya the proper greetin' like a good hostess!" while grabbing a nearby baseball bat leaning against a way next to the door with a forhoof.
After a quick search, she found much to her relief that nopony in town had decided to take advantage of her ditzyness and had broken into her home. Not that she was afraid or a couple of burglars or anything. Especially after not hearing horror stories about how bad the crime rate was in big cities like Manetropolis, Trougham, and even nearby Canterlot. She was only concerned aboit breaking her stuff and sending ponies to the hospital in an ensuing brawl. Yeah. That was it.
Fluttering downstairs towards the couch in front of her t.v., she crashed (comfortably) on it and tossed the bat on another, nearby one. Allowing herself to be taken away to a land of soft comfort by the furniture's red folds, she closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh. She remained this way for fifteen minutes until her internal clock started ringing something fierce.
Scrambling to discover just where in tarturus she put the darn thing, she sat upright on the couch, wracking her brain with her hooves. It was then that the t.v. turned on, a toy commercial for some line of dolls playing.
"G.I. Jane! Real Equestrian Heroes!"
Throwing up the two cushions beneath her, she found the remote, twisted around, planted her rump on the ground before the couch, and quickly changed channels.
"I'll be buck."
"Frankly my dear, I don't give a dar—"
"Drink Soder Cola!"
"Jetcorp offers you—"
"Who lives in a cucumber under the sea?"
"Previously on Justice Society—"
"Join the EDF today maggot!"
Finally, her hectic flipping brought her to the channel she was looking for, the local news station for Ponyville. And not a moment too soon, for it was not long after the opening sequence that the reason she had tried to reach this particular program so frantically (indeed, the reason she bothered watching the local news at all and, admittedly, the reason she wasn't workin' overtime tonight after her package) was on screen. A certain handsome stallion reporter that went by the name of Spectrum.
Now, Rainbow Dash was not one of those ponies to get all mushy and get all gaga over some guy. In fact, in the pat, she made a habit (one of her few good ones), out of avoiding those types because of how insufferable she found them and how they triggered her gag reflex. She was perfectly fine with going through life with just a few close friends (and the undivided attention of the millions of fans she would garner when she became a Wonderbolt) and without a special somepony. But darn it if he didn't have a face, physique, and personality that made her at least entertain the idea of finding some place in her plans for him in her life. Three things that just made her want to—
"SQUUUEEE!"
…
…
…-do that, whenever she saw him.
Though she'd never admit it to anypony (and would deny, throttle, or grovel with someone if she ever found out they found out), she was staring at her t.v. screen so longingly, so intently, that Spectrum could have been talking about the hidden horrors laying beneath her toilet lid, and it wouldn't have budged her looked an inch.
"—Coming up, what might lurk just inside your toilet bowl. A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Los Pegasus says, 'it isn't pleasant.' More at eleven."
…
…
…Nope. She was still staring longingly and intently, even after the cut to commercial break.
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10:00 P.M. ABOUT AN HOUR AND TWENTEY-MINUTES LATER…
Not wanting to take her eyes away from the local news, instead of heading out to some local greasy spoon or grazing grass in one of the town's fields (she was pretty sure the head injury didn't cause that second choice to sprout in her memory) like she usually did, Rainbow Dash decided to actually try using that absurdly spacious kitchen of hers that she (read: her parents mostly) spent so many bits on so as to minimize the moments where she wasn't gawking at Spectrum like a love-struck school filly AND stop the rumbling in her stomach that had occurred about fifteen minutes ago, and wouldn't let up.
To anypony else, the veritable hurricane of food and foodstuffs that looked like it passed through said kitchen would be an indicator that she was failing rather terribly (and hilariously) at this. To her though, it meant unparalleled success, as the half dozen or so quadruple decker rose, orange tulip, sunflower, green chrysanthemum, blue flower, indigo flower, and violet sandwiches on potato bread (with mustard, tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise, peanut butter, and zapapple jam) and a side of hayfries could attest to (as well as the fact that she could see her television easily from the kitchen thanks to the wall there only being chest high).
She was just about to chow down when she heard a knock on her door. A lump of panic forming in her throat she dashed (hehe. 'Dashed.' Get it?...Man did the injury make her loopy) to the television and frantically changed the channel to something else that would be deemed cool for her to be watching.
"That'll do pig. That'll do."
That'll do television. That'll do.
She then made her way to the door and opened it swiftly. Not a split second afterwards, a streak of lightning (the first one of the scheduled storm that night) stabbed through the sky, illuminating the pony on her porch in the eerie way lightning does. This, coupled with the fact that said pony decided to pop her head through the threshold and give a big, "Hello Rainbow Dash" in sync with said strike, made the rainbow maned Pegasus jump backwards with the assistance of her wings and smash right into her t.v. as a little piglet took up most of the screen. Poor Wilbur. Errr…Charlotte? Templeton? Fern? That didn't seem right…
"Oh my goodness!" Said the mysterious Pegasus mare visitor, flapping inside the house. "Are you okay Rainbow? Did I scare you?" She asked, putting her forhooves up to her mouth in shock.
Rainbow Dash shook her head clear of stars and broken glass and looked to see it was none other than Ditzy Derpy Doo.
"You just startled me Derpy. I don't get scared." Rainbow said as she got up, looking behind her and groaning at the loss of her entertainment for the night.
"Oh, um, okay. Anyway, here's your package!" The walleyed mare said as she reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a small white box.
"Um, thanks? Any particular reason you're delivering mail at night?" Rainbow Dash queried as she took the package and sat it on her coffee table.
"Oh, I forgot about this huge stack of mail at the office and I gotta make sure I deliver all of it tonight or else I'll have to work tomorrow on Dinky's birthday. I just can't miss it."
"And Dinky is..." Dash started, having no clue who the mailmare was talking about.
"My daughter." Derpy answered happily.
"Oh! How come I've never seen you flying around with her?" Dash asked. She and Derpy weren't exactly friends, more like semi-close acquaintances, so the news of the eternally klutzy Derpy having a daughter made the rainbow mare very curious.
"Well, she's a unicorn." Derpy answered, this time a little less enthusiastically.
"Huh, so who's her dad? Anypony I might know?" Rainbow Dash asked innocently enough.
"I'd rather not talk about it."Derpy said as she turned her head slightly.
"That's alright. Um, you want a couple sandwiches for the road?" Rainbow asked trying to lighten the sinking mood.
"Thanks Rainbow Dash! That's awfully nice of you!" Derpy beamed, instantly cheering up again.
"Uh, sure no problem." Dash said as the grey pegasus then put the sandwiches in her saddlebags and with a wave goodbye, left.
Rainbow Dash sighed as she heard Derpy flutter off from her house. Rainbow looked at her busted T.V. and thought about going through her old comics. She would not admit this to anypony, but she was a hard-core comic book reader. Mainly she read the exploits of her favorite superhero in the world, The Flash! Rainbow groaned as she decided to find something more interesting to do other than reading a comic she had already read hundreds of times before. Eventually she decided to head up to her attic and look through her old knickknack box, hoping something from the past might provide a better past time. She rummaged through the box, and there wasn't much.
"A few old Wonderbolts action figures, some trading cards, and...there it is!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she noticed an old cardboard box at the bottom of the box. It was a chemistry set. Rainbow smiled a little at seeing the old set, remembering that she accidentally got it for a Hearths Warming present one year when she was a filly. She didn't mind too much as she had hours of fun, and frustration, trying to use it to replicate the chemical that gave The Flash her powers.
"Never could quite do it though." Rainbow thought allowed as she took the old set out. Opening it up, she looked through the childishly written notes inside it.
"Oh man, I can't believe I thought I could get superpowers from this junk." The blue pegasus chuckled out as she trotted back down to her kitchen, the old set under her wing. She sat it down on the counter next to her package and smiled.
"Now with this stuff, it'll be a whole 'nother story!"
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BACK AT THE PRESENT
After that, Rainbow Dash's memories grew fuzzy. She vaguely recalled going back upstairs to her attic at an excited pace. She vaguely recalled settings test tubes and beakers and various other assorted sciency type doodads and whatchamacallits and using whatever was in the package given to her by Derpy with her old chemistry set. She vaguely recalled that, from her window, the storm was raging something fierce.
What she remembered most clearly though, was the sound of thunder, bursting in staccato about once every three seconds and a blinding flash of white after the last clap she remembered hearing and herself screaming in shock and searing pain and…
"AHHH!" She yelped, finally waking up completely and nearly jumping up from wherever it was she was sleeping on. Despite her panicked state, she quickly took in that she was in the Ponyville hospital (after all, she had seen the interiors of its sterile, white, and mostly featureless rooms many times in the past thanks to her active lifestyle) and that she was in one of those turquoise hospital gowns they put patients in. This still did not prevent her from hyperventilating as though she were a steam engine.
Suddenly, the door ahead of her burst open as none other than Nurse Redheart and Dr. Stable jumped through the threshold.
"Rainbow Dash! What the devil is the mater?" Asked the doctor.
Apparently, Rainbow Dash had not finished "Ahhhing!" when she had fully reached consciousness and was still doing such along with flailing her hooves wildly about, which was what the Dr. Stable was referring to.
The two medical ponies ran up to either side of her hospital bed and tried to push her back down into it, struggling to keep her down and tranquil.
"Calm down Rainbow Dash!" Said Redheart through gritted teeth.
"Yes, yes. Listen to her Ms. Dash." Said the Dr. Stable. "Take deep, calming breathes Rainbow. Deep. CALMING. Breathes."
After about a minute or two of more struggling, Dash finally took their advice and quite her panicking. Her breathing became less and less haggard and eventually, returned back to its normal level.
Wiping sweat off of his brow, the Dr. Stable said, "Whew. For a second there, I thought I'd have to have Nurse Redheart here clean up the mess you would have made if your IV popped out."
"Me?" Asked the Nurse. "Why not one of the interns?"
"Because we always send them on food and/or drink runs, remember?"
"Oh yeah. Right."
The two medical ponies turned their attentions towards the patient they had forgotten for a few seconds was in the room and coughed into their hoof.
"Errr…good morning Ms. Dash. I must say, it's very good to see you in here again after such an unusually protracted absence from this hospital for you." Said the doctor. Feeling a nudge on his shoulder, Dr. Stable looked behind himself to find the Nurse staring at him with a quirked eyebrow and an outstretched hoof. Sighing, he reached into his pocket, pulled out ten bits, and handed them to her before continuing. "How are you feeling today?"
Massaging her temples (as well as every other portion of her head she could), Rainbow Dash said with eyes clenched shut, "Like I just tried to head-butt a tank."
The doctor chuckled a little as he replied, "Well seeing as how you were struck by lightning, it's a good thing that's all you feel like. You're quite lucky Ms. Doo go you here when she did."
"Lightning huh?" Dash asked as she opened one eye to look at the doctor.
"Yes. A stray bolt due to a very tired pegasus that was heading home and accidentally slammed into a passing thunder cloud." Dr. Stable explained.
"So am I good? Can I go home?" Rainbow Dash asked, hoping the answer was yes. She hated hospitals.
"Well you won't be able to fly for the next couple of weeks until your wings have healed, as they took the brunt of the strike, so it really would be in your best interest to stay a few days for observation to make sure there isn't any permanent damage." Dr. Stable said as he looked over her chart.
Rainbow however, had other plans. She fixed the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster (an art she had long ago perfected as a child) upon the doctor. This look, combined with his prior knowledge that the cabin fever she got from prolonged hospital stays would drive her off the walls (and quite possibly, out of the window and crashing into the ground four stories below), eventually weakened his resolve.
Sighing, he said, "Alright now Rainbow Dash, you're free to go."
Her look diving faster than a Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash cocked back a leg and gave a triumphant, "Yes!"
"Just don't try to fly for the next week or so and you'll be alright!" Dr. Stable called out to Rainbow Dash, who drew her gown onto the bed and happily trotted out of the door.
Dr. Stable shook his head and using his magic, placed the clipboard on the nightstand right by the bed. He soon exited the room as well, soon followed by Nurse Redheart.
On the clipboard, in the name box, were the words, "Rain Drops."