The next morning, Lightning Dust quickly woke up and began to unpack her stuff.
"Phew! That took a while." She said, moving her couch to the right place. "Good thing I'm finally finished!" She happily said, wipping her brow. Lightning flew down to her kitchen and looked in the cupboards. "Oh no..." She murmured. "No more food..." She quickly flew back to her room to gather her bits. "Only 20?! Sweet Celestia, how am I going to make this work?" Lightning felt like crying, but she picked herself up and flew out the window. Just go to the nearest ground town. I know! Cloudsdale is hovering over Vanhoover this month. I'll go there! Lightning thought, the bit bag being held in he mouth.
After Lightning's slow three-minute descend, she hurriedly walked into the market place.
The market place had many goods in it. Apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, cherries, cakes, cupcakes, brownies, lemonade, and so much more! Lightning's mouth watered. She was looking at a stand of mangoes to the right of her, and by mistake bumped into something ahead of her.
It was a small impact. Nopony fell like the last collision she had. She looked to the front of her to see a peach-colored unicorn mare with a cream front right hoof, and a cream right ear. She had purple eyes and a pale pink and sparkling blue mane and tail that was simple and short. Her cutiemark was a golden shooting star followed by three pale yellow ones to the right of it, and a sparkly dark blue, shocking pink, and light green trail followed the golden star, while a less sparkly trial was behind that other three. She was wearing a necklace that had a golden trim and solid emerald block that spelt that words, Sparkler Shine in script.
"Sorry." The mare said. "You hurt or anything?" She asked.
Lightning shook her head, and her attention turned back to the mango stand beside her.
"You like mangos?" The mare asked.
Lightning simply nodded her head. She didn't really feel like speaking to anypony. Her entire confidence was broken, but she wanted to gain it. It wasn't until she noticed the mare staring at her in confusion.
"Uhm... Can you talk?" She awkwardly asked.
Guess I have to actually say something to somepony... She said, mentally facehoofing herself. "Yes, I'm Lightning Dust."
The mare grinned.
"Sup! I'm Sparkler Shine!" Sparkler also looked toward the mango stand. "You're gonna buy mangos?" She asked.
"Yep! I love them!"
"Heh, wish I could say the same thing..." Sparkler said, trailing off.
Lightning's eyes widened.
"You don't like mangos?!"
"Hey, it's not my fault. The first time i had a mango, I was six. I don't really like them. But I do like mango juice. That stallion over there sells them along with real mangos." Sparkler explained.
Lightning dumbfoundingly stared at her.
"You don't like mangos, but you like mango juice..?"
"The juice is put in with sugar. It tastes different."
"To you it may."
"Welp." Sparkler said, trotting to the mango stand.
She saw her purchase one bottle of mango juice and three mangos. Then, she trotted back to where Lightning was standing.
"I thought you said you don't like mangos..." Lightning said, confused.
"I don't." She said, setting the bottle of juice in her silky ruby red saddle bags that were snapped shut with an emerald jewel pin that was shaped like a square, and surrounded by pearls. She still had the three mangos within her indigo grasp. Sparkler smiled and set them in Lightning's saddlebags. "They're for you."
Lightning just blankly stared at her. "T-Thanks..." She quietly said.
"You moving here or something?"
"No. Just came for some food. I live in Cloudsdale."
"Ooh! That makes sense. Couldsdale is directly above Vanhoover today."
Lightning shyly nodded.
"I'll show you around anyway. There's still three weeks until Cloudsdale travels over Tall Tale, right?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"Well then, let's begin!" Sparkler said, pointing out various aspects of the great suburban city (idk).
Even though the various street performances and great houses were amazing, something was bothering Lightning.
Nopony has ever been nice to me in a long time. I should've never thought that I was better than everypony. Friendship is something I haven't felt in a long time... it feels so good to have it back... Lightning thought as she smiled at Sparkler who kept talking about the town, and what they usually do.
"Wow, I knew that Vanhoover was a pretty sporty place, but matches against your town leagues every week? When do you take your season breaks?" Lightning asked.
It was noon when she first arrived, and now she and Sparkler were slowly walking in the public park, the setting sun slowly disappearing with each second.
"Two months break after every competition, and there are a lot of them. I'm a part of the mares tennis and hoofball league."
"Really?!" Lightning exclaimed in shock. "I thought pegasi and earth ponies were the sporty ones. Unicorns are meant to be dainty and elegant, right?"
Sparkler stopped in her tracks and faced Lightning.
"There are weak earth ponies and slow pegasi. That means that there could be sporty unicorns!" She said, looking Lightning in the eye.
"Pfft. You couldn't ever bee faster than me!"
"Is that a challenge?" Sparkler said, a grin spreading on her muzzle.
"You bet!" Lightning said, flaring up her wings. "One... Two... Th-"
"Hey! You can't fly! That's cheating! Unicorns can't fly!" Sparkler said, stopping Lightning.
"Whatever, I can beat you on hoof."
"Psh. First one to that tree not far away!" She said. "One..." Sparkler started.
"Two..." Lightning said, grinning at Sparkler.
The two were staring at one another for a split second as yelled out, "Three!" at the same time, and they bolted off.
Lightning looked behind her to see Sparkler not that far behind.
"Oh, you're tired?" She teased.
A smug look came onto Sparkler's muzzle.
"Uhm... In your dreams!" She yelled, passing her and arriving to the tree five seconds after that.
Lightning's jaw dropped as she slowed down to a walking pace. Sparkler and laughing as Lightning arrived at the tree two minutes later.
"Ha! You were saying?" Sparkler said.
"How did you... Huh?"
"Heh, you look like you just saw a ghost! Clam down, Dusty! That's the problem with pegasi. They always fly, they never build up any power in their hind legs!"
"D-Dusty?" Lightning repeated, her legs shaking. That's what she used to call me all those years ago... Lightning thought, recalling the moments she had with her last friend.
"Do you mind me calling you that?"
Lightning Dust smiled.
"Not at all, Sparky!" She said, a cheeky grin plastered on her face.
The two of them began to laugh for what seemed forever. After they both calmed down, they realized that it was night, for the sky was dark blue.
"Oh... I've gotta get home! I'm having a sleepover with my friends! Can you come over tomorrow? You can meet them." Sparkler offered.
Lightning's eyes lit up.
"S-S-Seriously?!"
"Yip!"
"I'm so there!"
"Great, see ya there!" Sparkler said before igniting her horn. It glowed indigo, and her body was soon surrounded by the same color. "Bye!" She said, and she teleported away.
Lightning felt like she was going to burst.
"I'm finally going to be with ponies! I forgot how good it felt to have a friend... But now that I have one, a few more would be great! I wouldn't have to live my life alone like I've been doing for the past five years!" She said, flying around in weird patterns.
"Woah! you sure got speed and agility, kid! Have you ever wondered trying out for the Wonderbolts? I myself wouldn't mind training you if Spitty would let me! She won't let me train Dash, so you could be the next big option!" An all too familiar-soundning voice called in amusement.
"S-Soarin Skies?! Second-in-command of the Wonderbolts?!"