After the shock had passed, Princess Twilight offered Flash and Lightning to use a vacant room to catch up and sort things out. Apparently it was one of Twilight's private studies, which was laden with a number of bookshelves, twin maroon highback chairs, and a wooden table as the centerpiece. The room wasn't as gargantuan compared to the library, but it still held a veritable amount of books.
Twilight could see the pegasi siblings were still attempt to absorb the events of the past day, and needless to say twin bundles of active nerves ready to explode. Especially Lightning Dust -- she couldn't stop trembling, the adrenaline having not quite yet left her system.
So then Twilight asked Spike to prepare a pot of tea to calm their guests.
Lightning wasn't a big fan of tea -- that was more her brother’s thing -- but at the moment she really needed to calm down. The last thing she wanted was to pass out. With her shaking hooves, Lightning poured herself a cup, then took a sip. She found the taste 'boring', like taking a sip of hot water and nothing else. Not that she really paid much attention to that detail or cared at that moment, but at least the tea’s calming properties started kicking in after some minutes.
Meanwhile, Flash couldn't take his smile away. "I still can't believe you're finally back, sis. It feels like ages since the last time I saw you."
Lightning finally took a proper look at her brother. He had grown. His body was noticeably more toned with muscle, though not so much as to render him overly buff and unrecognizable. Lightning knew that strength wasn't his style -- he preferred speed, a means to a quick defense, hence his still skinny physique. It was in his name after all, as well as the reason why he always lost to her in hoof wrestling.
However, there was something about Flash that she just couldn't take her eyes off. Physically on him, to be precise. She never noticed earlier that his left cheek bore three scars, one vertically next to the other just under his eye. Lightning could tell the wounds were deep, and deep down she knew they weren't self-inflicted. Flash never resorted to self-destruction.
So something harmed him. A dragon, maybe? Or could it be one of those wild creatures from the Frozen North?
Or was the culprit a someone?
A minute flare of anger lit up inside Lightning. If -- when she found who did this to him, she would ensure the scumbag would pay for it, bit by bit. Messing with her brother was an invitation for a beatdown. Lightning remembered the last time someone hurt her brother -- it had cost her a couple of bags of ice on her hoof. It was totally worth it.
She ignored the scars for now. There would be time to talk about it later. "I'm glad to see you too, Flash. I really am."
"I tried to write you countless times, but I never recieved any answer from you." His smile slowly faded into a concerned frown. "Lightning, please tell me what happened. You made me so worried that… I thought the worst-case scenario."
It was at this moment that Lightning knew how deep she had gone. Her own brother thought she had died. She could only imagine how much suffering he had endured all this time.
And what about their mother? Burying her husband brought plenty of heartbreak, but the likelihood one of her children had passed too?
This was too much.
Lightning felt she didn't deserve forgiveness, not after worrying her family sick out of selfishness. She’ll just tell the truth: she ran away after being kicked out of the Wonderbolts.
"Lightning. Something happened to you to never write me back, and I want to know what it was. So please, just tell me. What happened?" Flash pleaded. He wanted the truth. He wanted to know what drove her to disappear.
From her hiding place next to the door, Rainbow Dash observed the two siblings converse. Twilight had already told her to leave them be a while ago, having gone on about how this now being a private affair and how rude it would be to stick around. Not that Rainbow intended to heed her friend’s words. She and Lightning hadn’t parted ways on the best of terms, and now that they were practically in the same room, Rainbow remained cautious. For all she knew, Lightning was still a conniving sociopath.
Seeing Lightning’s guilt-ridden face left Rainbow very unsure about that assumption and her heart beleaguered with conflict. Something inside blamed her for what was happening right now. What if she had never told Spitfire about what Lightning had done? Maybe she would’ve graduated from the academy. Flash wouldn't have been worried sick believing the worst had happened to his sister when she actually just ran away. Lightning wouldn't be facing her brother and explaining herself to him.
After seeing how the siblings hugged each other, Rainbow could see her devastated after what Flash could say to her. But at the same time, Rainbow thought that it was justice done right. Lightning nearly killed her friends after all. It was inevitable that Spitfire would know and reprimand for such destructive behavior.
However in the end, Rainbow didn't know what to feel. She couldn’t decide if she ought to feel pity for her former wingpony or just let it happen since she was the one looking for it. Part of her still blamed herself for this, and Rainbow knew she needed to do something about it.
Lightning Dust took a deep breath before starting. "Flash, I…” She hesitated, then sighed. “I'm not part of the Wonderbolts anymore."
He knew it. Deep inside, Flash always knew. It was the most logical reason for her to never write him back. What he really wanted to know is what had happened that made her not a Wonderbolt. He didn't say a word, and just let Lightning proceed.
"I got kicked out of the Wonderbolts after I... did something and almost killed the Elements of Harmony." She looked down at her hooves -- she couldn't bear to look him in the eye.
"Wait... kill? W-What do you mean?" Flash couldn't believe that. He knew his sister was a troublemaker, but never before had she gone this far. At least that's what he remembered. He often found himself in the role of his sister’s keeper to ensure her antics never stray too far out of hoof.
"She created a tornado and it sucked in the balloon my friends were in."
The siblings, genuinely surprised that they were no longer alone -- or perhaps never alone to begin with -- shot their respective gazes towards the door as Rainbow Dash entered the study. Her friends followed close behind, as did Shining Armor and Princess Cadance with their sleeping child, and Sunburst.
Of the newcomers, Princess Twilight was the most displeased with Rainbow’s intrusion. "Rainbow, it isn't sensible to barge in on other ponies’ private conversations!"
"No. She's right." Lightning conceited. "Ever since the beginning of the training, I was selfish and only cared about myself. I cared less if anyone felt under pressure or got hurt along the way."
The more Lightning talked, the more dumbfounded Flash found himself. These revelations were coming by the mouthful, each difficult to swallow. His sister, selfish? Not unheard of. However to hurt innocent ponies, as in physically harm them? That couldn't be right.
"And then I tried to convince Rainbow Dash to do the same,” Lightning continued, still not looking at anyone but her own hooves. “I was so full of myself that I created a tornado to push ahead of the competition. I honestly had no clue Rainbow's friends were there at the time.” She then said rather bitterly, “Of course, Rainbow told everything to Spitfire, who kicked me out from the Wonderbolts for good."
Anyone who wasn't Lightning Dust or Flash Sentry remained silent and rapt with attention all the while. For the Elements of Harmony, they had witnessed the exchange between Rainbow and Spitfire firsthand. It had been memorable in many ways, though none had given much thought to how negatively it affected Lightning Dust.
As for Sunburst, along with the royals, was very much surprised to hear this pony alone had nearly caused Twilight and company to be collateral damage. When he noticed Starlight appearing not at all shocked, Sunburst leaned in close and whispered, “You don’t look surprised.”
“What she did was foal’s play,” Starlight whispered back almost proudly. “I forced a village to give up their cutie marks for equality and risked the fabric of time itself out of petty vengeance, remember?”
“I… I don’t know if I should be understanding or concerned.”
Not privy to their exchange, Lightning continued. "I just couldn't go back home after what I did. I blew my chance to be someone!” She finally lifted her head to look at Flash. “I mean look at you! You have a great position as a royal guard. You're making a name for yourself and making everyone proud, including Dad!” The tears in her eyes returned after she mentioned her long gone father. “And me? I failed. I failed everyone! That's why I left for Baltimare. I started working in a weather factory there, but... I just couldn't take it anymore. I missed you, Flash. I missed you so much, but I didn't want you to see me like this. Like... a failure."
It took time for Flash to absorb everything, and once he did he found it difficult to accept the truth. He also found himself growing angry. Very angry. Not because Lightning got kicked out, but because she made him and everyone else fear the worst when all along she had turned tail and ran when her ego took a blow. All this time away just because she didn't want to keep trying.
"You mean to tell me that I couldn't sleep for months, that I got paranoid with the idea that you were dead, and that Mom got sick thinking the same thing just because you thought you were too weak to keep trying!?"
Sunburst tried to calm him down. "Um... Flash, I think you're being--"
"Shut up, Sunburst!" He whirled back on his sister, whatever restraint on his temper coming loose. "You know what? You're right for calling yourself a failure! Because anypony with a sense of dignity wouldn't just run away."
Lightning expected this. She knew he would get angry, but seeing it for real, here and now, was totally different. She never saw him so angry like that. And knowing she was the one responsible for his anger made the situation less bearable. Sticks and stones could break her bones, but words… words hurt like a sledgehammer.
"And in case you weren't listening, Mom is sick. That's right, she got sick because she had no clue whatsoever as to what happened to you, and it's only gotten worse. Did you think about how she felt? Wasn't it enough after Dad died?"
Shock continued to strike their captive audience. Their father had died and now their mother was sick. To deal with one loss must have been difficult for them, but to deal with it twice --and to the other parent no less -- would be torture. Flash's rage could be justified now, if only a little.
It left Lightning tearfully distraught. "N-N-No! I-I-I didn't want--" She couldn't take it. She got her mother sick, and that alone left a huge impact on her soul.
"You know what your problem is? You're too proud of yourself, so proud one screw up sends you bailing out on your problems. There's always a second chance and you're too blind to see it!" At that moment, Flash also had tears running down his eyes. But those were tears of anger. "You idiot. You thick-headed, selfish, irresponsible idiot…”
He realized how far he’d went and took a deep calming breath like Cadence did when in stressful situations. He had to salvage the conversation, to tell Lightning how wrong she was, but he didn't want to destroy her.
Yet those words indeed destroyed her. The same lovely brother who always stood up for her and made her smile everyday said those words, and it became too much for Lightning to handle. She was in shock. She was just there, eyes shut tight, sobbing.
Flash’s heart fell at the sight. "Lightning... look, I--”
She ran.
Everyone watched her run out the door in silence. Twilight wasted no time getting Rainbow’s attention. "Rainbow, go after her.”
The pegasus nodded. "I'm on it." Rainbow dashed out of the study.
"Oh Lightning..." Flash whimpered to himself. "What have I done?"