//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Guilt 
// Story: Lighting Can Strike Twice 
// by Lightning_Colt 
//------------------------------//

	Rain drummed down hard on the living room floor as I stood there, staring in shock at my parents lying almost serenely underneath the huge tree trunk. "No…" was all I could manage to say, trying to choke back a torrent of tears. I reached out and grabbed my parents hooves within mine, both of them were smiling.  Strangely my mother seemed to read my mind "It's not your fault" she said calmly

"Mom…" I whimpered, tears welling up in my eyes.
"There was nothing you could have done to prevent this" my father said, his deep but kind voice made me feel worse. Guilt was weighing down in my heart like a ton of bricks. Of course there was something I could have done, but because I was so selfish, and going off to try and fly I left them to fend for themselves, leaving them to their deaths. I kicked the floor with frustration. "Don't be angry at yourself" my mother cooed. Her soothing face wrinkled as she coughed, drops of blood landing on the flooded floor. 
"You know that we love you more than anything in Equestria, nothing you do will change that." My mother said as she squeezed my hoof tighter. "There is one thing I want you to do" my mother said struggling to speak. "Yes? What? Anything!" I said desperately. 

"Make some friends" she uttered back as her eyes closed and her grip loosened. Tears were already streaming down my face, mixing with the rain as her hoof fell out of mine. To me, time almost stood still, I didn't want her hoof to hit the floor but all I could do was watch it fall in slow motion. I winced as her hoof splashed onto the hardwood floor and that’s when I completely lost it. I was trembling all over partly due to the freezing cold rain but just from the fact that both my parents had died in my hoofs because of my selfishness.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder, I looked to find Rainbow standing there, just as soaked as I was, looking at me through wide and sad eyes. "It's okay" she said calmly. That statement from the cyan pegasus caused something unexpected within me. I became filled with anger with this pony. I whipped round to face her anger burning in my eyes, her look of surprise and fear did not douse the fire in my heart. 

"Okay? OKAY? YOU THINK THIS IS OKAY?" I shouted

"BECAUSE OF MY SELFISHNESS THEIR DEAD! I HAVE KILLED THEM! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS LIKE! MAYBE YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY BEFORE YOU SAY IT!" 

Ignoring the tears welling up in Rainbow's eyes, I took off before she could reply and angrily flew in a random direction. Tears were still streaming down my face and the rain emphasised just how hot I was with rage at Rainbow. Who does she think she is telling me it's okay? I just kept flying, blinded by rage, before coming to a realisation, I now have no parents, no home, no money and no food. I have essentially become a homeless pony overnight. I decided to stop and take my bearings, I had seen that I had flown several miles East, so I decided to turn left and fly North towards Canterlot. Maybe there, complete strangers would be kind enough to donate a Bit or two…