During break time, The Young Seven were in the library reading some books while Lightning was sitting next to Silverstream drawing something.
The hippogriff was reading a book on water pipes until she saw Lightning drawing. She smiled at him before closing the book and asked softly, “What are you drawing, cutie?”
Lightning looked at Silverstream as he put his pencil down and showed her his drawing.
It was drawing of him with Sandbar, Gallus, Yona, Smolder, Ocellus and Silverstream around him smiling together with words on top of the paper saying “My friends”.
The others saw the drawing and smiled at him.
“Aww…that’s really sweet, Lightning,” said Ocellus softly which made the colt blush a bit.
“Thanks,” he replied, “Hope you’re all okay with me drawing this.”
“Oh don’t worry, kid,” said Sandbar, “We don’t mind at all. We’re your friends, we’re happy for you.”
“Yona thinks little pony’s good artist,” said Yona.
Lightning smiled at Yona’s comment. He was really happy to have friends that really cared for him, especially his special somedragon Smolder.
Just then, they heard a voice that The Young Six recognise.
“Well, well, well....”
The Young Seven turned to see it was Cozy Glow who said it as she walked towards them. The Young Six got away from the table and glared at the filly.
Lightning became scared of the way Cozy Glow was walking with that grin on her face as he then hid underneath Silverstream and behind her talon arms.
“Look what we have here,” she said as she stopped near the group, “If it isn’t the six friends that ruined everything and sent me to Tartarus after everything I did to make sure the school was still in shape.”
“You again?!” Smolder said in both shock and anger, “Why aren’t you in Tartarus after what you did to the magic?!”
“Oh Princess Celestia decided to give me another chance to start over,” she answered, “And I thought I start by seeing the six students that ruined everything for me.” She grew a grin on her face as the Six looked at her angrily.
“We ruined everything?!” Ocellus shouted angrily, this was the first time she ever shouted or be really angry with somepony, “You’re the one that decided to make all the magic fail just for power, bring the whole school to your hooves, trapped Starlight and made every student believe we were the ones who did it when it was YOU who did it!”
“Who is that mean pony?” asked Lightning who was still scared and hiding underneath Silverstream.
“Cozy Glow,” answered Sandbar, “She was a student here before she was sent to Tartarus for making all magic fail.”
“What mean pony want with us this time?” growled Yona.
“Well I’ve heard that you six have made a new friend while I was away,” Cozy said, “And I thought, since I’m now back, I should introduce myself to him.”
“Yeah, we have made a new friend while you were gone,” said Smolder as she crossed her claws, “But that doesn’t mean we’re gonna let you go anywhere near him if you’re planning on threatening him.”
“So you better stay away from him,” warned Silverstream angrily, “Otherwise you’ll have us to deal with!”
“Oh don’t worry,” Cozy said as she then giggled, “I just wanted to get to know him since he’s with you and is hiding underneath the hippogriff.” She then pointed at Silverstream as the hippogriff and the other five looked down to see Lightning trying to hide himself away from her.
Lightning nervously peeked out from underneath Silverstream a bit and in between her talon arms. Cozy Glow grinned at the colt before walking up towards him making him even more scared.
“So you’re the little colt that came into this school while I was gone, huh?” Cozy asked still grinning at him.
Lightning gulped nervously as he nodded his head.
“We haven’t met before.” She held her hoof out to him while introducing herself, “Cozy Glow.” Lightning slowly placed his hoof with hers, but didn’t shake hooves.
“Forgive me,” she said before pulling Lightning closer to her which made him shake in fear. The Young Six weren’t liking this as Cozy Glow moved one of Lightning’s wings and saw the bruises on them. “So it is true. You did have a bad life, especially from the stallion that treated you like dirt.”
“Cold Wind made his life like a living Tartarus,” said Gallus crossly as he moved Lightning away from the filly, “He was nothing but a bad father who was never a father in the first place.”
Cozy Glow glared at the griffon.
“How very brave of you to mention his father in front of him,” she said, “Or, perhaps very wrong if he doesn’t like hearing his father being mention.”
“He can mention him,” said Lightning still scared, “He’s not upsetting me by mentioning Daddy. He’s my friend, and so are the others.”
“Your friend?!” The filly laughed, “Why would you be friends with them? Those lot are nothing but threats of Equestria who only came to this school to learn about friendship so they can destroy it when that time comes.”
Lightning glared at Cozy Glow, but he was still scared. “No, they’re not!”
“Yes, they are.”
“Aren’t!”
“ARE!” Cozy Glow’s glare scared Lightning making him walk back underneath Silverstream as she closed her talon arms together while glaring at her and so did the other five.
“I suggest you leave him alone before we get Headmare Twilight on you,” said Sandbar crossly, “And like Silverstream said, you’ll have us to deal with if you don’t leave Lightning alone.”
“Hmph! Fine, but this isn’t over just yet.”
She then walked away leaving the Young Seven alone again as the six turned to look at Lightning who still hiding underneath Silverstream.
“Hey sweetie,” Smolder said as she reached her claw out to him, “You okay?”
“I think so,” he said shakily.
“Don’t listen to her, cutie,” Silverstream said as she rubbed his back with her claw. “She just thinks she can do whatever she pleases even before she got locked up in Tartarus.”
“Yeah Lightning,” said Ocellus, “Don’t let her words get to you.”
“Okay,” he said quietly before loud enough for her to hear.
Gallus looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was nearly time to return to lessons.
“We best be getting going, guys,” Gallus said, “We don’t wanna be late for our next lesson.”
The gang nodded as Lightning quickly went to the table and picked up the book he was reading.
“I’ll catch up. I just need to put this back.”
The six creatures nodded in understood before heading off to Rainbow Dash’s lessons. Lightning flew to the book shelf, that was at the end of the library, and placed the book back in the right spot. He was about to leave, until he heard Cozy Glow again.
“Wondered when you’ll be alone.”
Lightning turned and saw Cozy Glow standing by the book shelf with a grin on her face. Lightning began to shake again.
“How…h-how did you get here?”
“Why so scared and why ask such a question like that?” She asked before walking up to him, “I just wanted to see you, with no other creatures around. Besides, you and I are not so different.”
“I’m, not like you,” he said, “You tried to make magic disappear, and framed my friends.”
“Well, to each their own. I chose my path, you choose the way of being good and accepting friendship is magic. And those heroes found you cute, and accepted you in their lives. But the one thing that stands in a good pony’s way…is fail being a good pony, and even fall. In spite of everything they’ve done for you, will eventually, disappear. Why bother enjoying the new life and let go of the past?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do to let go of the anger, hatred and what’s happened in the past,” answered Lightning, “It’s the magic of friendship.”
Cozy Glow gave Lightning a pat on the head before leaning on the book shelf and said, “Here’s the real truth. There are lots of ponies and creatures in Equestria. And the true meaning of friendship, is power…but some just can’t see it, except for me. And you, me…” Cozy Glow slapped Lightning’s shoulder, “We’re exceptional.”
The filly stood back on her hooves before placing a hoof on Lightning’s cheek making him scared even more.
“I could hurt you right now. But I’m offering you a choice. Join me.”
Lightning’s eyes went wide open after hearing the two words Cozy Glow just said. She wants him to join her.
“Imagine what we could accomplish together,” she continued, “What we could create.” She then moved her hoof away from Lightning’s cheek, “Or we could just destroy all those that stand in our way, and do it again, and again, and again until we’re the only ones left standing. Think about it, Lightning.”
Cozy Glow flew away leaving Lightning Twister in both shock, scared and worried. The evil filly wants him to be just like her. Hate all creatures, believe friendship is power, and rule Equestria with her. Lightning didn’t know what to do or say to his friends and family about what just happened.