//------------------------------// // Year 6: Part 1 // Story: Lightning Dust: The Story Of Shadow // by Whooves235 //------------------------------// Lightning’s Barracks Alarms, that's what Lightning woke up to. Full-on alarms were engulfing the entire base Lightning then ran over to her uniform and quickly put it on. As she ran out the door she expected to see Sky Striker running to Cinch’s throne room, but he was strangely absent ¨Is Lord Tirek attacking again? that's what happened the last time the alarms went off like this¨ Lightning thought to herself, she then ran to the entrance of the cave, the shield to the Crystal Empire was indeed activated, but this time, something was trying to break into it, it appaired to be an Airship with a strange glowing blue symbol on it, the ship began shooting what appeared to be explosives at the shield ¨I see you managed to get her in time¨ Cinch said landing on the edge of the entrance ¨What in the name of Celestia is going on?¨ Lightning said ¨Who is attacking the Crystal Empire?¨ ¨Its not just the Crystal Empire, all of Equestria is being invaded¨ ¨By who?!¨ Lightning said ¨For once, I do not know, I have never seen anything like this in my entire life¨ Cich said ¨However it seems that whoever these people do not know who we are, so we can use that to our advantage¨ ¨Im guessing that The Elements Of Harmony are dealing with this threat?¨ Cinch was quiet for a moment, she then spoke up in a tone that almost seemed worried ¨Celestia, Luna, and Cadence have been captured and turned into stone, and The Elements of Harmony were last seen falling down a Waterfall, and have yet to return¨ ¨What?!¨ Lightning said, shocked ¨Your saying that Equestria is completely defenseless?¨ ¨Yes, even The Wonderbolts where defeated, it seems that Equestria is now under the rule of whoever is leading this assult¨ Cinch said ¨We....we have to do something!¨ Lightning said ¨Without the Elements of Harmony or the Princesses Equestria will fall!!¨ ¨I am fully aware Lightning¨ Cinch said ¨But this is only Day one of the invasion, and this army has taken down the most powerful force in Equestria, to attack now would be foolish¨ ¨Then what can we do?!¨ Lightning said ¨Hope that the Elements of Harmony return in time¨ Cinch said ¨You mean we are not going to go into DEFCON one?¨ ¨I do not want to rule Equestria if it means having to take down an enemy that already did it¨ Cinch said ¨Besides, we can use this situation to our advantage, once the Elements of Harmony take back Equestria, it will take time for them to rebuild, then, when they are week, we can take controll¨ ¨I...I understand mam¨ ¨Untill then, I want you to remain at guard, you are our last hope of victory¨ Cinch said ¨Me?¨ Lightning said ¨What about Sky, he is also part of the plan¨ Cinch looked out for a moment, Lightning could see that Cinch was hiding something, something that was not good ¨Lightning what I am about to tell you will make you upset at me, and you must promise me that you will never look at me as the one at fault¨ ¨Mam?¨ Lightning said ¨I had asked Sky-Striker to go to Canterlot to oversee The Friendship Festival with some of my Shadowspies¨ Cinch said ¨I had thought that everything there was vulnerable to an attack so we could launch our plans, however...¨ ¨Mam, what...what happened to Sky?¨ Cinch sighed and slowly turned to meat Lightnings eyes ¨Lutenit Sky-Striker was killed during the invasion of Canterlot, only one Shadowspy made it out to tell me of his fate¨ Lightning froze, she replyed those words in her head over, and over again, her skin began to heat up, her teeth began to clench, she began to dig at the ground with all four of her hoofs she remembered the conversation on the train ride home from her first mission ̈ ̈Sky, The Shadowbolts are all that I have left...you are all that I have left ̈ Lightning said ̈I don't care what happens to the Shadowbolts as long as you are still there by my side, nothing can stop me from being with you ̈ Sky looked at Lightning for a second ̈ I'm glad to hear that Lightning ̈ Sky said Lightning looked at Cinch, her leader, her princess, the only one who would take her in, after everything that has happened to her, The Wonderbolts, Her Father, Nightshade, and now Sky the only pony Lightning truly loved, was this her fate, was she destined to never be happy, to never be normal? ¨Lutenit Lightning Dust¨ Cinch said, snapping Lightning out of thaught ¨Mam, permission to take the rest of the day off...¨ Lightning said, her tone flat ¨Your request....is granted Lightning, however, I expect you to be on your guard until tomorrow¨ ¨Yes mam¨ Lightning said ¨Oh and Lightning?¨ ¨Yes mam?¨ ¨Due to the fact that you are now the sole Shadowbolt left in this camp, I am going to promote you to Major General of the entire Shadowbolt Army, you will become my personal second in command¨ ¨I understand mam¨ Lightning said ¨Thank you mam¨ Lightning then started walking until she reached Skys Barracks, she slowly opened the door and entered the room, she walked over to his bed and put her hoof on it, then she felt something, something she had never felt before, even when she was killing her father, she had not felt this. it was something new, something, powerfull, something that needed to be let out, and so Lightning did just that... ¨SKY!!!!!!!!¨ Lightning shouted, she screamed at the top of her lungs Cinch’s Throne Room Cinch sat at her throne, she could hear Lightning shouting from Skys Barrack, she sat back and pondered. Lightnings training had come along very well, it was not until she killed her own father did CInch see the passion in Lightnings eyes. She only needed that one push, the thing that would make her see that Cinch was the only thing she had left in this world, while Sky-Strikers death was not planned, she felt that it was the thing she had been looking for, the thing that would prove to her, that Lightning Dust, is a Pure Shadowbolt.