Raiden was enjoying a little time exploring Ponyville with Lighting. "You know, despite this place being friendly, there's no shortage of problems that pop up every wednesday or so." Raiden said.
"Tell me about it. So, where are Bart and Minx?" Lightning asked.
"I asked them to keep an eye out for some water monster the locals are always mentioning. Seems it was scaring ponies non-stop one day, then mysteriously vanished. The folks are calling it 'The River Spirit'." Raiden said.
"Dude. It'd be so cool if we were able to catch that cryptid." Lightning said. "Plus, I heard one of Throsten's wives is visiting tomorrow. I think it's the Vaporeon one. She could even help."
"Heh. This is why your my best bud. Off the wall solutions like that is what allowed you to play a key part in liberating out home town." Raiden said.
Lightning Smiled. "...I never really got to apologize properly for tricking you, you know." He said.
"I told you you don't have to." Raiden said.
"I know but...the way you were hurting...almost made me want to tell you and make you promise to keep it under your hat." Lightning said. "Honestly, it made me regret the lie I was living when you were hurting near the beginning." He had tears in his eyes.
"You did what had to be done Lightning. And what you did took strength I never knew you even had." Raiden said.
"I wasn't sure if I had the strength for it either. There were quite a few times where I got worried my plan would flop, and then my tricking you would've been in vain." Lightning said. "But then I remembered how much you were hurting over my trick in the early days, and that reminded me of why I was doing this. For not just you, but for the entire city."
"I'm glad you toughed it out, and we did reconcile." Raiden said.
"I don't care if you don't think I need to apologize to you." Lightning said. "I am sorry I hurt you with my trick."
Raiden gave a soft smile. "Fine, apology accepted old friend." Raiden said, and gave his best friend a paw bump.
And just when the two BBFs did, there was a brief moment where it looked like their shadows had changed into a Pichu and a Shinx, but after a cloud briefly passed over them, the shadows returned to normal.
Meanwhile...
"What?" Rainbow Dash asked. She had been cruising on a cloud with Night Wing when she had noticed the shadow change, but then after it returned to normal, she blinked and rubbed her eyes.
"What's going on?" Night Wing asked.
"Not sure. For brief moment, it looked like Raiden and Lightning's shadows were different." Rainbow Dash said.
Night Wing looked surprised. "Wait, you can see those things from up here?! I can barely see them!" Night Wing said.
"I'll ask Twilight for some ink and a scroll to draw what I saw." Rainbow Dash said.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Fluttershy was sent flying out of her house. "Whoa! Who kicked you out of your house?" Lightning asked.
"Angel..." Fluttershy said. "It's not his fault. I'm just not assertive enough."
"Well, there is going to be this assertive seminar--"
"Screw that!" Raiden suddenly said, interrupting Lightning. "She doesn't need to waste her money on that. I'll help her get more assertive without going too far. It might take a few days, but I'd never turn down a lady in need." He said.
"Oh...thank you Raiden." Fluttershy said, smiling.
But little did Raiden know, he had just given Fortis Vile an idea. An awful idea. A very cruel and unpleasant idea.
While he had agreed initially to keep the fact that the so called "River Spirit" was really Vala trying to create a town cryptid, he couldn't help but appreciate the blank flanks sucking up to him to get him to agree.
And he knew just how much sucking up they'd do if he threatened to expose the truth.
But instead of that, maybe this would be better.
He could tell Raiden the truth, and tell him that it was 100% the CMC's idea with them forcing him into the whole thing.
True, Raiden may not have the best opinion of him right now, but Fortus Vile could easily persuade the Raichu into hearing him out.
This way, suddenly Fortus Vile's actions would be passed off as him trying to figure a way out of the CMC's "threat". Fortus Vile just had to come up with a convincing lie.
One that would not only reveal the identity of "The River Spirit", but also turn the entire town against the CMC with Raiden doing the same.
They'd be tossed out of town for sure; perhaps even sent to canterlot where it would be his word against theirs.
And then once they were banished from Equestria, they would forever wonder the lands with their blank flanks unitl the day they died.
It was so ruthless, and so vicious...and Raiden had given Fortus Vile the one thing he needed to make it work.
Fortus Vile just needed the right kind of lie.
"Oh Ponyville is so lovely here in Summer time. It's too bad it's not a beach front city." Vala said. It was the next day now, and Vala was over.
"I personally think beaches are overrated." Raiden said.
"Don't be so dismissive." Sweetie Belle said.
"Even if it's not the exact same, on really hot days, it is nice to just soak in the pool at my house." Diamond Tiara said. "Speaking of which, mom says you gals are welcome any time if it gets really hot out."
"We figured. She did the same last year." Scootaloo said.
"Oh right. Sorry, brain fart." Diamond Tiara said.
"Look whose here." Fortus Vile suddenly showed up.
"Fortus Vile." Apple Bloom said.
"Where's Silver Spoon?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Is she out sick again?" Scootaloo asked.
"And conveniently too?" Diamond Tiara asked.
"Such an accussation, coming from the four of you." Fortus Vile said.
"I'd back off them if I was you." Raiden said.
"You wouldn't be protecting them, if you knew how the whole 'River Spirit' cryptid rumor got started, and the efforts those four went to in making me a pawn in the cover up." Fortus Vile said.
"That's not true." Apple Bloom said.
"...What cover up?" Raiden was interested.
"Raiden! You can't possibly be willing to hear this guy out!" Sweetie Belle said.
"If there's a cover up, I need to know about it." Raiden said.
"Oh Raiden, you didn't already figure it out?" Vala asked, suddenly.
Fortus Vile was caught off guard. Wait...what?
"Seriously, a mysterious creature that was sparying water in pony faces that mysteriously vanished as soon as it appeared. Or did you forget basic Pokemon biology?" Vala asked.
"...Wait...YOU?!" Raiden asked. "But then, what do any of these kids have to--"
"I had them all promise to keep quiet about it. Because I wanted the other kids to try their darnest to work together. Give them something to solve together. Teach them about unity in the community and all that." Vala said. "And so far, it's worked wonders I hear."
"She's not wrong. Almost every kid in class is trying to solve her little mystery." Scootaloo said.
"And it's something that both Fortus Vile AND Silver Spoon agreed to do with us." Diamond Tiara said.
"So, Silver Spoon was in on this too huh?" Raiden asked. "Well, I didn't expect this today." He said, before turning to Fortus Vile. "So, if I understand correctly, you were working with these four kids to give your classmates something to strive towards?" Raiden asked.
Fortus Vile gulped. What am I supposed to do now? My plan is ruined! He thought to himself. "Something like that..." Fortus Vile said, nerviously.
"Huh. Maybe your not hopeless after all kid, if those are the lengths you'll go to for others." Raiden said.
Huh? Fortus Vile was confused. Did he...just earn points with this Raichu?
"Guess so long as you stay out of trouble, and are willing to do things like this, you may not be a lost cause after all. So, good on you for going out of your way like this kiddo." Raiden said. "Sometimes lying about the truth, can be a good thing." He then walked off.
As every pony watched him, a few moments later, Lightning showed up. "Phew, hey Vala." Lightning said.
"Hello Lightning." Vala said.
"Hey Lightning? When Raiden said that 'sometimes lying about the truth can be a good thing', what exactly did he mean?" Fortus Vile asked, now just as curious as the CMC.
"...Oh. Guess you wouldn't know the full story behind how I managed to get undercover to get the mafia gangsters off the streets huh?" Lightning asked. "I guess I've got time...but let me tell you: This won't be an easy tale for me to relive..."
To be continued