//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: And Ever and Ever // Story: A Story Of Two Bolts // by Stepany1234 //------------------------------// “Nightmare Moon! Stop it!” Spitfire shouted. Nightmare Moon laughed aloud. Spitfire flew over to the alicorn but was kicked away by her strong long legs. Spitfire slammed into a tree and rolled to the floor. “Ugh,” she moaned before rubbing her head. “No. Not again,” Nightshade said. Nightmare Moon turned her attention to Nightshade and saw she was resisting. “What?” She asked in surprise. “I won’t let you control me again!” She shouted. The magic reversed and blew out towards Nightmare Moon, like she let out a loud blast of wind and magic from her outburst. Nightmare Moon stayed in place but shielded her face with her hoof. Spitfire covered her face with both her hooves to avoid the leaves and twigs that were blowing passed her. Nightmare Moon lowered her hoof to see Nightshade hovering above the floor. Slowly she landed down on all four hooves and gave Nightmare Moon the scariest death glare she’s ever seen. “I won’t let you hurt anypony like you’ve hurt me. I won’t let you hurt my best friend!” She shouted before charging towards the alicorn. She snarled at her attempt and stepped back when Nightshade leapt at her. The gap between them was met when a lightning bolt struck Nightshade on the back. Her spine shook and her body numbed. “Nigthshade!” Spitfire cried out. Nightshade’s body dropped to the ground right in front of Nightmare Moon. “You impeccable little foal! This grave is too good for you. No matter, you are nothing to me. I have six other problems that I must go and take care of now,” she said before turning her back on Nightshade. “Wasteful trash,” she hissed. She bathed herself in her magic and then was gone through the air. Spitfire sat their in shock when suddenly she felt a drop of water fall on her nose. It started to rain. Spitfire jumped up and ran over Nightshade. The rain fell but it wasn’t too strong, weak even. “Nightshade! Nightshade!” Spitfire ran to her side and turned the mare over. She held her in her hooves as she moaned in pain. Spitfire’s eyes began to stream and wet her already damp face. Nightshade opened her eyes slowly and looked up to Spitfire. “Spitfire?” She said weakly, her voice groggy and rough. Spitfire’s sobs were heavy and made it difficult for her to respond. “Yes, Nightshade. I’m here,” she cried. “Guess having bolt in my name makes this whole thing a bit ironic, huh?” She laughed softly. Spitfire let out a small laugh at her friend’s humor, then went back to crying. She held Nightshade’s hoof in hers while holding her in the other. “You kept it,” Nightshade laughed softly. She looked at the bracelet around Spitfire’s hoof. She smiled. “Yeah. I told you it’d wear it forever and ever,” Spitfire grinned. Her sobs grew louder than the soft thunder. It was strange but it seemed that the storm was slowly passing. “I just realized something,” Nightshade said. Spitfire looked over to her and faked a smile. “What’s that?” “We both became bolts,” she said. “What do you mean?” Spitfire asked. “We both wanted to become Wonderbolts. But honesty we just wanted to become something successful together to share. I guess I got scared of loosing you when I didn’t become a Wonderbolt,” Nigthshade said, her voice sounding raspier with every word. “Don’t even think about apologizing, none of this was your fault,” Spitfire squeezed Nightshade’s hoof tighter. Nightshade let out a heavy cough and became stiff. The pain in her face frightened Spitfire and she held her tighter. “Nightshade, listen to me,” Spitfire said calmly. Nightshade opened her eyes and turned to look at the mare. “You are my best friend and always will be-” “Spitfire I’m di-” “No don’t say that!” Spitfire snapped. “Let me finish,” she said, her sobbing picked up again. Nightshade only looked back at her, waiting for her to go on. “I’ve known you almost all my life and loved every second I’ve spent with you,” she cleared her throat and went on. “Out of all those years together, there’s only one thing I regret,” she said. She slightly squeezed her hoof tighter and brought it closer to her. “And that was not going after you that one night,” she finally said. Nightshade smiled and squeezed her hoof back. “I only regret not being there to see you receive your suit and goggles. And to truly say Congratulations,” Nightshade smiled warmly to the mare who was sobbing, her own eyes watering. Nightshade raised her other hoof and touched the bracelet she made so many years ago. She felt a painful stab in her spine that traveled throughout her body, hinting that she was going. She maintained the best poker face she could bring together, hiding how weak she was beginning to feel. “Spitfire, could you do me a favor?” She asked while playing with the bracelet. Slowly the rain began to let up and the clouds started moving across the sky on their own. “Anything,” Spitfire said. She cleared her throat again and tried to withhold her sobs. “Later today, do you think you could take my goggles to get fixed? I don’t think I’ll have time to,” Nightshade said, still playing with the bracelet. Spitfire smiled and nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “Oh and one more thing,” “Yes?” Nightshade gripped Spitfire’s hoof and couldn’t care less if she was holding on too tight. Spitfire was too distracted to even notice. “Can you stay my best friend forever?” Nightshade said, her voice choking on the desire to cry. Spitfire let out another sob but smiled through it. “Yes. Forever,” she said. Nightshade’s eyes became heavy and she slowly faded away. “and ever?” Her last words before she finally faded away. Spitfire’s eyes shot open at the sight and began to hyperventilate. She bit her lip as more tears poured through. She buried herself in Nightshade’s stomach and let out a painful cry. “and ever and ever and ever!!” She cried. The sun then came out and warmed up the area. Spitfire felt the warmth against her coat but was too absorbed to care. -------------------- It’s been almost a year now since the incident in the Everfree forest. The Shadowbolts all got away the same night and are still wanted for their arrest. Spitfire learned from the newspaper and from friends about how six ponies beat Nightmare Moon. She also heard how Princess Luna emerged from those hidden ashes and now rules beside her sister in Canterlot. It made Spitfire smile to know Nightshade would have loved it if she could have met Luna. Spitfire broke from her daze and looked around to remember she was doing something very important. “Alright, next?” Soarin said while checking off something on his clipboard. Spitfire looked over to the line and saw two fillies talking to each other, one obviously very nervous. Finally they both flew together in front of the judges. “Oh, sorry. Only one audition at a time,” Soarin told them. They both looked at Spitfire. “Could we please audition together? Please?” They both grinned hopefully. “Um,” Spitfire said, her mind filling with memories. “Please? We both want to get in,” they said. Spitfire finally smiled and nodded. “Sure,” she said. Soarin looked over to her but said nothing. The two fillies performed a trick together and showed how hard they worked to perfect it. Once they were finished, they both turned to Spitfire and smiled, waiting for her answer. “That was very good! We’ll be letting everypony know next week for who made the team. Thank you!” Spitfire grinned. The fillies brightened up and both high-hoofed each other before flying off. Spitfire watched them both hug and twirl in the air, laughing and cheering to themselves. Spitfire wiped a tear from her eye and caught the attention of the mare next to her. “Hey, you alright?” Fleetfoot asked her. A small sniffle and nod was Spitfire’s response. “Yeah, never better,” Spitfire said with a small laugh. “Just got something in my eye.” she lied. “Oh. Okay,” Fleetfoot said. She turned back to watch the next pony’s audition. Spitfire looked and saw the two fillies off to the side and smiled at them warmly. She saw herself and Nightshade for a brief second then blinked and saw it was the two fillies again. The two ponies looked young enough to still be high school. Just like Spitfire and Nigthshade were. The rest of that afternoon went on with nothing but memories and warm smiles. Of course it still hurt inside to remember her best friend’s departure, but she kept her promise to her and stayed strong and happy. She didn’t feel sad but warm inside. She would find herself shed a few tears now and then whenever she would go deep into thought about the past. But most of the time she felt good with the sweet memories she got to share with the pony. She truly made her life an amazing ride. The only wish she had was that she could share it with her still. But since she couldn’t she vowed to live her life the best she could, for the sake of her best friend. She went back to her apartment and walked into her room to see the fixed Shadowbolt goggles sitting on her dresser, right next to the picture frame of her and Nightshade. She adjusted the picture frame then looked at her bracelet around her hoof, and smiled warmly. “Forever and ever.”