Chapter 17
Lightning rushed up stairs to Rarity’s room. He flung the door open. Rarity had the blanket over her back, and was searching through a box. She found some sunglasses, and put them on.
Lightning asked, “Rarity, what’s going on? I heard a thud!”
Rarity responded. “I have to go get Sweetie Belle! I walk her home from school.” Rarity coughed.
Lightning placed a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “I’ll go get her. You get back into bed, and feel better.” Lightning looked at the night stand where the OJ still was. “And drink some OJ. It’s supposed to be good for your immune system”
Rarity’s eyes lit up and she grew a large smile. “You would do that for me?”
Lightning was confused. “I know where the school is. It’s not that far away. It’s not a very big deal.” Lightning starts to walk out of the room.
Rarity runs over to him as fast as her blanket back can. “But it is!”
Lightning starts showing concern about this. “Um…ok. Now, back to bed with you!” Lightning points back to Rarity’s bed, which she promptly gets in. Lightning pulls the covers over Rarity.
“What did I ever do to deserve you?”
Lightning responded, “Only time will tell.” And with that, Lightning left the room. Lightning started wondering why it was such a big deal to go walk Sweetie Belle from school. Lightning left the house, and journeyed to the school.
It was a sunny day. Ponies were wondering around the streets, doing things that they normally do; shopping, chatting. Lyra was playing her instrument with some song about humans. A concept Lightning was all too familiar with, but that is a story for another day…
In a matter minutes, Lightning had arrived. There were few students left, and a few parents milling about discussing things. Lightning had to harness all of his ninja abilities to find Sweetie Belle. Jumping between shadows, and trees, he garnered a number of raised eye brows, and confused discussions. In a matter of moments though, he found Sweetie Belle talking with Cherilee.
Lightning approached from out of the shadows, somehow, and promptly scared Cherilee.
Cherilee jumped. “Oh! Hello there.”
Lightning responded. “Hello. I am here to walk Sweetie Belle home.”
Cherilee raised an eye brow. “Oh? And who are you? Her uncle?”
Lightning laughed. “No, I’m just a friend of the family.” He looked to Sweetie Belle. “You ready?”
Sweetie Belle smiled. “I sure am Lightning!”
Cherilee laughed a little too. “Lightning? Named like the prince, eh?”
Sweetie Belle chimed in. “No, he is the prince!” Sweetie Belle said this rather loud, but by this point, only a few parents were left, and paid no heed to what the little foal said.
On the other hand, Cherilee did pay heed. “Oh? The real prince?”
Lightning sighed. “I am.” He cleared his throat. Lighting bellowed, “Through the ages, through all of time, Lighting strikes fear into those who seek evil in their hearts!”
Cherilee was impressed. “Oh, how dashing! Would you like to come and speak at family appreciation day? I know you are not related to any of my students, but I bet they would get a kick out of seeing royalty. I’m sure we could make some room.” Sweetie Belle started to grow suspicious. Lightning did not notice.
Lightning seemed unsure. “Sure, I guess. When would be a good time?”
Cherilee responded, “I’ll let you know. I’ll give a note to Sweetie Belle.”
Lighting smiled a weak smile. “Ok, I’ll look forward to it. Come along Sweetie Belle.”
Cherilee said, “I’ll look forward to it too.” Cherilee smiled an odd smile, and went back into the school house. Lighting and Sweetie Belle started on their way back to Rarity’s house.
Sweetie Belle looked up to Lightning. “You know she was trying to hit on you, right?”
Lightning apparently did not catch that. “What? No she wasn’t.”
Sweetie Belle replied in a know-it-all style, “Me and the other crusaders tried to fix her up with Big Macintosh.” Her mood dropped. “It did not work out too well.” She resumed a normal demeanor. “But, we think that it made her think, and we’ve seen her on some dates around town, and so we think she is… on the prowl.”
Lightning raised an eyebrow. “What crazy things a little foal like you comes up with.” He laughed it off. “So, what did you learn in school today?”
Sweetie Belle responded with glee, “Today we learned more about history of Equestria. Like the Diamond age.” Lighting stopped, and seemed distracted. “What’s wrong?”
Lightning didn’t reply, but just looked off into the distance, but then came back to reality a few moments later. “Nothing. What did you learn about the diamond age?”
“It was a dark time for Equestria. Luna was just exiled, and there was some unrest.”
Lightning laughed. “Some. Yeah, it was turbulent.”
Sweetie Belle was confused. “Hu?”
Lighting waved it off. “Never mind.” The pair walked along, with Lightning continuing to listen. Eventually, they arrived at Ponyville proper. They walked past Lyra, singing her song.
Sweetie Belle commended. “Oh, there’s Lyra. I bet he’s talking about those humans she things exist.”
Lightning raised an eye brow. “People give her guff for believing in humans?”
Sweetie Belle replied, “Not really guff, I think. More just mock her behind her back.”
Lightning’s ears dropped. “Oh. Excuse me for a moment.” Lightning walked over to Lyra, away from Sweetie Belle, and talked to Lyra. They talked for a few moments, and then Lyra became excited, and started doing her patented jumping up and down thing, and then hugged Lightning. Lightning walked back to Sweetie Belle. “Ready to continue?”
Sweetie Belle asked, “What did you say to her?”
Lightning smiled. “I just validated her beliefs.” He continued to walk. Sweetie Belle had a confused look on her face, but quickly followed after him.
Shortly thereafter, they arrived back home. Lightning leaned down and whispered to Sweetie Belle; “Now, your sister is rather sick. We should try to be quiet, and let her sleep. Ok?” Sweetie Belle nodded. “Now, why don’t you go up to your room and start on your homework, or whatever you do after school.” Sweetie Belle tip hoofed up to her room. Lightning heard a knock at the door. He looked through the peep hole, and saw it was Derpy. He opened the door.
Derpy held out a package. “I brought Rarity a package.”
Lightning whispered, “Thank you.”
Derpy replied also in whisper, “Why are you whispering?”
“Rarity is sick, I’m hoping that if me and Sweetie Belle are quiet, she’ll sleep more and get better.”
Derpy smiled, “Aww, you’re so thoughtful.” Derpy leaned into the house and yelled, “I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER RARITY!” She then smiled and left.
Lightning frowned. His ear was now ringing. He examined the package. “Sexy Maid outfit; mare fit.” Lightning’s ears dropped. He didn’t think Rarity’s house was a mess, nor did he think she would need a maid. Maybe he could help out more around the house, then she wouldn’t……..Then Lightning figured it out, and his ears now actively pushed against the side of his head.
He decided to confront Rarity about this. He slowly opened the door, and peeked inside. Rarity was drinking orange juice in her bed. The only part visible was her hoof, and part of her face. Lightning walked over with the package, and set it on the ground.
Rarity jumped after reading what it said. “Now, Sweetie Belle, don’t read too much into this. We are not getting a maid. And second of all….” Rarity pulled herself out of the covers, and then discovered it was Lightning who had moved the package. “Oh…Prince…Um…” Rarity paused for a brief moment. “What can I do for you?”
Lightning decided to play dumb. “A costume for Nightmare Night? A little early to prepare for that one, eh?”
Rarity fidgeted in the bed. “Well…Um…”
Lightning knew he had her where he wanted her. “When you feel better, you’ll have to try it on. Make sure it fits before the holiday.”
Rarity froze. Lightning picked the box back up, and carried it out of the room, and closed the door behind him. Lightning was tempted to open the door back up, but decided to let her recover from that, and get some rest.
The rest of the day passed without much fanfare. Sweetie Belle asked for help with her math homework. Lightning was able to help a little, but they both took a trip over to Twilight, who was able to help the rest of the way. Twilight’s eye twitched a lot while helping when she looked at Lightning. He thought it was weird.
After helping Sweetie Belle, Lightning asked, “Are you ok Twilight?”
Twilight looked to Lightning. Her eye continued to twitch. “I’m just fine. How are you?”
“I’m doing acceptable. But your eye is twitching like crazy.”
Twilight closed the twitching eye, and placed a hoof over it. “Just too much studying, I guess. Sometimes you just look at a book too long, and you eye starts going crazy.”
Lightning laughed. “Yeah, I’ve been there.” Twilight’s eye started twitching more. “You may want to get that looked at.” Twilight nodded. “Come along Sweetie Belle, let’s go home.”
The two left the library. Shortly after closing the door, Lightning heard a muffled ‘argh’. He decided not to investigate, as Twilight was powerful, and you did not want to get caught on her bad side. He once heard she turned a frog into an orange. It was a rumor, but lots of ponies said they saw it happen, or so they said.
The trip back to the house passed without incident. It sure was a sunny and beautiful day. Lightning thought nothing could ruin this day. He smiled at this thought. And then frowned at thinking it, knowing that it would most likely suddenly turn to fail. And Lightning did not like fail.