//------------------------------// // Lightning Crashes Part I // Story: No Heroes Part II - The Journey Home // by PaulAsaran //------------------------------// The familiar cold air of the highlands felt good on her wings. Lightning hadn’t felt it in some time. The moisture of the clouds, pressed thickly against the mighty wall of mountains, made droplets of water form and drip off her feathers to the thick pine forests below. There was a time, when she was little, that she would dance among the rains and create spectacular watery ripples in the sky for her fans. She missed those days. She couldn’t believe she was back among these tall, forested hills. She’d not thought she would ever return, not after her disgraceful failure. She still didn’t want to. But the words in Fine’s letter kept coming back to her, over and over again. She didn’t like him, or trust him in the slightest. Yet she couldn’t ignore his warning; if the orphanage was in trouble, she had to answer. There was no other option. It had been nearly a full week since she’d received that letter. She’d flown clear across Equestria to answer it. It wasn’t a record, but she knew it was close. She could only hope that things hadn’t become any worse. The clouds cleared, just a little, and there it was: Foal Mountains. A small town, perhaps a little larger than Ponyville, nestled high on the side of one of the largest hills in the region. It wasn’t like other places; its buildings were made of hard grey stone and dark-stained pine logs. Everything there looked sturdy, heavy and rigid. Staring at her hometown from above, Lightning felt as if her heart might shatter into pieces. It was so pristine, so beautiful. She’d missed it so much… and she wasn’t even sure if she could land there. She needed a moment to recover. Her eyes scoured the familiar scenery and spotted the graveyard, nestled a ways downhill from the town. There… she dove through the moist air out of the clouds, into the woods, and landed as gently and respectfully as she could in the straw-covered grass. She was entirely surrounded by graves… but she’d landed before the ones that really mattered. She knelt before her parents’ shared tombstone and let her mind calm. This was her special place, where she could calm down and relieve the stress. She didn’t say anything – she never did. There was no need. Being in their presence always soothed her, in ways she could never quite grasp. When she was with them everything felt okay; the cords that held her mind tight with anger came loose. She was like an entirely different mare. She reassured herself with a mind calmer than it had been in months. She considered her situation with clarity, and affirmed once more that her return was unavoidable. She should have come back months ago. But she was back now, and there was no more time to mope: her friends needed her. If only she knew what she could possibly do to help. She hovered just outside the second story window, tapping on its glass lightly with her hoof. Somepony within stirred, approached. It was a colt, red-coated and maned. When he stared at her through the window he didn’t seem to know what he was looking at; Lightning grinned and waved a hoof. “Lightning!” he cried as the window came open. The little pegasus colt leapt through the window and into her hooves with glee. “You’re back!” She snuggled him before knuckling his mane playfully. “Hey, Gulfie! How’s my favorite cousin?” “I’m great now,” he exclaimed. He opened his small wings and pushed off of her. “Look, I can finally fly!” He demonstrated by doing a few rapid circles around her, laughing happily. “Alright!” She pumped her front legs with genuine pride. “Look at you! Keep that up and you might fly as fast as me someday.” “And that’s not all!” he declared, landing on the roof just above his window. He turned proudly to display his flank. On it was a small tornado. “Isn’t it awesome? I got it just last month!” “Cool! My little colt’s finally growing up. Took you long enough, slow poke.” He bounced excitedly, wings fluttering. “So what was training like? Did you meet Spitfire? Oh oh, what about Misty Fly? Did you get me any autographs? What’s it like being a Wonderbolt!?” Lightning was able to hold her smile. Barely. “Calm down, Gulfstream; if your wings beat any faster you’ll end up in the stratosphere.” “I can’t help it!” he cried, jumping up and flying more circles. “I’m soooooo excited! You have to tell me everything! Come on cuz, don’t leave me hangin’!” She cringed, tried to think of something to stall with. She just couldn’t tell him the truth… She flew up so that she was inside his blurry circle. “Yeah yeah, I get it. But first: let’s see what those little wings of yours can really do! Race ya to Bluegrass Falls!” The ploy worked; they were moving across the sky in a blur. Gulfstream was so thrilled by his first race with his hero he completely forgot about the Wonderbolts. Now if only she could think up more distractions. “That was so awesome!” Gulfstream was hopping circles around Lightning, grinning from ear to ear as they made their way through town. “Did you see how I changed the waterfall for a whole minute? It was spectacular! I was like vroooooom!” He emphasized by flying a blurry circle around her. She smiled, tried to be encouraging. It really had been impressive; he was definitely going to be Wonderbolt material when he grew up, and she couldn’t have been more proud. But right now she was more than just a little nervous. Going through the town of Foal Mountains, seeing all these familiar faces, knowing she was recognized and respected here… it was all she could do to keep her chin up and maintain the illusion. Nothing was wrong. Absolutely nothing. “Mom and Dad are so happy, you should see it Lightning. They’re trying to get me enrolled in the advanced flight academy in Cloudsdale, just like you. I can’t wait!” “That’s great, kid,” she answered honestly, casting a weak smile at a couple of mares who were waving to them. “Oh oh, we’re almost there! I’m gonna fly ahead and tell everypony who’s coming!” And he was gone, a red blur through the streets. She let out a relieved sigh; that foal’s energy seemed to have almost doubled since she’d left town! Probably just his excitement, of course. Lightning could remember back when she was his age, how excited she’d been at the thought of being a Wonderbolt. It made her feel so… happy. And now Gulfstream was going through all the same motions. She wanted to watch after him, to ensure he didn’t make her mistakes. He deserved a little help. But first she had to tell him the truth, and that was proving difficult. It came into view: home. The Foal Mountains Orphanage. It was a squat two-story nestled against the side of the hill, all hard wood. She paused, stared at it for some time. There were a lot of foals in there, all of them friends. Could she really face them? She took a deep breath and kept going; this was inevitable, wasn’t it? She might as well get it over with. Head hung low, mind running over all the potential ways she might explain her failure, she opened the front door. “Lightning Dust!!!” In an instant she was on her back, tackled by a small army of laughing foals. “You’re back, you’re back!” “What took you so long?” “You aced the academy, right?” “What’s it like being a Wonderbolt?” “I missed you so much!” “Welcome home!” “Lightning’s back, she’s back!” The mare laughed at their excitement and managed to sit up despite their weight. “Hey, guys! The Queen of Awesome has returned.” “See guys, told you!” Gulfstream declared, fluttering up from the crowd to sit on her shoulders with a proud expression. The foals were all bouncing and cheering and laughing, and Lightning could only beam. “Come here you little rascals,” she ordered, snatching up the closest of them in a tight hug. “Man I missed you ponies!” “So you’re a Wonderbolt now, right?” “I bet you flew the tails offa the others!” “Yeah, she probably impressed even Spitfire!” She gazed at their excited, eager faces. She could just imagine how those faces would look when she told them the truth. She wanted to, she really did. She knew she shouldn’t lie about it. She opened her mouth to speak, saw how they all leaned forward in wide-eyed expectation… “A…are you kidding?” She leapt into the air and did a few flips for emphasis. “I aced the academy! You’re looking at the second best flyer to graduate!” There were cheers all around, but Gulfstream, still on her shoulders, tapped her on the head and asked, “Second best?” “Yeah,” she waved a dismissive hoof, “some showoff blue pegasus from Ponyville got the better of me – but just barely!” This way she was telling at least a little bit of truth… right? “But you should have seen us; we tore the competition to pieces!” “You’re still our hero, no matter what,” cried an older blue colt. “Yeah,” a pink unicorn filly chimed in with an excited bounce, “nopony can replace our Lightning Dust!” “That’s right!” Gulfstream zipped through the air to hover above the small crowd. “Who’s the best flyer in all of Foal Mountains?” They all cheered at once. “Lightning Dust!!!” She flew down to land hard on the grass behind them. “You bet I am! And boy, do I have some stories for you!” She looked at the two dozen or so ponies and what hit was a sobering realization. “Hey… we’re missing some ponies. Where’s Plum Drop and Hiccup? I want every pony here to know just how awesome I am!” At her words the foals all went quiet. Some shared sad expressions. Lightning had been afraid of that. “Guys? What’s wrong?” “Nopony knows where they are,” one filly noted, scuffing the ground with her hoof. “They just… weren’t here one morning.” “We all searched,” another added unhappily, “but they're nowhere in town.” “Some of the younger foals are getting scared,” Gulfstream noted, hovering by her side. “A colt on the west side of town disappeared just last week.” So Fine’s letter had been telling the truth. Suddenly she was glad her instincts had kicked in as they always did. “Don’t you worry, guys. I was sent here to deal with it.” Heads perked up. “Really?” “Really.” She struck a gallant pose and grinned. “Lightning Dust, hero of Foal Mountains, is on the case!” While they cheered she quietly wondered: exactly what did Fine expect her to do? The orphanage had two headmasters, and she found one precisely where she’d expected: sitting on the floor in his office, meditating. “I thought I heard the children making a ruckus,” the big brown stallion announced with eyes still closed. He had no mane, but his unusually long tail was a dark red. “I imagined it was a sign you’d come home at last.” “Hello to you too, Mountain Mantra,” she muttered grumpily. “It wasn’t a ruckus: it’s called ‘laughter.’ You should look into it.” “You should recall, Dust: I do not blame youth for excessive emotion.” Still he remained sitting, eyes closed. She eyed him with annoyance; she’d never liked him, not since day one. “You, on the other hoof, are no longer so young.” “I didn’t come here for a lecture on inner peace, old fart.” His eyes opened at last, bright orange eyes that shined with intelligence. His face betrayed no emotion. “Yet you did come. You are very late, child.” “They needed me for things,” she answered, trying to keep her voice steady. Mountain studied her quietly. His gaze always made her nervous, like it was looking into her very soul. “When you asked me permission to leave this place and join that academy, I knew you would go whether I agreed or not. So I agreed: it was my hope that the Wonderbolts might instill in you a sense of self control. It seems I was mistaken.” She stomped her hoof angrily. “I have plenty of self control!” His bushy eyebrows lowered sharply. “Then why are you not a Wonderbolt?” That stung. She should have known better than to try to lie to him. She lowered her head in defeat and didn’t bother with an answer. The muscular stallion stood slowly and walked up to her, his massive size intimidating as always. “Do not worry, Dust. I will not open the curtains of your dishonesty to the children. A little hope can go a long way in trying times, and your deception offers them that. But remember: the truth will come out on its own eventually. You know this. Ensuring they learn it from the proper source is your responsibility.” “I know,” she muttered, not bothering to look up. Another one of those long, uncomfortable pauses he was so fond of. She trembled under his gaze. “You fear for the children.” She stood up to glare at him. “Of course I do!” Mountain nodded, solemn as always. “I do not know how you came to learn of our problems. But I can see that you wish to help. Do you have any idea how you can?” She sighed and shook her head. “No sir. I was told by… by an acquaintance that I might be able to do something, but I don’t know where to start.” “So you did the only thing you know how to do,” he concluded, “you came rushing in without a thought or a plan.” “What else am I supposed to do!? Stand aside and let my friends disappear? I have to help somehow!” “But will you help?” he asked critically, “or will you only make the situation worse?” She wanted to lash out, to do something about his ever harsh words. But she couldn’t. Of all the ponies she’d known in her life, he was one she didn’t dare raise a hoof to. She was too scared. And somehow whenever he said something it always struck home. So many ponies had made such a statement of her in the past few months, but to hear it from him made it feel… real. “I know what you’re saying,” she muttered, lowering her head miserably. “I’ve heard it so many times lately. I never mean to cause more trouble. I just… I just want to help.” He nodded, patted her shoulder in his ineffectual way that never made things feel better. “Then help, Lightning Dust. It’s what we need. You run along; I’m sure you’ll find Peace Spring around here somewhere.” That hadn’t gone at all like she’d planned in her head. Nothing ever did with Mountain; his directness and calm manner combined with his size always seemed to send her carefully prepared words into a death spiral. Someday she might tell him exactly what she thought of his damn ways… but apparently today wasn’t the day. So even though she hated to think she was following orders she did as he suggested and went in search of the orphanage’s second headmaster. Lightning found Peace Spring in the back yard, trying to play referee over a group of some of the rowdier colts. She was a unicorn with a light blue mane and a coat of such a faint pink color it bordered on white. The pegasus barely had time to say hello before being tackled by the colts. One brief but happily energetic reunion later and the two mares were finally able to talk properly. “So you heard about the disappearances,” Peace noted sadly as they sat under a pair of pine trees. “Yeah… I flew clear across Equestria as soon as I heard.” The motherly pony tilted her head in mild surprise. “I didn’t think events in Foal Mountains would reach so far.” “I was informed by a pony who… tends to know about these kinds of things,” Lightning replied uncertainly. “Don’t ask. I don’t really understand it myself.” “Well I’m glad you came,” the unicorn insisted kindly. “It means so much to the foals.” Lightning felt it was her turn to ask a question. “Didn’t they see anything? I mean, a foal goes to bed one night and just disappears? On two separate occasions? Surely one of them saw or heard something.” But Peace shrugged apologetically. “I don’t know what to tell you, Lightning. The sheriff himself came and questioned all the foals – with me watching, of course – but there was nothing.” The pegasus sighed dejectedly. “I don’t know if I’ll even be able to do anything…” A moment’s silence followed, and then Peace turned to her with a serious expression. “Lightning, we all appreciate your concern… but maybe you shouldn’t get involved. Let Sheriff McGruff handle it.” Lightning gaped. “How could you tell me that? This is my home! These are my friends!” “Who you may not be able to help,” Peace countered in a soothing tone. “Lightning, we all care about you – even old Mountain, though I know you have doubts. What if there’s nothing you can do? Can you live with that kind of result?” “I don’t know,” she replied honestly, “but I have to try. I couldn’t live with myself otherwise.” “I know,” the unicorn whispered, concern etched on her face. “But… can you live with yourself if you can’t do anything?” “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t,” Lightning said with a weak smile. “Don’t worry about me, Matron.” Peace returned the smile. “You’re like a daughter to me. How can I not?” The two shared a brief hug, but then Lightning was on her hooves. “All this emotional gunk isn’t getting me anywhere,” she noted with an embarrassed blush. “I’m gonna take a look around.” Peace sighed in exasperation and waved a friendly hoof. “Good luck, Lightning Dust! Really…” Lightning entered the orphanage, her first destination being Plum Drop’s room. It was surprisingly neat; Plum Drop had always been a pack rat. Where was everything? She scoured the room carefully, not knowing what she was looking for. After nearly an hour she’d turned up nothing of interest, so instead she went to Hiccup’s room and repeated the process. Another hour went by and in the end she was left with nothing but frustration. She sat on the bunk bed and glowered out the window, cheeks in her hooves. What was she doing? She didn’t have a clue how to go about all of this. She wasn’t a detective. But Fine Crime… he’d said she might be able to solve the problem. How? Why her? What did he expect her to do? She turned away from the window and just barely caught a glimpse of something white slipping past the door. She watched for several seconds, curious, and was rewarded: a tiny filly peeking around the doorframe. She was a soft blue color and looked tall and slender for her age, with a very long, pearly white mane that was covering half her tiny face. Lightning didn’t recognize her. She’d probably arrived at the orphanage after the pegasus had left to attend the academy. “Hey,” she gestured to the filly, but the foal disappeared behind the doorframe once more. “What’s wrong?” She hopped from the bed and approached, but could hear the filly’s tiny hooves clattering frantically away. “Hey, hold on a sec!” She flew out the room and followed, easily catching up to the filly, who she could now see was a unicorn. The foal looked up to see Lightning flying above her; Lightning grinned. “What’s up?” The filly’s eyes went wide with alarm and she forgot her feet, falling face-first to the hard wood floor. “Whoa,” Lightning landed and knelt before her, “are you okay?” The filly didn’t answer, only cowered in a trembling ball and cried silently. “Not very sturdy, are ya?” “Keen!” A purple-coated colt appeared from one of the rooms and came to the filly’s rescue, nudging her comfortingly. “Sorry Lightning, she’s really shy. It’s okay, Keen, this is Lightning Dust. Remember, the hero of Foal Mountains we told you about?” “You tell her, Roar!” Lightning declared proudly, standing to strike a heroic pose. “Ain’t nopony like me!” She blinked in surprise when Roar gestured to her to keep quiet, his face alarmed. He turned his attention back to Keen, who was still whimpering on the floor, and petted her mane helpfully. “Oh… uh… sorry,” Lightning said, realizing her boisterous manner might be what was frightening the poor filly. She knelt down again and smiled apologetically. “I didn’t mean to scare you. So you’re Keen, huh?” The foal nodded, eyes lowered and face still hidden behind her mane. “Keen Arrow,” Roar added helpfully. “She joined us a month ago. She’s been having trouble… adjusting.” Lightning could understand that. She’d never met a pony so… timid. It had been hard for her to adjust to the death of her parents, and she was a real go-getter! She couldn’t imagine how somepony like Keen would respond. “Hey,” she whispered, nudging the filly’s chin with her hoof so she would look up, “don’t you worry. I know things seem bad right now, but you’re in good hooves. Trust me: I was your age when I came here.” “Really?” she had the tiniest, most demure voice! Lightning was tempted to tell the little filly to get a backbone. She managed to hold it in… but only by a thread. “Really,” she answered with a confident nod. “And look, now I’m a Wonderbolt. Things will improve, Keen. You just gotta hang in there.” Keen didn’t seem convinced, but she nodded all the same. Seeing the little filly look so miserable was breaking Lightning’s heart all over again. How must it feel, to come to this strange place with all these other parentless foals just to find that it wasn’t even safe to go to bed anymore? She had to resolve this. She just had to. “Well well, if it isn’t the hero of Foal Mountains herself,” Sheriff Blue McGruff noted with a wry smile as he found her in his office. True to his name, he had a blue coat with a mane just slightly lighter in color. “Feels like ages since the last time I locked you up. What was the last one for, vandalism?” She laughed at him good-naturedly. “Actually I think it was trespassing on Big Reach’s property. How ya doin’, ya old fart?” “A little older,” he admitted, patting her on the shoulder, “but still sharp as a tack. So don’t go trying anything: I’ve still got your old room ready and waiting.” Of course it had been many years since her wilder days, but it was still fun to tease about it. “So, you a Wonderbolt now I take it?” “Yeah.” She didn’t like how easily the lie was coming out of her mouth now. “But I came down as quick as I could when I heard the news.” He eyed her thoughtfully as he went to his chair behind the desk. “Lightning, I hope you’re not planning on taking the law into your own hooves.” “I just want to know where the investigation is at,” she replied hopefully. “I want to help in whatever way I can.” He sighed and shook his head. “Lightning, you’ve been in here enough times to know how it works. I can’t just give out information on an ongoing investigation.” “Come on, Blue,” she begged, “you know I won’t share! These are my friends in trouble here. I’ve got to know what’s been done to help them! Consider it a favor for an old friend.” He raised an eyebrow at that. “I already did you lots of favors when you were a foal, LD. If I hadn’t you’d have been in my jail for a lot longer and you know it.” “Then as a favor to my father,” she threw in. That made him grow stern. “I owe your father my life, Lightning, and I’ll always remember it. But don’t you dare try to abuse his name.” She jumped up to hover in the air, a sign of her frustration. “I’ll admit, that was crude. But come on, there has to be something you can give me. I’ll take anything! Please, just let me know you’re on to something.” He sighed and rubbed his face with his hooves. “Alright, alright, I get it. But you won’t like it.” “I can take it,” she claimed seriously. “Then sit down.” She did, fidgeting impatiently as he watched. After what seemed like an eternity he nodded, as if finally confirming something to himself. “We don’t have anything, Lightning.” She was in the air again. “What do you mean you don’t have anything!? I heard the first disappearance was three weeks ago!” “And we don’t have anything,” he repeated solemnly. “All we know is one night the foals go to bed and are gone the next morning. No witnesses, no evidence, just gone.” She growled furiously and started flying small, slow circles. “That makes no sense! You’re the sheriff, aren’t you? How could you find nothing? Come on, Blue, there has to be something. You can’t tell me you don’t at least have a suspicion!” “I’m sorry, LD,” Blue responded patiently. “I know it’s frustrating. Believe me. But right now I can’t even find a motive for anypony to kidnap the foals! The entire town’s on alert, and I sent a letter to Cincipony for more hooves to patrol, but other than that I know and can do nothing.” “What about Big Reach?” she demanded. “He owns the orphanage, maybe he knows something.” Blue shook his head. “That’s really stretching it, Lightning. He’s the town’s most preeminent citizen, you know that. Heck, the stallion probably just built the place to shore up his image.” “Have you spoken to him?” “Of course!” Sheriff McGruff rolled his eyes. “He owns the place, how could we not talk to him? But I’m telling you, LD, he’s the last pony who’d know anything.” “I wanna talk to him.” The sheriff facehoofed. “Same old Lightning, gonna go charging in. He can’t tell you anything, LD, I guarantee it!” He gave her an exhausted look. “Fine. If you wanna go confront the big guy, be my guest. But be careful, LD! You’re not a foal anymore, and I can’t stretch the law for you like back then.” “What do you think I’m gonna do, bash down his front door?” “With you, Lightning, I can never be sure.” Everypony in town knew the story of Big Reach. He’d been born in Foal Mountains and grew up there. Ever ambitious, the stallion had moved to Coltcago and become a businessman. Over the years his wealth and power grew, but he never forgot his origins. Over time he became a philanthropist, and after retiring early he came home to be the town’s star citizen. At least that was the story. Lightning had only met the pony on three occasions, twice when he’d ventured out of his mansion to visit the orphanage and once when she'd got caught trespassing. He’d done a lot of good things for the town, and everypony loved him. She knew Blue was right; there was little to no chance that a pony like Big Reach would be involved. But she had no leads, and at least this would make her feel like she was doing something. Big Reach’s mansion was on an entirely different hill from Foal Mountains, overlooking the nearby Curvintort River. It was imposing, to say the least. She stared up at its tall windows and great wooden pillars and felt a lot smaller. She never cared for wealthy ponies – too ignorant – but as far as everypony knew Big Reach was alright. With that in mind she approached and knocked on the massive (and prohibitively expensive, she suspected) stone door. A mare answered the door, tall and slender and yellow, with a brown mane. The kind of mare that made young stallions drool. “Who might I ask is calling?” “Lightning Dust,” she answered, feeling a little foolish compared to the taller mare’s formal manner. “I’m from the orphanage.” “A moment, please.” The door closed with a bang. Lightning ground her teeth in frustration; it took all her willpower not to pound on the door again. This was another reason she hated rich ponies. She paced unhappily, wondering what was taking the mare so long. All she wanted to do was talk to the guy! At last the door opened again. “Big Reach will see you,” the mare announced properly. Lightning was guided through the massive building, amazed at its size. What did a single pony need all this room for? It boggled the mind. Every now and again she noticed a servant going about the place. She noted with curiosity that they were all tall, slender mares. It seemed Big Reach preferred to surround himself with beauties. Big Reach was in a great hall playing pool. True to his name he was big, a unicorn with a green coat and black mane, both going grey with age. With him were two more mares, a unicorn and a pegasus, both beauties. But they weren’t like the others; they had a threatening look to them, and Lightning had the distinct impression that they were more than just decorations. And they were playing pool with him. No, these definitely weren’t servants. “Lightning Dust of Foal Mountains,” her guide announced. “Aaah, the hero of the town,” Big Reach declared pleasantly. He waved a dismissing hoof at her guide. “You can go, Azalea.” She did without complaint. He tossed his pool stick aside – the unicorn mare caught it with her magic easily – and approached Lightning. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! Last time I saw you you’d only just started flying and had crashed through the South Tower.” She took a step back, surprised. “You mean you actually remember me?” “Of course I do!” He grinned. “I know the common perception, but I actually keep very close track of the foals at my orphanage. And look at you: Foal Mountains’ very own Wonderbolt! You’ve made this town proud, Lightning, very proud indeed!” “Umm… thanks…” She was a little too surprised by his praise to say much else. “So,” he continued, walking back to his pool table and gesturing for her to follow, “what brings you to my humble estate?” Humble? “I was called home by… recent events.” “Hmm, yes,” he said, shaking his head, “the recent kidnappings, you mean. Such a terrible thing. I understand the authorities are clueless.” “I just wanted to ask you what you knew,” she pressed eagerly. He paused, gave her a curious look. “Me, Lightning? Really? Why would I know anything?” She struggled for a proper answer. “I dunno… you’re the owner of the orphanage, aren’t you? Maybe some old enemy’s out there trying to give you a bad name or something.” He took his pool stick back, took a shot. “That’s an interesting theory,” he admitted over the cracking of the cue ball. “Rather original, compared to what the police have come up with, which is nothing. But you’re forgetting, Lightning: not all the foals who disappeared lived in my orphanage.” Oh yeah, she’d forgotten about that. “But this is still your town, right?” she asked desperately. “My town?” He laughed. “You make me sound like the mayor. I’m just another citizen.” “But it’s your hometown,” she pressed. “That surely means something to somepony out there.” He gave her a solemn, considerate look. “Lightning… you’re eager to help. I understand that. And I know you’re thinking that a pony as rich as I didn’t become so without making enemies. You’d be right. But the ponies who would like to come after me are more interested in bank accounts than foals.” She sighed miserably. “Is there nothing you can offer me?” He stepped forward slowly, his face distraught. “I am sorry, Lightning. Really, I am. I wish I could help you. But I don’t know anything. Being rich doesn’t give you the power to know everything that’s going on. It’d be nice, but that’s life. In the end it might be best if you just let the cops handle this.” She snarled and turned away, to which he added, “I take it I’m not the first to offer such advice.” “I’m sorry,” she grumbled angrily. “I’m just so… so frustrated. My friends are disappearing, who knows what’s really going on. They’re all getting scared. I’m supposed to be the town hero and they’re all looking to me for help but I don’t know what to do!” She heard him sigh. “You’re trying, Lightning. It’s all you can do.” “That’s not good enough!” She turned to him, eyes flashing. “There has to be something everypony is missing, something small. It’s probably staring me right in the face. All my life I’ve worked to be the best, but this is far more important to me than that. It’s that important and I’m not even doing anything about it!” He studied her quietly as she stood before him. Her breath came in long gasps, her anger simmering. At last he stepped forward and set booth hooves on her shoulders, his face apologetic. “Sometimes, Lightning, there’s nothing you can do. The hardest part is accepting that.” She slapped his hooves away, leapt into the air. “I refuse!” And she left, furious and hating herself as she streaked through the massive halls. She landed among the trees of a nearby hill to simmer down. She was furious with herself, and wasn’t even sure why. Because she was proving so useless? Because even Big Reach knew nothing? Because everything she was doing to help wasn’t helping at all? She didn’t know, she just knew that she wanted to scream in frustration! She paced the hill, cursing to herself and wondering what to do from here. She didn’t notice the stallion when he arrived. “It’s difficult, isn’t it?” She jerked around with a snarl, knowing who it was before she even laid eyes on him. “Leave me alone, Fine Crime.” He stood a few feet away, face solemn. “I can’t, Lightning. I’m sorry.” “Sure you can,” she snarled, waving a hoof at him. “All you gotta do is call up those stupid black clouds of yours and poof out of my life!” “It’s not that simple,” he countered quietly. “We are very concerned about what’s going on here in Foal Mountains.” “We? Like who, Princess Luna? Why should she care what happens in a tiny place like this? Why should she give a damn about any of us!?” His expression grew hard. “I won’t bother to defend her, Lightning. There is no need, and you know better.” But Lightning turned her head away with a jerk. “I’m not even sure you really work for her. For all I know it’s a ruse to keep me playing along, one more part in your damn scheme. I don’t want to play your little games!” “If not for me you wouldn’t even know what was happening out here,” he declared angrily. “You think foals disappearing without a trace is a game to us? We’re trying to solve a potentially serious problem. I told you about it because I knew how important these ponies are to you. If I was wrong about that feel free to fly off into the sunset and stay miserable and alone forever.” She snarled, but didn’t argue back. He was right, damn him; the foals were more important than her distrust. If he could help resolve the situation… then she would have to let him try. “Fine,” she grumbled, turning to him with a glare. “I’ll play along. But you promise me we can do something about this!” He considered her statement for a few seconds darkly. “I can’t make any guarantees, Lightning. The truth is we don’t have any answers, either. But…” he interrupted just as she was about to snap at him, “…we do have leads.” Leads. Oh thank Celestia, leads! “That’s better than anything I’ve got,” she admitted glumly. “Better than what anypony’s got, apparently. What do you know?” He nodded towards the mansion still visible through the trees. “We need to investigate Big Reach.” She sighed miserably. “Forget him, I already talked to him. He knows nothing.” But Fine’s expression was dark. “Oh he knows something. Maybe not about the foals, but he knows something.” “What do you mean?” He stepped past her to cast his dark expression upon the mansion. “Big Reach is what those in my organization like to call a ‘Dark Element.’ He’s the kind of pony so terrible that he warrants constant scrutiny and caution.” She stepped up beside him so he could see the disbelief plastered on her face. “Big Reach? The Saint of Foal Mountains?” Fine grimaced. “Yes… he’s nestled himself nice and snug in the public view. But we know, Lightning. He’s got his hooves into everything from racketeering to pony trafficking.” “You’re kidding. Pony trafficking?” But the expression on his face when he turned to her was enough to make it clear: this was no joke. “There’s no way to bring in the evidence necessary to prove it in a court of law, but it’s true. Big Reach is one of the most prominent names on our hit list. If the powers that be didn’t want him dealt with in the most legal of fashions he’d already be dead, that I promise you.” She gazed at him in stark amazement. “Fine… who the heck do you work for?” He turned away to glare at the manor once more, ignoring the question entirely. “We don’t know that he’s involved in the recent disappearances, Lightning. But I promise you that if anypony knows anything, it’s him.” She studied him for several minutes, trying to piece things together. She didn’t trust him, that went without saying. But she knew from the events in the Crystal Empire that he really did know things other ponies didn’t – or perhaps shouldn’t. He was connected, and he was smart. And his level of seriousness alone was enough to make it clear that he meant every word. She had no other leads, and had exhausted all her options. That meant that this was the only path left open to her. “Alright,” she said at last, turning to the mansion, “I’ll bite. I guess this means I’ve got to sneak back in.” He blinked, turned his head to study her. “What, you are going to sneak into Big Reach’s place? Seriously?” “You don’t think I can do it?” “No offense, oh Hero of Foal Mountains, but you don’t exactly have a record for stealth.” She sneered, but had to admit he was right. “I have to try. The foals are depending on me to do something.” He studied her for several long seconds, but finally nodded. “I’m going with you.” “I’d rather do it alone.” “I don’t care,” he answered calmly. “You need help, Lightning, and I am a master at this kind of thing. Do you want to help this town or not?” They stared at one another angrily, but Lightning knew he was right. “Fine,” she muttered. “Just don’t get in my way.” He nodded. “We’ll meet tonight. I’ll stick around, do some scouting.” “Scouting?” “Observation,” he corrected himself. “If we’re going to sneak in, I want to know what we’re up against.” Well she hadn’t expected to sneak in during the day, anyway. “What should I do in the meantime?” He thought for a moment. “Go back to town. Visit the orphanage.” “But I already…” “Those foals need you, Lightning,” he interrupted gently. “Right now you’re the brightest part of their lives.” She sighed, understanding what he meant. “Yeah… yeah I guess I can do that.” When Lightning reached the orphanage she found everypony there searching for something. Or somepony. “Lightning!” Peace saw her coming and met her as she landed. “Have you seen Gulfstream?” The quick inquiry caught her entirely off guard. “He was here when I left. Why?” “His parents came by an hour ago,” she declared, “said he’d disappeared!” Lightning couldn’t resist a laugh. “Seriously, Matron? He flew out his window to go racing with me when I first got here!” But the unicorn wasn’t amused. “It’s not funny, Lightning. You should have said something to them. But that’s beside the point: nopony knows where he is!” Lightning, annoyed by her manner, hovered in the air. “He’s only been gone a few hours. Yeesh, you act as if something gobbled him up! The disappearances only happen at night, and it’s not even close to dark yet. He’s probably somewhere in town.” “I hope you’re right,” Peace muttered. “Go check, would you? His mother is frantic.” “Yeah yeah,” the pegasus muttered, “but I’m telling you you’re all over-reacting.” But in the end she found that it was her who was in the wrong. She scoured the entire town. No Gulfstream. She came back to check if he’d returned home. He hadn’t. Starting to worry, she raced her way to Bluegrass Falls with the setting sun. He was nowhere to be seen. Night fell, and still she searched, her agreement with Fine Crime all but forgotten in her rising worry. By then there were volunteers from the town scouring the forests. They never found the colt.