"What did happen to me last night?"
Aurora was completely confused. She could not remember what happened last night. The marking was on the wall, a faint outline that it was. Aurora approached it and carefully studied it. It was bigger than all four of her hooves, it was kind of like a claw, but it appeared not keen at all. She pressed her hoof slowly against it, and it was nothing to its size.
"What made this?" Aurora asked herself.
But she noticed another faint outline above the marking. It was nearly faded and difficult to see, but it seemed whatever made them went out the window. Aurora looked outside the window and gazed down at the land below. It was utterly bizarre and confusing; if something had the capability of flight it would only be a griffon or a pegasus, and a dragon, but they came from lands far away and were rare in Equestria. But there was nothing that had prints like these, griffons may have similar prints but they were very different to this one.
"Aurora! Come get your breakfast!" Rainbow Dash shouted from downstairs.
"Coming!"
Aurora left her room and proceeded into the bathroom. She grabbed her toothbrush and paste and began to brush. The filly stared at herself in the mirror while she brushed. But she dropped her toothbrush as she heard a humming sound and echoing whispers infiltrate her ear. Her vision suddenly went red, and two tall, dark figures appeared behind her as she looked in the mirror. A loud moan of despair cried along with the whispering.
"What's going on?!" Aurora shrieked and closed her eyes. She shook her head, and everything strangely stopped. It was like if nothing had happened. Aurora looked down and saw a crimson red aura glowing around her toothbrush on the floor. She rubbed her eyes, and it was gone too. The filly hesitated to retrieve it, but she did and rinsed it, then continued to clean her teeth.
Aurora exited the bathroom, still petrified over what just happened, but a sweet smell entered her nose. It was the perfect breakfast smell. Aurora forgot about everything and closed her eyes, and hovered down the stairs. Relying on her nose to guide the way.
The rich sounds of food baking and sizzling made her stomach rumble. Aurora opened her eyes when she sensed she was close to the source. She grinned widely when she saw pancakes stacked on a plate and muffins on the other.
"About time you're here," Rainbow noticed her daughter entering the kitchen. "Eat up! We gotta leave in thirty minutes."
Aurora took her seat at the table and began to hastily munch down on a plate of five pancakes stacked. Rainbow watched the filly easily consume her breakfast, and shook her head with a smile. "You're just like your dad. He could eat anything!" She said.
Aurora giggled and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Dad can eat anything. But when it comes to pie, he'll destroy the whole thing."
The filly wolfed down the last of the pancakes, and took a big drink out of the glass of orange juice to the side. "Thanks, mom!" She hopped of her chair and hugged Rainbow Dash, feeling the softness of her uniform and fur. "I didn't know you could make such a good breakfast!"
"Well, thank your dad for that. He may be a goofball, but he sure knows how to make food and teach it, too. And grab your bags because we're leaving soon!"
Aurora immediately went back to her room and strapped on her saddlebags. But she went up to the mirror on top of a drawer, and began to brush her mane. Even if her mane was like Rainbow Dash's when she was younger. Rainbow's mane had grown in size over the years, and became curlier right at the end of it behind her head.
Aurora hummed a tune while she carefully brushed her mane. But the sound of the telescope creaking caught her attention. She turned her head at the object, and saw it was pointing at her. The lens reflecting an image of her. Aurora stopped humming and began to take small steps to the doorway of the room.
"I think I'm just gonna go... Yeah," the filly bolted out of the room. She galloped down the hallway and back down the stairs. A combined screech and wail following her. Aurora looked back at the source, and saw a shadow on the floor approaching her. "Why won't you just leave me alo- Oofh!"
"Huh? Hey, are you alright?"
Aurora bumped into Rainbow without notice, the filly fell to the floor rubbing her head. "Yeah, mom. I'm alright," she replied. The mare only raised a suspicious eyebrow at her. "Are you sure? You just came running like if a monster was after you."
"Mom, I just in a hurry, and I didn't notice you. There's no such thing as monsters up in the clouds." Aurora got back up, and place a fake smile on her face.
Rainbow narrowed her eyes at her, and said, "...Sky Demon."
Aurora screamed and instantly glued herself to Dash's forelegs. The petrified filly hastily checked to the right and left for the flying demons. But then she realized they didn't exist, like Soarin' had said, and her mother had fooled her. "M-Mom! Why you'd do that to me!" Aurora shouted at her mom.
"Because I knew you weren't telling the truth."
"Maybe dad was right. You are mean!"
"What?" Rainbow looked down at the filly with a menacing stare. "You think I'm a mean pony?" She asked coldy.
Aurora detached herself from Rainbow and saw her mom approaching. She knew she had angered her like back at the Wonderbolt HQ like Soarin' 'had' done. "Uhmm... Uhh..." Aurora could not find words to calm the mare down. "I'm just kidding! I think you're the most awesome mom ever! Love you!" She nervously smiled at her. But her words had no effect on Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow and Aurora were merely separated by a single meter. The filly looked into her eyes and could see the rage and fire in them. Her uniform becoming a darker shade like a tyrant. "Aurora..." Rainbow grumbled. "Why did you say about me?"
Aurora cringed and lowered her head down. "You're a... Mean pony," she mumbled.
"Exactly... Raah!"
"Huh? No! Mom, wait!"
Rainbow Dash pounced Aurora, and raised a hoof in the air and... began to tickle her.
"Who's a mean pony now?"
"Mom! Hahha! Stop! I surrender!" The filly happily squealed.
"Wonderbolts don't surrender. So the attack isn't going to stop!" Dash had a wide grin.
"No, please! I give u- Pffftt! Hahaha!"
Rainbow Dash finally stopped the tickle attack. Aurora got back up wiping a tear from her eye from the laughter. "Mom, I thought you were mad at me?" She asked. The mare wrapped her fore hooves around her and brought the filly in for a hug. "Why would I be mad at you? The only pony that I would possibly be mad at is probably your dad. But only if he's acting like a moron."
"Heh, dad.. but we should go! We're going to be late!" Aurora reminded.
"Darn, you're right! Come on."
Both pegasi exited out their cloud home. They flew at top speed to the Cloudsdale school. The common morning rush had already begun, Pegasi were scrambling all over the place to either get to work or drop their kids off at school. Rainbow and Aurora slowed their speed down when they neared the school building. There was just a few minutes left before the bell rung.
Aurora gave a quick hug to Rainbow before she departed. "Bye, mom!"
"Bye, Aurie."
The filly ran off to the school building, Rainbow Dash watched her all the way, until she disappeared inside the structure. The mare acknowledged she entered safely, and took off before she was also late. Rainbow swiftly curved and passed other pegasi in the way. Doing a few aerial tricks along the way to give a show to the others. She smirked when she caught the attention of nearby spectators. All of them making awed and gawking stares.
"Mom look!" A filly pointed a fore hoof at the rainbow-maned mare. "It's a Wonderbolt!"
"Woah. I haven't seen one of those guys in a while, or in that uniform," the mother of the filly said.
"Wow. Whoa." A crowd of pegasi watching her in amazement.
Rainbow Dash stopped her small performance and concentrated getting to the HQ. The giant structure shortly came into view, Wonderbolts and crew members flying near or away from the Headquarters. The mare landed at the front steps, and the doors were opened by a security guard in front.
"Hello, First Lieutenant Rainbow Dash," the guard saluted her.
Rainbow Dash meekly smiled and shook her head. "Please just call me Rainbow Dash. No need for the proper military calling of my name."
"Very well, 'Rainbow Dash'."
The mare entered, the door closed behind her. She saw a group of her fellow Wonderbolts gathering around the bulletin in the center of the lobby. Rainbow approached them, and saw what was going on. There was a paper with bold letters that stated there was meeting in the next three hours.
"I wonder what the meeting is about?" Misty Fly asked.
"I don't know. But it's probably about our next performance," Fire Streak replied.
Dash scooted in closer to get a better look of the details. "It probably is about the next perfomance," she said. "How much do you guys wanna bet it's in Manehattan."
"Probably is but I'm not sure. Hey, Rainbow Dash? Where's your little colt friend at?" Blaze mischievously smirked at Rainbow.
"My 'colt friend'? Well, technically my... husband is, Uhh..." Dash blushed with much embarrassment. "Probably in his office," she nervously grinned at the lookalike Spitfire.
"Heh, okay."
Blaze and the rest of the Wonderbolts went their separate ways into the HQ. Rainbow Dash remained in the lobby, still embarrassed on what she just said. 'My 'husband'? I think I should listen to Blaze and call Soarin' my colt friend instead,' she thought to herself. Calling Soarin' her husband was still a little embarrassing to her inupublic, even if they promised their vows sometime ago. "Well, time to get to my offi-" Rainbow froze in her place as she stared directly into an officer uniform.
She slowly looked up, and saw a familiar baby blue fur coat color. Rainbow Dash only blushed even more. "Oh, h-hi Soarin'."
Soarin' had a serious stare and a raised eyebrow. "Hello, Miss Rainbow Dash," he replied coldly.
Rainbow sighed and frowned. "You heard what Blaze said."
The stallion nodded his head.
"That was pretty funny, right? 'Coltfriend'?" The mare made a nervous smile and chuckle. "Because they think you're my coltfriend, but you're actually my..."
"Husband. Embarrassed to call me your husband. Even if we've been married for a few years ."
"...Maybe." Rainbow Dash could see Soarin' was bothered by something in the look of his eyes. "It's just that..."
"Well, I'm proud to call you my wife." Soarin' wrapped his forehooves around her. Both of them made those bedroom eyes and closed the distance between their lips for a passionate kiss.
"You guys can go cuddle together when I'm not here, or in the lobby," Spitfire interrupted, facilitating a flat stare while she trotted by. "Soarin', control your romantic levels with Rainbow. I don't want another niece, or nephew right now, or in a few months to be exact."
Soarin's face flushed with embarrassment. Rainbow Dash sheepishly smiled and rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah..." Both of them said unison, making random excuses together. "Well, Uhh... We... You know... Bye!"
The young couple departed from each other, before another possible award situation occurred.
Spitfire smirked and shook her head at the scene she just saw, while she made her way to her office. 'Those two are going to be in for it one day. Can't wait to see another member get added into their family,' she sarcastically thought in her mind. The fiery mare entered her office, and shut the door behind her. Only to be opened again by itself. "Huh?" Spitfire closed the door again. "That should keep it closed."
The door opened again, Spitfire turned back at it. "What in the?" She approached it and took off her shades to closely inspect it. The office door appeared to be fine. Nothing missing or chipped off of it. The mare slowly closed it, and locked it. "Now you won't move." Spitfire made a triumphant smile.
She made her way back to her desk, but... To be interrupted by the sound of a certain door opening. "How in the!?" She yelped. Spitfire flew over to the mischievous door instead of trotting. She raised both eyebrows as she saw the lock was still on. "Now what is wrong with this door?" The mare grabbed the knob and pushed the door all the way until it was fully shut. "You are not opening anymore!" She shouted at the non-living object, even if wasn't going to hear or understand her.
Spitfire flew back to her desk, and made a quick glance at the door. It didn't open. "Hehe, I won you this time."
She was about to take a seat on the chair, until...
...The sound of the door creaking open came to her ears.
"Nnnnghh!" Spitfire growled like a mad beast. Her mane literally transformed into fire, and lashed into the air. The Wonderbolt captain charged at full speed at the door, her body almost turning into a huge fireball. "YOU ARE GOING TO STAY SHU-- Woah!"
"Hi, Spitfire. WHAT THE!?"
Spitfire immediately hit the air brakes as Rainbow Dash walked right into her office. The flames were instantly extinguished, without her mane being burnt by the fire. But it was too late, Spitfire collided with Rainbow Dash. Both of them went flying out of the office, and crashing against the wall in the hallway. Both of the mares were dazed and their eyes rolling.
"Spitfire...?" Rainbow grunted.
"Yeah?" Spitfire also grunted.
"I know we're close friends, but get off of me!"
"What do you mean? Oh... Hehe." Spitfire sheepishly smiled as she noticed she layed on top of Rainbow Dash. She got off her fellow Wonderbolt immediately. "Sorry." She said apologetically.
"That's okay, but... Have you gone mad!?"
The Wonderbolt Captain blushed in embarrassment as a response. "Well, you see it's... Uhhmm..."
Dash could only glare at her. "Go on, tell me why you've gone berserk."
Spitfire sighed in defeat and admitted the truth. "It's because of that door," she pointed a hoof at the deranged door of her office. Rainbow made a bewildered stare. "Really!? A door? A door!?"
"Let me show you! Come here."
Spitfire led Rainbow into her office and stopped in front of the desk, then turned back at the door. Nothing happened or moved out of place. "Uhhmm... Spitfire? There's nothing wrong with that door," Rainbow said, getting even more confused than before.
"Just watch," Spitfire grumbled.
Seconds passed by, eventually turning into minutes. The door remained opened and lifeless. Rainbow Dash glanced at a clock above a shelf that contained medals, rewards and trophies dedicated to Spitfire.
"Yeah, this is just crazy. Spitfire... I don't know what grudge or hate you have against it, but I think you're stressed out and seeing things." Dash made her way out the office.
"No, no! Wait, ahhh, forget it," Spitfire groaned.
The captain sat in her chair, and sighed in defeat. She just stared at the open doorway, with humiliation and anger in her. 'A door won me over? A door made me look insane to one of my close friends?' A STUPID door!?," she shouted out loud furiously.
The door instantly slammed shut at her words. Spitfire came out of her anger, and was shocked. Echoing whispers went into her ears and a wind-like humming sound, too. The mare looked behind her chair to see if anypony was doing this, but no. She frantically searched to the left and right for the source of these voices, and there was also nothing. The documents she was working on before flew off her desk.
Spitfire remained voiceless at the unexplainable activity. Some of the trophies on the shelves fell off and rolled on the ground. Her rewards also dropped to the floor, and her medals too. But her eyes grew extremely wide when she saw all of her medals were gone, and a very special one remained untouched.
This one was honored to her for the brave efforts in her Equestrian military career; it had a golden Pegasus with the rays of the sun beaming behind it.
"No... No no no. No!" Spitfire pleaded, as the medal began to tilt for the ground. The valuable object dropped. "...No." She said under her breath.
The medal suddenly floated just a few centimeters off the ground. Spitfire was utterly bewildered and frightened by this. The medal floated up to her and landed on the desk. Spitfire slowly moved a fore hoof forward to retrieve it, but a ghostly voiced whispered to her, "You're no hero..."
Spitfire gasped out loud as she saw a shadow on the floor approaching her, from the closed door. All the trophies and rewards were pushed to the side by an invisible force. The shadow eventually formed into a figure and rose from the floor. The blinds on the windows behind the mare immediately shut closed. The entire room was surrounded in darkness.
Bizzare symbols of creatures constantly glowed red on the walls for a second, with a distorted female shriek when they lit up.
The window on the door was her only source of light. But the figure obscured any light to see.
The Wonderbolt captain remained glued in her seat, her body felt like it was frozen, the fear manifesting in her. She could hear it breathing, sounding vicious and angry.
"W-What do y-you want?" Spitfire cringed in seat.
The blinds suddenly opened, and the office was quickly brightened. Nothing was in front of the mare.
Sptifire slowly took deep breaths to calm herself down, as she was slightly hyperventilating. "W-what was that all about?"
"Stressed out, Captain?" A ghostly voice asked.
"Ahhh- Ugghhh..." Spitfire screamed for a mere second, then fainted. Letting her head collapse against the wooden surface of her desk.
The lock on the door switched to unlock.
"Captain Sptifire?" The office door was slowly opened by a security guard, which turned out to be Captain Razor Wing. "Are you alright? We heard you... Holy!" Razor saw the captain was unconscious.
"What is it?" Wind asked behind him.
"Get her to a medic!"
"Why would we need a med- Oh damn!" Wind entered and saw Spitfire.
"Come on, let's get her to a medic!" Both guards approached her and carefully lifted her from the seat.
The guards carried Spitfire out of her office, and went to the left towards the HQ's medical bay. They shouted at any ponies that got in their way. Other Wonderbolts and the crew were stunned to see their leader unconscious.
"What happened to her?" A Wonderbolt asked in a concerned voice.
"We don't know! We found her like this!" Razor responded.
"Get out of the way!" Wind shouted.
A crowed of deeply concerned Wonderbolts followed behind the security guards. The guards reached the medical bay, and were approached by three medics. They wore white lab coats, and they had a red cross combined with the Wonderbolt logo. The crowd entered shortly, but were to be stopped by a nurse.
"Follow me!" A medic announced.
The two guards nodded and followed him. They entered a room and rested Spitfire on a bed. The medic checked her pulse and noticed it was fine. "She'll be alright, but what happened to her?"
"We don't know! We head her scream just for a sec, so we checked to make sure she was alright, and we found her like this," Razor explained to the medic.
"Her office was a complete mess!" Wind added. "Trophies, medals, papers were all over the place!"
"Hmm..." The medic glanced at the mare. "I'm think it might be them..."
Both guards made shocked looks. "Y-you can't be serious, right? 'They' couldn't have done this." Razor looked at Wind concerned.
"Is she alright?" A voice asked from behind.
The two security guards looked behind, and saw Soarin' and Rainbow Dash. "Ah, Captain Soarin and Lieutenant Rainbow Dash!" Razor and Wind saluted him. "She's fine just unconcious," Wind continued.
"That's great, but what happened to her?" Soarin' asked sternly.
"W-we just found her like this in her office."
"These two speak the truth. She was like this when they found her," the medic said, but made a glare. "But we're starting to think those bums are responsible for this."
"Those guys?" Rainbow had a confused look. "Are you talking about..."
"Shadowbolts," Soarin' shook his head in discontent.
The room remained silent for a few minutes. All of the pegasi trying to process if it was them. "Captain Razor Wing, send a team of security guards to investigate Captain Spitfire's office," the medic broke the silence. "Make sure nothing else happens around here."
Razor and Wind immediately left the medical bay to alert the HQ. The medic shortly trotted out of the room after the two guards left. "I'm going to tell the others she's fine. I'll be back."
"Alright." Soarin' stared at Spitfire with a concerned stare. Rainbow also had a pained look. "Soarin', do you actually think Shadowbolts did this to her?" She asked.
"I-I don't know if they did. But..." Soarin' thought for a few seconds. "Weren't Shadowbolts just an illusion Nightmare Moon created when she tried to convince you to join them?"
"Yeah, but remember how those cadets that were kicked off the training formed their own league, and called themselves 'Shadowbolts?'
"I remember that. But it wasn't only cadets that formed the group; it was also dropouts from schools, criminals, and other horrible pegasi. But they couldn't have done this. The HQ is too secured and well defended from them."
While Rainbow Dash and Soarin' conversed about Shadowbolts, Spitfire slowly cracked open an eye. But she shut it closed when the bright light striked against her. She tried again and her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, yet her vision was hazy and obscured.
The mare also realized she was in the medical bay. She noticed Soarin' and Rainbow next to her, but they didn't have a clue she was awake.
But a tall silhouette figure stood behind her two close friends, it was also staring at her. Spitfire immediately begun to wake everything up in her to alert her friends. She quietly grunted and opened her eyes even more.
"Soarin', she's waking up!" Rainbow announced with a weak smile.
"Spitfire. Spitfire?" Soarin' called her name to make sure she would respond. "Hey, you there?"
"Grmmm... Yeah," she grunted. "I... Can hear you." She rubbed her head at the headache she felt.
"Easy there." Rainbow helped her get up from the bed. "Something probably hit you real nasty." Soarin' also aided his close friend up. "Spitfire? What happened to you?" He asked, concerned.
"I-I don't know... Huh?" Spitfire realized the figure that stared at her was gone. Even if it was directly next to her.
"You need something?" Rainbow noticed she seemed confused.
"I'm fine, just a bit dazed that's all."
The medic returned with a nurse this time. "Captain Spitfire, I'm glad to see you're awake," he smiled at her.
"Likewise," Spitfire responded.
"You just fainted in your office and the security guard captain and his companion found you."
"Damn..." Spitfire grumbled under breath.
"We highly recommend you rest here for a littlewhile," the nurse announced. "Stress is probably the reason you fainted."
Spitfire sighed and rested her head back on the bed. "I guess you're right. Soarin', you're in charge for today, and you're going to have take over the meeting in a few hours. Everything you need to explain is in the meeting room ."
"Alright, I'm on it. I guess we'll be seeing you in awhile."
All the ponies left her in the room alone. Spitfire stared at the ceiling as she struggled to remember how she exactly fell unconcious. Her memories appeared vagrant and faint. It's like if they were removed by force. 'What happened to me? How did I pass out in my...' She suddenly remembered what happened to her. 'That's it! That thing... That creature... Or whatever it was got me.'
Spitfire frowned in discontent and turned to the side for a comfortable position. The white wall was the only thing her eyes reflceted. She looked down at a chest pocket in her uniform, and reached to grab something from the inside. A photo was revealed, Spitfire warmly smiled at the image. It showed her hugging Aurora, both of them smiling. And Soarin' was also in included in the group hug, but appeared to be suffocating by Spitfire's hug, playfully though.
"They... are the ones..." a distorted voice said.
Spitfire immediately turned back at the source of the voice. But saw nothing. "H-hello?" She asked.
Silence was her only response. Nothing moved out of place. Until, "...You don't... deserve... to be a hero."
"What? Are you some-"
Spitfire instantly passed out when she felt a strange sensation collide with her.
*****
"Aurora, who established the first embassy in the Griffon kingdom?"
"Uhmm... Voyager?"
"Correct! Voyager was an ambassador that served Princess Celestia after a surprise attack by renegade ponies and griffons, on a Royal Guard and Griffon outpost in Saddle Arabia. Which meant the alliance of the Griffon Kingdom and Equestria to fight off these enemies. Which later an embassy was established to keep the alliance strong," the teacher announced.
The subject that was being taught was history. The class remained vigil throughout the whole lesson, instead of being half, or fully asleep. Aurora was quite actually enjoying history, even thought it was her least favorite. Her teacher had white a fur color, a light purple tail and mane color, and her eyes were blue. The mare randomnely chose students to see if they were paying attention to the lesson.
Aurora opened her history textbook as she acknowledged she was safe from the teacher's questioning. She skimmed through the pages to find anything interesting. She passed the page of Captain Steel Beek's Strange Encounter. But she stopped when she found a section that regarded to famous and important ponies to Equestria.
"Whoa, who's this guy?" Aurora noticed an elder earth pony who had a white lab coat on with a mustache and monocle, meaning he was likely a scientist, in a black and white photo. "Man, what he's saying is wierd."
Below the image it showed a quote from the pony. Aurora quietly read it to herself, 'Throughtout my life I wondered what were the origins of this planet. But I was saddened that I was the few that thought about this, because everypony appeared to think more about the two princesses, their lives and to others. Most ponies wondered about Celestia's and Luna's origins, and what lies around them. But I thought of something else. Something completely different.'
'You and I have a few things in common, buddy,' Aurora thought to herself.
'If Celestia and Luna weren't the controllers of the sun and moon. If their parents weren't the brightest and most powerful beings ever to live. I couldn't follow the reign of the Royal sisters or their family, I just couldn't for my mind kept on telling me they were little and nothing compared to something else. And that 'something else' was... The Universe and its mysteries. I know something is out there in the depths of space. Waiting and growing as the others did, but to levels beyond us...'
"Wow..." Aurora was very intrigued and amazed by the scientist's belief. "This guy seems crazy, but also right in some ways."
The filly continued to scan through the book. She came across many quotes and other important things, but she specifically searched for anything that related to the scientist pony. Unfortunately, things just went in random directions and chapters. Everything just concentrated on Equestria's history, the Griffons, or any conflicts.
Aurora sighed quietly and continued to flip through the pages, with a bored expression. "When is history going to end?"
She gazed at the clock in front of the class room, and saw they at least had a few more minutes of history.
"This is going to take awhile... Huh?"
The filly saw a passage from a another famous pony, but coincidentally it turned out to be the ambassador, Voyager. There wasn't an image of him, but that was not necessary, for his words described who he was.
'Hmm... he sounds close to the scientist pony, but he's kind of different,' Aurora thought to herself. "He says that: 'My position as an ambassador that accompanies princess Celestia is very surprising. I go everywhere, and see wonderful and exotic things. But sometimes we've been in situations where peace is difficult to settle. Yet we manage to establish it through reason and thought. I smile at this, but I frown when the one great fear I have comes to mind...What happens if we can't create peace with another race. What happens if we can't establish harmony. I fear, however, that a day like this might come.'
Aurora made a shocked look, the passage described a horror if peace cannot come to sense with other creatures. Most races on the planet accepted it, but the idea of some other nation, or race, rejecting harmony was distant and faint. The Griffon kingdom did have a troubled past but managed to regain its peaceful status over time, eventually allying themselves with Equestria. Equestria had managed to prevent any wars within its land, but crime lingers about in the dark corners of it.
"Class, please take out your math textbooks and a sheet of paper, and turn to page 73," the teacher announced.
All the fillies and colts complied and did what the mare had said. Aurora placed the history book under the desk, and grabbed the math book. She turned to the designated page, and stared at all the questions and numbers. Most of the problems were easy for her, since she did excel a bit in math.
"Okay, class. This is review, please work through number 5 all the way to 15."
Aurora begun her work. She quickly answered numbers between 5 and 10. "Okay, so it's asking me to multiply the numbers... Then divide... Sounds easy," she said under her breath. Aurora carefully worked her way through the problem, and answered it correctly.
"Hey," a voice quietly said to her.
The filly turned her around and saw the colt, Thunder, working on the questions. "Hey, did you say something to me?" She whispered to him.
Thunder lifted up his and shook his head, with a confused look. "...I didn't say anything."
Aurora turned around and shrugged, continuing her work. "Must be my imagination..."
"Outside..." a strange voice spoke again.
Aurora listened to the voice, and glanced to the left at the windows. She raised an eyebrow as she saw a pegasus pony in a black suit and glasses staring at her. 'Why is there some guy dressed wierd and staring at the classroom?' Aurora asked her self mentally. The Pegasus simply stood there watching them like a hunter watches its prey. He stared for a few more seconds, then took off by diving off the cloud.
The filly shortly went back to the math problems she had to work on after the strange pony left. She put her pencil down when she finished, and checked around her to see if anypony else was done. The teacher smiled and stood in front of the class. "Pass up your papers, I'll be grading them, then I'll return them back to you by tomorrow," she said.
Aurora handed her paper to the filly infront of her, then grabbed the one that belonged to Thunder behind. The mare collected all her work and placed it on her desk. "Well now students, you guys sure worked quickly through the problems. Since we still have about a few minutes left of class, I would like to remind you of the field trip that is tommorow."
All the students cheered at the exciting news. Aurora grinned widely at the announcement.
"We will be visiting Canterlot's Natural History Musuem, and the new Space exhibit!"
"Yay!" All the children shouted in joy.
The bell suddenly rung, all the students grabbed their saddlebags and exited the classroom. The teacher waved goodbye as she sat on the chair behind her desk. Aurora followed the large crowd of students exiting out of the different classrooms. The afternoon sun shined brilliantly down the main hallway like always. It almost felt like home was calling her name.
She stepped out of the entrance, and stood at the top of the stairs. Everypony rushed past her like rapids of water, she closely scanned to see if any of her family had arrived to pick her up. But the crowds of parents and kids made it difficult for her to see. "
"Hmm... is mom or auntie Spitfire here?" She quietly asked herself.
But in midst of all the ponies a conspicuous rainbow mane stood out. Aurora rushed to meet the mare she believed it was her mother. She swiftly maneuvered past anypony that got in her way, then right when her mother was close, she glued jumped and glued herself to her forelegs. "Mom! I'm so glad to see you here!"
"Mom?" A masculine voice asked, confused.
Aurora felt a chill up her spine when she heard a special voice. A voice of a very certain pony. A voice that she loved so much and was rarely heard. She slowly looked up and saw a light purple fur color, and a identical rainbow mane like her mother's. She was lost in the golden eyes of the tall stallion.
"G-G... Grandpa?"
"Hi, Sweetie."
Aurora squealed and nuzzled into her grandfather's forelegs. She was picked up by the stallion and hugged tightly, the filly closed her eyes and warmly embraced the loving hug of a grandparent.
"Grandpa? What are you doing here?" She cooed.
"A surprise visit, that's what we're doing here," a feminine voice answered.
Aurora shot open her eyes and stared at a mare who had a rose pink fur color, and an ocean blue mane and tail. "G-Grandma?"
"The one and only..." The mare came in and hugged the filly. "Long time no see."
"This is so awesome!" Aurora cheered, hugging both of her grandparents.
"Come on, lets get you home," Rainbow Blitz announced.
"Does it always have to be your way, Blitz?" Firefly huffed, playfully glaring at him. Blitz only smirked and rolled his eyes. "Do you always have to be like this?" He asked back to Firefly.
"What do you mean I always have to be like this?" She sternly stared at the stallion.
Aurora noticed the ridiculous tension rising between her grandparents. "Yeah, let's just get home, shall we?" She smiled meekly. 'I could see where mom gets her habits and behaviors from,' she thought to herself, noticing how her grandmother acted similar like Rainbow Dash.
The pegasi family took off toward their in-laws' home. The sun was slowly starting to drop from the sky, the moon and its starry companions faintly began to emerge from their hidden havens in the heavens. Aurora flew close to her grandfather, as he was rarely seen for some reason. The stallion may be a grandfather, but neither him or his wife had an elder appearance. They still looked young and energetic, but they still had the age in them.
The trio slowed down their speed and softly landed at the front door of Soarin' and Rainbow Dash's home. Aurora frowned when she remembered a key was required to enter the large house. "Uhmm... You do know we need a key to enter, right?"
"Oh please...." Firefly smirked with an eye roll, and reached above the top of the doorway. "Simple." She had a hidden key in her left fore hoof.
"H-how did you know about that!?" Aurora was shocked to see her grandmother discover the discreet location of an extra key to the house. Even if her parents didn't tell her of its existence. "Mom and dad didn't tell me about a secret key!"
"Dashie can't hide anything from her mommy!" Firefly laughed while she unlocked the front door.
Aurora gazed at Rainbow Blitz, still shocked. "Uhmm... Grandpa?" She whispered to him. "Why did you marry grandma if she's crazy in some way?"
Blitz only sighed in content as an answer. "Long story, Aurie. Long story..."
All of them entered warm the coziness of their home. Aurora took off her saddlebags and placed them by the front door. Firefly flew at top speed towards the couch and landed softly on it. Almost making it look like she was going to slam on it. Blitz casually trotted over to her and sat on the couch.
"So, when is my Dashie and my son-in-law going to show up?" Firefly asked.
"Well, their schedule is pretty random, so I don't know," Aurora replied. "Anyway, I'll be right back." The filly made her way toward her room.
"Bummer. I was hoping Dashie would be here."
Rainbow Blitz turned on the Tv with the remote, and turned it to a random channel. Firefly relaxed her head on Blitz's right shoulder, and he rested his on her head. "Remember when Dashie was like Aurora's age?" She asked with a warm smile.
"I remember." Blitz slowly nodded his head. "I remember when she was just a child." He sighed as he remembered the early days of his family.
Aurora came down the stairs, and approached her grandparents. Firefly motioned a forehoof at her so she could sit down with them. The filly smiled and took her place between the two. "Whoa!" She was suddenly dragged toward Blitz, and could feel his right fore hoof around her. The filly nuzzled him, then stared at the Tv.
The channel that Blitz put on by random was the Equestria's Mysteries channel. It showed a scientist, who was a unicorn with a tie, explain multiple thoughts about Equestria's past. It showed image of the early paintings and carvings of ancient Equestrians at the time as he spoke. Rainbow Blitz rolled his eyes in discontent as he thought some of the things they said was nonsense. "Let's see what else is on than crazy history stuff."
"I'm with you on that, Blitzy." Firefly added.
The stallion tuned in to the sports channel, which made him and Firefly smile. Sports was one of the things they enjoyed to watch, since both of them were athletes back in the day. They watched three teams go against each other at the race of the Ultimate Flyers. One team was from Manehattan, the second from Las Pegasus, and the other from Fillydelphia. Two athletes from each team took off at stunning top speeds when the whistle blew.
"Come on, Las Pegasus!" Firefly shouted sternly.
"Manehatten is going to win," Blitz said calmly.
"Come on, Las- Shutup!" Firefly glanced at Blitz for a mere second, then went back to shouting. "Las Pegasus!"
Aurora shook her head as chaos was invisibly growing around her. 'My grandma and grandpa are sometimes crazy, and that's how I love 'em,' she thought to herself.
-----
Three hours had passed since the family had gotten home. The games continued on, with Firefly still madly supporting the team she liked, and the time was getting late. The moon had arisen with its starry companions to claim the sky as their own. Rainbow Blitz yawned and looked at his wife. "Honey, aren't you getting tired?" He asked.
"Nope. You know me," the mare replied happily.
Blitz shook his head with a small smile. But remembered a certain child that was right next to him. He looked down and saw Aurora sleeping against him, hearing her light breathing. "Honey, look," he whispered. Firefly looked at him, and noticed the filly was asleep. "Aww... She looks so peaceful like this," she whispered back to him.
"I'll got put her to bed." Blitz got up from the couch and gently lifted Aurora to not awaken her. She stirred a bit, but went quiet again. Blitz glided up the stairs, and went down the hallway to enter Aurora's room. He softly placed the filly in bed, then pulled the sheets over her. "Goodnight, Aurie," he placed a kiss on her cheeck. "Sweet Dreams."
Rainbow Blitz closed the door of her room when he exited. He quietly trotted down the hallway with a warm smile.
"Leave..." a voice quietly grumbled him.
"Huh?" Blitz checked around him to see who spoke to him. But nothing appeared responsible. "Must be nothing." He continued to trot, but felt the air, the floor, everything go cold around him. "Brrrr!" He rubbed his shoulders for warmth. "I know how it gets cold in Cloudsdale, but what's wrong with Soarin's home!"
"Leave now..." an echoing voice growled at him.
"H-Hello?"
Rainbow Blitz stood there for a few minutes to see if anything would appear that spoke to him. But time passed, and nothing revealed itself. He continued to trot, until the bathroom door from the left flung open. "Gah!" Blitz yelped, as he felt something tight wrap around his neck. Out of the darkness of the bathroom, emerged an arm with a thin, transparent outline of flesh, with the bones and veins visible. And a claw-like body part at the end of the arm grasping him.
LEAVE NOW..."