//------------------------------//
// Chapter 25-29 
// Story: Shadowbolts: Origins 
// by NightArrow 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 25
Skylight made it home incredibly fast. She zoomed from the skies of Canterlot, and landed right smack in the middle of the old abandoned Everfree Stadium, leaving her trademark blue streak with orange swirl behind her. 
“Arrow!!” she called excitedly, “Night Arrow!! I’m back!”
Arrow walked out of his locker room. “Oh, good. How did it go?”
“Well I--” Skylight began, but then burst into laughter. “Hahhaha! What happened to you!? You look super burnt!”
Arrow rolled his eyes. “I took a nap on the old water tower.”
“You’re still hanging out on that thing?” Skylight asked, her smile fading.
“Yeah, so? What does it matter?”
“Arrow, you only go to that stupid water tower when something’s wrong! You really don’t want to do this whole Shadowbolts thing, do you?”
“I’m in, I told you, I’m in.” he began to walk away.
“I don’t want you to quit outta nowhere, Arrow.”
	“I won’t, Skylight! Besides, since when do you lecture me?”
“Promise me you won’t never ever quit this! I don’t want to do this alone!!” she pleaded.
“Okay, okay...” Arrow hesitated. He hadn’t seen Skylight so dedicated and excited  about something since they moved to Everfree. The excitement of being around other ponies was overwhelming, for both of them. The only difference was Skylight’s happy-go-lucky attitude allowed her to disregard any consequences of this. Arrow’s brain didn’t work that way. He had to think of both of their well-being.
“Okay what?” Skylight said impatiently.
“Okay, I promise.” Arrow said. “I won’t quit so long as you’re in.”
“Good.” she said, putting out her hoof.
Arrow smirked, and hoof-bumped her. “Now, how did it go? Did you discourage Darkstreak from going tomorrow?”
“Nope!” Skylight smiled.
“What!? Skylight!”
	“I’m sorry, Arrow! He’s kinda big, and a little scary, and CC did most of the talking, and when he read Luna’s letter he was like ‘a racing team, eh?’ and I tried to tell him how sketchy it all sounds, but I was too excited about doing this that I couldn’t think of any reason anypony wouldn’t want to do this--!”
“Ugh, okay okay!” Arrow covered Skylight’s mouth. “Great, and I just promised I wouldn’t quit.”
Skylight nodded.
“Alright, I have to think.” Arrow jumped up and spread his wings. “I’m gonna head to the water tow-”
“No you’re not!” Skylight grabbed him by the tail. “You just got back from there, and now you look more purple than teal!”
“Fine.” Arrow said. Skylight was never this assertive about anything, so he didn’t really argue with her. “What do you propose we do then?”
“Well, I was thinking maybe we could clean up the track? Maybe we can use this track to practice?”
“You want to bring Luna, CC, and Darkstreak all here? To our home? Every week?”
“Well where else are we gonna find a huge jumbo track to practice on?”
She was right. Arrow’s head was somewhere else at the moment. He was not used to being told what to do. Especially from Skylight. “Alright fine. Just, I’ll be on that side of the track clearing the bushes and stuff, just stay over here. Please. I need time to think.”
Skylight almost took that offensively. But she recognized that Arrow was apparently dealing with a lot at the moment. She still didn’t know what the big deal was that they go back to Canterlot. Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew it was a bad place to be, but she didn’t know why. Whenever she tried to think about her past, she got a huge headache. Almost as if her own brain didn’t want her poking around. But whatever it was, it couldn’t be that bad, right?

Chapter 26
As per instruction, CC flew over to Canterlot Castle after the meeting with Darkstreak. She landed on the balcony to the Royal Lunar office.
“Princess! I’m back! I--”
“This is petty, Luna.” A warm motherly voice said on the other side of the glass door. “The Wonderbolts are doing fine and do not need unnecessary competition.”
“Why are you protecting them, sister?” Luna’s voice responded. “They are athletes after all, are they not?”
CC was trapped. She didn’t want to rush into the two most powerful ponies in all of Equestria having an argument, but she couldn’t just go home, Luna was expecting her. So the only logical thing to do was eavesdrop.
“Yes, Luna. But we are one nation, and only need one team. If we give the citizens other ponies to root for, especially with a name like The Shadowbolts, and those evil-looking uniforms... I think we may be giving the citizens of Equestria the wrong idea.”
“Tia, I understand your reservations, but a little healthy competition is always good. It will give the subjects something more to talk about! And these uniforms do not look evil, they embrace the night! You never understood the beauty of the night, dear sister. The majesty of moon light, and the elegance of the shadows as they fall on ponies faces. We need to celebrate that as much as ponies celebrate the sun, and the day.”
“I thought we were over the jealousy thing, Luna.” Celestia’s voice became condescending.
“We are, sister.” Luna’s words began to cut as well. “But there is no reason to not celebrate the moon as we already praise the sun.”
There was a silence that somehow seemed louder than the royal Canterlot voices resonating from the room.
“Okay, Luna.” Celestia said. “Get your team ready. I will host a race in one month. Either they deliver, or you can go out there and embarrass yourselves.” CC heard hoofsteps, and it almost sounded like Celestia had a smile on her face as she spoke.
“Oh we’ll be ready, Tia!” Luna shouted. “Tell your Wonderbolts to cut down on the pie this month! Because The Shadowbolts are coming! And we will be a force to be reckoned with!”
“A month?” CC thought aloud, quietly. “There’s no way we’ll be ready to race the Fastest Racers in Equestria in a month!” 
“Yes we will.” Luna said from inside the office.
CC’s heart dropped. She meekly walked inside. “You knew I was--”
“We both did. We’re immortals, CC, do not underestimate us.”
“I don’t, Princess.” CC said, “But I feel you overestimate us. I don’t think we’ll be ready to race The Wonderbolts in a month!”
	“What did Darkstreak say?” Luna said, ignoring CC’s plea.
	“He said he’s in. He’ll be here tomorrow morning.” CC said, “But Princess--”
“Just trust me, CC. Everything will work out. Why don’t you go home, and get some rest.”
“But Princess, you said you wanted me to learn more about the office?”
“Don’t worry about it, CC. This is all a lot to take in for one day. Go home, and rest up.” Luna smiled.
“Yes Princess.” CC bowed, and headed for the exit.
“Oh, and CC?” Luna said. CC turned around. “Call me Luna.”

Chapter 27
“It’s getting dark.” Skylight yelled from across the stadium. “I can’t see what I’m doing anymore!” 
“Yeah, you’re right. And timberwolves are always moving around when it gets too late.” Arrow said. “Let’s call it a night.”
“That’s what I would call it!” Skylight shouted cheerily.
The track was almost all cleared, and Arrow had time to think about the situation. He had an idea, and Princess Luna was gonna love it.
“Have a good night, Skylight.” Arrow said.
“Goooooodnight, Arrow!” Skylight flew over to her locker room.
Night Arrow trotted over to his own, and entered the dimly lit room. There was no magic from Canterlot to power lights or lamps way out here in the dark of the forest, so they used smaller means, such as self-lighting candles and lanterns. Fortunately for them, they did have a little bit of magic to work with: Zecora’s.
Zecora was a zebra. She lived in a hut a little closer to the edge of the forest, right where the border of a little town called Ponyville starts. She was very nice, and very welcoming, which was especially helpful the first few weeks of Skylight and Arrow’s stay in the old abandoned stadium.
She had warned them about the forest, and told them to go back to where they came. She said it was far too dangerous for two “small foals” to be living all alone in, but Night Arrow protested, explaining their situation to her.
“I want to go home.” a young Night Arrow said. “But Skylight won’t budge. She can’t face her family like this.”
“And what has happened to poor Skylight, to turn her mane and coat so bright?” Zecora said. She always spoke in rhyme. Arrow wasn’t sure if that was a zebra thing, or just a Zecora thing, and he never really asked. 
“I’d rather not say...” Arrow dug his hoof into the ground, ashamed. “Let’s just say it’s... kind of all my fault.”
“I understand young Night Arrow, but you must make peace, if you do not solve this soon, your problems will increase.”
“I know, I know...” He said. “Look, at least for a while, we’re gonna be staying at that big concrete building with the big yard full of bushes and trees. Do you have anything we can use? I’ll do my best to pay you back somehow.”
“Do not fret about payment young teal pegasus. My concern is your safety from creatures evil and dangerous.” Zecora smiled, grabbing bottles and charms from the shelves on her walls.
“Oh thank you Zecora!” Arrow hugged her. “You’re a life-saver!”
“I am glad I can help, please come to me often! If Everfree will be your home, you must exercise great caution! The stadium you reside in is abandoned, and old. It was built in a time when this was a place to behold. I will place a spell on the walls of your home, that will deter any predators who may happen to roam.”
In addition to casting a long-acting protection spell on the stadium, she also supplied them both with self-lighting candles and lanterns, and a cabinet full of medicine and herbs in case of any attacks. They were pretty well stocked, and visited her often. The only thing Arrow asked of her was to never mention them to any ponies who happen upon her little hut. It was a lot closer to the border of the forest than the stadium was, and Arrow didn’t want to chance their past catching up with them.
“Too late for that.” Arrow thought as he lay in his makeshift bed. “Now all of Canterlot is going to know about us.” He sighed. “Well Zecora, you were right, [sigh] as always. These problems are a lot bigger...”

Chapter 28
The next morning, Arrow and Skylight were racing over to Princess Luna’s office. 
“Wooooo!! I’m so excited!! Aren’t you excited, Arrow!?” Skylight shouted.
“Ecstatic.” Arrow said dryly.
“This is officially the first meeting of The Shadowbolts!! We’re gonna be racers!! This is gonna be the best thing EVER!!” Skylight bounced around the sky, making circles around Arrow as he unenthusiastically glided onto the balcony.
“Alright, Luna. We’re here.” he said as he opened the door.
“About time, kid.” Darkstreak said from one of the four chairs set up in front of Luna’s desk. “I was just telling Luna here just how late you always were back in flight school.”
Arrow’s sighed heavily. “So, you do remember me.”
“Course I do, Night.” Darkstreak said. “You and Skylight here were inseparable back in the day. Looks like nothin’s changed.”
Skylight looked skeptically at him. “Wait, I never told you my name!” Skylight said.
“What’s with her?” Darkstreak motioned towards Skylight, still talking to Arrow. “She’s a lot... well, I don’t wanna say ‘brighter’ cuz that could be taken in a whole different way.”
“It’s a long story.” Arrow said through his teeth.
“Well, I intend to hear it. Either now, or later. But if I’m leadin’ this team, there ain’t very many things you should count on as being a secret to me.”
Arrow scowled. Darkstreak was always very no-nonsense. Bit of a smartass, and everything he said sounded condescending and patronizing.
“I like him.” Luna said, leaning back in her chair. “Sounds like he knows exactly how to handle an ego like yours, Arrow.”
“Wait, what does he mean, brighter?” Skylight said, clearly not keeping up with the conversation.
“I’m here!” CC said coming through the balcony door. “Oh no, am I the last one here?” she said.
“Yup.” Arrow smiled. “Now that’s two races you’ve come in last for.”
“Stop it, Night Arrow.” Luna said. “Be supportive of your team mates.”
Arrow rolled his eyes.
“Take a seat, CC.” Luna said. “Let us begin.”
Princess Luna used her magic to organize the papers on her desk.
“I’ve called you all here to discuss the details on this new project we have all decided to undertake. You are all the first official members of The Everfree Forest Shadowbolts.”
“Everfree Forest?” CC said. “Why Everfree Forest? Most of us live in Canterlot.”
“The Wonderbolts have Canterlot.” Luna said. “Besides, if it’s alright with Night Arrow and Skylight, I would like to have practices at their home in the old Everfree Stadium.”
“Yes!!” Skylight said excitedly. “We were cleaning up the track last night so we could practice there! We’re almost done!”
“Excellent.” Luna said. “I appreciate your dedication, Skylight.”
“Hey, what about me? It’s my place too!” Arrow said.
“I’m positive this was Skylight’s idea, but yes, I do appreciate your dedication as well, Night Arrow.” Luna said. “Now onto the leadership structure. Darkstreak here has agreed to act as both coach and captain. He will be instructing you on and off the track to be the very best you can possibly be. He will also be flying along side you all during the races.”
“So, when do we actually start racing The Wonderbolts?” Arrow asked, slightly raising his hoof.
Luna hesitated, and glanced at CC. “Celestia has gratefully allowed us into the professional racing circuit, so long as we go out and give a great performance against her Canterlot Royal Wonderbolts...” Luna paused for a moment. “...in one month from today.”
“A month!?” Arrow said.
“Yay!” Skylight shouted.
CC just sat quietly, having heard this news yesterday.
“With all due respect, Princess Luna,” Darkstreak said, “I’m good, but I’m no miracle worker.”
“I just need your best, Darkstreak.” Luna said. “All three of these ponies performed above 16 wing power. Arrow alone ranked an 18.8.”
Darkstreak raised an eyebrow. “Hmm, must have had a hell of a flight school teacher.” he laughed.
“Yeah, somehow it’s your doing that I’m an amazing flyer.” Arrow said sarcastically.
“Let’s not throw around the word ‘amazing’ so easily.” Darkstreak said, without looking at him.
“Oh yeah?” Arrow stood up, and opened his wings. “You wanna go, old-timer?”
“Night Arrow!” Luna yelled. “Darkstreak is your captain! You will treat him with respect!”
“Not if he doesn’t treat me with any!” Arrow said, still glaring at Darkstreak.
“Now why would I treat you with any respect, Night? After the stunt you pulled in Canterlot, I don’t think your father would appreciate--”
“I did what I had to!!” Arrow yelled. “You wouldn’t understand.” He said, and headed to the door.
“Night Arrow, get back here! We’re not done.” Luna said.
“I may have promised I wouldn’t quit, Skylight.” he said, “but I still don’t see me lasting very long on this team.” Night Arrow grabbed his goggles and tossed them onto the Lunar Office’s tile floor. “Let me know how things go, Sky’.” He then flew out of the door into the skies of Canterlot.
The awkward silence in the room was a bit overwhelming.
“A month, eh?” Darkstreak said.
Luna lowered her head. “This may have been--”
“I can do a month.” Darkstreak cracked a smile. “I’ll be back, Princess.” he said, and grabbed Arrow’s goggles on the way out of the office.

Chapter 29
Arrow was having some trouble keeping his speed up without goggles on. Pegasus ponies usually had no problem flying at normal speeds and normal altitudes, but Canterlot’s elevation was already pretty high up, and the skies of Canterlot were even higher. To top it all off, Night Arrow was flying pretty fast, as always.
“I think now’s a good time for that story.” a voice behind him startled Arrow for a moment.
“You followed me!?” Arrow said to Darkstreak who was right behind him.
“It wasn’t hard.” Darkstreak said, “You’re fast, but you’re not that fast.”
“There you go again.” Arrow said, “What is it with you, Darkstreak? Why are you giving me such a hard time?”
“Teach you patience.” Darkstreak said calmly. “It’s a quality any good leader needs to have.”
“What does it matter?” Arrow said. “You’re captain anyway. I’m just doing this for Skylight.”
“Well if that’s true, you’re doing a pretty crummy job.” Darkstreak said. “You promised her you wouldn’t quit?”
“Right.” Arrow sighed.
“So I’m still your captain, right?”
“I guess so.”
“Then get your plot onto the ground right now. You and I need to have ourselves a conversation.”
Night Arrow clenched his teeth in frustration, then slowly descended into Canterlot’s public park. Darkstreak followed him down, and they both landed near a large tree.
“Tell me everything.” Darkstreak looked Arrow directly in the eyes.
“Like what?” Arrow said, still with attitude.
“You know damn well like what. Why does Skylight look like a box of crayons? Why are you living in an old abandoned stadium in the middle of the most dangerous forest in Equestria? And why the hell did you and Skylight just disappear those years back?”
Night Arrow sighed. “Look, I can’t tell you what happened to Skylight.” 
“You better try a different answer.” Darkstreak said imposingly.
“Seriously, Darkstreak, I can’t say.”
“Night Arrow, I need to--”
“All you need to know is this: about four years ago, Skylight had a serious accident, and it’s all my fault.”
Darkstreak stood quiet as Arrow’s voice became quieter, and had a sadness to it.
“...I wanted to take her back home right away, but she just couldn’t face her family looking like that. She was embarrassed, sad, and very scared. When she realized what she looked like... I’ll never forget those first words out of her mouth. She looked at me and said ‘I’m a monster...’ 
“So I took her to Everfree Forest, you know, to let things cool down a bit, maybe let her nerves calm down. The next day, I asked if she wanted to head back and she still said no. I just kept asking her and she always said no, and always got this weird anxiety whenever I brought it up. Nowadays, it’s like she can’t remember anything before that night. If anyone says anything about it, it’s like her brain tries to remember details, and the anxiety kicks in, and she gets this serious headache...”
Darkstreak face became concerned.
“Once, I tried just making her listen, and telling her everything that had happened that night, and the headache got worse and worse. Eventually, her nose started bleeding, and she became... I don’t know, like she wasn’t even there anymore. Her eyes got all blank, and she just stared at the ground.
“I panicked, and called our zebra friend Zecora. She gave her some magical herb or something, and Skylight passed out. She woke up an hour later, not remembering anything about me even telling her the story...”
“Geeze.” Darkstreak said.
“Yeah...” Arrow said. “So since I promised I’d take care of her, I can’t really go around telling people a story that could potentially kill her. All I can say is, she had an accident. But even that is more than I want to say.”
“Luna needs to know about this.” Darkstreak said.
“I figured she would need to know eventually.” Arrow dropped his head.
“Look kid,” Darkstreak placed his hoof on Arrow’s shoulder. “That’s some pretty heavy stuff for a young colt to go through. Whatever that accident was, I’m sure it’s not all your fault. You’re a good kid, and it sounds like you want the best for Skylight.”
Arrow just scoffed.
“Skylight is pretty excited about this team.” Darkstreak continued, “And I’ll do my best to hide her secret. But if you’ve already promised her you were gonna do this, you need to follow through. No more stupid outbursts like that, alright? You gotta keep that arrogance of yours under control.”
Night Arrow stayed quiet for a moment. Then he looked up and asked “How’s my family?”
“To be honest, I haven’t seen them since your dad retired.” Darkstreak said. “But you should go find out yourself.”
“Ha!” Arrow stood up. “After this long? Yeah, that’s gonna go over real well.”
“I’m serious, kid.” Darkstreak said. “You rather they find out over some flyer or somethin’? Your old man took your disappearing act pretty hard. Especially just months after your mom--”
“Shut up.” Arrow cut him off.
Darkstreak stood quietly.
“I’m sorry. I just... I can’t right now. I don’t care how they find out, but it’s not gonna be me walking up to their door.” Arrow turned to Darkstreak. “Promise me something.”
“Promise you what?”
“Promise me you won’t say anything.”
“To your family?”
“To my family, to anyone ABOUT my family. I don’t want anyone knowing more about me than they need to.”
“You’ve gotta tell Luna.”
“I will. But even if you see my dad, or my sisters walking around Canterlot, you still don’t know about me, okay?”
“Arrow, I--”
“Promise me!” Arrow’s eyes became watery.
Darkstreak nodded. “You got it, kid.”
“And don’t tell me anything either. I don’t want to hear anything about them.” Arrow sat back down. “Not till I’m ready. I don’t care how I find out about them. It can be tomorrow, or years from now. I don’t want to hear about them from you. Just... just act like you don’t know anything about my family.”
“Alright, Arrow. I get it.” Darkstreak said. “So, you ready to head back to the office?”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Arrow said.
“How about you show me just how fast you can get there?” Darkstreak smiled.
“I would need some goggles.” Arrow said.
“Oh yeah, you dropped these on your way out.” Darkstreak handed Arrow his purple flight goggles. 
Arrow smiled, and snapped the goggles over his eyes.
“Time me.”
“Ready, go.” Darkstreak smiled.
The two stallions blasted into the sky toward Canterlot Castle.