//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Equestria Noir Season 2 Case 4 "Lightning's Wrath" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// Case 4 Epilogue “Get your hooves off me! I was framed I tell you! The armor wasn’t even mine!” Soyokaze cried as he was being led into a prison sky chariot by a pair of guards. “Yeah, tell it to the judge ‘Lighting god’,” The guard said, chucking Soyokaze inside. I smiled at another job well done. I looked over and saw Spitfire was walking towards me. “Thanks a lot Private, you and your buddy saved our flanks.” “Just doing my job ma’am,” I said with a nod. “Well I’d say you do your job pretty well,” She said with a smile. “If you ever need anything from us Wonderbolts, just give a yell. We’ll come flying.” “Consider it payment for saving our flanks from the dragon back at Canterlot,” I said with a smile of my own. “Okay, done deal then,” Spitfire replied. “I’ll get this jerk to prison, and I’ll have the academy send you a bill.” “You guys didn’t even hire me technically,” I said. “Even still, you gotta pay a guy after he nearly got himself blown up for you,” Spitfire said with a shrug. “Just send your fee to our accountants and they’ll handle the paperwork.” “Much appreciated,” I said, not wanting to offend her by being stubborn about being humble. “Now if you’ll excuse me,” She blew her whistle and the onlooking cadets stopped in their tracks. Spitfire opened her mouth and yelled, “WHAT ARE YOU ALL STANDING AROUND FOR!? THIS PLACE IS A DISASTER ZONE! GET THIS PLACE FIXED! IF I CATCH ANYPONY DODDLING I’LL MAKE AN ACADEMY RECORD BY HOW FAR I’LL KICK YOUR FLANKS!!” That got them all going. I also was slightly scared out of my wits at the sight. Spitfire flew off towards the academy to order around more cadets. I looked down the runway and saw Raiden and Rainbow, once again arguing with one another. “You could’ve told me anything!” Rainbow yelled. “How was I supposed to know my brother would go nuts and try and get you?” Raiden yelled back. “I think you could’ve told me about all of the stuff I found out today! Then you go off and tell me that I’m not allowed to know where you’ve been?” Rainbow fired back. “It’s my life!” Raiden yelled. “Are you seeing somemare!?” Rainbow yelled. “No of course not!” Raiden fired back. “You know what,” Rainbow yelled, “if you’re not willing to trust me, then why should I even be with you? I admit it was fun, and there were feelings and stuff. But, I can’t be with a stallion who won’t answer a simple question…” “You just think I’ll be like your dad that’s what you’re afraid of!” Raiden yelled in her face. “You’re worried that no guy you’re with will ever stay! You’re more clingy than Twilight! Element of Loyalty? More like Element of obsession! I’m allowed to live my own life! But I can’t do it if I have a bitch that insists on sticking her nose into it! Just because she’s afraid of being alone…” Oh no...he went there… If looks could kill, Rainbow’s would’ve killed him a hundred times over. Rainbow yelled “YOU ASSHOLE JERK! I HATE YOU!!” Before anypony could blink, Rainbow was flying towards home. I stomped over to Raiden, my own rage reaching a boiling point. “Raiden! What the hell was that?” “A breakup dude,” Raiden said, hovering in the air. “You can’t be serious!” I yelled. “You know what,” Raiden said, glaring at me. “Everything was just fine before you started looking into my life! You can’t resist can you? Getting your nose into everypony’s secrets?” “Don’t make this about me!” I yelled. “You’re the one who broke Rainbow’s heart right there!” “I’m sick of her poking into my life anyways!” Raiden spat. “I’m sick of everypony! You know what? Screw all of you! I can live my life on my own terms! If Rainbow and you can’t accept that, then good bye!” Without warning Raiden zoomed off in the opposite direction of Rainbow… I sat on my haunches...just taking in all that’s happened… I got the murder dealt with… But...I lost a friend… ________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash’s house almost looked confectionery. An ornate cloud building, with a central tower, and columns of classic pegasus style, with a fountain of rainbow water flowing from the top, collecting in ponds on the cloud yard, and forming waterfalls that fell from the edge of the place in a multi-hued stream. I used a cloud walking spell to walk along the surface towards the door. Voidera was a little surprised when I returned the shoes as a spear. But, he was impressed with my ingenuity. That was supposed to make me feel better… The soft sounds of sorrow coming from the other side of this door only made things worse. I knocked on the door. “Go away!” Rainbow yelled from inside. I ignored her, took the spare key she kept inside the cloud and opened the door. I walked inside to find Rainbow laying down on the couch. A bucket of ice cream was in her lap and the contents were being shoved inside her mouth. Rainbow’s eyes had tears in them. She glared at me. “Can’t you take a hint?” She glowered and then went back to her ice cream. I levitated away the bucket. “You’ll get yourself sick,” I set it down on a nearby counter and watched Rainbow cross her hooves, turning away from me. “Rainbow, talk to me,” I said, trying to be patient and gentle. “I’m not in the mood Private,” Rainbow said. I looked down, guilt taking over my mind. “Rainbow, listen I’m sorry. I really thought you’d be good for Raiden...I hoped you would help each other…” “Fat lot of good hope does,” Rainbow snarked. “Will you quit sulking like a fifteen year old and listen to me?” I ordered. Rainbow was just silent. “Rainbow, I came here because I’m your friend,” I said. “Twilight and the others are worried about you too. Rainbow, you don’t always have to be bold and confident. Even the greatest heroes have times when they feel like the world has turned against them. I know I felt that. But, you can’t let this destroy you. You’re still Rainbow Dash, the greatest flyer in Equestria.” Rainbow started sniffing a little. “You got friends, they’ll always be right there for you. What Raiden said was wrong. You were right to wonder what he was doing. Don’t let his words affect you. Let them fall off you, like water over stone.” I said, and then pulled her into a hug. Rainbow was resistant at first, but then hugged me in return. I felt like I was hugging a little sister after she scraped her knee. She kept sobbing into me and said, “I, I just...I hate being alone...he was right about that...I was scared and…” “Shh,” I said soothingly. “Everypony on the ground is waiting for you. They’d love to cheer you up.” “Thanks Private,” She said, looking up at me. “I guess, hope does do some good.” “Now come on,” I said, letting her go and heading for the door. “Pinkie just made some break up cake.” “I’ll try to enjoy it,” Rainbow said, walking over beside me. “And, Private, really thanks for being here.” “What are friends for?” I said. But...in my heart...that guilt came over me again… ____________________________________________________________ I sat down on my bed, looking out at Ponyville as Luna’s moon hung in the night sky. Everypony else had turned in for the evening, except for me. I couldn’t sleep if I wanted to. I screwed up. I couldn’t keep Rainbow and Raiden together. I wonder, was it even right to meddle in their lives? Did I only make things worse…? I felt a gentle hoof touch my back. Twilight was up. “Hey, Private you okay?” she asked gently. “Not really Twi,” I said with a sigh. “I messed up. I solved the case, but I lost my friend in the process. I couldn’t keep him and Rainbow together. Maybe, it was a dumb idea to even try and change Raiden…” I watched as Twilight moved over to sit on her haunches beside me. “Private, you couldn’t have seen all this happening.” “Even still…” I said, looking down. She reached a hoof, and pulled my face to meet hers. “You were only thinking of your friends. You wanted them to be happy. Nopony can say that was wrong. That’s what you do every time you matchmake. You try and make the ponies involved see what they need in another. You care about your friends, that is all you did.” I looked down, “Even if I made the wrong choice,” I said somberly “A friend of mine once told me that matchmaking is like doing chemistry blindfolded,” Twilight said. “You don’t know what you’re putting into it, you don’t know what you’re going to get out of it, and nine times out of ten, it’s going to blow up in your face.” I smiled at her. “The simple fact you were willing to take a chance in the first place,” She said as she kissed me on the nose, “shows me that you are still a good pony.” I slowly smirked, “Now...what say I take a chance...on a certain mare…” She smiled wryly, “Shall we play the loyal student and the loving teacher?” “I think, I just want to bask in a relationship that worked without my meddling,” I said, and then pulled my wife into a passionate kiss. Twi was right, even if I screwed up, I did it with the best intentions. I just...hope that Rainbow will be alright… Raiden...I very much hope he’ll be okay… ________________________________________________________ Perspective: Raiden I laid my head on the bar table as I sat on the stool. The bar wasn’t anything special, just your typical Manehatten bar, called the Dancing Pony or something or other. “Hey!” I yelled at the bartender “Toss me another!” “Man, I am cutting you off,” He said, cleaning a mug. “I’m not about to have some upstart kid cut into my stock.” “Ah, go to hell,” I said, plopping my head back on the bar counter. I groaned. Who needed anypony, stupid Private, stupid Rainbow. All they wanted was to control me… Like everypony else in my life… “Hey, bad day for you too?” I heard a voice say. I looked up and saw Lightning Dust, I remember how Rainbow described her. Although, she was considerably less hot than how Rainbow would’ve said. She smirked at me. “So, this is where the great Raiden Bolt spends his down time?” She asked. “What do you want?” I asked, not really looking at her now. “To know why you reek of bad breakup,” She said. “That dumb Rainbow tried to poke into my life, my so called friend did too,” I groaned. “I just wanted my own life. Apparently that’s too much to ask for anypony.” “So you don’t want responsibility? I can get down with that,” Lightning said, “Who needs other ponies? All they do is get in the way anyways.” “Are you hitting on me?” I asked. “Maybe, or maybe I just am in the same boat as you. Tired of everypony trying to force you to act a certain way. Maybe, I wanna offer an escape…” She said, and then I felt her hoof lift my head up...until we faced each other… “No romance, no feelings, no responsibilities…” She said, gazing into my eyes. “Just...a little...fun….” We kissed each other right there...it wasn’t like Rainbow’s...there was no longing…no yearning...just...passion. This...was perfect...just no obligations...no stupid asking where I was...no responsibility…. Just me living my life…. And nopony getting in the way… _______________________________________________________ Perspective: Lightning Strike So, my plan to profit off the Daichi failed because of Soyokaze’s incompetence. It’s of minor concern now. My other plan seems to have worked. Ah Lightning Dust, you are as devious as your mother. Luring dear Raiden away from his responsibilities. The fool is so quick to pounce on another mare. It won’t be long before he’s in my hooves. I looked outside at the city skyline as I thought. Once Dust gets into Raiden’s life, forces him into a marriage, I’ll have Dust kill him in his sleep. Then, as the family heir, Dust will inherit every asset in the Bolt Corp. My plan may not have gone how I originally intended, and that bastard of Adamus got away, but I suppose my other plan could work. “Do you see this now intruder?” I yelled. “No matter what! I am invincible! You think you can destroy me? HA!” That fool thought he could best me? Well, it’s been a day and I haven’t seen this ‘sister’ of his. Oh, this is too rich! What a fool! Did he honestly think anypony could get past my security? Bah! I've tripled the guards! Cameras! And Alarms! None can get in! They are all stupid, idiotic… I froze...as I heard...singing…. In and out...goes the knife….