//------------------------------// // Thunder Struck (Part Two) // Story: Sombra's Redemption // by Orion97 //------------------------------// Sometimes, just no matter how hard you try to fight fate, it will always return to you, taking you in its icy grasp and dragging you right where you never wanted to be. Such was my cruel curse, really It was possible for me to say no, that I'd truly do anything to avoid my fate, but the cost was too much for me to bear. No matter what I chose, I think my decisions would haunt me, but do I regret helping those close to me? Not for a moment...but I do wish I had not been destiny's victim. "Rise and shine recruits! Today begins your first official day of Thunderbolt training! Get up, get up! You do NOT want me waking you up myself!" The senior instruction boomed throughout the barracks, followed by a chorus of moans and grumbles as all the ponies dragged themselves out of bed, not wanting to catch the senior instructor's personal attention as he paced by the bunks. Thunder Clap was the first one up and ready, meanwhile Midnight Hope was one of the last few awake, his mind raced with the kind of torture that the next 3 months was likely to be, his optimism sank even lower imagining training for the Night Falcon's unit. "Now I hope everypony is excited for some early morning P.T.!" The Senior Instructor said, torturing the new recruits had become something of a hobby to him over the years, much to the dismay of said recruits. "Out to the track, double time! Move it!" He followed the recruits as they dashed outside and wasted no time in getting everyone working on wing push-ups. All of this at five in the morning, the sun wasn't even visible on the horizon yet, and they were up in a city made of clouds. While our friends were surely enjoying their early morning training, Serenity and I were content to stay in bed until the sun crawled out from the horizon and heralded with it a new day. I woke up and found Serenity at the door and waiting for me. "Come on, we get to see all the fun Thunder Clap and Midnight are having, we can have smoothies while they run laps!" she laughed. That is actually what we did, I have to admit it was priceless to see the looks on their face, we did promise to buy them all the smoothies they wanted when they graduated from training. We continued to watch our friends train at least every other day, the days we weren't we explored Storm-Point, despite the stormy weather it really was a beautiful town and the scenery never seemed boring or dull. Before we knew it there was only two weeks before graduation, Thunder Clap and Midnight did very well, the class did as well, the only ones to drop out were Burst Fire and Jet, which was pretty good for Thunderbolt training. I was surprised that Ice Mist was still in, she didn't have quite the level of discipline as the others but would push herself so hard at one point she passed out upon landing. It was late one evening and their training was almost over for the day when disaster struck. Serenity and I were watching it all happen. Thunder Clap had shown to be probably the best, he surpassed many expectations, all of his self training before seemed to be paying off but that didn't help him with what happened next. Half of the class had been running laps while the other half was moving clouds and learning to identify them quickly. Thunder Clap and Midnight were racing around the course and incredible speeds and didn't notice Ice Mist accidentally push a storm cloud over the course, or her warning to look out. It was too late, Thunder Clap flew right under storm cloud as it discharged a lightning bolt right into his back. He let loose the most pained scream I had heard since Midnight was attacked by a giant spider. He immediately started to descend smoke following him downward as he went faster and faster, unconscious and unable to do anything but fall. Midnight Hope abandoned the laps he was doing and darted to help Thunder Clap and the others just took notice, Ice Mist especially looked horrified and guilty as could be. Thunder Clap fell even faster as Midnight struggled to reach him, just as the ground was coming to meet them Midnight caught Thunder Clap but couldn't pull up fast enough. Thunder Clap didn't hit the ground but Midnight broke one of his back hoofs crumbled to the ground, he fought the pain as well as he could and checked Thunder Clap for a pulse. The other pegasi flew down and watched with silent horror, we couldn't do anything except watch from the high clouds and wonder if Thunder Clap was okay. Midnight fell quiet as felt Thunder Clap's neck...no pulse, he gently picked up Thunder Clap and brought him back up to the cloud, he carefully laid him on the clouds next to us. I could barely breath as I saw Thunder Clap, his fur was burnt but he was otherwise intact, it was impossible to believe he was gone. "No...no this isn't real...no, NOOOOOO!!!" My mind raced with a violent mix of grief and rage. "No, he's okay I'm telling you! Wake up! It's going to be okay! Get up! Come on quit joking, everything is gonna be fine! Damn it this isn't happening! He's going to wake up and be just fine! Would you idiots quit watching and get a doctor!?" I screamed and shouted, desperately shaking Thunder Clap so he would wake up. His instructor came up beside me and put a hoof on my shoulder. "He was a good pony, I'm sorry for your loss." He said trying to console me, I spun around ready to punch him and my hoof just barely missed his jaw. "He's not dead! Shut the hell up and get a Doctor!" I screamed in rage. He flew up out of my reach to avoid me trying to punch him further. "I'm sorry son, we'll get help but I think he's gone." The instructor left and quickly returned with a couple pegasi and carried Thunder Clap to the nearest hospital. I dropped to the ground as tears fell from my eyes, trying to convince myself this was just a bad dream. Midnight hobbled to me as I cried. "Hey, there could be a chance, don't give up hope." Midnight tried to smile as he followed the others to the hospital but I could tell it was forced, even if he tried to convince me otherwise. Serenity wrapped her foreleg around my neck and sat on the cloud with me trying to soothe me, holding back tears of her own. "I'm sorry Sombra, I'm not sure they can bring him back, the doctor's magic has limits." As she said this my tears stopped flowing as an idea came to mind, it was slim but it was hope. "No...they can't...but maybe I can." I stood up and walked to the edge of town where the balloons were so I could get a ride down. Serenity followed me and boarded the balloon I was in. "You're not going to use that book, it could kill you!" She shouted with concern. "Exactly, it could! But just because there's a small chance of it killing me does that mean I should just let Thunder Clap die!?" I told her, not trying to sound angry but to defend my stance. "I'm sorry I told you I wouldn't use the book again, but I also promised to never abandon a friend." Serenity didn't say anything in response, I think she silently acknowledged my point, but she keep quiet for the rest of the way down to the ground and the train ride back to the Crystal Empire. Once there I ran into my house while Serenity waited outside, I wouldn't be long. Up into the attic I looked for the chest I locked that cursed tome in years ago. I found it sitting in the corner, as if knowing I'd return to it one day. I opened it and retrieved the tome, there wasn't even any dust on it, it was as clean as the day I put it in the chest, probably had to do with some enchantment on the book itself. I walked back outside and walked back to the train station, ready to do what was necessary for my friend. It wasn't until the train ride back that Serenity finally talked to me again, aside from a couple sleeping ponies we were the only passengers on the train so it afforded us some privacy. "Sombra, you know I think it's incredible how much you care for us, I just worry about you, I'm sorry for getting upset." She said as she rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry too, for making a promise I couldn't keep." "It's okay, this isn't your fault." She said quietly. "I know, I just wish it didn't happen at all." I said, the final piece of our conversation until we reached Storm-Point again. We made our way up in the balloons and walked to the hospital, one of the nurses told us where Thunder Clap was and Midnight as well, whom seemed to be in the room next to his. Only a doctor was in the room when we arrived and even he was on his way out. "I will let you say your final words to him...I'm terribly sorry." With that he walked past us and into the room next door to check on Midnight. When Serenity and I walked in we could see that Thunder Clap was motionless in his bed, he actually looked fairly peaceful. I put the book on a table at the foot of his bed and looked for a revive spell. What I found first was a spell that said it would extend the caster's ability to cast powerful spells. It seemed to be a simple spell so I tried that one first, anything that might help both Thunder Clap and I. When I cast the spell a purple mist came from my eyes just like most of the spells in that tome. Instantly a large black crystal shot up out of the floor, I looked at it curiously wondering how it would help me, and how upset the hospital staff would no doubt be. Soon I found the raise dead spell, it could be performed only on the recently deceased that had all essential body parts intact, so it would probably work for Thunder Clap, that's good news. I began to recite the spell and focus my thoughts on it, purple mist came from my eyes again and streaks of energy could be seen flying from the crystal to the tip of my horn. A ball of light encompassed Thunder Clap while Serenity watched in fear and amazement. It brightened and closed itself around Thunder Clap's form, he levitated slightly before falling back to the bed and there was a small noise, then the spell ended. My eyes returned to normal and the spell left no evidence of having even been used. Despite the crystal helping me I fell to the floor in exhaustion, completely out of breath. After laying on the floor for a moment Serenity helped me back to my feet. I didn't want to draw any suspicion to myself from the hospital staff so I tried to use normal magic to make the crystal disappear. Didn't work, my spell didn't even cast properly I was so exhausted, all it did was shrink the crystal slightly. Being at full strength Serenity managed to rid the room of the large crystal better than I was and fix the floor. The room looked just as it did when we found it, we looked to Thunder Clap to see if his condition changed any. I stared for a few solid minutes desperately hoping for something, anything really, whether he just moved his hoof a little or said something. Neither happened as I watched my friend lay there motionless. Crestfallen, I turned to leave the room and find somewhere to gather my thoughts, the hallway just outside Thunder Clap's sufficed well enough, so there I sat with Serenity unsure what do say or do at this point, disappointed and heartbroken about the spell's failure. She tried to reassure me I did my best, I couldn't even find the words to respond, I just remained quiet and feeling empty at having lost a close friend. No words can describe what it's like to have been the only hope for your best friend and fail them. Just as my grief felt greatest...I would have sworn I heard something come from Thunder Clap's room.