Keen couldn’t focus. She kept glancing at the the window. She couldn’t see the sun for the clouds, but she was sure it was past midday. Lightning would be coming soon.
Unless she was late again. She was late a lot. If she was late this time, what excuse would she use? Every time it was a slightly different one, and every time Keen knew she was lying.
She wished she wasn’t so good at noticing lies…
“Keen?”
The filly turned away from the window. Fluttershy was sitting on her couch, knitting needles working the half-finished blanket she was making for one of her animal friends. The pegasus tilted her head at Keen with a worried frown. “Is something the matter?”
“No…” Keen scuffed her hoof and turned back to the bowl of water on the floor next to her. She gazed into it, her shimmering reflection looking back with a deep frown.
Fluttershy’s voice was kind. “Haven’t figured out the spell yet?”
Keen winced. “It’s hard,” she admitted, lightly tapping her hoof against the bowl so that the water shifted and her reflection distorted. It swirled and bobbed, making her look ugly.
Maybe appearance was why Lightning didn’t care for her. They didn’t think alike or look alike… so what was left?
“Don’t worry.” Fluttershy offered a confident smile. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually. Twilight wouldn’t have asked you to practice it if she didn’t think you could do it.”
For once Keen had little interest in her magic practice. Still, Fluttershy was watching, so she stood properly and tried to focus. She concentrated on the water as the energy began to flow through her horn.
Blue.
Just concentrate on the color.
Blue.
Her horn sparked, her body tensed. Her jaw tightened as she struggled to squeeze every ounce of magic out of her tiny body. Twilight said she could do it, so she could do it! She began to breathe heavily through her muzzle, she could feel a strange tension in her forehead.
She thought she saw the tiniest swirl of color in the water.
She let out a gasp and dropped to her knees, the glow of her horn fading. She spent several seconds trying to recoup her breathing. The water was still clear. The sight made her heart sink.
“That was a good effort,” Fluttershy declared with a sweet smile. “I might have seen a bit of color in the water this time.”
Keen pouted and pushed the bowl away. “I’ll never learn it before class today…”
“Well, Twilight did say it was a more advanced spell than you’re used to.” Her foalsitter paused to examine her sewing. “Not everything can be learned quickly, Keen.”
The filly sighed and rested her chin on her hooves, eyes once again slipping over to the window. She almost hoped Lightning would be late so that she could have more time to practice before seeing Twilight.
The stray thought dragged her mind back to Lightning. For the past few days, thinking about Lightning only made her sad. Sometimes she would find herself hoping Lightning would just let her stay here with Fluttershy. That wasn’t going to happen, though. It was hard to explain, but deep down Keen understood that Lightning was determined to take care of her, even if she might not want her.
Nothing worried Keen quite like the suspicion of not being wanted. It was like… like how she felt when she’d had too many of Nye’s drinks. It made her stomach feel like that.
Something tapped her on the shoulder. She winced and looked to see Angel Bunny standing next to the bowl, gesturing with a pleased smile at the water. Keen forced herself into a sitting position and took a look… to find the water was blue. Well, not quite; it was swirling and had different types of blues mixed together. Even so, she rubbed her muzzle to keep from sniffing and offered him a smile.
“Did I do that?”
Angel nodded emphatically, barely able to hide the bottle of cooking dye behind his small body.
Despite her sadness, Keen leaned forward to nuzzle the soft rabbit. “Maybe I can learn the spell after all.”
His foot thumped the floor rapidly as he grinned.
A knock on the door made Keen jump and hold the bunny close, the bottle dropping to the floor. She looked up at the window in alarm, but there was no way to know the time.
Angel squirmed in her grip and she promptly let go. “Sorry…” She hid behind her mane as she gave him an apologetic frown.
Though he was doubled over trying to catch his breath, Angel still managed a smile and a wave as if to say “It’s okay.”
Fluttershy set down her half-finished blanket and sewing utensils and went to the door. Keen backed away, ears low as she waited to see who it was.
“Good afternoon, Lightning! Ready to pick up Keen?”
The filly wilted. She turned away from the door and trudged for her saddlebag, which was lying near the couch. She didn’t want to go… no, she did. Lightning was just going to bring her to Twilight’s before she started working again.
Why couldn’t Fluttershy bring her to the library? Why did Lightning insist on coming to pick her up? Keen pulled on her saddle, a small fire burning within her. Spending the night here was always nice; she got to sleep with Fluttershy’s teddy bear. On the worst nights – when the nightmares were really bad – Fluttershy was always ready and willing to let Keen snuggle up with her.
Lightning didn’t like that. She’d let Keen do it, but she didn’t want to.
What was she to Lightning? Why did Lightning keep her around? Was it because of what happened at the orphanage? Did she think she had to? Uncle Fine seemed to think so. She loved Uncle Fine… but he had to be wrong. Lightning wasn’t a mom. She never did what moms do.
“Keen! It’s time to go.”
Keen sighed and turned to the door. She noticed Angel Bunny at the kitchen door, watching with ears low and eyes uncertain. He tried to wave to her. Keen just lowered her head and trudged for the door with a pout. As she neared she spotted Lightning, who was watching her with a forced smile.
Her guardian attempted a weak wave. “H-hey, Little Bolt.”
It was all Keen could do not to snap; she was coming to hate that nickname. She nodded – it was all she could do without saying something she feared she would regret. “Hey, Lightning…”
She turned and tried to hide her frustration by smiling to Fluttershy. “Thank you for another fun night.”
“It was my pleasure,” Fluttershy declared with a beaming smile. Keen hugged her and felt such incredible pleasure from the returned embrace. It was so different from anything Lightning had ever managed…
Lightning spoke up as they parted. “Come on, kiddo, we better not keep Twilight waiting. Thanks again, Fluttershy.”
Keen made for the door. Lightning dropped down to let her climb onto her back, but that small fire in the back of Keen’s mind grew at the motion. Why did she always carry Keen like that? Keen didn’t know why, but she suddenly didn’t want to ride, so she strode past her guardian and onto the road, eyes locked on the bridge.
She was so… mad! What was Lightning going to do? Keen remembered her parents, how they always acted when she got upset. Her mother would get mad, too, and threaten to spank her if she didn’t behave. Her father was nicer about it; he’d sit her down and talk. He’d ask questions… ‘Why are you mad?’ ‘Well, what caused that?’ ‘Do you think it’s her fault?’ ‘Do you understand what happened?’ By the end, Keen would always find herself admitting that she shouldn’t be angry.
Her dad was very good with words.
Lightning was at her side. Keen steadfastly refused to look at her.
“S-so… you had fun?”
Was that all she had to say? Keen set her jaw tight to keep from shouting, managing a “Mm-hmm” through her pursed lips.
Why wasn’t Lightning angry? Keen would have welcomed anger. Not the usual anger; Lightning used to always be mad at what Keen was doing, but never at why. At least when her mom got angry Keen knew it was because she was misbehaving in some way. Lightning wasn’t even bothering to be angry anymore.
Keen’s fire faded a little as the surprise came over her; she wanted Lightning to be mad. When her mom was mad, Keen would be scared. Lightning was stronger than Keen’s mom, and meaner.
But… her mom would get mad because she cared, because she was worried or wanted to teach a lesson. Lightning never got mad for those reasons…
Lightning should be mad now. Keen was being rude and knew it. Her mom would be mad, so why wasn’t Lightning mad?
She was supposed to be mad!
“You nap with any of the bears today?”
What kind of question was that? “The bears are hibernating right now.”
She’d said it so quickly, so calmly, but deep down Keen was fuming. She wanted Lightning to react, to grab her up by the tail and tell her she was being rude, to be respectful of her elders, to… to… to something!
Did she just not care enough? Was Keen not worth her anger? The filly felt a pang in her heart at that thought, but the raging fire in her head drowned it out. She was tempted to run to Twilight’s or back to Fluttershy. At least she knew they would talk about her anger, like her dad did. That was better than… this.
Keen found herself going through the debate in her head all over again. Maybe Lightning just didn’t know how to be a mom. Maybe she thought she’d been too mean before and was trying to be nice. Maybe she didn’t even know anything was wrong. She once called herself a dumb reader; maybe she was a dumb mom, too.
None of those thoughts eased Keen’s anger.
The Golden Oaks Library came into view, its limbs and leaves covered in fresh snow. Keen didn’t want to be upset like this when she saw Twilight. Maybe if she cleared her mind and just stopped thinking…
She focused, eyes locked on the library door. No thinking. Nothing in the mind, no thoughts of Lightning, no thoughts of being alone, no thoughts of not being wanted…
It didn’t work. She grimaced as the same mean ideas circled around in her head like a merry-go-round, only without the merry. When they reached the door Keen wasted no time knocking on it.
A moment of tense silence passed. Keen didn’t look at Lightning, but the pony filled her brain.
Come on, say something!
The door opened to reveal Spike, who grinned at the visitors. “Hey, Lightning, hey Keen. You ready for more lessons?”
It took everything Keen had to smile for him. “Yes! I’ve been practicing a lot, just like Twilight asked.”
“Come on in.” He stepped aside and waved to the open door. “Twilight’s been looking forward to today’s lesson!”
Keen, lips locked in a forced smile, began to enter the library.
“K-Keen?”
She stopped, heart jumping to her throat and eyes widening. Please let her be about to say something she needed to hear…
“B-be good, okay?”
The silence was… deafening. Her heart sinking back to its regular lows, the fire fading from her disappointment, Keen trudged her way into the library.
Did Lightning even care?
Twilight had noticed Keen’s mood, but she didn’t ask about it. Keen didn’t know whether to be grateful or doubly angry about that. Rather than decide, she chose distraction and poured herself into her studies. She did enjoy studying magic, after all, and as time went by her anger faded.
They practiced some basic spells at first, which they did with every meeting; the laser, lifting objects of varying sizes, creating light, small things. Once those were done Twilight would quiz Keen on what she’d read. Keen never got a perfect score, but Twilight always seemed impressed anyway.
The next part was what Keen had been dreading: Spike filled a glass with water and set it on a stool.
Twilight stood beside Keen, giving her an expectant smile. “Have you been practicing the spell like I asked?”
The filly wilted as she eyed the glass. “Yes, but I couldn’t get it right.”
“That’s okay.” Twilight gestured to the water. “This spell’s a few grades above your level. I wasn’t expecting you to learn it in just a couple days.”
Keen pouted, her mane going over her face as she bowed her head. “But I really wanted to…”
“Don’t worry, Keen.” Spike was at her side with a claw to her shoulder. “I’ve been around Twilight long enough to know she gave you that spell for a reason. Right, Twilight?”
“That’s right.” Twilight knelt next to the filly and nudged her with her muzzle. “Go ahead, try it one more time. Don’t worry if you don’t manage it, I just want to watch.”
Keen fidgeted, her chest going tight as she observed the glass through her mane... but then she glowered, her determination coming back. Her teacher was watching and she wasn’t going to disappoint her! Keen stood and braced her legs, focusing all her attention on the water in the glass. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes as she struggled to think of the color.
Blue. Let the water be blue…
She felt her horn growing hot, could hear the electric sparks. Just a little bit of blue, that was all she needed. Come on… come on…
Her legs started to tremble. She opened her eyes and glared at the glass, silently demanding it turn color. She could feel the heat growing in her horn… and then there was that tense feeling, like something had locked at the base of her horn.
She grimaced, flinching as if she’d been shocked, and dropped to her haunches. She spent several seconds huffing and trying to steady her breath, touching her horn to feel the heat that was quickly fading. When she looked up at the glass she saw… nothing. It was just water, plain and plainly not blue.
The filly sagged. “I’m sorry…”
“No… no, that was really good.” Twilight patted her on the shoulder with a grin. “I didn’t think you’d last that long.”
Keen looked up at her with a questioning frown. “That long?”
Her beaming teacher nodded. “It was an endurance test. I just wanted to see how long you would go before the hornguard kicked in.”
Keen blinked, her eyes going cross as she examined her horn. “Hornguard?”
“Hornguard.” Twilight reached up to press a hoof down on the spot between Keen’s eyes just below the horn. The filly realized it was right where the tight feeling had been just before she’d stopped. “It’s something foal unicorns have until they hit a certain age. It protects you from using more magic than your body can handle.”
“Oh.” Keen reached up to rub her horn thoughtfully. “So you knew I wouldn’t be able to do it?”
“You might have been able to, but yes.” Twilight’s smile was encouraging. “You did well, Keen. You’ve got a lot of potential.”
Keen offered a weak smile, but couldn’t hold it. She eyed the glass out of the corner of her eye and pouted. “But I really wanted to get it right…”
“Hey, cheer up.” Spike went to the stool. “I bet you’ll figure out how to use the spell in no time!”
“Hold on, Spike.” Twilight dropped to her belly and considered the filly. “Leave the glass, I’d like to try something. Keen?”
The tiny unicorn shifted. “Yes?”
“I want you to use your magic and focus all your attention on my horn.”
She blinked, looking up at the mare’s horn with a slight tilt of her head. “Why?”
Twilight just smiled, aimed her horn at the glass and waited.
Keen frowned as she wondered what was going to happen. Still, if Twilight said so… she peered at the purple horn and began to work her magic again. Twilight’s horn began to glow a soft blue… but nothing was happening. What was this for?
Then her eyes widened: she could feel something. Not just feel it, she could see it. Tiny ripples of air made the aura sway and vibrate. She examined those slow motions, knowing that she was seeing magic. Not like most ponies saw magic, or even most unicorns; this was the unseen workings of a horn, the imperceptible weaving of a spell that she had always felt but never understood. She was mesmerized by the tiny waves, the circles of bright light floating up and down, the lines of dimness that ran along the horn to its tip. It was just like what Keen sensed on her own horn sometimes, only it was on Twilight’s instead.
The movement stilled.
“It’s done. You can stop now, Keen.”
The filly blinked and shook her head, the glow of her horn fading. She looked up at her teacher with wide eyes. “What was that?”
Twilight grinned and nodded towards the stool. Keen turned and felt her jaw go slack; the water was blue. “What?”
“And now…” Twilight focused, and a second later the water was clear again. “You try.”
Keen looked up at her teacher, then eyed her own horn. Understanding dawned upon her with a small, happy gasp. She turned to face the glass, aimed her horn and focused. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what she’d seen and felt.
The magic began to form. Keen struggled to work it, to make it do what she wanted, to make the magic intensify in certain ways, grow weak in others. It was a very organized spell, yet it was much easier than just pointing and trying to force the magic to work.
The filly tensed, her attention pushed to its limit as she tried to weave so many magical elements together. It was getting harder… but if she could just…
She let out a small gasp as, at last, she thought she had it. She sat and sucked in a deep breath… and opened her eyes.
The water was pink.
Keen stare at the glass, blinked a few times. “Why is it…” She looked up at Twilight with a confused frown.
The mare was watching her with a proud smile. “Keen, that’s wonderful. I can’t believe you did it on the first try!”
Spike lifted the glass to display it like a trophy. “Your first spell above the beginner level!”
Keen didn’t know whether to smile or frown, and her mouth ended up twisted in a strange mix of both. “But… it didn’t turn blue.”
“That’s because you didn’t get the spell quite right,” Twilight admitted, though she didn’t lose her beaming expression. “But you were so close you were still able to pull off a color. That’s really, really good for a filly your age.” She shifted, closed her eyes and shook for a moment as if trying to control herself… and suddenly engulfed Keen in a hug. “Oh, I am going to have so much fun teaching you!”
Keen tensed for just a moment… then giggled and returned the hug. “I’m having fun learning, too!”
“You are a gem, Keen.” Twilight rubbed cheeks with the filly before setting her on the floor. “I can’t wait to tell Princess Celestia, I bet she’ll be just as thrilled as I am.”
The filly blinked. “You… wrote to the princess about me?”
“Of course! I had to let her know. Maybe you’ll even get to meet her someday.”
Keen shrank a little, not sure if she liked that idea. “Well… I suppose…”
There came a knock on the door.
“I’ve got it.” Spike went running out of the room.
Keen felt that familiar anxiousness as she turned to see who the visitor was. Part of her wanted to run and hide, but she locked her knees and fought down the urge. Everypony was always encouraging her to be brave, so she would try. She still lowered to a flight-ready pose, though, her tiny heart fluttering at the possibilities that inevitably drifted through her mind.
Would she ever not be afraid?
Her nervousness faded in an instant as Upper Crust trotted into the library. The mare was grinning from ear to ear, and at the sight of Keen she waved. “I’m not interrupting a lesson, am I?”
“That’s okay,” Twilight replied as Keen went to hug Upper Crust. “We were about to take a short break, anyway.”
“Glad to hear it.” Upper Crust dropped to her belly and held Keen close. “It is so very good to see you, little lady.”
“I’m glad to see you, too.”
Keen was always happy to see her.
Spike appeared from behind Upper Crust, smiling at the sight of their hug. “So how’s the new job going?”
“Wonderfully!” Upper Crust stood and turned her attention on Twilight. “That’s actually why I’m here. Me and Jimmy will be headed for Hoofington in a couple days, and his plans require some environmental knowledge. I don’t suppose you have any books regarding geology, weather history, things like that?”
Twilight rubbed her chin, eyes going up to the ceiling. “Hmm… that’s rather specific. I’ll have to do some digging.”
“I think I saw some books about that area of Equestria during our last sorting day,” Spike noted. “Dunno if it’ll have what you’re looking for.”
“Alright.” Twilight turned to Keen with an apologetic smile. “Why don’t you do some light reading while we help Upper Crust?”
Keen was about to respond, but paused as she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up to see Upper Crust, who wore a proud expression. “Actually, if you don’t mind… I have something to say to Keen. Something personal. I was hoping I’d catch you during a lesson, to be honest.”
“Oh.” Twilight tilted her head with an uncertain smile. “Well, okay. I guess you can join us in the back when you’re done.”
“It’ll probably take a few minutes to find something, anyway,” Spike added, leading the way to a side door.
Keen frowned as they left, then looked up at Upper Crust. “You wanted to talk to me?”
“Mm-hmm.” The unicorn dropped down to engulf the filly in another hug, this one much tighter.
Keen set her chin to the adult’s shoulder, at once both pleased and uncertain. “Umm… what’s going on?”
“I wanted you to know that you are the most wonderful filly in all of Equestria.”
Keen giggled as the beaming Upper Crust bumped muzzles with her before putting her back down. Keen sat and grinned… then tilted her head. “Did I do something?”
Upper Crust nodded. “You most certainly did. Do you remember when you finally found the courage to talk to Green?”
“Yeah…” Keen leaned forward a little, eager to understand why she was being so praised.
“You were very brave that day.” Upper Crust set a hoof over her own heart. “You inspired me to go out and face my own fears. Now I have a job and I’m making friends. I’m contributing, and it makes me feel… important. It’s all thanks to you, Keen. If you hadn’t shown me such bravery, I might have been sad and useless forever.”
“Oh.” Keen couldn’t help smiling. “So you’re not so sad anymore?”
Upper Crust raised her head high. “Not at all. I’m better now than I’ve been in… well, ever! I even found the courage to go to Canterlot again. Speaking of which…” She looked back at her saddlebags, horn glowing a soft green. One of the pouches opened and a small wooden box covered in star-shaped etchings rose from within. Upper Crust turned back to Keen with a smile and displayed the item to the filly.
“A gift.”
Keen blinked, carefully reaching up to take the box. She examined it, turning it about in her hooves studiously. “What is it?”
“An enchanted music box. I got it as a favor from a…” Upper Crust paused, tilting her head as she thought. “Let’s call her a ‘high ranking’ friend.”
“Enchanted?” Keen set her ear to it, not really expecting to hear anything. “What does it do?”
“It’s a dream charm,” the mare explained. “You open it just before bed, and it plays for you. It provides a little protection from nightmares.”
Keen’s ears perked. She looked up at Upper Crust with big, hopeful eyes. “Really? I won’t see the monsters anymore?”
Upper Crust patted her on the head, her expression apologetic. “Not always. My friend said it was a weak charm and won’t stop every nightmare you might have, but you won’t have so many.”
Keen gazed at the box in her hooves, a slow smile forming on her lips. “Thank you. Thank you so much! I’m so tired of bad dreams…”
“You are very welcome.” Upper Crust spread her hooves wide, and Keen moved in for another hug. “It’s my way of thanking you for helping me overcome my own fears.”
Keen sat back and, mind blazing with curiosity, opened the box. The interior was covered in a soft-looking dark velvet. Rising out of the center was a round, white object with shadowy blotches. As she watched there was a small click and a slot opened. A tiny mechanical alicorn, dark blue, rose out of the slot. Guided by little rods, it walked over the surface of the white orb, soon followed by a line of motorized foals as gentle, slow music began to play.
“Aww…” Keen leaning in close to peer at the foals that circled the white surface. “It’s cute.”
Upper Crust giggled. “Isn’t it, though?”
The tiny motorized procession came to an end, the last foal disappearing in another slot on the opposite side of the orb and the music fading to a soft conclusion. Keen grinned and closed the box. “Thank you so much, Miss Crust!”
Upper Crust flinched with a blush. “…just Upper Crust, please.”
Keen giggled. “Yes, ma’am.” She examined the box for a few seconds, a warm feeling in her chest. But then a thought hit her.
“You went back to Canterlot? Does that mean you faced your monsters, too?”
Upper Crust was all smiles in no time. “Indeed. They’re just as frustrating as ever… but at least I can handle them. I even got to spend some time with my friend.”
Keen hesitated, her ears lowering. “The friend who became a monster?” The mare nodded. “Is he still one?”
“Yes.” But Upper Crust’s smile didn’t fade. “I think he’s coming around, though. Maybe in time he won’t be one anymore.”
“Oh.” Keen studied the music box, curious thoughts running through her head. She found herself thinking on the other foals at the orphanage… “Can… Can all monsters go back to being normal?”
The mare, noting how serious she had become, considered the question. “I don’t know. I’m not a ‘monster expert,’ but I think it depends on the kind of monster.”
Keen closed her eyes, shivering as she recalled the blue eyes and the black bodies that were no larger than she was. Just thinking on them brought a sinking feeling to her stomach. She quickly opened the music box to watch as the robotic alicorn and her line of foals traversed the white orb again. She relaxed a little at the soft music… but there was an uncertainty and anger lingering in her mind.
She looked up at Upper Crust, who was watching with a concerned frown. “But some monsters can go back to being normal… right?”
The mare considered her with a hoof to her lips. After a few seconds she knelt down to look the filly in the eye. “Keen… what monsters did you see?”
“Scary ones.” The music ended and Keen set the box down gently. “But I used to live with them. Some were nice to me…” She bowed her head, chewing her lip as she thought on the orphanage. Why was she getting so mad? “Your friend might be a pony again. I wonder if… if they could have, too.”
Upper Crust leaned forward, the concern clear on her face. “Keen, can you tell me about the monsters?”
The filly shook her head forcefully, keeping her head bowed. “I don’t want to think about them. It makes me mad. Why am I so mad?”
With a sigh, Upper Crust lifted Keen in another hug, this time patting the filly on the back. “Listen to me, child. There are many kinds of monsters. Some of them were once ponies, but can come back. Others can’t. A lot of them were never ponies to begin with. Sometimes it can be hard to tell which is which.”
Keen didn’t know how this was supposed to comfort her. She buried her face in Upper Crust’s mane, fighting down the bitterness within her.
“The monsters you saw… I don’t think they were the kind that could go back to being ponies.”
Keen flinched, her grip tightening a little. “B-but they could have…”
“Maybe,” Upper Crust whispered, “but I don’t think so. You’ve got to move on, Keen.”
“I want to.” Keen heaved a deep sigh, a fresh sadness mixing in with her anger. “It’s hard…”
“I know.” The mare held Keen at leg’s length, offering a weak smile. “But I think you’re on your way. You spoke to Green, you met his friends. You’ll be okay, Keen. I know you will.”
Keen bowed her head as she was set back on the ground. “I guess…”
“Hey, Crustie?” Spike was at the door, waving to the two ponies. “You about done? I think we’ve found something.”
Upper Crust’s benevolent gaze switched to frustration in an instant as she glared at the baby dragon. “It’s Upper Crust. Call me that again and I’ll use that spell Twilight taught me to blast you to the Crystal Empire.”
“Okay, okay, sorry.” Spike waved a dismissive claw. “You coming or not?”
“I’ll be right there.” Upper Crust turned back to Keen, her anger fading to concern.
Keen, head low and still filled with that familiar fire, rolled her eyes up to the mare.
After a couple seconds Upper Crust knelt down to nuzzle the filly’s cheek. “You’ll be okay. I promise, Keen. You’re making friends. We’ll help you get through this.”
But as Upper Crust got up to leave, Keen could only sit there and sulk. She didn’t even know why she was so upset, she just knew that she was. Something about all this monster talk, about knowing some monsters could go back to being ponies and the thoughts on the orphanage… it kept the fire burning. Yet for all the things she didn’t know, there was one thing she did know, and it was perhaps the most puzzling of all:
Her anger was aimed at Lightning.