Powers
“Twilight, where are we going so early,” Lightning whined as she, Twilight, Spike, and Rarity made their way to a clear field between the Everfree Forest and Ponyville. Lightning shot a fearful glance at the forest. “We’re not going into the forest, are we?”
“Dear heavens no,” Rarity replied from behind her. “Do you think I would have accepted Twilight’s invitation to teach you magic control if we were going into the dirty forest?”
Lightning honestly wasn’t sure. She hadn’t met Rarity until earlier that morning. According to Twilight, Lightning had been unconscious for almost two full days. Twilight had made some coffee to help boost Lightning into waking up and gave her a small breakfast to give her body the fuel it needed for today’s lesson. Lightning’s body and mind wasn’t having any of that talk and as soon as Twilight laid a bowl of soup in front of her, Lightning fell asleep and her face landed in the bowl. Twilight had just watched as bubbles appeared when Lightning exhaled, and the soup level go down as she inhaled. Even when asleep, she could apparently drink soup, or maybe she was having a drink in her dream. At that point, Rarity opened the door as Twilight tried to revive Lightning. Her head had slowly lifted with soup streaming off her mane and face.
“Anyway,” Rarity continued, “you must learn to have proper sleep before eating. Surely you learned that food is for eating, not sleeping in.”
Lightning just grumbled sleepily as the four of them stopped in a wide clearing. Spike jumped off Twilight’s back and laid out a picnic towel. The three ponies and dragon sat down on the mat and faced each other. Lightning wasn’t sure what they were doing, so she decided to pose a question.
“So what are we doing here?” she asked, bringing a hoof up to scratch at her face.
Twilight was the first to respond. “Rarity and I are going to teach you how to control your magic. You showed that you have magic that most pegasi shouldn’t, so it’s only natural that we teach you how to use it so you don’t kill yourself or anypony else.”
Rarity piped up, “Indeed darling. I can remember when I was still learning magic and I accidently set my parents bed on fire.”
Lightning giggled lightly, but stopped when Rarity glared at her. “Anyway, I was sent to a special school where they taught unicorns to properly use their magic in a way that wouldn’t cause any harm. I was there for close to a year before I learned to harness my magical abilities. Before I knew it, I had complete control of levitation and other such abilities. We are going to teach you the same, but hopefully it won’t take a year, and we aren’t sending you to a school just to learn some magic.” She chuckled lightly.
Twilight nodded in affirmation. “As Rarity said, we will teach you how to better control your magic. We won’t be able to teach you any uses, because different magic does different things. It also depends on the strength. I can teleport but most other unicorns don’t have the power. Any tricks you learn will have to be from your imagination and ability to pull it off. Rainbow already told me you can absorb electricity and repel lightning bolts. That’s some powerful magic and an impressive ability. But we’ll have to get back to that later.”
She got up and walked over to a clear section of the clearing. She motioned for Lightning to come over too. Lightning got up and walked toward Twilight and stopped when they were about 30 hooves apart. Twilight looked at Lightning and started up her magic, her horn covered by a purple aura.
“Alright, Lightning,” Twilight called across the field. “This is your first test. I’m going to send some low energy pulses at you. I want you to deflect them. You won’t be able to fly or move for this exercise.”
Lightning felt pressure at her hooves and sides. She looked down and saw that her hooves and wings were covered in blue magic. She tried unfurling her wings, but they remained securely pinned to her sides. She sighed and turned back to Twilight, who was in a crouching position. She got prepared for what Twilight had cooked up.
Twilight’s horn glowed white and a small purple ball, no more than 4 hooves in diameter, slowly drifted across the field toward Lightning. She started concentrating in the little energy ball, willing it to disappear or start going in the other direction. The ball continued its slow travel straight for Lightning’s chest. She tried to move out of the way, but her magical restraints wouldn’t let her move. She tried using her wings, but to no avail. The ball finally made contact with Lightning’s fur. With a small sizzle, it burned a small patch of fur in Lightning’s coat. She just stared at the small black mark on her chest and without warning—BAM! Lightning was lifted and thrown several yards across the field. She made contact with the ground and slid several more hooves until she stopped.
Twilight and Rarity rushed over. Lightning was on her back, hooves curled into a fetal position. She coughed before saying, “No more. Hurts.” The two friends helped her up. Lightning staggered slightly, but regained balance after using Rarity for steadiness support. They walked Lightning back to the spot she had been before. She shook her head ferociously and backed away, tears streaming down her cheeks. Twilight and Rarity sat down by Lightning and explained that learning magic from scratch was never easy and often painful. Rarity recited a story where she had tried to use magic and ending up breaking another student’s leg. Twilight said she had managed to make Shining Armor’s horn disappear and it took several hours to get her to calm down enough to retrieve it.
After an hour of comforting and consoling, Lightning was ready to give it another try. She stood in her spot as Rarity’s magic held her in place. Twilight sent another slowly moving energy ball at the red pegasus. Lightning struggled to get her magic to activate, but it was no use. The session ended with the same results as the first. Lightning coughed up some blood, but decided she would keep going until she got it. After a couple more hours and several energy balls later, Lightning barely looked like herself anymore. Twilight had turned down the concentration in the energy, so when they connected with the unfortunate pegasus, it was like getting hit with a bowling ball. She was covered in welts and barely had coordination control. Rarity’s magic holding Lightning in place was actually a relief, else she would have been stumbling all over the field.
“Lightning,” Twilight puffed, exhausted from using so much magic, “Can’t we just call it a day? I mean, look at you. You can’t even stand and my magic is running low. Throwing energy isn’t like levitation, you know.”
Lightning breathed heavily several times before replying, “One more time. I think I know what to do.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, squeezed her them shut, and produced another magic ball. Once again, it made its way across the field. Lightning was ready this time. She had felt something at the end of their last trial. Near her forehead, she had felt a small spark, and noticed the ground in front of her had shimmered. She reached her pegasus magic toward her forehead and found something small and hard. She pushed her magic into the object and felt a flood of power elate her body. Lightning gave a hard push with her mind and a transparent yellow wall appeared in between Lightning and the energy ball, which collided with the wall and vanished with a small flash.
As the wall receded into the ground, Lightning felt some energy return to her body. She could now stand without her legs trembling her to the ground. Rarity’s magic ended and Twilight galloped over. Lightning looked at the ground where the wall had appeared and disappeared, and smiled. She had successfully defended against Twilight. Twilight reached her and looked her up and down.
“Are you alright?” she asked worriedly. Lightning fur was badly singed and almost her whole body was black. Twilight could no longer tell whether the red showing was Lightning’s fur or the result of her own magic.
“Yeah. I’m doing great. I beat you, didn’t I?” Lightning bounced ecstatically.
Twilight breathed heavily. She had used a lot of magical energy. “I think we’re done today. Let’s go home and get you cleaned up.”
===
Several hours later, Lightning was sitting in a bathtub as Twilight stood nearby. Lightning was attempting to clean up her fur of scorch marks.
“Lightning, that won’t work. Your fur is burned. You’ll just have to wait for it to grow out.”
The small pegasus pouted and put the soap back in the holder and continued to sit in the bathwater. Her yellow eyes lit up as she remembered something.
“Twilight?”
The unicorn turned to look at Lightning. “Yes, Lightning?”
The pegasus grinned widely. “It’s my birthday today.”
Twilight looked up in surprise. “Really? How old are you?”
“I’m 16,” Lightning said proudly, showing off two rows of perfect white teeth in a grin that rivaled Pinkie’s.
Twilight thought of a question and fought with herself for a couple seconds before deciding to ask it. “Is this your first birthday away from home?”
Lightning’s ears flopped down. “Yes, it,” she said hesitantly, as if she wasn’t quite sure.
Twilight considered the hesitation. But it slipped her mind as the door slammed open and a rainbow blur slammed into Twilight, throwing her and the uninvited guest into the bathtub. Lightning gave an ear-piecing shriek and jumped out. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her waist as the two other ponies attempted to untangle themselves in the confined space of the tub.
“Ugh. Rainbow Dash!” Twilight snapped at the cyan pegasus, who managed to untangle herself and fly up to the ceiling. “How many times have I told you to knock? I’m doing important projects in here, you barge in, and I have to start over. Plus, you almost killed Lightning!” She stepped out of the tub and motioned to the pegasus quivering in a towel against a far wall.
Rainbow Dash looked over. “Sorry Lights. Didn’t see you there. What did you do to yourself? Fall in the fire?” Lightning tried unsuccessfully to cover her burnt body. Rainbow rushed over, but smashed into a transparent yellow wall. Lightning had raised her hoof and was controlling the wall’s height and position. No matter where Rainbow moved or how fast she was, the wall always got there first.
Rainbow landed and Lightning released the magic saying, “Twilight taught me magic control today. I can now create a shield of pure magic at will.”
The cyan pony started toward Lightning, but Twilight cut her off.
“That’s enough, Rainbow,” Twilight said, sounding angrier than Rainbow had ever heard her. “Today’s not the day. Maybe tomorrow, when it’s not Lightning’s birthday.”
Rainbow stared blankly at Twilight, and then to Lightning, and understanding hit her.
“Your birthday? It’s today?” Rainbow asked incredulously. Lightning nodded in affirmation.
“I was trying to get her cleaned up for a private celebration, but there’s no chance of that happening anymore,” Twilight said, moving toward Lightning. “I guess we have no choice but to let Rainbow stay here and have a real party.”
Lightning was surprised. She had never had a birthday party with anypony except her father, and it wasn’t really a party. It was a couple gifts, a hug, a kiss on the forehead, and an “I love you.”
“That sounds great, Twilight,” Lightning beamed. “I’ve never had a birthday party before.”
“Then it’s a good thing I know the perfect party planner. She’s known from Equestria and be-” Twilight was cut short as an explosion of confetti blew out from midair. A pink Earth pony with a slightly darker mane and tail bounced out of the cloud of confetti. She had three balloons as a cutie mark and a smile that stretched from ear to ear. “I guess I don’t need to bother with getting her anymore.”
“Did somepony say PARTY?” Pinkie Pie practically screamed in the small library. Lightning stared at her in slack-jawed amazement. Pinkie turned to face her. “Oh hello. I’m Pinkie Pie, the best party planner in all of Equestia.” The pink pony was now speaking very fast. “I would love to make you the most amazing incredible tremendous super-fun wonderfully terrifically humungous party in all of Equestria that you will never ever forget in your whole super-duper spectacular life!” Pinkie then took a large gasp of air as she had not taken one during her speech.
Lightning just stared at Pinkie speechless, mouth still open. She looked over to Twilight. Twilight nodded. “You can trust her. She’s a friend.”
Lightning stepped forward cautiously. “Um, I don’t know what to say. I guess it would be alright, if you wa-”
“Ohmygosh, I Pinkie Promise that I will give you the best party ever!” She then recited her oath with the appropriate hoof motions. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
Lightning still didn’t know what to say about the pink pony. She was certainly an interesting character, that much was clear. She suddenly thought of something. “Pinkie, how can you make this party so fantastic?”
Pinkie grinned and Twilight knew what she was going to do and say. “With my party cannon, silly,” Pinkie giggled as she produced a blue cannon from behind her back and pushed the small button on top. With a BANG, the cannon blew party decorations all over the library, ranging from more confetti and party hats, to a cake that landed on the table. Lightning just stared in amazement and soon felt a smile creep onto her face. “Pinkie, this is amazing!”
“Well then, let’s get down and PARTY!!” Pinkie yelled as music started blasting from nowhere. She fired off the party cannon a couple more times, making sure the entire library was properly decorated.
Over the next several hours, Lightning, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Pinkie danced, played games, ate to their fill, and sang Happy Birthday and cheered as Lightning blew out all 16 of her candles. She had to admit that this birthday was the best one she ever had.
As the night grew late, Twilight pronounced that it was time to go to bed. Lightning was staggering around from exhaustion and Rainbow was having trouble flying due to the amount of cider she drank. Pinkie pressed the button on top of the cannon once more and all the decorations and confetti flew into the darkness of the barrel. She took her exit, leaving Twilight, Lightning, and Rainbow alone in a surprisingly clean library.
Rainbow wobbled up to Twilight, cider strong on her breath. “Hey Twilight? Mind if I crash here for tonight?” she slurred. “I probably shouldn’t fly home tonight.”
“Sure, Rainbow. You can sleep on the couch down here tonight. Lightning, you should get off to bed, too. You’ve had a big day.”
Lightning yawned and made her way to her room. The bed reappeared as she entered, but suddenly had an idea. All the lights turned off in the library and Lightning quietly snuck out of her room. She quietly trotted over to Twilight’s room and walked in. She went over and stood in front of Twilight’s bed. The unicorn, sensing a slight disturbance in the air flow, opened her eyes slowly and sat up.
“What is it, Lightning? Is something wrong?” she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
Lightning nervously rubbed her hoof against the floor and blushed lightly. “I was wondering, since it’s my birthday and all, if I could sleep with you tonight.”
Twilight straightened up. “Lightning, don’t you think you’re a little old for that? I mean, you’re 16 now.”
Lightning put her front hooves on the edge of Twilight’s bed. “Please, Mom?”
Twilight’s jaw dropped. Lightning, realized what she had said, gave a squeal, covered her mouth, and turned a bright red that showed through her burnt fur. Twilight regained her composure, leaned forward and gave Lightning a big hug. She then moved over and patted the bed. Lightning crawled onto the bed and pulled the sheets up. Twilight gently brushed the hair out of the pegasus’ face and said softly, “Welcome to the family, Lightning Aura Strike.”
===
Lightning woke up to sunlight streaming directly on her face. She covered her face with a hoof and remembered that she had slept in Twilight’s bed the previous night. She rolled over to see that she was alone in the bed. She threw the covers off and swung out of bed, giving herself the morning shake. She walked downstairs where she was greeted with the smell of cooking.
“Good morning, Lightning,” Twilight called up the stairs upon seeing Lightning. Lightning finished descending the stairs before rushing over to Twilight and giving her a tight hug. Twilight returned the embrace before letting Lightning go so she could eat her breakfast.
Lightning sat down at the table to wait for the pancakes and eggs that Twilight was making. “Twilight, I just want to thank you for that party last night. That was the most fun I ever had during my birthday.”
Twilight smiled. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Everypony should have a birthday party at some point in their life.” She brought over a plate with two pancakes on it. She walked back into the kitchen and came back with a smaller plate with some scrambled eggs. She laid the plates in front of Lightning as Rainbow Dash stirred on the couch where she had been sleeping.
“Ugh. Twilight, why are we eating in a library,” Rainbow asked groggily as she flapped her way over to the table. She grabbed the plate of eggs from Lightning and started scarfing them down before Lightning grabbed Rainbow’s nose, scraped the food back onto the plate, and put the plate back in front of herself. She eyed Rainbow while eating the remains of the eggs.
“Because,” Twilight, who had just missed the food ordeal, said, “It’s not opening time, and I live here.” She reappeared with a plate of eggs for Rainbow.
The rest of breakfast went by quietly, save for Rainbow Dash complaining that her eggs weren’t as good as Lightning’s. Lightning just stuck her tongue out at Rainbow and finished her eggs. She then stole Rainbow’s plate of eggs and took off with them, with Rainbow chasing her.
Twilight soon realized that while Lightning was otherwise preoccupied, she could use the memory spell she used when Lightning first arrived at her home. As Lightning and Rainbow Dash argued over eggs and other nonsense, Twilight started up her magic, directing her glowing horn at Lightning. The fight between the two pegasi stopped immediately as Lightning’s eyes grew a vibrant yellow and her irises were replaced by tiny lightning bolts. She was on a balcony overlooking the gorge that Canterlot was built upon. A brown stallion walked up and started harassing Lightning. He started getting violent and was soon restrained by a couple Canterlot guards. He broke free and lunged at Lightning. She raised a hoof and-
Lightning stood straight up and looked at the Twilight through slitted eyes. She felt the sick feeling leave her as a new sensation filled her. It felt like power was being pumped into her body, and a crackling sound was filling the air. Her cutie mark lightning bolts expanded and traveled down each of her legs and glowed a radiant white. She rose up on her hind legs as the twisted form of a lightning bolt materialized on the bottom of each hoof. She took a step toward Twilight and as the bolt made contact with the floor, a circle of electricity flashed out across the floor in a one foot radius. As her cutie mark started to spread up her neck, Lightning smiled menacingly and spoke in a voice that contained enough electricity to make Rainbow’s and Twilight’s mane and tail stand.
“I AM LIGHTNING AURA STRIKE, DAUGHTER OF THE MOST POWERFUL LIGHTNING PEGASUS IN HISTORY!! YOUR PATHETIC ATTEMPTS TO TAME ME ARE FRUITLESS AS MY BODY CONTAINS ENOUGH POWER TO FRY ALL LIVING OBJECTS IN EQUESTRIA!!”
Rainbow Dash jumped into the air. “Oh yeah? We’ll see about that!” She raced toward Lightning, intending to punch her across the face. However, Lightning was too quick, and flicked her tail, sending a bright yellow bolt at the attacking pegasus. It hit Rainbow squarely in the chest and sent her hurtling into a far wall with a wide black burn mark where the bolt had struck. She slid down to the floor, dazed. Lightning turned her attention on Twilight, paralyzed with fear where she stood. Lightning smiled again, and her normally straight hair slowly raised itself until it was standing straight on her head with small arcs of static jumping from strand to strand. Her cutie mark had now spread across her entire body in ribbons of long, glowing lightning bolts. Twilight’s horn glowed but she couldn’t gather enough concentration to think of a spell to cast.
“YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE LEFT. I’LL TAKE MY TIME KILLING YOU.”
Her eyes grew transparent and, similar to a marble, all that was visible was the other side of the eye. In Lightning’s eyes, small arcs of electricity jumped from one side of the inside of the eye to the other. As Twilight watched, the light in the pegasus’ eyes grew more frantic and malicious. Twilight came to the fact that she was about to die, and nopony was going to save her. Then, it came to her: the teleportation spell! Of course! How could she have been that stupid? That should have been the first spell she thought of when everything started to go wrong. She concentrated on her destination, but the spell wouldn’t release the magic. Lightning spoke the words that Twilight feared so much.
“YOUR MAGIC WON’T WORK AS LONG AS MY ENERGY AURA ENCLOAKS THIS ROOM! YOU WILL DIE HERE AND NOPONY WILL FIND YOUR REMAINS!!”
Twilight had one more hope.
“Spike!” she screamed to the dragon sleeping upstairs. No response.
To keep it that way, Lightning shot a bolt of energy from her tail. It shot straight out, slowed as it turned around, and sped straight down where Spike’s bed was. A bright flash and fireball later, Spike’s bed and whatever was in it was gone. Twilight’s ears fell flat to her head and her pupils were only dots. Lightning laughed, and Twilight bowed her head, accepting her inescapable fate. As the pressure of static grew almost suffocating, there was a THWAK, a sharp CRACK, and accompanied by a two grunts and a crash. Twilight dared open her eyes and saw Lightning sail through the air into the pile of books that promptly fell on her. Rainbow Dash was over by the wall, this time with a blackened hoof as well as the blackened chest. She must have regained her senses long enough to kick Lightning hard enough to knock her out, but with the amount of electricity covering the red pegasus’ body, Rainbow suffered another burn. Twilight walked over to her cyan friend and found a pulse, feeble as it was. They would both need to get to the hospital. She looked back to the book-covered Lightning. She would have to get Celestia to deal with her.
She looked around the wrecked library before breaking into sobs. So much trust and so much destruction yet again. Just like Nyx, she thought before shaking her head and driving that thought from her mind. She continued to cry until, exhausted, she fell asleep on the library floor, but not before sending a distress signal of her magic out of the window and into the sky in the direction of Canterlot.