As soon as Luna had given them permission to be dismissed, Lighting Dust quickly headed for her room. From what she remembered, she would be sharing it with another pony. Back at the Wonderbolts Academy, she shared a single big room with all the other cadets like a proper military training camp.
Having had her own room for so long, Lighting wondered if it was going to be like back at the Academy. When she was there, most of the other cadets always hung out, talked with each other, or played games like poker. She had refused to take part with the others since she saw them all as competition. Even with Rainbow Dash, her wingpony, she left their interactions to only the field and training.
I’m not going to be like that this time, thought Lighting Dust as she used her keys to unlock her room, showing a simple sized area with two beds, desks, and dressers on opposite ends of the wall. They are competition, but they are also going to be my comrades. I’m not going to make the same mistakes that I made at the Academy. I’m going to be better than the old Lighting Dust.
“Hello?” said a male voice that knocked Lighting Dash out of her thoughts. She turned around and saw a bat pony stallion enter with a bag around his shoulder. “Sorry. This is room 3-A, right?”
“Yes,” answered Lighting Dust with a nod.
He smiled as he walked over to the left bed and placed his bag on it. “You must be my new roommate. My name’s Shade Strife. Nice to meet you,” he said as he held out his hoof.
Lighting took a good look at him. Average weight. Average height. Same dark purple and black hair most batpony’s have. Powerful wings, seems more build as a hard hitter then a speedster like me. She then checked out this cutie mark and saw bat wing made out of shadows. Guess he’s a night hunter. No surprise considering his species. His eyes are kinda cute though. She smiled as she stared into his piercing green eyes and shook his hoof. “Lighting Dust, nice to meet you too.”
“So, you excited for first day of training tomorrow,” he said as he started taking out his clothing and belongings from his bag. “I hear it’s gonna be a nightmare.”
“Whether it’s a nightmare or not, I’m going to ace it and become a Shadowbolt,” said Lighting Dust, deciding to follow suit.
“Confident, huh? Well, let’s both do our best. I really wanna try something different than being a Lunar Guard like my parents,” said Shade, folding a few t-shirts.
Lighting Dust bit her lip upon hearing these words. Is he like me?
“Do they...” she drifted out a bit before stopping, which got her roommates attention. “... do they want you to be a Lunar Guard.”
“Well, they said it would be nice to continue the family tradition. I mean, most bat ponies become Lunar Guards anyway,” chuckled Shade with a shrug. “But they said I could be whatever I wanted. Being a Lunar Guard sounds okay, but I wanna try something different. You know?”
“R-right,” Lighting Dust said, sighing in relief. Guess he’s not like me. His parents gave him a choice.
“What about your folks?” asked Shade with a smirk. “Same as mine? Or different.”
The mentioning of her own parents made Lightning Dust almost squish her bottle of shampoo, before she took a deep breath and sighed. “My parents and I… we no longer speak to each other.”
“Oh...crud, sorry,” muttered a wincing Shade. “Now I feel bad...”
“It’s okay,” said Lighting, quickly as she shook her head. “I have another father. And he’s been the best.”
“Well, I won’t ask for details. Not my place. Plus, I don’t want to pressure my new friend,” said Shade.
Lightning's eyes widened. “F-friends?”
“Yeah, we are friends. Right?” asked Shade with a nervous smile.
“Of course! Just a bit surprised is all,” said Lighting Dust with a light blush as she turned around and went back to focus on unpacking. I have a friend...
***
When they said it was going to be a nightmare, they weren’t kidding. The very first exercise that the team had to do was fly through the mountain passes, including a narrow underground mine, and through a windstorm. Needless to say, there were a few who dropped out immediately after it was over or just quit halfway. Lighting Dust and Shade Strike, however, kept on going despite the challenge.
As days went by, they found themselves facing harder and harder tasks from carrying wounded teammates under fire (dull arrows thankfully), stealth tactics against veteran Lunar Guards with harsh punishments if you were caught, and training to kill by killing wildlife such as bears and mountain lions. Time went on and the list of trainees became narrower and narrower.
But through this training, Lighting Dust and Shade Strike became quite the team. When Shade had to carry Lighting Dust through the arrows with her as a wounded soldier, he swiped through them with his wings and never let a single one touch her. He got hit a few times, but never once her. And when they were up at the final stage of the stealth training, Lighting acted as a distraction while Strike retrieved the flag, with both able outfly their pursuers.
And in combat? The two were the best. Lighting Dust with her fast strikes that would damage an enemy units defences before Shade finished them off with one powerful blow. A perfect combo of speed, power, and teamwork. Other cadets started seeing this and began to partner up with those best matched with their own set of skills, and soon the number of dropouts began to lessen.
Seen as the Alphas of the team, the other applicants respected the two and treated them as their commanding officers. While the old Lighting Dust would have been filled with glory and pride at this, the new one was just happy to have so many friends. She didn’t have time for such things while training under her parent’s orders to be a Wonderbolt, but now she could control her own destiny.
All her efforts were soon going to pay off now that the final test was in two days. As a reward, the rest of the trainees had two days off to rest and relax for the test. Some of them decided to have a party while others just wanted to sleep. Lighting Dust was on the latter’s side.
She rested on her pillow while she could hear the rave music thumping off the walls, but she didn’t mind. It was actually quite good. Her partner was dancing with the rest of the gang who decided to go to the party, but she didn’t mind. Although in her mind, she couldn’t get rid of the image of him dancing off those sweet, sweaty, and sexy flanks to the music. Back and forth. Up and down. Those toned muscles bouncing up and down while his tail was moving just enough to see... well... you know.
A big red blush appeared on Lightning Dust’s cheeks as she smiled to herself and hugged her pillow, pretending it was her partner right beside her. She supposed it was a bit cliche that she had fallen for her roommate like some teenage romance novel, but she couldn’t help it. Shade Strike was handsome, kind, fast, and trustworthy. She even dared share her past to him and not once did he blab about it to the others. Instead, he just held her and told her if she ever wanted to talk he was there for her.
How could she not fall for him after that?
The sound of the door opening made her sit straight up as Shade walked in, wiping sweat off his face with a towel. He noticed her staring and smiled back. “Hey there. Missed quite a party.”
“Is it over?” asked Lighting Dust, rising from her bed.
“Nah, but I wanted to get out before I started drinking too much... or if Ebony started hitting on me again,” muttered Shade, rolling his eyes.
“Ebony was hitting on you?” said Lighting Dust with full alert as well as a drive to go find miss Ebony and shove a lightning bolt up her plot.
“Trying too and failing miserably,” answered Shade with a snort. “She’s as subtle as a dragon in a zebra crowd. I made sure to let her know that I was not interested at all.” With his back turned, Lighting Dust made a small “yes” while pumping her hoof in the air. She then went back to acting calmly as possible when he faced her. “Not that Ebony isn’t nice, but she’s way too much of a bubble head for me to date her. Besides...” he gave a soft sigh. “I kinda like somepony else already.”
He was staring at her.
By Celestia’s underpants, he was staring at her.
Lighting Dust gulped as she got up and smirked. “Oh? This is new? Why haven’t you told her yet?”
“Because maybe I’m nervous... and chatting like crazy because of the drinks I had...” muttered Shade, though he still kept his smile. “Or.... maybe I wanna tell her incase one of us fails tomorrow. And he doesn’t want regrets.”
The two of them drew closer, eyes focus on one another. “Do I know this mare?” asked Lighting, adding a little bounce to her flank as she stepped forward.
“Maybe,” answered Shade. “She’s beautiful. Strong willed. Gorgeous blond mane. Has quite a temper though.”
“She’s working on it,” said Lighting as they were now only a hoof inch apart. Leaning forward she whispered while caressing his smooth chest. “So why do you want to tell this mare your feelings now?”
“Because this stallion doesn’t want to regret never telling the most amazing partner he had how wonderful she is,” answered Shadow as he leaned forward.
“Maybe this mare wants what you want as well...” said Lighting Dust as she slowly put her hooves around his neck and narrowed her eyes into a lustful glance. “What if she wants you... and likes you too?”
Shade leaned forward and nuzzled her. Lightning groaned as his soft fur gently caressed her and she wished to just grab him then and there. “Then I guess I would have to do this...” he slowly moved over to her lips and a second later they were connected. Lightning moaned as the two of them pressed their muzzles together, tasting each other as a warm glow began to spread around her, from her stomach to her head.
She kissed even harder, her eyes closed as their hooves slowly slid down from their necks to their backs. Wrapped in embrace, all sense of anything else in the world was gone. Just this kiss. Her first kiss. Their first kiss.
Lighting pushed him forward, slowly taking dominance as he fell onto his bed, but their kiss still stayed connected. They separated just seconds after for air as she stared into his eyes. Those hypnotic sexy eyes that she adored ever since she first met him. Lightning lowered herself again, this time nipping and kissing his neck and making him the one to moan.
She nearly gasped upon feeling his hooves touch her rump, but all it did was make her want him more. Fraternization wasn’t really against the rules despite being discouraged. Still, if this was their last night together before the big test that would make or break them...
“... Do you want me?” asked Lighting Dust, whispering in his ear. The brightness in his cheeks and wide eyes expression he gave made her giggle. “I... I want you to be my first...”
“Lighting, we don’t have too,” said Shade, slowly getting up. “I don’t want you because of sex I want you because... I like you. I really like you.”
Lighting smiled and nuzzled him again. “I know, but... if neither of us make it... or one of us makes it and the other doesn't’t... I still want to have a great memory...” Lighting kissed him again, this time taking full control as she put her tongue in and let it explore his mouth for a few minutes before break it up. “Please?”
He didn’t need to say anymore. He took her by the waist and got on top of her.
And then it was nothing but bliss...