Order of Shadows

by PaulAsaran

Book III – Gulfstream: Successes and Failures

I asked Miss De Lis what she thought about destiny. I think the question surprised her. It’s just that, now that I’m really looking back on things, I find myself wondering about stuff like that. Some coincidences just seem too… coincidental.

Miss De Lis said that we make our own way in life, but there are also some things we just can’t change. Nopony can change when they were born, for example. Yet most of the things we see and do in life are up to us. I trust her, I really do, but I can’t help wondering how true it is.

Uncle Fine sometimes talks about ‘alternate universes.’ I don’t listen most of the time, that stuff gives me a headache. Sometimes, though, I think I’d like to see one of those alternate universes. Would Rainbow and I have been friends? Would she and Lightning still be together? Would we have been a family?

I still hate her. There’s no way I couldn’t hate her. But sometimes…

Sometimes I like to dream.

—Gulfstream Dust, Book of Shadows XLVIII,
June 1, 1007

Gulfstream glanced at the door, ears perked. At the immensely frustrating silence, he resumed pacing, eyes on the floor. He fumed and grumbled, turned around and cast another look at the door.

Still nothing.

Lightning looked up from the newspaper on the kitchen table. “You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor. Sit, have some breakfast.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Lunch.”

The temptation to snap at her was strong, but he’d been getting a lot better at controlling those urges. He still sat by the door and sulked. He crossed his hooves and hunched forward, eyeing the door as if it had stolen the last cookie in the batch. He bristled when Lightning chuckled.

“Glaring at the door’s not gonna make the mail come any faster.” She tapped the table and pointed to the cushion perpendicular to her spot. “Come on, I’ll make you some waffles.”

That was almost enough to do it, but he tensed his legs and refused to move.

“With apple syrup.”

A tremble ran down his back. With a groan, he turned and walked to the table, though he made sure to sit at the spot opposite his usual. He had to get some kind of victory, after all.

She smirked and pushed the newspaper aside. “Good boy.”

He responded by lolling his tongue out and panting like a dog, which made her laugh. As she went to the refrigerator, Gulfstream resisted the temptation to look at the door by grabbing the newspaper. “Why do we have to wait for the mail, anyway? It’s not like you’re not going to get in.” He hoped that sounded more confident than he felt. He glanced at Lightning, but she was focused on getting the ingredients together.

With a sigh, Gulfstream took a look at the headlines. Not that he was at all interested in news, but any distraction was welcome right about now.

That is, until he turned to the third page. There he found a pair of images beside each other in the same article. One was of Celestia’s oh-so-loyal student, Twilight Sparkle. The other, far more interesting in his mind, was Princess Luna. Yes, the mad Nightmare Moon in her ‘good pony’ appearance. Gulfstream never understood why she had two different forms, but he’d gotten used to it after seeing it in the news enough times.

Sometimes, when he was feeling lonely or frustrated, he would close his eyes and remember her eyes. Though they pierced like blades, they always made him smile. Evil or no, Gulfstream had fond memories of his one and only encounter with the princess. There were times when he longed to see her again.

His curiosity drawn, he tried reading the article. To his disappointment, he found that it had nothing to do with some epic fight or anything else cool he generally associated with Best Princess. No, it was some stupid report about how Twilight and the princess had supposedly been having a romantic relationship. To this Gulfstream responded with a gag; girly romance was the last thing he wanted associated with Nightmare Moon!

Well, at least the article claimed the relationship was over. And that Twilight pony had been reassigned to—

His eyes widened. “Whoa.”

Lightning cast a glance over her shoulder. “Hmm?”

“Twilight Sparkle just got sent to the Gates of Tartarus. She’s the Gatekeeper now!”

His cousin rolled her eyes and turned back to flip the waffle iron. “It’s not what you’re thinking, Gulfie. That’s a demotion.”

“Who cares?” He grinned as he imagined all the monsters and criminals and fiends Twilight Sparkle was probably fighting right at that moment. Suddenly her coolness factor got a big bonus. “I wonder if she’s had to kill anypony?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” she repeated. “She probably just sits there watching the gates do nothing. Boring stuff. It’s not like the demons of Tartarus are constantly banging on the gates.”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Gulfstream’s grin didn’t fade one iota as he imagined himself engaged in an epic aerial duel with Cadance, the traitor seductress – whatever a seductress was. Probably something involving magic. Yeah, and he could be dodging bolts of lightning, distracting her so Twilight could deal—

A plate of waffles hit the table before him with a thunk, pulling him out of the mental struggle. “No epic adventures for you… or her.” Lightning stuck her tongue out at his glower, then poured the precious Apple-brand syrup. The sight of the sugary awesomeness got rid of his annoyance in no time at all, and he promptly dug in. He’d not realized how hungry he was; with the first bite, his stomach rumbled its approval.

The mound of dough proved a poor foe, rapidly succumbing to his eager assault. His face was a mess of syrup and crumbs. Realizing his error, he took his time in rubbing the gunk off with a lone hoof, from which he licked as much as he could. Just as he was about to start licking his plate, though, he caught Lightning’s raised eyebrow. His ears promptly folded back.

Grumbling, he took the plate in his hooves and flew to the kitchen sink. He never liked doing chores, but cleaning dishes was one of his all-time least favorites.

Just as he got the sponge soaked enough to be pliable, there came a knock at the door. His head whipped up and wings snapped open, but Lightning’s raised hoof ended his flight before it even started. She pointed at him, then at the still dirty plate.

For a moment – just the tiniest fleeting instant – he wondered what it would be like to throw the plate in her face. Then he turned and went to work, scrubbing frantically even as his ears remained swiveled back to listen.

“Letter for Lightning Dust.”

“Thanks.” After a lengthy pause, “What?”

“Aren’t you gonna open it?”

Gulfstream took his eyes off the plate to look back at the door. He couldn’t see the mailpony. He was more interested in the letter, which was in a thick manila envelope. He grinned and hurried to finish off the plate.

“Derpy, don’t you have another four sectors to run?”

“I’m fast enough. Come on, open it!”

Gulfstream dropped the plate onto the cloud strainer and was at Lightning’s side in an instant. “Yeah, open it!”

Lightning peered down at him. “You were supposed to clean your face too.”

“Open it first.” He hovered and waved his hooves wildly. “Come on, open open open!”

Derpy grinned and began hoofpumping to a chant of “O-pen! O-pen! O-pen!” Gulfstream, who liked her more than the average pony, joined in.

Rolling her eyes, Lightning at last raised the envelope high. “Alright, alright. But I’m telling you, it’s a foregone conclusion.” She ripped the top of the envelope off with her teeth, spitting the paper on the ground. She reached for the letter within—

“Wait!” Gulfstream pressed his hoof to hers. “Slowly. Let’s savor it.”

“Make up your mind!” Lightning huffed and put on an exaggerated display of tucking the envelope under her wing. “If you want to face the suspense, maybe I should wait until tomorrow.”

“No!” Derpy shook her head frantically and pulled Gulfstream back. “Read it!” He didn’t protest; he’d have reacted the same way if his muzzle wasn’t being held closed by the mailmare.

“I dunno.” Lightning leaned her head back and rubbed her chin. “Gulfie has spoken, after all.”

With a muffled shout, he began to squirm in Derpy’s hold, leaving little splashes of syrup on her uniform. He’d have bit down on her hoof if Lightning hadn’t gotten really mad the last time he’d tried such a thing. The mailmare held on for as long as she could, but at last he managed to free himself and jerk upwards and out of her reach. “I take it back! Open it!”

Laughing, Lightning reached back and pulled the letter out from under her wing. She scanned it with a broad smile. “Oh, look, it’s just a message from Mom. Who knew?”

Derpy hopped in place with a whine not unlike the one Gulfstream was making at the same moment. “Lightniiiiing!”

With one more roll of the eyes, she turned the letter around so the others could see. “Duh, I got in! What did you expect?”

“Yes!” Gulfstream began flying circles as he cheered. “My cousin’s gonna be a Wonderbolt!”

Derpy did her part by throwing her hooves around Lightning. “This is awesome! My friend’s going to be famous!”

Lightning chuckled as pink spread across her cheeks. “Come on, guys, I’m not a Wonderbolt yet. I’ve got to actually graduate the academy first, y’know.”

“It’s in the bag.” Gulfstream whacked Derpy on the shoulder. “Hey, hooves off. It’s my turn!” The moment she relented, he swooped in to wrap his legs around Lightning’s neck.

After a few moments of grasping, Lightning pulled him back and sucked in a deep breath. “Geez, kid. Are you trying to kill me before I even get to the academy? And now I have to wash the syrup out of my coat.” He only giggled and nuzzled her, a display of affection he reserved only for the best occasions.

“This calls for a celebration,” Derpy cheered. “We’re going out tonight, my treat!”

“Oooh, no.” Lightning shook her head as she set Gulfstream on her shoulders. “I’m not letting you blow your hard-earned bits on me.”

“Oooh, yes you are!” Derpy rubbed her chest with a smug grin. “You’ll just have to pay me back later. With interest, of course, but since you’re going to be a super-awesome and well-paid Wonderbolt, that won’t be a problem for you.”

“Ah, I see where this is going.” Lightning returned the grin and shrugged. “Fine, but only ’cause I know you won’t stop until I say yes. And not tonight, I’ve got some things to do now that it’s official.”

Gulfstream, who had spent much of the conversation envisioning his cousin in Wonderbolt Blue, leaned over her head. “Like what?”

“Like taking care of you, for starters.”

“Eh?” He cocked his head. “What do you mean?”

“Well…” Lightning cast a concerned frown at Derpy.

The mailmare nodded and waved a dismissive hoof. “Yeah, I need to get back to my rounds, anyway. I’ll see you later?”

“Count on it.”

Lightning shared a hoofbump with her before turning to head inside. She pulled Gulfstream off her shoulders and set him on the counter by the sink. “Now, you and I have got something to discuss,” she declared as she turned the water back on.

“Is it about you taking me to meet Spitfire?” he asked, wings flapping eagerly. “ ’Cause you know I’ve always wanted to meet Spitfire!”

She pressed a hoof to his muzzle with a smirk. “It’s about you meeting my parents.”

His eyes went wide. “Wait… what? I already met them.”

Lightning sighed and shook her head, already working on cleaning his hooves. “Gulfstream, you realize they won’t let foals live at the academy, right?”

No, he didn’t realize that. His jaw dropped as the consequences of her words hit home. “B-but… but why not? You’re my guardian, right? Legal control. That means you have to raise me.”

“They’re not going to budge on this, cuz.” Lightning gave him an expectant look. “You’re going to have to stay with mom and dad while I’m at the academy. Six weeks.”

“Six weeks?” He threw his head back in what was most certainly not an exaggerated display. “I can’t stay with Aunt Flit and Uncle Meter for six weeks, I’ll die of boredom! Can’t you sneak me in or something?”

Lightning reached out and pressed her hoof atop his head, right between the ears. She didn’t just place it on his head, she pressed. Exactly when she’d developed that habit, he couldn’t recall, but he knew it meant he needed to shut up and listen. So that’s exactly what he did, closing his mouth and ignoring the spark within, eyes focusing directly upon hers.

Her hard look would have been enough, had he noticed it. Her eyes bored into him as she spoke in her most commanding tone. “This is very important, Gulfstream. I need you to behave yourself while you’re with Mom and Dad. You’ve been working very hard and improved a whole lot. I’m proud of you, but if you can’t be good when I’m not there then it won’t amount to hydra droppings. So you’re going to accept this, you’re going to be a proper and polite colt for my parents, and you’re going to be proper and polite for six weeks. Am I clear?”

Every fiber of his being wanted to cry out “no!” But Lightning was right, he had improved a lot. He knew how to take the angry voice in his head and put a muzzle on it, and that’s what he chose to do now. He even managed to douse the fire that had been steadily building in his gut.

At last certain of himself, he bowed his head and muttered a compliant, “Yes, Lightning.”

She smiled and pulled him in for a hug. “That’s my precious cousin colt. Don’t you worry, the time will fly past before you know it.”

“Will not,” he grumbled, though he returned her hug. “I really wanted to see the academy.”

She chuckled and ruffled his mane. “You will. It’s not like you can’t visit, Gulfie. Hay, you might even get to meet Spitfire.”

His eyes lit up and his wings buzzed. “You really think so?”

“Maybe, but don’t get your hopes up.” She paused to think, then facehooved. “Aw, who am I kidding?”

When she pulled her hoof back, it started to shake. Gulfstream noticed and took it in his own with wide eyes. “Lightning, what’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong.” She pulled her hoof back and shook it loosely, but when she stopped the trembling continued. She blushed and hunched over, a grin forcing its way onto her lips. Her wings began to vibrate.

Gulfstream leaned forward. “Lightning?”

Abruptly, his cousin gave the most girly squeal he’d ever heard from her throat. Her wings snapped open and she pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. “I’m going to the Wonderbolts Academy! Sweet Celestia’s multi-hued mane, this is the best day of my life!”

Gulfstream could only squirm, half thinking this was going to be the last day of his life. As he listened to Lightning’s giddy laughter, he couldn’t help thinking there were worse ways to go.

“You’re going to get Spitfire’s autograph for me, right?”

Gulfstream cast a glare at his bespectacled uncle. “She’s getting one for me first.”

Lighting giggled as she pulled out of her mother’s hug. “I’ll get one for the both of you.”

Aunt Flit – a tiny dark grey pegasus who shared Lightning’s mane color – shot her husband a wry look before mock-whispering to Lightning, “I made sure to pack your father’s beach magazine with her as the spread. Make sure she signs that.”

Uncle Bear O. Meter’s eyes grew so much they dwarfed his glasses. “Flit, you didn’t!”

“A-ha!” She pointed an accusing hoof at the teal stallion, though her grin remained. “I knew you had one! I’m on to you, ya old tailchaser.”

Pink cascaded across the middle-aged stallion’s face as he sputtered. Lightning caught him in a hug before he could come up with a proper response.

“Love you, Daddy,” she whispered. “And good luck.”

“Y-you too.” He sighed and wrapped his hooves about her. “I’m proud of you, my little adventurer.”

Gulfstream watched the interaction with a deep frown, kicking at the cloud floor. When Lightning turned to him, he offered his most pleading, big-eyed gaze. “Are you sure I can’t come with you?”

“You behave for your aunt and uncle,” she instructed, patting him on the head. “And don’t worry, you’ll get to see the Academy before too long.”

He sighed, offering a small nod of acceptance. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” She gave him a brief nuzzle, and though he hesitated with her parents there, he returned it. “Well, I’d better get going. Orientation starts this afternoon and I’m not about to be the late recruit.”

“You go on, LD.” Aunt Quick Flit waved her off. “We’ll be here when you get back.”

Lightning smiled at each of them, her gaze lingering just a little longer on Gulfstream, then finally turned for the door. His hoof rose of its own accord, reaching out as if to stop her, but the door closed between them regardless. He could do nothing but stare, shoulders slumped and ears pulled back.

Uncle Meter sighed. “Our little adventurer’s finally living her dream. Did you ever think this day would come?”

With a chuckle, Aunt Flit replied, “Of course I did. You were the one worrying over nothing. Now then…”

The measured tone caught Gulfstream’s attention, and he turned to find them both watching him with concerned expressions. He hunched down and tried not to think angry thoughts. “What?”

They shared an unreadable glance. It was Uncle Meter who finally spoke up. “Well, nephew, I hate to be blunt, but you didn’t exactly leave a good impression on us during your last stay here.”

It took everything Gulfstream had not to scowl. He hoped he sounded more contrite than he felt. “Yeah, I know.”

Aunt Flit knelt down next to him and smiled. “We don’t mean to make you feel unwelcome, Gulfstream. Lightning tells us you’ve made wonderful progress in the last few months.”

But they didn’t believe it. Their meaning was as plane as the muzzles on their faces. He pouted and stared at the floor, but inside he felt like kicking something. Or somepony.

“You remember the rules?” asked Uncle Meter.

Of course he did. Lightning made him recite them a dozen times before she dumped him here. He raised his head and looked his uncle in the eye, unable to keep his frustration hidden from his tone. “No flying in the house, dinner is at seven, bed is no later than ten. The weather lab is off limits unless you invite me in. I’m not allowed to leave on my own unless I seek permission first.”

“Very good!” His aunt’s smile seemed genuine, at least. “It’s not that we don’t trust you, Gulfstream.”

It’s just that you don’t trust me. He managed to get a smile out and nodded, his legs and wings taut. “I understand.”

“Relax, nephew.” Uncle Meter patted him on the head. Gulfstream was tempted to bite him. “If you behave yourself this week, maybe I’ll take you downstairs.”

That got his attention. Gulfstream looked between his aunt and uncle, ears perked as he considered this. “You mean you’ll take me down to the ground? Like, with the dirt and trees and everything?”

Aunt Flit nodded, and Gulfstream could detect no hint of deception. “Lightning said you liked to head down there on occasion. I thought we might visit Foal Mountains and…” She faltered, licking her lips as her eyes began to shift.

He understood. Gulfstream felt strangely… heavy. That was the best way to describe it, like there was a great weight in his chest that might pull him through the cloud floor. He sank to his haunches, trying to take this idea in.

He’d not gone by to see his parents since leaving the orphanage.

In truth, he didn’t even know if he wanted to.

Gulfstream had been as good as his word, doing everything he could to meet Lightning’s criteria of ‘good pony.’ It hadn’t been easy; their place was about as boring as he remembered, and the only cool room in the whole house – his uncle’s weather lab – remained strictly off limits. Still, they let him go and do his own thing more often than not, so long as he made sure to tell them where he was going and always came back at the time they specified. And besides, Aunt Flit was a much better cook than her daughter.

His aunt and uncle had been as good as their word, too. At that moment they were touching down in a small town not quite halfway between Cloudsdale and Foal Mountains, where they would rest for a night before continuing onward. It was called Cragsleaf. Dumb name, but Gulfstream figured it couldn’t be easy naming a town. He certainly didn’t have a better idea for it.

As his uncle and aunt went into the inn, he turned a small circle to examine his surroundings. Cragsleaf was a small community surrounded by forest and hills. Few ponies were out at this late hour, but even with those it was clear that this was an earth pony town. He couldn’t imagine any unicorns stooping so low as to live in this place, what with all the muddy roads and the wooden hovels for houses, and with the wild weather there was no need for a pegasus weather team.

Lightning had brought him to Cragsleaf once, when she’d picked him up from Foal Mountains. It hadn’t changed much, and he turned his back on the town with no small amount of disdain. He was amazed the place even had an inn. Well, not really, since he’d stayed there before, but the point remained.

The interior was livelier than he expected. Ponies were spread out in a bunch of groups, chatting and laughing and enjoying their ale. Gulfstream saw his aunt and uncle at the front desk, which was actually a bar. His aunt spotted him and waved, but didn’t demand he come. He appreciated that; he would much prefer to roam. Cragsleaf wasn’t a dangerous place by any stretch of the imagination, after all.

As he walked to the center of the room, a particularly loud bout of laughter caught his attention. He was surprised to find a large number of pegasi all grouped around a couple tables. There had to have been a dozen at least. He examined them, wondering what they’d be doing in an earth pony town like this.

His answer came when he turned back to the bar and spotted a large poster just behind it. He trotted over and, after a wing-assisted hop onto a seat, took a closer look. The poster depicted the pegasi he’d seen flying in formation with lots of exaggerated colors and words in needlessly big font. It was an ad for a stunt team, one he’d never heard of. His eyes went wide when he recognized one of the ponies. He jerked back to the table, sweeping his gaze across every face.

He spotted her: Rainbow Dash. She was hurrying up some stairs. Just before her head disappeared, she cast a look his way. Her eyes were wide, her wings tucked tightly around herself, her jaw clenched.

She’d been running.

From him.

With one quick check to ensure his aunt and uncle weren’t watching, Gulfstream snapped his wings open and zoomed after her, keeping low to the floor so as not to draw too much attention to himself. He darted up the stairs and spotted Rainbow unlocking a door. When she saw him coming, she froze… then bowed her head and waited. He hovered by her head and set his hooves to his hips, glaring.

Rainbow kept her head low as she looked at him. “H-hey, Gulfstream. What are you doing here?”

That familiar fire was alight within him again. He landed and took a moment to take a calming breath or two. “You’re running away. Why are you running away?”

She winced and turned for the door, but didn’t go in. “I… didn’t want to talk to you.”

Teeth gritting, Gulfstream worked to close his wings. “Why not?”

Rainbow licked her lips and looked straight ahead. “Because I knew you’d be angry. Um, L-Lightning’s not with you, is she?”

At the question, he couldn’t help but smirk. “She’s at the Wonderbolt Academy.”

With a gasp, Rainbow turned on him. “Really? She made it?”

He had to pull back from her wide-eyed gaze. “Yeah, she made it.” His smile came back. “Without you.”

“That’s… Th-that’s…” She sat down, her gaze falling to the floorboards. All energy faded from her voice. “That’s great. Really. It… It is.”

Gulfstream knew he shouldn’t be enjoying her misery. Lightning would surely disapprove, even after what Rainbow had done to her. The pleasure came to him regardless, and he permitted himself to wallow in it. He puffed out his chest and grinned, delighting in Rainbow’s pouting form.

“So, she’s… doing okay?”

His smile dropped to a scowl. “As if you care.”

Rainbow winced. “I do. I care.” She caught his narrowed eyes and sighed. “Yeah, I didn’t think you’d believe me.”

He sniffed derisively, looking her up and down. “And you’re a stuntspony now? You left Cloudsdale?”

“Yeah.” She turned away yet again, her eyes glassy. “I couldn’t stay there. Too many mistakes, too many friends lost. This isn’t much, but… it keeps me busy.”

The smirk came back. “Must not be much of a stunt team if they hired a sixth place pony like you.”

He expected her to take offense and lash out in some way. Instead, she only hunched over a little more. The disappointment fanned the flames within him. His legs tensed.

“You’re right, they suit me perfectly.” She cast a sorrowful glance his way. “You still hate me, huh?”

“Yeah, I do.” He flapped his wings a couple times, hoping to relieve some of the energy building up inside him. “I wanted you to make Lightning feel better, not worse. You deserve whatever you get.”

“I won’t argue. But… she’s doing okay, right?”

He tilted his head, confusion dampening his anger. “Uh, yeah. She’s doing great.”

“Good.” Rainbow sighed… and then smiled.

Gulfstream leapt into the air, wings buzzing and hooves shaking. “Why are you smiling? You shouldn’t be smiling!”

She stepped back, eyes going wide. “Whoa, easy there, Gulfstream! Can’t I be glad she’s doing okay?”

“Not after the crap you pulled.” He buzzed forward, pressing his muzzle to hers. “Do you have any idea how much you hurt her? Lightning was a wreck for weeks!”

Rainbow’s ears folded back. “Really? That’s… I mean, I’m s—”

“Don’t you dare!” He shook his hoof in her face. “Don’t say you’re sorry! I won’t let you lie to my face like that.”

Her eyes crossed as she observed his fist. Then, like a balloon with a leak, she deflated, sagging against the wall. “You really want to hurt me, don’t you?”

He hesitated, pulling back and studying his own hoof. He did want to. He wanted to hurt her so badly.

“I won’t stop you.” She leaned forward and tapped her chin, eyes averted. “I have it coming. Go ahead. Hit me with all you’ve got.”

He gaped, hoof still raised between them. Slowly, he looked from it to her and back. This was it, an opportunity to do the one thing he’d never dared, because if he did… He closed his eyes and saw Lightning’s disapproving, sad frown. She wouldn’t want him to, but Goddess, the temptation! And nopony, not even Lightning, could argue that Rainbow didn’t have it coming.

But if he hit once… he’d do it again. And again. He probably wouldn’t stop until she forced him to or ran away. If he started now, when would he stop? What if attacking now meant that he’d go back to that as his default solution to everything?

“Well?” Rainbow at last set her gaze on him. There was no harshness in her eyes, no judgement. Only acceptance. “What are you waiting for? You know you want to.”

“I-I do,” he whispered. “I want to so badly. It would f-feel good. B-but…”

Slowly, he forced himself to land. As he’d been taught, he pressed both forehooves into the floor as hard as he could, lest they do something they shouldn’t. He sucked down a deep breath and recited, “ ‘Just because something feels good, that doesn’t mean it is.’ Lightning said that.” He turned his face away, fearing his own eagerness. “I want to be g-good for her. I want to hit you, Rainbow, b-but… but she wouldn’t want me to.”

Rainbow studied him for a few seconds as he bristled and awaited her mockery.

Instead, she just gave a frail smile. “She really is better than me,” she whispered. “In every way possible.”

He sucked down another sharp breath, giving himself time to force the bite from his tone. “Yeah, she is.”

They were silent for a little while, Rainbow fidgeting in place and Gulfstream working to keep his temper down however he could. He pondered if he shouldn’t just go back downstairs to his aunt and uncle. They were probably looking for him right about now…

Rainbow spoke just as he started to turn around. “So what are you guys doing all the way out here?”

He flinched. “Going to visit Foal Mountains… and my parents.”

“Oh.” Rainbow rubbed her leg with a bashful frown. “Okay, then. You looking forward to it?”

“I… I don’t know.” He stared at his hooves, thinking on the strange emptiness he suddenly felt. “Should I be?”

“I don’t know,” she replied in kind. “Were you… close?”

For a moment, he considered walking away. It wasn’t as if he wanted to talk to Rainbow, after all. But something kept him from going. Something made him want to say…

“With my mom.” He sighed and rubbed his mane back. “I was real close to Mom. She was kinda like Lightning. Real nice and patient and… you know.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Gulfstream felt so strange. Talking to Rainbow without wanting to buck her teeth out? Yet here he was. Suddenly, he really missed Lightning.

“W-well, you should probably head back down.” Rainbow turned for the door to her room. “Miss Flit and Mr. Meter are probably looking for you.”

“Yeah.” He turned away, not sure how to feel about this recent talk.

“Hey… Gulfstream?”

He paused and looked back. Rainbow wasn’t looking at him, but at something in the room. Her chin hovered just above the floor. “When you see Lightning again, would you tell her… that I miss her?”

His eyes narrowed. The fire sparked, and he welcomed its heat.

When he didn’t answer, Rainbow sighed. “I didn’t think so.”

She disappeared, the door closing with a quit thud.