//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: The Surprise Visitor 
// Story: Believing in Something that is True 
// by Nightglimmer22 
//------------------------------//

Chapter edited by: Brickbrock24



When the light of morning lit up the room, Glimmer woke up. She felt completely revitalized, like a freshly recharged battery, and felt like she could take on all of Equestria. The long night of fruitless attempts to make herself comfortable in the stone hard bed and her unbearable headaches made the night feel like it would never end. Glimmer yawned, then got up to stretch. She flexed her wings, making sure to get the blood pumping through them so she’d be ready for any other unpleasant surprises fate might throw at her. They had fallen asleep a few hours ago because of the way she had been positioned in her brick of a bed. Because Glimmer couldn’t move into a more suitable due to her agonizing headache, her wings became numb and felt like they had died.
Nurse Golden Wave came in with a light blue tray hovering above her in a light pink aura. A big silver food cover, much like the ones butlers use, hid the contents of the tray.
"How are you feeling today?" she asked.
"Much better!" said Glimmer, relieved that the horrible pain was finally gone.
"I brought you some breakfast. Spitfire will come in and talk to you in a little bit. Until then, please, by all means, get some food in your belly!" said Golden Wave. Glimmer nodded and stared at the light blue tray. She watched as Golden Wave set it down on the retractable table to her right. Golden Wave picked up the food cover with her magic, presenting eggs, a stack of fluffy pancakes doused in syrup, bacon, and a tall glass of genuine orange juice.
Glimmer's mouth watered at the sight of food, her stomach growled fiercely with impatience, craving the breakfast that teased her with its luscious aromas. Golden Wave pushed the retractable table closer to Glimmer so the tray was in front of her. Glimmer quickly dug her fork into the steaming hot food. One bite later, she and her taste buds were in flavor heaven. Her stomach was beyond satisfied with the scrumptious meal. Golden Wave smiled at Glimmer's satisfaction and left her to finish her food in peace. The tray was empty in a matter of seconds. Glimmer licked her lips then pushed the tray out of her way so she could get out of bed.
Glimmer peeked out through the curtains once she had moved her body as she landed all four hooves on the ground. The room was quite big and was white like snow. On the right, more white curtains were in a row across from her, and more continued on the side that she was on. Many of them were empty with the curtains drawn. On the left side, three medical tables stood next to each other to the middle of the room, with a pillow propped up. Two other nurses worked, cleaning or getting pills ready on a tray. Both mares were unicorns and wore white hats with a pattern of red crosses in the middle and dotting the sides. The clip-clop sound grew louder and louder as a yellow mare opened the door of the medical room. Glimmer quickly half-jumped-half-flew to her bed, not wanting to get caught snooping.
"Glimmer?" Spitfire's ask, her muzzle peeked through the curtains.
"Yeah?" said Glimmer, trying hard not to sound nervous. Spitfire came through the curtain more so it wasn't just her muzzle showing.
"Are you ready to talk business? If so, then I'll will show you to my office." Glimmer nodded eagerly and hopped off the bed. She followed Spitfire as they both exited the medical room about to turn left. Golden Wave was just coming back, holding grocery bags.
"Good to see that you are up and walking," she said looking at Glimmer. She then glanced at Spitfire, who smiled and nodded her thanks.
"Yes, thank you for everything," Glimmer said politely. Golden Wave smiled and walked into the medial room. Glimmer turned to see Spitfire start to walk again. Glimmer galloped after the orange the mare. They turned the corner, bringing them to the lobby of the Wonderbolt Academy. Another hallway was on the opposite side from where they stood.



Spitfire trotted into the office and sat in the chair behind a desk. Glimmer trotted in behind her and looked around. two couches lay opposite of each other. On the left side of the room was a hearth with a little fire flickering inside, which making the room warm and soothing. A desk stood in the back of the room, where Spitfire sat.
A turquoise mare sat on the couch in front of the fire, then her ears perked up as Glimmer trotted into the room and closed the door behind her. Spitfire motioned for her to sit down. Glimmer nodded and sat down on the couch next to the turquoise mare. Staring at the mare gave Glimmer a sense of déjà vu.
"Hello, Glimmer, we meet again!" she said. Glimmer's mind clicked into place the moment the mare said that, she had been the mare she bumped into on her first day going to the Weather Factory.
"Sunshower! Or should I call you 'Fleetfoot?’" Glimmer said with a chuckle.
"It's nice to finally meet you as myself and not as some made-up character!" she said with a smile.
Spitfire spoke up, "Well, it's great to finally be able talk business with you we have much to talk ab-"
"So sorry we are late! We had to take care of some royal business,” Princess Luna said as she came bursting through the office door, "We hope we haven't missed anything important!"
"No, you’re good, Princess," Spitfire said as Luna sat down on the couch opposite of Glimmer and Fleetfoot. Her horn glowed blue, which then wrapped around the door and closed it. She blushed as the three ponies stared at her after her little outburst.
"Now where should we start first?" Spitfire said once everypony got settled. Spitfire pondered for a minute, then looked at Glimmer and said in a low voice, "I suppose you must know the truth first, I am not sure how I should break this to you, Glimmer. This news won’t be pleasant no matter how I try to word it. Did you ever know your mother?"
"Hardly, why do you ask?" said Glimmer.
"Well, I have some news about her that you’re not going to like," said Spitfire, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Your mother is alive, Glimmer looked confused, how was this bad news? Spitfire seemed to understand what Glimmer was thinking and continued, "She no longer answers to the name “Cloud Dancer.” She is now called Nightshade. She has betrayed Equestria, and is now the leader of the Shadowbolts…”
Glimmer said nothing. She sat silently with an aghast expression on her face. She looked like she was about to cry at the ugly truth. The truth that her mother was a traitor.



The air in the room was dead with silence. The only sound that could be heard were the light sniffles coming from Glimmer as she tried to repress her tears.
"I understand how the truth is making you feel, Glimmer,” said Spitfire, trying to look Glimmer in the eyes. She felt like she had just told Glimmer that her father, or some other family member, had pushed up daisies. Glimmer blinked away tears. She made a gesture with her hoof, signalling Spitfire to continue. Spitfire got the message, cleared her throat, and spoke,
"Well, we don't really have a plan as to exactly how we’re going to get you into the Shadowbolt fortress; but we do know what you need to do when you actually manage to infiltrate the place."
“And that is?” asked Glimmer.
"You must locate where Nightshade is keeping the magic and deactivate it..." Spitfire stopped to ponder for a moment, then said, "You are going require much intelligence about how your mother thinks if we’re ever going to stop her, which is why we have brought in a certain somepony who knew her better than anypony else to speak with you,” As if right on cue Thunder Skies trotted into the room, escorted by a Wonderbolt guard.
"D-Dad?" Glimmer said in astonishment.
"We will leave you two be," Spitfire said as she stood up and motioned for Princess Luna and Fleetfoot to follow her. Once they were gone, Glimmer trotted up to her father and gave him a big hug.
"I missed you..." she whispered to him.
"So have I," he said, hugging her back. Glimmer was taken aback slightly that her father wasn’t scolding her for leaving the Weather Factory.
"Aren't you mad at me for not being at the Weather factory?"
"No, of course not!” said Thunder Skies, “I'm glad you were able to come here and help the Wonderbolts out. It was your dream wasn't it?"
"So does that mean you know everything about Mom?" asked Glimmer.
"Yes..." He said slowly. His mood became more somber as he stared at the floor, “Cloud Dancer… H-how could she…”
"How did you find me?" Glimmer asked. It really wasn’t a necessary question, but she didn't want her visit with her father to be grim and quiet.
"Spitfire sent me a scroll telling me to meet her here at the academy. She’s told me everything that’s happened when I arrived. I think you were at the medical room at the time."
"Oh...yeah," said Glimmer, nodding her head. Spitfire was always two steps ahead of everything. 
"Dad?"
"yes?" 
"I'm scared. I'm scared of what she had become, I don't want to face her and if I do I don't want to kill her."
"I know, I know, I understand how you feel. When she came back from that mission she seemed different. She no longer had that soothing voice or kindness. It was as if her mind completely reset to only register power and hate." Thunder Skies looked up at his daughter as she asked. 
"What did you do?"
"I tried to reason with her; telling her that this isn't right." Thunder Skies continued . "Then she asked me to come with her, to start a new in search of power. but I declined, I told her that I had a life here with you and a job." 
"Then what happened?"
"Her eyes glowed dark purple and her expression changed to anger she told me she would never see me again because she didn't trust me."
"You stayed behind her for me?" Glimmer asked, she was filled with happiness.
"Yes, I didn't want to abandon Equestria or you. After the fight she left and I never say or heard from her again." Thunder Skies sighed.
"Thank you, for everything." Glimmer said and hugged him again.
"You will be great, no matter what you have to do!" Thunder Skies said and kissed Glimmer on the top of the forehead. A knock hit the door then Spitfire's voice rang.
"May I come in?"
"Yes." Glimmer and Thunder Skies said in sync. They looked at each other and chuckled.
Spitfire nodded.
"Thank you." 
Thunderskies nodded back and left the room escorted by two guards.



“Lady Nightshade! Lady Nightshade! We’ve just received some startling news!”
“Ah, Commander Darkflight!” said Nightshade from her throne, “Startling news, you say? Enlighten me. I assume it’s about those lowly Wonderbolts?”
“Indeed, my liege!” said Darkflight, “It seems that some of our scouts have seen your daughter entering the Wonderbolt Academy.”
“My, my! So, my little filly has finally fulfilled her dream to be admitted into the Wonderbolt Academy,” laughed Nightshade. She quickly stopped her snickering and shifted to a more serious mood. She got up from her throne and walked up to Commander Darkflight, “This is no doubt Spitfire’s doing. That meddlesome pest just doesn’t know when to quit!”
“May I ask how this is a monkey on our backs?” asked Darkflight, not exactly on the ball with the situation.
“Why? I’ll tell you why!” answered Nightshade, “Spitfire and her allies are going to tell Nightglimmer of the so-called prophecy that claims she is the one destined to defeat me. If she figures out how to nullify our dark magic, we’re toast! I will not stand to be thwarted when our dream of the destruction of the Wonderbolts is a hop, skip, and a jump away!”
“I understand, Your Highness,” said Darkflight, “How do you wish to deal with the current circumstance?” Nightshade brainstormed for a moment, then responded,
“Send more scouts down to keep an eye on the Wonderbolt Academy. Watch for my daughter. Any movements that the Wonderbolts make must be reported to base immediately!”
“What should we do if they find our scouts?” asked Darkflight.
“If you must engage the enemy in battle, then so be it. However, if it’s with Glimmer, then you are to bring her back to me alive. If anypony deserves to finish off my daughter, it’s me and me alone! You can destroy any friends that may be accompanying her for all I care!”
“You want the pleasure of slaying your own flesh and blood? That’s pretty ruthless, even for you, Lady Nightshade!” said Commander Darkflight, a bit flabbergasted that his master would suggest such a thing.
“Why should I care?” said Nightshade in a condescending tone, “Cloud Dancer was Nightglimmer’s mother, and that name is no more! Now I am Nightshade, ruler of the Shadowbolts and soon to be the slayer of the those blasted Wonderbolts. I am the founder of the pure Equestrian magic that gave us our power! It is our blood! Our souls! With it, we are unstoppable!” Nightshade pointed towards the throne room door with her hoof, “Go forth, Darkflight! Send out those scouts and start organizing our regiments! I will stay here in the fortress and ramp up our magic and soldier production tenfold!”
“As you wish, Your Majesty!” said Darkflight, bowing to his master before turning around to take his leave. When he left the throne room, Nightshade thought to herself,
Oh Glimmer, my beautiful daughter, you’re in for a whole new world of pain!