With the Shadow of Lightning;
Chapter 1:
The gloomy day did little to raise Rarity’s spirits. The sky was overcast, and it was slightly nippy. The other ponies at the market seemed to ignore this fact, but some wore their cloaks. Rarity had some shopping to do. Buying various fruits and vegetables for her and Sweetie bell to eat during the week. Rarity looked around at the various ponies around her. They went about their way, and paid little attention to what was going on. Rarity saw a couple, smiling and laughing with each other’s company. This made Rarity even sadder. She wondered why she could never find some pony like that; to have fun with and be happy with. She sighed.
After buying some pears, Rarity tripped on a root that was coming up from the ground. A few apples fell out of her saddle bags. A cloaked pony near Rarity picked up a few apples, and offered his hoof to her.
The cloaked pony asked, “Are you all right?” He voice had some moderate concern in it. The pony was cloaked so that Rarity could only see part of his nose, and his horn was sticking out of the top of the hood that was covering his face. The cloak look worn out, weathered to a brown color. Rarity took the hoof, and use it to get up from the ground.
Rarity responded, “I’m ok. I just didn’t see that root there.” She looked at the root, and felt a little embarrassed at how small the root was sticking out of the ground.
The cloaked colt said, “It is well hidden.” The colt walked over to hit, and pushed it back into the ground. “The madness of roots.” The colt smiled a bit, and put the apples he was holding with his magic back into Rarity’s bag and buckled it.
Rarity smiled and said, “Thank you.” She started walking home. Part way there, at the fountain in town, several colts were hanging around, giving off the perception of looking for trouble. Rarity avoided eye contact, but the colts still approached her.
A dog stood in her way, smelling of fermented cider, and looking like he used his face to make the apples. His hair was unkempt, and covered one of his eyes. His gray coat had several cuts in it, showing a history of violence. A second colt approached from the side. His brown coat looked like it had taken much abuse of the years. The brown one was much smaller and lankier than the larger gray dog.
The gray colt asked, “Where is a pretty mare like you heading in such a hurry?”
Rarity responded, “Home. I must be off. It could start raining any second.” Rarity looked up at the dim sky.
The brown one spoke, “It sure could my dear.”
The gray one spoke again, “yes. We will let you be on your way, once you give us all your bits.” He showed off his sharp claws.
Rarity responded, “But I have no more. I just went shopping for food for me and my sister.” Rarity smiled a weak smile, hoping for some sympathy.
The gray one spoke, “I find that hard to believe. But in any case, we will just take you. We heard about you and your gem finding ways.” The gray one, in one swoop, picked up Rarity, lightly scratching her. The dogs turned around to run, when they stopped.
A voice Rarity recognized as the cloaked colt from before spoke, “My good sirs. That does not belong to you. If you could be so kind as to return it to the lady, I shall let you on your way.”
The dogs exchanged glances between each other, and then started laughing. They dropped Rarity, who galloped away a little bit. The gray one spoke, “What are you going to do, little pony?” The two laughed.
The colt spoke again, “This is you last warning. I offer you the chance to leave peacefully.”
The dogs continue to laugh. The brown one spoke, “Little ponies like you can do little to us big dogs.” He thumped his chest.
The colt spoke again, “Then I shall interpret that as a no.” He horn glowed. Then a mighty blast came from it, knocking the brown dog down. The brown dog stood back up. The colt said, “A rather shocking experience there, eh?” He smiled. The brown dog swiped at the pony, but the colt quickly jumped out of the way with such speed. He then jumped through the air and bucked the brown one in the face, knocking him back several feet. Turning to the gray one, the colt zapped him with some kind of laser projectile out of his horn, causing the gray one to be launched back. Then, the brown one stood back up, and swiped at the colt, scratching at his torso mid-section, causing him to yelp a little bit, and jump out of the way.
He examined his back/side, and said, “Your scratched my favorite cloak your dogs!” Charging up his horn, he let out a might twin blast hitting both of the dogs, sending them flying. A mighty crack of thunder rang out. The colt looked to Rarity. His hood had been removed during the scuffle. Rarity stood in shock. The colt looked like Prince blue blood, but his mane was black, and more out of place. His horn was slightly smaller, and his left eye brow had a spot where it was white, as opposed to black. His cutie mark was a bolt of lightning.
The colt said to Rarity, “Are you all right my dear?” All Rarity could do was nod. “Good.” The colt started to walk off, but the pain in his torso caused him to grunt and fall to the ground.
Rarity ran over and examined the wound. The colt said, “Tis but a scratch my dear.” The colt winced in pain.
Rarity asked, “What is your name?”
The colt responded, “My name is Lightning.” The colt then passed out.
At the hospital, Lightning woke up on an uncomfortable bed, lying on his side. He opened his eye that was not pressed up against the pillow he was laying on. He looked around quickly. He saw Rarity reading a magazine. She had not yet noticed that he was awake. Lightning continued to examine the room he was in. There was a window ahead of him. He quickly examined the window, and determined that he could most likely jump out of it. He could see the grass not too far away, so he figured he must be on the first floor.
In a quick motion, Lighting pointed off in the distance, and yelled, “Hey, look at that!” Rarity jumped. She then quickly looked at where he was pointing. When Lighting saw that she was looking, he quickly jumped out of bed, and bolted to the window, and attempted to open it. The window seemed to be stuck. He examined the frame, and saw that it was not locked. He pushed more on the window, trying desperately to get it open.
Then the adrenalin wore out, and the pain in this torso/midsection came back, causing him to fall to the ground. Rarity turned back from the direction Lighting was pointing, and saw that he was on the ground. She bolted over to him, and examined him.
She asked, “What are you doing?” She used her magic to guide the pony back to the bed he was in before.
Lighting said, “I was just trying to get some fresh air. I hear good things about air.” He chuckled a bit.
Rarity walked over to the window, and opened it with ease using her magic. “There. Fresh Air.” She breathed in deeply. Rarity then used her magic to adjust the sheets on the colt in an attempt to make the colt more comfortable.
The doctor came in holding a clipboard with his magic, and approached Rarity and Lighting. “Well, I have some good news.” He then looked to the window, and then back to the clipboard. “You can go home, but you will have to take it easy when you get there. Is there somebody at you home that can help take care of you?”
Lighting thought about this for a bit. “I’ll be fine. I don’t need any help.” He jumped out of bed, and posed in a strong pose. But then quickly winced in pain.
Rarity approached the pony, and helped him back onto the bed. “This simply won’t do. You shall say with me if you have nobody to stay with. And that is final.”
Lighting spoke, “I do not wish to impose.”
Rarity said, “You shall not be. It is the least I can do when you saved me from those dogs. You definitely showed them who the boss was.” She pointed a hoof at Lighting, “You.”
Lighting rubbed his side, and felt some pain. “I suppose for a few days.”
The doctor spoke up, “It’s going to be more like a few weeks.”
Rarity said, “That’s fine. I can handle it!” She smiled a great big smile.
Lighting frowned, “I’m not sure I can.”