Lightning
I woke up, screaming in terror. It was early morning, and I had startled Rainbowdash into waking up as well.
“What! What is it?” She asked in confusion, standing up.
I looked around, feeling my chest. It was always the same nightmare, the Red Alicorn tearing me apart, after destroying everything I loved and cared for.
“Nothing, just a dream.” I said, turning back over, my body still shivering.
“Look, if it’s troubling you, then- Oh my gosh!” Screamed Rainbow Dash, pointing at my coat.
I looked down, and my eyes grew round as dinner plates. Instead of my dark grey coat, it was just a dull black. It was back again, and it was stronger than ever. The “Dread” virus was back, and it was back harder than ever. I looked at Rainbow Dash, and I noticed black spots all over her coat.
“Mother of Celestia. If were this bad, and we’ve been in the clean lands of the griffons all this time, I can only imagine what it must be like back at home.” I said, standing up. Much of my energy had obviously been drained, and I was sore from the flight and battles I had.
“We need to see if anyone else in camp has this as well.” I said, walking up down the pyramid that we were staying on. Rainbow Dash followed, looking around the ruins. She had adored the Darin’ Doo books, and this was as close as she was ever going to get to the ruins of those books. I walked down to the infirmary tent, seeing that both the plants and some of the animals inhabiting the forest were also covered in dark spots due to the sickness.
We reached the infirmary, just to see many ponies looking for answers about the spots on their coats. And even more hollowed out, laying on the beds, their completely black bodies crumbling into dust. My eyes grew wide. It was something I had never seen with the sickness beforehand. The explosion had obviously mutated the “dread” cells into some, super powerful air born virus. And now it was killing ponies. I turned my head away from the crumbling bodies.
“Come now, ponies! I can explain! This is obviously the sickness that Ponyville was under siege by! Now it’s over here!” yelled Shirley above all the voices. Not a good thing to say.
“Are we going to die?”
“What about our families?”
“I need to get home straight away!”
“Ahem.” I said, and all the ponies turned towards me, staring at me in hope.
“You will probably be okay. That’s if the mission I’m on goes alright. We all have approximately 8 days at this point to live. Just a little over a week. Now, I suggest you all go about your duties. Have faith, because we will pull through .” I said, giving my terrible mini-speeches. It did nothing to calm them down, but it did give them to have hope in something.
The ponies all walked away, and I went over to the bodies of the deceased ponies, who were crumbling to dirt.
“You sure we are going to be okay?” asked Shirley, coming up to us, her eyes sunken with distress.
“I’m not sure about anything. For all I know, this is a wild goose chase. I just need some time to think.” I said, looking over the bodies.
“I’m afraid that will have to wait.” Said a Majestic voice from behind me. Shirley’s jaw dropped, and I immediately knew who it was.
“Hello, Princess.” I said, solemnly. There had been so much that I had not thought about that didn’t make sence now. Like how come I couldn’t bring the whole group of ponies. I mean, seriously, pony kind rested on my shoulders, and Princess Trollestia decided that I could only bring another pony? And what about the fact that she had given me this task, and not sent her other goonies to do that. I mean, seriously, I had a powerful magic that enhanced speed and combat, but what was that going to do against a goddess?
“Hello, Lightning. Your trip was eventful, as I heard from my scouts on the Griffon lands.” Said Celestia, who was obviously not here in person. Her figure had an aura that slightly showed what had happened to Ponyville. The sky was black, and I could almost smell the death through the portal.
“Yes it has been. Judging from the problem I see behind you, I don’t think we have 8 days left.” I said, unwavering.
“No, in fact you only have three days left. But I’m glad you made it to that temple.” Said Celestia, her face slightly lowered. She was obviously also suffering from the sickness as well, seeing as how her flowing mane was gray, and her eyes were sunken.
“Why are you glad I’m at this ruin? It isn’t relevant to our situation, is it?” I asked, looking at it. While it did have some symbols on it, there was one that caught my eye. It was a cloud with a lightning bolt coming out of it. I looked at Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark, then back to the symbol. I also noticed that there was an electric shockwave coming out of a lightning bolt, and I sighed.
“Well, there seems to be a portal of some sort here, which is activated by the actual lightning. Sadly, the spell barrier over the temple does not let lightning pass through, but perhaps if you could activate it, you could get to End land in no time.” Said Celestia, her image flickering.
“Okay, so I just, like, hit it while I’m using the electric magic, or what?” I asked, looking indifferent.
“I don’t have a clue. You’re the one with the magic, you figure it out.” Said Celestia, her image flickering off.
I sighed, looking at Shirley and Rainbow Dash, who were staring at me in awe.
“Go home, Rainbow.” I said, looking down.
“What? No!” she yelled, stomping her hoof down.
“Look, Rainbow Dash, there is no way you are going to End land with me.” I said, still staring down.
“I’ve made it this far with you, so I might as well go the rest of the way.” Said Rainbow Dash.
“Rainbow, I don’t think-.” I started to say, when she put her hoof up to my mouth.
“I don’t want to hear it, okay?” She said, rhetorically.
“Fine. First, I got to find out how I turn this thing on.” I said, walking over to the ruin, and then climbing up the steps. I reached the top, and I focused hard on my magic, and I got a blue aura around my hoof. I stomped it on the small mound of ground, and nothing happened.
“Buck.” I muttered, and then I stomped on it again. No reaction. I started to get angry, and my aura grew larger. I slammed my hoof down even harder, and I lightning bolt was sent into the air. I noticed a little bit of sand fell into oblivion below the mound. I kept on slamming my hoof down, and nothing else happened. I grew angrier, and I slammed my hoof down even faster, and harder, and 3 bolts of electricity flew through the air, and more sand fell into oblivion. I realized the more angry I was, the more powerful I was. I started to think on my past, like the bullies, the explosion, when my parents were killed. Anger welled up inside me, and I realized my aura was growing larger. I yelled in rage, reared up on my back hooves, and slammed my frontal hooves down on the ground. It exploded with electricity, and I was sent sprawling, still yelling in rage. The ground sent shrapnel and dust into the air, and a huge blue laser shot up into the air.
“Rainbow! I think that did it!” I shouted, pulling away from the sucking force of the portal. Rainbow Dash took to the air, flying towards the portal, and then stopping next to it.