Bring the Thunder

by Ze Guest

15: Neon Lights

Somethings was a bit... unsettling. I don't know what, but something didn't feel right. Everybody else seemed fine, Rarity and Twilight were talking up a storm while Rainbow, Pinkie and Applejack played the road game. Me and Fluttershy were just walking next to each other quietly. We would end up talking about something once in a while, but mostly we just kept to ourselves.

"You feel anything, I don't know, strange? Like something bad is going to happen?" I asked her.

Fluttershy looked up at me, "No, why?"

"I don't really know. Forget about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

The ground was starting to get dryer. It was warm, and I got hit in the face with a tumbleweed. Dirt kicked up for each step we took.

"Ya know what? I think we'er headed towards Appaloosa. I can introduce Volt to mah cousin." Applejack said, looking back at me.

Appaloosa... I remember that place. Now I'll admit, it was a nice place with nice ponies. Not as nice as the ones in Cribbingdale, before they died that is. But there was one guy, Braeburn. The most annoying, ignorant, sad excuse for a pony in all history. I'm almost glad I didn't hang myself... almost.

"I've been to Appaloosa before. What's your cousin's name? I might have met 'em." I said.

"His name's Braeburn! I think you'll like him. He's real nice."

... Are you joking? No, seriously. Where are the numbers? I want a look. Well, at least I didn't kill the guy, then me and Applejack wouldn't be such good friends now, would we?

"Oh, that is good." I said flatly.

I was pissed, true. But not as pissed as I was going to be. Something grabbed my hind leg and pulled me up a tree. I was hanging upside down. You know those traps in the old cartoons where there was a lasso on the ground and if you stepped in it you would be pulled up? Yeah, it was that kind of trap, but this time, there was some kind of- water snake!? It slithered down the rope and surrounded me in it, it was drowning me. I couldn't move and every try the others made were fruitless.

Now, what was a water snake doing in a place like this? It didn't have eyes though, which was weird, and kinda creepy. But hold on, I can generate electricity Even though all I would get was a little buzz and a spark. I was in a water snake who's only weakness is lightning since water is a conductor. And I know that I am resistant to said electricity after the storm. I let out at much electricity which probably wasn't much. And sure enough, the snake splattered on the ground. Twilight cut me loose and I fell to the ground.

"Volt! Are you alright?!" Rarity asked and she and Applejack ran over to help me up.

"Well, I almost died a horribly slow and painful death. But under the circumstances, yeah, I'm fine." I said.

"Ah don't think that was the last of 'em!" Applejack said as the remains of the water snake started to move around and finally, took the shape of a pony.

"What do you think you'er doing here?" he asked.

He was had eyes now, and a mouth and a voice. But unlike most ponies who are made of about 95% water, this guy was 100%! Accept for whatever eyes are made of. He had a normal northern accent, nothing too different from my own.

"Oh, well you know. Just walking along side my friends. I'm sorry, is this a restricted area? That's what this is, isn't it? Well you must be clueless or something 'cause as far as I could tell, I don't think you made any " Fuck off" signs. For if you did, maybe we would've done so. But of course, the world's just chock-full of idiots these days who would love to drown each other at first sight." I said.

The water guy smiled. "I guess you're right. Either you're smart or I'm dumb. So I guess this was all on me."

Interesting, he didn't seem know about my powers. Then again, nobody would just know I had super powers. Maybe I could intimidate him or something. I concentrated really hard. To the point that when you open your eyes, you see all those colors flying around. I was able to get a bolt about an inch long to curve out.

"What?"

And with that, he just- he vanished. He was gone in not even a second. I looked around to find him and so was everybody else. A blue light started to glow behind me. I turned around and he was there, but he was literally glowing, so much it blinded me and right away I was kicked in the face. Twilight picked him up with her magic and I got up.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said.

The once water now shiny guy smiled again. "Just protecting myself."

"From who?"

"The ones who seek to kill me. Rid me from the world."

Everybody exchanged looks until Twilight locked eyes with him again.

"Well, I can do just the same thing. Right now!"

"Then go ahead! Kill me!"

Rainbow Dash stepped in. "Whoa! Twilight! Let's try not to do anything crazy!"

If Rainbow was just a tap early, she might have been able to stop Twilight. The magic around the guy was getting tighter. If I'm correct, I think Twilight was going to crush him.

"Oooooooh nooooooo!" he said... mockingly. He started fake dying, he even said yeowchydoodles which was so strange I kind of laughed to myself. I hated this guy, true. But he really wasn't putting his heart into his fake death.(If he had a physical heart.)

"Ya know, and I should have told you this, but you can't kill me. The only ponies who can are the guys who are looking for me." he said.

Twilight threw him to the ground and turned away. He can't die? That's- that's pretty impressive. Gets me thinking.

"You," he said. And walked over to me." Who are you?"

"Volt." I told him.

He wasn't as bright now and wasn't trying to kill me. " I'm Neon!" he said and bowed.

I looked awkwardly around, I don't know why. Maybe because he went from ass hole to gentle-pony in 2.5 seconds. I was definitely more shocked than he was. I should have guessed. This guy can turn into water, disappear, and glow in the dark. He was a mutant! Not too far from me, actually. And since he can't die, he could help. I know it's crazy but hay, he could be useful.

"Maybe we can make a deal." I said

Everyone gave me the weirdest looks they could give. First, the guy tries to kill me, now I'm trying to reach an agreement with him. Twilight especially wasn't happy. "What are you talking about, Volt?" she asked.

"Well, Twilight, let's be honest here. This guy can't die, maybe he could help if we get into trouble. For instance, what if things get tense? What about Malice?"

Twilight wanted to argue, "How can we trust him?"

It was a good argument, one that might have to give some thinking to but I had an Idea.

"Well, I don't think he'll kill us. Not if we keep this guy alive."

Neon backed up."What?"

"Here's what I think," I said. "We will protect you if those guys ever show up. In return, you help us on our little quest." I said.

Neon paused for a moment. Then he smiled. "They look freaky. Like from some kind of tribe or cult. Then have weird masks and face paint, too."

"Volt! No! We are not getting personal with him! He just tried to kill you!" Twilight shouted.

"Now, I wasn't trying to kill him. Just scare him. And the rest or you, too. Just in case you were looking for me." Neon said.

"Yeah! Bullshit!" Twilight shouted.

I needed to think of something convincing to say to get Twilight to change her mind. Something she would like to hear. I got it. I walked up to Twilight. "Think of it this way. Now that we know what these guys look like that are hunting for him. If Neon fails to follow our deal, we could track them down and kinda, you know. Point them the right way." I whispered.

Twilight seemed innocent when meets the eye, but I realized just how twisted she could be. A devilish smile slowly grew on her face and she rubbed her chin. "I like the way you think," she said.

She spun around to face everybody else looking quite happy. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think it would be nice to have a little help along the way! Who agrees?"

The rest just exchanged looks at each other, they had been left out of the conversation and only now they were getting dragged in, and to make a big decision. They seemed confused.

"W- well. I guess it wouldn't be the greatest idea," Rarity said. "but it shouldn't be the worst."

I wasn't exactly sure if that was a yes or a no, but Twilight seemed to be more on top of the matter. "Sounds like a yes to me! Any-pony else?"

Rarity stepped back a little looking shocked. Twilight's capriciousness about Neon caught her off guard, as well as everybody else. Pinkie Pie started hopping up and down. "He looks so cool! Just imagine him at an in-the-dark party!"

Neon raised an eyebrow and so did I. I'm fairly sure it was for the same reason. An in-the dark party? I don't know.

"Well! That makes majority rules! So looks like, Neon, you're coming with us!" Twilight said with a crooked smile.

"Well, uh - Twilight, if he's comin' 'long, I better keep a close eye on 'em." Applejack suggested.

Twilight rushed right up to her and looked her straight in the eyes. "No, no, no! Please, I'll do the honors. No need for you to do it!"

It was no doubt,( to me at least.) that Twilight hated this guy and really wanted to see him screw up. And so she could get him killed. Damn.

"So what are you waiting for Neon? Are you coming or what?!"

Neon looked around at everybody. "Well what if I can't. What if I have something important to do?" he said.

"Do you?"

Neon looked around at everyone awkwardly. He wasn't expecting the question to come up. "Uh... well, n-no."

"Then, unless you want to die, let's get a move on!"

Neon decided to tag along. Twilight was hovering around him, asking him about the guys who were after him. I guess if you want to kill a guy, you need to find the right pony for the job. Neon would just give Twilight weird looks as he walked in his fluorescent glory. One slip and he's a goner. He better watch himself because Twilight is a gun with a hair trigger.

Author's Note:

Not like there's going to be any, but if someone makes a picture of Volt and Neon getting... feminine, I'ma gonna make you pay.