Risk and Reward
The Ponyville weather team was arranged in two lines along the edge of the Everfree Forest, steadily beating their wings to create a strong wind. Large, thick clouds roiled before them, building up into a single massive entity as the chill winds from the forest fought back against their efforts. Lightning flew along the line, eyes on the clouds. It was a fascinating display for a pegasus raised in wild weather.
She spotted her two wingponies and flew between them. “How ya handling things, girls?”
Airheart gave her a warm smile, her wings moving with practiced rhythm. “Just fine.”
Her other wingpony was Helia, whose soft green wings flapped with a bit less energy than Airheart’s. “Holding up.”
Lightning took her place between them, adding the wind of her wings to the line and helping push back the clouds. “If ya need a break, just say so.”
“I’m good.” Helia offered a nervous smile. “I’ve just never handled a cold front before.”
“That makes two of us,” Lightning admitted. She looked to Airheart. “So how long are we supposed to keep this up, anyway?”
The more experienced pegasus waved behind them to the town. “Until Applejack and the other Earth ponies are ready, but their part’s an all-day routine. Does Rainbow know when our backup’s going to get here?”
Lightning nodded, increasing her wingpower just a little to match the winds from the Everfree. “A messenger came by not long ago. A Cloudsdale reserve is on its way, should be here within an hour.”
Helia perked up, cyan eyes shining. “An hour? I can certainly go that long. We’re going to rotate out then, right?”
Lightning and Airheart shared amused smiles. Lightning said, “Yes, we’ll all get a break. Maybe you can paint the scene while you’re on the ground.”
Helia’s eyes lit up as she turned her head to observe the long line of pegasi along the forest. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea! If I can get the angle just right...” She rubbed her hooves together, her eyes unfocusing as she stared past Lightning and Airheart.
Airheart giggled. “I think we’re losing her, Lightning.”
“Yep.” Lightning floated sideways and tapped Helia on the muzzle. “Hey, wake up. We’re not taking a break just yet.”
“Huh? Oh!” Helia turned her attention back to the clouds and began to beat her wings in rhythm with the others once more. “S-sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Lightning brought herself evenly between them once more. “Tell me something. I get that you joined the weather team to pay for your supplies, but how did an art pony who works on the weather team end up with a sunflower for a cutie mark?”
Helia glanced back at her cutie mark with a proud grin. “It was the first thing I painted, of course. A plain full of sunflowers. I was real little, but I still have the painting mounted over my bed.”
Lightning laughed. “No offense, but did you really get your cutie mark painting flowers? Booooring.”
But Helia was beaming. “Well it made me happy.”
“What about Keen?” Airheart hovered a little closer to Lightning and nudged her. “Does she have a cutie mark yet?”
Lightning shrugged and brought her attention back to the cold front gradually billowing up before them. “Nah, she’s got some time before she figures it out.”
Her two wingponies made strange sounds that Lightning could only describe as ‘girly’, the kind of cutesy reaction that always made her want to fake a gag. Helia set her hooves to her cheeks with a grin. “I bet you’ll be so proud of her! I can’t wait to have a child of my own. Of course I have to have a stallion first…”
“Keen’s not my—” There it was again, that same question: what was Keen to her? Why did it always make her pause? Why did it always make her cheeks hot? But the most important question of all was: why did the thought of calling Keen her ‘child’ feel… improper?
The questions were becoming old, but the feeling of regret they caused were entirely new.
Airheart’s voice broke through her thoughts, but just barely. “Hey, Lightning?”
“Huh?”
“Stay with us.”
Lightning shook her head and realized she’d lost her rhythm. She slowed her wings to match the others and tried very hard not to meet their gazes as her cheeks burned. “S-sorry. Just thinking about my kid.”
Helia chuckled and floated in for just long enough to nudge her lead pony in the ribs before getting back into position. “Come on, mom, stick with the program.”
Lightning had to fight the urge to snap, particularly after being referred to as ‘mom’.
Time went by with surprising swiftness for the pegasi team. Even though they were stuck flying in the same spot continuously, they entertained one another with plenty of pointless chatter. As time passed, Lightning found herself reflecting on the past week with mild pleasure. Ever since her harsh discussion with Rainbow it was like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was happier now than she’d been in a very long time, and even working for Rainbow hardly bugged her at all anymore.
But there was still something missing, an itch that Lightning couldn’t quite scratch. She wasn’t sure what it was and she’d been content so far to ignore it. But every now and again, when she was left to herself and contemplating her new life, she sensed it; something just wasn’t quite clicking. Was it Keen? Was it her?
“Hello, Lightning.”
She blinked, pulled from her thoughts. She glanced back and was surprised to see a familiar face behind her.
“Fluttershy? What are you doing here? Where’s Keen?”
Fluttershy hovered a little closer and pointed down with a faint smile. Lightning’s eyes followed the gesture and spotted the filly standing on the grass atop a hill not far behind the line. “You brought her here? Why?”
“She wanted to see what you were doing at work.” Fluttershy moved to hover next to her with a smile. “I didn’t see any harm in letting her watch, but I thought it best to ask before bringing her up here to talk.”
Right at that moment a whistle blew, filling the air with a single harsh note that had all the pegasi in the line perking their ears and sighing in relief.
“Oh, thank Celestia’s multi-hued mane.” Helia sagged with a broad grin. “Our backup’s here! My wings are starting to ache.”
Lightning faked a punch at the pegasus. “Wimp.” She and Helia shared amused grins before Lightning turned her attention back to Fluttershy. “Tell Keen I’ll come down and talk to her as soon as our relief gets here. How’s she doing today?”
The foalsitter raised her knees to her chin and beamed a smile that was dripping with sugary cuteness. “Wonderful! I can’t tell you how much I missed foalsitting her. That filly is the sweetest thing, and a welcome sight after what I just went through in the Crystal Empire.”
Lightning raised an eyebrow and studied Fluttershy. “Why? What happened there?”
“Oh, that’s not important.” Fluttershy waved the subject off with believable indifference. “What’s important is I have my favorite filly visiting me again. Oh, here comes the Cloudsdale team; better fly back down there before they confuse me for being on the weather team.”
“Wow.” Helia watched Fluttershy go from over her shoulder. “You got Fluttershy to foalsit for you? If I were a filly I’d be jealous.”
Lightning ignored the compliment and flew backwards a bit to look beyond the line of pegasi. She saw the ponies from Cloudsdale swiftly making a line behind the one already made by the Ponyvillians. There were more Cloudsdale ponies than Ponyville ones, but not by much. With every team that lined up a Ponyville team left the formation, and soon it would be their turn.
“I don’t believe it.”
Lightning blinked at the familiar voice. She looked up to see a group of four ponies flying slowly towards her. She spotted the lead pony and felt her heart sink as she recognized the red coat and green mane. “Aww nuts…”
Airheart gave her a questioning look. “What’s wrong, Lightning?”
“If it isn’t Lightning Dust.” The red-coated pegasus hovered just behind Lightning with a glower. “Somepony actually let you join a weather team?”
Lightning wilted a little. “Hello to you too, Cinnamon Swirl.”
“Cinnamon?” Airheart half-turned to beam at the Cloudsdale pony. “Cinnamon! Good to see you. You remember me, don’t you?”
At the sight of Airheart, Cinnamon’s glower was instantly traded for a friendly smile. “Of course I do, Airheart. I forgot you lived in Ponyville.” Her gaze fell on Lightning. “And I didn’t know you’d come to live here, too. You gonna move outta the way or what?”
Lightning frowned at her replacement, but noted Airheart and Helia watching her with concerned expressions. “Yeah. You girls go on and take a break.”
“Only because you’re so insistent,” Helia declared with a wry grin as she promptly descended.
But Airheart hesitated, looking between her lead pony and the new team. “Um, what about you, Lightning?”
Lightning patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll be down in a sec. I just need to tell our replacement something.”
Airheart bit her lip and lingered for a another second, but finally nodded. “Okay. Talk to you later, Cinnamon?”
“I look forward to it.” Cinnamon waved as Airheart descended, then leveled a hard look at Lightning. “You’re still in the way.”
A week or so ago Lightning would have snapped, or left in huff, or any of a hundred other things. This time, however, she considered the pegasus with a thoughtful frown and flew up a little, making room. Cinnamon raised an eyebrow with a haughty expression before nodding to her wingponies. They all moved forward as one to fill the trio’s place in the line. At this point they were all ignoring Lightning.
Hovering over them, Lightning thought about what she might say. She had to do this right, after all. But did she really want to? What good would it do? Maybe she should just fly off and—
She noted Keen and Fluttershy watching from below. At this height she couldn’t really see Keen’s face, but she could just imagine her adorable, expecting expression. It gave her a distinct level of confidence.
At last Lightning dropped down to hover just behind Cinnamon. “Can we talk?”
Cinnamon didn’t bother to look at her. “I’m busy.”
Lightning rolled her eyes. “You’ve got three Cloudsdale wingponies replacing me and two weak fliers, one of whom is a rookie. I think they can spare you for five minutes.”
Cinnamon peered over her shoulder with one eye. “Is it going to result in me having apple pie all over my face like last time?” Lightning only stared back with head lowered and and eyes anxious. At this display Cinnamon sighed and flew back. “Five minutes. Grape Soda, take over.”
The two ponies flew back a ways from the pegasus line, after which Cinnamon turned to Lightning with hooves crossed and a suspecting frown. “Well, what is it?”
“I’m sorry.” Lightning paused, surprised at how easily the words came out. She noted Cinnamon’s raised eyebrow and moved on, “Not just for bucking the food in your face. For ignoring orders, for the tornado, for just being a pain in the flank.”
Cinnamon rolled her eyes. “I suppose you expect me to believe that you’ve turned over a new leaf?”
Lightning shook her head. “I expect you to believe that I’m trying.”
Cinnamon's cool veneer cracked just a touch. “Trying and doing are two different things.”
“But ya gotta try before ya can do.” Lightning glanced down at Keen and Fluttershy once more, knowing this interaction was being observed. “Look, if ya wanna stay mad at me, that’s fine. I have it coming, especially after I almost burned Appleloosa to the ground. I just wanted to say ‘I’m sorry’ while I had the opportunity. And next time you see Cream Tangerine, let her know my apology goes to her as well.”
Cinnamon considered this proposal as she maintained her haughty air. “I’ll tell her, but you better realize this isn’t exactly going to repair your reputation.”
“I know, I’ve got a lot of bridges to rebuild.” Lightning offered an uneasy smile. “I’ve gotta start somewhere, right?” She waved to the line of Cloudsdale pegasi lining the Everfree Forest. “You go on. I don’t wanna keep you from your job and I need to go talk to my kid.”
She began to float down, her ears perking at Cinnamon’s surprised “You have a kid?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Lightning waved a hoof over her shoulder. “That’s what everypony says.”
Fluttershy and Keen waved to her as she descended. Lightning grinned and spread her hooves wide.
“Dive bomb!”
Keen let out a surprised shout as her guardian landed practically on top of her, scooping the filly up in a tight hug. “Gotcha!”
Keen’s surprise turned to giggles. She squirmed about and waved her long legs at Fluttershy. “Help, save me!”
Fluttershy blinked and had to think for a moment. “Oh! Um… I’ll… save you?” She took a cautious step forward and hesitantly tapped Lightning’s leg, blushing all the while.
Lightning promptly released Keen with an exaggerated cry, flopping onto her back. “Oooh, she got me!” She lay there for a few seconds, unable to keep a straight face with Keen’s giggling. After a few seconds she rolled onto her side and pointed. “You gotta be a better hero than that, Private Pansy.”
Fluttershy scuffed the ground with a weak smile. “I’m not exactly the hero type.”
“Oh well.” Lightning sat up and ruffled Keen’s mane with a grin. “Good enough for Keen’s good enough for me.”
Keen brushed her mane away from her face with a grin, but then turned her attention to the clouds looming over the Everfree. “So does this mean it’s winter now?”
The Ponyville team was completely replaced by Cloudsdale ponies, who were having a much easier time of keeping the cold front back. A small wind was still pushing through, chilling the watchers. Lightning shivered as she observed the ponies in action.
“I… dunno. I’m not used to controlling the seasons.”
Fluttershy came to her aid. “Actually, winter isn’t officially started until the line breaks and the cold front is allowed to pass through in full force. They won’t do that until Applejack and the other farmers have finished harvesting the last of the autumn crop.”
“So they do this every year?” Lightning was mildly amazed. She didn’t know whether controlling the weather like this was really convenient for the earth ponies or really frustrating for the pegasi. “Do the other seasons get controlled like this?”
Fluttershy nodded. “In a way, yes. When warm weather moves into the Everfree we know it’s time for Winter Wrap Up, where we get rid of the snow and ice knowing that the pegasi won’t have to fight the cold fronts anymore. In fact the only season that doesn’t need our interference is from Spring to Summer… except for making extra rainwater, that is.”
Lightning listened to all of this with genuine interest. “Man, this weather pony business a lot more complicated than I thought. I’m not sure I like it more than just letting the weather behave on its own.”
Fluttershy shifted from hoof to hoof with a wary eye on the forest. “But… but it’s so unnatural.”
Keen raised a hoof to catch their attention. “So… why wasn’t the last cold front the start of winter?”
“Because it came too early,” Fluttershy explained. “The crops we need to get through the winter months weren’t ready for harvesting, so the weather ponies had to clear the cold away as fast as they could.”
“Oh.” The filly considered this with an uncertain frown. “So… why is the Everfree Forest wild? And Foal Mountains?”
Fluttershy paused, staring at the filly for several seconds with a lost expression. “Um… I don’t know. It’s always been like that; some places are wild and some aren’t.”
The filly rubbed her horn with a confused frown, then looked up at Lightning. “Does that make sense to you?”
“Err…” Lightning blushed and gave Fluttershy an anxious smile. “Not really. I guess everypony just learned to go with it, huh?”
Fluttershy shrugged. “More or less. To be honest I never thought about it before.”
“Hey, LD!”
Lightning turned to the voice and spotted Rainbow Dash approaching, flanked by a blue-colored stallion. It took her several seconds to recognize him, and when she did Lightning abruptly felt much smaller.
The two ponies landed before her, and Lightning had a strong urge to bolt. Rainbow, not noticing Lightning’s agitation, gestured to her companion.
“You remember Soarin, right? He’s the one leading the Clousdale ponies today.”
Lightning turned her head away with a frown. “Y-yeah… I remember.” She prayed he didn’t remember her.
Soarin offered a grin. “Hey, what’s with the long face? You’re not worried about the Academy, are ya?”
Crap.
“Y-yeah, I guess.” She saw Keen hiding behind her back legs from the newcomer and winced. “Do we have to talk about it?”
“Nah.” Rainbow waved a dismissive hoof. “I just wanted to know if you’d like to hang with us after work.”
Lightning’s uncertainty faded in an instant as she stared with wide eyes at each of them. “Me? Hang with you two? With a Wonderbolt?”
Soarin chuckled and scratched the back of his head. “Why does everypony react that way? There’s a reason I don’t wear the suit everywhere I go…”
“I would have given anything to have worn that suit,” Lightning noted without hesitation. “But would you really wanna hang with a wash out like me?”
Soarin grinned and nudged Rainbow. “I’m told you’ve mellowed out a bit, so sure! I remember you being pretty awesome as a cadet.”
Lightning’s heart rose to her throat and her entire body went light. “R-really? Oh… but…” She turned to eye Keen, who looked up at her with a questioning frown. For a few seconds they stared at one another…
“It’s okay.” Fluttershy stepped forward to pat Keen’s head, earning her a pleased smile from the filly. “I can watch after her a bit longer than usual. Having Keen around is always a joy.”
Keen’s smile faded as she turned her questioning eyes to Lightning. Those eyes made her hesitate. Why did she have the strange feeling she was being judged? But that was silly; Keen was just a filly, and in no position to judge… right?
Besides, if she could get on Soarin’s good side, there might be a slim chance that she could get a second shot at the Academy.
The thought had come abruptly, and it filled her with a renewed excitement. She looked to Soarin once more, then at Rainbow. Was this a new door being offered to her? Were they even aware of that possibility?
“Well?” Rainbow whacked Lightning on the shoulder with a grin. “You comin’ or not?”
Lightning glanced back at Keen, then at Fluttershy… and felt a new excitement rising up in her. “Yeah. Yeah! I’ll come.”
The sun was going down on the horizon and Lightning was decidedly worn out. She wasn’t alone; Soarin was lying on one of Rainbow’s new couches looking as if he’d spent the entire day performing stunts and racing – which, in truth, he had. Rainbow was busy making ice water by condensing clouds between her forehooves, a trick Lightning found rather impressive.
It had been a good day. The three of them had taken off right after the work day was over and spent the entire time performing aerial tricks, racing and generally just showboating. Lightning had never expected to actually have fun with Rainbow Dash before, but this day reminded her of their time as wingponies at the academy. So what if she couldn’t fly as fast or pull the same amazing tricks she used to? Maybe she did lose every race, and maybe her side was sore from her having flown too much. She had enjoyed herself, which was something she’d not done in what felt like years.
She’d even forgotten that she was flying with a Wonderbolt.
Soarin forced himself to a sitting position and accepted a glass from Rainbow, gulping it down in one long chug. “Whew, that hit the spot! Thanks RD.”
“No problem.” Rainbow passed a glass to Lightning and sat in a comfy-looking chair. “You looked like you overdid it a little.”
He chuckled. “It’s not easy keeping up with your tail.” He turned to Lightning, who was in the middle of chugging her own glass. “You were pretty awesome too, Lightning.”
Lightning set her glass aside and reclined in her chair, looking out the window at the overcast sky. “Yeah, I am pretty awesome, I have to admit.”
Soarin took her bravado in stride. “To be honest, I thought maybe you’d lag behind, but you kept up like a pro. It’s really too bad about that bum wing of yours.”
A flash of hesitancy struck Lightning. She had to work hard to maintain her smile.
“I got used to it. I might not be able to match you guys anymore, but I like to think I’ve still got it.”
“I don’t think anypony doubts that,” Rainbow admitted as she stretched her wings. “I told him you were still up to snuff, but he wouldn’t believe it until he saw it for himself.”
“Waitaminute.” Lightning sat up straight and looked at each of them in turn. “They’ve been talking about me?”
“Of course.” Soarin nodded seriously. “Spitfire really regrets having to expel you from the academy. She keeps calling you ‘the one that got away’. She could have had two ace fliers out of that semester instead of just one.”
Lightning didn’t know what to think of this, but it made her excited nonetheless. Even so, the thought of Spitfire still hurt her in ways she was only just beginning to understand.
“Another bridge…”
“What’s that?” Lightning raised an eyebrow at her.
“Nothing.” Lightning blushed and wilted a little. “Um, if either of you get the chance, let Spitfire know that I’d like to apologize to her at the first opportunity. In person. I…” She averted her eyes and sank a little lower. “I kinda stormed out when I got the word.”
Soarin’s solemn stare had her shifting, and his tone was thoughtful. “You really have mellowed out, haven’t you?”
“Spitfire will be happy to hear it,” Rainbow assured Lightning with a grin. “Ever since I mentioned that you were on my weather team she’s been curious to know how you’re doing.”
Once again Lightning was flummoxed. She had to think on this news for several seconds before the implications hit her. “You mean… the Wonderbolts have been keeping an eye on me?”
Rainbow chuckled and rubbed the back of her head with a guilty grin. “Well, I wouldn’t put it that way.”
“Have you considered reapplying?”
Lightning gaped at Soarin. The question wasn’t what surprised her, it was the seriousness of his tone. “I… well, no. I mean now that I have a bum wing and all…”
Soarin offered a comforting smile. “After what I’ve seen today, I’m pretty sure you’re still one of the best fliers in Equestria.”
A spark of eagerness made Lightning’s heart bounce in her chest, but she noted the critical look Rainbow was shooting him. Her old rival sat up straight with an authoritative air and asked, “Can you do that? Reapply to the academy?”
“Sure.” Soarin waved a dismissive hoof. “I did. Heck, Silver Lining had to reapply three times! Err, don’t tell him I mentioned that, it bothers him.”
Rainbow’s serious image broke as she chuckled. “Yeah, I can imagine! And ponies say I’m high on myself.”
Lightning was hardly paying attention. She stared at the cloudy floor and lingered on the amazing realization that there was still a door open for her. She could reapply and become a Wonderbolt. How perfect was that? Why hadn’t the possibility ever occurred to her before? Maybe because she’d been too depressed and bitter about her expulsion. But now?
“There’s a catch.”
Lightning shot Soarin an alarmed look. “What kind of catch?”
He leaned back and tapped himself on the chest demonstrably. “A Wonderbolt – an actual member of the squadron – has to sponsor repeat applicants.”
“Oh…” She drooped; after her behavior on the first try, she knew that would be a tall order.
“Wow.” Rainbow thought on this with a hoof to her chin and eyes on the ceiling. “How in Equestria did Silver manage to get three different Wonderbolts to sponsor a reapplication? What did he do, sleep with Spitfire?”
Soarin grinned. “Ponies with more vivid imaginations than me say there was some foul play involved. Personally? I think he bought his first two reapplications and had to actually work for the third one. But he won’t talk about it, so who knows?”
Rainbow gained a wicked grin and began rubbing her hooves together. “I’m gonna ask him about it next time I see him.”
“Good luck with that!” Soarin laughed at her before turning his attention back to Lightning. “So are you interested in reapplying, Lightning?”
He was actually asking? Lightning’s wings nearly popped open in her excitement. “You bet I am! Are…” She hesitated, wondering if she wasn’t getting too eager too quickly. “Are you saying you’d sponsor me?”
He raised a halting hoof with an embarrassed, lopsided smile. “Uh, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Spitfire’s the one who will be approving your application, after all. I think we’d all be better off if we waited until your resume had a few more gold stars for her to admire first.”
Yep, too excited too quick. But even so, Lightning was encouraged by this news.
“So all I have to do is prove that I’m a better mare than I was at the academy through hard work with my regular job?”
“And keeping your nose clean,” Rainbow added with a tone of warning, backed up by a nod from Soarin.
Lightning hoof-pumped. “This is awesome. I’m gonna be a Wonderbolt this time for sure! Thanks a ton, Soarin, you just became my number one favorite Wonderbolt!”
He blushed with that goofy smile again. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He paused as his eye went to the diminishing light of the window. “Whoa, look at the sun! I’ve gotta head back to Cloudsdale, I have a performance in the morning.” He jumped up and stretched, his powerful wings flapping in preparation. “I’ll see you girls later. It was fun.”
“Oh, crud.” Lightning jumped to her hooves. “I need to pick up Keen! I didn’t mean for Fluttershy to have her for this long.”
But Rainbow waved a hoof at her. “Hold up.” She stood and blocked Lightning’s path before turning to wave to Soarin. “Be seein’ ya, Soarin.” He was already heading for the door.
As soon as it was closed Lightning tilted her head at Rainbow. “What’s up?”
Her old rival sat and heaved a deep sigh. “Thank you.”
Lightning leaned back with a concerned frown. “Uh… for what?”
Rainbow waved at the door with a blush. “That guy has been crushing on me for weeks.”
“You’re joking.” Lightning couldn’t resist a laugh. “You mean you asked me to join you just so I could be a wingpony? To keep him from trying anything? Seriously?”
“That wasn’t the only reason.” Rainbow averted her eyes as her cheeks grew even more red. “But… yeah, it was a major one. I mean, I’ve already got a coltfriend. Nye’s got a self-image problem, and I really don’t wanna give either him or Soarin a chance to think the wrong things.”
Lightning had to fight to keep from bursting out laughing. “I don’t know what’s funnier, the fact that your tail’s being chased or that the great Rainbow Dash is worried about colts in the first place!”
Rainbow glowered at her. “Laugh all you want, LD, but we’ll see who’s laughing when you find a colt chasing after you.”
“I don’t think I’m ever gonna have a colt chasing after me.” Lightning sobered as she considered the prospect. “Nor do I think I’d ever want one to.”
Rainbow stood and went to the door, Lightning following after her. “Don’t say that around Nye or he’ll think you’re a fooling filly.”
Lightning chuckled, once again having to fight to keep control of herself. “That’s a pretty amusing image too, actually.”
She paused as Rainbow turned to block her path to the door. Her boss’ expression was suddenly very solemn, and it gave Lightning a touch of nervousness. “What?”
Rainbow maintained an intense focus as she spoke. “One more thing; I didn’t know the Academy was going to come up today. That was all Soarin. Are you really thinking about reapplying?”
“Of course I am!” Lightning struck a proud pose. “You know it was my dream, too.”
An eyebrow rose. “Was?”
Lightning blinked and thought on her words. “Err… is.”
Rainbow peered at her. “You sure about that?”
“Is, was, what difference does it make?” Lightning rolled her eyes. “Is there a point to this?”
“Yeah.” Rainbow poked Lightning in the chest. “How do you intend to keep watch on Keen if you’re at the Academy?”
A long, awkward pause.
“I…” The academy washout shifted, guilt rising unbidden from within her. “I dunno. I guess Fluttershy could watch after her for a while?” Rainbow’s dark expression didn’t fade. “Look, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there, okay? We’re talking about my dream here!”
At last Rainbow sighed and stepped out of the way. “Just… be sure of yourself before committing to anything, alright?”
Lightning wanted to make some snide remark, but the solemn – perhaps sad? – expression on Rainbow’s face made her reconsider. She moved for the door, hesitating as she gazed out at Ponyville a short distance away. The chill winds of winter’s first evening blew her mane about her face and made her shiver. Why was she suddenly so anxious? She gave Rainbow another solemn look, the two locking uncertain eyes for several seconds.
“I… I’ll try.”
They were on their way home, Keen walking alongside Lightning and staying close in the darkness. The filly’s horn had a dim glow to it. It wasn’t enough to really help with the night, but Lightning said nothing. As long as it made her feel better.
The world was dark as pitch, the thick mass of cloud cover blotting out all stars and even the moon. Only the lights of the town windows helped them see where they were going. Lightning eyed her charge, who kept shivering in the frequent gusts as she kept her alert eyes on the darkness. Keen's fear was obvious, and it had Lightning feeling guilty. Again.
“Are you sure you don’t wanna ride on my back?”
Keen shook her head, though she was biting her lip and trembling like a leaf. “I gotta l-learn to be brave…”
Lightning didn’t know how to feel about that. “I’m glad you’re trying, Little Bolt, but ya don’t have to force it. I did promise to be brave for the both of us, didn’t I?”
Keen made no attempt to answer. Her head continued to swivel about, her mane swaying in the breeze and the tip of her horn trailing a thin line of light. Lightning didn’t know why it bothered her so much that Keen was insisting on walking. Was it because she’d pushed her so hard in the beginning? A five-year-old filly shouldn’t have to be struggling to overcome her fears… but that thought only made Lightning feel even more guilty.
She bowed her head with a sigh. “I’m sorry I came back so late, Keen.”
The filly paused her constant search to look up at her guardian. “Did you have fun?”
Lightning offered a frail smile. “Yeah, I had a lot of fun.”
To her surprise, Keen’s smile was broad and undoubtedly genuine. “Good. Even you should have fun sometimes. It’s okay.”
Lightning almost stopped in her tracks, but managed to keep her hooves going. She gazed down at the filly with her heart in her throat, but Keen was already back to scouring their surroundings. Lightning was put to shame by the selflessness apparent in the filly’s words.
Why couldn’t she be more like that?
But did this also leave her an opening? “So are you happy Fluttershy’s back from the Crystal Empire?”
“Oh, yes!” Keen bounced with a grin, her horn tracing a tall arch of blue in the darkness. “I really missed her. And the animals! Angel bunny napped with me today.”
Interesting. “So… I was wondering.” Lightning brushed her fringe from her face and averted her eyes to the clouds. “If something were to come up, something important… would you be okay staying with her for a while?”
Keen gave her a curious look. “Are you going somewhere?”
“No…” Lightning struggled for some kind of explanation. “I might have to. At some point. Later. I’m just checking to see if you’d be okay staying with Fluttershy for a while if something makes me leave.”
The filly tilted her head, ears twitching as another stiff wind blew by. “Like what?”
Indeed, like what? Lightning didn’t know why she couldn’t tell the truth about her desire to join the Wonderbolts, but for some reason it just didn’t feel right. She racked her brain for some sort of idea, eyes roaming the surrounding town for guidance. Her eyes caught a dark blue sign a few streets down; it was the welcome sign of Nye’s Nights.
A moon. Princess Luna.
“Like work.” Lightning offered the filly a relieved smile. “I might have to travel for work.” Granted Keen didn’t know that Lightning was at Luna’s beck and call, but at least this had a modicum of truth to it.
“I wouldn’t mind.” The filly was already back to her cautious vigil. “I like spending time with Fluttershy.”
“I gathered.” Lightning ruffled the filly’s blue mane, earning a glower that was too cute to be taken seriously.
Keen’s eyes roamed back to Lightning’s wings, and her annoyance faded to concern. Lightning glanced back at them, but didn’t see anything unusual. “Something wrong?”
“N-no.” The filly blushed and glanced about as if expecting somepony to be listening in. “Umm… If you don’t mind… Fluttershy was doing something after her bath, just before you came to pick me up. I… well…”
Lightning raised an eyebrow, wondering what could make the filly so timid all over again. What in Equestria could she have caught Fluttershy doing? Come to think of it, Lightning wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer; it could mean an awkward conversation and – perhaps worse – learning more about Fluttershy’s personal life than she cared to know.
“Keen?”
Her charge turned her head away with a blush. “D-do you ever… preen?”
Lightning laughed and ruffled Keen’s mane once again. “That’s what has you all bottled up? And here I was thinking I was gonna have to explain the birds and the bees!”
The filly thrust her mane back into place with a scowl that did nothing to sooth Lightning’s amusement. “What do birds and bees have to do with preening?”
Come to think of it, it had a lot to do with preening. Even so, Lightning was too entertained to be bothered by Keen’s confusion. “Forget about it. It’s not like it’s a private thing, Little Bolt. It’s just part of taking care of a pegasus’ wings.”
“Oh.” Keen tilted her head and scrunched up her face in thought. “So… do you do it?”
“Nah.” Lightning’s wings fluffed demonstrably. “I never saw the benefit. Most ponies do it to make their wings look pretty, and I don’t care about that.”
Another curious look. “Most ponies?”
Lightning was reminded of just how observant Keen could be at times. “Some say it’s good for wing health. I don’t know if that’s true or not, though.”
“Hmm…” They walked on in silence for a few seconds as Keen considered this. Their house came into view at the end of the street, for which Lightning was very happy; it was getting uncomfortably cold.
As they approached she noted Keen observing her wings once more. “What?”
The filly averted her eyes with a blush. “Nothing.”
Lightning decided not to bother pressing her; her mind was focused on getting out of the wind.
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