Identity

by Hyper44

The train ride

Later that night Lightning Jolt trotted into the train station after saying goodbye to her friends. They were as surprised as Twilight to hear that Princess Celestia had sent guards to escort her to the palace without any prior notice, especially in the middle of the night. They followed her to the train station to see her off. When they walked in the place was almost deserted. There was only seven ponies waiting for the night train which arrived a few minutes later.

The two guards were there waiting stoically near the boarding platform. When the train was made ready they beckoned Lightning Jolt to the last car. She hugged her friends one last time, all of whom promised to come visit her soon and then she climbed aboard. Once inside she picked a window seat and leaned out to waive goodbye to them as the train pulled out. After that she flopped back into the seat to watch the landscape zip by. She was a little excited with this being her first train ride, first one that she knew of.

She didn't know if Celestia's scholars could figure this mystery out and if so would she would be returned to her family, friends and life before? She did want to know her past but with her time in Ponyville it hadn’t become as urgent nor so great a wound. She knew that if she was returned to where she had come from she would still always be friends with those six and their families. Where she should have felt such a void and insecurity she had not. With the way they had taken her in and treated her as one of their own she was not able to, even if she tried. (She actually had tried once.) What they had given her was priceless and really all it had taken was time and kindness.

Lightning Jolt looked away from the window to the two guards. They were standing in front of the door to the other cars. Then she looked back out the window watching them only out of the corner of her eye. It was unnerving how they just stood there staring at her. Worst of all was the way they were standing in front of the door obviously blocking it. Were they keeping her in or other ponies out or both? She didn't like either of the scenarios. Was this how guards were supposed to act? A couple ponies that were boarding the train had headed for the back cars only to be warded off with angry glares from the guards. They had quickly turned and went into the next car up.

Lightning Jolt did not like it. She felt so trapped. She wanted to question them on just what they were doing but she wasn’t that confident. Like when she had first come into Ponyville she felt the same feeling she had that kept her from having the nerve to approach anypony. Confronting them outright was probably not the best course of action but there were other ways if she could work up the nerve. She felt just like staring out the window and pretending that she didn't notice them blocking the door. She did so for a few moments then snorted at herself. No way was she going to act like some scared little filly. She needed to have a little spunk. Be bold. One thing Lightning Jolt had learned about herself was that she had a very shy and submissive tendency. She always felt unnerved at speaking up in uncertain situations. At the same time she had a more fiery side that wanted every bit to and it raged against that weak side. Strangely those "weak" feelings seemed to be the strongest of the two. Deep down she knew she had to choose the other. Sometimes it was good to keep your mouth shut but not all the time.

Even though she didn't feel like she had the nerve she got up. The guards hardly moved but she could tell that they became very alert and watched her more intently as she approached. They didn't challenge her until she had stopped in front of them.

"Where are you going?" The unicorn asked her.

"Just to walk around." Lightning Jolt replied.

"Sit back down." The unicorn said motioning to the seats with his head.

"Why?" Lightning Jolt asked even though she wanted to flee back to her seat under his intense stair.

"I don't want you to go wandering around. We have our orders and we're going to carry them out."

Lightning Jolt blinked at him. "I'm not going anywhere. Is there some grave danger to me on this train?" She asked getting a little sassy toned. She couldn’t help but flinch slightly at the look the unicorn gave her. The pegasus pushed him aside. "I think it will be alright. After all the little old pony I saw getting on didn't look like she was plaining to strangle anypony with her knitting." He said with a laugh. "Just be back when we're nearing the ravines that link to the EverFree forest."

Lightning Jolt didn't bother to ask why but bolted through letting the door swing shut behind her. She swore that over the train's rumble that she heard them arguing in whispers. She didn't care but started walking down the aisle. She didn't like either of them but decided the liked the unicorn much less than the pegasus. Maybe he was akin to that other ugly unicorn who she had seen when waking.

Sitting near the front of this car were the two ponies who had tried to board the back car and Lightning Jolt wanted to talk to them. She had seen them both at the last party Pinkie Pie had thrown for her but had never seen them in Ponyville before. She also just wanted to talk to some friendly faces after dealing with the guards, they just seemed to suck the good feelings out of you.

These two ponies seemed to be her age, (Twilight was sure that Lightning Jolt was an adult, just smaller than average but just barely an adult pony who had just come out of her teen years.) These two ponies, one a female earth pony and one a male unicorn she assumed didn't know each other or at least know each other well since they were sitting on different sides of the car and two aisles apart. The male unicorn had the most interesting coat, mane and tail that she had ever seen. They were all made up of the same colors, an orangeish-amber yellow mix with tiny black flecks. His entire coat seemed to have a glow under the lights of the train car. It was similar to the glow of low embers left after a fire. Because of that she wanted to go talk to him first just to get a better look at his coat but she thought it would look rude to pass the mare who was closer so she picked her. The earth pony was sitting in window seat and staring out just like the unicorn. She was a pretty pink color with a red mane and tail.

Before Lightning Jolt could say "Hi" the earth pony turned around and said it first. "Hi. You’re the pony from the party in Ponyville." She said.

"Yeah that was me." Lightning Jolt replied. "I never saw you in Ponyville before."

"That's because I was passing through." She said. "I was part of a group that cut through Ponyville heading for the new wave rallies. I don't know if I agree with them but I just wanted to see."

"Me too." The unicorn who had been listening in said from across the aisle. He hopped out of the window seat and took one closer to the two. "I namely went because my friends were going and I thought it would be interesting."

Lightning Jolt scrunched up her nose thinking. "I've heard of them." She said. "Mostly in passing from Twilight but she always speaks of them with distaste or a bit of anger. I actually haven't heard much because my other friends know better to mention it in front of her."

"Oh, that's probably because she's Princess Celestial’s personal student and some of them think we should change like some other countries are. Changing from a monarch style government." The unicorn said. "Not all of them are like that though and I think have pretty good ideas."

"And how we ended up at the party is that a number of us detoured through Ponyville and some pink pony by the name of Pinkie Pie practically grabbed us up off the street and forced us to come to your party." The Mare added.

Lightning Jolt burst out laughing. "That's Pinkie Pie for you. She dragged me into the party too. Of course it was a surprise party for me though"

"So how do you know the newest princess and her friends?" The unicorn. "I never... I'm not trying to be rude but I've never heard of you before and Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends are always in the news and being talked about."

"That's alright," Lightning Jolt replied. "I've never heard of me either." The pair stared at her confused and she was forced to explain. "I woke up outside Ponyville badly battered and my memory of, well everything was gone. I didn't know who I was or anything and my cutie mark was gone too." The two ponies took in a sharp breath at that but Lightning Jolt continued. "There was some ugly, dirty and insane unicorn gloating over me before he took off. I have no idea why he did it or even really what he did but when I came to terms with it I limped into Ponyville and encountered Twilight's friends who practically kidnapped me determined to help." She couldn’t help but laugh a little at the memory. "Twilight intervened and has been helping me as well as her friends who are now my friends ever since. Twilight has been helping me in trying to restore my memory but it hasn’t been successful. It was Rainbow Dash who helped me find my cutie mark again." Lightning Jolt shifted turning sideways to show her cutie mark. She tried very hard to keep from sounding proud. "My talent is creating lightening and after that they changed my name to Jane Pony to Lightning Jolt. That party was my Cute-ceanera."

"Neat." The pink mare said and held out a hoof. "I'm Valentine."

"And I'm Ember Light." The unicorn said doing the same. Lightning Jolt hoof bumped with both of them. "Nice to meet you." Lightning Jolt had taken many lessons from Twilight on the importance of friendship and trying to make friends where ever you go. She was happy to be able to do so easily but chances were that it might not be so easy to make friends everywhere but for now it was nice.

"I can remember my Cute-ceanera." Valentine said shifting in her seat to show her cutie mark. It was a dark blue lotus flower in full bloom. It was tipped slightly so that you could see the center and the circle of pollen strands the outline of a heart could be seen. The strangest part was that there was what appeared to be two swords crossing over it. Lightning Jolt looked at it trying to decider just what it meant. Before she could ask Valentine suddenly looked across the aisle with a guilty look. Lightening Jolt turned her head to see that she was looking at Ember Light and she quickly noticed his glaringly blank flank.

"I'm sorry." Valentine said. "Here we are bragging about our cutie marks and you haven't gotten yours yet."
At that Ember Light scowled. He gritted his teeth and looked upwards at the roof of the train with an exasperated expression. "I have my cutie mark." He hissed between gritted teeth. "It's the same color as my coat. If you look closely you'll see an outline." Valentine and Lightning Jolt stared at him a moment trying to process this then they just couldn’t help it. They burst out laughing. Valentine flopped back in her seat and Lightning Jolt had to lean against it to keep from falling on to the floor.

Ember Light glared at them a moment then he snorted which gave way to hard laughter. "You don't know how many times I've had to tell ponies that." He choked out when he got control back.
Lightning Jolt wiped tears from her eyes still smiling. "I'm sorry I really couldn’t see it." Ember Light waived a hoof. "It's alright. It is kinda’ of funny after all. So anyway what's with the guards up there and why are they so mean?"

"Oh them?" Lightning Jolt said, "I don't know I guess they are overzealous about their job. Princess Celestia sent them to take me to Canterlot so her royal scholars of magic to try to figure out how to reverse whatever happened." Lightning Jolt was surprised when the pair of them went quiet and just stared at her in confusion. "What?"

"You’re going to Canterlot?" Ember Light asked.

"Yes that's where they said that they were taking me, why?"

"This train isn’t going to Canterlot." Valentine responded. It's going to Appleloosa. This is not just a detour but you’re going in the wrong direction."

Now Lightning Jolt stared at them confused. "They said they were taking me to Canterlot. Why would they say that then go in the opposite
direction?"

"Because we have to go pick up another pony." A voice called behind Lightning Jolt. The pegasus guard was walking down the aisle. "After that we will head to Canterlot."

"What pony is that?" Valentine asked.

"That is none of your business as it is a royal matter. We don't tell royal business to everypony." He replied looking at her with a hard gaze that was obviously meant to intimidate. Valentine didn't turn away or even flinch. She looked right back into his eyes calmly. The guard seemed a little annoyed but just turned back to Lightning Jolt. "Remember I said to come back when we neared the gorge, Ghastly Gorge as it’s called. We're getting close."

"Why?" Valentine asked before Lightning Jolt could.

The pegasus guard glared at her with an irritated expression. "Because it's an amazing sight to watch it from the back of the train." He stated. Lightning Jolt just shrugged and followed him back to the final car. When she turned her head to call goodbye she saw Valentine looking after them with a pensive and worried expression.

When she followed the guard through the door back into the last car she felt like she was walking away from a warm summer's day into a cold house. The unicorn was standing on the other side of the car near the other door and oddly with a smile on his face. She didn't think that stoic unicorn could smile.

"The view that you get passing over Ghastly Gorge at night is like no other in Equestria." The pegasus said in a pleasant tone. "The best view is from the back of the train."

"Alright." Lightning Jolt said heading to the back door with him eager to please just so she could leave again. She herself was certain that they called it "Ghastly" Gorge for a reason and the view would not be all that spectacular. Who knew though and the quicker she saw it the quicker she could leave.

"Take a look. We will be passing over the gorge in a moment." The pegasus said opening the back door of the train. Wind blasted in through the door blowing Lightning Jolt’s mane and tail around and the rumble of the train was now a roar. Lightning Jolt walked to the exit as the pegasus moved out of the way. "Just watch and wait and you will be amazed." He said.

Lightning Jolt stared out with her mane blowing wildly. She could see the countryside looking as if it was rapidly racing off into the distance. Open fields on one side and the dark Everfree on the other. Lightning Jolt had no idea how she ever sensed what was coming or if it was divine intervention that she turned and looked back. In that second she saw the pegasus guard behind her swinging his weight on his forelegs and kicking out with both hind hooves. They were aimed straight for her head with a powerful blow that would have knocked her cold or killed the little mare instantly. She yelped in surprised and fear as she jerked out of the way. His hooves missed so narrowly that she felt the wind from them. One of his hooves caught the frame going straight through it.

While he struggled to pull his leg free Lightning Jolt staggered back away from them in shock and unbelief. She hadn’t gotten far before the unicorn grabbed her in a suffocating magic hold and froze her in place. She tried to scream but couldn’t even open her mouth.
The pegasus guard yanked his foot free from the wall and charged at her. Lightning Jolt could do nothing but watch in horror. Before he reached her he was suddenly hit by a streak of pink and red. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of him and he was sent flying back into the seats where he floundered about dazed and winded. Both Lightning Jolt and the unicorn guard stared at Valentine who was rounding on the second guard. Her once sweet looking eyes blazed with fire and her little pink body was tense and poised to strike. She was still small and pretty pink but now somehow looked as dangerous as an angry rattle snake.

"Valentine! What-!" Ember Light called rushing in and breaking the standoff. The unicorn guard released Lightning Jolt to try to grab Valentine who leapt at him but the guard gasped in surprise as his magic hold slipped right off. In midair Valentine kicked with her back hooves aiming at his head. He managed to jerk out of the way but her hooves still caught him on the shoulder. The metal rang out and even with the armor he still staggered back and winched. A second later he was punched in the face by Lightning Jolt. Valentine was coming back for another attack only to have to dodge away by the angry pegasus guard who had regained his hooves.

The second he had that opening the unicorn guard slung his head hitting Lightning Jolt in the side with his helmeted head while at the same time his horn glowing with a light that wrapped around her body. She was flung serval feet away and skidded across the floor. The unicorn guard's horn was glowing as he prepared a blast before she even stopped moving. Before he could release it a second blast shot across the car hitting the unicorn right on the horn. His own magic blast exploded over his head knocking his helmet clean off and sending sparks and smoke bursting over his face. Coughing and shaking his head the unicorn struggled to clear his vision. He didn’t have the time though. Ember Light who had been standing in the doorway with his mouth hanging open now came charging down the aisle. He leapt over Lightning Jolt and tackled the guard.

Lightning Jolt staggered to her feet shaking off her blow. Her legs were shaking shock of it all and she was probably about as confused as Ember Light. Her wings were pinned to her body with the magic the unicorn had used when he had butted her with the side of his head. It was tightly wrapped around her body like a heavy strip of cloth. She had no time to struggle with it as she quickly spotted Valentine fighting the pegasus who was using his armor to catch every blow she slung at him. Lightning Jolt jumped over the unicorns fighting on the floor and ran to help. She rushed up to the pegasus and reared up on her hind legs ready to strike at his face. He rounded on her dodging her blows and raised a hoof to strike her down. He didn't have a chance though. The second he had looked away from Valentine turning his flank on her she had dropped to the floor flipping around as she fell. She had slid underneath the guard and kicked up hard with all four hooves right into his stomach. The pegasus wheezed as all the wind was knocked out of him and staggered away for several steps before collapsing on his haunches where he gasped for air. He had sat down near where Ember Light and the other unicorn were fighting. The larger, armored stallion had finally recovered enough to sit up and practically throw Ember Light away from him. Ember Light almost collided with Lightning Jolt and Valentine as he skidded across the floor.

"The Gorge!...Use.. wall!" The pegasus wheezed out. The three younger ponies had no idea what that meant but the unicorn's horn flashed with light and a transparent wall appeared between them and the guards. It reached from roof to floor, wall to wall. The three ponies barely had time to process this before the wall rushed at them at a blinding speed. It slammed into them knocking the wind out of them and sent the three ponies hurtling out of the train as it passed over Ghastly Gorge.

The unicorn got to his hoofs and ran to the door. He looked at the figures disappearing into darkness. "Mission accomplished." He said to his wheezing companion

Comments

[PegaSeraph]

Wow, that escalated quickly

[Nox Knock Jokes]

Ooooooh horseapples. Ha I bet you expected a swear word or something. Well no.