Raison D'être

by mechafone

24 - Spark Vs The Storm

Through the day, Spark Storm slept. It wasn't until sometime in the afternoon that he felt something wrong, and he felt it in his wings. There was some kind of itch running up and down his feathers, making them twitch. Finally, after balancing inbetween sleep and being awake, Spark opened his eyes to see the makings of a thunder storm overhead.

Ok, what the hell. Why did my wings start up like this in my sleep? He looked around and noticed that everypony was on deck, preparing the ship for the coming storm.

He got up and, feeling a bit woozy from sleeping all day, made his way over to Shining Armor, who was shouting orders at the others. "Hey, what do I need to do?"

Shining turned on the smaller pony and glowered. "You're a bit late to the party, Storm, all your comrades have taken up your slack and completed all the necessary preparations. Why don't you go back to sleep and let the grown-ups handle this?" He turned back around, his tail whipping Spark in the face.

Spark Storm was about to give the pompous soldier a piece of his mind when he felt a hoof on his back. He glanced back to see the Princess giving him an understanding look.

"Please, forgive him. He holds this mission to be top priority. He's been working his tail off to -" Spark cut her off with a light glare.

"Begging your pardon, Princess, but a good soldier knows the worth of the soldiers under his command. If he had need of me, he should've gotten my attention. That passive-aggressive attitude of his is detrimental to the chain he's supposed to be keeping together."

He stepped away from her, disregarding the stung look on the Princess' face. He was absolutely tired of those feeling they were entitled to say whatever the hell they wanted. He'd had enough of that during his schooldays with River.

Spark got up onto the roof of the cabins as he had earlier to look into the skies. Something was wrong. Something was there, moving in the clouds, and it wasn't just the wind kicking up.

He squinted as the dark storm clouds blotted out what was left of the afternoon sun. It became so dark that it was difficult to see. As the lightning started up, Emerald Skies suddenly let out a loud, high-pitched scream in Spark's direction.

The others turned, some gasping, Lemon babbling 'ohmygodsohmygodsohmygods'. Spark blinked and looked down at them in confusion. "What?"

Frostbite approached him first, just as the first raindrops began falling. "Spark Storm?...What's up with your eyes?"

Spark Storm looked down at Frostbite. "What are you talking about?"

Lemon Pop bounced over to Frostbite's side and gestured with her hooves at her eyes. "Sparky, your eyes! They're all-a glowin' like a cat's!"

Spark blinked as more lightning crashed overhead. The light indeed reflected off his eyes as a cat's in headlights.

Shining Armor made his way to the front of the group. "Eyes like yours can see in the dark. Make yourself useful and keep a watch out up there."

Spark Storm had had enough of this guy's throwing his weight around. He'd had teachers and friends and teammates, but a commander who put the soldiers under his command under his boot was just asking for trouble.

"Just what the hell do you think I'm doing up here? Getting a tan?" He shot back at the Unicorn. Shining puffed up, and took a few more steps towards Spark's position.

"What do you think you're doing, talking to your commander like that? One more outburst and I'll - "

He didn't have time to finish when Spark Storm was suddenly in his face. Shining Armor was bigger, but Spark Storm had a stronger build. His wings flared to life, the electricity shooting from feather to feather in a big, bright display.

"Listen to me, you pompous pushover! I'm done with your insults and degrading attitude! I don't know if you're talking like that to my pals or if you're just singling me out, but if you don't stop, I will put you in your place! I learned long ago how to deal with bullies!"

Twilight gasped and came up beside Spark and her brother. "Oh, wait, wait, please..." Shining gently pushed his sister aside, coming closer to Spark Storm to press his forehead against the smaller pony's in a show of dominance. "Don't think so, Twily. This runt's going to learn some respect before this night is over!"

Spark's face was plastered with rage as he pressed back up against Shining, pushing the big Unicorn backwards. Shining strained against the younger stallion, pushing back, but just barely. The Pegasus had the advantage in strength.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but you're seriously pushing some buttons that you shouldn't press!" Spark shoved Shining back a few feet with his head, whereupon Shining's horn lit to life with an attack spell.

It never took off, though, as Spark let loose a line of electricity from his wing to Shining's horn. It struck him and stunned him for a moment. In the next instant, Spark collided with Shining as he was reeling back from the shock. He tumbled down onto the deck of the ship.

"Wait, please stop!" Twilight shouted. She went to Shining's side, tears of anger and frustration in her eyes. "I...I'm sorry, it's my fault!"

"What?" Spark Storm shook his head, confused. "No it's not, Twilight, your brother started a fight he couldn't finish!"

Twilight shook her head. She knew she should've said something sooner. Now things might just be ruined between her and Spark, and after they'd finally connected last night...

"Spark, I...I'm so sorry...I asked my brother to be hard on you." Spark stared at her, hardly believing what he was hearing. "What? Why?"

Twilight helped her brother get to his feet. He was still shaking from the strike to his horn. "I...before last night, Spark, I hated you. I was just so...tired of dealing with you." She sighed heavily, her breath shuddering. She was trying very hard not to cry.

"So when I heard that you were going to be on this voyage, I asked my brother to deal extra hard with you. I told him you were mean to me. And then...last night, Spark, I...I forgot to tell him..." She looked up at her brother, who was looking down at his sister in confusion.

"Twily? Are you saying he's not nearly as bad a guy as you told me he is? Did you have me push him around for nothing?" He frowned angrily down at her, then glanced at Spark, who's eyes shone in the darkness like an angry demon.

Spark stared at the brother and sister. Finally, Shining Armor stepped away from her. The storm was getting stronger. The wind was picking up, waves started battering against the side of the ship. Whatever words that could be said between the three of them would have to wait.

---

An hour later and the storm had continually gotten worse. Lightning lit up the sky, thunder cracked loudly as the heart of the storm was directly over them. It had hung directly over them for far too long for Spark to be comfortable with.

Twilight Sparkle had retreated into her cabin. She had betrayed both her brother and Spark Storm in the same instant. She felt terrible. Just when she had connected with Spark Storm, she dropped by the ball by forgetting to call her brother off of Spark Storm. If only she'd just remembered, she might have made a friend. Twilight remained in her bed with her pillow over her head.

Outside, the wind was howling and the storm showed no signs of stopping. All the while, lightning seemed to be hitting closer and closer to the ship. It wasn't long before the top of the cabin area was hit, leaving a scorched mark and a fire began that was quickly put out by the rain.

However, the lightning struck the exact same spot twice more, the second time starting to cause serious damage.

It was getting on everypony's last nerves, and not in an annoying way. More in a 'oh crap, we're gonna die' kinda way.

Amid the excitement of rolling around the deck as the ship broke violently through the waves, Spark managed to shout to Shining, "Got any spells that'll stop that lightning?"

Shining had been using a spell to keep all on deck from falling in the water. He shook his head, his eyes filled with fright. "No can do! Even if I could get everypony inside, you saw how well I do against lightning!"

Spark squinted as lightning once again struck the exact same spot on the ship. This time, it left a gaping six inch hole through the roof. Spark growled and made to climb up onto the cabin roof.

"Spark Storm!" Shining Armor shouted over the wind and rain. He had begun corralling the others into the cabin area. It was no longer safe for anypony out there. "Get down from there, what do you think you're doing?"

Spark Storm lifted his wings to the sky and activated the currents between his feathers, a hearty feat considering his wings were soaked. "I don't know!" He shouted. "If I don't live through this, tell Twilight..."

Spark didn't get to finish as he was suddenly blinded by a lightning strike. All his senses were both dulled and sharpened. He felt a tremendous numbing jolt as his wings caught the strike. He let out a pained scream as Shining watched him.

Spark stood there, stock still, as his body smoked. Shining honestly thought he was dead.

Then the lightning came again. And again. Always in the same spot. Each time, Spark found himself a little stronger, a little less for wear. Still, with each strike he screamed.

Suddenly, on the fifth strike, the lighting shot horizontally into the ocean air when it struck him. His wings pivoted and swiveled experimentally as the lightning struck again and again, the lightning bolts sailing wildly over Shining Armor's head.

Finally having an idea on how this worked, Spark Storm properly aimed his wings and closed his eyes. Again, the lightning came. Again, his body was rocked with horrible numbing pain. This time however, the lightning went right back up into the heavens. He shifted his wings just slightly, and after six more strikes into the storm clouds, it was over.

The storm broke apart after this, the clouds disappearing as if they had never been there.

Shining Armor made his way slowly up to where Spark was, but he couldn't get close. The roof was much too hot. It was smoking. So was Spark Storm.

---

Spark Storm woke to the feeling of something cold and wet on his face. It felt so good. He let out a little sigh as he tried opening his eyes. It was a blurry form at first, but then he could make out a bit of red and yellow. Lemon Pop.

He gazed up at her, bleary-eyed and exhausted. "Shh. Don't talk." She whispered, and dabbed at his face with the damp cloth. Again, it felt wonderful. "You, sir crazy-pants, are crazy." She said matter-of-factly.

"I dunno how you did it, but you saved the ship. You saved everypony." She smiled and squeezed the damp cloth to get the cold water to trickle down his face and on top of his head. Nothing else had given him more relief.

"You just rest up, 'Thunder Pony'. We'll be in Neippon in three days."

Three days? I've been out what...A week and a half? Kinda hungry...As if reading his mind, Lemon offered Spark a peach from the rations. It was a bit old, but nothing had tasted sweeter.

---

Hey, thanks for reading this far! This is as far as I've come with my story, but rest assured there will be more. I'm about halfway through with this story, if not a little beyond halfway. Stay tuned for more chapters!

Comments

[Licorice Twist]

841227
Why? Each chapter is sufficiently long enough to be its own chapter, and clumping it all together into really LARGE chapters makes it a bit more annoying to read. This way people have ways to easily get back into the story if they can't read it all at once.

[mechafone]

841227
I'd love to please everyone, but I can't. I tried doing this with SCSD on a different site and no one read it. This is how I do things and how I like it. I hope you go out of your way to enjoy it too, but if you don't, well, I can't please everyone.

[mechafone]

841431
Hahah I know, right? I still haven't figured out how I'm going to be writing Orea, as good or evil. Personally I'm leaning more towards neutral, like her mother, following the laws of nature rather than Pony law.

[Jacensolo43]

Amazing. I must admit, that is an insane stunt to pull off. brilliant, but insane. (More insane then some of Rainbow's stunts if you ask me )

[Starreaper088]

One of the best no the best story I've read so far great job sir you know how to write .

[mechafone]

1359735 Thank you very much! I hope you enjoy the rest as much as you have so far :D

[Melody Brush]

Go Spark! Taking all those bolts would nock one out for a good amount of time, what I would like to know, and I know I'll find out soon, is who was behind the storm attack?