One Bolt, Many Questions

by Boltsinger

Rarity's Plot Begins

The storm was gone. The Crystal Empire’s skies were clear, as the Crystal Ponies looked on at the shockwave of light that came from a massive Sonic Rainboom. At the origin point, the faint residue of a lightning bolt crackled in the air. All they had known was that a freak windstorm had shown up, creating a tornado that threatened to destroy the place. Many Crystal Ponies gathered in the plaza at the foot of the palace, seeing a collapsed orange Pegasus unconscious in the middle of a localized crater.

Rainbow Dash flew from the momentum of her Sonic Rainboom, skidding to a stop next to her fellow Pegasus, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie following suit in mere moments. Applejack reached forward, trying to hoist the stallion onto her back, but his stiff wings let out a shock, sending her reeling back.

“What in the name of Celestia is goin’ on with him?!” she exclaimed, raising a hoof with a look of shock on her face.

“I dunno!” Pinkie replied, bouncing around him to get a good look. “Probably has something to do with the fact that his wings refuse to move, and there’s electricity coming off of them, and that his Cutie Mark is doing a strange ‘CRACKLEBOOM!’ thing!” She pointed a hoof at Boltsinger’s flank, where the lightning on his Cutie Mark was crackling and whipping every which way.

“I’ve never seen a Cutie Mark do that before…” Fluttershy noted.

“I’m sure nopony has ever seen a Cutie Mark do that, darling.” Rarity added. “I do believe this is more Twilight's area of expertise.”

Starlight and Sunburst ran to the scene, Twilight swooping in to land next to them. "Is… he okay?” Sunburst asked. “I’ve never seen magic like that coming off of a pony…”

Twilight lifted the Pegasus with her magic, where sparks flew from his wings to disrupt the aura. Starlight added her own magic to the mix as the two carried the crackling colt into the palace, followed soon after by their friends.

---

“...singer!” came a familiar voice, the world around Boltsinger was hazy as he stirred from the throngs of unconsciousness. “BOLTSINGER!” He opened his eyes, seeing the concerned faces of his friends around him. Twilight was calling out to him as he put a hoof up to his head, trying hard to move his incredibly stiff wings.

“What happened to the windstorm?” Boltsinger groggily inquired. “Is Flurry okay?” He sat up, looking around for a glimpse of the filly.

Fluttershy and Rarity stepped aside, revealing Cadence holding her daughter with a foreleg. The Crystal Princess smiled as her daughter giggled. Boltsinger breathed a sigh of relief, smiling and scratching his mane with his wing.

“Thank you so much for helping me save Flurry.” Cadence said, walking up to the bed the stallion was laying in. Flurry leaped onto the bed, toddling up to Boltsinger and giving him a big hug with her wings and forelegs. “I don’t know what we would have done if anything had happened to her!” The stallion returned the hug with his forelegs, his wings starting to loosen up. Cadence floated Flurry back over to her, bowing her head as Twilight jumped into the orange pony with an embrace of her own.

Boltsinger’s heart skipped a beat as he returned the gesture. His face turned the same shade as a red delicious apple, causing Rarity, Starlight, and Applejack to snicker amongst themselves.

“I know that was a scary thing to do…” Twilight began, backing up just enough to look into the stallion’s purple eyes. “But I can’t thank you enough for rising to the occasion! What you did was amazing, brave, and… Well, you know the rest.”

Rainbow Dash hovered next to them, an excited look all over her face. “Those maneuvers you did were awesome! First, you cut through the tornado with your wings, and then… That coordination! How did you know I was ready to give it another go?!”

Boltsinger darted his eyes around. “I did all of that?” He asked. “I remember flying and going into the storm, but the details kind of escape me.” Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. Boltsinger got up from the bed, walking over to the nearest window. “It felt the same as it does when I land after one of my ‘flights’.” He looked over at the group. “Rainbow, do you remember how you said that I was like a completely different pony in Manehattan?”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah, I did say that. What about it?”

“Well, you’re not exactly wrong about that.” he elaborated. “You see, I’ve always felt a kind of ‘jolt’ when I land at a destination I’m needed at. I start focusing on the task at hoof, and while I’m doing it, the rest of my personality soooorta takes a back seat. I pretty much become a different pony.” He turned his body to properly face them. “So… my memory of the whole thing is… spotty. I’m glad to know I was able to help, though!”

“Well, no matter what, you saved my daughter.” Shining Armor affirmed, putting his hoof around Boltsinger’s neck. He leaned in close. “Anypony willing to do that has my approval.” He nudged the Pegasus in the side, causing him to tense up.

“A-a-a-anyway… So, how did everypony’s day go?” Boltsinger asked the group. “We can’t have been the only ones that had an interesting day!” He nervously laughed and moved to the side, taking a seat with the rest of the group as each pony elaborated on their day.

---

The next morning, the door to Boltsinger’s room swung open, and he trotted out, looking at his surroundings bright-eyed. He had gotten used to the idea of Princesses being nice to him, but he still hadn’t expected to stay the night in the palace. He made his way to the balcony, where he took a look at the kingdom before him. He’d seen it before, but never quite in this light. Below the balcony, the stallion noticed something new. Is that where I landed? He wondered, seeing a small crater in the ground. Seems like a heck of an impact. Kind of like when I hit that wall. He smiled and brushed it off.

As he made his way inside, a polished white hoof grabbed him around the neck, pulling him off to the side.

“Boltsinger!!!” Rarity began, pulling him along. “I need you!!!”

Boltsinger tilted his head. “Oooooooookay… what is it you need?” He asked. In that instant, his wings felt a weight on them. He looked at them to see various bags and baskets, then looked back at Rarity.

“I need somepony to accompany me while I do some light shopping before we leave this afternoon!” She explained, her eyes fluttering.

Boltsinger lifted his wings slightly, noting all of the containers hanging from them. “This is light?” He inquired. “Now I’m curious what your heavy shopping is like…”

Rarity laughed as she walked towards the door. “Ohoho, darling! You wouldn’t be able to handle my HEAVY shopping!”

The two ponies made their way into the town, approaching the shopping district after a light meal. They passed by a myriad of shops, Rarity picking out fabrics, gems, and mane-care products, turning to Boltsinger every now and then. She would examine him up and down, suddenly changing her order to get something completely different. The confused stallion just rolled his eyes and smiled through the shopping adventure, doing his best to hold up the increasingly heavy containers that hung from his wings.

Rarity trotted over to Boltsinger, taking hold of approximately half of the bags he carried with her magic. “Very well, then, we’re done for today!” She continued on her way, headed towards the train station.

Boltsinger caught up to Rarity, looking at her with confusion in his eyes. “What was all this shopping for, anyway?” He asked.

“Why, to make outfits, of course!” Rarity told him. “The Grand Galloping Gala is only a few moons away, and I want to make certain that everyone is prepared!”

Boltsinger nodded in understanding, looking forward through half-lidded eyes. “Well, I’m glad I was able to help you prepare. The Gala should be a lot of fun for you ladies!” He looked around at the Crystal Ponies, who were all talking at length about yesterday’s events. They gossiped about what they believed to have happened.

The two made it to the train station, where the Friendship Express was boarding. Pinkie bounced up next to them, taking peeks at the various things they were carrying. “Whatcha got?” She asked them.

“Oh, it’s nothing…” Rarity answered, as if brushing it off. “Just all of the materials I’ll need for the outfits we’ll all be wearing to the Grand Galloping Gala!” Her face lit up, stars in her eyes. “I’ve got smashing ideas for everypony!”

“But why did you have to take Bolt along?” Applejack queried, the trailer of Rarity’s luggage strapped to her back. “You coulda carried all o’ that, no problem!”

Rarity walked past Applejack, stopping for a second to stylishly look back. “Indeed I could have. But it’s been such a long time since I’ve had a strapping young stallion to carry my bags for me!” She leaned in close to her Earth Pony friend. “Plus, it let me get some crucial information for a future project of mine!” She whispered. She and Applejack looked over at the straining stallion knowingly, as Pinkie babbled on into the cracking up colt’s ear from atop his back.

---

On the train back to Ponyville, Boltsinger sat in his usual spot in the back of the car. He was looking at the countryside out the window, thinking on the events in the Empire. Directing his attention to the mares in the car, he could see Twilight in a heated discussion with the others.

“So, Twilight, you know that the Gala is coming up, right?” Rarity began.

Twilight nodded. “Of course! We’ve all got our tickets already, and I’m helping Celestia organize the whole event! Why do you ask?”

“Do you, by any chance, have a ‘plus one’ in mind for this year?” Rarity wondered. “I know you went unaccompanied to the last one.”

Twilight put a hoof to her muzzle, thinking. “Um… not that I know of. Why?”

Applejack chimed in, a sly smile on her face. “I think I might know what Rarity is gettin’ at.” She looked back at the stallion in the back of the car. “I think she might have somepony in mind for ya.”

Twilight was taken aback. “What?! You mean I should bring him along?”

“Well, darling, he was quite the hero during the storm yesterday.” Rarity explained, closing her eyes and placing a hoof around Twilight's neck. “Don’t you think he deserves a reward for his efforts?”

Twilight looked back at the Pegasus, who was staring out the window, oblivious. “Well…”

Applejack followed Rarity’s lead, putting a hoof on the Princess. “An’ I know he’d appreciate it. ‘Specially if’n it came from you.”

“Well, I see your point.” Twilight said, getting up from her seat. “I’ll go see if he’s interested!” She trotted off to the back of the car, Rarity and Applejack looking at each other and laughing.

The Princess made her way over and plopped her rump on the seat next to Boltsinger. “Hi, there!” She greeted. “How was your morning?”

“Oh, hey Twilight.” he responded. “It was a little bit of a workout. Rarity had me accompany her for some ‘light’ shopping. Naturally, I carried everything.”

Twilight winced, having a very good idea of what Rarity’s shopping trips were like. “That sounds like a tough morning…”

“Yeah, but it was interesting to see her in her element.” He elaborated. “She seemed to change her mind about something whenever she looked at me, though. But, with how much she got, I bet you’ll all look amazing at the Gala!”

“Interesting that you would bring that up…” the Alicorn started. “You see, I’ve already got my ticket, and it says that I can bring a guest with me.”

“Oh? Who do you have in mind?” Boltsinger asked. “Whoever it is must be the luckiest pony in all of Equ--”

“You.” Twilight replied, putting her hoof on Boltsinger’s side. He looked at her hoof, then at her face, his pupils shrinking.

“WHAT?!” He yelled, the power of his voice shaking the entire train. “Why do you want to take me?!” He raised a foreleg, looking absolutely terrified. “I mean, we’re friends, but that doesn’t mean you need to take me along to the biggest party of the year!”

Twilight took a deep breath, keeping her hoof on the stallion and laughing. “The fact that we’re friends is exactly why I want to take you. After what you did for Flurry Heart, it’s the very least I can do.”

Boltsinger sighed, calming himself. “If you say so… But I just did what you asked me to. It’s not like anypony else would have done any different.” He turned his head to look outside, but directed his eyes towards Twilight, smiling. “It should be a fun evening. I look forward to it.”

Comments

[f0st3r21]

“Well, I see your point.” Twilight said, getting up from her seat. “I’ll go see if he’s interested!” She trotted off to the back of the car, Rarity and Applejack looking at each other and laughing.

Yeah, but that’s not what you did, Twilight. You straight up asked him to go. There’s a difference.