Sweet Beginnings Part (2) : A Pegasus-Centric Prelude

by sapphireStarzzzz

Broken (Lightning II)

The very next day that she came home, Lightning was surprisingly approached by her father. Quite a rarity, considering he usually didn’t like having anything to do with the disappointment, which was a good thing as Lightning didn’t wish to have anything to do with him either.

She felt the familiar twinge of fear that she felt every singe le time she saw him, though she stamped it down stubbornly. She felt the urge to run, but she forced herself to stay still and asked, “What can I do for you today, father?”

“As you know, Fleet Fly’s initiation is coming up”, he began. She could tell that this was just as hard for him as it was for her.

“Yes, I indeed know.” After all, it was the reason she had been forced to come home.

“And, you must also know that Hurricane’s friend shall be staying with us for a few days”, he added.

“Yes, I do”, she replied.

“Behave yourself at Fleet’s ceremony. I won’t me able to face my brother or his wife if you did anything to ruin their son’s night”, he warned, his eyes narrowing.

“I will, father”, Lightning replied.

“And-“, he held his hoof up as Lightning started leaving. “Hurricane told me that you ill-treated his friend.” Hah, ill-treated. Nothing that whore hadn’t deserved, her rage at the other filly renewing, especially when her father tightly gripped her hair and pulled harshly, sending a sting of pain to her scalp.

“I expect you apologise to her and aid her with whatever she might need during her visit.”

“Yes father”, she replied, biting the inside of her cheek to not let any signs of pain show.

He scanned her face, as though trying to gauge signs of insincerity. He seemed to have found none, however, as he let go and replied, “Good”, and left shortly thereafter.

Lightning wasn’t angry, no, anger filled her with numbness and her mind came up with just the right words to say to hurt somepony. What she was feeling right now was a spark of irritation that actually sparked her mane with lightning. As soon as she realised it, she hurriedly levitated some dry dirt using her magic and dropped it all on her mane. Great, just great. Now she wasn’t simply annoyed, but her mane was also dirty.

---

Lightning had a nice, long, hot shower after which, she decided to walk around, when she saw her. Clematis.

She was looking around, seeming to be confused and a little frustrated. Lightning heard her cursing her brother’s name under her breath, at which she couldn’t help but smirk. What, she was a vindictive pony and wasn’t feeling all that favourable towards Hurricane after he had told her father that she had ill-treated his friend.

Her amusement, however, faded when she realised that this was the perfect time to apologise to Clematis. And she did not like that at all.

Still, gathering every bit of her patience, she approached the filly, opening her mouth to announce her presence, when Clematis turned around and bumped right into her. Oh for Fernweh’s sake!

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I should've been paying atten......tion", Clematis trailed of as she seemed to realise just who she had bumped into.

Lightning repressed the urge to glare at her. After all, it was an accident and like it or not, she couldn’t hold that against her.

"It's alright. You're Clematis, right?", Lightning chose to say instead.

"Yes, I am", Clematis replied. Her eyes seemed to bore into hers, as though seeing everything that Lightning was and more. It made Lightning feel quite uncomfortable, though she refused to let it show. Now was the time to apologise, she decided.

"I wanted to apologise, for all the things I said the last time we spoke. It was an.... overreaction", Lightning hesitantly stated. It was hard to force these words out, because as much as she hated to admit it, there was a bit of truth in them.

"I- It's alright", the other filly stammered out. Lightning repressed the urge to roll her eyes. What a wimp.

She was curious about something, though. What exactly was Clematis doing wandering all on her own? She was supposed to be with Hurricane.

"What are you doing you doing here all alone?", she inquired, raising a brow. "Where is my brat of a brother?"

“We were having a race, but I got lost", Clematis replied. Typical Hurricane. Always selfish and self-centred.

"Just like Hurricane, inconsiderate and always expecting ponies to act and think the way he does", Lightning spat, before adding, "Where were you racing to? I'll show you the way, if you want me to."

She didn’t want to, really, but she remembered father’s warning clearly. She could be quite rebellious, she knew that very well, but she wanted this visit to go smoothly. She wasn’t going to be here long enough for any injuries to heal and her friends ie; followers at camp might question if she turned up with bruises.

"Nowhere in particular. Just exploring around the place.” That made her task slightly more challenging, but also meant that she would have more time before having to see that horrid brother of hers again.

She found Clematis observing the place. Probably imagining herself living here in the future. Gold-digger. She couldn’t help but voice out her distaste.

“Probably thinking you got the treat of a lifetime, aren't you? Getting to live in such a massive fortress.“

"I was thinking more along the lines of how I can't entirely blame you for being so unpleasant to be around; growing up in such a terrible environment likely had a hoof in it”, Clematis replied and Lightning was given a forceful reminder of why she disliked Clematis so much.

Still, father would probably kill her if he found out that Lightning had started another fight with Clematis, so she reluctantly offered another apology.

"I apologise", Lightning sighed, pursing her lips. "We'll be staying here together for a while, so we should try to at least be civil to each other", she added, hoping Clematis got the message and didn’t try to aggravate her further.

“I agree. Let's say, we have a truce", she extended her wing, to which Lightning responded by wrapping her own wing around the offered one and giving it a firm shake.

However, just then, Clematis’ face seemed to redden. Concerned, Lightning asked her if she was alright.

"You look red, perhaps you are ill. Come, I'll take you to the infirmary", Lightning offered.

"No, I feel fine. probably jut the heat getting to me or something", Clematis replied, sounding a bit choked off for some reason. The heat getting to her, what a weakling. It appeared that she had said that out loud, if the way Clematis’ eyes twitched was anything to go by.

"Truce, remember", she pointed out in that infuriating way of hers.

"Yes, yes, I know. Truce", Lightning replied and no, she absolutely didn’t sound like a whining foal.

Strangely enough, Clematis seemed to look amused for a brief moment before her admittedly beautiful features turned into a mournful, slightly wistful look. As though remembering something she wouldn’t be able to have again.

"Hey, what's gotten into you", Lightning couldn’t help but ask.

“Nothing”, Clematis quickly replied. Lightning repressed a snort at her obvious lie.

“You really need to work on your lying skills you know. It’s almost like you’ve never told a lie before”, Lightning pointed out.

“What’s the matter?”, she asked yet again.

Aren’t you being nosy”, Clematis said in reply, raising an eyebrow.

“Maybe, I don’t really care”, Lightning shrugged.

“I can tell”, Clematis snapped, to which Lightning shrugged again.

“So, what is bothering you so much?”, Lightning asked. Clematis should’ve realised that all this lying and defensiveness had only increased her curiosity. And now that Lightning was curious, she definitely wasn’t going to let this go.

The other filly seemed to realise it as well, because she finally relented and replied, “Well, I was just thinking about my parents.”

Her parents? Lightning wasn’t sure in which direction this conversation was going.

“Your parents?”, Lightning asked, urging her to continue.

“They died a few years ago. Phoenix Flu”, Clematis hurriedly said, probably wanting to get over this as soon as possible.

Oh. Perhaps she shouldn’t have pressed so much.

“I apologise for pressuring you into telling this to me. You have my most heartfelt condolences”, Lightning stated softly. It was the third time Lightning had apologised to Clematis and the first time she fully meant it.

“Thank you”, Clematis replied just as softly. There weren’t tears in her eyes but she looked so sorrowful. Lightning couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to love your parents enough to keep mourning their absence.

“Do you miss them”, Lightning asked, her curiosity too great for her to resist.

“Of course I do”, Clematis’ delicate features twisting into a frown. For the first time, when looking into those slightly luminescent yellow eyes, Lightning saw the very same shattered look she saw in the mirror every single day. She had misjudged Clematis is a lot, hadn’t she.

She wasn’t somepony to be bitter towards, but rather a kindred spirit of sorts, ponies whom those like Hurricane and Swift Flight would never understand.

“I wouldn’t, if I were in you shoes. I would’ve bidden my parents good riddance had they been in your parents place”, Lightning spat venomously.

Clematis seemed to recoil a bit and Lightning couldn’t really blame her, after all, she probably would do anything to have her parents back.

But Lightning desperately wanted her to understand, to know, for some reason.

“I’m sure your parents must have been good ponies who loved you a lot, but that isn’t the case with my parents. They have always preferred Hurricane and ignored my existence, just because I ‘m a filly, not a colt. And whenever I dare to speak against them….”, Lightning still remembered the feeling of her father’s hooves around her neck. She couldn’t help but rub her neck.

When Clematis look of horror and mild disgust was replaced by a more understanding look, Lightning felt oddly gratified, though she didn’t know why. Why she wanted Clematis approval so badly.

She could detect confusion in those bright eyes and guessed that Clematis was wondering why Lightning had told her all of this.

Replying to the unasked question, Lightning said, “ I pressurised you into revealing personal information. It’s only fair I reciprocate the gesture.

Besides, you’re like me. You’re broken too.”

The words seemed to add a weird tension to the air, yet, Lightning felt that she could stay this way for eternity, looking into those brilliant eyes, which seemed to resemble golden moons.

Lightning knew that something had changed, something was different, but she had no idea what.

Author's Note:

Clematis: Oh my goodness, Lightning touched me. Goodbye, I’m off to la-la-land.

Lightning: What’s up with her? Weirdo.