It had been so many years since Lightning Dust was kicked out of the Wonderbolt Academy. She never thought much about those days, nor of Rainbow Dash. Upon meeting again after so many years, Rainbow wants to know what Lighting Dust has been up to.
And so she tells her. She tells her about the parents that washed their hooves of her. About the stallion who became a real father. About the dream she was able to fulfill. And the family she came to love.
This is her story from nothing to something.
Note: The artwork is not mine, I found it on Ponychan.
“Midflight bombing run away!” cried out a little filly’s voice.
Lightning Dust’s eyes instantly opened, but before she could do anything, a little batpony with a blond and lightning streaked mane landed on her stomach. The batpony laughed as the sight of Lightning Dust’s eyes nearly popping out of her sockets while gasping for breath. After recovering herself as quickly as she could fly, Lightning smirked and grabbed the little filly, her squealing laughter echoing in the air.
“Well, here comes mommy’s special belly raspberry attack!” cried out Lightning Dust as she dived onto her daughter’s tummy and gave the biggest, and loudest, wet raspberry she could give. Her daughter laughed even harder before asking for mercy. Taking a few deep breaths, Lightning helped her daughter out of her bed before getting up herself. “Now I know you're excited for your first day flight school, but you need to be properly cleaned and fed. Head to your bathroom and take a shower before breakfast is done.”
“Okay, Mommy! But let’s hurry up! I wanna prove to everypony that I’m the best flier since you!” Midflight shouted before rushing out the room.
“You’ll need to try real hard to beat me!” shouted Lightning Dust. She shook her head before heading towards her own private bathroom. Was I seriously that bad when I was her age? Nah! I was an angel!
After properly washing and preparing herself for a new day, she walked through her the enormous cloud designed hallway. Many ponies would often drop their mouths at the sight of such regal and noble design work with nearly endless artistic pieces whenever they entered the mansion. For Lightning Dust, it was as normal as the sun rising from the east. Walking down the hall, her servants greeted her a good morning and, once again, she had to remind them to call her “Lightning Dust” and not “Master”. They had all known her for years, and the whole "Master" thing kinda creeped her out a bit. Making her way towards the grand hall, she stopped and gazed at a large portrait of of an old red pegasus who, despite his balding head and visible wrinkles around his eyes, looked just as fit as a pony half his age. His Wonderbolts dress uniform was covered in medals and ribbons, evidence of a lifetime of achievements. She smiled at the painting, ignoring the tears threatening to well up in her eyes like every morning.
“Morning, Dad. I miss you.” She wasn’t a religious pony, but she like to think that he was still watching over her from wherever those who passed away went.
After a final smile, she made her way towards the dining room, her mouth already watering from the smells of breakfast. Naturally, Midflight was already digging into her pancakes, hay bacon, and eggs. The scattered food bits on the table and floor surrounding her were a sign that it was quite good.
“Midflight, how many times have I told you not to eat so fast. The maids have more than enough to clean as it is,” scolded Lightning Dust to which her daughter gave a seepish smile and folded her ears back.
“I seem to recall a certain newcomer who was so hungry that she dug in worse than a dragon in a diamond mine,” said one of the maids, a pegasus not much older than Lightning Dust who was of a yellow lemon color with a light blue mane. She placed down a stack of pancakes next to a blushing Lightning Dust and smirked. “Took us two hours to sweep the floors clean.”
Lightning Dust rubbed the back of her neck as Midflight laughed. “Yeah, yeah. Rub it in, Butter Blue.”
With a competitive gleam in her eyes, Lightning Dust took her fork and knife with both hooves and turned to her daughter. “Bet I can eat more pancakes then you.”
“You’re on!” shouted Midflight.
With that said, both ponies began to cobble their pancakes up, making funny faces along the way that nearly made the other choke. The maid shook her head at the sight of the two acting like foals, but with a warm smile on her face. She also noticed the amount of leftover bits that were dirtying the once clean floors. Again.
“Somethings never change,” muttered the maid, heading for the broom closet.
***
Lightning Dust remembered her own first day at flight school. It was one of the few good memories she had of her life before... that day. She shook her head and concentrated on flying, making sure to keep an eye on her girl who was panting on her back. This was a not time for bad memories, but to make a good one. “You shouldn’t have wasted so much energy flying. I thought you wanted to look awesome for all your teammates by flying in with a few tricks?”
“I... guess... I was.... to... over... excited...” gasped Midlflight, catching her breath. She cleared her throat and showed a determination that was almost like looking at a mirror for Lightning Dust. “But I’ll show them all! I’m going to be the best no matter what and join the Wonderbolts!”
Lightning Dust was now almost double sure she was looking into a mirror and decided it was time to give her daughter a good talk. She landed near a lonely cloud and lifted her daughter down. Upon seeing her confused face, Lightning put a hoof on her shoulder and looked at her straight in the eye. “Midflight. I want you to promise me something.”
“What is it?”
“I want you to promise me that you won’t show off, be a braggart, or insult those who aren’t as good as you in flying. And to not be jealous of anypony who is better then you,” ordered Lightning Dust, her tone dripping with regret. She could still remember that day as clear as day all those years ago. One of her greatest failures in life. “I made that mistake once and I don’t want you to do the same thing. I want you to be respectful. You remember that word, right?”
“It means to treat people fairly no matter how different they are,” answered Midflight.
“Good, now I want you to keep that in mind every day when your at school, promise?”
“I promise, Mommy!” declared Midflight with a smile. “Now can we go now?!”
Lightning Dust grinned and let her daughter get back on her back. “Hold on, Kiddo! We’re gonna get there as fast as lightning!”
With a burst of crackling lightning behind her, Lightning Dust burst through the air like a speeding train, pushing through clouds and twirling with ease. Midflight yelled with excitement as they went past building and streets of Cloudsdale. Several poor pegasi who were too close shouted muted curses at them for whipping their manes into a frenzy.
After a few more turns, they spotted the big school and obstacle course at the edge of the cloud made city. Grinning, Lightning Dust landed on the front yard with lightning still coursing through her body, making it look like she came from a thunderbolt itself. Nearby fillies and colts were jaw dropped at the sight of such a cool performance, especially when they saw the filly she was carrying get off like it was no big deal. Whispers of the new duo who had gave a dramatic entrance began to spread like wildfire. Even a few teachers were whispering in awe.
The mother and daughter looked at each other and hoof bumped. But just as they did, everypony gasped and looked upward. Curious, Lightning Dust looked as well, but her heart nearly stopped upon seeing what it was.
It was a pegasi doing corkscrews and flips, even taking a cloud and designing it in the Wonderbolts logo. But that wasn’t what made her breath turn to ice. It was the rainbow colored streak behind her that was synonymous with one pony that almost everypony in Equestria knew.
“It’s Rainbow Dash! Holy clouds, it really is her!” somepony shouted and in an instant everypony cheered.
Soon enough, Rainbow Dash came down for a gentle landing and waved her hoof at her fans who kept cheering her name. Lightning Dust’s questions as to why she as here of all days was soon answered when she saw a colt, dark blue with a rainbow mane held up by goggles, drop down and land beside Rainbow.
A few ponies, especially the foals, wanted to ask questions or get autographs but Rainbow smiled and held up her hooves. “Woah, guys. I appreciate the attention, but I’m just here to make sure my son gets to his first day of class.”
The crowd began to disperse, but not before shaking hooves with their hero a few times. Midflight was staring at the two with her jaw still open enough to catch a thousand flies. “She’s... She’s... THE Rainbow Dash! The youngest Captain of the Wonderbolts ever and hero of Equestria! She’s one of the council members of the Kingdom of Twilight! Holy smokes, Mommy! We have to talk to her!”
Lightning Dust bit her lip as memories of the last time she had seen Rainbow Dash echoed in her mind. For a long time, she blamed Rainbow Dash for her own faults when her mistakes were on her own. Looking back at the past, jerkish self, that she once was made her feel just as insignificant as what happened after she was expelled. Another thing that scared her was what would Rainbow Dash do when she saw her. Would she dismiss her? Yell at her? Say something that would make her daughter ask questions? Does she even remember me?
Before she could say anything, Midflight already was rushing towards Rainbow Dash and her son. With no other choice, Lightning Dust sighed and walked forward.
“That was so cool, Ms. Dash! You were amazing!” shouted Midflight as she squealed upon seeing her hero gaze at her.
“No problem, squirt. Nice to see a fan appreciate my work. You going to school here too?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Yeah! Is he your son?” asked Midflight, nodding to the colt.
He stepped forward and grinned, holding his hoof out. “Whazzup? I’m Spectrum. And I’m gonna be the best flier in class.”
“Oh really?” said Midflight with an equal competitive grin. “We’ll I’m Midflight, and I’m going to be the best flier in class.”
‘Oh? Wanna test that? How about a race right now!?”
“Bring it!” said Spectrum, flaring his wings as both ponies looked ready to fly out but Rainbow Dash stopped them by putting her hooves upfront.
“Settle down you two,” chuckled Rainbow Dash. “You’ll have plenty of time to see who's better. Besides, it’s always nice to have a friendly rival. Right?” She turned to Midflight and asked, “So where are your parents?”
“My Daddy’s at work, but my Mommy is over there!” said Midflight, pointing to Lightning Dust who gave a nervous wave.
Rainbow’s eyes widen upon seeing Lightning Dust. She turned back to Midflight and then at Lightning Dust before walking forward. She held out her hoof and said, “Nice to see you again, Lightning Dust.” Her tone was neutral, but weary. Not that Lightning blamed her.
Taking the hoof with her own, Dust shook it. “Hello again, Dash.”
The two foals looked at each other, confused, before Midflight walked up to her mother and tilted her head. “You two know each other?”
“A long time ago,” answered Lightning Dust. She smiled at her daughter. “Why don’t you and your new friend go head inside? I’ll pick you up after school.”
“Okay, but I want answers when we get out!” said Midflight, firmly.
She then turned to Spectrum and smirked, “Race to class!”
“You’re on!”
And just like that the two mothers watched their children fly into the school with all the other students. Now alone, the two old partners looked at each other without an expression on either face. Lightning Dust, however, was ready for anything. Yelling. Cold reception. Questions. She was all prepared for all of it. Except for one thing.
Despite the amount of customers that the coffee shop had, Lightning Dust still felt like she was all alone with the one pony she never thought to see again. It wasn’t that she hated or feared Rainbow Dash. It just brought up bad memories of a time when she was at her lowest. Wonderbolt Academy was suppose to be the day her life changed for the better, but she screwed it up and it became the worst.
Rainbow Dash must have been feeling just as uneasy, sitting there and shifting on her chair. Neither of their hot coffee’s had been touched, and Lightning Dust was addicted to the stuff normally.
“So... I haven’t seen you since... well...” Rainbow Dash started, rubbing the back of her neck.
“Since I was suspended?” Lightning Dust finished, with a sigh. She took her coffee and had a long drink before placing it down on the table. “Relax, Dash. I got over that years ago. Becoming a Wonderbolt is an old dream that I put behind. Now all I care about is raising my filly, and making sure her dreams come true.” She raised her cup in salute and smirked. “Important member of Princess Twilight's court, Captain of the Wonderbolts, AND married to your co-captain? Color me impressed. I just didn't know you and Soarin had a colt.”
“Well, you must have worked out alright as well, huh?” said Dash, taking her own cup. “Everything must have worked out in the end.”
Lightning Dust gave a bitter smile. “Yeah, but it wasn’t easily. I had to fight for everything to get where I am. Some days I still can’t believe all the good fortune that happened to me after...” she closed her eyes and gave another heavy sigh. “But you don’t need to hear about my past.”
Dash frowned and placed her hoof on Dust’s shoulder. “Maybe I do.”
Dust looked at that hoof for a long time before nodded. “Alright... it all started after I got suspended...”
***
It hardly ever rained in Cloudsdale. Living in a city of clouds, the pegasi rarely let their own heads get wet since their duty was to make sure the rest of Equestria got rain. There was no need for it since there was nothing to grow and they could get water from the clouds easily. Yet, a rainy day was just what Lightning Dust felt like she was in right now. Only twenty-four hours ago was she a member of Wonderbolt Academy, training for her dream of becoming one of the Wonderbolts.
She had passed with ace results in every test and course. She had proven she was the best of the best. And she had been suspended for full year for her actions that almost lead to the deaths of five ponies. Five ponies who happened to be the famous Elements of Harmony, saviors of the world. One of them was Princess Celestia’s personal student who she had treated like a daughter.
And Lightning Dust, foolishly, played it off like it was no big deal.
Looking back now, Lightning had to wonder what in the seven layers of tartarus was she thinking. He blase attitude about her fellow cadets and elements had earned her the wrath of Spitfire full on. She tried to say that because they were alive nothing was wrong, but the fact that she had even not considered what might have happened if it did was apparently wrong.
She also wasn’t very popular apparently. None of her cadets except Rainbow Dash liked her because she was, apparently, bossy, arrogant, showed off, bragged a lot, and thought herself better than everypony. Was it wrong that she was? None of the other fliers but her and Rainbow Dash had the training and focus to be Wonderbolts. The rest were nothing.
Apparently, the other trainers had the same idea as the cadets. Lightning Dust wasn’t worried at first, thinking that Spitfire would be on her side since she was her favorite.
Well, so she thought.
Rainbow Dash quitting had “opened her eyes” said Spitfire she said she was removing Lightning Dust from leader status to wingpony status until she learned to be a team player. There was an argument, started by Lightning Dust, and soon that punishment grew to suspension.
The moment she heard that word, all confidence and rage in Lightning Dust faded from he and was replaced with something else: fear. She could not be suspended. She would be a failure and she didn’t want to go home as one. Because they would be there and she was sure they already knew about it. They always knew what she was doing or what had happened. No matter how much she tried to hide it or no matter how much of a secret it was, they always found out.
And they always yelled at her when she made a mistake.
Lightning Dust had begged on her knees for a second chance but Spitfire told her she had a second chance and blew it. Now she had to suffer for it. It didn’t matter, her dream was over. Even if she wasn’t outright expelled, being suspended from Wonderbolt Academy was just as good as an explanation. She would never rise higher than the reserve ranks and that was if she was lucky.
All that was left was to head home and face the music.
As she stood at the doors of her house, she could feel her knees quivering in fear at the thought of what her father and mother would say once she stepped inside. A part of her wanted to just leave and come back another day, but that would only make things worse. She was already going to be called a failure, it would be worse if they added cowardliness to it as well.
It must have been twenty minutes before Lightning Dust opened the door and entered the one place she hated more than anywhere else in the world. Her home.
“Lightning Dust! Get in here now!” shouted the voice of her father, no sooner had she stepped one hoof in the house. Lightning Dust winced before letting the rest of her inside and closed the door. Tail and ears drooping, Lightning gulped and slowly walked forward to her fate. If Rainbow Dash or any of the others at the Academy saw me now they would wonder where my bravado had gone.
After what seemed like a century, Lightning Dust made it to the living room which was decked with awards the family had won over the years. Both her parents were retired racers who had tried for the Wonderbolts, but didn’t make the cut. Naturally, they pushed their dreams upon their children despite already wanting to be Wonderbolts. Her trophies were the lowest in number, but each one made Lightning Dust a bit proud of her achievements.
But there was one other who had more love than her. One whose trophies were always polished and placed in public. The stories of each one had been told so many times to strangers that Lightning Dust knew them all by heart. And why wouldn’t she? They were her sister’s after all.
Her parents were sitting in their red comfy chairs by the fireside, glaring at Lightning as if she was appearing before a judge at court. She tried to avoid their hateful glares by focusing on the huge portrait of her sister who she shared the same coat color like their mother, but Vorpal Gust had their mother’s long red mane as opposed to blond.
“Sit,” ordered her father, tapping his hooves together slowly.
Lightning Dust nodded and obey. “I... I’m home.”
“You were expelled,” said her father, cutting to the chase.
“I... was only suspended. I-I-I can still go back-k!” said Lightning Dust, shivering.
“Suspended. Expelled. It doesn't matter, you were kicked out!” shouted her father before he got up and started pacing around. “All that effort training you, all the connections we had, all that effort and you wasted it by getting yourself expelled! You are a failure to this family! You always were!” He was now going red in the face, his light blue fur replaced with red. For a second, it looked like him and her calm, cold staring mother were related. “You were never fully committed to anything you did! We never disciplined you enough! Or maybe you were a lost cause! I don’t know, but you’ve disgraced not just us, but your sister’s name as well!”
“I’m... I’m sorry...” whispered Lightning Dust, doing her best to prevent herself from crying. It would only be worse if they saw her shedding any tears.
“Sorry doesn’t make you successful in life! It makes you weak! You were always weak! You’re sister was stronger and if she was still alive she would have been a Wonderbolt by now, or at least have made you a decent flier,” replied her father as he continued to mutter to himself, his mane getting more out of place with each second. Lightning Dust glanced at her mother. She was still sitting there, staring and silent.
Finally, her father sighed and said, “Go to your room. Stay there until your mother and I have decided what we're gonna do with you. Now.”
Lightning didn’t say anything else. She just nodded and left.
***
Lightning didn’t bother to sleep. She just sat there on her sheetless bed, in the dark, waiting for her parents to decide what they were going to do with her. Everything she owned had been thrown out, leaving a plain white room for her to stare at for hours. By the time the sun had fallen and the moon rose, Lightning Dust wished she had her sister with her now to comfort her. Vorpal may have been the favorite, but she never once stopped being a loving big sister. Vorpal would always be there for Lightning, taking care of her when their parents were too busy focused on her.
In some ways, Lightning Dust wondered if her parents even wanted her at all. They always had focused on her big sister. They gave her best presents, education, love, and adoration. She was Princess Celestia in their eyes and she worked hard to make them proud. Lightning Dust could barely count the number of times Vorpal Gust had ever failed in anything. Everypony loved her, including Lightning Dust. And everypony cried for her when she died, especially Lightning Dust.
She hadn’t lost just a sister, she lost her only friend in the world.
Her parents spent a fully year mourning before they pushed everything on Lightning Dust. They wanted her to be like their lost daughter. They wanted their golden mare back. But no matter what I do it’s never enough! thought Lightning Dust, bitterly, rubbing her eyes. I’m not you, sis. No matter how hard I try, I’m never gonna be like you.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Her mother had calmly entered the room, but still held the piercing glare that still made Lightning Dust’s spine tingle. In some ways, her mother was worse than her father because of her cold attitude. Lightning Dust could remember the days that her mother used to smile, but now all she had was an emotionless mask with a set of eyes that only gave a single look. Rage.
Rage the world for taking her prized daughter away and leaving her with a daughter that was nothing like her.
“You’re father and I have decided what to do with you,” spoke her mother in a monotone. “Tomorrow morning, you will take your clothes and head out.”
“Where are you sending me?” asked Lightning Dust.
“We’re not sending you anywhere,” answered her mother. “You are leaving, and you are never coming back.”
Lightning Dust was sure her heart had stopped the moment she heard her mother finish. “L-leave?! Y-you're kicking me out?!” She slowly got off her bed and made her way towards her mother while shaking so bad she could barely stand. “B-but you can’t do this! I’m your daughter! You can’t just kick me out!”
“You’re not my daughter. I only had one, not a failure like you,” spat out her mother, snarling. “You’ve proven time and time again that all you do is fail us. Every chance you get to make something out of yourself, you waste away because you are weak!”
“I-I can go back! Train twice as hard! Triple times even!” shouted Lightning Dust, falling to her haunches. Lip pouting and ears flatter than ever, she fell to the floor, like she was a worm begging not to be eaten. “Don’t do this to me, please! I have no where else to go!”
“What you do once you leave is none of our concern. You will be dead to us, and we don’t want to see you here again.” With that said, her mother turned away, ready to leave.
Lightning Dust grit her teeth before standing up and screaming, without thinking, “I loved her too!” This made her mother stop as Lightning Dust continued, “You think you and Dad were the only ones to suffer her death?! I lost a sister! And no matter what you wish, she can’t come back and its time you two accepted that! I’m not Vorpal Gust, and I never will be! Why can’t you love me like the daughter you have instead of the one you lost!”
A smack across the face was her mother’s reaction as she growled at Lightning Dust. “How dare you! You are nothing like her! The only thing I can’t accept is that my daughter died and a useless pony like you is alive! She should be here instead of you! I wish you died instead of my baby!”
“News flash, Mother! I am your daughter too!!” shouted Lightning Dust before she marched out of the room and headed for the stairs.
“Where are you going?!” shouted her mother.
“I’m leaving now! What’s the point of waiting around when it’s clear you don’t love me anymore! Or maybe you never did and I was fooling myself into thinking you cared!” shouted Lightning Dust as she flew to the door.
“Well, fine! Go! Go and be somepony else’s burden! You’re dead to us, you hear me! Dead!” shouted her mother on the top of the stairs.
Eyes misting, Lightning Dust turned around and said the words that, deep down, she wanted to say for a long time. “I hate you! I hate you both! And if Vorpal was here too she would agree in saying you are the worst parents ever!”
“GET OUT!
Lightning Dust did just that. She slammed the door shut and flew straight forward. When she was long from her former home, she finally cried.
Lighting Dust’s story was interrupted when Rainbow Dash slammed her hoof on the table, knocking her coffee off onto the floor. The sound nearly made Lighting Dust jump while she was sure all the patron’s eyes were on them now. Snarling, Rainbow Dash shouted, “What kind of parents are those jerks! I can’t believe they threw you out as if you were trash! Augh! I want to kick their tails from here to the moon!” Taking a few deep breaths, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and tried to calm down. “I take it you're not on good terms anymore?”
Shaking her head, Lighting Dust looked at her coffee and glared at it. “I haven’t spoken to my parents since that day and I have no reason too. They want to do nothing to do with their living daughter and instead spend everyday focused on their dead one. I told my family that they were dead to me since I’m dead to them. And I have no intention of seeing them ever again.”
“Do they know where you live? Or that they have a granddaughter?” asked Dash, wiping up her mess with napkins.
‘No, I never want them to know. I’m fine with the way things are and I have no intention of changing them,” answered Lighting Dust.
Smirking, Dash shook her head. ‘I guess we both have had family problems, huh?” Upon seeing Lighting Dust’s raised eyebrow, she answered, “My Dad never approved of me trying to become a Wonderbolt. My Mom was a reserve member and she died in an accident while practicing. I guess now that I’m older I can understand why he acted that way. He didn’t want to lose me. He wasn’t abusive or anything, but he did everything in his power to keep me from my dream. Eventually, I just left home and stopped speaking to him for years until he came to my house one day.”
“Why?” asked Lighting Dust.
“He was dying of cancer and he didn’t want to die with a messed up relationship with his daughter. After some encouragement from my friends, we started talking. A lot. I forgave him and was there when he passed away last year,” muttered Dash, rubbing her eye. “And I thought my childhood was messed up.”
“At least you had a home for three months...” whispered Lighting, earning a look from Dash that screamed “Are you serious?!”. “Yeah, I was without a home, money, or warmth for that entire time.”
***
It never rained or snowed in Cloudsdale, but that didn’t mean it didn’t get cold. Contrary to popular belief, pegasi did get cold it just takes much colder temperatures for it to kick in. Lighting Dust did her best to stop her shivering teeth as she felt the freezing wind whip her in the face as she struggled to find some kind of food in the trash.
Three forsaken months since her parents kicked her out. Three months since she last had a decent meal and a bed to sleep on. The streets were a jungle and a living hell for those without homes. Once, Lighting Dust was like the rest of the population, looking down at the homeless or ignoring them. She even remembered saying they were better off just living on the ground doing nothing. How ironic that she was now one of them.
Very few other hobos talked to her, most were suspicious of her and even threatened her if she came back to their “turf” again. The few that were kind offered her spare old robes and flea homed blankets, along with tips on how to survive. If there was ever a rock bottom, this was it for Lighting Dust.
Everyday she had to search for food in trash cans or even steal if she had a very lucky break. Sure, it was mostly half eaten garbage, but it was better than starving. Sleeping in cardboard boxes that smelled like piss. Having to go to the bathroom right over the edge of a cloud where you had the risk of being seen. Even been jeered and insulted everyday was just a hassle.
She could have gone back to the Academy for help. Maybe even leave Cloudsdale for a new home. But she couldn’t go back, not like this. She couldn’t beg for help, on the street or with ponies she knew. And that was because of pride. The pride that she was still Lighting Dust, awesome flying stunt mare.
All alone with nopony to love her but herself.
“Damnit, nothing,” cursed Lighting Dust as she got out of the dumpster. Rubbing her dirty wings together to keep them warm. Lighting never really cared about her appearance that much, but the dirt on her fur, the messed up and torn mane, and the ruffled feathered wings were something even she wished she could fix.
Making her way down the alley, she gazed at the moon with a deep sigh, wondering why Faust was doing this to her. Then again I haven’t prayed to her since Vorpal died...
Would it hurt to pray again?
“Faust... if you even have the slightest bit of mercy... please help me,” begged Lighting Dust, a tear dripping down her eye. “I’ll change... I’ll pray to you every day... I’ll do anything and everything... just don’t let me suffer like this anymore.”
Taking a deep breath, Lighting Dust turned around to head for her temporary home for the day before moving to another street. However, by the time she fully made the turn, she saw a wooden club heading straight for her face that she didn’t have time to dodge. She felt the blow against her muzzle, a crack echoed in the air followed by the pain of having her nose snap, blood gushing out. She landed on the cloud, hearing nothing but a ringing in her head and the sound of her heart beating over and over again. The pain came back ten fold and she could feel her eyes tearing up.
She tried to get up, spread her wings, get to the air, but another blow against the head sent her back down. The second blow seemed to give her back her hearing as she closed her eyes but still heard the sounds of her attackers.
“Careful, Blitz, don’t want to cause too much noise now. You want to wake up half the neighborhood?”
“Buck you, flankhole. Just be glad I saw this homeless bitch or else we wouldn’t be getting any fun at all. So how are we gonna knock her out before getting tail? Pelt her with rocks? Use our hooves? Smash her face into the walls?”
In an instant, Lighting Dust’s eyes widened and every instinct in her as a mare lit up. Oh, Celestia... they want to...
She tried to get up, but something was keeping her down. Through her blood and tear covered eyes, she couldn’t see the faces of her attackers in the dark, but there were two pegasi and one unicorn, whose horn was alight with a dim blue magical glow. He was holding her down with a spell and she couldn’t do anything.
“Ugh, forget it. I’m not tapping a hobo’s flank. Let’s just kill her and get it over with.”
One of the pegasi walked over and began fondling her rump, making her whimper as she tried to scream for help, but the spell had silenced her as well. “Damn, her flank is good for a homeless bitch.” He leaned closer and smirked. “I bet you're wondering why we’re doing this, right? Well, its simple. Nopony’s gonna miss a homeless nobody like you. But that doesn’t mean we have to rush it.”
“Guys, I don’t know about this. Surely the police will catch on with what we’ve been doing. Maybe we should take the night off,” suggested the unicorn before one of the pegasi backhanded him.
“What are you chicken? Just keep that spell on her and stay of this if you’re that worried. Now hand me the knife.”
“Wanna gang up on her at the end? Like we did with that last one?” asked the other pegasus, before giving Lighting a smack on the face with his hoof. She started cursing every hateful words she knew at this guy. If she wasn’t being held down by the spell, all three of them would be dead.
“Buck, yeah. That as fun. Now let’s get this show on the road. Stay still, pretty girl.”
Lighting Dust felt her blood turn to ice as she felt something sharp slither down her back, just inches away from her neck. This is it? This is how it’s all gonna end? Killed and forgotten in this bucking alley?! Please?! She felt the knife right against her throat, slowly drawing blood. NOT LIKE THIS! NOT LIKE THIS! SOMEPONY HELP ME! SPITFIRE! DASH! MOMMY! DADDY! BIG SISTER! NOOOO!
“What the buck are you bastards doing!?”
Every prayer to Faust that Lighting remember in Sunday School went through her head as she heard somepony rushing towards her. She was tossed aside as the three shouted before she heard the sounds of a fight. All Lighting Dust could do was hold herself and cry as every barrier she had been holding collapsed. She had just almost died. Died.All she could do was cry at anything and everything along with the sounds of broken bones and shouts of pain. She wanted to disappear. She wanted to just imagine her whole life was a dream.
She just wanted to be safe.
She wanted her family back.
The four of them, happy and together. Her big sister teaching her how to fly while her mommy and daddy were watching and clapping as she completed her first flight run. How they went to celebrate with ice cream and cookies. Coming home to a warm fire place where everypony hugged each other on the couch and read books.
She wanted that comfort, that happiness again. To be lost in that time instead of this dark, cold and lonely world. Lighting Dust felt so weak... and yet maybe that’s how she’s always felt.
The last cry of pain was heard from her former attackers then there was silence.
Lightning Dust still didn’t move. Still didn’t open her eyes. All she did was lay there in a ball, frozen to even think. Then she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time as somepony came up to her and slowly wrapped his arms around her. It was warmth.
“It’s okay, child. They’re not gonna hurt you. Yer safe now,” said a voice, strong and full of wisdom.
Slowly, Lighting Dash opened her eyes and red bald pegasus who looked to be in his late fifties. His warm blue eyes spoke of care and gentle kindness.
Before she knew it, Lighting Dust dug her bleeding face into his chest and cried.
***
It had all been a blur after that. The police, the hospital, learning that her attackers were going to jail for a long time. When asked for where she lived, she didn’t tell them. There was no home for her anymore and she didn’t want to go into the streets again. Not after what happened. Apparently, the three half dead flankholes were a gang of serial killers who were already wanted for the death of three other poor, defenseless, homeless ponies. Lighting Dust could have been the fourth if not for the arrival of her savior.
That said savior offered to take her to his house. Any self pride Lightning had wasn’t putting up a fight to accept help, and she took his offer with promises to answer police questions soon. Unable to bring herself to fly, they took a carriage to what had to have been one of the biggest mansions Lighting Dust had ever seen.
Opening the gates, the two were greeted by maids of all things who happily welcomed their master back while also tending to Lighting Dust by taking her rags and directing her towards a hot tub. Lighting Dust didn’t wait a single moment, she was zooming and diving cannonball first in the pool sized tub faster than anypony could blink. The warm water and bubbles made her sigh in relief as the feeling of having an actual bath was almost alien to her after being denied hot water for so long.
The maids soon came and began to scrub her body and mane clean and Lighting Dust had no objections to this. If anything, it was helping her wash away the feeling of that knife right against her throat...
No, don’t think about it... not now...
“Master Redstreak said there is food for you at the dining table when you are done here. He would like to talk to you about where you’ll be sleeping here tonight and more,” said one of the maids, a yellow lemon color pegasus with a light blue mane, named Butter Blue.
“Redstreak... where have I heard that name before?” asked Lighting Dust, as she sank into the water some more.
Butter Blue giggled before saying, “Chances are you know him by his nickname. The Red Daredevil?”
Lighting Dust’s eyes opened in a second as she shot out of the bath and stared at an amused Butter with her mouth wide open. “The Red Daredevil?! That Redstreak?! Retired Commander of the Wonderbolts and known for setting the most records in Wonderbolts history?! The guy who lead missions into dangerous territory and never lost a single member?! One of only fourteen ponies in history to be given the Cross of Harmony?!”
“Yup! That’s our master!” said all the maids at once.
Lighting Dust almost felt her entire body crumble from the revelation. She had been saved by one of the most famous Wonderbolts in modern day history! No wonder those three were beaten to a bloody pulp!
After her bath, a still stunned Lighting Dust was guided towards the dining room where she was, yet again, stunned. The entire table was filled with the one thing she missed most in the world. Food. Honest to Celestia decent food. Salads, sandwiches, fries, drinks, noodles, fried and grilled and baked dishes. Her savior, Redstreak, was on the other end of the dining room, calmly eating mushrooms and fried asparagus. Looking up he grinned.
“Welcome, I didn’t know what you wanted to eat so I had the chefs make a bit of everything.” He lifted his hoof towards the food. “Please, enjoy yourself.”
Lighting Dust didn’t even speak, she just dived for the food and took anything she could get her hooves on. She didn’t bother with a fork or knife, just the sight of all the delicious grub pushed any manners out the window. Tasting warm hot bread and butter, mixed in with daisy sandwiches and hay fries all at once made her eyes cry tears of joy. Her taste buds sang praise as she swallowed it all in one gulp.
Bite after bite. Drink after drink. Everything she could see she tasted. If this was a dream, she never wanted it to end. Lighting Dust finally came to remember, half way eating the whole table, that she was still being watched by Redstreak who was watching with a smile on his face.
Wiping her dirty mouth, Lighting bowed her head. “Mr. Redstreak... I just want to s-say... th-thank you. Thank you, so much. If it wasn’t for you I... I...”
Lighting Dust quickly grabbed her drink of hard cider, promising herself to take a few bottles for the evening to help wipe away tonight’s events. The bad ones at least.
Redstreak raised his hoof. “Just call me Redstreak. The Mr part makes me sound older than I am. Now,” he leaned forward and pressed his hooves together. “Lightning Dust, I know it might be difficult to ask you this, but I need to know your story.”
“M-my story?” asked Lighting Dust.
“Yes, according to the doctor’s scans you showed signs of only recent malnourishment in the past few months and I can tell by your body structure and form that you were an athlete, practically flying material.” He sighed and asked, “So what made a bright kid like you a victim on the streets?”
Lightning Dust didn’t say anything. She just stared at her savior for a long time as her heart debated on what to tell the stallion who she owed her life too.
In the end, she told him everything. Her sister. Her parents. Wonderbolt Academy. Rainbow Dash. Spitfire. Her mistake. The fall out. Being kicked out. Her life on the streets. Everything that had happened to her in life she told him.
By the time she was done, she was crying into her hooves like a baby as he walked over and held her. “It’s going to be okay, Lighting. It’s going to be okay.”
For the first time, Lighting Dust actually believed those words.
Lighting Dust wasn’t surprised when Rainbow Dash rushed over and hugged her. She had expected it since it was a common reaction whenever she told anypony what happened that night. Lighting Dust just sat there before she slowly let her own arms wrap around Rainbow’s barrel and let a single tear slide down her face. Even if it happened years ago, and she never thought about it as much as she used too, it was still one of the most painful memories in her life. It was not the fact that she almost died that scared her, she had been through plenty of life or death situations.
It was the helpless that she hated remembering the most. Being held down, a victim without anyway of fighting back when she had the ability to. The fact that they toyed with her, treating her like some tool to break. She never wanted to be in that position again.
“I’m sorry,” whispered Rainbow Dash as she broke the hug. The two of them realized they were being stared at by the other ponies in the cafe, so the Wonderbolt captain quickly sat back down, blushing. “S-so what happened to those three who attacked you?”
“Well, it turns out they were responsible for the deaths of a few other homeless. Since Cloudsdale is one of the few cities that still has the death penalty, two of them got it via lethal injection two years after they were arrested. Not that I’m shedding tears,” answered Lighting Dust, scoffing. “The third one, the unicorn, was underage for the sentence so he got life imprisonment without parole. Although I last heard he commit suicide three years later after his sentence.”
“Normally, I don’t approve of the death penalty, but I can make an exception here and there,” voiced Rainbow Dash with a scowl. She then turned into a hyperactive fangirl as she rubbed her hooves together and smiled. “So you managed to actually meet Redstreak?! The Red Daredevil! That’s so cool!” Rainbow Dash then had her smile quickly turn into a frown before she lowered her head. “Oh... that’s right... a few years ago he... sorry.”
“It’s okay,” answered Lighting, taking another sip of her coffee. “Dad’s passing... was hard, but I know he’s in a better place.”
“Dad, huh?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “He adopted you?”
“Not necessarily. It was never a fully official adoption, but he was more of a father to me that the one who kicked me out,” answered Lighting Dust.
***
The sound of birds chirping near her window alerted Lighting Dust that the morning had come. Yet all Lightning wanted to do was sleep in the master sized cloud bed that Redstreak had given to her for the night. It had been so long since she had slept in something warm and comfortable that she wanted to just lay there for the rest of eternity. Unfortunately, she wasn’t given that luxury as Butter Blue opened the curtains, letting in the accursed sun onto her face.
“Rise and shine, Lighting Dust,” the cheerful maid proclaimed as she walked over and dragged off the blankets. “Your bath is ready for you, and Master Redstreak would like you to join him for breakfast this morning.”
“Ugh, five more minutes,” muttered Lightning Dust, covering her head with her pillows.
“Well considering you’ve been asleep for two days I think, it would be nice to get some food in your belly,” teased Butter Blue.
Lighting Dust’s eyes widen as she shot straight up. “Two days?! I’ve been asleep for two whole days!”
“Yup,” answered Butter Blue. “You’ve had such a trailing experience that we thought you deserved some rest. But today, the master needs to go over a few things with you if you're going to be living with us.”
“L-living?” whispered Lighting Dust, as she began to wonder if she was dreaming or not. “W-why would the famous Red Daredevil want me to live with him? I mean... why would he do this for a complete stranger?”
Smiling, Butter Blue walked over and sat down besides the stunned homeless flyer. “You’re not the first pony Master Redstreak has helped out over the years. He’s helped many who suffer from substance abuse, domestic abuse, and runaways from home. He’s helped them get back on their hooves, and they’ve managed to do well for themselves thanks to his help. It’s just who the master is.”
“But what does he gain from this?” asked Lighting Dust, trying to see some sort of angle in which he benefited.
“He gets the one thing he wants most: company.” Butter Blue sighed. “The master has no family and most of his teammates from his days as a Wonderbolt have passed on. He’s too old to date, and while he has tons of fans, they only see the Red Daredevil. Not Redstreak himself. We’re like family to him, and those he helps he treats the same. I think he’ll want you to be part of us here in the house since... well, you're a special case.”
Lighting Dust’s shoulders slumped. “You mean my parents, right?”
“Yes,” answered Butter Blue, rubbing the tear eyed pegasus with her wings. “I know what you're going through. My parents and I never talk to each other, we still don’t. They hate me because of who I am, but I had friends and other family members who looked after me and accepted me when I left.”
“Why did your parents hate you? Why did you leave?” asked Lightning Dust, rubbing her eyes.
“... I was born with a colt’s body,” whispered Butter Blue.
Lighting Dust’s eyes widen as she slowly turned around and looked at the female in front of her. “But... how?”
Giggling, Butter Blue answered, “There are some very good magical surgeons in Las Pegasus. Master Redstreak hired me years ago and I was able to save up for the operation. Now I’m happy, employed, I have friends and family who accept me for who I am, I even have a boyfriend.” She pouted. “It doesn’t bother you, does it?”
“N-no! I’m not bothered. Just surprised,” answered Lighting Dust.
Butter Blue let out a small laugh before reaching over and hugged Lighting. “Trust me, I’ve been down that dark path where it seems all is lost. But if you never give up, and trust those who want to help you, you will find happiness.”
A small smile began to stretch on Lighting’s face as she reached over and hugged the maid. Of course, that didn’t last long as she felt the familiar call of nature ready to rip out of her bladder. Then again, two days of being in bed would do that to you. “Um, hate to interrupt this tender and loving moment, but I need the bathroom. And maybe a bath.”
Butter Blue got up and motioned her new friend to follow her.
***
After a long time in the bathroom, Lighting Dust emerged from the second floor while admiring the mansion she was apparently going to live in now. If only my parents could see me now. Ha! The look on their faces. Lighting frowned as she nearly smacked herself for thinking of them again. All it did was bring back the feeling of being cold, alone, and hungry. I’ll show them. Just like Butter Blue said, I can make it in this world without them if they don’t want to do anything with me anymore! That can be my revenge! Living for myself instead of them or the dead memory of my sister!
Lighting Dust soon found herself back in the dining room where there was not only Redstreak, but a second pony she never expected to see again. When she turned around and saw Lightning Dust, the newcomer found herself saluting just like old time. “C-Captain Spitfire, Ma’am!”
Dressed in her officer uniform, the captain stared at Lighting Dust with calm and sympathetic eyes. A very different expression compared to the last time they had seen each other. Walking over, Spitfire put a hoof on her Lighting Dust’s shoulder. “Relax, Lighting Dust. You don’t need to salute to me.”
“S-sorry, force of habit,” said Lighting Dust, raising an eyebrow. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought it would be best to inform Captain Spitfire about what’s been going on since your were suspended from the Academy. She rushed right over to see if you were alright,” answered Redstreak.
Although a part of her was peeved for Redstreak telling other ponies what happened to her, she couldn’t find it in her heart to hate the stallion who saved her. “I’m surprised, I thought you hated me, Ma’am.”
Spitfire shook her head. “I don’t hate you, Lighting Dust. I think you're talented. Very talented. But you were arrogant and a show off, and I was annoyed by your attitude. But I wasn’t better off when I started out. I was like you in many ways.” She sighed. “My plan was to suspend you so there could be a cooling off moment between you and your other cadets, then work on improving your attitude with some hard training. Had I know what was going to happen to you...”
“Don’t blame yourself, my parents are just a bunch of flankholes,” growled Lighting Dust.
“You still could have come back to the Academy. I could have done something,” said Spitfire.
Lighting Dust was about to say something but Redstreak got between them. “Ladies, what’s done is done. The point is we’re here to discuss Lighting’s future.”
“My future?” asked Lighting Dust, raising her eyebrow.
Redstreak sighed. “I’m sorry, Lightning Dust. I went to go talk to your parents and tell them about the situation. At least just the homeless part, I said nothing about the attack.”
“... I guess that’s fine,” replied Lighting Dust, narrowing her eyes. “Next time ask me.”
“Noted. They didn’t seem to care, if anything they seemed to only have one daughter in their lives and if what you told me last night is true she’s been dead for a long time.” Redstreak shook his head. “Some parents are too stuck in the past or in their own grief they forget what’s in front of them.”
“So my parents don’t want me. Nothing new,” replied Lighting Dust, rolling her eyes.
“Well, you need a place to stay, and with no income you are left with little options,” replied Redstreak before smiling. “Which is why I want you to live here, and work as one of my maids.”
Despite knowing this was a possibility earlier, Lighting Dust couldn’t help but open her mouth a bit in shock. “R-really? Why?”
“You are in need of help, and I wish to help you,” said Redstreak. “Of course, you will have to earn your keep around her. The other maids will teach you the ropes, and you’ll be given a home, food, and a paycheck with benefits such as sick days. You are free to live here as long as you like until you wish to leave on your own free will.”
“I... I... thank you,” said Lightning Dust as she slowly walked over and hugged the stallion. She held back her tears because of Spitfire who was looking at them with a warm smile. “I’ll do whatever I can to pay you back for your kindness.”
“It’s okay, Lighting Dust. This is your home now.”
Home.
It was a home. Her home. Their home.
“I’d like to offer you something, Lightning,” said Spitfire, interrupting the moment. “I’m willing to let you back into the Academy to give you another shot. What do you say?”
Spitfire raised her hoof and Lighting stared at it. She slowly raised her own hoof to shake it, but stopped. She thought about this chance. Another chance to join the Wonderbolts. She thought of her family, her sister, and everything connected to it.
Is this... is this really what I want? For so many years, she had been pushed to be part of the Wonderbolts in memory of her long departed sister. But was that my dream? Or just Vorpal’s? Or was it only my parents?
Sighing, Lighting Dust lowered her hoof. “I’m sorry, Spitfire. But I must decline.” Raising her head, she looked into the captain’s confused eyes with her own determined stare. “Becoming a Wonderbolt... I don’t think it was ever my dream. It was something forced upon me when my sister died since it was her dream. I loved my sister, I still do, but I’m not her. My parents tried to turn me into her, but all that did was cause us to drift further apart. My sister’s been gone for a long time, but we’re still holding onto her like we’re trying to believe she’s still here. My parents... they’ve become who they are because they can’t let go. I have to learn to let go, and that means letting go of a dream I may not want.” She bowed her head. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to try becoming a Wonderbolt anymore. I need to find my own path in life.”
Spitfire was silent for a bit before she nodded her head. “Okay. I understand. It’s shame, but I’ll respect your wishes.”
“Just one last thing,” said Lighting Dust. “Don’t tell anypony else about happened to me, especially Rainbow Dash. I... I think it’s best if we left things as they were.”
“Alright,” replied Spitfire as she made her way towards the exit. “Well, if that’s everything, then I wish you luck, Lighting Dust. Maybe we’ll see each other again sometime.”
“I’d like that, Ma’am.”
Spitfire chuckled. “You can call me by my name you know.”
“I’ll work on it, Spitfire.”
With one last nod, Spitfire exited through the front doors and Lighting Dust let out a breath of air she didn’t know she had been holding in. I just let go a second chance at the Wonderbolts. Man, I must be crazy.
Redstreak walked over and placed his wing over her body. “You going to be okay?”
Lighting Dust sighed, but it was a refreshing one. She smiled and began to feel a balloon float inside of her as she looked at the one she would be working for. “Yeah. I’m sure.”
Two years had passed and Lighting Dust could honestly say she had been the happiest in her life since before her sister died. Working as a maid took some time, especially when she hadn’t done anything like it before, but Butter Blue and the others were able to help her out. Speaking of which, Butter Blue was quickly become her best friend, as the transgender maid had taken the young pegasus under her wing and taught her everything.
Redstreak quickly became more than a master to Lighting Dust, he became the closest friend she had. He always treated her with a smile and asked her about her day, sometimes inviting her and the other maids to eat with him. He even taught her a few flying tricks that she never imagined learning before. Even Spitfire would sometimes come over (apparently Redstreak had been one of her teachers at the Academy) and fly with Lighting Dust, quickly becoming another friend. Redstreak wasn’t even a terrible boss either… in fact he was perfect. If she made a mistake he made sure to correct her politely instead of yelling at her like her parents did. He let her take days off and breaks, and made sure to pay her on time. Sometimes he offered to just talk if she needed to get things off her chest, which was a lot considering what she had been through.
She didn’t even think about her parents that much, finding solace that she was happy without them and didn’t need to reflect on them. She still hated them, and she wasn’t sure if she would ever forgive them, but a part of her pitied them. They couldn’t get past Vorpal’s death and it had destroyed the two ponies that raised Lighting Dust, the ones who loved her and treated her with kindness. Even if years down the road they wanted to finally realize their mistake the damage was already done, and whatever bonds they had were gone forever.
It was a sad thing, when she really thought about it, but she wasn’t going to let it overcome her. She had a new life, one that she was perfectly content with. Yet, she wanted more.
While being a maid for a while with a home and food was nice, Lighting Dust still didn’t know what she wanted to do. She tried racing for a while, but she always outbeat her opponents so there was no challenge to it. She thought about going to school like college, with Redstreak even offering to fund her tuition, but decided to hold on that for another year if nothing came up. Then there was the military, but that was soon shot down when Spitfire told her that since she quit the academy she had technically quitted the military as well. After all, the Wonderbolts were not just entertainers, they were a military unit as well.
It seemed that Lighting Dust was never going to find her calling in life, until destiny decided to be kind to her once more.
***
Lightning Dust, in her maid outfit, was dusting the railway of the stairs when she heard the doorbell ring. “I got it!” shouted Lighting Dust as she placed her feather duster on her back and gently flew down to the door. After undoing the locks she opened it up and smiled, “Welcome to Master Redstreak’s home-Princess Luna?!”
Indeed it was the said Princess of the Night, flanked by two of her night guards. Rarely did anypony see her during the day except for special occasions. Remembering her manners, Lighting Dust bowed for her co-ruler as the night princess said, “arise, young servant. We are here to meet with your master on an important subject.”
“Of course, I’ll bring him to you at once,” said Lighting Dust as she rose. She guided the princess and her guards down the hall where other maids had seen them and started whispering to each other. It wasn’t a surprise after all. How many ponies saw royalty this close?
Eventually, they made it to the study room where Redstreak was working on some papers. When he saw who it was that was interrupting him, he smiled and got up from his seat. “Ah, Princess Luna. You’re sister told me that I would be expecting you. Please have a seat,” he said as he pointed to some cushions.
“Thank you, do you have tea? My guards and I are a bit parched from our journey,” asked the princess as she sat down.
“Of course. Lighting Dust?” asked Redstreak as the maid stood in attention. “Some tea and biscuits, please?”
“At once, Master,” said Lighting Dust, bowing. She quickly left the room to make her way to the kitchens when he saw Butter Blue holding a tray out already for her with Redstreak’s favorite tea and biscuits.
“He always orders this for his important guests. Quickly!” said Butter, handing the tray over.
Lighting Dust thanked her friend and quickly flew as carefully as she could back to the study where he knocked on the door. After being let in by one of the guards, Lighting Dust placed the tea and biscuits out on the table. Princess Luna poured herself a cup while speaking, “Has my sister told you anything about my plans?” She then eyed Lighting Dust and raised an eyebrow. “And perhaps we should remove the maid as well since this is a matter of state secrets.”
Redstreak waved his hoof. “We can trust Lighting Dust. She will not reveal anything to anypony, I promise.”
Princess Luna eyed a very nervous Lighting Dust for a few minutes before turning away. “Very well, we shall trust your judgment. Now, again, what do you know of my plan?”
“Only a few details here and there, but I would love to hear it from you,” answered Redstreak with a smile.
“Well, I have had some... concerns about the Wonderbolts for some time. It is not that they are not talented or unprofessional, but my sister prefers to use them more for the scheduled events for moral and strength through aerodynamic feats,” said Luna, sipping her tea. “I don’t doubt that such an action hasn’t had a positive impact on our subjects. They do love seeing a Wonderbolts show, as do I as a matter of fact. However, the Wonderbolts are still military and while we may have peace with most of our former enemies now than we did a thousand years ago, we cannot assume that other parties are not calculating our military strength today.”
Lighting Dust, who stood ready if she was need, did her best to hold in her thoughts that Princess Luna was being paranoid, but she then remembered the changeling invasion, Tirek, and the recent cult attack by a unicorn lead by Starlight Glimmer who was still wanted for her actions. Even if no country dare go to war against Equestria, there were still those who wanted to disturb the harmony they had for their own dark reasons.
“As such, I decided that we should have a fully militarized and black ops flying divisions trained with Wonderbolt tactics and training, but with additional methods that would suit for night operations, blitz attacks, and assassinations,” continued Luna with a smirk. “I call it Project: Shadowbolts.”
“An interesting plan, your Majesty,” answered Redstreak finishing his tea. “One that I approve of as well.”
“Then you will agree to help find worthy candidates and help with the training?” Asked Princess Luna, leaning forward.
Redstreak chuckled. “I suppose I might as well do one last service to the crown. Heaven knows I get bored sitting on my old rump all day with nothing to do.”
“Excellent,” said Luna as she stood up and shook hooves with Redstreak. “We look forward to working together with a flying legend such as yourself. We shall start training in four weeks time. Please forward any possible candidates to me for interviewing. Farewell for now.”
Her guards escorted out Princess Luna, as Lighting Dust turned to her master once the room was filled with only them. “Are you really going through with this, Master Redstreak? Didn’t you say you were happy being retired?”
“I was happy, yes, but I’m even happier if I can do something to help my country,” proclaimed Redstreak as he got up and turned to the Equestrian flag that was held on the wall. “You can’t tell a good soldier to stop being a soldier, because he doesn’t need the uniform to be one. It’s the discipline they teach you that stays with you all the way.”
He then turned to Lighting Dust with a smile. “You know, you might be good to put your name in.”
“M-m-me?” asked Lighting Dust, eyes widened.
“I haven’t just been training you to be a better flyer just so you can waste your days in this old house with a dustpan and broom,” chuckled Redstreak as he walked over and put his hoof on her shoulder. “You’re a natural flyer, Lightning Dust. And it would be a crime to have you not put that talent to good use.”
“But I don’t want to be a Wonderbolt, isn’t this like them?” asked Lighting Dust.
“Not at all. The Wonderbolts are mostly used for entertainment rather than missions like in the old days, and even their missions are mostly reconnaissance or aerial battles,” said Redstreak with a rare serious tone. “This would be a pure black ops group, one that deals with night raids and swift strikes against key enemy locations. We may not be at war, but we are also on the look out for dangerous changeling hives, and other such foes. I don’t need to remind you of the Manehatten firebombing incident caused by the Cult of Equality a few months ago.”
Lighting Dust winced in remembering the headlines. The Cult of Equality, lead by a wanted Starlight Glimmer, had planted timed firebombs in all five boroughs of Manehatten. The fires raged for hours with hundreds dead and thousands more injured. The Cult of Equality claimed responsibility for the attack and were not the number one wanted group in Equestria.
“Groups like that exist and need to be taken out,” said Redstreak. “I won’t force you to do this, but I would like to know that somepony I respect and trained is going to help me with this team.”
Lighting Dust looked into his grandfather like eyes that held both pride and hope. She, like many others, had been disgusted by what had happened and the thought of helping ponies with her speed again did draw her in.
With a big smile, she nodded her head. “Okay, I’ll do it!”
“You’re a member of the Shadow-phhhff!” Lighting Dash’s hoof had quickly covered Rainbow Dash’s mouth before she could say any more. A few heads turned in their direction, but after glaring back at them, they quickly went back to their own business. After giving Rainbow Dash a warning glare, she removed her hoof from the Wonderbolt’s mouth, cleaning it with a napkin.
Dash, quickly clearing her mouth out with some water they had on their table, whispered, “Sorry, but you’re a Shadowbolt?”
“Was a Shadowbolt. I stopped being one once my daughter was born to be a full time mom,” said Lighting Dust, as she raised an eyebrow. “How did you know about us? Only Princess Luna, Captain Spitfire, and a few others know of its existence.”
The whole group was “un-official” in all but writing. The idea of the group was to have a black ops squad of top flyers who could do missions at night while standing by for any other emergency. Princess Luna had specifically requested that the group be declassified along with all the names of anypony involved with the special ops group from the flyers themselves to the uniform tailors.
“I heard about it a few years ago. You’d be surprised how much scuttlebutt gets around the military the higher you go up in rank,” answered Rainbow Dash, looking at Lighting Dust in awe. “Man, it must have been so cool to be going on top secret missions all the time”
“They weren’t easy, but they were exciting in their own way. We rarely ever lost a single squad member too, that was what impressed Princess Luna the most,” said Lighting Dust proudly.
“We’re you Captain too?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“No, I wasn’t even Lieutenant. I was actually the team’s scout since I was the fastest and stealthiest of the team,” answered Lighting Dust proudly, “I once snuck into a changeling base for intel on a possible rough changeling attack that was to happen in Dodge Junction. I got in, got out, and they arrested the changeling the next day.”
“How was the training? Brutal?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“More like a living tartarus,” moaned Lighting Dust as she banged her head on the table. “Captain Spitfire’s training has nothing on Princess Luna. She’s practically a slave driver and she pushed us to our limits and beyond each night. Still, her training did keep us alive so that’s something to be grateful for."
“What was it like?”
“….Well..”
***
The big day had come at last. It was time for Lighting Dust to see if she had what it took to be a Shadowbolt. She had trained every day with Redstreak since deciding to follow his advice and join up for the chance of being part of Equestria’s newest flying force.
The training was going to take place in a remote and secret Wonderbolt base that was abandoned a hundred years ago, but recently been fixed to become the Shadowbolt’s new base of operations. A guide would bring them to the base, which was right at the top of Mt. Moonblade, a mountain up the north near the Crystal Mountains that separated Equestria from the Crystal Empire.
The base itself was part of the mountain, carved and designed to have most of the base inside the rocky structure, while the training grounds and entrance was on a platform outside. Landing on the large platform, Lighting Dust saw a lot of training equipment from her days at the Wonderbolt Academy such as the dizzatron, but there were also new obstacles such as automatic crossbows, electric barriers, and even what looked to be a magical mine field.
“Princess Luna really is serious about this, huh?” asked Lightning Dust to Redstreak as he landed beside her.
“Yes, if you’re not careful you will end up seriously hurt in these trials. That is why you must focus and be on your guard for anything,” addressed Redstreak, now talking in the commanding and respectable voice that had lead the Wonderbolts for over twenty-nine years.
All around the landing area were trainers and assistants, some of which Lightning recognized from the Academy. What really stood out was the appearance of the Lunar division of Equestria’s army. They were all setting things up or guiding those who were carrying travel bags with them such as Lighting Dust. Those with the bags, easily recognized as recruits, were heading inside the mountain where she spotted a silver magical barrier that blocked the cave entrance of the base.
“This is where we part, Lighting. I cannot help you once you are through that barrier,” said Redstreak, getting her attention. Despite the seriousness in his voice, he still held a warm smile that made Lighting Dust want to say something she had wanted to say for a long time, ever since he rescued her. However, she let him continue to speak. “You’ve trained hard, and you have a good head on your shoulders. I know you will succeed in becoming a Shadowbolt, but even if you don’t, I want you to know that I am proud of how far you have come since I first met you in that ill-fated meeting. Never forget that you are like family to me and I will always treasure you as such.”
“Thanks, I hope to make you proud…” Lighting Dust took a deep breath, as she whispered the one word she wanted to call Redstreak for the longest time. “… Dad.”
It was soft enough so that only Redstreak could hear, and the widening of his eyes made it clear that he had heard what she said. Deciding to go before he could say anything else, Lighting Dust hugged him and quickly flew towards the barrier without waiting for a response.
A unicorn Lunar Guard stopped her from going in. “Halt. State your name.”
“Lightning Dust.”
The other guard, a bat pony, looked at a list he had in front of him before nodding to his unicorn partner. “You are free to enter. The other recruits are in the mission briefing building. Three entrances to your right. Good luck.”
His horn glowed as the barrier went down. Lighting Dust took a deep breath before walking into the mountain…
***
Lighting Dust was half berating herself for just going out there and saying “Dad” to Redstreak, while the other half was gawking over what the base looked like inside. The cave was smoothed out into one giant hallway that was half the size of the palace in Canterlot. Floating above the deep abyss were giant rock bases that were the size of the small island districts in Cloudsdale. Each one had ebony towers and buildings made from obelisk metal, the darkest metal there was and twice as strong as steel.
There were holographic symbolic pictures that gave a clear idea which building was for what such as pillows for the barracks, swords for the armory, and a dumbbell for the training room. The entire place was bigger than the entire Wonderbolts Academy, and designed better (if the black metal buildings, waterfalls, and glittering gems above like stars said anything).
After gawking at the sights she quickly remembered why she was here, and made her way to the building the guard mentioned. Said building had Princess Luna’s cutie mark as the hologram sign. A few guards posted at the doors saluted her before she entered the building and down the silvery halls, following the painted arrows on the walls.
They guided her towards a set of double doors that lead into a massive chamber building with seats surrounding a circular stage and a giant glowing blue crystal floating in the middle. Inside the seats, or hanging around in groups near them, were the other candidates, consisting of both pegasi and bat ponies.
A few of them glanced over at her, but they soon went back to their own business. Some were in conversation with each other while some were sitting alone. Lighting Dust shifted her weight a bit, unsure of what to do. If this was the old her, she would have been already strolling around like she owned the place and impressing the others with some daring tales of her talents.
But that was the same Lighting Dust who got everypony else hating her, nearly caused five mares to lose their lives, and get kicked out of the Academy.
Taking a deep breath, Lighting Dust just casually walked over to an open seat next to a bat pony who had long dark blue hair and a scar on his cheek. Staring at it, Lighting Dust soon saw his gaze turned to her and she was about to apologize for staring when he smiled at her. It was a warm smile, almost gentle in a way. Not what you would expect from a bat pony. They were always so mysterious and emotionless towards others that most often thought of them as rude.
Glad to see that’s not true in this case, thought Lighting Dust as she gave a smile back.
Suddenly, the doors slammed open and almost everypony jumped. Princess Luna, along with two of her guards, had just arrived. Following her were Captain Spitfire, and a male bat pony in Lunar Armor that Lighting assumed was the head of the Lunar Guard. Everyone had rushed to their seats to sit in as Princess Luna arrived at the stage and lit up her horn.
The gem behind her began to glow and showed an image above like a projector which was like the logo of the Wonderbolts, but instead of pegasi wings it was bat pony wings and the moon was seen behind the lightning bolt.
“Greetings, mares and stallions who have been chosen to attend. You have all been selected to compete against one another for a chance to be part of a new atrial combat team that is designed for covert ops and night strikes. You will be the shadows that shall swallow those who commit injustice. You will be the secret dagger of Equestria that shall strike her enemies in the night and without warning. You shall answer to me and me alone,” said Princess Luna before she showed the Shadowbolt uniforms which Lighting Dust had to admit were really cool looking. “This will be a small squad consisting of only nine members. As such, not all of you will make it. Those who do not pass shall have their memories wiped of this base’s location and all the faces associated with it. You will remember you tried out for the Shadowbolts, but nothing more.”
Luna’s face began to darken. “This training will be unlike anything you faced. There will be times when your life is at risk, but this is the life you will lead as a Shadowbolt. You will cry, sweat, and even curse my name when we are done. But you will become the fliers of the night should you survive and pass.” A few pegasi began to sweat at this point and look worried. “If you wish to leave now the door is open and the guards outside the base will erase your memory.”
A few ponies managed to get up and leave, but there were still at least seventeen fliers left. Princess Luna continued to look at them for a bit before continuing. She charged her horn again and showed one of Equestria’s most wanted criminals: Starlight Glimmer. “This is our main target. Starlight Glimmer, who leads the Equalist Cult. She is wanted for acts of terrorism against the state. She currently has followers hidden from us in all areas of Equestria, our first major campaign will be to take her out, but only after we have our team.”
“For now, take rest and prepare for training tomorrow. And be prepared for anything. Dismissed!”
As soon as Luna had given them permission to be dismissed, Lighting Dust quickly headed for her room. From what she remembered, she would be sharing it with another pony. Back at the Wonderbolts Academy, she shared a single big room with all the other cadets like a proper military training camp.
Having had her own room for so long, Lighting wondered if it was going to be like back at the Academy. When she was there, most of the other cadets always hung out, talked with each other, or played games like poker. She had refused to take part with the others since she saw them all as competition. Even with Rainbow Dash, her wingpony, she left their interactions to only the field and training.
I’m not going to be like that this time, thought Lighting Dust as she used her keys to unlock her room, showing a simple sized area with two beds, desks, and dressers on opposite ends of the wall. They are competition, but they are also going to be my comrades. I’m not going to make the same mistakes that I made at the Academy. I’m going to be better than the old Lighting Dust.
“Hello?” said a male voice that knocked Lighting Dash out of her thoughts. She turned around and saw a bat pony stallion enter with a bag around his shoulder. “Sorry. This is room 3-A, right?”
“Yes,” answered Lighting Dust with a nod.
He smiled as he walked over to the left bed and placed his bag on it. “You must be my new roommate. My name’s Shade Strife. Nice to meet you,” he said as he held out his hoof.
Lighting took a good look at him. Average weight. Average height. Same dark purple and black hair most batpony’s have. Powerful wings, seems more build as a hard hitter then a speedster like me. She then checked out this cutie mark and saw bat wing made out of shadows. Guess he’s a night hunter. No surprise considering his species. His eyes are kinda cute though. She smiled as she stared into his piercing green eyes and shook his hoof. “Lighting Dust, nice to meet you too.”
“So, you excited for first day of training tomorrow,” he said as he started taking out his clothing and belongings from his bag. “I hear it’s gonna be a nightmare.”
“Whether it’s a nightmare or not, I’m going to ace it and become a Shadowbolt,” said Lighting Dust, deciding to follow suit.
“Confident, huh? Well, let’s both do our best. I really wanna try something different than being a Lunar Guard like my parents,” said Shade, folding a few t-shirts.
Lighting Dust bit her lip upon hearing these words. Is he like me?
“Do they...” she drifted out a bit before stopping, which got her roommates attention. “... do they want you to be a Lunar Guard.”
“Well, they said it would be nice to continue the family tradition. I mean, most bat ponies become Lunar Guards anyway,” chuckled Shade with a shrug. “But they said I could be whatever I wanted. Being a Lunar Guard sounds okay, but I wanna try something different. You know?”
“R-right,” Lighting Dust said, sighing in relief. Guess he’s not like me. His parents gave him a choice.
“What about your folks?” asked Shade with a smirk. “Same as mine? Or different.”
The mentioning of her own parents made Lightning Dust almost squish her bottle of shampoo, before she took a deep breath and sighed. “My parents and I… we no longer speak to each other.”
“Oh...crud, sorry,” muttered a wincing Shade. “Now I feel bad...”
“It’s okay,” said Lighting, quickly as she shook her head. “I have another father. And he’s been the best.”
“Well, I won’t ask for details. Not my place. Plus, I don’t want to pressure my new friend,” said Shade.
Lightning's eyes widened. “F-friends?”
“Yeah, we are friends. Right?” asked Shade with a nervous smile.
“Of course! Just a bit surprised is all,” said Lighting Dust with a light blush as she turned around and went back to focus on unpacking. I have a friend...
***
When they said it was going to be a nightmare, they weren’t kidding. The very first exercise that the team had to do was fly through the mountain passes, including a narrow underground mine, and through a windstorm. Needless to say, there were a few who dropped out immediately after it was over or just quit halfway. Lighting Dust and Shade Strike, however, kept on going despite the challenge.
As days went by, they found themselves facing harder and harder tasks from carrying wounded teammates under fire (dull arrows thankfully), stealth tactics against veteran Lunar Guards with harsh punishments if you were caught, and training to kill by killing wildlife such as bears and mountain lions. Time went on and the list of trainees became narrower and narrower.
But through this training, Lighting Dust and Shade Strike became quite the team. When Shade had to carry Lighting Dust through the arrows with her as a wounded soldier, he swiped through them with his wings and never let a single one touch her. He got hit a few times, but never once her. And when they were up at the final stage of the stealth training, Lighting acted as a distraction while Strike retrieved the flag, with both able outfly their pursuers.
And in combat? The two were the best. Lighting Dust with her fast strikes that would damage an enemy units defences before Shade finished them off with one powerful blow. A perfect combo of speed, power, and teamwork. Other cadets started seeing this and began to partner up with those best matched with their own set of skills, and soon the number of dropouts began to lessen.
Seen as the Alphas of the team, the other applicants respected the two and treated them as their commanding officers. While the old Lighting Dust would have been filled with glory and pride at this, the new one was just happy to have so many friends. She didn’t have time for such things while training under her parent’s orders to be a Wonderbolt, but now she could control her own destiny.
All her efforts were soon going to pay off now that the final test was in two days. As a reward, the rest of the trainees had two days off to rest and relax for the test. Some of them decided to have a party while others just wanted to sleep. Lighting Dust was on the latter’s side.
She rested on her pillow while she could hear the rave music thumping off the walls, but she didn’t mind. It was actually quite good. Her partner was dancing with the rest of the gang who decided to go to the party, but she didn’t mind. Although in her mind, she couldn’t get rid of the image of him dancing off those sweet, sweaty, and sexy flanks to the music. Back and forth. Up and down. Those toned muscles bouncing up and down while his tail was moving just enough to see... well... you know.
A big red blush appeared on Lightning Dust’s cheeks as she smiled to herself and hugged her pillow, pretending it was her partner right beside her. She supposed it was a bit cliche that she had fallen for her roommate like some teenage romance novel, but she couldn’t help it. Shade Strike was handsome, kind, fast, and trustworthy. She even dared share her past to him and not once did he blab about it to the others. Instead, he just held her and told her if she ever wanted to talk he was there for her.
How could she not fall for him after that?
The sound of the door opening made her sit straight up as Shade walked in, wiping sweat off his face with a towel. He noticed her staring and smiled back. “Hey there. Missed quite a party.”
“Is it over?” asked Lighting Dust, rising from her bed.
“Nah, but I wanted to get out before I started drinking too much... or if Ebony started hitting on me again,” muttered Shade, rolling his eyes.
“Ebony was hitting on you?” said Lighting Dust with full alert as well as a drive to go find miss Ebony and shove a lightning bolt up her plot.
“Trying too and failing miserably,” answered Shade with a snort. “She’s as subtle as a dragon in a zebra crowd. I made sure to let her know that I was not interested at all.” With his back turned, Lighting Dust made a small “yes” while pumping her hoof in the air. She then went back to acting calmly as possible when he faced her. “Not that Ebony isn’t nice, but she’s way too much of a bubble head for me to date her. Besides...” he gave a soft sigh. “I kinda like somepony else already.”
He was staring at her.
By Celestia’s underpants, he was staring at her.
Lighting Dust gulped as she got up and smirked. “Oh? This is new? Why haven’t you told her yet?”
“Because maybe I’m nervous... and chatting like crazy because of the drinks I had...” muttered Shade, though he still kept his smile. “Or.... maybe I wanna tell her incase one of us fails tomorrow. And he doesn’t want regrets.”
The two of them drew closer, eyes focus on one another. “Do I know this mare?” asked Lighting, adding a little bounce to her flank as she stepped forward.
“Maybe,” answered Shade. “She’s beautiful. Strong willed. Gorgeous blond mane. Has quite a temper though.”
“She’s working on it,” said Lighting as they were now only a hoof inch apart. Leaning forward she whispered while caressing his smooth chest. “So why do you want to tell this mare your feelings now?”
“Because this stallion doesn’t want to regret never telling the most amazing partner he had how wonderful she is,” answered Shadow as he leaned forward.
“Maybe this mare wants what you want as well...” said Lighting Dust as she slowly put her hooves around his neck and narrowed her eyes into a lustful glance. “What if she wants you... and likes you too?”
Shade leaned forward and nuzzled her. Lightning groaned as his soft fur gently caressed her and she wished to just grab him then and there. “Then I guess I would have to do this...” he slowly moved over to her lips and a second later they were connected. Lightning moaned as the two of them pressed their muzzles together, tasting each other as a warm glow began to spread around her, from her stomach to her head.
She kissed even harder, her eyes closed as their hooves slowly slid down from their necks to their backs. Wrapped in embrace, all sense of anything else in the world was gone. Just this kiss. Her first kiss. Their first kiss.
Lighting pushed him forward, slowly taking dominance as he fell onto his bed, but their kiss still stayed connected. They separated just seconds after for air as she stared into his eyes. Those hypnotic sexy eyes that she adored ever since she first met him. Lightning lowered herself again, this time nipping and kissing his neck and making him the one to moan.
She nearly gasped upon feeling his hooves touch her rump, but all it did was make her want him more. Fraternization wasn’t really against the rules despite being discouraged. Still, if this was their last night together before the big test that would make or break them...
“... Do you want me?” asked Lighting Dust, whispering in his ear. The brightness in his cheeks and wide eyes expression he gave made her giggle. “I... I want you to be my first...”
“Lighting, we don’t have too,” said Shade, slowly getting up. “I don’t want you because of sex I want you because... I like you. I really like you.”
Lighting smiled and nuzzled him again. “I know, but... if neither of us make it... or one of us makes it and the other doesn't’t... I still want to have a great memory...” Lighting kissed him again, this time taking full control as she put her tongue in and let it explore his mouth for a few minutes before break it up. “Please?”
He didn’t need to say anymore. He took her by the waist and got on top of her.
“So how was the test? Was it super hard? Did anypony die? Did you guys have to fight a dragon or go through a hurricane?” asked Rainbow Dash at the edge of her seat. Lighting Dust found it amusing to see this from her, but she was glad this side of the rainbow maned pegasus hasn’t changed. It was one of the things she liked about Dash while they were friends at the Academy.
“Well, nopony died, I can tell you that. The rest... I don’t know,” confessed Lightning Dust with a shrug. She did her best to keep her smirk down as she took a sip of her coffee while Dash just stared at her, flabbergasted.
“What?! How the hay can you not know the final training?! The way you described everything leading up to it sounded worse than my training to make it into the Wonderbolts! And Spitfire is a demon drill sergeant from Tartarus!” shouted Rainbow Dash which earned her a few “shhhs” from nearby patrons.
“The final test was suppose to be a secret. Apparently, Princess Luna wanted to make it that way so she had our minds wiped of the event. They do the same thing for the Lunar Guards as well,” said Lighting Dust, not really caring about it. “However, we learned we all passed and were now officially Shadowbolts. There was no ceremony for the whole thing. We were given our uniforms, our equipment, and were told we had a week off to celebrate with our families.”
“What about you and Shade?” asked Rainbow Dash with a smirk. “You both sound like me and Soarin when I became an official member of the team. Only you didn’t get drunk.”
That made Lighting Dust laugh as she tried to imagine such a scene before answering. “Me and Shade talked a lot and we wanted to continue being an couple. I loved him, what can I say?” Lighting warmly looked into her coffee and smiled. “Going home, we had a party for me becoming a member of the Shadowbolts. Dad made it just for us and all the maids in the house...”
***
Lighting couldn’t remember the last time she had partaken in such a wild party. The biggest ones she ever had were at her family's place for Hearth's Warming Eve and her sister’s birthday. Not that she didn’t get any birthday’s too, but they were never as big as Vorpal Gust. But this time, all of these presents, decorations, and food were for her. All set up by her family. Her real family.
They were all proud of her. Redstreak. Butter Blue. Everyone else too. The moment she stepped into the house they all shouted “Surprise! Congratulations!” From then on the party had officially began. A lot of the maids had dragged her around, asking her to play games or tell them what it was like in training. Of course, most of it she couldn’t tell, but she did tell them about Shade which earned her endless teasing from her friends.
Redstreak had watched her with a proud look in his eyes, sometimes chatting and making sure everything was okay. Lightning, who had never felt pride directed at her before, vowed to always make those prideful eyes shine. It was Redstreak who had saved and changed her life, giving her a chance to become her own pony. No longer did it feel like was she in the shadow of Vorpal Gust, or worried about the approval of two parents who couldn’t accept their reality.
No, this was the world she wanted. It was a world that she would go through all her struggles again just to have.
The party eventually began to slow down as one by one the servants found themselves partied out or too drunk to stand. Soon, it was down to just Redstreak and Lightning, who were both sitting by the fire, watching it burn while finishing the last of the scotch.
“Princess Luna told me she offered you a position as Squad Leader, but you turned it down,” said Redstreak, pouring the last drops into his glass.
Lightning winced. “Does that displease you?”
“No, but I am curious as to why?”
Lighting sighed. “I’m not meant to lead. I screwed that up when I was in the Wonderbolts. I may be a good flyer, but I don’t think I have what it takes to be leader. I’m fine being the scout and first striker of the group. It’s what I’m good at.”
The conversation died there for a bit and they focused on just the fire and scotch. Lighting was about to finish her drink when Redstreak said something that made her stop. “I have news of your parents.”
Lighting Dust paused in raising her drink and turned toward her father figure and glared. “What about them? Why are you even bothering looking them up still? I hate them.”
“I know, but I figured you might want to know they’re gone. They moved a few months ago to Las Pegasus,” replied Redstreak with sigh. “Apparently, they had been telling ponies that you died in an accident.”
“Great, so they decided to make me ‘dead to them’ for real. I hope my funeral was at least decent,” grumbled Lighting Dust, who wasn’t surprised. She hadn’t done much interaction in her old neighborhood and barely interacted with ponies outside of her new one. As far as anyone was concerned her being dead might not have been a surprise. “Although, knowing my parents they didn’t have one.”
“Actually, it turns out ponies learned that you were kicked out. They found out about the truth of you and what you went through when they reported it to the police,” said Redstreak which made Lighting a bit surprised.
“I didn’t think anypony in my neighborhood cared...” whispered Lighting.
“You’d be surprised where kindness can be found sometimes,” replied Redstreak. “After they learned what happened, your parents were all but shunned. They couldn’t even go outside without being harassed. I guess they just got tired of it all and left.”
Lighting bit her lip. “Did they leave anything for me? A note even?”
“No, I did try to bring you up to them whenever I went to see them, but you were dead to them as you said,” said Redstreak with a sigh. “Some ponies you just can’t help it seems.”
“No, some of them don’t even deserve it,” whispered Lightning and shaking her head. “Whatever chance my parents and I had of making up is long gone. I don’t need them anymore, and I don’t wanna worry about them anymore. They screwed up, and I almost died because of them kicking me out.” Lighting looked up with eyes of determination. “I can’t forgive them for what they’ve done. Even if they were to apologize to me on their deathbeds, I just can’t.”
“I understand,” said Redstreak. “It’s not something I would do, but I understand your feelings.”
“Besides... I have a better family,” said Lighting with a bright smile. “You all have done so much for me that I don’t know if I can say I was ever happier than the moment you let me into your lives.”
“And I’m happy to have you in my life, my beloved daughter,” replied Redstreak which made Lighting gasp. “When you called me your “dad”, I realized that in a way I have seen you as my daughter as well. I have no children, but I would be happy to have you as mine.”
At that moment, Lighting Dust dived into his embrace and hugged him. Tears of joy fell from her eyes as she embraced him as hard as she could. He only smiled and hugged her back.
***
“Wow, I guess you and him were really close,” said Rainbow Dash with a smile. She then frowned and asked, “Why didn’t I see you at his funeral when he died? All the Wonderbolts were there. I mean as his daughter you should have had at least a speaking role.”
“I was there, I just didn’t want to catch attention to myself. There were a lot of rumors going on about what he did with his fortune and I inherited it,” said Lighting. “I didn’t want the attention. Plus, I didn’t want my parents finding out I was the inheritor of one of the most famous Wonderbolt Captains entire resources.”
“Do you really think they would come back to you for that?” asked Rainbow Dash in disbelief.
“I don’t know. My parents obsessed with me getting into the Wonderbolts because it was my sister’s dream. If I had all that influence and resources, they’d try to push me to do it again... or worse push it on my daughter,” whispered Lighting Dust as she shook her head. “I refuse to let them poison her as they poisoned me. I want her to choose her own path in life and follow her own dream.”
“Do you think they might have changed?” asked Rainbow Dash. “I mean, I kinda think at some point they would learn their lesson.”
“Look, I know you are part of that group that does Friendship and all that, but even if my parents did feel sorry I cannot find it in my heart to forgive them,” said Lighting Dust, sighing. “I don’t hate them, Dash. Not as much as I used to anyway. I just pity them. Losing my sister was hard on all of us, but parents just refused to move on. If I even see them again it's going to open doors that I feel are better left shut. I don’t care about them anymore, and my life is fine without even thinking about them. I know that sounds harsh, but I love the life I have now and I don’t want that to change.”
“Alright, I get it,” said Dash, raising her hooves. “It’s your life so I won’t say any more. But I do want to know about any cool missions you can tell me.”
“I suppose I can tell you the time me and my team helped take down Starlight Glimmer’s number two mare,” said Lighting Dust with a grin.
“Sure, but let’s head to a bar. I’m getting tired of the smell of coffee.”
Lighting Dust could hear the distraction working as she and her Shadowbolt squad flew high in the cloud covered night. Besides the sounds of battle, the flashes of spells and explosions from cannons could be seen below. Not since she first heard of this mission did she have the chance to wonder how the heck intelligence managed to miss this location after all this time against the cult. The mountains weren’t far away from the remains of Starlight’s former village (one of her first victims upon her rise as a cult leader) and she knew this area well. It would make sense that they would have another base here.
Not just any base though. Starlight’s Second-In-Command’s base.
While Starlight was a highly infamousfigure by this point, her Second-In-Command was more mysterious. She was always cloaked in dark blue clothing decorated with black stars and swirls of magic. The only known data about her was that she was female, a unicorn, and had a silver mane, but she was just as responsible for the horrors of the Equalist Cult. She was a fierce magic user and was rumored to be insane by the way she talked.
Princess Luna’s orders were to assassinate her at all costs. While she and Princess Twilight lead a battle to the front of their castle in the mountains, distracting most of the armed forces, she and her team were to infiltrate the castle and take out their target. It was very high risk. The Second-In-Command was rumored to be paranoid about anything and getting in would be difficult.
However, she and her team would not fail. They had so far been able to do their jobs without any loss of life since it’s founding and Lighting Dust had no intention of any of them becoming the first casualty.
Shade, her boyfriend and leader, landed on a nearby cloud below and held his wing up, signally the others to hold. Lighting obeyed and crouched down to see what was below. They were getting closer to the castle that could be seen in the distance, but were still close enough to the battle that they could hear the screams of the fallen on both sides.
“What’s the holdup?” asked Red Storm one of the two Shadowbolts that volunteered to join her and Shade. While the uniform covered most of his body, you could see the red wings he had that reminded Lighting of her father.
“Those cultists, they seem to be doing something down below,” said Shade as he narrowed his eyes. Despite the suit’s visors giving the bonus of night vision with magic lens, they weren’t binoculars. “Lighting, check it out. Don’t engage.”
“Roger,” said Lighting Dust with a nod. Even if they were in a relationship for over eight months now, he was still her captain and on the job they were soldiers, not lovers, when on duty. That was after a successful mission.
Lighting glided down as silently as possible, her suit giving her an edge in camouflage thanks to the cloudy night Luna had made for their mission. She slowly began to descend into the mountain-like region where she landed on her hooves and dived for a rock to hide behind. After holding her breath for a few minutes, she peeked out the corner and saw that none of the sentries had seen her. The uniforms of the cult were so weird to her. They wore purple capes with hoods, the equal sign that came to be known as the Equalist Cult’s symbol on their back. Yet they wore no other armor, even in the battles against the Equestrian Forces. She had taken down a few to know that they had no fear of death, as if they were brainwashed upon joining.
Lighting didn’t have time to think about it further as she saw an opening in their patrols and made a quick dash for it. Her hooves were like feathers as she rushed through the open area without making a sound and hid behind another boulder. Luna made sure to put them all through training that allowed them to move as silent as shadows both in the air and on the ground. Too bad I’m not allowed to remember it... thought Lighting.
She was able to finally get a clearer view on what some of the cultists were doing. They were piling bodies, both cultist and Equestrian soldier, onto a cart. This made Lighting Dust suspicious. The battle isn’t even over and they’re collecting their dead? Not to mention our side’s dead too. Why?
Lighting Dust figured she had enough to report back to and waited for a chance fly up. Thankfully, none of the ponies around her were pegasi patrolling the skies as she managed to fly back up without being spotted.
Arriving back to her comrades, Shade nodded and welcomed her back. “Did you see what they were doing?”
“Yeah, collecting dead bodies. Not just theirs mind you, but our own as well. The way those bodies looked it must be one hay of a battle,” she answered.
“Why would they be collecting their own dead, not to mention our own, so early in the battle?” asked their fourth comrade, a female bat pony named Whisper Daze.
“No idea, but it can’t be good,” said Shade as he rubbed his chin before giving a smile that Lighting knew very well. He had a plan. A crazy plan, but a plan nonetheless.
“Here’s what we’re going to do...”
***
I’m going to kill him when this is all done… thought Lighting as she did her best to remain still and “dead”. Her fellow Shadowbolts were playing dead along with her inside the cart of bodies that were stinking up the place with their gore and decay. I’m going to need a six hour shower when I get home.
Finding the cult’s cloaks was easy, they just had to kill a few stragglers to get them. It was appearing to be dead that was the hard part. They lay down and waited near the location where the cart was, hoping those nearby would see them and add them to the collection of bodies. After a long weight they were picked up and dragged across the mountain’s rocky terrain before being thrown into the cart like a piece of trash. It didn’t help that Lighting landed with some dead pony’s butt in her face.
Oh yeah, Shade owed her big time for this or else no sex until repercussions were made.
***
“Phhht! You had a dead pony’s butt in your face! Hahahaha!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she pounded the bar table with her hoof, catching the attention of some other drinkers before they went back to their booze. “Oh, man. That’s even funnier than the time Fleetfloot took an arrow to the rear and had to fight with it in her flank! We called her “Two-Tailed Fleety”.”
Lighting Dust blushed as she took a long sip of her beer to deal with the emarseement. The bar Dash had taken them too wasn’t anything special, just your typical hangout place with not too many patrons at the moment due to the time. “Look, you wanna hear the story or not?”
After a few more snickers, Rainbow Dash calmed down and nodded. “S-sorry, though you have to admit it’s a little funny.”
“I guess, but it’s not a feeling I want to remember,” said Lighting Dust, shivering at the thought.
“So what did they want to do with the dead bodies and who was the Second-In-Command?” asked Rainbow Dash, leaning forward eagerly.
Lighting Dust raised an eyebrow. “They didn’t tell you who it was?”
“All I know is her body made it unrecognizable for indefictication,” answered Rainbow Dash. “We even stormed the castle with Twilight but we didn’t find her. We didn’t learn she had been killed until after the battle when Luna informed us.”
“Y-yeah, well,” Lighting Dust rubbed the back of her neck. “There is a reason for that.”
***
The cart eventually came to a stop as Lighting Dust wondered if they were in the castle or still out in the mountain region. From the smell of the altitude I’d say we’re still outside.
“Is this all you can bring?” asked a new voice, one that spoke of arrogance and power.
“Yes, Lady Trixie, this was all we could bring at the moment. Do you require more?”
“No, Trixie can do well with these. Bring a few out so that I can test the staff’s power,” ordered the one called Trixie.
Lighting waited until she felt that the guards weren’t looking before opening one of her eyes. She could see some of the cultists carrying a few bodies-thankfully not her comrades-out of the cart and lay them on the ground in a row. A new pony appeared and walked over towards them. She was wearing the same clothing as their target and Lighting realized that this was the Second-In-Command.
Pulling back her hood, the new pony revealed her blue furred face and silver mane while levitating a staff with her magic. Lighting felt her spine shiver at the sight of the staff she was carrying. It was black with a glowing pony skull on top of it and snake figures pointing upwards before twisting together.
Lady Trixie’s eyes began to glow as she waved the staff which began to pulse with dark magical aura, similar to the example of Dark Magic that Princess Luna had showed them to let them know of it’s properties. The energy from the staff began to wash over the five dead bodies that had been taken from the cart before they began to shake uncontrollably. Wisps of smoke began to emanate from the skull, appearing like faces screaming in horror.
Lighting now opened both her eyes as she continued to watch whatever dark ritual was being done. The screaming wisps soon entered the bodies of the deceased who seized up even more before going silent.
Nothing happened for a few seconds until a few moan came from the mouths of the dead. Slowly, they began to rise. Their wounds still remained as did the smell of their rotten flesh, but their eyes were pupiless and lifeless. Lighting Dust let out a small gasp of horror at the sight, even some of the other cultist were scared of what just happened.
Lady Trixie just laughed. “Starlight was right! The Staff of Reanimation can bring ponies back to life under Trixie’s control! The Great and Powerful Trixie shall use this staff to turn our dead and the dead of Princess Twilight’s ponies against her! Soon, Trixie shall have her revenge by seeing her own subjects eat that pathetic Twilight to the bone!”
“Trixie?!” shouted Rainbow Dash in surprise before she let out a growl. “That two bit con artist was the second-in-command? After Twilight let her get a second chance?! Ugh, I knew I should have pounded her face in the last time we met.”
“I take it you’ve met her before?” asked Lighting Dust, sipping her drink.
“Yeah, first time was when she came out lying her flank off about being a great magician when she was just mediocre. Then she came back with a powerful amulet that caused her to go insane and hold our town hostage till we got it off. Twilight let her go both times as an act of mercy, but it looks like it was a waste,” grumbled Rainbow Dash. “At least she’s dead now, you got her right?”
“Somewhat, but you can say it was her own fault...”
***
Lighting Dust had never been more freaked out then when she saw ponies that were clearly dead start moving again. From what little of magic she knew, raising the dead was one of the big taboos that was classified as dark magic. Dark magic was powerful, but it was always at a price; usually your own soul or sanity. Judging by how that unicorn is laughing her tail off I’d say the latter.
Trixie ordered the zombies to stand aside while ordering the other cultists to bring more of the dead bodies. Lighting was about to whisper to Slade on what they should do next when she felt two hooves grab her by the wings. Going back to being limp, she felt her worries creep up when she was placed on the ground, smelling the real dead ponies next to her.
Not good, thought Lightning Dust.
“Rise zombies! Rise for The Great and Powerful Trixie!” Lightning Dust cracked her eye open a bit to see the dark magical wisps flow over them. Despite the cold and dread feeling that came over her, she didn’t feel any problems and hoped that the rest of the team would stay still. When it was over and she began to hear the reanimated corpses moan, Lighting Dust let out her own and began to act sluggish like the zombies next to her.
Rising to her hooves, she kept her head down to avoid eye contact with Trixie who ordered them to head back with the others. When she was positioned in line, Lightning raised her head a bit to get a better view at her target. Trixie wasn’t that far away as she began ordering more dead bodies. Her hidden knife to the neck would end this, but most likely the guards would strike her down with their magic just as fast. Not to mention some of them had crossbows already knocked and prepared to fire.
Lighting bit her lip. If Trixie raised more of the dead and used them as an army, then she would easily win the battle and it would bring more problems. If she went after Trixie and managed to kill her, the guards would shoot her down. It all depended on her speed. There were the others, but they were a distance away and piled below dead bodies and every second counted.
She tried to think what her dad would do. How would he solve this problem?
That’s when things went bad to worse. One of the cultists walked over to the zombie line and stopped right in front of her. “Hey, I’ve never seen this armor before. And I worked with the Royal Guards before.”
Horseapples...
“Yeah, your right. What armor is this?” asked another coming forward.
Crud. Crud. Crud. Crud. Crud!
“Hey, is she still breat-” His question was cut off when Lighting’s hidden hoof knife came and stabbed him in the throat. Before the other guard could react, she had taken it out and sliced it across his neck for a quick kill. She flew up just in time to avoid getting hit by two crossbow bolts and magical blasts that hit the zombies right next to her.
“Spy! Take her down!” shouted Trixie, pointing her staff at Lightning Dust. Those who were pegasi began to chase after her.
At the same time, the others erupted from the cart and gave out a war cry before engaging with the enemy. She looked down just in time to see Shade pull out his wing blade and decapitate one of the cultists. An arrow that nearly nicked her ear alerted Lighting Dust to focus on her current situation, rather than her boyfriend’s. Getting an idea, she headed for the dark clouds above where the cultists foolishly followed her.
Taking the time to slow down, Lighting hid among the clouds while the cultists zoomed past her and went through them. Looking around they argued about where they saw her go before Lightning struck first. She dragged one down into the clouds with her before sending her knife into his neck and dropping him. Bursting out from above, Lighting then dived for another and sliced his neck while rolling off him to avoid a spear in the back. She kicked his legs underneath him and slammed her knife into his face before pulling it out. Grabbing the spear he no longer needed, she used it to block an axe blow from the remaining one.
The cultists screamed as she continued to attack with blow after blow. Taking her time, Lighting waited until she saw an opportunity and dodged a heavy looking blow, causing her attack to her lose her focus while flying. Spinning the spear around, she cut the stems of her opponents wings which let out squirts of crimson as they fell off. Distracted by the pain and sight of her wings being cut off, Lighting finished her off with a double kick that sent her off the clouds, her screams to her doom echoing in the distance.
With her chasers taken care off, it was time to deal with her target and rescue her friends. By the time she arrived, Lighting could see that Shade and Whisper Daze had already taken out most of the cultists and were currently dealing with the zombies. All the while, Trixie was firing magic at them while using the staff to reanimate more bodies. To Lighting’s sorrow and anger, a close-eyed Red Storm was lying on the ground with two bolts in his stomach.
Seeing as she had the element of surprise, Lighting Dust dived down towards where Trixie was and positioned her knife ready for a final blow. However, a magical shield saw an end to that and forced Lightning Dust to bounce off it and into the dirt. “Foolish pegasus! You think you can defeat the Great and Powerful Trixie?!”
“You sure it’s not the Great and Big Mouthed Trixie?” joked Lighting Dust, getting back on her hooves.
“Insolence! You shall pay for that! Zombies, destroy her!” commanded Trixie as she waved her staff.
The zombies made an effort for Lighting Dust, but she rolled her eyes and floated above them as they vainly tried to grab her. Even the pegasus ones were unable due to their wings being too damaged. “Any other tricks, Trixie?”
“Grrr, shut up!” shouted the unicorn, firing a blast from her horn, which Lighting easy dodged. She began to fly around, avoiding blasts while keeping an eye on her horn.
Got one shot, thought Lighting Dust as she reversed her direction while narrowly avoiding a blast to her head. Aiming the knife connected to her hoof at her opponent, Lighting Dust quickly pressed a hidden button in her gauntlet that allowed the knife to shoot out like an arrow. Trixie didn’t even have time to dodge, but she did have time to scream as the knife stuck her horn dead center. It cut deep into the bone, causing her head to bleed like mad.
Without her magic to levitate it, the staff fell to the ground as Trixie shouted curse after curse, all while trying to wipe out the blood in her eyes. That’s when her hoof stepped on the glowing skull at the top of the staff, smashing it into dust. All of a sudden, the zombies stopped moving or fighting before turning their attention towards Trixie.
Falling down on her haunches, Trixie finally managed to wipe out the blood only to look up in horror as the zombies she once controlled were now coming down upon her. Lighting looked away in disgusts as Trixie’s screams echoed across the area before they were silenced by the horde that had piled upon her.
Once all the zombies were in one area, feasting and gashing as a pool of blood began to form, Shade took out a small red potion that was on his belt and threw it at the horde. In an instant, they were on fire, but they continued to feast without care until they were nothing but dust.
The three Shadowbolts watched as the staff, Trixie, and abominations were wiped out by the flames. They then sadly turned to their fallen comrade.
“I’ll dig the hole,” whispered Shade as he went to find a soft spot of dirt.
Shadowbolt regulations stated that any dead members were to be buried or burned without any markings. Secrecy was their greatest weapon as a unit. Thus, any bodies needed to be disposed of in an instant. Once Shade had dug the deep grave, Lighting and Whisper placed him inside and said a silent farewell before burying him.
“We should head back,” said Shade, wrapping a wing around Lighting who looked at the buried hole with sorrow. “We can have a proper service for him later.”
“Hey, guys,” alerted Whisper Daze as she gazed at the battle nearby. “Looks like we’re winning. Better get out of here before someone sees us.”
Lighting and Shade nodded before they flew off with their comrade.
***
“Man... what a way to go,” whispered Dash, shivering. “I guess a part of me pities her. Still, that sounds like it was an awesome mission.”
“I’m sure you’ve had plenty too. You were there when Twilight defeated Starlight Glimmer and ended the cult for good, right?” asked Lighting.
“Yeah, lost some good ponies that day,” sighed Dash, before chuckling. “Of course, that’s when Soarin proposed to me and I said yes in a heartbeat.”
“Shade actually popped the question not to long after the war too,” commented Lighting Dust. “Of course, I had to face something even more challenging than the war not to long after.”
Lightning Dust sat on the table, waiting nervously as she kicked her hooves back and forth. Both Shade and Redstreak were waiting in the corner looking just as concerned. For the past two weeks, she had been sick to her stomach to the point where she couldn’t take part in missions anymore. She was throwing up a lot, plus her eating habits were going crazy. On some days, she didn’t want to eat anything but bread and water, while the next she was asking the cooks in the mansion to make enough food to feed six ponies.
Shade finally convinced Lighting Dust to go see a doctor despite her hatred of hospitals and such. Her father came for emotional support as well, feeling just as concerned for her well being. Lighting Dust tried to think of what it was that had been making her feel so... weird. She wasn’t poisoned in any of her missions, or at least what the toxic detecting spells told them. Had a wound she took begun to hurt her internally? Or was it some disease she gained without knowing it? She didn’t know her family's medical history, for obvious reasons, and it made her worry if something in her family genes was affecting her.
Thankfully, all her worries soon left her when the Doctor walked in with a smile on his face. At least it’s not that bad, thought Lighting Dust in her head.
“Well, Lighting Dust, we’ve determined what’s wrong. Congratulations, you are pregnant,” replied the pegasus doctor with a smile.
The room went silent for a while before Lighting Dust replied, “I’m... with... foal?”
“Yup. Everything points to it. Looks like in a few months you are your husband are going to be parents,” replied the doctor.
“That’s wonderful!” shouted Redstreak with his misted eyes. He rushed over to his adopted like daughter and hugged the stunned mare. “I’m so proud of you, Lightning.” He then walked over a stunned Shade. “You too, son!”
“I’m going to be a father?” said Shade. Blinking a few times, he then grew a goofy smile. “I’m going to be a father! I’m going to have a son or daughter! Oh my Celestia, I can’t wait to tell everyone!” He rushed over and kissed Lighting who was still unable to do anything but stare with wide eyes. “Honey, this is... this great... I know we never talked about it, but aren’t you excited?!”
Lightning didn’t know what to say. Oh, she was very excited. And scared. Nervous. Happy. Terrified. Joyful. And ready to burst into tears. However, upon seeing that shining light in the love of her life’s eyes, Lighting Dust couldn’t help but soon smile with tears in her eyes.
“I’m going to be a mommy...” whispered Lighting Dust as she hugged her husband, tears streaming down her face. One of her hooves slowly rubbed her stomach, where the miracle she held inside was slowly growing. She then vowed, right then and there, to be the best parent possible. To never act like her parents did and to love the child regardless of what they did with their lives.
Be it a winner or a loser, I will always love my foal, vowed Lighting Dust.
***
Naturally, everyone in the Shadowbolts were happy for Lighting Dust and Shade. Princess Luna even congratulated them personally while promising maternity leave for Lightning while also throwing a celebration party at HQ. That was nothing, however, compared to the party Redstreak threw at the mansion when they returned. All his servants, cooks, old friends, and neighbors were invited to celebrate Lightning Dust’s joyful achievement. Even Spitfire and Princess Celestia were invited to attend, although the former could only make it as the latter was still dealing with fall out of the cult’s destruction.
However, through all the gift givings, celebrations, and well wishes, Lighting Dust thought about something she hadn’t thought about for a while: her future. For a long time, all she wanted was just some kind of purpose in her life. Something to replace the dream her parents had forced upon her after her sister’s death. Now? Looking back she had achieved so much. She had a new life, new friends, a new family, and a husband she loved with all her heart.
Become a mother was going to be a bigger step then all that she accomplished. Maybe even the biggest thing she could accomplish in her life. Lightning thought about her own mother, whose kindness she couldn't remember that well due to it being replaced with many stern looks and harsh demands after her sister died. There was no doubt that her mother had been a kind mare before, but that was then and this is now.
Lightning Dust sat in her bed, rubbing her stomach as she thought about all the choices she made in life and realized she had to make an even bigger one. One that was not as glamours or glory filled as being a top notch flier or part of a black ops organization, but one that was more important right now then all of them.
“Still up?” asked Shade, rising from his sheets as he nuzzled his wife’s cheek. “Too much cake?”
“No, I’ve been thinking,” replied Lighting with a sigh as she turned to her husband. “I think I’m going... to hand in my resignation tomorrow to Princess Luna.”
“You’re going to quit the Shadowbolts? Why?” asked Shade, tilting his head.
“Because I want to be there for our child,” replied Lighting Dust, looking at her slowly growing stomach. “My mom... she wasn’t there for me after my sister... died... I want to make sure I don’t follow in her hoofsteps.”
“You’re nothing like your mother, Lightning,” replied Shade, kissing her cheek. “You’ll be a great mother. I know you will.”
“I know... but,” she sighed, “I think this is what I really want. I’ve already done enough to make me happy... and I enjoy being with the bolts, I do.” She then turned to him and smiled. “But I think I’ll be even happier raising our foal at home. I want to be there for when he or she makes their first flight. Their first word. Their first meal. Everything they do I want to be a part of them and encourage them to do whatever they want to do. I need to do this. I have to do this. Because this is how I’m going to prove once and for all that I’m not my parents. No, that I’m better than them.”
“... do you want me to quit too?” asked Shade, putting his hoof on her shoulder. “I don’t mind getting a job at the weather factory or something to be with you two.”
“No, you love the Shadowbolts even more than I do. Plus, I think our child would love having a hero to look up to when he or she grows up,” replied Lightning Dust, kissing him on the lips. “Just promise to always come home to us.”
“I won’t leave you. Nothing, not even death, can do that to me,” replied Shade as he slowly hugged her closer and dragged her down for a deep kiss. However, before they could go further, their door was slammed open, making the two yelp as Butter Blue rushed in. The married couple yelped as they covered themselves with their sheets.
“Butter Blue?! What the hay?!” shouted Lightning Dust.
“Lighting, I’m sorry, but it’s the master! He’s not breathing right!” shouted Butter Blue with terror in her eyes.
“W-what?! What do you mean?!” asked Lighting Dust.
“I mean he’s having problems breathing. We’ve already sent for a doctor, but he’s coughing like he can barely get any air,” replied Butter Blue.
Lightning Dust was already out of bed and flying down the halls towards her father’s room. The other maids were crowded, but quickly made room for Lighting Dust as she pushed them aside. She nearly froze in place upon seeing her father, gasping for air as some of the maids tried to hold him still on his bed. He was slowly turning blue and looked ready to pass out. The worst of it, however, was the small trickle of blood that she saw pouring out of his lips.
“Dad!” shouted Lighting Dust as she rushed to his side, rubbing his back as he tried to say something, but only coughed and hacked in return. “Just hold on! Get the doctor here now!”
*** “Tuberculosis...” Lightning repeated what the doctor said. She almost fell on her side if not for Shade holding her shoulders. She felt like the entire world just suddenly went gray as her father’s personal Doctor nodded his head.
“It’s been developing for years. Once you get it, you always have it,” claimed the Doctor. “We’ve tried treatments, but it's gotten worse over the years and it looks like his age has finally caught up with him. He doesn’t have long. Maybe two or so years at most before his body can’t handle it anymore.”
That was just a nicer way of saying her father was going to die and she couldn’t do anything about it.
“Why didn’t he tell me?” asked Lighting Dust, feeling some anger but soon it dispersed with despair.
“My guess is he didn’t want you to worry,” replied the doctor before turning to the door where her father was sleeping with an air breather. “I’ll stay here for the night to make sure he’s okay, but tomorrow we need to take him to my office to get him checked.”
“I’ll show you to your room,” replied one of the maids as he followed her.
Shade slowly turned Lighting’s head to face him as he asked softly, “You okay?”
Lighting Dust closed her eyes and finally allowed the tears she had been holding in to fall. Falling into her husband’s chest, she wept.
The past two weeks had been a nightmare for Lighting Dust. She couldn’t remember a time when she cried so much, or felt so useless. Not even when her parents kicked her out did she feel this much despair. The entire mansion's staff had fallen into a state of sorrow upon learning that Redstreak’s illness had once again caught up. Not even they knew how serious their master’s condition was after all these years. While he still would have at least a year or two left to live according to his doctor, Lighting Dust bitterly didn’t consider that a good thing.
Redstreak had been the father she never had. It had been thanks to him that she was even alive. He had given Lighting Dust a new life that made a weak and pathetic nopony into a mare that was proud to look into the mirror every day. Lightning Dust turned to every possible pony she could from Spitfire to Princess Luna to see if anything could be done to save him. Sadly, they all said the same thing: “Nothing can be done.” The only thing that kept her sane was her husband and the baby inside of her. She knew her being stressed wasn’t the best of things when you were pregnant, but this was too much.
Finally, his doctor declared Redstreak well enough to talk. With emotionless eyes, Lighting Dust entered her adopted father’s room where he rested in his master sized bed with a IV in his arm. Despite the palish fur and weary looking eyes, he still found strength to smile as Lighting sat down beside him. “Hey, there. Sorry to worry you.”
Lightning didn’t reply.
Stretching his neck, Redstreak groaned, “I really should get a new mattress. Having slept on this one for so long it really does problems to your neck. Especially at my age.” He turned to her and asked, “So, did you find out if its a boy or girl yet? I wanna know what toys I need to start planning to get for the baby’s-”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” asked Lightning Dust, looking into his eyes with her own teary ones. “Why?”
Redstreak sighed and looked away for a bit. His eyes closed as he shook his head for a bit. Finally, he looked back at Lightning Dust and answered, “I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Too late for that,” Lighting Dust spat, glaring at the floor while her hooves shook. “Do you know how scared I was? I kept thinking you were going to die every second you were asleep. All the things I would never get a chance to do with you again if you died. Like fly with you every morning. Talk about sports. Drink wine. Watch the stars. All of it gone.” She stood up, her eyes watering her cheeks as she pounded the bed. “I thought you were never going to see your grandchild! I thought I was going to have to bury you without knowing what to do! I thought... I thought...” she wiped her tears and whimpered, “ I thought I would never get to say goodbye...”
Reaching over, Redstreak wrapped his arms around her and brought her close to his chest where she proceeded to sob all over him. He just held her tight, rubbing her back as she let out the two weeks of grief that plagued her. It was like the first night they met. Where she was the sobbing outcast of a filly on the street, and he was there to comfort her. He didn’t say anything, nor did he move either of them. He just sat there quietly and let her get it out.
Eventually, Lightning Dust managed to gather herself and took a few deep breaths before sitting back down. Redstreak patted her legs before sighing. “You’re right. I should have told you a long time ago. I’m sorry.”
“Dad...”
“No, let me finish,” replied Redstreak, holding his hoof. “Before you came into my life, I didn’t have anypony I called family. Most of my old comrades had already passed on or lost touch with me. I had no immediate family. No wife. No fillies or colts of my own. My servants were the closest thing I had, but I still had a shadow of loneliness around me.” Raising his hoof he booped her on the nose much to her amusement. “Then you came into my life. So broken and hurt. Ready to give up in a world that had treated her with nothing but cruelty. You needed somepony to help you spread your wings out and fly like the mare you were. I did what I could, and you became the amazing daughter I have today. Yet, you also helped me.” He beamed as he slowly rose from his bed and put his forelegs on Lightning’s shoulders. “You gave me the chance to feel what it is like to have a daughter. You brought home a husband who I treat like a son. These past few years, you’ve been my family and I’m glad to know that loving feeling before I passed on. Soon, I’ll be having a grandfoal who I’ll get to spoil. While I am saddened that I will never see them grow up, I feel blessed enough knowing I will meet them at least once.”
Wrapping his arms around her neck, he drew Lighting Dust close to his side as the two nuzzle each other. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve had a good life and I’m ready for it to end. I don’t know what comes after, but I know it will be amazing.”
“But... I’ll miss you...” whispered Lightning Dust.
“I’m not going yet. We’ll use the time we have and treasure it. And when I’m gone you’ll remember all our days together whenever you need to. They will keep you going,” answered Redstreak, as he wiped her tears away. “And you will not be alone. You will have your husband, your child, your friends, even Spitfire and Princess Luna will be there for you. You are no longer alone nor unloved, Lighting Dust. You are somebody who loves and is loved in return.”
***
“Midflight was born a few months after. It was the best day of my life seeing her come into this world,” finished Lightning Dust as warm smile graced her lips before frowning. “Dad died a few years after. It was painful, but whenever I think of him I think of what he told me that day. And it makes the pain feel less hurtful.” Turning to a silent Rainbow Dash she shrugged as she finished her drink. “And that’s my story.”
“... wow,” replied Rainbow Dash, nodding her head as she closed her eyes. She was quiet for awhile before sighing. “You’re amazing, Lightning Dust.”
“Please, you’ve done more than I ever will,” replied Lightning, snorting.
“No, I’m serious,” Dash repeated as she put her hoof on Lightning’s shoulder. “You managed to pick yourself out of a dark place. Most ponies I know would have ended it all in your horseshoes. But you stayed strong and you got back on your own four hooves. You manged to make a life out of yourself. Sure, you didn’t become super famous like I did, but you lead a good life. I think that’s amazing and awesome in of itself.”
“W-w-well,” Lightning Dust rubbed her neck while blushing, “I had help. I had Dad, my husband, my friends... and my daughter.”
“Nopony becomes great on their own. Not even me,” replied Dash. “I got five awesome friends back in Ponyville and a team I help lead that I’m proud to fight alongside with. We both came out better then we last met, and I think that’s the best we can hope for.”
The two nodded as Dust looked at the time and gasped, “Oh, wow. We’ve been talking for five hours sharp. We better get to the school to pick up the children.”
“Yeah, good thing opening day is a half day, huh?” replied Dash as he put down her bits on the table before smirking. “Race ya?”
“Need to ask?”
The two zoomed out without anypony even so much noticing.
***
“And first!” shouted Dash landing in the front yard with her head held high. She turned around to Lightning Dust who landed just a few seconds later with a her hoof out. “Still the best!”
“Only because I’ve been retired,” teased Lightning Dust as they bumped hooves. “Still, I’m surprised I kept up with you since you’ve never stopped getting better. You didn’t hold back, did you?”
“Please, as if I’d do that to my wingpony,” replied Dash with a wink as they soon joined the other adults who were gathered in front of the school.
A few minutes later, the doors burst open as fillies and colts flew to their parents with excitement in their eyes. Conversations about their first day at flight school erupted at once as the two mares tried to spot their own children among the crowd. “That’s funny. I don’t see them. Do you?”
“No, I hope everything is okay,” replied Lightning Dust.
“Excuse me?” The two were alerted to a male pegasus with a green shirt and red bowtie. “Would you happen to be Rainbow Dash and Lighting Dust?”
“Yeah, what’s up?” asked Dash, tilting her head.
***
“I can’t believe you got detention on your first day of school!” Lighting Dust replied in disbelief as she and Dash walked with their children who looked more annoyed than anything.
“Yeah, not even I did that on my first day,” seconded Dash sounding both angry and impressed at the same time.
“It’s not our fault the teachers can’t take a joke,” replied Spectrum, rolling his eyes.
“You switched the teacher’s lounge cloud toilets with thunder clouds that shocked anypony that sat down on them! The nurse had three teachers with burned rumps she had to deal with!” scolded Lightning Dust.
“Well, we were bored! We already knew most of the stuff they were teaching. We raced a few times, but we kept ending up in a tie,” replied Midflight, scoffing.
“I still say I won by a nose in our sixth race,” said Spectrum.
“Yeah, right. You’re just upset I managed to catch up to your rainbow tailed butt,” mocked Midflight with a raspberry which earned her a scolding glare from her mother. “Um, sorry?”
Sighing, Lighting Dust rubbed her forehead. “I won’t ground you this time missy because it was your first day, but you will be more respectful tomorrow and not pull this again.”
“I can only promise to avoid the little devil on my shoulder for as long as possible,” answered Midflight with a smile.
“I guess that’s the best I’m going to get,” replied Lightning Dust as she shook her filly’s mane.
“Hey, Mom?” asked Spectrum as he turned to Rainbow Dash. “Do you think this weekend Midflight, and her mom, can join us on our morning flight this weekend? She’s a good flier, but not as good as me of course.”
“Oh what was that?! I am so there so I can show you who's really good,” replied Midflight with a competitive smirk before turning to her mother with pleading eyes. “Can we, Mommy?”
The two former wingponies looked at each other before a smile grew on their lips as the two chuckled.
