> Something lost, Something gained > by natis120 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1: How Princess Twilight was blinded > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equestria's newest princess walked down Ponyville's streets. Princess Twilight was a happy mare indeed. Signing the occasional autograph fillies and colts carried around with them and waving to the other ponies. She was on her way to check on Rainbow Dash, who was clearing the skies in a field on the outskirts of Ponyville. She decided to put her new wings to the test and tried flying to the field. It was difficult, but she managed to lift off the ground and continue her way to the field. She soared in the skies and passed through the clouds, making them disappear in a pomf. Now she understood why Rainbow Dash liked flying so much. The wind passing through her mane and tail, the tingling in her wing's feathers and the adrenaline running through her veins. She felt alive! Almost as she could do anything! It was an incredible feeling and she didn't want it to end, but the field was approaching slowly and she had to land soon. Twilight noticed Rainbow Dash was bucking a big cloud in the distance. The cloud was black and each time Rainbow bucked it, it released a deafening roar and a bolt of electricity. But this wasn't a normal fluffy cloud, it was a thunder cloud. One of the most dangerous types of clouds in Equestria. This cloud was only found in the Everfree forest, for all Twilight knew they were not normal clouds and could move on their own without a pegasus's assistance. If a pony was electrocuted by a thundercloud, it could be paralyzed, severely injured, or in extreme cases, instantly die. This thundercloud looked like it could kill a pony. Twilight was confused at why Rainbow Dash was trying to clear it, they could not be cleared. Not even the strongest of pegasi or the smartest of unicorns could, not even Princess Celestia could. Not even she could. "Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called. "Stop bucking that cloud!" Rainbow Dash didn't hear Twilight calling her and continued bucking the thundercloud, not knowing the cloud was getting stronger with each buck she gave it, but Twilight did and she knew what was going to happen if Rainbow continued bucking it. "Rainbow Dash!!" She called. If Rainbow continued bucking the cloud she would get electrocuted. Rainbow finally noticed Twilight was approaching and smiled at her as she continued bucking the cloud. The thundercloud started to rumble and throw small and big bolts of electricity. Twilight was beyond horrified, if Rainbow gave that cloud one more single buck, she was going to die. Rainbow was ready to give the cloud one last buck...BANG! the cloud rumbled as a large electricity bolt shot out of it.But before the bolt could connect with Rainbow Dash's body, Twilight flew as fast as she could towards Rainbow and shoved her out of the way getting her electrocuted. "AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Twilight could only scream as the thundercloud electrocuted her. When the cloud finally stopped electrocuting her, Twilight fell lifelessly to the ground. Her fur was scorched, her mane and tail too, and her wings were burned. She had saved Rainbow Dash and sacrificed herself. Twilight was slowly gaining consciousness but as she opened her eyes the only thing she saw was black. She could hear her friend's voices and faint sniffing noises but she couldn't see a thing. As seconds passed Twilight remembered what she had done that day and developed a theory of why she couldn't see anything. That thundercloud had blinded her. "G-guys?" Twilight said in a raspy tone. Everypony in the room looked at Twilight and the sniffing noises stopped. "TWILIGHT!!!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she ran to her friend and gave her a bear hug. "Oh Twilight! I was so scared!" Twilight's expression remained stoic. She was never going to see her friends again. "I am blind now aren't I..." Twilight mumbled. Rarity worked up the courage to say something to the now blind princess, "I suppose so. The doctors did everything they could." She said. "They saved yer eyes." Applejack said. "But yer irises faded." She had removed her hat and her eyes were watery. Twilight remained silent throughout the conversation. Her eyes were covered by thick white bandages, her fur had scorch marks, and her wing feathers were burned, some were black, some were missing, and some were broken in half. "Twilight, are you okay?" Asked Fluttershy. "You are awfully quiet." She was the calmest in the hospital room along with Twilight. Twilight nodded. She was not okay. She had lost her vision. But it was worth it. Right? "Talk to us, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie screamed. "We need you! We need the old Twilight back!" Her hair was flat, her colors were strangely darker, and her eyes were watery. She got her wish. "What happened while I was out?" Twilight asked. "After you got electrocuted, you looked pretty bad. Steam was rising from you, your whole body was scorched, and your wings were banged up. I thought you were dead, but just in case I checked your pulse and heart beat it you proved to be alive. I took you to the hospital and got our friends. After a few hours the doctors finally let us see you. They said they tried everything they could, but they couldn't save your sight, but they at least managed to save your eyes." Rainbow Dash said. Twilight thought for a minute. "Did you inform my family?" she asked. "Yes, your mother is coming to help you out next week, your father is busy and he won't be able to make it." Rarity said as she handed Pinkie Pie a handkerchief with her magic to wipe her tears. "Your brother and Cadence will visit in a few days and Princess Celestia will visit tomorrow." "Thanks Rarity. Can you guys come back in a little while? I want to rest." Twilight said. Rarity smiled, "Of course, Twilight." She said. "Come on girls lets go." Rarity and the girls exited the room and let Twilight to rest. > Chapter 2: Tears of Innocence > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everywhere Twilight Sparkle looked there was only what she could describe as thick white fog. There was only fog, nothing more. She could still hear clearly though. But her eyesight was no use. She couldn't see a thing, she knew she was blind and she she knew she couldn't do anything about it but just pray that it was all a dream. Which it unfortunately wasn't. Twilight lifted her head and her ears pointed up as she heard a door silently creak open and then close shut. She heard several hoofsteps, as If there was more than one pony, coming towards her. Twilight extended a hoof in hopes of getting the attention of whoever just entered her hospital room. She touched something. It felt soft, like the fabric Rarity had used for her Grand Galloping Galla dress last year, it smelled like roses, like the ones she remembered smelling in Canterlot's flower shop as a filly, and it was wet, wet with tears. "W-who is this?" Twilight asked as she removed her hoof from the pony just to have it grab her hoof and press it to what Twilight could guess was it's chest. "I-it's me Twi, mom." The pony, or Twilight's mother to be exact, said in a hoarse femenine voice. Had she been crying? It sure looked like it, or rather heard like it. The room was dead silent. So silent, you could hear a pin drop. "Weren't you supossed to c-come here next w-week?" Twilight asked silently. "She was." A new voice, also from a mare, spoke up. Oh. Twilight thought, So there was another pony with her. "Princess Cel-lestia?" "Yes Twilight," Princess Celestia said softly. "It's me." A small tear found it's way from behind the thick bandages covering Twilight's eyes and trickled down her lavender cheek. This wasn't fair! Nothing about this was fair! It was frustrating! Too frustrating! She was blind and she was hating every minute of it. A sob escaped her lips. She wept. She wept in her mother's and mentor's embrace. "I w-want to go h-home!" She shouted between sobs. "I m-miss Spi-ike! I m-miss my fr-riends! I m-miss dad, S-shiny and Cadence!" "Shhhhhh, it's okay Twily." Her mother comforted her. "We're right here." Celestia assured her. Twilight's cheeks were crimson red from all the crying. All she wanted to do now was cry, nothing else. Just cry. Cry. She cried for what seemed like hours before one last sob escaped her lips and she slowly drifted off to sleep in the arms of those dear to her. For the first time in that day, she felt safe. Safe from all harm and evils in this world. Safe from the deep depression within her. Safe from blindness. Twilight flapped her wings gracefully in scynic with Rainbow Dash's. They spinned and moved elegantly over the water beneath them. Rainbow smiled at Twilight as they moved from side to side in perfect rythem. The moon cast it's moonlight on the winged slow-dancing couple. The scene was perfect, the stars were shining and the water was calm. They both floated above the water in peace for a minute before Dash leaned in and gave Twilight a peck in the lips. That caught her off guard but it didn't make her feel uncomfortable. Dash leaned in again, but this time, It wasn't for a peck but for a kiss. A very passionate kiss. Their lips met and both closed their eyes. Rainbow breathed down on Twilight's face. It felt beyond amazing! Twilight tried to hold back a moan but failed miserable. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up to end. Their mouths moved in perfect harmony as Rainbow's hooves made their way to Twilight's back and rubed it carefully. Twilight moaned, this time not even trying to hold it back. There was no other place the two would rather be right now. Slowly, their mouths parted. Twilight looked deeply into Rainbow's eyes as she looked deeply into Twilight's. Time seemed to stop as they stared at each other. Rainbow's mouth curved into a smirk as she looked at Twilight. "I love ya," The smirking Rainbow Dash said. "And nothing can change that." Twilight blushed as she giggled silently, "I love you too, Rainbow." The mares held hooves as they kissed again. Twilight drowsily lifted her eyelids. A void of nothingness stared back at her. That was a weird dream... She thought. As she thought about the...detailed dream she had that night a blush creapt into her face. It was just a dream. > Chapter 3: When lightning strikes > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Rainbow Dash!!!" BOOM! "AHHHHHH!!!" "TWILIGHT!!!" The alicorn princess fell to ground, her fur, scorched, her wings, damaged. A rainbow maned pegasus flew down, and landed next to the scorched alicorn princes. She was breathing heavily looking at the princess next to her. "Twilight! Wake up!!!" The pegasus said as tears streamed down her face. "NO! Twilight! Please, wake up!!" "WAKE UP!!!" BOOM! Rainbow awoke with a surprised yelp as thunder struck outside her home. A lightning storm raged outside. It shook Ponyville to its core with its roaring thunder. Rainbow sighed, she had caused that storm outside. It was the result of a ruined 'normal sky clearing' day. Striking Twilight with that thunder cloud had delayed the whole process of clearing the skies yesterday, causing the clouds to start rumbling and pouring their rain and lightning on the citizens of the small village of Ponyville in a chain reaction. Everypony was given instructions to stay indoors until the storm stopped, to avoid more lightning accidents. Rainbow got on four hooves and started moving away from her room, still groggily she smacked her lips a few times before stretching her wings and flying down the stairs. She yawned as she entered her living room and took a book off her personal small bookcase, courtesy of Princess of eggheads and her best friend, Twilight Sparkle. She plopped down on one of her cloud couches and looked at the cover of the book she had selected off her bookshelf, Daring Do and the lost amulet of Pythocorpia. She opened the book on the first page and stared at it. Written on the first page was a small note to the prismatic pegasus from her egghead friend. As she stared at the note, tears swelled up in her eyes. Her best friend was now blind because of her, because of clumsy, little, stupid her. "Why Twilight?" She asked herself, "Why did it have to be you?" "Why not me instead?" She kept asking herself, "Why save me?" "I could of saved you and yet I didn't!" She told herself, "You would've been fine!" "Sitting next to me, discussing Daring Do books with me." Tears fell down her beet red cheeks, "And now we can't even do that because your blind and you can't see!" "And it's all my fault!" Lightning crashed in the background as Rainbow held the book tightly in her embrace as tears quickly came down her face. "I'm so sorry Twi! I truly am!" She wept, "I really am!" Knock knock knock Rainbow looked at the door, Wha? Who would come up here with such a storm raging outside? She pushed her thoughts away as she put the book down slowly next to her in the fluffy cloud couch and wiped her nose and eyes with her other hoof. "I-I'm c-coming!" She yelled in a hoarse tone. As Rainbow got to her hooves and made her way to the door, the knocking became louder. "I said I was coming!" Rainbow yelled again as thunder struck in the background. Rainbow opened the door to find (to her surprise) the least expected... "Fluttershy?" The timid pegasus gave Rainbow Dash a shaky smile as she asked, "C-can I c-come in?" Rainbow nodded, "Sure, come in." Fluttershy walked inside her friend's cloud home with shaky steps. "What were you doing out there anyways? It's pouring." Rainbow asked her. Fluttershy frowned, "Well, after you left the hospital you looked so sad and it just broke my heart." She smiled a bit, "I figured I'd come and keep you company... If it's okay with you of course..." Rainbow smiled warmly at her friend, "Thanks Flutters. I d like that. But first, let's get you a towel." Fluttershy's smile disappeared, "No no no! It's okay really, I'm fine." Rainbow's eyebrow shot up, "Really? Then why are you shivering?" Rainbow Dash smiled triumphantly as Fluttershy sighed, "I guess getting dry couldn't hurt..." Moments later, Fluttershy, snuggled in a towel, and Rainbow Dash, sat in one of her cloud couches. They were both reading a Daring Do book in silence while sipping hot chocolate. Fluttershy broke the silence, "You should do this with Twilight someday..." She said quietly. Rainbow frowned, "How? She can't read anymore, remember?" Flutters looked at Rainbow, "You can read it to her instead. I'm sure it'll make her very happy!" She said with a small smile. Rainbow thought for a moment, It isn't a bad idea... Plus, I'm sure Twilight would like it... Why not? Rainbow took a small sip of her hot chocolate, "Sure, why not." "Great! When will you do it?" Flutters asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate leaving a 'mustache' in its wake. Rainbow shrugged, "Dunno, probably tomorrow..." She giggled as she caught a sight of a Fluttershy's new chocolate 'mustache'. "Uh...Fluttershy? I think you have something over there." She said as she pointed at the chocolate 'mustache' on Fluttershy's muzzle. Flutters blushed as she licked the 'mustache' off. "Um...thanks..." She said as she blushed harder. The rest of the night was spent laughing and talking in between the two friends. Eventually though, the storm stopped and Fluttershy parted to her home with a hug and a brief 'goodbye'. Now, Rainbow Dash lay in her bed thinking to herself, Goodnight Twilight. I'll see you tomorrow... The prismatic mare smiled softly as she extended her hoof and turned her bedside lamp off.