Having finally been pardoned of her crime by Celestia, Lightning is left in the care of Fluttershy and friends in the hope that she will be able to start anew. But as Lightning sadly learned, wounds can heal but scars remain.
Having finally been pardoned of her crime by Celestia, Lightning is left in the care of Fluttershy and friends in the hope that she will be able to start anew. But as Lightning sadly learned, wounds heal but scars remain. And not every pony in the cold, hard world represents the elements of kindness. Can Lightning find others to listen and understand. Also check out my blog "Lightning isn't as bad a pony as she seems okay?" if you really wanna know what inspired me to write this story.
Lightning Dust and Fluttesrshy sighed slowly, and painfully as they walked hoof in hoof towards the library where Twilight and the others were sure to be waiting already.
Twilight had very reluctantly after a lot of prodding agreed to give Lightning a face to face meeting and a room in the castle. She stated however, that she was doing this as a favour for Fluttershy, and nothing else.
Lightning closed her eyes, struggling to repress a fresh flow of tears from escaping her eyes. Part of her felt joyful, she had waited so long to meet Fluttershy and her friends now that it almost felt like a relief. She had wanted for so long to tell them she was sorry, that she was wrong. To plead for forgiveness that even now she felt was undeserved. The other part wanted nothing more than to turn back and run but she quickly pushed any sentiments of hesitation to the back of her thoughts and resolutely continued walking forward.
She had to do this, she just had to. Whether they forgave her or not was not her place to say and it would be selfish to demand they did when she had already wronged them so greatly. Not to mention that though she was no longer a Wonderbolt, it would be an insult to every moral she stood for to break her word that she made since that awful day, that were she ever given freedom once more that she would begin by apologising to the five ponies she had wronged since she could not do it while chained up in a cell.
It was the least they deserved after the crap she gave to them.
"It'll be alright. I'm sure Twilight would be happy to give you another chance." the yellow pony Fluttershy suggested, looking at her friend with sympathetic eyes. It was a long time since she had trusted any pony enough to look at them in that way.
Lightning only shook her head, too caught up in her thoughts to reply. It would not be alright. Even if by some miracle Fluttershy's friends were to forgive her then and there and agree to put the whole incident behind them, her regret would not lessen one bit. She had made her bed and now she had to lie in it, so to speak.
Never again would her smile be so carefree as it once was. No amount of comfort could undo the pain she felt now.
But at least she could lessen the pain she had caused to Rainbow Dash and her friends. That would make her feel a bit better. At least then she wouldn't be a completely selfish psychopath. That would at least be something
They walked slowly through the streets of Ponyville. Despite her deep regret, Lightning managed to look up from the ground she had been staring at for the duration of the walk and to wave to the townsfolk, even wearing a shy grin.
A few waved back nervously in reply but most simply turned their heads away the moment they saw Lightning.
Lightning smiled slightly. So this was Ponyville. This was the town where Fluttershy and her friends lived.
Fluttershy would pause when they passed Sugercube corner, Rarity's boutique and Applejack's farm to briefly introduce Lightning to them. Lightning only nodded gratefully, at a loss for words. This town, small as unimportant it must have seemed, was like a paradise, simply put.
"And here we are" stated Fluttershy when the grand and impressive edifice of the large castle of Princess Twilight loomed over them. "This is Twilight's castle."
Half filled with amazement that one of Fluttershy's friends was in fact a mighty alicorn Princess with a castle this large and luxurious, half still fighting the fear she had of confronting Fluttesrhy's friends and giving them the much deserved apology which by now would long be too little, too late, Lightning's reply came only as a gentle nod once pie
She was still pondering how she would best word the apology she was about to give so that Twilight and Fluttershy might have the slightest inkling to believe that Lightning truly was the slightest bit sorry for what she had done. Rainbow Dash hates you, Fluttershy had warned Lightning time and time again. "So be careful. Twilight probably feels the same by now." begged Fluttershy.
"We don't have to do this Lightning Dust." Fluttershy explained to the cyan Pegasus, seeing the clear fear present in Lightning's twitches and her rapidly blinking eyes. By now, Lightning had broken out in a cold sweat. Her head felt burning hot yet her body, freezing cold. But with a long and deep breath, she suppressed her shudders which had been growing the entire day and sadly shook her head.
"I have to do this Fluttershy. I just have to. If I don't then the sad memories will never leave me." They would never leave Lightning anyway, but an apology would at least give her some semblance of a chance to improve. She had to do this, not only for Rainbow Dash and her friends or Fluttershy, but also for herself. She had to prove to herself that she wasn't completely evil.
"Please understand Fluttershy if Twilight doesn't forgive me" pleaded Lightning and Fluttershy could only nod as Lightning gently knocked on the door and begged to see Twilight.
"Come in then" came the rough, gravelly voice of Applejack, Twilight's friend and the best apple farmer for miles around. She made a killing from her fertile apple orchards, from what Fluttershy had told her.
Lightning sighed as she looked back at Fluttershy one more time, eyes half closed and hoof trembling as she slowly stepped inside with Fluttershy following.
The shine and glimmer of the beautiful crystal walls amazed Lightning, but that amazement was belayed by the terrifying sight at the end of the entry hallway.
There around the table, in five beautifully carved tall thrones, sat Princess Twilight and her friends. Lightning Dust recognised them as the renowed Fashionista Rarity, the apple farmer Applejack and the gleeful and humorous premium Party thrower Pinkie pie (her pink goofy mane would have identified her if Lightning hadn't been told her name).
Rainbow Dash was for some reason nowhere to be seen. Probably trying to avoid me, thought Lightning sadly.
So these were the heroes of Equestria, minus Dash. The ponies who had saved Equestria from destruction and worst countless times. The ponies who had entire entries dedicated to them in the papers, never mind that, entire papers dedicated to them each and every week.
The ponies who, to not know their names you would have to be a newcomer to this place from some distant, xenophobic land you wouldn't find on any map.
Every pony knew Princess Twilight, Celestia's apprentice and her faithful friends.
Lightning Dust had not noticed Twilight at first from how far across the room she sat, on her throne which was finer still than those her friends were seated on.
She did not look very much like a princess with her straight, plain hair.
It was those majestic wings that though folded away, were still incredibly eye catching and difficult to ignore.
They made Lightning gasp. She had seen other Alicorns before but Twilight brought new meanings to the word Princess with her mere presence. And yet her rescuer was in fact close friends with this proud majestic creature who commanded respect without a word.
She had barely looked at Lightning Dust, but already Lightning was completely mesmerized by the sight of that large, shiny horn and those sleek, faboluos wings that sad to say, would have brought Spitfire to tears of shame and envy.
Of course, they were not half as marvelous as the small, humble wings of kind Fluttershy.
Fluttershy in a strained stutter, introduced Lightning Dust.
The look the others gave her was far from friendly.
Lightning glanced back at Fluttesrhy who only nodded encouragingly. And took a deep breath as she turned back to face Twilight who even now sat in cold silence, as lost for words as Lightning.
"Hello" Lightning eventually managed to say, her voice strained and filled with gravel. It was the best she could do.
Twilight did not deign to reply.
"It's nice to see Rainbow Dash's friends at long last. She told me you were very nice ponies"
"Oh she did, didn't she?" hissed Applejack, batting her eyebrow.
Fluttershy wasn't exaggerating when she said Applejack could smell a liar from a mile away. The element of honest really could tell whether every word that came from Lightning's mouth was true or not. But knowing how she must have felt towards Lightning, Lightning doubted that even if she did tell the absolute truth that she would be completely believed.
Lightning only sighed. Her chance for an apology had not come yet and she feared it might never come even now.
"Where's Rainbow Dash" asked Lightning nervously, trying to break the ice in any way she could.
"Rainbow Dash doesn't want to see a meanie like you." was the reply. It came from the element of laughter Pinkie, whose usual sunny attitude had been replaced today with an icy and cold repression. There was a quiet anger in her voice despite her otherwise calm and gentle tones. "Dash doesn't like meanies." She avoided looking at Lightning when she spoke.
"She's right." added Rarity, also averting her gaze as she spoke "Our Rainbow Dash doesn't need a selfish, uncaring ruffian like yourself as her partner. She's onto bigger and better things now." Rarity sighed and in a feigned sympathetic tone added "You could have had the same chance in the Wonderbolts as her if you hadn't ruined it all for yourself and nearly for her as well. You deserve what you've gotten."
Lightning only shut her eyes. Rarity really had snatched the words from her mouth.
Now it was Applejack's turn. Unlike the others, she glared coldly at Lightning as she spoke, so that Lighting could see the dark coal like eyes that longed to look at any pony but her. A cold look of utter disgust that the most deranged and emotionless serial killer would have felt was excessive. "Selfish and dishonest ponies don't succeed and never will. Honesty and dedication to your friends is what gets you places in life. " Applejack shook her head. "It's why Dash is where she is now and why you got what you got instead. A pony is meant to care about other ponies and how their actions affect other ponies around them. And they're meant to tell the truth about their actions and admit their mistakes. Like me for instance. It's because I'm honest and never cheat that Sweet apple acres is what it is today."
"I'm sure it is." complimented Lightning in a desperate attempt to look at least halfway presentable.
"Ponies like those no good richtown in them fancy places like manehattan or Canterlot. They got none of that good old honesty and that means they aint got no friends. They'll get ruined one by one by their pride, their ego and their selfish ways, you'll see."
Plenty of those selfish ponies threw me money when I was starving, thought Lightning to herself.
"It's why good old Ponyville is our home and we love it here so much." explained Applejack, allowing a fleck of colour to appear on her cheeks as she held out her hoof.
Then why doesn't Fluttershy love it here, was Lightning's only thought. But she kept it silent and gestured for Applejack to continue.
"Dash warned us about you Lightning Dust. So don't you try nothing with me." warned the farm pony smoothing her hat. "I ain't gonna believe a word you say. Anything you tell me will be lies. It always was while you were partners with Dash."
"But I, I did want to be good friends with Dash." protested Lightning Dust on an impulse.The words simply slipped from her mouth.
"Friendship without trust is like a apple tree without roots." exclaimed Applejack like a mantra. "And you are dead wrong if you think that Dash will want to trust you again after what you just did to her and us."
Lightning tried to control herself but once again the words jumped out on a whim "I didn't mean to do what I did. I didn't mean to hurt any pony. I just wanted..."
"It doesn't matter what you wanted. What you wanted was selfish and wrong and you were wrong for trying to get it. That's the way I see it at least." And the other ponies grunted in agreement. "When you want something selfish, you never get it."
But all Fluttershy wanted was to help others with her ideas but no pony listens to her. And all Chrysalis wanted was to feed her starving hive of changelings, and as Fluttershy would say, changelings are just as much living creautures as us ponies and therefore have just as much a right to life. And don't get me started on the fact that Starlight, even if I do disagree personally with her methods slightly, at first only wanted to make a haven where ponies could live without fear of their cutie marks separating them which to some extent I can admire. These thoughts were just a few of many that circled Lightning's mind as the stories Fluttershy had shared with her during their first days together came back to her.
Applejack even if she was well intentioned, was simply wrong. But Lightning wasn't one to talk. She didn't have any right to say who was right and wrong and she never would.
And so once again, she flattered Applejack's ego. "You're right. I'm sorry."
"As you well should be. And you should be much more sorry than you sound to me right now because that to me is the most insincere apology I've ever heard since the flim flam brothers came and left. And you'd better listen when I tell you that as bad as Flim and Flam were when they dared to set hoof on our sweet apple acres, you are making them seem like gentlecolts in comparison. So you'd better watch your tone Dusty before we throw you out of here like the filthy dust you really are."
Lightning turned to Fluttershy who had been still as a statue, her head down. She lifted it up briefly and gave Lightning a glimpse of her tear sodden, half closed eyes.
Lightning sighed. Fluttershy couldn't help her here. Her friends really didn't listen to her. Any words Fluttershy could add would only make her look worse. And by extension, could ruin Fluttershy's already uneasy relationship with her friends. And Lightning couldn't have that. Their quarrel was with her and not Fluttershy and she was determined to keep it that way at any price.
Being shackled once again in chains (which even now seemed to bind her) and to be thrown back into her cold, dark cell to be worked like a dog daily like a horse, in constant fear that the guard would lose his temper to lash at her once more with his terrifying whip was a small price to pay, so that Fluttershy's friends would focus their hatred on her and not her benefactor and savior.
Lightning turned to face Applejack once again, forcing back a flood of tears she knew had to remain secret if at all she felt any remorse. They were crocodile tears, and to cry them in front of those you owed an apology to, was not only the most immoral thing she could do, but also the epitamy of dishonour. And honour was something she like every Wonderbolt had been told was highly valuable.
"Please, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. This is all my fault. Please don't blame Fluttershy for any of this. She just wanted to help me because she felt sorry for me. I know I didn't deserve any sympathy. I know I was wrong."
Applejack scrunched up her face and a brief laughter filled the room. "Rant on as long as you like about how sorry you are. I won't believe you even if Twilight, Rarity and Pinkie do. And I know for a fact they don't."
Lightning knew that every word that came from Applejack's mouth was the brutal, harsh truth. Save the time she had lied about winning the rodeo, Applejack told nothing but the truth. And that made her words all the more painful.
"It happened so fast" explained Lightning wistfully "So fast. Everything went blurry and I lost control. I couldn't help. I didn't see you until the tornado nearly got to you and I, I couldn't help. Please believe me."
"Yes yes yes." replied Twilight who had been silent since Lightning's arrival. "I'm sure you can continue to describe in ever more complex detail about what happened." Twilight's voice was calmer and less biting than the snide overtones of the orange earth pony, as would be expected from a high class Canterlot pony who had studied magic under the tutelage of noble Celestia and who had been dubbed some while ago as the princess of friendship.
"But I agree with Applejack that most of what you said might well be untrue especially since Rainbow Dash already told us what happened."
"I'm glad ya'll agree with me." said Applejack.
"But we'll give you the benefit of the doubt because Fluttershy trusts you. It's because Fluttershy trusts you that we're going to give you another chance. Fluttershy is a very nice pony to do all this for you and you should be thankful for her."
Too nice, thought Lightning sadly. Too nice, It's you who should be more thankful for having such a good friend.
Fluttershy nodded and managed to stutter "Lightning Dust isn't a bad pony, I know she isn't."
"That's nice dear." replied Rarity, her sarcasm belied by her placating voice she spoke in, as if she was talking to a young, kindergarten aged colt or filly. "But you do know about the terrible things this friend of yours has been a part of so you might want to be careful around her."
"What she says doesn't mean nothing to no pony." muttered Applejack under her breath.
It was Twilight who eventualy broke the rising tension that unbeknownst to all save Lightning, would probably have escalated to a violent fight.
"But as Fluttershy said, Lightning did apologise. And we should at least try to be a bit more gentle with her if she really does feel this bad about what she did." declared Twilight, her tone friendlier but only in a forced kind of way.
She held out her hoof. "Come to think of it, I never introduced myself. I'm sorry, where are my manners?"
"It's okay" Lightning managed to reply.
"I'm Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's best student and the princess of friendship. It's a title I've had for a while now and even now I'm still getting used to it. It's hard work but I enjoy it and I like helping other ponies see the value of friendship."
"I'm Applejack, and I run Sweet apple acres, that farmyard across the street." said Applejack reluctantly "as you prolly aready know."
"I'm Rarity, a fashionista and I own several botiques. Here, in Canterlot and even one in Manehattan. I'm sure you've already heard of me" Pinkie's introduction was the last amiable of the four. "I'm Pinkie pie. I plan parties." she explained, still a quiet anger in her voice. "But don't think I'll be planning one for you anytime soon" she whispered, leaning forward so that only Lightning could hear. "Or that you'll even get to be a guest at one of my parties. You're a meanie. I don't like meanies."
"And of course you already know Fluttershy well" Twilight explained.
Fluttershy gently tapped Lightning on the back to signal that it was her turn to make an introduction. She sighed and took a deep breath.
"You already know my name is Lightning Dust. I was a Wonderbolt with a great future, but now I'm rock bottom after I done goofed."
And then Lightning gave Twilight and the others a much abbreviated account of how Spitfire had her arrested and how roughly each day in the prison she was sentenced to would roll by for her. How she was the only convict in an otherwise empty prison and how Fluttershy one day found her as she lay dying after she was left for dead in the woods.
How Fluttershy nursed her back to health and begged Celestia to issue her a pardon, which Celestia did with much prompting. But anything Fluttershy had told her about her past and her own past, Lightning kept secret.
They didn't need to know, and quite frankly, didn't deserve to know.
"And that's why I'm here" concluded Lightning apolagetically. Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack didn't seem to believe Lightning, but Twilight mostly just seemed indifferent or at least only mildly moved.
"Well, I guess you'll be staying here then." stated Twilight clearly not too interested in Lightning's story.
"I guess I will. Thank you."
"Starlight will show you to your room. I'm sure you'll like it."
Ah Starlight, the pony Fluttershy mentioned was once Twilight's worst enemy. The pony who once went so far to try and wreak revenge on Twilight that in doing so, spent more than a month patiently stalking her enemy waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And then she very nearly caused unthinkable damage to Equestria and several thousand lives if not many more, in a vapid attempt to embitter Twilight's life. Her motive was to put it simply petty and a flaglant example of refusing to accept or take the blame for her own wrongs. And her plan made no sense. Her plan involed time travel, Fluttershy claimed, though that was all Fluttershy knew.
But then Twilight forgave her and made her one of her closest friends, sputtered Fluttershy angrily, while leaving you to rot in a cold, dark cell in a prison built specially for you.
But Lightning was curious. What kind of pony was this Starlight? Fluttershy stated that she was a very powerfull unicorn whose skill in magic dwarfed even Twilight, and Twilight's special talent was magic based on her cutie mark.
Another large set of doors opened and showed to Lightning Dust, Starlight.
Starlight?, that meek and mostly nondescript unicorn who stepped across the threshold like an intruder was Starlight? The master of magic who could go toe to toe with even Princess Twilight the alicorn who had spent her whole life studying magic, despite only being an ordinary unicorn herself.
The light purple unicorn walked forward with her head down, so it was impossible to see her emotion which quite frankly, she did not seem eager to reveal.
"This is Starlight, my new personal student." explained Twilight. "She'll show you around."
Starlight nodded and looked up so that Lightning could see from her rapidly blinking eyes, and disheartened frown that she had until recently, been in shock. The dark lines on Starlight's other wisely clean and young face a testament to sleepless nights, not unlike the marks on Fluttershy's rosy cheeks noted Lightning.
Starlight held out her hoof and greeted Lightning with a cheerful hello that held no gravel.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." she said, her voice surprisingly chirpy and upbeat making Lightning wonder if Starlight had any idea who she was talking to. Aside from Fluttershy, no pony had said that to her for a while now.
"You'll like it here.". And Starlight gestured for Lightning to follow. And as Lightning turned to follow, for the first time in a long time she allowed herself to crack a small grin. These two ponies, different as they were with their ideologies would get along together like a house on fire. This, thought Fluttershy to herself, was a dream too good to be true.
Lightning walked in silence, only nodding occasionally as Starlight led her through one spacious chamber after another.
Each room was filled with more eye catching, exorbitant items of value than the last. Beautifully woven tapestries hung from glistening crystal walls. Exquisite rugs painted with the most fine murals, covered the floor along with a long red carpet that laced the hallway between the rooms. Probably, thought Lightning, modelled after the exact same one Celestia would have in the grand hall in her palace from how elegant and vibrant it seemed.
Princess Twilight really did have a fine sense of style and refinement. Not surprises there, thought Lightning, she was a princess now after all and she would be expected to live up to certain standards.
A brief flash of Spitifire stripping her of her lead pony badge came to her, but she quickly pushed it away.
"Do you like it here so far?" asked Starlight politely, noting how wide Lightning's eyes were at the sight of so much high end furnishing and artisan ship, and Lightning only nodded, too amazed to think of anything more to say. And to think she would be living here now, when just a few weeks ago she would have to be content with the cold, hard and grimy floor in her cell. No pillow, no blanket.
She had thought that to be able to live in Fluttershy's homely little cottage was pleasant enough, but this. Fluttershy's kindness really did know no boundaries. Once again, against all odds, Fluttershy had managed to surprise Lightning with just how far she was willing to go to help Lightning when no pony else would even give Lightning the slightest tear in pity. And once again thought Lightning with a heart full of guilt, she deserved none of this.
Another flash of the cold look in Spitfire's baleful eyes. Lightning blinked and briefly shuddered. The past, she told herself, was in the past.
Starlight looked at Lightning curiously. "Something the matter?" she asked gently.
"No" sighed Lightning. "Not really."
"I can see it in your eyes." She explained. "Something's wrong. Something's bothering you."
"Nothing's wrong. Really. I'm fine."
Starlight only nodded but knew it would not be the end of the matter.
She knew that look in Lightning's blinking eyes very well. A look that just a few weeks ago, would have mirrored Starlight's own.
But she understood why Lightning wanted to say nothing. Yet she knew that until Lightning did say something, Lightning would not be able to recover. And Starlight was determined to help Lightning in any way she could, having been through what Lightning was now in.
But first she had to understand what exactly it was that Lightning was mad at herself about. And next she had to convince Lightning from her own experience, that whatever it was, that Lightning could improve. That she was not cast in iron for all of time.
But not now. One day they would exchange stories of how they had each sunk to such a low depth without realising. But a hasty cross examination was not the way to go.
"And here's your room." declared Starlight, leading Lightning into a room that though relatively small compared to the other rooms in this large castle, was no less opulent and well furnished.
It was beautiful. What else could Lightning really say? She'd gladly have taken this over her dormitory in Wonderbolt's academy in a heartbeat.
"I, I love it" admitted Lightning, almost shedding tears of joy at the thought of so much comfort.
"I thought you might." replied Starlight. "I certainly loved it here when I came."
A glimmer of sadness flashed in Starlight's eyes, but she quickly recovered.
Lightning noticed, but said nothing.
Then, the pair wordlessly headed through the hallways, and down the stairs where Twilight and her friends were gathered around what appeared to be a gigantic map on a table.
This Lightning knew from Fluttershy, to be the cutie map which forecast friendship problems around the region and determining which members of Twilight's group would be best suited to deal with such a problem.
"This is the cutie map" explained Starlight. "It alerts us to friendship problems around Equestria, that we as Princess Twilight's friends help her to tackle."
Lightning nodded, though remained sceptical.
If this map really could see every single friendship problem in Equestria, why then did Fluttershy feel so depressed and lonely with her life. Why then were there so many problems left?
It took a while but eventually two ponies, Rarity and Applejack stood up and stated they would be off before bolting out the door.
Twilight waited until their footsteps had died away before turning to Lightning.
"It's a lovely map isn't it?" she asked.
"It is."
Though Lightning knew deep down in her heart, it really wasn't all that great and that she had no part in these missions.
But for now, Lightning's priorities lay with tracking her old partner dash and making friends with the local townsfolk. She really did need to prove not just to them, but herself that she wasn't evil. That now her bad ways were during her school days.
And finding some way to help poor Starlight. The look in her eyes just wasn't right, and there was no way the poor girl would be able to survive like that.
How she could help or how Starlight's grief had escaped the watchful eye of Princess Twilight, she didn't know. But she couldn't just leave Starlight like this.
She barely knew Starlight, but say what you will about what she had done in the past, this Starlight now standing in front of Lightning was not a bully.
These were the thoughts that passed through Lightning's mind as she sat at the dining table, doing her best to avoid the baleful eyes of Princess Twilight and her friends so as not to anger them any further.
Twilight told stories of her past adventures, of which happily Lightning Dust did not listen to.
Not that she intended any rudeness, but simply that these tales were as alien to her as she was to Twilight and the others.
The tale arced on, in the direction of a parallel universe that existed through a certain portal into another world filled with strange creatures with things called "hands".
This world was home, stated Twilight, to a group of friends who bore striking resemblance to the denizens of this world. Every pony in this plane, seemed to have an almost exact counterpart with the same appearance, personality and even interests. Barring the fact that they were of different races of course.
Still Lightning was not very interested, but could not help but overhear some of the story.
"A certain group of bullies came from the school next to the one where I went to." stated Twilight. "Unlike the kind and gentle friends I met in Canterlot high, the bullies from that school, according to my letters from Sunset Shimmer were selfish and backward. Especially one particular group of them who were willing to go any lengths to win titles that they didn't earn, and had no qualms about cheating or mistreating each other along the way."
"One of them was Indigo Zap. She was very competitive but also very cruel and uncaring about even looking after her own friends."
Suppressing the shock and anger she felt at hearing her fillyhood friend's name being dragged through the mud in that manner, regardless of whether this was or was not the same Indigo Zap that was the first pony she had ever met who could be called a friend, Lightning's nearly closed eyes snapped open upon the mention of her fillyhood companion.
The companion who she had longed to see again, but could not when they parted ways.
If this really was as Twilight put it, a parallel dimension and all of these things Twilight had said about it were in fact true, then...
"What about the other school?" put in Lightning, as delicately as possible.
She was determined to glean as much information as possible, as little as it might be.
Twilight rolled her eyes at the question. It was clear this question made her uncomfortable.
Lightning waited in tense silence. She needed this information if she was going to have any chance of tracking her long lost fillyhood friend. It was a shot in the dark, but it was the best lead Lightning would have.
She was saved by Rarity. "Yes dear" stated the purple maned fashionista, "You really never mentioned this other school before to us, do tell us all about it?" "Yeah" agreed Pinkie excitedly "We'd realy like to know all about those nasty party pooper meanies from this other world." The others quickly grunted in unison. It was rare Twilight regaled them with tales of her adventure from this so called "mirror world." that they themselves would sadly never get to explore themselves and they were determined to hear as much as possible from their friend Twilight about it.
Twilight grinnned nervously "I really don't know that much about it. Sunset Shimmer's the one who's seen it more, and everything I know is from what she tells me in her letters to me. I don't even go back to see it that often any more."
"Tell us what you know." insisted Twilight's other friends sans Rainbow Dash who was still nowhere to be seen.
Twilight began by giving a brief introduction of the self centered, and concieted Indigo Zap, the leader of the other team who were chosen to represent Crystal Prep, a rival school with a fierce grudge and vendeta against Canterlot high, willing to go any length just to prove they were better every year at the friendship games."
The others save Lightning, gasped in shock.
"It's a competition, isn't the point to win and show off your talents." thought Lightning Dust rolling her eyes.
"But that's not all. They were very cruel, not just to Canterlot high, but towards their own friends. The had a friend called Twilight Sparkle from the other school, who was very shy, timid and lonely who they treated very badly."
The others brandished their hooves in anger.
"That's not Indigo Zap. THat's not Indigo Zap at all" thought Lightning angrily. Lightning resisted the urge to lunge at Twilight in a seething rage. This was nothing short of an insult to a good pony that had done nothing to warrant scorn. Lightning didn't care that this wasn't the same Indigo Zap. If what Twilight said was indeed the truth and this was in fact a mirror world, then it stood to reason that the Indigo from that world was no different from the caring and altruistic one she had met in her Wonderbolt days.
She contented herself by shaking her head in disbelief and impatience, seeing that no one was looking in her direction.
"The Twilight from the other world, and the other school was picked on very badly by the awful bullies in that other school. She had no friends and instead focused all her attention on her studies, desperate to learn more about the phenomenons and strange goings on's that happened after I came and left, leaving some of the magic from this world in that world."
The others began to retch in disgust. Lightning instead sighed wistfully. "A lot like how I was treated when I first went to the Wonderbolt's academy" she whispered quietly, so that Twilight could not hear.
"She was very interested to learn more about magic and wanted very badly to do it in a place where others would not bully or makefun of her. She wanted badly to apply to for an independent study program at any cost where she would be able to study in peace with no one to disturb her."
"But the Principal from the other school was a very selfish woman. Principal Cinch in order to preserve her long streak of victories and her reputation, threatened to ruin Twilight's chances at ever getting her dreams if she didn't do exactly as she was told. And Principal Cinch made Twilight do all kinds of awful things."
A lot like how Spitfire would push me to try harder, remarked Lightning Dust staring sadly at the ground, almost tearing up. Only pride and anger at herself stopped her from feeling any self pity.
Twilight stopped, and quickly dabbed at her eyes. It was clear even she was moved by the plight of her other self.
"Go on. What happened next." encouraged Applejack.
Twilight allowed herself a brief moment of silence before she continued speaking. "The other Twilight was forced to do terrible things such as spying on the students from Canterlot high, which she hated having to do. Especially since she was treated so badly by her own team, while the other team which she was supposed to be against, were much more nice and friendly to her especially ."
"You only say that because you think every pony that isn't you, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie or Rainbow Dash is wrong while you're always right." remarked Fluttershy silently. "You're wrong Twilight. There are plenty of other nice ponies whose opinions mean just as much and who are just as friendly and trustworthy as your friends in Ponyville. Did you really learn nothing from Cheese Sandwich and Coco Pommel."
Fluttershy silently vowed to herself that until every pony loved poor Lightning Dust again, that until the entire world knew Lightning Dust's name, she would not rest. She needed to prove to Twilight that other ponies meant just as much to Equestria as her and Rainbow Dash. And that there really were other nice ponies out there waiting to be befriended and taken notice of rather than ignored.
The next part of Twilight's tale was spent detailing how despite several bizzare disturbances putting several students at risk happened, the competition ran smoothly and up until the final event, Canterlot high had for the first time in a long time, been able to trump over Crystal Prep much to the chargin of Cinch.
"And they call me the reckless one" sighed Lightning, "You're more concerned about winning some small, unimportant contest solely to look better than actually stopping the games to care that ponies are being put at risk. You're really that eager to win?"
Applejack heard Lightning. "And what do you know about not putting others at risk with your careless antics. What do you know about not doing dangerous things that put others at risk for the sake of your own gain?" she demanded furiously.
Lightning could not help but feel somewhat offended at AJ's rough tone. She had heard this tone before, when other students at the academy made a spectacle of her that she still could not fly. But AJ was right. It was the brual harsh truth that she did not have a right to talk about what was right and wrong anymore.
"Nothing" admitted Lightning meekly, a quiet sob in her voice.
AJ nodded to show that the status quo of her moral superiority over Lightning had been restored before gesturing at Twilight to ignore the interuption and to continue.
"But then something terrible happened. Principal Cinch made Twilight open the amulet which was holding all the magic despite Sunset's warning she had accidentally collected, and things went bad, very quickly."
The next part of the tale, Lightning Dust and Fluttershy mostly failed to catch. They caught each other in the eyes, acknowledging that each felt what the other was feeling mow. Why did Sunset not do more to stop this from happening, when it was clear a poorly worded warning was not having any effect. Why did no one jump at Twilight as she opened the amulet, before dashing it to pieces if they really cared about her, and even Sunset herself did nothing more than talk when Twilight explained what the amulet did.
The tale came to a close and all of Twilight's friends were wide eyed with bewilderment. Only Fluttershy and Lightning were unimpressed. Though Lightning was now secretly filled with joy that Twilight had just given her a hint, vague as it was to the whereabouts of dear Indigo.
She would have to follow that lead as quickly as possible, if she was going to restore her good friend's reputation which Twilight had just dragged through the mud. But most of all, to cheer Indigo up. It was a dautning thought to think of Indigo alone, and friendless. To think that to Indigo, she was probably a rotting corpse that no pony wanted to bury. To think that even now, Indigo had prepared a rope up in the attic, readying herself to jump.
"And that's the story." concluded Twilight, given a slight yawn.
"That's one heck of a tale." agreed Applejack, "this here other world seems mighty impressive."
"mmm" agreed the other ponies in the room, sans Lightning and Fluttershy.
Even Starlight who had listened in silence, seemed amazed at such a turn of events.
Twilight glanced briefly at the clock. "It grows late" she noted "I believe its time we retire for the night. There are probably a lot of friendship problems waiting for us tommorow. I think it's time we go to bed."
The other ponies, who had now began to yawn and blink their eyes, nodded as they bade goodbye to Twilight and set off towards their houses to retire for the night.
"Thank you for the story, Princess Twilight" stated Lightning "It was, interesting. I hope it ends well."
"I'm glad you liked it. Not many ponies take such an interest in my adventures."
"And thank you for giving me a room in your castle, I really appreciate it."
"No worries. It's the least I can do for Fluttershy's friend."
But before Lightning could turn to leave, Twilight gently caught Lightning's shoulder. She sighed, genuinely apolagetic. "I'm sorry about the hurtful things Applejack said to you. I know she didn't mean them and that you probably feel very hurt."
"No it's alright. Really. She's right."
"AJ's always been slow to forgive past mistakes." explained Twilight gently. "She's been like this, ever since what happened to her parents."
"What happened to them?" asked Lightning delicately.
"No one knows for sure. But ever since that, AJ's had problems with trusting other ponies. It was a long time before she could make any friends again. It'll take some time before she trusts you again, you just have to be patient with her. Please, don't be angry with her."
"I'm not. Really."
"Thank you Lightning Dust." said Twilight gratefully. "You must be tired by now. I'll let you go to your room."
They exchanged goodnight to each other, before heading for their respective rooms.
"I don't care what Twilight says." whispered Fluttershy, who had been listening in discreetly from outside. "No pony should treat a pony as good as Lightning Dust that way after she apologised"
But even as Fluttershy said those words, she realised that the main problem with Lightning Dust being accepted by her friends would not come from Applejack, as snide as her biting remarks were.
It would come from Rainbow Dash, who knew Lightning personally and had even now, probably not forgiven Lightning in the slightest.
It was a good thing Rainbow Dash was not here, else this first meeting would have gone even worse. Fluttershy could only pray for things to stay this way. It would not be a meeting between two long lost friends who had been pleading with fate to reunite with each other, as it should have been like Starlight and Sunburst.
Lightning Dust wanted to see Rainbow Dash again badly, but as for Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy preferred not to think about.
Lightning did not go to sleep immediately when she returned to her room. Instead she took from a well equipped drawer a notepad and quill and began to write, based on parts of Twilight's story she had stashed away into her memory.
"So if Canterlot High is roughly equivelent to Canterlot and Ponyville, based on the fact that Twilight's friends in the other world went there, then Crystal prep would be..."
It took a few long minutes but Lightning Dust though far from being the most book smart pony in the land, soon managed to figure out that Crystal prep had to therefore represent somewhere in the crystal empire coming from what she knew.
She grinned, now she knew that Indigo Zap lived somewhere in the crystal empire which greatly narrowed down the range of locations she would have to check. Now all that was left to do was figure out exactly where in the Crystal empire.
Lightning knew that for some time, her conversations between Twilight would be more of a cross examination than anything else. But now all Lightning had to do was to ask more about what Crystal prep was actually like, and about the members of "Indigo's team.". Perhaps they could tell Lightning more about Indigo Zap.
Beautiful thoughts of Indigo smiling again, and not tying the rope in the attic made their way into Lightning's dream as she collapsed with exhaustion on the soft and velvety cushions that seemed like heaven after becoming accustomed to first her hardbunk in the Wonderbolt's academy and then the cold floor in her lonely, dark cell.
When Ligtning Dust woke up, Twilight was nowhere to be found. She had gone downstairs to look and when she saw the other ponies gone too, decided to question Starlight who for sat reading in the library. Sitting next to her was what appeared to be a small purple dragon, about the height of a few month old filly.
Lightning's first guess as to his name would probably have been very close to Spike, even if Fluttershy had not told her about him when she introduced Lightning to her friends. The green spikes on his smooth, scaly back were after all the most particular quality to his visage.
Most ponies who were not firmly acquainted with Twilight and her friends would have almost fainted in shock at the sight of a dragon, even one this small, living in such close proximity to one such as princess Twilight. Dragons were by nature, not amiable towards the equine races. They preferred to live with their own race in their capital, built upon a set of caves around a rumbling volcano, and the more solitary ones went so far as to confine themselves to mountains and crevasses which they had claimed entirely as their own territory, wasting no time in brutally mangling any trespassers foolish enough to set foot on their domain. At least that was what Lightning knew from the time she spent around the captain's table with Spitfire at dinner.
Bittersweet memories, the only relics Lightning had not relinquished from a bygone era.
It took the bravest of knights, or the most foolish of ruffians to try and even set eyes on a dragon, even a newly hatched one as tiny as Spike, but then Spike was an exception. According to Fluttershy, Twilight had been tasked with hatching him as part of an entry exam into Celestia's magic school and since then he had served Twilight wholeheartedly ever since as her only friend before she came here to study friendship.
The general reaction of any pony upon seeing a dragon, was to either scream and run far, far away or to rub their eyes to ask whether they were wide awake or dreaming. Lightning would too, but something made her instead politely wave and greet hello instead. Spike was Twilight's friend and any friend and by extension Fluttershy's friend. And any friend of Fluttershy's was also her friend now.
Spike glanced up briefly and was about to respond in kind when he noticed who this was. It seemed to take a colossal effort from the young dragon not to wave his arm to shoo the new stranger away or to simply turn his attention back to the book he was reading and pretend this was all an illusion of his mind and that if he didn't acknowledge Lightning, she would simply vanish and leave him in peace.
But the fit was only momentary and though his distrusting eyes did not soften one bit, he managed somehow to bade the new visitor welcome in a polite, if somewhat cold voice and to introduce himself as Twilight's number one assitant and the revered saviour of the Crystal empire twice over.
"It's nice to meet you Spike" replied Lightning happily, but she may as well have replied "You smell like dirt and make me want to rip my eyes from their sockets because of how ugly you look" for all the difference it made.
Spike clearly did not trust the pony good Rainbow Dash had warned his friends about, and even if Twilight had told him not to be too hard on this newcomer, a polite greeting was all she would get from him and nothing more. Twilight could make him tolerate this thug, but to make him actually like her was asking way too much.
Spike contented himself with gesturing at the thick volume he held in his claw.
"Excuse the interruption. I'll leave you to your book." said Lightning as she left him eagerly, sensing that she was upsetting him.
She walked over to Starlight, and stood patiently waiting while she finished the last page of what appeared to be a spellbook of sorts from its thickness and elaborately designed spine and bookmarks.
"Fluttershy and the others left on another friendship mission. It's just me here. Breakfast is in the living room if you want anything."
"That's fine. I'll leave you to your reading."
"Well you know where to find me if you need anything."
Lightning nodded gratefuly and left to seat herself at the royal table, stuffing herself with a hearty meal of croissants and perfectly grilled fresh fruit crepes garnished with a nectar like sauce, allowing herself to pretend for a moment that she was not some common scum who had been released early from her dungeon out of pity so that she might walk among ordinary ponies despite not really being one anymore.
She closed her eyes as she savoured the feast bite by bite, and allowed herself to pretend that this was in fact her castle and not Twilight's. That she was the Wonderbolt's new leader now and that Spitfire had stepped down.
But her dream was brief. The ambrosia like meal reached an untimely end when Lightning reached for another bite to find there was no more and her confident smile reverted to the regretful frown that had long since replaced it.
The next time she had anything to do with the Wonderbolt's was in her dreams and the next time she owned a castle would be when she was playing monopoly.
Lightning considered her options as she stared sadly at the ground.
Starlight was clearly busy with her reading, not wanting to be disturbed. Spike clearly wanted nothing to do with her and prefably to be kept at arms length from her.
The others were away for at least the day according to Starlight and as tired as she still was, she did not feel in the mood to go back to sleep anymore than she did to sit down and read. She didn't need to be told that touching any of Twilight's books was a big no no from the way Spike had glared at her coldly.
She sighed. The only thing left for her to do was to wander around town.
She had heard good things about Ponyville from Fluttershy and to a lesser extent from old partner Dash.
The mouth watering deserts from Sugarcube corner, the lovely clubs and disco's that were bound to be playing the hottest tunes even now, and a whole ton of other great things.
But of course these things were not for Lightning to enjoy. Take one step into any club or public gathering and she'd be thrown out so quickly her mane would catch fire.
But that did not stop Lightning from slipping on a hooded cloak she had found in Starlight's room and from tiptoeing out into the town, smiling joyfully as she watched from a distance several Pegasi like her about to race each other around the park.
She stood silently peering from around the corner of a building as colts and fillies played and frolliced without a care in the world not one pony left behind. This really was the town of friendships, sighed Lightning. Twilight was right to come here.
Beautiful shops, each one filled with more dazzing displays than the last and a schoolhouse sitting cosily in the corner surrounded by a large playground which must have cost no small fortune to build.
Then she saw the Rainbow Dash fanclub. A small treehouse filled to the brim with ponies of all kinds clad in blue masks with pained manes made to look just like the Rainbow. Lightning wanted desperately to walk in with the crowd too and to pay her respects to her good partner. And if Rainbow Dash was by some chance around, to beg for forgivness.
The same feeling of wanting to join the crowd, returned when Lightning saw Vinyl Scratch's beautiful club, the sound of the loud metal tunes eminating from it once again managed briefly to revive Lightning's long dead smile.
When Lightning saw free samples of lovely smelling cake being handed out to a line of ponies at sugar cube corner, she had to fight to resist the urge to rush forward. She too, loved cake.
Cider day. Today had to be cider day. Ponies sat slurping the thick and heavenly treasure down mug by mug. And today just happened to be cider day.
Lightning could tell that the two ponies who sat pumping cider into mug after mug at the stand were none other that Applejack's older brother Big Mac and her younger sister Applebloom, who had just recently gotten her cutie mark.
Fluttershy had told her more than she would probably ever admit, but she had clung tightly to every little detail.
Once again Lightning almost teared up as she dashed away stealthily, taking care to keep her hood over her face so that it was obscured and so that no pony could see who she really was.
Ponyville was a town for nice and friendly ponies, and Lightning was far from a friendly pony. If the element of loyalty thought this, likely so did every pony else.
Lightning may have been released from jail early, but this did not make her any more of a normal pony.
To herself at least, Lightning was not even a pony but a creature with the appearance of a pony. A creature that lived beside ponies, never to be accepted as one itself. A creature that could be treated well or badly, fed or left to starve as the actual ponies saw fit.
So with a heavy sigh, Lightning finished her tour of Ponyville with a quick sip of cider she had managed to salvage from an empty bench unable to help herself.
She then darted back into Twilight's castle, unnoticed by any pony, replaced her cloak as she found it and sat by a window on the top floor to pass the time watching the scenery.
She watched as Twilight and the others headed back from their excursion clearly worn with fatigue. The other ponies gathered in a crowd and cheered as Twilight and Fluttershy told them that another friendship problem had been solved.
The crowd roared with applause.
It was then that Lightning realised what she would have to do to truly win Twilight's trust. To truly show that she was more than able to earn her keep.
She would have to convince Twilight to let her go too on the next friendship mission.
A true test of her skills from Wonderbolt's academy was what she needed now to show that she hadn't quite lost her touch.
But if Twilight refused, Lightning would still go. It was the only way her friendship with Fluttershy's friends would ever work and the only common ground they would ever find between them.
And for Fluttershy's sake, she had to try and bridge the gap between them.