Petty thief Lightning Mane gets twisted up in a story bigger than himself when desaster strikes.
Growing up on the streets of Manehattan, Lightning Mane was a mere petty thief, scraping to get by. When his latest robbery makes a sudden turn for the utterly unexpected, he finds himself right in the center of a battle for Equestria, as an enemy the Ponies deemed defeated proves himself still dangerous, lurking beneath the surface of a perfectly happy Equestria.
Manehattan, the big city, was in the eyes of most ponies almost synonymous with wealth and culture. A place of dreams for many, on par with the graceful Canterlot and a bustling metropolis where anypony could succeed. For some of its citizens, however, there was also a darker side to Equestrias largest city. Deep within the poorest neighbourhoods of Manehattan, the promises of the city rang hollow to the ears of its inhabitants and the high-society of Manehattans upper-class seemed ever further away than it did in quaint little countryside towns like Ponyville.
Lightning Mane had spent his entire life in these parts. The teal-colored Pegasus grew up in the gutter, not even remembering his parents – not even sure wether terrible fate befell them or wether they had cruelly left him behind to a life of hardship. Somehow the little foal, forgotten by a society that almost ironically deemed friendship and love its core values, had made it through his childhood and grown to become a scrawny and dirty colt. Obviously, his life of day-to-day survival had left its marks on him, most noticeable by the crooked wing that hung motionlessly from Lightning Manes left flank. He hadn't flown in years, yet desperately missed the fresh breeze around his muzzle and the wind in his feathers. Like so many things else, flying had become but a distant dream for the Pegasus who was trapped in the maze of Manehattans alleys and backyards. Strolling out to thieve a few bits on the lively main streets where the wealthy folks went to spend their hard earned money had, of course, been a lot tougher ever since Lightning Mane had lost his wingpower. Flying was a major advantage when trying to evade guards or fleeing when caught grabbing into someponys saddlebags and, truth be told, Lightning had never been a particularily ressourceful thief either. He scraped by with what little he managed to get and, perhaps out of pure chance, he had managed to avoid getting arrested up to now. But there wasn't much choice involved either. It wasn't like there were any jobs for homeless Pegasi from the worst neighbourhood of Manehatten who can't even fly.
Hence, Lightning Mane was on Foal Street that fateful day, preying on hoity-toity types as usual and being eyed cautiously by other ponies who felt that someone with his looks could be up to no good – as usual.
„Have you heard what happened at Canterlot?“
Lightning listened to the green-colored Mare passing with her husband right next to him. He couldn't care less for Canterlot, but there was a ring of urgency to her voice that even he could not evade.
„Some evil monsters almost took over the city. Changelings they were called, I think. It was all in the Equestrian Inquirer today.“
Her husband stopped short, a bedazzled, almost frightened look on his face.
„Changelings... you don't say. What exactly did the Inquirer tell us about these... Changelings.“
„Apparently they disguise as Ponies we love … or something like that. Don't ask me how, I don't understand it either. But it's a really scary thought, don't you think?“ The green mare stared at her husband in honest fright. „What if there are still some of these monsters amongst us?“
Her husband, a chubby grey colt who looked a good few years older than her laughed out aloud.
„Don't be so ridiciulous, darling. I am sure the Royal Guard at Canterlot dealt with them quite efficiently.“
He didn't sound very convinced to Lightning Mane, who had been observing the talk, mostly to figure out whether these two could be suitable victims for a petty thief like him. Even the laughter of the grey colt had sounded slightly forced, as if he had used it to cast aside his own doubts about the news his wife had just confronted him with. She seemed to have noticed that just as much as Lightning did, throwing him a worried look, but quickly getting distracted as the teal Pegasus who had been shifting around the couple for the last few moments caught her eye. Yes, Lightning had never been a very succesful thief, if only because he drew too much attention whenever the tried to mingle with the masses of well-groomed and dapper dressed Ponies that trotted over Manehattans streets on a sunny afternoon.
„Let's just forget about these scary little stories from Canterlot and get to this place of yours we're headed for. Alright, Sparkling Amber?“
The mare had already been nodding her head to the words of her husband when her movements suddenly froze at the end of the sentence.
„What... did you just call me Sparkling AMBER?“
Her wide eyes locked on the grey colt who was acting more than a little nervous now, fidgeting to set his error right.
„I... umm... of course I... err. I mean...“
„Sparkling EMERALD. Green! Emeralds are green! Like my coat!“ She was fuming. „You didn't just really forget my name, did you? How could my own husband POSSIBLY forget my name?!“ Her forehoofs slammed on the ground in anger, but then her tone changed abruptly. „Are you feeling alright, dear?“ Sparkling Emerald sounded worried now. „You've been confused and nervous the entire day without a reason. Maybe we should go see a doctor? First the mishaps with the breakfast, then your problems with the piano and now this. It could be something wrong with you...“
Lightning Mane had no interest in delving any further into the private affairs of this couple. What was of importance to him was, that now the two were sufficiently distracted by their issues to no longer mind the rugged, stained Pegasus that lurked nearby. Carefully he sneaked past the green Mare, grabbed her purse with his mouth and, before she could even take notice, dashed off with all speed he could muster.
„Hold!“ the Mare shrieked. She shoved her husband forward, urging him to pursue the earthbound Pegasus. „Do something, Silver Thread!“
Reluctantly, the colt went into pursuit. Had it been up to pure gallopping speed alone, Lightning would have easily made it. But as the mare named Sparkling Emerald continued to shriek „Thief, thief!“ at the top of her voice, it took little thinking for passersby to figure out why Lightning Mane was running through the streets of Manehattan and as a consequence, Lightning had to repeatedly evade attempts by overzealous strangers trying to hold him down. Running zigzag while the pursuing Colt could head at him in a straight line meant that sooner or later, Silver Thread had to catch up with the Pegasus. To make matters worse, two guards had been alarmed by the uproar on Foal Street, approaching him from the opposite direction. Lightning Mane was cornered and it looked like facing the husband of his victim was the less hopeless option.
„Just hand it back,“ Silver Thread said sternly. But Lightning Mane knew that even in that case, he'd still get arrested by the guards. He was a thief and nopony liked thieves.
„Well...“ Lightning said, threatingly scratching the ground with his forehoof. „Make me.“
The grey colt looked bedazzled, but only for a second. Then, to Lightnings surprise, he did not back down over the threat from a scarred Manehattan backalley ruffian, but actually leaped forward to strike at him! Quick reactions let the teal Pegasus dive below the strike from his opponent. Then his hindlegs propelled him forward with full force, driving his extended right forehoof with all strength he could muster unto the lower jaw of Silver Thread right in the moment that the two guards had caught up, one of them grabbing Lightning by the light-blue and white tail as his comrade yelled „CEASE!“ at the top of his voice.
It was too late. The power of the strike knocked the grey colt out and he collapsed to the ground, suddenly robbed of all strength that had held him up on his legs. Lightning Mane thriumphantly wheezed air through his nose even as the guard harshly pulled him back.
Screams interrupted the scenery and a mare to the right of Lightning Mane fainted as she saw that it was no longer Silver Thread who lay unconsciously on the ground, but rather a strange creature vaguely resembling a pony. A shining black carapace body and wide eyes without a lense reminded of an insect, but the holes that adorned its legs and wings were thoroughly alien. Even the guard who had been dragging Lightning Mane by his tail released his grip on the Pegasus as he glanced at the thing in front of him.
„Holy horseapples...“ the other guard muttered in disbelief. Meanwhile, Sparkling Emerald had caught up with what had been her husband just until a few seconds ago. Seeing her beloved somepony turn into something completely monstrous had left her thoroughly shocked, yet she was the first of all ponies on the scene to break out of her catatonic stare, if only to let out a despaired shout:
„What happened to my husband?!“
The crowd surrounding them began to voice their suspicions in a desperate attempt to make sense of the whole situation. „He put a curse on him!“ one unicorn shouted angrily, pointing at Lightning Mane. A few other ponies were willing to buy into this version of the story, screaming demands for the Pegasus sorcerer to be arrested immediately, but the guard who had just a few moments ago seized Lightning Mane spoke up with all the authority he could muster:
„He's not an evil enchanter.“
Lightning let out a relieved gasp.
„This,“ the guard pointed at the strange creature on the ground whose dragonfly wings had started twitching „is a changeling!“
The declaration did little to calm the crowd. In fact, utter panic broke out and another mare fainted, holding a hoof in front of her head in a most dramatic fashion, as terrorized screams filled Foal Street. Little fillies tried to find safety behind their parents, who likewise backed away from the unconscious Changeling. Somewhere in the back, an elder stallion murmured „impossible,“ noting how the Changelings had supposedly been driven out of Equestria when their attack on Canterlot failed. At least, he recalled with more confidence in his voice, that's what he had read in the newspaper.
Amidst this uproar, Lightning Mane just now realized that the purse he had grabbed from the green mare was still dangling from his neck, held in the air by a fashionably thin string. Once the panic started by the sudden revelation of a Changeling amidst the Manehattan ponies would subside, Lightnings loot would surely serve as a reminder to the guards for why they had chased after him in the first place – and then it'd be off to the prison for the flightless Pegasus.
Desperately, he searched for a way out of this trap. Maybe he could just dash off? But that was a risky gamble, he decided, as even now more ponies arrived at the scenery to see what had caused such chaos. They stood close together, forming an almost impenetrable wall of bodies. No, running was out of question and instead, Lightning tried to shake off the purse while no one was paying attention to him. If only he could hide it somewhere nearby, maybe push it into a stormdrain, then he could deny to have stolen anything in the first place and there would be no evidence against him. Surely, no one could blame him for running away from an angry stallion.
But as the purse hit the cobblestones, several dozen golden coins flung out into every direction, shooting a metallic „cling-cling-cling“ into the frantic debate of the onlookers. The two guards gave Lightning an accusatory stare and the Pegasus responded with a wide, insincere grin like someone who – well, like someone who had just been caught red-hoofed. „Quick, think, think, think,“ he thought to himself in growing panic, trying to come up with a good excuse. Sparkling Emerald was still in sheer disbelief over what had just happened to her husband and couldn't pay any less attention to the thieving stallion right next to her. With a shaking voice, she asked, yet again:
„What happened to my husband?“
A thought struck Lightning Mane. With all the confidence he could muster, he slowly grabbed the purse and stuffed the coins back inside, all the while monitored by the same accusatory stares of the guards. The Pegasus took his dear time, trying his hardest to appear completely unphased by the freak-incident with the Changeling. With a concerned look, he then approached Sparkling Emerald, placed his left forehoof on her shoulder and, having gained the attention of the mare who was still in complete shock, handed her back the purse.
„I am sorry for causing you such inconvenience,“ he said. „But it seems my doubts about your husband were correct. A Changeling had taken his place and there was no other way for me to prove it. Again, I am sorry for having to take this from you to set things into motion, but at least you are no longer deceived by that monster.“
„I don't understand...“ Sparkling Emerald trembled. „Where is my husband? … My real husband?“
„Sorry, I don't know“ Lightning slowly shook his head, trying to glimpse at the guards from the corner of his eye. They were throwing each other confused looks, but it seemed that they were inclined to buy into Lightning Manes story. „But I am sure we can find out once the guards question this monster,“ he added, pointing to the Changeling whose twitching had become more pronounced, a sure sign it was about to wake up.
One of the guards shrugged and walked to the side of the Changeling, followed by his comrade who helped him drag the creature back to its feet. As it regained consciousness, the Changeling blinked in confusion, not immediately realizing what had happened. Its eyes finally locked on the sight of Lightning Mane, whom it hissed at threatingly before suddenly bursting into green flames.
Lightning Mane stared into the face of a perfect Doppelganger of his own, but the Changeling couldn't keep itself standing and as its legs gave way for its body to drop back to the ground, Lightning Mane calmly noted: „Must have hit harder than I thought.“
„Where is the stallion whose place you took,“ one of the guardsponies demanded to know, but the Changeling-Lightning Mane merely whispered something that, guessing from the movement of its lips, must have meant „buck off.“ Neither of the guardsponies looked amused. Once again, the dragged the Changeling back to its feet. Again, it burst into green flames, returning to its original, insectoid form. It released an angry snarl and an emerald light flickered at the tip of its crooked and twisted horn.
Before its magic could manifest, the guard to the Changelings left reacted by snapping her hoof against the horn, breaking whatever spell it was the creature had been trying to cast. The shining white guardsmare grinned contently. „Now, don't think you can pull any tricks on us.“ She pushed the Changeling forward, forcing it to walk along. „I hope you change your mind. The dungeon will be a lot nicer for you, if you cooperate and tell us what you have done with the stallion whose place you took.“
Her comrade, a tall ash-grey stallion with a coal-black mane trotted behind her and the captive Changeling, gesturing the crowd to disperse. „It's over, everypony. Go home.“ As they hesitantly began to obey, he took one final minute to turn his attention towards Sparkling Emerald, the bright green mare who stood in the center of the scenery as confused and frightened as she had been, when first glancing upon the Changeling.
„If there is anything we can do for you, don't hesitate to ask.“ She shook her head in response, visibly close to tears. The guard spoke on with a distinctive trace of worry in his voice: „We will find your husband. I promise.“
He turned to leave, not without also taking one final glance at Lightning Mane, which left the Pegasus wondering about the message the guard was trying to convey. While it surely was a flattering thought to think that it was intended as approving nod, or at least an anger that stemmed from the fact Lightning Mane had done a better job protecting the ponies of Manehattan than the two guards, the most likely answer was, that the guard knew as well as Lightning that he was no hero at all. A thief, who had managed to use the circumstances to his advantage and get off free. He knew it, the guards knew it, by Celestia, Sparkling Emerald probably knew as well. She just had more pressing issues right now.
„Good luck,“ Lightning told the green mare and slowly walked away amongst a dispersing crowd that bordered on the hysterical, chattering loudly and in shrill voices. Behind stayed a lonely, emerald colored pony, shedding tears on Foal Street.
He had escaped a tight spot thanks to quick thinking and pure, thoroughly weird and unlikely, chance – but Lightning Mane had not secured any loot on this day, meaning that the teal-colored Pegasus was once again broke. A disturbingly powerful rumbling in his stomach reminded him of the consequences of an unsuccesful day, but there was little he could do save trying his best to ignore it as he huddled himself into a dark corner of an abandoned building.
It was a beautiful night, Lightning had to admit as his view crossed through a broken window to capture the sight of the illuminated night sky above the the roofs of the big city. Not a single cloud obscured the look at the thousands of twinkling stars or the large yellow full-moon. Merely a single large tower, raising above the surrounding row-houses by several stories, protruded into the dark black night sky and obscuring the view of the moon and adding its own dim lights to the panorama.
However, it was also a cold night, filled with a fresh breeze that chased any revelers back inside their homes. Perhaps it was the clear sky, but this night had been at least several degrees colder than the last few nights and albeit it was nowhere near freezing, the sudden drop in temperature had made it feel much more dire than it probably was. Lightning Mane, at least, was shaking. His empty stomach had made the experience of cold worse and he tried to huddle his body even closer into the dirty corner that was his resting place, trying to leave as little surface as possible exposed to the fresh spring air. It was a futile fight against conflicting needs of his body, as everytime he tried to pull himself tighter, he squeezed the crippled wing to his left and a searing pain shot through his entire body, making Lightning Mane jump and scream in agony.
„It'd be a wonder if I can sleep at all tonight,“ he sighed desperate and exhausted. Again he tried to, somehow, rest comfortably against the brick wall and, somehow, keep himself warm at night. Again he couldn't keep his left wing, which was bound to gravity more than to Lightnings will, from exploding into a cascade of pulsating pain. Finally the Pegasus gave up, rose from his resting place and began to walk aimlessly around the abandoned building, kicking small cobblestones around its hallways as he went.
It must have been a beautiful building, sometime long ago, inhabitated by wealthy and happy ponies as a few rotten pieces of broken furniture and the occasional faded picture of smiling unicorns testified. Everything worth taking had, of course, been taken years before Lightning Mane entered the house through its shattered backdoor, maybe even by the ponies who had live here themselves as they had moved out, leaving their old home to the desperate and the destitute. There was little use in musing over such things and Lightning tried to redirect his throughts, only to find himself with even more hopeless ones as he recalled the events of the day. If a Changeling could replace that grey colt named Silver Thread just like that, then anypony, he realized, could be a Changeling these days. The implications of this fact would probably be dire for almost everyone in Equestria, but Lightning Mane couldn't think of anypony where it would be of consequence for him whether they were real or changeling. In the world of the teal-colored Pegasus there was no one who could be replaced to take advantage of him. He laughed at that thought. It was a sad, depressive laugh straight into the face of misery. He wasn't even worth being taken advantage of. For all Lightning could care, the changeling invasion was the concern of the rest of Equestria with its friendships and families. His life would proceed as it always had, a daily struggle to survive the day and make the best of his existence on the fringe of ponykind.
Across the street, Lightning could see two earth ponies and three fillies gathered around a table for dinner in their lit-up and heated apartment. It was mere meters away from him, just across the street, but it could just as well have been but a faint twinkle on the horizon, as distant as the stars on the clear sky. This happy family was completely removed from his own lonely life in the cold of these ruins and yet, seeing them together like this, he couldn't help but cringe a little at the thought that the three fillies were maybe having lunch now not with their parents, but with strange parasitic creatures called changelings.
Lightning discarded his earlier thought. It did make a difference whether the ponies around him were replaced by changelings, even if he couldn't exactly tell why it mattered.
„Why do I even care,“ he said to himself, but surrendering immediately. „I probably can't help it. I do care.“
As he turned around, he was suddenly struck by a sharp pain, not on his left wing, but on the back of his head. „By Celestia,“ he yelled in anger, facing whoever had just attacked him only to take a short glimpse at the black carapace body of another, seemingly surprised, changeling with a club. He had obviously not expected Lightning to withstand the blow, but he was quick to correct that mistake with another strike before Lightning could react properly to the threat. The second hit let Lightnings world black out and he dropped to the ground.
-
When he finally came to, Lightnings first thought was, to his own surprise, that it was much warmer wherever he was now. Instead of the cool breeze of the night air, he was surrounded by a thick, suffocating moist, pregnant with the smell of decay. Only gradually could his eyes adjust to the intense darkness and for several minutes longer he was left to exploring his surroundings mostly by smell, which alone could already reveal to him he was most probably somewhere in the sewers under the ground of Manehattan.
Even after he had gotten used to the intense dark he was merely able to figure out rough shapes around him and thus had to move carefully around his surroundings, reaffirming his vision by touching whatever he glimpsed. This way he more or less quickly figured out that he was being held captive in a small room with a reinforced door being the only way out. Of course it was locked and it opened to the inside, as Lightning realized when repeated strikes with his hindlegs only served to drive the door deeper into the frame.
As he explored the cracks in the rough stone walls with the faint hope of discovering some other unexpected escaping route, he had to wonder if he himself was being replaced by a changeling after he had spent thoughts only on the consequences of other ponies really being such creatures in secret.
„If this isn't a textbook case of irony,“ he grinned defiantly even as he was forced to realize that the door really was the only exit from this dungeon. Lightning surrendered his futile attempts at escaping and collapsed to the ground, deciding that perhaps if he waited long enough, something would happen that could give him new perspectives. Maybe someone would come, he hoped quietly, even though he was aware of how unlikely it was that anypony would come specifically for him. If anything, his best bet would be a coincidental rescue by somepony not even aware of his presence. „At least,“ he sighed, „it's warm down here.“
Under his hoofs, Lightning could feel soft moss growing in large spots across the room and he moved his body to rest comfortably on as much of the plants as he could manage. He quickly lost his sense of time and was no longer sure how long he had already been waiting in his prison, spending numerous thoughts that revolved in circles about what it possibly might be that got him down here. Was it revenge for stopping that other changeling? Was it something that they could get by only taking his place? Was it maybe just pure chance that made Lightning Mane a target for the changelings? Or were they in fact taking over the position of all ponies in Equestria, no matter if beggar or royalty?
Finally, the door opened and light illuminated the room as the changeling who had attacked Lightning stepped in. At least he guessed that it must have been the same changeling, he couldn't really tell them apart. Their black, insectoid bodies were almost identical and their expressions so alien that Lightning couldn't read them.
„You're awake, I see,“ for the first time in his life, Lightning listened to the voice of a changeling, its true voice. It was an unpleasant hissing, swollen with self-importance and pride. „Don't get your hopes up, you will stay here forever. I really just need your form.“
With that, the changeling burst into green flames and Lightning, who had jumped up at the sight of the changeling as early as it had entered the room, now stared back into the eyes of a perfect imitation of himself, as he had already done so once before on Foal Street. And like before, his Doppelganger dropped to the ground as its legs were robbed of all strength and gave way for the body.
„I don't believe this,“ the changeling hissed, surrounded by green flames once again and returning to its true form. „You must be the loneliest pony in all of Equestria,“ it mocked Lightning with a wide grin consisting of threatingly sharp teet. But Lightning had wasted little time when he realized his opportunity and leapt forward at the sight of his Doppelganger going back to changeling again. He tried to beat the creature with one of his hooves, but the changeling managed to evade, instead flinging a green lightning bolt from its crooked horn at the pegasus, whom it missed, leaving a spot of burned moss on the ground.
Lightning Manes next strike hit bullseye and pummeled the changeling straight back through the door, leaving a bright red hoofmark on its face. The pegasus leapt through the door as well, escaping his captivity before it could get closed once again, but the changeling hadn't even thought of that and instead used the split second it had between getting back to its feet and facing Lightning Mane once again to try and escape down the hallway at full trot.
Lightning immediately gave chase to the changeling, confident he could catch up with the creature rather quickly. Then he noticed the many doors lining up on the hallway, at least a dozen, from one of which the booming of hooves knocking on a wooden surface echoed throughout the sewers. There was another prisoner, just like he had been, alarmed by the sound of a battle outside of his cell and Lightning remembered his own thoughts when locked up in the chamber, how he clinged to the faintest hope of someone coming, not even for him, and he couldn't help but wonder how much longer the other pony had been locked up down here.
When finally he noticed that all the doors, just like the one of his own room, opened to the inside, he made a decision to end the pursuit of the changeling and turned around, facing the door from which the sounds came.
„Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!“ he shouted out to the pony on the other side. „But you'll need to step back from the door!“
Lightning Mane paused, took a deep breath and, at the count of three, hit the door with all the strength he could muster from his hindlegs. The door let out a tortured sound in its hinges, the sound of splintering wood and bending metal, but it withstood this first attempt at forcing it open.
„I'm not yet done,“ Lightning coughed and hit the door another time, noticing that it already gave way by several centimeters, obviously close to opening completely.
„And that makes three,“ the Pegasus shouted thriumphantly as he hit the door another and final time, its lock ripped out of the splintering wood by the sheer force of the kick and the remainder of it flung into the cell. These had obviously never been intended as prison cells, an exhausted Lightning Mane noted to himself in a moment of surprising analytical clarity. Perhaps they were but storage rooms for sewer maintenance. Not that it mattered much, in the end.
As he stepped into the room, Lightning Mane was a little surprised to see a familiar face greeting him. Much more rugged, roughed up, dirty and scrawny than he remembered the pony – or well, his shape - but still very obviously him.
„I know you,“ he noted with slight disbelief towards Silver Thread, the pony whose changeling replacement Lightning had already overwhelmed last day. But then again, he realized, it made sense. The real Silver Thread had still been very much amiss.
„... what?“ Silver Thread stared at the teal-colored Pegasus in utter surprise. Had he expected Lightning to say anything, this was definitely far off.
„Well, perhaps not you,“ Lightning replied, quickly explaining how he had encountered Silver Threads changeling replacement and gave him a heroic beating, of course leaving out his whole initially criminal intent in the encounter and painting himself in a favourable light. When everything was said, Silver Thread was quicker than Lightning Mane to express a thought they both had harbored.
„Let us leave this dreadful place.“
Lightning nodded, but then proceeded to pace down the hallway, knocking loudly at each of the other doors he passed. There were no responses and, having finished this task, he turned back to Silver Thread.
„I just wanted to make sure we leave no one behind. Let's go.“
Without having to say it out aloud, Lightning took the lead and hurried down the hallway, followed by Silver Thread who didn't know that the Pegasus wasn't even sure which way would direct the two of them to the surface and was merely pacing the same way as the changeling had escaped. This only got them so far as Lightning Mane could actually tell which way the creature was headed, but when he came towards an intersection with three possible routes to take, he was clueless and stopped short. For a few seconds he paced back and forth, trying to figure out whether there were any clues as to where each of the roads would lead, but when there were none, he merely exclaimed: „Oh well, here we go,“ and started running down one of the ways, as ignorant about its destination as he had been before. Silver Thread shrugged, but said nothing and followed Lightning Mane without questions. When the sound of rushing water grew closer and closer, the pegasus wasn't even able to tell whether it was a good or a bad sign. He had never been in the sewers before and neither had Silver Thread, he guessed from the similiarily hopeless expression on the stallions face.
Finally, the hallway ended into a wider tunnel, channeling the waste of what seemed to be entire downtown Manehattan. The stench of fecal matter that had already been noticeable back in their imprisonment was suddenly far more pronounced, now that the two ponies could actually witness its unpleasant source. Luckily, as especially Silver Thread thought, expressed by his careful steps near the sewerage, the channel was lined by two dry and mostly clean pathways. Then Lightning Mane began to notice the many pairs of green eyes, lit up in the twilight of the tunnels, monitoring the two of them from a distance. It didn't take much guesswork for him to realize that the changeling had returned with reinforcements.
„Can you fight?“ he turned to Silver Thread, who stared back at him in sheer terror.
„Who do you mistake me for,“ he said, his voice shaking. „I'm a stallion of class and status, I've had the joy of a peaceful life. I am not...“
Lightning cut him short. „A simple yes or no would have sufficed.“ He sighed. „I'd probably have been better off with your changeling imitation,“ the Pegasus added as he recalled his encounter with the changeling, unafraid to face Lightning Mane in a fight.
The eyes closed in on the two ponies from both directions of the tunnel, revealing the silhouettes of their black bodies in the dark. Without doubt, they were changelings, two dozens at least. Lightning scratched the ground with his forehoofs, threatening to attack any changeling daring to come close enough to the Pegasus. Meanwhile, Silver Thread backed away against Lightnings rear, scared by the prospect of being attacked by even a single one of these creatures.
„Look, I may not be anywhere near the ruffian you are,“ Silver Thread adressed Lightning. „But even I can tell that this isn't a fight we can win, even if I were any use in such a ruffle. Don't you have any other plans?“ He looked at the Pegasus with desperate hope.
Lightning looked around. There were changelings in front of him, hesitant to come any closer, and in his back, encouraged by the sight of Silver Thread to approach them faster than those in front of the Pegasus. There were also changelings on the other side of the canal, watching the whole scenery with great interest and twitching with their dragonfly-wings as if to signal that, unlike the ponies, they were not in the slightest obstructed by the fast flowing waste in between.
„Well?“ Silver Thread sounded very alarmed. The changelings were almost within reach now.
„I do have one,“ Lightning said with a grin on his face. „But you're not going to like it,“ he added.
This caused a confused look on Silver Threads face, until he saw Lightning glimpsing straight at the stream of waste next to their feet. Now his expression was terrorized.
„Tell me you're joking,“ Silver Thread begged, but before he could have received any answer, Lightning had already pushed him over the edge of the canal, just in time to evade the first changeling trying to seize him. Together the two ponies splashed into the thick mass of watered down refuse, an event which Lightning would later describe as unpleasant, while the mere memory of it would still cause Silver Thread to feel sick years after it.
As if being washed down the sewers alongside the fecal matter of thousands of ponies wasn't enough, the changelings weren't inclined to abort their chase, instead using their wings to repeatedly pass over the two ponies, trying to grab them and thus drag them out of the water. Lightnings answer to this was to dive down whenever a changeling passed by, dragging the disgusted Silver Thread down with him every time he did so, which caused the grey colt to explode into a flurry of curses and insults most unfitting for a pony of his status.
The speed of the stream increased noticeably with every meter, but that wouldn't be enough to stop the changelings from trying to prevent the escape of their prisoners. What instead did so was reason enough for Silver Thread to panic, as the water seemingly rushed towards a solid brick wall.
„A dead end,“ the grey colt screamed, but Lightning Mane was alert enough to realize that water could not rush towards a dead end at such speed.
„Hold your breath and cross your hooves,“ he said. „Let's hope this that there is enough space for the two of us.“ Silver Thread was about to object to whatever it was that the pegasus was planning, but there was too little time left to both finish this conversation and follow his advice. The upper-class pony decided that holding his breath just in time before the stream dragged him underwater was, indeed, the wisest course of action.
It took both Lightning Mane and Silver Thread much concentration and energy to not let go of their breath and consequently drown as the darkness of the brown mass they swum in engulfed the two of them, the powerful stream throwing them around their own axis in the small tunnel of the sewer, making them lose all their remaining orientation to the point that they could no longer tell up from down. Had there been any obstacle, a fence maybe, this would have been a thoroughly horrid end to their lives, but they were lucky and Lightnings gamble paid off as they shot out of the large pipe alongside the waste of Manehattan and into the city's harbor. The fresh seawater washed off all the disgusting filth of the sewers and a bright red morning sun greeted them, as if it was just another day about to begin.
Both Lightning Mane and Silver Thread gasped for air, then screened their surroundings to see if there was any changeling to be seen. But an old sailor was the only other creature around, save for a few seagulls.
„I tell ya,“ he said with a croaking voice. „There be better places for ya young folks to linger than these sewers.“
The face of the mare stepping into the small room where Lightning had been told to wait was familiar. He recognized the intense white of her coat as that of the very same guardspony who had been present, alongside her comrade, when he had been on Foal Street, encountering his first changeling.
„How is it that, after having heard of several cases of theft and robbery by a pony who fits your description, you have managed to acquire the fame of a hero within less than two days?“
So he was right, Lightning thought to himself, the mare really didn't buy into his whole „I knew he was a changeling“-story back then, she just couldn't prove him a liar.
„That's why I was brought here after having been washed down the sewers and into the cold sea, to listen to your accusations?“
„You're not going to be arrested for any of the numerous petty crimes I could probably prove you have committed if I would really want to,“ she replied. „I have more important things to do right now. As you may have noticed, Equestria seems to have a bit of a changeling problem. We want to, first and foremost, thank you for your help.“ The last sentence seemed a bit forced and it wasn't that farfetched to think that she had indeed been ordered to laudate Lightning Mane.
„It's a bit unusual to accuse somepony as a criminal when you want to thank him, but I'll overlook that. Was that everything you wanted?“
The white mare sighed exhausted, then sat down at the table in front of the pegasus. A cup of coffee was still placed prominently on it, Lightning had drunk only half of it yet. Some secretary had brought it earlier when Lightning was told to stay put.
„Look, as embarassing as this is to admit for us, you have done more for the safety of Manehattan right now than all of our guards combined. If you don't believe me, be sure to read todays newspaper. The press is putting a lot of emphasis on our supposed inability to defend against changelings.“ She was grinding her teeth in frustration. „We will be needing your help.“
This was unexpected.
„My help?“
„Your help.“
For a minute, there followed silence. Lightning still wasn't sure what precisely the white guardsmare wanted him to do. He wasn't even sure she really knew.
„What exactly do you want me to do?“ he finally expressed his confusion.
„First of all,“ the mare said with a tired look on her face. „you can tell us everything you know about the changeling threat.“
„Well, that's easy,“ Lightning boasted. „I know nothing at all about them.“
That earned Lightning an angry stare by the white guardspony. He could swear her right eye was even twitching nervously a little. Then she suddenly burst into a roaring shout of resignation: „Fine, forget it. I won't deal with this any longer. Maybe the Princess intends to put up with your insolence, but I am certainly not.“
„Prin...cess?“ the pegasus stuttered in reply, questioningly raising an eyebrow as he spoke. She couldn't actually mean that one of the royals would visit him, could she?
„Yes, that's what I said.“ she was still full of anger and frustration and Lightning hould hear it in her voice. „Princess Miamora Cadenza is apparently on her way to talk to you. At least that's what the letter said. So you better not move an inch before she gets here.“
„Isn't she supposed to be on a honeymoon or something?“ Lightning asked, recalling the talk on the streets about a royal wedding in Canterlot.
„Beats me,“ the mare shrugged. „Most probably she cut short her holidays to take care of this matter. Either way, that's just another reason – besides her being a princess and me making your life a living hell if you run away – because of which you should stay here and wait for her to arrive. Oh, and shut up, will you?“
He was about to return her attitude with some snappish remarks of his own, but in the last second, Lightning decided it was not worth it. No, he was too tired to fight some nameless guard for the title of biggest jerk in the room – something he usually could indulge himself in quite well. This was different, this all happened too fast. Lightning hadn't even heard of changelings until two days ago and by now, he was apparently not only targeted by them, no, as it seemed, the Equestrian government deemed him some kind of expert on changeling hunting now. All he really wanted was to go back and live his life.
He cringed when he realized the stupidity of that thought. Going back? To where? There was nothing left for him to go back to, he didn't have anything that deserved being called a life to begin with. Maybe he really did have some hidden skills he could use to aid Equestria in fighting the changelings. Maybe he could use it to his advantage?
„Hey, guardsmare,“ Lightning resumed the unpleasant conversation. She merely glanced at him. „Maybe there is some way I could help you with the changelings after all.“
Sceptically, but honestly hopeful, the white pony replied: „You're coming around after all? Don't leave Equestria waiting then.“
„Well, bear with me for a second. First of all, what's your greatest problem in fighting the changelings? Well?“
She sighed: „We don't even know where they are to begin with.“
„Exactly. Anyone could be a changeling. For all I know, you could be a changeling, too. Now, what if I found a way to reveal changelings? Force them to show their true identity?“
„Then that'd be extremely helpful.“ The guard said, blissfully ignoring the part about her being one of these monsters.
„Indeed, it would be,“ a gentle voice from behind Lightning Mane spoke. „And, perhaps, this coincides with why I came to visit you.“
Lightning turned around, but the guardsmare was quicker in proving his assumptions correct. „Welcome, Princess,“ she said, rising from her chair and with complete satisfaction proclaimed: „I will leave Mr. Mane to you.“
Cadance smiled and nodded, unphazed by the joy of the guardsmare over being able to finally leave the room and the blue Pegasus. She was larger than Lightning would have suspected, but maintained a more than subtle elegance about her every movement. For a second, he found himself lulled by her flawless appearance and admiring her... mane? Yes, he really liked her mane.
Reality rushed back into his brain with full force. This wasn't the time to muse over the superior looks of somepony who had enjoyed the life of royalty. There was a reason that Cadance, Princess Cadance, had come to see him, Lightning Mane, the thief, the thug, the criminal.
„Princess,“ he began calmly, „I do not fool myself into believing that it is the pleasant nature of my company that brought you to Manehattan when you should be enjoying your honeymoon. Clearly, there is something you think I can help you with and clearly it has to do with the changelings. It's not like I am known for any other notable incidents.“
Cadance smiled and nodded again. „You are, of course, perfectly on the spot.“
„Alas,“ Lightning Mane raised his right hoof in objection, indicating he was not quite finished yet, „you have to answer me one question first: why should I help you?“
She seemed taken aback at first by Lightnings blunt request for payment, but the speed with which Cadance regained control of her facial expression signaled that she had not come unprepared.
„I do realize that Equestria has not exactly treated you well in the past and that by any standard, we have done little to earn and deserve your aid. Let me first and foremost tell you: we are sorry. I am sorry.“ There was genuine regret in her voice and Lightning readily believed that she saw herself at least partly responsible for his miserable life. „From what I had been told about you, from what little information I could gather in the short time I had to prepare for this encounter, life in Manehattan has left its scars on you.“ She nodded in the direction of the Pegasuses limp wing, her eyes conveying worry about its condition. „Let me begin to change your relationship to Equestria by adressing an ill that has plagued you for a while now.“
Cadance had obviously prepared for this situation, as another pony entered the room at her sign. It was a fiery red unicorn, wearing a bright white lab-coat and having a stethoscope flung around his neck. Without doubt, he was a physician and for the first time since he had been brought to the headquarters of the Royal Guards, Lightning Mane let his composure slip. For more than just a split second, and definitely long enough for Princess Cadance to notice it, the Pegasus dropped his act and his heart jumped at the prospect that he may fly again.
„Now, Mr. Mane, let us not hesitate. I'll need to take a closer look at your wing.“
Lightning felt an excited pounding in his chest, the likes of which he hadn't felt in years. But equally fast as he had been given hope, the doctor took it away again.
„I'm sorry Mr. Mane,“ he slowly shook his head, watching Lightning Mane lose tension as that little glimmer of joy left his body. „Your wing is damaged beyond repair. You will never fly again, there is nothing I can do about it.“
Cadance had watched the scenery empathically, her compassionate smile withering away alongside Lightnings readily given faith. Had she betrayed him by lifting his spirit with the prospect of a healing that was, in fact out of reach? And would the Pegasus refuse to help her now? The Princess paced back and forth, weighing her options. She had bargained for Lightnings support by offering him new wingpower – she hadn't thought about the possibility that there may be no hope left for these wings.
As Cadance was nervously shifting in the background, the unicorn doctor seemed unimpressed with the situation. He was an obvious professional and was very particular about how close he let his patients misfortunes reach him. Apparently, he was just as well not touched by the larger, political considerations of his diagnosis, like the Princess was. The good doctor was doing his job and he was not finished yet.
„Your wing must be very painful.“
Lightning shrugged, regaining his composure in front of the doctor as well as Princess Cadance. Almost indifferrent to the question, he calmly noted: „sometimes“ and shrugged as he said it.
„It's obviously broken in four different places and the bones grew back together in a crooked position. This can't not hurt.“ The red unicorn now spoke with distinct interest in his voice. „There must be quite an exciting tale to how you hurt your wing so badly.“
His patient was less than thrilled. „None that I would want to tell and none that you need to know.“ The Pegasus had gone from frustration to overt hostility at the speed of just one question and the doctor decided that it was wiser not to stray deeper into that territory.
„I understand,“ he noted with respect. „However, as for the pain that must most definitely plague you, there is something we can do about it.“
With renewed interest Lightning watched the unicorn use his magic to levitate a doctors bag onto a nearby table. From within he then produced a number of medicamentations, pills and remedies, before finally locating the one he was looking for.
„This should do the trick.“
He let the small can float over to Lightning Mane, who grabbed it an took a look inside. It was a bunch of simple white pills and he didn't need the following explanation to guess their purpose.
„These pills are strong painkillers. Take one in the morning and one in the evening and you should be able to rid yourself of your pain.“ There was pride in his voice – the pride of a doctor who managed to help one of his patients, but that pride had gone amiss completely as he added: „wish I could do more for you. Once you run out of pills, come and see me... or any colleague of mine, it doesn't really matter. Just don't take too many of these at once. You'd get sick. Really, really sick... if you're lucky.“
„I still wish I could have been flying again...“ Lightning Manes emotional rollercoaster had taken another turn, melancholia had joined the wide array of feelings he had expressed within the last two minutes. „still... at least.“
Now Cadance returned to the conversation with renewed hope.
„I really, really would prefer not to have to do this, but I need to press on, given Equestrias state at the moment.“ Her eyes focused on Lightning Mane. „Will you help us?“
It felt as if the room had, all of a sudden, turned completely silent, as if the world had stopped and everypony was now waiting for an answer from the teal-colored stallion. Never before in his life had he felt remotely as important as in that moment. For all he cared, that was enough of a reason to make this decision.
„I am at your service, Princess,“ he said and bowed down. For some reason he had felt it appropriate, a sign he was attempting to be a loyal subject for a change. Working for Cadance was worth being given a try, Lightning was sure – after all, there was nothing he could lose, nothing he had which could be called much of a life.
Cadance smiled, visibly relieved that she had been succesful after all. „I'll need you to join me on a trip to Ponyville,“ she then said. „Where you'll have a chance to show your skills in practice.“
„Going to Ponyville? Now?“
But Cadance did not leave any time for his confusion. „You had been talking about a way to identify changelings hiding amongst us when I arrived here. There is a close friend of mine living in Ponyville and, well, I hope I'm wrong about this...“
The Princess started gritting her teeth. It was the first time since she arrived that Lightning noticed anything about her whole appearance that wasn't elegant and endearing and he took it as a sign of genuine worry for her friend.
„...well, she's been acting very strange ever since the changelings came. I just want to be sure. I just want some reassurance that she's well.“ Cadance sighed exasperated. „I hope you can ease my mind.“
„I will try my best.“ For some reason, his own announcement lifted Lightnings spirit. He was going to do something good and prove his worth in the process. That was already enough to satisfy him, given the fact that all he had been doing in his life up to now was less than gratifying. Yes, it was probably going to be over quite soon, but Lightning would enjoy the fame of a hero while it lasted.
„We can leave whenever you want. I don't have any luggage to pack,“ he couldn't help but add, torn between sarcasm and self-pity.
Then he realized, there was one thing he wanted to do, to try out, before they left. He opened his can of painkillers and flipped a single one of the small white pills onto his tongue. The effects came surprisingly quick as soon as he had swallowed the medicine.
It was only now that Lightning Mane realized how much the pain in his wing had always weighed him down.
The train to Ponyville had been waiting for the two of them, stopped by a royal order. Only once its important passengers had arrived was it allowed to leave the big Equestrian metropolis for the quaint countryside town. Naturally, this unusual occurance had already attracted public attention, especially by journalists, who had flocked to the trainstation to get good pictures of the princess. However, the sight of Cadance alongside the dirty and roughened Lightning Mane had managed to surprise and unsettle even them. Despite his recent deeds, the teal-colored Pegasus was still very much a nobody with a less than trustworthy appearance, which would be enough to let the newspapers of Manehattan speculate wildly about his identity and purpose for at least a few days – until eventually somepony would manage to draw a connection between the uproar on Foal Street and the colt which Princess Cadance had brought along from the big city.
But that was their business, not Lightning Manes. As he arrived with the Princess, a group of four guardsponies had already been waiting for them, clearing a path through the press-photographers and onlookers. Cadance said to Lightning that, once they would be on their way, she would introduce him to each of them and Lightning Mane was trying to already get a first impression as they moved by them, even though he wasn't that excited about it. He just liked to have at least a guess of what he could expect.
The first guard was a particularily tall and heavy, pitch-black stallion with a white mane. He was an earth-pony, easily the most impressive of all ponies gathered at the trainstation and, to be frank, a little bit scary too. His stern expression was probably meant to convey a professional attitude towards his job, but at first glance, it came across as aggression. To make matters worse, he had a large scar dragged across the entire length of his face, reinforcing his „no bullshit“-image.
In stark contrast to the stallion, the second guard was a small, very thin unicorn mare. Her coat was a dab grey while her mane was a bright orange, with streaks of intense red giving the impression of licking flames of fire as she moved. She was less focused on keeping the journalists and onlookers at bay, Lightning Mane noticed, and seemed more concerned with keeping an eye on the surroundings. To do so, she was constantly on the move and she was fast, though nowhere as fast as the third guard.
That pony was a light-green pegasus mare with a short black mane and tail. She was busy pushing an overzealous photographer back as Cadance and Lightning Mane walked past her, but the blue pegasus could swear that she threw him an angry glance as he walked by. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding, he thought to himself, as he had been staring at her cutie mark just in the moment that the mare had turned her head: interestingly enough, her cutie mark was a marble column, but Lightning Mane was at a loss to imagine any special talent fitting to that image.
The cutie mark of the fourth and last guardspony – a warmly smiling brown earthpony stallion – was a simple horseshoe and in difference to the green-coated pegasus mare, this pony's special talent was not hard to guess for Lightning Mane: he was probably a very lucky pony. His bright blue mane gave him a somewhat adventerous and youthful look, but his friendly and sincere smile, as well as his calm demeanor singled him out as easily the most level-headed and perhaps most experienced of the four guards.
„Forget your introduction, seems I already know the four of them,“ Lightning Mane gratulated himself loudly on his keen eye, but thankfully his words were silenced by the noise of the crowd around them. Cadance didn't even notice him saying anything. She calmly went on and stepped into the train-wagon. That was when the full surreality of the situation hit Lightning Mane.
He was on his way to Ponyville. With Princess Cadance.
Could this be real?
Truth be told, his life had been a series of defeats up to now and suddenly he was in the spotlight of national attention. The photographers tried to get good pictures of him, not just the Princess, who herself had come all the way to Manehattan because she needed his help. Lightning couldn't believe it. She needed his help! And this didn't feel like a dream at all, seemed so real. He could even feel the warmth of the bright spring-sun shining down on them. Yes, Lightning Mane thought to himself and smiled, this was the turning point. Things were going to get better now, definitely.
„Do you need a special invitation?“ The green Pegasus with the strange cutiemark snarled at him. He was taken aback so much, that he couldn't even respond, only do as she demanded. Apparently, the two of them had been off to a really bad start, but Lightning didn't feel like adressing it, didn't feel like it was in any ways important to get on good terms with a stranger and a guardsmare. Throughout his past, he had received a lot of antipathy and he had learned to deal with it, either by throwing it back into anyponys face who dared cross him – or by simply ignoring them whenever he felt too tired and the issue too unimportant. This, Lightning decided, was one of the latter cases.
What he had not learnt to deal with, however, was overt friendliness. Manehattan wasn't friendly. At least those parts of it he had been straying through.
„I'm Lucky Horseshoe,“ the brown pony with the thrilling blue mane turned to Lightning Mane, not even waiting for any introduction by the Princess. The train began to move, rattling across the tracks and Lightning replied:
„Lightning Mane,“ short and simple.
Lucky Horseshoe smiled broadly. „I'm looking forward to seeing you work. Maybe you can teach us a thing or two. We're in the same business now, it seems.“ His entire way of speaking was lighthearted, his voice soft and happy. The stallion was easy-going and sympathetic, likeable through and through. Somepony who had no trouble finding new friends.
Lightning instantly hated him.
„We wouldn't be if you had done your job,“ he replied calmly.
For a few seconds, Lucky just stared at him in confusion. The blue pegasus tried hard not to reveal any emotion, monitoring him from the corner of his eye, but not much more. Lucky scratched himself on the back of his head, clueless.
„Maybe we've been off to the wrong start for some unknown reason,“ he said. „Follow me.“
Wearing the bright smile on his face again, Lucky shoved Lightning Mane into the next train-wagon, where the others had already been seated. „This beautiful mare,“ he began and pointed at the princess, „is Cadance – but you already know that.“ Cadance waved gracefully as she heard her name being spoken and Lucky returned the gesture, even bowing a little to her, before turning Lightning towards the other side of the compartment.
„That young pegasus over there,“ he pointed at the green mare with the short black mane, „is Pathfinder.“ She threw Lightning a resentful stare. Lucky laughed it off. „Seems she's treating you to the same introduction as you wanted to give me? Don't you worry, it'll wear off eventually.“ The brown earth-pony put his forehoof around Lightnings shoulder. Which made him feel slight unease. „If you really want to annoy her, call her Paige. She hates that nickname for some reason.“
„Would please NOT tell him that,“ Pathfinder suddenly shouted at Lucky. She had overheard what he was telling to the bewildered pegasus.
„Maaaaaybe we should move on to the next pony,“ Lucky Horseshoe said with unshaken joy in his voice, not in the slightest irritated by Pathfinder, who stared at him in intense anger, as if she was hoping he would spontaneously combust.
„Obsidian!“ he exclaimed and directed Lightnings view towards the great black stallion seated opposite of Pathfinder. It was the guardspony he had noticed first at the trainstation. He seemed even bigger, now that he was inside a closed space.
„Looks grumpier than he actually is, trust me on that.“
It was obvious that Obsidian must have heard this just as well as Pathfinder had overheard what Lucky had to say about her, but he didn't react in the slightest.
„He likes to play the stoic whenever he's wearing that uniform. It's his work ethic, he grew up with it. Rock farmers.“ Lucky shrugged and added: „We'll get new ones soon. Uniforms that is. No longer wearing these heavy metal plates. Maybe he'll open up a bit once that happens, even during work.“
There was only one pony left to introduce. She was seated further back and watching the scenery passing by outside of the windows of the train. „Finally, the grey mare in the back whose hair is so fiery and whose thoughts are so dreamy...“
„Maybe you should have done poetry instead of joining the guards,“ Lightning thought to himself.
„...that's Mercury Flames. She's always got her head in the clouds a bit, but don't underestimate her. That little unicorn is a mighty powerful sorcerer.“
Lightning took a closer look at her. She was still as distracted as she had been, when Lucky started introducing her. Mercury Flames' cutiemark was a silver fireball, barely visibly against her grey coat, had it not been for a thin orange outline.
„There is actually one more pony. Another unicorn. She's back in Canterlot, doing all the background work for us. Paperwork, administrative tasks, organizing... that kind of things. She's from Manehattan too. Maybe you know her!“
This only made Lightning roll his eyes in annoyance. Just listening to Lucky and ignoring his disregard for personal space had been tough enough, but now he was actually trying to drag him into a conversation. „Look, I don't know where you are from...“
„Baltimare,“ Lucky interrupted him. Lightning proceeded, slightly more unnerved.
„But Manehatten is a really, really big city. It is highly unlikely I have ever even run across her, much less know her.“
„You're probably right,“ Lucky was still giving him his friendliest smile. It made Lightning Mane wonder, wasn't he taking the hint? Oblivious to the fact that Lightning simply had no interest in this conversation?
„Still, once you get to Canterlot, I'll introduce you to her as well. You'll like her. Never met anyone so friendly... not even me!“ He winked at the pegasus as he said the last sentence.
„Why should I ever get to Canterlot?“ Lightning hissed at Lucky Horseshoe. By now he was actually seriously angry at Lucky and his stupid friendly smile. „The only reason I'm on this train is to help Cadance with finding out whether her good friend in Ponyville is still her good friend. That's it. I'm not here to make new friends, I'm not here to have pleasant conversation and I'm definitely not here to make any travel plans. Leave me alone, will you?“ By the end of his rant, Lightning was shaking and shouting, drawing surprised looks from everypony within the wagon, even Cadance, who seemed very worried.
„Alright... alright,“ Lucky answered, visibly irritated by the sudden outburst. „I'll just leave you to yourself then. See you in Ponyville,“ he said dismissively and walked over to Pathfinder and Obsidian, taking a seat next to them. Lightning himself searched out the most distant corner of the compartment, seating as far away to the other ponies as possibly and started watching the outside scenery, much like Mercury Flames still did.
For quite a while Lightning remained on that place, sulking, and only occasional taking a glimpse to see what the other ponies on the train were up to. Somewhere in between, Mercury had switched the window for a book, which she was reading just as concentrated now as she had been monitoring the trees and houses outside passing by. Obsidian, Pathfinder and Lucky Horseshoe were engaged in a lengthy conversation throughout the ride and paid him no further attention. However, Cadance kept looking at the blue Pegasus with a somewhat accusatory stare, obviously harboring the opinion that Lightning needed to apologize.
He shrugged it off whenever he directed his view towards the Princess only to find that she was still watching him. Eventually, however, she realized that waiting for Lightning Mane to change his mind by himself was not going to work and walked over to him, placing herself in front of him. Lightning kept tracking the clouds, not directing any attention to the princess.
„I think you've been a little unfair to Lucky,“ she said, more worried than accusing. „All he wanted to do is to get to know you because I told him to.“ Cadance took a deep breath. „Look, we will be in Ponyville any moment now. Nopony can say how our, well, let's call it a meeting. Nopony knows how that will turn out. You may need their help after all. And they're curious to see your methods,“ she added. „It'll be their job to put them to use.“
„Maybe I should ask for a few more bits then, if you're adding 'teacher' to my job-description?“ Lightning remarked sarcastically, but his tone quickly became more serious. „What was your friend like, before all this?“
„Very funny. Easygoing. An artist at heart and always good for a joke. We'd been friends for a long time when she was still living in Canterlot. Eventually she moved to Ponyville. She had met somepony special during the Summer Sun Celebration. I made her one of my bridesmaids and invited her to my wedding. That's when I first noticed that she had changed, that she seemed more serious and a bit absent minded. Before I could adress it, the changeling-queen had locked me up in the caves below Canterlot, but I actually met her once again, when leaving the caves. My bridesmaids were trying to prevent my escape.“
Cadances story seemed almost unreal and she couldn't help but shake her head in slight disbelief herself.
„You think she has been replaced by a changeling?“ Lightning asked. He was focused once again.
„I'm not sure,“ the Princess replied hesitantly. „She was still the same when the changelings in Canterlot had thought the city to be conquered and revealed their true forms. She was there after we cast the spell that drove them out. In hindsight, she seemed … hypnotized.“ Cadance released a frustrated sigh. „I really don't know what to believe anymore, what to make of this situation. That's why I brought you along. This only goes to show how worried this whole affair has got me, doesn't it?“ A weak smile appeared on her face.
„What's your friends name?“
„Lyra Heartstrings.“
The train slowed to a halt. It had been a long ride and the sun was setting on the horizon. Ponyville was smaller than Lightning had expected. Truth be told, he had never before left Manehattan and the rural town was an entirely new experience for him. It was only now, while walking through the wide open streets of Ponyville with its half-timbered houses, that Lightning Mane noticed how suffocating Manehattans backalleys truly could be.
There were few ponies on the street, most of them trotting to their homes at the end of a long day. Surprisingly few paid attention to the appearance of the group around Princess Cadance, some ponies waved their hoofs to her, others looked slightly surprised, but it was no comparison to the uproar that Cadances appearance had caused at the Manehattan trainstation.
Lyra Heartstrings home was a typical Ponyville house: wooden frames, pastel painted plastering and a thatched roof. Cadance looked increasingly nervous as they approached the colorful building, but that was hardly surprising given the circumstances. It was Lightning who, taking a deep breath in anticipation of what he was about to do, knocked on her door. The guards – Lucky, Pathfinder, Obsidian, Mercury – flanked him. The Princess stayed a bit behind.
A mint-green unicorn opened the door. „Hello, Lyra,“ Cadance said with a shaking voice. The unicorn seemed almost undisturbed, her mind clearly not completely present. She kept staring past the assembled ponies.
„So this was what Cadance meant when she said absent-minded,“ Lightning said out aloud, but not even that could provoke any kind of reaction from Lyra. She was completely unshaken by her unexpected visitors.
„Can I help you?“ She finally asked.
„Is your.... umm,“ Lightning stuttered, but Lyra wasn't paying attention to that either. „Your special somepony. Is he here?“
„She! A she!“ Cadance whispered, much to his surprise. The pegasus tried hard to stay focused on the task and for his taste, this whole affair was unusual enough. Now, to make matters worse, he was even feeling a little embarassed, though for what reason, he wasn't entirely sure. There wasn't time to think about it either.
„Is she here?“ He corrected himself.
„Yes,“ came the immediate answer, but without any reaction to the request implied in that question.
„Could you please go fetch her? I'd like to have a word with her,“ Lightning finally added.
Wordless, Lyra complied and walked back into the house. The group had turned their full attention to Lightning Mane. „You think her partner...?“ Lucky brought forward half a question, but the roughed-up pegasus merely shrugged.
„We'll see.“
The mint-colored unicorn didn't take long to come back, alongside a beige-coated earth-pony with a blue and purple curled mane. She looked surprised to meet such a large welcoming committee.
„You're Lyra's partner?“ Lightning asked right away. The pony nodded, slightly irritated.
Without hesitation, Lightning Mane suddenly lunged out, striking her across the face with his right forehoof at such a strength that she collapsed to the ground immediately. The mare went out cold, remaining on the floor unconscious. With some pride in his face over the strength of his punch, the pegasus watched down on her. For two seconds, nothing happened at all. Only then the surrounding ponies managed to realize what just had happened.
Lyra was the first to snap out of it. „Bonbon!“ she cried out in despair and jumped forward to take her beloved partner into her arms. There was no reaction in return, but she was still breathing normally. Nevertheless, tears filled the eyes of the unicorn.
„Oh horseapples...“ Pathfinder then mumbled in disbelief. Cadance was next to articulate her shock.
„What have you done?“ she said with terror.
The entire crowd stared at him accusingly.
„Seems I was wrong,“ Lightning said coldly. „No changeling here.“ He laughed a little, but that did little to ease the tension. Quite to the contrary. Obsidian and Pathfinder shook their heads, Mercury Flames' right eye was twitching Meanwhile, Lucky Horseshoe was tending to the knocked out Bonbon, trying to wake her up again. Even some onlookers had gathered and looked at Lightning with fear over what just had occured.
„You better leave. This whole thing was a big mistake,“ Cadance finally said with a steely voice.