Heart of Steel

Chapter 3
And you said your name was what?

You walked into the living room and sat down on the small blood soaked couch. 'She really has some issues, but I can't blame her.' She leaned on the kitchen door frame. You looked at the wall waiting for it to fall over. "You really need to stop worrying and get up and do something. Hay, you need to find this stallion the letter is talking about."

"I don't have to. It just wants me to. For all I care he could be dead.

"Get off your ass..."

"Nope..."

"Do I need to gouge your eye out?"

"What’s the point it will just grow back..."

"Do I need to chop your dick off?"

"Are you gonna eat it?"

"Maybe..." She said sheepishly.

"I'm scared now..." She burst into laughter. "Summer..."

"Yeah?"

"You ever wonder if you are just a speck in this world and that you never matter?"

"No... But now that you say it... Yes..." You looked her in the eye and watched her wince. "I could never get use to those eyes... They are beautiful but... Celestia, those are bucking creepy in the right light..." The was a crack of light that was beaming through the window. It reflected off your eye kind of giving it a more sinister tone.

"Ah buck it… Who cares?"

"... I do..."

"Thanks..."

"I'm going to the market here soon... Do you want anything?"

"I'm coming with you..."

"Uh, okay..."

"Let's go..."

"Well actually... I was kinda wondering if you would..."

"Hmm?"

"Well, I really wanted to ask you..."

"Yes?"

"Wanna do it?" You face hoofed.

"Fine whatever..."

"*SQUEE*"

________________________________________

LATER THAT DAY...

________________________________________

You walked along the stands that the small town had to offer. Most of them were way over priced. You and Summer had stopped by the bank and deposited the money, then withdrew two hundred bits. You weren't willing to pay for this shitty service and quality of food. Summer was though.

"You really shouldn't give them what their asking for. Hay, most of this shit isn't worth one bit..."

"Oh shhh... Don't make me get the whip again..." During your little party at her house somehow she pulled a Pinkie Pie and pulled a bull whip out of thin air. You didn't even ask.

"Yeah like that even hurt..." Truthfully it did hurt. Like a bitch.

"Okay next on the list is some special berries... Oh! And I know just the stallion who sells them!" You rolled your eyes. This was gonna be a very long day. You followed Summer down through the bazaar and finally stopped at a rather shady stand. "Hi, Lightning!"

"Oh, hey Summer. What do you need today?"

"Hmmm... Actually I don't remember... I know it was a berry but I don't exactly remember which one..."

"Forget your list again?"

"Yeah..." You stepped next to Summer to get a good look at this fellow. He was a jet black stallion like Jade only he had a red streak in his mane. His mane was spiky sort of. He looked up at you. Your eyes sat half closed like they normally do. He shivered but you didn't think Summer noticed. You defiantly did.

You didn't blink. You never had to. He shivered again and then grew a little angry. 'Trying to hide fear with anger?' You would have laughed but it was more amusing to stare into his soul. "Who's this?"

"Oh, I met him outside the forest. He was in terrible condition but I nursed him back to health." You didn't move a muscle and this Lightning couldn't turn away. You had him enthralled in you stare. Something about him just didn't feel right.

"You really need to find better friends..." Summer was browsing through the selection of berries on the stand next to Lightning's table. "What's your name?" You didn't answer. He growled a little. "Hey! I sad what's your name?"

"He doesn't say much... But he can sure knock you flank out!" She laughed.

"I would like to talk to you later..." You spoke quiet and very deathly. He shuttered.

"Is that his normal voice?" Summer shrugged then grinned sort of slyly.

"He doesn't talk much..." He waved you off.

"Get out of here before you scare away the rest of the ponies... This maybe a hardened town but you still aren’t appealing to the eyes..." 'Bitch just called me ugly... Oh he is going to enjoy the torture he's getting later today...' Your mane seemed to slowly cover one eye giving you a more menacing look. It had a white tip in a diamond shape. You tail matched it but it was very flat and shorter than most pony's.

"Oh, don't listen to him. He lets his temper get in the way."

"I think I'm going to enjoy the rest of the day... May I have your full name?"

"Dark Lightning... Now get outta here... Summer have those for free just get rid of this creep..." Summer laughed and placed two bits on the table before picking up a sack of berries. She began walking off. You followed never taking your eyes off Dark Lightning until he was out of sight.

"Was that the stallion's colt?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I think you just made my day easier... First I'm gonna have a little fun with him..." You turned your head slowly waiting for the *POP* then turned it the other way. "I just feel like kicking some flank today..."

"Good luck with that... He's pretty strong. I watched him take out the bartender's bouncer once... Once... Then again... He was really drunk... Oh well, he did it and that’s all I have to say."

"Uhm... Okay? Anyways can we hurry I need to get out of here..."

"Can I please come with you?"

"No..."

"Please...?" Summer stopped you and walked in front of you just to give you puppy dog eyes. Inside you cringed a bit. It looked adorable but you couldn't give one buck.

"No... You're going to Manehattan..." You pushed her aside and continued down the street.

"But then I won't be able to see Luna's beautiful night..." You froze at the mention of Luna's name.

"No..." You said hoarsely.

"But... I..." She walked up to you and nuzzled you softly. 'Oh you're good...' You felt her rub a tear on you for effect. 'Very good... Sorry Summer I don't work that way.' She walked off with a sniffle hanging her low. 'Now that wasn't a show...'

"Summer..." She stopped but kept looking at the ground. Slowly you reached a hoof over her shoulder. "I don't know what to tell you... I can't let you come with me, but I'm not letting you stay here..." She whipped her head up and stared you in the eye. She was angry and had tears filling her eyes.

"And since when did you become my father!?" She yelled. Ponies looked over at the scene but you brushed them off. This wasn't the first time you've seen a mare make a big scene over nothing. Amy use to do it all the time.

"I don't like to see mares get hurt... I can't lose another..." You looked away. She stopped crying and nudged you.

"What do you mean?" Sighing you motioned for her to follow you.

"Over some coffee..."

________________________________________

Celestia hovered over the small town and smiled wickedly. She had 'visited' a few other small towns outside of Canterlot but she knew this one had to be the one. "I'll find him here..." She giggled. "Yes... Then he will pay..."

Celestia slowly dropped into the small town's market. It kinda of looked like Ponyville. Small, yet very large at the same time. She walked down the street and looked through the crowd of ponies. Some stopped and bowed others got out of the way. She didn't pay any notice to them. There as something that had caught her eye.

"Oh Princess Celestia! We weren't expecting you for another month!" The mayor of the town rushed over to the white mare's side. Celestia stopped and looked down at the grey stallion. He disgusted her. She knew of his wicked past. This whole town had a wicked past.

"Yes, my apologies. I really should have sent you a letter. I'm just passing through the towns." He nodded and kept pace with Celestia as she continued down the street.

"Is there anything I can get you while you stay?"

"Oh, I'm not staying long... Actually... You can get me something..."

"Anything you're highness..."

"I'm looking for a grey stallion... He has some... interesting markings... Stripes... Black one to be exact and he has a paw print for a cutie mark... Have you seen him?" The mayor looked at his princess in surprise.

"Princess Celestia I know every last pony in this town and I have never, and I mean never, seen or heard of this pony... But I can keep a look out for him if you'd like?" She sighed and pushed another little filly out of her way.

"Yes... Please..." The mayor bowed and said his good-byes before rushing off to order the look out. 'Sometimes I hate ponies...' Her tail twitched at the thought. Sighing she opened her wings and took to the skies. 'Next town...'

________________________________________

You sipped the coffee the waitress sat down on the table. Summer looked at you intently. Killing time seemed a lot harder than it really was. It seemed like forever before Sumer finally asked, "So who was she?" You took another sip of the coffee. It tasted surprisingly good. This town was ratty as hay but at least it made excellent coffee.

"Amy..."

"I didn't ask for her name... Did I?" She seemed a little confused. "Anyways... Was she good to you?" You chuckled.

"Some times... Yes..." You mug was almost empty when the waitress came back with another piping hot mug.

"Was she pretty?"

"Beautiful... Why are you beating around the bush?"

"What do you mean?"

"You obviously are trying to compare yourself to her... You can't... She's gone and I couldn't save her..." Summer winced. Your tone had grown deathly again. 'Colt, why the buck can't I stop that?'

"You miss her real badly don't you?" You nodded and chugged the rest of your mug. "You think we could visit her grave sometime?" You shook your head. You didn't plan on dragging her along. Hay you didn't plan on taking any pony with you beside this 'one of light and dark'. 'Hold on... Light and dark? Dark and light?' You facehooved. "What?"

"I'm a dumbass..."

"Hey! Donkeys are relatively smart!"

"It's a saying..."

"I know... So why are you dumb?"

"Because I need to drag Dark Lightning along with me... I don't trust him as far as i can throw him... And I don't know how far I can throw him yet..." Summer looked at you dumbfounded. "See..." She nodded. "Now, would you like to know who I was talking about?" Again she nodded. "She's my little sister... She died in my hooves... First I need to tell you what happened before she died... My mom sent me off to get some supplies from this town called Ponyville... Now I'm a grown stallion but nopony disobey's their mother...

"I got to the town pretty easy it was just the next one over... But I knew something was wrong... She never sent me off without a good reason... Her and dad were fighting the other day... My two brothers didn't even notice it... Father had raised them to do as they were told and nothing more... My older sister Windy had taken Amy into her room to keep her safe... Father likes to give beatings...

"I got a good one when he finally stopped arguing with mom... I hated him so much... Anyways... When I got to Ponyville I bought the things that mom wanted and I actually got invited to a party... Now every pony in that town knows that you can't reject a Pinkie Pie party... She has really good ones...

"Anyways... I had my fun and even met a mare... Her name was Fluttershy and she is very shy... But damn she can go at it... I spent the next day with her and enjoyed every last minute of it until..."

"Until what?" Summer asked.

"Until a mailpony came by telling me that my house had been burnt to the ground and that my family was dead... I couldn't believe what I was hearing... I almost killed him... Almost... Fluttershy stopped me and reminded me to control my anger... I was more sad than angry, but still... Later that day I got led into the woods by some voice I swore I knew... When I finally got to a clearing the world seemed to go black...

"In the clearing was my older sister Windy telling me to go find Amy... I told her that every pony was dead... She told me that Amy and father were still alive... I had to save Amy so I packed my things and headed out... My new friends tagged along with me to help find her... At the end of the day we did...

"And that's when she died?" You nodded...

"My father had set fire to our home. She was able to get into the cellar but when we got there she was in a very bad condition... I didn't know what to do... I panicked at first but Twilight kept telling me to calm down..."

"Why did your dad burn your house?" You shrugged.

"Never got to ask him... I hated him though... Once Amy died I left and found him a bakery... I killed him in cold blood... That's when I met Jade..." Another cup of Joe was put in front of you. "I'm not paying for that one..."

"It's on the house... Please continue..." 'This mare has been ease dropping... Oh you do not know how lucky you are to be a mare... I'd slap a colt silly...'

"So after a few months with her she wanted to settle down with me. I truly didn't care... My life had been burned and my dreams crushed... Well we kinda went at it for about a week... She went to the doctor just to find out that she was barren and couldn't have any foals... She got really emotional and didn't want to talk to me...

"I left and didn't come back thinking she wanted some time to herself... Another little happiness in my life just got swept away like that... So I walked around town for a while then I saw the guards looking for me... Now I use to be a criminal but I had killed a stallion for Celestia's sake... So I ran...

"In the forest I ran into a blue mare who I made teleport us away... I got really stressed and angry... I need something to vent my anger... So I kinda... Well I won't say, but anyways... She stopped me and I apologized, but that wasn't a good way to try and get forgiven... Turns out she kinda liked it and then we ended up doing it again...

"Later she took us to her home... The Royal Palace... I raped Princess Luna..." There was around twenty or so gasps. You looked around at the crowd of ponies who had come to hear your tale. One motioned for you to go on. "I stayed with her for a few days before her sister began to take a small interest in me... So after a few orgies I stopped talking to Celestia... She was pretty much using me to take advantage of her sister...

"I was fed up with it... Luna had bonded me to her and all of these emotions I gave up after my sister died tried to force their way back into me... I couldn't handle it so I went to a local bar... Turns out later that night I beat the shit out of some poor stallion and the bartender wanted me for one of her bouncers...

"Luna gave me a choice... She knew I wasn't too happy... I could stay in the palace and spend time with her every so often or I could work at the bar where I would get just as much time with her... On the plus side I could drink and get rid of those bucking feelings that nagged at me... They weren't mine and it just didn't feel right...

"The night after the bar incident I kinda slept with the bartender... She is a nice mare that goes by Fern... She was drunk but I couldn't say no to her... She is Jade's sister and I was stuck at the bar and Luna was suppose to pick me up... Later that night I had and an epiphany... Well more along the lines of my body beating the shit out of itself... It told me I could only choose one of my loves...

"I didn't know what to do... So the next day when my friends from Ponyville showed up along with Jade and Big Mac... He's a large red stallion that works on his family's orchard..." A ton of 'Oh's ran through the group. "I found out that Fluttershy was pregnant... Along with Jade... This confused me and I got nervous again... I spent most of the day puking...

"Then I left being chased by Big Mac who had a crush on Fluttershy... I told them all that I didn't deserve any of them and he didn't take to kindly to this... And that's when you found me..." You looked down at the mug of almost cold coffee. "That's pretty much my year in a nutshell... Nothing too exciting but you know..."

"I feel really bad for you... You really shouldn't have left any of them..."

"Yeah I know... I don't care anymore... Now that my little story is done how about we go talk to Lightning..." The crowd let out a bunch of 'Awww's.

"Fine..."

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long to get this to you guys... I haven't really had time... *COUGH COUGH* CoD *COUGH* But here it is!

Also sorry to all of those who sent me pictures for the cover art... A few promised me they would get it to me... I ended up with three... One was rather bad and the other two weren't really what I wanted... So I ended up using mine...

Nothing more to say... This was kindaa a chapter to get most readers up to speed if they haven't read my previous works.

Thanks,

-Dashie