"Come on, Thunderlane, we're not even above the clouds yet."
A dark gray pegasus colt with a blue and silver mane flaps frantically to keep up with a turquoise pegasus mare with a bright orange-yellow mane. They both don't have their cutie marks yet, and he is ten while she is eleven. "Sl-slow down, Lightning Dust." Thunderlane pants heavily. He has never flown this high before, but, then again, neither has she and the only thing to break their fall is the tall grass below ranging as far as the eye can see. Few willow trees dot the landscape, even though the Everfree Forest is nearby.
"Move it, slow poke. How do you expect to become a great flyer like dad if you don't push yourself?"
"I-I can't, sis, it's too hard."
Lightning Dust scoffs at Thunderlane. "There's no such thing as too hard. Keep going!"
"I can't." Thunderlane's wings suddenly cramp up and he falls.The air sails past him unable to carry his weight anymore. Lightning sees her little brother flailing about trying to stop his descent. She shakes her head in disappointment and goes into a nosedive. Her wings thrust her downward and, with gravity's help, she catches up to Thunderlane.
She hooks her two forelegs under Thunderlane's body and extends her own wings to the fullest to slow their fall. Once at a decent speed, she flaps her wings. With three powerful strokes, they gain altitude. She sees a nearby hill protruding out of the grassy plains below and heads toward it, dropping Thunderlane on the soft grass cresting the hill. Lightning lands next to him and begins to preen her wings. After a rigorous flight, some feathers are bound to be out of place or broken. It's a pegasus's job to keep his or her wings tidy and uncluttered.
Thunderlane writhes in pain from his wings screaming at him for pushing them too hard. The pain slowly ebbs away for a bit, but returns at a sudden twitch Thunderlane cannot hold back. He can feel his heart pulsating blood throughout his wings.
Lightning Dust finishes cleaning her wings and tends to her little brother. "Here, hold still." She steps down on the base of Thunderlane's wings and pulls them both with her mouth. A series of loud cracks run up and down Thunderlane's wings. He screams from the sudden jolt. "Oh, you baby," says Lightning Dust. "Stretch them a bit."
Thunderlane shakily gets to his hooves. He spreads out his wings and folds them in a number of times. He moves them around, wary of another wave of pain.
"Better?" asks Lightning Dust.
"Yeah," replies Thunderlane.
"Your feathers are a mess." Lightning motions him over. Thunderlane walks to his big sister's side and sits down so she can preen his wings. He could have easily done it himself, but Thunderlane is glad to see his sister actually care about him regardless of her strict flying lessons. She nuzzles his wings with her snout, carefully placing each dislocated feather back where it belongs. Every now and then she would pull out a feather if it is broken, which causes Thunderlane to shrink back from her touch. She would forcefully pull him in closer when he does.
A gentle wind picks up across the grassy plain. The tall stalks of grass sway and dance in the breeze. The clouds peacefully flow across the sky, blanketing Lightning Dust and Thunderlane in a gray shade. Something cold lands on Thunderlane's hoof. Rain begins to fall, sparingly at first but gains a steady beat over time. The rain doesn't bother Thunder. He loves the feeling of freedom he gets from the refreshing downpour and he knows Lightning Dust feels the same way. Thunderlane soon forgets he is tired at all.
Lightning finishes tidying up Thunderlane's wings. "There, ready to try again?"
"Um--"
A sudden explosion cuts him off. Overhead, a large rainbow-colored shock wave strips the sky of all the clouds in sight. A rush of wind latches onto their wings and pulls them off the top of the hill. Lightning is the first to get to her hooves after tumbling all the way down to the base of the hill. "What was that?"
Thunderlane takes longer to find his bearing. "I don't know. I think we should check on mom to see if she's okay."
Lightning disapprovingly glances at Thunder. "You worry too much. She's fine."
"I want to make sure."
"But we didn't even reach the clouds." Lightning points up at the clear sky.
"Lightning! There are no more clouds."
Lightning Dust steps back, surprised at Thunderlane's change in tone. "Fine, but I'll race you there. One, two, three, GO!" Lightning Dust takes off, leaving Thunderlane behind. Thunder sighs. He struggles to get in the air and, after a failed attempt, he manages to support himself in flight and follow Lightning Dust. Thunder knows he has no chance of catching up to Lightning--she's too fast--so he doesn't overexert himself trying to do the impossible.
Thunderlane and Lightning Dust's home stands on the outskirts of Ponyville. The field they were flying over is in between town and the Everfree Forest. Since it's so close to the malevolent forest, rogue storms usually roll in uncontrolled by pegasi. Lightning Dust revels in the fierce storms, believing that braving such harsh weather will make her a better flier. Thunderlane doesn't feel the same, but he goes anyway to make sure his sister does not hurt herself. It's not going well since she's the one making sure he doesn't get hurt.
Ponyville comes into view. Thunderlane spots his home, an old wooden structure only one story high. The doorway is already opened, so Thunderlane delicately lands on the front porch and enters. Inside is a simple living room with little furnishings. A brown couch stands underneath a window to the right with a plain coffee table to the side of it. On the left is an archway that leads to the kitchen. Further ahead from the front door is a hall way running length-wise across the entirety of the house. Thunderlane walks to it and turns left. Behind him is his and Lightning's room. Where he is heading now is his mother's and little brother's room. Thunderlane opens the door to his mother's room. It creaks open. His mom's room is just as simple, if not simpler, than the living room.
Lightning Dust is sitting next to a pegasus mare wrapped in a thin white sheet on a bed. The mare is a dim peachy color. Her mahogany mane is rolled up to a bun though some hairs are out of place. From her nostrils extends some plastic tubes connected to a mechanical ventilator beeping and whirring on the other side of the bed. Next to the breathing machine is a white earth mare with a pink mane and a cutie mark of a red cross with four hearts in between each corner. She is looking over the machine to make sure it's running properly. Her name is Redheart. She is fifteen years old and is in training to be a nurse. Redheart's latest assignment is to take care of Lightning's and Thunder's mother until their mother... well. She has Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ASL). It's a terminal disease which causes gradual weakness of muscles and motor functions such as breathing.
Young Thunderlane sits next to Lightning Dust. He places a comforting wing over Lightning. Thunder tries to smile."Hi, mom. How are you feeling?"
His mother tries to smile back and blinks in response.
"Di-did you see the crazy rainbow outside?" Thunderlane indicates at the window.
His mom nods.
"Did Rumble see it or was he still asleep?"
Thunder's mom points at a crib next to the window. Inside is a snoring pegasus foal almost three years of age. He has a pale gray coat and a darker gray mane.
"Aw, he would have loved it. Remember when dad showed us our first rainbow? All Lightning wanted to do is chase it."
His mom laughs silently at the pleasant memory Thunderlane brought up. Lightning Dust chuckles weakly.
Thunderlane resumes talking. "Dad had to chase Lightning all over town before she finally collapsed in front of Sugar Cube Corner. At least the mare there was nice. Dad came home with a basket of cupcakes and--"
"Just stop it, Thunderlane," says Lightning Dust with a dark tone. Thunderlane looks at Lightning and then at their mother.
The sick mare passes a worried glance at her daughter. She reaches for Lightning Dust with a weak and shaking hoof. Lightning backs away. She closes her eyes and walks out the room. Her mom's face turns somber and she sets her hoof back down.
"It's okay, mom." Thunderlane lays his hoof on hers. "You know how close Lightning Dust was to dad. I'll go talk to her."
Thunder's mom grins. She gestures him to get closer and kisses him on the cheek. Her trembling lips feel frail to Thunderlane. He tries his best to put on a smile to mask his desire to burst into tears. Redheart senses this and follows him out the door after Thunderlane dismisses himself. She catches him halfway through the hall. Redheart reaches for Thunderlane's shoulder. "You okay?" she asks with a kindhearted voice.
"No..." Thunderlane shakes off the intern's hoof and continues walking without looking back. He enters his room and closes the door, leaving Redheart behind in the dark. His room has more color compared to the rest of the house. Various toys he has collected over the years litter the carpeted floor. (Lightning Dust usually puts hers away.) Opposite of the door is a large window with a perfect view of Ponyville and the grassy fields Thunder and Lightning like to play in. To the far left of the room stands a red bunk bed. On the top bunk, Lightning Dust is sobbing into her pillow. Thunderlane flies up there and sits next to his sister. She doesn't react, so Thunderlane stays quiet. He waits for his sister's weeping to abate before talking. After a brief moment of silence, she lifts her head from her pillow. "How? How can you act like everything is okay when it's not? It's like you don't realize what's going on. Mom's dying!"
"You think I don't know that?!"
Lightning Dust shrinks back as if she was stung by a bee.
"All I want is for mom to live her last few days in happiness. I want her to know that we are still a family, that we are still here for her. What you did back there really hurt her. It was a stupid move! Just stupid!"
Lightning's eyes fill up with tears again. "I'm sorry," she whispers.
"No, Lightning. That's not good enough."
"Well, what do you want me to do?!"
"I want you to go in there and show mom she still has a daughter."
"I just can't!" Lightning Dust bawls, burying her face back in her pillow.
"Is it too hard for you?" Thunderlane mocks Lightning Dust.
Lightning Dust glares at the wall in front of her. She turns to Thunderlane and kicks him off her bed. He lands on one of his toys, a Wonderbolt action figure his dad gave him on his eighth birthday. Thunderlane yelps from the sudden impact of the toy imprinting itself on his flank. Lightning Dust jumps onto the floor, landing next to Thunderlane. She leaps to the window, opens it, and jumps out, taking off towards the Everfree Forest.
"Lightning Dust!" Thunderlane rubs his injury. From across the hall, he hears Rumble crying. He turns in that direction realizing everypony in the other room heard their argument. Thunderlane pounds on the floor with both his hooves. Lightning Dust was right. Everything is not okay. He stands up, careful not to put all his weight on the side of his injury. Thunderlane stares out the window. The sun is nearing the horizon and a few clouds have formed since that rainbow-colored explosion chased them away. He can no longer see Lightning Dust, but he has a fairly good idea of where she flew off to.
He steps on the window sill to pursue Lightning Dust when he sees a lilac blue pegasus filly with a basket in her mouth coming his way. Her unruly blue and white mane bounces from her lively trot toward Thunderlane's home. She sees Thunderlane on top of the window sill and smiles. She places the basket down. "Hey, Thunderlane!" She waves at him like she hasn't seen him in years.
Thunderlane waves back. "Hi, Cloudchaser," he says meekly. Cloudchaser picks up her basket. Thunderlane can't see what's inside, because of a red-and-white checkered blanket covering the opening to the basket. He watches her until she reaches the front door and lets herself in.
Cloudchaser is Thunderlane's foalhood friend. They met at a Wonderbolt Derby when they were four, both of them cheering on their respective father in the Derby. Cloudchaser has been fond of Thunderlane ever since then. She likes to come over from time to time to help around the house, and to see Thunderlane.
Thunder leaves his room to meet up with Cloudchaser. He enters the living room. To his right, Cloudchaser is unpacking her basket on the kitchen table. She takes out a gallon of milk, some fruits and vegetables, and an assortment of daisies. She goes about placing them in their appropriate place in the kitchen. She notices Thunderlane's presence and greets him how she always does, by rubbing his mane on the top of his head. Thunder doesn't react to her mannerism like he usually does.
"You okay?" asks Cloudchaser.
Thunderlane looks up at her with tears forming around the corners of his eyes. "No." He collapses on the floor, bawling. He sets his hooves over his face to hide his tears like any prideful colt would do in front of a filly. Cloudchaser doesn't care. She knows his situation well enough, so she lies next to him. Cloudchaser wraps her wing over him to let him know she is there for him. Thunder feels her warmth and hugs her back. She places her head next to his which causes some of Thunderlane's tears to scurry down her cheek.
They stand up, both in each other's wings. Cloudchaser leads him to the living room and sits him down on the couch. She then gallops to the kitchen coming back with a bright red apple. She gives it to Thunderlane and returns to his side on the couch. He takes a bite of the ripe fruit. Juice from the apple flows down from his bite. Thunderlane tries to lick it all before it drips onto the couch.
Cloudchaser giggles at his silly expression as he licks the apple. She grabs his hoof holding the apple and takes a bite herself, releasing another stream of apple juice. Thunderlane stares at her as she chews on the piece she bit off and swallows it.
"Go ahead, lick it," she says pointing at where she bit the apple.
Thunderlane's cheeks flush red. "Um, uh."
Cloudchaser giggles again. She snatches the apple from Thunderlane. She takes three large bites finishing the apple and tosses the core at a trash bin near the kitchen entrance, making it in. Thunderlane rubs away the remaining tears on his face and his eyes. Cloudchaser smiles at him and pats him on the head. "Feel better?"
Thunder chuckles. "Yeah, thanks."
Cloudchaser beams at Thunderlane's appreciation, cocking her head slightly forward.
Thunderlane's thoughts go to his sister and their recent argument. "Um, Cloudchaser. Could you help me out with something?"
"Sure, anything." She continues to smile.
Thunderlane climbs off the couch and heads to the door, opening it. "Could you help me bring back Lightning Dust? We had a fight and she ran off."
Cloudchaser's face softens. "Sure, Thunderlane. Do you know where she went?"
Thunderlane sighs. "Knowing her, Ghastly Gorge."
"Why would she go there?" Cloudchaser jumps off the couch.
"That's where our dad is." Thunder stares off into the distance.
Cloudchaser walks next to Thunderlane. "Will you be okay? I can go get her myself if it's too painful for you"
"I have to go. She's my sister. And I'll have you with me, so it won't be that bad."
"Alrighty then." Cloudchaser leaps into the air. "Let's go." She smiles enthusiastically at Thunderlane. Thunderlane cannot stay sad around Cloudchaser for long. Her energy is contagious. He matches her smile and takes off with her towards Ghastly Gorge.
The trees in the Everfree Forest are gloomy and sad. The two pegasi rush past them without a second thought of it. Their eyes are fixed on the nearing, gaping canyon of Ghastly Gorge. Cloudchaser points at a Quarray Eel poking its head out of a hole in the canyon wall. It leans over to the river water below to take a drink. Thunderlane doesn't pay much interest in the animal. His focus is on finding his sister and bringing her home, unlike Cloudchaser who is only trying to make him feel better.
Thunderlane spots Lightning Dust at the edge of the gorge close to the San Palomino Desert. He descends with Cloudchaser following close behind. The rocky ground clacks against his hooves as he lands next to Lightning Dust. His sister is lying on a smoothed out polished piece of stone that stands up from the ground like a miniature plateau. She seems to be asleep although her eyes dictate she was crying some more. Above her head is some writing engraved into the stone which says, "In loving memory of Rolling Thunder. A Friend, a Father, and a Wonderbolt forever."
The sun dips into the horizon creating shadows that extend into the distance. Thunderlane places his hoof over the name of his father. Cloudchaser rubs up against Thunderlane's side, grazing his wing with her own. Her mane tickles Thunderlane's neck as she places her head underneath his as she pours all her affection into her presence. Thunderlane allows his head to be sustained by Cloudchaser. A dulling sadness emanates from his core, but Cloudchaser’s company keeps his tears at bay. Thunderlane takes in a deep breath, holding it in for a bit before letting it out. “Lightning Dust.” He nudges his sister with his hoof. “Hey, Lightning Dust. Wake up.”
Lightning Dust rouses from her nap. She looks up at Thunder and Cloudchaser behind the haze in her eyes. Recognizing them, she turns away shamefully and lays her head back down on her hooves.
“Lightning, come on.” Thunderlane sets his hoof on her shoulder. Lightning Dust shrugs it off and scoots further away. He goes in for a second attempt, but Cloudchaser stops him. She grabs onto his hoof and pulls it away letting him know Lightning needs some time alone. Thunder nods and sits down, supporting his back against the side of his father’s memorial. Cloudchaser sits next to him, leaning against Thunderlane's side.
It's nearing night time. Cloudchaser is drawing imaginary circles on Thunderlane's belly. Thunder glances down every now and then; he swears he saw her draw a heart once. Maybe she noticed, because she hasn't drawn another one since. Thunder looks up at the sky. A small wind howls in his ears. Thunderlane's mind goes to the last day he had a good time with his father.
* * *
Thunderlane, Lightning Dust and their father are in the living room practicing how to fly.
"I can't do it dad," says a younger Thunderlane.
"Really? Just flap your wings. It's not that hard." Young Lightning Dust demonstrates.
"Now Lightning Dust, everypony learns at different rates," says a grown pegasus stallion. His coat is a dark gray just like Thunderlane's while his mane is a bright orange. His cutie mark is of a cloudy sky pierced by a bolt of lightning.
"How long did it take you to learn to fly, dad?" asks Thunderlane.
"Hmm... I was a colt no older than your sister."
"So I have to wait another year to learn to fly?"
"No, no," says Rolling Thunder. "I mean maybe, uh--"
A mare behind Rolling Thunder laughs. "Still can't talk to your children dear?"
Rolling Thunder laughs. "Hey hon, you're back early. How was work?"
"Ugh, those high society Canterlot snobs know nothing about dance. I'd rather teach here in Ponyville so I can be close to my angels and my big strong stallion."
Rolling Thunder smiles. "Well Ms. Shower Flash, why not give me a lesson?" Rolling Thunder grabs his wife in his hooves.
"Ms.? I'm married, you know."
"Coulda fooled me."
Shower Flash blushes. Rolling Thunder spins her around and dips her.
"Easy, you know I'm holding your unborn son," says Shower Flash.
He holds her in that position and smiles when a knock on the door catches the attention of everypony in the room. Lightning Dust goes to answer it. "Dad, it's for you. It's Storm Runner. Cloudchaser is here too, Thunderlane."
"Aw, why can't she just leave me alone?" says Thunderlane.
Rolling Thunder chuckles at his son's frustration. "She likes you Thunderlane. When you have my blood running through your veins, all the mares will be after you. Just ask your mother."
Thunderlane looks at his mom for a response.
"Don't believe your father. I asked him to our high school dance because every mare he asked turned him down."
"What? No, I, well." Rolling Thunder trips over his words.
Shower Flash places her hoof on Rolling Thunder's lips. "Go see what Storm Runner wants."
"Okay," says Rolling Thunder muffled by his wife's hoof.
Lightning Dust opens the door to let in Storm Runner and his daughter. Cloudchaser is the first to rush in. "Hi Thunderlane!" She pats him on the head.
"Hey, Cloudchaser," says Thunderlane feebly.
She ignores his tone and stands close to his side while both their fathers talk. Cloudchaser's dad is a midnight blue pegasus with a mane similar to Cloudchaser's. His cutie mark is of a tornado.
"What's up Storm Runner? To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"We need you. The northern field in Unicorn Range caught fire. Celestia has ordered all Wonderbolts to go help snuff out the blaze."
"Ah, can't the unicorns do it. Today's my only day off. I want to spend it with my family."
"There's more. Our job isn't just to help take out the fire. It's a rescue too. A couple of fillies were out in the field when the fire started. Their parents were so worried, they contacted the Princess for help."
Rolling Thunder glances at his children. "Okay... I'll help."
* * *
Cloudchaser jolts Thunderlane out of his memories. Her head bumps into his shoulder as she falls asleep. The moon is high above the horizon now. Thunderlane looks into its pale gaze. He sees the faint outline of the mare on the moon he heard about in the stories his dad used to tell him. Thunderlane laughs to himself.
Without waking Cloudchaser, he looks over his shoulder to see if Lightning Dust is still there. She isn't on the stone anymore, but sitting over the edge of Ghastly Gorge. She is staring out into the distant San Palomino Desert. Thunderlane looks back at Cloudchaser. Gently, he lifts her head and places it on the ground. Free from her touch, Thunderlane walks over to Lightning. He sits next to her and stares with her at the desert. They don't say anything to each other.
The nighttime air is cool and crisp. The sand in the desert holds on to a bluish hue from the sky above though it's pale in some areas where the moonlight can reach from behind passing clouds. The noisy river near the bottom of the Gorge fills the silence with its constant babbling.
Lightning Dust talks first. "You think dad is watching us right now?"
"I don't know."
"If he was, what would he say about me?"
Thunderlane notices an serious quality in Lightning's voice. "What do you think he would say?"
Lightning Dust's eyes tear up, so she closes them. "That I'm a terrible daughter." A sob escapes her lips.
"No, no, Don't think that. Dad is proud of you."
"Why? I don't love mom, I can't love mom. I'm afraid to love her cuz... I don't want her to die. I don't want to get hurt. Not again." Lightning Dust tries to keep in her sobs, but ends up gasping for air instead.
Thunderlane sets his hoof on Lightning's shoulder. She doesn't shrug it off this time around.
Lightning Dust continues talking. "You know why I push myself so hard? Because when I'm in pain, when my wings ache and my lungs want to fly out of my chest, I forget about the pain in my heart. I forget about dad. I forget about mom--"
"You forget about me?" asks Thunderlane.
Lightning Dust manages to laugh out of her crying. "No, you're my little brother and I'll always look out for you, just like you look out for me."
Thunder smiles and Lightning smiles back. Another wave of silence washes over them.
Thunderlane breaks the silence. "Do you still want to become a Wonderbolt?"
"Yeah, I do... for dad."
"For dad." Thunderlane repeats.
"Did dad ever tell you how he became a Wonderbolt?"
"No," admits Thunderlane.
"There was this wicked storm coming in from the Everfree Forest. He was on weather duty when it happened. The storm was thrashing Ponyville. Everypony was scared, including dad. The only difference was that dad was outside trying to calm the storm. He and some other pegasi risked their lives to save Ponyville. That caught the attention of the Wonderbolt leader at the time, so dad got a free ride to Wonderbolt Academy. That's what I want to do. I want to prove that anything dad can do, I can do too if not better. And hopefully, I can get into the Academy to become a Wonderbolt."
"Maybe you should face a rouge storm like dad did," says Thunderlane sarcastically.
"Yeah, maybe I should," says Lightning Dust actually putting some thought to Thunder's words. Thunderlane doesn't notice though.
"It's getting late. We should get home."
Lightning Dust looks up at the moon. "Good idea."
Thunder and Lightning get up. Thunderlane sees Cloudchaser still sleeping on her rock bed. He walks to her and shakes her awake.
"What?" Cloudchaser yawns. "Did you two make up yet?"
"Yeah," says Lightning Dust.
Cloudchaser grins as Thunderlane helps her to her hooves. After Cloudchaser dusts herself off, the three pegasi take to the air and head home.
It's nearly midnight when Thunder, Lightning, and Cloud reach Ponyville. The kitchen lights are on in the house. Thunderlane sees the silhouette of Redheart pacing in the kitchen. "Looks like we're in trouble," says Thunderlane.
"Psh, what's the intern gonna do?" asks Lightning.
They land on the porch and enter the household. Redheart scurries into the living room at the first sign of their arrival. "Where have you two been?! You're mother was so worried. You have no idea how I felt watching her cry."
"Yeah, we do intern," Lightning Dust says icily. She walks past her to go to her room. Redheart's face softens, realizing they have much more to worry about than she does.
Cloudchaser taps Thunderlane on the shoulder. "I'm going home. My mom must be worried about me too."
"Okay, stay safe."
Cloudchaser smiles at Thunderlane. She hesitates for a while, fumbling her hooves around. She opens her mouth to say something to Thunderlane. Instead, she just sighs and walks out the door.
"She forgot her basket." Redheart points at it.
Thunderlane leans forward as if he is going to go stop Cloudchaser. "Ah, I'll give it to her tomorrow."
Redheart rolls her eyes. "No, you're not. You and your sister are going to stay here where I can see you."
"Fine," says Thunderlane.
Thunder is about to head to his room when Redheart stops him. "Hey, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Your mother is getting worse"--Thunderlane's heart freezes--"faster than we originally diagnosed. I fear she only has a few days left to live. If you need anypony to talk to, you know I'm here to help."
Thunderlane looks at his hooves. He can feel them trembling--pulsating with uncertainty about the future. "Thanks for telling me, intern." He walks away, figuratively stomping on her offer to help.
Thunderlane enters his moonlit room. "Hey, Lightning Dust--"
Lightning Dust is on the top bunk bed with her back facing him. "I heard..."
Thunderlane gets in bed to try and forget this mess life placed on him and his family. Tearfully, he nods off into a dreamless slumber.
A deep boom startles Thunderlane awake. Rain pelting the outside of his home sounds like rocks. Thunderlane hops out of bed and hurries to the window. No matter how terrible his life gets, the rain always perks him up when Cloudchaser isn't around. It soothes him.
Drops of rain crash against the glass panes of the window. The dark storm clouds above speed violently across the sky. The wind flies in every direction dragging along the rain and clouds. Thunderlane's face is planted flat against the window. He's absorbing every detail of the storm.
He steps back and flies up to Lightning Dust's bed. "Lightning, wake up. You gotta see--" He lifts the bed sheets. Lightning Dust isn't under them. "No, she didn't." Thunderlane stares back outside at the growing tempest. "Lightning," he whispers to himself.
Thunderlane gallops to the living room. On the couch, Redheart sleeping. He checks the front door which should be locked. He wiggles the door knob and the door swings open, letting in a piece of the storm. He slams the door shut before Redheart wakes up. She stirs, but remains asleep. Thunderlane puffs up his chest. He reopens the door and steps outside, quickly closing the door behind him.
Rain drops practically bury themselves into Thunder's flesh. A sudden flash of light dazzles him while the resulting boom numb up his ears. The wind tugs at his wings, pulling out some loose feathers. Thunderlane covers his eyes in order to see in this chaos. He places one hoof forward, anchoring it as hard as he can to the ground, and walks onward into the storm.
"Lightning Dust!" Thunderlane screams out, but the gale smothers his voice rendering it to a whisper by comparison. Another bolt of lightning makes itself known. This one strikes close to Thunderlane causing him to jump. It sets the grass around the strike on fire, but the unrelenting rain quickly overwhelms the helpless flame. The subsequent thunder hits Thunderlane as if it is physically solid. It knocks him over. The very ground shakes in fear. Thunderlane struggles to his hooves.
"Lightning Dust!" he calls out once more. A flash of light reveals a fleeting shadow in the clouds. He squints against the wind to make sure it wasn't a trick of the eye. The wind moves some of the clouds in the way. Behind them flies Lightning Dust trying to fight the storm. Thunderlane opens his wings halfway to chase after his sister when the gale grabs hold of them, jerking them painfully behind Thunderlane like a flag caught in a hurricane. He screams in agony. He desperately tries to fold them back in, fearing they're going to be pulled right off of his back, but the wind's grip holds them in place.
He can't take the pain anymore, so he jumps up allowing his body to be at the mercy of the storm. The storm tosses him back, sending him rolling across the grassy field. He hits a tree back first. His wings pulse painfully pinned against the bark of the tree. Thunderlane winces at his aching wings. He scans the sky for Lightning Dust from behind a veil of tears.
A series of flashes cross the sky, but one of them proves to be fatal. A bolt hits Lightning Dust, knocking her out of the sky. The storm treats her like a rag doll. She plummets, tossing and turning on command of the wind. Thunderlane's jaw drops. "No, I can't lose you too."
A voice comes from out of nowhere. "Catch her."
Thunderlane scowls at the storm. "You will not take away my sister!" Thunderlane kicks off the tree and leaps into the air. The wind grabs his wings again. He pushes it aside by swaying side-to-side like his dad taught him when facing a strong head wind. The very wind holding him back is now helping him save his sister. Lightning's body is falling too fast though. There's no possible way Thunder can reach her before she hits the ground. Not at this rate.
The same voice as before reaches out to Thunderlane. "You can do it. I believe in you."
Thunderlane realizes who is talking to him. "So you are watching." Thunder smiles. With a new found energy, he strives forward. "I will catch you. I will save you. A bolt of lightning hurt you. This storm hurt you. I will face any storm to save you." Thunderlane repeats that over and over. Something tingles on his flank, but Thunder dispels it from his mind. He clears his mind of every thought save for catching his sister. The strain from the wind dissipates from his wings, the rain water avoids his presence, and bolts of lightning strike down all around him but never actually touch him. The roar of thunder from the lightning rides next to him. He speeds along with it.
Lightning Dust's limp body gets closer. Thunderlane reaches out for her with his two forelegs. She falls directly into his hooves. Clutching her close, he folds in his wings and falls. Thunderlane positions himself in a way so his body will receive the full force of the impact. They skid across the grassy field for a half mile before slowing down to a stop. Thunderlane holds on to his sister. His afraid that if he lets her go, she'll vanish.
He feels her body tremble under his embrace. Thunderlane begins to laugh. His laughter grows more and more intense. Finally unable to laugh any longer, he ends it with a sigh and smiles. "She's alive."
Thunderlane carefully stands to his hooves. Lightning Dust cracks open her eyes. Her hair standing on end bounces around as she coughs. She sees Thunderlane watching her re-cooperate from her near-death encounter. Her eyes flick to his flank. She smiles and passes out soon after.
Thunderlane follows where she looked at. On his flank is the mark of a storm cloud with a single lightning bolt coming out of it. His mark, his talent, to face storms to protect the ponies he loves.
*Seven years later*
A steady head wind sieves through Thunderlane's feathers as he stands before the dreaded Ghastly Gorge. The rush of the challenge before him courses through his veins. Ghastly Gorge opens up its maw, inviting him in to seal his fate, but Thunderlane has other plans. He unfurls his wings and reaches for the cloudy sky. Cloudchaser and Rumble are standing nearby watching him as he prepares for flight. Thunderlane gives the signal and Cloudchaser picks up a stopwatch tied around her neck. "Ready," yells out Cloudchaser, "set, GO!"
Thunderlane launches himself into the maw of the beast. He glides over the unruly white water. Dew drops form on the edge of his wings from all the mist being expelled by the water crashing against the stones protruding out from it. Thunderlane swiftly traverses the rocky obstacle. A howling gale meets up with him as he enters the wind tunnel of Ghastly Gorge. The gale pushes on him to turn back, but Thunderlane bats it away with his wings, paying no heed to its will. He shoots out of the tunnel.
He sees a web of thorny brambles covering his path. He licks his dry lips and pushes forward without slowing down. Thunderlane weaves through the thorn-filled mess, avoiding each branch and vine in his way. Dodging the last of the thorns, he enters the nesting grounds of the Quarray Eels. Each hole on his left leads to an abysmal web of crevasses the eels call home. Like an arrow, he flies past them. The Quarray Eels try to bite him, but each fail to pin him down. He's out of their range before they know it.
The final stretch is a straight-away. This is when he pours all his energy to reach the end. He pushes his body to its limit, reaching a speed he never could before. His mane whips in the wind faster than any eye can follow. He sees Cloudchaser's friend, Flitter, with a stopwatch of her own. She is also a pegasus similar to Cloudchaser only she has a lighter coat and a pale green mane with a pink bow on top. Flitter is standing at a makeshift finish line somepony left behind. As he gets closer, Thunderlane's wings begin to falter and he slows down. He thinks of Lightning Dust; how she never gives up even when at her breaking point. He pulls together the last of his energy and steadies his beating wings. He crosses the finish line and crash lands on the ground. Flitter presses on her stopwatch. She goes over to Thunderlane to lend him a helping hoof.
A few minutes later, Cloudchaser and Rumble arrive. "Remember to stop the watches at the same time," says Rumble.
Cloudchaser and Flitter look at each other. "One, two, three, there," they say at the same time, pressing on their respective stopwatch.
"How would this work again?" asks Flitter.
Rumble sighs. "Just subtract your time from Cloudchaser's time. That will tell us how long Thunderlane took up in Ghastly Gorge."
"Oh, okay," says Flitter. "I got five minutes and thirty-two seconds."
"Mine says ten minutes and twenty-one seconds."
Cloudchaser and Flitter both look at Rumble.
Rumble rolls his eyes. "Five eleven."
"Hey, not bad," says Cloudchaser petting Thunderlane on his head.
Thunderlane smiles at his achievement. Lightning cracks the sky overhead sending a rolling wave of thunder echoing off the walls of Ghastly Gorge.
"Maybe we should head home. It looks like it's gonna rain," says Flitter.
"You girls go ahead," says Thunderlane. "Rumble and I are gonna go visit our mom and dad."
"Just don't stay out in the rain for too long," says Cloudchaser. "If you get sick, Rainbow Dash is going to have your head. We still have to help her send water to Cloudsdale this Friday."
"Don't worry, my family is notorious for being immune to the Feather Flu." Thunderlane smirks.
"Yeah, but you aren't," replies Cloudchaser. A raindrop falls in between the group. "Promise me you won't stay out too long."
"I promise," says Thunderlane.
More raindrops fall onto the group, most of them hitting Flitter. "Come on, Cloudchaser. I want to get caught in the rain."
Cloudchaser pays no attention to her friend's plea. She stares into Thunderlane's eyes and rubs his mane one last time. "Alright Flitter, lets go." The two mares walk away.
Flitter whispers loudly to Cloudchaser. "Why don't you ask him out already? You know he likes you."
Cloudchaser elbows Flitter on the side. "Shut up." They take off, leaving Rumble and Thunderlane giggling at the mares' exchange.
"How come you don't ask her out big brother?"
Thunderlane looks at Rumble and rubs his mane. "Cuz Rumble, mares like it when you tease them. It keeps them interested."
"Won't she get tired of it eventually?" asks Rumble prepping for flight.
Thunderlane follows his lead. "Yeah, but I know Cloudchaser, so I know exactly when to ask her out."
"And when's that?"
"Why are you so interested all of the sudden?"
"Um, well there's this girl at school. She's a unicorn and um her mom's pretty cool. She gives me muffins."
"You in love with the filly or the mare?" asks Thunderlane jokingly.
"Um... both?"
Thunderlane chuckles. "Come on Rumble, lets go say hi to mom and dad."
"Okay, big brother."
The two siblings take off. The rain is falling more heavily, but they don't care. The rain to them is like sunshine to everypony else. They arrive at the end of Ghastly Gorge, both of them landing at the familiar spot they have come to hold dear. Two elevated polished pieces of stone stand side by side. One holds the name Rolling Thunder while the other one holds the name Shower Flash. "Hi mom, dad. You guys remember Rumble." Thunderlane points at him.
"H-hi," says Rumble.
"I'm sorry Lightning Dust isn't around. I still can't find her. Hopefully she remembers you guys and visits if she hasn't already."
The two stone memorials stay silent.
"You know how hard-headed she can be," continues Thunderlane. "Um, Ponyville was chosen to collect water for Cloudsdale this year. All the pegasi in town are excited for it. Rainbow Dash has even set up a training regimen for us. That starts tomorrow, and this Friday is when we're suppose to send the water from our reservoir to Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash wants us to break the record, so that's why she wants us to train hard." Thunderlane laughs to himself. "Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust would definitely get along. They both like to push themselves, though Lightning can be a bit harder on herself."
"Um, big brother?"
"Yeah Rumble?"
"You're crying."
Thunderlane wipes his eyes. On his hoof are some tears he didn't even feel come out. It's become natural to him--to cry every time he visits his departed parents--he doesn't even notice when he does. He chuckles. "Would you like to say anything, Rumble?"
"Um, hi mom and dad. Even though I was too young to remember you guys, Thunderlane tells me you two were pretty cool. And uh he's a cool big brother, so I believe him. He also told me about my big sister. I don't know much about her other than what she did. Can you please forgive her? I did, and my big brother did. She just lost her way, so uh, yeah. Please forgive her. How's that big brother?"
Thunderlane bites down on his lips to keep from sobbing. "That... was perfect... Mom and dad would be proud of you."
"You're crying again."
Thunderlane takes Rumble in his arms. He hugs him close. The heavy rain is masking his tears, so Thunderlane feels more comfortable letting them out in front of his little brother. Rumble hugs him back. "It's okay big brother. Mom and dad are proud of you too."
*A few days later*
Thunderlane stares at the pale ceiling from his hospital bed. He caught the Feather Flu not too long ago and his symptoms just got worse from there. The doctors at Ponyville hospital manged to get his flu under control, but they are still keeping him under surveillance to make sure he makes a full recovery.
Thunderlane rolls under his blankets. Today is the day the pegasi of Ponyville are going to send water to Cloudsdale so the factories there can make the rain clouds Equestria needs. He tosses and turns beneath his blanket in frustration. Not only is he sick--one of Ponyville's top fliers--but he got other pegasi sick too. He coughs for a while before coming out from under his blankets for fresh air. The door to his room swings open. "You have a roommate, Thunderlane." Nurse Redheart walks in, pushing along a hospital bed with a blanket draped over a patient.
Thunderlane coughs again. "But isn't the Feather Flu contagious?"
"Don't worry, says here on her chart she's immune to the Feather Flu. Besides, we don't have anywhere else to put her."
"Why is she covered up like that?"
"We had to heavily sedate her. She had bones popped out of place, a fractured rib cage, and a cracked skull plus a number of other injuries. She's lucky to be alive."
Thunderlane stares at the body under the sheets as Nurse Redheart places the bed next to his. "She should wake up in a couple of hours. You need anything, Thunderlane? I'm here to help."
"No, I'm fine. Thank you for asking."
"Alright, if you do end up needing something, just press the red button. Somepony will come."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Nurse Redheart smiles. After checking off something on the chart of Thunderlane's new roommate, she walks out the room, gently closing the door behind her. Thunderlane takes one final look at the pony next to him. He turns away uninterested, pulls up his blankets, and tries to sleep. The last thought he has is of Rainbow Dash yelling at him for getting sick.
It's mid-afternoon when Thunderlane wakes up with a fit of coughing.
"Geez, you okay?" asks a mare's voice next to him.
"It's just the Feather Flu. I'll get better in no time." Thunderlane sits up from his bed to stretch.
"Must be some Feather Flu to get you in the hospital."
Thunderlane yawns. He rubs his eyes to shake out the last bits of drowsiness. "Yeah, but the doctors here know what there doing," he says, turning in the direction of the voice. His eyes widen. Thunder rubs them again to make sure he isn't hallucinating.
A turquoise pegasus with a bright orange-yellow mane laughs. "I would expect so. I'm still alive, so that must mean they're doing something right."
"Li-lighting Dust?"
The pegasus mare cocks her head in confusion. "Who's Lightning Dust?"
Thunderlane looks at the mare's badly mangled body. Her right foreleg is in a cast, her midsection is wound up by an elastic support bandage, her wings are missing most of their feathers, her coat and mane are awfully discolored in different spots, and her head is wrapped in a white cloth. Thunderlane's attention is drawn to her head. "Um, do you know who I am?"
The pegasus looks at the base of his bed. "On your chart it says Thunderlane." She smiles, pointing at it.
"Yeah, but do you remember me?"
"Hmm... nope. Why? Have we met before?"
A lump forms in Thunderlane's throat. There's no mistaking it. Despite her disfigured body--which explains why Redheart didn't recognize her--the mare before Thunderlane is Lightning Dust. Her voice sounds like it matured, but it's still the same voice of his beloved big sister. Thunderlane thinks back to when he last saw her. His eyes begin to tear up.
"Whoa, you okay?"
Thunderlane sniffs and rubs away his tears. "Yeah." His voice cracks. "Feather Flu, you know."
"No, I never had the feather flu. Well, not that I know of." Lightning Dust grabs her chart. "It says here I'm immune to the Feather Flu. It also says I'm patient 135. That's a weird name for a mare. What was that name you said before? Lightning Dust? I like it, it sounds... familiar, nostalgic almost. Do you mind if I use that name from now on?"
The lump in Thunderlane's throat grows bigger. He coughs loudly. "Go ahead."
Lightning Dust smiles wider than before. She lays down her chart on her bed. "You know, I was actually scared when I first woke up. I didn't know my name, I didn't know where I came from. But when I saw you sleeping there, I felt... safe. What more, you even gave me a name."
"Do you remember anything from your past?" asks Thunderlane curiously.
"I think so. I remember this huge blue dragon. I think I was racing it. Um, it... it hit me, outta the sky. Hmm, that explains how I got this messed up. I must have hit the ground hard." Lightning laughs. "That dragon cheated." She smirks. "I want a rematch."
"I don't think that's such a good idea," says Thunderlane.
"It's a great idea. How else am I gonna make a name for myself so I can join the Wonderbolts? That's another thing I remember. I really want to join the Wonderbolts, because..." Lightning Dust looks down. "Because my father was one. And I want to live up to his name--no--surpass his name," she says glumly. "My dad... passed away. Yeah, he passed away twelve years ago. I could never beat him in a race. I would always try so hard to win. I would push myself to the breaking point." Lightning's voice picks up energy. "I love that feeling, where my body can't go any further but I will myself to go that extra mile. It fills me with a sense of pride, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." Thunderlane desperately holds back tears from cascading out from his eyes.
Lightning Dust looks at Thunderlane's lip quivering. "There's something about you I can't really place. You know you never answered my question."
Thunderlane sniffs. "What question?"
"Have we met before?"
Thunderlane can't hold it in anymore; he cries, he cries like he never cried before. He turns away from Lightning unable to stand seeing her face anymore. He bawls, soaking his pillow and his bed sheets. Thunderlane clumps up his sheets and throws it as hard as he could at the nearby window.
Lightning Dust sees his wings. Feathers are all out of place from Thunderlane laying on them for so long. She gets down from her bed and struggles to Thunderlane's side. She sits on his bed and places her good hoof on his shoulder. "I could clean up those wings for you little brother."
Thunderlane quickly turns around at her remark. Tears are flowing down Lightning's cheeks as she stares into Thunder's eyes. She mouths a single phrase: "I remember."
Author's Note
Will be continued in Cloudchaser's cutie mark story...
