Where Do Your Loyalties Lie?

Stormy had just walked in to his mansion's living, and was about to say "Hi!" to Lightning Dash, until he realized he forgot to lock his bedroom door. He instantly dreaded his stupidity and Lightning's curiosity as she saw her huddled on the sofa, clutching his half-opened diary in one hoof and a picture of their family that was in the other. She was huddled in a little ball, crying her eyes out as she flipped through the pages, whispering, "No! No! No!" louder and louder until she couldn't take the entries anymore and threw the book onto the floor in front of her. If she hadn't known Stormy was there, she did now.

She looked up at her twenty-two year old brother with watery eyes. "How long," she muttered. "How long until you were going to tell me?!" she finally shouted.

Stormy realized what she meant.

Their parents.

Stomry just sat there, speechless.

"Well?!" Lightning screamed, her voice choked with tears.

Stromy finally spoke, in a low, hushed tone. "There were some things you weren't ready to know. Not yet."

Lightning just scowled. "So that's it?!"

Stormy threw his pleather jacket on to the floor and glared himself. "What more do you want me to say?! That it's my fault Mom and Dad are dead?! 'cause you already know that!" he shouted, getting slightly agitated. "No, see, there's nothing else for me to say! And you should have stayed out of my bedroom in the first place! Why do think the word 'privacy' exists?!"

Lightning stared at the ground. Simultanieously, a teardrop fell from each of their cheeks.

Lightning then said in a low, growling tone, "But why keep me in the dark?"

"Because..." he said, his voice cracking. "Becuase the truth hurts... and I-I... I was trying to protect you... until I was sure you were ready..."

Lightning jerked her head up. " I'm seventeen, Stormy! I'm not the little filly you raised most of her life ten years ago! I'm a grown mare, with a job, too! I can take care of myself, and a few tears never hurt any pony!"

Stormy stared at the ground while Lightning ran, sobbing, up to her bedroom. "If only you knew..." he muttered.

***

About half an hour later, Stormy walked upstairs to check on his little sister. He tried to open the door, but found it was locked, so walked to into his bedroom, on the other side of the hallway to fetch the master key. He walked up to the door and unlocked it. But when he opened it, he dropped the key and stood there in shock.

The window was opened, and Lightning was nowhere to be seen.

Stormy figured she would be back soon. She had done this once before, and the same thing happened. He walked downstairs into the living room. He walked up to the fireplace and took a thick binder off of the mantlepiece.

He opened it up and began analyzing their little scrap book. He looked at the photos from the year he had her taken out of school. It was because of their parents' death that he did so. Oddly enough, she recovered quickly after the year passed. But he never did.

After looking through all the photos, he closed the album and set it on the sofa. He went up stairs to go find something.

"Got it," he said, pulling out a small, golden pocketwatch. He opened it up and looked at the inscription in the lid.

It was written out to Lightning, saying,

\

There are some things no pony is ready to know.

Now Stormy understood what he meant. He had to give this to Lightning, now that she knew.

He promised.

Stormy flew out Lightning's bedroom window. He knew he wouldn't find her, but he could at least try. He began flying as fast his wings would allow him in the general direction that he was sure Lightning would be headed. She is so predictible, that one, he thought. He pushed, fastter and faster. He had to make sure he didn't wind up doing that one move again... what would he call it? Now's not the time, he told himself.

He scanned all around him and began looking at the town just below Cloudsdale: Ponyville. He heard many things about it, like that it was a peaceful town consisting mostly of earth ponies. Not neccesarily Lightning's type of place, but he figured she might be down there.

He pointed himself directly at the ground, going in for a nose-dive. He folded his wings in so that  he would go down like a bullet.

He finally landed a few minutes later. Immedietely he approached a chestnut brown stallion and, showing him a picture of his sister, asked him if he had seen her. He nodded his head and said in an English accent, "Why, yes, I have. I believe I saw her walking into Sugar Cube Corner. She seemed a bit down, the poor girl."

"Yeah, well that would make sense!" he muttered. He asked the general direction of the bakery. After the stallion directed him, he immedietely began galloping toward Sweet Tooth Avenue.

He finally spotted a bright pink bakery and walked up to the door. He turned the knob and strode in. A certain pink mare spotted him and dashed over to him. "Funny," she said quickly. "You're the second one I've seen today who I don't recognize. Are you knew here, mister?"

At first, Stormy was wondering who the other pony was, but he soon guessed. "Um, no, I'm just here looking for my sister. She looks a lot like me. Do think you might've seen her?"

The pink mare instantly said, "Oh, you mean Rainbow Dash? Yeah, I've seen her! She my new friend!"

"I didn't ask if she was your friend. Could you please tell me--"

"She's in the back!" said the bright pink mare excitedly.

Stormy began walking to the back of the cafe to find his sister. When he saw the back of her head, he simply walked up to the booth she was sitting in. He slid into the seat quickly, resting his hooves on the table. "Now, before you run off, lemme explain."

His sister looked up at him with a glum face. "Everything?" she asked curiously.

He nodded, "Everything. Now, where do I start?"