What Sisters Are Made For
Attached At The Heart
Written by: Alex A
What Sisters Are Made For
“Sister. She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.” ― Barbara Alpert
A rush of cold wind blew over large golden coated feathers as they twisted and turned accordingly to the ambient breeze, connected in series with each other as they lined up in rows of identical twins across a great wingspan. The feathers changed to blue nylon as its smooth surface ran across the body of one very great pony. The blue texture ran all the way up to the body’s neck before the material changed into golden fur which blew back in the direction of the wind as the pegasus traveled through the air at great speed.
The sound of rushing wind could be heard as the pony blitzed through the open air, slicing clouds into pieces, the natural golden-fiery streak following behind as the mare turned and looped.
As the pegasus continued to fly, a small cloud home came into view. It was positioned just above a mountain ridge not too far out from Equestria’s elite city of Canterlot. Celestia’s sun, which stood tall and proud in the sky, cascaded its radiant light down onto the home.
The pegasus pony swiftly turned around in the sky with one giant swoop and landed onto the doorstep of the home. Taking her flight goggles from her face, the pegasus held them in one forehoof while she brought the other hoof up and knocked on the door; the noise caused by the cloud layer was a more of a thud then a knock.
The mare took a few steps back and waited for an answer. To her relief, the sound of hooves hitting the soft floor could be heard from inside the home and the unlatching of a lock shortly followed. There was a brief moment of pause and then the door opened to reveal the pony standing behind it. She was a white mare with dark amber eyes; her mane was in curled waves of orange and white, which seemed to shimmer from the colors from the giant ball of fire hanging over the sky above. The mane mostly matched that of the mare standing at the doorstep.
The older mare smiled warmly. “Hello Spitfire, come to visit your mother on Hearth’s Warming Eve?”
Spitfire giggled slightly and nodded as she leaned over and embraced her mother tightly. “Of course I have, Mom, why wouldn’t I?” she said, rolling her eyes playfully as the older mare chuckled.
The older pony led her inside the inviting cloud home. The home was much like any other cloud based building; the walls were large and puffy with thick, cloudy texture. Most items in the house too were made out of the same material as well - such as coffee tables and sofas.
The mare trotted into the living space of the cloud home with the smaller pegasus close behind. She sat down on sofa and extended a wing, motioning for her daughter to sit down next to her. The yellow mare trotted over and sat down, leaning slightly on her mother as she spoke.
"So, does that mean all of your Wonderbolt gigs are over for the year, sweetheart?" the mare asked, looking over at her daughter.
Spitfire shook her head playfully. “They’re called ‘tours’ Mom, but yeah, I’m done for the year.”
The older mare smiled happily as she got up off the couch. “I’ll go get something to drink, do you want your favorite apple juice?”
“Mom I’m not a filly anymore,” Spitfire said, trying to hold in her laughter. The older mare smirked and winked at the younger pegasus, before trotting down the hallway towards the home’s kitchen. Spitfire took the moment of silence to let out a sigh as she sank a little into the cloud sofa, her eyes beginning to wander the room. Her eyes lazily scanned over the home’s mantel piece. A large picture hung on the wall showing Spitfire’s mother happily embracing two fillies - one bigger than the other. It was then that all of Spitfire’s thoughts and emotions froze as her eyes fell on the smaller opal coated filly with a golden mane which matched her mother’s in style. Just then, all the thoughts about her previous academy training came flooding back to her.
Spitfire’s mother trotted back in, balancing a tray on her back. She noticed her daughter staring at the picture in the room. Spitfire turned to her mother as she spoke. “Mom, where’s Lightning?” she asked curiously.
The older mare blinked a few times before opening her mouth and quickly shutting it again, her eyes avoiding the pegasus on the sofa. Spitfire was about to speak up when her mother cut her off. “I... I tried to tell her that it would all be okay… that mommy wasn’t ashamed of her,” the older mare said in a sad tone as she ran a forehoof through her mane.
Spitfire hung her head low slightly. “I... I had to, Mom, it wasn’t my fault.”
“I know it wasn’t sweetie, but it was as much your little sister’s dream as it was yours. Think about it, honey, she grew up training just like you did every day… the pair of you never stopped performing with each other… and then… for Dust to finally get that chance, and then to have it torn away of her, everything she worked for, by the sister she loves so much.”
Spitfire slumped down on the sofa, letting the cloud texture wrap itself around her as if she was trying to squeeze out the guilt that was coursing through her body. She felt angry with herself for doing what she did. In her mind, it was as if a war had started between doing what was right, and giving second chances, but she had given Lightning so many of them… could she really risk the academy again?
An awkward silence came over the living room. Spitfire’s mother gently set the drinks on the nearby coffee table and made her way over to sit down next to her eldest daughter. “You made the right choice, Spitfire, I can respect that and I always will… but Lightning has been so upset. I’ve tried comforting her and helping her, but she feels ashamed, sweetie, she feels like she’s worthless and I think the only one she’ll listen to… is you.”
Hearing these words gave Spitfire the slightest tinge of happiness. She looked over to her mother hesitantly as she spoke. “Where is she?”
“She’s in her room. She isn’t expecting anyone today, so she might be taking a nap for the fifth time today,” the mare said, motioning her head to the upper level of the cloud home. Spitfire nodded and slowly got up off the sofa. She quickly found her forehooves and trotted back into the hallway and up the spiral staircase towards the upper level of the home.
As Spitfire reached the top of the stairs, she was faced with another smaller hallway. There were four doors, each with their own respective styles and nameplates. Spitfire smiled as she remembered her mother’s love for making sure everything was labelled correctly. She started softly trotting down the hallway, passing a few of the doors. She felt her nerves rise as she stopped a few feet away from one of the doors that had her name and Lightning’s engraved into the cloud surface. Spitfire leaned in and knocked on the door before pressing an ear against the cloud texture, hoping to hear any movement, but none came. Spitfire breathed in before opening the door to reveal her room which she shared with her younger sister.
The room was a mess to say the least; a few plates of food laid on top of the window ledge of the room, a set of saddlebags which had been left open had sprayed their contents across the floor of the bedroom just in front of the golden mare. Spitfire then looked up at the room’s bed to see the covers had accumulated into one big lump which was slowly rising and falling.
Spitfire was about to trot over to the bed when she stopped to look at her uniform. Knowing Lightning wouldn’t want to be reminded of the Wonderbolts so quickly, the mare took of her skin tight uniform and hung it on a hook behind the room’s door. Spitfire then proceeded to trot over to the bed. She saw the head of her younger sister sticking out of the covers; her eyes were puffy and red as she looked towards something on the bedside table. Spitfire spoke quietly as to not startle the pony. “Hey Dusty, it’s me, Spitfire, are you okay sis?” she asked, knowing the full answer to her question already. Lightning didn’t respond except with an occasional blink, her eyes fixated on the photo in front of her.
Spitfire moved closer to the bed and looked around. Following her sister’s eyes, she saw the photo on the nightstand; it was a small framed photo of her and Lightning Dust as fillies just after their first official show together, they both came in first and it was a day Spitfire remembered very well. Then Spitfire heard Lightning speak, her voice raspy and dry. “I’m sorry sis, I shouldn’t have been so stupid.”
Spitfire whirled her head around to face the mare. She placed a hoof on the covers and held a comforting smile. “Hey, come on now, Lightning. We both know it was just a mistake.”
“Oh, right, a mistake that made me lose my dream, made me lose all of my friends... made me lose my sister.”
Spitfire’s eyes widened in shock. “Woah Dust, you’re my little sis whether you like it or not and you will always be. Why would you even think I would think of abandoning you?” she asked, slightly concerned.
Lightning’s eyes dropped to the mattress of the cloud bed as the room fell silent again. After a few tense moments she spoke up once again. “B-because I’m a horrible sister, a horrible pony... I nearly killed five ponies!” Lightning shouted as her eyes threatening to drop even more tears. Spitfire felt slightly angry at this. The golden mare ripped the covers off the bed, revealing the small pile of sobbing mess that was her sister. Lightning looked back up at Spitfire with big, round eyes.
Spitfire sat down on the mattress and looked at her sister. “Lightning, don’t you dare call yourself a horrible sister, I love you and so does Mom. Everypony makes mistakes in their lives, sure, some are bigger than others, but nothing happened and everypony came out of it okay. I know it’s hard having everything you worked hard for taken away from you, and I want my little sis to become a Wonderbolt and fly by my side in a show, but that means giving you a second chance and, unless I can be sure that what you did won’t happen again… I just need time to talk with the other members of the training team.”
Lightning sighed. “It won’t be much use, they won't let me back in after what I did, I started a tornado sis, that isn’t going to just wash off... I’m just horri-”
“Dusty, you say that once more and I’m pulling your tongue out,” Spitfire said as she cut off the mare. “You just have to give these things time. But come on, it’s Hearth’s Warming Eve, we should be spending time together, I know you love doing that,” Spitfire said in a cheerful tone, trying her best to get the moody pegasus out of the bed.
Lightning still refused to move. Spitfire sighed, thinking of one last resort she could try. “Come on sis, what would Dad say, huh?”
Lightning eyes just started watering again. She squeezed them shut, trying to stop any from escaping. Spitfire continued, “Come on little sis, he wouldn’t want you wallowing, would he? Dad would want you to just get on with it. I mean, imagine if Mom had done this, we wouldn’t have even learned to fly!”
Lightning opened her eyes again as she looked over towards Spitfire, the mare’s face still held a warm smile. Lightning sighed as she righted herself on the bed, leaning her back against the cloud wall. “I’m sorry sis... you know, for being a jerk back at the academy and now.”
Spitfire smiled as she leaned over to embrace the mare. Lightning hugged her older sister tightly as she nuzzled into her shoulder. Spitfire smiled happily as she rocked her sister gently for the next few moments before she spoke. “So, are you ready to go for a little race?” she asked.
Lightning grinned. “You’re on sis.”
With that, both mares jumped and galloped down the spiral staircase. Their mother looked out from the hallway to see her daughters blast off out of the front door and into the skies above. She smiled to herself happily before trotting back into the living room.
Spitfire and Lightning Dust soared over the skies of Equestria, clouds and birds alike shot past them as they blitzed through the open air. Lightning grinned as she kept up with her bigger sibling, enjoying the great feeling of the wind rushing through her mane and the whistling sound it gave her ears. She felt her self confidence come back to her as she started to slowly edge ahead of her sister.
Spitfire smiled. “Now you're talking, race you to that place over there,” she said, pointing to a small earth pony town on the ground below. Lightning could just make the place out and nodded before Spitfire said,”Okay then, 3... 2... 1... go!”
With that, both mares increased their speed tenfold as they each tried to outfly the other. Lightning could feel her wings straining slightly more than usual - she chalked it up to having not trained in a long time - but still the opal pegasus kept trying to push herself further in an attempt to beat her sister.
Spitfire herself knew that Lightning Dust was no easy contest. Besides the fact the mare was younger and less experienced, Lightning had a very unique talent of flying great distances at great speed. Spitfire, though, knew that today she would have the upper hoof with Lightning being out of training... or so she thought.
Before reaching the small town, the two pegasi were suddenly faced with many clouds that were dotted about the sky. Both pegasi knew that hitting the clouds would result in the other mare winning so, instead, each mare darted in and out of the clouds, each choosing a different route to try and beat the other.
Lightning weaved in and out of many clouds, dodging the odd weather pony along the way. Spitfire, meanwhile, had opted to maintain her speed as she flew around the outside of the clouds, hoping to find a clear entrance into the town. Lightning and Spitfire soon met up again as the finish line came into view. The large wooden structure which was the town hall came into view as both mares raced towards the finishing point. Lightning Dust felt her wing muscles tighten and cramp, the pain causing her wing to stop moving altogether. Lighting gasped as she fell a few feet to the ground below, falling into a cart full of hay and causing it to become unbalanced and fall to one side. Lightning looked up from cart before gingerly jumping down onto all fours and, when she landed, she felt a sharp pain from her wing and one of her forelegs. Taking small steps, she started to limp towards the town hall.
Meanwhile, back at the large structure, Spitfire was looking around, not seeing her sister anywhere. She landed outside the front steps of the town hall. Just then a voice spoke up. “Are you Spitfire?” asked an orange filly with purple mane.
Spitfire smiled. “Yeah, who else would I be?” she replied. The filly gasped before galloping off down the main street of the town. Spitfire raised an eyebrow at this before shaking her head and trotting off down the street, hoping to find her sister in the crowds.
Lightning Dust was slowly making her way down the streets of the small town, which was unsurprisingly bigger than it looked from the sky. Lightning was just about to reach a large sweets store when a voice called out to her. “Hey? What
are you doing here?!”
Lightning turned her head upwards to see a sky blue coated mare with a rainbow mane and tail. The mare’s expression was somewhat of an annoyed yet curious look. Lightning just sighed and lowered her head again as she kept limping towards her destination.
The mare, however, didn’t stop her questioning. “Hey, I’m talking to you, why are you in Ponyville? Haven’t you got other places to destroy?”
Lightning felt a tear come to her eye as she heard these words but, just then, she felt a soft wing wrap around her midsection. She smiled as she saw the golden texture of the wing, but as she looked up, she saw her sister with a face that of an angry timberwolf that had just been disturbed from its nap time. Spitfire glared daggers at the mare in the sky as she shouted at her. “What the buck are you trying to say to my sister?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. The mare’s eyes widened as she touched down on the street of the town.
“S-sister?”
Spitfire nodded. “Yeah, so you mind telling me what it was you were about to say to her?” she asked, her voice like venom.
The mare rubbed the back of her head hesitantly. “Um, yeah, about that and all, it was nothing Spitfire,” she said, trying to distinguish the topic of conversation.
Spitfire though wasn’t letting this go so easily. She trotted over to the mare so they were only inches apart from one another before speaking up again. “Really? Because it sounded to me like you were accusing my sister of being a monster! So what if she made a mistake? It doesn’t give you the right to be so mean to her!” Spitfire yelled back. If looks could kill, Rainbow Dash would be long gone.
Rainbow lowered her head, she knew that Spitfire was right. “I’m sorry, Spitfire… I-I”
“I’m not the one you should be saying sorry to,” replied spitfire, her gaze travelling to her distrot sister.
Rainbow Dash looked at Lightning, who still had her head hung low under her sister’s comforting wing. “I’m sorry, Lightning Dust, I guess all that back at the academy just got under my skin a little.”
Lightning Dust looked up at Rainbow and tried to put on her best smile. “Thanks Dash... I know what you mean; I kinda messed up big time, didn’t I,” she said in a sheepish tone.
Dash grinned slightly, happy that Lightning had seemed to turn away from her old attitude. “Eh forget about it, everything worked out okay, didn’t it? Besides, me and my friends have been in a lot more sticky situations than falling to our deaths,” she said with a light chuckle.
Spitfire smiled approvingly at this. Just then, the orange filly pegasus galloped over to the three mares, clearly out of breath. “S-see Rainbow, I told you she was here,” the small filly said, motioning to Spitfire.
Rainbow Dash nodded. “Sure did squirt,” she said happily as she took a more confident pose. It was then that an idea came to her mind. “Hey, how about you guys come with me and the squirt to Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight’s having us all over for a picnic.”
Lightning was a little hesitant about all this. “Are you sure Dash? I’m not sure your friends would be all too happy to see me,” she said, thinking about Dash’s own reaction just a few moments ago.
Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “It’ll be fine, trust me, if anything, my friends are very forgivable.”
Spitfire looked over at Lightning. “Come on Dust, maybe this is your chance to make everything right.”
Lightning Dust knew this was true, so she smiled and nodded happily. “Sure, why not?”
Dash spread her wings and took off a few meters into the sky. “Come on then, let’s get to it ponies,” she said, soaring off through the sky while Scootaloo followed on her scooter. Spitfire kept her wing wrapped around Lightning as they both trotted in the direction of the rainbow maned mare.
After what seemed like a long trot, all of the ponies found themselves at a small hill just outside of Ponyville. Dash looked to Lightning Dust and Spitfire, a nervous smile on her face. “So… this is where the picnic is gonna be. We are kinda early, so everypony else should be arriving soon-ish,” Dash said.
One by one, the rest of the gang showed up. Fluttershy being first, followed by Applejack, Rarity, and finally Twilight and Spike - each one bringing with them some sort of food item. The picnic started in awkward silence, that was until applejack spoke up , “Ah have ta ask… what’s lightning dust ‘n’ Spitfire doin’ here?”
Dash looked towards the pair, she shrugged. “I bumped into them around town. I knew we were gonna have the picnic later, so I invited them,” Rainbow answered.
Lightning looked hesitantly between the ponies she’d last seen falling to their doom. However, to her surprise, they all smiled back at her.
“Well I think that’s mighty fine of ya, Dash. We got enough food for everypony,” Applejack said as she motioned for everypony to follower her to the assigned picnic spot. Spitfire exchanged some surprised looks with her younger sibling as they followed everypony to a small open spot in the orchard.
“But, uh, dash… Wasn’t she the one that tried to, um… kill us?” Fluttershy hesitantly added.
Lightning Dust just deflated. “I didn’t try to kill you… it was an accident.”
There was another uneasy silence, but this time it was rarity to speak up. “Darlings, we mustn't dwell in the past. Sure, she almost killed us all in a hectic tornado that was entirely her idea and her doing…and she wrecked my hair.” Lightning dust sank lower. “But! That is in the past; let’s let bygones be bygones. She seems to regret her actions, and if she says she’s sorry, then I forgive her, and you should too.”
Everypony nodded in agreement.
Lightning smiled. “Thanks, everypony… it means a lot to hear you say that. And I am sorry for what I did; I was being an idiot.”
“Yea, yea, yea,” Spike cut in, “we get it, you’re sorry. Now let’s eat!
Everypony shook their heads in a playful manner, before digging into their own meals. The rest of the picnic was filled with friendly conversation and a lot of laughter. Lightning Dust was surprised how many friends she had managed to gain all at once and now a large smile adorned her face as each pony held their own conversations with stories ranging from daring rescues to how fast you can feed a snail. Time seemed to fly by and soon the sun began to dip just below the horizon bring a dark orange hue to the sky.
Twilight looked up at the afternoon sky and smiled. “Well, I think it’s time me and Spike should get back to the library - I’ve got to get back to my books,” she said happily, getting up. Spike on the other hand merely rolled his eyes letting out a groan of disapproval as the lavender unicorn teleported them away. Soon, one by one, all the other ponies started to leave until it was just Rainbow and Scootaloo left with Spitfire and Lightning Dust.
Rainbow smirked as she got up and extended a wing over to Dust. “It was good to see you again, Lightning, I’m glad things have finally worked out...maybe we can go for a race around Whitetail Woods sometime?”
Lightning grinned and nodded extending her own wing to bump Rainbow’s, “Sure thing, Dash, it’d be fun.”
Dash nodded before looking down at the small orange filly who was just getting back on her little blue scooter, “Come on then squirt it’s time we head home,” she said taking off into the skies as the orange pegasus sped off after her.
Spitfire and Lightning waved off the last lot of ponies before turning back to one another, Lightning held a sheepish grin causing Spitfire to raise an eyebrow, “What is it?” she asked, already knowing it was going to be something she’d later regret asking. Lightning motioned to her sprained wing.
Spitfire leaned down rolling her eyes, “Well come on then,” she said. Lightning smiled as she climbed onto her sisters back. Spitfire’s eyes widened, “How much weight did you put on while I was gone?” she asked turning her head to see her sibling. Lightning shrugged her shoulders.
Spitfire shook her head playfully as she spread her wings and took off. Soon they got to a good altitude and Spitfire leveled out giving her wings a rest, the air was quiet and only the sound of the rushing wind could be heard as the two siblings soared through the sky.
Suddenly, Lightning spoke up, “Hey Spitfire?” she asked getting the mares attention immediately, “D-Do you think dad would still be mad at me...you know from being a jerk for the past few months?”
Spitfire smiled a mile wide as she spoke. “I think dad would be pretty proud right now, sis. Think about, it in one day you managed to change your attitude make up with your old wingmate and make amends with everypony.”
“Yeah, but no thanks to you though,” Lightning said sarcastically. Spitfire smirked knowing what the pegasus was trying to do.
“It wasn’t all me sis, you're the one that made the decision to get out of the room in the first place...really hope moms cleaned that by now,” she said as Lightning gave out a soft giggle.
After a few more moments of conversation the two siblings reached the floating home once again. Spitfire spread her wings to slow her descent as the pair landed on the front porch of the cloud home. Spitfire let out a heavy sigh as she felt the soft cloud take most of the weight of her, she turned her head to face her sister, “Okay you can get off now lazy.”
Lightning rolled her eyes as she got off the mare, she wrapped her forehooves around her as she spoke, “Thanks big sis, I couldn’t have done that without you,” she said happily nuzzling into the pegasus’s neck. Spitfire returned the hug happily.
Suddenly the sound off a door opened aroused the two mares, they both looked up two see their mother smiling down at them, “So I guess that you both had a good day out?” she asked. Spitfire and Lightning nodded in response, “Well come on then, it’s getting cold out I’m not having my two babies freezing to death,” she said ushering the two mares into the house before closing the door behind her.
Spitfire yawned as she made her way out of the bathroom towards her room. Opening the door she saw her sister already in on the bed looking out at the window, Spitfire raised an eyebrow, “you aren't going all depressed on me again are you?” she asked jokingly as she trotted into the room. Lightning was quick to reply by shaking her head. Spitfire got under the covers, wrapping a comforting wing around her younger sibling.
Lightning leaned her head on Spitfire’s shoulder, “You know I’m really happy I have you as a sister,” she said wholeheartedly.
Spitfire giggled slightly, “Well thats a good thing Dusty, because your stuck with me,” she said as both siblings started to laugh.
Lightning Dust put her head on her pillow and looked over at her older sister, “So I know it might be a bit too early but...do you think I would be able to get back into the Bolts?”
Spitfire pondered on the idea for a moment, “I think,” she said wrapping her hooves around her sister, “If I have a chat with the members they’ll approve you again.”
Lightning felt a few joyful tears leave her eyes as she spoke, “Y-You mean it?” she asked her voice filled with hope.
Spitfire nodded. “Think of it as a hearths warming present from me.”
Lightning smiled snuggling up to her sister, “I love you sis,” she said feeling her eyelids droop as she felt sleep overcome her mind.
Spitfire smiled and leaned down as she kissed her smaller sibling on the forehead, “I love you two little sis, always.”
~The End...maybe~