The Reunion of Good Friendsby Acoustic PulseChaptersAround TownSomepony's MissingThe Gang's All HereMeeting Lightning's MomReliving The PastAt The Gala AgainAround TownI have only been living in Ponyville for a couple of weeks. I had finally saved enough bits to buy my own house after working with Nurse Red Heart at the hospital. I quit the job, so I can return my focus to the music that I've been working on. I decide to go for a trot around town to clear my mind, and to meet new faces, since I haven't really ventured into town yet. I look around at all the ponies of various shapes, sizes, and colors moving about. Warms my heart to see such happy faces. I decide to stop by Sugarcube Corner. I'm greeted by one of the craziest-looking mares I have ever seen. "OOH, A NEWCOMER! WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME!" the eccentric pink mare exclaimed happily. "Umm...h-hi," I reply, sounding a little more uncomfortable than I meant to. "My name's Pinkie Pie! What's yours?" she introduced herself and then asked who I was. "I'm Acoustic Pulse. Moved here a couple weeks ago. I like to keep to myself, which is why you don't see me much," I explain. "Weren't you that stallion who was working with Nurse Red Heart?" she asks, finally recognizing me. "Yes, how did you know?" I ask. I was surprised that she knew. "Just a hunch," she answers with a smile. I learned my first lesson as a citizen of Ponyville: NEVER question Pinkie Pie. I buy a muffin from the mare at the counter, who introduced herself as Mrs. Cake, and move on to the rest of Ponyville. When I step outside, I'm unsure if I should visit the Library or that Clothing Store that I hear everypony talking about. I choose to stop by the Library, right when I adjust my direction to head there, I am knocked to the ground by a blue blur. 'What was that? ' I thought as I stood up. I look around and I see that it was WHO, not what. I knew exactly who it was. My friend from Summer Flight Camp. We were so small back then. I don't even think she remembers me. I hope she does. "Dashie? Is that you, buddy?" I ask. "Do I know you?" she retorts and stands up, brushing herself off with her wing. "I thought you did. It's me, Acoustic Pulse. Summer Flight Camp? Ring any bells?" I say trying to help refresh her memory. "HOLY SHIT! AP?" she shouts. My memory refresh had worked. "Yeah. How's it been?" I ask. "Great. I made it into the Wonderbolts. Fulfilling my dream, you know?" she explains. "Yeah, I hear ya! Congratulations," I say. "Thanks. So, how is your family doing?" the thought of them brings tears to my eyes. "Was it something I said?" she was noticeably confused. "They're no longer with us, they passed away last year," I answer between heaves. "Oh, no. Acoustic, I'm sorry... I didn't---I didn't know," Rainbow stammers. "It's okay," I smile reassuringly and wipe the tears from my eyes. "Good. You had me feeling guilty, AP. You know how I am about that," she scolds. "Yeah. It's not like tears will bring them back," I said. "AP, don't be like that. They're in a better place now, okay?" she answers. "You're right. Thank you, Rainbow. I feel a lot better," I reply. Only a true friend can turn tears of sadness into tears of joy. Now, here's how Rainbow Dash and I met. It was 10 years ago. I was a colt and she was a filly. In the Summer Flight Camp was a group of colts who would bully all of those who made mistakes during flight. It was my turn to fly, and I was not up for any bullshit from these idiots. While I was flying, I caught my leg on a ring during a loop and I nosedive headfirst into a cloud. The bullies roared with laughter. "HA! HE FELL! OH, MY SWEET CELESTIA, THAT WAS SO FUNNY!" their ringleader laughed. "Shut up!" I shout without even thinking. He wasn't expecting me to stand my ground. "What'd you say to me? Say it to my face!" he acted all macho. I trot up to him. I am inches from his face, and my crazy ass says: "Shut. The Fuck. Up!" He punches me in the head and I punch him in the face. Before the fight gets any worse, Rainbow Dash comes over and stops us. "Alright, break it up, fellas," she commands. "Okay," I said and backed off. "Fine," the bully answers. Was that a quiver of fear in his voice? To this day, I still don't know. "Yo, AP," Rainbow waves her hoof in my face. I was still lost in that flashback. "Sorry, I had a flashback to when we first met,"I explain. "Good times," she replies. The nostalgia intensifies. "I was on my way to the library. Want to come with?" I invite. "I was headed to Sugarcube Corner, but sure," she says. That reminds me of that muffin. It was laying on the ground. So much for that one. I reckon I dropped it when RD clobbered me. The two of us trot to the library, stopping every once in awhile for ponies darting in front of us. When we get to the library, I am taken aback by who answers the door when we knock. "Twilight, is that really you?" I ask. "You look so familiar. Where do I know you from?" she wonders. "It's me, AP," I answer. "You mean my first friend? From when I was a filly?" she asks. The nostalgia was getting to her too. "Yes," I answer. We were both grinning from ear to ear. Rainbow and I enter the library and we sit at a table in Twilight's living room. I didn't expect the place to be so spacious, but I'll be Luna damned if it wasn't. The gang is all here. Wait, no. Somepony is missing. Where's Lightning Strike? END OF CHAPTER 1! Somepony's MissingHere's how I met Twilight Sparkle: It was 11 years ago. I wasn't quite old enough to be sent to Summer Flight Camp. I had no friends, no cutie mark, but I had my Mom. She was so nice to everypony. I had a bond with her. I had a bond with dad too, but mom was special. She taught me a lesson that I'll never forget. "Acoustic, my little colt, there is something you must always remember. I don't ever want you to forget it," she began. "What's that, Mama?" I ask her. "No matter how bad things may seem, no matter what anypony says or does to you, I want you to always be nice to them. I don't care if he's the meanest pony in Equestria, you be there for everypony. Be the helping hoof, son. Be the shoulder to cry on. I don't want you to be a softie, but I do want you to show compassion. Can you do that for me?" she says. A feeling I never felt before was coming over me: Pride! "I will, Mama! You can trust me," I assure her. "I know I can," she smiles. I loved my mother. And she loved me. My father loved me too, don't get me wrong, but he had a slightly different approach to things. "Son, come here. I gotta tell ya somethin'," he says. "What's up, Dad?", I ask him. "Remember to always fight back. Be strong and brave. And most importantly, be loyal," he said. "You can count on me," I tell him. "I know I can," he smiles. It was the first time I saw him smile since he came home from the war. "Can I go outside? " I ask my parents after lunch. "Yes, but don't go too far, sweetie," my mom warned. "Sure," my father added. I go outside and start to practice my flying. I was doing good, until a gust of wind knocked me off balance. Little did I know, a little purple and pink unicorn was coming up the street. WHAM! We collided with great force. Guilt got to me after she began to cry. "Are you okay? I am so sorry. I did not mean to slam into you like that," I say. She continues to cry as if she didn't hear me. I just did what my mom told me. I wrapped her in an embrace. I was, as Mom put it, her 'shoulder to cry on'. "Shhhhh...it's okay. You're alright. Everything is fine," I attempt to comfort her. She stopped crying, so I tried to break the hug, but she held on tighter. "You okay?" I ask. I was starting to feel awkward. "Yes," she said. "I love hugs as much as anypony, but you're kinda suffocating me here," I say in a firm, but quiet tone, as to not make her upset. She giggles and says, "Sorry!" "My name's Acoustic Pulse. What's your name?", I ask. "Twilight Sparkle," she said. "That's a cool name," I say with a smile. "Thanks," she replied. "You're welcome," I said. She got up and continued heading in the opposite direction. I went back to practicing my flying. "Another flashback? " Rainbow asked. "Yeah, it was back to when me and Twilight met this time," I answer. Twilight smiled at the thought. "What? Were you two a couple or something? " Rainbow asks curiously. "No, we were so young. We barely knew what a cutie mark was, let alone something as complex as a relationship," I answer, and it was no lie. "Well, I trust you," Rainbow says. I knew she did because there wasn't any doubt in her voice. Not gonna lie, thought she'd doubt it. I was expecting her to be like 'Damn, Twilight, I didn't know you and AP were a thing'. Something childish like that, but she kept it real and I respect that. "So, who was that Lightning Strike you mentioned earlier?" Twilight asked. "He's another friend. Met him 10 years ago. I was in Summer Flight Camp at the time," I answer. "Does he live here in Ponyville?" Rainbow wondered. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since he left for the Wonderbolts Reserves," I reply. "Oh, that Lightning Strike!" Dashie recalls. "You know him too?" I ask. "Know him? Of course. He's a bit of a pain in the ass when he pulls pranks, but when he's chill, he's a pretty good friend," Rainbow replied. "Yeah. He's a good friend," I concur. "You know what house he lives in?" I ask. "Hell no! What do I look like, a stalker?" she snaps. "Sorry," is all I can say. "It's okay," she replies. "I haven't seen Rarity all day," Twilight says. "Who?" I ask. "She owns the clothes store. Carousel Boutique," Rainbow Dash answers. "Oh. Well, we can stop by there if y'all want to," I offer. "Sure," Dashie said. "Okay," Twilight adds. The three of us leave the library and trot towards Carousel Boutique. It's a short trot, maybe three minutes. When we get there, we're greeted by a customer who asked to go in first. We followed him in. "Lightning! Hello. What is it that you need?" Rarity asked. I knew it was Lightning Strike. "Can ya fix this hole in my uniform?" he asked. "Of course, dear," Rarity replied. "Thanks," Lightning said. Rarity began working on the patch. It only took a couple minutes. "There you go," Rarity said, giving Lightning his uniform. Lightning turned to leave and he seemed to just realize who we all were. "Rainbow? Twilight? Acoustic? It's great to see you guys," he says. "Nice to see you too," I reply. Rainbow and Twilight nod. Lightning Strike has an orange body with a red and yellow striped mane and tail. His eyes glow blue like a Changeling's. The gang's all here now, I really never expected this to happen. This just showed me how small the world is. END OF CHAPTER 2! The Gang's All HereAnd here's how I met Lightning Strike. A rather short flash back. His mother, Spitfire, was busy with the Wonderbolts, leaving Lightning to roam around the busy streets of Cloudsdale. He was curious about the Summer Flight Camp. Being the son of Spitfire had its advantages. He didn't have to go to Summer Flight Camp. Lucky bastard. Oh well, I liked it at the camp. Lightning notices my flying. "HEY, YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD!" he calls so that I can hear him. "THANKS!" I call back. I land so we don't have to yell. "No problem," he replies. "So, where are you from?" I ask him. "Right here in Cloudsdale. You?" he answers . "I'm from Canterlot. My dad sent me here because he knew I would need to know this for the future," I reply. "Hey, that's pretty cool," Lightning said. "LIGHTNING! TIME FOR PRACTICE, SON! LET'S GET FLYING!" Spitfire shouts. "That's my mom. Gotta go," Lightning said and zoomed away. "Alright, bye," I said. Until now, I had never seen nor heard from him again. "Acoustic? You've got to stop with the flashbacks," Rainbow says. "Sorry, y'all. I don't exactly have any control over it," I say. "It's okay," Twilight said. "Alright. Let's go," Lightning says. We say goodbye to Rarity and leave the Carousel Boutique. The four of us decide to go to my house. It's a humble one story. Nothing to gawk at, but I like it just the way it is. "Nice place y'got here," Lightning said. "Thanks," I say. "Anytime, broski," Lightning replied. "So, what do you do, AP?" Dashie asked. "I play guitar as a hobby. I'm currently attending Canterlot University, I'm going for a degree in Meteorology," I answer. "Oh, I love guitar!" she replies. "As do I," Twilight added, a smile on her face. "Alright. We've all got something in common. Pretty cool, y'all," Lightning joked. "Damned straight," I reply. I go to my little 'studio', which is just a spare room with a chair and my newly bought guitars. I got an Electric in memory of Dad and the Acoustic for my true talent. "You gonna play or are we just gonna look at them?" Rainbow asked impatiently. "Haven't really composed anything. I can strum a few chords if it's any consolation," I admit, slightly embarrassed. "That'll do just fine. No need to worry," Twilight answered. "Alright," I reply as I start to play. "How long has it been since you've played one?" Rainbow asked. "A year," I reply. "A YEAR?!" Lightning echoed. "That's what I said," I answer. I put the guitar down. "Fuck it. I can't play right now. Sorry, y'all," I apologize. "It's cool, bro. Don't worry about it," Lightning replied. Rainbow and Twilight nodded in agreement. "What do y'all want to do now?" I ask. "Have you ever thought about joining the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow asked. "No, not after I watched Dad die. Not after killing Chrysalis! Not after killing Sombra! NOT AFTER KILLING DISCORD! ", my voice raised higher and higher as my memories went wild. "Why hold grudges against ponies when you can just kill them?", Chrysalis's voice echoed in my head. "I'm sorry I asked," Rainbow replied. She seemed to be upset. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you, I've been through hell over the course of this past year. I've seen enough bloodshed, I can't take it anymore," I say. "Are you okay?" Twilight asked her. "What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Rainbow replied. She was obviously not. "Low blow, Acoustic," Lightning said, shaking his head. "Rainbow, what's truly bothering you?" I ask her. I knew something was wrong with her, and it wasn't because I turned down the Wonderbolts. "We haven't seen each other since we were kids and I found something we can do to catch up, and you blast at me like you're fucking Spitfire! That really wasn't necessary, AP," she snapped. I just remember what my mom had told me 11 years ago, be her shoulder to cry on. This'll be twice in my life that Mom's advice has saved the day. I give her a hug and say, "Sappy, I know, but it's something my mom told me when I was little." "She was such a nice mare. I'm sorry you lost her," Rainbow replies, letting go. "Yeah. I miss her. Dad and I were tight too, but Mom was special. I can't quite explain it. And if it makes you feel better, I'll join the Wonderbolts Reserves with you and Lightning. Twilight is a Princess too, I heard, unless I'm mistaken," I ramble. "Yep. The Library is a castle. I'm the Princess of Friendship," Twilight replied, flapping her wings. "Oh, shit, you are! My buddy's an alicorn, that's wild! How did I miss those?" I laughed. "Alright! Let's get you somewhere to study for that test, AP," Rainbow said, cutting me off. I chuckle and ask, "Since when did you study?" "Since I decided to become a Wonderbolt," she answered. "Good answer," I say with a smile. The four of us fly back to the library. Twilight leads us into a room filled with books about the Wonderbolts. "Everything you need to know is in this room," she says. Rainbow and Lightning stared awkwardly and laughed as I choose the biggest book in the room. Twilight gave an approving nod, "That one's a good choice." "Bigger books have more information. Better to study," I say, and they get quiet. Joining the Wonderbolts will be a piece of cake. I do love reading. I'll nail that test with high marks. Seriously, how hard can it be? And it's the reserves, not active duty. Piece of cake, I tell you. Hell, I could go for some cake right about now. I look around at all my friends. So glad that the gang's all here again. Just like old times. I wouldn't want it any other way. They're my best friends. Hell, they're my only friends. END OF CHAPTER 3! Meeting Lightning's MomIt took several days, but I had finally finished the book and I was ready for that test. "Where is it held at?" I ask. "Town Hall, AP, go pass it," Rainbow answered. "Alright, you got it," I reply. "Oh, and if you see my mom, tell her I said hi, and sorry for not getting her anything on Mother's Day," Lightning requested. "Why can't you do it?" I ask. I wasn't all that annoyed by it, but you know. I'm no messenger. "Yeah, you're right. I'll go with you," Lightning said and tagged along. "I'll speak with the recruiters. Let them know you're ready for this test," Rainbow said and flew away to the Town Hall. Lightning and I followed closely behind. When we get there, a yellow Pegasus with fiery orange mane and tail is waiting for me. "WHICH ONE OF YOU IS ACOUSTIC PULSE?!" she boomed. "That's me, ma'am. What's your name?" I ask her. She takes in a breath and lowers her volume, "I'm Captain Spitfire, Commander of the Wonderbolts. You ever served in any branch of Equestrian Military before?" "That would be yes, Captain. Solar Guard. I am the one who singlehoofedly took down Chrysalis, Sombra, and Discord. I also rescued Shining Armor and Princess Cadence from their castle when the Crystal Empire fell under siege," reply. "You did all that by yourself?" she asked in disbelief. "Would you like to see my proof?" I ask. "Well, no shit, I can't just take your word for all that," she scoffs. "Here," I show her my scar on my shoulder, Sombra had charged me and used his horn as a dagger. It cut pretty deep and hurt like absolute hell when it happened. "Damn, son. You've won some style points with that one. You have won my respect," Spitfire replies. She motions me to come on, and I follow her to a room with only a desk inside. "You will test here. Rainbow Dash, you and your fr---Son?!" she was cut off when she saw Lightning. "Hey, mom. Sorry I couldn't get you anything for Mother's Day," he replied hugging Spitfire. "You being front and center is enough for me. Have you been staying out of trouble? Just because you're my son doesn't mean you get any special treatment," she replies. "Yeah, mom, I haven't been getting into any trouble, aside from the occasional tongue lashing from officers when I pull pranks. This one time, I put laxatives in the chow at the Mess Hall, had everypony shitting projectile diarrhea. It was fucked up, but it was funny," Lightning laughed. "Captain, you mind taking your son somewhere else so I can focus on this test?", I ask nervously. I expected her to blast at me for mouthing off, but instead, she nods and they leave, followed by Rainbow Dash. I am left alone to take the test. It seems simple enough. All the questions came from that book I read. After looking over my answers twice, I turn the test in. Only took me an hour. The recruiter looks over the test. "100%, son. Not bad. Welcome to the Wonderbolts Reserves," he says. "Glad to be here," I reply with a salute. I come back outside. "Yes, I passed," I answer before they could ask. "Great job," Rainbow replied. "Nice one, bro!" Lightning added. "Thanks, y'all," I say. "Anytime," Lightning replies. "No problem," Rainbow says. Twilight comes into Town Hall. "From the looks of things, I'd say you passed," she observes. "Yes, yes I did," I confirm. "Alright! How about we go to Sweet Apple Acres? We can celebrate with some cider," Lightning suggested. "I'm alright with it if you guys are," I reply. "Hell yeah. AJ's cider is amazing!" Rainbow says. "I do like the cider. Sure, I'll go," Twilight responds. It's unanimous. We're getting some cider. I follow my friends to the farm. "I was wonderin' when Rainbow would come askin' for some cider," an orange pony with a blonde mane laughed. Her Southern drawl reminded me of Dad. "Your cider's amazing, Applejack!" she remarks. "I don't know a single pony in Equestria, not one, who doesn't like my cider," Applejack replied. "I've never had your cider before," I say. "WHAT?!" everypony else shouts with shocked looks on their faces. "Not from here," I say after an awkward silence. "Well, then try some!" Applejack exclaimed, giving me a cup. I sniff the inside to make sure it's not poisoned and then take a sip. Heaven in a cup! "HOLY SHIT, THIS IS DELICIOUS! " I shout with glee. "I knew he would like it," Rainbow laughed. We finish the cider, say goodbye to Applejack, and trot back to the library. "So, now what?" I ask. "Wanna go prank some ponies?" Lightning suggests. "NO!" Rainbow, Twilight, and I shout in unison. "Fine," Lightning sighed. "Wanna tell stories about the past?" Twilight asks. "Not sure I have any," Lightning answers. "Ehh, I have twos and fews, I suppose," Rainbow replies. "I have some, but I don't like to dwell on the past much," I say. "Oh, come on. Tell us!" Rainbow pleads. "Why?" a simple word with such a complex meaning. "In order to catch up," Twilight cuts in. "Yeah," Lightning added. "Alright, fine. Who's going first?" I ask in frustration. "Well, I've got nothing," Twilight admits. "Nor do I," Lightning says. "I've told my Sonic Rainboom story way too many times," Rainbow adds. "I reckon that leaves me to begin?" I conclude. "Yep," the other three added. I sit silently, recalling all of the crazy shit that happened before moving to Ponyville. How the hell am I supposed to tell all of these? I suppose I'll have to start from square one. "Alright, I'm gonna try to summarize this, because it's a long damned story," I warn. "Okay then," Twilight replies. "Do what you've gotta do," Lightning says. "Well, let's hear it," Rainbow laughed excitedly. I take another moment to remember every event from Mom's death to Discord's. This may take a while even in the form of a summary. END OF CHAPTER 4! Reliving The Past"Alright, listen up. I'll only say this once and I will not repeat myself at all whatsoever. Any questions before I begin?" I ramble. "Nope," everypony else answers. "Alright. Let's begin," I say. "I wake up one morning, nothing special going on. I'm usually not up this early, but I had something on my mind. When my parents wake up, I tell them that I want to join the Solar Guard," I begin. "My parents didn't approve, but I went to do it anyway. Right when I get out the door and I'm halfway down the street, dad chasing me, the house goes up in flames, killing my mom," I pause. "Suffice is to say, I was fucking pissed. I start slicing. I barely even knew how to use the sword, I was just lucky. But to quote a great leader, 'There's no such thing as Luck on the battlefield!'. Anyway, we're captured and detained, but escape. Dad and I join the Solar Guard together," I pause once again. "Basic Training was tough, but we got through it. I am deployed. Chrysalis and the Changelings have come back on the offensive. I kill Chrysalis after she kills my Dad, and revealing that she also killed my Mom in a jealous rage," I sigh, wishing it hadn't gone the way it did. "I move on to the Crystal Empire, kill Sombra, but not without getting a scar. I then rescue Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor. I come to Ponyville, kill Discord, thus saving Equestria. I quit the Guard, bury my parents, and then move here," this is the first time I ever told anypony this story. There are looks of absolute disbelief and shock. It was priceless. "Wow, man, you've seen some shit," Lightning breaks the silence. "GOOD STORY!" Rainbow shouts. I can't help but smile a little. "I think that's enough stories for now. Acoustic, I'm sorry about your parents. From what I heard, they were good role models," Twilight says. "I'm over it now, but thanks," I reply. "So how long have you been living in Ponyville?" Rainbow asks. "Two or three weeks," I reply. "And you're just now meeting us?" Twilight chuckled. "I was still upset about my family, I also had to recuperate from sustained injuries," I say with a scowl. "You're right, I'm sorry," Twilight remarks. "Forget about it, it's no big deal," I say. I smile reassuringly to let her know I'm not mad. Twilight decides to tell the story about how she got her cutie mark. It was a very amusing story. I enjoyed it, as did the other two, even though Rainbow heard the story a million times. Rainbow decides to tell her Sonic Rainboom story. It was a good one. I was the only one who was impressed by it, since I had never heard this story before. I was already done with Summer Flight Camp before she did the Sonic Rainboom. Nostalgia began to intensify again. I wonder how Canterlot is doing? I'll have to visit sometime. I miss it. I ignore the thought. All of my friends are here in Ponyville. Nothing is left for me back home except for pain and sorrow. The Grand Galloping Gala is still on my bucket list though. I reckon I will go there as a 'Farewell to Canterlot'. It doesn't begin for another month, so I have time to prepare. I sit silently for awhile before I realize that I have never fully investigated the Everfree Forest that time I got stuck in it 6 months ago. "Anypony want to go explore the Everfree?" I ask. The adventure in my eyes evident. "Sure," Rainbow replied with a sudden burst of bravado. "Hell yeah," Lightning smirked. "Oh, for Celestia's sake!" Twilight shouts in displeasure before following the rest of us out the door. When we get to the forest, which took about 10 minutes, I am the first to enter. "Let's get this rock a'rolling," I say as I go in. "Right behind you," Rainbow replied. "Let's get this shit over with," Twilight sighed. Everypony stopped. "That's the first time I've ever heard you use foul language," I was honestly worried. Perhaps I've been a bad influence on my friend. "Ha! Welcome to the Vulgar Mouth Club," Lightning laughed but stopped when I shot him a venomous look. "I'm just worried. That's all. Rainbow, Lightning, and I know our way around. You wouldn't know the difference between a Cockatrice and a Changeling in there," she rants. I wince at the word "Changeling". How dare she doubt my abilities? I storm in there like I was back on the battlefield, except no swords ablazing. "Oh, Luna damn it. Why'd you go and do that, Twi?!" Lightning shouts in angst. "Let's just go and make sure he's okay," Twilight replies. "If I know Acoustic, he's just inside the trees waiting for us. He's a bit wartorn, but he's no deserter. Going AWOL never crosses his mind," Rainbow says and trots into the thick vegetation. She was wrong. I was still moving, but not far ahead of them. Maybe an acre or so. "We have to find him. Come on," Rainbow whispers to Twi and Lightning. I sat down at a tree and closed my eyes. The only sounds being the animals in the forest, the wind in the trees, and the muffled voices of my friends. No place more serene to think and clear your head. I must've fallen asleep because when I open my eyes, I'm back in the Library. "How long was I asleep?" I ask. "A solid 10 hours," Lightning answers. "Did you guys sleep well?" Twilight asked. "Like a foal," I say with a smile. Rainbow had gone home. She knocked on the door and came in after Twilight opened the door. "Hey, everypony," she said as she trotted in. "Hi!" the rest of us replied. The rest of the morning was pretty chill. Not much occurred. END OF CHAPTER 5! At The Gala AgainWell, it's that time of year again. Amazing how quickly that month passed. It's time to go to the Grand Galloping Gala as a farewell to my old home in Canterlot. I sure as hell miss it, but as my late mother once told me, "Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it's called the present." My mother was my greatest motivator and advisor as a colt. She was always prepared for any situation, good or bad. I'm gonna miss her. She would've loved it here in Ponyville, the self-proclaimed friendliest town in Equestria. I can't seem to shake the image of Canterlot out of my mind. Am I really ready to return there? "Looks like that time of year again," Rainbow said, breaking the awkward silence. "Acoustic, are you sure you're ready to return to Canterlot?" Twilight asked. "Too late to back out now," I reply. "Alright, let's get a move on. We can roam around Canterlot until the Gala begins," Lightning spoke up. "Sounds like a plan," I say. The four of us began our journey to Canterlot, tickets tucked away safely in our saddlebags. Ponies from all over Equestria were trotting below as we flew overhead. There must be hundreds down there! Upon arriving in Canterlot, I get the sudden urge to trot "home". It was never rebuilt. It still lies in shambles. The others catch up to me, but don't say anything as to make sure I wasn't in mourning. I was having another flashback. We fly up towards her, killing every Changeling who dared to get in our way. With ground support, we finished off her entire Brigade. Yes, we were outnumbered on a 10:1 ratio. When we make it up to Queen Chrysalis, we clean the blood off of our swords by splashing it in her face, which most definitely pissed her off. "I won't go down as easy," is all she says before she morphs into my mother. "Oh, yes, Melody was very talented. I was jealous of her singing voice. I've come to the conclusion: Why hold grudges on ponies when you can just kill them?" she explained. Hell flew into me and I punched her square in the face. She grew extremely mad and in a bizarre twist of events, she fires a blast from her horn that struck my dad, killing him instantly. "OH, HELL NO!" I shout as I attack her wildly without even coming up with a plan. She cannot seem to get a hit on me as I slit her throat. "From one bastard to another," I say as life leaves her giant green eyes. "Another flashback?" Lighting asks. "Yes," is all I can get out before I storm away. "AP, wait!" Rainbow says as she trails after me. "Should we wait here or follow Rainbow?" Lightning asked, but Twilight was already caught up to Rainbow and I. "Acoustic, what's the matter?" Twilight asks when she gets to us. Rainbow looked at the two planks of wood poking out of the ground. "Those are your parents buried there, aren't they?" she asked. "Yes. I wanted to say one last goodbye before I left Canterlot. I thought I was over it, but not quite," I say. "What's going on?" Lightning asks when he gets to us. "Acoustic is saying one final goodbye to his parents," Rainbow said. I turn and head towards Canterlot Castle. "Let's go, the Gala is about to begin," I say. When we get there, a tall unicorn asked for our tickets. We dig into our saddlebags and find our tickets. "Thank you, you may now enter," he said. "So, looks like we're here," I say. "Awesome! I hope this is just as fun as last year's!" Rainbow exclaims. "Me too," Lightning and Twilight replied in unison. "Jinx! You owe me an Apple Cider!" Lightning shouted playfully. Several ponies looked in our direction. "The fuck are y'all looking at?" I ask without thinking. "Such hooligans shouldn't be here," an angry rich pegasus said. "Oh, I'm sorry, who are you again? Last time I checked, you didn't save Equestria singlehoofedly," I reply. "Y-you're Acoustic Pulse?" he asks. "That would be correct," I answer. "I apologize for snapping at you and your acquaintances in that manner. Thank you for your service to Equestria," the rich pony says. "It was my pleasure," I retort as the four of us trot further into the party. So many ponies. I feel very uncomfortable in crowded places since the war. "See anypony you know?" Twilight asks. "Besides you guys, no," I reply. "Oh, alright, she retorts. "You know, that mare playing the cello looks kind of familiar, come to think of it," I say when I see her. "You mean Octavia?" Rainbow chimes in. "Yes! That's it. Our parents were friends," I explain. "Oh. You gonna say anything?" Lightning asks. I nod and walk up to the grey mare. "Uhh, do I know you?" she asks nervously as I wave hello. "Yes. Yes, you do," I answer. "You seem familiar," Octavia retorts. "Agh, to hell with it. It's me, Acoustic Pulse, Melody's and Electric's son," I reply sounding noticeably annoyed. "Oh, I remember now. I'm sorry about your parents. They were some nice ponies," she says. "Thanks. I'm glad you remember me, buddy," I reply. The five of us continue to enjoy ourselves at the Gala. It ended very late. Octavia decided to stay in Canterlot, and so the rest of us returned to Ponyville. "Goodbye, Canterlot. You'll always be in my heart," I say to myself. I'm glad I moved to Ponyville. My friends are always there for me. THE END!
Around TownI have only been living in Ponyville for a couple of weeks. I had finally saved enough bits to buy my own house after working with Nurse Red Heart at the hospital. I quit the job, so I can return my focus to the music that I've been working on. I decide to go for a trot around town to clear my mind, and to meet new faces, since I haven't really ventured into town yet. I look around at all the ponies of various shapes, sizes, and colors moving about. Warms my heart to see such happy faces. I decide to stop by Sugarcube Corner. I'm greeted by one of the craziest-looking mares I have ever seen. "OOH, A NEWCOMER! WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME!" the eccentric pink mare exclaimed happily. "Umm...h-hi," I reply, sounding a little more uncomfortable than I meant to. "My name's Pinkie Pie! What's yours?" she introduced herself and then asked who I was. "I'm Acoustic Pulse. Moved here a couple weeks ago. I like to keep to myself, which is why you don't see me much," I explain. "Weren't you that stallion who was working with Nurse Red Heart?" she asks, finally recognizing me. "Yes, how did you know?" I ask. I was surprised that she knew. "Just a hunch," she answers with a smile. I learned my first lesson as a citizen of Ponyville: NEVER question Pinkie Pie. I buy a muffin from the mare at the counter, who introduced herself as Mrs. Cake, and move on to the rest of Ponyville. When I step outside, I'm unsure if I should visit the Library or that Clothing Store that I hear everypony talking about. I choose to stop by the Library, right when I adjust my direction to head there, I am knocked to the ground by a blue blur. 'What was that? ' I thought as I stood up. I look around and I see that it was WHO, not what. I knew exactly who it was. My friend from Summer Flight Camp. We were so small back then. I don't even think she remembers me. I hope she does. "Dashie? Is that you, buddy?" I ask. "Do I know you?" she retorts and stands up, brushing herself off with her wing. "I thought you did. It's me, Acoustic Pulse. Summer Flight Camp? Ring any bells?" I say trying to help refresh her memory. "HOLY SHIT! AP?" she shouts. My memory refresh had worked. "Yeah. How's it been?" I ask. "Great. I made it into the Wonderbolts. Fulfilling my dream, you know?" she explains. "Yeah, I hear ya! Congratulations," I say. "Thanks. So, how is your family doing?" the thought of them brings tears to my eyes. "Was it something I said?" she was noticeably confused. "They're no longer with us, they passed away last year," I answer between heaves. "Oh, no. Acoustic, I'm sorry... I didn't---I didn't know," Rainbow stammers. "It's okay," I smile reassuringly and wipe the tears from my eyes. "Good. You had me feeling guilty, AP. You know how I am about that," she scolds. "Yeah. It's not like tears will bring them back," I said. "AP, don't be like that. They're in a better place now, okay?" she answers. "You're right. Thank you, Rainbow. I feel a lot better," I reply. Only a true friend can turn tears of sadness into tears of joy. Now, here's how Rainbow Dash and I met. It was 10 years ago. I was a colt and she was a filly. In the Summer Flight Camp was a group of colts who would bully all of those who made mistakes during flight. It was my turn to fly, and I was not up for any bullshit from these idiots. While I was flying, I caught my leg on a ring during a loop and I nosedive headfirst into a cloud. The bullies roared with laughter. "HA! HE FELL! OH, MY SWEET CELESTIA, THAT WAS SO FUNNY!" their ringleader laughed. "Shut up!" I shout without even thinking. He wasn't expecting me to stand my ground. "What'd you say to me? Say it to my face!" he acted all macho. I trot up to him. I am inches from his face, and my crazy ass says: "Shut. The Fuck. Up!" He punches me in the head and I punch him in the face. Before the fight gets any worse, Rainbow Dash comes over and stops us. "Alright, break it up, fellas," she commands. "Okay," I said and backed off. "Fine," the bully answers. Was that a quiver of fear in his voice? To this day, I still don't know. "Yo, AP," Rainbow waves her hoof in my face. I was still lost in that flashback. "Sorry, I had a flashback to when we first met,"I explain. "Good times," she replies. The nostalgia intensifies. "I was on my way to the library. Want to come with?" I invite. "I was headed to Sugarcube Corner, but sure," she says. That reminds me of that muffin. It was laying on the ground. So much for that one. I reckon I dropped it when RD clobbered me. The two of us trot to the library, stopping every once in awhile for ponies darting in front of us. When we get to the library, I am taken aback by who answers the door when we knock. "Twilight, is that really you?" I ask. "You look so familiar. Where do I know you from?" she wonders. "It's me, AP," I answer. "You mean my first friend? From when I was a filly?" she asks. The nostalgia was getting to her too. "Yes," I answer. We were both grinning from ear to ear. Rainbow and I enter the library and we sit at a table in Twilight's living room. I didn't expect the place to be so spacious, but I'll be Luna damned if it wasn't. The gang is all here. Wait, no. Somepony is missing. Where's Lightning Strike? END OF CHAPTER 1!
Somepony's MissingHere's how I met Twilight Sparkle: It was 11 years ago. I wasn't quite old enough to be sent to Summer Flight Camp. I had no friends, no cutie mark, but I had my Mom. She was so nice to everypony. I had a bond with her. I had a bond with dad too, but mom was special. She taught me a lesson that I'll never forget. "Acoustic, my little colt, there is something you must always remember. I don't ever want you to forget it," she began. "What's that, Mama?" I ask her. "No matter how bad things may seem, no matter what anypony says or does to you, I want you to always be nice to them. I don't care if he's the meanest pony in Equestria, you be there for everypony. Be the helping hoof, son. Be the shoulder to cry on. I don't want you to be a softie, but I do want you to show compassion. Can you do that for me?" she says. A feeling I never felt before was coming over me: Pride! "I will, Mama! You can trust me," I assure her. "I know I can," she smiles. I loved my mother. And she loved me. My father loved me too, don't get me wrong, but he had a slightly different approach to things. "Son, come here. I gotta tell ya somethin'," he says. "What's up, Dad?", I ask him. "Remember to always fight back. Be strong and brave. And most importantly, be loyal," he said. "You can count on me," I tell him. "I know I can," he smiles. It was the first time I saw him smile since he came home from the war. "Can I go outside? " I ask my parents after lunch. "Yes, but don't go too far, sweetie," my mom warned. "Sure," my father added. I go outside and start to practice my flying. I was doing good, until a gust of wind knocked me off balance. Little did I know, a little purple and pink unicorn was coming up the street. WHAM! We collided with great force. Guilt got to me after she began to cry. "Are you okay? I am so sorry. I did not mean to slam into you like that," I say. She continues to cry as if she didn't hear me. I just did what my mom told me. I wrapped her in an embrace. I was, as Mom put it, her 'shoulder to cry on'. "Shhhhh...it's okay. You're alright. Everything is fine," I attempt to comfort her. She stopped crying, so I tried to break the hug, but she held on tighter. "You okay?" I ask. I was starting to feel awkward. "Yes," she said. "I love hugs as much as anypony, but you're kinda suffocating me here," I say in a firm, but quiet tone, as to not make her upset. She giggles and says, "Sorry!" "My name's Acoustic Pulse. What's your name?", I ask. "Twilight Sparkle," she said. "That's a cool name," I say with a smile. "Thanks," she replied. "You're welcome," I said. She got up and continued heading in the opposite direction. I went back to practicing my flying. "Another flashback? " Rainbow asked. "Yeah, it was back to when me and Twilight met this time," I answer. Twilight smiled at the thought. "What? Were you two a couple or something? " Rainbow asks curiously. "No, we were so young. We barely knew what a cutie mark was, let alone something as complex as a relationship," I answer, and it was no lie. "Well, I trust you," Rainbow says. I knew she did because there wasn't any doubt in her voice. Not gonna lie, thought she'd doubt it. I was expecting her to be like 'Damn, Twilight, I didn't know you and AP were a thing'. Something childish like that, but she kept it real and I respect that. "So, who was that Lightning Strike you mentioned earlier?" Twilight asked. "He's another friend. Met him 10 years ago. I was in Summer Flight Camp at the time," I answer. "Does he live here in Ponyville?" Rainbow wondered. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since he left for the Wonderbolts Reserves," I reply. "Oh, that Lightning Strike!" Dashie recalls. "You know him too?" I ask. "Know him? Of course. He's a bit of a pain in the ass when he pulls pranks, but when he's chill, he's a pretty good friend," Rainbow replied. "Yeah. He's a good friend," I concur. "You know what house he lives in?" I ask. "Hell no! What do I look like, a stalker?" she snaps. "Sorry," is all I can say. "It's okay," she replies. "I haven't seen Rarity all day," Twilight says. "Who?" I ask. "She owns the clothes store. Carousel Boutique," Rainbow Dash answers. "Oh. Well, we can stop by there if y'all want to," I offer. "Sure," Dashie said. "Okay," Twilight adds. The three of us leave the library and trot towards Carousel Boutique. It's a short trot, maybe three minutes. When we get there, we're greeted by a customer who asked to go in first. We followed him in. "Lightning! Hello. What is it that you need?" Rarity asked. I knew it was Lightning Strike. "Can ya fix this hole in my uniform?" he asked. "Of course, dear," Rarity replied. "Thanks," Lightning said. Rarity began working on the patch. It only took a couple minutes. "There you go," Rarity said, giving Lightning his uniform. Lightning turned to leave and he seemed to just realize who we all were. "Rainbow? Twilight? Acoustic? It's great to see you guys," he says. "Nice to see you too," I reply. Rainbow and Twilight nod. Lightning Strike has an orange body with a red and yellow striped mane and tail. His eyes glow blue like a Changeling's. The gang's all here now, I really never expected this to happen. This just showed me how small the world is. END OF CHAPTER 2!
The Gang's All HereAnd here's how I met Lightning Strike. A rather short flash back. His mother, Spitfire, was busy with the Wonderbolts, leaving Lightning to roam around the busy streets of Cloudsdale. He was curious about the Summer Flight Camp. Being the son of Spitfire had its advantages. He didn't have to go to Summer Flight Camp. Lucky bastard. Oh well, I liked it at the camp. Lightning notices my flying. "HEY, YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD!" he calls so that I can hear him. "THANKS!" I call back. I land so we don't have to yell. "No problem," he replies. "So, where are you from?" I ask him. "Right here in Cloudsdale. You?" he answers . "I'm from Canterlot. My dad sent me here because he knew I would need to know this for the future," I reply. "Hey, that's pretty cool," Lightning said. "LIGHTNING! TIME FOR PRACTICE, SON! LET'S GET FLYING!" Spitfire shouts. "That's my mom. Gotta go," Lightning said and zoomed away. "Alright, bye," I said. Until now, I had never seen nor heard from him again. "Acoustic? You've got to stop with the flashbacks," Rainbow says. "Sorry, y'all. I don't exactly have any control over it," I say. "It's okay," Twilight said. "Alright. Let's go," Lightning says. We say goodbye to Rarity and leave the Carousel Boutique. The four of us decide to go to my house. It's a humble one story. Nothing to gawk at, but I like it just the way it is. "Nice place y'got here," Lightning said. "Thanks," I say. "Anytime, broski," Lightning replied. "So, what do you do, AP?" Dashie asked. "I play guitar as a hobby. I'm currently attending Canterlot University, I'm going for a degree in Meteorology," I answer. "Oh, I love guitar!" she replies. "As do I," Twilight added, a smile on her face. "Alright. We've all got something in common. Pretty cool, y'all," Lightning joked. "Damned straight," I reply. I go to my little 'studio', which is just a spare room with a chair and my newly bought guitars. I got an Electric in memory of Dad and the Acoustic for my true talent. "You gonna play or are we just gonna look at them?" Rainbow asked impatiently. "Haven't really composed anything. I can strum a few chords if it's any consolation," I admit, slightly embarrassed. "That'll do just fine. No need to worry," Twilight answered. "Alright," I reply as I start to play. "How long has it been since you've played one?" Rainbow asked. "A year," I reply. "A YEAR?!" Lightning echoed. "That's what I said," I answer. I put the guitar down. "Fuck it. I can't play right now. Sorry, y'all," I apologize. "It's cool, bro. Don't worry about it," Lightning replied. Rainbow and Twilight nodded in agreement. "What do y'all want to do now?" I ask. "Have you ever thought about joining the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow asked. "No, not after I watched Dad die. Not after killing Chrysalis! Not after killing Sombra! NOT AFTER KILLING DISCORD! ", my voice raised higher and higher as my memories went wild. "Why hold grudges against ponies when you can just kill them?", Chrysalis's voice echoed in my head. "I'm sorry I asked," Rainbow replied. She seemed to be upset. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you, I've been through hell over the course of this past year. I've seen enough bloodshed, I can't take it anymore," I say. "Are you okay?" Twilight asked her. "What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Rainbow replied. She was obviously not. "Low blow, Acoustic," Lightning said, shaking his head. "Rainbow, what's truly bothering you?" I ask her. I knew something was wrong with her, and it wasn't because I turned down the Wonderbolts. "We haven't seen each other since we were kids and I found something we can do to catch up, and you blast at me like you're fucking Spitfire! That really wasn't necessary, AP," she snapped. I just remember what my mom had told me 11 years ago, be her shoulder to cry on. This'll be twice in my life that Mom's advice has saved the day. I give her a hug and say, "Sappy, I know, but it's something my mom told me when I was little." "She was such a nice mare. I'm sorry you lost her," Rainbow replies, letting go. "Yeah. I miss her. Dad and I were tight too, but Mom was special. I can't quite explain it. And if it makes you feel better, I'll join the Wonderbolts Reserves with you and Lightning. Twilight is a Princess too, I heard, unless I'm mistaken," I ramble. "Yep. The Library is a castle. I'm the Princess of Friendship," Twilight replied, flapping her wings. "Oh, shit, you are! My buddy's an alicorn, that's wild! How did I miss those?" I laughed. "Alright! Let's get you somewhere to study for that test, AP," Rainbow said, cutting me off. I chuckle and ask, "Since when did you study?" "Since I decided to become a Wonderbolt," she answered. "Good answer," I say with a smile. The four of us fly back to the library. Twilight leads us into a room filled with books about the Wonderbolts. "Everything you need to know is in this room," she says. Rainbow and Lightning stared awkwardly and laughed as I choose the biggest book in the room. Twilight gave an approving nod, "That one's a good choice." "Bigger books have more information. Better to study," I say, and they get quiet. Joining the Wonderbolts will be a piece of cake. I do love reading. I'll nail that test with high marks. Seriously, how hard can it be? And it's the reserves, not active duty. Piece of cake, I tell you. Hell, I could go for some cake right about now. I look around at all my friends. So glad that the gang's all here again. Just like old times. I wouldn't want it any other way. They're my best friends. Hell, they're my only friends. END OF CHAPTER 3!
Meeting Lightning's MomIt took several days, but I had finally finished the book and I was ready for that test. "Where is it held at?" I ask. "Town Hall, AP, go pass it," Rainbow answered. "Alright, you got it," I reply. "Oh, and if you see my mom, tell her I said hi, and sorry for not getting her anything on Mother's Day," Lightning requested. "Why can't you do it?" I ask. I wasn't all that annoyed by it, but you know. I'm no messenger. "Yeah, you're right. I'll go with you," Lightning said and tagged along. "I'll speak with the recruiters. Let them know you're ready for this test," Rainbow said and flew away to the Town Hall. Lightning and I followed closely behind. When we get there, a yellow Pegasus with fiery orange mane and tail is waiting for me. "WHICH ONE OF YOU IS ACOUSTIC PULSE?!" she boomed. "That's me, ma'am. What's your name?" I ask her. She takes in a breath and lowers her volume, "I'm Captain Spitfire, Commander of the Wonderbolts. You ever served in any branch of Equestrian Military before?" "That would be yes, Captain. Solar Guard. I am the one who singlehoofedly took down Chrysalis, Sombra, and Discord. I also rescued Shining Armor and Princess Cadence from their castle when the Crystal Empire fell under siege," reply. "You did all that by yourself?" she asked in disbelief. "Would you like to see my proof?" I ask. "Well, no shit, I can't just take your word for all that," she scoffs. "Here," I show her my scar on my shoulder, Sombra had charged me and used his horn as a dagger. It cut pretty deep and hurt like absolute hell when it happened. "Damn, son. You've won some style points with that one. You have won my respect," Spitfire replies. She motions me to come on, and I follow her to a room with only a desk inside. "You will test here. Rainbow Dash, you and your fr---Son?!" she was cut off when she saw Lightning. "Hey, mom. Sorry I couldn't get you anything for Mother's Day," he replied hugging Spitfire. "You being front and center is enough for me. Have you been staying out of trouble? Just because you're my son doesn't mean you get any special treatment," she replies. "Yeah, mom, I haven't been getting into any trouble, aside from the occasional tongue lashing from officers when I pull pranks. This one time, I put laxatives in the chow at the Mess Hall, had everypony shitting projectile diarrhea. It was fucked up, but it was funny," Lightning laughed. "Captain, you mind taking your son somewhere else so I can focus on this test?", I ask nervously. I expected her to blast at me for mouthing off, but instead, she nods and they leave, followed by Rainbow Dash. I am left alone to take the test. It seems simple enough. All the questions came from that book I read. After looking over my answers twice, I turn the test in. Only took me an hour. The recruiter looks over the test. "100%, son. Not bad. Welcome to the Wonderbolts Reserves," he says. "Glad to be here," I reply with a salute. I come back outside. "Yes, I passed," I answer before they could ask. "Great job," Rainbow replied. "Nice one, bro!" Lightning added. "Thanks, y'all," I say. "Anytime," Lightning replies. "No problem," Rainbow says. Twilight comes into Town Hall. "From the looks of things, I'd say you passed," she observes. "Yes, yes I did," I confirm. "Alright! How about we go to Sweet Apple Acres? We can celebrate with some cider," Lightning suggested. "I'm alright with it if you guys are," I reply. "Hell yeah. AJ's cider is amazing!" Rainbow says. "I do like the cider. Sure, I'll go," Twilight responds. It's unanimous. We're getting some cider. I follow my friends to the farm. "I was wonderin' when Rainbow would come askin' for some cider," an orange pony with a blonde mane laughed. Her Southern drawl reminded me of Dad. "Your cider's amazing, Applejack!" she remarks. "I don't know a single pony in Equestria, not one, who doesn't like my cider," Applejack replied. "I've never had your cider before," I say. "WHAT?!" everypony else shouts with shocked looks on their faces. "Not from here," I say after an awkward silence. "Well, then try some!" Applejack exclaimed, giving me a cup. I sniff the inside to make sure it's not poisoned and then take a sip. Heaven in a cup! "HOLY SHIT, THIS IS DELICIOUS! " I shout with glee. "I knew he would like it," Rainbow laughed. We finish the cider, say goodbye to Applejack, and trot back to the library. "So, now what?" I ask. "Wanna go prank some ponies?" Lightning suggests. "NO!" Rainbow, Twilight, and I shout in unison. "Fine," Lightning sighed. "Wanna tell stories about the past?" Twilight asks. "Not sure I have any," Lightning answers. "Ehh, I have twos and fews, I suppose," Rainbow replies. "I have some, but I don't like to dwell on the past much," I say. "Oh, come on. Tell us!" Rainbow pleads. "Why?" a simple word with such a complex meaning. "In order to catch up," Twilight cuts in. "Yeah," Lightning added. "Alright, fine. Who's going first?" I ask in frustration. "Well, I've got nothing," Twilight admits. "Nor do I," Lightning says. "I've told my Sonic Rainboom story way too many times," Rainbow adds. "I reckon that leaves me to begin?" I conclude. "Yep," the other three added. I sit silently, recalling all of the crazy shit that happened before moving to Ponyville. How the hell am I supposed to tell all of these? I suppose I'll have to start from square one. "Alright, I'm gonna try to summarize this, because it's a long damned story," I warn. "Okay then," Twilight replies. "Do what you've gotta do," Lightning says. "Well, let's hear it," Rainbow laughed excitedly. I take another moment to remember every event from Mom's death to Discord's. This may take a while even in the form of a summary. END OF CHAPTER 4!
Reliving The Past"Alright, listen up. I'll only say this once and I will not repeat myself at all whatsoever. Any questions before I begin?" I ramble. "Nope," everypony else answers. "Alright. Let's begin," I say. "I wake up one morning, nothing special going on. I'm usually not up this early, but I had something on my mind. When my parents wake up, I tell them that I want to join the Solar Guard," I begin. "My parents didn't approve, but I went to do it anyway. Right when I get out the door and I'm halfway down the street, dad chasing me, the house goes up in flames, killing my mom," I pause. "Suffice is to say, I was fucking pissed. I start slicing. I barely even knew how to use the sword, I was just lucky. But to quote a great leader, 'There's no such thing as Luck on the battlefield!'. Anyway, we're captured and detained, but escape. Dad and I join the Solar Guard together," I pause once again. "Basic Training was tough, but we got through it. I am deployed. Chrysalis and the Changelings have come back on the offensive. I kill Chrysalis after she kills my Dad, and revealing that she also killed my Mom in a jealous rage," I sigh, wishing it hadn't gone the way it did. "I move on to the Crystal Empire, kill Sombra, but not without getting a scar. I then rescue Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor. I come to Ponyville, kill Discord, thus saving Equestria. I quit the Guard, bury my parents, and then move here," this is the first time I ever told anypony this story. There are looks of absolute disbelief and shock. It was priceless. "Wow, man, you've seen some shit," Lightning breaks the silence. "GOOD STORY!" Rainbow shouts. I can't help but smile a little. "I think that's enough stories for now. Acoustic, I'm sorry about your parents. From what I heard, they were good role models," Twilight says. "I'm over it now, but thanks," I reply. "So how long have you been living in Ponyville?" Rainbow asks. "Two or three weeks," I reply. "And you're just now meeting us?" Twilight chuckled. "I was still upset about my family, I also had to recuperate from sustained injuries," I say with a scowl. "You're right, I'm sorry," Twilight remarks. "Forget about it, it's no big deal," I say. I smile reassuringly to let her know I'm not mad. Twilight decides to tell the story about how she got her cutie mark. It was a very amusing story. I enjoyed it, as did the other two, even though Rainbow heard the story a million times. Rainbow decides to tell her Sonic Rainboom story. It was a good one. I was the only one who was impressed by it, since I had never heard this story before. I was already done with Summer Flight Camp before she did the Sonic Rainboom. Nostalgia began to intensify again. I wonder how Canterlot is doing? I'll have to visit sometime. I miss it. I ignore the thought. All of my friends are here in Ponyville. Nothing is left for me back home except for pain and sorrow. The Grand Galloping Gala is still on my bucket list though. I reckon I will go there as a 'Farewell to Canterlot'. It doesn't begin for another month, so I have time to prepare. I sit silently for awhile before I realize that I have never fully investigated the Everfree Forest that time I got stuck in it 6 months ago. "Anypony want to go explore the Everfree?" I ask. The adventure in my eyes evident. "Sure," Rainbow replied with a sudden burst of bravado. "Hell yeah," Lightning smirked. "Oh, for Celestia's sake!" Twilight shouts in displeasure before following the rest of us out the door. When we get to the forest, which took about 10 minutes, I am the first to enter. "Let's get this rock a'rolling," I say as I go in. "Right behind you," Rainbow replied. "Let's get this shit over with," Twilight sighed. Everypony stopped. "That's the first time I've ever heard you use foul language," I was honestly worried. Perhaps I've been a bad influence on my friend. "Ha! Welcome to the Vulgar Mouth Club," Lightning laughed but stopped when I shot him a venomous look. "I'm just worried. That's all. Rainbow, Lightning, and I know our way around. You wouldn't know the difference between a Cockatrice and a Changeling in there," she rants. I wince at the word "Changeling". How dare she doubt my abilities? I storm in there like I was back on the battlefield, except no swords ablazing. "Oh, Luna damn it. Why'd you go and do that, Twi?!" Lightning shouts in angst. "Let's just go and make sure he's okay," Twilight replies. "If I know Acoustic, he's just inside the trees waiting for us. He's a bit wartorn, but he's no deserter. Going AWOL never crosses his mind," Rainbow says and trots into the thick vegetation. She was wrong. I was still moving, but not far ahead of them. Maybe an acre or so. "We have to find him. Come on," Rainbow whispers to Twi and Lightning. I sat down at a tree and closed my eyes. The only sounds being the animals in the forest, the wind in the trees, and the muffled voices of my friends. No place more serene to think and clear your head. I must've fallen asleep because when I open my eyes, I'm back in the Library. "How long was I asleep?" I ask. "A solid 10 hours," Lightning answers. "Did you guys sleep well?" Twilight asked. "Like a foal," I say with a smile. Rainbow had gone home. She knocked on the door and came in after Twilight opened the door. "Hey, everypony," she said as she trotted in. "Hi!" the rest of us replied. The rest of the morning was pretty chill. Not much occurred. END OF CHAPTER 5!
At The Gala AgainWell, it's that time of year again. Amazing how quickly that month passed. It's time to go to the Grand Galloping Gala as a farewell to my old home in Canterlot. I sure as hell miss it, but as my late mother once told me, "Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it's called the present." My mother was my greatest motivator and advisor as a colt. She was always prepared for any situation, good or bad. I'm gonna miss her. She would've loved it here in Ponyville, the self-proclaimed friendliest town in Equestria. I can't seem to shake the image of Canterlot out of my mind. Am I really ready to return there? "Looks like that time of year again," Rainbow said, breaking the awkward silence. "Acoustic, are you sure you're ready to return to Canterlot?" Twilight asked. "Too late to back out now," I reply. "Alright, let's get a move on. We can roam around Canterlot until the Gala begins," Lightning spoke up. "Sounds like a plan," I say. The four of us began our journey to Canterlot, tickets tucked away safely in our saddlebags. Ponies from all over Equestria were trotting below as we flew overhead. There must be hundreds down there! Upon arriving in Canterlot, I get the sudden urge to trot "home". It was never rebuilt. It still lies in shambles. The others catch up to me, but don't say anything as to make sure I wasn't in mourning. I was having another flashback. We fly up towards her, killing every Changeling who dared to get in our way. With ground support, we finished off her entire Brigade. Yes, we were outnumbered on a 10:1 ratio. When we make it up to Queen Chrysalis, we clean the blood off of our swords by splashing it in her face, which most definitely pissed her off. "I won't go down as easy," is all she says before she morphs into my mother. "Oh, yes, Melody was very talented. I was jealous of her singing voice. I've come to the conclusion: Why hold grudges on ponies when you can just kill them?" she explained. Hell flew into me and I punched her square in the face. She grew extremely mad and in a bizarre twist of events, she fires a blast from her horn that struck my dad, killing him instantly. "OH, HELL NO!" I shout as I attack her wildly without even coming up with a plan. She cannot seem to get a hit on me as I slit her throat. "From one bastard to another," I say as life leaves her giant green eyes. "Another flashback?" Lighting asks. "Yes," is all I can get out before I storm away. "AP, wait!" Rainbow says as she trails after me. "Should we wait here or follow Rainbow?" Lightning asked, but Twilight was already caught up to Rainbow and I. "Acoustic, what's the matter?" Twilight asks when she gets to us. Rainbow looked at the two planks of wood poking out of the ground. "Those are your parents buried there, aren't they?" she asked. "Yes. I wanted to say one last goodbye before I left Canterlot. I thought I was over it, but not quite," I say. "What's going on?" Lightning asks when he gets to us. "Acoustic is saying one final goodbye to his parents," Rainbow said. I turn and head towards Canterlot Castle. "Let's go, the Gala is about to begin," I say. When we get there, a tall unicorn asked for our tickets. We dig into our saddlebags and find our tickets. "Thank you, you may now enter," he said. "So, looks like we're here," I say. "Awesome! I hope this is just as fun as last year's!" Rainbow exclaims. "Me too," Lightning and Twilight replied in unison. "Jinx! You owe me an Apple Cider!" Lightning shouted playfully. Several ponies looked in our direction. "The fuck are y'all looking at?" I ask without thinking. "Such hooligans shouldn't be here," an angry rich pegasus said. "Oh, I'm sorry, who are you again? Last time I checked, you didn't save Equestria singlehoofedly," I reply. "Y-you're Acoustic Pulse?" he asks. "That would be correct," I answer. "I apologize for snapping at you and your acquaintances in that manner. Thank you for your service to Equestria," the rich pony says. "It was my pleasure," I retort as the four of us trot further into the party. So many ponies. I feel very uncomfortable in crowded places since the war. "See anypony you know?" Twilight asks. "Besides you guys, no," I reply. "Oh, alright, she retorts. "You know, that mare playing the cello looks kind of familiar, come to think of it," I say when I see her. "You mean Octavia?" Rainbow chimes in. "Yes! That's it. Our parents were friends," I explain. "Oh. You gonna say anything?" Lightning asks. I nod and walk up to the grey mare. "Uhh, do I know you?" she asks nervously as I wave hello. "Yes. Yes, you do," I answer. "You seem familiar," Octavia retorts. "Agh, to hell with it. It's me, Acoustic Pulse, Melody's and Electric's son," I reply sounding noticeably annoyed. "Oh, I remember now. I'm sorry about your parents. They were some nice ponies," she says. "Thanks. I'm glad you remember me, buddy," I reply. The five of us continue to enjoy ourselves at the Gala. It ended very late. Octavia decided to stay in Canterlot, and so the rest of us returned to Ponyville. "Goodbye, Canterlot. You'll always be in my heart," I say to myself. I'm glad I moved to Ponyville. My friends are always there for me. THE END!
