One day in Fillydelphia, a place in the magical land of Equestria, an elderly horse named Old Farmingham sat down in his chair. It could barely hold his weight. The chair was sixty- seven years old and was torn and breaking. Farmingham never even considered replacing it. He liked old things. They reminded Farmingham of his colt years. He missed being young, but knew he would never experience it again. Most days he would just sit around, waiting for his dying day.
Farmingham became tired and started to fall asleep, but was awoken by a knocking. It was at his door. So Farmingham opened the door to see a neighbor of his holding a basket in her mouth. She never talked him, but they knew who each other were. She gave him the basket and galloped off.
Farmingham looked into the basket to see what was given to him. He saw two cyan- colored eyes staring back at him. Farmingham looked closer and saw a green baby pegasus with a yellow mane. Next to him was a letter. It said:
"Please Farmingham, I know you' re the best with children in town. So please take care of this colt. His name is Lightning Strike. His father and I are moving and can't take him with. Please take care of him."
It was true. Farmingham was the best with children in town. He used to have two colts of his own. However, they left when they became fully grown stallions. No pony ever saw them again.
But one problem was greatly troubling Old Farmingham. He was really old. Farmingham wasn't sure he would live long enough to take care of Lightning Strike. He pondered this for a while. He finally decided to take care of Lightning because if Farmingham wouldn't, it would be hard to find some pony who would.
Years later, Lightning Strike started going to school while Old Farmingham spent most days doing absolutley nothing except for sitting in his chair.
One day in school, the teacher was giving a lesson while the class was taking notes. Lightning had a problem though. He was out of ink for his quill. So he whispered to the filly next to him
"Do you have any ink?"
"Lightning Strike!" shouted the teacher, "Are you talking during a lesson?!"
"No, I was just..."
"Go stand in the hall for five minutes!"
Lightning angrily got up and started for the door. As he reached for the knob, the door swinged open hitting him and sending him across the room and hitting the floor hard. The class burst into laughter. Lightning got up and saw who was at the door. It was a colt his age with dark brown eyes, a black mane and a gray coloring. But what stood out the most about him was... a cutie mark! No pony in class had a cutie mark.
"Is this room 304?" he asked.
"Did you read the sign?" responded the teacher.
"I don't read." he answered.
"Yes, this is. Who are you?"
"Thunder Cloud. New exchanged student from Manehatten."
"Please take your seat."
Later at lunch, Lightning Strike saw Thunder Cloud at a table talking to a lot of fillies. He approached the table. One filly said
"Ew, Lightning Strike's here."
"Sorry." replied Lightning, "I just wanted to ask, what is that?" he asked pointing to Thunder's cutie mark.
"That is a cutie mark." answered Thunder, "They appear when you discover your special talent."
"I know that." Lightning said, "I mean what is it a picture of?"
"Oh." said Thunder, "That is a thunder cloud. Now what's your mark?"
"I don't have a mark."
The fillies laughed.
"Maybe you'll be blank forever!" one filly said.
"Is that possible?" asked Lightning.
"It sure is." answered Thunder, "But if you're truly afraid, you should cover your flank. That way, if you stay blank: No pony will know."
Thunder pulled out a cape.
"Put this on."
"Who carries a cape around with them?" asked Lightning.
"Not important." responded Thunder Cloud, "Just put it on."
Lightning wore the cape on his back, covering his flank.
"There." said Thunder, "But I'm not sure if you're parents will approve."
"I don't have parents." said Lightning.
The fillies gasped in shock.
"Then, who takes care of you?" one filly asked.
"Old Farmingham." Lightning Strike answered.
"Really?" asked Thunder, "The guy's like ten thousand years old!"
"Yes, but I've never met my parents. He watches over me."
"Alright everypony." announced Thunder, "Clear the table, I got to talk with this guy."
The fillies all got up and walked away. Lightning Strike and Thunder Cloud talked for the rest of the lunch period and became friends. Then, the bell rang.
Back in class, the teacher was discussing history, Thunder Cloud was sleeping. Lightning Strike wasn't paying attention.
"Thunder Cloud!" shouted the teacher.
Thunder woke up.
"As I was saying..." continued the teacher, "Next, you all have to read page 48 in your text books for homework."
"Homework?" asked Thunder, "That's boring."
"At least it's just reading." said Lightning, "We have to read about this Princess named Celestia."
"Still, it's homework." replied Thunder.
"Wait..." said Lightning, "Old Farmingham is quite wise. We could ask him what Princess Celestia did."
"Sure." said Thunder, "Then we won't have to read!"
The school bell rang and all the fillies and colts started to leave school. Among them were Lightning Strike and Thunder Cloud. They were going to go see Old Farmingham to ask him about Princess Celestia.
When Lightning and Thunder arrived at Lightning's house, Farmingham was waiting on the stoop.
"Hello Farmingham." said Lightning Strike.
"Hello there, Lightning Strike." Farmingham replied, "And who is your friend here?"
"Thunder Cloud." Thunder answered.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Thunder Cloud." said Farmingham, "What brings you here?"
"Um, Lightning and I want to know something."
"What is it?"
"Do you know anything about Princess Celestia?"
Farmingham was silent. Lightning Strike and Thunder Cloud wondered what he was thinking. After two minutes, he finally answered.
"Yes. I do." he said.
"Great. Who is she?" asked Lightning.
"The ruler of Equestria." Farmingham answered, "She shouldn't be though."
Lightning and Thunder were confused.
"Why?" they asked.
"Well..." said Farmingham, "When Equestria was made, it was meant to be a free place to live. We should have no ruler. Equestria should be a place for ponies to rule only themselves.
"Why hasn't anypony else thought of that?" asked Thunder.
"Everypony looks up to Celestia. She would probably punish those who spoke out against her." said Farmingham.
"You know, I think this guy has a point." said Thunder.
"That all ponies should rule only over themselves?" asked Lightning.
"Yes." answered Thunder, "So we shouldn't do our homework and tomorrow we'll tell the teacher our feelings!"
"I don't know..." replied Lightning.
"Oh come on!" said Thunder, "They can't punish us for expressing our opinions!"
The next day in school, the class was called up to tell what they learned from the homework. Eventually, the teacher called on Lightning Strike to come up.
"Tell the class." whispered Thunder Cloud.
"Um..." Lightning was nervous, "I... didn't do the homework..."
"Why?" asked the teacher.
"Because he doesn't believe Celestia should rule us." Thunder said standing up, "Neither do I."
The class was shocked by this.
"How could you, Thunder Cloud?!" a filly cried out.
"Is that true, Lightning Strike?" the teacher asked.
"Yes..." he responded.
"Really?" replied the teacher.
"Yes!" Thunder shouted before Lightning could answer, "Equestria should have no ruler. Ponies should rule only themselves!"
The teacher looked down, ashamed.
"I shall write letters to your parents telling them about this. And you are both getting detention." the teacher finally said.
"My parents are still in Manehattan!" said Thunder.
"Then who watches you?" The teacher asked.
"Like I'd tell you." Thunder said angrily, "I'm leaving this school! Don't expect to see me again. Goodbye class."
Thunder Cloud opened the door and turned back:
"You comin' Lightning?"
"Yeah." he answered, "I'd rather go my life not educated than be taught by idiots!"
Lightning then walked over to the teacher's desk and flipped it over, spilling everything onto the floor. He reached down and picked up a fallen book and threw it at the teacher. Lightning Strike and Thunder Cloud then stormed out.
The next day, Old Farmingham recieved a letter. It was from the teacher. It explained what had happened the previous day.
"Well, I'm happy you left that school." Farmingham said after reading it.
"What? Really?" Lightning didn't understand.
"Any school that punishes two young colts for expressing thier minds should be burned to the ground." Farmingham answered.
Lightning was happy that Farmingham wasn't mad at him. He was almost really scared.
Years passed, Old Farmingham taught Lightning Strike everything he needed to know. And Lightning taught Thunder Cloud what he was taught. And they both learned how to fly. But the more years went by, the less time Farmingham had to live. And one fateful day, Old Farmingham died.
"What now?" asked Thunder Cloud.
"I'm going to leave Fillydelphia." Lightning Strike answered.
"To go where?" Thunder asked.
Lightning pulled out a map and pointed to a place in the clouds.
"Cloudsdale." Lightning said, "It is said to be a wonderful place for pegasi only! Old Farmingham always dreamed of going there, but was too old to go on that adventure."
"Then I'm coming with you!" Thunder Cloud said.
"Will the person in charge of watching over you mind?" asked Lightning.
"Nah, no pony looks after me. I live here on my own." replied Thunder.
"Ok. We'll set off tomorrow!"
It was a sleepless night for both Lightning Strike and Thunder Cloud. They both wondered what Cloudsdale would be like and were really excited about going.
First thing in the morning, Thunder Cloud galloped to Lightning Strike's house and banged on the door.
"Get out here Lightning! We have to go to Cloudsdale!"
Lightning walked out wearing really black boots.
"Where did you get those?" Thunder asked.
"They were Old Farmingham's when he was younger and they fit me so I thought I'd wear them in memory of him."
"Nice." responded Thunder.
Lightning pulled out the map and began to study the direction they would be going in.
"First we go north!"
"Ok, let's be on our way!" said Thunder Cloud, "Farewell Fillydelphia! We won't miss you!"
Lightning Strike and Thunder Cloud traveled for a while and finally flew to the city in the sky, Cloudsdale!
When the two pegasi got there, they were amazed by the city. They traveled through the city and saw all the houses and factories. They stopped in front of a building that caught thier eyes. It was a flight school.
"Hey, Lightning." said Thunder, "Think we should try this place out?"
"It would be nice to learn to fly properly." answered Lightning, "Let's give it a try."
When the two ponies walked in they were immediatly greeted by a friendly looking pegasus.
"Good day, young colts." he said, "Would you like to join this flight school?"
"Well..." said Thunder Cloud, "We want to learn to fly properly."
"Great! Then come this way..."
The friendly pony led them to a desk with a lot of paperwork on it.
"Fill these surveys out." the friendly pony said handing them a ton of papers.
Lightning and Thunder began filling out the surveys.
"Lightning?" Thunder Cloud whispered, "What's the answer to question four?"
Lightning Strike lost it:
"It's a survey you fool! Not a test!"
"Okay then." Thunder said.
When they were finished, they turned their surveys in. The friendly pony read them.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Thunder Cloud and Lightning Strike. I am Mr. Ding."
"Nice name." muttered Thunder.
"What was that?" asked Ding.
"Nothing. He said nothing." Lightning Strike said, worried.
"Then come this way and I'll show you to your rooms."
The following day, Lightning and Thunder were early to class. They wanted to show that they were good students. The teacher was Mr. Ding. Lightning and Thunder looked around to see the class. There were three colts talking about sports and stuff that Lightning didn't care about. In the back was a yellow filly with a pink mane being very silent.
"Hi, I'm Lightning Strike."
The yellow pony smiled then turned away. She seemed shy.
Next, a filly walked in that got Lightning's attention. She was blue colored with a rainbow mane. She was beautiful.
"See that pegasus over there?" Lightning asked Thunder Cloud.
"You like her?" Thunder asked.
"That's quite an assumption." responded Lightning.
"I know you like her." Thunder said, "Go kiss her."
"No!" Lightning said.
"It will make her day."
"I'm not that kind of pony, Thunder Cloud." replied Lightning.
"Hey! Rainbow pegasus! This green pony right here wants to talk to you!" shouted Thunder Cloud.
The rainbow pegasus began walking towards Lightning.
