It was a dark and stormy night in Ponyville. The stars in the sky were nowhere to be seen, as they were eclipsed by the clouds below them. The clouds themselves were obscured by the darkness of the night sky, making it nearly featureless. One could still see the raindrops flying in the wind right in front of them, or under the luminescence of a street light. Occasionally, the sky would illuminate itself with flashes of lightning accompanied by a clash of thunder.
Starlight Glimmer was stuck trotting through the stormy streets. Her dress fitting at Rarity's for the Grand Galloping Gala had taken much longer than expected. She struggled to move forward, as the wind pushed her back and caused her blue and purple mane and tale to dance through the air as if they were flags. All the while, the rain drenched every corner of Starlight's body, occasionally obstructing her vision when it hit her face.
As she neared the castle, Starlight heard a stallion's voice call out from behind. "Hey, lady!" The pink mare turned around, thinking that the stallion was calling her.
However, when she turned around, Starlight noticed a turquoise pegasus mare with a gold mane and tail and a pair of gold eyes to match standing outside the local inn. Judging by the way she was wobbling, Starlight could tell that the mare had too much to drink.
"You should be flying around in this weather in your condition!" When the mare replied, her voice sounded slurred, even more evidence of her condition. "Shshshshut up! I'm perfectly capable of *hic* flying home!" The stallion then said, "Look, I don't want you getting hurt or killed out there. I still have some rooms available, so why don't you just spent the night here?" To that, the drunken pegasus mare replied, I sssssssee! You just want more money from me, but I *hic* ain't buying it!"
Once she finished yelling at the innkeeper, the mare started to fly off. However, given that she was in no proper condition to fly, the wind was easily able to take control of the mare's body and send her flying off in whatever direction it chose. Just then, Starlight heard the of thunder crashing and saw a flash of lightning in the distance. Thankfully, it didn't strike the mare, but it was only a matter of time before something would happen.
Starlight knew that she couldn't just let this mare get herself killed. There are plenty of guest rooms at the castle, and it's right over there., she thought. Maybe I could let her sleep it off there.
So, Starlight grabbed the mare with her magic and set her down beside her. "It really is too dangerous for you for you to be flying out in this weather in your condition. Why don't you come to the castle with me?", Starlight suggested, pointing in the direction of the large crystal tree structure in front of them.
"Alright, Princess Twilight. Let's fly to the castle.", the mare responded. "Actually", Starlight said. "I think it would be better to just trot to the castle. "Whatever you say, Princess Twilight.", the mare responded as they made their way toward the castle. "I hear you ssssssssuck at flying, anyway." Starlight simply laughed at the remark.
The castle was silent, save for the thunder and the pattering rain outside, and there was no activity inside. This was because Twilight and Spike had gone to Canterlot on royal business, and they weren't expected to return until the following day.
Starlight led the mare to one of the guest bedrooms in the castle. She used her magic to tuck the mare in when she got into the bed. Starlight then proceeded to her own room, where she quickly fell asleep.
After Starlight woke up, she went to check up on her guest. The storm had cleared up by then. As Starlight entered the room, the mare groaned and began to wake up slowly. "Here", Starlight said, offering her guest a cup of coffee. "Thanks.", replied the mare as she took the cup and drank out of it.
"Mind telling me who you are, where I am, and what happened last night?" The turquoise pegasus asked. "Of course.", replied Starlight. "My name is Starlight Glimmer, and you are in Princess Twilight's castle." "Wait.", the mare interrupted. "Where is princess Twilight, anyway, and why are you here?" Starlight then answered, "She and her assistant, Spike are on royal business in Canterlot. They should be back today. I'm Twilight's personal student." She then giggled and said, "You actually thought I was Princess Twilight last night."
"Tell me exactly what happened last night.", the mare said. Starlight then told her everything. "I was on my way back here when I overheard your little argument with the innkeeper. I also noticed that you were too drunk to fly in that big storm, so I decided to invite you here since the castle was close by. That's when you started calling me 'Princess Twilight'. Anyway, after we got here, I put you to bed, and I went back to my own room. That's all that happened.
"Might I ask for your name?", Starlight inquired, "Name's Lightning Dust.", the mare responded. "Nice to meet you.", said Starlight. "Can ask you a question?", she asked. Lightning Dust replied, "Sure." Then, Starlight asked, "Why did you get so drunk last night in the first place?"
Lightning Dust gave a sigh. "I suppose I should start at the beginning.
"I was the top cadet at the Wonderbolt academy, mainly because I'm a strong flyer and because I pushed myself harder than everypony else there. However, it got to the point where I was reckless and endangering other ponies. When Rainbow Dash pointed this out to Spitfire, I was kicked out of the academy."
Tears began to form in Lightning Dust's eyes as she continued. "After I got home, I didn't hear the end of it from my family. They all thought that my dreams of being a Wonderbolt were too unrealistic and unachievable. They didn't hesitate to rub it in my face every chance they got. I moved to Ponyville as soon as I saw a job opening on the weather team just so I could get away from them. But, the only thing the other pegasi have been talking about is Rainbow Dash becoming a Wonderbolt."
Lightning Dust started sobbing, and Starlight quickly pulled her into a hug. After a while, Lightning Dust's crying had subsided. Starlight levitated a box of tissues over to her. Lightning Dust blew her nose and said, "They were right to kick me out. I-I almost killed five ponies while I was at the academy.
"What happened?", Starlight asked. Lightning Dust blew her nose again and said, "I created a tornado for a cloud busting exercise, but I didn't know a balloon full of ponies would pop up right in its path."
Starlight said, "I know how you feel. I almost unwittingly destroyed Equestria." "Really?", asked Lightning Dust. Starlight then began telling her story. "When I was a filly, my best friend left me after getting his cutie mark. That caused me to think that cutie marks caused nothing but pain and heartache. So, when I got older and more magically talented, I founded a village where I took away everypony's cutie marks. When Princess Twilight and her friends came along, they ran me out of town and gave everypony their cutie marks back.
"I later came to get revenge on Twilight by going back i time to stop the event that caused her and her friends to get their cutie marks. However, I didn't realize I was destroying Equestria until Twilight showed me what I was doing, She then showed me the magic of friendship, and I've been her student ever since."
I've never really had any friends, especially since the academy incident." Starlight put a hoof on Lightning Dust's shoulder. "You have one now.", she said. Lightning Dust smiled, and the two shared a hug.
They broke the hug before Starlight gave a light sneeze. "Are you okay?" Lightning Dust asked. Starlight wiped her nose on a tissue and said. "Yeah. I'm fine. It was just a sneeze." Starlight sneezed three more times and blew her nose. "I think I might be getting sick from being out in that storm so long. I hope I don't get you sick too.
Lightning Dust replied, "Relax. I don't get sick." However, she spoke a moment too soon, she let out a few sneezes of her own. Lightning Dust got into bed next to Starlight , grabbed a tissue, and blew her nose. "Well this is just great.", she remarked sarcastically.
Later that day, Twilight and Spike had returned home from Canterlot. Twilight knocked on the door and shouted "Starlight, we're home." There was no response. They trotted into the castle, and Twilight kept calling for Starlight with no response. After trotting by one of the guest rooms, Twilight heard a loud sneeze.
When she opened the door, Twilight and Spike had surprised expressions on their faces. They saw Starlight sick in bed with a turquoise pegasus mare laying beside her and used tissues scattered all over the bed with a tissue box in front of the two ponies. "Welcome home, Twilight.", Starlight said before she blew her nose noisily.
The purple alicorn princess smiled and said, "You certainly had an interesting weekend." "I made a new friend. *sniff* Her name is Lightning Dust." Starlight replied in a congested-sounding voice.
"Spike, can you make some soup for Starlight and...Lightning Dust, here." The purple dragon saluted and left the room.
"So, how did you two meet?", Twilight asked. Starlight replied, "Lightning Dust was pretty drunk last night. I'm sure you're aware of that huge storm they scheduled for last night." Twilight nodded, and Starlight continued. "Anyway, she was in no condition to fly in that kind of weather, so I let her sleep it off here. *sniff* After she woke up, we talked for a bit and found out that we have a few things in common."
"Hmm.", said Twilight. "Normally, I wouldn't condone you bringing a random drunkard off the streets into the castle, but I understand that a pony in her condition shouldn't fly in that kind of weather, so I'll allow it this time. However, I don't want you making a habit of this." "I understand, Twilight. Thank you.", Starlight said, then blew her nose again.
Spike walked in with two bowls of soup. "Here you go.", he said as he handed then to the two sick ponies, and they began to eat it. "Great job, Spike.", said Twilight. "Now I'm gonna need you to bring a trashcan for all these tissues."
When Spike left the room again, Twilight looked to Lightning Dust and said, "Something about you seems familiar. Something about your name and your face rings a bell, but I can't seem to put my hoof on it." "Ya know, said Lightning Dust, her voice sounding as congested as Starlight's. "You seem familiar to me too." "I am a princess.", Twilight said. "You may have just seen a picture of my on a sign or in the paper." Lightning Dust then answered, "No." *sniff* Even when I see you on a sign something seems familiar."
Spike then returned to the room with a trashcan. Twilight levitated all the used tissues on the bed into the trashcan. Twilight then asked "Hey Spike, do you recognize Lightning Dust at all?" Spike scratched his chin and said. "Hmm. I think she might be that reckless mare that Rainbow Dash met who nearly killed you your other friends at the Wonderbolt Academy."
"Yeah.", said Lightning Dust. "I'm sorry about that. I wasn't expecting a bunch of random ponies showing up in Academy skies when we were doing the cloud busting drill." "It's okay.", said Twilight. "Starlight, here almost wiped out Equestria without knowing it." "Yeah, She told me.", replied Lightning Dust.
"ah-choo.", she sneezed. This was quickly followed by a sneeze from Starlight. The two mares blew their noses and threw their tissues in the trashcan.
"Bless you two.", said Twilight. "I'm kinda surprised that you didn't take this worse.", Starlight said, wiping her nose with another tissue.
"Don't worry.", replied Twilight. "I learned my lesson from last time. I now trust you to make your own friends. Besides, it's not like this one was actually evil or anything, right?"
Starlight's face bore an expression of anger and annoyance. She simply threw her balled up tissue in Twilight's general direction. Twilight dodged the tissue and said, "Sorry.", as she levitated it into the trashcan with the others.
"But, I do respect your right to make your own friends, and I won't even tell Rainbow Dash about this." Starlight hadn't thought of that before. Should she keep her friendship with Lightning Dust a secret from Rainbow Dash?
It probably would be a good idea for Starlight to tell Rainbow Dash about this. That way, she could help the two mares work out whatever problems they may have still had with one another. Besides, it would probably be better for Starlight to tell Rainbow Dash of her friendship with Lightning Dust, rather than have Rainbow just see them hang out.
"Thanks, Princess Twilight. I dunno if I can confront Rainbow Dash right now, Lightning Dust said before blowing her nose. "Actually, Starlight said. "Maybe we should tell her once we get better. That way we can clear the air much faster, you know. "I suppose you could be right.", Lightning Dust said before she grabbed another tissue and wiped her nose.
After Starlight and Lightning Dust had finally gotten over their colds, they had decided to tell Rainbow Dash about their friendship. "Are you ready for this?", Starlight asked. "As you said, it's better to get this over with now.", replied Lightning Dust. Starlight then said, "Alright. I'll head up first."
The cyan-coated, prismatic-maned mare in question was relaxing on a cloud in the sky above Ponyville. "Starlight levitated herself up to the pegasus on the cloud.
"Oh, hey, Starlight.", said Rainbow Dash. "What's up?" Starlight then replied, "I made a new friend." "That's awesome, Rainbow Dash said. "Who is it?" "It's somepony I think you already know pretty well.", Starlight said somewhat nervously.Then, Lightning Dust flew up to the two other ponies. "Hey, Rainbow Dash. Long time, no see.", she said.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!", screamed Rainbow Dash, as she fell off of the cloud and quickly got back on. "Lightning Dust?!", she asked. "Why are you friends with Lightning Dust?! She almost killed my friends!"
Then, Starlight remarked, "Yet, you're friends with a pony that almost destroyed Equestria?" Lightning Dust then said, "Look, Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry for everything that happened back at the academ..." She was then cut off by Rainbow Dash. "I don't wanna hear it!", she shouted. "I'm telling Twilight about this right now!" Then, Rainbow Dash flew off as fast as she could towards the castle.
Author's Note
As it turned out, I managed to fit Rainbow Dash's reaction to Starlight's friendship with Lightning Dust into this chapter.
While the storyline may not be complete, I decided to end this particular story here, since I feel that the rest of this storyline would be better in a story centered around Rainbow Dash, but I would rather keep this particular story centered around Starlight Glimmer and Lightning Dust, so please expect a sequel to come out.
