Left In The Dustby Sapphire Rose 12ChaptersPrologue: Crushed Dreams Chapter 1: Lost Chapter 2: Everfree Forest Chapter 3: Meeting Sky TwisterChapter 4: Cloudsdale Diner Prologue: Crushed Dreams Prologue: Crushed Dreams "Being the best should never come at the expense of our fellow ponies," Spitfire told Lightning Dust firmly. "It's not just about pushing ourselves. It's about pushing ourselves in the right direction. Rainbow Dash has proven herself to be capable of knowing how to be a true Wonderbolt. You're no leader, Lightning Dust." Lightning Dust flinched as one of Spitfire's lieutenants tore the pin from her uniform forcefully stripping her of her academy title. The lieutenant pointed her back to her room. Lightning Dust trudged back to her room. As she watched Rainbow Dash excitedly flying with the other cadets, a pang of sadness flowed through her. Rainbow Dash got to follow her dreams and Lightning Dust no longer had any. As she reluctantly entered the hall of dorms, she looked at Rainbow Dash one last time. She must've cracked a joke because all the other cadets laughed. Rainbow Dash was happily following her dreams now. Lightning Dust turned away with tears streaming down her face and entered her dorm room. "You have an hour to pack your things and leave," Spitfire had told her. Lightning Dust looked around her dorm and remembered what every decoration she used meant to her. She saw her Wonderbolts poster on the wall which she had gotten as a gift when she was a filly from her parents. She remembered the first time she tried to hang the Wonderbolts poster up on her wall in her old house. Her parents saw her struggling and helped her to place the Wonderbolts poster up. Every time Lightning Dust looked at that poster, she was reminded to never give up on her dreams. Her heart continued to slowly break in half as she thought about how she could no longer be reminded of that by the poster. She looked around the room once more until she found her old racing trophies. When she was young, the trophies made her feel good about what she had accomplished. Now they just made Lightning Dust think of the failure she had become. Lightning Dust unzipped her suitcase and sat on her bed for a moment. She was really packing to go home. This was never how she imagined her future. When she was young, she liked to imagine herself soaring through the skies side by side with the rest of the team. When she met Rainbow Dash, she even liked to imagine that they would be flying ahead of the rest doing stunning tricks to wow the audience. Now, thinking of those scenarios felt wrong to her. She was undeserving of them. Lightning Dust knew that she had to forget her dreams and move on. As Lightning Dust began to pack her things, her eyes fell upon the old Wonderbolts pin her father had given her before he died. Her father had died shortly after her mother. Lightning Dust's mother, Lightning Storm, was always there to support Lightning Dust in her dreams. She loved Lightning Dust with every part of her heart, sang to her, and flew by her side when she needed it. Lightning Storm even liked to race Lightning Dust to improve her daughter's speed. However, Lightning Storm fell gravely ill one night. She was in the hospital for about a month. When Lightning Dust got the news her mother died, she couldn't stop crying. She cried for hours every day and this went on for weeks. When she finally accepted and moved on, her father had caught the same disease which turned out to be contagious. Lightning Dust took care of her father as best as she could. The room faded into Lightning Dust's memory of her father's death. A young Lightning Dust stood by her father who was getting worse by the hour. Even though Lightning Dust was young, she knew her father would not last the night. This thought brought tears to her eyes. At first, it was just a silent trickle of tears, but it turned into wailing. "Dusty," her father, Cloudy Day, called her over. Dusty was the nickname Cloudy Day often called Lightning Dust. When Lightning Dust heard her nickname, she slowly went over to Cloudy Day and cried on his shoulder. "Daddy, don't go, too. I need you!" "Dusty, don't cry," Cloudy Day reassured. "I'll be at peace. My suffering is going to end at last. You do not need to worry about me." "But, I can't, Daddy," Lightning Dust cried. "I just can't." "Come here," Cloudy Day said. "I want to give you something." Lightning Dust, intrigued, sat up and looked at her father. Cloudy Day held out a shiny pin made of bronze. A note was attached to the pin for Lightning Dust to read. Lightning Dust slowly took the pin from her father. "It's funny," Cloudy Day chuckled softly. "Instead of gold, they used bronze for the academy leader pins back in my day. If you get into the acadmey- no, when you get into the academy, you'll earn a golden one for yourself. Don't give up, Dusty. I'll be so proud when you reach your dreams." Lightning Dust nodded. "Thank you. I love you, Daddy." Cloudy Day closed his eyes. It was too much work to keep them open anymore. "I love you, too, Dusty," he whispered softly. As the memory rippled back into the dorm in the academy, Lightning Dust reread the note that used to cheer her up. It read: Dear Lightning Dust, This is the old academy leader pin I had back in my day. When I finally became a Wonderbolt, I still kept this leader pin with me to remind myself of what I accomplished. I'm giving this pin to you. This pin is my gift to you to remind you that no matter what happens, you'll always be a leader to me. Never give up. Love, Daddy Lightning Dust's eyes filled with tears as she traced her hoof across the pin. It still shined as brightly as it did when Cloudy Day had earned it, but to Lightning Dust, it looked dull. As she remembered what Spitfire had said and compared it to what her father had said all those years ago, a burst of anger overtook her. Lightning Dust ripped the poster off from her wall and slammed it into the trash bin. She took off her uniform and threw that in the trash bin as well. She was just about to throw her goggles in there as well, but her heart stopped her. Lightning Dust looked at the goggles a second longer, sighed, and placed them gently in her suitcase along with the pin. As Lightning Dust packed additional things in her bags, she was overwhelmed with anger and sadness. When she zipped up her suitcase, she burst into tears and cried hysterically on her bed. "Why? Why? Why?" That was the only question Lightning Dust could ask herself now. Why? Why had she done this? She tried her best to heed her grandfather's advice, 'Push yourself to do more than you think you can and always aim to be the very best'. But she knew she had taken it too far with the tornado and lost her friendship with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash had been Lightning Dust's first friend. In the past, Lightning Dust could never make a single friend. She was hopelessly teased and bullied every day. She came home to her parents and they would comfort her with encouraging words, comforting songs, and tender hugs. When Lightning Dust had introduced herself to Rainbow Dash, she had to contain her excitement. Rainbow Dash was her friend and Lightning Dust considered Rainbow Dash a very close friend. However, after seeing Rainbow Dash yell at her, she was heartbroken. On the outside, she acted as if it was no big deal to her. On the inside, Lightning Dust seeing Rainbow Dash angry with her like that smashed her heart to pieces. Spitfire knocked on Lightning Dust's door and opened it. "Lightning Dust, come on. It's way past your time. It's time to go home." Lightning Dust nodded in reply. "Yes, ma'am." Spitfire left and Lightning Dust picked up her suitcase. Lightning Dust walked down the halls and opened the door. Even though the sun shined brightly overhead, the day felt gloomy beyond compare. As Lightning Dust began to take flight on the route home, she looked at Rainbow Dash once more. This time, Rainbow Dash caught her gaze as well. Rainbow Dash's smile faded and she glared a little. It was clear that Rainbow Dash wanted nothing to do with her anymore. The glare hurt just as much as it did the first time if not more. Lightning Dust glared in reply, restrained tears, and flew home. Author's Note Yes, another chapter story. I love to write. I promise none of the other chapter stories are cancelled. I'll get around to them. No worries! I hoped you liked this one, though! I tried my best to detail it because I got a critique on needing more details, so I hope that it's good enough. Enjoy! Chapter 1: Lost Chapter 1: Lost Lightning Dust entered her grandfather's house and slowly closed the door. Restraining tears, she flew over to the dinner table and sat down. Her grandfather caught sight of Lightning Dust and was more than surprised to see her. "Lightning Dust, what are you doing home so early? I thought Fall Break was in two months." Lightning Dust didn't want to tell her grandfather what had happened. Being kicked out of the academy was something that had never happened in the history of her family. Her mother had merely quit the academy to raise Lightning Dust. Her father had actually become a Wonderbolt and earned fame all around Equestria. His death was mourned by Equestrians everywhere since he was so well known. Lightning Dust was the first one in her family to be kicked out of the academy entirely. She felt like she had not only failed her dreams, but also her family name. "Well, aren't you going to tell me?" her grandfather asked, a stern look crossing his face. Lightning Dust shook her head. "I don't think you'd like it," she said. "I don't think anyone in the family would be proud of me for this." "Lightning Dust," her grandfather said. "You're following your dreams and reaching your goals. How could anyone not be proud of you for that?" "What does it matter to you?" Lightning Dust snapped. "You never listened to me before. Why should I expect more from you now?" "I'm very busy being a Wonderbolt," her grandfather said. "I don't always have the time to listen. Now, I do." "You never make the time," Lightning Dust muttered. "Excuse me?" "Never mind," Lightning Dust sighed. "I... I..." Tears began to pour down her face again. "I got kicked out... of... the.... a-a-academy." "What?!" her grandfather exclaimed. "Lightning Dust, what in the name of Equestria did you do?!" "I started a tornado to bust the clouds," Lightning Dust explained shamefully. "It worked, but... I almost took the lives of my friend's... friends. If that makes any sense." Her grandfather shook his head and clicked his tongue. It was clear that he was disappointed in her. "What are we ever going to do with you?" Lightning Dust hung her head in shame. Her grandfather's disappointment was enough to add to her heart breaking. Lightning Dust knew she had very little pieces of it left. Lightning Dust knew it would be lying in shards by the time anyone realized how her world was crumbling down on her. "You know what?" her grandfather said rubbing his forehead. "I've got a Wonderbolts performance to be at in Fillydelphia. I don't think I can stay and talk." "But, Grandpa Wind Rider---" Lightning Dust cried. Wind Rider sighed and looked back at Lightning Dust. "Lightning Dust, I'm sorry, but this is the way it works. If you do something to get yourself kicked off, you're kicked off. I can't stay and talk! I've got to go!" Wind Rider took flight and shut the door behind him. Lightning Dust looked after him as he flew off and sighed. She knew he was right. There was nothing she could do now. Lightning Dust began busying herself with other things. While Wind Rider wasn't at home, she taught herself to cook which she found she actually enjoyed. She made vegetable soups and hay burgers. Once she learned to cook those dishes very well, she moved onto learning more complex meals. However, cooking wasn't the only new skill that Lightning Dust busied herself with. Lightning Dust also began to learn how to play buckball. She didn't enjoy buckball as much as she liked to cook, but it was still enjoyable for her. She practiced buckball every day and gradually got very good at it. As much as she enjoyed those new skills, Lightning Dust could never part with flying. She had been flying ever since she was a foal and it was part of her cutie mark. However, flying at her top speed and doing amazing tricks didn't feel right to her anymore. When she flew, she just flew at night as if she were taking a midnight stroll. She just liked to look at the night sky and feel the wind brush her mane back. She did a couple of occassional loops. This was her source of comfort. She no longer felt as if anyone were judging her on flying, she was just free to do what she liked about it. Freedom. Lightning Dust still felt the pain of being kicked out. It wouldn't leave her alone. Spitfire's angry voice haunted her as well as Rainbow Dash's. When she busied herself with the things she enjoyed, it lessened, but it was always there nagging her and bothering her. About two years later, while she was cooking, Wind Rider slammed the door in anger. Lightning Dust turned around to see her angry grandfather throw a chocolate stained scarf onto the sofa. He sighed, unzipped his jacket, and threw it onto the sofa. Seeing Wind Rider come home in anger was something Lightning Dust wasn't used to. Lightning Dust usually saw Wind Rider strut into the house in confidence, tall and proud. "Welcome home, Grandpa," Lightning Dust said as she stirred the soup on the stove. "How did the Wonderbolts performance in Manehattan go?" Wind Rider scowled. "I see what you mean about this Rainbow Dash," Wind Rider growled. "Rainbow Dash, huh?" Lightning Dust asked without a hint of surprise. "Let me guess. Did you get kicked off the team?" Wind Rider only nodded and plopped down on the sofa with a heavy sigh. "I'm not surprised," Lightning Dust chuckled bitterly. She shook it off. "Want some soup?" "Soup?" Wind Rider wondered. "Are you cooking?" Lightning Dust shrugged. "Beats doing nothing around here while you're gone. Want any?" Wind Rider shook his head and stormed off to his room. "O--kay," Lightning Dust said. After eating some of the soup, Lightning Dust headed off to bed. Every single day, her strength was stripped by trying to be strong through the pain that wouldn't go away. It exhausted her and she knew how to fall asleep quickly. As soon as she climbed into bed, the room began to get hazy and she dozed off to sleep. Lightning Dust didn't know how she was there, but she was back. The Wonderbolts Academy. They seemed to welcome her instead of meet her with glares. She wore her uniform and she even wore her golden leader pin that she thought had been given to Rainbow Dash. She looked around for Rainbow Dash and caught sight of her wearing the wingpony badge. It was impossible. However, as Lightning Dust flew to complete the laps, Rainbow Dash passed her with a great burst of speed sending Lightning Dust tumbling to the ground. Both of her wings stung and she couldn't take flight. Spitfire saw Lightning Dust and came over to her. Spitfire's cold, hard stare intimidated Lightning Dust. Spitfire tore the leader pin from her uniform and pinned it onto Rainbow Dash. As Rainbow Dash excitedly took flight with her pin, Lightning Dust was forced out of the academy once more. As she left, she looked at Rainbow Dash's glare. Rainbow Dash smirked, flipped her tail, and flew away. As the world around her began to fade, she heard one word in an unfamiliar voice: Restitch. Restitch. Restitch. Lightning Dust gasped and sat up. She looked around and realized she was still in her bedroom. Just a dream then, she thought. She thought of the word the unfamiliar voice was telling her. Restitch. What did the dream mean by restitch? She had heard the word after seeing Rainbow Dash. As she sat in her bed and thought for awhile more, an answer finally came to her. The dream was telling her to restitch her friendships with Rainbow Dash. "But why?" Lightning Dust asked herself. "Why should I consider Rainbow Dash a friend anymore? She took everything from me. My dreams. My hope. My life!" Another thought crossed her mind. Lightning Dust knew if she set everything she had done wrong right, she might be able to feel peace again. "I doubt it," Lightning Dust scoffed. "These wounds will never heal. I'll always feel lost." However, as morning came, Lightning Dust found herself flying off to find Rainbow Dash. "I can't believe I'm doing this!" Lightning Dust cried. Author's Note This is all for Chapter 1! Chapter 2: Everfree Forest Chapter 2: Everfree Forest Lightning Dust flew scanning her eyes around the area she was flying in. She had heard from rumors and gossip about the Wonderbolts that Rainbow Dash lived in Ponyville. Lightning Dust didn't know for sure if it was true because she heard untrue rumors about the team all the time. She used the rumor as her only hope for finding Rainbow Dash. If she wasn't in Ponyville, Lightning Dust didn't know where else to go. She knew Rainbow Dash didn't live in Cloudsdale because Lightning Dust never saw her around. As Lightning Dust flew, her thoughts became distracting. Lightning Dust's mind was suddenly crowded with worry and anxiety about the future she would have. She knew she would never become a Wonderbolt. She had ruined her chances at following that dream. The academy only seemed like a distant dream to her now. Sometimes, she had to struggle to remember exactly what she did there. Even though most of her memories of the academy had become obscured and hazy, she still remembered the faces of Spitfire and Rainbow Dash as clear as day. She didn't know if she could ever get past the guilt that she bared. Since her thoughts became distracting, she crashed into a nearby house and went tumbling to the ground. The fall had enough impact to fling her miles away. The landing was rough. She yelped in pain as she fell down dozens of tree branches and rolled to the ground with a groan. Lightning Dust slowly sat up and rubbed her head which now ached considerably. Lightning Dust's eyes traced the area to figure out where she could be. Lightning Dust took in the eerie surroundings. There were many tall trees which reminded her of trees you would see near a marsh. The trees huddled together as if they wanted to protect each other from what the forest had in store. Long vines hung from the trees and other vines snaked around the branches. Lightning Dust heard the bubbling of something that sounded like a swamp. Mysterious plants she had never seen grew at awkward angles and looked as if they were shriveling up and dying. Strange noises echoed in the air and gave the area an ominous feeling. The echo made the sounds give off a ghostly feel. There was a light touch of humidity in the air that made the forest even more uncomfortable than it already felt. "Everfree Forest," Lightning Dust suddenly realized. She had heard stories about the Everfree Forest and she never dared to go inside, but now it seemed as if she was stuck. Lightning Dust tried to flap her wings, but pain shot through her right wing and made her fall in agony. She winced as she looked at what had happened. Her right wing was bent at a strange angle and she could tell it had been sprained. It was covered in cuts and bruises from the impact. Her other wing was covered in cuts and bruises as well, but merely twisted. "Now, I have to go on hoof through this place," Lightning Dust grumbled. As she trotted nervously along, she tried not to look at the creepy things all around her. It was difficult to shut it all out. Lightning Dust's heart pounded. Every time she heard a strange sound, Lightning Dust shrieked and tried to laugh it off. She couldn't believe how scared she was. It made her upset that she wasn't as brave as she wanted to be at the moment. Lightning Dust passed by a hut that reminded her of a ghost story that she heard once, so she galloped past it as fast as her hooves allowed. Vines slapped her face every time she tried to walk through a long path of them. Once in a while, she would see something scamper away in the bushes or eyes glowing at her inside every cave she passed. As soon as Lightning Dust heard a growl from one of the caves, Lightning Dust took care to avoid every cave in the forest. She would even take the longer route. Just as sure as Lightning Dust was positive that she knew how to avoid the terrors of Everfree Forest, she was surrounded by strange billowing plants that rose up around her. Lightning Dust screamed and tried to rush away, but she was surrounded from all areas that could provide a possible escape. The plants seemed closed and bulged like bulbs, but they opened with strange hissing sounds releasing foggy green mist. The mist filled Lightning Dust's lungs and her lungs burned. The fire in her chest burned and she coughed violently. Another spurt of mist from the plants filled her lungs with even more of the mysterious fog and the painful sensation in her chest worsened. Her eyes watered trying to see through the fog. Tears began to spill down her face and they burned her cheeks. Lightning Dust dropped to the ground and her vision got hazy. She realized the mist she was being shrouded in was poisonous and she wasn't going to make it out alive unless she did something fast. Forcing her injured wings to work, she blasted out of the area with all the speed she could. She hadn't used that amount of speed since the academy. Putting the strain on her injured wings made her slam into the ground with even more painful impact. A trickle of blood came from Lightning Dust's face as she looked up. Lightning Dust felt more physical pain than she had ever endured before. The stinging and aching felt like constant whining and she silently begged for it to cease. Tears began to run down her face and it mixed with the blood running down from it. Her lungs were still slowly adjusting to breathing in fresh air. The burning sensation she had felt merely minutes ago had turned into an uncomfortable tingle. More than anything now, Lightning Dust wanted to leave. Regret filled her mind as she realized that she could've avoided this easily. She realized she had done this all for a dumb reason. She didn't even need to see Rainbow Dash ever again. Why should she? She no longer wanted to find Ponyville. It no longer mattered to her. She lied there until she got the strength to get up and cautiously gallop home. Chapter 3: Meeting Sky TwisterLightning Dust lie in her room staring around at the blank walls and cleared out cases of awards. Her wings still stung and there were still various aches and bruises across her body, most notably her wings. She had told Grandpa Wing Rider about what had happened and he had said, "You shouldn't have gone out to see that Rainbow Dash anyway." So, Lightning Dust had tended to her injuries on her own. She wrapped her sprain wing with gauze to help it heal and she had washed her cuts and iced her bruises. Even though it helped the pain greatly, she still wished she had someone who would help her when she got hurt. Lightning Dust still cooked, but not nearly as much as she had before. She gave up buckball entirely. Her injuries stopped her from playing it and even when they slowly began to heal, she was still too afraid to get hurt like that again. When her injuries healed, she still didn't bother to do much. Most of her days were now spent in her bedroom or on the sofa. Wind Rider never bothered to check on Lightning Dust. Lightning Dust never even went on her midnight flies anymore. She just didn't like it anymore. Flying only reminded her of the injuries she got and how all of her bravery had left her side when she went through the forest. Lightning Dust just stayed in her room and thought for most of her time. She just began to feel worse and worse. The wounds on her body might have healed completely, but the wounds in her heart just hurt more and more. One day, a knock interrupted Lighning Dust's gloomy thoughts. "Come in," Lightning Dust invited after a moment of hesitation. Wind Rider slowly opened the door. "Lightning Dust, the Wonderbolts are performing in Cloudsdale this weekend. Wanna go?" Lightning Dust shook her head without hesitation. She thought she was better off being away from the Wonderbolts as much as possible. Wind Rider shrugged without surprise. "Suit yourself," he told her. Wind Rider left. Lightning Dust looked at the spot where he had left. Lightning Dust sighed and quickly looked away. Wind Rider was never there for her. She didn't want anything he had to offer. The day of the performance had arrived. Lightning Dust was planning on not going. She had set up the sofa with snacks and fully intended on staying home that day. Yet, here she was sitting in the Wonderbolts arena blocking out the deafening cheer of the crowd and squinting in the glaring sun. Wind Rider had made her go. He claimed that she was missing out on too much flying and that she would get worse if she didn't watch some flying tricks for a change. Lightning Dust had tried to protest, but Wind Rider didn't let her have a choice. Lightning Dust had intentionally bought her seat away from Wind Rider. The last thing Lightning Dust needed was for Wind Rider to tell her that she needed to be more like the Wonderbolts or stop moping and start practicing. "Fillies and gentlecolts!" exclaimed the announcer. "Welcome to the annual Cloudsdale Wonderbolts performance!" The crowd went wild and Lightning Dust couldn't hear anything but the deafening shrieks of the ponies in the stands. "Today, the Wonderbolts have practiced a new trick for their routine," the announcer said. "It will be the finale performed by every member of the Wonderbolts!" The crowd 'oohed' and 'ahhed' in anticipation. Lightning Dust even looked surprised. What trick required every member of the Wonderbolts to do? As the Wonderbolts stood readily, Lightning Dust looked to her side to see a stallion about her age squeezing past ponies in the stands. He looked as if he had arrived late and was struggling to find his spot. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry. Let me just get... around ya there. Thanks. Excuse me. Sorry!" The stallion tripped and fell over and bumped into Lightning Dust. The two went tumbling to the ground. Lightning Dust and the stallion yelped. They landed and the new stallion had landed on top of Lightning Dust's back. "Well... this is awkward," the stallion said. Lightning Dust chuckled. "N-no, it's okay." The stallion sat down next to Lightning Dust with an eager look towards the sky. Then, he looked at Lightning Dust. "Ooh, I like this one! Look! Look!" As the Wonderbolts soared off into the sky sending the crowd roaring, his sights seemed set on a pony with a light blue coat and a wild bright white mane. Lightning Dust had seen her before, but she had never studied her enough to know her name. "Who's that?" she asked. "That's Fleetfoot!" the stallion replied in wonder. "She's my favorite! All those turns and tricks! That speed and agility! She's a legend!" "A legend, huh?" Lightning Dust said. They both giggled and smiled at each other. "I'm Sky Twister," the stallion said. "What's your name?" "Lightning Dust." "That is an awesome name," Sky Twister said. "Thank you," replied a surprised Lightning Dust. Their attention was yanked back up to the skies as they saw a bright flash turn the sky yellow for a split second. They were both in awe by the amazing performance. "That was a Lightning Twist!" Lightning Dust exclaimed, eyes shining. "It's harnessing enough speed and power to make your flying trail light up in a burst of lightning as you do a loop! It was one of my favorite tricks! I used to love to fly!" "Hey, you're pretty good at this stuff," Sky Twister complimented. "Why aren't you in the academy?" Hearing the word 'academy' made Lightning Dust's heart sink. "Uh... I don't really want to talk about it," she said quickly. Sky Twister felt the urge to pry for information, but resisted it. He didn't want to cause tension with her especially since he was beginning to befriend her. He sighed and changed the subject. "Let's just watch the show! The tricks are amazing, aren't they?" A faint smile stretched across Lightning Dust's lips. She nodded sincerely. The tricks still amazed her, even though she tried to stay away from them as much as possible. As they watched the performance, they laughed together at jokes they cracked or rooted for Fleetfoot together. Every time Sky Twister cheered, Lightning Dust burst into genuine laughter. It felt nice to feel happy after a long while. The performance came to an end too quickly by Lightning Dust's perspective. Even though Lightning Dust had no chance of being a Wonderbolt now, spending this time with a new stallion who had cheered her up from her sadness had made the time fly by. "I love the Wonderbolts and I know I'm a great flyer," Sky Twister told her as they walked out of the arena. "I just don't imagine myself ever being one." Lightning Dust looked up where the Wonderbolts had been. "I did once." Sky Twister's eyes widened. "Really? Why aren't you anymore?" Lightning Dust looked into his eyes and decided she might be able to trust him. Sky Twister didn't look like the type to disrespect another pony's privacy. She took a deep breath and sighed. "Promise me you won't tell anyone," Lightning Dust said. "I promise," Sky Twister said. He had said it with a sincere voice that calmed Lightning Dust's worries. "I worked hard ever since I was a filly and got into the Wonderbolts academy," Lightning Dust reminisced. "When I finally did, I decided to make a tornado to bust the clouds. My grandfather had always told me to aim to be the best. I figured since he was already an expert Wonderbolt, I could trust him. I was wrong. Spitfire booted me from the academy and told me being the best never comes at the expense of others. I wish I had known before. I didn't know I was doing any harm. So much was taken from me!" Tears began to run down Lightning Dust's face and Sky Twister watched her in surprise. "I had a friend in the academy. It was actually Rainbow Dash. She was the first friend I was able to make in my entire life. But when the tornado I made I almost caused the end of her friends back home, I'd never seen any anger like hers. She was so enraged with me. It broke my heart on the inside, but I felt that on the outside I had to pretend I didn't care to keep my reputation with the other cadets. However, Rainbow still went on to follow her dreams and become a reserve. Soon, she was promoted to the wonder you see flying in the sky now. My life continued to plummet towards rock bottom. My parents have been dead for a long time now and my grandfather has been kicked off the Wonderbolts now as well. All hope is lost for me. I hope your life continues to go in the direction you want, Sky Twister." Lightning Dust began to walk away, but Sky Twister stopped her. "Wait!" "Yeah?" "I'm so sorry to hear that," Sky Twister said. "Honestly, I've been looking for friends too. Do you want to be friends? So we can both make a new start?" Lightning Dust was surprised at first, but she smiled a bit. "Yeah, that would be great." "Great!" Sky Twister exclaimed. "Don't worry. I'm going to help you get your hopes and dreams back! You'll see! Can we meet at the Cloudsdale Diner tomorrow?" "Sure," Lightning Dust replied. "I think I'd love that as much as you." "Awesome! So, I'll see you there!" Sky Twister flew off with a friendly smile and wave. Lightning Dust watched him go with a smile. It's nice to have a new friend now at least, Lightning Dust thought. Author's Note Here's the new chapter! Sorry if it took me a while! I got distracted by three other stories that I absolutely obsess over! I almost forgot I had my own stories to write. Chapter 4: Cloudsdale Diner Chapter 4: Cloudsdale Diner Lightning Dust let her eyes scan the interior of Cloudsdale Diner. It was a beautiful place. The walls were soft clouds that brightened up the otherwise dim lights. The floor was a bright blue that reminded Lightning Dust of a late sunny morning. The tables were rectangular and the seats were cushioned. Lightning Dust noticed how the seats even felt like clouds. Waiters and waitresses walked up and down asking the customers for their orders. Lightning Dust looked across the table at Sky Twister. He was relaxed and let his posture fall into a slouching position. His wings were nicely folded behind his back. His dark blue coat looked like a pitch black night under the dim lights. His sky blue eyes had a particular glow with the lights as if the lights brought them out. Lightning Dust giggled. Without squinting, his eyes were the only thing she could see clearly. "May I take your order?" a cheerful voice inquired. They shifted their focus towards a pegasus stallion with a waiter's apron and a notepad and quill. He smiled at them patiently. "My name is Updraft and I'll be your server today." Updraft pulled a few silverware sets out of his apron pocket and set them in front of the two on the table. He held his quill to his notepad with a cheerful smile. "May I start you off with some drinks?" Sky Twister and Lightning Dust exchanged a look. "Uh... yeah," Sky Twister said. "I'll just have water." Lightning Dust nodded in agreement. "Me too." Updraft grinned at the two and wrote it down on the notepad. "Alright! I'll be back with your drinks and be ready to take your order!" As Updraft rushed away hurriedly for the drinks, Lightning Dust stole a glance at Sky Twister. Sky Twister smiled at her and shifted his balance in his seat. "So, Lightning Dust," Sky Twister said. "What made you discover your love for flying?" Lightning Dust's mind went blank. She had never flown for so long. She wasn't sure if she remembered what made her so eager about flying. So, she made something up. "I like the... height," she said. "What is it you like about the height?" asked a confused Sky Twister. "When you're above the whole world, it kinda looks... awesome, ya know?" Lightning Dust replied. "You can forget about the worries and see the world below you. It makes you feel... bigger than everything!" When Lightning Dust had finished speaking, she had found she had a grin on her face. What she said to Sky Twister had been sincere. She did like to fly above everything and feel as if she were the biggest thing in the world. Sky Twister smiled. "Awesome! I never thought about it like that. Thank you. You're... my first friend, so it's kind of nice to get somepony else's perspective." Lightning Dust grinned. "Thank you. You know, it's kinda nice to have you around too." Sky Twister smiled and arched an eyebrow playfully. "Kinda nice?" Lightning Dust laughed and rolled her eyes. "Okay. Really nice. Thanks." Sky Twister smiled and winked at her. "Of course." Updraft returned holding two glasses of water in his hoof. He set them down on the table along with two clear straws. "Here you go!" "Thank you," Lightning Dust and Sky Twister told him close enough to unison. "Of course," Updraft said. "Are you ready to order?" "I'll have my usual," Sky Twister said. "A medium hay burger with horseshoe fries and a side of mashed potatoes." Lightning Dust groaned as she remembered that they were supposed to be ordering food. Food had almost slipped her mind as she was enjoying this time talking to Sky Twister. "I'll... just have what he's having, please." Updraft jotted down the order on his notepad and nodded with a smile. "Alright! Thank you so much for ordering! Be right back!" He rushed off to deliver the order to the chefs. "Boring, much?" Sky Twister teased playfully. Lightning Dust shrugged. "Hey, I haven't been here before," she said. "I might as well test the hay burgers here to make sure they're good." "This restaurant has a five star rating!" Sky Twister exclaimed. "Have you never been to Cloudsdale Diner before?" Lightning Dust shook her head. Wind Rider preferred to buy pre-made food from the Cloudsdale Grocer and serve it to Lightning Dust without hard work. Wind Rider used the fortune he earned in fame for himself and never thought about Lightning Dust at all. "Then, I can't believe that you lived in Cloudsdale your whole life," Sky Twister teased sticking out his tongue. Lightning Dust wanted to nudge him hard in the side, but he was protected by the table between them. "You're lucky," Lightning Dust told him. "Yeah, I am," Sky Twister said. "Otherwise, I'd be tapped in the arm by a girl." Lightning Dust knew he was just teasing her, so she grinned. It still bothered her and she didn't want to take it from him. So, she went over and slugged Sky Twister in the arm. "Ow!" Sky Twister exclaimed rubbing his arm. "How's that for a girl?" Lightning Dust asked with a prideful flick of her tail. She returned to her seat with a flow of pride rushing through her. "Pretty good," Sky Twister said. "You can improve, though." Lightning Dust stuck out her tongue. "Whatever. You're just jealous." Sky Twister rolled his eyes and gave in. He sighed with a smile and fell silent. Lightning Dust felt even more pride rush through her when she knew she had won. Updraft came with big plates of food and set it down in front of them. Sky Twister eyed his food with a greedy hunger and Lightning Dust playfully rolled her eyes at him. "Enjoy your food!" Updraft encouraged as he hurried away. "We will!" Lightning Dust assured. Sky Twister ate his food like a timberwolf and Lightning Dust was tempted to do the same. She had been hungry for a long time and hadn't known that. Lightning Dust ate her food and savored the delicious taste of the hay burger in her mouth. The food was delicious and satisfied her hunger that had been unknowingly gnawing at her stomach since morning. Sky Twister wiped his mouth with the napkin that was wrapped around his silverware. "So," he said. "How about hanging out at the Wonderbolts academy next week?" Lightning Dust dropped her hay burger in surprise and restrained herself from gaping. As she swallowed her food and wiped her face with a napkin, she looked at Sky Twister with shock. "Uh... no... thanks?" Sky Twister looked a little saddened and his ears flattened a bit. "Oh, that's alright. I understand." Sky Twister's look made guilt tie Lightning Dust's stomach in tight knots. Lightning Dust sighed and said, "Never mind. I'd love to." Sky Twister's eyes lit up and he exclaimed, "Great! I'll see you there!" Lightning Dust sighed. She was returning to one of the places she had hoped to never see again. Author's Note Here's an update on the story finally! I am also working on a chapter for "Friends Forever" which is almost finished, so hang in there!
Prologue: Crushed Dreams Prologue: Crushed Dreams "Being the best should never come at the expense of our fellow ponies," Spitfire told Lightning Dust firmly. "It's not just about pushing ourselves. It's about pushing ourselves in the right direction. Rainbow Dash has proven herself to be capable of knowing how to be a true Wonderbolt. You're no leader, Lightning Dust." Lightning Dust flinched as one of Spitfire's lieutenants tore the pin from her uniform forcefully stripping her of her academy title. The lieutenant pointed her back to her room. Lightning Dust trudged back to her room. As she watched Rainbow Dash excitedly flying with the other cadets, a pang of sadness flowed through her. Rainbow Dash got to follow her dreams and Lightning Dust no longer had any. As she reluctantly entered the hall of dorms, she looked at Rainbow Dash one last time. She must've cracked a joke because all the other cadets laughed. Rainbow Dash was happily following her dreams now. Lightning Dust turned away with tears streaming down her face and entered her dorm room. "You have an hour to pack your things and leave," Spitfire had told her. Lightning Dust looked around her dorm and remembered what every decoration she used meant to her. She saw her Wonderbolts poster on the wall which she had gotten as a gift when she was a filly from her parents. She remembered the first time she tried to hang the Wonderbolts poster up on her wall in her old house. Her parents saw her struggling and helped her to place the Wonderbolts poster up. Every time Lightning Dust looked at that poster, she was reminded to never give up on her dreams. Her heart continued to slowly break in half as she thought about how she could no longer be reminded of that by the poster. She looked around the room once more until she found her old racing trophies. When she was young, the trophies made her feel good about what she had accomplished. Now they just made Lightning Dust think of the failure she had become. Lightning Dust unzipped her suitcase and sat on her bed for a moment. She was really packing to go home. This was never how she imagined her future. When she was young, she liked to imagine herself soaring through the skies side by side with the rest of the team. When she met Rainbow Dash, she even liked to imagine that they would be flying ahead of the rest doing stunning tricks to wow the audience. Now, thinking of those scenarios felt wrong to her. She was undeserving of them. Lightning Dust knew that she had to forget her dreams and move on. As Lightning Dust began to pack her things, her eyes fell upon the old Wonderbolts pin her father had given her before he died. Her father had died shortly after her mother. Lightning Dust's mother, Lightning Storm, was always there to support Lightning Dust in her dreams. She loved Lightning Dust with every part of her heart, sang to her, and flew by her side when she needed it. Lightning Storm even liked to race Lightning Dust to improve her daughter's speed. However, Lightning Storm fell gravely ill one night. She was in the hospital for about a month. When Lightning Dust got the news her mother died, she couldn't stop crying. She cried for hours every day and this went on for weeks. When she finally accepted and moved on, her father had caught the same disease which turned out to be contagious. Lightning Dust took care of her father as best as she could. The room faded into Lightning Dust's memory of her father's death. A young Lightning Dust stood by her father who was getting worse by the hour. Even though Lightning Dust was young, she knew her father would not last the night. This thought brought tears to her eyes. At first, it was just a silent trickle of tears, but it turned into wailing. "Dusty," her father, Cloudy Day, called her over. Dusty was the nickname Cloudy Day often called Lightning Dust. When Lightning Dust heard her nickname, she slowly went over to Cloudy Day and cried on his shoulder. "Daddy, don't go, too. I need you!" "Dusty, don't cry," Cloudy Day reassured. "I'll be at peace. My suffering is going to end at last. You do not need to worry about me." "But, I can't, Daddy," Lightning Dust cried. "I just can't." "Come here," Cloudy Day said. "I want to give you something." Lightning Dust, intrigued, sat up and looked at her father. Cloudy Day held out a shiny pin made of bronze. A note was attached to the pin for Lightning Dust to read. Lightning Dust slowly took the pin from her father. "It's funny," Cloudy Day chuckled softly. "Instead of gold, they used bronze for the academy leader pins back in my day. If you get into the acadmey- no, when you get into the academy, you'll earn a golden one for yourself. Don't give up, Dusty. I'll be so proud when you reach your dreams." Lightning Dust nodded. "Thank you. I love you, Daddy." Cloudy Day closed his eyes. It was too much work to keep them open anymore. "I love you, too, Dusty," he whispered softly. As the memory rippled back into the dorm in the academy, Lightning Dust reread the note that used to cheer her up. It read: Dear Lightning Dust, This is the old academy leader pin I had back in my day. When I finally became a Wonderbolt, I still kept this leader pin with me to remind myself of what I accomplished. I'm giving this pin to you. This pin is my gift to you to remind you that no matter what happens, you'll always be a leader to me. Never give up. Love, Daddy Lightning Dust's eyes filled with tears as she traced her hoof across the pin. It still shined as brightly as it did when Cloudy Day had earned it, but to Lightning Dust, it looked dull. As she remembered what Spitfire had said and compared it to what her father had said all those years ago, a burst of anger overtook her. Lightning Dust ripped the poster off from her wall and slammed it into the trash bin. She took off her uniform and threw that in the trash bin as well. She was just about to throw her goggles in there as well, but her heart stopped her. Lightning Dust looked at the goggles a second longer, sighed, and placed them gently in her suitcase along with the pin. As Lightning Dust packed additional things in her bags, she was overwhelmed with anger and sadness. When she zipped up her suitcase, she burst into tears and cried hysterically on her bed. "Why? Why? Why?" That was the only question Lightning Dust could ask herself now. Why? Why had she done this? She tried her best to heed her grandfather's advice, 'Push yourself to do more than you think you can and always aim to be the very best'. But she knew she had taken it too far with the tornado and lost her friendship with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash had been Lightning Dust's first friend. In the past, Lightning Dust could never make a single friend. She was hopelessly teased and bullied every day. She came home to her parents and they would comfort her with encouraging words, comforting songs, and tender hugs. When Lightning Dust had introduced herself to Rainbow Dash, she had to contain her excitement. Rainbow Dash was her friend and Lightning Dust considered Rainbow Dash a very close friend. However, after seeing Rainbow Dash yell at her, she was heartbroken. On the outside, she acted as if it was no big deal to her. On the inside, Lightning Dust seeing Rainbow Dash angry with her like that smashed her heart to pieces. Spitfire knocked on Lightning Dust's door and opened it. "Lightning Dust, come on. It's way past your time. It's time to go home." Lightning Dust nodded in reply. "Yes, ma'am." Spitfire left and Lightning Dust picked up her suitcase. Lightning Dust walked down the halls and opened the door. Even though the sun shined brightly overhead, the day felt gloomy beyond compare. As Lightning Dust began to take flight on the route home, she looked at Rainbow Dash once more. This time, Rainbow Dash caught her gaze as well. Rainbow Dash's smile faded and she glared a little. It was clear that Rainbow Dash wanted nothing to do with her anymore. The glare hurt just as much as it did the first time if not more. Lightning Dust glared in reply, restrained tears, and flew home. Author's Note Yes, another chapter story. I love to write. I promise none of the other chapter stories are cancelled. I'll get around to them. No worries! I hoped you liked this one, though! I tried my best to detail it because I got a critique on needing more details, so I hope that it's good enough. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Lost Chapter 1: Lost Lightning Dust entered her grandfather's house and slowly closed the door. Restraining tears, she flew over to the dinner table and sat down. Her grandfather caught sight of Lightning Dust and was more than surprised to see her. "Lightning Dust, what are you doing home so early? I thought Fall Break was in two months." Lightning Dust didn't want to tell her grandfather what had happened. Being kicked out of the academy was something that had never happened in the history of her family. Her mother had merely quit the academy to raise Lightning Dust. Her father had actually become a Wonderbolt and earned fame all around Equestria. His death was mourned by Equestrians everywhere since he was so well known. Lightning Dust was the first one in her family to be kicked out of the academy entirely. She felt like she had not only failed her dreams, but also her family name. "Well, aren't you going to tell me?" her grandfather asked, a stern look crossing his face. Lightning Dust shook her head. "I don't think you'd like it," she said. "I don't think anyone in the family would be proud of me for this." "Lightning Dust," her grandfather said. "You're following your dreams and reaching your goals. How could anyone not be proud of you for that?" "What does it matter to you?" Lightning Dust snapped. "You never listened to me before. Why should I expect more from you now?" "I'm very busy being a Wonderbolt," her grandfather said. "I don't always have the time to listen. Now, I do." "You never make the time," Lightning Dust muttered. "Excuse me?" "Never mind," Lightning Dust sighed. "I... I..." Tears began to pour down her face again. "I got kicked out... of... the.... a-a-academy." "What?!" her grandfather exclaimed. "Lightning Dust, what in the name of Equestria did you do?!" "I started a tornado to bust the clouds," Lightning Dust explained shamefully. "It worked, but... I almost took the lives of my friend's... friends. If that makes any sense." Her grandfather shook his head and clicked his tongue. It was clear that he was disappointed in her. "What are we ever going to do with you?" Lightning Dust hung her head in shame. Her grandfather's disappointment was enough to add to her heart breaking. Lightning Dust knew she had very little pieces of it left. Lightning Dust knew it would be lying in shards by the time anyone realized how her world was crumbling down on her. "You know what?" her grandfather said rubbing his forehead. "I've got a Wonderbolts performance to be at in Fillydelphia. I don't think I can stay and talk." "But, Grandpa Wind Rider---" Lightning Dust cried. Wind Rider sighed and looked back at Lightning Dust. "Lightning Dust, I'm sorry, but this is the way it works. If you do something to get yourself kicked off, you're kicked off. I can't stay and talk! I've got to go!" Wind Rider took flight and shut the door behind him. Lightning Dust looked after him as he flew off and sighed. She knew he was right. There was nothing she could do now. Lightning Dust began busying herself with other things. While Wind Rider wasn't at home, she taught herself to cook which she found she actually enjoyed. She made vegetable soups and hay burgers. Once she learned to cook those dishes very well, she moved onto learning more complex meals. However, cooking wasn't the only new skill that Lightning Dust busied herself with. Lightning Dust also began to learn how to play buckball. She didn't enjoy buckball as much as she liked to cook, but it was still enjoyable for her. She practiced buckball every day and gradually got very good at it. As much as she enjoyed those new skills, Lightning Dust could never part with flying. She had been flying ever since she was a foal and it was part of her cutie mark. However, flying at her top speed and doing amazing tricks didn't feel right to her anymore. When she flew, she just flew at night as if she were taking a midnight stroll. She just liked to look at the night sky and feel the wind brush her mane back. She did a couple of occassional loops. This was her source of comfort. She no longer felt as if anyone were judging her on flying, she was just free to do what she liked about it. Freedom. Lightning Dust still felt the pain of being kicked out. It wouldn't leave her alone. Spitfire's angry voice haunted her as well as Rainbow Dash's. When she busied herself with the things she enjoyed, it lessened, but it was always there nagging her and bothering her. About two years later, while she was cooking, Wind Rider slammed the door in anger. Lightning Dust turned around to see her angry grandfather throw a chocolate stained scarf onto the sofa. He sighed, unzipped his jacket, and threw it onto the sofa. Seeing Wind Rider come home in anger was something Lightning Dust wasn't used to. Lightning Dust usually saw Wind Rider strut into the house in confidence, tall and proud. "Welcome home, Grandpa," Lightning Dust said as she stirred the soup on the stove. "How did the Wonderbolts performance in Manehattan go?" Wind Rider scowled. "I see what you mean about this Rainbow Dash," Wind Rider growled. "Rainbow Dash, huh?" Lightning Dust asked without a hint of surprise. "Let me guess. Did you get kicked off the team?" Wind Rider only nodded and plopped down on the sofa with a heavy sigh. "I'm not surprised," Lightning Dust chuckled bitterly. She shook it off. "Want some soup?" "Soup?" Wind Rider wondered. "Are you cooking?" Lightning Dust shrugged. "Beats doing nothing around here while you're gone. Want any?" Wind Rider shook his head and stormed off to his room. "O--kay," Lightning Dust said. After eating some of the soup, Lightning Dust headed off to bed. Every single day, her strength was stripped by trying to be strong through the pain that wouldn't go away. It exhausted her and she knew how to fall asleep quickly. As soon as she climbed into bed, the room began to get hazy and she dozed off to sleep. Lightning Dust didn't know how she was there, but she was back. The Wonderbolts Academy. They seemed to welcome her instead of meet her with glares. She wore her uniform and she even wore her golden leader pin that she thought had been given to Rainbow Dash. She looked around for Rainbow Dash and caught sight of her wearing the wingpony badge. It was impossible. However, as Lightning Dust flew to complete the laps, Rainbow Dash passed her with a great burst of speed sending Lightning Dust tumbling to the ground. Both of her wings stung and she couldn't take flight. Spitfire saw Lightning Dust and came over to her. Spitfire's cold, hard stare intimidated Lightning Dust. Spitfire tore the leader pin from her uniform and pinned it onto Rainbow Dash. As Rainbow Dash excitedly took flight with her pin, Lightning Dust was forced out of the academy once more. As she left, she looked at Rainbow Dash's glare. Rainbow Dash smirked, flipped her tail, and flew away. As the world around her began to fade, she heard one word in an unfamiliar voice: Restitch. Restitch. Restitch. Lightning Dust gasped and sat up. She looked around and realized she was still in her bedroom. Just a dream then, she thought. She thought of the word the unfamiliar voice was telling her. Restitch. What did the dream mean by restitch? She had heard the word after seeing Rainbow Dash. As she sat in her bed and thought for awhile more, an answer finally came to her. The dream was telling her to restitch her friendships with Rainbow Dash. "But why?" Lightning Dust asked herself. "Why should I consider Rainbow Dash a friend anymore? She took everything from me. My dreams. My hope. My life!" Another thought crossed her mind. Lightning Dust knew if she set everything she had done wrong right, she might be able to feel peace again. "I doubt it," Lightning Dust scoffed. "These wounds will never heal. I'll always feel lost." However, as morning came, Lightning Dust found herself flying off to find Rainbow Dash. "I can't believe I'm doing this!" Lightning Dust cried. Author's Note This is all for Chapter 1!
Chapter 2: Everfree Forest Chapter 2: Everfree Forest Lightning Dust flew scanning her eyes around the area she was flying in. She had heard from rumors and gossip about the Wonderbolts that Rainbow Dash lived in Ponyville. Lightning Dust didn't know for sure if it was true because she heard untrue rumors about the team all the time. She used the rumor as her only hope for finding Rainbow Dash. If she wasn't in Ponyville, Lightning Dust didn't know where else to go. She knew Rainbow Dash didn't live in Cloudsdale because Lightning Dust never saw her around. As Lightning Dust flew, her thoughts became distracting. Lightning Dust's mind was suddenly crowded with worry and anxiety about the future she would have. She knew she would never become a Wonderbolt. She had ruined her chances at following that dream. The academy only seemed like a distant dream to her now. Sometimes, she had to struggle to remember exactly what she did there. Even though most of her memories of the academy had become obscured and hazy, she still remembered the faces of Spitfire and Rainbow Dash as clear as day. She didn't know if she could ever get past the guilt that she bared. Since her thoughts became distracting, she crashed into a nearby house and went tumbling to the ground. The fall had enough impact to fling her miles away. The landing was rough. She yelped in pain as she fell down dozens of tree branches and rolled to the ground with a groan. Lightning Dust slowly sat up and rubbed her head which now ached considerably. Lightning Dust's eyes traced the area to figure out where she could be. Lightning Dust took in the eerie surroundings. There were many tall trees which reminded her of trees you would see near a marsh. The trees huddled together as if they wanted to protect each other from what the forest had in store. Long vines hung from the trees and other vines snaked around the branches. Lightning Dust heard the bubbling of something that sounded like a swamp. Mysterious plants she had never seen grew at awkward angles and looked as if they were shriveling up and dying. Strange noises echoed in the air and gave the area an ominous feeling. The echo made the sounds give off a ghostly feel. There was a light touch of humidity in the air that made the forest even more uncomfortable than it already felt. "Everfree Forest," Lightning Dust suddenly realized. She had heard stories about the Everfree Forest and she never dared to go inside, but now it seemed as if she was stuck. Lightning Dust tried to flap her wings, but pain shot through her right wing and made her fall in agony. She winced as she looked at what had happened. Her right wing was bent at a strange angle and she could tell it had been sprained. It was covered in cuts and bruises from the impact. Her other wing was covered in cuts and bruises as well, but merely twisted. "Now, I have to go on hoof through this place," Lightning Dust grumbled. As she trotted nervously along, she tried not to look at the creepy things all around her. It was difficult to shut it all out. Lightning Dust's heart pounded. Every time she heard a strange sound, Lightning Dust shrieked and tried to laugh it off. She couldn't believe how scared she was. It made her upset that she wasn't as brave as she wanted to be at the moment. Lightning Dust passed by a hut that reminded her of a ghost story that she heard once, so she galloped past it as fast as her hooves allowed. Vines slapped her face every time she tried to walk through a long path of them. Once in a while, she would see something scamper away in the bushes or eyes glowing at her inside every cave she passed. As soon as Lightning Dust heard a growl from one of the caves, Lightning Dust took care to avoid every cave in the forest. She would even take the longer route. Just as sure as Lightning Dust was positive that she knew how to avoid the terrors of Everfree Forest, she was surrounded by strange billowing plants that rose up around her. Lightning Dust screamed and tried to rush away, but she was surrounded from all areas that could provide a possible escape. The plants seemed closed and bulged like bulbs, but they opened with strange hissing sounds releasing foggy green mist. The mist filled Lightning Dust's lungs and her lungs burned. The fire in her chest burned and she coughed violently. Another spurt of mist from the plants filled her lungs with even more of the mysterious fog and the painful sensation in her chest worsened. Her eyes watered trying to see through the fog. Tears began to spill down her face and they burned her cheeks. Lightning Dust dropped to the ground and her vision got hazy. She realized the mist she was being shrouded in was poisonous and she wasn't going to make it out alive unless she did something fast. Forcing her injured wings to work, she blasted out of the area with all the speed she could. She hadn't used that amount of speed since the academy. Putting the strain on her injured wings made her slam into the ground with even more painful impact. A trickle of blood came from Lightning Dust's face as she looked up. Lightning Dust felt more physical pain than she had ever endured before. The stinging and aching felt like constant whining and she silently begged for it to cease. Tears began to run down her face and it mixed with the blood running down from it. Her lungs were still slowly adjusting to breathing in fresh air. The burning sensation she had felt merely minutes ago had turned into an uncomfortable tingle. More than anything now, Lightning Dust wanted to leave. Regret filled her mind as she realized that she could've avoided this easily. She realized she had done this all for a dumb reason. She didn't even need to see Rainbow Dash ever again. Why should she? She no longer wanted to find Ponyville. It no longer mattered to her. She lied there until she got the strength to get up and cautiously gallop home.
Chapter 3: Meeting Sky TwisterLightning Dust lie in her room staring around at the blank walls and cleared out cases of awards. Her wings still stung and there were still various aches and bruises across her body, most notably her wings. She had told Grandpa Wing Rider about what had happened and he had said, "You shouldn't have gone out to see that Rainbow Dash anyway." So, Lightning Dust had tended to her injuries on her own. She wrapped her sprain wing with gauze to help it heal and she had washed her cuts and iced her bruises. Even though it helped the pain greatly, she still wished she had someone who would help her when she got hurt. Lightning Dust still cooked, but not nearly as much as she had before. She gave up buckball entirely. Her injuries stopped her from playing it and even when they slowly began to heal, she was still too afraid to get hurt like that again. When her injuries healed, she still didn't bother to do much. Most of her days were now spent in her bedroom or on the sofa. Wind Rider never bothered to check on Lightning Dust. Lightning Dust never even went on her midnight flies anymore. She just didn't like it anymore. Flying only reminded her of the injuries she got and how all of her bravery had left her side when she went through the forest. Lightning Dust just stayed in her room and thought for most of her time. She just began to feel worse and worse. The wounds on her body might have healed completely, but the wounds in her heart just hurt more and more. One day, a knock interrupted Lighning Dust's gloomy thoughts. "Come in," Lightning Dust invited after a moment of hesitation. Wind Rider slowly opened the door. "Lightning Dust, the Wonderbolts are performing in Cloudsdale this weekend. Wanna go?" Lightning Dust shook her head without hesitation. She thought she was better off being away from the Wonderbolts as much as possible. Wind Rider shrugged without surprise. "Suit yourself," he told her. Wind Rider left. Lightning Dust looked at the spot where he had left. Lightning Dust sighed and quickly looked away. Wind Rider was never there for her. She didn't want anything he had to offer. The day of the performance had arrived. Lightning Dust was planning on not going. She had set up the sofa with snacks and fully intended on staying home that day. Yet, here she was sitting in the Wonderbolts arena blocking out the deafening cheer of the crowd and squinting in the glaring sun. Wind Rider had made her go. He claimed that she was missing out on too much flying and that she would get worse if she didn't watch some flying tricks for a change. Lightning Dust had tried to protest, but Wind Rider didn't let her have a choice. Lightning Dust had intentionally bought her seat away from Wind Rider. The last thing Lightning Dust needed was for Wind Rider to tell her that she needed to be more like the Wonderbolts or stop moping and start practicing. "Fillies and gentlecolts!" exclaimed the announcer. "Welcome to the annual Cloudsdale Wonderbolts performance!" The crowd went wild and Lightning Dust couldn't hear anything but the deafening shrieks of the ponies in the stands. "Today, the Wonderbolts have practiced a new trick for their routine," the announcer said. "It will be the finale performed by every member of the Wonderbolts!" The crowd 'oohed' and 'ahhed' in anticipation. Lightning Dust even looked surprised. What trick required every member of the Wonderbolts to do? As the Wonderbolts stood readily, Lightning Dust looked to her side to see a stallion about her age squeezing past ponies in the stands. He looked as if he had arrived late and was struggling to find his spot. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry. Let me just get... around ya there. Thanks. Excuse me. Sorry!" The stallion tripped and fell over and bumped into Lightning Dust. The two went tumbling to the ground. Lightning Dust and the stallion yelped. They landed and the new stallion had landed on top of Lightning Dust's back. "Well... this is awkward," the stallion said. Lightning Dust chuckled. "N-no, it's okay." The stallion sat down next to Lightning Dust with an eager look towards the sky. Then, he looked at Lightning Dust. "Ooh, I like this one! Look! Look!" As the Wonderbolts soared off into the sky sending the crowd roaring, his sights seemed set on a pony with a light blue coat and a wild bright white mane. Lightning Dust had seen her before, but she had never studied her enough to know her name. "Who's that?" she asked. "That's Fleetfoot!" the stallion replied in wonder. "She's my favorite! All those turns and tricks! That speed and agility! She's a legend!" "A legend, huh?" Lightning Dust said. They both giggled and smiled at each other. "I'm Sky Twister," the stallion said. "What's your name?" "Lightning Dust." "That is an awesome name," Sky Twister said. "Thank you," replied a surprised Lightning Dust. Their attention was yanked back up to the skies as they saw a bright flash turn the sky yellow for a split second. They were both in awe by the amazing performance. "That was a Lightning Twist!" Lightning Dust exclaimed, eyes shining. "It's harnessing enough speed and power to make your flying trail light up in a burst of lightning as you do a loop! It was one of my favorite tricks! I used to love to fly!" "Hey, you're pretty good at this stuff," Sky Twister complimented. "Why aren't you in the academy?" Hearing the word 'academy' made Lightning Dust's heart sink. "Uh... I don't really want to talk about it," she said quickly. Sky Twister felt the urge to pry for information, but resisted it. He didn't want to cause tension with her especially since he was beginning to befriend her. He sighed and changed the subject. "Let's just watch the show! The tricks are amazing, aren't they?" A faint smile stretched across Lightning Dust's lips. She nodded sincerely. The tricks still amazed her, even though she tried to stay away from them as much as possible. As they watched the performance, they laughed together at jokes they cracked or rooted for Fleetfoot together. Every time Sky Twister cheered, Lightning Dust burst into genuine laughter. It felt nice to feel happy after a long while. The performance came to an end too quickly by Lightning Dust's perspective. Even though Lightning Dust had no chance of being a Wonderbolt now, spending this time with a new stallion who had cheered her up from her sadness had made the time fly by. "I love the Wonderbolts and I know I'm a great flyer," Sky Twister told her as they walked out of the arena. "I just don't imagine myself ever being one." Lightning Dust looked up where the Wonderbolts had been. "I did once." Sky Twister's eyes widened. "Really? Why aren't you anymore?" Lightning Dust looked into his eyes and decided she might be able to trust him. Sky Twister didn't look like the type to disrespect another pony's privacy. She took a deep breath and sighed. "Promise me you won't tell anyone," Lightning Dust said. "I promise," Sky Twister said. He had said it with a sincere voice that calmed Lightning Dust's worries. "I worked hard ever since I was a filly and got into the Wonderbolts academy," Lightning Dust reminisced. "When I finally did, I decided to make a tornado to bust the clouds. My grandfather had always told me to aim to be the best. I figured since he was already an expert Wonderbolt, I could trust him. I was wrong. Spitfire booted me from the academy and told me being the best never comes at the expense of others. I wish I had known before. I didn't know I was doing any harm. So much was taken from me!" Tears began to run down Lightning Dust's face and Sky Twister watched her in surprise. "I had a friend in the academy. It was actually Rainbow Dash. She was the first friend I was able to make in my entire life. But when the tornado I made I almost caused the end of her friends back home, I'd never seen any anger like hers. She was so enraged with me. It broke my heart on the inside, but I felt that on the outside I had to pretend I didn't care to keep my reputation with the other cadets. However, Rainbow still went on to follow her dreams and become a reserve. Soon, she was promoted to the wonder you see flying in the sky now. My life continued to plummet towards rock bottom. My parents have been dead for a long time now and my grandfather has been kicked off the Wonderbolts now as well. All hope is lost for me. I hope your life continues to go in the direction you want, Sky Twister." Lightning Dust began to walk away, but Sky Twister stopped her. "Wait!" "Yeah?" "I'm so sorry to hear that," Sky Twister said. "Honestly, I've been looking for friends too. Do you want to be friends? So we can both make a new start?" Lightning Dust was surprised at first, but she smiled a bit. "Yeah, that would be great." "Great!" Sky Twister exclaimed. "Don't worry. I'm going to help you get your hopes and dreams back! You'll see! Can we meet at the Cloudsdale Diner tomorrow?" "Sure," Lightning Dust replied. "I think I'd love that as much as you." "Awesome! So, I'll see you there!" Sky Twister flew off with a friendly smile and wave. Lightning Dust watched him go with a smile. It's nice to have a new friend now at least, Lightning Dust thought. Author's Note Here's the new chapter! Sorry if it took me a while! I got distracted by three other stories that I absolutely obsess over! I almost forgot I had my own stories to write.
Chapter 4: Cloudsdale Diner Chapter 4: Cloudsdale Diner Lightning Dust let her eyes scan the interior of Cloudsdale Diner. It was a beautiful place. The walls were soft clouds that brightened up the otherwise dim lights. The floor was a bright blue that reminded Lightning Dust of a late sunny morning. The tables were rectangular and the seats were cushioned. Lightning Dust noticed how the seats even felt like clouds. Waiters and waitresses walked up and down asking the customers for their orders. Lightning Dust looked across the table at Sky Twister. He was relaxed and let his posture fall into a slouching position. His wings were nicely folded behind his back. His dark blue coat looked like a pitch black night under the dim lights. His sky blue eyes had a particular glow with the lights as if the lights brought them out. Lightning Dust giggled. Without squinting, his eyes were the only thing she could see clearly. "May I take your order?" a cheerful voice inquired. They shifted their focus towards a pegasus stallion with a waiter's apron and a notepad and quill. He smiled at them patiently. "My name is Updraft and I'll be your server today." Updraft pulled a few silverware sets out of his apron pocket and set them in front of the two on the table. He held his quill to his notepad with a cheerful smile. "May I start you off with some drinks?" Sky Twister and Lightning Dust exchanged a look. "Uh... yeah," Sky Twister said. "I'll just have water." Lightning Dust nodded in agreement. "Me too." Updraft grinned at the two and wrote it down on the notepad. "Alright! I'll be back with your drinks and be ready to take your order!" As Updraft rushed away hurriedly for the drinks, Lightning Dust stole a glance at Sky Twister. Sky Twister smiled at her and shifted his balance in his seat. "So, Lightning Dust," Sky Twister said. "What made you discover your love for flying?" Lightning Dust's mind went blank. She had never flown for so long. She wasn't sure if she remembered what made her so eager about flying. So, she made something up. "I like the... height," she said. "What is it you like about the height?" asked a confused Sky Twister. "When you're above the whole world, it kinda looks... awesome, ya know?" Lightning Dust replied. "You can forget about the worries and see the world below you. It makes you feel... bigger than everything!" When Lightning Dust had finished speaking, she had found she had a grin on her face. What she said to Sky Twister had been sincere. She did like to fly above everything and feel as if she were the biggest thing in the world. Sky Twister smiled. "Awesome! I never thought about it like that. Thank you. You're... my first friend, so it's kind of nice to get somepony else's perspective." Lightning Dust grinned. "Thank you. You know, it's kinda nice to have you around too." Sky Twister smiled and arched an eyebrow playfully. "Kinda nice?" Lightning Dust laughed and rolled her eyes. "Okay. Really nice. Thanks." Sky Twister smiled and winked at her. "Of course." Updraft returned holding two glasses of water in his hoof. He set them down on the table along with two clear straws. "Here you go!" "Thank you," Lightning Dust and Sky Twister told him close enough to unison. "Of course," Updraft said. "Are you ready to order?" "I'll have my usual," Sky Twister said. "A medium hay burger with horseshoe fries and a side of mashed potatoes." Lightning Dust groaned as she remembered that they were supposed to be ordering food. Food had almost slipped her mind as she was enjoying this time talking to Sky Twister. "I'll... just have what he's having, please." Updraft jotted down the order on his notepad and nodded with a smile. "Alright! Thank you so much for ordering! Be right back!" He rushed off to deliver the order to the chefs. "Boring, much?" Sky Twister teased playfully. Lightning Dust shrugged. "Hey, I haven't been here before," she said. "I might as well test the hay burgers here to make sure they're good." "This restaurant has a five star rating!" Sky Twister exclaimed. "Have you never been to Cloudsdale Diner before?" Lightning Dust shook her head. Wind Rider preferred to buy pre-made food from the Cloudsdale Grocer and serve it to Lightning Dust without hard work. Wind Rider used the fortune he earned in fame for himself and never thought about Lightning Dust at all. "Then, I can't believe that you lived in Cloudsdale your whole life," Sky Twister teased sticking out his tongue. Lightning Dust wanted to nudge him hard in the side, but he was protected by the table between them. "You're lucky," Lightning Dust told him. "Yeah, I am," Sky Twister said. "Otherwise, I'd be tapped in the arm by a girl." Lightning Dust knew he was just teasing her, so she grinned. It still bothered her and she didn't want to take it from him. So, she went over and slugged Sky Twister in the arm. "Ow!" Sky Twister exclaimed rubbing his arm. "How's that for a girl?" Lightning Dust asked with a prideful flick of her tail. She returned to her seat with a flow of pride rushing through her. "Pretty good," Sky Twister said. "You can improve, though." Lightning Dust stuck out her tongue. "Whatever. You're just jealous." Sky Twister rolled his eyes and gave in. He sighed with a smile and fell silent. Lightning Dust felt even more pride rush through her when she knew she had won. Updraft came with big plates of food and set it down in front of them. Sky Twister eyed his food with a greedy hunger and Lightning Dust playfully rolled her eyes at him. "Enjoy your food!" Updraft encouraged as he hurried away. "We will!" Lightning Dust assured. Sky Twister ate his food like a timberwolf and Lightning Dust was tempted to do the same. She had been hungry for a long time and hadn't known that. Lightning Dust ate her food and savored the delicious taste of the hay burger in her mouth. The food was delicious and satisfied her hunger that had been unknowingly gnawing at her stomach since morning. Sky Twister wiped his mouth with the napkin that was wrapped around his silverware. "So," he said. "How about hanging out at the Wonderbolts academy next week?" Lightning Dust dropped her hay burger in surprise and restrained herself from gaping. As she swallowed her food and wiped her face with a napkin, she looked at Sky Twister with shock. "Uh... no... thanks?" Sky Twister looked a little saddened and his ears flattened a bit. "Oh, that's alright. I understand." Sky Twister's look made guilt tie Lightning Dust's stomach in tight knots. Lightning Dust sighed and said, "Never mind. I'd love to." Sky Twister's eyes lit up and he exclaimed, "Great! I'll see you there!" Lightning Dust sighed. She was returning to one of the places she had hoped to never see again. Author's Note Here's an update on the story finally! I am also working on a chapter for "Friends Forever" which is almost finished, so hang in there!
