A Lightning Storm: Rebooted

Mirage:

"I thought The Gala was supposed to be in the Spring" I said, Spitfire sat across from me in the train, we were accompanied by nopony, which I found kind of strange.

"Eh, Maybe they're hosting it every season now" She said, shrugging and smiling at me,

"Oh" I said, "When are we supposed to get there?"

She paused and itched her chin, "I don't know, half an hour?"

I was never a very patient pony, my dad said I had gotten it from my mother. I wouldn't doubt that.

"Uh, Spitfire?" I asked,

"Yeah?"

"What are we even supposed to do at the Gala?"

She paused and gave me a questioning look, "You're kidding right?"

"No, I'm not" I found myself irritated,

"Well, it's pretty much a big party" She said,

"But won't all the fancy-shmancy ponies be there?"

"Yeah"

"Great"

I had never liked citizens of Canterlot, even though I was one, they were all stuck up and snooty, the type of pony that thinks he or she is better than everypony else. I guess that's like saying I don't like my family but I really did love them, I was just... different than them. Hell, I had known that the day I started flight school, bullies just seemed to flock towards me like I was bait. At least I had the last laugh.

I had been lost in my thoughts for quite awhile, Spitfire was waving her hoof in front of my face,

"Equestria to Mia! you in there?" she asked,

"What?" I asked,

"We're here"

The Castle seemed deserted, nopony was there except Luna and Celestia, standing at the doors.

"Princess Celestia? where is everypony?" Spitfire asked,

Celestia looked down upon us, Luna quietly watched me from Celestia's side, never letting me make eye contact when I looked over to her.

"Come inside" Was all she said, opening the doors and slipping inside.

We followed without question, Luna came in behind us, closing the door when we were both in the castle. Again, nopony was to be seen.

"Mirage!" A familiar voice called,

I looked to the right, seeing an electric blue coat and neon green mane running towards me, emerald eyes tearing down into my soul.

"Sister!" I yelped, running towards my older sibling and embracing her,

Neon Soul was a very special pony, she was my sister, my best friend, my only family member who didn't have an accent, my foalsitter, the closest thing that I had to a mother other than Photo Finish.

I felt warm tears run down my shoulder, I didn't fully understand why she was crying until I found tears were running my face as well.

She let go of me but kept her forehooves on my shoulders. "Look at you! You've changed so much since I last saw you!" she said,

"So have you! why aren't you still on tour?" I asked,

She sniffled, "Do you think my musical career is more important than my younger sister?" she asked,

"Neon! get away from her!" My fathers voice called,

I looked up in confusion, what was his problem this time?

"What's wrong dad?" she asked,

Celestia appeared at my side, "I haven't told her about your... condition yet" She said,

Condition? that's what this was about?

"Condition?" Neon asked,

Spitfire appeared about my side as well, looking at me with confusion on her face,

"Your sister is THE Neon Soul?" She asked,

"Yes, Why?"

"Ever think to tell me?" she asked, laughing,

"Not really, No, I didn't think it was that big of a deal"

"Do you have any other famous relatives that I should know about?"

"Cousins" I said,

"Never mind, I don't even want to know" She laughed,

Neon Soul was arguing with dad and talking to Celestia at the same time,

"I need you to come with me, Mirage" Luna said from behind us, Blackblood and Cyber Burst were both at her sides, eyeing each other like they were going to kill each other right there.

"Where did they come from?" I asked, gesturing to the two rival faction leaders.

"They've been here all along" she said,

"Lucky I don't kill you right here you stupid mutt!" Cyber Burst screamed out of nowhere, getting everypony's attention.

He looked at us for a second then smiled sheepishly, "Sorry" he said,

We followed Luna to a room I had never seen before, it looked like a torture room but clearly wasn't, more like an interrogation room, a large glass room was on the other side of the room we entered cut off by a large steel door.

Luna entered the glass room, followed by Spitfire, Cyber Burst, and finally Blackblood, who seemed to steer clear of the door. I went to enter with them but was stopped by a sound of rocks, I turned around to see the door had disappeared and replaced with a stone wall. Another slam drew my attention back to the others, the door had closed.

At first I was confused, had they forgotten about me? had they shut the door by accident?

Apparently not, Spitfire was banging on the glass from the outside while Luna tried to hold her back.

I was trapped.

A voice came in over a loud speaker that I couldn't see, "Mirage, Calm down." The voice said slowly,

I realized my breathing quickened, I looked down to see large claws inching their way out of my hooves and my fur brightening to a faint grey.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice was panicked and hoarse, like I had just woke up from a nightmare.

"We need to keep you calm for a minute" She said, I found out that it was Luna, "Then you can freak out."

Wow, thanks your majesty.

"You might want to start talking" A different voice said, "She's changing fast"

"Changing into what?" Spitfire's voice asked,

"I think you already know, doll." A voice said,

"Who you calling doll?" I shouted,

"Your marefriend" he chuckled,

I leaped at the window, slashing at it with my new claws and furthering my transformation

The glass seemed to take no damage at all, only white marks told where my claws had connected, but even they seemed to be pitiful.

"Looks like you got a feisty one there Spitfire" Cyber Burst laughed,

"Bite me" She said, glaring at him devilishly,

"With pleasure" he said, leaning towards her,

A hoof raised and struck him under the jaw, launching him into the air and landing with a loud thump on the concrete ground.

I smirked, "I'm nothing compared to her."

Blackblood was laughing, "Looks like Cyburst got decked by a mare!" she chucked, pointing a hoof and falling over,

"How about I slap a bitch?" Cyburst said, raising a hoof at the mare.

I ha noticed Spitfire was staring at me through the glass, only inches from my reach. She seemed to be much...shorter. A purple glare flashed through her eyes, I adjusted my eyes so the glass reflected my image.

What stared back at me was something completely different, my body looked like it had been replaced by a something out of a horror movie, my muzzle had extended and had a black nose on the end of it covered in a liquid unknown to me at the time. my eyes had changed into an aggressive golden color which seemed to see things invisible to the naked eye, my ears had gotten sharper at the tips and my coat had changed into a light silver with purple 'highlights' which was made up of the occasional purple marking on my body, like war paint. Four inch purple claws extended from my front and back paws which had grown like those of a bear's, the back paws had elongated allowing me to stand up on my back legs without problem. I stood a good six feet off the ground from my normal three, my front paws seemed to work like hands of some kind.

I looked back up at the others, they were all gathered at the windows. All sharing the same looks of horror on their faces.

I looked at the reflection again, it stared right back at me.

The edges of its lips curved upwards.

But mine did not.