Flash and Substance

by The Bricklayer

Rating: mature
Tags: Alternate Universe, Romance, Drama, Profanity, Sex, Lightning Dust, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Soarin
Length: 5287

Lightning didn't know how it happened, honestly! It'd just wound up that way. Why was she dating Soarin' Skies, second in command of the Wonderbolts? ...and more importantly, why did she like it?

Lightning didn't know how it happened, honestly! It'd just wound up that way. Okay, so Soarin' wasn't the worst pony in the world, but still, he was a Wonderbolt. AKA that team who'd passed her up in favor of her. Rainbow Dash, the dream wrecker. Why was she dating Soarin' Skies, second in command of the Wonderbolts? ...and more importantly, why did she like it?

Written for Wanderer D's Shipping Contest. Blame my sleep-addled mind for this, okay?

(Also entered in Famous Last Word’s Right Back At It! contest by the suggestion of Super Trampoline.)

Published 2020-05-19 18:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2020-05-19 18:10:02 UTC

Dust in the Wind

So, yeah. Lightning Dust was a mare like everyone else, and she had her needs. She wanted to be held in somepony’s arms and whispered sweet nothings to, sappy as it sounded. No, she wasn’t making that up. She did actually give a flying feather about romance.

Plus, there was that little factor if she got a stallionfriend before that dream wrecker of a mare, Rainbow Dash, well… well, that was just dandy, wasn’t it? What she did not expect was who that stallionfriend would turn out to be.

Soarin’ Skies. Yes, that one. Second in Command of the Wonderbolts and if Lightning played her cards right, her ticket right back into their ranks. Was the romance all flash and no substance? Mhmm, she wasn’t sure yet. Maybe she’d leave Soarin’ as soon as she got her fame and fortune. Like dust in the wind if you excuse the pun.

Oh har har, yes she was free to make bad jokes. So what? Wasn’t she allowed to have a sense of humor? Equestria was seemingly built on bad jokes anyways. Dear Celestia, some of the puns.

Lightning really wasn’t sure how the romance started, or hell why Soarin’ was even associating with her. There had to be some sort of law against it right? Something about no internal fraternizations, even with former Wonderbolts? Guess not. Why Soarin’ even gave her the time of day was probably one of those questions for the ages.

Mind you, not that she was actually complaining given he was hot as all Hell. Like, whoof. If Lightning Dust had to have some sort of hanger-on, it had to be him. Like, it just had to be.

But why her? That was the question she just kept on asking herself. To Soarin’, she was just the mare who screwed up and got nearly everyone at the academy killed. The Mane Six included.

Admittedly, Lightning viewed rules as guidelines more or less but last she checked civilians weren’t allowed on base. And that’s exactly what the Mane Six were, heroes of the realm they might have been.

Lightning wanted to snarl. That’s exactly why Rainbow got to be a Bolt and not her. Simply because she was some big-shot hero. Yeah, she’d helped save Equestria from Nightmare Moon and Discord and Celestia only knew who else but… That shouldn’t be why she was in the Bolts. Lightning worked, like seriously worked to fight her way to the top. Rainbow? Nope, all she had to do was flash her -presumably- many medals to somepony, and they just fell all over her.

Bet she had stallions and mares lining up around the block just to get a chance at dating her.

It made Lightning want to seethe. Talent and hard work, that was how you proved yourself. Not by being some national hero. Her mother had drilled into her from the start, work hard and you'll reach your dreams. Her big bro, Sky Stinger? He was working as hard as he could and Lightning hoped one day to see him and Vapor up there by her side.

“Gods, like that’ll happen now,” Lightning mumbled as she fell back on her bed. “Bet he’s been blacklisted by association. Oh, related to Lightning Dust? Get the hell out of here!”

She could see it now, him waltzing up to the recruiter with hopes and dreams in his eyes. Then he tells them who he’s related to. Bam, dream gone just like that. Okay, now she just wanted to punch something.

Her punching bag beckoned. Her hooves were like -heh- lightning as they barreled into the punching bag. It was a minor miracle she didn’t rip it from its hinge with the sheer anger and rage she threw into her punches.

“Damn Spitfire, damn Rainbow, damn Wonderbolts!” Lightning snarled to herself, her eyes stinging with hot tears of indignation and abject humiliation. She wiped them away, no she was a grown mare. Grown mares didn’t cry.

It was a weakness, just like her father always said it was. She was a big mare now. A strong mare! She wasn’t a weak mare, she was the pride of her family! The pride of it! “...mind you, if the pride of the family can get tossed out on her ass onto the tailwinds, what does that say about the rest of them?”

Sky Stinger had always looked up to her. Yeah, she was technically the younger sibling, but she exuded confidence. She had to. Mares were always the weaker sex in her family, least in her father’s mind. She had to be strong. She just had to be.

“You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind,” came a familiar warm voice as two forelegs wrapped themselves around her barrel. “So, tell me, what’d that punching bag ever do to you?”

She breathed in his scent. Smelled of pie and oooooh, yeah, sweat as well. She could lose herself in that scene of his. God, it smelled so good. It was that of a proper working stallion.

“Mhmm…” she moaned in spite of herself, snuggling into Soarin’s fur. Lightning could feel his heartbeat, and oh wow, his hooves were magic on those shoulders. Yep, she’d bagged a keeper.

“Long day?” Soarin’ asked again.

“Guess you could say that,” Lightning mumbled. “Did a lot of thinking really. About stuff, you know?”

“Must have been really heavy stuff,” Soarin’ said still continuing his simply magical work on her shoulders. “Got you all stressed out. It’s not a good look for you, really.”

“Yeah, so what is a good look for me then?” Lightning said letting out another soft moan before she felt Soarin’ kiss her neck, softly and slowly. He lingered for a moment in that one spot before speaking again.

She knew what he was doing, she wasn’t stupid after all. But Lightning didn’t really want to complain. Like, oooooh yes, this was just what she needed after a long day. Retail sucked. Like it sucked major balls.

“Mhmm, eyes all crossed, and tongue hanging out?” Soarin’ said in a hot breathy tone of voice that made Lightning feel all gooey inside. Oooh, yes. “What do you think?”

Lightning couldn’t whirl around fast enough to kiss her stallionfriend hotly on the lips. “I think…” she said, moving a hoof up to his chin. “I’d like that look on my face very much.”

It really didn’t take long for them to make it to the bed, Lightning kissing Soarin’ hungrily. Needily, even with her tongue darting in and out of his mouth. She pulled her stallionfriend back onto the sheets continuing to kiss him before pulling away, her eyes wide with want and desire.

But to her surprise and indignation, Soarin’ didn’t just dive in immediately. Of course he didn’t, Lightning grumbled. He liked to take his fucking sweet time about this. Because in his words, she was something to be treasured. Lightning nearly rolled her eyes at that, a lesser mare might have turned to goo at that but not her. She was not a lesser mare. She was fucking Lightning Dust!

“Just stuck that dick of yours between my legs and screw me senseless you son of a bitch!” Lightning thought to herself even as Soarin’ continued covering her in kisses. She supposed it was just to get her burner all hot and heated, but Celestia! She wanted to be made a mare and she wanted it right now thank you very much.

She wasn’t like the previous mares Soarin’ had undoubtedly conquered in the past. She didn’t turn to mush at being loved tenderly. When she wanted to be fucked, she would be fucked. “Just get on with it, you dork! Come on, I can’t just wait here all day! I want you inside me, right here and right… AH!”

Lightning’s eyes rolled back into her head as Soarin’ began licking her sex, and she squirmed under his touch. Okay, so maybe she enjoyed this kind of thing a little. Just a little. But he could really hurry up! She was a busy mare with things to do… and oh to hell with it. Soarin’ was Soarin’, and even if he took his time about it, the sex was SO worth it.

“You like that Dusty?” Soarin’ asked as he looked up from his ministrations. His face was already covered in sweat and oh wow Lightning really liked what she saw. Her wings splayed wide against the sheets, she nodded weakly.

“Just… just keep going like that, you dick,” she mumbled. Sisters, she hated that nickname. “But hurry up, alright? I’m getting bored here!”

“Ah ah,” Soarin lectured, Lightning’s sex dripping with desire. “Think of it like training okay? You have to work your way up to the really good stuff. And believe you me, I’ve saved the best for last.”

“F-Fuck you!” Lightning snapped. Of course, he had to compare it to training. Of course he did. Because he was Soarin’ Skies, second in command of the Wonderbolts and everything was like a drill to him.

“No, pretty sure I’m supposed to be fucking you,” Soarin’ said before muttering: “Speaking of which…”

Oh yes, finally! Lightning saw Soarin’ clamber over her, and then he shoved himself inside of her. Oh by the Royal Sisters yes, just yes! That was exactly what she’d been waiting on. Lightning was gasping and grunting as Soarin’ thrusted inside of her again and again. Soarin’ was making some pretty erotic noises himself, letting out loud shouts of exclamation.

“Hey, want to… fuck! Do some reps? Like, each time I enter you, we -ah!- count them off?” Soarin’ suggested, Lightning’s head thudding back onto the pillow. Yeah, of course, he had to make a little game out of all of this. But Lightning simply loved the idea. It added an extra challenge to the whole thing.

“Pretty sure you’ve already -ah, haaaaah…- missed a few! AH! AH!” Lightning said her voice turning into that of a scream. She rolled her hips just to keep Soarin’ on the edge, helping further him along. “Oh, do you want me to count them -ah!- off for you? That’s be 1, 2, 3, -oh!- 4, 5… 6. Yeah, 6!”

In the midst of all this, Lightning grabbed Soarin’ and slammed her lips onto his. She quickly released him, and Soarin’ let out a shout of: “Seven!”

Another thrust, another shout. “Eight!” Soarin’ exclaimed before asking: “Come on Lightning, you can keep up can’t you?”

“N-Nine!” Lightning called out, Soarin’ increasing his speed. Oh, she could feel it. She could feel it, she was about to… “AAAAHHH!”

Cum splattered Soarin’s belly, and Lightning’s eyes went up into her head once again. “Oh, Soarin’...” she mumbled tiredly, reaching out to cup his face with her hooves. Then she felt it, Soarin’ unleashing his load inside of her.

His head fell against her barrel, Lightning running a hoof through his messy mane. Hers was in a fairly bad state as well, her golden locks far from their usual smooth state. Oh well, she’d brush it later. “...you didn’t even make it to ten, weakling. Gods, you’re pathetic.”

“Neither did you,” Soarin’ said. “I ought to deduct some points from your overall score.”

“Dork,” Lightning said, continuing to run her hoof through his mane.

“But I’m your dork, right?” Soarin’ said, looking up to gaze fondly into her eyes.

“Oh quit it with the mushy talk. I’m not that kind of mare,” Lightning said. “Gods, that was a quick session wasn’t it? Usually, we make it to fifteen!”

“Guess you were that much in need of me,” Soarin’ said, giving her a quick kiss. No pull out yet, which Lightning was fine with. She didn’t mind a bit of cuddle time, like oh wow those muscles! They should have been immortalized in a museum.

“Stop it, you sound like some sort of superhero,” Lightning teased. “You are-”

“Such a dork. But I’m your dork, and you know it…” Soarin’ replied, and Lightning smiled fondly. Yeah, so maybe Soarin’ was her ticket back to the top. But good grief he was an enjoyable one.

Lightning didn’t have friends, and she certainly didn’t meet them with her stallionfriend over coffee. But apparently she did, and apparently she got roped into meeting Berry Punch for a cup of coffee.

“Didn’t realize you drank coffee,” Lightning said to the purple pony across the table. “Thought you only stuck to the strong stuff. The real hard cider, y’know?”

“I’m trying to quit,” Berry said. In a brief flash of paranoia, Lightning looked around the coffee shop. Was it possible anyone recognized her? Did Dash tell anypony about her?

Damn mare.

“What, the coffee or the cider?” Soarin’ asked, not noticing his marefriend take a few deep calming breaths. Okay, okay, Lightning told herself. Evidently, she was just another face in the crowd. Or if anypony did recognize her, they didn’t call her out.

“The cider,” Berry said. “Been waking up with one too many hangovers. Plus, I’ve got a daughter now and I’d rather not kill my liver before she hits her tweens. Sets a bad example, y’know?”

Berry finished this sentence with a rather dark chuckle, a sentiment that wasn’t really shared.

“Didn’t know you had a marefriend Soar, or at least a stable one,” Berry said. “...or is that Thunderlane I’m thinking of with the many many tails he’s chased over the years?”

“Thunderlane,” both Soarin’ and Lightning said in unison. Soarin continued with a: “Yeah, I’m thinking of recruiting Thunderlane for the Bolts, but… yeah, even I admit his mare-chasing ways might be a bit of a problem. Oh well, the Cap should strike that out of him.”

This was… unexpectedly nice, Lightning mused to herself. Just talking with other ponies, taking life at a slower pace. Sure, it still had absolutely nothing on doing stunts, but… yeah, this was cool. Nobody knew her here it seemed, so she could escape the humiliation.

All of Cloudsdale had quickly heard about what had happened to Lightning Dust before the day was out. Ponies talked, y’know? Seemed whipping up a tornado really did wonders for your reputation. Not a day went by when she heard the jeers on the street about Lightning the screw-up. Lightning half-expected for the Royal Guard to show up on her doorstep, arrest her and toss her ass in Tartarus.

Those had been a stressful few days, living in fear of what came next. Lightning, as soon as she had the funds, packed up and moved out to the next town. That’s where she ran into Soarin’, who contrary to popular belief didn’t live in one of the big cloud cities. Admittedly, Lightning could see the logic. He was less likely to get mobbed that way.

And when I say Lightning ran into Soarin’, I mean literally ran into him. Cliche as it sounded, he invited her out for drinks and that was that. Lightning had her angle to get back into the Wonderbolts. If Soarin’ was dating her and saw how awesome she truly was, maybe he’d be able to convince Spitfire to give her a second chance. And Soarin’ got a sexy as all fuck marefriend. Win-win all around for everyone involved, right?

“...Assuming he doesn’t try to flirt with her,” Lightning remarked. “...is he even that stupid? Spitfire’s scary.”

Actually, Lightning didn’t think she was all that scary but she had to keep up appearances. The dutiful, ever agreeing marefriend. ...okay, since when did she ever feel the need to start impressing anyone? It’s just, well, whenever Soarin’ flashed that dorky smile of his -and it was a great smile- it did things to her that Lightning just quite couldn’t explain.

Oh Celestia, she wasn’t actually…? No, she couldn’t be. It simply wasn’t possible.

“Pretty sure Thunderlane has his limits,” Soarin’ said. “I know him, he’s got some sense of self-preservation. Plus, being a Wonderbolt is his dream. He’s not the type to ruin it straight out of the gate.”

Dreams, of course. Everyone talked about dreams, but nobody gave a crap to her own. About how she was struggling every day to reach her own. Briefly, she wondered if Soarin’ remembered her. How she botched up her own dream by just trying to show off in front of the Captain.

Wait… since when was this her fault? It was Dash’s… right? Of course it was Dash’s. It was always Dash’s fault. Her prancing up to Spitfire with all of her medals and her ego and then tattling like a schoolyard kid just because Lightning dared to show off.

Damn her.

“You okay Lightning?” Berry asked. “You haven’t been talking much. Or drinking much for that matter. You’ve just been staring into your cup looking like somepony’s gone and kicked your favorite puppy.”

“Sorry, I… I just got a bit on my mind,” Lightning said. Well, it was technically half-true anyways. “Been thinking on some of my favorite stunts.”

“Oh, so you’re a stunt flier, are you?” Berry said. “Hey, maybe you should try out for the Wonderbolts! You’d probably be pretty awesome, if you ask me.”

“Wonderbolts, yeah…” Lightning mumbled as she took a sip of her coffee. Soarin’ patted her on the back,

“Come on Lightning, cups of coffee are meant to be shared with friends. They’re meant to bring ponies together,” he said chipperly. Lightning had to suppress a smile, Soarin’ was always so happy. Not on the level of the Pink Menace of course, but he was always just so damn chipper.

“I thought that was ice cream?” Lightning said, taking another sip.

“No, it’s coffee,” Soarin’ said. “Ice cream’s more for the nostalgia factor. When you want to relive your childhood.”

“Bet you’ve never stopped reliving yours,” Lightning teased. “You probably buy cartons of the stuff. You’re just like a mare, bet you like your sappy romance flicks!”

“Wellllllllll…” Soarin’ admitted as Lightning and Berry started laughing. Okay then, Lightning decided. Maybe she could get behind this ‘friends’ business after all.

The weeks seemed to go by in a blur, time flies when you were having fun. Lightning smiled to herself as she flew home. Cloud houses passed by her in a blur, Lightning leaving a golden streak in her wake. She’d been dating Soarin’ for about six weeks now, and… well, she was mare enough to admit it. Maybe she did have this teensy tiny crush on the big dork. Like, fuck. He was just that damn charming and oh wow he did things to her that Lightning really just loved.

Was it love? Lightning honestly wasn’t sure yet. It was… something. It was a something. Somethings were… well, Lightning wasn’t sure if it was a good sort of something or a bad sort of something.

It was probably one of those ‘wait and see’ things. Guess she’d have to find out. Some of Lightning’s anxieties had faded with time. If Soarin’ knew who she was, he’d have called her on it. Ah, there it was. There was her little condo. It wasn’t much, but it was home.

While she wasn’t living in the lap of luxury she sorely deserved, it was… nice to come home to a place that made you feel wanted. Corny as that sounded. Lightning hated corny. She got enough corny from her stallionfriend on a weekly basis. Lightning tried not to invite any more corny into her life.

Annnnnnnnnnd oh dear. Rose petals were scattered throughout the house, leading to the bathroom. Lightning was immediately nervous, if not understandably. The last time she’d found rose petals scattered about like this leading somewhere? She’d walked into her bedroom with Soarin’ sitting on the bed, rose in his mouth and she’d just burst out laughing. It had killed the mood pretty quickly.

But she followed the rose petals to their source anyhow. To Lightning’s surprise, she found Soarin’ -uniform tossed to the side- waiting for her in the bathroom. Hot water had been poured in the tub, bubbles nearly spilling out over the side.

“...you’re such a dork,” Lightning mumbled as she climbed into the tub, letting the warm waters soak into her fur. She let out a moan of pleasure, all of the day’s tensions just beginning to simply melt away.

As Soarin’ climbed in after her, he wrapped his forelegs around her barrel. Kissing her on the neck, he murmured: “But I’m your dork.”

As Lightning let out a soft grunt, -Soarin’s cock practically impaling her- she felt her heart go all flutter. Yeah, she realized. Yeah, he was her dork. And that was the way she liked it. Resting her head up against his chest, Lightning let out soft sighs of pleasure as Soarin’ continued to take her.

“H-Harder…” Lightning whispered to her stallionfriend, and felt his hot breath across her muzzle.

“If you insist…” Soarin’ said in reply, picking up the speed of his thrusts. Warm, loving. Goddess, what did Lightning do to deserve this stallion? Except… she realized, absolutely nothing. She’d been simply using him for his fame. A fast ticket back to the top.

Lightning choked back a sob. Celestia, she was such a bitch.

“Oh come now, surely I’m not that bad…” Soarin’ murmured, seeing the tears fall down Lightning’s face even in the low light. “Hey, hey, you alright?”

Lightning pulled herself off Soarin with a soft plopping sound, the water in the tub sloshing as she recoiled away from her stallionfriend. For however long that lasted. Soon as he heard… Lightning took a deep shuddering breath, soon as he heard that he was being used well…

“Hey, it’s okay…” Soarin’ whispered, stroking the side of Lightning’s face.

“You idiot…” Lightning said climbing out of the tub and leaving the room, slamming the door behind her.

By the Sisters, she was such an idiot. She should have known this would have never lasted. Because she was never allowed to be happy. Soarin’ would have found out eventually what kind of mare she was, from Spitfire or from Rainbow or from one of his other fucking colleagues. Surprise maybe, yeah. That mare could never keep a secret, she just had to be related to that Pink Menace.

“Lightning?” a familiar voice came from behind her.

Of course he would come after her. He was such a Colt Scout.

“You know I’m using you right?” Lightning said. “You’re my way back into the Bolts, nothing more and nothing less. You should go off and find another mare, somepony who’s less likely to break your heart. Hell, go after Dash. Bet she’d be a fun lay, probably has a rainbow even down there. There’s a nice little talking point. Plus, y’know she’s the Element of Loyalty and all that. She’d never steer you wrong.”

“There’s a rule against dating coworkers,” Soarin’ said.

“Okay, Applejack then. The farm girl. She loves pies, she’d be able to make you all of the apple pies you ever wanted. House is probably all warm, and loving like every other country bumpkin’s little house on the prairie.”

“She doesn’t live on a prairie, those are terrible places to farm,” Soarin’ corrected her. Lightning sighed to herself.

“You know what I meant,” she grumbled under her breath. “Point being, I’m not the mare for you. Never was, and never will be.”

“Mhmm, maybe, but if that’s the case why’d you stick with me for so long?” Soarin’ asked. “If you were really ‘just’ using me, then why’d you stick with me this long?”

“Had to build up your trust, and build up a good reputation. Show Spitfire that she made a mistake kicking me out,” Lightning said. “I have to be the best, I just have to.”

“But if you’re a Wonderbolt again, well, we couldn’t date!” Soarin’ pointed out.

“Yes, I think we’ve established that,” Lightning drawled. “But don’t you get it yet? I only want to be a Wonderbolt, not your marefriend. I want to be up there, flying higher and higher. Not STUCK IN A SHITTY ASS CONDO WITH…” Lightning began to shout.

She took several deep calming breaths -her fur still dripping wet, covered in bubbles- before finishing: “With… well, with you.”

“Now, is that so true?” Soarin’ continued to press, nothing but patient. He let Lightning get all of her rage out, she needed this. She needed to vent, to let out of her emotions that had been bubbling up inside her for weeks on end.

“Wha… What do you mean?” Lightning asked.

“Think about it,” Soarin’ said calmly. “If any of this was true, why have you stuck with me for this long. If getting back into the Bolts was your goal, you obviously could have achieved it by now. You’re unstoppable when you want to be.”

“Yeah, I am,” Lightning admitted. “So, you just going to keep flattering me, or will you get to the point?”

“I am at the point,” Soarin’ said. “Is being a Wonderbolt what you really want in life?”

“Of course it is!” Lightning said. “Up there, I’m… free. You know? Just you, your wings, and the wind. It’s the thrill as you go through a daredevil stunt, defying death and hearing the crowd roar you on to the next show.”

“Or do you just want to get back at Rainbow Dash by this point?” Soarin’ continued. “Or… is it something more? Because you never struck me as the type to want to be up there just because one of the heroes of Equestria is up there and you’re not.”

“Oh, that’s exactly why I want to be up there. Because Rainbow Dash is up there,” Lightning snapped. “She got in by reputation alone, with all of her awards and her fancy heroics! It’s… it’s just absolutely disgusting.”

“Is that what you think?” Soarin’ asked never raising his voice at any one point during all of this. “Is that what you think? I’m here to tell you differently. Lightning, Rainbow didn’t get into the Wonderbolts because she was a famous hero. No, she got into the reserves because she worked at it. Just like you, and just like me. Reputation means nothing to us. If you want to get into the Wonderbolts, you have to fight your way up there. We only take the best of the best.”

“Then why did you take her?” Lightning screamed. “She wrecks dreams!”

Soarin’ sighed to himself, before answering. “No, that was all on you. A tornado has and never will be an acceptable way to clear out the clouds. You nearly got several of your teammates killed. Would anyone trust you after that? You may be living in denial, Lightning, but ask yourself. If one of your wing ponies created a tornado and nearly swept you away, would you ever be able to trust them again?”

Lightning was struck silent. She hadn’t thought about it like that, not once. Then again, her mind had always been sort of one track. Rainbow Dash this. Rainbow Dash that.

“So, are you going to pick yourself out of your self-pity party that I’d rather not have an invite to, or keep on blaming Rainbow Dash for your own screw-ups?” Soarin’ asked in a firm tone of voice, putting his hoof down.

Lightning knew she was trodding on thin ice. She could go on with her life, keeping all of that anger and hate stirred up inside and risk losing the only stallion in her life that actually seemed to give a crap about her. Or, alternatively, she could be the big mare and move on. Wow, what a choice.

“I…” Lightning said before chuckling bitterly. “Celestia, I don’t deserve you. You’re too good for me Soar. Why’d you even stick with me all of this time? You knew didn’t you, the whole time. That I was using you for my trip back to… well, you know.”

“I guessed that was probably the case. I’m not stupid, Spitfire told me all about you. She was actually rather sad about losing you. But she knew she couldn’t keep you on, not after that stunt you pulled. But...” Soarin’ said, giving Lightning a little nuzzle. “But! Here’s the thing, as I also guessed you were a very lonely mare in need of some form of companionship.”

Lightning fought back another sob. Man, oh man, she thought to herself. Soarin’ had to be one of those stallions who only came along once in a century. What had she been thinking, treating him like this?

“So tell me, what’s really going on?” Soarin’ pressed. “Why’d you want to become a Wonderbolt in the first place? It can’t just be the freedom of the skies, can it?”

“No, it’s not. My dad… he was a real piece of shit you know? Maybe that’s no excuse for my behavior, or maybe it is, I dunno. But dear old dad? Said a mare was too weak to fly! Never mind the fact that we have a Princess -well, two now- running the whole country. So, wanted to prove him wrong,”

“Can I punch your dad for you?” Soarin’ asked.

“Assuming you don’t get detained by the Royal Guard for assault, yeah,” Lightning snorted. “Still, I’d pay to see that. You punching my dad, not the you getting arrested part. That’d be terrible. Still, it’d make one hell of a romance with one of us behind bars.”

Soarin’ chuckled. “I’ll just send Spitfire down to his house then, let her chew him out. That’d be a sight!”

“Yeah, it would…” Lightning snorted through her tears.

“What’s your address again…?” Soarin’ asked and Lightning burst out laughing. Yeah, she wasn’t alright but she was getting there. She was getting there. Maybe one day she’d talk to Rainbow again. Maybe they wouldn’t be all buddy -Rainbow had plenty of friends anyhow- but they could be at least on speaking terms again. That’d be nice. For now, she had her stallionfriend and that? That was all she needed.

Author's Note

Don't we all need a guy like Soarin'? Someone willing to call us out for all of our bullshit, and yet be there for when we need him? I'm really not sure how this ended up so sappy, but wow. Maybe it's just my writing style.

I wasn't aiming for sappy. I was aiming for sorta tragic, Lightning still being a bit of a bitch at the end. Maybe more clashes with her and her bo... sorry, stallionfriend. You have no idea how many times I had to correct myself there.

So, Lightning. In canon, a complete sociopath. But here? Not so much. Trying to give her a character journey. From a bitter spiteful mare, to a... well, less of a jerk but still a bit of a bitch.

My Lightning, at least in this story is fairly self-serving. She starts out at least as viewing Soarin' -her coltfriend- as a ticket to fame. My take on Lightning for this story is she's jealous of Rainbow, but not without reason. She thinks Rainbow didn't get in on talent, but because of who she is. A hero to the realm. Obviously, Soarin' is there to correct her.

Was the sex a bit gratuitous? Possibly, I aimed for it to be nasty and dirty and completely rough. A reflection of the relationship. Maybe it still is in some ways. Soarin's calm and patient, while Lightning is all 'Give it to me now!' really. Again, maybe my personal tastes decided to disagree. I guess I can't do rough sex. C'est la vie.

Leave your thoughts and comments below, I do love feedback.