Forever Fell Short

“It’s a beautiful day to take the fall!”

Lightning Dust laughed, rolling her neck and stretching out her legs. “You say that every day, Rolling.”

“And I’m never wrong!” Rolling did a lazy loop in the air. “I’m tellin’ you, the weather here is right frothing. Ain’t never seen anything like it before!”

Lightning trotted over to the edge of the cloud, glancing down.

Below them was a swirling mass of storm clouds, black and gray and heavy.

“This has got to be one of the biggest ones yet,” Lightning said in approval. “Crazy how this stuff grows when you mix in regular clouds.”

“Yeah, something about the Everfree magic or something,” Rolling said with a shrug. “Now, are you gonna jump or do I have to push you?”

Lightning snorted, lowering her flight goggles over her eyes. “Calm down, I’m going.” She spread her wings, feeling the wind as it brushed through her feathers. It was melodious: singing a beautiful song that washed over her like waves the shore.

But…

“Huh.”

“What now?” grumbled Rolling impatiently.

“It’s just…” Lightning hesitated, cocking her head to the side. “The current feels off tonight.”

Beneath the chorus of voices, Lightning felt that something was wrong. Like a note not in tune, it grated against her ears, derailing the entire song.

“I don’t feel anything,” Rolling answered. “Are you tellin’ me you’re… scared?”

Lightning huffed. “Scared? Please. I could do this in my sleep.” She shook her head and hunched down, chin almost touching the cloud.

Then, Lightning Dust took the plunge.

In seconds she was enveloped completely in the clouds. Lightning laughed as she executed a series of spins, letting the edges brush against her stomach and back.

To her right, she saw a glowing ball of light which flickered in and out, and she felt the sharp tingle of something electric run down her wings. It was a feeling she was familiar with, and yet… something was different. Something was wrong.

There was another sharp tingle, but this time pain instead of pleasure shot through her wings. Lightning winced and banked sharply, hoping to pop out the side of the cloud. But her maneuver was thwarted by a sudden gust of wind. One that knocked her deeper into the middle.

Then there was a deafening noise, one that Lightning barely remembered. Her vision failed her and the world became white. Her wings locked up and failed to move, and the only sensation Lightning knew was falling.

From there the hours became murky, accentuated with a sharp and painful ringing noise and muted, worried voices. Time spent with her head pressed against a pillow, her body filled with drugs and medication. Hooves and magic against her wings.

But what she did remember were the doctor’s words once she had awoken: “You are a very lucky mare to be alive. We were able to save your wings, but your injuries were still fairly severe. It’ll take time for you to get in the air again, but frankly… it’s a near miracle you survived at all.”

And every night before Lightning fell asleep, she would hear those faint echoes in the caverns of her mind, coupled with the taunting call of the wind, and above all, that horrific sensation of falling and falling and falling and falling

Lightning Dust grit her teeth, her blood becoming pain and her bones tearing into violent spears against her skin .

and falling and falling and falling and falling

The world was nothing but the storm besides her and faint visages of color and shape passing her by. Words and wind became the same. All she knew was sweat and pain and that no matter what, she had to keep flying.

and falling and falling and falling and falling

“No.”

Lightning wasn’t sure if she had spoken the word or thought it, but it hung heavy in the air.

“Not today.”

From within a fire burned up Lightning’s stomach. It crawled up her throat and came out of her mouth, and in a draconic and defiant scream, Lightning Dust refused to fall.

The next thing Lightning remembered was a blue-suited pony tapping her on the shoulder. “Hey, we got it! You better go get some rest!”

Lightning blinked a few times, spreading her wings and gliding to a halt. She craned her neck to look at the hurricane only to find that it was a fraction of the storm it was before. The sky was now filled with blue and yellow-suited pegasi, working to pummel the remains into submission.

She opened her mouth to speak but found she had nothing to say. As she descended to the ground she became acutely aware of how numb her body was. She felt as if a weighted blanket was covering her, blocking her body from any semblance of feeling.

As she struggled to piece her thoughts together she felt herself be guided through a series of tents, past ponies in uniforms and stretchers filled with weary pegasi.

Someone offered her a bottle of water and she accepted it. The water trickled down her throat, cool and refreshing, and she relished the feeling as life slowly bled back into existence around her.

Her ear twitched as a weight was added to her cot, and she turned to see a familiar figure sitting next to her, their right wing wrapped in a bandage. “Hey!”

And just like that, the weariness and exhaustion came crashing down on Lightning. “Derpy?” Her voice was hoarse and weak. “What… what happened?”

“You did it!” Derpy replied, hugging her tightly. “You guys kept the hurricane in check long enough for the Wonderbolts to get here. Lightning, you were amazing! You were up there for almost an hour!”

“An… hour?” Lightning blinked, shifting on the cot and feeling a dull ache in both of her wings.

Derpy nodded, putting a hoof on Lightning’s withers. “You saved the town, Lightning. I’m proud of you.”

Lightning blinked a few times. “Yeah,” she croaked with a small smile. “I… I’m proud of me too.”

And with that, they laughed as the storm died around them.

It was a beautiful day to take the fall.

Lightning Dust stood on the edge of the cliff, staring down into the shadows below. She extended her wings and felt the wing kiss the tips of her feathers, caressing them with the graceful touch of a seasoned lover.

She closed her eyes and sighed. The sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves soothed her and she relished in their familiarity.

But one pesky thought pierced her private heaven, forcing the smile on her face to waver.

Before she could even finish forming it, however, the touch against her wing became physical, and Lightning opened her eyes to see Derpy next to her, brushing her wing against Lightning’s own.

Derpy smiled at Lightning, and it was warm and young and perfect. “Easy, Lightning,” she tittered, eyes drifting up to the clouds. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself before you’ve recovered.”

Lightning chuckled, folding her wings. “I won’t.”

“Good. You’re going to need those wings if you want to get into the Rebounds A-Team,” Derpy said, tossing her mane.

“Really?” Lightning raised an eyebrow. “Who said I wanted to join?”

“After everything I’ve done for you, you better join,” Derpy answered, trotting over to the edge. “Come on! I want to see what you got!”

Lightning took a hesitant step forwards, but her eyes fell to the ground before she made it. But before she could voice a word, Derpy took her hoof. She smiled again and Lightning couldn’t help but smile back. She let Derpy guide her to the edge of the cliff, and they stood on its edge together.

Standing next to Derpy she felt strong. She felt whole. Reunited with her dream and ready to take on the world.

Derpy looked up at Lightning. “Are you ready?”

Lightning looked down then back at Derpy. “Ready.”

With hooves interlocked, they closed their eyes and jumped.

And Lightning Dust took the fall.

End