Why Me...?

Lightning Bolt stood upon the edge of the Everfree Forest, his eyes widen of a truth he never thought was real. King Sombra—his father. As though struck, the news hit him hard and he was shocked and confused. Sombra's words rung in his head, a scary request: His voice, hitting low and cold, had spoken into the back of his skull. "Accept the shadow in you. It's your birthright." Inside of Lightning was the dark magic, calling him to something darker, more dangerous, than ever.

But how could he do that? They were his friends. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, and the others. Could he really betray them and live in his fathers shadow? He then faced fear of rejection from her and her friends. He felt trapped between what was true about his family and the life he have created with Twilight. But then he knew what he had to say.

"No I will not betray Twilight, you jackass!" Lightning told him in a low, powerful voice. "She has done much for me, I will not turn my back on her"

The King's looks turned even colder, and Sombra looked at Lightning with hostility. "Fine… you're a weak stallion, just like I thought... Bitch" he said, sharply. "The darkness within can't be defeated but remember, it's going to take over Lightning, you’ll come to me either out of your own choice or out of your own brokenness.” Into the shadows Sombra vanished, like some dark spell, as his words stayed in the air.

Lightning felt heavy from his father's had threat. Standing all alone in the Everfree Forest. He felt the darkness was trying to close in in on all sides. He had to get the hell out of the goddamn forest far away from this so called father of his and the promises he had made. His hooves felt familiar and heavy in the dirt, and he went forward. He felt stable, despite the magic within him, a force he could not deny, but a force that now spoke in gentle voice to the back of his mind. For whatever reason, he wasn't Sombra's pawn, not now, not ever. He had to move forward. He thought about losing Twilight and the others.

After hours through the trees, through the flat, distant lights that he saw what he knew were the familiar lights of Ponyville. That invisible chain around his heart pulled tight, even now as he neared the safety of home, as he neared home—couldn't he feel Sombra's words even now? His thoughts clouded as he slowed.

"How I am supposed to stop this?" Looking at his shadow, which looks darker than it should be, he whispered. "Is it even possible?" He was scared, Sombra’s warnings mended in his mind. No matter what he tried, the magic only grew more powerful. He didn't know how to fight it or even if he was able to fight it. He thought of Twilight, but then. He couldn't let her see him this way?

Would she still trust him if she found out?

The idea of losing her, of losing everything, felt unbearable.

But keeping the secret was eating him alive.

Wouldn't Twilight understand, right? He wasn't so sure if it was even a good idea. His fear of getting told he was no good outweighed his fear of Sombra's pain; he'd seen the pain she'd inflicted. Nonetheless, He rejected his offer for his friends. "Could they help me end this? Could they stop Sombra's control at all? Is this the end?" He asked himself many questions.

As he does that, A soft voice broke the stillness, and he had wrestled with these questions while he heard it.

"Bolt? What are you doing out here?"

Twilight stood behind him and Lightning whirled around to face her. There was a concern across her face and the moonlight painted her gently. Lightning's heart skipped for a moment at the fear that maybe she had heard his inner battle.

"T-Twilight!" attempting to hide his confusion, he stuttered. "I was just. thinking."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, not convinced. "Thinking? Out here alone in the dark?" Looking up at him, she approached. "Are you okay? You seem... concerned".

A smile, forced by Lightning, but it didn't feel real. "Yeah, I'm alright. "I guess I just needed some fresh air," I said. The look of concern didn’t disappear from Twilight’s face, only softening. "You don't even need to worry about keeping secrets from me, do you? I'm here for whatever it is." Lightning's chest felt tight. She was giving him exactly what he needed, a friend to confide in. He could never open up to her though. What would he say to her, the truth that would break everything? He didn’t want to tell her, but he swallowed hard. He looked down and said quietly, "I know Twi. But. you don't have to be afraid of it. That’s just me worrying too much, that’s all."

She looked at him for a moment, she could tell he was lying but she didn't ask any more questions. "Okay," she said softly. "Promise me you won't keep me away, alright? You don’t have to do it all alone."

The word felt hollow as Lightning nodded and said, "I promise." She smiled, still worried, but nods back and turned to her castle. Lightning felt guilty where he stood and watched as she disappeared into the distance. How much longer would this charade go on? How long would he continue to lie to her and to himself? He walked all the way back to his house but the streets of Ponyville were just as familiar and it didn’t help that he lied to Twilight. He looked to up there in the sky, the moon, and long dark shadows that seemed to go on forever.

His secret, becoming heavier and heavier, pressed down from all directions as he step inside his home, the silence made a mockery out of itself. He walked over to his desk and stared at the empty journal in front of him. The quill was still there, and it was still waiting, but he could not make himself write. He thought to himself. maybe, maybe I’ll tell them, but even as the words left his lips, he knew he was too far from the truth. Too dangerous. Too uncertain. Pushing the journal aside, he sighed. “Tomorrow.... I’ll figure it out tomorrow.” He finally went to bed, and the room was as dark as the storm inside of him. But he could not sleep, and had a hard time closing his eyes. Sombra's words, his heavy feeling, his shadow within him, his secret he held inside his mind throbbed relentlessly. Eventually he drifted off to sleep. In that fashion, lying down, the night would not end in all serenity and relief as he hope for.