Why Me...?

The world was a blur of wind and turmoil, as Lightning flew over what was commonly referred to as the Everfree Forest. The sun was high, casting long shadows from below, but he barely noticed. His thoughts jumbled into a mess of dark whispers, urging him to keep running, to hide from the truth that weighed so inside his heart.

I have to get out of here, he thought with growing desperation flooding his mind. They can't know. He concentrated on the horizon-to be far from Twilight, from his friends-every pony that cared for him. The moment they were to find out about his lineage, they would think of him no more than a piece of his father's shadow.

But he lost his head in wild flight. Just as he was starting to climb, he felt a jarring impact.

"Whoa!" Lightning exclaimed, unable to control his momentum. He crashed into something solid, no... someone, the force of the collision knocking the wind out of him. Dazed, he looked up to find himself face to face with none other than King Sombra himself, the very figure he had been trying so hard to get away from.

"What do you think you are doing, my son?" Sombra's voice rumbled with dark authority, mingled with an unsettling calm. Red alicorn felt his heart racing; his spine chilled, struggling to his hooves.

"I wasn't… I didn't mean to—" he stuttered, his composure momentarily broken. Part of him wanted to turn and run, but another part inexorably drew him back into his heritage. Sombra was a familiar evil, and that was terrifying.

"Running away? That's a bad choice," Sombra said, his eyes narrowing as he studied Lightning. "You think you can hide from who you are? You're my son, and there's power in you, a legacy to be embraced."

"No, you infested cunt!" Lightning shrieked, his head shaking violently. "I don't want to be part of that! I'm not like you!" Words exploded from him in a rush of anger and fear, and he stepped backward as his wings spread for flight once more.

"Then prove it," Sombra challenged, the ghost of a dark smile playing on his lips. "Show me you're worthy of the power I've given you. You have a choice, my son. You can reject shadow calling and become weak… or you can let it consume you and become strong.

Torn between the two worlds, he took one deep breath and forced himself to see beyond Sombra's grim shadow. He envisioned Twilight, Applejack, and all of his friends who cared for him.

"No!" he shouted in defiance, turning from the oncoming darkness of Sombra. "I choose my own path!"

With newfound determination, he spread his wings wide and launched himself into the sky, leaving Sombra in his wake. The strong winds howled around him, carrying his spirits higher and higher, further from the dark echoes of his lineage and closer toward the bright light of friendship.

And with each gain in altitude, the shadow in him began to wane, the dark whispers receding in the wake of his determination. Whatever the future held, he would meet it, but not alone. More than son of Sombra, he was an alicorn forged by friendship, and he would fight to protect that bond.

At that moment, Lightning soared through the air with his heart pounding from a combination of fear and determination, he suddenly heard a familiar voice cut through the air. "Bolt! Where are you?" It was Rainbow Dash; her voice full of concern and urgency.

He froze mid-flight, panic washing over him. No, not now!, he thought, his instincts screaming for him to hide. the last thing he wanted was anypony, much less his friends, finding him in such a vulnerable state, especially after what happened with Sombra.

His horn flashed, and within second , the invisibility spell casted enveloped him in a flashing aura, wrapping him in sparkling twinkles of enchantment. He quickly fades from view, his heart racing with relief as he slipped into the shadows, unseen and unheard.

A moment later, Rainbow Dash streaked past him, her mane streaming out behind her like a comet tail. "Bolt! Where are you? I swear I saw you!" she cried again, flying in tight circles, peering around her with a furrowed brow.

Lightening held his breath, his eyes never leaving her as she did everything from the concealment of the treetops. The concern etched into fine lines in her face pulled at his heart. As much as a need to keep his secret was upon him, he felt much dismay at the thought of causing his friends to worry. They're only trying to help, he reminded himself.

Continuing his search, darting between clouds and peering into every nook, a pang hit him. He wanted to call out to her, to let her know he was alright, but the weight of his heritage weighed upon him like a heavy stone. If she knew the truth about who he was, would she still care? Would they all turn away in fear, just as Sombra had suggested?

He watched as Rainbow Dash finally slowed down, hovering in place and looking around, her wings beating steadily. "Come on, Bolt! Just show yourself!" she urged, her voice tinged with frustration and concern. "You don't have to hide! We're all worried about you!"

Her words cut deep into Lightning's heart. The warmth of her friendship shone brightly towards him, a harsh contrast to the chilling darkness Sombra had tried to cast over him. Even so, with her urging, he was still cloaked in invisibility, unsure how to face her.

She let out a deep, rumbling sigh after a few tense moments. "Fine, I'll check back at the castle. Just… please come back soon!" With that, she shot off in the direction of Twilight's castle, leaving him alone in the vast blue expanse of the sky.

In his mind, he heard her voice still, even when that voice faded out of earshot, and something inside of him clicked. He couldn't keep hiding forever, not from his friends and not from himself. The invisibility spell faded completely, and he was again in the open air, feeling the warmth of the sun on his wings. Taking another deep breath, Lightning steeled himself and decided to head back toward the castle. I have got to face this, he felt determination flood his veins. I must do this. alone

Flying towards the castle with his heart racing with determination and dread, suddenly he had the overwhelming urge to retreat once more. He needed a moment just to clear his thoughts, work his way through the mess in his head. Wanting desperately to block out the storm of emotions going on inside him, he chose once more to hide.

Finding a secluded grove, he landed softly among the trees, their branches casting gentle shadows over him. He breathed deeply to calm his racing heart, pulled out his journal with a flick of his horn, and let the magic manifest in a soft glow. The journal was always a safe place for him, a place where he could pour his thoughts, fears, and hopes without judgment. Maybe writing will help.

As the familiar book appeared in front of him, he opened to a blank page. The page seam to call out for his words. Puffed a quill and hovered over the paper for some time, with the usual problems of finding just the right words.