Why Me...?

Lightning's hooves were trembling ever so slightly, the gravity of the situation weighing upon him more than he'd anticipated. The Mane 6 were looking at him, their expressions a blend of confusion and worry, their eyes rapidly switching between him and the lingering dark magic in the air.

Rainbow Dash, ever direct, stood with her hooves crossed and head cocked. "You want to tell me why you zapped out Sombra like magic?" she asked with suspicion in her voice.

Lightning pulled back his jaw to respond, "Well I-" but Applejack cut him off. "And why you darn ran off like a dog chasin' a squirrel, huh?" She shook her head back and forth and eyed him suspiciously.

"If you will let me ju-" Lightning started, to be interrupted by the smooth but slightly anxious voice of Twilight. "Bolt, you're acting so weird right now."

The urgency of their questioning was already annoying him. His thoughts were disorganized, his head spinning, and he could do nothing but think about the ringing in his ears. Tell them the truth? I don't. I can't tell them now. Not in this state.

And then, in the flash of a lightning bolt, Lightning couldn't hold it back. "OH MY FUCKING CELESTIA, STOP!" His voice broke, the frustration pouring out as he rubbed his hooves on his temples, trying to shift the burden of the moment.

There was a pause. The Mane 6 all froze, shocked at his tantrum. Lightning just stood there, eyes screwed up tight, his heart thudding in his chest. He could only hear his own breathing, but the harsh truth slapped him in the face, he was trapped. They weren't going to back down until he came up with something.

And at last, he drew breath, the burning stares of his friends upon him. I can run no longer. I'll have my way and report to you about it. He had his hooves rub his temples, straightened a little and lowered his head to meet their faces, fearing that they were.

"Okay, okay," he told her, his voice softer now, but still with a hint of irritation. "You want to know? Sombra. cursed me. He... he placed an irreversible curse on me." Lightning's voice shook slightly as he went on, but he persevered, attempting to sound as plausible as he could. "It's... it's why I've been acting strangely. I've been trying to figure out how to remove it, but it's... it's too strong. I can't stop it."

He struggled to take a steady breath, fighting to keep his voice consistent. "That's why I left in the first place. I didn't want anyone to get hurt, but I have no idea what it's doing to me. I didn't want you all to see me like this."

Twilight and the rest stared at him in shocked silence. Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow, obviously suspicious but keeping quiet for the moment. Applejack shared a look with her, yet neither of them appeared to be convinced.

"You're tellin' us Sombra cursed ya?" Applejack inquired, a touch of incredulity creeping into her voice. "And you didn't think to mention this to us sooner?"

Lightning's mind went haywire for a solution. "I didn't know what to say to you," he chattered nervously, his eyes flicking back and forth between them. "I didn't want you to ... you know... think I was dangerous."

Rainbow Dash's face softened somewhat, but a lingering distrust continued to lurk in her eyes. "We're your friends, Bolt," she said softly. "You know we'd help you, no matter what.".

He nodded, appreciating the support, but he could not allow them to comprehend the truth. Not now. Not when he feared what it would cost him.

"I know," Lightning said, his voice softer now. "I know. But I couldn't take the chance. I couldn't lose all of you."

Twilight went on, her face still a blend of worry and puzzlement. "But you don't have to hide from us. We can work this out together."

Lightning forced a tiny, trembling smile. "I'm not hiding. I just… I didn't know how to tell you."

There was a silence, and then at last, Twilight had trust in him, even though the concern did not leave her eyes. "Alright, but we will help you with that. We will figure out how to break the curse. You don't have to suffer through this alone."

Lightning nodded, but inside himself, he could feel the knot tightening in his chest. He had lied to them, had told them a story that wasn't quite true, and he hated himself for it. But he had to.

Lightning's eyes flashed back and forth between his friends, their faces a blend of resolve and anxiety. He felt the pressure of their gaze, the gentle nudge that impelled him to let go, to tell the truth. But he was not ready to do so. Not now. Not like this.

He breathed again, attempting to calm himself down, before he lifted a hoof, restraining himself. "I… I just need a minute. Alone. To clear my head, okay?"

Twilight's face relaxed, her eyes full of sympathy, but the concern in them was not ignored. "Bolt… are you Sure? You don't have to do this alone. We are all here for you."

Lightning introduced a small, comforting smile. "I know you want to help. But I need to get my head on straight. I'll be back in a minute."

There was an eternity of silence as his friends looked at each other. Rainbow Dash had opened her mouth to speak, but Applejack shut her up with a soft hoof on the shoulder. At last, Rainbow nodded, though she still looked uncomfortable.

"Okay, Bolt. We'll wait here," Rainbow replied, her voice softer still. "Just. don't stray too far off, okay?"

Lightning's heart pounded in his chest as he nodded, his mind however crying to run. Run and dont look back before it's too late.

He unfolded his wings, rising off the ground. He flew silently away, the wind whipping across his face as he soared higher and higher until Ponyville was a small little dot on the ground far beneath him.

He needed time. Time to think. Time to push the suffocating weight of his lies out of his mind, even for a moment. He needed space to breathe without worrying about the truth leaking out, without the crushing weight of what he was doing bearing down on him.

The warm hollowness welcomed him as he soared ever farther away from the pack, the shadow magic humming through his system like a soothing, subtle melody. Having come to a spot of isolation close to the edge of the Everfree Forest, he landed silently, tucking in his wings about him.

Why am I doing this?" he grumbled to himself, scratching at his face once more. "Why can't I be truthful with them? Why can't I tell them what I truly am?"

He glared at the ground beneath his hooves, his thoughts drifting aimlessly as he attempted to dispel the gnawing fear eating away at the back of his mind.

He panted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I can do it."

And even as the doubt clouded his mind, another portion of him knew that he could not hide forever. The problem was, How much longer can I continue to lie to them? What should I do?

Lightning flew on automatic, his wings beating in a rhythmic pulse as his mind whirled in a mad spiral. The familiar view of Ponyville had already faded behind him. Despite the wind still raging around him, the storm raging inside him was only becoming more boisterous, a sound of rumbling thunder leading up to the storm.

He could no longer remain there. Not in Ponyville. Not under the constant stress of having to keep such a massive deception that it was suffocating him from the inside out. He needed some time off, somewhere no one knew him or his secrets, where he could clear his head and decide what to do next.

Finally, his flight brought him to a small, quiet diner on the outskirts of town. The neon sign outside, framed in a soft circle of light, read "Honey Sweet's Diner ," a place where the frantic world of Ponyville seemed to fade away. It wasn't a place he visited very often, but it looked. safe. It didn't amount to much, just a little, no-frills diner with a handful of tables and a cozy, down-to-earth atmosphere, but to Lightning, it was a refuge, a place where he could just be himself.

He landed softly in the alley, out of the sight of the passing handful of ponies. His wings folded conveniently down his sides as he stepped inside the diner, his heart still burdened by doubt.

As he stepped inside, the doorbell rang and got the pony at the counter's notice. The owner, a middle-aged earth pony mare with a friendly smile, invited him in welcomingly.

"Well, well, if it isn't stormy alicorn himself. What can i get you today, kid?" the pony welcomed with a friendly, warm voice.

Lightning's eyes wandered over the menu board, but the letters were distorted. His mind was still reeling, so much so that he had hardly even noticed that he was hungry.

“Uh… just a hayburger and fries, please. And a Lemon Lime soda,” he mumbled, his voice betraying just how much was going on in his head.

"Comin' right up," the pony replied, grabbing the order pad. "Take a seat, I’ll have it ready in no time."

Lightning nodded, moving back from the counter and sitting on the window seat. He watched out, seeing the world move by as the internal struggle still raged in him. We'll See what happens, He thought.

As Lightning was thinking how to reveal to his friends that he is Sombra son and he needs help he suddenly grasp his head in pain. when he open his eyes again he notice the diner was tinted in red and black and no pony was there.

"Hello?" Lightnings voice echoed as he looks around for somepony. When he look in front of him he saw his Twisted self sitting on the other side of his booth.

Twisted Lightning smiled "Did you miss me, Lightning?"

Lightning didn't even wanna look at his twisted reflection. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

The Twisted reflection chuckled "You think I can get to you in you sleep only? I have lots of tricks under my cape... and they can all be yours if you just let me in"

A Mind controlled Twilight enter and snuggle into Lightning's wing but he flapped her off making her disappear, "Who you think I am a pervert?! I respect mares for who they are, I don't want mares obeying me" he said

Twisted Lightning shrugged, "I just thought you would like a harem of mares, and call them your nasty, filthy, filthy, filthy bitch, but you don't like the idea... well its about time we have a nice long stallion to stallion chat" his eyes glow green as he smiled at Lightning and Lightning gulps as he knows he have no power in this state.