Chapters It was another fairly normal day at the Cloudsdale Weather Cooperation. Apart from the sound of nothing. Does nothing have a sound? Maniacal laughter broke the silence, followed by lightning and thunder, and more maniacal laughter. Rainbow Dash had gotten a little more crazy with every passing day, ever since the tragic death of Pinkie Pie, who for whatever reason took her own life. Well technically Pinkamena Diane Pie killed Pinkie but considering they're the same person, it doesn't really matter.
Rainbow thought that with Pinkie gone there'd be nopony that would want to play with her or prank other ponies. So Rainbow Dash became obsessed with mechanical engineering and quantum physics wanting to build a new best friend. She called it the B-185 the 185 standing for how many failed attempts she'd had, the B? Well she didn't even know what that stood for. Probably something awesome.
She didn't actually expect it to work but instead of another Pinkie Pie, after lightning was desecrating the sky, Dash pushed a button and to pincer-like robotic arms came down and got closer and closer until they were practically touching, and a small little spark was igniting in between them, then they spark started expanding, pretty soon it took on the form of a pony. Not a Pinkie Pie but a very scared and confused green pegasus little colt with a crazy black and white mane and tail looking up at her, "Ummm, hey there?" the little foal flinched at her voice and started to stand but failed.
"Hey, hey, it's okay I'm not gonna hurt you." Dash said a little quieter than before, and before she realised what he was doing, he leapt up and hugged her, and Dash was surprised to find herself hugging the scared foal back. If she didn't know any better Dash being first face that this little pegasus saw he know thought she was his mother, this colt she brought into the world with science hoping it would be a normal sized pony but no, she got this. A scared little colt who thought she was his mother, she kinda liked that. She would raise this colt like her own...even though it was her own, technically. He was her son. But she couldn't let anypony know what he really was, even if that meant keeping it from him. "I won't let anything happen to you," the little colt just looked at her with a look of understanding. Now I'm gonna need something to call ya she thought. Green Lightning! I call you Green Lightning! She wasn't crazy anymore either, she had a little foal to support.
"Hey Green Lightning!" Dash said to the little colt, who looked up at her and nuzzled against her. She realised she'd have to tell everypony about her son... and not tell them he was a robot, school would probably be the most difficult time for him and she couldn't home school him, she had a job! But the worst part she was dreading was having to tell her friends she was a mum now, and didn't even have a coltfriend or husband. She looked down at Lightning, "can you fly yet buddy?" she didn't know if he could even understand her but then he spread his wings and started to flap. Faster and faster he was flapping... and wasn't going anywhere but a few centimetres off the ground. "I'll take that as a 'no', well come on up!" she said whilst kneeling down for him to jump up on her back, she expected him to be heavy being a robot but surprisingly enough he wasn't. He weighed about the same as any other foal. This Rainbow was happy for. "You ready?" Dash said to Lightning who said something back that sounded like an agreement Rainbow took off slower than usual considering she had a foal on her back, and headed down to Ponyville.
*****
She thought she could tell her friends about him, but just leave out the bit where he's a robot, After she had told all her friends to come to Twilight's because 'she had a surprise for them' When Dash told them that she was a mother and had a son, there had been some mixed reactions...
"What! Ya'll crazy ya can't even look after yaself, how ya expect to look after a foal! And how do you even have a son!? Which stallion do ah have to beat up for defiling my friend!?" Applejack blurted out.
"AJ no one defiled me!"
"Well I think he's cute! Look at him!" Fluttershy said defiantly, trotting over to Lightning "Hey there little guy." Lightning looked up to her and smiled, hugging her leg.
"Wow! I think he likes you Shy!" Dash said to the other pegasus.
"Darling I always knew you'd make an excellent mother!" Rarity exclaimed.
"What's that meant to mean!" Dash said raising an eyebrow.
"Hey Dash, he looks nothing you," Twilight interrupting, pointed out "shouldn't he look like you...even a little bit?"
"Well he's adopted!" Dash argued.
"Oh, okay. What made you wanna suddenly be a mother?"
"I dunno I just...guess I need a little guy in my life." Dash said not looking her in the eye.
"Okay. This isn't because Pinkie died is it?"
"Of course not."
"Oh I'm sorry I'm suddenly asking you all these questions it's just...I...ummmm would like to do a little book on parenting."
"It's okay Twi, really. I'm gonna take Lightning home now he's getting a little sleepy, and I don't think I'd be much help with your parenting, I'm no expert in the matter." She then turned to the others and said "Bye girls!"
"Bye Rainbow Dash." They all said, then they all whispered "Bye Green Lightning, sweet dreams." Rainbow smiled at this.
"Alright kiddo!" she said picking up her son "Let's go!"
*****
Once they got back home, Dash tucked Lightning into a smaller cloud bed, a kissed him on his forehead, "g'night buddy."
What happened next almost knocked Rainbow over from shock but Lightning looked up to his mother and said "Night night mummy." Rainbow just smiled, she was glad she installed a Plutonium Ion processing unit to speed up his learning rate so originally be able to take in Ponyville Society and learn how to talk to other ponies, but now it would just help him learn much faster than other foals his age, she would need to put him in school though, she hoped that nopony picked on him because if they did she would beat the living daylights out of them.
As Rainbow Dash crawled into bed and waited for sleep to claim her, she looked over at Green Lightning and smiled, now she had a son. And she wasn't going to let anything happen to him.
It had been almost a week since Dash had brought a son into the world, and he was learning fast, really fast, he was quite the talker too. She then thought that she didn't need to send him to school, but it was the law. She wondered if she could put him in school earlier, she had to introduce him to Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, but maybe another time when he's a little older she couldn't imagine what horrors those Cutie Mark Crusaders would get up to with Lightning.
Or if he went to school he'd meet them anyway, but now she was on her way to work, being a WonderBolt is really hard work. She had left Lightning with Fluttershy for the day...she hoped that her son would be okay without her. As Dash sped towards Cloudsdale for her daily routine she couldn't help but wonder how Lightning was doing, if at the speed he was learning at, he'd probably be flying soon then she might be allowed to take him to work with her so he could watch her fly around the recruits giving out orders to them, she was so distracted she didn't see the pole in front of her and flew straight into it.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash. Yah right!?" Soarin' yelled to her after seeing her get distracted and crash into the pole.
"Yeah Soarin' I'm fine."
"Oh. Well okay then" he then turned to leave but looked back at Dash and said "Say hi to Lightning for me."
"Will do!" She called back. Nearly everypony in Ponyville now knew of Dash's son, some ponies just can't keep a secret!
Lightning sat on Fluttershy's couch in her cottage waiting for his mother to come and get him and bring him back home. Fluttershy was making lunch for them both when she asked "Do you want a sandwich Lightning?" Lightning nodded back, his mum said not to talk to anypony yet, he didn't know why but he had his suspiciousness, but he did it anyway. While Fluttershy was making lunch there was a knock at the door, Lightning got up and went over to the door and knocked back acting cute, he liked acting cute (it was funny). There was three knocks at the door this time, Lightning knocked back three, when all of a sudden his mother burst through the door startling him making him squee and jump back, when he realised who it was he started giggling, Rainbow scooped him in her hooves and cooed "hello Lightning, did you miss me?" Lightning gave his mother a stern look, she knew he didn't like being cooed at. "Sorry," she whispered "but it's kinda funny."
Fluttershy came into the room with lunch when she saw Dash with Lightning she gasped "Oh, if I knew you were coming early I would of made more lunch!"
"I didn't know I was coming either, but I got off work earlier...so here I am." Dash replied. Lightning let out a big yawn signalling that he wanted to go home. "Well looks like somepony's tired, come on let's go home Lightning," she then turned to Fluttershy and said "Thanks for looking after him Shy."
"Oh, that's okay. I'd be happy to do it again," she said in her usually quiet voice, she then lowered her voice a little more and said "If that's okay with you."
"Shy, of course it's okay with me"
Fluttershy's face lit up at this statement.
"But...can't let this lunch go to waste." Dash said digging into a dandelion sandwich, and also handing one to Lightning being a nice mother and all.
After they had lunch Dash and Lightning said goodbye to Fluttershy, not that Lightning actually said anything, just waved, they headed back home. As Rainbow and Lightning entered their house he asked the one of the questions Dash knew was coming "Why can't I talk to anypony?"
"Well...because...It's because you're learning too fast and a foal of your age usually doesn't...talk." She replied back with some difficulty.
"Oh...okay mum, I understand." Lightning said plainly.
A look a surprise came across Dash's face, she didn't think It'd be that easy, "You do?" she asked Lightning.
"No. Not really, but as you said 'I'm learning faster than ordinary foals,' I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually..." he said back.
Dash feared for the day he actually found out, and discovered she was keeping this from him, and she hoped his reaction wouldn't be, too bad. Watching as Lightning went up to his room, which was the spare room originally, Dash thought how she would tell him what she'd been keeping from him and how he'd react to it. On her way to bed, she just felt completely and utterly drained of energy, from work and caring for a foal...that was practically independent now anyway, just couldn't reach high things, imagine how much trouble he'd get in when he started flying. Dash would have to introduce him to those Cutie Mark Crusaders, but then again Dash wasn't sure if Lightning could get a cutie mark, considering he's a robot and all maybe she could give him an upgrade. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, Dash was smiling to herself she flipped onto her bed, tomorrow she would teach her son to fly...
Lightning was awoken from his mother yelling in ears "Get up! Get up! Get up!" He looked at her face and then buried his face in his pillow and said something that was muffled from the pillow. "I'm sorry what was that?" Dash asked sarcastically.
Lightning turned his head to the side and said "Five more minutes?" less muffled.
"Ha, Ha! Nope! Come on! I'm gonna teach you to fly!" at hearing this news Lightning jumped out of bed and started jumped all around the room asking when they were to get started. Dash looked at Lightning's green eyes and saw the determination in his eyes and was reminded of her eyes.
Outside, Dash was instructing Lightning to fly "just flap your wings, start off slowly then build up until you're in the air."
Lightning nodded once and then flapped his wings as Dash had instructed, getting faster and faster until he was in the air doing flips and barrel rolls, he looked down at his mother and yelled "Hey Mum up here! Come on, I'll race ya!"
Dash didn't have to be asked twice, she bolted up to him "You're on squirt!"
They raced around Ponyville, through clouds and over mountains they raced so much until Dash couldn't go any more. Lightning on the other hand wouldn't stop. He was so full of energy. When he noticed Dash laying on the ground however, he went up to her and poked her face only to be met by a grunt from her. "Uh...Mum, ya right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine buddy...just a little," she stopped to catch her breath, "exhausted, maybe we should head home."
"What!? Head home? But why can't we loo-"
They were interrupted by a surprised gasp, they looked over to see Rarity looking at them mouth agape, "Did Lightning just talk!?" she said, obviously confused.
"Uh...no!" Dash quickly snapped back.
"Yes he did! He just spoke to you! Explain yourself now!" Rarity said, after recovering from Dash's small outburst.
"Uh, Mum said it was because I learn fast or something, I'm just really smart!" he said with a cheesy smile.
Rarity then took Rainbow Dash aside and whispered "He shouldn't be learning this fast, it's not normal. Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake can't talk yet and then how is it tha-"
"You guys do know that I can hear you!" Lightning interrupted.
Dash chuckled slightly at this, his enhanced hearing was also one of the good things that came with being a...robot. Smile quickly fading, Dash realised that eventually she had to tell him, and if he would accept it.
"Uh, anyway... it's getting late and Lightning here is getting tired," right on cue Lightning let out a long yawn and rubbed his eyes, "so we'll see ya later Rarity."
Then Lightning and Dash sped off together racing for home laughing to themselves. When they arrived home late that night, Dash decided now and then that she would tell Lightning the truth, "Uh, umm... Lightning I have something to tell you."
Lightning at hearing this went and sat down on the cloud couch, Dash came and sat next to him, "You may of been made..." Dash hoping that that was good enough looked at Lightning's blank expression and continued, "your a...robot." she said trying to hold back tears but failing.
Dash was surprised when Lightning said "I know. I just wanted to hear it from you, and I still love you either way, cos your my mummy." he then leapt up and hugged Dash's neck, and Dash hugged him back, "But do I still need to go to school?"
"Nah! I wouldn't do that to you" Lightning head drooped at her response, "or ya know...unless you want to"
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Lightning yelled excitingly, jumping all around Dash. He then stopped and looked up at her and said "Will I still grow?"
"I'm not sure, if there's no change in your body structure then I'll add some Turbo-Ionic infusers to increase yo-"
"Hey mum, I may be smart and all, but you're not making any sense."
Dash just smiled, "You'll have to wait a while first before going into school." Which was met by an 'awwww' from the little green pegasus. "I'm sorry dude, but foals don't usually attend school"
"Then use your infusing tool thing-a-ma-jiggy!"
Dash sighed, "Kid, I don't know what they'll do to ya!"
"Pleeeeeease!!!???" Lightning looked at her with those green puppy eyes.
"Fine." Dash said hesitantly.
A couple of hours later Dash and Lightning had made it to the Cloudsdale Weather Corperation, it was quiet...too quiet, the place was completely deserted, it made Lightning stay closer to Dash, who was treading more carefully than usual, "The
testing chamber should be just up ahead." Rainbow said breaking the silence.
"O-okay..." Lightning nervously replied.
They walked for about five more minutes where they came across a door that had in big bold letters 'TESTING FACILITY' as Dash went through the door, Lightning slowly and cautiously followed. "So Lightning, you could say...you were born here." Dash said unemotionally, this place brought back bad memories.
She then walked up to a stainless steel table and motioned for Lightning to get on it, who did as instructed. Walking over to a small cupboard she opened it and pulled out what Lightning presumed to be the 'Turbo-Ionic infusers' they looked like big metal cylinders with some sort of green goo inside them, Dash then started explaining things, but Lightning wasn't listening he was too busy looking around the room.
"...and these infusers have unicorn magic to power them so I don't know what'll happen when it's injected into your main power carbon." Dash then paused, looked at Lightning and said "You ready?"
Lightning nodded and felt the table being lifted upwards, Dash then plugged some cords into the infusers and stood back.
Lightning felt something closing around his legs and something secure his muzzle in place "Uh, Mum...what's happening?"
"Just try to relax, should be over soon, if you try to struggle...bad stuff could happen."
"Um, okay."
Lightning then felt an extreme burning sensation in his chest, he tried looking down but was restricted from the restraint on his muzzle keeping his head down. Now relaxed, the pain was starting to disappear, and he could feel his prosthetic muscles moving and growing within him. He could feel his muzzle growing out, his legs expanding and stretching, he even noticed small minuscule changes like slight change in eye colour; going from light green to a slightly darker shade.
As the table started descending the restraints keeping him in place started loosening, Lightning then just moved slightly and they came off properly. Dash ran over to Lightning once the table was all the way down, "How do you feel?" she asked with a worried expression.
"Taller." Was his response.
“Taller?” Dash questioned, “Just taller? You don’t feel nauseas, or an increase in your-“
“You know whatever you’re saying I’m not understanding a word of it.” Lightning interrupted.
“That didn’t make any sense Lightning.” Dash said with a touch of concern, “Maybe going to school will be good for you, it’ll improve your speech.”
“There isn’t nothing wrong with my speaking.”
“Yeah. Now let’s get home, you got a big day tomorrow!”
“Kay!” Lightning said enthusiastically, then following his mother out of the facility, they flew straight home careful not to draw attention to themselves.
When they eventually got home the first thing Lightning did was trudge up the cloud stairs go into his room and slump down into his bed, fast asleep before he even hit the pillow. Dash let out a sigh, Lightning’s little ‘operation’ must’ve taken a lot out of him, she then too decided to hit the hay. They had a big day tomorrow, but mainly Lightning, school was tough after all.
As Dash lay in bed she thought back to when she was in Junior Flight Camp which was her school, the camp has now been disbanded. Her memories of Flight Camp were not overly fond ones, apart from getting her cutie mark. She hoped that Green Lightning didn’t get picked on at school, if he did…she was sure he could take care of it.
When Celestia’s sun arose and swapped places with the moon, Dash awoke immediately. She got out of bed and went down the hallway to Lightning’s room to find him…not there. Automatically she began to panic, she went downstairs quickly and all her panic disappeared. There he was sitting at the table with a mouthful of breakfast. Dash went up to him and ruffled his hair, which got him to groan in annoyance, “Mum! Stop it! My hair is perfectly fine the way it is!”
Dash was startled by the sudden outbreak and then smiled, “Well you got a big day today! So you better get ready.”
Lightning’s only response was “Uh-huh.”
As Dash and Lightning descended from Dash’s cloud house Dash was explaining to Lightning “You can’t let anypony know you’re my kid, kay?” Lightning nodded his agreement, “And don’t let anypony know you’re a robot. Might freak them out.”
“Um, okay. I just don’t feel good lying to everypony.”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to lie just don’t tell them everything.”
Lightning looked up at Dash unsurely, and asked "Can I say you're my cousin?"
Dash pondered on this...hmmmm...pondering. "Yeah that sounds alright, oh and if anypony gives you a hard time you either tell Miss Cherilee, or you turn your little flank around and walk away."
"Ummmm. Okay, but I dunno why somepony would not like me, I'm so lovable." Lightning said with a cheesy smile.
"Yeah, alright. Now get going you big boofhead! Ya gonna be late!"
******
Lightning flew as fast as he could towards the school house, which was accelerated by the nitrous oxide flowing into his ventilation, or at least...that's what his mother said. All he knew is that this stuff made him go fast!
When Lightning made it to the school house there stood a dark pink mare, with a curly light pink and white mane and tail. "Why hello there." She said looking down at Lightning.
"Uh, hi. Is this school?"
"Why yes it is, is this your first day?" Lightning nodded his response, "Well come on in and introduce yourself. Oh silly me I forgot to ask for your name dear."
"Ah...it's Green Lightning." He said.
"What a lovely name, come on in then." Lightning followed Cherilee into the school house and saw a class full of other colts and fillies, in the front row he saw three fillies that must've of been those Cutie-Mark Crusaders mum was talking about. He then realised that Cherilee was introducing him to everypony, "Well class, I want everypony to give a warm welcome to our newest classmate Green Lightning."
He then felt the stares of the whole class beating down on him, "Uh...hello?" he then took an empty seat next to a small orange pegasus with small wings, and purple mane and tail. He started thinking to himself 'why'd I have to sit next to a girl...I can't talk to girls, I don't know how to deal with this!'
"Hi, I'm Scootaloo!"
'AAAAHHH!!! She's speaking to me! What do I do! Talk to her! Wha I can't do that! Just say something, say hi, nice to meet you? Uh okay I will.' When Lightning recovered from his argument with...himself? he turned to Scootaloo and said "Um, yeah hi! I'm...uh, Green Lightning!" smiling weakly.
Scootaloo then noticed his lack of a cutie-mark and suggested "Hey! You don't have a cutie-mark either?"
"Uh. No. I guess I don't."
"Aren't you worried about being teased about it?"
"I don't really care. If somepony says something about it to me I'll just ignore them." Lightning said shifting his gaze ever so slightly.
"Oh wow!" Scootaloo exclaimed.
"Now anyway! You can talk after class." Interrupted Cherilee, emitting a few giggles from the other kids, a smile from Scootaloo, and Lightning's blushing face. Lightning quickly turned away so nopony could see his face.
After class and during break Scootaloo met up with the rest of the CMC and told them about Green Lightning's lack of a cutie-mark, and they agreed that he had to complete the inanition task.
"When he talked to me...it was like didn't know how to." Scootaloo explained to the others.
"Maybe he's shy and doesn't know how to talk to girls?" Sweetie Belle suggested.
"Really!? Oh my Gosh, that's so cute!" Scootaloo squeed.
"Hey Scoots, Ya should go talk to 'im." Said Apple Bloom.
"Really? Why?" Scootaloo asked.
"Because he Likes you!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.
Scootloo blushed a little at her comment which she instantly regretted doing because right beside her Sweetie Belle gasped and leaned in closer and said "You like him too!?" raising an eyebrow...or at least trying to.
"WHAT!?" Scoots said weakly trying to defend herself from having to answer to her friends.
Lightning was walking around the schoolyard when he heard a loud "WHAT!?" and it sounded like Scootaloo! 'quick dude hurry, save the damsel in distress! No, no, no! I don't know how to deal with something like this. Just go, and if she doesn't need your help then whatever! Okay then!'
Lightning went to the source of the yell to find Scootaloo cowering before two other fillies, one; a white unicorn with the same hairstyle and colour as Cherilee, and the other was yellow with a red mane and tail, she had a pink bow in her mane too.
Lightning went to step in front of them and said shakily "Um, don't...stop...leave Scootaloo alone..." he then realised who he was talking to. "Ah, girls!" he said and then quickly jumped into the nearest bush.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each and then simultaneously burst into laughter, which made the bush whimper, they stopped laughing. It wasn't the bush that was whimpering and now sobbing it was Lightning. Scootaloo picked herself up off the ground and made her way over to the crying bush.
Scoots made her way around the bush to see Lightning clutching his back legs with his forelegs and slightly rocking back and forth, sobbing with intervals to breathe. Scootaloo put her hoof on his shoulder which made him flinch, he slowly looked up with tears blurring his vision into the smiling face of Scootaloo. "What's wrong? Why were you crying?" she asked.
Lightning started to open up a little "Well...well, those t-two were laughing at me, and I...I didn't know how t-to deal with that." He managed to say.
"Shhh... it's okay." Scootaloo said hugging Lightning, and shooting Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle a venomous glare, which made them run away. "So Lightning," hearing his name he lifted his head up to Scootaloo, "Wanna join the Cutie-Mark Crusaders!?"
When Lightning came home later that day he wore a large smile and the signature red CMC cape. Dash smiled when she saw the cape on him. "So...I take it you're part of the Cutie-Mark Crusaders now?"
Lightning looked up his mother and raised his eyebrow and sarcastically stated "Nah, I'm just wearing this cape with the CMC logo on it because I feel like it!"
"Don't be getting sarcastic with me, you do that again and I'll send you to your room!" she threatened him.
"Okay!" He said with a completely different tone of voice. "Yes. I got into the Cutie-Mark Crusaders," he said answering Dash's earlier question without attitude, "but I don't like the other too though, they scare me, Scootaloo's really nice and stuff..." He said, getting quieter when talking about Scootaloo.
"Oooooooo, you like her?" Dash said immaturely, being still younger than most mothers, she lacked 'experience' so sometimes she just treated her son like a friend, constantly annoying him.
"I do not!" Lightning quickly replied.
"Denial is the first stage." Dash said aggravating him further.
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Is-"
They childish argument was cut short by the doorbell ringing, "I'll get that!" Dash said, to get away from their argument. Dash opened the door to find the cross-eyed mailmare; Derpy Hooves.
"Hey Rainbow Dash! I gots mail for you!" She proudly announced, grabbing a letter from her saddlebag and handing it to Rainbow, she then attempted to fly off but landed in Dash's rainbow-waterfall which made Dash wince a little when she heard the splash (rainbows are kinda spicy) and then Derpy screamed yelling "Spicy eyes! Oh sweet Celestia!" she then licked her hoof and smiled "mmmmm its yummy, bye Dash!" she said waving to her, Dash waved back, then closed the door and walked inside.
"Hey Mum who was that!?" Lightning yelled from further in the house.
Dash came into the lounge room where their previous argument had taken place, "It was just Derpy delivering my mail. And no shouting in the house Lightning."
"Okay. So what's your mail say?" He asked.
"Well just wait and lemme open it," Dash said, then getting the envelope Derpy had given her earlier and bit the corner of it and ripped the top off, she took out the letter inside and it read;
Dear Rainbow Dash,
You have been accepted into the WonderBolts,
Greatest flyers in all of Equestria!
First training session is tomorrow, at the colosseum bright and early.
Be there...
Yours sincerely,
Spitfire
(Captain of the WonderBolts)
Dash's eyes widened, she got accepted? She never asked, how could she of gotten accepted? 'This smells fishy' she thought, her thinking was cut short by Lightning interrupting.
"Who are the WonderBolts?" Lightning questioned after looking at the letter.
Dash gasped and looked at her son, "How could you not know who the WonderBolts are!?"
"Well I am only a couple weeks old..." Lightning stated bluntly.
"Yeah I know that, but I do have posters of them all over my walls."
"I don't look at your walls; hey Mum can I have posters on my walls?"
"Maybe, depending on what they are."
"Oh you know the usual; All Levels at Once, The Living Tombstone, Oh! Oh! Oh! And Glaze"
"Who are they?" Dash asked sceptically.
"Musicians duh! Why haven't you heard of them, Glaze looks like me except she doesn't."
"Oh well maybe..." Dash didn't know who these musicians were and she was pretty sure that Lightning hasn't listened to any music, so...she just gave up. But she had some suspicions, and who really sent that letter remains a mystery.
*****
The CMC were walking through Ponyville. After school had ended, they had all went to the CMC clubhouse and held the initiation ceremony for Green Lightning. When he flew off home donning his CMC cape the rest of the gang slowly dispersed, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo walked back into town together after saying their goodbyes to Apple Bloom.
"So," Sweetie Belle began to open conversation after a while, "Now that Lightning's in the Cutie Mark Crusaders, you'll be spending a lot of time together?"
"What? NO! I mean maybe..."
"Maybe we can be Cutie Crusader Match-Makers!" Sweetie Belle proclaimed.
"We already did that with Miss Cherilee and Big Mac, and that didn't turn out so well." Scootaloo explained.
"Oh yeah..." sighed Sweetie Belle.
When they arrived at The Carousel Boutique, Sweetie Belle said goodbye to Scootaloo, and went inside.
"RARITY!!!" she yelled hoping for any indication that her big sister was home. She got one.
"WHAT!?" Rarity yelled back from further inside.
"I'M BACK FROM CRUSADING."
Rarity then walked out of dress making room with a few strands of her purple sticking up, when saw Sweetie Belle there her hair retained its natural beauty. "Oh really? And how was that? Any luck this time?"
"No, same as ever." Sweetie Belle moped, "But we got a new member!" She said regaining her cheerfulness.
"Oh really? Who is it?"
"His name's Green Lightning."
All colour left Rarity's face then, Green Lightning? But that was impossible he's still just a foal. Sweetie Belle saw her petrified sister and was about to ask if she was okay, when without warning she ran out the door. 'Rarity would never leave me alone here ' she thought 'maybe she's seeing if I can look after it, I'll take good care of it Rarity! You can count on me! Or then again, she could have just gone mad. '
Dash was just finished helping Lightning put up one of his new poster of Glaze on his cloud wall. She was a yellow Pegasus with a bright yellow and green mane, similar to Lightning’s and had a tail in the same style as Vinyl Scratch’s.
“Hey Mum reckon I can get another one?” Lightning pleaded
“Maybe.” Dash answered, “If you do well at school.” She added.
“Okay! I will!” Lightning shouted enthusiastically.
Lightning’s enthusiastic shouting was cut short by a knock at the door, Dash yelled “I’ll get it!” and went to get it. Dash opened the door to see a certain white unicorn.
“Explain yourselves NOW!!!!” She demanded.
Rainbow Dash was lost for words. What was Rarity doing here, obviously something about Green Lightning, and he was in the CMC and so was Sweetie Belle and so...oh no.
"Oh hey Rarity, fancy seeing you here." Dash then realised something, "Wait a sec, how are you even here in the first place?"
Rarity blew a strand of hair out of her face, "Oh I used that cloud-walking spell that Twilight taught me." She then regained her previous tone of voice and asked "How is he growing so fast?"
"Oh, yeah about that...you see...he's kinda...a..." Dash said tripping over her words.
"Yes, he's a what?...and no lies." Rarity asked, longingly hoping for answers.
"He's a...a..." choking on her words, she took a deep breath and admitted "robot."
Dash then looked at Rarity who had a blank expression on her face, "I said no lies!"
"I'm not lying it's the honest truth! I made him! He's my son and you can't take him away from me!" Rainbow growled with an aggressive tone.
"Dear, what would a make you think I would want to take Lightning from you?" Rarity asked.
"Well...because, um... I don't know." Dash answered. Rarity then walked up to Dash and put a hoof over her shoulder. Dash turned to face Rarity with teary eyes, "Thanks Rare. You're such a good friend."
"Now," Rarity begun, "why don't you tell me the truth about Green Lightning."
Rainbow sighed, pushed herself away from Rarity, cleared her throat and yelled ,"HE'S A MOTHER BUCKING ROBOT!!!"
Rarity was a little taken aback by her friends outburst, she pushed another stray strand of hair from her face. "Okay, okay. He's a robot. So how did you...well make him in the first place?"
"Well I mean...I didn't mean to make him." Dash stated uncomfortably.
"Whatever do you mean dear?" Rarity asked a little worried.
"He was an accident! A failed experiment!" Dash yelled.
"W-w-wha-what d-d-do you mean, accident?" Lightning stammered, coming out from Dash's yelling, "failed experiment? Is that all I am to you!?"
"Lightning!?" Dash said, choking back tears, "How much did you hear?"
"I heard enough!" Lightning informed, also trying to hold back tears. He then spread his wings and took off in no apparent direction. He was just trying to get as far as possible from Dash, the mare who claimed to be his mother, and called him a failed experiment! She'll pay...
*****
Scootaloo had been an orphan ever since her mother died and her father abandoned her. She would come to her mother's grave every Wednesday night to replace the flowers since nopony else would, which is why she was there now. Sitting in front of her mother's grave and looking at what was engraved onto the stone;
Storm Twister
loving mother and wife.
You will be remembered always,
And missed dearly.
"I miss you." Scootaloo whispered placing a bouquet of flowers at the foot of the grave. Scootaloo didn't notice the sulking silhouette of a colt a few metres away from her, staring at her.
The silhouette colt slowly came closer and still Scootaloo didn't notice. He walked right up to her and sat next her. When she still showed no signs of reacting to his presence he mumbled "Hi."
Scootaloo jumped at the voice beside her, when she realised who it was she relaxed a little, "Oh, hey Lightning. What are you doing here?"
"Running away." He admitted.
"From who?" Scoots moved a little closer to him causing both of them to blush deeply.
"Ummm... my mother..." he said shifting uncomfortably.
"Go back to her!" Scootaloo shouted at him.
"What!?" Lightning was a little surprised. Why would he want to go back to her? She called him an accident!
"Go back to her." She repeated, "I don't have my mum anymore, but you still have yours. So go back to her!"
"You don't understand!" Lightning said, turning his head away from her so she wouldn't see him crying (liquid sadness).
"Try me." She tempted.
"She called me an accident." Lightning choked.
Scootaloo covered her mouth with a hoof realising that she probably made him more sad telling him to go back...
"Whose your mother? I'll give her a piece of my mind." She told him trying her best to make him feel better.
"Mum's name is Rainbow Dash."
Scootaloo gasped, Dash? How did she- oh, he's Green Lightning I'm so stupid!
"What? Do you know her?" Lightning asked.
"You're her kid?" Scootaloo asked him who nodded in response. "But you're meant to be a baby!"
"Yeah well...I really wanted to go to school." He said wiping the tears out of his eyes.
"What does that have to d-" Scootaloo was surprised when Lightning put his hoof over her mouth, and it was cold. Almost as cold as metal. She removed his hoof and asked "Why are you so cold, it feels like metal?"
"Well actually it's Fulgurium" he corrected.
“So you’re…a robot?” She asked, clearly confused.
“Oh, ummm, yeah...I guess.” He admitted, realising his mistake.
“So I guess you can’t get your cutie mark then?” She asked, Lightning turned away for the second time not to hide his liquid sadness, but to hide his reddened face. He felt rather embarrassed that he couldn't get his cutie mark. But that's what stickers are for! Right?
"But I can still be in the Cutie Mark Crusaders can't I?" he asked, with his demeanour rising a little.
"Ummm, well you won't ever get yours...so..." his demeanour just imploded and made a black hole creating a rift in time and space, "But I guess you could help us with ideas to get ours." His demeanour reformed and made a new universe, Power Levels at 400%.
"Thank you!" Lightning yelled as her hugged Scoots almost crushing her.
"AH! Lightning...can't...breathe." She choked, and he quickly let her go and apologized.
Lightning stood back and shuffled his hoof awkwardly, "Ummm, do you reckon...-"
"Yeah?" Scoots interrupted.
"-come home with me?" he finished with an awkward smile. Lightning is awkward.
"Ummm, why?" she inquired.
"Well, I gotta apologize to my mum, she probably worried sick!" He explained, "And I just want you to come with me, to stand by and give moral support..." he trailed off.
"Ummm okay...well I would if I could." She responded. Stretching her wings slightly.
"You can't fly?" he asked.
Scootaloo pulled her wings back in and felt embarrassed, "Yeah." She admitted.
"Well climb on." Lightning instructed, crouching down.
"Are you sure?"
"Course I'm sure, I'm the son of Rainbow Dash after all there's no way that this could end badly and we'd both die a horrible, horrible death." Lightning assured.
"Great. That fills me with loads of confidence." She muttered. Now being Scootaloo's turn to feel awkward she awkwardly climbed onto Lightning's back, who took off immediately, after he made sure Scoots was safely secure on his back.
*****
Rarity had left Dash's house shortly after Lightning flew off, leaving the dishevelled mother to wallow in her pity. It started raining heavily soon after she left. Dash had given up going to go look for Lightning because he probably wouldn’t want to come back with her anyway. She was just about to go to bed when she heard a knock at the door.
The door opened to reveal a scrubby, dirty and barely recognizable Green Lightning carrying a shivering orange Pegasus who was just as filthy as he was. “Lightning!” She cried, pulling him close and squeezing the breath out of him (if he had breath). He didn’t resist the hug, instead he melted into it.
“I’m sorry I ran off Mum.” He said burying his face into her chest. “But Scootaloo here,” he motioned to the filly who was now sleeping on his back, “she helped me realise that, no matter what happens, you’re my Mum and…I still love you.”
Dash looked down at her son through the tears rolling down her face, “I know, I love you too Lightning.” She explained.
“Hey Mum can Scoots stay here?” Lightning asked.
“Ummm, only if it’s okay with her parents.” Dash answered, releasing from the hug.
“Well she doesn’t have any parents.” He retorted.
Rainbow’s mood melted then, How could this little filly survive on her own for so long she thought.
“She can have my bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.” Lightning said, about to walk up the cloud steps leading to his room.
“Why are you gonna sleep on the floor?” Dash asked, confused by her son’s sudden change in attitude.
“Because I’m an accident, and accidents belong on the floor!” he almost yelled, saying each word with hate.
Dash just stood there as Lightning walked up the stairs.
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. 