Firebolt

Chapter 1

Don't respect those who disrespect you. The growing numbers of subordinate workers at the weather factory seemed to take this idea into heart towards their captains and managers. That's why it isn't a surprise that the weather factory had yet again closed in business for another week. When will Equestria come to realize that without harmony among the workers, there is no cloud production; without cloud production, there is no rain; and without rain, there's no chance for me to show every pony once again the awesomeness of my art of lightning? Well of course there are other worse issues that can be present if the earth cannot be hydrated periodically; to name a few, higher risks of fire, more dried up lakes, warmer climate, and skyrocketing sales of ice cream.

But nonetheless, I found solace in leaning onto the comic book section stand outside of Cloudsdale supermarket, tasting the sweetness of my chocolate ice cream while the bright sun kisses my face. The busy chatter and latest gossip swarm all over the clear, blue sky concerning yesterday's flying competition and its post-celebration that honors the first place winner tomorrow afternoon at Ponyville's main square.

I lowered my sunglasses to glance at the elderly bystander picking out his bit to purchase the latest news of the weather factory and placed my own rolled up daily in front of him.

"I got you covered," I assured him and shot him a winning smile. "Oh no, don't need to thank me sir, just doing what I can to be of assistance."

And just as I expected, the gentle Pegasus grew astonished. "Hey wait a second; you're the pony who created that huge powerful lightning bolt at the flying competition."

"Ah, so you were there," I replied, chuckling at his admiration.

"Well no, but this dark blue colored pony with freckles on his cheeks told me so; quite lively if you ask me. Oh, and also that you're going to be performing almost the same feat again later this evening… with a little 'pizzazz' as he puts it. "

Already knowing who had informed him of my famous history, I casually check out the colorful marketplace packed full of pegasus ponies, minding their own business, until a female voice suddenly squealed in delight from behind me.

"Firebolt! Look every pony, it's him!"

Then as if on cue, every pegasus cast their starry eyes at me, their idle chatter quickly changed into wonder and congratulations of me winning second place of the flying competition.

"That flying routine you've performed was nothing I've ever seen before," commented a mare Pegasus.

"Did you design that routine?" asked a young colt.

Struggling to think of an answer while being overwhelmed of this rushed occasion, I trotted towards the glorious pillared temple that towers over the open, piercing white plaza and was about to speak before they've suddenly cocked their ears upward and looked towards the sky. Then I heard it too, a familiar wind gushing sound that was once displayed during a performance at the flying competition. In the matter of a split second, a couple of young colts and mares all cried out in cheers, "Rainbow Dash!" Without notice, a light blue colored mare zoomed over the marketplace and stopped abruptly to greet her fans with a wave.

If her daring, self-confident attitude doesn't make a great impression, it's her long, flowing, rainbow colored mane and tail, and a vivid rainbow lightning bolt cutie mark on her rump that can catch a blind pony's eyes.

"Ponies of Cloudsdale, your grand prize winner of yesterday's flying competition have arrived!" Her voice cracked at the end of her opening. She doesn't need a grand opening; everybody in Cloudsdale knew that she's the only pegasus of all Equestria who can create the sonic rainboom, a once legendary pony myth that finally became possible by her raw ability.

The attention I've once received by my very presence quickly transferred to her. A pang of jealousy, mixed with utter annoyance, provoked me to throw down my ice cream cone through the cloud as the ponies in the marketplace went loose in applause. Before I could confront her, she nose-dived into the cloud, followed by a powerful wind blowing down my face, and snatched my ice cream cone from its eternal fate.

Idiot! Always had to steal the spotlight.

Expecting Rainbow Dash to make her appearance again, I ruffled my wings, adjusted my sunglasses, and stood up tall with my head high. She then reappeared above the clouds near my level, her hoof on her hip and the other outstretched holding the ice cream cone pretentiously. "Never fear! Your friendly neighbor Rainbow Dash is here!" She looked around the crowd that sighed with comical relief, amused of her cocky sense of humor. "Now who's the lucky ice cream owner wishing to thank me for my extraordinary heroism?"

A wise decision was to turn and walk away from the scene, leaving Rainbow to search for its owner in vain, but I wanted to rip that smugly grin off of her face. "I could thank you, but I would be lying. You didn't strike me as the heroic type, let alone 'friendly' for that matter."

Two things had made visible to my awareness as her countenance slowly changed: One, her bright magenta eyes closed into mine, growing slightly intimidating, while her body language kept cool. Two, I can almost hear every single rumor running around every pony's mind as their eyes penetrate both of us. Recently, I've heard of one rumor that Rainbow and I were separated at birth and still had not realized that we're related. My personal favorite is that we're the reincarnation of the legendary stallion and mare who fought until their death; a classic depiction of discord between all courting mares and stallions. Now here's one rumor that I will shoot a lightning bolt at any pony who dares to whisper it: that we're perfect soul mates.

She simply rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh, tossing the cone into my hoofs, and shouted, "Way to be a wet blanket, Bolt! Can't you see I'm a little busy here with my fans?!"

Her comment released another round of squeals from her younger fandom and hoofs stomping thunderously against the cloud pavements. Nonetheless, I swept back my long, fiery mane, my hoof lingering on the back of my head, and gave it a little shake. A chorus of infatuated pegasi mares swooned in my direction as well as the envious awes of the stallions.

"Ouch, RD! Is that how you-?"

"I think you forget who you're talking to!" Rainbow replied sharply, "You know that I only allow my best friends to call me by my nickname."

A smirk formed on the sides of my cheeks as I walked up closer to her and placed the tips of my hoof on my lips. "Remember the rule of thumb here: always allow the other pony to finish speaking. If you were to remember that back at St. Cloud Elementary school, you wouldn't have gotten expelled for…" I pushed my sunglasses up to meet her stark, magenta colored eyes. "…insubordination."

She plopped herself on my cloud on all her four legs, glaring down at me menacingly; her famous attack method of shooting down her enemy's self-confidence in which it never seemed to faze me. "Well, at least I wasn't the pegasus on my knees begging for me to stay friends with you."

The audience grew silent, as if not daring to breathe, as I placed my sunglasses over my eyes and raised my head high. This isn't the first time that she attacks me with our past, but I've learned to never lose my cool in front of public. Other than that, she's very close into facing my wrath.

She made a brief side glance at her audience before returning her attention to me with a cocky smile and slowly walked up towards me. "And I turned out all right. I didn't need fame to be confident; just the pleasure of finally realizing that with friends like you… who needs enemies." She stopped in front of me and lifted my sunglasses onto my head. My jaw clenched and my hoof tightened around my ice cream cone as she added, "Especially when I found out that the most amazing hotshot like you was crying for mommy and daddy to come save you from that—"

I shoved the chocolate ice cream cone into her face. A very risky move considering that the entire marketplace had been eavesdropping on our conversation and soon will witness something that will make the headlines. Enraged, Rainbow shook the ice cream off her face and charged into me. Our bodies rolled off the cloud and sent us free falling. Her hoofs nearly kicking my stomach, I thrust her down below me and locked her arms behind her back, pressing my full weight on her as much as possible. Our wings entangled together. The bottom-drop sensation intensified as the ground rapidly comes closer. Rainbow had forgotten her rage and started yelling, "Bolt! Let go of my wings!"

"Get your wings out of mine!" I snapped back.

The unforgiving ground grew closer by every second and our frantic attempts to spread our wings became futile. Flashbacks revisited my senses; a black earth crushing my scapula, scraping against my belly's side, my own guttural shriek ringing in my ears, and a sudden image of my parents watching me from above against a bright, white light. I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for my end, until I plunge into a soft, fluffy, foam-like ground. Rainbow's body pressed against my stomach until I opened my eyes to see her looking appallingly at her three hovering saviors.

Rainbow's mouth dropped in amazement at the yellow pegasus with pink mane, who gently hugged her with such grace and softly asked, "Oh Rainbow Dash, are you ok?" She pulled away and smiled at her best friend. "I'm so glad that you're not injured. I couldn't have saved you if it wasn't for the help of these two stallions."

She pointed at a dark blue pegasus with freckles on his cheeks and purple mane, highlighted in light gray streaks, hanging over his forehead, his arms wrapped around the freshly made cloud. Almost ready to burst at the seams, he gave a wide cheesy grin with a glint in his eyes. "That was awesome, Firebolt! Did you see my slick moves?"

I exhaled in relief from the fall and raised an eyebrow at him. "Uh Storm Cloud, how was I going to see them if I was too busy falling?"

He placed his hoof over his mouth from laughing while pointing at me. "Heh heh, looks like you're still busy doing something with you-know-who."

Suddenly I noticed that my arms were still clinging tight around Rainbow Dash and immediately shoved her body away from me in disgust. Big mistake! She quickly faced me and sneered, "You're really asking for it."

Then a skinny, cerise pegasus with electric light blue mane and eyes, wearing a wire-rimmed, square shaped bifocals, grabbed my neck collar and shook me silly. "The real question is what had exactly entertained your dim-witted logic in falling off of Cloudsdale with… with…?"

His voice trailed off as he watched Rainbow Dash stand up on her fours and ruffle her wings, and his light blue eyes returned to me, his voice regaining. "How exactly did it happen?" I forced myself to keep my cool and push away the menacing images from my head. "I'll tell you later,"

I muttered and glared at Rainbow Dash who's now apologizing to Fluttershy for the stress she put her through.

Fluttershy looked over Rainbow Dash's shoulder at me and softly asked, "Are y-you ok too… um… Firebolt?"

"Well duh, he has to be. He and his lightning bolt team are having a meeting later in the evening to prepare for his famous, fiery lightning bolt performance," Storm Cloud promptly bragged.

Fluttershy grew timid and said trembling in fear, "Y-you mean that l-lightning bolt striking the g-ground with f-fire bursting all in one direction, making that loud, scary, startling, big b-bang… oh…" She placed both of her hoofs over her eyes as Rainbow Dash tried to console her, "Oh come on, Fluttershy, his lightning bolt is not a big deal! He's just showing off!"

I chose this time to rub it in Rainbow Dash's face. "If it's not a big deal, then why are all the personnel from the weather factory invited… including you, Captain Rainbow?" I emphasized her job status with a smirk as she flew up from the cloud and faced me.

"As if! I would never hang out with such an arrogant, selfish mule like you!"

Then Fluttershy hesitantly spoke up, "Oh uh, Rainbow Dash. We have to watch his performance. Twilight Sparkle wants us to be there to support her, remember?" Rainbow Dash slapped her head with a groan and sighed, "You're right; she has to give that boring speech." Then she narrowed her eyes at me and spread her wings out, making herself more threatening in appearance. "But only for my best friend is when I will come to your…" She sized me up before finishing her point. "… act."

Despite of the times that she always reveals her annoying robust personality, these are one of the rarest moments that I get to see her soft side: her loyalty towards her friends. Knowing that we both wanted our teams to work together to serve those who are now thirsting for water, perhaps this is the right time to finally try to cooperate with her, just as Sky Rocket advised me to do a long time ago. I forced myself to swallow down every bit of resentment to reassure her, but with only little success.

"Don't worry Rainbow, my performance will promote my team and your team to work together again in harmony, as well as the entire weather factory."

Fluttershy gaped a little and immediately occupied her attention to rubbing against her hoofs as Rainbow Dash looked at me with disapproval. "Doubt it! Every pony in their mother knows that you are so not modest. If you really mean that…" She leaned in closer to my face; her tone oozes with challenge. "Prove it."

Suddenly, Storm Cloud stood up against her and retorted, "You just wait and see Rainbow Dash! Firebolt can conquer anything that life can dish out! Especially your face!" It took all my strength to stifle the sudden laughter that threatened to come out of my mouth when Sky Rocket slapped his forehead and said in slight embarrassment, "Storm Cloud, you shouldn't talk to your captain in that manner." Rainbow Dash scornfully glanced at me until I fully realize my unprofessional insanity in taking Storm's comment as a joke. She finally flicked her tail in annoyance and flew away as Fluttershy gave me a sorrowful look and followed after her.

Before the weather factory had momentarily closed in operation, dusks were fairly comfortable; the setting sun had displayed rich violet and pink colors in the sky while the cool breeze blew the clouds together in preparation for the night. Nowadays, the warm atmosphere served no justice to simmer down my frustration.

Storm Cloud produced a small cumulus cloud from scratch, pushing the hot air to collide into the incoming night's cool breeze with his wings. "And that's how I managed to form a big enough cloud to catch you and Rainbow like a baseball glove!"

"Hey Storm Cloud! Can I sit on that for a minute?" Sky Rocket asked.

"Nope! You can sit on it for fifteen minutes," Storm grinned and teased Sky with his creation for a while before finally giving in and decided to jump onto my dark sullen cloud.

After explaining to Sky Rocket about why I didn't wait at the marketplace as we had planned, he took out his scroll and quill and focused on this evening's plan and said, "Well luckily, Firebolt's mishap didn't affect our schedule and hadn't broken any limb to hinder his ability to perform." I pressed my face into my cloud to muffle down my bitter ranting of my last encounter with Rainbow Dash.

Sky interrupted my destructive vivid imagination in hurting the mare pegasus in many inventive ways when he said, "Bolt just ignore her. Your mind should be focusing on your mission."

"And also to save your strength for it," Storm Cloud intervened.

I stood up and stomped my hoof defiantly, causing a loud lightning bolt to strike across the cloud, "That whole making amends thing didn't work! She still hates me!"

Storm Cloud pointed at me while glancing at Sky Rocket. "See! I knew that wasn't going to work. I'm telling you, Rainbow Dash is very feisty; a pegasus whom your logic can't even restrain the passionate fire that indwells in her soul." Sky ignored his comment and focused on me.

"Bolt, this approach won't produce desirable results over night, it takes time." I slammed my face back into my cloud and grumbled, "I hate waiting."

Storm Cloud picked my face up and squished my cheeks with his front hoofs to form a smile, "Turn that frown upside down! Just ignore that mean old bad pony and don't let her get the best of you." He finished his gushing with a few pats on my head before I slapped his hoof away from me.

Sky relaxed a little and read aloud our game plan. "Firebolt, remember the steps I've taught you to perform a safe—" I interrupted him nonchalantly, jumping out of my gloom, and pushed my torso out.

"Yeah yeah, I got this in the bag."

Storm Cloud was right; I will ignore the past and focus on being the best that I can be. Then Storm flew up next to my side and pumped his fist in the air as he cheered, "Root! Root!" Sky grew serious and cocked his brow at me.

"Are you sure you ready to pull this off?"

"Oh come on Sky, you know me for how long? I can do anything what life can dish out," I reiterated my best friend's comment confidently.

"Good!" Sky answered as he pushed his glasses up and pointed behind me. "Because your manager is here." I quickly turned around, and lo and behold, a white, muscle-built pegasus with short-trimmed yellow mane was hovering right before me.

"Firebolt!" He barked out, "Situate your subordinates in a circle! We're starting our session now."

"Right away sir!" I managed to react, slightly startled by the volume of his voice.

My co-workers glanced at me as I approached them and immediately lowered their ears and darted their eyes left and right. My orders were simple and direct; they knew not to step over the line I drew so vividly since the last time I've unleashed my wrath against any petty disruption during work hours. Unfortunately for them, my innate determination and hardworking character promoted me to assistant manager within months, even though my high-esteemed glory of performing my special ability may have played the part. Nonetheless, with this high status comes responsibility; it would be very upsetting to see the lightning team become one of the increasing statistics of another weather corporate failing to maintain unity.

My vigorous manager flew into the circle's center and loudly proposed, "Based on what you've all read on today's newspaper, we're officially executing a new policy concerning the social conduct of our team. Once a day, an individual will demonstrate an act of encouragement to promote the value of teamwork. To present an example for this stiff-necked generation, the team will have Firebolt to perform an act this evening that will inspire the entire weather department to work together professionally without strife." The manager glanced at me with a stern look, "How are you going to handle this task?"

A casual flip of my mane made the team members' eyes grow wide in awe as I coolly responded, "With pleasure."

Underneath the city of Cloudsdale, my sweet home, the ponies that walk on land lived in a humble town called Ponyville. Many of my peers had visited the town and praised its intimate diverse community and entertaining public events for all to enjoy. Once a year, their mayor would establish an opportune date to pile up thousands upon thousands of unused fire torches that will last the entire year. Citizens stored fireflies in their lamps to provide alternate lighting for the darkening evening. In bird-eye view, tiny colorful ponies surrounded the mountain of torches, making certain that the result of the lightning bolt won't spread out of the designated area. The mayor of Ponyville hired a studious purple unicorn to supply safety equipment for those who will witness the annual event and also to enlighten their citizens the history of lightning.

My heart pounded harder and a new rush of adrenaline took over my every being as the crowd clapped their hoofs on the ground in appreciation after the unicorn left the podium to return to her friends, right next to Rainbow Dash with her arms crossed.

"Just inhale and exhale slowly," Sky Rocket advised, "this is only for once a year."

"Until next year," I mumbled, heeding to his advice.

My whole entire life revolved around this extremely important event. But twice, I have attempted to perform my special ability in front of my audience and chickened out at the last minute. And twice, I declined with a made-up excuse to not perform. Before my rump first shone my fire flamed lightning bolt cutie mark, the very idea of every pony praising me of my greatest achievement didn't seem possible until then.

As I sat onto a cloud right above the mountainous pile of torches, waiting for the signal, the memories I've sensed while free falling with Rainbow Dash revisited. No, this time I won't chicken out. As I fought against my own mind, Storm Cloud landed on a scattered cloud and informed that his clouds, made from scratch, are ready to use.

The mayor ended her unnecessary elongated speech, looked up into the violet sky, and gave the crucial signal. It's time. I flew up into the hovering black, dense cloud until I'm swimming in utter darkness, the smooth vapor cooling the sweat on my body and easing me to breathe in more deeply. Every rub and slide between the cloud and my wings made every strand of hair stood up as the friction enhances an electrical spark which tags along the tips of my tail. At that moment, I've imagined my lifetime dream in working as the CEO of all the weather factories in Equestria becoming a reality.

Every pegasus, unicorn, and pony will notice me as the famous image of lightning history. I can see it, feel it, and taste it, as long as the perpetual recurring images don't distract me in making this lightning bolt into a ball of inferno. Finally I hopped on top of the cloud and dive through it in increasing speed, pushing the fear of repeating the same accident as a young colt even harder as the dark, violet ground, speckled with firefly lamps, grew closer and closer.

Come on Firebolt, you can do this; I kept encouraging myself, and exerted all the bit of energy within me.

Suddenly, the earth nearly swallowed me whole and fear had gripped me hard until my wings spread out to a halt by mid distance from the clouds to the pile of torches. I panted heavily; trying to regain the bit of strength left enough for me to still flap my wings and wipe the sweat off my brow. Unfortunately, that's all I could produce at this time. The crowd began chattering in confusion; they were expecting a lightning bolt to strike down onto their hard work and yet only watched me, the only pegasus who inspired this annual event, merely staring at their dark, menacing landscape.

I failed… again.

The silence that seemed to last for hours was disrupted by the mayor's attempt to lighten the perplexity in the air. "Ladies and gentlecourts, let's give a round of applause for Mr. Firebolt. We all sometimes have our case of a stage fright." She looked up towards me from a couple of miles away and raised her voice, "Don't worry Mr. Firebolt, we can try again!"

Feeling a bit relieved for another opportunity yet more doubtful than ever, I looked up in hope to find any sign of visible spark coming down from the clouds, but only received a reminder of my failure to complete my teamwork promoting act and, most importantly, maintain my famous name.

Then a sudden laughter within the crowd from a distance roar out followed by a distinct cracking voice, "You guys should've seen the look on your faces." I looked down below to see Rainbow Dash flying up close to me and faced the rest of the citizens. "I still can't believe that the citizens of Ponyville have not yet asked why Firebolt is always making excuses to not perform his 'famous' act."

Hardly believing that she has the audacity to accuse me for bailing out of my mission… excuses or no excuses, I flew next to her and tapped her on the shoulder until she looks straight at me, surprised at my face close-up.

"Listen chick!" I pointed my hoof at her in frustration. "I don't hear anybody making excuses to call off the event! Now unless you're just hungry for attention by starting a scene, which in case you hadn't realized that that will only make you look like an idiot, just admit it in front of your friends and fans and quit taking the spotlight for once!"

"Oh yeah! Well why don't you take your own advice for once, Bolt; since you need it the most!" She butted her head into mine until our eyes are jabbing against each other.

But being fully conscientious of the world still watching us, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and she watched me repulsively as I spoke loud enough for the public to hear. "I'm sorry for the delay fellow citizens; remember that there are also times that some pony can be a bit… jealous. Especially when you got someone like me who can outshine a certain pegasus, whom I won't say her name."

This time I was ready to counteract her punches and kicks as a result of my boasting; but yet, she caught me off guard with a coy smile at me. With my arms still around her, she turned herself towards me and caressed my face with her hoof as she slowly spoke with the same volume, "I couldn't agree with you more, Firebolt. But may I ask you if that same pony who can outshine me, the coolest pony of Ponyville and Cloudsdale altogether, still be cool if the public knows that he's terrified to walk on land?"

Suddenly my mind drew a blank and unable to make a single comeback; so the citizens of Ponyville and the rest of the pegasi, who praised me as their role model, answered for me with an appalled gasps and murmurings of Rainbow Dash's remarkable question. I pulled away from her and looked around at all the faces that once esteemed me earnestly now beginning to doubt my ability to perform at all.

This cannot be happening to me.

The mayor stammered, "W-why that can't be true Rainbow Dash. If it were so, he would never agree to produce his lightning bolt for us."

Rainbow Dash assured her, "For your consideration, Mayor, I can tell if a pony who's just 'all talk and no show' when I see one." On that note, she drew near to elbow me and taunted, "No offense Bolt, but for you having that kind of a fear and to compare with me, I say I would be, you know, 20% cooler."

Perhaps the very mention of her comment or maybe the literal temperature of my head that produced from my burning humiliation is what caused the oddest thing to happen. In a split second, Rainbow backed away from me in shock while I saw a flash of white light surrounding me and felt a hot searing pain in my whole body, followed by an instantaneous blackout.