General pov
Black and red streaked mane flowing freely in the wind. Black nose pointed skyward, Lightning Gear was sitting on top of a hill located just outside of ponyville. Today was just too nice to be stuck indoors. Lightning usually had wavy black hair that had bright red streaks in it but right now her mane was straightened. Her body was midnight black. Her eyes were a vivid blue, beautiful in every way imaginable. The wind felt warm and soft blowing through her mane. Her eyes closed and her ears were flipped down as she listened to the soft rustle of leaves on the trees, and the birds chirping wonderfully. It was so peaceful up on this hill. It felt like nothing could disrupt this peace.
"HEY LIGHTNING! THERE YOU ARE!" It was Pinkie Pie. Pinkie pie bounced up the side of the hill as though she were a bouncy ball. Lightning's eyes flicked open and her ears perked up.
"Pinkie Pie. Don't you know how to keep your voice down?!" Lightning asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Nope! I never have learned that. Do YOU know how to do that?" Pinkie said as she came to the top of the hill.
"Yes Pinkie. I do." Lightning sighed. "It certainly is a wonderful day. Isn't it Pinkie?"
"Yes sirrie bob!" Pinkie said then gasped.
"What?"
"Do you know what today is?!" Pinkie said her eyes bulging out at Lightning.
"Uh. Can't say that I do." Lightning Gear said. Her ears lying flat against her round head now. Just having moved to Ponyville about a year ago she hasn't fully memorized all the different occasions that Ponyville had.
"It the 'one year anniversary of you moving to Ponyville for the first time and meeting me and the rest of Ponyville' day silly!" Pinkie said. Lightning didn't know how in the name of Equestria this crazy vivid pink pony could keep track of all of these dates so freaking flawlessly. She could tell you when any single pony's birthday was. Heck she could tell you the very minute that the first set foot in Ponyville!
"Is it really that time of year already?" Lightning said thinking back to when Pinkie had thrown her the 'welcome to Ponyville' party. That had been interesting. "Well. Are you going to be throwing a party Pinkie?" Lightning asked.
"You betcha I will. It will be the best party yet." Pinkie said and with that bounced back to Ponyville. Probably to get started with the party perpetrations. Lightning Gear stood up. It was probably time that she headed home anyways. She stretched her wings, and with one quick swoop of her powerful wings she took off into the sky and headed straight towards her house. Off not too far from both Fluttershy's house and the Everfree forest, Lightning's house sat closer to the forest than towards any house.
Getting there didn't take long especially since she took off close to Sweet Apple Acres. Her speed was enough to rival Rainbow Dash's. Soon she was touching down at her place. Lightning Gear stepped inside her bright baby blue colored house, closing the door behind her. The house wasn't all that big and it wasn't teeny tiny either. It was about the size of Fluttershy's house. Maybe a little bit bigger. Twilight's tree looking castle was at the other end of Ponyville. Whenever Lightning would take to the sky she could always see the castle. The castle itself appeared about half a year ago. (Just to put things into a perspective of when it is) She could still remember the day when Tyrick tried to take over. She had flown as fast and as far as she could into the Everfree forest. She had even found some cool old castle. Is was in a little bit of ruins but it provided a nice enough shelter to hide in at the time. Lightning later found out that it was the old castle used by the two princesses.
Lightning Gear's pov
I walked to my room to get my tan trench coat. When I got up to my room I changed my mind and went with my orange ruffle scarf instead. I looked in my mirror and thought about what pinkie might plan for the party. There would defiantly be cake and balloons but what else might be there. As I thought about the party the thoughts of my friends that were here in Ponyville came into my mind. Then I thought of the dark secret that I was keeping from them. I closed my eyes and forced the dark thought to the back of my mind. I decided not to wear anything an just go as myself. My cutie mark was a beige gear with a grey lightning bolt coming out of it. I went downstairs to grab a party favor for Pinkie. I knew that this day was coming and also that pinkie would throw me a party so I quickly grabbed something at the market. Quickly peeking inside the bright pink bag I made sure that my gift was still in it. I then grabbed the thin handles in my mouth and slowly set off towards Pinkie's. I made sure that I didn't ruin the nice bag that I had gotten from Mr. and Mrs. Cake last year when I first moved into Ponyville. The dark though from earlier kept popping into my mind. Each time I shoved it back into the back of my mind. If they found out my secret they would probably not like me anymore. I finally arrived taking longer than I'd have liked. As I walked in it was dark and I couldn't really see anything. Then the lights turned on and in a second my ears were ringing with the sound of ponies yelling "SURPRISE!" I smiled. I couldn't help it. I set the pink bag down and looked around. Most everypony here in Ponyville showed up. Pinkie hopped out of the crowd and stood in front of me. "What do you think of the party Lite?" She said.
"It better than I ever thought that you could do. Here. This is for you." I pushed the bag towards her.
"Awe thanks Lightning but this party is for you. That means that you don't have to bring anything for me." She said nudging the bag back towards me.
"I want you to have this though. You threw this amazing party for me. This is the least I can do." I replied.
"Ok. If you insist." She pulled the tissue off of the top of the bag. Confetti burst out and smacked her in the face. She turned to me and laughed with everypony else. Then she peered back into the bag. Her laughing stopped but her smile remained. Reaching in, she pulled out a lime green shapeless knitted clump of yarn. "What is it?" She asked.
"Where's Gummy?" I asked. Pinkie dug into her poofy tail and pulled out a small alligator that didn't have any teeth. I took the yarn creation and quickly shoved it onto Gummy. "See? It's a hat. I made it myself." I said.
Gummy had put one end of the tie into his mouth and started to chew it. The hat fit snugly around his tiny head.
Pinkie gasped and for a second I thought she didn't like it or I had done something wrong. I quickly put my ears back. "I LOVE IT!" She said and snuggled Gummy. I smiled and looked around. Everyone was now lost in conversation about the gift that I had given Pinkie.
General pov
Pinkie looked around and wondered what everypony else thought about Scarlet's gift. Then Lightning Gear got up and went over to the punch. Applejack went to go talk with Lightning and how she knew what size to make the hat. The DJ turned on the music and the party went on as planned. About halfway through the party the power suddenly went out. Pinkie grabbed her light up hat and turned it on. Nervous murmurs were being spread through out the makeshift dance floor where just seconds ago music had been playing and ponies were dancing.
"It's ok everypony. We partied soo much the power just went out." Pinkie said. Lightning knew this wasn't true and tried to make her way from the buffet to the door on the other side of the place. When she was half way the lights kicked back on but instead of the Dj at the Dj table there was a vivid bright blue unicorn with a slightly darker blue mane. Everyone was surprised. What happened to the Dj? The new pony's eyes scanned the crowed. "Lightning. Come on out Lightning." She coaxed. Everyone looked around for Lightning. An isle opened up as she made her way onto the now abandoned dance floor. "Sapphire leave here. They haven't done anything." A stern tone was now in Lightning's voice.
"Why? Why would I just leave when what I want is here." The pony now identified as Sapphire said now on her belly fiddling with something on the Dj table.
"Because I asked you to. We don't have to fight about this Sapphire."
Twilight as well as everypony else here was confused about what they were talking about. Twilight thought she knew Lightning but this showed that she was wrong.
"I wonder, what would you do if one of these ponies were to, oh I don't know, be killed?" Sapphire asked.
"LEAVE THEM OUT OF THIS!" Lightning Gear yelled. At this point many ponies were making their way towards the door.
"What? You actually have feelings towards these ponies?" Sapphire said as she rolled onto her back and made the doors slam shut. "I didn't know that was possible."
"Leave them ALONE!" Lightning said through gritted teeth.
"You want to know something Lite? You are really cute when you get mad." Sapphire noted coolly, and Lighting gear blushed slightly as she thought about it. Pinkie and the rest of the mane six stepped forwards so that they were at the very front of the crowd.
"Look, Sapphire, I don't know why you are here nor what you want but what ever it is leave them out of this." Lightning had managed to calm down.
"Gladly. But I think that your 'friends' would like to object." Sapphire said motioning to the mane six.
Twilight finally piped up. "What's going on here?"
"Long story for another time. Stay out of this Twilight." Lightning cautioned.
Twilight was taken aback by the statement. She shouldn't be taking orders from an ordinary pegasus, but she did as she was told not knowing the entire story.
"Tell ya what, I'll leave in exchange for you. Meaning, you come with me and let me do what I want." Sapphire said as she rolled back over, right side up. Twilight was confused by this. Why would this pony want Lightning Gear? It didn't make any sense. There was a backstory to this that Lightning hadn't told. She was debating on wether or not to let Sapphire have her way.
"Fine. But promise not to hurt these ponies in any way." Lightning said almost reluctantly.
Sapphire grinned hard. "Fine. I promise not to hurt anypony here in this little town." She then paused for a long minute, waiting for a reply from Lightning Gear.
"Sapphire. Come on then." Lightning had said and was making her way to the door that was now creaking open.
Sapphire leapt down from the Dj table and followed Lightning Gear outside. Before she walked outside she turned to all of the ponies. "If any of you dare to follow you will meet a tragic end." She said as a warning.
Lightning had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen to her but with Sapphire you never could tell. They walked a fair distance before they were nearing the Everfree forest. Sapphire seemed to know where she was going. She headed straight for the clearing at the edge of the forest.
"Remember when we were just fillies and I was trying to get into Celestia's gifted student program?" Sapphire asked as she stopped in the middle of the clearing not turning to face Lightning.
"Yeah. What about it?" Lightning replied.
"It just still haunts me that I wasn't able to make it in. But that's behind us now right?" Sapphire's tone had seemed almost. Happy at the end?
Lightning put her ears back. She seemed to know that the happy in Sapphire's voice wasn't a good sign. "Right?" Lightning asked trying not to get herself into any trouble.
"WRONG!" And with this Sapphire whipped around to face Lightning Gear. A darkness in her eyes. Evil and corruption gleaming. Sapphire's horn was glowing with a spell. She fired and just barely missed Lightning. Lightning had seen the spell coming and shot up into the sky.
"Hold STILL!" Sapphire screamed as another spell missed.
Lightning dove to the ground at shot straight for Sapphire.
A grin appeared on Sapphire's face as she readied another spell. She launched it before Lightning Gear had time to fly up or dodge. It hit Lightning square in the face sending the Pegasus tumbling into the ground.
Meanwhile.
The mane six had gathered together and were talking about the mysterious pony that ha just walked out with Lightning Gear.
"Who was that does anyone know?" Twilight asked calmly.
"I HAVE NO IDEA!" Exclaimed Pinkie who simply shoved a cupcake into her mouth and acted like nothing happened.
"Well I for one thought that she could use some mane styling tips." Rarity noted.
"Some'n' sure was iffy about that pony." Applejack said.
"Eh. I thought her act could have been better." Rainbow Dash said obviously too engaged with looking at her hooves to really understand what exactly everyone was talking about.
"We should probably do something." Fluttershy quietly suggested.
"We can't do that Fluttershy. That pony said if we followed her 'we would meet a tragic end.' Whatever that's supposed to mean." Rainbow pointed out.
"That is true but if we have stealth maybe we can get away with it unnoticed." Twilight thought out loud for a second.
"But what if we get caught? What if we DIE!" Pinkie said.
"PINKIE nothing will happen to us if you kept your mouth shut and didn't blurt out the first thing that came to your mind!" Twilight half yelled half said.
"So what's your plan Twi'?" Applejack asked.
"Can't we just stay here and wait for Lightning here?" Fluttershy said so quietly nopony seemed to hear her.
"I say we go in and attack take that unicorn out and run off with Lightning as a prize." Rainbow said as she got the thought.
"Uh no. Sorry Rainbow. I was thinking that we could be quiet and sneek out behind them. Rainbow hurry and fly out and get high enough so you can find where they are going." Twilight commanded.
Rainbow did as she was told and zipped out the door and up into the sky. "Pinkie. Stay quiet. No noise what so ever." Pinkie nodded and "zipped" her mouth shut. "Apple. You have some rope here from an earlier project yes?" Applejack nodded. "Good. Go get it." Applejack took off up the stairs. "Rarity and Fluttershy. I need you two to follow me and not make a sound." Rarity and Fluttershy nodded as Twilight finished off the commands. Applejack came back with the rope held in her mouth. "What do ya need this for Twi'?" She asked.
"It's just incase that Sapphire pony decides to do anything." Twilight said in a tone of command.
"When in Equestria did you get this commanding tone Twilight dear?" Rarity asked curtly.
"I guess it rubbed off from my brother. Sorry. We just need to get our friend back. I have a feeling that pony was up to no good." Twilight replied before heading out the door with the others close on her tail.
"Rainbow!" Twilight yelled. Rainbow Dash flew down and glided beside her friends. "Where were they headed?" Twilight asked.
"They were going towards the Everfree forest." Rainbow replied.
"Ok. Then there's no time to waste. We have to hurry." Twilight said and picked up the pace. They were now galloping at full speed. Except for Rainbow Dash, who was flying at maybe half her usual zip around mode. She flew up and caught a glimpse of the two other ponies entering the Everfree forest. "Yo Twilight. I'm going to go and find out where there going." Rainbow Dash said down to the others.
Twilight nodded but continued her hurried pace. Rainbow flew into a cloud for cover as she neared the forest. She looked down and saw two ponies standing in a clearing. The unicorn was charging up a spell and the Pegasus was standing still as though she didn't know that the unicorn was readying a spell but the unicorn's back was to the Pegasus. The unicorn turned around and fired the spell. Rainbow couldn't watch she closed her eyes and turned around, diving for the others.
"Rainbow. What is it?" Twilight asked.
"I found them. They're in a clearing just on the border. But Sapphire fired a spell at Lightning. I don't know if it hit her or not. I didn't look long enough." Rainbow said half ashamed that she didn't see if the spell hit her friend.
"That's ok Rainbow. Come on girls we have to go help." Twilight commanded. Just then a scream sent chills down all of them. It was Lightning Gear's.
Back with Lightning Gear
Lightning let out an ear splitting, spine chilling scream as the spell hit her. She tumbled to the ground. The momentum from her flight sent her summersaulting towards Sapphire. She stopped just short of Sapphire.
"See what happens when you don't do what I tell you. You get hurt." As Sapphire said that last word she stomped a hoof down on one of Lightning's wings. Lightning squealed in pain.
"There are many things that I could do to you but I think that one punishment is bad enough." Sapphire had a smirk on her face as she readied a new spell. "I've been working on this one for a while now. Been getting it to perfection. And, oh, guess what? You get to test it out for me." Sapphire was pacing around Lightning as she got up into a sitting position.
Lightning went to open her mouth to say something but Sapphire finished her spell. Lightning was covered in deep purple almost black magic. She was lifted up of the ground. Lightning looked at Sapphire and a deep sadness filled Lightning's eyes. Sapphire only had an evil smile with what she was doing.
The mane six had just shown up but they kept to the shadows and bushes around the clearing. Rainbow few up into a cloud that was passing by and used that as her cover.
Lightning was enveloped in a bright light and everypony closed their eyes. All except Sapphire. The light soon faded and Lightning fell to the ground. She felt weak inside. "What did you do to me?" Lightning asked while she shakily tried to stand up.
"It's an age reversal spell. In other words you can no longer age. You will grow younger everyday. Soon you will be nothing more than a new born foal. You have three days to the next full moon and then one moon to reverse the spell. Though, I doubt you will ever find the cure." Sapphire said coolly as though she had done nothing out of the ordinary.
"Why are you telling me this Sapphire?" Lightning asked worried because it seemed rather odd to her that Sapphire would be so kind as to tell when the spell would officially take effect.
"Because I love watching you struggle and panic trying to find the solution to things dear Light. Why else would I do these things?" Sapphire replied.
"You've hated me since you weren't able to get into The Academy. I can't figure out why your suddenly being kind." Lightning said a worried look on her face.
"I'm mean and you complain then I'm nice and you complain. Make up your mind. Which do you want?!" Sapphire paused. "You want to know what? I just had a brilliant thought. Perhaps you would be alright without your wings as well." Sapphire's eyes were suddenly gleaming as she was finding this quite interesting. A bright blue light formed at the end of her horn. A beam of light shot out and wrapped around Lightning Gear, lifting her up off the ground. The mane 6 all shut their eyes because the light was too bright. When the light started to fade the mane 6 opened their eyes again to see Lightning falling back down. When she reached the ground her wings were gone.
"Awe. You look so cute without your wings Lightning bug. Or should I call you by your real name?" Sapphire teased realizing that 5 of the mane 6 were watching from behind the bush. She didn't let on though.
The mane 6 all wondered what Sapphire meant. Her real name?
"N-no. P-p-please. Don't." Lightning said weakly, guessing that someone she knew in Ponyville was listening in or at least watching, while she was trying to get up.
"Awe. Come on Lightning. Surely you'll let me have some fun with this. Eh?" Sapphire said smoothly.
"No. Sapphire. You've done what you came to do. Don't make this any worse for me. Please." Lightning said more firmly standing up tall. She didn't know how long she could hold out.
"Your worried about damage to your pride? I've taken your wings there is nothing else you have left. " Sapphire paused for a second before saying "Scarlet Moon."
"NO!" Scarlet yelled. At that very moment her entire world seemed to fall apart before her.
"Now if you don't mind I must be off. Good luck dear Scarlet." Sapphire. Said then she teleported away.
The mane six came running into the clearing where scarlet was now laying down.
"Who was that Light-r Scarlet?" Twilight asked.
"That," Scarlet said, as she stood up "was Sapphire Moon. My sister." At this the mane six all gasped.
"She's your SISTER!?" Pinkie asked startled.
Scarlet hung her head low. "Yes. We didn't have a good fillyhood together."
"What happened between you two?" Twilight asked.
"It started when we were fillies. She wanted more than anything to become Princess Celestia's student."
Flash back
Sapphire was sitting on a small rug patterned pink and blue. In front of her was a bulky book labeled magic for the advanced learner. She then turns to Scarlet and says, "ok now just hold still." Her horn started to glow and sparks erupted out of it. Then a beam of light flew out of Sapphire's horn and hit Scarlet directly in the chest. Scarlet shrieked as the spell hit her. Sapphire had closed her eyes out of concentration but when she opened her eyes to look at her sister all she could find was a black and red ferret sitting in her sister's place.
"Yes! It worked!" Sapphire shrieked as she picked up the oddly colored ferret and ran off into the other room where her parents where. "Mom dad look at what I did!" Sapphire said as she held up the black and red streaked ferret. Her mother could only wonder at what the ferret must be. But still she smiled. "Good job. Is that your sister?" She asked.
"Yep. The transformation spell worked perfectly." Sapphire said with a huge grin on her face.
Her parents both looked at each other. "I have no clue where you get all this magic. Maybe you would be interested in trying out for Celestia's school for gifted ponies?" Her father asked.
As soon as she heard this Sapphire started jumping up and down squealing in joy. She had bounced around so quickly and roughly that poor Scarlet the ferret had gotten quite dizzy. "I think that first you should reverse that spell dear. Your sister looks half ready to barf. I'll schedule your try out for tomorrow." Her mother said watching the black ferret turn vivid green. Sapphire stopped jumping with an "I'm sorry" type smile. Then she walked back into the other room put the ferret down on the rug and cast the reversal spell. The same thing happened as before, sparks and a bright beam of magic that, struck Scarlet the ferret only this time in the head. The next thing scarlet knew was that Sapphire was squeezing the air from her with a HUGE hug. "Thank you." Sapphire whispered into her sister's ear.
The next day
Sapphire was standing in front of a small group of judges as they asked her to transform a cactus into a moving pony figure. If that was all they wanted this should be a snap. Sapphire had practiced the transformation spell on several different things last night. First her dinner bowl making it become a comic book and back again. Then one of her spell books making it a full size filly statue. And back again. She could do this. She thought of the transformation spell. The cactus moved slowly into the form of a pony with a flower pot hat. Then she made the spines be sucked into the cactus pony. Then she cast the animation spell with near precision. She did exactly what she thought the judges had asked. The judges made notes then told her she was free to go. They would get her score to her in the afternoon.
End flashback.
"As you might guess she didn't pass into the program. The judges were looking for a full on pony not an animated cactus pony. She got so mad that she drove everyone out. I ran here to Ponyville but when I got word she was coming I ran for it. I didn't want my friends in danger." Scarlet finished her story.
Ok. This is where I will end this chapter. Please leave a review of you can as that would help me quite a bit and it also tells me that you want to read more. :)