Lightning could feel the stares, they felt like little knives on his nerves, he only gulped.
Twilight walked forward.
"I don't understand, how is it that you have a powerful weapon like that? And can you handle it?"
Rainbow flew over, eyebrow raised.
"And why need our help then? If it's so powerful, why not use it? Wouldn't we get in the way? And-"
Lightning only held a hoof up.
"Look, I don't know how or why I have this thing, but it let me take it."
Lightning looked at the girls only looking at each other, they didn't know what to do with this.
Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, attempted to lift the sword, she had heard about the sword when she was younger.
She thought she could lift it.
"HNNNG!"
Rainbow couldn't lift the sword an inch off the ground.
"How does it know? This is ridiculous!"
Lightning walked over and placed the weapon in its sheathe with ease.
"Look, its true that this weapon may be powerful, but think about it, my mother wouldn't have involved you girls if it was so simple, obviously there's more."
The girls began nodding, Luna didn't do this for fun or by mistake, something was happening and they had to find out what.
"Alright, Lightning, we're with you. But you're gonna have to give us the day to let everyone know we'll be gone, will you be ok exploring for now?"
Lightning nodded.
"Yes, I've been wanting to look around since I've landed. Where can I meet you when you're ready?"
Twilight thought for a moment, then she got it.
"The fountain in the middle of town, you can't miss it, you may wanna find it first so you know."
Lightning nodded and watched them leave, he followed them out the door, and once they left, he looked around and smiled.
Freedom felt wonderful.
Lightning began with looking for the fountain, but at the same time, he kept thinking of what he pointed out. Why did his mother include the girls if his sword alone could stop Sombra? What didn't she tell him? He looked at Canterlot for a moment.
"Mom... I hope you know what you're doing... I barely know."
He continued walking, looking for the fountain.
Meanwhile, Ryder and Quell began walking away from the welcome arch to Canterlot.
"Hey Quell, why did you choose to come? It's not to pick on Lightning?"
Quell shook his head.
"It's not, after I told Lightning why I was there, I realized a couple things, that one, I'm not doing a good job of being a proud Canterlot Guard, and two, my family would be ashamed to see me act like a bully."
Quell looked down, it was truly because Lightning saved him. The images and voices flashed in his mind.
"...I did it...!"
Quell looked at Ryder.
"It's because he helped me, I know I owe him everything, so to do that, I'm gonna help him. I don't care what it is."
Ryder smiled and felt weirdly proud of Quell for the change of heart.
"Your family would be proud of you."
Quell smiled.
"I sure hope so... I sure do. Hey, Ryder, tell me more about you?"
Ryder looked shocked, nopony cared about his background before now. Only Lightning took an interest.
"I was born in Manehattan, even then, living was tough, my family wasn't rich, but they were ok, one day when I was young, they left me with Celestia and... that was all, I was lost and confused, I didn't know what happened, I have no idea where they are now. One day, I just broke down one morning, I remember it too, I saw a hoof extended to me, Lightning offered me to go and play in the gardens with him. He said "you don't have to be alone, don't be like me." And over time, I showed him that having a friend is a good thing and now... we've had each other's backs for years."
Quell nodded, slowly looking down.
"Must be nice... I'm such a bully, any chance of friends I had are gone."
Ryder didn't know what to say to him, then he thought of something.
"Quell, don't be like that, I'm your friend."
Quell stared at him.
"Really...? Even though I've been mean to Lightning?"
"Yeah. I bet if you help Lightning and show you're sorry, he'd be your friend too."
Quell wasn't desperate, but he figured having a couple of friends couldn't hurt either.
"Alright."
The two kept chatting as they walked.
Lightning waited at the fountain, he just sat and pulled out the book with his favorite story, looking at the cover, he remembered his younger self, he could actually see it in front of him.
One day, the story was on his mind and he wanted to act out some of the action scenes. Celestia had made him a wood sword to use, after warning him to be careful.
"Be careful, Lightning, that wood sword could hurt you too!"
Luna had always protected him, even if he didn't want it.
"Don't worry, mom, one day, I'm gonna be a great hero and protect you and Aunt Celestia! I'll protect everypony!"
Luna smiled and giggled at his determination.
"My son, I don't doubt it. But if you want that to happen, you could join the Royal Guard. Think of the friends you'd make."
"I don't want any friends, I want to protect you. You loved me when no one else would..."
Luna smiled and hugged him.
"I know. You are best thing in my life, Lightning. I love you."
"I love you too, mom... fine, I'll join."
And the vision cleared. Lightning forgot that at the time, he didn't care for friends, he only wanted to protect the ones that treated him like family. He still does. Then it hit him.
Did his mother ask for him to bring Twilight and her friends so he could try being friends with them?
"If mom wants me to try..." he closed his eyes and smiled.
"I'll do it."
"Do what?"
Starlight didn't mean to frighten Lightning, he fell straight into the fountain and scrambled out, grateful to breathe.
"Lightning, are you ok?! I'm so sorry!"
Lightning only shuddered and curled into a ball, when he was young, he almost drowned, since then he was horrified of swimming.
"I-I-Its o-ok..."
He stood and shook himself off. His heart was pounding, he felt like it was gonna break out of his chest.
"Are... you scared of water?"
Lightning nodded, then hid his face.
"When I was young, I ran ahead of my mother, and at a fountain, I saw something shiny at the bottom, I thought I could reach it, but... I fell, and it was deep, I couldn't climb out, before I passed out, I felt myself being pulled out. When I woke, my mother kept me in her hooves, crying and constantly asking if I was ok, since then, I've been scared to swim."
"I'm sorry, Lightning, and I forgot to mention, my name is Starlight Glimmer."
She offered a hoof for him to shake.
"Nice to meet you!" He shook her hoof.
Starlight wondered why she was asking, but she wanted to know.
"Did you ever get that shiny thing?"
Lightning shook his head.
"No, and even though I'm sure I can reach it, that day still haunts me."
"It's ok, I wouldn't want you hurt anyways."
Lightning and Starlight chatted a while, then by mistake...
"You know what's pretty aside from flowers? Twil-"
He covered his mouth. His face was red.
"Excuse me? Were you about to say Twilight?"
Lightning furiously shook his head no, but how he was acting said yes.
"Easy, Romeo, listen, I think in the middle of this adventure going on? A bad time for love, don't you think? And honestly, I'm kinda bad at it myself. And besides, you literally just met. Take it nice and slow and... well, who knows?"
Lightning felt his face start to cool as he began to relax and breathe.
"Right... I'll just um..."
It got silent, until Twilight and her friends came over at last.
"Hey guys! So everypony knows we'll be gone, but the mayor wants to meet you at your party tonight."
Lightning's ears shot up.
"Party? For me? Really?" He looked happy.
"Yep! I always give new ponies a party to welcome them to Ponyville!"
Lightning felt weirdly excited, he liked being a part of something. Even parties, he hadn't been to one in years, his birthdays were always spent alone, and Quell had a New Years party without him.
"I... thank you, Pinkie, really. I can't wait, it's exciting!"
"I'm sure it is, maybe you can tell us more about yourself there?"
Lightning shook his head.
"Why wait? Ask away."
Twilight and her friends began thinking of questions, it was odd, a genuine alicorn prince was sitting right here, and yet, nopony could think of a thing.
"How are you liking Ponyville?" Starlight saved the others with a question.
"It's truly beautiful, I love it. It's small and quiet, better than big and noisy."
"I'm glad you enjoy our town." The Mayor said, walking over.
"So you're what the excitements about? Going on a grand adventure? Normally it's Twilight and her friends, but... I guess I'm a bit surprised."
"It's ok, I may not look it, but I'll defend Equestria, no matter what it takes."
The mayor smiled. She left and said she'd see them later, now with lots of time to kill, Lightning looked around.
"What do we do now?" Suddenly, his sword began glowing again.
"Your sword, Lightning!"
Lightning was confused, why was it glowing like this?
"I'm not even sure why it's doing that..."
Twilight and her friends only watched the weapon glow brightly, then slowly, the color died out.
"I was afraid of that..." Luna said, walking over.
"Mom, what does it mean?" Lightning asked, looking at it closely.
"Xeno has the ability to glow when evil is close by, pure evil. That means that Sombra was watching. He's gone now or it'd still be glowing. My son, I hope your ready, this means he's watching to prepare against you."
Lightning nodded.
"He can study all he wants, I'll save Equestria in the end."
Later that night, Lightning was in a guest room in Twilight's castle, he had nowhere else to go.
He had fallen asleep and had a dream...
One he hoped never becomes real.
Lightning was laying in a field with Twilight, suddenly, storm clouds came and took her away, then darkness slowly crept over the land, and Sombra appeared and stopped it.
"You should be smart and keep away, boy... do you truly believe you can stop me with a weapon no one has used in over 4,000 years? Whatever skills it has... do you think you can stop me?"
Lightning, afraid and watching his home vanish before his eyes, looked at Sombra with a glare.
"Even with my dying breath, Sombra, I'll stop you."
Sombra smiled.
"I have one other that can use that accursed weapon... you'll meet him soon."
Before anything else was said, Lightning woke up with Twilight over him.
"Lightning! Wake up! Are you ok? You kept squirming and mumbling..."
Lightning only sighed and wiped the sweat off his head.
"Yeah... I'm ok... thanks. Just... oof... not a big fan of nightmares."
Twilight smiled and left the room, she went to prepare, today was the day that they leave and begin hunting Sombra down.
He had to be stopped.
Lightning stepped outside and found his mother waiting, he walked over, nervous.
"Hi mom... you ok?"
"The real question is, are you? I saw that monster in your dream, Lightning. Are you seriously taunting him?"
Lightning only shook his head.
"Mom, come on, he's all talk!"
Luna grabbed Lightning by the head and looked deep at his eyes.
"Listen to me carefully, Sombra is NOT one to be messed with. Do not take him lightly, approach with your guard up. Do you understand?"
The serious look on her face... he never liked it, but always heeded the warnings that came with it.
"Yes, mother... I understand."
Luna began worrying, Lightning wasn't her son, but she pictured him gone, and it left a pain in her heart unlike any other.
"Lightning, you WILL be taking this seriously, right? Sombra won't hesitate to attack and attempt to end your life. He is no pushover."
Lightning looked away for a moment, then his eyes caught onto Twilight, he watched her walk by the windows, he felt odd again. He could feel it in his stomach.
"I will not fail, mother, for Equestria, I will not rest until I stop that monster."
Luna tried to smile, but she only did when Twilight walked over.
"Princess Luna, do you need help with something?"
Luna nodded.
"Yes, Twilight, I need you and your friends to help Lightning see this task through. I'm hoping I can count on you all."
Twilight smiled and nodded.
"Of course, Princess. We will help him and Equestria. But if I may ask, why the sword? Isn't it... a bit much?"
Luna closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Sometimes, Twilight, sadly, friendship doesn't save the day."
And with that, she was gone.
Lightning only stared at the spot she was at.
"Something's wrong with my mother, Twilight... she's never like this."
Twilight could sense it, in Luna's voice was stress and exhaustion, what was she doing?
"Twilight! Come on! If you and Lightning don't hurry, you'll miss the train!" Rainbow announced and left.
"Come on, Lightning. We better get going, we can help Luna later."
Lightning kept thinking of how Luna made that face of pure worry, her voice...
She was terrified.
But of what? Nonetheless, Lightning began heading for the train station.
Meanwhile...
Sombra watched Lightning with a magical table, its enchanted surface let him spy on whoever he asked.
"So he's dead set, hmm? And with friends? Fine. He could bring the whole world to me, but it won't help him. I've been through hell and back for the power I now control in my hooves... go ahead, boy, come... you seem so intent on this deathwish, that I'll happily help you see it done."
Sombra walked to another room, in the middle of it, a stallion in chains lay, his eyes closed.
"Now... you help me destroy your no good brother, Lightning... and you'll be free to do whatever you please."
The stallion slowly looked up, his eyes were red with purple pupils.
"I will not fail, father... let me unleash my rage and you'll not regret it."
Sombra smiled and with a flash of his horn, the chains broke, the weapon that did it, a sword of pure evil, landed in front of the stallion.
"Take this cursed blade, and destroy him. Do not fear, his weapon can only match yours, you are equals in combat."
The stallion folded his wings and placed the sword in its sheathe, then, with magic, placed it on his back.
"I will not fail you."
The stallion left quickly, eager to earn the freedom he deserved.
Sombra looked at Lightning again and smirked.
"Once I have him out of the way, this world is mine. With his sibling to keep him busy, it's time for the next part."
Sombra flew out the window, picturing Equestria his to rule.
Author Note: Hello everypony! Once again, I feel happy with the improvements made here, one thing I kept in mind is Lightning's sword, if he has that, why need the help? Well, I have a plan for the weapon, and more, but for now, I'm focusing on what's going on now, surely you understand.
I need a name for the evil stallion going after Lightning. If any ideas, please give me some, if not, I'll probably think of something.
I've decided to give mini previews for the next chapter from now on in my stories, so... yup.
Lightning gets to know the girls better while his sibling waits at his destination. While Sombra starts a war slowly, Ryder and Quell manage to get on the train in time, but begin wondering if this quest is worth dying over. Luna meets later, and begins to tell secrets that nopony could have ever guessed. And finally, Lightning meets a new friend and ally.
I will see you all later!