Chapter seven
Clever celestia
Author notes: wow, you would not believe how busy I have been. I haven't uploaded mostly due to hunting Friday through Sunday. This chapter might be with a little less detail due to the adrenaline bursts I got from hunting affecting my brain XD. Anyways here is the new chapter enjoy.
" now, you maggots! Get up there" a Pegasus guards with silver and gold armor yelled at the other Pegasus guards.
The guards in the courtyard of the castle spread their wings and shot upwards towards the floor that contained the explosion. The unicorn and earth pony guards stayed below to check the grounds for any other intruders.
The Pegasus guards landed on the balcony that lightning had jumped off of. They burst through the door seeing twilight putting on her show of being worried, Luna had disappeared down the hall back to her room, and they could hear celestia out in the hall dueling with the copy if lightning.
"get her out of here" a guard said pointing at twilight.
Two Pegasus guards grabbed twilight and flew her outside down to the courtyard. The other guards in the room ran at the door leading to the hall only to have the door explode at them showering them with splinters and sending the flying against the wall.
Only three guards got back to their hooves while the rest laid there unconscious. The three guards looked at the door seeing the edges fizzle and electricity lance around the stone opening. Celestia hopped backwards through the door followed by the charging copy holding the barbed sword in his mouth. The copy flew at celestia and managed to touch the tip of the sword along her body leaving a clean shallow cut.
Celestia whipped around and shot a blot from her horn, the bolt slammed into the copy's side and bounced off of the armor. As the bolt hit the copy, it forced it to the ground and the bolt bounced into the ceiling.
The three conscious guards jumped in front of celestia only to be blown back against the wall by a lightning bolt from the copy's horn.
" I think it's been long enough" celestia whispered to herself and gathered light around her horn and shot the ball of light at the copy. The copy's skin peeled and melted off of the skeleton as it was engulfed by the ball of concentrated light. When the ball of light hit the wall it disappeared leaving lightning's smoking armor laying on the floor and a shadow burnt into the wall. The sword clattered to the ground as celestia sat down looking at the armor that laid on the floor.
More guards burst through where the door use to be," princess are you alright" a unicorn guard dressed in gold and red armor asked.
Celestia sighed," yes" she said slowly," yes I'm fine"
The guard looked at celestia's side seeing the cut she had received from the sword, "princess! We need to have that looked at"
"later" celestia said and walked into the hall. She looked around at the hall seeing that damages she created. Charred sun banners hanged from the ceiling, broken lamps leaked oil, and the stones themselves were stained black from explosions. Celestia smiled," seems real enough"
She walked down the grand stairs and into the courtyard where twilight awaited her.
"it's done" celestia simply said," now go break the news to rarity, but be easy on her. The news of lightning's death is going to be hard for her even though it was a copy"
"I know, I just wish I wasn't the one who has to tell her" twilight said," I'll see you later princess"
Celestia nodded and twilight teleported back to ponyville. She walked back up to the room where lightning's armor laid and the guards were.
"please gather the armor and sword up" celestia said to the head guard," I want a funeral for him"
Spike was in the library putting books away and cleaning up after twilight.
"spike!" twilight appeared behind him from her teleportation. Spike yelped and fell off the ladder he was on. He landed with a thump on the floor and quickly scurried to his feet.
"what is it twilight" he asked.
"where's rarity"
"she popped by a few minutes ago" his face turned into a frown," she was looking for lightning runner"
"quickly which way did she go"
"she headed off towards sugarcube corner just a moment ago"
"thanks spike! I'll be back later" twilight said racing out the door.
Twilight ran through the town towards sugarcube corner. The streets were mostly clear due to the time of night. Now that she thought about it, why was spike up so late? Doesn't matter she shook the thought away.
She reached the dessert store to see rarity walk out and began to walk away.
"rarity! Wait" twilight yelled after her.
Rarity looked back at twilight with sleep deprived eyes," twilight I'm busy"
"it's about lightning"
Rarity stopped walking and turned around slowly," w...where is he"
Twilight swallowed," he's ...uh...I'm sorry rarity, but he's dead"
Rarity looked at her with unbelieving eyes," you're lying, he can't be dead"
"rarity I'm not"
"liar" rarity screamed at her and then broke down not tears," he can't be dead"
Twilight walked over to her friend," it alright rarity. We'll see him another time"
"I don't want to see him another time. I want to see him now" rarity looked up at twilight with tear filled eyes," let me see him"
" I'm sorry rarity but there is nothing left but his armor" twilight explained," princess celestia " twilight cut herself off as she said celestia's name.
"celestia killed lightning" rarity asked anger forming in her voice.
"I ... She..." twilight stammered.
"move out of the way twilight" rarity said shoving her aside," I have a royal meeting with her highness"
"rarity I don't think that's a good idea" twilight said running after rarity as she walked off. Rarity ignored twilight and walked on. Twilight was going to run after her but was stopped from a voice behind.
"leave her be twilight"
"I've never seen her this hurt before" twilight said.
" I know, I can barley watch it" lightning said walking out from the shadows, he wore the cloak he grabbed from canterlot," exactly how long do I have to stay hidden again"
"until whoever you have to serve comes to finish off celestia, then you come out and"
"and kill the bastard, I know the plan twilight. I'm just asking how long do you think it will be"
"I don't know" twilight said.
Lightning grunted," I have to go, remember twilight, I'm dead. The least you can do is shed some tears at my funeral"
Twilight smiled," I must be going crazy, cause I'm seeing ghosts"
Lightning laughed as he walked back into the shadows. Twilight looked towards canterlot and whispered," I hope you know what you are doing celestia"
It was about two days since "lightning's death". On the night of his death rarity had marched herself all the way to canterlot and confronted celestia. Rarity was so overwhelmed with emotions that she had to be escorted out of canterlot and back to ponyville, it wasn't celestia idea to do this but more of natural instincts for the guards.
Rarity had spent the entire next day in her boutique. After one day of isolation rarity came out for one reason and one reason only. She came out for lightning's funeral.
Almost the entire town was at the funeral, though only a hoof full of ponies actually knew lightning. Most came because they wanted to show that they are sorry for what happened, but mostly because they heard that celestia would be there.
One pony who was good with speeches and knew rarity very well volunteered to speak at the funeral," ponies, we gather here today, to remember lightning runner. Though most of us didn't know him very well, some of us knew him very closely. Let us not remember for his last acts of his life, but let us remember him for the little things he did while here in our small town. If anypony has anything to say you may do so now" rarity's friend finished his short speech.
At first nopony came up to speak but then twilight walked up to the front of the crowd and began her statement," lightning runner was not a very social pony, but rarity and I made a decision to try and know him better and I have to say. That pony had many secrets he still held back from us, but he was a good friend. As for why he tried to kill celestia when he finally had friends, I don't know. But I won't remember him for that, I'll remember him as the one pony who my friend cared deeply for" twilight nodded and walked back into the crowd.
The pony who did the first speech came back up," does any other pony want to say anything" he asked," rarity" he looked at her.
Rarity shook her head and kept silent," I'd like to say something" celestia said walking to the front.
" by any means princess" the pony said and backed away giving celestia full attention from the crowd.
"well I really don't have most to say that hasn't already been said. I really only saw him once and that one time he ran away. I believed that he didn't want to kill me, but I was wrong. The memory of lightning trying to kill me will always be with me, also the memory of me ...killing him will also be with me forever. But I won't remember him like that"
" thank you princess. It appears nopony else has anything to say, so shall we bury the... Um armor" six stallions moved to a board of wood with lightning's armor laying on it, which was the only thing they had to bury. Three stallions took each side and lowered the armor into a freshly dug hole.
"rest in peace lightning runner" the speech pony said.
Another six stallions began to fill the hole with the excavated dirt. One by one the ponies attending the funeral left to return to their daily duties. The few ponies who knew that rarity was in love with lightning came to her and said that their sorry and that they'll see her later. Twilight came over to rarity.
"hey rarity are you okay" she asked
Rarity sighed," I suppose so twilight. Where is the princess"
" I believe she is over there" twilight said pointing," she said she has something for you"
Rarity looked in the direction that twilight was pointing, she saw celestia but it appeared that she was talking with somepony. Rarity walked over and saw a cloaked pony with celestia. The cloaked pony sensed her coming and looked at her. Rarity saw a flash of red and white underneath the cloak. The pony said something to celestia and walked off.
"hello rarity" celestia said walking over to her.
"hello"
"I'm so sorry about what I did"
" no need to apologize princess, I know he was trying to kill you and your actions were merely made out of defense. If it helps to ease your guilt, then I forgive you"
Celestia forced a look of surprise on her face," well then, I'm still sorry" celestia turned her head and her horn glowed," I have something for you, and something tells me that lightning runner would've wanted you to have it"
She levitated a rectangle box over to rarity, she opened it and inside was lightning's sword.
Rarity looked at the barbed sword ," I don't know what to say"
"just take it rarity" celestia placed the box on the ground," I have to leave now" with that celestia calmly walked off.
Rarity nodded, lifted the box and marched back to her boutique.
Celestia rounded a bend in the road and was met by the pony wearing the cloak that rarity saw," did she get it"
"yes she has your sword" celestia nodded.
"that's good, at least I know that the sword won't go anywhere. I just wish we didn't have to bury my armor, it going to be a pain in the ass to get it out again" lighting said dropping his hood of his cloak.
"you should be more careful with showing your face around here for a while" celestia said drawing the hood back over his head with her magic.
Lightning readjusted the hood to fit over his head better," whatever you say mother" he walked away leaving celestia smiling.
Back at where the funeral took place rarity had excused herself from the remaining ponies.
Twilight tried to follow her but rarity said she wanted to be left alone for some time. Twilight turned around and headed back to her home.
"spike I'm back" she called into the library as she entered.
"how was the funeral" spike asked from atop of the ladder sorting through books.
" it was fine, though I never did like funerals" twilight said plopping herself down in the couch in the room.
"so he really did die" spike asked climbing down the ladder.
"of course he died spike! I saw his armor" twilight lied to his face.
Spike rubbed his chin," never really did say sorry about treating him badly"
"that's how death is like" twilight said," I'm going to go sleep for a bit, hold down the fort spike"
"will do" spike puffed out his chest and saluted.
"okay maybe our special talent is speeches" sweetiebelle said after the funeral as the three fillies walked away.
The Pegasus filly known as scootaloo made a face that looked like she was throwing up," speeches really! That too boring for us"
"it's just a thought" sweetiebelle replied back.
"knock it off both of you" the yellow earth pony said.
"well what do you think we should try next applebloom" scootaloo asked
"well I'm all plum out of ideas" applebloom said.
" same here"
" ditto" sweetiebelle chimed in.
The three fillies wondered around the town. They walked through the markets and through the fields until they came upon the field near lightning's house.
"hey isn't that lightning's house" sweetiebelle asked.
"yeah. Hey let's go check it out" scootaloo said.
"I don't think we should" applebloom said," I mean isn't that like disrespecting him or something"
Scootaloo shrugged and walked towards the house," I'm being serious here scoots" applebloom said trying to stop her friend. Scootaloo walked up to the door.
"I'm being serious to applebloom" she opened the door and a beeping came from nowhere. Scootaloo helped and jumped backwards.
"what is that" she yelled looking around," did I do that"
"I told you not to" applebloom shook her head.
"it wasn't you scootaloo" sweetiebelle said," it's not coming from the
house"
"then where is it coming from" scootaloo said gathering up her shattered coolness.
Sweetiebelle perked up her ears and listened to the beeping," this way" she walked off into the field. As the three fillies got closer to the source of the beeping, it got louder.
"it's coming from that" sweetiebelle pointed at the circular device that lighting had thrown out.
" what is it" applebloom asked.
"how the hay am I suppose to know" scootaloo said picking it up and examining it. Suddenly the beeping stopped," what did you do scoot" sweetiebelle accused scootaloo.
"I didn't do anything" scootaloo retorted and shook the device," must be broken.
As scootaloo the device began to increase in temperature. It grew so hot that when scootaloo finally realized that it was hot she had signed her hoof.
"ow" she yelled out and dropped it. The device began to get red with heat. When the device was almost white hot the top of it popped open and a large black smoke circle came out of it. The circle stood at least one foot above the height of celestia.
"scootaloo let's get out of here" sweetiebelle said, but as she said that a armored gauntlet shot out from the circle and landed on the ground sending up a plume of dirt. The three fillies yelped and huddled together. Another gauntlet shot out from the circle, then a helmet came through, then the body, and finally the legs.
"I do so hate using these portals" a voice echoed from inside the armor. The figure reached back into the portal and brought out a double edged, barbed sword that had red steam evaporating from the spikes it had on it.
As the figure pulled out his sword he turned around and saw the scared fillies.
" why hello there girls" he leaned closer to them," this is ponyville right"
The three fillies nodded their heads and shrunk back as the figure laughed," great! Now, let's see, which ways canterlot"
The empty armor walked off holding the sword in his hand. Scootaloo was the first one to walk out of the huddle. She walked over to the device seeing that it was now cool. She leaned down to pick it up.
"don't do that"
Scootaloo jumped and shot back over to applebloom and sweetiebelle. They saw a cloaked pony walk up to the device and slammed its hoof on the device crushing it.
" you girls should get home"
"w..who are you" sweetiebelle stammered.
The cloaked pony hesitated," guess it's no use now that he is here" the pony shoved his hood back.
Applebloom and sweetiebelle gasped while scootaloo stared in disbelief.
"lightning runner" applebloom asked.
"the one and only" lightning replied," now if I am not mistaken, you are rarity's sister. Right?"
"yeah" sweetiebelle said.
"okay, here is the thing. You cannot under any circumstances tell rarity I'm still alive" lighting said turning away.
"but we buried you armor and your shadow is burnt into the castle wall" scootaloo yelled after lightning.
"two words, illusion spell. Look it up" lighting said walking back into the tree line from where he had emerged from.
The three fillies looked at each other with confused looks.
Lighting marched through the undergrowth and through the tight bunches of trees until he came upon rarity's boutique. The sun was setting behind the hills turning the sky a purple color.
He walked. Y the boutique planning to come back and retrieve his sword. He walked through the empty streets as ponies prepared to sleep. He walked up to his grave and started removing dirt with a spell that twilight had taught him before his "death".
He reached dug down until he reached his armor covered in dirt. He lifted the armor up and slip off his cloak, he then began to attach the armor for what could be his last battle in the armor.
" so he's here"
Lighting spin around and quickly drew the cloak over his now armored body," whose there" he asked since he couldn't see due the night.
"don't worry it's just me, twilight" she said.
Lighting leaped out of the hole," how'd did you know I'd be here. I was going to tell after I got my sword"
"applebloom and her friends came to me asking about the illusion spell"
"ah" lightning looked around," we'll I think I should go get my sword. He was heading towards canterlot"
"right, I tell celestia that phase two is in progress" twilight said running back to her house.
" I hope this works" lightning said to himself and flew off back to rarity's boutique.
He reached the rarity's home within a matter of minutes. He hovered above the ground as he tried the door finding that it was unlocked. He fluttered inside and looked around. He saw dozens and dozens of finished and unfinished dresses.
" where would she keep a sword" he asked himself quietly. He fluttered up to the next floor. This was a floor separated into two rooms, one was rarity's room and the other was her kitchen. Lightning scavenged around the kitchen hoping to find the sword, but to his displeasure it wasn't in there.
Lightning sighed," one room left" he looked at the door leading to rarity's room. Lightning landed on the floor with a soft thump and quietly walked over to the door, forcing it open he saw rarity sleeping in her bed. He looked around and saw that his sword was hanging on the far wall at the end of the room.
He walked over to the wall and easing his magic, he levitated the sword down to him. He strapped it to his side and was about to leave when he passed a desk with sewing supplies on top of it, he took a step towards the door but stopped as a small hot pain shot into his hoof.
He let out a yell as the pain went deeper as he hoof step lowered to the ground.
"whose there" rarity shot up like a rocket.
Lightning looked around and quickly dived out of the window, shattering it.
Rarity looked out of the window at lightning as he flew off. Rarity gritted her teeth together as she saw that he was wearing the sword.
"get back here! That sword is lightning's" she screamed after him. She ran down the stairs and out into the now cold night.
Twilight had just gotten back to her house from her little meeting with lightning," spike are you awake" she yelled into the tree.
"I am now" she heard spike say, his voice filled with sleep.
"I'm sorry to wake you spike but I need to get a letter to celestia" twilight said as she walked up the stairs.
"ugh, fine let's get this over with" spike said rolling out of bed.
"okay here it goes" twilight cleared her throat," dear princess celestia, I have met with our special friend. He had just informed that the target is on his way, phase two is now in effect. From twilight sparkles"
"twilight sparkles" spike repeated the last words and then looked at twilight," this doesn't sound too good twilight. What is this about" he asked with a worried look on his face.
" you'll find in all good time spike" twilight said. Suddenly the two heard the door burst open on the first floor.
" I'll go see who it is" spike said hopping down the stairs. Twilight walked over to a pile of stray books and was about to put them away when she heard spike yelp and run back upstairs.
"he's...it's...it can't be" he stammered.
"what" twilight said walking downstairs. She saw lightning runner hovering in the room. He was pulling something out of his hoof.
"come on" he pulled a needle out of his hoof with his magic and them looked up to see twilight.
"sorry twilight but rarity saw me and she started to" he was cut short as rarity herself burst through the door.
" give it back" rarity fumed at the still cloaked lightning. Rarity jumped at him tackling him to the ground.
When lightning hit the ground the air was forced from his lungs and his hood fell back.
Rarity was standing over lightning snarling at him, but slowly realized it was him and she drew back.
"it can't be! How are you alive" rarity said backing up.
Lightning got to his hooves," nice to see you to rarity"
"how" she demanded.
"celestia used a illusion spell" lighting explained.
"but I" she started but was cut off by lighting saying," I would love to explain rarity but my boss is here to kill celestia, so I have to kill him before he finishes what I didn't" he looked at twilight," we should go"
Twilight hesitated," are you sure you're ready"
" positive" lightning said.
"if you say so" twilight said. She closed her eyes in concentration as her horn began to glow.
" I'll be back rarity I promise" lighting said.
"lightning wait" she raced at him. Before lighting could stop her she pressed her lips against his. When lightning had snap out of the short trance the sudden kiss had put him in, he looked at rarity seeing her smile.
"I'm coming with you to make sure that you keep that promise"
" I...you..." he stammered.
"no buts or any objections lightning" rarity said," I'm coming with you"
Before lighting could say anything else twilight had teleported the three of them into the courtyard in front of the castle in canterlot.
"I thought you were going teleport us in celestia's room" lightning said.
"I must have miscalculated" twilight said.
" we'll we should get to celestia bef..."
" it's him!"
" how is he still alive!"
" well what are you waiting for! get him!"
Twilight, lightning, and rarity looked behind them to see ten royal guards charging lightning.
" wait" twilight yelled, but she yelled too late as four guards knocked lightning to the ground and held him down, one guard on each limb. Two other guards held swords at his throat.
" tell the jailer that he has company" one of the guards told another.
Twilight and rarity tried to explain to the guards that lightning wasn't here to do any harm.
"twilight I know you are the princess's student but I witness him try to kill her" the guards said as the other guards hauled lightning up to his hooves and escorted him away.
They could hear lightning yell," let me go! There is no time! Rarity! Twilight! Get to the princess! Now!"
Twilight and rarity looked at each other before running into the castle to find celestia.
Author notes: well there it is. Hope it was okay, please review. Tips are greatly appreciated but hate reviews will be ignored. Oh and this is to ponyfanatic126. I told you I would keep my pinkie promise! One more shout out, *ahem* LyonSaki if you are reading this….work on your freaking story dude! Otherwise at school you and me are going to have a nice long talk! Love and peace. ;)