A/N: Great to be back and writing. Flair got his computer working again, so the chapters are back. Now let's begin where we left.

Disclaimer: We don't own anything we don't own.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

One month later

Rainbow and Lightning stared down each other over the table as the last piece of the pie sat between them.

"The last piece. We both know that each of us want it." Rainbow says.

"I might be willing to part with it for something." Lightning teases with a lusty smile, though she didn't know it was fake.

Rainbow blushes hot red as the thought came to her. "No way. I am not doing that."

"Oh you don't want to kiss me. I'm hurt Rainbow. I think I might cry." Lightning overdramatically says with fake sadness.

Rainbow blushes more as now embarrassment takes hold. "Bucker." She says as the piece of pie slide to in front of her. She looks at it for a while before looking to Lightning who only has a smile on his, this time sincere. Rainbow smiles back before taking the pan and starts to dig in.

After she got half way through it she peeked over the pan and sees Lightning trying to hold his laughter. Rainbow raises an eyebrow as she looks over herself to check anything amiss, until she breathes out cold air.

"Boo."

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Looking back she sees Commander Hurricane laughing like Lightning. She glares at both before flinging the rest of the pie at Lightning, who caught it and sends the pie into his mouth. "Thanks." Lightning said with his mouth full.

"Oh, thanks Grandma, I haven't laughed like that in a while." Lightning says after swallowing the pie.

Before Rainbow could say anything else the doorbell rang. "If it's Twilight again, don't answer it." Lighting told her.

Rainbow got out of her chair and headed to the door and opened it to find Twilight. Rainbow's muzzle formed into a smile. "Lightning its Twilight." Rainbow calls.

"I thought I told you not to answer it!" Lightning called from the kitchen. Lightning then makes his way to the front door. "Let me guess, you want to learn eastern magic right?" Lightning asks.

Twilight laughs nervously. "This is the seventh time you have asked." Lightning says annoyed.

"Come on, I got a thirst for knowledge and you know I won't stop." Twilight said.

"Fine, but there are some ground rules I want to set down first." Lightning says exciting the new princess.

"So what are they?"

"One, you will infer to all I say and no back talk. Second, you will not try to pull rank while we train. And finally, you will study any material that I give to you even if you disagree with it." Lightning says sounding like a strict teacher from the academy that Twilight attended while a filly.

Twilight smiles back. "Okay, when do we begin?"

Lightning gains a smirk. "Follow me and Rainbow you come too." Lightning says moving back into the house and whistles getting his pets attention. They came to a closest that both Rainbow and Twilight have passed several times and Lightning says a few words in a different language before grabbing the doorknob and, to both of their shock, the doorknob to the opposite side of the door and opens it. "You coming?" Lightning asks looking back at them.

They both walk forward mindlessly as the new room it lead to a massive room with many bookshelves. The library expanded to the dark, unlit areas of the largest room than the Canterlot Library has.

"This is my Library of Magic, every tomb, book, scroll, etc., if it's either magical or a record of magic theories and formulas. I have scoured all of Stalliongrad, made deals and everything to acquire all of them. Some I even found in old ruins of Saddle Arabia." Lightning says as Twilight and Rainbow took it all in.

"Wow." Twilight whispers.

"Now, before we start, come with me." Lightning says, walking to the center of the room where a large beautiful crystal ball sat on top of a jewel encrusted stand shaped like different creatures on top of one another. "As is tradition all who start their education of magic in the east must use this artifact and determine their element alignment." Lightning instructs.

Rainbow goes towards the artifact without question and looks it over. "So what elements are there?" She asks him.

"Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, and Lightning. Every creature falls under these categories and none may possess more than one." Lightning says.

Rainbow looks to the artifact again. "Cool." She taps the ball. "So how does it work?"

"Very complicated but it you want the basics it simply shows your element in the crystal ball. But if you want to learn more of the inner working I will supply with a book on it later." Lightning says

Rainbow stands in front of the crystal ball. "Give that to Twilight. I want an element here."

ZAP

"Ow." Rainbow looks to the offender who was the ball. The crystal ball interior changes to have a green wind inside it.

"Congratulations Rainbow, you have Wind." He then looks to the side. "Though that was a no brainer for you. Twilight come on now, time to see your element." Lightning says.

Twilight walks to the ball as Rainbow moves away and starts to look around. Twilight reaches the ball and slowly reaches forward before receiving a shock. "Ow."

The wind suddenly died down and nothing happened for several moments until the crystal ball interior looked like an inferno.

"Called it!" Lightning said with glee.

Twilight stared inscrutably at the ball. That time she got mad at Pinkie wasn't just a fluke. "Now that we know your element type I can properly prepare for your first lesson until then." Lightning says lifting hoof and a book flew off the shelf and floated in front of him. "I suggest reading this book thoroughly." Lightning says as Twilight read the cover. 'The Dos and don'ts for fire magic users, a reference guide.'

'A dos and don'ts. He gave me a dos and don'ts.' "Who do you think I am, a foal?" Twilight yells.

"Twilight you agreed you would do whatever I told you to do in exchange for teaching you, remember?" Lightning asks unfazed by the yell.

Twilight growls before leaving with the book with a stern glare at him. Lightning stares back with no emotion that unnerved Twilight slightly, but not enough to break the glare. Lightning waited until she left did he turn to Rainbow while waving another hoof in the air. Several books came off the shelves. "So Rainbow, what do you want to learn?" Lightning asks.

Twilight walked into her house and gives a sigh. 'I can't believe he's making me do this.' She thinks.

"Hey Twilight, want some tea?" Spike asks from the kitchen wearing a 'Kiss the Cook' apron.

"Thanks, Spike, I'm going to need it." Twilight says.

Bringing out a tray that has a cup of tea and some sugar he places it on the center table. Twilight levitates some sugar into the cup then starts having the spoon stir the tea.

"Chapter 1, An Introductory. Fire, among all of the elemental magic, is the most dangerous and has the highest probability to hurt the user if used incorrectly." Twilight voices starts to decrease in volume halfway through the sentence. "While at time one of the most powerful offensive magic it also one of the hardest to control. In addition user of fire magic should not practice in places with lots of flammable material unless unavoidable for it can easily cause them to combust from either a magical spark or the heat of the flames." She looks around at the library. "Spike?"

"I heard what that book said." Spike bring out a bucket of water and a fire extinguisher. "I'll head to the store to buy five more. Knowing you and your luck, this will lead to trouble." He said as he grabs some bits and leaves.

Twilight watches him leave and then turns her attention back to the book. "It is always best to practice with the supervision of an experienced elemental magic user for they can most likely can keep it under control." She then thinks over it. "I am so not asking Lightning for help. Besides he's lightning not fire. Where am I going to find a fire user?" She sighs and reads on.

"Chapter two, Magical Fire Colors and their Meanings. Magic fires come with several different colors and meanings. Each fire has its own properties and effects, for example the Blue magical fire is cold and can freeze objects if strong enough. Because of the different colors fire magic has also been used for communications since ancient times." Twilight reads before seeing an index with the color of a magical fire and its starting page. Twilight just flips to the next page. "Red, the most basic and the most alike to its normal counterpart. Not much is different from red magic fire and its counterpart except it is a little hotter depending on the power behind it and it will affect almost anything with non-magical shielding to it. Red is what almost all magical fire users first create when they start and is flexible being the primary magic used for entertainment at nights during celebrations before the invention of fireworks, although some countries like Stalliongrad still prefer it over fireworks seeing as it also raises the temperature when used." Twilight reads.

"Blue is the flame of the cold. Its properties is borderline ice magic cooling or freezing instead of burning. This is out of all fire magic is usually view as the strangest seeing as its very nature is almost completely opposite of the non-magical counterpart. This flame was first discovered by the earth pony Albenac who later became known as the cold flame in...Huh?" Twilight read not understanding the phrase for the date. "Ah, let's skip that until later." Twilight said to herself. Twilight kept reading till she hears Spike calls entering the door.

"I'm back." Spike calls out. "And I got the fire extinguishers." He told her as he carried five boxes of fire extinguishers.

Twilight looks over to him as he opens and drop each of extinguisher right by her. "Thanks Spike, you can have the day off now."

Spike smiles slightly. "Thanks but, I'm not going to leave you here with possible fire magic coming out of you that you are now learning. By the way where did you get that book, the princess didn't send anything?" Spike asks.

Twilight smiles at him before giving a hug. "Thanks Spike." She let's go of him and returns to her book.

"Twilight you didn't answer my question." Spike says noticing her evasive response.

"Don't worry it Spike. Besides I don't peek into your diary that is full of fantasy of Rarity." Twilight smirks.

"Wait, you did what!?" Spike yells.

Twilight laughs and grabs him into a hug again. "Kidding, but you get my point right?" She asks him.

Spike sighs and lets her get back to reading. A few hours later after the sun had set there was a knock at the door.

"Spike, can you get that?" Twilight asks.

Spike walked to the door and opened it to see Rainbow Dash. "Hey Spike, is Twi here?"

Spike pointed behind him. "Yeah, into another book again."

Rainbow looks over and sees the stuff around her. She giggles into her hoof at the amount of extinguishes around her. "Geez Twi, you have extinguishers to put out your house three times over."

"In preparation for fire magic Rainbow. So why did you come over?" Twilight asks.

"Oh, Lightning asked me to tell you to meet him just outside the Everfree forest an hour before sunrise for lesson one." Rainbow informed.

"Humph." Twilight groaned. "How did your reading go?"

Rainbow gains a thoughtful look. "Well..."

"So what do you want read?" Lightning asks.

Rainbow smirks and goes over to him reading the title of each of the books. It wasn't until she ended up right up in front of him did she stop. She gives a sly smile before kissing him full on the lips. Lightning goes wide eye and falls into the act.

After a few seconds she moves back and takes a book right by her. "I'll start with this." She told him as she walks to a table.

Lightning was stuck in the same position he was left in from the kiss before he moves a hoof and moves it over his lips. "I picked a really good mare." He said to himself.

Lightning was standing outside the Everfree forest dressed in a cloak waiting for twilight as he listened to the sounds of the forest. The insects, birds, the beasts in the forest, and, of course, the forest itself. Soon Twilight arrived, looking like she didn't get as much sleep as usual.

"Ah good, you arrived. Now that you're here we can begin lesson one." He then notices Twilight sleeping halfway through his speech. Lightning frowns and walks over and shocks her a bit. "Twilight!" Lightning yells jolting her awake.

"Yeow!"

"Now's not the time to sleep. It's time to train. Your brother possibly went through the same thing so buck up and live up to your family name. Now follow me." Lightning says walking into the forest.

Lightning lead the tired Alicorn through the woods Twilight getting spooked every once in a while until they came to a small hill with a bag by the base of the trunk of the only tree on it. "Ah here we are." Lightning says.

"This is where we will truly begin your training. Now Twilight tell me how many spell were in that book I gave you." Lightning says.

Twilight goes wide eye for a bit. "Uhh...two?"

Lightning raises an eyebrow. "Did you read that thing or didn't you?"

"I didn't finish it because I was afraid I would be too tired for any of this to sink in." Twilight says embarrassment.

After a few moments Lightning spoke again. "Good judgment Twilight, safety and knowledge is important, but lack of sleep makes you unable to concentrate as well and also makes you very forgetful. That was a test and you passed." Lightning says.

Twilight smiles as she looks down from embarrassment from not finishing the book. "Thanks. So, no spells yet, right? How to control?"

"Yes, no spells yet for first you must achieve awareness of something first or you wouldn't be able to channel the magic. Now this is done by spending weeks if not months alone in the wilds." Twilight's face became one of horror as Lightning continued. "But that is the old way the way first pioneered by Albenac the cold flame five thousand years ago. Since then a spell has been developed for students to first feel this with a teacher of this. Now Twilight, you are going to have to trust me completely for this to work." Lightning says.

"So what does it involve?" Twilight asks looking afraid.

"Just lay down here under the tree and close your eyes." Lightning instructed.

Twilight looks to the almost dead looking tree and complied. Walking to it she lays down next to the bag and closes her eyes. "Now what?"

She feels a hoof touch her horn. "Just listen." Lightning says. Twilight did as he said and soon she heard the sound of dripping water and soon she could see it in her mind. "Listen to the heartbeat of the earth mother of all life on her." Lightning says. Twilight soon felt what she could only describe as tiny shockwaves that felt like a pulse. "Feel the wind, the breath of all life." Lightning says as Twilight felt the gentle breeze blowing on her. "Listen to the flame, which gives warmth and protection." Lightning says. Twilight then heard the sounds of a small fire burning, the cracking of wood as the fire was roaring with life. "Listen to the storm that rages in the distance." Lightning says. Soon Twilight heard the scheduled storm back in Ponyville raging its lightning cracking and the thunder booming. "Now Twilight Sparkle, child of the flame, awaken." Lightning says the last part seemed to fade out and at that moment Twilight could feel everything around her. She could even scarcely feel the aura of the trees as it painted her mind in a beautiful canvas of colors bringing tears to her eyes.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Lightning after he lets go of her horn.

"I have no words to describe it." Twilight says opening her tear filled eyes.

Lightning smiles. "I'll let you enjoy this. We can start the real stuff next time later this afternoon." Lightning says getting up and turning around to head out, but Twilight voices catches him.

"Is this how you see the world around us?" Twilight asks.

"Yes, but only here, where nature is its own master and no pony controls it. That is why I prefer it here." Lightning says.

"Lightning?"

Lightning turns around only to be grabbed in a hug. "Thank you." She whispered.

Lightning smiles and hugs her back. "Anything for a friend." He let's go of the hug and prepares to fly. "Why don't you enjoy some of the new sensory skill you got? I'll see you in the afternoon." He flies off toward Ponyville after he finishes.

Twilight continues to look at the world with closed eyes until she realized lightning didn't take the bag with him. Eventually her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the bag to see a canvas and some art supplies with a note.

Capturing your vision of the world when you first see it is a tradition in learning this, but it is your choice.

Twilight smiles lightly and prepares the art supplies before closing her eyes and starts to see the life around her.

It was the afternoon as the scheduled storm still raged as all the mane six, except Twilight, and Lightning were in Twilight's library playing a board game while they waited for her.

Lightning looks to the pieces on the board as he picks up a piece and moves it three blocks ahead. Where he lands on makes him groan out loud.

"Hah, Canterlot Square with a hotel on it. You owe me two thousand bits. And that means you have to declare bankruptcy." Rainbow boasted.

Lightning groans and gives everything he got. Spike sits by them as the banker and declares it. "No second vote. Rainbow wins."

Lightning then smiles. "At least this is somewhat fair. The game is based on chance."

Rainbow smirks. "Again?"

Lightning huffs. "Fat chance."

Rainbow smiles. "Sore loser."

After packing up the game halfway through a knock came at the door. Spike goes to open the door and finds Twilight with a canvas in her magical grasp and an umbrella overhead.

"And lo and behold the prominent student returns." Lightning announces.

Twilight uses her magic and places the umbrella away and as she walks to the central table she packs up the game and places it to the side. "Twi is it true you and Lightning here went to the Everfree forest?" Applejack asks.

She then sits down and looks to everypony in the room before looking to Lightning with a smile. "Yes, and I'm glad he did, because he showed me something that really belongs somewhere." She then shows the painting to everypony.

Everypony 'wows' at what she made. Even though the painting was a mess of colors it somehow showed that same forest and hill she was on with different colors from the forms of life around it.

"I see you followed that tradition." Lightning says with a smirk.

Twilight surprises everypony when she starts to cry. "Lightning, you really shown me something special and for that I'm sorry for how I treated you."

"Ah, it's no big deal, but now it's time for lesson two." Lightning says.

Twilight nods and prepares herself. "Okay, let's go."

"This place should be good enough. Now Twilight one of the most basics and important things is the breath the breathing of a fire user is the most important thing." Lightning begins to instruct.

Twilight begins to breath but does it a little too fast. "Not like that. You must be even and at a relaxed pace." Lightning warns.

Twilight follows and start to breathe right. "Now channel what you learned earlier and concentrate on the unlit wood in the fireplace." Lightning instructs.

Twilight begins focusing on the wood and breathing right. Nothing was happening so she increased her concentration and squinted her eyes. Finally some smoke starts rising. "Stop, stop, Twilight relax, you can't force this magic just focus on the wood like you did when I showed you." Lightning warns.

Twilight relaxes at the fear that it might go out of control. She tries again and finds the wood. Within a few minute a flame started to spread across them.

"Okay Twilight, let go." Lightning said as he carefully watches the fire.

Twilight pulls back in her mind and when back with her body she opens her eyes to see the fireplace lit. "Excellent job. Now remember, once the flame is lit you can only guide it, not control it. You try it and it will fight back." Lightning warns.

"Wow, Twilight is now a walking lighter." Pinkie says.

Applejack looks to Pinkie with a glare. "Pinkie that sounds insulting, you do know that right?"

"But she lit the fireplace." Pinkie says cheerfully.

Applejack still glares. "Pinkie you make it sound like she light up anything flammable."

"Oh she can now if she isn't careful." Lightning informs.

Twilight sighs. "I'll try my best."

"That's why you should wear this." Lightning says holding out a golden necklace with a strange symbol in the middle.

Twilight takes it with her hooves and holds it. "What is it?"

"A firebrand. Its function is to help those who are starting to learn fire magic so their powers don't go out of control." Lightning instructs.

Twilight smiles. "Thanks." She says putting it on.

"Now Twilight lesson three will be tomorrow and it will be a demonstration mostly." Lightning says wrapping his cloak around himself.

Rainbow gets bundled as well as they both prepare to head out. "I'll see you tomorrow Twilight. So Rainbow what do you want to eat?" Lightning asks.

"Really, at this time and weather?" Rainbow said pointing to the door.

"This is nothing, trust me on that." Lightning says with a reassuring smile.

"Alright, how about the cafe? The one with the overhead awning. For some reason I want to be outside." Rainbow asks.

"Alright it's your choice." Lightning says as Spike closes the door behind them.

"Wow, Twilight your opinion has really change about Lightning Bolt hasn't it?" Spike asks.

Twilight looks to him with a small smile. "Part way. But I was really telling the truth when he showed me something special."

"Oh, tell us all about it." Rarity practically begged.

Twilight looks to her confused until she got the message. "Don't tell me you girls think that I'm falling for him?"

"Welllll..." Applejack says extending the word.

Twilight shakes her head. "In no way that I like Lightning in that way. Besides he's with Rainbow."

"Ok, ok, Sugarcube." Applejack says.

Then next day Lightning was in the middle of a field surrounded by stands for torches with several royal guards and the three other princess and Shining Armor not too far away as he waited for Twilight. Twilight, the rest of the mane six, and Spike soon approached. Lightning made no motion as Twilight and the rest of her friends went over to the princess. "Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and brother what are you doing here?" Twilight asks.

"Lightning Bolt requested us to come and oversee this trail in your training to using elemental magic." Princess Celestia says as Princess Luna was hopping around a bit. "Oh, I'm so excited, I have never seen eastern magic before." Luna says.

Twilight looks around the cleared area. "Yes it is amazing." She commented.

"Now Twilight I believe Lightning is patiently waiting for you." Celestia says.

Twilight sighs and starts to head where Lightning stood. "Let's get this done." She told him.

"Twilight, this is a very serious part in your training. Today you gain your partner spirit who will be with you throughout your entire life." Lightning says.

Twilight perks up at this. "A partner spirit, that sounds good. So what do I do?"

"First remove the Firebrand and set that torch right there. I will take the ritual from there." Lightning says with full seriousness.

Twilight carefully starts to take off the Firebrand necklace and gives it to Lightning who takes it. She then sets the torch ablaze. Lightning then begins to chant as he starts lighting more torches systematically. "Aprire oh porta di fuoco al regno del re del fuoco e portare avanti quello che è destinato ad essere il compagno di vita di suo apprendista tariffa. Lasciate che questa unione sia benedetto dai cinque spiriti dominanti e lasciare che i loro destini sono intrecciati in modo sempre dice che le leggi degli spiriti. Vieni avanti lo spirito del fuoco." When Lightning finished the last torch was lit and red lines started tracing the torches forming a spell circle and the fires of the torches increased several fold and then starts to spin surrounding Twilight and Lightning in a tornado of flames that colors seemed to dance around them before forming into an egg like shape in front of them and then explode into the air in a pillar of fire that disappeared soon afterward.

At the ground where the pillar rose from Twilight saw a small is a small, bipedal like creature it has a long, thin snout. It's stubby firearms lacks claws, but has a single claw on each hind foot and flames coming out of its darken colored back. It looks around before it's almost closed eyes landed on Twilight and bounded up to her like happy dog. Twilight becomes worried because the flames on its back were still firing, but when it reaches her and starts to rub against her it felt cool. Twilight soon smiles rubs the little guy's head who starts to enjoy the sensation.

"Congratulations Twilight you now have your partner. Now the spirit is your responsibility you must raise it and help it grow strong." Lightning says.

Twilight smiles and lifts the little guy with her hooves like a foal before hugging him. "I will." She said.

In the crowd Lightning saw Shining Armor restrained by several royal guards. Most likely rushed to save his sister trapped in the fire. "Relax captain, her affinity is fire. They won't harm her in this case."

"Ohhhh Spike, guess who has a little brother now?" Twilight calls.

Spike starts to walk to her and the little bundle in her hooves before he huffs. "What can this little tyke do? I'm a dragon, what can he do?"

The creature puffs it's cheeks in agitation before letting loose a cry and a flamethrower like attack from its mouth that burns Spike and leaves only his head covered in soot and ash and a small flame on his frill on his head.

Lightning walks over to Spike. "Never underestimate a spirit Spike." Lightning says licking his hooves and putting out the fire. "So Twilight, what name will you give him?" Lightning asks.

"I'm thinking...hmmm..." Twilight thinks about the name while the creature snickers at the bad condition Spike is in. "How about Angi? Would you like that little guy?" She asks the creature. The creature, now Angi, chortles out squeals of happiness and accepts the name.

"I think that is a yes Twilight. Oh and at this point they eat magic for nourishment." Lightning informed.

Twilight goes worried a second. "Would this mean I am going to drain of magic if he feeds?"

"A little cause this helps them develop and it only lasts a few months." Lightning says.

"If it comes to it I can send Twilight some magically filled crystals for some substitutes if needed." Celestia offers.

"She has to feed it her magic as part of a parental like bonds." Lightning says.

Celestia smiles before coming over and looks to Angi. "Well just know this Twilight. We will be here for you if you need help." A squeak captures their attention and they turn to Angi who looking at Celestia with awe. Celestia smiles and nuzzles the little one and gives a nod to Twilight. Twilight nods back and turns back to Angi.

Lightning was walking through town with Rainbow. "Ah what a nice day. The sun is shining, Ice fang and Azure are doing great, Eclipse and Midnight are in town, and everything is good." Lightning said to himself. It wasn't until he went a few more steps did he turn and see Eclipse and Midnight waving at them with their bags around them. Lightning stares for a few more seconds before, "I'm out of here." He zooms off, leaving Rainbow in the dust, literally.

"What just happened?" Rainbow asks.

Author's Notes:

A/N: Well there it is. See we weren't gone, just busy. College for me so too much work. While Flair had a busted computer. Now that I got a small break and Flair's computer is fixed, chapters are flowing back in.

Translation: Open oh door of fire to the realm of the fire king and bring forth one who is destined to be the life partner of his fare apprentice. Let this union be blessed by the five ruling spirits and let their fates be forever intertwined so says the laws of spirits. Come forth Fire spirit.