Celestia had set the sun for a while before Midnight called, "Alright, everyone, good work today! Join me on the ground and take a breather."

The Silverbolts all landed back on the training field, each of them tuckered and panting as they surrounded their captain, and Midnight said, "Okay, so we haven't quite nailed down the routine yet. But we still have time to get a good night's sleep and make use of the time we still have tomorrow. Don't get discouraged and don't fret about it. We all did some good training today and I can tell each and everyone of you has improved since the last time we were together. Take pride in that, and take heart that the Silverbolts are gonna show the Wonderbolts that they're not all that! Am I right?!"

"RIGHT!!" the Silverbolts all responded with a beat of their wings.

"That's what I wanna hear! It's past six now, so I want you all to have a filling dinner, head to your hotels, shower off and then get some sleep," instructed Midnight. "Then I want your butts back here tomorrow at 7 am sharp! Until then, Silverbolts! Dismissed."

The Silverbolts all nodded and began to disperse, B-Squad and C-Squad expressing good lucks and kudos to their squad leaders, Steel Edge and Amethyst Tides, while the rest of A-Squad converged on Midnight, with Doran asked, "Captain, I agree we've made good progress today. But are you certain we can master the routine in time for the aerial show tomorrow afternoon?"

"I am. While the Storm Breaker is flashy and certainly not for amateurs to attempt," Midnight assured, "it really isn't all that difficult. That's why I designed it so, for our first aerial show. I'm confident we can get it down to pat in time for the show tomorrow. But we must be fresh and ready."

"You still haven't told us who among us will race against Spitfire and the others tomorrow after the show," Hazel Blight brought up.

"As I said, the three Silverbolts will be chosen among us who perform in the show tomorrow," Midnight clarified, "but we will literally draw straws to determine which three will do so."

"Is that a good idea, Midnight?" Soarin debated. "All of us are great fliers an' everything, but Spitfire and her two wingponies are the very best the Wonderbolts have. Shouldn't it be you, me and maybe Hazel or Thunder? No offense, Doran, but you're the biggest and heaviest out of us all. You're fast but not the fastest flier here."

"None taken," Doran shrugged. "Speed isn't always the factor that decides who wins a race, after all."

"Doran's right," Thunderlane agreed. "It's also stamina, determination, thinking ahead, and outsmarting your competition."

"I hear you all, and you all make good points," Midnight raised his wings, beckoning their attention, "but the moment of truth, right before the race is to begin, that will be our advantage. The Wonderbolts won't know who among us they're racing until right before the race begins. Each of us is a skilled flier, more than a match for most of the Wonderbolts.

"But Spitfire, Rapidfire and Fleetfoot are their best. Do I think our team can win? I absolutely do, but I'm not discounting the real talent and skill the top three Wonderbolts have. Regardless, whoever is chosen tomorrow to race them, win or lose, I have no doubts they will do their best and make us all proud. So, if there's nothing else, I recommend we all get some dinner and get some rest. Good night, Silverbolts."

Midnight took flight, and so the remaining Silverbolts all nodded and agreed it was time to take the rest of the night off. Thunderlane went back to the bench, where Rumble was napping. After all the training and flying the colt had done today, he'd soon been out like a light, and Thunderlane smiled warmly at his kid brother. Rumble looked so like their dad, Thunderboom, with his gray coat, but he definitely had the eyes of their mom, Misty Light, whose silvery-blue mane Thunderlane had inherited, while he'd gotten the golden eyes of their dad (Thunderlane was just glad neither of them had inherited their dad's sensitive stomach).

How he missed them, how loving and strong and confident they were. He could still remember that day. How it began like any other morning. Their mom's waffles, their dad reading his morning paper, little Rumble eating his applesauce, and Thunderlane ready to race Rainbow Dash again at school. Mom had kissed him, Dad ruffled his mane, and they said what they'd always said right before he flew off to school.

See you when we get home.

Thunderboom and Misty Flight never came come.

An hour after getting home, Thunderlane got a visitor, one of his parents' coworkers at the weather factory, and he got the news that ended the world as he knew it forever. An accident at the factory had resulted in a lot of damage, and several workers losing their lives. Thunderboom and Misty Flight gave their lives to save some of their friends and coworkers from an out-of-control weather anomaly that had accidentally got loose. The funeral service was held, and Thunderboom and Misty Flight were posthumously given awards for their courage and sacrifice.

With no other living relatives besides each other, Thunderlane and Rumble were taken in by foal services and put into the foster care system. Thankfully, Rainbow's folks had petitioned to be his and Rumble's foster parents, which Thunderlane was grateful for, not only because he trusted Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles but also because they'd prevented foal services from separating Thunderlane from his little brother.

Thunderlane studied hard in school and did after school jobs to raise money. Eventually, he grew old enough to petition for legal guardianship of Rumble, and thanks to his good grades and his savings he'd passed the tests, proving he could be a responsible caregiver. He'd thanked Rainbow's parents for all their love and support before taking Rumble and moving them to Ponyville. He'd gotten a job there and managed to get sufficient housing for them both. The foal support he got was a life-saver, because at the time Thunderlane had been anxious and stretching himself thin working to pay his bills, keep his brother fed, sheltered and educated, and he'd been grateful to their neighbors Flitter and Cloudchaser becoming Rumble's go-to foalsitters whenever Thunderlane had had to work late or long hours.

Remembering his parents, remembering all the hard work he'd done to keep what remained of his family together, looking upon his little brother, and feeling so darn proud of how hard the colt worked today, Thunderlane smiled as a single tear was shed and he thought, You're gonna fly so high one day, everypony will be looking up to you, little brother.

Then, very gently so as not to wake him up, Thunderlane carefully picked up his little brother, and gently took flight, heading off to the hotel.

In the shadiest district of Canterlot, three cloaked pegasi entered ye old magick shoppe, a bell ringing when they opened the door and went in. Inside, they saw rows of shelves, displaying numerous antiques, odds and ends, baubles, old vintage stuff, dusty, grimy, in some cases filthy with rust. But they felt it. Though they weren't unicorns, all ponies had magic, and anypony would sense this place was rife with magical energies. There was a decrepit old birdcage, a silk top hat that sometimes shook a little as a pair of rabbit ears poked over the brim, apparently listening before disappearing back inside, there was a display case with various jewels, gemstones, crystals, a deck of bloodstained tarot cards, and one glass case contained an old-fashioned ragdoll that had a sign that blatantly read, 'NOT FOR SALE, DO NOT OPEN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.' There was a delicate skeleton of what was unmistakably a Breezy, a disembodied pony's hoof with a tag that read 'Hoof of Glory', and even the crystalline skull of a dragon dominating one corner of the shoppe!

"Eyugh, how is this guy even in business?" said one of the cloaked pegasi as she stared at what looked like a glass jar of marbles, only to freak out a bit when they turned, revealing they were eyeballs!
"I get the feeling some of this stuff is... frowned upon, legally speaking."

"Oh, some of my wares might not be within legal boundaries..." said a sleazy voice and they looked ahead towards the counter as a figure emerged from a dark doorway behind it. He was an earth pony with pale golden eyes, a stone gray coat, pale purple mane in a queue braid, he wore oriental clothing and pince-nez glasses on the bridge of his muzzle. He gave them a smirk as he finished his sentence, "...but you'll find I possess an extensive collection of magical merchandise you'll find a challenge to locate anywhere else in Canterlot."

"I'm surprised you're still in business after the failed Coup of Avarice," chuckled another one of the pegasi, a different mare with a more confident and stronger voice as she led the other two up to the counter.
"Didn't those hooded freaks crack down on the Equestrian crime world? As I understand it, a lot of organized crime was eradicated."

"Well, thanks to careful business with my clientele, along with a few special treasures, I've managed to avoid uncomfortable associations with the law," the shopkeeper shrugged with a light chuckle.
"But you're not here to hear me brag about my... talents for discretion."

"Heheh, certainly not," the mare replied before gesturing to one of her companions. "This guy tells me you could fix us up with, uh.... what was it, old mane?"

The pegasus the mare had referred to, he grumbled softly at being called old, before answering, "Something to disrupt camera feeds or electricity. Something to disable technology, magical or otherwise."

"Hmm... I might have just the thing, just a minute..." the shopkeeper considered before ducking down behind the counter, apparently looking for something... before he stood back up and placed a pouch of something onto the countertop.
"Perhaps these would suit your purposes."

The mare in charge stepped closer, took the pouch and looked at the contents... and saw they looked to be little marbles, colored electric blue, yellow and green, giving off an aura similar to static electricity.

"Stormy Eyes," the shopkeeper explained, "quite a fad when they were first created... until an unfortunate accident led to them being discontinued and their manufacturing made illicit."

"Pretty little baubles, but what makes them so dangerous?" the mare asked, genuinely curious as she picked up one of the Stormy Eyes and gazed into it, seeing split-second arcs of electricity dancing within it.

"Throw one hard enough, it breaks and unleashes a nasty discharge," the shopkeeper answered, "knocks out any electrical gimmicks within or even close to the area of effect... and can also inflict some awful electrical burns on anyone too close. Won't kill, but it will certainly hurt far worse than the sting of a static shock."

The mare smirked with sadistic relish as she gazed upon these hazardous little spheres before nodding, "We'll take all you got, and, if you know how to make them or who does, I'll pay you triple their worth."

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up with money signs as he rang up the charge, and asked, "Would you like that gift-wrapped?"

Early the next morning, Thunderlane had woken up to the alarm clock he'd requested from the hotel, and roused Rumble up as well so they could have breakfast before Thunderlane had to get back to training.

They'd found a nice diner in Canterlot and ordered Prench toast, omelets, hay-bacon, and orange juice, as well as a pot of coffee for Thunderlane, while enjoying the morning air at their outside table. As they ate, Thunderlane quickly noticed how withdrawn his brother was, eating his food rather slowly.

"Rumble?" The colt looked up to see his big brother giving him a look.

It wasn't concerned. It wasn't authoritative. It was just calm and open, as Thunderlane invited, "Do you wanna talk?"

"About what?" Rumble responded, poking at his omelet with his fork.

"Whatever you want," Thunderlane shrugged. "About the Silverbolts, flight tips... Twinken?"

Rumble paused mid-poking, as he furrowed his brows, looking so confused and conflicted, almost afraid to close his eyes, before he shuddered and took a deep breath.

"I know that... what happened... Twinken didn't mean for that to happen," Rumble answered, sounding calm but a slight tremor in his voice and ruffle of his feathers betrayed the struggle he was making to keep his cool.
"As horrible and scary as all that was... Twinken is the one suffering the most. I'm angry at him, Thunder, and I feel bad for being angry at him. It's not fair to be angry at him, because he didn't mean for all that to happen. But it did. Because he couldn't control his powers, because something in his head made a mistake and turned a stupid test into- into...!"

"...a nightmare," Thunderlane finished for the colt, who nodded, looking guilty. Thunderlane moved his chair to be closer to his brother, and gently put a wing around the colt's withers.
"Rumble... I understand how you feel. It's not the same, but I've been in your horseshoes. I felt what you're feeling... the day we lost Mom and Dad."

Rumble gasped softly before looking up at his big brother, confused but curious to hear where the stallion was going with this.

"That day at the weather factory... the employee who was in charge at the time, High Bar, made a mistake," Thunderlane explained, his tone laced with a mild bitterness but there was a softness to it, as well as in his eyes.
"His mistake... cost our parents their lives, including others. When word got out, High Bar was subject to harassment, threats, and hatred from the loved ones who died because of his error in judgment. It got so bad for him that he moved away, leaving the home he'd loved and lived in all his life. I never did anything to him myself, but I hated him for a long time, Rumble. If he hadn't made that one mistake, our parents would still be here. Later they found out a mix-up in paperwork had sent some weather to the wrong department in the factory, and a foreign element was added to a storm cloud that was meant to be held in reserve.

"It was a mistaken, but it was an honest mistake... and it wasn't just High Bar's mistake."

"Why did you never tell me about any of this?" Rumble asked softly, confused about where his brother was going with this. "You just said it was an accident."

"Because I spent many years after the accident hating High Bar," Thunderlane said sadly, almost sounding ashamed. "It was an accident, Rumble, but High Bar didn't mean for anypony to get hurt and he wasn't solely to blame. I was just too young and angry and broken to care... until it almost cost me you, little brother."

Rumble was astonished to hear those words, see the shame on his brother's face, how he let his wings hang from his withers.

"I acted out, did something stupid. Back when Rainbow's folks were taking care of us," Thunderlane admitted, a tear running down his face, "and because of what I did, a social worker almost deemed them unfit foster parents and she would have had use taken away and we would have been separated.

"Somehow, I managed to convince the social worker it was my fault, begged her not to separate us. She read me the riot act and told me to get my crap together. That's when I took my schoolwork and part-time job seriously. I asked for counseling, and I told the therapist what I'm telling you about High Bar. He told me... to let go, to forgive, because the baggage I was carrying was weighing me down. and I realized, there was only one way I could do that."

"What did you do?" asked Rumble.

"...I managed to find where High Bar moved away to," explained Thunderlane, a slight shudder in his voice, "I went to his house, knocked on his door... and when he answered, I told him who I was, that our parents, Thunderboom and Misty Flight, died in the accident. Almost immediately, High Bar looked terrified, there was... pain in his eyes. Like an old wound that never really healed.

"I told High Bar, I had hated him, blamed him for a long time... but I couldn't live that way anymore. So then I said three little words that made a world of difference."

"What were they?" Rumble felt his feathers shiver in anticipation as Thunderlane looked him square in the eyes.

"I said, 'I forgive you'," Thunderlane answered, and the dour demeanor on the older pegasus' face suddenly became light. A subtle kind of light, as his frown became a small smile, especially when he saw his brother's face dawn wit ha bewilderment.
"Those three little words... did something to me, and to High Bar. That one act of forgiveness... gave the both of us a healing we sorely needed. High Bar had lived with such guilt, such pain, that to be forgiven by somepony who had every right to hate him and hold him in contempt... he broke down into tears, bawled like a baby. He was an emotional mess: relieved, still sorry, but also happy. So, I gave him a hug, and I cried with him."

"...What happened after that?" Rumble asked.

"We got a hold of ourselves, we talked for a while... and then we made each other a promise," Thunderlane reached over, holding his hoof to Rumble, and Rumble took Thunderlane's hoof into his own, before Thunderlane said, "Don't live your life hanging onto pain, because if you don't you'll never really heal."

The brothers were quiet for a long moment before Rumble said, "You want me to forgive Twinken. For what happened."

"Yes, Rumble," Thunderlane nodded. "You said it yourself - Twinken is suffering. Midnight talked to me about it. It's easy to blame and to be angry and to hate. But as hard as it can be, forgiveness and compassion are so much better. Twinken didn't mean for the nightmare to happen; he's still a colt, same as you. He hasn't gotten all the know-how or the experience he needs to be in full control of his powers. I know what happened still haunts you, but maybe... maybe it'll get easier if you and the rest of the Crusaders clear the air with Twinken.

"You're all still friends, aren't you?" Thunderlane gave Rumble a smile that was hopeful and encouraging, and was relieved to see Rumble nod. "Well, when you're ready, talk to him and assure him that he is still your friend, and be there for him. Can you do that, little brother?"

Rumble gazed up at Thunderlane, tears running down his face, before the colt scooted over and embraced his big brother, the stallion returning the hug with one warm, gentle and strong.

"Rumble... don't make my mistakes. I'm not saying you have to do it now, but I hope soon that you and your friends will talk with Twinken, and forgive him, and help him to forgive himself. Don't hold onto the bad feelings, like I did. Because when you forgive someone, you help them heal, as well as yourself."

Rumble looked up at Thunderlane, smiling and teary-eyed, the stallion wiping those tears away, and the colt said, "I love you, big brother."

"And I love you, little brother," Thunderlane replied warmly, when...

Thunderlane and Rumble both startled and looked towards the BONG sound as it made its third, and Thunderlane gulped to see a nearby clock tower showing it was now 7am.

"Oh horseapples...!" Thunderlane raised a wing while calling into the diner, "Check, please!" and ignored the amused sniggers from his kid brother.

Shortly after, the two brothers took flight, unaware of a pegasus watching them from around the corner of the diner, shedding a tear of her own as she was painfully reminded of her own little brother.

“Holding on is believing that there's only a past; letting go is knowing that there's a future.” - Daphne Rose Kingma