You want me to write it down? Write my thoughts and opinions? Fine. Let me tell you exactly how I feel.

I am going to kill Rainbow Dash. I’m going to do it slowly, drawing it out until she’s almost gone, then I’m going to give her time to heal. I’ll do it again, and again, and again.

I hate that bitch.

Bitch.

Are you happy, Fine Crime? I’m not. You can tell me not to. Because I know the stakes, I’ll do what you say. But when this is over and we don’t need her anymore, that bitch is dead. If you get in my way, I will kill you. I don’t care that you’ve given me everything I need to do it. Stay the buck out of my way.

I

will

kill

you

There. I said my piece. Now you can take this stupid book and burn it, for all I care.

—Gulfstream Dust, Book of Shadows XLVIII,

June 5, 1007

“Gulfie, are you sure about this?”

Gulfstream stared at the door in the long hallway. He tried to ignore the way Summer tugged on his shoulder. “It’s… the only option.”

Summer whimpered. “B-but what if Lightning finds out?”

He drew a shaky breath, his confidence slipping on the slope of her doubt. “I… I don’t know.”

Lip trembling, she looked between him and the door several times. “Oh, this isn’t going to end well. Can’t we just go back to our room and pretend this never happened?”

At that, his stance solidified. “It’s happening. I can’t pretend it isn’t. You can can go back if you want, Summer. I won’t blame you.”

She hesitated, a soft whining sound rising from her throat… then she moved a little closer to him. She returned his wan smile unsteadily. He leaned over to nuzzle her cheek, and she responded by pressing a little tighter to his side. It felt so pleasant that his worries faded a little and his smile grew.

But then he turned back to the door. Silence reigned as he took a few slow, careful breaths. He stepped forward, and Summer stepped with him. Raising his hoof proved difficult. He lingered like that for some time, breathlessly willing himself to knock.

Summer did it for him, giving three quick raps with her fetlock that made him jump. She didn’t respond to his reaction, but he still blushed.

Seconds went by. Summer knocked again. When no answer came, Gulfstream stepped away from her to rear back and knock with both forehooves in a rapid rhythm that only the dead – or perhaps inebriated – could miss.

“Alright, already,” came a muffled voice through the wood. The door cracked open a moment later, and familiar red eyes peered out. “Whaddaya… Gulfstream?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat and stared at his hooves. “H-hey, Rainbow.”

The chain bolt came free with a clack. The door opened properly, revealing a disheveled and worn Rainbow Dash. Her eyes were raw, fresh streaks from recently-cleaned tears evident on her cheeks. Her mane was a mess and her wings looked like they needed a good preening.

Yet despite her ragged appearance, her expression was hard. “It’s one in the morning. What the hay are you doing here?”

The question was out, just like that. Too fast. It came too fast. Gulfstream’s eyes shifted, unable to rise from his hooves. “I… I just…”

Despite her earlier hesitation, Summer’s voice came out sharp and certain. “Gulfstream needs your help.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow at her. “And who are you?”

Gulfstream gave another weak smile to Summer. Her nod was firm, but her eyes were shining with concern. He looked up to Rainbow. “She’s my friend, Summer Showers.”

Comprehension dawned on Rainbow’s face. “Oh. You’re Night Lace’s kid, aren’t you? I heard what happened.”

Summer’s mouth opened, then closed it once more.

“Rainbow?” Gulfstream stepped forward, catching her attention. “I know it’s late and you probably like me as much as I like you, but… can we… talk?”

She studied him with a sour frown. “I’m not forfeiting the match.”

“That’s not what I’m after.”

Her head tilted back. She pursed her lips, but finally nodded and stepped back. “Come on, let’s get this over with. I don’t want Lightning finding out you two slipped off in the middle of the night.”

Half-fearing that Lightning would come walking down the corridor at that very moment, Gulfstream hurried into the dark hotel room. Summer followed at a trot, offering a quiet “thank you” as she did. The door closed, engulfing them in darkness, but Rainbow soon turned on a lamp next to her bed. She beckoned with her hoof, and the two little ponies climbed onto the crumpled up covers.

Rainbow sat on the floor opposite them, her expression as hard as ever. “Gulfstream, the only reason I’m putting up with this is ’cause you helped me out a few times when you had no reason to. I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but don’t think I’m going to help you with just anything, especially not with the semi-finals coming tomorrow. You know this won’t look good.”

Gulfstream felt a spark of hope. “That’s exactly why I’m here. I’m glad you made it this far, Rainbow. You’re one of the only ponies left who didn’t try to get there without cheating.”

She puffed up her chest, but her lips fell to a grim frown. “I still can’t believe it. Ponies have been breaking the rules left and right, and the refs aren’t doing a bucking thing. I barely beat that jerk with the unicorn helper hiding in the audience.”

Despite his lingered dislike of Rainbow, he couldn’t help but grin. “That was awesome, by the way. Best jousting match of the whole tournament. I never thought I’d see you pretend to be an amateur like that.”

Summer leaned forward, concern lining her voice. “Is your shoulder alright?”

“It’s fine.” Rainbow tapped her shoulder as if to demonstrate. “They got good healers on standby.” Her piercing gaze returned to Gulfstream. “We all know how this started.”

With a wince, Gulfstream nodded. “Lightning. It’s her fault.”

His open confession made Rainbow lean back, her eyebrows rising once more. “Y-yeah. When she cheated in that race, it sent the signal to everypony competing that they could do whatever they wanted and nopony would stop them.”

“I know.” Gulfstream bowed his head once more, his heart heavy. He relaxed a little when Summer rubbed her wing across his back. She did that a lot lately. He didn’t mind.

Silence permeated the room. Gulfstream kept seeing the day play over and over in his mind. Even his aunt and uncle couldn’t deny Lightning’s actions by now, and she hadn’t even come to visit them when the events of the day had ended.

Rainbow’s voice was quiet. “Gulfstream… what happened to her?” When he looked up, she was fidgeting and casting furtive glances away. “She’s never been like this before. She almost took that poor stallion’s head off in the Co-Action Stunts contest, and she’s never cheated before in all her life. What’s going on?”

His heart leapt into his throat and he jumped to his hooves. “Oh, thank Luna, you noticed! I was afraid I’d have to convince you. Rainbow, you’ve got to get into the finals and stop her!”

Her jaw dropped and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

He took another daring step forward, wings popping open as his words came out in a rapid stream. “She’s cursed and she’s going nuts and you’re the only pony who can do something about it! I don’t care how you feel about me or what you think about Lightning, but you have to do it. Please, I want my cousin back! If you—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Rainbow pushed him back into a sitting position; Summer’s wing immediately wrapped about his shoulders. “Are you telling me you want Lightning to lose?”

“I know it looks bad,” he replied quickly, not noticing the tears welling in his eyes. “It looks terrible and I feel terrible, but I’ll feel even worse if this keeps up. Lightning’s a good pony! I need her back. I can’t let her be like… like… like me.” The tears broke free and he sobbed, leaning heavily on Summer. “She’s good. She has to be g-good. I need her to be good.”

He wept openly, not caring that Rainbow could see. Summer was cooing in his ear, and he clung to her as if she was a life raft in a surging ocean. His entire body shook; he made no attempt to stop it.

It took him a moment to realize that Rainbow was trying to get his attention. She’d dropped forward, her forehooves and chin resting on the edge of the bed as she stared at him with the kind of concern he’d only ever seen her offer to Lightning. “Gulfie? Talk to me. Slowly. Tell me everything.”

And he did. He explained how Lightning had gone to see Celestia and returned with the knife, and how from that point on she had gradually become increasingly aggressive and determined. He recalled her ferocity when she’d thought he was trying to take the knife, and his theory of how it was cursed. He explained his belief that the weapon had changed her completely.

Rainbow listened to every word, her expression growing darker and darker as the story went on. She never spoke, not even to ask a question.

At last the story ended, and Gulfstream felt tired and weak. He’d dropped to his belly at some point, still trembling and feeling so very lost and afraid. He stared up at Rainbow with pleading eyes. “You’re good enough, Rainbow. You can get to the finals with her. You’ve got to do something.” When she didn’t answer, he asked, “You believe me, d-don’t you?”

She stared at the floor, her eyes shifting in quiet thought. At last she looked directly at him. “Yes, Gulfie. I believe you.”

“Then you’ll help?”

“I’ll have to get that knife away from her.” Rainbow rubbed her chin, expression as serious as the grave. “It sounds like things will go back to normal if I do. But if she’s as far gone as you say, then that won’t be easy. She’s better than me at everything.”

That was true, but Gulfstream couldn’t accept it this time. He stood up with a jerk and stomped – an ineffectual motion against the bed. “Maybe she is, but the knife’s screwing with her head. She’s confident and not thinking straight. There’s still one thing you can do that she can’t: the Sonic Rainboom.”

Rainbow’s eyebrows rose. “I thought you didn’t believe I could do that.”

He rolled his head back to shout, “Then prove me wrong! It’s the one and only thing that Lightning can’t counter, because she’s never had to face it! You say you’ve done it before, so do it again. I know you doubt yourself and think she’s better than you, but that’s only true because you say it is!”

Her eyes narrowed. Her lips dipped to a pursing frown. “You’re just saying that.”

“Yes, I am! But I…” His energy faded and he slumped back to his haunches. “I want my cousin back.” Summer’s wing was already wrapped about his shoulders.

They stared at one another for some time. Gulfstream had no idea what else to say, and Rainbow appeared to be in the same predicament.

Summer’s voice startled them both. “You’re an inspiration, Gulfie.”

Rainbow and Gulfstream turned to her at once. She bore a broad, beaming smile, to which he could only respond, “Huh?”

“You’re so… loyal.” She bent forward to nuzzle him, which brought out a fire in his cheeks. “You’re willing to risk everything to get Lightning back to normal. I mean, if she found out about this it would be bad, but you’re doing it anyway. That’s really brave.”

An image of Lightning’s furious visage came to him. He promptly sank to his barrel and threw his hooves over his face. “She’s going to h-hate me.”

Rainbow’s voice was subdued. “Loyal, huh? That’s… so much more than I was. She’s right, kid — you are an inspiration.”

He didn’t bother to remove his hooves, his tone coming out in a grumble. “Now who’s just saying things?”

Hooves touched his own, lightly pulling them apart. Rainbow had a small smile. “Not this time. You’re a good pony, Gulfstream. You’ve got your issues, but you fight them far better than I fight mine, and mine probably aren’t half as serious. I don’t think Lightning will be mad. I think, once she figures out what’s happening, she’ll be proud of you.”

That small, vicious voice in the back of his mind wanted to refute her words, to not accept her kindness. He shoved it into obscurity and smiled back with a sniffle. “I think she’ll be proud of you too.”

Rainbow’s smile didn’t fade, but she suddenly couldn’t look him in the eye. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do.” He sat up and rubbed his eye, opening his wing around Summer. She jumped at the motion, but relaxed quickly. “If you win the tournament, Lightning will be proud. If we can get rid of that knife.”

“And I will.” Rainbow nodded firmly. “Don’t you worry, Gulfie. Now that I know what’s driving her, I know what to do.”

He looked up at her with all the hope he could muster. “Stop her, Rainbow.

“Stop her before it’s too late.”

Gulfstream peered out at the cloudiseum from his spot in the box. Many of the bells and whistles had been removed from the arena entirely, leaving only a flat plain of clouds. Summer sat at his side, her grim expression matching his own. His aunt and uncle were at their usual places, but their excitement from the day before had been replaced with solemnity. Derpy remained near the back of the box. She’d been in something akin to a depression all morning. None of them would come out and say it, but he knew; Lightning might win this tournament, but her methods were eating away at them.

Soon the final match would begin: a one-on-one, no-holds-barred fight. As much as Gulfstream loved a good brawl every now and then, he couldn’t help but think of this event as barbaric. The Wonderbolts were an elite fighting unit, but from all he knew about them – which was a lot – this kind of contest seemed below them. He silently wondered how Spitfire would allow such a thing to be the final event of the tournament.

His brooding thoughts were interrupted by voices through the door behind him. He turned just in time to see a pair of ponies step into the box. The startling thing was that neither of them were pegasi. The earth pony stallion wore a brown suit that blended well with his light-brown coat and graying black mane, although his stubble of a beard seemed off for the ensemble. The unicorn mare, on the other hoof, bore all the stature and poise of a model, complete with long legs, a pristine white coat and luscious pink mane. She outright towered over her partner, her expression the definition of haughty.

“Oh, good,” the stallion spoke up in a thick accent suggesting he was from the southern deserts. “It appears we have not missed the main event.”

They stood for a moment, surveying the scene, before the mare turned to walk towards the two seats between Gulfstream and his uncle. His feathers bristled and he thought about telling her to buzz off, but Summer’s hoof on his shoulder kept him quiet.

The mare paused behind the seat. Her superior demeanor faded to a soft, reassuring smile aimed right at him. “Excuse me, young stallion, but is this seat taken?” She too had an accent, this time of the much more identifiable griffon tongue, though it wasn’t as strong as her companion’s.

Gulfstream frowned, thinking on his options. How did these two even get up to the entrance without wings? Bunch of rich ponies from Canterlot, no doubt, pushing others around like they owned the place. Still, she did have a nice smile, and Lightning probably wouldn’t approve if he—

“They’re both open,” Summer spoke up sweetly. “You and your friend are welcome to take them.”

Gulfstream shot her a glower, but she only smiled.

“My thanks to you both. Come, Doctor.” And the mare promptly sat beside Gulfstream, settling gracefully upon the cushion of cloud. He stared at the sight; he’d heard of cloudwalking spells, but this was the first time he’d seen a pony utilizing one. He reached out to gingerly touch the cloud under the mare, and detected the faint echo of unfamiliar magic coursing through it. He looked up at the mare’s horn, wondering at its great length.

“You’re staring,” whispered Summer.

He promptly jerked his face to the arena, cheeks burning. He thought he heard a light giggle from the unicorn, which didn’t help his cheeks.

Things were quiet for a time, but then the earth pony struck up a conversation with Uncle Meter and Aunt Flit. Gulfstream ignored the chatter, waiting impatiently for the next event to begin.

Until the mare leaned towards him. “You are related to one of today’s combatants, yes?”

He frowned up at her, but no anger swelled inside him. She had a serene smile that he imagined would rival Celestia’s. “Lightning Dust,” he said, his words clipped. “I’m her cousin.” He looked back to the arena.

“Ah, the young Gulfstream. Princess Luna spoke of you.”

His head whipped around. “You know the princess?”

“Indeed I do,” the mare replied, her voice like silk. “She said you wish to become a mighty warrior for her.”

Nopony had mentioned that secret goal of his in an eternity, and he felt the blood rushing right up to his ears. A glance at Summer revealed her surprised stare. “Er… Uh… yeah?”

“Gulfie, that’s dangerous! You really shouldn’t.”

“And who is this young beauty?” the mare asked.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Summer regained her sweet smile – the one that made his wings twitch. “I’m Summer Showers, Gulfie’s friend.”

“A pleasure, young filly. I am Fleur de Lis.”

Summer gasped, her wings popping open as she stood. “You’re a fashion model! A famous one!”

Well, that explained why Gulfstream hadn’t heard of her. He looked up at Fleur with a studious gaze. Sure she was pretty, but…

He got lost trying to figure out where he was going with that thought.

A deep voice rumbled through the cloudiseum; the fight was about to begin. Gulfstream’s attention jumped back to the arena as an announcer pony hovered above the center of the ring. As he summarized the events thus far, Summer leaned over to whisper, “Don’t worry, Gulfie. Rainbow will know what to do.”

He nodded, hoping he looked as confident as she sounded.

The announcer reminded everypony of the grand prize for this tournament, which revealed something Gulfstream hadn’t known: three of the Wonderbolts were sitting not ten feet away in the box right above them. Had he realized that, he might have tried to talk to them about Lightning’s situation. Then again, maybe that wouldn’t have been the best move…

All distractions fled as the announcer began introducing the two finalists. He started with Lightning. Though he used nice, fancy words to keep things civil, Gulfstream knew she was being painted as the villain. He might have objected if she hadn’t been acting like one for the entire tournament. The crowds cheered when he called her name and she flew down from the entry doors to her side of the arena… but there were a few ‘boos’ in there as well.

“Well, your cousin sounds like quite the ruffian.”

Gulfstream’s ears folded back and he sank behind the protective wall. He felt at his stomach and tried not to think too hard on Fleur’s comment.

Then the announcer introduced Rainbow Dash, and the speech was very different. She hadn’t cheated once in the entire tournament, but somehow she was still here. With how she defeated some of her opponents – especially in that jousting match – her reputation was at an all-time high. The cheers were far louder when she flew into the cloudiseum. She was too far away for him to determine her facial expression, but he had a suspicion that she wasn’t happy.

“I think I know who to root for,” Fleur declared in a dainty voice. “No offense, of course.”

Gulfstream forced himself to sit up and watch, even though he wanted to crawl into a corner and hide. The announcer finished speaking and raised a hoof to each fighter. Lightning and Rainbow approached one another and hoof-bumped; the knife's scabbard glinted in the sunlight. It struck Gulfstream as unfair that Lightning had been allowed to bring a weapon while Rainbow was unarmed. But then, maybe she’d simply refused to have one. She’d always been more devoted to the hard effort of bare hooves.

Then again, so had Lightning. Once upon a time.

If they exchanged any words, the crowd didn’t hear them. The ponies paced away from one another, ending with their backs turned to one another and several yards apart. The announcer flew out of the way, landing on some unseen observation booth. The air filled with murmurings and hushed conversations, the world in a state of calm. Gulfstream gazed at the quiet scene, ticking the seconds in his head.

One… two… three… four… five…

A whistle rang through the air, and Rainbow launched in a cerulean blur. She formed a wide circle clockwise, keeping to Lightning’s back as she turned around. A lucky guess, or did she just know Lightning that well?

Lightning made no attempt to fly. She simply turned in place. Rainbow swerved in for a sideways assault, but her colorful wake ruined the surprise; Lightning saw it, followed it with her head and launched straight up, just avoiding impact. And with that, the fight was on, the crowds erupting in a deafening roar as a rainbow and a lightning bolt danced around the arena.

Gulfstream’s experienced mind analyzed the sight before him as the two improbably fast pegasi turned the sky into a vortex of electrical surges and chromatic lines. Lightning set the pace, keeping ahead and choosing how to maneuver. Rainbow could only try to keep up and catch her in the turns. Sometimes she’d get the angle just right and get in close for a strike, but Lightning was always ready to block the attack. Yet he could tell by the way she shifted her wings and kept her focus that, sometimes, those close calls were intentional.

He had watched them mock-fight in the past, back in a happier time when they were friends. He would never have admitted it back then, but today he recognized that – in terms of sheer athleticism – they were equals. Lightning was more tactical and strategic. Rainbow was all aggression. The only reason Lightning won so often was because she had been smarter.

As she zoomed past their box in a flash of lightning and wind to intercept Rainbow, he suspected she still was.

She caught Rainbow in the middle of a bank, her backside exposed. Rainbow abandoned the maneuver and twisted in midair. She managed to block the hoofstrike, but Lightning still slammed into her shoulder-first, the impact flinging her opponent into the clouds below. Rainbow disappeared, and Lightning turned a tight circle, staying low to the clouds. A second later, Rainbow burst through a scant few feet ahead of her. By the time she realized Lightning’s position, it was too late to avoid taking another hit – this time right between the wings.

Lightning knew Rainbow, too.

“Come on, go for the knife,” Gulfstream hissed, his hooves pressed tight to the wall; when had he reared up? “Use your brains, you stupid pony.”

The combatants shared a few more blows, both getting a few good hits in, before breaking up. Now they flew in smooth, slow circles, each working to catch their breaths. Rainbow passed by the box, and though she had a few bruises, her face was set with determination.

When Lightning passed, she just looked angry.

Abruptly, Lightning began flying in a tight circle. Gulfstream recognized the maneuver even as the air began to coalesce. He immediately saw the mistake, Rainbow moving in before he even finished the thought. She smashed into the cloud, Lightning accelerating away just in time to avoid what would have been a telling blow.

Gulfstream frowned; that had been a dumb maneuver on Lightning’s part. Did she really believe she could create a stormcloud before Rainbow could get to her? Maybe that knife was addling her brain more than he thought.

Lightning changed tactics, and her wake shifted from the familiar electrical blur to her less common smoke. Rainbow pursued, busting the dark clouds as she went, but she focused so much on catching her opponent that she ignored many of them. As the seconds ticked by, the skies became more and more obscured until most of the arena was overcast and neither fighter was readily visible.

Then came the lightning, flashing about the clouds in a chaotic frenzy. Sometimes it streaked past the box, making Gulfstream’s hair stand on end, and other times it was hidden behind the dark cover, only known by the crackling eruptions and bright lights. The clouds gradually faded as their energy released bolt after bolt.

Finally, Lightning herself appeared, moving from cloud to cloud and sending the arcs of electricity flying randomly with her bucks. Rainbow was nowhere to be seen, even her wake hidden from view. A few clouds remained as Lightning paused her attacks, flying in a slow circle in search of her opponent. Gulfstream tensed, realizing Rainbow may have already fallen.

Summer’s gasp caught his attention. She pointed down; there, swirling within the white floor of the arena, was a cloud so black it made Lightning’s appear white by comparison. It spun like the center of a storm, tiny electrical charges sparking like static. The thing was flat with the arena floor, having once been the clouds making up the floor itself.

Rainbow had always been the better weather pony.

Energy erupted from the miniature storm in a quintuplet of lightning bolts, each arching towards one of Lightning's clouds. When struck they sent even more bolts flying to hit the rest of the clouds, turning the air above the arena into a massive maze of electricity. Lightning weaved about, struggling to avoid the bolts. She didn’t even notice the blue blur come flying up from the hole left in the cloud floor.

Maybe Rainbow was smarter than Gulfstream gave her credit for. He gasped, eyes wide as she slammed into Lightning’s exposed belly. The two were flung up as one, and he could just make out a blue hoof reaching for the scabbard—

Lightning flung herself away, delivering a hit to Rainbow’s jaw as she did. The two fell, the knife still attached to Lightning’s leg, and Gulfstream’s heart sank.

Rainbow recovered first, diving after Lightning with a frustrated cry as the last of the lightning and clouds faded. Lightning’s wingbeats were weak and her forelegs were wrapped about her barrel. Even with the air knocked out of her, she managed to twist around and meet Rainbow’s attack, blocking a blow with both hooves. The two landed on the clouds, but didn’t punch through this time. Rainbow had Lightning pinned and was trying to get her hooves on the knife.

They shouted at one another. Gulfstream wished he could make out the words, but they were drowned out by the screaming crowds. He wanted to shout as well, to tell them all to shut up, but how pointless would that be? So he just stared, determined not to blink, his gaze set on the knife as green and blue hooves fought frantically around it.

At last, Lightning managed to escape by delivering a hard strike against Rainbow’s head with the bony edge of her wing. The move made Gulfstream wince; that had to have hurt both of them. It made even his wing tingle. The stunned Rainbow was unable to stop Lightning from thrusting up with her wings to sink into the clouds.

And so the battle went on. Gulfstream watched mostly in mute worry as Lightning and Rainbow came at one another again and again, dragging the fight on far longer than he anticipated. He lost count of how many times they ended up in a grappling match for that knife. A few times he even thought Rainbow was going to get it, but Lightning always found a way to escape. They were battered, bruised and bleeding, but neither pegasus would stay down. For all his fears, Gulfstream couldn’t help but be enthralled; this was a display of aerodynamic combat he never thought he’d get to see in his lifetime. The Wonderbolts above him were probably taking notes.

But the battle wasn’t just physical; the two ponies had been speaking to one another throughout the ordeal. Sometimes it was a few words in a lull, other times they were screaming at one another. Gulfstream never really heard what they were saying, but he didn’t have to. Years of anger, withheld hostility and repressed emotions were seeping into this fight. By the looks on their faces as they passed nearby, he guessed that the words had just as much an impact as the physical blows.

Despite all the ferocity, Lightning gradually gained the upper hoof. Gulfstream could see Rainbow tiring first, and she’d definitely taken more pain than she’d delivered. Her attacks weakened, her flight patterns grew more predictable, her reaction time slowed. By now she could no longer afford to go for the knife, instead devoting all her strength just to keeping up with her opponent.

The two paused for a breather, standing apart from one another on an arena cloud that now had more holes than actual floor. They were near the center of the ring and speaking to one another, but no matter how much Gulfstream leaned out of the box he could hear none of their words. Both pegasi’s shoulders heaved with their breaths, their wings limp at their sides. The crowd had descended into a quiet chatter, everypony knowing that the end would come soon.

Fleur said something. Or was it Summer? He didn’t listen. He only watched, hooves shaking as the anticipation mounted.

Whatever they had been saying, it must have ticked Rainbow off. She flared her wings and, in a sudden showing of energy, launched. She didn’t go for Lightning, but flew high into the sky, still managing to generate impressive speeds. Lightning made no attempt to follow.

Gulfstream’s heart sank. Had Rainbow given up? He never thought she would just fly away from the fight. The grumbling of the audience matched his frustration perfectly.

Until Summer whispered breathlessly in his ear. “Gulfie, look.”

He did; Rainbow was little more than a speck in the sky. She’d stopped flying away, but at this distance he couldn’t tell—

She dove. The approach came at a sharp angle, her speed growing faster and faster.

Gulfstream’s eyes widened as he understood. He looked to Lightning, but she only watched. He knew what she was thinking: Rainbow would never pull it off.

“Come on,” he whispered, looking up to Rainbow. “You can do it. Come on…”

“Do what?” Summer asked.

He didn’t answer. He simply watched, wings spread in anticipation. “Come on, RD. You can do it…”

The cone began to form. He held his breath.

The shape elongated. His heart pounded in his ears.

“Come on… come on…”

The world erupted in colors.

While everypony else in attendance looked away from the chromatic flash, Gulfstream exercised all his will to keep watching. The Sonic Rainboom exploded in all its glory, bathing the sky in a ring of colors as Rainbow, now little more than a streak of colors, rocketed towards the arena at a speed he’d not thought physically possible. He looked down; Lightning’s shock was apparent even from this distance.

Then Rainbow struck, and Lightning went flying. She didn’t get far before the multi-hued streak came again, knocking her in an entirely different direction. The audience watched in mute silence as a ribbon of colors formed in the arena, always coming back to bounce the defenseless pony in a new path. Lightning tried to recover, flapping her wings wildly, but her attempts to escape proved futile as blow after blow rained down on her.

It ended with one final, mighty strike that sent Lightning barreling haphazardly, striking the solid wall of the arena with a whack so loud it reverberated in Gulfstream’s ears. She fell to the cloud floor in a heap and didn’t move.

Rainbow landed not far away, the aura of her rainboom fading as she panted and huffed. She appeared about ready to collapse herself. Seconds passed in silence, everypony in the audience gaping in a stupor.

The cheers came abruptly, so loud it startled her. Seconds passed as she took the moment in, and then she was rearing back and shouting. Reveling.

Gulfstream paid her no mind. He was still staring at his beloved cousin, worry eating away at his mind. She’d lost, and she still had the knife. But more importantly, she was hurt. How bad could it be? Rainbow’s hits had indeed seemed powerful…

He sucked in a gasp; Lightning moved. Her head rose in a slow, woozy motion. She shook it, then looked around. Gulfstream’s heart resumed pounding as he wondered how she would take her loss.

He jumped onto the wall and spread his wings.

“What are you doing?” Summer grabbed his leg. “We can’t go out there!”

“I have to talk to Lightning.” He tried kicking her away, but she held firm.

His aunt shouted. “Gulfstream! Get down from there this minute! I know you’re excited, but—”

“But nothing!” He managed to shove Summer away. Her pained expression was like a knife to his heart, but he had more important things to worry about. “Lightning needs me!” But just as he tried to fly off, something caught his tail, stopping him with a jerk.

He hung upside down, momentarily stunned, then looked up to find his tail surrounded by a pink aura. Fleur de Lis answered his scowl with an apologetic smile.

“Let me go!” He waved his legs wildly. “Dang it, this is important!”

“What is she doing?”

At Derpy’s alarmed tone, he jerked his head about to look into the arena. Lightning marched on shaky legs for Rainbow, whose back was turned to her.

The knife was in her mouth.

Panic struck. Gulfstream’s wings beat frantically as she tugged on his tail. “Lightning! Lightning, no! Rainbow!!”

It was no use – his words were lost amidst the wild cheers. Maybe others were trying to call out a warning, but there was such a cacophony that he couldn’t tell.

Rainbow didn’t see it coming. She was still reared up, hooves pumping in the air, when she turned to Lightning. The knife flashed in the sunlight… and disappeared.

All movement ceased. Gasps rang out through the arena.

Lightning’s head, low by Rainbow’s barrel, rolled up in a slow, jerky motion, each move making Rainbow flinch. Then she stepped back, and Rainbow fell. Blood seeped into the clouds. The hilt of the knife could still be seen in her chest.

Gulfstream watched, mouth hanging open, unable to comprehend what he’d just seen.

His cousin fell to her haunches. The cheers came back, but she didn’t offer anything in return. She merely stared at Rainbow’s body. Gradually, she lifted her hooves and stared at them. Even from here, the shaking was obvious.

Her head whipped around frantically. Her face turned towards the box, and he knew she was looking right at him.

She shrieked. He could just hear it over the uproarious applause, a sound that encompassed heartbreak and horror in a single piercing note. She lifted Rainbow’s limp form in an embrace, burying her head in the mare’s shoulder.

The hold on his tail loosened, and Gulfstream was flying to the scene before he could even register the need. Tears blurred his vision as Lightning’s sobs reached his ears. This was all wrong. This wasn’t how things were meant to go! He had to do something, talk to her, help her, something!

He came to a stumbling landing a few yards behind her. Lightning’s crying stabbed into his heart like icepicks, but he had to stay in control. He had to… to deal with this. Somehow. He rubbed his eyes, frantically thinking of what he would do next.

The crying stopped, replaced by a gurgling sound. He lowered his hooves from his eyes.

A thin blade protruded from the back of Lightning’s neck.

A sheet of ice ran across Gulfstream’s body as he took the sight in. The world slowed, a distant ringing plaguing his ears. Lightning stepped back, her hooves reached for her throat. She started to turn away. He saw her jaw opening and closing like a fish out of water, her eyes wide and her pupils mere pinpricks. Then she fell, landing on her side, the impact quiet on the bloodstained clouds.

He stared at her as she convulsed, the hilt of Celestia’s gift pressed at an angle beneath her jaw. One hoof reached for him. He couldn’t even bring himself to reach back. Her eyes pleaded, her chest heaved as her lungs failed to take in breath after breath. Shadows overcame them both; somepony grabbed him and pulled him away.

He lost sight of Lightning. With nothing else to focus on, his gaze turned to Rainbow. She lay on her back, blood seeping from a long, wicked cut running from her right hip, across her body and stopping at the left of her chest. Her eyes were aimed straight up, wet and wide and unseeing, but still very much alive.

Then she too was hidden by a mass of ponies.

The world went by in a haze. Ponies were trying to speak to him. He was being held tightly in trembling legs. There were sobs, but they weren’t his. All he could think of was a fact he’d never believed possible, and which he didn’t dare speak of.

Lightning.

His precious cousin.

His life, his world, his salvation.

His sanity.

Lightning was… was…

The mass of colors parted just enough. He saw the knife, bloodied and lying near Lightning’s body. She wasn’t moving. Ponies were doing things, trying to help, but he saw her face. Her eyes were cold, emotionless.

Empty.

They weren’t meant to be empty. They were supposed to be happy, or frustrated, or sad. They were supposed to shine upon him. And now…

Something caught his face, moved his head away from the sight. It might have been his uncle. He didn’t listen, didn’t pay attention. Instead, his gaze went over the pony’s shoulder. There was Rainbow. Her bleeding chest rose and fell slowly. She had tears in her eyes as she was carefully set on a medical wagon. Her gaze met his.

In an instant, what had been a carefully controlled spark in the depths of his mind flared into an inferno the likes of which he’d never known before. Gulfstream barely registered his own scream. He lunged, wings beating wildly as he tried to get to her. Legs caught him from all sides, but he bucked them away.

“Rainbow!”

Her pupils shrank as he approached.

“I trusted you! I asked for your help! You bucking bitch, look at what you’ve done! I’m going to kill you!”

Ponies jerked him back just before he reached the wagon, his hooves outstretched for her throat. She recoiled from his snarls, shrinking back to a corner of the wagon as if he were a dragon instead of a young colt.

“I hate you! Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate you! I won’t stop, do you hear me? I won’t stop until I see you dead!”

His ranting went on even as the wagon pulled her away. He kicked and bucked and shrieked and raged, the fire untamed and burning everypony who came near. “Let me go! Buck you, let me go! She has it coming!”

No longer did he try to control it. He didn’t want to, didn’t care to.

He just wanted her to burn.

A hoof struck him across the face. The pain felt good. He howled at his assailant and was rewarded with another blow. They were dragging him off, but he couldn’t let them. They were on her side, the bastards! He had to find a way, some means of getting back at—

The knife. He saw it out of the corner of his eye, still lying in a puddle of Lightning’s blood.

The ponies never expected him to fly backwards. Their holds failed and he jerked free, a red streak in his wake. They tried to give chase, but he darted around them, dove low and snatched up the knife.

Ice encased his heart in an instant, but it only added fuel to the fire in his soul. His desire to hurt, to be hurt, to kill swelled as he flew high into the sky, away from his pursuers. The weapon spoke to him, begged to be wielded. He swore to bathe it in Rainbow’s blood.

But when he paused above the arena to scan for her, the wagon was nowhere to be found. He let out a vicious cry and flew away from his pursuers, uncaring about the direction.

Getting caught wasn’t an option.

He had to find Rainbow.

Whatever the cost.

Author's Notes:

My thanks to Cerulean Voice for giving this chapter a look and pointing out some of the things I've been falling back into doing.

Some may note that Fleur's accent is no longer written out as of this chapter. That was intentional; I want to portray her as gradually improving her Equestrian speech. When I get to her book, you'll see her speech start off thickly accented in written form, but the effect will gradually wear out as she grows more and more accustomed to the language.

For those who don't get it, the stallion Fleur is with is Caballeron.

I wanted to end Gulfstream's book with this chapter, but alas, I need to write one more. After all, these character-centric books are meant to show how the each ultimately joined the Order, and we haven't seen that yet. But one chapter will suffice to finish this off, guaranteed.