Not long after we separated from the rest of the group, Rainbow Dash had the wonderful idea to split the group even further. She was worried about the monster attacking our group and having his pick of child hostages. When told that Lightning was in fact paranoid of leaving her brother alone for long periods of time, something we were working on, Scootaloo suggested Rainbow just take them to Lightning’s home.

Now understand something, yes, Lightning tends to not worry about Dusk when she knows he’s with her father. Small caveat to that however, Dusk and Lightning’s home is in the mountains of Canterlot. Our small group wouldn’t know when Dusk arrived at home until Rainbow came back. I wanted to write something in protest of all this, however much as I believed Lightning had been through enough crap today without triggering her phobia… I agreed. We couldn’t keep the kids together and not expect problems.

As one might predict, when Rainbow flew off, Lightning reached up one pitiful hoof like she wanted to stop them, but did her best not to say anything. It was such a heart wrenching scene to watch. When they were out of sight Lightning started hugging Fluttershy’s neck so hard the larger yellow pegasus eventually had to speak up. “Um sweet heart… *cough*, that’s a little tight… ease up please.” Lightning remembered herself and stopped.

“I’m so sorry,” Lightning said, starting to tear up again.

“It’s okay. You can squeeze me, just not my neck okay?” I think Fluttershy almost instantly regretted saying that as the filly started hugging her back very hard. However she looked to be doing her best not to let on if that did hurt. “That’s it, I can take it.”

We checked Lightning into the clinic. Which was scaring her more, her experience or being separated from her brother, I’m not sure, they were probably competing to turn my little fan filly into a shivering mess of fur.

She was gently moved to a bed and another unicorn gently placed her wing on a pillow. The medical unicorn took a kind of magic x-ray of Lightning's wing and then had a pegasus friend of his draw it. "We'll have to deliberate on how to proceed," said the unicorn. For now, she can have visitors, but everyone please do your best not to move that wing." They then took the drawing into a different room with several other doctors.

“It’s okay little one.” Fluttershy said, gently stroking Lightning’s mane. “You should get some rest after all that.”

“Dusty…” Lightning said, scanning the room again and again. Fluttershy looked at her with her head cocked to the side.

I had to remind myself that Lightning was my mentoree’ and friend, but not necessarily a good friend of anypony else in town. Thus Fluttershy not having any notion of Lightning’s nick name for her brother should have come as no surprise. It was surprising, but it shouldn’t have been. I brought out my note pad and paper. ‘That’s her brother’s nick name.’

“He’s alright little one. Do you want me to sit next to you for a bit?” Lightning looked at Fluttershy with big eyes. She then turned that weaponized piteous glance at me. I almost melted, but I could tell what she was thinking. I was on the right side of the bed near her injured wing so I had to walk around, but I still did eventually get on the bed next to the filly, who was currently under a rather flimsy white sheet. I did my best to hold her wing telekinetically still as she snuggled up to my foreleg. I went ahead and laid down, no sense in trying to leave after all.

Fluttershy shrugged and walked around to Lightning’s injured wing. She didn’t touch it, but did continue to examine it. Finally she nodded. “Mmmhmm, just as I suspected.” Lightning looked at her quietly and nervously. “You should be in the air again before you know it. Trust me."

“Dusty…”

‘He’s with Rebel Rainbow and Scootaloo… remember, the bravest filly alive?’ I wrote to Lightning, noting her nicknames from when she idolized the two (she still did, but not as much I suspect, since she now actually knew them). I looked her directly in the eyes, my note pad levitating next to my head. ‘Stop worrying alright? Dusty is safe and we’re all here to watch over you. You’re both safe.'

“No… nopony is safe. Luna tried to stop the monster, but he’s back,” Lightning replied.

‘Who or what was that on stage kiddo?’ I finally asked.

“Doctor Gray.”

‘Who’s Dr. Gray?’

“The bad scientist pony who made me like this.” Lightning said, she then raised a hoof up and a few small electric sparks shot off it.

I thought for a moment. Something had always seemed a little strange about Lightning’s story. Often in one breath she would talk about her powers as if they had isolated her from others for her entire life, but in the next she would blame them on this evil scientist pony who she clearly met more recently. I figured now was as good a time as any to clear things up. ‘So which is it? Were you born like this, or did an evil pony make you like this?’

“Both.”

‘But you talk like you remember what happened. He couldn’t have done this when you were born then-‘

“No!” Lightning practically shouted, squeezing my foreleg. She seemed to then catch herself and slowly ease off. “Sorry. No it’s just… I was born a little different. The evil scientist pony… Doctor Gray, he’s the one that made me able to move electricity. What I could do before was just moving things with my head. It still scared ponies, but nowhere near as much.”

“Are you sure this is the best time to question her?” asked Fluttershy.

‘Your friend is already searching the library for answers that probably aren’t there. Wouldn’t it be best to know what’s really going on as soon as possible?’ Fluttershy nodded. ‘You can go if you want.’

Fluttershy motioned to leave, but stopped. She sighed. “I can’t. I think Twilight meant for me to stay on guard until she returned. Also I’ve never seen someone hurt a filly like that. I have to say here. I have to make sure she’s safe… I just have to. Besides, that thing could… well you know-”

“Come back?” Lightning asked. “It’s not like that thought isn’t racing through my head. Don’t bother hiding it from me, I know he could come back. I thought he was gone, but he’s back, he’s back, he’s back, he-“ Fluttershy put a hoof on Lightning’s muzzle.

“Shhhh,” she calmly hushed the panicking foal.

A pink pony with a white mane quietly walked into the room. She seemed content not to be noticed, but apparently Lightning wasn’t going to let that happen. “Get out!” She yelled. Well she stopped being scared rather fast. Now she was livid. Not that Lightning never made fast transitions, so maybe I should have just been used to that. “OUT!”

The white maned earth pony shirked down her head a little, but continued to walk to us anyway. “I’m sorry, but I think it’s best if I stay because-“

“You had your chances!” Lightning yelled. “You don’t get anymore.”

“If I said I was sorry-“ she tried.

“I don’t care!” Lightning replied quickly.

The pony bit her lip, but finally stood next to Fluttershy. “I can’t blame you.”

“Who are you?” asked Fluttershy.

“Probably the last pony Lightning wants to see right now. Nonetheless… let me explain.”

“It’s my room right now isn’t it? Get out!” Lightning continued.

‘LIGHTNING!’ I finally wrote in all caps, the best I could do to express a stern tone. I tried to manage a glare, but that’s not easy to do when looking at an injured child. She apparently had no issue glaring at me though. ‘I’m serious Lightning. Knock it off!’ Lightning let go of my foreleg and folded her own forelegs, looking with judgement at our visitor. Still, she looked to be no longer looking to interrupt.

I sighed. Lightning was, by no means, a perfect child. Easily she lacked many talents, like singing, and she was VERY easily discouraged. She was immature, even for her age and yes, she had her bratty moments, where I had learned there was no fixing her attitude, she was just going to be grumpy. Still, amidst her laundry list of problems, anger management wasn’t one of them. This was getting weird… course an observer could probably label this entire day weird.

The new pony nodded. “You’re aware that Lightning is an orphan, yes?”

‘Her brother is an earth pony and her dad is a dragon, it’s kinda hard to forget she’s not part of a genetically related family,’ I wrote, giving a slight chuckle.

“Why are you writing things down?” she asked.

‘Um… it’s that hard to figure out? Were you at the concert?’

“Yes.”

‘Well I’m mute, isn’t it obvious?’ I would have thought so, but not everyone picks up on things like that easily. I shrugged.

“Oh… oh dear. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that-“

‘It’s alright. But no one likes having their weaknesses highlighted, so let’s just move on from that okay?’

“I hope you get your voice back some day,” the earth pony said. I rolled my eyes. Oh boy, this was going to be one of “those” conversations wasn’t it? I waved my hoof for her to move on. “I seriously didn’t mean to offend.” She hadn’t yet but if she didn’t get off this note she was going to offend me. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Melony Foals, Lightning Strike’s old Den Mother. I basically ran the orphanage slash foster care home where she grew up. Well… grew to the age she is now anyway.” I looked at her flatly. “So… you know what happened?”

Fluttershy’s eyes started dancing between myself and this miserable excuse for a care giver. “Um… what’s going on?” she asked.

I sighed. ‘This little foal here has a few issues. Some stem from her treatment under Doctor Gray apparently, but another good number of her problems also stem from being avoided a lot when she was younger. Dusk was apparently the only pony who approached her without fear. I might hazard a guess at whose attitude, shall we say, set that trend in motion?’ Melony gave a nervous grin.

She looked at the ground. “Guilty as charged. I saw her practicing with you not long ago and realized just how wrong I was. I came to the show just to… I don’t know, assure myself that the damage I did wasn’t permanent, I guess.”

‘How long did you encourage that kind of attitude towards her?’

“Around seven years or so…” she said, wincing with one eye.

‘I don’t want to talk to you either.’

“It’s easy to judge someone when you don’t know-“

‘She’s still unusual, but no pony is shunning or avoiding her now, including me, so don’t you dare try to tell me how hard that is.’

“If you were in my hooves-“

‘Don’t. Just don’t. Take your medicine.’

“I guess I’ll just have to imagine the stern voice you meant to say that in,” she replied, looking down. Oh boy was this mare asking for it. “No offense.” Asking… practically demanding it! “I know who attacked Lightning on stage. I think, maybe you should know Lightning’s whole story.” I sighed. She was damn lucky I really did want to hear what she had to say. “As I’m sure you’re familiar with, Vinyl, many ponies are born different.” My eyes were eventually going to start rolling of their own accord weren’t they? Yes, I have a disability, you don’t have to work it into every freaking sentence! I wasn't born mute anyway, not that she asked. “I guess most ponies assume Lightning’s name has something to do with her powers. She only got control of electricity less than a year ago. Lightning Strike was named after the old sayings. You know how if you’re incredibly lucky or unlucky, ponies try to relate how unlikely what happened to you is to being struck by lightning? Well that’s where her name really comes from.”

She nodded and continued. “You see, no one knows who gave birth to Lightning. From what I’m told, two guard ponies were called in to investigate a disturbance at a restaurant in Canterlot. Objects were randomly floating in a nearby alley and making many of the ponies nervous as they couldn’t find the source. One of the guards eventually realized the origin of the floating objects was a dumpster in the alley. He dug through the trash and found a half starved and crying infant. I can only imagine what seeing something like that does to a pony.”

‘How bad was she when she was brought in?’ I asked.

“This whole communicating through writing is going to take some getting used to-“ Okay, I’d had enough. I taped the bed to make her stop.

‘Just a tip, when dealing with the disabled, it’s okay to ask questions or reference their problems at appropriate times, but constantly referencing them is infuriating. It’s basically like constantly talking about someone’s pimples or anything else they can’t fix at the moment. Just accept it and keep any problems you have to yourself. Seriously it’s just polite.’ I sighed. I was aware that it was possible that as common sense as something like that might seem, not everyone is aware of it or thinks about it. Could have been a mistake.

Melony lowered her eyebrows at me. “Look, do you want to hear the story or start an argument?” I closed my eyes. Yep, this was explaining a lot about Lightning’s past, a lot more than Melony thought. Never the less, not wanting to get on the cover of a newspaper for strangling her, I waved for Melony to continue her story. “In any case, it’s a little off subject, but the doctors said she had some bad stuff in her from being in the garbage. Apparently she tried to cry but only got trash in her mouth as a result.” I had to consciously avoid looking at Lightning with pity. “When she came to the foster home, neither me nor any of the other care takers wanted to approach her because of her powers. Things just started randomly levitating whenever she got emotional. At first many of the other children didn’t care, but I think they caught on to our fear and as you know, they all started avoiding her.”

I put a hoof on Lightning’s shoulder, her still folding her forelegs and looking with anger at Melony. She glanced at me, giving a quick side smile, but quickly returned to glaring at Melony.

Fluttershy tapped her hoof. "I'm sorry, I just have to interrupt here." She looked at Melony. "First off Melony, you are being a little rude to Vinyl. It's not like it's all that hard to communicate with her and really, what you're doing is like constantly referencing my shyness for no reason." I nodded. "Vinyl... I'm not exactly happy with how you're acting either, though I can't think of anything specific. I can understand you have a history here, but just try to be nice." I was, but- but... oh who was I kidding, no matter how justified I felt, I admired Fluttershy a little. I wasn't gonna argue. "But to the story you're telling Melony, I'm sorry, but every unicorn is born with telekinetic powers. It's just normal. Twilight and Rarity use powers like that all the time and it doesn't scare anypony, why should Lightning scare you?"

"She's a pegasus Fluttershy. She wasn't even controlling her powers much they just activated."

"Same thing happens with Pumpkin Cake," Fluttershy said, referencing the actually rather unusually powerful baby filly who belonged to the Cake family.

Melony shook her head. "In the end, you're right Fluttershy. There is no way to justify our prejudice. But isn't that just often the way prejudice works? I was wrong. I see that now." She sighed. Fluttershy smiled calmly at her, as if to try to say there might be forgiveness. I wasn't sure how forgiving I felt. The little faux pas in how she was speaking to me were one thing, but she hurt a friend and... well Lightning certainly didn't feel forgiving, she was still glaring. “Two years later another baby was found in a dumpster, this time it was a couple that found him. When he was brought to a local clinic, he had traces of drugs in his system. Nothing too serious, but the couple decided not to adopt him because they thought it too much trouble. That couple actually had the nerve to even name him before just dropping him off. His name became “Dusk” because the tiny yellow highlight in his small mane reminded the couple of the last light of the evening.” She glanced at Fluttershy, but then looked back and continued. “As Lightning continued to grow, most everyone just kept their distance from her. That is until one day-“

“I got this,” Lightning suddenly threw in. “You don’t get to tell this story.”

(***)

Lightning Strike’s point of view:

This is probably one of my oldest memories, but it is one of the clearest. I think I was four years old. That day I had been just listening to some music and playing with one of my dolls, I think it was a Princess Luna doll.

As I kept playing, I watched as one of the other children started running around me in circles. She eventually tripped over a block and fell on her face. She started crying and was picked up by one of the care takers. She was carried around on the mare’s back until she calmed down. I remember that looked like… like something I would like.

I reach out my hooves to the mare with the child on her back, but she backed away. I started walking around trying to get someone to pick me up, but the adults and older children just kept backing away when I came to them.

Finally, with my forelegs still hanging out, I just started crying. “Hug… I want a hug…” I started to sob. I closed my eyes and just as I did I felt a small body almost slam into mine. I opened my eyes to find a small blue colt squeezing me with his forelegs.

One of the adult ponies tried to get him away from me, but he actually yelled at the stallion. “I hug her. She crying, I hug!” he tried to move the colt away again, but the colt just held me tighter, “I hug, I hug.” He started yelling.

I hugged him to myself, loving the feeling. We finally let go of each other and he ran away. I went back to my doll, thinking that was the end of things, but actually he came back with a small wooden train.

(***)

Vinyl’s point of view:

“It was the best game I ever played.” Lightning finally said.

Melony rolled her eyes. “Oh please, I could have told that story easily. I was right there when it happened.”

“Then why didn’t you hug me?” Lightning snapped.

“I was afraid alright? I’m sorry, I realize I was wrong now,” Melony snapped back. “Do you forgive me or not?”

“How about not?” Lightning replied. Part of me wanted to scold Lightning for saying that, the other wanted to give her a hoof bump.

“You’re her legal guardian aren’t you?” Melony asked me. “You’re going to let her act like that? What kind of a parent are you?”

I closed my eyes. ‘Lady, you don’t know how much you are pushing it do you? That is NOT how you ask for forgiveness. Finish what you have to say and go.’

Melony rolled her eyes. “Fine. In any case, yes, after that happened, Lightning and Dusk were inseparable. It was actually Lightning who was the overly attached one, no surprise I suppose. If ever he cried, she was right there, whenever he asked a question she would set out to find an answer. If he was just a little hungry, she would even start using her powers to intimidate the adults and other children into feeding him right away. Eventually many of the ponies believed we would have to separate them for both of their sakes. This made Lightning furious to even hear, but after three years of her trying to be the mother of a child only two years younger than herself… well there were concerns. Lightning was headed for a padded room and her precious Dusk would likely never see her again.” Lightning and I both glared at Melony. “What? We were becoming even more scared.”

‘I don’t even know where to begin. Maybe one of you could have TRIED being nice to her. Just a thought.’ I wrote. ‘Just finish your story.’

“A gray stallion, who back then worked as a researcher for the Royal Guard, said he would be interested in studying Lightning and her abilities. When told her story, he insisted on adopting her along with Dusk together, saying he believed that separating them would damage both foals.” Melony shook her head. “I’m sure I’m not representing myself as the best pony in the world right now, but you have to understand, I didn’t hate Lightning or Dusk, I was just so unsure of what to do. The stallion was offering to take them off my hooves and he seemed so confident that he could handle them. I just handed them over.” She hung her head. “After learning what happened… what he did to them… I’ve never felt so guilty in all my life. If I asked a few more questions… maybe if… if… I don’t know, had I known what that stallion would do I would have adopted both children myself rather than give them to that monster.” She blinked away a forming tear. “I can’t make up for that mistake, I know I can’t. How can I ever even think to ask forgiveness? Lightning I am so sorry for giving you to him… please…”

"For giving me to Doctor Gray?” Lightning asked. “You didn’t know what would happen- or at least you better not have. I’ll fry you right now if-“ I put a hoof on her muzzle.

Melony hung her head. “Do you forgive me?”

“I don’t think you really knew what would happen,” Lightning replied. “So why? That wasn’t your fault. I never held you accountable so… no… I guess.”

Melony hung her head a little lower. “I suppose this is how you’re being raised now.” And whatever pity I had started to feel for Melony went up in smoke when I heard that line. “Fine. After that, a few months later I read in the local paper about Luna saving two foals from being experimented on by a horrible stallion. When I saw the picture of the apparently tortured filly and her crying brother, I realized who they were, even through all of Lightning’s matted fur and now strangely transformed mane…” she paused. “I sent them to that. I was in such a hurry to get rid of them… again I am so sorry. Lightning please…”

“No.” Lightning replied.

Fluttershy looked at Lightning. “It’s okay little filly. Why don’t you just forgive her? You’ll feel better if you do.”

“No I won’t,” Lighting replied to her.

“But you really should. When someone honestly asks for forgiveness, you should always give it,” Fluttershy pressed.

“Why?” Lightning asked. “I’ll never trust her again. Besides, she’s not even asking forgiveness for what she actually did right now. She ignored me and made everyone else do that same. I do NOT forgive her for that.”

“You don’t have to trust her. Just forgive,” Fluttershy replied.

“Then what does forgiveness mean? I thought it meant you don’t punish someone and you open the door of your… well your heart to them again. I will never do that. She hurt me. I don’t think Doctor Gray was her fault, but before that she still hurt me. I won’t forgive her for that. I’m happy she feels bad.”

“Lightning!” Fluttershy scolded. “You accept her apology right now and-“ I waved a hoof at her.

‘I am her guardian here, not you.’ I wrote. ‘With all due respect Fluttershy, you’re wrong. Forgiveness is a choice. If Lightning chooses to withhold it, that’s her choice.’

“It’s not just a choice.” Fluttershy snapped. “If you expect to be forgiven you have to forgive others first.”

‘I am her guardian. My word is her law, not yours. I thank you for your help and again, I respect who you are and what you stand for, but you do not have the right to instruct my child nor to try to force her to do something that is her choice. I’m warning you Fluttershy, back off.’

Fluttershy sighed. “I don’t want to argue.” She finally said.

‘It’s okay,’ I wrote back. 'I'm not mad.'

“You don’t have to back down from her because she’s disabled Fluttershy,” Melony said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. Melony glared at me. “How dare you try to teach a child such things. I did what I did but I apologized. You are showing Lightning how to be a spoiled brat who thinks only of herself-“

It was as though my pen started writing of it's own accord. 'You can insult and annoy me all you want. But Lightning is my friend, insult my friends-' I stood up, still trying to keep Lightning's wing steady. Lightning winced, at her wing, but seemed okay. ‘THAT DOES IT!’ I got off the bed. ‘You’re done with your story?’

“I suppose.”

I purposefully turned my pad so Lightning wouldn’t be able to see what I was writing. ‘Then let me tell you a few things you entitled little bitch. You ASK for forgiveness, you NEVER demand it. You ARE in the wrong and after what you did to Lightning you barely deserve the right to grovel for forgiveness. I don’t know if you are or are not really sorry at this rate but… I should smack you but I think the drama in this room has risen high enough don’t you?’ Melony just glared at me. ‘Now as to Lightning, for all the shit she’s been through I couldn’t be more proud of who she is now. She’s normally friendly, happy and gentle. Almost her every waking thought is of the well-being of her brother and she cares for the feelings of other ponies beyond that. If she doesn’t care about your feelings, I’m half convinced that’s only because you don’t deserve her consideration. She’s not perfect but next to you she’s a saint from where I was sitting. In any case she’s hurt and scared out of her mind right now, you’re expecting her to be at her most charitable or something? I would tell you to ask again when she isn’t being paranoid about her brother or nursing a recently mutilated wing, but if I ever see you around her again I’m going to break your jaw, is that clear?’

“I don’t fight disabled-“

‘Lady, you are honestly going there aren’t you? Fine. Have it your way. You need to think about how you treat others who are different from you before- let me put it this way. My voice is broken, there’s nothing wrong with my hooves, I can hurt you just as easily as anypony else. Trust me, I’m not as broken as you seem to think.’

“Now I-“

“I’ve had enough too,” Fluttershy suddenly interjected. “Get out,” she said to Melony.

“I-“

“I believe in forgiveness, but you just insulted that filly when you’re the one in the wrong. I believe in forgiveness freely offered, but that’s not a license to act like a victim of your victims when they won’t take your apology. Just go.” Melony walked out.

I looked back at Fluttershy. ‘Thanks Flutters.’

“I don’t entirely disagree with her, just the way she put it,” Fluttershy shot back. “Lightning holding a grudge isn’t good for her.”

‘It’s still her choice.’

“Is it?” She shook her head. “Look, you’re the parent here, I’ll back off, if you just let me say my peace.” I nodded. “Forgiveness allows a person to move on even as a victim. You don’t have to trust a person again, just let go of your anger.” She smiled.

I nodded. ‘Is that your peace?’

“I suppose.” She said looking at the ground and backing away from me. I didn't mean to intimidate Fluttershy, but I think that was more her personality than anything I was doing. Sure I looked angry, but well... I was just not with her.

‘Okay.’ I walked back over to Lightning.

I was right and I knew it. I settled down next to Lightning again. However instead of grabbing my foreleg again, she just sat there glaring at the door.

I bit my lip. Why did I think I was right? Lightning was being bitter, not like her normal self at all. Was I right? I tried not to look at the child for a few minutes, trying to fix my face to not look confused.

Lightning’s eyes went wide again. “Is Rainbow back yet? Dusty… they got there right?”

I sighed. I watched as Fluttershy walked back to the bed. She put a hoof on the filly’s head. “It’s alright,” she said in a near whisper. “Just calm down. He’s safe with my friend, I promise.” Her voice was calming. Her voice was…

I looked at my note pad. I couldn’t avoid the question anymore. I was always focusing on how others handled my issue. How was I handling it? I had spent nine months in a slump, did I really think one little filly had just righted that by being nice to me? Had I really moved on? Or was I the one who was bitter?