“Now Star, I know you don’t want to get anypony in trouble, but I want you to tell me the truth, who gave you that bruise?”

Star looked at Mrs. Myer and replied, “I tripped and fell while playing with one of the other foals outside, that’s all that happened.”

Star’s lie wasn’t convincing Mrs. Myer at all, but since she couldn’t prove anything, she sighed and changed the subject, “Ok you fell while playing, so did you think of a last name yet? You decided to call yourself Star because of the shape of your cutie mark but what about a last name?”

Star shook his head, “Sorry ma’am but I haven’t thought of one yet.”

Mrs. Myer nodded her head, “Alright then, if you ever decide what it will be, let me know. You have been here one month now and we need to start paperwork to finish your home schooling while you’re here. Now go back outside and play… and please be careful, you know if you need anypony to talk to, I'm always here.”

Star nodded his head and spoke as he left the room, “Ok ma’am, I'll remember.”

When Star left the room and made it outside, the bully and a few of his following foals approached him, “So noname… did you talk? Or are we going to be able to keep our relationship… peaceful-like?”

Star looked at him and replied, you know I wouldn’t tell her what really happened, it wouldn’t be bad for you alone, both our flanks would be branded.”

The bully smiled as he turned and trotted away, “Good, then don’t disappoint me tomorrow when you give me answers to homework, otherwise I'll be taking it out on you again.”

Star couldn’t stand it, he wasn’t very smart when it came to their home schooling, but the bully continued to make him give him answers to homework anyway, and beat him up every time the answers were wrong. Star thought to himself, “This is so unfair, no matter what I do, I can’t win. I wish my parents would just find me already.”

The colt looked through the chain-link fence that surrounded the yard, and off the edge of the city. From here, he had a good view of the Everfree Forest, the patch of trees that was missing from when he woke up, and he could even see a castle in the distance on the other side of the forest.

As the colt looked at the area where he woke about a month ago, he started to remember something he read in a history book on great pegasi leaders. Under Commander Hurricane, he remembered the book telling of a rare and special ability called the Lightning Orb. it was said that the pony who could use this ability could create a cloud from the moister below his hooves and used it to strike down foes with lightning generated from the energy used to make the cloud. However, this ability was so tiring and difficult that it was said to kill all who attempted it since. The effects and information on this ability were the only thing that matched the scenery from the crater he woke up in, leading him to believe that he performed this death-defying ability, only instead of dying he only lost his memory. Star couldn’t help but wonder, “Could I… a little colt with no name, no past, and no family really do something as amazing and legendary like the great Commander Hurricane?”

Across the yard Star could see a the bully and his goons gathered around Gem Stone. Star could only sigh, “Not again, why does he only pick on me and Gem?”

Star didn’t mind what the bully did to him, bruises, cuts, scrapes, they all went away in time, but the bully would never hurt a filly, so everything they did to her was verbal, which didn’t heal. Star could remember hearing her cry herself to sleep at night just because of the things he would say to her during the day. Finally, Star decided it was time to stand up to him. He didn’t care if he started to beat him up twice a day, it was time to stop him from hurting her further. She already was mean to everypony because of how they treated her, he didn’t want to see her get worse.

Star lowered his head and started scraping the ground. Then he charged as fast as he could towards the bully, hoping to catch him off guard. Star was wanting to jump and kick the bully in the head as hard as he could before he was seen, but unfortunately, he got caught a split second after he jumped into the air. The bully quickly turned and punched Star while he was in midair, knocking him to the ground.

As Star quickly shuffled to his feet, as the bully began to taunt him, “So it looks like noname wants to be a hero, huh. If you have a death wish then go ahead and try that again, it’s not like anypony is going to miss you anyway.”

Star glared at the bully, while Gem Stone watched in confusion, “Why Are you doing this? I don’t need your he…”

“Will you shut up, already!”

“What?”

Star looked at Gem Stone and spoke, “I know you lost your parent in a terrible accident, But that doesn’t matter. Turning your back on the world isn’t the way to handle this. Look at me, I lost everything, my family, my home, even my name and age. But I won’t let this moron take more from those who still have something to lose.”

“What in Celestia's name do I have to lose?!”

Star glared back at the bully and replied as he charged, “Your Pride!”

When Star got close enough, the bully dodged his tackle and hit him in the side of his face knocking him back onto the ground, “You know noname, I would respect your courage if you weren’t so stupid. Your so called pride, isn’t going to stop me from beating the feathers of your wings.”

Before Star could stand up the bully grabbed him by the tail and slammed him on the ground behind him. After that the bully decided to give him a chance, “Stay down noname, I wouldn’t want you to make up a story for the rest of what I could do to you.”

Star Put every bit of rage he had to pick himself off the ground then he glared back at the bully, “I… I'm not going to take any more of your threats… I'm… I'm tired of this…”

The bully punched Star before he could finish his sentence, “You think it’s a threat? I just don’t want to kill a nonamed pony. But if you don’t want to continue this life, then I'll be happy to beat the rest of your memories out of your body.”

Star stood up and glared at the bully, his anger was the only thing that was keeping him standing, that and an unusual feeling he was feeling in the bottom of his hooves. He didn’t know what it was, maybe he was so hyped up in rage that he was losing feeling in his hooves. Maybe the last punch to his face did more damage than he thought. Whatever it was, he had never felt it before and in a strange way, it was helping him stand up despite the pain he felt all over his body from being slammed against the ground. The bully felt a little uneasy, he could swear he saw a spark of lightning in Star’s eyes, but he ignored and charged at the colt. The older pegasus hit his young opponent throwing him a few feet away from where he was standing and making him hit the chain link fence. The older pegasus then pinned him against the fence and laughed, “C’mon, at least make it a challenge for me…”

Gem Stone stood up and interrupted him, “JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!”

The bully looked over at Gem Stone, “Oh… so now Ms. messy mane wants to talk… I won’t lower myself to hit a filly, but that don’t mean I'm go…”

While Star was pinned against the fence, he reached out and punched the bully as hard as he could. The bully didn’t see it, but everypony watching the event was shock when they saw an arc of electricity jump from his hoof and make contact with the bully’s face a split second prior to the punch. Though the punch was strong, the bully didn’t feel much from it, not even enough to help Star get free from the bully’s grip. So the bully just looked back at Star and smiled, “Good effort noname, but not good enough.”

The bully punched the colt twice then slammed him on the ground next to the fence.

Star tried to get up again but this time the bully held him against the ground. Star looked at the bully with his rage still lingering in his mind as the bully held him down. Then the bully felt really nervous when he saw the lightning in his eyes again, only this time it was scattering from his pupil to the outside of his iris. Then a black cloud started to form between the two colts, the bully was intrigued by this cloud while everypony else was afraid of it. Star knew immediately what it was, but he didn’t know what it was going to do, “It’s not a good idea to continue this… let me up slowly…”

The bully laughed as he reached to push the cloud out of the way, “If you’re the one doing this then I'm not afraid. What’s a small cloud created by a noname going to do to m…”

Just then as the bully touched the cloud, a jolt of electricity tossed him off of Star and across the yard leaving him on the ground a few feet away, neutralized and unconscious. Shortly after that, the cloud released the rest of its charge in a lightning bolt that shot into the sky leaving the chain link fence next to Star arcing and sparking with electricity.

Star laid there feeling completely drained like he did when he first woke up in the Everfree Forest. as he lay there, he looked over at the bully’s followers and spoke with a weakened voice, “I… I didn’t mean for that… to happen… I…”

the other ponies started backing away from the exhausted colt as he lied on the ground. Then they started talking amongst each other, “What was that?” “Is that normal.” “Was that magic?” “I knew he wasn’t right.” He had no memory, before but I knew he was different.” He is nothing but a freak.” “Yea, a freak with no reason to be here.” “Let’s get out of here.” “A freak like that doesn’t belong here.”

Star felt terrible as he watched everypony start trotting away, leaving him on the ground, that is, everypony except Gem Stone.

Gem Stone stood there looking at the weakened pony as he laid there halfway conscious, as Star looked at her he could see the indecision in her eyes. She didn’t know if she should be grateful, flattered, annoyed, or scared of him. She couldn’t even make eye contact with him as he laid there. Star continued looking at her as he spoke, “I… I’m sorry if I…”

Star laid his head back as he lost consciousness. While Star laid there unconscious, Gem still couldn’t decide her feelings on what just happened. Part of her was saying to help him, part of her was saying to leave him lying on the ground, part of her was terrified of him, and part of her couldn’t help but feel grateful that he was there.

A couple of hours had passed before Star finally woke up. When he looked around, he was lying in a bed. He felt worried as he looked around the room, did Mrs. Myer put him in this bed and what will she say about what happened. Then the door opened and Star felt even more nervous, it wasn’t Mrs. Myer that entered the room, but it was Mr. Myer who came in, accompanied by Gem Stone. Star lowered his head in shame as he spoke first, “I'm… I'm in trouble… aren’t I?”

Mr. Myer smiled as he shook his head, “No need to worry little Bolt, Gem explained everything that happened, from standing up to defend her, all the way to using the Lightning Orb. for quote unquote, self-defense.”

Star was confused, “Bolt?... wait, she told you everything?”

Gem blushed as she spoke, “Well… it’s the least I could do. I’ve been here almost two months and nopony ever stood up for me before, I… I'm happy you were there, and I'm sorry… since you got here, I was being very mean to you and despite how I treated you. you helped me and got beaten up for it. I'm so sor…”

“Don’t mention it. I know how it feels to be pushed around, and I'm glad you’re ok. By the way what ever happened to the other pony.”

Mr. Myer smiled as he replied, “Oh he is fine, he had a nightmare while he was unconscious about how he treated everypony else around here, so when he woke up he confessed to all the terrible thing he has been doing to you two. By the way, this whole incident will be our little secret, I'm grateful you fought for justice and not to bully anypony else, but if word gets around that I let you off the hook, then the rest of the ponies will start to run amuck. In addition, we will keep word about the Lightning Orb quiet, it’s a rare and legendary ability, and if it gets out to specific organizations that you can use such a talent, then your life could be in danger so as for the Lightning Orb… NO MORE! Is that clear!”

Star Bolt nodded his head, “Yes Sir… I'll do my best.”

Mr. Myer nodded his head then turned around spoke as he left the room, “Then don’t be late for dinner and I hope your bruises heal without a problem. Take care Mr. Bolt.”

When Mr. Myer was gone, Star looked at Gem Stone, “Uh… why is he calling me Bolt? I already told him my name is Star.”

Gem smiled, “After you used the lightning… whatever it’s called, Mr. Myer decided that on record, your name will be Star Bolt since you call yourself Star, and you used the lightning… thing and created a bolt of lightning so that is now your name.”

“Hmm… Star Bolt huh… I kind of like it. in fact, it fits my cutie mark a lot better now than just Star. Anyway… I… uh, are you ok. I didn’t hurt you by accident did I? I never knowingly used the lightning Orb before so I didn’t know how to control it. it just sort of happened.”

Gem Blushed as she answered, “No… I'm fine, when you were out cold I picked you up… well… I dragged you inside and put you in this bed. I can still feel a little static in my mane but I'm ok. Um… thank you Star, it means a lot to me that you stood up to that bully for me. it really does, and from now on… I… well… I hope we… can be… um… friends?”

Star Bolt blushed as he replied, “Um… sure, I would like that. I'm glad you’re ok and I'm happy to finally have a friend… can I ask you a question though… why did he call you messy mane?”

Gem Stone looked at Star Bolt with an unentertained look, “Just because I wear a bandanna in my mane doesn’t mean that it’s messy all the time! I'll let you know, I wash my mane every day and there is nothing wrong with i…”

Star Jumped back in surprise, “Whoa, whoa, take it easy, I didn’t know what he meant that’s all. I wasn’t trying to insult you, honest.”

Gem calmed herself down then replied, “I'm sorry Star, I was just irritated by how he would always make fun of me, just because I was… um… different.”

Star Bolt smiled, “Well now we both can be different together and I don’t care what he says, you look nice with the bandanna in your mane, and whatever the reason you choose to keep your mane like that, is your business, so don’t let anypony try to change that.”

Gem Smiled, “Thanks Star, and no matter how afraid the other foals are of you. I like you.”

Star Bolt nodded his head, “Um… for the record… why do you wear a bandanna all the time?”

Gem lowered her head in sadness and replied, “When my mommy was alive, she would wear a bandanna everyday showing the mood she thought she would be in for the day. she says that if the mood is happy and you show the world how happy you are, then things are bound to stay happy. But if it was sad, then everypony would see how sad you are and try to cheer you up.”

“What does white mean? That’s the only color I see you wear.”

Gem Stone held her tears back as she replied, “lonely.”

Star Bolt smiled, “Well… that means tomorrow you will be wearing a different color, won’t you?”

Gem Stone looked up at Star Bolt and smiled, “Yep it sure seems that way.”

From that day on, things around the orphanage changed. The bully who used to pick on the two, never approached either one again, it wasn’t long after that though he was adopted and out of their lives for good. As time went by the two continued to stay together but only them two, primarily because the other foals where afraid of Star Bolt for using the Lightning Orb, while the rest didn’t want to be friends with a filly who was nice to a freak. Nevertheless, the two were perfectly fine so long as they had each other. On many occasions parents tried to talk to Star Bolt or Gem Stone about adoption, but they both would either sabotage their own interviews, or they would refuse to go to them. After a while, Mr. and Mrs. Myer just ignored the requests, if the two were truly inseparable then they would find a way to be together despite what anypony else says or does.

The partnership between Star Bolt and Gem Stone only grew throughout the years. What was once a simple friendship turned into a strong bond, then it slowly took hold of Star Bolts heart and quickly turned into something much stronger. By this time, he had become of age to be allowed to go into the city, so the week before Hearts and Hooves Day, he decided to get something extremely special for her. Something that would express his feeling that have slowly built themself up from their foalhood. As after many hours of searching, he finally found the perfect gift.

On Hearts and Hooves Day, he finally gave her the gift, it was a pink bandanna made entirely of silk. She absolutely loved it, and from that day on, they were officially a couple. Wherever Star Bolt would be, he was always with Gem Stone. Both Mr. and Mrs. Myer knew that the two shared a strong connection, one that was considered true love. But like all things, they change with time, and one day, time caught up with the couple.

Star Bolt was given the task to look after the younger foals who were new to the orphanage. He loved doing, this because the younger foals didn’t know about the Lightning Orb so they didn’t call him a freak. while he and Gem were there, Mrs. Myer approached him, “Star… my husband wants to see you in his office for a few minutes.”

Star Bolt knew immediately that this wasn’t a good thing, Mr. Myer almost never showed himself unless it was important, in fact, the last time anypony saw him was on Hearth's Warming Eve about two years ago. Star Bolt replied, “Yes ma’am, Gem I'll be right back.”

On his way to the office Star Bolt felt nervous, what could have happened to make Mr. Myer want to see him?

Star Bolt knocked on the door and peeked inside, “Uh… sir… you wanted to see me.”

Mr. Myer was sitting at his desk reading a file when he looked up and replied, “Ah yes, Mr. Bolt Please come in and take a seat.”

Star Bolt nervously entered the room and sat in the chair in front of the desk. Mr. Myer put the file down and started to speak, “Mr. Bolt, how long have you been at this orphanage? Ten… eleven years? Star Bolt replied, “Twelve sir.”

Mr. Myer continued, “Ah, and in that time have any of your memories returned to you?”

Star Bolt lowered his head, “No… sir… not even one.”

Mr. Myer replied well, “That’s a shame, but I'm afraid I have even worse information for you. Mr. Bolt I'm afraid you have come to a particular age were I'm going to have to ask you to leave this facility, I'm afraid you are now old enough to be considered your own guardian. I'll give you a week before you must leave, in the meantime, I set up an apartment for you across town, the first month is free but after that you will need a job to pay rent.”

It didn’t take a genius to know exactly what Star Bolt would ask next, even Mr. Myer knew the next words he would say. “What about Gem Stone?”

Mr. Myer removed his glasses and started to clean them off with a cloth as he replied, “Ms. Stone will remain here. you may be old enough to leave but Ms. Stone isn’t. She will remain here until she is of age, or until she is adopted.”

Without thinking Star Bolt replied, “I'll adopt her.”

Mr. Myer put his glassed back on and replied, “Also impossible, you may be old enough to be considered your own guardian but you are still too young to adopt.”

Star Bolt then ask, “There has to be a way, I can’t leave her here by herself.”

Mr. Myer smiled, “Well there is one other way, in order for Ms. Stone to legally leave here with you, she would have to be related, either by blood or another form of relation.”

Star Bolt didn’t understand, “Another form? Like what?”

“Marriage.”

Star Bolt’s face turned red as he replied, “M-marriage?”

Mr. Myer continued, “If the two of you were related by marriage, then I would have no choice but to release her to you. I can’t keep a wife from her husband, but I'm afraid that’s the only way. Remember you have one week, I'll let you decide how you spend it. I hope you make the right choice, Mr. Bolt. You may go back now.”

Star Bolt quietly left the office and went back to meet with Gem Stone, “Is everything alright Star?”

Star Bolt gave her a fake smile and replied, “Its fine, he just thought he found some information about me in my file, but it was a mistake.”

Star Bolt was a terrible liar, Gem immediately saw through him, but since he didn’t want to talk about it enough to lie to her. She figured it was best to let the subject fade from his mind.

As the day went by, the subject not only stayed in his mind, but it made it hard for him to focus. Even when something funny would happen, he would chuckle about it for a split second, then go back to that deep thought. Gem Stone wanted to ask what it was that was eating away his emotions but she didn’t want to pry into something that he didn’t want to talk about. The day slowly became night and Star Bolt laid in the bottom bunk of the bunk bed staring at the top where Gem was sleeping peacefully. He couldn’t sleep, his mind was wrapped around that one word, marriage. Finally, he decided to get up and go outside to get some air.

While he was outside Star Bolt could see the glow from the Thunder Grounds, as he watched he started talking to himself while he paced back and forth, “The only way… the only way we can be together… I love her, I always will. And I know she loves me… but does she love me that much. Does she care that much to take that big a step? Maybe I should just come out and ask her, but even if I ask her, would she say yes? It shouldn’t be that hard to just ask her…”

“Ask me what?”

Star Bolt froze, then he slowly turned his head to the door where Gem Stone was standing with a curious expression on her face, “Star you have been troubled by something all day, exactly what is it that Mr. Myer told you that has got you in such a troubled state?”

Star Bolt sighed and took seat on the step next to Gem Stone, “Gem I have some bad news… it’s about what he told me this morning.”

Gem Stone sat next to Star Bolt and replied, “Yes? What is it?”

Star Bolt continued, “Mr. Myer said that I'm too old to stay here, and… he told me that I got to leave.”

Gem Stone lowered her head in disappointment, “Oh… I… I see… that makes sense.”

“He is giving me to the end of the week to leave.”

Gem Stone looked back at Star Bolt and gave him a fake smile, “That’s good then, you get to do what we have been talking about doing since we were foals, you finally get to get out and see the world. I'm happy for you Star, I really am.”

Star Bolt could see that she was trying to keep a straight face through her word so he replied, “What about you? I can’t leave you here alone.”

Gem shook her head, “I'll be fine, I’ll be able to leave here in a few years anyway right? You don’t need to worry about me. you need to go and live for once, it’s not like you can adopt me or anything like that.”

Star Bolt lowered his head and continued, “Um… no, I can’t adopt you… but… there is another way you can come with me… but… uh.”

Gem looked at Star Bolt in suspense, “Yea how?”

Star Bolt’s face turned red as he continued, “The only way you can leave with me… is well… we… have to be… um… m-married… if we were… uh… married… we could leave together but… that’s the only way.”

Gem Stone quickly looked away to hide her face as it turned bright red, “Oh… I… uh… well… I wasn’t expecting… um… I mean I didn’t… uh…”

Star Bolt sighed, assuming that she didn’t want to go along with it, “I'm sorry, I asked if I could adopt you but Mr. Myer told me that it was impossible that I was too young. He said that the only way you and I could leave together was if you and I where husband and wife, but I did…”

Gem Stone looked back at Star Bolt with a smile on her still red face, “So when will it be?”

Star Bolt sighed again, “He gave me till the end of the week before I have to leave then I…”

“No, no, no, I meant when will the wedding be?”

Star Bolt’s face turned red, “Wh-what?”

Gem smiled and leaned into Star Bolt, “If you have one week, then I guess we will get married in two days… is… is that ok?

Star Bolt smiled as he put his hoof around her shoulder, “That… that sound perfect, Gem. Looks like we got a plan after all.”

As they looked into the distance, they saw the sun slowly rising over the horizon. At this exact moment, both ponies would describe this as the most beautiful sunrise either one has ever seen in their whole life. But then this moment of beauty, turned quickly into a moment of fear, and worry, “Star! What’s that!?!”

Both Star Bolt and Gem Stone watched in shock, as the moon slowly rose from under the sun, then blocked it out in a full solar eclipse that seem to set the sky on fire with a dark and dreary red hue.

As Star Bolt watched, he saw something in the distance, It was a royal carriage, and on it was a black mare with a dark blue mystic mane.

Star Bolt mumbled to himself, “Who in Celestia's name?”

Gem Stone leaned close to Star Bolt, “What is it Star? what’s going on?”

Star Bolt held her close, he wanted to tell her that everything was alright, he wanted to tell her that there was nothing to worry about. but Star Bolt had a feeling deep inside that told him that not only was everything not alright, but it told him that this was the last sunrise he would ever see. And that this Eclipse wouldn’t end as quickly as the rest.

Next Chapter: Ch3 The Clan Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 46 Minutes