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Week 3: Day 1

I brought my hooves over the railings as I watched the sea below us pass with speed that could match that or a normal Pegasus. It annoyed me that it had taken close to two days, but at last, a few more hours at most...maybe less, until I was back home.

The air ship was rather small compared to what I had seen growing up back home, 'course, those were War-ships. The king of the kingdom was always so worried that another kingdom would attack to take his throne, I guess this is why he attacked his own subjects, claiming that they were 'rebels'. Saki was somewhere, the first day on the ship; she met up with the only other female pony. She asked if she could train Saki in the way of the blade, seeing how Saki couldn't really use her Changeling skills in public. I bore no amour from Equestria, for one of the things we didn't want, was the king of Higher Wing, to think; what he truly feared. So all I had on me at the moment, was my Master's blade he gave me long ago, the strap that held it in place on my back, and also; one other weapon.

I had never heard of a weapon quite like this, from afar, it looked like a normal leg guard, but when I lifted it up, my left hoof and flick it a bit, a small dagger like blade came out and shone in the light. The hired ponies called this a Hoof-Blade, much easier then handling a sword with my magic or with my hooves. And for some reason, if I was trained in sword play, it was pretty much the same thing; trust me, I tested it.

"Your lover is quite an eyeful kid," I turned to my right to see the Captain of the Air Ship. He was an old pony, no doubt out enough to be my father. An Earth pony with grey coat, a few scars easily seen, seeing how the fur didn't grow back fully there. His left ear was missing the tip, while his left face was covered in cloth. Though I could not see his eyes, I knew they were that of sky blue, his hair pushed forward to cover much of the cloth. He told me, as we flew, seeing how I had nothing better to do when I wasn't teaching Saki some of my own moves; of what happened. Seems a pony they were hired to protect was worth more dead then alive to somepony else, he took a hit from a fire spell, burning much of his face that was covered in the cloth. His cutie mark being that of I would be an old style telescope, he explained because he knew right where to go.

"Yeah I know," I answered with a small grin looking back out at the last water. "I always count myself lucky I have somepony like her."

"Then why bring her with you to this place," he ask looking at me with his good eye. "I know what is going on over there mate, bad things, the worst type of civil war I've ever seen!"

"I know," I answered. "I lived through it while still a small colt and much of my young adult life."

"Then why bring her, and why are you going back if you escaped?" I sighed softly as I closed my eyes.

"Let me say it in order for you so it easier. For the reason she's coming, it's because it's her choice, and she wants to make sure I'm safe. Why am I going back? I escaped in the first place because of my adopted brother and sisters. I did not wish for them to grow up in a world, thinking only pain and suffering are always around." I then looked to him dead in the eyes. "The reason I'm going back, for two things, one, the princesses received a letter asking for me to return to aid them. The second..." I looked away. "My father, somepony I thought was long dead, is out there...and I need to find him."

"Ah, one of them missions eh?" he asked me as I nodded. "Well, good luck to you kid, wish I could be joining ya, but this is one battle I rather not get my crew tangled in."

"Understandable," I spoke as I smiled. "You were paid only to get us there, nothing more, nothing else."

"Aye, sorry bout that mate." But I then saw a bit of a tinkle in his eye. "But I think we can throw in a little extra for ya, how about we blast a few of those king's guards on the house eh? Not only will it cover our flanks when we escape and land for you and Cloud here to get off, but also pushes them back!" I chuckled and smiled, before we left, another letter came in saying that the High Wing's guards were trying to take over the port that the rebels, or as we were called (not sure if they changed the name) Black Light.

"You've already given me and Cloud here these Hoof Blades...why help us more?" he gave a smile as he turned to leave before answering.

"I know what it's like, to fight for your home," and then he was gone.

A hour passed by, I was at the bow of the ship, shadow sparring with my Hoof Blade for a bit, to get use to it around my arm, and also to use it better. After I was done, I noticed Saki trot over to me as she smiled.

"Hey there Lighty," she spoke nuzzling my chin slightly as I hummed a bit and nuzzled her back. "The Captain pony said we should be there in about an hour or so,"

"Good," I answered looking out in front. "The sooner the better."

"You really wanna find your father...don't you?" I nodded my head at her, she too on her left leg, had the Hoof Blade on.

"I...I just have to know, where was he when I needed him most, I just...need closer." I then turned to Saki as she watched me. "I remembered you told me long ago that...well Chrysalis really wasn't your mother, that she chose you when you were still a small filly. Yet you still call her mother, why?"

"Why do you call that pony that took you and your 'brother' and 'sisters' in, 'mother'?"

"Ah..."

"Yeah," she answered leaning on me slightly. "I call her mother, because she raised me, for those few years, as her daughter. Sure I may not like her now somewhat for how long she went until finding me; then making me fought in the invasion. But still...beside Granny, she is the only pony that I know that is classified as...family." I nodded my head, and for a while, we said nothing. "Light?"

"Yeah?"

"After all this is done and over....can I meet your family?" I turned to look at her for a moment before smiling and nodded.

"Yeah," I answered her. "When all this is over."

"Port dead ahead Captain!" we both jerked and looked up as a pony called from the crow's nest of the Air Ship. "There also seems to be fighting going on too!"

"Alright, ponies get those cannons out now; fly us up so that their magic or weapons can hit us!"

"Aye, aye sir!" a roaring sound of them falling orders.

"What is our target boss?"

"Ask the Lighting kid here," he spoke to me as I blinked but nodded all the same.

"The guards here wear blood red amour, they tend to stick together, thinking to outnumber their prays. If you hit the middle of them, mostly that is where their leader is, the rest will scurry off like rats when caught."

"Anything else?" one asked me as I nodded.

"Most of the guards are unicorns, so be ready for anything, their cannons can shoot pretty high up, but with magic, I'm sure they can also hit us if we are not careful!"

"You heard the pony! You got your information, now let's do it!"

"Aye, aye!"

They flew up higher, deep into the clouds as I watched them pull out large cannons from down below using pulls. After a few moments, the cannons were on the edge all around the ship, ready to fire. Flying higher for a little more, we slowly pushed past the cloud, to see the capital of Higher Wing, Marecaster. The reason for the name is pretty much ninety percent of the city belonged to unicorns, or were founded by unicorns all those hundred of years ago. The port was just ahead, the kingdom I grew up on was pretty much a large mountain coming from the sea. It was said to be an old dead volcano. We could see them even from up in the sky, wearing black light amour, Black Light was trying their best to hold the Sky Port, but the Marecaster Guards were pushing them further and further back. And I was right; they had many ponies in a single group, huddled together like a living dome.

"Everypony take their aim!" the Captain called as he stood beside me and Saki. "You two ready?"

"Always," I answered looking down as each cannon clicked on, telling they were ready.

"Target locked sir!" many of them called out.

"Good, driver, once you hear the sound of our cannons go off, spin this thing around and start to land, keep spinning after ever round you hear until we land; understood?!"

"Aye, sir!" the pony saluted as I looked around.

"Ready, aim...fire!" he screamed as the thundering roar of the cannons shot off. At once we started to spin as the Air Ship turned to the fresh cannons. I watched as the balls of steel slammed into the main part of the red wearers. The bodies of the ponies flew in different places; the Black Light group seemed to stop their fighting for a quick second and cheered as around rounds of raining balls came down on top of Marecaster's army. We

We did this for a good five minutes until the sound of a horn was heard, as I watched, whatever pony was left from the guards, were retreating! As the ship slowly made its way down toward the port, the roaring sound of cheers filled the air as we came closer and closer, I poked my head over to see them all, some were new to me, but a lot I knew. I saw one pony, a unicorn with a darker blue hue then me; narrow his eyes for a moment before shouting.

"It's Lighting Knight! Lighting Knight is back!" again another cheer rang out as the ship docked on the port, a ramp being put down as me and Saki made our way down. At once I was crowed with faces I had thought I would not see in a long time. Words of phrase for coming when we did for all as I tried to listened one at a time to all of my old friends.

"Lighting, it's really you! It's been so long since we last saw you!" one of them called out as I smiled at each of them as best as I could. They did not wear a lot of armor, a few pieces here and there, most body part were protected by thick layers of leather, all black, like the name would say. "Did Sir send for you?"

Sir was, or should I say still is, the leader of the Black Light. When our king started to go a little crazy with the law, he started the group. First it was just to riot against what he was doing, but soon, Sir made Black Light into a full out army. Nopony really knows what his real name is, so everypony just started to call him Sir. Though he was smart when it came to what we had to do in order to win in our fight, he didn't care how many lives were lost to do it. Nopony dare to take his place though, we just didn't have the skills he had for planning.

The last time I saw Sir was the day I left with my brother and sisters. I explained that I wouldn't allow them to grow up in a war like this, he called me a coward and other such names; but it mattered not to me.

"He did," I answer the pony before me. "I know that symbol anywhere...dear Celestia what is he gonna said to me now huh?" I gave a small chuckle as many others did as well.

"Well the weird thing," the crowd started to thin as they went to pick up any useful items from the king's army. "He's...changed."

"Changed?" I asked as I turned to Saki.

"Yeah, he...well listens to us, and takes his time to think of plans used to attack the king's guards."

"Do you know why he changed?" I asked as he slightly nodded.

"I think so, one day he was attacked with a group of scouts, he was hit pretty bad, must've gotten the bastard knocked right out of him,"

"Hrm..." I thought over this, I don't know...maybe something more is on this. "Alright, I'll have to see this myself, by the way, who is the pony who was assigned to help us on our mission?" his face with from somewhat careful, to slight worry.

"Well...it's...Doc..." my left eye twitched as Saki looked to me and then him.

"What, a doctor?" she asked as I shook my head.

"No...The Doctor," I answered as the pony turned to leave.

"I'm not following," she said as I sighed.

"Wait for it..." I told her lifting my hoof up as she gave me a confused look. "Three...two...one..."

"Oh Brightly Lighty!"

I knew it, I just freaking knew it. Looking at where the sound of the voice came, I sighed out loud, and by loud I mean it sounded like a grumble kind of sigh. Poor Saki, she had no idea why I was like this, but in the very few seconds, as he would talk; she would know. The pony running over to us wore a brown coat with black zebra stripes; many would call him a Zebracorn since that was what he was anyway. His mane was that of black and curly, covering much of his face, but you could still see that large black eyes that he had. Even though he was part of the Black Light, Doc wore a red tux, he wore some thick leather or steel over his body, but the tux you could easily see with the black bow tie and cuffs around his front hooves. His Cutie Mark was that of two different hearts, one being red, the other one on top of it, black. I could never truly guess what this meant, and he never told me. He skidded to a stop before me and Saki, his muzzle cracked into a large grin as he smiled widely.

"I knew you couldn't stay away from me Brightly Lighty!"

"Doc...how many times have I told you...DON'T CALL ME THAT!" I answered him hissing under my breath as he grinned.

"I'll stop for today...if you call me by my full name...and say it,"

"No,"

"Say it..."

"No..."

"Say it, say it, say it!" he chanted while hopping around me as my eye started to twitch.

"Fine Doctor Love you're a freaking sexy pony!"

"THE sexist pony that ever lived!" he proclaimed as he thrust his chest out.

"Wait...what?" Saki asked with the tilt of her head, Doc looking to her with a smile.

"And who is this?" he asked as Saki smiled slightly.

"I'm Cloud Dasher, Light's here mare-friend."

Doc gave me a funny look; I don't even know how to describe of how it looked like in the first place. Maybe he didn't really think that she was my mare-friend at all, but then; that sly grin I always hated came across his face as he leaned closer to us to whisper.

"Good cover there Lighting," he whispered. "Making everypony think you have a mare-friend, when you really want my sexy flank!"

"Doc, I swear to you, I will snap your horn off and stick it in your neck..." we both stared at each other for a short while, before bursting into laughter. Saki only watched us with complete confusion as the two of us bro-hoofed each other. "Colt, how long has it been since we've done that?"

"The last time we saw each other before you left," he reminded me as I softly chuckled. Looking down at Saki I explained that we did this a lot when I was still here, he would try to get under my coat, guess to see my reaction. After a while, it just didn't matter, and we always did have a good laugh.

"You two are weird," she commented as we laughed once more.

"So as you can see," Doc told us as we made our way through the very city I grew up in. it took me a second, but I had to stop before walking in through the gates. "We captured this place after the guards took it from us a little after you left, luckily they didn't mess up too much of the stuff here."

"So what's going on with the guards, they seem to be getting braver if they're not bringing in cannons to keep us at bay,"

"Oh don't worry about there cannons," Doc snickered slightly. "Our last mission but much of them out of commission, so now they only have a small hoof-ful at the castle." I nodded at this, looking around the old city; some of the buildings were still intact, many using them as homes, the ponies who couldn't fight that is. "We moved our base down here, further down from the castle so we don't have to worry about quick surprised attacks. You think those ponies that brought you two down will help out?"

"Doubt it," I answered as he nodded. "They were only paid to bring us here; the captain threw in that little bomb run as a little extra."

"Nice," the zebra pony answered with a short nod. As we kept walking, I stopped after a while, I knew this street...this was..."

"Hey Doctor Love," he stopped, I never called him by is full name (unless it benefited me of course). "Can...you take Cloud Dasher to the base then alone...I need to do something."

"What do you mean Lighting?" he asked as I looked away. "What do you need to...oh," then he knew, he gave me a worry look as I slightly nodded at him. "Sure thing brother, sure thing."

"Light...?" Saki looked up to me with worry in her eyes as I smiled softly and kissed her cheek.

"Cloud," I spoke to her, I really wish I could've used her real name. "It's close alright, I...I just have to see it with my own eyes once more, see if it's still there." I gave her another small smile. "I'll be fine,"

"Let me come with you," she asked me as I shook my head.

"No, this is something I need to do on my own." I looked up at Doc as he nodded.

"The base is where the old school was," he told me. "The building still there, and it's pretty large, seeing how we added a few things." I nodded my head at him and turned to leave. "Lighting wait," I looked back as Doc came up to me and whispered. "Look...I don't want to alarm you, but...there have been sightings of Changelings about here, many of our guys are...well weak because of how these Changelings are taking their love."

"So you know I'll be fine,"

"Yeah I know," he answered. "But still, the way you love Cloud here, you never know."

"Yeah," I nodded at him and turned. "Thanks for the warning."

It was still here...my old home. Looking at the tall building, it looked maybe three floors high, the bottom floor as I remembered was the living area, where me, mom, and dad would have guest over, or to spend time together. Our rooms were on the second floor, and the top floor was where we would put items we wanted to store. It was burnt, not all the way, I could see from the inside how much of the place was burned, but the outside was still in good shape. Walking over the rumbles that use to be the door as I was guessing, I slowly made my way in. looking around; memories of this place came rushing back. Birthdays I had as I hugged my parents for a wooden sword they gave me, days where I was sick and lying on the sofa as mother took care of me...all of this came rushing back. I bowed my head slightly, feeling the overwhelming feeling of sadness take over me.

Just then, my ear flicked, the sound of footsteps heard as I jumped and drew my sword with my magic.

"Who goes there?!" I demanded as I heard a soft chuckle. Soon, the owner of the voice came out, I backed away at once, for standing there, large green eyes and pale coat, a unicorn was standing there...my mother.

No it couldn't be her, it couldn't be here! I watched....I watched her die! She burned right in front of me, I saw it! But...she was standing before me, pale white coat, long black mane and tail, large green eyes.

"So you have returned..." she spoke softly with a small smile. "Hello my son,"

"No..." I whispered shaking my head. "You're not my mother! She died in front of me, she was burnt!" she again softly chuckled, and when I got a good look at her, I saw her...no Cutie Mark. That's when it clicked, I knew who it was, and it wasn't my mother.

"And how do you know that you just didn't dream that up?" she asked me as I straightened up at once, even the voice sounded just like my mother. "You did suffer a great deal as a colt."

"Because," I answered as I smiled, she seemed to blink at this. "My mother had a cutie mark, where you...do not...Cocoon,"

She seemed to flinched at this, backing away for only a moment. She then gave me a grin, the kind that could send shivers down your back as she started to chuckle. Her eyes closed before they reopened, blood red eyes looking back at me, as a red like flame covered her body. Once the flames died down, my mother was not standing there, but a large black and red Changeling Queen.

"I'll say this though pony" she spoke as she grinned, her red hair just as I remembered it flicking as she shook her head. "You're smarter then you look."