A filly sat up in her bed, staring out the window in paralyzing fear. Her mother looked up from where she was sitting beside her. With a soft touch, she nudged her child back into bed.

"Momma, there's something outside... I heard it."

"Do you want me to scare it away?"

The filly shook her head quickly. "No. Stay here."

After a few more minutes of calm silence, the mare stood up to leave.

"Momma, can I have a story?"

The mare sighed, but turned around and returned to her chair.

"Do you promise to go to sleep?"

The filly nodded, burrowing further under the covers.

"Well, in the beginning, there was chaos."

"What was chaos, momma?"

"What do you want chaos to be?"

She thought for a second. "A birthday cake."

"Good. Now hush, and listen to me."

"So, in the beginning, there was chaos, and chaos was a birthday cake. There was nothing special about this birthday cake, other than the fact that it was the only thing to exist, other than nothing. So chaos floated through nothing, whatever nothing may be." The mare looked down at her foal, who was already beginning to fall asleep. "And suddenly, from the cake, came something. Something was like nothing, and beat back chaos and nothing to make planets and stars and clouds and water and grass and sky. And in this way, something controlled nothing and chaos and kept them as far away from its creations as possible. But chaos did find it's way in occasionally, in the form of war and earthquakes and tornadoes and the birthday parties of small children. But, as chaos snuck in occasionally, something was making more somethings, and they were animals; birds and fish and turtles and dragons and griffons and ponies. And something was very pleased with these things.

"But, at first, all ate plants. As time passed, the animals had more children than there were plants, and because of this, the grass and trees began to fade away. In shock, something asked nothing for help. So nothing came down to earth in the form of a great raven, and made all the creatures line up. It gave out special powers to each; fire for the dragons, sharp claws to the griffons, gills to the fish, wings to the birds - because, in the time of creation, birds could not fly, just as the fish walked on land - hard shells to the turtles, and other things to everything else. And some started eating meat, but the balance was the same, and the earth returned to its' former glory.

"But at the end of it all, there were three ponies waiting for gifts. They stood in front of nothing, expanctant smiles on their faces. Nothing reached back, expecting another special power, but there were none left. Looking at the ponies, it tore it's own wings off and set them on the back of one, and it became a Pegasus, flying instead of running. Nothing then tore out its' own magic heart and gave it to the second pony, who accepted it, and grew a horn to show her abilities, and she became a Unicorn. Now, as the other two left, nothing faced the last pony. She looked up from the ground, where she had been digging up a grassy clump.

"<I am very sorry,> said nothing, <but I have nothing left to give you but my own body.>

"<It does not worry me,> the pony replied. <I will become strong with my own help. I will harvest the crops and plant the seeds, will tend to the gardens and take care of the wounded. When the time comes, I will be the infantry, guiding the creations you have made to freedom.>

"<You do not need to do all of that for me.> Nothing muttered. <I am not worth it. All I am is an empty shell.>

"The pony looked up further, straining to see nothing's eyes, and smiled. <You are more than nothing. You are something as well.> She smiled, but it was more determined, and she planted her feet in the dirt. <And I will do what I've told you. I promise.>

"Nothing was surprised, but as the pony cantered away to join her friends, he could hear them laughing together. <Despite their differences,> nothing declared, <they will act as one.>

"And nothing vanished."

The filly was snoring softly, deep in her dreams. The mare looked out the window, seeing the sunrise pinking the horizon. She shook her head gently, sighing quietly, before heading out of the room and down the stair to prepare breakfast.