Click. Click. Click. Click.

“Mother. Mother. Mother. Mother. Mother,” William droned, dropping one manilla envelope after another onto the slowly growing pile on the sofa.

“Not for me,” Eris stated in an especially monotonous tone with the drop of each letter. She snapped her talons in tune to the landing of each one, watching them fall. “Not for me. Not for me. Not for me,” she scratched a spot between her eyes in boredom. A few boxes of still damp belongings littered the living room, one of William’s books dangling precariously over the edge and hanging by a thread.

“I sent one, too,” Fluttershy poked her head in from the hallway, startling them. She smiled innocently, but William said nothing to her before turning back to his sorting.

“Well?” Rainbow Dash’s voice drifted from the bedroom at the end of the hall.

“They’re still going,” Fluttershy answered as she returned, the sound of Applejack chortling clear amongst them.

“Yeah, no shit,” Eris grumbled under her breath, shoving the pile of letters to the edge of the couch with her foot and careful not to mix them too closely with the ones William had sent. A couple of them tumbled to the floor, which she gave no attention to. “This is why I switched to email.”

Eris leisurely began rifling through some of William’s belongings, pulling out a few books between her talons.

“Don’t touch those,” he didn’t even look up. “Mother. Mother. Mother.”

“Why not?” she pulled a few more out just to be antagonistic, peering at their covers. “What, you have something against reading now? Filthy communist!”

Eris flipped a few textbooks over before losing interest, digging in one of the boxes for a new one.

“Biology. History. Astronomy. History again, eh… on flying horses. Astrology. Arithma-yawn, that’s more like it,” she said jokingly, to which he didn’t even blink. Eris frowned, paying no attention as she dug through more. “Another math book. History of pegasi inventions. History of flight. Agriculture, arithmetic again, more lame crap on flying – what is it with you and pegasuses?”

“It’s pegasi,” William neatly placed yet another stack of letters to the side, beginning on the next. “And I have an interest is all. Mother. Mother. Mother.”

“What, but no anatomy books for pega-sigh?” she smirked. “Pitiful. And you call yourself a librarian.”

“Don’t need it,” he said blandly. “I know plenty about anatomy.”

She stifled a yawn, briefly wondering just what the others in the other room were up to.

“Mother,” he didn’t pause a beat. “Mother. Mother. Mother. Mother. Mother. M- Scootaloo!”

Eris quietly remarked that it was similar to a light switch being thrown from how quickly his face lit up. He ripped open the small green envelope greedily, motioning in swift little circles around the rest of the pile.

“… What?” she stared, snapping her talons in mild annoyance as he speedily dug into the letter with glee. “What is that? I don’t do sign language crap. Are you saying ‘flush the rest’?”

“What?” William frowned suddenly, looking up. “I – no! More! Look for more of this color, quickly, quickly!”

And with that he resumed reading over the letter, utterly ignorant of the fact that Eris hadn’t budged an inch.

“Aaaaaand not for me,” she muttered slowly, giving a quiet sigh. It was a long few minutes before she finally realized that William had all but stopped moving. Upon closer inspection she found him to be simply rereading the same letter over and over again, his face a bland façade of dumbfounded shock.

“Anything interesting?” Eris asked hopefully, desperate for any form of entertainment that she could get.

“… Oh dear.”

His face had seemingly plastered itself into a shocked shell of skin, and he stayed perfectly still.

“… That’s not helping,” she snorted eventually, but he only read and reread the letter over and over again.

Why don’t you ever write back?

It’s like you’ve forgotten about me completely. That’s really what if feels like. Please don’t forget about me. Please, please, please.

I just wish that you would come back. Everypony misses you. I keep forgetting that you aren’t at home anymore every time I come to visit, nobody wants me there either. I don’t know why you won’t just right write back, please tell me you haven’t forgotten about me already. You promised that you would write me back, you promised you wouldn’t forget about me. Aren’t we friends anymore?

They’ll be coming for me soon. This can’t will probably be my last letter anyway. After all this time, I’m finally going to be adopted.

I’ll be moving to a new place when it happens. Mister Periwinkle seems pretty nice. He’s kind of book-y, I think that you would like him. Maybe it really won’t be too far away. Maybe I can see you again someday, and then we can all be friends again and hang out and everything can be like it used to.

Please come back before it’s too late, Will. Please. I still lmiss you.

~ Scoots

“Uh…” Eris waved her hand a couple of times, trying to catch his attention. “… Hey. Willie. Are you… crying?”

“No,” William choked, making a beeline for the bathroom and locking himself in.

“I’m telling you, she is evil.”

“Horse feathers,” Rainbow Dash snorted, staring at William unblinkingly from across the table.

“Really,” Fluttershy frowned distastefully as Applejack noisily finished off her dandelion sandwich. “That’s a terrible thing to say about anypony, let alone poor old Miss White.”

“Do you have any proof that she’s evil?” Apple Bloom inquired helpfully, leaning against the kitchen counter as her elder sister did. For the strangest reason, William simply would not look at her, and it was irritating her further by the minute. Fluttershy shifted awkwardly in her seat beside Rainbow Dash. Eris had long since dawdled off out of boredom.

“… Well, not-not precisely,” William said with some difficulty, unable to look his friend quite in the eye.

“It sounds ridiculous…” Dash frowned, twirling a hoof around her empty plate and knocking a crumb away absentmindedly. “I mean, I can’t really see her being evil.”

“Evil is such a strong word,” Fluttershy cringed openly. “She isn’t even rude, she’s-she’s just so sweet and nice!”

William crossed his arms indignantly, clearly irritated.

“And I’m telling you that it’s all a ruse,” he insisted. “This ‘doctor’ White – if that even is her real name – even admitted to sending someone to spy on us as some kind of-of elaborate revenge scheme.”

Although she didn’t move much, Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up.

“… Is that right,” she muttered, furrowing her brows. “A spy?”

“You didn’t hit your head or nothin’, did you?” Applejack loomed behind him, startling him and causing him to jump. “Sounds more like one of them crazy Mission: Implausible stories.”

William shied away from her, scowling.

“I am not crazy!” he asserted strongly.

“Nopony said that you were, Will…” Fluttershy attempted to pat his hand soothingly. “It’s just – I mean, she can’t – well, that you’re sounding… um, well…”

She looked to either of her friends for assistance, but it was Rainbow Dash to rise from her thoughts first.

“Paranoid.”

William’s heart sank like a rock into his stomach, which became oddly heavy.

“… Sorry Will,” Dash shook her head remorselessly. “But take it from somepony that knows. You really do sound paranoid.”

“But I’m not crazy!” William said desperately, eyes searching each one of them in turn in hopes that someone, anyone would believe him. Ironically enough, now Apple Bloom was avoiding his gaze. “… I’m not, I’m telling the truth!”

“Whelp,” Applejack coughed into her hoof, her discomfort painfully obvious. “Guess we might as well start heading back.”

Apple Bloom looked at Will curiously for a moment.

“Do we hafta?” she asked quickly, but Applejack shook her head.

“Unless you want to get caught in the rain,” she nodded out the window at the cloudy sky. “Now move those hooves, we’ve still gotta help Granny get dinner ready.”

“But we just had sandwiches!” Apple Bloom whined as she wearily followed her toward the door, throwing a sheepish ‘I tried’ look to William before zipping off.

The trio sat in almost peaceful silence for a few moments before William wordlessly rose to collect the plates. Rainbow Dash finally pulled her eyes away from the bulbous grey clouds where a single orange pegasus was desperately batting back a particularly static blob of angry haze. Perhaps if she just didn’t look, if she just kept her eyes busy then her body would stop screaming at her to obey it, to give herself what she wanted, what she needed…

Some things you can do without, it’s not a necessity-

But I need it, can’t live without-

I can’t, I don’t want to, just stop. Don’t have to because I don’t need to, simple as that, just go back to your drink and everything will be fine except it won’t I know it I need it now-

“You know…” Dash started as Fluttershy rose in attempt to free herself from the awkward quiet. “Nopony can really sleep in Will’s room for a while ‘til it’s finished, and this place is pretty small…”

Fluttershy blinked, uncertain of what she was attempting to say. The soft clink of glass in the sink went mostly unheard.

“And, uh, it can get pretty cramped sometimes,” she continued before clapping one hoof against the table as if an idea had just occurred to her. “Hey! Flutters, you wouldn’t – I mean, would you mind foalsitting for a night or two?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened with a smile, much to the quiet pleasure of Rainbow Dash.

“Hmm? Oh, sure thing, Rainbow!” she beamed. “I wouldn’t mind at all, anything I can do to help!”

“Awesome,” Dash breathed, grinning. “I mean, there’s enough room for two, so you’d only have to foalsit one, if that helps.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Fluttershy shook her head peacefully. “I have room enough for two-”

“No, no,” Rainbow Dash insisted with a forced smile. “It’s fine, really – it’ll work out great, one can stay with you and the other with me, problem solved!”

“O-oh…” she shifted with a hint of uncertainty, but it was gone the next. “Um, well, if that’s what you think is best…”

“What do you think, Will?”

“What?” he blinked, having been standing very still and simply holding onto one plate for the last few minutes. “I don’t know. Yes. No. I mean, yes. What was the question?”

“So it’s settled then,” Dash perked up.

“Do you want to grab an overnight bag?” Fluttershy turned quietly to William, who still seemed to be in an unnaturally stunned sort of silence.

“Uh, actually…” Rainbow Dash started uncomfortably, cloaking her frustration. She silently cursed herself for not being more specific, and slowly bit her lower lip.

What am I supposed to say now? No, I meant take the other one?

Fluttershy waited expectantly, awaiting Dash’s words. Even William seemed a little hopeful.

“… Nothing,” Dash shook her head hard, forcing a smile. “Go on ahead, Will, I’ll finish up the dishes.”

“Thank you, by the way-” Fluttershy started. She was rambling something else to his mother, but William didn’t hear it on the way to his room. All that preoccupied his mind was that his mother was sending him away. He was being taken away from her.

Again.

Hands trembling in quiet fury, William was careful to keep Princess Luna’s black book close to him as he packed. It wasn’t a good idea to do that to him, he silently vowed to no one but himself. They would see, then. They would see what happens when you play with fire.

It wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash was sitting all by herself again.

The lonely sounds of an empty house echoed back at her, and her sighs went unheard. She scraped her hoof across the table, painting an imaginary image as she lost herself in thought once more.

It was stupid, and she knew it. What was she even trying to pull?

Dash groaned inwardly, massaging her eyelids. It wasn’t just stupid, it was insane.

You have to stop. It HAS to stop. Please, please, please just let me stop. If not for me, then for his sake. You can’t – I can’t keep doing this. Just stop. Just stop. Just stop. Just-

Dash pried her eyes open with another weary sigh, standing and reaching into one of the higher cabinets before remembering too late that her supply of liquor had long since been drained. Or the main supply, at least. She started toward another cabinet before shaking herself away, frowning.

“Eris,” she shouted suddenly. “You’re too quiet; what are you up to?”

Once again Rainbow Dash was met with silence. Her frown grew a little deeper, and she was quick to remove herself from the kitchen.

“Seriously, where are you at?” Dash called a little more loudly in frustration. “I haven’t heard from you in, like, twenty minutes-”

Her voice trailed off as she found the living room empty as well. Not a soul was to be found in either her bedroom or William’s, which had a little painted cardboard sign obviously made by Apple Bloom that read ‘under constriction’. She smirked a little at that, shaking her head before making another round through the empty house.

Where had she gone?

“Eris?” Dash murmured again, slipping out the back door. To her surprise, the draconequus was kneeling in the faint drizzle in the far corner of what was once William’s garden with her back to the pegasus.

She crept a little closer behind Eris, moving more slowly when she heard the quiet muttering.

“-e behind, stupid fathead, never trust a guy with a beard – that’s what Mom always said, I think, I don’t know, I’m saying it anyway, can’t even get a decent – just go in – you stupid prickly sonuvabitch-!”

Eris’s words were continually interrupted by garbled noises which could have been called cries had they not been so forcefully shoved down each time. Dash felt her agitation slipping away the longer that she stood there. Rain slipped down her mane and into her eyes, and her previously high held head slowly drooped until she stood in tired exasperation behind the oblivious draconequus. A sliver of guilt mingled with an unexpected sense of worry for her, and this time Rainbow Dash failed to brush it off.

“… Hey.”

Eris jerked violently in shock, twisting and lurching back simultaneously. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and Dash saw that they were puffy and red before Eris quickly feigned a sneezing fit.

“Hey yourself,” Eris throatily replied, rising unenthusiastically and rubbing her sore back with a dirty talon. She refused to look at her, and tried to stick her mismatched hands in imaginary pockets in a similar manner that William was fond of doing. It threw Dash off for a bare moment.

“What’cha doing?” she asked quietly, ignoring the patter of rain.

Eris wordlessly kicked at what looked vaguely like a very mangled turnip, the upturned patch of mud catching it neaty.

“… You’re gonna catch a cold,” Rainbow Dash said emotionlessly, turning and motioning for her to follow with one wing.

“Probably already did,” she responded swiftly, faking another small coughing fit as she strode beside her toward the house. “That’s-that’s why, um. Y’know. Runny nose an’ eyes and… y’know.”

“… Yeah. I know. I know, Eris,” Dash quietly put her other wing on her side and pulled her closer. “Believe me. I know.”

“No!” Eris smacked her touch away abruptly, leading Rainbow Dash to stare hard. “No, you don’t – you don’t, okay?”

She bitterly clung to herself as she dragged herself in behind the pegasus, but Rainbow Dash didn’t seem to notice her anymore. In all truth, however, she was watching the draconequus very, very closely.

There was just something familiar that she had seen in her eyes that made it hard to cling to that frail sense of entitled anger that she so desperately wanted to indulge in, even though she knew how foolish it was just thinking about it.

“… Sorry.”

Rainbow Dash wordlessly passed her a towel as they tried to dry themselves in the hall, waiting for her to finish.

“Whatever,” she shrugged at last, nearly the opposite of what she was thinking. “I was a teenager once too, you know.”

“Why would you assume that I’m a teenager?” Eris’s paw froze atop her head, where she was miserably attempting to force it into a soggy turban. “You don’t know me. Do you even know how old I am?”

“Alright. Alright. Okay,” Dash said after a moment, hoof pressed firmly against her eyelids as if she could simply press back the rising tide of irritation. “Eris, hon, I don’t have to know that to know enough. Something’s got your goat, I can tell, so why don’t you just drop the big bad wolf huff n’ puff and gimme the skinny?”

Eris stared at Rainbow Dash. Eris stared hard at Rainbow Dash for a long, long time.

“… Oh my god,” she at last cringed openly. “Were-were you just trying to sound… hip?”

“… No,” Dash said without blinking.

“That has got to be the saddest thing I have ever heard...!” Eris chewed one knuckle in furious attempt to keep from giggling, and failed horridly.

“… Shut up, doofus,” Rainbow Dash nudged her warmly through the house, grinning just was wide as she was. “Go get another towel already, you’re dripping all over my floor.”

“I ain’t horny.”

Eris said it so seriously, with such an unexpected straight face that Dash earnestly had difficulty fighting back the stream of sniggers, which seemed to delight Eris.

“Heyyo!” she clapped her mismatched hands together with a sly smirk. “See what I did there?”

Dash prodded her along again, shaking her head. Yes, there was most definitely something familiar about her, even if she didn’t want to admit it. That was one of the main reasons she kept trying to find something to keep her away, although she’d never admit that either. It was the fact that Rainbow Dash was slowly forgetting the ‘why’ part that frightened her. But some things simply had to be.

For Celestia’s sake, she even smelled like him.

William never found himself impressed with Fluttershy’s home.

It was a cozy enough place, certainly. The ceilings were a bit lower than he would have initially expected, and it was dry and warm, but he still did not like it. It just wasn’t home.

William’s fingers trailed over the edge of the book over and over again, the sound of heavy nightfall grating on his ears.

It’s not just sometimes. It’s all the time now, Luna. Every day. I’m getting worried.

I assure you that there is nothing to fear, Master William.

If you say so, Princess.

The book’s pages shivered in the dim candlelight, the last words fading away once more. William stared at the empty sheets for a few moments in silence.

Can I see you again?

No,

and William was a bit surprised at the speed at which she responded.

No. Not this time. Not until you have acquired the catalyst.

I’m trying, William scrawled, holding back his frustration. But every time I try, Miss Sparkle seems to either be too busy to notice or bother, and I don’t even know if the crystals from the Crystal Empire would even suffice.

What did you tell Sparkle?

His hands paused over the book, watching the inky stains fade.

Nothing.

Good. Good. That is good. Nopony needs to find out.

I might not have a choice but to do it… William left his sentence hanging, his brows furrowed in thought.

No, Master William. There is no choice. Not if our plans are to come to fruition. Have you prepared properly?

I’ve memorized every sigil, he scribbled wearily, desperately wishing for a sleep that would not come. Every single incantation and provisional hex in the book, but it only goes so far.

That is because you lack sufficient knowledge. The books will be nearby; foolish of her to put them in such close proximity, but it is of no consequence now. Just ensure that both are in your possession by that time, Master William, and then your training can truly commence. But even if that fails, there are still other ways of completing the ritual. Granted, they are slow, but almost equally effective.

And then I can see you again?

The book’s pages all faded blank, leaving them spotless and clean. Nothing happened for a moment, and William temporarily feared that she would not respond. His eyes hung unblinkingly onto the places where the words once were, like just seeing them would bring her melodious voice back to his ears.

Yes. Then you may see me again.

Good. Good.

William murmured her words under his breath even as they faded, his fingers trailing over vanishing ink as if he could touch Luna through the pages. His frown only deepened again, but it was gone the next moment. It would just take a little time. But now… it was almost time for action.

William peered up at the crescent moon through Fluttershy’s kitchen window. The shining patch of whiteness in the sky seemed so strangely protected from the frothing clouds smearing their quilt to hide the stars. Almost like it were breaking through just for him to see.

A small smile almost reached his lips.

William resumed his pacing once more, bare feet plodding silently over the cold floor. He wrinkled his nose as he paced back and forth through the muted darkness. He did not care for the scent of vegetables and dirt, and the underlying smell, while not unpleasant, was still strong enough to be distracting. William despised distractions.

It seemed all the same no matter how much he thought on it, no matter how much the plotted and paced. Princess Luna really was the only one that he could rely on. Her advice may not have been what he wanted to hear, but he could be assured that it was more truthful and heartfelt than what anyone else would tell him.

Anyone else would probably just make up some stupid excuse or fabrication. Anyone else wouldn’t have believed him when he said something.

Soon, though…

William stared at his pale hands in the moonlight, turning them over and over again in the patch of light as he ceased pacing again. Sometimes, in order to get someone to listen to reason, you had to make them listen. He clenched his hands tightly, so much that they were shaking.

They would listen.

No they won’t, said a little voice in the back of his mind. Stupid animals don’t know when to listen, when to obey.

He padded across the icy floor, his feet so numb that he felt almost like a ghost gliding across the shadows on the floor. William only repeated the arcane words under his breath as he did so, like a mantra that could make it all seem clearer. Of course, there was no such spell for things like that; not that William knew of, anyway. Ironically, it was a jinx for heavy sleep, something that he desperately wished that he could experience at that moment. Perhaps then his mind would finally slow down, his rapid heart would stop burning his veins.

But that wouldn’t stop – it wouldn’t stop until it was over. He was ready, he was ready now. There wasn’t a choice.

William’s hand squeezed tightly around the wooden handle as he walked, letting his hands swing free by his sides as he crept up the carved wooden stairs to Fluttershy’s room. He passed right by the guest room, the door still wide open and his bed almost untouched, but he paid it no mind.

All that mattered was that he finish.

His mind was blissfully blank, almost like he could sleep again. Just at the edge of unconsciousness, like he were peeling back the corner of a dream and ready to drop inside. The overwhelming urge to simply give in and let the loving embrace of slumber take him grew, but it seemed surreally further away simultaneously with every step toward the pegasus’s bedroom.

William didn’t know how he had crept through the darkness without making a single sound. He didn’t know how he had locked the door behind him without paying attention, especially in the dark; but he knew, he knew that it would be locked. There was no way out now. No way out for William.

No way out for anyone.

He stood over her for a while, his thumb rubbing softly over the polished wooden handle. The knife glinted cruelly in the darkness, a tiny sliver of moonlight slipping through the bedroom curtain. He could see the treacherous bitch’s chest rising and falling beneath him, sheets tucked up as far as they would go. Disheveled blankets were strewn, to be sure, and it was clear just from her expression that she was sleeping restlessly. If he didn’t hurry she might wake up. William did not want her to wake up.

Do it.

She looked so frail, sleeping there. William wordlessly peeled back the sheets, and still Fluttershy did not move. William leaned over her a little further, pushing himself onto the bed but remaining standing. From the way he stood if he slipped he would fall right on top of her. The carving knife jutted down just over her heart, the sharpened tip ever so slightly brushing against her. His heartbeat seemed so fast, so loud that it almost hurt.

She is weak. Do it to her.

Fluttershy shifted in her sleep, but William did not freeze. He did remain fairly still, however, so as not to wake her. She deserved to enjoy her rest, at the very least. Do unto others, he thought vaguely to himself. It was almost as if his own thoughts didn’t reach him, though, like his mind and body were two different entities – like he were watching it all through a movie screen, like it weren’t real. After all, something like this… ridiculous, of course it was. It wasn’t happening, it was just a dream. That must have been it, all just a dream. Soon he would awaken and then the regular dreams would occur, soon he would go back to the nightmares.

But it wasn’t happening just yet. This dream could still have a happy ending. For him, anyway.

Do it. Just do it. Nobody ever has to know.

William trailed the knife slowly, almost sensually up her exposed chest, letting it rest like a petal over her jugular vein. The blade rose and fell with her slow, heavy breathing, and his eyes never left it. The chanting in his mind seemed so thick, so heavy that it seemed like a prevalent force on its own. His force, it made him strong.

Do it. She can be hidden. Do it. Do it.

Fluttershy unexpectedly whimpered in her sleep. Her face scrunched up in pain, and she reached out slowly to grab something that wasn’t there before slipping deeper into slumber. William watched the proceeding with an empty expression, but inside was turmoil. It was like the simple little action had stirred something painful, something that reminded him of old memories. Faster and faster screamed his heart, louder and louder until it was screaming in his ears.

Do it. Do it do it do it do it do it DO IT DO IT DO IT! DO IT DO IT DO IT! DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO-

Rainbow Dash fidgeted with the blankets, staring hard up at the ceiling.

It had to have happened at some point or another. Probably when she had just started to drift off into a hazy half sleep for a little while. Perhaps the motion had woken her up. The light drizzle from before, while for a short while seeming as if it might finally let up, had grown into a full storm.

Dash stifled a groan, absentmindedly thinking of the flooding that was likely to occur if somepony didn’t take care of the weather properly. Of course, this was quickly pushed to the back of her mind along with nearly everything else as she tried to comprehend precisely why Eris was sharing a bed with her.

She could make out her shape in the darkness, surprisingly clearly the longer she watched her. The draconequus’s face was a mask of peaceful indifference as she slept on her side facing her. A single snore escaped before she lapsed back into silence.

… Oh no.

Rainbow Dash quietly, softly forced herself to look away, gently lying herself back down and driving her sight to the ceiling in heavy contemplation.

This was bad.

She looks like him. She look just like him. She looks just like him. She looks just-

Rainbow Dash quietly stole another glance at Eris, shifting onto her side. No matter her movement Eris did not seem to wake up, and she slowly recognized the draconequus as a heavy sleeper.

If she won’t wake up, then…

Dash’s cheeks burned as she thrust the thought away, her hairs bristling as she kicked it back down. She didn’t need it, didn’t want anything like that, especially not with Eris. Besides, she was so much younger-

You don’t even know how old I am, do you?

Maybe then… I mean, I could just say that I didn’t know. Yeah. I could say that I didn’t know if anypony were to find out, but that’s a last case scenario because I won’t, I won’t even look at her again.

She had difficulty peeling her eyes away from the peacefully sleeping draconequus. Her ears flat against her head as she dreamed, her pert lips pulled almost into a cute little pout. The curvature of her face that looked so eerily like his that she could easily have been mistaken for Discord in a dark room.

Except you are in a dark room.

Rainbow Dash’s quivering hoof ever so slowly shook back in front of her face, touching her cheek softly with the tip. Still she did not awaken as Dash almost hoped that she would, just wake up and tell her to go back to sleep because she was dreaming, of course she was dreaming any moment now she would wake up and the rain would be over and she would step outside and fly away from all of her worries-

Eris’s lips were soft and warm against her own, supple and tight. The itch, the overwhelming fiery need scorching her made her flesh tremble against the slumbering draconequus. The warmth of her sleeping young body against her own beneath the blankets only served to stoke the flames. It was hot – too hot, she knew it, she was flying too close to the sun. Soon the fire would grow out of control, soon it would rage just as brightly as before.

And then she would burn.

Celestia, forgive me.