Peeking through the ophthalmoscope, Blue Cross peered first at one golden eye, then the next. The pupils shrunk underneath the light, and Dinky squirmed. Blue Cross cooed softly, holding the filly’s head steady with a hoof. She repeated this process several times before lowering the device and leaning back.

“Well, everything looks good,” she said, giving Dinky a warm smile.

The small filly blinked her watering eyes before rubbing them with her hooves. Her muzzle scrunched up in a cute manner, causing Blue Cross to laugh softly.

Beside the examination table, Ditzy smiled weakly, her wings fluttering by her sides. She shifted from one hoof to another before timidly asking, “So, does she...?” Unable to finish the question, she trailed off. Biting her bottom lip nervously, she glanced away, one of her eyes staring at the floor while the other looked at the far wall.

Blue Cross offered her a reassuring smile.

“Still no signs of strabismus, Ms. Hooves,” she assured. “Her eyes are perfect.”

At those words, a large smile broke out across Ditzy’s face. She squealed happily before grabbing Dinky up in a huge hug and nuzzling her cheek enthusiastically.

“Mom~!” The filly whined, trying to wiggle her way free. This just encouraged Ditzy to snuggle her more.

Blue Cross watched the display of affection with a smile. Placing the ophthalmoscope down on the counter, she picked up a clipboard that held all of Dinky’s medical information. She ran a quick eye over it, humming softly to herself as she reviewed the info.

“Everything else looks fine as well,” she said.

Ditzy paused and glanced up, her ears perked.

“Her height is fine,” Blue Cross continued, running a hoof slowly down the chart. “She’s a little small for her age, but that’s fine. She’ll start growing more in a few years when she starts to go through puberty, so nothing to worry about there. Her weight is also fine, but do keep an eye on what she’s eating. She’s a little overweight, but it’s not in the unhealthy range yet.”

Holding Dinky out at leg’s length, Ditzy gave her daughter the stink eye, narrowing her bad eye and glaring at her daughter in faux disappointment.

Dinky squirmed in her mother’s grasp before smiling sheepishly. “I can’t help it! Muffins are delicious!”

Ditzy continued glaring at her daughter before her expression softened and she sighed. “Well, at least I raised you to have good taste.”

“Well, there are worse things she could be snacking on,” Blue Cross said with a nod. “Luckily, summer has just started. Just make sure she stays active, and I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

“That won’t be too hard,” Ditzy assured as she placed Dinky back on the examination table. “She’s already a very active filly.”

“Yeah!” Dinky chirped, nodding her head enthusiastically. “Pinchy and I already have plans next week! There’s an old creek on the edge of White Tail Woods, and we’re going to go hunting for breezies!”

“Just make sure you’re safe,” Blue Cross told her as Ditzy nodded in agreement. “I don’t want to see you confined to a hospital bed due to a twisted hoof, especially with all the wonderful weather that’s planned.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful!” Dinky promised, trying to look serious. However, she only ended up looking adorable, and Blue Cross chuckled softly.

This is why I like working with foals, she thought as she looked back down at the clipboard. Running her eyes over it one last time, she placed it aside before turning to face Ditzy. “There is one more thing I have to discuss with you before you’re free to go.” Upon seeing a nervous look flash across Ditzy’s face, she shook her head and offered a warm smile. “It’s nothing serious, I promise. While giving Dinky her check-up, I noticed that her horn started to spark when I was examining it.”

“What does that mean?” Ditzy asked, her wings twitching slightly. “Is she getting sick? I know there are some magical diseases out there that affect unicorns, but—”

“Ms. Hooves, relax,” Blue Cross interrupted. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Dinky was beginning to look nervous as well, glancing back and forth between Blue Cross and her mother. “Dinky is fine. The sparking just means that her magic is beginning to manifest.”

Ditzy stared at her blankly for a few seconds before a smile quickly spread across her face.

“My muffin’s magic is coming in?” Beside her, Dinky squealed happily and began to bounce up and down upon the table.

Blue Cross nodded, smiling at the filly’s antics. “Indeed it is. I’d estimate that within a few weeks, she should be able to control it. However,” she continued, holding up a hoof, “there are some things you should now. During this period she’ll be more prone to getting magical surges. Despite how they look, they are completely harmless. Don’t be worried if she does get a surge. It’s just her body’s way of relieving itself of excess magic. Also don’t be worried if she doesn’t have one. Quite a few unicorns go through adolescence without surging.”

“Is there something I should do if she does surge,” Ditzy asked.

“If she does surge, make sure she rests for a few minutes before resuming her usual activities. She might also experience some headaches, but those are rare and quickly go away. A glass of water might help as well.”

“That seems simple enough,” Ditzy said with a nod, brushing her wing against Dinky’s back.

“It is,” Blue Cross said with a nod. “Also, if at any time you have a question, please don’t be afraid to stop by and ask. Any of the nurses will be able to help.”

“Thank you very much,” Dtizy said as she helped Dinky off of the table.

“Yeah, thanks!” Dinky chirped happily before trotting quickly to the door. Jumping up on to her hind legs, she reached up and struggled to reach the door handle for a few seconds before managing to grab it. The door had barely begun to swing open before she was out of the room and down the hall, the sound of her hoofsteps fading quickly.

“Sorry about that,” Ditzy said to Blue Cross. “She’s meeting her friends at the park this afternoon, and was a little upset when she found out her doctor’s appointment was scheduled at the same time. She wanted me to cancel the appointment so she wouldn’t be late.”

“It’s fine” Blue Cross laughed. “Most foals are always eager to leave as soon as possible, especially when they have vaccinations due.” Reaching into a nearby container, she pulled out a red lollipop and handed it to Ditzy. “Although, I’ve never had one leave so fast that they forgot their treat.”

“I’ll make sure she gets it,” Ditzy said, taking the sucker and slipping it beneath her wing. She gave Blue Cross one last smile before turning and following her filly out the door.

After making sure the room was properly cleaned, Blue Cross picked the clipboard up and exited the room, closing the door behind her. Holding it carefully in her mouth, she trotted down the hall to the nurse’s station.

As she approached the desk, an identical-looking mare glanced up and gave her a smile.

“How’d it go?” Blue Shield asked. She was a near-perfect copy to her sister, except for the horn growing from her forehead.

“Same as always,” Blue Cross said as she handed her sister the clipboard. “Although, be prepared for to see Dinky in the future.”

“Why, is she planning some trouble this summer?” Blue Shield asked with a smirk.

“Well, yes, but that’s not the reason,” Blue Cross said with a laugh. “Her magic is beginning to manifest, and you know how protective Ditzy is of her.”

“Ah, I see.” Picking up a pen in her magic, Blue Shield grabbed a nearby piece of paper. “I’ll leave a note for the doctor telling him to expect some surge-related appointments.”

“You do that,” Blue Cross signed. Leaning against the desk, she groaned softly. “I’m exhausted. Thank Celestia that was my last patient. Now I can get started on my weeklong vacation. I’m going to become one with my sofa. I think I hit the break room for a few minutes and see if there are any leftover doughnuts before heading back home.”

“Oh no you don’t. You have another appointment to take care of,” Blue Shield said with a snicker.

Blue Cross blinked in confusion before crinkling her muzzle. “What? No. I’m pretty sure that Dinky was my last patient for the day. It was Dinky then Vacation. I should know, I double-checked the schedule three times this morning.”

“You’re right. She was your last patient. Was. Not anymore. Something came up,” Blue Shield corrected, sliding a clipboard with a blank form across the desk to her sister.

“Isn’t there somepony else that can do it?” Blue Cross asked, glaring down at the clipboard as though it had just insulted her.

“Nope, sorry sis. Redheart is busy, and Tenderhoof isn’t in yet. This is all yours.”

“Well, can you at least tell me who it is?” Blue Cross asked, reluctantly picking up the clipboard. Hopefully it’s another foal. That would make it worth it.

“Nope, sorry,” Blue Shield said with a shake of her head. “All I know is that it’s a mare. I didn’t even get a proper look at her when she passed through, as she was wearing this awful-looking cloak. It was full of holes and stunk something awful.”

Blue Cross sighed and lowered her head. Great, not a foal then. “Anything else?”

“Yeah,” Blue Shield said with a frown. “She had six mares escort her in, one of which was the Princess’s student. She seemed rather reluctant, but they were insisting that she be looked at.”

“Strange,” Blue Cross hummed. “I guess I’ll go take a look at her then. What room are they in?”

“369,” Blue Shield replied bluntly as she returned to her paperwork.

Blue Cross grunted as she placed the clipboard gently in her mouth. Turning, she trotted off the hall, trying to keep the annoyance of this last minute appointment from souring her mood too much. She usually didn’t mind tending to patients, but with her getting on in years, she didn’t have as much energy as she used to. With the whole Nightmare Moon fiasco followed by a small outbreak of summer flu, she was starting to run low on energy. She desperately needed this vacation.

Okay, Blue. Just get through this one last patient and then you have a whole week off, Blue Cross thought to herself as she reached the room. She could hear muffled whispers coming from the other side of the door. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she knocked before—without waiting for a response—she pushed the door open and entered.

As she entered, she tried her best to smile around the clipboard in her mouth. Using a hind leg to close the door, she turned to face the occupants of the room. She recognized five of the mares right away; working as a nurse in a small town like Ponyville meant that you learned who everypony was fairly quickly, and it didn’t take a genius to realize who the lavender unicorn was. After all, Blue Cross had been present at the Summer Sun Celebration.

Running her eyes over the group of mares, Blue Cross turned her attention to the seventh mare who was currently sitting upon the examination table only to freeze, her eyes widening in horror. The clipboard slipped from her mouth and clattered loudly upon the floor, immediately drawing attention to herself.

At the sound, the mare on the table flinched, her ears pressing against her head.

“Now, I know this looks bad,” Twilight began, giving Blue Cross an uneasy smile, “but there’s a reason, I swear!”

Blue Cross ignored her, focusing instead on the sight before her. The mare on the table looked horrible. Cuts and scratches adorned her pelt, several of them infected. She was covered from horn to hoof in dirt, her body horribly emaciated. Blue Cross had never seen a pony in such a sorry state before.

However, what really drew her attention were the mare’s eyes. They were milky-blue and filmed over, the mare’s gaze staring at some point just over Blue Cross’s shoulder. Despite not having seen those eyes in nearly a decade, Blue Cross recognized them instantly.

Taking a shaky step forward, Blue Cross swallowed thickly before breathing, “Selena?”

The mare on the table jerk, her head whipping up as her ears perked.

Twilight froze, her eyes widening as she stared at Blue Cross in shock. “You know who she is? H-how?”

“Of course I know who she is. I was her nurse when she lived in the orphanage,” Blue Cross said, not taking her eyes off of Selena. She still couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Selena was alive and currently sitting in front of her. Granted, she looked like a skeleton, but she was still alive. Warm Care is going to be overjoyed.

At the mention of the orphanage, Selena’s ears splayed backwards and she shrunk lower on the examination table.

“Orphanage?” Twilight asked, clearly becoming flustered. She opened and closed her mouth several times, but no words came out.

Blue Cross gave her a confused look before tsking. “Do you know who she is?”

“Not really,” Twilight confessed sheepishly. “I only met her a few days ago in the marketplace.”

Sighing heavily, Blue Cross rubbed her temple with a hoof; she could feel a headache coming on.

After a few seconds, Twilight cleared her throat.

“Uh, if you don’t mind, could you… um,” she trailed off before motioning towards Selena with a hoof.

Blue Cross sighed again before picking up the discard clipboard and placing it on the countertop. Climbing on top of the stool, she scooted closer to Selena and began her examination.

Selena jumped slightly as Blue Cross grabbed her head in her hooves. The nurse was gentle, moving her head first one way then another. Pulling back Selena’s lip, she winced when she saw the missing teeth.

“Oh, honey, what happened to you?” she asked softly. “You’re a little worse for wear then the last time I saw you.”

“Life happened,” Selena muttered, staring blankly ahead.

After a few seconds, Blue Cross released Selena’s head and picked up a nearby stethoscope.

“This will be cold,” she warned before placing it against Selena’s chest. Selena inhaled sharply, but surprisingly didn’t shy away. Blue Cross winced as she ran the stethoscope over Selena’s chest, the metal bumping against her ribs. She listened intently to her heart for a few seconds before moving on to her lungs.

As Blue Cross worked, the others hung out awkwardly in the background. Everyone was watching the proceedings with mute interest, except for Rainbow who was lying on the window sill, sunbathing in the afternoon light streaming through the open window. Twilight shifted from hoof to hoof, her eyes darting back and forth between Selena and Blue Cross. When the nurse finally lowered the stethoscope, she couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer.

“So, how do you know her?” she asked. “You said something about an orphanage?”

Blue Cross paused in her examination, glancing over her shoulder at Twilight. “I’m not exactly sure I should be talking to you about it. You’ve already admitted that you don’t really know who she is.”

“Look, I realize you might be a little wary of us, but we’re just trying to help,” Twilight huffed. “We could have just as easily taken her to the guards instead.” Behind Rarity, Fluttershy whimpered softly.

Blue Cross stared at Twilight for several seconds before sighing.

“Selena here used to live in Ponyville Orphanage when she was a foal,” she said as she returned to examining Selena. “She was found in a snow drift one night by the head of the orphanage, who immediately took her in. The next morning he brought her in to make sure she was healthy, and that’s when I first met her. I was her personal nurse for the next few years.”

“You said ‘used to live’. What happened?” Twilight asked. “I’m assuming she didn’t get adopted.”

Selena whimpered, lowering her head as her ears splayed back.

“Hard to get adopted when you’re a damaged foal,” Blue Cross said, rubbing Selena’s shoulder sympathetically. “Nopony wants a blind foal.”

“That’s horrible,” Fluttershy said, peeking out from behind Rarity.

“So, if she didn’t get adopted, what happened?” Twilight pushed on, oblivious to Selena’s discomfort.

“Nopony’s quite sure, actually,” Blue Cross said, giving Selena a pointed look that was lost on the blind mare. “About ten years ago, Selena got into a fight with one of the other foals, then just up and ran away.”

“No point staying there if none of the other foals liked me and nopony was going to adopt me,” Selena muttered, her ears pressed firmly against her head.

“So you ran away and became a thief?” Twilight asked, giving Selena a deadpanned look, which was once again lost on the blind mare.

“I was young. What do you want from me?” Selena huffed.

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Applejack, who spoke up suddenly.

“Y’all know Warm Care?” she asked, giving Selena a curious look.

Selena blinked once before nodding hesitantly. “Yeah, he was the head of the orphanage. He practically raised me. H-how… how do you know him?”

“He helped mah family out when mah ma passed away givin’ birth tah mah younger sister,” Applejack said softly. “Before that though, he was a good friend of the family. Used tah stop by the stall and talk tah mah pa almost every day. Ah remember one day, before ma died, he came tah the farm and ask Big Mac and Ah tah help him look for a lost filly. We helped him search for a while, but we never did find her.” Applejack pushed back her hat, eyeing Selena closely. “Didn’t connect ya tah that until just now.”

“Warm Care went looking for me?” Selena asked breathlessly.

Blue Cross snorted. “Of course he did, you silly filly. He cared deeply for you, and spent a good three weeks looking before Merriweather forced him to stop. Even then, he still kept an eye out for you whenever he went into town. Nowadays, however, he’s confined to the orphanage. His old age is catching up with him.”

Selena was silent, her ears hanging limp against her head and her expression downcast.

“Anyways,” Blue Cross said loudly, leaning back on the stool and fixing Selena with a professional glare that only nurses could give, “you, my dear, are in horrible condition. You have angular stomatitis around your mouth, plus your gums are inflamed and show signs of recent bleeding. Your remaining teeth show signs of enamel mottling. Your fur is slowly falling out, and your skin is loose and wrinkled beneath your coat. Your hooves are horribly cracked, your muscles are almost non-existent, and your abdomen is slightly distended. All-in-all, you are severely malnourished.”

“I thought we already knew that,” Rainbow huffed from her spot on the window sill.

Ignoring the snarky comment, Blue Cross continued. “Selena, when was the last time you ate?”

“Um…” Selena hummed, tapping her chipped hooves together nervously, “I… I had a dandelion sandwich I found on a restaurant’s patio. It was a little soggy, due to rain, but it was still edible.” At her words, a nonplussed look crossed Twilight’s face.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Blue Cross said gently. “When was the last time you ate?”

Selena squirmed on the table for a few seconds before sighing.

“I found the sandwich seven days ago,” she mumbled.

“What?!” Blue Cross yelped. “You haven’t eaten in a week?!”

“I had some grass a couple of days ago,” Selena replied weakly.

“You ate grass?!” Rarity shriek, a look of horror crossing her face. She placed a hoof on her forehead before swooning.

“Bet that gave you the runs,” Blue Cross snorted, shaking her head. She picked up the clipboard and began to write on it. “So, you’ve only eaten a sandwich and some grass in the past week?”

“I had some cupcakes I found lying around too,” Selena offered.

At this, everyone turned to look at Pinkie Pie, who just squealed and bounced up and down happily.

“Grass and cupcakes?” Blue Cross asked. “That’s not healthy, even for a pony that isn’t starving to death. Please tell me that isn’t all you eat.”

“Well, no,” Selena said, playing absentmindedly with her tail. “I usually eat whatever I can, um… acquire from the marketplace.”

Rainbow snorted loudly.

“Such as?” Blue Cross asked. “Can you give me some examples of food you eat?”

Selena scrunched up her face as she racked her brain. “Um, carrots, pears, anything I can find in the dumpster outside the bakery—” Rarity whimpered from her spot on the floor “—and any cupcakes I find lying around. I sometimes get lucky and swipe some food during a party.”

“Anything else?” Blue Cross asked as she wrote down the food Selena listed off.

“Apples,” Selena said, sighing wistfully.

There was a pause in the scratching of the pen as Blue Cross glanced up, looking between Selena and Applejack. In fact, most of the room’s inhabitants were now staring at Applejack, who had a dumbfounded look plastered on her face.

“Apples?” Blue Cross asked slowly.

Selena nodded enthusiastically. “Apples. Delicious, delicious apples. I rarely can get them, but when I do, it’s… it’s amazing! They’re just so juicy and crisp. You bite into them and there’s an explosion of flavor in your mouth. I try not to eat them too fast and savor each bite, but sometimes I can’t help it. I usually end up eating the core as well. They’re just so… so… Mmmmm!” Selena’s tongue lolled from her mouth as a dopey expression crossed her face. Drool slowly gathered at the tip of her tongue.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as everyone just stood there, trying to avoid eye contact with one another. By the time Selena stopped talking, a deep blush had settled over Applejack’s cheeks, and she coughed weakly. “G-glad tah know ya enjoy them.”

Selena blanched, a look of horror crossing her face.

“I… I forgot that they were your apples,” she squeaked. “I’m so sorry for taking them without paying, it’s just… just…”

“That’s okay,” Applejack said weakly, rubbing the back of her head. “Ah feel better knowin’ that ya liked them at least.”

“Like is an understatement,” Selena sighed. “Warm Care used to bring a few bushels back to the orphanage occasionally, but the other foals would always take all of them before I got any. I was usually forced to dig through the trash for the cores if I wanted some.”

“Well, shoot. Now that really makes me want tah get granny tah cook ya up some food,” Applejack said, a large smile spreading across her face. “It ain’t everyday ya meet a pony that loves apples that much.”

Selena opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by Blue Cross.

“We’re getting off topic here,” the nurse huffed. “I think it’s safe to say that you are severely malnourished. We need to start getting some more meat on your bones right away, before your condition gets worse.”

“Oh, oh!” Pinkie cried, bouncing up and down while waving her hoof in the air. “I could make her a bunch of stuff to eat!”

“Sorry, Pinks, but Ah don’t think that sweets are the best thing for her right now,” Applejack said. She turned to face Blue Cross, giving the nurse a smile. “If’n y’all need some good food however, Ah’d be more than happy tah provide it.”

Blue Cross shook her head. “That’s very generous of you given the circumstances, Applejack, but unfortunately that’s a no-go. With how severe her malnutrition is, her intestines may not be able to absorb adequate nutrients from food. We need to start her off with some intravenous feeding and work our way up from there.” Finishing up with whatever she was writing on the clipboard, she stood up and turned to face Selena.

“”Congratulations, Selena,” she said as she pushed the emergency call button to signal a doctor. “You are hereby checked in to Ponyville General.”

“What?!” Selena yelped, nearly slipping off the table. Blue Cross caught her before she could fall, and gently pushed her back. “No, no, no,” Selena said, shaking her head. “I don’t need to… I can’t… I don’t have any money.”

“That’s okay. I can cover the medical costs,” Twilight chirped. “Being the personal student of Princess Celestia has its perks.”

Selena turned her head in Twilight’s general direction, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

“Excellent. It’s settled then,” Blue Cross said, keeping her hoof firmly pressed against Selena’s chest.

“You don’t have to do this,” Selena mewled.

“Selena, hun, you need help,” Blue Cross said just as the door opened. A doctor stuck his head in and looked around. His eyes widened upon seeing Selena and he quickly withdrew his head. A few seconds later the door swung fully open and the doctor returned, followed by a nurse pushing a gurney. Ignoring Selena’s weak protests, they lifted her off of the examination table and onto the gurney before wheeling her quickly out of the room.

Turning to face the remaining mares, Blue Cross gave them a tired smile. “Thank you for bringing her in.”

“It was the least we could do,” Twilight said with a nod. She paused, glancing towards the door as she nibbled on her bottom lip. “Can we, ah…”

“You’ll be free to visit her once we get her settled into her room,” Blue Cross said. “Feel free to wait in the visitor’s lounge in the meantime. Now, if you’d excuse me.” With that she picked up the clipboard in her teeth and exited the room.

Trotting down the hall to the nurse station, Blue Cross sighed around the clipboard. Looks like I’m going to be holding off on that vacation after all.

As she sunk lower in the warm water, Selena couldn’t help the happy murmur that escaped her lips. She rested her head against the lip of the tub, her eyes closed and a soft smile on her face. Her right foreleg dangled over the edge of the tub, an IV tucked in crook of her leg leading up to a dangling bag of fluids.

Rarity and Fluttershy sat beside the tub, tending to Selena’s mane and tail. Rarity was focusing on running a brush through her disheveled mane, working the knots and tangles out of the hair. Fluttershy did the same with her tail, which was draped over the edge of the tub.

The last few hours had been a flurry of activity. The doctors had poked and prodded her, given her several injections, weighed her, and taken a few blood samples. They had then taken some x-rays, where she was forced to wear an uncomfortable and heavy vest. After all of that had been finished, she had been placed in a soft bed and wheeled into a room that smelled faintly of disinfectant. She had barely gotten situated in the room when a nurse had entered and immediately drawn her a bath. Selena had been reluctant at first, but after dipping a hoof into the warm, soapy water, she had caved. With the help of two nurses, Selena had scrubbed herself down as best as she could, cleaning her wounds and washing the dirt from her coat, mane, and tail. The tub had to be emptied and refilled three times due to the amount of dust and grime baked into her fur.

After she had been properly cleaned, the tub had been refilled for a fourth time, and she was allowed to soak in the warm water. That was about the time that Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy had ventured into the room. Twilight had explained that the others had to leave for various reasons: Applejack to pick her sister up from school, Pinkie to go help the Cakes, and Rainbow because… well, Twilight hadn’t said why Rainbow had left, but Selena could hazard a guess.

Letting out another soft groan, Selena settled further into the tub until only her muzzle was above the surface. The water felt good on her cuts and scrapes, and she could feel her muscles slowly relaxing. The gentle tugging on her mane and tail also helped.

“I must say, darling, your mane is such a lovely shade of blue,” Rarity said as she worked another knot out of Selena’s hair. “I have a dress that I’m working on that would match it perfectly.”

Selena mumbled something beneath the water, causing bubbles to form around her head.

Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, I bet that water feels good on your injuries, doesn’t it? The nurse did say that they looked a lot better once cleaned.”

“It feels good to just be clean again,” Selena sighed, lifting her muzzle out of the water. “I can’t remember the last time I was able to wash with soap, let alone bathe.”

“And you certainly do look better, darling,” Rarity commented. Finishing up with Selena’s mane, she slipped the brush bag into her saddlebags as she eyed Selena’s body. “Although I do believe that your mane and tail could use a good trim, as could your fetlocks. You’ll have to let me schedule an appointment at the spa once all this is over. We’ll get you looking like a proper mare again. Wouldn’t you say, Twilight?”

Upon hearing her name, Twilight, who had been staring at the floor, lost in thought, started slightly. Blinking, she glanced up and gave Rarity a confused look. “Huh?”

“Are you okay, Twilight?” Rarity asked, giving her a concerned look. “You seem very distracted.”

“I-I’m fine, Rarity, really. I’m just thinking about something,” Twilight said, giving her friend a weak smile.

Selena sighed, rolling her head around on the lip of the tub until she was facing Twilight’s general direction. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I just don’t want to talk about my cutie mark.”

“But it’s so unique!” Twilight whined. “I mean, just look at it. It’s glowing! I’ve never seen or heard of a cutie mark doing that before! I can’t sense a spell or enchantment either, and the hairs themselves seem to be glowing. It’s amazing!”

“It’s also one of the reason I got bullied at the orphanage,” Selena muttered before sinking back into the water.

Twilight’s ears splayed backwards, and she winced.

“Oh, darling, that’s horrible,” Rarity gasped, placing a hoof over her mouth. “Why would anypony make fun of such a beautiful cutie mark?”

“...don’t want to talk about it,” Selena mumbled before submerging her muzzle again.

Rarity nodded her head. “Certainly, darling, but I do hope that you aren’t ashamed of it. It really is beautiful. The way it glimmers underwater...” She trailed off, staring into the tub.

Standing up, Twilight trotted slowly over the tub, her head hung low.

“I’m sorry for bringing it up, Selena,” she said softly. Selena’s ears perked up, but other than that she remained motionless in the water. “I wasn’t thinking about your feelings, and I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

Selena raised her head, snorting softly as she blew water from her nostrils.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I understand it’s strange. I’ve been told that all my life.”

“Not strange, darling. Beautiful,” Rarity chided.

“...not beautiful,” Selena grumbled, blowing bubbles in the water.

“It most certainly is,” Rarity said firmly, a stern look cross her face. “There is nothing wrong with it. Isn’t that right, Fluttershy?”

“O-oh yes. It’s very pretty,” Fluttershy said softly, still brushing Selena’s tail. The sensation was oddly calming, and Selena felt herself beginning to grow tired.

“Well, regardless, I am sorry for bringing it up,” Twilight said, causing Selena’s ear to twitch. “I should have realized you didn’t want to talk about by your reaction earlier in the library when Applejack asked about it.”

“I told you, it’s fine, Twilight,” Selena said, stifling a yawn. The warm water, combined with Fluttershy’ gentle tugs on her tail, were making her more relaxed than she had been in ages.

“I’ll take that as my cue to leave,” Twilight said, smiling softly.

“Twilight, darling, you don’t have to kick yourself out for a simple misunderstanding,” Rarity said, giving her friend a concerned look.

Twilight shook her head, giving Rarity a small smile. “I should be getting back to the library anyways. There is something I have to do. Plus, Spike is probably beginning to wonder where I am. I’ll try and visit tomorrow, if that’s okay with you, Selena?” she asked, glancing over at the mare in question.

Selena half-heartedly lifted her hoof and waved it about, letting out a low grunt.

Twilight giggles, shaking her head. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She stood and began to move towards the door, but was stopped when Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder.

“Twilight, before you go, there’s something I want to ask you about,” Rarity said softly.

As the two mares conversed, Selena sunk deeper into the water and sighed. She yawned again, suddenly feeling very tired. The gentle murmur of voices, combined with Fluttershy’s loving caresses of her tail, was not helping the matter, and within a few seconds, Selena quietly slipped off to sleep.

Silence.

It was all around her, consuming, smothering.

Selena frowned, her ears swiveling around in a vain attempt to find any noise whatsoever. However, she was met with only silence. No birds chirping, no distant murmur of ponies in the marketplace. Even the sound of the wind was absent.

Shifting on her hooves, her ears twitched as the sound of rocks sliding beneath her hooves could be heard. The sound didn’t last long before quickly fading into the deafening silence.

Suddenly feeling very alone, Selena swallowed audibly and tucked her tail between her legs. She didn’t like this, it was too quiet. There wasn’t any sound anywhere, and that was her main source of information. Deprived of her vision, she had to make due with her other senses. Now, in this silent environment, she felt, ironically, blind.

Picking up a hoof, she ran her frog along the ground, trying to get a feel of the surface she was standing on. The ground was soft but dry, and her hoof sunk into the earth several centimeters as she put pressure on it. Frowning, she then lifted the hoof to her muzzle and sniffed it tentatively. She immediately sneezed as dust filled her nostrils. Despite the loudness of the sneeze, no echo could be heard.

Trying to keep calm, Selena lit up her horn as she cast a quick spell to map the surrounding area. The image that came back was confusing. The ground was rocky, small potholes and clumps of dust and gravel covering the relatively flat surface. A large circular crater was located a few meters away. Its walls were nearly three feet high, preventing Selena from “seeing” within. Behind her, just on the edge of her spell’s range, the ground began to slope upwards. There was no trees, no grass, no buildings, and no sign of any other ponies.

There was just her, and the silence.

As her spell slowly died, Selena’s ears pressed against the back of her head. Fear was slowly growing in her chest.

“H-hello?” she called out hesitantly. The words died instantly, almost like they were swallowed up in a void. Swallowing thickly, she tried again, a little bit louder than before. “Hello? Is there anypony there?” Just like before, her words faded into nothingness.

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, there came a low rumble in the distance and the ground beneath her hooves began to vibrate gently. Energy seemed to course through the ground, the very surface thrumming with power. Selena yelped in surprise, jumping slightly as warmth began to creep up her legs. It felt like spiders were crawling over her, and she couldn’t help but shiver at the sensation.

As the warmth slowly spread throughout her body, she found herself calming, much to her surprise. The fear that had once been growing within her quickly vanished, replaced instead by a feeling of peace. She felt almost as if she belong here, her previous trepidation gone. The silence didn’t feel as oppressive, and the environment didn’t feel as cold.

The ground shook again, a low hum filling the air. It was almost like a deep, echoing laugh, and Selena felt the corners of her lips beginning to twitch upwards. She closed her eyes and began to hum along, swaying her head in time with the thrumming.

“Yti nrete ruo noh caorc nesera dohw?” a voice suddenly whispered behind her, the words smooth as silk.

Selena’s eyes shot open and she yelped loudly before spinning around. In her haste, her hind legs got tangled together, and she yelped again as she toppled to the ground. Unfortunately, this resulted in her getting a muzzle full of dust, and she immediately dissolved into a sneezing fit. Eyes watering as she continued to sneeze, Selena tried to scrambled to her hooves, but couldn’t seem to get her legs underneath her again.

After a few seconds, a soft tsk came from in front of her, and Selena was suddenly lifted in the air and placed gently back on her hooves. Feathers brushed along her face gingerly, removing the dust. Once she had been cleaned, the feathers withdrew.

Blinking the tears from her eyes, Selena perked her ears, listening intently. There was no noise, not even the sound of anypony breathing but her. Even the thrumming of the ground had fallen silent. Still, she sensed a presence in front of her, as well as the uncomfortable feeling of a pair of eyes studying her. Lighting up her horn, she tentatively casted her mapping spell.

The being in front of her shifted slightly as Selena’s magic washed over them. Selena’s sightless eyes widened in shock as she took in the form in front of her. It was definitely a pony, a mare if the body shape was anything to go by. The figure was tall, Selena’s head only coming up to her neck. A horn jutted from her forehead, and a pair of large wings were spread by her side. There appeared to be a kind of energy around her head and dock that wafted out behind her in lazy fluctuations.

The figure was facing her, so Selena assumed that it was studying her. She swallowed weakly before speaking. “Um… h-hello?”

The figure said nothing, but cocked her head to the side.

“W-who are you?” Selena pressed on, her voice trembling slightly. “Where are we?”

Again, the figure didn’t answer.

Sweating now due to the stress of maintaining her spell, Selena whimpered before the spell finally spluttered and died. However, before the image had a chance to fade, a fresh flow of magic seeped into her, and the spell flared to life again.

Selena blinked in surprise before glancing towards the figure again.

“En oeltti, lre hevo lllit se wai Tllet,” the mare whispered before bowing her head slightly.

Selena blinked again before frowning. “Um… what?”

The figure just chuckled before leaning down and nuzzling the top of Selena’s head.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Selena grumbled. This just caused the figure to laugh again. Warm air washed across Selena’s ear, causing it to twitch. She gave Selena one last nuzzle—kissing the base of her horn—before withdrawing.

Selena took a step back as well, eyeing the mare as best she could with the spell. She had never seen somepony as tall as the mare before, nor having both wings and a horn. Said wings fluttered by the figure’s sides, and a few feathers fluttered to the ground.

As she watched, the figure tilted her head to the side and chuckled softly, obviously amused by Selena’s scanning. However, her laughter ended abruptly as her head whipped up to stare at something behind Selena. Her wings flared wide, and she reared up on her hind legs. She squawked once before turning and fleeing. Suddenly, a loud, shrill screeching noise filled the air, causing Selena to clamp her hooves over her ears in pain. Whirling around, she tried to find the source of the noise, only to freeze in fear at what she saw.

A large, billowing mass of something was charging towards her, consuming all in its path. Before she had time to react, it was upon her. Darkness tore at her body like winds of a hurricane, the vile screeching becoming an ear-splitting shriek. She tried to scream, but her cries were lost in the maelstrom of noise. From out of the storm of darkness, a head emerged. A horn jutted from its forehead, and its mouth was filled with sharpened fangs. The head snarled and lunged forward, sinking its teeth into Selena’s neck. A frigid cold spread quickly across her body as she —was slowly pulled into the darkness—

With a shriek, Selena awoke. Heart pounding in her chest, she flailed around blindly, sending bathwater flying everywhere. Fluttershy yelped and jumped back, her eyes wide with shock. A burning sensation suddenly tore up Selena’s leg as the IV was ripped from her vein. In full panic mood, she struggled quickly to get out of the tub, the once warm water now cold.

“What in the—” Rarity cried, moving forward to calm the startled mare. However, before she could help, the tub tipped under Selena’s weight, and with a cry, Selena and a tub of water cascaded upon the floor.

Sitting at her desk, Twilight stared at the blank scroll in front of her, thinking. The only light in the room came from a flickering candle beside her, the flame causing the shadows to dance around the room. Night had fallen, and the black sky was accented by the moon slowly beginning to peak over the Everfree Forest. Gentle snores came from Spike, who lay asleep in his basket.

Dipping a quill into a nearby ink bottle, Twilight paused, mulled over the day’s events before placing the ink-covered tip down onto the scroll.

Dear Princess Celestia,

My friends and I all learned an important lesson this week, something more sobering than usual. It’s not so much a friendship report, as it is a lesson of life. Today we learned that the world is not as black and white as we originally thought. There are some measures of gray in between, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that some ponies aren’t as fortunate as others. That sometimes good ponies must do bad things in order to survive from day to day. And just because somepony does something you view as wrong, you shouldn’t be afraid to offer them help and understanding, because sometimes all that pony really needs is a friend.

Twilight paused, the scratching of her quill dying down as she reread the letter, making sure she had worded it to the best of her ability. Satisfied with the content, she dipped the quill back into the inkwell before continuing with her letter.

That being said, I have happier news to report. I made a new friend today. Her name is Selena, and she is very withdrawn and shy, almost to the point of making Fluttershy look sociable. She’s not doing particularly well at the moment, and my friends and I had to convince her to go to the hospital, where she is currently staying at the moment. I plan on visiting her tomorrow to try and help cheer her up.

I do look forward to spending time with her. She is a very unique pony. After all, it’s not every day you meet a blind pony that can survive on their own for nearly a decade, especially at such a young age.

There is one thing I want to ask you about, though. It’s concerning Selena’s cutie mark. Have you ever heard of a pony’s cutie mark glowing on its own? I only ask because Selena’s mark—a crescent moon—seems to emit its own light. She seems rather uncomfortable when it is brought up, seeing as she was bullied about it as a foal, so I figure I’d ask you if you knew anything about the phenomenon.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle