2.1
The other houses of the village certainly were very dark within. Soul and Blight had been lucky to find a house of their own whose windows still had not been entirely buried in the snow. The house Blight explored no longer had windows exposed to the outside world with piles of snow sitting on the other side of each of them. It must’ve been freezing in the house due to this and how dark it was. Blight could not tell.

It had to be her to allow light to finally grace the interior of the room. The morning sunlight shining in as a thick ray through a wide hole bore straight into the roof above her from which faint snowflakes fell in to flutter about before disappearing on the floor below. The chunk of circular wood that had been cut out sat off to the side. A perfect circle. Even so, this new light could do little to light up the house. No problem for the black Pegasus as she found herself able to easily see every little thing laying about in this mess of a home.

It had not the furniture of the house she shared with Soul. Not even finding a bed in here. No chairs. A fireplace boarded up in the corner by somepony who had time to nail the planks in place. Those very planks rotted and dark much like the tan carpet spread out along the floor with enormous holes eaten away by the passage of time in the ground. But this house had something their house did not: cabinets left behind by whoever lived here before filled mostly with junk. Looking around, these were the only things that could catch Blight’s eyes.

Yet all I’m finding is junk. Junk such as rusted silverware, cans of what could be determined as food that smelled rancid to her nose, broken or old glassware, and wood carvings of objects she could not figure out. Maybe they were toys… or a hobby? Whatever they were, makes me think of what the owner used to be like and why they are so messy just throwing things in these cabinets. Some of them even had sealed boxes within that she had put off to the side for later. That time came sooner than expected as the cabinets were giving her nothing… besides kindling for later.

So she floated back down from the cabinets. Her wings silently landing her next to the few boxes she found.

2.2
With a whoosh of air and a flash of brilliant red bursting across the room, Soulblight left a long and straight cut along the top of the first box to get rid of the tape sealing it. Small bits of glowing orange embers flared up and cooling along the neat sides of the cut in the cardboard. I really wish I could just grab this stuff. This really is the only way. Guess I lucked out.

Her dark black mist cast over the box and tearing the sliced top wide open with a very loud rip echoing in the house. She poked her head inside. Nothing?! How was the box empty? Such a disappointment. What pony seals a box with nothing in it? Really?

That box buckled hard against the wall with a quick toss. As the minutes went by, so did the number of boxes sent slamming into the wall and join the first box. This is starting to get stupid, all these empty boxes. Her angry glare met the next box. Slicing it open, she expected it to have results just like all the others. Make her even more upset with whoever used to live here. But she was pleasantly surprised.

There was a circular object with a deep imprint down its entire innards. Exactly like the crater she had seen yesterday. It was a basin. Made of solid stone it looked. Some parts of it were chipped along the sides but it looked to be in good condition. Examining it, looks like it can hold a lot in it or maybe even fit Soulblight herself. Maybe it can be used. She decided to gently pick it up with her magic and set it down under the hole she had entered through. Maybe she could use it to hold things in, perhaps things for the fire or to carry stuff in if they were to set out on any journey. Organization in the least. Something the prior owner lacked.

She went back to her work. Another box gave her an assemblage of empty bottles and cans. More useless garbage. That was all most of these boxes gave her. Garbage. But another box gave her something unexpected. Opening it up, her breathing stopped. Her eyes wide. It was astonishing what she had found. She even wanted to reach down to it and touch it to be sure she wasn’t dreaming. She even tried to do just that with her ghostly foreleg reaching in before reeling back.

She found a pillow within.

Large, rectangular with a white case around it covered in thin layers of dust. Her magic brought it up to her face. Floating before her, she watched the dust gently fall off as the pillow stretched and spread with every pull she made. It looked soft. In good condition.

But that wasn’t it. Back in the box was a second pillow! Of the exact same build as the first. What a find indeed. Remembering how uncomfortable Soul appeared to be as she slept. Maybe she can be a little happier now that she can sleep with these. For however long they would be here, at least Soul can be cozy.

2.3
The filly had woken up from her sleep not long ago. Not a word was spoken from her to Blight even as Blight looked at her from the side. Soul had just lied there underneath the blanket, staring off into space with empty eyes covered in tears. Didn’t tell me what kind of nightmare she had this time. But it surely was something terrible for it to leave the filly like that. Nothing I can do for her, may as well go search around the village. Still be here close by in case she needs me. Maybe the filly would feel comfort knowing somepony was nearby to her even if it was Soulblight. Just so, Soul may feel appreciative of her finding these pillows. That thought made Blight more enthused to search around this house for anything more that could be of use.

Out of boxes now, she flew off to linger among every nook and cranny that could hide something. There really is a lot of junk in here. All stuff she just threw aside until something loud made her flinch. Blight looked down upon the dresser she so violently pushed out from the wall and left face down on the floor. Nothing was inside it, and nothing behind it as she now saw. Oops.

As much as she wanted to find it, no food could be found. Soul did not need it but Blight could imagine the filly’s face lighting up upon seeing something delicious. Alas, nothing more could be found. Somepony had clearly ransacked the place before Blight had got here. She cursed at that. This house was now useless with only the basin and the pillows being all it could give. At least Blight had an entire village still left to search. Another time though. For now, Blight wanted to go show the filly what she found.

At least she had not left.

2.4
Blight took off for the hole in the ceiling. Upon reaching it, she looked back to be sure her magic was doing as she willed it. The large basin and both pillows floated close behind her with a black aura around them so dark that it was able to easily stand out in the darkness of the house. Satisfied, she flew out the hole. Flying right past where she left burns marks all along the cut she made into the roof. She was cautious to prevent her haul from touching the embers as they floated out with her. These small bits of flame would not last. They sizzled and flickered with every drop of snow to melt into their forms.

Finally out of that murky house, Blight could take a moment to look around at the beautiful scenery. Much like it had been the previous day. A gentle wave of snow slowly descending down upon the village from the cloudy sky and the deeply bright Sun giving its gift on the two inhabitants of this wasteland.

The weather of this place was very strange to her. The day time gave a world that any pony could claim as a winter wonderland ripe for children to play in and pegasi to fly the cool, breezy skies. Now two nights in a row had given something entirely opposite. Deathly cold winds apparent by how Soul reacted to them and torrents of thick snowfall replacing whatever snow had melted during the day and then some. Is this place always like this? It may have been by how incredibly deep the snow was. That Celestia sure did choose such a nice place to leave Soul. More and more it made Blight wonder as to what the princess may have been thinking upon doing it.

If only I could know what

I just hope she did it for the right reason. But… still, I can’t help but be disgusted. If only she had been there to stand between Soul and the princess. The outcome would be entirely different, …and maybe Soul would like her. She had to settle with the pillows for now.

2.5
Where was that filly anyways? If she were still lying in bed then she really needed to get her furry butt up. Come outside and enjoy this beautiful day. It’s not so bad out and anything can beat being alone in that ugly place they had to live in.

Looking back over at their house, Blight quickly caught sight of Soul. Not inside but out. There the magenta filly lay atop the roof of their house. She looked worse than Blight thought. Her fur was a total mess last night and now her entire body was out from under the blanket. Every bit of fur ragged and tangled. Soul’s normally wild, long tail was even worse than Blight could imagine with locks of silver and violet wrapped and linked together in thick curls, and her beautiful wings. From this distance, Blight could see how terrible they were.

Laying unfolded at her sides with her thick layers of feathers propped apart from one another and torn. No longer did they have their gorgeous rows. She didn’t care enough to fix any of it up.

The filly was silently staring off in the distance with sadness gripping her face. Her head propped up by her crossed forelegs. She could have easily done this in the bed by the warm fire but… she wants to be out here. Even sad, she still loved the open air. It was too unfortunate that she had to be sad. You really do want Dash back. She wanted her friend. Soulblight hated that she could not fill that role even though just yesterday morning they seemed to be able to be close enough for both ponies to care for one another. Even more she hated she could do nothing to bring Rainbow Dash and Soul together.

That cyan filly was somewhere out there. Beyond this snow. A realm the filly could not leave from yesterday… to go and find you. Something had to have happened to cause it. This land was too dangerous in the end for a lone filly to venture out in. Along with giving the filly the pillows, maybe Blight could inch her way into warming Soul up to the idea of both ponies going out together to find a way home. I need to try.

2.6
Soul doesn’t even seem to notice me. Blight flew in closer and the filly did nothing. Right by her side and then the mare needed to fly in front of Soul. It took her a moment to look up at Blight. She doesn’t look pleased to see me. Not even enough to say a word to her. Up close now, Blight could see the filly to be worse than she thought. Small specks of dirt lodged into her fur and mane. Grey rocks and brown dirt spots just muddying what had originally been a beautiful coat the filly sported. Something bad really did happen after Soul had left yesterday. Left to only what she could hear, she must have had an accident.

Her fur was also messed up by how bad she slept lately as well. Blight loved Soul’s admittedly adorable eyes, but after everything that had happened, her yellow eyes were so red. Bloodshot eyes really don’t suit this poor filly well. I can’t believe I am thinking this about her and I know Soul would be annoyed if I told her this.

Soul needed a bath.

The poor thing. She looked so beautiful the other day. It was heartbreaking to see her like this. As to how she could be cleaned up, Blight was left at a blank. There was literally nowhere around here to do it. We don’t even have soap or anything. That was certainly something that needed to be done if they found some way home.

2.7
“What are you staring at?” Soul’s less than lively question woke Blight up from her stare.

“You, well… don’t look so good” Blight admitted. Soul groaned a little before looking away from Soulblight. “Oh wow” she muttered. “I wonder why.” It would be nice to think the reason being because of bad sleep if only that could be possible. As terrible it was, I know you are like this because of me. If only I could just help her. I just don’t know what to do like this. The filly won’t even talk to me.

“Well I looked around one of the other houses and found a few things for you.” She had to bring up the pillows and basin wrapped in her dark magic just for Soul to see. Floating at Blight’s sides. Soul’s eyes lazily looked over to see. Blight kept watch over her. Soul was so interested in the pillows, looked like. Just as Blight suspected. Even if Soul did not get any happier, just the fact she was gripped by the pillows was proof enough she liked them. I hope she will be happy.

“Why would I need those?” Soul asked.

The pillows? Were it not obvious? “They’re for whenever you want to sleep. I thought it’d make you more comfortable.” Soul became angry. Her eyes glaring upon Blight and a curl of her lip revealing the slightest bit of her white teeth. “You think I plan to sleep here any longer? I’m going back home… today.”

“I know you want to go home, but we have no idea how long it may take for us to find a way out” Blight said. This land was vast. As far as could be seen was nothing but snow and rugged terrain under constant siege by inhospitable storms whose appearance was too dangerous for Soul to get caught in. Whatever forced Soul to return to the house last night should have taught her that the land would not reward reckless behavior. But it’s not Soul’s fault. She was just a child. A scared and upset child.

2.8
Soul just laid her head down looking off to the distance like she just wanted to ignore Blight. She sighed deeply.

“Why don’t you just leave?” the filly quietly asked. “Just leave me behind so you can be happy and not bother with me. Leave me… all alone.”

“Soul, I will not leave you.”

Soul shook her head. “But I want you to. Just leave me alone like…” She buried her head into her forelegs. “Like everypony does. We both hate each other.” So Soul was still under the mindset she had yesterday. One that made her hate me. An angry outburst that mistakes led to. Even if she deserved some scorn from Soul, being told that she hated her… it really hurt. I hope she doesn’t actually hate me. After what she did, Soulblight should be hated and it was something she needed to accept even if it made her unhappy to hear Soul say it.

But Soul thinks I hate her? That could not stand. She would not hate the filly that she wronged. Now more than ever, Soul needed somepony there for her.

Blight landed down on the roof with Soul. Sitting a leg’s reach from her. Of course Soul pushed herself away a little. A clang was let out from the stone basin setting itself down upon the snow-covered roof, throwing aside her finds just so Blight could talk to her. Because it was needed. Enough of this, it’s lasted long enough.

“Will you please stop putting words in my mouth?” Blight spoke as gentle and considerate as she could. “I don’t hate you. I want you to be happy again because it’s unbearably painful to watch you like this. Just yesterday you were so energetic and joyful that it was inspiring to watch you.” “If that’s the case then why did you take everything from me? …You took Dashie from me” Soul said.

I know I did that. Her true shame that made her slink down. “I made a mistake. I just went with the first thing on my mind and placed it upon you because… I thought you may have lost Dash if nothing was done. Yet, you still lost Dash in the end. That is why I want to help you get her back. Please let me help you.”

Soul glanced at her. The deep yellow in her eyes glimmering outside all the blood in her eyes. She blinked softly. Even beneath her horribly broken eyes covered in the strands of her messy mane, Blight could still see the childhood innocence which made itself known every moment both pegasi played together. Soul was still Soul despite her sadness. At least there is that.

2.9
Soul was actually looking at the stuff Blight found for her. “What’s with the bowl?” “Oh that. It’s…” What can I say it is for? For carrying stuff? Or something else... I wonder. Blight looked over at the filly. Soul needs something better. The basin looks big enough for her.

“It’s your bathtub.” Soul raised her eyebrow. “I don’t need a bath.” “Considering how filthy you are, yes you do. Besides would you actually want to appear before Dash like this?” Blight asked. “I can find some way to get water for you. I’ll help you clean up.” Because of how terrible her mane and tail looked, Soul certainly would need me. Surely Soul will like that I want to help her. She did always seem to like whenever that Nimbus girl did so for her. Soul may like it.

The filly stood up now and wiped all the snow off her before she just trotted right past Blight. Her hooves crunching the snow loudly as she went. She left her wings dragging in the snow a little. Blight eyed that. Worried. She really shouldn’t be doing that to her precious wings. Just about to mention them to her before Soul brought both wings to bare. As she went past Soulblight, she stopped.

“I’ll clean up later, but I want to be alone right now” she said without looking back.

No. Blight didn’t want her to be alone. Soul continued on to the edge of the roof with her wings readying for flight. Hang on. Blight reached for her. But she stopped trying to grab for her. Because… she still doesn’t like me.

“Hey, Blight.” The mare listened with the filly actually looking back at her and… and how she sounded. Not angry, sarcastic. Her voice something Blight could call… relaxing.

“Thanks for the pillows.” The filly took off to join the snowy skies leaving a tiny little magenta feather to gently float in the air. Curling and swaying in the wind to land on the snow before Blight’s hooves. For that little moment, Blight gave a tiny smile staring with care down at the feather.

“I’ll be here for you, Soul.”

2.10
What the hell was that about?

Soul could hardly believe she just offered to help give her a bath. Seriously, does Blight really think I’m a foal? I’m not even that dity. Not that she took any chance to look at herself lately, but surely it wasn’t that bad. Some ruffled fur here and there. It was her wings that actually concerned her. The only part of her body that took her attention. Those very wings flapping every now and then and then she glided along the sky. Even now, she looked back over at both of them. That stupid crash I had… and having to fly in all that.

Those beloved feathers, normally kept very well-tended by Soul herself, no longer present in their normally straight and thick plumage. Nopony will be impressed with these. If anything needed tending anytime soon, it was those feathers. So that means… I have to preen? Agh, out here of all places. I’d have to do it myself since there’s nopony that would care to help me anymore. It’s really going to hurt. Unfortunate it was like that. Yet the suffering always gifted her in the end.

Blight was right about that. If she were to return to Dash, there would be no way she would appear to her with wings such as these. Proud and high flying pegasi would never look kindly on this mess. With the weather so clear today, maybe I can try to find a way out of here again. So she flew on out into the wide-open snowfields. No going back to the mountains this time.

She figured enough time had passed for her to put some distance between her and Blight. Firt she hurts me. Now she wants to give me a bath. Like she thinks I’d trust her with that. Such a weirdo. In truth, she no longer knew what to think of the black mare. Soul just wanted some time to think.

2.11
Soul touched back down on the ground. Her hooves carving a trench into the snow before coming to a complete stop. It felt great she could fly again. All that pain she was in yesterday. Made it so hard just to even try to fly. Thankfully, her back had healed nicely. All Soul felt was a small tightness in the muscles back there.

Soul arched her entire body, pressing all her hooves deep into the snow and stretching her legs out with her back. Both her wings stretched to their fullest lengths. It feels so amazing to stretch now. Enough to make the filly groan under her breath and keep her eyes closed. She sighed her relief returning to straighten herself back out. She opened her eyes. Both of them burned. The same feeling that greeted her when she woke up that morning from another awful nightmare much as the same as the first one. How she had cried. How so very pitiful she had felt. What is wrong with me? This just isn’t right.

Two nightmares in a row.

Such a thing never happened before. Just as lonely and sad she felt yesterday morning. As sad as she was all morning. She could feel a tear in her eye. If by how bad she felt or the pain in her eyes, she did not know. It could be both. She rubbed a forehoof against both her eyes but that didn’t help. They still hurt so badly. Not nearly as much as the pain she wanted to forget. All of this just from some stupid nightmares. But I used to have them. These ones… I hate them so much.

…Dashie

They were just nightmares. All they were.

2.12
She shook a little and ignored it. Wanting to just look around. Even with the weather so nice compared to last night, thick clouds still hung and cast such darkness down on this land, couldn’t even see anything in the distance. Even the mountain range was difficult to spot with only their peaks reaching their way out of the clouds. Soul would have to fly further to be able to look around in those distant lands.

To her left were the hills from which she had first arrived to stumble across the village. Whatever was past those hills were a mystery as much as everything besides the mountain ranges. Really no telling where I should go. Guess I’ll just fly somewhere. These were open plains extending far and wide to disappear far into the cloudy skyline. They could go anywhere.

Soul could not determine for how far she would want to fly. Her hope was not for too long if she happened across a way home. Something she could use. But not as long as yesterday. No way will she allow her wings to be sore again. I’ll fly for a bit but… I guess I’ll have no choice. If she found nothing, she’d have to go back.

She had plenty of places to look around. Soon enough she would find a way home back to Dashie as she hoped for. It at least livened up her hopes to see her again. Yes. She would prove to Soul that she still loved her. They were still friends. Yes. Yes, we’re still friends. Dash would prove those nightmares wrong as well because they were wrong.

Just, maybe as well, they could be happy again.

2.13
Doesn’t take anything to do stuff like this. Pieces of boards were tossed aside. Split in two by her magic. Many tiny splinters of wood also scattered around them. Breaking this part of the bookcase being a messy project. Just making the boards of it smaller, they could easily fit into the fireplace which Blight gave pieces of the case to. They landed loudly among the already charred and ashen objects still fueling the fire that she had to keep going. Funny how the flames were buried under the boards and then those same flames quickly ate them away.

Soulblight watched as the flames found their way around and over the new planks of wood with tiny new flames forming here and there. That oak brown wood quickly changed its color growing darker over the minutes until black sears scorched it with tiny bits of white popping and crackling. She went ahead and threw more in. Just wishing she could feel what it was like. This warmth that it may cause. I have magic… but it’s so useless for just helping me feel what it’s like.

I got one use for this magic. At least I don’t need to get close to the fire. The black mist was all she needed to toss wood in there. Soul… she would have to use her hooves just like other ponies, besides the unicorns though. The same powers they used and I have them too. Guess that lot isn’t so gifted after all… hmm, a Pegasus with magic… I’d love to see how those ponies would react.

At some point all the stuff she found in the other house would disappear in the fire. But the fire had enough wood to keep it going for a while at the moment. The new pile was simply for later. Blight felt satisfied seeing the fire start to grow and intensify its Sun-like glow upon the house. The light it gave was better than that given by the Sun itself through to the few useless windows their home provided. That damn snow doing its worse in attempting to block up the windows like that other house suffered from. But I need to try and keep this house looking okay for Soul to live in. Soulblight made a point to go out soon and dig that snow away, just to clear the windows for the filly. Soul would like to have more light in here. I’m sure she’d appreciate being able to look outside better.

I would like to make this house a true home for us until Soul could return to her real home.

However that could happen.

2.14
There is one other thing. I need to find some way to do it. I’d love to redo the doorway to this house. It’s just a pain to have to fly through that tight hole down into the porch Blight barely was able to fit the basin through it and bring it inside. Thinking of that, she had an idea.

Would it not be lovely to give themselves a nice pathway up from the door to the outside above the tall snow? It’d give their little refuge from the weather a more inviting look. It was entirely possible. With how cold it got at night, the snowfall during the day always turned into ice. Fluffy and soft snow coming down every day over the icy sheets before it too turned to ice at night. An endless cycle. Icy pathways, guess that’s the best I’ll have. Something to do later.

I wish I could give Soul back a little taste of her home. Too bad I can’t make the paths out of clouds. Something more familiar to her. If only I knew how. If only I could.

All I have is letting the filly take a bath in that big bowl. Blight turned to look over at where she left it right next to the doorway. All that soft snow accumulating over the day gave her enough to keep a nice pile of the snow filling the entire interior of the basin. It looked like none of it melted at all. Maybe the house wasn’t as warm as she thought but enough to keep Soul from freezing. I’ll melt it. Her magic pulled the basin along the floor, brushing softly on the carpet until it sat next to Blight. She took a moment more to look over everything. No cracks or openings at all along its shell. Reliable enough. So she gave it one last push to set it just outside the opening of the fireplace.

It’s all I can do. Let the snow melt and… I hope the fire can warm the water up a little.

2.15
From a bath to bed. That’s how Soul used to do it. The filly still wants to do it. She has a gift now and doesn’t even want to use it. She must miss her life. Doesn’t want to stop sleeping. Whatever the real reason was, all I can do is support her. Especially with the pillows. Make a nicer bed for her.

The blanket Soul used to keep warm was left draped over the bed’s side with countless wrinkles and crevices marking it and a corner of the blanket left folded in on itself. She grumbled. Why did Soul even sleep? How terrible for her to have slept in the end and wake up with those bloodshot eyes. Whatever nightmare she had could have been avoided.

I really wish you would stop sleeping… just so I don’t need to watch you suffer.

Blight sighed. If she wanted to sleep then so be it; it wasn’t as if Blight could force her to change her routine even if it were bad. The least could be done was making it a little more comfortable. These pillows could help. With a little willing of her magic, both pillows floated up to present themselves to Blight and she made them fluff themselves. Just a little softer after so many years of them sitting around. They looked good enough now. Soulblight brought them over with her to the bed. Angling herself over the frame, she found something.

“Oh, Soul…”

“Why did you have to sleep?” Her eyes holding on the sight on a patch at the head of the mattress. A spot left darker than every other part of the mattress. The only thing left behind by Soul as her eyes gushed so many tears last night. She could only hope that they could get out of here sometime soon. Return her to the nice dreams Soul sweetly slept through. A time she deserves after all she had to go through. I want it for her.

Soulblight set both pillows down next to one another to cover up the wet spot before her magic pulled the blanket up to cover them as well. It came a little bit closer to a normal bed. Something Soul would be able to compare more to what she was used to. Two pillows for more comfort. Two pillows, …for two ponies if only it could be. Soulblight replacing Rainbow Dash for just one night to help ease Soul to sleep in somepony else’s warmth. Be that friend to her that she needed. It’d also be nice to know how nice these soft pillows feel. Those thoughts left her. I really shouldn’t think this way. I just… it hurts… too much now.

Which it shouldn’t.

Soulblight reeled back as hard as she could. Wings flared out. Her eyes stared off at the doorway. Her mouth agape. What is this? She felt it, feeling that pinging running across her head and flaring her nostrils. It made her want to scream and her mouth made attempts to do so releasing only raspy breaths. Screaming… and…. fear? But she was not afraid.

She was not the one.

Something else felt just way too wrong. Like she always feels… “Oh no.”

2.16
How on Earth could this be happening?

There was no way this could be. Soul thought it was a fluke. This world… whatever this land is, how can it actually do this?

There could be no way she could turn her wings like this. Yet they did, as hammered into her skull by the very force that hammered her wings. Made them incapable of even moving with how they were sent flailing out of her control. Flap down. The wind forced the opposite. The wind is too much. Damn it!

I can’t give up. Please. Not with her falling once again. It made her scream for them only to be drowned out by the howling wind. Fly! She looked up. The sky wrapped in a deep darkness just like a scene she had seen recently. Just yesterday. With a blink, she could see the white sheet of the ground far ahead. Tumbling down at it. Fly!

Her wings did nothing to stop this cycle. Her world twisting around in an endless spin. This really is not the weather I’m used to at home. Her wings burned. Their tender flesh torn asunder by wind so strong, impossible for pegasi to fly through it. I’m so stupid.

In her revolving sight, she could spot small traces of blood rushing by her in tiny droplets to disappear in an instant. Yet it was just a small burn. All she could feel of it. Even with how much blood rushed by. The occasional feather launched away to be lost from her wings. No, I only want to fly. To reach back up to the sky that forced her out its realm and keep her down and trapped. No response, even with the ground coming to her faster. “No! Damn it, no!” Her cries lost in the wind. This was going to hurt.

This was going to be so painful and it frightened her as to how bad it may be. Please stop. The last time had hurt so much, I don’t want it again. Just being flung into a rock. Now she had so much time. As if the world was in slow motion to prepare the filly for pain she wished to not come. It was enough to make her reach a tiny hoof out. But… nopony grabbed it. For Soul to be falling just because her wings… I thought they would be strong enough. They always had been before. Not this time. And nopnoy is here to help me. Save me.

For a pair of cyan furred legs to wrap around her own.

For wings not belonging to her to lift her back up. None came.

Her eyes widened. The snow filled her vision and revolved once more. In came the dark sky once more rolling to meet her sight. Darkness she did not welcome. In this moment, for a brief second, she made one wish to spat out and fade into existence. I wish she was here. For it to be dark wings as black as this sky to come and save her.

“Help …me.” Did those wings come? Soulblight...

2.17
It made her gag. Soulblight had to bite down on her lip just to fight the sharp pain. Seconds passed by yet they felt like days to her. Each moment she just had to whimper between her ragged breaths. So much pain and it’s in my wing. Just exploded out there all along her span.

She gripped herself so hard to try and ignore the sudden pain. Now it’s getting worse. This is worse than… whatever happened yesterday. Agh! Just stop it. Then she found herself bashing her own head against the wall again and again. Yesterday didn’t feel so bad. This time… it hurt so bad whatever Soul had done.

“D-d-d-damn …it, …S-Soul.” She gasped hard. “What did you do…!?” Her voice broke on the last word, coming as a terrible shriek. That crazy filly. Whatever foolishness she did last evening was an annoyance to Blight. Now, this was something beyond stupidity. This hurt too much and, with every passing second, the pain was all she could feel. It was terrible to her. For brief moments, she wanted to remember how very afraid she was for Soul once this pain came in. She couldn’t focus on it. She wanted to.

“Ahhh! I must …get to her.” It was like her entire wingspan was on fire. It almost made her collapse; the world around her almost hazed to white for it to come back to her. That experience made her heart race. She screamed horrendously. Her cries so loud that it almost split her own ears.

She calmed herself. Unfortunately, that wing did not. Its intensively growing agony flaring and pulsing to make her muscles tense and the bones within to creak on her attempts to move it. I have to move. Get over it. Just get over it. Her wing roared back against her. No! Her stupidity won’t get the best of me. I must help her.

She attempted to move her wing. Something pinged. The sound banging across her entire innards until it reached every thought she had. Booming hard in every corner of her ears. She coughed up spit. “Damn it!” That sound droned on. The pain went on. But it won’t stop me. Just readjust her wing. Force the pain out. She blindly felt her wing begin to move up to the point she could feel it herself. It hurt way too much now. Enough to begin to make her afraid. But she slowly brought that wing back out and unfolded at her side. Stop. Go. Stop. Go. Only stopping moving her wing right when it started to really hurt. She willed it with no idea of what to do. Didn’t help that her vision was so blurry. Just a little more.

2.18
A crack sounded within the house. Soulblight’s eyes widened.

She screeched.

Its agonizing sound blaring right into her own ears to the point she could even grow weary of hearing it. She wanted to stop screaming. Her pain proving too powerful. Powerful enough that she just fell right to the floor, letting her wing spread out on top of her. She felt it beating against her chest. Her screaming went on. It went on for so long that Soulblight herself found herself putting her face deep within her forelegs to shield her own ears as best she could from those cries.

How long could this last? Please stop. She sealed her mouth. Can even feel so much spit on my mouth. Just flowing out on to her fur. “Please stop.” She spoke it to two different things. The unbelievable pain in her wing and the ringing in her mind that still persisted. What is that? “What is that!?” She roared out a new scream. Then, the black Pegasus collapsed. Her screaming silenced to turn into slow sobs as tears fell onto the rug. All her feelings still mocking her… along with that damn sound. What was ringing? Where was it?

I’ll kill it.

It seemed as if the sound responded. Becoming more intense and louder within her mind. Soulblight was astonished. She couldn’t believe that this sound was getting to her more than the pain in her wing that still stung deep into her. Hurt her head. She was under attack everywhere now. Soul. Stupid Soul. “Stupid. Stop hurting yourself.” That ringing grew worse. “Stop hurting me!”

Her ear perked up. What was that sound? Something… different. Something …wait. The ringing was gone. Her pained wing being the only thing getting to her but could not hold her attention. Something else did. She listened carefully. It was so hard to pick out. But, there it was. She understood it.

Something… was laughing.

Laughing… at me? It sounded like… some girl. Younger? Almost like a filly perhaps. But it was no less irritating. Who was laughing? She looked up from under her forelegs. Nothing. Nopony was in front of her. Her eyes darted all around trying to pinpoint where the laughing came from. It got worse and, as it did, just getting her more angry. She could feel her brow sinking. Her teeth baring and drilling into her lip. “Shut up” she yelled. But it did not listen. “Who is laughing!?” She looked around again. It made her infuriated not finding who did it. “Stop laughing at my pain.”

All of a sudden, making her ears twitch in response, the laughing stopped. Silence. It made her cease all her movements. At last.

2.19
You deserve it.

There! I see it. A faint movement in the corner far into the shadows. Almost dark enough for her to miss it.

“Shut up!”

A blaze of light. A flash of deep red. Lighting up the entire house in its bloody glow for a split second even as the accompanying sound went on longer as Blight watched with glee as a great arc of brilliant crimson light cut its way out from her, rolling along the floor that dared to stand between her and the shadow. With every bit of ground it covered, the sound of rending metal and searing cinder was so pleasing to hear.

That arc of light, its bladed edge, struck with a mighty blow into whomever laughed at her from within the shadows. Now die. She knew just how to finish it. The magical arc reeled itself up and sliced the entirety of the corner itself, leaving behind a smoldering black line scorched deep into the wood as it hit the ceiling. Like a wave against a rock, the light exploded into nothing upon striking that very ceiling.

Soulblight smiled at her work. Her efforts leaving behind a long and smoky line bored deep into the floor, perfectly straight and bending up into the very corner whomever mocked her resided. How dare they say I deserved it. Upon thinking of this, she blinked. She did it again. This time so confused. Finding herself baffled as to how things now were. Her pain was gone. Entirely. Her right wing laying still against her side with a comforting softness descending upon it. It felt calming to her as her mind also calmed down. It had the opportunity now that all was silent. That laughter gone and only the sound of the wind outside could be heard.

She gave a sigh of relief before her smile grew larger. The mare giggled looking back over at the corner. Her laughing ceased. What? The shadows had subsided as quickly as her pain disappeared.

There… was nothing there. Only the anger induced result of her magic left in that well-lit corner.

“What? But…who was…?” She looked all around. In every corner, in every dim spot she could find. Nothing. She could feel her heart racing. What happened to me? Her eyes came across the mirror at the far end of the room. Even from this distance, she could make it out and she wished she had not. Staring at the pony in the reflection laying down just as she did; Blight’s breathing stopped.

It was her. Jet black fur, mighty wings and a misty aura, but …she drew a blank. That emptiness in her mind led to a feeling… was it fear, for what she saw. Her eyes… they made her afraid. All the Sun stricken yellow she knew entirely replaced by a whirling red. Blood. The disgusting liquid coiled around her own pupils. Inside my eyes. Those are my eyes. Both diamond pupils split into needle thin lines running down the center of her eyes. She looked like a beast. Enough to startle her.

“Oh no.” Her forehooves rubbed against both her eyes with darkness taking her sight. No, she mustn’t see me like this. Soul was a priority once again and she wanted to reach out to her but there would be no way she could come to her like this. Go back to how they had been. Soul would be terrified of seeing her eyes, and she was terrified of showing them. “Calm down. Calm down” she begged as she did not let up on rubbing her eyes. She revealed them to the mirror again. Dizzy and disoriented. Taking several seconds to clear up.

Soulblight saw her eyes again. Yellow.

The black diamonds were back. The eyes Soul knew were back. She smiled her satisfaction. Thank goodness. A few more blinks gave no indication those reddened eyes would come back. She gasped.

“Soul!” I must get to her. That pain was from her!

She finally stood back up to turn her back to that mirror and to the evidence of her intensive anger. Soul was not too far off. I can find her easily and get there right away. Just need to get there. She concentrated but, for a brief second, she stopped. Looking back at what she had done and all around the house. Nothing moved or made a sound. Turning back to face the direction of the filly, she spoke softly of the dead laughter.

“What was that?”

2.20
“Hello!? Somepony help me!” Soul cried out as loud as she could with her voice carried on by the wind to disappear in the thunderous storm. Leaving her alone. All alone laying in the trench she had carved in the snow, with the blood speckling the snow around her. She looked around for a moment till the stinging pain within her right wing made her wince. It was not as bad as it had been moments ago, enough to make the filly roll uncontrollably as she screamed at the top of her lungs while her wing spasmed. It still wasn’t enough to stop the pain in it. Stop it from twitching at her side. She absolutely hated seeing it do that.

Looking away, I just don’t want to see it. But then she saw the blood on the ground. Oh man. I want to just get out of here. She tried again to make her wing flap. It barely even left its rest upon the snow before it lashed out at her with quick pain making the filly settle it back as quick as the pain had come.

Soul grunted. “This sucks.” Looking off in the direction she could tell had to lead back to the house due to the mountain range off to her left. Still, the houses of the village were nowhere to be seen. I flew so far. Am I gonna have to walk back? Please no. Barely spending any time walking up to this point all the while her wing forced her to rest often. “Soulblight!” she screamed. Her voice slipped to a whisper. “Somepony?” The wind screaming over her, snow coming to rest upon the top of her head. The weather made her feel more helpless.

Her eyes turned over looking back at the thick walls of dark clouds behind her. The realm she had managed to escape from after it threw her from the sky. Its wind strong. Flashes of light rupturing across its dark berth in the blink of an eye. That storm was getting worse, and it was getting cold. All the more reason for her to push herself back to safety.

Her knees pushed her back up. Her wing forced her back down, the sudden movement riling up the damage within again and making the poor filly cringe. So she lay back down unable to move. Her legs trembling. Why? Why won’t anyone help me? Why and how could this be happening? Another storm. Just like yesterday. It was just like it! The same damn wind that sent her falling out of the sky. For what? For trying to find her friend? For Rainbow Dash? She could do naught but to see it as another thing working hard to hurt her. To take her down. Just… more things trying to ruin my life. It would not win in the end. It couldn’t.

“I won’t let this stop me.” Not this. …not …Celestia, or any other pony… “I’ll come home” she spoke softly down at the snow. One of her tears surprised her and landed on that very snow.

I will.

2.21
She stood up again. Taking it slow to try and ease all this pain. She let out such a terrible wail. Her muffled cries not able to stop her from standing tall even if she did wobble a little. “I can do this.” She took a step forward. That was all it took.

Her wing exploded just as bad as it did when she crashed. May as well have just slammed the wing against a wall right now. Enough to lose any footing those wobbly legs gave her. Screaming loudly, Soul fell forward with her face slamming into the snow. Her mind went blank. She could only scream and howl into the snow.

She kept yelling. Again and again, her throat was sore by the end. Sore enough to finally quiet her down and she lay her legs out to rest once more. Panting. All the pain now making Soul cry slowly. Still nopony helped. Her eyes gently looked around. Looking for any hint of the black Pegasus she wanted to desperately see at this very moment. She could care less for what happened earlier. Soulblight was the only pony here that could help …and she was gone like every other pony. Just like Nimbus and Dashie. They aren’t here for me anymore.

Nopony in sight. Leaving Soul all alone with this insurmountable pain. Just like …I left Dash… all alone. “Just like this” she said stammering. Was this the same pain I made her feel? Flying off and leaving her friend behind on the ground with a hurt wing. Just like my wing. Guess I get to see what it’s like since nopony wants to help me.

Soul calmed down. No. I can’t just lay here and think that. “I didn’t hurt her on purpose. I’m sorry.” She looked back at the storm. As if her words mattered. I just want to find her and apologize. But I just can’t. Can I? This stupid weather.

So many words spoken between both fillies only for the last words to be ones that could not be taken back. With every failure making her feel that to be true even more. These past days being constant disappointments, constant anguish. All because of me. “Because I left her… like… this.” She sank her head deeper into the snow. More pain pounded in her injured wing. “I’m terrible. I deserve this.” Soul cried. Her tears flowing out all across the icy snow. All alone in the snow, broken and hurt like I always used to be. Nothing has changed.

2.22
A terribly loud crack rang out all around. Soul screeched from it. That was terrifying how loud it was. She finally rose out from the snow and looked back at the storm, the source of the sound which rumbled and lasted for seconds on end right as lightning shot out. A thunderstorm? The thick and massive clouds just like how she would remember them in Cloudsdale. Just how loud it had been made Soul whimper and shake. Alone out here in this and I can’t even fly.

“Dashie” her voice so low, so silent that she could barely hear herself. “… Help me. I’m sorry.” Begging for that pony she had pushed away, harmed, and owed everything to. “I want to be your friend again.” Even if I don’t deserve you. Don’t deserve any friend. The sky let loose again. Such loud thunder rippling from the storm. Soul had to turn away from it. Terrified. “No!” she yelled. The sounds so loud and so close, she couldn’t take it. Dealing with it all alone. “I’m sorry” she cried out again.

If only I could fly. If only something can go right. She really did think things would be better once she was sent away from Canterlot. Free from it. Free to go back home. No… this is my home now. It’s the only home I can go back to now. To that stupid shack. Soulblight would be there. All she wanted was to have somepony with her.

Then came a new sound.

That’s… not the storm. Her ears listening closely. Something is… close. It was not thunder. It sounded more like a crunch. Something pressing hard into the snow. It came again and again like some pattern. Was something… walking?

“Hello?” she spoke turning to see what it was. Her eyes widened. Black hooves and four legs. Soulblight? No. It was something much more different. No way. I never thought I’d see anything like this here.

A deer, standing a stone’s throw away looking over at her with beady black eyes. Such gorgeous brown fur and even had a white tail. Beyond that tail stood yet another deer, taller and stronger looking. Both of them looked almost the same. Except for one thing. Soul was drawn to the incredible antlers the second deer had. Mighty and strong with many jagged ends reaching to the sky and so tall, looked like it would be tough carrying those around. The other deer, plain with nothing atop its head.

It was a doe and… must be her male friend. Soul couldn’t believe to see these creatures. Standing there without making a single move, both of them keeping Soul square in their sights. Are they even afraid of me? I don’t think so. Not that she would harm them anyways and… I’m not afraid of them. Beautiful deer like the ones and many other wildlife to grace the gorgeous landscape of Equestria. Frolicking in the lush grasslands under clear blue skies. Quite a different setting for these two.

Huh, what is the doe looking at? Soul eyed her. The female was looking down. Down? At where? She thought for a moment. Maybe… she followed what it was seeing.

She was looking at Soul’s own wing.

2.23
So they know. She didn’t like having these deer stare at her injured wing. Like their gaze was enough to make her tremble so nervously. The idea of looking so pathetic to them, she hated it. She had to bring her good wing up and over. Bringing it all along her chest and against her side. The sheets of thick magenta feathers doing as she wanted and covered up her right wing as good as they could. Shielding the sight of it from the deer.

Soul grumbled sitting there. Not the pony she wanted. Not anypony she wanted to come and help her. So now I have an audience? The doe really did want to take a look at her wing. It did not appreciate Soul covering it up. Not at all. So much that… it walked towards her.

Soul was not afraid. More amazed. I didn’t think a deer would want to ever come near a pony. They tended to flee more often than anything no matter how good natured the pony would be towards it. But here this one was, a hoofful of steps out and closing in, slowing down as she got closer to Soul. She could see the doe’s nostrils flare as it got closer. Its ears twitching and shifting, listening close. How good could its hearing even be? Even able to listen to the filly’s breath.

Soul watched carefully. The doe just steps away. Close enough to tell it was much taller than Soul was. Maybe even taller than Blight as well. Thin and its fur looking very soft. She could see nothing to be afraid of it for. Soul even thought the way its eyes gently blinked, whose wide and black pupils glimmered the faded sunlight, looked sweet. She won’t hurt me. Soul looked past her. Looked like the doe’s friend didn’t think Soul would hurt them either. The buck holding back completely calm about this.

Standing a hoof’s reach away from her, the doe bent its head down to her. Soul watched those dark eyes come close to her face up to the point where the doe was at head’s height of the filly. The filly had to hold her breath. I’ve never seen one this close before. Wow. This is kind of amazing. She was so close that Soul could feel its breath on her. Cute, little grumbles in the doe’s throat. So close but… I am not afraid. Even though this was the first time this had ever happened.

“H-hi” Soul said to it. She spoke softly. Any louder might scare it off. It was not afraid. Soul heard its breathing turn to loud sniffs, and it turned its snout down to Soul’s chest and all around. Sniffing the filly yet it never got too close. Soul didn’t pull back from it. What is she doing? Smelling me all over. I don’t know what its looking for. Or if the doe would think bad of her smell. How long had it been since she bathed?

No, it didn’t care. The doe only went over to sniff the wing she had covering her hurt one. Soul could do nothing in time to get the doe away in time before she bared witness to something she never would have expected a wild creature to do. The doe quickly pushed the tip of its nose straight into the layers of feathers her wing used as covering. Soul yelped. “Hey, wait a minute.” She could feel the doe’s nose brush against her feathers, the motions softly felt along her wingspan but it did not hurt. Not at all like how it would hurt if she touched her own wings too harshly. It just felt… relaxing. But it didn’t last. The doe actually reeled back and stopped.

2.24
Those large, black eyes looked at Soul. Looking over at her own eyes. As if it were asking something of her. Expecting something. The doe glancing back over to Soul’s wing and at what Soul knew exactly what it wanted. I get it. A smart deer? Not to mention what it was the deer wanted. She wanted to see.

The strange thing was that Soul did not feel worried about it. Something about it, she felt herself lowering her guard. I’ve never known animals to be mean… they never have been afraid of me. In the rare times she would be able to see any. But they all proved to be the same and these deer were no different. This doe was harmless and… as much as she found it hard to believe, it expressed concern over her. Even out here, they can still be nice to me.

But why would she?

“You want to help me?” Soul asked. The doe lowered it’s a head a little more and only snorted. Maybe that was a yes. The deer refused to leave despite Soul’s hesitation. Perhaps it did want to help. “But why?” Soul asked feeling uneasy. What if she did something to scare off this deer? Just another who would leave me. I… I don’t want her to. It feels good knowing they cared. “I don’t want to disappoint you as well.”

The doe breathed hard onto her. Its front legs bending and its snout reaching back towards her feathers. But it didn’t do as it did before. It held its muzzle just short of touching her left wing. Soul moaned.

“Fine.”

It took her a moment but Soul bit her lip and did it. She lifted her wing up for the doe to see. The bloody, distorted span of her right wing fully visible once more. Its feathers jumbled and bent making it look even more ugly, and the deer knew it to be so now. It was shameful. Soul feeling exposed with this ugly wing right before the deer, but it was too late to cover up again. She sunk her head in defeat upset with how the doe stared at it. Is it really so bad? Did I mess up that bad?

Soul gasped. Something touched her injured span. She turned quick to find the doe pressing its nose up against a spot just short of where her span bent so unnaturally. That leathery feeling of its nose piercing through the fur and touching the sensitive skin beneath. Wait a minute… stop. Yelling in sudden terror as quick as the feeling of being touched came upon her. “Sto...” she paused. Soul holding her mouth wide open. Stop. Soul stopped herself.

There… was no pain.

How the hell? Soul staring at the doe stroking its nose against her wingspan. It hurt so much whenever she moved the wing, how was it possible that it being touched didn’t hurt? No. It felt good. Relaxing like when it touched her other wing before. It made her smile. Soul only wanted to watch her seemingly massage her wing. The droning pain sort of died off. Soul could only focus on how nice it felt in the end. Wow, this is awesome. I… I’m loving this.

The doe rose her head slightly and moved over to a new spot along her span. Soul expected her to massage that spot. It didn’t. Instead it did something Soul never expected anything to do to her. The doe licked her fur!

This felt… great. Was this how doe’s showed affection? That’s so sweet of it. It nudged its nose back against her wing a little more. Helping it feel so much better. Just a small touch was all she needed. Like she really cares for me. It… it’s wonderful. I wish I could have more of it.

2.25
Soul blinked. The doe released its touch on her wing and brought itself back up to look directly into Soul’s face. Soul smiled at it seeing only innocence inside those beady eyes. “Thank you” Soul whispered to one she could see as a buddy to her even if it were a deer. Still something, and the doe must have felt the same about Soul. She licked the tip of Soul’s nose. Ha, that tickles.

Soul giggled. “Hey” she spoke to it. “Would you want me to be your friend?” Everything this doe did… so much more than what anypony else would do. Especially lately. Since everypony hates me. Not this doe though. It made her feel better. Something a friend would do. Like I am actually gonna be friends with a deer. What a story for other ponies, having a deer for a good friend. The doe looked like it didn’t mind. Those long ears perched atop its head angled down before picking themselves high up. A lick of its lips. Must mean something. Something good. Especially since the deer had not left her, not like all other ponies.

Aw, thank you. I wish I could do something to thank you. Something it would understand. Well, nopony is looking. Maybe I can do what it did for me. I think she’d like it, right? I want to try. It’s just me and her. Soul leaned a little closer. Quickly but not quick enough to surprise the doe. Even so, the doe did not show fear from the filly getting closer to her. Good. No reason for Soul to fear her either. You’re so sweet to me, even if we just met. Here you go. Soul licked her nose just as the deer did for her.

It tasted like nothing. Even so, it was a pleasant feeling that made Soul smile. Better yet, as she opened her eyes again, looked like the deer liked it. It took a step closer, bowing its head down close to Soul’s chin and it grumbled. Oh man, she must be happy. Soul placed her hoof upon the doe. “I’ll be your friend” Soul whispered down to it. A friend out here, at last.

2.26
The deer laid itself right against her chin. So happy that the filly was happy. Soul laughed. Oh, this deer is so nice. I’m glad we met. May as well be a pony. Soul even set her head down in between the doe’s ears. It was warm. Something welcomed in the winter. Yet even with the fire roaring in the house giving her relief from the cold, there was just something more about being this close to something that liked her. It felt much nicer. More safe. Yay. She wants to be my friend. I’ll never leave her. She will make sure of it. I left Dashie… such a bad mistake. I won’t do it again.

Soul slowly lowered her eyes. It was like she would fall asleep like this, but she couldn’t. So hard not to. It just feels so great to have something here for me. Lifting one of her hooves up to reach for the deer and wrap it over its neck. The brown fur atop its neck touching the fur of Soul’s leg, the first time she’d hugged a deer. Such a soft touch. I love it.

A brush of fur sounding in her ear. The wipe of a sound that whished across the air and rang in both her ears. Yes, something brushing. It sounded weird to her in the brief moment she had to listen.

It wasn’t from them.

Their ruffling fur against one another. Like the air itself split apart beside them and echoed with thunder. Then… a cry.

Soul opened her eyes and found herself falling forward. She caught herself with sturdy legs in time to see what had happened. The deer was gone. It was for only a moment but, Soul saw it. A blast of red, like a wall cutting across the world itself, slicing deep against the snow by her and curving into the distance leaving a sizzling trench running in the snow before it disappeared into nonexistence. Like fire ate it all away in an instant. The steam bellowed. Plumes of heat dancing in coiling up to the air. So hot. She felt her own skin blister.

Soul glanced down. There the trench bore deep in the snow next to her with something more. Her eyes saw it.

Pools of red, blood.

As haunting as it ever was and she trembled seeing it. More than just getting hurt. It couldn’t be with how much there was. Soul looked back up in shock. So dazed. What happened? She just couldn’t get the ringing out of her ears. She saw her. The doe stumbled back away from her. Its hooves pushing deep into the snow and, in their attempts to lift back up, she almost tripped over herself. But it still managed to gain its footing and turn itself away. All it needed to do was turn. Soul’s eyes widened. So much more blood.

Blood dripped all along its side. Down from… a horrible gash. Cut all along its side. From leg to leg. She didn’t get enough time to make everything out now that the deer hid its side from her and left its tail to face her as it ran off leaving trails of blood on the ground. Its crying sounding loudly and all that was left was the doe’s whimpers. What? She’s hurt?!

A black hoof stamped down in the snow.

2.27
Blight really wanted to kill this creature right about now. Her entire body boiled in anger. How dare that animal touch Soul. How dare it harm her. I can’t even imagine what would have happened had I just been a little later, and I had to come here just in time to see that beast trying to go for Soul’s throat! Right after hurting her wing. How could it care so little for a young pony? Blight felt no obligation to feel any care for it. I should kill it.

I should.

Blight held herself. No, not… not in front of Soul. The poor filly has seen enough. There was enough blood to make her point. The brown furred creature galloping away towards the second one with so much pain it cried out in. Trails of blood following in its wake. Blight could see that gash burned into it. Not as bad as Soul had it though.

I need to look over Soul, her wing looks really bad. The filly was silent. She must be stunned by all this. I understand. The filly was actually staring down at all the blood on the snow. A terrible sight for her, but not one Blight could prevent. Left behind by the one she saved Soul from. Even some of the blood splattered on her face. Just a small amount unlike the horrendous amount soaking her right wing. Just like my wing. Those beasts hurt her… they hurt me! How dare they?! I wish I could… ugh no, I need to tend to Soul. So many cuts and large wounds all over the wing. It needs to be treated. The way blood trickled down from those openings and tainting the magenta fur. All her fur a horrible mess now more than ever. Torn feathers and… oh no, her wing was bent. The bone. It was damaged.

“S-sss…” Blight stopped herself from speaking. Shit. This could not be. Her eyes widening thinking just how serious this could be. No, it could be saved. It could heal. Now that she took a moment just to think clearly. Painful for a time, yes, but Soul would have to stay off that wing for a long period. She needs plenty of care. Blight really hoped that would be it. It certainly could be worse and she would not allow it to be made worse. She had to be protected.

“Soul, I’m here.” Blight stepped in front of the pony, knowing right there she was between Soul and those creatures who watched over the two ponies. You two won’t get through me.

2.28
Why are they still here? Was my message not clear for them? She glared over at both those animals. The smaller one that had been attacking Soul standing hidden behind the larger one who seemed to do the same thing Blight did, protecting it. All she could see was the small one’s head hiding back there. It was shaking. Terrified. The other one making an attempt to look protective. How amusing. These fools had no idea. I have to hold back for Soul. All she could do was bare her teeth and stare angrily upon them.

“Blight” she heard a whisper behind her.

“Soul” Blight said back glancing over to her, being sure to not look angry to her. “I won’t allow them to harm you.” She caught a motion in the corner of her eye. The larger creature moved its leg. Was it trying something? Don’t even try. She turned back towards them.

“Get out of here!” she screamed. Hearing even herself booming loudly over the thundering storms and howling winds. Blight threw out her magic. Seeing all the waves of black lash out at those animals. A wall of darkness shining in silver striking along the snow and cutting the air. All she needed to send the snow laying around them flying in massive sheets. No doubt such a sight would scare them off. So it did. More snow rose, rising from the kicks of both the creatures fleeing away from the pegasi.

Blight watched carefully, making sure they did nothing more and only run off. Seeing their white tails bouncing with their steps until those very tails disappeared with the creatures themselves upon them merging with the dark weather beyond.

Soul was safe.

Blight felt proud. Finally I helped the filly! She must be so happy. I got to tend to her wounds. She wanted to, turning around to Soul. The filly sat there scowling at her.

What? Blight held her breath. She… she has never looked this mad before. Her cheeks twitching from how hard she furrowed her lips and show off the whites of her teeth. “What the hell!?” she screamed at Blight. “Did you just… attack her?”

Her? That creature? IT was female? How does Soul even know this and why does she care? Did I do something wrong? But it was hurting her, it had harmed Soul. Careful with her words and tone, Blight responded. “You’re safe now. Never would I allow those creatures to hurt you further.” She pointed out Soul’s injured wing. Soul stomped one of her forehooves deep into the snow. “I fell and hurt myself! You think a deer would do this to me? Idiot.”

2.29
What is a deer?

So those things had a name to them. Soul thinks they won’t harm her. But how could she be sure? She fell and was helpless. She would be vulnerable. “But what was it doing to you?”

“She was helping me! Because she was my friend!” Soul said.

Blight stayed silent now. It was… her friend? Helping her. Doing exactly what Blight wanted to do to help Soul. It was tending to her… and I… She gasped. Looking down upon the thick blood pools sinking deep into the snow like water to soil. She cursed what she just did. I really thought she was in trouble. I did. I… I was hurting so much… I just wasn’t thinking. Oh, I really have no excuse.

She looked back up at Soul. The filly was crying now. Anger still gripped her even with how pathetic she came to look. Seeing her like this, shame was all she felt. I couldn’t have attacked her friend. I just couldn’t. No. Please. I just didn’t know. She could think of nothing to say or do to try to make her feel better. I don’t want her upset. No. Could this be made right?

Blight turned herself around back in the direction both of those deer ran off to. She looked hard. Listened hard. It was impossible to spot them out in that weather. No more sight of their hooves tearing a path in the snow, just their pats far… far away. They were gone. This couldn’t be. She had to go after them. She wanted to, I have to “Oh no, come back” she called out hoping they could hear her. “I’m sorry!” Please.

Her ears flopped down. “So sorry” she whispered hoping to see them walk back. She heard something walk.

She turned around. Soul galloped off in the deep snow, dragging her injured wing at her side. “Soul!” Blight called after her. Her black wings carried her up. Blight hovered over the filly. Just wanting her to stop. Soul was still crying. Panting hard.

“Soul, I’m so sorry. I did not know.” This is really the best I can say. I feel so ashamed. What can I do to make this right? If anything could make this right. She patiently waited for Soul’s response, hovering low next to her and only flapping her wings every now and then to keep up with the filly’s slow run until Soul stopped. She looked back up at Blight. “You got rid of another friend of mine. I hope you’re happy.” She looked away from Blight. “I guess I don’t deserve friends, huh?” Soul whimpered this time. Focusing on the way back to the house which she continued her path towards. But Blight didn’t follow her this time.

I… I don’t take your friends from you. Give me a chance. I just… I have nothing to say. I… damn it! What is wrong with me? What is wrong with you? She stared down at the snow. Down at the Pegasus in that snow who looked back up at her in its shining surface. The black mare down there looked so sad, so pathetic. Even more than Soul did.

“I want you to leave me alone” Soul said up ahead. “You’re a monster.”

The filly walked off. Blight made no attempt to follow. Staying put listening to the raspy waves of wind going through her wings. Only listening. Time passing by with the filly getting further and further away leaving a small trail of blood behind. Gone.

She thinks I’m… a monster? She hates me. She really does. It hurt. No pain present along her body. Nothing close to the insurmountable pain thanks to Soul’s own wing. That word she called her echoing all over her. Like a void within her. It was so cold. Empty. Like… like it all hurt inside. Blight clutched her chest. This feeling… like there is nothing. I… I hate it. I hate being called that. “After everything I did for her” she muttered deeply but low enough that only she could hear it. She clenched her teeth. “Everypony makes mistakes, Soul.”

“Everypony.”

2.30
“I’m not a monster because of it.” Well?! What do you have to say for yourself? Blight glared down at the black Pegasus in the snow. Idiot. I’m so… so mad at everything. When she was the one who messed up. She wanted to lash out at something. Anything. Preferably at the reflection of the stupid black Pegasus below her just as it wanted to do the same to her. Blight stopped. Realizing she was growling. I’m growling and yelling and attacking Soul’s friends in front of her. This… this isn’t what I should be doing. This isn’t right. She calmed down and told herself too. “Calm yourself.” She said it down to the other Soulblight in the ice. That black Pegasus down there with her eyes… those eyes boiling in red shining all across the snow. Her dark pupils as thin as the cut she had left behind in the snow painted in the blood that had been covering it. As long as Soul could not see how awful they were like this, she couldn’t care to rid herself of that red. Red like blood. The blood she had spilled and pushed Soul away with. No, she needed to stay calm. No more anger. No more blood. All it was doing was making things worse.

Soul needed to be left alone. She needed to be alone even if I don’t want her to. At this point, I don’t think it’d be right for me to be there with her. Not after what she said to me. “This monster, …she will leave you alone…” Her eyes slid off to catch the ever-fading image of Soul still walking in the distance. Her bloody gaze holding onto her.

“…Soul.”

2.31
It sure looked like it’d be cold right about now with how brutal the snow and wind was under this night sky. How fortunate for Blight to not feel it. It was the only reason she could sit high above the land below on top of the roof of one of the other houses watching out at the emptiness surrounding this place. Storms had come and gone. So much snow fallen upon this land. With only dark clouds all that was left under the shining moonlight.

She tapped the tip of her hoof into the snow covering the roof only seeing her hoof just go right through it all. Can’t even feel the cold. Spending hours like this ever since she last saw Soul. Just up here, wanting to know what this all felt like. Doesn’t even feel like I’m sitting on anything. Like she was floating. So very strange. Not a familiar feeling at all.

It has been an uneventful night. Watching out over everything. She took another look at the house across from her. Where Soul was. The fire’s glow flickering in the hazy windows. With night fallen upon them, she could catch a shadow here and there rippling in the window. Maybe it was Soul or something else. All alone like she wanted. I know she wants to be alone, but it is hard to not think about her. Worry for her. I don’t even know if she is comfortable or tending to the fire. Hopefully Soul was doing the right thing and feeding it with the stuff Blight had left behind for that very purpose. Maybe she had taken a bath at that. She doubted it.

“I hope you sleep well tonight, …Soul.” She would not be there for her tonight. No, I’ll be here. Listening to the empty world. Maybe listen for anything more beyond, and watch for visitors. Deer, Soul had called them. What if they were to come back? That would be nice. Find some opportunity to apologize to them. Maybe they would forgive me. She really had nothing better to do.

“Such a dreadfully boring night for me.” She stayed silent and listened. The wind and the drops of snowflakes softly patting down and joining the ones on the ground. A lengthy howl managing to get through the rough sounds of the storm and reach Blight’s ears. She perked them up to listen to it. Soft and faded. Sounding very far away. Something was out there. Blight didn’t know what could be making the sound. No, didn’t sound like the weather. Nothing like what she was used to out here. Something else. Did deer howl? I wish I knew. No way she would leave to find out.

So other things live out here. All the more reason… I can’t leave Soul. I can’t leave the filly alone in this village. She would keep her distance from Soul but no way will she leave Soul to fend for herself. It’s the least I can do. Waiting and watching, patting at the snow. Listening to the world. Beyond the wind and all the storms, somewhere else far off. It felt so very far off, out of their reach.

I hear them all out there. Out in the night. None of them had any worries. Nothing to fear. They all slept in peace.

How I envy those ponies.

Next Chapter: Part 2 Entwined - Act 3 Estimated time remaining: 34 Hours, 33 Minutes