5.1
One window left and then the door. That door was found to be just to the left of the window she stood in front of. Soulblight dug up enough snow to reveal the very top of a wooden doorframe. Just a little more work and the snow would be removed from this window just as she did with the previous ones. Four she had counted. This making five. All these houses seemed to have that many. None of them had any more. A few had just one less. Every day revealing more about this village with a little bit of each house being removed out of mountains of snow.

Soulblight took her time with this house today, spending most of the afternoon slowly and diligently clearing away the buildup from a pair of windows. Magic was all that was needed to burn away the ice built over those windows. It would be nice to have some help. That had been the whole point this plan was made. Yet, it always proved to be a disappointment with Blight forcing herself through this task that gave her something to do while Soul was away training.

She still had not come back. Typical. She did this every day. Any time I want to spend time with her cleaning these houses, the Pegasus would keep herself busy in the mountains doing her own thing. The slow work and painfully dull conditions left each and every day feeling like an eternity. Just a stupid thing to get through as she waited for night to fall so she could look at the stars. Peering through what breaks in the clouds existed so she could see those tiny, twinkling orbs overhead. Like they winked at her. It always was tantalizing.

That would not be the case tonight. The Sun is setting. Looks like my plans today are ruined. At least that won’t be the case tonight.

Black lances of magic slashed away more of the snow, sending it flying to the sides to pile up with all the rest Blight made during the day. That was enough room.

5.2
Another slash of black. Several thick chunks of icicles fell from their perches hanging at the very top of the window frame and impaled themselves in the snow below before more of Blight’s magic sent them toppling down and away to clear a view of the window. Plenty of room to look through now.

She peered in against the glass. Looking inside to find a better angle from this new window. She could see the other cleared windows at the other sides of the house, shining in streams of sunlight and now… now she could finally see things inside. She could spot nothing to the left save an ugly carpet on the floor. That was not good. Seems all these houses have so few things I can use to keep Soul’s fire burning. No matter what Soul feels, I will keep doing my best to make life her comfortable. Everything had been running dry after so long of burning things away. Blight even considered starting to use the logs that made up walls of the houses. But there was nothing small she could use that did not involve her destroying the village. Although, I guess I’m also to blame. I kept using stuff to practice my magic on for a… certain task.

A little special something she had in mind for tonight. All she had left were some strips of leather stripped off from old, torn clothing she found and the pony dolls she kept close to her inside her house. She desperately needed that leather for tonight.

Her eyes went over the floor down below. Finding nothing. Well that sucks. She strained to look over the right side of the house. Much darker over in those corners. No windows present in the rear of the house to shine any light over there. But looks like something is there. Hard to see but she could pick out the outlines of square objects stacked up against the wall in the darkness. Perhaps more furniture. Something good that could be burned to keep Soul warm. Although I kind of hope it is some more furniture that I can use for my house.

She still anticipated living here for a long time. Having some nice furniture that could give certain ‘guests’ a comfortable stay will go a long way.

He deserved it.

All I need to do is free the door. Two things at once. Free the house and get inside to see what surprises may lay within, a break in the dullness of life. Blight could not wait. She did not need to, not like Soul would want to find the time.

5.3
Blight’s ears perked up. Great, I hear them. Striking in the wind. Rapidly bashing in a near endless repetition that cut the air and broke the clouds with a thunderous clap of wind behind them. She knew what it looked like the last time she saw it. A massive streak of white vapor bursting and expanding in all directions going across the sky. Like a knife carving right through butter as clouds were torn in two. She could not see it, not from this side with the houses of the village blocking her sight. One thing was clear.

She is back.

Listening to those wings close in as fast as Blight’s ears twitched and thunder erupted across the entire village. Almost shaking. With streaks of air washing high overhead and shaking the rooftops. Even some of the snow that sat on those very roofs slid and fell. So she came back anyways. Another day we could have spent together but she chooses to use it to get closer to her goal. A goal that kept Blight staring in agony at the sky during some nights. Not looking forward to the day I will be truly left alone and Soul no longer needs to deal with me. I’m not what she wants after all.

In she came. Soul Serenity walked around from behind one of the distant houses to stand in the snow-covered street laid strewn in the light of the setting Sun. Distant and dark but lit enough to keep that magenta Pegasus square in Blight’s glare.

Not at all happy to see the mare arrive.

5.4
I watched through the years… watching that sweet and sad filly go out every day to train. All the days that passed. And every time I saw her, she changed a little more. That filly who was not even up to my flank, …now she is this creature walking to me. The magenta Pegasus with her long tail and mane. Flowing in the wind as a sheet to cover the grey of the sky. Twinkling in shining silver hairs running long down her face with her gorgeous yellow eyes struggling to peer through and stare at Blight.

The closer she got, more and more, I see how much she has changed. It is amazing just how much has changed. Some days even feeling ashamed of their differences. With how Soul, who had cleared the distance and stood close to Blight, stood taller than her now on those long and thin legs. The gorgeous sunset shining behind her, and feeling the mare’s shadow down upon her. I’m not the tall one anymore. All I am… is the runt now. Soul, you grew tall enough to make me have to look up to you. To you, with the Sun shining over your head. Moments like this leave me with nothing to say. Just left to stare in amazement. Even if Soul was not my friend, I can still admit she had grown beautiful. A sight a mother would love to see of their daughter. Remembering everything there was about their little girl and witnessing the miracle of nature. Their child growing up. Even making Blight grow tears in her eyes on mornings she would see this mare sniff the air and stretch in the rising Sun. Tears she could feel from how immensely strong the pony became, and also knowing she was no longer that filly she met in the dark of the house whom she came to love if only for a brief time.

I just know Soul loved it more and more as she became the mare she wanted to be.

I can’t help but care. Especially when I see her smile. But Soul always left that care to die away because of times like this. That was why… Blight was upset to see her.

She walked past the Pegasus she loved, leaving what little was left of the snow covering the last window so she could press on to the doorway. Let’s just finish the task. I’ll have it done for tomorrow. But Soul stopped her. Her soft voice, still locked with that tiny twang of a young filly coming out from smiling lips. “Alright, I’m here.” Soul stepped up towards the house. Rearing up to clap her hooves together before landing back to the snow. “Let’s get to work.”

5.5
Blight looked back. Seeing that Soul glanced over at the windows of the wall Blight just left. The mare frowned. Coming back a little and slowly turning to lock eyes with Blight. Soul’s lowered her head, sadly, it looked. Blight wanted to scoff… I better not see you pretend to be upset.

“You… finished already… I see.”

Blight nodded. Of course I finished already. How many hours did I have? Maybe Soul should get in the habit of sharing some time for me during the day. Even more irritating how Soul sounded disappointed. That sad look on her face. I even asked her about us spending time together today and Soul even told me she wanted to. But it always ended the same. Just like when she first started training. Getting back home was her priority.

I have no place in her schedule. No place in her life.

All the years passing by, and I just see more and more how Soul thinks of me. Like she doesn’t care. Not at all about how… how sad I am. Sad and tired. Tired of crying at night while Soul ignored her. This will be a great glimpse into what it will be like when Soul leaves.

But not tonight. I won’t cry tonight. I have plans now. Like I do every night. No need to cry. But those thoughts were not something she could keep on her mind for long thanks to how angry she was. An anger left to boil in her mind. Why do you leave me all alone? She thought it yet would not say it. Something else came out.

“How was your training?” She saw Soul’s face light up. It enraged her. Of course she would be happy about training. All because it was going to lead to the day when she was free and the two of them would be apart.

“My wings are pooped” Soul said flashing her wings up. Seeing them again made Blight’s heart skip. They always were impressive. Even as a filly but now…

How can a pony get such massive wings?!

May as well be tree trunks blistering with feathers. Great and wide. Sometimes… I admit I want to touch them. I want to know how they feel, …all those muscles on them. I just… don’t know how these things are possible. I always thought I had big wings till Soul got these. They were the most treasured things Soul had. Years of work put into them to build them up to this point, Soul loved them. So much that Blight caught sight of the mare giving them a kiss before she went to bed a while ago. Sleeping with them while she cried under the blankets. Using her great wings to wrap herself up.

I admit, I am a little jealous.

It must be nice to have such amazing talent in one’s wings. Such… gorgeous wings.

“I did a lot of low altitude aerials; low angular thrusts to keep the wind guiding me along completely straight” Soul said while swiping one of her hooves across the air in a straight path cutting horizontally. She made a swoosh sound as well. “The wind was pretty tough today so I had to keep my wings perfectly level to ride it. I’m getting good with the weather… and that wind resistance today! Great training.”

5.6
Ugh, you really think I care for this flight jargon?. It is so boring to listen to her talk about this stuff. I always have to put on an interested face. Not like I should hurt Soul’s feelings and act callous to her favorite thing to do, even if Soul does that to me. She decided to egg her on as she examined the snow burying the door in.

“…And, did you manage to beat your speed record today?” Soul sighed. “No… still at four seconds getting back here.” Four seconds. Blight snorted in her head. That really was something. Doubt any other pegasi could fly that fast, …besides Dash maybe. Seems like that mare could fly as fast with how I sometimes listen to her out there.

I do wonder if I could ever fly that fast with these black wings. It’d be nice to try and see if I ever could feel whatever that speed is like. …But not like I have any to train me. Soul never wanted to fly with her. Each request ending the same as the first time until Blight all but gave up on asking her. Soul did not want to do anything Blight wanted to do and she did not allow Blight to do anything Soul wanted to do. It makes me so angry.

Days coming and going with Soul always making me feel this way. Sometimes I feel my hoof twitch. Because I want to smack her. If only my hooves could strike. But… if I did… we would never be friends, ever.

I… I don’t want to give up on that. The only thing that keeps me going out here. The only thing that keeps me from leaving Soul. No need for me to get violent even if she hates you.

Blight sighed.

5.7
“Looks like you still got the door” Soul said. She walked up beside Blight and leaned down alongside her at that door. “I can help you with that.” How generous. It made Blight grin even though she kept a hidden scowl at the snow. So nice of her to wait till the end of the day and we can spend what few moments we have left to do something. All they could do before Soul went to bed to rest from her hard day of training. It is like she wants to piss me off. Almost… condescending. Pretend to be nice to me just to save face when Soul knows she is wrong. I hate it. Every… single… time. They would always just spend an hour or less together, barely speaking while Soul dribbled on about everything Blight could not give her. Fun. Happiness. Freedom. A friend. Like Soul just needs something to do to get through the rest of the day. She always is so eager to part with me in the end.

So she must be eager again tonight. Get it done quick. I don’t you worry… I’ll get it done quick for you.

“Back up” she said to Soul and Blight herself stepped back. Trudging through the snow and feeling she cleared enough distance. Reluctantly and confused, Soul followed her. Coming to stand beside her. Blight’s long, black mane swayed to the side as she quickly turned her head to face Soul and then looked back. That mane flowing in all its glorious lengths to nearly swipe Soul. It all moved. The snow, every bit of it covering the front of the house’s wall moved with Blight’s head in a quaking rumble. Mounds of it all sent flying in sheets, pelting the open area between the other houses in hails of snow. Chunks as big as a pony or more.

Soul herself trembled watching this. Possibly scared of how loud the sound of piles upon piles of snow sent flying and landing at once was. Blight could not care. Just watching her work. The results of it. A great, open hole with inclines of snow going up and down at the walls. Deep enough and open enough to fully reveal the doorway that was hidden beneath. That looked good. Good enough for Blight to get in there and a fully presentable house made ready giving her that little sense of accomplishment she got whenever she finished unearthing one of these houses. Progress with the village a little more. A job well done.

Her wings clapped together at her back and she did her best to look and sound proud. “No need. It’s all done.” “Oh…” Soul said softly. Her head banking down and wings sinking. Blight did not want to stick around to hear anymore. The Sun was setting. Night was coming, a time when I at least will feel appreciated for all I do.

“You should rest” Blight said as she began to walk away in the direction of her house. Keeping a smile on herself. Knowing Soul was back there watching her. Blight’s ears caught whiff of a sound coming out Soul’s mouth. Just like she wanted to say something. But she stayed silent. Of course she does. Nothing to say to me again. More of the same. They had nothing anymore. But I still will at least have the courage to tell her something. Say something for the pony I once wanted to be friends with. The one I hurt, and now… now I guess it’s right for me to hurt now.

“I’ll be inside if you need me” she whispered. “…Good night.”

5.8
“Good night” Soul whispered. She stood there like a stump watching Soulblight walk off back to her own house. Say something. Oh… and I had a nice plan for us tonight. After so many days of me not being around to play, I wanted to take today to do something. Not hard to notice the black mare looked down, like something was on her mind. Soul really wanted to try and make her smile tonight. How she walked. How she snapped at her. It’s scary. I really hurt Blight’s feelings.

It was always too hard to talk to her. Blight was always angry… and she tried to hide it. Just like last week, when Soul spotted Blight sitting on top of the roof to her house in the dead of night. Staring up at the Moon. Soul could only watch from her window as Blight cried. But every single time Soul built up the courage to try and ask what was wrong, the mare would do something like this. Leaving Soul as she did now. Feeling like Blight did not want anything to do with her. That she really does hate me.

She never forgave me for what I tried to do.

She could never take it back. Every chance she thought of always being ruined. I thought tonight might help. I wanted to ask her if she wanted to spend the night with me inside. In front of the fireplace together. We could’ve talked about anything. I don’t know what… whatever Blight wanted. Anything to break the silence between the two. Earn Blight’s friendship again. But Blight wanted to be alone and that… that just ruined it again.

She kept her head low to the ground watching Blight’s black tail sway with her steps up till she disappeared from sight. Leaving Soul all alone again. “I guess I deserve that” she mumbled. “I was a jerk to her.” I never can do anything to show how sorry I am. Well… nothing that worked out in the end. Just like with tonight, wanting to spend time with her in her own house. Nothing to do now.

5.9
My wings are so tired but… I know I don’t need to sleep yet. Honestly, I don’t want to sleep. Her attention turned to the house Blight had uncovered, the one they were supposed to do together. Always did sound interesting to explore these houses together. Each one Blight would open up proving to be some sort of experience for her. She just wished to explore them with Blight. She would not want to though, Soul must be too hard a pony for the black mare to be around.

I understand. Lots of ponies have a hard time being around me. It would be wrong to force Blight to do something with me.

She approached the doorway. Using her wings to carefully glide down the hole to reach the bed of icy snow beneath where she stood face to face with the doorway. Blight carved it out well with whatever magic she used. The snow dug out all the way to where the foot of the door sat. There was the doorknob. A rusted little thing made of something with golden coloring only ruined by that brown and red chipping on it.

She jumped up onto her hind legs and clasped it with her hooves. Kind of hard to turn this thing. Very old and grinding. Fighting back for just a moment. Soul finally got it. It turned and the door pushed open. Wide enough for her to fall back on all fours. Walking in with the snow flurrying inside with her.

Wow. This house is barren. Light shone in allowing her to see a grey carpeting going over the floor and that was it. She stepped in, looking back behind the door to see if maybe something was hiding behind it. As empty as the rest. She looked around, walking to and fro.

Kind of lonely in here. I never find houses her completely empty. Somepony must have cleared it out. But there was something over there. A fireplace. Looked to be made of stone like her own. She walked over to it, looking into its gaping maw and finding the darkness within. Small bits of black ash left hanging on the walls inside and piles of it sitting around the stone floor. It did smell like ash. Ugh, disgusting smell. She backed off to breathe again. Glancing off to her right as she coughed. Her eyes widened.

Hey, there is something! Hidden away in the darkness at the far end of the house she could see hints of objects placed in the shadows. Whatever those are, they’re all that’s in here.

5.10
Wait, is that… it is! Wow, this is the first one I’ve seen in this whole village. Four legs, a back to it covered in dusty red cushions top and bottom and as wide as she was. A little sofa with a few boxes sitting on top of it. Am actual nice piece of furniture here.

Small boxes left open, their flaps spread so Soul could find nothing but empty space within. Somepony did clear this house out. Pillaging whatever had been inside these boxes. But… that sofa did look comfy. Soul swatted the boxes off. Oh crap, all the dust. It made her start coughing again. Old boxes but… the sofa though. The sofa was in good condition. Those cushions on it very thick. Like big pillows firmly set up.

She pushed it then kicked the legs. Sturdy. Seemed like a pony could sit on it. I have just the place for it! My porch. What a find. This might make my house look a little nice. Lots of these houses just had junk in the form of broken furniture. Years had passed and many ideas came up for how she would want her porch to look. She changed it often simply because she never found anything to help make it a reality. But how heavy was this find?

Soul set her teeth on the arm of the sofa, gripping down tightly and she pulled. The sofa budged in response. Coming out a little bit with her tug. Rather light. A pain to drag home, but… I have my wings.

She reeled her head back up and looked over her shoulder at the two limbs gently swaying in the air exactly like they were ready to do some work. Very good. These strong babies would make this easy.

5.11
Soul kicked the door to her house open. Breathing deep the warmer air inside. This comforting little house that greeted her every day she came back from a hard day of training. The best she could get. A nice welcome home hug would be the best. That was just another desire left at the wayside with everything happening. A little thing she imagined often. Landing in front of her house and resting her wings. Coming down to the porch where… somepony would be there waiting for me. Like things used to be so long ago. Well… there is one pony I would like to see waiting for me.

These days have been hard. Hard on my wings. But… I still would find a way to give a certain pony a hug with these wings.

Hold that black mare.

Give her that sweet Pegasus hug I miss so much. Spend time together. Play games, run around and talk. Anything more than what Soul would have to do now that she was alone. I’m so afraid of sleeping now. I can’t sleep at all. So many nights, spent awake. Just sitting there lost in her thoughts. Thinking of Dash, Soulblight, her training for the next day and going over what she did the current day. Everything. A very lonely time. Man, I miss the old days.

But maybe I have enough to make tonight a little different. She had a sofa out on her porch now and it was very soft. Maybe I can try something. That little thing I see Blight do all the time. There has to be something to it. Sit outside and watch the stars. The way the wind felt right now, might be good enough. Tonight would not be too cold. Ha, I remember when the cold used to be really bad to me. Soul smiled. Spending nights outside now. Even if it were lonely. I wish that wasn’t so bad to me as well.

Closing her door, she knew she would be alone again. Waiting in here for night to fall. If only Blight could be here.

5.12
Soul sat back against the side of her bed. Planting her rear in the soft carpet and resting her wings up and over the top of the bed behind her. Letting them feel some comfort rubbing along the soft mattress. Watching the fire at the other end of the house and softly sweeping her forelegs down across the carpet and she waited there. …Silently watching time go by. Slumping down more and more. Even forgetting to blink sometimes.

She sighed. Dropping her head back to recline on top of the mattress and stare up at the ceiling. “Oh Blight.” I wonder what you may be doing right now. Are you doing exactly what I am doing? How dreary. I know the mare is unhappy, always pushing me away but doesn’t stop me from wanting to help her. It’s a shame that my plan tonight is dead. If only things could be different.

Too many years had gone by. Both ponies so distant and Soul hated it. She had no idea if Blight hated it. Too often showing Soul she did not want her company. It felt terrible. Just like when Dash said that painful line still fresh in her mind. A moment I just can’t forget. I have to get home and apologize. That alone was a hard enough task.

No matter how much I train, no matter how much effort I put in, I keep trying to prove myself able to overcome this land… but I always end up falling flat on my ass.

Even getting hurt a couple times.

Those storms were still too strong and Soul had no idea how long she would have to wait before she could fly through them.

The day that Blight and I can leave.

Blight is so lucky that she doesn’t have to worry about the weather. Soul had to work, ... and how hard it was made her scared of how long it would take her to return home. Just to become friends with Dash again.

5.13
I can’t imagine how hard it will be for us to be friends again. Like when I was a kid. For those few days we weren’t at each other’s throats. But she could not blame Blight for being mad. I called her a freak. Made fun of her and called her names. Told her how much I hated her and… and I even tried to take my own life… when Blight wanted me to live. She did nothing but go against Blight.

But… I still have hopes of us being friends again.

If only they could play together. Soul’s mind cleared when she felt something. Her hoof hit something. Realizing it had ventured underneath the bed. Hitting something beneath. “What?” She fell to her belly to look under there. Deep into the darkness she found what she hit. It made her gasp.

Wings sitting on top of a four-legged body with a long mane between two big ears… and a big smile to greet her. Laying on its side.

“Oh my…” She reached in and dragged the thing out. Presenting it to the light to reveal it.

The Pegasus doll.

When did it get under there? I… I remember the last time I saw it. I lost it long ago… when I was a filly. I used to sleep with it until it disappeared. So long ago. So this was where she went. A welcome surprise for Soul.

She sat up holding it in her hooves. Gently petting the tip of her large hoof over the soft mane that was so small and fragile, she worried she may break it. She had grown so much, the doll much smaller than her own hooves now. All this time. I still want to show her love.

“It’s been so long. When was the last time I played with you?” She turned it so its smile could face her. It must have been lonely being under that bed for so long. Abandoned by her friend. That friend being… me. I feel bad. How could I leave it like that? Forget her. It was a tiny and innocent thing that needed somepony with her.

Still a little kid, a filly who needed her friends. Who needed love.

If this were real, I know she’d be mad at me. I’ve been too caught up, I didn’t even try to find her. She brought it close to her face and placed her cheek against the tiny cheek of it. Hugging it softly with the tips of her hooves set on its side and she rubbed its cheek. “I’m sorry, can you forgive me?” She held it back. Looking sincerely into its smiling face. Seeing the glow of the fire in its beady eyes. The smile made her smile.

“I love you too.”

5.14
Soul fell onto her back. Holding the doll up into the air with both hooves carefully holding it over her. Moving it all around like it was flying. She smiled, imagining it to actually be flying. Like a child. My own child perhaps. Teaching it to fly. Haha, wow… I never think that stuff. Maybe one day. The day when I finally have the skill and power to reach my goal with wings beyond any other. I could train many pegasi. Young and adults. Standing before Wonderbolts recruits and barking instructions on proper flight patterns. That made her giggle. Oh if only that day could come. I damn sure can be a great flyer they can look up to. At least I think so.

She had to settle with this little one whom she made roll again and again like she were doing tricks. She could see herself in it back when she first started. When she never got any praise for doing well by anypony. “Good job” she said to it. A pony who can pull off great things should be praised. Soul pulled it back down to her and pressed the soft doll into her chest. Giving it another loving hug.

“You have… great wings.” She set her head back down. Keeping the little Pegasus comfortable in her fur. That would be nice to be complimented on my own flying. I sure need it. I have great wings. I have talent. But nopony is left to assure me. This little Pegasus is so lucky to have me there to assure her, some ponies don’t get that.

Could somepony at least say how good I am doing? So I can feel like I am making progress even… even though I keep failing. I’m the only one left who loves my own wings.

Soul rolled over onto her side. The doll came up to face her, held in her hooves. Soul’s right wing came up. Curling the span so the feathers dropped down over the doll’s head. She stroked it with her feathers. “Do you like my wings?” Rainbow Dash would. Wouldn’t she? Did Soulblight? I keep them clean. Make them look very strong and beautiful. But they constantly failed.

How would it be if she did have ponies who liked her?

I would proudly show my wings to a pony who would appreciate the work I put into them. Wings like these… I already know how things will be. Those Pegasus mares, they’d all be so jealous and the stallions… I know they’d blush. I’d feel some sense of accomplishment. Some sense of love.

If only Soulblight could be the one who loves me. But she would not. Not after everything I did to her. I don’t deserve her.

5.15
Soul cleared her mind. Finding out she had been crying this whole time. I have to stop thinking like that. It could not be helped sometimes. This was not the first time she found herself slipping into sadness. Nights like this were always hard. I have to keep fighting. Don’t give up. No matter how many years it would take. I will find a way. When I will finally find somepony who will want to be around me. So I can feel good enough in their eyes.

Well, tonight I have somepony. Her hoof stroked the doll again. Its smile making her a little better. Like it was her who made the Pegasus happy. It will make her feel a little happy too. Soul curled her body up, bringing both her wings forward and casting a great shadow on the wall above the bed.

“Could you keep me company?” She didn’t wait for an answer. Pulling the doll deep into her chest and placing her chin on top of its head. Bringing those mighty wings in to curl over the doll and herself till her entire body wrapped itself in feathers and she could only see the doll in the darkness she hid her face in. Safe under her wings, she held it tight. Just as I want somepony to do for me.

“I’ll keep you company. We can watch the stars together. Together till I earn a friend.”

5.16
Soulblight could hear Soul breathing softly. Sounds just like the Pegasus was sleeping. It sounded a little different. Closer. Like… huh, could it be?

She creeped in the night towards the edge of the hole that led down to Soul’s porch. Listening closely, it sure did sound like Soul was asleep. Maybe that is the only reason I’m daring to even come close to her house.

The magenta Pegasus was there… on a sofa under the cover of the wooden porch’s roof. Where had she gotten that sofa? Soul was curled up along the length of the red cushions it sported with only her ears and a twitching hoof all that could be seen from under those wings. What the hell? Since when does she start sleeping outside? I can’t help but feel she is cold. No. The Pegasus was asleep. Her wings… they must be good enough to keep her warm.

Blight tried to step away but caught sight of something in the corner of her eye just before Soul would leave her sight. She looked back. A tiny tail jutted out from under Soul’s wings. I recognize that. The woven fabric. A doll. Just like the ones in my house. It must be the Pegasus one she saw Soul slept with as a filly. She still did that? Sleeping with it. It… was kind of cute. But…

I can’t dwell on it. No, it only makes me feel worse.

Because… I wish I could be good enough for her to… to keep me warm in those wings. Well, if I felt cold. Just shows me… there is no point.

It is best to leave. She backed away. I want somepony’s company too. At least… I’ll get it tonight. In my own way.

5.17
She came back to where she left her little gift for the one who did make her happy. Laying out on the snow, a wide and thick blanket woven of purple threads. Spruced up to Blight’s liking with golden squares patterned over it. Inside those squares were the bright red hearts laced in golden outlines that took a lot of effort to try and create. Almost like the ones Soul’s cutie mark had.

It looked so precious. Taking her the better part of the evening to make. Taking a lot of concentration and effort but it came out perfect in the end. Those leather strips did their job well.

Her magic grabbed hold of the blanket, lifting it high in the sky and pulling the corners out till it stretched itself before her. Giving her one last chance to look over it before setting off. Make certain nothing is wrong. No signs of lose threads, no mess-ups in the colors. She circled it checking rear and front, keeping it so still that the wind had no power to ruffle it. It looks great! So great that I actually want to touch it. If only. I know I would just fall through it. Still, it’d be nice to be able to snuggle up in it. I just hope it feels good enough.

Her magic folded the blanket up. Ready to hit the skies with her. Soulblight walked out into the open plain of snow. Readying her wings for flight. Keeping the blanket hovering just behind her open left wing. So close. Some way to protect it from all the falling snow. Coming down sideways.

She stopped. Freezing up. Because she heard it. Soul’s voice broke. A small whimper. Listening so closely. Her breathing still gentle, rhythmic, she still slept… but she cried. Another nightmare. More torment in the night.

“Please… don’t leave me” Soul whispered.

I… I hate to hear that. Every time she says it. Her heart beat hard and rose into her throat. She cries… just like I do. A nightmare where she was alone? They never did relent. I always feel so sorry for her. Very sorry Soul had none of her friends and they could not be friends. Not after everything they did to one another. Still… I… I would love to be the one to keep her company. Guide her through the night so it were not so hard for her. She only glanced back in the direction Soul slept.

Her wings kicked the air.

5.18
Soulblight shunned her ears away from the sounds Soul made. Rather pay attention to where she was going. To a place so familiar now. Over the hill lines.

She left the village behind. Flying over the steep hills that loomed over the houses. Funny, these are the same hills Soul arrived at on the first day. Neither of them came to use this area, up till now. Soul had her mountains. I have the open plains out here. They always were beautiful. Nights like this being rare when the clouds parted enough to bare the heavens down on the snowy world. All that glorious starlight making what should be white snow shine blue instead. A scene reaching out for so far across this wasteland.

A wasteland. One you would think would have nothing to it. But I know the truth.

She followed the starlight, the same light that guided her curiosity days ago. Flying low with the blanket kept close to her side. Swaying and dodging to avoid the wafts of snow sent flying in plumes from the ground thanks to how strong the wind was. Certain she would not run into that snow. Not to keep herself safe from it. Her only purpose being to keep the blanket safe. She listened all around. Slowly. Very slowly. Checking in every direction ahead of her to hear anything to tell her where it was. So much snowfall. Each time I come out here, it always looks different. Higher hills of snow. Worse ice banks. Impossible to know where you are. Except for me.

I can’t hear it. Sounds of wind and snow. Avalanches in distant locations. Sleeping ponies. Her wings pressed harder. Flying a little bit further in the snowy world with her ears kept open to any and all. Just trying to find the one familiar sound.

She turned. Wait… I think that is…

Blight smiled.

There he is. That little breathing sounding closer than all the others. The one that I know so well. She adjusted her flight. Flapping faster to disappear in the snow to break it with a little laugh of excitement. It’s pretty loud now. This must be it.

Skidding to a halt. Hovering above the open nothingness below. So empty and barren that anypony would easily be fooled by what wonders may be hidden. A wonder Soulblight picked out as a small sliver of darkness splitting the blueish white snow. That was it.

5.19
She came down closer. I can see it. That little sliver was actually it. An opening. A small opening of rock cut out through the snow with icicles hanging from the top of its mouth. Barely rising higher than the even ground itself. So easy to miss. I’m so lucky to have found it in the first place. No wasting time.

She landed with the blanket in tow. Hmm, the hole is still kind of narrow. Most ponies would need to kneel down to crawl in. Well, I don’t need to. I guess that’s the only advantage to… to being immaterial. Don’t need to worry about running into things.

She bent down and folded her wings in. Her hooves stepped in. Upon the hard, rocky surface inside. No snow at all in here. Beds of stone expanding out and around, going down at an angle to the dreary environment ahead. Dark but lit up enough by the moonlight shining in from the entrance. Blight could see all the grey stones that made up this little cave she came to know. So small that the back end of it was just ahead. An easy deception again.

She walked in. The blanket following, her silent steps pushing her on into the darkness. Her eyes set upon the wall to her right, just ahead of her. That was where it was revealed. A little alcove cut into the side, well hidden from anything that may peek into the cave. Having only to walk in and look to find something truly wonderful.

It lit up Blight’s eyes seeing that thing again.

5.20
A room she had built herself. Heaps of dusty, old blankets stacked on top and draping over one another making a comfy makeshift mattress like the one Soul slept on. These blankets rolling out from a large box. Laying on its side to keep the torn open top facing out so there could be a door into this little shelter to protect anypony from the water dripping from the ceiling. Like the little guy who lay inside right now.

There he was.

It always makes me smile. Her fellow four-legged friend with hooves just as her. Perky little ears and a tiny tail. But no pony at all. Blight recognized it the moment she saw it days ago. When it was laying in here with nothing but the hard ground poking into its tender body. A body covered in bronze fur with bits of adorable white spots running over its back.

This is the creature Soul had called a deer. Not like the ones I saw before. When I… attacked them. I have no reason to want to do such a thing to this little one. A youngling. Much too small to be compared to the adult ones. Thin fur and a small face. His sounds so subtle and light. He was just a child. A child Blight came to like.

“Hi, Spots.”

She was sure to speak to him softly. Gentle with him. Talking to it exactly as she would talk to a child much like she used to do with Soul. Hoping her little voice kept it calm. The deer she came to call Spots never feared her. I’m glad. He is comfortable being around me. Laying there watching her walk up to him. Placing his little head down on the soft bedding she made for him. Poking his nose out of the opening in the box.

Soulblight knelt down further till she nearly crawled across the ground. Pulling herself into the blankets Spots laid on. She couldn’t even move the bed, good thing too. Nothing to make the deer feel fearful. No, he likes me. I’m certain of it. She could come right up to him and, as she did now, place her nose down just in front of Spots’ own nose. So close. Enough that I could kiss that tiny nose of his if I could.

“I missed you.” Spots let his tiny tongue out like he tried to lick her nose. Not at all surprised to see that pink tongue go right through her nose before going back in his mouth. He missed me too! It made her giggle.

I still don’t know if he understands a word I say. I think he might. Sometimes, it looks like he responds to my words. If only I knew about deer. Do they talk? Maybe sometime in their lives. Maybe something they grew into. Spots had said not a word since she met him.

I can still tell what he may be saying to me. “I love you too.”

5.21
Blight laid down, keeping her head down so she did not tower above the tiny deer. Looking over his body. Taking note of his ruffled fur. Being sure he looked no worse than he did when first meeting him. He looked good. He looks like he is checking me out too. Sometimes glancing over past her. Probably can see my tail wagging back there.

“Looks like you fell out of your blankets.” He really needed to stop doing that. This kid sure was energetic. Refusing to stay in one place, protected under the covers of the blankets she tucked him in every day.

He had to stay in this cave. A good enough shelter from the hostile world outside. That did not mean it wasn’t cold in here too. The little guy was still smart enough to make this place his home where he sat in all alone away from the cold. Staying here to rest and unable to leave. Maybe he will like the new blanket. These ragged, old ones were not fit for him.

She presented the new blanket over her head and placed it right next to her for Spots to see. “I got you a present, I know you must be cold.” Spots twitched a little. Turning head around and lazily throwing it down on the blankets just to stare over at the new one. Too lazy to even turn his body. But Blight knew the real truth why he could not. She could see it in his eyes. A small shimmer of water filming over his black eyes.

He must be in pain. I need to check.

Her forelegs pushed her back up to sit over him. Her magic did the rest. Its black presence washing over the sides of the blankets. Pulling them out of the box, bringing Spots out with them. His forelegs kicked a few times for a moment. Settling back down when Blight hushed him. “Shhhh shhh, It’s okay. Mommy just wants to check.”

Oh it makes me feel so weird when I call myself that but… I like it. I probably am the best he has right now to a mother. I’m okay with being that for him. This precious little deer would feel the same as well. He needed his mom yet she never came back. Blight always finding Spots all by himself. I want him to know he is not alone anymore. I hope he does think that.

The blankets pulled him free of the box so he could lay sideways to where Blight sat. Presenting his bandaged left hind leg. A feat she pulled off using strips of cloth she set aside for this very purpose. He kicked that leg a little. Whimpering when he did that. Worrying.

“It’s alright” she pressed again. Whispering softly to calm him. “Mommy will be gentle.”

5.22
Her magic came over that bandage. Curling over it till it too created a new layer of color standing out from that lovely fur. Slowly and diligently untangling the knot Blight had fastened to keep the cloth in place. Happy to see that knot undo itself easily. The last thing she needed was to struggle or force the cloth off.

It became lose enough for her to gently slide the cloth off so she could see the injury beneath. A long cut starting at the bottom of Spots’ hip and running down the side to end at the start of his joint. Ripping away the fur and flesh. The poor thing still bled from there. Small pockets of it slipping out now that the bandage was removed. I still don’t know how this happened. It was the very thing that made her decide to care for him in the first place. Sad that he could not run or walk. Having a hard time standing up even. His parents just left him hurt. Abandoning him for reasons unknown to her so he could suffer all alone. Sadly, I empathize with you.

Her care helped him get a little better. At least he could move that leg again. It may take more time before he could walk on his own. I will be sure to help him heal, with all my power. She glanced over past the box. There sat the strips of cloth she left to serve as replacements for bandages. She brought a fresh one over to hover just above Spots’ leg. Nice and clean to help him along. She leaned down a little closer.

“Stay still, Spots. Mommy will be as gentle as possible.” He trusted her. Not reacting when a wash of Blight’s black magic grew upon his hoof and pulled his leg down. Straightening it as slow as she could go. She could feel her heartbeat. Very quick. Even made her nervous. I don’t want to hurt him. Like I always am when I do this for him. I fear ruining his trust in me. His leg just needed to be straight enough for her to wrap it again. Not too much. She still gulped. Feeling the tension over this. Silently watching her magic do what she willed it. Taking a breath only when his leg was unfolded enough to actually be able to do this now. She held it there. Bringing the cloth down upon his leg. Set out long enough to cover the wound completely.

She began to fold it. Wringing it around his entire leg once then twice. Three times. Gently tightening it so there would be enough pressure before she took hold of the threading sticking out of it to tie into a knot to keep it in place. She let his leg go and he brought it back up folded against his belly.

The deer looked up at her. Licking his lips. “See? No pain at all.” Blight brought her head down to his own. Smiling at him. “You were so brave. I’m proud.”

5.23
I really wish I could give him a hug for his bravery. Something about how cute he is to me. Some gnawing thing in her driving her to react like a star struck filly every time she saw him happy. But Spots needed to eat. He must be starving, …and this is the best chance for me to try out my new trick again before I start really going crazy with it.

First, she looked back into the box that served as Spots’ home. Checking to be sure he did as she asked. It was clean. He finished his food. She had been forced to leave him a meagre helping of some roots she pulled out from the ceiling of the cave the previous day. Leaving a painful feeling in her gut seeing such food as being a terrible substitute for a true meal for the child. It forced her hoof, being the only thing she could find to possibly feed him. No way would she allow him to starve. I need to make sure that was the last time he would eat that garbage. I feel like I can do it. Practicing just for this occasion. Her final attempt being so successful she was able to present the new blanket for Spots to sleep with. It was all thanks to those unicorns who are so generous with being vocal about their spells. A little trick they seemed proud of. I’m proud of it too.

Little did those unicorns know their magical tricks would be the thing that would bring happiness to this suffering baby deer.

She looked around the cave. More roots hanging from above. She winced seeing those ugly things. Feeling more shame she fed them to her precious baby. He deserved better. Then she saw something better. The rocks.

They floated over to her. Setting down on the blankets between her and Spots. A hoofful of them barely larger than Spots’ head. They would do. “I bet you’re hungry” she said to him. “Mommy has a treat for her special boy.” She smiled down at the rocks. I can do this. Just do what I did at home.

But what would work? That or that? No, not that. What can I do for this? Not certain what a baby deer would like. What would… she like? Now that as a dumb question that she tossed out. What would Soul like? So damn obvious. Every time I saw her eat back in the good, old days. I remember what she likes. Apparently, they were good. They sounded good.

Perhaps Spots would like them too.

5.24
Blight closed her eyes.

Ah… I can still picture those rocks. She took a deep breath. Exhaling. Twice more. Focusing on the image of those rocks. Feel the flow of magic just like always. Just like whenever I cast a spell. Yes, there it was. Just as I ask of it. It followed her every command. Just keep those rocks firmly planted in her vision. Do not let her eyes open. She had to do as she did before, just like what the unicorns did. Close out all distractions. Ignore the sounds of everything. From Spots’ breathing to the sound of the wind outside.

This was going to work.

Everything was working just like before. Nothing changed in her routine. Only let the rocks be the focus. Imagine them. Know them. Don’t let anything look different from how I remember them. …And then…

Remake that sight anew.

She opened her eyes. She smiled.

It had worked.

Days upon days of trying and she could do it at will now. So successful, I… I can’t believe how good I got at it. Almost making her want to scream in excitement. The rocks were gone. Left in their place were the leaf topped red orbs Soul taught her to know as strawberries.

Food, real food for her baby. All made possible thanks to those unicorns. The magic they called ‘transmutation’. A way to feed this deer now. She willed her magic to push the orbs closer to Spots. Close enough so he would not need to move too much to get at them. “Go on, eat up.” He sniffed at one of the fruits. Curiously picking at the leaves before… he bit it! Oh yes! Seeing him eat the leaves and then move on to chomp away at the fruit itself. He likes them. Eating the first one up and wasting no time to get at the next. Bits of juice left dripping from his mouth.

Finally he had real food. Just what my baby needed. I can’t believe I have the talent to do this. A trick she wished she knew earlier for when she could have fed Soul as a filly. Maybe then, that filly would grow up to like me. Just like Spots here. His constant companionship. He must like me caring for him. He’s gonna love me even more for feeding him.

One by one the strawberries disappeared. He kept going while Blight watched. Fascinated to see every reaction the deer had while he ate. How his ear twitched. A little chortle in his throat that sounded so sweet. Then he paused to look up at her. Locking eyes with Blight. Lovingly smiling back at the deer. She could see her own dragon eyes reflected in those shimmering black beads he had. Never at all afraid of looking at Blight.

5.25
Spots finished eating. Leaving just four behind. He is probably full now They were food for later then. Blight could not be here forever. I don’t want to go home but… I have to. Now that I know how to do this, I have work to do.

Make a real home for Spots.

My home may be just as cold as this cave, but I can make it so that he would feel more comfortable than inside a reeky hole. Now that he was eating well again, I hope he’ll get strong again soon so he can walk around the house on his own. When he may move without being in pain. Until then, I need to keep him here.

She placed the remaining strawberries into the box along with the old blankets, pulling them back in. Spots found himself safe inside the box once more. A strip of bedding reached up. Gently petting itself over the deer’s head. His ears fell down and he cocked his head. Blight loved it. He loves me for sure.

“Mommy loves you so much.” She brought the new blanket forward. “Let’s not forget your gift. Keep you nice and warm.” Her magic tucked the edges of the purple blanket into the box. Doing her best to fit as much in as she could and keep room for Spots. It curled over the back of the box. Going up and down. Essentially ringing the deer in the soft bedding. She brought it down over his body. Tucking it in under those little legs. Only his adorable face popped out. Nice and snug. He even yawned thanks to it. His voice squeaking just as he did it. The sound alone tantalized Blight’s ears.

“Aww are you sleepy? So you’re telling me you did not sleep all day? Not at all?” Blight pressed him. He blinked slowly. Keeping his little eyes sheltered beneath half closed lids. His answer. “Oh, alright. I’ll send you off to dreamland.”

5.26
Blight set herself back down on the blankets that still hung out from that box. Rolling over onto her side. Her head placed just outside the box so she could watch him drift to sleep. I love watching him fall asleep, especially when I help him fall asleep. The little guy needed his rest more than anything. What can I do to help him? Everything she did always sent him off. He listens to me sing and talk to him. He is a good listener. So quiet whenever I talk to him. It would feel nice to talk to him again about things.

Tell him about the day? What happened. I wish I had more to talk about. These boring days being so lost onto her yet he always kept himself awake to listen to her. Did he find interest? Why not?

“I dug out another house back at the village today” she started. “A lot more snow than the others. Even some of the windows were completely covered.” She made an impression of snow covering the opening to Spots’ box with her leg rising from below and all the way up to the top. Not knowing if he understood the motion. But she kept going anyways. “But this one had icicles. You know what icicles are? Weird little shafts of sharpened ice hanging from the house’s roof. Like it had fangs. I admit, I was kind of worried they may fall on me. But none of them did. I was even able to get the door cleared out too.”

She looked back at Spots. He had not moved. Keeping his head raised and nose pointed right at her. A twitch of his ear and a curl of his lip. “No, I didn’t get the chance to look inside so I’m not sure what was inside.”

She sighed. “Soul came at that time and… made me angry again so I had to call it a day.”

This is only the second time I’ve told him about Soul. He knew nothing about her. Just a name on a pony that I live with. One I never like to talk about with him. Even if he were a good listener he would have nothing to say about Soul. Nothing that would help Blight feel any better about the mare. But… he should know more about what happened today.

Soul was a better pony anyways. Not a freak like Blight with nothing good about her. Nothing worthwhile to say. I know this. I bet Spots would love to hear about her.

5.27
“Soul had a good day” she said. “She’s a Pegasus pony just like I am. Locked away here with me, away from all her friends and family. But she still has her wings. She trained today, trying to get better at flying or something… trying to get fast and strong… so she can go anywhere.”

Spots grumbled a little. Shifting that tiny head of his. Catching Blight by surprise with his reaction. Like he were saying something. She could only improvise. Continue to tell a good story to him. “No, I did not train with her.” Her left wing, free to breath the air unlike the opposite that was squished under her body, rose up to flaunt the massive length of it. All the brilliant black feathers as large as Spots was wide. “But it would have been nice. She doesn’t like me to train with her… or do anything really because I just get in her way. Nothing like we used to be when we were friends.”

Her eyes left those of Spots. I’m losing track of what I was saying. It easily came up. Every time I think of Soul, everything always comes back. All the pain and sadness. The life I could have had with Soul, now gone. It is so painful to remember how things used to be so long ago. How I wish for them again. Those few days when Soul and I were friends and we played together. Grown into a mare who only ignores me. I won’t earn that trust back after all I did to her.

Spots set his head down on the blanket with a little squeak coming from his closed mouth. His eyes strained up to look at her, and she looked back. Seeing herself in his eyes again. With yellow eyes shining thanks to tears. I never even knew I was crying. Wiping the tears away with a hoof.

“Oh Spots. We used to be so good to each other. Sweetheart. That’s what I called her. She even wanted me to be her family. I miss those days. Soul is such a kind girl; with so much love to give to the ponies she cares for. She works so hard to make them happy. She’s even training just so she can make her best friend happy again because she earned Soul’s affection. …I would like her to make me happy too. Like a whole different pony around me. Resentful, selfish. Leaving me all alone all the time because she has more important things to do. Leave me like every other pony. She even… makes fun… of me.”

Soulblight let herself go. Damn it, I’m crying in front of him. Feeling disgusting for acting this way in front of him. I have no right to tell him how I feel. Spots was the one who was alone from his family. A sweet and innocent little thing with his love taken from him by something he could not control. He had all the right to be sad… and upset with whomever… hurt him. Still Blight continued to cry. Holding her face inside her hooves. Don’t look at me.

But she heard a little sound. A ruffle of the blankets making her peek out over her legs. Spots had set his own leg out. Reaching out from his comfy coverings and out to her. Landing just short of being able to touch Soulblight’s nose. Close that her long mane even went through his hoof.

He still cared. After everything he went through, he still cares for me. Soulblight could just imagine if he could have reached. If things were different. He’d be petting me, wouldn’t he? I would love that. Something out there to love me and care for me. “Thank you” she whispered. Spots laid down. Keeping his hoof reaching out to her. The little deer fell asleep. Soulblight also laid her head down. Looking back down, down the length of her stomach. Free to the air for a moment. Her left wing coming down to blanket her own body. Seeing it perfectly. Watching down in the depths of her dark body.

So much room, I can certainly hold somepony in my wing. I want to hold somepony. Keep them warm while they slept. They would be smiling all thanks to me… just as what I wanted to do with Soul back when she was just a sweet little filly. Soulblight could still see it after all this time. She whispered.

“She does not know that I still love her after everything. That filly who made me smile for the first time.”

She lay there silently in the cold of the night.

5.28
“Nine hundred ninety-seven. Nine hundred ninety-eight. Nine hundred ninety-nine.”

Soul pushed herself for the final blow. All the strength in her wings welling up even if they had been exhausted to the brink of buckling on her. Looking like that may happen at any time. Just like always. Just shows I’m doing this right. Those wings were all that were keeping her up off the ground. The only thing doing that. All four of her legs she kept folded against her gut. Then… it felt so much better when those wings pushed her back up. Happy and confident she had the strength left to finish it all off. Her magnificent wings extending as far as they could go in this position to throw her back up.

“One thousand!”

She let go. Her entire body slamming right back down to the snow. So much snow flew up into her face when her wings plummeted to the ground as well. Breathing so deep. Almost panting. She had to lap up some of the snow in front of her. All of it melting right in her mouth. Icy cold. Tastes good. Gulping it all down over and over. This being her first water break since morning. Melted snow tastes like shit, but… so much better after these workouts.

The evening Sun already was out. Another long and strenuous day in the mountains. But no workout was too much. I failed too many times, so just need to work harder. Five hundred would not cut it. One thousand. Less water breaks meant more time for speed training in the middle of her bouts of aerial maneuvers. Today giving her the task of circling clouds fast enough to tear them apart. It felt good seeing those dark masses get shredded. Also leaving her a little dizzy. More go’s at dodging and going back and forth over the looming crater carrying a heavy boulder in her four hooves, refusing to let her wings tire out and keep her speed the same with every lap. All of it went so well.

She could finally reward herself by just resting. Rest atop her favorite mountain and watch the Sun. Panting hard to regain her breath and letting those wings lay still. Five minutes. That should be good enough, then I can go back home. I’ll have to see if I can beat my speed record this time.

5.29
Four damn seconds. To and fro, every time I try, my wings just can’t push me past that time it takes to fly back home. That was just not fast enough. It had been proven when she hurt herself testing out the mighty storm clouds, and it had to be improved. No more. No more nightmares. No more being all alone. I promised myself this.

Yet… I still fell asleep last night. Nice and comfortable on the new sofa watching the movements of the sky like it were some sort of lullaby. Damn things made me fall asleep and… and I got to do it all over again. Another night. Another nightmare

Rainbow Dash...

She doesn’t hate me. She didn’t. It’s just not true. Not how she would be. I don’t care if every other pony in the world hates me, but I can’t ever let Dash hate me. I will fight for her. The more I fail, the longer I will be away from her.

No, it won’t last long. I will return to her. Rainbow Dash. Soulblight. Even if both of them don’t like me, I still like both of them for all they did for me. Damn it! I did it again. No, they do like me. Stop failing. Stop feeling all alone. I was a jerk to both of them and need to earn their friendships again. An attempt she tried with Blight early this morning.

Right at the crack of dawn. Hoping to find the black Pegasus out and about in the village like normal. She was shocked to not find her at all. Not even in her house. Possibly out flying. Even though Blight would always be welcome to fly with Soul. Blight is a Pegasus just like me, she must need to satisfy that desire too. I never did find her. She must be avoiding me. Like Dash is.

I will do anything I can to be friends with Dash again, and with Blight. Soulblight will be home. She had to be by now. Once Soul got there, she promised herself during the day to ask Blight to fly with her. No tricks or training. Just a nice ride in the wind. Spend time with one another. There would be no way Blight would turn her down. Offering the Pegasus to partake in the very thing Soul loved to do the most. What a treat! Maybe she would be able to fly back home faster than her record too.

I just know I can do this. Two things in one day. All thanks to these awesome wings of mine. Already recovered from their workouts. They both seemed just as excited as she was. Both wings arcing out. I’m gonna it. Today!

“I’m gonna break my record.”

5.30
Soul stood back up. Ignoring the pain in her legs, what little discomfort was left in her wings. They could fly again. Just do a little more for today then they would be allowed a nice and gentle rest flight with Soulblight. She pushed them so hard all day long that one more flight would be such an easy thing. I’m a strong Pegasus. I can do this.

She stepped. Shrieking when one of her forelegs gave out. Oh crap!

Her wings caught her. A flap so embarrassingly strong she that she almost fell backwards with how much force she put into it. She saw that mistake, adjusting quickly to prevent it and getting back on her hooves again. Haha, oh man. That… that must have looked funny. I’m sort of glad nopony is out here. My wings are too strong. A good sign.

She walked back over to the ledge overlooking the vast plain of snow below from where her and Blight’s village sat tucked away. Way down there and so very far away. The distance alone, no Pegasus could look at it and think they can do it in a few seconds. Easy to scare them off. What babies. I will do anything for the ponies important to me. Even achieving these wings. Fly to Dash, fly with Blight. All possible thanks to these harrowing flights.

This vast expanse of snow between the only two things out here. I want to try and cut my goal in half. That should be fast enough to get right through those storms. Two seconds. Two and I can do it. With four seconds, I do better against the storms… until I fall right on my butt. Speed was not good enough. Her awareness not good enough. Constantly running into clouds so dark she could not see. Unable to stay on the narrow openings of the storms.

I need to keep training.

As hard as it may get. SI will do it. Bring myself and Blight to a better life than this. “I will do it. For my two friends.”

5.31
Her wings came right back up to life. Willed to do what she wanted. One last push for today she readied for.

Kneeling down prepared to push herself forward over the edge. With the wind striking at the back of her wings. Unmoving. Their intensely strong masses keeping straight until she wanted otherwise. Which would come… three.

Two.

One.

She kicked herself off the mountain. Those massive wings kicked in. Back into the feeling that she loved. All the wind and skies around her. The clouds before her. All the dreary sights of winter split by what little sunlight could grace it all exploded around her. Blasting past her faster than one would be able to see. Like no pegasi could experience. Not even when I was younger.

The clouds tearing to nothingness before her, sunlight warped so much it seemed to fall flat along her vision. As if the Sun itself was dying. Even the wind itself. She could practically see it. All the bands of blue and white coiling about in an endless scene going by so fast she could miss it if she blinked. Yet it was too exhilarating. Too much to be able to blink. All the sights and sounds of her immeasurable progress. Perfectly catching sight of every single flake of snow passing her by quick enough that they flew past her sideways. No more illusion of them falling to the earth. I can see everything. Nothing… nothing can escape my eyes and… going this fast, oh what a thrill.

The sound of thunder behind her. Booming loud in her ears each time she felt her wings flap. Like they were beating drums rather than the air. A boom pounding away in every direction she heard. Listening to it all like a powerful song as the village flashed in closer. Like it grew to life in front of her. Getting closer and closer and the air lost its dark hue with clouds freed of her path. Just seeing that blur of blue around the village. A village she saw entirely.

There was her house. Blight’s. Her porch and the sofa. She could even spot the doll she left to sit atop the sofa. So far away. Closing in faster than Soul could think of anything besides the numbers she counted. Coming clear as she forced her wings to a screeching halt. Ending the entire sight of a world of blue and lights. Angling her wings in a snap to come in for a landing right at the location she pinpointed in her flight.

Her hooves rammed so hard into the snow, sending sheets of the icy liquid flying about her. The earth shaking and rumbling. But Soul felt just fine.

One shallow breath.

An easy flight. Still didn’t make her any less angry.

“Damn it!”

5.32
Four seconds again.

And it was right as I landed too, like always. No improvement.

What was supposed to work? I’ve been training so much and did so much work. So many hours that I could have spent with Blight. Forcing herself through till the late hours of the day just to get past that damn number. I never can get to it. Like her wings were not getting any better than had been for months. …And they…

Soul winced.

Screaming loudly and almost falling to her knees. Keeping those very wings she worked on high in the air, trembling. Their spans twitching. Soul tried to clear her mind. Tried to. It failed and she hissed loudly. Her wings hurt so much right now. She felt all of it. A piercing sting going down her entire spans, not even noticing it till now. Celestia, they hurt just as bad as when I started training for the first time.

She had to let them calm down. Just run the course of it. Let them suffer through the pain for just a moment or two before she got used to it. This was nothing. I’ve felt worse in the past. It was still terrifying how bad it could get. Pushing them too hard today.

MY wings know I want to improve and they do their best. And I ignored them all day. Soul hated what she did to them and now they repaid her. Oh they are repaying me for sure. The pain was subsiding now, but… tomorrow. Soul shuddered at the thought. Just like before. It really was like everything was punishing her now. How great. I never give myself a break.

Soul shook her head. Ignoring it to the best of her extent. Slowly placing both wings back down on her sides, keeping them unfolded and laying on the ground. No flying or moving them for now. Just let them rest. She needed to find Blight first, that was the priority. Ignore the pain. I want to hang with my friend.

5.33
She wandered around outside her own house with wings dragging behind her, taking a peek in her window to make sure Blight was not holed up inside. Not finding her, she continued on to look all around her house. Looking over at every house in the village. All of them in plain sight from where her house stood.

Looked much like the same as she remembered. No new houses unburied. All of them vacant on the outsides. So Blight had not tended to any of the houses today? Weird. She seems to like doing that. She may be distant and angry a lot, but Blight did have a cleanliness side to her.

Soul glanced over to Blight’s house. Its snow topped roof over walls with fully uncovered windows. A scene reminding Soul of her first great disappointment. When she came back the first day of training to find Blight had already done what they were supposed to do together and no intention to do any further. Soul being left to fend for herself for the night and lay in her bed sad with nothing to do. Those windows… always leave me sad that I rarely do anything with Blight,

Tonight would be different.

Soul trotted over to Blight’s house. Going around the corner to where her uncovered door sat. The new opening for her house, replacing that ugly hole in the roof Blight patched up. Again without Soul. A door much like Soul’s own. These houses all really were the same. I still don’t know why mine is the only one with a porch.

Wandering past the window next to the doorway, her eyes glanced in. Just for a moment. That was all that was needed. She gasped.

“What the hell?!”

5.34
Soul sent the door flying open. Its wooden make slamming right into the wood of the wall, followed with the sounds of Soul’s hooves stepping onto… soft carpet.

Soul was speechless. Stunned completely at what she saw. Looking left and right to take it all in. Like a whole new world to her.

It… was pretty.

A house unlike any other she had seen in the village. Because none of these houses could look like this. Is that… a table? Set in the middle of the room, …even with chairs! Four of them! With padded cushions. More tables to her left. Smaller. Set about next to the sides of a rosy red sofa that was… huge. W-what? It’s big enough for like three ponies! Its surface lit in the glow of pairs of candles set on the little tables. Lit with tiny, flickering flames.

I… can’t believe what I’m seeing. It’s like… I’m in a house now. A real house. There was so much in here. Empty bookcases, shelves hanging on the walls. Sitting behind the large table in the middle, …and was that…?

A chandelier?

Hanging right above all this from a chain in the middle of the ceiling. Soul backed away at the sight of that. Amazing… and, that’s a bed! A huge one. Just like where my bed is in my house, and it has blankets and… what the hell?! How did… where is Blight?

Soul felt dumb. There was Blight, right there by the bed. The black Pegasus set down with her eyes glued to the bed but she gave a little glance back to Soul. “A knock would be appreciated” she said. Saying it like this was normal. A knock? You sound so casual. How can you even talk like this? None of this was right.

Blight’s house always had been empty. A dark little room that always made me feel bad that Blight lived in it. This room, now it really was like something from back home.

Slowly walking in, she even saw the very carpet she walked on had changed. Reeling her head back in astonishment. Completely patched up, no holes in sight to blemish the tan color of it. It felt soft to her hooves. Soul just wandered past it. I just can’t believe what I’m seeing.

This was amazing. Soul actually wanted to smile about it. It was all too excellent. Like a little taste of home. The home she missed. Looking just like what real homes are like. This would be a nice place to live in. Even seeing the cushions of the chairs she walked by had little bows tied in the shapes of hearts to keep them in place on the chairs set in a black finish that matched that of the table they surrounded. All the furniture being black. As dark as Blight herself. Like a little piece of her in each one.

5.35
“What are you doing?”

Soul shook her head. Turning to look back at Blight whom she did not even know she wandered by. Blight looked a little concerned. I must have looked weird. Humiliated that she got caught up in the sights. Just talk like nothing happened.

“Blight, …where did you get all this stuff?” Blight did not answer immediately. She glanced her dragon eyes down. Oh no, I know what she’s looking at. Soul folded her wings back up.

“…I found them. You’d be surprised what things are hidden away in this village.” So this had been the rewards of cleaning up the village? Did Blight get all this stuff from the houses I didn’t help her with? That was terrible. Now I really regret not helping her. I should have pressed harder. Not run away from Blight whenever she got mad at me. Insist on staying and helping out. Even if they were to work in the night. What wonders they could find together.

Soul and Blight together uncovering the treasures of this village. Laughing in excitement together when they found a house full of valuables to them. I missed all of that. All that fun. No wonder Blight was always mad at her. Spending all that time together, wasted. Not anymore.

All this stuff in here, …surely there must be more in the village. So many houses still left buried in snow. We can work together and totally make my house look good too. But with what? I want a new bed. More blankets. A comfy and large sofa to put in front of the fireplace so we can sit on it together. Curtains with imprints of a skyline on them. That would look so nice.

“You found all of this? That’s amazing.” Soul walked away from Blight. Careful to step over a pile of fresh candles left on the floor for a place to sit. Coming back over to where the table was. She felt the cushions the chairs had. Feeling how soft they were. Poofy. Stuffed to the brim. Like she could bounce just by sitting down on them. “These are so nice.” She took another look at the heart knots Blight must have done. “These cushions are so cute. You’re such a softy, Blight.” “Umm… thanks” Blight said.

5.36
Soul walked past the chairs. I need to get a look at this couch. I gotta… Soul winced. Yelping suddenly. Another sharp pain in her left wing this time. Kneeling off to her side about ready to fall over if she had not caught herself. What was that?

Soul looked back down at her poor wing trembling at her side. Right there… next to the chair she had passed. She ran right into it. That was not going to be good. She had enough pain not to look forward to tomorrow. Hitting her wings would not help. She wanted to shrug it off. More so now that Blight was watching. No doubt seeing how much pain that strike to her wing caused.

“So your wings are hurt” she said.

Damn, she noticed. Please just don’t be too concerned about it. I really don’t need Blight worrying. I’m a strong Pegasus. I will get over it like I always do. Don’t let it get in the way of our fun. No, just ignore it and check out this sofa. “Never mind that” Soul said. “I love this couch of yours.” She ran one of her hooves over its length. It’s amazing how soft it is. Soft and large enough for her to even sleep on it. It really did feel as nice as it looked. Especially with how Blight put those tables next to it with their candles. Somepony could easily lay on it and read. If they had books. Maybe there are books hidden away somewhere! I’d love to kick back on this thing.

“It looks so nice. I never thought you’d be into fashion.” Blight must be blushing back there over that, I bet. Blight actually talked a little quick to that. “Yes, it is nice. I picked up a few things.” Well whomever it was who taught Blight how to decorate, Soul would be just fine having the black Pegasus tend to wherever she could live when they went back to Cloudsdale. I’ll help too. It’d be a nice thing for them to do together. Just like now. That was it!

5.37
“Hey Blight!” Soul said turning back around with a jump. Slowly wagging her tail just behind her large wings. “I can help you fix up your house. Add a little of my charm.” Whatever my charm is. Gotta figure that one out. But it would still be nice. We can finally do something together. Nothing spells a good friend like helping somepony fix up their house. I’ll totally help. Then we can go flying in the starlight together. I don’t care if my wings will be hurt, I’ll power through it. This opportunity could not be passed up.

Blight glanced down at her carpet. Not meeting Soul’s eyes. Her expression actually disheartened Soul. She looked upset. Like she had bad news. But…

“Soul, you injured yourself today. I think you should just rest for the night” Blight said in a low tone. Soul felt her heart also drop.

No, no, no. If only she did not notice my wings. If only I had not been stupid today. …Or maybe… Blight is pushing me away again. No, please don’t.

“I-it’s alright. I don’t need wings to help you” Soul stammered. “I just trained too hard, it’s no biggie.” They really weren’t. Even if they stung a little as she spoke, she could ignore it. Ignore it and Blight would not have to throw me out. Don’t get rid of me. I’ll be a good Pegasus like all ponies want of me. I’ll be good company for you. …I need her company. I don’t care. I’ll put up with it, anything to be a good friend for you. I just want to make another pony happy.

I won’t do to you what I did to Dash.

Soul eyed the candles still laying on the floor and walked over to them. Picking one up between her teeth. “I can help put these up. No hurt wings will stop me” she said. Looking all around to find a good place to put it. “Oh we can put some up on these shelves” she said pointing to the ones sitting along the wall. That would look good. Fly up there and make Blight happy with her work.

So she did. Bringing her wings back up no matter how much it hurt. Both of them pounding in protest to her moving them. Yet she still flapped them. Gradually getting off the ground and grunting with each move they made. Trying hard to get closer to the shelves above her.

“Soul” Blight said sternly. It made her freeze.

“Stop it.”

Soul looked back down at Blight. Her eyes gazing up at her and she frowned. Those dark dragon eyes and how disciplined her voice was sounding. Something about them. Soul felt worried of disobeying them. They… they scare me.

All the pain and worry, it all made her come back down to the ground.

5.38
“You need to continue your training” Blight said. “And I’d rather not have you act this way, it only interferes with your real goals.”

But my goal is to be with you.

“I know you want to work even harder tomorrow, and I can’t stop you, but your wings take priority over anything else. I know you love them very much.”

I do but not as much as friends.

“Night is coming, so just go home and lay down. Leave me out of your mind and focus on what’s important.” She was saying it all so sternly. Like she is demanding this stuff. Soul kept her head low to the ground listening, and thinking over it all. Over the truth in the matter. I’m being pushed away by her. Again. Just like yesterday. Yelling at her. Getting her back for all the mean things I did to her when I was a kid.

I hate it, but… I deserve it. All of what Blight has been doing to me. Because of what I did to her.

Ending the friendship the two had. Calling her a freak. Breaking her heart. I took her heart and stomped on it. I… I really was terrible to her. Destroying the beautiful relationship they had for such a short time. It was all my fault. It’s like nothing I do can heal it.

All she wanted to do was spend time with Blight. Dash could wait.

Everything bad that had happened to the black Pegasus. All the tears and anger. That great distance between the two. All of it is my fault. She deserved to be punished. Just like… with Dash so long ago.

Soulblight hates me.

5.39
“I understand.” Soul whispered. “I’ll leave.”

She slowly dragged her hooves along the carpet. In the end, I only got one thing out of all of this. Soulblight’s hate.

She doesn’t want my company, but I want hers. Even if I fail, I vow to keep trying. I will keep trying till I prove to her that I am here for her.

…But why would it not stop hurting?

Silent and lasting. Beating hard in her heart. Building deep within and unable to leave. She would not let it. Blight did not need to see.

She shut the door behind her. Walking back out into the snowy world that was her only companion. This… this is my world until the day I can prove to the ponies I love that I am there for them.

The ones who make me hurt so bad.

Soul cried.

Soulblight cried.

5.40
“Ah man I really screwed up” Soul said. Pacing all across the snow for the hundredth time. Leaving a hefty trail of hoofprints scattered along the thin snow layering the wood of her porch. “Why did I have to walk out?” I completely messed up what I wanted to do. Now night had already fallen and… and Blight was still all alone in her house, and I’m alone out here.

So what if my wings hurt? All I needed to do was insist. Let her know I could play with her and just ignore the pain. Rest the next day even. Anything to spend time with her. But no, I chickened out. I was a coward again! Now tonight is like every other night. Lonely. Failing again.

“I’m such a coward.” Even if Blight hates me, I just need to do anything to show her that I am still here for her. If she had to stay up all night to do that, so be it. Think of something, anything that would not leave Blight angry with her. But how? “What should I do?” She asked, turning around to face the one she hoped had the answers. Her Pegasus doll standing in the middle of the sofa. Quiet and just giving her back that same smile. Nothing to say.

“Yeah, …I got to do this myself.” She sat herself down, finally resting her legs after all this walking. Ugh, and now my wings hurt again. Both of them stinging all of a sudden. Able to be folded up again but no less in pain. They keep just getting sore so randomly now. It made her wince, …and angry. Damn wings. Why could they not succeed? The sooner they got stronger, the sooner I can make things right with Dash and I can stop getting hurt so much. It’s all their fault Blight is so upset with me. Blight must have been so mad I got hurt again and couldn’t play with her. I bet she wanted me to help her but of course I went against it.

Just like… when I betrayed Blight’s trust. …And now I can’t even trust myself.

How ugly. I can’t believe this stuff I’m thinking. My wings aren’t to blame. They were her glorious babies. She was just being too stupid. Not trying hard enough and being too reckless. Now those would never let her succeed in the Wonderbolts if she ever got the chance to join them.

I hurt my own wings. That is what ruined my chances to play with Blight. I’m so selfish to blame my wings.

5.41
Just let them rest for a while. Take it easier on them tomorrow because they were going to be even sorer when the Sun rose than they were now. An easy day of training. Haven’t done such a thing in a long time. Just practice her speed, nothing more. Besides…

I want to try that new technique I’ve been working on.

A little something from the old days when I used to fly super fast. I don’t know if it would make any difference now. Maybe I can still try. What’s the harm? Anything to try and escape. Escape to when she could find Rainbow Dash and prove all those nightmares wrong. Dash does not hate me. I will show her. I will do anything to make things right and Dash will be my friend again.

No more angry Dashes… making fun of me.

She rubbed a hoof along her other foreleg. Still feeling a little pain set deep in her heart. Maybe… it would be best not to sleep tonight. Just relax. Anything to avoid them. I’d rather train tomorrow with none of that crap on my mind. Nice and clear. Spend a few hours training and see if I can do something with Blight. Or… even better.

Soul had an idea. She doubted she could fly with Blight tonight… but tomorrow.

“I’ll train her!”

Blight wanted to do that in the first place. The first thing she asked to do with me when I decided to start training again. It could work. She has huge wings and all but… I don’t think she can do intense tricks. Not like I can do them too when my wings are like this. Just give her some pointers. Start her up and maybe she will be able to fly with me like a master in the future.

Alongside Dash and me.

Surely Soulblight will like that. There was nothing else to lose. Blight refused to allow Soul to partake in the things she liked to do, maybe she wanted to do the things Soul liked to do. She certainly needed to rest a little bit. Have her wings in better shape so as to at least impose the appearance of an impressive flight instructor rather than an injured rookie. She did just that. Jumping up onto the sofa and laying down along its length. Setting her little doll close to her, held against her side with a hoof. This sofa really was comfortable but not likely as much as the one Blight had. Still, it was hard to not want to fall asleep in it. Much like last night. The beautiful night sky and waiting for time to pass, did not help one bit. Tonight looked to be just as bad.

The night was so pretty. Looking up at it, Soul left her mouth agape at the lovely scenery the night imposed. With thin and dark clouds slowly passing by high overhead, clear of the gaze of the Moon. Its blueish white light given a chance to completely cast its glow on the Pegasus. It did look extra perfect tonight. The engraved mare along its berth shining bright blue in the shadow of a crescent surface shielded in white. It actually looked brighter tonight. Brighter than any other time, looked like. And all the stars flickering around it. Kind of like… the sky is smiling at me.

Maybe Blight will end up playing with me tomorrow. For a long time, I hope. Fly together till the next moonrise and they could sit below an incredible scene much like tonight. But what to do? What training would fit Blight? She was not fast and I have no idea if she had the skill to fly fast or pull off high altitude stunts. Or maybe just the basics.

That sounds so funny. Teaching an adult Pegasus the basics of flying. Like I’m Blight back into flight camp.

Now that would be cool. What if… that did happen? Soul thought. Soulblight… what if she had been a filly with me back at camp? That sounds funny. I’d love to see how she would look as a kid. How crazy she could be. It made her giggle under her breath.

Click

5.42
Soul silenced herself. Listening with raised ears at full attention. Did I just hear something? I swear I did. Sounded like a door being gently shut. Kind of loud. From Soulblight’s house.

She turned herself to face in the direction she knew the house to be. Hidden from her view thanks to the walls of snow grown around her porch. But she still saw it… high over the mounds of snow.

Soulblight.

The black Pegasus flying high into the sky, near blending in with the black of night. Her darkness shining silver in the glow of the Moon. Flying high… and away. She was leaving the village.

What, why is she leaving? She shouldn’t leave. This had not happened before. Blight never left like this. Oh no, did I hurt her feelings that much?!

No, she’s… she’s leaving me!

Leaving to find her own way out. She must have had enough of me. No, it couldn’t be. We still need to play tomorrow. I still need my friend! Not another one leaving me. No!

She leaped off the sofa and ran to the ramp. Coming up it to stand high atop the snow above. Watching after the dark figure disappearing into the night sky. Soul’s razor-sharp eyes still picking out the faintest hint of silver light. What can I do? I need to chase her, but… would she get mad at me? I can’t let her leave. I’d… I’d be in her way but… I don’t want her to go. Don’t leave me like… like mom.

“No, don’t leave me alone.” Soul took a step forward. Breathing rapidly. At a loss on what to do for there was nothing she could do. She had nothing to offer Blight in staying. My friendship means nothing to her. No enough to keep her here. But I still want her. I need her. Don’t leave me behind. Like they all did.

Don’t… I don’t want it to happen again. Her legs picked up, her wings spreading. She did not move, frozen. Her eyes shimmering in the light. Like when… I watched… her leave me so long ago. I stood there like an idiot, crying for her.

“I… I…” Soul knelt back. “I’m sorry.” She walked forward again. Halting. Stepping back. Keeping her raised hoof high in the air with nowhere to put it down. Go after her. Let her leave. Leave just like all the ponies in my life.

Just like Rainbow Dash.

“I don’t know what to do… to make you happy.”

5.43
Soulblight nudged another strawberry over the length of the blanket to nestle it right in between Spots’ legs where the little deer found it easier to nibble away at them. Still a messy eater though. Getting juice all over his face. She brought over another batch to set down next to him before she too sat down. Keeping herself close to him while he ate. Just like a protective mother, may as well be the case. Performing her new favorite magic in the corner of the cave as a way of hiding it from him. Give him a surprise when she turned around and he surely was happy. Surprising to see him actually jump around in the blanket when she presented the fruit. Like he were trying to stand up and run at them.

Sadly, she found his leg did not improve much over they day. In need of another bandage change soon.

“Eat up.” She pushed another one over to him. Again and again. Watching him eat each one. The food he needed to heal. Plenty of them too be able to last him the night and the coming day. But soon… soon I’ll bring you home and you can have a much nicer place to live in. “Mommy worked on our house today.” I’m so proud of how it is turning out. The transmutation was such a great spell, and I never run out of stuff to transform. Decorate and make it all look nice. But… I don’t know if I like it. All décor stuff, I know nothing about it. Luckily, there was a pony out in Equestria who did, and she was always so nice to overhear. Though she is a bit to descriptive with this stuff. Nonsense to me. Choosing to stick to a more simple design based of what she heard. Enough to make a comfortable home for Spots.

Finishing up another strawberry, Spots looked up at her. Licking his lips in satisfaction. If deer could smile he probably would right now. Happy hearing about all Blight was doing for him. She really was earning his love. “I even made a nice bed for us, these rags will not do.” She rubbed a hoof through the blankets they both lay on. Watching her hoof going within the threading themselves like they were nothing. All of these blankets besides the one she made yesterday were too ugly. Better to leave them here. Bring the nice one home when Spots could come home too. Then we can lay under the blanket each night and I can send you off to sleep myself. Because he is the only one who actually wants my help. I’d love to! Anything for a darling like him!

Oh, …I need to calm down, haha. Still though, I wish I could do a lot for him. Someday, I hope I’ll be able to actually touch things. I can’t hug him at all, not like this. No, I can only do so much. Stay by his bedside and sing him to sleep. Not very ideal.

5.44
She had nothing else to say about herself to keep him interested. Just not enough to really talk about. If only more happened in her life. In his life. Enough for him to talk about. Instead he finished up the last of the strawberries. But… today was a little eventful. Not in the way I would have liked it to be. Disappointing. All thanks to Soul who must have had quite a day. A day that… really got to me.

“Soul did some more training today. The fool hurt her wings yet again.” She really did need to stop doing that. How many times now was it that she got hurt. It always sucks when she does hurt herself. Hating feeling when Soul hurt herself, like that sharp pain I had earlier today in my wings. Of course it was Soul.

Spots took an interest. Leaning closer to her. Keeping his long ears up so she could see the long fur within them. Happy to hear everything she had to say. How kind of him. Unlike Soul. “Trying to get through that storm again today.” She rolled her eyes. “She keeps failing in reaching that goal of hers. Gets hurt so much yet she always recovers and tries again.” That was Soul’s temperament anyways. A trait I can never get rid of, even if I sometimes do want her to give up. Those huge wings Soul had being the evidence to how much the mare did not give up. Soon enough, those wings would accomplish it. That… is terrifying. “…But she will succeed eventually” Blight said sadly. You and I will be the only ones left in this dreary place. A nice buddy to have around and keep me company, but… he’s not the same. He’s not the pony I wanted to be friends with. A friend I saw long ago in Soul. What she needed from the pony. And that pony is going to leave me behind, I’ll never be her friend again. Leaving her as angry as she was now. Angry like she had been when she saw the proof of Soul’s attempt to leave her today.

“I don’t know what to do, Spots.” She lay down. Crossing her forelegs together. Keeping her eyes planted on the lonesome rocks set along the sides of the cave. Dark and rigid. Hardened. “She’s making so much progress and eventually we will be apart all because I can’t earn her trust.” She slid her head down onto her legs. “She’ll always hate me, until she forgets me entirely and I can’t think of anything to stop her. Stop her so we may start over.” Those wings of Soul’s are so much faster than me, I can’t catch up. Faster than I can even think, and they will do it. It will happen. Soul would be free of me and back home before I have any chance to show her I am there for her. Keep her around long enough to be able to change Soul’s mind about me.

Just weather her hatred.

Work hard to make everything right with her and it will all work out in the end. If only Soul did not ruin our chances. If only Soul did not hate me… and always do everything to avoid me, hurt me.

“What do you think I should do, Spots?”

5.45
The deer stared at her. Blinking once before looking over at the same rocks Blight had been staring at. His dead stare gave no answer. He would not know what to do anyways. I’m the adult here. “Yeah, …not really anything can stop her from leaving me…” Blight blinked. Looking back over at the rocks. Unmoved seeing them like this. Even as Spots shuffled in his blanket. He started mumbling. So what? I’d rather… not deal with him right now. As the cave glowed red. Disappearing whenever she blinked. “Nothing I can do…”

…Besides… clipping her wings.

Soulblight gasped. The red ran away from her sight.

What? No!

She shook her head. Get rid of the thoughts. Do not ever be that way. Not like before. I’ve gone so long without thinking that way. So many years passed by with no incident. Can’t let it flare up again.

Hurting Soul is wrong. It is wrong to think that way. Soul needed love and compassion. That was the only way to fix this. Even if the mare never accepted it, anger was not going to work. No getting angry at her. The only pony I need to be mad at is myself, I’m such a sick pony thinking about…

Cutting her wings off.

Blight gagged. Ugh, no. I can’t even imagine it. She calmed herself back down. Let all her anger go away. Instantly. It is not what I should be. Not what Soul wants in me. …But she had failed to hide it. Immediately noticing her dear Spots flailing in his blankets. Trying desperately to kick himself away from her. Wait, did he?

He had seen it!

“No, no. It’s alright” she whispered to him. Extending a hoof to the deer’s face. She hushed him. Smiling down at the baby deer and keeping calm. Get rid of all the anger and fear. Do a good job at showing him she was still the kindly Pegasus he knew her as. “Shhhh” she pronounced as her magic came to life. Grabbing hold of the purple blanket and gently bringing it forward to Spots. Wrapping the soft and warm bedding around his tiny body and covering him. Make him feel safe. Show him she still was his nice mother, and she waited. Don’t get angry again. Insisting on him to quiet down and assure him everything was okay. He believed it.

The deer stopped kicking and laid still. Setting his head down on the blanket wrapped around his chest. Looking back over at Blight. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m not angry. It’s okay.” She exhaled hard.

A lie.

5.46
Blight let enough time pass for Spots to completely settle down. Feeling comfortable that he saw her as a good Pegasus again. I just hope he forgets what I’m like when I’m angry. Damn and my eyes must have looked that way again. Hope he just thinks it was my magic. Anything to not let their bond be destroyed. I don’t think anything bad happened. Spots was fine with her approaching him again. Bringing herself right back up to where he lay so she may lay down as well. He still liked her. So I can still tend to him. Make sure he never felt the same way she did.

“I’m sorry. Did you still want me to stay with you tonight?” He did not protest. That was why she loved him. He forgives me and wants to be with me… even if I can do so much to harm him and others. I will never let him know what I can do.

She placed one of her hooves close to the injured leg, left to jut out from underneath the blanket. It still had to be tended to and she needed to do whatever it took to keep his trust. “I’m just going to check your leg for you, make it feel a little better.”

Her magic came to life. The calm and soothing sights of her darkness giving no reason or feeling to cause him discomfort. Only there to help him. She went through the same process as yesterday. Careful removal and examination of his wound. Not much better. Blood still continued to leak out and drip down the fur of his leg. A continuous sad sight for her in how much pain he must be suffering from. What if he was thinking he may never walk again? I hope not. Much like the mothers in Equestria always secretly worried over their injured children no matter what reassurance they gave them. No matter how minor the injury. I feel the same way as them.

She groaned. “Oh… if only I weren’t so useless.” Spots reeled up to look at her directly. Like he were telling her not to say that.

…What did those mothers do for their hurt children?

That was right. Maybe I can try that. It sounds so silly, like really, what is it supposed to do? It just confuses me whenever I think about it. There just seemed to be no purpose. Well… maybe. I have an idea, maybe it is because… the kids like it. Would you like it too?

I think he would feel better if I did that for him. I don’t know but may as well try. What’s the harm? I can do it.

“Mommy will help you feel better.”

5.47
Blight came closer to the injured leg so she may bring her head down close enough to keep it right above the wound. Her chin fur nearly touching his own fur were it not for how her body was. That left her a little disappointed. I’ve never done this before. I don’t know how it will be. This was for Spots. Not for me. The deer didn’t even struggle or move away from her. He did not care about her being so close to his wound.

Well, …here goes something.

She reached down. The sight of the blood and the ugly opening being plain as day in her eyesight. So close to see every detail. It disgusted her. Damn near forced her to feel sorry for him knowing his body being blighted by such a sight. He had to feel better. Do this just like those mothers. Does it even matter where I do it? Blight knelt closer and looked along the wound. Careful to not tower over him. Freak Spots out seeing just how huge she was to him. Coming closer till she stopped. Just short.

I guess… here?

The brown fur was so close. The bloody wound filling her vision and she did it.

Setting her lips down upon the cut. Give it her kiss.

I did it! Wow, I actually feel… good doing this. Glancing up seeing what she wanted. Spots himself staring over at her. Watching this miracle she doubted a baby deer may ever experience for a Pegasus like herself to kiss him just to make him feel better. It was nice. So nice Blight wanted it to last as she closed her eyes. Letting this go on and on in her mind with only the sound of dripping water and the wind still connecting her to the outside world. But she still had to let go. Hearing the small sound of her lips smacking slightly when she released them and lifting her head back up to smile at him. She could swear he looked a little sleepier now. Not upset at all. Nothing bad having happened.

I feel so good. I… I think I did help him. The silence of the night broke by a sound.

Blight looked down.

5.48
She looked back down at his leg. Horrified.

What was this?

I don’t… Blight gasped. Darkness all around that leg.

My magic!

But I’m… I’m not controlling it. I still have my magic. What the hell is it doing to him? I just...

A cloud of black mist warping over the entirety of the wound. Seeping inside and flaring out strongly to send the fur swaying. Oh no, I did something wrong. This had never happened before. Her magic never could do this. Yet here it was doing it. Defying her will for it to stop. Even no magic escaped her body to try and stop it. Speechless while it all spread over his leg till nothing but darkness remained. His beautiful fur gone and it made her cry in fear. What did I do?!

None of her magic responding. No way to stop it. No. No. No! I can’t let this happen. Blight stood tall over him, trying her hardest to take control of it again.

I have to stop it. That’s my magic. I can’t let it... it will kill him.

“No! Spots!” Blight came in. Roaring her wings out to bring a great shadow down on him. As dark as the disease spreading over his leg. Her own legs coming in and stopping to simply pierce through his body with no effect. Not even able to hug him. No way to comfort him. When all I want to do is show him how sorry I am. Because I can’t… stop this. Nothing. She could not stop her magic.

“No, I’m so sorry.” She looked down at him with tears in her eyes. Her massive body dwarfing his own like she were a tower over him. Trying to keep him protected from a threat she could not defeat.

She cried… but he was quiet.

Wait… he’s… calm? The deer blinked and stared at her. Not even panicking. No, just looking at her with those normal, black eyes of his. His cheeks rising.

What? Was that…?

The little deer gave her a tiny smile. So small she almost missed it. Smiling until the darkness dispersed.

Blight gasped.

5.49
It was all gone. All the wrong colors covering the deer’s leg. The darkness disappeared with no trace left behind. Nothing for her to feel out and believe it still existed. It really was completely gone leaving only the brown of his fur, …and only brown.

Spots’ wound was gone!

“W-what?” She had to look over and over. Going up and down the length of his leg. Nothing. It was gone. I have to be seeing things. Blinking rapidly to try and get rid of the trick. Gone. She backed away to give Spots some room. Sitting down lazily. Staring with disbelief that this happened. Then Spots did something amazing.

He rocketed up to stand on all four of his little legs. Letting the blanket fall right off of him so he may jump out and take a few steps to the entrance of the cave. His entire body shook like electricity took him. Wiggling that little white tail he had before he came right back over to Soulblight. Walking all on his own right up to her to try and touch her. His black nose setting itself to her chest only to go through her. But that did not stop him from trying to rub her. Me? The pony who cared for him and now… now I did something like this!?

Soulblight had to smile.

“Spots! You can walk!” He placed the side of his little body into Blight’s chest and he galloped right back to his blankets. Jumping happily on top of them. That injured leg itself more animated than all the others up to the point where it stilled itself so he may face her directly. Staring at her. Standing. Like nothing wrong had happened. So happy. Because… I did this for him. This was me.

Kissing him did do something after all. Nothing like what the mothers in Equestria could do. Is this really what I can do? My magic? She felt a hoof against her own lips. Rubbing them amazed at what they just did. I never did anything like this before. Kissing… did this? I’ve… never done this for another. I never knew my kiss can… do this. But Spots was right here completely healed. I really can do this. I did it for him. Finally something worthwhile! I’m not a monster or a freak. Haha, I’m this deer’s hero now. She had to laugh. That deer still jumping around her. He really does want to show it off now.

I’m so proud. Finally, …something. I can be a good pony. I have something good about me.

Her ears perked up. Spots’ ears perked up. A hoof struck the floor.

5.50
“So this is what you’ve been spending your time doing.”

This night just kept getting stranger. Stranger when Blight turned and saw… Soul. All out of breath. Exhausted yet still able to smile. Soul is… here? What… did she… did she see what I just did? Why is she here? I hope she didn’t see. I don’t know how to explain it. Soul even stepped in, coming up to her. No, all she did was make Blight look down. Please, I don’t want her to know. She… she would think I’m more of a freak. Don\t say it.

Soul walked past with a big smile on her face. Over to Spots. The deer himself standing still unsure what to do of this new visitor. Afraid of her or feeling lucky to have so many pegasi coming to meet him. Soul was as happy as he would be if that was the case. In fact, she even squealed in excitement. What? Soul just scampered over to Spots. Laying down before him. Like she did not want to scare him.

“Oh wow!” she said. “You found a little fawn!” She bent in closer to him, trying to bump her nose into his but Spots backed off a little and turned over to face Blight like he wanted her advice. I don’t know what to say. One question did come to her mind. “A fawn?” Blight looked Spots up and down again trying to make the comparison again. He did look like those two. “I thought you said these were deer.” Spots did not move when Soul’s hoof gently set down upon the top of his head. She laughed. “…You goof. Fawns are what the babies are called” Soul said. She slowly rubbed the top of his head. Blight entranced in how much care she did in petting him. Using only the tip of her hoof to scratch from the middle of his head and go down to behind his ear. Rubbing back there and making the ear twitch. Spots cocked his head. “Awww, …and you found such a cute one. I love him already.”

Soul knelt down till she lay on her belly. Opening up a space between her forelegs that she lightly tugged Spots to come too. As if the deer would do as she wanted. …But he did! I can’t believe it. Spots simply walked up to her and placed himself right into a cozy looking spot against Soul’s chest. The mare continuing to rub behind his ear and laughing. Soul, the pony I want to be friends with, she’s actually petting my ‘fawn’. The way Soul smiled. How much Spots liked her. Even more when Blight saw as Soul came in and kissed the top of his head. The fawn loved it. Wagging his tiny tail briefly when she did it. It looked beautiful.

No, I don’t think Soul saw it. Not when she is acting like this. It’s… lovely. She did not see hate in those eyes. The yellow of them portraying to her only love and compassion the likes of which she had not seen since…

Since Soul wanted me to love her.

5.51
She was at a loss of breath. Forcing herself to sit down and just watch the two enjoy each other’s company. Blight could not give the fawn the satisfaction of being loved like this, Soul herself filled in that void. So naturally. Did she come here just for this? To love Spots alongside me? If that were the case, she must have known about this cave for a while. “H-how did you know about this?” Blight asked.

Soul glanced over at her not wanting to stop showing attention to Spots. No ceasing her care for him. “I ran after you because I wanted to know what you were doing.” What? She actually cares about what I may be doing out here? Oh how embarrassing. I didn’t even know she would be curious. Ignoring her for so long. I forgot how Soul is.

Soul went back to Spots, still talking to Blight. “…I… was worried about you. I couldn’t help but be curious. Sorry….” Worried? Blight heard it correctly. She wants to know what I do out here? And she actually came after me. Was she even… scared for me? Worried that I could be in trouble or something. Now she is here, talking just like she used to so very long ago. Acting just like this. “I’m so glad I found you.” She’s… glad? A Pegasus who came in panting and exhausted from running, whose wings were injured. She should be resting tonight. But she didn’t. Just because she wanted to find me.

Blight was at a blank. Soul was not. She shot another look back at her. “Hey now… don’t try to chance the subject. …When were you gonna tell me about this little guy? What’s his name?” Blight managed to listen to her questions, even harder to answer them. She found a way to do it with everything that was happening. “His name is Spots.” “Spots!?” Soul said. She looked down upon him for a second. Taking a look afterwards across his back over the tiny white spots dotting his fur. Whatever it was made her laugh. “That is too funny. You gave him that adorable name? It just makes me love him even more.”

Her hooves wrapped around the fawn’s entire body, just able to bring both of them together at the back of his rear so she gently pulled him right into her chest with the biggest hug she could give him. Rubbing her chin along the top of his head beneath sealed eyes. “Who’s a little Spots?” she spoke exactly like some sort of baby. No. Like a mother to her little one. “You are. Ya cutie.” There was something about this that left Blight feeling… happy. I kind of like seeing this side of her. Hearing this and she could tell Spots did too. All that was left of the intense anger she felt earlier at the thought of an angry and condescending Soul Serenity wiped away in this moment of time seeing nothing but a loving and kind Soul Serenity. The Soul I love. It was weird for her, but something that felt like it… was right! …And for that, she laughed.

5.52
Some time passed. How much she had no hope of telling, hours maybe? Whatever it was went by quick. Time spent well in this cave with Soul and the deer they both loved leaving only both pegasi still awake. Soulblight keeping her gaze squarely on the sight of her beloved fawn doing something she cherished upon seeing. He slept, left to dream against Soul’s chest with her fur keeping him warm much like that of her legs firmly wrapped around his body. Holding him just like a baby. Like he was Soul’s baby. Sitting back against the rocky wall across from Blight carefully and softly stroking a free hoof along the top of the head she kept her long gaze on. Watching the fawn sleep snugly against her and she giggled at it.

“Shhh” she said as quiet as could be. “He’s sleeping.” Like them talking will wake him up. He did a good job staying fast asleep even with Soul petting him. But it still looked very cute the way she did that. The way she reacted to him. It is amazing how Soul is now. Like she is a different Pegasus. “I had no idea you liked animals” Blight whispered. Soul and her locked eyes. “I always have. They always seemed to like me as well.” Well Spots took no time in falling in love with her. Maybe that was true. Sounds like there is still a lot about you that I don’t know. A love of animals coming as a surprise. I never thought you loved them like this. You are always so shy and such a worry wart. You’re not shy around animals?

“Do you think Spots likes you as well?” Blight asked her pointing at the tiny fawn sleeping in her hug. Making Soul look back down at him and arching an eyebrow. She hummed for a moment. “Hard to tell. …Maybe not.” Both pegasi giggled. “It really is a cute name you gave him” Soul continued. Is it? I was worried it sounded stupid. I don’t know how to name things. Not like Soul who gave me my own name. But Soul thought it was cute at least. Maybe it sounds a little cute to me as well.

“Giving him such a cute name like a loving mother.” How incredible she made that comparison. Really, has she been spying on me out here? “I… have been taking care of him for a while” Blight said. “So you are his mother!” She set her head back down on top of Spots’ head. Gentle and slow. Not enough to wake him. “Well you did a great job making him like this. …Hey! Could I take care of him too?” What would possess the Pegasus to ask something like this? Blight was more confused now than any other point this night. There was just something really off with how Soul was acting. She isn’t talking to me like she usually does. She is talking to me longer than she usually does. She could catch it right there. Soul certainly was different. “I promise to be nice to him.” Soul looked back up. Rearing the side of her head over to Blight and winking at her. “Maybe I can be his aunt if you wanna be the mother.”

…What?

5.53
“I’ll play with him all the time.” She stroked his head further. Putting her attention back on the fawn she treated as her own family just like she hinted at. A family… with me. “And we can love him… like his… parents would.”

Soul… what are you saying? You never talk like this. You never act like this. What… what has gotten into you?

What is making her cry?

Soul’s tears went down her smiling face. Smiling, holding him close, and crying onto his head.

“Soul… are you okay?” “Yeah” Soul reached her wing over her own shoulder. Wincing momentarily but still able to use the tip of her feathers to wipe the tears away. “I’m just happy… we get to have a new friend we can both love.” Soulblight saw it in her eyes. Eyes that still swelled no matter what she did to dry them. She is lying.

You are sad out here, you will only be happy when you leave. Her future was going to be great… especially when I won’t be there to join her. So they sat there quiet. Both watching the fawn sleep and listening to the sounds of the wind outside. Some of it coming in and swaying Soul’s fur but not that of Spots. The Pegasus who saw herself as his aunt protecting him from the cold.

The wind died.

“Do you think he was lonely before we came?” Soul’s question was without a definite answer. There was no telling how he felt. I actually want to know how long he has been without his parents. I hope it was only for a few days. How lonely and sad may he be with none to be alongside him for a long time? If they had been gone long, it was easy to guess. “Maybe. I think …he could have been” Soulblight said looking up at Soul just when the mare looked up at her. No tears in her eyes. No sign of sadness. Only a frown. “Soulblight, …um…” Soul fidgeted a little. Uncomfortable. I am too. Because I don’t know how to take any of this. I don’t know what is wrong. What to do.

No, Soul was the one who broke the silence.

“Do you miss your parents?”

5.54
Blight’s world went dark. Something with that question… it rung hard in her ears. The words… how they played in her head. Her thoughts wrapped around it all.

My parents?

I never thought about such a thing. Soul, why ask me that? You know… as much as I do, that… I am not like you. Blight looked down. Because… it feels wrong. Out of place. Leaving her in the dark as black as her fur simply because she could not know. I never thought about such a thing before.

My… parents.

Who would they be? I never remembered them. Me having parents? Ponies who care for their child. Love them. Want them to succeed in all they do and stick with them forever. Me… having that. I’ve never heard anypony talk to me like… like the parents I’ve come to know out in Equestria. I’ve never been touched lovingly before. Tucked in and sang off to sleep. Show me that… that there are things to love about myself. Somewhere… I know… I have parents. Lost. Forgotten. Disappeared.

Who am I? What am I?

I don’t know anything except for when… the dark disappeared and I saw you, Soul Serenity, for the first time. I had nothing before that but… but did I? Parents. Two ponies. Birthed me. Raised me to become the pony I am now. Like all the parents out there do for their child. Just like every pony has experienced. Did I?

“I… never knew my parents.” She leaned her head down. I never knew them. I don’t know them. I don’t know of anypony out there who ever loved me like that. And now… now I miss it. Because… Soul, you made me think about it. What would it have been like to grow up with two ponies who loved me? Would they even be ponies? That is what hurts. There was nothing she could see to fit that image she wanted to imagine happening to her. All those lucky colts and fillies out there had that image going on for them right now. Even Spots had it. Me being his mother and he has real parents out there somewhere. Soul hugging him too. Both of us being his family now. I want that too.

I’ve never had a pony there to hug me.

“Blight” Soul whispered in a rasp. She caught the mare staring at her with wide eyes growing with tears. “I’m so sorry.” What… my face? I’m crying too. I… I don’t know why. I just…

Blight wiped her tears. “Why?”

Soul wiped her feathers over her face too and sniffed. “That’s what we have in common. Blight, …I also never knew my parents” Soul said. Soul, …that is what we have in common.

5.55
You have no idea how sorry I always felt for you. You were always so happy when I first saw you with your beloved friend. Like there was no sadness in your life. Your life, fresh in a world that you began to love with so few ponies there for you. But they always were the ones you needed. But I still saw it. Deep down. That longing you always had… for the two most special ponies in your life. It always made me cry for you.

I hate to know you grew up without parents. And I saw it for myself. I only wish things had been different for you. Soul, you always did a good job at hiding it to others, but not to me. It was all a good ruse. How very sad you were inside. Underneath that smiling face.

As sad as I am because I want to know what it’s like to have two ponies there for me to love me.

Blight said the same thing for her. “I’m so sorry.” Soul sniffed. Again. Wincing with a tear coming down and she could speak again. “My parents left me behind when I was a foal. I spent most of my life alone because of that even when I was taken in by my… teachers.” Your poor and lonely tears. How I hate to see them fall. How lonely. How sad. I never liked seeing you cry. And there is nothing I can do to stop it. If only… if only I had been there long ago. Do something for you. Not take all this time to come to you. If only… I would have stopped them from leaving you. What you had was never enough. You wanted more.

You wanted a family.

“Those ponies, …the Changelings hurt?” Blight asked. Hope she isn’t upset about me bringing that up. “My teachers. The ones who took me in” Soul said. “They always were there for me. Always supported me. Always came to me when I needed them most. Someponies even thought they were my parents.” Soul laughed amidst her tears. “I wish they had been. I wished so much from them. I wanted them to be my mom and dad. And now look… now they’re gone.” She shook her head. “I don’t even remember their names anymore. Funny, huh? So terrible of me…”

"Starry Veil and Nimbus Swiftshot?" Blight asked. Funny how I remember them. But is she telling me she forgot them? Soul paused... staring down at the ground. I guess she did.

I could tell they meant a lot to you. This dream you had for them to be more. I hate that it was taken from you. Enough for you to forget… after all these years. How much else do you suffer? How truly unhappy are you? It seemed impossible. Soul had been so happy. Happy enough to want to protect the one life most precious to her at all costs. She even let me take over to save the life of that pony.

“No…” Soul paused. Looking off at the dark world outside their cave. “You know Dashie really well. You know she is my friend?” “Of course I know.” “I love her so much. I always did since the day I met her, I saw something special in her and knew I had found something. Even though I have not seen her in years, I still love her.” Yes, you two are great friends. I know. Blight frowned. I only wish you saw me as the same. Look at me, indulging her.

“You two are really good friends.” “She is, isn’t she?” Soul said. “She’s kind and funny. Loves to play with me and joke around with me too. She accepts me. …And she was the first pony to ever accept me.” She brought her attention back to Blight. Crying deeply. “Dash was the first pony to ever give me the love I wanted for so long. My bestest friend back home.”

5.56
Soulblight flinched. It’s amazing how strong the love between two ponies can be. So great between you two that… sometimes I thought it was more. Your greatest love is back home, not here. It is what made you happy. All the terrible things in life, that was the one pony who made you happy. And to think… I was considering taking you away from her forever. When it is my fault you two are separated. Soul’s greatest love. Dash’s greatest love. More than you two know.

No wonder you hate me.

Yet I am so lucky that you actually want to talk to me now. Are you alone and need somepony to talk to? You choose me to tell these things to. After taking something so precious from you. I know I would hate anypony who took such a love away from me. I would hate them deeply. It’s why I’m so ashamed.

But Soul isn’t yelling at me.

No, Soul… she is smiling. At me. Why was she smiling? She did not need to. There was nothing to smile over. Being around the pony who hurt her. Blight widened her eyes. Seeing Soul extend her hoof to her. “I know you must be as sad as I am. We’ve both been so lonely, and you don’t deserve to be sad. I bet you want exactly what I want.”

I… I…

I do.

But I don’t deserve it. Not from you. Not after everything. But I so deeply want it. Find some way to earn it. Let it happen so I can finally feel what I have always wanted after so… many… countless years in the dark.

“I want a best friend too” Blight muttered.

Spots moved. Both pegasi seeing the fawn begin to wake up in Soul’s hug, gently kicking his legs and reaching up to lick the bottom of Soul’s chin. It made her smile even more. A smile she shared with him and then too Blight.

“I think you don’t need to look far, Blight.”

5.57
The entire cave lit up. Cast in the glow of a great white light shining in from outside. The glorious streaks of light blistering among the snow outside the entrance. So bright. So intense. Making Spots leap out from Soul’s grasp and walk over to the entrance before he ran out! Out into the snow beyond. Both pegasi called out after him. “Spots!”

Soul wasting no time in coming to her hooves and running out after him with Soulblight taking off behind her, keeping that violet and silver striped tail in her sights. We need to catch him. I won’t let him get hurt. She readied her black wings. No way will I let him venture out into that dangerous world. A world they both ran out into together… where Spots sat by himself. Waiting.

Cast in the same shine of white light that lit up the entire world. So bright as to rid the darkness itself. The snow glowing as it fell and even the mountains shone bright in the distance. A light he ignored as Spots looked up. Both pegasi looked up after him. Into the night sky. Soulblight stared in awe at it all. Wow.

Neither of them moved. Both watched this world above. A world where the heavens split in the lights of blues and whites streaking across the endless dark. Not even the clouds could cover it. Nothing could prevent them from seeing this marvel. I’ve never seen this before. Great streaks of light running over them. High in the stars themselves that shined as bright as them. Hundreds of them were still. Hundreds were not. Moving fast above them with their eyes watching each one fall upon the world beyond. So very far beyond. Going across the black of night to light up the horizon behind the veil of darkness. Out into another world far away from our grasps. But I know… both our worlds get to see this wonder together. Hundreds to thousands of them lighting them both up. Cast bright… from the Moon itself.

The Moon glowed. Shimmering. Wrapped in that brilliant silver light that blinded the world below. The Moon could get so beautiful? No…

I know what this is. I… I can feel it. I can feel… her.

Darkness.

5.58
The Moon was dim. Barren. Empty. With nothing but the light of its blue covering it. Nothing more and its reflection of the stars dying off with the last of them falling far and beyond. Out of sight to the world I know Soul wants to return to.

The same world another now returned to.

I hear it. I feel it. All the things I have heard about it and… how different it is. Would Soul even understand? She looked to the mare staring off into the distance beyond. I don’t know. I remember you used to think yourself no different from that pony. You are wrong. You, Soul, as I listen to that pony cry far beyond, you are nothing like her.

You don’t know the pain.

“The Moon” Soul said. Her neck craned as high as could go so she may watch its empty surface above them. Its tiny shine enough to bring a ray of blue upon them both. Both to experience together while they sat down next to Spots. Next to each other. Blight closed her eyes.

“Your princess is back.”

She could feel Soul look at her. Amazed. But it is true. Even out here, you still got to see it happen. I got to see it too. But both of them still managed to smile. Looking over at one another. Together as darkness fell upon their world once more beneath the glow of the Moon that shone so very high in the sky.

“Do you think she will have a friend to make her happy?” Blight asked. Soul looked off in the direction that the stars had fallen. Somewhere far out there.

“I think she will.”

I hope so. Because… you don’t know… what it is I feel from her.

Next Chapter: Part 2 Entwined - Act 6 Estimated time remaining: 29 Hours, 48 Minutes