7.1
How many of these sunrises did Soul witness ever since coming to this land? It’s been so many years. So many and yet… they never were something to get used to. How bleak and dreary the winter sky always was as it shadowed the glow of the Sun when it crossed over the horizon. Where the light was not out, even in the mornings. The mornings always did seem so very dreadful.

These winter conditions grew to be dreadful. No matter what season it may be, it was the same. Just a little warmer but not at all comfortable. Even having blizzards run through the land in the dead of summer. How many summers even did pass since she arrived here? She lost count long ago. Lost track of time too often. Sitting on her messy bed and staring out the window next to the door. Wondering how long this has happened. Whatever month it may be. It had to be some time in spring right now. Remembering the summer Suns that passed twice since she last saw Blight. Twice did the icy chill of winter come. When the land was so cold that it was a risk just to go outside and search for fuel for the only thing left that kept her alive. It was not the life she remembered, from before it happened… and before she arrived here.

How I miss that life. So long gone. Untold years passing. Even if just two had passed, it felt like an eternity to her building up on the long years prior. A time of nothing but disappointment and loneliness. Endless failures. Her flying proving useless much like her attempts to make things right. Finally have somepony in her life. She missed Spots. Not as much as she missed Soulblight.

Every night passing by she would hope to hear a sound letting her know everything was okay. To hear her door open while she stayed awake every single night since then. Turning and finding the black Pegasus smiling at her in the doorway. Only for it to be mist disappearing with all her hopes. Never deserving that forgiveness. Not for hurting her so much. How much she must hurt as Blight had, not once, even left her house. Only an occasional glow of candles in the night shining through those windows let her know she was still around. She never had the courage to go in and check.

Now that is all I have learned lately. How much of a coward I am. A selfish coward. A title that made her cry many nights. Her tears no longer born of her nightmares that she feared so much. Born now all because of herself. Wanting so much to go in and let Blight know how much she meant to her. Only going far enough to just knock on her door and flee after a short moment of waiting. Too scared to make things right. Even abandoning her search across the snowy wasteland which served as her only reason for leaving the village.

Soul’s wings felt too tired for her. As tired as she was. Barely able to keep her eyes open while she watched the sunrise of the morning. Wanting to sleep just to pass by another useless day. Too much of a coward to do so. Not even wanting to go outside, just stay in here and hug the Pegasus doll she held to her chest. The only companion that was left. Talk to her and cry with her for another day. Not like anything else mattered. Besides, I’ll never succeed at anything. Failing over and over when I tried to escape from here so long ago. When I failed with my friends and all the ponies I miss. With Blight.

These years that passed. They served no purpose. And all I see… is that I am no longer the Pegasus I used to be. When I lived back in… in Cloudsdale. No more.

Rainbow Dash was a winner. A success.

7.2
Looking over to the fire with weary eyes, holding her doll close, she shuddered at the sight of the fire beginning to die. Something that had happened too often and Soul just able to prevent it in time. Knowing she needed to do something about it yesterday when she started to see its flicker begin to fade. Dying down to nothing more than stray flames amid a bed of cinders berthed along the remains of her last haul. Another indication that Blight did not leave her house.

Soul had to be the one to keep her fire going.

That fire that continued to burn no matter how close it got to fading. That must be because of Blight.

She sighed. “Guess I should get going.” Looking back outside, seeing the Sun still rising. The jets of snow flurrying about. Hearing the faint howls of wind. A cold day. Evident by how cold it was inside, making Soul shiver a little before calming it by wrapping herself in her giant wings and falling beneath the covers. It would only get colder the longer she waited. Not wanting to go outside, but her fears were greater over not wanting the fire to go out.

Soul looked down at the doll she cradled, turning it up so it may face her with that stitched smile. If only I could smile too. “I’m gonna go outside for a bit. Watch the house for me?” The doll was always inclined to do so. Soul set it down atop her pillow, letting it stand atop that pillow and it didn’t fall. She jumped off the bed. Not caring to stretch, not bothering to do anything special. Just stride over slowly to the door. Dragging her hooves along, she was surprised when she struck something. Her hoof digging down into something.

Oh… that again. The black trench. Going along the length of the floor all the way to one of the corners. The other thing Blight did so long ago. Deep and thin. Good enough for the tip of her hoof to slide right in. She brought it back out and continued on her way. Leaving behind that thing. That horrible thing.

I guess I’m lucky… Blight never did any worse to me.

7.3
Soul opened the door. Greeted immediately by a blast of chilly wind running all over her. Sending chills down her spine. Her wings already coming up to cover her. Doing their best to shelter her from the cold. Mornings always were so terrible. The aftermaths of frigid nights.

She recovered. Mustering up what little courage she had to bring her wings back out so they may lift her up to the snowy land above her dark porch. The ramp that went up from the porch was gone now. Buried under snow as deep as the rest. Untended, much like her porch. Even the sofa had a sheet of snow on it. It left her feeling a little sad each time she saw it. Remembering the comfort that thing brought to her when laying on it at night. Back when the cold seemed so much more tolerable to her. Gone were those days.

Soul looked back around… the same world as always. Nothing different. This cold and empty world. Never anything to see. She only sighed and left it. Heading off into the heart of the village. Taking care not to look when she passed by Blight’s house. Keeping her head low. So low that her long mane reached down and dragged on the snow. Damn, and my wings are dragging? Soul fixed that. Bringing them back up to cover her like some sort of blanket. Her soft feathers did serve that goal well but not as good as a nice blanket… or somepony there… to hug me. How warm that felt. How much I miss that. The fire was all she had to warm her. The doll her only friend.

Soul walked past many of the village’s houses. All looking the same as the other with only varied amounts of snow burying them. Allowed to build up these past two years. With nopony left to tend to them. Soul being the only one here to even try and unearth each individual house in search for things she could use. One house she passed she recognized as the last house she cleared out. Not long ago at that. Keeping the door free up till a few days ago. She found that door now had enough snow piled in front of it to go up to her knees. No point in clearing that out. Soul and Blight gave up on that plan of keeping the village beautiful long ago. I only do it for one reason now.

7.4
She came up to that very reason. The current house serving her as source of things to burn. Its door had so much snow in front of it. A lot but not enough to keep her from walking up to the door. She pushed the door open with a slight turn of the knob. Opening up the dark room within. With the only light being what came in from the doorway. Soul’s shadow rising across the floor amid the bask of the sunlight. A good amount for her to see all the remaining boxes she left strewn on the floor. Many opened, empty. Devoid of their contents all thanks to Soul. Her last batch being a collection of old gardening equipment among stuff like empty picture frames and dishes. It makes one wonder who used to live in this village long ago. What ponies made this place their home? If only the frames had pictures in them. I wanted to see if I could find any pictures of the ponies before. Maybe even see… a family.

I always used to love seeing stuff like that. A mother and father. A sister. Friends even. Like… like the pictures I still remember at my… my past home. So long ago. Now I see, I hate remembering that. All I can do is burn those frames. Throwing them in with the wooden handles and parts of the gardening equipment she tore apart. Removing the rusty metal that fell off so easily. Equipment that told her something more about this place. About a time when this place had land that could be tended to. It broke Soul’s heart having to burn away all this remaining history of the village. Memories gone and forgotten.

Sometimes, I wonder what happened to all my stuff back in Cloudsdale. It’s been so long. I had a room. I had my own stuff. And I know there are things I’d love to see again. But would anypony ever see them? Memories to be forgotten, as was she. Does any Pegasus even remember me? Maybe they will… I don’t know. But I miss it all.

Sometimes, when I look around these houses, I wonder what may have happened to that special stuff I hid away.

All I have left… of better times. And I can’t even get to them. It won’t happen. No time soon. No… time… soon.

Soul spotted the boxes she left on the side. Sealed. Still untouched with whatever may lay inside for her to use. She walked over to them. Keeping the door open behind her so light could still shine in, and she sat down in front of the boxes. Keeping her great wings raised behind her to shield her from the wind blowing in. Chills still coming over her and making her shiver. Her wings shaking. Their muscles struggling to keep warm.

7.5
Soul grabbed hold of one box and brought it up to her face. Shaking it once then twice. It felt a little heavy and something jumbled around within. Well that was promising. She angled her head down to plant her teeth right down onto the tape sealing the box and she pulled. Piercing it with her teeth and ripping it away with such a satisfying sound. Pulling until the tape was well clear of the box and the top flaps rose freely. Like they wanted her to see what could be inside.

She opened it up. “What’s this?”

Flower vases. Several of them. Neatly stacked up inside. Ones made of ceramic. Stone even. …And wood! Oh yes, I can use these.

She set the box back down, getting rid of the stone and ceramic ones. Letting them fall to the wooden floor beside her. Keeping the wooden ones inside the box so she could carry them over to her house in it. One, two, three, four wooden ones. Big enough. Some bits of dust on them. I think these can last all day but… not good enough. I need to find more. Furniture would be nice. Something big she may tear apart. She could only settle with the little stuff. All she found in the past few houses among ones completely empty.

Soul lost her attention. Caught by something else in the box. I didn’t even see that. Only because it lay beneath all the vases. I guess I should have expected to find something like this with the vases. Rummaging inside, she was able to bring it out clasped between her hooves. Its glow so brilliant in the light of the Sun. A Sun sharing its colors. A bouquet of flowers.

Several stems tied together with a little band. Their green stems propping up the shine of a series of Suns held atop them. Orange and red mixed flowers. Little bulbs within them on thin strands, their petals gorgeous and flowing. I don’t really know anything about flowers but I think I recognize these. Aren’t these blossoms? Yeah that was it.

They look so beautiful. Feeling her hooves over the stems and up to the soft petals. They feel so weird. They’re fake. Decorative ones. How sad for somepony to have left them here. Whoever had them probably liked to make their house look nice. Maybe like some sort of reminder of the beauty of the land they once lived in. Gone forever to the snow. Give them some sense of happiness on lonely nights as it kind of doing for Soul. Soul felt a little warmer seeing these flowers. Like… like Blight did.

Orange and red flowers. That little dream you told me… I think I get what you meant, Blight. All those years ago. It was small, probably not at all like what Blight experienced, but these flowers do mean something. The only beautiful thing I’ve seen in this shithole for years. Hard to put a hoof to it, but she felt her heart flutter a little seeing these. Brightest colors in the land.

She set the flowers down in her lap. “I think I can find some use for you guys.”

7.6
Another box, another set of junk. Soul doing the same thing to each one she pulled over to her. Ripping them open and seeing what it had inside. Not finding anything as unique as the flowers she found. Just more stuff to burn, thankfully. Another box of vases, wooden bowls and plates, books so old that when she skimmed them in hopes of finding something interesting she found that the words had been faded to nonexistence. Completely unreadable. More stuff to burn anyways alongside some papers and tools.

Drawers pulled out of a desk and left hidden away. She threw aside all the stuff she could not use, keeping the rest tucked away in their boxes to be left for later. Another box she ripped open. Feeling another blast of cold wind come in and making her shiver. Like the weather itself was telling her to hurry up. Fine, last one then.

Soul pulled the flaps open just to find even more dishes made entirely of wood and some of porcelain. She just threw the brightly colored ones aside. Leaving just the wooden ones inside, finding something else underneath them. Oh wow!

She shifted the dishes around to get at it. Is this…? What in the hell? It really is.

A racquet.

Made entirely of wood with a thin netting webbing the inner ring at the top of its handle. Just like the ones the other kids would play with at home. Pegasi just preferred to fly while doing it. I used to see how they all played this. Never had a set for myself but I did sometimes want to try it. I wonder if Dashie has any. I never asked her. But if she did, would she play with me? I think she would have… long ago. Those were much happier times. It actually made her smile a little. Oh… the times we used to play together. There were even three more racquets just like the first one. Like a set for a family, and under those three was something else.

Soul cocked her head. Pushing aside the stuff covering it so she could grab hold of it. Setting her hooves upon its red surface and puling it out. The thing just dangling down from her hooves. What is this thing? Soul turned it all around. It had a bunch of patterns on it. All around the round shape. The little nozzle jutting out from its side.

This… this is a ball. Deflated completely. I guess it’s for the racquets? Soul glanced over at them. No, this ball is huge. She stared at it. It’s as big as my head. Oh… it’s a kickball. I see now. There was a day when I saw some kids playing with one. Kicking it all over the place and trying to get it from one another. Damn, another thing. I wish Dash was here right now. So many things we could do together. I just know you would accept my apology, …right? You would, right? Then we can play together. Because I hate just having myself. As much as she wanted the doll to serve more. She really was all by herself.

Seeing this ball. How sad it looked. How lonely it was to not have anypony to play with it for years. It made her sad. Surely it must have seen better times, just like me. Well, I’m here now. I can give a good home for it. Hopefully, you won’t be so lonely anymore. Even if I want there to be another pony who will play with me. She sighed. Something… different.
Not a bad haul today.

7.7
The fire crackled followed by a pop when the wood broke apart along the length of the vases Soul threw in. Each of them quickly covered up in a sea of flames. Bursting and roaring, already getting warmer in here. Quickly getting rid of her shivers. The house really did feel colder than it did when she left it. So great that was changing now. Soul hovered above the fireplace. Happy to see her efforts paid off. But not enough yet. It needed to be kept going for a while.

She flew back over to where she left the boxes filled with her haul. Coming down to grab hold of a good number of those dishes in between her legs. Hugging them close to her chest so as not to drop them while flying them over to the fire. Throwing those in too. Feeding it more. One bowl missed it. Bouncing right off the burning pile. Just short of falling out and onto the carpet with its cinders. Stopped thanks to the little rising of stone in the entrance to the fireplace. Serving its purpose. But now that bowl was not even in the fire. Stupid thing.

She landed close to the entrance. Very close. A bit uneasy to be this close to the roaring flames and how hot they were. Too hot no matter how cold she may be. She could even feel sweat beginning to run down her muzzle. Just get it back in there. She looked over it, finding a decent area lacking any flames or cinder. Good for her to place the tip of her hoof against it. Reaching right into the fireplace and all its heat. So very hot. I’ve never been this close to fire before. Come on, just do it quick. Gently pushing the bowl back in, slow to be sure when it was becoming too hot for her hoof. She gave it a quick push. Sending the bowl sliding right back into the midst of the flames. Disappearing inside of it.

Thank Celestia. That has to be a good amount now, enough to keep it going till night fell. Then she had even more stuff tucked away in the boxes ready to go. Except one thing. Soul came back over to those boxes where she left the deflated ball sitting draped along the top of one of them.

7.8
It looked like it could give her something to do. I can have some fun with it. A little thing she lacked a lot of in her life now. But really, what to even do with it? I really don’t know. This is why I wish I had somepony to play with.

It had a little nozzle on it. A dusty little thing that she wiped off with her hoof. Holding it up to her mouth between both forehooves. Falling to her rear as she picked it up. It would suck if this thing had any holes in it. She had checked it over twice now and found no problems. Still, it would suck if one was hidden. A little surprise for her to find out. Damn it. I need to stop thinking that. It will work. The nozzle went in between her lips and she blew. Taking steady breaths and blowing in slowly. Watching it come to life before her. So it was working. Actually inflating. Wow. This really is like a ball I would see back home. Like this was a relic of the past. My past. This is something that belongs to a normal life. Not this life. This life of not being able to eat, sleep well, play or have fun. Have any friends. But this was a good glimpse.

Filling it up completely, she sealed the nozzle quickly. Holding it atop her hoof. Perfect. Incredible. It’s like… like I am seeing something so normal now. It’s right on my hoof. Just a normal ball. Red with lots of white stars all over it. This is something I could do little competitions with. Haha, I wish I had found something like this long ago. Oh how I miss the old times.

Soul let it go from her hoof, dropping it down between her legs and surprised at how it bounced right back up to her with a rather adorable sound to her. Going right back down and repeating the process again. Slowing down and stopping when Soul placed her hooves down on it. Holding it firmly to the floor. It was kind of fun to watch it do that. Really bouncy, maybe good for smacking it back and forth… between two ponies. Like with the racquets, just bigger. See who may be first to miss it. How… annoying.

Soul turned back to the Pegasus doll she left standing on her pillow. “I don’t suppose you wanna play with me.” It just smiled. Of course not.

7.9
Soul brought the ball over to the bed with her. Sitting down against the frame, holding the ball under her foreleg and sighing. Tired eyes set on the empty wall. This empty house. Just how very lonely this all was. If only there was somepony on the other side, staring back at her. Play a game with me. Two years going by so slow with no fun. Nothing to make her smile. I bet things would be so much better if somepony had been there all this time. Having friends who were willing to even be around her. I never even got a year with a friend. So few ponies in my life. Even fewer now. None to play with.

It’s so strange. Why do I even feel like this now? I was starting to think this ball would make me feel better but the damn thing is only making me feel worse. It only made her more sad. Just remembering all the truth in the world. Of how lonely she was. It’s all just like long ago. When I was alone… in that box. In that dark alley. Things really have not changed. And I’m a mare now! What is wrong with me? All because nopony ever gives me a chance.

They always left me.

Is that why I can only play with myself? Because I make it that way. Damn this thing! She tossed it at the wall. Oh crap! It came right back at her. Quickly and filling her vision in red. She raised her hooves. Nothing.

She heard it. The red ball striking the bed frame itself. Landing right next to her. Well out of reach of her hooves. Bouncing a few times in place before it rolled itself back over to her. Coming to a rest against her thigh. The red of its exterior joining with the red hearts of her cutie mark.

7.10
Soul glanced down at it. Sadly watching the poor thing stutter and lose steam. Staring at it. It really is just like I remember these things to be like. What is wrong with me? I shouldn’t be so scared of the thing. And… I even thought it was going to hit me. I should be better than that. Her legs feeling as tired as her wings. As tired as she was. Even now she only wanted to just go back into her bed and lay down. Watch the Sun pass by outside with her memories being all to accompany her. Hold that doll. Even though I wish it was somepony else. But it will always be a damn doll. These days are just so meaningless now. Everything was meaningless.

Here she was, she saw herself. A magenta Pegasus with yellow eyes sitting against the bed in the mirror she looked off to. That’s not even the Pegasus she had seen in that mirror before. Her eyes going over the dark patch dried in the carpet by that very mirror. Back then… which Pegasus is more pathetic? Me back then or me now?

Two years like this. I’ve been doing this for two years. Two! I just want to... she slammed her hoof hard into the side of the bed she lay against. Looking away from herself in the mirror and down to her own cutie mark. I am so mad at myself. Seeing all this pain I put myself in. All because I make ponies want to leave me. And that’s the same pain that… that almost made me do that... She glanced back to the patches in the carpet. Can’t even look at that for more than a second.

Now I got a second chance from that and I am doing this! Why even get a second chance if it led to nothing? She hit the bed again. Feeling it shake behind her. Might as well break the thing. I bet this damn bed hates I got that second chance. Then I wouldn’t be hitting it. I should have never gotten a second chance. All I did with it was… hurt Blight.

Soulblight, you’re the one who gave me this chance. Why? Why did she do this? Why do you care for me?

7.11
Soul rubbed her thigh. This cutie mark. What may it be like to never know it? Never to know what it meant. It was a miracle I even got it out here. I would have never got it if not for what Blight did for me. And I want to do the same for her. I want to see what beautiful mark could be on that black fur someday. Whatever it will be and all the happiness it brings. When Blight discovers her talent. When I can finally know my talent. A good one. Something that will make me feel good. Just like when I became an excellent flyer. As good as it is to know I have a power that no other Pegasus can get. These wings.

Her hoof going up along her side and caressing the feathers. How weak they felt now. Why did I do this? Soul wanted to cry. My gorgeous and strong wings. So long did they miss the feeling of intense flying. How lonely and bored did they feel. I haven’t kissed them in so long. I haven’t told them how important they are to me. Keeping them locked in this house with me. Were they even strong anymore? Years of building them up. So much work and sweat. So much pain. To make them as large as they were now. I love them so much. They are who I am. These wings. Beautiful and delicate, hiding how strong they really were when given a chance. How much happiness they could give. Given so much time to make them better and I failed them.

I failed myself.

“Why did I give up?!” Soul put her face right down into her hooves. Holding herself so tightly. Hiding the world from her and wrapping herself in darkness. “I’m so lonely. All because of myself.” All I can do is blame what I did. I was given everything to make a better chance for myself. A new chance. I got these wings because of that second chance. Throwing it all away. That’s twice I’ve thrown it away. Twice that I’ve thrown away all that another pony does for me. Another pony who needs me. Even if that pony may hate me, I still want to try and show them how much I appreciate what they did for me. At least show that I am still that Pegasus that I used to be.

Do that.

Because I adore the pony who did it for me. Soulblight.

Hidden in her home, as alone as I am. I won’t let it go on. I need to be strong for her. Strong enough to get through these terrible and boring days, for what? For no reason, now. Nope. I wasted these days. This gift that Blight gave to me. A gift that Blight put so much into and all I did was spit on it.

I need to be strong for her… and for Dash.

That’s what I want, anyways. I want to make them happy. I know it. Since I was a kid. I always wanted to make others happy. Now… it’s your turn, Blight. You gave me this second chance.

The ball! Soul grabbed it. Standing up with it held firmly under her leg. I’m gonna be a better pony.

She ran off, ball held against her, careening through the door and rushing off to the snowy world outside.

7.12
Here we go again.

I say that every time. Same thing. Always when I try to see how she’s doing. Standing in front of her door like she did now. Bare and revealed. Not much trace of snow blocking it, as if somepony did a good job of keeping it cleared. Blight has to be the one doing that even if I never see hero outside. Well it made things easier for her. Being able to step right up to the doorway was a luxury hard to do with all the other houses.

Soul leaned in to step into the clearing of snow, stumbling a little over the mounds left about around it before she reached solid ground or whatever it was underneath the layer of snow before the doorway. Soul set the ball down. Keeping it in place under her hoof and just listening. Waiting. This should not be so hard. But it always was. Well, I’m doing better than normal. I haven’t run off yet. Just walk right up. But it’s kind of scary to think about knocking on it. I hate being so afraid.

Soulblight is a good pony. She helped so much and did so much for me. Be a little more comfortable than this. Don’t be so afraid. But it still made it no better. There is no way to tell… if another chair will try to hit me. If the black Pegasus would even show forgiveness after all this time. If she still wants me gone. Just like she told me to do two years ago.

But that is the same Pegasus who flew with me. The one with the most sweetest smile ever. Even were it so rare. Just good enough to know Soul was the one who made it happen when it did. Blight deserved it for all she did.

Soul lifted a hoof up. Listening closely and watching the door that she brought that hoof closer to. Bringing it to a stop just a hair’s length from striking. It was silent inside. Soul heard nothing. Saw nothing to give any form of life to this house, as dead as the village. As the land. It really must be terrible. Being inside this house, in silence with nopony to talk to. Nothing to do. …Just like me. It pained her. And I really let this go on for two years. I left Blight all alone for two years. Such an idiot.

Will she even forgive me?

Soul heard a faint knock.

7.13
She looked up.

Damn it, why did I hit the door!? Finding her hoof right on it. Making her reel it right back. Spacing out like that. I did not even think. Ah man, I didn’t try to stop myself… and that knock. It must have been loud enough. Too late now.

Knock again. Knock on it. Just do it. Bringing her hoof back to bare. I won’t run away again and Blight will see I really am the pony she can rely on. She exhaled deeply. Firmly bringing herself back and ready to do what she needed to do. Soulblight needed a friend and she needed Soulblight. For some fun, like old times. Before this and before the fighting. How long ago that really was. When this leg she held up was as thin as a twig.

Soul knocked on the door again. Louder this time. Just to let the pony inside know she was still here. Not good enough. Do more. Don’t be afraid of failing at this again. She was pushing herself on. Easy, just talk to her. That was easy because I know Soulblight. She is a pony I can trust after all the good things she did. “B-b-b-blight.” Soul cursed herself. Really? I know what to say and what to do. I was preparing for this and everything. And I stutter. Wow. No doubt an amusing thing for the Pegasus inside or maybe something bad. She probably thinks I’m afraid. Not far from the truth. No matter how much she pushed herself, she found it hard not to be afraid. A terrible impression.

Soul cleared her throat. “Blight, are you in there?” Good, no stutter. “I wanted to know if you… wanted to play with me.” Soul gave the ball a gentle nudge to knock it into the door with a subtle tap and it rolled right back to her. Like a diligent pet coming to a rest against her legs. “Like old times, right?” Soul smiled. Smiled at the door. As if anything could see her. I actually did it. Even after what you did, Blight, I still am not gonna give up on you. Just waiting there for a response, nothing else came to mind. Not like the old days when I always had something so great to say to Blight. Freak. That was a good one. I always was so nice. She sighed. I wonder if Blight thinks that about me. Right now. Am I a freak? I act like such an idiot around ponies. On top of being a jerk to Blight. Just how timid and fearful she was right now, impossible to mask, just shows that I’m not a strong Pegasus and just a weirdo who is afraid of the pony who saved her.

I used to call her that same thing. It must have been hurtful. Really making Blight hate her more. Something she regretted and it seemed to be the case. The wind blew by.

“Blight?” Still no answer. Could it be she was gone? Left a long time ago and I don’t even know? No. Soul shook her head. Get rid of those thoughts. That would be terrible. Blight was here. She had to be. That… that would be so terrible if she left. Knowing she was the one who drove a pony off. Well, …another pony at that. One that became so meaningful to her. Just like another pony I know. And it would hurt… I hate to think you would be gone too.

That silence in there. Soulblight was still angry. Angry because I left her alone for so long. She did not deserve that feeling. Anger and pain, it is so painful to think such a good Pegasus always felt those now. “Answer me, Blight” Soul muttered. She hated how she sounded. Like her voice changed in an instant. Like a defeated filly crying for her mother. But she really was sad. Thinking over it all, sad for what was happening to both of them. “I’m worried about you.”

7.14
The silence was agonizing. As was seeing how the door did not open to her pleas. Her impatience really getting the better of her as was her fear of whatever Blight may be going through. “Blight.” Soul groaned pathetically. Really not wanting to stay here waiting with no idea on what to do. Soul stood up. The windows were still free. One of which sitting to her right not far from the door. I need to see. The chance they could see one another. I want to see her. She’ll see too. I’m not gonna give up on her and leave her alone in this house.

Soul lifted herself back up into the air, keeping the ball held between her hooves. Her wings carrying them to the window where she leaned against. Standing on her hind legs, able to see within. It sure had been a long time since she looked in. Surprising to her to find it looking the same as she remembered. The bed was almost right in front of the window. One of the few things inside she actually could fully pick out. Much too dark in there. The sunlight just managing to creep in and illuminate some of what lay within but not what she wanted to see. No sign of her.

Soul looked off to the left. Oh no. Don’t panic. She felt herself begin to tremble. Looking all over trying to pick out the faintest hint of the pony inside. Every angle gave much of the same. No. She looked to the bed again. Maybe she was sleeping? Some way she found to be able to hide herself under the blankets. No, it looked firm. No bumps or wrinkles in the purple blanket laying over the mattress inside. Maybe she was hiding. Going over every bit of the room and finding nothing changed. There was no Soulblight. She was not in there.

“No” she whispered. Blight did leave. Here I was really thinking she was still with me all these years. Still able to put up with her presence in this village. Wishful thinking. Am I really that insufferable? Not even Soulblight, a pony who cared so much for me, wanted anything more to do with me. Not after how bad of a pony I proved myself to be. No, I need to find her. I can’t let this happen. I’m not going to have another bad memory. Fly out and find her. Let Blight know I’m sorry. It will work out. It must work out. Yes.

Soul’s wings flurried hard against her shaking back, ready to take her off. Already breathing so hard as her heart pounded against her chest. Her wings buzzing hard behind her. Soul pushed herself off the wall and back on the ground. Gotta get into the air. Find her and beg her to come back to me.

She turned around to face the open plains of snow… seeing darkness.

7.15
Soul shrieked.

Oh my…! Is that Soulbl…? She groaned when she fell down upon her back. All the grey clouds and the snow they let go falling right down onto her face. Buried in the snow chilling her back. Her wings still beating and then finally slowing down, and it all came to her.

The black Pegasus. Oh my Celestia… she scared me. Soul lifted a hoof to her cheek. It felt warm. Am I blushing? Or… maybe because I’m so happy to see her. The black Pegasus standing over her. Looking down on her with those dragon eyes. Soul almost did not recognize her. It had been too long. Much too long and this is what I do to greet her. Soul curled her legs up. Still rubbing her cheek to try and clear up her blush.

Face to face, but I am… so afraid. Feeling her entire body shaking. Terrified. Blight… you scared me so much and… I didn’t even know it. So scared to never see those eyes again. …And she came back to me. No matter how much terror there was that ran through her and made her shake, all that panic, there was still something.

She was happy.

“Are you okay?” Soulblight asked her from above. More than okay. You really have no idea, Blight.

It’s been so long since I heard your sweet voice. Two years feel so long. I finally am hearing her talk to me. “Y-yes” Soul said. Relieved her wings had settled down. Just able to lay there and look up at Blight. Aww man, but… Blight didn’t have her sweet smile. She only frowned. Every bit of her face indicating to Soul that she was not the happy Pegasus she remembered after they flew. Is she not happy to see me? No, that can’t be. She actually came out to talk to me. Maybe she wants to play.

“I heard what you said” Blight said. She looked off to something above Soul’s head. Soul following her to the ball laying in the snow right against her mane. “You want to play?”

Soul nodded.

7.16
She rolled around back onto her belly. Able to stand up now, face to face with Blight. I would smile if… if only you would smile. Her displeased face letting Soul go. Didn’t do anything to ruin how great it was to see her again. So close to her. Again. Just like we did before she yelled at me. It does feel almost like nothing happened. I’m so happy to see you. But I just wish you felt the same.

We didn’t leave each other.

I was stupid to think she left. No, not after all she did for me. She… she would never. Soulblight is not like the others, and she actually wants to play with me. Soulblight looked back at the ball and then at her. “What did you want to play?” Please don’t think it’s so boring. I know it isn’t the best thing to do for our first time together again. Not even close. Hell, if it were possible, I’d totally jump on you and hug you. Maybe the black Pegasus would like that and even return her hug. She heard a sharp breath come out from her. Times like that were so few for her. So rare. Not even enough for her to remember what it was like. Having to settle with something like this.

Soul reached back to bring the ball over to sit between both pegasi. …She smiled. Soul felt herself smiling. Was this really happening? It did sound trivial at first, but we are actually going to play together again. Her smile, as little as it was, brought nothing out from Blight who just stared down at the red ball.

“You wanna pass it around?” Soul asked. Blight grunted. Almost like she didn’t want to. That wasn’t the case at all. The mare nodded. “Sure.” Alright. That’s great. She wants to do things with me again. Just like old times. Truly a great pony to be so forgiving. Most ponies would have left by now not wanting to deal with me.

She grabbed hold of the ball and walked off to the open area between her house and Blight’s. Big enough for the two. Soul looking back to be sure Blight was following. She was. Right on her tail, eyes going around the village and coming back to Soul almost the moment Soul looked back. Following her the entire way even up to the point where Soul took her position. Patiently waiting for Soul to say something. It was a little funny to her. Soulblight must not know how this works.

Soul pointed her hoof back to Blight’s house. “You can stand over there, and I’ll be here.” Blight looked a little puzzled glancing back at her house. Accepting the instruction anyways. “Alright.” She turned back and walked over to her house. Soul widened her eyes. No way. Blight just… she actually glanced back at Soul. Just for a split second but those dragon eyes came back to meet hers. Like she was watching Soul. What does that mean?

Blight did nothing more for her, just walking on back to her house, …walking… sadly even. Occasionally dragging her hooves. Oh, poor girl. I feel so bad for her. I thought you would be angry. But you seem so sad. Even the first few words she spoke came out so solemn before returning to normal. “So… we are simply passing the ball between us?”

7.17
“Uh…” Soul cleared her mind. Let’s just focus on this right now. Blight wanted to play and that was something. A good break in the loneliness with a little game. Even if Blight didn’t know how to do it. “We’ll toss it at each other” Soul explained. “Keep going till one of us doesn’t stop the ball in time.” A nice competition. I think Blight will win. I… I’ve not been on my game lately… in anything. Whatever. As long as Blight had fun.

“So don’t allow it to pass me, essentially?” Blight asked.

“Yes.”

Blight nodded her approval. Readying herself a short distance away from where Soul stood. Eyes firmly set on the ball Soul held up on her hoof. So she’s probably going to use her magic to do this. If she is then that means I can use my wings. Both of those wings felt great actually. Like life breathed into them anew. Both held aloft and ready to fly.

Soul grabbed hold of the ball and reeled back as far as she could, looking around Blight for a good place to aim it. Over her head. Sure. Soul threw it. Watching the ball fly through the air not too fast. Slowing down thanks to how light it was. Even the wind started to effect it but it still managed to fly in close to where Soul aimed. A trajectory Blight followed perfectly. Showing she was not rusty with her magic unlike Soul with her wings, when a lance of black came straight out of nowhere. Like it came from behind Blight to curve up and strike the ball just as it went above her head, sending it right back at Soul. A rather gentle strike despite how she did it.

The ball came back just as fast as it had been going. Soul kept her eye on it. Definitely going to a point well out of her reach. Her wings came to life. Soul shot up to it, quickly closing the distance until the ball was right in her face. Hitting it right back with a swat of her hoof. Soulblight did the same as she did. Her dragon eyes kept glued to everywhere the ball went and her magic working its wonders sending it right back for Soul to do the same with her wings in kind.

How many times now did they pass it? This had to be like a dozen times now right when Soul hit it back again. It felt good. Letting herself smile with how great it was to move around like this. A real purpose to do it. Darting up, down and all around the width of her house doing well to prevent the ball from flying past her and striking that wall. Pinpoint perfect. Going on for a while. I can’t even get it past her. She can’t even get it past me. Looks like I’m not that rusty. I can still tell where that ball is going. I can still feel that drive I always had when I flew. Exhilarating.

7.18
Her eyes never left the ball… except for a moment. Blight. Blight was not even paying attention anymore. Her eyes no longer cared for the ball and just looking down at the snow below. Rubbing her hoof along it.

She is no better than when we started. She isn’t even having fun. Just smacking the damn things back at me anyways. That magic going out on its own as if they were the thing paying attention to Soul’s attempts if she did not know better. Still able to track the ball like that. Soul would feel outright amazed if this display was not telling her a little thing about their situation. Soulblight was not having fun.

She still was troubled. It has to be about me. I know I’m not a great pony to be around. Why was she even doing this then? I’m not forcing her to play. She could leave. Speak out against doing any of this with her. Soul’s entire spirits plummeted. Just going on with it. Watching here and there for what the ball did and reacting to it.

So this really was just a waste of time. Really, what can I do to make this right? Even just wanting to hang out together wasn’t working. Nothing was working. Nothing ever worked. It’d be nice to have Rainbow Dash here right now to help me figure out what I can do. She was such a natural at showing ponies a good time. She always had something great in store for us. Soul just couldn’t fill that role for Blight. So why even do this? Even if it was nice to see the black Pegasus again. But not able to see that adorable smile again. Not earn it again. I can tell… now I don’t even feel good playing this anymore.

The ball flew at her… so slowly. She struck it. Going right at Blight’s face.

Oh no.

The ball stopped. Just moments from flying through Blight. Held aloft by a layer of black mist.

Holding it. We aren’t supposed to do that. Blight did not send it back to her. Instead, the ball fell to the ground. Bounced in place a couple times before coming to a rest at Blight’s hooves, and she sighed.

7.19
So she must have had enough and here it came. I guess she’s about to start yelling at me. Or ask why we are even doing this. I don’t even have an answer for that. Not one she would likely care to hear. I did it to help Blight feel better and show her we can still have fun together. Didn’t work in the end. Maybe I should just go back home. Go back to being alone and… and cry this all away. It pained her heart to think of doing that again. Her wings did nothing to make that happen. Keeping her held aloft. She wanted them to fly away. They would not. Not even budge. All Soul could do was stare down at the black mare.

No longer caring about the ball or even if Blight was just using this as a ruse to get an advantage on her. The ball never came. Looked like their game was over much to Soul’s disappointment. Not lasting long at all. Not as long as she wished. Probably longer than what Blight wished. But the black Pegasus didn’t do anything. Just waiting there. That beautiful Pegasus stood glancing up and watching the wind fly past both of them. Just subtle movements of her body. A twitch of her ears. Her eyes flickering. I see it all. Maybe it is time.

She landed back down on the ground. I should just let her have more time for herself. I need to just tell her that. I’ll tell her I’m going back inside. And to say that I’m sorry. I should apologize for everything. Those words almost came out. Her mouth opened but her voice did not speak.

Soulblight spoke.

“Soul, I’m sorry.” That was what froze the magenta Pegasus. Soul stayed put. Looking off to the plains of snow, stopping any attempt of hers to walk away. Baffled. She really did just hear that. “What?” Soul asked. She was sorry, I’m the one who should be sorry. Blight looked so desperate right now. Coming closer to Soul. Slumping her head down hidden behind her mane. True shame.

“Please” Blight whispered. “Don’t make this any harder. I should not have yelled at you. It was my fault that Spots left.” How could it be her fault? Blight was an extraordinary caretaker for the fawn. Easy to tell by how happy Spots was around her. It was my fault for not finding him. Never being able to find him. The poor thing wandered off and got lost and I failed to find him. Failing at something else so early. Just a day after pledging herself to help care for him and she already botched it up.

No, I should be yelled at.

7.20
“Don’t be hard on yourself” Soul said. “It was my fault for not being able to find him. I should have been the one to help you care for him and I let you down.” Soul’s own head went down as well. It always hurt to say things like this. Anything was worth it just to make Soulblight feel better. Because after all the nice things she did, she should not feel upset. Not anymore.

“What are you saying?” Blight asked. “You did nothing wrong. It was my fault.” Oh shut it. Soul shook her head. I just want her to listen to me. Soulblight had different plans. She was the one who did something. Getting right into Soul’s face. Making her step back with that shadow coming over her. Forced to listen. Too afraid to say anything with this Pegasus standing tall over her. Blight raised her voice. “Were you thinking it was your fault this whole time? I was the one who was to care for him. I decided to become his mother, and I was the one he left. Soul, …he left because he did not like me. It had nothing to do with you.”

No way. I don’t believe it. Spots would not leave because of Blight. She did a great job of caring for him and was such a sweet pony. Sure she was a little off at times, not enough to scare away one who loved her as much as Spots did. Blight was his friend, his family and she made sure he knew that. How terrible for Blight to think such a thing. It almost made her stomach churn, and Blight just kept going with it.

“I was not good enough for him. He knew I was not a good pony. So he left.”

“But… Blight.”

“Get it through your head.” Blight said closing her face in on Soul. “You did nothing wrong. It was all because of me… and I took it out on you. …Oh, Soul…” She turned her head away. Reeling back so quick, too quick for Soul to recover from such a confrontation, and she almost fell backwards.

Blight actually ran off a few steps. Refusing to look back at her. Shaking her head and whimpering. What? What is wrong? Soul stood back up. I need to make her feel better. None of this is right. Blight was not a bad pony. I like her. Spots did too. Even when I was afraid to talk to her, I still liked her just as much as I did before she yelled at me. Knowing that was not who she was. That Blight was just troubled for losing her beloved friend that she saw as a son. Troubled all this time.

I feel terrible. I really did leave her like this for two years. Never trying to let her know everything was alright. All because I was a coward. No.

I made up my mind.

7.21
Soul stepped up. I’m not going to cower anymore. That’s not who I vowed to be. I am stronger than this and was strong before. I need to be the strong one. Right now, even as Blight began to cry in front of her. Whispering to herself like Soul was not even there to hear her. “I miss you, Spots.”

“I don’t think he left because of you” Soul said trying to get her attention. “He had his reasons but none of them involved him not liking you. Spots loved you.” “Then why did he leave me?” Blight cried. Not even bothering to turn around with Soul right on her tail. “Spots was not going to stay forever. He has a life out there, and you were the one who made sure he got it.”

Soul walked over to her side. Standing next to her. Happy to see Blight did nothing to avoid her. Her teary eyes kept forward. Looking out at the snowy emptiness beyond. I’m not so sure what I’m saying is true but… I do know a thing or two about animals like Spots. They are just like us… but… that also means that they always will remember and love the ones who cared for them. Like me.

Somewhere out there, he is happy for what Blight did for him.

“Wherever he is, I bet he misses you, and he still loves you. Nopony could ever hate the one who cared for them.” Blight sniffed. Her head came round and gently lowered itself close to Soul. Coming so close to rubbing against her chest with her cheek. Perhaps that was what she wanted to do. Like how we used to be. But… I was the one who wanted to rest my head on you… when I was a filly. I looked up to you and wanted you to help me… even for a short time. Now, looks like you are the one who needs that help. Just like Spots once needed from you.

“Were you mad at me for… for attacking you?”

I was more terrified than mad. But understanding now of why it happened. In truth I deserve it now more than ever. I was such an idiot leaving you like this for so long. After that, I need a good clobbering over my head. But she could not tell Blight that. Not how scary she had been to her. “I understand why you did it. I… am also one to throw a fit when… well when bad things happen to me” Soul assured her.

Blight came closer. Almost rubbing her entire body now against Soul’s.

“I’m sorry” she muttered.

“It’s alright. I’m just relieved you’re okay.”

7.22
Blight wiped her tears off. Taking a deep breath and standing up straight again. Trying so hard to make it like she never was crying. A cute ruse. I like that about her. She still likes to see herself as the adult here, like she always used to do. Covering up how she felt. Even sounding a little more like herself. “So you were worried about me this whole time?”

Oh so she did hear that. Yeah, I have been and… now I feel even worse about you. Damn, you were all alone like this. Soul nodded. “Do you feel better?” Soul asked. Then she saw it. That little thing she missed seeing since when they last flew together. It sprouted right up. Soulblight smiled. So small but way too sweet. It even looked like her eyes wanted to start crying again. She was so bad at putting up these strong pony displays. I like to see her be strong and all, but sometime… just stop trying to act so invincible, Blight. Just like me. I’m not invincible too.

“I do.” Blight smiled on, coming a little closer. That’s good. If I could, I’d put a leg around her right now and hold her close. She could only settle with helping to close the gap. That gap formed for so long and so quickly bridged. It was a miracle to her. I’ve never seen a pony able to forgive me so well. Able to look past the stupid things I do. All the bad things we went through in the past. Blight is something else. That’s why I want to be the one to take care of her. Not just her taking care of me anymore.

“It’s gonna be okay, …you sweetheart.” Soul hoped that Blight noticed that little thing she added off the top of her head. That beautiful title that same black Pegasus put on her long ago. It fit well with Blight as well. Because she was a true sweetheart. I wish I could tell how Blight felt right now. If everything was truly better. If all that pain was starting to feel better now. Well, that’s not my talent. If only my cutie mark meant I could read minds or something. But I think I can tell she is feeling a little happier. It left her happy as well.

“I was worried about you as well” Blight said in a line that really made Soul happy. She went back and smiled at Soul. “You little sweetheart.” She… called me a sweetheart? It sounds just like how she used to say it. Did… did that mean… she wasn’t mad? Not anymore? It’s too good to be true.

I… I feel like we are back to how we used to be.

I’m so happy now. Almost breaking down right on the spot. Was Blight the same way? Does she think we can be back to how we used to be long ago?

“Oh…” Soul managed to squeak. “Don’t be worried about me.” They stood there together. Waiting in that falling snow. I’ve got nothing more to say. Nothing. I’m… proud of myself. Blight is smiling again. I made another pony happy. She deserves it after all the great things she did for me. I missed feeling like a pony likes me.

7.23
Blight sighed. “It’s a beautiful day today, huh?” Sure is. A day like this… it can’t be any more beautiful now. No matter how cold it was, or how much she complained about it to herself, she still admitted it. “Yeah…” Weird that Blight even brought that up. Screw the weather. It’s not even that great. I just would like to go inside with Blight and spend the whole day with her.

…Or maybe… does she want to fly with me?!

That had to be why she was changing the subject. How exciting. Blight must have warmed up to that passion. I knew a Pegasus like her couldn’t resist it. It made her ask Blight “Do you wanna fly with me today?” Soulblight shook her head.

What? Oh come on, does this have to do with how it was the first time we flew together? Not this time. Just a nice flight. She was about to point this out before she found herself face to face with the bottom of Blight’s black hoof pointing right at her. “I think you should go flying” she commanded. “Huh? But why?” It made no sense. We can do things together, why do you want to send me off? Soulblight glanced down past Soul to look at what she guessed were her wings. My wings. How weak they felt now. Devoid of practice for so long. Oh no.

…She didn’t.

“Looks like you need to practice, …you slacker.” She did. So she can see I’ve put nothing into them for a while. A little thing she was not at all happy about. Terrible to have it pointed out. Felt like she was naked right now. Nothing capable of being hidden. Really, I am so stupid neglecting them for so long. But that was no problem right now. Soul pushed the point further.

“How about you practice with me? Or… you could just come along. I can show you some of my sweet moves.” Soul couldn’t hide that she was just making excuses now. Blight putting her hoof right back in Soul’s face again to stop her, and it worked. Blight giggled. “You’re pretty funny” she said. “Looks like you’re going to force my hoof.” She brought that hoof back down. Still smiling at her… and her tail was wagging.

What… so she was still happy. This is ridiculous. Let me stay.

“Just go and train for a little bit, …I… well I have a surprise for you. Just give me some time.”

A surprise? Is she actually… no way. There is no way she has something for me. It’s just like… what a friend would do. What could it be? Soul’s mind went wild with ideas of whatever Blight may be cooking up. Maybe she had a game planned and needed to set it up. She has something in her house for me? Fix it up perhaps. Or maybe… Soul gasped! She knows a way we can get out of here!

It left Soul as giddy as a filly. “A surprise!? Really?” Well if you insist! Soul flew up into the air. “How much time do you need?” Soul asked flying right over to hover in front of Blight. Her wings just as excited as she was with their strong flaps sending out huge gusts of snow. Blight laughed at her. Come on, tell me. You just made my day by telling me this.

“Just a few hours maybe. Trust me, you will love it.” That’s all I need to hear. Blight wants to still make me happy and care for me.

Does this mean we’re friends now?!

Don’t question her. Just go along with it and do as she says. Soul lifted herself off to hover right above the village. Still in earshot of Blight. “I’ll be back then. I promise you!” Able to see Blight there waving up at her and smiling.

“See you soon… and…. thank you.”

7.24
Blight watched Soul fly off into the grey sky. Continuing to watch until she was nothing but a speck cutting across the sky off towards the mountains. Not taking any time at all. Well, at least she was still fast despite slacking on her training. She had better not come back too soon and ruin the surprise. Especially with how excited Soul did look.

So cute. Just like a kid again. I will treat that kid well. For everything she did.

Today, I am so happy to do this. All that happened.

Soul likes me?

I rarely hear such kind words. Never. Maybe she was right. Spots never did leave me because he hates me. It sounded like a nice idea. I… I love that idea. After all these terrible months. …And Soul never left me either. She had years to and she just stayed here… because she… she was worried about me. Soulblight thought long and hard on it. I’ve never known what it’s like but… this must be what a friend would do. That friend that was Soul.

I have to show her how much she means to me. How lucky that it is on this very day, and looks like Soul doesn’t even know. Goofball can’t keep track of days anymore. Welp, I may as well remind her. Just for her. My true friend.

Soul will never hate me again. She will never leave me.

She will always hate you.

Blight slammed her hoof hard into her face. Feeling the bones in her muzzle rattle from how hard the impact was. But… she was used to it. Anything to shut it up. Shut those cursed thoughts up. They didn’t matter anymore. Just get rid of them.

She hit herself again and again. Going until… she felt calm. Until her face hurt. Ignore the pain. Ignore it. Because it was wrong. Soul does like me and I’ll prove it. I can finally be accepted into her life. Just concentrate on making this work. After two years of leaving Soul feeling like she was the one at fault, I need to do everything I can to make it all right. I know just how to do it. Time to make it so.

Blight walked off towards Soul’s house. Mind filled with ideas on how to make this surprise look just right to be perfect for Soul.

7.25
Soul landed in one of the nice, open clearings that this mountain range had so many of. Nestled well within the shadows of several of the great peaks. Calm and protected from the harsh winter winds. It no longer blew so hard. Not out here behind the mountains. Really one of the better places for her to train that did not involve her staying in the frigid wind for a very long time. For a few hours at that… and she had to stay here for that long? Find some way to occupy the time. That… was quite a mistake, now that I think about it.

Standing here in the falling snow. All alone out here for a few hours. Right after I asked Blight what she was up to. Now I know. Just great! Her wings couldn’t even stay still. Whether or not that was because of her excitement or the burst of energy she found herself under was hard to tell. But this excitement was just too much to contain.

“I have to wait to have fun with her?” The mountains’ silence gave her the answer. Ah I should have never tried to figure it out and just go with it. Now I get to be out here waiting. Waiting for some surprise. Something awesome. I hate having to wait. I want to see what it is right now.

“Damn it all. What am I supposed to do?” Train? What should I even train on right now? So stupid. I used to be so good at figuring out what kind of training I will do, and two years without doing any… wow it really did take its toll. Besides, I don’t even think I can train right. What Pegasus could work while knowing something cool is waiting at home? None that I know. Oh I want it right now. After two years, Blight and I, we can finally have something to do together. What is it?

7.26
It needed to keep going. I need to keep showing Blight that she can trust me. Make everything right because… I feel like she will be my friend.

Such a good friend even. A pony like that, I couldn’t ask for anything better. I…

I want her to be my best friend. Or a little something else… perhaps.

How I want that. I will do anything for her to show that I can be a good friend. Best thing to do for that now was to, unfortunately, follow Blight’s request. Training. How tiresome. I really just don’t feel it right now. Not with all that happened.

What if Blight and I can leave soon and I can introduce her to everypony back in Equestria?

Damn it, focus. I need to train. That’s the only way I can make it happen. All because… six seconds! It took me six seconds to get to the mountains this time. If she was going to perfect that move, she needed to perform better. Do it better for Blight. For Dashie and all that was waiting back home. Still want to know what that surprise is.

Soul let out a very displeased sigh. Best to get started. Who knows. Maybe it will go by faster once I get into it. No point to wasting time on any basics again or strength training. I should just go right back to practicing that ‘one’ move. I still remember how to do it. Get back into it. That would be the perfect way to get back into the grind. Hope that grind doesn’t take too long. Soul looked over her shoulder, checking her wings left to right. Keeping both of them unfolded to examine their lengths, the feathers, her muscles. Testing how they reacted to her commands. They did all they were supposed to. Nothing wrong with them at all. Even still pretty pinpoint in their moves. Even some practice flaps felt perfect to her. Plus, they still felt extremely energetic. Kind of like they used to be. They must be as happy as I am. After all, we could get a new flying buddy out of this… and a friend. Both of those wings cheering her on. I really do love them. I’ll be sure to clean them up after all this is done. Too long deprived of any real care.

I take it back. I am excited to get back to training. Doing it, I feel just like the Pegasus I always was. I just love this feeling. This energy. There is no better feeling for a Pegasus.

Soul let her wings fall down to the snow. Curving them so the spans planted themselves straight into the ground and pushing them so deep into that snow. This felt right. Like it used to. Soul curled all four of her legs up into her body leaving just those wings left to keep her held up. Well, let’s do this.

7.27
Soul started her warmup. Watching the mountains going up and down in front of her. Those wings really going back into it already from something she had not done in so long. It never was the best part of her training. It actually was the most boring part. But Soul really did miss doing these wing-ups. They kind of helped her feel powerful. Just like she did now when her counting passed fifty. Not doing so much. It might be asking too much to try and do those incredible numbers she used to do. Just do enough for her to start feeling the burn so to speak and it had yet to pop up. Her wings felt just as strong as they did when she arrived. A return to glory for them. All thanks to Blight.

Soulblight has no idea just how much I like her. I am so glad to have that pony back in my life. It gave her wings that drive again. They told her it just by how the persisted on no matter how much time went by that they were deprived of these workouts. If flying isn’t my talent, maybe it’s being so stubborn, hehe. If only. I wish I was more stubborn. If I was, I wouldn’t be in this place. Blight would never need to keep doing all this for me. She gave so much even when Soul was a jerk. Astonishing that Blight still had anything to do with her after all those mean things Soul did to her. Someday, I’ll figure out a way to show her that she means a ton to me and thank her so much for all she did. Leave all the bad things where they belong: in the past. Blight will never be mad at me again. Soul will make sure of it. She’ll see. We will have an awesome life waiting back in Equestria.

One-hundred and fifty. All this work I’m gonna do will show Blight all I want to do to make our lives better again. I’ll do it for us. We’ll return to Cloudsdale, I will beg Celestia for forgiveness. The princess was not all bad even if she did do… something as cruel as sending me here for doing the right thing. It was the right thing. What Blight did was right. She made it happen.

She saved Dashie. Blight just does way too much for me. It was just scary to think that Pegasus might never be able to get past all the pain these past years had caused. Two hundred.

7.28
Soul could see it all now. Being back under the warm and sunny skies of Equestria alongside her two best friends with so many other ponies who would welcome her. For them all to make more friends. To reach our dreams… I know I can reach mine. My wings… all this training. What Nimbus did for me as a filly. I know I can do anything in the sky. And then…

Funny. It’s been so long since I last thought about doing that dream with Dashie. Joining the Wonderbolts. How did Dash used to put it? Oh right. It still sounded cool. Doing these tricks and more that she learned for the enjoyment of all of Equestria. Showing everypony how talented of a Pegasus she was. How much of an accomplishment it really was. Pegasi always wanted to improve on flying to feel that accomplishment. That sounded nice, but I still remember what I want to do.

I still remember what Dash said. How the Wonderbolts made her feel. I want to do that for ponies too. I want to still be that pony who will show all that nothing can stop you from being the best. What better pony than me? I bet… nopony would think much on me right now. I bet they all forgot. No… they will remember. They will all see just what it is I can become. I will still become a Wonderbolt. I will fly alongside Dashie.

I will show Blight that all she did for me helped me reach that dream.

Or even Blight may be able to join the Wonderbolts as well! All three of us together. Oh my Celestia we will be one hell of a team. Then we can all eat together after practice and shows. Relax together. …Go to the sauna together. Oh… I miss that. That all sounds so good. Well… only after all the fanponies would leave us alone. That made Soul chuckle.

I can even get my own home. Having them all over or going to their houses. Seeing Dash amazed at Blight’s sense of style whatever her home may be. Playing together.

…Finding love together. Whatever pony they may be.

Just a warm and simple life for a Pegasus. A life that I really did want for so long… I never gave up on it. It was out there, she just needed to be the one to work on it. Make all the mistakes she did in the past right again. It will happen.

Two-hundred and fifty.

7.29
Soul’s wings felt pretty ready now. A little bit of weakness coming over them when she decided to stop. Her muscles pulsing and burning. Brought back to life so they may do great things. Soul put herself back on her four legs again. Bringing those wings back up to crane into the air. Proudly displaying them to the air she was prepared to soar in once again. Warmup over. Practice now.

How did it go again? Soul thought hard over it and recalled her technique. All the tricky maneuvers she performed to try and perfect it. The slightest adjustments and how close she got each time to feeling like the really was on top of the world. Like she was the best flyer of all. Except, maybe this time I should try to do it from much higher up. She looked up to the sky. All the clouds blowing by high overhead with great speed now that the wind was picking up. A cool environment she no longer felt. Her exercise working wonders on her body. Not too bad of a day. A good opening in the clouds was present and even more openings on the way. Looked to be a straight shot down once she found a high enough point.

“Alright, …here I go.” Soul looked back down with her wings reaching higher. Ready to let loose their first mighty flap and she felt it coming. Her wings almost let her go, but she stopped. She needed to.

Because she saw it there, her eyes square on it, and they could not look away.

…How…? How did I not notice that? Right there in front of her. Was? Was it watching me this entire time?

Soul saw it. Unable to believe it. Because nopony could believe it. Out here, all alone in the mountains… no loner alone.

Together… with the dark shadow in front of her.

Almost impossible to see. Not even moving, but she picked it out. Staring at it and seeing how curvy its ears were with tiny strands of hair rising messily about between them on top of its body with… she looked hard. Four legs… and a tail! Its tail is just as messy as… she looked back up. The mane!

This was not an it. It was a girl.

A mare.

Standing right in front of her on top of the far-off rocks. I… Soul stared. I can’t even see her. Who is that? A pony in the darkness. Why? The Sun is out but… it was so dark… over there. Not even any eyes blinking at her. Who are you?

Soul brought her wings back down. Letting their excitement die off as did her own. Completely curious as to who her audience was. Was it Blight? I wonder. No. That can’t be. The mane was too messy. Soul took a step forward, eager to see. “Hello?” she called out to her. Awaiting some sort of response. The pony stayed quiet.

I have to be seeing things. Just stop messing with me, eyes. She rubbed them so hard. Looking back and… she was still there. This was a mare and she wasn’t moving. Just watching her. So still, so calm. It actually was a little scary. Soul stepped closer to her. She… she could be a pony who actually lives here. Like Spots and the other deer. A pony here as well. So slim. So confident, didn’t even run from Soul. She may be friendly.

A new friend! I should try and talk to her. “Hi” she called out louder. Continuing her walk to the pony sitting on the rocks. “My name is Soul, what’s yo…”

She heard it. Freezing her. That giggle.

The pony laughed so quickly, so suddenly. As sudden as she turned around and jumped off behind the rocks.

“Wait…!” Soul called out. Her eyes going wider when she saw them. Right before the black figure disappeared, falling behind the rocks with her, wings. A Pegasus! One who continued to giggle so sweetly even when she disappeared.

Wait… that laugh. Soul cocked her head. It sounds so… familiar.

7.30
“Wait up.” Soul took to the air. Her revived wings set forth with so much power and renewed energy, pushing her off right at the rocks from which the mare had been. Not even hesitating to look over the rocks. Hopeful to find the Pegasus right behind them waiting for her. Like she was playing hide and seek or something. But Soul found nothing. A rocky lowland of snow hidden behind the rocks. So many rocks out here. Her eyes going all over them wanting to see a glimpse of that shadow again. But she could be anywhere out here.

Piles upon piles of fallen rocks set between the two mountains rising high next to her and beyond. Even the rocks were making new mountains of their own with plenty of snow peaking them. How could anypony run around in this mess? Or… she was flying? I hope that pony didn’t fly off. I don’t want her afraid of me. There was no reason to be afraid. Or maybe she wanted to play. That was it. There’s really a pony out here who wants to play with me, wants me to chase her. That must be why she was laughing. A game.

Soul smiled. “Ready or not, here I come” she yelled. Her voice echoing across the mountains. Easy for the Pegasus to hear her, and she did. Soul’s ears perked up. Laughing. I hear her. Her eyes darted off to the left. Over there.

Soul flew off to the raisings of rocks built up in the snowy surface, looking all over the area to find any hint of the Pegasus. Just knowing the laughing was coming from this direction. …And it kept going. This pony, whoever she was, really was having a good time messing with her. Soul following the laughter wherever it echoed. Rounding the rocks and passing by great openings in the many spires that made up the larger mountains surrounding her. It sounded so weird. That laugh. Not at all scary. Like a kid that was having fun. Soul was mesmerized by it as she followed it. It was so inviting. So carefree. So familiar. …So strange.

I don’t get it. Soul listened to it. I hear her… but… I can’t tell where she is. Soul focused on all of it. Even with all that I know. All my training… why can’t I…

The laugh stopped.

Soul continued flying. Reaching a huge heap of rocks left like rubble fallen at the foot of the mountain and landing on it. Looking all around. Keeping her ears open. I think it was coming from over here. I think. For what good her ears were doing her. Oh don’t stop laughing. It will be too hard to find her in this mess. Soul examined every huge pile of rocks set about around the gap in the mountains. Past the blackened and barren trees rooted in between large boulders topped in snow. Frantically turning to her right to look over everything in that direction. Much of the same. This place was a junk heap of rocks. So uneven and mismatched. Ones of many colors. So easy for any pony to hide. It made her groan.

Soul sighed. Okay… she kept her wings out. Her feathers out… to the wind around her. You can’t hide from me forever. Not from a pony like me. I still remember how to do it even after two years. Not even hearing her own breathing. No. Just… listen to what is around me. Feel what is around me.

I will find you. Like nothing can escape me when I fly. And I can still sense… where you are.

She looked behind her.

7.31
A little shadow so quick and faint moving past one of the trees. A tail. Disappearing behind the boulders. Shouldn’t have moved! Big mistake!

Soul followed after her. Landing on top of the boulder with a skid of her hooves so sharp and slippery to let her slide all the way to the edge of the rock. She peeked down over the side. “Aha!” she cried out. Nothing. More rocks. Damn.

She looked back up. Intently listening to everything. Listening well. Hoping her razor-sharp senses would pick her out again. Another laugh. Behind me? Soul turned around.

There she was. Sitting on top of the rocks. The same rocks I was just on. Giggling at her in the dark of the mountain. IS she making fun of me? Not a nice way to play. Or is this some sort of challenge? This mare better know who she’s messing with. There’s no way she can keep away from me. “Howz about you stop running and give up” Soul asked of her. Only for the shadow to disappear of into the rocks to the right.

“Oh no you don’t.” Soul’s wings beat as hard as they could. Sending her off rocketing right over to the rocks she disappeared behind with a single flap leaving a plume of dust and debris blooming behind her. The snow itself shook off the rocks when she snapped to a halt above the rocks that bore them. Looking all over the cracks and following a trail set out in the middle of this maze of rocks. Where she saw the figure dashing out from and behind the boulders that lined the cliff to the far right. Clearly flying when she did it. So quick. But I’m much quicker.

Soul flew off after her. Right to where she saw the pony turn the corner around those rocks. Right on her tail. Going around the corner herself and... what the hell? She was gone. Nothing. How is she doing this? I can’t even tell which way she is going now. How…

How did I sense her the one time? What is going on?

There was something about this. That laugh. I need to know why… why that laugh is so weird. Why it sends shivers down Soul’s spine. Constantly hearing it in her head. I can’t let her get away. She’s flying, but I can fly better.

She took off into the air. Bringing herself high above all the risings and clusters of rocks below. Joining with the mountains high over this land below. Looming above it all. Where no crevice or crack was out of her sight. Just a quick look was all that was needed. Where those eyes could see everything down below in that maze of rocks. Quickly looking into the shadows of each and every boulder to be sure nothing moved in them. The same with the crevices and trenches. Everywhere a shadow was, she saw them all. Listening very well for any hint of that mocking laughter.

7.32
There she is! A quick movement at the side of the opposite mountain. Flashing by so quick but she made out the image of wings flapping before vanishing with her behind all the rocks in a small clearing in the sunlight. Soul zipped over to it all. Hovering above all those rocks. Close enough to look over them all and see that every single area behind those rocks that anypony could possibly hide behind was empty. As was the rest of the clearing that she found here. Like the Pegasus simply disappeared into thin air.

How the hell is she doing this!? Who is this mare? Every single time I think I have her, she just disappears. No way.

Can it be…

This pony is as fast as me? Faster?

Somepony like that… living out here in this wasteland. No way. I really wish that Blight was here helping me. This is starting to get kind of scary. I need to find out who this pony is. Who can fly this well and… why are they doing this to me? This… her body shivering. Shaking. A pony who can fly… faster than me? Disappearing yet again. Completely gone and Soul looked everywhere to try and find her. Back to where she last saw the mare. Over at all the boulders lumbering about the maze. At all the trees and even along the mountain sides. I need to get high up again, I can spot her. I know I can.

Laughter.

What? Soul swung her head around. There she was sitting on one of the boulders, a boulder… I was just looking at. Her black shape shimmering in the darkness. The little movements she made. Is she…? Behind the pony. Soul could see it. She’s wagging her tail? Well so good to see she is having fun. “Get back here” Soul said, about to fly off at her with a strong burst of speed before the Pegasus leaped off the boulder and flew off behind all the lines of rocks and debris lining around her perch.

Soul stopped herself for a split second. Wait a minute. She was flying off to her left somewhere behind those lines of rocks. I think… Soul looked over to where the Sun basked that lines of rocks. Over there. An opening in the lines of rocks. I can cut her off! Soul was quick to get over there. Forcing her more than warmed up wings to beat the air with one mighty flap that was all it took for her to burst off over the rocks with a swarm of sunlight coming down on both her and the rocks the mare was flying behind. Not even a second… Soul shot past that opening in the rocks. Rounding the corner.

Got you. Now I…

7.33
Soul gasped.

Her wings stopped. Everything stopped.

The entire world fell still. Cast in the darkness of the shadows. Where the Sun barely shone. She sat there… watching that pony. The one who flew right past her. Just short of them running into one another.

Soul blinked. Turning her head and watching her pass. No…

No way. It’s impossible.

Just seeing it right there as it passed. The tail that brushed past her face. Bright in the sunlight. As bright as Soul’s eyes that saw it… and…

The rainbows running along it.

There… there was no way. R-R-Rainbow Dash?!

Soul couldn’t even turn in time before that tail zipped behind the rocks beyond. All that she saw left… just those colors that bore into her eyes and… the laugh the pony left behind

I see now. That… that is it. That’s why… that laugh it’s hers.

Blight. Is… that you? Are you the one doing this?

Soul hung there. Not able to move. Staring off to where the pony disappeared. Is she impersonating her again? Is this supposed to be the surprise? Blight… you know how much I want to see Dashie again. How… mean of you.

No, Blight would never do such a cruel thing. She couldn’t. Soul shook her head. That’s not what she would do. Blight, she did such a perfect replica of Dashie She even has her voice down. But… no… I can see it. Blight… after how you were when I flew with you, this can’t be you.

This pony is flying too well.

She’s outpacing me. The only pony who ever could hope to do that… Dashie.

Is she really here? She’s here and playing with me. Like she’s testing my ability to fly. Like a real flight buddy. My flight buddy. Me wingpony. She is back. She… she came all this way for me! And I… Soul let a tear drop. Drop from her smiling face.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen her.

I’m not gonna give up. Never. I’ll catch up to her. I need to know for certain. I will catch her, I will show her just how great a flyer I am now. “Dashie!” she yelled after the pony. Putting as much strength as she could muster to send herself blasting off at the boulders and rounding them. Nearly feeling the earth itself shake beneath her hooves as she flew low above the rocky surface. All the snow covering sent flying. Forcing her to lick her face when some blew up on to her nose. Flapping her wings nonstop while she went down the narrow trench of rocks and snow that she knew Dash had flown down through. I’ll catch up with you no matter what.

7.34
Rainbow made it no less difficult. Every corner Soul turned trying to find where she went ended much of the same just as she did approaching a break in the rocks at the far edge of the mountain. Coming to a low hover by a pair of desolate trees whose bark creaked and cracked by the force of her flapping wings. Looking everywhere to try and find something that would show where Dash had gone. Wanting to hear that laugh of hers. Feel that pony who flew in the same sky as her.

How skilled she must be now… I can’t even sense her.

Soul came up higher to get above the mess of rocks she was flying in, finding herself flying over a huge parting of snowy land in the center of a series of rocky walls all coming together at this one point. Like a crossing of some sort leading to countless trenches and crevices going all over the place. I… I can’t feel her. I feel… rocks falling. The snow. Is that… no. That was a rockslide far away. Not one thing that felt like wings hitting the air.

She looked down every pathway. Gliding closer to the many branching crossings in the rocks. Maybe she will fly past me. Maybe. Come on, Dashie. You’re making this as hard as you can. Damn… Dash has not slacked on her training at all. She is literally just flying circles around me now. If only she was… there!

Soul caught the last glimpse of cyan bursting into the rocks in the corner of her eye. You’re not getting away. Readying her wings to fly ahead to the rocky gaps to her right where Dash must have been flying towards. What the…? Soul saw her again. To the left? Going so fast she was but a blur passing between the rocks going in the total opposite direction she had been going… and so far away at that. Is she really this fast? I don’t even think I can pull off stuff like this. It’s like… this place doesn’t even slow her down. All the rocks and winding paths through the rocks. Nothing slowed her. I regret slacking on my training. I gotta catch her.

Soul rushed off to fly into the gap that she saw Dash disappear into, prepared to go in with a huge burst of speed so strong that the snow and even the rocks were sent flying by the force of her sudden stop.

“Soul.”

Soul’s eyes widened. Rainbow Dash? She turned around following the sound of that gentle and ear tingling voice. No way. There she is. She was at the other side of the gap. Standing on top of another boulder so far away under the rays of the Sun… and I see her.

I see her. Rainbow Dash!

The most beautiful pony. Like no other she had seen in so long. That is her. The same cyan furred Pegasus… Soul turned to face her. Face that pony… the one I always dreamed of. The one I always wanted to see again. Here you are… right in front of me.

Rainbow Dash.

The pony who held a hoof close to her mouth. Giggling over on that rock. Soul flew a little closer. The pony didn’t move. Dash sat there. Laughing into her hoof, having the time of her life. Like the most radiant thing out here with her gorgeous mane sitting over her face. The most lovely laugh… such a carefree laugh. She is having a good time. It… it made Soul smile. It made her laugh too.

This is just like old times. We… we really are together again. Even racing together… we always had fun. We always laughed and found so much joy in what we did. All those good times. All those wonderful things we did together. And they always led to hearing you laugh. Just like now. Rainbow Dash, it’s so great to see you again, and I will still show you one thing.

Soul felt her wings build up their strength for a quick dash at the pony laughing at her. All the power she had. She felt it all in her wings. I’ll show you I didn’t get worse. I am still the Pegasus who used to play with you.

7.35
The air shuddered and shook when her wings sprang to life so hard as to nearly cleave the air itself. Watching it all break and whish by her with Dash centered in her vision. Still laughing. Not even reacting. Fine with me. Just a blink of an eye. Soul closed in on her. So close… to wrapping her legs around that pony hidden under her mane. So fast and the cyan Pegasus filled her vision.

A blur. Dash zipped away.

“What…!?” Soul slowed herself down, doing her best to make a hard left in the direction she saw the pony disappear to. Flying off somewhere behind the lines of boulders and debris that Soul now nimbly flew up and around, narrowly avoiding slamming right into them. Keeping a good eye on everything as well as an opening in the trench far ahead. Dodging and weaving around the lines of rocks sent flying by the blast of her wings alone. Spreading her feathers so far… and waiting for the feeling.

Dash made a mistake, finally. I can feel her wings. I feel them.

This line of rocks. The one she flew past at such speed. Rising high over her. She looked to them.

Dashie… you’re on the other side.

I’ll do what I did earlier and I will cut you off. No more running. I got you.

All the breaks in the rocks. But one… she saw it. Seeing it and she felt it. Just how happy she was. Because… I can tell. I can sense you now. I’m going to catch you. There was a break in the rocks just big enough to fly through. Fly through and I’m going to run right into you. I don’t care.

Turning that corner in a flash, feeling those wings beating just on the other side. Coming closer. So what if we collide? It’s the best way for me to finally be able to see you again, for me to reach out and hug you as we fly into one another. I’ll catch you… and I’ll finally hold you, Dashie. After all this time.

I’m coming, Dashie!

She turned the corner, seeing all the rocks and empty space right on the other side. All the rocks…

But not that cyan fur she wanted to see.

She blinked, just in time to see it… but she couldn’t stop. Could not stop from seeing that sheet of rocks in front of her. Wait.

Soul blacked out.

7.36
“Oww. …Owwwww.”

Darkness. Oh Celestia! Soul heard it. The ringing in her head. Can’t even see. Son of a… Soul tried to scream. I want to scream. Nothing came out. Nothing but a little squeal.

It hurt so much. Like a thousand smacks to her face. Exploding all across her head. “Owww!” She rolled over. Feeling her back come over a hard surface puncturing at her skin. Who is… pinching me back there. Wait. No, that was the rocks.

It all came back to her. Just now realizing her eyes were closed. Taking so much effort just to open them back up. Every second spent slowly opening them seemed to make the pain hurt more. But it worked and she saw it. A huge rock set right above her, hinging out from the wall of boulders like some deformed mutation to them. That… was that what…? Oh... wow and I really thought I was nimble. I’m the most agile Pegasus? Ha… I couldn’t even avoid running into that. Soul groaned. Rubbing her head. Shaking from the pain. Calm down. Calm. Agh!

She felt her wings beating hard against the rocks. Like the pain ran all over her body. She screamed. Kicking her legs into the air. The worst agony. I ran right into that thing… how hard? Agh, how hard to make it hurt this much?

She blinked. Staring… begging for the pain to end. It hurt so much. Right under her mane, and… she looked at her hoof. Blood. A small splatter of it dabbed on the tip of her hoof. Oh man. I did it again. Again! How many times is this going to happen? It’s like this entire place wants to hurt me. Always messing her up… like now. But… can’t even care. Soul lay on her back. Watching the sky. Feeling her heart beat so fast. Was that normal? Is this? …My eyes… it’s kind of blurry…

She blinked again. Oh thank Celestia it was clearing up, unlike the ringing in her skull. No way to catch Dash like this. So funny, Dash wins, finally. Beat me. She finally beat me… and all it took was me slacking off. Soul laughed… it hurts to laugh. Even made her vision blur again. So hard to see… so hard…

I didn’t even notice her… right there.

When did she get here? Standing right above me with that smile.

Rainbow Dash. She stopped for me. How nice of her. But, come on now, Dashie. Do you really need to laugh? I don’t think this is so funny. It really hurts. But I’ll forgive you just this once. Because you are here for me. You actually came and stopped for me. Now I can see you…

I can see that gorgeous smile. The pony who stood there above her, Rainbow Dash. Blotting out the Sun. That lovely mane reaching down to her from above. Soul try to reach up. I want to touch it… reaching up to the most beautiful mane she ever saw. Wanting to push it aside to look upon the eyes that they hid beneath. Oh Dashie. Soul’s leg fell to her side. Giving up on trying to reach for her with pain swelling all over her. Her wings felt weak.

I’m so glad to see you.

7.37
“Are you okay?”

That voice. That beautiful voice I wanted to hear. Close and right in her ear. A whisper in the wind spoken by the Pegasus above her. So gorgeous. You always were so gorgeous. And now, I’m so lucky that I get to see you again. If only I could see straight. So dizzy. If only your mane didn’t cover you up… I want to see you again. I can’t even speak right.

“Y-yeah, yeah… but not the… best way for us to… meet again” Soul whispered. Rainbow understood. Nodding. Her lovely smile never leaving. She looks so happy. Is it because she won or is she happy to see me too? As happy as I am to see you. To finally be reunited with you. It made her laugh, just a little. Her head started pounding. “It’s so good to… to see you… D-D-Dashie. So good to see… that smile.”

Celestia, I can’t even talk. That rock… it hurts so bad. She wanted to shake her head clear and tried to do just that but it hurt to move. Her head pounding… and the world spun.

I don’t think it sounded so bad, right? Not at all. Dash is still smiling. Dash had fun with me. We both had a lot of fun flying together. Flying together. Just like we used to do. We can finally do it again. We did do it! But looks like I hurt myself again. Haha.

I need to rest. Like you let me do… long ago. When I crashed. You let me rest in your legs and your wings. You took care of me. I think I can rest now… now that you’re here. I feel so…

Sleepy.

The wind… it was gone. I can’t hear it. Gone. Gone like everything else. All I see is you, Dashie. Finally. The one voice left for her. Listening to it. Like a lullaby easing her to sleep. She couldn’t even talk. Only able to hear her, with her useless mouth just trembling. “You need to stop trying so damn hard to make me happy, best bud.” But I have to. To prove I am worth your time. So you know I don’t hate you. That it was a lie. I… love… you.

Love how nice you are, how beautiful you are. Silly Dashie. Not even able to say any of that.

It was too dark. Too much. To stay awake.

“Another pony needs you right now, …much more than I do.” What? Somepony… needs… me? Who? I don’t know… I… need to help you. I promised to be there for you. I want to make you happy.

Who is it that needs me?

Rainbow… she leaned close. “Please help her. For me.” So close. The Pegasus… she raised a hoof. All that was left in the darkening world. To see her push her mane aside and look down upon Soul. Staring at one another. “I’ll be waiting for you in the end. For now, just sleep.”

“Sleep, Soul Serenity.”

Such beautiful eyes. Such a talented pony. When did you… you learn how to do that? When did your eyes change?

Soul stared. Only able to see what was left of the world. The face of a pony who smiled down at her. Those eyes… so gorgeous. Staring deep into those eyes; one as blue as the icy sea, one as red as the bleeding Sun. Both of them blinked at her… and that pony giggled. I never knew how beautiful your eyes could become, Dashie.

For you, I’ll help.

7.38
Soul woke up. The Sun. Right above her. High in the sky shining in right over the closest mountain towering at her hooves… and… it hurt.

Soul yelped. Hissing loudly as she brought her forehooves up to clutch at her forehead. Sweet Celestia it hurts so much. Not even able to think. She felt it. Feels like a big bump right under her mane. When did that happen? How did that happen?

Soul shook her head. Clutching tightly at her head. Feeling the hairs of her mane embed themselves in the warm feeling of blood pooled on her head. I… was I sleeping like this? What the hell is wrong with me? I would never do this… and these rocks. She turned herself over with all her might to lift herself up. Just able to sit up on her rump and freeing her back from the terribly painful surface she lay on, leaving a good soreness along her entire back. I actually fell asleep on this? Oh wow something must have happened for this to happen.

Try to remember. Able to think now. That intense pain already started to clear up. Can’t really complain about it… not when all this is happening. Last I recall… I was training. For that special move to get out of here. …And…

Soul looked up into the sky high above her. Open with just a few dark clouds above, nonetheless dropping a hail of snow on her. She looked down at herself. Her stomach going down from her to her hind legs set on the rocky surface… and her wings draped at her sides. Covered in snow. A bit of it. T-that is right! I remember!

“I fell.”

How terrible. I tried to do the move again and can’t even pull it off still. I guess this is what I get for rushing I, and for not training in such a long time.

7.39
Soul looked all around at the wind-swept rocks she lay inside of. All of them surrounding her in a trench going far at either end. Such a desolate place. So lonely… and I was sleeping here this whole time. Oh for how long? I’m kind of worried now. She looked back down on herself. All this snow on me. The Sun was different. Is it… lower now? A lot lower?

“Shit.”

I passed out. Why on earth would I let myself pass out? Especially with…

Blight!

Her surprise. I was supposed to meet up with her. Soul ignored all the pain she was under. Forcing herself back up on wobbly legs making her feel like she was just going to fall back down. Her wings beat the rocks below. Instinctively trying to get her back in the air. No time to recover. Damned Sun, if only you had not changed. Blight has been waiting for me all this time. For the surprise.

Soul’s vision blurred a little. “No. Stop it.” She smacked a hoof along the side of her face. Feeling the pain rattle badly in her head but her vision cleared. That worked. Good. She needed to get going. No time to slack around. Blight was waiting. She needs me. I need her. I’m not gonna make her wait any long. Her wings spread and reached for the sky. Casting their shadows upon the snow around her.

“I’m coming, Blight.”

7.40
I have to get to her. If only I could fly much faster.

How many seconds did it take?

I was not even… damn it, I didn’t even count. It felt like forever. Definitely longer than normal. It was even hard just to land, almost stumbling on her own hooves as she set down upon the snow… and… ugh. Soul clenched a hoof to her belly. Feels like I’m about to… she gulped. It went away. As well as being so afraid she may black out again. Not as scary as disappointing Blight again. Stop wasting so much time.

She took a quick look around the village. No sign of Blight anywhere. Just the flurrying snow all about the village. Doesn’t look like she’s around. I didn’t even see her when I flew in. But she did notice something peculiar. Right outside her house. The hole leading down to her door. Soul scurried over to it. Surprised to see this here. The snow was carved out, leading down to the thinly veiled wooden porch beneath with a staircase! Did Blight do this? It looked really good. Multiple well-cut steps of solid snow as thick as Soul was wide that she tapped a hoof at to reveal how sturdy the snow was. That was so kind of her to make this. How did she even make these to begin with? I never understand how she does this stuff. I never get to see just how her magic works. Though, as nice as it was, this couldn’t be the surprise. I think she just did this to be nice to me. I… like it. Besides…

I think I know where she is now.

If you’re in there, this will be the first time in years I get to have you in my house. You get to be my guest. Like you were back when I was a filly. I hope we can be that again… that brief time when we were both there for one another… so long ago.

Soul tested the steps again. Satisfied with how they reacted and she made her way down each one with delicate strides so as not to disturb how straight the sides and edges of each stair was until she reached the door below. I really hope I’m not late. I really do. I have no idea how long I was out for. Hope I am still a little early. Please.

Soul reached out and opened the door. Doing her best to put on as good a smile as she could to hide just how worried she really was and there certainly was a surprise that almost made her smile fall off.

7.41
Soulblight.

H-hey… Soul couldn’t even talk. Just by seeing it… that face that greeted her. Soulblight right there, sitting before her. Like she had been waiting in front of that door. Waiting with a glare on her face. That was all that was needed make Soul’s heart fall.

Soulblight. Her face stricken in anger. Such deep eyes shimmering in the new sunlight cast in through the doorway. Soul saw it. How angry she really was. So much… the black mare’s cheek twitched. It made Soul want to back off. I know that face, I’m about to be yelled at. I really did mess up. Please don’t yell at me. I’m sorry.

I did make her wait.

Please forgive me. I know it was wrong of me. Just please don’t let it ruin us. Please… Soul lowered her head before the pony. But she knew, she could tell. She could feel it. The anger in the air. It made her want to cry. I was late. So late. I can tell. I can’t even look her in the eyes. She didn’t dare to. Not wanting to see those eyes. Only wanting to ask. “Did I keep you waiting?” Saying it with what little energy she had left. What little effort she could even make to try and speak to this pony. All she could do was listen. Listen and shiver when she heard the mare breathe deep and sigh so lightly… so gently. Speaking in just a whisper.

“Two… days…” She… she almost sounds emotionless. Like no joy could exist in the voice that said it. “Two days” Blight said closer to her head. Soul dropped down further. Almost kneeling. Feeling the pony right above her. Glaring down upon her. Not able to do anything. Just still and silent… in the shock of hearing just how angry the black Pegasus was.

I promised her. I promised. Look at what I did. Not even able to keep a promise. How can I ever make friends with this pony… with any pony, when I can’t even keep a promise anymore. No wonder Dashie left me. No wonder Blight is mad at me. So apparent in how painful her voice was. How dark her shadow was looming over her. From that pony that she was so happy with not long ago. Now… now too afraid to even look at her. Shivering in fear.

Stop it. Stop, you useless idiot. …S-s-stop.

“I’m… I’m so very sorry” Soul found herself whimpering.

7.42
Laughter. Soul froze. Soulblight’s own laugh. It made her look back up to see how it truly did look. Soulblight… clutching her own chest with so many tears in her eyes. Baring her teeth with such laughter. Soul widened her eyes… taking a step back. To see just what it was she did to this pony; what have I done?

“You’re sorry” Blight shrieked. Darting her eyes right at Soul’s. It was so unsettling how it looked. She was like a whole other pony now. How her eyes trembled. Her own mouth chattering. I’ve never seen her like this. I really did make her mad. I… never wanted this.

“You’re sorry!” Blight yelled again. “No. No, Soul.” She shook her head so hard… so hard that her long mane flew. Back and forth till it finally went still once more and the pony stared upon Soul. “I’m sorry. Sorry for wasting time. Both of our times.” What is she saying? Soul could not even move now. Like that terrifying gaze was pinning her down. “Here I was thinking you left. Finally leaving to go back to the life you want. But no, you simply wanted to avoid me. Well congratulations.” Blight stood up. Rushing right at Soul. I...

I never thought I could do this to a pony. I never wanted to hurt anypony. I never did. It… it’s my job to make other ponies happy. The thing that I always wanted since I was a filly. Rainbow Dash. Nimbus and Starry. Now you… you, the pony I want so much. I made you think this way. I did this. I did this to the pony now staring me in the face.

Blight planted her own face so close to Soul’s. So close. Close enough that Soul could feel her breath. All the rage in those dragon eyes coiling like veins of red bulging and bursting around the slits of her pupils. As if the Sun itself were exploding. An entire realm of anger inside those eyes. Of betrayal. Of suffering. That I did to her.

She whispered to Soul. Quiet and still. A razor-sharp dagger to her ears.

“If you hate me so much than how about you stop teasing me and just leave me like everypony does.”

Soul gasped. Feeling it. The worst pain she ever felt… right into her heart. She felt the tear come down her cheek. More pain than her pounding head. The most agonizing tear she ever let go… hearing those words… the ones of a pony who she hurt so badly. That pain even worse… then being sent flying by a burst of black magic.

Soul flew into the door. Finding herself laying there on her side with wings limp against her, watching the black Pegasus run past her and out into the snow until… she was gone.

7.43
If I hate her?

Those words stung. She didn’t even care that she was laying like a broken pony. That her back hurt so bad. That she could feel blood coming down through her fur. Being thrown so hard, it was nothing compared to hearing those words. Hearing them scream again and again inside her head.

Why? Why did this happen? I was so close. I was going to be her friend. She was going to be mine. Now… now she hates me. Just like Dashie. Everything… I ever do… always makes ponies leave me. I did it to Dashie. I did everything for her… but I could not live up to the pony she needed me to be. Her dearest friend. And I can’t do it for Blight either.

Where are my tears? They came no more. Like her eyes were about to explode. So much to burn like those horrible words. I should have never left to go train. I should have never even left. There are so many things I should have never done. To all the ponies in my life. It hurts so much! I hate this feeling.

Soulblight did so much for me and I did this to her. I made her wait two days for me. Two days since I broke mt promise. No. Please no.

Soul stood back up. Feeling all the cold, all the pain all over her body. From her head to her back. A punishment. I am being punished… because I never knew exactly what I was doing to Blight all these years.

Soulblight was the pony who waited for me. Not… not for two days… but for years.

I understand. I do now and I’m so stupid to have never seen it. You think I hate you.

She walked on. Going right into her house. Looking off to her bed and seeing the first thing that showed how great a fool she was. My bed. Soulblight did this for me. A bed… the same one she always slept in… not the same anymore. To find it like this. With so many pillows all over it. So many. She stared at it all. All of them so neatly placed and covered by the blanket… a brand new blanket. Blight… how did she get this? Why did she do this for me? Soul couldn’t help but come over and run her hoof over that purple blanket. As elegant and gorgeous as Blight was. With golden hearts stitched all across it. And Blight left this for me. It’s so soft. The pillows and the blanket and… she looked upon the last thing that sat atop her bed. It made her gulp. Looking upon the brightly colored box. She knew what it was. She did all this for me. Soul looked on…

A table. A new table sitting there in front of the fireplace. Soul came up to it.

7.44
It was amazing. Standing over what Blight placed for her on the table. So small but so satisfying, enough to accompany that box on her bed. Was all this really for me? Blight did this?

Sitting on a plate. With words written on top of it. She made this for me. She wrote this for me. Writing it in icing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MY BEST FRIEND
SOUL

The words written right in the middle of a brown cake. It was a cake. Just as Soul remembered it. Rounded and topped in so much chocolatey icing.

Best friend.

She even remembered the candles. All of them lit with tiny little flames flickering like the freshly roaring fire that warmed the house all thanks to so many boards thrown in the fire. How many? Soul counted them. Her teary eyes going over each and every one of them. She even put them in a circle too. It’s so beautiful.

Twenty-one.

Is… is that how old I am?

Twenty-one candles. For me, and I actually forgot just how old I am. But Blight remembered. She watched me grow from a nine year old filly into a pathetic and sad twenty-one year old mare. A mare who can’t even so what is so damn obvious. That I was always somepony else’s best friend. Blight wrote it right here. She gave me this. A beautiful little cake. On top…

Strawberries…

She made this for me. All of this is for me. My birthday. A day that Blight remembered. From a cake to a colorfully wrapped present sitting on top of her bed with a lovely red bow on it. This was the surprise and I could never ever ask for a better one.

Soul finally let them go. All the tears as she finally wept.

“Oh, Blight.” She fell onto the floor. Get all of it out of her sight. All of the pain. She placed her hooves right over her face. Crying so hard into them. “Blight... I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” I really am a fool. The biggest fool. For not realizing this till now. Blight said it so well and it hurt. But I know it can’t be as painful as it is for Blight… she had to spend years with me while I ignored her and was mean to her… and she never stopped loving me. I’m her best friend? She saw me as her best friend this whole time and I spat on her.

“Blight, I don’t hate you.” I don’t… but I see now… that you hate me. After what I just did. After so many years of you loving me and I did this to you. You loved me all this time. You took care of me and are the reason I am still alive… because you were always my friend. I had a friend. I had one.

I finally had a friend.

No wonder you did so much for me. That dark pony was always so much more. “You’re my friend too.” I want to be your friend and I will do anything to make it happen.

There must be something. Something I can do. Soul cried harder and harder into her hooves. I don’t deserve to be happy right now. You do. You, the pony who loved me and took care of me and saved me, you deserve to be happy.

I know… I have to do it. I will be the one who will make you happy like I was supposed to. Like I should have done since the day I first met you. When I learned you… you saved Dashie. You saved my best friend. You saved me. Soulblight, I see now just how important you are to me.

No time to even recover. Still crying as she stood back up and stumbled off to where she last left it. Eyes set on it, where it was. Please still be there. I have to make this right.

7.45
So it was like always. Used again. Left to be alone. Just another existence. No different, and proven wrong once more while it was always right. Oh I should have listened to it and just avoided this whole thing from the start. “Stupid, stupid filly” Blight said of herself. Smacking her face once more as punishment. It really did hurt no matter how many times she did it. Anything to drown out the pain in her heart. Because that was all she was meant for. To just be in pain.

So much loneliness, if only it would stop. If only ponies would just stop making me so sad and care for me for once. To be cared for. Such a damn lie. A lie that persisted for so long. Well then Soul can just go and find the care she deserved. Not like I am the one to give it to her. Soul doesn’t need me. She only needed her sweet Dashie.

Just like it said. She still hates me. Soul will always hate me. A freak can’t have a friend. A monster can’t have love.

She does hate you.

No doubt. Going through so much to make her happy, make her comfortable. Left alone to be forgotten in the end. So why even try? Blight looked up at the dark wall she sat before. It was really red. Shining bright of the color she knew well. Following every subtle move her eyes made. Such a lonely color. Such a lonesome place such as her house and she will always be here like this. Once Soul left. Go away and stop tormenting me. Stop pretending you like me and then doing stuff like this. Stop treating me like nothing. I want to be your friend, I want you to be my friend. My best friend because I still love you. That is what made her so mad.

No matter how much I care for her and give for her, she will be like everypony else and give nothing back. Soul never wants me to be happy. She only wanted it for herself. So understandable. I never deserved it. All I can remember, I never got it.

“All of those useless ponies…” who hate me so much. Never able to look past my mistakes. So what if I ruined Soul’s life. The ungrateful fool should be satisfied with everything I have done for her just so she can survive out here. Not at all obligated to do any of it.

7.46
But Soul is the one who made me smile. For the first time in so many countless years. I hated going so long without actually feeling like there is a pony I can love and who may even care for me. To be given happiness. Happiness for Soulblight, for the pony that I am known as. I have a name. Soul gave it to me. It was so wrong to hate a pony who gave me my own name. The first pony to talk to me for so long. No matter how short it was, it was still the most amazing experience in her life… and now that pony was going to leave. The pony deserved friends and love. Going through so much hardship in her life, so much loneliness and I was the one who hurt her so badly in the end. She was going to leave.

Especially now… I threw her against the wall.

That was so wrong of me to do. It must have hurt. Poor, poor pony. Poor, poor Blight. “Poor, poor me.”

I bet it did hurt… but she has no idea how much she hurt me. She doesn’t know real pain. Such a simple and small life. So young and fresh to never have experienced true torment. She wants to torment me too just like all the others I’ve ever known… and she wants to leave me after that? Pretend none of this happened. That we have absolutely no bond at all anymore. Such a coward. Such an irresponsible pony. When she never deserved to feel those ways.

Soul… she used to be happy. Why not just go back to it? Go back home and be happy. I can deal with it. What is more lonely years for me? I can do it all over again. Alone… again.

But… I just know I… I can stop it. “I can stop it. Hahahahaha!”

Just clip her wings.

Blight punched herself as hard as possible. Sending her entire body flying off to the side from the impact. Shut up! Shut up! She winced. Her face really did hurt now as she sat back up again. That was wrong. It was so wrong. Stop thinking that. Even if it does mean Soul will never be able to leave me and will be with me forever… shut up!

“Shut up!” Those thoughts alone made her fangs itch. Made her whole body writhe.

7.47
Soul needed her wings. They were the most precious things to her. Her prized possessions that she worked so hard to obtain. Beautiful and luscious, perfect symbols of the truly talented flyer that Soul was. How very sad would Soul be without them?

Those wings are her.

As much as she was as her loving nature was to the ponies she cared for. No matter if Blight could not get that love. I must never take those wings from her. I must not hurt her again. She’ll never forgive me.

She doesn’t forgive you anyways.

No. She will. Hurting her won’t work. I hurt her so much already.

And what is a little more?

Soul was strong. She was such a dedicated Pegasus with so much love to give. Love she… she can give to me once… she is with me forever. Love I can finally feel again. A nice hug.

A nice hug from a flightless Pegasus.

Blight burst out laughing. The irony. She hurts me and then I hurt her and that is what will finally bring us together. With everything made right. No running away. No leaving so I can be the pony she can rely on forever. I’ll never be alone again.

…Or she can just join the rest.

No more hatred. No more sadness. No more loneliness. Blight laughed. Hearing herself like this. It was too much. Too funny. A complete circle is what life is. How very amusing to hear this again. It was all so simple.

She felt her hoof tremble. What’s that? That twitching hoof, I know what it is. You think it’s wrong? And it was wrong. Her hoof flew right up into her face. Punching herself again. Twice. Three times. Hearing how terrible it sounded for the hard shell to slam against flesh and bone. But it felt better. So much better to stop it. To shut it up.

“Just shut up. Just shut up.” Stop. I can’t hurt her.

I love her.

7.48
“Blight.”

Blight’s ears shot up.

No. Soul. No. She can’t be here.

Soulblight blinked again. Seeing all the red washing over the wall in front of her. The daggers inside of her mouth. So sharp. Not her. Not the pony Soul knew. Not the loving and caring Pegasus that wanted what was best for Soul. She can’t be here to see this. But she was.

She heard her hoofsteps enter the house behind her along with a gentle shut of the door. Her breathing. A little sniff. Has she been crying? I have been crying. We both get to cry together. No more of that. Shut up!

But it was Soul. All the same sounds she made. Walking closer behind her. She’s coming to me. It was absolutely terrifying. This was not happening. Not while I can still see it. Why does it make me want to laugh? Get out of here! Not while I still have it in my mind! A wingless Pegasus.

A wingless Soul Serenity.

All it takes is a swift cut to stop her. No, stop it. I can’t be that pony.

“Go away” Blight demanded of her. Hoping the anger in her voice would scare that coward off. “I will not.” What? She sounded so sincere. So authoritative. Soul like this? That defiant imbecile. Now is not the time to be stubborn. Just go and leave me. Fly away before it’s too late. You love your wings. I love them too. I don’t want you to lose them. I want to say all this to you. I have them on the tip of my tongue. Damn it. I can’t. I can’t do it without scaring you. As terrifying as she was now that Soul saw her with Blight looking over her shoulder and seeing the shadow of the Pegasus in the dim darkness of her house. With just the sunlight coming in to fight with the red glow Blight cast on the house. But Soul was not stopping.

She is still coming towards me. Ever closer as to slowly reveal more and more of herself in the light. So that Blight could see her beautiful eyes. Her wings cast in shadow left out like wanting to hug her with them.

Those wings, they were the ones.

Go away. Please. Blight turned herself around. “Go away!”

7.49
She gasped. No.

When? When did it happen? Why… why are you doing this? As red as her own eyes staring upon Soul. Bursting and bubbling. Like blood. Blood made of her magic… and Soul just walked towards her. Unaware.

She doesn’t know… of the thing behind her.

She has no idea how dangerous I am… I… I want to do it. Blight looked at Soul and then to the thing behind the pony. The pony did not know of the magic that curved behind her. Hanging over her. Gleaming so bright in its blood red. Waiting for me. My magic is waiting for me to do it.

It knows what I want to do.

Haha, Soul… your wings do what you want them to do. My magic is the same for me and it wants to do what I want. Exactly what a blade shall do.

All it takes is one clean cut.

The fool even has her wings out for me. Begging for it. She wants it! She wants it. But…

I can’t do anything.

I’m afraid. I’m so scared… I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to see Soul suffer. I can already see her. Blight’s eyes trembled. No.

Soul… laying on the ground. Bleeding from her back. Crying. Crying right in front of me. And I just stand over her… staring like… like a beast. With all those magenta feathers left to float among the two of us.

You will be with me forever. But… how painful it will be to see you like that. Why did it not stop? Why? Why am I not doing the right thing anymore? Go away, Soul. Go away. Please, run! I don’t want to hurt you.

It was coming down closer. Ready to do it. Moving with the Pegasus as she came into the rays of sunlight shining from the windows. So close to Blight. …And she saw it happen. Like a swoosh of light cutting the world itself. Showering it in red. Silent. Unknowing. Coming down in a hail of red… just like…

Like what Soul set down in front of her.

Blight stopped.

With so much silence that Blight could hear her own heart stop upon seeing it laying there in the sunlight, dropped from the mouth of the Pegasus she loved. Blight stopped it all. Seeing their colors. Shining like her own magic and like the Sun itself. Left at the hooves of the pony who put them there.

“They’re for you.” She heard Soul say it with a sad little voice. So small while what she left their spoke so large.

Flowers.

7.50
An entire bouquet of them tied together at the stems is what it was she saw Soul drop from her mouth. Gleaming and shiny in the colors that made Blight’s mind freeze as much as everything else in her world. They… the most beautiful things… I have seen. They glowed so bright. From the Sun or is it… from my magic that hangs over both of us… waiting for me to tell it what to do? They looked so nice. So happy to her with their oranges and reds embedded in so many delicate little petals, and Soul nudged them away with a tap of her nose. Sliding them a little closer to Blight.

Not able to do anymore. Her magic, her anger, her hate. Blight stared at them. I feel… something…

Seeing such flowers.

“I’m not going anywhere without giving you these” Soul whispered from beyond the rays of sunlight crossing between the two pegasi. Exactly like a wall that those flowers crossed, wanting to come closer to Blight. Each and every time that Soul nudged them along the floor. Oblivious of everything. Unlike any other time that this mare has ever acted. Like she didn’t care about anything but this. But giving me these flowers? They are mine? So beautiful and Soul is giving them to me. She stopped pushing them along. Looking back up at Blight.

No way. Soul… she was smiling at her. But why? She… she finally gets to see what I am. She sees me like this. She must be in so much pain with all the cruel things I did to her, and all the terrible things I wanted to do to her. For Soul to not look back and see exactly what Blight wanted to do. What she had wanted to do. It was lost on her. As lost as her magic that did not leave. Just like Soul did.

I don’t understand. Seeing this. Seeing Soul happy even with all this. With all the pain and suffering. Was Soul even aware of what was behind her? Did she even care? I want to tell her to run. Plead her to avoid any more harm. Because Soul deserved none of it. None of it anymore. For making Blight so happy… and she admitted it.

7.51
Watching the magenta Pegasus reach back down to take the flowers back up into her mouth. Those flowers that crossed the barrier between the two, now Soul crossed it too. Striding past with small steps towards her. So close. Blight saw the red mixing with her fur. Could see up close how the Pegasus smiled at her to the best of her ability with those lovely things she carried to her. For me. What to do? What to do? What can I do for this Pegasus who is before me? How she doesn’t run from me.

No way, no way can I ever hurt her. I mustn’t. Hurt such a kind pony. One so kind to me and she actually wanted me to smile… all this time… for me to feel this way now. Staring at those flowers.

Soul, you should not associate yourself with me. You should not let something like me into your life. So why do you work so hard to do this stuff for me? For me, the pony you want to make happy and you truly did. You… you are beyond anything I could wish for. Just sitting down in front of her with those flowers held in a muzzle so close to Blight’s own. She could see all the tiny furs along her nose swaying with every small breath she took. If only she was able to feel what it was like to have her breathing so close to her. Having such a friendly pony with her who actually did not revile in being this close to her. Her huge wings, held out, found their place.

Blight gasped. Soul… her wings. Those massive wings came over Blight… surrounded both of them. They twitched so lightly. Is she… Blight stared at them. Looked all around her at those wings that came over both pegasi. It’s like… they’re protecting me. Blight looked back to Soul. And I wanted to destroy these wings.

“Take them, Blight.” She heard the little whisper say to her. Soul pushing her nose a little closer to Blight’s. She looked down at it. Like it were about to touch her own nose. The face of the pony she cared for right in her own face. Being so close. Together like this. Impossible. It was never believable and here it was happening to her. Never before. Never. I can still feel them. My tongue going over all those things… those knives in my mouth… and I can see it. I can see it! In Soul’s eyes. I see it.

A black Pegasus whose eyes glowed of blood and not of the Sun.

Soul is not running from me. She isn’t leaving me. Even when I told her to. Even seeing me like this. All the reasons. Because I am the monster she thinks I am. Why stay with me? So stubborn. So loving.

“I know they make you happy” Soul said. They do.

7.52
Blight grabbed them with a gentle tug out of Soul’s mouth, holding them aloft between the two with the smallest bit of black surrounding them. Right above her eyes that she looked up at them with. Seeing the tiniest of bulbs held on little threads between those petals. Looking down on her. Filling up the darkness of the world above in their light. A light to make her happy. Just as Soul knew. Just as she remembered.

The dream.

I am not the only one who remembers it, but… Soul, Soul you remember… what it was that made me happy.

I don’t feel them anymore. I don’t feel the fangs in my mouth. I... Blight saw it in Soul’s eyes. Seeing her own eyes again. Lost of their blood. Sharing the same color as Soul’s eyes again. The same tears that Soul shed.

“Soul…” I want to tell her. But what words? None fit the call. I don’t know how I feel. My heart is hurting and… I can feel it fluttering… and I can’t breathe. Soul hushed her. Coming a little closer to her, her nose coming right in at her. What… are you…?

Blight blinked. Soul went down into Blight’s chest. Her wings burst out higher. So high and shadows came upon both of them to hide them away from the world. The two pegasi alone… under those great wings. All that was left of the world. Together. Together in the darkness…

Another pony… with me.

Blight looked down upon the pony. Her violet mane raised in front of her. Down there… crying against me chest. What would it feel like? Now that she… Soul is together with me… and resting her head against me. Like some sort of child again. This… this is what I wanted to do for you for so long. Ever since you were a kid. I wanted to be there to keep you safe. I wanted to be the one you relied on… that you rested your head upon. You are the first pony I ever wanted to do that for. Now… now I can do it. Soul, you really were the pony I wanted to keep safe. A pony who made me happy. Who I care so much for. And you feel the same for me.

I’ve never seen you do this for anypony before. The life that existed before me. I’ve never seen you like this. Like… like…

Blight froze. Soul, this is what you always wanted. You always wanted a pony you could trust to be with… one you could call… your family.

Her defenses collapsed, as did her magic, as did her anger. Soulblight cried.

7.53
“Shhh” she heard the Pegasus say under her. “It’s all gonna be okay. I’m here for you.” No, don’t say that. I’m not the one who deserves your pity. Not after everything I did. She still was here. Continuing to be like this for me. You are showing me the love… I know you always wanted to give to another. I am not the one who should get it. You should give it to somepony else. Please… don’t.

I am the one who needs to give this to you after all the mistakes I made. After I ruined your life, took away your home, your dreams, your best friend. I took it all from an innocent Pegasus who had so much fear in her life, and now she is doing this for me? Soul was not selfish. Soul was not the wrong one.

“Soul, I am so sorry.” “Don’t say that.” Soul looked back up. Getting right back into her face with so many tears rolling down her cheeks. You’re crying as much as me now. Don’t cry, you’re not at fault. Don’t tell me what I can’t say. What I must believe for it all to be made alright. To justify my wrongdoings. I need to be punished. So punish me. Leave me.

“Leave me…” she pleaded to the Pegasus. “You don’t belong here.”

Soul shook her head. A magenta hoof reaching up from below to set itself against Blight’s cheek. She looked over at it. Oh how good it may be to feel that touch. Please, don’t stop. Please hold me. No, I don’t deserve it. Nopony like me should get such a gentle touch from you. With wings such as Soul’s being able to hold her tight and Blight to do the same to her. None of it must happen. End it now. End the pain. End Soul’s pain and let her fly free from her past. From me.

“I will never leave a friend behind.”

A friend?

7.54
It rang. Pounded. Silence in everything else.

No longer even hearing herself cry. No longer hearing herself yell upon all the terrible things she did.

All because it was meaningless.

It, now more than any other, was useless to think.

When did a such a thing ever spoken to me before? There were no ponies in all of time and existence. So far back. A friend. Children playing together in the dimmed streets beneath a sorrowful Moon newly risen, beckoning them to leave her to her torment as those children left with their friends. Playing together. Holding one another as they slumbered. Never before given to her.

A friend.

A friendship that broke between two that had been so close and now so far apart. Both of them so desperate to be the other’s friend again, and I never thought I could know what it was like to want such a friendship for myself. To hear the cries those two ponies make for one another at night. The love they share.

A friend.

Just voices lost in the whispers of a lonely gale. Sweeping well over the trees of the Earth and the running waters of the streams where no pony may ever tread. Devoid. Lost. Empty. Only I know them. Only I keep them. Those cries you two make for one another. I can feel the love you both have… but now… I feel more. I feel… that same love… for me now.

She is your friend.

I am her friend.

She cares for you.

I… I love her. Was it all meant to be? Even after so long without it. A pony with me, holding me. The pony who sat in front of Blight… staring deep into her eyes. Silent and smiling under those teary eyes. The pony who said a thing I’ve never heard before. That I am…

Her friend.

Tell it to her. Soul needs to know. Let her know how much it hurts. Let her know what I want.

Because you need somepony to care for you too.

I do. I do. I need her. I need Soul. She is my friend. The bestest friend I’ve ever had.

Soul…

7.55
“Please don’t leave me. Soul!” Blight wailed at the pony in front of her. Desperate to fall into the pony’s clutches. Just collapse into that magenta furred pony. Admit to her. Show her how much I need her. Damn this body. Damn everything. Curse the world and be rid of it if only for the chance to be held by her. By my best friend.

“You’re my best friend, Soul.”

She brought herself down anyways. No longer wanting Soul to hug her. Blight placed her own cheek against Soul’s chest. Not at all caring that she simply let her flesh and body slide gently into that pony’s chest. It didn’t matter. Just as long as Soul may see it. See how truly pitiful I am. I’m not strong. She may think it but I can not. I will never believe it. Because I need to be cared for just as much as she does. Don’t leave me.

“Don’t leave me behind.”

“Blight.” Please don’t. A shadow came over her. Those great wings of Soul’s closing in all around her. Wrapping Blight in darkness. Just glancing up seeing her friend’s glowing yellow eyes trembling down at her with countless tears falling. “I’m never gonna leave you. I never was going to. Please, Blight. Don’t leave me either.”

I won’t. I promise to never leave you. Just don’t leave me. I care for you and I want you to care for me too. No matter what. We can be happy together. Together as best friends. “I won’t, I won’t” Blight mumbled. “Don’t leave me. Don’t abandon me.” “I promise that I never will” she heard Soul say right in her ear. Her voice making that ear throb. It was like honey. So soothing. Please, say more. Say more for me. “You… you are my friend, Blight. I don’t hate you, I promise.” So… beautiful.

“You don’t hate me?” Blight looked up in the darkness at the Pegasus that warmed her heart. The Pegasus who was nothing like what she had seen her to be. Like the impossible really was possible. So possible for a pony to like her, and forgive her. An innocent pony that she hurt, her friend. She is my friend. Please say it… for me, sweet Soul.

“I will never hate my dearest friends. You were the one there with me for so many years. So yes, we are friends. I am your friend, Soulblight.”

7.56
She forgave me. Soul forgave her and she fell quiet. Soulblight had no strength left. Not even enough to cry. Just stay like this. Held inside the dark and quiet that was Soul’s embrace. Never knowing what it may feel like to be held like this. What it may feel like to be touched like this. Untold years before any of that may happen. Never happening. Never knowing Soul’s touch. Dumb. Just stay like this. Listen to her. Listen to Soul who was her friend. Be there with the pony that was her friend and be there for her. No more protecting, no more raising. Take all of that and become Soul’s friend. The one that I always wanted Soul to be to me.

Soul still sounded so sweet even as she kept whispering in her ear. “We’re gonna stick together from now on. I’ll be there for you. …And I want you to be there for me too. I want you to be with me wherever I go.” It sounded so sweet. So relaxing. Like somepony was truly saying how much I matter to them. Exactly what that was. I matter so much to her that… that… she wants me to go with her?! Is that…

“Come to Equestria with me, Blight.” Saying that exactly like she knew what Blight was thinking. That… that sounded too good. Soul, why would she want somepony like me coming with her back home? That was impossible for it to really mean what it sounded like. Soulblight was being invited into Soul’s life. Go home together. A new place together. A new happiness. This must be a dream. Some sort of trick. Soul never needed me in her life before. She could easily just go back home and return to the happiness she had before all of this. So was that not good enough? She really wants me of all ponies to come with her?

“Really?”

“Yes” Soul answered. “Come home with me. Friends stick together.” Oh… Soul. You want me in your life. We can return together to the life I destroyed. Soul didn’t seem to even care anymore about that final part. Us just going back home together like it was so easy. No, I made it so hard for that to happen. But we can try to find a way. I will go back with her. I will make it all right. Soul, just continue to comfort me. Let me know it is worth it and I will do anything for you. No matter how hard it is. We will have a life together. Whatever it may be.

Blight knew one thing so clear about this Pegasus who held her. It did hurt to know it, but… so what. I have her as a friend. My best friend. Even if my fantasies pound, that’s what they are: fantasies. You are not the one to sit on that bench with me. I am fine with this. Because… I can tell deep inside and in the world beyond, there is another for you. Your deepest fantasies… that you always tried to hide. You will see them through, and I will do the same someday. To carry out that dream of a perfect life.

So funny. So Soul shall be the one I will sit there and watch grow up. A life together as friends. As long as it meant that their dreams can both come true. Fine. Just comfort me. Be my best friend. We can still be so happy together in the end. Go home with her and forge her life anew.

Even if Soul thought it may be easy. So naïve. But that was cute of her. Ambitious and never giving up. So I will not give up either. “I love that idea. I’ll go back with you.”

7.57
The sunlight shone. Never even saw it shining. But I see it. The shining light as Soul let her wings fall off of Blight, and there… there she could see her. Soul and her big smile. She brought it back out. No longer pained in sadness hidden beneath it so deep. Not at all. Blight saw something true and pure in it. A smile just like the ones that Dash brought to her.

Did I do that?

So amazing. We… we are actually friends. So unlike everything I thought would be over the years. But it is true. Soul is my best friend now. Willingly. Best friends making one another happy. Maybe we really are meant to have a life together in the end. It is all just so possible. Soul was so close to realizing her goal. Equestria was just beyond these storms. We can do it. Together. I will be there for her and support her in all she does. Anything to redo the wrongs I did in the past. Because Soul really does deserve men, unlike all the other ponies. She is the one and only who I shall care for.

So possible. Almost like the sky was the limit. A limit we could break together even with everything working against us. Yes, we will return home. “We won’t need to wait long” Soul said. “I just need you to cheer me on, please.” “Of course, I will” Blight told her.

I will support her training. Watch her grow to an amazingly talented flyer able to circumvent any obstacle. It gave it inspiration. If Soul can overcome anything than so can I. Like I always wanted to be. To change. Just like Soul has done.

I will finally be a good pony.

Do it for Soul and do it for the life we will have. “I’m glad” Soul smiled. “I need my friends.” She pointed a hoof to Blight. “And I’ll be there for them when they need me.” So sweet. That little sweetheart filly I remember from so long ago. She was back. Such a beautiful creature unlike any of these ponies. Such an accomplishment. Yes, be there for me too. Be there and I’ll always love you. Let me know I’m important and not a monster.

Never again. Never.

7.58
“We can have so much fun together. There’s so much to do in Equestria. So many ponies, and I’ll be there right with you” Soul said.

That sounded lovely. “Maybe you’d want to meet Rainbow Dash? I bet she will like you.” Oh… Rainbow Dash. That was right. There were ponies in Equestria. The one I know so well now. She was out there and, …we will meet. That sounded like… something. Blight couldn’t put her hoof on it. Whatever this feeling was. Like… doesn’t Soul feel this way? I would think Soul would worry about this for herself.

Would Dash like me?

Soul, she is my friend but after so long and so much pain... what if… would Dash not like me? Will she see me? I… I’m not stupid. Soul… it is so easy for you to think she will like you, but me? You have no idea. It was scary… what if they find out I’m… no!

They mustn’t ever know.

But to meet a new pony and one so close to Soul. It was going to happen, and I know it. This was just all happening so fast. Soul really is just so determined to have her life back now. So much to change, so many things to look forward to. I can’t fault her for wanting to get me to meet Dash. It did leave her feel a little off though. She perked up to attention when she saw Soul cock her head.

“Is something wrong?” She asked it to her like a terrified child. Can she see how scared I am? Oh no, it’s not her fault. Please don’t think that may be the case. She had to let her know. “No, no. It’s nothing… just…” Blight paused. Oh this was not at all like before. It really was bad to have had time to calm down, so much easier to just let things like this slide over and forget about them when she was being held inside Soul’s embrace. To just ignore the world and bask in her affection. Not at all what she was feeling now and she needed to admit it. To let Soul know nothing was her fault. Say it.

Say it.

“Alright, …I’m a little shy about meeting her.”

You understand, right Soul? I know you are just as nervous about meeting ponies. Always putting up a strong appearance to try and hide that fact, but I don’t know if I can do that. Blight just now noticing that she had been rubbing her foreleg along the other one. Stopping it immediately. Looking back over at the Pegasus she wanted to understand her. Dash was Soul’s friend. Both of them knew each other so well. I bet you two can be friends again. It will be alright. As long as Soul is my friend, I don’t really need any more friends like Rainbow Dash. Another pony like all the others to think I am a freak. Well… unlike Soul.

“I understand” Soul said. “You can take your time and stick with me until you’re comfortable.” Soul is actually gonna… she understands? In-incredible. No other pony ever… Soul, you are my best friend. “Thank you.” “But I guarantee she will like you.” Maybe she will. Maybe… she won’t. Whatever it was, I can just deal with it… for Soul. Because her life is now my own once again. Like I always thought it would be.

7.59
All the same problems… are now both of ours. Oh damn it, I left so many shambles behind for this pony. So… many. How on earth can I make them all right? I… I should be able to figure this stuff out. I always was the one who tried to help Soul. Her problems are my own. What to do? What to do?

Then make it work. Stop being worthless.

I’m not worthless. Not in my eyes. Soul likes me. She’s my friend. I’m her friend now and I need to help her work it all out. But how? Her mind raced with ideas. Anything that can make it possible to make their lives together a reality. One stripped of the past. Of all the mistakes she made that hurt Soul.

“Hey Blight.” She caught her attention. Soulblight rid herself of all her worries, only intended on being the good friend that Soul needed right now. “Do you like the flowers?” Soul asked her. Blight brought them back down to hover between the two ponies. The sole focus of both of them. I don’t really… see them as much of anything right now. I don’t know… just… they seem so trivial now. I still like them. Yet so much. So much has happened. Like a dream, a dream come true. Too much that it was unbelievable. Things like these flowers were nothing.

“I do. But I like the pony who gifted them to me more.” That must have really hit the sweet spot with how very much that apparently lifted Soul’s spirits. Her cheerful little smile, can’t even hide how happy she was. Blight shared it too. Both of them together. It will be like this forever because of how possible it really was. Just forget all the bad things they went through. Soul made it so clear. We were meant to be friends. We will do anything and…

I will be the one she asked for so long ago… when she had none other. Forever and always.

I’ll do it. It was only right. And I think Soul will do the same for me. Like she did when she gave me these flowers. They would look lovely in a vase on my table. For later.

She sent them off to lay them atop her bed. Soul’s gift to her. Just like Blight did with the gift meant for Soul. “Did you like my gift for you?” she asked of Soul. I hope she got to see what I left in her house. Surely she must have, but… please may she not have opened it already.

I waited two days because I wanted to celebrate with the birthday girl.

Soul smiled and lowered her head. A little smug look on her. Interesting. “Did you still want to watch me open it?” She knows what I want. Thank you, Soul. We really can have a party together. Yes! “I’d be honored” Blight accepted. Just like true friends.

She stood back up and came close to Soul who waited for her. Walking with her new friend to the still open door with an entire world beyond it. Not one of snow and grief. Not anymore. All I see are so many new chances. All the new opportunities to truly be a friend to a pony for the first time in my long life. Not just birthday parties. We could do anything now. It was all possible. All my dreams. They needed to work.

I promise to never let anything go wrong again. Don’t ever mess up again. Make her love me… forever so she will never hate me.

7.60
Soul let Blight go inside first, holding the door open for her and following right after her black tail into the warm interior of her house. Closing the door immediately. Can’t let any of the warmth out. All thanks to the fire still going strong, feeding on so many boards. Thick ones at that. Another of Soulblight’s gifts. She always knew where to get this stuff. I really am thankful to have a pony like her to watch over me. Doing kind things like that. Just like with this amazing birthday.

Everything was just as Soul left it. Except now, now there was somepony else here to be here. The one pony who made it all possible. I have no idea how to thank her. Just letting her be here, pitiful, and flowers were never enough. If only I had so much more to give her. After all the cruel things I did to make Blight think I hated her. So terrible it must have been. So many years thinking that way. Thinking something that… that I never want another pony to feel. No other pony.

Blight, she really was a courageous pony to admit such a thing. A fear of being left all alone. I’m never gonna leave her. I never can.

Blight, I am so glad you can be the first friend of mine to join me for a day like this. It… it almost made her heart beat so hard. It’s amazing. I can’t believe this is happening to me. Soulblight gets to be my birthday bud! I… I dreamed of this day for so long. I always thought it was gone. I’d never be able to do it. But you are here. Soul watched that pony walk off. Watching and Soul smiled, holding a hoof to her chest. I… I don’t know what this feeling is. But… I like it. I like it so much that… I think I may have felt it before. Did I? Long ago?

Blight was the one who actually waved Soul on to join her at the cake. This was all just too impossible. It’s like… like how nimbus and Starry used to do these for me. Blight… I don’t know why you are doing this all for me. “Do you want to eat the cake first?” Blight asked. “I made it myself.” You even made that for me? How?! How did… I can’t… I won’t question her. Anything for the pony who did all this for me.

7.61
She stepped up to the table. Looking down upon the thing that was still like a dream to her. Like all dreams, it shouldn’t be real. A miracle. But it happened. She took a good whiff of it, taking in all the chocolatey smell seeping out from the icing. Even little drips of… was… was that fudge? Oh my Celestia it is! So much of it melting out from inside the cake. It looked like it. Smelled like it. This… this is exactly how I remember chocolate to smell like. Oh wow.

All the icing placed about it in so many beautiful patterns. Rings around it and little hearts and flowers drawn in on its top between all the candles. Nothing compared to the thing that made Soul’s eyes tremble. Her entire body filled in excitement at seeing them again. All the strawberries placed within the icing, sticking out the top like icebergs in a chocolate sea. They… they look so damn fat, so ripe and juicy. I can’t believe there are… some right here… in front of me. How did…?

…Of course, Blight seems to know everything about me. She did all of this. A real cake. Real chocolate and strawberries. Really, how do you have no cutie mark, Blight? You are so damn talented. Incredible. I never even knew she could bake. Baking… out here.

“How did you make this?” Soul said in true bliss of the cake. Damn near salivating at this point. Food and no way to make it. There is nothing out here to make a cake. It had to be fake, but it smelled so good. Her entire body remembering the smells of sweets like this. She was shaking in anticipation now. “I made it, in my own special way” she heard Blight say. Own special way?

Soul turned. “So how does…” A chunk of firewood hovered between Soul and Blight. Held aloft by the black magic that coiled and writhed all across it like some sort of disease. One that shifted and changed.

What is she doing?

“Watch” Blight advised. Watch? She lost all focus on the cake and all the amazing smells filling the room when she saw the magic was becoming so very dark around the board. Was it even there anymore? The wood was completely gone now. Disappeared inside the blanket of black that blinked and flickered. The most mesmerizing colors. Sparkling even. Stars in a black night. Exactly like looking into the sky. Swirling about where the board was and then… gone. Gone with the board. …And…

7.62
A plate? That’s what it was.

A plate, circular and white with intricate designs she saw speckled around its rim. Vines it looked painted blue twirling in on each other and going around the entire edge of the plate. It went off towards the table.

What the hell? She followed it. There was no way. No way that just happened. This must be some prank. But it rang. The plate making a quick thudding sound soft and sharp. Sitting down right before her face. Ready to serve her.

“The unicorns call it transmutation” Blight said about it. Breaking Soul out of her shock at what she just witnessed. Trans…muta…tion? The unicorns? So this really is Blight’s magic. Unicorns could do this too? Another powerful thing they could do. Sometimes I kind of regret not hanging out with other ponies. Witnessing something like this… it was beyond anything Soul imagined. Nothing Cloudsdale witnessed on a daily occurrence. Nothing I’ve ever seen before. Okay, forget Blight learning how to be an amazing flyer. But she can change things into something else! How are you so talented? Those unicorns would be so jealous. I admit, I’m a little jealous too. But it did explain a lot. So she made this cake with magic. Probably the table and chair too… and whatever else.

“When did you learn to do that?” “Two years ago.” Of course. So that must be another bad reason for leaving Blight alone for so long. Never seeing her develop this power. I know that could have made things so much better for both of us. All the things Blight can make. Like, what the hell else can she make? Aww, if only I had been able to see.

“So is this actually real?!” Soul pointed to the cake. She got a nod of approval. It called to her. Soul rushed over to drool at the sight of the food in front of her.

This is real!

Food!

So many years. So many. I even miss foods I hated. But a cake! Oh sweet Celestia. Out of nowhere, literally. This really is a cake for me. My birthday cake. I… I have nothing to say. There are no words. Nopony could ever wish for something better out here. Soulblight… you are the best. You are the best.

“Thank you so much!” “Now you get to make a wish and blow out the candles… is that how it works?” Blight asked. Huh? She knew about that stuff? Somewhat. But, yeah that was fine. Twenty-one candles, I bet I can make a damn good wish. A nice wish. I remember Nimbus used to have me do this too. I never believed in it. I don’t care anymore. How many years did I go through feeling like a day like this would never come? My dream to have a friend with me for my birthday. I think… this is all like a wish. All because of you, Blight. I have just the wish for it.

Putting all those candles in her sight with an immense breath Soul took ready to put them all out in one move and make her wish come true. If anything is out there that can hear me wish this, please… make it come true.

I wish to always be there for my friends and for them to be there for me.

Rainbow Dash, Soulblight, whoever else. They all deserved it for bringing me times like this. Soul let her breath go and watched in so much glee when each and every candle went out almost instantly. As if they too beckoned her wish to succeed. Please. I want it to happen for the ponies who care for me. The ponies I love.

7.63
“Here, allow me to cut off a slice.” Blight’s magic came back to life in front of her. Surrounding the cake in its dreary color with just the tiniest of red she saw bursting about in the dark of it. It seemed the cake sure didn’t like it and willingly gave up an entire slice that slid right out perfectly to place itself upon the plate right under Soul’s drooling muzzle. Finished off with a light flick of Blight’s magic carefully pulling the pair of candles left on the slice out. Sitting there, all ready to be eaten.

All the fudge inside it, Soul could see it all inside. The smell intoxicating. The taste… oh what would it taste like? It’s been too long. Can I even eat anymore? I think I can. Blight was outright giving her the slice. Please don’t be a tease. “Can I still eat food?” Soulblight giggled. I know, …I’m asking too many questions. Everything, all of it was just to awesome. Too awesome to be true.

“I made it so you don’t get hungry” Blight said. “You can still eat.” No need to tell me twice. I’m gonna destroy this cake. I missed this feeling so much… her mouth drooling, licking her lips. “Thank you so much.”

7.64
Soul’s tongue got the first go at it. Just licking the edge. That was all she needed.

Soul sighed. Holding her cheeks. Oh… sweet damn, I’m in heaven. The taste…

Chocolate...

Fudge and chocolate. I remember it. This is exactly like the ones at the Cloudsdale bakeries. No, this taste. No… it is so much better! Like true perfection. So sweet. Such great sweets. Ahhhh! I missed them. Ecstasy and divine. Oh no, no, no I can’t wait any longer.

Soul licked her lips more, staring at the cake.

She bit down hard into the slice. Feeling all the sweetness like before. Just a lick before. This was something beyond. Like a thousand different parts of her trembling at once. This… this is the first in so long! Ahh. Celestia, yes! To finally taste it again, food! This was incredible. Truly remarkable. Tasting every bit of the bite she took, and all the fudge. Blight stuffed this cake. That overachiever. Did she do this on purpose? I don’t care anymore. I got to have more.

Soul came down on the slice. Ripping off another bite and then another. This is great. This is so great. All of it felt as good as the first bite. So much deliciousness. The feeling of eating again and something so delicious. Not even over yet. Licking her lips in anticipation of all the rest of the slice and the crown of her piece: a fat and shiny strawberry set at the edge of the slice.

Oh ho ho, I’m gonna take my time with you.

She already imagined it. Making her knees go weak. Either that or was it the cake? Giving away at the taste of eating this, just like her entire body was covered in the most tantalizing trembles. Soul took two more bites, getting closer to the prized strawberry awaiting her. It’s been too long since I had one. Not even caring about eating messily. Even seeing bits of fudge sent flying across the plate with every greedy bite she took. Blight will understand. Just showing I love her food. I know I’d love to see a pony eat my food like this, …if I knew how to cook stuff like this.

I don’t just love this, this is a miracle. Soulblight is a true miracle. She heard the black Pegasus laughing off to her right. She must be enjoying the show. Whatever. More cake.

Soul continued inhaling it. Feeling so much chocolate building up on her muzzle, licking furiously to taste all that too alongside the mess on the plate before going back to devouring what was left of her slice. “You must love it” Blight said. Soul finished up eating her current bite, looking back over at the Pegasus who wore the most amused look on her face. Haha, she has no idea how much I love this. She swallowed it all down. Nodding her head happily.

“It’s the best! You need to try it.” I would love to see how funny Blight would be just wolfing down food like this.

Oh… wait.

That’s right. I completely forgot. “I can’t” Blight said. “Don’t worry, I can tell it’s just right based off you.” I’m glad she’s not mad at me for saying that. Still, Blight should have the chance to eat something. Just a little cake. It must be hard to not be able to eat. I know just how hard ti is to miss food and never have any.

“It sure is great! I bet this strawberry will be to die for.” Soul leaned in on it. The last bit of the cake hidden under the great, big fruit that made her salivate in her mouth. Just how the sunlight shined off it. How real the cake tasted. This… this strawberry… it was the same real deal. I can’t hold back. I feel like my heart will give out. I can’t wait.

Soul leaned down right to it and bit the tips of her teeth down along its sides. That alone, she felt all the juice gushing out and sprinkling her tongue in… oh wow it’s so sweet! She needed to devour it now. Bringing it right up with her and lopping it right in.

“Oh my…” She put her forehooves to her cheeks, shrieking in satisfaction. It is so sweet. This is the sweetest strawberry I’ve ever had. It’s sour but… so much juice. It’s to die for. This is the best thing I’ve had. Better than all others. Now, now I truly remember why I love these things more than anything else in the world. Blight outdid herself. She really needs to take up baking when we get back home. It would totally work. Even if magic played a role in it. I guarantee no unicorn can just make something this good out of thin air.

She needed to eat the rest. Several more strawberries and enough cake for a few more slices. Don’t hold back. She threw herself at it.

7.65
Soul sat back down and had to let out the loudest burp, and it felt so good. Patting her stomach. So long since this had been felt. Like my stomach is happy now. Damn, haha, it’s been so long since I felt a good burp. Everything just felt so good. She leaned back against the table, sighing such pleasure. Not caring how she looked. I just ate the best food in such a long time, maybe the best of all. Manners be damned. After so long without food, this was the most satisfaction she had felt in years.

Soulblight burst out laughing across the table. Staring down at Soul. Soul laughed as well. Both ponies could not get enough of how great this was. I don’t think I’ve been this happy for a long time. MY stomach sure hasn’t as well.

“You’re such a pig” Blight commented, laughing her way off to the bed. Please, I can easily work this all off with some hard training. Right now, I have all the right to be a pig. Besides, Blight can’t hide it. That mare enjoyed the whole show. Soul smiled. “Your cakes are the best… oink.” They both burst out laughing. “Oink, oink.” Soul fell down on her back. This is just the best feeling. Watching Blight over there, keeping a hoof to her mouth with her quiet laughter, and Soul could not stop either. There is no way, not when everything, all the pain, it was like it never happened. Just for this one moment. Sharing it with another pony. Looks like my wish is coming true.

I missed being this happy. Soul settled down. It’s like a dream. A miracle like that cake was. Times to change so much. I never thought I could eat them again. Strawberries. So many strawberries. Such sweetness. She licked the fur along her mouth, picking up the remains of fudge and crumbs left behind. Still so good.

“Don’t get too comfortable. You still need to open your present.” That very present set itself down right next to where Soul sat. The same one from the bed with the cute bow on it atop a box covered in magenta wrapping paper and red strands going up and down to meet with one another at that bow. Blight made her way around it and… she sat next to Soul. Looking over at her, the black mare smiled and nodded to the present. She really wants me to open it. Why I… I don’t know what to say. This is so amazing. Blight is doing all this for me.

Whatever could it be? No way she found something in this village. I… I would have found it by now. Maybe she used that awesome magic of hers to make something. It literally could be anything. Does Blight even have an idea on what to give me for a present or did she just make a guess? Even if she had asked me, I would not know what to ask for as a birthday present. Not anymore. The surprise was agonizing. I ned to find out.

Soul sat straight up. Already feeling her stomach roar from having to move already. So full of cake. Oh calm down now, we have a present to open. Opening a birthday gift. This really is just like a birthday party that I always wanted. Nothing too crazy or fancy. It’s what I wanted long ago with Dashie. I get to enjoy this with such a great friend, and I know… I know I mean so much to her. She made all of this. She made a cake out of my favorites and she is even sitting with me just to open her present to me. Blight really does care about me. I hate how I treated her all these years. I won’t ever do any of that again. I’ll be there with her always.

Please, no more thinking I hate you. No more. I hope all this is not her just trying to get me to like her. For one reason. I already like her. Nopony bothered to ever come to me for my birthday and I bet they all forgot it, all except for Blight. Maybe Dashie remembers… I don’t know. But Blight… you never forgot.

7.66
Soul reached for the present. Pulling it right in between her legs. Feeling the sturdy design under all that wrapping paper. Like it was a box under it. Or maybe something big and solid. Soul literally could come up with no ideas on what it may be. Just building that curiosity as to what it was that Blight had found. What did she do? What did she make? Only one way to find out.

She took one final glance at Blight to be sure the pony was watching her before she went down and grabbed hold of a corner with her teeth. Pulling the wrapping paper into her mouth clean of whatever was inside so she may begin to start tugging it off. Hearing that paper rip from her effort. It sounded so nice. Ripping open a gift. The sound of the wrapping paper. I can’t believe I am doing this again.

She kept going, being extra gentle when removing the bow. Not wanting to destroy the adorable little heart shape that Soulblight made out of it and letting it flow softly down on her hind leg while she threw the wrapping paper out to the side. Until she found it was a box inside whose top flaps were left forced apart. Only a little tape left over those flaps. The only thing that kept the box closed.

Her hooves glided in between the flaps, lifting them right open so the sunlight could shine in. So Soul could look in to find… Soul’s heart skipped a beat. Maybe two.

This… these are…

They’re… beautiful. So many of them. So familiar. “Happy birthday, Soul” Blight whispered to her. It is a happy one. Blight, you softy… I never knew how much of a softy you can be. All my time here, does she know that… I like this? The only pony in the world who knows I do. This gift. Soul pulled out one of them. Letting it stand on top of her hoof. Small and fragile exactly like the little Pegasus doll she held every night, a doll just like the one she held and all the others in the box below. The same make, all of them, with the exact little smile that her Pegasus doll had to smile right up at her beneath little dots for eyes. It’s cute, little mane and tail made of soft thread silk given a purple color, all the many colors each tail had. Pegasi, unicorns, Earth ponies.

Every single pony… it’s an entire collection.

Soul held the Earth pony, staring at it. It’s so different from me but… it’s so like me. Blight, where did you even find these? I didn’t think I would see something like this. They all must have been lonely in the village with nopony here. Well, they won’t be lonely anymore. They have us now, and I have Soulblight. Friends.

I have friends. Ones that like me. I feel like it could be true. True that Dash is out there somewhere. That she still likes me. Just like these ponies do. The smiles on all these dolls. They were so assuring. Just like they were in showing that she did have a real friend now. A true friend. She gave me this. Such little things but she knew that I would like seeing these. To see so many ponies smiling and happy because of… me. I… I really do love them. I…

Soul hugged the one she held.

I don’t care anymore. Soul let it out. The feeling she had. All the joy at what she had seen. A little tear that came down her face. These little guys all like me and Blight likes me too. All this time. I had a real friend. The most unlikely of ponies. A little fact she never may come to just months ago. Days ago. Having a friend who accepted her. Not caring at all for her faults. Sitting with her, leaning in to her so their sides may shimmer together. A black shoulder flowing in her own shoulder like measly wind. She could not feel it, but could feel what it meant. Seeing her new friend joining her in the joy she really felt for the first time in years.

All thanks to you. “Thank you so much, Blight.”

7.67
“You know, a lot of the kids I grew up with would make fun of me for doing stuff like this. I bet they would.” Soul thought over the idea as she cared for the dolls she held in her legs. Stroking their manes and tails. Adoring every bit of them. That stuff never did happen. I remember though. Just how all those kids were. They saw me for something else. Not for this, especially when they all loved to be jerks to me. Just the idea of doing this in front of them, it was too easy to imagine it. All the looks and jokes that could be heard under hushed breaths. It is so unlike me. So strange. But I am okay with it, even with Blight right here with me. That black mare sitting right next to her. Doing something incredible.

Blight combed that black magic over the pony’s mane. So dark and soft, doing Celestia only knew what to it. Making some sort of style to it that Soul failed to pick up on right now. Mostly just fidgeting around with it. Looked like Blight had no idea how to do this. Still I never took her to be one to do this with me. Nothing like the authoritative and strong pony she thought Blight to be all these past years but this day was just a boatload of surprises. She’s a mare who actually wants to do this kiddy shit with me? One hell of a mare, at that. She is always surprising me.

I wonder, what would she be like if she had been in camp with me? There with me when I was a filly. I still imagine her as a filly too. A funny idea but she liked the sound of it. Soulblight being just like this as a child. Hehe, sounded like we may have been the best of friends back then. Sticking with one another. Forget those other kids and what they may think. As long as I can also have Dashie there to be our friend too. Two of the best ponies I’ve ever known, there as my friends. Such a silly thing to think, just like hoping the other kids would be nice for once and not just see the faults in me. The adults too. And all they did to me. I don’t know, I may never meet any of them again.

But what id they did? They would all see it. They will see that I’m a mare now with the best flying skills they will ever know. A Pegasus who was built by work. Who will become the greatest Wonderbolt of all. I’ll be such a great one, nothing they think about me will change how I will be. Besides, can any of them claim to have a pony like this there to support them? Soul looked to Blight.

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“Do you not feel weird doing this stuff?” she asked Blight. The black Pegasus looked up without her magic stopping doing what it was doing to the doll’s mane. But she didn’t say anything. The reason was lost on Soul. Does she understand? It is a little bit of a weird question. “Like something you imagine yourself to do when nopony else is there to hate you for it?”

Soulblight let out an intriguing grunt. Going back to look down at her doll. “I…” she started. Pausing in what felt like an eternity with Soul eagerly awaiting her answer. “I did not, not at first. I never had stuff like this to know what it may be like… but now that I do…” Her wings flared a little. Staring upon the pony she held between her legs and the magic that seemed to reflect in her eyes. “I care little for what random ponies may think of it.” She looked back up at Soul. Complete curiosity in her face. “Do you feel weird?” She asked this time.

Around Blight?

No. There is no way I can around you, not after seeing just who you truly are. All the nice things she does for me and how sweet she is. I feel like I can do anything around her. Even if she did make mistakes, I can see she has good in her. She is something more. And she is my caretaker. Something I haven’t felt in so long. A pony who makes me feel like I am something important.

“As long as I’m with you, no, I don’t” Soul said. “Why is that? You really think us doing this is not weird?” Blight presented her doll to Soul. With something she failed to notice till now. That Blight had finished while they were talking… and wow, what a finish. Soul stared at it. At its silver threaded mane.

Blight… that is amazing. She… she made it look just like… it’s Blight’s mane! All the threads and fibers held perfectly together that none of it fell out of place. Long bangs running down the right side of her face to almost cover up her eye with many more coming down to her neck. She actually did it. Soul stared at the last part. How did she do this?

Blight even gave it a long ponytail. Just like the one that Blight had hidden so well behind her head. So lost in its darkness. But to see it shine one the silver threads of this doll. The long and luscious hairs. So perfectly set. You made a mini you.

Blight, it’s beautiful. You are the one who made this? Made something so beautiful? It’s like a whole different side to Blight. Soul couldn’t take her eyes off it even as she tried to speak. “It’s not weird at all. I… am alright doing this with you.” She looked up to Blight. “I hope you feel the same. We are friends so you don’t need to hide it from me.”

A friend like you, I’d never feel bad about doing anything together. Even this. Even watching you make amazing manes for these ponies. Hell, you sure do have an amazing mane.

“Interesting” Blight said. Putting her doll back down between her legs. A longing look set upon her face just in an instant, but Soul saw it. What was Blight getting at? Is she uncomfortable? Oh Blight, if only I knew what troubled you.

7.69
“So did you have a nice birthday?” Damn. I wanted to ask her if something was wrong. Turning this complete one eighty in an instant. She doesn’t need to hide anything from me. I will understand. I’m her friend. She can count on me to be there for her. Or maybe I am just freaking out over nothing. Just seeing something else that just wasn’t there. Still, I can’t get it out of my head. You crying, Blight. Like an inner wound so deep finally crying out in just a small burst pleading for Soul. I want to prove to her that she can trust me. Please, may it just be my imagination.

“I did. Thank you for it” Soul said as well as she could trying to hide her own worries. Patting the mane of one of the unicorns she held, bringing it close to her in a little hug for it. “I loved it all.” She heard the Pegasus giggle a little. Blight staring off at the table where that filthy plate still sat and all the chocolate smeared all over the thing. Smiling at it, but Blight meekly glanced back to her. “I hope it was good enough for you. I’m not good at planning parties.” She just grinned so wide about it. It’s like she wants to hear something from me. She doesn’t need to beg for it. This party was all I could ever want. What was better?

After so many years, over twelve of being all alone out here. Feeling like there was nothing good left for her in the world too many times, cleansing those thoughts only for it all to come crumbling down again. Living in a falsehood about the pony she now saw as her friend. What Soul had now was all that could be wished for. Good times, happiness and laughter. Simple things. Ones she missed. Sharing it with one good friend. Something she’d gladly trade anything for to have. It was just like what I wanted for a birthday party with Dashie. Just like it. What I always dreamed of one to be like. And Blight was the one who did it for me. If I could, I’d hug this pony right now for all she did.

“You did great.” Soul’s voice softened. Hearing her talk like this, she thought herself to sound like some sort of lover to her mate. I’m too sappy. “This was all I could hope to have.” She extended her hoof closer to Blight. Offering it to her as a symbol of how much she appreciated her. “Thank you.” That seemed to touch Blight’s heart.

“You’re welcome” Blight was so happy to say that. Like a cheerful pony now. A good ruse. Soul saw it. I know she loves it. Blight is so full of herself now. Yeah, yeah, get your pats on the back. You did good, my friend.

“Anything for the birthday girl.” Soulblight sighed. Looking past Soul. What are you looking at? She looked into Blight’s dragon eyes. Seeing a sparkle of light shining in her now sun-caked eyes. “Twenty-one years old” Blight said. “Two days ago. So much has happened since you were just a nine-year-old filly.”

Those were the days. Days I never want to go back to. To the times when everything seemed so miniscule compared to now. All the years between then and now, such a pitiful time. Too long. Too long since this feeling. Sometimes, I just want to go back and change it all. It sucked to think about it. All the birthdays we could have had together. For me and for Blight.

All the time we could have been together.

Blight right there at my bedside when I sleep. Protect me from nightmares, sing to me. Wish me good night. A waste. All because of how stupid I have been. How terrible of a pony I really am to the ponies who need me.

…Huh, when even was Blight’s birthday? Probably the same answer as everything else about her life.

7.70
“Now look at you” Blight pointed to her. “Twenty-one years, you old girl.” Oh whatever. Did she really just call me old? Ha, such a thing, and from the pony who is old enough to be my mother. “Shut up” Soul mocked. “I’m not old, you fossil.” Soulblight laughed away. That even made Soul laugh. So nice to laugh together. Play with one another. Damn it Blight, stop reminding me of Rainbow Dash. Stop reminding me of… myself.

“Well at least we got a chance to celebrate it” Blight said. Almost though. As happy as their jokes were, that joy ran dry once Soul heard her say that. We did almost miss the chance for this. All because of me. I am so lucky I woke up when I did. So regretful of passing out. I broke my promise and left Blight alone for two days, and she didn’t even know what happened to me. How worried she must have been. How scared. Building up into the Soulblight she hoped to never see again, right before Soul could finally hold her. That terrible darkness. I never want to see Blight like that again. Those eyes of hers. I could see the pain in them… such bloody eyes. No matter what it meant, those two days, her almost missing this beautiful time together, they did hurt Blight so badly. A horrible experience for the black Pegasus, it must have been.

What if Dash never showed up for a birthday I threw for her? What if… Soul felt it in her heart. Like I haven’t been able to do for years now. I already can feel it. Just thinking about it. It hurt. And there would have been a chance… I never could have been able to hope to be there for her birthday. Not even able to do my own birthdays. Washed away in the red from her own throat.

Why did you need to say that Blight? Don’t make me think about it. What could happen to you if I... Soul hated feeling this. But she could see it. Her sad face in the mirror beyond her friend. That mirror. “I’m so sorry for breaking my promise. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” Flowers were not enough. Good times can’t be enough. I need to do a lot to make it up for this pony who has done so much for me. Even remembering my birthday when nopony else did.

Soulblight dragged herself closer to Soul. Laying right with her till their hooves almost touched together. “Oh Soul, don’t say that. I’m not angry, …only glad that we could do this.” She leaned in closer. “Are you not glad?” There were too many things Soul was not happy about. Oh where to start and how long it may take to say it all. One thing was clear to her though. “I’m sad that I broke my promise. It must have really hurt you. I don’t like hurting other ponies.” She saw a little flicker in Blight’s eyes when they came closer. Like she had that little bit of happiness left in her eyes. Coming close like she wanted to hug. So close, Soul only wished to be able to hug her.

“Soul.” Soul paid attention. Not able to stop a little sniffle from escaping. Feeling like she could cry.

“Can you show me why you were late?” Blight’s question, it was so direct. So strong. Like… did she know something was really up? She wants me to show her what I did. What good would it do? But I shouldn’t say no to her. Soul lifted her hoof up. Bringing her head down in shame.

7.71
Soul’s hoof set itself upon her mane, pushing away the long bangs covering the left of her face and she felt the cold air blast the temple of her head. It pinged in pain. Like not wanting to be exposed. She heard Blight gasp.

“Soul! What happened!?” Soul looked at her friend’s horrified face. Wrought in so much worry and fear. Mouth trembling twice. Was it that bad? Soul looked past her to the mirror. Keeping her mane held high, she saw it too. A nice and wide gash cut straight across the width of her forehead. Bad enough to be so apparent even in the depths of her thick fur wracked in dried blood splattered just around where the wound was. From the looks of it, it seemed to be healing. Certainly since the blood stopped flowing and the pain had dulled. But it was an ugly sight. Something she was not shy about keeping hidden under her mane which she did now. Not wanting to see it any longer. The proof of her failure.

“What happened?” Blight asked again. Calmed down enough now to sound… just like how she sounded when Soul was a filly. She’s like how she was when I hurt myself. When she was so worried I hurt myself when I fell. She was so caring. I feel so safe around her. “I fell and passed out while training.”

“What!?”

Soulblight stared at her. She looked absolutely taken aback. Did I say something wrong? Does she think I’m lying? As terrible as it was for her to do it, it happened. Soul passed out. “Here I was, …thinking you left me…” Blight whispered. Her voice pained and hitting Soul’s ears like pins digging right to the core. “When you were laying out there in the cold. …Soul, please forgive me!” She leaned in closer, placing her head right in between Soul’s outstretched forelegs.

Is she… bowing?

“I never knew, …nothing I can do can make it up to you. …I was mad at you when I should have been scared. I was only scared that you left me. Please forgive me.”

“No, don’t say that” Soul pleaded of her. Looking down upon the pony begging in front of her. Please lift your head. Please look at me. I hate seeing you like this. Never ever wanting any friend of hers to feel like they needed to earn her forgiveness when she was the one at fault. She only needed to be more careful and none of the heartache would have happened. They’d have had their party two days ago. Been friends for two days by now and Blight never will have known that sadness.

She is the one who has been begging me. Crying for it. I had to watch her do it under my wings… and now here, again. “Do you forgive me?” Soul asked. That finally made Blight lift her head back up. Looking up into the eyes of the pony who asked something so important of her. “You want… my forgiveness. Why?”

“I’m the one who broke a promise. Broke one to a pony who needed me when nopony else was there for her. I understand why you were mad, I’d be mad too because it’s not right to do that to a friend.” Soul let her heart out. Really wishing to actually earn the forgiveness of a pony who meant so much to her. She needed it. I want her there for me, no matter what mistake I make. I don’t want to lose anymore friends. She is the pony for me.

I need to be the pony for Soulblight.

“Breaking promises is mean.” I would be better off just telling her that I don’t care for her over breaking such an important promise to her. I can’t let that happen again. “Breaking promises…?” Blight said. Gliding her eyes off to the left. Her face going blank. A bit of a shine in her black color streaming about her misty face. A paleness reverting back to the shadows. “I’ll never break any promise to you” she continued. “I forgive you, only if you forgive me for being mean to you.” That went without saying. “Of course, I forgive you. You’re my friend and I’ll do anything to keep our friendship.”

“…And I’ll do the same.”

Soulblight’s hoof touched Soul’s own hoof. Going right into her magenta coating. Can’t even feel it. But I can feel what you want. Both their hooves together. A true touch. After so many years, I feel like I am truly able to touch you for the first time. My best friend. Thank you… for forgiving me. Thank you for this. I’ll do anything for you. Even bring you to a home you will love.

7.72

“As long as we’re friends, we can do anything” Soul said. Keeping her hoof connected with Blight’s. Both pegasi refusing to let go. So many things to do with her. I’ll prove to her I am there for her. No more of that hell she had to go through. I want her to be a part of everything now. Maybe, someday, we can even fly and do tricks together. Coming back to a home together after that. Kind of like right now. For my best friend, I’ll even do this for her. I would love to make her a cake. I’m sure this old mare would love to eat some. What pony would not? I got to find out what she likes. Maybe strawberries with lots of chocolate and some smoothies too. That sounds so good to have.

All those days we can spend together. When it will be like these terrible times in this land could become a distant memory. Nothing to remember, not when Soul could return to that life. One she imagined once more. Of finally joining the Wonderbolts. That old dream. Training and practicing with them, all to become the best. But… with Soulblight there. There to cheer her on.

She could watch me. Support me. Maybe even pick up a thing or two from me, enough to be able to one day join me.That day can not come soon enough. A fellow Pegasus as wonderful as Blight, I would want her to be my flying partner sometimes. Spending birthdays together, especially Blight’s own whenever that was. Hearth’s Warming together. Going to the beach or just sitting together under the falling leaves of autumn trees listening to the wind. That really made her giddy.

“Oh! So much to do when we get home!” Oh. Did I just… yell that? Blight sat there, surprised. Well that must have piqued her curiosity. “Sorry” Soul said, rubbing her free hoof along the back of her head. “I’m just excited to have so much fun…” She pressed her hoof further into the cloudy hoof of Blight. “…With my friend.” Poking her other hoof right at Blight’s face. “You.” Soul admitted with a happy squee in her smile.

7.73
Soulblight grunted. “I hope so” she said bleakly. Even her head downed as much as her voice did. “Come on now, Blight. We’re gonna have such a great time back home. Equestria has so many fun things to do and so many places to see. You’ll love it.” There still was no sign of her cheering up. Geez, Blight. What is there to worry about?

“I don’t doubt that” she said back. “I just don’t…” She turned away. Mouth frozen mid-sentence and trembling as if it may be fighting itself on what to say. Whatever it was that may be holding her back from truly having fun with Soul and enjoying the idea of returning home. Just tell me what’s wrong. No matter what it may be, we can work it out together. No matter the challenge, I’m up for it. Wait and see, Blight. I will do anything for you.

“Soul, how can you forgive me?”

Why even ask that? I just told her I forgive her. It’s not hard to at all. All I want is for you to stay that loving pony I came to know you as. That caring pony. It’s what I really love about you. No need for any more forgiveness.

“I ruined your life.” Soulblight stood, sending the pony doll she tended to flying and startling Soul with how strong of a gust of wind her flailing wings made upon her rushing off to where the table sat. Walking away from her.

What do you mean? Soul glanced to the doll sitting at the foot of the wall, where it had struck. There is no need to be upset. I don’t want you sad. Having to see Blight over there all alone at the table. “You didn’t ruin my life.”

“Lies!”

Soul held her breath. Blight turned around. Such fierce anguish. Soul could feel it. See it. All in the glare of that pony. Looking like she were about to yell but her voice stayed low. Reverting back to a calm and gentle tone. “Soul, …did you really forget? Forget why you were banished?”

I can never forget. I made such a terrible mistake. I have to live with it every single night and… I just want it all to go away.

My greatest shame.

But… it’s one we did together, you and I, Blight.

“Blight, I’m not made about that anymore. We can still make everything better.” Soul stood up this time. Determined to stay close to Blight. Coming right up to her where she stood at the table. “I’m the one who messed up, not you. So don’t feel bad about yourself.”

“I suppose you don’t know what I mean. How I feel about myself means nothing since I am the one who got you banished in the end. Banished for a horrible thing that I convinced you to do. Even if it was right…”

“No other pony sees it as such. Soul,… they really do think you were the one who killed Nimbus and Starry.”

7.74
Nimbus and Starry. I…

I loved them so much. So much that I… I still sit up some nights and… remember your sweet voices. And I hurt myself. I’ve hit myself. Yelled at myself all because I couldn’t stop what happened to you two. That… that was the worst day of my life. And I had to do it. I had to kill the ones who did it. Soulblight… you did it. For me. For all the ponies I loved.

But no other pony cares.

We did it all for those ponies. Blight and I. We did the right thing. And now Celestia hates me. All those ponies that stared at me, surrounding me in that room before… they got rid of me. They all hate me.

Hate a terrified and defenseless filly, all alone in the world.

I never felt hated so much before. I never saw ponies afraid of me before. I hated it. I don’t want ponies to hate me. Just like… the terrible nightmares. …So they were true. Ponies… do hate me.

They all hate me.

“Soul?” She heard Blight say. She was still there, fully locked upon her with so much worry. Guess I spaced out. Even her hoof had buckled without her knowing. Her wings set down upon the floor. They perked back up. But… she could not get it out of her head, those horrible memories.

“I…” Soul didn’t know what to say. Blight was right. I did something terrible. I really did think I could return to a normal life. No, it can never come back.

Is that what you are saying, Blight?

Would words even do anything? Nothing seems to ever work, not even in my nightmares. I… I’m a twenty-one year old mare now and I still think like a damn filly.

So naïve.

Talking her way out of it. Begging. No. They will just turn their tails, stand in fear of her. Not wanting to love her or accept her. Even Rainbow Dash will be the same way. Dash must know… what I did. She will also be afraid of me. Hate me. She won’t welcome me back. Even though I am the one who saved her and did it because I… I loved her. And then Celestia… she will send me right back.

So… it was all pointless.

“So… I… can’t get my life back.” Now that was more than any other reason to start crying. To know such a terrible thing before today. Stuck in this realm forever with no reason to go home. No way to go home. I don’t want a lonely life. So very lonely with nothing but her tears while she cried in bed. What kind of life would that be? …One that wasn’t worth it. So why did she not cry? She wanted to. Fall into Soulblight and hug her, cry on her shoulder. Listen to comforting words assure her everything will be okay. That she did have a life worth living. That she did have… a friend.

Oh, Blight… please help me. Soul walked in a little closer to her new friend. You have all the answers. You always say the right thing for me. Please tell me something. Anything to stop the pain. If only I could hug her. “I have no reason to return home then.”

“Soul, don’t say that.” I don’t want to be without the life I wish for. One shared with you, Blight. Please help me. “I should not have said such cruel words to you” Blight said in her ear. “I want you to have your life back too. Don’t give up, you can still achieve it.” Is that right or are you just bullshitting me? It sounded so far-fetched. Impossible even. What could they do? All the bad things we did, we are just two pegasi against all of those ponies. Those ponies I want to accept us. So many friends. If only Rainbow Dash could help us. Let us know that there is a life for us, but she is gone. I drove her off and she will never help me.

7.75
“What is the point if I have nothing waiting for me?” Work so hard and have all the hope in the world, how great it would be to be sent right back here after all of this. It’s just like how my training is. Just get somewhere and then fail. A total failure just like I keep being. Not able to do anything. I just want to be happy again and I want Blight to know that life too.

“I messed up. I ruined it for you and me. Now we can’t… go home.” Knowing that, it hurts to think. I can even feel it. There was a tear coming down her cheek.

“Nothing is waiting for you? What about Rainbow Dash?”

Dashie. Not after what I did to her. How angry I made her. She probably doesn’t even remember what we had. Probably just sees me as a monster and a jerk like all the ponies do. If anything, she was better off. Somewhere out with new friends who will never betray her. “She doesn’t care for me. We’ll never be friends again.”

“Soul!” Blight yelled loudly this time. Right in her ear. It made her jump a little. Rattling her with how commanding she sounded. How familiar it was. “I don’t want to hear you say that. Rainbow Dash not caring, …did you forget what I told you years ago? How Dash felt?” There was something about Blight’s voice that made everything seem so serene. The way she was talking, like reprimanding her for a bad act. Trying to put her on the right path. So much that Soul already felt bad hearing her talk like this. But it was calming.

Yes, I forgot what you told me.

“I had to listen to the sounds of your best friend out there crying every night since you left. I don’t think it takes a genius to figure out why she was” Blight said. When I was a filly, when Dash was a filly. Dash crying for me? Soul felt an itch in her hooves. I hate to imagine it. Dashie was always so strong and fierce. But I made her cry so much. Like how I cry every night. Do you really cry for me? Is it for the same reasons I have? Do we still have something? Did it still burn bright? I don’t even know if Dashie would like me returning after all this pain. After hurting her so much. Can we even be friends?

“I still listen to her, to Dashie. Imagine my surprise when I still sometimes hear her whimper in her sleep… even as a mare like you. Crying for something. Even though she is so happy during the day. …I do wonder what it may be that still makes her cry… ever since you left” Blight said.

I want to know why she cries. I want to know. Is it for the reason I fear it is? Is there anything I can do to help her? So that Dash never needed to cry again while they made up for the terrible things in the past. The idea that Rainbow Dash was out there crying alone in her bed, sad over what happened, Soul wanted to be there for her. So many dreams to make true. Finally letting all those ponies know that everything was going to be alright. That the past was gone. That we can all be friends again. For Dashie and for Soulblight. If it was entirely possible. I want to be there for her to hug her and let her know she will be okay. That all will be okay.

That the past was dead.

How hard will it be? Can I even do it?

7.76
“I think it may be too late” Soul admitted. Just wanting to walk off and cry all by herself in her bed. Lay with that new blanket Blight gave her that looked so soft. I just… want to forget it all and pretend it never happened. I want all of it gone.

“Let me ask one thing” Blight objected. “Did you think you and I could not ever be friends like we are now?” That stopped Soul in her tracks. Such a question. Do-does she know how I feel? Did she know how I felt? For so very long. Soul had to stare at her. At this pony that always seemed so far away to her. This pony I never thought I’d be friends with again, not like how we were for that short time when I was a filly. And I was so afraid of what it could be. That Blight hated me.

…But that was never true.

Blight wanted me all this time. The way she begged me and how so very terrified and hurt she looked just by thinking I hated her and how much she wanted me to stay with her. She wanted to be with me all this time. Even just days ago, I never thought she wanted this. I didn’t think I could earn her friendship, but it was waiting for me. Blight waited for me.

She turned back to face the pony who asked her that question. So, …Blight, why do you always know what to say? “We are friends” Soul put it flatly. “I think Dash wants to be your friend again just as I did. She wants her special Cloudsdale Wingpony back.”

We are… Cloudsdale Wingponies. Forever.

We both vowed to be there for one another. Even if we have been apart for so long, I still see you as my wingpony. The only pony in the world that I want to be my wingpony. Wingponies forever. I always did secretly love that little title Dashie gave us. Cloudsdale Wingponies, such a dork. We can be that again. I have to try and make it happen again. All us pegasi. Get the whole gang back together. Those two other fillies, …Dash must remember their names. Maybe even Blight did too. Maybe someday, Blight can be my wingpony too. I couldn’t ask for anything better than to have the two best ponies out there to fly with me.

I guess it won’t hurt to try. Rainbow Dash was out there. Their old friendship, maybe it never died. Just like another friendship she thought died long ago.

“Thank you, Blight.”

“No” Blight placed one of her forehooves forward, setting it down next to Soul’s own. “Thank you… for not giving up.” Soul joined her. Her hoof touching the mist of Blight’s hoof.

“But what about Celestia?” Soul asked. That still was a problem. Even if Dashie would want me back, there is no way I can do it. Not with the princess. There is nothing we can do. “How will I fix what I did?” “How will we fix what we did?” Blight corrected. “Don’t worry about that right now. We can think of something. Together, anything is possible.” So true. I don’t think anypony else could survive what we have gone through. “Just focus on returning home right now” Blight said. Yes. Home. Back to Rainbow Dash and the first friend I ever had. The one reason I want to return home, Dashie and Blight. Why I put so much effort to get these wings. Wings that will do anything for Blight and me. I will do it.

Just like she did when the blood still trickled from her throat.

“I’m gonna go train now.” Soulblight nodded. Saying nothing more even though Soul did want her to say something. Silly Blight, looks like I have to be the one to say it. She is my friend and I want her part of my life now. Now and forever. Until the day when all three of us can be together. I’ll show her.

I’ll show her what I will do to make it happen. Time to show them all. “Come with me. I have something to show you.”

Next Chapter: Part 2 Entwined - Act 8 Estimated time remaining: 26 Hours, 3 Minutes