8.1
These mountaintops, this was the last place where I ever thought the two of us would return to someday.

The place where it all began. Standing on this very exact mountain together, back when Soul was not even up to Blight’s shoulders. When she was so weak and frail. Way too much has changed to be able to stand alongside Blight once more on this mountain. Eye to eye, both ponies with wings as magnificent as the other. That being the biggest difference between then and now. That terrible beginning had ended. Now was the time to get rid of any trace of those terrible times. The day when they may finally leave.

I wonder if Blight knows what my plan is. Bringing the pony all the way up here to look out from the mountains and towards the vast snowy wasteland where only the rolling snowstorms and the village beyond was all this land could be. Out to the very edge of the roiling winds Soul heard tickle her ears.

“Still such a wondrous sight.” Soulblight was found staring off to the crater behind them. Looking all about, even meeting Soul’s eyes. “It’s been over twelve years since I’ve been here with you. It’s still beautiful to see all of this again.” So does that mean she doesn’t know why we are out here? Maybe, she always able to guess what it is I’m thinking. Maybe Blight didn’t want to know. Hopeful for a surprise possibly. Just like she did with that birthday.

Soul didn’t question what Blight said, even if she felt different about this world. If it was a beautiful sight then that was a plus for bringing Blight out of the house and into the wild open land of this icy tomb. Soul giggled at her. “Not the reason I brought you out here.” Soulblight’s eyes did widen a little. So curious. Unless she was faking it, she must really be interested. I will be sure to deliver. Because, right now, I will show how much I am willing to do to give us the life we both need.

All the training I’ve put in for years now. I won’t fail this time.

“I’m gonna show you the move I’ve been training for.”

8.2
That pain on her head. She had failed too many times now. Two years of not even practicing it but it was still down in her head. All the techniques that needed to be done to make it happen. I know I can do it. I have the wings for it. I have years and years of training, and I still remember all that Nimbus taught me. I am no amateur. It should work, or, if not, I will be one step closer to finally doing it.

So long ago, I came so close. I could feel it. I know I almost reached something that Nimbus would be proud of. A feeling unlike any other. Ever since… since the day when I felt I had finally known what it was like to be one with the air. To believe I can truly reach my dream and do all this for every pony. Even the ponies who thought I was not good enough, show them all what a Pegasus can truly do. Those times, they all led to this. To what I am now. I truly believe I can pull off moves and fly at speeds that no other can go. Today, I will prove it. No more practice. This time it will be a real go. Just for Soulblight.

“You have a new move?” “Yup, I’ve been training all these years to do something like it. If I get it right…” Soul turned back to Blight. Showing her exactly how confident she was in herself. “We have a one-way ticket out of here.” I want to do it. But… if not, someday I will. But now, you will see just what it is I am trying to do. What all my training has been for. It will be the perfect way to end such a great day. Spending it all with my true friend. Oh yeah. Now that was cause enough to push her to do this perfectly.

“If you get it right?” Soulblight said sharply. “Are you saying you never attempted it before?” Well that was how it worked when training for advanced moves. There always came a time to put it in play for the first time. So Soul nodded. Though it certainly can be a dangerous one. Every time Soul reviewed the steps, some little part of her warned her of all the things that may happen to ruin it and get her hurt. I hope I don’t get hurt this time. Not like what happened the other day. Can’t believe I got knocked out for two days. Quiet those thoughts down. No way to tell if this can be done if all she did was sit here and worry. Years spent for this moment, and no matter how many more it may take till it was accomplished. Doubt must die.

But… Soul noticed it. Oh no, Blight… she has that look in her eyes. Her motherly look to her. Is she going to shoot down my idea? “I don’t want you to get hurt” Blight said. Sounded like she was. Yes, I know it can be risky but that’s what happens when you want to become a great flyer. You have to put yourself at risk sometimes, and I’ll do anything to get us out of here. She’s not going to stop me.

“Do you know who you’re talking to?” Soul asked determined to hold her ground on the idea. Soulblight on the other hoof was not at all impressed. Raising one of her eyebrows. Wait, I guess that’s not the best way to put it. Soul giggled, embarrassed. “Never mind what I just said. But I still need to try.” But the thing was that Blight didn’t say anymore. Though her expression never changed. Still being authoritative pony who liked to be some sort of guardian angel. It was a genuine concern that was actually kind of charming, …but maybe just this once she can let it slide.

Soul leaned in closer to her friend. Doing her best to make the most pleading eyes she can. Even seeing herself reflected in Blight’s dragon eyes. Oh man, I hate having to beg her to let me do things. With a little shimmer of light in her big eyes. Frowning deeply. “Please.” Soulblight rose her eyebrow higher, shaking her own head in displeasure. Of course. Well she is only trying to look out for me. It is nice of her to worry about me. Still though, I need to do this. I need to prove to myself that I can become an amazing flyer. Hopefully Blight did not take it to personal when I fight her over this. Almost readying herself to just blast off the mountain right now… and she still needed to stretch. Damn, she has me. Flying right now, that will certainly hurt later.

“Give me a good show.”

What? Blight smiled. Not even anymore of that concern on her. No, none at all. This mare, she pushed a hoof to Soul and nodded. Blight, you’re not going to stop me? You aren’t fearing that I could get hurt? The look in the mare’s face.

Blight believes in me. She actually wants me to do this. Just like Dashie would do.

Blight smirked, all that Soul needed. I will prove it to you.

8.3
Soul stretched her legs and then her wings. Not caring if Blight was there to watch her stretch. It still felt good doing it. Not as good as seeing that there was a pony here who was confident in Soul. She actually thinks that I can pull this off. If Blight had confidence, then Soul’s own soared in response. I can do this.

It didn’t seem so hard. I know everything I need to do to prepare for it. I always could pull it off in all my training but this time, this was the time to see it through to the end. No cutting it off right before the moment of truth. This time, there was an audience. One that wanted her to give them a good show, just like the Wonderbolts. Hehe so this was a good time to act like one. Training for those days that seemed just above the horizon. Just pull this off and it will happen. One more time.

She reviewed the move. Feeling as confident as before, so why did she feel butterflies in her stomach? Was that from excitement or fear? Sounds like it can be both. Calm it down. There can be no distractions for this. Soul took a very deep breath. Letting it out as she made her way to stand right at the ledge overlooking the valley. Her hoof kicked the edge, she looked down upon it. Down to the abyss below. One more step was all that was left. One more deep breath. Two more. Three. She relaxed. Her wings relaxed. Still holding strong at her sides with their thick feathers flowing so gently in the wind. They still felt calm. Felt so strong. So ready. All these months and years that they didn’t get the chance to fly like this, both of them were more than ready to do it again. Waiting for her to give the go ahead.

Just like old times. I get to show another pony exactly what I can do. And I know she will love it. Soul made sure to see what Blight was doing. Watching her friend step up next to her and sit at her side. Glancing at her as well with a cute little smile. “Be careful” she said. Blight, you really are a great friend. That’s why I’m gonna do this for you.

“I will.”

Soul’s wings rose high above her. Presenting them out. The wind coursing over them. Facing out to the world beyond. Ready to fly again. It will be just like any other time. This moment. The one where Soul buckled her knees. Ready to push herself over the edge. Ready enough that her hind legs itched. This is a moment that I always loved. It will be a moment that I will always remember. The day when I become the fastest.

Taking one final look around the world that could only be seen from up here. Taking all of it in. From the empty void out there to the mountain she stood upon. If this succeeded then all this snow, these mountains, the crater, their village, everything in this land that only served to remind her just how miserable Blight and she had been for so long, all of it will disappear. She will break through the walls. I will return to the life that I lost.

I will open those walls and we will see the world beyond. We will both leave together.

Yes. Yes! Just for that. I do it for that. Soul closed her eyes. The world went still. Only hearing the last breath escape her mouth.

This is the day I make you proud, Nimbus.

Soul kicked her hind legs. Freedom.

8.4
There was something different about the air. Like flying into a warm and welcoming home to escape from the cold of a winter day. So very odd. Flying into this same winter cold she ascended into. Seeing all that chilly wind whish past her in a hazy cloud that endlessly flowed. Glancing back down at the beds of snow far below. This whole world was nothing but that icy winter.

Why did it feel so nice now?

All of this being something to escape from. It felt comfortable. The sky above it all. So accepting to her. All the wind that flew by. Nothing stopping her. Just a lone Pegasus able to fly high up into the clouds. Passing them all. The greys and blues of the sky. Those very clouds began to hide the world below from her. Up here, so very high, to look down upon it all. Seeing the endless sea of grey clouds below her. High above the land. One just had to keep going to see the true beauty that the sky had up here. Up here, where she could see the clouds in every direction. From the gentle streams of grey clouds to the black thunderheads far beyond that rose into the heavens. Beyond that, high above her, was something… she always loved to see.

Soul flew up into the clear, blue skies above the clouds. Kicking up into her flapping wings that so effortlessly carried her higher and higher. All this wind, it felt nice. Nice like the sky. Nothing like the icy cold that bit her every day before this one. It almost carried her onwards. This wind, it was a true friend. It was going to help especially with how strong it was. Keep flying up to the point where the wind was at its strongest. So strong that she felt her wings shake at her sides. The wings that did not give up, and soon... soon a new wind will blow across the land from those very wings.

I love being able to think like this again. Flying high up into the clouds and feeling all the wind circling and tearing apart the air, only to give way for her blasting right through it all with sharp strokes of her wings. All that she lacked was to see the Sun, not in this dark void of empty, blue sky up here. Where even the Sun could not shine bright in the haze of the sky above. But I will see it again. I will see a land once more, one with such gorgeous skies. Where I can always think like this and love the sky… always.

8.5
So high up here. The wind was getting a little violent now. She heard it. Howling so deeply around her. Visible plumes of vapor roiling about within this realm of darkness. Far above the thick blanket of clouds that covered the land and reached out to the deep and dark storms far beyond. It was all so dreary, it always was. So different from the skies she once flew. Like those lovely, Sun-drenched skies were nothing but a memory for her dreams. But it was a sky all the same, and it always would welcome a Pegasus like her.

She held her place. Nothing that could stop her from hanging over the world below with such gentle flaps of her wings. This was where she needed to be and the sky knew it. I know it. This is the best place and the best moment for me to finally pull it all off. Silly Celestia, thinking I would be stuck here forever. Too bad… there are ponies who give me courage. Blight, I’ll do this for you. Even if I have to die trying. Best to avoid that last part.

Try, try, try until it worked and this time it will. There was no reason to be nervous after all. I have this. Welp, I think the only thing I should worry about is hurting my ears, this is gonna get loud.

Alright. Soul made one last look around her to be completely sure she was high enough. The sky was so dark. Up inside a world where it was so cold that she started to shiver. Where the wind was so violent to make her mane flap furiously in her face and her own ears beating against her head. The only thing that felt normal anymore was her wings. This is it.

She looked down upon the clouds below. This is the height I need. I am really doing this. So many years in this land. So long away from the world I miss. I am finally here. Ready to do it.

It’s like a dream. Soul put a hoof to her chest. A real dream.

On this day, I will show just what it is that all the training in my life has done for me. I am no ordinary Pegasus. I am not a scared filly anymore. I am not alone. I am Soul Serenity, and I will be the greatest flyer of all. It all starts today.

Soul let her wings do the last of their light flaps, she held her breath. Staring down at the clouds below. The clouds that she faced. With both her wings stretched out. Today is the day. She tucked her hind legs in against her belly. Today is the day I pull off the impossible.

Her wings stopped. Soul sighed. Listening to the last sound of it. That wind… that flowed through those feathers. Ticking off… with her heartbeat. One, two beats. Just for you, Nimbus.

She heard those wings, both of them. The last sound of the world up here, and all changed.

8.6
That was the last sound. How calm the wind was. How it howled silently. How it gently touched her. That was all gone. So quick did it change. So quick did the world change. Becoming just a plain of grey exploding up to her in so many miniscule little bits put together, only to break apart in an instant right in front of her once those clouds that they were were torn to shreds by a speed unlike any other. Beating her wings so quickly and so powerfully. Is it even possible? Possible to not even hear the rhythm of those wings anymore?

It was terrifying just as it was before. When I used to hear the wind as I flew. Not anymore. I know what it is. …I can see it.

The trails of endless waves coursing past her. Curving up and under. All around her. Leading so far down into the dark below with countless clouds passing by as quick as the wind. Droves of it. An ocean of wind that she tore through. Feeling it left behind with her flailing tail and it did not change. None of it had the chance to. Not in a sky that went this fast.

Everything passed by, faster than she could blink. It is gonna happen. Oh yes it was. Soul felt the first one hit her. A big bump of air slamming straight into her face. Being smacked was an understatement. It hurt. Just like all the other times. Sending all her mane wildly about her face. All her fur gone crazy, even seeing her own tears burst out from her eyes and lost behind her in that infinite void of wind and clouds in her descent through the sky. Gone with the snowflakes she no longer could see. Gone with the wind that cut at her flesh.

…But that was normal.

It will all be okay. All of it is how it needs to be. This was exactly how it was supposed to be.

8.7
Another burst of air hit her. Buckling her wings ever so slightly. Beating them against the aftershock of that impact and hearing the result. It did sting her ears. The sound that she knew. How I love that sound. Thunder roared behind her. Somewhere far behind her now. It was such a powerful sound. Something she did want to look back at and see. No, I can only look forward. Listen to the power her wings let out behind her with every burst of air that struck her. Hear it and see it… to know… just how fast she was going, and what it was she was capable of.

I am no longer that filly. That speed I had so long ago. My talent and technique. Nothing now. Now, …I think this is a moment that only Nimbus could know. To see the streams of air and wind coursing by her in an endless flow. Like the sky had changed. Becoming nothing more than a tunnel to follow. Blasting through the clouds. Through the air. All it was, it was just an endless void that became her own.

So much air hit her. Hearing so much mayhem behind her. Thunderous cracks across the sky behind her. A huge burst of thunder even louder than all the rest. This is it. I’m doing it! This is the right speed. It was working. Just keep going. It took all her strength to prevent her hooves from trying to wipe away the tears building up in her face. How much her poor, little face hurt. Everything hurt, except her wings. Keep going.

More clouds burst apart. Lighter than the others. Perfect. My speed is perfect. I can… feel it. Even after so many months, I still know how this should be. That the wind… it was perfect. So that meant… yup! No more pockets of air slammed into her. All of it left behind way up above. Soul still heard the traces of her thunderous results left up there. Sounding right under the glorious sound she waited to start hearing. Her wings. She could hear them begin to flap even harder. Even stronger. That soothing sound they made. It’s all I can hear. All it was as the world blanked out, and she closed her eyes. Listening only to the sound of her wings.

It’s so silent. I hear nothing else. No wind. No thunder. Not even my heart. All I hear, it’s like… like my wings are talking to me. A calm and gentle voice that assured her that all would be okay. That this was all correct. It’s like the air is no longer here. No. This is the feeling. That small feeling I had so very long ago. When I first could do it… in my very first race at camp. This is the technique. Nimbus… all thanks to you.

No more feeling the air. This… Soul smiled. I am the air.

She felt all the clouds pass her. Opening their doorways to her. A constant void of silence in the dark. I don’’t need to open my eyes. No. Let it last forever. This soothing embrace. As if an eternity could pass when all that was left… were mere seconds. My speed. My control. She giggled. A calm in the dark. A calm. So calm that… I… I can see it. I can see the world open up in front of me. It all opened and beyond that… the glow of light… a glow of her fur. A great blur of magenta light.

It all flowed. All of it surrounded her. Inside the dark, that was all that was needed to know that… she had done it.

“This is the power you always wanted for me. This is the path you wanted me to take. When I was just a filly who could do nothing right, you took me in and showed me that I can do anything. That I could become this. I have become this.”

Deep in this void of magenta light. Where the world shook. Where the sky was no longer a limit. I feel the calm of the sky. I feel… my power. The power to go faster than any other. The power to do anything in the sky.

I know what to do. I know… the time is now. I can see the ground coming at me. I don’t even need to open my eyes but I want to. I want to just to see what I have done. As this entire world comes back. I feel it all around me. I feel something coming. That magenta glow… it never left. That soothing feeling where the sky was still like a dream. This is the feeling I love. This is the moment I show just what you wanted to see from me, Nimbus.

Soul opened her eyes.

“I am a master now.”

8.8
“Is she okay?” Soulblight could not stop herself from worrying. Biting down on the tip of her hoof. Craning her neck hoping to see some trace of anything up there in the clouds. Where should I even look? I… I can’t even hear her. Up there in the deep clouds. All she had to go on was the sounds. The thunder. Going off over and over up there. Perking her ears up every time they went off, how loud it had gotten. How often it was happening. I hear it all.

Soul, this is your power. I can feel it. It’s... it’s such a gentle touch to me. Like electricity down her spine. What kind of Pegasus do you need to be to… to do this to me? I’ve never felt this before. This sensation. Blight gripped her stomach and ran that hoof up along her chest. Here… in my heart. Such a gentle feeling. I can feel your power. So serene.

Soul, how is it you are able to become this? It’s like nothing can ever stop you from reaching your dreams. All the times I watched you, all the moments when I thought you could not succeed, you did it. You always pushed to do what you wanted. How very jealous I am.

This is what you can do. You are the pony who devoted years just to reach this. Even if I can’t see you, I can feel you up there and this… this feeling. All these chills. All these… soft touches. It’s like I can feel what you feel. This is the power you wanted. The strength to do this. This and so much more when we can finally leave this place together, and you can achieve that dream you wanted for so long.

Princess Celestia. We have not met. Not yet. But do you realize how foolish you are to try and remove this pony from your land? Even if you thought it was right, you should know that Soul Serenity can not be stopped. She will do anything to make others happy. Someday you will see it. Even if I must force you. For you shall see the Soul Serenity I know. Who can do anything. Who can reach this level. Blight’s ear twitched.

She looked up to the sky, smiling.

You shall see with your own eyes, as will all of Equestria, just what she can do. And I shall force all of you… to accept her. Then you will sit by me and witness… this miracle.

The entire sky burst apart.

8.9
An enormous flash of brilliant light was all that could be seen. A flash so bright… to shine the sky in Soul’s own color. It happened so quick. So amazingly quick. Soul deep inside it. I can feel her, and I know she has done it. You… Soul Serenity, just did it too.

The sky tore itself apart in that burst of light. All those clouds, all the clouds that had blanketed this world, they all split and tore apart in the force of that light. Such brilliant rays of magenta light shining down upon the world. Splintering out. Shrouding the land beneath and rings of rippling magenta. Soul, I can’t believe you did it. You… you are… amazing. Only one other pony… has done this. And now… I get to see it too. I get to see you do it. I get to watch these glorious bands of light blister across the sky. So bright that she had to close her eyes. In the dark of her eyelids, she saw only the glow of magenta light blooming. The sounds of wind rushing past her, making her take another look at this brilliant sight of an entire sky covered in the color she loved. Like a flower coming into existence above her. Reaching far and wide with a deafening boom being the one thing to be left behind to destroy the entire skyline.

Clouds disappeared. The wind silenced, and the Sun shone bright down upon the land in the hole that the explosion left behind. Leaving only a vast hole in the sky. For just an instant. A pillar of magenta light careening down faster than she could blink before it too disappeared into something magnificent. Soulblight gasped when it struck the ground with a thunderous impact even louder than any before it. All the sounds from above, any sound that may exist, all of it disappeared from the shock of this… the loudest of thunder. To see it, to feel it. I… I feel it.

Soul, your power.

The light split. Split apart for just an instant inside that pillar of magenta. Split by the two great wings of the pony who did all this. Shooting through all that intense light. The entire sky blasted away by their power. Casting it all away and… Blight could see her. …Soul.

Just for a moment. That mare who reached out to the ground below within that pillar of light that shot down upon the land. All of it disappearing when another explosion of pure magenta light sent wild with shockwaves that Blight heard and even saw in the form of violet streaks crisscrossing the pluming dome of light given birth right where Soul fell right into the ground.

Too fast. Too fast to think. To even see, before all her fears and worry were dashed in the sight that came out from that explosion far out in the distant plains. Soulblight smiled. You did it.

There Soul went. A massive streak of that magenta light, like the one still hanging in the sky where she dropped out of, it blasted off out of that explosion. Sending off waves upon waves of snow that threatened to swallow the land in their sheer size. Tidal waves of snow. Torn apart with one final ring of light rippling across the world behind Soul. Joining together with the magenta light that blotted out the Sun. To think that one Pegasus could do this.

This is what you did, isn’t it. And now Soul did it too. Soulblight laughed. Watching Soul shoot of in that blinding light. Far off beyond the hills. Beyond the plains. Blight could no longer even see her. No longer even hear her inside that violent wind. All I know, looking out upon such and amazing and terrible display of speed and power, is that I can feel her excitement. Such pure happiness. So much so that Soulblight did something she never expected herself to do.

She cheered. “You go, Soul!” She called out after the pony who disappeared into the distant world. Silence falling over the land. With that magenta light shining even brighter across it than even the Sun could hope to. Casting its warmth on the snow that settled back down all over the plains in the wake of her move. Its glow set right upon Soulblight.

This is the pony you have become, Soul. This is the Pegasus that no other can become. Except… for one. And now I see. I see it clearly. I must do anything to make sure you can do this again… for all ponies to see. In front of the world. To see a spectacle like no other. And you two may do it together.

“A Sonic Rainboom.”

8.10
I never knew it could become something like this. No idea like this. Just to go so fast. But, …upon looking all around her. Feeling the air comb through her mane. How impossibly still the world seemed outside of this realm she now travelled across. Never did she imagine it’d be flying this fast.

There was no way to describe it. Nothing at all like she had ever seen or felt before. Not just the air, like all the world had calmed, nothing at all could touch her. Even going so fast as to leave all her own worries behind. All her problems. Leaving only the pure joy of doing such a thing. This was too awesome.

Oh, there it went. The village just zipped past her. She almost missed it. Right on the other side of this stream of wind circling about her in an endless hail of magenta light. A shield to the world. Not even able to hear that very same wind. Nothing at all outside. The quietest it had ever been. Her wings beat so hard, still the only sound that could be heard. Then they straightened themselves back out, gliding with the wind. Feeling all the air just slip over them. Like the most gentle massage of her wings. Neither cold nor warm. It just felt sublime. Relaxing. Like she needed to put no effort into flying this fast. Just let the wind carry her so she may marvel at how amazing of a move she just pulled off.

How did it even look? Surely it must have been a fantastic sight for Blight back there, that was half the reason of pulling this off. With how calm everything was, how slow the world moved, I think I can take a look. Right over her shoulder, she saw it. What am I seeing? What did I do?

A massive burst of light exactly the same as the one that surrounded her given life by so many rings. All the bands of light casting out over the world behind her with their violet streams that rushed out to the world around it and cleaved the very air itself. Like something really did blow up back there. I did that? Wow. It was too amazing. All of it was. I never knew I could do something like that. Some sort of mystical light show that she made streaking across the sky. I… I don’t even think Wonderbolts do that. I never heard of it.

Rainbow Dash is gonna be too jealous.

Everything back there, it all rushed away. Gone. In an instant, nothing left to see. Not even the mountains could be seen. No way Rainbow Dash can go this fast. She laughed hysterically at this point. So great! This speed must be enough. Enough to get through this damn prison, …enough to finally beat Rainbow Dash. I did it. I actually did it. Haha! I’m not a failure.

“Yeaaahhh!” she screamed out again hearing another great thunderous explosion left behind in her wake.

8.11
It had to be coming up now. Her chance to test this move out to the fullest. How many hours did it take to reach the wall at her best speed? One or maybe two. She lost the exact timing, but this speed, I can get there in seconds. I know it. Plenty of time. Soul glided her wings back up to their maximum position possible while still keeping them able to ride the wind. Curving them slightly and her entire path arced down just as she wanted. Soul banked down to the snow, it immediately blasting in all directions sent furious with how much power she left cutting the very surface the skimmed over.

“Woohoo!” she called out. Turning her body and watching the world circle around her in a spiral of magenta light. Curling and rolling all about in the air, just missing her crashing right back down into the snow. Something she avoided by curving right back up at an angle so fast and impossible to do at any normal speed, flying right back directly into the sky and levelling herself back out.

This is so crazy. I’m not losing any speed. It feels just like I’m flying normal. And I can tell, I just keep getting faster and faster. The air started to crackle around her. The clouds roiling and shaping in a great vortex everywhere she went before they imploded inside of a massive crack of thunder. To be able to shape and destroy the very fabric of nature around her, that really did seem too impossible to her. Forget going through the storms, I bet I can go all the way to Equestria and back to Blight before sun fall at this speed. I’ve never even dreamed of going this fast. I didn’t think it was possible. To reach this point in her flying ability. Just able to tear to shreds all the world around her with her speed alone, blowing aside any and all. My training never came this close. Lucky to even notice a flash of air rippling about from the force of her speed, now changed to more clangs of thunder behind her.

All that training I did, ten years of it, all the pain and mistakes. So many crashes. So many strained muscles. All the times she felt like it was all for nothing only to pull herself together and pretend she never thought that way, and then getting hurt again. Yet, her wings still grew. Her talent improved. Her entire ability to fly, it changed. I’m no longer that filly who could do nothing right, left alone in that alley.

I will leave that pony behind and become a new one. I have this in the bag.

Two years of slacking off, that changed nothing. I was always capable. All because of the pony I do all this for.

Approaching many mounds of hills and ravines that marked the approach to the storms, she wondered. What would have happened if Blight and I never became friends? If I never realized just how much I mean to you? Soulblight, I’ll do anything for you. My beloved friend. I do this for you.

Then she saw it. The darkness.

8.12
I did not miss seeing these damn things. Two years without seeing them. Too bad it still hung around. Still ringing this entire land, all around and high into the sky above. I knew I would see it again. That darkness I saw high in the sky when I was up there. How absolutely terrifying it looked. That damned thing that I need to beat. This move will do it. Pierce right through those clouds that layered atop on another in so many countless stacks creating the wall of darkness rising as far up as she could see. Bursting and pluming among the streaks of lightning coursing here and there.

Somewhere right ahead of her was the wind that always ruined her attempts. No matter how fast I go, it always messed me up and never let me through. This time will be different. It’s not going to push me away. I will push it aside and destroy it all. Bust those clouds. With this speed. She heard the thunder she made behind her. So loud. So gentle and calming to her. I know I can do it.

I am a powerful Pegasus now. No storm can stop me.

8.13
So funny, I’m getting so close. So much closer. Am I… I’m just now starting to feel it. There it was! A bump in her flight. Then another. I am just now feeling the wind. Amazing. I’ve never gotten so close to the storms before.

It filled her vision. Passing right through the walls of lighter clouds preceding the heart of this beast. No loss in her speed at all. But not without change. The wind was definitely getting noisier… and she could see it now. How dark it was. Grey and black streaks of vapor cutting right pass the path she made in her magenta streak. It is still frightening to see. How so much of it went wild just outside the still world that whatever it was her move made for her, like it shielded her. I just hope it can hold. I think… it will.

No, I have never gotten this close before. I just know it, I’d be thrown to the ground by now. Maybe even hurt a lot going through this. She let herself calm down a little. No, I’m going too fast to be stopped. Because of so many more layers of clouds passing by her and getting close enough to the very darkness of the storm, she could feel it in her bones. A rattling feeling. Her teeth chattered a little. Even her body began to shiver.

Why am I so afraid?

But her wings were not. They kept beating the air, going faster than before and she blasted in at the storm. Right into the void that shook her to the core.

Wait… that shaking…

8.14
I can feel it.

I’m not the one who is shaking. How these clouds, how they’re going by. How the wind was acting outside her barrier of light. No way.

Soul adjusted her wings. Raising up a little more and extending the feather as far out as they may go. Control my flight. I have it down. Letting her hind legs curl back up into her belly and straightening out her forelegs. This can’t fail. I have to keep going. I will drill right through it all.

So close. She felt she may kiss them soon. Their world rumbling in so much violence that was now being shared to Soul. How the wind felt. How it all felt.

I don’t… feel it anymore. Soul blinked. The calm, …it was gone.

I didn’t think it would get any easier getting so close. So very close to where the storm blotted out the entire world around her. So close. I’ve never been this close. But now… now I feel it. The sensation in her skin. In her feathers. This…

This is not natural. This… is a storm I have never seen before.

What… is this world? I… I can’t even control it. This pathway she flew down, all the light she made and so much power she left behind, it was falling apart before her very eyes. Shaking mercilessly and even beginning to spin. Churning air outside. Going crazy. Like all that was out here was threatening to lash at her.

“No, don’t give up. I have to do this.”

Everything Nimbus taught me. All I want. For Dashie. For Blight.

She readied her wings even higher. Beating them so very hard. “I’ll do this!” The storm was right there. One more second. One more blink. It will be soon. Go right through it. I am going faster than anypony can dream of. I have to do this. Just keep control a little longer. Just a little.

She bucked up and down. A spine shattering feeling coming close to making her freeze up. That was too close. She straightened herself out again. The bumps doing their best to fight back against her. This is the worst storm I have ever had to fly through. It wasn’t going to be easy. Still, keep it up. Almost there. Even more bumps. Soul screeched when she flew off to the side. Listing. Soul darted back into place.

Oww! She felt the sting in her neck. That was too hard. Such bad whiplash. It did hurt her neck a little. Ignore… it. I have to… do this.

Soul glared forward. “I got this. I got this.” Keep going. The storm was right there. One more push through all this hectic wind. All these clouds. I am not afraid. I am not supposed to be afraid when I fly.

I need to be… calm.

Her wing stung.

What?

The entire world in front of her turned upside down on itself… and the snow. It- it was coming right at her.

Oh no! Straighten out. Straighten out! What the hell?! She looked and saw it. The sight of it… it made her heart sink. My wing...

Such a deep cut running along it. Feeling all that wind cut right into her. No…

8.15
The snow had its time to settle down now. But there was no other sign that Soul succeeded. It was a brilliant sight, …and that was it. Soulblight felt nothing to tell her exactly what was going on. I thought something might happen by now.

She listened. She looked. Much too far away by now. So much noise, she heard the sound of thunder rippling across the sky and a droning sound winding in her ear that she knew was what whatever that streak of light had been was giving it off. But that was it… Soul… she was silent in the sky. Going somewhere off in the distant sounds of roaring storms.

Soul already has reached the storms.

I’ve never felt her get so close to those storms before. That was it. I don’t know what to expect anymore. Just sitting here and listening for some indication on how well Soul was doing. Expecting her to do something like maybe destroying those storms with her speed alone just like she did with all the clouds overhead so that an impossibly sunny day now reigned in over the plains. Break apart those storm clouds as well and return here with a smile on her face. Was that what was supposed to happen? The worrying was killing her. Literally anything could happen. Hope for the best to happen. Soul will break through those storms and we can both leave this world. I’m so glad she wants to include me in it. Maybe one day I can make it up to her. May that day come soon.

I just hope I get to see her do more stunts like this. It did leave her feeling really giddy seeing a Pegasus pull off a stunt so incredible. So much effort and talent needed to pull off something like that. I finally got to see what this rainboom thing is. Soul can do it. Oh, I just know she needs to do it back in Equestria! I can hear it now. Crowds of hundreds cheering her on in the stands of Cloudsdale to see a pony like Soul able to pull this off. Soul always did have great things to look forward to. I hope I can have such a great future too.

Oh so much to do. Way too much. Celestia needs to see how wrong she was in banishing such a great Pegasus. Maybe just show her this move and it will change her mind. Foolish. Sadly, I know it will take more. But for now, Soul, just know that you… you are the most talented Pegasus I can think of. Something to feel proud of.

I wonder though, what can I feel proud of? Can I do something great like her? A special talent that only I can…

8.16
She winced. No. What is… Blight screamed.

Ah! My… she glanced at it, and saw it. Seeing it, she couldn’t breathe.

My wing… it hurts. It’s… no, it’s not my wing. Soul… did she…?

“Soul..!”

Blight stood up. Silence. Silence her left wing. It only spasmed. Beating so hard against her side. It hurt to do even that. So much so. Blight just fell right onto the snow. Soul… she looked out into the world beyond.

No, she didn’t. She hurt herself. Soul! I need to… she fell right back onto the ground. It hurt too much to do anything. Rolling onto her back, clutching her poor wing against her chest. Please calm down. It hurt right along the span. The very edge. Like her bones were twisted and flaring up in even more terrifyingly ugly pain when she tried to feel along the span just to try and soothe it. That just made it worse.

Just getting worse. Growing so much while she rolled on the ground. Whimpering and begging for it to stop. Damn it! “P-please… stop. Stop!” Stop so I can find Soul. Why are you fighting me? Why is my damn wing fighting me? Stop it.

Stop it! I will protect Soul. I will. Don’t fail her. I need to get to her.

Protect her.

Soulblight slid back onto her hooves, taking all her might just to try and stand up again. …My wing… it’s hurt. …My wing!

I have to protect her wing. I have to protect my wing. I don’t want… want to see it again. I never want to feel that pain. Like every bone in my wings is being crushed. No more. My wing. I will never see blood upon it again. I will never see my bones break and shatter. I will never let anypony else feel it. Soul, I’m so sorry, I know it must hurt too. I… I will get to you. I mustn’t let her suffer longer. I have to protect her.

She gasped. Hearing it break.

“AHHHHHHH!”

8.17
Soul let out the last of her scream. Running her voice damn near ragged till it hurt too much just to let out her pain. Let out all her fears. All the fear in the world. Too much pain. Too much… not even able to scream anymore. But… it was not the pain. Not the pain that made her scream. It was the fear.

She could not let go of her left wing. Holding it so gently in her hooves, cradling it close to her chest. Not even caring if it hurt to hold it. Anything to show just how much she loved it because of how so very afraid she was for it. Because her wing being like this, nothing at all she ever wished to see.

This… this is the worst. I’ve never done this before. Agh, damn it all. She hissed. Staring down at the horror before her. Is the entire world against me? Sitting here in this hailing snow, Soul could not think of anything except for what just happened. Nothing else. But seeing it all happen before her once more. Landing right down in the snow with so hard a thud that she even lost feeling in her wing for a brief moment. Coming right back so she may experience so much frightful agony pulsing across her span. Crying down onto it, and then seeing it like… this.

No. I… I don’t want to look at it. I can’t stand seeing it like this. My beloved wing.

That span, torn and bent. Bent… upwards.

Right at the middle where she could see it now. See her bare flesh along that span… as every feather along it… were all now off in the wind. Torn clean, leaving just a naked wing. It looked so small now. My beautiful wing. That damn wind mocking her. Blowing hard into her face. Tormenting her scars. Blood pooling out and sent flying in little drops. Too many scars to count on her wing along a big one running right down the width of it.

No way. No way this can heal. No, I’ve never done this before. It’s never been this bad. Owww. I… I need a doctor. Oh no. That alone was enough to make her cry so much.

No. “No! No!” She slammed one of her hooves down on the icy ground. Regretting letting go of her wing. She brought that hoof right back up to hug it again. Let her tears water the what torn feathers remained of her wing. No longer caring that it hurt. There was no way. It will never happen.

She looked back up at the titanic wall of black clouds looming over her. It never left. Always sitting there… laughing at me. Thundering. Louder than any thunder she could hope to make. …Never to make again. So much lightning flaring out. Flashing in her eyes. Damn you. I hate you so much. This is what I get? I… can’t even fly anymore. Oh please… no. Please, don’t think that… I can never… No! It’s not true.

Soul shot a glare at that storm with her teary eyes. “What!? Are you having fun laughing at me? Just like all those jerks!” All the ones who laughed at me… when I got hurt. Just laugh at me while I sit here. Because I failed. Again and again. What was even the point anymore? What is the point?

It didn’t work. I have nothing left.

What can possibly work now? How many more years do I need to practice? Years stolen from her now. Thanks to how terrible her wing did look. It was not going to fly. Not with it hurting her so much to just try and move it. Somepony, please tell me it’s all gonna be okay. Help me. Help.

8.18
Anything, save me. Please… something. Stop being mean to me. Stop just watching me. This horrible world.

Let me fly. Let me fly for others. I only want others to be happy. Happy with me. Come and help me. Be with me again and help me reach my dreams. I can’t do it alone. Not anymore. All of my efforts, every single time I tried, it is all just some cruel joke. A joke. I can fly so fast and so perfectly, but it means nothing. No way to be able to fly like that again. No reason to if it meant nothing.

She shivered. It was getting colder. So looks like the world does hate me. Nopony is here for me. I’m alone. Even when reduced to nothing more than a filly. Nimbus… Starry… somepony… I need you. Hold me… please. My wing. I… I… tell me I can fly again. Soulblight. I need you.

“Blight! Soulblight!” She looked off to where she had flown in from. Far off in the distance where Blight must be. “…Help.” She held her wing closer. Blood trickled down from it and onto the fur of her legs. There was no way. There’s no way I can get back there all by myself. Soulblight will help, …but she… she is so far away. I… have to walk all the way back. Like this. Her heart lurched, as painful as her wing. Walk so much and for what? I have to tell her that I failed. That I’m useless. Can’t even get us out of here. Our dreams aren’t going to come true. No happiness.

This really is a prison.

It will break Blight’s heart. Fill her with so much disappointment. I can’t repay her for all she’s done for me. We will be stuck in this place… forever. Till I die. No. Please no.

8.19
Another chill ran right down her back. Not helping at all. I have to walk. I’m gonna freeze out here. What a way to spend what was supposed to be a great day. It started so great. Of course it ended like this. So very miserable.

It took every bit of strength that Soul had left to get herself back up on all four legs. Moaning and screeching when she felt her left wing gradually fall down the side of her body and linger along the snow. Laying pitifully down at her side while she tried to move it back up. Able to lift it a little. The pain was too great, having to let it go. I just… just need to walk away from the storm. I’ll find the way back. Eventually.

“Shit!” she yelled out. This was going to be a long walk. All alone out here with her wing dragging across the ground. It must be done. Where better to cry about her wing than in front of the fireplace? Sitting there with Blight while she only disappointed the Pegasus she only sought to impress and give hope to. Better than freezing out here… barely.

She made her way past where she crashed, wincing every step of the way. Just dragging her wing over the tiniest of bumps in the snowy surface being enough to make her screech in pain. Oh man. What am I gonna do when I need to go down a hill? How am I supposed to do this? Slide down, that was really going to hurt. It’s like everything was there to make this… a true nightmare. I can’t stand this pain. My poor wing. She looked back up. Determined to push herself on back home no matter how much it was going to hurt in the end. Anything to see Blight, to see my best friend. Walking onwards. She looked back. Just once. Seeing that trail of blood she left behind. It’s not going to stop bleeding. Besides, that she kept her eyes forward. Trudging through the snow as best she could. The most miserable she had ever been. This is what I am now. A Pegasus who can’t fly, and I need to drag my beloved wing on the ground.

She tried to raise that wing back up. Tried… it fell back down. I can… I can deal with this pain, but... she tried it again. The pain was not it anymore. As soon as it rose up, I have no strength left. Letting it fall right back down. Sad with how weak it became. Like the energy was being sapped out of it. Her wing could only twitch upon the ground.

She kept going. Looking out into the stormy horizon, past the thickets of hanging clouds heaving constant snow upon her. Blanketing her back. Blinding her in the intensity of how thick it all was. Just keep going straight. Don’t venture off… keep going and I’ll make it. …Wait.

Soul stopped. Staring.

What is…? Her wing pierced with pain, making her wince but never taking her eyes of what she saw. Is that… it… it can’t be.

Just when I thought I would be alone. I’m not alone out here. She saw it. A figure further ahead of her. Somepony hiding in the thick sheets of falling snow… and they were coming towards her. Walking to her upon… she saw four legs. A black figure. Did she…? Soulblight? She found me! How in the world did she get here? Did she really fly after me? No way she could catch up that fast. Or, magic? She did something. Oh, I don’t care… I’m so happy to see her. Thank you so much for coming after me.

Forget all the pain. Forget the shame. Soul could only feel relief at seeing that… she never was alone. Blight is my best friend. She actually came to help me. She worries so much for me, she followed after me. Thank you. “Blight!”

8.20
Soul picked up her pace. Almost falling right over with how much pain responded to her hurried movements. Bringing herself right back up to scurry off to the pony up ahead. She saw that same pony began to run. She’s coming to me! Blight… I’m coming for you.

I don’t care anymore. I’m gonna hug her. Anything for the pony I love. Cry into her shoulder and listen to the pony hush her. “Blight, I’m here!”

She got closer. Running now through the thick walls of snow and right out into a swirling line of wind that cut between her and her friend. Ready to run right out into that freedom beyond and escape this terrible storm. So close. “Blight!”

Her friend emerged in front of her. My… friend? Soul’s heart froze.

She skid to a halt, screaming. You’re not not Blight. That was no pony! She barely evaded it. Rushing right back away from its jaws covered in so many gleaming fangs that were the first things she saw.

…Fangs shining off of a pitch-black body whose fur sat tangled and strewn about.

It growled at her. The sound of it. The looks. She was completely frightened now. Scared of those teeth and the hate filled eyes hidden in the shining blue of the sky. Those teeth… I almost… she shivered. Staring at the thing. No way. I didn’t think these were out here.

Standing on four legs like a pony, with a tail run ragged. All alone with it. …With a wolf!

Soul backed away from it. Rushing with all her might to keep herself balanced while the pain in her wing fought back. It hurts so much. She had to scream when the pain exploded. She fell right back onto her face. Collapsing down into the snow. Of all the times… to not have my wings.

She heard it. Turning back to see it. The wolf prowled forward to her. Striding on silent steps with hunched shoulders rose high above its head. Growling in anger. Soul only saw its teeth and how much saliva fell from them. It was so tall. Looked far more fierce than any creature she ever saw before. I… I can’t fight it. What can I do? Soul flipped herself over. Laying up on her back, frantically pushing herself away. Nothing a Pegasus can do. Not without her wings. Damn it.

She tried to make her wings start flapping again. The right one hit the snow and struck the air. Not to be said of her left wing. The wolf barked. Soul looked upon it again. Rabid noises coming from its mouth. Soul turned herself around. Setting her forehooves firmly in the snow to push her back up. Those hind legs stood up, and then… buckled along the snow. She fell right over again.

“No, no!” She looked back at it. “Please don’t hurt me.” But her heart… it skipped a beat.

8.21
So many wolves. Five, no ten. Dozens maybe. All of them coming right out from the walls of hazy snow to join with the one leading them towards her. All of them looking exactly like the first. Angry, rabid. Such thin stomachs with guts hung right against their spines. No less vicious than the first. W-what am I supposed to do? What!?

Soul watched many of them run around her. Circling her. Just a hop away from her that she could see all the anger in their eyes. None of them closed in. What? They aren’t moving. Are… are they not going to hurt me? Please. Something… good. I can’t… I can’t do this anymore. She shook in fear. Feeling all the tears come down her face. What was this feeling? Like everything inside of her plummeted. Not able to breath anymore. Not able to think. She wanted to scream. Building up so much pressure in her chest it may burst. So that’s what it was. Panic. Shivering in total fear. Looking at all of them. All of these angry critters towering around her, then back to the one right in front of her. The closest wolf. The angriest. How so very scary it looked. How much she was afraid of it. Why do I need to deal with this? Princes, …why?

“Please…” she begged it. Holding her forehooves close to her chest. Curling up. Wanting to hide her head behind those hooves. “Please… don’t hurt me.” I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being such a failure, such a bad pony. Please… I don’t want to get hurt. The wolf growled. Soul opened her eyes.

…Coming right at her. A blur of black. No. NO! All those teeth. Soul turned around. “Please no!”

8.22
Soulblight screamed out once more. Sounding loud across the sky. Hearing herself scream like this till it became such a horrific roar, it hurt even her own ears. Just so much more.

She slammed her hoof against her cheek. Desperate to calm down, and that pain only got ever worse. An outright explosion of it tearing across her entire span. It feels so terrible. I… I hate this. She saw it, her left wing twitching wildly. Not even able to stop it. Just when… when I almost had her. I had it. Soul is out there. I hear her. Begging. Don’t hurt her. Who the hell dares to hurt her? Who the hell dares to do this to her wing? To my wing.

She hissed in such ferocious anger. Smacking her face again and again. “I… have to… get to her” Her hoof slammed hard into her nose. “Ahhhh!” She cried out. Falling right back on the ground again. Rolling and whining atop the mountain. Something… thinks it can do this to me. To my best friend. Oh, …Blight shrieked. Glaring out upon the sky. It… it has no idea how much of a mistake that is.

Such a fool.

Blight grinded her teeth together. Not her teeth. It hurt to touch them across her gums. Her fangs. The dozens upon dozens of razors in her mouth. Tearing and shredding. Oh she felt them piercing right into her skin. As something pierced right into her wing.

She grunted. Got to focus. I need to find where Soul is again. I found her. Just need to concentrate. Just need to… oh I swear that I “will get rid of it!”

Nopony attacks Soul’s wings and gets away with it. Nothing will harm my beloved friend. Nothing will ever harm the pony I love! The… one… I must… protect. Must protect.

Give in to yourself.

“I’m there for you. I’m there for you, Soul.” Blight clutched her wing right back into her embrace. Calm down, you piece of shit. Just for a moment… so I can find her… and I’ll end this. How much longer must it go? Can’t even focus. Near blinding pain now. It must be terrible for Soul. I need to stop it. For my best friend. She did not deserve to suffer like this. Somewhere out there all alone suffering just like I am. And she had to suffer for years now. I will never let her suffer again. Never.

Stop… it. Focus.

Soul, seeing that magenta fur in her mind and… so much blood. Oh no, she is hurt badly! No! She screamed out in pain once more. Feeling her wing shudder. It may as well be something tearing the bones right out of her wing. Sending the black Pegasus into a panic. Feeling so miserable with how she flailed about in the snow.

I hate this world. I hate it all. I hate myself! Why can’t I do this? I need to. I can’t fail my friend. I can’t let her down again. Not after finally becoming her friend. It’s like my wings don’t want me to. Better to just cut them off. Anything for you, Soul. I’ll be there for you. Her body did its best to carry that out. Getting up and falling back over, repeating it all over again. Constant failure. Not at all able to see anything beyond this tiny world of her own pain. So selfish. My pain is nothing. I need to stop hers.

…So just stop it.

She opened her eyes to the snow below her. Snow wrapped in the blood of her eyes. It glowed so fiercely. So strong. “I can’t stay here, so stop it” she commanded of the pain in her wing. You can’t stop me. I won’t stop. It mustn’t be. I have to do this or… I’ll be too late. All the pain and fear, I know… something is happening. I am not going to lose my precious friend.

Blight looked up with tears in her bloody eyes. “I won’t lose you!” If I can’t protect you, then I don’t deserve you. But I want you. Slowly but surely, she lost sight of that precious friend of hers. She is gone. All because of me.

Give in. Be the pony you truly are… and you will finally protect her.

Yes.

“Soul Serenity. I…” Blight smiled. “I’ll do anything for you. Even… become this… again.”

8.23

This can’t be happening. Please why did this have to happen? Why me? Never before did anything like this happen. Impossible for it to. Constantly trying to stop it. End her suffering, but it always failed.

The wolf growled. Not even able to run away. As hard as Soul tried to pull herself away on her forelegs that slowly lost all strength. Much like her entire body. Her entire world. Just to be dragged right back. Nothing left but all the fear that made her cry. Great enough for her to start screaming. Her screams going on and on.

I can’t even feel… anything else.

Stop it. Soul turned around, slamming the length of her hoof right across the wolf’s face. Reeling right back when it hissed under its blood caked mouth. Refusing to let go. With all its teeth burrowed right down… into her wing.

Oh no, no… no! She turned away. I can’t look at it. My… wing. All torn apart. Was there even any of her fur left, buried under so much blood. Ragged wounds running right across it to where the cursed animal bit and tugged at her. Seeing it alone, that hurt even more than feeling it.

My precious wing. No!

Soul tried again to drag herself away. Putting as much strength she had left to planting her forehooves right down into the snow and pulling. Kicking with her hind legs left prone on the ground. Desperate to get away. Hopeful something may happen. Maybe the wolf will get tired. Have pity on me. Just stop hurting me. Stop it, please.

Another huge burst of pain ripped across her wing… and… a crack.

Soul screamed at the top of her lungs. Kicking frantically even more. Feeling her hind legs go right up into the wolf’s abdomen. Striking it over and over. It fighting back with a jolting tug at her wing that allowed her to hear the most sickening of sounds as the flesh tore around her joint. It’s… it’s gonna tear it right off.

“Soulblight! Somepony help!”

Soul kicked her rear hooves right back into the wolf’s stomach again. Hoping it may give up. Just looking back, she saw how angry it was. How hungry. It’s gonna tear me to shreds. No! I’m just their food. Is this what I…. ahhh! No please. Not me. So much pain ripped across her wing. Hearing all the damage being done to that which she worked so hard to achieve. It was going to be lost. They’re going to get rid of it first. They’re gonna take my wings. She could see them devouring her beloved wings right before… no.

Please. Sweet Celestia. …At least the pain was dulling.

Wait. What?

Soul looked right back at her wing. Oh dear… Celestia. She almost felt it. She almost threw up seeing it. Seeing her wing… stretched out from her. It was still there. Why… why can’t I feel it? Why is life so cruel to me? Not even able to feel the pain anymore. Only able to see it. In all the blood bubbling out from her torn span, little pricks of white jutting out through the skin. Cracking. Another tug revealing more and pulling her right down onto her back.

I can’t look. I can’t see it like that. My wing. It’s not beautiful anymore. Not even strong. Like every year she spent improving it was entirely reversed. Wasted. Not something she can feel proud of. It was going to be lost… and there was nothing she could do. Not with all her strength being sapped out. Not even able to move anymore. Staring right up into the dark clouds, reviling the sight of her wing. That terrible nausea. Nothing but her entire body in pain.

So this is it.

Soul tried to move her legs one last time. So terrible that they refused. Just able to feel the warm blood they rubbed against in the snow. Another tearing sound in her ears. I’m gonna die like this. Left alone staring out into these clouds that won’t ever let me leave and go back to the life I want again. Forgotten by everypony. Not even Soulblight will know what happened to me. Oh no, she’ll think I left her. She’ll hate me. All because I am so weak, so what was the point of even trying anything else? Her actual punishment for all the mistakes she made in the past.

Huh, which is worse? Dying young as a failure or living to see that I will never reach my dreams again. I’ll never repay Blight for all she did. I can’t… I don’t want either.

The sky above moved. Was it moving? No, she was moving. Another tug at her wing off out of her vision. No longer wanting to look at it. Why are these beasts doing this? Another one walking up right over her, filling her vision in its black figure and how angry it looked. Ready to pounce at her. Defenseless. Soul wanted to lift her legs up. Curl into a ball hoping to shield herself. The only thing that was able to move were her tears. Crying up at the vicious animal. Well, at least I can feel one thing. One last thing other than sadness and regret and how pitiful she has become. She could feel that dear thing lifting up along her right side, the feathers brushing her side… before it came back down into the cold snow. At least one of my wings stuck with me… my beautiful wings.

The one last thing. Like it is telling me something. It still loves me. Enough for it to fight till the end. Trying to flap and get her to fly away. Such a shame it was all alone in its efforts.

She blinked. Seeing all the wind cutting and curling over her, over the wolf. How it danced its lullaby-like rhythm to her. Swirling and straightening out to flow past them in a gust that sent her mane flying over her eyes. The wolf’s fur in a flurry. Never able to ride that wind again. How terrible. Even if it keeps making me fall and hurt myself, I still love it. It was always my companion in the sky. The soothing feeling… of freedom. Something… I’ll never have again. And I was never able to share it… with the two ponies I love.

Rainbow Dash. Soulblight. Please forgive me. I… I didn’t want it to end like this. I wanted… to be able… to hug both of you. One… last time. Before we can all fly together in that sky. Together in the wind. Now, I guess… it’s just a dream now. All I can do… is just watch that sky that we all were supposed to fly through. It will be my last sight. My… last…

So sleepy. So soothing. Such a calming wind. Fall asleep feeling the warmth gathering under her back and the cooling feeling of that wind brushing on her face. Cool… and then… warm.

So warm.

Soul wanted to smile. At how the wind blasted by over her. Howling. Such a terribly strong rage that… gently caressed her as her eyes slowly closed. Seeing that wind… how it made her mane fly wildly. How the fur on that wolf’s head flew… before…

Its head flew.

8.24
It was gone. The wolf. Just a blur of black sent flying. Covered, disappearing inside the wind. That warm wind that gust over her.

Howling. Roaring. The wolves howled and whined. She could feel it.

She heard it. Turning her head with what little strength was left to see… I’m free?

Her mangled wing. It was hers again… and an explosion of snow bursting out right across from her hiding what was left of the black figure. …What was left of the wolf. Buried under the snow with all the others hesitating behind it. So many black figures held still. What are they doing? Soul braced when it all came over her. What is with all this wind? How much of it blowing across the snow swept break in the storm making all the wolves back away just by its force alone. Soul turned. Facing away from it.

Then… it all stopped.

So fast. Just her and all the black figures still in the snowfall. With but one movement to break the stillness. A black leg crashed down next to her, making her shriek. Taking a moment to see it and how much well-tended fur lined it to cover the hoof set right at her nose. Something so different. Something… beautiful.

Because of what it was.

Soul glanced up at the figure over her. Right at her side. One blink, all that was needed to see.

Soulblight.

As dark as the wolves were. As small as Soul was. Just like Soul… but not anymore. Oh no. …It’s… she could see it. See it in that pony’s face. Staring up at her. She… Soulblight… she looks just like the wolves.

It… it was back.

The wind glowed in its vicious red hue. She is just like… how she was before. That fury unlike any other. How haunting it really was to see Blight like this. Her eyes taking one glance down at Soul, wrapped in that terrifying red glow. Shining as bright as her fangs. But… it made Soul freeze.

What is this? Looking up into her eyes. Both ponies staring upon the other. To see Blight… as she was before. But… this is different. I… I didn’t feel this before. Blight… what is wrong with you? Is something wrong? Enough to make Soul shiver with that horrible feeling running down her back. Nothing at all like she felt before. No comfort left in those bloody eyes. So terrifying.

Her dead eyes. Blank… an endless void behind that sea of red… no life left to shine in them. Not one hint of that sad Pegasus.

Her voice, her beautiful voice… “So what kind of creatures are these?”

Are… are you serious? I… have no idea what is happening, you… want me to… I don’t know what to say. Blight, this is not you. My best friend, the pony who protected me and cared for me. Who was there for me when I got hurt; laying here with my busted wing… and she’s with me again. She is here to help me. To care for me.

Such a lie, …this is not that pony.

“W-wolves” Soul muttered.

“I take it they are not friends.” What the hell was that? Soul heard it. Shooting her gaze upon the pony again. Her voice. It… made her shiver. For one moment, that was not her voice. Her voice… it never made Soul’s heart hurt like this. That terror in it. Deeply hateful. The bitterness that rang in her ears. From a pony whose voice… had ripped the air, and all felt… so empty.

Soulblight, …what happened to you?

8.25
Not friends indeed. I don’t need her to answer me. These damned beasts doing… this. Soulblight made enough of an effort to glance back down at the blood-soaked wing pulled out from where Soul lay and left strewn on the snow. Barely held in place against Soul’s body. All the tears. All the wounds. So much blood. …So much. Like so much before. So much suffering. Oh… how furious that makes me. They tortured her.

They tortured my best friend.

I just know she is devastated. So very devastated. Her beloved wings, the ones that I also love. I always love seeing her so proud of them. Love them so much that I want her to finally hold me in them like she did with her precious Dashie. Like Soul wants me to do for her.

Oh so unforgiveable. …And I felt… all of it. All the pain Soul suffered through as they tormented her. Soul had to go through all of that with her. Because of these ‘wolves.’ This pain they made me feel… haha…

You will all have to make it up to me.

How many are there? Soulblight let her attention fall back to the sniveling creatures just standing around them. Guiding her eyes across their ranks and feeling oh so filled with pittance towards them. So very weak. Three dozen it looks. They really need this many to go after such a weak pony like Soul? Cowards.

It was too funny to see them all acting like this. Baring their own fangs to her and even hearing them growl. They sound so pathetic. So useless. Whining, rabid creatures that sound no different than those hounds in Equestria. I can’t accept these beasts. No, I won’t let them be. Not for this. Not for hurting her beloved Soul laying still at her side. No longer able to fly. No longer able to carry out her dreams. That must be too painful, even more than the torture they did to her. Soul deserves to suffer no more.

But… I know who does.

Soul, you’ve dealt with enough. So… I shall grant you one moment of relief right now. Because… I can feel it slipping away and I have no idea what I will do now, not with how much… thinking about it… makes me ache, how much I want it. How it made Blight bite her lip. I feel so dirty now, and I need this. So much, so badly. Poor Soul being here to witness it. That won’t do. Not till I’m done having fun.

“Soul, I need you to do one thing for me.” She waited for some response from the Pegasus. Certainly not herself anymore. Soul was too quiet. Say something, my friend… while I still can think straight… hehe. Hurt them… ehehehe. …Not in front of Soul!

She took one last look down at her friend. All the sadness and remorse inside those beady yellow eyes staring back up at her. Soul must be suffering. Her silent mouth left agape proved it. Shocked over all the terror she must have gone through all because Blight failed to get here in time. Now I will make it up to her once again.

“Look away and close your eyes.”

8.26
Well, do not hesitate. Stop staring at me. Those eyes of Soul’s looking so sadly at her. It even began to make Blight feel sad. Even more sad for her best friend. Another growl. Blight listened to them, those cowards would not dare to move. Of course, she heard no steps. Just childish ravings of useless beasts. Oh so mad that I hit you? They have no idea.

Just look away, Soul, and it will all be over. “Please.” The word slid out from between her fangs. Soul whimpered for just a moment. Ducking her head down a little and looking off at the mangled wing lying next to her. All she did before… she did as she was told. The magenta Pegasus rolling onto her side and up on her belly, looking away from Blight. From the wolves. Hiding her little head beneath her forelegs.

Good girl.

Soulblight took one last look at that wing. Reviled in how terrible it looked. Can’t believe I let this happen. Stupid foal. Always letting bad things happen to those I love. Not anymore.

She wanted to look away from the proof of her mistake. So why did more proof show up? It caught her eyes only because of their shape. All four of them, right where the wolf was standing over her friend like it was some sort of domineering creature to an innocent and defenseless pony. Those… they… they were not the same prints. Or… she saw them. Little rounded balls dug deep into the snow. Small dots arranged around one center one and little imprints of the claws these creatures had.

They… they look so familiar to me. Now why is that?

Why? She felt her blood boil.

With… Blight widened her eyes. These creatures. They viciously did this to my best friend. All of Soul’s precious blood flowing out from the mouth of that damned beast.

They did it? They did it. The same tracks.

Soulblight turned herself to face them again. Hating how they bared their fangs at her, she was sure to do the same. Burrowing her fangs right down into her gums. No need to care if it hurts. Because these creatures dared to hurt me so much. They are still alive, they still walk this land… after it. After all the pain they caused to me now… and before.

How dare they. How dare they hurt Spots! You are the ones who took him from me!

“They took him from me” she whispered. “T-they… they must…” Soulblight glared up at all of them. I just don’t care anymore. No pain matters. Not even Soul’s or mine. Let it all die. None of it mattered. Not how her wings twitched. How her eyes went into a spasm. Digging her fangs in deeper. “They must…”

…all be punished.

8.27
Now that’s what I like to see. All of those wolves, how they suddenly lost all their will to act tough towards her. So funny. So hilarious. Soulblight wanted to laugh. Seeing them all begin to back away from her. Just little strides she matched, walking towards them. Feeling just how very afraid they were. Tasting it. It tastes so good.

Oh ho ho, this must be what it’s like when Soul eats her sweets. How it tastes. This is so sweet. Their shaking little bodies. Trembling like the measly creatures they know they are. Aww is one of them crying? Too bad. Soulblight just kept coming towards them. Eager to get close and see the fear in their eyes up close. What a great punishment. Maybe I’d leave them like that… hehe, if I was a nice pony. Not at all. Fear is not enough.

It feels so good. But I want more.

Just let yourself go, it will feel good.

Yes it will. How I missed it. Wait to feel it again after so many years. That release… I can taste it. Or was that her own blood? One tends to lose track of these things. One last thing.

She looked back to be completely sure. Yes, the Pegasus still lay there cowering under her hooves. Stay that way, little pony. Soulblight will not want you to see this.

She heard them scurry off. Their tiny little steps sent in a crazy flurry across the snow. They sense it. Good. I love fleeing prey. So adorable to witness it. How their tails hid between their hind legs that kicked so hard in the snow. All of them running off in such a thick pack, no way to catch up with them. No way. What will be a good way to solve this little problem? Giggling under her breath. Oh yes.

She bent her knees. Eyeing just ahead of all of those fleeing animals. Feeling all of it inside her and rushing forward. All of it.

8.28
Her eyes lit up. As did the world. Birthed in a great lance of pure light rushing up to the heavens. Bursting the sky apart. Tearing the clouds. Listening to them sizzle and all the snow melt in an instant around the great pillar she watched reaching out ahead of the wolves. Rising so high. So wide. Basked in so much red and orange from those flames. The wall of flames that lit up this world.

That must have been a frightening sight for the wolves. A glorious one. So much beautiful fire. She saw it reflect off her glossy fur. Lighten the snow in its fiery hue. Roaring louder than any creature may wish for. A pained howl. She drowned it all out. Ignoring it all, hearing herself laugh. Such stupid creatures. Seeing so many of them fall right into it. Too late for them to react. Too late to avoid it. They will sate me. How well it did in the end.

She listened to it all. Watching it all as flesh and fur burned away as fast as she blinked. Can’t even see the bones anymore. None of it can be left. Pathetic hounds disappearing forever inside a sea of fire that grew ever larger and ringed around every direction she saw. Filling the air in its flames as the smell of charred flesh and burnt muscle did the same. Wow, that smells good. Blight took the deepest sniff of the air she could make. Letting it all come in and rush through her. All across her. It felt great. Smelled so amazing. Making her lick her lips. Damn, it has been a long time.

“Ohhh I needed that. Hehehehahahaha!” She laughed her heart out. So very pleased with the results. Laughing at the many wolves still left standing between her and the ring of fire that rose tall behind them all.

“Sorry, boys” she directed to all of their disgusting faces. In all the terror they were engulfed in. “There will be no running.” She motioned a hoof at the ashen remains of all the foolish ones who failed to escape. “Do stay a while.” Please stay, boys, and give me such a good time. Even more. So much more. It already feels good. So good… she felt her hind legs twitch from the feeling. I need more. So much more.

Several of the wolves seemed to respond to her. Seeing all the fangs being shown to her. So defensive they became. So filled with confidence for once. So bad on their parts. It is so good to see the weak and wretched believe themselves to be so powerful and strong, not knowing what they face. It made it so much more satisfying to see them burn. Bleed. Disappear in all their follies. No more mistakes for them to make. No more pain to give to me. Forever punished in the end. But go ahead and fight. Try me.

Soulblight smiled so deeply. It even began to hurt to smile so wide. So much anticipation, she could feel it in her loins. These wolves just made it too good to be true to be able to experience this rush again. Come on now. Attack me. Try and bite me, tear my flesh with your fangs and drink in my blood. It will feel so good to watch you all fail.

8.29
“Hahaha…” Blight lurched her head down. All the tingling in her body. So much desire. Satisfy me. “Hehehehahahahahahahaha! G-go on now.” She looked back up at all the wolves. Looking over each individual one, seeing not much difference in their anger towards her acting as a mask for all the fear she smelled. “Come now.” She let her wings open up at her sides. See my wings. See my pretty wings that Soul says are beautiful. Pretty wings for a pretty pony. A defenseless and sweet Pegasus, like me. That’s what I am to all of them.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Maybe let one of them try it. Realize how pointless it all was before she ended it. Will that feel good? Blight weighed all her options in her mind. Sitting there, staying that weak Pegasus just like Soul had been for them. Exactly what these creatures liked. I can give them what they like if they give me what I like. What more can I do? Shall I flutter my lashes? Or maybe wink to them? Flaunt my flank to them? Those playful things all those foolish whores in Equestria like to do. The prey always loves it.

One wink and it did.

Blight immediately saw the movements in the corners of her eyes. All the wolves rushing at her. Left and right. Surround me? So cute. Keeping her eyes firmly locked on the group standing still in front of her. Knowing all was so well. Too well. All I need to do is listen to you all. Their rushing heartbeats. Their ragged breaths. Even saliva dripping down to the snow below before being trampled by rushing paws. Where was the closest one?

…There you are.

Soulblight took one final look around her. Feeling it all built up in her body. I can already see it, I can feel it. My magic, so warm. She had to look and see it all. Right at her sides. Slick and sharp. Bursting in red glowing upon her fur as bloody as her own eyes she saw in the reflection that Soul’s eyes gave her. All these red tendrils she had ready waiting at her sides. Growing up from the snow itself to curve about her wings in a howling madness like music to her ears. Eager to taste blood for themselves. You’ll get it, sweethearts. Maybe something a little more creative. What shall strike so much fear?

…Yes.

8.30
She heard the closest wolf land its paws upon the snow ready to pounce upon her. To the left. …Right… there. And now… suffer.

She didn’t need to look to know it happened. A rush of wind slapping the air inside a crackle of energy that even made the frosted environment in front of her ripple in its heat. Now there it was. Sounds of bones tearing. Flesh pierced and a yelp of pain silenced immediately. Even more, more and more. Listening for all the wolves who dared to come too close to her and silencing them in the same ways until she failed to hear anymore paws coming towards her. So many more still there, left in place. I can taste their fear. You all got to see what I will do to you… just look at your friends.

All the wolves saw it. Losing what little hope they had trembling again. …Yes. She giggled. Looking off to her left. Past the spiny tendrils of her lovely magic still hanging on her wings. Focused on the black figures held aloft in the sky above her. Motionless. Silent. Not able to touch the ground even though their limp legs reached back down to it. At least their blood was able to land upon it. Pooling out from those gaping wounds cut through them along those pillars of red grown out from the ground. Risen up from the ground. Holding all those wolves in the air upon their long and sharp shafts. Sizzling with the snow landing upon them. A good skewering was so nice.

It all blinked out of existence. Letting those lifeless corpses fall back down with hard thuds to rejoin their scared brethren keeping their distance from her now. “Sorry, you have to work for me. Who else would like to try?” Taking her time to watch the expressions of each and every wolf that still stood. No trace left of them wanting to fight. So they give up that easy? Not even enough to satisfy me. Such a shame. No fun in it if they don’t want to fight back.

She sighed. Guess they are all gonna run from me and I have to hunt them. Chase them in this little ring she made for themselves, unless the wolves were so inclined to charge headlong into the fire again. How it billowed and boiled behind them, no way they will try it again. So uncreative. It’s much more fun to do this with more… intelligent creatures. At least they fight back. At least they cry their little shouts of hope.

Her ears perked up. Did one of them just whimper? That whiny little cry sounding so high to her. To the right.

8.31
Soulblight let it out. A fast lance of energy rushing out from where it spiraled around her wing and off to where she heard the sound. Left strewn in the yelps of so many surprised wolves who had to watch it happen. A little thing she caught a glimpse of, seeing one wolf’s head fall right down by itself into the snow. Gone in a hail of blood to drench the fur of its body that fell with it. Silent again. None of that.

“Down, boy.”

So they revert to crying. Whining for their pitiful lives. How disgusting. How infuriating. It’s like nails in my ears. Like they paid any heed to when Soul was crying. If they were going to start crying for their lives, then perhaps it’d be best to end this now. No satisfaction in weaklings. One move is all I need and then I can go back to caring for my best friend. No more need to cry or fear, not when I’m here. I will protect her always. I’m such a good friend, …if only all these wolves would shut up. How many more heads need to roll?

She glared upon every one that began to join the first one in crying. Not at all learning their lessons from her example. What? Am I supposed to show pity? Such a fool’s errand. Did anypony ever show it to me!?

Besides, you all showed my friend no mercy. Well, no reason to start now. “What part of down do you all not understand… hehehe.” Soulblight brought the rest of her energy to bare. Seeing how it gleamed. Rippling and shocking the air in front of her in the glow of the red fire around her. Like her own fur may stand up from it where it ever so inclined to. Burning it all away. Turning the ice to water at her hooves. Preferring the sounds of boiling water and so much steam rising around her to that of the shrill whines of the wolves.

“Come on now” she called out to them all. Looking around at all of them. Each one set in the illumination that was so graciously provided by the ring of fire, coiling energy and burning bodies. Is this even real? Some of them even began to back off. Holding their heads low under their forward shoulders. No killing intent left to be felt from them. Unbelievable.

“So many of you and only one of me… and you cry” she mocked, making her way forward towards the group of wolves set ahead of her. “Oh boohoo.” Cowardly little runts. So anger inducing. Like this was all so pointless in the end. So many years left without it and this was the best? How or even why did it make her laugh? Letting it ring in her ears like music. At least it all gave her a good chuckle, and the scent of death still hung strong. So much potential for it to thicken.

“Pathetic.” Doesn’t even seem they are listening. Perhaps at least one would give me some theatrics. A nice last stand. A retort. Claim to vanquish me. It all used to be so much better. Whatever. Best to end this now and I can go back to my precious friend. So much love waiting for you. Hehehe.

“Very well, I’ve gotten bored.”

Indulge yourself.

8.32
First came the sound of howling wind blasting off out of her wings with every bit and piece of her energy let loose to do what they did best. Much too quick for any wolf to respond. Much too quick for anything to respond to how strong she let them feel. How powerful it feels. Power to know and see where all of it went. I can see it all. Seeing it all just before it happened. Right before the first strike, with her heart elated, it captivated her. Hearing flesh rend and smolder. A plume of blood rising. So much… blood soaring. Such lavish ecstasy.

One body fell. Oh yes! “Yes!” Another. More and more in an instant. None of these wolves having any chance to react before several more of their brethren fell in the most artistic fashions Blight could think of. Wrapping and coiling her lances of red energy about their flesh. Searing the fur right off on their paths and removing limb after limb in a hail of cries and blood to finally silence them. Nonstop… delicious smells filling her nostrils. Making her lick her lips with each anticipated kill. One there and one there.

Hahaha, just let it do its work. Dance for me, my magic. Dance. Letting more come out to play as well and entangle ever more victims in that dance. To see so many die before they can do anything. Fountains of blood. Painting the sky and the snow alike. So fast and intense, even she now realized all it took was for her to blink to see the entire scene in front of her chance to a field of limbs and charred fur left scattered in a bloody heap while her clouds of magic, as red as the blood itself, hung over it all. Hungry for her will. It must love it too.

Not at all what I expected, killing cowards still had its effects. As cowardly as the remaining wolves who, in the wake of seeing this massacre, looked like they had enough. Hoping to escape from me? Fleeing off towards the walls of fire. Maybe desperate to find some way out of it. Really wanting to keep their useless lives. Such was her love of it. Doing everything she could to keep this image of fear and desperation in her sights. I didn’t even know it makes me feel this good. Everything going through me, ah… lovely.

Damn it, if Soul wasn’t here, I’d let it out. All of it, that feeling. Enough that she desperately wanted to moan. It feels so good. Not befit of a lady. Not befit at all, so let’s end this quickly.

8.33
So few wolves left and how they ran about let it be apparent how very frightened they were. Strides wide and strong. Frantically leaping and attempting to nip at the walls of fire. Pushed back by their own fears with how hot it must be to get so close to it. At least fall in it. I want more of that burning smell. Yes. She tracked a group of them running off to her right. Straight at where the clouds of her magic hung ready to strike at something. How creative can I be? Maybe a little… no.

All the snow in front of her split apart. Cast away by the blast of wind curving out from right in front of her. Such power, not even the winds of this land could compare. Closing in fast, sweeping any and all away with it just as she wanted. To see it do the most indulging of acts. Prove to them there was no running. That wind did its job. Sending all those wolves flying. Careening right into the wall of fire, joining all their fallen friends in a short yelp of pain. Lost forever in the wind that continued to howl, carrying the cinders of black. Tainting the air, and the smell... as strong as before. Locking right into her nostrils and beyond. It smelled just too good. Felt too good, enough to wag her tail. Oh I can feel it… that feeling… back there. She couldn’t stop her hind legs from grinding along one another. I feel so filthy doing this in front of others but… such pleasure. Don’t stop. You all dare to hurt me… so now you will make me feel good.

“Oh yes! Give me more” she cried out. Summoning another burst of reddened mist around her chest and circling the snow she stood upon. Kill them all. It did exactly that.
8.34
Bolts of that glorious red light arced out ahead of her. Rushing. No way they could see it coming. But I can. Right before it happened. Piercing lances of red-hot energy blasting out everywhere her eyes may grace. Siphoning the cool air’s pale blue aura with a sheet of red painting the sky, painting the ground. Splattering all about. With every limb and body, falling to it all, left to carpet the snow. All that snow that Soul hates. Get rid of its presence. Drowned in a sea of blood.

Too bad I can’t paint anything else in it. So much red. So much excitement. Ah… I love it. I feel it. I’m gonna lose my mind. She felt her knees buckle behind her. Unable to care for such a thing as just standing when so much blood and agonizing screams tantalized her body. Tingling and tickling.

Cut them all down. Yes! Legs flew. Bodies torn to shreds and burnt away in a cloud of red arcing all around the ring of fire. Silencing each, one by one to become even quieter. More and more. I can feel it. Haha! Just a little more.

The last body hit the ground. All fell silent. All except for Blight.

“Yeeeees!” She screeched out. Happily heaving such a long moan. Here it comes. Exploding, the best pleasure in ages. I can hear myself, how dirty I sound doing this. Hearing myself moan. How dirty I am. Hehe, but who cares? I love every second of this feeling and it just keeps coming. The feeling that made her collapse to the ground, twitching… with all that was left of such pleasure coursing along her.

Blight panted. Calm, calm. Her legs twitched again. Curling her tail along her body. Smiling so deep into the snow. Oh… thank you… it’s like my body is rewarding me. Oh, so good. So very good. It’s been so long since I could vent. Hahaha… I can’t believe I just did that… haha. Ahh… she felt herself blushing. But it was almost as good as the last time I could do this. I just… she felt her body twitch one last time as it all died off. She could, at last, stretch her legs out again. Lay there grinning under the long bangs of her mane. Giggling upon the snow. Giggling and then laughing, reeling her head back up. Glaring upon the icy sky above.

I feel… so much better now. All the pain is gone. I needed that.

8.35
Soulblight looked out at the silent and still world. Calm and empty. Gone with the flames. No more of that magic left… like vapor to the wind. Falling back down onto piles upon piles of ashes all around her mixed in with the nearly unrecognizable figures of those wretched creatures left in a bloody and broken heap. Such a lovely sight. I deserved that. After all that pain, I was so due for a good time. “Ehehehe.” I am such a naughty girl. Not a good one at all. Hahaha! I never am. But even a filthy mare like me should get this calm and silence. So soothing.

She put her head back down into her forelegs. Feeling her soft touch rubbing right against her cheeks. An empty stillness. Just another feeling. A feeling of this world that no longer mattered to her. Such a pitiful reward. I’d rather somepony come here and hug me for this. Hold me tight. “Hahahahaha!” She lifted her head back up. Too bad. Perhaps soon, you spoiled filly. Soon I can get it.

…She paused.

…Wait, who is that? A little, tiny whimper crying out there. Somewhere in that field of blood and flesh and bone. Why, …it sounded like a wolf. How cute. So a little more fun perhaps. I need to see this.

Blight stood herself back up, bracing right when her legs shivered in pleasure one last time. But she stood. Standing tall over all the corpses. Just gliding herself over the blood in the few steps before she saw it. So I did miss one. Sloppy. Guess I was having to much fun. I missed, just sliced its legs off.

One lone wolf laying down on its side. Only the stumps left where its legs should be. Flowing blood, mixing it with that of its friends. At least it should feel some comfort in still being connected to them. How cruel of me to leave it all alone. Too bad.

“Awww, do you miss your friends?” Soulblight asked it, walking a little closer to get a good look at it. I wish it could talk. Coming close enough and just seeing its mouth spewed not words but its haggard breath pooling out with blood dripping ever so vibrantly from between its fangs. If only it did answer yes, though she didn’t need that to be obvious. Of course it misses them. Possibly its family. All its precious little brothers.

Blight made her way around it, give it a good look of her. Closer than any other wolf had gotten to her. Standing right over its face, hooves to both sides of it, slamming down into the snow with nary a sound. He on the other hoof, sounded so pathetic. Whimpering under its breath just begging to be left alone. Why do that? Does it not want to rejoin its kin? I can think of some ways to make it happen.

She leaned in closer to it. The sound of its desperate breathing growing more and more. Her ears twitching in delight. So good to hear it suffer from so much pain. How it cried. Give me more. “Or shall I just leave you here, all alone with nopony to comfort you?” It bore its fangs to her. Is that supposed to be a growl? Intimidating? What was that? This beast had no idea just what it was trying to do. The last vestiges of pure hope left behind in the hopeless shell of a defeated fool. They never learn. It even encouraged her to lean down a little closer, hoping to show it just how little of a care she gave. All the best to hear it squirm and cry beneath painful breaths. Such a proud yet misguided little boy. Oh yes, he did want that. A good reward just for being a little brave.

Be brave, then show me how brave you are and lay here to suffer. It makes no difference to me. Not like it deserves anything. This creature actually is getting some of my time, after what it did to my beloved friend. …My own family. Without mercy. Without pity. Soul just being left without a single ounce of power left in her most precious of gifts. Because of him. If these wolves wanted to get rid of my friendship, then I can do the same to them.

“I think I will leave you. Right here, by yourself” she hissed right in its face. “Nothing but those little stubs of yours to be your companions as you slowly bleed out in this cold… all alone. …It won’t be so bad, …trust me.”

8.36
“Blight! Stop it!” That… is not this wolf. No wolf at all. So charming it will be for it to start begging. No heed shall be given. None to them… but I will to her. Soul? Serenity?

Blight froze. Is she…? No. She had to turn around. Leave the wolf to its misery. Get all of it out of her sight. Seeing the one true thing in this entire wasteland. Beyond the blood and scent of death she adored, the pony more important than all of it… and she was staring right back at her from across the blood-soaked field. That pony’s tears watering the snow. Standing over all the bloody waste. Like all her pain had left just to see what it was that Blight had done. Looking at her. At all of it. When I told her to look away. Her entire world fell apart and she felt her heart plummet.

I can’t believe it. When I told her. When I… did all this. Soulblight looked around her at all the chaos she left behind. All her work. Blood everywhere. Everywhere. Was that even Soul’s blood that coated the wing of the magenta Pegasus or did I just cover her… in my mess? Dripping down with her tears. I did that to her. I-I-I made her cry.

“Please just stop, Blight” her voice soothing but still packed in the pain obvious to seeing all of this happen. No, I never want such a sweet and innocent Pegasus seeing what I can do. We’re supposed to be best friends. Even though I did this for her… or is that the case? Did I do this for her… or…? She still felt the last of that sickening pleasure that made her leg twitch. Did I do it for myself?

Now Soul needed to suffer for it. That made her look away in shame. I don’t want to see her. I don’t want to. But she couldn’t escape it. Everywhere she looked showed it. Reminders of what she did. Not one area clean of her mistake. Even behind her with the crying wolf right at her tail.

I guess I got too angry… huh, Soul…? I made the mistake. I let it take me over. All my disgusting hate. Again. Wow, I really am a jerk. Exactly befitting of the pony who ruined Soul’s life with no second thought and I did it again… in front of that same pony.

Now she knows.

She knows it all. Am I even capable of being nice? Being merciful to those who need it? Or do I just make everypony suffer?

8.37
Another cry rang out from behind her. Stronger than the last. So he cried too, as strong as Soul now was. Just like what I want to do. Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m so deeply sorry. If only I could say that to this wolf. Resorting to just staring over him. Down upon his blood-soaked eyes, barely holding on to any sense of the life that must have once held in them forever. Shining in the sunlight no longer. The only light shining from them were from her own eyes. Bringing that light upon him. Not of blood… but… she saw it. Her eyes glowing as bright as the Sun once more, deep in the eyes of this wolf.

“I’m sorry, I… guess I’m not capable of it.” To really be her friend. Or anypony’s. Not like this. Not how I am. Please, may things just become different for once. How many stupid decisions were needed, and how many friends did she need to help her see otherwise? Especially when no other pony needed it. Only able to rely on herself. She had to do it all by herself. Make it all right.

I’m not evil. I’m not a monster. I’m not merciless. I’m a sweet little pony… that pony I see, in the wolf’s eyes. Seeing those yellow eyes glow in red once more inside that wolf’s eyes. I am a sweet pony, and… I will show you all. You will be better off. Since you have nothing left in this world. I will help you… she looked at her maniacal self in the wolf’s eyes. That lifeless, dying sight that were her eyes, no longer her own. No better than that of these rabid animals. It’s like I really am one of them. Except… not a monster. I am capable of mercy.

She looked off to the bared chest of the wolf. So much blood but not from any wound upon it. Rising and falling, slowly losing its pace while it suffered. I am a better pony… than all of them.

Soulblight closed her eyes, seeing what was left of a flash of burning red rushing down at where she had stared. Blacking it all out. Listening to that wolf’s last breath escape into the rush of air and wind. Joining it all and chilling the land. The last mark of this mistake.

8.38
Soulblight walked away from it all. Past the bodies. Past the carnage. Not wanting to pay any more attention to it or even to Soul. At least the mare’s magenta color showed itself in the corner of her eyes when she walked past her. Off in the direction where she heard the crackle of fire. Not of her mistakes but of one that warmed the very pony she loved.

Time to go. Leave it behind. Let it die off in my mind. Just another blank slate hopefully. No matter how bad it is that she had to see what I can do. Who I am. Not what I want to be. Unfortunate. Just lead her on home. To a place that was safe and disconnected from the troubles of this frigid world. May she say not a word. May I say not a word.

Soulblight made a stop right before Soul left her vision. Turning back to see only the poor wing left dangling upon the snow. How very sad it made her to see it. It may as well have been caused by her. It was… since I could not protect her. Then none of this would have happened. Please, please may she forgive me enough. If I ever deserve it, I’ll still make things right for her. Strange, able to stare upon that wing, but not even able to lock eyes with Soul herself.

I guess I am not powerful at all. I am a coward.

I don’t want to see my failure.

“Let’s go home. Please, …do not look back.”

8.39
Nightfall always did bring out the total silence of the village each time, good enough to sleep in if Soul wanted to. Good enough to show just how empty and desolate this place was were it not for Blight. So why did she need to make it seem so much quieter than normal?

The wind felt like it hung still thanks to how calm it was though it still blew against her mane with the same force as normal. Her only companion to whisper to her in hushed tones for the entire walk back, and still Blight refused to say anything more than what she asked her to do when they began their journey home. One of silence and regret.

All night, it seemed that may be the one and only thing left. Despite her own desire to speak with her black-furred friend, Soul found it too hard to do even that. Descending down to the porch of her house with Blight right behind her. Probably still keeping her head to the ground. I wish I knew what it is you are thinking, Blight. After what I saw, I don’t know what to think anymore. An event Soul still tried her best to make sense of. Too much sadness. Too much pain. Not even able to fly her worries off. Not anymore. It made her sigh silently when she slowly opened the door.

Thankful for the newfound light her house was graced in and a welcome change from the dark and still night. She stepped in. Her birthday setup still intact. With the table and chairs left behind for the remaining dishes of her cake and their dolls she happily shared with Blight left standing with one another together on the floor. Both Pegasus dolls exactly as before in the midst of all of them. Side by side. I hope nothing is bothering those two, at least. Along with the fire burning bright and keeping everything nice and toasty.

Just stepping inside reminded her of all of it. Seeing the flames clearly in the firepit. How warm it all was. Way too soon. To see it again. Wrapping her home in the bright light of flames, warming any and all who came close inside of a torrent of painful laughter she heard echoing inside. I just can’t get it out of my head. That… terrifying laughter I heard… from the pony who I always thought had the cutest laugh. I bet… that is what troubles her too. So terrible for her. Experiencing all the same things I did. This day… I just don’t know anymore. Nothing but pain… in my heart. Just as Soul suffered with the dead weight of her wing left to drag upon the carpet, she could only imagine the weight of being the one to laugh so painfully, so dreadfully inside a wash of red coming down upon both of their eyes carried out by the black Pegasus.

Soul turned around a little wishing to look upon her friend once more. Just as the door began to shut, with the black Pegasus right behind it. Her sorrowful eyes softly blinking over at her right before they disappeared behind the door. “Good night.”

8.40
Soul gasped. Wait. “Blight, hang on” Soul demanded. Frightful to be too late before the door closed, rushing it just in time to slide her hoof in front of it. Good enough to get one small glimpse of her friend still standing outside. What, does she think she can just slip out of here with no word at all? She needs to stop this. Don’t be this way, Blight.

“Come on in” Soul asked her. “Please.” At least do something I want you to do for today. Asking me to do so much. So many painful things. Suck it up and join me. At least, that’s what she wanted to say. Soulblight stood out there for a little longer, still on the other side of the door. Looking back finally to peer in. A little twitch of her ears and a flick of her tail while she stared off to the side. Not even able to look me in the eyes before trying to run off. Blight must truly be afraid.

Blight nodded. So why did she walk off to the side? Somewhere alongside the porch and out of sight through the crack in the door. Well she wasn’t leaving it looked like. Soul tried to see what it was she may be doing thanks to a sudden commotion outside. A pop or two, something sliding across the wooden surface. Only able to see the black tail before a wall of grey filled her vision quickly. She backed away almost having it run into her. Freeing the door up to open again with a quick jolt of black mist. The same mist carrying in… my bathtub? The same basin she used for so long now to clean in. Sounds of splashing water inside left behind when she washed her face the other day. With something else next to the basin. A clean looking wash rag. White and looking much like a soft little towel that it should be, also held aloft by Blight’s magic. The pony herself coming inside right behind them. Closing the door behind her, leaving the house all to themselves inside the warmth of the fire.

Soulblight gently set the basin down by the fireplace. All the water inside splashed about, bouncing up into the air and coming right back down. A nice and satisfying sound it did make. Even better once Blight placed the rag underneath the clear and cool water. What is she doing? Soul watched her. Is she planning to wash someth… oh…

Soul eyed her devastated wing. The most sorry sight she ever did see. Hours of walking did nothing to help it. All the blood, given much time that it became apparent it was drying up beneath fresh streams coming out of the long and deep wounds all over it, bloodying the carpet. So much dirt along her feathers. Melted snow dampening the fur. Just like the blood also did.

In all my life, I never thought I would see a wing of mine… look like this. That it made her heart lurch. Such a useless thing to do. No real reason to clean it. …It was done. Just when I was trying to forget it. If only there were a doctor instead, not a bath. Though, does any doctor in Equestria even know how to fix something like this? I just… want it back. Back to normal, not like this. My wing and Soulblight… why did this day...

“Come on over here” Blight interrupted. She sat there waiting for Soul, pulling the rag out of the water with her magic and squeezing out so much water that drained back down into the pool. Soul sighed, she stepped forward. Taking her place next to the basin with Blight. Sitting just as she did. Staring away from this scene. I don’t want to see any of this. I… hate this, like… Blight is so miserable right now. I don’t want both of us to feel bad. I miss the Blight from this morning.

8.41
There was still a way to tell something was happening off to her side. A little pulling sensation on her side, right where she knew her wing was connected to. A little glimmer of pain cropping up in her ravaged tendons right at the joint. I wish I could feel her touching my wing. Even if it hurt, from the wounds or from her sensitivity. She didn’t care. I just want to know that my wing works. All that hard work. All my dreams… shit. It’s not fair. Nothing at all was fair.

She heard the faint sound of water swirling right when that puling feeling left her. Dripping and splashing. Soul looked back over. It made her wince. Seeing just how quickly that blue water, where she could see the very bottom of the basin before, quickly changed to red. Spreading like a disease across the water around where her wing was left submerged, and in went a burst of that black mist as well. Right in front of Soulblight. Intently staring down into the water. Soul had to suffer through this agonizing moment for way too long. Feeling more and more pitiful. Completely defeated the longer her useless wing soaked inside the water that let her know how bad this really was. Really, how much blood will it take before this water is not even water anymore?

You may as well rip my wing off. I… I don’t care. It’s useless, like I am. My wing is gone. Just dead like her dreams. Even making Soul tear up. Why did Blight even care for it? Why is she not telling me anything? Speak to me, please. I lost my wing, and now… you don’t even want to speak to me. A nice conversation. But I have nothing left to say. Nothing left to make Blight feel a little happier since she too had nothing happy left to give. A true shame. Blight must be suffering. Stop with that strong pony act and talk to me about it. Be the pony I know you are.

8.42
Her wing rose out from under the water. Freeing itself from all the blood. Wow, it actually looked a bit cleaner. Not as much blood on it as before. Not at all taking from the fact it was a hideous sight. Made worse now that… oh Celestia!

Soul wanted to really barf now. She even had to bring a hoof up to her mouth in fear of it since it stirred right inside of her stomach. Like it went upside down upon seeing the bones visibly sticking out from her wounds. Damn it. It really is that bad. I’ve never seen anything like this before. I really do need to… forget this wing. Oh no… I can’t. Tears went down to soak the carpet. No. No. They’re gonna have to remove it. Separated forever from it. But it looked so ugly. So terrible, a total failure. This is my wing? Nopony will ever want to see this. I don’t even want to. Never even want to touch it. I will never have anypony able to touch it again. No loving mare to show me how to touch it without it hurting. Nopony would want to touch it.

She couldn’t stop crying. Cringing in anger over what happened to her when just earlier in the day, this wing was as gorgeous as her right one. As good as Blight’s wings were. “Hold still.” Another short response. Just another command. Cold and direct. Unlike what Soulblight was doing. Soul found her destroyed wing held aloft inside of a cocoon of her friend’s dark magic. Caressing across the feathers and swarming around the bones, torn tendons and skin. Holding it right up with lots of water dripping free of her feathers. At least it was not ugly enough for Soulblight. …Well, holding it with her magic. Touching it now with a gentle rub of the rag going up and down the middle of her span. A little scrubbing sound and plenty of reddened water dripping away so Soul began to see the magenta fur again right where she was scrubbing. Freeing it up from her black magic and all the reminders of their terrible ordeal.

So strange. Soul watched how soft and gentle Blight held her wing with that magic. How it made the rag be just as gentle. Especially around the exposed bones. Cleaning the areas up very slowly and gracefully. Soulblight… she is so gentle with me. It felt a little relaxing to watch her clean her up. So this is what it’s like to have another pony care for me. So odd. For Blight to be the one. Do I even like this? A pony like her… like she’s giving me a bath. Even so, still nice to watch it. Ignoring any sign of her wounds and just watching the rag work on its own to clean her. Maybe, if Blight could hold it herself, …would she do it? Would she hold my wing? Soulblight did not look disturbed at all by it. By any of this. Just sad and silent. Still. Watching the rag do her work. With that magic of hers. Magic that tended to Soul so carefully. Slowly cradling her wing inside a warm wrapping of the black magic just like a mother would hold her baby.

Why am I now seeing this? How caring and gentle her magic is? I don’’t remember it being… Soul paused. Now that I know… just how powerful and terrifying she can be. I see. Blight’s magic cleaning away all the blood, Blight’s magic dirtying the world in blood. Not even anything Soul believed possible with magic. Can unicorns do this? Do that? Can Celestia? Using their magic to carry out common practices every day, Blight using it for everything. Just a gentle and perfect little talent they had. Soulblight… you really are different.

8.43
So just talk to me about it if it hurts you. I know it was bad for you, I know you didn’t like it. No matter how much laughter Soul remembered. That mad smile. I even saw you… feel good… from it. Soul gulped. All that while… I don’t want to remember. I never thought anypony could do that. You did it so terribly and you got off on it in front of me! Celestia… Soul gritted her teeth. But…

That is not the Soulblight I have come to know all these years. That was not my Soulblight. Not those eyes. This is Soulblight. Gentle and nice. So caring for me when all those other ponies left me. Soulblight is my guardian. So stop pretending I don’t care and just say something to me. I’m tired of sitting here pretending nothing happened. Talk to me.

Stop rubbing my wing. I can see the sadness in you. In your eyes. Just looking past her wing in deep into the yellow dragon eyes lowered and somber. Lost to whatever was going on around them. I’d rather see that terrifying smile than this sad face.

You are sad, you are suffering. So tell me why. Why try to hide it when you did all that earlier? Inside the dead and still eyes of her friend. Just a small little shine inside of all that darkness. With a little tear. One little tear that shimmered… deep inside of Blight’s eye. I need to know. No longer feel at all useless, with this ugly wing and her constant failures. I can still be a good friend for this pony. She just wanted to know if it was something that Blight needed. She did need it. No matter what the black Pegasus must tell herself. Just like before all of what happened today.

Soulblight needs me again. Now more than ever, so just tell me what is wrong because I have not a clue on what to say. Nothing can be said about what happened because that was not the Soulblight she knew. It never was. Please just talk to me. Please… “talk to me.”

8.44
Soul smacked a hoof up to her mouth. She… she said that out loud. Oh no, I don’t know how to deal with this… please may she have not heard me. Not now. Until Blight was ready to talk as well. …Of course she did hear her.

Soulblight looked up from her work. As surprised as Soul was. For different reasons no doubt. “What did you say?” That almost worked. But Soul was not going to get out of this. Blight knew exactly what she said. It can’t be avoided. I-I need to stop doing this. Soulblight did a lot to be there for me and always put herself out for me. The least that can be done is to be there for her. No matter how many times it was required. I need to be the one to make her feel better like she always did for me. To make all of today possible. Just grow up and be a true friend for her.

“Please talk to me… about what happened. I want to know” Soul said. Though she had a lot more to say. Being the hardest words she had to say.

Now it’s your turn, Blight. I’m here for you. So why all the stillness? Soulblight was only going on with cleaning her wing. Not even changing how well she gently scrubbed it and revealed more of what hid beneath the devastation. What, are you ignoring me? Because minutes went by of her just cleaning. Or… am I being too pushy? I shouldn’t get too involved in other ponies’ businesses especially with something like this. All that must have been so bad for Blight. Having to cry through all that senseless death. Don’t pretend to hide your feelings. I know you were very sad doing all that, and the face Blight wore after it all. She is very troubled. I… shouldn’t pressure her. Or… oh Soul wanted to scream right now. \

Here I go again. Stop thinking that. Two years of that thinking. What did it do? Hurt both of them. Tears, pain and loneliness. When must it end? When I stop being an idiot. So be there for her like she was for me. It’s time that I start caring for her. Another stroke of the rag along her wing. Stop it. Soul could not lift her wing away but she could still do this.

Soul kicked her legs against the floor to stand back up. Bringing her wing with her out of the water. Free from the rag. Gone with the magic that held it in place. Anything to get it away from Blight. Now was not the time. Time to be an adult. Time to be there for her. It still hurt to have to glare at Soulblight.

“Stop it” she commanded her friend. “And talk to me.” It sounded a little good to talk like this for once. But did it hurt Blight’s feelings? Maybe it did. Oh, this really is too hard. Why is it too hard to be a good friend for a pony like this? The hardest ordeal. Especially for her, for this, her friend that was more troubled than anything she thought possible of a pony.

Just tell me something. Anything to work with, and I swear to make it better, just for you. Because we need to stop pretending that everything is alright. Nothing is alright, I saw it all today.

8.45
“About what?” Blight muttered. About what? Well about everything for starters. So Soulblight was trying to dodge it. Not ready to talk just like Soul was not ready for. Damn, Blight. Why are we both so alike? It’s like arguing with myself. It only goes on forever. Can we please stop acting like this, just be open with me. I’m not scared anymore. You should not be either. You’re as much an adult as I am. As troubled as she was. …As immature as she was. So that was it. She needs to grow up too, and here Soul was just now starting it. I have to guide her along. I never thought I would… be… the mother for somepony else. Like… Nimbus used to do for me. Anything to make Blight happy again.

“About what happened back there.” Soulblight let her guard go. Sighing strongly and even standing up just as Soul did. So she was ready to start talking? Not acting so uptight. Just a little semblance of weakness in her shimmering eyes.

“A mistake, and all it was” Blight said. Not even looking at her to deliver her answer. So the wall was better company right now. “Cut it out, Blight” Soul needed to raise her tone now. This needs to stop now. Soul will never let her cherished friend go on like this. Too long on the walk home. No more sadness. Give me anything but it. She did give her something.

Soulblight giggled.

What the hell? Soul listened to it closely. It was chilling. As was her friend. Not even looking sad anymore. But it was still her. A little cover up. Soulblight, I know you’re upset. Talk to me about it. Stop acting strong when you’re not. Not with this. With that strained voice inside her laugh. A shudder along her abdomen. Even Blight’s hind legs began to shake. Like she actually was a scared kid. Terrified of something. You can tell me.

“Cut it out? Oh, …Soul, you know I wish that I can. This stupid game you and I play together.” Soulblight cut off from her. Walking away. Just leaving Soul with that… and the door. It opened. Soulblight was trying to walk away from this. Oh no you don’t. You’re not leaving me with that.

Soul didn’t even bother to make sure her steps were careful to keep her wing from getting any more damaged. To hell with it. It can endure it, as long as Blight stopped this. “You thought I hated you before…” Soul called after her. Remembering just how bad of a situation they both overcame. Leading to this situation. Soul ran off after Blight. Much quicker than her. Like Blight did nothing to stop it. Even after what she had seen earlier, she knew it now… nothing could get the drop on Blight. So why let Soul do this: why let her get right in her way? Blocking the doorway from the black Pegasus. Keeping her side fresh to the chilling wind blowing inside. Staring at her friend. With Soulblight left in silence. Silence and a smile. One that trembled. It was too apparent. Soulblight really was hurting inside. Just as her tears did tell her before. “Tell me.”

8.46
“Oh, please” Soulblight shook her head. “Do not pretend to care. Not after what you saw.”

“What I saw?” Soul yelled after her when Blight turned back around. Just walking away. Not even sure if she knew where she wanted to go. Just trying to avoid me. Yeah, I saw a lot. Seeing a scene like that. Nopony can ever dream of the wildest nightmare scenario to even come up with that. I bet I’m the first in Equestria who got to see that. Just like what we did together… long ago. We both killed. Terribly. You did it with me for the right reasons. So… what was that earlier? What was that horror show? Tell me now.

“I saw something that was not you. Not anything like the pony I accepted as my friend. You’ve been sad, we’ve both been sad. Yet, …I saw something else. …Blight, you weren’t sad… you were suffering. That’s what I saw, and… stop walking away from me!” Another terrifying laugh let itself roar across the room. Coming right from Blight. Stomping her hoof down and doing just as she asked. She stopped walking away.

“Hehehehahahahahahahaha!” she laughed on. “Suffering? That’s what you saw in me?” Blight turned her head a little. This chilling atmosphere. Did the fire die or something? Or was it just how Blight was standing. Her crooked legs and flailing tail. The harshness in her laugh. In her questions. So cold. May as well be just snow hailing upon Soul. “Soul, you are such a great friend. You can see something like that in me? Yet you still did not see how wrong you really are…”

Blight turned her head. Stomping about to face back at her. Face to face again, for the longest time. Staring into Blight’s… eyes, those glowing red eyes. Just like before. Staring deep into Soul. Like they burned of fire.

Blight, you are suffering. I’m not wrong. Just look at you. This is not you. “Not me?!” Blight yelled.

What? How did you…

“That is why you are wrong.” Now Blight was the one who was yelling. Soul no longer felt it anymore. Whatever assertiveness she had, gone. How to deal with this… how? Blight, stop being this way. “Take a good look at me” Blight spat. Then she saw it when that pony bared her mouth… and the countless fangs gleaming in it. It froze Soul’s heart. Looking into her mouth with countless daggers lining it. She may as well have the same teeth as the wolves… and they got closer. Blight placed herself right upon Soul. Shoving her own eyes right into Soul’s. Staring deep into that blood. The darkness of her pupils. An entire existence inside of fading light and dying hope. Pure darkness. Soul could swear she felt a little queasy seeing that. Never being this close to these eyes before. These, they aren’t Blight’s. I see… true suffering.

“Look at me… and what do you see?” I see you, Blight.

“You see Soulblight. Because this is what I really am.” Soul gasped. A tear. Blight, …she was crying. “I am that monster, that freak you claimed me to be. These are the eyes of a monster. …And monsters can not be friends to anypony. Not after what I have done. All the death I have caused. The horror I can make. You even got to see me get off from it, didn’t you!? You saw it. Was it a good show? Seeing your precious friend reduce herself to a whore just to finally feel good about herself!?” What… I…

Blight glared. “You don’t know anything about me. And now you got to see.” This was all wrong. All of it. She is wrong. Soulblight, you can’t be like me. I don’t want you to feel so sad for so long. I won’t let anypony feel what I felt. Because you were the first pony who made me feel like I matter.

So, I do know. I know everything about you because I had to deal with it too. To be different in all the worst ways. So what if it was for differing reasons. I was always a coward, never able to stand up for myself. I always had to lie to make it look like I was happy. Even my parents didn’t want me. I was born a failure, and today I felt like I could have finally stopped being that. Soulblight, we both need to look past our problems, it’s the only way we can do this together. I need to overcome my failures, and you need to do the same. And the way you act, I can tell… they are bad.

The things I saw from you and how scary you can be. She did make a mistake, but that was not what defined her. Twelve years together, I had time to see it… to see the real you. I will prove you wrong. It was wrong. The pony crying in front of her was the one who was wrong. Just as you taught me that I was wrong, I need to teach you.

8.47
“Shut up!” Soul yelled. “Shut up, listen to yourself.” Soulblight back away. No, you’re not getting away.

Soul followed right after her. Pursuing those blood red eyes. Keep them right in her own eyes. “You’re so stupid, Blight. As stupid as I am. Here I was thinking we made everything right… and you go ahead and tell me that? You’re a freak?” I need to let this out. Thanks to how these twelve years have gone. I’ll let you know about my fault.

“Well I’m a failure. This stupid…” Soul kicked a hoof against her dead wing on the floor. “Wing of mine. That’s my mistake. I make so many… you think I care if you make one? Two? Three? I don’t care at all.”

“You…” Blight began. No, don’t even try.

“I said shut up. We’ve been together for twelve years. That’s a helluva lot of time for me to see you as something else. Here you are claiming to be a monster when I saw more. You cared for me, this entire time. You did everything to make up for the mistake that both of us made. Protected me, comforted me, you even gave me a birthday party.” Soul motioned to her crippled wing again. “You cleaned me. And you didn’t have to do any of it. A monster… would never do any of that stuff. Because you are not a monster. You are not a freak. You are kind, gentle. You’re like the…”

…Damn it. Just say it. I have to tell her… how I’ve felt about you. It’s been bottled up for so long.

“You’re the family I never had.” Hope you like hearing that because now look at me. Soul cried. Her heart exploded saying that, it felt too good to say it. Yes, that’s right.

Soulblight began to cry even harder. Let it all out.

“You made no mistake. You never failed me. I failed you… for not getting us both home. So why is it you still accept me, despite that?”

Blight sniffed. Taking her time to say something. It must be hard to talk with all those tears. All that sadness. “B-because… I…” She had an answer. So did Soul. Soul just had an easier time saying it. It was so clear. Because we are both the same. “I spent my entire life never accepted by others, so I’m not going to be a pony who shuns another. I’ll never do that. Especially to you. So go ahead and tell me… what should I see you as? Are you a monster?”

8.48
“I-I… am…” Soulblight wiped a hoof over her eyes. “Am…no…”

You don’t need to say anything. I will be here for you. Soul hushed her. “I understand. I understand you… because I bet there is one thing… you think you don’t deserve. Tell me what it is.”

Blight broke down crying. Worse than before. Her voice, how it broke, wailing like a poor little filly. She sounded so lonely. This must be what actual suffering sounds like. To hear a mare turn into this. Clenching her eyes tight but the tears still escaped. “…A…a-a-a… f-friend.”

I knew it. You and I, we are both the same. Never think that way again. If you need a friend, you have one. Just like what you gave me. It will be like this forever. I will make sure of it.

“Then I will be your friend. Soulblight, …I am your best friend… and I accept you.”

Soulblight opened her eyes up again. Closing in a little more with Soul. Soul stood up to her. Offering… her hoof to the pony. Wanting to touch her at the least. I will do it anyways. Because friends care for each other. We are best friends.

Soul rose her forehoof up. Aiming right for the furry, black chest of that pony. Her family. Soulblight.

“I accept you for who you are, Soulblight. We’re the best of friends.” Soul pushed in.

It touched.

Silence…

8.49
She… she felt so… Soulblight… Soul lost herself in it.

Feeling it. Upon her hoof.

A touch. Was this a dream? The best dream ever. No longer a nightmare. No longer any sadness or loneliness. To finally have it. To see it. Her hoof… touching Blight. Right in the middle of all her black fur. How soft her chest felt, more than anything else.

So this is the reward. After every fall and failure. All the mistakes. All the suffering. Together with Blight. Being one at last, in the end. A touch. After so long. She finally felt it. All from her.

Soulblight.

8.50
Soul shot forward. Yes, I can finally... Twelve years. Show her just how much she means to me. Nothing will stop me. No more barriers… and it felt so great. With her hooves slipping around and behind that slim neck of her best friend. Connecting together. Able to do the most cherished feeling she loved. Pulling Blight deep into her. Her chest touched hers, her cheek to her cheek. Rubbing along and Soul set her chin down upon Blight’s shoulder. Tugging her in tightly. Not caring about anything else but to remember the feeling of this.

“…S-Soul.”

“Blight… you have no idea how long I’ve waited to do this.”

She felt it. Blight’s chin… set upon her shoulder. So soft. Like all the love in the world was her own right now. You are this important to me, Blight. No matter how much she shivered right now. How much it tingled her skin. It didn’t matter.

“Soul, why are you… shivering?”

“Shut up, Blight.” I don’t care if you’re cold. You don’t need to be perfect. You are who you are and I already accept you. I accept this too. “Just hug me.” The feeling. I can feel it. Going up my back. Blight’s hooves went along it, grabbing her. Just as Soul did for her. Connected, finally. Just like Rainbow Dash. Exactly how I remember it. I’ll do the same for you.

Soul tightened her grip a little more. She felt Blight do the same. I hope you love this, because I love it. “Thank you, Soulblight.”

“Thank you, …Soul Serenity.”

Soul closed her eyes. Blight, I finally get to feel what I wanted since I first saw you.

Soulblight closed her eyes. Soul, I finally get to feel what I’ve wanted for so long… in that darkness.

8.51
Soul could see her feathers again now. Just as damaged as was expected. Like she may have spent years not even tending to them thanks to how many splits in the roots there were. How many fibers were torn off. Ragged. Her mind wandered off to how bad she let her wings get when she was a filly. All the cleaning it took to get them perfect again. Now, Blight was the one who seemed to have that intention. An idea that still left her asking herself why. No point in protesting ever came up though.

Soul was just too mesmerized and adoring of how careful her friend was in cleaning her wing. Enjoying every moment of it simply because of this new miracle.

The way Soulblight combed her hoof through the creases in her feathers, how they welcomed her touch. Parting around her hoof and softly rubbing it.

It must feel really nice to Blight. Maybe she did enjoy it. Taking her time, she must like touching my wing. Or that may just have been because she wanted to be thorough. Hard to tell.

She was doing a great job. Opening up her feathers to make room for the rag to slide in and wipe away all the dirt and blood that creeped in. That very rag wrapped firmly around her other hoof. Both of them working in tandem so Soul may see the natural colors of her wing once again. Still wishing the whites of the bones would go away. As well as all the wounds and torn flesh. Ripped open so she may see what really was inside of her.

It disgusted her.

Not Blight though. She even had touched those very areas. Gently massaging a hoof around the wounds, wiping away the torn strands and dirt right before she wiped over them with the rag. Getting rid of as much blood as she could until more slowly trickled out. Something she kept doing. Her intentions were so genuine. Something that allowed Soul just to do as she did now: sit back and adore the thoughtful work Blight did.

She caught it. Right when Blight slipped her hoof under the feather. For just a second. Blight softly touching the skin underneath that wing. Not even a place that was dirty. It was cute. She probably likes being able to touch things now. She doesn’t even need to use her hooves. It was good though to do this. Soul wished to feel it, having to settle simply with watching Blight touch that lifeless wing. That was satisfying to her.

8.52
Going on for possibly an hour with this. Even having to dump the basin and replace it with fresh water, along with Blight using a little pop of magic to transform a horribly bloody rag into a clean one. Twice. Anything to keep up this pampering.

Her right wing twitched as well. Really wanting to be cleaned too. Shame it was in such good condition as opposed to its sister. Though that didn’t matter that it was in good condition. I don’t think I can use it again. Not without the other.

Strange, this cleaning she was getting. Watching Blight be so gentle to her wing. This may be the last use she will ever get out of her left wing. What a way to go out. I get to watch it be cleaned by her of all ponies. Soft and perfect, as if Soul herself was fragile. Soulblight really did know her stuff when it came to preening. Soul easily forgave her for not using her mouth. I actually don’t want her to do that.

If only my wing could feel, I wonder just how gentle she is being. Would it be painful like it usually is? Or… is she so good that… this could feel better?

“Thank you so much. You’re doing a great job” Soul complimented. That was all she had to say. At least it made Blight smile. Not taking her eyes off the cleaning she did. If only it will mean so much more in the end. This hour of watching her clean, it did do something else. When she saw how the joint of her wing was connected to her body. Just sagging down against her side, no longer perked. Like no mass was in it anymore. Just a sliver of bruised flesh. I actually do want to touch it, see how it might feel. She still didn’t do that. Because she knew the hard truth that sight told her. …But Blight still did this. Cleaning her up. Just as Soul would clean her own wings for the purpose of exposing these beauties to the world. Now just a single beauty.

It really was going to be alone now.

8.53
Wow. I won’t be able to… to fly for the rest of my life.

That stilled her heart.

So dumb. It didn’t sound as bad earlier. So why now? Why when she saw her friend tending to her wing? I even kicked it. Now that was something to regret. I would never do that to them before, I would even hate for them to just get dirty. Now… it was gone. What will even happen now?

Blight is caring for me…. But why? Because nothing was left for this wing now. It… it will probably have to be cut… oh no, I can’t think of that. It hurts. I don’t want to lose my wing. Just dead weight left behind at her side. A sad sight to drag around while she witnessed all other pegasi enjoying the gift of flight. Even Soulblight will be able to fly. And I…

I can’t believe… I…

Soul heaved a horrible breath. Staring down at the floor. Years… years. Is that what’s going to happen? After years with them. I… no. No, there has to be a way. There must be. Us pegasi, we hurt our wings all the time. There will be a way, right?

“Soon, it will be good as new” Blight said off in the background. So distant to Soul right now. It actually brought her back a little. Blight, are you supposed to be mocking me? Soul wanted to call her out for that. But, she hesitated. Blight, she never said stuff like this just to mock her. Maybe she was just trying to give hope. That is what she really needed.

“I just hope I’m being gentle enough for you.”

Soul sighed. Calming herself a little bit. She… sounds like she wants me to think of something else. I can’t ignore her. Not right at all especially with them being best friends. “Yes, you are… really good at that” Soul said. “I hope I am. I’ll be as gentle as possible for you.”

Blight brought her eyes slowly up to meet Soul’s gaze. They both held that. Confusing. Blight didn’t look right staring at her like that. There’s something about it. She just looked off. Staring deep at her. “You did say I was gentle… among other things.” I did call her that. I called her gentle because she is. That didn’t need any further proving.

Blight wiped away for a little bit longer. Taking some time before Soul had to take her eyes away. Since Blight’s stare was getting a little bit uncomfortable, and out of the corner of her eye she also saw Blight turn back down. Back to the work she did with her wing. Soul took another glance over to it. So many feathers were visible again… or even, …all of them. Soulblight had entirely cleaned each and every one of them by now. Just a little bit of streaming blood coming out along the ghastly tears in her actual flesh that the rag did a good job of wiping away before they could taint those feathers again.

She did do a good job. Well, that was half the problem done. But how badly her wing still was… so what if it looked good. I don’t think I can… do anything for our dreams anymore. I don’t know if I can even be a Wonderbolt now. Not able to fly alongside Dash at all, or Soulblight. I can’t fly with them...

I can’t… Blight, no. I wanted to teach you how to fly better. Are you gonna need somepony else to teach you? Maybe Dash will become a better flight buddy for her. But I want to do it.

“You also said that you were a failure.”

8.54
Soul perked her ears back up. Blight too had come to attention again and she did not look that happy. Was that on Blight’s mind? Ever since she blurted that out. That terrible feeling thanks to many years of disappointment. No matter what I do, I just could never pull it off.

Blight let the rag drop off her hoof. Exposing the black fur once again, and she did something Soul almost tried to stop her from doing. Blight touched it against one of the open wounds in her wing. Rubbing it gently and then stopping. Just holding her hoof atop the opening, as if trying to cover it up so it may not exist. “Do you think that because of this?” Blight asked. Softly stroking her other hoof underneath her span.

Among many reasons.

This wing, it’s my greatest mistake. So many countless mistakes that all needed to be fixed. So Soul nodded. “I knew it, you love your wings. It must be so hard… for them to be gone. I understand.” Blight… you think… they’re gone? That can’t be. How many times have I hurt them? Too many to count. They will recover. They need to. How else can I… kiss them anymore and tell them how much they matter to me? They are so important to me. Do not tell me my wing is gone. May as well be both.

I need them to bring us back home. Blight deserved that happy life I want to give her. As much thanks that Blight deserved. But I failed.

It’s why I did all that work. And now… now I can’t feel happy anymore. I don’t even feel sad. It’s... “Blight, I’m afraid.”

Don’t you see? I’m so afraid of never being able to fly again. If I can get back up again. Yeah, sometimes I need help to get back up, but how can I do it without my beloved wings? I need them. Forget making another pony happy. Truly, truly happy. Stuck like this. Because I need my wings to make all ponies happy. So they can see what a pony like me can become. I don’t… want to be flightless. No, please.

How sad will Dash be if she saw me not able to fly with her again? I can’t let anypony else down. Not again.

8.55
“You don’t need to be afraid, Soul. You taught me to trust in you, so can you trust in me?” Why are you talking like this, Blight? I’ve never heard you so happy. I don’t know how you can be happy. The little subtlety of strength in her voice. She even smiled talking like this. But… this is Soulblight. The kind and gentle one who took care of me. No pain left. I do trust her.

“Yes, I do.”

“Good” Soulblight said. “Then believe me when I say you are not a failure. I mean, look at us. We’re the bestest of friends… and that move you did earlier.” Soulblight giggled. Coming a little closer while she did so. “I loved it. You’re a perfect flyer, Soul.” “I am?” Blight nodded. That’s… what I like to hear. Not many ponies think that about me. I don’t think Dash does. Not anymore. Not like how she was when I could tell she adored my flying. But… not after what I did to her.

It’s been so long since I heard somepony say something nice about my talent. I… like it. This was the best compliment ever. It made her so happy. Even if she did make mistakes, if her flying never did come out as planned each and every time. At least it was good enough for a fellow Pegasus to compliment her with something that nice.

I… I really do love my wings. They are what earned her this warm feeling thanks to Blight. Soulblight lifted up the wing she had been holding this entire time, and she pushed it towards Soul. Softly, slowly and not even disturbing the skin still attached to where the wing set upon her body.

“Take it” Blight said from behind the feathers. Pushing it even closer. Offering that destroyed wing back to the one who owned it. There still was plenty of blood dripping out from the many openings torn into it. A complete difference to the wing Soul knew. Not even the same as its sister. But… that didn’t stop her. I will take it. This is my wing. I still love it.

Soul let her own hooves take the place of Blight’s hooves. Sliding one in under the feathers to wrap it around the other side with the other one softly rubbing along the side of the span. Getting a nice grip. Feeling the contours in her flesh. The openings that should not be there. A sickly feeling of warm blood soaking into the fur of her legs. Her own blood. From her wing. Soul took it as her own. Pulling it in and cradling it against her chest.

“Just hold it still” Blight asked. The black Pegasus had stood up and walked around the basin. Coming around so she may take a seat right in front of Soul. Face to face.

Soul did as she asked. Keeping the wing held firmly in her grasp. Stroking one of her hooves along the span. Not caring if she disturbed the wounds. I still love this wing… so much. I will always love it. “What are you going to do?” Soul asked.

Blight giggled. Gleaming her eyes so bright. Like… there was something in them. Her gentle smile and soft lashes fluttering. Like a glow in those eyes that made Soul’s heart skip a beat.

8.56
“Hold still.”

Blight leaned in. Setting her own hoof upon Soul’s hoof. Chilling the skin. Shocking Soul in its comforting touch. With how both of them now held hooves along that wing. Soulblight brought her head down, passing right by Soul’s face. Not out of sight at all. Soul glanced down watching her friend come right down next to where both of them held hooves.

What are you…?

Soul gasped.

I never… never got this… from anypony. I’ve always just got to read about it. Hear about. Something to dream about. Here it was happening right now when she felt her friend’s cheek brush against her hoof. Soul’s heart leaped. No more thoughts. Nothing seeing this dream come true. Right under her chin, Soulblight placed her lips right on her wing.

Parting the fur. Slipping through the stream of blood coming fresh and reaching the skin below. When her wing, and her lips, they both touched. A little touch. So short… and Soul could not stop staring down at it. My own skin. Like time slowed down. Watching… seeing that somepony would do this for her.

I used to always dream of this. This touch. How I always wondered when it could happen for me. If I could ever get it. I always got to watch the other fillies get it from their parents. I always got to hear about it in stories. Whenever I saw it… like those kids didn’t care, but I was so jealous. I never had a parent who would do it for me. I never even had a friend… who would give one back to me. After all I did for that friend. After how much I wanted it from somepony. That love.

…Soulblight, do you know what you have done?

You are the first pony to kiss me.

Her heart fluttered. Not able to look away from the pony who kept her lips softly touching that poor wing. The same wing that Soul kissed just like this. This must be how I made Dash feel. I… Soul gulped. I don’t know what to think. I… I think I like it. I do like it.

It’s all like I finally have the pony I always wanted. Rainbow Dash, Nimbus, Starry. The ponies who were there for me. The ponies who left me. But now, now I have a pony who I don’t think will ever leave me. I’ve never had a friend who made me feel so loved. Enough to make Soul begin to cry.

8.57
She came back up with that sweet smile on her face. Nose to nose again with Soulblight. Even though she saw Blight right in front of her, Soul still saw the image of her friend kissing her burned right into her eyes. Still feeling her own heart pounding so hard in her chest. It felt good. Another pony kissed my precious wing, I have no words. No way this would have ever happened before today. Not at all. I never thought we could get so close. I never thought I could earn this from you. Soulblight’s kiss.

So much has changed. It made her heart soar. I haven’t felt this happiness in years. It feels so good to be kissed. Looked like Blight liked it too. The way she giggled and smiled. Such a cutie. I love that about her.

“You know, you’re blushing right now” she heard Blight say. What? Soul actually had to touch a hoof to her cheeks to first notice something was off before she started to feel it. Her cheeks were very warm. Oh shit. Soul looked away. “I am not!” Her eyes did wander. Back to where the mirror stood watching her, and she saw herself plainly. With Soulblight still snickering behind her. I look so stupid. So much red running along her muzzle. I couldn’t help it. I never got this from a friend. Nothing that she expected to happen. Don’t laugh at me. Oh I do look stupid. No wonder Blight was laughing.

Soul just had to sit here and wait. Watching her reflection hoping that red will go away. But I just can’t get that out of my mind. Her kissing my wing, oh sheesh… Blight. Only made her redder. Soul pulled her mane down over her watery eyes and red face. Lucky wing. At least it got to feel those lips touch them. I didn’t get to feel what it was like. I want to feel a kiss.

You damn lucky wing.

It’s like it was waving at her. Just a flash of magenta spreading up and back down in the reflection. Waving its feathers at her, making fun of her. If wings could talk, I bet it’s laughing at me… not able to feel that kiss. I wonder if there will ever be a time when I can feel it. It was just another crushed dream.

I can never go back to Equestria now. I want to be kissed again. I don’t know if Blight would…

8.58
Soul glided her eyes back along the mirror. Right to where she saw it.

No way in hell.

I… I felt it. It... is my mind playing tricks on me? That had to be my other wing because… Soul looked back.

Forget the mirror. She saw that magenta color right in front of her. Then it moved. It felt. It felt great. It looks great.

No, no. This is my right wing… my other wing is… Soul looked over. Her heart stopped. My other wing…

It’s perfect.

She looked back at the other wing. The… left one. It moved. That sensation of air coursing through her feathers. Stroking the skin. …Both wings. All along it, she felt the air. It touched it. Even the fur moved when her wing went up and down. Is this not my right wing? Because… both of my wings feel… she could feel the tickle of air along both. There’s no way. How did...

All across her smooth skin. Her beautiful span. Her wing, made anew.

My wing… it… it is real! This is… Soul held that left one up before her. Looking all along the… the perfect wing. Like it used to be. That soft and gorgeous skin beneath perfect fur. The many rows of hundreds of neat feathers. Nothing… nothing is wrong with it. This is real!

Soul no longer held herself back. Flapping her wing over and over. Laughing watching it go. Unbelievable! It’s back. Not even any wounds! Responding to everything she wanted. Feeling just like its sister. Becoming a smooth surface of perfect magenta fur and feathers that Soul could easily glide her hoof right over. Pet it. Make it feel how much she loved it. Soul held it close to her. So what if it hurts to grab it, she kept hold of it.

Yes! My wing! I have it back. Soul felt her tears fall onto it.

She heard a grunt, from the pony who stared upon her. Soulblight. Smiling down on her. Soulblight… you did this!

You did this.

Soul smiled at her. No words could be said. For nopony would ever know what to say for this. Soul only showed her. She kissed her wing. She felt her own lips against the skin of her span. Kissing it. Exactly like I love to do. You did a good job, my beautiful wing. I missed you so much, and I’m so happy…

Soul felt the intense urge to fly again. Cold and wind, who cares? I’ll do it anyways. Because my wings need it. The air being their companions. Soul being their lover. But… Soul turned. Smiling right back at Soulblight. You did this. You had to have. You made this all possible. This damn talented pony. What can’t your magic do?

Just a kiss.

Such a show of love, she did this with just a kiss. Just a kiss, and you brought my wing back.

“So now you can give me more shows” Blight whispered. She wasn’t fooling anypony. I know you are happy I have it back. Not doing it for a show or anything stupid like that. Screw that stuff.

Soulblight, you like me, don’t you? You’ve proven it. You…

You are the friend I always wanted.

Forget flying. That can be done later. Right now, I… I have something else in mind. Something… I only would have done for one other pony.

Soul let her wings go. Holding them both out. Two mighty behemoths to shadow over both of them, and she smiled so deeply at Blight. “I’m gonna dry off at the fire.” Soul offered her her hoof. “Come sit with me.”

8.59
Soul listened to Soulblight sigh. She looks so comfortable down there. Laying her head back against Soul’s chest. A little flick of her ear tickling the magenta fur running along her. Anything for her.

Soul tightened her forelegs a little more around her best friend’s chest. Hidden somewhere underneath the wall of feathers, keeping her safe. Keeping her warm. Like a true blanket. Anything… for my best friends. I did this for Dashie, I will do it for you too. Anything for the nicest pony I’ve ever met.

She looked so sweet and innocent down there. So disconnected from everything. As she should be. I’m no idiot. I know how much you wanted this from me. Holding her best friend close to her, gripping her with all her care. Keeping her snug beneath her wings. Feathers so thick and plentiful, only Blight’s head was able to pop out from under it all.

Going on for so long, even her wing had dried off. Good thing, too. Soulblight only deserved the best and damp wings during a Pegasus hug, I won’t have it. Soul placed her chin down against Blight’s massive mane. Burying it deep inside. Just as soft as she wanted. No matter how cold she was. None of that mattered. I just want to keep hugging her, like I wanted since the first day I met her. You were always in reach, but so far away. To finally feel that black fur touching her own fur, another pony held inside of her warm embrace. Just like I imagined it. …So long since I could do this for another pony.

I hope Blight likes it after having to wait so long. But I won’t keep you waiting anymore. Not after all you did.

Cleaning my wings and healing them. Nurturing them. These aren’t just my wings anymore. Hugging Blight like this, they are hers too. They will always be hers as well.

The fire cracked. Warming Soul’s wings. Just a lovely feeling to accompany a lovely sight that both of them watched. Soul loved it. Watching something so simple as a fire, just how it flurried about inside that pit and lit up the entire room. Casting a bright glow upon her and Blight’s faces. Silently watching it dance for the two pegasi.

I have my wings back. I can try again to get us home, but… for now, I’d rather do this. No matter how many more days it takes to do it, I’ll be fine spending hours doing this. Maybe take turns. I like hugging her and all but… maybe… well Blight has pretty big wings too and they always looked so soft. Maybe one day. Maybe tomorrow. Having those great black wings come over her. Shelter her. It was all possible now.

This day could not have come any sooner. It really was a miracle. Having this kind of friendship again. It felt nice, just like how she felt her friend’s soft mane rub against her chin when she slid herself further back into Soul’s grasp. Leaning off to the side with another pleasant sigh. Hearing it helped to make the world seem so peaceful.

Soul closed her eyes. Burrowing her chin down into that soft mane. Forget the cold feeling. Forget the worries in the back of her mind. At this point, Soul felt she may just be able to fall asleep like this. Only a world of darkness listening to the soft sounds of the fire and the steady breathing of her friend right under her. “Are you comfortable?”

8.60
Soul waited for an answer. Blight did slide down a little more into Soul’s embrace. Making not a single noise. But… is she…? Oh my Celestia, she is actually doing that. Blight nuzzled the top of her head along Soul’s chin. Damn, you’re adorable now. I guess that’s a yes. Fantastic!

“You know, I wanted us to do this since we first met” Soul said. “Can you imagine, my little filly wings holding you? I definitely would have tried.” Soulblight chuckled under her breath. Soul was unsure, but she may have felt the soft touch of feathers rubbing against her belly. Blight’s wings. They must be moving down there.

“If I recall” Blight whispered. “You wanted me to be the one holding you.” “Yeah.” That time can’t come any sooner. Blight still had those same fantastic wings hidden down below Soul’s wings. Not at all changed since they first met. Not losing one bit of Soul’s desire to be wrapped up in them. Too bad she missed that chance when she was a filly. Such a shame this day had not been sooner. Then all the days to go by with the two of them able to hug as much as possible. Be the best of friends for years. It would have all been so much easier. But, better late than never. Soul loved it in the end. Twelve years of waiting. So worth it.

Though, I guess I should have been her friend from the start. When I learned she protected Dash. I’m glad I get to repay you now. That was such a nice thing you did, like all the things you did for me.

“What? Would you like me to hold you right now?” Blight asked. Soul opened her eyes back up. Just tightening her legs even more. Sliding them deeper under Blight’s forelegs. Locking the pony down. As tempting as it was… “Not right now. I like this.” “I like it too.”

I want to do this for you for a while. Holding her for a little longer was not even a sacrifice. We have plenty of time. Even more times I can do this for you. Even if you are cold, I can get used to it. Just like the weather. Just hold her throughout the night, even if Soul was beginning to get a little tempted to go under those nice-looking covers on the bed. She did have another thing she wanted to do with Blight, the same as with Dash.

I wonder if she’s up for it. The night was still young.

8.61
A chill actually ran down Soul’s spine. Yup, those blankets will be nice. But she refused to let go of Blight. A little fact that started to make her feel how her hind legs began to shiver a little from the touch of Blight’s own hind legs snug between them.

“So why are you shivering, exactly?” Blight asked. Moving her head up a little. Trying to get a look at Soul. Soul only saw the very tip of her dragon eyes glancing up from behind her long mane. Along with the feeling of Blight beginning to move. Like her legs were pushing up.

No! Soul pushed her right back down. Keeping her legs and wings locked, not allowing Blight out from her hug. “Soul?” “It’s alright. You just feel a little cold” Soul admitted. “But it’s okay.” Soul assured her. Rubbing her forelegs up and down Blight’s cold chest.

“I’m… cold?” Blight lowered her head back down. Soul had to see her shoulders slump. Yes, she was cold. Not as cold as outside but… I still wonder. Why is she cold? I remember how warm Dash was when we hugged. When Nimbus hugged me. Soulblight is different, and I wish it would be… a little warmer. But, she is a very different pony. One she accepted. She will accept this too. Any fault of Blight’s. Besides, it did have one redeeming factor. The main reason why Soul continued to find strength to hold her. Blight is very soft. It may as well be as good as hugging Dashie again.

“Don’t worry about it. Let me keep doing this.” “I’m not going to if it makes you uncomfortable” Blight said. You selfless pony. That’s why she started hugging her in the first place and being nice like that only made her want to do it more. “I really like it. Please.” Soul kept her grip strong. Hoping Blight will not try to fight against it. She assumed that may be the case. No more struggle or any movement from her friend. Blight slumped back down into Soul. Relaxed.

8.62
“You know, I’m happy you’re so strong, Soul. Because I really like this too.” “Oh yeah?” Soul asked.

“You asked me not to laugh at you before, so I’ll ask you the same.” Blight glanced back up again. “Don’t make fun of me.” What is there to make fun of? I think I was the one who asked for this so what’s the problem? I am the one who is being such a dork… giving in like this. Letting you use my wings like this. I won’t be a jerk to you. Not something she will do.

“Okay?” Soul replied. “Ever since we first met, I wanted you to do this for me as well” Blight said. Bringing her head back down. Gently sighing her approval. “And I love it.”

That was exactly why Blight needed to stop with the whole strongpony thing. This was exactly who Blight was. Just as sweet as I always saw her. But Soul had no explanation for how happy hearing Blight say that made her. That there was a pony who wanted this from her for so long. Exactly what I also wanted. They really were the same. A fact that Soul cherished deep in her heart.

“I am very glad you and I got the chance to become friends” Blight said. “We almost didn’t get that chance” Soul admitted. “We came very close to missing it. But, I’m so glad we didn’t. I’m so happy I met you.” “As am I. We can be there for one another.”

Damn. If only I had met her earlier. I would have had the two greatest friends. One who will be there for her all the time. One this incredible. So what about the age gap? I’d be proud to show the other kids that this mare was my friend. I know Dashie would love you too. The three greatest of friends. We missed that. It never… never could happen. In the past now. At least we didn’t miss this last chance. Having the chance to meet her at all. Meet a pony as amazing as Blight was. As impossible as she was. To feel such happiness with her.

It’s been so long since I felt this way. Blight, looks like you wanted to feel this for a long time too.

How long?

“Tell me something, Blight.”

“Hmmm?”

“What was your life like before we met?”

8.63
Blight, she never seemed to know much about her past. You had no parents that you remember and you… you don’t even know where you came from. But how long… were you like this, before you met me? I want to know, how long were you alone? Am I really so important to you?

Am I as important to you as you are to me?

I had no friends for so long. I was the one who got rid of the only friend I had. I made so many mistakes and everything just lead to this. All that pain and loneliness ending like this. Tell me your story, let me know how beautiful this moment is for you too.

Too bad Blight took so long to do anything. The fire being Soul’s only companion in the midst of that long silence. It was a little worrying. Looking down at her again. Blight was just staring off at that same fire and, unless Soul was imaging it, Blight slowed her breathing. A little worried? Very worried now. A request like that, maybe it was a little too personal. Soulblight was not an ordinary pony with much being lost on her. But the silence. That was very different from the ‘I don’t know’ line.

Do you have a story? Unless it hurt… just like my life… hurted. There are so many things she probably doesn’t know about me. She never did get to learn a lot about me. It’s wrong to ask her life story. So she doesn’t…

“I guess… I owe you. I do owe you an explanation about me” Blight sighed. “You told me that I can trust you. So, Soul Serenity, I trust you with the story you want to hear. No matter how hard it will be for me to tell it…” She spoke the last of her words in a frail voice.

8.64
“Especially after what you saw me do today.” Soul’s went silent. How can anypony ever imagine another pony to do what was seen today? I’m… a little afraid now. What does she have to say? Do I even want to know now? Whatever she must be ready to say, after twelve years of being in the dark over this pony, it must be so terrible. I want to forget. I really do. It’s so hard to. Get rid of that terrifying and obscene image of her friend over this image of her being a nice and friendly little mare huddled up in her wings. Such a shame both sides fought with one another. I’m ready to be there for her. Even if Soul easily could tell she was about to hear something terrible.

I won’t think less of her. No matter how bad the events of today told her that Blight was truly unique in ways… ways that nopony may have ever been able to pull off in all of Equestria. She closed her forelegs ever more tightly around Blight. Hold her tight. Still, her friend remained silent. Just under her staring at the fire. Continuing to stay quiet when Soul even rose her wings up a little higher, bringing Blight deeper into their embrace. Let her take her time.

Whatever it is, it can’t be easy.

8.65
Soul listened on to the wind blowing outside. Loathing over an itch all along her flank that she could never scratch. Popping up waiting for her best friend to find the courage to talk, and Soul could not even scratch. Not if it meant letting Blight go out of her hug. Somewhere down below her, under all the hairs of that long, black mane, Blight must be suffering. So afraid of talking about it.

It will be alright. Whatever she says, I won’t treat her differently. Even if the scene was still in her head. Never able to get rid of it. Soulblight… having to watch her with me being so helpless. All those bands of red cutting down all those wolves. All the crying I heard. All those howls. And she just laughed. Laughed so much. I watched her laugh. On and on until she… she started moaning like that. Right before…

Oh, Blight. What happened to you? Tell me what made you do that.

Such a hushed tone, so innocent. So shocking. Blight spoke.

“Can you imagine me as a filly?” Soulblight as a filly. Strangely, Soul found that very heartwarming. Loving to imagine a small Blight being so happy, learning to fly. Making friends and learning all about the world around her. I don’t want her to be the same filly I was. I hope she wasn’t.

“I used to love reading little storybooks when I was a filly. You know, the ones with the pictures? They always made me feel like I had something to enjoy.” Something to enjoy. “Because I enjoyed all the things they told me. Nice things, have you ever read something nice that inspired you?”

Inspired me? Reading those biographies… no. Dash, she is the one who comes to mind. All those Wonderbolts books she had. So inspiring for that pony. That was the closest she got. Soul shook her head along Blight’s mane.

I can tell you used to read a lot. Especially with how skilled you are. Hehe, it’d be something if she learned magic from books. Now that was getting ahead of herself. “It’s so dumb” Blight whispered. “Everything is such a blur to me. I… I recall reading lots of books. Hearing so many words but only one…” She paused. “There is one thing I do remember that inspired me. Told to me by a pony with so much love in her little story. Because she had so much love. It was that no matter how bad things may seem…”

“There will always be a pony out there who cares for you. A true love that will never die and last throughout time. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

That… that sounded lovely. I would like something like that. “It sounds beautiful” Soul said. Snuggly rubbing one of her hooves along Blight’s chest. So long. I wanted it for so long. Does Dash still love me? The first pony who ever did. Is she still out there? Out there crying for me.

8.66
“It was also a total lie” Blight muttered, staying Soul’s breath. No way. What possessed her to say that? It sounded beautiful, why say such a thing? Just saying it was a lie, that isn’t true. Everything that Soul knew back before all was but a hail of snow. If it was a lie… this would never have happened. Did Blight even realize that? How terrible to say that. How terrible things must have been. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked her to tell me her story.

“I took that line to heart. Because it sounded so gorgeous. So different from what I knew. Hehe, it made me into a happy pony. I had no parents to love me, no family. But I loved the idea of there being somepony out there who could fill that role. Because I did need it very badly.”

Blight’s voice broke. On the verge of crying. Not after all the beauty they just shared. No need to cry. Soul continued her strokes across Blight’s chest. Soulblight took a deep breath. Letting it out softly into Soul’s feathers. The chill of its air making her span shiver. The fire flicker. Fading briefly and then coming back. “Soul, I’m sorry you went through so much loneliness in your childhood. If I could go back, I would just to make you feel happier. Because I hate the idea that you went through all that. Ponies not accepting you. Choosing rather to ignore you. But… you are lucky in one regard. Those mean ponies bullied you. I would rather have dealt with that.”

Soulblight, you have no idea what you are saying. Being bullied and ignored. It was so painful. I was afraid all the time. It made me a coward. She had to have been around to know it. You must know how painful it was. Remembering it, it hurts. I was so alone for so long. A time she never wanted to go back to. Never wanted to wish such a fate on another pony. Never ever let Blight feel that way.

“No, you would not have wanted that” Soul said. “And I’ll be here to make sure you never do.” Soulblight giggled underneath a harsh voice. One wracked in sadness. Soul heard it. Spending too much time with Blight by now, able to pick out when she sounded sad, and now was one of those times.

“Oh Soul, if only we met sooner. Maybe none of the bad things I did would have happened.” Blight’s own hoof touched against Soul’s foreleg. Rubbing it just as softly as Soul rubbed Blight under all those feathers. She shared the same idea. It would have been nice if we had met back then, so long ago. Too much time wasted. Time to be used to find that true friend. I found Dashie. But… if I had known…

I would have done anything to be your friend too.

8.67
“Ponies hated me” Blight said. “Because I was different.” They… hated you? Oh no, please may she not have experienced the same moment. Sounds of Dash saying those terrible words reminding her of it, and her doing the same. “Imagine my shock when all the nice things I did to try find that friend I needed only rewarded me in pain. With all the mean words, …and when they hurt me. They hated me enough to even hurt me… and I didn’t know why. I didn’t know what I did wrong.” Soulblight said. Not able to see her down there, but Soul could hear her starting to cry.

“I didn’t do anything to them. I was… I did everything I could to show ponies that I was a good pony. That… there is nothing wrong with me. I was not bad… but they saw me as a monster.” Her wings flicked up against Soul’s chest. “And they hurt me for it. Not even stopping when all I wanted was to be their friend. Just hurting me over and over… all I remember is the pain across my body. In my heart. And none of them cared. I… I even begged them. I remember crying about all the pain. It is still something I can never forget. I had to cry all alone.”

Blight stopped. Staring… she lifted her hoof out from under those feathers. Staring upon the gleaming edges of it, and she huffed. Putting that hoof to her mouth. Blight? The mare bit into her own hoof. Nibbled on the edge of it… and she cried. “All I wanted… was for ponies to love me. All I wanted was for them to look past my faults and see that I really did want to be the nice pony I dreamed of being. But… it never happened. All the pain. All the loneliness. All the regret. I…” She squeaked. Reeling her hoof back so fast. Did she just bite it? Blight…

“Ponies only saw me as what you saw today. That was who I was to them all. So…” Blight giggled. Soul’s ears went up. Oh no. Are you… Soul held her closer. So tightly. No, it’s all okay. I need to tell her. “You can…”

“I gave them the pony they saw me as. If I am a monster than that’s what they got. Why be nice for ponies like that? No… so I did it. I gave up. That sweet little mare they always hurt, not so sweet after all. Why be nice to them… when I found something much better to do to those that hurt me. Something that felt so good that I lost myself to it.”

Blight gasped. Right when her own ears perked back up. Falling silent. Blight? Soul shivered. Not from the cold. Not at all. Her legs shaking against Blight. But never letting go. Not letting go of the pony who glanced back at her… with golden eyes shimmering in tears. Not the eyes… that Soul had feared. They were the eyes of such a kind mare. “Soul, I’m… sorry. I… I hate to remember it. Because it…” She shook her head. “They killed all my happiness. And I… I made it happen, I was the one who ended up… killing”

“Stop it!” Soul cried. “Don’t say it.” I already know. Just cry. Let it out. Don’t be angry anymore. “You don’t have to be angry, I’m here for you.” Soul held her tightly and Blight said no more. She let it all out in her sobs. Crying streams of tears down so Soul could feel their cold splash against her wings. Soaking her feathers anew. Just as her own tears soaked Blight’s mane. This was too painful. I never thought… that could have happened to you. They hurt you. Soulblight, you poor filly.

This black Pegasus she held, in all the love and care she showed for her, there can be no way to imagine that she had to suffer something so cruel when she was a pony exactly like this. Exactly like Soul. I had it easy. Being different? I don’t think I suffered as much as you did. Here Blight was with such a weight on her heart and still able to be so strong. Able to care for Soul. The weight of so much pain in her. No telling how great it was. Her heart must be so scarred… if she is reduced to this.

Soulblight cried. Burying her face into those magenta feathers, and Soul could feel it. That cold flowing along her feathers. Until she started sobbing. Tightly holding Souls’ feathers.

It must have been so hard to say that stuff. Am I the first pony you ever told that too? Am I the only one who knows how bad you suffered? Being forced to see Blight in this new light. It made her feel for her. It made her love her more. Since there was a pony out there who suffered worse than her, when Soul thought she had it rough. Not even close. I’m just a coward. I really did think there was no other pony out there who had a rough time like me. I thought I had it so hard. So hard that I even wanted to do bad things. To myself.

Blight suffered it all. Even more. Remaining a stronger pony than Soul was. You’re so strong, Blight. Even if you are just a filly inside. I don’t think I could have been able to deal with it. I got lucky. I had such an easy life. A harder life, it would have destroyed her. No wonder Blight needed so much help. She needed so much love.

I will be there for her. She needs my help.

8.68
“You don’t need to tell me. Blight, I’m so sorry. So sorry I never saw how much pain you were really in.” Not until she saw it deep inside those dead eyes. A little flicker of a crying pony hidden inside this shell. One who cried over so much. So many things that Soul needed to make better. Blight needed friends. Soul will be her best one.

“I’ll be there for you. I promise to help you.” Soul let Blight cry even more into her wings. Stay like this for a while. Just hold her. Let her feel how much Soul cared for her. “I-I’ll be there for you too, Soul.” Thank you. Thank you for saying that, Blight. We need to help one another. We have to. I think that’s why we became friends. All the things that happened. They had a purpose. You suffered just like me and was alone for so long. Moments that felt useless. Useless enough for her to try and leave them behind when they meant something more. They were meant, from the start, to make this day happen. You are the pony for me.

“I’m so glad I met you” Soul said. Just for them to reach this point. It was a miracle.

“I waited so long to meet a pony like you” Blight said. “I never knew that little filly would grow up to be my best friend. You made me smile after so many years of just remembering all the pain, alone in the dark with it. I felt I could leave it all behind finally.”

“You can, you don’t need to cry anymore, because I will never let you feel that pain again.” Soul rested back. Keeping Blight right in her hug and pulling her back with her. She felt the black pony squirm a little and then came to a rest. Letting herself fall back with Soul. “Come here” Soul whispered and both of them collapsed down to the floor. Soul keeping Blight held gently under her wings, resting atop her belly so both of them may stare up to the ceiling and the stars beyond that. Imagining seeing that dark sky of twinkling light. Something Soul now saw them able to do when they returned to Equestria. Watching the open skies. Together. Just like this.

Soul heard herself yawn. Still so much energy inside her. There was just something about laying like this with another pony relaxing on top of her, like her own blanket. Too comfortable. Soul loved it. Anything for Blight. I will hold her as long as she needs. Keep away all the pain of the past so she may not need to cry again.

Blight lowered her head to the side. Soul turned to look, seeing her best friend scooch her head aside. Placing it right in the crook of Soul’s neck. Softly rubbing her cheek with that black mane of hers. Staring up just briefly. Soul felt her heart skip a beat when Blight glanced over at her with a smile. Both ponies sighed.

8.69
“Years” Blight said. “Years and years that I waited. To get some sort of happy ending to my story.” She glanced back to Soul. “I guess this is good enough, huh?” Soul smiled. Nodding her head. I think I did it. I gave you that happiness you wanted. Close that chapter on Blight’s life. I want to make a new chapter for you.

“I’m going to make that happy ending for you too. We’re going to get you home” Blight said. If she had said that hours ago, Soul would certainly not have believed her. Years ago, she may have even thought that Blight mocked her to say that. Now, everything was different. She had her wings back. She had a friend. Such a talented friend who really did like her. So she did believe her.

“If we work together, I bet we can” Soul said. She turned back to meet Blight in their hug. “Did you still want to come to Equestria with me?”

“I would not miss it for the world.” That’s what she needed to hear. Now, this is the best day ever. It made her laugh. “Yay” she cried out. All those dreams… we can do it. I will make them happen. As reward for this pony that she cared for so much. So what if it will be hard? They will do it. They overcame this. Everything else, that was all child’s play. Rainbow Dash, Celestia. Nothing was out of reach. For when the day came when both of them could call Equestria their home and really regain the life both of them deserved. One without sadness. Rainbow Dash won’t hate me and all the ponies will accept me back. I have to make it right for those ponies. To see all their smiling faces that she made possible. Work for it. So Blight… she can have a life back home too.

“I’ll help you with Dashie, okay” Blight said. “Alright, …would you still want to meet her?” Soul asked. Dash isn’t so bad. I think… both of you could get along. Anything to make life even more happy for Blight. She didn’t say anything. Just staring off back to the ceiling. Soul could see it.

She looked worried.

That’s okay. I understand. So she placed her hoof right up against Soul’s chest and patted it. As if to tell her just that. I won’t push her. This was entirely up to Blight. Besides, she was taught one thing from Blight’s story, it made her see so much more of herself in the pony. A little thing both of them shared. She was shy and for good reason.

“We don’t need to rush it” Soul assured her. “I do like the idea, …but… maybe later” Blight said anyways. Turning back and smiling at her friend. “After we get everything done, okay?” Silly Blight. No need to sound so professional like that. But sure, I get it. We have a lot to figure out first. Work together to make everything right. Maybe after it all, you won’t be so afraid to make some friends. Even just one. No matter how hard it will be. How much Soul will have to do to make up for the bad things she did. They will find a way together.

Soul nodded. Clutching the pony closer to her chest. Never wanting their hug to end.

8.70
Soul opened her eyes back up. What… what just happened? Finding herself looking right up at the ceiling and the shimmer of flames illuminating it. Alongside a little strand of black hair rising in front of her face and tickling her nose. Damn, like she forgot how it felt to be hugging Blight exactly as she was still doing. Nice to see they still shared it, and Blight laughed a little next to her. “You awake now?”

What? Oh. That’s why. Soul leaned her head back down to the carpet. “How long was I out?” “A few minutes. You even started to snore.” Wow, I fell asleep. It was alright. She still felt how soft and comfortable it was to hold Blight to her. Laying down with her. It was exactly like being on a bed. She probably likes this a lot too, and… I can’t believe I fell asleep next to her. I snore? I don’t snore.

Soul noticed her feathers began to ruffle. Pushed up at the corner of her eyes. Because Soulblight let her own black hooves out from underneath all the feathers. A little push against her wings. Telling Soul exactly what Blight wanted. So she allowed it. Though she really did not want to. Preferring to keep this up well into the night. Her wings unlocked. Settling gently along her sides and watching her best friend reel back up from against Soul’s chest. Sliding out from their hug and sitting upon the carpet right in between Soul’s hind legs. Soul also sat back up. Wondering why Blight got up. I hope I didn’t do anything wrong.

Soulblight flexed her wings. Giving a nice and satisfying sigh when she stretched them out, placing them right back at her sides. Turning around so they may finally be face to face again. “How about you get some rest. We got a long day tomorrow” Blight asked of her. She pointed a hoof back to the bed over Soul’s shoulder.

A long day? I have nothing planned. Unless, …she really wants to get us home. Soul thought over it. Maybe I can take one day off from training. Enjoy a whole day with this pony.

“You know I’m not tired” Soul pointed out. They had plenty of time to train later, just spend some more time for right now being together. Just do that. Soul was just about to ask for it.

8.71
“Now, now young lady. You need your beauty sleep.” It was the way she looked saying that. Blight trying to impose on her. Sticking her nose right into Soul’s own nose. It made Soul burst out laughing. Pushing Blight away with a gentle shove of her hoof to her chest. Now… there’s no way I can say no to that. Soulblight, you’re too much. Me, beauty sleep. Who was she trying to kid? I’m already gorgeous.

“Fine, I’ll get some sleep” Soul said. Standing up. Her legs had almost fallen asleep themselves being so relaxed for so long. So maybe it will be nice to sleep herself. Soulblight really had been cozy. Just like a nice, warm bed would. One right behind her. Complete with that same gorgeous blanket she wanted to try out. It looked so very thick and soft. Soft like a certain pony. Fine, I’ll go to bed. But... on one condition.

She walked right on over to the bed. Placing one of her hooves up to touch that purple blanket. Feeling along the top of it and all the heavenly softness of its surface. Her hoof bumped over the little heart patterns stitched into it, those as soft as the blanket itself. Exactly like this thing were a poofy lamb. I think Blight would love this too.

She grabbed hold of it in her mouth to pull the covers down. Giving a nice, big spot for her to fall into right against the pillow. Clambering on top of the bed. Settling right down into it. Giving herself plenty of room to stretch out her big wings, them and her hind legs sliding right down under the blanket. Wow! It felt so warm. It took till now to fully realize how uncomfortable and rough the other blanket had been. She could fall asleep like a baby under this, already hard to keep her eyes open.

Blight really made this blanket for me? She is so nice. Like it had been made especially for her body. For nopony other than her. Just for me. Well that can’t stand.

Soulblight still sat back where she had been in front of the fireplace. Actually having turned around by now and watching the fire. Probably not at all aware of what Soul wanted. I doubt it. You probably have the same idea, no need to be modest. Not around me.

8.72
“What are you doing, Blight?” Her question did catch her attention. Blight glancing back to her from over her shoulder. Shining a bright yellow dragon eye in the glow of the fire. Soul patted a hoof down against the bed.

“Hop on in.”

Soul shoved herself back a little more, carrying a pillow in her mouth so she had a spot to sleep right along the wall and leaving a big, open spot in front of her. Keeping the blanket folded over right there. There was a free pillow right there.

“What?” Blight asked. She turned a little. Holding a hoof up, almost touching her chin with it. Looking very surprised. She should not be. This was going to happen anyways. I’m not letting you go that easily. “Come sleep with me.” Soul smiled. Giving her friend an innocent little laugh. Patting the open mattress again. Inviting her friend all the more. No way you shouldn’t be able to enjoy this too. Blight was the one who made this blanket, she deserved it just as much. Besides, hugging her again… sounds so good.

Please just do it. Soul wanted to plead it to Blight. Waiting a few seconds of just patting the bed. Looking for any change in her friend’s eyes. It was not her eyes. Her lips. Blight smiled. In that sweet little way that Soul adored about her. “You’re serious?” she asked. Standing right up. Turning around with one hesitant hoof still held high like it wanted to start walking her towards the bed but something held her back. Don’t be afraid. Soul stopped patting the bed. Laying down on her side and kicking more of the blanket away. Giving even more room for another pony to fall into.

“Come on, goofball.”

8.73
Soulblight put her hoof back down. Slowly walking right up to the bed. Standing right over its edge. Looking across the soft mattress. She actually came. That is… Soul smiled. She’s going to sleep with me? Soul waited. For this moment, when one of her black hooves rose from below. Setting down upon the mattress. She saw it. A little flicker inside Blight’s dragon eyes as soon as she touched the mattress. Blight smiled. She loved it.

Another hoof joined the first and, soon enough, the black Pegasus pulled herself up. Jumbling the bed about under her weight while she walked over it for a few steps. Coming a little closer to Soul. A quick turn. Then, she too, finally lowered herself down.

Laying down right next to Soul. So slowly laying down. Eyes darting all across the bed and a little gasp once her stomach set down. Like she was a filly or something. Guess this is her first time in a bed for a while.

“Oh wow” Blight said. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” Soul reached her hoof out. Softly tapping Soulblight’s side, right under her wing. Giving her a gentle nudge and Blight did what she wanted. The black Pegasus leaned over, falling right down on her side. Placing her own head onto the pillow right next to Soul’s. So both of them may lay there, side by side, facing each other.

Soulblight stroked her hooves along the bed. Like she was entranced. Just looking all over. Rubbing her cheek against the pillow and kicking her legs along the blanket laying by her tail. “This is very nice” she sighed. “I’m… astonished you even want me to sleep with you.” She stared over to Soul now. Raising her eyebrows. “You… are aware I don’t sleep, right?” I don’t either, thanks to you, but I still do. But that’s not the reason I asked her to sleep with me.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t just be together. I want you with me all night long.” No more being separated. Soul and Blight, neither of them needed to spend any more nights alone in completely different houses. From now on, until we find a way home, I want her with me on every cold night. Someday she might invite me over to that house of hers. All that loneliness was done and over. Time for a new change. It started with this.

Soul kicked herself a little closer to lay almost on the same pillow that Blight used. Close enough for her to reach out with one of her hooves and touch it against Blight’s free shoulder. Tugging at it, wanting Blight to come closer too, and she did. So slowly. Like she was nervous. But Blight did it. She came closer. So both of them now lay right at the edge of their own pillows. It’s all gonna be okay.

8.74
Soul rose her right wing up from under the blanket, revealing the vast swathe of feathers that once, so bery long ago, did this exact thing she wanted to do now. Once more. With Dash.

Her feathers came right down along Blight’s side. Masking her own free wing and all the darkness of her fur. As if Soul’s color became part of her. Just wrap her up and pull her right into her warm chest. Do for her what I did for Dashie. Because… I love you both… the same. Wrapping her in that magenta.

What?

Soul stopped… when she saw her wing become black. What is… no, that’s…

Blight’s magic.

That darkness surrounding her wing. That wing did not do what Soul wanted. It did not wrap Blight up. It rose back up. Quietly moved right back to lay against Soul’s side. Not at all moving the way she told it to. Blight, but I want to hold you, why are you doing this?

“What’s wrong?” Soul asked. Why do you not want me to do this? She just kept smiling back at Soul, and her black hoof came up. Touching right against Soul’s shoulder exactly as Soul did with her.

“You never let me finish my story earlier” she said. Now was not the time for that, there’s no need. I don’t want to hear anymore and you don’t need to say it. Hearing more of that sad and tragic past of hers, it will only ruin tonight.

“It’s okay. You don’t need to finish it” Soul advised against it. Let’s just hug and forget all the bad stuff for tonight. “But I want to, so you can know something very important. You can hold me after.” There was no fighting it. There’s no way to stop her if she really wants to. “Because it proved a point to me, …so do you want to hear it?”

A point? Anything to know exactly what her new best friend was feeling. So Soul nodded.

8.75
“I don’t remember much after that terrible time of mine. I guess… I’d prefer that. Who knows how bad things had been? Stuff I would need to carry with for the rest of my life. I went on, carrying the weight of having done so many terrible things and terrible things being done to me. The only things on my mind, my only memories that mattered while I sat in the darkness.” Soul listened attentively but found it hard to really understand what she was talking about. Or why she talked like this. Her voice, like she reminisced. Staring off to something behind Soul. Like looking back into whatever dark she spoke of and how little it made sense. So why was it fascinating to Soul?

“I waited so long inside of an endless darkness… I can’t… can’t even understand it. Like being trapped. Alone with what I did. Never able to escape it.” She spoke as her voice softened. Her stare came back to Soul herself. “It was all I knew… even with the world, every voice, every sound. I heard it all… but all I heard inside me was the pain. Crying to me.”

That was it. Please stop. I don’t want to hear any more about it.

“Then I heard you.”

Soul stopped. She heard… me? Like what she described before? “After so many years of being alone, you were the first pony I ever actually heard. The only one who caught my attention. Watching your sadness as you attended camp. Your loneliness with your foster… your guardians, and how happy you became with Rainbow. I don’t know why, but I liked it. I liked you. I learned so much about you, and I liked it. You were the first pony I bothered to actually listen to, and I felt I could trust you. When I opened my eyes and saw what you also saw. There was some sort of connection I felt to you, one I wanted to experience even further. So I learned about you. I learned how much you loved having a friend, …being with them, …laughing with them, …hugging them. I wanted to be there for you too. When I finally heard the one thing you wanted more than anything else. That moment of fear when you finally admitted what it is you wanted, I wanted to grant it. I wanted to be your true friend.”

Blight giggled a little. Rubbing her hoof along Soul’s shoulder. How nice it felt. No matter how cold its touch, Soul enjoyed it. Listening to her talk like this and the affection displayed in her eyes. This connection we have. It sounds so great. I feel the same way. You aren’t the only one who feels like we have something deeper.

Soulblight continued. “Many, many years I waited to get my own hug. …You were the pony to give it to me. I really did love it, Soul.”

“How many years… did you wait for somepony like me?” Soul asked. Curious over just how great of an achievement she just accomplished in giving Blight her first hug.

“Hehe, you would not believe me if I told you.” “Try me.”

A long pause went by. Give me something good. Maybe not too long. How terrible it must be to go so very long with nopony there for you. I should know. Blight, you should not have to wait so long… for somepony like me.

8.76
“When I first heard the word, I had no idea what it meant. Because it was not something I knew existed. It took me some time to figure out what it was and what it meant. To learn how it came about. See how it came about. A kingdom of ponies? That concept never existed for me. A concept called… Equestria.”

No way. Soul’s eyes widened and her breath fell short. “I knew that would be your response” Blight said. “Did I surprise you?”

“Blight…” Soul held her tongue. That can’t possibly be true. Never would she ever believe anything like this. She didn’t know what Equestria is? It didn’t exist? But, how old are the princesses? Ancient. I always read they were around since Equestria was young.

No other pony, she… she could not believe it.

Another pony being as old. Nothing like that was possible.

No Pegasus can be… and I just forgot who it was I am talking about. How can she even question a pony like her? A Pegasus with magic. Whose kiss could heal the worst of injuries. As sad as it was, kill so terribly and horribly as she had done. Not even being able to touch her till today. She was not a pony like the others. She always was very unique. Even more unique now than before. Admitting it to herself now. I wish Blight was lying… because if she is right, than that… that made her only regret.

She waited… so very long… for somepony like me. And I was so mean to her for so long out here. If only we had met sooner. You would not have to go through all this. Soulblight, she was so very strong. Much stronger than Soul gave her credit for. I could never do what she did, and she managed to do it. She waited all that time. For a friend. Forget the twelve years they had been so distant. That had to be child’s play for Blight in the wake of so much loneliness. Still, I should not have made her wait. We should have been friends, if only I knew this was how you truly are. I could have helped her sooner, I’m… I’m no better than those mean ponies she told me about. Making her wait. So selfish.

I should never have gotten mad at her. She only wanted to be my friend.

Not anymore, I won’t ever let her go. I swear it. You will never feel lonely again, Blight. She will be there for her. She will be the one to hug her when she was sad. The one to congratulate her when she succeeded. To laugh with her when they played. No more years. Not one more minute. She will suffer no longer.

8.77
Soul whipped her wing back up, ready to take her right back into her hug. So why did she stop it again with another burst of magic?

“Blight…!” Soul shrieked to her. Please let me hug you. Soulblight shook her head.

“I know you also waited a long time to get a hug as well. To have a friend. Rainbow Dash was that special pony for you. Dashie finally gave you what you wanted for so long. You already gave me what I wanted for so long, and now… please allow me to give you it too.”

Soul gasped. That black hoof on her shoulder. She felt it. Go around her. Slink right in along the back of her neck. A shock of cold. Cold and softness. Cold and then… soft. So very soft.

Soul was speechless. Speechless as Blight scooched in, casting a great shadow down over her. A shadow that came down upon her. Alongside the greatest feeling Soul ever felt.

“The thing that I learned out of my story, is that what I was told was true. There really will always be somepony out there who cares for you. …I care for you, just like you care for me.”

8.78
Soulblight tightened her hug. Wrapping all those thick, black feathers around Soul’s entire body. Pulling the mare in closer. Right in, into Blight’s chest, where Soul rested her nose right down into that soft black fur.

Speechless. Lost in the feeling. She never anticipated this feeling. The best one in her life.

Blight… you finally… are doing this for me. Keeping her snugly locked inside of her free wing. Soul glanced down into the dark depths of the space between the two of them underneath that wing. The space, it closed quickly. When she was pulled right against her best friend. “You are my best friend, Soul. I will never leave you either.”

This… this is exactly how I imagined it. So much that Soul started to cry. It wanted to get out. It just felt too nice to cry right now. Just love it. That is exactly what Soul did. Falling right into her friend’s most beautiful of hugs. The best one I ever had. Exactly like my dreams. I always wanted this from you, ever since I was a filly. We… we have come so far. That is why she let her tears out right into Blight’s fur.

“Thank you… so much” Soul said. For all of this. For the greatest moment in her entire time in this wasteland. No other moment in her life better than this one. Finally, to be held by a pony like no other. Held inside of vast and open wings that loved her from a pony she truly now felt did love her. Her most cherished friend. The best thing to come out of all this time here. She endured it all. Everything, for this moment to happen. To get this chance. Feeling this. Love like this.

She could easily fall asleep in this. Especially since the cold began to warm. Warmed with the thick blanket that came down over both of them, pulled right in with a little gust of black mist so it may settle in right under Soul’s neck, and she looked up. To the Pegasus staring down at her with a lovely smile. Seeing all the care in the world in that one smile. I want to fall asleep like this.

She buried her face right into her friend’s thick fur. Lost against her chest. Finding comfort in the cold touch she gave her leathery nose. “I hope you had a wonderful birthday, Soul.” This really was. The best birthday of all. She could not have asked for anything better. Drifting to sleep. No better way to do this. And in the morning, I want to have fun with you. With my best friend.

Soul rubbed her nose against Blight. “Can I ask you one thing, …Blight?” “What is it?”

8.79
“When is your birthday, so I can do the same for you?”

Soulblight giggled above her. Tell me, before I fall asleep. So I can know. And make you truly happy for your special day.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember” Blight said. That was okay. Soul will ask her now. She had one final question. Please say yes. Because I had this idea… and I think you will like it. Something no other pony can share with me like you can.

“Can we have the same birthday then? The day we became true friends?” The tenth of the month. Two days ago when this should have happened. But the spirit of that day remained. Soul could not care about the day. It was supposed to be her birthday when both of them had become friends, and so it shall be. Forever.

Until… the last birthday we have.

Eternal happiness with her friend. Grant me my wish. “I will have it no other way.” Blight clenched her hoof tighter around the back of Soul’s neck. Whispering right down into her ear. “Your birthday… can be ours.”

Soul could fall asleep to that now. Feeling all the satisfaction in the day and the coziness of her friend’s hug. The friend she will always have by her side no matter what.

At last… what I’ve always wanted.

“Happy birthday, Soulblight.” Soul closed her eyes, feeling the touch of soft fur rubbing along the top of her mane and the gentle sound of Blight stroking the back of her neck. Soothing. Calming. Like nothing bad can happen. Not with the sound of her voice dancing in her ears.

“My lovely pony, know not of fear. Rest in the warmth of my care.”

“Sleep my sweet pony, I’ll hold you so near. Cradle the love we’ll always share.”

8.80
Blight held her tongue. Letting her song die off with the wind howling outside. So that may become the one noise both of them may hear. Silently, so it may ease her off, and Soul too joined the soft sounds of the night with her steady breathing. Rhythmic and subtle. Gently flowing over her chest and how great it felt.

Soulblight held her closer. As close as she dared. So that the sleeping mare may dream sweetly with the feeling they shared. Together. Sleep on. Sleep peacefully. I promise, we will spend a lot of time together tomorrow. For you, I will do anything. To have this friendship with you. So both of them may have more nights like this. More moments like today. Many more hugs that Blight wanted to give to her. Hoping Soul will be inclined to give her just as many.

Remind me, I finally have what I wanted.

This day will lead to many more, and I will fight for them and for you. Do everything to show you that you can trust me forever.

She leaned her head in, resting it right on top of Soul’s head and looked off to the wall behind her friend. Letting herself enjoy this as much as she could. The soft sounds Soul made beneath her. Feeling the softness of her fur along her leg left wrapped around her neck. Though it was strange, were ponies supposed to feel warm? Wasn’t Blight herself supposed to feel warm as well? Though Soul shivered earlier. Saying she was cold. Hopefully she was not too cold right now. Maybe the blanket did its job and helped keep her a little warm. Or maybe like me…

I feel nothing… nothing cold… or hot, however that is, from your soft fur. But I don’t care. It is lovely.

Every move Soul made felt nice. A tiny little kick of her hind leg somewhere under the blanket against Blight’s span. One flick of her ear along Blight’s chin. Probably listening to the wind. Or something pleasant. It must be nice for her too. There was one feeling Blight liked a lot right now. It sort of told her what she assumed meant that Soul was happy right now. A little beat against her abdomen, right where Soul’s chest was burrowed.

Aww, she’s so sweet. Soul’s heart. I can feel it, I can hear it. Like it pulsed through Blight’s body. Little, subtle vibrations ringing in her body. They felt calm, comforted, and she was the one who delivered this nice and beautiful night to Soul. The most lovely night for the pony in years. Soulblight was happy.

8.81
Happy with herself. For doing this. For Soul to become the first pony in all her life that she was able to make happy, and Soul doing the same for her. It’s not what I expected to happen, not at all. Sitting in front of that door this morning, I never thought it and only thought you left me. None of it had been true in the end. I was wrong to think badly of her, and it only made me mad at Soul. May as well have been just as bad as she had been to those ravenous creatures she forced this pony to watch her slaughter. Yet, none of that mattered in the end.

I have a friend now. She likes me. It had to be Soul Serenity. The first pony to like her, and treat her like a good enough pony. Not a freak. She doesn’t treat me like all the other ponies do. I feel like I am a good pony… all thanks to her. For doing this for her. Unheard of. Nothing to ever anticipate. So… Soul, she needed to be rewarded. Blight will reward her with all of her power.

She rubbed her nose across the soft and cozy mane of Soul’s. Hoping this wonderful Pegasus could feel it in her sleep. But not caring if she may hear her. Not at all with how comfortably she began to snore again.

“I know we said that we will work together to make things right again” Blight whispered down to her. “But… you’ve done enough. You made me happy, so I will do the same even more.” She planted her nose right down against the hidden skin under her friend’s mane. Keeping it there. Smelling the scent that was akin to the snow outside. Drenching her mane and giving it its scent. “Leave everything to me. No matter what, I will be there for you and help you, …my dear friend.”

Soul, you will be the one I will never leave behind. Never ruin again. No more lives. No more pain. From now on, I’m gonna be that good pony you deserve from me. Your guardian. A better guardian than before.

I made that promise before to another… but I won’t fail this time. I won’t fail her. I promise to protect her, …Spots. I won’t fail, like I failed with you. No other innocent life will be left behind because of me. None of them will suffer. It will be her reward for everypony. All of them like this wonderful one she shared the bed with. They need it just as much as I do. If it meant more moments like this. All those ponies will see the pony I want to be, they will never see me as what Soul had to see today.

8.82
Funny. I find myself… wondering… Blight looked up to the window overlooking them. Shining the brilliant glow of the full Moon upon both of them inside of an endless and vast sky of a dark ocean. With all the stars twinkling at her. Listening to her. What may have happened if I had let my anger out on her. Would all of this even be possible? Soul… she was so kind. Such a loving pony with so much potential in her. She forgave me for something so bad. Something no other pony would do. But she didn’t. She was so forgiving. Perhaps, …she may have forgiven me. In the end. …After a very long time. But it would not be the same. The same as now, …it will only be like the day she forced Soul to experience all these years of pain. All over again.

I should never have even thought of doing those terrible things to such a sweet pony. Built up upon the mantle that hung over her for twelve years. Twelve years baring that responsibility. No. Soul, she may forgive her. But if she knew, if it happened… Blight, she could never forgive herself. Never for wanting to do it. For hurting this pony she adored. Who hugged her. Who snuggled with her. I will never forgive myself… for all the bad things I do to ponies like her…. Staring up to the stars. The stars that she hoped heard her.

So yes, do not worry anymore. Never worry again, Soul. I will do everything in my power to make things safe and correct for you again. “Just leave Celestia to me” Blight told her. Seeing the sight of that white alicorn firmly planted in her vision. In all her grace and power. A shine like the mane that flowed along her stride. Soul will be protected… from her. Anypony who wanted to harm her. Leave her to me. You, you just focus on your beloved Dashie. So you two can be happy together… and I shall be right there by your sides. I made you a promise, and promises must never be broken. Just like Soul said. So sleep without anything left to harm you. No more pain, and no more suffering. Sleep. My best friend.

Soulblight lay there, listening to the calm sound of Soul sleeping. Nothing else to end this happiness she left her friend in. With the Moon as their witness. Blight welcomed it. In all the silence of the night. …Silence?

Silence?

8.83
Blight opened her eyes back up. That… that is odd.

She perked her ears back up. Listening closely to the silence droning over Soul’s snoring. So peaceful. Like nothing bad was even happening around them. Nothing like it should be. Nothing that felt right. It was wrong. She listened closely. No, that… is weird.

Where… where is the wind?

I don’t hear it. For minutes…? Or longer? Listening… and it stilled her heart. I don’t hear any wind. No sound of it outside, …not when that… that didn’t happen. Not one moment before now, the wind never ceased. Never stopped chilling anypony that may step into it. It made them shiver… just like she now did.

This feeling? I’m… shivering? Just like what Soul does. This is…

This is what cold is?

Blight rubbed her free hoof along her side. Right under her and up along the mattress. Like nothing at all existed to keep her feeling… like she was normal. It had to be what cold felt like. Exactly like when Soul complained about it. Her same reaction. I… I don’t like it. Why am I… feeling this? Why am I so cold?

Blight lifted her head away from Soul’s, hopeful her chattering teeth did not wake her. Scared when she saw how her wing shivered along Soul’s body. How am I getting cold? Especially under the blanket. Isn’t this supposed to keep me warm? Garbage. May as well be outside in the… Blight looked back up. She froze.

Accepting the cold. When she felt it… she felt so very afraid seeing it. Just outside the window, high up in the sky.

How did I not notice this?

8.84
The Moon. This was not right. The sky was all wrong. Witnessing this unbelievable thing right outside of the window that shone in an endless stream of blue moonlight. Cast upon both of them. Like seeking to warm both of them. Warm the world. Above the sounds of so many chirps and clicks. Ringing out all around them.

An end to the silence.

An endless chorus. The chirps of creatures out in that wasteland. Singing their song outside. Coming in as the snow allowed them to. Ceasing.

There was no snow.

None! No clouds!

A big, empty sky swirling around the Moon. Soulblight looked all over it. Not able to take her eyes off this sight. Off the sounds. Those of a world that was not right. This… is not right. This was not it at all. Not the night of this winter world. Not at all the night of a resentful world. Harsh and hateful. This night. It’s the one… I saw through Soul’s eyes so long ago. Outside of Rainbow Dash’s window. Beautiful. Fulfilling.

I… I can’t stand this feeling. Looking at it all, it made her shake. How her stomach dropped. A tingle running down her spine joining her shivers that conquered her body. Blight followed the twinkle of the stars. The shine of the Moon. Glowing in all its glory. A Sun in the night. Shining its dance upon the world below. Chilling her to the bone as she watched it.

She looked back down to Soul. Tightening her grip around her. Doing her best to feel everything she could, be sure her best friend, the pony she vowed to protect, did not suffer the same as her. Soul did not shake. Did not stir. Are you warm? Damn it, I can’t tell. What is… Blight held herself. It’s… so cold.

Just silence. Listen… listen to Soul snore. Undisturbed. As long as you are… she looked back out to the world outside.

That world looked back.

What is that?

8.85
Soulblight froze.

This feeling. I… it’s been… never been like this. Staring out upon it. Like it burned. Hurt. Hurt to feel it. This feeling, It’s the same I felt when I thought she was going to die today. When I felt it. But… why? Why is it… worse? Fear.

I’m so afraid. Why? Just looking at it. What… are you?

I… I have all the power I need… and… but why am I terrified? When I need to protect Soul. Seeing this thing. The thing staring back at them from atop the hills looming over their village. Never expecting it. Never wanting it, yet it stayed.

Soulblight looked out to the figure standing alone. All alone on the hill. Beneath the moonlight that refused to shine on it. A lone figure of darkness. A shadow. Not moving. One that never left. …But it looked back at her. Above the flick of a tail whipping in the darkness between four legs. Blinking with one solitary eye shining as strong as the Sun did. As red as the snow under the cries of suffering wolves. One light. One thing. Breaking the stillness of the night and how it blinked, Soulblight was terrified.

8.86
Soulblight took her eyes off it. Staring right back down at Soul. I-is that another pony? Who can be out here… staring at… me? Watching me?

This is not right. This whole world was wrong, and this was the most wrong of them all. No, there was no other pony out here. Never, did she hear it. Notice it. They were alone in a wild world. Maybe… another critter? A wolf? What, do you want revenge for your friends?

Soulblight glanced up again. Not too far, just enough to see it. The shadow still hanging up there on the hill. Watching them. Violating her. No, this was wrong.

Soulblight lifted her wing up as gently as she could pull off. Releasing Soul from her hug. Slowly and quietly. So she may slide right off from the bed. Taking one look back to be sure Soul did not wake up. She succeeded. Soul still slept as sound as a baby beneath the blanket. Leaving Blight to make her move.

8.87
The door creaked open. Pushed gently by Soulblight until she was confident the door had been released from its latch. Not too much noise in the process. Soul still slept, thanks to a quick look back. Good, I need to see to this. Nothing will threaten my friend. Drive it off, if not see if it was friendly. Friendly…

But why am I feeling this… this fear?

The emptiness in that red eye. I’ve never felt anything like it. I’ve never felt this before. I… I need to get rid of it.

She opened the door. Shocked when a light gust hit her face alongside a burst of snowflakes. Not stopping her at all. Running right out and letting her magic seal the door on her way up, flying right up out of the pit and onto the open world right above. Landing on all four hooves. Baring her wings, and rising to meet the gaze of the hill and all the snow churning and hailing around it beneath a dark and dreary night where not even the moonlight was allowed to shine through the clouds.

Nothing to light up the hill, like it ceased to exist. Everything ceased to exist.

Soulblight found herself alone out in the middle of a raging snowstorm. Whipping the village in its cold. Howling over all the rooftops. But not even able to make her shiver. Calming… confusing… while she stared off to the empty darkness that did not stare back at her.

“Hello?” she called out. The wind howled.

8.88
Soulblight closed the door behind her as softly as she had opened it. Taking one final listen to the world outside on the other end of the door. All the wind blowing. Snow striking against the door. The fur on her hooves brushed thanks to a small gust she could tell ran in.

She sighed. That terrible feeling. Ugh, it made her shiver again. I never want to feel that again. It even made her rub a hoof over her foreleg. Looking around their room. Being certain nothing was here. Nothing hiding in the shadows. As far as the fire lit the room, nothing moved. It let her stay at ease. Placing all her hooves back down.

I should get back to Soul, watch her tonight. Make her feel comforted and protected, because she certainly needed it now. I… also need it. I need you, Soul. Something to make me feel better. Especially after all that.

Soulblight turned back to the bed. Ready to jump right back in and hug Soul. Hug the pony… the pony that… was crying.

Soul?

Blight held her breath. Seeing this. No...

This can’t be.

I… thought I made things better. It never changed. Not now. Not how she saw it happen right in front of her. Soul, was crying again. In her sleep. Tears going down her cheeks and soaking the pillow that both of them had shared together, and that moment failed. I failed.

Not another one, not another nightmare.

Blight made her way right up to the bedside. Placing a hoof back up on top of the mattress. Sliding it in just short of touching Soul’s chin. Where a tear came across from below. Slithering around her magenta fur before finally joining its companions in the bedding below. Oh Soul. Blight climbed back up onto the bed… with tears in her own eyes. Careful and silent. Taking her place again. With her nose just short of touching Soul’s. Laying there, watching her best friend cry in her sleep. No longer snoring. Just… whimpering.

I… no. All the pain. I see it. Soul is suffering. Damn it. I can’t help her. She’s still suffering. Still!?

Soulblight took Soul in her grasp. Pulling the pony closer and letting her fall right back into her chest so she may cry into her black fur. Please stop crying, I’m here for you. I really am. Always. Never let you go. She wrapped Soul right back up in her free wing. Covering her up again, then bringing the blanket back over them. Not one bit of comfort she returned to the pony, nothing stopped her from suffering right under her chin. Crying right into her chest.
8.89
I… am not the one she needs… to stop this. This all started long ago, and I know the truth. Soul had love. She has my love. But she needs more.

The mistake to be corrected.

Another love. Her true one. The one I saw from the start. Even if… you are so blind to it, Soul. Soul… you need Rainbow Dash. A pony gone. Out there in a free world. One that I don’t know how to bring you back to. With no way to do that. So Soul may continue to suffer like this.

Dashie, …you need to help me… help her. I can’t do this alone. She still loves you. Please, I only hope she can hear me… somewhere out there.

She stared off outside the window again, back to the raging snow. All the darkness beyond, and the help that was out of reach. Out of her grasp. Out of Soul’s.

I can’t do this alone. I’m not enough for her. I… never was enough.

“Soul, …I love you. And she loves you. Please, just be happy with her love. The pony who actually means the world to you.” Not… me.

Soulblight sealed her eyes. Listening on to the wind outside and her suffering friend. All she could see in the darkness… was that eye. The one of blood.

Next Chapter: Part 2 Entwined - Act 9 Estimated time remaining: 23 Hours, 17 Minutes