9.1
Oh, it’s all over! Forget everything. Clear it all out. Just take in the shining Sun that was so blurry.

Slowly lifting her eyes open. Thankful of what she heard. The wind. Only that. Along with the dimly lit darkness right in front of her nose. It took her a second. Clearing up her dizziness. Waking up from the terrible night. But still, Soul was able to wake up to this. Soulblight’s black fur rubbing her nose.

She took a moment just to stare at it. How it shined a silvery sheen in the sunlight beaming in from behind her. So glossy. Shining thanks to… she saw why. That’s… I did that. Blight’s chest… completely drenched. Drenching her fur along with Soul’s own fur all across her face. So… I started crying again. I still had one. It still stung so badly. Hearing everything that made her cry. Seeing all the pain that anypony may inflict on her. All night long, and she did it in front of her best friend. Soiling that black fur.

Soul gave herself a light push. Surprised when she was stopped suddenly. Only her head was able to move. Move to look back. Blight’s wing. It still hung to her. No trace of Soul’s own body to be seen buried under all of those feathers. It’s cold and also… warm. So gentle. Waking up like this, it felt normal. Until she recognized the soft touch and Blight all along her and her friend’s forelegs wrapped around her neck under those feathers.

She’s still hugging me. I’ve never woken up like this. Like it really was something good to wake up to. Something for getting through the dreadful night.

Rainbow Dash.

Another harsh pain along her body. Harsh words stinging her heart. Like none of that could hold for long waking up like this.

9.2
Soul looked up. There she was. Catching right on time. Soulblight was there, her eyes closed. Her chin brushing on Soul’s mane as she moved. Just a face of total darkness. Like she had no eyes. Until they opened. Two split Suns to greet her. Fully awake. Shimmering yet comforting. She spoke.

“Good morning, sleepy head.” Looks like this actually could be a good morning. Not like any other. Not waking up as she did. But those were other mornings. Waking up alone. Tears flowing as they did now, the backdrop of the night to be vanquished quickly now that it was gone. This morning, Soul smiled. For a terrible night, it led to an amazing morning. Not alone at all.

“Good morning, Blight. Did you sleep well?” Soul said. She shuffled her forelegs out from under Blight’s feathers. Freeing them, they rose up. Wiping all along Soul’s face. Doing her best to clear up the water hanging in her eyes. Don’t want to look like a total wreck. Hear her soothing voice more. Something great to clear up all that happened. Blight also rose one of her own legs out from below. Surprising. It tapped against Soul’s own foreleg. Pushing it away, Soul allowed it. Letting her friend do what she wanted.

Soulblight took her place. She wiped her black hoof against Soul’s cheek. Massaging it. It felt good. All it was was just to clear away those tears. I hate having to look like this in front of her.

“I was awake all night. Just watching out for you. …But you did not have a good night.”

Soul lowered her head. Staring off to the ceiling, not wanting to keep their gaze on one another. Actually feeling a little ashamed. Blight watched me cry all night long. Was it painful to watch? Such a terrible idea. Never should any friend have to watch me like that. Did it make Blight cry? Soul not awake to notice it. Not able to see any sign that she may have, though the bed was soaked. Was it from Blight’s own tears, or Soul’s only? So very bad it must have been. I’d cry if I had to watch Blight cry.

A little guilty. A little upset. Maybe even angry at herself for letting her imagination go wild. As angry as Dash had been. As… she was when we fought. I’m so stupid. Regretting every moment of it, wishing it had ended sooner. Why did she not wake me up? Just holding me all night long? Keeping me company. She… she was trying. Soul should not get mad at her, because she also knew that if she had the choice… she would not want to wake Blight either. Let her feel her hug during the nightmare. Soul hoping the moment they shared may even settle her within her sleep, unlike what happened to her. For that, she was still grateful that Blight never left her side.

9.3
“I had another nightmare.”

I hate you.

Soul paused. Hearing it again. Remembering. A slap to her face. All alone to cry in a dark corner. So real… like all of them were. Like what she always remembered. So bad… every time I hear her name… I still hear those words. If not right there then later. Like… when she slept. A cruel game it felt like.

“Would you like to tell me what happened?” Blight asked. Aww, just like when I was a kid. Maybe she had the same intention. The same result. Soul felt she may need just a little comfort. A night of cruelty. She earned a kind word. A kind word for all the countless nightmares that came before. Endless. Somehow able to remember them all and how she felt.

“The usual…” Soul said plainly. She sighed. “Just more of how much ponies hate me.”

“Was it Dash?”

Well if you want to be specific. Soul nodded. It is always Dash. Because her words spoke true. No matter how much Soul wanted to forget it, they still hung around. Because she did do something terrible. I’m just so afraid that nothing has changed. If it’s true. I want her back and I want her to feel the same for me. But what if that’s not how Dash feels? What is right? Both could be the case. Return home… and she just tells me she still hates me. Maybe go down exactly like they did in her nightmares. Oh, her cheek will really hurt. Really, really hurt. It made her feel like crying again.

“It was just a nightmare” Blight said. “Rainbow Dash is out there, and she still is the same pony back when you were together. She is still your friend even this far away.”

“I wonder… if she has nightmares too” Soul said. You say she cries at night, like me. So was it the same? Is she afraid of me? Just like how Soul was afraid of another Dash. All of it to be a lie. Exactly like what happened with Soulblight. For it all to turn out just okay. Nothing to have changed. Not while Soul was stuck here. That desire to leave. Get out of this place with Blight and prove to Rainbow that nothing changed. Rainbow prove the same to her, and all their pain can just be some silly nonsense in the end.

“I hope they’re not as painful as mine.” Soul rubbed her hoof along her foreleg. “They really hurt me. I don’t want them to hurt her.”

“Dashie is strong. A strong pony, just like you. If she does, she won’t let any silly nightmares get in the way of your friendship” Blight explained. Hope so. Still such a dream now. Wondering how it will be when we can see each other again. But… it did sound a little silly to expect too much. Nothing incredible. Just something like yesterday. When her heart was warmed. That day can not come any sooner. “Do you think we will get back to Equestria soon?” Soul asked.

She watched movement in the corner of her eye. Blight let her go. Her black wing raising up and returning to where it was meant to be, folded up along her own side. Freeing Soul up to the warmth of the blanket. Though she missed her friend’s comforting grip. “If we work together, we can. Just don’t give up, because the sky is the only limit.”

Blight rolled over. Placing her slender back firmly facing Soul. Staring back. Still smiling at Soul. “Not like the sky ever stopped you.”

9.4
Soul joined Blight in getting out of bed. Wiping her face one last time when she set hoof on the floor. Feeling a little better. Especially since the tears stopped. The memories did not. Like always. It was never easy to just get rid of these nightmares. She had to make an extra effort today.

What can I do? Taking a seat on the carpet. She looked off to the left. Right to where the window next to the doorway hung above her and the outside world as well. The Sun really did shine in. Wow. This had to be the brightest day yet. Even with a nightmare, this really was quite a different way to wake up. A hug and then a nice and inviting world outside. Why, it looked ripe for some flying. Clouds still flew by. Thick and heavy. Snowflakes flying right into the window. Not a dark cloud though. Just a bright sky.

“Wow” Soul mused. “It’s a beautiful day, huh?” Blight called out from the other side of the room. “At least we get that for once.” No kidding. Maybe it was a little warmer out there. It was still cold inside, but… Soul was fine. Not a single chill. Actually, a little happy. Maybe thanks to the fire, or what she hoped to really be a glorious day. One filled with training. That had been the plan. Well, the only one that made sense right now. I still want something else. Later. For now, a lot of training and exercise. It has to be done. Get better at that move. As befitting of a ‘perfect flyer.’

That made her giggle. It still sounded so nice. ‘I’m a perfect flyer.’ Perfect flyers need to keep practicing their moves. The one that will make me faster than all others. I came so close. So very close, and failing, it’ll be just like when I trained as a filly. Just get back up and try again. The success of bringing happiness to all the ponies in her life that deserved it. Something she needed to do.

So many clouds, all destroyed by me, and I’ll do the same to that storm. Do the same to blow away all ponies in Equestria and show them all that I can do anything. Even getting back home… but a little help will be nice. Thank you, Soulblight.

9.5
She turned around when a loud clank rang out from across the room. Right past from where she had eaten her cake. Soulblight was before the fire. Seeing what that noise had been. A fresh board thrown right in the middle of all the flames with another one just as large hanging in the air inside of a wrapping of black. Soulblight threw that one in too. Nodding to herself in satisfaction. The sweetie that she was. Soul very appreciative of her best friend doing this just to keep her house a little warmer. Though, it’s more of our house now. Blight is always welcome. Every day, every night. Never needs to be alone again. Anything for that mare to keep her lovely smile. Spend days like this in a more comforting and inviting environment filled so much fun. All the fun they can have back home, not at all like here in this cursed tundra.

Soul watched on. Looking like Soulblight was examining the fire. Swaying her thick, black tail along her hind legs. Perhaps satisfied with her work on the fire. A little burst of magic there. Pushing a board around over there. It’s like we do live together. Soul laughed a little.

“And what are you supposed to be laughing at?” Blight asked. She turned around. Making her way past the table. Stopping, both of them staring at one another with their happy smiles. “I just like having you around. A good change, it’s fun!” Soul said. “Oh” Blight said while she continued on her path. Standing right next to Soul. Standing out, eyeing the window that Soul had been looking out. She kept up her beautiful smile. Soul happy to see her happy. Lively. So lively.

“I’m glad I can be so fun” Blight said. Taking a little time watching the clouds roll by outside. Basking in the glow of the sunlight. How it welcomed them. Nothing to keep them from going out into it. To a good day. No bellies rumbled, none that Soul could feel or hear. Nothing to do in here. So Soul stood up.

9.6
Making her way past Blight, she took a look back. Just to be sure. Yes. Blight turned around as well and followed after her, right to the doorway.

“Let’s go outside. Enjoy this day” Soul suggested. She waited and then she saw. She saw that Blight did not object. Great! A good and long day. Time to get some training out of the way, Soul taking a moment just to try and figure out what techniques to work on. So difficult to figure out. What part to even try to do better at? What could even be improved? No idea what even happened to make her fly like that. Momentum alone? No way. Something else. Or maybe I really am such a natural. No, that sounded like the easy way. The hard way was to train in that move.

“What did you want to do today?” Blight asked behind her. “Train” Soul answered. Leaving it right at that. Placing a hoof on the door, ready to open them up to the world outside. Not long from now, they could fly together. Find some way to be together while doing this. I want to try to give her something easy to do. Practice while I try my move again. Even give her another good show. Stuff… she already did with her. Useful stuff… but it did sound boring.

“Really?” Blight said. “I thought you wished to do something else.”

Huh? Soul hesitated opening up the door. Do something else? What does she mean? I mean, I do want to do a lot of things but what can we do? Soul turned back to her friend. Arching her eyebrow. Confused at what she saw, just at first. Soul saw exactly what Blight was meaning. How she smirked. Her dragon eyes, they loomed at her. Mischievous.

I get it.

Training? Hehe. Soul opened the door next to her. Feeling all the wind rush in at her. A small chill, a sudden spark of subtle warmth. Welcoming her and Blight to do just as they wanted. Training could wait. Soul laughed.

“Let’s have fun!”

9.7
“Alright, your choice. What are we gonna do?” Soul hoofed it up the snowy steps. Stopping right at the top one. Eagerly awaiting an answer from Blight. She also stepped up the stairs. Catching up to her, and so both of them may leave the hole to their door together. Stepping right out onto the icy veil. Tapped generously by lightly flowing snow. Doing a terrible job at making this place the winter nightmare it had been for so long. It kind of felt like the summer months had come around.

In this world, Soul breathed deep the air. Happy over it and the little hint of what she could call warmth that flooded over her. The Sun shined bright amidst the clouds. Then, Blight came into her sight. Walking around her, she huffed. “You wish for me to decide?” Sounded a little shocked that she had the honor. “Uh huh” Soul confirmed. “I decided the last fun things we did together, so it’s your turn.”

Soul stepped right up to her. You know what I want to do, so now I want to see what you want to do. We never did anything you wanted to do. No way to even tell what Blight would like to do for fun. Time to turn that around. Blight knows so much about me, time I learn a lot about her. Whatever she wants, we will do it. Something Soul can carry with her when they returned to Equestria and regained a normal life. Soul had fun ideas to do, but Blight must as well. Such an interesting pony, she has to have something awesome in mind. So Soul stood awaiting it. Practically placing her face right into Blight’s. To turn that concerned frown into something more fitting to the day they had in store.

Come on now, Blight. I won’t judge. Give something and we will do it, no questions asked.

9.8
Blight took her time. Eyes shifting about. Probably thinking on what to say. Only coming up with a simple “Ummm…”

Oh come on now. This shouldn’t be too hard. Don’t leave me to pick something to do, it’s supposed to be your turn. As much as Soul had some stuff in mind right now. They were best left for later. Until then… “Whatever you want to do. I’ll play with you.” Soul guaranteed her position.

“Okay… well…” Blight glanced down. Soul followed her. A black hoof going right along the powders of snow. Carving a fresh path right across. Pushing a good amount of snow aside and some even sticking to Blight’s fur as well. An incredible thing to see. Filling Soul with glee that this did happen. No more ghostly nonsense or whatever it had been. Blight was real, real enough for them to do any activity together. Do anything back in Equestria.

“You remember what I wanted us to do… back when you were a filly?” Blight asked. She had looked back up and a small smile returned to her.

When I was a filly. Such a long time. Sweet Celestia, Blight remembers something from that long ago. I don’t even remember.

Something she wants to do with me. Training? That could not be. We already did that, and Blight doesn’t seem to like it a lot. If that was not it, Soul tried her best to find out what. More ashamed than provoked to think over it. Ashamed she did not remember. We really had been so bad to each other back then. Enough for Soul to forget so much. But it was a time that was worth forgetting, except for whatever it had been that Blight asked her about. So she had to say it. Not at all proud to do so.

“Sorry, I don’t” she whispered.

“Yeah” Blight said. “You did just turn ten on that day. Quite a while ago. Well… it involves…” Blight paused. Returning her sight to whatever was below her and Soul immediately learned what it was when it struck straight into her. Surprised indeed when a swarm of snow burst up with a quick flick of Blight’s hoof. Sending all of it right into Soul’s face. The chill. Snow tickling her lips. So confused.

The snow? Oh no, does she already want to do that? Damn it, Blight. Don’t…

“Using all this” Blight said. “Can you teach me how to make a snowpony?”

9.9
So that was it? Oh that was right. She did ask me to help her build one. Blight was up on the roof that day with that sad looking snowpony. Such a funny looking snowpony.

Not my best moment with Blight. It never did occur to her before when it happened, but it did now. How it stung a little. She was so polite with me and wanted my help, even offered to be with me. Keep her company on her lonely birthday. I yelled at her. What were the words? Forget them forever. Just that she took everything out on Blight. Rejected her offering of friendship. She really had been such a stupid and foolish kid. If Blight wanted to learn, then that was fine. I will never make that mistake again, I will be a good friend to her.

“Okay, that sounds good.” It will certainly help. I can see us being able to make snowponies back home. In Equestria’s better winters. Not as cold as here. So many snowponies we can make and have lots of fun in the snow. I see it. And I hope we can do it… before we can go inside after and spend warm evenings together. Like a dream. Spending time with friends.

Funny, I wonder if Blight knows about Hearth’s Warming. It had been a while since those times came up. Building these snowponies and spending good times with so few ponies, all for the sake of them enjoying a day as trivial as that. Just to celebrate togetherness. A day I could do once with a true friend. Still, getting cozy with Blight and their friends in front of the fire, that made its way to her thoughts anyways. Sure. Let’s celebrate us being together. Right now.

Soul nudged her hoof into the same snow Blight had been prodding. Feeling how right it was supposed to be. Not too hard. Very soft, deep. Her hoof could bury itself when she pushed hard enough. All the way down to the ice beneath it all. Yup. The snow felt good. Plenty of it too. No reason why it should not be able to make a snowpony. One we can make together! Yay!

A little decoration for the house. For our village. How nice, if anypony were to come out here. First thing they would see is our snowpony in front of our house. It will look so cute. As all snowponies had been.

Maybe make it look like Blight?

9.10
“We can start right here” Soul pointed out the big open area both of them stood at. She backed off a little. Swaying one of her hooves back and along the snow. Picking up lots and lots of the white sheet. Balling it up and rolling it along. “The first thing we need to do is the legs. I don’t know how tall you want her, …but…” Soul stopped her gathering of snow. Shifting her hoof’s position so that it now pushed the large ball of snow right back along the path her hoof had taken. Gathering more snow. Pushing all of it right up to where their little creation should be.

The first scoop of many. A lot of snow would be needed, and how it all clung together in the ball. That was a good sign. “I think about as tall as you” Blight said. As me? Well we can do that.

“I did have the legs down, but…” Soulblight stopped. Soul turned in time to see Blight come up to her. Looking down, not at the ground. No. Soul watched Blight slowly stride around her, staring at Soul’s body. Staring. What is she looking at?

“I couldn’t get the head right and I have no idea on how to do the wings” Blight continued. Well wings were certainly the hardest part. Pegasus snowponies are the hardest ones to make all because of that. Those wings can easily fall off. But Nimbus once showed me a little something long ago.

But… why the fascination in me? Blight not taking her eyes of her. Going all over up until she stepped closer and stared right at her cutie mark. “What are doing?” Soul asked. So uncomfortable. I don’t exactly like being gawked at… especially at my flank. It made her take a step away. “Well I need to know how to make her look” Blight said. How to make the snowpony look by looking at me? No way.

“Wait, you want to make her look like me?” Soulblight nodded.

9.11
She’s going to make a snowpony of me. That was unexpected. Not what I wanted. I was hoping we could make a Soulblight. It sounded so much cooler and Blight would love it. So why did it make her heart tingle? A little honored that she got that kind of consideration. Why, nopony ever made something based off me. Another pony wants to make something look like me. Why, she was speechless. Happy. So happy she no longer cared about Blight staring at her flank, getting more of a look at her cutie mark. Staring at her. Her mane and her tail. Just stepping all around the smiling Pegasus. Taking in everything. She really is serious. Well… this was Blight’s activity. So if she wants to make me… who am I to say no?

“I think I can do this” Blight announced. “With your help, of course.” She made her way right past Soul. Pushing along her own ball of snow the exact same way that Soul used to gather some up. Learning fast but… “Wait, what about my wings?” Soul asked. They are so large… would it even work? “Maybe we can make them a bit smaller” Soul suggested. Easily seeing large wings of snow just plummeting right off of their creation.

“I think we can make them the correct size” Blight said. “As long as we work together.” Soul sighed. Maybe. I guess I can see if it’ll work. Damn, I hope I can remember how to do this. Wings like my own. How beautiful Blight may make them.

“Did you need to see my wings?” Soul fluttered her wings along her side. Ready to unfold them. As the most complex part of the snowpony, they should be the main focus of Blight’s attention. “Why?” Blight asked. “You know how they look, …and so do I.” She gave a couple more shoves to the ground. Sliding her forehooves along. Pushing more and more snow in to join the piles they had already made. “You gave me a good sight of them last night anyways.” Soul stayed her wings. Well if she had it all ready then, time to get started. See what we can do. Stepping right up to join Blight at where a pile of fresh snow had been built. “I’ll get two legs and you get two.”

9.12
Soul started up the task she set up for herself. Pushing some more snow up to her, right in between her forelegs ready to be built up into the first leg. So easy to know how to make them. Blight was correct in her struggle. The head and wings were the hardest parts. Legs, the easiest, and it came back naturally to her.

Running her hooves up and down a pillar of snow she continued to shape. Building up and thinning it out with the snow she had to work with. Not enough for all of it but enough to get it started. Soulblight joined her. Taking a seat in the snow with a satisfying crunch once her butt landed. Soul saw that Blight actually was watching how she made the leg. Studying maybe? Well I hope she learns a lot, and I hope I can do this.

It turned out alright so far. Soul fastening a layer of snow around the lower rim of the pillar. Carving her hoof along, up then down. Making out the image of a hoof. Patting it down. Happy that she made it silky smooth, not a single flake dared to jut out. Easy! Same thing for the rest of the leg that Soul prepared for by grabbing a fresh mound of snow between both hooves and putting it right on top of the snow hoof. Let’s get going. Show her how to do it.

Right as Soul began, …she stopped when she first heard and then saw it. A rush of air roaring right in front of her with none she could feel or see. She did see how Blight was the one making it with… a black burst of magic flung up from the ground. Right behind the leg Soul had been making. In an instant. Soul had no time to even blink when it cleared up. Replaced with white standing in front of Blight’s black chest. A leg! She already made one!

Soul looked past her own leg, at the finished one. A hoof exactly as she made her own hoof, connected to a pillar of snow ending right below Blight’s chin. Heeled and bent as it should be. A hind leg… and it wasn’t even smooth. She… Soulblight, how did she do that?

Soul leaned in closer to see them. Make sure she was seeing what she thought, and they were. She made fur. Cutting out little flakes across the length of the leg. Like she had pulled them out and kept them hanging with little bits of snow to push them upwards. So none of them fell. But, it was fur nonetheless. Hundreds of strands. All for one leg. She… did have time to figure things out on this. I don’t even think she had fur on that snowpony she was making twelve years ago. She made that in a second and I…

9.13
She hurried herself back to her task. Shaping her snow, curving it and scraping off excess snow so it didn’t fall. Not nearly as quick as Blight. But, she still felt a bit confident in herself for having finished it as quickly as she did. Though she had no idea on how long it may take to get the fur. One furry leg and a shaved one. That was not right. I didn’t know we were gonna give it fur.

“Umm…” Soul muttered glancing down at her creation. “Don’t worry” Blight said. More black appeared, over the leg Soul made this time. Doing exactly what had been done to the one Blight made. A second furry hind leg. Done in a flash. Well, looked like Blight didn’t need any help on that. Just with the wings and head like she said.

Still though, did she even need my help?

“I’m sorry” she heard Blight say. What? Soul looked right back up at her. Getting rid of all her pitiful looks. Because Blight looked sad now. “I should not have used magic. Better to use these.” She rose both her forehooves up to her face. Oh no, did I make her feel bad? Like what she did was wrong? That was not it. I’m just… I’m a little jealous that she can learn so fast. Jealous and worried. But there was no reason to be worried. I can still help and this can be like no other snowpony. Both of them working together on it. Plus, the fur was pretty cool. Another thing Blight’s magic made her skilled at. And she says she has no talent, pfff.

“No, you can use magic” Soul advised. “That fur you added is really cool.” “I’m just not used to using my hooves for anything. So I figure I can start by making this.” Blight grabbed even more snow with those very hooves and started doing exactly as Soul had done to make her leg. Building up a new pillar ahead of the hind leg she had made. Soul joined her and began her second leg as well. Taking a glance back and forth. Seeing the progress and it made her feel a little happy with Blight. If that had been true, then she did a good job with using her hooves to make the snowpony. Keeping up with Soul as they made the forelegs. Still though, her magic was her unique thing. I hope she doesn’t think she can’t use her magic around me. Or that I’m afraid of it.

“You’re doing great” Soul said to reassure her. “You know… you can still use your magic. Go ahead.” But Blight shook her head. Continuing on with shaping the upper part of the foreleg she worked on. Doing a good job and maintaining the same thickness in the snow that Soul did with her own foreleg, and she smiled. “Maybe just for the fur, alright?” Blight said.

9.14
Two forelegs done. Basked in black and given the same furry coat that the two hind legs were given. Much to Soul’s ecstatic joy. Happy that they had created all four of them so quickly. Probably no other pony could make them as quick and even give snow fur to them.

“Do they look good to you?” Blight asked. “They look awesome!” Soul laughed ready to continue on, but first. “Do you like them so far?” This is a team effort after all. MY teammate has as much say. That teammate responded with a “Yes!”

So time for the body. Soul brought more snow up in large clumps, placing them right on top of her two snow legs. Patting them out really well along the tops of them. Pushing, crunching, she made tightly knit balls of snow sticking right down onto the legs that supported them, and Blight did the same. A quick look and Soul saw that Blight was watching her work. Taking a brief second every now and then to pause and examine how Soul did this. Then replicating it perfectly. As long as she got it down, …and as long as this kept going. It’s flattering that she is learning from me. Studied. Like a connection she was having with her best friend. It was really paying off. Inside and out. Soul did feel a little warmer inside.

Keeping up her work even more. Working alongside Blight and forming out part of the body. Connecting both sides to each other and their hooves worked in tandem to bring both halves together. Molding the snow and patting it down. None of it to break. Soul picking up on what Blight did to her as well, looking over momentarily to watch what her friend was doing. How she tried her best to carefully shape the snow with subtle swipes of her hooves and caressing it all into the larger masses that built up the shape.

Blight made little mistakes here and there like when she accidentally flicked her hoof along a portion of the torso that had been made and sent some of the snow flying. Not so careful with her hooves, she’ll get it in time. At least she was trying and that’s all that can be asked. This was supposed to be about learning to make this in Blight’s eyes, maybe. But to Soul, this was all about something else.

9.15
“Have you ever heard of Hearth’s Warming?” Soul asked. Beginning her work on the tail of the snowpony now that they spent plenty of time on the body. Carefully shaping out a hardened chunk of snow to make the first of many long strands to poke out around the tail exactly as her own tail had. Building it up and satisfied with how pointy of an edge she made, all the while waiting.

Blight did not answer.

She glanced over to where Blight was working on the snowpony’s back, her hooves were stayed. All because of one thing when Soul looked to see what was wrong. Soulblight no longer payed attention to their project. Not even looking at her. Her dragon eyes set off to something else. Longing and intent. Not at all leaving her gaze. Soul did the same, looking to see whatever it may be that took her interest. Expecting to find something. …Was there supposed to be? Soul found that they were just staring at the hills rising over their village. Nothing changed about them. Nothing in the sky.

Soul looked about. Not finding a single thing to have taken Blight’s attention. Nothing to get her own.

“Blight…?” The black mare blinked. Glued to those hills for a second more and then she shook her head. Eyes wide. Front and center for Soul to see her again. “W-what did you say?” Soul hesitated. Huh, what’s wrong with her? She isn’t usually distracted. Something on her mind. But she gave no indication. Returning right back to her normal self. Smiling and all.

“I… asked if you ever heard of Hearth’s Warming.”

“The holiday?” Blight responded. “I remember the one you had, and… all the ones I overhear. They are… interesting. The little shows the ponies do as well, they are… rather amusing to listen to.” So she learned about it, shows? She probably meant the plays. Damn and now I’m jealous you got to listen to a play. Even just being here, Blight had a front row seat to those plays. I kind of want to go see one myself.

But… I’m still lucky. I got to have a beautiful Hearth’s Warming with my best friend before all of this. It really was such a magical day, I can never forget how it made me feel. Blight, do you understand what it is?

“You’ve listened to them, do you know what they’re about?”

9.16
“The founding of Equestria” Blight said. “Harsh days with ponies at one another’s throats over the simplest troubles. Until they came to work together for once. It sounded like the concept stuck.” Well that sounds like the bare explanation of what the story was meant to tell. Hehe, she probably has never celebrated it. I never knew what the feeling of the holiday was all about until I got to have one… with friends. Together…

She applied more snow to the tail she worked on, now strewn in many little strands of long snow hairs. A thing that Blight joined her in making now that the snowpony’s neck had been finished. Her black hooves mimicking Soul’s own moves and creating more to the tail on her end. “Equestria would never have been founded if ponies had just kept to themselves and ignore the right thing to do. They always did find it too hard to accept all the stuff going wrong” Soul explained. “Equestria would not exist today if thinking like that kept going. All the ponies not able to be together. The unicorns with their smarts and ambition, the Earth ponies with their strength and courage. Us Pegasus ponies with our passion and skill. We all work together to make something really… different. Coming together as one to make a beautiful creation known as Equestria.”

“I… know that…” Blight said. Staring at Soul. Feeling how moved Blight was just by how her voice shook when she spoke. A little way that Soul had to explain it that the plays did not. All because of what I see it to be all thanks to them time I’ve spent… with ponies like you.

“If all the ponies did not share in their lives together, I don’t think any happiness could ever exist. Everypony will just ignore one another. Be so very mean and hateful. That won’t help at all, help nopony. They will always be mean to one another.” Soul crunched her hoof down into the snow at her legs. No longer paying attention to what her other hoof did along the tail they made. It was being done well.

Blight no longer watched her own work as well. She looked intrigued. Ears perked higher than normal. Listening. Even her mouth dropped a little. As did her eyes, but she still listened on.

“When ponies are mean and hurt one another, it just makes more and more pain. More sadness, loneliness. Nothing at all will be happy. Just a harsh and cold world.” Soul swiped her hoof along the snow. Feeling just how cold it was. It made her voice fall. Till nothing but a whisper came out. “Harsh ponies and a cold world. That’s what everything was like before Equestria. They make it out like Hearth’s Warming is meant to teach the joys of friendship and tolerance. …Well… I see it as something more.”

9.17
Much, much more, and… I ignored it for so long. I really was no better than all those cruel ponies. Twelve years of it, and those ponies had done it for generations. Up until one little moment. Whatever it had been. Whatever caused it. They changed. They all decided to drop all the pain and loneliness and just come to one another… as friends. Build up everything that Soul now knew. Her home. All the love and joy it gave to her for such a brief, yet beautiful time. All of it she may have waiting for her, and all of it here.

This world reminds me of that world in the stories. So cold and dark yet… I found it. It did take me too long to find it. Just like back then with Dashie. This is what Hearth’s Warming was always about. Maybe Blight will see it too. She was smart. Open. Both of them were the same. Frowning over there while listening to Soul’s story. Depressing ever further, and it all changed once Soul smiled at her. She smiled back. Her black wings fluttered at her sides.

“I think it’s about togetherness” Soul said. “Gifts and food… just a way to bring us ponies together. Even closer. …Just like right now.”

“I hope we…” Blight paused. Going right back to her work on the tail. “We get to do stuff like this a lot more, when we both get home. Back to Equestria.” She blinked. “I think I understand now. Don’t you worry, Soul. I feel it too, and like I said before, we can do anything together. As long as we are friends, we will both make one another happy. Together just like this. Just to make this snowpony.”

There will be so many more in the future. I want to show her how a Hearth’s Warming is supposed to be whenever we can return home. Something like this, just without the cold. Nothing but warmth. Doing stuff exactly like this together with ponies that will actually care. All the ponies I hope will treat you well too, Blight. We can make so many snowponies together.

“Just so you know” Soul said finishing up her portion of the tail with Blight right behind her. “I’m happy you asked me to help you with this, best bud.”

9.18
Much of the head had been finished. Soul diligently pressing down up the curve of an ear and smoothing out the shape of it. Finished up with a little tap of her hoof digging the necessary lines and holes to make it look exactly like her own ear, and to look just as detailed as the one that Blight made on the other side. Placed around the nearly finished snow mane that stuck up and about, rising and then falling down along the pony’s neck. Stuck to her snow fur firmly. Good enough to drape down from her body.

Soul did have to take a look at her own mane just to see. Blight was very good at this. She had gotten the mane at the right length. The longest strand ending right where Soul’s knees began. She had done the same for the snowpony and moved on to work on the muzzle just as Soul advised. Careful and smooth in her work, it didn’t hold up on her face. Blight looked so nervous. She did say she had a hard time on the head. So this must be what she was talking about. Of course, it was the muzzle.

Soul had a hunch. Whatever snowponies that Blight made ended up with their mouths falling right off all thanks to the weight and little support. Not a problem. Just shape it out and leave it to me. I have a special technique for it. One best used for making large snowponies like this one. Not those small ones that were child’s play.

Until then, Soul worked on the eyes. Leaning up and over where Blight was working so as not to get in the way. Very simple of a task. Just using the tip of her hoof to cut out the shape and design of her own eyes, with a little desire. One to try and shape them into… dragon eyes. But no, she wanted to make one of Soul so best to do that. Next time. That will be a better challenge.

She finished these ones in no time. Just in time with the muzzle getting done. Almost that is. Soulblight was a nervous wreck. She did a great job making the nose and a little smile along its width. No fur added to it yet. No, too busy with what she was doing now: gripping the chin of it with her black hooves. Holding it up.

“I… could use your help now” Blight spoke up to her. Not a problem. Soul fell back down onto all fours. Hooves she started using to dig at the snow below her. Shoving aside large scoops of soft and fluffy snow. Not what she wanted, it'd be further down. Feeling out the snow with each scoop she made at it. Not that, not that. Soul hit it. Not far down at all. All thanks to how cold this land got at night, it made it like this. All the snow fallen during the night laying right underneath the fresh snow of the day and it made a nice and hard layer. Snow she dug at and pulled right out in between both hooves. Luckily, what Soulblight was doing worked perfectly.

“Keep holding it up” Soul said while she came right back to where the snowpony’s muzzle hung. Holding a decent amount of snow up in one of her hooves. This should be good enough. Putting it all right along the throat of the snowpony. Maneuvering her hoof around Soulblight’s hooves and getting the harder, icy snow in to every point along the chin and throat. Smoothing it out, burying the ice right inside the softer snow that she draped over it.

“The ice is gonna freeze the snow and then…” Soul patted it down a little more. Making sure it was smooth. All in place.

“Behold my handiwork.”

Soul pushed her own hoof into Blight’s and she did as she wanted, hesitantly though. Don’t worry, it’ll work, and it did. Just as it should. The mouth and head made no movement at all. Held right up, nearly peering to the sky with its smile. Soul felt even more proud of herself. Thanks more to how Blight was very fascinated by it. Leaning in to look under the snowpony’s chin.

“Wow, that’s how it is done?” “Yup. It’s an ancient technique passed down to me and I am giving the secret to you” Soul boasted. Smiling over it. “Please…” Blight moaned as she began to do with the face what she did with all the rest of the body. Building layers of snow fur all around it.

“Fine, Nimbus taught me it.”

9.19
Building a snowpony was a really nice change.

The Sun managed to move a little bit in the time it took to finish the wings. Plenty of time Soul spent making this masterpiece alongside her best friend. Something no other pony she knew of will be able to make. Not alone that is. Not like this. We totally need to do some snowpony competition in Equestria. Blight and me, nopony can stop us. Forget the unicorns and their magic. They’d have no chance to do this special touch up Blight did to it. I never took her for an artist. A team player just like when they flew together. Making something beautiful. Just like the wings of their finished snowpony, and they truly did look just like Soul’s wings. Even having to unfold her wings just to compare, simply because there was no way Blight had got it down so accurately.

But her magic did.

All along the great spans of its wings she had made countless thick feathers. Even arranged in ways the likes of which Soul had never paid attention to. Like there was a pattern to her feathers, but she saw it now, …and Blight got it right with them unmoving all thanks to Soul’s help. The snowpony held them out as great monuments to bring a shadow along the entirety of the snow around it. Thick and gorgeous, they looked soft and real just because of that. They are my wings. My mane, tail, eyes, everything. Incredible. Like a mark for their village, exactly as she wanted it to be.

Haha, guess this is the best thing to show I was here. Better to do this than carve her mark along the walls of the houses. And we made this together.

Never, upon staring at this beautiful thing with a smile alongside her best friend, could she imagine doing this with Blight. Not at all. Not one day that passed did she think they’d come to this moment. Soul did think what may be going through Blight’s mind as she glanced over to her friend who was also proudly staring at their creation. Hopefully the same thing, and may she have had plenty of fun doing this.

“We did a good job” Soul said. “Yes” Blight looked at her as well. “Shall we do more of these… during Hearth’s Warming?” Back in Equestria during normal winter months. A normal life. One that I miss so much. One that Blight wants too. I will make sure we can do it. So much fun. Even more. “We’ll make all the snowponies you want” Soul said. Because I want to have a lot of fun with my best friends. Like we did when we first met. Like with Dashie too. I will do anything for you. Soul felt the cold snow rolling along her hoof. Sifting it over the snow. Feeling a smile come over her. And I think I know exactly what we can do now.

Something that you’ll love. Soul flung her hoof forward.

9.20
A jet of snow did as it should, flying right past Soul’s face thanks to the force of her throw. Landing it right where she wanted, and Blight’s black face was covered in it. Making her leap back. Wings flaring, eyes just poking out from beneath all the snow.

Yes! Got her. Mission accomplished. “And I just made you a snowpony” Soul mocked her. Running away now that it had been started. Running right off towards the house and to safety behind it. But not for long.

Soul kicked her wings into action. Feeling all the snow wash out around her in its cooling gust so she may take to the air. Listening behind her. Waiting for it. Waiting while she flew off towards the other houses past her own. Not too fast. I love hearing her whining back there.

“Oh you asked for it!” Blight yelled out from behind.

Yes! Here we go! It did start up fast enough. Soul heard it coming right in from behind her. Even before she had a chance to wind up her wings, but she managed to pull it off anyways. Barely.

Soul turned herself around the corner of her house and zipped along its side, looking back in time to see the snowball fly right by and smack into the house that had been ahead of her. No telling where Soulblight was going to come at her from now that the real fun was going to happen. Hopefully just like the last time they did this. But now, Soul grinned. Not going to be as easy for you this time. One little thing has changed.

I can hit you now.

I’m totally going to win this time. It made her laugh. Flying right past her house and weaving up and around the others beyond it. Not too fast, no need to blow over all the houses, and to give that slowpoke a chance. Only one chance. No more.

Soul arced herself down close to the ground. Holding her forehooves right out and skimming the ground, just short of colliding with it. She still managed to get close enough to scoop up a new batch of snow between her hooves and brought it right up with her into the sky. Molding and shaping it. Perfect. Just like… the one coming right at her.

“Whoa!” Soul barrel rolled her body up. Practically able to see the snowball fly right under her as her back curved up and over the path it took between her and the ground. Almost losing a grip on the snowball she just formed. But she managed it. Leveling herself back out and flying right up into the air. She could see the black pony zip below her. With several more snowballs held aloft all around her body and wherever she flew. All those snowballs. So many. Right behind her. Soulblight right on her tail now. She’s following me all the way up here. Okay then. You’re in my world now.

…And I can sense them.

One. Two. They all flew past Soul. So easy to avoid those snowballs. Even more snowballs she had to dodge from behind. She really has a lot and… Soul looked down at the one she had.

9.21
“Using your magic? That’s not fair, you punk” Soul yelled back to her. Soul listened closely behind her. One more coming right in. She dodged it, and no more sounds. Blight was not ready.

Good. Soul let her wings flash out to catch the wind, doing just as she wanted. Slowing her right down. Listening to be sure she would not collide with the pony chasing after her. Too quick for that to happen. Soul turned herself around in time to almost see the black of Blight’s pupils right in her face. Her target, that she sent her single snowball right at. So close to one another and… Blight dodged it. Using her own wings to fly off to the left. Carrying her snowballs alongside her.

Damn. She’s gotten good. Whatever. I can still get her. Flying right back down to the ground using just one quick flap. Enough power. Rocketing down for the layers of snow decorating the empty space between the houses. Easy enough. Very easy flying. She let her wings catch the wind again, right in time to pick up a good breeze carrying her over the snow. Grabbing more snow and blasting right off to the open plains.

“You think that’s fair?!” Blight yelled out after her. What? Using my superior flying? Well then, try to beat it, slowpoke. I won’t make this easy for her. She had speed on her side and it was going to help her big time. Allowing Soul to have enough time to shelter her freshly made snowball in a cradle within her foreleg. It was joined by more. She grabbed hold of more snow with her free hoof. Shoveling it right up and quickly shaping it in her hooves. Stowing all of it within her leg ready to be used. Even the playing field, Soul will get her with one of these. Still though, it’d be easier to use magic to carry all these. Magic just gave too many advantages. But… there has to be a way to beat her.

Just like I beat her last time, and she knows I won that time. Hehe, magic or no magic I’m gonna… Soul shrieked.

9.22
A wall of white.

What the… it took her too long to figure out what it was. A whole layer of snow. A wall. Growing out from the ground right ahead of her. Almost about to run into it. Right in her face… and then along her stomach. Her hooves barely touching the cool mass of it and cutting through it with one quick move of her wings saving her from running right into it. Sweet Celestia! Soul glanced down at it. Did she really just make a wall?!

Blight really did want to win this time. Using tricks like this. Unbelievable she can make this stuff. Conjured by the same pony she got a full glimpse of in a blur of black in the corner of her eyes, and she was laughing. “Got you!” Another snowball came right in. She caught up. Too bad for her.

Soul curved herself. Leaving the wall of snow behind so that it may take the snowball intended for her and she flew right at her target. Not Blight, but the clouds above her. “I’ll get you” Soul said. Not sure if Blight had heard her. They were close enough. Soul just flying right over Blight. Bobbing in her flight path. Skillfully and quickly. She dodged the snow tossed right up at her.

You missed, now it’s my turn.

I got plenty of time. Letting a few of her snowballs slide down the length of her foreleg and right into her free hoof. Clasped between her hooves, she put all her strength into it. Sending all of them careening down at the pony. Her black mass running right to where Soul aimed. Got you. Too bad for you, Blight. You’re too slow.

9.23
Then more black appeared. Shining and roaring.

What am I looking at?

Like a film of black larger than the pony it covered. Shiny and silvery. Like the pony Soul saw under it. Flapping her wings casually in the brief second Soul had to see what it was as Blight flew underneath her. Like Soulblight didn’t care. She didn’t.

Soul gasped when she saw it. How the snowballs burst against it. Is… that...

My snowballs hit her but… they didn’t. The hit. Exploding into bursts against the layer of black. Protecting her. Soulblight… she. I know that that is. Now that… that is something I know unicorns can do.

She made a shield!

Soul shook her head. Oh… shit. She turned herself and flew in the direction of the mountain range with the last of her snowballs in hoof. Dumbfounded by this event. Wow, this… is… gonna be hard. How is she doing this? She never had this before. Blight using walls and shields. What next? How to even hit her like that? Soul had to clear her head. Nothing was ever easy. I got better at flying, Blight… she’s better at magic… somehow.

I have to find out how to beat her. This was just a game after all, fun to be had, and Blight had been laughing. She was having fun. So Soul had to find a way as well. Not to fail. She still had her wings at her side. Her little buddies to keep her having fun, and this was fun. Exhilarating, in fact. A real challenge.

Blight wants to go hard, I’ll go hard. She laughed, clenching the pair of snowballs she had firmly between her hooves. One. Two. Plenty to make something work. Have it work alongside her wings. “Hope you can catch up to me quickly.”

9.24
Soul flew off at the great peaks of the mountains striking out to the sky within the clouds. Giving her wings a few extra flaps. Hitting the wind and catching it all the same. Get into the mountains. Soul thought it out thoroughly thanks to all her time spent inside these loving mountains that helped to give her the wings she now had. They carried her on. Picking up more and more speed, enough for Soul to begin seeing her favorite sight again when she flew. All the air whishing to her face and arcing all around her. White trails dancing all around. Leading her to the risings of the mountains. A simple endeavor. Maybe not as fast as normal, not nearly as fast as what she accomplished yesterday. Yet there was one fact…

I’m just better at flying.

I got the advantage up here. Forget the magic. Closing in fast on it. So fast. She quickly started to see all that lay behind the tall spires of the mountains. Some of that ominous crater reaching out to the world ahead and all the more mountains gleaming in the far distance in the middle of a heavy cover of clouds whose grey surface even reflected the shining white light of the snowy mountains upon them.

Soul watched the tip of her favorite mountain peak pass under her. Her cue.

She kicked the air with a quick hit of her wings and shot down towards the mountains below. Down to the vast swathes of open snow-drenched land between countless risings and pillars of rocks where wind swept in alongside her. Scorching those rocks and the very faces of the mountains in their cooling embrace.

Soul slowed herself down. Looking around to find a nice area to loiter around. Wait for her to come for me. I know she will be able to find me. Not able to know the little trap Soul had in mind, though. It made her giggle. All these rocks and bunches of debris and solid mayhem that was the mountain range, she had it in the bag. No way Blight can maneuver around here. She can’t dodge me in here, not with all the obstacles. So much wind blowing up here. My sanctuary. An excellent sky to crush anypony who wanted to beat her.

9.25
Wind chilling Soul’s ears as she flew down towards the bed of snow in the midst of the rocks. She sniffed it. It smelled good. Felt good. The wind blew much harder up here, maybe a little more than she remembered it to do. As was its chilling touch. She could feel the cold harshly licking at her, but no shiver. None from the wind. She shivered from excitement. Ready for the real fun. Not even able to contain her excitement. Squealing in joy. This is so much fun!

Back up here again with all the wind. Blowing in her ears. Blowing and howling. Soul almost missed it. Turn!

Soul beat her wing hard. A hard right. Away from where a snowball flew by from above. Coming right down, and Soulblight along with it. Flying at her. Her glistening smile as white as the next snowball to leave her side. Coming at Soul with all the fury of the wind. It took Soul a moment. Looking like it was not even moving. But it was. Coming for her. She blinked. Diving out of its way and back down to the rocky world she had been trying to get to.

Gotta lose her. Lose her? Shouldn’t I have already? There was no way she already caught up to me. Just popping in like that, a quick glance showing the black Pegasus on her tail again. The distance widening thanks to how fast Soul was. Those black wings had no chance of catching up to her.

Literally just coming in out of nowhere, that’s all Soul saw. S-she… is amazing. I wish I knew how she could do this stuff. Her magic. Just like yesterday. …And before… what even is that? Soul tried to think on how it was Blight must be doing moves like that. More crazy abilities of her insanely skilled magic. Wait… why even think on that?! She was here. Ready for a fight. Whatever. Soul could do what she wanted to do before.

Now I don’t have to wait. Time to win!

9.26
Soul is just too quick. The snowballs flew true but both of them ended up much like the rest of them, decorating the rocks and all their pieces sent flying when the magenta Pegasus blasted by them in her howling flight. Almost too fast for Blight to see her. I can’t really rely on seeing her. Useless eyes when having to track something so fast and having to find out where she herself needed to go. No, it was too quick.

But her ears twitched.

“Very well, run from me. I’ll still get you.” I won’t let you win this time, and looks like you won’t let me beat you. Soul using all her speed and agility to her advantage. Darting in and around the countless network of stone and debris scattered carelessly about the narrow passages all around these mountain ranges. Not a sight she had time to marvel in, though they were quite beautiful. As beautiful as Soul with a face-full of snow.

Soul better not be counting that little surprise she gave me back there as her hitting me. I’m gonna get her back, two snowballs held ready in their protective black aura at her sides. Panting in her frustration over not being able to get a hit in on her despite all she was doing. My wing ache and it’s hard to breathe. Heart racing. Like she’s trying to tire me out. Anything to win for the first time in their snowball fights. Suck it up.

She flapped her wings harder to chase after where Soul had flown off to. Right down into the chaotic embrace of boulders and spires. No sight of her. No sign of her. But she did a terrible job of masking herself with the noise her wings made. Over many of the expanses of rocks, further ahead. Much further. A slush of snow. A patting of a hoof.

I guess Soul has some idea on how to hit me. Do try and surprise me. I’ll give you a chance. Much like the mare deserved. Anything for her to have fun. And, even if I’m getting tired, I’m having a lot of fun. It’ll be even more fun when I win and Soul has to admit I am better than her at these snowball fights. Make that happen.

9.27
She was flying all around the outer parts of this chasm. No pattern at all in where she flew. Soul was just flying out there. Blight took a hard right around a sharp corner and off down an open trench to where she heard Soul’s wings flapping further off. She sounded like she was turning and then… up. Must be trying to find a way to surprise me. Well I have a surprise for her. Anything to overcome Soul’s advantage. Soul is damn good at tracking but… Blight eyed off to the left. Noticing several more trenches hidden behind the walls of the one she flew through thanks to how messy this terrain was. Perfect cover.

She took one more moment to listen. Soul sounded further off to the right, exactly where Blight looked. Looming high over the trench she flew down, with its great shadow cast upon her, one of the taller mountains, and… a dash of magenta rushing across its snowy face. Oh no.

Blight turned herself, letting her wings carry her right over to the face of the trench’s wall as more cover. Hope she didn’t see me. I need to make this happen. Soul’s wings hit the air sharper than before. A quick turn and… she rose. Somewhere off behind her and up into the clouds. She must have something planned. Something she made happen now. Does she know where I am? She is so fast. Wouldn’t she jump on me by now?

Blight skidded to a halt, continuing to listen and took a moment to relax her wings. As much time as she had left needed to be taken. Before… before Soul blasted by overhead. Her wings howling through the clouds so high above her, behind her. She’s flying off to the other mountains. She’s trying to find me. You’ll find me when it’s too late. Just the thought of it was fun. Exciting. Blight needed to contain herself from just giggling outright. Not when she needed to concentrate. Somewhere off behind the wall of her trench and all those rocks. Soul was flying across the sky so very high, so high that she should be able to see it.

Just like I can see it.

All the rocks and snowcapped boulders she heard the wind tapping over in her ears. Hearing just how much they were curved, all the wind had to tell her about them. Rushing in really fast, faster than before. All the more easier for it to tell her its story of the where and what. I see all of those boulders and I know just what to do with them. All it takes… is one thought.

Good thing Soul was flying away from it. Thundering high across the sky almost too quick for Blight to hear where she was going, as fast as it took her to learn that Soul was coming right towards her.

I think she might know where I am. She probably saw me. As scary as it was, it was immensely satisfying with how her heart pumped fast. Her enthusiasm sky high. To make this work. If you want something to see, take a look at this then.

Blight opened her eyes. Still seeing those boulders burned into her eyes. Imagine it.

Blight smiled… when she heard the explosion.

9.28
Just as she wanted. Just as it should be. Hearing it ring in her ears, echo all across the mountain range. So loud, louder than the rush of snow that began to stir along the mountain faces. Than the wind that picked up and rushed away from it. Quick like her own magic.

The boulders did what she wanted.

Blight grinned. Watching the explosion of dust and snow rise all across the horizon hidden behind the wall of rocks that shielded it. A plume of it. All the results of the explosion. Great and powerful. Loud enough. Distracting enough, and it did just that. Exactly as Blight was fixated on this burst of rocks and debris across the distant sky, Soul had stopped dead in her tracks.

Soul was up there… staring back at the explosion. All I need.

I got you.

9.29
Blight kicked her wings back out. Holding both snowballs ready at her sides. Right to where Soul was. Right exactly where she was. As she crossed the threshold of the rocky wall, seeing the little tufts of magenta fur swaying in the wind, Those magenta wings beating the air so hard, and the pony flying in. Faster and faster towards her.

Blight blinked.

…Wow, Soul you got me. …You are too fast. Faster than she could think.

In an instant. Before she may even reel her magic back just to get the snowballs ready to fly and stop her. Soulblight had to let them go. Let them fall to the ground as she now did. Wrapped up in an embrace of magenta feathers covering her vision above happy yellow eyes and all the fur around them sent flying like crazy. Blight felt her own fur sway wildly; her wings giving out… letting Soul’s own wings carry them both. Curving them both up. Catching all that wind, like the world itself slowed down. Slow. So she may feel Soul’s legs wrap around her neck before she felt herself falling. Falling and slamming down on something.

What… happened? She blinked again. Seeing the magenta Pegasus standing above her. Falling down on top of her and her great wings came to a rest. Nothing moved. Blight just listened to herself and Soul panting.

I guess it’s over. I guess we can rest. Besides, I can’t beat you. Just lay here and rest with Soul on top of her.

Soulblight stared up into the cloudy sky. How fast Soul had gotten to have pulled this off. Why she even pulled this off. It was bizarre. I thought we were having a snowball fight. Trying to see who could hit who first? So why this now? Yet I like this. Love the feeling again of Soul rubbing the top of her head against Blight’s chin. Resting right against her black chest and all her black fur giving way for Soul’s soft touch to swarm all over her body and a tighter hug wrapping itself around her neck. Soul gently sliding her hoof under Blight’s neck and hugging her.

You sure are huggy today. Alright, fine. She smiled down at the Pegasus laying atop her with her eyes closed. Rising up and down with every ragged breath Blight took. She really does care for me. Exactly as Soul was. It was nice. Nice enough for Blight to just lay there and give up. Forget trying to beat her. I never was that competitive so… Soul can have this win.

We are even now.

She deserved the win with how amazing she had become with her wings. Those big, soft wings. How fast she now was. Faster than I can even see. She really has come a long way. I’m so proud of her. Proud of the pony who stirred against her chest. Raising her violet and silver mane up below her.

9.30
Darkness blanketed Blight’s vision. Right when it became obvious something struck her face. A dull feeling. A darkness making her close her eyes. Not even able to see Soul anymore. But she heard the Pegasus was laughing. Laughing at… she didn’t.

Blight rose her hoof and swiped at her face. One quick swipe was all she needed. There was Soul leaning right over her with her free hoof held out. For a moment before she brought it back down to help her stand up over Blight. Blight saw the traces of snow in the fur of that leg… and all the snow falling down from her own face. A mess she wiped away with a few more swipes. Seeing snow sliding down her own nose.

“Looks like I win” Soul said.

Blight held her hoof up in front of her and saw all the bits of snow lodged within her black fur. Did she just… and when I was letting her hug me?! Caring and talented. No matter how nice Soul was, she was too much of a troublemaker. A mischievous little pony. Unbelievable. Have a good laugh, punk.

“You tricked me… and you call me the punk?” Blight said. Like it was wrong of me to use my magic. Well if Soul wants to do this then I have all rights to use my magic.

“Hey” Soul said finally giving up on her laughing but not on her smile. “I’m the younger one so I get an excuse to play around with you. Don’t get mad.” That was a new one. Blight never heard of such a mentality before. Aww man, she sounds so innocent. Soul, you may have changed so much but you’re still that filly I met. The one I love. I still love it. I’m not mad at all.

Blight let herself relax. She may be a troublemaker and a young pony, but she knows how to make me smile. That smile made its way back onto Blight’s face. Making her laugh. Joining in Soul’s own laugh.

The young one? What, so you’re calling me old? I’m not old, I still have reason to have fun, especially with Soul. This fun-loving Pegasus standing over her. Any day was a good one with just being around her and Blight will never trade moments like this in. Never want them to change.

“You’re the younger one…?” Blight sneered. Bringing her own hooves up and grabbing hold around Soul’s soft neck. Pulling her right back down. Soul didn’t fight back. Happy to lay back down. Soul able to rest again on top of Blight’s chest. Enjoying their hug as much as Blight did. “You need to be young to play around, is that how it works?” Blight asked down to the pony resting against her body. Soul did respond. Exactly as Blight predicted her to do in this way. With a nod.

9.31
Soulblight leaned back down. Letting her own head rest against the soft snow crunching against the back of her mane. So amusing. Happy with Soul. Like the days of the past really had left.

Both of Soul’s hooves now slid in behind Blight’s neck. Such a nice hug. Just like last night. Sure. I’ll accept that. Accept that Soul was so childish with these games, but still able to do stuff like this. Giving Soulblight excuse to just lay here and enjoy the moment. Close off her ears to everything else and listen to Soul’s soft breathing. Very well, she earned the win. Just for this. I will accept the hit she made, even if it’s cheap. But I will get her back one day. One day. Until then… just rest.

“Hey Blight” Soul whispered. “How’d you use so many tricks?” Rest, Blight wished of her friend who she cuddled up in her wings and no longer have to worry about trivial stuff. Slowly but surely, all the layers of black feathers from her two wings came up and around Soul’s entire form. Meeting together at the base of Soul’s back. Soul gave in. Burrowing right against Blight’s fur and letting off a relieved sigh. Just relax. Laying like this beneath the few rays of the Sun that could get through the layers of dark clouds rolling in and letting all its snow out upon them.

Such a lovely peace. Like nothing bad was left. I get to keep doing stuff like this. Fun with my best friend. The friend she loved. So she answered. With the truth.

“Because I feel like I can be myself when I’m with you.” It felt comfortable to do so. Fulfilling to do so. She is the pony who doesn’t hate me for who I am. She doesn’t care about what I have done. No matter how much I don’t deserve it. She never needed to but she did. So that was something. Something that meant a lot.

As long as life is like this, I could rest like this and watch the snow. The snow that slowly whitened the black of her feathers that sheltered the pony who she loved.

I feel so comfortable around you. So content. We can have so much fun together. Play together. When we get home, when everything is made right. When I make it all so. We can play. You may be a total dork but… you’re my dork.

9.32
“You could’ve won. But you blew it” she heard Soul say below her. It took Soulblight a moment to realize what was just said. Way too comfortable to care that Soul said such a thing. Really? Nopony knew how long they lay there together and this was the first thing to come out of Soul’s mouth to break that silence that only the rushing wind tried to do. Blight actually did have to heave a heavy sigh because of it but refused to open her eyes. Just let it sink in for a little bit. Tightening her wings around where she felt her friend’s soft fur touching against her spans and a little tap of Soul’s hoof running down the length of Blight’s neck.

For talking like that, Soul gave no relent to how much she was loving this. Even her heartbeat had slowed down to something so soothing. I could have won? At what point? Soul is way too fast. A much greater difference in the way they played before when she was a filly. Not even my magic could keep up with you. Not against such a skilled Pegasus.

Not this particular magic.

Blight asked. “How could I have won?” “Really? I was giving you a chance to hit me… when I ran into you” Soul said. Wait, that was supposed to be the time? And letting me win? Letting me? I thought she was gunning for a hug.

I had no idea that was when I was supposed to hit her. Besides, she expects me to believe she would let me win. No, she is too fond of succeeding. Not even allowing Rainbow to get any upper hoof. Even so, why the hug? I don’t know why I didn’t take the chance. I never thought of doing it. Was it surprise or… was I really just wanting her to hug me?

“But nope, you gave up in the end.”

9.33
Wow. Is she trying to make me feel better of is she just gloating? Because it was that classic Soul Serenity she remembered to talk to Dash like this in their heated competitions. Always packed full of stuff like this and then ending much like this alongside with both fillies sleeping in the same bed together like nothing happened. Like it was just how they were, …it was just how Soul was. This is how she is. Her innate love to ‘talk smack’ as these ponies called it. Oh I should feel honored that you are shit talking me. So much so that it made her snicker under her breath. Amused at Soul’s claims.

Gave up.

I never give up on any challenge. A strong gust of wind slipped over her nose and cheeks just to confirm her own claims. Making her fur dance against her face. “Well I thought you were the one who gave up, I never expected you of all ponies to make such a cheap shot and call it a win” Blight said. Smiling of her boast against Soul. “S-stop your crying. You’ll get a chance in… the future to finally win against me” Soul muttered.

Oh! Was that a challenge? With her completely false claims. Why, it even sounded like Soul was nervous of the possibility. The way she stuttered. It was cute. For her to think this way. You now know I am wanting to beat you. Very well. She may think that she won the last time. But it wasn’t true. Soul never hit me. We both used our advantages.

Their own talents no matter how unique they were.

I won the first time and… She took a breath. No. Soul was going to win this round no matter what.

“I suppose you saw me?” Blight asked. She did get her confirmation in a slow but strong “Yes.” No way that could be avoided. Soul, your senses are insane. Easily able to catch something as obvious as a black Pegasus in the middle of a trench of white. Soul could see that so easy. Fine, one for one. But that won’t stay at it for long.

It’s funny, I usually never get this worked up over another pony. I never have been like this. No reason to do it. I actually want to get back at her. Back home, in Equestria. Soul can be the best at flying but… I know, someday… and I don’t know when, you won’t be able to match the pony I am

Soul, you are rubbing off on me.

9.34
“But your magic. It-it was pretty cool.” Sweet Soul. That’s the reason I love you. It made a smile go across Blight’s face. That meant a lot from the pony whose flying capabilities felt second to none. Who had real talent. Who claimed Blight herself to have talent.

Don’t you worry Soul, we’ll figure it all out together. When we get back. When I fix everything. We will both have something to feel proud of upon our flanks. No matter how long it took. All of it to lead to the day when Soul may be so very happy with all that Blight saw the sweet Pegasus capable of.

Blight curved her wing up. Running the tips of the feathers along Soul’s back. Up and down. Sounded like she liked it. Hearing Soul mumble for a moment and feeling her shudder. How she shook. Pleased with it. Soulblight let one of her ears lift up, eager to listen to every nice sound she made the Pegasus want to express. Sounds like she likes back scratches. Her little reward for being so nice. Being such a good friend.

Soul exhaled, again and again. Slower. Shorter with each one that passed. Each one lost into the breath of the strong gusts of wind blowing over them. Doing their best to hide how happy Soul sounded. How much she moved and shook. As her teeth struck against… one another?

Soulblight opened her eyes. Still staring up. Staring right back up to the sky. The very different sky. Or was it even a sky anymore? Am I looking at the sky anymore?

Darker. Thicker. I can’t see it anymore. Lost forever inside of a veil of dark clouds.

When did this happen? This dark. And… all this snow. All of it coming down upon her. It made her jump. Holding herself back from freaking out just because of the pony that lay on top of her. Soul!

9.35
Blight leaned down. Seeing all the snow. Running down from her head and all along her black fur. Just a quick glance, she could no longer see her wings. Just like a mound of snow. Moving when she wanted her wings to move. Until it all fell off. A wave of thick snow coming down from where it levitated to reveal her black wing that had been right under all of it. The same as her other wing. Holding up a wall of snow, above… Soul.

She lay against her belly. Just a little peek of her magenta face sticking out blowing a plume of white air to where Blight stared in horror.

Soul looked miserable. Her nose covered in snow that shook. Shaking and… shivering. But she still managed to look at Blight with those cute yellow eyes. Some semblance of innocence in them. A feeling Blight did not share.

How long were we laying here?! Blight looked all around her. Trying to get her bearings. Amazed with how much snow had piled up around them. Right up to where her chest rose and fell with even more snow hailing in in a massive sheet of white she could barely see through. Carried in sideways it looked. The wind roared.

“Shit!” Blight yelled. Returning her attention to Soul. “Soul…” She let her body rise up. Carrying her best friend up with it, just to try and get her to move. Soul did not move. Her hooves rose out from under Blight’s black fur and stretched. Trying to grab hold of the snowy surface they lay on. “Get up.” It took her a moment. Soul did manage it. Leaping right off of Blight’s stomach so she may stand up on her own four legs. Blight joined with her. Coming in close and touching a hoof to Soul’s side.

Soul, is she okay? Oh no. She’s shivering bad. Her wings shaking at her sides, limp. Even little speckles of ice had grown across her fur like some sort of disease. Just standing out in the snow, no longer covered by Blight’s wings, her back began to sport little white dots. Building up quickly.

She had been suffering like this?! This entire time! Wh-… why?! “Soul! Why didn’t you tell me anything?!” Blight yelled. Regretting what she said. It was just going to be a waste of time. No time to sit around here arguing. All this snow and wind. We’re in a blizzard!

There can be no way it was already night. No, we did not lay out here this long. It couldn’t be. But a blizzard nonetheless. One that Soul was exposed to.

Blight looked all around. Seeing nothing where she looked past Soul. Everything too packed in hazy cloud cover the likes of which she had never seen before. The same could be said of every other direction she looked. No, no. I can’t believe this. I can’t see a thing out here and… she looked over to Soul, barely standing next to her. Shivering madly. Her hooves crunching in the snow and then… she fell against Blight.

“I-I-I’m sorry. …I got t-too… I didn’t want… us to… to leave.”

Stupid Soul. Don’t give me such an excuse. Don’t blame yourself. Damn it. Here it was again. I’m not gonna blame her for this. No! It is my own damn fault. I should have noticed it. I should never have closed my eyes. I was so lost… not Soul… and I’m wasting time!

Soul shook even harder against her side.

9.36
“We have to get out of here” Blight advised the obvious. Ignoring what Soul had said and trying to look again for some way to make it happen. Not any easier. The snow is so heavy. Just a glance aroundt, Blight saw her wings at her side starting to get completely covered in snow again. A problem she shook right off.

Just find a way out of this. More wind. Blowing right against her back and rear. It struck so hard. Sending a shock down her entire body. The feeling of so much force rushing her. This must be torture for Soul. That wind and cold. However bad it may be, I can’t let her stay out in this.

“T-the…” Soul muttered. Making Blight look at her. Finding that Soul was slowly lifting one of her hooves up to point behind where Blight stood. “The… way home… i-is over there.” Amazing! Good job. Just guide me and I’ll get us out of here. Excellent job, Soul.

“Let’s get out of here” Blight said. Prepping her wings right up. Sending even more snow flying off of her. It took a moment. It felt weird, like her wings had locked in their upward angle. Scaring her for a moment. Soulblight’s heart did jump on top of how fast it raced. Given a little comfort when her wings began to flap and how her hooves lifted off the ground. Bobbing and swaying, she levelled herself to the best of her ability. So hard to do so. This wind. Like she might get blown off course. Threatening to send her careening off into the unknown.

This is nothing. I’ve dealt with worse. She flapped harder. Feeling her muscles begin to work more than they should. It payed off. Able to keep herself held aloft. Easy to do, especially for Soul and her far superior flying. Soulblight turned around. Let’s go…

She gasped.

9.37
Soul still stood on the ground right below her. Not even moving except for the violent shivers running across her body. She had her wings out, ready to fly. So why did she begin to whimper? Please stop scaring me. More afraid than ever before. Because of what Soul was telling her. Not even having to say it, it was etched in her face. Soul looked up to Blight. Chattering teeth. Ragged breath and what Blight could pick out in her deep yellow eyes. Hidden behind her mane that waved wildly in front of her face.

Those eyes. Soul was terrified.

Soul’s wings shook in place. Covered in snow and ice. Every bit Blight could see, nothing but chill across her beautiful wings. Soul took one step forward. Her wings bounced up just a little and then… Blight winced when Soul shrieked. Right when her wings fell to her sides. Her entire body crumpling up. Close to falling in on herself.

Blight came right back down. “Soul!” Blight slid her hooves under Soul’s chest. Locking them together and pulling. Bringing Soul right back onto her hooves. Face to face with her again. Close to see all the pain in Soul’s face. How very afraid she was. She’s ass afraid as I am. Not even able to see her reflection in Soul’s eyes. “Come on, best buddy” Blight said. Shaking her own body now. But not from the cold that eluded her. She wrapped one of her wings back around Soul’s neck. Turning and pulling Soul along, she followed. Guided by Blight’s wing. Off in the direction that Soul pointed out.

This isn’t good. This can’t be happening. What could work? What to do now? Soul’s wings were frozen! Laying right at her sides, dragging along the snow and just building up even more ice on them. Damn it. I feel like… like I’m about to cry. Soul suffering. No, I can’t cry in front of her. She is already afraid. I just need to get her out of her. That was it. We need to find shelter. Wait out the blizzard. There has to be a cave or something out in these mountains. A cave. Yes, like the one Spots had been safe in. Find one like that.

“We’re gonna get you out of here” Blight begged of her friend.

9.38
It was the most painful thing to listen to right now. Please, anything else. But having to listen to Soul’s hoofsteps in the icy surface. Slowly crunching down into the snow. Much like Blight’s own hooves did. Not even caring about how hers sounded. Like only Soul was the one walking. When they should have been flying. No telling how long it’d have to go on like this.

“We’re looking for shelter” Blight said looking all around her. No luck I can’t see anything. All the snow and wind coming down, it was awful. She felt bad having to ask this right now, …but it must be so. “Please keep an eye out for something.” Soul, we have to rely on your sense. Her precious talents. Use them to the best of her ability. Right next to her, by Blight’s side.

Blight pushed her along with the soft embrace of her wing. Walking and not hearing anything. Nothing. “Soul!?” Blight yelled. Looking over at her. Soul rose her head back up just in time for Blight to see it happen. Cringing with her cheeks. Teeth fighting her in how violently they bashed against one another. Only managing one little squeak. “Ok.” We’ll get out of this. Come on, Soul.

Blight pushed her on. Cradling her and assisting her to the best of her ability to keep her going. Not at all making this any less agonizing. Fears piling up on top of fears. I’m gonna outpace her. The magenta Pegasus was slowing down. Blight noticed it. Her steps, her strides smaller now. Forcing Blight to change as well. I will never leave her side. Never. Fear of how cold she was getting to cause this, and it changed again. Soul picked up her pace. Coming right back to the long steps she had been making to get across the snow. Good job. Keep fighting.

Because that’s what you are, Soul. You’re a fighter.

I want to smile. I really want to. To make Soul feel proud or accomplished… whatever. If only Blight could feel the same. Not even able to force a smile. Not with all this fear. It managed to keep at bay. Just managed, just manage it. As long as she felt Soul rub her own fur against her. That was all that kept Blight from letting out her panic she felt. I need to stay strong for Soul. She was such a good girl. Persevering like this. Blight could even hear a strong breath coming out of her mouth despite all the suffering she was enduring. Still so strong. That is why I love you. No matter how weak you get, you still stay the same. That same loveable and strong filly who had to suffer so much to get to what she has today. So what if she has to suffer more? As long as I’m here, you’ll get through it and come out stronger like always. This will be simple. Find some shelter and prove to everything how strong Soul was.

Just like a good pony.

Keep it up. Just keep going… it’s why I love you. Soulblight shuddered. Not as bad as her best friend. Stay strong for her. Just like she is. We will both be strong.

9.39
Just another test of this cruel life. Testing how strong we are. We beat everything before this, we can beat this too. Just like they navigated this. Blight stopped Soul in her tracks and guided her to the right. Stepping around a large boulder hidden in the wind and continuing on. Circumventing that and even more walls and rocks like it. Nothing yet to shelter the poor Pegasus from the snow. Is this the best I can do? Just guide Soul. What a terrible task. Not save her. Blight’s mind raced.

How can I save her?

No, not save her. She will be fine. Stop thinking terrible thoughts. Just… find a way to make things more bearable for Soul. Anything other than just walking. Staying by her side. Blight thought. Something to cheer her up. What? There has to be something I can say. Anything. “You…” Blight shrieked. Amazed at how bad her voice broke. Actually feeling her mouth tremble when she tried to say how much she adored Soul’s strength. Damn. She… she really was afraid. Her body itself, it was telling her what she wanted to deny. Fighting her, but she will not let it out. It always led to bad things. No reason for Soul to get scared too. But why does it need to be like this? Blight couldn’t understand it. Everything always leading up to this. Not able to just keep things happy. Always needing to suffer. To lose. Feeling so much loss. Why, why can’t I just go on without stuff like this happening? We just deserve to both be happy and now this. This had to happen? She has to suffer? I have to suffer alongside her. Fearing for this. Just wanting to get some little glimpse, one hint that they will be safe. Safe from her own stupid mistakes. No! Stop thinking that way.

“C-come on, Soul. We’re gonna get home soon” Blight said to the pony at her side. Leaning her head over to her, it only stopped once it set down on the side of Soul’s head. “Then we’re going to have so much fun just like you want…” She could feel Soul wipe her head up and down along her cheek. She was nodding. Good. Good job. I must do a good job too. No more fear.

“You’re such a strong Pegasus, so… of course we’re both going to beat this. Together, and I’ll have so many rewards for you when we get home. Because I’m proud of you.” So many. Whatever she wants. If she wanted to play, sure thing. Whatever she wants. Even do some training alongside her. Whatever food she wants, I will make it. All the kind words and reassurance she needs. Anything Blight may do to make her feel comfortable and all the hugs Soul would want. She will get a big one once they got home. Her reward for being so brave and overcoming this. Because she was a strong pony.

Because she is my best friend.

“Blight…”

9.40
Soulblight’s body froze. As did her mind. Her soul. Everything screeched to a halt. Making her eyes widen when she too stopped. Held in place. Locked right where she stood. No longer able to walk forward. But she could feel it. Her wing was left behind. Holding against her friend. Just her span, set still along Soul’s still body.

There was something about this feeling. Blight felt it all over her. A shock. A shudder. It tormented her. That they were not moving. That nothing was moving. The feeling making her want to cry. Or was it because of how painfully silent Soul was calling her name out. This is… true fear.

She had to look back. Slowly. “Soulblight…” Soul. I’m right here. What is it? Do you need something? I’ll give you anything just to make you happy. Anything to make you feel like you are truly a success, because I know you are and nothing will take that from you. Not while I’m with you. I will always be with you. Like I am now.

Blight turned around in time. To listen to Soul’s plea. Wanting to know what she wanted. A moment frozen in time.

That magenta fur fell.

Swaying in the wind. Joining with the snow below as it did with all the snow atop of her. Atop of her still body. Only her mouth moved. The one thing to move in this frozen scene burned right into Blight’s mind. Making all her fears come true.

“I’m… so… c-c-c-cold…”

Soul collapsed in the snow.

“Soul!”

9.41
Soulblight rushed right for her. Not able to believe any more of what was going on around her. Not caring for any of it. Not wanting to care. Just as she wished that the sight in front of her was different. One that she did not need to care for. It was not meant to be. She had to cry.

Every single tear she had burst right out the instant she made it. Right to Soul’s side. Setting her hooves upon Soul’s still body. Grabbing her. Come on, move! Move. “Soul! Come on get up. Get up! …Get…” Blight couldn’t talk. Just because of having to see this. When her hooves shook Soul’s body. Desperate to get her up. Not able to see that sight. She saw this instead…

Soul’s head fell limp. Moving only when Blight moved her. Nothing else.

Her tail was still. No longer able to sway in happiness. Her wings no longer flapped in freedom. Not even her eyes may see her. Sealed behind her silence. No. No! She’s faking. Stop playing around. Stop it. Blight heard it all as screams to the pony. Eager, powerful screams she wished to yell right at her. She could only sob. Sob so loudly.

This isn’t the way. This isn’t what we should be doing right now. Let’s go. Soulblight picked Soul right up, holding her forelegs with her own and letting Soul’s heavy body collapse right into her chest. A rush of movement. Almost like… Blight looked down. No yellow eyes to greet her. She didn’t move at all. A baby, sleeping against her chest with every possible thing about her not even giving Blight the moment she sought after right now. To prove to her this was not happening. That she was faking. She must be. She needed to be… so why?

Why are you not moving?

Not shivering? You need to shiver when it’s cold. That’s what ponies do. That’s how you all react. So, …do the same thing, Soul. Move. Move!

Blight leaned back, carrying Soul back with her. Feeling how her limp legs fell right down and slid against her sides. One of them even went on and touched the tip of her wing.

Soul. I know what you want. Blight knew it. I’ll give it to you… if you stop making me cry. Watching as all her tears came streaming down in an endless wave. Falling upon the pony below her. Shimmering and shining. Leaving her as water. Crashing to sharp pieces once they landed on the mane of her best friend.

I will give it to you. She rose her wing up. The same one that Soul had touched.

9.42
“I’ll… I’ll keep you company. I’ll protect you.”

Her wing wrapped the pony up. Shielding her. Keeping much of that accursed snow away from her. Let it taint my body, not hers. Soulblight allowed it. Placing Soul right down against her chest. Holding her close. A nice hug. Just like Soul loves. You love this. You do now. You look… so peaceful like you… you always do… when I hug you.

I have the honor of being so important to you. You are so happy when I hug you. Be happy. “It’s all going to be okay, Soul. I’m here for you. See, I’ll hug you when nopony else will. No matter how tough the times will be.” Like everything that awaits us. “They will be tough, …but they will be good as well. Tell me,… Soul. Tell me all the good things you want us to do together.”

You want me to fly alongside you. You want me to cheer and praise you for your flying. Let you know just how great of a Wonderbolt you will be. In a time without any pain. When both of us may have so many friends. Beloved, beautiful friends who will never betray, never leave us. Always love us. Just like I will be for you.

“Tell me.” I will do it all for you. Make it all happen. Anything you want. Cheering is easy. Birthday parties, holidays together, playing together. I will even train with you. My wings could use some good exercise. Then we can eat and drink so many sweets together just like you wanted. Whatever they may be.

“Tell me, Soul.” We can even do that stuff with Dashie. You remember Dashie, how much you want me to be friends with her? We will make it happen. Rainbow Dash, she seems like a nice pony. A good friend. I think I can get along with her. Anything for you. I want to see you smile… when we are friends. We can all be best friends. For however long it may last. Until the time when things will change. They will change for the better. Soul has so much waiting for her. Beyond anything the Pegasus had any knowledge of. It was going to happen. Just tell me what you dream of… like you did so long ago… what brought us together. The words you wished for when nopony else was listening.

“Tell me and I will make it happen again.”

The tears still kept coming. Stronger. More and more like they may never end. Never force Soul to stop this. Grant Blight’s request. “Tell me all the things you love. All the things you want.” They will all happen when we return home. Not here, not in this wasteland. Where all the snow flurried about them. Rising and hardening. Till they were but walls around where Soulblight clutched her best friend. This was not the place for anything. We can’t stay here and just hope for it.

“You must tell me what you want from me, I will make it happen so that you will be happy. We don’t have time to play around. Not when there is so much to look forward to. So much that you haven’t even started yet… that… I want to s-s-see you experience. We will make it happen right now, so please… Soul, stop laying there and please… wake up. Wake up.” Soulblight screamed. Stop making me cry.

Protect her.

9.43
Cast Soul’s coat in the color of her own blood. Glowing bright. Looking down at all the red she made glow upon her. All the pain she brought down upon her and how very much it made her want to lash out. At everything.

“I…I…I vowed to protect her.” Blight licked her lips. Feeling all that awful snow stinging her tongue. It felt better to just let her fangs pierce her tongue. Anything to rid that feeling. It did hurt. So what? Anything to get rid of this pain. I hate crying. Stop being so stupid and do what I need to do.

“I will protect her. I will never let anything bad happen to her. I swore it.” Forgive me, Soul. Reducing you to this, but anything needed to be done to protect her. I have to get you out of here. Out of all the snow that had already piled up around them. Walling them in. Showing just how bad of a blizzard this was to Blight and how truly terrible it must be for somepony like Soul. All this snow on her, poor thing.

Blight let the pony slump down in between her legs leaving just the top of her head and all her mane to drape Blight’s belly. Exposing her to Blight. Imagining it. I… I hope this works.

Blight watched… watched her magic. That darkness swarming all over the pony. Shining of that black light. I know you would hate for me to do this to you… but I need to move you.

Blight clenched her fangs. Watching the pony lift off from her. Gotta… get you out of this hole. Get you… you… home. Blight stood up. Keeping the pony right in her sights. As if Soul were flying once more. With her wings laying limp at her sides. Feathers uselessly flowing in the heavy wind and snow. Hold her up. Gotta… get her moving.

Blight let her own wings loose. Following out behind Soul and back up to the flat surface of snow, floating with the pony, and… she grunted.

This… this is hard. Blight bit her lip badly. Tightly closing her eyes. Just concentrate. I… I need to…

She felt it. Opening her eyes just in time to catch sight of it before it happened. Her magic grabbed hold of Soul again. Keeping her from hitting the ground… and only her.

Blight plummeted to the ground. Wincing but… not giving up. I can’t give up. Even if this hurts to… I… when did I get so weak? When?! I can’t…

She looked all around her. At the horrible wind blowing all about. So much wind. So… she looked back at the pony barely holding on in the air above her. Blight’s eyes widened. Widened when she saw the magic burn away… and then come back. All over the pony. Just having to see Soul, the limp pony, dangle so helplessly in the wind. Blight shook her head just as she felt the pain inside her. She had to put a hoof to her head. Damn it… I can’t.

She let Soul go. Laying her back down upon the ground. Letting all the magic disappear and then she held her head tight. “Damn it all!” Ah! Just… wait for it to stop hurting. I need to… she looked back at the pony laying there. Then at all the snow coming down around them. This can’t be. When did I get so weak? I can’t even lift a pony. This is not possible. I was never this weak… before…

Curse this… she slammed a hoof into the snow. This damn body!

She gasped and looked back up. Shut up. Shut up! I need to get her out of here. She is all that matters. Some way. I just… need to remember which way it was. Soul pointed… this way.

I know Soul would not like being babied around right now…. But she would need to deal with it. Exactly like I need to deal with it. Anything, anything to protect her. Even if it means… flying her out.

I hope I’m strong enough to do this at least. Please. Keep going. Do not stop. Blight came back up to where the pony lay. Quick to circle around her. Looking at her real quick and then whipping her tears away. Okay… I think I can do this. Kneeling down, she was able to slide all four of her hooves under Soul’s belly. It scared her to try this. Let me be able to do this, please. Get her out of this mountain range, fly her back to the house. No matter how many hours it may take. As long as I can get her out of here. Nothing else matters. Not even me.

9.44
Soulblight brought her wings to life. Flapping harder and harder. As hard as she could make them go. Starting to hear the sound of her own wings begin to overtake the terrible cry of the wind, and it did make her body lurch up. Clamping her legs hard around Soul. Wanting to see some indication of them lifting off. Looking all around. Lighting up the snow with the red of her eyes. Amazed, shocked at how nothing changed.

Nothing!

I can’t panic. I can’t… panic! Blight let her wings go into a flurry. Beating them harder than ever before. It hurt to do so. Some sharp pain blistering along her spans. Working together with how tired her wings were getting. “No. No. No. Come on! Useless things.” Despite the insult, they managed to beat faster. Inflicting more pain upon her. It made her wince. Squeal with how much it made her heart race. Staring on to the shrouded sky ahead of her. Hoping to get close to it. But, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how tired she got, it all was made useless in the end. As useless as her wings. When she found herself going forward towards the sky she wanted to fly to, only for it to disappear and transform to a snowy surface that Blight faceplanted right into. Falling off of Soul and skidding along the snow all thanks to the force of her wings. She didn’t even have to stop herself. She skid along the snow. Until she finally stopped.

It stings. Making her cry more. For all the pain she was in. In her body, and in her heart when she looked back to find Soul still laying there all alone with nopony to help her. My wings are useless. Always so weak. Why do I have to be so weak? Now was not the time, but her wings felt like they no longer existed. Just laying at her sides. Twitching. Barely able to get up at her whim.

She found the strength to stand back up. Scurrying back to Soul. Standing over her and looking all around for something she may use to fix this. No, I’m on my own.

“Damn it! Soul, I swear I will save you.” Just have to find a way. Protect her from the cold. Her mind went wild. Flashing through everything and anything. What will work? No, no, a shield. Damn it, she stared at Soul. Thinking over it. Groaning at herself. How? How to make a shield for her? Blight had no idea. How can I make one for her?

How did I use to do it?

I… I used to be so strong. I know… my magic used to be so much more than any of this. I feel it. I… I hear it in me. It was so simple. What happened to me? Why am I so weak and useless? Not now. Useless magic. Everything useless. It made her growl. Angry at it all. At herself. For having to do this while her best friend froze in front of her. All because of this weather.

9.45
A burst of flame erupted. Blasting out from the snow that she stared upon. Coiling and running all around in an instant, burning in front of the pony she loved. Rising. It separated her from Soul. She needs warmth, something to deliver her from the harsh weather. It… it always was this she relied on for the past twelve years to do just that. So do it again. Have fire! Please!

Soulblight did not care how it swayed and beckoned back to her. All the flames going wild, cinders and streaks of light bursting out and flourishing in front of her face. Barely missing her. Watching their glow shine across her. The glow cast itself out from the midst of this dark and unforgiving veil of cold that wrapped the two pegasi. Burning. Blistering and crackling. She could hear the snow begin to boil at its base. Yes, keep burning. Warm my friend up.

Blight ran around it. She’ll be awake now. She will be so happy that I made her warm again. Soul loved the heat of fire. How it comforted her and protected her from the cold. So… why will she not smile? Blight neared in on her, seeing how much the fire glowed along her friend’s fur. It didn’t glow in her eyes, not with them still sealed. With her still not moving.

“Soul, it’s okay. See… I got a fire going.” She planted a hoof along Soul’s shoulder and rubbed her graciously. Trying to get her attention. Pointing another hoof at the fire. At its glow that flickered and dulled. All along Soul’s body, it lost its shine. Blight could only turn in time to see the last of the fire die away. All its embers and light sent flying away in the wind until there was nothing left save for the cold that took back its rightful place.

What?! The wind blast over Blight’s head, sending her mane flying into her face. Trying its own best to drown out her screams.

Another fire. Then another. She made them all come back. Bursting out their glow from the snow. Pillars of it constantly coming back to replace all the others. Others that died off even faster than before. Meeting the same fate as the first. Warm my best friend! Stop this! Blight stamped her hoof down into the snow. Letting out one last cry, screaming at the wind and all the hailing snow with a ferocity matching the flames she summoned in a final attempt to make it all work. A wall she could not care to see, keeping her eyes closed. A tiny glimmer of light making its way in for her to see until it too died away, and any presence that they may have ever had went with it.

Blight no longer knew any such light. Gone in this darkness where Soul was the brightest thing in it. A light that also began to die away, covered in the darkness of so much snow. Soulblight found it impossible to look upon her anymore like that. So much snow on her. This can’t stand. My.. my best friend shouldn’t suffer. Not when she has so much love to give. I want her to hug me again… but she can’t.

So Blight needed to be the one to do it for her. Swiping her hooves across Soul’s body. Angrily spiting the snow that flew off her. Getting rid of as much of it as possible. She saw her magenta fur again hidden underneath. A great weight taken off of her. So much for Blight to slip in on her and hold her back upright. Hugging her with both her forelegs, clamping Soul firmly to her body.

Never to let go. Not until Soul is safe, and she fell back. Right onto her rear and carried Soul with her into an ever-warming huddle. I wish I could warm her, all I can do is be here for her. Lost together in this winter storm that Blight lashed out at. Witnessing streaks of light blasting all around her, she never left her gaze off of Soul. Not needing to see how her magic sliced out in heaps of red to try and cut down the falling snow. Slice the wind. Burn it all away. Sizzling and howling to try and open the sky once more for Soul to fly in. Yes, warm her up again in the end. Then her wings may fly once more, Soul will be happy in the sky again. That was all that was needed. For Soul to be able to fly again, …and… Blight will make it so.

She looked at her friend’s snow-covered wings. How they lay there unable to move anymore. Just useless things to plant the ground. Useless when they were supposed to be the most precious things of her best friend. Blight stared.

I… I have to make them fly again. I must do it.

Is it right… to do this again? Blight blinked. I think I can still do it but last time I did… I ruined her life. It put her in this situation. All led up to it, and she seriously had to consider doing it again. For Soul. For her happiness.

I can’t feel guilty.

Forget what this did in the past, because it will save her. Save her like when she saw it happen through Soul’s own eyes. Made it happen behind her eyes. It can be done again. It will be.

Soul… she is not here… to hold me back this time. I will take control… completely this time.

Forgive me, Soul. I don’t mean to intrude.

9.46
Blight closed her eyes. She isn’t here to stop me. No need for permission. Just concentrate and do it again. No need to fear. Do it just like last time. When Soul let her do it. I can do it.

Watch Soul, watch I will do for you. This feeling. I can do it.

Blight opened her eyes. Soul was gone.

This feeling. Against her chest. A harsh breath. Slow and painful. It was there. She recognized it in the midst of all the wind blowing over her. That was her only presence. Her only way to still be here. Still connected to Blight. She listened to it. To the sweet and innocent voice in that breath she took. Like it was the voice she recognized. I feel it all. All that you feel. All that you suffer. I feel it… Blight touched her chest. So close to me. So personal. It’s been so long… so very long since I last felt this personal with you.

I’m back home.

Back to a time when both of them were lonely. Afraid. Not anymore. We are together as friends. Soulblight blinked. Soul truly was gone. No Soul. No Soulblight. She saw only the wind and all the snow and herself alone. With nopony at her side. Except it was not true. Soul is still here. So close.

I can feel the tears. Under all the pain. All the memories. Everything rushing to Blight like a sickening feeling that made her stomach lurch, and then soothe. Soothing as she ran that hoof along her chest… and up to her face. For her to stare at it… like she once did before.

I’m back.

9.47
Magenta fur. It worked. I did it. I did again. Soul, I’m sorry for doing this to you without permission. Please, don’t be able to see this. To feel this. All the memories of when this last happened, like how Blight felt it all now. Painful… crippling, like it tried to stop her from the reason she did this. It can’t hold me.

Blight shook her head. Seeing how her silver and violet striped mane swayed in front of her before it returned to blowing in the wind. A wind that made itself very well-known across her body. She even felt a shudder run up her spine from it. A wonder on how bad it may feel to Soul who was the one having to suffer from this. All the more reason to get her out of her. An easy task, it must be. No Changelings to kill this time. But there is still a pony I need to save like last time.

Stand up, it happened. All four of her hooves coming out and bringing her right back up to stand in the middle of all the snow, all alone in it. It felt so wrong, every move she made. I’m not moving, I’m… making her move. She has to do… what I want. I feel so sick doing this.

Soulblight took a quick look back to make sure all was ready. Two massive magenta wings sat down upon her sides. Draping and carpeting the snow below in their feathers. Fully exposing the cutie mark that they should have hid. The one of hearts shrouded in black.

Come on, babies. She urged of those wings. They even twitched in response. Take me for a ride. Exactly like if Soul would want to carry me. They were going to. She wanted them to do it, so they did. Smiling when she saw them slowly rise up from the snow. A hard task the entire way. Like the wings were trying to fight back against the motion. Just wanting to sleep. Fall back down on the ground. They will do no such thing. You two are going to save the pony who loves you, and I know you both love her too.

These wings may be mine now, but they still serve Soul. How they finally came up, ready to fly, it made Blight smile more in a smile that was not her own.

9.48
Blight clenched her teeth. Putting as much force as possible into it. With her first flap and how loud those wings struck at the air. Sending sheets of ice and snow flying away from her. It feels powerful. Sounded powerful. Should it not be more?

The first flap alone made her move. Followed by another and another. Blight flapped those wings as hard as possible. More than she may ever be able to do with her own wings. These ones were truly different. Something incredible. Like she may be able to do anything with them. With this much strength. I feel it all…

Soul… she must feel so proud when she flies to be able to know this. Blight had a hard enough time just trying to lift off. But, no matter how much force she needed to put into her flaps, it was enough to naturally lift herself off the ground. Amazed when her magenta hooves left the snow. She was flying. In this weather.

Soul was flying now.

I need to get her home now. Out of this, and it will be done by the very wings that Soul adored and cared for so much. I adore them too. She pushed herself forward, not putting any fancy tricks or whatever into it like Soul may do, just fly. Plain and simple. Get out of here, and it was a rough start. So apparent to her. How her body bobbed in the wind. The wings buckled up and needed to be forced back into position to keep her aloft. All the weather doing what it could to stop her. Foolish. This wind isn’t fighting my wings now, these are Soul’s wings. Just how amazing of a flyer she was, pulling all those tricks and developing such impressive wings, it’d be easy to fly through harsh weather like this.

While they did at first, Blight noticed something. It really was becoming like these wings were fighting against her. Why? Are they supposed to be this hard to control? They’re just wings. They should be easy to use. No. She flapped the wings even more. Keeping herself hovering in the middle of the wind, and not able to do much more. It became even harder to do just that with how much resistance the wings were putting out. Their spans slowing down in their repetitions. More and more but she did not give up.

Blight put extra effort into it, believing herself to succeed when she budged forward. Those magenta wings carrying her right into the air and she flew forward against all the wind blowing into her. Stinging her face. Whipping that violet and silver striped mane back. It even stung her eyes. Especially when snow itself flew right into her eyes. There was no telling if Soul was suffering from this as well. No way for her to cry out. Everything was silent. Nothing to know… if this was right. Anything. No, she only had to go off of what she may guess. Soul was suffering, because her great wings did suffer.

Blight could no longer feel any response from them though she heard them flap. Slowing down and a ripping sound as well. Cracking. She took one look back, only able to keep her eyes on the wings for a moment before the wind forced them shut. Seeing a small glimpse of ice forming over the flesh. Breaking. She tried to flap them harder to clear it off, nothing worked. Oh no, no!

So… that is what Soul went through. That is the punishment she has to suffer because I was not smart. I made her feel this when I should have done so much to keep her out of this. But I didn’t notice it. Now Soul suffers. Now, …they got to suffer together thanks to everything Blight felt. Desperation. Desperation and defeat when she saw the sky fall away from her. Not able to feel it happen. It became obvious.

Soul’s wings gave out.

She found herself much of the same as Soul was. Laying on her back in the snow. Helplessly flailing her legs and wishing for her wings to start moving again. They only creaked. A small twitch. Their last attempt to save the pony that they loved. You both were supposed to help me save her. What is wrong? Why am I so useless? Not now. Please not now.

I can’t do this. Watching… until the cold no longer allowed Blight to even move her legs anymore. Her entire body froze. She blinked.

9.49
There was Soul. Laying in front of her with her back to the ground. Helpless. Stricken. Give it all back to Soul. It’s pointless. T

My magic is worthless.

Nothing I can do works. Even thinking of the insane idea of just walking Soul out. Let her lay on her back and let her ride home. Just walk… down the mountain in the middle of a blizzard while every last bit of her best friend disappeared. Stupid. Such a stupid idea. I’m stupid. I’m useless. Watching her friend waste away in front of her. So much snow covering her. Not even moving anymore… and… her chest. It rose slowly.

Slower.

Soul Serenity. Please don’t do this to me.

Blight knelt down. One thing leading to another, she fell on her legs. To lay down with her best friend. Crawling on top of her and sliding her forelegs around her body. Secure. Comforted. So she may pull Soul back up onto her rear and fall right into her chest. Holding her close to her. Soulblight did not let go. I will never let go until she is safe.

Such a fleeting thing.

Leaving her. Leaving her… along with her happiness. None of it was left. I was always so happy when I hugged her like this. Soul should be happy too. “I’ll make you happy.” Blight closed both of her black wings around Soul. Giving her the one last thing she could hope to do. Clenching her tightly. Smothering Soul under all her feathers and fur. If I’m cold… so what? It’s all I have left. The only thing left to give you. All of my love. Given to Soul in all her soft and comforting grip.

Soul did not return it. Blight wanted her to. A feeling she missed but she gave it to Soul. Her favorite thing to be granted from great wings such as Blight’s, such as Soul’s. When Soul did hug her this way… last night. Before the warm fire that kept Soul going.

Blight couldn’t get that sight out of her eyes. As she began to cry again. Burying her face right into Soul’s mane. Not wanting to see any more of the white death all around them. She knew it.

I am no idiot. I know now… just how useless I am. And I know…

That… was the last hug I will ever get from her. My last friend. Gone.

Soul’s heartbeat against her chest, it slowed. Is it there anymore?

9.50
“Soul!” Blight screamed into her mane. Not wishing to hold anything more in. Acting like things were different, pointless. I can’t change it.

Soul, …you always were the one. You overcame everything before. Why? Why can’t you do the same here?

“Soul, please… please don’t leave me.”

Don’t leave me. Don’t make my fears come true. Please. “You told me you were not going to leave me. So… why are you breaking that promise? When I need you! I need you so much. Is it because I am so useless that I can’t even save you? Tell me. Tell me why you want to leave… leave when we have so much waiting for us. …Leave like all the others left me!”

I can’t… do it. My heart… it hurts. Stop making me cry, Soul. Stop making my heart cry. She cried so much, seeing it now.

Soul, your smile. I still see it. It can never leave me. You are the most loving pony I have ever met. You are my only friend. Don’t let it end. I want it to last forever. Don’t leave. Please, no.

“Come on, Soul. You can’t leave. Remember… remember how happy you were when played. I adored how you were… when you got to eat your favorite foods after so long. How much you smiled. The smile of a birthday girl. …Don’t tell me I never get to see it again. Don’t you dare! Stay with me and we will have so many more days like it. We can do whatever you want together. Anything. All the hugs you want. I will give them to you. Remember, Soul? How much you loved it when we did this.” Blight tightened her wings more. “You were like an angel. Such a beloved angel.”

Blight ran her nose against the mane of that angel. Sobbing so hard into her hairs. So hard to breathe now. My heart. It hurts. Stop hurting me, Soul. “You still have so much more. So many more hugs I can give you, and so much happiness ahead. All the games we can still play. I…I still need to beat you in a snowball fight. I thought you liked those. Playing with other ponies. …Rainbow. Rainbow Dash. You know Dashie wants to see you again and play with you too. How much will she cry if she never gets to see you? If you leave?”

“…How much will I cry?!”

9.51
It was that, the true terror. No. Not again. I don’t want to feel it again. Losing all, never again. Right when I had a friend. A hooffull of days in the midst of countless thousands of years without one. Go through it again? Is that my fate? Soul… she’s going to leave me… when I never wanted to feel this again.

Endless days in darkness, crying. I still remember it all. Like it was burned into my mind. Don’t put me through it again. Not after meeting you. Stop it. Stop.

I feel it…

Because Soul was gone.

Soulblight bit her fangs down into her own tongue. It hurt. Good. Bite harder. Anything to rid the pain. This pain in my heart. Soul does it to me. All ponies do it to me. The world does. And I want it to end. Because I feel it. Like… my heart… is torn. My flesh is scarred. I feel it all.

…They never left.

“I could not save… even you. I can never make anypony happy. …When it should be so easy. I could save you, my precious Soul Serenity… if I…” Blight beat her wings hard into the ground. Feeling a shock of pain rip across them. Up and down her spine. Good. “I weren’t like this. This useless body of mine. Then I could save you. Save you from all of this. But I can’t because I’m useless. …Soul, you lied to me… I don’t have any talent. None at all. You only said it to make me feel better about myself. The way you praised me, I loved it. But it was never worthy of you. Never! It can’t even help you! So… why even do it?”

Why say nice things to me? None of it mattered when it all led up to this. I failed you. More pain, more mistakes. When I must protect you. Protect your wish. You wished… for me. I will do it, you just need to stay with me.

“Stay with me!” Stay and I will make it happen. Prove I am not useless. Not that cruel pony who destroyed your life. Destroyed countless lives. All I want is another chance from this rotten world. To stop treating me like this.

Soul, you were the one who gave me that chance.

You gave me a chance and I ruined it. Put you in danger. Just so I could hug you longer. A loving hug that Blight missed and she knew, for certain, that right now, Soul wanted to hug her back. Somewhere deep inside of that still body, Soul comforted her. Her fur was so soft.

9.52
Another moment now when Blight may feel the love from her best friend with all of it slipping away with the wind. It was a moment she could put into a picture… to last forever. Hang it on their wall over the fireplace. I see it now. Looking at it. Mounted above me. A picture… of you and I. Together. For it to last forever. From whenever the picture may be taken to that point where both pegasi hugged in front of a warm fire where no harm may ever come to Soul. A time when everything may be forgotten. All the pain and suffering that had been inflicted. Gone. Made way for something beautiful all made possible by Soul. From the pony that nopony would ever expect to become what she is.

That is what makes her strong.

I admire you. I want it to be possible.

Soulblight cried the last of her tears into her mane. No more to spare. Feeling it… slip away. The feeling. It’s leaving. I can’t feel it. Running slow. Slower and slower. The breath of that pony against her chest. A cry in the wind. My only company… as all my dreams disappear. Right in my hooves.

I can still see my dreams. Us hugging in front of the fire. Never let go of that sight. The last thing she could hold on to as all her anger and fear took hold. The last vestige of her happiness. Of Soul… Soul Serenity. Her best friend. Her family. Rubbing her cheek against Blight’s. Sticking with her till the end. Into the dying night… both friends entwined. Together in the warmth of the fire. A moment to be made true.

I feel it.

It all ends with one final thing. The words I would tell you. Tell to the pony who I would hold. Who would hold me. Bring Soul to that moment. One to cherish forever. Her reward. For all the things that Soul gave. It was all worth it… just to tell her this one last thing.

May she hear me. May it soften against her heart. So it can ease her while I suffer. …Again.

“Soul Serenity, I love you.”

9.53
Did Soul love her back? Words never to be spoken. Not to be known. Not now when the entire world did hate her. It should. But… when Blight opened her eyes, she saw only light. Light and silence, sliding in through the cracks of Soul’s mane.

Shining light. Blinding. To brighten up the pony she held.

As if… the Sun had come out. Shining over them. Bringing its warmth down upon Soul, hearing exactly how Blight pleaded and doing its best to end her suffering. End Soul’s suffering. But that could not be. All her time living, nothing ever worked out. I always had to struggle and suffer to make things happen. Just to get one shred of joy. Do you want to take it from me again? Give me some useless hope with this light? Even if it looked beautiful. Even if what she heard made her ears twitch, and that was nothing at all. Like the wind itself stopped. Ceased its flurry of terror around them.

Ha, maybe it was a break in the storm. A chance for the warm days to bring life back to her best friend. It all sounded ridiculous. Nothing will change… with how that light shimmered and danced in the shadows of Soul’s hairs. All she had left. All I will have now.

My last light before it all goes dark again. Never thought I’d see it again.

As I leave you, Soul. Please… never forget that… I love you.

9.54
That noise. Something… cracked.

Blight stopped crying. All her pain. Ending it all when she heard it come up again. More of it. Like such a soft song. Where the wind could not even howl over it. This sound, I know it.

It’s impossible…

She looked up from her burrow. Seeing exactly what it was in front of her, right behind the still body of her friend.

The fireplace and its flame roaring and leaning close to where both pegasi sat on the old carpet.

She had to blink several times. Regain her bearing before she realized exactly where they were. The table and chairs with the plate that Soul ate her cake off of. Soul’s bed with the messy purple blanket on it. Soul’s dolls. We… we…

We’re home?

Blight was at a loss of words. Staring all around this scene. Up and down the walls and back down to the body of Soul laying inside of her wings. Right beneath her… and… she breathed. One little burst of breath coming out of her open mouth and tickling along Blight’s chest. Not waking up at all. Laying there as still as she had been in the blizzard, and Blight… she could now hear that wind again.

It took one look. Right to the closest window to see the hail of snow pelting the glass out in a dark and terrible world. One that they were safe from inside of this… their sanctuary. It’s like…

She looked back. Seeing it. This scene. One of two pegasi… hugging in front of the fire.

Blight had to raise one of her hooves up. Staring at the black fur that covered it. Seeing how her shining red eyes made it glow of blood even as she no longer could feel her fangs with a swipe of her tongue.

Did I… do this?

9.55
This… this is what I wanted. I wanted it so badly. For a warm and safe place for Soul. Freeing both of them from the worse of possible things to happen. It… did not.

Soulblight took the time to just sit there and wait. Feeling it. Soul’s chest rising against her body and then falling off again. Slow. Tired. But she still breathed. Not gone at all. Both of them were right where Blight wanted them. All because of me.

“I did this.”

Gone were the mountains. Gone was the snow. All the terrible things that wanted to take you from me, they’re gone. All gone. It almost made her want to start crying again. Feeling it. I never knew. Knew that this was possible. I never knew I could do this. Not like this. But I did? I feel it. How her stomach churned just a little right now and a coursing presence slithering through her body. Her magic. It stirred and comforted her. Before it faded away once more.

I did something… good. Because of my magic? Something really good.

She looked back down at her. Soul, you’re safe.

This feeling. I know what it is. But I never could tell I could do it… for another.

9.56
Soulblight held her breath. Staring upon the fire… and she smiled.

I… I… I can do it now? Hehe, I can do it! I can make everything right. I do have the power. All for you, Soul. All the power you want… it’s mine to give. Anything for you. Blight held her so much closer. Together in the warmth of the fire. I did it. I know how to do it.

I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for teaching me. For showing me… what it is I want, and I swear to do anything for it. You were the one who gave me this power. You are the one who is my true friend. I’ll give it all to you, Soul. And that is why… I’ll accept the life you dream of for both of us. I will make it so.

…You’ve played your part. Let me play mine now.

“Soul.” Can she hear me? It doesn’t matter. “I’m going to reward you so much for being so strong. I get to grant your wish.” Soulblight tightened her hug. “I love you.” Rainbow Dash will too. Now that it was possible.

Soul can go home.

The unicorns, they call it…

Teleportation.

9.57
“You’re… a lot heavier than you look.” It’s hard just to float you around. Soul did provide a good workout. Blight readjusted her hooves, holding her gently in any way she could to help lift the pony up. Pushing her up the side of the bed with everything she had left. Clenching her teeth, she let out a harsh breath and forced herself to pause just for a second. Enough to catch her breath again. She went back to it. Getting Soul up to the edge of the bed and then, one quick stamp of her hind leg, she pushed Soul up and over it. Feeling relieved as the weight of her friend was lifted off her so Blight may fall to the floor. Panting heavily. She swiped a hoof across her forehead. Actually sweating.

“There… we go.” I wish I could rest but I can’t. Soul needs me. That alone forced her right back up on her wobbly legs, standing over the bedside. Watching Soul lay there on her side. Like she was sleeping. If only that were the case. Her breathing, it’s still so slow. She looks like she’s in pain. Like she really is suffering. But… it looks like she will be okay. I will make sure of it. Doing anything to comfort Soul back to good health.

Blight leaned over the bed, placing her hooves around Soul’s torso. Exerting herself even more just to push Soul further back onto the mattress. It took a lot of effort from her just to do it but she did. Pushing Soul to a nice position in the center of the bed where she was confident the Pegasus will not fall from in her sleep. “Hang on, Soul.” She brought one of her hind legs up onto the bed, closing the distance for where she may grab hold of Soul’s head. Raising her head up. Enough room for the pillow to slide in under it with a burst of magic. Letting Soul fall right back down onto it. Nice and comfortable. Anything for her. She needed to be warmed up. Given whatever she could use.

What can help? There’s not a lot to work with out here. Glad you’re asleep, Soul. I’d hate for you to know that I have no idea what to do. Besides just warming her up. Keeping her safe.

9.58
Soulblight willed it so and the bed answered. Bringing the blanket to life, and it came forward to the base of Soul’s neck. Wrapping over her. Covering her entirely. The best of which Blight’s magic could do for it, the rest she decided to tend to personally. Using her own black hooves to feel around the creases of the blanket. She tucked Soul in. Hope it’s warm enough. If only you could tell me if it is. No way for that to happen. None. She could only go off what she knew of Soul, and that told her that she did like it.

I bet you would sing my praise.

What more can I do? Should I kiss her nose or something? I don’t know. No, I don’t think that is needed. But it sounded lovely. Something she certainly could get especially if Soul knew exactly how good of a day this did turn out to be. All the good news Blight had in store for her. Maybe she would… give me a kiss. Whatever. Just as long as Soul woke up soon, to see that lovely smile of hers again. Exactly like how Blight could not contain herself from smiling so much, ever since this was made possible.

Soulblight walked over to where the fire burned. Noticing that it seemed rather dull. Dying off since this morning. That will not do. It has to be like it always is. This cozy little world in this house. The wood from this morning had entirely burned away to nothing more than heaps of blackened chunks no longer recognizable for what they were supposed to be. That they used to be with those piles of wooden planks she left scattered about the side of the fireplace. Looks like the fire needed to be tended to as well. A task she did without question.

She used her magic to toss in a few more boards. Happy when the fire seemed so gracious and rose back up to life in the embrace of its newfound food. So it may burn bright once again, and it did. The room looked noticeably brighter to Blight and whatever warmth it gave off was lost to her. Just feeling the same nuances of stillness in the air. A curse Soul had not to worry about. She had enough already. The warmth looked good. Gracing Soul in whatever feeling it may give. However nice it was.

9.59
Blight took a deep breath now that the fire had time to build up. Inside of this fireplace, she stared at it. This… this may be the last time we will need to use it. All these boards she set out next to it, enough to last weeks. Never did she think that building it all up was going to prove to be a waste of time. This was the last chance that this fire had to keep her precious friend warm, and it burned so bright. Maybe even stronger than she had seen it do before. It looked beautiful. Crackled nicely inside of its glow. Like it knew the truth and did its best to deliver. Their final parting.

Why… I never imagined it to come so soon. Amazing. Like some sort of trick it may be. All the good things that had been happening, even if they were so few. Blight had to shake her head. Not in disbelief, no, she felt something more. It is astonishing. Twelve years and now… all this. A hooffull of days and everything has changed. Still leaving her to question it. Becoming friends with that beautiful pony she listened to rest in the bed. To this. This thing that made her look back down at her own hooves. Herself.

I… I finally am something.

I’m something to Soul, and I can’t wait for her to wake up so I can tell her. All that can be done is care for her till it happened. I think I can do a little more for her.

Blight eyed around the room for something she may use for it. One of the boards seemed tempting until she caught sight of the table and the silverware she had left on it from Soul’s birthday party. The plate.

She walked over to it. With so many crumbs of cake still left behind on it. The place where Soul had enjoyed her first meal in years. All thanks to Blight, it made Soul so happy. Delivered her so much comfort. Fitting for this plate to do a little more of the same.

What can be done with you? Closing her eyes and keeping the image of the plate firmly in the darkness of her sight. This is so easy now. Confident it will work and, when she opened her eyes back up, it did.

9.60
That plate had disappeared and a dish of the same color, the same material. It looked only like the plate had just simply morphed its shape. To become the cup it now was. With hints of steam rising out from the top. Soulblight stepped up to look into it. I did it right. Seeing her handiwork. Nothing too over the top. Just one simple thing that can help Soul.

Blight’s magic grabbed hold of the cup, bringing it right to her. The hot water inside of it sloshed about. Eager to escape. It stilled. Hovering in front of her nose. Watching the wisps of steam begin to die off as it cooled. But she did take a moment to sniff it. Does this stuff smell like anything? Soul always drinks this stuff. No, …it didn’t smell like anything. How odd for Soul to like it. But if she did, then best to give her some. Warm at that. Might warm the pony up. But she hesitated to bring it over. Noticing the distance between her and Soul, just several steps but… a good chance to try it again.

Blight grinned. Letting go of her magic, the cup simply fell into her own embrace. Clutching the cup to her chest with one leg. Hold it tight exactly like with Soul. This always was so easy but now…

The cup.

Bring it over to Soul. Blight closed her eyes again. Seeing just a faint spark of yellow light from the fire flickering in her vision. One light in the darkness before… all became dark. For just a brief second. Darkness and then… unease. Inside of her stomach again. Blight opened her eyes back up. Finding the bed right at the tip of her chest. Soul literally a leg’s reach away now, and… she looked down. The cup. Still held firmly in her grasp.

It came with me.

So… that proves it. I can do this. I’ve done it twice now. As many times needed. My magic… amazing. Like it really is coming back to me. I can teleport… others. Amazing. Still an amazing regret. If only it had been sooner. No, it took all this time and all this pain just to discover this simple trick!?

Should I be proud or ashamed?

I wonder how Soul will take it. So be it.

9.61
Blight knelt back over the bed, coming closer to Soul and letting her magic take hold of the cup again. Levitating it over both pegasi. Allowing Blight the time she needed. She reached out. Forgive me for touching you like this. Touching the tip of her hoof to Soul’s lower lip. A firm touch, she pushed Soul’s head up. Letting it rest on its back. Keeping her muzzle staring up to the ceiling. The cup came in closer. Soulblight opened Soul’s mouth just enough for the cup to slip in and tap against her lips.

Slowly, the cup tipped and it all fell in. Not sure what to expect. She felt it may have worked. Soul’s throat gurgled a little and then… she heard it. Saw it. Soul began to drink. Just a little. Blight gave her a few seconds to drink before she took the cup away. Save the rest for later. No reason to give her all of it right now. As long as she drank the warm water, that was enough.

Soul sighed in her silence. Slow. Almost as still a sound as Soul herself was. But there was a little hint in it. That sigh did not sound like one she may make until Blight heard a little break in it. It was Soul’s soft voice. One little sound. Brief before Soul’s mouth closed on its own.

I’m no doctor but I think she’s okay.

Blight eased her friend’s head back down to the pillow. Leaving her to her rest. All the rest she would need, take it. Now that she is okay. The one thing to make me feel better. Soulblight could only sigh… in happiness.

9.62
She laid down next to Soul’s bedside. Setting the cup aside, not needing that as her company. Keeping it all out of the way. Leave her to her thoughts while she listened to the steady breathing of her friend up above.

A long night was ahead. Or is it even night, I don’t care. The window in front of where she lay, it gave no answers with that blizzards raging as hard as ever outside. All that darkness. It made her mind wander. Listening to how peaceful Soul was. Remembering how nice she looked resting up there.

I almost lost it all.

It could have happened. All the fear. I still feel it. A small hint of it ringing inside her body. Soul trapped out there. Out in that world. I never had a problem with this world. But it just tried to take Soul away from me. It almost did. That knowledge alone made Blight shudder. Just like last night. I still feel it. That fear. She ran her hoof over her fur. Like her skin crawled. I hate the feeling. That… eye.

Forget it! I don’t want to see it again.

Just… I’m happy she’s okay now. She doesn’t need to suffer much longer.

All these days spent here. How quick they passed by. Out here in this snowy land. This world… that I never thought I would be a part of. In this hailing blizzard, I see it all. To think… twelve years ago. Twelve long years of this. But… why does it feel like so much less? It all feels like nothing now.

So many days. Alone. Having to cry to myself. Watching this world go by me. How afraid I always was. Like it is all gone now. Like this world is so much brighter. Better… now that I have you. You took my pain away. All the blood and sadness. All the pain and danger. It’s all nothing now. Seems so distant. Lost forever now… now that I have seen your beautiful smile. One that I gave to you.

Everything was worth it.

9.63
The pain was in the past. Soul doesn’t need to suffer anymore. Now, now is the time when I can deliver you from all of it. Yes, all the lovely things you want. No need to dream of them anymore. Not now, not anymore. Not ever again.

“Just think about it, Soul. You get to make all your dreams come true now. Isn’t it fantastic?” Of course no answer came from the slumbering Soul. She didn’t need an answer for it was plain obvious. It was all going to happen when, just a few days ago, seemed like it was a dream. This day came so fast. This moment. This miracle. Take you back home. You can have your friends back. You can have it all back. It has to happen. It is destined to. Because I will make it so.

The day to see Soul truly happy.

I will bring it back to you. You will have it all. You will have… Dashie. She can help you. Do everything that I can’t. Back in Equestria, the life that you miss.

How much will it take to make that day happen? How long? So Soul will be happy forever. Years upon years of happiness after years upon years of suffering. Those days could not come soon enough. But they are there. On the horizon. You won’t have to wait long for it. Someday… that joy can be for both of us…or even just for one. May it be the better pony. May it be you, Soul. When I deliver to you what it is that you want. What you deserve. Your freedom.

We will wait together. So Blight did. Closing her eyes. Leaving all the troubles of this world behind. See only that happy magenta Pegasus. The one I will make happy. The one I will reward for all her patience for these past twelve years… when she hears my good news. A new day will be dawning.

You and me, Soul. We shall be leaving this place soon.

9.64
Damn. My head hurts. When did that happen? When did any of this happen?

The fireplace twinkling at the other side of the room. Rising over her bedside. It almost looked like it was about to die. Not at all what she expected to see unless… it was all a dream. That’d be a first. The first dream without Rainbow Dash. The first dream without the pain. Even if this did feel so real. More real than any nightmare.

Soul sighed. When she did that, she felt it. A chill ran down her spine. It made her shiver.

Wait...

That… that was no dream. That was right. I was playing with Blight… in the mountains. Laying with her and… that happened.

I was… Soul shot up in her bed. Gasping for breath, as if she were out of air. May as well be the case. This moment was just as scary as that. That… that all did happen. All of it, the last thing, was Blight’s feathers around her inside of a hail of white.

I felt nothing. No more cold. No more fear. It was all gone.

It’s gone. It’s all gone. There was no snow. Nothing here to hurt her. Only that chill down her spine. It slipped away. Only feeling such a bad pain in her neck.

I’m safe. I’m in bed. Looking all over it, how the purple blanket with all its hearts hugged her. Never before… never did it feel so good. It almost tempted her just to fall right back and go to sleep with how warm it was. Not now. So much changed since she last saw anything. So much left over, but one question did hang on her mind. Where is…

9.65
“Good morning.” Soul’s ears perked up. T-there she was. It was her sound. Soul looked over to where she heard it and… there was Soulblight. The black Pegasus looking up over the edge of the bed. Laying down below. Just her face was there, sat upon the bed’s edge and… the most lovely smile Soul ever saw from her. Why, it was nearly ear to ear. Not even a hint of fear or pain in her look, …not like she looked before. Things… something did change. What happened?

“H-hi.” Soul put a hoof to her mouth. Surprised how bad her voice sounded. Feeling like a chore just to talk and how bad it came out… embarrassing. The pain in her head flared for a moment. Making her dizzy right there. A quick run of her temples fixed that up. Blinking again and again and revealing the room to herself again. Clear as day.

“Geez… what happened to me?” All this pain. It made her rub a hoof back there and, upon bringing that hoof back to see, revealed nothing. It did hurt to touch back there. I really thought I was bleeding. Soulblight giggled. Surprising Soul even more. She looked so happy. Unusually happy. The black Pegasus closing her eyes. “Oh Soul.” She opened them back up and she rose from the floor. Almost jumping right on the bed with her, just letting her forelegs bring her close to Soul. “I’m so happy you’re awake. You slept so long.”

So long? How long? When did I fall asleep? Just the cold and the dark. Like nothing had happened since the snow. Unless… is this just like the other time when…

“Did I… pass out?”

Soulblight’s smile shrank. She nodded. So it did happen. I passed out in the cold. I blacked out. That cold. Everything. Like everything had disappeared. No, just the cold. I just… Soul rubbed her head. Can’t even think anymore. Everything is just a blank.

“How long as I out?”

“A day… it’s morning now” Blight said. That’s a relief. At least it isn’t like last time. But, Blight must have been so worried. I really need to learn to stop doing this to her. Twice was enough. Every time must have been heart aching for Blight. It must be terrible to see your best friend pass out. Doing anything to help them. Save them. Save… me?

9.66
“Soulblight…” Soul glanced over to her friend. “You saved me, didn’t you?” Soulblight stared at her. Keeping hold of what little smile she had left, but she did trail her sight off. Lowering her ears. Looking so innocent. Sweet. That alone was answer enough. There was no need to hear any words. “Thank you so much.” Soul rolled herself over in her bed, looking across from her. Perfect place for her to reach a hoof out and touch Blight’s shoulder. Bringing the mare’s gaze back to her.

“What is that… twice you’ve saved me?” Soul asked. “Three times actually” Blight said. Three… oh yes. That was right. The thing that started all of this. Man, her head was woozy right now. It made Soul laugh. Just for a moment. She could still lean forward without having to puke. Wrapping her forelegs around Blight and giving her the thing she loved her to do. Soul gave her the tightest hug she could do without making herself pass out again, feeling her own dizziness come back on.

She got it back. Soul felt Blight’s legs come up to her back and hug her as well. Setting her cool and soft head down on Soul’s shoulder, she whispered. “I was so afraid I was going to lose you.” It must have been terrifying. I never want to put you through that again. No more stupid decisions.

“I promise you I won’t do it again” Soul said. “For as long as we’re here.” This place won’t get me again. Sometimes, this place really did so very cruel. In this prison. I can’t let it happen again. Gotta be more careful. If not for me, than for Blight. Worrying this pony all the time.

“You won’t need to keep that promise for long” Blight said.

What? But I should keep this promise. No more worrying you. She never thought to hear such a thing from Blight. There won’t be anymore mistakes. No need to doubt it.

Soul released her grip, Blight did the same and both pegasi stared into one another’s eyes. “What do you mean?” Soul asked. “I’m saying, …I can’t let you worry for me again.”

9.67
Soulblight pushed herself off the bed and back down on the floor. Where she cocked her head and smiled deeply. It took a moment for Soul to see it but, Blight’s tail started wagging behind her. “Let me show you something” Blight said and she reeled her head down. Disappearing under the bed’s edge for just a moment and coming back up. Delivering even more surprises for Soul. She held flowers in her mouth. The same flowers that Soul had given to her days ago. Gently letting them go onto her bed and pushing them just a little closer with her nose.

“Remember when you gave me these? This beautiful gift that made us friends?” Soul nodded. Where are you going with this? “Well… I think it’s time for me to repay you” Blight said. “Repay me? But… you already have.” You don’t need to do anything. I just gave you those flowers to show that I do care for you. That I wanted us to be friends. We are friends. The best of friends.

Soulblight looked off to the right, over to the window. Staring out it. Soul followed her gaze just to see the rays of sunlight shining in betwixt a light fall of snow. Looking to be a beautiful day compared to what she last saw out there. Maybe… did Blight want to play outside again? Have some sort of fantastic game ready? We can do whatever we want outside. No problem. Soul welcomed it.

“Soul, I cherish our friendship so much” Soulblight looked back at her. “You’ve given me so much.” Just saying that, it almost made Soul blush. Knowing she meant that much to Blight. It was beautiful. “So I want to make you just as happy. My gift to you for being so strong and being by my side. Tell me, what was it again that you wanted? The thing that you have wanted for years?”

Which thing? Does she mean…? Well I do know what I want. Something that I have wanted since I got here, something I wanted for both of us. Flying together. Playing together. Growing up and living great lives alongside one another. Being there when the other was sad, and smiling when the other succeeded. Making so many friends together. When both of us may find love. So many things to look forward to… all back home. In Equestria.

Was that it?

9.68
Soul’s eyes widened. Soulblight’s gift. To make her the happiest pony. She could not possibly mean that. After twelve years where nothing seemed possible to make it happen. Not even Soul’s best efforts could make it happen. Not now. Maybe in the future, she hoped. Not something she ever believed to be handed to her right now. That was why she found herself struggling to contain herself. Wanting to scream out in excitement and groan in disbelief. Fighting with herself over what the true meaning was that Blight was telling her. But she wanted to believe it. She had to. That was why she asked the big question

“Do you mean? Are we…?”

Blight nodded. A tear went down Blight’s cheek. “Yes. Soul, we’re going home.” That was when a tear went down Soul’s cheek and she could finally smile. Knowing exactly now how she may feel. She let it out. Soul squealed in excitement, kicking her hind legs against the blanket that covered them. Close to just letting herself fall into Blight. She fell forward. Catching herself in time from just bumping her head into Blight’s head. This is impossible.

“Wait… are you serious?” “Yes” Blight nodded her head. Laughing so much. Soulblight bounced against the bed, happily laughing. “You’re shitting with me” Soul said, not able to break her own happiness as she said that. “How?” That was the thing she needed to know the most now. Just a flood of questions. Exactly how this was possible. What do I need to do? Who could expect something like this? Out in this land. This… this was the greatest news ever. Of course, Soulblight had to be the one to give the news. My best friend. She gave her answer, the answer to the one question that stood in the way of all their happiness and excitement.

9.69
“Soul, I figured out how to do it. It’s how I saved you. My magic it can…” Soulblight shook her head. She is just so ecstatic. She continued. “I learned how to do something that can make it happen. I… I can teleport us.”

Teleport?

“What is teleport supposed to mean?” Soul asked. Some crazy magic? “I can take us anywhere I wish” Blight answered. “I can do it… for you now. I figured it out. I know how to do it.” Go anywhere!? So, we really can. It was so hard to hold it in. Another scream felt the urge to come out, taking everything just to hold it back but it did come out in another way. Soul’s wings beat hard against the mattress she lay against. Bringing her to the brink of tears in how much this news meant to her.

All because of Soulblight.

Why is this black Pegasus just too much to not love? There is… no way to thank her. There is no way to show just how much this all meant. We can go home. We can leave. Right when I thought… I thought we may never be able to. Years upon years. All it took… the only thing to change everything… was this pony. She is so nice to me. I don’t deserve it. But she is giving it to me. After all the heartbreak, am I really that important to her?

Twelve years ago… it all lead to this. Soulblight. You really make me want to shout this out. Best friends forever. No hug will ever make it up. A lifetime. All in reach now. A lifetime with the ponies I love.

9.70
“Do you want to go right now?” Blight asked. What?! Right now? Soul held her breath. Her mind racing over what was about to happen. “Now? But… where are we going?” Soul wondered. We can go anywhere. But to where? My house? Cloudsdale?

Cloudsdale…

Would it be right? Damn it, having to wait till now to think it all out. Going to Cloudsdale. Would anypony want me back? Would it be easier to just go straight to… “To Dashie” Blight said.

Back to Dash. My first friend. She is the only pony out there that I want to see. Some way… to make it all up to her. So she will accept me again. Some way. This was never going to be easy. Nothing ever was. But this chance, it could not be passed up. If not now than never. There was no reason to delay it.

“I still know where she is… right now” Blight said. Her ears perking up. Twitching. “I can take us right to where she is.” “Where is that?” Soul asked. She can’t be living with her parents. Maybe somewhere else in Cloudsdale. With the Wonderbolts or whatever, really anywhere.

“She’s in the middle of a town called Ponyville” Blight said. “In the Canterlot valleys, have you heard of it?”

Ponyville. Sounds… familiar. Wait… she lives there? I think it was in a book. A little town… down on land? Dash? I wonder what made her go there. Rainbow Dash, she always seemed the type who would want to stay in the clouds forever. High above the land far below. She seemed to love Cloudsdale. Wanted to stay there. She lives… in someplace like that. Ponyville. I… I don’t even know what it’s like there. Never even been there. Seen it. Should I be afraid?

9.71
“Ponyville? What… what if somepony recognizes me there? I don’t know what to do.” Ponyville. So we really are going back to Equestria already. The land that hates Soul Serenity. All it takes is one pony. One pony and it will all be ruined. Celestia will find me… and she’ll get rid of me again. Get rid of me… or what if she… does that to me? No, I just want to see Dashie. I need to. I have to make things better.

“Soul” Blight said in an ever-soothing voice. “You won’t get caught.” How do you know? What, so now you can predict the future? Oh please, let me know. What can I do?

“You worry too much” Blight said and she walked away from the bed. Over to where the fire burned. “Twelve years, remember? That is quite a long time. A long time for things to change, …such as yourself.” Myself? Interesting. What do you mean? “You were a filly back then. Now look at you, you’re a full-grown mare. You’ve grown more beautiful, changing with all that time. Sometimes…” Blight looked back at her. “Even I find it hard to compare you to that filly from twelve years ago. Now I wonder how hard it would be for some nobody in Ponyville to recognize you. To them, you’re just a very beautiful mare.”

Really? She looked over to the thing by the foot of her bed. The mirror. Able to just see herself in it. A little scruff in her mane here and there but she looked alright. Older, maybe… beautiful. I never saw myself as any different from twelve years ago. But… it was right. Her wings far larger than before, her eyes even deeper. Mane and tail so much longer and wrapped in even more stripes than what she recalled herself to have as a filly. Even having a cutie mark now, and… she glanced down lower at her reflection. Well… I look a lot thinner now. Is this really enough?

Will nopony recognize me? It… is it good enough? Soul sighed. A little more confidence growing back. I have to trust her. Soulblight had never let her down before, always looking out for her, she was not going to now. Her word… Soul could trust. So she did. She trusted her in all that she said. Accepting to Blight’s proposal. A fact that it seemed Blight was well aware of when Soul heard a swoosh of air blast across the room and the dying of the light where Soulblight stood overlooking the empty fireplace and all the last bits of embers it cast off. Their last need to use the fireplace. It was over.

“I’m excited to see Rainbow Dash again.”

9.72
Soul got out of her bed. Leaving the covers open. The pillows behind. For this was to be her last use of this bed. Her last use of everything here, and Soulblight seemed to feel the same way. “I’m so excited!” Blight giddily yelled. Strolling across the room and over to the door. “We finally get to leave this place.” Hehe, it’s cute watching Blight so excited. Pretty much bouncing off the walls, prancing around on black hooves. We are going home. It’s been so long, and I never imagined we would be leaving… so soon.

I can really have a life back home.

Rainbow Dash and Soulblight.

I always hated this place, but… seems like it did something. Strange, I never saw it before until now. Now when the words she had longed to hear had finally been uttered. That they were going home. Standing atop the carpet with her tail swaying against the side of the bed, feeling how soft it was against her. Seeing every last bit of this house. All of it her refuge from the cruel punishment she had been delivered for making all the mistakes of her past. Even the snow outside seemed delicate right now.

But I know better. This place is not for me. It’s not my real home. It delivered just too much sadness and pain, and in the dark of it all it did still manage to shine one light. Funny how that light was as black as night, this pony in front of her.

“I have no regrets” Soul said. Blight stared back at her. No regrets at all. “What… is wrong?” Blight asked.

9.73
Soul rubbed one of her hooves along her foreleg, taking her last time to look around the house. So much. Too much happened here. She could still see how so many shards of broken glass lay about at the foot of the damaged mirror, exactly where she saw the last bits of dark spots staining the carpet around it. The worst moment if her life. To the sounds of the wind howling outside. Their constant reminder that, yes, this is her home from now on and she will never be able to return to Equestria again. A thing she did believe to be fact at one point.

It was all something I thought I had to beat on my own. But… it was all meaningless now. Just a lie. She saw the table and the remains of where she ate her birthday cake and all the dolls scattered about the floor. How she laughed and cried in joy. Just a few days of it after years of loneliness. Such a difference, but… I can admit one thing.

This… was the best moment of my life.

Soul turned around, looking over to where the window by the door hung. Always just low enough for her to peek out which she did. Walking over to it just to see the last sight of it all. Feeling how Blight’s dragon eyes watched her. Stop just standing around. “Come over here” Soul motioned for her friend when she took her position by the window. Leaving a nice space for another pony to stand with her. Soul gave a little more room which Blight took. Bringing herself right next to Soul in front of the window, rubbing her soft fur against Soul. Soul took a look outside. To the thing she wanted to see one last time, …because it did mean something. Even if it was outside in that land where few things proved to be good. This one was good. Because it did represent something.

“She’s still out there.”

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Their snowpony. Still standing proud out in the falling snow, right in front of the house. Of their house. Like nothing had happened to it in the entire day it had stood. Nothing fell, nothing changed. The same symbol it was meant to be when it was made. Perfectly representing something to Soul that she now cherished. How it still continued to smile on, raising its… her wings out to the sky like she was ready to fly and enjoy this world she had. Even her eyes lit up though they were just snow, Soul saw the happiness she felt.

Is she happy for me? Seeing her creators able to achieve that which they set out to do long ago. Or, maybe… she felt happy for the same reason that Soul did. Sharing in her pleasures. For the snowpony was her. It bore her cutie mark, her mane, everything about her including her happiness. Managing to find that one bit of happiness she needed in this, a world of darkness. Soul glanced all around. Like trying to find that one happiness that made the snowpony smile. Nothing but snow. Beyond where the storms raged, blocking her in. No more. Not because of her wings or her skill. That was all meaningless now. No longer having to go off to those mountains in the distance. Spend hours there all alone in the hopes of achieving something.

I’ve been so foolish. To see it now. What she was meant to achieve this entire time. It was not something she alone had to work on. It never had been. Until now, when she learned this and all the joy it brought unto her. But she still managed to do one last thing for all that out there that proved useless to her. It was useless for what I had been trying to do. But… I really think it helped me with another goal.

Thank you.

To the snow, the mountains, the wind and the sky. Even if none of it liked her, it had still been quite a journey.

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Soul turned away from it. Leaving the image of it all burned into her mind. Forever wishing to remember that snowpony. May she last forever. A monument to what I went through. What I found here. Last forever. Like the way she smiled. How both of them smiled and all the times that approached where she hoped to smile even more. It can happen now.

Soul came right back to her bed, listening behind her to the sound she loved to know was happening. That Blight was following her. If she wanted to, Blight can take in every last bit of this place. The same that Soul wanted.

“I have no regrets for being here… for twelve long years” Soul said when she stopped her stride to stand over the things that helped to give her the reward that this land gave her. Wrapping one of her hooves around one of them. No, not that one. Not any of these normal ones. Soul looked across the pile to the two that did mean something more. Two dolls. One with the scuffs along its surface from all the times she held it. This small companion she saw so much of something else in. When she first found it all alone in this house for untold years, and the other one. The one that had not been graced by her.

It had the same messy, long mane and tail as the one who made it.

Soul grabbed hold of both pegasi dolls, holding them carefully against her chest. A final hug. Just for a moment, for this was not their place. Their place was together. Just the two of them. It can be seen within them. Even if they had been separated for years and years, they were here now. Together, and they will give each other company for now on. Without Blight and I here anymore.

“Even if it had been lonely and not the first place I would want to be, I still am happy I experienced it.” Soul put both of them on the bed. Right on their little hooves, they stood proud. Next to one another. Not good enough. They were closer than that. Soul pressed her hoof against one of them until it came just close enough to the other for the tips of their wings to touch. “Because I got something out of all this…” Soul shook her head. “I can’t believe this adventure is over.”

She felt a hoof set down on her back. Where Blight was at her side, she leaned in and joined Soul to watch over both the dolls. But she spoke.

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“Our adventure has just begun, and it was a beautiful beginning.”

Blight came in and placed it right in between the two pony dolls. Soul watched how she meticulously pushed and pulled at where it sat trying her best to do what she thought she was trying to do, and it happened. Blight reeled away from it so both of them may marvel this little creation they made. One where both of the dolls, the best of friends, held this between them. Wrapped snugly between their wings casting all the light of the petals upon them. From those beautiful flowers.

“I am so glad to have experienced it with you” Blight said. Soul noticed she turned around, she did the same, till both pegasi stared at one another. Smiling deep. Smiles that were now capable of flourishing. For it was that feeling that had been made to exist at the end of all of this. All the past gone. Wish it all away. Because we have each other now.

Soul and Soulblight.

The truth in it all. Both pegasi said it together. “I’m glad I met you.”

Soul put her hoof to her mouth, surprised how both of them said the same thing. She feels the same way. I love it. She looked up at her friend again. The look in Blight’s eyes. A little shimmer of light in all that yellow and a tiny little twitch in her body. Blight was happy. She meant what she said. It came exactly where it came from Soul. From her heart.

“Time to say goodbye to everything” Blight said.

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Yes. It’s time to go. The last time to see all of this. The last time for them to be here.

Soul nodded. She did not have to say it for the reward that had been given to her was more than enough to prove to her that the land was ready for her to leave. It had already said goodbye to her. Time to accept that gift. Her final goodbye. “Thank you… for everything, Blight.” I say it to her, to the only thing in this land who deserves it, and I mean it. For the pony I never thought I’d feel this way for. The words hit home. Doing to Blight exactly what Soul imagined herself to do to get such praise with how much she smiled, even having to look away from Soul. Embarrassed. How her legs fidgeted and a tear came out of her eye.

My best friend. I’ll do anything to make her happy like this. Because I know that… I am important to her. Important enough to give me this. To do all of this. I hope to repay her someday. For now, just give her this.

Soul patted a hoof down on Blight’s mane, and… Soulblight made a little noise in her throat. It sounded so sweet. Like such a fawning child. Soul could not resist rubbing the top of her head. Laughing inside. For my great friend. All the chance she had to mess up Blight’s mane. She sure took her time to stop her, telling Soul that she did like it. Until one of those black hooves swiped her hoof away.

“Come here, you” Blight said. She opened her wings up to Soul. Soul almost did fall into them, but it was too late. No, Blight was the one who did it. Leaping into Soul and putting those great wings around her. Somewhere under it all, Soul felt her friend’s hoof come up and around the back of her neck. Holding her close inside the soft wings.

“Time to get your happy ending” Blight said. “Just let me know when you’re ready to go.”

If only we could spend so much more time like this. But we can’t. No reason to hold it off. Not when there was still so much to do. Soulblight is right, this is all just beginning. That happy ending… may it not be too far.

To see that life… once more. I can see it.

“I’m ready.”

“Stay strong, Soul. This will probably make you a bit dizzy.” Whatever it takes, let’s just do this. It’s time.

Goodbye. Goodbye to all of this. Never need to see this world again… and back… to my world. One that I love.

Together with my best friend. I have to tell her before she does it. Leaning back up inside of Blight’s hug, she whispered into that black ear.

“Thank you.”

Seeing only… that darkness.

Soul closed her eyes.

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