1.1
The darkness did not last.

None of that void as it was the best to describe it. Happening so quickly. Almost like it didn’t happen at all. But she still felt it. Saw it. Heard the rush of all the air sent out by this void. How it swirled and billowed when she blinked.

Then Soul blinked again. In came the light. Rushing right at her from within that darkness. Taking it over, destroying it. Whatever it was. She tried her best to see what it was that she exactly saw until it became familiar in the end. Familiar and… warm. Soul actually let her eyes fall when she felt a nice sensation run down along her legs and belly. Swishing and coursing about. Tickling her fur. Letting it soak right into her mind just like… splash.

Wet? Something was dripping and she felt it, running right down from her wings while it did as it had been doing… soaking her fur alongside that rush it gave to her. All across her. She had to look. Opening her eyes. No more darkness. Nothing like what had been dancing in her vision so quickly. No, something new danced in front of her. All around her.

Water.

Not at all like that pitiful water she bathed in. As she lifted her forelegs up out of it just to see if what she was seeing was actually true; at all that water splashing down from her fur, she just found herself simply adoring how warm it was. Not just her legs and stomach. It was a rush. A sensation. Like it electrified every corner of her body and even made her shiver. Just once. Only once. It was something she noticed. Not needing to shiver so much. Feeling this again.

This… this was exactly what she imagined.

Falling right down into a nice and warm hug or right back into a steamy bath though this water lacked it. But… the Sun provided.

Soul glanced all around her body. At how her fur shone bright in the sunlight and wandering to the image of the water she sat in. There… it made her gasp.

The Sun. It blazed brightly under her, in the water. Shimmering and waving with every move the water made. Just one thing that water gave her to see. There was so much more. Soul… she had to look.

1.2
It was only when she shot her head up… that was when she could tell her eyes were wider than they had ever been before. So wide they hurt. But there was no way to stop, not when seeing this. That first thing that shot across overhead. Flapping with wings just like her. Then another. Singing through the sky, just above her, a flock of… birds.

Brown feathered, little guys with wings so small but so strong. The same creatures from… long ago. Why, they looked the same. Everything looked the same. That was why Soul felt a small laugh begin to pop up in her throat. For how could she ever hold back such emotion to witness it again?

The sky. It’s my sky!

Ever flowing in a constant little plain above her. High up but so close, she could nearly touch it. Even raising her hoof up to it and all the blue that she wanted to let wash over her. As blue as the water she sat in. Blue and empty. So few clouds. It was like a miracle. Seeing this. W-where were all the other clouds? How… no way this could be made possible. For the sky to change so fast. Small puffs of white clouds hanging low overhead, and that was it. Nothing but open sky circling around the great yellow orb that warmed her face so much that she sighed. Kissing her cheeks in warmth. Inviting her up into that sky that belonged to it. An invitation she wanted to take, even her wings did too. Fluttering at her back.

This… this is the same sky when I was a kid.

Everything about it. So beautiful. So loving to her. Open to her and so many others. Like the birds… so many birds flying over her, and… is that a butterfly?! It was! Gliding just over her. Casting a shadow when its little wings caught the shine of the Sun. Then a bigger shadow. Cast by bigger wings far above that. Flapping strongly, they were all she picked out at first with just how natural it felt to see something beautiful fly through this sky before.

Is that a…

1.3
“Excuse me, sweetie.”

What… did something say something?

It damn near snapped her neck back when it took hold of her attention. Letting the sight die off when she saw it. Is that you, Soulblight?

But… that’s not Soulblight. No.

Soul saw her. Them. Four hooves. Fur of gold sporting a purple mane. Smiling right at her with what Soul saw as an impossible to believe moment behind that sight.

Ponies. …Everywhere.

Soul watched them all. Walking, trotting, even running. So many of them. Too many for her to count or even decide on if they may be real or not. Mares… stallions… children. Just marking every direction she turned. Doing things that… she had to be honest… she had no idea what they were doing. Just… things. One pulling some sort of cart filled with things she had no idea about. No wings, no nothing. That’s an… an Earth pony? And over there, they… they have horns. Unicorns, two of them, sitting atop patches of grass, just sitting there talking with many small ponies running about. Laughing. She even saw the bright red orb one pulled along in his mouth to a string; something I have not seen in so long. A balloon. Running off with two girls chasing after him. Giddily laughing among the grass and running out onto the brown stretching of soil running far ahead of her. Swirling about all around between so much grass.

Such green grass… it looks amazing. So amazing I can just eat it. But… it was just grass. Not like what really made her mouth water. A group of ponies with saddlebags packed full of… carrots… celery, fruits. All jutting out from the folds. They left her speechless as with how many ponies she saw frolicking about in the shadows brought down on them from what flew overhead… with those giant wings.

Dashing overhead in the Sun… other pegasi! All their wings. High flyers, low. So many. As many as there were ponies on the ground. This… this really was a…

“Excuse me.”

1.4
Huh? That pony right in front of her. No horn. No wings. Another Earth pony standing in front of her with a look she could tell was a little concerned, perhaps. “Could you please move?” the mare asked. “I’m trying to get a picture.” What? A picture with… oh, there’s her camera. Soul didn’t recognize it at first. Just some black box atop a stand next to the mare. Pointing right at her to whatever she was talking about. What did she even want a picture of? Of me? No, that would be stupid. Something behind me. She looked over her shoulder. It looked like a giant, purple pony loomed right over her. Standing. Reeling its legs up at her with all the shadow it cast. Something like it wanted to stomp on her.

Soul shuddered for a moment seeing it. But, that was no real pony. It didn’t even move. A pony still and tall. Atop some sort of pedestal, and ponies certainly did not shoot water out from the tips of their heads. Showering down upon Soul and the water she sat in. A water fountain? Wait. Soul looked back around her. Seeing the basin, how she sat on a hard and polished surface. Too white for it to be dirt. No lake. Like a bathtub. But bigger. Did I really...

Soul held her breath. Feeling all the embarrassment come over her, even wanting to hide herself behind her rising shoulders. Rude to do. So rude to have done this. “I’m sorry.” She got back on all four of her hooves, surprised when she slipped a little against the shiny surface under all that water. That didn’t stop her. Anything to get out of this. No bath. No normal water. Nothing she should have been enjoying sitting in. Sitting in a fountain. I must have looked dumb. That alone made her leap out from the water, landing right back down on a soft and ticklish surface that even made her heart leap feeling it. How much grass there was to touch against her. No snow or ice.

Something to marvel in later. I need to get out of here. Practically seeing the mare shaking her head in the corner of her eyes.

1.5
“What the hell was that supposed to be?” Soul blurted out, running off away from that embarrassing scene she put herself in. One minute I’m in front of Blight, now… we were supposed to go to Ponyville. But to end up in a fountain? If her body were not reacting so well to this, she’d say this was a dream. Not one at all. All the sounds, the warmth. A cool breeze even blew through her mane. Running through it all just to find a safe place, feeling all the ponies watching her. Probably gawking at how wet she was. None of that did matter in the end. Soul had to slow her run down just a little.

The feeling was amazing. The sights… they were beyond anything. Had that snowy village turned to summer all of a sudden? So many buildings. Small and large, surrounding her in colors the likes of which the village could never replicate. Flowers on the windowsills beneath open windows whose curtains blew in the breeze. Vibrant little colors matching so well with all the trees! So many trees! They even made her smile as she ran past. Towering high over the buildings with all their leaves swaying and flying about in the wind, caught up with the same path that flags took flapping atop houses and banners along the path she took.

There was no way this could ever be that village again, and so many ponies just staring at her, not taking time to marvel in this scenery. Look at it, you ponies. This is amazing! Something they got to interact with every day not even knowing what it really may mean. Some of them probably did. I sure do. Still listening to the birds that sang over all of it and all the chatter of the many ponies. Earth, Pegasus and unicorn ponies all about. So many of them. All together in this scenery.

This has to be Ponyville.

1.6
Blight did it!

All the sights and feelings, she couldn’t get enough of it… besides the soaking feeling she was getting along her butt. What a great way to arrive, Blight. What? Soul looked to her side. Where is she?

“Whoa!”

She heard it cry out too late. Soul felt it all slam along the side of her face and across her chest. Making her stop right in her tracks and, before she knew it, she was on the ground. On the ground with a hoof at her face. Sliding in closer to her but stopping short. Soul could not be kept down for long. Just a little pain in the side of her cheek, no big deal. Nothing like… what I’m used to. In fact, this felt a little soft. Exactly as she’d expect from what she just did. The punishment for not paying attention while she ran.

She looked up to whomever it was she ran into. First came the wings. Outstretched over and blocking out the sunlight. Covered in blue feathers. Staring up at a blue furred Pegasus. Not looking at all like the mare from the fountain. This pony was bigger, hulking, and the face… a stallion. Looking down over her with one brow arched beneath his short, black mane. Not at all something she expected to see like this, and for some reason it made her heart skip a beat with a rush of warmth going down her legs.

Not every day this happened. Not at all, and for that, Soul let her wings come up and cover herself now that this was happening. I feel like a total fool. First getting in the way of somepony, getting herself soaked and now running right into a big stallion. A Pegasus at that. Soul could still feel his shadow over her. Really making her afraid. I just got here and I’m already acting like a total spazz. Probably made this stallion mad. He’s so big, he… he could hurt me. Like… when I was... Please don’t hit me.

Oh shit! A Pegasus!? Soul widened her eyes. Is he gonna recognize me?

“Are you okay?”

1.7
He sounded… Soul found a word to put to it. Sweet.

Every thought just left from her. Replaced fully by her curiosity at what had just been asked of her. Am I okay? By the same voice that called out her attention right before she collided head on. Just a peek to see. Soul let some of her feathers spread out to see the blue face of that stallion right down in front of her. Leaning, peeking in at her as well with those eyes shining of rubies, as bright as his smile.

“Wow, you completely messed up.”

Soul heard another voice off to her left. Something that drew the stallion’s attention. His smile becoming a frown. “Running right into straight into mares like that, never gonna help, man.” “Shut it” the stallion said off to whatever was talking.

Soul refused to lift her wings away to see. Just preferring to watch the stallion who did smile at her before. His smile returning back to her. “Don’t listen to him” he said. “Can I help you up?” Soul twitched when one of his hooves came up to present itself to her face. Offering it to her own hooves left hidden under her wings. W-what a kind pony. This place, Ponyville, never see ponies do stuff like this. At least… I found a nice pony. Didn’t take too long. Could have been sooner to give her a better greeting to this place sooner but better late than never. Certainly not help she needed now.

Soul lost her gaze on the hoof her offered to her, falling off to watch her great wings slide off from her face and fold back up at her sides. Giving her plenty of space… for her to refuse. Bringing herself right back up with her own hooves.

“T-thanks” Soul muttered looking back up. Seeing she was almost face to face with the stallion. Not so tall now. Stammering her for a second. “But I can get myself back up.”

“You don’t look so good” another voice said. Sounding much like the one she heard the fellow Pegasus talking to. Accompanied by something touching her back. What the…! She almost bucked… but… it felt nice. Wrapping her up. Something that drew her attention. Finding it was none other than a sheet of black set down against her back. Curling about around her sides and coating her like it should have been. Somepony’s shirt. Moving around her in something she saw as very familiar. A mist. Not black, but white. Moving the shirt over her until it finally disappeared, leaving Soul feeling so warm under that covering. Birthed to her by magic from the pony standing alongside her.

Another stallion. Looking just as tall as the Pegasus, a unicorn wrapped up in a silvery shine that he could call his own fur. Casting his fiery eyes back over to her. “You can use my shirt.” Where the Pegasus sounded so soft to listen to, this unicorn, Soul could feel a little bit of subtle gentleness rubbing off over her just by how lucid his voice was. They want to welcome me? Be nice to me? Do they know?

“Did you fall in a lake or something?” the Pegasus asked. Okay, they didn’t know.

1.8
“No, …I… fell in the fountain” Soul excused herself. Guess that’s the truth but I’m not sure what happened. But it did make her entire body beg her to dry herself off. Not something the shirt was doing well on her backside. But maybe I can use it to dry off, if he’s okay with it.

“Can I really use your shirt to dry off?” He nodded. Wow, for somepony letting me use something of theirs... that had been a long time. Ponyville was very different. All of this was so different. I like it. A beautiful welcome for her. Soul didn’t know what to say. Eyeing the grass she stood on with these nice ponies. How many of the other ponies walking around us are also nice? None of them seemed to care about the three ponies standing around like this. Soul felt no eyes on her. Except for… “Come on, buddy” she heard the unicorn say. Prompting her right back to them just in time to see them leave. Well… the unicorn leave, wrapping his hoof around his Pegasus companion and dragging him along. “Give the lady some privacy” before he directed his eyes back in her direction. Pausing his pull on the Pegasus just to point a free hoof somewhere behind her. “You can be alone right there. We’ll be around.”

Around? Soul could just watch them leave. The Pegasus even shambling to keep up with the unicorn pulling him off, like he didn’t want to leave. A funny sight. Well, as long as they stick around for me to give this shirt back. Just now realizing the generous gesture they did for her when she saw that the unicorn had been pointing to an alley right behind her between two small houses. Well lit with plenty of little bushes in its midst. A secluded place for her. Perfect for her to dry off. Good, a ‘lady’ like me… shouldn’t do this in front of all these ponies. I’m not alone in that village anymore. Besides, I damn well don’t want any of them watching me dry off my butt.

Soul stepped off towards that alley, pulling the shirt off her with her mouth. Ready to get to work. For a moment to finally just sit down and look around. Doing this… while drying herself off. What a way to start.

1.9
Soul planted herself against the wall of one of those houses, feeling comfortable hidden behind one of the bushes the alley provided. All alone to start rubbing the shirt over her soaked hind legs. Ringing it out between her forelegs before getting back at it. Already feeling her legs start to get warmer just as her tail and rear did sitting on the soft grass. Get herself back to normal, easy while she listened to all the sounds around her.

Still hearing the children playing somewhere at the other sides of the houses. All the ponies talking. Words she could not pick out but still giving her a sense of wonder as to how incredible this change was. Never did she imagine she’d miss the sound of ponies and chirping birds so much. Anything to help her get this done faster, calming her down listening to the soft sounds. Finish this up so I can keep looking.

Not for Dash… but for Blight.

Still no sign of her. Where can she be? Not even knowing how this all worked in the end. Just in the house one moment, and in the water the next with no Blight in sight. Just remembering her words before. Wow was she right.

Soul stopped all her work, placing one hoof to her stomach. That really did come out of nowhere. Making her lurch forward, hoping it would go away as fast as it came on. That queasiness in her stomach. Sure took its sweet time or… had it been there the whole time? Way too much was happening. All of it still a blur.

I told you that you may feel dizzy.

1.10
Soul gasped. “Blight!” That was her voice. Soft. Gentle. But so strong, ringing in her ears in an echo. Like she was right next to her. She looked over her shoulder, frowning. Then the other shoulder. Empty. What? But I did hear her.

Everywhere she looked gave much of the same result. Alone in a strange new town, with one single task they both had in mind; Blight is gonna play this with me? That made Soul shake her head. This is no time to hide, come on out, Blight.

Fine.

Blaring off to her left. Bringing her nose right back around to see. “Here I am.” Blight’s pitch-black face burst right into Soul’s sight. Startling her for a moment. Just to see those dragon eyes come out of nowhere. A shocker still, no matter how much she got used to them. Throwing Soul right off her balance, having to catch herself with a flap of her wings to prevent her from falling over into the bush.

Soulblight cracked a little smile. “Oh get a hold of yourself. I’m right here” she said. Stepping forward to sit down right next to Soul.

Thank Celestia. Even though she scared her, Soul was more than happy to see her alongside her. Just a few minutes apart. It felt like forever. Not able to take in the beautiful scenery together, though Blight appeared to be doing just that with how Soul noticed her friend peering up over her head to something beyond. Staring at it and then looking back with perked ears to the empty space further down the alley.

“I guess we’re safe” she said turning back to smile at Soul. “Seriously, I leave you alone for a moment and you do all this.” She motioned to Soul’s soaked belly. Well not like it’s my fault. Something Soul caught out right as Blight said it. Making her snort with how irritated all of this made her. Not something she should be feeling. Giving herself a little time to cool down while she went back to drying herself off. This was all a new experience, not everything was going to turn out right. Especially like it just did. I could not have predicted this.

“Where were you?” Soul asked her. Doing her best to mask just how fragile her voice was asking that. Like a little bit of herself calling out. Showing just how worried she was starting to become after not seeing her best friend.

1.11
“I’ve been right with you” Blight said, but it was what she did that made Soul question her. She tapped a black hoof to her own forehead. Once then twice before resting it back down. What is that supposed to mean?

“No… you weren’t…” Soul pointed out. Answer me, seriously. Blight sighed. Motioning her mouth and leaning forward but stopping so quick, Soul witnessed her ears shoot right back up and spin around. Blight peering back over her own shoulder. Hoof held up. Soul swore she saw the fur on her back flail out. Two kids ran by between the opening at the end of the alleyway. Laughing and cheering, looking like they did not even notice the two pegasi watching them play. Watching till they ran off out of sight.

Blight slowly returned her gaze to Soul. Not lowering her guard at all. Wow, she’s so uptight. Shoulders raised and ears darting about. Listening for something Soul could not guess. “Look…” Blight whispered. Leaning in closer to Soul. “You know… know I’m shy and… well, I’m not exactly enthusiastic about strutting around the town.” Blinking her dragon eyes over and over. Like she were batting her lashes if Soul were think otherwise.

No, I get it. Blight, she is too bashful, that long time together showed that, but Soul understood. Blight was still very afraid of meeting new ponies, especially… like that. I think she looks cool, and she is cool. Other ponies… maybe not so much. The lesser problem. If Blight is shy, I have no right to make her do something she doesn’t want to. But hope it changes. So everything can work out.

Soul nodded her understanding.

1.12
“I’ll still be with you” Blight said. “Just…” she rose one of her hooves back up, not to her own head. It came straight to Soul, anticipating the feeling and then it came. Soul blinked when Blight tapped her forehead. “Right in here.” Soul also placed her own hoof to her forehead. What do you mean? So confusing, looking into Blight’s pleading eyes. Like she were asking for something. But for what? I should be the one asking for things. Like what the hell she was going on about. In my head?

“You lost me” Soul admitted making Blight sigh. “Should I spell it out? I’m too shy and want to stay inside your mind, if you’ll let me.” In my mind?

Soul had to touch her head again. Amazed more than anything. The fact that this had actually been requested of her when… she already did it. That was where she had been hiding this whole time? Preferring to stay in there till now, just like… when I was a filly. Huh, guess we really do have some strange bond. So it ran this deep? Shit. That made her rub her mane up and down. Not sure how to feel. Strange that she could do that, lack of privacy. But… I do enjoy Blight’s company so much. Maybe it will be interesting to have her in my head again. Hiding away in there just like before.

Wow. Back in Equestria with a pony in my head. Just like old times. Soul smiled. “Well you could have had to guts to fall in the fountain with me.” Choosing to hitch a ride instead. Soul giggled going back to finishing up on her legs. Confident Blight must be so elated now. Seeing just a little smile in the corner of her eyes and the black Pegasus leaning in closer. Joining Soul in sitting against the wall of the house.

“Just don’t mess around in there” Soul asked of her. “Don’t you worry. Not like I plan to wire you with an obsession for bacteria or something.” She could do that? Better not. I like myself as I am. Nudging her elbow against Blight’s side to remind her that.

1.13
Soul moved on to her stomach after giving her butt a thorough drying. Much relief there now. Almost done and not taking that long at all. No doubt those stallions must be getting antsy over how she must be doing. A fact that didn’t seem to bother Blight still sitting there more focused on looking around.

“We need to look around this place when we get the chance. …It’s fascinating” Blight said. Maybe Blight got to see everything that I saw earlier. It all really was beautiful. Nice to know Blight thought the same. Though it would be nice if she would like to walk around with me. She’d love to see how her best friend may react to everything around here while walking by her side. Not at all caring if other ponies saw her or not. Just so they can wrap hooves around one another and guide the other down the grassy paths and enjoy this beautiful town together like true friends.

“I saw that Pegasus did not even recognize you” Blight said, drawing Soul’s attention back to her. “Exactly like I said, and you handled it all so well. Public bathing and running into ponies, yet none suspected a thing.” Yeah, that was right. There had been so many ponies, countless ones who had all seen me and none of them even did anything to me. Even pegasi had seen me. Has it really been that long? Soul looked back over at her large wings and all the features of her body. Or maybe they all just didn’t care to notice.

But really, nothing bad had happened. So much could have happened and all she got was just a little wet. It still worried her a little. Impossible to shake it. That gnawing fear that somepony may recognize her, and so many ponies. Impossible to avoid it while searching for Dash. Venturing around the town!? That would be a mistake. Surprised she had not caught herself from thinking of exploring when so much was at risk. Only having to rely on one tiny fact about herself.

Would Dash even recognize me?

Somewhere in this town, amidst all these ponies, the one pony she wanted to rely on to make this all worth it, and I’m here with her. In the same town as Dash. Somewhere out there was her friend. No telling how far or where. Hopefully giving her plenty of time to think of something. What a bother. At least… I didn’t end up right in Dash’s face. What to do? What to do? So much to do with so little time. So little chances. So much against her, and here Blight sat looking as calm as Soul wished to be.

“Any idea where Dash is?” Soul asked her calm friend. Something better than an answer like ‘in the middle of Ponyville’. At least some way to track her old friend. A way that Blight spent just sitting there humming to herself.

1.14
Soul looked back up at her expecting an answer. Blight certainly was doing something. Gliding her eyes about with her ears. Staring off into the wall they sat before. Intently. Like she were trying to pierce right through it with just her eyes. Her humming stopped. Keeping still to herself, looking off to somewhere to Soul’s right. A direction that her black hoof pointed off in. “Somewhere over there, we’ll find her” Blight said placing her back against the wall again.

Somewhere over there. So this was going to be a journey. Soul regretted the idea of spending too much time walking the streets or even flying above them with all the pegasi. The longer, the worse off she may be. Then again, seeing Dash too early. Scaring her off. None of this is what she wanted, but they were all working against one another.

“Guess I gotta look for her” Soul muttered. Such a hard thing to do, Really hope it won’t be so bad. At least better than plopping in on Rainbow Dash right away with nothing to say. That… almost happened. It should have.

With one final ring of the shirt, Soul started. “I thought you were going to bring me right to Dashie. What was with the fountain?” “I did” Blight said. Looking back in another direction and then over to a group of ponies walking by on the other end of the alley. “Dash was there when I teleported. Now she’s gone. That’s what happens when one such as her is flying around.”

One hell of a coincidence. She better not have done that as a joke to get me wet. Though that doesn’t sound like her. Soulblight did like to play around, that much being true, but she’d not mess with her when something as important as this needed to be done. Rainbow Dash, she really must be fast now. A good challenge Soul hoped her to be when they will finally meet once again and it was that very same pony who just bought Soul more time to think this over. Guess Dash did help me just by flying around.

“Sorry I messed up a bit” Blight whispered. Sounding like she felt a little ashamed which was not at all anything for her to feel. Soul extended a hoof to her, tapping against that black shoulder of hers. All the fur that chilled her hoof in the heat of the Sun. Hopefully, Blight got a nice feeling out of being comforted like this. Blight didn’t mess up at all. She did good and Soul let her know that rubbing her hoof up and down her leg. She brought me here and gave me time to figure this out. She did very good. “Don’t you worry about it, best friend.”

1.15
Blight smiled. Bringing her eyes back over to glance at Soul with all that loving look she came to know well for the black Pegasus to give off. Charming Soul that she still had this pony by her side. Locked eyes. Unlocked. Blight shot a stare down the alley, over the bush and then… Soul widened her eyes not believing what she just saw as Soulblight disappeared before her very eyes. Just a dash of black. Nothing more. Going away as fast as her magic did. What…

“Hello.”

A call from over the bush. One voice she did recognize. Not Blight’s. The black pony who ventured off, disappearing off to… she bet she knew where now. Out of sight to all. Especially since this was now happening. It was the voice of the male Pegasus from before. Soul peeked out over the bush. Finding both stallions walking to where she sat. “You okay back here?” the Pegasus asked before finding just where Soul was watching them from. They came here for me? They must have gotten worried. Hope I didn’t take too long. No reason to keep them waiting longer.

Soul stepped out from behind the bush, brandishing the damp shirt in her mouth hopeful for the unicorn to see it. He did. “I’m all done” Soul muffled under the shirt, leaning forward to give it back. “Let me take that off your hooves” the unicorn said with a burst of his magic coming over the shirt and gently tugging it away. Soul let it go, right back to him. “Great. All dry now?” he asked to which Soul nodded. Letting her tail creep along her backside to be completely sure. Feeling out if any damp spots were still present on her tail. All felt good, as was her fur. A quick double check down on her legs shown them to be neat. Good to present herself to whomever.

“No need to stay back here then” the Pegasus motioned for them, back to the open space where so many ponies went about their day. Ripe for Soul to join back with all of them now that she didn’t look ridiculous and to get on with the goal. Needing no second thought to get her moving, following behind both stallions out into the sunlit grass again. Wide open space, even another pony allowing her to pass by. She had to give her a nice smile as thanks. Going back on, looking off in the direction Blight did point at earlier. So many buildings over there. Pathways everywhere. Perfectly arranged and with so much greenery.

So many ponies. H-how hard will it be to find a pony like Dash out there? Oh all this searching. Maybe I could ask…

1.16
“You look lovely, Ms.”

Soul’s ears perked up. The blue stallion said that. It brought her right back up to both stallions. Seeing how the Pegasus was glancing over his shoulder back at her with… such a smile on him. He looked funny. Saying that to me; Soul still tried her best to think over what he just said and how… the unicorn companion of his seemed to be giggling behind his shoulder. A motion she could tell he was doing. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to bother the Pegasus whose smile did not leave. Glancing back down to the ground and leaving Soul’s gaze. She did the same.

Somepony said that about me? A pony I just met… why… do others think the same? Blight probably had not been kidding. Maybe I do look nice again, all dried off. Something the stallions noticed. At least there was that. It did flatter her. Doing a good job holding back a little smile of hers, figuring out she was actually rubbing one of her forelegs along her other one. Not sure how she should be reacting to having a pony say that for her but… she liked it. Very… very different. Even though she had no idea on how she truly felt about hearing a compliment like that. I wonder what it is about me that makes ponies think I’m beautiful. Dash, Blight and now this pony. How many other ponies think I’m beautiful? The possibility left her in so much appreciation.

Maybe my wings. They were beautiful and she could even say the same for them. Being noticed. Maybe she can trust them enough to ask though it sounded wrong. “Thanks… um…” Soul finished up rubbing her leg. Calming her wings back down. “You guys are nice. I… kinda feel bad to ask more from you.”

Go ahead and ask them. Blight’s voice boomed out around her. Oh, she was still listening. Geez, what does this even look like to Blight? An audience to Soul getting compliments. No way to tell right now. Soulblight still gave good advice and both stallions stood there waiting for her to speak. No sign they knew what was going on.

1.17
“We’re pleased to help” the unicorn said. “Aren’t we?” He shoved a hoof right into the shoulder of his Pegasus companion. Well if they all insisted. Maybe it will make this a little easier. “I’m looking for a pony named… Rainbow Dash… can you help me find her?”

“Rainbow Dash? I did see her fly off over there not long ago” the Pegasus said pointing his hoof off to his right, right over in the same direction Blight had given. Two ponies saying so, so it must be the case. Dash really was here, and she must be close. The unicorn also followed in the direction that had been pointed out. “Over there? She must be at Sugarcube Corner then” he said. Sugarcube Corner.

Sugarcube Corner. I think I know where that is.

I know where she is… and there are ponies who know where that is. It… it was happening. Already, and shivers went right down her spine.

“May I ask how you know Dash?” the unicorn said back to her. Soul saw no reason why she he didn’t need to know the little detail. A detail she was unsure if she could call truthful, no way to tell if it still held. “I’m her friend, …I just wanna talk to her.” “You’re friends with Rainbow Dash?” the unicorn responded. Sounding and even looking amazed. Coming in closer to her alongside his Pegasus friend. Even making Soul back up from their gazes. “So lucky to be friends with a mare like her” the Pegasus said. “Well we can help you find her if you want.”

Great! That was easy. Two ponies who knew the area alongside Blight who was so smart, this will be easy and make it quicker to get this over with. Less time out in public, the better. Soul smiled at them, receiving smiles of their own. Feeling like she just made some good progress, everything going so well so early. Like everything had turned around. Constant good news. Some new friends, maybe. If both of them would want to be. …After all this of course. No need for them to know the truth so soon about me yet. Soul nodded her head.

1.18
“Excellent, by the way, my name is Solaris” the unicorn offered his hoof out to Soul. Hesitant to take it, but grateful to have a name to place on the pony it belonged to. Alongside one given by the Pegasus. “And I’m Skyshock, …what’s your name?” …Damn. Wait I need to give my name? But… of course. Best thing to do for ponies you just met is to give your name. It was only polite.

But… my name?

Such fear. Thinking rapidly over what to do. Certain she looked foolish right now, no indication by the two stallions that was the case. All the more accepting of her, even waiting patiently for her answer. Hopefully they did not see how her hind legs shook. If I tell them my name… they will know. I won’t see my friend and this will all be ruined. Sent right back to that tundra by who knows how many guards and Celestia herself. Certain her name alone would turn these friendly ponies into the cruelest ones and no way to stop them.

Maybe… just my first name. That sounded a little safer. Something she considered, it sat on the tip of her tongue. Ready to be given to them. Just say it, it’s polite. I need at least reward them with my name for being so nice to me. Just, please… may it not backfire. So easy for it to do just that.

Here, allow me.

“Sorry boys, but I care little for your names. Time for you to beat it.”

1.19
Soul planted a hoof to her mouth desperate to shut herself up. Hearing even more about to come out, stopped right short before it could do what she dreaded seeing right in front of her. Both stallions completely destroyed. Just the absolute opposite of the friendly faces she grew to see upon them, as she would be too.

I heard it all coming… and couldn’t stop it. Just a ringing booming out around her before… it did come out. In my voice. My voice did this. Soul felt so ashamed, no idea on what to say. Just keep her big mouth shut because she knew the few things she said was enough, enough for her to fear.

“Oh… our apologies” Solaris muttered, shrinking before Soul. Even wrapping himself right back up in his damp shirt. Refusing to look Soul in the eye. She could not even see their eyes anymore, gone to stare upon the very soil they all stood on. “We won’t keep you any longer.”

“Yeah… I hope you find Dash” Skyshock said just as low as Solaris, and two tails turned to her. Subtle hoofsteps, walking away from her. Walking past her. Everypony avoiding her. As if they knew. Maybe they did. Did they all hear those terrible words I said to two ponies who helped me?

“No, wa…” Soul extended her hoof to both of them. No. She lowered it right back down. My name is Soul. She heard herself say it but it will not come out, no reason to. It was all done and over. Just sit here and watch them, all of them walk past her like she didn’t even exist. That alone infuriated her.

1.20
What the hell is wrong with you?!

What? You believe I was in the wrong?

So that proved what she thought. All Blight’s doing. The fact it was her doing… it shocked her to say the least. When it felt so natural. Her hoof coursed a path along her lips. The same lips that spoke with Blight’s words. With Soul’s voice. Taking it like it was her own. So quickly. To a point where it almost did seem like it was her talking. Soul fooled herself, both of them fooled Soul as much as they fooled the stallions. A thing she never wanted.

They were nice ponies. It was mean to say that to them. Still, the deed was done. Soul looked back to find both stallions well away, heads still low as they disappeared into the crowds. Leaving with her words that were not her own still on their minds.

Could you not pick up on the hints? Really, girl? Ponies like that make me sick, barely here for five minutes and we already have stallions trying to get to your loins.

Soul held her breath, just as her heart leaped into her throat. Actually left her shocked to hear such a claim. Why, it even made her hind legs shrivel in close to one another. Her tail covering it up. I have never heard Blight say anything like that before. Never had another mare talk to me like that. To claim that. It sounds so ridiculous. Too rushed on Blight’s part. So… why am I afraid that it is true? Nothing about this place gave Soul any reason to doubt the genuine kindness of the ponies that could be shared with her. All it meant was for her to just keep her name away from them all, then it will all be okay. I will be okay. No ponies will try to do that with me. They were just nice boys.

It just gave me a bad impression. I only want to protect you.

1.21
Well you just gave them a bad impression of me, you know I wouldn’t say that to anypony.

No doubt a bad look on her for any pony around who may have picked out what she had said. Soul looked all about trying to see if this may be true, trying to see if anypony did stare at her. Only finding a few glances and smiles when a hoofful of ponies walked past her. Just more friendly faces. Like nothing happened.

To think this place gave Blight a bad impression… what a load. For it to prompt the black Pegasus to do that. Like sutures embedded into her tongue for a brief moment and words of venom. She still felt it. It felt nasty. Soul shook her head. It was done, and now Blight can talk through me? Not a pleasant feeling at all. Not a good thing to know. Just another buildup for all the things that Pegasus could do, her magic really could do anything.

Soul turned off in the direction she had been pointed towards, hoping to leave this moment behind and hoping those stallions did not curse her later on for being such a jerk to them. Just more ponies to be mad at me, not what I need. Plenty are mad at me already.

Look, it’s time we set up some ground rules.

Ground rules?

This was a completely different environment and a different situation. All the stuff back in the arctic won’t work around here, evidenced by what just happened. Seeming like Blight needed some reminding of this. Definitely so, especially when we… find Dash. That made Soul shudder thinking what could happen. Dash was already mad enough at her.

As long as you’re in my body, you need to behave, Blight. She heard a sigh go off in the deepest corners of her head. Roiling about within and blaring in her ears.

My apologies. What is it you don’t want me to do?

1.22
Just don’t do anything that may make ponies suspicious of me.

Soul started off the basic thing as she made her way a short distance down the grassy paths back to where the fountain had been, somewhere off where this Sugarcube Corner was pointed out to be. Walking amidst the other ponies, none of them any the wiser of what was going on.

No magic either. I know it’s what you’re good at but… it’s… not…

Yes, it’s not something you do. I understand.

And no talking with my mouth either, I’m scared enough and don’t need you saying stuff like… that for me.

She even uses such language… ugh don’t use my mouth for that. My loins, the nerve. It still made her uncomfortable to hear any claim like that. No matter how genuine or good natured it was for Blight to be concerned about something like that. Not like I would allow it. It’s all my business, not Blight’s. Just like my voice… and damn, Blight is taking a while to answer.

Understand?

Yes, mother. Let that one slide. Actually, she felt more warmed up hearing the exaggeration in Blight’s voice. She couldn’t precisely place it, …but it felt good to just hear a pony talk like that to her. Like nothing bad did happen. Again, she found herself wanting for Blight to be right next to her. Walking alongside her. I don’t think anypony would judge her, they aren’t judging me. They should judge me but they aren’t. Especially if they heard what I said… or what Blight said. Whatever. As long as she was by her in some way, Soul felt safe.

She laughed under her breath. Going off to where kind ponies did point her off to her destination.

1.23
Not much further, I believe it’s just left of those stands up ahead. Good. Not much further then. Certainly a short walk, maybe just a few minutes spent getting here and not too long left. Soul looked at the stands just down the path, sitting alongside some tall buildings and a corner around them leading to even more paths where plenty of ponies ran and mingled. So many just hawking around the stands. Maybe something interesting there.

So Dash is close?

Yes, still around Sugarcube Corner. Oh geez, so it’s coming. Was this all going to be good enough? I really hope so. This whole thing was so complicated. Even looking back over the lengths of her legs to be certain no ruffles or cuts were present to shy Dash away. Think she was ugly or something. A point she worked hard on on the way here, taking time to look at herself in the reflection of many windows, only to find nothing changed. Her mane and tail still the way she always liked. Fur well-tended to and her wings as gorgeous as she always liked to think. So why still so much worry in her appearance? I look good enough. I do get compliments on my appearance anyways. So maybe they did have truth to them.

Looking good and… Soul stopped short of running into it. A puddle left right at her hooves. Looking plenty muddy. Something she easily avoided with a quick leap, grateful she caught that before stepping in it. Presenting her muddy self to Dash was something just so bad. Damn it, is it good enough? Just introduce myself. Tell her I missed her. Oh but there can be so much more to say. It just didn’t sound good enough to welcome the beloved pony of her life that she was so close to seeing again. So close it made her heart begin to beat right into her chest. This day… really is happening too fast.

Calm down, Soul. I can’t! Too much can happen to make this all fail. Waking up this morning, not even knowing or able to prepare for something like this. More concerned with how bad her entire body felt instead, when this was going to happen. Just introduce myself. Introduce myself. Preferably with no ponies around. Be nice and gentle to her. Put on a good smile. Oh I need to stop freaking out over this. It made her slam a hoof to her forehead. Looking out from under it at how close those stands were getting. Just walking closer to her destination as if her hooves had a mind of their own. Too bad that wasn’t the case.

I really want this.

1.24
Maybe I can get her something nice. There were stands up ahead. Soul eyed them thankful they were here to begin with. Curious what could be there. If there was anything that Dash may like. Stuff surely was there that lots of ponies liked considering how many there were assembled around the stands. A crowd that Soul joined in with, carefully squeezing her way past a few ponies, hoping she would not bump into them and interrupt their conversations. All the more for them to just not even realize she was there.

One stop and that was all, the less time spent, the better.

Soul found her way through them and up to where more ponies welcomed her to join them, even making a spot for her to walk in to just by them noticing the young mare stepping up. Soul gave them a smile no matter how scared she was to be among so many ponies that could easily recognize her, the fact they were all so nice deserved some praise from her. Just as she’d expect from nice ponies to share to her. She found the source of why these ponies even were here. This stand whose colors matched the same colors of all the things that were arranged on and around it. Set out in baskets and boxes open for any pony, even her, to step up and sniff. Which she was really tempted to. Just to come in and sniff at the very things she loved so much, enough to make her mouth water again.

Ripe and red with such succulent leaves atop them were the bushels of strawberries set out between so much else.

Soul looked over it all. Taking so much time to take it in in how wonderful it was to see this stuff. Fruit and it’s exactly like what Blight made for me the other day. Strawberries, it took a lot to keep her tongue in her mouth. But all the others, just as tantalizing. From the apples and cherries. Huge, split watermelons whose juices practically soaked the plates they were set out on. …To take a bite of all of them, these fruits Soul missed seeing for so long. Oranges, peaches, oh she could feel her whole body shiver. Sweet Celestia...

1.25
Even beyond this stand were more stands with so many other ponies around, places where she even saw… vegetables! They made her eyes nearly go numb. Shit… give me some of them. For Dashie and me. Was it… Rainbow loves carrots and apples, right? There sure were a lot of them to bring to Dash.

Slipping her hoof out to pick out a few of the inviting fruits. Then something slammed.

It made her freeze in place, slowly looking back up to where she heard it. Somepony had thrown a large bag atop the stand right next to her. A stallion at that leaving it there, seemingly for the pony right behind the stand. Soul saw all the leaves and colors bursting out from the opening to the bag. So many apples, and… he put his hoof right down next to the bag where he left… Soul’s heart plummeted.

That’s right… just like the adults did. Those were bits. The coins that the standpony graciously accepted and let the stallion go on his way with the prized bag in his mouth. What I would do for a bag of all that. All she could do was watch ponies walk away with all their earned treasures. That made Soul shrink away from the stand. Saddened with herself ever more. No bags on her… or a purse, nothing like the other ponies who had such things to carry those bits in, if she could even have any bits. I’m broke. A fact that made her simply walk away with as much to give Dash as she had before. Still, she did make one last look back over her shoulder to all the foods arranged all around. Someday… I want to devour all that. Hopefully, I don’t need to wait long. After when… when she could make friends with Dash again, with nothing to give to show Rainbow that she was here and wanting to be friends again. It sucked being left with nothing to work with.

You’ll work it out, Soul. I know you will.

Maybe. That time was coming.

1.26
She needed to make those last few dreaded steps past the stands that mocked her with how much delicacies they did offer her. Preferring not to look at them any longer and just walk past all those ponies that had the privilege of enjoying those normal things such as eating such tasty foods. Left to her own devices now that she rounded the corner and saw what she could easily call out as where she was supposed to go. All she had was what little she could think up of in all her twelve years to prepare for this moment, this moment when she stood right in front of where Rainbow Dash herself was. Truly it must be the place.

Such a tall building wrapped up in so many colors and layers upon its roof and even the walls and walkway. Something like… candy canes? Cookies? Like the house itself was made of them. Who the hell makes a house like this?

A big cupcake on its display board, a cupcake tipped much like the very roof of the house was tipped, and… somepony put candles on top of it? This place, really it was such a sight beholden to none other than a town like Ponyville. Such a strange town. So different. Nothing like Cloudsdale. I think I like it. Secretly containing how excited she was to see a building like this that took no genius to tell must be the sweets shop Blight explained to her that was what Sugarcube Corner was supposed to be.

It tantalized her enough to make the Pegasus blindly approach it. In awe at how it all looked and she spotted so much more. Getting this close, now her mouth really did drool. Right there in the windows, she bared witness to stuff much like what she had the honor to indulge in all thanks to her best friend. They looked just as good. Birthday cakes packed so much in icing and chocolate… she saw how it all just slid out and coated every side of the cakes like it were meant to just tease ponies who passed by. Like a ton of chocolate was used just for one cake. Decorated in so many colors, icing left in patterns around candles or no candles at all. Even fruit slices. Cakes of many colors. Taken right to her knees when she spotted… she licked her lips. …A strawberry shortcake with three layers! So many strawberries and somepony had to idea to even put orange slices on top of it. Holy crap! I need that.

She put her nose right on the glass. Taking a moment before she felt how her own tail wagged. “Wow…” she swooned over it all. So much more could even be seen further off inside the shop. More cakes and sweets. This was it. This was where I need to go to get all the sweets. When I have actual money. Otherwise, she’d buy them right now. Pig out before meeting with Dash as a treat. A gift to herself for making it this far. Taking her time to look over every detail of each cake presented in this window. The best part was… she had a whole other window to ogle at as well, and she saw plenty of cakes in that one too.

1.27
Zipping right on over to those ones with a quick flap of her wings. …So beautiful. Just like the others, and cherries on one! Rainbow is inside this place?! She must be pigging out just like I would. If I know Dash, that pony loves her sweets. In there right now. All according to Blight. Or was she?

She is definitely in there? She waited patiently for the answer. Actually taking Blight a few seconds to respond, seconds of so much anticipation.

Yes.

Soul’s tail flipped up. As did her ears with a little jaunt of her wings. Right on the other side of these walls. Sweets and candies, Rainbow Dash. Too much to take in. So much to await. But it all called to her. Soul thought it over. Making her way back to where the door was and, beyond that, to where Dash was.

This really was going to be the moment of truth.

Twelve years. That alone, Soul had to let out a deep sigh and then another. Anything to calm herself down, like her entire body was vibrating as much as she felt her heart was now pounding. All of her eager, so very eager to see exactly what pony was in there. What words she will say. All those kind words they shared to one another and how Dash had been there so much before all this. That filly I can still see. Like she never changed. The one with the scruffy mane and her raspy voice. With a flank as blank as Soul’s had once been.

So much must have changed, so much did change… twelve long years.

Now… here we are, back in this world again. Twelve years to wait and see exactly how her first friend turned out, if she was the same pony as before. If both of them could ever be the same ponies as before in a friendship as beautiful as what she could now place on the one she now had with Soulblight. One without the three words she never wanted to hear again come from anypony’s mouth. Especially from her own. No more cruel words. Just be nice to her. Act like how we used to. If I am still capable of it.

You’re going to do fine, Soul. I’ll be right here.

1.28
I hope I will. This moment…

Soul took a deep breath. Easing herself as much as Blight’s words did. Just needing to hear her. A pony who she adored and who adored her. Further reasoning to show that not all had been lost. I can still be that friendly pony for Dash. Just please do the same for me. Only one way to find out. Soul looked back down over herself. Checking her legs and back over to her wings and tail. Giving the bangs of her mane a good flick, just enough to be sure it looked good and keep it covering just one eye, off her nose, her cheeks. Just like Dash will remember. I look as good as I can get. Time to get things moving.

Walk in and say hi.

Soul took a step forward, closing in to these double doors that demanded her push. Through them and beyond to see whatever pony may be inside. Whichever pony it was. Her ears… they caught it. A click from the door and… steps. Oh hell!

Soul backed off. Just in time. Right before she saw in a flash how the door swept right past her nose, just short of clipping her and both double doors coming to rest. Resting together along the walls just as Soul herself came to a rest. Backing off to where the pink steps did begin. Free of anything that may strike her. Standing patiently and still when everything in front of her stilled as well. Even able to see the dust settle. Falling off from the tops of the doors and swept aside by the motion that made her entire world come to a halt.

It all went still. Even… her heart.

Only able to see what was right in front of her, and how silent it all was.

Those hooves that did walk before her, sweeping aside the dust as they stepped out onto the stairs that Soul did share with them. Seeing those hooves walk past her, hearing a laugh above them. Soul watched it all pass by in a flash of color she knew to strike her eyes so much. Glittering as that fur coat did. As everything about it did. Those colors… they are… the ones I remember.

Soul watched it all pass. No way to look away. Never. So… this is all real?

A rainbow.

1.29
Soul wanted to touch it as it went by. So many sheets of that color wrapped upon one another in an endless mesh of hair so fluffy as to make her even want more than to just touch it. Because she knew exactly how it did feel from so long ago. The look and the beauty. I remember it all.

Swaying by along a web of feathers set to cover that beauty. All along the sides. Giggling. Like they were giggling at the pony who they impressed, and all the strength she saw in those things. Those wings. Thick muscles. Strong and large even when set upon themselves. Never before have I seen such strong wings… not since… my own.

So… somepony else… reached it too.

Years and years since she saw them before. So much did change. So why… why still leave her star struck? Soul looked out to them and further off. Stepping out behind where all that beauty did pass her by. Laugh by her. Laughter from the pony it all belonged to. Who did walk away from her leaving only the sight so common to Soul after all these years. All the time she did have to see it in the dark, shining bright no matter how dreary everything else became to make up a great and thick tail of the skies of Cloudsdale. Swaying and nearly licking her face as they went across her sight. Flying with the wind that sung over Soul’s head. Drawing her back up to watch her walk off. But not alone. Soul let herself go. Keeping that tail set right in her sights. That tail waved to her…

You want me to follow? Follow you… after all these years. Years and now, I finally get to see it all. All the differences in these twelve years. Those ears as high as Soul’s own and wings so great and fluttering in their beauty matched only by the long, colorful hairs loosely waving about in the wind. Like streams of water that did flow from her. Basking together in the sunlight shining off their lengths.

Vibrant colors of a pony unlike any other. This pony.

You’re the one… I have wanted to see for so long. So beautiful. So different. Yet… I see it. This is the same feeling. The one that… calms me.

You never did change, Rainbow Dash.

1.30
Walking away, laughing at something muffled Soul did hear. Like somepony else was talking. Something she did realize after another second. Ashamed in herself for not noticing this earlier. There was another pony with Dash. They didn’t notice me? No. They just walked off together, leaving Soul to watch them. Watching their tails egg her on. The tail of true beauty and one as bright as the Sun was gold. A pony with fur like an orange shrouded in such a golden mane. Wearing a hat. A rounded one.

Both of them just going on, and Soul… she could barely keep up with them. Following on such soft hooves. Following… with this dream. A dream. Rainbow Dash.

She’s in front of me. Walking away. But the wind did blow. The Sun did warm her and she felt every bit of happiness rushing over her. Falling off, away from this, the real thing. Real life. My life.

I’m with the pony… I have dreamed about for years. She’s back, and we didn’t speak a word.

Gave nothing to acknowledge the other. Like nothing did happen. That can’t happen.

Soul lifted her hooves off the ground. Leaping down the steps and after the tail that she loved. The pony she adored. Say it. Get her attention. Something made possible with Soul right back behind both ponies who both laughed to whatever they were doing. How very long I have prepared for this moment. How much I have wanted it. Here it is!

“H-hi, Dashie.”

1.31
Both those ponies stopped. Soul almost did run right into both of them. Stopping short to stand right between their tails. I did it. I said it and… now what? Not enough to force her smile away. Feeling it grow wider when she saw as both ponies turned around. Turning around to face her! Soul’s eyes locked with another’s. Like the world slowed. When she saw that color burning bright in such a shine akin to Soul’s own coat. Shining. Going off in the brilliant light of the Sun itself, even able to see that orb glowing right in those eyes that met her own. Bright like her smile. A smile they shared. Not knowing just how important it was to Dash, but Soul felt it all.

Her heart stopped.

Twelve years without it and now… now Dashie is smiling at me. So different from when she last saw her. The real her. Rainbow Dash was smiling at her.

“What’s up?”

Oh Dashie, your voice. Almost like you didn’t even grow up. Just a tiny little change to it but still… she has that cute little voice of hers still. I missed it so much.

“I... uh-I…” Soul cleared her head up. Shit, almost lost it there hehe. Practically feeling herself begin to freak out knowing she was actually hearing from her oldest friend once again. Not a good thing to break out in a screech right in front of Rainbow. No matter how scared or excited or whatever she felt. Just be calm. Be myself. The Pegasus that Dashie will know. Dash was even starting to raise an eyebrow. She wants to know. Oh wait… Soul just felt it.

Her legs were shaking and Dash saw just that. Seeing her shining magenta eyes looking down at it.

“Um…” Soul hid her legs back, look away from it. Hope I’m not scaring her. Also hoping her face was not freaking out as well. No way to tell that.

“I’m… so happy to see you, Dash.” Soul came in a little closer. Presenting every bit of her face to her beloved old friend, neither pony she approached moved. Dash almost seemed to welcome Soul’s advance. Resting her magenta eyes right back on the Pegasus and her smile did grow. Rainbow even pointed a hoof to herself.

Do you remember me!?

1.32
“Yeah, I’d be happy to see me too. Did you need something or…” Dash scooted in a little closer, cocking her head to Soul. Fully presenting her ear for whatever words Soul had to say but… nothing could be said. Wait… could’ve sworn she would… recognize me.

What to expect? Twelve years of the unknown and trying to imagine how their first encounter in so long would play out. Much like this, seeing exactly how beautiful Dash was, how she grew up along with Soul and both ponies to see that change. Just her fantasies in the night before she drifted off to sleep. But this was no fantasy. Dash here with me… and she doesn’t know who I am. Even I have a hard time admitting that this… this gorgeous pony is the same Rainbow Dash.

What to do? Doing her best in the end, just like Dash was doing to hear her out. Give her a chance. Because she had no other idea on what this encounter did mean. But Soul knew it all. She saw it in her friend’s face. In her voice. “You… don’t remember me…?” Soul even felt her heart begin to crush just by saying those words and the pause that followed. Because Dash really did make the answer obvious. Looking Soul over up and down and eyeing into Soul’s own eyes. Eager to see something. Soul did see something. She saw her old friend making an effort, and she saw no reason to be upset. Even if it hurts to know that… she forgot me. No… it was just a long time. Just like Blight said. I changed a lot since then. Dash did too. Both fillies were now mares and, based off everything she had heard and what she saw in front of her, beautiful mares to be exact. Not those scruffy fillies anymore.

She wouldn’t recognize me. Too much. Way too much changed. She did not need to wait to hear Dash’s answer. “Well… that’s okay. I’m still happy to see you.”

“I’m sorry” Dash whispered. “I’m still looking around for a name here.” She leaned back, grinning innocently at Soul and swaying on her legs. Looks uncomfortable. Another laugh rang out.

1.33
Soul looked off with Dash to the other pony standing with them, the one with the straw hat who did a good job letting the pegasi get to talk a little. “Hehe looks like Dash has got ‘erself another fan. Ain’t that right.” She bumped a hoof against Rainbow’s side. Even making Dash roll her eyes. Didn’t look too happy. Whoa… I’ve never heard a pony like this. That voice, and is she Dashie’s friend? Another fan? So she has fans? Typical. Probably did have plenty of time to gain the notoriety they both sought to achieve since they were fillies. Or maybe just plenty of friends just like this orange pony had to be.

Feels bad. Bad to feel a little jealous. So much time spent in the tundra away from all this. At least I got something out of it. She still knew she had a really cherished pony watching over her right now, somewhere under her mane. Whatever she was doing. Another reason for her to wish Blight to be by her side right now. Maybe she could help me.

Do you want me to talk?

What? Damn it. No, it’s okay. I got this. She could swear she heard Blight giggling somewhere up there. Like she would do any better in this situation. Oh when the time came, I’ll enjoy how silly you are when you meet new ponies. But this was her time now. “Can we talk in private?” Soul whispered to Dash. Giving a little smile to the orange pony. She didn’t seem to take any offense to it. Even tipping her hat to Soul.

Rainbow Dash did wait a moment but she also met the orange pony’s gaze. Both of them seeming to come to an understanding and the orange pony walked off. “See ya later, Dash.” “Later, Applejack.”

Rainbow met Soul’s gaze once again and it was her who took charge. Nodding her head with a whip of her rainbow mane off in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. Like she knew exactly what to do. Soul found her old friend leading her on to a nice, open spot at the side of the building where no ponies even were. A surprise to see such a big and quiet space around this busy place.

1.34
Such a place really was so empty. A good place for both of them to talk but it still proved to be utterly terrifying. No matter how much she tried, Soul’s heart would not stop pounding away. Even with such a relaxed walk she and Rainbow shared together into the shadow of the building. Nopony around, nopony can see this. Cuz I feel like I may freak out. Thankfully, Rainbow also kept her tail to her. Just walking along not at all aware. But this is going to happen. Happening right now because Dash finally did find her place to where she did want to talk to Soul. Turning back around with that same smile on her face and those eyes coming about to face the Pegasus who accompanied her.

Alone, together.

Soul gulped. She’s staring at me. Those eyes. Really… Dash, do you not recognize me? I have to try and get her to remember? Oh dear. This time, guess I need to do all the work. She wants an explanation.

The cyan Pegasus sat herself down with a quick flop against the wall. Sighing pleasantly and turning to her again, like she were inviting her to sit with her. Really a different pony from what she grew accustomed to. So friendly all of a sudden. Open to her; she doesn’t even know me. A lot of ponies here are so nice. Sometime, I should try to find those stallions again. Solaris and Skyshock? No matter what happened, Soul needed to thank them for helping her find this moment and inviting her to all this just as well as Dash was doing now. But Soul kept to herself. Not at all allowing herself to sit down and just stay there, with Dash as she was. Comfortable enough, as hard as it was to be comfortable in this situation. She still had the chance.

“It looks like you really don’t recognize me, …but it’s still nice to see you again” Soul said down to the pony.

1.35
Amazing for Dash to still keep that smile of hers but she must be confused. Edging herself forward to lean on both forelegs, coming a little closer to where Soul was. “Seriously” she said. “You’re making me really interested right now.” Dash pointed a hoof right to Soul’s chest. So sudden, Soul leaned back just for a moment. But Dash stopped herself, hoof just to where Soul’s fur ended. “Where have we met before?” Dash looked down to where she pointed to Soul’s chest. Soul feeling her eyes all over her. Going up, watching Dash looking at every bit of her that she dared to show to the Pegasus. I can feel her looking all over me. She can see how strong I am now, how tall and thin. How long my mane has gotten… like I am a new pony to her. She doesn’t know it’s me.

I have to explain to her… but how? What will even work? The way Dash was looking at her right now, curious but friendly… how much will that change once she knew the truth? Soul really had no idea on what to expect. Anything. Good or bad. After what I left her with long ago. Those last words I said to her. They have to be fixed. I have to be the one to fix it. Twelve years of waiting and accepting herself to carry this out to the end. Now was not the time to be afraid anymore. She gave up on that long ago, in order to get this one and only chance.

“I feel like I know you…” Dash said with a growing frown. Wow… was this…? Soul actually began to feel even more uneasy seeing just how much of a possibility that this was really about to happen and she had the words ready to say. Words easy to form because they were the simple truth and her real desire.

I need to do this. “You do know me” Soul said. “And I know you.”

1.36
Rainbow cocked her head. Humming under her breath and still going about looking Soul over. Holding that hum for just a moment before…

“Back there…” Dash turned up to look at her. “You called me Dashie.” Soul nodded. There was something… a little light in Dash’s eyes. Glittering. Shining so bright in the Sun. Soul felt butterflies in her stomach. I did call her Dashie. That silly little nickname. It still gave Soul a little tingle down her spine every time she said it. Maybe Rainbow does remember it… and what it meant when you said I could call you that.

“Not… many ponies call me that…” Dash put her hoof to her chin. “But I…” she paused. Looking, staring at Soul’s face. That’s right, Dashie. As far as I know, only a few ponies call you that. Your parents… and me. Maybe now, with Dash’s eyes flaring up, she can remember who I am.

Soul had to smile. As much as she wanted to start crying right now when she saw how everything between the two of them just now changed. Began to change.

Soul leaned in. Letting Dash see her smile ever closer. Close so she may whisper for the pony to hear. “I remember when I first called you that, Dashie. I’m glad you never forgot it.”

Rainbow stayed silent and Soul saw it all in her face. Her smile was gone. Any semblance of that proud pony she tried to show off to Soul was now gone. Because, Dashie knows, that stuff doesn’t work on me. Even more now, because Soul truly did feel that Dash knew what was happening.

We have been reunited. After all this time. Soul reached a hoof out to her. Open. Accepting to whatever Dash wished to give to it, just like how they always used to do.

“I’m back, Dashie.”

Rainbow gave off one little whish of air from her mouth. Flying out, warming the air between them. As warm as Soul’s own heart felt when she heard exactly what Dash whispered.

“Soul…”

1.37
“Serenity” Soul finished for her.

Silence. All the world fell to silence with nothing but the last bits of that name cast off in a whisper to the wind. Rainbow fell silent. Soul fell silent. Both pegasi staring at one another. This moment… it finally came. Rainbow Dash staring at her. No longer at her body or around her face. No. Both pegasi stared into one another’s eyes with just Soul’s hoof left in between both of them and… Soul saw a motion down below. Just one flash of cyan. Not daring to take her eyes off her old friend to see, to see that Rainbow Dash was lifting her own hoof up. Bringing it right to where Soul held her own. Up. Closer.

Hold my hoof, like old times.

1.38
“No freakin way” Dash whispered. Her hoof plummeted, as did Soul’s spirits.

“Soul Serenity? She… she left. She was sent away.”

Rainbow Dash’s gaze did fall. Any happiness. All the wonder between both pegasi in their shared moment about to be made true, it all left her face. Nothing but something else in her old friend’s face and it pained Soul to see it. She doesn’t believe me. She couldn’t.

“Why… why would you say that to me?” Dash asked. “It’s not that nice, you know?” A little flicker of a smile popping up under her mane. Just a brief second. Soul did not fall for it. Rainbow Dash was really hurt now. She’s hurt from me saying this stuff? Why?

“She made it really clear before she was banished. Before Celestia sent her away. So please don’t make fun of me anymore.” Rainbow Dash stood right back up. Her hooves turned and Soul saw how her wings began to flare out. She’s… no!

Soul leaped in front of her. This can’t be allowed to happen. No matter what happened between us, we need to see this through. I am not gonna cower and let you leave. No more. “Get out of my way” Dash hissed. More of that tough pony attitude from so long ago. Not working, Dashie. I won’t leave. I know just how you really are and what made our friendship so special. For that, Soul refused to do any of what she said. Even if she strikes me. Soul able to almost feel it… on her cheek. Practically able to feel the burn of Dash’s hoof against her skin. Soul’s hooves were the ones that connected to Dash instead.

I know what to do. This will make you remember.

Soul planted one, then both hooves of her forelegs against those of Rainbow Dash’s. Putting them forward, going right into Dash’s face and then…

1.39
Soul clapped her hooves against Dash’s again. Two times, that’s what it was. A second clap. Then it happened… Dash’s eyes widened. Not able to see it for long. Soul was afraid that Dash may fly off in the time this took but she needed to try it. To finish the move.

She slid herself next to Dash. Rainbow did not do the same. That’s fine. She doesn’t need to. I can do this myself. To show her, and Rainbow allowed it. Soul was allowed to plant her side right against Dash’s side. Locking her wing to Dash’s. Just briefly so their feathers may touch. Our wings, our shared talent. The things they grew up together with in the little time they knew one another to be able to form this. This thing that Soul finished up with the final part. Wrapping her leg around Dash’s neck. Just like the first time… we did this.

Dash did nothing. No reaction.

No way to tell if she hated it. But Dash did not put her hoof around Soul. It’d be great if she said it with me.

“Cloudsdale’s Wingponies!” Soul yelled out.

Yelling in the middle of this town. Only her. Certain ponies somewhere overheard her. Not caring if any saw them. Anything to make Dash realize the truth of the matter. She held that position waiting for anything. Lost in the moment. Her heart still racing. We were such goofs doing this back then. I feel so silly doing this but… I have to. For us. We were the few fillies who would do this. And I am glad to.

It’s all like we really are back together. Feeling just how warm Dash’s feathers were to her side in the brief moment she had to enjoy it. It did not last long enough for Soul to love it truly, not with how Dash ripped herself away. Right out of Soul’s grasp.

1.40
That move almost made Soul collapse. Catching herself just in time. Turning off to see a Rainbow Dash stuck in surprise. Mouth trembling. Truly… terrified. Not helpful at all. Rainbow Dash, she is supposed to be the strong one. So please, don’t be afraid of me… because I am already terrified.

“Cloud…” She grabbed hold of Soul’s attention with that little cough of hers. “Cloudsdale… Wingponies.”

Soul nodded. “Yeah. You and I, we both created it.” Soul composed herself when she saw how Rainbow was doing the same. Whatever was going on inside that head of hers, she must now realize that this was really going on, that it was all true. Both ponies able to just take a second now to breathe. Just be next to one another. No more pain in Dash’s face. Just a stare. Like she awaited something.

“The best flyers in camp, …you and I” Soul pointed to Dash. “H-how can you be Soul Serenity? When she left? How can you be back?” Rainbow put a hoof to her chest. Soul shook her head. No way to give up now. Not when I’m so close. My oldest friend… maybe she thinks I am me. Still questioning her. No reason to. Because I have one last thing to use, and they fluttered against her sides as if they too wanted to help her in finally bringing the two pegasi together again. I’ll let them out. The things that Dash loved about me when we were kids. Now she can see them again.

“Dash…”

1.41
Soul let her wings go. As far as she could stretch them. Right out and up into the sky so high, she could see them herself and the great shadow they put out on Rainbow Dash. Blotting out all her colors in ever more darkness no matter how vibrant and bright she knew her great wings to look. Confident all the tending she did to them, how neat her feathers were. How thick they were and cleaned. Enough to impress any pony. They would do the same now and remind this pony exactly who it was that had wings like these. No other Pegasus.

Dash, you are only one of two ponies I let see these wings of mine in their true glory. I’d gladly show them off to you. Let you touch them… if you wanted. To know the comfort they gave when she showed them in all their beauty, and Rainbow Dash stared at them. Soul could even feel a blush begin to set in, fighting it back as hard as she could. My wings, she… likes them. Dash’s mouth was agape.

Dashie, these are my wings. The wings of Soul Serenity. Here again, just for you to see.

“…I really missed you.”

“Oh… wow” Rainbow Dash whispered. Under her breath. Maybe thinking Soul may not hear her amazement over seeing these wings again but she did and Soul took it to heart. She was flattered. “Those wings…”

1.42
Soul knelt herself down, letting Dash get even more time to see her in all that made her proud, with these very wings that only belonged to the pony that ever got the opportunity to impress a pony like Rainbow Dash. Taking so much time to stare at them. Enough that Soul could feel ever more how her insides tingled being noticed like this. Not any bit of mean words or glares to her, Rainbow Dash is adoring me… just like she used to do.

“Soul Serenity, huh?” Dash said. Her eyes finally fell off from those wings, giving Soul the hint she needed to let them back down and fold them up against her sides again. “I still took good care of them and worked them so hard” Soul admitted. But better now.

“Yeah…” Rainbow stepped forward. “You did. The Soul Serenity I remember, …she had wings just like those. We always used to race together and fly together. Have a lot of fun.” That’s right, Dashie. Remember everything we had. Because I sure do. Spending so long with nothing but the memories of when we were friends. It can happen again. We just need to make it so. Now that Soul was back, all of it can be done again. Anything can be possible. That is what Blight taught me. She came back with this to offer Rainbow Dash.

“The Soul Serenity I remember…” Rainbow looked back up at her. Locking eyes. A smile eagerly being awaited. Both of them being together again. Their chance made anew.

1.43
“We weren’t friends in the end…” Rainbow Dash walked off. Leaving her with just that. That terrible reminder. A reminder that she also remembered the terrible thing they both left off on twelve years ago.

“I’m sorry, she would never come back” Rainbow sulked. “So stop it.”

What? Soul stepped off after her. No, no, no. Not when they were so close. It can not be left off on that, a memory she really wanted both of them to forget. Not having to constantly remind Soul of the mistake she made and it still burned in Dash’s heart. Just by how she looked. How she sounded. She is so sad. To walk off like this, feeling so sad. It must really be painful. I know that pain. Having to endure it for so long. Her old friend had to as well. So apparent now, and it had been caused by none other than the pony who wanted so hard for it to be forgotten.

“Rainbow Dash” Soul called out after her. “I came back for you. Don’t you walk away from me.” Don’t. Don’t leave like this. Feeling like I did hurt you, that we cannot be friends again. Just stay and listen. I can be your friend again. I’ll even beg you. I’ll do anything. Anything to prove I want to be friends again. But Dash just wandered off. Leaving Soul to herself just to see how very wrong she had been in the past to have hurt her friend. No doubt Dashie was still so very upset over it, too much pain. I can’t blame her, I was very angry too. I’m not much better. I was angry for so long and now… I get to see you were too. So much pain, even more.

For Rainbow to talk about her like that, believing she was not even here. That none of this was happening and that Soul did not go through so much just to be in this very moment, it was an insult. A slap in the face for all she did, and maybe she deserved that for what she did to this pony. She could accept that. But I’m not gonna let Dash pretend I’m not here.

1.44
You won’t run from me… and I’ll do anything to stop you. Even… this. “So I guess you’re running off.” My little takeaway from all the time I spent with you. “That’s okay, I am the stronger one after all. Always was.”

Rainbow walked. Even letting her wings out ready to take off. Fly away from her. Like it had no effect. Is she that hurt? She doesn’t even care what I say? About to fly away from me and… Soul glanced over her wings. Holy shit…

They… they’re so big and… Soul gulped. So many muscles. Rainbow Dash… Such thick and strong looking wings covered in an endless sea of cyan feathers as thick as the clouds themselves. Such massive wings. Such strong wings. On such a slender and small mare. Soul couldn’t take her eyes off them. How they flapped once. Like huge gusts of wind were sent out just from that. Coursing over the hundreds of cyan feathers all neatly lined along her spans and making Soul put a hoof to her mouth. Dashie… I expected you to still be training and all but… Celestia’s sake, those wings… they look so beautiful and strong. Strong before… she must have worked so hard. She had to be, and wings like this must mean one thing.

Can I catch her if she runs away?

No way to settle things and apologize to her friend. “You know…” Rainbow’s voice caught her to watch as the cyan Pegasus lifted her head back up to glance over her shoulder. “Soul Serenity always did talk so much shit.” Her wings did flap again. Keeping herself right in place firmly on the ground but Soul could see a shift in her stance. Her knees bent. Rainbow actually planting a hoof forward as if wanting to take another step and never taking her eyes off Soul. Magenta eyes blazing behind a sea of feathers. Her tail flicked. Again and then… Is she waving her butt at me?

“Better put your wings where your mouth is!” Rainbow laughed at her, taking one final moment before her wings flapped again and Soul was caught in a scene so worthy of those wings. Having to shield herself with her own wings just to keep all the dust and dirt from flying into her eyes, but not letting herself lose sight of her friend who ascended into the air.

“Only the real Soul Serenity can hope to catch me. So prove it!”

1.45
Rainbow Dash really had not slacked off at all in her training. Any idea that she may have fallen off in any way, that her wings were just for show, they were completely destroyed all just by the zip of blue light that was all that was left of her. From where Soul stood, watching that light go off into the clouds high above and just a jet of wind left behind to mark that Dash had indeed taken a moment to do the simple task of flapping her wings. Blowing her mane and tail away, like she may even fall over at the exact same time that the last words she spoke to her registered.

She really has gotten much faster and… she wants me to race!

Doesn’t sound like a friendly competition. And she didn’t even do a countdown. That was not fair at all. A head start. Not wanting to make this any easier so… maybe she does think I am Soul? I think she’s afraid.

Soul stepped up, watching to where she saw the Pegasus go off into the distance. Disappearing by now… to any normal pony with normal senses. I got you. This should be simple and it will lead to what she really wanted.

…Dash, hehehe, you’re still not fast enough.

Soul looked back at her wings. Both of them stretched out like they anticipated her use. They also wishing to help make this a reality. Strong and willful. As good as anything that Dash could pull off. Soul could only hope they stayed that way the whole time with one final thought on her mind. I forgot… she looked back up to the sky. I should stretch but… no, Dash is getting away. I can’t let her get away. Anything had to be done to make this happen.

My wings are strong. Years of training. It all had to be enough. Soul flapped her wings.

1.46
Hope I don’t scare anypony. This was not like the tundra at all. All that snow and wind being the only real things to ever witness her flight so often. Drowning out the sounds of the arctic. Maybe she just did the same of the town when she heard the vast burst of thunder her speed left behind from how much strength she was well aware she put into that first flap. Loud enough that it must have surprised everypony. Please forgive me.

I got a lot of sky to cover to catch up to her. Somewhere far up in the clouds that reached down closer and closer. All the sky of this new world fully accepting Soul into it. A glance all around it, not helping herself for feeling elated. That this was her sky now. That this was happening. Again. Fluffy, white clouds, they passed by her. Not a single flake around. No wind to challenge her, instead it pushed her on. On into the sun-swept skies of Ponyville, and that very town practically disappearing far below. Just specks desperately trying to peek out of the arc of wind she found herself fully immersed in. How strange. Feels even warmer up here. Her wings really hot. Pumping away with every flap being a good workout, more than normal. A greater burn. So warm…

Soul eyed the Sun and all its heat that this sky came to accept. Soul gasped… I’m flying… under the Sun again. Haha, I’m back! This is my sky… the same sky I missed so much. Twelve years… I finally get to fly in it again.

Fly once more… at home. And someday, I swear she will fly with me again.

I have to do it. When both of us can fly together. Side by side. All starting with this. Another flap and all those clouds did disappear, below her now. Open sky and nothing more now becoming her realm. Nothing left to prevent her from seeing that sight far ahead of her. Up in the blue, the blue that shined out from all the rest. Rainbow Dash.

1.47
Up there, still flapping her wings. Trying to get away, flying straight and true not even seeing what Soul was doing. I got her.

Another burst of speed and another roar of wind blasting out behind her. Practically able to feel the sky shake from her force and Dash noticed it. Just in time for her magenta eyes to turn right as Soul could see them fill her vision.

“What the…?” She could hear Dash blurt out just as she passed by. Catching sight of everything that happened. How Dash’s wings slowed down. Slowed down… and I see it. I see it on your face, Dashie. You’re shocked… and scared… because now there is another Pegasus here to challenge you again. And you won’t have it easy. Because I am Soul Serenity.

“You’re still a slowpoke, Dashie!” Soul banked herself back down, turning and barreling just in time to roll back upright in Dash’s flight path. Right next to her now. “You really want to piss me off, huh?” Dash glared over at her. “Beat it before you fall out of the sky…”

Soul’s entire body shook, almost trailing off from her flight from how bad the wind just struck her. Not from the cool breeze or the sky, Rainbow Dash blasted off ahead. So quick Soul didn’t even see the motion of her wings. …It just happened. “Faker!” Rainbow’s words echoed off from far ahead. Wow. I’m making her mad? Not my fault. It can’t be, Rainbow always was so stubborn. Guess she doesn’t like knowing another pony is as fast as I am. Besides, what makes you think I’m a ‘faker’? What, like anypony can just catch up with you like this… with those wings of yours. Stop kidding yourself, bud.

This is easy… and I’ll drill it into your head. I got a lot more where this came from, and Soul burst off as well. Right on after Rainbow, still fully in her sight far ahead as nothing more than a tiny dot in the sky mixed in with the beautiful scenery that all this land had to offer. Something Dash was flying off towards in the form of a vast mountain range in the far-off distance. So good to see mountains again. Lovely ones at that with no snow on them or anything. They actually had plenty of green on them. So many trees. Rolling down and over their faces as far as Soul could see along the horizon and stretching downwards to a gorgeous scenery all below them. Both pegasi flying over a thick sea of green. Far below the clouds. Some sort of forest and no Ponyville in sight anymore.

We must have really gone far. Soul amazed they both made such progress so quickly. Maybe Dash would be good at speed tests back in the snow. How fast would she be able to make it to and from those snow-capped mountains? Never needing to know. These beautiful mountains and lush world were theirs to take over from their perch high above the clouds. For them to do whatever they wanted.

Rainbow was the one who let out a blast of thunder far ahead of her. Splitting all the clouds. Tearing the air. An easy feat for Soul as well. Aimed right for those same mountains that Dash went for. Closing in on her but not too close. Not fast enough before Rainbow Dash was filling her sight again. She turned. So did Soul, tighter though. Good enough for her to fly right past Dash just short of her hooves.

My wings are a little sore… and might be struggling doing this… but damn, I love this! I’m racing Dash again! Flying in the skies of my home again. Haha, I can’t even think about it all right now. Like the world was moving too fast. Too fast for Dash. “Still think I’m a fake?”

1.48
Soul twirled herself and spun about right underneath Dash. Catching glimpse of her old friend’s belly as she passed. Basking in her shadow and right back up again. Enjoying the same force of wind blowing through her mane that Rainbow experienced as well. Neither of them letting up on their speed.

“You caught up to me?”

Rainbow wasn’t irritated at all. Soul may be hearing things but she wanted to believe that her old friend may now be surprised. Even impressed. Well if she wants to make it easy for me, of course I’ll catch up. Soul snickered at the idea that Dash had not trained as well as she had been doing this whole time. That would be embarrassing. “Thanks for making it easy for me” Soul acknowledged. Ready for whatever it was next that Dash had in store. Whatever it will be, Soul will overcome it and prove that she had finally come back. That she was still the same Pegasus from before. If only Rainbow Dash will just accept me. So I can apologize to her. Make it so nothing happened between them. That’s why I am doing this. Bring it on.

“No problem” Dash remarked. “Anything for a newbie.” Then she shot forward again, rightly leaving Soul in the dust.

1.49
“Damn it, Dashie.” Soul went after her. Really feeling the burn now. Every time this happened, she needed to put so much effort just to catch right back up to where Rainbow flew off to. Straight into clouds. Dash makes it seem so effortless to go so fast, and keep going faster and faster. Is it just like me? Like how we used to fly. It felt amazing. Flying for the purpose of racing another opponent. This was the thrill. This was the workout she missed. Putting tons of work into every move to be made just to catch with her opponent and it really did feel electrifying. It feels so good. So calm.

Dashie, is that why you fly so great now? Does it… feel good for you now?

We fly together again like this. Like nothing can touch us. We… we aren’t those fillies anymore. Dashie, you and I, we’re masters now. I can tell in the way you fly. I sense it. The sky has become your home. Whatever you do, I will do too. Better than you. Whatever cloud Rainbow passed through, left Soul to satisfaction of seeing her wings destroy them. Every bit of those clouds falling apart around her. Twisting and turning just behind Rainbow. Whatever wind current Dash spun through, Soul shot clear through it and rode it onwards. But all of it as graceful as Dash was. Like both of them danced in the sky.

Soul followed Dash into one of the larger clouds. Whipping the cloud around her feathers, Soul grinned closing in on Dash’s hooves. Feeling the wind hit her. Going over her friend’s body and striking her. Both able to enjoy the same feeling. This same experience. I got you.

1.50
This cannot be happening! Nopony can do this. As fast as me!? Even starting to make sweat go down Dash’s forehead. Her wings really feeling like they were starting to catch fire. But that never happened before. All because of this damn pony. She’s right on my hooves. Like a weight all over her that she needed to shake off. A fear deep inside.

There can be no way this pony was back. This pony left me so long ago. She left me behind. Just when this day was going so well. I just wanted some ice cream, why are you doing this to me? Like this pony did want to torment her with the impossible.

But no other pony could keep up with her like this.

Years and years of training. All the ponies I left in the wind, none could match me… as perfect as she is. I can feel her. Like her shadow would go over Rainbow.

There can be no way. How? How could she ever come back? Come back after all that happened. Too much to believe. Too little to believe.

Geez, why can’t it just be a simple day? I’m tired of ponies trying to piss me off. Or how… this pony actually was making Dash afraid. Hoping this pony did not sense just how very afraid she was. That this was actually happening. That such a mean pony was back.

Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder. Right in time to see those bright yellow eyes fill up the sky behind her. Both eyes exposed with her long mane flipped back over her head. That same long, beautiful mane. So much longer than… no that’s not her. She would never come back. No matter how fast this pony was going, I’m the superior flyer. Always was. No other pony will ever show me up in the sky.

I won’t accept anypony… except for… Soul.

1.51
Only Soul can do this. She is the only pony who could keep up with me. Not even losing their chase when Rainbow flipped herself down and over one of the great clouds of the sky. Damn near feeling her ears go crazy as they skimmed the tip of the cloud. Something the magenta Pegasus shared with her. Not losing one bit of momentum. Flying off from the clouds just as Dash did.

No, no. This isn’t her! It’s not! Soul… she always could match me. No other pony is like her. And that’s… that’s what will prove it.

So… Dash glared back at her. You think you are Soul Serenity? Well… you might be able to beat any move I do. Except for one. One final thing to prove that this pony was a fake. To prove what she already knew after all these years of waiting. That Soul was gone and never coming back. All because of what happened. It will never be the same again.

Time to lose this jerk. Time to know I’m right. Only Soul, only that Pegasus, could ever compete with me. Ever able to match anything I do. There is only one thing both of us could match each other on now after all these years. Our training.

Soul Serenity would not have slacked so, if this pony is Soul, let’s see her beat me now. The Everfree forest down below looked good. Nice and open space over it where nopony could get hurt. Hope I don’t scare all those critters down there cuz I’m about to rock this pony’s world. Soul always did try to show me up. Not this time. Not this pony.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, feeling how much her wings burned. They would have to go for a bit longer. Longer against this, one hell of a challenge. Another challenge to be broken. Her wings agreed. You may have big wings like Soul and fly like her, but you don’t have her skill. My skill.

Dash arced her wings up, and her whole world went up. The trees below reaching up to her and the wind taking her. Feeling all the speed wash over her. Becoming one with it again. One with the sky once again. Nopony can beat me… in my world. In my sky. Nopony can beat this.

“Try to keep up!”

1.52
Oh I’ll keep up with you, easy. Though it became apparent that Dash was really starting to pick up her speed and her wings blazing into a flurry unlike any before now, and all the wind she let loose behind her. Smacking Soul in the face. But she did not let up. Keeping right on her tail as the rainbow-tailed Pegasus turned away at her ever-increasing speed. No longer level, no, she went down now. Charging back down through the clouds. This time being much more different. Like Rainbow was now giving Soul the easier flight by her being the one who now destroyed the clouds in her path. Bursting them away in a pulse of air that roared all around Soul. Coming down more and more until there were no more clouds left in their paths. Only the thick forest below filled her view. Reaching out all around Rainbow Dash. Very fast.

To Soul, it looked as if Dash were planning to just plough her way right down into the forest. Maybe that were the case. Some agile flight around the trees and thick foliage like the mountains gave me these past years. But at this speed? Hope you are skilled enough to do this, Dashie. So fast that Soul noticed how the air even warped apart around both ponies. Cleaved right through by the Pegasus in front of her. Howling and shaking all around. Like her wings began to wobble from that alone if she were more inclined to forget her own wings started hurting. It really was a bad idea to do this without stretching. Can’t chicken out now, have to see this through to the end. I know I will beat her.

1.53
The air buckled. Just at that moment. Like some smack right across her face so hard it even made Soul stop. The air was not supposed to do that. Coiling like this all before her, and how warm it got. Just in an instant from the unexpected burst of light before her so brilliant and vast she no longer could control her eyes and how much they blinked. Leaving spots in her eyes, tearing at her wings that caught hold of all the wind and slowed her to a halt just in time.

Like time… stood still.

As it all happened in front of her. As if Rainbow Dash herself had exploded before her. An explosion.

It took all of Soul’s strength just to keep herself in place. Feeling all that wind slam straight into her entire body. Rippling through her feathers, matting her fur. Threatening to send her flying off to the ground and it almost did. Her wings able to keep her frightened self in place with all her head ringing in the sound of an explosion that went off right in her face. An explosion of so many colors and a streak that did fly off, shining of beauty to Soul.

She gasped.

1.54
Rainbow Dash had done this? Just a massive explosion that she now came to fully realize the scope of how impossibly impressive it was. As if the entire sky around her changed. It becoming Dash’s tail. Her mane. No more for the Sun to shine through. Shielding everything else out from where she hovered in the middle of it all. The colors of the world shining in all directions. Sparkling in such incandescent light raining all around. Falling from the sky to her, to any below. Soul even thought some of that light would even grace her fur. Flickering into her, disappearing. Spotted in her sight and morphing to the color of her own fur that shone of all the light around her. From red to violet.

Her body shone like the sky.

It became Dash’s colors. Cooling her with the breeze. Cooling her with the light, and it all ran off. Down below. All these colors streaking far below and into the forest, far beyond. Like Dash herself was gone, leaving only a trail of light for Soul to follow into the far-off distance. All that was left for Soul to see of her friend. Mixed in with billowing green fire atop the trees all along the path of that streak and a blast of thunder ahead. Wherever Dash was. Wherever that impressive Pegasus had flown off to.

Nothing but blazing flames scorching the skies beneath that rainbow.

She did it just like… I did it. So… Rainbow Dash can do this too? She knows how to do this?

Should I be upset? Another pony… can do the same move. And it’s Dash of all ponies.

Of course… it took a pony like Rainbow Dash to be the one to do it too. Just like old times. She always was able to match me. She really had been training all this time to go this fast, to achieve this. Well…

I’ve been training too.

1.55
Rainbow Dash burst out laughing. It felt like she was but, well, it was sort of impossible for even her to hear. Not with all the thunder bursting out around her. All the air that rushed through her mane and against her ears. Now this is more like it! Always so exhilarating to do this. So natural. Oh how I love doing this. The sky is my pet now… haha! And now this fake pony has the honor to see it and to be crushed by me.

No Pegasus can compete with me. None could. For this was hers and hers alone. To see the world in this way. To feel it like it was meant to be felt. No matter how much wind rushed into her, it always felt so great. Like a kiss to her cheeks, accepting her into its embrace that was the entire sky. Her sky, and it was a sky that obeyed only her. Giving Dash the path she needed to fly faster than any other pegasi.

Yes! Always like this.

So brilliant that only the sonic rainboom could ever pull this off. Amazing. Fulfilling. Just an endless road of color warping the entire world around her. Building up something like this, made in streaks of light that tore apart everywhere. Blazing the clouds. Scorching the earth, and how all the world ahead of her opened up just for her. No matter how dangerous or foreboding the Everfree forest was, it made little difference to her when going this fast. All those beasts down there must be so afraid of this. Of all this power, and that faker gets to deal with it too. Hell, maybe she’s even terrified. Nopony talks crap to me and gets away with it. Unless they want to be shown up.

There is only one pony I will ever let talk to me like that. Because it was that pony who had proved herself capable of doing that. She earned it and now this Pegasus will have no choice but to shut up and leave her alone. Stop bringing up painful memories. Stop angering her and just leave her be.

1.56
Oh yes, this felt so nice. How relaxed her wings were sending Dash off like this, how lucid her entire body was. Like set into a comfortable bed, feeling right at home, yes. She can go back to feeling just as good as this without anypony like her around. Just go back to normal. Never wanting to be reminded again. That was the reason this all had to happen. Everything. To leave it all behind. Just like leaving that Pegasus behind.

Just make it another day. Any type of day, but one like this. Flying like this, and how nice it felt, it did make her want to take a nice nap afterwards. Leave off on a good note for herself, and that Pegasus can sleep as well from how thorough of a thrashing she was gonna get from this.

“Sleep well, newbie!” Screaming it out loud. Not even able to grace her own ears let alone the other Pegasus. The air rippled loudly. Roaring in a thunderous boom blasting off in her ears and shooting all across the sky before… it came back to her.

Wait…

That sound? Like thunder actually did respond to her. In every direction and booming so hard into the back of her head. Like… is the wind hitting me? From behind…?

Dash looked over her shoulder. Back behind in the trail of rainbow light shed off by her tail. Made glorious the sky by her grace alone, joined together with the light made anew from far off.

That’s not… me.

That rainbow light… blasted away. Behind her and all around when it was all drowned out as was all she was feeling. Not able to relax in the sky anymore. Not with this fear. At the sight of this, nopony could relax with so much magenta light bursting out across the entire horizon as nothing more than a dome that not even the sky itself could exist in.

Rainbow Dash could only watch as the entire sky was cast away in this light… and how very terrifying it was to see. To know this was happening. That it was not her own.

The sky… what happened to my sky? Blasting away all the clouds, all the trees below. Their leaves sent flying, even the ones that she passed. Hitting her so hard that the wind almost sent her off to become one with those trees, taking too much effort just to keep herself in the air. Not with all this wind. All this noise that frightened her. Booming out in endless blasts with all the magenta light that did rush out. Streaking all across the sky with the wind cast dark in black before it too burned out in the horizon. Lost forever in a bolt of lightning that shot across the sky and right at her.

Lightning made black. Lightning made magenta. Burning bright as did those eyes she saw in them. Coming right for her. There is no way.

No way…

She did come back. After all these years… Soul Serenity.

1.57
Absolutely no frigid wind. No snow at all to blast into her face and make her want to shield herself from all in front of her. Nothing but the cooling air of a springtime breeze and that same stretch of light she came to recognize. I did it again. Just like the first time. I can do it. …Even better, nothing bad happened. So amazing that this was going so smoothly. To the point where Soul came right in at Dash. Closing so fast, didn’t matter how much her wings hurt. They just needed to go a little further now. Until Dash accepts me.

She can’t deny it now.

Soul had no idea how much longer she could keep this up, becoming such a pain to keep her wings flapping. No way she’d be able to keep after Dash were she to keep flying. Please don’t go on for much longer. Just give up, Dashie. No way to win this race, all she needed was to finally catch Rainbow Dash. Only done with this move alone. Bringing her so close and now… Dash, she… she went right below Soul.

Soul flared her wings out. Catching the wind so hard. Feeling all the air and wind shudder past her in such a terrifying roar. All she needed to do to slow down and stay there above the rainbow maned Pegasus. One Pegasus atop the other. Just one reach of a hoof to possibly close the gap, and Dash did not move. Soul waiting for a moment to see if she would do anything. No. Her ears actually fell to the sides of her head down there. Not moving any faster. Neither pony doing that, combined together now in their flight. Magenta light mixed with that of rainbow that lit up the entire forest Soul saw both of them to skim over.

Are you not gonna try to fly away? Is this the fastest Dashie can go? Just as fast as Soul could go now. Not able to push herself any further with just how terribly her wings did burn that it made her wince and grunt. Piquing Rainbow’s interest with a small glance up to her accompanying Pegasus. Soul gave no reason to give her concern. Holding it all back in. Holding her breath so not to scream as her wing muscles did. This move just as crazy as before, but worse. Not something she could keep up much longer, while Dash did prove to be the opposite right now.

It’s amazing we are both still such good flyers, unmatched by any other Pegasus.

1.58
But I’ll keep flying until you accept me.

“I’m here, Dashie.”

“H-how did you do this? This move?” Dash pointed a hoof up to her from down below. Sounding so disturbed. I should ask her the same thing. Every bit of the move, they could both do it. But Soul needed to admit one thing so as not to hurt her friend’s feelings, Rainbow Dash’s was far more pretty.

“I trained a lot, Dashie. What? You think I’d give up on training just because I left? You know that’s not what I’d do.”

“Because… you always give your all. Just like me.” Rainbow Dash whispered it out and then, her wings turned. As did her entire body. Soul watched her old friend spin around and hold right in her new position. Belly up to her, both ponies able to look at one another up to down, neither willing to let out on their speed. So typical of Dash to fly upside down. Showing off maybe, but Soul saw something else. No. Rainbow Dash wanted to actually look up at her.

“Just like you always did” Dash said.

Silence fell back down. Soul left to herself and the words she just heard. What they told her. What Rainbow Dash felt right now, she saw it in her eyes. Heard it in her voice. Something she was so eager to hear. If only it may come soon. For this to end soon, Soul’s wings practically bellowed at her now to sit herself down. Wiped away for a moment just now from these very words that came from Rainbow Dash.

“You really did come back, …Soul.” Soul smiled deeply. “Yes. I’m home again.”

1.59
What a great way to return to that home. Not able to ask for it to have turned out any better. Because now it was that Soul saw herself shining as who she truly was inside of Dash’s eyes. For both ponies to be able to see her. Know she was home. With Rainbow Dash flapping her wings less and less.

She’s slowing down now. Zipping past the trees right under her with little difference, but the wind, it did blow against her less now that Soul could loosen up her flying and slow herself down. Still keeping pace with her old friend. Still blistering pain in her wings. I get to deal with this pain later, so what? I did it. Rainbow Dash said or did nothing to show any semblance of her doubting Soul anymore. The fact she slowed down felt good actually. No more need to fly away from me. We can be together in the sky again. So close again. So close Soul wanted to hug her as a result. Just reach down there in that short distance between the two and wrap her hooves around the pony she missed. Carry her off, let Dashie rest her wings and let Soul do all the work. Anything to show her she was still her friend. Anything to make all the bad things that happened be left behind.

So Dash could appreciate me. Be my friend again. With no more pain between them.

It was that very pain… that made Soul not do what she wanted to do. Able to see a Rainbow Dash who would simply flick her hooves away in fear or disgust of Soul hugging her. Possible. With Dash doing nothing still to show she was any less tensed. That did not prevent Soul from smiling on. Not helping herself. Feeling all the relief that both ponies could share in this moment even if it were not perfect. There will be a time when I will hug you… please be close. So you can trust me again. So she won’t ever be mean to me again, and I won’t be mean either.

1.60
“What is this move of yours called?” Soul said the question. Something nice to help ease Dash a little more. No more yelling or competition. Just talk to one another like this. As they were meant to. Flying together in the sky. Besides, that move is amazing. She can do it just like me. Something so amazing. Dash must have come up with some flashy name for it.

“It’s… my sonic rainboom.” A sonic... oh, this is what Soulblight had been talking about. Wow, it really did turn out to be quite the move to be given a name like that. Soul still impressed with every image of it playing out in her mind. Seeing that Rainbow Dash had something like this. She developed this, all on her own. Exactly like me… with a little motivation. Maybe Dash pulled it off the same way too, when she first did it. When she first did it. That made Soul feel a little punch in her gut.

Dash… she did this when… when she was a filly. Exactly like Blight said. Way back. She was too dedicated. So… incredible. Rainbow, I love that about you. Always finding some way to be so strong. Give me a challenge. How great to be with her again. All the chances for that to be made anew. That wonderful friendship.

“It’s amazing” Soul whispered. Glancing back under her belly at the streaks of rainbow light roaring all across the sky below her light burning of magenta. Both their lights ever mixing behind them. “Yours is… kinda cool too” Dash said. Soul looked back. Rainbow doing her best to look a little boastful. Foolish. Soul knew her well. From when they were kids. She saw that Rainbow was just putting on a show. Dashie, she always loves hearing compliments. And she complimented me. Dash likes my move. Whatever my move is. A little symbol that Soul never gave up on the dream they both set forth for themselves.

“You’re back and all… but…” Dash rubbed a hoof along the back of her head. Fidgeting a little in her flight. Giving a little grin anyways. A grin Soul could only assume what it meant. “Don’t start stealing my moves. Okay?” Her grin never left. No need to take it to heart. Dash was joking. That rough personality of hers… she knew the truth in the matter. Soul and Dash, both of them always equals. Not something Soul saw herself able to grow out of anytime soon. As much as she wanted to, only for Dash to catch up again.

But both of them, they shared the same talent. Truly the best wingponies around. That is why I missed you so much. Can I hug her now?

She blinked. Coming right down to where Dash flew belly up to her, and Soul opened her legs up. Wanting to hold her close. Please accept me back… as the friend I once was. Please.

1.61
Rainbow Dash disappeared.

But she had just been right there, gone in a flash with a bolt of brown and leaves sent scattering in the air before they could not keep up anymore in the wind of Soul’s flight. Nothing more, just the crackle of something breaking.

Soul blinked. What happened? Hearing a quick “Oof” somewhere off behind her and seeing she was now flying completely alone. This was not right. Something happened. All when she just saw that brown thing blow by her and then, Dash was gone.

Did Dash just… damn it.

Soul knew this was going to hurt but whatever, her wings needed to deal with it. No matter how much strain it put on them to do it. Soul needed to stop, and now. One blink. That was all the time she could allow to pass by. Not willing to lose where she saw her old friend. Soul brought her wings back to bare. Turning them upwards and presenting their entire lengths to the horizon ahead of her. Just as it happened, she buckled. Not at all expecting what it would be like to stop at such a high speed, but nothing like this. Bringing her hind legs flipping forward that they almost careened up into her mouth, carried on in the wind and bursts of magenta light exploding across the tree line and all that wind that came in to strike right against the backs of her wings. Blowing so hard. It did not matter at all that she prepared herself for it, the pain was still too much.

Soul screamed. Going unheard to anypony. Even to herself. Nothing but the wind blowing against her ears and all the rustle of the leaves. An incredible sight she beheld of trees all ahead of her. Going on for so far with all their leaves sent flying and their branches breaking and tossed asunder in a dance the forest adopted. Waving the tops of those trees all about.

Soul had to close her eyes. Grinding her teeth together with every agonizing moment the wind struck against her wings, threatening to push her forward with all those leaves. So unpleasant. Thank Celestia it ended. Dying down as quick as it happened.

1.62
Soul gave herself one more moment. Nothing but Dash on her mind and that stupid pain all across her wings really doing their best to try and pull her attention away. Try to make her fall. Like her wings may actually give out right now. So loyal of them to keep that from happening. Holding her right up in the air for that moment she needed to just close her eyes to everything, take a deep breath, and let it all go. Ease her wings just a little so they only trembled at her sides in the midst of their soft flaps, and her entire body trembled at that. Still feeling the first effect of so much wind striking her.

My back hurts so much. My everything hurts. Like she had been scraped apart. She had no idea she had been going that fast, to make such wind left at her tail. Whatever. At least she had not crashed. Still aloft. Nothing to hinder her in why she did this to begin with.

She looked back in the direction they had both been flying in from. Just a second is all it took to notice something was up. That one lone tree higher than the rest protruding out above the canopy far off behind her. Very far off. Maybe the length of a town or something similar but not too far to notice how it shuddered for just a moment more than all the rest of the trees caught in the wind. With leaves flying and falling to the ground around it. Unlike all the other leaves blown off into the sky. No, these ones still continued to lose themselves from their parent. Weird.

Soul turned her entire body around and, it hurts. Geez, just moving her wings differently now was enough to make the pain blister out again. There won’t be any more of flying that fast for right now. It didn’t stop her.

She flew off to where that tree loomed. Coming closer to it as fast as her wings allowed without being too painful, and closing in to find this tree was indeed very different. One may think the wind had affected it terribly with how it became apparent it was lying limp on itself, with many branches left dangling along the tip that hung at an angle down to the forest floor below.

Something had struck it. Not wind, not like all the other trees. Something harder. So it did happen.

Dash, that really must have hurt.

1.63
Please don’t hurt her too much. I hope. It was all dashed away when she rounded the bent tree to find the cyan coloring that accompanied this tree. Where Rainbow Dash was. It made Soul bring her hooves to her mouth just to hold in her gasp of fear. How much pain she has to be in with her legs squirming around. The only thing she could see of the pony that was lodged right into that tree. Her grunts and moans burning somewhere within.

She’s making noise. She’s okay. Well looks like this never changed. She still messes up sometimes. Even if it was my fault. Please don’t be upset at me. I’ll help you.

A huge surprise she had not just cut the entire tree in half with her speed sending her through it. “Dashie, I’m here” Soul closed in on where her friend’s legs kicked hard up into the bark of the tree. Where her rainbow tail hung loose out of and flaying all against the tree below her. Desperate to kick her way out. That won’t work. What… will work? I’m here and I have no idea what to do. The top of this tree was still so thick. Don’t think I can cut this and… she looked around. Oh no. Where is Ponyville?

Nothing but trees in every direction like they flooded the entire land. Reaching out to where the mountains did rise. All those ponies that could help, where were they? Just spend so much time wandering around trying to find where to go for help, no way. I’ll never leave Dash alone like this. She felt terrible for even thinking that way. Dash didn’t leave me when I got hurt. Staying with her till help did come. She had to stay with her, had to be the one to help. She can do this.

She looked over where Rainbow Dash was stuck in there. How all the wood and bark had been torn inwards in the lengthy hole her friend did pierce right into its side. A bit of an opening around where she worriedly flailed her legs around. “Hold still” Soul called to her. Coming in to get close to her legs. Just one more second but Dash, she stopped squirming. Letting her hind legs rest a bit. Somewhere in there, still able to hear Soul.

1.64
It took a bit of effort, a lot of repositioning and dealing with how much her wings fought for a much-needed rest, but Soul managed to slip her hooves around Dash’s hips. Careful to avoid messing up her tail any more than it was, watching to be sure her hooves did not clench on those hairs when she grabbed hold of her friend. Dash didn’t even try to fight back in there. She sort of didn’t have a choice in the matter now and she knew it.

One tug. I think I got her. Bringing her hooves down and around her hind legs, then she pulled. It did not last. Now Soul came to be still. When her wings twitched hard from her using their remaining strength to pull Dash out. It only took a second of flapping for the pain to be too much to bare, she almost had let go of Dash from it.

“Damn it.” They’re not going to help this time.

Soul closed in to plant her hind legs firmly down against the base of the tree trunk, maneuvering to place Dash right between her hooves. Her forelegs wrapped firmly around Dash’s stomach, down along her flanks and… oh wow.

Her flanks.

Soul stopped herself seeing the colors lining the very area she just skimmed over. They barely presented themselves out from under where Soul clenched her legs around them, but she saw them. Them in the shape of… a lightning bolt. As bright as Dash’s tail was. Lifting her legs up a little more off of her old friend’s flank to see better of what was hidden underneath. Planted right into her cyan fur. All this time, hidden well under Dash’s wings.

I see it… both of us did it. Dashie. She had her own cutie mark.

The shape and color of it, so well defined. It dazzled Soul’s eyes. Just a moment. She had to leave it be. Rainbow needs my help, I’ll look later. To see what beauty her friend did find in the shape of this mark, this wonderful display of whatever talent she had and how gorgeous it turned out to be. Not even able to get it out of her head even with how worried she was. It probably involved flying, even though Dash still needed work. They both did. Damn it, not the time.

Soul tightened her grip again and let her wings rest. Using only her legs to try and pull the Pegasus out of her hole.

1.65
“Need some help?”

Soul turned to look. Finding herself in the company of Soulblight hanging there next to her with gentle flaps of her graceful wings. A surprise to see her. Right with Dash here. Wasn’t Blight supposed to be the shy one?

Whatever, I do need her help. More and more pulls did nothing to even budge Dash out from her bind. Lodged firmly in place. So Soul did accept it, lowering her wings and presenting her own back for Blight. “Grab hold of me and help me pull” Soul asked of her. Blight has her wings, if we work together, we can get her out. I’m sure of it. Something that needed to be done now. Rainbow’s tail ceased wriggling entirely. It must really be bad stuck like this, how much it must hurt. One little grunt moaning out from under that bark.

Soulblight lay her hooves on her, not the way Soul expected. She pushed both her hooves forward and… right against Soul’s chest. Forcefully. It surprised Soul. Pushing her back a little more and… Blight came in between her and Dash. Staring at Soul from the corner of her eyes as if telling her something before she turned down to where Dash lay. “What are you…” “Hold still” Blight spoke. …Soul shook her head.

Blight spoke… down to Dash in that hole. But not with her voice.

She did it again. She’s using… my voice. She can… damn it, Blight. Stop stealing my voice.

In an instant, the air fell quiet. Cut to nothing with a quick flash that did burn right across Soul’s mind, burning straight into her when she saw that magic come out just like it did before. Just seeing how bright it burned of crimson. The slash of air like venom to her ears. Just like before. It reminded her of the pain they both went through caused by it. It still hurt so much to remember. Better to just focus on what it did now. How that curve of red fire did cut through the very bark that kept Dash in place. In the blink of an eye.

1.66
Soul watched the tree buckle and break, its top falling clean off the rest and it disappeared far down in the dark forest below. Leaving streaks of cinder billowing in its path as it smoldered. It left. Leaving Dash there. Laying there in the middle of the freshly carved tree trunk. Sleeping on it. Exposed to the world once again. Rainbow’s chest rose. A soft sigh coming out, before she lay still. Freed at last.

Soul reached in for her. Wrapping her legs up around the pony’s neck in a hug that was not returned. It feels so good. Dash, she’s so warm. So soft. She even felt softer than before. Nicer, like a true friend. If only she could hug me back. No, not this time. Not with Dash not able to open her eyes. Breathing softly against her back when her head fell limp onto Soul’s shoulder. A little bit more strength and, wow it was starting to hurt her wings again, but she did it. Pulling Rainbow right up from her perch and holding her firmly against her chest. Letting her huge wings fly for both of them.

“You… didn’t get any lighter” Soul commented down to the pony she held. A real strain on her legs… and her wings. But she could handle it.

Soul looked over to the pony who did this. “Thank you.”

Blight nodded. Turning her own gaze back to what was obviously Soul’s wings. She must be able to tell. Yes, I admit it. It hurts a lot carrying Dash like this. Every moment worrying her she may accidentally drop her.

“I think you should rest a bit. Allow her to sleep a little as well” Blight pointed to the still pony in Soul’s grip. Rest… well that did sound good.

1.67
Some time to pass for Rainbow to be able to wake up again. Right into whatever pain that must be waiting to hit her once she did. Still, it’d be a chance for them to finally just sit down and talk with no more hassle, just like right now.

“We can rest down in the forest. Come on, I’ll take her” Soulblight said and… she actually came forward with her legs open to Dash. She wants to carry her? Wow. …In the forest… well… as long as we are all together. That’d be fine. Just remembering how it all looked from up here. Kind of intimidating to be alone in that darkness down there. Made her hesitate. I need to trust Blight. Enough to let herself give the limp Rainbow Dash over to the black Pegasus. Careful though. Only letting go when she was certain Blight had a good grip around her, then leaving her be. Almost like… Blight were now cradling the Pegasus.

They look so nice together. Blight let Dash sleep against her chest. She gave no indication she didn’t like it. Actually, Blight stared down at the pony for a few seconds. Not even blinking, but she tightened her grip a little more. “I got her.” Not one dip in her flight. Weird. Soul watched the pony carry Dash off. Soul cocked her head. I didn’t know Blight was strong enough to do that. When did she…?

Soul shook her head. Hey, wait up. She followed after down into the forest. Careful to avoid running into the thick array of spiny sticks, thorns and whatever else these sharp protrusions of this forest must be. Keeping an eye down below. Worried Blight might run into something.

She didn’t.

All three making it down to dry land. Safe, dry dirt.

1.68
Soul landed. Able to finally give her wings a little rest, planting them firmly against her sides and feeling all the relief start to come over them. Right when Blight came down as well, slowly angling herself so her legs may softly drop her cargo down. Laying Dash down on her back against the grass. A soft surface for her to sleep, better than the inside of that tree. She even started to snore a little. Blight giggled. “She’s out for right now.”

The black Pegasus took her place down on the soil as well. Leaving their newly acquainted cyan Pegasus to sleep between the two of them. “Yeah…” Soul tried to stretch one of her wings out. Feeling all the pain come right back the moment she tried it. No point in doing it now.

“I really should’ve stretched before I did this. Maybe things would have turned out differently.” Stupid of me not to do it. It would’ve just took a moment. I could’ve caught up to her. I get to suffer with her now. Poor Dashie. All those cuts over her and tiny scrapes along her delicate skin.

“I don’t know why you say that” Blight chimed in from over there where her tail had come to face Soul and Dash. The black Pegasus strolling off through the grass and around a small gathering of boulders she did take a moment to sniff. Cocking her head before turning back to face her. “This would have happened anyways. So don’t beat yourself up. You performed perfectly.” Whatever she says. Doesn’t make it any better.

1.69
She sighed. It did not turn out all bad. At least she was here, together with Rainbow Dash and neither pony trying to run away from the other. Even Soulblight is here. If Dash were to just be awake, it’d be a perfect meeting. Like I dreamed of. All three pegasi together in this dark and dreary forest where something howled out in the distance.

Soul shivered. Stop ruining my moments.

We have to be here… till Dash wakes up. Then… we can finally talk Hopefully, she won’t be too upset about crashing. I did sort of distract her. That did make her shiver too, even more than the creepy forest that surrounded them. But… Soulblight walked across. Her gaze set squarely on the darkness between all the trees ahead of them. She didn’t even shiver.

Blight turned. Looking past Soul shoulder and around again. She walked on in her slow stride. Like she is looking for something. Kinda like she’s hunting. Weird to think but… this is Blight after all. This is my best friend. There is no reason to be afraid. Not when she was with the two most important ponies in her life.

Blight is with me. She never leaves me alone.

“Thanks again… for all your help” Soul said to the Pegasus. Her dragon eyes glanced over, giving off no sign of that strength she wore in them just seconds ago as she smiled from the gratitude. “Get some rest” Blight whispered. Going back to walking around this clearing the three pegasi were in.

1.70
Some rest. Yeah, that sounds good. Soul pulled herself a little closer to where Dash lay. Laying herself down just short. So short. She felt Dash’s fur tip against her own. Their sides almost touching, and Soul curled herself around the pony. Resting her wings down. Just let them lay there on the ground both ponies shared, and listen to the sweet sound of Dash sleeping. Like a little tremble going across the ground and tickling Soul’s belly. So soft.

Soul let out a deep sigh. I’m with her… I’m with Dash. She stared across at the sleeping pony.

The pony of my childhood. Here with me. At long last, we’re together.

Soul closed her eyes. Smiling. My oldest friend. My first friend.

“I’m back, Dashie.”

Next Chapter: Part 3 Solace - Act 2 Estimated time remaining: 19 Hours, 32 Minutes