4.1
So it turned out to be more than what met the eye. This castle that Twilight Sparkle lived in. Sure it could be seen from however far away it was back at the park, such a very short flight from there. It looked so impressive back there, nothing like now. Right after Soul had landed alongside Rainbow just on the path leading right to this castle, she saw what it was.

It was crystals. All crystals. Some so evenly cut and smoothed that they had not even looked like them, but there were some that glittered so vibrantly and cast out rays of light from their jagged surfaces. They had been glowing so brightly back in the scene this castle took in the park, now that glow was almost mesmerizing. Glittering a pattern of sunlight all over the ground around this castle that looked so much like some beautiful crystal tree.

Rainbow Dash took the lead again just as she had done in the sky as if Soul would not find her way here. No, it was nothing like that at all. Soul saw the entire time that her old friend was excited. Eager to show her to this place. Like she really did have something great to show. She used to act like this before. Ever since they left the park, that Dash had been one excited mare. Really lively about coming here. Not even the weight of both pairs of saddlebags could slow her down. As if they weren’t even there. She just trotted off with them jumbling on her sides. Scrunching down on the wings that had been poking through between them to even allow Dash to fly. She really had been looking so sweet on the way here. Sweet and a stubborn child at that. Soul smiled thinking about that. Since Dash had made it so insistent that she could carry both pairs of saddlebags herself and even went out of her way to try and play keep away with Soul over them. Really trying not to let anypony get close to them. Well if she wanted to handle them by herself then she can, I gave her the choice. I am here and can carry my own weight with nopony’s help. But let that mare be a filly if she wanted. That super excited filly.

4.2
That pony wasted no time in rushing up to the castle. Ascending such a short and golden staircase and waiting up by a huge entrance of heavy looking golden doors that stood tall over them. Such amazing looking doors with giant hearts brimming the centers of them. Really, this princess sure liked to go all out with making her place look better than any other in this town. Well… close that was. I still think Rainbow has the best house here. Still though, this place is amazing.

Stepping closer and seeing that it was very imposing. Looming high over her and casting such a dark shadow that fought with the shining rays of Sun bursting off of it. Standing tall over her, like it reached to the heavens from down here. It’s like standing under a mountain. Makes you feel so small. An alicorn is here too. I… I don’t think she’s anything like the last one. I should not be afraid of one of Dash’s friends. What Dash had said about her. How she sounded. Such a smart and caring pony, not even letting her status as a princess get in the way. Soul could only hope that this was all true. Everything that Dash told her so far turned out to be true. Shocking her how perfect this town seemed to be. Nothing at all like Cloudsdale or those frozen wastes. Nothing could compare.

This town seemed to be a gift that kept on giving. So full of hope.

I wonder how this Twilight even looks like. Is she tall? Celestia was huge. And she had such gorgeous wings, would Twilight have those wings too? Would they be better than mine? Haha, no way. No alicorn can compete with me… and why am I so concerned over this? I’m here to make friends… with an alicorn. A princess that Dash somehow managed to make friends with. Close friends.

No how should I even act in front of her? I don’t really deal with royalty much. Getting closer to this moment, she hesitantly stepped onto the stairs. Hearing her hooves clang against the metallic surface with every stride upwards. Would she be fine with me just being myself? Being calm and casual around… a princess. What even is casual here? Or do I have to kneel? I’ve never had to kneel to anypony before. Maybe Dash will know.

4.3
“So… what do I need to do when I meet Princess Twilight?”

Dash stared at her, and her smile turned to a frown. Then she laughed. Like none of this was serious. Especially now. This isn’t something to laugh about. “Oh come on now” Dash said in the midst of her laughing. “You worried over that?” Soul nodded. Sounded like this was not something to worry about now. “Twilight doesn’t even give a crap if you call her ‘Princess’ or not. Just do what you feel. She’s actually not uptight at all…” Dash placed a hoof to her chin deep in thought. “…For the most part.”

Doesn’t sound like how princesses are to me. Maybe. Though Soul found it so very weird that anypony would just brush off a title like Princess. If I was a princess then, …things will be so much different. That was certain. I guess Twilight will be something like the other two ponies. That would be nice. Soul hoped so much that this Twilight turned out to be something like AJ. That was a pony so easy to get along with, and she was a simple farmpony. This was a princess. So very different. Really wasn’t helping for her expectations. But this town proved to be nothing at all like she expected so… time to see what lay ahead.

I think I’m ready to meet this princess. Nothing to be afraid of. I have Dashie with me, and Blight. Though Blight has been quiet for a while now. Giving only a pleased laugh in the back of Soul’s head when she had flown off from the park. Really wondering what it had been that had been so funny to her. “You’ll do fine” Rainbow said as if she knew that Soul was uneasy over this. She didn’t do a good job at hiding it. “I bet you’ll be surprised when Twilight becomes your new pal!” That’s all I want. Just for her to accept me here. This whole place, it’s been amazing so far. I don’t want to leave it. Being back home and meeting ponies again, my old life again. I just want it all back, no more being afraid.

Twilight is an alicorn, but she is not the one who sent me away for twelve years.

She is on the other side of this door split by hearts. Somewhere inside there. An imposing castle… with such a welcoming entrance. Rainbow Dash knocked on it. Clanging and banging, telling any inside that they were here. Soul held her breath.

4.4
Until she had to let it loose, and she saw that Rainbow Dash had also grown impatient of waiting. Since that door still remained shut. Another round of hitting that door and even more of Soul not knowing what should be happening. Like, wasn’t somepony supposed to be here? Rainbow pounding her hoof down on the stairs as if she were trying to show off how annoyed she was that it was taking so long. Maybe… nopony was home. I bet a princess wouldn’t be spending all her time in this castle.

It’s been a few minutes. Twilight is probably out. “Maybe…” Soul was cut short when the loudest clang rang in her ears from Dash none other than bucking her hind legs against the door and sending it flying open. Uhh… can she just do that? Even just waltz right in like nothing happened. Onwards into that darkened interior. What the hell is she doing? Rainbow didn’t even give her time to react before she called back out with a “Come on in!”

So… we can just go into another pony’s house? Maybe they were such good friends that it didn’t matter. Like Dash had nothing to fear by doing this. Soul could only hope they were okay. Didn’t stop her from slowly stepping in after Dash. Stepping hoof past the threshold of those massive doors and into something like a whole other world.

This place was not even close to as dark as it seemed when peering into the doorway before. Finding herself in a very well-lit hallway, not lit by any lights or candles. Nothing to even show that it was meant to be lit by any other means. Just an endless shine of sunlight crisscrossing every which direction like some sort of beam that even struck her and warmed her just by stepping into it. Bursting of light all along the inside that was no different from the outside. This castle was entirely made of crystal. Edged and hard to the sight, so different from the surprisingly soft feeling washing over her hooves thanks to this vast, red rug laid out before her. Running forward and down a long corridor from where she could see another door sealed tight, lit up by the first candles she saw in this whole castle. Glistening in the gloss of daylight itself much like the walls decorated so well of that wonder amidst lavender banners. Soul got a good recall of how the Canterlot castle looked like in her books. Like this Twilight may have been trying to recreate it all.

4.5
It was all astonishing. Amazing that such a vast castle, whose very ceiling rose so tall over her enough that her hoofsteps and those of Dash echoed loudly, was so empty. Just a few desks and banners lining all along these hallways. The right just led to much of the same and ending to a staircase spiraling up to who knows where, and the left… that was a dead end save for many doors she could eye out etched into the green finishes of the walls. Actually… she saw those same doors everywhere now that she knew what to look for. They were down every hallway.

Wow, so… how many rooms does this place need? Where do they all go? Will I even be able to find a bathroom in this place? Unbelievable any pony could call this place home. It must take quite a talented pony just to navigate it all considering how tall it looked from the outside. There may as well be dozens of floors like this for all she knew.

“Kind of rude that she wasn’t waiting.” Soul heard the whisper coming from Rainbow Dash who was trotting off down the left hallway. Looking as if she was pouting. Staring at those walls. Waiting? “What was that?” Soul asked her. Twilight is waiting for us? Well we were the ones who barged in here. It got shot down immediately. “Nothing” Dash said.

Nothing my ass. What is going on here? Does she think I’m stupid? Or that I’ll forget what she just said? She’s up to something. Something like what she had been pulling all day just to make her feel better. She probably wanted this visit to go perfectly, but now… Soul could guess they would need to find the princess. Somewhere in this castle or even outside. Among Ponyville itself. “She must be out right now” Dash said at the end of the hallway. Taking to the air and floating up so she may peek out one of the windows towering over all this.

If she was out right now then, what did that mean? We came all this way here and we have to leave to go find her? Maybe we can just wait here for her. She actually wanted to wait. I want to see how Twilight would like me. If she will be a princess who doesn’t hate me. But… it’s all what Dash wants to do right now. She’s the one who knows this place best and knows these ponies. “So what now?” Soul asked, waiting to see if Dash had any better idea.

4.6
Rainbow didn’t even waste a moment to fly on off, not the direction Soul expected. She flew all the way down the left hallway. Practically shrinking before her very eyes with how far she flew off. That hallway really was a long distance. “We wait for her” she yelled as she flew off. So where was she goin… “I’ll go put this food in the pantry.” Oh, well… if we were going to be here a while, that was smart then. Haha so Dashie has the same idea I have. Good, I didn’t want to go all around town looking for somepony.

“You alright if I walk around?” Soul called out after her. Just seeing this castle from the outside and then how very beautiful it was inside made Soul only able to dream of what more awaited her in here. A big, empty castle with so much wonder to offer. Along with her thoughts that this place may even be big enough to have many, many floors to it. All with whatever her mind may come up with. Why am I even thinking they may have an indoor swimming pool in here but, hey, what the hell? That would be quite a sight.

“Nope!” Dash yelled. The Pegasus kicked open one of the doors down there, about ready to go right in. But she looked… insistent, even from here. Dash clearly did not like that idea. “Wait for me, I’ll be right back.” What… but… “And get the door if somepony knocks.” Rainbow Dash disappeared into that room. Leaving it with a slam. Not even giving Soul a chance to say a word.

Seriously, what is going on? That was very quick of Dash to leave like that. There was something about her, like she seemed… frustrated. She’s pretty antsy about something. Hope everything is okay. Well… I guess I see why she doesn’t want me going around. This place is huge and Soul looked all around her. I might get lost in here. She hoped that pony wouldn’t be long. Get here soon, Twilight. Dashie is so on edge right now.

I’ve noticed she is trying really hard to make this all work for me. So much so that she even caught Dash wiping a hoof over her forehead like she just got done with a hard workout. Incredible that she was keeping all this up… and I know she didn’t sleep well. Hope she sleeps better tonight because today… today will be a good day. Dash doesn’t need to worry. Soul didn’t want to worry her either. If she wants me to stay here, then I will. I won’t wander off.

Just her and this amazing castle that she took another moment to look up at its breath-taking designs and all the light cast all over of every color of the rainbow. Much like the beautiful tail of her hard-working guide around Ponyville. That pony really was doing too much when she didn’t need to. It was… kind of sweet of her. Am I doing good around her, enough to make her comfortable? Soul only hoped so. Soul envied her to be able to handle everything like this. I want to find a way to make her proud.

4.7
Just her, alone, in this vast and empty hallway of a castle until Dash got back. Well, she did say to wait… so that didn’t mean to stay put. The least Soul could do was look around the vast hallway she stood in. This hall is so beautiful. Maybe just a peak around wouldn’t hurt. See what was on the other end of the hall and up those stairs. Might be able to tell what may be up there.

She took off to the air, turning around and…

“What are you doing!?”

She heard and saw the pony say as she spun around. Nearly sending her off in a panic, her heart racing so much that she did feel like she may just fall out of the air if only just rocketing backwards down the hallway to get away from the pony that scared her. Until she realized what she was looking at, who scared her. Soulblight was there.

The black Pegasus floating up in the air right where Soul had been a second ago, laughing her ass off. Should’ve guessed. She just now realized she saw those yellow dragon eyes peering into her right before that terrifying start she gave her. Nice of her to wait till now to show up and to do that.

Soul shook her head. Sighing in frustration. Though she doubted Blight cared to listen. She just kept going over there amused with herself. What a child. …It was still kind of funny of her to act like that. Soul couldn’t stay mad at her for long. In truth, she may have done the same thing to Blight if she had gotten the chance. “Oh nice of you to show up” Soul called out to her as she flew back to where her friend was. So very happy to see the Pegasus join her here. A whole day without her around in person, it was starting to grind on her. “And thanks for scaring me too” Soul commented. Not at al upset over it.

Blight stopped laughing. Damn good thing too, that black Pegasus was almost rolling on her back in midair. “I couldn’t resist. You probably thought somepony else would warn you off from your little adventure.” Yeah like Rainbow Dash or even the princess. I’m glad the princess isn’t here. I’d be all alone with her.

“Would you want to come with me? Let’s walk around together” Soul asked the black Pegasus. Finally a chance for both pegasi to spend time together without Blight being too nervous. And… “Maybe later…” Blight said so quickly. Oh… I was kinda hoping we could hang out together. Since there really was no reason for them to fear.

“Later?” Soul had to ask. “Why not now?” Especially with nopony else around.

4.8
Soulblight burst forward as close as could be gotten to Soul without running into her. Hovering close and raising her hoof. “I need to ask…” she bumped that hoof against Soul’s chest. “You something first.”

“Huh?” Soul rose her eyebrow. Wondering whatever it may be that she wanted to ask. It must be important to not want to look around this marvelous castle. “Tell me, what do you think of Ponyville?” Blight asked flatly. What do I think? Was this important or just Blight being curious? She swore that Blight should already have an idea considering privacy was not exactly a concept when it came to Blight with Soul’s head. So why even ask? Blight still looked serious. Not even flinching… or blinking. Just waiting for some answer.

What do I think? That was a tough one. It was… hard to put into words. Like… I have no idea how to feel about it and Blight really wants to know. It’s been okay. Just okay. But I like it. That’s really all I have for her. Not a good answer.

“Well…” Soul started. Looking off trying to think of it all. Recalling all that went on since this morning. Everything about this place. There really was no good answer. This place was… “It’s… different.” Soul rubbed her chin. Knowing that wasn’t good enough for her caring friend. Practically feeling the mare wanted her to go on.

“Ok…?”

Soul sighed. “You may have been right. I admit that I feel… a little comfortable here.”

“And that’s why you worry way too much” Blight said proudly with a soft punch of her hoof against Soul’s shoulder. Weird, she had never done that before. Almost felt… familiar, and Blight seemed to enjoy it. Alongside being proven right.

“Yeah, yeah…” Soul rolled her eyes. “I guess it’s been okay so far. …The ponies seem really nice and… I feel kind of better. You know, since they’re not…” “Chasing you off?” Blight finished. Exactly. Soul nodded. “They wouldn’t anyways. How could they not adore you, you gorgeous sweetheart?” Oh geez. Soul groaned. Letting herself land back down on the floor. Don’t call me that, not here. What if Rainbow Dash heard that? Like this castle may have eyes. She still loved that talk… but not here. Blight was still amused with it. Joining Soul down on the floor. Her yellow eyes wandering, captivated by the castle they stood in. Soul noticed it.

4.9
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Soul asked. Joining Blight in staring up at the patterned glows of so many strands of shining glass and crystal hanging over and around them. “I noticed you seem to think Ponyville is quite beautiful too” Blight pointed out, showing that she knew way too much. Yes, it was true. Soul nodded. “It really is.” This town and this world, it’s exactly what I dreamed of. It’s exactly what I needed.

“Really nice compared to what we had to deal with together.”

Both pegasi locked eyes. I’m so glad we could come back here after all this time. Soul smiled. Both of us get to see just how beautiful this world is together.

“Soul…” Blight whispered. Slowly gaining her own smile until she was near cheerful. “I’m glad you like it. Oh…” she almost jumped in the air again. “Yes! So you are happy to be back?” There was absolutely no way Soul wouldn’t be. “Compared to what we went through, I’d take this any day. …And I do enjoy talking to these ponies.”

“Compared to it?” Blight sneered. “Please, you wanted this anyway.” True. Soul laughed. This place really was a gift that any pony would want to enjoy. If I didn’t have to worry about ponies recognizing me, this place would be heaven. A real gem she missed seeing. Here again, with none other than her best friend. At least, that’s what it should be all the time.

Soulblight was never there to meet these ponies. I wish she was with me… and talked to me more. It really does suck how quiet she’s been. Makes it a little more boring without her here. Almost sad. But Blight didn’t seem to notice. She just walked off. Trotting along the side of the hallway and staring up at the crystalline reliefs etched into the green windows. Clearly in awe. There really was no reason why Blight shouldn’t talk. I like her being around and want her with me. It must be boring just watching from… from wherever she’s been watching. Watching me have fun and doing everything. I miss all the time we spent together.

If only Blight would join in.

“Wow, isn’t this castle fantastic?” Blight asked from afar, standing at the other end of the hallway now. Like she was trying to ignore the problem, …but yes, the castle is fantastic. “Yes, it is” Soul said. “…I don’t remember one being in Ponyville before.” “Understandable” Blight said. Walking along the other wall of the hallway and back to her, still fixated on the ceiling. “It showed up while we were gone.”

“Showed up?”

Blight nodded. “Oh yeah. Twilight and the others found it in a magic lockbox, pretty much.” …Well that was… different. I know one thing, Dash better tell me that story sometime. Everything has been a total mystery… just like Blight.

4.10
“Are you upset?” Soul asked. Stopping Blight in her tracks right there. The black Pegasus… she stared ahead. Looking at the crystal wall she stood at. Silent. Took her so long to say something. “What do you mean?” Blight asked. “I’m not upset.”

“You haven’t been that talkative today” Soul pointed out. “You know, I still want us to talk. I know you don’t like the idea of hanging out with the other ponies yet, but we can still talk a bit. Like we did before coming here.” Soul said. “I don’t want you to feel left out. I kind of miss talking with you all the time.” Even for just a day or two. Soul could not fathom the idea of Blight being removed from her life or absent, seemingly. It hurt her and she knew how Blight was. I don’t want her to feel alone or left out. I want to be sure. You’re my best friend and I want you to be happy.

Maybe… there is a reason.

“Are you jealous?”

“Jealous?” Blight said. It was the best Soul could think of for why it was her best friend was being this way. Blight is just sitting back watching me have all the fun and making friends. Blight at least deserved some bit of companionship for her efforts. Only if she wanted. Though all Soul had to work on was whatever Blight said.

“I assure you that I’m not jealous. We came here to get your friend back, and that’s exactly what is being done.” Was it? Because it seems like this was going so very slowly. We were supposed to work on this together. So we both have a home here. We want the same thing, why just have me do all the work? Please don’t leave yourself out. Blight is so afraid of them… she doesn’t want to deal with any of this. That damn fear that Soul could do nothing to solve. Yes, we came her to make everything better. To bring Dash back into my life.

But it’s a life for us both. That has been my dream for a long time now.

“You are doing a good job as it is, a little slow, but you’re doing it” Blight said. Turning away and smiling up at the windows on the far side. “I am so happy to see all that you are accomplishing, but remember… this was never going to be easy and I can only do what I can. For now, it’s your turn. For now…” She did sound sincere. There really was no telling exactly what Blight may feel. Soul couldn’t help but feel this was all not true. That there was way more to this.

If I know one thing about Blight… she hates to talk about how she feels. She was stubborn as hell. Stubborn and closed.

I can’t blame her. Everything that happened, Soul was not one to say she was any different. “You shouldn’t feel upset” Blight said. “We set out to reunite you with Rainbow Dash and bring you back home, and it’s happening. I’m not jealous at all, I want both of you to be great friends again.” Yeah. We will be. That’s not the problem.

I want more for both of us.

4.11
Blight did not turn away from her fixation on the gorgeous lights shining all around her from the windows. Like her very body turned to mist simmering in the blazing Sun. Like it may hurt but she showed no sign of it. “Keep enjoying yourself. I love to see you feeling happy, it makes me happy too. I don’t need to hang out with these ponies to feel happy. Remember, I was the one who decided to stay out of their way.”

Her voice trailed off. Her ears drooped to the sides of her head so softly. So sad. So concerning. Soul saw it. Like Blight no longer cared about what she saw and even looked away from the beautiful carvings she stared at. Soulblight just looked away and stared… at the floor. Not even paying attention to Soul. Saying something weird. Not what she said… how she said it. She sounded… distant. “They do seem nice.”

Soul had nothing to say. Say to the blank face Blight had. Her fur slowly swishing against her face, as did Soul’s own fur. Before her black ears perked back up. In an instant.

Blight disappeared.

Something rang out. That thing Soul recognized to be a strong gust of wind blasting against her rear quick enough for her to not be able to respond to it. Feeling it, hearing it, and then seeing the whiffs air churning dust up from the walls and floor into a dance inside the air itself. Cooling and chilling, so strong. She knew what it was before it could scare her. She looked back. Nothing.

4.12
Was Blight doing another stupid attempt to scare her? She really did think that. So much more annoying this time than the first. Right when we were trying to talk. This was not the time to play jokes anymore. Until she heard a door slam shut. Right after the last bits of that gust of wind hitting her. That startled her. Because it was the huge set of doors she saw at the end of the hallway that she stood in, the one that led deeper into the castle.

Way down there. It had been that door.

Faint little trails of dust and wind dancing about around it before it all settled. Was that you, Blight?

Wasn’t me.

There she was. Back in her head. Then who was it?

Soul looked around one more time, really feeling antsy now that she wasn’t sure what was going on. But she saw nopony else. She really wished that Rainbow Dash would come back. Maybe she would know. If anypony knew more about this castle, it would be her. Unless Twilight was the one who did that. Soul knew one thing. She wasn’t alone.

She looked back to those doors that had slammed. The dust kicking up around them, moving in unison with the dirt floating around the door in the midst of a cavalcade of colors that… wait. Colors? Soul saw them. But she couldn’t believe what the hell she saw. Needing to rub her eyes for a second just to be sure. Nope, they were still there. Colors that she knew well. The many colors that slowly faded out into the air.

What is she doing?

Maybe you should go see what that is.

That went without saying. I sure as hell want to know what is going on.

Soul paused. …What is that? She eyed it. Something is… hanging on the doorknob. All the way on that door at the end of the hall. A card, with… is that Rainbow Dash’s… cutie mark?

Soul’s own ears droop. What the hell? Was that Dash who did that? What other pony would do this? Let alone leaving what looked to be a drawing of their own cutie mark to dangle from a doorknob. She had to be up to something. Oh and I’m gonna find out.

She flew off towards it, wasting no time at all in leaving her point behind now that something was up and making it to the doors in no time. Close enough to see in detail that this… was a drawing. A badly drawn drawing of Dash’s cutie mark. That settled it, it had to be Dash who did this. She’s the one who told me to wait here and she’s gonna fool around like this? Just the way this card’s funny drawing swayed in front of her bothered her. Since Dash had time to do this and was running around now. What, is she playing a game? Looked to be so. Looked to be that Dash was messing with her over something.

Maybe I should go after her and try to catch her. Maybe go inside here?

You probably should go in and see.

Hmm Blight sounds really weird. Kind of like the pony was ordering her. Alright… what are all these ponies up to? Soul set her hoof upon the handle, turning and giving a gentle push to see it crack open. She opened it.

“Dashie, what are you…”

4.13
She stopped. Staring down into darkness. Down into… a deep tube… “doing…?”

Her ears exploded! Like the entire room and world were drowned out in the loudest… thing ever. Dizzying… almost like she was deaf. Just for a moment of stunned shock. Almost like she had lost her hearing with how sudden it was. That’s why it took her so long to notice all the bright and colorful little things falling around her. Falling together much like rain, except… paper. Paper?

She looked at one that plopped on top of her muzzle, alongside so many bits of tiny colorful dots and so many more streamers land all over her. Confetti? What the… “Surprise!”

So many voices. All yelling out. Ones she recognized… ones she didn’t. All saying the same thing. She looked up. All this confetti floating around her, so close she could touch it like rainwater, it was all like a blanket of rainbows. Slowly drifting and falling to the ground. So she could see something else rainbow. A mane. The mane of her old friend Rainbow Dash floating over this giant tube, Soul blinked, a canon? And … alongside her…

Not just Dash… other ponies. All around her. Surrounded by them. All these ponies… and they were all happy. Enjoying everything. Happy… to see Soul? All their smiles on the ponies that… she recognized.

Applejack? That farm pony right here with her, and Pinkie Pie next to her. That pink pony careened in so close, with such a kick, Soul watched Pinkie send the cannon away and yell it again. “Surprise!” Smiling bigger than the others. The others who all giggled. There were… two other ponies. Wha… who are they?

Both ponies stood with her. A white furred unicorn, whose mane had such design the likes of which Soul had not seen on any other pony. Because it was the first thing Soul saw about her before glancing down at her and over to none other than a fellow Pegasus. One standing well back from the unicorn but was still joining with the others with her little smile upon her yellow-furred face.

“…What?” Soul muttered. Her mind a blank. Looking back over to Pinkie and then Dash, then all of them again. Practically feeling the butterflies fluttering in her chest. There’s never been this many pony so close before and… they’re all happy to see… me? What’s going on?

Rainbow Dash jumped in. “It’s your party, dummy.”

4.14
My party? Soul blinked. Then again. This has to be a joke. Some trick she was seeing. A party for me? A party for what? But Soul looked and she saw too much. Too much to make her eyes widen. This was a vast room she was in now, with a ceiling even higher than the ones out in the halls. Whose tops were decorated in what looked to be an endless assortment of lights glistening along a frame going every which direction in a spiderweb over the room, from which… she saw more confetti falling down from. Down as she followed to where… where she saw...

Balloons. Underneath the dim lights of this place. Countless balloons all bundled up together and covering this entire room in their lights. All around… a banner? No way. This can’t be. This… this was never something that I... no, I am seeing all this. It’s true.

On that banner that hung high over all these ponies, written in such big and bright letters.

‘Welcome to Ponyvile, Soul’

Welcome to Ponyville, Soul? This… this all… Soul looked all around it again and again. Still seeing it all there and all these ponies here. Ponies she knew, ponies she didn’t. Now none of them left her. They all huddled in around her, laughing and so happy to be here. Pinkie even threw on some cone hat atop Soul’s head. Making her wince. Wrapping its string around her muzzle and giggling with pride. A party hat?

This is real. It was really happening.

“You all…” Soul looked across them. From the familiar faces of the new ponies she met. From Applejack to Pinkie, and then to Dashie. These ponies… these ones she didn’t even had a name for. Yet they were here. I don’t know them. Do they know me? They’re all here to do a party for me? With Dashie. So… that must mean… these two must be Rarity and Fluttershy. Only Dashie’s friends would do this for me. The friends of Dash’s that sounded too good to be true. They are all here for me.

Soul was left speechless.

There was no way anypony could say a word. It didn’t stop her from smiling. Smiling true joy. Ha, there was only one other time I felt this. This feeling in my chest. Soul put her hoof to her fur. Staring down at her chest. Like she might cry. One time. It’s just like it. I never thought that would ever happen to me. But Blight did it for me… and these ponies too. Again. None of them need to do this. Blight didn’t need to, the first party Soul ever had in what felt like ages back in the snowy wasteland. That one small moment that felt like a lifetime of happiness. My birthday party…

My welcome party. Dashie… you did this all for me?

4.15
“It’s your welcome party” Dash said. Coming to a landing next to her and, she did something incredible. It made Soul’s heart skip a beat. Dash set her foreleg around the back of her neck. Pulling her in closer. So much so that… no way. Soul gulped. Our wings are touching. Wh-why is she doing this? But Soul did not push her away. Couldn’t even look at the Pegasus in the eye.

Why is she doing this for me. None of them have to. So why? Soul looked away and… she held her breath. Oh no, I’m about to… Soul tried her hardest to hold it in. She could feel the tears. They did this for me.

Rainbow was hiding this from me all this time.

Sitting on top of a huge table whose color matched that of the very crystals on the walls surrounding it. But this was the brightest thing in the room. As it glowed seamlessly with the shine of sunlight blistering in all around it from the ceiling. Lighting it up. Like it was meaning to draw her attention. These ponies made me… a cake. A huge one. Standing so tall atop that table and coated in white, drowned in beautiful icing… so much so that Soul saw it. It’s like the one that Blight made for me. My birthday cake. She did it just to make me happy and… they all did the same thing.

They… they even put little strawberries on it. Soul saw them all aligned in circles around the layers. Even some popping out of the sides. No candles though. That’s okay. It wasn’t a birthday cake. It was her welcome cake. Her welcome to this town, from these ponies. It really was taking all her might to not show that she was crying inside. There was no way to truly hide how much she loved it. A surprise party for me. These ponies… so they… they don’t hate me. It’s not at all like I was afraid of it being.

This town is so different. It was beautiful. So beautiful that she managed to crack a smile. Everything hung still when one little tear fell down her cheek.

These ponies have done nothing but be nice to me and treat me like I belong here. Like this is home. Even… Dashie… she’s holding me. Our wings are touching… after so long. She looked over, to her old friend. Her magenta eyes proudly peering over at the cake and not even seeing that Soul was looking at her. Even as she smiled. Soul loved this sense of them being together like this. Didn’t look like Dash felt the same. That’s okay. I know… they all care for me. Enough to do this party.

4.16
Soul finally kicked it out of herself, to be able to talk again. Without feeling like she may choke on her own tears. “You all did this for me?”

“Yup” Pinkie Pie burst up in front of the two pegasi. “Everypony should get their own super, special welcome party. Even more important for a pony who just got done with her super, special travel.” “We couldn’t let one of Dash’s own acquaintances go without one” Applejack stepped forward.

Really? They did it because they think I’m important enough for it? That I deserve it? Even after all I did, I still can get a party from ponies… ponies who would hate me if they knew who I was. But right now, they didn’t seem to care anyways. More concerned with just welcoming her here. Making her feel special.

I get a party from them, just like I got before. It was a kindness she had no words for. Not even feeling right when she said “Thank you.” “Don’t thank us” AJ said. Pointing her hoof past Soul. “Thank Dash.”

Soul looked over to her old friend who had was not even there anymore. The cyan Pegasus was backing off, but… she didn’t let go of Soul’s back. Instead waving her free wing in the air. Exactly like she were saying no. “Oh stop, I didn’t do anything.” Is she right? Dash, did this? She couldn’t have.

“Oh yes she did” AJ went on. Even Pinkie nodded. “It was her idea to go through with this here party. Told us all here what to do, looked like she ended up foolin’ you right good in the end.” “Didn’t even suspect a thing” Pinkie chimed in.

Dash? Soul watched her old friend. Astonished. Astonished to see Rainbow Dash shying away and even blushing a little. That is what made her finally let go of Soul. To pull her mane down along her face. “Oh shut up” she muttered. “It’s true!” Pinkie confirmed and really made Rainbow shudder. “She had all of her bestest friends come to welcome back her bestest flying partner in the whole world.” “Alright, shut it” Rainbow barged in and pushed Pinkie away. Effectively stopping her and leaving the pink pony with quite an amused smile that Dash did not share. Looking more upset over everything, that is until she looked at Soul. When her voice calmed down. When she looked so kind, enough to continue keeping Soul in stunned silence.

“Look” Dash said to Soul. “I… felt you needed something fun to get all that travelling off your mind. It’s been such a long time, so what better way for you to come back to Equestria?” She practically shied away at this point. Quivering her wings along her sides. Not able to look Soul in the eye anymore. Though Soul still saw the innocence in her look. That Dash was truly embarrassed saying this stuff, and… she didn’t even need to. But she did.

“It was the least I could do for you. …Everypony thought it’d be nice so they all came.” And she abruptly shot her hoof out to the two ponies Soul was not sure what to call. “So now you get to meet Rarity and…” pointing to the Pegasus… “Fluttershy.” Both of them waving back there. So… that is them. They really are all of Dash’s friends. She invited them for me? “So we’re all here for you” Dash said softly. “Because, you know, you should have some fun… after a hard journey.”

4.17
“Well if that don’t prove how much of a softy you are” AJ said. To which, Dash let out one strong groan and slapped a hoof against her own face. Something that made Applejack laugh. All of them laughed, except for Soul.

Why are they all laughing? Dash looked so embarrassed over it. No, it’s not right to laugh. It may be funny to them but… this… this is a Rainbow Dash I have not seen in ages. Because this… this is not the Dash that would yell at me. Hit me. Like I don’t belong in her life. The one who would leave me behind if I made a mistake.

Not the one I’ve seen… every night.

This is the Rainbow Dash I have missed all this time. The one she loved to see, if only for that small moment. But she saw it and it hit her. Leaving her having to smile. Just smile, no laughing. I won’t join in laughing at her. It’s not funny at all. Right now, I see the Rainbow Dash that was my best friend in the entire world. A sweet and caring mare. One she wanted to see for so long. If only for a moment. But to go back to it as it had been. All the time. She could not ask for more.

“Whatever” Dash blurted out, upset. She took to the air again. “I’m gonna go cut the cake.” Immediately turning tail and off towards that huge table. Floating off fast. Faster than Soul could react, right when she had it on the tip of her tongue. I have to thank her… for all of this. It mustn’t have been easy to set this up, it was only a day.

Soul went after her… or she wanted to. Until a wall of pink popped up in front of her. Pinkie Pie stopping her right in her tracks along with a quick toot from a little horn blower.

4.18
“So were you surprised?! Huh?” she came in closer with such eagerness on her face that Soul could call it frightening. She’s starting to get even weirder than earlier. “The best welcome party is a surprise party.” Soul set her hooves back down. “Umm… yes, you all did.” That seemed to really brighten everypony up. They all did a good job. I can’t lie about that. Never thought I’d get a welcome party when I came back home. Especially from Dashie of all ponies. This really was a treat. The last time we ever got to do this was… I think Hearth’s Warming Eve. We get to do it again… with all of her friends. I can only love it.

“I really love it” she assured all of them. Hope you all know that. I really do love it. They all did know it. They all believed her. Happily laughing and even stomping their hooves in glee. “Well then let’s get ‘er started” AJ called out before running off to join over where Dash was, where that Pegasus was going at it with a knife between her hooves so elegantly cutting through that big cake. Such a beautiful cake. They keep giving me food… well I can’t complain. A lot of years with no food… it wears on you bad.

Even Rarity and Fluttershy ran off to join them around the cake. I should join them all. No reason to be afraid. And Dashie… I want to be with her. Going right along with Pinkie over to where that succulent dessert waited for her… and where even more was waiting. Soul had not seen it before because it had been hidden behind the gigantic chairs of crystal arranged all around the table. There was other food.

There were plates all laid out close to one another with… what she thought looked like greens or even fruit all over them. Apples for sure and… pears. Are those pears? Soul had to really squint at them to be sure. Yes, they are! Wow it has been too long. So much food all neatly stacked and set out like somepony had a lot of time to decorate.

4.19
Walking on over to where they all waited for her, pulled in suddenly by a quick grasp by Rarity, who only startled her for a moment. For anypony to grab her like that, she wasn’t used to it. Let alone one she just met. Rarity didn’t seem to mind at all. Guiding Soul in with a gentle tug of her leg around Soul’s neck towards where she waited by one of the huge chairs.

“Looks like the guest of honor gets Twilight’s chair” she said, bringing her closer to it before Soul stopped herself. “Twilight’s chair, shouldn’t she get it?” Soul asked. Really… wait. Soul stamped her hooves down to stop Rarity from pushing any more.

Soul looked around. Fluttershy and Rarity. Nopony else other than the ones she knew. So… where is Twilight? This is her castle after all, and Dashie said we were supposed to meet. About to point this out to the Pegasus floating by the cake before Pinkie jumped up again. “She’s out right now. Looked like this surprise party surprised her too.”

“Yeah” she heard a soft and gentle voice come out. Unlike any she heard before… because it came from Fluttershy. “She had a lot to do today, but she’ll be back soon.” Wow, it sounds like she’s whispering or something. Is that her normal voice? Alongside Rarity’s little ‘unique’ accent, I’ve never heard ponies like this before. Dash really did make some truly interesting friends, and… they all are treating me like their friend too.

“So you can sit in her seat, …just…” Rarity came in closer. Close enough to whisper. “Don’t let her know you’ve sat in it.” I’ll try… but… she might come in and see me. Still amusing. Soul had to laugh a little. Drawn back to that huge cake towering over her. Making her lick her lips. It did look so good. Blight’s cake was amazing, I can’t wait for this one.

4.20
“Do you like?” Pinkie asked. Considering how big it was, all of it neatly covered in such a fine array of icing and so many strawberries, that alone made Soul like it. Want it so bad. “It looks so good” Soul commented. Pinkie smiled with a squee and excitement that really could never be hidden in her voice. Haha she is so much happier than she was earlier. Living the life. Really having fun already. Just from this? So easy to see the pink pony enjoyed making this party.

They all seemed so happy just to be here. Like I mean something to them. But why? I didn’t really do anything for them.

“I made sure to make it the way you like it” Pinkie went on. “Strawberry icing, strawberry filling and strawberry… berries!” Wait she made this? Pinkie actually went out of her way to make this for me. On top of all of them coming here. They really shouldn’t have. More and more, Soul could not contain her happiness. They really are all so nice. All I’ve done in my life is hurt others. Make everypony feel bad. It took so long just to make friends with a pony I never thought I’d be friends with. I only wish it had been sooner.

But these ponies…

They’re treating me like… like I am their friend. For what? For no reason. It was unlike anything she could ever expect. All because of one pony. The one who was hurt the most. Who cared enough to do all this. Dashie, why did you do this for… me? I should be the one throwing a party for you. Do something to make you feel special. Kind of like what you’re doing for me. And I don’t deserve it.

But… I can’t.

I can’t say no to this after all they did. One little pit in her gut that she felt telling her this was wrong. Maybe that feeling was right, though Soul could no longer care. Because right now she saw the rainbow tailed Pegasus floating over her, cutting out a big slice of cake… from a cake meant for her. For the pony who had hurt that Pegasus the most.

I’m being treated… by Dashie. How… nice. Soul smiled.

4.21
Applejack smacked a hoof down on the table hard enough to make all the plates shudder. Scaring Dash for a moment it looked like. “Yup, we hope you like it” she said to Soul. “I brought over a bunch of food I prepped myself, so eat up, ya lanky thing.” Food from AJ? She shouldn’t have. As kind and sweet as these other ponies. Soul had no words. She could only nod. In awe and impressed at just how they were all able to cheer her up. If she didn’t know better, she’d say they knew everything she had to go through and were trying to make it all up right now.

“I even brought the…” “Shut up!” Dash stopped AJ. Really a shocker to hear. At least, Soul would see it as bad if not for the fact that AJ seemed unimpressed at it. Actually, she looked happy anyways. Nodding up to Rainbow. “Oh, well you’ll see anyways.” They have something else now? They were going all out. A cake and food and more surprises. Just a happy time for her. Why, this was amazing. They think I matter enough for all this. I don’t get that often.

Well… that tears it. I think… I like them.

Dash was right after all. These ponies are all ones I want to be friends with and… I think they want to be my friends. They wanted to make her smile. It took a special kind of pony to want to do that for her. Soul found herself so excited to see whatever it was that these ponies had in store for her later. She just had to see. So much that her tail whipped hard across the air.

Soul felt another touch on her. Turning over and finding Rarity again was the one setting hoof on her shoulder. “We really are honored to welcome such a fantastic Cloudsdale flyer back to Equestria. I do hope you are happy to have us.” And she saw Fluttershy behind Rarity smiling as well. Still being sure to keep a distance away from them. But they both looked happy.

“She’s just saying that cuz she didn’t bring anything” Rainbow Dash laughed, and Rarity immediately scoffed. Jumping back with annoyance blistering her. Even fuming in her voice. “Well we didn’t have a lot of time for that… you know!” before turning back to Soul. “Still though, we couldn’t miss this either way. Always a pleasure to meet one of Dash’s old friends.” “Oh yes” Fluttershy nodded. “I’m happy to meet you.” That was when Fluttershy finally stepped forward. The closest Soul had seen her yet. Close enough for them to see Soul smile.

4.22
They are too much. I’ve never met ponies like these. Oh wow. Soul had to stop herself from shaking in joy. Such a joy that she knew. During another party not so long ago.

This is amazing. These ponies like me. They had to. None of them ever tried to hurt her. None of them were ever afraid of her. So different from what she expected. This really was a miracle. If these ponies could be her friends, …what may happen? I will have friends, friends to be with me. Maybe, someday, we can all be together… with nothing to fear.

But who cares? Right now, I just want to enjoy this.

“Thank you so much” Soul said to those two. “We failed to properly introduce ourselves” Rarity said with a nod. Pointing a hoof to herself. “I’m the one and only Rarity” she said with so much emphasis on her name. Really funny since Soul felt she didn’t need to do this. Must be something they naturally did. She liked it anyways. It was cute. “And I’m Fluttershy” the yellow Pegasus said with an ever-growing voice. Oh damn, sucks I gotta lie to them again. “I’m Soul” Soul said easily holding back her last name and still seeing nothing wrong from her saying her first. No anger or fear. Just joy. “Nice of you two to come” Soul said to them.

“Really” Dash said back down to them. “It was nice of you two to make it. Thanks.” Speaking sincerely now. No jokes or sarcasm. Really happy for all of them. Tossing down a plate with a fresh slice of cake in front of the chair that Soul was being allowed to use. Dropping the knife as well and flying over Soul, and all of them. But only looking down upon Soul. With a big smile. “I’m glad everypony could make it and…” she came in closer to Soul. Close enough to touch. But Soul didn’t back away. No need to back away from the very pony who did all this. That pony who was just like the one from many years ago.

Some other day, some other day I will make everything up for Dashie. For now, I’ll be here with you all and I’ll… I’ll gladly call this place my home again.

“Welcome back to Equestria” Dash finished.

They really were amazing ponies.

4.23
She couldn’t get used to this, and it was some surprise that awaited her to figure out exactly how it was that Soul could get used to this. To have to deal with this all the time. It had only been two days and Blight couldn’t do it herself, still finding some way to manage… barely, while listening to everything that went on outside. Seeing it all. I have to watch it all. Watching as a plate-full of some sort of food came up and disappeared. Seeing Rainbow Dash… Rarity. All these ponies. Talking on and on with none other than Soul.

They all do look like they are having a good time. I think. I should know, lots of ponies are so good at hiding their feelings. Way too many times when I saw it. All I can do is watch and wonder how they are, it’s all I can do in this place. One she had not been in for so long.

Twelve years. Amazing how much things can change. Now she walked on, watching everything go on, not sure what it was that was going on out there. In this world she now could declare to be quite treacherous. Hating it for what it was. What it represented. Even as it was her only home now. Her only one. Strange that these thoughts came up. I really hate to think of them, but they happen. Always surrounded by these thoughts and… these terrible things I see in here… when Soul isn’t looking. I wonder why it is she thinks she has it rough. Like she’ll never have a comfortable home.

That Soul, she always thinks she won’t have a good home. But would it kill her to appreciate the fact that she legitimately had one now. Better than what I have to live in right now.

These past two days, I watched and listened. And it makes me angry. Soul never seemed that happy about being here and always had some fear in her that I keep feeling. And I have to watch all these ponies out there act like total morons until now. Now, at least they are trying to impress. Tried to pull off this ‘act’ that Blight could only commend them for, if only it meant a little more. Really, if Soul had done this for me, I’d have been so happy. Anypony really, because I never get something like this from anypony.

So rare...

Rare and… I miss it.

Now, Soul feels it… again. Or does she? Is she happy? Blight could no longer tell as she went off along this path she felt she wandered along for hours now. So pinning and aggravating to her hooves, like it threatened to swallow her in. She even thought it may have happened several times now. Unlike that hard floor of the castle. She missed that feeling.

4.24
“Seriously, I get to feel again and this is what I get to look forward to.” This mucky touch on her hooves. This dreadful fear that she may get cut. Hurt even, because more than one occasion she felt she may fall off. As if anypony could fall in here. She will not dare it. Never. But, sweet Celestia, it’d be nice to end this madness. Walking along this darkness, annoyed more and more by the laughter of those ponies and how carefree they seemed to be now. Normally she’d love to hear that stuff… were it not for the fact she almost cut herself.

She gasped when she saw it just in time peer into her vision. Such a terrible array of thorns much too big for anything she could recall. Looked as if they could skewer her. Bearing down on her from their perches along a thick vine that coiled and swayed so softly in the breeze. Blight looked up. Watching the vine until it disappeared into the darkness far above, so dark… no Moon to shine. Even though there was one. Really leaving stumped as to how a Moon may exist, but not cast its glow.

She looked back down. Glaring… peering in. Until she saw so much more. So many more vines rippling and threatening her. Daring her to come forward with all their spiderwebs of thorns. Maybe they wouldn’t hurt. I don’t want to chance it. Going into that darkness so black that she could even see her own black hooves were brighter than it all.

Really, how can this still be? I thought… things would be better in here now… poor Soul.

Those ponies have no idea what they are doing. She had to scoff. How pathetic they are… not even able to help my beloved friend. When I was not good enough for her. I will never be a good enough pony for Soul. Yet the one damn pony who was, …what the hell is she doing? As if she isn’t trying. Didn’t even care. Because she sure as hell didn’t know what it was that… that Soul had gone through.

Really nopony could imagine it. Except me.

Really, being angry at them won’t do anything. They are too blind. They simply don’t know anything. Grinding on her patience. She considered her own patience to be near gone at this point, and it was because of seeing all this.

4.25
Darkness and terror. How much everything changed in twelve years. It still scorched her mind, when she saw it earlier. I saw it all. So red. Everything was red and I was so afraid. I don’t want anypony to have to see what I saw. I was so afraid seeing all of it… all around me.

It painted the walls. I covered the ground. And I could hear her. Her cries. I don’t want to see what she looked like.

Soul...

It never vanished. It all still sat in front of her. Rising and bursting all along the sky, no matter how much happiness Soul felt. As she could feel it comfort the Pegasus ever so slightly. I love seeing her happy and comforted… it’s like… it feels comfortable to me. Blight placed a hoof to her heart. I feel it. Feels so weird… and yet… I like it. Soul feels good and I… Blight licked her lips.

This tingle all over. They care for you. But I’m not sure if you are truly happy. All I see is the pain in front of me. It all still exists. It was not going away, and I can’t even burn it all away. As much as she wanted to… to see such dreary and evil feelings set in flame. How much joy it would bring her again. To bring the smallest of comfort to another pony with that. For its what she owed her, and she was failing.

Laughter. Happiness. Even starting to feel accepted. Why, oh why is there still fear? A question that Soul still has.

I know why, and it makes me mad. Mad yet again. These ponies had always sounded so nice to Blight. This little group. Yet worthy enough, she shook her head. Stumped. Turning around to go back the way she came. Not willing to go any further, see any more. Any more evidence that maybe these ponies were not worthy. Even if she wanted them to be. In all these years listening to them… I can’t think of a better group of friends.

But how to be sure?

Because… all ponies, all the ones she saw in this world… bleeding across her eyes. Blinking and seeing more. Hearing everypony out there. On this world. They are all capable of being guilty. Guilty like the ponies I knew. Such lowly beasts. So easy to turn on such an innocent pony. Oh so hard to earn their trust, and Soul had to do it all. But not alone.

I have ways to find out… if they can be the ones to save you, Soul. If she can be the one who can save you… and bring you back to the world you dreamed of. Not this dreary world. Not this darkness. Not this pain.

I already miss being around that castle. And… Equestria isn’t so bad for me. Blight walked off… watching the darkness take her.

4.26
“No way! How long have you been one?” Soul asked in amazement.

When the hell was she planning to tell me this?! And acting like it’s nothing. She has to be crazy. Dash was just over there sitting back in her chair. Like she’s trying to ignore this. Oh no, I gotta know now. After that Pegasus had failed to tell her this amazing discovery ever since Soul came back. No, it took Rarity to be the one to tell her, and she looked amazed too.

“You never told her?” Rarity asked Dash. No kidding. She should have ages ago. This is huge. This is real important to me cuz this was like our childhood dream. The thing that both of them aspired to do, and Rainbow Dash had done it. She reached that goal.

The goal of becoming a Wonderbolt.

It never even crossed my mind. Looking at her wings again, Dash really had built them up so well that it should come as no surprise they could get her landed right into that prestigious group. And there I was getting these wings of mine just to survive and keep going. “Look, I just never thought to tell her” Rainbow explained. Hunching her forehooves up as if she were trying to look innocent. “It really isn’t that big of a deal…” Soul held her breath. “Ya know, I can see ya chafin’ saying that” Applejack said from her post right next to Dash. Just getting done with her third plate of food. To which Dash threw her hooves up and smacked them on the table. “Come on, I was more concerned settling her in” Dash snipped at AJ while pointing to Soul.

Thanks for confirming that you’re a Wonderbolt. Still holding off on the question that made Soul tap her hoof against the table just waiting for it. I bet that she got in long ago. Probably years ago with how much progress she so evidently portrayed to have made. But Soul wasn’t so concerned about why she never told her. More and more thinking about something else.

4.27
“Look” Dash calmly spoke to Soul. “They accepted me as a full member not that long ago. I was in the reserves for a while and had to deal with a lot of shit first, but they still took me in.” Soul could practically hear Dash getting more boastful in her tone as she said that, not really doing a good job of playing it off. Probably hoping Soul would congratulate her or something, which she did deserve. Soul did. “That’s amazing, I’m happy you got in.” Which was the truth. Always great to hear that ponies she knew were doing what they set out to do, and hearing something amazing happened for Dash over these twelve years.

I… I still want to join the Wonderbolts. I got my wings and my skill. She looked down for a moment. It’s just… not something I can do right now. I already have so much to do. So much just to have everything normal.

Still! I’d much rather join the Wonderbolts right now! I got the stuff for it already. I have had it. Now I get to wait… even longer. So many years and all the chances I could have had to be a Wonderbolt with Dash. I don’t know. I was kind of thinking we might get in together. Work together to achieve that goal. Be in the reserves together. All those ideas had not been even close to a priority of hers these past years. Now, to think of it just by hearing that Dash had accomplished it without her, I really have been left behind.

Soul glanced back to her wings. I think I can get in if I wanted. It wasn’t all for loss. But still, would we have been able to graduate together? …It’s gone. So hard to stomach. Soul couldn’t look up. Even if she felt all the other ponies looking at her. Just… seeing it. I can see her and I as Wonderbolts. Together.

If only things were different.

“But hey, you know what’d be even more amazing?” she heard Rainbow Dash say and she looked up to see her old friend was smiling at her. Quick to pep up. “When you join me in the Wonderbolts.”

4.28
When I join it? “Well I…” Soul looked off, really trying to think of what to say. Because, the dream was not dead at all. I still got my stuff. But how? More importantly, when?

“Soul wants to be a Wonderbolt?” Rarity asked. “Oh… now I do see what it is you want, dear.” Soul looked over just in time to see Rarity batting her lashes over at Dash with a grin on her face. What? Am I missing something right now? Soul glanced over at Dash… who blushed. Blushed before she slammed a hoof on the table and Rarity back off with a giggle.

“Well, darling” Rarity said to Soul. “You certainly look like Wonderbolt material.” “You kiddin?” AJ chimed in. Practically throwing herself up on the table in excitement. “You don’t even know how good a Wonderbolt she’ll make. Well, you shoulda seen what she did yesterday. Dash can tell ya all ‘bout it.” She nudged her leg against Dash. The Pegasus could only moan. “Remind me what part” Dash said. Applejack shook her head. Going back to Soul and Rarity.

“Let’s just say Rainbow has ‘erself some competition in the skies… now that somepony else can do a sonic rainboom.”

This was all getting to Dash over there. That pony would never like to hear stuff like this. Though, she did seem to have no issues with it lately. Never even gave a sign she was upset over that chase yesterday. “A sonic rain…” Rarity gasped. Right as Pinkie blasted in between Soul and Rarity faster than either of them could take a breath. “Now that’s something I never thought I’d hear” Pinkie said. “So much so that you gotta be pulling my leg.” “Howz about we just ask Dash, she saw it” AJ said, peering back over to Dash much like everypony else did except for Soul.

I really hope Dashie isn’t upset over any of this. I didn’t mean to steal her thunder. This sonic rainboom is her move, the skies here are hers. Even though it wasn’t a sonic rainboom. It couldn’t be. It looked so different compared to Dash’s like the colors and… and… that’s all. It had to be something else. I don’t want her to feel like I took something she did. There was just no way to tell if Dash was upset over it. She didn’t look upset. That was when Soul looked up at Dash, surprised to see they were locking eyes.

4.29
“Let’s get this straight” Dash said to the others with a sweep of her eyes. “I’m the only pony who can do a sonic rainboom… but…” she looked to Soul. “Soul has a move just as cool and, well, almost as powerful.” She said it with a grin.

Does she mean that? Dash must have done a lot of work to learn how to pull of a rainboom. I did a ton of work too to pull off… whatever this was. And she thinks it’s cool. I never even thought of what it could be. Only the things Blight and Dashie say about it. She was immediately reminded of the words spoken to her. That she was a perfect flyer. Dash herself didn’t show any sign that she was bluffing when she said those compliments for her flying ability. Like she actually did mean them.

“I knew it!” Rarity snapped. “I could’ve sworn I saw two rainbooms yesterday. Here I thought it was our own Dash, but… that was you?” Oh no, that isn’t right. “Dash did her rainboom… I just…” Soul stopped. Wondering what more to say to justify what had happened.

“Did one right after her” AJ finished. “The two of them were just havin’ a friendly reunion race.”

“Ok, hold up” Pinkie waved her hooves before she grabbed hold of Soul and surprised her with a quick pull into her side. It was then that Soul realized Pinkie had joined her in the chair. “Both of you have amazing wings, both of you can do a rainboom. So stop leaving me in suspense and tell me who won the race!” Leave you in suspense? But we just… Soul looked at the others and saw their shared confusion with this. Not for long when Applejack gave Dash one hell of a smug look. Practically giggling under her breath. “How about it, Dash? Wanna tell them what happened?” Too which Dash did another slink into her chair. Fully realizing what she had to say and Soul knew it. The question was if Rainbow Dash was willing to say it. To which Soul already knew the answer to. Well before Dash failed to say anything. Just burying herself into that chair.

Applejack took the sign, giving a quick nod of her head. “They tied.”

4.30
“What? I… uh…” Dash threw herself up again, hit hard by what AJ just said but she didn’t say any more. Quieting herself down in one of the most painful sights Soul had to see because it must really have hurt Dash for AJ to say that to the others. Soul knew one thing about Dash, no matter how many years passed or how much things changed, she still wants to be stronger than others. Would it even be worth apologizing? I didn’t mean to show her up or anything, she just forced my hoof.

Wait… it wasn’t a tie. Dash crashed and we couldn’t… oh wait, that would be worse to say. I’m sure Dashie would have gotten faster and outran me. Maybe. Soul could not be sure, just that… they were both as fast as the other. Both as agile, if they were paying attention that was.

“They tied?” Rarity said in obvious disbelief, and Soul found herself under scrutiny when Pinkie went ahead and got herself a very close look of Soul’s wings. Feeling her eyes go right into them. No doubt seeing how well built they were and how impressive Soul knew them to be, still feeling a bit embarrassed to have them examined so close. Probably wants to see if it’s all a trick.

“Look! We uh…” Dash stopped again. Just the sound of her voice made her sound like she was desperate to say something, anything probably to deny it as Soul expected her to. Was it a surprise, in the end, to not hear Dash deny it? It never came even as seconds passed. Even as Dash took another bite of her sandwich sitting on her plate and quite a long sip of her drink. She sighed. Wiping the crumbs away from her mouth. Looking back over to the trio of ponies across from her.

“Ok, …we raced and well… umm…” she stared down at the floor. Staring down at it like she was trying to get an answer. Leaving Soul in total suspense because Dash sounded so… calm. Like none of this bothered her. Like… she was all alone with only Soul, able to say anything without fear. Anything with the one pony she trusted. Be her true self. And she smiled.

“Screw it” she whispered.

4.31
“Soul.” Dash snapped up staring at her. Soul could only stay silent. Listening to the soft voice who spoke to her. “You did great yesterday. Anypony who can keep up with me is a winner in my book. So yeah, you and I tied… you trained just as hard as I did all these years.” She looked upon everypony in the room. All of them, even AJ. “Soul always kept up with me when we were kids, I’d be disappointed if she wasn’t able to tie with me. She’s the same badass I always knew, and there’s no other pony I’d want to be as good as me.”

Dashie…? Do you really mean that? Like… she wants me to blush. Dash didn’t even flinch when she said all that. She means it. Soul couldn’t look Dash in the eyes after hearing that. That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me in a long time. Maybe I am as good as her. Dash wasn’t even ashamed to have said that. Gladly smiling at every one of the ponies who were her friends. How sweet they all looked. Some of them nodding. Fluttershy so touched that she put a hoof to her heart. But all of them had that same look, and they all believed it.

“Ok, that does it” Rarity said. “We have to get her into the Wonderbolts, then.” “With so many years training, she’s a shoe in for them” AJ added in, everypony agreed. Even if Dash fell silent now, Soul still humbly rubbed her forelegs together. They all think I can be a Wonderbolt. Wow, I… I don’t know what to say. Guess they can see how much work I’ve put in. I won’t let them down. Joining the Wonderbolts sounded like such a treat, when years ago she went on thinking she may never join them. Never get the chance because it was impossible. Maybe someday, someday Soul will do it. She still wanted to. If only things were that easy.

“Well she’s got one helluva test to get through before she can join. I can help her brush up” Dash suggested towards Soul. Soul wanted to tell Dash the truth right now. Any test she had to take to join paled in comparison. That was the easy part. Dash had no idea just how hard it was going to be. What I have to get through. There’s something I need to do first. Nopony here will understand.

“Please” Rarity sighed. “If she can do a sonic rainboom, no testing can stop her.” She leaned in closer to Soul, looking past Pinkie. “You simply must show us it, I’m too curious now.” “I second that” Applejack said. Show them? My move? Soul didn’t know what to say. These ponies actually wanted to see her pull off that move. A privilege she only allowed Soulblight to have. Because she had been the only pony who expressed interest in seeing what Soul could do, now these ponies wanted it too. That was… it was amazing. Like she would have her own little audience to see just what her wings could do after all these years of training. Ha, to join the Wonderbolts and perform for others. Sounds like I’m already doing it now. Already going to be able to show off her abilities.

If they all are so excited to see it, no way I’ll say no. Soul nodded. Fully accepting such a task, more than ready to do it. Feeling her wings also approved of it. Like they were dying to go back into action. She will do it just for them. Show them she was a great flyer. “A-alright” Soul managed to say. Immediately seeing a pink hoof pull her in, and Pinkie was right in her face. “Let’s do that later for the main event. The party is just starting.”

4.32
It took no time to rip Soul away from her chair and the remains of her cake. Unsure as to what was going on, just letting it happen. With Pinkie pulling her away in her hooves. “So I got a bunch of party games that we gotta do” Pinkie said while Soul just let herself be dragged along. Really more amazing this pony could pull her along like it was nothing. Am I really that light? May as well be a feather.

What did Pinkie say? There are games? Sounded like the others were excited for it. Rainbow Dash flew overhead. “Aww yeah, get me in on this too” she went off. Flying over to where… Soul saw something yet again that looked really weird. She cocked her head. Not sure how to make it out. Didn’t look like any game she had ever seen before. It’s not like the games I used to see ponies playing on the streets of Cloudsdale. Not racing or flying. Really anything she remembered being fun.

But what are party games? All it was was some badly drawn image of a pink pony… Pinkie. Yeah. Like it was drawn with pink marker and had the same curly mane and tail and bright blue eyes. She couldn’t figure out what to do with it. Just more of a mystery up till Pinkie stopped forcing her forward and let her be, standing quite a ways away from it. “Umm…” Soul glanced over to Pinkie and back at that drawing. Rainbow Dash seemed to know what to do with her waiting right next to them like she was expecting some dessert. Okay, so what was the point here?

“Party games?” Soul asked as stumped as ever. “So what game is…” turning to find Pinkie had pulled out and cracked a sheet of black in her hooves. What turned out to Soul to be… none other than a blindfold… and, looking up, quite a chilling smile on Pinkie’s face.

4.33
“Uhh…” Now Soul really felt the need to back away, and she did. Just one step before she felt herself bump into something. That something turning out to be Rarity with a little something floating next to her. A strand of pink fur? Looked like a tail actually. Wrapped in a coat of blue magic matching that of the magic circling around Rarity’s horn. “You’re gonna need this” she said and sent that tail floating over until it was right in front of Soul’s mouth. Like she was supposed to take it. So close, she noticed a sharp looking pin embedded in the tip of the tail.

So a blindfold and a tail. What the hell?

“Come on, Soul!” Rainbow Dash yelled from across the room. “Try not to suck at this.” Suck? So this is some sort of game? I’ve never seen this before. And Dash is over there being a smartass. That was all it took to make her take that tail in her mouth. “So what is this?” Soul asked. Finally that overly excited face on Pinkie went away. She looked shocked. “You don’t know?” She asked. Is it something I should know?

“You don’t do a lot of parties, do you?” Pinkie asked. Soul noticed that Dash smacked a hoof over the top of her head over that line. Yeah… but it was okay. Parties… we never my thing. “I spent too long travelling, I didn’t get to party much” Soul explained. “Not to worry” Pinkie bought it. “It’s really easy. Just take that tail and get it…” She pointed over to that poorly drawn picture. “Put that thing right in that pony’s booty.” Take it and… just do that?

“While blindfolded” Pinkie finished. Pushing that blindfold closer. Oh… okay that sounds not as stupid.

“Oh, yeah I never did this before” Soul said, and Pinkie giddily jumped in place much too fast for Soul to even tell how many jumps she did in that short time. Really excited for this. Happily laughing. “Oh boy, first time pin the tail on the pony! Well don’t you worry, I bet you’ll even beat Dash’s time.” “Whatever!” Dash called out. “Watch, I’ll beat her score easy.” Oh come on now, Dash. How will we even compete when we can’t even see? This sounded more hilarious to Soul. Seeing Dash probably crash into something or fall over and get that tail pinned to her own ass.

And the same will happen to me, great.

Haha, better not make a fool of myself. Well best to try and do this without messing up, more important than winning against Dash in this. “Can I at least use my wings?” Soul asked. “Why not?” Dash said. “I’ll be using them. But that’s it. No using anything else” Dash winked. Oh come on… I can’t even feel… fine. Dash gave a quick snap of her wings. Using them to fly back over to where Soul was.

4.34
Soul joined her in the air, tossing down the tail from her mouth and landing it between the tight grasp of her forehooves. Dash also brought something up, holding that blindfold herself and bringing it closer to Soul. Sheesh, here we go. Soul accepted it. Allowing Dash to come in front of her and bring that sheet of black between her and Dash. Pushing it closer and then… total darkness.

Soul had to blink a lot, but no change. Just feeling a tug on her head and something snaking around the back of her head and through her thick mane while hearing Dash’s wings flapping all around her. Until that cloth felt pretty tight against her face. That was all she had to go on. Looks like Dash secured it well. Wasn’t even falling off. Oh Celestia… I don’t think I even remember where that drawing was. And I need to get this on that drawing’s ass. Oh shut up, Dash, this isn’t easy for you.

Soul clutched the tail tighter in her hooves. Feeling along it until she reached that pin at the end. Just to be sure she knew where everything was. Angle it a little and… it should be pointing forward now. This really sucked not being able to see. Just go forward. That might be where the drawing was.

She gave her wings a light flap and moved on in the direction she last believed she saw that stupid drawing with its goofy smile that she bet she’ll probably pin this tail right square in its teeth or eye. If she didn’t run into anything. There wasn’t really anything to run into, but still.

Don’t worry, if you crash I swear I won’t laugh.

That made her stop for a moment in her flight. The deafening silence. And then that was Blight. Oh wow, thanks for promising that. Soul gave Blight a little laugh. Now there’s an idea… I’d love to see you do this. You’re lucky I didn’t know about this game before or else I’d have made you do it at my party. Blight would total trip over something. Well… if lots of things were different. Back during the party we had… or even now. If only Blight could be here too.

4.35
As much as I’d love to play, I want to talk to you for a moment. Alone…

Alone? But the party just started. It’d be rude to walk out right now. Well… it must be something important if Blight felt it necessary to break that worrying silence she had for much of the time here. Continue where they left off earlier, maybe. Because that had been a joy to see Blight in person again after much too long. But not now.

Ok… we can talk after I finish this. Probably can come up with some excuse to walk out and find a quiet place to talk. Not here, where she began to hear the other ponies laughing behind her. What? Am I doing something wrong?

Oh goodie, after this. Then allow me… you’re veering off to the right and about to run into a pile of boxes.

What?! Soul stopped immediately. Practically able to hear the sound of something ruffling in front of her from the force of her wing flaps. Perking her ears up to listen. You see, I’d not have missed that if I could sense things right now. And Blight just helped me!? Wait a minute.

Thank you but don’t help me out. I got this. I don’t want to cheat. Soul turned herself over to the left, listening so closely. That’s all I can do. Can’t hear anything. Think I cleared those boxes. Just fly forward now, maybe she was back on course. Impossible to tell really. She didn’t even notice she lost track of where she was. Wow, so now how on earth am I going to find where that damn pony’s ass is?

Well… I really want to see what Blight wants. Can we talk right now? I can multitask.

Yeah… you can, if you weren’t holding yourself back right now… just to be fair. Well I really need to talk and want to did it face to face. By the way… your left.

What?

Then keep going straight. Veer down a little too. Oh, wow. Will you shut up! I don’t want to cheat at this.

I know but I really need you. Please. Blight, come on now. I want to do this on my own.

4.36
Okay, I’m not listening right now. I told you that I want to do this myself and I’ll go my own way. Then you’ll be at this forever. Keep going forward. Oh for Celestia’s sake, she wasn’t going to stop saying things, whatever. I’ll just keep doing what I was doing. I can do this on my own and then we can talk.

It was such a curiosity that Blight wanted to talk. Did she think of something fun they could do? Or maybe think of something more to help figure out how to make everything work out in the end? Or a plan for the future? She had to know. Doesn’t mean I’ll cheat at this. I think I hear something. Like… the wind, maybe. I’m headed to open space. Too far. Soul turned around.

Oh come on now, why don’t you want to listen to what I say? Because I’ll feel like trash if I do. I’ll talk when I finish this, okay? It won’t take that long, you child.

Child?

Yup, so just enjoy watching this. Have fun like the others are. Hearing them merrily chat about this game or continue to have a good old time watching her. Even heard Dash say “Eh, I can still beat her.” I have no doubt you can, because I’m not good at this at all. Unless I could rely on feeling this all out but… I can’t.

Any chance you want to tell me what it is now? Soul continued flying forward, holding out the tail further away from her. Just eager to get it placed into something resembling a wall that may have a pony drawing on it. I’d rather have your attention and be alone for it. Fine. Soul accepted it. Just wanting to get this done. You owe me. She better have something amazing to tell her or she was going to owe Soul a game later to make up for the fun. You got that?

We can do something later, but this will be worth it. I’ll shut up by the way. This is all you, hehe.

Good. Soul straightened herself out. Hard to do this when blind and distracted. That must’ve been what the others were giggling about. Except Applejack. She heard that pony call out “You go, girl!” How sweet of her. Soul liked to think that all of them were back there silently cheering her on to do this. Maybe even Dash, if only it were legit. I’ll definitely be sure to give them a good show later to make up for it. Soul still looked forward to doing her move for all of them. It’s the best I can do for them after all they’ve done. It was only right to do.

4.37
She kept going forward. Don’t hear any wind over here. Might be getting close to a wall. Already wanting to jab this tail in. If AJ’s cheering meant anything, might be that she was getting closer. Ok straight and, … she could swear she felt like she must be close to it by now. It really felt like it had been much too long now. Long enough to close the distance so she readied herself to pin the tail in.

Hope I got this. I’m sort of rushing for you. Oh… how sweet of you. I’ll just say keep going and figure out what you got. I’m sort of enjoying watching you like this. Next time, you’re doing it and you get to have a blindfold. Alright, and I’ll do even better than all of you. No using your magic. And you assume I’ll need to use it?

Soul stopped. Wait. I think I’m in front of something. Feeling her wings close to hitting something. Must be the wall. She turned the tail over to her right side and readied it. So the drawing was around here? Blight kept quiet. Everypony did.

Must be.

Okay, here goes. Soul jabbed it forward… and it hit home. Feeling something stop the tail and she could move it no longer. Right as she heard the others gasp and Blight giggling in her head. What?

“Did I do it?” Soul asked. Letting go and freeing her hooves to push the blindfold up. Seeing the brightness of the room overtake her for just a second before she could see again and…

Well you certainly pinned a pony.

Soul held her breath. Oh… shit. She didn’t know what to say, but she could see why the others gasped. That Pinkie drawing was there. Right next to where the tail was, jabbed into the rear. Soul blinked again to be sure, before she realized what she had done. Finding herself face to face with the tail jabbed right into the rear… of Pinkie Pie, who now had two tails.

And she didn’t even look bothered.

Soul held her breath. Ready to gasp. Oh no! Did I hurt her? Blight why didn’t you tell me?

Pinkie laughed. Harder than Soul had ever heard her do before. Practically in stitches. Banging a hoof against the floor like she may collapse from laughter. Just unable to take her eyes off that tail stuck in her rear. What? But I... Soul stared and then looked back at all the other ponies. All the others who also started laughing.

4.38
“Looks like you pinned the tail on the pony” Pinkie laughed and jumped up twice. It’s like she isn’t even hurt. Is she okay?

“Well, I guess that counts” Dash said. “You got it on Pinkie after all.” “Yeah…” Soul laughed a little. Letting herself float back down to the ground and take another look at that hilariously drawn drawing that still didn’t have its tail. I was trying to help you, oh well. Hehe, guess I’m better at this game than I thought. Soul could only laugh about it.

You still want to talk? If you’re not too busy.

“Leave it to Soul to find some way to make this wild” Dash said. “I think I can do that faster than her.” Pinkie giggling over there. Still looking at that tail pinned into her rear. “I feel like I’m gonna have a ton of tails by the end of this.” Before she turned back to all of them. Giving them all an innocent grin. “Ummm… I’ll be right back.” And she zipped away into another set of huge double doors.

Guess that’s my cue. “I’ll be right back too” Soul said to the others. Just letting them think whatever it may be she needed to do. None of them questioned her. All of them nodding and Dash giving her a happy wave. “Don’t take too long.”

Soul flew past them and over to where the other set of doors she came in from where. Out in the hall should be good enough. Right as she heard Dash say behind her “Alright give me another tail, and let’s get the darts ready too.” Whatever that meant. Soul left them to it. Certain to be back soon and join in on the fun again. She pushed the double doors open and glided out. Careful to gently close those doors behind her before she landed back down on the hallway’s floor. Turning around to be sure they were alone. An empty hall, with the only noises being the sound of happy ponies behind the doors she just left from.

4.39
“Alright, so what’s up?” Soul asked. Looking off to her right and then to her left. Passing a second before she heard that voice speak to her.

“So what are you thinking of this party?” Soulblight said. Seeing that pony like she just came out of the darkness in the corner. Speaking softly. Soul did the same so nopony could hear. Certain she knew what it was Blight wanted to hear. “You were right. They are such nice ponies. I’m having almost as much fun as when you threw that party for me the other day.” Soul rubbed her hoof along her leg thinking back on it. Smiling the whole way through. Except… probably not best to say what she just said. “Not that I’m saying your parties the same. I loved yours far more.” Soul gave off the best smile she could to sell this truth.

“No need to say that” Blight said. “I’m not trying to have some sort of party competition. Still, don’t think you need to hide anything from me.” She pointed a hoof to Soul and snorted. “I know you’re enjoying their company.” Like she’s teasing over it. Well if she says so. Soul nodded. “Yeah, this place is pretty great. I never thought Equestria would be like this after all this time.” The party just started and it’s already like old times with how fun it was. Maybe as good as playing with Blight.

These ponies, they have no idea how much this all means to me. This is the first time anypony threw me a welcome party. “It all means a lot to me. It’s like… I’m back home.” Blight chuckled. Stepping a little closer. Both pegasi standing next to one another, staring back at that large door that separated them and the others.

“You were so worried they wouldn’t like you. But look at what you have now. You got five ponies in there who like you already. Just like Dash said, am I right?” And she gave a nice nudge against Soul’s side with her leg.

4.40
Well… I think she’s right. They seem to like me. Applejack was extremely nice as was Pinkie and Rarity. Fluttershy is being a bit distant. And Dashie...

I don’t know what to say about her.

I never thought she would do this for me. She organized all of this? “I wonder why Dashie did this for me.” She couldn’t tell if Blight had the answer. That pony didn’t look at Soul. She was silent. Closing her eyes and uttering not a single word. Soul, she was left in the dark. Twelve years apart and this is what she had to come back to. An Equestria that felt a lot like… how it used to be. During a better time. When she had nothing to fear. Like all of it was a dream, and that is what made her ears droop.

Back then… ponies liked me for who I was. These ponies like me. Dash likes me. They like Soul. That’s all I am. None of Dash’s friends know who I am. Not Soul Serenity. I’m the pony that Equestria hates. They always hated me. If these ponies knew, I bet… things would be different.

I always have to hide it. And Blight… she still stayed quiet. Nothing smart or nice to say this time. Nothing at all.

I don’t think… I can trust these ponies.

“Stop beating around the bush, tell what the important thing is. I really want to know.”

That was what made Blight finally do something. Finally sighing to herself. “Yeah… I kept you waiting long enough.” She stepped aside now. Walking off away from Soul, leaving her behind with such a slow sway of her long, black tail. Soul followed after. Following her down the hallway, away from the noise behind those double doors back there. Blight made a little groan from behind her wings.

“Are you okay?” Soul asked. Making Blight stop and the Pegasus looked back. Glancing over her dark wings with those piercing eyes that glowed brighter than any crystal in this castle. For just a second. She spoke softly. “I have a rather hard question to ask you. No… a request” Soulblight said. “You can say no whenever you wish. Just… I need to ask.” “Go on” Soul said. Stepping forward with such delight as to what this may be. Tell me.

She saw Blight gulp. “Alright, I noticed you are having a lot of fun with these ponies and they seem to like you. So… I was wondering…” Leaving quite a long pause or it seemed so to Soul, just watching Blight pace her eyes around.

“Screw it, …can I join in on the party too?”

Did she just say that? She has to be joking. Soul even stuffed a hoof into one of her ears just to try and clear it out because she had to have heard that wrong. “Say again” Soul said.

“Oh shut up” Blight said bashfully. “You heard me. I want to join you all.”

Now that was like a bolt of lightning had just struck. Here I thought she was shy. Look at her being all tough now. This is exactly what I’ve wanted since we got here! Blight still stared back over her wing. Waiting. Not a single thing was saying… she was joking. Not at all. She’s serious. Blight… there’s no way I can say no.

“Yes!” Soul put a hoof over her mouth, just as Blight stepped back obvious she was surprised to at how loud she was. “Why would you think I’d not want it?” Soul whispered again. “I’ve been wanting you to join me around here ever since we got here. Hell, before we got here. I’d love for you to join in.” Just like I’ve dreamed. My dream is coming true now. Blight can party too, make friends and we can all have a life here together. Yes!

Okay, how do I introduce her? Maybe she can be my old friend or somepony from my travels. My flight partner while I was gone? A surprise guest? Or… maybe… my long, lost sister. Ooh I like that sound of that. Soul was already shaking from excitement.

4.41
“Awesome!” Blight said. “May I just borrow your body for it?”

Soul stood still. The whole world went quiet.

“What?” Soul shrieked. Borrow my… what is she saying?

“Well of course. Now you can say no… it’s fine with me” Blight said. “I just don’t want to go in there…” she flashed her massive wings out, leaving such a strong gust of silvery mist coursing all around her black body. “Like this.”

So… she is… still afraid. That killed it for Soul now who slumped her head down. Well this was almost an amazing thing to hear. I really thought that she… oh Blight.

What is she even talking about? Soul looked back up at her. Borrow my body? “What do you mean?”

“Well I… guess I should say that. I kind of want to do what I did a while ago” Blight said.

She means… what she did when she was Dash. Well… I guess she can look like me but… “There can’t be two Souls” she muttered. Blight perked her ears up. “What? Oh no, you misunderstand me… I meant…” She looked off into space. Then tell me. What is it you’re talking about? If it’s not that trick she did long ago, then what is it?

The answer came… “I want to… take over your body. …Please?” Blight grinned.

Say what?

Alright, so Blight can do all this crazy and, sometimes, terrifying stuff. Doing all of it with skill Soul had never seen or heard of before. She’s the best magic user I’ve ever known. Best I’ve ever heard of. But take over my body? That was never something she could think of.

“You want to… possess me?” Is Blight sure she isn’t a ghost? The black mare sighed. “Yes… a possession, if you want to call it that. …I can do your voice perfectly and I know so much about you, I can really sell it…” “That’s…” Soul interrupted and wasn’t even sure what to say. Possess me. What has Blight been thinking all this time? Sweet Celestia. Use my body to join in on the party. Never heard of such a thing. I never knew she could do that. Since when?

Isn’t there something better we can do?

I really want her to join this party, can’t it be some other way? Since when could she do this? I don’t… know if I want this. “How…?” That was all Soul could say about this. Just trying to figure this all out. Blight wants to take over my body. But… it’s my body. I just…

4.42
“Well… I may as well say it. It was going to come anyways” Blight said softly. “

“You sort of… let me do it before.”

What? Blight looked away. Right before she did, Soul saw it. She looked so sad. Like she was so upset to say all this. Sad over what? Over what she said? Because it didn’t mean anything. Did it before. Blight… is there something I should know?

“Blight…?” Soul took a step closer. “What do you mean?” If there’s something I should know, she had better tell me now. Tell me and stop with the silent treatment.

“Blight?” Soul raised her voice.

“I’m sorry” Blight shook her head. “Oh man… there is no easy way to talk about this.” She looked back over trying to feign a smile that quivered painfully on her face. “Yes, I can take you over. I did it a very long time ago. Let’s just say that… if you hadn’t let me do it back then… things would be a lot different.”

Soul blinked. I understand.

Blight looks so sad. Like something really is hurting her just to talk about this. And what else could she be upset about? She’s still upset about what happened, if I’m going to be mad. Mad over that day. So… now I see. No wonder.

Soul glanced down at her hooves. Looking along the magenta fur running over her leg. Like it may as well be covered in blood again. Like… on that day. All the blood that was everywhere. Raining. That blood that soaked all this fur. All her entire innocent body. When all that innocence died.

Blight… it’s hard to believe how long we have been together. I don’t even know. There’s so much you don’t tell me. You’re just a mystery. Didn’t even know you could take me over. Haha… but I was just a filly… and I wanted to kill. Oh Celestia. I guess I see now. You really were with me even way back then. Just sitting there, a filly covered in blood, begging for somepony to save her. To be her friend. That last wish. Before it all ended. Ended in a burst of light.

I can’t be mad at her. She made me do it. Made me want to do it. I already know. It was just her trying to help. Help in the only way that she could. I was only a filly who had to deal with all that; she was a mare… who knew what to do. Even if it hurt her to do it, and I got to see how it made her feel. Wolves or Changelings. Whatever it is. She deals with it so well that it’s scary. She’s the only pony I’ve ever known who would want… to kill.

And she wanted me to kill.

Remembering it all. Knowing what happened. No wonder she’s upset… when she doesn’t need to be. “That was in the past, Blight. You shouldn’t be upset. I’m not upset at all.”

“I know, it’s… it’s all in the past…” Blight craned her neck. …Blight?

“But still, I shouldn’t ask to use your body again. Not after that. It’s not right of me, you can’t even say no to me. You couldn’t…” Yeah because I was a filly and… I had no choice. There was no choice.

Those old times are all done. Nothing can be done to change them. It’s true and I wish Blight would think it’s true too. It’s all dead now. After all that, we are best friends. There’s no need to be so down about it. She made a mistake but it was alright now. After the twelve years they had together, Soul couldn’t care of what mistakes they made to one another anymore.

4.43
Twelve years. So long that Soul had, so long and so many times when it all could have ended. But I lived all because of this pony. Maybe… she had to be sure first. Because right now, it didn’t seem so bad.

“Could you not just change how you look, …like you did before? When you saved me.” A time Soul just liked to look back to. When she truly became my friend. Such a horrible day… and one that mattered so much. Thanks to this pony.

“Oh, the Dash get up?” Blight muttered. Still seeming like it was a big deal to her. “Yeah” Soul replied doing her best not to sound at all bothered, because this wasn’t a bother at all. “Just appear as somepony else, and we can go in together, if it’ll be better.” “Trust me” Blight said. “If I could, then I would. Sadly, I tried…” she looked even more defeated than before. Sulking now. “Looks like I can only do that for ponies I know well…” Know well?

“So that means…” Soul said.

“You and Dash, really” Blight answered. Damn. It’ll never work. Soul took her word for it. I guess all that’s left to do is…

After what Blight has done for me, she deserves it. She helped me so much and is why I am here now. If she wants to join in on a party, I won’t stop her. Not now. Besides, I don’t think it’ll hurt.

“What’s it like to be possessed by you?” She had looked down at the floor to ask this, a move that didn’t last long because she heard plain silence for a while. She had to check and make sure Blight was still there. Oh she was, just… her mouth agape. Licking her lips once before she finally made a move out of her stunned state. Yes, I know what I’m asking.

“Well… ummm” Blight started. “It should be like it is when I’m in your mind. Just the roles should be reversed. That’s what I think it will be like. I’ll control your body and you would be able to hear and see everything around. You’ll know everything and be completely aware. You’ll feel what your body feels. It’s just… this time… you might not be able to really say or do much. I’m… I’m getting better at this magic stuff.” Now Soul understood completely. This is what the possession was. Control me body completely? Wow. That is a tall order. Does Blight even know how to act like me? Or was she planning something else?

4.44
But, there was one thing that made Soul not even think of the word ‘no’. One little fact in it all. I trust her. She knows exactly what I want. She has never done anything to hurt me. She’s always been there. Years together. The only pony who has never left her side.

There is no other pony out there I’d trust to be me.

Blight looked so sincere in her little face with her dark ears draped down her head. Like those golden eyes bled the light that lit up this castle. Not even blinking. Just lowering her lashes… and rubbing a hoof along the floor. Really like such a tiny pony under all that long hair of hers and her giant wings. A sweet and kind mare. Behind all that darkness, she was nothing to fear. Only a pony who wanted to have fun too. She wants to party. She wants to play.

If she needs to be a normal pony… then it’s fine.

Taking over my body. Take over my body, …just how powerful is this pony? It’s amazing. All I can do is trust her. Just trust her. Just trust her. She deserved to hang out with the other ponies too and have fun.

“I didn’t get to say no the last time… but, I’m gonna say yes this time.” Soul gave her approval, and she literally watched as Blight blossomed right in front of her. Like all that darkness suddenly lit up.

“Are you serious?” she asked. Stepping forward and coming closer. Yeah, you didn’t hear wrong. Soul nodded to her and smiled. Fully prepared now. Fully committed to making this day a good one for Blight as well. She gave me good days, I need to give her one too. Let her have one… with my body. Oh Celestia, this is gonna be weird if it really is the way Blight described it. She could already feel the butterflies churning even as Blight let out a small cheer. Really changing tunes fast. She was glad that Blight had cheered up. Coming closer to her with a quick flap of her wings till they were right with each other again. Soul wished she shared her excitement. The idea of this was nerve wracking. My body won’t be mine. But, let’s do it. Maybe it will be fun. There’s only one way to find out.

4.45
“So what do I need to do?” Soul asked. “You need to be sure” Blight said. “Are you sure you want this? I promise I won’t do anything bad to your body and I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Soul giggled. It really wasn’t a huge deal. “Just enjoy yourself” she requested. That was all she could ask of Blight. This will be the pony’s first time at a party with a bunch of other ponies. Her first time with others. Oh wow, Blight… you are putting yourself out there. Way to go. Being brave like that. Just while wearing Soul’s skin.

Enough of this wait. I’m fine with it and totally ready. “You sure there’s no special thing I need to do to make this spell work? Need anything?” Blight rolled her eyes. “Saliva from a virgin mare… come on now, I don’t need anything.” All she did was stare as close as she could. Almost awkward. Like she was just staring through Soul at this point.

Is this part of possessing me? “What’s wrong?” Soul asked, to which she saw a black hoof raise. Raise and touch against her as Blight wrapped it around the back of her neck, and she giggled.

“Thank you” the black Pegasus said. “I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t” Soul said. I know my body is in safe hooves again, and she’s gonna have a lot of fun. The best time she hoped her to be able to have with others. Soul trusted her and the others. Coming out here with Blight had been important in the end. Soul was glad she did it.

“All you need to do is relax” Blight said. “It’ll be alright.” As she pulled Soul closer with that hoof she held around her. Soul did as she asked. Even with how nervous she was. It’ll be fine. It’s Blight. Do it for her. Soul let out a deep breath, and took in another. Lowering her head till all she saw were her best friend’s hooves standing below her.

“Close your eyes.”

Soul did. I trust you.

Just the darkness… and silence. Yet through that darkness, Soul saw it. She still saw the eyes of that sweet mare who smiled at her. You better be real gentle with my body.

Soul inhaled deeply.

Next Chapter: Part 3 Solace - Act 5 Estimated time remaining: 13 Hours, 30 Minutes