Fleetfoot couldn't believe how many ponies had come out to this base camp that was just a ways out from the miserable valley behind the mountains she had just left behind. Based on numbers alone it looked and felt more like a city out in the middle of the plain rather than a temporary settlement and she knew this consisted of way more than just the inhabitants of Ponyville.

The blue mare with the snowy white mane had spent the last couple hours warming in front of a fire covered with blankets and drinking hot fluids in a large tent that was prepared just for them... she wasn't freezing anymore and her strength was finally starting to come back, but despite everything she'd been through and how tired she was, she couldn't sleep or leave; she was very irritated that the princesses had refused to yet call off the mission, and hadn't sent this inexplicable presence of legions of ponies from all over the land back to the comforts of their homes, where they could all hopefully start to put this dark hour behind them.

After a time when it was determined that none of the Wonderbolts had life-threatening conditions and should recover just fine once they'd have a chance to rest and recuperate, Princess Luna ordered her and the rest of the Wonderbolts out of the main medical tent and into another large one with open walls.

The acclaimed flyer looked all around her and saw the demoralized and dispirited faces of ponies just outside whispering among themselves; even though she had been the one out there in the valley they looked just as bad or worse than she did. Whenever she made eye contact with one of them she wasn't met with the praise and admiration that she had gotten so used to and this was a foreign and dislikable feeling for her. I just went through all of that to try to save some kids, and this is what I get? she thought to herself.

Standing up with a purpose she made her way over to her friend and captain - Spitfire, who was staring despondently into the fire and mumbling to herself. Most of the Wonderbolts including Fleetfoot were loyal to Spitfire and her decision to leave the valley, but a group of four of them led by Soarin' had recently chose to leave their circle of team members and were either in a different tent or off doing something else around the base camp, away from them anyway. Fleetfoot had walked outside just before to look for the ice blue stallion but was met with more unwelcoming vibes when she encountered his group, which she strongly resented. If he wanted to go back out and freeze to death then she wouldn't stop him.

"This is ridiculous. There's ponies from all over the place out there - how did this get out so fast? I mean knew we were in there for a long time but geez," whispered Fleetfoot to the broken mare, gazing around at the crowd as she talked. "I know it's a horrible situation but you'd think we'd get a little more respect from these ponies considering we even made the effort in the first place. We've got to push back on this narrative that of all ponies we're somehow the cowards here. That the rest of them who stayed behind are so much better than us."

The yellow mare with the fiery mane and tail just kept staring at the fire with a totally unchanged expression before she spoke out loud.

"You - you don't think I called off the search t-too early... did I?" she finally muttered.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Fleetfoot urgently in a muffled whisper and resting her wings on the captain's shoulders. "What happened to the reasonable mare that got us the heck out of there without a second thought before we got permanently iced along with the rest of those kids?"

"That's - that's right," mumbled Spitfire to herself, though her friend could hear. "I-I was acting in the team's best interests... it was the right decision..."

"Yes... I don't wish this on anyone, I mean none of us do but's not like we were gonna find anything, and we gave it our best shot," added Fleetfoot. Spitfire reinforced herself with her friend's comments and her expression got a little sturdier.

When Fleetfoot had been outside to look for Soarin' she had heard some of the ponies talking among themselves.

"Did you hear that Sonic was innocent after all? Guess he was telling the truth about that tornado thing back in Ponyville," she remarked.

At the question the yellow mare's eyes finally broke, and Fleetfoot was surprised to see her a flicker of fear in her face before she settled back to the fire in front of her.

"W-what? Oh... y-yeah, I think I heard that."

"He was kind of annoying... but you were awfully hard on him. Can't really help you much there if it ever comes up."

"W-w-what?" asked Spitfire in a fragile voice, shaking her head as she looked up again. "B-but I-I wasn't... I didn't-"

"They won't shut up about him and Rainbow," continued Fleetfoot, ignoring her mumbling. Sonic was a decent flier with good speed - Fleetfoot could give him that much - but all around he wasn't close to theirs or Rainbow's level and she knew he couldn't hold up to the Wonderbolt standards. "Did you hear she apparently went out there? She must've found another way in or something, but either way she's a goner for sure! There's no way anyone could last out there without their wings. Not even her. Gotta admit though, she is pretty tough. Can you believe she loves a softie like him?"

Suddenly there was approaching them a white earth stallion with glasses and a golden mane - he wore an expensive winter coat tailored to his sturdy body. She knew he had to be older then them, though not by much. He was joined on both sides by two slightly younger stallions - a green earth pony with a white mane and a grey unicorn with a black one. The two ponies on either side were carrying some accessories attached to their necks though Fleetfoot couldn't make out what they were. The pony in the middle was clearly the leader of the three - his face was not accusatory or unkind, but not unlike all the other ponies that were there he appeared to be sleep deprived and plagued with grave thoughts.

"Who are you and what do you want?" asked Fleetfoot as she raised an eyebrow at him. Spitfire's eyes drifted backward. Neither of them noticed the large group that was tagging some ways behind him in the darkness. He traded quick glances with his friends - or whatever they were before he came back to her with an attempt at a conciliatory expression.

"I'm sorry, I know these circumstances are far from ideal but - my name is -"

"Look pal," she interrupted coldly. She could tell he was going to ask about the rest of the team, which she didn't feel like talking about. "This isn't really a good time if you're wanting to do an interview or whatever."

The white stallion hesitated, not sure how to respond initially. He wanted to speak to her to try and find out more about the situation as it was information that he and everyone else was craving, so he started thinking for a way to get through to her after clearly starting off on the wrong hoof. He understood that she had to be very tired and not in the mood to talk.

"Hey I get that trust me, and I'm sure you had it really rough out there; it's just that, I know lots of us are wondering about, you know-"

"Wondering about what?" asked Fleetfoot. "You don't know how 'rough' we had it. We had to fight ice dragons, wolves with wings, the constant snow and wind in our face, and a million other things..."

"There was no sign of them anywhere," muttered Spitfire, staring intently into the fire.

"No sign?" asked the white stallion. Now he was confused, though he tried to understand what she meant by that. He tried to be as non-confrontational as he possibly could, struggling for the right words. "No sign? Oh. It's just that - I thought that when you all got back Soarin' had said that -"

"Look, we don't really care what Soarin' said," replied Fleetfoot angrily. "Their idea of a 'sign' as something we could actually go off didn't exist. And clearly he agrees if he came back here with us, doesn't he?"

"We looked and looked," offered Spitfire bitterly, standing up facing him. "And we didn't find anything!"

"Whoa, whoa," said the white stallion, raising a hoof encouraging them to calm down. "Please... there's no need to get angry here. I promise you I'm not trying to-"

"We're not in the mood, ok? You're not that important, so get over yourself and get lost," spat Fleetfoot, turning her head to face the fire with Spitfire.

The white stallion stared frustrated at both of them from behind; her final remark especially left a bad taste in his mouth. They'd met each other before, though they clearly didn't remember him - he knew them somewhat well as the ultra-competitive win-at-all-costs stars of the Wonderbolts, and he also knew that they had just put in some really tough hours out in the valley, but that was not was he was expecting nor what he felt he deserved. He couldn't help but get defensive as he lowered his eyebrows at the back of her head. Not important? he thought to himself. You little brat... I'm Bucky Quill.

Princess Celestia paced the floor alongside her sister in their own royal tent decorated by the monarch's banners. The former stopped in her tracks and brought, using her a magic, a blank scroll before her face before she frantically scribbled the words: "EMERGENCY - PLEASE RESPOND ASAP!!!" and sent it off to her own royal protegé.

"Come on Spike!" she pleaded grievously. This was the third unanswered scroll she'd sent in the last hour. "If White Death absorbs their souls... it may well be over, and we all face death and judgement. His power will be unstoppable and he will rip through Equestria until he has absorbed every last one."

"I don't know about Spike but she's not sleeping," remarked the princess of the night. "He may be, or they may well be in a bind of their own."

"Not like this they aren't," replied Princess Celestia, before she noticed movement by the door. They both knew that Princess Twilight providing any kind of aid was going to be long shot from the beginning considering she was out of the country negotiating a volatile situation between two faraway lands, which is why they hesitated to try and even make contact with her at first. But upon learning that White Death was behind the kidnapping, they knew they needed to grasp at any straw they could.

"Here comes the captain," she muttered to her sister.

The chestnut stallion entered with a salute as the two sisters hoped for a positive report.

"The Crystal Empire is being informed of the threat per your command. Applejack was located at her relatives' out in the country and is on the way. Fluttershy was harder to find but I think they may have located her... I believe she was found at a zebra's house in the woods. Four of the element bearers are accounted for, though Miss Pie's whereabouts are now currently unknown as well."

"She's around here somewhere. She is not the contemplative type - she must keep herself busy, she can't just sit and wait... though she should appear if we really need her," replied the regal white mare, after which she hung her head. She had come to depend so much on Twilight and her friends for everything... but now she couldn't do that. "It's not like it matters..."

"Your... your highness?" asked the surprised captain of the royal guard. He was hard pony - to be the captain required as much. But not even he could hide everything in this mess.

Her loyal servant had never seen his princess so stressed out and for so long. Indeed, he reckoned this was her darkest hour. But his devotion to her and her sister had never come easier as they had done what he knew he could never do - they had comforted the families of the lost foals and somehow despite everything and were still working for a positive conclusion. Now he was wondering though whether or not she truly had really given up hope... If either of them had, then he knew what that meant for the rest of them.

"I've been wrong before, but not unless I am truly blind will the elements of harmony help us here. I know it in my heart," she whispered with her eyes closed. "Our hope is entirely dependent on eight pegasus ponies."

A dead silence hung over the last three words. Eight pegasus ponies... seven of whom were neither Wonderbolts nor an element of harmony, with the eighth having a grounding wing injury. The Princesses hadn't disclosed to the rest of the ponies who White Death was nor did they intend to. They didn't know exactly what was happening in the valley at that moment, but they knew that out of the seventeen ponies who were sent into an arctic wilderness to retrieve Ponyville's children - and the one who went out there anyway - these eight pegasus had decided to stay behind and weather the cold and the monsters for one last effort. And - whether they knew it or not - to take on this evil spirit themselves. Rainbow Dash, Sonic, Thunderlane, Blossomforth, Buddy, Whitewash, Clear Skies, and Merry May... and eighteen foals between the eight of them.

"We are asking so much of them," lamented Celestia, falling to her stomach and laying her head down on the ground.

"Do you - do you really believe they have a chance?" asked the captain, .

"Absolutely," asserted Princess Luna, trading a glance with her sister. The captain was not as close with the Night Princess as he was to her sister, having lived most of his life when she was still banished. But she had built on his trust in her on this mission. "I've been in their dreams and I have seen glimpses into their hearts. The elements themselves can live truly in each and every one of us and rise up even the most insignificant - they are not confined only to their vessels among Twilight and her friends. But whether or not they will accept this, or have the power and strength of will to resist this foe... we are going to find out."

Soarin' had suspected as soon as he got back to camp. He knew when he saw all of these ponies from different locations throughout Equestrian who he'd since learned had traveled by train willing to brave the elements just to support their grieving fellow equines, and to support him specifically. He witnessed the devastation on their faces, everyone who was ready to welcome him and a lost foal on his back.

Making matters worse, when he got back he had found out that not only did more ponies than just Sonic stay behind in the valley but a mare that he had long especially admired was out there as well... with a broken wing. He knew she was brave but he didn't know anyone was that brave.

Soarin' was identified as a fantastic flier from an early age who would have certainly been the best from almost any town in Equestria. His only problem was that coincidentally or not, two other fillies named Spitfire and Fleetfoot - both from not only his own hometown of Cloudsdale but from his own class as well - were not only just as good, they were actually better.

While the three of them had been friends since their elementary years, and though his own personal success continued at the Wonderbolt Academy, a part of him always felt like he was only living in their shadow. But what hurt Soarin' the most was that his Wonderbolt team members had, he thought, displayed moments of genuine growth in the past - never did he think they would fall this far. Before his Wonderbolt years he had started to notice Rainbow Dash as the up and coming flying prodigy a few years behind him. What it was exactly about her that captivated his interest he didn't know, but it was something more than just her flying ability.

What was going to happen to all of them now? Would they all die, and would that have been his fate as well had he stayed? He wasn't sure. It had seemed so bleak out there. They had spent so much time looking and hadn't found anything. It had made him so tired and so cold... he hated leaving empty hoofed, but Spitfire and the rest of the team was ready to go back and he figured if they were throwing in the towel then there was no reason he should stay and give his life for a lost cause.

Now Soarin' was leading a group of three other Wonderbolts - another stallion and two mares - making their way towards the royal tent where the Princesses were stationed. When they reached a spot not far from its entrance they stopped and stood silently as he noted the royal guards just outside. They had been drinking hot soup and warming by the fire and now felt like they had the strength and desire to go back out and give it one last shot if they could.

Soarin' had front row seats to the tension between the Wonderbolts and the Ponyville team out in the valley, and for his part he tried to build a bridge between them; the truth was however that Spitfire and the others had hurt him deeply with their treatment of the other team, especially the poor stallion named Sonic who was apparently innocent of his supposed crime all along. Granted the whole situation being what it was, Sonic had always appeared so distraught when Soarin' saw him that he couldn't help but feel bad for him at every encounter... there was no question in his mind though that this stallion was deeply and constantly concerned with his teammates' well being and strongly in tune with their feelings.

Sonic was the first pony to help him when the avalanche came and Soarin' would never forget how genuinely relieved he'd looked to have found him. Knowing Sonic was staying behind by himself had devastated Soarin' when the rest of them left the valley and he had tried to persuade him to come back as well. He hadn't brought himself to staying back with him despite it though. The whole thing had left him so conflicted, but Spitfire and Fleetfoot - some of his oldest friends if you could call them that - seemed to have a convincing argument that it wasn't fair for them to have to die out there too. It had been convincing out there anyway.

As Soarin' now stood there weighing an approach on the royal guards to enter into the Princesses' quarters, he was faced with another dilemma. If he went in there and swore himself to this cause again, he assumed they would welcome his decision and send him off. But he had no idea what he'd find in the valley if anything and seriously doubted he'd survive out there. Instead of going in there with seventeen other ponies, he'd only be going in with maybe three now. He took several deep breaths. He had never had a private conversation with the Princesses and this circumstance was the absolute last one he could ever possibly want for his first. However he knew this was going to follow him forever and after trading glances with his three companions he resolved to go in.

There were many royal guards in various places all throughout the camp and near the royal tent, but he came and stood just in front of the two royal guards positioned at the entry way of the Princesses' pavilion.

"I... I wish to speak with the Princesses," he offered gently, though they did not respond to his request at all - they remained steadfast in their expressions straight ahead, which quickly frustrated the Wonderbolt. "I wish to speak with the Princesses," he said louder.

The royal guards did not move; they were like indifferent statues. Not knowing what else to do but not wanting to turn away, Soarin' legs started to move him slowly towards them when suddenly the two of them stepped towards each other together in union - blocking his way while simultaneously shooting cold, unwelcoming glares at him. An increasingly anxious Soarin' froze in place unsure of what to do, though shortly after an obviously high-ranking chestnut stallion sporting the full regalia of the guard stuck his head through the opening and quickly sized him up.

"What do you want?" he asked impartially.

"I," he started, catching his breath and regrouping with a gulp. "I'm Soarin' of the Wonderbolts. I wish to speak with the Princesses."

The chestnut stallion disappeared in the tent for a just moment before reappearing.

"Permitted," he replied flatly.

The royal guards stepped back in their places together and their eyes left Soarin' at once. With only slight relief he stole one final glance at his group before walking slowly between the two and entering. When he got inside he noted the royal banners, a small fire with likely a pot of tea on it, maps of the area, some scrolls, and two of the best sleeping or lounging cots he'd ever seen. Aside from that though there wasn't much else.

Sure enough right there before him stood, alongside the captain of the royal guard, were the two highest-ranking beings in Equestria. Before this whole situation Soarin' had never officially met Princess Celestia, though as a successful Wonderbolt the two had made eye contact several times in his life before. Each time it had been a brief and distant encounter, yet whenever she looked upon him it was a warm and meaningful experience with always a sense that she knew him personally. Though a lifelong jock who loved a good competition, he secretly longed for many more of these encounters and to be the recipient of that pure affection.

This time he immediately sensed it was different. Though she stood there calmly the first thing he noticed was how sad and stressed out she appeared and looked as if she had just gone several days without sleep. The image of himself in her eyes as a Wonderbolt who gave up was an extremely painful one, and to his tremendous hurt he knew he saw it on her face when he first walked in even if she still wasn't withholding all of her motherly love from him.

Mirroring her feelings almost exactly was her mysterious sister. He was still getting used to Princess Luna as a sovereign having known her for most of his life as a distant mythical villain.

He bowed before them and closed his eyes. This was already so much harder than he thought it was going to be.

"Your Highnesses," he whispered, and it quickly occurred to him he hadn't thought of exactly what to say. Now he realized the tears were coming too and he fought hard to hold them back. "I- I come representing three other Wonderbolts as well. We've come to... beg your forgiveness, and your permission to return to the valley to help Rainbow, and Sonic, and the rest of the team. We've recovered some strength."

He forced his head up to face them and hoped for a merciful response. Initially he received what he craved; their faces softened, and a weak smile had appeared on Luna's face for a short instant. But to his surprise and dissatisfaction it was very short lived as Celestial lowered her head sadly and Luna's eyes eventually drifted away to the side.

"We appreciate your apology Soarin' and we do not doubt its sincerity," started the sun princess before pulling her head up. "But allow you to return to the valley... we cannot."

"W-what?" he stuttered quietly in disbelief.

This was the last response he was expecting. He thought for sure they would be happy with his offering to go back. How could they say no? Had he really destroyed any and all of their faith and trust in him? If this was true then he would be inconsolable.

"We had no right to ask this of you, and for your efforts in the valley and for your offering to go back we are sincerely grateful," she continued. The praise surprised Soarin' but it only made him more confused. "But my heart tells me that what's done is done, and to not disturb what has fallen into place now. They made their decision, and you made yours. This is their battle now and we must let it play out."

Soarin' lowered his head and stared brokenly at the ground, eventually laying down and covering his head with his hooves. All kinds of feelings were coming over him and none of them were positive. The reality that he made the wrong decision was never heavier. Disappointment and anger with himself as well as with Spitfire and the rest of his team were prominent, though also an inability to understand as to why Celestia could seem genuinely grateful yet deny his request return to help the Ponyville team.

"It has less to do with you Soarin', and more to do with the nature of this foe," remarked Princess Luna sympathetically.

"I... I don't understand," he replied dejectedly.

The princesses traded looks with each other and with the captain. Princess Celestia took a deep breath causing Soarin's curiosity to soar, and it seemed she was about to satisfy it.

"We will tell you, but you must promise to keep this to yourself for the time being. If trusting you with this information is a mistake then we shall answer for it."

"Your- your Highness?" he asked, after which the white mare took a deep breath.

"This valley is home to a demon who has slept here for a thousand years," she started. Her fear was contagious, spreading especially to Soarin'. "Long ago this fallen spirit began stalking ponies of the north, posing as a friend before he eventually harnessed their magic for his own malevolent purpose. We eventually discovered his activities and raised the elements against him - he was deathly afraid of them, of this there can be no doubt... and I assumed he would never show himself again, but that was obviously a grave mistake."

"Without the elements of harmony to call upon directly," said Princess Luna, "the nature of his power is such that sending more souls to him is dangerous no matter who they are... if you fall to him it will only make him stronger. That is why we are hesitant to send you."

"Your Highness, if I may ask..." started the captain of the royal guard, disregarding Soarin's struggle to comprehend all of this. "Do you think there is a chance that he has not yet harnessed the children? Would he hesitate?"

Celestia turned her back to them to think to herself as Soarin' tried to cover his gasp with horror. Following the most uncomfortable silence yet she turned back around to face them.

"Yes," she whispered, glancing at her sister. "He hates us so much that he would wait to take them until we were present to see it. He takes no pleasure in a quick kill. That may be an advantage for the team if they locate him... he will surely be expecting Luna and myself, not them."

"How powerful is he now? Do you think they have a legitimate shot to take him on themselves?" asked the captain, wondering what their plans of action should be for a few different scenarios. Soarin' was overwhelmed with all of this information, and though he still strongly regretted his decision a part of him was now admittedly relieved to be here with the Princesses instead.

"I'm not sure the extent though I fear it is a ponderous amount. He draws his power at the expense of those from whom he has taken it... once used it cannot be recreated which may well be his true weakness, but if he takes them without having to use much of it then they will all fall like dominoes and like an avalanche there will be no stopping him. Either way they are going to bear his wrath and they will endure or perish, and likely we along with them."

Poor Rainbow... Poor Sonic... Poor all of them, Soarin' thought to himself. On one hoof he was terrified of this evil spirit that they spoke of and glad that he didn't have to face him. But at the same time he was angry and disappointed in the part of him that felt this way. If he had stayed out there he could've helped them take him on, never in worst nightmare did he realize the implications were so much bigger than they already were - and they were incredibly high to start with. Now he was stuck here to wait it out and face the consequences of his decision alone.

"Help me Princess," he muttered, looking up at her from down on his stomach. "What would you have me do?"

The caring tenderness returned to her face when she looked down on him this time, as Princess Luna glanced away sadly. He braced for whatever she had to say and hoped he could manage whatever she told him.

"The families of those who are still out there are in need of as much support as they can get. If you can help them stay strong as well that is more than I could ask from you."

"Oh no," he cried, pressing his hooves down on his forehead. The mere thought of this was almost too much for him to handle. He had tried so hard not to think about it, and if there was one thing she could ask of him that he couldn't do... "No, no, nooo..." he groaned. "I can't - not after I -"

"I understand," she replied softly, gazing down at the ground in front of him. "I will not force you to do anything my son... but I would tell you that an opportunity like this may never come again."

The three Wonderbolts loyal to Soarin' saw him emerge from the tent slowly with his head straight down and his eyes closed. Eager to know what happened they galloped the short way to meet him, though it couldn't energize him in the slightest.

"We have to stay here," he muttered barely loudly enough for them to hear with a despondent shake of the head. Wasting no time he then continued his sluggish walk without a destination, leaving them to stand there and watch him as he eased away into the darkness.

He never felt lonelier as he dragged through the camp aimlessly. The princess' words repeated over and over again in his head... you may never get another opportunity like this in your life. He had all the resources to make the right decision. But he chose wrong. He could see Sonic's face wrought with so much pain and worry as he continued to slave away trying so hard to convince him and the others to stay... and failing to do so.

Having no awareness whatsoever of where he was walking it came about that he almost wandered straight into one of the many fires that were burning around camp for ponies to warm up at which forced him to come to a halt. But then, just when he thought he could go no lower... he looked up and saw exactly where he had stopped. His flank sunk to the ground. Scattered through the darkness and flickering in the firelight were dozens of silent faces, each one dealing with this in their own way. Doctors, foals, parents... families. Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters - entire units of them all huddled together, their hope for their missing member hanging by a thread.

Many of them were looking straight at him now. Of the feelings they reflected, anger or hatred was not among them. Mostly he saw it was just fatigue and sadness - the deepest and strongest he'd seen, the sight of each face ravaging his entire being. Each of those missing foals represented a hole in each of these ponies' hearts; a hole he had been tasked with filling. Standing near him was a yellow stallion with a black mane, his wing wrapped around his grieving wife - a white mare with a purple mane. Below them two foals of their own, a very young filly and another that looked to be in her teens, laid down in the ground next to the fire. If Soarin' had brought back their son or daughter, their brother or sister... they could have all gone home in peace.

His front legs gave out from underneath him and he fell on his face. He understood now that if ever there was something to die for, this was it. And he blew it. All of the shows, the races, the parties, the high life... none of it would ever be the same to him again.

After a time he suddenly felt a gentle hoof on his shoulder. He looked up; it was the white mare that had been standing near him. She seemed to have taken pity on him, but he buried his face in the ground wanting fiercely to reject it as he felt he didn't deserve it.

"For the effort you made to save my son Bumble... on behalf of my family, I want to thank you," she whispered.

Soarin' was disconsolate. He pressed his head deeper into the ground and willfully rejected her gratitude. This was the last thing he could ever accept from one of them right now. He had abandoned the mission to save her son and left the other eight to deal with some awful enemy themselves, all to save himself.

"Why do you thank me?" he cried into the slush. "Rainbow... Sonic... Thunderlane... Blossomforth... there's more too," he continued in a broken utterance, lifting his head to face her. "These are the names of ponies you need to thank. Not me. Not Spitfire. Not Fleetfoot. Not the Wonderbolts."

"Young stallion... Bumble is more than just a colt, he is my entire purpose in life. Yet I would not ask your mother to give her son's life for mine."

Upon hearing this he thought about his own mom and what she might say if she could see him now. She would try to understand his decisions, he figured... but she would wonder how and why he could have listened to Spitfire and Fleetfoot. Just then... at hearing in his head the mention of those two names in the disappointed voice of his own mom... Soarin's tears of sadness at once turned to tears of rage - strong enough to lift himself off the ground.

"Why would you tell ponies to go home when they still have hope?" asked an orange stallion from Manehattan.

"Because they asked me what I thought, and that is my answer. I'm sorry I didn't lie to them for you," growled Fleefoot back at him.

"Let's just all go home and try to forget this horrible nightmare," suggested Spitfire, standing at her shoulder.

A disturbance was emerging from one particular section of the base camp. Morale across the board was at all time low, and many ponies were about to start going home in droves. Bucky, the young and popular writer for the Manehattan Times, had come to represent the multitude of ponies from all over the north who had descended to this location via train. He unwittingly moved them all into leaving the comforts of their home lives and supporting the team and the families out here. He connected with many of them on a personal level and they respected him, and trusted him to bring them as accurate information as he possibly could. But Bucky felt personally responsible for them now, and that it was his duty to, among other things, keep them as up to date with the situation as possible but also not let them plunge into a nightmarish long term mental and emotional state.

Bucky was now part of a small crowd standing near the Wonderbolts. He had been trying to get some information from them, primarily from the superstars (and leaders) Spitfire and Fleetfoot to try and better understand the situation the remaining team members were facing, but for the most part they were hostile and defensive when he tried to ask them anything. It was catching on to other ponies in the area; apparently they had just advised some inquiring ones to go home. Ponies surrounded the Wonderbolts, and more were joining in.

"I get that they risked their lives out there, but geez," remarked Ash, Bucky's grey stallion assistant in his ear.

"These are the ponies we hold in the highest esteem?" uttered Lucky, his green assistant at his other ear. "Bunch of pompous jerks if you ask me. Seriously, do these divas not know who you are or that you have the power to humiliate them on a national level?"

"We need to talk to Soarin'," whispered Bucky between them, shaking his head at the two mares. He was starting to suspect that there was something deeper going on here, but he felt powerless because at the end of the day it was true that they had been the ones out in the valley, not him. As annoyed as he was becoming with them it still didn't feel like his place to criticize to them. "He'll tell us what we need to know."

"Cowards," remarked an agitated stallion suddenly and loudly from the crowd, which forced Bucky's eyes to widen with shock.

"Oh boy... here we go," remarked the columnist under his breath, shaking his head again. He had been resisting an open confrontation with them as much as possible as he also figured the last thing anyone needed was a big fight - he also preferred not to flaunt his power as an influential writer if he didn't have to, but he was finding not indulging it to be increasingly more difficult as tensions were rising rapidly.

Following a brief silence - at which Fleetfoot and Spitfire obviously fumed with anger though facing away from him - slowing turning around they joined shoulders together while raising their heads high and pinning their ears back against their heads.

"You," Fleetfoot said in a snarling whisper to him, in the back of her mind wondering why this random ungrateful stallion from Manehattan cared so much as it wasn't even his foals or friends out there. "Tell me... how am I a coward?"

"Because you abandoned your team members and gave up on those kids," replied an angry mare from the crowd.

"The mission was a lost cause," the blue mare fired back heatedly. "You have no idea what happened. You weren't there."

"You have no right to criticize us!" yelled Spitfire to the ever-growing group. "Those aren't even our foals but we still went out there and risked our lives out there! We gave it our best shot. There was nowhere left to look and nothing thing left to do except die. Why should we be ridiculed for choosing life over death?"

"They chose death. Good for them," said Fleetfoot. "But be honest; would you have done the same?"

"Well for one, like many here I'm an earth pony so I can't fly," piped up another stallion behind Bucky. More and more ponies were leaving their campfires and flocking to this area in response to the disturbance, adding to the already large crowd around the general area. "For another, we're not sensational athletes like you are. If we were, our answers might be different."

"You weren't out in the valley, so you can't comment on whether you would or not," said Spitfire.

"If the Wonderbolts are such great fliers," remarked an unseen mare to the last stallion's comment, "why are they are here and eight of them are still out there?" Fleetfoot especially bit hard.

"We are the best fliers in Equestria - this has nothing to do with that," she snarled.

"It's easy for you to sit back talk," whined Spitfire, "yet none of you have done anything to help those foals."

"Alright that's enough," hissed Bucky, which coming from him really energized the crowd and fueled their boldness. "I tried to be nice. But I didn't give up the comfort of my Manehattan apartment to come listen to this."

Up to this point he was reluctant to get push back until he knew what really happened out there; he knew there was a significance to the fact that they had gone out and endured the valley whereas he had not... but now she had really crossed the line, and this could not be ignored.

"Take a look around you why don't you? They have come from all over... Manehattan, Whinnyapolis, Fillydelphia... we may not have gone out into the valley like you, but come on - you look at us and you tell us with a straight face that we aren't miserable. These ponies have been sharing in the pains of those parents and those siblings by their own accord. Our whole reason for being here is to support them - and, I might add, to support you! Service or not, don't point your egotistical hooves at us - 'cause we've been through plenty out here too, trust me."

Many ponies started screaming and cheering in support of Bucky.

"Supporting these families while sitting around fires drinking coffee and tea, we didn't have that luxury!" replied Spitfire. "You came here to support us yet here you stand, calling us cowards."

What came next though wasn't Bucky. Who did reply did so with such a paralyzing power that it silenced it seemed to silence within a ten mile radius.

"YOU *ARE* COWARDS!!!!"

Soarin' bellowed these words so loud and so forcefully that all hushed and froze with shock, save for the ponies around him that quickly cleared away as soon as it happened so that he and his three teammate friends were left standing in the open in direct opposition to their Wonderbolt counterparts. No one was more surprised than Spitfire and Fleetfoot - who were left speechless - and no one now stood between them, those Wonderbolts loyal to them, and Soarin'. All eyes in all directions were squarely on them. Bucky suddenly noticed Celestia and Luna had appeared to invesitgate the disturbance, but other than listening and watching for themselves their presence had no effect on the status of this confrontation. Ponies from many different spots thoughout the city in the tundra were now rushing in to get the gist from all directions to get the gist, adding to the huge number already there.

"Spitfire," growled a seething Soarin' though everyone at around him could still hear him, "tell me... tell all of them... do you really believe you treated Sonic and the other team members well? How you would want to be?"

All eyes came to her, even Fleetfoot's drifting sideways towards her friend as the captain gulped with fear.

"You can't call me a coward," retorted Fleetfoot, shaking her head and breathing heavily. "Not unless you call yourself one-"

"I DO!" thundered Soarin' back at her, and the crowd gasped. He stepped towards her leading the now frightened mare to take one backwards, almost stepping back into the fire. She was quickly losing her confidence and anguish was building in her as she thought frantically for a way out of this. As for Soarin', Bucky had never seen a more conflicted or violently angry stallion in his life. He spread his wings and pinned back his own ears.

"What has happened to you? LISTEN TO YOURSELVES! All you care about is WINNING!! Even now, all you talk about is YOUR EFFORT, and YOUR SACRIFICE!!! You don't offer so much as a visit or a word of encouragement these parents, you don't care that these ponies you fight with now are suffering - you just go right back to asserting YOURSELVES over everyone else you can, just like you did out there in the valley!! Well I tell all these ponies here now... you treated Sonic and the others like garbage - when all they wanted was to HELP!!!"

Gasping and murmuring flared throughout the crowds in all directions and quickly spread through all levels. Bucky could not believe the situation. The crowd looked to the Wonderbolts for their response, but the two mares representing them had none; their silence spoke for them with their fear and guilt written all over their faces. They looked around hysterically as their status as Equestria's most respected was disappearing right before them as the crowd set themselves against them.

"You can't say those things," said a now teary-eyed Fleetfoot. He just did... thought Bucky.

"Demons," roared Soarin' as the crowd hushed again to hear him. He hadn't lost an ounce of energy, if anything the power in his voice seemed to be getting stronger building on every word. "NEST OF DRAGONS! Do you even care about friendship at all? Were you ever my 'friends' to begin with? HAVE YOU NOT HEARD the teachings of our Princess? Have they not been told to us SINCE WE WERE FOALS? Where is your self-reflection or accountability? You do not ask what you can do for your friends - you ask what they can do for you. Well I say that we may be great show fliers, with trophies and titles... But you preening peacocks are awful friends. We had more to give out there, and you all know it. As long as I live I'm gonna have live with the image of Sonic swallowed with despair, begging us all to stay longer... leaving him and the others to die and coming back to see these families for myself. But I will not stand here for one more second and listen to you justify yourselves to these ponies... because I'm going to tell them *everything*. And I will not fly with you again. Not until you've learned to cry alongside those you've hurt."

In a deafening uproar noise exploded from the angry mob and the situation was plunged into total chaos. Huge hordes of enraged ponies began flooding around Soarin' and his friends to support him while leaving the rest of the Wonderbolts desolate and surrounded on all sides. Bucky quickly noticed the speechless expressions of the princesses before a crowd of ponies blocked his view; mares and stallions all over the place began to shout and jeer and the colossal campsite was plunged into total choas and pandemonium. So much was being said at once it was hard to make out single phrases, but all of it was directed at the Wonderbolts with each one seeming to wreck more devastating on them than the last.

"You're no friends of ours... preening show peacocks!!!" scoffed one stallion to them as he ran forward and spit towards their hooves. They could do nothing but stand there and take it.

"Nest of dragons!!!" mocked another mare.

"Your glory days are finished!" jeered another. "Nobody respects you now!!!"

Bucky saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rising themselves up over the crowd appearing as about to do something drastic to get the masses under control when suddenly from out of nowhere a pegasus stallion who did not seem to be from this group flew up to Celestia at full speed with the wildest and most urgent look on his face. The pegasus shouted something in her ear and Bucky was immediately desperate to know what was being said. The Princess' face exploded with shock at his words and she immediately sent a powerful blast of incredibly loud magic from her horn.

"SILENCE!" she commanded after the explosion as the crowd began to hush. She then signaled to Luna and the two of them shot through the sky in the direction of the valley, or the edge of the camp on that side. The crowd who just witnessed this was now looking up at the pegasus bracing anxiously for an update. None of them could have prepared for it in their wildest dreams, however...

"IT'S RAINBOW DASH!!!" he proclaimed. "AND SHE'S GOT FOUR FOALS!!!"

"IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!!" screamed Fleetfoot. Spitfire, who had sunk the ground on her rump, covered her forehead with her hooves to shield her face while exhibiting sounds that many ponies might say resembled a dog's whimpering. The thunderous galloping of countless hooves raced off in the direction of the valley, leaving them and the rest of the Wonderbolts by themselves.

Bucky sprinted as fast as he ever did in his life to catch a glimpse of Rainbow Dash and her four foals, at the front of the wide and enormous stampede of adrenaline-raged equines to that part of the camp. It was the most exhilarating few seconds he'd ever lived, blasting through the tents and past the campfires until they finally arrived at the front. When they arrived, what they saw lived up to the moment and more.... Four hysterical families hugged and celebrated with their lost young member while a host of disbelieving doctors were anxiously looking them over. It appeared to Bucky to be two fillies and two colts - two daughters and two sons, two sisters and two brothers. The multitude was hardly able to comprehend what they were witnessing, the numbers and proximity only amplifying the blast of emotions for every individual.

Soarin' himself pushed through several ponies and forced his way to the front - right near Bucky, who saw him look with interest at one particular family rejoicing with a yellow colt named Bumble. His father looked almost to identical to him, though his mother was white with a purple mane, and two sisters dancing all around him while medical ponies closely examined him. Through his heavy breathing, Bucky saw a weary bittersweet smile come over the good Wonderbolt as he looked on.

Energy surged through the legions of ponies; countless pegasus were flying up and overhead to get a view for themselves and there was cheering and rejoicing along with the jubilant parents and siblings of these returned foals. Behind these families though Bucky saw the families of the other fourteen foals still missing, themselves running out and looking desperately for any sign of their own lost ones.

"They need warmth, rest, and fluids," called a doctor among the foals to the princesses, trying to speak over the chaos. "But at first examination... they appear to be OK!!"

Chattering and gasping erupted; waves of ponies began moving and stretching around all sides to see for themselves, but then suddenly it all stopped at once. Bucky's heart sank as fast as it had flown so high as they were all instantly brought back to Earth; Rainbow was collapsed into the snow, and didn't appear to be moving or possibly even breathing. Several began to surround her to see if she was ok, inquiring with grave concern. On the ground it appeared a rope tethered a sled behind her body that she had pulled them in on. The whole world could see now that this mare would not be denied by a broken wing, though they wondered if she gave her life in the process. But would she survive it?

"GET BACK!" commanded Princess Celestia, landing beside her along with her sister and pointing to the crowd to keep space between them and the rejoicing families.. "ALL OF YOU! Doctors only!"

A grey fleabitten mare with a white mane, clearly a doctor (and from what Bucky had gathered previously, the top doctor) ran up to Rainbow threw herself into the snow beside her, looking her over before giving a quick glance at the sled and then the mountains between them and the Valley of White Death.

"How is this possible?" she whispered to the royal sisters.

"It's Rainbow Dash, that's how," remarked Princess Celestia who along with Luna was consumed with concern for their beloved blue subject. "We need to get her out of here... Doctor, can you meet us in my tent? Bring whatever you need!"

The two princesses' horns lit up and they lifted her up out of the snow and began to carry her off. Consumed with passion Bucky turned around and throwing his hoof up into the air he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"RAINBOW! RAINBOW! RAINBOW!"

Almost immediately the crowd picked up the call and began chanting her name over and over again stronger and louder with every utterance. As the princesses disappeared with her in the direction of their own quarters Bucky felt his his hurl itself after them, his legs pumping hard chasing after them. Galloping through camp yet again he went to throw himself into the royal tent as Luna's blue flank disappeared into it, but he was instantly stopped and overwhelmed by royal guards. He ignored their advances and fought back, trying to enter by force when the night princess stuck her head out to see the commotion.

"Princess!!!" he called, trying to wiggle free of their grasp. "Please!!!!"

"Just him," she replied, and the guards at once released him though they set up a stout line around the tent against other approaching ponies who had naturally followed him.

When he entered the tent he moved off to the far side to be out of their way, watching them rest Rainbow gently on an elegant bed or cot of some kind with their magic. After pulling a blanket over the most beloved blue mare in all of Equestria - who now looked barely alive - the two of them closed their eyes and rested their horns on her forehead and chest respectively, together reciting some spell with as much as focus and effort as any pony on Earth could ever imagine.

A shellshocked and out-of-breath-Bucky stood marveling at this legend, this goddess before him. If it weren't for the thousands of other witnesses alongside him he wouldn't have believed any of this himself though he'd seen it with his own eyes. He had never thought higher of any pony than he did right then. The mare was the most extreme version of exhausted, dehydrated, frozen, had cuts all over her body, a broken wing and was within an inch of her life... but to her the cargo she carried back was so precious that for her it obviously warranted all of this. He could never dream to truly capture this moment in writing, he thought to himself.

The more he admired her though the lower he sank. He bowed his head and begged with all of his strength, please let this mare be ok... Please.... After what seemed like quite a long time light finally burst forth from the princesses' horns and seemed to cover Rainbow's whole body in a kind of magical glow. Just as the flea-bitten grey doctor mare burst into the tent with two more doctors - a mare and stallion - Rainbow began to cough, while her shivering stopped completely though she laid still with her eyes shut and was still breathing heavily. Bucky witnessed the two sisters hug each other in celebration with Celestia raising her eyes upward. He had plenty of pity left over for these two... he figured this whole thing had to be as hard on them as it was on anyone.

"Any sign of the others?" asked Princess Luna to which the snow-maned mare shook her head.

"She had them covered in her cloak, plus each other's body heat so I think they are gonna be fine," said the lead doctor, talking fast and loud to the princesses as they listened to her heart with a stethoscope as the royal sisters watched wrapped in each others' wings. "But this one..."

Rainbow began to groan and grimace as though in excruciating pain as the doctors pulled back the blanket for a quick look at the rest of her body.

"She's not cold!" proclaimed the stallion doctor. Princess Luna and Celestia traded glances, revealing their teamwork before they had come in had paid off.

"She needs water," said the lead doctor. Reaching her mouth into a saddlebag of supplies over her white coat she pulled out a water canteen and put the drinking nozzle near Rainbow's lips, which instinctively began sucking in large amounts of it. "Not too much at once!" she advised, pulling it away after she took a considerable amount in a short time. After a short fit of more coughing, she opened her eyes and dazedly tried to raise her head, looking around desperately.

"S-s-sonic... Where's Sonic? S-scootaloo? Go check on 'em," she muttered as she scanned the room around her.

"They're not back yet my dear," replied the doctor, to which she closed her eyes with more crying and grimacing.

"Ugh I'm so sore!!!!" she wailed, and Bucky could see her body shaking underneath the blankets.

"That's all the lactic acid in your muscles - how far did you pull them?" asked the Doctor, as every ear in the pavilion was now pointed squarely at her.

"F-far," she replied weakly.

"She needs to rest," the snow-maned doctor told the struggling princesses.

"We need to find out what happened as soon as possible. We need her to try to tell us whatever she can first," lamented the white princess, fawning over her subject. "Our lives could depend on it."

With this Bucky and the doctors' faces turned to her with shock, though she ignored it with her focus entirely on Rainbow.

"Doctor Snowmane, are the four foals she brought back in condition to talk to us?" asked Princess Luna, and Bucky now had the name of the lead doctor.

"Yes," she replied.

"Very well," agreed Princess Celestia, content to let her rest.

"They're in a cave," suddenly remarked Rainbow weakly, who despite much difficulty speaking seemed to now be showing signs of improvement - her breathing had slowed, and her expression seemed to indicate a bit more of control over the pain though her eyes remained shut. "These four escaped.... found them under a pine tree with Sonic... Sonic is getting the rest... with the team."

Following a heavy silence, Celestia walked behind and lowered her head so it was near hers.

"Rainbow... did they tell you anything about who captured them?"

The reeling mare didn't seem to hear her... she took several breaths, and many of them thought she had fallen asleep or dozed out of consciousness. But then two words escaped her mouth. Two words that meant nothing to the doctors or Bucky, but everything to princesses.

"White eyes."

The royal sisters walked slowly together to a corner, facing away from the rest of them so they could discuss in private, leaving Bucky to stand there by himself as the chanting of Rainbow's name could be heard ongoing outside.

"This doesn't change anything. It just confirms what we already suspected, though if she brought four foals... that leaves two foals per each of the remaining members," said the dark blue mare. "He must be considering that we are coming after him with the elements."

"Yes... but once he enters their minds he will quickly deduce the truth about the elements and how they are not all available to defeat him here," replied the older of the two.

"They will be curious," motioned Luna to the others. "They have a right to know... it involves them all."

"I agree," replied Celestia. She took the lead and moved towards the middle of the room calling across it to the writer, who had been standing by himself watching Rainbow. "Doctors, you have been incredible. Bucky, you have many fans here that trust you, and you have shown yourself to be a stallion of integrity. We are going be transparent about the situation with all of you."

Following the revelations from the Princess' brief summary of White Death, none of them knew how to react. Doctor Snowmane had her chin to her hoof in curious thought.

"I don't mean to speculate for nothing as they could be totally unrelated, but there have been whispers of disappearances near Whinnyapolis for years now. Rare, but they do happen," she remarked.

"Why wasn't it brought to my attention, I wonder?" replied Celestia.

"Whispers are whispers after all, and I'm only a doctor," Snowmane shrugged, though she was thinking of all ponies Princess Celestia should understand that not *everything* can be brought to her attention. "My understanding is that those in charge wanted to handle it themselves. Equestria is known to be the home of some unsavory creatures."

Bucky started to chuckle, and it continued to the point that it slowly evolved into a full blown laugh. It was not at all that he wanted to laugh, in fact it was extremely uncomfortable. But for him this was the only natural response to what he was hearing and the only way he could possibly cope as it was simply too much for him to take in.

"I'm sorry," he started, "it's just that three nights ago I had dinner at one of the most expensive places in the city. Life was good," he remarked, shaking his head and getting his laughing under control. He sat back and put his hoof on his forehead. He didn't regret anything he had done, coming out here in the first place to writing the story that captivated the nation. This was the most exciting time of his life wth some of the most incredible acts anyone had ever seen, and if he'd learned anything thus far it was that these folks were worth it. And many still, like Rainbow, had it way worse than him. But he certainly wasn't prepared for any of it.

Right on cue the mare in question could be heard sobbing, and this time it was clearly coming from deep inside - not just the exterior. In fact, as the latter the seemed to improve the former took it's place on the other extreme. It immediately commanded the attention and deepest sympathies of everyone present, and Dr. Snowmane signaled to one of her colleagues.

"A little more water is fine," she said quietly and the stallion doctor obliged, though Rainbow only took two short sips this time. Her weeping and crying continued despite visibly trying hard to fight back, leading Celestia to cover her own face in her wing and Bucky following suit with his hoof. They all knew what - rather, who she needed - but none of them could provide.

"Rainbow - look who's here," suddenly said Princess Luna.

Bucky himself turned upward to see; somehow two ponies had entered without him even noticing; a middle-aged stallion that by appearance alone was clearly Rainbow's father and the other was obviously Rarity, one of her best friends and fellow element of harmony. They were at her bedside facing away from him so he couldn't see their faces which at this point, it wasn't that he wanted to anyway.

The ailing mare tilted her head and opened her eyes, and this time a lot more was in them then the first time she had opened them.

"Hey dad. Hey Rarity," she managed, weakly but with much appreciation before she rested her head again and inevitably returned to depression. Between the three of them though lots of memories were smiling at each other.

"Is she-?" asked the broken voice her father.

"She's gonna be ok," Doctor Snowmane assured directly to the both of them. "For now anyway."

"Did you h-hear all the p-ponies cheering your name outside?" he asked her.

"There's thousands of them out there Rainbow... maybe more," said the just-as-broken voice of Rarity, fighting her own battle. "Pinkie and I got some, but Bucky back there... ponies from all over Equestria have come here thanks to him."

"Bucky?" inquired a confused Rainbow, lifting her head briefly to get a glimpse of him. He'd been caught completely off guard and froze as the legend's eyes met his. "I remember you," she remarked, then laid her head down again with deep breaths. "Ch-cheering my name?"

"Of course," Bucky heard himself say with a few steps in her direction. "You're the greatest hero that this world has ever seen."

If only Sonic was here to hear you say that.... he'd be so happy... Rainbow thought to herself as she pictured the stallion just as he was, his face shining with his supernatural kindness. This was the face that had both taken her to miraculous highs and, in times like these, made her incomprehensibly sad. She loved him so much that forcing herself up right now and staggering back into the valley was not only a conceivable course of action, but the second her body recovered enough strength to get itself out of bed, that's what she resolved she was going to do. Every last fiber of her being desired with all of her might to have him there now so she could make him feel how only she knew he deserved.

"There's a greater hero than me," she muttered with her eyes closed on the cot.

"Rainbow..." whispered Rarity. "I cleared him... I proved his innocence. They all know now."

Yet he doesn't know they know... Bucky thought to himself.

"I've got to go back out there," cried Rainbow and she started a futile attempt to get out of the makeshift hospital bed. The doctors sent a pleading, horrified look to Princess Celestia who sternly rejected this idea.

"Rainbow... no," she replied flatly. "You are not permitted to go back out and furthermore if you attempt to the royal guards will bring you back at once."

The pegasus shot her an expression of the utmost frustration and anguish and covered her eyes with her hooves, beginning to sob. For Bucky, watching her now he began to wonder just how much she and Sonic had been through the last 48 hours. The fight with the royal guards and all the running around had ruined his tailored winter coat, but falling out of one of the pockets was the now-crumpled up picture of her and Sonic that Bucky had used for his section in his piece for the newspaper. Easing it out of his pocket he let it fall to the ground so he could study it one last time.

It was the now-famous one the photographer took of Sonic and Rainbow just before the now-infamous Ponyville incident, just moments before it all went downhill for them when they were snapped in their moment of triumph facing each other soaking wet among the crowd of pegasus. What a tale of two mares it was between the one in the picture opposite her gleaming true love, and this one right in front of him literally shaking in bed from exhaustion. His gaze drifted from the brilliantly happy female to the blueish gray stallion with turquoise eyes that glimmered with a mythical and unbelievable affection. If anything could be taken from this it was that for both this mare and her stallion the place where the other stood was holy ground.

"Rainbow... if you're up for it, I just want to ask you one question," he said from across the room to her after wiping his eyes, and the mare lifted her head to face him for it. "Who is he?"

Who is Sonic? At these words she rested her cheek softly on the sheets. It was an concept beyond understanding to Rainbow, that not only were there those who did not know who he was - until recently the entire world didn't know him hardly at all. That Sonic could appear to anyone to be just a young stallion with phenomenally gentle eyes was something she couldn't begin to wrap her head around. The question itself was astonishingly simple. One that she naturally should be able to answer better than anyone else in the world.

Who is Sonic, she repeated to herself. She had been preoccupied with that for several days now to the point of being totally unable to think about nearly anything else besides saving the children of Ponyville that both of them loved. No matter how tired and weak she was, no matter how long it might take her, she knew she was going to give this a shot - she owed as much to the question's adored subject. It might take her a while, but he'd just have to be patient.

"One day when I was nine years old," she started in a slow whisper, returning vividly to the past. "I lined up at flight school and blew right by everyone... like usual. On the first day of camp though during that first race, I saw this little blue-gray colt trying so hard to control himself. Between that he even tried to help Fluttershy who was just as afraid as he was. And then he had the coolest and most epic wipeout I'd ever seen in my life, limbs flailing... everything crashing. But those two numbskulls Dumbbell and Hoops started to make fun of him and call him names... so I just stuck myself between them and told them to stick it where the sun don't shine. After that... that's when I turned around and saw him for the first time."

I didn't think it was that much, what I did. Another day, another heroic deed. This colt though... you would think I just saved his life. At least that. Even as a nine year old I was amazed at how grateful he looked. He asked me if I was angel. I sure ain't no angel... but with a smile like that I thought maybe he was. Well it turned out on top of that the little colt liked having fun as much as I did and in a few months we were best friends. He made me feel so good all the time... it was like that was all he ever wanted in life."

Then one day when we were up in the clouds his parents came to get him right as the sun was starting to go down. They told him right in front of me that they were leaving right that second and never coming back. I had never seen anyone as sad as him and they literally just dragged him away with no compassion. I had no idea what to do or say; I barely even had time to understand what was happening. Until a few days ago that was the worst day of my life and in the moment the only thing I totally understood was that something horrible was happening... I just felt so bad for him, and the worst part was I couldn't protect him like I normally could. I couldn't' do anything."

But this couldn't happen. It felt like these wings were meant to look after that colt forever. He couldn't take my wings with him but if I could just leave him with a small piece of them to remember me it was better than just standing there, which isn't my style. So I ran forward. He saw me when he turned around and broke free from his parents so we could say goodbye. I bit down on one of them - a feather from my right wing - and plucked it right out. Then I set it in his hooves... and when I looked back up it was like the two brightest and most powerful stars in the universe were shining straight into me. Just for me. It was the most awesome, most incredible, craziest, ... whatever other words there are, I don't know - feeling in the world. Then he was gone. Just like that."

Twilight says you only miss the sun when it's night, and you only miss the stars in the middle of the day. Up until that point I never had feelings for anyone - I thought that stuff was gross - but of course the day I lost him was the day I found out how much of a crush I actually had on him. It really sucked at first and I was so sad, but I knew Sonic loved everything about me and wouldn't want me to change anything, so I didn't. Somehow I just kept on living my life as the awesome fun-loving pony I am, kept winning every race, beating every dare, and being a loyal friend. In the back of my mind though I always hoped I would meet him again someday."

On top of all those accomplishments I met Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie... and with Fluttershy we all became these friendship super-heroes together, stopping Discord and Nightmare Moon. Being the hero all the time is great, and believe me - I'm loyal to my best friends, because sappy or not... we've got something really special between us. But Sonic's eyes ... they are like a life-giving stream, and once you've drank from them... No one ever appreciated me to level that he did. No one ever understood me like he did... though I'd been looking for it. But then one day I finally found something on that level where I least expected it... from a filly named Scootaloo. To say I love that filly... is to criminally understate it."

And between her, you dad, and you Rarity, and our family and our other friends... I know I've had a great life and felt good... though I did start to wonder if Sonic had just moved on and forgot all about me. Then one day I was at this party having an awesome time when I happened to turn my head up... and I saw this glowing stallion across the room looking right at me. I knew instantly it was him. It was too much to handle. Not only did he have all the gratitude and appreciation he had when we were foals, somehow it seemed like it was a thousand times stronger now. Like how is that even possible? It caught me so off guard I was losing my mind. Then when he smiled at me I thought maybe I should just leave party before I cried I was so happy... and totally embarrass myself in front of everyone. Just like that I was in love with him all over again only this time it was way more extreme. It felt so weird because I'm a competitor, an athlete - but romance?"

He kept trying to come over to me but kept getting interrupted by Pinkie and the party broke up before we could even connect, and the whole rest of the day I was like insanely eager but *sooo* nervous to talk to him. Later that day he finally caught up to me and I couldn't get over how cute he was in everything he did... the way he talked, his gentle chuckles, the nervous glances... I wouldn't dare say it yet but him taking his eyes off me at any time was the absolute last thing I wanted. It was perfect... I knew I couldn't deny it anymore because it was clear from the second I saw him how he really felt about me."

But then when he went to take me home and say goodbye... he pulled out that little blue feather and put it in my hooves. And he finally wasn't afraid to look at me anymore, and could totally just be himself. For me, looking at my feather, and then back at him..."

Rainbow stopped for a quick break. She closed her eyes with deep breaths. She had taken her time up to this point and gone at her own slow pace though she wasn't fully aware of how slow she'd gone. In reality from a physical standpoint it had been therapeutic and was helping her recover, thinking this much about him.

"I barely slept at all but when I woke up the next day I knew I had a huge problem. I'm Rainbow Dash, I'm the toughest coolest pony around. How could I have gone so soft and fallen so hard for a stallion to the point I just wanted to marry him that day and be done with it already? What was everypony gonna say? I flew into the Everfree Forest to think about it, but sure enough he had come looking for me... and who was I kidding? I gave in. We hugged... and kissed... and it was the best thing ever.

From that point on every minute we spent together was like this wild thrilling adventure that could make Daring Do sound boring. I told him all about everything I'd achieved since I last saw him and the whole time couldn't stop asking myself how this could be real, how he could be real. Then he met Scootaloo, which I was really scared to see how she would react to him at first and I was so afraid she'd be super jealous. I thought for sure she would have to warm up to him over time. But they connected instantly... he made her feel the second he met her like she was his little sister also, and the three of us formed this impenetrable love triangle... the good kind. I thought if life can be this great, what the heck is heaven supposed to be?"

Moving along the timeline in her mind, Rainbow's fond recollecting then turned to pure rage as she remembered what came after, closing her eyes again to fight the tears.

"But then... those stupid evil punks had to go and ruin everything. They framed him for that mess with the Wonderbolts and the weather job for Cloudsdale, and I found out I can't fly through the sky with Sonic for months now. But the worst part by far was seeing how disappointed everyone was in him... it hurt him so much, not just 'cause all he wants in life is to be a good friend to everyone he meets, but also because he knew how closely he was associated with me now and he was so eager to represent me well. If seeing his face happy is the greatest thing anyone can imagine, then seeing that face depressed and heartbroken is, well... super depressing and super heartbreaking."

Rainbow now buried her face in these sheets. Speaking of super heartbreaking and depressing...

"Then the next day in my hospital room I saw that Sonic wasn't shaking this as easy as he should have been. I could tell there was something deeper going on, but I had no idea how deep it actually was. I was so stupid and selfish..."

Digging her face deeper into the bed the now-tortured mare covered the top of her head with her wings. There was only one pony on Earth who would ever really know just how low she'd gone the last few days. This section was going to come very slowly... if she could even make it through it. While Rainbow could never have ever dreamed how much she was going to go through, deep down she would go through it all again over and over for him. He is worth it.

"I just wanted to help him and understand, but he clearly wasn't ready and it wasn't the time. Yet I pressed it and got it out of him anyway. Well... it turns out, after Sonic was ripped from my wings as a colt by his - by the two soulless windbags who may call themselves his parents... they flew him far out into the country. And when this colt woke up the next morning... they w-weren't there."

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I MEAN TO FIND OUT!"

This deafening bellow was from Princess Celestia - it seemed to echo throughout all of Equestria. Rainbow though had her eyes closed and was dealing with enough on the inside to make too much of it, though she would never know how terrible the Princess' wrath really was. She was actually starting to fall asleep - as to everyone's else reactions thus far she couldn't see, though they could very much be felt. She could picture Sonic ten years old - alone in the woods and crying, broken, and confused resting his head upon his only consolation... her feather. What an incredible thing for her to even comprehend... that she alone had saved him. That he could bounce back from this and come to her with unparalleled happiness; the passion for her and for life that radiated from his entire being. Then she could picture a homeless, teenage Sonic - something half way between what he is now and what he was then... lying out in a field with his eyes to the stars and her feather tucked safely away under his body, wanting more out of life as he thought of her.

"So... while I should have been taking care of Sonic and making him feel better... instead I was the one who went crazy on hearing this, and now he was having to take care of me. He told me how my feather had got him through it... my feather and a zebra. That not only did I get him through it, but he moved right on from it - vowing himself to me and any pony that would accept his friendship. You see... Sonic doesn't deserve a happy ending. I want to give him a happy beginning. Only right after the two of us had addressed this together, and cried in each other's wings until we felt better... ready to start that beginning... did this stallion then get the call to come to Canterlot. Where we received the news of the lost foals. And you tell me... do you think that stopped him from going out there?"

Rainbow's delivery was slowing as she was getting closer to unconscious sleep, though she wasn't done yet. Suddenly she felt something soft and feathery on her shoulder, correctly guessing it must've been the wing of one of the Princesses.

"If I ever spoken any true words, they are this," whispered the voice of Celestia in her ear, all of it's soft and motherly compassion restored. "It will come about upon one day... that you and Sonic shall rise to enter your glory."

"Sonic's glory," whispered Rainbow.

She was unable to open her eyes now, though she could still see him standing in front of her. His whole body glowed with the light of his benevolent spirit; his heart, which was transparently visible through his chest and engulfed in flames was on fire for her as he poured it all out for her through his face.

"Sonic's glory..." she repeated slowly. "Is seeing me more alive and free than he can comprehend... which for me just so happens to be himself in my wings, with Scootaloo beside us. Sonic's glory... who Sonic is, his whole persona... is me and all of his friends lifted to places way higher than himself. He sees the good in everything and everyone and reflects it right back at them so they can see it for themselves. My glory is seeing that stallion come out of that valley with all of those lost foals so he can be where he deserves... with me forever. Anything less-"

With that, the mare was finally asleep.