The New Steed

         In an unknown part of the world, sitting atop a rarely seen, and never explored mountain peak; Dinky, and Samael sat. The wind was freezing, the air thin as an early winter ice. To any other creature, Pony or other wise it would have meant the end if they were to have made it this far into the vast reaches of this arctic desert. However, the small little filly stood there with her lanky friend. Her eyes as wide as they could be as she took in the sights that not even the bravest of Ponies had seen yet. "This is amazing Sammy!" Dinky said with a small bounce, and a giggle in her voice. Samael just let out a small chuckle of his own. Though it was more towards the fact that the little Pony was more interested in taking in the sights, than actually noticing that she felt no cold, no pain on, or in her body.

   "Well I am glad you like it D," he said as he joined her to look over the cliff that offered a view of a sea of clouds far below them due to their height. "I thought you might enjoy just a small glimpse of what was to come in our travels. Some of the wonders you will take in."

   "Ooo! Are we on some far away alien world?" Dinky asked as the gloss in her eyes seemed to dance like stars at the prospect of it.

   "Nah," Samael responded, trying not to smile at the look of disappointment that she tried to hide. "We are still on your world. Just a part of it that has yet to be seen by a single set of eyes. This place is new, untamed, and completely feral."

   "So we are the first ones here ever?" Dinky asked as she darted away from the ledge of the cliff, and bounded onto a large flat boulder.

   "Indeed we are," Samael answered as he watched her bounce around.

   "Then I will call this place Mount Dinky! And I claim it in the name of Equestria!" She stood up on her hind legs as she made this declaration, while at the same time throwing her front legs up into the air above her head to add a bit more drama to the effect.

   "Very good," Samael said as he clapped his hands together. The two then shared a laugh, as they both took a seat, and remained silent for a few moments before Dinky decided to break it.

   "Sammy?" the little Unicorn asked causing him to look over at her in response. "If you are here now, I mean, if you are here with me. How are, you know, all the Denizens still, umm."

   "Dying?" Samael said, finishing her sentence for her. Although it was a habit he could not let form, as his new little Pony assistant would have to get used to such terms rather quickly. Dinky just nodded her head as she sat down on her haunches, and looked down at the snow covered ground. "Well think of it this way D," he began as he looked up into the cloudless blue and black sky. "When you want to walk, your mind sends a message to your one hoof; then another, then another. Pretty soon all kinds of muscles and joints are working with one another to make that one simple goal of walking come to pass. What I do," he paused for just a moment to correct himself. "What we do. It is not so different than that."

   "So you're just a hoof? With a mind telling you what to do? That's kinda creepy Sammy." The over simplification of what she said made Samael laugh, though in a way she was right.

   "I guess you could say that," he said as he looked over to her hooves, that were now doodling random patterns in the snow. "What I am now, it is just a limb, a part of the greater whole. One that expands across all the Universes; weaving through all of Creation."

   "Universes," Dinky mumbled to herself. Up until now she had barely began to know there was one constantly expanding universe to learn about. Now the concept of having to deal with multiple ones started to feel a little daunting. "How many are there?" she asked finally looking up from her snow art, to catch his eyes into hers. "Like two? Maybe five?"

   "Countless," Samael answered with a sly grin, and a slight chortle. The grin only expanded as he watched her head droop towards the ground again, as she let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn't help but compound the problem by adding more truths onto it. "And with in those Universes are an ever growing population of minds. Each one with its own thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. Each one of those thought processes giving birth to a new universe of its own; only to start the cycle over again."

   "Ah jeez Sammy!" Dinky cried out as she jumped down of the massive flat stone she had been sitting on, only to stomp her hoof to the ground while giving him a hard glare. This look did not have its intended effect as he just let out a loud laugh. "It's not funny!" the tiny mare scolded. "What are you trying to do, make my head explode?"

   "That is not my intention I promise," Samael said while still laughing at her sudden temper tantrum.

   "Well how do you expect me to handle all of this anyway?" Dinky asked in a demanding tone.

   "It is overwhelming I know. But rest assured that is why I have been dealing with the finer points of your abilities. The knowing everything's name, that is just a minor trick on the grand scale of things. In time your powers will start to blossom at a steady pace. Then soon, reaching yourself across all of Creation that is, was and yet to be will become nothing more than a mundane task that you can do with a just a thought. " After saying this, he paused for a moment while reaching up to push his glasses back into place. "It is a balancing act really. And that, is something of great importance."

   "A balance?" Dinky asked with a raised eyebrow, and a tilted head.

   "Yes, balance above all else," Samael said with a nod. "We will be called death. We will be called monsters. We will even be called angels, devils and Gods. But no matter the title, no matter the form we assume, it is all to do nothing more than maintain the balance that must be kept. This is the rule that must always be upheld, and never broken." The two once more shared a long silence, the only sound was the constant low howl of the chaotic winds that whipped and snapped across the mountain top. Samael was beginning to learn this was her build up, she used this silence to summon the courage to ask a tough question.

   "Mommy and I had a neighbour once," Dinky started with almost a whimper in her voice. "She was this nice mare that would give me candy all the time, even if Mommy said no. She was going to have a baby soon, her belly was all big and round, then one day the doctors came to her house, and rushed her to the hospital." Now the Unicorn was drawing once again in the snow, using her hoof as a stamp to make little heart shaped indentations. "Then a few days later she came back, but she didn't have a foal with her. I tried to come out and talk to her, but she looked really sad, and didn't want to talk back to me. I tried to ask Mommy where the foal was. She just told me it wasn't ready to come into the world just yet. The mare moved away a little bit after that."

   "They're not all going to be easy Dinky," Samael said with a serious tone of voice that Dinky had not yet heard him use. "As a matter of fact, some of them are going to be the hardest things you will ever do, and they never get any easier."

   "But they have to be done huh, for the balance? You had to take that nice mare's foal because of the balance?" Dinky looked back up at him now, a stream of unfreezing tears running down her small purple cheeks.

   "Yes, I did," Samael answered back as he met her saddened gaze with a remorseless stare. "It is paramount that the balance be upheld. Even if it seems cruel, terrible, and unfair." It was he now that stopped talking. His face turned to one that mimicked her own, showing a tinge of gloom as he slowly turned his head to look off into the distant horizon, like he was expecting something to come flying at him without warning.

   "We have to go, don't we?" Dinky said as she looked at the same spot Samael was fixed on.

   "No!" Samael snapped while quickly raising to his feet. He tried to quickly regain his composure; doing so by straightening his coat, then pushing up his glasses again. "I mean, no. I will handle this one, I want you to remain here, and think about what we have talked about today. I will be back for you soon."

   "It's a hard one huh?" Dinky asked as she raised up to all four hooves. Samael just nodded quickly at her question.

   "Yeah D, it's going to be a hard one," he said as he let out a sigh, then vanished right before her eyes. Leaving her there on that towering, frigid mountain top.

*****

      Derpy looked out her window with mild amusement, and confusion. It really wasn't the minor earth quake that just happened, though it was one of the first that she could remember ever being in. Her look of befuddlement was geared more towards the fact that even after the earth quake, many different ponies were running past her house as if it were the end of the world. Some were by themselves, others were in herds, some were even yelling by themselves at the herds. All in all she found the whole thing pretty silly. It wasn't as if this was the only earth quake to ever happen. The giggling grey mare then saw Miss Cheerilee start to run by, she waved a friendly hoof at her daughter's teacher, who in turn darted towards her front door in a mad rush.

   "Derpy!" Cheerilee yelled in a panicked voice as she banged her hoof against the mail mare's front door. "Derpy open the door please!" she shouted again, adding even more worry to her tone. Derpy couldn't imagine what the problem was, but she hurried to the door, and opened it with a smile.

   "Well hey there Cheerilee," Derpy said not once taking notice of the woeful gaze that had hardened itself on the school teacher's muzzle.

   "Dinky, where's Dinky?" Cheerilee cried as she reached up and took hold of Derpy, giving her a small shake.

   "I don't know really. She has been hanging out with her new friends after school here lately. Why, what's wrong? Why is everypony acting so weird? It was just a little shaking." Derpy now was starting to feed off of the anxiety Cheerilee was pumping out in droves. Something was wrong; something was horribly wrong, and every pony was aware of it except her. Cheerilee suddenly looked completely defeated. She let go of Derpy, and fell back onto her haunches where she just started to weep.

   "I heard them say where they were going. I-I didn't think anything of it. I didn't know they would try such a thing. I'm so sorry! I should have stopped them!" The wine colored mare just put her hooves up to  her over glossed green eyes, where copious amounts of tears ran freely. Derpy paid little to no mind to her now, all she did was slowly walk past her, all the while finally letting herself take notice of just how many ponies were flocking towards one general area. She felt her heart start to pound; her breath was hard to catch, and swallowing was even harder. She realized it wasn't an earth quake, something horrible had happened.

   In one powerful leap, Derpy took to the sky. She beat her wings as hard as she could, plowing herself through clouds, even having to dodge, and weave around several other slower Pegasi. From this vantage point, every thing was clear to see now, she could make out a mass collection of multi colored specks on the ground, all of them converging towards the one spot where the accident happened, an old mine just out side of town that had been abandoned years ago.

*****

      Another massive boulder took on the hue of many colors as several Unicorns all used their magic in a group effort to move the colossal piece of earth. Every pony that had gathered was doing their best to contribute as much of their strength into clearing some kind of path into the now fully blocked, and collapsed mine shaft. The Earth Ponies used as much of their brute force as they could to roll large chunks of stone away, while Unicorns strained as hard as they could to power through stubborn pieces that could not be grabbed a hold of with normal means. The Pegasi even did what they could by using the very wind itself to erode away loose patches to reveal new stones to be dealt with, and even caused the clouds to block out the sun to shield their fellow rescue workers from the rays of the sun.

   Derpy landed in the thick of the crowd, all the while looking around for somepony to get information from. Hardly anypony would stop to talk to her, most were in a dizzy to try to move as much rock as possible, others seemed to put on a suddenly saddened struck look as she asked for help. There was one pony in the crowd though that stood out, the Earth Pony called Pinkie Pie, who just stood still as she looked at the over filled cave mouth. "Pinkie Pie!" Derpy shouted as she bound up into the air to avoid having to weave herself through the randomness of the crowd. "Where's Dinky? Have you seen her?" she asked when she finally landed on the ground next to the pink mare who just shook her head back and forth.

   "No pony knows Derpy. Some of the kids at school said they saw her leave with them. We just know they are down there, some where." Pinkie's eyes immediately filled with tears as she looked back towards the mine. Derpy too looked towards the fallen opening, where she saw three mares; Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, all working just a bit harder than the others it seemed.

   "Ah forget this!" Rainbow Dash huffed out in frustration as she pounded her filth covered hooves onto the one stone she was trying to move. "I can clear out this entire mess with one shot! Now stand back and watch this!" The blue mare then took off towards the clouds with lightning speed, complete with a long spectral trail behind her as she soared.

   "Dash no, wait!" Applejack cried out as she tried to grab a hold of Rainbow before she got to far away. The attempt proved pointless however, as Rainbow Dash's speed mixed with her determination proved far to quick to be stopped. Applejack's eyes widened with shock as she looked up, only to see the wild maned mare thrust herself down towards the ground with blinding, and reckless speed. Her intent all to apparent as she planned to drive herself into the debris, and blow out as much of it in the process. "Rarity, some pony, anypony! Stop her!" Applejack called out.

   "I have her!" Rarity said as she looked up, and put as much concentration as she could into her horn. Her magic started to glow, but it was for naught. The fantastic rate at which Rainbow Dash was descending towards the ground, coupled with Rarity's exhaustion could do little to stop Dash from smashing herself into the ground. All Applejack could do now was dive out of the way, while placing her hooves over her head in anticipation of the incoming carnage.

   Just then, right before Rainbow was about to come colliding into the ground, Derpy lept in a straight line towards the now yelling mare. The two smashed perfectly into each other, killing Rainbow Dash's power dive, and causing the two to spin out of control as they hit the ground with a hard thud, followed by several rolls. "What the hay Derpy?" Dash screamed as she jumped up to all fours, much quicker to recover from a brutal crash landing than the cross eyed mail mare.

   "Leave her be Rainbow Dash!" Applejack yelled as she, and several others came running up to the crash site. "If you would have hit the ground that hard. You would've brought the rest of whatever was left of them there tunnels down on the girls heads." This caused Rainbow Dash to look around and take notice of all the judging Ponies looking at her with anger filled eyes.

   "Jeez, you're right. I'm sorry guys. I just want to get to them as quickly as possible, you know?" That's when Dash looked over to Derpy who was being helped up to her hooves by several other ponies. "Thanks Derpy. Guess I owe you one huh?"

   "Let's get back to work," Rarity said, bringing all those in the crowd back to focus. All the Ponies just nodded at one another, each of them now jumping back into action, taking up the duties they were doing before Rainbow Dash tried her little stunt.

*****

      Another sigh joined the whipping winds of the mountain top as Dinky plopped down onto her stomach while her hooves went out in a spread eagle fashion. "I hope this isn't what this job is always going to be like," she mumbled to herself as she rolled over onto her back, and looked up into the sunless, and even moonless sky above her. She could see the stars so clearly here. It was like she was above the sun itself, she was in a place where its rays could not reach, and she could see as far as she wanted to into the night sky, and even beyond that. She wondered if she could watch the Moon rise from here as well, she wondered if she would be above it as well.

   She didn't want to wait for the Moon to rise however, she was bored enough with this place now as it was. With a tired grunt she rolled back onto her hooves, then slowly shuffled her way back to the cliff, where she looked over it to take in yet another view of the rolling waves of thick grey and white clouds that looked deep enough to swim in. She wished that she could move like Samael could. Just want to be somewhere, then she would be there. That's when she got a small twinkle in her eye, as her mouth twitched to show a forming smile. She didn't see why she couldn't do it like Samael could. More often than not he would refer to the job by saying 'us' or 'we.' to her that meant that he was including her into the case as well. Plus, she already did know everythings name's, and he did say her powers would start to grow too.

   The little filly stood up on her hind legs, then started to do jumping jacks. She bent down and touched her front hooves to her back ones, then started to do a couple of hip stretches. She wasn't sure if this was needed to perform a magicless teleport, but she assumed it couldn't hurt anything either to get limbered up a bit first anyway. She came back down on all fours, her eyes closing, and letting out a long, deep exhale. She let her mind go blank, save for one single thought. "Mommy," she whispered out as she let the one image of her mother take a foot hold in her mind. She wanted to be where she was, she wanted to be standing right next to her. The oddest sensation came over her suddenly, like somepony had turned off all the world with just a flick of a switch. The howling winds of the mountain was gone, the cold blasting snaps had disappeared. The only thing that was there for her now was pure silence, and the thought of her mother.

*****

      "What in the name of the Alicorns!" a stallion shouted out as he saw the small little purple filly just blink into existence right there beside Derpy. The out burst got the attention of many others, who all now had halted what they were doing to look over at the rather new, and unexpected arrival.

   "I did it!" Dinky exclaimed with a proud voice as she threw her hooves into the air.

   "Dinky?" Derpy asked as she turned her head to see her daughter in mid celebration.

   "Hi Mommy!" Dinky said as she wrapped her hooves around Derpy's neck. Though she took little notice on how tightly her mother returned the embrace, or the tears that had now started to form in her eyes. "Wait til I tell you where I have been. It's going to blow yo-" she had to stop there as she pulled away, and saw the expression on her mother's face. That's when she started to look around, and see the massive crowd that was there. It looked as if the whole town was here, and even a bit more. "What's everypony doing here Mommy? Is there a party going on? Why are you so sad?"

   "Oh Dinky, I am so happy you are alright!" Derpy cried as she took her child into another tight embrace. "Don't you ever scare me like that again."

   "Jeez Mommy I said I was fine. I was just with Sammy." That's when Dinky looked over her mother's shoulder, and saw the many other Ponies still working diligently at the mouth of the mine. She was about to ask, but Derpy was already one step ahead of her.

   "Dinky, there's been a terrible accident. Your little friends went into that mine there. We're not sure what happened." Derpy was going to keep on explaining, but Dinky quickly wiggled herself away, then ran towards the mine.

   "What?" Dinky said to herself as she remember that the three fillies did in fact tell her what they were going to do today. She was going to go with them, she was heading out the door, but that's when Samael took her to the mountain. A horror filled gasp pushed itself out of the little Unicorn, as her gold eyes widened to the utmost, filled with shock and terror as she remembered what Samael had said right before he left. He said this one was going to be a very hard one. She spun her head around, and looked at her mother, who looked just as confused as several other ponies. "Mommy!" she shouted, before running towards the mouth of the mine. "I have to go! I have to stop him!"

   "Dinky wait stop!" Derpy called out as she took to the air in an effort to stop her child from getting in the way of the rescue. "Stop who? Dinky!" Derpy was just about to catch her foal in her front hooves, but in just what seemed like a blink of an eye, Dinky had completely vanished without a trace.

*****

      The cavern had gone completely dark now. Sweetie Belle's magic had been all but drained in an effort to keep her friends in the light as long as possible. All was silent, save for the small shallow breaths of Apple Bloom, who now laid on her side in the darkness, trying as hard as she could to take in as much air as possible from the constantly depleting, and thin air of the closed off tomb. "S-Sweetie B-Belle?" the little filly asked in a tired whisper. There was no response, not from Sweetie Belle, just the constant taxed heaves from the small Earth Pony. "Oh, you m-must just be asleep. T-that's fine. You j-just rest up, for when they come and g-get us. They're just r-right outside. I-I know they are." Her words now were nothing more than fleeting gasps, barely audible, even to herself. Just verbal thoughts that she was muttering so that she would have some kind of company. "I-I think I'll c-close my eyes t-too. J-just for a little bit." With that, the little Earth Pony let her eyes slowly flutter close, as one more long exhale escaped from her mouth.

   "Apple Bloom," a voice said from with in the darkness. This caused Apple Bloom's eyes to slowly open to just slivers, and there in the darkness, she could have swore she saw just the smallest pin point of light. "Apple Bloom, it's time to go my little pony," the voice said again as the light became larger, brighter, and soon began to fill the whole cave with a warm glowing light of alabaster hues. The filly suddenly felt a wave of energy come over her that she thought had been completely wiped away in her attempt to stay awake as long as she could. Her eyes popped open as she felt the light wash over her; feeling as if it was picking her up. Her eyes adjusted, and she took in a deep gasp as a form started to show itself from with in the light's core.

   "P-Princess Celestia?" Apple Bloom exclaimed with a dry, and worn voice. The sense of dread, the feeling of abandonment flowed out of her as if a flood gate had been opened. It was indeed the great ruler of Equestria. Her form became more and more visible the closer she came.

   "That's right my dear," the Alicorn said as she finished materializing there before the stunned Earth Pony.

   "Have you come to save us? Have you come to get us out of here?" Apple Bloom asked with a over joyed tone. She was even happier as she saw Princess Celestia give her a long warming smile, and nod her head up and down.

   "Well, let's just say I am here to take you out of here, in a way." Celestia then lowered herself so that she was resting on her stomach, with her hooves and legs drawn underneath her. She then extended one of her wings to it's full length, as she motioned towards Apple Bloom with her head. "Come here child. Rest yourself with me for just a time." Apple Bloom swallowed hard, but did as she was told. She walked over slowly, then nestled herself into the Sun Pony's side, where she felt the large wing come to rest gently on her body, and pull her in even closer.

   "B-but what about Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asked as she looked out from underneath the long slender feathers of the Alicorn's wings. This made Celestia look over at the two stone still fillies, then give off a long smile.

   "Shh, watch," the white mare said as she made a small gesturing nod towards the two. It was slow at first, but Apple Bloom could first hear the slight moans of her friends start to be heard. This was followed by slight twitches, and then full on movements as both Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo raised their heads to look around.

   "Hey!" Scootaloo shouted as she came up to her hooves with energy that would suggest nothing had gone wrong. "What's going on here? Why are we still in this cave? What's Princess Celestia doing here?"

   "That's what I would like to know," Sweetie Belle added while she was rubbing one of her dull green eyes with her hoof.

   "Hey guys!" Apple Bloom said in a bright, and happy tone. "It's Princess Celestia. She's here to take us home!"

   "Y-you are?" Sweetie Belle asked with an ever growing smile.

   "Mmm hmm," Celestia responded as she once more lifted up her wing. "I am going to take you some place wonderful. And though I won't be able to come with you. I hear it is a glorious heaven filled with wonders untold that you will never get bored of. All you have to do, is come rest yourself right here with me, with your friend, and you will be there very soon."

   "But my Mom and Dad, and Rarity. They will be there right? I mean that's where we are going?" Sweetie Belle said as she slowly took timid steps towards the Alicorn's expanded wing, looking at her friend Apple Bloom who was wearing a long reassuring smile.

   "And Rainbow Dash too?" Scootaloo added while stepping in time with her little Unicorn friend.

   "I am sure they will be. If that's what you want," Celestia said to the two. She then gave a small flap of her wings, gesturing for the two, to come and join Apple Bloom.

   "Let's go girls," Apple Bloom said with a slight tinge of anxiety. "I am so tired of being here. I want to leave." This made Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo just look at each other, then give a small shrug as they picked up their speed, and happily trotted over to where Apple bloom was. The trio positioned themselves as close to one another as they could, even giving off small giggles as each of them rolled in different directions to stay off each other, but get in as close to the Princess's side.

   "That's right, there you go," Celestia said smiling down at the three, waiting for them to finally stop shuffling around, and get comfortable. "Now, just close your eyes, that's right. Now I want you to think of the most wonderful place in all the Universe, and even beyond it. Don't hold anything back, you just let your imaginations become untamed, let it run free." The entire time the Alicorn was giving instructions, her wing was ever so slowly descending down over the pair, becoming a long full blanket that enveloped the little fillies completely as their eyes remained closer, and smiles built of their most wondrous dreams filled every part of their being.

*****

      Rainbow Dash's back hooves came crashing once again into the solid rock that blocked her path. Up until this point, she had been successful at hiding the bone shaking pains that flowed into her body with each new strike, though now she had gone beyond the point of caring who saw her winch every time she delivered a new blow. So many Ponies were sitting on their haunches now, so many had given up due to exhaustion and the ever pressing feelings of hopelessness. Even Applejack, and Rarity had walked away from the mouth of the cave; each one of them trying to find comfort in close by relatives or friends. She was not going to join them, she would never join them; if it had to be her, and her alone that drove through to the center of this world, then that is what would happen.

   "Rainbow Dash," Applejack said as she came walking up to the still kicking blue mare. Dash paid her no mind, she just reared up once again to drive her legs as hard as she could into the unforgiving stone. "Dashie," the orange Earth Pony said again as a new set of tears started to fall from her large blood shot green eyes.

   "What?" Rainbow Dash screamed, pausing only for a moment to give her friend a cold dagger filled stare. Applejack tried to say something, but she couldn't find the words, as it was hard enough for her to even approach Dash, and try to tell her how long they had been at it. Dash just shook her head, and once again kicked at the stone boulder. "You can give up if you want to AJ. I'm not! I told her I would be her big sister. I told her I would take her under my wing. Big sisters like me don't leave their little sisters buried under tons of rock!" With a anger filled yell, the blue Pegasus raised up one more time, and put everything she had into her kick. This time though the stone barricade got the best of her, the shock of repetitive blows caused Rainbow's body to finally give way as her front legs crumpled from underneath her, making her tumble towards the ground.

   This was all Applejack needed to see. With a heavy sigh that brought even more tears to her eyes, she looked over at her big brother, who as well had just as many free flowing tears coming from his own eyes. "Big Mac, please," Applejack said in a shaking whimper. Big McIntosh just nodded in return, then started to make his way over to the fallen Pegasus who was now trying desperately to get back on her swollen, numb and broken hooves. It was with little effort did the massive red Earth Pony reach down and take hold of Dash. This did little more than throw Rainbow Dash into a tirade of hysteria as she began to thrash herself about in an effort to free herself from Big Mac's gentle, yet unbreakable hold.

   "Let me go!" Dash screamed at the top of her lungs while her body twisted and contorted in anyway she could to free herself. "We can't leave them down there like that. That's not where they're supposed to be!" Her tired body could do nothing against the stallions steel like grip as he slowly started to pull her away, and all she could do was start to reach for the very stone she was kicking at. This was all both Applejack, and Rarity could take as they both ran at the same time towards Big Mac and Rainbow. The only thing Applejack could think of was wrapping herself in a tight embrace around Rainbow Dash's body. Rarity was next to follow in the forlorn embrace, placing herself among the group so that she could add her own faded strength, and rolling tears to the lament.

   "I'm sorry Sugar," Applejack said, weeping openly, finally letting the reality of the situation come down on her like the weight of the same rocks that had buried her own sister.

   "Please Applejack!" Dash cried out as she began to try to escape less and less, and simply accept her friends compassion more and more. "Please don't let them stay down there! We have to get them out."

   "We will," Rarity said in a quiet whisper in Rainbow's ear. "I swear it. If it is the last thing I do, we will bring them out of there. We own them that much." After this, the three mares, and one stallion just leaned into each other, and let every ounce of sadness they had been trying to hold back come flowing forth like a geyser.

*****

      "Sammy, no!" Dinky shouted as she appeared inside the cavern. The visage of Celestia was gone, now what stood there above the three unconscious fillies was the form that Dinky had become the most accustomed to. Dinky heard what she thought was a groan come from Samael's direction, though after the form of Celestia had vanished, and the cave returned to pitch black, she had to illuminate her horn to see properly. What she saw was Samael standing there, just chuckling to himself.

   "Well, I am impressed D," he said as he turned around to face her. "I can see that you are taking to this new little destiny of yours rather well. I had no idea you would actually try to mimic the way I move. Well done indeed."

   "That isn't what this is about and you know it Sammy!" Dinky then moved quickly to put herself between the Crusaders, and Samael, wearing a hard look of conviction as she planted her hooves firmly into the cold stone floor, and glared up at him.

   "Dinky," Samael started as he knelt down on one knee, then tried to reach out and pat her on the head. The little filly was having none of it however, she leaned back on her hind legs, furthering herself from his touch.

   "No, you can't have them! It's not their time yet. They're just fillies!" Dinky cried out as the dim light from her horn flared up to illustrate her anger at him.

   "It is their time!" Samael said in a loud voice. Though not so much a yell, it was booming enough to make Dinky have to flinch. "This is the balance that we had just talked about. This is what it means to do what needs to be done to insure all the Universes with in all creation flows exactly how they are supposed to." Samael just let out a slight sigh. "This isn't the only tragedy happening D. Right now at this very moment there are men, women, children and yes, even fillies moving on because it is their time to go. It has to be this way."

   "I don't know any of them!" Dinky cried out. "I don't know any of these women or men. I don't know other fillies." She turned her head for just a moment to look down at the lifeless bodies of her three school mates. "But I do know them," she said with a small sad smile. "Sammy, so many Ponies have been mean to me and my Mommy, for really no reason at all. I always had to defend her and myself. These three came to my side when they didn't have to. They made me their friend when I didn't ask." That's when the smile faded, and the tears from her large golden eyes started to fall. "Oh please Sammy, don't take them! Not yet, not now. I know that everypony has to die eventually, but please, not like this, not down here."

   "I really do wish it was as simple as time to be given, or time to be taken away D. But you and I both know that's not how things work. These are lessons you will learn." He let out another sigh, and was about to perform a gesture that would remove her from his way. He was stopped however by a single phrase.

   "You don't know what it's like to lose somepony," Dinky said, feeling rather pleased how she made him freeze in place as he heard her say it. "Yeah, you may be Death, you're so super powerful. You've been around since the beginning. But you've never had loved ones, you've never had friends."

   "And that!" Samael actually shouted this time, somewhat losing his temper at the little Pony who challenged him so. He was quick to regain his composure however before speaking again. "That is where you are wrong little Dinky," he said while bringing his anger to a halt. "I have had a friend since the very start of this. He was chosen, much like yourself. We traveled together in every shape and form that could ever be imagined by mortal or god alike. But now his time has come, he has to move on, and I have to be the one that ushers him into that far away place where I cannot go, leaving me here with nothing more than his memories. That is why I chose you, you are his replacement."

   "Do you love your friend Sammy?" Dinky asked while leaning in closer to him, and giving him a long hard stare.

   "That I do." Samael answered with a smile.

   "Do you wish he didn't have to go?"

   "Of course."

   "Just like I wish my friends that I love didn't have to go." The two stared at each other for a long moment there in the darkness. "But unlike you. I am brave enough to try and stop this from happening." The look that suddenly washed over Samael's face at that second made Dinky feel a burning sense of remorse. He, for the very first time, looked very sad. Dinky took in a long gasp, then threw herself at the tall frail looking man, wrapping her hooves around his chest. "I'm sorry Sammy! You're my friend, and I love you too." Dinky started to concentrate everything she had on all the power Samael had given to her up until this point, even adding as much of her own as she could. "I know you have to keep the balance. But I know I can't let my friends go." Her whole body started to seem to glow now, the warm purple hue of her coat started to chase away every shadow that lurked on the walls, ceiling and floor. Soon the whole room was a blaze with her brilliant light.

   "D, what are you doing?" Samael asked in a panicked tone that even he was not familiar with himself using. At the same time wrapping his arms around the small pony as though he was trying to stop her from flying away.

   "I know that they will have to die eventually Sammy, but I don't want to lose them yet. I want them to live long lives, full of happiness, and sadness before they have to go to that place full of wonders. But I don't want you to lose your friend either. But the balance has to be maintained right?" She looked up at him with firey gold eyes, that shown a tragic happiness in them while wearing a smile that could have melted the coldest of hearts. "So I am going to go for them, okay."

   "What?" Samael shouted as he tightened his grip on her.

   "Don't worry Sammy. I think it makes sense. I mean, they are just three mortal fillies. I am one of the incarnations of Death right? So I think me taking all three of their places makes sense. And maybe even your friend won't have to go either. Everything will be fine. Just tell my Mommy I love her very much." That was about all Samael could take now. He let out a frustrated scream just as Dinky had become her brightest. He took hold of the tiny Unicorn's body in one arm, as he made a gesture towards the three other fillies on the stone floor before him, and in a sudden flicker of light, they were all gone.

*****

      The mood outside the mine was cold; almost surreal as not one Pony seemed to know any one thing to say to each other. Most had left now, returning to their homes to mourn in their own way. Though many of the parents that had fillies or colts, brothers and sisters all rushed faster than most to hold their dear ones as tight as possible. Others stayed behind however, they are not sure why they did, perhaps they decided that the ones that had lost the most needed some kind of support, silent or other wise. It was Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash that remained the closest to the collapsed mine, staring with mixed looks of fear, malice, and sadness.

   "So many things we have done," Rarity said, breaking the silence between the three. This caused both Applejack, and Rainbow Dash to look over at the white Unicorn as she continued to speak. "We have defeated a living Goddess of darkness, we have been able to bring order to chaos. We were even able to bring hope to an entire empire, and help vanquish a soul most evil. All this we have done, but we couldn't even move a few simple stones to save our beloveds."

   "Some great heros we are huh?" Rainbow Dash added while looking down at her now bandaged, and splinted hooves and legs.

   "We did our best girls." Applejack said while trying to put on a stern face to cover the crippling torment she felt in her chest. "There ain't no Pony no where that could say other wise. And we are heros, and we have to keep on being heros. Heros are brave, when nopony else can be. Heros are strong, even when they are at their weakest. We have to keep on being strong, for those around us," she paused for a moment to look hard at the rock filled mouth of the mine, and to secretly choke back the new wave of tears that threatened to over take her once more. "And we have to be strong for the girls, I know they would have wanted us to be that at least." The three fell silent after that, each one starting to let the memories of their lost ones start to flood their minds, and each memory seemed to spawn a new tear that couldn't be stopped from rolling down each of their stained, and dirty cheeks.

   "Dinky!" Derpy cried out with a shout that could have probably been heard all the way in Manehatten.

   "Hi Mommy!" Dinky responded in kind as she burst forward, racing towards her mother. All those in attendance couldn't believe their eyes as the tiny purple filly that had once simply vanished into thin air, now pulled the same trick as she and her mother met in a spreading crowd, taking one another in a hard, tight embrace.

   "Oh Dinky, I was so worried. Where did you go?" Derpy asked as she rubbed her hooves through her daughter's mane, while at the same time showering the filly with kisses on her cheeks and head.

   "I'm sorry I scared you Mommy," Dinky said as she tried again and again to pull herself from her mother's relentless assault of affection. "It's just I had to talk to Sammy. And I had to help my friends." Dinky then turned her head, and looked past a gathering crowd that was starting to form, all of them wearing faces of absolute shock and disbelief. "See?" the little mare said as she pointed her hoof towards Samael, who was sitting on the ground with his legs outstretched. Though next to him was what the surrounding Ponies could not fathom, as they gazed with open mouths on Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

   "My head hurts," Scootaloo said as she rubbed the top of her skull with her hoof.

   "You're lucky. My whole body hurts," Sweetie Belle commented as she laid down on her stomach.

   "I think even my mane has pain in it," Apple Bloom said, though her smile would suggest she was being more sympathetic with her friends.

   "S-S-Sweetie Belle?" Rarity said with a shaky voice as she saw her sister sitting there on the ground. Sweetie Belle heard her name, and looked to see her sister running at her in a mad dash. Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were in a close stride behind them. They did not have far to run however as all three of the Crusaders had lifted them selves up, and ran in a mad sprint to meet their respective siblings. Roars of cheers were heard all through Ponyville as news spread like an uncontrollable wild fire of the miracle that had just been performed. More and more Ponies rushed to the scene to witness the four mares all lifting their siblings, and offspring high into the air in celebration of their return, as now new tears of unbridled happiness replaced the ones of overwhelming sadness.

   Samael sat there for a time, and watched all the happy Ponies take joy in the seemingly impossible victory. He didn't mind that none of them came asking him how this had happened, it was better that they didn't as he really didn't want to explain. After a moment, he just let out a chuckle, then a quick sigh as he picked himself up off the ground, and brushed himself off before turning away from the crowd, and started walking away.

   "Hey!" Dinky called out as she came rushing up to Samael's side. He stopped as he turned to face her, all the while wearing a long smile. "Listen Sammy. I umm, I really want to thank you for what you did back there. I know you probably broke a few rules to let this happen."

   "Oh," Samael started as he placed his hands in his pockets, and let out a simple chuckle. "I wouldn't be a very good friend if I had let you go through with what you were trying. Besides, I am pretty sure it wouldn't have worked anyway. Exchanging one life for another? Well, let's just say that is a bit out of your league for now little Dinky Hooves."

   "So, what about the balance, and all that stuff?" Dinky asked with genuine curiosity in her voice. "I mean, what's going to happen with all that?" This made Samael let out another small chortle as he looked down towards the ground, kicking a stone away with his foot.

   "The balance has been kept D. You can be rest assured of that." Samael then made a shooing gesture with his gloved hand. "Now go, run along and enjoy your victory with your friends. You should be happy, you are probably the only creature in all of Creation that can boast to the fact that you have indeed, defeated Death." This made him laugh out right as he turned on his heels, and started walking away once more.

   "Sammy?" Dinky called out due to a large feeling of pressing concern that had just come down at her. She heard her name being called, it pulled her attention just enough to see her smiling mother beckoning for her to come and join her again. She was about to do just that, but she had to look back once more to see him, only to find that he had vanished from sight.

*****

      In the endless Void without end, the two figures sat in their respective places. Though now, a new feeling of pure rage filled it's limitless expanse. "Have you completely lost your mind?" The First One screamed as several pieces on the board before them burst into flame, then exploded into nothingness. The board itself seemed to reflect the turmoil of what Samael had just done. Its form twisted into shapes never seen before spurting out fountains of colors that had never once been seen by mortal or divine, new pieces blinked into existence, only to vanish away as if they were never there at all.

   "Don't be so dramatic," Samael said as his shapeless form placed a few new figures onto the board, an act that made the field calm down to an extent. Samael then placed a new piece onto the playing field, one that he, or even The First One himself had never used, or even seen. It was bigger than most, it's presence caused the board to warp, and distort as the base of the figure made contact with the board's surface. "It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Should be entertaining."

   "Dramatic? Interesting? Entertaining?" The First One repeated, paraphrasing the finer points of Samael's decision. "The balance, the rules, all of them broken now! And for what, a Pony?" All the voices of The First One's form collided, and spoke over each other in a chaotic blur.

   "A friend," Samael said in a calm tone as he moved the newest piece into position along some of the flaring colored lines on the board before the two. "And a good soul. I will thank you to try your best to support my decision in this matter. Oh, and do try to calm yourself, you are missing moves left and right here." The First One let out a long sigh, then several of his own pieces made moves on the board, resulting in either taking over some of Samael's pieces, or changing shape in accordance with the rules.

   "You will have my support, I guess I owe you that." It seemed then that The First One paused for a moment, almost as if he had to look for the words to say to his long time partner. "And it has been fun playing with you for all this time."

   "I could say the same thing about you, my dear fellow," Samael said as he took some more of his pieces, and placed them where ever it was they needed to be. "But we will see how this plays out. Yes, indeed we will."