Courage Knows no Weakness

Comet Dust raced through the streets of Ponyville, her red magic the only thing keeping her from running into the other ponies. Her pale pink cape billowed out behind her as her white hooves pounded the dirt streets. She swerved to the right as she heard a faint beep in her left ear, narrowly missing a young filly. “Sorry!” she called behind her, turning her head as she heard a delayed gasp of fright.

Her blind purple eyes snapped back to attention as she heard another faint beep, this time in her right ear. She swerved left and heard a giggle from behind her, causing her to skid to a stop. That was one of her mother’s friends, Pinkie Pie! Forgetting her concerns for a moment, she turned and trotted back to where the pink mare stood giggling like a small filly. “Hello, Pinkie.” she said quietly as she approached the boisterous mare.

“Hey, Comet Dust!” said Pinkie between giggles. “Where are you off to in such a rush? Is there something wrong?”

Pinkie’s quiet laughter faded immediately as Comet’s deep purple eyes darkened with concern. “Oh, no.” she whispered.

Comet Dust only nodded before turning and breaking into a gallop towards her mother’s library.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Twilight looked up as Comet entered in a flash of blue, white and pink. “What is it?” she asked, concern lacing her soft voice.

Comet was panting hard, trying to catch her breath after her race through town. The magic from her horn faded as she stopped the echolocation spell she used to get around. She was in a place she knew like the back of her hoof, there was no need to use it now. As she caught her breath, the young mare glanced up at her mother without seeing her. “I saw it. They’re coming.” was all she managed to say before she fell to her knees in exhaustion.

“NO. Not them. It can’t be.” whispered Twilight softly to herself as she knelt beside her daughter and laid a comforting wing across her daughter’s back, forgetting about her amazing hearing.

“But mother, I saw them.” protested Comet Dust, still panting slightly. “Surely you believe me?”

“Of course I do sweetie, it’s just...”

“You don’t. I know what’s going through your head. You’re thinking, She’s *blind. She can’t see **anything.*  But you know what mother, just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I can’t see. It just means I can’t see with my eyes. I can hear, feel and taste things other ponies can’t. Even ‘Pinkie Sense’ doesn’t do that!”

“I know, honey. I know.” whispered Twilight. She stroked her daughter’s mane gently with one hoof, the other wrapped around her daughter’s neck in a gentle hug.

“No, you don’t! How can you possibly know what it’s like to be blind? You could always see and still can! Just because you’re a princess doesn’t mean you know everything!  All the reading you do can’t possibly tell you what it’s like! You’ll never understand!” screamed Comet, pulling away from her mother and standing on shaking hooves.

Anger pounded in her head and all she wanted to do was escape. But she needed her mother to believe her first. Pinkie had. Why was it so hard for her mother? “Why don’t you trust me?” she asked softly, masking her anger with sorrow.

Twilight stood and Comet flicked an ear towards the clattering of hooves on the wooden floor. The sound grew louder and Comet could tell her mother was slowly moving towards her. The slight ruffle of feathers alerted her to the folding of wings about a foot in front of her. “I do trust you, Comet. I just don’t want to see you getting hurt.” was the quiet reply from her mother’s lips.

Comet stared at her mother without seeing anything. She couldn’t tell if her mother was sad or angry, or even afraid. Her voice gave away no emotion and Comet couldn’t see her mother’s eyes. Pinkie had tried to describe each Element of Harmony to her once, so she tried to imagine her mother’s face.

Slowly, an image came into view. Her mother had light purple fur and dark purple eyes. Her indigo mane was straight, with a streak of purple and magenta beside her horn. Based solely on her mother’s voice, she tried to imagine how she looked right now. Her mouth was drawn into a slight frown, her eyes sparkling with concern.

Comet could feel tears pushing at the corners of her eyes, threatening to break free from her sightless orbs that imprisoned them. “I’m sorry, mom. It’s just, sometimes I feel like you don’t understand what it’s like.” she sobbed, her voice cracking.

“Shhh.” Twilight hushed, walking over and giving her daughter a hug.

Comet felt the hot tears flow from her eyes down along her cheeks, a few straying to her muzzle in their trip down her face. She shut her eyes tight against the floods of tears ready to escape. She wanted to help her mother understand, but she couldn’t think of any way she could.

As she cried both inwardly and outwardly, Comet removed her cape with her magic and hung it beside the door. Her cutie mark was now visible. Her midnight blue flank sported a red rock-like form with a trail of orange fire that ran down most of her hind legs. Twilight saw the often hidden cutie mark and was reminded of a project she had been working on. She pulled away from Comet and lifted her daughter's head gently so she could see clearly the dark purple eyes they shared.

“Follow me.” she whispered, heading over to the door that led down into her lab.