Winter night

           Steel looked down at the table, tears falling from his eyes. The years of failure and torment brought to the front of his mind hit him hard.Twilight looked at Steel with shock and sadness. 'H-how could have this happened to him?' thought Twilight. Twilight walked over to Steel and hugged him tight, trying to get the sadness out.

"Steel I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." said Twilight holding Steel to her like a mother and her foal.

Steel looked at Twilight, tears starting to dry from his eyes. " Twi it's alright I had to get it out."

'I should ask her if I could stay here for a while.' thought Steel.

"Twilight..." Twilight looked into Steels eyes.

"... I have no where else to go, I'd hate to be a burden but..." Steel looked away afraid of the verdict.

Twilight knew the answer in a heartbeat. "yes."

Steel felt all the stress and depression lift from him, "Oh thank you Twilight!" Steel said before hugging his friend once more.

        Twilight blushed slightly but excepted the hug. 'Why am I blushing like this? thought Twilight. could he.... no, it was just a one time thing. Twilight pushed the thoughts back as Steel gave her a questioning look.

"Do you have to get back to studying?" asked Steel.

         Twilight immediately sprang out of her seat. "OhmygoshOhmygoshOHMYGOSH!" How could she forget her study time. Before Twilight went completely berserk, she turned to Steel scolding herself for not considering her company. Steel spoke first.

"Just go study I'll go get situated in my room." Steel said calmly.

Twilight smiled at his understanding then pointed upstairs as she said " The second door on the left."

Steel gave a mock salute then trotted up to his room.

         The room was decent size. the room was well kept, there was no dust whatsoever in... anywhere really. The bed was good for one pony though could probably fit three ponies if necessary. The sheets were a light blue that reminded Steel of his mother.

         She was a light blue earth pony with a dark aquamarine mane, tail, and green eyes that glowed with care and love each and every day. Anything blue made Steel think of his mother in a world as dark and depressing as his, he was glad to have a caring mother like her. Her kind and gentle voice would soothe him to sleep on many restless nights. He felt safe around her no matter where they went. Even in the rougher parts of Canterlot. Steel got out of his daze and continued browsing around his new home base.

         The layout was simple enough. The bed in the far right corner with a nightstand with a lamp on it to the left of the bed. The walls were shaped by the tree, a window looking at the back of the library overlooking the back streets of Ponyville. The snow kept falling with no signs of letting up. Many ponies rushing into their homes.

"I'm glad Twilight stood by me." Steel said to himself.

        Steel looked at his bed." I don't think Twi would mind if I went to sleep." Steel crawled into bed and sleep overtook him in seconds.

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        Twilight read though her books trying to make up for lost time. As Twilight read her thoughts wondered from Spike to her friends to Steel. I feel so bad for bringing up memories that probably should have stayed forgotten. thought Twilight whose thoughts went to a other matter. Why did she feel embarrassed from that hug Steel gave her? Twilight set down her last book as she yawned and went to her room,tired from the strenuous studying. The hug still fresh in her mind. Why am I so focused on that one moment!? Why not how will Spike react, Would he need a job here, what if he's a changeling disguised as him! Twilight flopped onto her bed and buried her face in the pillow, trying to force the thoughts committing war on her mind to calm down. Twilight would've looked into a book but her eyes started to droop. That's when the wind howled. Twilight shivered at the cold wind that.. was leaving from her open window. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? screamed Twilight in her mind, silencing the war in her thoughts.

       Twilight hurriedly shut the window using her magic, thankfully no snow blew into the room. Twilight shivered again as the winters breath stuck to her room like mold. Twilight could practically see her breath! "You have to be joking." Twilight hissed to herself. Twilight crept back to bed after gathering a heavy blanket to stall the cold that hung. Twilight tried to sleep but her thoughts along with the ghastly fog clouded any chance of sleep. Twilight groaned as she threw the blanket off herself. Twilight considered her options

I could sleep here. No chance that will happen.

Sleep down stairs. No spaces to sleep, could set up a bed. Tried as it is.

... nothing.

           "errrrrr" Twilight was beyond annoyed, she cursed the weather for causing this problem. Twilight decided to walk around the house to hopefully warm herself up. Twilight did a few laps up and down the stairs. After six laps Twilight wandered to find herself in front of Steels room. Twilight considered this her last option, she took a deep breath then entered the room.

            The door creaked lightly as it swung open. The moonlight filtered though the window and lit the bed. Twilight cautiously walked into the room and made it to Steels bed. Well it's now or never. Twilight thought as she scooted into the bed.

             The sheets were somewhat warm from Steels presence in the bed. Twilight felt so guilty she almost backed away... No it's this or her cold room, Twilight took the former. Twilight continued to slip under the covers. "Keep it slow" She whispered to herself as the blankets coated her with warmth. Steel took the far right so no worries, that was until Steel turned over and grasped Twilight in his grip.

             Twilight let out a "epp" as she was brought closer to Steel. Twilight had to use all willpower to keep from thrashing in his grasp. Steel gripped Twilight close, one fore leg around her waist and the other snaked around her shoulder. Twilight was wrapped in a cocoon of of warmth her eyes felt heavy the longer she laid there, Twilight could just lull to sleep there. NO! she had to get out, Twilight tried to get out of his Iron grip.(pun intended) but it did little. Twilight gave up just staying there, the warmth almost hypnotic as Twilight felt her muscles relax. He's so warm... Twilight thought. She unconsciously snuggled closer to Steel. Steel hummed in his sleep, the tune soon becoming a surprise to Twilight. "Winter Warp up, Winter Wrap up! Let's finish our holiday cheer" Darn now that song is stuck in my head again. Twilight's thoughts turned to the spells she learned in the books. A specific spell came to her mind. A spell that can allow entry into dreams, how amazing... I want to test it, but on who? Twilight then looked at Steel. NO! no I-I can't. Twilight thought for a moment and her conscious was forgotten as she brought their horns together. The dream then took shape as Twilight fell asleep.

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            Twilight opened her eyes, completely surrounded by darkness. An empty void of nothingness, Twilight felt uneasy as the world began to take shape? The endless black formed into a ally way drenched in shadow, Voices started to materialize out of nowhere. Twilight followed the voices and saw Steel and his parents? Twilight stood by one end of the ally as she listened to the conversation.

"Dad, I got a lot of..." Steel stopped horrified of what he saw. The bag of bits Steel held dropped from his magic grasp. His father was coughing up blood! Steel rushed to his fathers side and held him close. The brown unicorn had been diagnosed with tuberculosis before Steel was born, it never got this bad. The dying stallion spoke up.

"S-Steel than-k-k Celestia your okay."

"Dad I can't let you die like this!"  yelled Steel, tears flowing from his eyes.

"S-Steel I don't have long left" The brown unicorn cringed in pain. "P-p-promise me something."

"Anything dad, what?" Steel asked, his sadness put at bay.

"I need you t-to-" he coughed up blood."care for your-r mom, alright."

"B-b-but dad you'll still be here, I just have to fix you up and..." Steel knew it was hopeless but he had to try.

"I will be with y-you in a way. Just not here. I-I love you son." The stallion's chest stopped, all signs of life gone.

"D-d-d-dad?"

"DAD!"

Steel broke down and wept over his fathers corpse, he heard noise behind him. Steel turned quickly to see his mother sobbing, her ears pulled flat to her head, eyes red from the grief. Steel ran to comfort his mother, wrapping her in a hug. The blue mare excepted the hug.

"I-I'm sorry mom I couldn't save him. What are you talking about? you didn't even try and save him! Steel said in his mind.

"W-what did he say?" His mother asked, her gentle voice choked with tears and sobs.

" He told me to care for you, which is exactly what I'll will do." Steel said calmly, attempting to act like his father would in a situation like this but to no avail.

Steel felt his mother loosen her grip." Mom whats wrong?" Steel looked to see his mom slowly fading away.

"NO! First dad now you!?" cried Steel the weight of losing both parents crushed him.

Steels mother was trying to talk, her voice silenced as she faded.

The blue mare was gone. Forever.

Steel fell to the ground losing all will to move. His ears flat to his head. He sobbed for what seemed like hours until a light began to appear growing brighter every second.

Twilight felt her connection with the dream began to weaken. She was too shaken by the events that occurred within Steels mind to move. The light then consumed her as well. The darkness flooded he vision once more.