Fear Her

by Possessed-Artist

Rating: everyone
Tags: Thriller, Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction, Tragedy, Adventure
Length: 4843

Blue Moon and Spirit Berry have been through so many adventures together. Even through the worst enemies, they've always come back alright. But what happens when a family matter causes their greatest enemy to be eachother?

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-16 01:35:49 UTC

Chapter 2

Spirit instantly recognized the figure.

"Golden Snow?"

The corner of Snow's mouth quirked.

"They said you were dead."

"I was dead.

"Then how are you--"

"Is this really a good starting conversation when your sister is back from the dead?"

Spirit didn't respond.

"Hmph."

***

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Spirit listened to the sound of the heart monitor, sitting at the end of her mother's bed.  Mystic's coat still had hints of crystal on it, but it was faint.  Her mane was not in its usual ponytail, only being twisted into a braid.

Spirit herself was a mess. Her mane was ruffled and her face was wet with tears; she hadn't even realized she'd been crying the entire time, and her form was translucent, just being barely even visible.  Every so often, Spirit could use help from Cotton Berry to send her back to this one moment in time years and years ago, just to see her mother.  She could never get the image of her mother's death out of her head because of Skypaw.  The worst part was how Blue was alongside Skypaw when she killed Mystic.

"I just need some answers," Spirit cried out, laying her head on the end of Mystic's bed.

Why was Blue with Skypaw that night?

What have her parents not been telling her?

Where's her father?

Where's Princess Luna in all this?

Spirit sighed, getting up.  This was usually the time she had to go, before the spell wore off.

Just then, two mares entered the room.  One was a nurse, the other with a golden mane.  The golden-maned one was in the middle of talking.  Spirit was just lucky enough to be invisible to others in the timezone.

"How long does she have?" the mare was asking, stopping next to Mystic's bed.

"I'd say an hour or so," the nurse replied.

"Well, I can't stand around and wait.  She needs to go now."

The mare's horn glowed, and Spirit turned around just in time.  A flash of light blinded her eyes, and afterwards she heard the sound of the heart monitor turn into a continuous beep.  It was as if Spirit could *feel the crystal fading from her mother's coat, and the color draining from her face.*

Then she was gone.

***

"You're the one who hired Skypaw to kill mother..but why?  Your own mother!" Spirit cried out.

"Do you not remember what they did to us!? What they did to me?" Snow responded.

"They couldn't afford to raise you, Snow!"

"Why me? Why not you, or Blue!"

Spirit stared in shock.  Her sister just said that to her own face.  She turned around, beginning to walk off, as something slammed into her head and darkness clouded her vision.

***

Spirit Berry sat at the table silently, picking at her hayburger. Across from her sat Neko Paint, having invited Spirit for supper.

Spirit hadn't expected that her own sister would betray her trust. Close enough, Neko had let her stay to try to clear it off her mind. But she couldn't It was too hard for the mare, having been-

Spirit suddenly had a sickening feeling, holding her head. She stumbled out of the chair, making her way to the door.

"Spirit?" Neko quickly got up, trotting after the mare. Spirit was stumbling against the walls, tumbling out the entrance to the hallway, laying on the floor. She curled up in a ball, grumbling in pain. Neko quickly galloped to her.

"Spirit!?"

She quickly got up rushing upstairs to find the phone. By the time she got back, Spirit had disappeared.

Spirit slammed facefirst into a tree, falling backwards. She quickly began making a checklist:

Out in the middle of the forest? Check.

No coordination? Check.

Nearest hospital 45 miles from here? Check.

Alone? Check.

No way to defend myself? Check.

She stopped, spotting the Castle of the Two Sisters. The pain was growing as she approached, trotting in. A tower had lights flashing from it, so she headed to there.

Neko grabbed Cookie. "Come on!"

Cookie's eyes narrowed. "And how to you expect me to believe she just 'disappeared'? She's not a unicorn, and she only has one wing, Neko."

"Just come on! We need to find her!" She pulled her along, towards the Everfree Forest.

Spirit gasped for breath, collapsing on the last step. She looked up, seeing a tall unicorn mare standing before her. The mare seemed familiar, being the one who had fell through the ceiling that other night.

"Skypaw?" Spirit asked, carefully getting up.

"Yes. 'Tis I." Skypaw rolled her blind eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Spirit leaned against the wall.

"To give you the truth." Skypaw smiled, trotting up to the exact platform the Mare in the Moon once stood, and got defeated by the six elements. The holder of the elements was not up from the floor.

"What..tru-" Skypaw's horn glowed, a blinding light entering the room. She could see a beautiful crystal mare, in the hall next to the throne room.  "Mom..?" Spirit asked to no one, seeing the mare as her mother. The mare didn't have her crystal coat on, but she knew she was a crystal pony.

A loud scream was heard, as an alicorn came slamming from the roof, and into the center of the room.

"Celestia!?" Spirit yelled, but nopony could hear her. The mare let out a gasp, seeing the unconscious princess slowly rise. She had the elements now, flying up.

Cookie pointed at the Castle of the Two Sisters. "There."

Neko quickly pulled her along.  Lights were flashing from a tall tower.

"Spirit?" Cookie tilted her head, galloping towards the entrance of the castle with Neko.

She could hear Nightmare's moon wail of failure echo distantly. Two mares trotted in, being Skypaw and Blue Moon.

Skypaw blasted the ceiling, chunks suddenly falling.

The last thing Spirit heard was the sound of her mother's scream, being silenced from the chunks of rock crushing her.

Spirit's scream echoed through the hallways. The two mares, Neko and Cookie, galloped faster than ever.

Spirit opened her eyes, being in another area. This time it was outside, a burning house standing before her. She saw herself fly through the window.

Skypaw was suddenly running from behind the house, holding a match. She quickly tossed it in the house, blasting. A large crack was heard, the sound of a wood board falling onto the floor. She could hear her own scream, as she saw herself fly out of the window, slamming onto the hard ground after only seconds of flight. Blue Moon was standing by, laughing.

Spirit coughed, rolling on her side. She saw Skypaw standing on the platform still, grinning. She got up quickly, glaring.

"You killed my mother, and destroyed my wing!" Spirit growled.

"It was actually Blue's idea." Skypaw smiled.

"You..little.." She charged at Skypaw, who jumped, charging straight towards her.

Cookie and Neko slammed in the room, just to see Skypaw slide on the ground, stopping. Her back was facing them.

The two stared in shock as Spirit turned around, her expression full of mixed emotions.

"Spirit.."

Chapter 3

Spirit slowly awoke to the sound of the heart monitor.  A mare with a messy bun stood hovering over her with bags under her eyes.

"Cookie?  Am I--in the hospital?" Spirit leaned up, looking around.

"Yeah.  Some mare found you in an alley and brought you here.  Neko and Thundra are on their way."

"Oh."

"Spirit, why were you in that alley in the first place?"

It almost seemed forever for Spirit to respond, but she finally did.

"Cookie, can I tell you something?"

"Sure, Spirit."

Just then, A nurse opened the door. "Miss Crunch, your friends are here."

"Alright." She responded to the nurse. "Hold that thought, Spirit. I'll be right back." She walked out with the nurse.

Spirit sighed, looking at her wing.  Last time she had been in the hospital was when she had her wing amputated.

***

Spirit Berry trudged down Ponyville streets, with her brave companion, Blue Moon.

"Hey, Spirit, you hungry? I feel like going to Sugar Cube Corner." Blue Moon asked, pointing towards SCC.

"Sure." Spirit nodded, the two walking inside to see a pink mare behind the counter, known as Pinkie Pie.

"Hiya, girls! What can I get ya?" Pinkie asked, smiling brightly.

"Two double chocolate supremes, please." Blue said, the two walking to a table.

"These are delicious!" Berry said, with a mouthful of cupcake. Blue nodded, biting hers.

"Hey, I'm gonna go see if they have a fillies room here. I'll be right back." Berry nodded, as Moon walked away to find a restroom.

Spirit Berry got up, a spark of light catching her eye. She looked outside, a large house in flames.

"Help!" A mare cried, as ponies began to gather.

She ran outside, staring at the burning house. There was an open window, the source of the yell coming from inside. Her wings spread, as she flew up and into the fire.

Spirit looked around, finding a young mare hiding in a corner. She lifted her onto her hooves, helping her towards the stairs and down. The mare escaped, as a large burning wooden plank fell from the ceiling, and onto Spirit's wing.

She screamed in pain, just able to manage to get her wing out from under. the plank had covered the door, so she used the open window, attempting to fly out. Her ability didn't last long, as she came crashing into town center.

Neko Paint turned around, to see a small mare laying on the ground near the fountain, unmoving.

"Is that...Cookie, come see!" Neko yelled, pulling Cookie Crunch to look at the laying mare.

Cookie and Neko ran up, kneeling down next to their friend, holding on for dear life.

"My wing! It hurts!" Spirit cried, unable to move her broken and burnt wing.

"Berry!" Blue Moon came running through the crowd, standing over her friend.

"Hold on!" Cookie yelled, as dark splotches began to crowd Berry's vision.

Darkness took her vision over, as she went unconscious.

A heart monitor beeped every few seconds, as Berry slowly opened her eyes.

Cookie, Neko, and Blue stood around her, along with a young nurse.

"Are you crazy!?" Blue yelled, "You just ran into a housefire!"

"It was for a good cause. There was a mare-"

"It doesn't mean you should run in to help. The firepony department would've came." Neko said, sighing.

"It would've been too late."

"Hmph. Anyways, your wing was in too bad of a condition." Cookie looked down, along with the others.

Berry slowly moved the blanket, to find nothing but a small stub, where her wing used to be.

"So they amputated it."

***

The hospital door slowly creaked out, revealing Golden Snow.  The mare trotted over to Spirit with a smile.

"And how many times have you been in this hospital?"

Spirit didn't answer, budging away from Snow.

"So scared of your baby sister, are we?"

Spirit glanced at the mirror, a knife catching her eye.  Snow was holding a knife.  A knife.

She let out a scream, rolling off the bed as Snow plunged the knife down.  It landed in the bed, luckily.  She got up unsteadily, opening her wings and heard her mechanical one power up almost immediately.  Spirit looked back just as Snow charged at her.  She dove towards the side, dodging Snow's knife just barely.  The hospital door opened, and several ponies came charging in.  Including her friends.

"Spirit!" Neko yelled, the entire cluster of ponies running towards the two.  Spirit spun around and smashed straight through the window.  She turned back, to see Snow levitating herself and following her.  Neko and Cookie were trailing behind, along with the hospital security.

"Come on, sis! Don't you want to play?" Snow called out, laughing.

"You killed my mother!  You are no sister of mine!" She flew down, grabbing several fruits from a fruit stand and throwing them at Snow.  An apple hit her head, causing her to go falling into a tent.  Spirit sighed in relief and suddenly hit a roof of a tent.  She slid down, faceplanting into the ground.

Spirit heard hooves landing on the ground near her.

"I'm alright!"

Hooves pulled her up.  In front of her stood Cookie, Neko, and Liz.  She awkwardly flushed in embarrassment with Liz there.

"You hit Liz's fruit stand, Spirit.  You okay?"  Cookie tilted her head.

"I'm fine."

"Well come on then, you have a lot to explain."

Chapter 4

"Now I have enough power to avenge my mother!" Blue laughed, her eyes turning to slits.

"Blue! Come back to reality! This isn’t the way!" Spirit yelled, tears stinging her eyes.

"Chrysalis will pay for murdering my mother!"

"Revenge isn’t the way! Princess Luna is gone, and you can’t bring her back!"

"Oh but it is! And I will fully DESTROY HER!"

Blue Moon slammed her hooves down, shattering the edge of the balcony she stood on. A dark aura surrounded her, fully changing the mare. She let out a spine-shivering laugh.

"Blue, this isn’t you!"

"Oh but it is me! Now, to finish off that pest!"

Blue laughed yet again, flying out. Spirit was left hopeless, with nothing but one wing and pain

Spirit just ran after her.

"CHRYSALIS!" The insect turned around, to see the strange mare behind her.

Spirit panted, "Blue! Stop!"

"You’re too late!"

The blue mare charged at the bug queen, suddenly being stopped by an extended wing. The wing pushed her back, Spirit stepping in between the two.

"You’ve gone too far, Blue! I have but no choice!"

Blue let out a shocked gasp, as Spirit pulled an amulet out of her messed up bun. She threw it down, being lifted into the air.

"No! I will destroy anyone in my path! Including you!"

Both mares charged, their collision sending out a massive shockwave, rattling the trees.

***

Spirit burst up. "BLUE!"

Cookie slammed open the door, "Spirit, you alright!?"

She was breathing heavily as sweat dripped down her forehead.

"Another nightmare?"  Neko dragged herself in, barely able to open her eyes from exhaustion.

Spirit nodded.

"Hmph. Time to take you to Zecora." Cookie said. "Come on."

***

"Call off the troops, Thundra!" Cookie yelled out.  Thundra nodded, giving the command to her army.  A large crater sat in the middle of the field, still smoking.

Thundra, Cookie, Neko, Cotton, Spirit, and Blue trotted up to the crater.  The elements still were around their foreheads, just above their eyes as small gems.  They held their heads high, staring down at the mare in the center.

"What is your name?" Thundra glared at her, keeping her voice steady.

The mare looked up, sitting up slowly.  She had on a cracked crown and a silky mane.  Her wings were similar to a butterfly's.

"My name is Princess Papillon."

***

"My friends, what do you seek?  Another dragons tail, or an eagle's beak?" Zecora glanced to each of them.

"Actually Zecora, Spirit's been having these nightmares about Night Shade every night.  We don't know how to help her." Cookie said.

"I see I see, perhaps I have the solution you seek.  Come with me, Spirit Berry." Zecora led her to a table, sitting her down. "Your problem is not but a physical feature, but what's in here." She pointed to her head.

"What do you mean?" Spirit asked.

"You have been dreaming about your sister, have you not?" Zecora asked, raising her eyebrows.

Spirit nodded.

"Well, perhaps if you talked to your sister again, maybe then will you get rid of the nightmares in your head."

"Zecora, I can't talk to her again.  I don't even know where she is."

"Leave that to me." She led them to the cauldron.

"I'll bring you to your sister, but that is as far as I can go.  For a zebra's face cannot be shown."

"Okay."

They closed their eyes, feeling a tingle.  They then opened them, and gasped.

***

Spirit was looking at the ground, hiding the redness in her cheeks.  She felt the faint brush of Liz's fur as he attached her mechanical wing to the tiny stub of what once was her real wing.

Neko whispered to Cookie. "They totally like each other." Cookie nodded in agreement.

"All done." Liz said, wiping off his hooves.

"For a royal engineer, you're pretty good at your job." Spirit chuckled.

"Pfft.  Anyways, go ahead and give it a flap."

She nodded, flapping the wing.  She could hear the tiny gears inside of it work.

"Alrighty.  Start off with baby steps when you start flying, alright?"

"Of course." She said as they walked out, closing the door.

"Dreamy?" Cookie mocked Spirit.

"Oh please!" Spirit replied, hiding her blush.

Chapter 5

The fog started to thicken as the green-eyed ponies tackled the distracted Spirit and Blue. Cookie launched herself at Cotton, tackling her.

Thundra hit at attackers. She slammed her hooves together, creating a powerful shockwave that blasted tranced ponies away. This helped Cookie off of Cotton, too. Yet the enemies kept coming.

The moonlight shone brightly in the center of the forest floor.

"That's enough!" A voice yelled. A mare levitated down from the moon, being translucent.

"Princess Luna?" Spirit said in shock.  Time looked like it had been frozen around them.

"I thought you were banished.." Luna said.

"I still am.  But I'm here to help.  You must get your friends and yourselves out of here. Chrysalis is coming."

"But won't they follow?" Thundra asked.

"Changelings never leave their territory without the command or presence of their queen. Go, my friends."

Neko nodded, picking up the time-frozen Cookie. Cotton picked up the timefrozen Petal.

"Thank you, princess!"

They ran as time unfroze. Princess Luna had solidified, blasting at the tranced ponies, who began to grab her and pin her down. The group watched as Chrysalis levitated Princess Luna on her back hooves, a green goo holding her down.

Chrysalis lowered her head, saying something Spirit could just barely hear. "Goodbye, great Aunt."

Chrysalis ran her horn into Princess Luna, stabbing her unexpectedly.

***

Spirit stared at her surroundings.  They were in the Castle of the Two Sisters.  But it looked...new.

A tall mare stood by a window, looking out.  Spirit slowly walked up to her.

"Blue?" She said, setting her hoof on Blue's shoulder.

The mare turned around.  She had great beauty.  Blue's mane was pinned up into a braided bun.  The feathers on her wings were curled, and her eyes were as bright as the moonlight.  A moon pendant hung around her neck, and a moon pin was attached to her mane.   Her horn was pretty tall, as usual for an alicorn.

"What do you want." Blue said in an ungrateful manner.

"I need your help."

***

Blue slammed the door shut, trotting. "I can't believe you let this happen."

Spirit sighed. "It wasn't her fault. It was only supposed to be a few minutes."

"A few minutes is too much. My mother is dead, because of both of you."

"It was my fault though. I shouldn't have left her alone like that." Celestia looked at Spirit, an expression full of worry.

"Until we find out who did this, I will not be in contact with both of you." Blue trotted to the stairs.

"Blue-" Spirit started, but Blue Moon cut her off.

"And don't even think about telling the others about this. They don't need to know the truth right now, because of your foolishness."

The two worried mares looked at eachother, trotting out. Leaving nothing but a heart-broken warrior.

Chapter 6

Blue raised an eyebrow. "So you want my help, after you murdered my mother?  Even better, you want my help to stop the mare who murdered your mother, even after you murdered my mother."

"Keep in mind, you murdered mine aswell." Spirit folded her hooves.

Cookie blinked in confusion. "What?"

The two said in union, "You were a changeling at the time."

Spirit turned back to Blue. "The mare who murdered my mother was Golden Snow.  And I need your help to stop her."

***

"Blue?" Spirit knocked on the door.

"Go away." She responded.

"Blue, you have to come out."

She heard the sound of a window opening, and a whoosh of wings.  She burst open the door, spotting the open window.  The moonlight was the only light in the room.

***

"Though our past is with us, we can still move on from what we did, Blue." Spirit said.

"No.  What you did." Blue turned, trotting to the stairs.

Spirit sighed, trotting out of the castle.

Spirit glanced up at the sky. "I've heard them say all things that I did in my past

I walk around the town and feel like I've been outcast

All those sins that I left behind are now catching up to me very fast

I felt out on my own

It's just so hard, to change what happened long ago

Even when I could it wouldn't change the sadness and woe,

Though I'm grown I still have those feelings from those days when I was a foal,

I always felt alone.

Through the mist of Equality that blinded me

I thought that I had my prosperity,

But now my mind is free,

Yet other still flee, from what I used to be

What else can I do?

I've battled through and through,

To show to all I've changed but they all run away.

But when I had met you,

We could've finally undo,

The past that has been with us to this very day."

Blue trotted past the painted windows. "Since that day when I was shown to all as just a fake,

I returned later on seeking glory, power, and fame,

All hope was shattered but I saw I was stuck in a dangerous place,

Was I really that naive?

This whole charade, has been just one big give and take,

It's been with me so long that it has become my namesake.

Though I've tried to deceive and hide all the sins, I know now are all mistakes

I just wanted to succeed.

I look around at all of the other mares and I

Sometimes ask myself why I even try,

But I've kept my head high,

and looked towards the sky,

Despite the times I cry.

I've been here before,

A hundred times and more,

But yet each time I end up in utter disgrace

But with you I feel,

Time will finally heal,

But our past is something that we can't erase."

They sang in union. "What else can we do?

We've battled through and through,

To show to all we've changed but they all run away.

But now I've meet you,

We'll finally undo,

The past that has been with us to this very day."

Blue and Spirit both turned around, galloping towards eachother.

"Sure we've done our crimes,

But now we think it's time,

To show to all that we're not who we were before.

Now we'll finally show,

That we are not their foes,

And they will applaud us in a big uproar!"

The two grasped eachother in a long, tight hug.  A bright aura surrounded the two, orbitting them.

Chapter 8

In pure rage, Spirit launched herself at Snow.  The mare didn't even see it coming, as Spirit tackled her off the roof.

"SPIRIT!" Blue ran towards the edge just as Spirit burst up from the side.  She was flying, and her mechanical wing was ticking.   Blue looked over, to see her father and sister lay on the ground, lifeless.

Lifeless.

***

Golden threw a vase off its stand, shattering it on the ground.  Tears swelled up her eyes.  She had just murdered her mother under Tireks control.

"You did this!" She yelled out to him.

"Your family is just a distraction.  I am only helping you." Tirek responded.

"How does murdering my family help me!?"

"So you can have your control.  With Princess Luna dead, you have your chance."

***

Blue looked up, to see Luna standing next to her.  The princess laid a hoof on her daughter's shoulder.  They nodded to eachother, understanding.  Luna dissolved into a mist, going into Golden Snow.

The mare gasped in breath while her eyes widened.  Spirit stared in shock.

"Where am I?" Golden looked around.

"You're in Ponyville.  I'm Spirit Berry, your sister.  Remember?"

"Spirit..?" Golden had recognization in her tone.

"Yeah.  Come on, lets get you home."

Chapter 1

  Blue Moon picked up her giggling baby sister and carried her to the carpet where Spirit sat.  She could hear the faint sounds of her parents talking in the next room.  Just as she began to walk away, the small foal grabbed her hoof, as if saying not to leave her yet.  Blue tugged her off with a smile, trotting to the door and peeking through the crack.

    "We can't just let them take her away," her mother was saying.

    "What else can we do?  When Sombra took out all the empire and destroyed your only job, we can barely even afford a dime.  We can't afford to take care of all three," her father responded.

    "We can't just kick them out.  Expecially not Blue."

    "We'll have to put Golden Snow up for adoption.  It's the best we got."

    Blue Moon didn't bare to eavesdrop anymore.  She turned around, galloping back towards Spirit and Snow.

    "Momma and Daddy are going to give Snow away!" Blue said to them in panic.

    "They would never do that."  Spirit said, glaring at the door.

    The door opened, letting their parents in.  Her father picked up Snow.

    "Daddy, what are you doing?" Spirit asked.

    "Don't worry, Spirit.  She'll be okay."  Her mother responded instead.

    "Wait, what are you doing!"  Blue turned, looking at her father who was setting Snow in a basket.

    "No!" Spirit yelled, charging at her father.  Her mother grabbed her, struggling to keep her in her grasp tightly.

    "You can't do this!" Blue yelled, tears stinging the young filly's eyes.

    "I'm so, so sorry," their father said, closing the door behind him.

    Spirit stared at the door lifelessly, held in her weeping mother's arms.

***

Spirit trudged down the sidewalk, accidentally dropping one of her grocery bags.  Her fruit tumbled out, into a dark alley.  She followed it.

    "Hello, Spirit Berry," a voice said out of nowhere, making the mare jump.

    "Hello?"

    A figure stood in the shadows, wearing a long, dark cloak.  A unicorn.

    "It's a fine surprise to find you here."

    "Who are you?" Spirit tilted her head and squinted.

    The figure stepped into the dim light.

    "Did'ja miss me?"

***

The stallion trudged on with the basket quickly, nearly making the foal go flying out.  He accidentally dropped it, making it tumble into a dark alley by a door and land upright.  He ran off, hoping not to have been spotted.

Chapter 7

Spirit, Blue, and Cookie trotted down the path.

"What's the one place that Snow would be?" Spirit thought aloud.

"Wait, what about home?" Blue said.

"Alright.  Lets check there." Spirit said, having the strange feeling in her head that she wasn't ready for what she was about to face.

***

The couple gently picked up the basket sitting by their door, peeking in.  A white foal with a golden mane sat in it.  They stared in shock, as to who would leave such a valuable foal behind.  Suddenly, the foal's horn glowed and blasted the two, disintegrating both.  The basket dropped, tumbling away.  The foal cried out in the alleyway.

A hooded figure picked up the foal, whom had yellow glowing eyes.  Tirek.

***

Spirit slowly opened the door to their old abandoned home.  It's been empty for years.  Right in the center of the room sat a scroll on a table.  Cookie picked it up and read it aloud.

"Check the roof."

"That was sudden." Blue shrugged, all three running up to the roof.  They reached the top, to find Spirit and Blue's father.  He stood on the edge of the building, to where Golden Snow held a knife to his throat and stared at them.

"Snow, you don't have to do this." Spirit said, holding her hooves out defensively and taking a step forward.

"Yes, I do!  He left me to rot in that alleyway!" Snow yelled out, inching the knife closer to their father.

"He still loved you.  And you know that." Blue stated.  Her horn was prepared for the worst.

"He never did!" Snow replied.

"Yes, he did.  Our family was in poverty.  You were too valuable to afford." Spirit said, taking another step.

"Why not you? Or perhaps the daughter of Luna herself?"

"I don't know.  You just killed your own mother, and now your father?  You can't force yourself to live like this.  With this...this guilt!"

Snow blinked.

This time her father talked. "Leave them alone.  It was not their choice to give you away."

"Dad.." Spirit said.

"No.  It was my fault.  But you are still my daughter, Snow.  I love all of you."  He glanced at the three.

Snow lowered the knife slowly.  "You show great courage, Spirit."

They let out a breath of relief.

"Sad how it wasn't from your father."  Snow slammed the knife into their father's chest suddenly, knocking him off.

The world seemed to slow down and revolve around Spirit Berry, as everything exploded at once.

***

"You cannot hesitate.  Again!" Tirek shouted at Snow, who was fighting one of his minions with two katanas.

"I'm doing my best!"

"Clearly that's not your best.  Again!"

The minion knocked her down onto the mat.

"When do I get to the guns?" She asked.

"Patience.  Your training is making you stronger, but you need more reflex training.  Again!"