Blind

"Another year?"

Murmurs sounded from around the table.

"I just think it was a little...strange that he managed to dodge the hourglass while not being fully conscious."

The green pegasus let his eyes roll to the top of his head before exhaling fiercely.

"And you're founding this all on a gut feeling?"

The unicorn sat back in her seat, her foggy eyes focused on something above her.

"Something seems a little strange about it. I mean, even with the sonar, I still bump into things. The fact that he could sense the hourglass while half-asleep just... Interests me."

An earth pony to the right of the pegasus spoke up. "Yes, this occurrence is a little perplexing, but honestly, a full year?"

The unicorn remained silent as she leaned back.

"He did consume much more of the chemical mix than required. I just want to see if his incredible reaction time was a result of his overdose."

"How do you suppose we do that?" The pegasus brought his head a little closer, as if to get a better view.

As the unicorn leaned forward, an ear-to-ear grin stretched its way over her face.

"Our dear BrightEyes is about to go through a tough school year."

It was amazing. Absolutely incredible. He tried breathing again. As the page lit up in front of him, his heart nearly stopped. The sonar was bounced off of the indentations on the parchment, crafted by an Equestrian printing press long ago.

He could read. He could actually read.

Well, he'd have to learn which letters meant what, but the potential was there. His life was going to get infinitely better, he could feel it.

In minutes, he had already packed his saddlebags, cleaned his room, and set off for the door.

He nearly rocketed out of his skin as his father's voice lassoed his ears. "Um...Hey, bud. Where're you going?"

He found words immediately. "Gotta help Applewood with the project again. The science project shattered, remember?"

His father nodded. "Yeah...Just remember to come home before dinner time, M'kay?"

"Kay," he mouthed before walking out the door.

In an instant, the whole outside world flaunted itself and all its splendor. Waves made from birds, ponies, and just about anything and everything else illuminated Brighteyes' world with shape and detail.His legs nearly collapsed beneath him.

As his strength returned to him, he began whistling, almost arrogantly. As suddenly as the high-pitched gusts of air left his mouth, the world flashed with red. At least, ponies, birds, and other creatures of warm blood glowed red. Not only did they glow, their organs, blood, bones, and veins were completely visible. Once again, his legs nearly collapsed.

Something was constricting his throat, as well as his stomach; crushing them with icy claws. In an attempt to escape this invisible entity, he fled to the safety of his home.

His father met him halfway there.

Trembling, his father stumbled over syllables in an attempt to find words. "B-BrightEyes? What's wrong?"

BrightEyes "Please...take me inside..."

His father brought fizzling liquid. An Equi-seltzer tablet had carbonated the water.

"It's okay, I'm not sick."

"I'd feel better if you drank it, anyway." BrightEyes accepted the medicine.

He returned the half-empty glass to his father, who placed the object precariously close to the edge of a desk adjoining BrightEyes' bed.

"You need anything else?"

Distracted by gravity's impending effect on the glass, BrightEyes stayed mute.

His father, shifting his weight towards the desk, shortened the time in which gravity's mischief would arrive. BrightEye's hoof, coiled like a viper, had been prepared to put an end to the glass's fall. The hoof gracefully rearranged the glass, and placed it nearer to the center of the table.

Before his father had time to process any thoughts out loud, BrightEyes exclaimed, "I have to tell you something."

Minutes disguised as hours assisted BrightEyes in explaining his new-found ability to his father.

His father appeared as if he wanted to say something, but BrightEyes interrupted him in advance. "I want to learn how to read."

Their eyes truly connected for the first time. "Well, I guess now's as good a time as any."

"Don't think I haven't caught on to your game." The youngest member attempted to appear annoyed, however, she could not cloak her grin.

"You want him to get some one-on-one time with his daddy. How sweet!" The youngest member puckered her lips mockingly.

"I don't know what you're talking about, "The unicorn responded, vulpine grin stretched from ear to ear.

"I'll let this slide for now." Before she exited the room, the youngest member angled her head towards the unicorn once more. "And, Tria, you'd better pray BrightEyes doesn't figure out he's...adopted, so to speak. If everything goes to hell because of this..."

Tria rested her hoof on the youngest member's neck. "I'll make sure to drag you down with me."

Almost innocent laughter filled the room, as well as their hearts, but died as they left.