Irreplaceable

by Real_Harmony Sparkle

Rating: teen
Tags: Spike, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Other, Romance
Length: 5151

Twilight loses her eyesight to a disease she's secretly suffered with her whole life, luckily, Rainbow is there for her.

She knew it was coming. She had been told at age ten that by the time she was thirty, her eyesight would be completely gone. However, she hadn't expected it to happen at age twenty-three, and on her one-year anniversary with Rainbow Dash no less! Fortunately for her, Rainbow stands by her side, just like her friends and family do, and as time continues forward, Twilight learns that even when one door closes, another one opens, even if you can't see it.

All art belongs to my artist and one of my best friends, RemixTheFoxDragon

Published 2018-11-06 04:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-11-08 03:38:35 UTC

When One Door Closes...

"I'm sorry Twilight Sparkle, but because of your Glaucoma, I'm afraid you're eyesight will have left you by the time you are thirty years of age," Dr. Hooves said sadly as he looked at the young, ten-year-old, Twilight Sparkle that within twenty years, she would be legally blind. The young Twilight teared up as she clung to her mother, who looked equally as shocked and fearful as her daughter did.

"Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Twilight Velvet asked, keeping her hooves wrapped tightly around her daughter.

"I'm sorry, but there currently is no cure for Glaucoma. We can try our best to treat it, but there are no guarantees."

As the years went by, Twilight did everything she could to cherish the time she had left with her eyesight. She took in the beauty of everything, no matter how silly she seemed to her friends. She didn't have the heart to tell any of her friends about her condition, not even Rainbow Dash, her loving marefriend, whom she felt the safest with. Silently, however, she feared that when her eyesight fully left her, that her friends wouldn't want to hang around her, even if she was the Princess of Friendship.

Every two years, sometimes more, sometimes less, she would notice things getting slightly more blurry. She would tear up at night when she thought back on how beautiful the world was, how beautiful Rainbow was, and that soon, she wouldn't even be able to see her again.

Twilight slowly awoke with a yawn, her eyes still closed, however, as she didn't want to blinded by the rays of the sun that were sure to be piercing through her window. She reached her hoof over to Rainbow's side of the bed, only to find the bed was empty, save for the alicorn, "She must've gone to make coffee or use the bathroom..." Twilight muttered with a yawn as she slowly opened her eyes, only to see nothing but...well nothing. All she really "saw" was white blankness, "What is going on? Why can't I see...?!" She gasped as thoughts came to her mind.

Memories of herself at the vision doctor, learning that she had Glaucoma and that she would lose her sight in early adulthood, and she teared up. She had noticed lately that everything seemed to be blurry, and she had even planned to go to the doctor about getting glasses to help, even though she knew that her sight was only supposed to last her for another seven years, but she would never have imagined that the day she fell blind would come this early! Tears ran down her face as she wrapped her hooves around her forelegs, bringing them to her chest as she stared in the general direction she assumed the window was.

"Twily, are you okay?" Rainbow asked as she entered the room and sat next to Twilight, placing a hoof on her shoulder. The contact made Twilight jump and release a fearful squeal as she turned toward the voice.

"W...who...who's there? That's you....right Rainbow?" Twilight asked, her voice small and meek.

"Yes...yes Twily, it's me, Rainbow...I mean you should know that as you're looking right at me... Are you okay?" Twilight sighed and felt around until her hoof landed on Rainbow's shoulder.

"Dashie...there...there is something I need to tell you...sit down"

"I am sitting."

"Right...Well, I can't exactly tell that because...I...I'm blind, Rainbow's mouth dropped from the initial shock of the news. It was then that, for the first time, she noticed Twilight's faded irises.

"H...how...?" Rainbow stuttered, fear filling her body. Not fear for herself, but fear for her marefriend.

"Well, when I was ten...I was diagnosed with Glaucoma and told that by the time I was thirty, my eyesight would be gone completely. I guess it just happened a little early..." Twilight explained sadly as she looked down. Rainbow sat in silence for a few moments, trying to process the fact she had just been told that her marefriend would never be able to see again.

Suddenly, it all clicked. Rainbow had always wondered why Twilight loved going on walks, looking at everything she could. Whether she was looking at buildings, nature, even simple things like grass or ladybugs, she would look at them it was the most beautiful thing in Equestria. It was because, in the back of her mind, she knew that her sight was slowly fading from her life and that soon, she would never get the chance to see those simple things in life again, "Why didn't you tell me this was happening before?" Rainbow asked, slight hurt in her eyes. However, the only way Twilight could tell her marefriend was upset was by the tone that was being displayed through her voice.

"I...I was afraid that if I told you...you wouldn't want to be with me anymore because I would need so much help doing simple things like getting around the castle or making lunch...I...I figured since you would leave me anyway...I would savor the time I had left with you because...I love you so much..." Twilight explained feeling around until she found Rainbow again, and laying her head on the pegasi's chest, savoring what she felt would be the last bit of affection she would feel from her now likely ex-marefriend.

"Well...you were right about one thing," Rainbow said as she wrapped a wing around Twilight, making the alicorn start to shake with fear.

"What's that...?"

"You're going to need a lot of help getting used to this," Rainbow said with a smile as she kissed the alicorn on the forehead. Twilight smiled.

"You mean...you aren't leaving me...?"

"Of course not, Twi! I love you, and I'm not about to leave you hanging when you need it the most, not to mention it's our one year anniversary today!"

"Oh! You...you're right!" Twilight smiled, leaning into a hug with her marefriend.

After a few moments of silent embraces, Rainbow got the courage to speak up, "I have a gift for you..." She said quietly with a nervous smile, "I was going to wait until tonight but...I can tell we're gonna be busy helping you get used to all this."

"Well, thank you but...I won't really be able to see it..."

"You don't have to...in fact, I want you to guess what it is just by feeling it."

"Are you doing this just because I'm blind now?" Twilight deadpanned with agitation, glaring slightly Rainbow's general direction.

"Well, kinda. I was gonna make you guess by blindfolding you anyway. Guess I can skip that part," Rainbow explained with a dry laugh as she pulled out a small box from inside the drawer of her bedside table. She opened the box and picked up the simple golden ring connected to a silver chain inside, "Hold out your hoof please," Rainbow said and Twilight outstretched her arm in Rainbow's direction. Taking her hoof, she placed the ring in her hoof and pulling away.

Twilight felt the object with her hooves, almost instantly, she knew what it was. Tears of joy started to run down her face, "Dashie...are you...are you pro-" Twilight was cut off by a hoof to her mouth.

"Yes, Twi...I'm proposing to you. I know this isn't the most romantic thing in the world, but I know you don't really care much about the fancy stuff, and frankly, neither do I. So...what do you say? Will you marry m-," Rainbow was cut off by a very excited Twilight,

"-Yes!" Twilight exclaimed happily as she held herself back from trying to jump in Rainbow's arms. Luckily, the pegasus quickly wrapped her wings around her and draped the chain that held the ring around Twilight's neck.

"Hehe, I think the only difference from my original plan was that I was going to take you to the park..." Twilight giggled at this and leaned toward Rainbow, who replied by making the space between them disappear with a kiss.

Once they pulled apart, Rainbow's stomach growled slightly, making the pegasus blush, "Well, I'm hungry. Do you want to go downstairs and eat?" Twilight gulped at the suggestion, while Rainbow only smiled lovingly, "It's okay...I'll help you," The pegasus stood from the bed, "Come here. Crawl to my voice." Rainbow said, and she made small humming noises until Twilight had slowly, but surely, began crawling over to her.

Once Twilight reached her, Rainbow wrapped her arms around her and pulled her to her hooves. Twilight stood on her shaky legs, "I got you I promise," Rainbow assured soothingly as she draped a wing over Twilight's back, and led her new fiance slowly out the door and down the hall. After a few minutes of near silence, the only sound being Rainbow's hushed assurances, the cyan pegasus stopping. Her action made Twilight freeze as well.

"Why did we stop?" Twilight asked, turning toward her left side where she knew Rainbow was standing from her wing position.

"We're at the top of the staircase. You know how to descend stairs, just pretend you have to do it with your eyes closed. We'll go slow." Rainbow started to step forward, but stopped when her fiance refused to move an inch, "Coming?" Rainbow asked, arching an eyebrow.

"C...can't you ju...just carry me...?" Twilight started to tear up from the fear of falling down the stairs, "Please...please, Dashie!"

Rainbow nearly broke and almost submitted to her fiance's wishes. That is until she remembered that this was something Twilight was going to have to deal with for the rest of her life, and it wasn't going to get any better. So, she stayed strong and held her ground, "I'm sorry Twily, but no. If I baby and don't make you do this on your own now then you then you won't get any better at this, now come on." Twilight whined but knew Rainbow wasn't going to change her mind.

"How...how close am I to the stairs?"

"Right in front of you. Step forward and down," Twilight nodded and Rainbow's instructions and shakily reached her hoof forward, "Now bring your hoof down."

Doing as told, Twilight lowered her hoof until she touched the crystal stair. She smiled, "I...I did it!" Rainbow smiled in amusement at how happy her fiance was with her small achievement. Nonetheless, she wasn't about to take it away from her.

"Now do it again with your other hoof," Rainbow directed. Nodding, Twilight was slowly able to reach the bottom of the staircase after about ten minutes. Had the princess not remembered she had a railing on the staircase, it would have taken even longer.

"That was amazing Twilight!" Rainbow praised as she wrapped her hooves around the alicorn and kissed her cheek. Twilight blushed.

"T...thank you...could we see about maybe getting a ramp though? It'll make things much easier on me,"

"I'll look into it, sweetheart. Now, let's get some breakfast." Nodding, Twilight allowed Rainbow to once again drape her wing across her back from the left side, as the continued down the hall toward the kitchen.

Twilight sat at the table, Rainbow next to her, guiding the spoonfuls of cereal to Twilight's mouth, as her hooves were still a little shaky, when Spike and Starlight entered the room, only to have shocked looks cover their faces," Uhm...Rainbow? What are you doing?" The new voice made Twilight's ears perk up, but she recognized the voice as Starlight's, so she continued the task of trying to eat her cereal.

"Keeping Twilight from missing her mouth. I'm sure you already know Spike that she has Glaucoma," Spike's eyes widened, as he comprehended what he was just told.

"She...she's blind now...isn't she...?" Spike asked, tearing up. Starlight's eyes widened as well as a quiet gasp emitted from her mouth.

"That's awful! I'm so sorry Twilight!" The unicorn exclaimed.

"It's okay..." Twilight muttered as she focused on eating.

"We need to get all of our friends here to let them know," Spike said, "Maybe they can help her get used to this too."

"Great idea, Spike. You and Starlight go get them and bring them back here," Rainbow instructed, and the two nodded before racing from the castle.

Tears were running down everypony's faces as Rainbow and Twilight explained what had happened to the young princess. Fluttershy was crying silently with her head on her wife, Applejack's shoulder. Applejack simply held a sad look. Pinkie's mane had gone flat as tears ran down her face, and Rarity had both tears and mascara streaming down her cheeks, though her appearance mattered not to her at the moment, as she held onto her marefriend, Pinkie's, hoof, "R...really girls, it's okay...I knew this was coming...I just didn't think it would happen so...soon," Twilight explained, holding back tears herself as she kept her head on Rainbow's shoulder.

"Darling, I don't understand why you didn't tell us this earlier! If we had known we-" Rarity began but was cut off by her marefriend.

"-We would have made sure you got to explore everything and prepared you ahead of time, while also making sure you got to make the most of your eyesight!"

"Honestly Twi, why didn't ya tell us this was going on?" Applejack asked as she kept an arm around her wife, who was still quietly sobbing.

"Well, I..." Twilight began but found herself unable to speak. Rainbow realized this and came to her rescue.

"She was afraid we wouldn't want to hang around her anymore. She actually thought I was gonna break up with her!" The girls smiled sadly and nodded understanding.

"Well, that ring around her neck says otherwise," Fluttershy said quietly with a small smile as she sat up and wiped her eyes, "Congratulations on your engagement by the way..." The others ad-libbed their congratulations as well.

"Thank you," The two said together.

"Alright, another reason I called you girls here is that I have to help Twilight learn to get around and I was hoping you could get some things for me," Rainbow explained, and the other mares nodded.

"Anything, darling!" Rarity exclaimed.

"You name it," Fluttershy added, and the others agreed.

Rainbow smiled, "Great! Rarity, Pinkie, take this list and get what's on it. Here are some bits that should cover it," Rainbow said as she handed Pinkie a small pouch of bits and Rarity a scroll. The two read it over quietly. Pinkie's mane poofed up at what the scroll said, the two smiling wide.

"We'll get right on it!" Pinkie giggled as she bounced from the castle and Rarity followed, levitating the scroll in her magic.

"Applejack, I need you to see if there's any way we can replace like half of each of the staircases with a ramp. Like, one side is a ramp and the other stairs," Rainbow explained. Nodding, Applejack stood, gave her wife a kiss on the cheek, and made her way from the throne room to the hallway.

"Starlight, Spike, and Fluttershy, I need you to go around the castle and make sure nothing is going to trip her while she walks. Afterward, Spike and Starlight go help AJ and Fluttershy come and find me. I'm gonna take Twilight outside to help her start learning how to get around."

"Alright," Starlight said with a smile as the two mares and dragon also left the throne room, leaving the engaged couple alone. Rainbow smiled as she looked at Twilight, only to frown when she noticed tears running down her fiance's face.

"Hey hey! What's wrong?" Rainbow asked, turning Twilight to face her as she placed her hooves on her shoulders.

"N...nothing. I just...I'm so happy you all still want to be my friend and fiance, and help me..." Rainbow smiled and was glad Twilight couldn't see her tearing up.

"Anything for you, Twily..." Rainbow replied as she hugged her. When she pulled away, Twilight leaned forward, trying to kiss the pegasi's lips, but kissed her cheek inside. The alicorn blushed.

"I was trying to kiss your lips..." Rainbow chuckled and pressed her lips to Twilight, the two sharing a passionate embrace. Twilight spoke as soon as they pulled apart, "What was on Rarity and Pinkie's list?"

"That's a surprise," Rainbow giggled and Twilight sighed.

"Fair enough," They both knew a long road was ahead of them, but they were together, and ready for any challenge coming their way.

Author's Note

I'm so excited about this book!

Editing/Preread By:
-Harmony Sparkle
-RemixTheFoxDragon
-The Commenter Brony

Starting Over

"Rainbow, are you sure about this?" Twilight asked as she stood still, facing the direction her fiance had faced her. The pegasus had moved about ten feet away from her.

"Yes, Twi, I'm sure. All you have to do is walk straight forward to me," Explained Rainbow with a confident smile for her princess, "Now come on!"

Twilight stood there shakily, a frown on her face. They were no longer in the castle, but in the yard behind the crystal building.

After a few moments of hesitation, she started to step forward but then retreated and stamped her hoof on the floor, her fear momentarily melting to frustration, "This is stupid! I know how to walk!"

"Then this should be easy for you. Now come here," Rainbow instructed with slight sternness in her voice. Twilight sighed, she knew that one way or the other, Rainbow was going to make her follow her given instructions. Biting her lip, she shakily took a single step forward, before stopping again.

"Promise it's just a straight line? Nothing is in front of me?"

"I promise. Have I ever lied to you?"

"Yes, actually. Several times," Twilight said sharply, narrowing her eyes as she remembered times the brash pegasus had pranked her through lies. Like the time she found a snake in the garden. Rainbow promised her it was fake, but when she went to pick it up, it hissed at her and caused Twilight to run inside and hide in her room crying. She was terrified of snakes, and Rainbow had known that.

Then there was the time Rainbow had given her "fruit punch," at a Nightmare Night party, which turned out to be extremely spicy hot sauce. Rainbow slept on the couch for that one. Of course, those were just a couple times, but those were just a small pick of many.

As Rainbow stared at Twilight she seemed to read her mind and a blush formed on her face, "Okay, maybe I have a few times, but only when I'm pranking you. This is serious." Twilight sighed again and finally gave in.

"Okay...I trust you," She replied before taking another deep breath and began to slowly walk forward. She stumbled slightly but was able to regain her composure without assistance, and was able to make her way to Rainbow.

"And...stop," Rainbow smiled, "See! What'd I tell ya?"

"Yeah yeah...Where are you?" She asked as she reached her hoof out to feel for Rainbow's hoof, who smiled and took Twilight into her hooves with a giggle.

"Right here next to you, and I always will be," Rainbow replied as she nuzzled Twilight's muzzle with her own. Once again, the alicorn felt her face heat up. She pulled away from Rainbow slightly, while still staying in her arms.

"You're so cheesy, you know that?"

"Only for you," Rainbow retorted. Twilight could tell the pegasus was smirking from the tone in her voice.

Applejack stared at the blueprints in front of her, rubbing her temple with a hoof, "Hey there AJ, need any help?" Starlight asked as she approached her friend, Spike on her back.

"Well, ahm not really doin' anything yet. But with the way the stairs are, we're just gonna have to tear out the stairs completely and turn the whole thing into ramps. It'll be too difficult to split it."

"Well, it'll make things easier for everyone honestly," Spike commented as he hopped off Starlight's back and took a look at the blueprints, "Yeah, this'll work fine. When should we get started?"

"Well, I need to go get some tools first. You two wanna join me?"

"Sure!" The two announced together, and the three walked outside to find Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Twilight sitting in a small circle talking.

"We're runnin' to the hardware store and by the farm ta get some things. We'll be back."

"Need some bits?" Rainbow asked.

"Nah, I can handle it. Thank ya though," Rainbow nodded.

After the three left, both pegasi turned their attention back to the blind alicorn next to them, "Alright, now where were we?" Rainbow asked

"Still trying to get her around without falling," Fluttershy replied, and Rainbow nodded.

"Okay Twilight, let's try this again," Rainbow said as she helped her fiance stand up, before stepping away from her, while Fluttershy walked in a different direction, setting up a sort of track for the alicorn, "Come this way first Twi," Rainbow said, and Twilight nodded, turned to where she had heard Rainbow's voice, and began walking.

"Pinkie where did you go?" Rarity called as she walked through the shelves of the bookstore Rainbow had sent them too.

"Over here, Rares. I think I found a good book on teaching Braille!" She exclaimed with a smile. Rarity took the book gently from her marefriend with her magic and looked at the cover, "How to Teach Braille: A Guide for Teaching the Blind," Rarity read the cover a load with a smile, "Pinkie this is perfect for Rainbow! Meanwhile, I found some books I think Twilight will enjoy once she learns how to read in Braille," The unicorn smiled as she showed the small stack of books she held in her magic.

"Let's see," Pinkie started,"Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone, Daring Do and the Treck of the Terrifying Tower, Astronomy 101, The History of Olde Ponish, and Seeing the World My Way," Pinkie smiled, "These all sound like books she would love, but that last one...what's that one about?"

"I asked the mare at the register, and she said it's about a young mare who goes blind when she's only sixteen and learns how to still 'see' the world through her other senses. I just thought it would be a nice touch," Pinkie giggled and hugged Rarity.

"She's gonna love it! Now let's go get those sunglasses and get back to the castle!"

Twilight smiled as she entered the throne room for the second time that day, only this time, she was walking without much assistance. Rainbow walked on her left side and Fluttershy on the right, making sure she stayed walking straight, "Okay, Twi, you're almost to your chair," Rainbow said suddenly. Twilight only nodded. After five more steps, the pegasus spoke up again, "Okay, now turn to the right, take one step, turn to the left, then sit down."

Following her fiance's instructions, Twilight was slowly able to take her seat. She smiled at her accomplishment, "Good job, Twilight!" Fluttershy praised as she flew over and took a seat in her own throne.

"I couldn't have done all this without you girls, that's for sure," Twilight replied with a nervous smile. She went to say something else, but was cut off by her own gasp of fear as the door opened, "Who...?" She whispered, unable to continue her sentence.

"Just Rarity and Pinkie, darling," Rarity said as she walked over to the table that held the cutie map and silently placed the books and sunglasses on top of it. Rainbow and Fluttershy smiled, their joy proving contagious as it quickly spread to the unicorn and earth pony as well.

"Where's AJ, Starlight, and Spike?" Pinkie asked once she noticed that they were the only ones absent from the room.

"Getting supplies for the ramps. They've been gone for an hour now, so they should be back soon," Fluttershy replied.

Rainbow nodded in agreement, before turning to Twilight, having noticed her silence. When her eyes met the princess, she saw her staring straight ahead, looking lost in thought, "Are you okay, Twi?" She asked.

"...Huh?" The alicorn shook her head before turning her head toward her fiance's voice, "Oh...sorry, I was just...thinking. I'm sorry..."

"Oh it's okay, I was just making sure you were okay," Rainbow giggled as she approached Twilight and kissed her left cheek. The princess turned scarlet, just as she had every other time Rainbow kissed her around their friends.

Before anything else could be said, Applejack, Starlight, and Spike entered the room, each holding tools and supplies for the ramps, "Geez, that's a lot of stuff, AJ!" Pinkie commented with a giggle.

"Well, this castle had three staircases," Applejack deadpanned with a small smile.

"Right...well should we start with the one upstairs or downstairs?" Rainbow asked, tilting her head.

"Downstairs, that's the one she'll use the most," The country mare answered almost instantly.

"Great, before we do that though...hey Twi?" Rainbow asked as she turned her attention back to the alicorn next to her.

"Yes?"

"Remember when I said I sent Rarity and Pinkie to get you some things for me?"

"Yes...are you finally gonna tell me what it is?" Rainbow only smirked.

"Yes," She picked up the sunglasses first and slipped them on Twilight's face. The lavender mare flinched but didn't move much otherwise from the touch, "First, just some dark tinted glasses so in public nopony will know unless you want them too," Rainbow began as she pulled away and smiled, the glasses fit perfectly and didn't look too bad on her. Twilight smiled, "Now the main thing, is this," Rainbow continued as she picked up one of the books in Braille at random and opened it. Then, after getting permission as to refrain from frightening Twilight again, took her hoof and placed it on the dotted language in the book. The alicorn gasped, but was cut off before she was able to say anything,"I know you don't know Braille, I also had them get me a book that will let me teach you how to read it, so that way you can still read when I can't read to you," The pegasus added as she pulled the book away slowly and placed it on the table once more, "So what do you think?" Finishing with a question, Rainbow looked at Twilight, waiting for a reply, but Twilight remained in shocked silence. Tears welled up in her eyes as she started to cry, but a smile was on her face. Rainbow smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"Th...thank you so much..." She whispered, returning her fiance's embrace tightly before pulling away, removing the glasses from her face with her magic and wiping her eyes, she then placed the glasses on the table for the moment, "Thanks to all of you...I don't know what I'd do without you," She added, wiping her eyes again.

"Not a problem Twilight," Applejack replied, a smile on her face. The others ad-libbed their agreement as they all joined in a short group hug, "If we start now, we can get the first ramp built today!"

"Perfect!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Who's gonna stay with Twilight while we work?"

"I will," Starlight volunteered, "I'd actually like to talk to her for a moment."

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie replied, the others nodding as they gathered up their tools and left the throne room, leaving Twilight and Starlight alone. The unicorn approached the alicorn, who had gone back to staring straight ahead, though Starlight could tell she had been listening to their conversation.

"Hey, Twilight? Could you step down to the floor so we could face each other? It'll make talking easier..."

"Sure," Twilight stood, turned left, took a couple steps, then turned left again to face Starlight's voice, then sat down. The unicorn smiled at the progress her friend had already made, before sitting down herself, "What did you wanna talk about?"

"Well...I really have more of a question...why didn't you try to get treatment before if you knew you had Glaucoma?"

"I did...my doctor tried everything. He tried many different medications over time, magic spells, potions. We tried glasses at one point but I stopped wearing them eventually. Heck, we even did laser eye surgery when I was fifteen. Nothing worked, in fact, he told me it seemed to be getting worse, and that was nothing we could do. So I gave up, and enjoyed seeing things while I could...and now it's gone," Twilight explained, Starlight sighed.

"I'm so sorry Twilight...I wish we could fix this...I can tell you're really upset about this. You're just holding it in."

"Well, of course, I'm upset, I won't ever be able to see my friends again, I won't be able to see my fiance when we marry, I won't be able to see my own child if we ever decide to adopt or something! For Celestia's sake, I can't even read right now! I-..." Twilight stopped to take a breath as tears once again began rolling down her cheeks, "Without my eyesight I...I feel so useless...Like, what can I even do anymore? Sit, talk, eat, and sleep. That about sums it up doesn't it?! I feel like another problem on Rainbow's shoulders..." Starlight was shocked at the harsh yet upset tone her friend was using, she knew it wasn't directed at anypony, so she took no offense.

"Twilight, you are not useless, okay? You're gonna be fine, there's nothing to get worked up over. Rainbow loves you, and she would never think you're a burden, and you know that."

"I know I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell I just...I don't know what to do anymore...I'm scared, Starlight. I'm utterly terrified. I don't know anymore..." Wiping her eyes, Twilight looked down, sobbing quietly. Starlight simply smiled as she pulled her into a hug.

"What you're going to do, is look at the positive side,"

"How? I'm blind !"

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Starlight replied, rolling her eyes, "I mean that you can still be you. You have a choice here. You can either give up, sit down and cry over this, or you can use what you have and rise up above all this. Just because you can't see doesn't make you useless. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and you are the strongest mare I know," Twilight smiled and hugged her friend tighter.

"Thank you..."

"Not a problem"

"Starlight?" Twilight asked, pulling out of the hug after a moment of silence.

"Yes?"

"Could you...Well...Since we don't anything to do right now...could you read me the book they got on teaching Braille? The faster I learn the better..." Starlight smiled at the request.

"Of course," Starlight grasp the book in her magic and brought it from the table to her hooves. The two then laid next to each other, and Starlight began to read.