When The Blind Can See

“Yak know he past test! Kayma best at Friendship Honesty class!”

Luster Dawn lay on a bench reading a book, her book bag leaning against it on the ground as her friends sat together at their usual spot in the gardens of the Friendship School after classes; a couple of benches placed in a circle just under the buildings windows at the corner with a small tree behind them, the sounds of the fountain and creatures walking by a white noise to their conversations. The sun shone down as her teacher, Princess Twilight Sparkle slightly moves the celestial orb even higher, indicting to all it was noon and time for lunch. Her yak friend Kayma sat beside her, slamming his hooves to emphasize his point, making the benches hop enough to jar the unicorn from her reading. Beside him, resting on the tree’s overhanging branch was Geneva the griffin, or as everyone calls her, Eva.

“Hey, K? Let’s keep the smashing to a minimal.” She said, stretching out her large wings and claws while yawning. “This mornings Loyalty class wiped me out.” He crosses his hooves in a hmph as their Kirin friend, River Song taps her chin; a smirk begins to grow.

“The restless and the wiry hang out in the garden…that could be the start of a funny joke.” She said with a chuckle. “I wonder if Lil’ Cheese could think of something.”

“Yak not restless!” He shouts in his ‘normal’ volume. “Kayma share achievement with friends. Like how Honesty class teach!”

“You sure you’re not mixing your classes up, buddy? I’m pretty sure they teach that in Kindness class.” An earth pony stallion, Gallop J. Fry said before sitting down beside River and biting into his hayburger. He chews on the burger for a moment, examining the different flavours before swallowing. “Hmm. Maybe less snow pea and more carrots next time.”

“What difference make? Yak share with friends.” He flashes them a smile as his eyes barely show through his bangs. “That all that matters.”

The three creatures express agreement as Eva lazily beats her fist up. “Yay, friendship…bonding and sharing…” She said, allowing her arm to hang loosely over the branch. “Now, let me nap.” Kayma and Gallop chuckle before he takes another bite as River rolls her eyes with a shake of her head, turning her attention to the pony.

“Speaking of sharing, come up with any new burgers to share Gal?”

Swallowing his food he replies. “Almost. I just need to figure out the right combination for my latest one.” He holds the burger in one hoof before digging through his bag, grabbing a note book and quill. As he was distracted River shares a mischievous look with Kayma. They both nod before she turns to the held out burger and, using her magic, grabs it and quickly takes a bite. Gallop quickly drops his quill and gives the mare an almost hurt look. “Again? You promised you wouldn’t do that anymore!”

“I did—“ She said, mouth full of the burger. Swallowing, she continues. “—but I didn’t Pinkie Promise.” She grins at him innocently as Kayma laughs aloud. “This is great, by the way.” She ignores the stallions silent plea for his burger, floating it over to their yak friend. “I don’t see what adding carrots will do for it.” The remains of the burger reaches Kayma who takes a large bite of it, leaving nearly any for the remaining two.

“River Song…(munch)…right!” He tries to say with his mouth full, gulping it down before he continues. “Gallop make great burger! Why improve?”

Giving up on getting the burger back Gallop picks up his note book and scribbles down his notes before answering his friend. “If I don’t improve, I’ll stop growing.” He smiles with confidants and drive. “I can’t hope to keep The Hayburger going without mastering the art of burger crafting! Right, Luster?” The stallion looks at the unicorn beside him.

“Mmhmm. Yeah…” She responds in a monotone voice, making her friends slightly annoyed. The tension is broken when Eva yawns again, turning over to look at Luster with sleepy eyes.

“Are you still reading that? Luster, class ended ‘Hours’ ago. Take a break already.” The griffin reaches for the nearly eaten burger only for River to float it out of her reach and towards Luster.

“It’s only been half an hour, sleepyhead. Less even.” As she corrects her friends exaggerated claim, the Kirin playfully pocks Luster on the horn with the remaining burger, startling her out of her reading.

“Uh! What…? What just poked my—mph!” She began until River stuck the burger in her mouth. Watching her friends laugh at her expense she bit into the burger as River pulls the rest away, giving it to Geneva. The mare takes her time tasting the burger before swallowing, giving her friends a guilty smile as she closes her book. “Sorry guys. I’m not use to the whole ‘socializing’ thing.” She looks at Gallop. “As for the burger, have you tried adding grounded Foal’s Breath? I read there flavour adds nicely to the snow pea.” She gives a shrug. “I don’t understand ‘how’ but…”

“Foal’s Breath…” He mumbles, tapping his chin. “Why does that sound so familiar?”

“Oh, it’s nothing really. Just the cure to the Stream of Silence my mother ordered the Kirin into when a fight broke out before I was born.” River Song said, looking annoyed as Gallop turns to her. “Something that was taught in both Honesty AND Kindness class.”

“Kayma remember that! Kayma passed that exam, too!”

“Thank you, Kayma.” She nods to the yak before staring at her stallion friend, a touch upset. “At least one of you remembers.” The mood change was heavy as everyone, ironically, remains silent as a little stream of sweat ran down his forehead.

“Careful, Gal.” Eva said with a smirk on her beak. “Your next words could be your last.”

Shifting his eyes from one to the other, the pony gulps before speaking. “Do…do you think you could…get me some?” A few seconds pass as the breeze carries the sound of trotting ponies and splashing water through the air, the three creatures give him looks of disbelief while Geneva picks a flower from below her and lays down on the branch, pretending to be dead.

Finally, River Song drops her head and lets out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, sure. I’ll grab some when I get back to the Peaks of Peril.” Gallop sighs in relief as Geneva gawks at her while Kayma roars aloud Luster lightly giggles at her friends, realizing for the millionth time how wrong she was about Friendship and how great her life has become because of it.

Kayma calms down, catching a glimpse of the book Luster was reading, making his eye rise in confusion. “Luster Dawn!” His sudden address startles the pony.

“Jeez, Kayma!” She said, placing her hoof on her chest. “Please, tone down the volume before you scare me to death!”

“Yak sorry, Luster.” He replies in a less shouting manner. “Kayma just wonder what you reading?”

“Oh, this?” Her horn flares up as a bright orange aura surrounds both it and the book, lifting it up to show the others. “It’s a book on biology.”

“What does biology have to do with Honesty?” Eva asks.

“It’s not for school. Just something I’ve been curious about lately.”

“Oooh!” River Song dances over to Luster, throwing a hoof around her with a smirk on her muzzle. “Luster Dawn! Are you pinning after a creature that isn’t a pony?”

“What!? NO! That’s not it at all!” She shouts as a dark blush grows on her face, causing her friends to laugh even more.

“Who is it, Ash the Dragon? That Hippogriff, Salt Fin?” Geneva teases before gasping, flashing the unicorn with a cheeky smile. “It’s my brother, Garrus isn’t it?”

“NO! NO! No! I’m not looking for—“

“Hey now, let’s not forget our buddy Kayma!” Gallop said as he stood beside the yak, playfully punching his shoulder. “Maybe all that complaining about your shouting is really her way of expressing interest!”

“I hate you all. You can all go to Tartarus!”

“Yak appreciate pony’s interest in me. Kayma politely declines.”

“Aww. Too bad, Luster! Guess you have to keep looking!” River said before falling over in a laughing fit along with the rest of them. With a jaded look on her face Luster cast another spell that zaps all for creatures in the rump, replacing their laughter with yelps of surprise and pain.

“Ouch. For a pony who likes learning, you should learn to take a joke.” Eva said, giving the unicorn a look while rubbing her rump.

“I can take a joke. Can you take another zap to the rump?” She threatens as sparks fly out of her horn, making the griffin flinch.

“Okay, okay. Let’s calm down now. No need for plots to get zapped…” Gallop looks at his own butt to see a tiny scorch mark. “…again.” Standing between the two creatures, he turns to address the mare. “We took it too far, and for that I’m sorry.” He flashes her a smile. “But think of this as a preview for your Laughter class this afternoon.”

Luster looks at him and sees the genuine sorry on his face as well as on the others. She relaxes her magic as she brings the book beside her again. “Fine. But just know…” She narrows her eyes. “…there WILL be a reckoning!” Eva, River, and Gallop exchange worried looks.

“Kayma still want know about biology book!”

“As I was saying, when I first came to Ponyville and met the creatures that live here, I saw pony couples of different races and it got me thinking about what their kids traits would be like.” The group was silent for a moment before Gallop coughs into his hoof.

“Is…that a problem?”

“What? Of course not.” She places the book down as her friends released the breathes they were holding. “I just got curious because I come from a long line of unicorns. Naturally, this makes my magical skill quite impressive.” To demonstrate, she grabs Gallop, River and Kayma with her magic and lifts them into the air with ease. This startles Eva, making her take to the air as the three of them wot and holler; the griffin crosses her arms, giving the mare a glare as she smiles up at her friends. After another moment she gently returns Gallop and River to the benches as Eva lands beside Kayma on the ground. “Going to Sweet Apple Acres and meeting Big Macintosh, his unicorn wife Sugar Belle, and their Earth Pony son. Talking with the Cake twins about their Earth Pony parents. Learning Professor Scootaloo has an Earth Pony dad.” A passionate smile appears on her muzzle. “It got me curious about what traits would a pegasus get if both their parents were unicorns. Or two unicorns had a earth pony child. Or a pegasus and an earth pony had a unicorn daughter! Or, or…”

“Okay! Okay! We get the picture.” Geneva said landing before the unicorn with a confused look. “But why though?”

“…because I’m curious.” She replies rudely. The two creatures exchange nasty looks that causes the other three to worry. Gallop cautiously steps closer to intervene when Luster and Eva began laughing, braking the tension completely.

“Never change, Bookworm!” Eva throws her arm around the mare, catching her in a one arm hug.

“Only the parts that need improving, Featherbrain!” The two lightly rough around, causing Luster’s bag to fall over. The flap flies open as the contents fall out, including a PonyVille Chronicle newspaper. “Eva!” She cries out, hoping down to gather her things.

“Oops. That’s my bad.” The griffin admits, picking up the newspaper to a crossword puzzle. “Readings not enough for you?” She waves the newspaper around. “You gotta add puzzles to the mix?”

“It’s not just the puzzles.” Luster said, her supplies covered in her magic’s aura, floating back into her bag. “I like reading the comics, too.”

“Oh, really?” Geneva opens the paper to look. As she flips through the pages she provides River Song with a clear view of the back page. The Kirin raises an eyebrow before moving closer to read the article’s headline that featured a picture of a statue she recognizes.

“Huh. Did you guys know the Villains Statue is missing?”

“What?” Luster and Gallop say in unison while Kayma and Geneva give her a started look. River grabs the newspaper with her magic and shows them the article she was reading.

“Villains statue missing. Officials suspect rogue changeling?” Luster reads.

“What makes them think it was a changeling?” Gallop asks.

“Yak heard Professor Ocellus say Head of Guard Pharynx found group of changelings that want Queen Chrysalis back! Threaten to do whatever takes!”

“But why now?” Luster ponders, placing her bag on her back. “It’s been moons since they were defeated and imprisoned. Why steal the statue now?”

“Who knows.” River Song closes the paper, returning it to Luster’s bag. “All I know is, if Professor Ocellus finds out, she’ll be—”

“Upset?”

The sudden appearance of the new speaker made the group turn to see Smoulder standing behind them. Not yet fully grown, she still towers over the five as her wings, while not fully open weren’t completely unfurled, but were enough to indicate her mood. “She isn’t the only one.”

“Professor Smoulder!” River said as the five of them back away, gathering together before the dragon.

“Luster.” She addresses, causing the mare to stand at attention. “I’m surprised. You of all ponies should tell what time it is.” Flashing them a smile, she tilts her head up, revealing the suns new position.

“Sweet Celestia! Generosity Class!” She turns to Kayma and Geneva. “We’re gonna be late!” Luster leaps over the bench and runs pass Smoulder, still grinning at the mare.

“Argh! Yak HATE Generosity Class!” Kayma follows at a deliberately slow pace until Smoulder breaths fire directly behind him, speeding him up while Eva hovers over him.

“Speak for yourself. I’m finding it quite revealing.” She said as they caught up to Luster. “Who knew giving stuff would lead to getting even MORE stuff back!” Smoulder rolls her eyes as they vanish from site, turning to eye the remaining two.

“And where are you two suppose to be?”

“Magic Class.” River floats her bag to her and heads toward the classroom. She looks over her shoulder with a smile and waves. “See you after school, Gallop!” She trouts away as the stallion turns to leave the school grounds, making the dragon raise and eyebrow.

“I have permission from Vice Headstallion Sunburst to use my Magic and Cutie Mark classes to work at The Hayburger.” He reaches into his bag and grabs said slip, showing it to Smoulder. She glances at it, spots his seal and nods.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Get going!” He nods, returning the parchment to his bag and galloping off. The garden empty of students and her class about to start, Smoulder spreads out her wings and takes to the air, angling herself towards the Buckball court. As she rises however, the dragon glances into a window, spotting Ocellus by her desk, greeting her students. The changeling held a bright smile and eyes full of joy and wonder, enough that she began to hover off the ground as the students greeted her with just as much warmth.

This just made Smoulder even more sad. “Please, Twilight. Don’t make her pay for this stupidity!” Clutching her fists she flies away, unaware of Ocellus waving to her with that same bright smile.

The air was cold as Twilight’s Moon hung in the sky, casting its calming glow over all it covers; the Villains Statue silhouette against the mighty orb. A pony, shrouded in a cloak stood before it, the cloak lightly flapping in the breeze.

“What do…you want…with them..?” The figure slightly turns their head; behind them lay Rainbow Dash, Captain of the Wonderbolts, Hero of Equestria and member of the Friendship Council, beaten. Her broken wings lay useless beside her as blood flows from the many cuts along her body. Her once kept mane curtains her aged face, its once rainbow pattern stained red, making her resemble an raging beast as she shoots daggers with her eyes at the mystery pony before her.

The pony turns towards the downed pegasus, remaining silent.

“They’re trapped!” She calls out in a strained voice, a cut along her throat making it difficult to talk. “Nothing you do…with free them…”

The cloaked figure approaches Rainbow Dash, the Moon’s glow bouncing off the blade of the knife they held between their teeth.

“You’ll…fail. You don’t…stand a chance…against…Friendship.”

The pony kicks Rainbow in the muzzle with enough force to both brake it and flip her on her back, further braking her cherished wings. Rainbow grunts in pain before the ponies hoof slams down on her chest. They lean down, pressing the knife to the mares throat, giving her a glimpse at her attackers face and the smile they wore around the knife’s handle.

“Friendship…has its own failures.” They spoke in a soft whisper, akin to a mother saying goodnight to their child. Then, with skillful precision, the pony turns their head delivering a swift, clean cut across her latests victims throat. The blood sprays from the wound, splashing across the murders hood, sparring their face from the fluid before rising up to examine their work. “It’s just about ready.” The pony turns, their cape flicking in the air. “One final piece.”

The killer walks away towards the Villains Statue, leaving Rainbow Dash for dead. The proud pony lay on the ground as the life fades from her eyes and onto the dirt. With her final breath, Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty spoke the name of her love as a weak smile settles on her muzzle with the last of her life fading away.

“Apple…jack…”