The Gift of a Feather

by AJ

Rating: everyone
Tags: Scootaloo, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character
Length: 233449

A feather from Rainbow's wing was his prize possession for 10 years. Now she's back.

On the day he was forced to move far away from her a young colt named Sonic was gifted a single feather from the wing of his best friend and personal hero, a flying prodigy named Rainbow Dash. But when tragedy struck Sonic's life shortly thereafter, that gift became so much more than just a feather... Now as a young stallion he may have the opportunity of his dreams; a chance to finally reconnect with the pony that he thought about every single day since their separation. What he never could've dreamed however was just how large the implications of Rainbow's small and simple act of kindness would be for not just him, but all of Equestria.

***PLEASE SEE BELOW BEFORE READING!!!***

Character Rundown:

*Rainbow Dash and narrator OC are the main characters in this story*, so if you see this story in a group dedicated to one of the below characters please note that while they are not the focus they are all featured at some point or another in significant supporting roles - however that this is quite a long story so some of these characters may be featured prominently later on or they may have most of their screentime in the beginning/first half:

Scootaloo
Princess Celestia
Princess Luna
Spitfire
Fleetfoot
Soarin'
Thunderlane (canon background pony)
Whitewash (canon background pony)
Clear Skies (canon background pony)
Blossomforth (canon background pony)
Buddy (canon background pony)
Merry May (canon background pony)
Multiple OCs
Ice Dragons
Rarity
Pinkie Pie

*The author will attest that the characters in this story are very invested. He believes readers will get as much as they are willing to invest.*

*Nothing after season 3 is canon in this story.*

I only hope you can take something positive from this story should you choose to read it. Comments and feedback are requested! I'd love to hear from you regardless of whether or not you liked it.

Published 2013-01-16 04:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-12-28 01:25:03 UTC

Something Extraordinary

Blinding light was everywhere when suddenly the most beautiful filly in the world was standing directly in front of me on white clouds outlined against bright blue sky. Rays of sun shined brightly down on her. Her rainbow mane and tail glittered like jewels, and her strong and loyal eyes were gazing intently at me.

Despite her strength she was smiling gently as though she missed me. All I could do was smile back. Looking into the eyes of the filly I admired most was enough to wash away all of my despair, and the only feelings that stayed within me were pure joy. Then the compassion in her eyes shifted into her more usual, confident look, which was no less awesome than her other expressions.

"Wake up, Sonic. Don't wanna be late for your first day," she said in her raspy yet comforting voice. I pretended like I didn't hear her and I just kept looking at her and loving her as best I could. I didn't want to wake up; in dreams she felt so real and her presence so intimate. But she was right.. If I wanted to go back to Cloudsdale and see her, I would have to succeed in this job for at least a while. Somehow I knew our parting moment was at hoof, so I savored the final moments standing before her. One day soon, I'm going to come and see you. I promise.

Now I could feel the grass beneath me, and it was warm from me laying on it. My ears twitched and without opening my eyes I raised my head and caught the first bit of the cool morning breeze with my mane. My eyes opened gently, and the majestic Canterlot castle came into view, along with the gardens in which in I had just spent my night. Directly overhead of me there were clouds that were colored a brilliant pink; I looked to the east and a glorious sunrise was on full display. The unique feeling I got from looking at such a wondrous display of colors was always, at least to me, another reminder of my most beloved foalhood friend.

I rolled over and stretched all four limbs, letting out a big yawn. Well, today's the day! I worked my eyes over to the center of the city and let out a sigh. I was a little nervous; I had never been in a city as high class as Canterlot. All of the gorgeous old architecture, the brick streets, the expensive cafe's.

I was hopeful that my social status would go unnoticed, but I was still uneasy. Troublesome to me was the thought of any friends I made finding out that I just stayed the night on the grass outside the castle. I walked through here yesterday, and my oh my, some of the lavish clothes and other things I saw were indescribable. Where does that leave me? The best I can do is just smile and hope that I don't stick out like a sore thumb.

Well, I guess it's worth it if I can make some money to take somewhere else, or get noticed, or something.

I have nothing against window washers, I mean that. But... let's just say that I'm hoping for a job that maybe utilizes my flying talents a little bit better. So I started thinking about ways to make myself noticed. Ok, so where do I go from here to make that happen? I'm not really sure it would work too well if I just did air tricks over the city so somepony who happens to be looking for a good flier can offer me a job. Such shameless self promotion seemed too obvious. I took a few deep breaths and began trotting over to the city.

Whether or not I made friends, I told myself I'm going to work hard at this job, and everything else I do in life. I'm going to give it my best effort, and I'm gonna do it well. Confidence, Sonic, confidence. Just like Rainbow Dash, I gotta be confident. I'm gonna own this job.

Now the city was waking up, just like me. As I trotted into the thick of things, I could see the shop owners putting out their "open" signs and the first sign of life in the streets as a few ponies made their way down them. I tried to quell my anxiety and hold my muzzle up as much as I could. Unlike the vast majority of the ponies walking along in the city, I was without any clothing. Most stallions at least had a tie or something, but not me.

All I wanted to do was be friendly and have some nice encounters with ponies, but I knew that required that they give me a chance. To my great relief I wasn't the only one without any clothing. I saw at least five stallions who weren't wearing anything. So as I leisurely galloped my legs toward my destination, I felt a little better about my appearance and my spirits were on the rise.

The stallion who offered me the job told me to meet him in front of "Pony Joe's Doughnuts" just after sunrise, so that's where I was off too. I stopped right in front of the shop right on time, eager to meet the grey, middle-aged earth pony so I could get started on my new job. Stopping my legs right at the front of the door I looked around. It was still very early in the morning and the streets were uncrowded so it would've been easy for me to spot him.

I looked both directions and across the street, but there was no sign of him anywhere. Turns out I was a little bit early I guess. Nothing wrong with that, right? Well, instead of sitting there, I thought I'd go in to Pony Joe's and maybe check out the menu if I ever decided to get anything in the future- that is, when I had the money get to get something.

Walking in I made my way up to the counter with my eyes on the menu. I saw Pony Joe at the counter; he was vanilla colored with a dark brown mane, and he had on a chef's hat and a white apron.

"Can I get you something?" he said in a low, gruff tone that was not unkind. I hesitated for a moment and then flipped my eyes down to him.

"No thanks, I'm just looking."

I felt kind of bad that I was in his shop staring at his menu and couldn't buy anything. I didn't notice when I first came in, but as soon as Pony Joe acknowledged me, a young mare who was about my age and sitting at the counter turned her head around to see me. She had a light purple coat and a mane that was light blue with white streaks.

She turned around and looked directly at me and my eyes went from Pony Joe to her. I gave her a rather awkward but hopefully benevolent smile when our eyes met, hoping she would respond to it. To my great delight she smiled back in a manner that to me seemed friendly and welcoming.

"I love your mane," she said.

Her remark caught me off guard, but it was exactly what I needed I suppose. I hoped with all of my heart that Rainbow Dash would think the same thing if I ever saw her again. I laughed, embarrassed at her remark.

"Thanks," I chucked. "You've got a very nice one yourself," I added, nodding my head forward with a bright smile. I meant it but I wished I could say something more intelligent. Thankfully I could tell she loved the compliment.

"What, this? Oh, it's hideous this morning. I barely had a chance to get ready," she replied.

I could tell that she was quite the high class pony. Her mane and tail were groomed spectacularly to go along with her elegant speech. As long as she doesn't ask me where I sleep, I think I'll be ok.

"What brings you to the doughnut shop if you're not going to get anything?" she said. Her eyes were bright blue. I sheepishly shrugged and pointed toward the door.

"Oh, I'm just waiting. For... someone," I cut my sentence short and smiled nervously since I didn't want to go into detail about who I was waiting for. She glanced toward the door and stared for a moment, and then motioned with her head for me to have a look. "But I thought I'd check out the menu in case I wanted to come back."

"Someone, you mean him?" she asked, pointing her hoof towards the glass windows in the front. The earth pony I was waiting for, who had a cream-colored coat and a light brown mane, was standing outside the shop, intently looking in both directions. Naturally, my heart rate jumped and my eyes widened.

"Yeah that would be him - see ya later!" I replied as I shot off toward the door. With a lowered head I rammed right through the front door, ending up smack dab in front of him. He didn't look angry or anything, just surprised, since I came out so quick. He was holding a clipboard in his right front leg and had a pencil in his ear.

"Sonic Rain?" he raised an eyebrow. I went to raise my right hoof like a salute, but then I remembered that this isn't flight camp.

"Yes sir," I replied. He reached his hoof up to his ear, placed the pencil in his mouth, and began writing something down. Then he looked back at me and stared just for a moment. I couldn't help but wonder where my equipment was, but then I noticed a black bag at his hooves that appeared to answer my unspoken question.

"Are you ready to get started?"

"Yes sir!"

He looked as though he hated the fact that he had to wake up this morning, and he certainly wasn't enthusiastic in his expression. I don't necessarily blame him, but nonetheless, I accepted my situation and tried to make the most of it. No use complaining.

"You've got everything you need in there. Bucket, scrub, soap, harness, and, uh... let's see... you can just fill the bucket with water from the fountain over there," he pointed behind me, and about a hundred and fifty feet away in the middle of the street was a statue of what appeared to be Princess Celestia, and there were fountains of water shooting up in a circle around her and a pool at her hooves. Kind of an odd place to get water from.... But if that's what the boss wants, I won't question it.

"Don't worry, that water's clean," he added, sensing my questions.

"Which buildings am I doing?"

"Ah, yes. You are doing all of the windows on these six buildings here from here on," he said, using one hoof to point toward Pony Joe's and five buildings to the right of it. I must admit, it seemed like quite a job; these buildings were all about three stories high. He hesitated for a moment with his hoof to his chin in thought, then continued. "Why don't you just give those a try and by then, I should be back to check on you and then we can add on to that list. Understand?"

"Yes sir. What do I hook the harness to?" I said, holding it across my hooves. You might be wondering why a pegasus needs a harness when he's washing windows, so I'll use this question to help explain; how long can you tred water? Flying forward is much less strenuous then hovering, which is mostly what I'd be doing if I wasn't using a harness. I imagine I'd be hovering for several hours, or however long I'd be out here. Anyway, he showed little to no emotion for his response.

"We've done these before, there's pulleys and hooks on top. You're a pegasus anyway so you can just fly right up there".

With a gulp I gave him an obedient nod, hoping he would depart from me so I could get started. But he looked at me in the eyes, and his expression got more serious, and he put his hoof on my chest.

"I don't want any streaks or spots on these windows. Take a look around you; these windows are all in plain sight. More often then not, the princess herself comes through here on her chariot. If she doesn't see clean windows, then we've got a big problem. Understood?"

He definitely sold the importance with that last part. My eyes widened as I prepared myself mentally for the task at hoof, and I gave him a nervous nod. He gave me one last look of acknowledgment, then turned around and started walking away.

With a deep breath I sighed with relief; it's so much easier to work when someone isn't watching you. Now I could just do the work without having to worry about anything in between as long as the end result is that the windows are clean in a timely fashion. I looked down the harness and hesitated for a moment, then got to it. Alright!

I placed my head into the harness and slid it down to my middle section. Then I put the bag over my neck and took off in the air towards the fountain. In a flash or two, I was back at Pony Joe's with a full bucket of water and eager to get started. I reached up my wing and felt the special feather that was tucked away in my mane for good luck and comfort. I felt my heart melt upon feeling it, and a special desire to work hard for her sake sprung up inside me. I could picture her smiling at me, and that was all I needed.

If returning to Cloudsdale to see her was to become a reality, it started right here with what I was doing now. I flew up to the top of the building and clipped the rope attached to my harness on a flag pole. It may not be the funnest job in the world, but hey; it's a job. I can do no great things, but I can do small things with great love and care.

But on this ordinary day, something extraordinary was about to happen.

It was about five hours into the day. The sun was directly overhead and I was washing the windows on the third story of the fifth building (starting from the top and working down). My muzzle was getting dog tired of holding that thing in my mouth, but other than that, I'd say I was holding up just fine physically. I lowered my harness a little so I was dangling right in front of those windows, then I flapped my wings backward away from the building so I could give the windows a quick scan to see where I should start. I noticed some streaks on the left side, so I let my wings halt and floated to the spot, and then started scrubbing away at the window with the brush in my mouth.

When you're doing this kind of work it's definitely easy to let your mind wander and think about other things. I was trying so hard to stay focused on the task at hoof but thankfully it doesn't take a lot of focus to wash windows effectively. By this time of day, the streets were jam-packed with ponies, there were carts and shops on every corner, and all the hustle and bustle that come with the city were in full force.

I was scrubbing hard at the first window, putting my heart into my work. So, I just gotta keep this up for a year or two, and then maybe I can apply for a flying position in Cloudsdale or something. Dreadful thoughts did creep their way in, as they often do from time to time, like the possibility that she wouldn't remember me, or that I was hardly worthy of someone like her if my parents wouldn't even take care of me.

If she does remember me, what would she say about me? I'm just a penniless pegasus. Come on, what am I saying... she won't hold that against me. Before I could plunge into any further sadness though that familiar high, raspy voice would remind me: You're an awesome colt, Sonic.

I looked up at the sky, and I noticed what a gloriously beautiful day it was with the blue skies with the puffy white clouds that I loved so much in the late summer. The voice of my most beloved friend had delivered me yet again with that one line. When my parents had left me, I turned to her, and she raised me up. I smiled into the sky like a fool with great awe as if I were looking at her.

Then I let out a sigh and got back to washing the window. I was only scrubbing it for a few moments when I heard the royal trumpet call, announcing the arrival of the princess. You may not think it, but this was a big deal for me. I immediately turned my head to the right looking down the street to get a glimpse of her. This is royalty we're talking about here. I had never seen either of the royal sisters before, and if she came down the street when she passed by she'd be less than a hundred feet from me.

Bows and cheers could be seen amongst the crowded streets as her chariot descended down a hill towards where I was. The chariot was pulled by two royal guards - white pegasus stallions with gold armor. Sitting atop the chariot was the Princess of the Day herself, Celestia. Her mane was flowing with many colors, and her coat was as white as snow, with the sun on her flank and a gold crown atop her head. I stared at her regal appearance and all of her loyal admirers who gave her homage. It was the highest in the land, coming into the presence of the lowest. She was an exceptionally beautiful equine who appeared to me to have a genuinely kind gaze.

It wasn't until the chariot came within a few blocks of where I was that I realized that I had stopped working altogether for some time now.

"Oh shoot!" I cried to myself, and began frantically brushing the windows with the scrub. You can do this... you're just washing the windows. As I'm recalling this, it has occurred to me how foolish it was for me to be so anxious. Odds are she would not have even noticed me amidst all the attention she was receiving from every direction. So, without care of what was happening behind me, I fervently committed myself to my job, blocking out as many distractions as I could.

It was at that moment that my ears began picking up a sound that seemed alien to the rest of the crowd. It was a high-pitched scream, clearly from a mare, but one that could be heard even among the crowd. I turned my eyes over my shoulder in wonder of what the purpose for that sound was, then shrugged. This town is anything but dangerous. Yet immediately following that, directly below me I heard the voice of somepony yell "watch out!" My heart sank. For goodness sake... Please, not while the princess is approaching! I looked down at whoever said it and held up my hooves defensively.

"Come on, I didn't drop anything!"I cried.

I quickly saw that he was not looking at me and thus not referring to me but rather to just up the street about a block in front of the princess, who was coming down the street (and downhill). I realized that more and more ponies were screaming and hordes of ponies were moving from the center of the street some ways down from her. What in the name of- ?

Then... I saw it.

A very large cart on wheels that was carrying a massive load of watermelons was gaining speed down the street.

After I had a second to process it my mind started spinning. Suddenly I could barely think as adrenaline and anxiety rushed through me. I was perfectly safe where I was, but my concern was the ponies in the street. I knew that if it continued gaining speed, someone could get seriously hurt, or worse. Visions of ponies mourning over their friends flashed in the back of my mind.

Ponies began diving out of it's way and large crowds frantically scrambled to clear the street, and as more ponies noticed, so too the screams and cries increased. As the street in front of the cart opened up, my worst fear was before my eyes... a very little palomino colt, only looking to be about four or five years old, was standing alone in the middle of the street without his parents staring straight at his oncoming danger. He was frozen in place.

"Come on, MOVE KID!" I yelled to myself.

I looked back towards the area of the princess, but it appeared as though she was just now becoming aware of what was going on down the hill in front of her. She raised her wings as though about to fly as her horn lit up with magic of some kind but she was clearly not about to save this foal in time.

Coming back desperately back to the little guy who looked too hopelessly too scared to move, I wasted no more time. I violently threw myself out of my harness and threw myself in his direction with my wings. As I charged through the air, I was suddenly thrown back toward the building; my back left ankle was still caught in the harness. I hit the building with a thud dangled from the harness upside down.

Gasping in horror, my spirit was shattered as for a moment I thought I had failed the little one and his family... but an image of Rainbow in my mind gave me a strength that surged through me as I kicked myself off of the building and blasted myself through the air so hard and so fast that the harness that was still attached to my back leg snapped in half. I sliced through the air, and amidst all the terrible screaming, I snatched the little colt up in my front legs and flew safely into the air as the cart barreled over where he was standing.

I was going so fast that I had no time to think, it was all instinct - now it appeared I was about to collide into the building on the other side of the street, and I still head a foal in my legs. In another blink of an eye, I once again dug deep inside for the strength to turn my body with a powerful wing-flap through the air to avoid crashing into some stone storefront. My mane and tail just brushed the side of the building.

It was happening so fast that I literally had no time to think, it was all instinct. Now it appeared I was about to collide into the building on the other side of the street, and I still head a foal in my legs. He slipped from grasp - luckily onto the back of another pony in a move that left both of them virtually spared from any serious injury. In another blink of an eye, I once again dug deep inside for the strength to turn my body with a powerful wing-flap through the air to avoid crashing into some stone storefront. My mane and tail just brushed the side of the building.

As I turned the corner up the street however I had one final problem to overcome; now I was heading straight for Princess Celestia's chariot. She herself was raised up and shooting magic out of her horn in the direction of where the cart was, but I was now staring her wide-eyed royal guards in the face.

I spread my wings wide and opened them up to catch as much as air as possible and stop me, and I slowed down, but I had been flying so fast that I wasn't slowing down fast enough. I knew at the last second that there was no avoiding collision with the chariot, the royal guards terrified faces mirroring my own as I barreled down on them. And then... the lights went out.

I hardly remember the crash into the chariot. Whatever poor royal guards I ended up hiting didn't have much time to get out of the way given he was harnessed to the chariot. I remember crashing straight into them and the chariot, seeing a bunch of stars, and then opening my eyes with my back on the street. Oh... my head...

I lifted it up from the street and put my hoof on it. I was queasily moving back and fourth, and stars were shooting in every direction.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly, as my head spouted some more pain. In hindsight I wasn't sure who I said it to.

"Ow," uttered one of the royal guards who was on his belly and also rubbing his head with his hoof.

Staring dizzily into space, I suddenly remembered everything that just happened. My lackadaisical vision started to clear up and my heart rate jumped as I remembered the little colt and the charging cart.

"Little colt... where?" I stuttered, turning around frantically. I looked on from my spot on the ground, and everypony in the streets were cheering and smiling at me. Huh? A few feet in front of me was the young palomino who I had rescued with who I took to be his mom smiling very gratefully my way. I saw him safe and sound, and let out the sigh of lifetime. Then I had a headache, my eyes closed on their own, and my head fell back down to the street.

Following a series of wonderful dreams about Rainbow Dash, instead of waking up in the middle of the cold, hard street, I suddenly felt as though I was in a most incredibly comfortable bed ever manufactured. I didn't want to ever wake up, though half conscious of where I was, I was at a loss as how to I got there. How can this be? Did I die? I opened my eyes. Are those... bed curtains?!?

The sideways view of a huge, circular room came into view. I rubbed my eyes with my wing and raised my head out of the bed. This place was so amazing that it seemed too good to be real. It had a shining floor with super high-end furniture, there was an extravagant chandelier hanging from the ceiling, some expensive looking paintings, and rays of light from the sun shining through tall glass windows with curtains.

"I'm dead," I said to myself.

"Most certainly not, but you are the hero of the day," said a sweet, motherly voice.

I turned my head in shock to where this voice came from, and I couldn't believe what I saw. I knew right away what I saw and I was nearly in tears from awe. It was the sovereign of the land, the benevolent ruler of all Equestria. Princess Celestia herself, in all of her regal glory, stood before me. I saw now that her mane was long and flowing, with streaks of pink, purple, green and blue. Her wings were massive but beautiful, and her crown was made of the purest gold. She walked in and stared at me with filial love, a gentle care in her purple eyes.

Only on one other occasion have I felt such compassion in a stare, and I think you know who that is. Nonetheless, I started breathing heavily and looking at her as though she held my life in the shoe of her hoof. I got out of bed quickly and bowed down before her, lowering my head and closing my eyes.

"My dear young stallion," she said a chuckle. "That was not necessary. You should've stayed in your bed!"

"Oh!" I replied, standing up nervously. When I saw her face again I naturally started to relax - she wasn't angry with me in the slightest and her demeanor was so kind.

"That was some impressive flying. You showed bravery and skill on a level I've only seen in one other subject of mine. The little colt you saved has hardly a scratch on his head, and right after you shot through the air and saved him I was able to use my magic to prevent that cart from going any further. Do you remember all of that?"

"Y-yes... your majesty," I said, still shocked to be in front of her but starting feeling better. With my wing on my head, I didn't remember it all perfectly yet, but I definitely had visions of what she described.

"Delightful!" she replied. "I had you brought here to this castle suite after my doctors looked you over. Do you like it?"

It was all coming back to me now. The runaway cart, the rescuing of the little colt, the crashing into the royal guards. I suddenly felt a surge happiness stronger than anything I'd felt not associated with Rainbow.

First and foremost I had saved a colt's life ... and now I was getting compliments from the Princess! I looked around the room and a gentle smile came over as I looked back into the loving eyes of the princess. It felt kind of like she was almost my mom. The longing for her to be my actual mom, along with Zecora, was much stronger. Bravery and skill? I wanted to squee.

"I- I don't know what to say, I-I - " I started, giggling sheepishly.

"What is your name?" she asked, laughing.

"Sonic, your majesty. Sonic Rain sometimes, maybe... but you can call me Sonic."

"Sonic? I don't believe we've ever met, but I can see that you are a very kind soul," she remarked with such tenderness. Geez... All these compliments? I definitely was not used to it, but it definitely made me feel wonderful and she was quickly becoming very endearing to me.

She walked forward and over to the balcony, where she motioned for me to come join her. I got up from the floor and walked out to join her, where there was a small table set up with cups of tea. She sat down at the end of the table and smiled at me.

"I would love to speak with you some more. Would you like to have some tea with me?"

"Yes!" I blurted out enthusiastically, which I immediately felt embarrassed for as over the top, though she of course liked it. Her horn lit up with magic and the tea kettle floated up and poured the tea into her cup. Then the kettle gently floated back down, and this time her cup lifted off and then she took a soft sip in a most delicate manner. She lowered her cup back to the table and beamed with filial affection but it seemed she also was waiting for me to take a sip. After a second I I finally caught on.

"Oh!" I said, and then sheepishly blushed and laughed embarrassingly. Lowering my snout I accidentally drank half of the cup in a couple slurps, in a manner that was probably the polar opposite of the delicate, graceful manner in which the princess drank it. Luckily for me she only seemed to find it cute.

"You need not worry about ceremonial respects, Sonic. I prefer informal," she said, with a wink. I looked at her for a moment, and then laughed a little bit.

"Oh.. uh, ok then," I said, relaxing my body and my spirits. She raised her cup once again and took another sip of tea before setting it back down again.

"If you don't mind me asking, Sonic, do you have an occupation that involves flying?"

This can't be happening, this can't be happening!!! I thought with excitement, trying to play off at least some of my emotion. I took another sip of tea and wiped the rest of it from my mouth. I shrugged on the inside as I thought about my job, and how she would react.

"No, your majesty. I'm actually not in the flying business at all. Actually, I'm, uh," I said, blushing. I took a gulp and forced myself to look at her. "Well, actually, I'm just a window washer. I just moved here." She gave me a look of intent that stirred up my heart as I wondered where she was going with this. Was it possible she was going to promote me to someone? Can such a blessing happen to someone like me?

"Do you have any interest in the flying business?"

"Well yes, I would say I definitely have an interest in flying," I said, perking up excitedly. "Do you think I might be good at it?" I asked.

"I'm old enough and experienced enough to the point where I only needed to see one heroic snippet from you today to see that you are quite a talented flier. May I ask, do you like it here in Canterlot?"

I couldn't believe where she was going with this. It was so wonderful I barely comprehend it. Quite a talented flier?!? I thought about her question, and the truth is (as you know) that I wanted to go to Cloudsdale. As wonderful as flying was, and as wonderful as all of this was, it could not be compared to seeing my most beloved friend and the strength of my soul, the mare to whom my heart belonged. One thought of her smiling at me and my heart was melting.

"Well... I mean, Canterlot is really, really nice and all, but I guess-" I paused mid-sentence and stuttered on my own words. I hoped that would be enough for her to realize that I really didn't want to stay.

I wanted to tell her I would hope for something in Cloudsdale but on the other hand I was thinking that beggars can't be choosers. Who would I be if I just came out and said right now in the conversation, "Can you get me a job in Cloudsdale?" So, I stuttered and thought of what to say next, but instead, she spoke up.

"Where are you staying right now?"

Oh no. Please, not that. Anything but that. I knew it. All streaks come to an end, and now I had to tell Princess Celestia that I was homeless. I had slept on the castle grounds. I slept on her property! My heart rate suddenly increased as I wondered if she would become angry with me.

"Well, I, uh- I'm actually staying, at t-the - ... " I looked away from her, and her smile faded as she started looking at me with pity and confusion. She's smart enough where I'm sure it was obvious I didn't want to tell her, but she still appeared very concerned for me, as she had from the beginning. I started doing what I normally do when I'm nervous, stuttering and looking in different directions and what not. "Ah, well... where I'm staying is not important-"

"If you really don't want to tell me, I understand," she said softly. "Though I would have you know that you can tell me anything. It is my burning desire to help all of my subjects however I can."

With a look and a statement like that I couldn't avoid it anymore. I let out a sigh and covered my face with my wing.

"I, uh... I don't have a home," I said, removing my wing from my face and looking up at her. "I usually just sleep in the grass. Last night I slept down there," I continued, motioning down towards the patch of grass on the property.

When I came back to her I saw clearly that to my surprise once again, not only was she not angry or annoyed in anyway whatsoever... there was even more pity and love in her eyes! She was not offended in the least that I slept on her patch of grass. I think at that time I finally let go of any irrational fears and accepted that she really did care for me.

"Sonic, you slept outside? As in you don't have a home?" she asked, sounding horrified. I sheepishly nodded and looked away, too embarrassed to look. I had to steal one glance though and I discovered that she had the most profound look of pity I'd ever seen in a pony since Rainbow looked on as I was dragged away from her.

"Would you like to live in Ponyville?" she offered in a soft voice. "My most trusted servant resides there with her five friends, and I happen to know there is a newly vacant house open in the little town," she said. "Ponyville is right down here in one of the most beautiful valleys in all the land, just beneath Cloudsdale. I would like to offer you this place for free. Would you like that?"

"Uhhh," I started. I couldn't believe it. It was too much good for me to take in. "C-come again?"

"I'm serious!" she said with a gentle laugh.

Ever so slowly, my mouth began to widen into a most grateful smile. I have a home now... just beneath Cloudsdale... The words repeated themselves in my head, and with each one, my heart only rejoiced more. My expression gave my answer for me.

"I don't know what to say!" I shouted excitedly. "YES!!! I mean, thank you!"

"Furthermore," she started, grinning even wider and more benevolently seeing the excitement she had started in me. "There is a job opening in the weather patrol in Ponyville. How would you like that?"

"Stop!!! I can't take it!" I exclaimed, clutching my chest with my wing and raising my front hoof.

"You don't want the job?" she repeated, surprised.

"No, I do! I do!" I replied, calming myself down very quickly. "Hehe, sorry... it's just, that was a lot to take in all at once, I suppose. You are making very happy right now. I just don't know what to say."

I bit my lip trying to regain my composure and my maturity, but I could hardly contain my excitement. She smiled sweetly, and raised the cup to her mouth.

"The mare in charge of the Ponyville weather patrol is the one I will refer you to."

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Rainbow Dash."

Do You Remember Me?

My afternoon tea with the princess concluded in a manner that was consistent with how the day had gone. When she told me who the lead weather-patrol mare in Ponyville was Rainbow Dash, well... I stared at her for about five seconds and then keeled over.

Yes, I actually fainted right then and there. Following that embarrassing moment, the short version is that she generously let me stay a night in that castle suite before sending me off to Ponyville with a royal guard escort.

To say the Princess left a lasting impression would be understatement. I knew she was ordained by heaven to be our ruler - that's what equines say anyway - but like I mentioned earlier, far from being some intimidating absolute authority figure, she came across more as the just the world's best mom, or at least the world's best boss.

As wonderfully comfortable as the castle suite was, I could barely sleep. I finally fell asleep a few hours before dawn, with my special feather tucked snuggly under my neck.

I had just been thrown the biggest bone I could ever imagine. I could barely even process the blessing and the opportunity that awaited me. One night ago, I was dreaming of a home, some friends, and above all, a chance to once again be in the mere presence of the filly that saved my life. The one who, I dare say, made the last ten years not just bearable, but often times enjoyable and even euphoric.

It was impossible to not reflect on my life as I laid in bed that night. Even through all of the sorrow and the strife, the sleeping outside, and thinking of my parents. At the end of the day, when I pulled out that feather and thought about who gave it to me, I could always feel good. I was at peace, and I dreamt of the day that I made it back to Cloudsdale.

Now I have a home and a job. A job that involves a skill of mine that I hope will only continue to move me up in my career. Not in Cloudsdale, but the place where Rainbow Dash now lives - Ponyville. It was visible from my castle suite with Canterlot itself sitting on a high hill, and the Princess was correct about it being in a breathtakingly beautiful valley.

Around midnight that night, I got out of my one-night bed and made my over to the balcony. It was dark, but the city of Ponyville was visible in the moonlight, and the night is beautiful in it's own way.

Sitting my rump down balcony, I stared up at the stars and pondered everything that had taken place. I had always looked up to them for guidance, especially after the separation. With all of the anticipation, excitement, fear, and the great number other feelings and emotions swirling around inside me, it felt like I needed it more than ever.

I thought about what she might look like now. I hadn't seen her in ten years. I am much different then I was; I used to be small, now I'm actually kind of tall. She was just a filly, and even though I was colt, I still perceived her as the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen. I knew that seeing Rainbow Dash was going to be breathtaking sight but I could only imagine it until I saw her, and the anticipation of seeing her again consumed me.

The burning question was how she would react when she saw me. What if she has a boyfriend? What if she doesn't remember me? In my heart, I felt it was terrible of me to be frightened about such things after the blessings I had received that day. I still found it hard to believe that I was gazing at the stars from where I was. I don't care if she has a boyfriend. I only want her in my life.

Walking back into the castle suite I noticed a small white cloth on the nightstand; it was made with a rare and delicate fabric and embroidered with colorful painted flowers on the edges. By the fireplace there appeared to be a leather neck strap with a lighting bolt pendant on it. It resembled the mark on my own flank so much I wondered if the Princess had it left in here for me, and if not I didn't think she'd care if I asked to keep it.

I took my feather and carefully folded it into the cloth with the intention of keeping it there, and when I traveled to this new hometown of mine I could keep it safely tucked under this necklace. As I looked at the feather, I realized it was just as meaningful to me as it was the day I received it. I knew the one that gave it to me could not have forgotten me. There was too much depth of feeling in those eyes, too much devastation in that face.

A short while longer and I laid my body down back in the bed for the longest sleepless night of my life. Deep breaths, Sonic, deep breaths... five seconds in, five seconds out... It was now mere hours away.

It was another uncommonly gorgeous day in Equestria. The shining green countryside against a blue skies and white clouds backdrop seemed amplified in majesty. I sat in the chariot as it was pulled by two pegasi royal guards down the country road. I had no idea what my new home would look like. All I knew was that it was in Ponyville.

When the chariot came to a halt in front of a large tree with a built-in home, it started to sink in. I sat in the chariot for several minutes staring at my new house. The guards were silent and attentive, showing little emotion. After some time my emotions started to get the best of me. It was a beautiful home built into a ludicrously huge, living tree. It's brilliant green leaves shimmered like gold in the sun. It appeared as everything outsiders describe my homeland as; friendly, beautiful, and welcoming.

I didn't want to get teary-eyed in front of the guards, but I couldn't help it. I stepped off of the chariot slowly so they could head back if they needed to.

"Thanks guys," I offered with my best look of gratitude I could muster, and with that they departed back for Canterlot and I was left all by myself to take in my new home.

The only sounds were the melodies of birds and the wind in the leaves. I shut my eyes and inhaled a long, fresh breath of the fine air. The scent of the leaves, the meadow, and the life all around me filled my nostrils. When I opened my eyes - and my new home was still before me - I fell to the ground. Here was a place I could call my own, with a bed, a kitchen, furniture... Living off the land and all the hardships that come with it were behind me.

It wasn't long after I had entered inside when I got the first knock on the door. I had been taking in the inside, which was perfect for me. There were not many possessions or things of that sort I didn't need, save the pots and pans in the kitchen, some flower pots, a bed, a desk, and some books on the shelves. But there was space. There were windows, and plenty of natural sunlight. Anything else I could easily add when I needed it.

I walked slowly over to the door and hesitated for a moment before opening it. Is this my new neighbor? I wondered, excited to meet them. Suddenly I had an incredible thought... What if it's *her*??? Confidence, Sonic. Confidence!!!!

Pushing the door open with my forehead, I saw quickly that instead it was a smiling, very friendly-looking young mare who had a green coat, golden eyes, a streaky white and grey mane, and a golden harp marking on her flank. She was also a unicorn.

Remember that there are three types of equine species in this world: pegasus, unicorns, and what are called earth ponies. Each species has different skills and specialities that lends itself to harmonious society. There's also some cultural variations between us, naturally. Pegasus like me have wings. We're flyers. We tend to be a bit more athletic with emphasis on competition and adventure. We're charged not only with managing the weather - primarily the precipitation, which is done through the movement of clouds - but also watching over the other two species who can't fly from the skies.

Unicorns are able to harness magic with their horns. They can make objects move without touching them. They tend to write more, since many of them have learned to write using their magic to use feathers and ink (much easier than writing with one's mouth), though there's also devices that allow us to clip feathers to our hooves for us to write with. Beyond writing they also play a heavy hand in using magic to assist in things that don't come naturally to equines given our biology, like building houses. Unicorn culture tends to place more of an emphasis on the finer things of life like art and fashion.

Earth ponies have neither horns nor wings, but they have a strong connections to nature, which is why they are charged with protecting it. Connected to that is their tendency to grow and harvest food, such as the oversight of apple orchards. Earth ponies are sometimes said to have the strongest family values of the 3 species. They have a culture of love and simplicity, and being one with nature.

Back to present, this unicorn seemed to have some kind of expression of 'delightfully surprised' when she saw me with a glance from head to hoof, prompting me to smile sheepishly.

"Uh, hi there!" I offered. She put her hoof on her chest apologetically.

"Hello there!" she said softly but enthusiastically, her face turning into a warm smile. I looked down at the ground and laughed embarrassingly. I tried to say something then I laughed again.

"Are you my new neighbor?" I asked. I hoped so, considering how friendly she seemed.

"My name is Lyra Heartstrings. I happened to see you outside earlier, so I figured knowing that we have a new neighbor here in Ponyville, I just ... wanted to say hi," she continued, blushing.

I wondered if it surprised her that I was a stallion her age. Sometimes it's a little odd if I find myself talking to a young mare. I would never want to give them the impression that I'm romantically interested, even if I loved them very much as friends and neighbors. Though I couldn't hide that I was delighted to see that someone was already here befriending me, and that she had a wonderful smile in her own right.

"Oh, well gosh! Thank you! To tell you the truth, uh, I actually don't really know anyone here in Ponyville, you're literally the first one I've just now met. So I'll definitely remember you. I mean, I clearly would remember you anyway," I said, the last of which was true but I also instantly regretted saying it for fear of how it came across.

"Wow, I'm honored!" she declared with a chuckle.

"I mean," I said, thinking myself into nervousness. "I would remember you regardless, you seem incredibly nice. I didn't mean it, you know, like," I tried to assure her.

"Well thank you very much for saying so," she said, turning her head with another blushing smile. Oh boy...

"Oh, my name is Sonic. Sonic Rain," I said frantically. She at least seemed to find it amusing, and started laughing sweetly.

"Would you like to come to a party with me tomorrow? It would be a great way for you to get to know some of the ponies in town, and for them to meet you," she said. I thought for a moment, probably overthinking it. Party, party. I can do parties. Can't I? Yes, I can. Slow down... Then it hit me again. Rainbow will be there, I bet.

"A party? That sounds wonderful actually. Where do you live?"

"It's not at my house, but I'm flattered you would think that," she replied.

"Oh, right. Why did I say that?" I said out loud concernedly, hoping she didn't take it the wrong way but that I only seemed to be amusing her further and she laughed once again. I started consciously trying to calm down my thought process and relax more in general. "Or maybe I figured I don't know where it is so I was supposed to walk to your house to let you show me where it is. Or I guess you could just come me get here if that works, either one," I continued, talking fast.

"Pinkie Pie is hosting it at noon, she lives in the center of town at Sugarcube Corner. It looks like a gingerbread house, you can't miss it," she said, staring daintily at me. Suddenly I wanted to ask her the question.

"Um... can I ask you something?" She looked surprised and emotion took her over, I guessed maybe she was expecting something other than what I was going to ask. "Is-is everyone in town going to be there?"

I hoped the answer was yes, because with the way I asked the question I would know Rainbow was going to be there without having to mention her by name to Lyra.

"Well, I'm guessing not literally every single one.." she started, smiling as her eyes drifted, "but just about all of the younger ponies should be there."

My face lit up with excitement, and she reacted with delight.

"You'll have fun, I promise," she continued. "I won't keep you away from your new house, I'm sure you have a lot of unpacking to do. Just don't forget that I was the first pony you talked with, and I'll see you tomorrow!"

"I won't! And see you tomorrow! Great meeting you!"

Trying to be genuinely grateful for her genuine kindness, I closed the door with a surge of confidence. Tomorrow, Sonic. Tomorrow's the day. My heart was pumping fast, and I was breathing heavily. Somewhat surprisingly, I was hardly nervous now.

Instead a feeling of inexplicable happiness and excitement was coming over me as I pulled out my prized feather and snuggly pressed it against my chest. I had waited ten years for this moment, and it was finally here... Tomorrow I meet the one who I thought about every single day. Tomorrow's the day! I galloped out the door and launched myself off the grass into the air, and the view of the country around me expanded with every second as I soared into the sky.

"Whooo hoooo!!!!!"

With incredible energy I flew higher and higher through the clouds until I nosed dive straight down towards the valley. The wind in my face was so fierce that it forced the water out of my eyes. I came upon the valley floor and glided just above the tree line as fast I could for what seemed like miles, when suddenly I noticed overhead an amazing and magnificent ring of rainbow colors expanding in all directions in an area of the sky, the part I had just flown through. What in the world is that?

I landed to a halt in an open meadow and stared in every direction above me at the phenomena which dissipated after a fe, with not the slightest idea at what this could be. I must have a lot to learn about Ponyville...

I left my home the next day at noon, making my way into town for Sugarcube Corner, the place where the pony named Pinkie Pie was hosting the party. I trotted along the road, full of bliss and spreading a friendly smile. I was even whipping my tail back and fourth. Nervousness and anxiousness were not gone altogether, but the joy of seeing Rainbow for the first time along with my desire to bring a friendly and positive energy seemed victorious.

It was another gorgeous day and I as I came into town I made my way down the center of the row of houses and shops. They were either side of me as I trotted along, most of them vanilla-cream-colored with hay rooftops. I had never lived in a city (well, town is the better word, given the usually bigger population attributed to cities) with homes like this before, but they were pretty and unique nonetheless.

I started getting a lot of looks and I got the sense that folks were turning their heads to get a look at the new stallion in town. At first I was a little shaken given all the eyes looking me but once I saw the smiles that everypony seemed to be giving me, any hint of uneasiness scattered away. Elderly mares and stallions were shooting me looks of welcome, and even groups of little foals took a short break from their games like jump rope and hop scotch to send me a wave and a smile. I could hear more than one "Welcome to Ponyville!" and "Stop by later if you can!"

I returned every smile with my own, and some ponies were even waving and smiling at me from the windows. I had never experienced a friendlier environment in my entire life. Everyone was so amazingly kind that I couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside as I skipped my legs back and fourth. I could live here the rest of my life!

There seemed to be a twinkle in the eye of every equine I saw, which led to me to believe that truly, this little town in rural Equestria was something special outside of being the home to the greatest mare in the world.

I noticed one thing, though, there were no ponies my age so Lyra must have been right that they were all at Pinkie's party. All of the welcoming attention had taken my mind off what I where I was going and who I was about to meet. That changed when I turned my head forward and stood right before a lonely house in the middle of the street; a house that greatly resembled, as Lyra had said, a gingerbread house.

Time seemed to slow down and it seemed to get further away as I approached it. My smile faded. I couldn't avoid thinking about it anymore. This was it. The love of my life, the comfort of my afflictions - who I hadn't seen in ten years - was in there, blissfully unaware that I stood outside. It was a colossal moment for me, yet I was also terribly excited. I tied to reinforce to myself that parties were meant to be enjoyed, and I fully intended to enjoy this one.

So I took a deep breath, walked forward, and put my right hoof on the door and pushed it open.

As soon as the door opened, the typical sounds one might expect to hear at a party could be heard; music, pony voices in all directions, dancing, decorations, and just about everything you can think of. Thankfully as I entered the party did not stop for me; everypony didn't turn their heads in unison and stare at me in silence or welcome me with cheers or some other thing to make me the center of attention. I guess you rarely catch someone coming in the door of a good party.

Now I was deep inside and there were ponies all around me. I started looking around for her, watching for a flash of colors or a light blue coat that matched my special feather. I looked through all the ponies and wandered in a little further, and I felt a tap on my shoulder. After a short heart-jump, I turned around and saw Lyra Heartstrings with a vanilla-colored mare with a pink and blue mane, and what appeared to be candy for a cutie mark.

"Hi Sonic, glad you made it! Did you just get here?"

"Oh, you scared me," I said, laughing though my heart rate still raced. "I just walked in. Thank you so much for inviting me," I said heartily, and Lyra beamed.

"It's my pleasure... I loved our first encounter yesterday," she said, and her friend tapped her on the shoulder with an embarrassed smile. Lyra giggled. "This is my friend Bon Bon. She doesn't like talking to stallions." Bon Bon rolled her eyes.

"I do too," she responded.

"Why don't you get a drink and come hang out with us!" said Lyra, pointing to a table of beverages.

"Alright!" I replied. It was almost a guilty feeling; I deeply appreciated her kindness, though my mind was primarily on one thing.

I started to move towards the drink table and slowed down, looking through as many ponies as I could on either side of me and sticking my head over the top of the crowd for any sign of her. I stopped under a doorway. A few ponies in front of me moved to the side, and then...

My heart stopped. My breath stood still... my entire existence came to a screeching halt.

Standing in between a shy yellow pegasus and female white unicorn, laughing and talking, we're unmistakably the wings from which my gift had come.

They belonged to the most beautiful mare who ever lived.

I stood there with a gaping mouth and all locomotive functions suspended practically at the point of tears. In all my life... I never could have imagined this.

Her mane and tail were magnificent. Every color of the rainbow, with a bright and brilliant hue to each one. She had the prettiest coat I'd seen on any creature, a wonderful shade of light blue.

Her eyes were the same lovely magenta color - just like I remembered - but there were so many more thoughts and memories in them now then there were the last time I saw her. Yet in those eyes I beheld exactly the same filly that I developed the biggest crush on as a colt... a crush that grew every day of my life. In them were the most radiant representations of loyalty, confidence, toughness that one could imagine... and I was so happy I felt like I was going to faint.

My heart pumped and pumped though I stood perfectly still as it was overflowing with pure affection. What do I say to her? I wanted to trot right up to her. Part of me wanted to tell her everything. How my parents left me, how I lived in some very rough standards, but I never lost joy or hope because I thought about her and the days we spent together as foals and I dreamed every night of this moment. Of being reunited with her.

Then... it happened. I don't know what a heart attack feels like, but I imagine it can't be far off from what I felt when the unthinkable happened.

Rainbow Dash's face turned and she saw me through the crowd... our eyes met for the first time in ten years. When she first saw me the smile on her face vanished instantly. Her mouth fell wide open and her eyes glowed with fascination. It looked as though one of her friends could wave a hoof before her face and she wouldn't react in the slightest.

She studied and studied me, working through it in her mind. To feel her gaze on me once more was like having every last part of my body chained up; I couldn't move a single muscle. I breathed slowly in and out. Do you... do you remember me?

She stared and stared, and then her eyes lit up with a wondrous twinkle that sent shivers down my spine. I knew right then that she remembered me. I could almost see the memories of us together in her eyes. She remembered me. Not only that... but her expression seemed to be filled with excitement and happiness. After ten years all it seemed she knew exactly who I was.

A gentle smile came over me as the most magical and enchanting moment of my life to this point began to unfold. She was smiling back at me.

So Close!

I felt isolated from all of my surroundings... the other ponies, the music, all of it seemed gone. All of my heart and mind was focused on the mare at the other end of my sight. Her beautiful magenta eyes that typically reflected her strength and confidence were welcoming. When she broke into a smile, I turned my head in awe and reflected perhaps the brightest and most jubilant beam I'd worn in ten years. My heart was leaping for joy and the thrill of seeing her again started propelling me forward. My front legs stepped out and my hind legs followed, and I walked gently but excitedly towards her with my smile only getting bigger. She must have no idea how nice she is making me feel right now.

In one way it's amusing for me to think of her like this; I'm sure if someone told filly Rainbow she had beautiful eyes she'd probably stick out her tongue in disgust. Most days she's the most confident and competitive pony you'll ever meet, something I always admired about her. If you dig deep enough though you can bring out the soft side in her, and not only does she not hide it, she embraces it. The compassionate, loving, and patient side was the very last version of her I had seen until this moment - that of course being when she offered me the feather from her own wing as I was pulled away from her which I have kept for ten years.

Whether it was tough, competitive Rainbow Dash or kind, friendly Rainbow Dash made no difference to me as I am deeply in love with her as a whole. You have no idea how happy I am just to see you... Walking forward I was inspired with the confidence she'd taught me as a foal and I prepared myself for our first conversation. I didn't want to tell her how the last ten years had gone. I didn't even want to tell (at least not yet, anyway) that I had kept her feather and guarded with all of my strength for all that time. Mostly I guess I just wanted to talk to her and to hear her voice again. I wondered if it was still the same adorable, raspy kind of voice that it was before. I just wanted to have the kind of conversation to good friends might have after a terribly long time apart.

As I approached her eyes started to light up, and the two ponies beside her- one of which, I now realized, was Fluttershy - gave me a curious but friendly smile of their own. And that moment right there is when Rainbow Dash was completely cut off from my vision - there was an unexpected flash of pink and almost of nowhere there was now standing about five feet in front of me a positively pink pony with a puffy mane and tail and baloons for a cutie mark. It was a mare, about as young as me if not a tad younger, and she was staring at me square in the eyes with an almost manic grin on her face. The smile on my face faded into bewilderment as I regained all of my thoughts and composure and figured out was going on now that I was forced out of my Rainbow-induced trance.

She appeared very happy and eager to meet me and I did not hold her timing against her though admittedly I did find it unfortunate. It came about that I literally stared blankly at her for about five full seconds in complete confusion as I tried to figure out what was going on and the huge smile that was burned on her face never left during that time. With a shy look in either direction I tried to clue her that I was a little confused, then laughed rather sheepishly. Talk to her already!

"Um... hello there." The pink pony's excitement could be bottled up no longer and she broke out into a super-hyper bounce of excitement, not to mention the fastest talking I think I've ever heard. My eyes widened and my mouth hung open as I frantically tried to keep my eyes on her.

"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! Are you new here? Well, you must be, I've never seen you around here before, and I've seen everypony around here, because everypony is my friend! Are you having fun? Huh? Huh?" Changing direction on a dime she let out a sudden gasp as though some terrible truth had just come to her mind. "That means there's someone in Ponyville I'm not friends with!" She lowered her eyebrows for a quick moment in a manner I still can't quite figure out, and the with a super-quick trot she came right up to me with another huge smile, this time with hope to go along with excitement. "So, do you need friends? Will you be my friend?"

With those questions I think at that moment I think I finally realized who she was and I couldn't help but find it cute and endearing; it seemed this must just be a super-friendly, super-hyper mare who is kindly offering her friendship to me. I was still trying to catch up in my mind with what just happened but she stretched out her hoof for me to shake in acceptance of her offer. It hit me that this was the pony who was hosting this party in the first place.

"Yes I will," I said and I obliged her hoof shake. I tried my best to appreciate her sincerity and accept that I could talk to Rainbow in a minute.

As soon as my hoof touched hers, she started shaking it so violently that I had to pull it back and hold it in the air for a moment to let it breathe, after which the pink mare started bouncing happily and blissfully around me in triumph.

"You look *really* friendly!" She started singing, her high-pitched ultra-girly voice commanding the attention of a few ponies nearby. "I made a new friend! I made a new friend, and so did you!" she sung, before stopping right between Rainbow and me once again. She darted up right in front of me once more. "My name's Pinkie Pie. What's your name?"

"Sonic, Sonic Rain," I muttered with a smile, confused since she'd already introduced herself. "I'm from, well... Canterlot, I guess," I said, hesitating at my own words and thinking with confusion. It felt kind of weird to say I was from Canterlot considering the very short time I ended up spending there. She raised her eyebrows and poked her eyes out of her head with fascination.

"Canterlot, huh? I'll bet you don't know the princess. I know the princess! Do you know the princess?"

"Huh, well... actually I - kinda do, I guess - I mean she kindly let me stay in the castle since I didn't have a place to stay," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. I enjoyed her company and her willingness to get to know me but I still was mostly just thinking about Rainbow whether I wanted to or not. And it gets worse; after that last remark, Pinkie's smile faded into concern.

"You didn't have a place to stay? Why not?"

That was stupid! The last thing I wanted was to tell Pinkie exactly why I didn't have a place to stay. I knew it would make her feel sorry for me, and I hate doing that to ponies if I don't have to. Plus, what if she told other ponies? How would they react? Would they react negatively? What if Rainbow found out?

"Why didn't I have a place to stay?" I said nervously, as if stalling with a dumb question like that was going get me out of this. She nodded her head, her face unchanging. I took a gulp.

"Well, you see, I didn't have a place to stay, because, I ... What I'm essentially trying to say is that I... I had just moved to Canterlot, and I didn't know anypony, and because I didn't know anypony, I... actually, I did have a place to stay - you know, if you consider a patch of - but anyway the castle suite was just a little nicer than my own place... so the princess, uh, yea, well you know the rest," I said with a pathetic attempt at a smile, hoping she'd buy it. I'm not sure if she did or not, but she let it go and her eyes softened up as she tried to make feel at home.

"Sonic, you don't need to be afraid of me. We're all friends here in Ponyville, silly!" she said, putting her front leg around my shoulder. "Oh, that reminds me," she said, and my heart started pounding faster as she quickly pulled over a chair and stood up on it. That could only mean one thing. "Kill that music, Vinyl," she said to a white unicorn DJ pony, and the music went silent.

"Oh no," I whispered to myself, and tried to call it off before it could get started. "Look Pinkie, you don't need to - I really don't need-"

"Listen up, everypony! We have a new stallion in town! His name is Sonic Rain! He's from Canterlot."

Too late. Pinkie's eyes shut as she proclaimed with a frightfully loud voice to the whole party. As soon as her voice was heard, all the sounds in the room stopped except for the music, and all eyes were suddenly in my direction. The crowd of ponies made an "ohhh!!!" sound as though impressed when they heard where I was "from". Then awkward silence. Seriously? Even the music had to stop to? I felt so uncomfortable, and I knew Rainbow could see me now.

With all the attention I got with the incident in Canterlot one would think I would've been ready for something like this... nope. Not at first, anyway. All I could do was turn my head and offer a forced smile at the crowd as nothing more than an embarrassed young stallion. In hindsight it certainly seemed as though the initial reaction was positive and the looks were mostly encouraging.

"Let's honor him and welcome him to Ponyville!" she screamed, and the ponies all across the floor gave out a little cheer and some hoof-stomps. That felt pretty good, and I felt some confidence springing. Everypony is so friendly here. Pinkie Pie randomly started leaping from her spot on the chair as she realized something. "Hey, I know! How about we play pin the tail on the pony! Sonic's up first. Who thinks they can beat him?"

Ugh, alright Rainbow, just a little longer. My heart was aching to see her again. To talk to her. I still hadn't heard her voice. I wanted to thank her in my own way for her gift that lasted ten years. But, I was lucky enough to be here, and I didn't want to look like I was disinterested in them. I wasn't, or at least I didn't want to be; I just accepted that I'd have to wait a little longer to see her. I've waited ten years for this, a few more minutes isn't gonna kill me...

Looking out across the crowd for a challenger I intentionally avoided Rainbow's direction - I did *not* want our first interaction to be on this stage. Come on, try to have some fun for everyone else's sake,I told myself. I started relaxing a little bit. It happened that Rainbow was behind me, and even though I knew full well her eyes had to be on me it made it easier that I didn't have to make eye contact with her while being in the spotlight.

"Pinkie, for goodness sake you don't read body language very well, do you?" said a familiar voice. Not the voice of who you probably thought it was. Thunderlane, one of my only other genuine friends from my foalhood, stepped forward. "He's clearly super embarrassed and you are making it way worse."

"Really?" she gasped, horrified.

"It's really quite alright, I appreciate the friendliness," I chuckled. Ugh... this is so embarrassing!I thought to myself.

Of all the colts back in Cloudsdale, Thunderlane was my best friend (and if you recall my first official friend at flight camp). I remembered he could be competitive and maybe even a little rough, but he never let it get the best of him and in the end he was a really good friend. I hadn't thought of him in a while but I was really happy to see him and his feelings were clearly mutual.

He came forward until he was two feet in front of me. Ten years ago, he was significantly taller than me, but now we're even and I may even have an edge on him.

"Hello Thunder," I said quietly, and the two of us fed off the other's beam. "It's good to see you again."

"Awww," cooed the crowd of ponies around us, which embarrassed Thunderlane though he definitely enjoyed it.

"Well geez, now when I beat you I'm gonna feel bad," he remarked.

"Don't," I responded with a head shake.

"By the way, the only way to conquer embarrassment..."

He unexpectedly wrapped his left wing around my neck and with a little help from his leg he tripped me and I fell to the floor. Don't get the wrong idea, it wasn't malicious; this is just who he is. I say that but I certainly wasn't expecting the move at all. Many of the ponies in the room let out a concerned gasp when I crashed to the floor clumsily and a few of them even laughed. "Is with more embarrassment!"

Either way he was definitely correct in that I was beyond embarrassed in front of everypony now and I knew that included Rainbow. I turned around on my back rubbed the side of my head with my hoof, looking up at him sheepishly who was smiling triumphantly. Part of me couldn't believe this happened, but mostly I found his boldness pretty entertaining to be honest.

So I resolved I wasn't about to let him off the hook without any kind of retaliation of my own. Besides, I had to redeem myself in front of Rainbow who was watching from behind. How can I get back at him? I wondered, thinking hard.Ok think, he clearly wants to get humiliated... I've got one idea, but oh geez what a stupid idea. It's embarrassingly stupid. I guess that's the theme of the day, might as well embrace it as he says. Maybe she'll think it's cute... Or maybe not. I could only laugh at the situation and my own lack of creativity.

"Thunderlane... " I chuckled, "would you be willing to put that mighty wing power of yours to the test?" I asked, and the friendly smile on his face once again faded. The entire room went silent again. "When it comes to, you know, sheer wing power," I said, further taunting him though expecting him to laugh at me. "If I were to, say, stand on my hind legs, could you, I don't know, blow hard enough with your wings so I lose my balance?"

"Absolutely."

His response was confident with no hesitation. The ponies in attendance all reacted with "oooohhhh!"'s and cheers.

"Really?" I giggled in disbelief. "I mean uh, perfect!"

Thunderlane chuckled and began stretching his wings. As the party ponies all cleared from behind me, I raised myself up on my hind legs and put one leg a little further back than the other, and tucking my wings in as best I could so I wouldn't catch extra wind. I heard whispers from the crowd in all directions, some ponies were making their predictions, other ones were cheering for either me or him. I hope this works...

Thunderlane raised himself up on his own back legs and began flapping his big wings violently. My main and tail began whipping all around as strong air rushed all around me. I kept my back leg strong in place, and I closed my eyes and leaned my body ever so slightly forward into his breeze, but trying as hard as I could not to fall too far forward. He was exhorting all of his energy into flapping his wings. The ponies were all cheering, and I opened my eyes to find him desperately still flapping. I sensed him losing his breath, and I actually eased up too much but just as I started to move backward, Thunderlane's front legs came crashing to the ground and he lowered his head just as low, gasping and wheezing desparetly for breath and creating some comical noises. The crowd erupted and hoof-stomped the ground.

He turned his head up from the ground and shook it either way, knowing he'd lost but had the expression of a good sport. He had his head low and his wings up, and his body was turned sideways toward me. While he breathed and breathed I stepped forward, raised myself up and spread my wings and gave three viciously powerful flaps. He stepped forward and fell clumsily to the floor, and the retaliation was complete. The crowd let out a roar of approval. Someone apparently decided that was a good time to start the music started back up, and all of the ponies began dispersing and going back to the laughing, talking, dancing, and socialization that they were doing before.

I walked up to Thunderlane and helped him up, which he lackadaisically accepted.

"You haven't changed a bit," I said with a sheepish smile as he regained himself.

"You have," he replied, putting his hoof on my shoulder proudly. "You're taller."

The two of us gave each other a hug. As we pulled ourselves out of it I saw standing behind him on the other side of the room, waiting for me to continue what I had started, the mare who consumed my dreams. Rainbow Dash was giving me a wonderful grin, as though encouraging me to come talk to her.

I felt my heart exploding over and over as my face transformed into the brightest smile I could possibly put on. Not only could I finally talk to her now, but she was smiling at me before I made eye contact with her. Realizing this was a wonderful comfort to me as I made my way over to her once again. Rainbow Dash is excited to see me. The words repeated themselves soundly, as though everything I could ever hope for or ever ask for was being laid down in front of me. As I stared into her purple eyes, I relived all of the wonderful moments we had as foals, and it supercharged happiness and bliss into me.

While I approached my eyes never left her, but I could still see thanks to peripheral vision that she was now standing in between the same white unicorn as she had been before and a light green unicorn, one I immediately recognized as Lyra.

I couldn't stop smiling on my way up to her nor could I stop staring straight into her eyes. She was radiating with beauty, even though she was not as in touch with her appearance as her regal white friend.

As I stopped only two feet in front directly in front of her, Lyra shot me a huge grin of her own and stepped forward first.

"Sonic, you wanna dance?"

My eyes made their way from Rainbow to Lyra, and let me tell you, if you think I was on the spot before, you have no idea. I laughed again at the situation, I didn't have the heart to say no to her - not that I would want to anyway, I was very grateful for her wanting to dance with me, but it was eager to see Rainbow. Just dance for a few minutes and then leave to get a drink, I was thinking to myself.

"Yes," I said, using as much mental energy to try look interested as I did when I faced the wind from Thunderlane's wings. What was I gonna say, "no,"? I shot one more sincere, loving smile at Rainbow as I walked toward some open dancing space with Lyra, who returned a friendly if not disappointed smile back at me. As soon as we're done dancing. It'll just be a minute. Then we can catch up.

As Lyra and I began dancing around in the center, I noticed two large stallions come in through the front door. They both appeared to be my age; one was gold with brown mane that covered his eyes and basketballs for a cutie mark, the other was brown-coated with a white mane and dumbbells for a cutie mark. It hit me immediately that this pair of stallions was none other than Hoops and Dumbbell, my tormentors from the time at flight camp. A little bit anger and resentment filled me, but I quickly lost it when I saw Lyra smiling at me, which caused me to go back to at least attempting to dance joyfully around her. She was a nice mare, and even though I had no intention of anything beyond friendship, she deserved my good manners and my kindness.

Out of the corner of my eye as we danced, though, I kept watching the pair of them. They were looking at someone, and Dumbbell was whispering to Hoops about something. Hoops left the side of his buddy and made his way over to not far from where I was dancing with Lyra. My interest spiked exponentially when Dumbbell, on the other hand, made his way over to Rainbow Dash. Now I had a serious challenge; keep dancing with Lyra without making it too obvious that I'm staring at Rainbow and Dumbbell.

Dumbbell surprised me when he walked up to Rainbow with a sly expression on his face and began talking to her, to which Rainbow responded with immediate annoyance. Amidst all the ponies talking, I couldn't hear a word that was being said. All I could remember about Dumbbell was that he hated me. I kept on watching with great intent. I looked at their lips moving, trying to decipher anything I could. What are you saying?

He continued to whisper something to her, and she didn't seem interested. Then suddenly, he looked in either direction before he said whatever it was next, and Rainbow upon hearing whatever he had whispered to her suddenly raised her front legs and pushed him straight into the punch table, causing both him and table to tumble, with punch soaking him from head to hoof. I stopped dancing before everyone else, then one by one everyone else followed suit. The music was was killed, and everypony all across the party had gone silent. Heads were turning all across the party to get a good look at Rainbow, who was now hovering intimidatingly over Dumbbell, who was still lying on the broken table, covered in punch.

"What do I look like to you?" she asked him before looking up to find everyone watching them. Staring into the crowd for a moment before a look of embarrassment came over her. She had always liked attention, but not this kind. I wanted so badly to run up and console her somehow, but I didn't move and felt helpless as I wasn't sure what I would do or say. I hated so much to see her in such a state of discomfort. Ten years of thinking about her had me so attached to her emotions.

She shot a glance at her friends and then quickly exited the building. The party was over now it seemed as other ponies started quietly heading for an exit themselves. I was still frozen though. Hoops, who had been watching from right in front of me, was standing right in front of me chuckling.

"Told you you had no chance," he said to his angry, punch-soaked crony still lying on the ground. Hoops unknowingly took a step back into me, and turned around quickly after catching his trip. I don't think he recognized me, but he kept laughing even as he looked at me which I really didn't appreciate. Then he stepped to the side of me and walked away.

I stood there and saw a saddened Pinkie Pie picking up what she could from the punch table. I now had some serious things to ponder in my heart as I exited the building and made my way back home.

Catching Up

With my head low and my walk slow, I moved slowly down the streets of town making my way back to my new home. What just happened? Rainbow Dash had stormed out of the building and unintentionally ended the party with her retaliation to Dumbbell (so really *he* ended the party), and I was left without a word with her. It was strange and disappointing that I didn't get to talk to Rainbow and now I was angry at whatever set her off.

As close as I had come to talking to her, only to miss out not once but twice, I now was *dying* of anticipation to see her and I was going to be utterly consumed with no other goals or ambitions until that happened. No more distractions, I was thinking to myself, and I quickly worked myself into an excited trot.

Before when thinking about whatever Dumbbell may have whispered in her ear I had been really angry for a ridiculously short period of time before my emotions flipped a switch back to happy. She was smiling at me. Rainbow Dash was smiling at me... I kept replaying that over and over, that heavenly eye contact... How did I get to this point, where her mere smiling at me was such a thrilling and wondrous experience? The warm and fuzzy feelings surged through me and fueled my burning need to just *talk to her* already.

This was something I'd waited ten years for, and if it wasn't going happen by itself, then I was going to make it happen. Seeing her at that party helped illuminate the degree of just how monstrous of a crush this is. Now, we're both fully-grown ponies, and I know she's still the same awesome filly on the inside as she was then. Not to mention unbelievably beautiful.

I reached my home and galloped up to the front door, lowering my head and banging right through. Still deep in contemplation for what I paced the floor, staring into space and thinking hard. Well, she does head the weather patrol around here. Maybe she'll come to me. I sat up and buried my face into my hooves, wondering what kind of lame excuse that was. What am I saying? Why wait for something to happen when you can make it happen?

I had one thing going for me; I was, as appointed by the princess, officially a new member of weather patrol around here. So, Rainbow Dash being the lead weathermare, I *had* to talk to her.

That thought came over me and I giggled. I don't have a choice, I thought delightedly to myself as a kind of crazy "gotcha" to my feelings of nervousness. I knew I was going to talk to her today after all. I just had to find out where she lives. I lied back down and began thinking of all the places I saw in town and in the sky. When's the best time to meet her? I had no idea how she felt right now. I highly doubt she's nervously planning out when and how she's going to make contact with me next...

It was not the most confident thought in the world, but it was true. If I was going to meet her, I was going have to play it cool. Just relax, and let my love make me friendly and delightful to be around. It can't be too hard. I wanted to catch her in the late afternoon if I could, close to sunset if possible. Will she be in her home? Where does she live? Alright, if I were Rainbow Dash, where would I be in the late afternoon...

If I knew Rainbow Dash at all when we were foals, in the late afternoon I would guess her to be either in the sky flying or napping on a cloud, depending on how late it is. Well, it's settled then. Come late afternoon, I'll find her and just let things go from there. I just had to pass the time until late afternoon came. I groaned and fell back on the couch. Maybe a little nap would be just the thing; I didn't want to go out and fly around and risk her seeing me some more without my knowing or ability to see her too. It already killed me knowing that she knew I was here.

I wanted the next time she saw me to be intentional on my part, with actual conversation. Wanting to nap outside, I went back out the front door and laid down in the grass under the shade of my home. With the perfect amount of rays of light shining through the branches, I closed my eyes and listened to the birds, taking in the smell of the grass. She smiled at me... That's all I needed for confidence going into this. It was almost too exciting for me to nap. But thankfully, for her sake, I managed to close my eyes, rest, and my mind slowed.

I awoke to the sound of foals laughing. I gently opened my eyes and lifted my head, taking in the time of day. The sun was in the perfect spot; it was late afternoon, and dusk would be coming soon, but it wasn't here yet, and the sky was at it's bluest part of the day. I woke up and took a deep breath. Well, here it goes. I inhaled as much air as I could and then blew it all back out. I took the cloth and folded a few times over so it was completely secured and tied it to the bottom of my mane so it was secure and invisible.

Nervousness and excitement coursed through me, but my nap had definitely relaxed me, and that only gave me more confidence. Ok let's see, how's my mane? My tail? I've never really done anything with them before, I hope that's ok... Do I need some mint? I still wasn't quite sure how this was going to work out. I mean, I'm only reconnecting with the mare of my dreams.

I started walking over to the town. I figured that would be the best place to start. I kept my eyes on the sky all the while, in case she might fly by. Ideally, I thought, I would see her before she sees me. As I came into the more populated part of town, I found it much easier to blend in then before.

Almost everyone was out and about, so I just went along with the crowd like I was no one new, looking around for her. Who would be a good pony to ask where Rainbow Dash is? I went through who I knew so far. Well, let's see; there's Lyra, but I don't think given the vibe I've been getting from her that she's maybe the best person to ask... I could always ask Thunderlane. Don't really know where he is right now either, though.

One pony, then, who seemed like a good but maybe overly-hyper possibility was Pinkie. I knew where she hopefully was at Sugarcube Corner. Part of me sighed reluctantly - it's not that I didn't like Pinkie, quite the opposite; I had found her to be quite cute and enjoyable, but I thought that her super-energy and antics might be a disastrous ingredient when meeting Rainbow Dash. She'll have to do. Don't worry, it'll be fine.

I shyly walked through the door into Sugarcube Corner, and peered around. It was empty, contrary to what it was the last time I was there and despite the crowds outside. Pinkie Pie was sitting at a table, staring intently at a straw the she was balancing over her snout. I stood there for a seconds awkwardly before her eyes caught me in the back. Immediately, she lost interest in the straw she was balancing and her entire face lit up with smiles of excitement, and I couldn't help but smile back. I knew it. She stood up and bounced over to me.

"Hi Sonic! Whatcha up to?"

Ok, how do I put this? I let my right front hoof swirl around on the floor as I looked in every direction but directly at her.

"Hey Pinkie. Thanks so much for the party today, I was really enjoying it," I told her with a beam, which I had meant - she definitely worked hard to give everyone a good time.

"Don't thank me! Thank happy ponies like you who made it a happy a party!" she replied.

Everything she said had so much enthusiasm, I found it incredible.

"I was wondering... seeing as how I'm like, kind of a part of the weather patrol and all, I was thinking I should talk to the head mare. Do you know her?" I asked. Pinkie Pie threw her hoof out and rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Rainbow Dash? Um... duh! She's like my best friend!"

Yes!

"Oh, really? Wow, great, um, so... do you happen to know where she is right now, and I'll go and find her?" She put her hoof on her chin for a moment.

"Hmm, on a day like today if she's not with me, which she isn't right now, she's usually either with one of her other best friends or up in a cloud napping." Her eyes suddenly popped out with enthusiasm. "Do you want me to take you to her? I know where she usually naps."

Wow, this is perfect! She knows where she is and she's an Earth pony so she can't fly up to her. This is exactly what I hoped. Nothing against Pinkie, I would just rather prefer to be the only one there when I finally meet up with Rainbow again. I was getting more excited - and more nervous - by the minute.

"Gosh Pinkie, thanks!" I bellowed.

"Follow me!!!!!" she sang as she bounced towards the exit. I trotted out the door behind her and soon enough I was back in the streets. As I followed swiftly behind her as she skipped along, I smiled at ponies who happened to be watching. They had no idea what was going on, but that's ok. They didn't need to.

We exited the area that might be called downtown and into the edge of town where the hills were lush with grass and flowers. Pinkie Pie stopped directly under a lonely cloud that was not far above the ground, big enough for two. I couldn't see from the bottom, but from where Pinkie was standing and looking up at the cloud, it certainly seemed like she may have been up there.

Now that the moment was finally here the anticipation caught up with me in an instant and I was overwhelmed. This is it! I was finally getting to meet her, the mare of my dreams since she was a filly. My best friend from foalhood and my undying crush. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Pinkie finally pointed upward with her hoof.

"She's up there," she said happily. I almost screamed with fear as she pointed her head upward and began inhaling for a loud call to her friend. I quickly jumped forward and put my wing on her mouth, which caused her to be quite surprised.

"Oh - you don't need to do that Pinkie!" I whispered nervously. "You've done quite enough, thank you. I'll just go up there myself, but seriously thank you so much," I continued, laughing uncomfortably and removing my hoof from her mouth. She paused for a moment and then smiled reassuringly, which was even more alarming.

"It's ok Sonic, you don't need to be shy! She's a great friend, she's tough but she's no one to be afraid of," she said. To my horror, she pointed her head upward again and exclaimed with tremendous volume. "HEY RAINBOW DASH!!!!"

My heart racing, I frantically looked around for a place to hide. There was a bush not ten feet from where I was standing, one of many; without hesitation, I lept into the bush and hid as Pinkie Pie called again for her friend.

"Wake up, Rainbow! I have someone for you!"

Watching from the bush, I saw, my level of excitement almost unbearable, Rainbow Dash raise up from the cloud on her wings, swiftly flying down to her friend. It certainly didn't seem like she had been asleep, in fact she looked wide awake. When she spoke, her voice, which was still raspy and somehow even more adorable, sent shivers down my spine.

"What's up Pinkie? I don't think now is the best time if you wanted to -" Pinkie Pie cut her off midsentence.

"I just wanted to introduce-" she stopped when she realized I was no longer standing next to her. She looked around with great eagerness, and I held my breath. "Hm. That's funny, I wonder where he-"

I begged her in my mind not to say my name, and by the grace of heaven she didn't - she paused before she could finish the sentence again, looking around with intent. Rainbow was at first confused, and then appeared mildly agitated. She let out a rather annoyed sigh and rubbed her face with her hoof. She lowered herself to the ground with her back turned to me completely, and began to put on some pretend enthusiasm.

"Hey, Pinkie, hold that thought - you wanna go and paint Applejack's apples purple?" she said. At first I was anxious to hear they were leaving but it seemed like maybe this was only a plan to get rid of her.

"Hm. Well, that's weird. I was going to - oh well!" Pinkie said, shrugging and then smiling at Rainbow Dash's idea. She broke out into a violent giggle.

"Purple? Applejack hates purple! That would be a great prank!" she proclaimed. Rainbow Dash smiled.

"I know! So why don't you go get the paint, and meet me back at this exact spot, but be sure to take at least few minutes, " Pinkie paused for a moment, but then complied without question. "And if I'm not here when you get back, it's because I'm looking for - well if I'm not here when you get back just continue on without me."

"Ok," replied Pinkie cheerily.

Huh... interesting pony. She began trotting blissfully back in the direction of Ponyville as Rainbow Dash watched her intently. She began stretching her wings, and it certainly looked as though she was eager to fly away as soon as Pinkie faded from sight. This is my chance. This is my only chance! My heart rate pounding, I closed my eyes, gulped, and slowly I began to ease out the bush and out into the open from behind her, silent as the grave. I heavily admired her gorgeous mane and tail and as they fluttered in the breeze.

My heart raced as she began to walk backwards as Pinkie approached the top of a hill, ready to go out of site. I started begging myself to say something to her, but I couldn't. I couldn't stop staring at her and before I knew it, she was going to back up right into me! I took a step back and tried to speak, but I was frozen with wide eyes and a stupidly open mouth.

Watching Pinkie carefully right until the end, at last right in front of me she turned around. Her eyes widened with shock as they started at my hooves and moved all the way up to my petrified face. She planted herself into the ground and only three feet or so in front of me with an equally terrified expression.

For the second time in a day I was trapped in her beautiful magenta eyes, ones I'd longed more than anything else. They were fixed upon me and filled with feelings I couldn't quite make out. Ten years ago, she stood a little higher than I, but now I was the one who had to look just a little downward. Finally her eyes took their full natural effect and I relaxed into a gentle smile.

"Hello," I said quietly and friendlily. Rainbow Dash, to my great delight, managed a small if not shy smile, but she still appeared somewhat uneasy for a moment as her ears fell down.

"Sonic?" she muttered, but the way she said it along with her body language was more quite taken aback, like she could hardly believe it. I wanted to think it was a positive kind of disbelief, but a skeptical part of me warned that may have just been wishful thinking on my part, and that sort of thing was only in my dreams. I smiled with a terrible blush and looked down at the ground.

"H-how are you Rainbow?" I asked, looking back up. She hesitated, continuing to look me over. Perhaps all of her memories were coming back to her. There was definitely a lot going on her head but I couldn't quite guess the exact nature all of it. Yet something deep down told me that it was good. Maybe really good.

"I'm- I'm pretty awesome, Sonic," she said, and she seemed to be relaxing quickly and started to smile widely, which was a greater thrill then I'd experienced all day. There was clearly genuine happiness in her and it was lifting my heart up almost quicker than I could handle. "I mean it's been what, ten years?"

"Something like that," I chuckled, though I knew the exact number of days.

"Do you - do you wanna go somewhere else?" she asked, glancing in Pinkie's direction uncomfortable.

"Yes," I replied with a chuckle. Yes! Yes! Yes!

"Alright, follow me!"

She jetted upward, and it took me a second to lift off myself; I was overwhelmed by the mere sight of her, the friendliness in her face, the fact that we'd just had our first conversation... She flied into the sky fiercely yet gracefully, and I followed after her in a bliss.

She flew upward, clearly aiming for the highest clouds in the sky. I set aside my infatuation for a moment and flapped violently after her, showing off my new flying skills. It appeared that I was still not as fast as her, but I always knew that would be the case. She couldn't stop smiling at me when she wasn't showing off specular and unpredictable aerial feats that I could only hope to learn someday. She took a dive and doing a loop in midair, one that was easy enough for me to mimic before flying right up beside her.

Slicing through the air we took turns flying upside down over the hills, each looking at the other with thorough admiration in each other's newfound flying abilities.

"I haven't changed much have I?" she called to me over the roaring wind.

"I was really hoping you hadn't," I replied, smiling.

"What?" she replied, with a now playful smirk.

"I said, I was really hoping you hadn't!" I offered louder.

"What?" she repeated, her smile getting wider and now I realized what she was up to and I loved it.

"I SAID," I bellowed as I took in a giant inhale and placed both hooves on either side of my mouth like I was about to scream... then mouthed the same thing I said completely silently. She laughed again very hard this time, and it felt like I was going to have a heart attack if this didn't slow down. I closed my eyes and felt the wind flow through my mane, taking in the full comprehension of what was happening.

When I opened my eyes, however, I realized I was now on a direct collision course with Rainbow. Uh oh! The smile on her face faded as she discovered me too late.

"Ah!" we screamed, as I knocked into her, causing us to clumsily land on the top of some clouds, which for pegasus is like landing on a sea of mattresses. Nice going, Sonic. I had landed of all places on top of her face down which preceded a moment of silence. We actually stayed like that for a moment but after a moment I came to and pulled myself off, blushing like a rose. She was doing the same thing.

"Wow, I am so sorry," I said, brushing myself off. She laughed, and her laughter was like sweet melodies to me.

"Still crashing into things, huh?" she said, sitting back down on the cloud facing the setting sun with her head turned towards me. That remark caught me off guard, but then I started giggling.

"Well... strange to hear that from you considering the first time I ever met you, you were defending me from almost those exact words," I replied. She rolled over on her back, still energized but winding down.

"Proud of it, too," she replied, catching her breath. Her expression and demeanor was just so confident and yet so laid back, I was privately in awe. She's everything I remembered her to be. "I can tease you about it. No one else can though, and if they did I'd probably beat the snot out of 'em just like I used to."

The way she had said it was defensive, like I was under her care and protection. That was like a shots of euphoria in me, so much so that I knew I was going too fast for my own good. Sonic... you've gotta calm down. I concentrated on deep breaths and took breaks from looking her to come back down.

"See I'd like to think I've got to a point where you won't need to defend me anymore, but if you'd still rather do it for me then I won't stop you," I joked.

"Well you certainly outsmarted Thunderlane today," she replied with a chuckle. "You humiliated him! I mean he deserved it after that low blow trip."

"That-," I stuttered, looking down. "That really wasn't the idea... embarrassing him that is," I muttered, ironically with an embarrassed laugh of my own though I secretly enjoyed her saying that. "But I'm glad you enjoyed it."

She took a deep breath and turned over on her stomach, looking out at the sun briefly before turning to me with her head raised up. "You know," she said, looking me over with hesitation. "You've, uh... you've really filled out nicely."

At that I put my hoof on my chest and tried to concentrated solely on breathing. I was so happy. This was like a dream come true. She seemed to be enjoying herself so much that it was almost too much for me to take in all at once, so I fought back with myself. I hoped it wasn't too incredibly obvious how I felt, but I wondered if that ship had sailed, wrecked, and sank to the bottom of the ocean.

"Yeah... about that," I said, glancing in her direction. "Let's just say, look who's talking. Times a million," I muttered. I hesitated myself on direct eye contact for a second, waiting until my next comment. "I'm just so thankful you remember me."

"Well, uh," she said, almost nervously and I quickly pondered what that might mean. "Well, I didn't, at least not like... right at first. You're so much bigger than you were then, I was shocked to see how much you'd grown when I realized it was you," she said, gesturing to me as though impressed. "But yeah for the first second I just saw you staring at me and I didn't know who you were, but then in my head I was like in 'oh... my... gosh...'," she described, beaming an adorable smile. I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have though, I was too angry at myself.

"Staring? Wow. I'm... really sorry. I-I guess - I guess I was, wasn't I?" I said, blushing and looking down at the ground, deeply humiliated.

"Hey, it's alright!" she cried encouragingly. "I mean let's be honest here, we were pretty good friends..." Knowing that she didn't care and even seemed flattered immediately obliterated any bad feeling of mine.

"'Pretty good?'" I laughed.

"Ughh," she said, giggling with her eyes looking away. "Sonic... Are you uh, are you going to be in Ponyville for a while?" she asked with what seemed like many feelings hanging on her words, and suddenly she was almost nervous, like she was trying to hide something. But the way she asked the question really seemed to indicate that she hoped I was going to be in Ponyville for a while, which was once again beyond flattering and joy-inducing.

"I sure hope so, I have no plans of going anywhere else," I said. That is, unless you have plans to go somewhere else. "Though I guess I could leave if you really wanted me to," I continued, smirking.

"No!" she cried with a playful laugh that felt so good it almost hurt. This is really happening... "Well, that is as long as you don't do any more sonic rainbooms, Sonic," she said putting her hoof to my chest.

"What?" I asked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, that had to have been you."

"What had to have been me?" I said, giggling though I genuinely had no idea what she was talking about.

"The giant boom in the sky! That happened yesterday with the rainbow ring?" she replied, doing an exploding motion with her front hooves. I thought about it for a second and then I remembered when I was so excited about getting to meet her I went soaring through the skies over Ponyville.

"Ohhhh," I said, my memories playing it over clearly to me. "I saw one of those things right behind where I flew the other day!" I recalled. "So that's what it was?"

"Yeah... they're really rare, the stuff of legend actually. That's the mark on my flank!" she proclaimed. She was right about the red. Her flank markings looked like a rainbow lightning bolt. "It happened not long after you left, it was this huge important race, and I was flying for Fluttershy's honor against those two knuckleheads. You have to be flying like super, super fast, and during the race I did it! Everyone all over the city was talking about for days. And this mark appeared on my flank. So I thought I was the only one who could do them, but I guess not."

I processed this as quick as I could. It was a spectacular sight but I didn't have the slightest idea it had come from me, and I was afraid that I had legitimately tainted something that belonged to her and her alone.

"How did you know that was me?"

"I was napping on a cloud, and I woke up from the boom. I hopped up and saw in the distance a light blue or grey pegasus, but at the time I was too far away to see that it was you. I really thought I was the only one who could do that, so I was a really angry when I saw someone else could," she muttered with her eyes looking away. She delivered this information with a tone and expression that suggested lightheartedness, but I still felt terrible. I knew she had to be telling the truth. "Seeing as you just got here, I'd say that kinda narrows it down."

"I'm sorry," I said sheepishly. "I mean, you've basically just proven that you're still a much better flier than I'll ever be. Rainbow, I-I would never try to-" I started to go on, but then her wing covered my mouth and found her eyes looking straight into me with genuine care.

"Hey, c'mon... you didn't know that was my trademark. Besides, now that I know it was you," she said, with a sweet expression that I knew was rare for her, "I think I'm ok with it."

Well, you actually were the creator of that sonic rainboom, as it was only possible from a heart that's completely in love with you, that was so excited to see you... When you consider how much I had practiced my flying over the years mostly for the sake of impressing her, she in fact really did deserve all of the credit for it.

"I'm just gonna tell everyone it was you," I said, which to my wondrous enjoyment she *really* seemed to like.

"Hey, I'm fine with that!" she giggling wildly, which led to me doing the same.

"I was counting on it," I replied, which immediately after saying hoped wasn't too forward or revealing. "And it's true."

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

This caught me off guard. I was immediately terrified I had gone too far. I can't tell her the whole truth just yet!!

"Well," I started gently, thinking ferociously, looking away. "You do own that sonic rainboom I did in a way because you really motivated me to work on my flying, you were such a great friend and you were so talented, I mean you were inspirational. I could never have done something like that if I never met you."

"Really?" she whispered, and my face lit up with excitement at getting to tell her it was true.

"With all my heart," I muttered in reply.

"You know... the Princess wrote to me yesterday," she said, blushing and turning her head away.

"She did?" I replied, fiercely curious.

"Yeah... she told me about this amazing flier she was sending to me, who rescued this foal in front of like hundreds of ponies in Canterlot, and how much she liked you and thought you were the nicest stallion ever... at the time I was like geez princess, give it a rest. But now that I know it was you... "

She looked me over again as I began to process this, totally overwhelmed. I laughed softly with flattered embarrassment though interiorly I geeked out. YES!!! Thank you, Princess!!!! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! I had no idea what to say.

"She told you about that??" I asked.

"Yeah!!! Was it awesome??" she asked.

"Ugh, I mean looking back on it, it was probably pretty cool I guess," I replied, looking up in thought, trying to hide my overflowing joy.

"Ugh, you're so humble!" she teased. "Just say it was amazing!"

"Alright, you win, it was amazing."

"That's a colt!" she replied, patting me on the back with her wing. "So how was living in Canterlot?" she asked after a pause.

The quick subject change had kind caught me off guard again. I wasn't going to tell her about what happened. Not yet anyway. Not today. Or tomorrow. Or probably the next month. Or year. I suspected I'll have to tell her at some point, but it wasn't happening now.

"Well, I was only there for a couple of days so it's really not right to say I lived there. I spent some more time in Manehattan before that though, and the west coast, and... I actually lived in many different places I guess," I said, hoping it would arouse her interest yet I didn't want to go into details either.

"You've been to the west coast?" she said, to which I nodded with a smile. She was so interested. "Well what did you think? I don't think I've ever been there. The sunsets are supposed to be gorgeous."

I couldn't hardly help it, now I was having another one of those moments where I could only concentrate on her and nothing else. The sunset was illuminating her face and seemed to give her a halo.

"Oh my goodness, you have no idea," I said losing myself in her, thinking rather how they were not nearly as gorgeous as her. I was completely preoccupied with how much I love her, and how I simply couldn't believe how there could be such a creature in all the world. I wanted to tell her that she saved my life right then. Her meanwhile... well, I couldn't exactly tell what she was thinking, but her eyes were full of awe and wonder.

"But I'd rather stay here," I remarked. With you.

Soon the stars came out in full force and darkness had completely overtaken the land. We flew back together to her house laughing and joking all the way like that moment there at the end never happened.

When we arrived at her home in the clouds - made of clouds - and our parting for the night was at seemingly at hand, she turned and faced me. I was knew the perfect day was coming to a close and everything was overwhelming me to the point of being completely frozen again.

I'm not sure if she saw ten years of longing in my eyes, but she was staring at me in a manner I'd never been stared at before. It was at the very least a deep fascination and despite the skeptic in me that said it was impossible, I knew I saw what had to be admiration and longing. Suddenly my entire being began to tell me, this was it. This was the time it needed to happen. Give her the feather... my heart kept saying. She was waiting for something. But I couldn't move...

Finally after a long time her ears dropped, and she chuckled blushingly.

"Well, I better be catching my z's now. I'll see you tomorrow, Sonic."

Saying nothing, I eased into a loving smile at her which she seemed to return, in my mind and heart thanking her profusely for everything. We couldn't stand there forever, and eventually we both slowly began to turn around until we were completely facing the other way. I fought with myself and turned around to see her about to walk inside. She opened her door with her head and I felt this perfect time slipping away, never to return.

With a few giant steps forward I tapped her on the shoulder with my wing, and she spun around quickly with wide, desperate eyes.

Yes??? she replied with her expression.

With one more loving look at her I grabbed onto the cloth that was nested under my leather necklace with my mouth. Bringing my wings in front of me I laid the cloth down and it held with them. Without words I asked her to hold out hers.

Drawing near I placed the cloth from the Princess' castle suite - preserving the blue feather from her wing back - into her possession, from my mouth to her wings. I then took a couple of steps backwards.

She unfolded the cloth with her mouth, and beheld her own small and tattered feather that had taken with it all the burden of all the sorrow of the last ten years, returned to the care of its grown up siblings.

Her eyes lifted to face me, and a tear of disbelief traveled slowly down her cheek.

Ten Years in the Making

That night I relived every moment of our reunion over and over again in my head. With closed eyes in my new bed I could see Rainbow and I atop the highest clouds in all the land as we watched the sunset together. Years of being bogged down and struggling to get by were washed away in the short hours I spent with her that evening.

When I woke up, the sunlight was shining warmly through my window onto my bed and I saw puffy white clouds outside the window. Just as I had every morning for the last ten years, when I woke up habitually I felt around for the feather, but when I realized why I didn't have it anymore, it never felt so good. Part of me wanted to fall back asleep; maybe that way I could more vividly relive last night as I pictured her gorgeous face giving me the look she did when she realized what I had handed her. But I don't need to dream anymore. Now I can see her and spend real time with her.

I flipped over in bed and felt my heart tug; part of me could still hardly believe that this was happening. I was now living in in the same place where Rainbow Dash also lives, and we had just had a wonderful night together. The past seemed so distant. She never completely left my life but now she was fully and truly present in a way that that felt so powerful and satisfying. As I came to grips with that reality I pondered what I was going to do today.

This was the first real thought that had really stirred up uncertainty or anxiousness inside me since I flew into the darkness as I left her house. I had been so concerned with just seeing her again, wondering if she remembered me... I wanted nothing more than the chance make her laugh, to be a positive part of her life. The way we laughed together had sent waves of delight through my entire body, and the fact that I can meet her after ten years and be worthy for her to call me her friend was truly all I ever hoped for. When she looked at me when I handed her the feather...

I suddenly sat up and bit my wing. What do I do now? Do I just continue to be her friend? She couldn't be at the level I'm at with her with me... could she? Though I was ultimately content with whatever she wanted, even if that meant just friendship, I always knew that there was more in my heart than just friendship. Much more. In fact, as much as she was willing to draw from me. We hadn't seen each other for ten years, the last time when we were so young and tender.

I threw myself out of bed and began biting my wing even harder. Maybe the best thing for me was to just go and see her as a friend. Now that I had been blessed with her presence, my heart was craving her accompaniment. I was sure as soon as I saw her smiling again, I would feel as relaxed as I could ever imagine. Those eyes... there's just so much confidence in them. It felt as though perhaps I was losing confidence at my uncertainty of what to do next, especially since my romantic feelings for her seemed to be getting even stronger if that was even possible. She just never struck me as a romantic pony. At least not like some of those fake romance stories I've heard about.

The thought of Rainbow Dash as a foolish lovestruck girl was a rather comical thought, and I even started laughing to myself. But at the same time, I know deep down she's a beacon of compassion and loyalty... What I saw on her face last night I've never seen in any other pony in my life. That was for me!!! But what do I really want? I just want her to be happy, and if possible be force of good in her life.

I quickly resolved not to worry about things like romance, though I would certainly be open to that if she only said the words. I didn't want to put on any expectations or conditions on my love, because she didn't deserve that. What's good enough for her is good enough for me.

I stood in the center of the bedroom and took a deep breath, once again examining my new home's inside. There was so much I wasn't used to, and not just having a house; I don't recall ever having ever gotten as much relaxation as I have in the last few days upon arriving here. That was just another reason to get out of the house and go spend more time with Rainbow again, so she could clue me in on all the weather patrol workings that need done around here. That much was enough to make me smile.

However, it wasn't enough to satisfy my morning hunger. It suddenly occurred to me I was going to need to start keeping some food here, and to buy food, I need bits. To get bits means to work. So, after another deep breath, I trotted down the stairs and out the front of door of my new home towards the market place. Fortunately for me, Princess Celestia had sent me here with a full one-hundred bits, which would be plenty to hold me over for food until I started making some bits of my own.

I trotted swiftly down the road into town, anxious and enthusiastic to get some breakfast and then go see the love of my life. I could've just flown there of course, but I guess part of me was hoping for the same friendly greeting I got from nearly everypony yesterday as I walked the same path. Many friendly ponies greeting me with smiles was new to me, and I can't deny the peace and harmony it stirs within me. I was eager to return their friendship with my own.

I passed over the lush green hills under blue skies and made my way into the outskirts of town. Once again, faces of ponies young and old began turning in my direction to get a look at the new stallion on the block, all of them friendly. I put on the biggest grin I could and acknowledged with content everypony that barked out greetings to me as I passed by, and I just kept on galloping right on through to market section of town where I could get some breakfast. In between my morning greetings, I continued to ponder my future with Rainbow Dash, the confidence I was getting from everypony's friendliness just adding to the happiness that poured in when thinking about her.

So... do I just continue to hang out with her like last night? 'Hi there! So I was just wondering you if you wanted to hang out again today, and you know maybe next week we could get married or somethi- My train of thought was cutoff my own gasp.

"What am I saying?" I asked myself outlaid, horrified. After having being reunited with her, the thought of not being with her anymore was suffocating. I don't want to come off too strong... but how long can I hide what's been in my heart all this time? Another dreadful thought crossed my mind also. Sooner or later... I'm gonna have to tell her about my parents.

Suddenly as I heard my name from every direction, I realized I had to put the space-out session on hold for the moment. I remembered to return all the happy greetings I was getting. Don't forget to greet everypony, Sonic! I shook my head and focused my attention on smiling at everypony I passed by. Thankfully, I was already practically to the center of town where the food stands are set up, so I could take a quick break and instead turn to getting some food.

I stopped just outside the square where they were all set up and peered my gaze down the rows of tents and shops. Immediately the scent of fresh fruit, fresh baked bread, and hay all made their way into my nose. As nice as they all were, I spotted a particularly handsome rack of watermelons on a stand owned by a scruffy-looking grey business stallion. I wonder if Rainbow would care to share that with me this morning... Feelings of great delight surged through me at the thought of such, and I quickly advanced myself through the crowds and up to the owner of the stand.

"I'll take one of those big ol' watermelons," I said, pointing to one in the middle. Immediately the watermelon began to glow dark blue as I realized he was a unicorn, and it floated it's way right over to the countertop and came to rest in front of where I was standing.

"That'll be five bits," he said, as I reached my snout into a little saddle pouch I had brought along with me to keep my money in.

"You want a bag for that?" I turned my head and looked over at my back. Might be hard to balance something that round on my back.

"Uh, yeah, thanks."

He signaled for me to hold open with my hooves a brown bag he hovered to the counter with his magic as he then raised the watermelon up and down into the bag as I held it open. I thanked him and picked up the bag with my mouth and turned around to face the crowd. I didn't have to walk through that again; all that was left for me was to now go see Rainbow Dash. So I galloped forward, spread my wings, and flapped violently up into the air, chomping tightly on the bag so no pony would have a watermelon breaking over top of them.

I felt like chuckling; mischievous Rainbow would probably love pulling a prank like that if nopony got hurt, but on second thought a watermelon on the head would probably hurt a lot, so I definitely didn't want that. Well, maybe I'll just let her do it to me then. I glided through the air in the direction of her house with no problems outside of maybe the few uncertainties I had thought about earlier. Just be cool, Sonic, be cool, just like her. You're just going to see her as a friend. I propelled forth through the air and practiced my how-do-you-do. Gooooood morning Rainbow! I happen to have just bought this nice watermelon, would you like to share it with me? You would?!? Gee, I hope it sounds better in person.

I let the air flow through my wings and glided to a halt on her cloudly front step from which I had departed from her last night. It was such a nice house now that I could see it so clearly in the sun; a Rainbow even jetted out from the top down the lower levels. It was nearly impossible to see if she was home or not though. With the watermelon bag in my mouth, I gently raised my hoof to knock on her front door, but I pulled it back when a twinge of nervousness came over me as I looked up across her house which seemed to tower of me. Is this too much? I lowered my head and closed my eyes. How can I be so scared? I was so happy lying in bed this morning, I was so happy last night. I was so confident! I just...

Almost in response to my anxiety, an image of Rainbow smiling at me in the way she had last night appeared in my mind, and immediately lifted most of the fear I was experiencing. Most of it. Maybe I was afraid that Rainbow would sense just how much that I had longed for her all these years. Then again, wasn't that kinda the point of giving her feather? It tells her how much it meant to me. I took a deep breath once again raised my hoof to her door, knocking on the soft pillow like door. It was a pointless knock, not generating any sound whatsoever, and I sighed grievously as I realized I was going to have to do more. I wrapped the bag around my front leg and lifted my head upwards at her house, taking another deep breath.

"Rainbow?"

There was no answer. Not a peep nor rustle, nor call nor anything. Upon which now, of course, I hoped she was not home rather then present but unwilling to respond. I had called her name quite shyly as I am by nature, and it occurred to me perhaps she was asleep, or was awake and just didn't hear me all together. Maybe one more try... just a little louder.

"Rainbow?"

I repeated it even louder, but there was no answer still. Slightly deflated, I sighed and raised my wings as I waited for perhaps a late response. All indications pointed to that she wasn't home, which is fine. No problem, I will still get to see her many times in the future regardless now that I live here. I took one more breath, and tried to focus my mind on the positive, and just before I turned my back to fly away, a thunderous noise erupted from below me. It was the ever-so-familiar voice of a super-hyper pink pony.

"RAINBOW DASH! ARE YOU HOME?"

The sheer volume and unexpectedness of the yell caused me to shutter in shock and drop my bag containing the watermelon right off the edge of Rainbow's doorstep. I realized that the pony standing below me was about to be the ruin of my breakfast exploding across her face if she didn't move - I blasted myself down after the falling watermelon, snagged with my hooves as it fell in midair towards the earth and spread my wings against the air, flapping violently and bracing for impact. Coming down with my eyes closed in an anxious brace, I felt myself slowing down and my hooves touched the ground softly. Freezing my wings and still desperately clutching the watermelon, I opened my eyes amid the awkward silence and was staring face to face with a brightly-smiling Pinkie Pie, who stood in the middle of the pathway between the green hills where we were.

"That was the most amazing save I've ever seen! I mean if you hadn't shwooped down and snagged right out of the air like 'woosh!' I would've had a watermelon to the face! Not that there's anything wrong with that- I love watermelons! I guess it could've hurt a little bit, too, though," she said, speaking so fast and excitedly I could barely keep up much less remember. As I processed everything that just happened and looked from Pinkie back up to the house, I finally let my wings fall and sighed in relief.

"Thank you for saying so," I said, though still a little confused. She tilted her head with a blissful smile at me.

"So what are you doing here? Did you come to see Rainbow Dash too?"

I briefly looked from her back up at Rainbow's house again. Certainly, if Rainbow hadn't heard Pinkie's scream, she must not have been home. Then I brought my eyes back to Pinkie as an awkward silence began to grow, to which Pinkie was utterly oblivious as she just continued smiling patiently for me to respond.

"Oh! Uh, yea, I just wanted to see if she maybe wanted to share some breakfast and uh, but it doesn't look like she's home, so that's fine I guess too, I'm sure she's busy. I'll just try again later," I remarked, though I secretly craved her presence.

Pinkie's gaze went from me to just behind me; she caught something or somepony approaching us from the back. Immediately I thought maybe it was Rainbow, and my heart jumped; as I turned around, Pinkie called to the approaching one.

"Hi Miss Mayor! Walking through the fields?"

I turned around, and walking right towards the both of us was a formal cream-colored and middle-aged mare, with a grey main and tale, glasses, and a turquoise ribbon around her neck. This was only the second time I had met someone of high authority, the first being Princess Celestia. I immediately went to bow, but then it hit me that bowing was reserved for royalty. Think, Sonic! How do you address mayors? Instinctively, my body stiffened, and I raised the hoof I wasn't holding the watermelon to my forehead for a salute.

"Miss Mayor," I said, nervously but with as little emotion as I could try. She was caught off guard by this gesture. Idiot! That's not how you address mayors! To my surprise and relief though she was rather delightfully embarrassed, and began to laugh. Immediately I thought of how silly I must've been. Well, at least I made her laugh... She seems really nice too.

"I understand we have a new citizen in Ponyville! Well nice to meet you, um... ?" she paused midsentence and looked at me as though for help, raising her hoof for a shake. It took me a moment to register what she was doing.

"Oh I'm Sonic, Sonic Rain - nice to meet you!" I said, shaking her hoof enthusiastically to try and make up for my mistake.

"Mayor Mare," she said with a kindly smile, "We can always do for some more stallions in Ponyville," she paused and eyed me from head to toe, seemingly impressed. "Especially handsome ones," she added, not realizing what she had said. After a second, her mouth and eyes opened with fear and she blushed deeply. "Whoops, did I say that?" she belted, laughing loudly and uncomfortably. I actually was flattered to hear it, though Ponyville certainly seemed to have more mares than stallions.

"I'll take it from a charming mayor herself," I said with a chuckle and a sheepish shrug.

"So what are you up to, Miss Mayor?" chimed in Pinkie. Mayor Mare faced her and her emotions seemed to calm and go to back to the more formal and professional vibe they were when she initially walked up.

"Oh, I was just stopping in to see Rainbow Dash," she answered.

My heart jumped; my exchanges with Pinkie and the mayor had caused me to briefly forget about her for a second. Well, maybe it's a good thing she's not home, since I seem to have had the worst possible timing. Rainbow Dash is apparently very popular, just as she was when we were foals. I didn't expect anything less from such a mare.

"Wow, I guess Rainbow's the most wanted mare in Ponyville right now! Sonic and I were both here to see her too," said Pinkie. Mayor Mare appeared a little more thoughtful then Pinkie, as though something was on her mind.

"That's strange, she was supposed to meet me this morning to discuss next week's weather and she never showed up," said the mayor with mild concern.

What? My heart sank. I started to have a mini panic attack but I was able to stop it thankfully. Ok... calm down. So she didn't make a meeting with the mayor. That doesn't mean she's in trouble, or upset, or anything like that... does it What if giving the feather upset her? What if she thought that meant I didn't want it because I think she isn't cool? I figured I was overreacting, as I had many times in the last twenty-four hours, but I also felt the serious need to console her if she needed consoling. I was also alarmed at the terrible thought of this somehow having to do with me. Sonic, get ahold of yourself. This is ridiculous. I've got to stop cooking up these crazy what-if stories.

"I hope she's ok," I muttered to myself out loud. Pinkie and the mayor both looked over.

"Oh, I'm sure she's fine, Sonic. She's an adventurer, she's always out doing something or saving someone or winning this competition, or what have you. When I said it's not like her, I didn't mean it like she must be in danger or something," said the mayor. Pinkie briefly held her hoof to her chin in thought.

"She's probably fine. If I know Rainbow, I know she can handle herself better than anypony. We can always come back later. Wanna come back to Sugarcube Corner with me?" she said with less energy but still care and friendliness. I perked my head up with a smile; half of it was forced, as I was still concerned if not mildly about Rainbow, but the other half was authentic, appreciated Pinkie's unending hospitality. "Come on, Sonic! I've got just the sweet treat to make that smile stay," she said, as she signaled for me to follow her, beginning to bounce up and down along the path in the direction of town. I complied with her and followed slowly along after her. Of course, what I really needed to make my smile stay was the mare of my dreams, if not just knowing she was ok.

The entire walk back into town, Pinkie Pie bounced and talked non-stop, as I trailed along behind her in silence. I could barely pay any attention to what she was saying. I was just too caught up in my own heart and all it's longings, not to mention my concerns and my heavy ponderings of the night before.

I recalled how when I had first made eye-contact with Rainbow the day before at Pinkie's party, she had looked so receptive and delighted to see me. Then between getting roped into a public competition with Thunderlane and Dumbbell ending the party by getting smashed into a table by a furious Rainbow, I never got to talk to her. But that did little to prevent me from seeing her later, and the two of us were finally reunited in full last night.

I recalled every moment yet again, from when we raced our way up to the highest levels of the clouds and sat there for evening and watched the sunset. With every glance she sent me, her magenta eyes were like mediators of my happiness. She was enthusiastic and even fascinated in all our conversations, eager to hear about how I'd been and what I was up to, and in contrast to me, still emanating that same toughness and boldness I have always lacked. I briefly wondered in the morn if I had come on too strong and had upset in her any way, and looking back on the night, that seemed impossible by the joy and content she seemed to be feeling. But still, I wanted to see her again so badly... After last night, the minutes without her seemed so long.

Just before arriving at Sugarcube Corner, I realized that the fast-moving words that had been coming out of Pinkie's mouth had all but stopped. I looked up at her, and she was silent indeed, looking at me with concern.

"Sonic, you look a little blue. Are you ok?" she said, wrapping her front leg around me. I pretended to smile again, feeling bad for putting her through this. If I didn't start getting better, she'd probably suspect something, even as a pony who is seemingly oblivious to many things.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine," I lied, appreciating her friendliness. I felt bad because I found everything about her rather adorable in a non-romantic way of course. She removed herself from my side and instead appeared right before me, smiling slightly.

"Would you feel better if we found Rainbow Dash first?"

Even if I attempted to lie, I don't think I could've done it very well. I still hesitated, but looking at her and unavoidably telling her 'yes' with my looks, I went ahead and shook my head for confirmation.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," I muttered sheepishly. Pinkie Pie smiled a little wider. "It's not that I don't enjoy hanging out with you. You've been incredibly kind to me since I arrived, and I deeply appreciate it. It's just that, well last night Rainbow and I, we - well, we had unbelievable time together-"

Too much, too much...

"You know, you must really be a good friend of Rainbow Dash's. She's lucky to have someone who cares as much as you do!"

I raised my head and smiled with gratitude, unable to deny that hearing such a thing made me feel quite warm.

"You really think so?" I asked, warming up.

"Certainment! I'll tell you what, Sonic. I'll go look over at our friends' houses' and see if they've seen her. As for you, I've got one place in mind where she especially likes to hang out- maybe you could go check there?"

"Um, o-ok," I said in a little happier tone. She once again was right beside me, standing up on her hind legs with one of her front hooves resting on my back. With the other the front hoof, she pointed down the path out towards the outskirts of town where the green meadows are.

"See that hill over there?"

"I think so," I said, squinting my eyes.

"Over that hill, and over the hill behind it, and over the hill behind that one, and over the hill behind that one, and just a little to your left, there's a little lake where we like to go swimming. I don't know if she's there, but you can check it out! If you go out there to the outside of town and just fly up, you'll see it."

"Ok," I said, grateful. "Thank you Pinkie! I'm sorry about this, by the way. I-I-I think I'll just feel a little bit better-"

"I'll let you know if I find her with one of our friends!" she proclaimed, as she unceremoniously bounced off in the opposite direction. I smiled somewhat as she innocently hopped off. I think I was figuring her out - she's a pony you can't figure out. Nevertheless, she is an adorable one who I can't help but like.

But as she faded from sight, I nervously turned my head in the direction of where she instructed me; the direction of perhaps Rainbow Dash. My heart sank as I looked out at the horizon. She's fine. What could possibly be the problem? So she isn't home and she didn't see the mayor, big whoop. I hoped that was true. But I also knew that my heart was longing terribly for her, and as soon as I saw her and was blessed with her presence, I'd be ok again. I gulped as I began walking in the direction of lake Pinkie had explained to me.

As I made my way to the outside of town and walked out over the first the hill, my feelings didn't get any better. I was afraid that this somehow had something to do with me, however that may be. I also was caught up in my intense desire just to see her, much less make sure she was in fact ok. If she couldn't tell in the way that I looked at her, or the fact I had kept her feather for so long, maybe I should just tell her now how I feel. Otherwise my heart is going to ache continually like this. 'Um... Rainbow? You remember how I gave you that feather last night?'

As I began walking over the second hill, my love for her was only feeling stronger and more agitated in the depths of my heart. I chose not to fly to this location; if she was here, then I wanted to make a quiet entry. Not just fly in from above her. Watch her not even be here. Watch her not even be in Ponyville anymore.

I made my way over the third hill and began walking down to it to the left and through the meadow. I could see the lake up in front just at the bottom of a mountain. When I saw it and approached it, I actually began having some second thoughts upon meeting her. Maybe just hold off on telling her. Just continue to redevelop the wondrous friendship we had when we were foals. I stopped in the middle of the meadow and covered my face with my hooves. What do I do? It seemed I was just going to swallow my anxiety and continue on towards her. I wasn't sure what was going to happen. All I wanted was to see her happy, and be with her and appreciate her, because that made me happy. Why would she want to be with someone like me?

In a deep breath and gulp, I tried to ignore my thoughts and walked forward towards the edge of the lake. I realized there were two pegasus ponies swimming in the lake, two young mares I gathered because I heard female giggling and an unfamiliar female voice say "he's cute though."

I walked down the shoreline until I was standing right across from where they were swimming. There were two heads, light green and light yellow. I was actually quite embarrassed to be standing there like that, awkwardly and hoping they'd see me. When they did see me - which didn't take long at all - they both were a little shocked at first, I saw their eyes pop open, but I didn't hesitate to start talking at least, even if it didn't come out very eloquently.

"Um, excuse me! Sorry to bother you like this, I hope I'm interrupting anything," I asked shyly.

"No, not at all!" said the yellow mare, flashing her friend a quick smile.

"I was - I was just wondering if you happened to see Rainbow Dash over here," I continued just as embarrassed.

"I think she went into the forest," said the light green one.

"The forest?" I repeated, somewhat concerned.

"Yeah. Right over that hill, I'm sure you've seen it by now haven't you, with those big wings of yours? Don't worry though, it's only really dangerous at night. And it's not like she cares about that anyway," she assured me.

"Thank you," I said, flashing them a smile while trying to mask my concerns.

The forest... I thought, turning my eyes. Going into the forest didn't seem like that big of a deal to them. But now my heart was itching to see her very badly, and I knew it wouldn't be satisfied until I saw her. I started to trot in the direction of the forest, but before I left it occurred to me there was one more thing I wanted to ask them. I stopped in my tracks and turned my head ever so slightly back in their direction.

"So you.. saw her, right? Did she look happy? Or upset? Or you couldn't tell?" I asked, turning around. The one who had told me she was in the forest obviously thought my asking was a little odd, but she didn't seem too off put by it.

"Come to think of it, I think she did actually look kinda distressed," she replied.

Oh no... I took off towards the forest at full speed over the hill and through the fields until I came up to it. Without a second thought I raced into it and galloped through the trees. My mind was ablaze with horrible, negative thoughts about myself. I've upset her... It was wrong to think that she'd love someone like me... But everytime those thoughts would arise, another side of me would be there to quell those thoughts. Don't be ridiculous. You saw the way she looked at you yesterday, and how much fun she was obviously having. It won't be long now and I'll see her beautiful face again... I kept dashing my way through the trees turning my head in any which way to catch a glimpse of her while my heart called for her. Where are you?

I leapt over a large tree hump and landed in a small patch of dirt. I turned my head in either which way, desperately hoping for any sign of her. I looked between two trees close to each other and caught a glimpse of more sunlight than any other place in the forest I'd seen so far coming down through the canopy. I inquired closer and saw an opening in the forest, with rays of sun coming down beside a small waterfall. There was luscious greenery on either side of it. But then...

"-if he doesn't feel the same way? I can't tell Twilight. Or any of them for that matter. They'd never let me live it down," I heard her voice say in a muffled delivery. I gasped and held my breath. "And I have my reputation to consider... Ponyville knows I'm the toughest pony in Equestria, but what will they say if they find out I'm in lo- I mean it's not my fault that I'd almost given up on ever seeing him again," she continued with a gentle sigh. "I certainly never planned on him coming back... to Ponyville!"

I tip toed towards the sounds of her voice and peered through the brush, catching sight of a most unmistakable tail. Who was she talking about? It was hers alright, with the streaks of all the beautiful colors known to ponies. I moved down a few steps and breathlessly shoved my face between the trees to get a better look.

She was standing at the edge of a small pool at the bottom of the waterfall with her back to me. The isolated rays of penetrating sun fell down on her like she was a holy shrine whose beauty could only possibly be from the divine. At the initial sight of her my heart was enormously relieved and tremendously excited to see her at the same time, but the sight of her quickly brought on new concerns.

She looked into the pool at herself deep in thought as she was walking around the water's edge slowly, playing in the dirt with her hooves, or sometimes lifting her head up to the canopy as though asking it something. Occasionally there would be flashes of intense joy in her face at some recollection but it would be followed quickly with fear or uncertainty, which left my heart begging to know what she was thinking. I could hear her voice barely over the trickling water; she was talking to herself.

I hid myself behind one of the trees I was looking through and sat back against it, my entire body freezing while I stopped breathing altogether. I wasn't quite sure if I could handle this. I was almost sure she was talking about me. She had to be. But I didn't know that I was ready to hear whatever she had to say about me. What if she didn't like me? What if she didn't want to see me again? After being almost my sole source of consolation for ten years, I wasn't sure I could handle the emotional impact of knowing exactly how she felt about me and part of me really didn't want to find out. I closed my eyes, almost to the point of tears.

I turned back around and let the sight of her beauty distract my anxiousness to to the degree that I could. She was still walking along the side of the pool, though she was now on other side and I had a much better view of her face. She looked frustrated now, and after a short moment she even pounded her hoof into the ground and whipped her tail with a defensive gaze in the direction of town.

"Who cares what they think? It's not like I'm *not* still the toughest pony *and* the best athlete. I can still be a wonderbolt - and it's not like I'm not an element of harmony. GRHHHH... they don't know what I'm feeling! They have no right to - Agh! What is wrong with me? I can't help it!! I don't stand a chance. He's so cute, he's so incredibly kind!!! AHHH!!!"

I shot up and wrapped my front legs around the tree in front of me, throwing my head forward. Now I had to hear more. My soul was desperate an on the verge of collapse, and everything rested on what came next.

"Oh," she moaned. "Who am I kidding?"

I said before that I didn't think I could handle the truth if it meant rejection of our friendship. But it turns out I was emotionally unprepared for what came next, either. She sat back and pulled out something I hadn't seen on her before, and stared at it with a most loving smile as she held it in her hooves. It was her own blue feather that I had given back to her.

Suddenly my breath was back, faster and deeper than ever while my eyes began to well up. This can't be happening, I thought while this wondrous feeling slowly began to overwhelm my entire being.

"Sonic the kind," she started, staring into space with that same smile. "Sonic the gentle... Sonic the almost-as-fast-as-me!! Sonic the gorgeous," she listed off. " I mean... how can anyone have eyes like that? It's not possible! How is this happening to me?"

I pulled my head from the tree and sank to the ground on my rump, covering both of my eyes with my wings. How? How could the greatest creature who ever lived be saying that about a colt who was abandoned by his parents? My wildest dreams were literally coming true right in front of me. With the way my life had gone, it seemed so hard believe, yet it was so unmistakably real. My heart was beating so fast and I was now breathing so hard that it was a miracle she didn't hear me. I was on the verge of passing out and I very nearly did.

She looked upward with a rapturous expression and hovered off the ground while she pressed her feather from her feather from her filly days joyously against her chest. My anxieties were suddenly turning into incomprehensible happiness.

"Sonic," she proclaimed in a hushed voice and with a desperate, pleading expression. "Forget it! I don't care what they say! You can have my heart - just take it already!"

Crashing through the brush drunk with love, beyond eager to grant her request, I galloped out to meet her. She screamed with surprise and blasted off the ground, crashing into the top of the rock on the small waterfall. She then fell to the ground as I rushed over to where she was.

"Are you ok?" I shouted breathlessly.

"Yes I'm fine!" she replied, shocked to see me. "What are you doing here??"

"I wanted to see you again!" I proclaimed, and after taking in my quite visible feelings she started to smile as though I'd just saved her life. I helped her up and the two of us were now just inches from each other.

"I can't believe you kept this for all that time," she whispered, holding up the feather, and I had never seen such depth of feeling anywhere as in Rainbow's expression.

She sat back. Suddenly, she gently raised her right hoof so that it was open and facing me.

I raised my left hoof, and our two hooves touched softly just as they did when we first met as foals. Somehow, unbelievably, it was even more of a thrill than it was before, with outpourings of the greatest feelings in the world shooting through my hoof up my leg, spreading immediately to everywhere else in my body.

Watching it have a similar effect on her somehow lifted us even more to new and indescribable highs as we fed off each other's excitement.

"You- you remember!" she cried in disbelieving ecstasy.

"It was the best day of my life," I replied in a whisper.

She appeared as happy as anyone I've ever seen in my life. Then all of a sudden she backed away and turned around in angst.

Looking straight ahead into the forest she seemed concentrated on slow inhales. Finally she turned her head back ever so slowly, eventually meeting my eyes again like she couldn't help it. The longer she looked the less conflicted she seemed to become, both of us breathing fast and glowing with unhinged affection.

She turned around and stopped right in front of me. When her nose inched towards mine, with every second I seemed to breath faster and faster, more and more anxious, though my love got stronger. Ten years of tension were reaching paralyzing levels, and I closed my eyes... Then, after several deep breaths that took all of my utmost concentration and focus to accomplish... the softest lips in the world came to rest directly on my own, and the most powerful peace in the world flooded my soul and banished all stress with one timeless kiss.

When we finally opened our eyes together, the heavenly glee was restored in in the form of giggling with joy and indulging in each other's yearning gazes. Then we wrapped our necks around each other and met lips again while our giggles turned into hearty laughter. I felt such a way that ten years, one hundred years, one thousand years of unbreakable misery was worth this moment with the mare for whom my heart burns with the deepest affection.

Our second embrace was quickly interrupted by the loud and curiously innocent voice of a mutual friend from somewhere very close in the forest.

"Rainbow?" it called, almost in the form of a song. The call's subject withdrew herself violently from my grip in a rush of fear and a deeper blush than any I've ever seen.

"Pinkie!" she cried in a hushed voice as her ears dropped in horror.

"There you are!" shouted Pinkie, running through the trees and into our little oasis. "Hey, you found her!" she said with a smile to me. "What are you guys up to?"

"What are we up to?" asked Rainbow in a nervous and hysterical laughter, blushing wildly and with ears that were so adorable they had to be seen to be believed. "We're just, uh, hanging out, you know!" she continued, shooting me a smile that couldn't hide her real feelings.

"Why are you so nervous?" asked Pinkie, turning her head sideways in curiosity.

"Nervous? I'm not nervous at all!" she replied, turning her head in the other direction and rubbing the back of her neck with her hoof.

"Wow Sonic!" she proclaimed, suddenly looking me over as though impressed. "You look really really happy! Hey Rainbow, I think you've got a real friend in Sonic, he seems to like you a lot! He was so concerned for you this morning that he couldn't even eat breakfast until he knew you were ok. And just look at you now that you've found her! You're like the happiest-looking stallion I've ever seen!"

Now it was my turn to be embarrassed - the most wonderful embarrassment of all time... I chuckled gently with a glance over at Rainbow who seemed to find it absurdly pleasing as well.

"Hey Pinkie," she asked, refusing to make eye contact with her until the very end and instead swirling her hoof around in the dirt. "Do you think you could maybe... give us a moment to just, you know - catch up by ourselves?"

"But what about the mayor?" asked Pinkie concerned. "You were supposed to meet with her today and she's looking all over for you."

"Doh- that's right!!" she shouted, hitting her face with her hoof and shaking her head violently. She shot me a look that seemed to be very depressed that she had to leave me. "Can it wait?"

"Well," replied Pinkie, uneasily. "I don't think so-"

"Ugh!" gasped an extremely frustrated Rainbow. "Alright alright I'm coming, just- can you please give us a minute?" she asked in a desperate plead.

"Sure!" replied Pinkie, standing there smiling.

"ALONE!" begged Rainbow. I found her every action and gesture to be so adorable I'd be fine with this to go on forever.

"Well... ok!" consented Pinkie, turning around and hopping behind a tree.

Rainbow's rage reverted instantly back to bliss. She flapped her wings and hovered just off the ground in a hover and held her hooves out for me to hold, which rearing back I did so with the utmost love and enthusiasm.

"I'll don't know how long this will take but I'll be as quick as I can!" she assured me in a whisper, glancing in Pinkie's direction to make sure she wasn't looking. "I don't want to leave!!!" she whined.

"Where should I wait for you?!?" I replied in a giggling whisper.

"Rainbow?" called Pinkie.

"I'm coming!" shouted Rainbow impatiently before coming back to me with a sweet expression. "Can you wait here and I'll come straight back?"

"Yes!" I replied overjoyed.

"Rainbow!" cried Pinkie.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!!!" shouted Rainbow to her. "I'm going straight there as soon as I can," she whispered with a rapturous smile that I returned with equal fervor. She stole one more kiss then blasted away at light speed that cut a line through the forest.

"THANK YOU!!!" I laughed hysterically to the skies.

Dancing and skipping around the water's edge, I suddenly spread my wings and leapt up into the sky, twirling around in ascending circles and singing all the way up until I was above the highest clouds.

Here We Go Again

On my way home that night the sunset and the evening breeze were breathed life into my step with every inhale. Those green hills are beyond gorgeous... There's an apple orchard around here somewhere, and it smells heavenly... But thoughts like that were only a few clucks of my hooves and I'd always end up going back to her. How can she be so cute and tough at the same time? I could hear that raspy voice trembling with embarrassment in my head again. "Please don't mention to anyone that we're... you know!" I turned a red color and began laughing sheepishly when I thought about her forelegs hugging me around the neck. I closed my eyes in ecstasy, and there in my mind was her shining face clothed in divine light.

Sonic, you've got to slow down... But then again, how can I? Why should I? I pulled my head up and looked at the beautiful purple sky, and in a slight shift of feeling, everything seemed to hit me and I was almost overwhelmed. I felt a tear falling down my cheek when I considered that only a week ago I was sleeping on a grassy bed under the stars, trying to forget my parents and wondering if I was ever going to see her again while I fought to make the most of my situation. I was overcome with gratitude; I wasn't sure I deserved any of it as I clutched my heart in disbelief staring into that sunset. My life has turned around so quick and all my dreams coming true that I was simply having trouble taking it all in. I don't mind that at all, of course.

After the kiss in the forest, she went off to take care of her duty with the mayor but in a short time later she was back by the side in the forest and the two of us scaled much of the world in the skies together, and I felt like Prince of Equestria beside her, the true Princess. The warmth from the moment before was so strong inside me that I trotted along with a kind of spring I'd never had before, not even when we were foals. I was swimming in lover's bliss, and the sun never shined so brightly in all my life. Even everything else around me seemed even lovelier than it'd been before, and I had this burning desire to give joy to every pony I met. Meanwhile, as we walked over the hills, she was talking with more excitement then a foal on the morning of Hearth's Warming Eve.

"Oh Sonic! You should've been there when I saved my friend Rarity at the Young Flyer's Competition - she had these fake wings and when they melted she went crashing to the ground but I was like swoosh! And then this one time when I was at the Wonderbolt Academy," she went on at a million words a minute, and I was just trying to catch as much of what she said as I could. "And there was this mare Lightning Dust who almost hurt everyone there, but like the commander of the- oh! And this other time when like we needed this kind of tornado thing from all us pegasus here in - and hey, I forgot to ask, do you read the Daring Do books?"

"Yes!" I said enthusiastically, and she gave me a look of euphoric disbelief, but then I realized I just said that for some reason when I hadn't even read them. I think my heart was just full of yes and so it was coming out of my mouth no matter what the question. "Oh, wait a minute, uh... no," I said embarrassingly, rubbing the back of my neck. She looked at me confused for a moment and then laughed, which was beyond a relief. "Uh, but I have been meaning to read them, will you read them to me? Er - with me? Well, whichever you pre-"

"You want me to read them to you?" she asked, turning her head in confused thought, before gasping with excitement. "What an amazing idea!" she continued, twirling around in the air the same way I had just the day before. I had never heard of Daring Do until then, but if she was a fan, then I wanted nothing more to read them. Suddenly the voice of filly called out to her.

"Rainbow Dash!" cried the voice. We both turned around to find an orange filly with a magenta mane and tail running up to the two of us. She was short on breath but she seemed very happy to have found her.

"What's up squirt?" said Rainbow with a friendly smirk. She took a few deep breaths, and just by looking at her expression I could tell she was a great admirer of Rainbow's. Before she could talk, Rainbow stuck her hoof in the filly's mouth. "Wait!" she cried, "we haven't done the hoofshake!"

"Oh, right!" screamed the filly with excitement. They both took turns hitting their hooves together.

"Through and through, me and you," they said together before they both began to backflip with the aid of their wings, "are the best of all the rest!" they finished out. Silly, yes, and maybe even a little stupid, but quite cute. She pulled the filly in and gave her a rub on the top of her head with her hoof with an affectionate giggle... the two of them clearly had a longstanding and meaningful relationship. It seemed like the filly hadn't noticed me yet, but finally after the series of giggles she turned her eyes my way and looked up at me with an innocent fascination.

"Oh hey, what's up dude?" she asked me, looking me over. My eyes quickly moved up to Rainbow, and I found her smiling at me with wide excited eyes.

"My friend? Geez, he's more than-" She stopped midsentence rather fiercely, as though she was afraid of saying it. She chuckled and turned a deep red, which I didn't mind in the slightest. On the contrary my own beam got wider. She shook her head and replaced her expression with a more tough and prideful one, the kind I was used to. "Well... what I mean is, this is Sonic Rain, and he's not only the coolest colt - er, stallion - you'll ever meet, but he's the nicest, funnest, smartest, best-look- er I mean coolest-"

"Didn't you already say that?" piped Scootaloo. I barely heard her, I was too busy smiling at Rainbow and too flattered.

"Nicest," she continued, ignoring her, "and he's the only flyer I know who's almost as fast as me," she finished with a prideful hoof to her chest.

"Really? That's fast! I wish I was *almost* as fast as her," lamented Scootaloo. I had rarely seen such an innocent face smiling at me like that, and my appreciation for it was conscious, even being totally preoccupied with how Rainbow had described me to her.

"Watch this," I whispered to the filly, who was still standing between us. "I heard lots of ponies in a group talking yesterday how they could beat you in race," I said out loud with a wink down to Scootaloo.

"Say WHAT?!?" growled Rainbow in disbelief. "Who said that? Who the heck said that?1? Line me up with them right now!"

"Nobody said it, I just made it up," I said nonchalantly, to which she gasped and Scootaloo laughed.

"Why, you little - !" she remarked, impressed and beaming from ear to ear. Home run!!!, I thought to myself.

"Hey, I thought you were a lot faster than me, but I'll definitely take almost and run," I said shrugging my shoulders.

"Nopony gets the jump on the me!" said Rainbow, and without warning she rammed her shoulder into mine which sent me flailing into the ground with a spectacular thud. I honestly couldn't believe she did that, nor could I believe how easily she did like I weighed no more than a feather. As shocked and impressed as she'd been a moment ago, now it was my turn to one up her as I beheld smirking down at me triumphantly. She reached out her hoof to help me up with the sun right behind her head giving her a deserved halo. I grabbed her hoof and pulled her down to the ground there where cloud of dust erupted, with tails and hooves flying every which way.

"Hey, no fair, you're both bigger than me!!!" cried Scootaloo as joined in on the fun.

"Take that!" screamed Rainbow over our wild laughing. I was never much of a wrestler, or a fighter, so I attempted to crawl away from this heart attack even though I was having an absolute blast.

"Yes!" I cried hysterically to myself as I saw nothing but green in front of me. Suddenly though I felt teeth on my tail. "Uh oh..." Rainbow dragged me backward underneath her front hooves again.

"Ha!" she cried, with a triumphant beam and breathing heavily as she pressed her hooves into my chest and I stared up at her. "Too bad I've taught the boys a thing or two about football and wrestling 'round here. Now say uncle!"

"Nah," I said, chuckling as I tried to catch my breath. We stayed like that for a few silent seconds, save our breathing of course, and I had full close-up view of those magenta eyes of hers. Her cheeks were now a bright red, and I think it was crystal clear to both of us just how happy we were. This is where I belong. She sure can't hide her loving and compassionate side from me underneath all that toughness.

"Hey," asked Scootaloo seriously, who was now standing beside us. I thought I detected perhaps a sense of concern in her tone, which made me very curious. "Do you guys like ... like each other?"

Rainbow's eyes flew open scared and quickly pulled herself off of me, dismissing Scootaloo with a wave of the hoof and a laugh.

"Of course we like each other, we're friends, what, you think I don't like my own friends? Of course I like my own friends, silly," she said, talking very fast with a nervous grin covering herself. I was still on my back and I felt my heart fluttering with delight. This sort of thing was certainly the Rainbow Dash I know and love.

"Well anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to go see the rock n' roll concert tomorrow night in Baltimare with me," Scootaloo said with wide hopeful eyes. Rock n' roll? I had to contain myself; that was something I always wanted to go to since I was young. I couldn't be rude though, so I stood there hoping with everything that they'd invite me.

"Who is it Squirt?" started Rainbow, putting her hoof on Scootaloo's back. Before she could answer, Rainbow gasped. "Wait- you don't mean... Thunderhooves??? Oh my gosh, I completely forgot that's tomorrow!"

"You can come too if you want," Scootaloo said to me.

"I love Thunderhooves, but I guess it's up to her if I go or not," I chuckled nodding to Rainbow.

"You still like Thunderhooves too?!?" she cried with hysterical excitement.

"Did you forget the time we snuck into one of his first concerts in Cloudsdale? That was before he even got big across Equestria."

"Of course I didn't forget! I just didn't know if you still liked him... I talk to some ponies that are like 'we grew out of him' or some nonsense," she said with a hilariously over the top and unflattering impersonation.

"Scootaloo!" called the voice of an unseen filly rather urgently.

"Oh! Alright, see ya guys tomorrow," said the filly as she galloped away, leaving the two of us standing shoulder to shoulder watching her.

"You were really good with her," remarked Rainbow.

"It's one thing to be good with kids, it's another thing entirely to be their hero, which you obviously are," I replied, and I realized I could relate to Scootaloo in a special way.

"Alright, cut that out," she said, stomping her hoof and looking away with a blushing smile.

"Whatever you say hero," I replied.

"Sonic, stop! We're in public," she begged under her breath, trying to conceal her bliss. "Come on, you gotta try this Hog Slop back in town," she went on excitedly, changing the subject. "Ok, picture this; a huge plate of carrots smothered in fresh cut grass, hay fries, melted cheese, barbecue sauce, and tangy mustard. It'll change your life!!" she exclaimed with her front hooves in air. My mind processed all of this thing's ingredients and my eyes widened.

"Where is this thing of which you speak?" I said crazily with my tongue out.

"Just follow me," she said, and took off running towards town. "If you can keep up with me that is," she added with a smirk and wink.

"Geez, slow down!" I cried excitedly and galloped after her. The two of us took off running down the valley path like true race horses. At first I was mostly concerned with sprinting as fast I could because she really is that fast, and if I didn't put most of my energy into that she was going to pull away from me in those first few moments out of our burst towards town. But I was so happy as I threw my legs forward down that path that it barely felt I was using any energy at all.

I closed my eyes and let the wind flow over my face through my mane knowing that when I opened them back up that she was still going to be in front of me, and the same sun in the beautiful blue sky would still be shining down on the two of us. When I did open them the toughest pony I've ever known turned around as she ran and looked back at me with the sweetest smile I've ever seen. I didn't know that happiness of this level was possible. I was galloping breathlessly on air. Anyone who says Rainbow is all tough and no love has never seen her like this.

Finally we came to a side-by-side walk as we came within a few stone skips from town.

"Wow..." I remarked chuckling. "I thought I was in decent shape, but that just wasn't fair."

"Only a few steps behind me, they must call you Sonic for a reason," she said between breaths, clearly pleased with my remark. "I'm so glad you came back," she added, giving me a lovely pair of magenta eyes very close to mine. If it were up to me I never would've left you. We put our shoulders together and strutted into town together without missing a beat.

"Hey Rainbow! Who's your friend?" called the voice of young mare. We just got out of the hills and were now officially in town and surrounded by buildings, and everyone was out given it the bright and gorgeous day. Whoever it was had caught Rainbow and I in a stare. We were making up for all our time lost, and plus, I could stare into her eyes for the rest of my life.

"Oh hi Cheerilee! This is Sonic Rain, my super awesome friend who *finally* moved here," she said proudly. I bit my lower lip in heavenly embarrassment and waved at Cheerilee, a purplish mare older than both of us by maybe ten years or so.

"You know, I'm not really sure it's necessary to introduce me as 'super awesome'," I said shyly, flashing her a smile with my head down. She saw it and started yelling playfully at me.

"Will you stop being so CUTE?"

She seemed to regret saying it that loud because as soon as she said the word cute she glanced back to Cheerilee with a nervous expression which was followed by a blush.

"Well... I don't know if cute is the right word," she said, chuckling in a manner that I could only comment that cute might not be a strong enough word. Unfortunately for her I think Cheerilee clearly perceived what was going on and it was obvious that she loved it, though she tried to mask her full knowledge.

"Very nice meeting you Sonic," she remarked with an adoring grin. "You know, I don't know if I've ever heard her speak so highly about somepony before," she continued, glancing at Rainbow with a hidden smirk. My ears were already down so they couldn't fall lower than they already were.

"Is everyone here as nice as you?" I asked genuinely, as she had piled on the warm feelings. She chuckled and threw her hoof out humbly.

"I sure hope so for someone like you! You know, you and Rainbow look quite happy together, just thought I'd say that. Welcome to Ponyville!" she added before she walked away happily.

"Quit being so... adorable! We're in public!" she whispered despite enjoying herself tremendously. "These ponies think I'm tough!"

"You are!" I retaliated, shaking my head... I don't think the ponies around us realized this was the greatest 24 hours of my life as they passed be.

"Come on!" she said, nudging me forward through the crowd down the street.

Not even my dreams did her justice... She suddenly whipped me in the face with her tail and laughed, breaking into a trot. I shook my head and galloped after her till I was back beside her. All the way through, eyes of ponies young and old from all different directions turned and watched us. We were letting our bliss radiate from us onto other ponies, and as such we got almost nothing but smiles, some of them definitely wondering about us. I could occasionally hear whispers and such from somewhere.

"Say, who's that stallion with Rainbow?" said one distant voice.

"Geez, I swear it almost looks like they're a couple," said another.

"No way, not Rainbow," murmured someone from the same vicinity. All the while, Rainbow was like the life of the town, calling to as many ponies as she could.

"Right there," she finally said pointing to a old-looking house on the corner with eating tables outside. She cut in front of me and bolted up to the door while I chased her from behind. She opened the door and shoved her head inside. "Hey Smokey Joe. Can we get two Hog Slops out here?" she called to an unseen pony. "The usual to drink for me, Sonic you want anything to drink?" she said sticking her head back out at me.

"Root beer," I said, nodding. Her face lit up into an excited smile before sticking her head back in the door.

"Make that two root beers Smokey."

She pulled her out of the doorway and galloped over to a table and jumped into a chair on one of the open tables, throwing her hooves back behind her head while I sat down on the opposite side. She was leaning back into her front legs and staring straight at me with a bright beam. Then she suddenly sat forward and threw her lips around her root beer straw, though not taking her shining eyes off me.

"So, Sonic... What do you think of my new town?" she asked. There was a kind of a hope in her question that was visible in her expression. I think we both knew the answer to that question, but it was as if she wanted to hear it straight from my mouth.

"You know... when I was a colt, and up until now for that matter, of all the places we moved to, I always liked Cloudsdale the best," I stuttered, looking around at the colors and mountaintops. That was because she was there... Of course most of that had to do with the fact that I associated her with Cloudsdale. "But these hills... this place has a feeling that I can't even explain. Ponyville is-," I said, trying to find the right words.

"Ponyville is just that awesome," she finished for me.

"Exactly," I said, beaming in agreement. "I mean, I don't even know what to- where has this place been all my life?"

"Sonic, you don't even know how awesome it is. I mean there's iron pony competitions, the running of the leaves, rodeo's," she went on happily, and I found her listing off all sporting events extremely cute, especially with that gleam in her eyes.

"Still the athlete," I said shaking my head with a smile.

"You know, there's other stuff too," she said with her ears dropping in embarrassment. "I mean we got the best home-cooked food in Equestria here, we got water holes, salt flocks, and fr- "

"You're the reason I'm in shape right now, and any skill I have in flying is also because of you."

"I am?" she asked, excitedly curious.

"Well yeah," I continued, and her eyes widened. "I don't know if this is really that big secret anymore but you were kind of my idol when we were kids," I continued, at which her ears fell down yet again as she turned her head with a smile. "Some ponies are naturally talented, but nobody had your drive. Do you remember that one time we were playing after school, and it was like four days before that big camp race and you had me running practice runs with you until I threw up?" I said, unable to avoid smirking at the last part. She tried futilely to hold back laughter has her mouth curled into a smile and her hoof covered up before she broke into that raspy cackle of hers.

"Ummm," she said, as I sat there shaking my head. "I don't know if I remember that... I mean, maybe-?"

"Oh good - because, you know that's an image of me I definitely want you to have forever," I remarked sarcastically, though on the inside I was thrilled beyond measure to just have made her laugh.

"Yeah that sounds like me," she said, kicking her legs and finally settling down.

"Well anyway, you went on to get first place and I think I took fourth because I still didn't have my steering down. Oh and for the record, before I met you I never pushed myself or did anything hard like that, granted I was ten years old. But when I saw you out there when no one else was, daring your body to give up against your spirit, I was just in awe," I said.

By now she was deeply flattered and absurdly pleased.

"Anyway," I continued, "when we were having a hard time with the stuff we did in camp you used to whisper over to me 'don't give up now, Sonic! This is how we get stronger right here and right here!' " I said, pointing to my wings and my heart in imitation of her, "and 'how we can we ever be fearless if we're too afraid to keep going now?' Amazing that a ten year old filly could have such a deep understanding of that kind of thing. You taught me a valuable lesson... that you can use your body to strengthen your mind, and I've been exercising hard ever since," I remarked with a bright smile of thanks.

Her eyes were twinkling; it was like I told her the only thing she ever wanted to hear in life for the first time.

"And that doesn't apply just to your body, but with struggling in general and the importance of never giving up, cliched as that may sound. It all really prepared me for... well," I stopped myself, looking off the side. It was the first time in many hours my emotions dipped, and a flicker of sadness burned lightly in me for a very short moment.

"Gosh darn it!" she suddenly cried with a suppressed giggle as she slammed her hoof to her face.

"What?" I asked amusedly, the sadness all but extinguished.

"Now I'm feeling all tingly again," she remarked.

"Oh, well... *my bad*," I replied playfully.

"You know, as long as you're making confessions," she said with an eyebrow raise, "I'll go ahead and give you one."

"Alright, hit me," I replied, quite curious. She looked away as though she was having a hard time finding the right way to say something, despite having a beautiful beam on her face. Just looking at her and I felt an unexplainable feeling in my heart, like I knew she was about to tug at it.

"Well, I usually don't admit things like this, but there was this one time that you and I were - do you remember when we were playing at the Rainbow River and flying through the falls, and those two fillies came by and played with us?"

My mind immediately searched through my memories for that moment. Rainbow River... Then I had it.

"Yeah," I said, shaking my head up and down, before locking in to her eyes. The image of us playing together in those falls was fresh in my mind frequently, but since we did that several times it took a moment to find the day that the two fillies joined us. Now I was staring intently at her, as I couldn't recall anything from her worth confessing and was super curious about where she was going with this.

"Don't tell anyone this, but you remember how they were like super nice to you for a couple days and then just disappeared?"

"Yes," I said with a widening smile. I had no idea what was coming, but she was turning the color the red with an embarrassed smile.

"Well, I could tell that they really liked you, and... Don't tell anyone this, but I was really jealous and I sort of... told them to get lost," she said with her head turned away and pleading eyes of forgiveness.

"Rainbow!" I said out loud, holding back my laughter.

"No wait!" she cried, flying into defense mode. My heart was already in danger of growing wings and flying away the way it felt about this story so far. Waiting was the hard part. "A few days later, you were asking me about them, and I told you they said they didn't wanna play with us anymore or something. Well, you were all sad and said that you thought you and I had a made a couple new friends, and then I got sad since you were sad. But then you smiled and said that it didn't really matter anyway because I'd always be your best friend."

Forget my dumb story... Just when I thought I couldn't get any happier, Rainbow Dash somehow plucked my heart and lifted it even higher. And she wasn't even done.

"As you can imagine," she continued with a shameful grin. No, stop, you're gonna kill me... "I felt pretty bad after that. Especially because you loved everyone. So to hear you say that about me was like - . Well, I felt like the lousiest best friend in the world, and I vowed to never be jealous ever again. I even said sorry to those girls after you left and we became friends. Please don't tell anyone that story."

"Rainbow," I muttered out loud, swimming in my emotions.

"Yeah?" she asked, with widening eyes. I wasn't even sure what I said or why I said it, or what I was going to say now. But nothing mattered to me, because I was staring into the loving eyes of Rainbow Dash.

"Uh," I muttered. Finally I realized that what I'd said was a compulsive reaction to my sudden injection of absurd delight. Gotta say something! But she didn't seem to find this silence awkward all. In fact we were starting to have another moment like in the forest, where we exited reality altogether and traveled to another realm with one another.

"Yeah, but you've been jealous lots of times since then. Remember Mare-Do-Well?" said a familiar girl's voice from the left that caused both of us to jump, especially Rainbow (she shot up ten feet into the air, flipping our table over in the process; thankfully the waitor was like ten feet from us with our two hog slops, wondering what the heck was going on).

"GEEZ PINKIE!" cried Rainbow, breathing hard in air as she settled back to the ground. Pinkie Pie was standing two feet from the table, her wide eyes right up close to mine and spouting a ridiculously oblivious smile. Rainbow came back down as I flipped over the table.

"Sorry about that," I shot over to our waiter as I got back in my seat, who was still confused. "Right here," I said, holding a hoof up with an intentionally over-the-top grin. He ignored my attempts at humor and set down the two hog slops down rather awkwardly and then walked away quickly.

"Hello Rainbow, hello Sonic! What are you two up to? Mind if I join you?" she asked friendlily.

"Pinkie - you can't sneak up on me like that, we've talked about this!" barked Rainbow.

"I always sneak up on you though, I thought by now you were used it!" she said, giving Rainbow a look as though she was the dumb one. "Honestly, ever since Sonic got here, you've been acting weird!" she added.

"Ughh," she said with a gasp, burying her face in her hooves.

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash," said Pinkie, suddenly sincerely. Rainbow took a deep breath from behind her hooves before she started laughing.

"I know, I know," she replied, rubbing her eye with a hoof. "I know you are, I don't mean to be - it's just that -" she started before looking up at me and seeing my relaxed smile. "She's a really good friend, but she does this all the time. You get used to it. Kinda... sorta... not really," she whispered to me with a chuckle, and then noticing the huge portion of food in front of her. There was a rumbling sound from her stomach. "Oh that's right, I'm starving," she remarked, before she buried her mouth on top of her plate.

"Wow, this thing is huge," I remarked. She wasn't kidding; piles of carrots, grass, hay fries, barbeque sauce and tangy mustard. I looked up and saw her digging in shamelessly, and personally I thought it was really cute.

"What do you think Sonic?" she said cheerfully with a mouthful, peeking her head up. I hadn't even managed a bite yet.

"Oh, you got the hog slop?" said Pinkie sadly, as though she was in desperate need of it as well. "Can I have some of yours?" she said to me with a puppy face.

"Sure," I offered.

"No!" screamed Rainbow, as Pinkie zeroed in on my plate. She pulled it away as Pinkie's suddenly huge mouth clamped down onto nothing. "Rule number one about living in Ponyville; never offer food to Pinkie," she said, chuckling embarrassingly to me before shooting her friend a dirty look.

"What?!?" she cried hysterically.

"Oh don't even get me started," said Rainbow, as they broke into an argument.

"Hello girls!" said an unknown girly voice from the other direction, shutting the two of them up. We all looked over together and saw a shining white mare with royal purple mane and tail walking towards us.

"Hi Rarity!" said Pinkie. The white mare walked up to us with a friendly expression but didn't notice me until she was right up close to us.

"Oh!" she said, startled to see me.

"Hello," I said, matching her previous friendliness and standing up. She stared silently for a moment, examining me from head to toe and then turned her head away with a bashful smile.

"Oh," she said as though she was impressed, blinking her eyelashes eloquently. "And who is this fine-mannered stallion?" she asked.

"Sonic, nice to meet you!" I replied, offering a cheerful hoofshake which she accepted with a giggle. I knew immediately what was going on, and I was honestly very flattered, but my heart belongs to someone else of course.

"He just moved here! He's really nice, and he's from Canterlot," said Pinkie, to which Rarity gasped.

"You are?" she asked even more excitedly and admiringly. Pinkie wasn't doing me any favors at this point, and I just kind of chuckled embarrassingly not really knowing what to say, looking at Rainbow for support.

"Uh, actually, Pinkie, I'm not really fro-"

"This is my really good friend Sonic, he just moved here," said Rainbow, putting emphasis on "my" defensively. Rarity was surprised to hear this.

"Rainbow? This is your friend?" she asked as though she couldn't believe it.

"Uh... yeah," said Rainbow.

The white mare then observed the two of us very thoughtfully, saw the food in front of us, and went first from me and then to her friend sitting across from me, and then back and fourth in a very inquisitive manner. Pinkie Pie started rambling about something in the background, but Rainbow was now looking at Rarity nervously while I was just stuck sitting there smiling awkwardly. Rarity was noting everything about Rainbow's expression and body language, like she was trying to discover something.

I pretended to start eating and act like I wasn't watching, though I saw Rarity draw leaning backwards with a shocked expression as though she just had a revelation she couldn't believe, while Rainbow started blushing with deep embarrassment. She then put on an expression that seemed to be a desperate plead to Rarity for something. They were having a silent conversation, and I knew exactly what they were saying. It was a special feeling, what I felt right then as I looked into my food trying desperately to hide my smile.

"This is really good," I said with an enthusiastic head shake to Pinkie.

"Pinkie," said Rarity with a huge smirk.

"Yeah, Rarity?"

"Why don't you and I go do something together?" she said, trying to wipe the smirk off her face and with a failed attempt to put on a more natural one.

"Oh! Ok," she replied, rather surprised. "You two wanna come with us? I wanna get to know my friend's friend better!" she said, gesturing to me.

"Oh no, my dear Pinkie. I think these two should stay here. They need to catch up," she said with a wink to Rainbow, who in turn gave her an expression of relief and gratitude. I turned my head away and tried my hardest not to laugh with too much happiness. I simply couldn't believe what was happening to me, and I had to clutch my chest where my heart was. "You are a gentlecolt," she said to me with a lady-like bow, before walking away. "Come, Pinkie!"

I pretended to start eating again and out of the corner of my eye I watched Rainbow, who was watching her two friends walk away and smiling at them. I turned my head over and saw Rarity mouthing something to her with an impressed and happy smirk, before she saw me and quickly turned her head to where she was headed. I couldn't keep from smiling, and I turned my head back to Rainbow and saw that she was staring at me, which was fine because I was longing to go swimming in her eyes.

"What is happening to me?" I asked in disbelief.

"Do you wanna maybe... Find a cloud to sit on?" she asked, growing desperate to embrace her again.

"Here we go again," I said out loud, clutching my chest. I felt my wings flapping gently, on their own accord and not mine and in union with hers as my heart climbed into a state of mystical ecstasy. We locked our hooves together and hovered over the world that we owned.

"I've had a crush all these years and never told anyone," she declared.

"I rested my head on your feather when I went to sleep at night," I uttered.

"I secretly asked Princess Celestia if she knew who and where you were last year," she confessed. We flew faster and began twirling around each other as we climbed higher into the sky our hooves and eyes gridlocked. "And I lied when I said I didn't recognize you at first at the party."

"My favorite place in the world is where ever you are," I said, overwhelmed.

"I once went like twenty straight nights where I dreamed about you," she said with her ears falling.

The next thing I remember is smashing through a cloud and winding up on the softest one in the sky.

"This is the best day of my life," I declared.

"Your eyes are literally the most beautiful things I've ever seen and I don't care how sappy that sounds," she proclaimed.

She buried her head in under my neck and I wrapped my front legs around her. Then we put everything else aside and we kissed each other again. We stayed there for almost the rest of the entire day and never left each other's grasp.

Developing Relations

A deep purple, vast enough to encompass a world of it's own, mixed with faint twinkles and pink clouds appeared to my eyes. It was perfect; this was my first day on the job, and I sure as heck wasn't going to be late. Getting up at the crack of dawn was never that hard for me to begin with as I'd grown accustomed to waking up to the sun's light having slept outside much of my life, but this time it was especially easy.

I was both nervous and excited. Definitely I was still psyched about my new situation, and settling into my new life, but now I wanted to make a good impression to the other ponies here. At the same time though with my relationship with Rainbow so well it felt like I could only be so nervous about anything.

I took a shower, ate a couple of apples and brushed my teeth in ten minutes flat and I was out of the house. I actually wasn't even really sure where we started for the job, so I headed for Rainbow's, though of course I was headed there regardless of where I knew we were supposed to start. I was every bit as excited to see her again as I was to start working with her.

As I glided over Ponyville the sun's light pierced over the horizon and lit the rooftops with the first snippets of bright gold. Slowly but surely the first couple doors were opening and you could see the first couple ponies waking up and opening their front doors to step outside. I had my sight sets on a house of white clouds on the other side of town. The closer I got the wider my smile was.

I soared right up to the front of her house and landed right into a gallop up to her front door where I paused for a second, staring up and around at it looking for her. It was completely quiet, so I made my way to the side of her house where her bedroom is and peeked my head in the window. There she was, sleeping soundly in her puffy white bed across the puffy white room. She was neighing obnoxiously with every breath, her mouth opening wide enough to sneak a watermelon in whenever she inhaled.

I had never seen this form of sleeping for her - not this deep, at least. For someone who was so tough and prideful, she sure was adorable when she slept. I've also never heard anyone snore louder. I giggled and indulged for a few more seconds and then sat down beside her window, staring into space. Hmm... well now what? Come back later? I didn't want to wait that long; plus, she had to get up soon anyway, she had told me yesterday that she wanted to get an early start today in preparation for our job. How do I wake her up? I took another quick peek at her through the window.

Suddenly I felt a side of me that I didn't even know I had until just the other day- a prankster side. I don't know why, but pranks have never really been my thing, at least not since foalhood. Maybe I wasn't comfortable enough with anyone to really do them. But with Rainbow loving them so much, I guess I just never realized how lighthearted and joy inducing they can be. I had to try and silence my laughing just thinking about it.

Geez, where do I start? I hadn't brainstormed ideas like this since I was back in Cloudsdale as a 9 year old. It couldn't be anything painful, of course. I put my hoof to my chin and thought through some things, but I wasn't too pleased with any of them. Well after a few minutes something came to my mind alright, and I grinned deviously just at the thought of it. I hopped off the cloud and curled my wings for a speedy dive towards Ponyville, pulling them at the last second for a routine landing in front of my third favorite place in town; Sugarcube Corner.

I walked gently through the front door, hitting it open with my head; I knew this place would be open this early since a lot of ponies eat breakfast here. Standing on the other side of the counter, moving back and fourth like a pink hummingbird was exactly who I came to see.

"Hey there Pinkie, good morning!" I said, moving infinitely slower than she was as she whizzed back and fourth with various baking things in her mouth and hooves. To my surprise she ignored me for a solid ten seconds while I kind of watched in fascination at her motions. Then she came to a complete halt, stopping all motions and setting her face in her hooves with her front legs on the counter staring at me with a beam as wide as her eyes.

"I like you a lot, Sonic."

"S-say what?"

"Everytime I've seen you you have a big happy smile! And you're so nice! I'm so glad for Rainbow."

Phew! Really, I should've known she meant it like that.

"Uh," I said before my own chuckling interrupted me. I was stuttering amidst my laughter and embarrassment. This wasn't the first time I reacted like this in the last couple days. "Actually, Pinkie, I was sort of wondering if you could help me with that."

"Sure!" she said, with an absurdly excited smile.

"You know, that is if you're not too busy around here," I said with a shy chuckle.

"I'm done for now. I already know who's coming in here and what they're getting. Breakfast is almost always the same. That's why I was so busy when you came in here," she exclaimed. "Now what can I help you with? Huh? Huh?" she asked, gleefully impatient.

"Well, she needs to be waking up, and I was just wondering if you could help me of think of a fun way to do that," I told her, with an encouraging grin. "She told me you two are the biggest pranksters in town, so I thought I'd enlist your help."

She gasped, her eyes getting so wide that they twinkled with excitement.

"No pain," I added before she could speak. She looked like she was going literally burst for a moment, and then suddenly she just stopped, with complete control and pure deviousness.

"Come with me," she muttered.

I couldn't wait to try this. Rainbow was going to wake up alright. Pinkie had an entire stash of prank items in one of the back closets, and after giving me a hyped up explanation of each one, she let me decide. I settled on something fun and quick; it was a giant Pinkie Pie mask that she assured me Rainbow had never seen before. It had Pinkie's huge blue eyes and grin, and it was massive; three times her usual head, and every aspect of it was exaggerated to a totally manic level. It was obvious to me that Rainbow loved Pinkie as a friend but equally as obvious she also seems to be the only pony that can legitimately freak her out. And in the brief amount time I've already spent with Pinkie, I'd say I feel exactly the same way. Which is why this was such a good prank that I could hardly stand it.

I carried the mask with my two front legs and flapped away until I was back at her puffy front door, and my heart was already tickled in anticipation. I could already her scream and then the laughter the would follow it. I chuckled with glee and put the mask on top of my head, and ever so slightly nudged the door open. It creaked open, and her bed came into view, but through these tiny black holes over the eyes, I saw something rather important was missing. Rainbow herself. Her bed was empty and unmade.

I took the mask off and looked around. I walked over to the window and peered around the sky for a dash of rainbow. Nothing. Hmmm! I trotted back to the front door and checked the sky out there real quick. Well, shoot. I had to have just missed her. I wasn't gone for but fifteen minutes. I stood there still for a second and looked into Pinkie's big blue eyes. Do I save you for another day? I walked back to the front door and looked out over the horizon. The sun was a little more up now, but still no sign of her. I glided down to the path below leading back over the hills to my house. I slung the mask over my back and trotted off towards it, wondering if maybe she went there looking for me. Our plan was to meet as soon as we woke up, so I knew my house was a safe bet. I was gonna have to hide this mask or catch her coming around a corner.

Suddenly I saw three young stallions - all three of them pegasus - standing on the path as it topped over of one the little hills, talking to each other with the sun rising behind them. I knew they must have been weather ponies, so I excitedly called out to them, ready to make friends with my working partners.

"Hello there!" I called friendlily, trotting up to them. Their heads turned to me in unison, but their smiles faded from their faces. They looked me over as though they already knew a lot about me and were seeing how I measured up to whatever they'd heard. I walked up to them, not losing my energy. "So... are you guys weather ponies?"

"Yeah," answered the one on the left. He resembled Thunderlane though his mane was longer and a brighter color blue against his charcoal coat. The three of them continued staring at me. I brushed it off though, trying to ease them up a little bit. I went to introduce myself, but the middle stallion, a blue-eyed brown-haired stallion beat me to it.

"So... you must be Sonic," he said with an eyebrow raise.

"Yeah, very good," I replied with a beam, "nice to meet you guys," I continued with sincere enthusiasm. After not getting what I was hoping for, I went ahead and asked for it. "What are your all names?"

"Thorn," said the pony on the far left, pointing to the pony on the far right. "Crescent Moon," he continued, and brought his eyes on me. "And I'm Cloud Chaser," he said, rather reservedly.

"Do you guys know what time we start today?" I asked. Cloud Chaser and Crescent Moon looked at each other as Thorn interrupted.

"What is that on your back?" he asked, pointing to the giant Pinkie Pie mask that was still strapped across my back.

"Oh," I said, the question eliciting a smile and blush from me. "It's kind of a... long story. I was going to play a little, uh, well my best friend, she loves pranks like these," I muttered embarrassingly. Once again they all three gave each other a quick glance. They still hadn't smiled at yet. What am I doing wrong? "So uh, you guys know what time we start today?"

"Heh, why don't you just ask your girlfriend?" snickered the one in the middle, Crescent Moon. "It's up to her when we start."

"Alright," I said, embarrassed again. "Well, I'll see you guys later today then, huh?"

"Guess so, Big Shot," muttered Cloud Chaser.

"Big Shot?" I asked, taken aback, and rather hurt. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," he said with a chuckle, downplaying it. I looked down and thought, not knowing what they could be referring to. I'd only got here a week ago and I'd never met them before.

"Look guys," I started shyly, "if this is about Rainbow, then... I can assure you, I-"

"You want Rainbow you got her, we don't care," said Thorn on the right, defensively, and a hint of insecurity.

"Ok, then I haven't done or said anything to offend you guys, have I?" I asked.

"Nah, not necessarily," said Cloud Chaser. "I would just say you gotta earn respect here. Blowin' into town with a smile ain't enough."

"Guys," I started, with an appeasing and frustrated chuckle, "I'm just- I'm just trying to be friendly." I'm not sure how well I hid my disappointment and dejection. Suddenly there was a new, familiar stallion voice from behind.

"Hey Sonic, what's going on buddy? What's up guys?" said Thunderlane friendlily, running up beside me.

"You two are friends?" asked Crescent Moon, seemingly somewhat surprised and speaking for all three of them.

"Of course! Sonic here was one of my best friends at junior speedster flightcamp. Ain't that right?" he said with a smile to me, which felt very good right about then.

"Hm... interesting. Well, don't mean to be rude but off to get breakfast, see you around Thunder," said Cloud Chaser, and the three of them spread their wings and lifted off towards Ponyville. I stood there, somewhat deflated, though I felt better with my only other friend in the world right next to me. I took a deep breath and smiled at him, but I was too late, he had caught on.

"Eh, don't worry about them, they're just a little jealous. Rainbow is famous and pretty desired," he said. I couldn't feel bad for loving Rainbow Dash and vice versa, but I still really wanted to fit in here and make friends.

"Huh. 'Earn respect' he says," I muttered dismissively, thinking about my past.

"Huh?" he asked curiously.

"I don't understand," I said to him, as we started moving slowly back towards the path. "I thought this was the friendship capital of the world? When someone wants to be friends with me I-"

"It is!" he said, rather gleefully. "Those are just three stallions, Sonic, no one cares what they think. They'll get over it and you they'll love you by the end of the week. Bet on it."

I didn't know about the last part, but at least he was right about the first part; it was just three stallions. Everyone seemed so friendly the days before, I knew it had to be just a small number like that.

"Thanks," I remarked, shooting him a smile. I had almost forgotten I was looking for Rainbow. Now that we're like this, I feel like I almost reflect upon her when it comes to other ponies, so I wanted those reflections to be positive, and it was all the more reason for me to hit it off well and really make a permanent home in Ponyville and be a part of a friendly community that I can call my own.

"We screw up here and there, but I love 'em, they've seen a lot," he continued, before hanging his head low in disappointment. "You'd be surprised how bad we can slip up sometimes. The best turn against the best. We've always made up in the end, but I just hope it stays like that. There's still some ponies here who have a thing or two to learn about the friendship thing, but it's gotten pretty good on the whole. I think you'll be just fine," he said with a wink, that warmed me up a little bit. "You were like one of my best friends when we were little, I was so sad the day you left. I can tell you haven't changed much either, so I know they'll come around," he added.

"That means a lot to me, and you haven't changed either," I said sincerely with a grin. He couldn't hide being flattered, but he shrugged it off like the good stallion he is.

"Well like I said yesterday, you come in here and pull the sword out of the stone right when you walk in, the ponies that tried it aren't gonna like it," he said with a smirk.

"So what about you, huh? Which one of those mares is your soulmate?" I asked, giving his smirk back.

"Don't be ridiculous," he said with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Oh shut up!" I laughed, "I don't have to be a mare to know that you're a handsome devil!"

"I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked, turning his ears my way.

"You're a handsome devil?"

"One more time..."

"Ummm..." I rambled, shaking my head with a smile.

"Yeah well here's the thing, it's nice and all hearing that from you but it'd feel a lot better coming from Princess Luna."

"Princess Luna?" I repeated, amused and confused.

"Yeah, you know! The night princess. Oh that's right, you've probably never met her. Well, she's really cool, and *really* pretty," he said with a dreamy expression. I laughed out loud for a solid few seconds.

"Well, good luck with that," I told him. "You are really funny, do you know that? In a good way."

"Oh good, because I was about to ask funny how, like a rodeo clown or something?"

He can usually rattle off jokes with little emotion - more interested in the reaction from his audience - but now he was laughing heartily with me.

"All kidding aside," I said, getting it under control. "You and Rainbow gave me a chance when I was the new kid on the block, despite what it might've done to you guys' image. I did not and do not take it for granted."

"All kidding aside, there was always something about you. You have a twinkle in your eye and an appreciation for others that really sticks out."

"You know something?" I remarked, as his comment had really touched me in a way that no besides Rainbow had ever done. "I missed you a lot."

"Alright, enough of this soft stuff, what are we little fillies or something?" he said, looking ahead with a smile. He sounded just like someone else I know. "You met Applejack yet?"

"Apple who?" I asked.

"Yeah, you'll definitely wanna do that. So you've never heard of their family?" he asked as though I should have.

"What are their names? The Apple Family? Should I have?" I asked, and he laughed.

"You're in for a treat and a surprise, that's all I'll say, but yeah, great family," he assured me. "You wanna make some friends in Ponyville, that's a great place to start. Has Dash introduced you to her main group of friends yet?"

"Well, I've met Pinkie, and Rarity, but I still need to meet her other three best friends, but apparently some are out of town right now."

"So uh, do I even wanna ask about the mask?" he said, pointing to my back.

"Nah," I responded with a chuckle. Suddenly we heard a raspy female voice from somewhere in the sky, I think just in front of us.

"There you are!" said Rainbow Dash.

I looked up and expected to see her lovely smile outlined against an increasingly blue sky, but instead I couldn't see hardly anything outside the rest of her body. That's because she had this bizarre-looking mask on her face; swirly glasses, a mustache, a red clown nose, and to top it all off, an arrow meant to look like it was going through her head. I didn't know what the mask was about but I shook my head with delight anyway. This'll be good.

"Catch you later buddy," said Thunderlane with a lazy salute as he turned to walk the other way.

"You can hang out with us if you want, I don't think she'll mind," I told him.

"I'm a lot of things, Sonic. A third wheel isn't one of them," he replied with a smile and a wink.

"What in the world of sports is that on your back?" she asked in a gasping tone. It was odd to not see her expressions with the mask on. I knew it looked familiar somewhere, it was right on the top of my head too.

"I was gonna ask the same thing about your face," I said with a laugh. She zoomed to the ground and threw her mask off, her eyes glued on my back as I reached around for it.

"Is that a... giant Pinkie mask?" she inquired in disbelief and visibly a little frightened by it.

"Uh... yeah," I muttered, embarrassed.

"What were you gonna do with that?" she said with wide eyes. Now I was stuck. I chuckled in my embarrassment, and trying to think of words when staring directly into her eyes is especially distracting.

"Well, you were kinda still asleep when I went over to your place this morning and I was... trying to be creative I guess."

She wasn't angry at all (not like she really would be), and in fact she gasped with excitement, which froze me in place with the same.

"You're telling me we had the exact same idea?" she proclaimed, doing a back-flip right in front of me. "I went to Pinkie's this morning and got this mask to wake you up with!"

"What?" I replied, shocked. "I was there twenty minutes ago! Picking out a mask to wake you up!"

"Get out!" she shouted.

"What? Oh, ok," I said, pretending to be dejected.

"No, not really!" she said.

"I know!" I said, giving her a wink and a smile.

"Ugh! How do I keep falling for that?" she asked herself. I couldn't hide how much fun I was already having. "And of all the masks, you grabbed the giant *Pinkie* one. I'm impressed Sonic," she said with an admiring smirk, before she squeaked again. "I can't believe we had the same idea!" she reiterated, and gave me an especially bright smile.

For the first time this morning I really saw her. I still couldn't believe how beautiful she had become. It was the kind of beautiful that you stopped whatever you were doing and took some time to appreciate the first time you saw it each day. I decided to start talking before I got too distracted, though she really seems to like it.

"We need to talk," I said with a kind of smirk to make sure she knew it wasn't anything serious.

"Oh yeah?" she replied with a curious sneer.

"Yeah. Just how famous how are you?" I asked. She was definitely pleased with the question, she couldn't hide that. Not that she really even tried to.

"Pretty famous," she replied shamelessly, even striking a pose.

"Yeah, I know that," I said with a laugh. "But what I want to know is how many times you've saved Equestria, exactly? I mean you mentioned Nightmare Moon and Discord, but... it seems like there's even more to it than that, based on what I've heard in the last 24 hours from other ponies," I continued. She was ridiculously flattered; she laughed gently and her cheeks turned a bright red.

"Yeah, well, I'd be happy to tell you more about it a little later," she said.

"I'm sorta surprised," I remarked, "I thought you'd tell me all about it a little sooner," I continued, reassuring her with a complimentary smile.

"Well," she started, turning her head in the other direction. "My friends tell me I brag too much. I wanted to tell you about all that stuff, but I -," she said with an eye roll as though she didn't want to be reminded of it, before she finally came back to my eyes with a faint smile that hit me right in the heart. "I guess I also wanted to hear about you too."

I had several reactions to her remark. I guess I was deeply flattered that she was trying to do something like that for me, and I absolutely adored her for it. But on the other hand I didn't want her to feel like she had to hold back from me.

"You don't have to hold anything back from me, Rainbow. I want to hear all about what you've done, seriously," I assured her, and she looked appreciative. "You're the most amazing pony I've ever met. I *need* to hear what great things you've done."

"Well alright then," she replied with a proud smile, and her eyes flashed me her loving, romantic side.

"And can you please start with the elements of harmony? Because I thought they were like friendship elements, but then I heard from like three different ponies that there's more to it than that but they all told me they'd let you tell me, and-" I asked, before she cut me off with an absurdly excited smile.

"You don't know about that?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. Now I was starting to get really excited myself. Whatever this was, it was big.

"I told you, I've been living out west mostly, and - apparently in a cave," I said, hiding my memories and rather embarrassed. Instinctively we both started walking towards town side by side.

"It's no problem, Sonic. I'm always surprised at how many ponies haven't heard of me when I go to Manehattan and some other places further away," she said, throwing her hoof out at me.

"Trust me, if it was up to me I never would've left you that day," I remarked sadly.

"Trust me, if I was a little older and stronger, you never would've left," she said with an dash of protective love. I'm still getting used to this, having her right here to make everything better that is. For someone as wild and adventurous as she is, she sure knows how to make my heart serene.

"I knew you were gonna become famous. Even when I was out there alone somewhere, I always knew you were gonna make it. You were too awesome, too tough, too fast..."

"Well, I-" she started, laughing in embarrassment. I knew she loves this kind of thing, which is why I was so happy to give it to her. "You know, you were so fast when you were little. You were just completely out of control," she said bluntly with a chuckle. "But now, from what I've seen, it's like you're a different flier. I really think both of us can make the Wonderbolts, and not just the reserves."

"You think so?" I asked eagerly. On the Wonderbolts with Rainbow Dash? When and where?

"Yeah, I do. Today will be important for that though," she said.

"Why's that?"

"Well, Spitfire's going to be here today. She's evaluating our team's speed and efficiency in setting up the rainstorm," she said.

"Rainstorm?" I shouted. "Oh, yes!" I proclaimed, spinning around. I got my second name from rain. I have an unshakable love for it. That's why I didn't consider it a coincidence that my two biggest loves shared the same name. Well, kind of.

"This is your chance, Sonic. She knows it's only a matter of time before I become a first-teamer but now she can see what you're made of!" she exclaimed.

"Oh jeez. Is it gonna be that hard?" I asked nervously.

"No, we've got this! I've had this date circled for a long time. I always want our team to impress her; not that I care what she thinks, but given her rank, it's important," she continued.

"What do you think of her?" I asked, sensing they may have had some kind of rivalry. She pshed and whipped her tail.

"We're kind of rivals, I guess. She's got the higher rank right now, but that won't last," she told herself with a growl. "I used to admire her, actually. I suppose I still do somewhat, but she's done some stuff in the past I don't really like. Like this one time she totally just straight-up lied to me to try and trick me into getting her team a faster qualifying time!" she proclaimed. "And this other time, she doted all over Lightning Dust, though I guess she came around at the end-"

"Lightning who?" I asked.

"Long story. But just - we gotta do well today!!!" she proclaimed desperately, jumping in front of me and staring me down with puppy eyes for extra emphasis.

"I'll try my best," I said, quietly and seriously. I looked away up into the sky and thought to myself, feeling uneasy. I could see this was of the utmost importance to her. Up until then I had no idea what we were even doing today, since we'd been so distracted by catching up. I knew now this was my opportunity. My opportunity to impress not only her and Spitfire, but show this town that I was committed to them, and that they could count on me. I just wish I'd known beforehand. I could see her looking at me concernedly out of the corner of my eye.

"Hey, I think I just saw the eyes of a wolf a second ago," she said and put her arm around me, and even though there wasn't anything fierce about the way I was looking I was suddenly was filled with an unbreakable confidence and reassurance and I indulged in all the warmth of her being around me. "Sorry Sonic, I may have built it up too hard. Besides, together, you and I will be unstoppable!"

"You think so?" I asked.

"I know so! Wonderbolt races, Rainbow first place, Sonic second place! The best two flyers in Equestria!" she proclaimed, running her off across the air like a newspaper headline.

Just as I started laughing, Scootaloo the orange filly crossed the path intersection right in front of us as we were now right in front of town. She was scurrying along happily with a purpose until she saw us, and greeted us in the same friendly way she had the day before.

"Hey Rainbow, hey Sonic!" she called to us, running up to us.

"What's up Squirt!" said Rainbow, and they proceeded to do their hoofshake. I swear they look like the happiest big-and-little sister duo there ever was the way they interact with each other. Hmmm... what's something I could say to her that she'd genuinely appreciate?

"You know, that was some crazy skill you showed on that scooter yesterday," I said to her. I didn't know her very well but I was actually very impressed with what I'd seen.

"It was?" she asked, surprised.

"Well sure. I've been to cities all over the place and kids that ride a scooter use their leg to push them off. It takes some serious wing-flapping skills to be able to do something like that."

"Wow, I figured everyone used their wings," she said to herself in thought, but seemed to happy to have done something special.

"Nope. I don't even know if Rainbow could," I said with a quick glance to her and a wink to Scootaloo. Rainbow raised her eyebrow but the filly broke into laughter, but this time not even Dash could keep from smiling.

"But if that's true, then why do I have such a hard time flying?" she asked, her face turning to crushingly disheartened.

"Some wings take longer to develop. Sometimes foals' wings come in really quick, and others' it takes more time. It's nothing to be worried about, I'd say you're at about the latest some ponies get," I said, raising my eyes at her assuredly. I looked over at Rainbow, who was staring at me with fascination. I could see it was improving the filly's confidence somewhat. "In my experiences, some of the best fliers I've known were late bloomers. Did you know you can speed up the development a little bit based on what you eat?"

"You can?" they asked together, with Scootaloo's hyper enthusiasm slightly outweighing Rainbow's.

"Well yeah," I said, smiling at them both. "When I was in Manehattan I once delivered the mail to a pegasus nutrionist. She struck up a conversation and somehow she got to saying that if most kids tweaked their diet a little bit it could bring their wings in faster. I'm sure your wings are right around the corner anyway, but if you want we can sit down later and look at your eating habits, maybe change a few things, and who knows - maybe you'll be flying in a couple months."

The whole time I was talking the filly's eyes got bigger and bigger, eventually turning her face into a giant smile of hope and joy. I barely even finished at all and suddenly the filly was wrapped around my leg, squeezing it with her whole body, and I felt my heart melting away.

"Thank you Sonic!" she exclaimed hysterically. For someone who was trying to make a good impression on this kid, it really seemed like I was succeeding.

"No problem," I chuckled with red cheeks. "I figured you guys already knew this!"

I looked up at Rainbow, who was nearly in tears. There was only so much my heart could take. I'm so glad I delivered mail there...

"Hey we still going to that concert tonight?" asked Rainbow.

"It got cancelled," said the filly, sadly, pulling herself off of me.

"What?!?" shouted Rainbow in utter disbelief.

"But he's having another one at the Crystal Empire in three days," replied Scootaloo.

"Ugh, that's a much longer train ride," remarked Rainbow, but came back around. "But maybe we can all make the trip together, just the three of us," she said, beaming at both of us.

"That sounds awesome!" cried Scootaloo, who felt like an adult.

"Of course it does," she replied proudly.

"I got to go, guys! Me and Sweetie Belle are gonna have a meeting about what we're gonna do for the school talent show next week. See you later Rainbow! Sonic, you and I need to make up a hoofshake," she added, smiling brightly at me.

"Well if you say so," I replied, deeply flattered.

Dash and I stood side by side and watched her run away together. For just a moment it was one of those rare instances that was both awkward and delightful as we stood there silently impressed with each other. I still wasn't sure why she was so impressed with me but I was happy to have made them happy.

"She's like a sister to me," she muttered, still watching her get smaller as she headed down the path towards Sweetie Belle's house. I could see several memories in her eyes as she watched her. I was gonna have to delve into them later. "She really likes you."

"I really like her," I said.

We both smiled at each other. For the first time today Rainbow really let me indulge in her wonderful eyes. She is so loving on the inside, and when it shows through her eyes it's like looking into a snow globe with the utopian world of your sweetest dreams on the inside.

"Shouldn't you two be getting ready for the event tonight?" asked a pegasus passing by.

"Oh yes!" said Rainbow, leading the way in the sky. "Come on Sonic!"

Shaking Down the Thunder

By mid-afternoon I was increasingly nervous having this big responsibility suddenly thrust on me, but having Rainbow beside me all day leading up to it was definitely a great management tool. Warming up we first we practiced moving empty, white clouds around in place to simulate moving the rainclouds around in preparation for the thunderstorms that would take place later during the day. We then spent the rest of the early afternoon stretching our wings and partaking in flying exercises, though it eventually turned something more playful down the lines of twirling and gliding. I was careful to make sure we didn't tire ourselves out though, especially given Rainbow's enthusiasm.

"Come on, what's the matter? Can't you keep up?" she called to me with a smirk as we twirled wildly around each other over the south-side meadows.

"Not really," I shot back, "And I wanna make sure I have energy left for the job itself. I don't have all-day stamina like you."

"Sure you do," she said forcefully, though with a late wink to ensure her sincerity. "You just need a whip behind you, that's all," she teased, though I'm sure she was half-serious. If not all serious. Secretly, I needed it. Confidence is something that I've sort of been struggling with since the incident all those years ago. I don't like to talk about these things much, and... well, I'll just stop now.

Anyway, I decided I'd done enough twirling for the day. As much fun as it was spinning around her in the air and seeing the landscape change wildly in the background as I stared at her smiling face, it was rather dizzying.

"Whoa," I said, floating gently to the grass, struggling to keep my balance. The world continued to spin for a few more seconds, and I heard Rainbow land just beside me with a thud.

"So do you think you're you ready? And please don't hurl," I heard her say, as I leaned my head down.

"Oh no," I said, taking long deep breaths.

"So... *are* you ready?" she pressed, leaning in and looking intently at me as I brought my head back up from the ground. I looked up around the sky, and most of my nervousness was well under our control, but maybe a tiny bit of it showed for a second.

"Um... I think so," I said, with a gentle smile, but she raised her eyebrow.

"Wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Let's try it again. Are *you* ready?" she asked seriously, like a gym teacher firing up his class. I thought for a moment about my response and where I want wrong. Then I got it.

"Yep," I nodded.

"Sonic," she replied stiffly. "You gotta get tough. You gotta get nasty!" she said tenaciously.

"I do? I mean - yes!" I said, shaking my head and narrowing my eyes for a second. "I... do?"

"No, not really. We're just moving clouds around," she said, her face relaxing epicly into a kind of smirk.

"Rainbow!" I cried playfully. Though I was laughing now, her smile disappeared just as quickly it came.

"But we've gotta be fast, and getting tough and nasty will help you get fast. Attitude beats records," she snarled to herself, and I stopped laughing immediately.

"I'll give my last breath for you," I said to her almost instinctively and with a completely straight face, though it took a moment for me to realize I could've probably picked something better as I put my hoof to my chin. "Oh sorry, was that cringe?" I muttered, though she really seemed to like it.

"That's my stallion! That's what I wanna hear," she said with a proud chuckle. She turned her head back and gave me a quick head-to-tail examination and then came back with a look of confidence that I quickly felt in my heart. I thanked her with a beam. Then I took a deep breath and looked around. "Whatcha thinking about?" she asked.

The truth was, at that moment I was thinking about how badly I wanted to impress her today. More than that even just how badly I wanted to fit it in at Ponyville. You're well beloved, and I'm a nobody. In the past I had gotten used to it, but I just wanted her to have as much as she deserved. I hadn't proven myself yet and I didn't feel quite worthy of her.

"Oh you know, just doing well today," I said, looking at her. But she was looking thoughtfully at me, and with care. She didn't seem to buy it.

"Look, Sonic," she started, raising an eyebrow. "Everypony knows I'm not really a, you know... relationship expert," she started.

"You sure about that?" I said teasingly. I had to jump on that one.

"Shut up," she shot back, smirking. "But I do know that you can tell me anything. And-"

"I wasn't kidding," I said, interrupting. I looked directly at her appreciatively. I didn't want her to get the wrong impression. "I know I can tell you anything. And I promise I will," I said, assuring her with my eyes. "But... I just really want to do well today, that's all."

"I wanna do well today too," she said, smiling. "And I gotta say, I'm really impressed. You really are a great flier."

"You really think so?" I said with a bashful beam. You have no idea what that meant to me, for so many reasons. Obviously something like that from your crush is worth more than any money can buy, but flying is also a huge part of who I am. It's a big part of what makes the two of us who we are. It's always - as you may remember - represented a large portion of my hopes and goals for myself.

"Absolutely," she declared, putting her arm around me. "You are so well named! I mean you've got great speed," she remarked, impressed. "Not quite as fast as me of course but hey, don't feel bad- not even the wonderbolts are as fast as me anymore."

I turned a deep shade of red and looked away from her thoroughly delighted, too embarrassed to look her right in the eye.

"I guess there's more to flying than speed, though," I muttered quietly.

"Yes, there is!" she said, sticking her face in mine. "But you have the rest of that too! You've got three of the four things needed to be a *really* great flier; speed, control, and above all, determination," she went on, each syllable dripping with enthusiasm. But then she gave me a good and long look, and caught a glimpse of my past in her eyes. "But I'm still not quite sold on the fourth."

"And which one is that?" I asked, looking back into her. She took her time to answer, as though backing it up with her gaze.

She didn't get the chance. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Blossomforth, a blue-eyed white mare with a watermelon-colored mane landed just in front of us, panting heavily. She was looking at us, but she couldn't spit out words at first. Rainbow and I looked at each other somewhat confused. She raised her hoof in the air as if to give her a second while she caught her breath.

"There you are!" she said, looking at Rainbow. "We've been looking all over for you."

"Why? This thing is going down at 3:30 like it usually does," she replied eyeing her, then putting her hoof on her chin as she thought to herself. "We've still got a half hour to warm up, though we should be heading over there now anyway," she said, turning to me with a smile.

"That's not it. I don't feel like explaining it. Look, someone that wants to see you is at Sugarcube Corner. Can you just come with me, she'll explain everything."

"Who?" cried Rainbow with terrible curiosity.

"You'll see," replied Blossomforth with a wink.

"Come on," Rainbow said to me, and wasted no time launching off towards Ponyville. She was so quick that for a moment I stood there awkwardly with Blossomforth, who gave me a cross between a smile and a smirk.

"Uh... thanks?" I said with a chuckle, and no time to apologize for Rainbow's abrupt departure. Who, speaking of which was flying away from me. "Oh, right."

Rainbow touched down a block or two from the corner shop to give me a chance to catch up. I landed right next to her in front of the shop and the two of us walked side by side for the door. Her expression was a mixture of irritated and curious.

"This had better be important, taking away our warmup time like this," she muttered, probably more to herself.

Standing right outside the door were five ponies - all of them pegasus - three to the right and two to the left, all of them close to our age. They were talking amongst themselves, and it seemed pretty casual. They looked at us with a kind of "you're about to hear it" expression on each of their faces. On the left were two mares - the first a light purple with a dark purple mane with clouds and a sun for cutie mark, and standing next to her was a green mare with a purple mane and three suns for a cutie mark. On the right was Thunderlane, Whitewash, and a third stallion who was green with a grey mane and shamrocks for a cutie mark.

"What is this about?' asked Rainbow to them. "And are you guys ready to go?"

"Long story. We'll let her take it," said Thunderlane with a smirk and a nod to inside the shop. Rainbow let out a very mild exasperated gasp and continued in at high walking speed. I saw Thunderlane give me a wink as we headed in, all other eyes watching us too.

Rainbow butted through the door with her head as I followed right behind her.

"Alright, now who is so lazy that they couldn't- PRINCESS?"

Rainbow's tone of voice went instantly from irritated to horrified as a we found ourselves staring at the back of a very tall white mare with a flowing multi-colored mane, who turned around upon hearing Rainbow. Even if I had seen her fairly recently, it's not everyday you walk in on the princess who is requesting to speak with you and your girlfriend for whatever reason.

"P-princess Celestia?" she cried, falling to her knees, and I quickly followed suit. "Did I say lazy? I didn't say lazy, you didn't hear that, did you?" she said to me with a pleading smile. The white monarch laughed sweetly.

"It's quite alright, I admit I have a tendency to pass off exercise that I need to work on," she chuckled, and Rainbow followed up with a much more uncomfortable chuckle of her own.

"Uh, yeah... hehe." Looking back on it, it was actually kind of adorable.

"It's a pleasure to see you again Sonic," she remarked, and based on the affectionate tone in her voice and the authenticity in her smile there was certainly no doubting it. I couldn't help but blush a little bit. I was embarrassed since she was the reason I came here in the first place, even though I was incredibly thankful of course. I was struggling to find the right words as I smiled back at her, but I didn't have to.

"Wait a minute... you two know each other?" asked Rainbow quite curiously and looking straight at me with wide eyes. Ok, so... we had caught up on a lot, but I hadn't quite got that far. My ears fell in embarrassment as I struggled yet again to find words amidst my own chuckling.

"Absolutely. Sonic here is a hero of Canterlot. The day before he arrived here, in a most-impressive display of aerial skill he saved a small foal from a runaway cart tumbling down the hill," replied the Princess proudly.

"HE DID?!?" she yelled, though looking directly at me, as the Princess' laughter could be heard behind her. "Why didn't you tell me??"

"I was-" I started, blushing terribly now and loving every second of it, "I was getting to it, ok? I was about to tell you."

"That sounds... just like me," she muttered, much quieter this time, during which and after she stared into me intently, as though in disbelief. With every second she stared, the smile on her face grew and the twinkle in her eyes made itself a little more visible. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Princess looking on at the two of us in adoration. I had nothing else to say, so I just stood there and happily basked in her affection, and returned as much of it as I could.

"He's full of surprises, isn't he?" asked the monarch baitingly. "I am so happy to see that you two have become such good friends so quickly," she said with the sweetness of an angel.

To me she was plainly implying that she knew well what was going on, even if that wasn't her intent. Given the way I reacted when she mentioned Rainbow was the lead weather pony here back in the castle suite the day of the Canterlot incident, she could probably put together how I felt about her, especially given she seemed very intuitive to begin with. Rainbow even mentioned something about asking her if she knew where I was when we were making confessions. So for me to see the Princess smiling so approvingly was melting my heart away. That also meant she not only knew Rainbow, but probably knew her well.

It took Rainbow a moment to react and realize what was going on, but after a few moments her ears finally came crashing down to her head and she turned a reddish color as she looked away from me nervously.

"Right," she said, straightening herself out and attempting a tough, serious face. "So what can we do for you?"

"Well," the princess said, straightening out somewhat as well, "given nopony was able to locate you, and you clearly don't know the situation, I will go ahead and tell you that there was a little issue in Cloudsdale this morning."

"Issue? What issue?" said Dash, alarmed and anxious.

"It's quite alright and under control now," replied the monarch with a gentle smile. "There was a leak in the Cloudsdale reservoir that holds the water up there, the cause of which appears to be a thoughtless mistake on the part of one of the workers. It took nearly all of the pegasi from both Cloudsdale and Ponyville to ensure our entire supply of rainwater was not lost, though most of it was."

"What?" said Rainbow, as her mouth dropped open. I was surprised too and made what I could of it as quickly as I could. "But-" she said, looking at me. "Princess, we are soooooo... sorry. If I was there, I would have-"

"It's quite alright Rainbow, I do not blame you for wanting to get away and have a good time with each other," she said, chuckling. "Thankfully most of the pegasus ponies here were available, but when you couldn't be found I sent for some ponies to look for you. Of course Twilight is still away in the northwest, and around here you are the clear leader of the pegasi. I was hoping maybe you'd have seen or heard the ruckus at some point today," she continued.

"Well," said Rainbow, chuckling to me, "we were pretty busy in the south fields today, and we stayed pretty low to the ground. We're really sorry. Here, let us go help them. Come on, Sonic."

"That's not necessary, it was probably good for them to handle this on their own anyway and practice without usual leadership. Spitfire arrived early, so I had her head up the clean up and restoration efforts. Also it was certainly good for you two to spend some time together," she said, smiling. "I gather by now though you are no longer needed, and I think they are handling themselves just fine. However I still need you to carry on your scheduled rain shower for this evening."

Rainbow turned to me for a moment, probably making sure we both understood. We were both still surprised at the news and putting it all together. But she explained it perfectly.

"Um," said Rainbow, putting her hoof to her forehead, "ok, do they still have our clouds or do they have to be made?"

"Fortunately, all the clouds for your scheduled rainstorm are ready. Unfortunately, however, plenty of pegasi are still cleaning the water and salvaging what they can from the leak. But I personally had some of the six best ponies sent back to help you - you saw five of them outside and Blossomforth, who is surely the reason you are here now. The eight of you will have to take care of it yourselves."

"Ok, we'll get started on that right away. You can count on us Princess," she said with a loyal salute. The white mare's smile faded once again and instead she now had a more apologetic look.

"I'm so sorry you two, but I must ask one more request of you," she said, and the two of us looked at each other and then back at her in anticipation. "We will need to harvest the water from the reservoir here today - thankfully it is mostly full - since Cloudsdale has now lost most of its water to the earth beneath it. Call it an 'emergency water tornado' if you must. But with young Sonic here to help you, I have the utmost confidence in you. The two of you - your team of eight and the remaining pegasi still in Cloudsdale - must work fast so you can get together and make the tornado once you're finished before the sun lowers across these lands. Do you understand?"

Rainbow Dash and I took it all in and one last time, and after one more look at each other she spoke on behalf of both of us with a dutiful declaration.

"We understand completely," she replied.

"I'm very sorry about this," said the princess, and her body language certainly backed it up. "I will ensure you are all rewarded for this service. Perhaps front row tickets to a Wonderbolt show? Though maybe I should pick something different for you two, since you may be in the show yourselves very soon," she said with an encouraging smile.

Rainbow laughed and I chuckled.

"Hey, she knows what's up!" Dash proclaimed joyfully, giving me a hoofbump which I was happy to return. "Come on, let's go. Just follow my lead. Just like we practiced today. You're more than ready," she said, and the two of us made for the door quickly. Anxiety was increasing but I was determined to not let her down. Given her words of encouragement, I'd say I was just confident enough.

Rainbow Dash burst through the front door of the shop and took off trotting, spreading her wings in the process and launching off right in front of the shop. The other six of them (Blossomforth was back now) and myself spread our own wings and took off together right behind her.

"So you all know the scoop, right? Otherwise you wouldn't have been standing there," said Rainbow as we ascended towards Cloudsdale at a cruising pace so we could still talk to each other. "Oh, and by the way," she added in an extremely irritated tone, "thanks for the heads up that was Princess. I'll remember that the next time you're walking into a situation you aren't prepared for."

"Blossy didn't tell you?" asked Thunderlane.

"I told you... never call me that."

"Hey, I haven't met you yet," said the green mare with the purple mane to me as she flew up beside me, "but my name's Merry May."

"Oh, yeah, sorry Sonic. Everypony, this is Sonic if you haven't met him. Prepare to be impressed," Rainbow said now flying backwards with a proud smile that I deeply appreciated. "You know Thunderlane. That's Whitewash," she continued pointing to a gruff white stallion with a blue mane, "and you know Blossomforth."

"Yep," Blossomforth added hovering on my right.

"That, over there, is Clear Skies," Dash said moving onto the light purple mare with the dark purple mane who was now just to my left.

"Hello there!" she said daintily.

"Hi," I replied, shyly but friendlily.

"And that's Buddy," she finished, pointing to the green stallion with the grey mane.

"Great name," I told him with a beam.

"Thanks," he replied, looking away with a smile.

"Where are you from? Because I've heard a couple different things," asked Blossomforth.

"Oh," I started nervously.

"So we are all good now, right?" asked Rainbow, oblivious to the question and rescuing me as she turned around and looked over her shoulder, accelerating slightly. The vast city in the middle of the blues skies came into full view with the trees and greens below us were getting a little smaller.

"Yeah, I think so, but how do you wanna do this?" he asked loudly up to her. Basically, when you're flying at this speed - a fast cruise - you have to raise your voice in the wind or else you won't be heard. Of course when you're flying full speed, you don't talk to anyone, as that would be a waste of time and energy.

"Let's see what we got when we get up there," she replied, and picked up her pace again, so we did as well. It was starting to hit me as the floating city got bigger and bigger in front of us that not only was I about to return to the place I met and knew Rainbow Dash during my childhood, but I was actually part of a weather team... led by her.

Suddenly flying up a few feet in front of me and looking back to talk to me was Clear Skies.

"So you know Rainbow Dash? That's so cool! I know everything there is to know about the mane six. All their adventures, how they've saved us," she started, and some of the other ponies let out a sigh, especially Whitewash and Thunderlane. I did very much appreciate her trying to make me feel welcome, and was eager to befriend these ponies.

"Here we go," whispered Thunderlane under his breath.

"Mane six?" I asked. I had a feeling this had to do with the so-called elements of harmony again.

"Oh, you know! Rainbow and her five friends, the elements of harmony. That's what we call them. A little nickname," she said, throwing her hoof out. I sobbed a little bit on the inside. Rainbow and I still hadn't got that far yet. She agreed to tell me about the elements after all of our stuff today.

"Yeah, you know, the only six ponies who ever do anything heroic or important in Equestria," Thunderlane muttered sadly to himself.

"Telling the new guy about your weird obsession with six ponies, one of which is his girlfriend, is not the best way to introduce yourself," said Whitewash with an irritated eye roll.

"It's not an obsession. I'm just a big fan that's all," she said in reply. "Right Blossomforth?"

"It's definitely sort of close to an obsession, Cleary," replied the white mare with the watermelon mane. Clear Skies gasped.

"Merry May? Please help me here," she called to the green mare with the purple mane.

"Uh," she said, laughing nervously. "Rainbow, what do you think?"

"Hey, I understand it," she said, with a smirk to herself before she turned back and her facial expression switched to a little uncomfortable. "Well, it does border on creepy sometimes. Like she knows *every* detail. Don't you even know about the red dragon complaining about how I kicked him?" she asked uneasily, before switching back to proud. "Which is true by the way, I totally did."

"Jeez, maybe I do have a problem," she said to herself. "I'm sorry, I just love your girls' stories, that's all! They're like the Daring Do books," she said, and Rainbow's face lit up with excitement. Seeing that lit mine up as well. She was going to read me those stories personally.

"Now she gets it," remarked Whitewash.

"Well hey, at least I didn't get kicked out of the Wonderbolt academy for ... what was it again?" she shot back smugly.

"None of your business, that's what," he replied angrily.

"Come on guys, play nicely," said Thunderlane with a smirk.

"Thunder's right guys, we don't want to give a bad first impression to our new team member," said Buddy - the green stallion - with some delicacy in his voice. "We usually get along really well, though this is the first time we've ever been together as a team of eight," he added, to which I chuckled.

"Focus, guys!" cried Rainbow. "We got a job to do here!"

"Right," replied most of them, looking ahead with straight faces, or at least trying to.

With that comment, we all but arrived at the white city and weather capital of Equestria. Returning here was a surreal moment for me. One decade ago, a ten-year-old and a nine-year-old were best friends here. They flew in and around the pillared homes and factories, the rainbow falls, the flying arenas... this is where it all started. This is where all the memories with her that I took with me through my life were born. When I was a colt, this is where my fears came to die whenever she was beside me. I saw the steps and fountains we used to play at. The race tracks we raced at. When that filly looked back at me as the beautiful mare she has become and the sun shined behind her, I knew my hopes of ten years had not been misplaced.

I barely had any time to take it in. Voices abounded around me and to everypony else there was nothing usual and out routine but the large number of pegasus on the other side tending the water leak. Rainbow herself disappeared for a moment, seeking the manager.

"Look," said Clear Skies, pointing to the opposite side. We looked over and saw droves of pegasus from the top dotting the air from Cloudsdale all the way down to the ground. Many of them had buckets and were carrying water back up the reservoir as small leaks made their way down to the Earth, while other pegasus were working tirelessly to fix the leaks at the top.

"You should've seen it earlier. There were streams of water falling," remarked Thunderlane to me.

"You'd think those labs would be better equipped for these emergencies by now, huh?" said Clear Skies.

"That leak's not coming from the labs," replied Thunderlane. "It's from the main tank that the labs get their water from. A much, much bigger tank than the ones in the labs."

"How are we supposed to do this with just eight of us?" mumbled Whitewash.

"I know, right?" grumbled Blossomforth.

"What if we get too tired and collapse to the Earth?" asked Buddy fearfully.

It didn't long for us to become a little preoccupied with what was going on on the other side, and so eventually we were all standing there silently looking over at it. As we all stood watching the ponies on the other side work while we waited for details on our assignment, a lone young stallion emerged from our side of the city and made his way. He had a golden coat and a white mane and tail.

"Hey guys, see that stallion?" asked Thunderlane over the silence. "Any pal of his is a palomino."

"Hey, good one Thunder!" said Clear Skies.

"How have I never heard that?" asked Blossomforth.

"Right??" said Merry May.

Suddenly, walking up from behind us and standing in front of the seven of us on the city of clouds was the pony who used to give me a hard time when I was a foal. The same stallion whom Rainbow had flung over at the party on my second day here. Dumbbell, the chocolate pegasus. His vain gaze caught sight of us standing there and turned his head to us, looking down his snout.

"What are you seven up to?" he asked.

"Didn't you hear? We got a job to do. We got selected as the best weather ponies in town and we're setting up the rainstorm for this evening," said Thunderlane confidently. Dumbbell laughed derisively.

"Couple things. First off, best weather ponies my flank. Second off, if you're taking those clouds from here, there's no way you can get it done as a team of eight. No way," he replied, looking across at us. My expression turned sour, along with everypony else's.

"Jealousy is not a heavenly virtue," said Thunderlane, smirking. Dumbbell laughed again.

"Come on Whitewash," he charged, looking at the white stallion, "you know this job is beyond reason. Don't hold your tongue."

"Hey Dumbbell, don't forget now, we have Rainbow Dash! She never gives up no matter what," proclaimed Clear Skies, and I couldn't help but smile proudly. I really liked the way that sounded. Rainbow Dash, the mare who never gives up. He sneered however, shaking his head, and then looked over here at me in right my eye.

"Rainbow Crash? She's overrated," he muttered, smirking directly at me.

"Now wait just a minute," I said, stepping forward and mustering enough courage now that he officially crossed the line. "She's not overrated. It's no secret to anyone who's honest with themselves that she's the best flier in Equestria."

"What about you?" he asked. "What have you ever done? I remember you at flight camp, the way you followed her around like a dog. Well she's not here to protect you now. You vanished for ten years, come back in, you're probably proud of yourself right about now. But you've done nothing. None of you have. If you're not good enough for the Wonderbolts, then you certainly aren't good enough for this job."

I didn't back down, and had no intention, but our silent and rather hostile stare didn't last long.

"Hey Whitewash," said Thunderlane, turning his head with a wide beam, "why don't you go tell Spitfire that she's got a lazy stallion skipping out on work over here. Or wait, you know what? Nevermind, I'll do it. HEY SPITTY!" he called, and Dumbbell growled at us in defeat. He flew away angrily towards the other working pegasi. Thunderlane and a few of the mares laughed at his lowly retreat, but I remained standing there, somewhat shaken.

"Jealousy, Sonic. Pure jealousy," remarked Thunder, as we watched him disappear into the crowd up in front of us.

"He's one of a kind, Sonic. Don't worry about him," said Blossomforth comfortingly.

"Yeah, he's a loser," offered Merry May.

"I think he needs *a lot* of good hugs," said Buddy.

"Oh, Sonic... Rainbow, she's a great flier, he doesn't know what he's talking about. She's like, well, you know... her name is Dash!" added Clear Skies.

Hearing this from them made me feel a lot better. I daresay even I was completely over anything I was feeling before. I felt like I was part of the team, suddenly. I looked back at them all and smiled in appreciation.

"Thanks guys."

Suddenly emerging from one of the largest pillared buildings in Cloudsdale situated directly in front of us seven standing there emerged Rainbow. She wasted no time flying over to us and the rest of us naturally straightened ourselves up and prepared for orders. I was beyond excited to be in this position, and I waited like a soldier with complete loyalty to his superior in anticipation.

"So what's the deal? What are we doing?" asked Thunderlane.

"The deal is this," she said, holding her head high. "They have our clouds ready, but we have to transport them from Storage Room D to Ponyville ourselves," she continued, seemingly knowing it was going to arouse a negative response. "And, those clouds are gonna dump their water in two hours, so they absolutely have to be laid out and ready by then. Besides, we have to go quick anyway because we have to help with the water tornado to get the highland reservoir water into Clousdale this evening."

A few of them gasped, and others shook their heads at this news. I must admit, it's an awful lot for an afternoon and evening. I can see how it could maybe be discouraging.

"Hey, come on! Attitude? This is from the Princess herself," Rainbow said with force, "and with the exception of Sonic, who is gonna be as good as any of us except me maybe, we've all worked together several times and we've always done our job right. We're just climbing the ladder and taking the next step, that's all. This is not the Frozen North where blizzards rage and the weather is out of control. We own this work."

"So..." asked Clear Skies, thinking hard, "we have to get all those rainclouds to Ponyville ourselves, get 'em all set up, and all of it by dinnertime?"

"Yep," replied Rainbow quickly, unintimidated.

"I've done worse," muttered Thunderlane.

"Really?" asked Whitewash snarkily in a fake voice.

"Yeah," replied Thunder, nodding back with extra sneer in retaliation.

"That's a lot to do in a short time," said Merry May.

"So what?" replied Rainbow.

"So how can eight of us get all those clouds across the sky in two hours?" she shot back.

"Do you know how many ponies shy away from challenges like this? Ordinary ponies don't try this. Or they try it, and then they give up," stated Rainbow Dash ferociously, staring intently at her and then to the rest of them as she started walking side to side down the line of us. "Every single pony here has a cutie mark that's weather or flying related! We have a chance to show the Princess and ourselves that we're not ordinary ponies."

That comment seemed to get to them somewhat, as they began turning their heads and looking at each other with raised eyebrows that seemed to agree she had a point. Buddy, though, was raising his hoof in protest.

"Except you, Buddy. But hey, you're a pretty good flier yourself!"

"Well, I-" he said with a chuckle.

"All of you here were sent to me because you were singled out as being the best pegasus for this job. You've got speed and you've got experience. Are you gonna tell me now you can't do it?? You gonna go to Princess Celestia and all the ponies counting on us in Ponyville and tell 'em you're not good enough? You don't have the strength of will? Is that friendship?" she asked. She spoke with such passion and with such effect that I was now smiling from ear to ear in admiration.

"No, I suppose not," remarked Merry May.

"Well geez when you put it that way," said Clear Skies, grinning. With each one of them that conceded to her I got more and more excited.

"You'd think we're about to go to war or something," remarked Whitewash, raising his eyebrow. Then he smirked. "I'm in."

"Alright Rainbow, you got us, we'll give it a try. But who's doing what?" asked Blossomforth.

"Sonic and I will put the clouds in place over Ponyville," she said, shooting me a smile that especially tickled. I started fluttering my wings to get the jitters out.

"Called it!" announced Buddy.

"Thunderlane, you and Blossomforth will both haul clouds out of the storage room. Relay them to those three," she barked, pointing to Merry May, Whitewash, and Clear Skies. Blossomforth rolled her eyes. It's almost here, Sonic. It's almost here! I started trotting in place. Clearly no one else was quite as excited as I was, but that's alright I guess. I just didn't want to let them down.

"Of course I get stuck with you," she said to Thunder, though I think (and hope) she was only half serious.

"Oh come on! I'm a joy to be around," he said, chasing after her.

"Buddy, you go with them, they need a third pony."

"Alrighty then," he said, and trotted after them. "Wait... we can take a little rest if we get tired, right?" he asked fearfully.

"Little rest," granted Rainbow. "And you three, meet those guys about a third of the way between Ponyville and Cloudsdale and then dish them to us at the next third so we can lay them out over the city."

"Got it," they said together.

"Come on, let's everypony grab a cloud while we're up here," said Rainbow, and everyone else headed for the storage room. She turned to me with a smile and narrowed her eyebrows. She was ready to go to work with me. "And hey, let's have some fun for crying out loud!"

"Sonic watch out!"

Without thinking I looked up and with one desperate flap of my wings just barely sidestepped a lightning bolt from the thundercloud I just placed next to Rainbow's. I hovered there frozen for a second with a wide open mouth; pretty much what everypony does after just narrowly avoiding disaster. Once "pain averted" had fully sunk in, I looked over at Rainbow with a smile but found that she was laughing.

"Hey, Sonic... I've heard of a black-tailed jackrabbit, but never a black-tailed Sonic!"

"Uh oh."

I looked down and found that the tip of my tail was not so lucky. Well that's unfortunate... Rainbow was still laughing, too. I had to think of something to get back at her. That's when the lightbulb when off.

"Jackrabbit, huh? You know Rainbow, I swear... Sometimes it seems like you don't *carrot* all about my tail," I said, raising my eyebrow with a devastating smirk. She gasped.

"No you didn't," she muttered.

"Yes, I did," I replied, chuckling victoriously. Suddenly I caught sight of Whitewash, Merry May, and Clear Skies with our next round of thunderheads approaching our relay point. "Oh, I think they're ready for us!"

Rainbow turned her head around to confirm it, then we both blasted off. By now on our retrieval runs to those three we twirled around each other mid air, locked on with each other. As we soared to them, her happy eyes were squarely in my foreground, with blue skies, clouds, and Equestria below spinning around in the background, all the while the wind rushed through my ears as I flapped my wings effortlessly. It was certainly a great time to be a pegasus.

After a minute or two of flying we met those three at about one thousand feet (pegasus terms for above ground). By comparison, the clouds are set up at about four hundred feet and Cloudsdale is at about two-thousand feet. Those three had made it a little further than usual on this run.

"Little slow this time, huh?" remarked a winded Whitewash as I reached my hooves around his raincloud. This round of clouds from them was somewhat small; this cloud was only two-times my size rather than four or five. The small ones made for lighter travel on the way back.

"Yeah, Sonic had an accident," said Rainbow, giggling with a wink to me.

"Say, you a look a little like one of those jackrabbits!" said Clear Skies.

"That's what I said!" cried Rainbow, smiling at me, before she shook her head. "No, don't say that! He might make another rabbit pun."

I shrugged guiltily to those three as Rainbow now had her forelegs wrapped around Buddy's cloud, and Merry May's was left floating by itself. Rainbow and I both noticed they were starting to look tired, and all of us were sweating a fair amount. I had plenty left in me, but I was starting to feel the effect of flying back and forth at high-speeds for almost an hour.

"Great job guys! Keep 'em coming, we're about halfway done," she provided, and we saluted each other quickly before heading getting back to it. "And tell those guys to hurry up!" she called as we turned away. The two of us wasted no time; we both darted down towards Ponyville, pushing our respective clouds through the air. The way down is usually a little harder in terms of difficulty - we have gravity on our side but then of course the extra baggage to go along with it. They float, but they're filled with water so they're a lot heavier then your average white puffy cloud, and they catch wind and force your wings to work.

Rainbow and I don't just go through motions; we make work fun. When we got to Ponyville I shot upward and Rainbow darted beneath me; she kicked her cloud to me and I sent mine down to her- the trick is to avoid the bottom end of the cloud as to avoid getting the good shock that I narrowly avoided on the last run. We caught each cloud effortlessly and twirled around each other, putting the clouds in place at the exact time. We both shot each other proud smiles, and quick sliver of romantic joy, then went to take off back towards the lone cloud that still waited for us back at the relay point.

We both sped for it... the last cloud. In a fit of friendly competitiveness, we flew side by side, beating our wings furiously as we closed in on it. Our eyes from it to each other repeatedly. I almost had her! We were neck and neck until the very end, she barely edged me out and snatched it. She turned around and headed back with her prize, but I still had a chance; if I could steal the cloud without getting zapped before she got it with the other clouds, I could negate the points she would get for otherwise getting it back.

She beat her wings and pushed the cloud along, and certainly enjoying herself; she had this big proud grin on her face and looked around fearfully for me. Of course she protected the top of the cloud with her body, forcing my to take it from the bottom, which would almost guarantee a lightning shock. No one wants to get jolted, so this game forced me to think of some other way to get it. I flew very high and just slightly behind her as I bit my hoof thinking desperately of something to do. I was running out of time, too; every second that went by she got closer.

"Just give me this one! You can't steal it now!" she proclaimed to the skies.

With her body around it there was no way I could snatch it from anywhere but the bottom. If only that cloud was bigger... Suddenly, it hit me. Well I wasn't sure of it, but I gave it try nonetheless. I saw that she was searching the skies furiously for me, moving her head in every which way. If she moved her head to the right, I went left; if she went left, I went right. I dove to her level and closed in slowly, moving away wherever she looked. I was felt like a cat sneaking up on a mouse; truly, even up till now I hadn't had this much fun since we did this stuff when we were kids.

She looked beneath her, then above to the right and then I shot forward to put myself right where she just looked underneath. I could see she was confused, now. She stopped midair and hovered there for a second, and she turned completely around to look for me. My heart was racing; I silently wrapped my forelegs around the cloud's sides and waited anxiously for her to turn back around. Her head came back around quickly.

"Ah!" she screamed, startled, and naturally I jumped too.

"Thanks for carrying it all that way for me!" I remarked, and sped off with it.

"Hey!" she cried with a laugh and bolted after me. She was closing in on me just as I was about to get to the clouds. Looking back at her, I came back around and shoved it the last few feet to be safe with it's own kind. She wasn't even too upset. "Nice one, Sonic! I gotta give you props there," she said, rubbing her hoof in my mane, and I shrugged blushingly. "But must I remind you, I still have a two-point lead?"

"Ah, you must not," I told her.

Suddenly catching sight in our gaze were the other three coming back with a new round of clouds. Without further ado we were up up and away after our colleagues, twirling around and letting the adrenaline and the amount of fun we were having with each other take our mind off the physical exertion.

Now fast forward about forty five minutes. At the urging of everypony else and myself, Rainbow conceded a take five about halfway through, shortly after where I left off. We had also switched up jobs twice; now it was Thunderlane, Rainbow and I taking the clouds to Buddy, Whitewash, and Blossomforth from Cloudsdale, who in turn delivered them to Merry May and Clear Skies who were now doing our first job. The pace had slowed down substantially, but we only had dozens of more clouds to deliver and Ponyville would be completely covered for the rain shower.

I flew into the huge storage room and grabbed another thunderhead (most ponies know this, but for the ones that don't, not every raincloud has lighting in it; the ones that do are called, well... you can probably put it together). I took it out the large back door and flew back around, passing Rainbow Dash on the way, who shot me a look of determination as she went by. I flew it forward and passed it off to Thunderlane.

"Holding up?" I asked. He took a deep breath over his other fast breaths and put on a look of enthusiasm just for me.

"Affirmative," he affirmed with a laugh.

It had devolved into us carrying clouds and setting them out there one by one. Whoever was back first between the next three took the next cloud, and I'm pretty sure that's what Clear Skies and Merry Mary were doing too. I turned my body and flapped my wings. When you start getting really tired, your flaps tend to slow down and follow through more, instead relying on more wind to get you forward. Rainbow zipped past me with another cloud, and I got to the warehouse and stood on the white-clouded floor for thirty seconds. Now, for the first real time, I could feel my body actually starting to resist me doing more. I promptly ignored it and thought of Rainbow, who gave me plenty of strength to keep going.

I grabbed the next cloud and started heading out. Thunderlane arrived as I was walking in, who's witty humor made work easier as well.

"Yo," he said, breathing hard with his head down. "Let know one ever say I'm lazy ever again," he remarked, walking lethargically ahead. Suddenly, Rainbow appeared right behind him.

"You've actually done a great job, Thunder!" she she said with a smirk, though sincere in what she said.

"Actually," he replied, grabbing a cloud, "I *usually* do. Just not when I have the feather flu."

"I'll let that stand," granted Rainbow, and the three of us headed out together with a cloud. "I'm proud of you guys. All of you," she remarked, as we flew out into the open skies with our clouds. "Especially you, though," she said quietly to me with a look of loving encouragement. I felt my soul lighting up and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had really accomplished something, though I knew we were not done yet.

When we arrived at our usual spot, we found the other five of them sitting on a white cloud that was just near the pass-off point. They were all sitting on their rumps, their heads hanging low, and their wings hanging limp. Rainbow Dash was visibly surprised in her expression, and as we approached, she set her cloud aside in the air and flew onto the cloud, followed by Thunder and I.

"What's up?" she asked them.

"We're tired," remarked Whitewash, and the other five nodded their heads wearily in agreement. There was a hint of shame in their faces, especially now with Rainbow looking at them. Thunder even nodded a little bit, though quickly put on a smile to save himself when I made eye contact with him. Dash raised her eyebrow in thought, moving more towards disbelief. This was eerily similar to the beginning when they doubted themselves then, too. I have to go ahead and confess... I sort of lack confidence sometimes too, if you couldn't tell.

"So... what? You're just gonna give up?" she asked.

"No, no," said Clear Skies, shaking her head no. "We just need a rest, that's all. Twenty minutes."

"We can't rest when we're done?" asked Rainbow. "If we rest now, we risk missing the tornado before sunset. If we go now, we finish, we get a quick rest, then we raise that water before sunset. Without us, there's no tornado."

"Then there's no tornado," replied Whitewash cooly.

"What if one of us collapses and falls?" asked Buddy fearfully.

"Then we'll be right there to pick you up," Rainbow shot back, and they lifted their heads curiously. "For these last fifty, we'll all fly side by side. We'll all grab one cloud and take it all the way ourselves. And if one pony stumbles, we'll all be there to help them."

"We're not like you, ok?" said Blossomforth to her, breathing hard. "We get tired easier. We don't have your skills."

"You think I'm not tired?" she asked, and some of them seemed surprised to hear that. "I am tired. Believe me."

"We just need to rest first," replied Merry May.

"We do that, we risk letting Princess down, we risk letting Equestria down, and we risk letting ourselves down."

"Easy for you to say, you're an element of harmony," said Whitewash, looking up from his spot. "And what do you mean let ourselves down? We're tired, we just want to rest."

"That's why this is so important," she muttered. She stood up tall and raised her head over them all. "That's our nature. The chances we get to go against our nature and prove we own ourselves don't come very often. You wanna go on living life shying away from challenges? You wanna conserve the most energy possible, regardless of what the consequences are for you or anypony else?"

The way she spoke was unlike other ponies, like say a gym teacher. You could see in her eyes that their doing this was important to her. Not for her, but for themselves. She charged it to each one of them to be separate because she believed that was the best for them.

"I'm sure when the Princess called they said a few things over there, didn't they?" she asked, and suddenly the lot of them raised their ears and listened attentively to her. Though I had been captivated from the beginning, of course. "They all gave you looks that weren't too confident, didn't they? Like they didn't envy you for getting this job because they didn't think you could do it. Is that somewhere in the ballpark?"

Merry May and Blossomforth turned their heads to each other, and Buddy and Clear Skies traded soulful looks. Whitewash looked down in thought. Their expressions all but confirmed Rainbow's assertion.

"And come on, be honest with me. You were a bit shocked when the Princess picked you six. You questioned her, didn't you? You didn't think we could do this with just the eight of us. Well folks, look at that big, dark, storm hanging over Ponyville. See that? How many of those clouds are yours, Whitewash? Or yours, Clear Skies? I'm a force to be reckoned with, but eighty-five percent of that storm was not me, it was you guys."

Now they were all listening intently. All eyes were on her, and every syllable was a forceful conviction. I was in utter awe of her and quickly losing myself in her determination. My heart's desire to finish what we started, that feeling you get when you feel invincible, was soaring.

"Celestia chose you because you were Ponyville's finest! And so far, you've proven yourselves to me that you really are the best in Ponyville, and possibly Equestria... minus the Wonderbolts. So I'm not going to let you bow out of it now that you're a few feet from the finish line. You've worked too hard and proved too many ponies wrong!" she said, pleading to them with passion. "Take this opportunity to be something that most ponies will never be!" Then, suddenly, she was calm. "Somepony who doesn't back down."

There was a silence that charged us all. All of six of them had radically different looks in their eyes now.

"Alright folks," said Thunderlane, stepping in with a much lighter visage. "Come on, we can't let all the work that just went into that speech go for nothing. Let's finish this job. And then let's gloat like heck."

"I'll drink to that," said Blossomforth, standing up with a smile.

"Gee, Rainbow. When you put it that way," panted Clear Skies, tired but willing.

"If I fall, please catch me! Oh, and I'll catch you too," added Buddy, lifting himself up.

"What are we waiting for?" said Merry May.

That left Whitewash, who was now the only one still sitting down, and remained the least emotional. The seven of us stood in a circle around him and waited silently in his response. He looked up, seemingly unmoved, and let out a long sigh. Then he chuckled and stood up.

"Only because I'll settle for a four minute rest," he said with a smirk. "And because I'm gonna go to straight to Dumbbell when this is over."

Just about all of them laughed and cheered. Their general reactions couldn't have made Rainbow Dash any happier, and it couldn't have made me any more proud. She basked in their willingness to keep going and smiled boldly at her own cadets. She walked forward and put her hoof in the air in the middle of us all. When everypony else put their ponies up, she looked across at us all.

"Ponyville on three," she said, and the rest of us followed suit. "One, two, three, PONYVILLE!"

The rest of them made their way up to Cloudsdale, and again Rainbow and I naturally stayed behind for just a moment. I didn't have much to say to her. All I could do was smile proudly. Ten years was a small price for the shimmering utopia that is a life with Rainbow at your side. She saved her bright and loving gaze for just a second, then suddenly she averted to her tough, confident self, and that smirk that appears on her face before she does something epic emerged.

"Come on, Sonic. Let's do this."

What Makes a Pegasus?

"I've seen frozen rivers move faster," remarked Spitfire bitterly as she read the wingpower-reading machine at 7.3. "Next!"

Spitfire, the yellow mare with the fiery mane and tail, was wearing her academy training outfit decorated in medals and her eyes were barely visible through her purple sunglasses, giving off an expression hard enough to inspire fear in the hearts of pegasi. Tired pegasus surrounded her on all sides occupying both the wide dirt path and the grass on the hill next to the Ponyville reservoir, a circular pond just to the north of the city. It was mid-evening, and to the north of them were clear skies, and to the south over the city was a large thunderstorm that had just begun to put down heavy rainfall not two hundred yards from the pond.

"We've been working like dogs all day," said one brave stallion, a dark blue specimen named Star Hunter, and virtually everyone there shared his sentiments. "Give us a break. Our wings are tired."

"What was your measure?" snarled Spitfire, who whipped her head around and raised her eyebrow at him. "7.7? I've seen better clocks out of the junior speedster flight camp."

The stallion hung his head in shameful embarrassment. Most of the ponies had already had their wingpower tested, and were off in the grass or on the path resting, but a fair number still had to go and formed an unorganized line at starting line so they could whiz forward over a small wind-mill shaped device that recorded the force of the wind produced from the their fly-by. That's where Spitfire stood.

"Our measures won't be as good when we're this exhausted," complained Cloud Kicker, a light purple mare, who was laying down on the path.

"All I hear from this crew is excuses. You should come see the times we get from the academy after hours of harder labor then you just did," muttered coldly . "Will you form a single-file line please? Next!!!! What's the hold up? Go!"

Thorn trotted angrily up to the starting line, got in position, and launched forward through the air, blowing by Spitfire and her device. She leaned down and watched the dial closely as it topped out just a little passed 11.

"11... not terrible, but you can do better," she said out loud. "If I had Rainbow or Fleetfoot here," she muttered to herself.

"You know," he said, calling back to her, "you used to be cool when you came here before. Now you're just a jerk."

"Being a jerk is necessary," she said coolly, lifting her sunglasses off and tucking them into a pocket on her suit and staring at him menacingly. "Rainbow's off on another job. That means you're under my command today from the Princess herself, and I will not have ponies under my watch failing the rest of Equestria because you happen to be tired. If Rainbow were here, she'd give me a good measure. She wouldn't tolerate this laziness and lack of wingpower."

Just then, Rarity, who had nothing better to do but come and encourage the pegasi before the tornado job (and sporting a nice sombrero-like hat), walked up to her concernedly.

"Spitfire, I'm no pegasus, but don't you think you're being too hard on them?" she asked, looking around at the dejected and exhausted ponies. Spitfire turned to her and raised her eyebrow unamused.

"What was that first thing you said, that you're no pegasus?" she asked, and Rarity's mouth dropped, as she was taken aback. "I know how to handle these ponies. They're too soft. If we wanna raise this tornado they have to do better than they're doing."

"But, what about-?" she started, looking around at them. Just then, a strong breeze swept through them all from the south, from the thunderstorm. A crack of thunder echoed throughout the land, and water from the clouds began pouring down the ground over the entire area just south of them, bringing with it a stiff breeze and the smell of rain. The city itself disappeared in the darkness and falling rain. Many of the pegasus on the hill and on the path, and also in line, began whispering and talking among themselves.

"There's no way they actually pulled that off. Wasn't it just like... eight of them?" whispered one pony.

"Yeah, no way," replied another, as they stared into the darkness below the clouds and searched the skies up in the clouds for the pegasus responsible.

"Even with the ones she sent back, that's a tough job," said another stallion from a group of whispers.

"Who's job was that?" asked Sunshower Raindrops, a yellow mare, looking up at the storm and sitting alone among other ponies doing likewise.

"That was Rainbow's job," replied Open Skies, a blueish green stallion.

"Hm," said Spitfire, looking up in admiration. "So that's what Celestia gave her. How many ponies did she have with her?"

"Seven," replied Rarity, looking around for her friend Pinkie.

"Seven?" said Spitfire, laughing. "Not even Rainbow could pull that off with just seven other ponies." She looked at across at the ponies who had lost focus looking into the weather. "Hey, come on, let's go! Those of you in line, let's go. These should be no lower than 12 and so far we have one over 12. Come on. At the academy a 14 is a good measurement."

"Well why don't you do it?" asked one mare angrily from the crowd of pegasi resting on the hill. Spitfire appeared delighted at the question, and smirked arrogantly in her direction. She spread her wings and glided over to the hill to address them all standing there.

"I hold the record for the strongest wingpower ever recorded in Equestria of 18.1," she barked loudly looking around at them. "I got that by working really hard. That's why I hold the position I hold. Maybe if you work hard enough and toughen up, maybe you'll come within four points of that some day," she added as they hung their heads humiliated, and promptly flew back to her spot at the wingpower machine. "Next!"

Rarity observed the resentment of all the ponies she just spoke to. Whether or not it made any difference in the wingpower readings you'll have to decide for yourself.

Suddenly Fleetfoot, a turquoise mare with a pure white mane dropped down from the sky and landed right next to Spitfire. The friendly competitors grabbed hooves and shook, smirking at each other.

"How's it going? These readings worth anything?" asked Fleetfoot.

"Not really," replied Spitfire, rather loudly. Rarity rolled her eyes and facehoofed herself. "You there, Sassaflash," she called to the gentle light-blue mare near the front of the line, "get up here, come on, give us a measurement."

As the yellow-maned mare lined up on the starting line, Spitfire and Fleetfoot stared together at the wingpower machine, chuckling to each other.

"I'll say 7.4," remarked Spitfire to Fleetfoot, who in-turn mocked the suggestion.

"This flower? 6.9," she remarked.

The mare lined up at the starting line, crouched down, spread her wings, and took off. She gave her best effort but came through modestly. Spitfire and Fleetfoot looked together at the small machine's reading. Spitfire placed her hoof on the mark.

"6.8," she remarked, and Fleetfoot cried triumphantly.

"Ha!" she proclaimed, "Closer!" to which Spitfire rolled her eyes amusedly.

"Pathetic!!!! Let's go already!" snarled Spitfire to the rest of them. "We have a tornado to rise!"

"My goodness," Rarity said to herself. "Can't *somepony* come in and shut these girls up already?"

Suddenly, just then, there was a huge crack of lighting over Ponyville that commanded the attention of everypony there. They all fell quiet in the weather spectacle that Cloudsdale had produced for this evening, silencing even Spitfire and Fleetfoot as every last one of them turned their heads towards Ponyville. The bolt and the proceeding roar of thunder that shook the land, as it turns out, served a purpose. It turned out to be revealing the dark outline of a what seemed to be a lean mare in the distance, walking slowly directly towards them in the pouring rain and the darkness with a presence that mystified anyone looking.

It shocked the ponies that someone was even out in the thunderstorm much less the slow, nonchalant pace the dark figure walked at, as though completely ignoring the storm and the usual fear associated with them itself - it completely captivated everypony there. Several of the ponies even looked over to Spitfire and Fleetfoot who were standing deathly still, squinting at it with intense anticipation and the two of them traded intimidated looks. The ponies whispered anxiously to themselves. Another lightning bolt behind the figure lit up the landscape around the black silhouette. For less than one second, a flash of light blue and rainbow, looking up with reddish eyes of utter determination accompanied by a piercing smirk of pure triumph and tenacity.

There was suddenly a change of mood among the pegasi. A smug beam slowly crept onto Rarity's face. Oh yes...

"It's Rainbow!" cried one of the pegasi as the rest of them watched the mare walking towards them in the drenching rain with hopeful anticipation. Fleetfoot and Spitfire once again traded looks, though this time their eyes and mouth were even wider. Another streak of lightning over the city revealed the dark figure of a stallion right behind her on her side and six more dark figures of ponies coming into focus on either side of her walking side by side in the downpour towards the crowd of ponies. A few more seconds and the most confident pony alive was completely visible without the aid of lightning, emerging from the rainline into dryness sopping wet, the grin under her narrowed eyebrows getting bigger and bigger with every step. Behind her, the soaked figures of the other seven ponies came into focus, each one bringing a new and triumphant smile or expression into the picture.

"They actually did it!" shouted Open Skies, after which came a loud applause from all the ponies there. Now all of eight of them were completely out of the storm, one by one shaking themselves dry as they walked towards the cheering crowd, happily surprised at the sudden adoration. Rainbow loved it most of all. She looked up, spread her wings and glided over to the crowd, holding her hooves up high and waving her front legs upward asking for more crowd noise. They reacted with even louder cheers and yells, all the ones who were sitting laying now standing up pumping their hooves high. Spitfire and Fleetfoot could only watch beside themselves, knowing full well where credit was due.

"Way to go Rainbow!" screamed Rarity, waving at her.

"Heh, not bad Dash," called Spitfire, shaking her head up and down admirably.

Rainbow played shamelessly with the crowd, even striking poses in air as she went from side to side, throwing their hooves in the air with her. She flew swiftly back to her team and motioned with her front legs once again for an applause for the seven ponies standing in line there, which the crowd happily obliged. Amidst the cheering she came to a halt beside the gentle grayish/light-blue stallion standing in the middle. She gave him a loving stare and then grabbed his hoof, raising hers in the air with his triumphantly. The eight of them stood there together and proudly absorbed the cheers from the pegasi that had doubted them so strongly.

"Who is that?" muttered Spitfire to Rarity, quickly picking up on Rainbow's affection for him and watching them intently. "I've never seen him before."

"Who, him?" asked Rarity, referring with favor to the stallion. "That's Sonic Rain. He's new here. He's adorably shy if I must say so myself, but he is quite the flier," she added, adding under her breath with a doting smile, "and much more than that to her."

"Rainbow!" cried one of the mares from the crowd, silencing the others as she naturally began to speak for them as a whole. "You guys, please do a wingpower run and shut them up. They don't think we're worth anything!" she cried, and the expression of nearly every pegasi suddenly turned with venegeful smirks towards their instructor and Fleetfoot. The two mares, true to their competitive nature, hardened their expressions at this challenge.

"Is that so?" asked Rainbow, turning towards them. The two Wonderbolt mares stood there holding their ground in their expression, raising their eyebrows in acknowledgment of having been called out directly by someone under them. Rainbow's eyes met theirs, and the three traded smirks.

"They also said you couldn't do the Thunderstorm job, that you didn't have what it took," added another stallion loudly before quieting down for his next commet. "But then again so did we."

Rainbow looked back at the rest of her team, and they all traded smug looks.

"Come on guys. Line it up," Rainbow declared . There was a thunderous applause from the pegasi. "Go ahead, you first Buddy," she said, motioning with her head to the green stallion. The crowd herded over to the track where the testing was done and formed a line down it, cheering him on encouragingly.

The timid Buddy trotted wide-eyed over to the starting line, very encouraged by the loud support from his fellow pegasi, who watched him eagerly. He came to a halt at the starting point and brushed around in the dirt with fearful paranoia to ensure he didn't injure himself on his takeoff. He looked back at his wings, and then smiled shyly at all of his pegasi admirers.

"I know this guy, he's a goofball who's afraid of everything," whispered Fleetfoot to Spitfire, "He's not a good flier... is he?"

"Oh, he's a good flier my dear," said Rarity smugly to them. She was standing just from those two on the ending pathway for the test flier opposite the crowd. The opposite sideline if you will. "These are all her best fliers." The two of them turned their heads back at her and tried to hide their nervousness, shrugging it off and looking back at the machine with intensity.

"Aw, thanks guys!" noted Buddy, his ears falling down as he addressed the line of winged ponies cheering for him down the line in front of him.

Spitfire and Fleetfoot suddenly caught a glimpse of something directly opposite them in the hostile crowd; a sea of ponies parted around Rainbow who delivered to them an unbreakable death glare as she walked towards them with movements calmer than a serene placid lake; a direct contrast to the wild cheers around her. She came to a halt right in front of the track and stared them down in full anticipation of their humiliation. They had insulted her entire team of pegasi and herself. Now it was personal. Her epic staredown had only emboldened the crowd to cheer even louder around their savior.

Buddy took his time, and the crowd silenced slightly in anticipation. Spitfire and Fleetfoot watched him, half intense, and the other half confused, wondering how a pony like this could possibly register a good measure. He finally closed his eyes and beat his wings furiously, propelling off the ground with his legs and shooting straight forward, blasting past the finish line and blowing a powerful wind on the two shocked mares. They read the machine closely, then looked at each other in disbelief.

"14.9," muttered Spitfire in disbelief, and the crowd cheered wildly. "Where did that come from?" They once again caught a quick glimpse of the only pony not cheering on the other side; as Buddy had blasted past them, a permanent smirk suddenly appeared on Rainbow's face.

"Whatever, that's one pony!" cried Fleetfoot. The crowd booed.

"Who's next?" asked the ponies around Rainbow.

"Thunderlane," she muttered, not taking her eyes off of Fleetfoot and Spitfire, who now avoided eye contact with her at all costs.

"Thunderlane!!!!!" cried the crowd in unison.

The charcoal-gray stallion danced up to the starting line, winking and sticking his tongue out at the vast crowd cheering for him. He hopped around the starting line dramatically and stretched his wings in preparation. A chant of the word "Thunder!" broke out down the line, which he put his hoof on his chest dramatically on his chest as though flattered, and the crowd laughed. He then motioned for them to quiet down with his right hoof.

"Hey, come on guys, it needs to be quiet when they read the meter so it's more embarrassing," he said, to which the crowd reacted with dramtic "oooohhs" in the direction of Spitfire and Fleetfoot, who tried to hide their intimidation with their tough expressions.

"Hey Thunder, you hear the thunder?" asked one of his buddies in the crowd, inciting laughter from the crowd and Thunderlane.

"He's great when he's not skipping out," piped in another stallion.

"Oh shut up you moron, you know I don't skip and there's actually other reasons one isn't there," spat Thunderlane angrily from the starting line, and the crowd broke into much harder laughter.

Fleetfoot leaned into Spitfire just as Rarity walked up to try to get her own look at the readings.

"I know this guy too, he got like a 10 a couple years ago. No way he gets anything over a 12," whispered Fleetfoot to Spitfire.

"Heh... then we'll let 'em have it," replied the yellow mare sneakily.

The crowd went entirely silent as Thunder got into crouching position. His wings went from slow to fast, and he shot forward through the air and straight-lined past the machine, sending a powerful gust in all directions and turning the mill on the machine furiously. Spitfire and Fleetfoot could only stare with open mouths at each other yet again. Spitfire rolled her eyes and looked away before she reluctantly spoke the meaurement.

"15.1," and the pegasi cheered and rallied around the incredibly-improved Thunderlane who pumped his hoof at the announcement. Spitfire raised her eyebrow at Fleetfoot. "What was that? A 10 a couple years ago?" she remarked, and the turquoise mare looked on defeated disbelief. "I gotta admit that's impressive."

The crowd looked back in the direction and was astonished to find Whitewash already lined up to go, in crouching position and everything. On his face was a look of determination as severe as death itself. The crowd broke into ooohs and cheers, which he ignored. Everypony here knew there was bad blood between him and Spitfire, who had him previously thrown out of the Wonderbolt Academy for "authority issues". When she saw him, her expression tightened and her eyebrows narrowed.

He slingshotted forward and sliced through the air with ferocity and roared past the finish line. Spitfire and Fleetfoot watched the measurement, and looked up afterward silent, and Spitfire especially was bitter. When they wouldn't say anything, Rarity - who'd been watching it for herself- announced the official clock-in.

"16.7!" she cried triumphantly. The crowd yelled and howled, though Whitewash just stared bitterly towards them knowing his time had spoke for itself.

"Look at me like that when you get an 18.1!" snarled Spitfire, and the crowd booed.

Next up was Clear Skies, who's innocent naivety radiated in her smiling face at the crowd as they cheered her on. Rarity heard Fleetfoot remark to Spitfire that she was "not very smart" but conceded that she was nice, but knew by now not to berate her flying ability after the first three stallions had thrown that back in her face, literally in the form of wind.

"You guys," she said daintily to the crowd with a blush, "I feel like a member of the mane six!"

The crowd laughed; her being an over-the-top fan of the elements of harmony was well established and worthy of joke material for a lot of ponies. She lined up and too flew past a smirking Rainbow and rowdy applause, notching in a still-impressive 14.6 as Fleetfoot facehoofed and Spitfire shook her head. Blossomforth, the white mare with the watermelon mane, posted with ease a 14.9 and Merry May produced a 14.6 to match Clear Skies. By comparison the previous best before they got here was 12.4, and a majority of the times fell somewhere between 6 and 10.

But that still left two ponies left to go. Rainbow Dash, who was destined to go last and without doubt the most anticipated participant in the entire bunch, and the shy friendly stallion that admired her more than anyone else there.

* * *

Hey there! Sonic here... That was a summation of Rarity's third person account of what happened right before we got there, I felt for this entry it was important to describe what happened before I actually got there before I went into my usual first person account of what happened. Anyway, there's not really much of need for me to summarize anything, as you just read it, though I would add before picking back up that we actually finished the job and had the clouds all in place about a full fifteen minutes before the rain actually started coming down, so we had a chance to rest (a little bit) before we actually went and flew for the wingpower reader. As for the awesome entry we had to the tornado preparations where Rainbow led us in, well, I just wanted to reiterate that yes, it was that awesome.

As we were standing there waiting our turn to go for the wingpower machine, I was shaking. There's something terrifying about waiting in line to prove someone wrong - especially given it was personal with Rainbow and us and all the extra weight that added. It didn't help that there was a crowd of judging ponies who didn't hardly know me at all standing there, even though they'd been extremely supportive of all the rest of the team members. Plus there was the captain of the Wonderbolts who Rainbow had explicitly mentioned earlier was extremely important to impress. When they announced my team members' times and the crowd cheered, it sent icewater through my veins.

As the line in front of me got smaller and smaller, I got more and more nervous, and there were less ponies there to comfort me. I started focusing on my breaths, making sure I was getting plenty of it and keeping it nice and slow, but that only does so much. After Merry May's time announced, and there were only seconds left until I would walk up to the starting line and be in everypony's eyes, my nervousness came back to visit me.

I walked up by myself to the starting line. The sideline with the crowd was to my right, and the reservoir was to the left to this track, and standing between the reservoir was Spitfire, Fleetfoot, and Rarity, along with their little machine. Rainbow valiantly led me and the rest of the team to a stunning victory in completing a job that no one else besides her and the Princess believed we could actually do. Seeing those ponies cheering her and cheering the rest of us as we stood there together was one of the most wondrous feelings I'd ever experienced.

The one consistent emotion in almost all of the onlookers' expressions was uncertainty and curiosity. They didn't know me and they didn't know what to expect. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see them whispering and talking to each other. Near the end of the crowd down past the finish line I saw Thunderlane, Buddy, and Clear Skies watching me with hopeful looks and encouraging smiles. After quickly waving back at them embarrassed, I looked up at the finish line where the machine waited to clock my wingpower and saw Spitfire up there saying something to Rarity as looked directly at me. Reading her lips the ending looked something like "never seen him before". She was squinting curiously and sizing me up, whereas Rarity had this girly, doting smile on her face, saying something I couldn't make out. Then Spitfire's eyes shot open along with her mouth in utter disbelief.

"No," I saw on her mouth. Suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, I decided to look away from them and turned to my head to the crowd. They weren't rooting against me, I could tell that. They wanted me to stick it to Spitfire. I could sense there was just a lot of curiosity about me. At the worst possible time, right as I was getting ready to go, I had a terrible thought. What if one of them recognizes me?

I had spent a lot of time across Equestria. I had told Rainbow a lot, she knew it wasn't easy for me, but she didn't know exactly what happened the day I was taken from her. I would be devastated if one of them recognized me by myself somewhere a few years ago, in a patch of grass, or maybe alone in the fields. It couldn't come out now, especially with all of her heroics and the way the crowd loved her. What would they say if they knew her boyfriend's humble origins? I closed my eyes, and turned my head sideways. I could feel the eyes on me anyway, wondering what my problem was. Orphans like me can be hard to identify in Equestria... the chances that one of these guys saw me, remembers me, and connected the dots is tiny... I told myself.

"What's wrong?" I heard them whispering to themselves, and that only made it worse.

I opened my eyes and looked forward. No. I resolved right then that I was gonna set everything else aside and do this thing. I'm not gonna embarrass her or myself. It doesn't take a pedigree to be a good flier. I lined up and determined to give it my absolute all. This was an opportunity to show an important figure that I could fly. I shook out the last butterflies in my legs and crouched down. Just as I prepared my wings for launch off, I looked up and saw her.

She had spent the first six run-throughs standing directly opposite across from Spitfire and Fleetfoot - the sideline the crowd was on - giving them an unbreakable and defiant death stare after each pony crossed in front of them. She wasn't there anymore, though. She had moved to the track - directly in front of me - a ways past the finish line where Spitfire and Fleetfoot were. As soon as I saw her it was clear she was trying to get my attention. She just wanted me to see in her eyes that same confidence she had in me since we were foals. She threw in a wink and gave me her defining grin of grit.

I leaned back in my legs and pushed forward off my legs and flapped my wings as hard and as fast as I could. My eyes picked the top of a hill in front of me and I stared directly at that as I put everything into the flap of my wings and staying in line. All I could think about was making Rainbow proud. The ponies on the right of me turned into colorful blurs as the hill point in front of me got rapidly bigger. The wind sheared off my face before I tucked my head down and the sound of the wind blared in my ears. I shut my eyes and flapped with everything I had. Come on!!!!!

After a moment I brought my head back up and saw I was flying right into Rainbow herself. I spread my wings across like a parachute to stop myself and flapped myself backwards, finally coming to a halt right in front of her as she covered her face from the gust that followed me. I anxiously looked behind me to see the last bits of my burst of wind blowing through the manes of all the ponies and the trail of dust it kicked up behind me.

"16.1!" shouted Rarity as Fleetfoot and Spitfire ran their hooves throught their manes in complete shock.

I couldn't believe what I heard from Rarity's mouth. I stood there just as astonished as they were as I suddenly felt myself in the arms of Rainbow Dash being twirled around.

"No way! I don't believe it!!!" cried a horrified Fleetfoot.

"You've gotta be kidding me," I said under the crowd noise as Rainbow rocked me back and fourth, though eventually I was smiling from ear to ear.

"I think that's better than Fleetfoot's!" said Thunderlane as him and most of the others from our storm team ran over to congratulate me. For a split second, I was carried away to heaven on clouds right then as Rainbow Dash proudly embraced me and dozens of pegasi cheered for me. Spitfire was watching me with an expression that was almost envious, which I don't understand considering it was a solid 2 points lower than her record of 18.1, and she was still the captain of the Wonderbolts.

"I told you! I told you!" shouted Rainbow Dash, looking wondrously into me with those eyes of hers. I didn't really know what to say, I was speechless.

"Hey Rainbow, can you top that?" asked a pony from the crowd, and they shouted in unison for a reaction. She looked back at them and then to me again with an almost apologetic smile.

"You better beat me," I told her with a chuckle, and I was serious, and in my heart I believed she would. I had flown with her enough to know that she was more talented than me, though how much more wingpower she had I wasn't sure, and I don't think she was either. It was gonna be close. I heard from her later that she actually measured a 16.5 a couple years earlier.

"You did well enough for me, Sonic. Just know I'm not doing this to beat you. You gotta understand, when somepony calls me out, they regret it," she added, referring to Spitfire. I could see her unbeatable spirit shining right through her eyes. The same spirit that got me this far. Now I could see it was this spirit that the pegasi of Ponyville relied on themselves. She was their leader, their hero. Not just mine.

"I know," I said, giving her an encouraging smile. "What are you waiting for? Get back there."

She backed up beaming at me before she turned around and faced the crowd, gliding up the track towards the starting line, a wave cheers following her as she went. She fed the crowd and the crowd fed her. Suddenly as she glided away from me, Spitfire flew quickly up to me, and not appearing too happy. I have no doubt she intentionally waited until Rainbow had left my side.

"Who are you?" she said, turning her head as she looked me over "and where are you from?"

I was definitely intimidated by her. I took a moment to respond as I regained myself.

"My name is S-Sonic. Sonic Rain," I started, wondering how to answer her second part. "I'm from... all over, you might say."

Her eyes squinted in reaction to my answer, and she just eyed me up and down with no regard for manners I suppose. I looked down and saw Rainbow approaching the starting line. Spitfire whipped her head around to see for herself, then back at me before she turned and went back to the machine without another word. I didn't know what to make of that whole exchange, but I didn't think it was good, and I felt my confidence slipping.

Rainbow came to rest on the starting line as she bounced around and fluttered her wings. The crowd's cheering died down as we all prepared ourselves. Spitfire and Fleetfoot now stood at the finish line, and they nervously awaited the rainbow-maned mare. They'd already been embarrassed in front of a crowd that was hostile thanks to them. Rarity was also there, standing delicately as always, cheering on her best friend and keeping an eye on the reader.

"Hey Rarity, make sure you get a good look! Spitfire may lie about it," said a mare from the crowd, and Spitfire could only glare at her.

The crowd went silent. Rainbow looked down at the ground and attempted to calm herself. She took deep breaths and relaxed her body, standing still and shaking out her legs and wings. She lifted her head up and took in a grand inhale, closing her eyes for a second, then opened them and looked over directly at me. I looked at her, loved her, and that was enough. For one moment I caught a glimpse of her soft smile before it disappeared as she turned her head down one last time. When she came back up, her legendary look of determination was firmly on her face. Every single pony there knew at once that something epic was coming. The question was, how epic? I was wondering myself.

She flapped her wings slow to fast, crouched down, and leapt forward, slicing through the air so fast that a spectacular sound of rushing wind roared louder and louder as she approached the finish line. In a flash of several different colors she thundered straight towards me in a way almost identical to how I did just before. She exploded past the finish line, causing some ponies to actually be blown off balance, including Fleetfoot and Spitfire. It was Rarity who regained balance quickly (despite losing her hat in the gust) and made sure to get the measurement as Rainbow nearly crashed straight into me while braced for impact. After a crippling silence filled the air (and Rainbow stopping just in front of me) as we waited breathlessly for the announcement, Rarity screamed.

"18.1!!!! She tied the record!"

Rainbow shrunk over in disbelief, disappointed despite the thunderous applause from the onlooking ponies that easily trumped the noise level when I got my reading. I ran over and stood her up straight as the ponies broke through the lines and surrounded her. Before I even had a chance she was picked up and sent surfing through the crowd on her back. Her disappointment melted away and she broke into joyful laughter as she bounced across the sea of pegasus. As for me, I was indescribably happy.

Eventually the crowd let her down to the ground, and she looked around at everyone with an embarrassed smile.

"I didn't even beat her," she said.

"Darling, you tied the record!" said Rarity proudly.

"Yeah, and you're like five years younger than Spitfire!" pitched in another pony.

"Also, we just nearly killed ourselves like a half hour ago," added Thunderlane, referring to our separate storm team. "And you're soaking wet."

"Eh, go on!" said Rainbow Dash, throwing her hoof out, and several ponies laughed. "Seriously though!"

Not long after that, we were ready to raise the reservoir. It was just before sunset, the sky to the north (and especially the northwest) of Ponyville was a burnt orange. For those of you who don't know, how it works is that enough of us fly around the circular reservoir and eventually the force from our massively combined wingpower sends all of the water shooting up through the sky coming down to Cloudsdale where it can be used to make weather. Rainbow and Spitfire agreed to give us all five more minutes before we took flight.

The crowd dispersed across the track, with most ponies stretching individually though there were some groups. Of course, Rainbow and I were together. She and I were all smiles. We were happy. Upbeat. Contented. Delighted. It was one of those moments I was fully aware, consciously and unconsciously, how deeply in love with that mare that I am.

"Did you see that I slipped on my takeoff?" she asked, as she laid on her side to stretch out her back.

"No," I replied, astonished and looking down at her. "You did?"

"Yeah," she continued excitedly, speaking a million words a minute. "That's why I was so slow at first. The whole time I was thinking 'I'm not gonna make it!' so I got really angry and then I flapped even harder and then I saw you and stopped and looked back and she was like '18.1!' and I was disappointed because I thought if I hadn't slipped I'd have beat her."

"That was most amazing, the most incredible, the most - I don't even-" I started, shaking my head thoroughly impressed. She blushed and stood up, and looked right into me with infectious joy.

"I'll tell you what though, Sonic, almost as amazing was you embarrassing Spitfire and Fleetfoot like that. You should've seen the look on their faces!" she said, cracking herself up in recollection.

"Hey, you know, I'm not here to embarrass anyone," I said chuckling, though even I have to admit it felt pretty good.

"Psh," she said, throwing her hoof out exaggeratingly. "They totally had it coming," she remarked quietly raising her eyebrow, before she broke out into her super-excited hyper state. "You got a 16.1! That's so good!!!"

I laughed and turned my head away, drowning in bliss.

"If you say so," I teased, and she gasped.

"What?" she said, raising her eyebrow with a smirk. "There you go again! Will you cut that out?"

"What?" I replied, trying to keep a straight face and failing.

"You're acting like you're surprised!" she said, sticking me in the chest. "You're a great flier, Sonic! Maybe one of the best in Equestria!"

"I was not expecting 16.1," I said, shaking my head.

"Let me tell you something," she said, leaning in close to me and whispering. "Neither were these ponies. You getting a 16.1 is big. There's more to flying than wingpower, but that's a great start."

Hearing this from her was so important to me. First of all, at that moment I felt more a member of a community than I ever had before, with the team getting the job done and the ponies all witnessing my wingpower time. Also, with her being such a hero, I felt there was almost a certain standard that was demanded of her boyfriend (and in my heart of hearts, her husband). This seemed to me to be a good step towards fitting in and achieving the ultimate goal of Wonderbolt status with her. Though in all honesty I didn't care as long as she was happy. But to me that seemed like her dream scenario.

She looked directly into me and casted her spell, rendering me unable to do anything but stare into her magnificent eyes.

"No one was less surprised, or more proud, then I was," she muttered with a soft smile. It seemed she was quickly losing herself in me as well. Suddenly she shook her back and fourth rapidly a few times before she pleaded with me. "No, no, no! We can't have one those moments right now, not in front of these all ponies," she said, looking around nervously before coming back and regaining herself. "Er- we gotta keep this positive energy going for the tornado! We gotta stay jacked up like we just were!"

"Whatever you say," shaking my head and fully smitten. She took another look at me and felt herself softening once again, it showed plainly on her face.

"But on second thought..."

"Hey Rainbow!" called Blossomforth, and Rainbow snapped out of it immediately, turning her head fast.

"What?" she asked quickly.

"Looks like we got some ponies that didn't make it home before the storm," she said, pointing to the north. Emerging from over the hills was a group of about ten ponies, all of them young adults and split down the middle between mares and stallions. One of them had a camera, and most of them had what appeared to be food baskets or blankets saddled over them.

"What are you guys doing out here? It's not good to be outside during the storm. That is if you're planning on getting back to your houses," she called to them. Then she raised her head and yelled at the top of her lungs to everyone in her raspy voice. "ONE MINUTE!!!"

"You mean like we just were before we came here?" said Thunderlane with a smirk, who was standing a few yards from us.

"Hey," shot back Rainbow, mirroring his expression, "we put that storm there. It belongs to us. Not the other way around."

"We were just having a picnic. Mind if I get a couple pictures for the paper?" asked the pegasus stallion with the camera, a white pony with a blueish mane, similar to Whitewash.

"Heh, no problem! Take as many you want!" dared Rainbow. She turned back around and looked at me with encouragement. "Let's get this tornado over with so you and I can go for a walk by ourselves somewhere. Huh?" she asked, and that sounded great to me. "You've done awesomely thus far. Will you fly with me one more time today?"

I turned my head.

"You know I will."

She reached out her right front leg to interlock with me. After a short pause I stuck mine around hers and we both pulled tightly, looking triumphantly at each other. After that she smiled and put her flight goggles on, and grabbed an extra pair from Thunderlane. She turned her back and trotted for a few steps towards the reservoir, then she looked back and hovered off the ground a few feet.

"Pegasi of Ponyville," she said loudly and absolutely, and all of us herded up together in front of us. "Equestria owes you a big thanks after today. You've all put in more than your share of work, and it's all paid off. Now there's just one thing left to do. I know everyone's tired but in five minutes we'll be all be back in the comfort of our own homes, probably laid out in bed," she continued, and several ponies laughed. "So for the next five minutes let's give one more effort. We're so close! Let's do this and go to bed as heroes!" she said, raising her hoof in the air to rally us. We all returned her hoof with our own, screaming in agreement. "Come on!!"

She took off up into the air, and like a thousand crows taking off at once, all the pegasi around me began flapping their wings and taking flight, seemingly covering every square inch of air when you looked upward. For one final time this day, I, caught up with emotion, joined the epic movement and flew into the sky with a burning heart, ready give my last for Rainbow Dash and for Ponyville.

In a manner so harmoniously it would put sparrows themselves to shame, we pegasi fell in place on top of each other forming a great cylinder over the reservoir, zooming around counterclockwise. Fueled by adrenaline and love I flapped my wings faster than the rest of them, whizzing right by several of them on the left and the right. Eventually they increased their speed so I was wasn't whizzing by them quite as fast, but I remained the fastest pony in my level. I kept my eyes on the inside turn and perpetuated my turning motions around it, hugging the inside lane. Come on, baby, come on!! Come on, Sonic! I set my heart on doing my best job for Rainbow, for Ponyville, and for Cloudsdale and the rest of Equestria.

We all toiled away and beat our wings furiously, our limbs outstretched, and after two minutes at top speed following a day's work, we were all starting to get tired. The urge to quit was making it's presence well known among most of them, though I still had plenty left in me. I looked out and saw the winds gently nudging the onlookers -including Rarity - away. You could feel the powerful force in the middle reaching peak intensity just as ponies were coming so close to giving out.

"We're almost there!!!!!" shouted Rainbow from above. "The water is coming up!"

I beat my wings furiously and ignored my fatigue. After working so hard this day, and with a leader like Rainbow, quitting was never an option right before the end like this. To my left I saw a wall of water raising up over me. I looked triumphantly up the tornado to catch a glimpse of her. We're gonna do it!

Just then, just as I looked back down, I suddenly noticed a brown stallion with a white mane right in flying right in front of me, and I had to slow down so as to not hit him. All at once my feeling of triumph left. There was something not right about him. He was directly in front of me, and unlike the rest of the ponies, he wasn't tired at all. All at once my perplexity turned to alarm as his head moved to the right and revealed a smirk. It was Dumbbell.

I looked to my right and flying right beside me at the exact same speed as me was a large stallion with a golden-brown coat and a mane of pure brown that covered his eyes. He was looking straight ahead with a similar expression as Dumbbell. I immediately recognized him as Hoops, one Dumbbell's friends and fellow bullies from junior speedster flight camp. I looked back up to his leader, who was still preventing me from advancing by the way he was positioned, and it suddenly struck me as very intentional. What is going on? All of a sudden I was overcome with nervousness and fear as something was not right here.

Flying equally with me to my left was another stallion. It was Thorn, the purplish stallion with the yellow mane, the one with whom, you remember, I had a rather forgettable conversation with earlier this morning. He too was looking straight ahead with something on his mind, I could see it in his eyes. It suddenly hit me that they must have been planning something awful. Their expressions were too nonchalant, as was their quiet crowding me into one place. Why they would ruin our glorious team effort and imminent victory like this, I didn't know. I looked ahead to Dumbbell and begged as my emotional state came crashing down.

"Noooo!!!!!"

"Whoops," remarked Hoops, and suddenly blindsiding me from the right none other than him, with a powerful but conceited nudge from his rear end. Injected with terrible anxiety and shock, the force of the bump sent me crashing into Thorn, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Ah, Sonic! What are you doing?" he shouted for as many ponies to hear as he could. He then crashed, by means of my running into him - or at least how he played it - directly into a yellow mare with a blue mane, who then in-turn fell into the mare below her as Thorn and I were blasted from the flow of the tornado.

"Sonic!!!" cried Hoops in a tone of fake-alarm. I desperately tried to get myself back as I beat my wings violently. No, no, NO! Flap, flap!!! But after Thorn had run into the mare and she had subsequently run into another mare below her, it was setting off a chain-reaction in a matter of milliseconds. Ponies everywhere below me were falling out of place. The force was suddenly thrown every which way and screaming pegasi were sent in all directions. I didn't see who went were as we all collapsed and pegasi came crashing down all around me. As for myself I was barely struggling to maintain flight as I too was flung away from the water.

The tornado was all but destroyed in a matter of seconds. Pegasi were sent in all directions, most of them crashing to the ground scattered all about. The water from the reservoir, which had just began to advance out of the tornado and into the sky, came crashing to the earth all around us. It soaked most of us from head to toe, and I was no exception as I landed on my hooves on the track and the force of the fall causing me to roll over.

It all happened so fast. Now we were all left disoriented on the ground and dripping wet, with all the water gone to the earth and no longer of any use to us. There were sounds of aches and moans all around me and frustrated cries. Ignoring any thoughts of convicting the perpetrators I stood up and looked around me, devastated by what I saw. No... I ran my hoof through my mane horrified as I came to terms with what just happened.

"Is anyone hurt?" I called, looking around me in all directions with heavy breaths and a heavy heart. Ponies were clutching themselves painfully, the sight of which brought pain to my own heart. It was getting dark, and it was harder to see. The photographer and a few of the other ponies who were picnicing ran up and looked around.

"What the heck was that?!?" demanded the photographer, running up through the collapsed crowd and coming to a halt right in front of me.

"Sonic, why'd you run into me?" asked Thorn as he too walked towards me, his voice carrying over the whole crowd. I saw immediately he was acting, and was part of a plan between at least the three of them- him, Dumbbell, and Hoops. Rather than being filled with anger at their framing of me, at the expense of potentially harming several ponies not to mention the loss of the entire reservoir, I was overcome with sadness. One word came out of my mouth as I stared at him with watering eyes.

"Why?"

That's what I wondered above everything else. I simply didn't understand what I had done to be the target of such a plot. From the day I arrived I wanted nothing but friendship from these ponies, and that remained all that I wanted. When I said it, perhaps a flicker of remorse came across his face and he turned his head away. Spitfire ran up angrier than a wet hen, looking to condemn whoever she could. Going off what she had heard, that was me.

"You caused this?" she charged, looking forcefully at me. The state of my heart had not improved from when I asked Thorn the question, in fact it had gotten worse and was reaching new lows by the second.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head in crippling sadness. "I-I was-"

"It's true, Spitfire," said the voice of Dumbbell, who was walked up to the conversation as the droves of shaken pegasi looked up from the ground or from where they had just stood up. "Sonic crashed into Thorn, which started the chain reaction that led to this."

"That's not what happened," I pleaded, at an utter loss of words.

"Whoa, whoa, whoah," said Thunderlane, rushing up beside me and shaking the water off himself. "We're not trusting anything he says," he said, pointing at Dumbbell, who retracted his face with bitter anger, though Thunderlane was not intimidated. "I flew with Sonic all day, he's an excellent flier and this stallion has a history of bullying ponies, including Sonic and me."

"Oh yeah, says his friend, of course you're gonna defend him," replied Dumbbell with an eye roll.

Dumbell and Thunderlane traded looks of hatred as Spitfire looked back and fourth from the both of them, and then back to me with harsh judgment. In fact from the moment she had that conversation with Rarity from the starting line she hadn't not given me so much as anything but an unfavorable look.

"Did anyone else see what happened?" she asked, looking around.

"I saw Sonic run into Thorn," said a voice from behind us. It was Cloud Chaser, who was also with Thorn this morning when I was trying to be friendly. Spitfire's eyes went from him to me condemningly. I stared at him, utterly devastated at this clearly coordinated event. I didn't know what weight my testimony carried if no one else could say they saw what happened. I had never been falsely accused before, but it ranks way up there with the worst feelings I've experienced, and the feelings of abandonment were rushing back.

"Didn't anyone else see what happened?" I pleaded, choking on my words and looking around for support. All I saw was face after face of bitter ponies looking angrily at me.

"Wonderbolts take responsibility for their actions," she said harshly, walking up and giving me a death glare. "Looks like the Wonderbolts are above you, Sonic."

Unable to take it, I looked away and continued choking on my gulps, on the verge of tears. I sat back on the ground and buried my head in my hooves. I just couldn't understand why. I had only wanted to be their friend.

"Where's Rainbow?" I said, though it came out much closer to a whine as raised my head despairingly in desperate need of her.

"Go home everyone. Looks like I'll have to tell the Princess that we'll have to get water from somewhere else. Maybe Horseshoeville has some water in their reservoir," said Spitfire to the crowd, though looking straight at me bitterly. All the pegasi got up and glared at me as they one by one headed off slowly towards, which cut through the depths of my soul. I had suddenly not felt this bad since that terrible day ten years ago.

"Way to go, Sonic," a few of them said. The look of utter disappointment from everyone there seemed to pass through my eyes directly into my heart, each one of them adding more heaviness to it then the last.

"Please believe me," I whispred, but they were unresponsive.

"This is outrageous," declared Thunderlane, as I looked my eyes around desperately for Rainbow and unable to find her. "LOOK AT HIM! Does he look like a liar? You see what these accusations are doing to him? These stallions are jealous of him because he's Rainbow's boyfriend, and they're bitter that she rejected them," he charged against them.

"You!" growled Dummbell, as though in disbelief that he dared to say it out loud. Yelling from several sides followed swiftly against Thunderlane. I couldn't see their faces when he charged this, because I was looking for her as my heart wrenched.

"Sonic!" called the voice of alarmed Rarity. It came from the east side of the reservoir, at the edge of some trees.

I immediately abandoned them and flew fiercely towards where the voice had come from. The wind in my face quickly released some of the tears in my eyes and the flight highlighted the muscle aches in my legs that come with intense anxiety. I came to a halt around the trees' edge looking desperately for her.

"Over here," said her voice to the right, and I flew a few more feet before I reached her. I could barely see in the dark, but I saw what appeared to be the color cyan laid out across the ground and Rarity crouched over her. "She's hurt. It's her wing."

I did my best to set aside my sorrow enough to act in the form of leaning down and examining her. She appeared to be unconscious. Just when I thought I couldn't get any sadder, the sight of her lying on the ground in pain caused my heart to feel the very real feeling like it was actually losing blood from inside my chest.

"She was on the top of the tornado and was flung the furthest," said Rarity. I put my hoof on my mouth and placed my hoof gently on her mane. She opened her eyes and saw me, and immediately tried to sit up. "Wait my dear!" she said, sitting her back down with her hooves. "You mustn't stand so quickly. I think you hurt your wing."

"What?" whined a horrified Rainbow, the sound of which along with her expression stabbed away my heart.

"How do you feel otherwise?" asked Rarity. Rainbow once again tried to stand up, this time forcing her way through Rarity's attempts to keep her down. She successfully stood herself up and attempted to move her wings around. She spread them ok, but when she attempted to come down she cried out in pain as her left wing twinged, unable to complete it's motion downward. The sight of her this way once again brought my hoof to my mouth.

"It's a sprain," she whimpered, trying desperately to hide her heartbrokenness. "I won't be able to fly for weeks." She fell to the ground and coverered her eyes with her hooves. What had started out as one of the best days of my life had somehow soured into one of the worst in a matter of minutes, and my heart was just praying for it to end. She looked up and saw me, and she was moved with overwhelming concern. "Sonic... you look terrible," she remarked, with devastation in her voice. "What's wrong?"

Without an answer she stood up a second time against Rarity's third urging against it, wrapped her front legs around me and buried her head into me. I was in desperate of need of this for what seemed like an eternity. I set everything else aside and rested my head against her, and we both poured our sorrows into each other, which is just what made them bearable. Some relief at last.

Taking the Next Step

"Looks like a grade-two wing sprain, but an x-ray in the morning will confirm it," said the doctor, a yellowish gold stallion with a brown mane. He had on a white doctor's coat and a stethoscope around his neck. Rarity and I stood side by side at Rainbow's bed. All three of us were trying to not look too defeated, and I think of the three I was probably doing the worst job.

After Rarity and I found her we brought her to the hospital where the lights were on and the staff was busy. Rainbow wasn't the only one there after the tornado disaster. Several ponies, if not more than half of us, were dealing with some sort of bruise or ache, and a handful had minor injuries, none of them less serious than Rainbow's, who had the worst outcome of any pegasi in the accident. It was during that time I briefly tried to explain to the two of them exactly what happened, upon hearing which and seeing me in shambles just made an already difficult situation for her even harder.

"Ohhhh, I knew it, I knew it!!!" Rainbow cried sadly to the ceiling with her lower half submerged under the covers. She was already in her hospital gown and her wing was wrapped in a white bandage. "Why me, why me?!?" she moaned, when suddenly her mouth dropped and her eyes widened at the two of us in some sort of realization; probably realizing she had to keep her cool around us, and maybe wasn't doing quite the best job of that. She looked down to the bottom of the bed sadly, taking a deep breath and looking up at the Doc with humble, hopeful eyes. "Just... how long do I have to stay here and when can I fly again?"

"Again," he said, raising his eyebrow. "Depends on the x-ray, but grade-two's in healthy mares like you are generally four weeks before you can fly again and six weeks before you're back to full spee-"

"Six weeks? SIX WEEK UNTIL I CAN GO FAST AGAIN?!?" she shouted to heaven, burying her eyes in her hooves as darkness squeezed his grip on my heart. I wanted so badly to just look away from her and ease my pain, but I couldn't. I should've dodged Hoops and picked my way through. I should've shouted when I first suspected something. To this day I'm still disappointed in myself, though according to Rainbow there wasn't much I could've done. I knew it was coming, and I hesitated...

Meanwhile, the doctor shook his head pitifully at her, trying to appeal to anything.

"Four weeks of no flying isn't that bad is i-?"

"Four weeks is like four months!!!" she started, turning over on her side with horror. "Flying is everything to a pegasus!" she screamed, flipping back over on her back. "Tell him, Sonic. Flying is everything to a pegasus!"

She pounded her hooves into the bed frustratedly a few times before looking defeatedly straight ahead. At this point I hadn't really done anything except stand there depressed. I was trying desperately to think of some way to comfort her somehow. She then looked over at me and our eyes met again.

"You know, on second thought... this isn't so bad," she said, managing a smile. I was supposed to be the one cheering her up, yet now it was the other way around. "This just gives us an excuse for me to read you the Daring Do books!"

Seeing her cheering up, it just started having the same effect on me when the voice of a female nurse came from behind Rarity, the Doc and I.

"Doc, we got one more, looks like a mild concussion," said the white mare nurse with the pink main from the door who had popped her head in.

"Alright, be there in a second," he said, rubbing his eyes with a sigh. "That's four mild concussions, three sprained ankles, and a grade-two wingsprain."

He suddenly lifted his eyes and looked directly at me, not exactly what I would call a look of approval.

"You know from what I hear, sounds like this is your fault?" he remarked.

For a second my mouth fell open in disbelief before I hung my head in shame, ears coming down and all. Rarity and Rainbow Dash gasped. It was worse then before, because now Rainbow was there to see it - all the bitterness and anger directed straight at me from those ponies' faces as they walked off the track into Ponyville.

"Yeah, it is his fault," said a disgruntled pegasi getting her ankle wrapped on the bed beside Rainbow before her or Rarity could respond. These were just one dagger in my side after another. I blanked out my vision with my hoof and shook my head. Please stop...

"You better shut your mouth!!!" snarled Rainbow Dash ferociously, trembling with fury. She threw her covers off and got of bed, ignoring her twinging pain and glaring them down, much to the protests of the doctor and a gasping Rarity.

"It's the testimony of four stallions," said the mare, and an enraged Rainbow began walking menacingly towards her. The doctor, and suddenly two nurses who were out of sight coming over from the other side of the curtain, moved in and subdued her, and initially she just outright ignored them.

"Four highly unreliable stallions," growled Rarity.

"No, no, Rainbow! Come on, get back in bed, you need your rest," urged the alarmed doctor. She kept pretending they weren't even there and continued glaring at the other mare. "Come on Rainbow, don't make me call security on the first night," added the doctor. That comment seemed to slowly defeat her, as she eventually stopped moving as a look of helpless frustration and betrayal seemed to overpower the look of rage on her expression. Rainbow shoved away the doctor and nurses and reluctantly slipped back into bed, turning away from all of us.

"Those cowards... when I get out of here," she whispered to herself.

"I must say that was most unprofessional of you, Doctor," said an angry Rarity. "And that goes for you too, Cloud Kicker. Not only were you not there and you didn't see what happened, you act like he meant to do this! As if your berating him is just what this poor stallion needs right now. I am profoundly disappointed. I expected better from a lady such as yourself."

"I suppose you could be right," remarked the doctor. "Excuse me," he continued, looking at me for less than half a second before he looked away and sighed. "Either way, I'm afraid you two need to leave now. You're not supposed to be in here this late as it is."

"Don't worry about them Sonic. They'll be sorry... they'll know how wrong they are," uttered Rainbow, seething hatefully, a sight I never ever wanted to see. "I will show them... when I get out of here..."

"Doctor," I muttered quietly, looking up and asking for one thing. "I'd *really* like to stay with her tonight."

"Can't you pleeeeaase make an exception?" begged Rainbow, hearing me. The doctor turned around distressingly, looking down and away from us.

"I can't," he replied, shaking his head. "If I make one exception then I have to make all exceptions. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even let you two in here this late. You should consider yourself lucky."

She sunk into her bed and shut the rest of us out again, pouting frustratedly to herself. I was flattered that she wanted me there but that much more deeply wounded that I had to leave. I needed her as much she needed me, that much I definitely knew. If there was any consolation at all it was that we couldn't be defeated anymore for one night.

"What time can I be here in the morning?" I asked.

"8 am," he replied. The doctor made his way over to the door and waited there for us, signaling us to leave. I stood there for one more difficult moment. Admittedly, I wanted to say goodbye to her a little more formally, but she didn't seem to want it. She was angry and upset. My heart said stay but my mind knew I had to leave or get security called on me.

"I'll be here when you wake up," I told her backside. Eventually I turned and started to walk dejectedly over towards the door. Before I got far, though, she called out to me.

"Sonic, wait!"

I turned around to find her sitting up with an expression and body language that called me back to her bed. She reached out and wrapped her legs around me, burying her head in my side. We might've gone a tad further had they not been standing there, but this was enough. Being with her reminded me I had so much to be thankful for.

"Rarity," she said, drawing back and motioning her friend over to us. Rarity promptly trotted up to the bedside so all three of us where huddled together. The doctor seemed mildly annoyed at the delay, but he could wait. She looked directly at her friend and pleaded with all of her strength in just two words. "Clear his name."

"Thank you for walking me home, Sonic. You are a true gentleman. Though I don't understand why you didn't keep the umbrella under both of us when I offered to make room for you," remarked Rarity as we arrived at her boutique where she lives now - it was a round, fancy looking building with a steeple in the middle. She had this frilly umbrella, maybe not the most visible at night, but it was probably a sight just a couple hours earlier. I didn't stand under it, even though she offered.

"I don't mind the rain. It's in my name," I replied. She was now standing just inside the open door out of the rain, while I remained outside and in it.

"You know, if it was just those two lugheads Hoops and Dumbbell, they wouldn't have a case against you at all. It's those other two they must've convinced to help them, those two are the real problem," she said. I explained everything to her on the way home, and she harped me on the details.

"Yeah," I sighed sadly, looking down and away from her.

"Don't worry about it darling," she assured me, reaching her hoof out and taking pity on me. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this. I'm gonna start first thing tomorrow morning and work harder than Applejack on a Monday. If I can just talk to enough ponies that were flying around you I'm sure I can get a contradiction out of those four that will clear your good name. It's just such a shame that those four would blame someone as nice as you are. Those traitors to friendship!"

"Well I can't say I hope that doesn't happen. Thank you for doing this, Rarity," I said in reply, though I was gonna hurt until it she cleared me and probably beyond.

"Just do me a favor darling and let me handle this my way, will you? Rainbow never trusted my methods when I did the same thing for her," she remarked, much more firmly. Hearing that and my head came up curiously.

"You did this same thing with Rainbow? What was she accused of?" I asked.

"Oh yes, darling! I'll let her tell you all about it," she said, giving me wink and a smile. I tried to smile back, but it didn't help much, and her smile didn't last long when she picked up on that. I looked up into the darkness above, occasionally lit with lightning. I realized I didn't really have much to say, either. In that case, it's best to just wrap it up.

"Well, I appreciate you doing this. Let me help you anyway I can with it. I owe you a lot more than a walk home in the rain," I told her.

"Anytime, sweetheart," she replied affectionately but pitifully. "I'd offer you to stay here for the night, I don't want to give those ponies anything more to speculate."

"No," I replied and shaking my head, "I definitely agree with you there. Thanks for the offer though."

"Sonic?"

"Yes?"

"Please feel better."

I didn't say anything but I gave her the most unenthusiastic nod ever given. I turned my head around and walked away from her, and now I was really alone with my thoughts. The rain was much steadier and relaxed now unlike the downpours at the beginning of the storm just before sunset. Each step down the road made a splash- something I usually love - and if it weren't the streetlights I wouldn't have seen where to go at all. In several town houses as I walked there were angry and disappointed faces of all kinds staring out at me, ranging from unicorn to earth pony.

Even in a thunderstorm, word of what happened had obviously spread through the town like wildfire. Usually the faces were followed by closing blinds or shutting windows. Each one was like knocking back a shot of pure depression in a glass. I was used to being an outcast and a loner, but the feeling of resentment this strong from an entire town of ponies was entirely new to me. I had nothing left but to walk down the dark, misty road, slow and alone with my fresh failures.

I should've seen that coming, I thought to myself as I crossed the bridge where it's extra foggy at nighttime. The days leading up to this - heck, even today right before that tornado - I don't think I could've dreamt up a better scenario. It was stupid to think that a turnaround like that was gonna last. I made my way down the road away from the center of town where most houses are. Down here there were no more street lights, so I had to pretty much watch my hooves to make sure I was still on the path since it was too dark to see anything else. That and I would look up and let the occasional lightning show me where to go. It's a strange and wondrous feeling to see the valley lit up in the dark, but I had no one to share it with. All I could think about was that my first chance at finally belonging somewhere has been shattered and everypony in the town I was desperate to impress now hates me.

It was the slowest I've ever walked home. Every step was heavy, like lifting up some weight strapped to each hoof with all of my thoughts bent on hoping for a better outcome. I finally came up to the doorstep of my pitch-black home. I popped open the door and laid down on my stomach in the little doorway as I wasn't ready to part with the rain. My lower half was in the house and the front of me was outside, looking out across the valley under the protection of the branches stretching out over the house's front walkway. I looked up and saw the lightning through the little spaces in the leaves overhead of my lonely treehouse. I remembered putting the clouds right over me just a few hours before. Out across the valley far in front of my house there wasn't any thunderstorm, just a few clouds across the sky and the moon shining bright down on the other end of the black horizon. With a sigh I laid my chin in on the ground.

I couldn't close my eyes, but I tried to give the rest of my body a rest. The ground here was particularly cold, but it felt like where I belonged. It was just like the not-so-old days when I spent many nights laying in a patch of grass or dirt somewhere far away from Cloudsdale, from Ponyville, and from Canterlot, looking up at the sky and dreaming of meeting her again in a better life someday. Her feather was always tucked warmly underneath me, and somewhere in the deepest recesses of my heart was a glimmer of hope as I prayed to the stars. First as a child, then as a teenager, then as a young adult. And here I am now.

I took a deep breath and let the smell of rain flood my nostrils. Rarity is gonna clear my name, I told myself. I'm not sure if Rarity will or not, but I have to believe she will. But I don't know what all she has in store for her own personal investigation, and for now that investigation is going to happen off the scene from this account.

Instead of dwelling on the night's events, I decided to do what I always do when I'm depressed. Memories from the previous days started playing in my head. We already had plenty of nice ones for me to go swimming in. I smiled faintly at the recollection of when Rainbow stumbled into me the time we finally spoke for the first time after she tricked Pinkie into leaving. Then I remembered when she and I made our confessions as we ascended into the sky together after eating hog slops at the local lunch stand. We have plenty more to make, too... I think maybe the one I loved best of all was just a few hours ago in the pouring rain, just before we went and did our trials at the reservoir.

Our team that was assigned to the thunderstorm still raining all this time later had just finished getting all the clouds delivered and set in place. All eight of us descended into the streets, our wings beating desperately with the last bit of energy they had, and we collapsed as a group in the main square. The storm was just about ready to start as it all came together, and most ponies were inside for good as the winds just started to pick up. Not us, though. We were all breathing so hard, most of us lying down as we as got over our physical exhaustion... After all, we'd spent the last two hours flying at high speeds non-stop back and fourth, pushing rain-packed clouds. Nobody thought we could do it, and we finished early.

Rainbow was the least tired of us all, and the most determined. She stood up on her legs and held her head high, taking several steps away from us as she let the breeze flow freely through her mane. She stayed there for a moment just to take it all in. Then she turned her head around. On her face you could find the expression of a victory-loving mare who was so deeply proud of her team that succeeded only because she was there to lead and encourage us.

"How many ponies can say they put their heart into something as much as we did today, huh?" she said in an exhausted raspy voice facing us. To my utter bliss, the rest of them applauded my hero - who, I was discovering, had become their hero - who now boasted a bold smile. "First you did what was necessary. Then you did what was possible. Then, suddenly, you did the impossible!! You guys are one heck of a team, even if you're not quite as good as me."

A large drop of water landed right on my nose, and just like that there was water everywhere as the rain came crashing down. It was relief from heaven, and we all joyfully bathed in it. I rolled over on my back and spread my legs out, letting each drop tickle me everywhere while I stirred around on the ground like a happy dog rolling in the grass. I was playing with serenity itself. I completed my first weather job with Rainbow as my boss and so, so much more than that. A splash of water drenched my face and the sound of Thunderlane's laughter filled my ears.

As those guys played and splashed I rolled back around happily and sat up, looking around for her since I wanted to share this with her. She wasn't where was she was a second ago. I looked around and spotted that beautiful blue mare at the edge of the hill across from the town square. She was looking straight at me with a contented smile that went from ear to ear while water dripped off her body. I galloped over to her playfully and danced around her.

"You haven't changed a bit, do you know that?" she called to me, and I came to a halt right in front of her. She looked me over and shook her head in admiration. If there was such thing as divine happiness, this was it. "You were just as cute when you played in the rain as a colt."

Yeah... That one felt pretty good as I remembered it laying down in the doorway. I couldn't keep from smiling as I stared out into the valley. I thought about how all the pegasi looked up to her, not just our team of eight. She rallied them all, and the way she fed off their positive energy and just addressed them all with such confidence in herself and them. Somehow she knew exactly what to say and what to do. It all seemed so natural for her. She's so strong. So loved. So admired... and what am I?

That was a particularly disheartening thought that I wanted nothing more than to send away for good thoug it really wanted to linger. She's all of that, and what am I but a poor orphan, abandoned by his parents? I rested my foreleg on over my eyes and fought with myself. That's not true. You see the look in her eyes whenever she looks at you. What would she say if she heard your heart right now? She would be insulted. Either way I couldn't escape the reality that since that fateful day, she's gone on to become an ultra-important part of Equestria, and a hero. My road, as you well know, has been much different.

The thought of telling her everything, which I knew I had to, was suddenly a little bit more daunting. I couldn't let a scenario like the one that popped into my head on the track right before my wingpower trial happen. Having someone else say something before me would be horrible. In the end though that night, Rainbow's loving, radiant smile was the dominant image in my mind, and it eased the pain of feeling less than worthy of her, because I had seen the same love in her eyes beneath the surface of her toughness that was there when we were foals.

Speaking of children, I then thought of Scootaloo and how badly I wanted to understand her friendship with Rainbow, and add to it if I could. With Rainbow's wing injured, there's no way we can go to that concert in the Crystal Empire with Scootaloo. Those concerts are intense, with everyone bouncing around and into each other. Another long sigh. I really didn't want to think this was my fault, that I could've avoided that plot to frame me somehow. I covered my eyes with leg again. The saddest thought was knowing Rainbow now had to deal with being closely associated with me now that I was universally despised.

Suddenly, my ears picked up the sound of something behind me, from inside my house. I gasped and jumped up and away from my door, looking horrified into the darkness of my own home. It sounded like stuff falling over, maybe coming from the kitchen, like pots and pans or something.

"Hello?" I muttered, turning my head and looking for any sign of movement or any kind of dark outline. I really didn't want to investigate. Why can't fearless Rainbow be here? I was almost tempted to just walk away and sleep outside, but I knew couldn't just leave my house unattended. I took a reluctant step forward and gulped nervously. Maybe it's raccoons? Yeah... that's not so bad. No reason to leave the house. I slowly entered through the doorway and looked around again. Nothing, no movement, when suddenly there was the sound of scrambling hooves followed by a crash sound.

"Oooof... right in the shin," moaned the hurting voice of a stallion.

Knowing there was at least a stallion in here skyrocketed my heart rate and terrified me. A lightning bolt flash through the door and the windows lit up a clear path from me to the big chandelier with the candles, where one strike of a match would light the whole lower floor. I shook my head in regret knowing I could solve this quickly if I wanted to. Come on, for Rainbow... Sweating with fear, I somehow charged myself forward at the next flash and struck a match, half expecting a deadly blow to the head while I did it. Once the first candle lit up and worked it's way around the whole ring of them, I jumped down and sped back to the front door where I turned around and looked across. What the-??

Laying on the ground next to the coffee table in the middle rubbing his front left shin with a guilty smile was none other than Thunderlane. Standing side by side over him was Buddy, with an equally embarrassed smile and eyes turned up and away, and Clear Skies, who was looking friendlily at me as though nothing was wrong whatsoever.

Oh, I realize this is maybe not the best time to explain this, but let me clear up my house's layout really quick; so the lower floor is pretty much one big room - on the side closest to the front door you've got your kitchen, with a sink and cupboards on the wall there just to your left and a little table on the wall just to the right of the front door. The side of the room away from the door is just like a lounge room with a couch, a chair, and a coffee table in the center of that part of the room. And then you've got pictures of the landscape and stuff on the walls. Pretty quaint, I know. It was all here when the Princess gave it to me.

Anyway, I was of course confused for a second, but at least I wasn't scared anymore. After a couple seconds I walked back up to that part of the room.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked with a very faint smirk, raising my eyebrow.

"Well," started Thunderlane, still laughing softly. "Since you were taking forever to come in here..."

"We were wondering i-if, y-you... " started Buddy, smiling but making eye contact only for a second.

"Wanted to have a sleepover?" said Clear Skies hopefully.

"And... let us take any food you might be willing to share with us. Well, with me at least," added Thunderlane.

I was still somewhat confused, but after a second I realized they were trying to cheer me up. It seemed to work to some degree as I was chuckling in appreciation.

"A what?" I asked to make sure.

"A sleep over, you know," started Thunderlane, talking fast, thinking hard, and relying on hoof motions. "We do that here, you know like we play games, and talk, hang out, that sort of thing. I don't know what you've heard in other places, but... it's not weird or anything like that, it's just... something we do around here. The young folks at least."

The smile on my face got a little bit wider.

"We asked a couple more ponies to come but pretty much the whole rest of the town hates you right now," said Clear Skies, smiling at first but then looking away with a frown as she finished out the comment. The cheering up stopped there and I sighed sadly, turning my head away, ears coming down and all. Thunderlane let out a strange noise his eyes twitching. He stood up with crazy eyes and put himself directly in front of her.

"Cleary," he muttered, chuckling softly. "Do you remember that little talk we had about being more aware of how all of your words will be received?" he asked, and she thought honestly for a moment.

"Oh," she replied frowning. "I wasn't sup-"

"IT'S TOO LATE NOW!" he shouted while her and Buddy both shuttered. "You already hurt his feelings!"

"I'm so sorry," she said to me embarrassed.

"She wasn't wrong," I said quietly. I know she didn't mean it, though I was still reeling with sadness. He turned around and tried to put on a smile for me though it was really more of an embarrassed attempt to explain something I was clearly not around for.

"I know that," he said, chuckling, "it's just we had this talk like three weeks ago, and-" he stopped mid-sentence and looked me over as I stood there with my head down, before he let out a deep, sad sigh as he couldn't hide his emotions anymore. "I'm sorry, buddy."

"Huh?" said Buddy.

"Not you," said Thunderlane, facehoofing himself. "I should've come alone."

"Actually, we were wondering, uh... what exactly happened?" asked the green stallion, and the other two looked up curiously. I was eager to clear myself, but I hated revisiting and retelling this story, having to live through it again. I knew they just wanted the truth, and I was just happy they seemed to believe me.

"Dumbbell trapped me from the front. Hoops and Thorn on the side. Hoops rammed me into Thorn, who ran into some mare to make it look like I started it," I muttered, standing still.

"Called it," said Buddy to the other two as Thunderlane growled.

"I knew it was something like that, those lying snakes in the grass," he said shaking his head.

"So you guys believe me?" I asked, surprised - well, not surprised that Thunderlane believed me, moreso the other two.

"Dude, come on. Of course," he said, to which I smiled graciously.

"I believe you!" said Clear Skies. "I flew with you all afternoon, you seem like a great flier to me. You seem so nice, and those guys are jerks anyway."

"See this is why I don't like flying with a bunch of ponies. What if one of them tries to frame you for something?" said Buddy.

"What? How does that logic work?" asked Thunderlane, raising his eyebrow. He was still standing between the two of them. "Why would someone frame you?"

"Why would someone frame Sonic?" he shot back.

"Well you can't take that attitude Buddy. If you think like that then how can you ever have an adventure like the mane six?" piped in Clear Skies, looking over Thunderlane's head, who rolled his eyes.

"Look," he started, "I know you admire them, we all do, but get this idea that we're ever gonna be as - er, that we're ever gonna go on 'adventures' like they do out of your head," he said, and she looked a little rejected. "Except Sonic. He and Rainbow have something in front of them that we can only dream about."

"I never said we'd go on adventures just like them," she said, speaking upwards with her down in disappointment. Thunderlane raised his eyebrow while looking down at her and suddenly a little smirk came over him.

"I know what you meant," he said, playfully wrapping his arm around her neck, and she seemed to respond well to it as her frown started to fade away into her usual innocent beam that is quite adorable if I must say so myself.

"Just that maybe we can go on some lesser adventures sometimes. Because adventures are, you know - fun!"

"And dangerous," remarked Buddy nervously.

"Which makes them fun," said Thunderlane, raising his eyebrow the other way. The poor guy was just going back and fourth between those two.

While those three continued talking, I made my way over to the window and pushed it open to let the cool, rainy air in. I stuck my nose outside and inhaled to make sure I got one more good breath of it. A brief image of a happy Rainbow Dash lifted my mood slightly, and I already had a special fondness for those three, even though I was still saddened about the rest of the town. When I looked back I suddenly noticed they were silent and looking at me.

"Have a seat on the couch, or the seat. I'll get us some hay," I told them welcomingly, and they all happily found a spot. Thunderlane took the chair, Buddy and Clear Skies took the couch. I brought back a plate for each of them then laid myself down on my stomach on the rug that side of the room, just beside the coffee table where they were standing.

"You guys should let him take the couch," whispered Thunderlane to them, and they looked afraid. I didn't care though, I was perfectly comfortable.

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine right here," I told them. They left it there and they're faces relaxed, so I think they believed me. Thunderlane buried his snout in his hay, the other two were much gentler. "So you three going to that Thunderhooves concert?"

"Nah, that's more of a foal thing, those concerts. Maybe if it was closer instead of the Crystal Empire," remarked Thunderlane.

"What? Come on," I replied in disbelief. "And hey, you guys aren't gonna become outcasts now that you're hanging out with me, are you?" I asked them teasingly, though they took it seriously.

"Well," said Buddy, rolling his hoof around on the floor with the rest of his body laid out across the couch. "We're maybe not the most popular ponies in this town," he said, before Thunderlane took him on.

"Oh come on, you've got plenty of friends. So does Cleary," he said, looking over from his chair.

"You're probably the most popular pony here, Thunder," she replied, to which an embarrassed Thunderlane smiled.

"I think you're that guy who is friends with everyone," I said, smirking.

"Nah, Sonic, we don't really care what other ponies think anyway," he said, going back to my original question.

"I tell you who's awful odd about that is Rainbow Dash," said Clear Skies, smiling in thought. Thunderlane seemed nervous as to where she was gonna take this, I think he was probably afraid she'd say something that might accidentally offend me.

"Um, Clear-" he started quietly, but I cut him off.

"Wait, it's ok Thunder. I wanna hear this," I told him, and he gave a conceded nod. I looked back over at Clear Skies and watched her attentively.

"I was just saying... I think it's weird, 'cause Rainbow Dash really seems to care a lot about what ponies think of her," she started, and my breathing started to slow. I knew it was partially true. I mean after all, what pony doesn't care at least a tiny bit about their image? It frightened me to think that maybe my current status hurt her image, and therefore herself. It just aided the idea that I'm simply not worthy of Rainbow Dash, that she deserves someone much more than me. I'm sure I was visibly afraid as I laid there and watched her, but she started to smile as she looked in recollection, as though she was admiring the image of Rainbow herself in her mind.

"But at the same time, she never goes back on her friends. Like this one time, there was this Griffon who came here. An old friend of Rainbow's. This griffon was like... uh, help me out here Thunderlane," she said, pausing.

"This griffon was like the textbook 'I'm cooler than you' and 'too cool for you' types, if you know what I mean," he said to me, and I nodded my head in understanding. "She thought she and Rainbow were too good for the ponies in this town."

"But Rainbow," continued Clear Skies, smiling once again. "She didn't take none of that from this griffon. She didn't care how cool she or this griffon was. She stood right by her friends and told her to beat it. That's why I just think it's weird. She cares about her image but when pushed Rainbow never chooses her image over her friends. I just think that's so cool," she said.

At the beginning I was frightened, but by the end my heart was warm with love. As she finished out her story, I couldn't help but smile. That sure did sound like Rainbow.

"And this other time, during the Equestrian Games, Rainbow was the leader of Ponyville's aerial relay team," she continued.

"We were all in the air sprinting events, and she was left with, well... not the best two fliers around here for her relay team," said Buddy.

"Yeah! Spitfire and Fleetfoot offered her the spot on their team that woulda kicked all the other team's butt. Rainbow loves those Wonderbolts too, let me tell you," Clear Skies continued, though she certainly didn't have to tell me about that last part. "And Rainbow loves to win."

"But she chose her first team - her friends - over certain victory," finished Thunderlane, and all three of them followed up with three bright smiles that filled me with encouragement. I love that mare...

"See that face, guys?" said a smirking Thunderlane to those two. "That's what a Casanova looks like."

I stood up and walked to the window, leaving those three to watch me with curiosity. Whenever I was filled with hope I had a tendency to look up at the sky in deep thought, whether it was the stars, the daytime clouds, or a gentle thunderstorm. I guess I haven't changed in that regard.

"You alright dude?" asked Thunder concernedly. I stared up into the black, flashing sky. On top of being in love with that mare I knew I had to tell her the absolute truth about that day, and the years that followed. I can't run away from it forever. There was something about that story that stirred me. Maybe I felt a little more confident knowing that she is who she is; she always chooses her friends over anything else, but I was still self-conscious about it. You don't get over something like that overnight. Or during a story.

"Yeah," I told him without looking back. Of course, they didn't know the details either. Nobody really did, except the Princess when I mentioned I was homeless before she sent me here.

Day by day, minute by minute I was learning more about my situation. In my heart, I knew Thunderlane was right. There is something in front of us for me and Rainbow, but I don't know what. All I knew right then is that if our love was going to take the next step, it had to start with me telling her all the details of my life thus far, and not just the ones that would impress her. On the other hand, this is going to upset her so much...

I felt Thunderlane's hoof on my shoulder and found the other two standing behind me as well, looking friendlily at me. They had proven that Rainbow wasn't the only in the world that cared about me, and I knew I had a duty to love and serve them until they left, which would be enough to distract me.

A Resting Place

When I woke up the next morning, the sun wasn't shining through the window as it normally does. Don't worry... not because it hasn't risen, but rather all the rain from the night before had left a thick fog over all Ponyville including my house on the eastern edge. For that reason I actually opened my eyes a little later then I planned, and once they were open I shot up off the ground.

I had slept on the rug. Thunderlane was still stretched out over the loveseat, and Clear Skies and Buddy each took one edge of the couch. As soon as I stood up and came into consciousness it was abundantly clear that thankfully I had fallen asleep before them, apparently, as they were all snoring loudly in their own unique way. I couldn't help but feel much better seeing them sleeping there. My new beloved friends. They actually did manage to make me have a little fun last night. We had pillow fights, played cards, and told stories, among other things. It was almost enough to forget some of that stuff from just before.

With all that fog outside it was pretty dark in the house but I kept the lights off to let them sleep. I made my way quietly over to the food cabinet and took out a few apples. Heh... Four of them were missing from last night. What time is it? I looked around for a second but then remembered I didn't have clock yet. Normally I'm pretty good at estimating the time but the darkness from the fog had thrown me off; it couldn't have been that late though because once the sun gets up over the horizon the fog clears up quick. My mind was focused almost solely on what to bring Rainbow for breakfast, and I sure didn't want to be late. I've just got to make her feel better. That's my only job today.

The thought of her that morning was bittersweet. On one hand it was impossible for me to think her without feeling horrible given everything that happened last night, much less the image of her stuck grounded and in a hospital bed, even if for just a couple days. Nothing is more joy-inducing than her company along with virtually everything else about her, but the sight of Rainbow Dash hurt is a feeling just as powerful the other way. I prefer happy, laughing Rainbow Dash... That's what I want to see today. Now what can I bring to her besides breakfast? Anything to cheer her up. I started running through anything that she'd like. I know she mentioned something about the Daring Do books. Do they have those at the hospital?

if I'm gonna make her feel better today, then the last thing I would do is tell her what happened after that fateful day ten years ago. I thought about it for a moment - it felt weird since I thought I'd went to bed pretty set on this. But as I thought about it, this was an unpleasant thing that I really dreaded, and would much prefer to just set it aside again. After all, it's not like she was going anywhere. The odds someone was gonna recognize me and then spill the beans on my orphaned status in a part of Equestria I'd lived far away from started to seem pretty out there, even if I did do a lot moving around. Maybe wanting to tell her today was just sort of a knee-jerk reaction to that thought that someone might recognize me.

She wasn't going to be stuck with just hospital food on my watch. I remembered her confessing to me her favorite breakfast when she was a filly. I wasn't sure if it was still the same, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try. Still standing in the doorway, I looked over to the stove. Sunnyside up eggs over fried potatoes. It was time to ignore the past and make some new memories with her.

Before the potatoes even started cackling in the pan as I stood there watching them, Thunderlane's voice came from beside me. He'd gotten up and was walking towards the cupboards rubbing his eyes tiredly with his wings.

"Who'da thought she of all mares can swing a pillow like that," he remarked, shaking his head.

"Well good morning," I called to him.

"You mind if I snag an apple or two? I'll pay you back, promise," he said, as he threw one into his mouth. "Jeez... that was the first time I ever spent the night with those two," he continued, motioning back to them. "Gotta love those guys, but my gosh..." he said, shaking his head with a smile before he walked towards the doorway for a breath of fresh air.

"What?" I whispered with a teasing smirk, wondering exactly what he meant.

He basically ignored the question as I saw something catch his gaze at my doorstep. He sat down on his rear and lifted something up in his hooves. His eyes got big and his mouth hung open in some kind of horrified disbelief. Of course I was curious.

"They can't be serious... how early do they get up and write this stuff?" he muttered to himself, putting his hoof on his forehead distressingly.

"What is it?" I asked, somewhat worried. Without moving his head, even looking from the side I could see him turn his eyes toward me. Suddenly he broke into a nervous chuckle and flipped the page.

"Oh, nothing," he said, shamelessly trying to play it off. I had a bad a feeling about this as I abandoned the food on the stove and walked towards him. I came to halt behind him and started reading over his shoulder. He was reading some third page article about a scheduled visit from the Princess that was still four weeks away. Didn't seem to be anything too sinister, but I knew there was something on the front page.

"Alright Thunder. Let me see it," I told him. He nervously looked back for a moment and continued his blatant acting.

"Dude come on, I'm reading this, don't be rude," he said, pretending to be glued to it.

"Thunderlane..." I remarked gently, "I don't think you really care about 'Princess Celestia's afternoon tea schedule during visit' or 'Aloe and Lotus to extend Sunday spa hours'," I told him as I stood right behind him.

"It's a guilty pleasure," he responded.

"Can I please see the frontpage?"

"Front pages are overrated," he said, turning his head up and around at me with that hiding smile, to which I just looked at him with my eyebrows extended, my best attempt at some kinda puppy dog look. He tried me for a moment, but I guess I won the staring contest, as he caved in a few seconds later, rolling his eyes sadly and handing me the paper.

I flipped back to the front page as he stood up with a sigh. I found myself staring straight into my own depressed and heartbroken eyes as they looked ashamedly around at a crowd of disappointed pegasi at the reservoir. Right above that huge picture of me read the headline "New Pegasus Ruins Reservoir Lift Attempt". I didn't move a muscle and any trace of gratitude or joy that I had recovered from last night was drained out of me just like that. My wings made their way over my eyes. I was embarrassed by it enough as it was, but that wasn't even the worst of it. The worst thought was that what if Rainbow saw it?

"It's ridiculous how they splash this stuff all over the newspaper," said Thunderlane, facehoofing himself as I took a deep, depressed sigh. I know it what it feels like to be ignored and an afterthought, but to be directly and consciously despised by many.... He kept going. "I mean what is going through these ponies' minds? Only journalists pull this kinda stuff. Hey, come on... get those ears up. Don't worry about this, it'll be forgotten by tomorrow."

"You know," I remarked, staring blankly into the fog out the front door as I recalled the past. "It wasn't always the easiest for me before I got here. Gosh though, I had this run of luck to beat the devil," I proclaimed as all the good times from such a short time before last night played through my head. "I mean, you and Rainbow just happened to be here..."

"We still are," he said, flashing his soft side. "You got us. And... those two," he said, motioning back to Clear Skies and Buddy, who were neighing with every breath. "I don't know if luck is the right word."

"I know," I said, looking away. The truth is, I was thinking about basically what'd I'd said the night earlier, about how I couldn't help but notice all things Rainbow is and all the things that I'm not. If anything that was always in the back of my mind even as I was sleeping by myself in a field... the feeling that I'm simply not at her level. I knew he'd tell me again that she puts her status aside when it comes to who she loves, but it still just feels like she deserves more than this. "I just hope Rainbow isn't too depressed about this whole thing, that's all."

"You know... this is a little strange coming from you."

Right as he said that, the a gentle breeze cut its way through the fog and in through the doorway flipping over the paper to page four. Just as Thunderlane started talking again, something caught my eyes near the top of the page that halted my unhappiness.

"That's one thing about you, you always looked at the good. Heck, I know I complain too much. I wish I could be more like that. I mean listen to me, I'm complaining about me complaining..."

I looked down at the floor and in the corner of my eye I saw something on page four that halted everything that was going on inside me. It was a picture of the most beautiful mare in the world soaking wet besides Ponyville Reservoir, smiling brightly as several of her admirers looked on from all directions. Now this was a picture of a mare who's love for the ponies around her could be found just beneath the surface of eyes that emanated a unique level of happiness and confidence. This was beyond even the sort of image I imagined to myself before I would fade to sleep at night in the long years away from her. Above her read the words "Rainbow Dash Leads Local, Underhanded Team in Timely Assembly of Thunderstorm."

Thunderlane saw my enchantment and looked down at the paper for himself, then back at me, and a smile slowly made it's way onto his face.

"Now if only I could find a mare who looks at pictures of me like you do at her," he remarked.

"She's gonna love this. I gotta cut this out for her," I said, looking back to the kitchen area.

"That's the Sonic I know," he said, as he headed started heading back towards the other two. Sitting there watching him, unbeknownst to him I threw him a huge and loving smile. "I'm gonna wake them up. That snoring is ridiculous."

I was probably a sight to see on the pathway into town that morning; I trotted my way down the path pretty fast with a plate of uncovered breakfast on my shoulder blades, held place by my folded wings, and a cutout of newspaper in my mouth. The fog was still thick and ground level but it was lifting more and more with each minute as bits of blue sky were just starting to get visible overhead. I had no problem with it as I was hoping to slip to the hospital unnoticed and avoid any hostile glares from ponies just getting out and about. Keeping the paper dry was proving to be a bit of a struggle, though. Come on, saliva... you're never this bad when something's not in my mouth.

I know this sounds strange, but some odd spiritual feeling seemed to follow me around stronger than usual this morning. Whereas normally these kinds of feelings are strongest when I look at the stars or even sometimes when I think of Rainbow, this was a bit more noticeable. As to how exactly to describe it, I don't know that I can. The only thing I can think to put on paper is that it felt like something significant is about to happen, whether it's good or bad I don't know. Whether or not this feeling even meant anything I don't know either, so I may end up scrapping this from this entry altogether. Though something about it was weird.

Trotting through a bend in the path I saw the shadows of a few ponies in my close proximity. I clearly made out Lyra Heartstrings near the river path, but by and by I was slipping right through the fog with no disturbances. At that point I was doing my best to set aside anything that wasn't positive so I could just walk into that room with a smile for Rainbow. I eventually got there and bumped open the door with my head, and there was a very young and friendly-looking receptionist, a light blue mare with a white mane, at the front desk in the middle of the main hallway who seemed to be just gathering herself.

"Well look at that! I'm just barely sitting down after walking back from unlocking that front door and you got a plate of breakfast on your back. I wish I was whoever you're here for," she remarked, which I smiled to while keeping the paper in my mouth.

"Sanks," I said through my teeth.

"Just sign in right here for me," she said pointing to a piece of paper on the front her desk. I spat the paper clipping out into my hoof and signed my name with the pen in my mouth.

"You see the paper this morning?" I asked her.

"No I didn't," she replied curiously with a smile. "I get up too early for that, unfortunately."

"Good," I replied, and she eyed the piece in my hoof. I held it up to show her, and she nodded. "Didn't talk to anyone last night either, huh?"

"Well, I heard about the reservoir thing, I guess the night shift had a few patients in here last night because of it. Some new stallion's fault is what they said," she said, and I wonder if it occurred to her then or ever that she had never seen me around before.

"Yeah, well don't go too hard on him. I'm sure he didn't mean, and who knows, maybe he's innocent," I said, trying to hide my dejectedness. "Thanks."

I grabbed the paper and put it back in my mouth, and trotted down the hall to Rainbow Dash's room.

I used my nose and pressed down on the door handle, then gave it a gentle nudge with my head. I turned my head in and saw her laying away from the door on her side. I guess the fog was just about lifted because rays of sunlight was shining welcomingly through the window on her. I walked up quietly and was going to set the plate down on the little bedside stand.

"Sonic?" Rainbow said, suddenly flipping back around.

"Whoa!" I screamed. I reared back startled, and judging by Rainbow's eyes and her simultaneous gasp I knew exactly where the plate was. In a nick of time I whipped around and saw it barely skimming the ceiling and starting it's way down. Instinctively I leapt forward and reached my hooves out; somehow it had stayed upright in air and the bottom part came to land right on the top of my hooves as I crashed to the ground on my stomach. I heard the joints in my front legs and a couple in my back crack, but that was some temporary pain I could live with; Rainbow's laughter was well worth it.

"That was awesome!" she cried. I was just happy it was still intact. I stood up off the floor smiling and went to lay it to rest on her stomach, but she was still getting over the giggling, so I held it a little longer and beamed at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- you scare too easy!" she exclaimed as I set it down on her (she was now leaning her back up against the back of the bed). I realized just then the yoke of the eggs had broken in that little fiasco and were now all over the potatoes.

"Oh," I said, noticing it. She didn't seem to care though.

"But seriously, that was awesome," she affirmed, to which I chuckled proudly. "What have we got here? Eggs and potatoes? You remembered! Aw, and you even broke the yoke for me!"

"The yoke bit may or may not have just happened," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Sonic, you have no idea how boring it was here last night. I tried to fall asleep, but I was too depressed about everything, and then I thought about how bad you must have felt, and then I got even more depressed, but then I remembered how this just gives me an excuse to read the Daring Do books, and then I got happy-"

"What time did you wake up?" I asked her, raising my eyebrow. Whenever she went into hyper mode like that and was talking a million words a minute I was so tickled that I was afraid I'd start laughing at how adorable it was. As sad and hurt as we were when we parted last night, it was already a night and day difference - figuratively and literally I guess - and we were back to happy.

"Actually? I just woke up a few minutes ago as soon as the sun hit me, so perfect timing," she said with a wink. She observed my reaction and suddenly had a kind of blushing smile. "No, please stop that," she said, and I was startled. "The ears! Your ears going down," she continued, and naturally they fell right back down. "Nooo!!!" she cried, before she took a deep breath. "Uh, who am I kidding, I love it when you do that."

"I love you," I blurted out loud. Now it was her ears that fell down as she looked away with another blush.

"I know you do," she said as her tender side shined through her eyes.

"Oh, I almost forgot," I said, as I reached down and picked up and newspaper I had carried here in my mouth. I was now grinning in anticipation of her reaction when I handed her the paper. "This was in the newspaper this morning, I thought you might like to see it. I'm sorry if it's a little- I carried it here in my -" I started, pointing to my mouth.

"I'm actually a lot more ok with that then you might think," she said with a sly smile as she figured out what I was saying. I placed it down in her hooves and she got visibly excited when she saw herself there, which was absurdly pleasing to me.

"I made the paper??" she cried. "Alright! Heh, who's that awesome mare?" she asked proudly.

"Her name's Rainbow Dash," I said, returning her sly smile. "Fastest creature in Equestria. Coolest personality. And whether she likes it or not..." I waited until she looked up at me to say the last part, "the prettiest eyes."

"Hey.. you know something?" she asked gently as we enjoyed each other's gaze.

"What's that?"

"You never gave me a good morning hug," she said, and my heart spluttered. I leaned over the bed and reached around her, and I was suddenly swimming in a pool of comfort as the warmth of her body and heart made it's way onto mine. I know we both thought of the day before as we hugged even if we didn't say anything, but we laid it all out for each other silently and made it alright. I could forget anything in the arms of Rainbow Dash. We stayed like that for a while, until she spoke up again.

"Hey," she said, putting her hooves on my stomach to push me back, and so I leaned away to see her. She put her hooves on my legs and looked back behind me to see if anyone was watching, then looked out the window. Then with a blushing smile she continued. "I'm up for a little more than hug right now, actually."

I took her initiative and leaned in as she leaned forward, and my mouth came to rest on hers. If hugging Rainbow Dash is indescribably comforting, then I'm not even going to try to describe kissing her. For another moment that morning, all my dreams came true as I was carried away into the heavens. When we kiss I forget everything in the world and ascend to a level of happiness that it knows is unparalleled by any force or feeling in this world.

After the longest and most sensual kiss we'd shared thus far, she drew back and continued loving me in her stare. I was now chuckling with such embarrassment and happiness that I couldn't bother to hide it.

"What is it?" she asked, amused though curious.

"I know you don't like sappy, so I won't try to be some poet and tell you what it feels like when we kiss, but uh," I said, looking back at her as she broke into a wider smile.

"Gosh darn it," she said, facehoofing herself as she shook her head with delight. "Now I wanna do it again. Come here."

So I sat back down on the bed and leaned in again, and this time we hugged each other a little tighter, and far from any less special then it was a moment ago, this one somehow was just as joyful if not moreso.

After a moment we parted again, and she rolled her eyes happily.

"Alright, we better stop before Doc comes in and sees us," she said. She looked at me with a divinely inspired expression for a brief moment before she suddenly turned away towards the window, rather angrily, as though her love itself fueled it. "I'm so sorry about yesterday, Sonic. When I get better... I will take care of those ponies," she said, and a flicker of rage was visible in her eyes and hearable in her voice. I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate her desire to protect and avenge me, but the feeling was all I needed. I don't need her to carry out vengeance for me on anyone.

"It's alright Rainbow, I'm just sad you got hurt," I told her. She looked back and asserted confidently that I had no reason to worry.

"Rarity will clear your name. She's actually really good at this kind of stuff. I had my doubts at first, but it works. Don't worry, Sonic. She's gonna clear your name and everyone will know it was those four."

"Well, I'm not gonna say I don't hope so," I said, looking away sadly.

"Hey, we don't need to dwell on that stuff. I can read you Daring Do now! Whatcha think Sonic, you feeling it?"

"Are you kidding? I can't wait," I told her truthfully.

She opened the drawer to her bedstand but reacted with disappointment. She started looking around fruitlessly for a copy of the book but couldn't find anything. Finally she gasped and facehoofed herself.

"Ugh, that's right, there's no copies here! Sonic, do you mind doing me a favor?"

"Do I mind?" I asked teasingly, excited for the task.

"Can you fly up to my house and grab my copy of Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone? I think it's in my cloudstand right next to my bed, bottom drawer. Just go right in and grab it. That way I can down this awesome breakfast you gave me here, you distractor!" she teased playfully.

"Well, when you put it that way," I shot back to her with a beam, and made my way for the door.

"Sonic, wait," she called, in a much softer voice that commanded my heart to halt. Her expression was filled with some kind of benevolent anticipation, like she had some gift for me or something. "We're gonna need a bookmark. Grab the one I have on the top of the nightstand next to the bed. I think you'll like that one."

I exited the hospital door and excitedly made my way down the hallway. As I trotted down it and turned the corner so I was headed back towards the front desk, a young yellow black-maned pegasus stallion with a wrapped ankle walked out of a hospital room. He saw me and threw me a nasty look. My mood dipped, but I was better equipped for it. Just ignore it. I was emotionally disrupted for a very short period, but I had forgotten by the time I burst through the hospital front door.

I leapt off the path as soon as I was outside and flapped myself high into the air towards Rainbow's cloud house. Being a pegasus makes landmarking and mental mapping so much easier, but it took me a second to get on the right track. All clouds look exactly alike, after all. I flew fast through the air and played with the image of Rainbow sitting there reading me a book. Now this is an activity that I didn't even dream up in all those years away, but I was excited nonetheless. I of course also thought about how nice that kiss was and happily relived it in my mind.

I made an abrupt landing on her puffy front porch and made my way into her main room where her bed was. Even her nightstand was made of clouds. I trotted up the bed recalling to myself what she said. Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone, bottom drawer. I pulled it open; there it was, the first book in the series. It looked interesting enough; the cover had a yellow mare with a safari hat escaping the clutches of a crocodile's mouth. She had a colorless mane and tail, but her streaking of dark grey to light grey was actually very similar to the streaking on mine and Rainbow's mane and tails. I tucked it in my right front leg and made for the door when I remembered the last thing. Oh that's right... bookmark.

On the top of the nightstand wrapped delicately in a cloth, I caught a glimpse of something that I could recognize from miles away. I stood perfectly still and my soul was as silent as the grave. I took the cloth in my hooves and opened it, and there on the inside a dirty blue and worn out feather from the wing of a young filly.

In a flash I was ten years old again, watching heartbrokenly as I was pulled away from my best friend for good. I finally escaped my parents' grip and met her for one last goodbye. She looked at me, and then gently pulled off from her wing the only thing she could think to give me. From that moment on, I've been madly in love with her. Eventually, as I came back to the present, it made it's way into my chest where it felt most natural, and ten years of memories came flooding back as this was suddenly a much more emotional errand than I expected.

Aside from the doctor coming in to her room while I was gone and confirming a grade two, everything pretty much went as expected after that; I brought the book back to the hospital and for the next several hours I sat at Rainbow's bedside as she did a breathless and highly energetic narration of Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone. As you can imagine I'm not going to write in this entry a detailed plot summary of the book (you'll have to just go and read it for yourself). Without spoiling I will say that it's an excellent story that has Rainbow Dash written *all over it*. The action, the suspense (that temple scene, especially), even the characters are intriguing.

As I was sitting there listening to her read it, I think the both of us were taken back to the glory days of our foalhood. I managed to read a hooffull of books in the years after the bad day, and as fun as a good book can be, there's nothing like having Rainbow Dash read you one. We had a couple of brief romantic moments - we took a couple short breaks at my insistence to let her catch her breath where we talked about what we just read, and sometimes she'd stop in the middle to explain something with (with adorable enthusiasm, I would add) - but besides that we pretty much went straight through it. When she finished the last line, she put the book down and stared me down with terrible curiosity.

"So... what did you think???" she asked, but I think my facial expression probably told her everything.

"I think I have a new favorite book," I replied, and she giggled fanatically.

"I told you she's awesome!" she proclaimed. "They're my favorite books too!" she settled down for a moment to take in the joy of finishing it, and for the record, she'd read this book before more than once. "Can I confess something to you?" she suddenly said, embarrassed.

"Go right ahead," I responded immediately, and her eyes moved towards the window.

"These are actually the *only* books I've ever read. I always thought that reading was, well... for eggheads. I mean I'd be willing to read more now that I know how cool they can be. You wanna maybe look for a new series with me and we can read them together? But it has to be something like Daring Do. We're not reading any of the stuff that Rarity reads," she said, and I laughed.

"I couldn't draw up a better idea if I tried," I asked, and her head popped up gladly. "But let's talk Daring for a second," I continued, and she reacted positively. She was clearly happy to see my interest.

"Alright," she replied, impressed.

"So we just finished it, and I loved it. What do you think the theme in that book we just read is?"

"The theme?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know, like what's the main idea we're supposed to take from it?"

I actually had no real reason for asking this particular question other than to get us both thinking so we could talk about it.

"Geez, Sonic," she said, chuckling. "Going all egghead on me, huh? You sure you never met my friend Twilight?" she asked.

"What?" I said, returning the giggle. "I was just wondering what you thought is all."

"You know? That's a good question," she said, thinking to herself with her hoof on her chin. "I think the main theme or whatever of the book is that you never give up. Ever," she said, and honestly I was pretty impressed. I hadn't come to that conclusion in my own head, but I agree wholeheartedly. It was fitting that she should say that when I see so much of her in the character of Daring Do.

"How many ponies do you think actually do that?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"How many ponies do you think give everything a genuine effort?"

"Not a lot. I mean think about it, how many ponies do you know that give it their all in what they do? But that's why it's so important," she continued.

"Are you Rainbow Dash or Rainbow Deep?" I asked, raising my eyebrow in a tease.

"Now you're gonna get it, egghead!" she said, throwing off the covers and sitting up out of the bed, the bottom of her back hooves hitting the floor and staring me down with a smirk.

"Whoa! Whoa! You have to be resting! This is against the rules," I cried stepping back, scared and having fun.

"I know, I just wanted to see you get scared," she said chuckling, bringing her legs back up to the bed. "You push me enough, and you're gonna get it."

"I have to admit whatever 'it' is, it sounds fun," I said, and she smiled.

"The two of us having fun is pretty much a given at this point, no matter what we're doing," she replied as I walked back and stood at her bedside while she leaned back on the bed. I went to have a seat next to her bed, letting my rump hit the ground. "Why don't you come up here?"

"Do you think the bed's strong enough to hold me too?" I asked.

"Let's find out!" she said daringly. She moved aside and so I climbed my way on, front legs first, then flipped over on my side so we were both facing each other with only a few inches of space in between us. I was right at home in friendly magenta right in front of my eyes.

"Rainbow?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"How are you such a good leader?" I asked her, and she beamed with pride. "I mean, I know that you're naturally charismatic, and that everything you say is so full of energy, but I'm just wondering, is there anything you think is especially important that you know you do? The way you inspired all those ponies yesterday..."

"Well," she muttered, smirking. Her right cheek was against the bed and the tip of her nose was just inches from mine.

"And what are the elements of harmony?" I asked, as I suddenly remembered. If I had forgotten to ask her about that a second longer from when I remembered I don't know what I would've done to myself. The joy of being around her made me forget my curiosity I guess.

When I asked, her eyes widened and she pushed herself up with her front hooves. She then broke into a proud smile, and naturally I leaned up as well so we were eye level. The treasure of knowledge she was getting ready to share was almost glowing through her eyes, and the fact that she knew a lot that I didn't was quite eminent.

"You better get comfortable," she told me, so excitedly I slid over on my back and leaned up while she pulled herself up so she was sitting up completely, facing me with the bottom of her legs just over the top of mine. She couldn't stop beaming from ear to ear as she stared at a spot on the floor, thinking of where to begin while I watched with anticipation. It's about time, I know.

"Alright, so you know the six elements of friendship, right?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied, though I was struggling to remember a couple of them, which was now a source of anxiety for me as I searched my memory frantically for them. "Let's see, there's loyalty," I started, and she giggled. "Honesty, generosity, kindness," I continued, and every last bit of my energy now scoured my mind for the last two. "Laughter," I got miraculously, "and... hmmm," I said to myself. What was that third last element? After a second I gave up and sighed. "You're gonna have to help me on the last one."

"Magic," she said, and then she raised her eyebrow as though impressed. "For someone who's not from Ponyville, that's not bad! I knew you were gonna say loyalty first," she continued with a smirk, even blushing for a moment, and then went into thought about how to begin her next explaining. "I'm gonna feel like an egghead again explaining this, but... so there are six elements of friendship, and each element has like a ... special... artifact thingy representing it, are you with me so far?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I think so. It's news to me that there are, but I got it," I continued, desperate for more. Who knew that part of the legend was true? I heard of something about it when I was young foal, but I always thought it was just that; a legend. In the last few years though, listening to ponies on the streets it was clear that some kind of resurrection had happened, as the elements were said to be real and were somehow responsible for stopping Discord.

"Well, here's where it gets interesting," she continued, and her eyes filled with wonder and pride. "Each artifact is like ... supernatural, but they can only work if all of their true wielders are present."

"Ok," I said, trying to wrap my mind around that. "I could use a little more help," I muttered, embarrassed. Thankfully she seemed to find it amusing and laughed. She seemed happy to be explaining all this. She can thank my embarrassing ignorance.

"No problem! So, each of the artifacts has real magic... the most powerful magic the world has ever seen, but in order for them to work all of their true wielders need to be present," she said energetically, using hoof motions. I was so eager to embrace all this, and I thought hard to make sense of it all. I had everything so far but the true wielders part.

"What do you mean true wielders?" I asked, deeply engrossed. "You're saying there's a wielder for each of them? Like a pony?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she continued. Her eyes were loving me, and it was adding to the thrill of this new information. There was not an inch of doubt in my mind that she was telling the truth about all of this. If any poor stallion or mare out there who comes from a similar background as mine is reading this unaware, then let me be clear that all of this is nothing but the truth.

"Each one of those elements is represented by ponies in real life bearing the trait their element represents. In other words, it's like... it's like the pony that element is the strongest with in all Equestria. That pony has the power to unite with the other five elements and their true wielders to create the elements of harmony."

This was all hitting me at once, more than I could really handle. I was trying to make sense of it, if only based on statements I'd heard in the streets. Comments from passerbys on how the six elements conquered one of Equestria's greatest threats, but then I'd hear six mares, and it didn't make sense to me. As this flooded my mind though I was making connections so fast it was triggering an avalanche of emotions. Suddenly, one dot connected to another based on what I'd already heard from everypony in town. No way...

"You're telling the truth," I whispered in breathless amazement.

"Well yeah," she said as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof and blushed, flattered beyond measure while I struggled to comprehend just who I've had a crush on all this time. I couldn't believe it, but at the same time, I knew it all along, because I saw it in her from the first time I met her.

"You're the element of loyalty, aren't you?"

When I asked that question her expression hit me with a kind of smile that told me that there was more she had to tell me, there was more she knew, and that whatever this was had to do with me somehow, and her next comment confirmed it. "The reason I can't stop smiling, is... well, if this - that is, me and you - if we keep going the way that... well, I'll just tell you about that later. But yeah... I guess you're the boyfriend of an element of harmony."

It's hard to think of all the words to describe how I felt at this revelation. Amazed. Astounded. Awestruck. Impressed. Fascinated. Of course I was all of those things. All of those things to the maximum that they can be felt or experienced. She proceeded to tell me the details of how she discovered she was an element of harmony with her five other friends, how they stopped Nightmare Moon, Discord, and others. I heard it all, the details and everything. Her friendship with Princess Celestia. She's practically more important than the princess. I was just simply at a loss.

"I don't know what to say," I said, and she cackled with pride. "I am just so proud of you I can't think of how to put it."

"No one ever looked up to me like you did," she said appreciatively.

I knew with all of my heart that she was going to make magnificent accomplishments, but I can't say that even I expected it to this level of legendary. It was finally clear to me just who Rainbow Dash was. I was so happy for her.

"Rainbow," I muttered, "I always knew you were destined for greatness, but..."

"So are you!" she enforced, hitting me in the chest with her hoof. "You wanna know how I know?" as she smirked proudly. "We all know I'm destined for greatness. As long as you're with me, that's the only place you can go."

"I'm not off to a very good start," I remarked, looking sadly to the side.

"Sonic!" she cried, as though I should know better.

As these thoughts were swelling up inside me, I thought it best to get up off the bed and walk to the window. I didn't want her looking into my eyes and seeing it all. It was embarrassing that she had to explain all of this stuff to me, even if I had a decent reason for not knowing, which was that I was living by myself for the most part. I stood at the window and looked out into the green hills, fresh off their evening drink from the night before. As light from the sun surrounded me I remembered my focus. What am I doing? I'm supposed to be keeping her happy. Stop it. It didn't help that there were reminders everywhere. The newspaper, the townsfolk... Ugh... why do I have to think about this stuff now?

"Sonic?" she asked in a soft, caring voice. I turned my head around quickly and threw her a smile. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I shot back to her. Her eyes were suddenly shimmering with caring curiosity.

"I don't understand how a stallion like you can lack confidence. I mean, you're amazing flier, and Sonic, I'm talking like top 5 in Equestria," she said.

"That's not it," I retorted in a whisper to myself, though I immediately regretted it and worst of all she heard it.

"You're so nice, you're so fun, you're hard-working," she rolled off, her stare deep and penetrating. "I've never met anyone like you. I just don't understand how you don't have confidence, I can see it in your eyes sometimes. Is there something you're not telling me?"

I actually broke into a faint smile at first, if not because I couldn't help but smile at my inability to hide it, if not the most devastatingly and unbelievably bad luck in the world. I turned back around slowly and stared out the window away from her, disgusted with myself. Wow... I had one job. One job, and I screwed it up. Why couldn't I be better at hiding my feelings? Or why couldn't I have just told her exactly what happened sooner so I didn't have to tell her now? The memories flooded back and taunted me, knowing full well she was sitting on the bed behind me waiting to hear all about it. I begged myself not to get emotional in front of her, but I couldn't hardly help it. The empty forest, the lonesome nights... they were all right there. Be strong, Sonic, be strong... Come on. Not in front of her...

I took a deep breath and honed in simply on saving this conversation and this day.

"I'm not gonna bother you with my problems, Rainbow," I said to the window. "I think that's topic for another day. I just want you to be happy today, and everyday for that matter."

I heard the sound of rustling on the bed and turned my head around to find her getting out of bed, walking towards me. In my mind and in my expression I questioned her getting out of bed but she ignored it. She was walking fine and looking straight at me with that concerned look on her face.

"You've done an awesome job of that, Sonic. Really," she said, walking right up the window alongside me. "I may be the toughest pony around here, but I'm not beyond helping my friends, much less my boyfriend. You can talk to me about these things. What's the matter?"

She came to a halt at the window and stood right alongside me. I remained glued as I stared into my memories playing outside the window, but I could see her staring at me right there which made it that much harder. I think she was quickly gathering just how serious this was, too, with every second she looked into me.

"You had a rough night. If I can make you feel better, I will," I said.

"Sonic, let me help you. Please tell me," she said, with much more seriousness and urgency in her voice this time. When I glanced my eyes over to her and saw the desire in her eyes, I knew right then that I couldn't refuse her. That this was the day after all. And that made me feel all the worse. I couldn't refuse her, which meant I knew how much pain I was about to put her through, which was the last thing I could want.

"Do you really want the truth? Right now? My heart is at your command."

She started shaking her head in denial, obviously figuring out the magnitude of what was coming was far more than she realized, quickly looking horrified, saddened, and scared.

"Sonic... what happened to you?" she whispered, all joy gone from her voice.

"Do you really want to hear it?" I asked, sadly.

"W-well... if you really don't want to-"

I realized we had reached the point of no return. She knew something terrible happened and it was going to be on her mind at all times until I told her, so I felt like I had no other choice but to tell her now. I closed my eyes and turned my head back to the window. Just looking out I dropped my head in shame and fought tears at my inability to prevent this on this day and the sorrow that was to come. I don't think anyone likes to tell someone they love something depressing, much less something about themselves. At least I know I don't, even though I know she just wants to help. I didn't know how much it would bother her, but I knew it was going to upset her to some degree.

I took a deep breath and let it out for a long time. How do I even start this? I refused to look her in the eyes at first though I knew so well they were locked on me. Reaching up to my ear I grabbed the same thing that gave me the strength to carry on the previous ten years. In my hooves was a filly's blue feather that I drew strength from so many years. Rainbow was moved and stirred at the sight of my holding it. It was the first time she ever saw me really looking at it, since the time she gave it to me my eyes were still on her till the moment she wasn't seeable by my eyes anymore.

"We flew for a long time," I muttered, and that was the most difficult part. "I rode on their backs, we flew west towards the ocean for a long time. You know... after we left Cloudsdale. After... this," I continued, looking down at the feather. Rainbow was now fully aware that something truly awful was coming, it was as visible in her eyes as the streaks in her mane. "We flew for so long. We were in the middle of a forest, and my father had set up a place to sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I was already in love with this blue feather," I said, and her reacted to the final part.

"Anyway, my father prepared a place for us to sleep in the forest, and we went to bed together," I continued, as I knew this next sentence was going to be the bombshell. I paused for a moment, and buried my face in my hooves. It didn't feel like I could do it after all. Turning my head completely away from her and biting my lip, I took another deep breath and gazed out at the blue skies through the water in my eyes.

"When I woke the next morning," I started, before coming to a halt. Now I just wanted over with, but I couldn't take the plunge. By some instinct I turned my head and looked into her eyes as I delivered the line.

"It's pretty straightforward... Rainbow... I woke up the next morning, and... and there was no one there."

It didn't hit her like a brick wall. It was more like a slow draining of her life and soul. I watched her eyes react to this information with devastating disbelief that grew and grew, every second that went by she registered more and more of what I'd said and it ate away at her. She understood, but only half understood. If the memories themselves weren't bad enough, this image of her just sealed my misery.

"W-what?" she muttered. "W-what d-do you mean?"

Telling her this was the most difficult thing I've ever done. The only consolation I could give her was to look into her eyes and let her know how much I love her, that I know how special she is. But it didn't seem to help much.

"There was no one there, Rainbow."

"What do you mean there was no one there. Where were they?" she said, shaking her head angrily as she fought to understand.

"I don't know. I never saw them again."

She took a step back from me and covered her mouth with her hoof. Tears swirled around in her and she started breathing heavily and gulping. I'd never seen her reduced to anything like this before, and it was quickly ripping my soul to shreds. She began shaking her head in disbelief as her legs began quivering. Her eyes darted in several different directions.

"No," she whispered. "NO!" she said, forcefully and angrily rejecting it.

"Rainbow," I whispered, stepping towards her. "I'm ok now, I promise..."

I reached up for a hug, and she threw herself around me and squeezed tightly, burying her face in my shoulder. Her body was shaking. After a few moments she pushed herself off and stared at me in hysterical disbelief as new emotions hit her from every direction. She grabbed the top of her mane with her hooves and began shaking her head, and then she turned her eyes to the window with rage. Whipping her head back to me she slammed her hoof on the floor several times in tearful frustration. Then, without warning, she turned around and ran straight out the hospital door. Anxiety swept over me like a shadow as I buried my hooves in my forehead.

"What have I done?"

After the short delay I took off in a gallop myself and burst through the doorway behind her. I looked down the hallway and just caught her turning the corner down the main hallway. I sprinted down and made the turn myself to see her going out the front door. Desperately I blasted down the hallway blowing right by the front desk in pursuit. I headbutted through the door and turned to see her running down the path towards town, still in her hospital gown and everything. For both our sakes I bolted down the path after her.

"Rainbow!!!" I called desperately. As my legs kicked up the path I spread my wings and took off, gliding up a few feet in pursuit. She was running so fast it felt like I was barely gaining on her at first, so I flapped harder and picked up the speed. "Rainbow!" I called to her again from the sky as I looked down at her just in front of me. Where is she going??? She was headed straight for town, and was practically there already, but I couldn't figure out why. Other ponies were looking on with bewilderment, clearing out of her way or else she would've bowled them over.

When she entered the market square where entire crowds were dispersing rapidly in front of her, I descended back to the ground and galloped right behind her. She finally stopped in the middle of the market and whipped her head around in every direction as though looking for someone or something. Right as I got to her she spotted it and broke into a run again.

"Rainbow, wait!!" I begged, but she ignored it. Clearly, this revelation had rocked her world. After a few more steps I realized who she was running towards; some one hundred yards in front of us on the other side of the markets near the path's edge were Hoops and Dumbbell, unaware of who was sprinting straight towards them. Suddenly running up right beside me was an orange country mare with a golden mane looking concerned.

"What's a goin' on here?" she asked over the sound of our hooves. I couldn't answer her, but given my expression and Rainbow it was clear to her something was wrong.

When Rainbow was thirty yards or so in front of them she broke into a fast walk. The mare (who I had a feeling was Applejack) and I ran up beside her, but it was no use. There was an unstoppable anger on her expression that I could only stay away from. She completely ignored us and walked straight towards the two of them, who finally saw us.

"What's up with you Rainbow Crash?" asked Dumbbell at first glance, but his expression quickly melted into fear. "Huh? What the- No! NO!" he cried stepping back, but she'd covered the ground so quickly that it didn't matter. As his eyes widened with terror she reared up and slammed him in the chin with an uppercut from her right hoof. He fell back on his back, moaning lackadaisically.

"Rainbow!" called the country mare.

Hoops looked at his friend dumbstruck, his eyes and mouth hanging open before his frozen face of flabbergast lifted slowly to see Rainbow's one of unrestrained fury before he too was met with her hoof and was on the ground as well. I was a total basket case.

Silence fell over the whole marketplace, with all eyes descended on right in front of me. Rainbow stood over the two of them with her head down in between her front legs, breathing heavily and staring blankly and despondently as she sucked wind in and out of her nostrils, what was really the only sound in the entire marketplace. Her eyes to me almost reflected the unfocused gaze that a battle-weary soldier is said to exhibit after long days of fighting. Applejack still had no idea what was going on, as she looked from me to her friend in horror. The state of my heart as I saw it all unfold is difficult to describe. Applejack stayed put while I walked up hoping beyond hope to provide any kind of relief.

I came to a halt beside her not really knowing what to do. I reached my left hoof out and placed it on her shoulder, but she was unresponsive. I walked out in front of her to see if I could get her to look at me, but her eyes remained directly in front of her, staring vacantly as she breathed in and out. She finally looked up at me, sadness filling her eyes before they went back to a tearful rage.

"What is your father's name?" she asked quietly, seething.

"W-what?" I whimpered.

"WHERE ARE THEY?"

"R-Rainbow, I-I... I don't -"

She went from desperately waiting for my answer to looking up at the sky and around her as though overwhelmed with angst, then to suddenly turning around and addressing the crowd in an emotional frenzy of tears and anger.

"I am so disappointed... IN ALL OF YOU!!! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO KNOW HIM!!!" she screamed to the silent crowd as she pounded the ground with her hoof.

She glared violently at the speechless crowd for several seconds. Finally, after several breaths, her eyebrows loosened, and she lowered her head in defeat. Another moment and her eyes lifted to me, and I saw just how much pain, pity, and sympathy that two eyes can hold. It seemed they were begging me to comfort her somehow, but before I could do anything she turned around and was gone, took off running over the hill in the direction of Everfree Forest.

I trekked through the forest an emotional mess. I was looking in all directions quickly and desperately, but Rainbow had left me to enter a forest I'd never been in at a location I didn't know. I'd lost her hoofprints some time ago and was now just running across in all directions. My mind was churning over what just happened, what it meant, and what the implications would be. Balancing this was my heart's burning need to be reunited with Rainbow to the point that every second that passed without her drained it so deeply that it was reducing down to a lifeless raisin. I knew she was in pain and I felt like it was at least partially my fault. This is something I simply cannot handle, in every sense of the phrase. Not my body, my spirit... It feels as though my soul is bound to her.

We were all silent at first. Slowly and quietly, the ponies behind me slowly and quietly returned to their business with whispering and hushed chattering eventually giving way to more conventional talking. But not me. I was glued where I stood, as were my eyes where I watched. My body, my thoughts, everything was frozen by what I'd just witnessed. The only thing I can say for certain is that my mouth was open and I saw everything through water. I remember Applejack attempting to comfort me. I heard the voice of a young male behind me panting and asking her if everything was alright. I heard the voice of Rarity. Then my legs went to work, I galloped through the woods for several minutes, and that brought me to here.

"Rainbow?" I called through the trees looking around in all directions, but to no avail. I darted through the lush greenery, not losing a beat. Where are you? I halted and snapped my head around, giving each section of forest a quick glance. No sign of the color cyan anywhere. Why did I tell her this today? Why? I inhaled rapidly and took off yet again.

"Rainbow!" I called, getting more desperate. I had lost all track of where I was in the forest. The state of our hearts was that if I didn't find her soon, we both were going to be in serious trouble. I broke into another run, this time with noticeably less energy. My heart was crying out for her, but I could not satisfy it. I wondered where she was and what she was thinking about. Finally I noticed a small opening in the forest ahead where rays of sun penetrated down in rays through on a small pool of water that was surrounded by trees and wildflowers on all side. Then, as I whizzed up and went to head away from it, I glanced over and caught a flash of the light blue I was looking for.

I halted my hooves and reversed as my heart stood still. I looked breathlessly through the trees. There she was, sitting gownless - the only article of anything on her was the white cast around her wing - at the pool's edge with her back to me. Her body was as still, brooding, and pensive, and that was without access to her eyes and face, for if there was ever an example of body language denoting sadness without any view of the face, this was as textbook as I have ever seen. Despite that, and the host of other things going on inside me, my heart breathed some sigh of relief at the sight of her.

My hooves cropped along the forest floor, slowly and one after the other as I walked up from behind her. I could feel my body relaxing, but inside I was restless. Eventually standing still right beside her, I looked down and saw her staring into the clear waters. There was a small waterfall with gentle cascades emptying into the pool that I didn't quite see or heart at first. Eventually I sat down just beside her so my shoulder was against hers, looking out into the water alongside her.

She leaned against me and rested her head on my shoulder, and I set my heart at relaxing her and taking as much pain from her as I could. For a long time neither of us said anything. Her gaze remained locked in one location as deep thought swirled within her. She almost looked numb on the inside and outside. Finally - after several minutes and the rest of her state of expression unchanged - two words escaped her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

I was filled with loving appreciation. Part of me was just happy to hear her talk, though I sensed strongly the weariness that remained in her heart. I turned my head to her and saw the slightest movement in her pupils towards my direction. After a deep breath I went back to the water.

"Thank you."

Of course I knew she had nothing to be sorry about. She was the one who got me through it all. We went another long time before she said anything again, our heads rested on the other.

"I had such a bad feeling when your parents were taking you away," she finally stated. She was so quiet in everything she said. "I wanted to give you so much more than a feather from my wing."

"It's not your fault," I assured her.

"I still want to find your parents," she whispered.

"Rainbow," I replied softly, and it seemed we finally disagreed on something. "I appreciate your sense of justice. And I get that you're angry. But I just don't see the point. We were so happy before this came out, I just want that to continue."

Clearly it wasn't really the answer she wanted, but after a time she seemed to soften and I think deep down though she understood. She looked away again, staring sadly into the pond. I could feel the torment in her heart, and I wished so fiercely that I could just do something to alleviate her pain. Help her, dear heaven, help her somehow.

"I just want you to be happy," I said, starting to sob. "That's all I've ever wanted since I met you."

Something woke in Rainbow and she grabbed me tightly and buried her embrace.

"I could only ever be happy with you," she said, and she rocked me back for a long time, until the two of us felt better.

"Were you able... to find a home? You know, after you left?" she asked some time later. She seemed to be in a much better place now, which meant I was as well. Regarding her question, of course the first couple years I had the hut of Zecora - my mother- but in the years after I had no home, as I've mentioned.

"Actually, yes. For a while."

"A while?" she asked worried. Now I knew I was stuck, and hesitated. Maybe I can make it sound alright.

"Ok, Rainbow... I'm gonna say something here, and I just want you to - " I started, searching everywhere for the right words. "This is the truth, and I mean nothing but the truth, so just... hear me out, ok? Sleeping outside, is, really... not that bad. A patch of grass on a starry night, you can't-"

I had to stop mid-sentence. It wasn't the answer she wanted, no matter how attractive I could make it sound. She held her head down and closed her eyes, breathing slowly. My own heart dipped even further into depression at the sight of it, and I turned my wistful eyes away and stared dispiritedly into the trees, breathing deeply. Why can't I give her better answers?

"Were you ever... hungry?" I heard her voice ask, and glanced over to see her looking up at me with a fragile face desperately hoping the answer was no. Now it was just unbearably painful for me, because I couldn't provide a single answer I wanted to without being dishonest. I thought back to the several times I scoured the arid western landscape for greens and let out a deep sigh. If only I'd traveled east sooner and had access to the lush meadows, I wouldn't have had those few years where I would occasionally go to bed unsuccessful at finding enough food.

Now if there was just some way I could not answer this question... but not answering would answer it, and if anything my hesitation probably said enough as it was. With no other options I muttered my answer just quietly enough to the side she wasn't sitting on.

"Sometimes."

Her head dropped lower than it had ever been and her hooves buried themselves in her face, which shot through me. We were in this now so I knew we were going to get through it together, and then come out on top on the other side.

"I'm so sorry," she muttered.

"It's not your fault," I replied, choking. "If anything, I'm the one who should be-"

"No Sonic," she replied fiercely, and suddenly she threw herself around me for a tight embrace that I returned with equal enthusiasm, fighting herself. "It's not your fault. Nothing is your fault. Just, please... d-don't-"

"Ok," I whispered as I rocked her in my forelimbs.

Somehow our feelings were so heightened in each other's grasp that it seemed like we felt both better and worse at the same time, intensely comforted yet somehow cripplingly disheartened as well. I knew it was gonna take several of these to get through this. After a few moments she drew her head from my shoulder and with piercing eyes she pleaded with reality.

"GRRR!!!" she growled, standing up for a quick release. Then she sat back down promptly returned to my chest, where I accepted her with as much love as I could muster in my heart. It felt like I had no other responsibility at that moment other than to ease her back and fourth in my arms until she returned to a manageable state, and I daresay that in her tight grasp she balanced that same responsibility for me. I never dreamed of feeling so miserable in her embrace as she struggled to calm herself in my grasp.

After a long while - maybe more than ten minutes, perhaps - when our feelings had died down somewhat and she was comfortable on her own again, she withdrew herself from me and we returned to sitting by side. Her eyes returned to the cool waters just beyond our hooves, swimming in contemplation. Both of us were calmed down now, though hints of melancholy remained.

"My dad and I, we never really moved around or anything," she finally said, reflecting on her past as I turned and listened attentively. "We never left Cloudsdale, at least not for anything long enough worth mentioning. We changed houses a couple times, but nothing big, you know... no radical changes or anything," she continued. She kept on staring at one spot on the water's surface while reflection radiated from her eyes. She seemed to be lost in her own memories, and based on her expressions I didn't think this was a particularly happy one. "There was this one time not too long after you left - maybe a year or so - my dad took me to Fillydelphia during the summer. Of course I was wide-eyed and all over the place, hopping off my dad's shoulders here and there to chase after stuff that interested me. We were in this one part of town... it was evening, and the sky was orange. Lots of shops, restaurants... and lots of ponies.

"On this one street looking out over the crowd on my dad's shoulders I saw this really funny-looking dog turn the corner down one of the back alleyways. Though my dad had told me to stay with him this part of town, I couldn't resist. I jumped off and ran through and between the crowd to chase after it. When I got to the alley, I ran right in after it. It was dark and dirty, and just as I turned another corner it had ran down I bumped into a young colt, probably only a couple years older than me at the time. He was just as startled as I was. I took one look at him - I had never seen anyone so... miserable. Now, my dad and I, he did ok for himself and me, and there's not really any of this type of thing in Cloudsdale. I was shocked. I saw his tattered clothes, worn down face, filthy mane, and without really thinking or anything, I just turned around and ran.

"As I galloped away though I remembered the look on his face as I was turning away to run. I only saw it for just a second, but it was sad, though like he was used to it. It was like this kind of thing happened to him to all the time, and he'd just come to accept it and take the misery whenever it came. I wasn't able to put all that together then as a filly, but as I ran away I thought about how scared his face was at first and then how pitiful he looked when I started to run away. I ran into my dad's wings right as these things started occurring to me, and then I thought of you for some reason. I remembered when we met that one day, when I stood up for you and how you looked up to me, and suddenly I felt really bad for having run away like that. I felt like if you were there, you would've been disappointed in me."

Listening to this I was immersed in wonder. On one hand I was filled with a kind of enthrallment that was completely submersed in her storytelling. I saw every feeling on her, and each one that came through her seemed to make it's way into me, coupled with my own arsenal of reactions to this tale. Mostly I was fixated on her and how she dealt with the situation, as well as feelings of deep sympathy and sorrow for the colt in this story, whoever he is. I can't say fillies used to bump into me and run away all the time, but I get the used-to-being ignored part. When that last part with me was mentioned, I covered my mouth with my hoof.

"I explained to my dad what happened and I begged him to take me back there so I could say I was sorry. He walked me into the alley on his shoulders, but when we got there, the colt was gone. I felt so bad, Sonic. My dad told me that it was my desire that counted, but-"

"But he was right," I interrupted, lost in her. She looked like she was almost ashamed or something, and it captivated me to see her in such a thoughtful state. "You were just a filly. You were scared. But when you realized it was nothing to be afraid of, that it was just a pony - with feelings, a history, everything- and you're remorseful. I can see it all over you. Most ponies wouldn't have turned around and went back."

She turned her head up and I saw the gravity on her face. Her mouth was slightly open, and I saw that she hoped everything I said was the truth.

"Why do you remember that story?" I asked her softly. I wasn't asking because I wasn't sure. I wanted to provoke her into thinking about the answer for herself. She took a deep breath glanced away. "You know, there's something else you should know," I continued, knowing that this was better news at last, and she quickly looked back. "I wasn't on my own the whole time."

"No?" she asked, and her ears perked up, forcing a small smile on me.

"Nope. A zebra took me in for a few years."

"A what?" she asked astonished.

"A zebra," I reassured her, shaking my head. "I stayed with her for three years. She really prepared me for being on my own. Among other stuff, she helped me learn how to love the simple things. Of course I could never shake you, though."

She finally cracked a smile.

"A zebra?" she asked, almost impressed. "I know a zebra." Before I could respond I saw something cross her mind, as though she remembered something. I'm not sure what it was, but it seemed to have her intrigued.

"Really?" I asked, surprised and somewhat excited. "I'd like to meet that zebra."

"So... you don't do the rhyming thing, huh?" she asked, and I knew she was finally feeling better now since she said it with an almost teasing smirk. Maybe she really was returning to her old self. I had never met another zebra, I suspected that most or all of them rhymed but this just confirmed it.

"No, I don't do the rhyming thing," I looking down with an embarrassed smile and unable to help myself.

It's strange then to think that my next thought was my emotional goodbye from Zecora herself, and how grateful I am to have had her. I left her after three years because I knew she's a solitary creature who doing her duty for me. Three years of motherly love and instruction were helpful, no matter how difficult it got afterward. As my mind went past the days of Zecora to my teenage years when I really was on my own, and at times not so far off from the colt in that story, I stupidly said it out loud as I gazed away.

"The hardest years were after that," I muttered, and looking back I saw it knocked her back to a more depressed, thoughtful state.

"To answer your question," she started, "I guess I remember that story because in the years after that, you know I came here and really just learned to love my life here. I made friends, got this great job, the ponies love me... but somewhere in the back of my mind I still wondered where you were and how you were doing. But now..." She bit her lip struggling to keep herself together. "Now I know what you were doing, and I can't help but remember that one time in Fillydelphia, and to think that you were-"

She had to stop again, with a weary sigh she closed her eyes, but I had had enough of this.

"What would you say, Rainbow, if I told you that one little blue feather made it all ok?" I asked, swelling with love, and I lifted her chin our eyes were inches apart. "Every night when I laid my head, no matter how weary, worn, and sad I was, I found a resting place in you that made me count myself among the most blessed... Because I knew that somewhere out there the greatest pony I ever met believed in me. The memories with you were enough."

"I don't deserve this," she whispered, as tears returned falling freely down her cheeks.

"You're right," I replied softly, and this I believe with all of my heart. "You deserve so much more."

She rested her good wing on my shoulder and raised her hooves up my limbs, sending surges of warmth through my entire body. She leaned in even closer so our eyes were in front of one another, and with enslaving desperation my soul awaited her command before we were swept away to the great beyond in our own feelings.

"Then Sonic... p-promise m that you will believe in yourself. I promise you that one day... everyone is going to see what I see in you. And more than a-anything, you need to k-know that I-" she stuttered, and I was paralyzed in agony that only her answer could satisfy. "I love you, Sonic."

Suddenly I felt her front limbs on my shoulders, and her lips breathed life into me. I wrapped myself around her, our souls were revived, and our restless hearts came to rest in each other. We put everything behind us and the sorrows of this day had finally reached a loving conclusion.

Some Role to Play

Rainbow and I galloped down the stone path through Canterlot towards the castle. To say the guards finding us at my house and demanding an audience with the Princess immediately caught us by surprise would be a massive understatement. So many questions ran through my mind as we approached the castle. Why would she summon both of us? I get Rainbow, but what could she want with me?We tried asking the guards about what was happening, but they said they wouldn't comment further on the situation and from then on they were as silent and serious as statues, even with Rainbow pestering them the whole way there.

There was a kind of an unspoken fear in both of us, but especially her given she's been through this kind of protocol before and knew how serious it was. Even though I have not been through this I understood this was no small thing; we were being summoned unexpectedly and urgently to Canterlot Castle at sundown. Whatever this was it couldn't wait until morning and immediate action on something could be right around the corner. I remember taking a look at the stars and being transported back to my youth. My life has seen things change fast before. I hoped I'd be ready this time if another one was coming.

As we approached the huge front door it opened just in time for us to run through. As Rainbow burst past the royal guards stationed there one of them turned and muttered something to us.

"Counsel room," he uttered to her, and Rainbow continued running though her facial expression showed acknowledgment.

I've been inside this magnificent place once before as you well know, but she knew the way to the counsel room apparently so I was fine to follow two shoulders behind her. The only sound in the massive halls and lonely corridors she ran us through were the sounds of our hooves echoing off the walls. Also different from my last visit to the castle was that there was a certain darkness present this night that certainly wasn't here before. An invisible and almost supernatural mist of dread seemed to have a death grip on the halls of the castle. I have never sensed something so eerie that I sensed then, and it was all the more reason for me to gallop fast and keep up with Rainbow, the only source of light around.

As we came down a hall I saw a wall up in front of us with an opening to left, meaning another corridor was just around that corner, but what was different about this corner is that whispers were coming from down that hall, echoing down from a large room I gathered. We quickly rounded the corner and the two of us came inside a large room with tall stone walls and no windows. We were surrounded by several ponies that all looked as worried and curious as we were. Several banners hung from the walls with various symbols, and I'm not really the guy to ask what they represent other than what I recognized on one to be the likeness of the Sun and the Moon. On one of the walls was a large, detailed map of Equestria and in the middle of the room was a big table-looking thing with a 3D model of Equestria on it.

Standing at the head of one small crowd in the room in front of us and to our left I saw Spitfire, and she was surrounded by what I could only guess were the Wonderbolts. All in all there were about twelve of them, and most of them looked over rather unpleasantly at us - especially me, I met Spitfire's cold eyes for only a moment before she turned them away- though I couldn't tell if that was just because of the mysterious nature of the situation.

"Rainbow!" one of them said, a very light blue stallion, who asked in such a way that reflected a kind of respect and looking-up-to. "Do you know what this is about?"

"I have no idea," she replied, at a loss.

On either side of us there were a few ponies of middle age that I did not recognize; to me they looked like northerners given their heavy clothing and slightly thicker coats of fur. One of them, a grey fleabitten mare, with a white mane looked like a doctor, a fairly young doctor at that, but she seemed to have the Whinnyapolis look to her. A group of five royal guards were there arranged in a line, facing a door on the far side of the room as if waiting for someone - like the Princess - to come through it.

Lastly, there was none other than our team of fliers that arranged the thunderstorm all standing in a huddle together separate from all the other groups, in front and to our right. When Buddy, Clear Skies, and Blossomforth turned their anxious eyes towards us, Thunderlane, Whitewash, and Merry May - who had their backs turned to us - all turned around to get a glimpse of us. Now I was at an utter loss, and I gather Rainbow who stood right beside me was as well. I get Rainbow Dash and maybe the Wonderbolts but why were these ponies here? Why was I here? It got more confusing and mysterious by the second.

All in all, the demeanor of all these ponies was not comforting. The Wonderbolts whispered among themselves with a serious tone that seemed to reflect they didn't know why we were here either but recognized the urgency, suggesting they were in the exact same boat Rainbow and I were. Meanwhile, a silence now hung over my group of "friends" if they could be called that, as each of them looked around uneasily at each other. As scared and wide-eyed as I was, the rest of ponies seemed to be frightened as well, though some of them hid it a lot better than I can. The two people in the room who appeared the least afraid were Rainbow and Spitfire, especially Rainbow. But even they could hide being a little bit nervous.

Rainbow looked around, her eyes narrowed as she addressed the situation. Her ears twitched in every which way, trying to get a clue on the whispers around us.

"Twilight's still not here," she whispered to me. "She's been in Saddle Arabia for the last week or so. I don't know the details but it sounds like she's there to prevent a war between them and Yakyakistan.... tensions got really high really quick."

I don't know anything about Saddle Arabia or Yakyakistan or the apparent peacemaking skills of Rainbow's friends, but I appreciated her sticking by me. She had her shoulder squarely at mine, I took it as a sign that she was looking after me and my lowly status in this room, for which I was so deeply appreciative. Taking a deep breath through my nose I looked around sadly. I noticed the face of the mare who I guessed was a doctor was especially grave; she looked like she was having an anxiety attack herself despite not moving and hardly breathing. I've got a horrible feeling about this. I was about to ask her if she was ok when in the back of the room behind the door we had entered I saw something much more distressing.

Sitting back against the wall, blankly staring straight ahead as though frozen in dread was the stallion from the train station. The operator, the middle aged gray stallion who had assured me there was nothing to worry about as the train shrank into the distance, was sitting there with his hooves on his mane looking like he'd just lost a family member. Something was very wrong. Rainbow must've felt or noticed that I was losing it; she stretched out her good wing across my shoulders, and I relished what I could from the warm feathers while I tried desperately to not look so scared.

"It's alright," she whispered, reflecting a lot more strength in her voice than I will ever have. "If we're under attack, I'll protect you."

Suddeny, the ancient-looking wooden door on the far side of this big room opened loudly and unexpectedly, causing everyone in the room to stiffen in silence. The royal guards formed a line for the Princess to walk down while we all bowed and beheld her as she emerged from the door. I saw only her horn before I lowered my head respectfully with everyone else.

"We don't have time for formalities right now! Rise!" she cried, practically running through the door. Her sister - Princess Luna - an equally huge mare with a nightly coat and mane, followed in fast right behind her. Princess Celestia trotted to the front of the room and stopped, looking around at all of us. When I looked at her, I honestly thought I was looking at myself; her expression reflected the same fear and anxiousness that had a complete hold over me. To see her - a figure to us practically right below the divine - in this humble, terrified way, was so foreign to us and it froze the entire room of ponies in the same feeling. A cold silence gripped the air; we all knew it was something *bad*.

She walked over to a spot in the room a little closer and in front of everyone. After she'd looked at us despairingly she turned her nose towards the ground and visibly fought with herself, almost like she knew she had to take control of the situation, to be the leader, and to not show us any sign of weakness or fear. Her emotions faded into somewhat of a forced poker face, and she brought her head back up with a serious stare at aimed at her guards. Any remaining thought I had about the previous day was gone; now I was consumed with a genuine concern for the ponies of Equestria.

"Where is the Apple family? And Rarity, and Miss Pie? And Fluttershy?" she asked. After a short pause, one of the royal guards spoke up from the line without breaking a straight stare.

"Your Highness, the Apple family is on a business trip to their relatives in the west, one hundred miles from Ponyville and by now somewhere in the middle of nowhere," he said, and Princess Celestia continued to not to give anything away in her expression. "Rarity and Miss Pie are probably in or near Ponyville but Sonic and Rainbow were located first. Fluttershy's whereabouts are currently unknown."

Princess Celestia stared straight into space, deeply mulling over her options. However badly she was fighting it and trying to stay strong as our leader, she was worn down by the weight of whatever she was about to tell us almost to the point of being overwhelmed. In the back of my mind, terrible reminders ran through. Rainbow can't fly...

"And Twilight can't help us," whispered the Princess seemingly to herself though we all heard her. "Even if she can leave by tomorrow morning, which we don't know if she can - we presume she's still working on negotiations - she's still a day a day and half away from helping us by the time we reach her. We don't have that time. She's out of the picture."

"Shall we wait for Miss Rarity and Miss Pie?" asked the royal guard. Once again the Princess went silent, her gaze lost in grave thought.

"No, we'll start without them. They can't help us anyway."

The room went silent once again. Princess Celestia traded a soulful look with her sister, who was standing near the royal guard, while we all waited breathlessly in silence. She took a long breath and stared sternly into the wall on the wall on the other side of the room. "Ponies, we have a dire situation in the Frozen North. It appears the Elements of Harmony... will be of no use to us in addressing this situation. We have spent the last hour in council."

"What happened?" asked Rainbow Dash, brave and eager but with a hint of fear. The Princess looked sadly to the pony in the back of the room - the railroad operator. She took another deep breath, and spoke as though she could barely manage to hear herself say it. Meanwhile, my mind tried to make sense of what she said despite being so afraid. The Frozen North? So Ponyville's not under attack...

"A thousand years ago... I decreed that the old rail line going the alternate route into the Crystal Empire, the one that takes the high mountain pass over the Valley of - well, the narrow valley to the west of the empire, was never to be used again. It seems that," she stuttered, trembling, "it seems that through the years the decree was lost to this generation and when the Crystal Empire was resurrected, without my knowledge the old rail line has been used a few times already in instances of impassible weather on the mainline, including... today."

Oh no...

"W-what?" whispered Rainbow, in disbelief. I felt like my whole inner being was lit on fire with fear and darkness. I knew where this was leading to. "W-why did you decree that rail line was not to be used?"

After a short pause during which distressed thoughts flashed in the Princess' eyes, she replied.

"The valley to the west of the empire that is tucked beneath ranges to south and north is too dangerous to send train traffic through," she continued, as though she knew more about it than she wanted to say.

"I didn't know," muttered the rail operator from behind us, and nearly everyone in the room turned around to see him still drenched in hysterical fear that sent shivers down all of our spines. "I swear I didn't know about the decree," he said, shaking his head despondently. "I swear, for the love of heaven!" he cried, sobbing hysterically.

"What did you do?" asked a frightened mare, realizing the implications of how serious it was. "Don't you have a list of decrees and rules that guide your transportation system?"

"This is not the time to assign blame for the situation. Figuring out how exactly this happened and what we can do in the future to prevent it will come later," asserted the Princess.

At this point I had a horrifying hunch as to where the conversation was headed. I was trying my hardest to keep it together, and to help the Princess in any way I could.

"Princess... what is going on?" whispered Rainbow. I could feel her anxiety. The Princess turned back around and breathed slowly, her eyes filling with a furious concentration.

No... Don't say it... Please...

"When I tell you what the situation is, e-everyone in this room is to stay calm. Then you may start giving me suggestions as how to address this," she muttered, fighting to stay poised. Please... for the love of the Divine... please say it isn't them...

"Princess..." pressed Spitfire, intensely curious and speaking for everyone in the room was beyond desperate to just hear what the heck was going on. Everyone except me. I was the only one who didn't want to hear it. "Address what?"

"Today..." answered the Princess.

Her voice was choking with regret. We statues listened on breathlessly.

"Today a train traveling to the Crystal Empire was sent down the alternate line over the valley to enter through the western passage," she said, taking a deep sigh. "The train car never made it through. Only the locomotive, with two engineers in critical condition, made it to the Empire after a pegasus flew aboard and stopped it before it crashed into the station there. The missing passenger c-car," she said, stuttering and almost fighting back tears, "had eighteen foals on their way to a music concert in the Crystal Empire."

The information barely processed. In a matter of minutes my life had once again been turned upside down, all leading up to one single set of words delivered by the princess that sent all of my hopes, aspirations, and emotions crashing down to unimaginably unbearable depths. How could I stand to hear a thing like that? I could hardly even imagine it was so painful. The idea of children lost in the wild was something deeply personal to me having been a child lost in the wild myself once. However to hear that Scootaloo herself and the same foals that stole my heart just several hours before were lost in some frozen tundra was beyond devastating.

Rainbow was paralyzed. Shock was sketched all over her expression as it sunk in deeper and deeper until it finally gave way to hysteria. The rest of the room seemed to react similarly, though with more emphasis on the initial sadness rather than shock and the computing errors that seemed to plague Rainbow's mind. There were gasps on all sides of the room, as well as hooves covering mouths.

"Are they alive?" muttered a Wonderbolt. The rest of the room could barely take it. Many of them started crying, but the Princess tried to keep them under control.

"I believe they are," replied the Princess. "Which is why," she started, holding back her own tears once again, "which is why we must not despair at this moment but instead channel all of our efforts into rescuing them. I know this is just terrible to think about..."

"Alright then. I'm leading a team to go get them," asserted Rainbow while the first tear fell from my eye and my legs quivered and shook beneath me. I felt like I was losing my mind. "Let's go."

"Rainbow," whispered the Princess with her head down, as though she was being unreasonable. "You can't fly."

"Doesn't matter," replied Rainbow, more forcefully, struggling to keep it together while more water made it's way from my eyes. Princess looked both saddened and surprised at her, as though she could hardly bare to tell her otherwise. "Where is this valley? We're leaving right now. Come on!"

"Rainbow..." she said once again.

"It doesn't matter!!!" replied Rainbow, seething with building frustration and despair. "It's not even that bad. I can fly through this, no problem..."

"I think it's time to discuss other options," said the Princess, who was getting increasingly worked up as she stared indignantly at her.

"Spitfire, get your team ready. We'll take the train to the northern plains and enter the valley from there," said Rainbow to the fiery Wonderbolt leader, who did not move but instead stared back at her with despondent pity, her mouth open and her eyes fixed on her.

"Rainbow..." muttered the Princess.

"Thunderlane? Blossomforth? You guys ready?" she continued, and I think she barely believed herself at this point. I'm not sure how I was even standing up at that point given how I felt on the inside. Again, what more can I think to describe it with? Nothing I can write down, that's for sure.

"Rainbow," said the Princess, nearing a breaking point.

"Let's go! NOW! Scootaloo needs me!!" cried Rainbow, fighting tears.

"RAINBOW!" bellowed the Princess, and the room fell still. "Come! Speak with me alone!" said the Princess to her, motioning towards the door she came in. There was an intense pause while her invitation hovered, and we all watched in heartbroken silence. The Princess' gaze went from frustrated to a much more compassionate and pleading one. "I beg you."

After looking everyone in the room straight in her tearful eyes with one sweeping glance, she ran towards the door and disappeared with the Princess, leaving us all to ourselves. With my mind slipping into absolute chaos, I felt my legs give out from underneath me and I crashed to the floor and buried my eyes in my left front leg. It felt like it may have been the end for me right then.

It felt like I was floating in some kind of limbo. I didn't feel like I was on Equestria anymore. Everything was black, but I could still think and everything else seemed conscious. I knew because I could still feel this terrible weight dragging me down into the abyss. It felt like I had died, but hadn't gone to heaven, and was stuck there. Why didn't I go with them? Why didn't I trust my feelings? They're lost. Scootaloo and the others are lost!!! It was the most terrible thought that has ever entered my mind. My heart pleaded with itself, trying to find something, anything to ease this pain, but I was drawing a complete blank. The images of those loving faces that comforted so deeply just earlier that day were going to torture me forever.

I couldn't believe it, and the why-me questions started popping up. How can we ever recover from this? I finally meet the mare of my dreams, and then of all this happens. Why does this happen to me? I just don't understand. I waited so long. I finally- Just then, the image of those foals appeared once again in the darkness, but this time as a source of light, smiling as memories on the floating platform, and I once again saw the innocence in their eyes, led by Scootaloo. This isn't about me, I thought to myself as I realized my love for them what really was lighting this miserable inferno inside me. I couldn't indulge in self-pity when I thought of them.

I thought about Rainbow, the only reason I got through all the tough times when I was foal. I remembered the pain I'd seen her in just a moment ago, with no one to comfort her. Suddenly I had a fierce and desperate desire to be with her, like my own soul depended on it. How could I find her in this strange realm, though? I had to get back to the real world if I could.

"Sonic," I heard her voice say, but in a loving and assuring way. I looked around, and then a hole of light opened in front of me shining behind her. She had a serious expression on her face, and I stood frozen in awe. "You gotta be strong. This is not over. We can still do this."

"Sonic," she called again, but this time it sounded blended with the voice of the Princess. I opened my eyes; I was still on the stone floor in the castle counsel room, but there were four white hooves in front of me. I suddenly felt two hooves on either side of my back from two ponies kneeling beside me, and I looked up and saw the good Princess staring down directly at me with moving pity.

"My son," she said tenderly, as I realized the ponies on either side of me were Thunderlane and Clear Skies, while standing directly behind me was the rest of our team while we all watched her. She stared deeply into my eyes, deeper than anyone other than Rainbow ever has, and I suddenly felt myself doing the unthinkable; calming down. "They are not yet lost."

Gazing into her purple eyes I saw a real hope behind a real maternal love. I didn't realize it then but the rest of the room was immersed in her as well. The Wonderbolts, the doctors, and officials.... They were all starved for some reassurance. Somewhere inside, my descent to total madness stopped; she had got through to me and touched my innermost feelings. At that moment I made a pact with myself. They are not yet lost. That means I must not despair. I have to help her find them. I have to help save them.

"Listen," she pleaded with the rest of us. "We have to get those foals out of that valley," she declared, and it was followed by yet another heavy silence. "If we're going to do that, everypony needs to calm down. You need to calm down, and trust me," she continued before she lowered her head down to me and whispered something so no one else could hear it. "Rainbow knows the plan. She'll be waiting for you outside when we're done. She needs - we all need you to focus now."

"What?" asked Spitfire loudly. The Princess lifted her head and her demeanor changed permanently into one of a strict commander. I had no idea what the Princess and Rainbow had talked about in the next room, and I wasn't sure how long I was out for exactly, but I knew it couldn't been more than a few minutes. I started to wonder where she was, and I still had a strong desire to be with her to help me as I tried to make sense of this situation.

"No one in this room must despair. We can still save those children but I will need your help," she said.

"How?" asked one of the ponies from the north, a stallion with a thick brown coat and a lumberjack sweater.

"How are we supposed to save them without the Elements of Harmony?" asked another pony.

"Yeah? They're the ones that always save the day," repeated another.

"Silence!" cried the Princess, pleading desperately with them. The Princess has a powerful persuasiveness, in part because you feel the benevolence and wisdom in her, despite her emotional pleas and fears that were so evident now. "You are the Wonderbolts! One does not have to be an official member of the Elements of Harmony to be an extraordinary pony. You are the best fliers in Equestria, and you must not fail-"

"We're not," replied Blossomforth.

"You are very talented. Your act in Ponyville was no small accomplishment," she said, turning her desperate but loving eyes towards him and the rest of us. Spitfire rolled her eyes. "More importantly, those foals are *your* family and friends."

I noticed then that Blossomforth and Merry May were both crying behind me.

"Wait, so we have no idea where they are but you want us to go get them?" asked an unseen stallion. Ponies all across the room were suddenly to shout and it was quickly falling into hysteria.

"But where in the valley are they?" asked another Wonderbolt anxiously. His question ignited a slew of voices across the room.

"How do we know they're alive?"

"Can we even survive out there?"

"Who's gonna tell their parents?"

"How are we supposed to know where to look?"

"SILENCE!" yelled the Princess, and the room went quiet again as everyone stopped talking immediately. I remained on the ground looking up at her, trying my best to ignore my emotions and concentrate on what she was saying. "You all need to be quiet and calm if we are to figure a solution. Once again, here's what we know; the passenger car of eighteen foals never made it through to the Empire. The Empire sent a locomotive of engineers back the way they came in, but the car itself was never found on the rails. The conditions at that altitude are too severe to risk any kind of search and rescue and I can tell you from experience that it's highly unlikely that whatever did this is something that would remain at that elevation... therefore they must be in the valley somewhere. At this time, I propose that we send a team of pegasus consisting of the Wonderbolts and the team of fliers from Ponyville, the best fliers we have," she continued, motioning to me and the ones behind me, "into the valley to retrieve them. You are the only chance they have."

"Retrieve them?" asked another Wonderbolt stallion.

"Yes, there would be eighteen of you. That's one foal per pony to carry back," she said, and the ponies in the room from the Wonderbolts to my friends behind me looked uneasily at each other and whispered.

"But what happened to the car?" asked a mare curiously behind Spitfire, who, like the rest of her unit, were in their Wonderbolt uniforms. "Why not take a train through the mountains?"

"Well," said the Princess, hesitantly. "We don't know exactly what happened to the car. It seems likely to me that it was intercepted, by something. The car is nowhere to be found, but it may have slid down the bottom of the valley, because it's nowhere along the tracks. The weather is horrible even at the bottom, but it's more survivable than the higher altitudes."

"But what would intercept a train full of foals?" asked the frightened voice of Thunderlane from behind me. Princess Celestia's hard expression slipped a hint of fear at the initial question, and I'm sure that everypony in the room who were all watching her intently caught it.

"Well... I don't know for sure," she said, maintaining her commitment to sternness. I'm no expert at reading emotions, but it almost seemed like she was hiding something that we was too afraid to talk about.

"Maybe an ice dragon," said the gruffy stallion in the red lumberjack shirt, and all heads in the room turned towards him. He was a serious-looking stallion, the kind of pony who lived on his own in a log cabin somewhere in the north.

"I-Ice dragon?" asked Blossomforth, her voice shaking.

"Or worse," said the Princess in a whisper that few ponies caught.

"There's ice dragons in that valley that answer to no one but themselves," he said gravely, and fear gripped our silent hearts even harder. "That valley... no one lives there. Just wicked creatures. It's cold, and dark, and snowy. The wind blows all the time. It's a frozen nightmare."

More whispering, followed by more soulful glances at one another. I cringed in pain beyond description to know that's what those kids were experiencing. I had flash backs to my own lonely abandonment, how scared I was then. At least they had each other, I thought, and maybe they were in a cave where it was warmer. But how soon till a dragon or something else ate them?

"Ok... where is this valley, exactly?" asked Thunderlane. I imagine he was shocked to suddenly be relevant in a saving-Equestria discussion.

"It's right here," said the Princess, who's horn lit up a small, narrow light that directed our eyes to the large map of Equestria on the wall. "We are right here," she said, shifting the light to Canterlot Castle which was roughly in the center. We followed her pointing light upwards towards the Crystal Empire along the railway as it made it's way into the Frozen Plains south of the mountains. Then, after it was well north of Whinnyapolis and almost to the empire, it veered off to the west. Situated to the west of the Frozen Plains were two mountain ranges that dipped slightly south of the main ones; they ran east to west, and in the center of them was a small, narrow gap. The mountains seemed to form the image of an eye that was barely open, coming together to form a very narrow entrance on the west side. To the east of the valley was a great ocean. "The valley is right here."

The subject railway line showed it moving off to the west just before entering the northern edge of the Frozen Plains at the foot of the Crystal Mountains, veering west along and up into the northern range looking over the valley to the south. From there it goes over the mountains before making a short way back east into the Crystal Empire.

"It is believed the car was lost in this area," she said, circling with her magic light the area right over the heart of the valley. I noticed on the map the names of all the ranges and locations, but in the area where the valley was, there was an inscription that appeared to be tampered with, scratched out. I made out the words "Valley of" but after that there was nothing. "I will authorize one or two scouts to run through the area, but I don't want much time spent on these tracks - they were more likely taken back to a cave under the mountains.

"Your Highness," said the young mare who looked like a doctor, "we could establish a camp in the Frozen Plains just east of the entrance of the valley, where several doctors and a host of families could hold out where the team could bring the rescued foals."

"Go on," said the Princess, who looked interested.

"While the team heads into the valley to retrieve the lost children, we could build a camp of tents and fires, and set up small medical clinics where we would wait safely for the arrival of the team. That way we can provide the foals and team members with proper medical care immediately rather than try to then take them to a major city hospital. They will likely be suffering from hypothermia and will need food, water, and warmth along with whatever us doctors can do for them. There are very few monsters or creatures in the plains, we should be safe. But we will have to dress very warmly and have many fires to protect us from the icy winds."

"Who are you?" asked a Wonderbolt across the room. I think we were all wondering that question.

"This is Doctor Snowmane," said Princess Celestia. "She is head doctor at the hospital in Whinnyapolis. She is an expert on all things cold and medicine."

"Alright, if we're gonna do this then let's talk about where these foals might be," said Blossomforth, with no ounce of nonsense in her voice. A few ponies seemed surprised by her boldness, and Spitfire raised her eyebrow irritably. "You want us to go in there and get them? Is that it? Like find them ourselves?"

"Yes. They might be, as Mr. Moose suggested, in the cave of an ice dragon," said the Princess. "Search every cave you can find. Look under large pine trees, look in places where it could be warmer. Many of these creatures do not eat their prey right away, but save them for harsher times. Look for the passenger car. We have to try."

"Your Highness, with all due respect," said Spitfire, eyeing our team with suspicion, "this team would just slow us down. I recommend we go by ourselves," she said, though the Princess ignored her as though she didn't even hear her. I'm not sure if she did or not.

"So uh... how cold are we talking exactly?" asked Thunderlane. He directed his question towards the ponies from the north, but the Princess seemed interested as well. Once again, Dr. Snowmane was the smart one.

"Well, the Valley of - well, the valley in question is known for it's frequent blizzards, but again no one really goes in there-" she started, before Thunderlane cut her off.

"Wait a second, what is the deal with the name of this valley? Why can't you say it? What's with this 'valley of' stuff and not finishing the sentence?" he asked her, and the rest of the room's eyes seemed to fall on her while she struggled with herself for an answer. She looked nervously at the Princess, who did not give as much away with her expression, but seemed to nod reluctantly at her.

"Well, the name's not important, but-"

"What?" interrupted Thunderlane. "Just tell us the name if it's not that important!" he said, and after more stuttering she reluctantly relinquished the answer.

"The valley as it is known in the north, is called... the Valley of White Death."

"Oh you know what? That is- that is just great," said Thunderlane angrily. "What a great name to give a valley where a bunch ponies are trying to rescue a bunch of foals. You think that gives us confidence, huh? Who's the idiot who named it that?"

"I am," replied the Princess, her face not budging an inch. Thunderlane's anger was wiped away instantly with horrified shock.

"Did I say idiot?" he said chuckling nervously, retreating his head back into his shoulders with deep embarrassment. The Princess did not seem to care in the slightest.

"This is not important. We must make a decision in fifteen minutes or less and take action. Every minute we lose we risk losing the children."

"Right, not important," whispered Thunderlane besides me, humiliated.

"She's right," said Doctor Snowmane. "The longest a foal can survive the blowing snows of this valley without any cover is two hours at most I would say, though much longer however if they are in an area of cover like a cave."

Now at this point you might be wondering how I was able to follow any of this given my world had been flipped upside down yet again, but the the devastating initial shock had finally started to wear. Rest assured though it was still terrible if not barely manageable. The truth is, as I said, that the Princess had gotten through me and relayed a hope that was in herself to me. It was a small hope, and I was still filled with terror and sadness while I listened, but I was able to at least listen and weigh it in my mind as I took it all in.

Rainbow trusted her, and when the Princess told me that was Rainbow was waiting for me outside and that she needed me now, that was just enough to keep me from losing my sanity... at least for the moment. I listened attentively and tried my best to shove aside my fears. I assessed the situation quickly in my head. The kids have been abducted. They're in the frozen north. It's gonna be really cold. I have to do whatever I can to help. If I can do anything... If you think you're having a hard time taking all this in, think about how I felt.

"Spitfire, you will lead your Wonderbolts and this team of fliers into the valley. You will take the train to the eastern entrance of the valley and then you will enter. Once you are there, you must find the lost children and bring them back to the camp we will establish just outside in the Frozen Plains. Do you understand?" asked the Princess. It did not appear that many of them were giving body language that they assented to go in the first place. They were all terrified. I couldn't really see my own team behind me, but Spitfire sighed.

"Your Highness, with all due respect," she said, turning an unwelcoming expression towards our team, especially at me. "This is the stallion who cost us the reservoir job in Ponyville. Can he really be a help to us?"

This jab hit me particularly hard in a room full of ponies. I don't exactly like the spotlight to begin with, but this was a depressing vote of no confidence from a high ranking pony in front of some of the only relevant ponies in my life outside of Rainbow, whom I needed dearly but wasn't sure I was worthy to stand by her anymore. I sunk my head in humiliation while my ears fell down in embarrassment. Maybe she's right. Without Rainbow, what good will I be? I haven't done anything in my life worth talking about.

"I have serious doubts about that, Captain," replied the Princess, to the visible surprise of Spitfire. I couldn't believe it myself. Spitfire, though, was dead set against me, that had been apparent from the moment she moment she laid eyes on me days before. "I do believe that it was Sonic who registered a 17.7 on the wingpower machine, and he has exceptional flying skills that I myself have witnessed. I believe the team from Ponyville will take this mission more seriously, as it is their friends and family whom you will be rescuing."

Spitfire was visibly unsatisfied with the answer, but she had no choice to accept it. She took a deep breath and seemed to reluctantly submit herself before the Princess' eyes narrowed in her direction.

"And Captain," she continued coldly, drawing Spitfire's eyes back to hers. "You may not question me on this anymore."

The room fell silent as all eyes shifted over to get a glimpse of a humiliated Spitfire, who's embarrassed eyes were now turned away from everyone while she looked at a spot on the floor beside her.

"Yes, your Highness," she muttered.

"It's settled then," said the Princess.

"Your Highness?" asked a terrified Buddy, his first words. "W-what can we expect in this valley?"

When all eyes went nervously to the Princess, her own expression turned back towards the gruffy northerner who she had singled as "Mr. Moose" the old and experienced stallion who's expression looked like it'd been hardened by forty years of tough living. He raised an eyebrow towards the shaking green stallion.

"You're used to moving rain clouds around, and making snow angels. In this territory the weather controls *you*. Few ponies that go into that valley ever make it out. Maybe you folks is the best of the best, maybe you can handle it. But you better be ready for the coldest night of your life. This may be the most dangerous place in Equestria."

There was a long silence.

"Are we gonna even survive this mission? This sounds like a job for the Elements of Harmony," asked a stallion from the Wonderbolts. I couldn't tell if he was brave for being so brutally honest or cowardly in his fear for his own life over the life of eighteen terrified children. In my own heart I started to wonder how much hope there really was. How did I know they were alive? It felt like I was starting to slip back into despair, if not the most afraid I've ever been in my life.

"We don't have the Elements of Harmony," said the Princess, fighting back a lack of confidence that was attempting to surface in her body language. "I know in my heart that they're alive. I ask you all to trust me on this," she said, in a much humbler and pleading tone. The tone in the rest of the room seemed to be moving more towards fear and doubt.

"There is a risk, no doubt about it," said Doctor Snowmane sadly. All heads turned back to the Princess, who's anxiety was getting more and more visible again. Following a silence, Spitfire spoke for her group.

"We will do as the Princess commands."

There was an unspoken feeling in the room that everypony was wondering; was the Princess reconsidering this mission? Were the foals really worth it? In my own heart my answer was made up. Of course they were. I was going after them with or without these ponies. But my confidence in myself and my ability to provide meaningful contribution was what I doubted. As the Princess stared at the floor, breathing heavily for several seconds, we waited for a confirmation. Everyone in the room knew how serious this was.

The Princess looked up to face the horrified, doubting ponies and she couldn't hold back her own tears anymore.

"Those kids are out there. They're alone. Think of how scared they are. Think of what I must tell their parents," she said, choking up once again. When she said this, the Princess of Equestria reduced to a shamble of tears, everyone in the room including me began to tear up. "Think of their families. The lives of our children matter. I tell you that I know they're alive, and you *must* trust me on that. I cannot leave them in that valley to die. Will you?"

By turning the subject back to the children, it seemed she had won over her subjects again, at least the group I was with. The Princess had spoken. Amidst the cries and snuffles in the room, the ponies had made up their mind. We were going to go into the valley. We could not let this happen.

"Prepare to leave," said Spitfire to the Wonderbolts. "Soarin' and Fleetfoot, lead them out at the Princess' command."

"You have twenty minutes before you must board the train that will take you north. My sister will accompany you there. I will organize the efforts to establish a camp outside of the valley in the Frozen Plains," declared the Princess, succumbing to her sadness. She was now looking at everyone gratefully, like she owed us all for this situation, like it was her fault but it was up to us to save it. "Ponies..." she continued, "you cannot despair. You *must* not. The power of friendship lives not just in the hearts of the elements, but in anyone who seeks it. I know that the Elements have been crucial the past few years, but this is your chance to show the real worth in ordinary ponies. Do you understand?"

Spitfire nodded to her lieutenants, and one by one, Soarin' and Fleetfoot turned and slowly made their way out of the room, followed just as slowly by the reluctant members of the Wonderbolts with Spitfire exiting last, bringing up the rear. A rescue mission was officially underway. My gaze was frozen. Somewhere I realized I had a burning need to see Rainbow again. Though I was still laying belly-down on the stone floor I turned my head back towards the door, hoping she was there, but she wasn't.

As the rest of the ponies began to leave, the sobering reality, that eighteen foals -including our beloved Scootaloo - were lost in the northern tundras, started to sink in. Half an hour ago I thought my biggest problem was my past and it's impediment to a dream-come-true with the mare I love, a reflection of my general unworthiness. Now my biggest problem was the thought of losing Scootaloo. And maybe myself. Yet one question lingered on my mind. What role did Rainbow play in all of this?

I was walking towards the door, thinking about how I got here. How quickly all of this went down, and what it meant. How could Rainbow come with us without the ability to fly? I didn't feel like I could do it without her. What if I didn't survive? Rainbow isn't going to come with us, is she? She can't.... what am I supposed to do? The Princess had said she'd be waiting for me, that she "knew the plan". I had to find her and try to make sense of this. I needed her reassurance. But then again, she'd been through so much the last few days, and part of that was my doing. I needed her more than anything but I wasn't sure if that was best for her given everything, and that's what was truly depressing.

As I moved towards the door I looked back at the map on the wall and saw the Valley of White Death in the northwest corner. That same strange spiritual feeling from earlier seemed to envelop me again, an inexplicable feeling of that seemed to transcend the world around me but I didn't know what to make of it. I barely knew what to make of anything. I could hardly process it all. My life had been full of unexpected changes, I've been thrust into situations I never wanted before; I thought I'd be used to it by now. This though I could barely handle, just so much fear and sadness. I knew that I was to get through this, even to just to play a role and not to break down at the spot, I needed to rely on what's gotten me through everything else thus far. For all that happened, for all that Rainbow knew I was and was not, she still looked at me with more love than any creature Equestria ever has.

"Sonic!" called the Princess. I halted at the door, and turned my head back around to see her walking towards me. Now that she was no longer in decision making mode and the rest of the ponies were leaving, her emotions ran freer again. She was as miserable as anyone, if not moreso. "Leave us," she said to the royal guards and the other few ponies left, who dispersed through the back doors at her command. As much as her eyes were filled with pity for me, I couldn't help but feel the same for her. "Sonic," she stared, after the rest of the ponies. "I-I," she continued, stuttering. She was having difficulty choosing the right words, I hoped my expression would let her know that she had nothing to worry about, and that whatever she could say wouldn't offend me. "If you don't want to go out there, then I understand."

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked, genuinely curious as to why she would ask me this but not the others. Once again, she seemed to struggle to give an answer, which I took pity in as I waited patiently for an answer.

"You haven't had the easiest life, I understand that. A lot of ponies have failed you, Sonic. Me included," she said, looking shamefully to the side. "As Princess, I-I do my best to ensure that all my subjects are taken care of, you know... happy, sheltered, friendly... that's why I was happy to give you that home in Ponyville. But even with my sister, and Twilight... there's still just so many ponies in Equestria, it's just- it's just hard to keep track," she muttered, stuttering. She was having difficulty looking me, but then forced herself to do it, and I saw the sincerity in her. "I know that's not an excuse, so I just wanted to say that... I'm sorry. I'm also sorry that the ponies under my rule have not treated you the way they should have."

Many feelings stirred in me at hearing this confession. Many days in my youth when I was alone out there I wondered about the benevolent ruler I'd heard about, appointed by the Divine. I wondered if she knew what happened to me or if she bore any responsibility for it. Though I didn't know much about her nor did I place too much emphasis on her, because she was not the one who left a permanent mark on my heart like Rainbow had. Now I knew that there was another in Equestria who cared for me even if we didn't know each other on a personal level, and I didn't hold her responsible at all. Seeing the real sorrow in her eyes was proof enough of her filial love for her subjects. The benevolent ruler I'd heard about was real after all. It saddened me to see her so full of self-doubt and apologizing to me like this, but on the other hand I was reassured and comforted to know that someone else in Equestria didn't hate me. I wish there was something I could do for either of us to feel better, but I know that wasn't happening.

On a base level I also knew what she was suggesting. Beneath it all I could see she was apologizing because she feared the thought of me dying out there, and missing out on redemption in her eyes. I sensed that was the case earlier in the evening as the witnesses described the conditions in the valley, and yes, it was incomprehensibly depressing, but I decided I wasn't going to think about that if I could and instead just try to focus on playing my role in a rescue squad, taking orders from Spitfire and getting a foal back to it's parents. Getting Scootaloo back to Rainbow Dash. Inside, however, I doubted my ability to do that, especially if Rainbow couldn't come with me. It terrified me. It seemed that self-doubt was something both the Princess and I definitely had in common.

"It's not like any of this is your fault," I reassured her.

"It seems I've failed more than just you," she replied, and her guilt became even more apparent in her expression. "They don't think they can complete this mission, I could see it in their eyes. Just like I see it in your eyes."

My mouth slowly dropped. I couldn't hide it.

"Tonight, I have to tell the parents of those foals what's going on," she finished, after which she closed her eyes and tilted her head away in utter torment.

Now I found myself in awkward situation as I stood there across from her, watching her break down. Here I was tempted to feel bad for myself, and now I felt much worse for her, the divinely appointed Princess of Equestria, than anyone. Being princess is a lot harder than it looks, that much was clear to me for the first time. She had proven beyond any doubt that she deeply cared for all of us, and that's what made it so painful for me to watch her like this. I didn't want to just keep standing there staring at her doing nothing, I wanted to comfort her somehow, and I knew I craved her comfort as well.

Not knowing what else to do I walked forward and despite her being a lot taller than me I found a way to make a hug work by putting my head against her chest, and I felt her leg wrap around my shoulder. It still felt a little strange, but it was well worth it. I never thought the Princess would be taking in such an emotional hug with her lowest of subjects, and it was relieving to feel her maternal embrace.

It felt like an eternity, but eventually I withdrew myself and gazed upward at her. I didn't want to the hug to end but I knew I had to go be going soon and my heart craved a meeting with another mare even more strongly.

"What did you mean when you said that Rainbow knew the plan, that she was waiting? Is she coming with us?" I asked.

"Rainbow, as you know, cannot fly. Her options at this point appear limited," she said wearily, and it struck me hard; my prospects took a strong dip that she no doubt picked up on. "However," she continued, and I saw a glimmer of something appear in her eye, "as you well know, Rainbow Dash will never be denied. It's who she is, she never gives up or concedes defeat, even in injury."

"What are you suggesting?" I asked curiously. "That she's going to walk out there?"

"My heart tells me that she has some role to play in this. For the record, I am not going to throw her in jail to keep her away from you. I can offer her much advice to let you and the others act in her stead, but you know how well she listens in situations like this," she added, managing a faint smile that I returned. I wondered what this could mean for the mission, for myself, and for her. She was all I could think about. That made me less prepared for what the Princess said next. "She loves you very, very much Sonic."

My eyes were drawn to her immediately. She had told me something I can't deny that I needed desperately, what Rainbow herself had confirmed, but somehow I still needed it so badly, which was annoying. Part of me said it was silly, part of me said it wasn't. I looked into the Princess' eyes. They seemed so honest. I wanted to believe it so badly. Even if it wasn't true, even if Rainbow didn't love me, I would never stop loving her.

"It is exceptionally rare that I have encountered something this strong from both sides. If I achieved anything in my private conversation with her, it is the knowledge that her love for you and for the filly Scootaloo is stronger than anybody including myself thought was possible from her. It cannot be understated."

I didn't really know what to say. On one hand this was all I ever wanted to hear in life. It was the kind of thing I went to sleep dreaming about for years, but telling myself that realistically it was just a fantasy that was a waste of time to entertain, and yet here I was hearing it from the wisest of all ponies. But on the other hand, it reinforced to me just how much was at stake here.

"You must help lead out there, Sonic," she said as I stared wondrously at her. "You doubt yourself, but you have a beautiful and pure heart. I believe in you, and your beloved Rainbow Dash most certainly believes in you. She is waiting for at the Canterlot train station with my sister and the rest of the team."

Unable to stand there any longer and trying to hide my swelling eyes, I bowed my head before her long and softly so that she might know how much I appreciated her, and so I could exit the building and find Rainbow before I left into the frozen wilderness. The reality of my situation was setting in, and though everything felt numb, each hoof lifted off the ground. I was still alive after all. As I passed the door and approached the hallway, she called out to me one last time.

"Sonic," she said, and I turned my head back around. "Please be careful."

The Journey Begins

I wandered slowly out of the main door I had galloped through just several minutes before and out into the dark, stone streets of the city lit only by moonlight and the occasional street lamp. I was the last one out of the castle. Every step was slow, every lift of the hoof was heavy, and every breath was long, seemingly spending more energy then it provided. My destination was the Canterlot train station. As I had done so many times in my lonely youth, found myself gazing up at the stars and wondering what my fate in life would be, and also now what the fate of those children would be. If Rainbow and I could be together in the end, or if the journey ended here.

The only thing that matters now is getting those kids back. I tried hard to crush any thought or temptation to self pity, but I couldn't help but think at least for a moment how unfortunate our lives seemed to have turned out. After all that I went through I came so close to my dream life, only for it to be cut so short. At least I have some wonderful and happy memories with her. That's more than many can say. I lived a life thinking about her, with some great and heavenly times in there as well, and that makes it all worth it.

Certainly to some degree I believed that, but it was no use to dispel the crippling sadness that came with the thought of lost children. I thought about the few but wonderful moments we'd had with Scootaloo. The three of us clicked so well. The images of both of them were so full of light, and the happiness of the memory just seemed to intensify the horrible sadness that now came with the thought of her lost in the wilderness.

The thought of Scootaloo and those other innocent faces out there scared and alone is what bothered me most of all. I knew exactly what that was like and I would do *anything* to prevent a foal from going through it, much less one I know and love. The gut-check of horrifying feelings that struck me just caused me to be more angry with myself, knowing what Rainbow Dash must undoubtedly be thinking; how she can save them, and here I was despairing and thinking about myself. I can't play these self-pity games. I have to focus on getting those kids back... That's what Rainbow would do.

Whenever I felt like I could be tough like her the thought of some horrible thing just made me cringe with fear, and I hated myself for getting scared at things that would never phase her. I closed my eyes while the thought of battling snow, dragons, and other hostilities haunted me as an antagonistic voice coming from somewhere inside reminded me of my incompetence. That's what Rainbow would do, but that's exactly what you *can't* do... Pathetic loser... The same voice then tried to blame me for this situation; if I'd only not been shoved and ruined the tornado, Rainbow's wing wouldn't be broken. I shook my head violently and worked to dispel that line of thought. Stop it...

Suddenly I noticed the dark figures of a few groups of ponies on either side of me, three or four here and there, whispering at me as I walked by in the darkness. They seemed to be stretching on down the entire street of front of me, most of them congregated in the shadows just beyond the light from a lamp with a kind of serious and grave manor to them, like they knew exactly what was going on. Even though I didn't particularly want to hear what they had to say, my ears shifted in their direction as I made my way forward, catching bits and pieces of their murmuring.

"Princess has ordered a rescue team," said one unseen voice.

I was surprised that word had gotten out so fast, apparently. Were ponies lining up in the streets to whisper about the situation? If this was the case it was only a matter of time before word would get to Ponyville.

"-Wonderbolts, I don't know who the others are," said another.

Even in the darkness their eyes were uncomfortable; I could feel the lack of confidence in them as they stared at me.

"-don't stand a chance," whispered one cryptic voice.

"-sending them to their deaths," said another.

The crushing reality of the situation seemed clear to all the ponies outside of direct involvement. They don't think we can do it... I was more disappointed in myself for letting my ears turn their way and listen when I knew so well in my heart that they wouldn't inspire confidence. I took a deep sigh and pressed on. I noticed that not one of the ponies watching seemed to recognize me from the day I saved that foal from the runaway cart careening down the street in front of a late-day crowd and the Princess herself. It's dark, they probably can't see me... I could've used the slightest confidence boost, just a little nod of appreciation or something, but at this point I knew I wasn't going to be getting any extra help. What would Rainbow do? I need to find her now. I have to know how she's doing. I need her to guide me. I need her so badly.

Shining ahead of me in the darkness was a collection of street lamps in one spot, and I immediately recognized it as the train station at Canterlot, a train with it's end facing me was on the platform, steaming and preparing to leave while royal guards and other ponies worked to carry supplies on board, whilst Spitfire barked out orders to Wonderbolts. Some of them were already getting on the train, who's locomotive was facing north over the valley below, whilst a bright star twinkled above the distance of our destination. I walked up towards the platform meekly, looking around desperately for any sign of Rainbow. I saw standing near the train car on the platform a pony much taller than everyone else; Princess Luna, easily fitting right into the darkness. She looked in my direction and spotted me, and with a grave look she called out.

"Five minutes, Sonic."

I nodded wearily in acknowledgment and looked around the platform for streaks of colors. I saw many scared ponies working, but there was no sign of her anywhere. My heart began to pound, I felt like I was swirling into an truly unbearable abyss if I could not find her for one final word before I left, a brand new thought that would be the end of me if it came true. My eyes got more and more desperate in their search when finally I turned around looked behind me, sensing something. Standing just a few feet behind me was the mare herself.

Somehow beneath the exhaustion, the confusion, the heartache and the uncertainty that swelled inside her, was the undying will to keep fighting, despite all of the terrible feelings that had swarmed her in just the last couple of days. In an instant I was reminded in the fullest why my heart is forever enslaved to her, and why she dominated ten years of my thoughts and feelings. I knew then, if I ever did, that my fate is tied entirely to hers. Her happiness is my happiness, and her pain is my pain. That it would be that way until I die, and maybe beyond.

For this reason I was devastated to see all this happening to her. Especially because she had handled it all like such a champ. So much better than or anyone else ever could have. I desired with all of my strength and will to ease her pain, yet there was not a single word that came out of my mouth. Here I was, unable to say or do anything that could comfort her. The depth of sorrow hurled upon her these last few days (for which I felt partly responsible) and my frustration at my own incompetence spilled out of my eyes through which I apologized profusely to her.

Though I was unable to do anything else, she finally walked forward and the two of us hugged. For a quick moment our pain was lifted. There was just the soft warmth of our embrace and my heart was so grateful that she took comfort in me. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay there with her forever and feel this way, but we couldn't leave those foals out there.

"Sonic," she muttered anxiously. She withdrew herself and set her eyes just inches in front of mine. They were scared, and they were hurt, but they were determined and focused. "I'm going to meet up with you out there."

The anxiousness of my own attentiveness matched hers as I pondered what this might mean, as she couldn't fly and she couldn't join our expedition as the Princess would not allow it. I took this to mean she was going to disobey.

"I'm going to take the next train, then when they're setting up the camp, I'm going to leave them and I'm going to meet you in the valley, and together we'll bring Scootaloo and the others back," she continued. I could see she was dead-set on it, though she had some degrees of fear and uncertainty as well that she couldn't hide. For most pegasus, flying is an important and foundational part of their identity, for her flying was more than that. Now, when she needed it most in her life, it was gone. For the first time in our lives, I wasn't sure she believed in herself. But the difference was that she didn't seem to care about her own fears, or if anything else she was much better at not letting them bother her.

I glanced away. I wished she didn't have to come out herself. I wish I had the strength to do it myself, so she wouldn't have to do something like this. I knew I couldn't do it without her though.

Her gaze shifted to something behind me. Whatever it was, it caused a flicker of more fear and desperation in her eyes. I looked behind and saw Princess Luna's head hanging out from the train door, turned in our direction. It seemed everyone had boarded, and the way she looked at us was with a lot of pity, like she didn't want to split us up, but she knew she had to. She didn't call to me with words, but her sad and reluctant expression urged me onto the train. I needed more time with Rainbow. I needed her by my side, but here I was about to leave her again.

Suddenly I felt Rainbow's hoof as she grabbed my shoulder, and she brought herself in close to me. Her eyes were very intense, and they commanded the same intensity from me.

"Sonic," she muttered, with extra passion. "You have to lead them on until I get out there."

It was so painful to have to look at her in this state while I so sincerely doubted myself. I couldn't look away, either. I had no choice but to face her and tell her how I felt.

"I can't," I muttered, while my insides ripped in all directions.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I'm not you."

I finally spoke the words that I'd known were true for some time now. At first she stepped back in a kind of amazed bewilderment and shock. Then slowly her eyes transformed into a sad and pitiful realization of the highest degree of emotions. I was finally able to tell her how I felt, no matter how bad I felt saying it.

"I'm not the leader that you are," I continued, and she continued to soften with every word. I took a deep sigh and owned up my shame, I reluctantly admitted what I thought we both knew was true. "I don't inspire others like you do. I haven't done the great things you've done. I'm simply not the pony that you are. So I can't."

"Sonic," she replied in an impassioned whisper. Whenever she says my name in such a way all of my feelings are suspended and my heart waits in desperate suspense for whatever she is about to say. Our depth of feeling at that moment was so great that at times it barely felt real. "Do you love me?"

"Y-yes," I muttered, moderately hurt that she even had to ask me. "With all of my heart."

"If that's true," she replied, pleading with me in her expression, "then you must believe in yourself, because I believe in you more than I believe in any other pony."

For so long I have desperately wanted to believe in myself but have never been able to. Right then, I saw just how desperately she wanted me to believe in myself. How desperately she needed me to. My conflicted heart, so eager to please her in all things, felt the call to throw away this doubt once and for all.

"I can't do this by myself, either," she continued breathlessly, gripping my shoulder tightly. "You love those kids, Sonic. I know you do. She's out there alone. They all are. You and I will bring them all back, with their help," she said, motioning back to the train. "I don't trust anyone on this journey with me but you."

Then she put it to me directly in the humblest and most desperate form I've ever seen her, absolute begging. "Will you help me?"

I saw that she had put every last drop of hope in my willingness to go on this journey with her, and it showed in the desperation emanating from her eyes in the last stop before despondent despair. Even if I was so scared, and even if my confidence in myself hung by a thread, I'd be damned if I didn't help her. Overcome with passion I interiorly vowed to do whatever I could for her and I put my hoof on her opposite shoulder and gave her my word.

"Yes," I whispered. "Yes I will."

The worn expression on her face finally broke into a smile and the grief and despair was replaced with hope and gratitude. An angelic happiness briefly enveloped me knowing I had provided it.

"Sonic," called Princess Luna.

"What would you have me do?" I asked Rainbow quietly, saddened to know that I was destined to leave her in a moment. She looked at me in a way that inspired confidence, like she was a proud and dedicated general addressing her loyal lieutenant.

"Lead them on," she asserted quietly. The concept of leading was foreign and uncomfortable to me, but I wasn't going to give up.

"H-how?" I asked her, trying sincerely to understand. "I don't know how, Rainbow."

"Just be yourself," she urged me in a whisper, a pleading tone while the gleam in her eyes penetrated into the depths of my soul. "Just think about what you can do to save the children. Think about what you can do to help your teammates. That's why you just have to be yourself, Sonic, because I know you'll do those things on your own."

I breathed in and out heavily, absorbing in as much of her advice as I could while trying to keep my stirring emotions under control.

"As soon as anyone spends any real time with you, as they're all about to, they'll see you for what you are, Sonic," she said, and leaning in she infiltrated my innermost being through her piercing gleam.

She saw me so differently than I had often seen myself, and I was hardly prepared for the wonder that was filling up inside me or for the fact that I had to leave her behind now.

Steam shot from the the locomotive and my heart dipped because I knew now I had to leave her. I had so much more to say to her, and so much more to resolve, but I couldn't because those kids needed me. I was going to try to believe in myself though and I was going to do what I could to save those kids and my teammates. Filled with longing I looked back at my beloved friend and uttered one final parting word.

"You've made my life worth it."

That seemed to get her, and I finally saw what I must look like when she touches me on the same level.

Though all of my feelings said stay, knowing I had no other choice I reluctantly turned around to approach the train. With my eyes closed I lifted my hooves onto the back of the last train car onto the little platform outside the door. I turned around for one final look at the mare who is my savior and my life. What I found though was her glowing eyes one last time, but they were right beside me and the back of the train car while she stood on the platform holding up a white cloth in her hoof.

I leaned over the rail and took it into my hoof. Sitting back I held the white cloth in my left hoof, bringing up my right one to unfold it. The train started its first lurch forward and I lifted the folded end of the cloth over. What I held in my hoof, wrapped in this white cloth, was none other than a small blue feather, torn and crumpled.

Beneath my hooves were puffy white clouds. When I looked up I saw standing just in front of me a small blue filly with a rainbow mane and the setting sun at her back. She was very sad, but this sadness that was the first real love anyone had shown me in my lifetime. I remembered then that the filly was my best friend, and that she was everything that I could ever admire. I ran my hoof over the soft feather and was filled with feelings I've never felt before, and I didn't know what they meant. But I knew when I looked back up into the filly's eyes that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with her. And that I would never, ever forget this.

I lifted my head and suddenly I saw ahead of me in the darkness beneath star and moonlight Rainbow standing at the edge of a platform shrinking into the distance while I got further and further away from her. Even in the distance at nighttime I saw the desperate need in her eyes. Without any hesitation I climbed up on the rail in front of me and jumped off, spreading my wings and darting through the air. When were finally together again on the platform we threw ourselves into each other and kissed. It was only after this that I finally flew back down the tracks after the train, but not without having left her with a gift of my own. A gift from my wing.

A Dark and Snowy Night

There were snow flurries all around me. The landscape was difficult to determine; it was very dark and the moon and the stars were not out tonight. It seemed like this place was somewhere near a forest with hedge-bound fields and rolling hills, and rows of spidery trees. The wind was blowing but it seemed like I could hardly feel it, if much at all. I also was not nearly as cold as this wintery nighttime suggested I should be. In front me there appeared to be a nice-looking home with the light on in the window. Well this is weird. There was something so familiar about this place. I knew I'd been here before, I recognized almost everything. Excluding the home it was a dark and lonely place, that's for sure.

I turned my head in all directions looking for some sign of life, somebody to ask or seek guidance from and get some answers on where I was, if the blessed memory didn't come to me first from the tip of my brain. Why, I don't think I've been here since - ... I did almost a full 360 when I noticed a small figure some distance in front of me moving slowly through the trees. I couldn't tell what it was at first since it was so dark. It looked like it was too small to be a pony, but it was too large to be anything smaller than a coyote or a wolf. Goodness, I hope it's not a wolf...

I took several steps forward and kept a wary eye on it, waiting for some confirmation as to what it was. As I crept closer and closer, it became clearer and clearer that it was in fact a pony, just a small one. It looks like a - it looks like it's just a kid!

"Hey! You there!" I said, calling out to him. I broke into a much more comfortable walk as I was not much afraid anymore but rather confused as to what a foal was doing out here at this time, and what the heck was going on. "Excuse me!"

Whoever they were, they had stopped moving and were leaned back against a tree not far from the home in front of them. I pressed forward and they came more into view. I couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like a colt; I couldn't see the finer features in the darkness. I called out to him again, but he ignored me altogether. What is going on, can't he hear me? Maybe he's upwind of me and my voice isn't getting there.

Now that I was able to see him better, the first thing that struck me about him was how cold he looked, after which surges of pity for him shot through me as the kid was shaking and shivering something awful. At the same time I wondered why I wasn't cold at all. The wintry night and the snowflakes and the cottage, it all looked like a scene out of a fantasy book or a postcard. The moon was gleaming after all now but behind a fog of clouds. I'd seen all this before. I'd been here, and even excluding the image of the shivering colt the more I took it in the more uncomfortable I seemed to feel. Whatever they were the memories from this place weren't positive.

I saw now that this colt was a pegasus - he sat back against a tree and wrapped his wings around himself to keep warm. I glanced over to the cottage, wondering if that was his home, and if so why he was out here and not in there. Yet when I saw the cottage an inexplicably negative feeling became much less subtle. I couldn't see the colt's face yet - nor his colors - but he seemed to be around the age of twelve or thirteen or so, if I had to guess. He was still sheltered against the tree and he appeared to be holding something in his hoof but I couldn't tell what it was from where I was standing. Whatever it was, his eyes were glued to it. His mane and tail looked messy even at night and from a small distance, and he looked a little dirty with dry clumps of mud stuck on his coat.

"Excuse me... little guy?" I called, much softer and more caring this time. At this point I was certain that he could hear me. Yet once again he did not so much as look at me or give the slightest form of acknowledgment that I was there.

After what felt like almost a minute he finally lifted his head but it was the direction of the home not far ahead of him - not me. I saw his eyes for the first time and they were frightened and miserable. Yet somewhere beneath all of that there was a tiny gleam of hope as he looked longingly in the direction of the home. My hooves halted on the cold ground and I froze in place. My breathing slowed as a paralyzing darkness began to creep its way across my entire body.

The colt lifted his hoof and seemed to place whatever he was holding on top of his ear. He got up slowly from his position and started trekking towards the home. I realized that his path to the home would have him pass just a few in front of me. The wind picked up and the flurries of snow blew across his face as he moved closer and closer. His struggling expression left no doubt he could feel the wind and the cold in his face where I could not.

Even as he drew near me his gaze never left the home and his youthful eyes glowed with the longing of a hungry and desperate foal. He came and walked right in front of me. My breath stood still; there was just enough light to see the streaks of dark blue to light grey in his mane and tail and likewise his coat was a cross between light blue and light grey. When I saw what was nestled in his ear - the item that he stared so intently at for such a long moment - the darkness' hold over the rest of my body was complete. It was a small blue feather.

My gaze followed him as he made his way all the way up to the doorstep of the lighted home. The colt raised his hoof reluctantly to the door. He was so afraid. He took a deep breath and lowered his head before he somehow found the courage to knock gently on the large door in front of him.

A stallion with a solid yellow coat, well-groomed and dressed in fine purple linen appeared at the door. He peered down at the colt with an expression that had made no effort whatsoever to conceal his repulsion. His unwelcoming sneer further dashed the young colt's spirits that were already vulnerable to begin with. The kid laid himself down at the stallion's hooves as he struggled to find the right words.

"Listen to me for the last time," remarked the stallion.

"It's so cold... Any service I could-"

"Where are your parents?" interrupted the stallion, irritatedly. "Why don't they give you something? Why is it always my responsibility?"

I had been to his house once or twice before, asking to perform some type of work for some food. I wasn't sure how I ended up in this area again tonight, but I longed for the scraps from his table.

"I'm sorry sir... I-I don't know where they are."

With that afflicted declaration from his soft voice the first tear fell down my face as I looked on through darkness and the flurries of snow.

"Can't find them? What do you mean you can't - well, if that's the case then why don't you go and find them then, and I will continue on with my dinner," scoffed the stallion, and he shut the door on the young colt.

The gesture was a powerful blow to the colt's spirits. My mind signaled to my hoof to rest itself on my chest where the left side in particular was very heavy and in dire need of some relief, but my body was unresponsive and my all four hooves remained stuck to the ground. I wanted to look away but I couldn't do that either. To my astonishment the foal somehow worked up the courage to knock gently on the door once again. Why would you do that? What were you thinking? Just leave...

When the stallion appeared once again at the door it was abundantly clear that he was now bitterly annoyed with the increasingly desperate youth, whose soft pleading was now nothing short of outright begging.

"GO AWAY!"

The terrified colt darted away like a rabbit from a fox. He sprinted all the way into the hedge-bound cover and never looked back. I followed him all the way until he disappeared completely into the darkness, and then stared unresponsively at the spot he disappeared. It felt like glass shards had rained down on my insides. Just when it seemed I was doomed to stand there for all eternity while the snowflakes disappeared into the blackness in front of me, the spell that kept my body frozen in place lifted and I fell back on the ground. I sat back, covered my eyes, and was completely alone with the whispering winds.

The next thing I remember after the colt disappeared - after I was left to mull over the images alone with myself - was hearing a small rustle of soft voices somewhere behind me in the forest. I pulled my face out of my hooves and looked behind me. I stood up and walked towards the direction I thought they'd come from carried in the wind, step by step through the trees that I directly surrounded me. Now that there was no light from the cottage I had much more difficultly seeing anything beyond my immediate proximity. There was just my long breaths, my accelerating heart beat, and a black maze of trees in a light snow.

Suddenly the wind flowed through the trees in front of me and another round of voices carried through and I stopped in my tracks and positioned both my ears open in their direction. It sounded like the murmuring of children, but it wasn't the voice of the colt I'd seen before. The snippets of tones I'd heard sounded familiar somehow, like they belonged to foals I knew. I took a few more steps forward and listened again for another breeze. I closed my eyes and emptied my mind of any thoughts so to hear whatever came through. Finally, a distinctive noise made it through.

"Tis bitter cold out here."

The voice belonged to a young colt, and it seemed to have a strange accent, possibly from Trottingham. I knew I'd heard it before somewhere, if it wasn't on the tip of my tongue. I kept walking forward and looked around in the darkness for any signs of foals. Suddenly another sound passed through, this time the voice of an older filly. A voice I'd definitely heard before.

"Wicked cold is more like it, Pip."

My ears twitched. I searched every space in front of me, but there were so many trees blocking my view.

"Scootaloo?" I asked gently.

I was sure that it was her I'd heard. I stepped forward much quicker and scanned the trees for any sign of them. Even though most of my thoughts were bent on finding her, as an afterthought I couldn't understand what she was doing out here. They sounded miserable and scared. Where are you?

"I just wanna go home," said the voice of another colt, yet another one I'd heard before.

"Where are you?" I called much louder, looking around frustratedly. "It's ok! It's me, Sonic! Sonic Rain!"

I leapt through the trees and turned my head in all directions. To my distress all I could see was just the same thing in all directions, rows of trees and snow flurries disappearing into blackness not far in front of me. I didn't stop my increasingly frantic searching though as I peered around for any sign of them. Finally some more murmuring crept right around a large tree in front of me; I trotted forward and around it and found myself standing in a little opening in the forest. Immediately my eyes caught sight of what was straight in front of me on the other side of the gap of trees.

I saw directly across from me three foals sitting and huddling together with their backs against a large tree. They had no clothing, and for some reason it looked like their winter coats had never come in on their bodies. All three of were shivering even though they hugged as tightly as they could to keep each other warm. In the middle was none other than Scootaloo, and on either side of her were two colts - Pipsqueak the pinto and the little grey colt from the train platform who had recognized me as the pony that saved that foal in Canterlot from the runaway cart.

"Scootaloo!!" I shouted, taking a few steps forward. Now they must've been just fifteen yards in front of me. I waited for them to look up at me but just like before they didn't respond in the slightest. It was as if my voice wasn't real to them. This just confused me further while I studied them with narrowed eyes. "Scootaloo!" I tried again, looking directly at her and certain that she could hear me. Nothing.

Just like before with the young colt, the more I looked at them the more awful I felt, only this time it was even worse because I knew them. I noted especially the fear and uncertainty in each of their faces that were nipped at by the brutal temperatures that had no effect on me. If anything at least they had each other; something the previous colt had lacked. There's gotta be something I can do. I can't do this again.

"Are there any wolves out here?" asked the grey colt, burying his shivering head under Scootaloo's chest, who upon the hearing the question looked around worriedly, confirming that I was completely invisible to her.

"No, there aren't any wolves around here," she said dismissively, but it didn't look like she believed it. Just then, after she finished her sentence, there was howling in the distance and it jolted each with them with bolts of terror.

"I'm so scared, I just wanna go home," muttered the grey colt. As terrible as I felt I was hardly prepared for what he said next. "I wish your friends Rainbow and Sonic had come with us."

No.... I shook my head in hysterical denial. The comment hit me a brick wall and started sucking the life out of me; the distance between us seemed to get longer even though neither of us moved. The world around me seemed to swirl like the darkness inside of me.

"I know, I know. I do too," responded the filly, doing her absolute best to comfort him even though she was as bad off.

"Do you think anyone's coming for us?" asked Pip.

At hearing the question she first stared despondently into space in front of her, but then, as I looked on, her teary eyes lifted upward and her expression was no different than mine was when I stood with my feather in front of that stallion's door. The same hero that had gleamed in my younger version's eyes was just as visible in Scootaloo's behind the hope that that same hero would rescue us and bring us to a better life. I related to her on a level that I'd never related with anyone before.

"Rainbow Dash is coming for us," she assured herself.

"SCOOTALOO!" I cried. "I'M RIGHT HERE!"

I lunged forward and flapped my wings furiously at them. I flew harder and harder, wanting desperately to reach them and end their suffering, but the faster I flew and the more trees that whizzed by me the further away they got from me. Eventually their frightened faces were swallowed up by the darkness. "NOO!!"

"Sonic!" cried the voice of Princess Luna.

I had no idea where she came from but now I felt her limbs wrapping around me. I was quickly enveloped and stopped struggling. I was practically sobbing at that point, but the warmth in her embrace surprised me considering I hadn't been able to feel the wind or the cold. Suddenly it seemed we were now on top of a cloud with a dark purple twilight sky overhead rather than the dark wintry atmosphere of before, though she was completely shielding my whole body from any harm. "Sonic, you are dreaming! I put you to sleep, remember?"

It all came back - after I left Rainbow on the platform I flew down the tracks and caught up with the train upon which I entered it from the back car. When went through the door I had found Princess Luna standing in the middle surrounded on all sides by sleeping ponies. She told me how we needed to sleep for as long as we could on the ride so to build up strength for our journey. The last thing I remembered before finding myself here was her walking up and touching her hoof gently to my forehead after which I was transported to this world of dreams.

I buried myself into the Princess and hugged her tightly like a terrified foal, and I slowly felt the panic coming down in her arms.

"We've got to save them," I said out loud, shaking my head deliriously. In the last entry it was clear to me that my fate was tied entirely to Rainbow's. Right then it was clear that both of our fates were tied to the fate of the children. That horrible, horrible nightmare was going to become an unbearable reality if I didn't do something about it.

"I wish that some of these other ponies expressed the care and depth of feeling in their dreams that you are in yours," she remarked sadly. It was meant to be a genuine compliment - I understood that - but it was also a discouraging thing to hear. In response I hugged even tighter, which she completely accepted. Breathe, Sonic... Breathe slow...

We were both sitting down as she shielded me with her front legs but she's so much taller than me that to look at her I just had to turn my head upward and back slightly, whereas she would look down on me. I'm a full grown stallion but for the moment I felt a lot like a little kid again hanging onto his parent. His real parent.

Even though we had barely known each other I felt a lot safer and more relaxed in her care which she had freely given to me, but then I realized that this was all in my head if I was just dreaming, so if her love wasn't real then any relief that she had provided seemed to jump out the window.

"I have no way of knowing if that's true or not," I remarked out loud with sadness.

"What?" she replied as her head turned downward on me, looking surprised and almost hurt.

I'm dreaming, so none of this is real..."

"I am the Princess of Dreams, Sonic. It is my sacred duty to enter my subjects' dreams and guide them on their journies. I am very much here with you. "

"You are?" I asked.

"But of course!" she replied, almost pleadingly. "I have already visited the dreams of every pony in on this train. I am giving all of you my very own personal sendoff. I have saved you for last."

Personally I really liked the idea, especially since I had taken sincere comfort in her embracing me - I would be relieved to know it was actually her - but I still wasn't quite sure if I believed it. I would find out when I woke up.

"I really hope you are really are here with me," I said blushingly, and a faint but strong smile of appreciation flickered in her expression. "And uh... it's not, you know, that I don't trust you or anything, but if you don't mind... if you could just leave me with something - you know, like in the real world - right beside me when I wake up or something. That way I know you really were here. That it wasn't just in my head."

"Why yes. It's only natural for you to wonder I suppose," she said in a soft voice, and now I honestly felt bad because she seemed hurt by my desire for confirmation even if she tried to hide it. It was clear that she was as good and loving a Princess as her sister. "When you wake, look for me. Then you'll know." I nodded. "You will also find beside your head two large bags of the finest oats in Equestria."

"W-what did you say?" I muttered.

"The finest oats in Equestria for your journey, packed with nutrients for strength," she replied, eyeing me over with concern as she stood up across from me. It occurred to me then that she had to in fact actually be here with me since I have never really been able to feel anything physical before in my dreams, but I definitely had felt her both physically and interiorly. I regretted both that I had gotten up from underneath her and I had asked her for proof, but at least I knew now that it was almost certainly real. It felt more real than any other dream I'd ever had.

"Um, Princess... if you don't mind my asking, I-I was just wondering... what all did you see? Like, in my dream, I mean," I asked timidly. I really hoped that she hadn't seen the first part of the dream. Thankfully it didn't seem like she did - she would've shown it more if she had.

"I arrived just moments before you first heard my voice," she replied, looking worried.

"Oh," I said quietly, turning my head away. It also occurred to me that she probably wouldn't have stood there and watched something like that without saying anything, but to hear the bit about oats so soon after was a little surreal. I glanced back towards out of the corner of my eye and saw she was still watching me with concern. I thought to myself about what I might say now. There was plenty I could say to her but it was all pretty personal. Her eyes were so caring though. Come on Sonic... You can open up to her.

"Sonic," she said delicately, beating me to anything.

"Yes Princess?" I asked, humble and eager. Her eyes occasionally looked back or to the side, indicating the difficulty she was having saying whatever she wanted to say.

"I just wanted to say that... I'm sorry for what has befallen you, my sister told me about, about how you were... You know, I myself was locked away for a thousand years. It was not a pleasant time for me. Even now many of my subjects are still uncomfortable with me because of what I was. I have a come a long way but I have a long way to go still. I feel the reason I am drawn to you more may be that... well, you might say that we are-"

I turned my head sideways thoughtfully at her but she then she stopped there like she had embarrassed herself.

"Forgive me," she muttered embarrassingly.

"Why?" I asked, having difficulty understanding why she would feel bad for saying something like that.

"Well... I know that we have only just met, though we were never formally introduced, perhaps it is improper for me to-" she replied shyly, as if the fact that we'd never been formally introduced meant something to me.

She has this very old-time way of speaking, very formal; even more so than her sister. At times it almost seems like she's struggling to find her hooves again, like she knows her way of speaking is a little antiquated and just wants to fit in. It's very lovable though.

I knew she was just trying to be nice but this time the pity stung, even if I loved her more and more by the minute. She didn't seem to think it was any secret that Ponyville hated me since the reservoir incident or that my life before Ponyville was not always the best. Pity was quite mutual; Rainbow had mentioned something about her corruption and how they freed her but I never realized that she was locked away for a thousand years or that she was having difficulty winning back her subjects.

"Princess," I said, shaking my head. "You've been nothing but kind to me from the second we've been together. You have no idea how much you just helped me," I told her. I really hoped it would help her. "I honestly have no idea why any pony would be afraid of you. I mean at this point I just wish I'd known you before now."

"You have... no way of knowing how thankful I am to hear that," she muttered. She was fascinating to me, in a good way. From what I could see she's a loving pony, and cool and unique too. Princess of the Night, a dreamhopper. I get how someone could see her and be intimidated by her strong expressions and her dark appearance but she'd already earned my affections.

"Ugh," I sighed out loud, causing her mouth to open slightly in curiosity. "I'm sorry, it's not you, it's just... I have a lot on my mind right now," I said, looking sadly to the side.

"Of course," she replied quietly.

I had a feeling now that some of the stuff on my mind was going to come out - I figured now that I was comfortable with her, now that I finally had another pony I felt like I could talk to in my life, that they would. I'm sure you know that whenever you open up to someone else there's always a dreadful feeling at first, and given the situation was already pretty intense it was just really heavy on the soul. Her expression told me that she was waiting and hoping for me to tell her so that she could offer some advice.

"Well, you saw that dream," I remarked with another breath. Then suddenly I had second thoughts. Oh forget it. She doesn't need to hear about me. I looked back and saw her same face, practically pleading with me to share my thoughts. Just do it, I thought, fighting with myself. You need all the moral support you can get. And if there was ever a time to open up, this is it. "I feel terrible for them. And Rainbow, she... she's especially been through a lot the last couple days," I continued, and that was really hard to admit because it forced to me think about how much pain she's in. "I haven't done much to help her," I said, and I had to be careful or I might break my promise not to dwell on myself, if I hadn't gone too far already.

"Now why would you say that?" she asked, in a tone that conveyed heavily that she was hurt by it, which then I felt bad for making her feel bad.

"Yesterday she found out about... the thing that you just mentioned about me, and it wasn't easy for her to hear. I'm not helping though... I think I just make it worse," I said, hanging my head as the realization weighed on me.

"Why in the name of heaven do you say that?" she pressed, finding it hard to believe.

"I don't know - I guess I just have trouble seeing what she does... in me I mean."

Something about her made me feel better, something in her expression, her whole persona - it indicted me that I was wrong about myself. It reminded me of the fresh and sweet memory of Rainbow and I's embrace just moments before. "I'm trying, alright?"

The Princess had listened tentatively and now she seemed to be responding tenderly. Her expression was a rare mixture of compassion and firmness, it's difficult to explain in words. She calmly walked forward and lifted my chin under hoof so that I could see the full expression of her royal affections.

"I could see from the moment I first laid eyes on you that you lack confidence. Knowing your past I think that's inevitable," she remarked.

At hearing this I felt shame, which I was trying so hard to do away with... but that it was so incredibly obvious to a figure I had quickly come to look up to was pretty hard to ignore. "I suspect you've observed that I myself struggle with that... if you are familiar with my past," she continued as her eyes drifted to the side sadly. "But my dear subject, your worth is not measured by the scale of your accomplishments or the quantity of your recorded achievements. Miss Dash knows this, I saw her out there with you just moments before we left, it's quite clear to me. You must know that there are many ponies in this world who will never experience the rare level of friendship that you and Miss Dash have achieved together."

I wrapped my right front leg around hers and buried my head in her chest, which seemed to surprise her even though she readily accepted it. As with her sister back in the castle I couldn't help but wish that I'd had access to this kind of love and guidance sooner in my life, so it had a bitter-sweet to it. But it was better late than never.

"Do you think we'll make it back?" I asked her, which also surprised her, though this time she seemed less sure of how to respond. It quickly occurred to me how silly of an actual question it was. It's not like she has an answer to that. I guess I asked it because I knew so much hung on the answer. "Dumb question, don't answer that," I added with a head shake, though again she seemed to just appreciate that I was open with her. "I just hate not knowing."

"I know exactly how you feel, I did not think it was a stupid question," she said looking down at me, though it seemed like she wished she had more to give me in response. "My sister and I were appointed to watch over you, but even in this world our knowledge of a great many things is limited. Occasionally our friendship must be tested in ways that we can't always understand."

"I'm scared," I uttered with a sigh. I actually didn't mean to say it out loud, but I couldn't take it back now.

"I know," she replied with deep reluctance, and then I felt bad for putting her in that spot. My heart will always burn with a uniquely intense love for Rainbow but after my earlier dream sequences it felt like Scootaloo and even the others foals were almost tied with her. "I'm so sorry my beloved subject, but I'm afraid we must both return to the real world now. We are approaching our send off point, and I still must prepare you and your friends," she remarked sadly.

"Oh... right," I replied, and a wave of nervousness was rising in me. "So how is this going to work? What happens now?" I asked as reality of my situation started to sink in. Pretty soon I'd be out in the storm, and there was no going back.

"I will awaken you and the others. Then you will be equipped with a variety of supplies for your journey, the purpose of each I shall explain to you. Then I shall give you my final instructions and recommendations for your journey, followed by my royal farewell. In less than half an hour from now, you'll all be on your own."

I took in all of her information and glanced away, weighing it thoughtfully. It just didn't seem real that my life could have lead me to this point, that all the happenings could lay out the way they have. I knew that the answers to several deep and pressing questions about myself and beyond lingered just around the corner. Whether I wanted to know them or not, I was going to find out.

"Thank you for everything," I sighed.

"You know, Thunderlane - this young stallion sleeping next to you whose dream I visited before yours- thinks very highly of you," she said with a faint smile.

"He is a dear comrade," I replied. It really and truly did feel good to know that I had one loyal friend on this team. I didn't forget about him either.

"He has a good heart but I'm afraid his dream was a rather... awkward experience for me. I don't think he understood that I was actually present," she remarked, looking away thoughtfully to which my ears perked up curiously. "It seems he feels that I am.... very beautiful," she continued, placing her hoof on her chin as her eyes flickered with embarrassment. When I inevitably chuckled her eyes widened like she'd revealed too much, even putting her hoof to her open mouth. "Oh my... Why did I say that? I owe that poor young stallion an apology, I should not be sharing his feelings with other ponies. Please do not mention this to him... or anybody for that matter," she pleaded, but I was just shaking my head in amusement. It wasn't long until she too broke into a smile.

I couldn't laugh about it too long though because the thought of suffering children came roaring back, and my only priority in life now was alleviating that suffering. It was abundantly clear to me that whether I wanted it to be or not, my relationship with Rainbow and our future together hinged on this journey even under the assumption that I survive. I looked around at one final glance at this land of dreams and the twilight sky and took a deep breath.

"I'm ready," I whispered, even if it wasn't true.

"I will leave you with one final bit of information. Did you know, Sonic, that I have in fact met you before tonight?" she said, and her eyes gleamed with a kind of mysterious delight, like she was getting ready to tell me something she knew I would love.

"You have?" I asked, confused.

"Yes. I met you over a year ago in the dreams of your dearly beloved," she replied.

"My dearly beloved? You mean Rainbow?" I asked, and she was right - I did like where this was going.

"Why yes. I came across the two of you in her dream, though you were both much younger than you are now. I remarked to her what kind and lovely eyes you had and I asked her for your name, but she was terribly embarrassed and beseeched me not to tell any of her friends. I assured her that her secret was safe with me," she continued, gleaming with sentiment that made its way right into me.

I closed my eyes and let the images overwhelm me with a feeling that could keep me sailing for eternity if I could get through all of this somehow.

When I opened my eyes, I didn't see Princess Luna. Instead I saw the other side of a train car and a black window in front of me. I felt groggy and tired though I was quickly waking up. Any trace of happiness was gone. I realized I was laying belly down on small bench covered with padding. I leaned up and found on either side of me two large sacks connected on some kind of special harness clearly meant to go over my back. I already knew what they were but I put my nose to the tied-off opening and inhaled just to confirm. Oats...

Over the sounds of yawning and shuffling and other wake up sounds, I raised my head and looked towards the front of the car. Princess Luna stood right there in the middle where her eyes were waiting for me. She was staring at me with the exact same look of loving concern that she had just moments before in my dream, the memory of which beamed from her expression. I gave her a nod of acknowledgement and felt a small dash of relief knowing for sure now that she was really with me. Eventually I turned my sights out the window where an oil lamp illuminated a small section of space outside the train... snow flurries quickly disappearing into a black abyss.

The Dark Terror

I stood up and looked around. I was in the back of the train car and the sounds of yawning and waking up in front of me continued as the entire team came out of their sleep. Thunderlane stirred on the mattress-like seat just in front of mine (they were all separated by some kind of short glass barrier). He opened his eyes and rubbed the top of his head, looking around groggily.

"Dude I had a weird dream," he said shaking his head and after which he shot a quick smirk-like glance towards the Princess that I would've probably missed had I not been gifted with some extra information in that regard.

"Uh," I said gently, looking away. "It wasn't by any chance about Princess Luna, was it?"

"Huh?" he asked, immediately looking over with a surprised and somewhat nervous expression. Don't worry, I hadn't forgotten my promise. "H-how do you know that?"

"She visited all of us in our dreams last night you idiot," suddenly muttered the voice of Blossomforth. She had just sat up from her own sleeping pace on the other side from us and was rubbing her forehead. Thunderlane's mouth dropped.

"She... She can do that?" he asked, petrified. "You mean like that was actually her? So she remembers all of it?"

"It would seem so," I replied, feeling bad. His horrified face froze and he stared into space.

"Oh gosh..." he said, covering his face with his wings. "I'm done for. If I known that I never would have - "

"Ugh! If this isn't the last thing I could ever wanna imagine before freezing to death!" Blossomforth said, shaking her head disgustedly.

"Oh come on!" started Thunderlane, getting more embarrassed by the second. "I mean, it's not like I - you know... It's not like we - it's not like anything hap-"

"Oh stop it," she replied, burying her head in her hooves. "Just stop!"

"I wouldn't worry about too much about it, I don't think she cares," I assured him, referring to the Princess. "Probably flattered more than anything."

"Well jeez, I'm sorry it's not my fault she's so attrac-" he uttered, rolling his eyes to the floor.

At that point it seemed just about everyone was awake now but the car was quiet save for a few muffled conversations. The Wonderbolts made up the front of the car, while us non-members - Thunderlane, Blossomforth, Buddy, Whitewash, Merry May, Clear Skies and myself - were in the back. The mood was identical for both groups; scared and quiet, though Spitfire and a couple other of her top lieutenants wore tough expressions. Given it was in the early morning hours, there was no sunlight whatsoever and our only source of light inside the car itself were oil lamps that went all the way down the ceiling from front to back.

"Welcome back from your dreams, my subjects," addressed the Princess, standing in the middle at the front of the car. There were two royal guards on either side behind her, both a charcoal grey in color. Her expression, like in my dream for the most part, was caring but serious. The rest of us went silent, and she could clearly feel the fear all around her. "I pray you all benefited from my conversations with you last night. There is real strength and value in each and every one of you, and I mean that so sincerely. There is no reason whatsoever that any of you should doubt each other... or yourselves," she continued. At her last words her had eyes rested on me.

I tried to gauge the mood of everypony there, but it was hard to tell. They were completely silent, and it seemed like they had a hard time accepting it. Everyone was just afraid.

"Now... do you any of you have any questions for me, before I move on to preparations?" she asked, her voice soft and encouraging though no one made a sound. She looked down and drew in one final deep breath. "Very well."

She turned her head sideways to signal to her guards, who's horns lit with magic at her command. Suddenly from some place I could not see there were black, heavy winter cloaks with hoods rushing down the isle, coming to a halt in each pony's hooves. They started in the front and made their way back towards us.

"We are in the Frozen Plains, not twenty miles from where you will be exiting this train. On a clear day you could see the Crystal Mountains to our north, and stretching out in either direction. To our west is your destination, where the mountains dip down into the Valley."

Just then, the cloaks had made it to the back of the car; Thunderlane and Blossomforth caught theirs, and I watched the last winter blanket sail into my hooves. It was thick and surprisingly heavy, but as soon as it got over my back and the rest of my body I knew that weight would disappear. They came in a pocket with a smaller cloak that I guessed was for the foal we carried. Thunderlane shot me a nervous glance, while another familiar female voice chimed in from somewhere close in front of us.

"Too bad our own winter coats aren't in yet," said Clear Skies, eyeing the skin on her own body disappointedly and after which Princess Luna continued.

"You may put on your clothing now. Next I am passing you back two sacks of oats of the highest quality. These you will carry over your cloak of course," she said, doing her best to hide any emotional weight in her words. She then looked over and nodded at a mare that I didn't know was here until just then; it was the fleabitten grey, Dr. Snowmane, the doctor from Whinnyapolis. She was clearly very smart, but new to this kind of situation and exactly confident.

"You've got ten pounds of oats in these sacks. Now remember, our bodies need food to keep warm and function properly. The idea is to preserve them; eat little portions at a time frequently," she advised.

"Easy for you to say," muttered Thunderlane.

"The idea is to save a smaller portion for the foal you will be carrying," she added. Thunderlane nodded in defeat, though she of course was oblivious to his mutterings back here. "Same goes for the water in these canteens, which will clip to your coat."

The guards' horns lit up again and began passing back sacks of oats down the car, as well as canteens of water. I looked down and saw mine that had already been given to me. I decided to slip into my winter cloak while the others got their oats. It fell across my entire body and down my legs, though I kept the hood off. It didn't take long and I could already feel my body starting to warm up. It looked heavier before I put it on but now that I had it on it was surprisingly light and flexible. Thunderlane and I ended up getting each other's oats saddled over our backs, so one bag was on either side.

"Next, you will each be given twenty feet of enchanted rope - the strongest in Equestria, though gentle on your bodies. This will be to help secure your foals to your backs. As for the extra, you never know what you may need it for so we have decided to make it twenty," she said, and cords of rope began moving towards the back.

"Where are we supposed to put these?" asked a Wonderbolt mare who was struggling to put on her winter outfit.

"They come with a pin you can clip right to your clothing," said Princess Luna. "Lastly," she continued, looking us over, "you will each be given ten green flares and two orange flares."

Once again she nodded to the doctor, who pulled one out for a demonstration. Both the green and the orange flares were like like thin sticks with thicker, pointy tops - kind of like a firework, with a small fuse at the bottom of end of each one.

For the record, there was small degree of whispering going on throughout the car at this point but I was trying to pay as much as attention as possible to the princess and her aides, so I only really caught what they said and the words of those right next to me.

"On each of these flares you will find a small piece of cord attached to the bottom. If you need to set them off, hold them up and bite this small chord off the bottom," explained the doctor, pointing to it. "Obviously I'm not going to demonstrate in here, but they must be shot straight into the air away from anypony obviously. They go about fifty feet into the air and explode bright colors in all directions. They're fireworks, essentially. Just instead of entertainment they will help you find each other if you are lost. The orange flares are lit in the same way but they are just like torches. They each burn for up to an hour so use them sparingly. Once you light one of them you cannot relight it, so you must use the whole flare at one time."

I was surprised that no one had any questions or anything, especially considering the Princess frequently looked as though she was waiting for us to ask one.

"Finally," she said quietly, "you will each be given a small cloak for the foal you will carry back."

Suddenly I was overcome with a strange feeling. It was like a call to connect with the other ponies around me. I think I had remembered my promise to Rainbow to look after the other members of this team. I looked up towards the front of the car at each of the Wonderbolts sitting in front of me and then the rest of us here in the back. It seemed like we were already two separate groups of ponies trying to pose as one. Spitfire was the clear-cut commander of the Wonderbolts and the Princess seemed to have dubbed her the sovereign of all of us, but I knew she couldn't be nearly the effective leader of our group that Rainbow was. I wanted her to succeed, even if she had shown very little confidence in us thus far, but I just wasn't sure how she could since there seemed to be mutual resentment between us and her and we hadn't even gotten out there yet.

Gazing into each face of all the ponies around me, I soaked in as much of their feelings as I could. If I was going to be their servant I wanted each of their faces to have a personal meaning for me. I wanted to understand their thoughts and emotions. I wanted to learn to love and appreciate them in my own way, whatever that was going to be. I knew I can never be the cool and charismatic leader that Rainbow is and that it'd therefore be useless to try and imitate her leadership style. What is a leader, I asked myself. Does a leader have to be those things? Or can a leader be someone who just does what he can for his friends, whether they like him or not? I started to wonder whether or not she would approve of my efforts, wanting so badly to make my promise worthy of her.Just concentrate on them, her voice suddenly echoed from inside. The rest will come.

Suddenly the train came to a halt. I think all of our hearts dropped, including the Princess'. The only sounds were the faint whistles from the locomotive and the winds that sailed across the plains, and the silence loomed over us like a black cloud. Up until then I'd like to think I'd done a pretty good job of putting my fear aside, but now it was back in full force. Even the Princess looked afraid and at a loss for words.

"Sonic," she finally said gently to me. "Will you please lead us out the back door?"

Her request caught me off guard and I think it also caught the others off guard as well. Not only was I expecting her to lead us out, she hadn't given us a final goodbye or speech of some kind. I presumed that would come outside, and I guess it made sense for me to go out first since I was the closest the person to the door. This also put me in an even more uncomfortable spot because then all eyes turned on me. After an initial hesitation on my part I nodded my head to her and turned around. I would've hesitated again at the door and taken a deep breath if I wasn't on the spot, but being on it I forced myself to open the door and walked out despite my reservations.

I stepped outside onto the platform and immediately an icy wind brushed itself over my face. I hadn't experienced cold like this in a long time, if not ever. With Thunderlane and Blossomforth right behind me I stepped down off the platform to make room for the others and walked a few steps from the train car, putting my hood up as soon as I could. The snow was not as deep as I was expecting, only up to my ankles though the snow swirled across the flat plains all around me. There was patchy cloud cover in the sky but the moon and surrounding stars were free. They lit up the valley, and with their shining down they conveyed to me that they alone knew my fate and were unable to share that mystery with me.

Down the tracks from where we came, which would be the south, I saw nothing but frozen plains as far as I could see. To the north though there was a huge mountain range, probably only a few miles in front of us. The world seemed so wide and vast up here that if weren't for the situation I would've gazed in awe at the sight of it, and did so anyway to some degree. There was a fork in the tracks right in front of the locomotive with one of the lines heading straight north into the mountains. The other line turned west northwest where it seemed the mountains came down a little further south, and remembering the map I guessed that back there was our destination - the dreaded Valley of White Death. Oh my goodness...

It was a narrow valley, apparently surrounded by mountains on all sides which it made it more menacing from right here. There was also a much thicker and darker cloud base over that part of the sky than any other section in any direction. Even at nighttime as an outline it looked terrifying, and just looking at it seemed to overpower me with intimidation. Rainbow... I'm so scared.

Eventually I felt Thunderlane and an increasing number of others standing right behind me at either side, looking on with the same fear. Think of those kids, Sonic... Think of Rainbow... I wondered in admiration how she could approach a situation like this with such courage and confidence. Looking at my path I knew this was one of those moments where you make a decision with lasting consequences.

It wasn't just me though. Everyone was going through what I was going through. This is a moment where you either face your fear and move forward for your loved ones or you tuck tail and run. I never thought the temptation to the latter would be so strong but given how frightening going forward would be. In my heart I knew I couldn't turn back now, because I couldn't leave Scootaloo and the others out there after seeing their faces last night in my dream. I would rather die than leave them out there and abandon a promise to the angelic mare that I owe my life.

"My most beloved subjects," called the tender voice of Princess Luna behind me. She was standing just a few feet from the tracks, and the rest of the ponies that had congregated on either side of me turned back and faced her as well. It was already clear that a few ponies did not want to be here, and were barely focused on her. "I wish with all of my heart that I could accompany you," she confessed, lamenting in her expression.

She then went silent. It looked like she was searching herself for the strength to give us, and at first she was struggling. Suddenly I think most of us probably felt as bad for her as we did for ourselves. She finally took a deep breath and after looking down at the ground for moment returned to us with boldness.

"There is nothing I can tell you that is going to make this journey easy. You are the best fliers in Equestria and you are our only hope. I know all too well the call towards that which is easy. But true friendship, my little ponies, is not easy," she continued, and her eyes softened. "At the heart of this mission is the dignity of our foals, and therefore the dignity of ourselves. These are your little brothers and sisters, and your own foalhood friends. Will you let them perish?"

I wasn't sure how the ponies in front of me were taking her words because they had their hoods up, but I wanted very much to take her words to heart.

"This journey will show who you really are. It will end in either happiness or tragedy. Truly I tell you... this will end happily only if *all* of you let the dignity of life and the power of friendship guide your every action and effort. You will go as far as you are willing to take your love."

She looked at us long and hard, and I have no doubt of the love that she had for all of us. Once again I was left wondering exactly how the rest of them took it, though their feelings were of burning interest to me. Several heads turned and looked at each other. The pony in front of me turned their hood backwards; it turned out to be Thunderlane, and I returned his soulful gaze with my own.

"Go, my subjects," said the Princess, "with all of the good will of myself and my sister. Heaven bless you all."

We stood still in spite of her command, but only for a moment. This was in a way our official beginning of the journey. We knew that by turning around and taking flight we were leaving the comfort and protection of our previous lives and journeying into unknown territory. Turning around and leaving our Princess wasn't easy after all.

Finally Spitfire , who standing closest to the Princess, barked over back over her shoulder towards.

"Wonderbolts - formations," she called.

The rest of them quickly but reluctantly began to fall in some kind organized stance shoulder to shoulder in between Spitfire and I. Myself and the rest of us non-members who were from Ponyville stood still in confusion. Eventually they formed a V with a space at the front where the tip and leader would be, which Spitfire then walked up to with Fleetfoot on her right shoulder. She spread her wings and the Wonderbolts on either side of her followed suit together simultaneously.

"Fall in line," she remarked to us. I presumed this meant now, but before we could join their V she commanded "Up!" and the group went flying into the sky towards the valley.

Instinctively I leapt into the air and started to follow them and the rest followed suit. Just as my instincts sent me into the air, they suddenly caused me to stop in a hover. I turned around as every other pony from our group whizzed past me towards the main group and for one final look at the Princess. She was having quite the emotional experience as I mostly took pity and wonder from her gaze as she stared back at me. I had felt like we made deep connection in my dream and I wanted to thank her for counsel, but I realized I didn't have time for that could only hope my looking back at her said enough. Just as I turned away from her I caught a glimpse of a stray tear falling down her cheek.

The wind in my face as we flew towards the mountains behind which lay the Valley of White Death was painfully cold, and all implications seemed to be that the weather inside the valley was even worse. I had settled on the right side of the V formation at the last spot. Buddy was just to my left, and Clear Skies just to his left. As we got closer and closer the mountains that were already so tall and steep seemed to tower over us suffocatingly. There didn't appear to be any kind of entry point; it seemed like the only way in over the top of the mountains. It wasn't until we had nearly reached the mountains themselves that a meandering pass through the mountains became visible.

Spitfire slowed us down to a slow glide as we approached it. We were low to the ground too, maybe only twenty yards high. The mountains seemed to dip down to smaller heights in this converging spot. There were several pine trees at the mouth of the entrance which was very dark given given the surrounding mountains. There was a small path at the base with still steep cliffs on either side and it appeared to narrow to just a few yards wide like a rock maze with towering walls. The path ahead made a right turn into the rocks and then quickly disappeared.

Wrought with angst I looked back over my shoulder for one last look before we went in. In front of me and to my right were the vast frozen plains, with small orange specks of light representing lanterns from our train maybe three or four miles away. To the left of this view in the direction the train was pointed laid the Crystal Mountains that got bigger and bigger as they got closer and closer the more leftward I looked until they finally disappeared just in front of the range we were about to enter.

"Single file!" barked Spitfire.

I whirled my head back around just as we entered the pass into the valley. The Wonderbolts in one giant movement sifted into single file line. We in the back were much less graceful in our formations, bumping into each other shuffling. As Spitfire made the first turn into the twisting rocky path the rock walls blocked out the moon and stars and it became so dark that it was difficult to see much of anything.

"Left!" cried Spitfire in the pitch black, and the first few Wonderbolts after her began to turn with her as she had somehow sensed a turn. Ponies a little further behind them however started crying out as they ran into the rock wall and onto the ground. I slowed down to a hover and reached my hooves out to stop Buddy from going any further. He jumped with reactionary fear at first before he realized it was just me.

"Ah! Everybody down," shouted an angry Spitfire from some unseen spot up ahead. The sound echoed loud in this narrow pathway as the rest of us dropped to the ground, which was freezing cold rock with no snow. "What's the problem? Are you really not able to follow simple common-sense procedures?"

"We can't see anything!" cried the voice of a mare among other muffled sounds of aches and bruises.

"We've got to talk more. Communication is the key," said the voice of Blossomforth.

"She's right," muttered the deep voice of what sounded like Whitewash.

"I'll make the decisions, thanks. I know how to assess a situation," replied Spitfire. Suddenly her fiery face lit up in an orange light that illuminated much of the path and surrounding rocks; she had lit her torch, and it was resting in her mouth. She spit it into her hoof and handed it to Fleetfoot who was right behind her and walked forward as she assessed the group of ponies struggling to get up off the ground. I noticed Thunderlane and Merry May among the fallen, though other four or so were Wonderbolts, which seemed to unpleasantly surprise Spitfire who shook her head.

"Alright, I guess we'll have to walk through here on hoof. Who's in the middle, Rapidfire? You get a torch going, and who's in the way back?" she asked, looking back in my direction. "Oh... I should've known," she remarked when she saw me as other heads turned in my direction. "Torch," she said, pointing her hoof at me commandingly.

Without any further hesitation she walked back to the front of the line and continued down the path, with Fleetfoot now holding the flare in her mouth as she and the rest began to follow in a single file line. Once us in the back had gotten into place, we too started walking again. I took the orange flare out of the pack hanging over the left side of my back and ripped the fuse out with my teeth. I wasn't sure how these things worked but I pulled it and a fuse seemed to shoot up one end on the inside of the flair before it lit the entire top on fire. I figured its main lighting source must be in the middle of the inside of the flair. I didn't want to hold it in my mouth so I placed in upright down one of the bags hanging over my back and kept my wing away from it. It felt a little warm but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting.

It was nice to have a stronger light in the back with me as we started forward again. It still wasn't comforting; the only sounds were our own hooves hitting the stone and the light winds passing through the path and the sound of stronger winds came from above over the rocks. I tried to keep my mind from racing; at times I found myself thinking almost exclusively about Rainbow and Scootaloo, though I tried to stay focused on the ones around me. That's what made this mission so hard; having to do it without her.

I was struggling to understand how she could possibly join us out here without the ability to fly. She insisted on it, but was she getting ahead of herself? No... Not even a broken wing could keep her from trying to come out here, even if this is the most undesirable place in the whole world. But then what role was she going to play in this? What role was I going to play? I still didn't even really know.

Poor Buddy I noticed right in front of me was shaking something awful. He seemed like a nervous wreck before we even came out here, I honestly wasn't sure how he even managed to get off the train. I admired him for his courage and I thought I'd try to lift him up.

"Hey, you're doing fine," I whispered to him. "I'm scared too... believe me."

His eyes turned back to acknowledge me; he seemed grateful but still very shaken (literally). An uneasy thought came to me as I turned my head back over my shoulder to see the path behind me disappearing into darkness.

"Hey, I'm in the very back so if anything comes from behind I'm gonna be the first one eaten. You'll be able to run away," I added. I guess it was my own sort of coping method, an attempt at dark humor that I really meant for to comfort him but upon hearing it he gasped and looked behind me with terror. I stopped and looked behind; though I was scared in general and conflicted interiorly I didn't expect there to be anything behind me yet at least. I turned around and that was still the case; nothing there.

I turned back around and encouraged him to walk forward.

"Those kids and the families of those kids will be eternally grateful for what you're doing right now," I told him with much more sincerity. He shook his head up and down with his eyes closed as though reassuring himself with what I said. I felt so bad for him, but I was right there with him too even if I didn't maybe show it quite as obviously as he was.

In front of Buddy, Clear Skies was walking delicately and looking up the walls on either side. Curiously, she looked more curious than afraid to me.

"Clear Skies," I whispered over Buddy's shoulder and she turned around. "How are you holding up?"

"Oh, I'm alright thank you for asking," she said much louder than me and a pegasus from the middle of the line turned around shushed towards the back of us, leading her to look embarrassed for a moment. "This is just like the time when the Mane six were wondering through the Everfree Forest at nighttime to confront Nightmare Moon a couple years ago," she remarked in a much quieter whisper.

"Uh, yeah... hehe," I replied.

"Are you alright Buddy?" she asked, looking as concerned as I had been. He shook his head up and down embarrassingly, though it was clear he was having a harder time with his fear than anyone else here. "You wanna walk beside me?" she offered, trying to smile at him. He seemed to like that idea and the two of them started walking shoulder to shoulder though they were barely able to fit down the narrow path. I came up close behind them and hoped that someone would not look back and complain that they weren't single file.

Suddenly the path began to widen on either side. The rocks stretched out and it seemed we had one more straightaway to make before we would turn back in the direction of the valley where we would presumably enter it officially. A small amount of snow started to cover the ground again.

We came up to the turn, and when we made it we eased forward slowly.

"Oh my goodness," said Clear Skies.

"What in the name of-?" said the voice of Spitfire from up front.

Several other ponies cried out with awe. In front of us the rocks got higher and higher above us as the path widened to about fifty yards, until the sky above us disappeared. With the convergence of the mountains here there seemed to have been formed a natural bridge of rock. The valley seemed to lay in front of us on the other side of this rock bridge ceiling with the rocks and cliffs spreading wider until there was a distinct space between the real skyscraping mountains on either side. It appeared that way but was difficult to see past a few hundred yards in front of this natural bridge or so because it was simply too dark. Our flares had made it visible that it a few flurries of snow were drifting their way back to us.

What amazed us all though and was making our necks sore was the amazing circular holes that formed at the ceiling of this coming together of the mountains. Directly above us there were channels of hollow paths maybe five feet wide that you could fly up through and then into the valley as they were only a few yards long; they looked like they formed as for the winds seemed to come into them from the valley and be shot down directly on us. There was no wind at all but for a light breeze shooting straight the holes onto us, though the sounds of thundering gusts seemed to be just a half mile or so in front of us out in the open valley.

The ground we stood on seemed to be universally slanted downward at a slight decline towards the valley, and right in front of us as a huge and curious black hole many yards across and spanning the entire fifty yards or so wide. In awe of these new surroundings we seemed to have lost our organization and we all approached this black hole as a scatter. I walked up to the edge cautiously, careful not to lose my hoofing though I knew I had my wings to save myself if I did.

Just about everyone peered breathlessly into it. I put the torch back in my mouth and held it over. It appeared to be nothing but a black void going down an unknown distance, seemingly infinite in the already dark atmosphere we viewed it in. It was a mysteriously unpleasant thing to look at with an unspoken feeling of unbearable pity for the poor wingless creature that was cursed to fall into this black abyss.

"How deep do you think it is?" asked Thunderlane. But no one replied. We were too fixed and disturbed to answer.

Suddenly the winds in the distance died, and there was almost no sound. The uneasy feeling in all of our hearts got worse as we looked around frightened.

"Maybe we should keep moving," I uttered to myself, though it came out loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I think I remember hearing something about the entrance to this place. How it was dangerous," said one of the Wonderbolts, a stallion whose colors I could not really see but I knew he was male from his voice. Most of the rest of us turned a cautious eye to the pit, wondering if some monster was down there.

"Where did you hear that?" asked Spitfire, unable to hide the twinge of fear in her voice. "I thought no one ever came into this valley."

"It's very rare. The doctor was telling me on the train how most ponies have never made it far into the valley because in at the front of it there's some dark terror," he continued.

Looking at the huge hole and "dark terror" are certainly two words I could use to describe it. I looked over top of us and the natural bridge seemed to be pooling itself down into this hole even though half of the hole - the side opposite of us - was not even covered by the bridge, but by the open sky.

"Well, let's just fly across it and be done with it then," said Spitfire in a tone that seemed to admit it was much easier said than done. She said it, but nobody moved, not even herself. It was clear nobody wanted to be the first one across. I certainly was no different. "One of you - go out across," she commanded, pointing a hoof at Whitewash and Blossomforth who standing together. Both of them looked back incredulously. I looked back at the pit. Maybe it's just a hole... nothing more. Come on Sonic. Be brave. Be brave like her.

"Uh... after you, dear leader," said Blossomforth, as Whitewash stood his ground. Spitfire couldn't seem to believe their defiance, and wasn't amused in the slightest. She started to walk forward indignantly, and sensing a conflict arising I forced my will against my fear and went to speak up.

"I'll go across-"

Right when I went to speak up, a great and terrible noise came thundering in out of nowhere that demanded all of our attention. It did not come from the abyss, but from the open land just beyond the other side of it - from the valley. A roaring and monstrous gale just above our heads. Every last one of us froze, our eyes turning every which way in an upward direction. The thundering gust of wind came down and hit the rocks our heads before swirling down the tunnel.

"Fly! Into the valley!" someone cried.

Just as they did, about half the ponies from the group took in flight to the other side of the chasm, I among them. When I landed on the other side -the valley side - the winds were as not strong and they were not a threat as the gusts seemed to be stronger aloft where they hit the natural bridge and entered through the tunnels on the other side. To my shock and horror about the half group was still back on the other side, including my couple of friends from Ponyville. I watched as the winds smashed into them from the top and they struggled to keep upright as it blew them into the ground and then down towards the huge black pit.

Instinctively I darted back across the void and onto the slope where they were struggling, and immediately the mighty winds rained down on me. They were incredibly cold and powerful, and despite my wings and body resistance they seemed to be pushing me down the decline in the rocks and into the abyss. The ponies around me were all having the same problem and I was beyond scared. Images of Rainbow and I as foals played in my head as my life was flashing vividly in front of me. The winds seemed hellbent on blasting us into the hole and never letting us back up.

I slid into the hole and flapped my wings in fierce defiance of the winds. Other ponies around me were doing the same. Thunderlane was struggling hard against them, heading downward into the darkness as he desperately tried to save himself. Noo!!

"THUNDER!" I called to him.

Not about to see my beloved friend come to this unspeakable fate I struggled my way over to him and the two of us locked legs. We both powered ourselves forward with our combined wingpower. We made it to the other side and out of the most intense winds. We grabbed the side of the cliff and tried to hold on; it was too steep to climb but our wings allowed us to up it. When he looked like he was in the clear and with Wonderbolts and others reaching down to grab him from the top, I let him go and looked behind me. Buddy was struggling similarly, if not more desperately. I kicked off the cliff and re-entered the monstrous downdraft. I crossed my legs with Buddy's and the two of us started powering our way to the other side like I'd done before with Thunderlane. Amidst the chaos I looked over and just barely made out Clear Skies and Merry May screaming with terror as they struggled against the winds, their eyes shining with the fear of the abyss beneath them.

"Clear Skies!!!!" I shouted desperately and at the top of my wings over the roaring wind and the cries from ponies. To my tremendous relief I saw the faint gleam in her eyes through the darkness looked up from the black pit and at me. She saw what I was doing with Buddy. "Take Merry May!!!" I shouted.

Buddy and I reached the other side and the two of us climbed up the cliff side wall with the aid of our wings. When we got near the top the same stallion that had helped Thunderlane out took my hoof and lifted me up and out of the hole onto the other side as a group of ponies stood around us. When we got to the top I flung back around ready to throw myself back in if I had to. I saw Clear Skies and Merry May reach the side wall we were standing above and I saw another couple that had locked limbs doing the same a ways over from them. The two of them were having a little more trouble getting up as they were a little deeper and they had more winds going against them. Instinctively I leapt straight down the wall and stopped just beneath them. As Clear Skies made her way up, Merry May was struggling right behind her. I buried the top of my mane into Merry May's tail and pushed up with as much Wingpower as I could muster. Thunderlane, it turned out, had done the same with Clear Skies.

Merry May took the hoof of a ready stallion on top and was lifted up and out, and me right behind her. A few moments the other couple was helped out. Now, with all the ponies out of the hole and safely on the other side, we all fell back panting and gasping for breath as the thundering gail died down. The strongest winds that had come in from above and were never a threat to this side to begin with died down so all that remained was an strong arctic breeze across our faces.

"Is that everyone?" asked a wide eyed, panting Wonderbolt. Blossomforth's hoof was circling the group quickly and efficiently.

"I got everyone," she announced breathlessly, "but let me count again."

At those words I collapsed into the snow on my back and closed my eyes in relief. No one got hurt... My friends would live to see another hour. I survived and could hope to see Rainbow and the kids again, and deliver us all home safely where we could all be happy again. I can still dream a while longer... The thought of the children in danger and the possibility of failure still lingered as I laid there breathing, but it tortured me to a much less hysterical degree as the overwhelming terror I'd just experienced.

As I went to sit up I was thrown back into by Thunderlane who had wrapped his limbs around me almost suffocatingly.

"Dude!" he proclaimed joyfully. "I don't mean this in a weird way or anything, but like if I was a mare... well, forget that. Dude... You're the greatest!" he cried, burying his head in my chest. I was so relieved to see him so happy, and I indulged in his brotherly affections and gave them right back.

After a little bit of playful celebration we both got back up. Ponies all around us were having little moments like this in their own respective groups. Across the way I made out Blossomforth standing near Whitewash, looking triumphantly (though also respectfully) into the hole that they'd narrowly avoided. Buddy, Merry May, and Clear Skies appeared on either side of me as well.

"Thank you Sonic," said Merry May quietly with her head turned away and blushing. All this gratitude was starting to feel a little strange but I accepted it nonetheless. Buddy walked up with eyes rolled up and away but then he unexpectedly wrapped his front leg around my neck for hug of thanks.

"That was *amaziiiing*!!!" said Clear Skies. "That was just like Rainbow Dash when she saved her friend Rarity from the Cloudsdale flight competition!"

"Oh no," I replied, not meaning to cut her off. "Rainbow would've done more. Believe me," I muttered, knowing in my heart that she's a better flier than me and a lot less hesitant than I am.

Spitfire came and stood in the middle of us with a torch, and the groups of us all went silent. Her eyes were glued on the pit, and the rest of us turned back to it as well. She walked up to the edge and held the flare over it. Then, after we all scooted over the edge for a better look, she dropped it. We watched in silent unison as the flare fell down and down. It fell for several seconds, an amazingly long time, before it finally disappeared into the crushing darkness. All of us were speechless.

"I must say, that was a good idea to couple together like that, combine your wingpower," remarked Spitfire after a while, eventually looking across at both sides of herself where we were still lined up along the edge. "Who were the first ponies to do that?"

"I think it was these two," remarked a Wonderbolt stallion, pointing to me and Thunderlane.

"This guy saved me! You should've seen it! I mean, I'm not gonna give up all the credit," boasted Thunderlane.

Spitfire seemed surprised to hear this and if I may say so myself, almost disappointed. She looked at me as though she still didn't approve of my being there, which I just couldn't understand.

"Well, I guess Sonic has to make up for himself after ruining our water lift and injuring his girlfriend," she remarked with cold eyes in front of everyone. Her comment seemed to cut open a way for the freezing air to blow itself onto my heart. I turned my head down and looked away from her, unwilling to let her gaze pierce me anymore than they already had. Feeling the other's eyes I started to relive it all over again.

"You're unbelievable, do you know that?" cried a disgusted and disbelieving Thunderlane shortly after her comment, who went to move forward but was immediately restrained by Buddy and Clear Skies.

"I for one would like to know what exactly you hope to accomplish with remarks like that," said Blossomforth in her direction coldly.

"Let's get one thing straight," snarled Spitfire, walking towards her with building rage. "I'm in charge here. That's not just my rank, that's from the Princesses themselves. If I say you do something, you do it. If I say cross the canyon, you cross it! Why don't you start putting the needs of the team, the needs of the children before your own, huh? That's the only way we're gonna survive this cursed mission, understand? You wanna get back home, you listen to me. 'Cause look, if you wanna wander off on your own out here, and let me tell you - you Ponyvillians that have never been to the academy, save Whitewash here who doesn't even count - you wouldn't last a minute without us Wonderbolts. That goes for everybody. I wanna get out of this place and go home as badly as you all do. So if you wanna get through this with our protection, you better follow orders which means you better remember who the boss mare is. Are we clear?"

I didn't see the others' reaction, but I could hear Thunderlane's furious panting from here; I turned my head up ever so slightly though I was terrified of seeing Spitfire's eyes again. For the record I had felt the need to defend myself and clarify that I hadn't been the one who caused the water lift failure (or Rainbow's injury) - that I was in fact set up, but she didn't believe me before and didn't seem like she would now. At the end of the day I still hesitated when those three bullies were about to act against me in the tornado.

"You will show me some respect," she told Thunderlane to his face as he fumed in Buddy and Clear Skies' limbs. A stallion to my right leaned his head in to tell me something. By his voice I recognized him as Soarin', and I got that he may have been a friend of Rainbow's.

"She's normally not this bad," he remarked, but unfortunately it didn't help much. "I'm sorry."

Eventually Spitfire turned around and walked several steps the front of the group as we all put a few ponies' lengths between us and the pit. In front of us all now was the outline of the dreaded Valley of White Death. Directly in front of us the valley expanded to a half mile wide or so. Visibility in front of us was less than two miles, and even at two miles it was very obscured in the darkness and the light snow that blew around us which we knew from the flakes in our manes and the lone flare that remained lit - Rapidfire's. Pine trees littered the rolling hills that were scattered throughout bottom of the valley. On each end the mountains stood steep and abrupt, quickly disappearing into the cloudy night above us or into the snows in front of us. A stiff and icy wind hovered at ground level where we were, and in the distance stronger winds howled. We were officially here.

Cupid's Slave

Two new trains had arrived in the camp shortly after sunrise. Coming from different directions they had come a stop right in front of one another; one was a loaded train from Ponyville and the other had originated from Manehattan. The latter had only one train car attached to it. The first pony to emerge from the steam at the front exit was a gold-maned white stallion of sturdy build. He was thirty-three years old and handsome, and aside from perhaps his glasses there was nothing about his appearance that suggested he was a successful writer. He stepped off the train and was immediately followed by the only other passengers; two slightly younger stallions on either side. One was a darker charcoal gray unicorn with a black mane and the other was a green earth stallion with a mane of snow white.

As soon as he stepped outside the intense cold brought a blasting chill on his face, causing him to readjust his red scarf so that it covered the bottom of his neck completely. The rest of his body was covered almost completely by a winter dress coat tailored to his frame. His younger two associates were dressed in similar but quite less expensive suits and sported scarfs of white and blue, respectfully. Nothing worse than sleeping on a train, he thought to himself.

"Don't forget the coffee," he muttered over his shoulder to the gray stallion. His intelligent eyes scanned the scene around him, taking in as many sights, sounds, and moods as he could.

"I got it on me," replied his assistant groggily.

The first thing he noted were the ponies pouring off the new arrival in front of his own engine. He gathered they were all from Ponyville. Their facial expressions were universally dreadful and wrought with unspoken angst as they all flooded off the train and into the camp with a strong sense of urgency, a sight that quickly brought a negative emotional blow to the stallion. He watched them go almost right into aiding the in-progress construction of several family-sized tents all on either side of the tracks, taking mental notes in his head of everything. An overwhelmingly uncomfortable air dominated the entire scene.

Royal guards and others - mostly young stallions and mares from Ponyville - were hard at work on these tents. Managers barked orders and workers would ask questions before darting back to the spot they were needed. It seemed that in just a few more hours this spot might look like a tiny village in the middle of the frozen planes, with four road-like pathways already well established in the camp between where the tents would be. Most of the tents looked as though they would be family-sized or smaller, ranging from five to ten yards in width and length and no more than ten to 5 yards tall. It seemed like each one was a different color; royal blue, scarlet red, emerald green, sunflower yellow... There were a few much larger tents under construction, however, both of them near the tracks; two of them looked like they were going to be nearly one hundred yards long and maybe 60 yards wide. The other one was perhaps looking to be fifty by fifty.

The stallion turned his head. To the south there were snowy flatlands as far as his eyes could see and to the north lay the Crystal Mountains. But then his eyes turned to the west, where the another layer of mountains came down and the geographical implication was a narrow valley that was all but invisible to them from there, as they could only imagine what lay over the mountains. Even though the sun had risen not long ago this entire section of Equestria is known for its relative lack of sunlight and the cloud cover had returned with snow flurries so the light in the area was weak. Yet by far the darkest section of the earth at this point was this valley. The clouds that hung over the white peaks were heavy and dark. The stallion cringed. Yikes...

"Alright boys, let's go find my guy," he said, and he trotted off with his two assistants following. He was making his way over to the largest tent in the camp when a lone young mare spotted him across the path.

"Hey - aren't you Bucky Quill?" asked light green mare with the similarly-colored mane and tail but with streaks of white. "Top columnist for the Manehattan Times and the most-read writer in Equestria?"

"That's me," he replied, unable to hold back a faint proud smile despite the situation.

"W-what are you doing here?" she asked. She looked like she had been having a rough time, which was to be expected.

"Well Miss, I wanted to write a story about this whole situation for The Times. You know, to let ponies know what's up and to kind of promote encouragement for the team. I might mention a little something about the apparent miscommunication or something to provide a little context for how this happened - I need to find out more about it myself - but there won't be anything negative about you guys or anything like that. Just trying to get something out there before word gets around and misconceptions start popping up."

"Word's gonna get around really fast once he publishes it to the world," whispered the green-coated assistant to the gray.

"Oh," she replied. "I guess that makes sense." She was rather astonished to be talking with such a famous pony who she frequently read, but the nature of the situation really held back her excited emotions. "But... how did you find out about it and get here so fast?"
"Well," he replied, looking to side in thought for a way to put this without sounding arrogant, "when you are - well like you said 'the most popular columnist' in the land - it comes with certain privileges. I mean, got ears everywhere, Miss... just put it that way," he continued while his two assistants traded looks. "Would you be open for a little interview? I'd like to talk with a few different ponies here. You're from Ponyville, right?"

"Me?" she replied bashfully. "I- I don't know. Normally I'd love the idea of being quoted in a Bucky Quill column, but this - I don't know if I can -"

"No names are being published in this piece, Miss. Not unless they wanna be," assured Bucky. She put her hoof to her chin. "You've read me before, right?"

"Oh yes, I'm kind of a... big fan actually."

"Hey, I appreciate that. I promise you no names and this is entirely for the support of the team, if you trust me."

"Well, I guess when you put it that way. Can you wait a little bit? I was gonna help finish my friend's-"

"Miss, you do what you gotta do and take your time," he interrupted. "We'll be in this tent - the big white one, you see it right here? Just come in and find us and we'll talk."

"Um, alright then," she replied, nervous but intrigued at the idea of being quoted in a widely read article for the biggest city's newspaper published in many other places throughout Equestria.

Bucky meanwhile trotted over to the front of the largest tent in the camp that had just finished completion. He looked inside; there were small tables for four ponies or so, a few couches, and longer tables on either side with food and water on them. In the back there was a giant roaring fireplace, and the smell of burning pine filled his nostrils.

"How did they get this up in just a few hours?" asked one of the assistants.

"There's my guy," said Bucky, eyeing a blue stallion in the back near the fire. His mane was gray with streaks of light and dark and his cutie mark was three yellow stars. Like nearly all other ponies there, there were no traces of happiness of his expression as he looked over some papers on a table. Bucky and his two assistants walked briskly in his direction until they stood across from him in front of the table. "Thanks for being here. You got my stuff?" he asked the stallion seated at the table.

"I'm fine, how are you?" he responded half amusedly.

"Waste of time," replied Bucky, taking a seat and encouraging his assistants to do the same, which they did on either side. "You want some coffee?"

"Yes please," replied the blue stallion, rubbing his forehead.

"Lucky, get us all some coffee, yourself included," he told the green stallion, who responded by pulling out a large thermos from his saddle bag.

"I'm Fashion Plate, by the way," said the blue stallion to the two assistants.

"Right," chuckled Bucky, "Fashion, you know my assistant Lucky don't you? This here's Ash," he said, pointing to the gray on his right, who shared a nod with Fashion Plate. There then was a brief pause while Lucky poured the coffee, with Bucky letting out a long sigh and a head shake. "Boy I feel bad for these ponies," he said, and Fashion shook his head distressingly. "What time did they get here?"

"The first ones from Ponyville were about three hours ago, but the royal guards were here before working on the big tents. They did the Princesses' first of course, then they got to work on this one. They work fast. They just finished this like fifteen minutes ago actually, now they're all working on the one where the doctors will be. I think the idea is, this is for everyone basically, whereas that other one is for doctors and hopefully the kids and team members if they get here."

"Come on now," replied Bucky. "You mean when they get here."

"Yeah," sighed Fashion Plate, though clearly not fully believing it.

"Who's idea was it to set up a whole camp like this and basically bring up the whole town, anyway?" asked Bucky.

"Pinkie Pie's and Rarity's, I believe," said Fashion. "But there was already the idea for the camp, the Princess came up with it. But the whole town coming? That was their idea, and the entire town went along with it and traveled all through the night."

"Ok. Yeah I know them, elements of harmony," said Bucky, thinking to himself and shaking his head up and down. "I mean I love the idea. I think it shows commitment, the town will rally around each other... the kids will definitely like it. Gotta say though despite all the hard work there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of hope in the ponies' faces."

Fashion Plate didn't say anything. He just sipped his coffee and stared at a spot in the ground.

"Ok," said Bucky, "let's run through what we know. Ash, take all this down," he commanded to his gray assistant. The unicorn's horn lit up and used his magic to take out a quill and notebook from his saddle bag. "So, this train was sent to the Crystal Empire, at what, noon yesterday?"

"Yeah, something like that," muttered Fashion Plate.

"And they went on this rail line right into those ugly mountains to the west right there, is that right?" pressed Bucky.

"Basically, yeah. That seems to be everyone's understanding," replied Fashion Plate, sitting up a little straighter and more focused.

"Why? Why didn't it just take the direct way in? What was the deal with this other line they took?" asked Bucky.

"Well, apparently - and this is supposedly from the Princess herself, but we may wanna ask a few more to confirm. But basically this area right here - these plains and the areas just to our north into the crystal mountains where the usual line goes - were all snowed out yesterday in a vicious blizzard that seemed to be the most intense just to the north of here, and the storm itself was out of the north. So they radioed down to our guy in Ponyville and recommended the back way in. The back way which went into those mountains you saw there in the west up over the Valley of White Death -"

"Wait a second," interrupted Bucky in disbelief, expressions that his assistants shared. "Did you say 'Valley of White Death'?"

"Yeah," he replied, in equal disbelief. "It hadn't been used in forever and it was actually forbidden a long time ago, but somehow that decree got lost in the red tape over the years and when the trains stopped going to the Empire altogether. A few times since we started going back, they sent a couple trains over the western mountains at high elevation with no problems. So when yesterday came around, they sent that train back there with no qualms."

"What happened? Why didn't the train make it through?" asked Lucky as Ash scribbled the quill frantically across the notebook with his unicorn magic.

"Million dollar question. Just the engine made it through. It was a car full of foals that didn't make it. The engineer's not doing so hot, though it sounds like he's gonna make it. There's a bunch of theories out there right now, some of them more optimistic then others... but the most popular one seems to be ice dragons."

"Good heavens," sighed Bucky, rubbing his eyes sadly. His heart was heaviest for the parents of those foals who happened to be on that train. "The elements of harmony are no use, apparently. I wrote that really popular bit on 'em last year so I know that they can't do anything unless they're all present, which is the problem. Some of them are away in other lands or something."

"And another element, one of the best fliers in Equestria and our own local hero Rainbow Dash, she hurt her wing a few days ago and can't fly at all. So the best pony for the job is out of the question," uttered Fashion.

Bucky and his assistants let out lamenting sighs almost in unison as a distressing silence fell on the table, but for Ash's scribbling quill that finished up the last parts of Bucky and Fashion Plate's recapping. Bucky knew this piece was gonna be a difficult write. Hopefully those guys give me something better to write about here soon, he thought to himself, referring to the team of pegasus out there in the wilderness. But it occurred to him they had no idea where those kids might be, and common sense didn't seem to point to a lot of hope. If they were abducted by ice dragons, they'd be a hard retrieve if they even got there on time. If something worse then ice dragons, well then...

"So who's in charge of them?" asked Bucky. "Spitfire? The Wonderbolt Captain?"

"Yeah," replied Fashion Plate. "So that's good at least, right?"

Still, Bucky resolved not to give up hope and would use his influence to inspire as much encouraging thought as he could, without watering down the situation too much though. Suddenly in his silent thought Bucky noticed the pictures and writings in front of him on the table that Fashion had spread out. He picked up on of them; beneath a picture of a smiling, likable gray pegasus stallion read the name Thunderlane, and beneath that was a paragraph of information on him. He read it with interest while he looked back up at the picture; he wanted to get to know each team member that was out there braving the danger for their fellow ponies. Mostly descriptions like his family, his age, but it also had other personal information such as his likes and hobbies as well as his friends, with a few encouraging notes and descriptions from such.

He picked up another picture; this one was a sassy whitish mare named Blossomforth with a watermelon mane and tail and a similar bit of information beneath her. He scanned it and then quickly familiarized himself with the other ponies' profiles which all followed the same format though there were obvious personality differences visible even in just the pictures themselves.

"Is this all of them?" asked Bucky. "Because I've got the Wonderbolt profiles, those were easy to obtain. And thank you so much for these by the way."

"With the exception of one stallion, yes," replied Fashion Plate.

"Really?" asked Bucky, looking up surprised. "Why not him?"

"Well, he's new to the town. Here, I got a picture, but I don't think we should use this picture for the paper. And the thing I have on him is really short," he said, and reached over to the edge of the table for the embarrassing profile that he had sort of intentionally hid. Bucky held the bio up in his hoof.

"What the-?" he muttered to himself.

In the foreground of it was a young stallion. Most of his physical appearance was charming; he had a nice coat that seemed to be light blue but almost light grayish as well, and a mane and tail that featured streaks of colors that ranged from dark blue down to light blue and then light gray and dark gray as well. He featured a cutie mark of a yellow lightning bolt with a raincloud.

His eyes were a light greenish blue or turqoise, but it was his eyes and body language that made the picture so depressing to look at. The young stallion looked hopelessly heartbroken and defeated, his head down low as he looked shamefully into a crowd of angry pegasus ponies that surrounded him on all sides, who's disapproving glares seem to cut through the stallion's heart as though he'd just let them all down in spectacular fashion. Bucky had never seen a single still picture capture such a story, and a very emotional one at that. He wondered what the stallion did to be drawing such a negative and hostile reaction from his peers and he couldn't help but feel really bad for him. The stallion's face had a kind of innocence about it that demanded mercy. Beneath this image was the name, Sonic Rain.

"Sonic Rain... Hm. Interesting name," he said to himself out loud. "Sonic," he repeated in a whisper.

He glanced down and read the words on the paper in his head. Sonic moved to Ponyville recently and very little is known about his previous life and family. It is believed that he knew Rainbow Dash well before coming to Ponyville as the two are known to be close. We are eternally grateful for his courageous efforts alongside our other team members in rescuing our foals. It just didn't seem right to Bucky, publishing such a small bit of information next to the rather large paragraphs of his teammates from the same town even though the Wonderbolts had even more information under their pictures.

"Well you're right about one thing, I'm not using this picture. What's the deal with this guy? What is this picture of? You didn't get this from a newspaper did you?" asked Bucky to Fashion Plate.

"He's a complete unknown. I don't know anything about him before Ponyville and the couple ponies I asked didn't either. Yes, that picture is from the newspaper by the way."

"What?" muttered a disbelieving Bucky, feeling even worse. "What kinda dirtbag would put this in the paper? What are they tryna' do, humiliate the poor guy? What is journalism coming to?"

"Um- excuse me," said a young female voice from behind Bucky and his assistants. They all swung around to meet the green unicorn mare with a harp for a cutie mark who had identified Bucky earlier. She was standing there bashfully with another young mare, a dark pink pegasus with a light reddish-brown mane. "I hope you don't mind, but... I brought a friend."

"Oh not at all!" replied Bucky, who's head was turned around fully. "Why don't you girls pull up a chair? Make some room for 'em there, will ya Lucky?" he said, eyeing Lucky who scooted his chair towards him so that the two mares could sit on the side of the table between Lucky and Fashion Plate. They both wore serious expressions which was to be expected, though the pink mare was a bit more distraught.

"Girls, I'm guessing you know my friend and correspondent Fashion Plate here, one of your own," he continued. "These are my new assistants, Lucky and Ash. Ash writes for me. You know... I tell him what to say and he writes it," he said with a small smile. "It's not like he comes up with any of the stuff you read, it's just if you're an earth pony like me and you get popular enough, you can afford a scribe, which is nice because writing with your mouth has its disadvantages," he added, though the two mares couldn't force a chuckle while his two assistants shook their heads.

"I'm Jetstream," said the pink pegasus quietly.

"Lyra," muttered her friend.

"Nice to meet you ladies. I know we already talked Lyra but for you Jetstream, I'm just trying to, you know - figure out what's going on, get some interviews for an article, and basically come up with something positive and encouraging for the team members while filling in the rest of us as to what exactly is going on here. This is going in The Times and wherever The Times gets printed, which is frankly a lot of places, in fact I think most cities," said Bucky. "But I absolutely don't have to publish names if you don't want to. And I won't unless you tell me otherwise."

"Wait a second... how are you gonna get this in the papers from here?" asked Lyra.

"We got the machine on the train car. I just need to make one copy, then we can send it in through the Princesses to Manehattan, where my guys make a zillion copies."

"In that case, anonymous is fine with me," said Lyra.

"Yeah... me too," added Jetstream uneasily.

"No problem," replied Bucky, and Ash picked up the quill with his unicorn magic and readied it for writing. Any positive energy Bucky had from easing them into this with his dry humor seemed to leave now that he had to address the situation head on. He struggled to think of something. "Well girls," he sighed. "It's gotta be tough. The first thing I have to ask I guess is... do you have any family out there? How's the morale?"

The two mares traded depressed looks and deep breaths. Lyra wrapped her foreleg around her friend as a comforting gesture. It all had an unspoken impact on every stallion sitting there.

"I have no family, but I am friends with nearly everyone on the rescue team from Ponyville, especially Merry May and Blossomforth," said Lyra, sadly as they showed themselves on her expression. Bucky's eyes wondered down to the table while he dealt with his own heavyhearted reaction. All three of the other stallions were having the same problem.

"My little brother has several friends out there, all of whom I know," lamented Jetstream, covering her eyes with her hooves, which drew Lyra's hoof on her back. "And a lot of guilt."

"A lot of guilt?" asked Bucky softly, though he asked it almost reluctantly. It was suddenly painful for him to have to do this interview. She didn't respond initially, she just stared into space in deep regret.

"There's... there's this stallion out there with the team. His name's Sonic," she finally said. Immediately the rest of the stallions sitting there took interest. Bucky thought maybe Sonic was her good friend or something. He was going to ask about the poor stallion if he wasn't brought up, so now he was very curious. When she said his name, Lyra shook her head sadly with her eyes closed.

"Sonic? You mean this stallion?" said Bucky, holding up the picture. The two of them had a very negative response to seeing it and they were filled with sadness. "I was actually going to ask you about him. Fashion doesn't seem to have hardly any info on him."

"Not long ago the pegasus ponies tried to lift the water out of the reservoir in Ponyville into Cloudsdale for weather production. It didn't work out," started Lyra. She spoke up because Jetstream was having more difficulty with the situation, though Lyra was by no means okay either. "The failed attempt was believed to be Sonic's fault. He crashed into the mare next to him which caused a domino-effect that led to failure of their whole wind vortex. Ponies went flying, a few even got hurt - including Rainbow, who is his- ... Well Sonic, who moved to Ponyville just recently, was the most unpopular pony in town almost instantly."

Bucky observed Lyra's mournful expression and a sniffling Jetstream. He then looked back at the picture of the poor young stallion, who's face was wrought with shame and horror at the hostility of his fellow pegasus. He quickly deduced where this was headed based on what'd she'd seemed to be building up to, though he guessed his innocence just by the kind of pony Sonic looked like in the picture.

"Except it wasn't his fault... was it?" whispered Bucky.

"Sonic got treated really badly," said Lyra, rubbing her forehead.

"Early last night," started Jetstream, who was visibly more upset than Lyra to the point she was now struggling to speak. "Just after Sonic and Rainbow got called into Canterlot... Rarity, who was working on the case for him, discovered some new developed pictures of the event taken by a photographer-"

"Rarity," interrupted Bucky.

"Yeah," whispered Lyra, who took over completely for Jetstream. "One of the pictures showed four stallions in the way back, but clearly visible- Dumbbell, Hoops, and two other stallions. They were huddling together with *very* suspicious looks on their faces in Sonic's direction. Aside from the suspiciousness of that, the stallions themselves had told Rarity on record and a few other ponies that they had had no contact with one another beforehand, which the picture clearly disproved."

"Hold on one second," interrupted Bucky again. "Sorry - Ash, you getting all this?"

The grey stallion was working hard to write it all down but he clearly needed a breather. He took one and let the quill down for a second, then picked it back up with his unicorn magic again.

"Please, keep going," said Bucky to Lyra.

"You see," she continued cheerlessly. "Sonic had maintained that those four cornered him in air and then pushed him into the other ponies that caused the whole failure in the first place. But it was four against one, and for whatever reason the rest of us were so angry we didn't have time to think about it and so we didn't believe him. We just said he must be lying. When this new evidence came out one of them eventually confessed late last night. They framed him. Had it thought out and everything. Those four are on guard in the jail in Ponyville right now."

"That's terrible," said Bucky, disgusted as feelings of vengeance came up inside him. "I'll be sure to give those four a nice little shout-out in my story."

"It gets worse," said Lyra dejectedly while her friend began to tear up. "Sonic and the rest of the team left before any of this came out. He doesn't know that we know he's innocent."

"No..." muttered a disbelieving Bucky.

"Yep," replied Jetstream, shaking her head shamefully as she struggled to fight back more tears. "I mean for all we know, he's gonna die out there thinking that we hate him. Risking his tail for our foals. I should know... I scolded him the day after, and I saw it in his face how much it hurt him, and it's tearing me apart!"

Lyra reached her forelimb around her friend again, who this time returned the embrace much more fully. Lyra chose not to look at the other four stallions, who were all feeling bad. Ash looked at Lucky and Bucky looked at Fashion Plate. Bucky understood how difficult this would be for someone like Jetstream if Sonic didn't make it back. He just hoped it wouldn't bother her the rest of her life, which he knew it could.

"Hey now," he said, trying to be encouraging. "We've all been there, Jetstream. We've all said things we wish we could take back."

"It's not just you," reassured Lyra, resting her head on top of her. "It was the whole town. Everyone else feels terrible too."

Bucky and the others took a deep breath. This was quite the depressing side story. Bucky especially wanted to make sure that the rest of Equestria knew from his article that Sonic was innocent. But he also didn't want Sonic to be defined by something he didn't do. He wanted to find out more about this mysterious stallion.

"Ok, so we know that Sonic is no tornado-wreaker. Do you girls know anything more about him I can say in the article? Fashion doesn't have much." Lyra lifted her head up in thought and then stared directly at Bucky, who was fascinated.

"No one really knows anything about Sonic before he came to Ponyville, except Rainbow I'm sure. I had the biggest crush on him when he first got here. He's got the gentlest eyes," she continued, even managing a faint smile in her recollection. "He's really, really nice too. A little awkward maybe but I just found it cute. I figured out pretty quickly though that he loved someone else. It stung a little at first but it felt a lot better once I found out he'd known her since way before and probably had a crush on her way before he ever met me."

"Oh I hear that," assured Bucky to her, referring to the disappointment. He was also all the more intrigued with Sonic's story.

"We didn't think she would ever, you know - get a boyfriend or anything like that. She just never seemed like the romantic type," continued Lyra.

"Who?" asked Bucky.

"Rainbow," replied Lyra. "That's who Sonic loves."

"Rainbow Dash?" asked Bucky in disbelief.

He remembered her. She was the beautiful but tomboyish element of harmony. She obviously loved attention a lot, but she was tough, and she loved her friends. He knew that much. Lyra was right - she was not a mare he could really imagine caught up in romance either, though he could certainly imagine romantic aspirations from stallions with her. He was hungry to learn more.

"Oh yes," continued Lyra. "They've been inseparable ever since he arrived. They like to disappear together for a while in the woods or in the sky. She clearly loves him... it's obvious to anyone who's seen them together no matter how hard she tries to hide it."

Bucky was getting more interested by the second. A mysterious stallion and a mysterious romance... Under normal circumstances he knew this made for a great story. He had to be careful not to give him more attention and interest than the other ponies out there braving the cold, because they deserved to have their stories told as well. Holding back his excitement further was that he knew well the real possibility that some or all of them might not make it back. He knew it will either be the greatest triumph or the saddest tragedy ever.

"Excuse me," said the voice of a stallion from the side. All eyes at the table turned to get a look at who the voice belonged to, and doing so they saw a white stallion with a camera around his neck and a light brown hat approaching them. He had on a heavy winter coat that matched the color of his hat. "Are you guys talking about that young stallion whom that beautiful white mare just proved innocent through my pictures?"

"Yes, we are actually," replied Bucky. "You took those?"

"I sure did. Name's Eff Stop," he said. "I have a few more of him as well. Look at this one. This was before they tried to lift the water."

Eff Stop reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a photograph. He took an admiring look at it before he handed it to Bucky. The rest of them leaned over and crowded around him to get a look for themselves. The two mares gasped with awe while their hooves covered their mouths. Even Ash and Lucky were moved.

In the picture there were many pegasus ponies, all of whom didn't know their picture was being taken. They were scattered out on a dirt plane in front of a green hill; most of them were in groups, stretching and talking in preparation for what they now knew was the reservoir lift. Many of them were smiling, some of them looked more focused. But what demanded the attention in the photograph were the two ponies facing each other in the middle of the action, the foreground. There were spaces in front of the camera and around them, almost as if to highlight their presence.

The two ponies were Rainbow and Sonic. She was on the right side hovering just a little off the ground, facing him who stood just beneath her. The sun was setting directly between them and shining brightly on both their faces. The real beauty of this image, however, was in the expressions of the two featured. Her face was brilliantly joyful, all of it pointed directly at her admirer who in turn was looking up at her with the purest affections that Bucky had ever seen. Lyra was right, he thought. His eyes were astonishingly gentle, and she was the happy recipient of his idolatry in the same way that he was the primary receiver of her confidence and loyalty. Wow...

"This is the most romantic picture I've ever seen. Look at him. He's Cupid's slave," said Bucky.

"So is she, " Fashion Plate pointed out.

"Aww," cried Lyra tearfully. "Please come back."

"Please," whispered Jetstream in agreement.

"It's so... beautiful," admitted Lucky.

"It really is," muttered Ash.

"Well," sighed Bucky, setting the picture down and staring ahead wearily. "This has been both extremely inspiring and extraordinarily depressing," he added, something which everyone present agreed. He took a deep breath, and pondered hard. Come on, he thought to himself. You're the most influential writer in Equestria. Suddenly he turned to the two mares. "Do either of you know if Rainbow is here or not?"

"She came in on the first train with the royal guards, several hours before we got here. But come to think of it, I haven't seen her since we first got here," said the green mare.

"Ladies, you've been fantastic, thank you. We'll be back. Come on boys," he said to Lucky and Ash. "Let's go ask the Princesses, find out where she is."

Small Victories

Snow was everywhere. Visibility was low - reliably, less than half a mile, and beyond that it was just dark outlines and pure shadow. The amount of light in the whole valley seemed to be just a few notches above pitch black, like a dark gray. My cloak had done a surprising job of keeping my body fairly warm thus far, but the arctic air blasted my face. My wings, which were completely exposed and slipped through the back of this specially-made cloak, were freezing. The cold seemed to be crawling up my ankles where my hooves hung exposed. I think it had to do with me being preoccupied and so anxious about finding the foals and helping the other team members any way I could.

Spitfire was attempting to lead us at the head of a V formation through the snow only twenty yards or so above ground. We were looking for any signs of the foals, but it was hard to see much if anything. It's a very narrow valley; where we were at that point it was only a couple miles wide and on either side steep mountains towered over us and out of sight into the darkness above. Throughout the bottom area where we were there were smaller hills and pine trees scattered throughout with some pockets of heavier tree cover.

The eight of us from Ponyville tried to keep up with the discipline and organization of our Wonderbolt counterparts, but the entirety of our combined teams were having a really difficult time in the winds. First of all, the winds were loud which made it hard to hear Spitfire's commands. Secondly we had no sense of direction since we didn't know where to look exactly, so we flew aimlessly and with our eyes looking down and around in search for any signs of pony life. While we did that the winds pushed us around to the great frustration of Spitfire who had demanded we hold our positions.

There was a particularly strong gust of wind that came down through the valley from the west and it blasted all of us into disarray and obliterated our V formation. Since we were trying to stay in line we weren't prepared for the rushing gale, and I felt my own body being pushed violently and I lost almost all control of it. I fought hard to turn myself and finally squared my shoulders against the winds, tilting my wings against them so that I was able to somehow regain control - as did Spitfire, Fleetfoot, and one other Wonderbolt. But as we managed this with our utmost effort everyone else wasn't so lucky and they went sent shrieking and sailing uncontrollably through the air and ending up on the ground and in the snow.

Immediately I descended to the ground desperate to see if everyone was alright. I was surprised - the snow was only not quite up to my knees. I thought it'd be over my head or something. I didn't care so much about that as I did the poor pony lying face down in the snow next to me; I reached into the snow and helped them up. When I got him stood up I saw it was Thunderlane, dizzy and holding his head in place with his hoof.

"You alright?" I asked concernedly, looking him over and brushing the snow off his cloak. To my relief he seemed ok, if not a little delirious.

"That was actually kinda fun," he muttered. I took it as a yes. I looked around to see if anyone else needed help; it didn't seem like anyone was seriously injured, but they did look shaken.

"AHHH!" growled Spitfire, landing among us as the others started plopping up out of the snow. She looked around at all of us and then out and around the rest of the valley, visibly growing in frustration. "Well this is stupid," she muttered angrily to herself, though Fleetfoot was right beside her.

"We have no leads or anything!" she complained to her in a muffed voice, but I could hear them. Spitfire kept looking around, though she seemed to agree. "The Princesses just sent us out here and said 'do something!' Everyone knows this mission is a lost cause."

"What we're doing isn't working," uttered Whitewash to himself. Spitfire heard him, and she wasn't happy. Remember that the two of them do not like each other already, apparently having to do with something at the academy.

"I don't remember asking your opinion on anything," she spat. He turned his head away angrily, which made me somewhat upset. In truth many of her interactions with us thus far made me upset but I knew that pushing back would be counterproductive to finding the foals. Come on guys... I thought to myself.

One thing I noticed though was that the Princesses and the doctor from Whinneapolis were right... it seemed highly, highly unlikely that any foal or even adult pony for that matter without any kind of winter survival stuff could last any kind of time out here in the open, which made me all the more nervous and spirit-crushing. As if this valley wasn't a scary enough place by itself. My gut told me they were alive and whether or not they were I simply had to believe it. If we were going to find them, it was going to be somewhere where there's cover, a cave or... something. It did seem like the winds were stronger higher off the ground.

"Come on... Everyone get up," said Spitfire, in a louder voice so that we could hear her over the blowing snow. "We need to rethink this..."

"It's s-so c-c-cold out here," remarked a shivering mare, one of the Wonderbolts.

"I know, I know!" replied Spitfire in a much more understanding tone, and for the perhaps the first time I saw signs of compassion on Spitfire's expression. "I wanna go home as much as you do. So let's put up an effort to find these kids and get out here. I think we should search on hoof for a while, get out of that wind."

I tried to listen attentively to her and be a good team member. Even though it was to clear to me that she doesn't like me, she was still the appointed leader of our group, so until she told us to do something truly objectionable, I would try to obey. She made eye contact with me and promptly looked away coldly, which I tried to ignore.

"I agree," said Fleetfoot, looking upward dreadfully.

"Why don't we split up into two groups?" Spitfire suggested, gesturing at me and Thunderlane and the rest of the non-Wonderbolts that had ended up in our area. "Why don't you all go and search that side of the valley? We'll meet back here in an hour. If something happens - the unlikely scenario you find the foals, or you have problems, whatever... use your flares. Understand?"

"But what if we can't find you here when we come back?" asked the worried voice of Clear Skies, who was standing with Buddy just behind me and to my left.

"Use your flare if you have to, and we'll use ours." she replied flatly. "Wonderbolts, move out. Ground formations," she commanded.

They started to move out while the rest of our group stayed still. Nobody on our side seemed to have a problem splitting up, even though they were silent. I looked around the group and subtly study their expressions. They looked cold and unhappy for the most part, though they showed signs of resilience that seemed to fill me with more endurance of my own. I just wished there was more I could do for them.

After the Wonderbolts had cleared out and we had stood still in the snow for a moment, I couldn't help but think of those foals and I was eager to get started. I took a few steps towards the north as Spitfire and her group had moved towards the southern range. There was only about a mile between us and the overwhelmingly tall mountains. It felt like we were in the bottom of a pit and there was no way out. I'm no stranger to loneliness and isolation, but there wasn't anything in my previous life I could quite compare with this place. We were truly at the ends of the Earth, and the atmosphere of isolation hung on you like a fog, almost spiritual in nature.

"You guys ok?" I asked quietly, turning myself around to face them.

"Just happy to be away from her," remarked a disgusted Blossomforth.

"Seconded," added Thunderlane who since entering the valley refused to even look at the mare. The rest of the them most certainly agreed with these sentiments.

We started to trek slowly as a group through the snow and wind towards the other side of the valley. Nobody really said anything at first, which left me wondering how the rest of them was feeling since I was curious to know. I saw the fear and struggle, and it made me feel an emotional connection with them knowing that we shared the same plight. Blossomforth and Whitewash had the tougher expressions, while I imagine mine was probably closer to Buddy's or Clear Skies'. Thunderlane seemed like a mixture; he would look around curious and devoted, but not quite afraid like Buddy or me and yet not quite hard like Blossomforth or Whitewash. Merry May seemed more timid and frightened, though she looked focused. She had been the quietest thus far.

I wanted to encourage them somehow and let them know that I would do anything to help. But as we pressed forward slowly I just couldn't think of anything to say to them. I knew that Rainbow would be very vocal if she was here. Oh, how I missed her. She'd be helping and inspiring them... But what can I do? Would it be too much to just tell them how much I appreciate their effort and admire their bravery? I thought about it as I took strength in the blue feather behind my ear underneath my hood. I just had to accept that Rainbow and I are two different ponies. She's confident and strong, and I'm more shy. I love them all so much though, and I wanted to be a devoted servant if I couldn't be the leader that she is. Just encourage them with your actions, Sonic, and put their needs before yours.

Another thing I wondered about still was what that bottomless pit at the front of the valley meant for Rainbow. She had said she was going to meet me out here, that she was going to help bring those foals back herself. I just didn't see how that was possible if she couldn't fly over that chasm, and it made me worried and sad to know that I might be on my own out here without her out. But I never forgot my promise, and I always tried to stay focused on my own responsibilities to my team and to saving those foals. I looked out into the wilderness, begging the stars for a sign of Scootaloo and the others.

"Well, you guys see anything?" asked Thunderlane. I looked in all directions. Suddenly he picked up some snow and flung it at Blossomforth with a smirk, hitting her hood in the back of her head. She was shocked - and not in a good way.

"You're unbelievable," she hissed. Thunderlane seemed to resent this more because he said the same words to Spitfire.

"Have you seen any creatures lurking around?" asked a shivering Buddy, shivering with both cold and fear. It occurred to me then that I really hadn't seen hardly anything thus far. No signs of life anywhere. No ice dragons, no foals, no anything. It looked desolate, though we knew it wasn't. I thought it would be smart to move towards the mountains, especially since it was the range where the rail line runs over.

"It's colder than ice cream out here!" remarked Clear Skies. I searched diligently in the area around us for any sign of anything. Visibility had actually improved but if only slightly; the snow had slowed down and was now a light snow, and it seemed like the winds had died down somewhat so it was noticeably a little quieter. Strangely, this actually seemed to make everything scarier. There were a few more trees in this area too, which made it feel like a forest though the trees were certainly a bit more spread out than say the Everfree Forest. But that's what made the lesser winds and therefore lesser noise more unsettling. There was a feeling that something could be lurking behind those trees.

"They couldn't survive out here by themselves," muttered Whitewash quietly. It was sort of an emotional blow, even if I knew if my heart I knew it was true. That's why I wanted to move towards the mountains where maybe we could find a cave or something.

"Whitewash," said Clear Skies, her voice sad like she was trying to be more optimistic.

"Nobody gave us a chance to set the thunderstorm up in time," I remarked gently to my own surprise. I meant it as a means of encouragement.

"Everyone's thinking it. I'm just saying it," he replied coldly, looking out into the trees.

"He's right," uttered Blossomforth, who then looked at me cynically. "This is not the same as moving clouds around."

In truth, both of their comments had hurt me, though I tried not to show it.

"What's that?!?" cried Buddy all of a sudden, pointing at a spot on the ground just a few yards away from the group and next to a nearby tree. We all gasped and froze, except for maybe Whitewash. As soon as he said it I nearly jumped out of my skin. We looked on, though, and it looked to be no more than a large white rabbit, watching us curiously and cautiously. We all sighed with relief.

"Just a cute little bunny," said Thunderlane, smiling and hitting Buddy on the shoulder. "You wanna cuddle with it?"

"I think that's actually a hare," replied Blossomforth.

"Oh whatever."

At that moment I was standing the furthest away from the hare, and while all of their eyes were still on it I suddenly thought I heard something behind us the other way. I gasped quietly and snapped my head around, pointing both my ears forward in its direction. It didn't sound like much - maybe the break of a stick or something.

With a strong jolt of nervousness I scanned the area, and to my horror I thought I saw something like a dark outline move behind a tree. But it was still dark and grey and the visibility wasn't great at all, and it happened so fast that I wasn't sure so I kept my eyes on it. I had a bad feeling like we weren't alone anymore and a strong feeling of being watched. I spent time in the wilderness growing up and my senses in this regard had come to be pretty reliable. I smelled the air for any kind of strange scent, but the smell of pine seemed to be the only thing my nostrils caught. Then again, maybe there was something else coming up through my nose...

"Um... guys?" I remarked calmly, trying to not to scare them. "Let's move towards the mountains and see if we can find anything over there. But I don't think we should stay still."

"I concur," said Thunderlane, looking around nervously. "Let's get out of here."

Just when we all started to move forward again, Buddy suddenly gasped loudly and his limbs were stiff in the snow. We all stopped in our tracks and stared ahead of us. My heart stopped. Glowing in the dark grayness were what appeared to be two demonic yellow eyes on the black outline of what appeared to be a four legged creature, a bit shorter than us ponies if my eyes were correct. They were glaring right at us. They looked keen and they looked hungry. If my eyes were correct, the outline of the figure seemed to resemble a wolf. All of us froze, except Thunderlane.

"Ha! It looks like a timberwolf," he said, very unimpressed and almost amused, squinting his eyes at the glowing yellow ones. "These guys can be beaten with a sneeze! You blow 'em a kiss and they fall apart," he continued, and he began to move towards it with a cocky grin.

"Uh... Thunderlane?" remarked Blossomforth uneasily, her gaze locked fearfully on it. "I don't think that's a-" Thunderlane, however, continued right forward.

"The most pathetic... pitiful... non-intimidating creatures in all of Equestria. I mean how could anyone be scared of these things? Watch this guys," he continued with a laugh. The rest of us though were not getting the same vibe from this creature. It looked downright scary with it's wild and ravenous stare. I didn't know what he was talking about exactly, you couldn't pay me to go near that thing.

"Thunderlane!" I whispered, concerned. I eased forward ever so slightly to try and discourage him.

"Oh relax, guys!" he assured us. He kept walking up to it without hesitation. As he neared it it seemed to back up ever so slowly in a crouch position, beginning to growl defensively. It sure sounded like a wolf or canine of some kind. I started to really fear for my friend, who started to raise his right front hoof over it. "Hey little guy! You ready to get owned by a - YAAOOOWW!!!"

I watched as the animal pounced forward and bit him on the leg just above the hoof that he was about to demonstrate with. Blossomforth, Whitewash and I leapt forward and quickly worked to free his limb from the teeth of the animal - which we could clearly see was in fact a real wolf of flesh and blood, not timber. Whitewash delivered a ferocious kick that elicited a whining yelp, then the wolf ran away as we dragged Thunder back to the rest of the group, where the rest of them were freaking out.

"You... IDIOT!" shouted Whitewash into Thunder's face.

"Are you alright?" I asked breathlessly, sitting down beside him and eyeing his wound. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but it was definitely bleeding. He was clearly in pain, though it seemed like he was handling it ok. He wasn't screaming or anything.

"Ok, so it's not a Timberwolf. Nobody's perfect," he said in a voice that hardly masked his regret as he licked his wound embarrassed.

"Do we have any bandages in here?" I said, looking in the bag.

"Hey!" said Clear Skies, looking into one of her saddle bags. "We do have some in here! They must've put it in without telling us!"

I looked into my bag and stuck my snout into it and sure enough I found it, grabbing a wrap of bandages in my mouth. I wondered if there was anything else in the bag that they hadn't told us about, but I didn't feel anything. I pulled it out as Blossomforth took a step away from him.

"You should thank Sonic for being kinder to you than you deserve, you utter moron," remarked Blossomforth shooting him a deeply irritated look. I ignored her and attempted to start wrapping some bandages around his right front shin that had been bit.

"Hey Buddy, can you help me hold this here?" I asked him as politely as I could, having difficulty getting it to stay. I envied dragons and other creatures that had opposable claws, wondering how much easier to do stuff like this with them. The shaking stallion set aside his fear and leaned over to help, which I really appreciated.

"Sorry about that," whispered Thunderlane, ashamed. I turned my head up and reassured him with my eyes. I was just happy he was alright. He seemed grateful for my helping him as he managed a small but very sincere and loving smile. I gave one of my own right back to him.

"Um... guys?" uttered the terrified voice of Merry May just as Buddy and I finished Thunderlane's bandage. We all looked up to see what she was talking about and found the rest of them staring silently ahead. Buddy and I both gasped in fear together.

"Uh oh," muttered Thunderlane.

Instead of one pair of yellow eyes in front of us belonging to a lone wolf, there were now four of them. They were snarling quietly to each other maybe twenty yards in front of us, their eyes narrowed and locked on straight on us with predatory longing. I've bumped into a few rather nasty-looking creatures in my time alive on Equestria, but these wolves were something else. They were totally black all over and they flashed large white fangs.

Suddenly my right ear flicked itself to the right as I heard snarling and growling from that direction. I turned and saw four more pairs of eyes in that direction too. My heart began pounding a thousand times a minute. What would Rainbow do... What would Rainbow do? Be strong, be strong... I thought to myself, flicking my ear around her feather drawing courage from it. I really wished she was here.

"Look over there!" cried Buddy, and there were a solid five wolves now standing near where the hare had once been, and whether or not it survived I don't have the slightest idea.

"What are those things on their backs?" asked a curiously nervous Blossomforth. I picked a wolf on my side to concentrate on. It was hard to make out from there, but she was definitely right. There was something different about these wolves, there was something on their back that no other wolf I had heard of has.

I didn't consciously realize it until then, but I felt someone's rump on my own since we had all slowly huddled into each other. My attention started to turn towards the others, I guess it was a protective instinct. Buddy and Clear Skies were shaking togther. Blossomforth and Merry May were huddled together, with Blossomforth's ears getting closer and closer to touching her neck. Whitewash's ears were all the way against his neck, and for any non-equines reading this that means angry to the point of violent. He had a fighter's expression and was snorting ferociously.

I turned around and sure enough there were now several wolves behind us two. It seemed like every second that passed there were more and more of them and the sounds of awful growling and snarling got louder until it seemed like they were everywhere. Now I was really really scared. My youth life has had it's rough points but in terms of sheer terror this took the cake for anything I'd experienced. Naturally I was thinking about Rainbow, but I was also deathly concerned for my teammates.

"I count fifteen," said Thunderlane, definitely nervous but somehow calmer than one might expect. "Wait, no... make that seventeen. Wait... eighteen. Ok hold on a second..."

"Will you shut up!" snarled Blossomforth.

"Um... yeah," said Thunderlane, losing his hold on his ability to remain calm. "I think it's time we fly away, guys... leave them to their business down here."

I spread my wings and felt them brushing against Whitewash and Clear Skies' who were one either side of me, and we all did it at once. We were all eager to get up and get out of there, and in unison we crouched down in preparation for lift off. Nobody said anything, but somehow we all managed to take off at once. With all of our backs to each other in a kind of circle, each of us facing a different section of the forest, we hovered several feet off the ground.

But then something unexpected - and terrifyingly scary - happened. I looked down at the wolves in front of me on my side; the mysterious appendage on their backs that we couldn't figure out spread out in either direction and it suddenly became very clear what they were. They were wings. In a disorganized union each of the wolves lifted off the ground and matched our elevation until they once again surrounded us on all sides. The tremendous sigh of relief that we felt with take off was all but completely destroyed and replaced with a feeling a thousand times more dreadful than the first one was.

"Get a load of that!" cried a disbelieving Thunderlane. I was so scared I could barely keep it together. "Who ever heard of a wolf with wings?!?"

"This is Equestria!!!" shouted Blossomforth angrily. "There's always *something* *somewhere* that doesn't make sense, whether it's a lion with a scorpion's tale, or a chicken with a snake's body, or a -"

"Somebody light a flare!" cried Merry May. It sounded like a good idea, but that would've been kind of hard to do in midair.

"M-maybe we should l-land," I suggested, begging my heart for the strength to be brave and indulging in my blue feather on my right ear. "I think we can fight better on the ground."

"I don't have to kill them... do I?" asked Clear Skies.

"What?!?" asked a startled Thunderlane, looking around in fear. "What are you talking about?"

"Well... I don't wanna kill any of them!" she replied.

"Clear Skies! This is the not the time for some kind of philosophical discussion on the morality of killing demonic wolves!" cried Blossomforth.

"Ok, fine. I'll go for the knockout. But I'm just saying... if I happen to kill a wolf on accident, I'm sorry but I'm not gonna care," said Thunderlane.

"I'm gonna die with a bunch of idiots," growled Blossomforth, shaking her head violently. I couldn't quite see Merry May, but Whitewash seemed to be ignoring everything behind him. His eyes were locked on in a ferocious death stare with the wolves, while his nostrils panted snorts of steam in between breaths.

We got so close to each other in our hover that we were almost flapping our wings against each other. My heart was pounding of my chest and I could barely breath. The glowing yellow eyes in the sea of darkness started to close in around us while the sound of hungry snarling dogs got louder and louder. I could feel the fear from my teammates, that seemed to finally at a level near mine and Buddy's with the exception of maybe Whitewash. Our impending failure and my life with Rainbow was all suddenly hanging by a thread, and I knew it.

I didn't realize it, but Thunderlane had stuck his mouth into his saddle bag and pulled out one of his green flares meant for shooting into the air. He turned around mid-hover and tapped me hysterically on the shoulder with his hoof. I twisted around and bit the fuse off at the end of the flare, and he tilted his head sideways so the end was pointed upward. It shot off once above the trees and into the sky directly above us, upon which he dropped it and started shooting flairs in any which way. The shot to the sky exploded and sent green bright orbs flying in several directions with a loud boom. The rest of the flares shot into the snow.

Suddenly, I saw yellow eyes everywhere flying towards me while the growling and snarling intensified to a deafening level. They started barking and the barks themselves sounded like they belonged to hellhounds. The flare had set them off.

The lid was officially blown. A winged wolf came right at me, and I ducked down while wolves everywhere started crossing in front of my vision, and I was now a complete mess of hysteria and adrenaline while images of my life - mostly Rainbow's face - played in my head. WHATDOIDO? WHATDOIDO? My other teammates screamed, and the group was officially broken up and a full scale battle erupted. Wolves were everywhere. One of them blasted into me and sank it's fangs into my ankle while another hit me from the side. I cried out in pain and I fell to the snow.

Somehow I landed directly on top of the wolf that hit me from the side, which seemed to totally immobilize it. I got up and ignored the pain in my ankle and was immediately swarmed by three more wolves. Despite being the raging swirl of panic inside me I instinctively turned around bucked both of my legs and somehow hit a wolf, sending it flying into a tree. As quick as that happened, a wolf bit my back hip and I felt it's canines tear through my cloak while another one latched it's teeth onto my other front leg that had yet to be bitten.

As the three different areas on my body now screamed in pain and the cries of my teammates amidst the barking and snarling overwhelmed my ears, I flapped my wings violently and felt myself starting to lift off, while the wolves tried to drag me back down. I clenched the rest of my body and put all my effort into flapping; I shot through the air just a couple feet above the snow and then let myself fall. Upon crashing into the snow and rolling over I lost both of them. GET UP!!! As I did that I saw Rainbow's feather sticking out of the snow where I had been.

"NO!" I screamed, and picked it up in my mouth and flapped myself violently backward as they lunged.

I crashed again and stood up; they both got up and backed me into a tree where a third one joined them as I frantically shoved the feather into my saddle bag. I was still hysterically afraid - especially as a I got another good look at all of their teeth - but I seemed to have regained enough control to plan a defense. Suddenly I remembered my teammates - I had to get back to them, but I couldn't just charge right through these three wolves. With my back to the tree, my first thought was that I couldn't go anywhere - I was cornered. But then it occurred that this meant a wolf couldn't sneak up behind me. I flapped my wings and hovered off, and the wolves did likewise; one of them lunged forward but I sidestepped it so that it slammed into the tree.

The other two moved in together and I darted behind the tree. They both followed on one side, which subconsciously is what I wanted. I clubbed the first one across the mouth, but as I did that I lost my balance and fell backward while the second one pounced. It landed directly on top of my hooves so I shifted my momentum in my legs and sent it flying away from me. As I got back up and prepared to face the recovering wolf that I had hit in the mouth, the third one that had flown into the tree was suddenly gnawing on my back ankle again. I whipped my head back and slammed it with my other back leg.

"Sonic!" I heard Thunderlane crying in need from the main battle area, which I had drifted away from. "SONIC!"

I whipped my head desperately in his direction as a surge of protective angst swept through me; I couldn't let anything happen to my beloved friend, and a fierce desire to help him took complete control. I shot off the ground and whipped around the tree. I found him in a huge cluster of fighting and crying and growling and barking. He was on his back, struggling violently with two wolves restrained with both front hooves, biting and slobbering in his face. Another two wolves were closing in him from behind him.

I leapt forward and shot through the air with both hooves straight out and crashed directly into the two wolves behind him, crashing clumsily and rolling on top of one another while we all wiggled and thrashed. I seemingly had the benefit once again of my weight rendering one of them injured and unable to fight, while the other lunged for my neck. I ducked just in time, but after it missed it got right back up and I stuck my hoof in it's open mouth. It locked its jaws on the end of my leg, but since hooves are hard and anything to them is painless I simply raised it up with all my might and sent it flying away. It landed right as I jumped forward and turned around, bucking it with both legs into another wolf.

I whipped back around; Thunderlane wasn't in the same spot he was before, but a wolf had it's mouth on his rump. I ran forward, reared up, and smacked it in the face with my right front hoof. Thunderlane and I regrouped together side by side, each facing another direction. In the very brief pause I made a super quick glance at the rest of the scene; Buddy and Clear Skies were somehow holding their own - he landed a clumsy shot at wolf going for Clear Skies' rear end while she successfully dodged another wolf going for her neck. I saw Whitewash fighting a few yards away on his own, and after throwing a wolf off his neck he stepped forward and brutally mauled it with a devastating right front hoof to the face - it was either knocked out or killed - but several more surrounded him. Blossomforth and Merry May were struggling to fend off a group around them, though Blossomforth was the more aggressive fighter.

"Watch out!" cried Thunder, as we both turned back around and bucked a wolf coming at the other from either direction. A wolf lunged at Thunder's legs which he athletically hopped over with help from his wings.

"That is simply not POLITE," he said as he ran after it and stomped it.

I looked back over at the fight. I finally had a conscious and strategic thought; if we could eliminate our blind spots and stick together, we could take these things. We couldn't fight these things out in the open, not even pairs or we'd get overrun eventually. But what could we use? I didn't have time to think, as another wolf came at me. I leapt back to Thunder's side again while wolves regrouped around us, circling and snarling.

"We have to all get together!" I told him over the sounds of battle. He turned his wild and super-energized at me and nodded. We both stared down the wolves circling us and looked back in the direction of the others.

"Down, boy!" he taunted, and one of the wolves lunged while the others followed suit. This time he slid forward on stomach through the snow and right under the wolf while I welcomed it straight into my right hoof. We both flew forward to Buddy and Clear Skies' side while the other wolves moved in on us. Thunder took on a wolf that had Buddy by the tail while I bucked one off of Clear Skies' back. I looked over and saw yellow eyes approaching Buddy from behind his front, but he couldn't see it because he was watching in terror as Thunderlane grappled the wolf off his tail.

"Buddy! Behind you!" I screamed as gaping jaws closed in from behind him. He turned around so fast that his face smacked into the wolf really hard, and met with a high-pitched whine of pain from the wolf. "Nice shot!" I told him, as he eyed the hurting wolf in disbelief. "You're doing great!" I told him, which seemed to surprise him.

"This is just like when Rainbow and her friends fought the changelings at the Canterlot wedding!" said Clear Skies, apparently oblivious to the peril of the situation.

"Stop! You're crazy!" yelled Thunderlane, who turned ready to buck.

"Blossomforth!" I heard Merry May call. I whipped my head in their direction. Suddenly I felt canine teeth on my hoof again - one of them had hit the area just above the hoof, which was extremely painful. I ripped it of the wolf's mouth and kicked it with my other back leg.

"I'M A KINDA BUSY AT THE MOMENT!" replied a furious Blossomforth, throwing a wolf off her back and restraining another with her hoof. Merry May was now away from Blossomforth and more by herself, surrounded by three wolves. She looked terrified and in need of help.

"Lead these two to Blossomforth!" I told Thunderlane.

I leapt in Merry May's direction as the three wolves moved in on her. She turned away and closed her eyes as though to give up, but then she peaked one open and cleverly side stepped the first wolf while I landed a belly slam on top of the third one. The second one though bit her ankle and she cried out in pain. More importantly though the one she side stepped at first was coming from behind her for a kill shot to her neck. I stamped my hooves on the wolf underneath me and propelled off of it.

"Duck!" I shouted to her as I leapt towards her. She did that, and the wolf going for her neck missed but landed right on top of me, getting a good nip at my shoulder. As it came back towards me fiercely I whipped around and kicked it with my hind legs. We're strong back there, and I knew back kicks were my best defense. Though she looked terrified she managed to throw the wolf off of her, though I could see her leg was bleeding. I helped her up just as Blossomforth arrived, quickly followed by the other three.

"How's it going Blossomforth?" called Thunderlane to her as we formed a defensive group again.

"I'm not dead yet!" she panted viciously with a violent glare at the wolves surrounding us. The wolves began flying all around us and diving in while others came in below. "We can't gotta take away the aerial attack somehow!" she screamed.

We all heard Whitewash scream in agony and we looked in his direction; he had now five wolves around him, and two of them had their mouths in a death grip around his front shins. A third bit into his rump. As a group we collectively moved forward to his aid, though we ourselves had wolves hot on our tail. I flew into one of the wolves on Whitewash's front legs and ripped it off, only for it to bite my neck. It was a frantic bite at first as he struggled to get a good grip and it had the cloak to soften it, so it only slightly left a rough scratch rather than a devastating death bite. I headbutted it as it came in again. Thunderlane and I got back together and helped a reeling Whitewash up, who still had the look of a warrior on his face as he sucked in breath. The seven of us formed into a group while wolves circled above us and around us.

"We should move toward the mountains!" I cried, almost of breath. "We're not gonna survive out here. We need to eliminate our blind spots!"

"Exactly!" replied Blossomforth, panting.

"I say at the count of three, we all fly towards the mountains together! Put your hooves out and plow through them!"

"It's better than staying here!" said Merry May. Whitewash didn't seem quite ready yet, but Thunderlane started anyway.

"One, two, three!"

At the word three we all ran towards the mountains, and therefore the group of wolves waiting for us on that side, and shot into the air with our front hooves outstretched. Somehow we made it through, though I think several of them sustained scratches and minor bites on the way. I emerged through the initial breakthrough first, though I turned my head back around to see if they were ok. The wolves were all airborne and flying after us from behind.

"These things don't quit, do they?" asked Thunderlane loudly over the rush of the wind and the barking and snarling from behind.

I wasn't expecting to be first, and now that I was, the rest of them seemed to be following my lead, which placed an enormous amount of responsibility on me. I couldn't imagine letting them down after an effort like that. Now that I had time to actually to think and breathe, I looked around for any sign of cover we could use while the shadow of the mountain in front of us got bigger and bigger and it got closer and closer. I weaved us around the trees and thought desperately for some solution to this, since the wolves refused to back down. We were also reeling from battle and we were all of us in pain, and not exactly in good flying condition. Then you had the winds which were stronger at this elevation.

When I was cornered against that tree I could buck them all away because they had nowhere to come but the front. If that could just be recreated somehow... I scanned frantically around me for anything. We were also almost to the mountains. Suddenly I saw a very large pine tree who's bottom was entirely open, seemingly about the height of us ponies. If we could fit under that, we could take away the aerial assault and keep everything in front of us. It made sense in my head, but would it work? I couldn't bare the thought of endangering my teammates especially after such a valiant fight on their part. I turned my head back around at my team members. They'd followed me around thus far but would they follow me into the tree?

I closed my eyes and made up my mind. I swung low towards the tree. I came down and slammed into the snow right in front of the tree and ducked under it's piney branches, which were just above my head. I turned my head around and hoped beyond hope that they had joined me, my heart crying out desperately for it.

A moment, to my tremendous relief, Thunderlane entered the tree's cover, followed immediately by Blossomforth, Whitewash, and the rest of them.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" cried Blossomforth wildly as she looked directly above us at the thick cover of wood. "They can't attack us from above in here!"

As quickly as I was relieved, I was just as quickly now caught up in the suspense of whether or not this could work.

"Let's form a circle!" suggested Clear Skies. At Thunder's lead the rest of them ran around the tree to take away all sides of entry for wolves so that eventually we all had our backs to the tree's trunk. We stretched out our wings and limbs while the sounds of snarling approached from outside.

The wolves wasted no time. Three of them entered in front of us, but Thunderlane, Blossomforth and myself stepped up and turned ourselves around and bucked them straight back out the way they came in three devastating kicks. Each of them hit the ground limped away whimpering and whining. We looked ahead of us on the other side of the trunk to see how the others were doing; it seemed like all of them had bucked wolves out of the tree cover area too. It was clear now that the wolves took prey by distraction while other wolves could move in for the kill, or eventually wear them down until they couldn't fight anymore. But in here, they simply couldn't do that.

Wolves moved in on the either side, but this time they did not attack. They stood there and growled angrily, almost as if they were frustrated. They stared us down while we all caught our breath, the only sounds our own violent breathing and their hushed growls. We had our back legs ready and our heads turned. There were noticeably fewer of them now, since many of them had now been hurt either here or back at the original ambush location. Our hind legs were powerful... we knew it. And more importantly, they knew it.

The wolf standing right in front of me, apparently the alpha, turned his head and looked at the wolf on either side of him. His attack position subsided as his body relaxed. His eyes left us and his head dropped down, after which he turned around and started to walk out from the tree. This was a gesture of defeat, and the other wolves followed suit. We watched them turn away and leave, until the only sounds were the winds outside and our own heavy breathing as we stood silently. My guard slowly started to drop. We were just getting over the shock. We had won.

Thunderlane wrapped his front leg around me and leaned his whole body against me, resting the side of his head into my mane. Relieved and loving my friend very, very much I also wrapped my front leg around him, and the two of us collapsed to the ground where a snowless bed of pine needles was there to greet us. We did it. We beat the wolves.

"You fought so well," I whispered to him. I was intensely admirable of everyone there for the way they never gave up.

"Me?" he whispered back chuckling, smiling proudly at me. "I can't wait to tell Dashie about how well *you* fought, and how you saved us all by coming in here."

I put my hoof on Thunder's shoulder and beamed thankfully for him and looked into his golden eyes with a deep appreciation for him. There was another pony in this world besides Rainbow who always believed me and always made me laugh. I reached my hoof around his head and rested my forehead against my dear brother whom in my wildest and most unattainable dreams I'd always imagined as my best stallion at the wedding between my true love and me.

"Are you ok?" I asked, eyeing him over and suddenly concerned about everyone else as well. "Is anyone else hurt?" I asked loudly, standing up despite the moderate pain in my ankles and other places. I went to walk around to check on them, but they had come around to the front of the tree where we were. Suddenly a flicker of orange flared up from beneath me. Blossomforth had lit her torch flare.

"It's as good a time as any to use one... right?" she asked in a rhetorical tone.

Clear Skies, who along with Buddy was now standing with us, smiled at me. Seeing it warmed me on the inside though I was concerned for everyone else's health.

"Great idea coming in here Sonic!" she said, to which my ears fell embarrassed though I was grateful for her compliment.

"It wasn't really an idea, just more of an instinct," I replied.

The two of them came in and sat next to Thunderlane, while Merry May and Whitewash sat near Blossomforth. I scanned them all. I couldn't believe it, but there didn't seem to be any serious injuries, though basically everyone was bleeding somewhere. Though most of our cloaks now had several holes, they had done a great job of limiting the damage done by wolf teeth. But I was so relieved.

"Well," panted Thunderlane from the ground. "We won! We did it!"

He smiled at Blossomforth, who despite being exhausted and annoyed couldn't help but shoot a very faint one back at him. Clear Skies was smiling as well, and she turned her head and smiled at Buddy who himself even couldn't help but smile back. They and the other team members looked up and me, and I was just so proud of them, and I knew that Rainbow would be too once she found out. I already loved them, and I hoped my eyes would encourage them.

"Guys, that was awesome!" proclaimed Clear Skies.

"How, though?" asked Whitewash, lacking any celebratory emotion. "We're not any step closer to saving those kids, and we still have no idea where they are," he darkly reminded us.

It absolutely deflated the triumph of the moment. My own spirits dipped partly because I knew he was right, though I also believed that optimism was our only hope. I think that was why I was never truly happy with our small victory here. I knew Scootaloo and the ohters were still out there, and my heart cried out to them. I had to save those foals. I had to see Rainbow happy again. Which reminded me... I searched around in my saddle bags desperately. My supplies were in tact; apparently this material that the they gave the oats in was the real deal, or maybe we were just lucky that the wolves hadn't gone after them. Or maybe they were smart enough to know that wasn't part of us.

To my great relief I found the item in question and took it out of the bag. I sat down on the bed of pine needles and held in my hooves what I had held when things seemed hopeless for ten years. It was the little blue feather without which I wouldn't be who I was then and without which I wouldn't be there at all. I had given it back to the one who gave it to me... but now that we were separated, it was once again just as precious to me as it ever was. This feather was my life, my soul, and my strength. I pressed it dearly against my chest and renewed my promise.

After some time I came back and realized Blossomforth and Merry May along with Buddy and Clear Skies had begun to wrap bandages around each other where they were bleeding. I scooted over to Thunderlane and began to wrap my own bandages around his leg. I looked over at Whitewash, who was working on himself.

"You need help?" I asked him. "I can get you here in a second, just let me finish him real quick."

"I should be able to get it myself, thanks," he replied quietly.

"Don't mind him," whispered Thunderlane.

"Are you alright, how does this feel?" I asked as his leg twitched.

"I'm fine, I just got the wind knocked out of me a few times. But I could use another bandage or two," he said, playing down his pain. I knew I was gonna need some bandaging, I was bleeding in several places but none of it was serious as no wolf had landed a really hard bite in any vital area.

"We should eat some oats while were here too, and drink some water," I remarked to the group.

"Oh yes," replied Thunder, his eyes wide in realization that he was hungry. He opened his sack of oats and buried his nose in it. When I finished with his bandages he had already devoured half a sack. When he wrapping my legs I got into one of my own sacks and ate something even though I wasn't hungry. I was thankful though that none of my joints had been bitten so it wouldn't be especially painful if I tried to walk or run.

When Thunderlane was just finishing up with my last bandage, something unexpected happened that caused us all to jump up. Someone yelled something into the tree.

"Hello?" it asked.

I recognized it again as the voice of Soarin'. Startled, the seven of us looked at each other, then got our stuff together (Blossomforth setting the torch into her bag the way I had on the way into the valley) and walked out into the open to meet him. Sure enough, there he stood on the outside, but to my surprise he only had five other ponies with him, meaning that six - including, as I could tell, Spitfire and Fleetfoot- were still off somewhere else. They were all shivering, but their cloaks were in tact and they didn't look they had just gotten into a fight with any kind of toothy creatures.

"Soarin'?" I asked.

"Geez," he remarked, referring to our ripped cloaks and bandaged ankles. "What happened?"

"Wolves... with wings," replied Thunderlane.

"You're kidding!" Soarin' shot back in horrified disbelief.

"No, he's not," said a very irritated Blossomforth, showing off new scars on her neck. Soarin' couldn't believe it. "No... he is not."

"My gosh... how did you guys survive?"

"Wait a minute... where's the rest of your team?" asked Thunderlane.

Soarin' gave an uneasy look back at the rest of his group and sighed.

"Not long after you guys left," he started, "Spitfire thought it would be a good idea to... take a break. We set up a camp, ate some oats..."

"Well..." mused a highly annoyed Whitewash. "That figures."

"A couple of us - myself included - saw one of your green flares, but we were confused because you only set off one. Spitfire just started the break so she decided to send a couple of us over here first to check on you guys, and if it was bad we'd go back and get them."

The rest of our group was visibly unhappy with this revelation as well. I can't exactly say I blame them. It was sort of upsetting to hear that they had been resting while we were fighting for our lives. Soarin' looked much more understanding then I had ever seen Spitfire though.

"Say, guys," interrupted Clear Skies, whose eyes were towards the mountain, the base of which was right in front of us just a couple hundred yards it seemed. It seemed like she was looking at something, but I wasn't quite sure how she could see anything in this dark considering Blossomforth's torch wasn't bright enough to go over there.

"Sorry to cut into your break time," remarked Blossomforth sarcastically to Soarin'. I don't think she had anything against him but was more just frustrated with the situation in general, which again I can't blame her.

"Look..." replied Soarin' in an apologetic tone. "I don't know what's gotten to her, but I'm sorry. Maybe the pressure's getting to her."

"Guys?" said Clear Skies again.

"What is it?" asked Blossomforth angrily.

"It looks like a... cave."

The Gift of Several Ponies

I leapt up beside Clear Skies at her declaration and stared intensely in the direction of where she was looking. Straight up ahead of us where the mountains started their fierce climb upward was what appeared to be a large, dark opening in the rest of the steep snow-covered slopes. I was struck with both hope and relief at the sight of it - the prospect of finding the missing foals - as well as fear and uncertainty of what waited inside.

Almost immediately the rest of everyone appeared in a line on either side of Clear Skies and me. The few Wonderbolt members were to the right of Clear Skies' shoulder while the rest of our local team appeared at the left of mine, all looking on with the same unspoken feelings I had. After trading some soulful looks, in a disorganized sequence we all spread our wings and glided up to the entrance. It was a relatively large entrance - maybe thirty yards wide and thirty yards high - but inside was pitch black, and if anything, with help from Blossomforth's lighted flare, it seemed to shrink down even smaller as it moved into the mountain. Though I was eager to go in there, I had to take a minute to come to terms with my inner terror staring into the blackness and I required a lot of encouragement from the feather behind my right ear.

"N-now what do we do?" asked Buddy. I'm glad he got the ball rolling; we couldn't waste any more time.

"We don't know if they're in there obviously... but this is the best lead we have," remarked Blossomforth uneasily. "This cave is under the range the railroad runs over... the tracks are up there somewhere," she said, as we all turned our heads almost straight up to see the mountain disappearing into the dark and snowy wonder above us.

"We should go get Spitfire then. Let's all get her together and then come back. Or you all could wait here while we go back and get her and the rest of the team," Soarin' proposed. Though the thought of reuniting with the captain was unpleasant for them the rest of the team seemed to reluctantly accept this position given that more numbers seemed to be a comforting thought. But I had my own objections to that plan.

"With every minute that goes by those foals' chances decrease," I pleaded to them with a heavy heart, remembering their helpless cries in my dreams. All my thoughts were bent on delivering them from that being. To me it seemed true that every minute we spent going to get Spitfire was an extra minute of helplessness for those foals, each one closer to their death than the last. I couldn't bare the thought of standing here or even leaving when I could be going inside. Most of them seemed to respond this tenderly to my concerns with conflicted expressions, Soarin' among them. "Someone has to go in there now and at least scout it out. Those foals are desperate to see someone."

"We could go in first... while you guys go and get Spitfire," offered Thunderlane, motioning to Soarin' and his team. "Then you catch can up to us from behind."

Soarin' sighed with stress, looking back to the south before coming back to the cave nervously. Whitewash shook his head, chuckling with contempt.

"So are we really about to go in here by ourselves again without the Wonderbolts?" asked Whitewash, glaring at Soarin'. "Once again, we're the ones doing the dirty work."

"Yeah... " Blossomforth added in cold agreement. "But after all, we did interrupt their break time."

"Look..." replied Soarin', defensively but not angrily. "You know that I don't give the orders, so I could really do without the comments. She assumed that you were going to take a rest on your own-"

"Well we didn't take a break on our own," she interrupted. "We didn't get oats like you guys did. We got wolves... with wings. It's a miracle we're ok. We just barely got a break underneath that tree and then you showed up-"

"Guys," I pleaded, desperate to end this fighting in the most humble tone I could muster. I really knew where my team was coming from having been through it all with them, but I knew that unity between the two groups was essential and I was willing to bear anything for the sake of those foals. "I understand your frustrations but I just don't know how fruitful these discussions are right now."

Blossomforth and Whitewash both turned their eyes off and away from anyone.

"Alright," muttered Blossomforth. "Let's make an official decision here, because Sonic is right - time is precious and we have to make decisions fast," she said in a tone that still seemed to be demanding the respect from Soarin' and his team.

"We don't even know what's in here," remarked Whitewash.

"But that's why we should go in though!" cried Clear Skies. "The kids could be in there!"

"Ok... for the sake of being emotionally prepared can we all agree that there's a good chance that this may be an ice dragon cave, and if not that then something just as bad?" asked Thunderlane. My heart recoiled in fear knowing he was right, and I didn't seem to be alone.

"Remember the Princess told us that there's a good chance they'll be in a cave or something," added Merry May quietly, reassuring everyone that we had no choice but to go in.

"It's stupid to speculate about what we're gonna do when we get in there if we don't know what's in there," asserted Blossomforth. "Our choice of action here is obvious; we go in and make it up as we go along according to whatever we find."

"I think we should go in fast but quietly," I offered gently. "Whatever is in there, we have a better chance of saving those kids if it doesn't know we're there."

"Fine," said Soarin', conceding defeat. "If you guys wanna go in now, I'll leave these four with you and I'll go alone to get Spitfire."

"But what if something attacks you on your way there?" offered the deeply concerned Buddy, who still looked very frightened yet his advice showed he was thinking clearly. "Those wolves could be right there still. You don't wanna go alone."

Soarin' sighed again with huge reluctance, looking back into the shadowy patch of trees that disappeared quickly into the dark and snow, mostly because he knew Buddy had a point. He traded looks with the ponies on either side of him. I was touched with Buddy's concern, considering he was forfeiting the comfort of extra ponies for the sake of another despite being the most visibly frightened pony here.

"Ok... We'll go back and get her ourselves. Then we'll come straight back and come in after you guys provided nothing else happens," Soarin' offered, seemingly regretting his own pronouncement.

The rest of us looked at each other in silence. Despite our differences we didn't want to go in without them, but we couldn't afford to waste more minutes. Though none of us said anything, there was a reluctant and silent agreement with the plan among everyone. All of their eyes seemed to weary of that dark cave behind us. I didn't want to rush them - I had all the same feelings they did. But I knew Rainbow would already be in the cave if she were here, so I turned around to face it hoping to encourage action.

"Fine," muttered Blossomforth. "But don't give yourselves away when you come in. Be quiet and fast."

"Before we go... I want all of you to know," said Soarin', speaking for his companions as well. "That all of you have all of my respect. We'll be as quick as possible, we promise. Without compromising your positions."

No one vocally acknowledged his compliments though I think all of us appreciated them. It didn't seem like they could amount to much in terms of comfort, I think that any bit of confidence no matter the degree was deeply beneficial for us. I nodded my head and thanked him with my expression as best I could while the rest of us turned around, drawing strength from each other. It was time to enter the cave and face whatever was in here. Do you know what thing that I was the most afraid of finding in here? Nothing.

Not far past the entrance to the cave the walls had quickly closed in around us so that the corridor was much narrower, probably now about ten yards wide and maybe ten yards tall, and we had only Blossomforth's lit orange flare to guide us. The walls were a dark and wet though there were occasional icicles or some of crystal like substance coming down the walls. It was actually not as cold in this cave as it was out in the valley, not even close - one of the only plus sides, no icy wind to chip away at your morale.

We tried flying down the tunnel at first, but it was difficult to see and there were unexpected turns and stalagmites hanging down from the ceiling and we couldn't fly without relying on so much light from Blossomforth's flare that it could give us away to anything in here. So we had all slowed down to a fast, stealthy walk that allowed us to hide some of the light in Blossomforth's bag. The width of the cave now was just wide enough for the seven of us to walk shoulder-to-shoulder beside each other. Starting from the right side it was Buddy and Clear Skies, and to their left was Merry May and Blossomforth, who I was beside. To my left was Thunderlane and Whitewash. The ceiling height of the passage in this area was maybe five or six ponies tall.

We'd barely talked thus far. I was curious again to know how they were feeling, if they were as scared as I was. The feather, the adrenaline and the recurring image of those foals' smiling faces kept me moving forward. I was so worried about them and about Rainbow Dash, who swore to meet us out here. She can handle herself, I thought to myself. My job right now is to look after my team members and save those kids. It's amazing I kept it together considering how torn my mind and heart were in so many ways. Not only that, I was fighting to suppress certain thoughts, like the thought of getting to those kids whom I loved so much too late, or the thought of my incompetence damning one of my team members. Or the thought of never seeing Rainbow again.

Without making it too obvious I tried to glance at them. Buddy and Clear Skies were scared but they aided each other and kept moving forward. Merry May had very quiet, but she always had a determined look on her expression. I could tell that she had an emotional investment with some of these foals.

Again I found myself wishing there was something I could say to encourage them. I was desperate to help them. I didn't like that we weren't talking - this cave was strangely and disturbingly quiet aside from dripping noises. I wanted to say that I loved them or something. But none of us knew what was coming - maybe that was part of our silence. Rainbow of course would've known exactly how to handle this situation. As I was about to speak up, Thunderlane beat me to it.

"Well, I wanted an adventure. Can't say this is quite what I had in mind," he whispered sadly to the rest of the group. "How long do you think since we entered? Twenty minutes? Thirty?"

"That sounds about right, I'd say," shot back Clear Skies in a whisper.

"How long do you think we should keep going?" he asked. "We have no idea where this cave goes. For all we know it could go all the way through to the other side or something."

"Maybe we should speed up," I suggested, eager to discover something and getting nervous.

"Does it seem to be getting lighter?" asked Buddy quietly. Up ahead there seemed to be more crystals and icicles hanging down from the ceiling that the light could reflect through.

"I think it's the light from the flare going through the ice, or whatever those things all are," said Blossomforth, looking at her flare. It had been going for a while now, and it occurred to me that it might not have much longer based on what Princess Luna had said about their longevity.

"Ok, I know this kind of off topic but did you guys ever read that book series Wings of Pyre?" asked Thunderlane, continuing the hushed-voice trend.

"Huh?" whispered Whitewash in a confused tone and with an even more confused look.

"Yeah. Why?" whispered Blossomforth.

"What did you think of the ending of the forth book?" inquired Thunderlane, to the bewilderment of many of us including myself. "Weren't you disappointed by it?"

"You must be joking," said a disbelieving Blossomforth. "We're risking our lives trying to save some kids right now and you're thinking about *that*?"

"Of course I'm thinking about the kids," shot back Thunder in an angry whisper. "I've been thinking about them this whole time. I'm just nervous and trying to relax a little bit. We think better when we're relaxed, and we've got nothing else to really do right now," he offered. I could definitely see where he was coming from, even if I struggled to actually comprehend how I could think about anything else. "But really... the author had it set up for a like an epic fight between the two tribes and then when the volcano erupted they suddenly went all pacifist and 'set aside their differences' for like no reason."

"Did you even read the fifth book?" asked Blossomforth. "Because you if you had, which you clearly didn't, you know how stupid you sound - wait a minute, tell me again why we're talking about a book series right now?"

"I've been in situations like this five times before, it's good to think about other things and relax-" started Thunder.

"When have you ever been in this situation before?" asked Whitewash angrily, but in a whisper.

"Ok fine, I haven't. I'm just trying to keep up morale," he offered back, at which several team members sighed.

Before anyone could respond though, there was a sound up ahead of us. We all stopped. It sounded like a squeal or a high-pitched whine of some kind. There was no telling how far it was in front, but it couldn't have been too far up ahead. It didn't sound very big, nor did it sound like a pony. If anything it sounded like the yelp of a young animal or something. But any noise was a great interest to us, and all of our ears were pointed firmly ahead. It proved that we were not alone in this cave.

"What was that?" muttered Buddy.

"Shhh!" hushed Blossomforth.

We waited a few more seconds for more noise, but nothing came.

"Maybe we should put the flare out," suggested Merry May.

"Then we won't be able to see anything," said Blossomforth.

"I think - I think there's like a natural light in these crystals and we might actually be able to see without the flare," I heard myself say in the quietest voice I could muster. "If anything at all it seems to have gotten the tiniest bit brighter. There is a natural light in here, however dim it may be."

"Look," said Whitewash. We saw his eyes pointed towards a spot in the cave walls. It was a small hole a few feet wide and pitch black on the inside.

"There's another one back here too," said Buddy, looking backwards on a wall we'd already walked past.

"What do we do?" asked a worried Clear Skies.

We all huddled together and looked nervously in front of us.

"We have to keep going," I cried anxiously, sympathetic to their fears as one racked with tons of it myself.

Then, suddenly - to the shock and terror of everyone - there was a small yelp directly behind us. It was a terrible jumpscare and with loud gasps we shot forward and whipped around simultaneously. I flew forward several feet before I turned around. We froze together and saw what looked like a baby dragon-like creature staring up at us with innocent and seemingly harmless curiosity. It wasn't big at all - smaller than us - its eyes were not quite on our level. I wondered if it was big enough to hurt us if it wanted to, and sported shiny talons on its claws. After the initial fear and shock subsided (and the lack of any attack from the baby dragon). Somehow - miraculously - no one in the group let out a loud or distinct yell that could echo down the cave chambers, and that includes me and Buddy.

We looked nervously at each other, not knowing what to do. We came back to the ground and huddled up together once again, watching it frightfully. Thankfully, it didn't do anything other than continue its curious staring. It was actually somewhat pony-like. Its general body was similar to a pony's in that it had four legs, a similar chest and back, and it had a neck and snout that resembled a pony, though its snout was longer a little longer and narrower than a pony's, and a few small white fangs were visible even with its mouth closed. It had a large eyes and a tail that was almost as a long as the rest of its body, in that way it differed from a pony and appeared more slender and serpentine. Its body was a bluish grey, and it had white silvery spikes on the top of its head that ran down its neck and spine. Its wings were the same color as its body. Its eyes were the same color as Thunderlane's.

"Is that... an ice dragon?" asked Clear Skies.

"It looks like a... baby, or toddler, or... whatever they call young really dragons," said Blossomforth.

"Dragonets?" offered Merry May.

"If it's a baby, then where are its parents?" asked an alarmed Clear Skies, a dark reminder that caused us all to look nervously down the cave.

The dragonet continued to look at us. We were all wondering if it was dangerous or not. It seemed to have no predatory instincts or malevolence in its eyes; just wondering and youthful curiosity. Suddenly it raised its snout and let out a high pitch yelp that confirmed it was what we'd heard before. It caught us by surprise, and its small cry though not penetrating or powerful traveled a little ways down the cave in either direction. There was no sign of Spitfire or the rest of the team right behind us, though they might not have been far behind.

"Hey little guy," said Thunderlane, shaking with nerves along with the rest of us. "It doesn't look evil... right?" he whispered to us.

The dragonet's wandering eyes locked onto Thunderlane and stayed on him, which I could feel caused his anxiousness to jump somewhat. It started to walk up slowly to him and he huddled closer to the group though he kept smiling nervously at it.

"Hey little guy!" he repeated, though we were all scared now, and I wrapped my front leg around his shoulder for support, even though it didn't look like it was angry or about to attack. It turned its head and then to the shock of us all, it nipped at Thunderlane's chest and then buried its head into him playfully.

He seemed surprised at first - we all were - but then he laughed with a tickled disbelief.

"Hey there," he said more comfortably. "Oh that's cold. Must be an ice dragon," he whispered. "Just keep that frosty breath off me and we're cool. Wait, that's not the right way to put it."

Without any warning (and to our shocking surprise yet again) the dragon laid itself into him forcefully and pushed him back onto the ground, batting at him with its claws though not harming him with its talons. This all started happening and the rest of us watched in disbelief not knowing what to do. It didn't seem to be hurting him in any way. Thunderlane - still a bit confused - tried to get up at first but then realized the dragonet was just playing with him and nipping and yelping harmlessly.

"I think it likes you," I remarked with a smile.

"I'd say so," replied Blossomforth, shaking her head. "Geez, it kinda even looks like you. Maybe thinks you're related to it."

She was right; it did have an odd resemblance to him. Not only did it have his eyes, its bluish gray was close to Thunderlane's charcoal gray and its spikes were roughly the color of Thunderlane's mane and tail. He started to laugh as he wrestled with the dragonet on the cave floor, and at the sight of this undeniably cute (and unexpected) image I forgot for a short moment this terrible dilemma.

"My gosh... it does look like him," commented Merry May.

"Hehe," chuckled Clear Skies. "Maybe they are related and this is all a scheme to feed his family."

Thunderlane stopped and looked at all of us. I shook my head while the others raised their eyebrows, maybe entertaining the idea or just trying to tease him. He seemed somewhat horrified at the suggestion as he got up off the ground while the dragon continued to try playing with him.

"Wait," he said, chuckling with embarrassment. "You're not saying that I- that me and some lady ice dragon are-"

"Well, you've never had a girlfriend. A pony girlfriend anyway," muttered Blossomforth with merciless smugness. "Maybe this explains it."

"Oh, very funny, million laughs," replied an unamused Thunderlane, though the other team members including myself and even Whitewash couldn't hold back at least faint smiles. Clear Skies was laughing.

"I don't know how you would get in the mood for kids in here," uttered Whitewash, at which Clear Skies, Blossomforth, and Buddy all chuckled.

"Oh sure, now he finally makes a joke," rebutted Thunderlane, now even more annoyed. He ignored them and to the delight of the dragonet started showing attention to it again.

"Shhh," hushed Blossomforth.

Continuing the trend of surprises and our team being caught off guard, at another sound we whipped around towards the direction of the cave we were heading - the direction we were trying to get to - and two more dragonets (looking very similar to the first, if not almost identical) appeared and immediately joined up with the first one. They briefly looked over Thunderlane and then quickly began playing and yelping with him and each other, ignoring the rest of us. Thunderlane now seemed to be all at once a mixture of shocked and mildly uncomfortable but also proud and happy with his friendly status among baby ice dragons.

Blossomforth, however, couldn't let it go.

"Geez, Thunder... you've been busy-"

"WILL YOU CUT THAT OUT?" he suddenly bellowed.

His yell - much louder than any other noise we'd made by far - echoed loudly down through the cave so that we were all left in a frozen, uncomfortable stillness while we listened to the echo go further and further. Thunderlane in particular had a look of horror as he sat up off the ground (though the dragonets didn't seem to mind) and listened to his voice over and over again as it faded away. Any relaxed feelings of mine were now gone.

"You moron!" whispered a furious Blossomforth when the echo finally subsided.

Suddenly there came from up in front of us a snarl that sounded like it belonged to something much bigger than these dragonets, who at the sound of this all stood up and looked anxiously down the cave.

"What have I done?" muttered Thunder to himself, and I felt very bad for my friend and I sought to comfort him somehow.

"What do we do now?" asked a terrified Buddy. I thought long and hard, trying to resist the crippling fear and think clearly in spite of the moment.

"You've blown our cover," uttered Whitewash as we all stared up in front of us. There was a sound like movement from something large coming down the cave in our direction. We froze like deer. All I could think about was Rainbow and Scootaloo.

"Send the Wonderbolts back," muttered Blossomforth, covering her eyes with her front hooves before looking over at Thunderlane grievously. "Send them back!"

Thunderlane, looking wrought with angst, turned around and put his hooves on either side of his mouth.

"Go back!!!" he yelled down the passage we had come up. "GOOO BAAAACK!!!!!"

"Put out the flare!" I told Blossomforth, who turned her eyes to her saddle back. She reached into it and pulled it out just as sparks started flickering from the tip, indicating its imminent death. She spat it out on the ground and started stomping it out with her hooves. The light around us dimmed but we still could see each other because there was some other faint light from the crystals keeping the cave just lit enough that we could still see several feet in any direction. The dragonets had disappeared. After that we huddled together and faced the darkness in front of us. My heart rate skyrocketed and the despairing dread of failure shot through me. Think, Sonic! For the love of Rainbow and Scootaloo, think!!! I went to look at up the stars to ask their help but the only ceiling above me was dark, wet, and starless.

"Let's get out of here," said Whitewash, as we all started to back up with our eyes locked ahead.

"I don't think so," muttered a deep and gravelly male voice from behind us.

Most of us cried out at the sound of it and blasted ourselves forward in terror. We whipped around and saw a much larger dragon that looked very similar to the dragonets blocking our escape, but his scales were lighter and more bluish, and he had icy blue eyes. His head on top of an upward-extending neck was about halfway between the floor and the ceiling, maybe three stallions tall. His neck and tail were also a little longer proportionately to the rest of his body, giving him an even more serpentine appearance. Also contrary to the dragonets, this dragon's eyes were more intelligent and decidedly unfriendly accompanying an arrogant smile.

We huddled together and backed away from him as he stood still - menacingly consistent in his expression. I was in the front middle of our group and instinctively my wings were spread out shielding the rest of them; as a group we went to turn around and head up other direction but we were suddenly face to face with another almost-identical-looking dragon as it snarled us into a freeze, causing most of us to scream. We were now stuck between two smirking and impassable dragons on either of us, completely and utterly helpless.

"You will make a nice gift for our father," laughed the first dragon we encountered, blocking the only way out we knew of. The other dragon lowered its head to our level and stuck its snout right up to us, foremost poor, shaking Buddy who now had his eyes closed. The dragon closed its own eyes and breathed deeply through its large nostrils.

"Why would we take them to him when we could have them to ourselves?" he asked, sporting a similarly dreadful voice. The more they talked the younger they sounded, almost like dragon teenagers or something.

"You're his favorite right now," snapped his apparent brother. "If we are lucky, he will share them. He'll be very pleased with us."

"Or he will give them to our mother," said the other dragon as though that were a bad thing and lifting his head over up and over us towards his brother. "Who will just want to play with them."

"I found them first," snarled the first dragon.

"I heard them first," hissed his brother. Though frozen with terror, I suddenly had the conscious thought that while it might naturally seem good if they started fighting over us (one dragon is better than two, and in theory we could slip away while that happened), we couldn't afford to let them fight over us here standing in between them as we'd be caught in the crossfire... or cross-ice.

"You thought it was our little brothers," replied the first dragon.

"They were just here, you heard them," argued the second one, before he once again brought his toothy and most unsettling grin back to us. "Tell me my little ponies, did you see any of our little brothers here just now? They would only be a bit smaller than yourselves," he asked.

"I smelled them," hissed his brother before any of us could talk, leading one closer to us to snarl as his only reply. I had to think that I sided with the first dragon. I don't know what he meant by giving us as a "gift" but all of my intuition told me that it was as a meal. This led to the terrible and unbearable thought that perhaps the dragons had done, well... you know what to those foals. But it also meant maybe they were still alive and being saved for later, as the Princess had suggested.

"Fine," said the second dragon, angrily conceding. "But you must tell our father that we both found them."

"Agreed," he muttered, reluctantly.

Following that he turned his eyes back on us and smiled disturbingly as he walked forward slowly, as though we were all in for a wicked future. I was scared, but at least I was alive, and would be kept alive for a little longer. As long as I was alive, and as long as those foals were still alive, there was hope.

"Why are you so afraid?" he asked, though nothing about him suggested we didn't have a reason to be afraid.

"One of them called to someone," said the second dragon to this brother. "Someone behind them. Did you see them?"

"No, as a matter of fact I did not," replied the first dragon, twisting his head around and looking down the tunnel. He chuckled to himself and eventually turned his entire body in their direction and then took a deep inhale, rearing back and spreading his wings across the width of the cave. All of us watched in horror as a stream of icy mist poured from his mouth and shot down the tunnel away from us. Ice dragons don't breath fire, I learned. Instead it's some kind of freezing death breath. The only comforting thought was that his breath couldn't have traveled that far, and the Wonderbolts - provided they were even close enough to hear Thunderlane's warning - had plenty of time to retreat.

The first dragon turned back around and smiled to his brother, motioning him forward. He turned his body around and kept his head turned so that he could look back at us with a discomforting beam. His brother - the one blocking our way out - walked forward slowly and kept lowered his head, matching his brother's expression. The idea was clearly for us to start moving with both brothers escorting us to their parent's lair - wherever that was, deeper into the mountain - and thinking it quickly all the way through, to me this seemed to be our only option. Trying to escape from them like this seemed stupid.

With no other option, at the dragons' reckoning we submissively started to move along as a herd. The way it played out I was in the back of our group now, and I was wrought with fear and fiercely desired Rainbow's comforting presence. But I hadn't given up yet. I started wondering about possible plans. Maybe we can negotiate our way out... or maybe we can get them to fight over us during which we slip away from them... hopefully with the foals...

"You privileged few," said the first dragon from behind us. "You get to meet our entire family."

Yet again I found myself wondering what to do and what to say to them, and once again - to my great sorrow - I was drawing a blank. Rainbow would know what to do... I could tell they were scared like me, I just wanted to help them so badly... I will help you all as best I can...

"Sonic," suddenly whispered Blossomforth back to me, as quiet as possible and with urgent eyes that refused to look back at me. "Where's Thunderlane?"

Ice Dragons!

My head thrashed around looking for Thunderlane, but my eyes quickly met and locked with the ice dragon's. As he simply smiled back disturbingly though it occurred to me that if Thunderlane was gone then that could be an advantage for us - as long as the dragons didn't know about him. As I stared fearfully into his eyes I resisted the urge to keep looking and risk giving away that one of us was missing. Instead I turned my head back towards the group and suppressed as much emotion as I could.

Thunderlane was definitely gone. I was in the way back and he wasn't in front of me. I didn't see anything out of the corner of my eye behind the dragon. Is he alright? How did he escape? The only thing I could think of was that the ice dragonets had stolen him away down one of those side tunnels we saw, those black holes in the wall. At least they seemed to like him... I hated not having him around - he was one of the only real friends I had in the world. If something happened to him I would be beyond upset. Please let him be ok, I pleaded.

I couldn't go looking for him though, I had to just trust that he could take care of himself, which I didn't doubt. But I still was gonna worry about him. There was no chance of escaping these dragons in these narrow tunnels where we were; we had nowhere to go, especially after they had quickly demonstrated some kind of freezing breath of death. We had absolutely no choice but to walk submissively at their lead. On top of everything I was so anxious to find out if these dragons had the kids that I could barely keep it together.

Walking silently was a really really bad feeling for all of us. We didn't talk to each other at all, not even Clear Skies said anything. At that point I was just trying so hard not to do anything to upset the dragons.

"Why are you all so quiet?" the dragon behind us asked in a mocking tone.

"I don't really know what to talk about I guess," said Clear Skies. Her voice was uncomfortable but not as uncomfortable as you'd think. "What are your names?"

"My name is Tundra," remarked the first dragon, the one who appeared first and led us from the rear.

"Mine is Glacier," added the front dragon. "Tell us, are you from the Crystal Empire?"

"They don't look like crystal ponies to me," replied Tundra, enjoying every second of his leading us from behind.

"We're from Pon- ow!" started Clear Skies before Blossomforth shot forward and bit her forcefully in the rear, causing her to stop mid-sentence.

"Oh come now!" mocked Tundra. "It's alright, you can tell us."

"We're f-from Equestria," I whispered quietly. Equestria was a huge area, better than giving them our hometown's name. I figured it was a harmlessly generic answer - I figured if they knew we weren't from the Crystal Empire they'd probably know we must be from Equestria anyway. "And we m-mean you no offense of any kind. We're just looking for some lost children-"

"Lost children?" interrupted Tundra in a curious tone. Looking straight ahead I couldn't see his expression, so I wasn't able to tell if it was genuine curiosity or some kind of ruse in which he actually knew exactly where they were but pretended not to know. In my best guesses it sounded sincere if not completely lacking of any actual concern for them, but my curiosity got the better of me and I whipped around to get a glimpse at his face. "Do you know of any lost pony children, brother?" he asked looking ahead to him.

"Hmm," muttered Glacier in front of us, turning his head sideways and flashing a cruel grin. I studied it intensely, desperate for any kind of clue. "As a matter of fact I think Father may know something about them. I, for one, would *love* to meet your pony children."

"We just want the children and we'll go - we promise!" pleaded Clear Skies.

"Be quiet!" whispered Blossomforth.

Both of the dragons laughed as the area around us seemed to be getting a little bit brighter. There were more crystals and more light coming off the them to illuminate the wet cave walls. I tried to curb my heart rate as I looked desperately up ahead of us. I was actually on the verge of crying. Please... please... for the love of heaven just let the kids be in here.

"Do you like our crystals? They're from the Crystal Empire," remarked Tundra, and I glanced back to see him eyeing them proudly. The obvious implication in his tone and his expression was that they were stolen. But I could care less about that - I was utterly preoccupied with the foals, so much so that I actually wanted the lead dragon to go quicker. That's also why I was so afraid... I didn't know what we'd find. You have to understand... everything hinged on this. If we found the wrong thing, I knew I'd be in danger of dying of a broken heart right there.

In a surprisingly short distance, the narrow tunnel began to expand and I saw up ahead what looked like some kind of large opening. The dragons led us to the entrance and we beheld a kind of great hall in the middle of the mountain, a huge round room hundreds of yards wide and maybe just as tall. There were many shining crystals that lit the entire expanse of it - on the floor, and on the ceiling - and ice covered everything: the floors, the walls, the ceilings; there was even a huge throne of ice and intricate pillars of ice that all sparkled in the light of the crystals. Strangely, there were no other dragons that I could see. Scattered around were piles of gold and jewels. I was hardly able to appreciate it's magnificence - I madly scanned the area for any sign of the foals, as I was beyond desperate to find them and terribly unprepared to deal with them being - well, you get the idea.

"We must get them down somehow," said Tundra to his brother. They were now both standing directly behind us shoulder to shoulder.

"They can fly down... they have wings," offered Glacier.

"Yes... they can also fly away," snapped Tundra.

"They have nowhere to go," replied Glacier. He said this, though I saw other black hole entrances to tunnels on the other side of the mountain, but they must not have led anywhere if they said this. They also seemed to be going deeper into the mountain and away from the Valley of White Death. But maybe the foals were back there...

"Shut up!" snarled Tundra angrily, nipping at his brother's neck but making no actual contact with it. "They know now that they have no escape in the other tunnels!"

Glacier lowered and turned his head and gave his brother a nasty, guttural hiss. The rest of us looked at each other uneasily, trying to communicate silently but not really knowing what to say.

"They won't have the chance! And besides, some of them do lead back to the main tunnel but they do not know the way even if they did try to escape, in which they would promptly be frozen to death by me," he growled, whipping his head up the front of us and eyeing us menacingly from the side as a reminder. For extra intimidation he breathed an icy breeze on us that chilled our insides to the bone, though it was merely a tease and not the special full-blown ice-breath attack we witnessed earlier.

"How must we get them down then?" asked Tundra, still irritated.

I looked over at my other team members. They did not know what to do either. Whitewash looked angry, and I was afraid that he might try something. He definitely seemed like the not-afraid-of-death type, but he needed to stay alive. He had a little brother to go home to, and we needed him if we were going to save these foals. I leaned over to his ear. I didn't want to overstep, but I just wanted to reassure him somehow.

"Thunderlane is still out there," I whispered to him. "Nothing is set in stone." Without moving his head his eyes glanced at me, but they were seemingly dismissive.

Suddenly, it seemed the brothers had made up their minds.

"You will fly to the bottom - where those chains are - with us right beside you, do you all understand?" said Tundra, as the two of them separated and walked up to either side of us. Tundra was just to my right, and Glacier was on the left of our line beside Clear Skies. "If any one of you attempts to fly away and back down the tunnel, you will all be frozen to death instantly."

We looked down towards the spot he was talking about and we saw what looked like two straight pillars of ice standing side by side and stretching high. Between the two pillars was a beam that connected the two, forming a perfect "H" shape. Hanging down from the beam that connected the two pillars - several feet above the ground - were eight thick silver chains. Each chain was connected to itself in a circular fashion around the beam so that they resembled shower curtain rings running across the beam, though they hung much lower like a skinny oval rather than a circle.

While the others began to hover I stayed grounded as long as I possibly could. I scanned and scanned and scanned, and I couldn't find anything. Coming in here I had so much hope that the kids were back here only to have found absolutely nothing. I was losing control of my body and slipping into a trance brought on by an overwhelmingly devastated spirit. I briefly forgot - or rather was oblivious to the fact that the dragons told us to move down. Tundra had been watching me, angry at first that I had not taken flight yet but eased up as he studied my expressions.

"There are none of your children in here," he muttered in my ear, his voice traveling all the way down my spine.

By some saving instinct I hovered off the ledge, and the lot of us with our dragon escort glided down fifty feet or so down from the hole we entered through. When we reached the bottom and made our way over to where the chains hung down from the h-shaped figure, Clear Skies, Merry May, and Buddy screamed. I very nearly died right then and there. Beneath the chains that we were about to hang from were a pile of bones.

"Wolves!" cried Blossomforth, and by saving grace I saw in time that she was referring to the canine skulls that littered the bones. It was a tremendous sigh of relief at the lack of any equine bones, but the initial fear was so powerful that it still hurt.

"Not just wolves," muttered Glacier, running his tail over some antlers over the boney rubble. "There are moose in there as well. And some wangdoodles, and more... All are welcome to dinner. You will be our first ponies."

"Where is your father?" I asked Tundra, desperate for answers. I had regained some of my control only through the feather brushing against my ear.

"He'll be here soon, and we'll ask him about your lost foals. I give you my word," he offered.

"What is the purpose of those chains?" asked Clear Skies uneasily.

"Food presentation is very important to ice dragons," replied Glacier proudly.

At this, many of the other team members shrieked or shivered. He was certainly right; this bizarre H-shape that featured chains hanging down from the middle beam seemed hardly necessary other than just being a tease before being eaten, though it also appeared that it was built strong and difficult to escape from.

Again Whitewash looked ready to try something... his ears were pinned back all the way against his neck, which every pony knows means violence. He had a remarkable lack of fear for these dragons, but I knew now was not the time to fight. It was time to survive.

"Ohhh," hissed Tundra, eyeing him sadistically. "This one may put up a fight. He looks very angry."

"How about it, pony?" muttered Glacier, slithering towards him from the other side. Both dragons found tempting him to be quite amusing. He glared belligerently at them - clearly entertaining the idea of acting out while the rest of us watched him nervously. I looked at him and begged him with all of my heart not to. He glanced at me for a moment and just as quick looked down at the ground instead, fighting himself. The dragons became impatient.

"He won't do anything, he is a coward," continued Tundra with a daring glare.

He looked up hatefully at them. But once again he then made the briefest eye contact with me before looking down at the ground yet again and snorting frustratedly. Finally, to my greatest relief, his ears began to relax as they eased up off his neck and eventually came forward to a reluctantly submissive position. He refused to look at anyone, including the dragons, but his body language made it clear that he was not about to try anything. Thank you!!!!

The dragons both raised their heads with disappointment.

"Line up," ordered Glacier. The lot of us listened and fell into a line. Glacier stood at the end of the line facing us and sank back into his hind legs, spreading his wings out and drawing his head back towards his body. He took a deep breath and seemed to draw up a batch of icy breath without using it.

"Take it off," said Tundra mercilessly to Whitewash, pointing to his cloak with his claw. "All of you."

Each of us delicately slipped out of our cloaks, careful not to spill any of our items from our bags. The entire time I prayed for deliverance, wondering if Rainbow could answer them herself, while I pleaded with myself not to give in to fear for my team and those foals as well as self-loathing for my apparent failure.

"Come with me," said Tundra to Whitewash. "We can do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way. It's your choice. The hard way involves me taking you up there in my claws. The easy way involves you going up there yourself with me beside you. What is your decision?"

Whitewash's eyes moved slowly from the ground to his adversary, mulling over the option while the dragon watched him sportingly, clearly hoping for the hard way. Whitewash picked up on this and decided not to give it to him, so he flapped his wings and flew up to the dangling ring-like chain hanging down from the beam with Tundra right behind him. I noted on the way up that the dragons flew by long, powerful flaps that were much longer to execute than the flap of a pegasus. That could mean that we are better suited for darting and quick turns, which could provide useful in an escape.

When they reached the chain, the ice dragon grabbed Whitewash and wrapped the chain around his stomach three times - interestingly, there was no special harness or lock - but it seemed effective nonetheless, trapping his wings and leaving him dangling freely from the beam several feet above the ground, unable to move.

Next the dragon flew back down at landed right beside me, glaring at me. I was very frightened - I looked down and saw the other dragon at the end of the line, ready to freeze us all to death if I tried anything. In the back of my mind, I knew Thunderlane was still out there. As long as he was alive, we just might have a chance. But I will still overcome with the frustration of having found nothing in this cave.

I flapped my wings and hovered up to the circular chain hanging down from the cross beam. When I put my stomach over the frigid metal chain, the dragon grabbed my flank with his claws and wrapped it around my back twice, trapping my wings. It stung every area of my body that it touched from my back to my stomach. Then I too was left hanging freely from this chain right beside Whitewash. We were not terribly high - only about the height of about four ponies standing on top of each other, but just high enough so the dragons couldn't secure us from the ground.

Eventually this process was repeated for everybody. Blossomforth was brought up next just to my right, continuing down the line with Merry May, Buddy, and Clear Skies, so that she and Whitewash represented the right and left ends respectively. When we were all imprisoned, the dragons began to taunt us by flapping their wings on either side of us, causing us to bang into each other.

"No creature has ever escaped this," they jeered. I was shaking and trembling and began looking around in all directions, frustrated beyond imagination to find the missing foals. After a while I closed my eyes and fought tears, after which I felt the presence of a dragon right in front of me. I opened them ever so slightly and saw Glacier hovering right in front of me with a cruel smirk.

"This one misses his children," he noted, his nostrils literally right in front of my face with deep inhales. I turned my head to the side and closed my eyes entirely, focusing on deep breaths and trying so hard to think only of Rainbow Dash. I felt his slimy forked tongue on my neck and the eyes of everyone else watching us. "I can feel your sadness."

"Leave him alone," said Blossomforth in a brave tone. Glacier turned his gaze to her, aroused at her boldness. He gave her the same treatment, licking her face while she stared hatefully at him.

"Maybe Father will give you to me," he uttered.

Tundra did not seem to like the sound of this, however.

"I wanted those two... I saw the prisoners first," he hissed, pointing to me and Blososmforth. "If Father divides them between us, those two are mine."

"Between the two of us, I am the better in Father's eyes, so he will surely give them to me," Glacier hurled back at his brother.

Suddenly Tundra let out an enraged roar that shook the chains we were imprisoned in, and the two dragons began flapping higher in the air so that they were well above us. They began circling each other in air with hisses and growls, trying not to show an ounce of being intimidated to other. Then, without warning, Glacier nosedived to the ground in front of and just below where we were hanging from, at which Tundra followed closely and landed right in front of him.

"Father will give us nothing if this continues," growled Tundra, seething with anger but seemingly trying to calm himself. "Stay and guard the prisoners... I will go and get him," he muttered after which he immediately launched off and flew off to the side of the great hall into an unseen place that must have been another passage, because he disappeared and went completely silent. Glacier, meanwhile, snorted to himself and flapped himself angrily onto a perch that was near the top of this giant room looking down over everything. At least he was too high and far now to hear us or bother us too much.

Just like that, all the noise and drama had gone and the six of us were left hanging beside each other in silence. Though none of us said anything I could feel how demoralized and deflated we all were. No one knew where we were, and the only ponies who even knew we were out in these wilds were many miles were back in Equestria. My eyes began to swim. Despair, especially after all the hope that had come into my life in the days before, was the worst emotion I'd ever experienced, and it threatened to eat all of us alive.

Hanging there allowed the deeper questions to come back... Why me? Was I really a part of something bigger, or was I doomed along with everyone I was trying to save? My tears fell down into the pit of bones beneath us as I wondered how all of this could happen, how I had failed the mare who was the only reason I made it this far in life to begin with. I failed all the innocent faces that shined at me on the train station platform. I hadn't ended their suffering, if they were even alive.

When I had slipped out of my cloak before I had secured the feather in my mane on my right ear. What do I do now? I asked the one who gave it to me, wishing I could look into her eyes and thank her just one more time. I remembered then how there were many times in my life - even years where it looked bleak, but somehow this feather got me through all those times before and led me to an experience that was worth all of those hard times. This, however, was perhaps the bleakest it's ever looked. You've got me this far and you've never led me astray... Rainbow, despite her pedestal, never looked down on me. Not even when she learned who I really was.

"What do we do now?" Clear Skies whispered down the line to us.

"Nothing," replied Whitewash, staring ahead blankly as though the situation had overwhelmed him into a kind of calm madness. "It's over."

"What?" she asked, surprised and crushed. I looked up and around. There was no obvious way of escaping, that was certain. Everything seemed super in-place. The two ice pillars we were built on had no visible weakness, nor did these chains around our bodies. Then there was the fact that Glacier was watching and ready. There was no way he could hear our whispering, but he knew we were considering he was staring at us. He didn't seem to care that he couldn't hear us, like he knew it didn't matter. I always heard pride was a defining characteristic of dragons, and his face certainly lacked none of it.

"We just can't seem to catch a single break," remarked Merry May, in a soft cry.

"There's no way out of this," said Blossomforth, looking up at our prison defeatedly.

Whitewash was filled with rage and frustration. I looked into his eyes as he hung there. There was a lot of pain and - for the first time that I'd ever seen - fear in them. Particularly since the reservoir incident his eyes were always cold and uninterested in any interaction with me. But I got the sense there was something deeper about him than just an angry and unfriendly stallion. When the train of foals had left the previous day, I saw what to me looked like real love for his little brother in his eyes, and I saw it again now. Call it personal experience, but somehow I got the feeling that Whitewash had been struggling with something difficult well before any of this happened.

"I've always viewed the Princess as this great protector just like everyone else I guess... but this... I just can't-" muttered Blossomforth to herself.

"W-hat do you mean?" asked Clear Skies.

"How could she send us out here like this?" asked Blossomforth.

"She just wanted to save the foals!" replied Cleary.

"By damning us?" shot over Whitewash. "My little brother will have lost his big brother!"

"But... guys," pleaded Clear Skies, sounding more and more defeated herself.

"Oh for goodness sake, just kill it," dismissed Blossomforth angrily. "We have never had a chance out here. We're nobody. Celestia solved this problem by adding eight more young ponies to the death toll."

Clear Skies gasped, and started to cry. Even Merry May and Buddy seemed to believe Blossomforth, and of course Whitewash. Despair, fear, and failure was quickly dominating the hearts of all us. Of course her words and their expressions were like daggers to my insides, and with everyone I sought to give them some hope somehow but was not sure how to do it, and running out of energy myself.

"Well I accomplished zero in my short life," said Blossomforth to herself with a depressed realization, a comment that seemed more to herself than anything.

We are nobody... Those words rang over and over in my head. Rainbow seemed worthy of so much more than me that I barely even seemed fit to have known her at all. To make it even more obvious, beyond the fact that her absence was such a visible negative blow to the morale of this group and I was failing spectacularly to keep it together, to keep them from despairing. I could barely even keep myself from despairing. In the back of my mind I held out the tiniest hope that Rainbow herself would come through that entrance with all of the answers.

Maybe we were going to die out here in the middle of nowhere where no one cared about us. Even then, I thought, at least they had Ponyville to weep for them. I had no one to weep for me. Ponyville hated me and to add the greatest insult, I was about to fail them one last time when their children who meant so much to me.

Then, suddenly... No, Sonic! The Princess of World chose you over all the ponies in Equestria to save those kids! It was her voice again. You kept my feather for ten years... you never gave up.

"Princess Celestia chose you over everyone else in Equestria," I suddenly whispered to Blossomforth. Suddenly I was determined that she believe in herself, that they all believed in themselves. I wanted to be like conduit for Rainbow's encouragement.

Blossomforth stared at me as I held my ground and stared right back, unwavering. It seemed liked that simple fact hadn't occurred to them. Blossomforth especially seemed surprised and disbelieved that I could say such a thing, curiously studying me, and the more she did the softer she seemed to become - to my relief and replenishment.

"You are the most timid and afraid out of all of us," she remarked quietly. "And yet you're the one that refuses to give up."

"I think you all are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. I know I'm not right about everything, but I believe that. I've seen so much already. " I replied. I was as honest as I've ever been in my life. They'd survived the bitter cold. They'd beat an army of wolves with wings. Merry May was now looking at me as well, along with Buddy and Clear Skies.

"Well... I still think you're crazy, and that we're about to die a really painful death," remarked Blossomforth. "But I... I admire your heart, Sonic. You're really - I think I know why Rainbow- well, forget it."

Her comment caught me off guard, and at first I didn't really have a reaction; but coming from this no-nonsense mare I had to take it as a compliment and eventually it hit me rather powerfully. Knowing that I had must have had a positive influence on her was such a relief and an encouragement.

"Thanks," I replied genuinely, hoping she understood. She looked back at me and once again seemed receptive to my feelings.

"You have the gentlest eyes," she remarked, before turning away and shaking her head. "You know..." she started quietly and mostly to me, after a long silence. She still was not looking at me, though she occasionally glanced over bashfully. "I'll be completely honest, I just kind of assumed you really did mess up everything up at the reservoir. I mean I had no way of confirming it - you know, that you were the one who wrecked everything - but... seeing you out here, you really don't strike me as the lying type at all. You really didn't do it, did you?"

"With all my heart - no," I muttered, shaking my head desperately. Though I was exhausted and saddened from having to deny this allegation so many times, I was also suddenly encouraged and grateful for her willingness to believe me.

"I should've known... Spitfire wanting to believe you did it is a good enough reason for me to not believe it... as far as I'm concerned that's all the proof of your innocence that you need," she remarked, half serious and half sarcastic. It was a strange place to have a conversation like this with all of us dangling side be side in a line from our own personal chains wrapped around our bodies.

"That's my sister," she continued to me, motioning towards Merry May with her head.

"Really?" I asked, unaware of this revelation.

"She doesn't talk much," whispered Blossomforth to me. "She talks to Dainty Do a lot. Dainty is like her little sister," she added. "Dainty is one of the foals missing."

It made sense to me. Merry May had taken the news especially hard and had appeared ultra-determined on this trip. It created feelings of both sympathy and awe at their relationship as well as fear and sadness at their separation. It was all the more reason to keep going. I knew what she felt, as I too had a special personal connection with many of them.

"All you care about is getting those foals, isn't it?" she asked, suddenly looking and sounding as though she felt guilty. "I guess I've been pretty selfish on this journey, and my whole life for that matter," she continued, assessing herself to herself. There was definitely guilt in her eyes even if she wasn't crippled by it. This whole moment was a side of the mare that I had not yet seen, as she had been all tough-as-nails until now.

I looked up at the beam we hung from for any weaknesses. I looked the beams on either side as well.

"Good luck with that," remarked Blossomforth. "We can't escape with them watching. I can't move my wings or wiggle free without creating a huge ruckus," she added.

I looked up the ice dragon who was hundreds of feet above us, perched nearly at the top, his eyes watching us sinisterly as he laid with his claws folded underneath his chin.

"We need him and his brother to fight each other," I whispered to Blossomforth, looking straight ahead to avoid suspicion.

"You know," she said, staring ahead in realization. "I think you might be onto something."

"What did he say?" asked Clear Skies. Blossomforth leaned over and whispered to Merry May, who then started to whisper to Clear Skies. I kept my eyes locked forward while my heart rate raced. I was so tempted to look up at the dragon again. I didn't want to give anything away. I couldn't resist a quick peak. He was now very agitated, watching us intently, whereas before he was quite calm and confident. When I heard movement, I looked up again and saw that he was standing up and stretching his wings, preparing a descent.

"That's enough of that," he growled to us loudly, and all but Whitewash looked up fearfully at him.

Part of me wanted his father to arrive, and part of me did not. I wanted to talk to him and find out what he knew about those children. I remembered the fear in the Princess' eyes back in the castle as she scanned the map. From what I gathered it seemed possible that one way to interpret her expressions was almost like there was something out here she was too afraid to talk about. But what was that? Was it this king ice dragon, or something else?

"So... do you ever go outside the cave?" Clear Skies asked the dragon, casually.

"I do indeed," he replied, staring at her with interest.

"What do you do for fun?" she asked him next.

"Fun?" he repeated.

"Yeah, you know! Like what do you like to do the most?" she continued, rather eagerly.

"Hmmmm," he growled to himself with a claw on his chin. "Freezing moose, maybe," he remarked thoughtfully, and Buddy, Merry May, and myself gasped in unison, "though I also enjoy ambushing wolves since they seem to think of themselves as the terror the valley," he boasted.

"Huh, well that sounds like... fun, I guess," mused Clear Skies, though she was not entirely comfortable with her assessment.

"What about your brother? Do you like to play with him?" she asked.

"Play? Ha," he snickered.

"Don't you guys believe in friendship?" she prodded.

"Friendship? Psh..." he snarled, laughing at the word. "I think my mother talks about it sometimes, but my brother and I have found it to be worth nothing."

"So you and your brother have common ground on that?" she replied.

"Yes we do," he retorted.

"But don't you ever do anything nice for your brother? Doesn't he make you happy?"

Blossomforth, Merry May and to some degree Buddy were amazed and fascinated that this conversation had lasted this long and that Cleary's innocence had kept him entertained thus far. We just let it continue the way it was going. Glacier paused to think about his relationship with him, jeering at most of her ideas.

"I never do anything nice for him and he never does anything for me. Well, one time he did offer me one of his wolves... and another time I lied to our father so that he could avoid getting punished. And other times we've greatly enjoyed freezing wangdoodles to death together," he recalled, suddenly flashing signs of fondness for his brother before he shook his head. "But the guy's a wimp," he snorted.

"Your brother?" clarified Clear Skies.

"Of course," he chuckled.

"That's funny," said Blossomforth, drawing his attention. "He said the same thing about you when you were tying us up."

Glacier retracted his head and growled angrily. His eyes flickered with jealousy.

"What?" he asked menacingly, moving towards her with interest.

"It's true," said Merry May, suddenly joining the conversation. "I heard it myself."

"AGH! How dare that smug - !!!" he cried, looking in the direction that his brother had disappeared.

Suddenly though, there was a sharp silence as Glacier froze in anticipation. A feeling of dread that we could do nothing whatsoever about began to choke us. There was a sound like a faint wind from somewhere behind us that got increasingly louder. Then without warning, directly behind us there was a sound of some great physical impact or crash followed by what sounded like many shards of glass (or ice) falling all over the ground. The shards hitting the ground eventually subsided and we were left in a dead silence again... Until, that is... there was the sound of something very large inhaling deeply through it's nostrils right behind us.

At this point I was too terrified to turn around. All of us dangled there in silence, looking at each other fearfully. Glacier smiled wickedly at whatever was behind us. It was as if his father was daring one of us to speak, or turn around and look at him... first one to do so would get iced. Or eaten.

"Don't look behind you," I heard Blossomforth attempting to whisper to the three ponies on her left. I couldn't see his face but I could sense the pleasure he was taking in this little game. Then, finally...

"Look at all the fat on those bones..."

The voice was deeper, older, and even more threatening and fear-inducing than Glacier or Tundra's. It clearly belonged to a dragon much bigger than them, and we dared not turn our heads and look. I shivered I was so scared.

"You sound really big," said Clear Skies. "And really scary."

The large creature behind us seemed to sneer proudly at her comment, and after a series of sounds that sounded like a take-off, the large dragon entered our vision from the right hand side. He flew in and landed straight in front of us and and struck a pose showing off his enormous wingspan. He was magnificent dark blue with rough scales and featured a long tail and a spiky neck. He was fatter and thicker in the chest than than Glacier and Tundra, had a longer neck, and his eyes though small were piercing light blue in color. He shared their long jaws and his claws were huge. All in all he was probably twice as tall as Tundra and Glacier and three times as heavy.

"What do you think now?" he asked all of us. His expression featured an arrogant smirk, knowing exactly what a sight he was to us. I barely even paid attention to the fact that these were only the second dragons I'd seen in my lifetime, and the first up close; I had only seen large dragons from the ground flying high over me once before a few years ago.

"Awesome... and scary, no offense," muttered Clear Skies, though this time her voice was shaking. I pondered what to say to him myself, though I was so afraid to even look at him. Kids! I shouted at myself in my head. Rainbow would have the courage to ask him. More than that, Rainbow wouldn't even be afraid of him at all. I knew that was already way above me, but at least I could ask.

"I am King Avalanche," he remarked, pleased with her admiring and not offended in the slightest. "Tell me, what brings you to my kingdom? Are you looking to steal back your crystals?" he asked with a sudden hostility, narrowing his eyes menacingly.

"We have not come to steal from you," I told him, and it came out in more of a whine. I forced myself to look at him, and when he turned to me he his eyes loosened, probably because he saw how pathetically scared I was and how little of a threat I could ever pose. "We're looking for some lost foals of our kind - pony children. They took a train over the mountains and never made it through."

I felt the eyes of everyone except Whitewash. But mine remained on the king, pleading with all of my heart for some answers and some mercy. It seemed like for the last 18 hours now I had been fighting through this indescribable heaviness in my soul and mind, and now it was turned up to eleven. He looked at me and then he looked upwards as though in thought, and it certainly appeared as though something came to his mind and he smirked to himself. I was torn with anticipation, ready to devour whatever he told us.

But the timing was such that Tundra arrived behind him and caught the angry gaze of Glacier. He flew in from our left and came down to the right hand of side of his father, and Glacier continued to eye him from his father's right side. Eventually Tundra saw him.

"Here they are, Father," he said, flashing a smirk towards his brother. "Having found them first I believe that you should get three, I shall get one, and Glacier can have the leftover scraps-"

Before he could finish, Glacier left out a roar and spreading his wings flapped powerfully and leapt in his direction, crouching down in front of him and backing his brother away.

"I found them first! I heard them! I smelled them!" he cried, and his brother hissed back.

"I will see if your mother wants them first," said the father. At this both dragons ignored each other and turned to him with displeasure. I barely noticed - I still eagerly and desperately awaited an answer on the foals.

"Mother will not want to eat them!" Glacier cried.

"No! She will want to keep them alive!" added Tundra.

"My kinda girl," whispered Blossomforth.

Their Father seemed angry that they had both challenged and him and his eyes narrowed on them. Scootaloo, Sonic... Scootaloo and Pipsqueak and all the little children that need your help...

"King Avalanche!" I called loudly, to the shock of everyone; even silencing Glacier and Tundra. His head darted back so his piercing eyes were squarely on me. "Can you tell us anything about those foals? The pony children?"

He smirked to himself, thinking about something - he knew something about them, it was clear as to day to me. His smirking and hesitation was utterly torturous and driving me insane.

"I think I have a good idea of where they are," he muttered quietly.

"Where?!?" screamed everyone loudly, all except for Whitewash, though his head suddenly shot upward with intense interest. King Avalanche looked over at Tundra and Glacier, and they both waited for an answer apparently unaware of what he was talking about, though he seemed to be giving them hints in his expression.

"We do not associate with him," he muttered, looking down for a second as I studied his expression madly. I saw something in his eyes that looked like something between fear and respect. His pride would not allow him to ever admit that he was afraid, but there was definitely respect, there's no doubt about that.

"Who?" cried Clear Skies and Blossomforth.

"Where is he?" asked Merry May depserately.

"Are you saying they're alive?" I pressed, with no time in between answers.

The dragon seemed amused by our pestering with a malicious grin on his face, which was tremendously anxiety-inducing. He took his time between answers too, thinking carefully about what to say, and they were very possibly the most frustrating seconds of my life.

"They may very well be alive, my little ponies," he replied to us.

Time seemed to stop. The sheer shock of this revelation was mixed with the blast of relief and at the same time adrenaline and anxiety knowing that we may not be out here in vain after all, and that their salvation was perhaps not yet completely out of our hoofs. I think the others had similar reactions, as they said nothing and were completely frozen.

"Where are they?" I asked again.

"Please tell us!" cried Clear Skies.

"I don't know that it's in your best interest to go looking for them," he replied. His level of amusement seemed to be quickly fading into annoyance with our pestering and my eagerness to learn more. I didn't let that stop me from trying one more time. His comment was also somewhat disheartening, as he had all but confirmed that they were in grave danger. I started to try one more time.

"King- please-"

"I have nothing more to say on this subject!" he suddenly snapped angrily, moving directly in on me and sticking his face right in front of me with a terrible view into his piercing his eyes. I was unable to face them and immediately looked away and closed my own, praying and begging for deliverance from this nightmare.

As this happened, though, I heard something that caused me to open them again.

"My dear, what do we have here?" said a decidedly female voice.

We looked over and saw a new dragon in the lair, flying in excitedly from an unknown place. This dragon appeared young and was a shiny cross between light blue and light gray, with yellow eyes. Small blue spines ran down her back and her scales were smoother than the others'. She looked more similar to Tundra and Glacier than Avalanche, and the most similar to the dragonets we had seen earlier that presumably had kidnapped Thunderlane. Even without any references from the other dragons she was obviously a female and Glacier and Tundra's mother; she was a thinner and sleeker build and her face and expression were very feminine. Her eyes certainly did not seem as threatening or evil as Avalanche's, though they weren't exactly saintly either.

She seemed to be the about same height as Glacier and Tundra, if not a tad taller and not quite as thick in the chest. Like the others she walked on all fours and was more serpentine than Avalanche, with legs that were thick at the joints and thinned out moving towards her claws. She flew in and landed next to her sons, quickly advancing all the way right until she was right in front of us, eyeing us eagerly.

"My, my! What have we here?" she asked, going down the line of us. She studied us for a moment then seemed like she was waiting for something. "Well?" she continued, looking surprised at us like we should've known what she was talking about (we didn't have a clue). "Aren't you going to comment on my scales? Don't you think they're pretty?"

"You do have a really nice color," said Clear Skies, with sincerity in her tone. She was a rather magnificent sight, after all, like a living ice crystal. "And those spines are perfect!"

"Ha!" she chuckled with pride. "These creatures are delightful!" she replied. Glacier and Tundra looked at each other in agreement that this was a bad sign. Blossomforth turned and stared at Clear Skies before facehoofing herself in disbelief. "Tell me you aren't going to eat them?" asked the queen.

"YOU SEE?" cried Glacier and Tundra together to their father who in turn shot an irritated eyebrow raise to them.

"I was going to ask what you wanted to do with them, my queen," he replied in a quieter voice, seemingly hiding some disappointment. "It is rare that creatures with such fat on their-"

"No!" she interrupted. "These are not wolves, or wangdoodles - or yaks! They are far more intelligent. Besides, they would be lovely slaves of mine!" she declared happily.

"You don't need seven slaves!" said Tundra and Glacier simultaneously together once again.

"Why not? Am I not worthy?" she asked, suddenly sounding worried.

"We told you this was going to happen," said the two brothers to their father.

"Quiet!" he shot back at them and they hung their heads with deep annoyance.

Their mother looked over at us all. To my discomfort her eyes locked on me with great interest, though from what I could tell I saw no real evil in her expression. She moved towards me as I started to shiver and this pitiful look came over her like she felt bad for me and was going to make it all better.

"Now now my sweet creature, don't be afraid!" she offered in a tender voice, and she reared up and with her snout coming right up to my face so I was left staring straight into her huge yellow eyes. She stuck her index talon directly under my chin - it was extremely sharp and was mildly painful even with how gentle she was being. "Doesn't that sound nice, being my slave? If you serve me well I will treat you with much kindness. I will look after you."

It forced my eyes shut, so I tried my best to relax. I believed that she was sincere, but it seemed like it wasn't a great idea to tell her that my idea of a happy life wasn't exactly being her slave... even if she was a kind master. Now that I had confirmation that the kids were most likely alive, I was desperate for an escape plan. But at that moment it occurred to me that she was very likely our way of surviving and for all I knew if we angered her we could be scraps of food in Glacier or Tundra's teeth. I tried to find something about her that I could appreciate, even if she had the all vanity that one would a expect a dragon to have. She was, after all, at least trying to make me feel better.

"See? I'm not so bad, am I?" she said with a smile as she sensed my appreciation. I felt the eyes of my teammates and sensed that maybe they weren't sure if I was being serious or just acting for the sake of pleasing her.

"This is your fault! I told you we should've eaten them right then and there!" roared Glacier to his brother suddenly.

"What? How dare you! I would've shared them with you in the cave if you hadn't complained," replied his brother, and the two began circling each other.

"I am sick of this nonsense," snarled King Avalanche to them, but they ignored him and suddenly met each other in mid air and the cave was filled with snarls and roars and the other sounds that come from two dragons fighting. King Avalanche growled and zeroed on them. The queen still stood right next to me as all seven of us including her looked on at the spectacle with no words.

"Excuse me, my queen," I asked her humbly over the growls and roars. I put as much respect that I could in the way I talked to her like a servant would. She turned and looked at me full of gratitude and pleasure at my referring to her that way as well as happy and ready to answer. The rest of my team looked at me once again with open mouths. They didn't know what I was doing yet. "What is your name so that I may address your highness properly?"

"My sweet servant," she replied, absurdly pleased and seemingly full of kindness. I'm sure my fear of her helped my sincerity. "I am Queen Blizzard," she said, and she stroked my mane with her talon. "I will protect you from everything. All I ask is for your loyalty."

"What a regal name," I replied in a whisper, and she smiled broadly with approval. "My queen, can you tell me anything about lost pony children out in the valley?" Without looking at them I somehow felt the rest of my team realize for good what I was doing now.

As for her, she didn't speak initially. When I asked her expression faded into more pity and uneasiness like she didn't want to tell me.

"Those are your friends?" she asked with concern, and we nodded. "I believe they are with the white-eyed one, my dear little pony," she muttered.

"Can you tell me where he lives? Does he live in the valley?" I asked, trying to hide my eagerness to find out but probably failing.

"He lives in the valley, and I know it is up that way (she pointed to the west of the cave entrance), but that is all I can tell you," she muttered, looking away sadly. But then... there was a terrible yell.

"ENOOOUUUGGGHHH!!!!"

King Avalanche's roar destroyed our ears and the entire mountain seemed to shake. Shivers ran down my spines and rattled my insides. The rest of cave went silent as the echoes from his thunderous scream died out. Glacier and Tundra, meanwhile, had stopped fighting in an instant and were now embracing in each other's arms and shaking with fear as they looked up at their father. While he stood before them fuming, and all of us looking on white as ghosts, there was a suddenly a noise amidst all the silence from above. A noise that sounded like... yelping.

All other sounds, including Avalanche's heavy breathing, suddenly went away. The raw fear on everyone's expression (including mine) turned to wonder as all eyes turned upward in anticipation. It was familiar yelping that belonged to the young dragonets who kidnapped Thunderlane. When King Avalanche heard it, he flung his neck and head around looking upward with intensity.

"Woo hoo!" suddenly cried Thunderlane. He came down through an unseen entrance and was standing on the backs of two of the dragonets as the other one circled playfully around him in midair. My heart leapt out of his chest. They all came crashing down until they finally landed gently on the cave ground back towards the wall from which we'd entered in, so that they were between us and the big dragons. They all landed rather ungracefully, though they seemed to all be alright; after they landed they began wrestling playfully like they had before and the dragonets jumped around him, biting harmlessly.

I myself was at a loss for words, as was everyone else. Here I was so concerned for him and so hopeful that he would help us escape that the shock of seeing him enter like this - without even acknowledging us or the big dragons for that matter - was beyond incomprehensible to me. Thunderlane and his new friends literally ignored everyone for a solid thirty seconds while everyone stared in silence at them. Glacier and Tundra had separated but sat by side still as statues, and Avalanche stood frozen, his mind struggling to compute the situation.

"Hey there!" he finally said to everyone, picking himself up and brushing himself off. "Ow, stop that!" he cried with a giggle as one of the dragonets nipped his wing, and he laughed more when another one nudged him behind with it's snout. I was trying so hard to think of what he was doing, and why he'd blown his cover in such a way, but the dragons weren't doing anything, other than the baby ones playing with my friend. "Hey - we talked about that, stop it," he said to one of them, acting as though he was loving every minute of their attention and even shoving back and whipping his tail around for them.

"Thunderlane... are you ok?" asked Clear Skies slowly, her voice full of concern. Thunderlane completely ignored and looked around and admired the setting casually, nodding his head.

"Nice place you got here... lots of space," he remarked. Blossomforth and I looked at each other dumbstruck for answers, and came up with nothing before we looked back with squinted eyes.

"*Who* are *you*?" uttered Avalanche.

"Hm... the children seem to like him!" remarked Queen Blizzard, impressed. She was standing right in front of me and looked over at Avalanche as though to see if he agreed with her, and he most definitely did not. He was still at a loss with a raised eyebrow in deep thought and disbelief.

"Sorry... how rude of me! My name's Thunderlane," he replied, dusting himself off again and trying to give some space between him and the dragonets. "I have to ask, are these - are these your children?" he inquired, pointing to the dragonets with a smile before looking over at the Queen, who seemed to be deeply impressed with him being such buddies with her hatchlings. "I gotta tell you, these are great kids - I mean I hope you spoil them to death," he went on.

"Seize him," commanded Avalanche angrily, pointing his talon at him.

"Wait!" cried Blizzard in Thunderlane's defense, looking him over. "This one is quite handsome for his kind," she said. Thunderlane might not want me to point out that she may have been influenced in this declaration by the fact that as one who bore a striking resemblance to her dragon babies, he also actually kind of looked like her a little bit too. Moreso than Avalanche did anyway.

"Who, me?" he said, as though trying to play it off. Then he gave Queen Blizzard a look over and raised an eyebrow of wonder. "Look who's talking, you're the most beautiful dragon I've ever seen! Maybe the most beautiful *anything* I've ever seen," he remarked in a smooth-talk, and the young mother dragon was beyond happy with his comment.

"This isn't happening," muttered Blossomforth in disbelief next to me. "Are you seeing this too? Are you hearing this? Please tell me you are... and if you aren't then just tell me you are anyway," she said to me, though I didn't look over at her. My gaze remained squarely on Thunderlane.

"Come to your mother, my children!" Blizzard encouraged, stretching out her claws as though encouraging them to come to her. The dragonets saw her and yelped with excitement, leaving Thunderlane standing by himself and running to their mother. They ran freely into her open forelegs and she wrapped her long around them all for a very mutually enjoyed reunion, though it was very brief and they left her to go to back to playing with Thunderlane.

"Wow, I wish you were the mother of my kids," remarked Thunderlane to the queen, who gasped with flattery and touched her chest with her claw. Avalanche was beside himself.

"Ohhh boyyy... he's cracked," said Blossomforth to those of us on the chains, shaking her head with terrible pity.

"What do you mean?" asked Clear Skies.

"He's gone nuts," she replied. But I disagreed.

"I don't think so," I replied in a whisper, locked in on him.

"Your children?" asked Queen Blizzard.

"I don't have any children actually. Yet, that is. I definitely want some though," he replied, and she raised her head. Then he looked happily back at her dragonets as they surrounded him once more. "These kids of yours... they are just such a *distraction*."

When he said distraction, he put a strange emphasis on it, and more importantly, when he did he had looked over and made eye contact with us for just the moment that he said it. Even without that word the flicker in his eyes was all I needed, and I gathered that Blossomforth picked up on it at that moment too. We realized that the dragons were paying no attention to us whatsoever.

"We've got to escape," I muttered, my heart suddenly racing.

I started to look around at the frantically at our entrapment. I experimented shifting my body around in the chains to see if I could loosen anything, but the way they were wrapped around my body made it almost impossible to slip out of, certainly not without rattling and making tons of noise.

"Anybody got any suggestions?" said Blossomforth, suddenly deeply invested.

"This thing can't be that strong can it?" asked Merry May in a whisper.

"These chains are so thick it's ridiculous. Where did they even get these? And how they did they get them around that thing like shower curtain rings?" asked Blossomforth. "You got any ideas Clear Skies?"

"Well, we could ask them to release us," she said, which prompted another face-hoof from Blossomforth.

I was growing more and more frustrated. Glacier and Tundra were now circling each other again on the other side of the cave, hissing, looking ready to fight. I looked over to check on Thunderlane; though he remained where he was originally, Queen Blizzard and King Avalanche seemed to be closer to him than they'd been before, which is what allowed us to talk to each other. But Thunderlane was essentially backed against a wall and had nowhere to go. Avalanche still looked unamused with his antics... *very* unamused. Meanwhile Blizzard seemed to completely adore him - he lavished on the compliments, many of which even seemed genuine on his part - and every second of it seemed to feed Avalanche's building hatred and Blizzard's growing love.

"We've got to get out of here now!" I whispered, getting extremely frustrated and desperate.

"There's no way out of this! It's a genius way of trapping creatures," cried Merry May in distress.

It seemed as though it didn't matter that Thunderlane was so beautifully and bravely distracting our captors. It seemed like we were going to waste away this opportunity to escape, and instead of saving the kids, instead of reuniting with Rainbow Dash, we were going to be Queen Blizzard's slaves for the rest of our lives if not eaten or frozen to death. I was beginning to lose my mind; this entrapment was airtight, and not even my little blue feather could spring us free. I wanted so badly for Rainbow to come in and rescue us. If she were here, I thought, she'd know what to do. How I wished so badly she was. I had reached a point of anxiety where she was all I could think of.

"I've got an idea."

It was not Blossomforth or Merry May or Clear Skies who said this. It came from the very end of the line, furthest away from me - I barely heard him. It was Buddy. I swung forward to try to get a look at the docile stallion. His expression was scared like it normally was, but I saw that he believed in something that I was eager to hear. With all eyes on him, he gulped.

"Look up at that beam," he said, referring to the cross bar that ran parallel with the ground and connected the two straight standing pieces together forming the h shape. The beam that our chains were hanging from around. I studied it intensely, looking for some sign of weakness.

"What about it?" whispered Blossomforth, looking up at it with nothing, as I did initially as well.

"I don't think it's secured. It was slid into place, not made into place."

"But what does that mean to us?" asked Clear Skies. Then, suddenly, my heart stopped... it occurred to me.

"It means that it could slide out," I muttered, almost too quietly for them to hear. Blossomforth thought madly for a second, and then the lightbulb went off in her head as her eyes and mouth widened.

"Yes," she muttered. She turned to me and we were mutually excited.

"It's worth a shot," I pleaded to them, my adrenaline pumping through my veins as I hoped for the best.

"What is?" cried Clear Skies in a whisper.

"We have to swing back and forth, side by side," said Blossomforth, looking straight ahead.

"How?" she asked.

"We'll lock limbs," whispered Merry May. "Lock limbs, swing side to side, and the shifting weight should eventually slide one side of the beam out of the one of the pillars."

"Wait... what if they look back and see us? What if they hear us?" asked Buddy concernedly.

We all looked over at the dragons. Thunderlane I could tell was getting a little nervous as he looked up into Avalanche's eyes, his claws stepping forward towards him ever so slowly. Both adult dragons' eyes were squarely on him, with two polar opposite expressions. The dragonets danced and played around him. Between their yelping, Thunderlane's talking, and Glacier and Tundra's fighting and snarling in another part of the cave, there might have been just enough noise to shield us.

"We have to try," said Merry May with a heavy heart.

We all exchanged soulful looks and in the moment of silence we agreed that we had no other option. We were all scared, but we at least we had each other. We hesitated for a moment but then we straightened out. I reached to my right and grabbed Blossomforth's hoof and wrapped my right front ankle around her left one. Going down the line everyone locked limbs with their eyes nervously in front of them. I knew this was our only chance.

I reached my left hoof out but it was not met with anything. I turned and saw Whitewash with his head down and his limbs relaxed. His eyes were open and he stared dejectedly at nothing in front of him. My heart dropped. We couldn't do anything without him. He'd been such a force in our battle against the wolves, I knew that this devoted big brother had to have something left in him.

"Whitewash?" asked Clear Skies from down the line as everyone looked over at him. He did nothing to acknowledge her.

"Whitewash," said Blossomforth in a very serious hush. "I know that this seems like a waste of time. But I think he's really onto something here. This beam does not look secured in those pillars. It's worth a shot."

In truth I was at that moment deeply afraid that he was going to ignore the mission and condemn us to one of the fates I mentioned by not participating. The entire time since we got off the train it seemed like he was just moments away from quitting. It seemed that way, but yet here he was. I knew that he had a soft spot and that he wanted to see his brother again. I knew that he was suffering. I could relate strongly to both of those feelings, although instead of a brother it was Rainbow, my hopes and dreams, and my dear Scootaloo and her friends.

"Whitewash... we can't do this without you," I whispered. "Please..."

He did not acknowledge me. He continued to hang there dejectedly with no motion. With every second that passed and he did nothing, my hope faded and faded and I felt the morale of the other ponies slipping. When my eyes began to water from the pain that was swelling inside, I suddenly noticed his his head lifting ever so slowly. At a speed slower than a sloth, his eyes made their way upward, and in slow movements his eyes wandered from both pillars on either side of the H. Our heart beats subsided and our hope returned. He stared then began to stare into space. This lasted longer than I anticipated, and just like that the doubt was starting to build again....

His eyes widened and emotion came back to his face. He looked over at my outstretched and limb and immediately wrapped his hoof around my ankle.

The adrenaline shot through my body as I looked down at the rest of the team. We all looked straight ahead, and the only sounds in the cave were from everyone else but us. We fully comprehended what was at stake - especially now that we had finally got a lead on the lost children - and that made doing our job that much more difficult because of the enormous pressure that was on the situation. When I had locked ankles with Blossomforth I realized we were both sweating pretty profusely. This was it. Then we began to sway.

I shifted my weight the opposite way that Blossomforth did at first and Whitewash's weight seemed to be pulling himself away from me as well. As a group we went nowhere. We tried again, and this time me, Whitewash, and Blossomforth were together; our weight shifted ever so slightly to the left; Clear Skies, Merry May, and Buddy however went right. Us three on the left held our weight, then when the three on the right went left, we released - we had gotten our first shift in the same direction as a group. We didn't hardly move, but when we came back the other way, we went the tiniest bit further.

We kept doing this for another minute or so, and the distance we traveled as a team got the smallest bit further, but it seemed like we'd have to move more in quicker for this to work. My breathing was getting faster and faster - all of my energy and focus went into shifting my weight with the team. We had it down as a team now. Left.. Right... Left.... Right..... Many lives depended on getting us to sway further back and forth and shake the center beam loose from the two pillars. A few more seconds passed, and suddenly I was passing over a greater amount of bones. I looked back at the rest of them and saw that they were just as anxious and determined as I was, and I added that to my source of strength alongside the precious blue feather nestled away in my ear.

"You been lifting with your chest? Very nice work, looks great," I heard Thunderlane say to Avalanche in an attempt to appease him. Thunderlane was now very nervous, though he still somehow seemed to be playing it off well to them. "Let me ask you this - what do you eat after a workou- "

"What does he eat? Too much!" replied Queen Blizzard, essentially shooting down his attempted compliment and Thunderlane knew it. But before she continued, he looked over and saw us going side to side and after a quick glance he immediately went back to them trying with all his might not to show any reaction to us that might give us away. "He's gotten fatter. He can't even fit through the main cave entrance!"

Avalanche growled in her direction, though lucky for us he didn't look completely as we were behind her from his vision. It was the most nerve-racking moment in my life... if at any time they looked in our direction they would've seen us swaying back and fourth. We were now swaying for several seconds in either direction, each one getting a lit bit longer than the previous. Everyone including Whitewash was giving their maximum effort and attention. It wasn't just shifting your weight. It was fighting through the dizziness. It was keeping quiet when you knew they could look back any second and all would be lost; the chains themselves were not super noisy though they were making some sounds. If this plan worked, if we somehow pulled this off...

Suddenly as we swayed, we felt the beam move ever so slightly... it slid maybe a couple inches. We swayed back the other way as a team and felt the weight of us shift the beam in the other direction and when we topped out to the left, the beam shifted that way slightly more than it did before. We went back in the other direction and it slid a little further. Then again.

Every time we reached our furthest point at a team where we stopped before swinging back the other way we all looked up at the beam we hung from frantically. It got to the point where the the suspense of whether or not it was going to finally slide out became almost unbearable. Each of us was trying so hard and we knew how close we were and how easy a look back could end it all. I made a point to make eye contact with each one of them so they knew that I believed in them as Rainbow did. Everyone - including Whitewash and Blossomforth - was fully invested in the effort.

Avalanche was closing the gap between him and Thunderlane, who I could tell even though I couldn't hear them anymore was losing his confidence and couldn't resist a few more glances in our direction. Though our stress levels were at an all time high and we toiled away at a level that was hardly possible, I was deeply and consciously impressed with him. You're doing wonderfully my friend... just a little bit longer!!!!

With limbs locked, we swayed to the left so far the Whitewash was able to touch the left pillar... several seconds later on our shift to the right Buddy touched the other one, and the beam we hung from slid several inches if not more than a foot every time we maxed out on one side. At the height of anxiety again my thoughts naturally turned to Rainbow Dash. We're doing it Rainbow!! We haven't given up!!! The thought of seeing her again was on my mind. As was getting those kids out of there. Hang on, we're coming to get you!!!

One single sway now felt like an eternity as we moved across the length of the beam and we all watched the beam breathlessly at the end to see if it would slide out, hoping desperately that it would, and if it didn't then we went right back to work with even more effort on the next try. I shifted my weight left and we trekked across - I looked over and saw Thunderlane's smile had faded and he had lost all confidence.

"I hate you," hissed Avalance, to which Thunderlane backed up in fear.

"H-hate? That's s-such a strong word," he muttered, sweating bullets. He was shaking with his flank pressing against the wall and his eyes full of fear as Avalanche began to move in on him. Queen Blizzard cried out in very loud protest while the dragonets surrounded Thunderlane to try to protect him from their father if completely in vain.

"COME ON!!!" I screamed as we approached a result and seeing Thunderlane's imminent harm. At my yell everyone else let out the cries they'd been bottling up, and the dragons' heads whipped around. We moved all of our weight together and Whitewash actually moved a few feet past the pillar on our side. As we came to a halt, we all looked up and felt a massive shift in the upper beam towards our side. Then... on the opposite side - Buddy's side - the middle beam that we hung from slid entirely out of the hole and came thundering to the ground.

Quite the Subplot

Princess Luna had noticed her sister still standing outside on the observation platform that had been set up for them right outside of the massive tent that had also just been built for them. She gathered that her sister had been standing there next to the roaring fire pit in icy winds for an almost hour. She seemingly hadn't moved at all during that time, her eyes locked on the west where the mountains into disappeared the dark swirls of clouds. It was a dark and grey atmosphere with moderate snow and occasionally brutal winds.

She had just gotten back from helping out other ponies with their tents of shelter and she attempted to comfort the parents and families of those with missing little family members. As difficult and emotionally distressing a task as that had been, she now wondered if she faced the hardest case of all in her own sister who had been so quiet since they departed. Princess Luna herself was no stranger to sadness and loneliness and her sister had always been there. But now it was her looking out at her sister who stood so alone in a gray darkness that was almost like night.

She was so still. Luna wondered if anything different stirred in her heart than what stirred in her own restless one. She knew that doubt had to be one of the strongest feelings in her. She hoped that guilt was not one, though she sensed it was.

"This is not your fault, you know," she said, finally walking out as she came to a halt at her sister's side. She glanced over with a caring gaze but her sister's eyes remained squarely on the mountains with a serious and unchanging expression that could do nothing but hope. After receiving no response Luna looked over at her again hoping for a more effective effort. "You do know that, don't you?"

"They've been gone for almost twelve hours now," she finally remarked with no change of emotion.

"My heart tells me they're alive," replied Luna.

Celestia did not change. Her face remained still and her eyes locked on the mountains to the west. Her sister sensed the thoughts swirling in her sister's head, but she remained so resolute and unresponsive. She wouldn't even give the slightest glance over at Luna, which was very troubling to her. Luna took a deep breath and stared out at the mountains alongside her. She felt terrible for the little ones but also the team going to get them, each of whom she was able to bond with before sending them off.

They stood there like that for several minutes. Eventually Luna began to think that she had no shot at getting through to the white princess, so she sadly lowered her head and began to walk back towards the tent. It was at this time that her sister spoke again.

"That valley is so dangerous... Do you think we should have sent them in after them?" Princess Luna heard her sister ask in a whisper. She turned around quickly.

"The team? Yes, of course," she responded, walking back to her sister's side and staring squarely at her. "We cannot leave our little ones to die out there by themselves without a fight. We have to try."

Princess Celestia lowered her head and sighed, finally breaking her concentration.

"That's what I thought," she whispered back, shooting her sister glance, though she still wondered if it was fair to have the team risk their lives in this way, especially now that many hours had passed.

Princess Luna saw how tormented her older sister was as her eyes went from the mountain, to the village streets, and finally to the heavens above. There was so much that weighed on the both of them - even the air itself seemed to have some supernatural heaviness to it - and they'd been working so hard that they hadn't had a chance to weep for the children, for the team, or even for themselves. There was nothing left for them or anyone else to do but place all their hope and faith in the team.

"Do you think Spitfire has what it takes to lead those ponies?" asked Princess Luna. She had visited them in the dreams of them all before they had left as the train sped north. Though she had told no one, not even her own sister, she knew that certain ponies - including Spitfire - had not had the most encouraging dreams.

"Given what she's accomplished with the Wonderbolts, it would seem so," she said, finally showing a change of emotion; the question prompted a glance in Luna's direction, almost as if to suggest that she had been possibly questioning it herself. "Why do you ask? Do you think that Spitfire's titles and accomplishments have gotten to her head?"

"I think it's entirely possible, if not probable," she replied.

Another silence followed as they both looked up at the towering mountains right before them and the raging winter clouds that surrounded them, only wondering what the team could be enduring at this given moment.

"Out there in those conditions, the true leaders will emerge, titles or not," muttered Princess Celestia, before she took a deep breath. "If leaders out there, they will emerge. If they're not, then they won't," she continued, as a particularly unsettling feeling came over the both of them. "I'll tell you one thing, my sister. We're about to find out a lot about our subjects and ourselves."

"Maybe Miss Dash... I think injuring her wing has been quite humbling for her," whispered Princess Luna. "Nothing is more humbling for a pegasus, especially one as proud as her."

Princess Celestia sighed, lowering her head in distress.

"I wonder if I regret letting her go out there," she remarked quietly. "I'm not sure how she fits in with the team unable to fly... unable to flee or defend herself. Yet my only other option to keep her from going out there would've been to throw her in the dungeon. But maybe that was the better-"

"No, sister," replied Princess Luna tenderly. She was beginning to see that her sister was chained not just by the horrible situation itself, but the heavy burden of guilt that she seemed to bear. "Rainbow's will is strong... She will not go down quietly. And more importantly, there is a pony out there who's will is just as strong if he only has her to encourage him."

At this, Princess Celestia turned towards her sister with a look of strong emotional distress. She stared straight ahead for a moment and then buried her head in her right wing, and began to cry. Princess Luna decided that she couldn't take anymore herself and wrapped herself around her sister as the two engaged in an emotional embrace that was long overdue.

"Sonic's past is not your fault, you know that," she whispered. "You have no control over the actions of his parents, nor the late discovery of his innocence in Ponyville."

"It's not just his parents. He was cold and alone for a long time. It may well be that he's not the only one out there," she muttered, resting her chin on the top of her sister's head and pondering what other Sonics might be out there, besides the little ones that were lost to the valley. "I know he's not."

Princess Celestia had wanted to believe her sister that there was nothing she could've done. How his parents could have done what they did, she didn't understand. But she also knew that many ponies besides his parents had failed him throughout his life considering the state she discovered him, and that reflected upon her. To make the already unbearable pain even worse, they had also just learned only hours before that Sonic was dismissed by the entire town of Ponyville for a error that he did not commit.

"Poor stallion," remarked Princess Luna admiringly, picturing his kind and humble stare. His dream featuring the dark woods and the perishing little ones he was desperate to save was among the most moving that she had ever seen.

"I know," replied Princess Celestia tenderly, who now also imagined his gentle gaze. "His fate is tied to those children."

"I can confirm that it is," replied Luna sadly. "His dream confirmed beyond any doubt that he deeply cares for those foals. If any one of them is lost, then a happy life may well be lost for him."

"That is true of Rainbow as well. If one of them does not return, the other is doomed... and if any of the little ones are lost, they are doomed, at least for a great long time," added Princess Celestia, and the two traded soulful looks.

After a long silence of deep thought between the both of them it occurred to Luna that there was something she had wanted to ask Celestia for some time now, ever since they met with the team back in Canterlot and made plans. She was anxious to ask it, and though she did not want to make her sister any more uncomfortable then she already was, she also needed to know.

"Sister... I know there something about this mission that you are not telling me."

Princess Celestia withdrew herself and stood in front of her, looking straight at her. In her heart she was afraid she knew what she might be referring to, but she wasn't completely sure.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I know you, sister," continued Luna, holding her ground. "I know that there are many things that are weighing your heart. The little ones, the team, the morale of Equestria, Miss Dash, Mr. Sonic, and more perhaps. But there was a fear in your eyes back in Canterlot that was not any of those things. What, may I ask, was it?"

Princess Celestia had fought to hide these emotions from everyone, especially her sister, but she knew that Luna was the only one who would eventually see through it. The only reason she had done this was to refrain from causing her anymore angst and worry. On the one hand though, she was surprised that Luna hadn't guessed yet.

"Do you really not remember?"

"Remember what?"

"The Valley of White Death... is not named so for its weather," remarked Princess Celestia quietly. Luna searched through her memories gasped when it hit her.

"You think it's White Death himself?" asked Princess Luna.

Just then the captain of the royal guard appeared behind them. He was a large chestnut stallion of about forty, waiting for the green light to approach.

"It's ok Captain, come here," said Celestia. He walked up to her side and saluted. "At ease. This is informal for the time being. Talk freely."

"Your Highness," he replied, relaxing out of his salute. "There is nothing to report, other than that many ponies seem to be arriving here off the trains."

"Hmm... interesting. Most of Ponyville was already here I thought?" she said out loud. "Captain, I may request your counsel on how to proceed should certain suspicions of ours be realized."

"Yes, your majesty," he replied stiffly.

"I know you're curious, so I will tell you," started the Princess. "A thousand years ago, there were reports of strange occurrences in some of the northern villages. Where today would be the outskirts of Whinneapolis there were some disappearances, some of which included even foals."

The recollection of the event was so visibly unpleasant and uncomfortable for her that Luna almost asked her to stop mid-telling, and a growing part of her no longer wanted to hear the rest of this story already, though she already knew it.

"The ponies there began to refer to something in the land that they called 'white death'," continued Celestia, breathing deeply with long pauses. "Well... It turns out, there was a strange and evil creature that was haunting the woods of the north. This being, an ancient spirit of our like, would lure unsuspecting ponies under a mask of friendliness. He would talk them for a great while, but it was all so he could bring them down from within."

"So why did they call him 'white death'?" inquired the Captain. Her sister took a few more deep breaths, wanting nothing more than to rid herself of the memory of this being's face.

"His eyes... they were pure white, unlike any eyes all of Equestria. A cloudy, milky white... Eventually, like Tirek if you remember, he absorbed the magic out of a victim pony when they stared long enough into his white eyes. Only unlike Tirek his victims did not-"

Princess Celestia began to choke on her words, eventually lifting her eyes to cloud-covered stars above for help. Princess Luna, meanwhile, was reciprocating all of her worst feelings.

"His victims did not survive."

"What happened?" whispered the Captain, overcome with horror.

"Eventually we discovered and uncovered his whereabouts and attacked him with a host of royal guards. He eluded us at first, but when I threatened the of elements of harmony against him, he fled and never showed himself again..." she continued, lost in her own story as she stared into the oblivion and Luna saw her reliving the battle in her eyes. "He fled us with great fear... but not before-"

Princess Celestia stopped her story once more and lowered her head.

"You think he fled to this valley, didn't he? He is the reason you banned trains passing over the mountains above the valley," asked the Captain. Celestia, whose head was still down with her eyes closed, nodded her head.

"We never heard from him again," she finally continued. "I assumed that he would never again present himself as he obviously recognized the power of the elements. The ponies from the area he ravaged never spoke of him again, and back then there was no radio or established press so his legend quickly died out. Several things about him that are unclear, but it can be certain that he is deeply jealous of the pure-hearted. That is why he hates children most of all."

"He will have a special hatred for Sonic. And many others as well - Clear Skies, Merry May, Buddy..." started Princess Luna, as indescribable worry overcame her. "Sister... if you suspected it was him why didn't you tell them about this creature before they left?"

"Their courage hung by a thread," replied Princess Celestia, burying her face in her wing once more as she fought hard to repel the pain in her heart. "I couldn't make it more difficult for them then it already is, then they could already bear, especially if by some chance he's not behind this - which he may not be. Ice dragons and other creatures are fearsome enough, I figured, and that may be all that the team needs to overcome."

Princess Celestia said this but in her heart something inexplicable began to tell her that the evil creature they called White Death was in fact responsible. She had avoided thinking about him at all costs, but this was becoming harder and harder.

"What is this creature capable of?" asked the Captain.

"One of his more disturbing qualities," stuttered Princess Celestia, who once again needed a moment to regain herself as she was tortured interiorly. "Is that he takes on the general appearance of his most recent victim, though he still retains his distinguished eyes," she uttered. "The good news is he lacks Discord's raw magical powers and ability to create. I believe his power must be drawn from others, that he does not have an infinite supply of it," she continued, and Luna finally experienced a small-if-fleeting feeling of relief. "But he is more evil than Discord ever was and likely more intelligent. He hides his malevolent nature from those he wishes to exploit, as he did to me and my sister."

Princess Celestia stared sadly at her hooves for a great many reasons, but one of those feelings was very old compared to the others, though not far off in terms of the level of pain it delt her. The truth was that she had lost one of her most beloved protégés to this monster all those years ago...

A young unicorn stallion had climbed through the ranks of the royal guard all the way to Captain. He loved the Princess, who cared deeply for him in return. Leading the guards against him, he fought White Death bravely, but he fell to the villain's white eyes before she could present the elements of harmony against him.

She never spoke about her former student, not even to her sister. She still thought of him from time to time, and remembering his smile and enthusiastic loyalty had brought her both happiness and sadness. Though now he was just another source of pain in a sea of sorrow that hit her from all angles, affecting so many different ponies from the children to the children's families to the team and to their members' families.

Together, the two sisters looked up at the sky and saw for the first time break in the clouds above where a few rays of sunlight pierced an opening in the clouds creating a brilliant pink and white. Behind them were a few twinkling stars shining in a purple sky. As quickly as the skies had opened, they shut, and darkness covered the land once again.

* * *

Bucky Quill's eyes opened to a diminishing fire, down to smoldering red ash-covered sticks. It was the fire that was keeping him asleep, and he realized that it's imminent death was the reason he had woken up; he was freezing, even with three heavy blankets on him. He sat up and saw his two assistants sleeping in cots on either side of him, shivering and shaking.

"Oh no!" he cried, and threw off the blankets to rush to the front of the tent.

He stepped outside and instantly a blast of arctic air hit like a wall, though he ignored it and looked around in all directions. There were still tents all around him, and just like it was when he drifted away for a nap it was very quiet. Smoke came out of some tents while a few ponies walked slowly and sadly around him, usually with another pony or two. The towering mountain range to the north stretching down into the west was still right before him in the near distance, it's tall peaks covered with dark clouds. Snowflakes fell all around him and thick clouds overhead made it so that it never felt like daytime in the first place. All in all, it seemed, not much had changed from when he went to sleep other than the completion of all these tents going up.

Now that he knew he hadn't missed any major developments and that the team couldn't have arrived while he was asleep, he breathed a sigh of relief. He noted how remarkable it was that this entire town had uprooted itself and built itself anew on these railroad tracks in the northwestern plains, all for the sake of the team and the children. Bucky had never done anything quite like this before... he left a very comfortable situation in Manehattan to come and report first hoof on this story that broke his heart when the situation was relayed to him through Fashion Plate through a private radio message. In his heart he actually quite liked the adventure, though he knew it needed to have a happy ending for it to be worth it.

Unable to stand the cold any longer - at least not without clothing on - he hurried back inside and stared irritably at his sleeping assistants shivering in the cold.

"Ash! Lucky!" he shouted, and the two of them shot up instantly with alert eyes, only to find Bucky staring with a raised eyebrow.

"You were supposed to wake me up if there were any developments," he remarked coldly.

"What happened?" asked Ash eagerly, the charcoal gray stallion, and Lucky - the green stallion - waited earnestly for Bucky's response as well.

"Nothing, it seems," replied Bucky calmly, walking over to his coat which he began to slip into. "But if there had been something, I wouldn't have known, because how can you tell me of anything if you're asleep?"

"Sorry," Ash remarked groggily, rubbing his eyes and trying to stand up.

"Come on, let's go," said Bucky, referring to the very large tent that was set up for the town in the center next to the railroad tracks where there was a big fire with chairs, couches, beds, and tables for the waiting town to use. "How long was I asleep?"

Lucky reached over and fumbled around for a pocket watch, and had a startled reaction when he finally looked at it.

"Uh... about six hours," he uttered, knowing his answer would not be well received.

"What?!?" muttered Bucky. "Geez, we're lucky nothing happened. Come on, I wanna check and see how my story was received," he continued.

After learning about Sonic Rain from local mares Lyra and Jetstream, he immediately scoured the town for Rainbow Dash to interview the suspected love interest of the intriguing stallion, but they made a truly startling and mind-blowing discovery; Rainbow Dash had left the town and ventured out into the Valley of White Death... by hoof. Following this revelation, which had shocked much of the town, he immediately went to the Princesses for more information though they were not able to provide him with much either.

From there, very quickly with help from his assistants, he typed up a brief summary of the situation and encouraged all of Equestria to will the return and safety of the team and the foals, along with a picture and a short paragraph biography for each pony that was out in the Valley (which for the most part Fashion Plate had gathered). With a little help from Princess Celestia's magic, he was able to send the story/summary along with all of the individual pictures to his office in Manehattan to be printed all over Equestria. He achieved all of this in just a couple hours after arriving.

"Grab coffee," ordered the handsome white gold-maned stallion, resting his glasses over his eyes as he finished up the touches on his tailored winter-coat. In order to check on the reception of his story back in civilization, he would need to head to the private train he came in on where he had a radio line set up to try and get in touch with someone back in Manehattan.

He exited the tent and stood at the door for a moment until he was joined on either side by his assistants. They all stopped inexplicably for a moment to experience the wind, of all things. Beyond the natural unpleasantness that many ponies feel at first, there is a spiritual feeling that accompanies a truly cold rush air... though the entire body is covered, a blast to the face sends shivers across the whole body and eventually makes its way into the soul so that it seems to give it an awareness of the world it hadn't had before. Though he did not know how, as Bucky looked across camp and beyond to the mountains, at that moment something informed him that - far from just Ponyville - a major event in the history of Equestria was unfolding, and that the true scale of this event and all it encompassed was well beyond his comprehension at that time.

He looked back to this assistants and found them staring in all directions with the same wonder that had been on his eyes. He looked across again and noted the long range of the north extending well out of view and the wide vast of plains as far as the eye could see behind them. It felt like on this corner of the world they were directly between Equestria and the heavens.

"You know... on second thought, let's head over to the big tent and warm up first," he said to them, which required no more coaxing or persuasion whatsoever for them to agree.

When the three arrived and entered the giant shelter tent, they stood deathly still at the entrance. There was a much different scene than had been there when they were in there beforehand, and Bucky's heart collapsed... The room was filled with ponies young and old from Ponyville, and not a single face in the entire room had even the slightest positive expression. Most of them appeared inconsolable. When he entered many eyes in the room turned towards him, acknowledging his celebrity status, but their demoralized expressions were only met with his free-falling morale. The emotionally shattered mares were especially difficult to look at, as it was immediately identifiable which of them were mothers with sons and daughters in the hooves of Spitfire, Rainbow, Sonic, and the rest of the team.

Bucky's hooves moved with painful slowness through the crowd while his eyes scanned the ponies closest to him. The worst part was the silence. Aside from whispers, ponies were afraid to speak their thoughts. A friend, brother, sister, father or mother with someone out there stared back at him with every stop, overwhelming him with the worst feelings he'd ever experienced in an incredibly short amount of time. His assistants trailed him, experiencing the exact same. He finally reached the back of the tent and settled down by the big fireplace, sitting back and putting his hooves on his head, staring ahead blankly while he succumbed to numbness and watery vision.

After some time, he happened look down and notice that he was sitting on a collection of pictures of young stallions and mares that were mostly from same collection he had used for the newspaper story. He scanned through them all and thanked each one of them in his heart for risking their lives for these ponies. The initial shock from when he first entered the tent was starting to settle down somewhat, as he reminded himself not to lose hope, but that could only go so far. He sifted through the pictures and eventually found two different individual pictures of Rainbow Dash and Sonic Rain that naturally happened to be right next to each other.

He picked up the picture of Sonic... it was the same picture he ended up using for the newspaper, and one he discovered with the photographer after they had discussed the picture of Sonic and Rainbow together that captured their intense feelings for each other. Sonic, of course, was the one pony that no one seemed to have any information on other than that he was by everyone's experience an uncommonly gentle stallion who was infamously blamed for a critical error he did not commit, and tragically left without acknowledgement from the ponies whose foals he was now fighting to save.

In his pursuit to publish information on every team member - after their discovery of Rainbow's departure into the Valley - he instead asked Princess Celestia directly for more information on Sonic. He'll never forget her reaction; upon mentioning his name, Princess Celestia's eyes filled with sadness and she lowered her head and looked away. It was the least of what he was expecting and had left him in an awkward position. She would not give Bucky the specifics, but she clarified that Sonic had a very rough past that was not his fault and that he had a heart of gold. Bucky was already deeply intrigued, but the experience only left him even more curious.

The picture that Bucky now held, the one that Manehattan and other parts of Equestria had surely read about by now, was a closeup of Sonic's face with several ponies in the background. He was not smiling in the picture like most other ponies' individuals used for the paper, but Sonic's expression was thoughtful and docile and inexplicably seemed to shine with a captivating innocence that demanded acknowledgement. It was a direct contrast to Rainbow's fearless and confident mannerisms that she displayed in every one of her pictures, which was every bit as attention-grabbing and enthralling as Sonic's. What a subplot, he unavoidably thought to himself, referring to the budding secret romance between two of the team members, though if anything Rainbow was more of a rogue agent going out there by herself without the ability to fly.

He remembered his brief write up for Sonic's behalf, which was shorter than the other write ups of encouragement he had written for the other individuals out there. He hadn't included any specific mentions of the apparent romance between him and the famous mare, which he wondered if he should have, but he didn't want to say too much without their approval. Little is known about Sonic's family or his life before Ponyville. He was wrongly believed to have been the cause of an incident involving the disruption of a water lift into Cloudsdale, and his name was cleared only after departing into the Valley with the team. He is known to be best friends with Rainbow Dash who has joined him in this journey to save Ponyville's foals on hoof. He said to be a gifted flier an extraordinarily kind stallion.

Two young stallions, younger than Bucky, came and sat beside him in front of the fire, so there were now five of them including Lucky and Ash. They were initially silent, staring into the fire with serious faces. It wasn't before long that one of them spoke up.

"Hey, you're Bucky Quill aren't you?" one of them asked quietly.

"That's right," he replied quietly, figuring they were just wondering and not thinking much of it.

"You got any inside info?" the stallion asked eagerly in a whisper.

"Inside info? On what, the team?" responded Bucky, and they nodded. "No."

An awkward silence ensued after they acknowledged with the five of them sitting around the fire quietly. Bucky saw their expressions were anxious and humorless if not as devastated as some others he'd seen.

"You got anybody out there?" Bucky asked them in a hush, and the two stallions looked at each other.

"Not any family, no, but we know Rainbow and Thunderlane and Whitewash pretty well," said the closer one, a dark blue stallion. His friend was brown.

"I see," replied Bucky, knowing Rainbow well obviously and remembering writing the profiles of the other two stallions they mentioned. "Well, what do you think of Rainbow going out there?"

The two stallions looked at each other again. It seemed like it was perhaps adrenaline for them that they were talking to a celebrity, despite the gravity of the situation.

"Insane," said the blue stallion.

"For someone who can't even fly?" muttered the brown one.

"Gotta admit though, that's pretty brave on her part," said Bucky.

"Oh, for sure! We wouldn't last five minutes out there. She's the only pony in Equestria who would do it," said the blue stallion.

"And who could do it," added the brown stallion. "We just hope she makes it."

"Me too," said Bucky, his heart echoing their feelings and then some. Right then he looked over to his left and saw Ash whispering something to Lucky. "What?" he asked them, curious and unamused.

"Nothing," replied Ash, his eyes looking up and away.

"You can't do that - come on what did you say?" reiterated Bucky.

"I just-" Ash started, looking distraught. "I'm just not sure it was smart to send them in after them if all the things they're saying about this valley are correct."

"I definitely wouldn't say that out loud," whispered Bucky with a glance behind him. "I also don't think we really need that kind of thought right now."

"Hey by the way," started the blue stallion, who was obviously now speaking for the brown stallion as well. "We think it's pretty awesome of you to come here and stay with us. We know that this is quite a sacrifice for you coming all the way out here, you didn't have to do this."

Bucky genuinely appreciated his comment, though it didn't help his prospects much but for a very short moment of initial gratitude. He stared into the fire and tried to take what he could from it.

"Thanks," he replied, managing a small smile that faded quickly. "Like you said though, the real heroes are out there. It's easy for me to sit here by the fire, though I will say this is the coldest I've ever been and it's definitely not Manehattan."

"Where have you been?" suddenly asked the voice of Fashion Plate, who forced himself down in between Bucky and the blue stallion. Of course it was something of a reunion, as Fashion Plate and Bucky had met when he first got here initially to discuss the situation.

"Ask these guys," said Bucky, looking sullenly over at his two assistants before taking some responsibility for himself. "I can't put it all on them... I fell asleep for a little bit. I couldn't hardly sleep on that train," he added, and to his defense he had had heard about the story around midnight the night before then arranged for this train to travel himself across all of northern Equestrian through the early morning hours of earlier that day until he finally arrived right after "sunrise", if it could be called that here.

"Wonder how long we can keep this up," said Fashion Plate with a deep breath.

"So what are they saying? No news on the team?" asked Bucky.

"You would know before me. But no, nothing," said Fashion Plate, looking behind him to make sure no one sitting around could hear him. "Word is," he continued in a hush, "couple ponies are saying everyone's probably dead by now."

"Shut up," muttered Bucky, refusing to hear such a thing after everyone sitting there had shuttered. "Come on, don't say that."

"Any word on your story?" asked Fashion Plate, intentionally changing the subject. .

Bucky had almost forgot about that. Seeing all the hurting ponies in here had really set him back and completely cleared his mind of that sort of thing. He didn't really care so much to go check it's reception anymore, he mostly cared about comforting the ponies here, though he didn't know how. He was beginning to wonder if he should stand up and encourage them to not lose in the team, though he didn't know if he could do that right now, even as a relatively famous pony whom many ponies in the tent definitely already knew.

"Good question," he remarked.

Suddenly a stallion walking fast through the crowd with an urgent expression came up to Fashion Plate and whispered something in his ear. A few ponies throughout the tent had taken notice to him and were watching him curiously, as if maybe had some new information that everyone craved. Bucky watched Fashion Plate's face for any sign, desperately awaiting the update himself. Fashion's eyes widened as the stallion finished, and he looked to Bucky.

"He says there's several trains arriving!" he said in a whisper.

"Several trains?" asked Bucky, raising an eyebrow in the direction of the door and wondering how that could be.

"After you!" urged Fashion Plate, deferring to his fame.

Bucky sat up and walked fast towards the door, immediately joined by all the other stallions that were sitting there and gathering the attention of just about everyone in the tent at this point. The amount of curiosity in everyone skyrocketed, and several more ponies began to follow him out. As they moved, the sound of trains were suddenly heard throughout the tent, with whistles and chugging. Everyone's attention was now outside.

Bucky was the first to exit the tent and venture back into the cold with a host of ponies following behind him. Right there were the railroad tracks, and sure enough, Bucky saw a train coming in from the north and what looked another train following that one closely behind. His squinted, wondering if they were going to blast right through the town or what. They couldn't do that though because Bucky had his own personal one-car train still sitting on the tracks right in the middle of the town. The train that had brought the rest of Ponyville had departed back down the southbound line.

Bucky remained at the front of the curious, confused crowd, waiting eagerly for answers as the first train slowed down and began to come to a halt in front of his train that sat idly. As the unofficial duly appointed spokesperson for the town, he looked back at the crowd behind him; they were all looking at him for answers, which he had none. He glanced at Fashion Plate and his assistants who were right behind him... nothing. The first train came to a screeching stop, the steam coming off especially strong in the cold, and Bucky noticed the several train cars were filled to the brim with ponies that were crowded at the windows looking out at them.

Stepping out of the first car with a purpose was none other than Coloratura, another Manehattan celebrity (though not quite as famous as Bucky outside of Manehattan) and friend of his, a singer. The mare was amply dressed for the cold, and she stepped out of the train car and ran up to Bucky so that all eyes were now on those two, which included hundreds of Ponyvillians standing behind Bucky and countless more ponies on Coloratura's long and crowded train.

"How is this possible?" asked Bucky. "What's going on?"

"We read your story!" she exclaimed breathlessly.

"We?" asked Bucky, loudly over the steam and wind.

"We read about all the poor little ones and their families and the brave pegasus that are out there trying to save them," she said, practically tearing up on the spot before recovering herself as everyone stared at her. "But we're doing exactly what you asked us to... at Pinkie Pie's urging, we're giving you all of our love and support until the team gets back with the kids!" she exclaimed.

"Come again?" said Bucky, shaking his head.

"Your story took off. It sold out in every city across Equestria," she replied, standing right in front of him with wide eyes and enthusiasm. "It's the talk everywhere."

"S-s-sold out?" he muttered in disbelief. He knew this story was going to gain national ground quickly, and he had his share of popular stories but he never put anything out there that was sold out, much less in *every* city.

"Yeah! We're rallying behind the team and Ponyville, that's why we're here! There's more trains coming too, Pinkie's is packed!"

"I don't understand!" remarked Bucky, rubbing his head with his hoof and still very overwhelmed.

"We're here to support you, and welcome the team back with the foals," said Coloratura, putting her hooves on him and shaking him back and fourth for clarity. She motioned to the ponies on the train cars to come out, and they flooded off the doors onto the snowy ground. It was mostly young ponies, though there were some older ones mixed in, all of them in winter clothes and eager to help.

"But they're not back yet!" cried Bucky, whispering to her in front of everyone and trying to hush himself so only she could hear. He pulled her aside. "Coloratura - we don't know for sure if they're even going to come back, all we can do right now is hope and pray!"

"Don't talk like that," she suddenly whispered to him with a pleading expression. "By the way, they want you to go on the radio so you can make a broadcast with an update. Do you have a radio here?" she asked.

"What? Yes, but, I-I don't-" stuttered Bucky.

"Bucky... Entire families all over are huddled around their family radio waiting for an update on the team and the kids."

"Entire families?" he muttered, barely able to comprehend it. "I mean... I guess so," he remarked, finally starting to settle down as he came to grips with this overload of shocking information. "You... you say you're here to support us? Er... support them?" he asked, and pointed to the distraught Ponyvillians behind him.

"Yes, we sure are," she assured him. "And we're not leaving until the team is back safe and sound with those foals."

Bucky looked back across at the horde of ponies rushing towards the big tent and the crowd that waited there. There was an eruption of emotional support, words of comfort, hugs... Bucky never dreamed that his story would have had this kind of effect, though he couldn't deny that he was tremendously warmed to see these ponies coming from across the land like this for their own.

"You said there's more trains coming?" he asked with a thrilling rush.

Suddenly Princess Celestia and Princess Luna appeared, rushing in urgently with a host of royal guards. They were just as confused and bewildered as anyone. Their sudden appearance caused a great number of bows and widespread silence, especially from many ponies off the train who had never seen them in person before.

"What is this?" muttered Princess Celestia.

"We're here to support Ponyville, Your Highness. Pinkie and Bucky led us here," replied Coloratura.

"We don't have enough firewood or supplies to support all these ponies!" she declared grievously, and Coloratura's mouth dropped open with no answer while the rest of their heart's sunk. "Did you bring any with you? Did they?" she responded, pointing to the train behind hers that was now coming to a halt also and more ponies began flooding the village streets.

After Coloratura had nothing to say and another extremely uncomfortable silence followed, another sound suddenly commanded the attention of every pony there in an instant. A train whistle blew from the opposite end of the tracks, and this time heads whipped around and beheld a train coming up from the south. Initially they figured it was more ponies, but they deduced this was actually a freight train with several freight cars trailing it's locomotive. They watched this train come to a slow halt in front of Bucky's locomotive as many ponies now turned to the Princesses for answers, which they could not provide as the two sisters looked at each other incredulously.

The engineer stepped off the locomotive with a royal guard, and the two walked up to the Princesses.

"What is this?" muttered Princess Celestia again to the royal guard. After bowing, and looking rather nervous in front of the huge crowd watching him as well as the monarchy, he began to speak.

"I have a here the train of supplies... firewood, water, food, and material to build shelters..."

"Say what?" uttered Bucky, laughing with disbelief.

"Who authorized you to send this train?" asked Princess Celestia. She was not angry with him at all, but like everyone else shse was wondering how this could be sent with such absurd convenience.

"Well... you did, Your Highness... indirectly at least," replied the royal guard, bowing his head submissively.

"What do you mean? I didn't send for this train until just a moment ago, how could it have possibly gotten here so quickly?"

"Your Highnesses decreed all commanding authority over everyone except Yourselves to the six elements of harmony. This train was ordered and organized by Miss Rarity several hours ago," he replied.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both managed brief smiles at each other before they returned to focus. It seemed the entire town aside from just the influx of ponies had just gotten a fresh dose of energy and enthusiasm that spread its way to everyone, including the princesses. Princess Celestia turned to her royal guard, who immediately lined up and awaited assignments.

"Set a guard on the western side of camp, I don't want anyone more going into the Valley, it is far too dangerous," she commanded, and two royal guards on the end of the line departed for that side of town. "I want a team of pegasus positioned at the base of the mountains near the entrance, but they are not to enter. Send them with flares and instruct them to light if any of our own emerge. Green flares for our own, red for any threat of any kind."

"The rest of you can help us unload this train," said Princess Luna, and the situation fell into chaos as ponies started running around in all directions and operations got underway. A large group of ponies from the new arrivals rushed in and asked the Princesses if they could help, which the Princesses eagerly allowed as a few more hundred ponies moved in from the train behind.

Meanwhile, another group of ponies from the arrivals was forming near Bucky and Coloratura, ready to follow the two celebrities wherever they went. Bucky took a deep breath and came back to her with a faint smile of thanks, though it quickly left when she reminded him about the broadcast.

"So... radio?" she asked, to his displeasure.

His stomach moved around him. He was used to writing, not public speaking. He was also used to writing in an area that was private, where he could voice all of his thoughts and ideas onto a typewriter that would later be distributed by the publishing company. He was used to being recognized by ponies in public who knew his face only by the small picture printed next to his stories, but being asked to go on radio and give a live broadcast to all of Equestria was not something he was accustomed to.

He looked back at the mountains and noted their fearsome appearance and the dreadful winter weather that no doubt raged inside. Taking a gulp, he forced himself to think about what they were going through. Do it for the team kids and the team, he thought to himself. Things suddenly just got a lot more intimate with those out there, and they dominated his heart and mind.

So Bucky and his assistants climbed onto the train and set up their portable radio, and through his friends at Manehattan's radio station Bucky delivered a static-filled verbal update to all of Equestria on the status of the team and encouraged them all to not give up hope.

Fight the Good Fight

The right end of the horizontal beam we were hanging from slid out of it's place in the strange tall pillar that held it up, and with that we all came crashing down with it. Now equally hindered by gravity themselves I felt the chains that we were tangled in loosen around my body and I struggled to free my wings to soften my landing, which by the grace of heaven I was somehow able to. Miraculously we all managed to stay in front of the beam when it fell so that it didn't crush any of us though we still fell crashing to the ground with everything in an incredibly noisy combination.

When the dust cleared, I fought to stand up and free myself from my pile of chains that weren't tightly wrapped around my body anymore. There was a new and intense sense of urgency that came with temporary freedom - finally, at least, a lead on the location of the lost foals. After a quick second to get over the shock I looked up and saw Avalanche staring at us with a kind of furious disbelief, his face locked straight on me. Thunderlane stood behind him in his own petrified state not really knowing what to do next.

The huge blue ice dragon lumbered forward and clearly he was drawing up freezing death breath in his mouth. I was like a deer in headlights and couldn't move; suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw Whitewash dart behind one of the pillars that formed the H shape we had hung from up. He rammed into it with of all his might, and when I realized what was he was doing, I suddenly leapt up into the air to help him; I flew back behind it, stopped on a dime and rammed into the pillar about half way up, putting my shoulder into the hit - joining us in ramming pillar at the same time at different levels were Clear Skies and Blossomforth, who must have freed themselves and seen what Whitewash was doing. We crashed into it almost simultaneously and I felt it crack at the base, but not quite enough to tip - not until Buddy slammed into it right after us.

Meanwhile, Avalanche had moved up close and reared back, preparing to freeze us all to death with one blast from his throat, but just before he could unleash it he looked up and saw the pillar falling down on him; he couldn't react soon enough, he moved his head just in time but it landed on the back of his neck and the weight forced his head and neck all the way the ground and his chin smacked against the cave floor. In a deafening roar of pain and disorientation he flapped his wings wildly and propelled himself backwards - crashing himself into Glacier and Tundra and sending them all into a horde of crystals and treasures.

I looked over frantically and saw the that the rest of the team was finally up and ready to go, and they went to fly away.

"No! WAIT!" I called to them hysterically. They looked at me and I pointed down at our cloaks and supplies. Not only did we need them to survive the temperatures in the valley for a longer period of time, they still had all of our supplies as well that off of the side of our backs.

I landed back down and found my cloak on the cave floor and slipped into it as fast I possibly could while the others followed suit. Avalanche seemed to be coming back to, snarling and thrashing his way through the jewels and crystals with with a vengeance.

"Time to go!" shouted Blossomforth who's head popped out of the hood in her winter coat. I helped Clear Skies into hers and made my way over to Buddy as well.

"Well done!" I told him breathlessly. Meanwhile, Blizzard this whole time had done virtually nothing besides watch us with emotional reactions but thankfully no action against us.

"You're leaving?" she asked, though we ignored her and took off as a team as Thunderlane flew up to join us, but not before looking back at Blizzard, who seemed oddly devastated to see him leaving. He hesitated giving her a glance back.

"THUNDERLANE, COME ON!" screamed Blossomforth over Avalanche's approaching roars.

"Thunderlane of Ponyville!" he said to her, "I'll be in touch!" he called back to her as he flew away with me who'd been waiting for him.

Avalanche blasted a huge stream of deadly frost breath after us that engulfed everything in its path. The last thing Thunderlane and I saw before we entered the tunnel was a huge wall of icy white steam freezing everything in its path bearing down on us.

We darted into the cave at almost full flight speed, close on the tails of our other companions. Upon entering the level of light was greatly diminished almost instantly and we were left navigating the corridor back to the valley with nothing but dimly lit crystals. Loud commotion persisted behind us, everyone knowing full well we had zero margin for error.

"Took you guys long enough!" cried Thunderlane as I weaved to the right dodged a stalactite crystal hanging from the ceiling, over the constant roars and moving dragon sounds following us everywhere.

"Sorry that it took us a second to process you flirting with a dragon!" shouted Blossomforth.

"It's called acting, I was trying to get all their attention on me so you could escape," he shot back, the rest of us weren't really paying attention as we struggled not to crash into the walls of the cave or crystals jetting out from any direction.

"You just told her your name and where we live!" she rebutted as she shifted right to barely miss ramming into a huge stalagmite.

"What's your point?"

"SHUT UP!" screamed Whitewash from the front, a rare vocalization from the stallion who immediately after saying it crashed into a cave crystal jetting down from the ceiling. It took everything I had to stop and land at his side. He was hurting as he broke the crystal on his shoulder and was slow to get up. I wrapped my front legs around him flapping us forward as hard, he beat his wings slowly at first but increased as he came back to his senses - then he picked up his own speed was able to carry himself.

We both caught back up with the group when Clear Skies and Merry May went down as well, one of them hitting the wall on a turn and the other brushing a dip down in the ceiling. I stopped again to help up the two mares while Whitewash continued forward.

"I can't hardly see anything!" shouted Merry May. The sounds of Avalanche were getting louder and louder.

"We're gonna get frozen!" screamed Buddy as a sound of furious rushing wind started to roar up from behind us.

"No were not, just fly!" shouted Blossomforth.

"In here!!" screamed Thunderlane as he darted forward and into a small dark hole in the cave that I would've definitely missed if he hadn't flown in there first. Everyone made it inside except Blossomforth and I, who was behind me. I looked up and saw Thunderlane's eyes widen with desperate horror at something behind me.

I whipped my head around to see Blossomforth lying on the ground, behind whom a wall of icy air was hissing up the tunnel. She deliriously reached her right hoof up to her head before she turned around and stared helplessly as her impending death rushed in on her, her eyes rank with the same fear that had plagued my heart for so long.

A passionate desire to save her overwhelmed in me and unable to watch her die I turned around propelled myself towards her - prompting Thunderlane to scream my name from behind me. I reached my hooves around her and we both flapped like our lives depended on it. I was barely able to lift her off the ground, but drawing strength from my feather and putting my heart and soul into every stroke up of wings I was able to somehow get us both moving in the direction of the hole in the wall where Thunderlane waited for us.

She slipped my grip as we approached the hole and fell to the ground but she had regained her senses enough to hop in. Thunderlane and I both grabbed each of her front hooves as the swirl of icy steam closed in. We dragged her into the hole and braced ourselves while the rush of freezing air blasted past... it actually made direct contact with the very tip of my tail and bleached it into a shiny light-blueish white.

The streamof deadly breath did not enter the hole but save for some intense blasts of cold air that did no actual harm to us other than make us all shiver. Suddenly thundering past the hole was Tundra, slithering through right past us. All of us were now crowded into this very small pitch black tunnel that was barely tall enough for us to stand and barely wide enough for us to squeeze through.

We were all catching our breath, though I think every one of us' heart rate remained at about a thousand beats per minute. I looked back and saw nothing but the glints in the wide eyes of all of them in the darkness except for a vague outline of Thunderlane who stood right next to me at the entrance. After a short silence that featured no sounds but our heavy breathing, Tundra came back through as we all held our breath, slithering up the way we had just come.

Suddenly we heard his movements stop.

"Anything?" asked the voice of Glacier, who we didn't even know was there. He too was some ways back, probably coming up behind his brother. We couldn't hear them very well, so we were all as silent and still as the grave to try to listen in.

"Nothing... those flying rats are a lot faster than I thought," replied Tundra.

Out of nowhere we started to feel what almost seemed like a tremor of some sort coming from above us, the cave walls around us shaking and rattling and left us looking desperately at one another for answers. It seemed like whatever it was was moving down the tunnel in the same direction we were moving though it was above us. It was like a great mass that was drilling through the mountain above us.

"Father is very angry," remarked the voice of Glacier, and we understood that must've been the noise above us, moving through a higher tunnel.

"They couldn't have gotten this far, they must've gone down one of the side tunnels back there," growled Tundra while the rest of us wondered if that meant searching our tunnel.

To our tremendous relief it apparently didn't as they slithered back down the tunnel in the opposite direction and seemed to enter different passages that we hadn't even seen or come across and the tunnel we had traveled down - the only one we were familiar with - went silent, which left us in a new deeply uncomfortable environment.

"Now what do we do?" asked the voice of Buddy in the pitch black, and I looked down the line of eyes and saw his blue ones almost at the rear furthest into this little cavity.

"This tunnel right here is the only passage we know will take us straight to the cave exit if we continue down," whispered the dark pink eyes of Merry May.

"It's so hard to navigate... and we're still far from the entrance," replied Blossomforth.

"Not necessarily," replied Thunderlane breathlessly. "This is around the area we were captured and it took us, what, maybe a half an hour to walk up the tunnel to this point? If we fly back as fast we can we could be out of here in five minutes!"

"Avalanche," I muttered, my head turned upward as I fearfully recalled his movement up there. "He's moving towards the entrance right now..."

"If that's the case then what are we doing here?!?" whispered Buddy.

"LET'S GO!" screamed Whitewash angrily.

When I felt a nudge on my rump I darted out of the hole and spread my wings, and Thunderlane was right behind me doing the same who was immediately followed by Blossom, Whitewash, Merry May, Buddy and Clear Skies. I guess being at the front of the tunnel I had no choice, and I had no more time to doubt myself.

Locking in on everything in front of me I quickly adjusted to anything jetting out or dipping down. Every second of the way my eyes studied and reacted, trying to absorb as much new information about the next fifty feet that I could with the little light that was available to me. This was even more strenuous and exhilarating than before because at least then I was in the back of the pack; now they all depended on my movements... I would occasionally make lightning quick glances back at them to make sure they were all doing ok.

"Down!" I yelled instinctively as I just barely propelled myself under a hidden rock that had come down from the ceiling. After clearing it I looked back to make sure they all made which to my relief they did, and I turned my head around and went right back to work. Occasionally I had to dodge a crystal or rock here and there, which the team then avoided, but I had a system in place that seemed to be working. I was just waiting for Tundra or Glacier to emerge from an unseen passage or an icy death from Avalanche in front of us.

"Watch out! Buddy!" I heard Merry Cry.

"Cleary - duck!" shouted Thunderlane.

"On your right!" cried Buddy to Whitewash.

Teamwork like this continued the whole way down and we pressed forward with tremendous gains in a short period that seemed even shorter with the thrill of racing Avalance in the tunnels above to the entrance of the mountain. The cave tunnel started to widen, and Thunderlane and Whitewash were now barely behind me on either side of me as we shot down the passageway with more and more speed. I kept thinking of the kids and my teammates. Just keep moving Sonic!!! Go! Go! GOO!!!

"We're almost there!" I called out as loud as I could as I recognized one of the last straightaways of our race before hitting the entrance.

"We're gonna do it!" cried Clear Skies from somewhere close behind.

"We're past him now!" added Merry May over the loud rumbles that were now behind us; we had now definitely moved ahead of Avalanche.

I looked ahead and saw the dim light getting a little bit brighter as I realized we had one last turn before the entrance to the cave would be visible. Rainbow's face was visible in my mind; it seemed like every hour was topping the last for most intense moments of my life.

Suddenly though Clear Skies and Merry May let out terrible screams. I heard the scariest roar not from the front or back, but from the side - Tundra emerged from a darkness with a gaping mouth. Immediately afterward on the opposite side there was a fierce snarl as Glacier blasted out from one of the passages we'd missed on that side.

We were flying so fast we though whizzed past them both, which surprised them, but side by side they both sent blasts of ice breath after us that curdled it's way down the tunnel that was right on our tails. Before it could freeze us though there was a sound like the mountain itself was collapsing from above us. We looked back and just barely missing us was Avalance's body thundering down from a giant black hole on the ceiling. He managed to get his body all the way through which upon falling to cave floor seemed to shake the entire mountain; his body blocked both Glacier and Tundra and the ice blasts they had both sent.

When he went to advance himself after us, however, he there was a brief narrowing in the cave that he was unable to get his body through as his queen had mentioned to Thunderlane earlier. Frustrated beyond words he thrashed and screamed. My eardrums felt like they were going to rupture and I seriously wondered if every corner of Equestria heard his roar. I turned the corner and saw the cave entrance up in front and the grey snowy valley outside.

The Wonderbolts were there at the cave entrance hovering in mid air, and their faces had nothing but fear and confusion as they spotted us thundering towards them. Spitfire was covering her ears in pain and backing away from us. We flew down the last stretch of tunnel as the thundering roar got and louder, which was initially curious considering we were getting further away from Avalanche - some other incredibly loud noise seemed to be taking over. Rocks and icicles were now falling all around us and I was wondering if even my feather could get me through the hysteria that raged through my body.

We joined up with the Wonderbolts and started to fly into the valley, but we looked up and behind us discovered a massive white cloud of rushing snow collapsing down the side of the mountain directly above us.

"AVALANCHE!!!!" cried the voice of a female Wonderbolt.

I looked up and saw my hopes and dreams falling apart at the seams... Visions of Rainbow, Scootaloo, and my childhood flashed before me in a heartbeat and just like that the giant white mountain devoured us.

* * *

Rainbow?

Yeah Sonic?

You're my favoritest pony in the whole world.

You're my favoritest pony in the whole universe, Sonic.

It felt like I was back at junior speedster flight camp. There was light all around me... I could feel it but I somehow I couldn't see it. Nor could I really see anything. I heard the sound of laughter all around me. Thunderlane's, Blossomforth's... we were all ten again. And then of course there was her voice, laughing and whispering to me.

It was almost as if I was half there and half in some other world, floating in between the two. I now saw the most brilliant sky I'd ever seen with all the colors of the sunrise whose brilliance was amplified times ten and the most dazzling and prolific sea of stars I'd ever seen.

Then there was a large cloud on which two pony-like beings stood, but they were bigger and more regal than any I'd ever seen. They were like magnificent celestial horses, each with a pair of giant wings and a glow of light that seemed to shine within their translucent bodies. They were both standing right next to each other looking down directly at me. Their expressions were difficult to explain, they were not smiling but their eyes were strong and deep, and seemed to reflect a great knowledge of me. I got no sense that they were evil, on the contrary there seemed to be great pity in them... I couldn't quite make out their faces, but on closer examination they looked strangely peculiar. They had features that almost seemed to resemble...

Suddenly they were gone, and I was getting heightened feelings throughout my whole body coming back to consciousness. My limbs at once felt colder and wetter. My sense of reality and the rest of my senses seemed to be coming back to me as I started to realized my limbs were actually freezing. I felt flow of cold air through my nostrils, and I opened my eyes to total darkness. My face was numb if not barely able to feel what felt like melting snow. I shook my head and formed a breathing cavity when I suddenly remembered the wall of snow that landed on top of me. I was buried. Apparently buried alive.

I shook and thrashed my body around as everything else came back to me, my clear thoughts, my memories... and my soaring stress and suffering as I remembered everything. I swam and swam around and formed wider gaps between my body and the snow around my limbs when suddenly a dash of light crept through the snow in front of my eyes. With a ferocious push I forced my neck upward and my head popped out of the snow. All around me was the dark snow-covered valley and a gentle but stiff arctic wind blew through my ears. On one side the mountain we were just inside towered over us, but the entrance was now mostly snow-covered from the avalanche. There were no signs of ice dragons. But there was something much worse than that; no signs of anyone else.

"NOO!!!!!" I cried, as all the horrible possibilities crept into my head. Did they leave me there? Were they all buried and died? Was the mission and my life now concluded? That meant all the little foals were lost, all of their families would never see them again, and that Rainbow herself may never be happy ever again.

I crawled out of the snow and looked around in all directions desperately, ignoring the shock of cold that still gripped my body before despair and death came crashing down on me.

"THUNDERLANE!!!" I called into the snow. "BLOSSOMFORTH!!" "RAINBOW!!!!!"

As I scanned the snow madly for any sign of anyone, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye... something black barely peaking out of the snow. I leapt over to it and examined it closer; it looked like a tail. Without thinking I grabbed ahold of it in my mouth and heaved backward. I made little progress at first, but soon saw the back end of someone though I couldn't tell given the cloak. I dug frantically around the snow so that I could reach under them and pull them up - I did so and Soarin' - the kindly Wonderbolt - emerged from the snow.

"Soarin'!" I said, looking into his face. His eyes were shut initially but now they were opening deliriously. When they opened more and he got a good look at me, they shot open with shock and confusion as he regained himself and grappled with what happened. "You alright??" I asked him.

"Not really, but I guess I'm alive," he replied, his gaze showed me some genuine gratitude. "Thanks dude."

"We gotta find the others," I told him and as I helped him stand up.

I scanned the snow all around me with extreme intensity, dismissing all the pain from the cold in various parts of my body, especially now that the wind was back it on my exposed face and ears. I knew the severity of the situation but I did my best to ignore it and stay focused, though anxieties seemed at an all time. Soarin' and I stayed close but far enough so that we could cover wider areas.

"I've got someone over here!" he shouted and I sprinted over.

He was standing over what looked like a turquoise ear sticking out of the snow. We both dug and stomped around it trying to clear out some snow but now being too rough knowing there was probably a head right there. Soarin' grabbed the ear in his mouth and pulled up gently and a snowy mane popped up through the snow alone with the turquoise head of Fleetfoot. Her eyes were closed as well, but we both dug and pulled her out together and laid her in the snow. I stuck my face right in front of hers and blew some of my breath on her nose, and her nose twitched and her eyes opened as she looked around. There was a flash of silver in the snow not too far from where I was laying with her so I walked over, bit it, and pulled.

"Gosh that's cold," said the emerging head of Thunderlane, though we were both happy to see each other. I helped him out of the snow as some other heads began to pop out of the snow all around us, with cries of stress and pain entering the air with the wind. I ran all around and helped ponies out of the snow and then moved right on to the next but I couldn't relax even in the slightest until I knew they were all accounted for, especially my team members.

Soon enough it seemed just about everyone was accounted for. Everyone except Spitfire and Whitewash. I kept my eyes open for any sign of orange or blue but naturally I was more keen to finding blue first. I looked everywhere for any sign of his tail or mane but had no luck in the immediate vicinity of everyone else. I moved further away from the mountain out into the valley and suddenly, sure enough, I saw specks of blue in the snow not too far ahead.

I ran up, bit down on his mane, and walked backward. Whitewash being a bigger-bodied stallion I had no luck at first so I started digging all around him. I moved up to where his head would've been and cleared the snow around it so he could breathe. His eyes were shut and his head hung loosely but it seemed like he was alive.

I breathed air into his nostrils and slowly his eyes opened.. they were humbled from the experience with confusion and anxiety mixed in, but regaining their strength. Then they looked at me wondrously, but when he realized what I was doing he fought and thrashed himself out of the snow, looking all around to see what had happened.

"You alright?" I asked him, looking him over for myself. He was strong willed and seemed ok, though I know to take that with a grain of salt considering how well I can hide my own emotions. He nodded, visibly shaken in his face as he knocked off the snow of his body.

"Avalanche?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "an actual avalanche, not the ice dragon."

"You're the only one that came out here?" he asked quietly, looking away though his voice seemed to reflect a kind of gratitude, which I admittedly appreciated a great deal.

"Of course," I replied.

When we got back to the group most ponies were just standing up now, moaning, shivering, shaking, and beyond miserable. I looked around for any sign of Spitfire when to the surprise of everyone her fiery mane and yellow head emerged quickly from the snow in the middle of the crowd. She seemed much more alert as though she was totally conscious the whole time, her face looked defeated and broken. As she went to pull herself out of the snow two Wonderbolts went over to help her out of it and her body went limp as she allowed them to do all the work. My heart sank though when I got a good look at her and I saw just how broken she actually was, and as the official leader of the group what that meant for the rest of us.

"Alright guys!!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I'm not freezing to death out here for that Princess! LET'S GO HOME!"

"What?" I muttered in disbelief, too quiet to be heard by anyone. At this point I'd been let down so many times that I should've been numb to it, but the bad feelings were just as strong as they'd ever been, if not stronger considering all the things we'd been through at this point. I looked across at the group of ponies and just as I feared saw that they almost seemed relieved at her suggestion. They agreed with her. Think Sonic, think!!!

"We haven't even tried exploring the higher elevations or the tracks up there for any sign of a train car," I said. The conditions in the valley at the lowest elevations were in a state of perpetual blizzard... going up in any substantial direction would be way more dangerous of course, but we had been assured earlier there was some kind of "plan" to explore the tracks above. Spitfire was forcefully dismissive.

"We sent two scouts up there while you in the cave, and the conditions were terrible... there was no sign of the train car anywhere. We need to get out of here now or we won't survive!"

"But we can't," I continued. A public argument between the two of us was the absolute last thing that I wanted but the words came out on their own. She looked over at me with what looked like a hateful rage like I'd never seen in her - that judgmental and dismissive look I'd seen so many times that made me feel like I was worth so little... like a homeless orphan begging for food who could never deserve anyone like Rainbow Dash.

"Look..." she said, her face straightening out as though she was struggling to justify herself to herself in her head. "What happened here," she started, speaking to the whole group once again. "... is a terrible, terrible situation. I mean, I feel so bad for those-" she continued, and I definitely saw genuine pain and pity in her expression as she thought about it. "But if we stay out here much longer, we're all gonna freeze to death." She took deep, heavy breaths in between statements. "The Princesses knew this was a long shot and we had to come out here and say we tried. But let's be honest, deep down everyone here knew we never had a shot."

"No," I replied, shaking my head desperately. I couldn't hear it.

"Surprise surprise, look who's trying to be the hero again," she spat angrily with piercing eyes that caused my heart to retreat and my ears to fall.

"Spitfire," remarked Soarin' quietly, stepping towards her and shaking his head pleadingly. "That's enough."

"YOU GOT ANY BETTER SUGGESTIONS?" she screamed at him. "We have nothing left!"

The other Wonderbolts sided with her - I could feel it in my heart and I could see it on their faces. Suddenly it felt like the entire quest was shifting squarely to me on my shoulders and I was starting to comprehend how pivotal of a moment this was quickly turning to.

"You don't understand!" I pleaded. "We have a lead now."

"What?" she replied, her eyes squinting with sudden interest as the Wonderbolts looked up startled from various places in the snow.

"What do you mean?" asked a female Wonderbolt.

"Did you see them in there?" asked another.

"How we are we supposed to get back in there?" asked Fleetfoot. "The entrance is blocked off!"

"The foals aren't in there," piped up Buddy.

"Then how do you have any idea where they are?" asked a Wonderbolt stallion, as emotions were running high.

"The lady ice dragon told us that-" started Clear Skies.

"Ice dragons?" asked Spitfire.

"Yes!" I nodded breathlessly. "We w-were captured by ice dragons."

"But if the foals weren't in there, then how do you-"

"If you would just shut up and listen to us talk for a second we could-" barked Merry May.

"WHAT IS IT THEN?" yelled Spitfire.

"The queen told us they were with 'the white-eyed one'," I continued.

"It's true," said the voice of Blossomforth. She was down on her stomach breathing hard. The avalanche, nearly dying in the cave, and everything else had clearly taken a toll on her as her voice was softer and less firm than it usually is. She wouldn't be alone in that regard either. "It' s not much, but the ice dragons definitely knew about them, there's no question about that... and they wouldn't tell us more."

"They're in the valley somewhere..." I offered. "They 100% confirmed it."

"Ok..." remarked Spitfire, absorbing all of it but obviously coming to the same pessimistic conclusion. "Tell us then. Where is this 'white-eyed one'? Where do we look for him?"

Her question didn't really occur to me until just then. I had been so excited about the new information that I didn't really know how applying this new information was going to look once we got out here into the valley. But now that I actually thought about it, maybe this lead wasn't really that much to go on in practice after all. The true answer to her question was that we had no idea where this creature was nor even who or what it was. All eyes were now on me and they could all see that I had nothing to offer. And it was a torturous and sinking reality.

"W-we don't know," I muttered quietly. Rainbow... tell me what to do... you'd know exactly what to say.

"You don't know?" clarified Spitfire, shaking her head in disgust. She turned her head back to Merry May. "It's not much? It's *nothing*. You call that a lead? Where do you suggest we start looking?"

"Well, we know they are west of this cave entrance," I said, though I knew I was grasping desperately at straws.

"West of this cave," she repeated slowly with piercing eyes, talking loud over the wind and looking down the valley to the west as it disappeared into darkness. With visibility so low there was no telling how far it went. The snow had been light when we entered the cave, but now it was getting stronger. "Is that all?"

Again all eyes came to me for an answer. Now more than ever I felt like everything - the salvation of the foals, and certainly to other degrees myself and Rainbow's - rested entirely on my shoulders at this moment. I thought and thought for something more I could give them. But I had nothing, and nothing came. This is exactly what I feared going into this mission... a situation where - with Rainbow being gone - it all came down to me. Her absence I was feeling the extremes of in every negative way imaginable.

"S-so what are you suggesting then?" I asked, occasionally glancing at the rest of them - even my own team separate from the Wonderbolts seemed to be laying it all on me to convince them otherwise. "That we just-... that we just give up? We let them die out here?"

"What do *you* suggest that we do?!?" she retorted, forcefully throwing it right back to me.

"K-keep," I started, fighting back tears. "Keep looking. Search every cave, every corner of the valley. Fly up the mountains if we have to."

"Starting with where?" asked Fleetfoot dismissively.

"Anywhere!" cried Merry May and Clear Skies together.

"Look man," muttered Soarin' as the rest went silent. He stepped towards me with a look of devastated sorrow on his face. It was clear that I was fighting everyone now, and I was losing both to them and myself. "We tried our best, but- maybe... maybe it's time we... I don't wanna die out here."

"You think I do??" I screamed flabbergasted, and once again it went silent with all eyes on me as I lost control of my emotions. "I wanna go home. I'm so tired. And cold. I know how hard this has been for everyone, *believe me* I know... But if we're this miserable... then that means there's kids out there that-"

"For goodness sake," screamed Spitfire. "Quit trying to play the hero!"

"Spitfire!" cried Soarin', shaking his head with a kind of disbelieving sadness. "What has gotten into you?"

"If you had one fifth of Sonic's heart," growled Thunderlane hatefully at her, and their eyes met and it looked like they were about to fight.

"You're all dreaming. We never stood a chance! What in the world are we doing out here?" remarked Fleetfoot.

"Dreaming!!" I repeated, in full emotional collapse as I was searching every last lost-cause place for something to fight back. "What we've been doing out here all this time! We fought off the wolves with wings. We escaped from the ice dragons. Survived an avalanche. No one gave us a shot to do any of those things... If we can just save one foal... just one..."

"What are you trying to say?" scolded Spitfire, deeply offended by my remarks. "That you're better than us because you had to fight wolves and dragons and we didn't?"

Her eyes were now seething with rage. Everyone went silent and looked from her to me. Having had enough, she shook her head and walked towards me, studying every ounce of my being and judging harsher with every second, so obviously unimpressed. In my heart I knew exactly what she was wondering as she pierced my last inner fortresses. I could practically see the question itself in her eyes. I just turned my head to the side and looked down. I made a vow to Rainbow at the train station that I was now in grave danger of violating.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly so no one else could hear.

"Why don't you just ask it," I whispered looking back at her as I accepted judgment, not meaning for her to actually hear it.

"Ask *what*?"

"Why don't you just ask how it is that someone like Rainbow could ever love someone like me."

I knew the answer to her spoken question. *No one.* I accomplished so little as a foal that I was left by myself. I went years without having a single pony I could even call a real friend. I had made no money and had no accolades of any kind. I couldn't lead anybody or do anything right. I was just the opposite of everything Rainbow Dash was. Maybe now it's finally time to stop pretending.

My reply seemed to have an a strong effect on her. She was shocked at first as though it was some kind of miracle that I had read her mind, and she took several steps back in confusion, mangling with the question as though it had rocked her world. I felt Thunderlane step beside me with his wing over my shoulder. He didn't need to say anything on my behalf with words; he stood tall with a stare of defiance that was so intense it seemed to scare a Spitfire who in the face seemed to be struggling now with herself more than anyone. Suddenly I felt another pony at my side... a cream colored mare with a pink and green mane and tail.

"Sonic has been an incredible teammate. You have lost all my respect, and he has gained all of mine.. you constantly pick on him and berate him when I don't believe for a second that he had anything to do with the incident in Ponyville," said Blossomforth, who put her wing on my other shoulder and copied Thunderlane's pose.

"Well said," said Merry May, joining me at my side.

"Agreed," offered Buddy and Clear Skies at the same time, following suit.

"What is wrong with you?" asked Soarin' to Spitfire, who seemed very seriously hurt and disappointed with her; she was just silent, her mind swirling with angst, and just based on her expression, possibly regret.

"I-I don't know," she said shaking her head, staring into space. "It's just this valley... and death... and I'm so cold... "

Spitfire had given me hard a time on this journey up to this point as you well know, but I could see suddenly that she was in a lot of pain and I felt so bad for her, and I would ease it if I could.

"Guys," chimed in Fleetfoot. "There's nothing but death for us out here. We fought the good fight. We leave now or we die. Let's go home."

Every pony had tears in their eyes now as they looked at each other and around the valley defeatedly. Merry May, Clear Skies, and Blossomforth all started to sob. Buddy and Whitewash were themselves overcome with anguish, the latter unable to hide his emotions anymore. Thunderlane shook and his head and covered his face with his hooves.

"Sonic... maybe... maybe she's right. We did all we could."

No... My head hurt, my vision was getting blurry... I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I had failed.

"Are you coming back with us?" asked Spitfire to me.

"I can't go back..."

Fleetfoot started the movement back, dipping her head and walking somberly in the direction of the valley's entrance, before taking off into flight, and Spitfire, Soarin, and the rest of the Wonderbolts started to leave with her, nobody saying a word. I wanted to call out to them, to give them some inspirational speech that could persuade them to say and help me look for these foals, but I said nothing. I wasn't capable of things like that, that was Rainbow's job. I just sat back and fell into the snow and listened to violent winds.

"Sonic," said Thunderlane. He was the last one there with me, as the rest had already disappeared into the snow. None of them wanted to see me. Never before had I seen such pleading and begging and never before have I felt worse in my life. "I'm gonna have to live with this.... I got a little brother of my own... don't do this to me too... please come back with us... Sonic..."

I couldn't respond. My best friend besides Rainbow, a beautiful and special spirt in his own right, but I couldn't process what was happening and make words. My body was going numb and it felt like I was passing out and nearing death, paralyzed in a state of shock. Unable to look at me anymore and turned away and took off into the snow crying.

I took a few stumbling steps in the snow and tumbled over. I lied there, completely still, and my eyes closed on their own. I started to fathom that I had failed Rainbow, I had failed the foals, and they were likely all going to die out here, I was going to die out here, and Rainbow was going to miserable for the rest of her life. My memories of those foals at that train station, those innocent children and shining lights, were now my worst enemies... My spirit finally, at this time, seemed too depressed to carry on. It was all happening too fast and was too much to handle. I just couldn't take it anymore.

My energy, ability to think, even my own consciousness was free-falling... I managed to open my eyes, and once again in the sky right above were those two otherworldly horse-like beings, standing side by side and staring down intently at me. I thought vaguely about the time I saw them dreaming when I was unconscious from the avalanche and knew I must be hallucinating.

My eyes shut, and there she was - Rainbow Dash in all her glory. She was back in Ponyville with a setting sun behind her, giving me that deep look of unfailing love I used to dream about as I clutched her feather as a foal. The love I was desperate and ready to return.

"Breathe Sonic," she said.

My nostrils inhaled, and I instinctively lifted my head. The dark valley came back into view and I briefly felt the cold coming back all around my body again... involuntarily my eyes closed and my head fell again, and I saw her this time with all of the foals from the train behind her at the platform with all the beautiful pastures and blue skies in every direction. They were all looking at me, and I suppressed the thoughts that concluded I had failed them.

"Breathe Sonic!" they said together.

Another deeper inhale and I stood up fully conscious again, surrounded by snow. I took a deep breath and did my best suppress the negative thoughts. As long as I live I owe it to her, I owe it to them to keep fighting... I was deeply afraid of dying, but then I heard my name again, though now I was conscious, so how was that possible? It came was soft in tone but just loud enough to pierce through the snows.

"Sonic?" said the voice, whose which there was no mistaking.

I looked over towards the direction I heard it, and there in the gray coming towards me was a pony hooded and cloaked like I was... after a moment I saw faintly in the hood the light blue in coloration and the huge magenta eyes. Standing across from me was Rainbow herself, unlike in my dream looking every bit as cold, rugged and worn down as I was, and then some.

The Rightful Leader

There she stood. She wore a cloak like mine that was every bit as torn if not moreso, the wind whipping it in every direction. She had accessories over all her body; rope, bags of food hanging over her back, water, and something broad and slung over her back. She looked like she had possibly encountered the wolves - her eyebrows were encrusted in ice, there was traces of blood on her left cheek, and her breath was heavy.

Her face was nothing like I'd ever seen. Her expression, somehow even now, was stoic... ever committed to conquering everything thrown at her, though it couldn't hide how much suffering she'd been through in such a short time period. I knew she was tough, but I found it utterly impossible that anyone could be this resilient. How much pain that she had been through was I responsible for, I wondered. It was a haunting tragedy that she should hear what happened to me right before all of this went down.

We both were overwhelmed to see each other and not the cold nor the raging winds could distract us - it felt like we'd been separated for years. Concern and interest in the other's well-being dominated both of our first reactions; she examined every part of me to assess my state of being, wondering fiercely what had I been through and if I was alright while my own feelings mirrored hers. Eventually she seemed so relieved and happy to have found me that it looked like she was about to cry, and at first her presence breathed a new life into me and I was engulfed with love and admiration in return... but little did I know just how awful I was setting myself up.

"Where's the team?" she asked, as the first signs of mortal terror made their way across her face. My heart was dropped off a cliff as I was suddenly so aware of all the devastating truths I had to bestow on her, as I looked into her eyes that longed for good news.

The weight of that burden and all the implications therein hit me like a train and immediately forced me off my hooves and into the snow as I grappled completely in vain with the pain. She thundered forward and threw herself around me as I suppressed thoughts and images of suffering kids that I couldn't save. I comprehended everything.... What this meant for her, for the kids, for their parents, for their brothers and sisters...

"Sonic it's alright! I'm here!" she offered at her best and most desperate attempt to console. Everything I did just seemed to make everything worse... the last thing I wanted to do was make her even more miserable, but the realities of the situation took on a physical form like a mortal illness raging through my body. What a nightmare my life turned out to be, I thought to myself.

"I'm s-so s-sorry!" I lamented, crying hysterically into her shoulder. This was the one and only time in my entire life when embracing her actually made the pain a million times worse... I knew I had failed her, I knew the impact knowing the team had left would have on her, and I knew the kids were doomed. Rainbow deserved so much better than all of this, and having her grip me so tightly seemed to amplify the internal ache to an incomprehensible level. How were the two of us supposed to rescue eighteen foals by ourselves, when the loss of just one was a tragedy beyond words? "I tried so hard..."

"I know!" she sobbed, rocking me back and fourth. "I know, Sonic!"

We both shared so deeply in our misery and we both willed so strongly that the other feel better that somewhere deep inside I think there was eventually a mutual relief, each just for the other's sake, as we hugged each other harder than we ever have.

"Rainbow?" called a voice from the wind. We both turned our heads. The shadowy silhouette in the snow stepped forward - it was Thunderlane, who looked as somber and sympathetic as I've ever seen him. I must say though I love him dearly, seeing him wasn't quite enough to free me from this discouragement.

However behind Thunderlane another shadowy outline of a pony appeared. It too inched closer until Blossomforth emerged looking on with pity. Before long three more outlines appeared at their side, and the worn, rugged faces of Merry May, Clear Skies, and Buddy created a line of five ponies in awestruck disbelief of Rainbow.

Her and I looked at each other. All of a sudden the pain wasn't quite so unbearable. I could see they were all genuinely impressed and inspired, despite their own weariness and depleted morale. Maybe seeing her now they were willing to stay a little longer, and look just a little harder.

"You're incredible," uttered Blossomforth to Rainbow under breath.

Rainbow was in the exact same position as me. She had pieced together that all of these ponies plus Whitewash and the Wonderbolts had abandoned the mission, but now these five had returned. It was awkward transition for us two but they gave us a reason to suspend our despair and were the legitimate foundation for one last effort.

"Sonic," started Merry May to me, breaking the silence. She was struggling to compose her words. "I don't know how to describe it, but when you look at me... you make me feel like I really matter. Like I'm not just another background pony. I can't-"

"I think what she's trying to say," started Clear Skies, "we can't leave this place until - "

"Until we truly have *nothing* left," said Blossomforth.

"I have been really afraid of things my whole life," offered Buddy. "What we've been through the last 24 hours, what do I have left to be afraid of? I'm way more of afraid of going back having not faced my fears for the sake of a bunch of kids... and for you, Sonic."

"Now that I know Rainbow came all the way out here without wings, I'm definitely not going back until I die or hypothermia sets in," said Thunderlane. "Both of you are my heroes. I've got a few more hours left in me, and I owe to you and those kids to stay out here a little longer," he said to the two of us.

Out of the corner of my eye Rainbow was shooting me a look of wondrous pride. Unlike her I couldn't put on a stoic face and my feelings were usually fully on display. But I hoped they could see how much it actually it meant to me. I try my best to love unconditionally, but the reality for me is that knowing that it's appreciated is significant. I wanted to know each of them deeply and meaningfully. Up to this point I had tried so hard to be a good teammate for them working towards a goal where everyone could all go home happy. When they had left, I assumed that meant I utterly failed.

"I- uh," I started, looking gratefully at each one of them. "I don't know what to say that's not cliche, but-"

"Well then don't bother," remarked Thunderlane.

"But there truly aren't words to describe how much your support means to me," I continued, trying hard in vain to hold back my outwardly emotional appearance as Rainbow reached a hoof around me and buried her head in me for support.

"You have believed in us," said Blossomforth, speaking for the rest of them now. "Now we need you to believe in yourself."

"Seriously Rainbow, we knew you were tough but come on, this is ridiculous," said Thunderlane, no doubt trying to diffuse the tension as best he could though no one was certainly about to crack a smile anytime soon, and how he was able to maintain remarks like that close to hypothermia was beyond me.

"Alright guys," said Rainbow Dash, with ice water in her veins. "Let's do this."

"What is that on your back?" asked Clear Skies, referring to the large flat object hanging over back.

"This is a sled. Since I can't fly back, I figured I could fit about four foals on this sled and haul them back with this rope attached to me."

What an incredibly genius idea! I thought to myself, and it seemed as though the rest agreed.

"Four foals?" asked Clear Skies in disbelief.

"I mean - I really respect the idea, but you think you could haul *four* of them all the way back?" said a doubting Blossomforth.

"Watch me," snorted Rainbow, who's incredible resolve was as visible in her expression as it was evident in her voice. She was Rainbow Dash, the greatest athlete in Equestrian. With wing power and the resistance of the wind and weather, the absolute maximum amount of foals a strong pegasus could fly back was two, and that seemed against the odds. If Rainbow could haul four of them back, it would be significant, though she was undoubtedly the only one in the group and likely Equestria that could something like that.

"There's eighteen of them..." said Blossomforth. "If you take four, that leaves fourteen foals between six of us... how are we supposed to account for the rest of them? It would take a miracle for us all to take two back."

"We'll deal with that when we get there," replied Rainbow.

"If only that coward Whitewash hadn't left," muttered Thunderlane.

"Can't help that now," I said. I didn't bare much ill-will towards Whitewash for not coming back, though we needed him. I always thought I sensed a lot of pain underneath his hard exterior rather than ego or apathy.

At that moment though the wind seemed to quick up and the snow seemed to get a little heavier, so everyone had to raise their voices.

"Have you found any sign of them?" asked Rainbow, as apparently she had not.

"No, but we think they're on this side of the valley," I said, motioning to the unexplored darkness in front of us away from the valley entrance. "We were captured by ice dragons who told us the white-eyed one has them, so they may be in some kind of cave or structure of some kind."

"Ok," she replied, absorbing this information decisively. "Clear Skies, Buddy, and Merry May... you take that side of the valley along those mountains, look for caves, tracks, anything you can find," she said pointing to the left hand side. "Blossomforth and Thunderlane, you take the middle... look inside pine trees, look for any sign of them!" she commanded as the wind whipped her hood wildly around her face. "Sonic and I will take the side with these mountains," she finished, pointing to the right of the valley as I scaled the steep peaks above that side. I realized we needed some kind of reference. I looked around for a distinguished tree.

"Should we meet there in what, two hours?" I offered, pointing to a large downed tree several yards away.

"Yes, we should," said Blossomforth.

"Great idea," said Rainbow. "Meet back here in roughly two hours. If you have to take a quick break, these big pine trees offer a nice shelter in the middle," said Rainbow.

"Oh we know," replied Thunderlane.

"If we find anything should we use our green flares?" asked Buddy.

"Yes!" affirmed Rainbow. It was a good idea. "Any sign of the kids or if you're in danger. But only use them if you really have to, they're loud... they could alert other creatures to you too."

An awkward silence ensued with uncomfortable glances into the darkness around us. We all understood that the hour of reckoning was approaching, as we couldn't survive out here for much longer if we didn't find them and get back within a few hours or so. I wasn't sure how this was going to work, how we could bring all of the children back between the seven of us, but it was enough for me to suppress any despair and make one last gallant effort, especially knowing they had their true leader now in Rainbow. With her taking up to four, we could definitely save a significant number if we could just find them alive.

Everyone traded soulful glances. There wasn't a single one of us who wasn't deathly afraid, but our fear and struggles were all shared, and that had created a powerful bond between us all. Rainbow put a hoof around me and pulled me close, and she raised her other hoof for Thunderlane to come to. He walked forward and lowered his head into us, raising his other hoof to embrace another until the rest followed suit and we were joined in a group hug. We felt each other's bodies, we breathed each other's breath, and we resolved to give it one more go.

***** ***** *****

Princess Celestia couldn't believe the amount of ponies that surrounded her on all sides, many of them bowing as she walked down the path to the royal tent. She had been visiting the doctors and the hospital area they had set up to receive the team, and comforting the families of all those involved and was now on her way back to her royal tent to plan some more with her sister. The entire site had come to resemble a kind of primitive makeshift city in the middle of the arctic plains, with tents, fires, and large groups of heavily-dressed ponies in every direction, weathering the frigid night for the citizens of Ponyville.

Her stress was boiling over. In meeting with parents and family members of the missing foals - who she suspected were kidnapped - she had just endured one of the most emotionally taxing endeavors she'd ever experienced in centuries of rule, but her very real love for them demanded it. The team had been gone a full day already and it was now pushing into the next night, and many, including herself, were starting to wonder if and when the team was going to return at all. Now on top of everything ponies were showing up in droves all around the area, with pitched tents and fires of their own.

"This is ridiculous," she wondered aloud as she walked swiftly down the path, a team of advisors made up of about ten consisting of doctors, scientists, professionals, and guards trailing her. She noticed a middle-aged stallion who looked to her based on his scarf, glasses, and mane to be from Manehattan. She knew most of the ponies from Ponyville's faces and identity, but he stood out of group that looked to be from one of the northern cities.

"You there - come with me please," she commanded, and a look of shock and fear overtook him. "Nothing to be afraid of, I have a few questions."

Without much of a choice, he reluctantly began following along while his surprised group of upperclass cityfolk watched him leave them behind. When she arrived she strolled swiftly past the royal guards at the entrance of the royal tent with purpose, entering inside where Luna was waiting. She barely waited for the rest of them to come in behind her before she turned around.

"Where are all these ponies coming from? I'm trying to understand how this got out to Equestria so quickly," she asked again with frustration. "You there," she said to the stallion she had called. "What is your name? Where are you from? You're not in trouble, I'm just trying to understand what's going on."

"Me, Princess?" he repeated nervously. "My name is Blackberry. I-I am f-from Manehattan, your majesty."

"I thought so," she replied. "Maybe you can help me. I'm trying to understand why there are so many ponies here. Why is it that you came and how did you hear about this situation? You have nothing to fear - I'm not angry with you, Blackberry."

The stallion gulped and took a deep breath, stuttering on his opening. She wished that the common ponies from the further areas of Equestrian could approach her without being so nervous but she was more than used to this by now - she just wanted the truth.

"Well your majesty, many of us came here by train when we read Bucky's story in the newspapers," he replied.

"Bucky?" asked the Princess, as it occurred to her that she knew Bucky Quill as the popular journalist and columnist with the Manhattan Times. She knew Pinkie and Rarity had organized something, but she didn't think they could've pulled something off of this scale. Bucky, on the other hand...

"Well, the story he wrote concerning the missing foals and the team that went in after them. It was written here and translated back to Manhattan where it spread like wildfire, your majesty. Many of us started coming here by train when we read it to support the team and family members."

"Captain," remarked Princess to her lead guard. "Find Bucky Quill and bring him to me immediately, please," she commanded, causing Blackberry to gasp as the captain saluted her and left. "And bring a copy of his story. So Blackberry, you came here by train after you read Bucky's story... to support the team and the affected families in person?"

"Yes, my Princess... I swear it... we mean no harm at all, on the contrary we- we want to be here for them, and to see the team is received with the welcome they deserve."

"I see," she said, studying his humble body language and deeming him sincere. "I believe you, Blackberry. You are not in trouble. Thank you for your help."

There was a brief and uncomfortable silence between her, Luna, Blackberry, and the team of advisors. Blackberry was obviously wondering something, and as it turns out Princess Luna and a few others were wondering it as well. Princess Celestia was under so much stress it was hard to tell exactly what she was thinking.

"Thank you, your majesty," he said nervously, bowing.

"Go ahead, you can ask," replied Princess Celestia.

"Um... is Bucky in trouble?"

Celestia took a deep breath and looked away from his face. She briefly glanced over at Luna, who was just as curious. The elder had a lot of feelings about this. On one hoof she knew the ponies coming here meant well, but on the other hoof, she wasn't sure how long they could last out here or the implications for them and the rest of Equestria if her worst fears about the mission were realized.

"I don't know. I definitely did not intend for this to get out to every corner of the land as quickly as this, nor am I so sure that ponies flooding here in these conditions is a good idea. This is a dangerous place, even with a strong temporary settlement. How much food did you bring? Are ponies bringing firewood with them on these trains? I have a lot of questions... though I should like to read this story of his first, I suppose."

"Most of us have a couple day's worth of food, and yes, your majesty, there was some firewood brought by many of us on the train I took," he said. He couldn't hide from her that he was hurt by her comments and questions; it was something she did not intend, but she was too stressed and the bigger problems were much too big for her to worry about his feelings much. That didn't keep her from trying, however.

"I understand. Thank you for your cooperation and for your noble and selfless support, my good stallion... I know your heart is in the right place. I give you my word," she said tenderly, and the easing of his face seemed to reflect that he believed her. "You may return to your group now."

"Yes, your majesty. Thank you, your majesty," he said with a bow, and then departed the tent.

As he exited, the team of advisors looked on at the sun princess as she took this short moment of relative inaction to try and calm herself. She lowered her head to the ground and shut her eyes, focusing her thoughts on organizing what she needed to do in the next few hours to ensure they were best prepared to receive the team and the rest of her subjects out here in the plains. The only movement in the room now was the long, slow expansion of her stomach followed by a similar compression as she breathed deeply in and out.

"Is there anything else needed in the infirmary?" she asked her lead doctor, Doctor Snowmane - a gray mare with a white man in a white doctor's scrub.

"With what we are able to bring out here I believe we are as prepared as we can be. We have enough blankets, hospital beds, antiseptics, and the food and warm fluids are ready for heating at the first sign of a return."

The sun princess nodded her head. It didn't seem there was much anything they could do at this point but wait for their return. Princess Luna stepped forward.

"Leave us," she told the team of advisors and royal guards standing there, and the lot of them slowly cleared the room without hesitation. When there was nothing left but themselves Princess Luna stepped in closer to her older sister. "This was going to get out eventually, you know."

"I know that," replied the elder.

"Are you worried that Bucky is going to cast us in a bad light?"

That thought had crossed Celestia's mind. Their virtue demanded them to not to fear negative opinions of themselves, but she also understood that the reality was the perception of their rule was important to maintaining a happy society.

"This is not about me resisting being held accountable for my mistakes," said, confronting many that she'd made recently in her mind.

"This situation is not the result of your neglect. They will understand," affirmed the night princess. "They are just here to support the town and receive the team."

"Sister, what happens if the team returns empty-hoofed? What happens if they don't return at all?" whispered Celestia, prompting a deeply wounded expression from Luna. She hated more than anything the world doing that to her, but she knew this was a situation where it didn't do any good to hold back the truth. "What is that going to do to the ponies that came all the way out here for them? How are these cities going to take it if and when they return with no good news?"

"I see your point," Princess Luna conceded, glancing away worriedly.

"It is wonderful and great that they have come all this way from all over for these ponies, but by getting all of Equestria so intimately involved, Bucky has raised the stakes on this mission exponentially . If they don't return, we could see a state of depression we have not seen since Discord ruled this land."

Just then, the captain of the royal guard returned entered the room and saluted; entering in behind him was a white stallion with a blonde mane... the well-dressed, spectacled columnist for the Manehattan Times - Bucky Quill. He had met her once in Canterlot at the Galloping Gala, a much different setting; now as he walked in and immediately noticed her wondering eyes he was he braced for a rebuke of some kind. He feared that had something to do with his story blowing up across the northern cities in an incredibly short amount of time, thanks to use of some simple magic and his friends back home with a printing press.

"Bucky, are you aware that most of the ponies out there are not even from Ponyville, and they here because of your story?" asked the white princess.

"Um," he replied, struggling mightily with how to approach this situation. As a columnist he certainly wasn't used to being on the spot like this. "Y-yes ma'am - er, your majesty."

"Did you bring a copy of your story like I asked?" she inquired. Bucky handed her the strap across his neck carrying a scroll on the inside; the original scroll on which he composed the first copy.

"Yes, your majesty - please forgive me, your majesty..."

Celestia ignored his pleas and held up the scroll in front of her face, reading as quickly as she could. It featured a short but surprisingly accurate description of what had happened, what was happening to save the foals, and hitting her quite hard in the heart, it featured a section on every member of the team - their likes, interests, family... the details of each soul next to their respective pictures.

"How did you get all of this information together so quickly?" she asked him disbelief. That was a source of pride for Bucky.

"Uh... well, you might say I'm 'well connected' I guess."

As she read on it was quickly turning into yet another moment that required a great effort to keep one's feelings in check as she looked into the lives of each pony out there suffering in the mountains just to west. Most shockingly to her, it featured a candid and beautiful section on Sonic - it mentioned how he was falsely accused, how bad the townsponies felt they never got the chance to apologize, and how much he loved Rainbow. Unbeknownst to her, their romance had become the talk of many of the social circles. The ending implored his readers to send all of their thoughts, empathy, sacrifices, prayers, and support to all those affected. Now, it seems, she understood why ponies had all come in droves.

Princess Celestia closed the scroll back into it's container and handed it to Bucky, initially unable to make eye contact as she thought in depth and quelled her emotions. Eventually she did turn to his direction, and saw him waiting much like a child waiting fearfully for the verdict from his mother.

"Your highness, I'm sorry," he repeated, hoping for some kind of feedback. "I just didn't think that heroes should remain hidden."

"Nor do I, Bucky. I'm certainly not angry with you. It's just that-" she briefly looked to her sister Luna, who would know exactly what she was trying to say having just discussed with her. "You may not have intended it, but because of your story this mission will now have massive implications for the rest of Equestria. Do you understand that?"

Before Bucky could respond, a royal guard rushed in with an urgent look on his face. The two princesses knew immediately that there was major news.

"What is it?" they both asked in unison.

"Our scouts just signaled to us," he cried. "They're back!"

The two princesses galloped out of the tent as fast as they could. As soon as they were outside they spread their wings and took in flight towards western edge of the town facing the mountains. Bucky was unable to fly, but he galloped down the street after them as fast as he could. The rest of the ponies immediately recognized the running stallion meant big news and a huge crowd of thousands of ponies began running after him as noise and gossip erupted throughout the campsite.

When Bucky arrived at edge near the designated medical tents, a line of royal guards formed to stand in his way, though somehow he was able to just make through before the guards came together. The line closed quickly behind him and stiffened for the huge herd of ponies bearing down on them. Bucky's friends and assistants Lucky and Ash were on his side of the line, having been relaxing near one of the fires. He ran up and stood in between them, not wanting to get too close to the princesses.

"STAND BACK!" bellowed the captain of the royal guard, and the curious mob calmed down as they all watched the princess. The crowd was way too large to contain with just a few royal guards men, so it began moving in both directions to the side, ponies trying to get a glimpse of the return of the team.

Bucky observed a distressed pegasus fly up to the two princesses, whispering frantically in their ears. He studied body language and listened closely for any information. He stole a glance over at the husbands and wives waiting in each other's embrace... the parents.

"What are they saying?" asked Ash.

"I don't know," said Bucky, deeply focused. As he watched more and more, his heart started to sink. "But I don't think it's good..."

Just then, the source of nightmares, the worst image Bucky had seen - he saw the life leave the princesses' eyes as they reacted to something they were told. A few moments later, the deepest fear on everyone's mind happened before everyone's eyes... A return with no foals. Several Wonderbolt members began fluttering down from the sky and stumbling into the medical tents, collapsing in front of the warm fires with cries and moaning. They had none of the kids and a significant part of the team - the Ponyville members, to be specific - was missing.

It didn't take a doctor to see they were in really bad condition. They looked both frozen and exhausted, flying in on their last fumes and chilled to the bone, and the gravest faces any of them ever seen. These were the best athletes in Equestria, so if they couldn't do it, Bucky understood that meant nobody could.

As the worst feeling he'd ever experienced gripped his existence, Bucky turned his head back to the now silent crowd and saw a sea of disappointment and horror. A deep depression swept over the entire area.

"What happened?" asked Princess Celestia, barely able to compose words. Her question was directed to Spitfire, the captain of the Wonderbolts, who had just landed and was struggling with her breathing. She sank down by the fire and stared at the ground as doctors threw a blanket over her.

"No sign of the foals anywhere," she mustered, which was met with gasps and cries.

"R-rest of t-team?" whispered Princess Celestia.

Spitfire didn't seem to understand. She looked wearily over her shoulder expecting the rest of the team to be there with them, except for Sonic. In the blinding snow of the valley she did not realize that several ponies who had gone missing, all of them part of the Ponyville team.

"They stayed behind," uttered an ice cold Fleetfoot, who was the only Wonderbolt standing rather than sitting or laying. "To die."

A deathly silence descended and froze everyone in place. Bucky saw as Celestia's heartbroken face turned slowly and despairingly to the ones no one wanted to even think about - the parents.

"Wait," remarked Soarin' over the silence, as shivered and shook under a blanket. "There *was* a mention of them."

"What?" whispered the Princess.

"Sonic and the others stayed back to keep looking," he uttered quietly, though most of the ponies in the vicinity including Bucky and the first few rows of the onlookers still heard him. A few of the other Wonderbolts - notably Spitfire and Fleetfoot - shot him looks of surprise almost as though he had betrayed them, though at this moment he didn't care. He was devastated... seeing the ponies here waiting for them and the unspeakable anguish they had brought back, he now wished he had stayed behind with Sonic and the rest of them even though it felt like he had nothing left. "But they can't last much longer out there."

"What did you mean there was a mention of them?" asked a tearful but focused Celestia. Soarin' had never been put on the spot like this and was so tired he could barely think straight, not to mention the aching body and the aching heart. But he felt he owed this information to them.

"Sonic and the other Ponyvillians were captured by ice dragons and escaped... the dragons told them that the foals were in the possession of a 'white-eyed one'."

Bucky could see Celestia's mind get sent into a swirl of horror and confusion upon hearing this. She seemed to know what this meant, but wasn't sure how to fully process it. Whenever Soarin' spoke whispers spread like wildfire from the front of the crowd to the back, with the front relaying the latest info.

"They may still be alive," she finally declared aloud, though to no one in particular, which was followed by more gasps. Only her and her sister knew what that meant.

"Princess," said a teary-eyed Soarin'. "We have no other leads... no idea where to look. The conditions were so terrible- if we stayed out there much longer -"

"What were we supposed to do?" cried Spitfire hysterically of all of a sudden, drawing the attention of everyone. "Die out there? That's not fair!" she said, and began weeping into her blanket. "This wasn't fair."

A tortured and conflicted Princess Celestia glanced around at the crowd of ponies, not sure of what to say or do. Certainly this was a situation she never expected to find herself in with so many of her subjects. Then followed by everyone else she turned her attention to the dark, looming mountains. The only glimmers of hope now rested with Rainbow, Sonic and the remaining team inside those mountains.

Not All Is Lost

"Let's take a rest under this tree," Rainbow called to me over the wind. Her voice was losing it's strength and so was her step.

She and I had been moving up the side of the valley together frantically searching for any signs. We were running constantly; looking for cave entrances, under trees - anywhere that ponies could hide. It wouldn't be long now before we'd have to go back and meet up with the team for a check in, but her and I were exhausting ourselves. The wind and cold was penetrating my cloak from all the places the wolves had bit through and it felt like we'd been out here so much longer as time dragged on and on in the miserable conditions.

Up to this point I had mostly stayed focused which Rainbow being beside me had a lot to do with. It was a distant presence though; we were so preoccupied with finding the foals and the valley was so dark and noisy from the winds that it wasn't anything like I was used to, as we couldn't really talk to each other unless we were yelling over the wind. We hadn't found even the slightest clue up to that point and the more time that passed by the more I began to think in the back of my mind that maybe our end could be near, though I did my very best to carry on.

Following her under a large pine tree we ducked under the branches and the two of us sat down together against the trunk. We were finally sheltered from the constant winds in a place of relative quiet. We held each other tightly and breathed deeply. Eventually we started to warm each other up with our body heat and resting my head on her I closed my eyes in the silence. My mind was so tense it felt like cords were wrapped tightly around my brain so I tried to relax in a meditative state, telling myself that this was the only way to survive and save these kids and my team. The stress began to leave... slowly it felt as though someone had tied a hose to my head and was draining the tension.

Initially my thoughts were solely concentrated on Rainbow and how I wanted her to the be the last thing I thought of before I passed on from this world to the next. Then I started to think about my life up to that point and the role she had played in it. Moving from place to place as a foal... how hard it had to been to make or keep any friends with that lifestyle.

My relationship with my parents seemed so positive at first. I remembered sitting on my mom's lap, looking out over from Equestria on a cloud at sunset as she taught me how the world worked. I would listen to her so attentively. Recalling her downward gaze on me in my earliest memories I was so sure that she loved me and at all times I was so eager to please her and my father. She used to tell me that our purpose was to love heavenly things, and to love one another. I took it to heart. Evidently she and my father did not.

Somewhere along the way, something happened. Maybe it was on one of the moves in the north somewhere, I wasn't sure... but their attitude towards me seemed to fundamentally change. They were no longer interested in anything I did and it seemed like I could never please them anymore, and when that happened it seemed so much harder for me to find happiness in nearly anything. Then one day we moved to Cloudsdale. The first experience at flight camp was a disaster. After embarrassing myself on the track Dumbbell and Hoops made me feel like I was a worthless loser, and the environment at come reinforced that substantially. But then she appeared.

She, the fastest and best flier by far, had freely chosen to defend me from their taunting and not only did she express her mutual concern for the shy filly I was trying to help, she commended me for it. And then she turned and I saw her face for the first time. I saw the raw strength and courage that radiated from it, and I grappled with the fantastic realization that for that moment it was reserved only for me. Then I understood that above all things she was good... good for me and good for everyone, and I resolved to serve and imitate that as best I could. She became the most powerful source of happiness for me. She replaced my parents as the one whom I worked to please at all times and whenever we parted I thought only about the next time I would see her.

Then one day when our friendship was soaring higher and higher with every minute that went by as though we'd reached heaven itself, my parents told me we were leaving right then and there... and I had roughly a minute to say goodbye to the filly that consumed my life. Just like that my entire purpose in life was taken away from me. As I was dragged away trying to make sense of the situation, she called to me and the two of us reunited for one last goodbye and she turned her head and plucked a part of herself off her wing and rested it in my hooves for me to keep.

It's not enough to talk about the power of this event. As a foal I couldn't fully comprehend what this meant, but it confirmed to me that the basis for everything I did was true... if my life mattered, which the feather affirmed, then the lives of everyone else mattered as well.

Next in line during my recollection came the abandonment as I felt Rainbow's breath slowing, the lag between every inhale getting a little longer. Primarily I just wanted to know why. If could just know why they did it... maybe I could try to make sense of it and might not feel so confused and isolated. I remembered waking up the following morning and looking around for my parents in the silence of the forest and slowly realizing that they were never coming back. The waves of devastation quickly made their rounds and I was once again left to wonder what my true value was, if anything at all. But at the end of the day, I still had my feather... and maybe, I thought, that was enough.

I had never spoken of it, not even to Zecora. She never asked - she obviously knew. But the role she played in helping me couldn't be understated, and I thought about much I missed her. She would sing me the most comforting songs, and I could hear her singing one I was particularly fond of. Far beyond the stars, my soul is longing to go... There beyond the sun, to a better place I know... Through the darkest night, I can see the heavenly glow, far away beyond the stars.

After we split following our run with the dragons, as a teenager I would fly into deep into the country and lay out in grassy fields at night... looking up at the stars and pondering my existence, wondering about Rainbow, and guarding the feather under my hooves. Those years were a mess; I could see the world around me and I understood that I lived in a way that was very different from how most of my species did. But I still knew I had tasted something real and meaningful and that before I departed this world I had so much of it to give to whoever would receive it and whoever needed it.

I recalled the day in Canterlot I saved a foal from a rogue grocery cart, and when the Princess told me I was headed to Ponyville to meet Rainbow. How every experience from then on was a thrill that somehow topped the insurmountable bar set by the previous one... seeing her for the first time in ten years at that party, all grown up into the mare she was right now resting in my chest. Then reconnecting with her for the first time, and seeing the wonder she returned in her eyes... fighting with myself at her doorstep to return her the feather, then seeing her fold back the cloth and realizing what it was.

"The day that you and I met in the Everfree forest... when you held up your hoof for me to pair with mine... that was the best day of my life," I suddenly whispered, as I recalled it so fondly. It was easy to relive singing my heart out to the skies while I waited on her return to me in the forest by the falls. "I never dreamed it possible to feel so fantastic. I thought it beyond our capacity to feel."

She seemed to lift her head back so to draw strength from me so I obliged her as strongly as I could force myself to, while taking away as much as pain as I possibly could. Eventually when she was replenished enough she returned to my chest and my chin returned to her head, and I next thought of learning about Rainbow's life and meeting Scootaloo for the first time, and reconnecting with Thunderlane. I saw how Rainbow had influenced so many, and I wanted so bad to leave a positive impact on the lives of others... just like her. Life was so wonderful flying through the skies with her.

Then I met the team. I was eager to give them a friendly face which to my great delight they all gave right back to me. With Rainbow at the wheel we finished the thunderstorm job we'd been assigned despite everyone saying we couldn't do it. But immediately after came the failed liftoff that got Rainbow hurt and made me the most despised pony in town, despite my having nothing to do with it. I felt the sting from the faces of the angry ponies who just days before had welcomed me with so much friendliness. I wonder if they'll ever know that it wasn't me... that I never meant to hurt any of them.

I recollected how the next day Rainbow read me the Daring Do books from her hospital bed, and it felt like I was on an adventure of that magnitude with her featuring us two as the protagonists. We conquered every obstacle in our way. We lived the dream together as one and we grew in our connection and devotion to each other. And then... it came out. Rainbow found out the whole truth about me and my past, and I watched as her heart was pierced in ways that few ponies probably thought was possible in this world. I bore as much of it as I possibly could for her but unless I could take it all it would never be enough for me.

Finally, when she seemed to be recovering somewhat, we were called to Canterlot castle and we were delivered the news of the train's fate and thrust into action on a mission to save our town's little ones. Somehow she threw her own heavy burdens aside and set herself on saving these foals, even earning a scorn from the Princess in the process. We said our goodbyes at the train station and I left her with a feather of my own before I joined my comrades. I relived a cold and lonely night from my childhood and took refuge in Princess Luna's heart.

Then we made our way out here, and through the constant ridicule I came to respect my team members so tremendously as I learned about what made each one of them unique in their own responses to the situation. I thought about each one of them and their contributions to us getting this far; Thunderlane, Blossomforth, Clear Skies, Buddy, Merry May, even Whitewash - my feelings for them had gotten so strong that they felt similar to my feelings on Rainbow, though that didn't make my connection with her any less significant - on the contrary it only seemed to enhance it, as she helped teach me that every pony's life is significant and unique in its own way.

How devastated I was when I thought they'd given up, and having to face Rainbow immediately after, and my soul was torn to pieces at my failure... the true low point of my life.

But they came back... They came back without an inspirational speech or anything special from me, which I was incapable of giving anyway.

And that led us right up to where I was right now, with this glowing angel snuggled so tightly in my wings.

"Rainbow," I whispered. "What could I ever say to you now that could do you justice," I continued, knowing that it would be easier to count all of the stars in the sky then take on such a task. "If I had the ability to fully understand what you've been through the last couple days... the last I could ever want in this world... not only for my sake but for Scootaloo's, Pip's, and all of the rest of them... I would do everything in my power to comprehend the depth of sorrow you've endured for us, when you could've so easily said no. When I would converse with the stars as foal, I would gush with awe at your greatness and the marvels that the love of that small one act had done for me, and here all this time they were saying back to me that your glory was a million times greater than I even knew. If anything could ever be said of me, let it be this... that I lived for the good things you have done for me and let it shine through me onto as many other ponies as I could find."

Rainbow's lips slowly closed in on mine until they met for a most intimate exchange. She held my head in her hooves and poured her deepest affections straight into me, mirroring everything I felt for her. Both of us knew there were elements of deep sadness in the other over the situation but we seemed to have put that aside as we willed only the greatest feelings of happiness for the other.

"Sonic," she whispered, with the faintest smile amidst her exhaustion. "I'd go through this nightmare till the end of time... for one minute with you," she continued which drowned me in gratitude. She was fighting back against her body and her shutting eyes to make sure I knew the full force which she delivered it.

"You have always been my true captain," I told her, as my head fall onto hers again, willing so hard to ease her pain. My eyes closed and my mind slowed as the sounds from the valley started getting fainter and fainter. "My hero," I whispered. Rainbow's heartbeat seemed in union with mine. I started to drift into unconsciousness, for one final breath. "My feather."

"My feather?" repeated the voice of what sounded like a young foal... but it wasn't in my head. It had to have come from the real world. My eyes screamed open. A wave of energy rushed through me. Rainbow's head whipped back and the two of us traded incredulous stares. She had heard it too. The two of us stood up and moved slowly around the trunk of the tree, and I was more frozen right then then I ever was out in the valley. As we moved around it, the most powerful image I've ever laid eyes on inched its way into view... A grey shivering pegasus colt with scared eyes, followed by a purple filly, a yellow colt, and a red filly.

Rainbow and I looked at each other in disbelief, making sure the other saw the same sight. We were equally overwhelmed. They were huddled together as foursome, trying to keep each other warm with their body heat though they all shook. Rainbow and I looked at them, then to each other, then back at them and back at each other one last time.

"Is that - d-do you see?" she asked, as I shook my head up and down.

"Uh huh."

"Did we just- ?" she asked.

"It's them," I whispered, grabbing her hooves before we threw ourselves around each other. "Rainbow... we found them."

After so many hours of nothing, countless hours spent in a state of eternal torment as the thought of them weighed so heavily, so much time fought to keep this hope alive with anything I could... now, finally... here they were right in front of us. I fell to my knees, Rainbow following suit. We had found the lost foals. Four of them anyway. The two of us lowered our hoods, which prompted the red filly first.

"Rainbow Dash?" she asked. They looked confused, perhaps not knowing what to think though hopeful that we were there to help. They were without any cloaks or anything but didn't look nearly as bad as you would expect, though they had a few bruises, snow in their manes and tails, and the yellow colt looked like he was in some kind of minor physical pain.

"Rosie?" repeated the mare.

"Guys! It's Rainbow Dash!" she proclaimed to which the others gasped, and I saw the triumph in her expression as she stood up excitedly.

Whereas just moments it felt like the both of us were about ready to fall asleep - perhaps permanently - now we were becoming so overwhelmed we had to actually tone it back as not to scare the kids. My mind went into a flurry as my thoughts jumped all around. Their faces were so energizing. They were alive and well, feeling and thinking with all of the youthful innocence you could imagine. Rainbow and I could hardly accept it. All those hours of searching, hoping beyond hope for the slightest of leads, and hour after hour nothing came... to have our steadfastness rewarded like this was beyond anything.

"Are any of you hurt?" I asked.

"Is he your boyfriend?" piped the grey colt, to which Rainbow sighed and chuckled while I blushed.

"He's a *lot* more than that."

"Oh darn it," he replied sadly, apparently wishing he were hers which I found very endearing.

"How did you get here? Where are the others?" asked Rainbow.

"Bumble thinks he broke his ankle," said Rosie, glancing back at him.

"And I've got a headache," said the purple filly.

"Me too," said the grey colt. "Are you - are you here to save us?"

"Yes, we are," answered Rainbow, glancing to me an empowering newfound strength. The four foals, all of whom were pegasus, beamed at each other hopefully. They looked like small versions of ourselves, each with their own story of how they got here with each other that I could only wonder about. "How did you get here?"

"Scootaloo sent us," said the yellow colt named Bumble.

"Scootaloo?" repeated Rainbow breathlessly. "She's ok?"

"I think so, she was the one who told us to come out here - she wanted to stay behind with the rest of the non-pegasus ponies," she replied. I ran my hoof over my forehead as I looked over at Rainbow again. I needed water, as I was now sweating profusely. Every development was too much for me to take in all at once. "Unless the creepy guy did something."

"We're going to get you home, but we have to get your friends too," I said, taking out water and offering it to them first, as Rainbow did the same. "Do you want to go home?"

"Yes," replied the grey colt wearily, and the rest of them shook their heads up and down.

"I miss my parents," said the purple filly.

"Me too," said Bumble.

"Me three," said Rosie.

"Well, they definitely miss you a lot too, and they're gonna be really happy once we get you back," I said with a glance back at Rainbow, and I believed they were buying into it as they nodded acceptingly. "Can you tell us everything that happened starting when you were on the train?"

"Well," started Rosie, and I prepared myself for the most attentive listening of my life. "We were on the way to the Crystal Empire and it was snowing really hard outside, and then there was this 'swoosh' and this really, really bright light... and the next thing we knew all of us were like transported to this giant cave that was like a fun house."

"A fun house?" asked Rainbow Dash, as the two of us traded horrified looks.

"Yeah, with this like really creepy guy with like the head of a pony but white eyes," said Bumble.

"But he stands up on two legs! And has these white paws and feet," said the purple filly.

"Ok, do you think you could describe the fun house to us?" I asked, as Rainbow and I knelt down right in front of the four.

"It was actually pretty fun for a little bit!" said the grey colt, which I found unsettling. "There were all these slides, and mazes, and games," he went on.

"Really good food," said the purple filly.

Rainbow and I traded looks again, checking each other's status as we followed along. I tried to make sense of what heard but hadn't come up with much. I kept listening as intensely as I could.

"And he even gave us that those really strong apple cider drinks that adults make!" said the grey colt with energy. "But Bumble had too much and got really -"

"Shut up - I did not!" replied Bumble angrily.

"Ok, I said gently, and the four of them stopped talking. I held my hoof to my forehead trying to recollect for everything. "So, you're on the train, big flash of light takes you to this cave where this strange guy with white eyes owns this kind of fun house... how did you guys escape?"

"Scootaloo knew from the beginning that this guy was weird, and she told us not to trust him," said Rosie, and I felt my heart ping at the sound of it. "We all just ignored her at first because he said he was just trying to make us happy, but when we asked about going back to our parents and families he said we'd never have to see them again," she continued, her voice shifting to one of worry and sadness. "And he told some of us our parents don't actually care about us."

"He lied," growled Rainbow.

"He was like nice at first but he's actually really mean!" said Bumble. They told their side with such passion and enthusiasm.

"Guys," I said, lowering my head, trying to be as delicate as I possibly could. "This guy isn't a good guy. He's a bad guy. We were sent from the princesses to save you from him, and bring you back to Ponyville safe and sound," I continued looking tenderly at them. They gasped once again with fear, and my heart braced heavily for my next question. "He didn't hurt of you did he?"

"No, not really, he pretty much stays away and just watches sometimes," said Rosie, and Rainbow and I each released sighs of indescribable relief.

"You're telling us none of you have been hurt? All eighteen of you?" asked Rainbow for final clarification, and all four of them looked at each other and shook their heads "no".

"Sonic!" said Rainbow to the point of tears and the two of us hugged each other again. My eyes lifted upward. Somewhere deep down, I thought I knew it. I was so overwhelmed. But we quickly got off each other and tried to stay focused, we had to stay strong and collected for them.

"So what happened when you came out here? You said Scootaloo sent you?" I asked.

"Yeah. We found the exit to the cave - Scootaloo sent us out to try and look for help, since we're the only ones that could fly... so we came out into this blizzard, but then we came to this really big cliff and when we tried to fly over it we all got sucked up in this tornado and it blasted us right out there," said the purple filly.

"That's when I hurt my ankle," said Bumble.

"And my head hurts," said the grey colt. "It was really strong."

"You mean the cliff is right out here, and the cave is just right below it?" asked Rainbow, pointing to the opposite direction of the tree we had come in from. I thought and thought about everything they said, looking to Rainbow when they mentioned the part about the cave and the cliff. I think I was getting some kind of idea about what was happening, though I still needed more details. Many more. I turned my attention back to them.

"You're in the Valley of - " I started to say it, but I caught myself with a quick glance to Rainbow who was relieved I did. "Well, we're way up north near the Crystal Empire, in a valley. Outside the valley your parents and the princesses are waiting for you with doctors and royal guards," I told them, and their eyes lit up with mutual excitement and they shot each other smiles. I came back to Rainbow, who I could tell was as desperate to talk to me in private as I was. "Wait right here, Rainbow and I are gonna talk about how to get you all back, is that ok?" I asked, and they all nodded their heads willingly.

Her and I turned away, hardly able to contain ourselves. We held each other and poured out our emotions, rocking each other back and forth. Finally - after all the horrible things that had befallen us both - some good news.

"They're alive... Scootaloo's alive and unharmed, they all are," I assured her as this truth swept over and around us. I relished in the comfort it brought her as she struggled to contain herself... it was a best case scenario.

"I knew it... I'm just so proud of you," she whispered, bouncing and shivering with new energy. "But we can't get too worked up because this isn't over until it's over," she said, and I was darkly reminded that she was quite right, in actuality we had a monstrous task in front of us that I knew was maybe greater than we'd yet faced.

"You're right, you're right - I'm sorry," I muttered hysterically, trying to get a handle of my mental state and my heart rate as I madly rubbed my mane. "You're right - this isn't over. It's so far from over," I told myself, shaking my head, preparing for the next and perhaps the last wave of challenges.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! You're alright!" she assured me with a loving voice.

"What should I do? What do you command?" I whispered breathlessly, desperately eager to serve her in whatever way she deemed necessary. She looked back at the kids, concentrating on deep breaths and thinking hard until a sobering expression came over her face though her orders couldn't come soon enough for me.

"I'll take them back," she declared.

"W-what?"

"I can't get down that cliff with a broken wing, Sonic... It's perfect - I can fit four of them on this sled. I'll give them my coat and my blanket; harness the rope to this sled and me and I'll run them straight out of the valley."

I processed this in wildly different ways. It was an incredibly dangerous and impossible task that my spirits dived in every which way at the thought of, but as I stared into her it was abundantly clear that she was the only pony in Equestria who could do this. And I would be dead before I protested her or fought back her decisions, though in particular I dreaded one of multitude of implications. She's going to have to leave me.

"Sonic," she said, shoving her face into mine. "Find the others and go to that cave and get the kids," she said, putting her hoof on my shoulder as the thought of such pumped indescribable anxiety into me with every breath, my body shaking all over. "And then please..." she pleaded, shedding her tears with a headshake. She had been so strong, but now her desperate longing was flooding through. "Come to me... and we'll all go home!"

"Yes," I muttered, shaking my head at the thought of it. "YES!!!!!!!"

The reality of our impending separation was upon us. She reached her mouth into one of her saddle bags and her teeth pulled out a grayish-blue feather belonging to a stallion that belonged to her body and soul. I reached back into the saddlebag over my own neck and pulled out my own much smaller blue feather, and we held the two feathers out in front of us until we touched them together. Rainbow and I shared one final but very special kiss, and I believed as long as we kept these with us we'd always have a part of the other there with us to get us through. By the stars and the heavens I vowed to fight until my very last breath with every last ounce of will I had left. Then I sent them off and they disappeared into the darkness.

I sprinted through the snow in the direction where the foals had pointed and quickly came to a wide cliff, maybe several hundred yards wide and one hundred feet high. Below it was a small open field covered in snow and on all sides the mountains shot straight up into the darkness. I looked down at the base of mountains and saw in the distance what had to be what they were talking about. In the center there were strange and powerful winds whipping up with drifting snow from the cliff getting sucked into it's wintery vortex. Oddly enough it seemed to have some color variation, almost like small-scale northern lights that outlined sides just enough to make the surrounding areas just barely visible in the night.

I spread my wings and streaked back to the place where we had agreed to meet the others. To my dismay there was no one there. I reached into one of my saddlebags and pulled out a green flair, biting off it's fuse and setting off a loud green light show that lit up the area around me. I was so ready to go into the cave and retrieve the children that I couldn't sit still, I paced back and forth in the snow. Come on Thunderlane! Blossomforth! I pleaded. Those two were the closest since they were in charge of searching for the middle of the valley.

I gazed around in all directions, weary of something else my fireworks may have drawn the curiosity of. The valley was darker now, which suggested it was our second night here. I anxiously waited for them to arrive thinking about Rainbow pulling the four kids back in the wilderness, wondering about all the different things that she could have to face out there and how physically demanding it would be to drag through through the snow that long. She'd been so tired, how would she have the stamina to make it all way back? If it was any other pony I would say there was simply no way, but she was different. I had to trust and her and believe in her. It was tremendously anxiety-inducing that she had to leave me yet agian after such a short time together, but my willingness to fight was stronger.

I started to think about all of the things the foals had said. Who was this evil creature they were describing? Everything they described I had found truly disturbing... a mysterious powerful light that essentially teleported them all to the mountain's base with this pleasure-island type trap that he'd laid out for them. What in the heck was he playing at? I had so many questions but I was going to have to find out for myself, and I was wrought with fear at the thought.

"Thunderlane!!!! Blossomforth!!" I called into the abyss of pine trees and drifting snow. "Where are they?" I reached into my saddleback and pulled out another green flare, knowing I had several of them. After using it I threw it into the snow and searched fiercely for any sign of them. "Thunder!!!" I called over the wind one more time, prancing around.

"Sonic!" a familiar voice called, and finally the silhouettes of two ponies appeared in the dark, and soon enough the two of them came running out. I wasted no time.

"We found them," I declared, out of breath. The two of them were speechless and they traded stupefied glances.

"W-what?" whispered Thunderlane in disbelief.

"Are... are you serious?" pressed Blossomforth, as the same thing Rainbow and I had been through moments before swept over both of them. "Where's Rainbow?"

"Yes!" I said, shaking my head and up and down. "We found four of them! Four pegasus under a tree, they had escaped from whoever did this. They said the other foals haven't been hurt!" I said, catching my breath.

"They WHAT?!?" cried Thunderlane, who did a backflip. Blossomforth covered her face in her front leg and then leapt out at me. I eagerly received her for an emotional hug. "I need in on this," said Thunder, who came over buried his head into us, who was also readily received.

"Who? What foals were they?" she pleaded.

"Where are the rest of them?" asked Thunderlane.

"Follow me it's not far!"

The three of us darted through the trees before we came to the top of the cliff and I explained to them everything the foals had told us about the kidnapping as well as Rainbow's decision to take the four of them back herself - the latter to which they reaction with visible concerned. I pointed down the cliff to the back of the canyon, at the base of the mountain where you could barely make out what had to look like an opening.

"Gosh darnit..." remarked Thunderlane fearfully in the direction of the opening. "I had a feeling that this was gonna come down to a battle with a big bad."

"How are we supposed to fly down there with that tornado there?" asked Blossomforth.

"Welcome to Equestria, where random inconveniences make everything so much harder," observed Thunder, but I had another idea.

"I don't think that's random," I said. The same thing that transported a train full of foals to a cave down there could probably do something like this, which made me dread the thought of his power. "I think that was meant for us."

"We need to find the other three," said Blossomforth, referring to Merry May, Clear Skies and Buddy with a glance behind into the dark valley.

"Of course," I said, but I knew something else had to be done. "Someone should go those the kids now though. He'll find out the four escaped very soon if he hasn't already." There was a brief silence between us three as we all considered everything. "I will go."

"Sonic... are you sure?" asked Thunderlane.

"I think so," I said. "Someone has to go down there now. Someone has to be with them," I said, lamenting the thought of their predicament.

"He's right," whispered Blossomforth. "Thunderlane and I will go and get the others. But what we do when we get back? Just wait for you to come out? Or should we try to go in after you?"

"This tornado makes everything so much harder," I said, and my mind went to work in mulling my options. "We have to get them up and over this cliff somehow, and we can't just fly them up with that there because this thing is dangerous - especially carrying foals," I said, looking down across the bottom, thinking exhaustively for a solution. There didn't seem to be way out of this. The mouth of the entrance was situated at the bottom of a kind of bowl, and the only possible way out of it seemed to be to fly in and out, which wasn't an option with these constant swirling winds.

"If there was some way to scale this cliff," said Thunderlane. I thought of one solution, but it sounded very difficult.

"Rainbow gave me extra rope," I said, turning back to them. "I may have enough to harness them all to me with one big leash. I could go in there and then sneak them out - lead the kids along the edge of the bottom there, hugging the sides where the winds aren't having an effect - look," I continued, pointing to where the swirling winds were not touching. "Then climb up this cliff with them."

"Sonic I love you to death but there's no way you make it up this cliff with fourteen foals dangling behind you," said Thunderlane.

I looked down one more time. It was a daunting task for sure. It was steep here at the top but the rocks looked climbable enough on the lower half that maybe if the foals could climb up some distance with me, they could throw a rope down to me and lift us up the rest of the way.

"What if you five combined your rope together and made one for me to grab onto? Then you could pull us up?" I suggested.

"That's easier said then done," said Blossomforth, shaking her head. "But we can try it. Are you sure you can handle all of this? How are you gonna get down there?"

"I'll think of something," I said, looking down. "Hug the cliff on my way down maybe. I'm gonna give it my all, I promise you that," I replied, moreso for own reaffirming.

"I know," they said in unison.

There was another silence, and suddenly a surreal sight commanded my attention, my abrupt reaction turning Thunder and Blossomforth to it as well. Directly overhead of us a small patch of clouds had cleared and the most breathtaking expanse of stars twinkled brightly in a sea of black - the most spectacular I'd ever seen while a gentler arctic breeze passed over my face. The three of us stood side by side as still as the stars themselves, sharing the moment in total awe before the clouds covered them up completely again.

"Be careful Sonic," Blossomforth finally said, hiding tears. "We'll be back."

"I'll be here... thanks to you," I remarked, which she seemed to receive very well. "And you," I said to Thunderlane.

"This whole thing has made me so soft for all of you," he said.

"You always were," I told him, touching him with my wing and recalling all the times he spoke up for me or made me laugh.

"Especially you," he said, and I saw a twinkle in his eye that reflected a depth of feeling that I think may have been unchartered territory for him.

"Ok, well let's not forget we're still in an everything-or-nothing situation with the worst probably yet to come so let's get back to business and we can hug and kiss later when the kids are alright, because I've read too many books to know not to celebrate now," he said, turning and taking off into the sky.

"He's never gonna change," said Blossomforth to me before spreading her wings and following after him.

It wasn't before they left me completely alone that I realized they had a forced a smile from me. I turned back to face the place where I knew Scootaloo and the other foals were waiting for me. Here I come kids... I thought to myself, and began searching for a way to get down there.

White Death

The most fantastical realm in the sky I'd ever seen - perhaps beyond the pinnacle that any pony's imagination could ever produce - was laid out above me. Legions of clouds of all sizes rose up into an endless expanse of twinkling stars directly above me, each one painted the most magnificent shades of purple, pink, blue, and all of the colors of the twilight. Though I fully perceived it's majesty it didn't seem as though I was truly present in this place, and adding to the mystery was that on many of these clouds there were translucent equine beings that glowed with their own unique light. The most unsettling element of this scene however was that all of them were staring directly at me, each one as still as the world they lived in.

On one of the smallest clouds - the one closest to me, just above where I was - were two horses that especially commanded my attention. I had seen them before. They seemed to appear to me in this valley when I was barely conscious, which somewhere in my subconscious I realized this meant that something must have happened to me again. Despite my limitations I looked hard at the two closest to me - they were just beyond my ability to comprehend a more intimate description of their features, though they had a strange feeling of familiarity. Who... who are you? In response the two of them spread giant wings and lifted effortlessly into the sky onto a higher cloud where they could once again continue their devoted gazing, as though to do so further away from me where I could not see them so clearly.

Suddenly I felt my eyes open and my snow-covered limbs were much more real and vivid than any strange dream, as was the bitter cold that raged throughout my body. I looked up and beheld an opening in the mountain that stood alone in the snowy night and lit only by a dim light barely coming out from the valley within in. My memories flooded back; after Thunderlane and Blossomforth had left to get the others I decided to take a risk and fly into the vortex to get an idea of how strong it was in case flying out in it was a worthwhile consideration. That turned out to be mistake as it had been totally out of control; I was able to fly somewhat under my own power if I stayed in it's rotation, but any attempt to fly out of it was nearly impossible and eventually when I tried to escape towards the cave entrance it slammed me into the snow right at the mouth where I was now.

I was out of the tornado's reach as it was virtually stationary and as I stood myself up I knew there was nothing stopping me from entering the mountain where the children were being kept. I took a deep breath. I had no idea how long I was knocked out, hopefully not long. I looked behind to the top of the cliff to for any sign of my team but didn't see any. Mentally and emotionally I was in a totally different place than I was a few moments ago with my friends. Whereas then I was fired up and inspired at Rainbow's incitement and ready to conquer the world for her - and further aided by the presence of Thunderlane and Blossomforth - here alone at the entrance after that brief knockout I was much calmer but much more afraid. I wish I had the stars to draw courage from, but they couldn't be found above the towering mountains or cloud cover.

I was having second thoughts about coming in here without them. I had come to depend on them so much that now that I stood here alone without them every bone and fiber in my body told me not to go into that cave. I knew I was about to meet the one solely responsible for this entire situation. But thinking about all that we'd been through - the wolves, the ice dragons, the bitter cold - not to mention the internal pain we all felt at all times - I knew I owed it to them to enter. Just as I owed it to those kids and to Rainbow who was at that very moment pulling four of them through the snow, the wind and the darkness back to their families. Scootaloo is in there... they all are, scared, afraid - just like me. I've got to get my mind in the right place, I told myself.

Everything - from the fate of the children, their entire families, Rainbow, myself, my team - all hung in the balance. I wasn't sure what I was going to find in there or what I was going to do but I concentrated all of my thoughts on Rainbow, the team, and the kids and as much as I could I lit my heart for them. Then I entered.

I walked as slowly as I could, as quietly as I could. My body was getting sore and it was getting harder and harder to lift a hoof - since we entered the valley energy came in waves followed by a crash, and each wave seemed to be getting weaker and each crash stronger. The more I wandered in, the more fear seemed to strengthen it's death grip and an overwhelming dark presence seemed to envelop me on all sides. The first passage was like a narrow tunnel, similar to the ice dragon cave - the lighting was weak and the only sounds I heard the first few minutes into the cave were what seemed like distant drips, ghostly whispers, and the unrelenting winds outside in the valley. I tried to concentrate on deep breaths. Running in here like Pinkie Pie on four cups of coffee wasn't going to do anyone other than the perpetrator any good, I thought to myself.

The sides started to open up and the path widened - the ceiling was pitch black though there twinkles all across resembling an artificial night sky. There was no telling how high it actually was, though it had to be at least ten times higher than myself. Now along the way there were large crystals of all different shapes and sizes (most of them icy blue in color though a few them were more white) all around that turned the cave into a sort of dark maze, with many of them acting like mirrors that turned your reflection's proportions into absurd sizes - in one of them my eyes bulged out in either direction, and in another my midsection appeared to be disproportionately round and fat. Where are the kids?

I listened for the sound of foals but I hadn't heard anything thus far. I picked up my pace and started thinking about this mysterious creature responsible. What kind of creature could do such a thing? I realized I hadn't given him nearly as much thought as I would have liked. Horrible thoughts started to run through my mind... had he found out four of them had escaped and retaliated against the rest of them? Were they locked up somewhere? Who was he, and more importantly, *where* was he? With every glance I took in every direction the faster my eyes moved on, growing more and more desperate for some validation - the more I raced to conclusions the more I lost my calmness. Where are you? Where? WHERE?

"Well... hello there."

Freezing instantly in place I gasped. I couldn't tell exactly where the voice came from. It was the voice of an adult male, a rich and youthful voice - it sounded like a stallion that could easily be my age if not just a little older. Filled with terror I crouched down low in the hopes of hiding below the crystals though I knew it wouldn't do me much good. I had given up my cover, and the implications of that were way too much for me to comprehend all at once. Why did I come here alone? I lamented to the point of crying.

"My... you are a frightened little fawn aren't you?" he continued as though amused. "Is Celestia trying to appeal to my empathy or something? I don't suppose it would do much for you for me to tell you to calm down... and I can assure you there is no need to crouch down and hide, as endearing as it may be."

What I am doing??? This was so stupid!!!! Clearly an extremely powerful creature... did I really just walk in here without a plan and hope for the best?? I thought to myself, and waves of regret washed over. Now that he knew I was here I wasn't sure what options I had. To make matters worse, he could apparently see me but I couldn't see him. But then he said something that really shook me to the core.

"Hmmm. Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

"W-what?" I muttered, in complete shock as I turned my head in all directions looking for him. Seen me before?

"It'll come to me soon, I'm sure. Anyhow... It's nice to finally meet a full grown adult. Well, you're hardly an adult I suppose. What are you, about twenty?"

I stayed where I was. I had no idea what to do or where to go from here, which was terrifying. I breathed hard and tried to run through some potential ideas, but none of them had any promise. Rainbow... I wished so passionately that she was there as she would know what to do. I closed my eyes and begged heaven, Just let the kids be ok...

"You know, I understand these are different circumstances than I'm sure both of us are used to... but I think the conversation will be more interesting if we engage each other, don't you?" he remarked.

This guy has to be kidding... I thought to myself. He kidnapped a bunch of foals. I didn't want to talk to him or want anything to do with him, but I started to wonder if I had no other choice but to engage. I also didn't like his voice. On one hoof it was strangely charismatic and seductive, but on the other it came with a certain arrogance and dark undertones. Though it sounded like he could be roughly my age, the tone suggested an intelligence and life experience that far surpassed an average young stallion and I suspected he was much much older.

"You're just a little fawn in a stallion's body. What is her name, Rainbow?"

My hoof covered my mouth. How did he know that? I didn't think I said her name out loud, but I must have. Kids, Sonic... Kids!

"Don't worry about the foals... for right now anyway," he commented. The more I thought about it, the more that I was going to have to play his game, at least for the immediate time being. "Talking to me isn't going to do anything to prevent you from saving them - on the contrary, I think you'll find it could help you. Oh my... I can feel your concern for them from here. Is there any compassion in that heart of yours for me, I wonder? Do you think I'm beyond all hope? I promise I'm not evil. Just natural."

Now this was a strange question that I wasn't sure how to take. Part of me wondered if he actually wasn't beyond saving. I had no idea who he was or why he did any of this, but if I offered my love and friendship... would he take it? Or was this was just an attempt to manipulate me? I really wanted the former true, but I searched my heart and it seemed to be trending strongly towards the latter. He was willing to talk to me though, and I realized I had only knowledge to gain from speaking to him which could only help me. I stood back up and looked around once more.

"I will talk to you," I answered, "but let me at least see you."

"I was afraid you'd say that, but I suppose it's a reasonable request," he chuckled. "Look to your right... do you see the large crystal shaped like an hourglass about 5 pony lengths from you?"

Reluctantly turning my head that way I nervously scanned the path for what he described and quickly spotted what he had to be talking about. Assuming he wanted to me walk towards it, I started in that direction though my body and spirit asked me not to. I barely had any time to remember the description of his appearance from the four foals that were now in Rainbow's care. Head of a pony... white eyes... As the for the other details, I was about to find out.

I slowly approached the icy blue crystal shaped like a giant hourglass. At first I saw a reflection of my own scared expression on the bottom part, but as I got closer the reflection began to disappear upwards, drawing my eyes to the top half. A few more steps, my eyes locked on the top part, and suddenly with a gasp...

The head of a pony indeed it was... a youthful stallion's head and mane of pure purple, and quite handsome with a well-defined bone structure. Two distinct features however were unmistakable and one in particular commanded attention; first, unlike any pony I'd ever seen he had two small white fangs on either side of his snout coming down from his top jaw. Second - and much more disturbing - the children were right; his eyes were an unnaturally cloudy white with no other pupils or coloring. They seemed to be devoid of life and evoked the most uncomfortable feeling of indifference one could possibly imagine. I took several steps back in recoil, to which his face and eyebrows seemed to suggest a roll of the eyes though he had no pupils to roll.

"I'm only mildly offended as I had a feeling that might be too intimate for you. Turn around to your left... see that large crystal?"

I did as he said, and there appeared in a tall crystal a slightly further away version of himself which left me wondering if he was actually there in it or if he was behind me utilizing the reflections of the crystals - in this reflection I could see his whole body now instead of just a close up of his face. He stood upright on two legs and wore a dark cloak very similar to mine, though sticking out of each arm sleeve were two furry white claws. His cloak extended all the way down his body though two large paws - also furry and white - stuck out on the bottom. He had what appeared to be white leathery and featherless wings sticking out of his back.

Having to look into those eyes is what I hated most of all, though almost everything about his appearance made me extremely uncomfortable. As if to make up for his eyes the rest of his facial features and emotions seemed to be enhanced, almost like a comic book character or something that allowed one to pick up on his expressions easier. I didn't look away though I wanted to at all times... his face was eerily calm with an unsettling smirk.

"I don't think it's any secret why I'm here," I started, coming to some kind of grips with the situation. "I want the kids. Alive and unharmed. What do you need from me to make that happen?"

One of his eyebrows rose curiously and his head turned ever so slightly, though the underlying smirk remained. Something very scary happened next. I heard his voice clearly in my head, but his mouth never moved. It was completely shut. You really don't want to get to know me at all? Am I really just another antagonist in your life story? A cry escaped my mouth as recoiled even further back. I realized he was never speaking out loud to begin with. It was all in my mind. Yes, I can hear your thoughts and read your mind... Sonic. I'm also willing to forgive your unflattering opinions on my voice and appearance, though personally I'm quite fond of both if I must say so myself. As you can see they belonged to a particularly handsome stallion. Not to change course so quickly, but how is Celestia, may I ask?

"You know the Princess?" I whispered, utterly horrified at the realization that I he had heard everything I had thought about him.

There was barely time to fully understand all of the bad things this meant. If he could hear my thoughts, I couldn't hide *anything* from him. My mind had been my only sanctuary. He would know immediately about everything I learned about him and any plan I could conceive to lead the children out. What else was he capable of? Well this is awkward... said his voice in my head in response to all of these revelations. It's not as bad as you might think... just think of it like a completely honest conversation. For the sake of fairness and trust I will also tell you plainly that I can only read your mind if I can see you. If I can't see you I can't hear thoughts. Does that comfort you?

"Not really," I remarked out loud, still reeling from shock and glancing over my shoulder fearfully as I had been looking at reflection. Any strategy I had come up had to be completely rethought. In reality it did actually comfort me that it was only when he could see me, provided he was telling the truth which was no guarantee.

To answer you - yes. Celestia and I go far back. But I was thinking you and I could play a little game. I will ask you a question that you will answer truthfully - I suppose that goes without saying. For every question I ask I will let you ask one as well and I give you my word that I will be honest. What do you say?

"Hm," I replied, asking what choice I had. I found it deeply disturbing that he was so interested in me. "If I play this game with you, will you let me leave with the kids?"

Based on facial cues he seemed slightly irritated at this question, though he quickly tried to hide it; but I quickly picked up on that too, and he knew it instantly. Wow... I see you are highly perceptive of my body language. It's rather off-putting if I may be so bold, but then again I suppose I'm not one to talk with the ability to read minds and all, am I? A taste of my own medicine perhaps. This could be more interesting than I thought.

"Please answer the question," I whispered to myself.

I may very well let you leave this cave with them, provided you cooperate with me now.

"That is... not reassuring at all."

So may I ask away?

"Yes."

Good. My first question... What can you tell me about the elements of harmony and do you plan to use them against me here?

Another gasp. Oh no... I thought to myself. There were so many bad ways to take that, and I couldn't lie about it. I first wondered if I should hide so he couldn't read my mind. You can be quite sure that would not be a prudent or productive course of action... just a waste of time, he told me. I looked desperately for a way out of this, but came up with nothing. I was so scared of him. I actually started to question his mind reading abilities, wondering what exactly that entailed. Could he only hear my thoughts, while not having access to images and feelings? If that were the case, if I thought of one thing - a small blue feather, for instance - would that shield him from my mind? Those are some remarkable questions you ask... it is rare that I've met ponies who have contemplated those questions. Having said that though, my dear fawn, playing those games is not going to help you save the children and I strongly suggest you stop and answer my question. Now.

His expression was now frozen in some kind of serious and emotionless stare, lacking a smirk; his eyebrows and mouth remained completely still. I wasn't sure what was more intimidating or made me more uncomfortable - this or the sly smile that was always just barely visible right up until this point. Now he seemed intensely focused on what I had to say - or rather to think. I understood that he held all the cards at that this moment, and if I did try experimenting with some new strategy to test his abilities, I feared retaliation against the foals based on the tone in his voice that sounded as though it was quickly losing patience. So with no other choice, I sighed reluctantly and my mind opened its floodgates.

"The elements of harmony are not here. I am here with five of my friends. We're going to fly the foals back out of the valley where the Princesses are waiting for us with a host of doctors, guards, and the grieving families of those you kidnapped."

His face remained unchanged for a moment, though it almost appeared as though he was reacting internally and trying to prevent his face muscles from moving to maintain some kind of poker face. Eventually though he turned his head sideways and raised an eyebrow while his mouth curled into a curious and unsettling grin. How on earth do you plan to each carry three foals on your backs through the snow, wind, and darkness? Did the princess really only send six of you? Immediately the question of whether or not he knew about the four escapees had been answered; he hadn't known, as his math plainly showed. And when he heard my thoughts and found out, his smile faded. What do you mean only fourteen? So four of them have escaped? Is that how you knew the others were in here?

With his questions answered immediately he looked away in thought with his white claw on his chin, which was the slightest bit relieving if only now that his white eyes weren't squarely on me. But it didn't last long enough. Hmmm, now that is very interesting. Still though, carrying two foals on your back all the way back through the valley at night - that is no small order. And two of you will have to carry three. Do you really believe that's possible? How did that figure into your plan? Why wouldn't she send more of you? .... Ah, I see. You were abandoned by most of them.

I hadn't actually used that word, but he heard my thoughts on them leaving and came to his own conclusions. Tell me, are the elements waiting for me back at this camp? I inevitably thought about what Rainbow had told me about them, how they were each the pony embodiments of the elements. But I thought I heard they needed to be present together, which was not the case as many of them were scattered across the world before this mission came underway.

"It's my turn to ask a question," I demanded, shifting my focus away from the elements and hoping he didn't get all of the last part. He looked me seriously for a short moment before one eyebrow raised slightly and he returned to his familiar smirk, happy with his new information. Very well, ask away. I was a little surprised he said yes, but I thought for a moment what the best wording would be for a question to get the most useful answer, wanting to pull the trigger quickly. "Why did you kidnap these foals?"

He stared silently at me for a long moment, mulling his options and thinking of what exactly to tell me. I took this to be bad, and to expect lies and half truths. It's complicated, he responded. Then he was silent, as though that was all there was.

"Is it really?" I asked. "You gave me your word that you would be honest with me. You got a whole lot out of me on your question, I think I deserve more than 'it's complicated'."

I heard his quiet chuckle in my head. Finally... a little grit from the little fawn. I will begin to answer this question with a question of my own. Tell me something. If you knew something about the world that so few else did - if you met somebody that lived inconsistently with reality, wouldn't you feel it is your responsibility to point this out to them?

"Not necessarily," I remarked, thinking to myself his response was strange. I wasn't sure where he was going with it - did he plan to reeducate the foals or something to turn them evil? Raise them like soldiers? "Context is important," I continued. "It could depend, I would think, on whether or not telling them would be good for them... or good for the others. And what makes you so sure in the first place? I would need more information."

'Good'... that's where you and I diverge... I do not think there is such things as 'good' and 'evil - they are merely an illusion.

"Can you give me an example of something you know about the world that so few know about?" I asked him nervously.

He went completely silent. Once again he slowly seemed to wipe all emotional expression off his face and body language. It was as if the answer itself was sucking the life out of him, and all of his apathy was pointing squarely at me through his lifeless eyes. As if my worst nightmares were true. Suddenly my greatest regret in life was asking him this and my greatest fear was his answer, whatever it was going to be. Following another period of strange, dead silence my heart rate began to rapidly increase until his his eyebrows narrowed definitively and he whispered the nightmare into my heart. That your life is as worthless as you think it is.

"What does that have to do with kidnapping?" I responded, closing my eyes and looking away, drawing a deep breath as I remembered my feather, my best defense against his declaration.

His face shifted sideways once more in thought. I will answer that question in full... and who knows, I may just let you leave with this cave with them. All I ask is for something in return. My heart sank.

"Which is?" I asked quietly, deeply afraid of the condition.

I want you to look into my white eyes. Directly - not through a reflection.

"Why?"

I can read your mind under these circumstances, but I cannot see your soul in its truest form. You see, I want to know who you really are. If you look directly into my eyes, I can gaze upon your heart as plainly and simply as it is. In turn, you may come into a deeper understanding of me and learn something you are desperately seeking to help you serve those you profess 'to love'.

"W-what?" I whispered, thinking about his desire to see my 'soul'. "Why would you want to see that?"

I'm curious, Sonic, for one. I find you rather interesting so far and I'd like to see just how interesting you are. This way I will be able to see your life in a way that I cannot now.

"Do I have any alternatives?" I asked, shaking my head as my spirits nosedived.

I suppose that's something you would have to tell me. Don't worry... I'm listening.

I started to think about what his proposal might mean, taking it with a grain of salt, but sadness and other negative feelings were taking over. Feeling increasingly trapped and out of options I was growing extremely frustrated and quickly going to a very dark place. I'm so tired and sick of trying, I thought to myself. If Rainbow were here, she would know what to do, as would probably the rest of my team members. I longed to see those kids back safe and sound with their families, and myself back safe and sound with my team, who are my wonderful friends - and Rainbow, my very best friend. I just want so badly to make it better for you all... I thought to myself. But I had nowhere to go. I broke down and started to cry right in front of him.

"For the sake of sport, or anything else in the world, please... just let me go with those kids," I said, covering my eyes with my hooves. "Give us a head start, let us go home... I'll do anything."

Turn around...

His reflection in the crystal had disappeared. My head turned ever so slowly over my shoulder. He had moved out into the path and was standing there as himself about three pony lengths in front of me. He was tall, almost twice as tall as me maybe, with broad shoulders. Without really consciously thinking about it, I made the eye contact with him he desperately wanted and immediately I was fixed on the lifeless white circles on his face.

Time progressively slowed until it seemed to stop altogether. I was placed in some kind of trance - unable to move or do anything on my own power. Just look. And look. And look. As if two things existed... white and death. At first he just stood there intensely studying me in some strange trance of his own. But the more time went on, the closer he seemingly got. The last image I had of him in my head he appeared to be losing himself and overwhelmed if that was possible. His mouth dropped open slightly and both eyebrows raised up as though in awe. I had a sense that he could see everything... the abandonment, the feather, the romance, the mission... the deepening friendships...

I on the other hand felt the deepest pain taking me over the longer I looked into this wholly indifferent white abyss, as if they were directly feeding me darkness, depression, and sucking the right life out of me. The longer I stared, the more I seemed to be leaving this life and entering some other dimension where there was literally nothing but misery. All vision of this world left and I entered a world with nothing but endless dull white.

I tried to move or look away, but couldn't. It just got worse and worse. As though Rainbow never gave me the feather, my friends never loved me, and I never loved them. I tried so hard to break from this. Not wanting to fail them with my last bit of strength I fought back with all of my will and screamed.

Both of our spells were abruptly broken. At once I was back to full consciousness and found I was lying on the ground - he was as well - on his back with his white claw on his purple stallion head as though he was nursing a headache. Then he lifted his head and stared at me in silence, his mouth open and his facial expressions vulnerable as though he was utter shock. Why was he in shock?

Coming to with a shot of energy (and knowing this was my chance to escape) I stood up and galloped away through the crystal maze and got low to the ground so he couldn't see me. As I had moved away he had just continued to stare, though after I was out of sight I heard what seemed to me to be something like a frustrated growl. On one hoof I was relieved to have been knocked out of that terrible experience but on the other hoof I was desperately trying to think of my next move, wondering what kind of power he might use to find me, what he actually felt or saw when he looked into my eyes, or if he really couldn't read my mind unless he saw me directly.

"How?" I heard his voice ask from a distance. Now his voice seemed to be distinctly physical and not in my mind, and far from smooth and youthful it was a monstrously powerful and gravely voice. "You were abandoned by your parents... repeatedly dismissed and falsely accused... how are you able to justify yourself?"

If he was speaking generally to the cave, and he wasn't in my head then I figured he really he must not have known where I was. What do I do now?!?I asked myself repeatedly, bracing for something horrible again. What would Rainbow do? I figured she'd probably fight him head on, but knew I wasn't capable of that. Please help me! I decided to just stay where I was for the time being. I wanted to look for the kids, but I didn't to risk giving my position away either.

"Well... a deal is a deal," he muttered menacingly over the crystals. His voice had lost its seductive fakeness to it. He seemed to speak now with a genuine annoyance and it was truly intimidating. "I will tell you my plan for those children. I've slept right here in this mountain for nearly a thousand years, and before that at the dawn of the world I dwelled among you with Celestia and Luna... but I started asking the wrong questions, and they, not I, refused to face the truth. So I stalked the northern villages and whispered to many a ponies the reality of their existence... a liberation from this great lie."

I bit down hard on my right front to leg to prevent myself from screaming.

"I've built up quite a storage, so I'm almost ready to begin my mission to liberate the world, but I needed a little bit more - that's where your foals come into great value. Of course my problem is I've been so lonely that I was wanting to keep them around for a time... plus I could learn more about the state of the modern world from several trips into their simple minds."

His voice seemed to be on the move now, though I was still frozen in place. I couldn't believe he just revealed so much to me. It was *so* much to take in and so hard to manage emotionally. I entertained the idea that it could all be a lie, but it didn't seem to be. The games and the facade were over. As unbelievably horrible and evil as he was though, he didn't seem to be all powerful. He needed something from the kids... and likely me and my teammates.

He seemed to be getting angrier and angrier the more every second went by, though I gathered he really didn't know where I was as his voice now appeared to be moving away as though he was looking for me in the wrong direction. So I started to move deeper into the cave to find the kids and get the heck out of there. It was getting to where I could hardly hear him, though I heard his last taunts.

"If I had you here but a few days ago you would have given yourself up freely... a few simple observations and I would've seen you despair and give me your life, but now I see you would just deflect it with that trivial feather... your 'love' for your team, for those animal children and that *special* mare you want to marry so badly... a monumental mistake, Princess. I will show you all how worthless this all is. And since Rainbow and Thunderlane aren't here, where's that orange filly with the purple mane?"

Now I really did gasp. Not only because of what he said; right on cue, right in front of me... the wide, shocked eyes of a totally unharmed Scootaloo.

The Gift of a Feather

"Sonic!"

The filly and I ran at each other and hugged. When we first met eyes I was just so excited to see her alive and so relieved that my hard work for her was not in vain that I had to put the energy somewhere. Even if we knew we couldn't savor it but for a moment, for just that second the two of us had no sorrow.

"I didn't know if anyone was coming for us!"

"I am so happy to see you," I whispered, looking her over. "Are you ok? Where are the others?"

"You look awful!" she replied.

"Yeah - wolves with wings, ice dragons... I'll have a story or two to tell when we get back but seriously where is everyone? We need to leave right now!"

Before she could say anything I had to stand up slowly... all around behind her little pony heads poked their way out from the crystals and pathways. This mission had been nothing but acting without a plan, but I could never have been prepared for the impact that so many sets of scared, curious and innocent eyes - each one wondering if I was their salvation - would have on me. All of them were asking themselves if I was for them or against them; I wanted nothing more than to tell every last one of them individually that I was wholly and emphatically for them. Unlike in my dream aboard the train on the way here they could see me. They could hear me and perceive me.

"Who is it?" a few whispers asked. I started to count. One, two, four, seven, ten... oh my gosh there's fourteen - one more time... "Is Rainbow here to save us?"

"That's not Rainbow - it's a stallion. But he doesn't look scary at all... he looks really nice."

"I've seen him before, he's really cool," whispered another.

"Is this the stallion you told us about Scootaloo?" asked another.

"Yes!" she replied, sending me a beam of confidence. Then from behind one of the crystals came the paint colt Pipsqueak. He looked happy to see me - he remembered me.

"Pipsqueak at your service, sir!" he told me, running right up to me.

"And I am at yours," I whispered.

"Well is it true sir? Is Rainbow really coming to save us?"

"Rainbow is here to save you," I told them, settling on Scootaloo's eyes. Many of their eyes lit up with excitement, including her. "She came out here with a broken wing to find you all. She can't even fly but that didn't stop her from coming out here for you. She's taking your friends back right now herself."

"She did? And they're ok?" whispered Scootaloo with a smile while the rest of them gasped. "I sent them out to scout a way outta here but they never came back..."

"Yes and yes... Rainbow and I found them. They were sucked up into a vortex right outside but they're ok... she's pulling all four of them back on a sled she brought out here."

"A sled? No fair that sounds fun!" one of them said stomping his hoof, a colt - I was deeply concerned with how loud he was and I whipped my head around to look for him as two fillies shushed the colt from either side. When I saw no sign of the evil one I turned around with a renewed sense of urgency. I had to take this moment to win over their trust.

"Mr.? Excuse me but... how is she going to save us if she's saving our friends but not us?" asked one frightened pink filly with a blonde mane and an adorable voice.

"Rainbow is going to save you through me," I told her, and many of them gasped wondering what that might mean. "Not long ago I was a kid just like you all, and Rainbow saved me when I was in trouble. I'm going to take what I learned from her and use it to save you."

"You are?" they asked.

"Absolutely... in fact I'm gonna take you all back to your families right now."

"We miss them," said one filly hanging her head and the rest of them followed suit.

"I just wanna see my mom," offered a sad grey colt with a white mane.

"I'm going to get all of you back to them, but I need your help," I started in the softest and most generous tone I could muster. "I need you to please be really quiet and follow me so I can get you out of here and back to your families. The guy with the white eyes... he is not our friend. If you see him anywhere... please, no matter what you do, *do not* look into his eyes. Do you understand?"

"He's creepy," muttered one blue filly with a white mane and tail.

"Yeah... I thought he was cool but he's actually mean. Really fun cave back there though... you wanna see it?" asked a jet black colt.

"No, but I'll take your word for it," I replied, looking over my shoulder...

I knew this couldn't wait any longer. I'd been trying to think of a plan this entire time but was coming up completely blank. If I can't come up with something soon we're all doomed... I pulled Scootaloo close and whispered so the rest couldn't hear me.

"I really need your help..." I told her. I was trying so hard not to appear to them that I was deathly afraid but I wasn't doing a good job of it. Thankfully he didn't seem to be anywhere near us at the moment but I knew that wouldn't last long. "Is there anything you can tell me that could help us get out of here? He can read my mind... I don't know what to do Scootaloo. Anything I think of he'll know about immediately if he can see me."

"Tell me about it. He knows I don't trust him," she replied. "What is he anyway?"

"Some ancient evil spirit. Maybe kinda like Discord but other than that I don't know much other than there's bad blood between him and the Princesses."

She glanced back at the rest of them - she seemed to understand on an deeper level what was actually going on here, more so than the others. She was probably older than most of them which could explain some of it, but she had also assumed responsibility for all of them and it was weighing heavily on her.

"I'm so happy what you told us about Rainbow," she said, suddenly looking up at me with despairing eyes. "Can I - can I tell you something he told me?"

"Oh no," I uttered. The thought that he would tell her anything was such a horrible one, and whatever this was it was deeply personal and was eating away at her. "What did he tell you?"

"He heard me thinking about you and Rainbow... and he said neither of you actually care about me."

"What?" I whispered in disbelief. "Scootaloo you know that's not true... I know you're smarter than that, what else is going on here?"

"Well that's what I thought," she stuttered, dropping her head and covering her face. "Rainbow has been like my big sister... and I always thought if she ever got a boyfriend that I'd totally hate him. But you then I met you, and I like... *really* liked you. You were so nice. But he told me you were just like that to impress Rainbow."

"Scootaloo," I whispered, shaking my head. One could say I was losing sight of the bigger picture and should have addressed this later - and that may or may not be true, I'm not not sure - but seeing this gorgeous filly like this I suddenly had one purpose in my life - ease her pain. "I thought you said you didn't trust him?"

"Well I don't! But honestly it does seem like some stallions are kinda like that... and I saw how much Rainbow loves you and he said now that Rainbow had you she would eventually stop pretending she needed me... that he's seen all this in so many ponies' minds before - that most ponies her age only actually care about one thing, and its not kids like me."

I couldn't believe this. She really did give this some serious consideration. That a filly as wonderful as her could doubt herself like this was hard for me to comprehend. The important thing for me was that she didn't seem to believe it, but as I knew all too well the fact that she could entertain that it *might* be true was what was hurting her so much.

"He said there's nothing special about me..." she said, covering her eyes. "He sees everything. He knows I can't fly very well, that it's taken so much longer to get my cutie mark, that my home life is-"

"Stop."

Rubbing my forehead with my wing, I couldn't listen to this anymore. Not that I was angry with her in the slightest but I didn't come all the way out here to hear this. For so many reasons I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was learning more and more about her every second we spent together but at the same time so much about myself suddenly made sense. This was a problem for me for over a decade and I would be dead before I let this filly suffer the same fate.

"Deep down, he is-" I started, thinking to myself. As soon as I spoke her sadness seemed to be overtaken by attentiveness, ready to weigh what I had to say so I knew I had to make this count. "He is... miserable and he hates himself."

"R-really?" she asked.

"He is jealous of ponies like you and he wants everyone to be as gloomy and self-loathing as he is. You wanna know what he just said to me?"

"What?"

"First of all, he said... well he told if he had me in here a few days ago he could've convinced me I'm worthless. And to give up. You wanna know what he meant by that?"

"What? But you're not - why would you think-?"

"When I was your age Scootaloo - younger even - something really bad happened to me. I didn't know why it happened or what I did to deserve it, but it hurt me so, so much. And on one hoof given the nature of what happened it really seemed like it had to just be because I am in fact just a worthless pony and a waste of everyone's time. "

"How could you have thought that?" she asked, horrified.

"I couldn't think of anything. What else could've been the reason? It was so hard because I loved my friends so much and I could see how great they were, so maybe it was really was just me who was a useless piece of garbage. But on the other hoof I knew in my heart that there had to be some other reason because my best friend in the whole world, the most awesome pony who ever lived - when I was leaving she gave me this single feather from her wing... and she gave me a look I'll never forget because I knew then that I meant something to that filly... she was a real friend and she lifted me up to a place so high that ever since then I've never wanted anything in the world other than to lift her and now you and all of my friends to that same place and even higher if I can."

"Who- who was that filly?"

"I think you know her very well."

"R-Rainbow?"

This was the most I'd ever talked at once in my life to anyone other than Rainbow but I could see now I was having a meaningful impact on her it just fed my passion for her.

"We're in the Valley of White Death on the ends of the earth - the coldest and worst place there is here in this world. Let me tell you something Scootaloo, that same filly who is a mare now didn't come out here with a broken wing for me. She came out here for you, for all of you. That's because she wants you and she needs in her life the same way I do - she's on her way back now, if I was only interested in her I'm not sure what I'd still be doing here. You said I look terrible, well you're worth looking terrible for... and Rainbow looks worse than me, trust me. When she talks about you, her love gushes through everything about her; her eyes, the way she talks..."

"S-she... she does?" I was overwhelming her now but I couldn't stop.

"Absolutely. She told me how you are like a little sister to her and how she sees my love in you. I look at you and I see so much of her and myself in you... you value your friends and your relationships above all other things. Believe me I don't take that or any other part of you for granted, you're like the female version of me just younger and ten times better. And that aside what of kind of selfish and apathetic excuse for a pony would I be if I planned to keep Rainbow all to myself and not share her with ponies like you? If Rainbow and I are gonna have a life together when this is over... then you need to a big part of it, and if I'm not serious about then everything that I am is dead already. And now that I've said all this... I just have one question."

I didn't mean to flood her heart with all of this at once but it was clear I had done just that and she was about to lose it. Knowing what it was like to be a foal in need of the one you looked up to; I could never be a substitute for Rainbow but since she wasn't here I was going to try my hardest to be the next best thing and I stared into her as deeply as I could.

"Do you believe me?"

Her answer came in the when she buried herself in chest. When I wrapped my head around her I knew that the answer was most definitely yes. What it took me twenty years to truly learn, she understood now... Maybe that made it all worth it.

Suddenly... a noise bellowed over the crystals near us and we all got down on the ground. Orange and white lights scattered around us like sparkles, lighting up the cave.

"Come now..." he muttered, in a kind of muffled taunting growl. He was getting near us but not right on top of us nor did it seem like he'd located us but that didn't stop me from immediately losing it. "Don't make me call upon a more vulgar display of power to find you."

I turned to the kids and held my hoof over my mouth as a reminder to keep quiet and continuing to lose the battle of hiding my true feelings. Think, please for the love of heaven just - I hadn't had the slightest idea what do do other than sneaking the kids out without getting seen; the problem was I didn't know what he was capable of or if he would resort to something much more terrifying to find us. Please let me think of something... please give me an idea... I got an answer, but not from the voice in my head - rather a whisper from Scootaloo.

"I've got an idea."

I pointed both of my ears straight forward at her and waited for it.

"If I think of one thing and focus just on that... I don't think he can see any of my other thoughts... It will be really hard but if I try hard enough... I think I can distract him while you get the others of here."

"What?" I asked, scrambling to figure out where she was going was this while he appeared to be getting closer to us. I had wondered something similar when I was with talking with him, which he himself commented was a question few ponies had thought to ask - but I was failing to understand why it would be her who would do something like this.

"If I run out there and let him see me, it will give you a chance to get them out of here... then you can come back and clobber him... if he's looking at me then he can't hear your thoughts."

"W-what?" I asked again breathlessly, shaking my head and remembering what he had sworn to do right before I met her. "No, absolutely not - I'm not letting you get near him like that-"

"Hmmm..." we heard his voice call, seemingly pointed in our direction.

Scootaloo glanced that way and then back at the kids. Then she gave me a look I'll never forget... and started to back away from me.

"Scootaloo... w-what are you doing?"

"Follow him!" she whispered to the kids.

"Scootaloo... no!!!" I cried in a muffle. I lunged toward her but the sound of my hooves against the ground made too much noise and I knew if I kept forward I'd give them away and the rest of them would be doomed... she started beating wings fast like a hummingbird and floated quietly across the cave, away from the entrance and away from us. I watched her frozen in place, my mind spinning hysterically in every which way.

She flew just out of vision from us as I sucked in a giant breath and held it... and then... she crashed into a crystal. It made quite of bit noise, followed by total silence. I blinked rapidly in serious danger of fainting and started moving in her direction as quietly as I could, setting every hoof down as gently as I possibly could. I weaved slowly through the crystals when suddenly I heard it.

"Ah... just the filly I was looking for."

Stopping dead in my tracks, I was about to cry out and rise up to let him know where I was; but then he continued to talk softly, which surprised me since I thought he'd be invading her mind instead or worse.

"What are you doing?" he asked her quietly. I couldn't see anything, only hear. "Can you not hear me in your mind? I see that image of him and rainbow mare in your head. You seemed to come away from our little talk about them with a more enlightened perspective, but I must say this is a step backward."

Standing up as tall as I could I peered my head around a crystal to steal any glimpse of what was happening. I couldn't see him - but I saw her. She was standing there with her head down and her eyes closed tightly, breathing in and out. His voice had gotten very quiet, as though maybe he was trying to hide his voice from me, though he didn't know close I was.

"I've always had some difficulty reading the minds of children, which I freely admit is a mystery to me; one would think the simpler mind would be easier. Are you trying to use that image to shield me from your thoughts? Clever girl, but it won't work. You can't hold it forever."

I was in utter shock. She was sacrificing herself for us. And it seemed to be working - he was totally preoccupied with her. My erupting feelings didn't allow me to stand there and contemplate it - I turned around and sure enough fourteen eyes were staring right back at me, eagerly awaiting my next move. I put my hoof on my mouth one more time signaling them to be quiet... then I turned my head and started ever so slowly down a path through the crystals towards the main entrance. With occasional glances back at them I begged and begged for them not to make any sound and to my surprise they did not. They were so quiet I barely even heard their hooves hitting the cave's floor.

"That is a very clever trick," I heard him tell her after some silence, which I had taken to mean he was trying to get inside her head. The silence and not hearing what was going on was what tortured me so intensely. His voice was getting further away, but I hung on every word in case I needed to do something. "You have held this for quite a long time, even I must say it's quite impressive... but you're going to crack soon. I think that stallion's whereabouts might interest you, if you care to listen. I wonder if you've seen him in here yet."

That was the last thing I heard that I could understand. Every second I couldn't hear them I was paralyzed with fear; I knew I couldn't leave them out of my ear's range. I had to get these foals going on their own and go back for her. My mind could only think about that now - I had no idea what was going to happen but I had to be there. I had the thought if I could get these going towards the entrance I think they could handle getting themselves out on their while I went back for her.

"Pipsqueak," I whispered, talking really fast. "I'm going back for her. I need you to listen to me very carefully - lead them on and follow this direction towards the entrance. The walls will narrow on you and eventually you'll see huge cliffs on all sides in a dark snowy blizzard with a big tornado - as soon as those things are in your sight stay where you are. Do not wander out into the open towards it. Do you understand?"

He nodded his head up and down urgently. I had to trust them as I had trusted Scootaloo. With no time to spare I started back in the direction of Scootaloo and spread my wings, flying down the path we'd recover some distance quickly. Thinking was not really something I was doing anymore as every action was driven entirely by my desperation to protect. I glided to the ground after weaving through some turns. His voice could be heard again, but in the very short time I'd spent out of earshot it now spoke with a menacing anger.

"What are you trying to hide from me? I've had just about enough of this. Look into my eyes. Now."

I heard a small cry escape from Scootaloo which upon hearing I hurled myself into the air again well above the crystals to spot them; locating her orange quickly I could see from where I was hovering that she was facing me with her head turned to the side and her eyes shut tight in a grimace, refusing to look at him who was standing right in front of her with his back to me. I'm not sure if he heard my flapping or what but suddenly he turned around and looked up directly at me with a surprised and angry expression.

"You!" he growled.

When he bellowed at Scootaloo opened her eyes and looked up to see me. But when he swung back around to face her, she instinctively glanced in his direction and their eyes locked...

I didn't have time for a gasp - I shot forward. She fell into an anguished trance... staring straight into white death itself while he began to move in on her. I was screaming through the air. He picked her up with both of his white claws and held her up in front of him as the life started to fade from her face. And then...

All 800 lbs of my body slammed into his at full force with my shoulder leading the way. Her and I fell to the ground fairly close to the collision but he was sent flying through the air so fast that it seemed only a blink of an eye had passed between me hitting him and him crashing into a large crystal that shattered into a million pieces upon contact. When the noise and the raining down of shards all around subsided I slowly lifted my head, only slightly lackadaisical - my shoulder burned but that was seemingly about it. S-Scootaloo? I thought to myself as I started looking around desperately for her.

"NOOOO!!"

She was on the ground right beside me... she wasn't moving. Her body looked limp. But before I could do anything the cave ground suddenly started to shake like a violent earthquake. Without warning a crystal crashed into the ground near where we were and shattered into thousands of shards. It was hard to tell if it was ice or stalagmite but it didn't matter - I looked up and observed two more emerge from the darkness above and fall to the cave floor, each one of them twinkling with spear-like points aiming for anything in their path.

I laid down and digging my head underneath her I shoveled her onto my back before taking off. Giant sparkling icicles surrounded me in every direction as they dropped from the ceiling while the cave walls rumbled and roared; I was weaving and dodging constantly and the extra weight on my back made turning so much harder in this dim atmosphere lit only by somewhat luminescent crystals. I wasn't thinking about anything at all other than for Scootaloo to be ok. Every action - every turn, lift, and drop - was a reaction.

After a particularly violent dodge she started to slide off my body I knew full well that if she hit the ground or a crystal from this height it was certainly over for her. I had to take the risk and propelled her off me and up into the air. I got underneath and caught her, readjusting her with my wings as I noticed a wide swath of huge crystals starting their descent just in front of me that I flapped violently in a frantic race to beat. The whole mountain seemed to be collapsing and they were dropping right into the spot I was blasting towards.

"COME ON!"

I ducked my head and they barely missed us though I felt them graze my tail - I blasted through the narrowing tunnel towards the entrance passed through it; there waiting at the mouth of the cave were the rest of the kids huddled together looking up into the blizzard. Landing beside them I laid down on the ground and eased her gently off my back into the dust of snow.

The loud noises were over now but for the valley's winds aloft. The rest of the foals closed in around us in a tight circle. All of us were still. No... No no no no no... It was the single bravest and most incredible action I'd ever seen. But I should have never let her do it. I started breathing into her mouth, moving her gently with my nose. I don't believe it. I cannot... I will not... If this was true... then it was all in vain. If this was true...

"He's crying," they whispered among themselves.

"See how he loves her..." gasped others.

My head dropped and my throat began to close.

"S-Sonic?"

Everyone gasped. Slowly her eyes started to open. She took in a breath. The sight of the other foals safe twinkled in her eyes and then she turned her face towards me, after which a weak but affectionate and gracious smile came over her. My dying spirit's freefalling descent was halted immediately - this had been its only chance.

"Scootaloo, w-why did you..." I stuttered at a total loss for words. "Y-you didn't have to - th-that was the most incredible, the most courageous -"

With another breath her smile got a little wider and her resolve a little stronger, and now my spirits were rapidly rising.
She coughed a little, then shined with gratitude.

"Not gonna lie... I could totally go for another hug if you're up for-"

If she had anything more to say she didn't get the chance; I raked her into my front legs and then rolled over on my back with her, burying my head into her and wrapping my wings around for maximum affection. My hero Rainbow had created another hero for me to look up to and I was at her service. The other kids awed, many of them wanting in on this - but then a young filly's voice asked something with something else obviously on her mind.

"Excuse me sir, but who are they?"

Scootaloo rolled off my stomach; the filly who asked was fixed on something and we all turned our heads and ears that way. I rolled over and stood up and the fifteen of us peered up through the vortex - standing on top of the cliff and barely visible in the darkness were the silhouettes of five cloaked ponies, the mere sight of which breathed a surge of excitement through my ailing body that was already fueled by Scootaloo's unbelievable heroics.

"That's my team," I proclaimed.

My mind was spinning. A silence and indecisiveness ensued as all eyes were on me now as the kids awaited my command. But I was totally overwhelmed in the moment that came with an incredibly powerful sense of duty... and pressure. It was almost to the point of paralyzation. After everything we've been through... It's happening, I told myself as I came to grips with it. All of them were now in my possession. What would their families say if they could see us now? What would the princesses say? It was absolutely imperative for me to manage this roller coaster of emotions and stay focused.

A light but icy breeze passed through my mane as I looked up into the abyss of snow flurries for the stars; now that I was back outside I realized I'd taken the cave's relative warmth for granted. I'm so in love with them Rainbow, but I know I've got to keep that energy towards getting us all back.... there's gonna be a time for hugs and snuggles but it's not yet, I told myself forcefully. As relieved as I was that Scootaloo was ok and as grateful as I was to cradle her I had to resist the urge to indulge until I'd seen this through and got them all back safe.

Following a quick glance back at the cave I started to process through everything that was happening so I could do a full reassessment of the situation. We had to get them up and over that cliff. Then there was still the issue of how we were going to get them all back. Having just flown through the cave with one foal on my back flying was noticeably more difficult and I knew that up there in the valley the winds were going to be a huge factor. Fourteen of them among six of us meant two of us were going to have take three of them. Carrying a second foal would make things even harder if hopefully not impossible, but carrying a third?

I suppressed these thoughts and set them aside. Doing a full 360 around the circle of foals surrounding me I gazed directly into every one of their faces and absorbed as many of their thoughts and feelings as I could. Reveling in each and every one of them I finished off with a long glance in the direction of my team members and reinforced to myself that this wasn't over and resolved to the best of my ability to recommit myself to their cause with laser focus.

Then I went to work. In front of us was a large open patch which the vortex swirled over. On all sides were steep, rocky cliffs and directly behind us a towering mountain. Snow drifted off the mountain and the cliff tops down into this pit where it was mostly assimilated into the white tornado. It's winds reached most of the area directly in front of us but it did reach to the cliffs themselves. If we could walk along the bottom hugging the cliffs as we went, I gathered we could safely make it to other end of this bowl. Then we'd have to climb up that side somehow, but we'd worry about that when we got there.

Bringing my nuzzle into the saddle bag I pulled out the twenty feet of enchanted rope I was supplied with originally and the additional that Rainbow left me with before she departed.

"Can you help me tie these two together?" I asked Scootaloo and Pipsqueak. "This is enchanted rope," I told them, to which they reacted with great interest - I was trying to remember exactly what Princess Luna said about it on the train. "It's really strong, but gentle on us."

Pip leapt forward in a flash more than eager to help, who I privately thanked for leading them out here; but Scootaloo staggered forward a little slower - her desire and willingness was just as strong but she was still reeling, and I wondered if there was anything I could to do to help her. We pulled the ropes tight in either direction testing it's strength, then I addressed the whole of them. "Here's what I'm thinking - we're going to tie the top of this rope to me first, then we're going work down and tie each one of you so you'll all be attached to me when we started climbing. I'll help each one of you but you need to let me know if it's too tight because I don't want it to hurt. Do you understand?"

They all nodded their heads. All of them were clearly afraid but they were wholly trusting in me and they readily accepted everything I was telling them, which was an extremely powerful fuel for me - Scootaloo and Pipsqueak in particular seemed to be on fire and were passionately devoted to my every word and action. It took several minutes but with their help I had something of a makeshift harness with all of us connected, each one spaced out by about two foal's lengths or so. Scootaloo I did not have walking behind me like rest of them - she was secured but with enough rope so that she could ride on my back instead since she was not up to full strength. That way also she could help me and watch over them as we moved.

We started at the right edge of the bottom of the pit up against the rocky cliffs were and we moved our way around the tornado; it was working, as aside from light breezes we had no exposure to it's winds. Most of them were watching it to our left as it we passed by it though I was primarily focused on my team as I waited for them to come into clearer vision in the darkness. The giant cliff just inches to our right was totally unclimbable and rose at about a 90 degree angle, but I studied the one on the far side and hoped for a better situation. The bottom of it looked difficult but doable - the top of it however it steepened out and looked impossible for us to climb without some kind of assistance from the top.

"How are they all doing?" I asked Scootaloo over my shoulder. I didn't want to go to fast, but my step had quite the spring.

"I-I think they're g-getting cold, but ok so far," said Scootaloo. I immediately remembered that we each had a cloak in our saddle bags, but only one. That meant my team members and I were going to have to give them the cloaks that we wore and fly back unprotected. I asked her if she wanted to reach into the saddle bag and put on the one I had, but she declined - she didn't want to be the only one wearing one.

We arrived at the base of the cliff and the adrenaline started flowing while studying the cliff. I had never rock climbed in my entire life, and our bodies weren't equipped for it all though I knew some goats were excellent rock climbers. The wind seemed to pick up and more snow was blowing in my face now. It didn't look like the figures of Thunderlane, Clear Skies, Buddy, Merry May or Blossomforth had discovered us at the bottom yet, appearing as though talking to each other. I turned around to address the kids; most of them were deeply afraid with their heads pointed directly upward.

"You guys are doing so great," I told them genuinely, wishing so badly I could take away their fear. "We're going to get up this cliff. Try to follow me one by one and be very careful. If one - " I started to say that if one of them were to fall, it could cause a chain reaction and take the rest of us down with them; I stopped myself however as I feared that would put too much pressure on them. One of the fillies - a pink one with a turquoise mane and tail positioned in the middle of them - started crying, and I was afraid others were going to follow.

"I want to go home," she stuttered.

Walking to her I knelt down right in front of her so we were eye level, touching my hoof to her shoulder.

"What is your name?" I asked gently.

"A-Aquamarine," she replied.

"Aquamarine," I told her, looking around at the rest of them as well, "You have done such a good job thus far, and I promise you this... I'm not going to let you fall, and I'm going to take you home. All of you. I just need you to keep doing whatever I tell you. Do you understand?"

They all nodded their heads and I gave them one last look of confidence that took all my strength to do so before I turned around again, feeling Scootaloo lay her head against my mane. Keeping it together in front of them was as hard as anything I'd experienced out here thus far.

With my head pointed squarely at the top of the cliff, I again stared up at my team members before I finally saw what looked like Blossomforth's dark figure react with a jump, her eyes widening directly at us. The five of them quickly lined up with urgency, all looking down directly at us. I could only imagine how they were actually reacting to seeing us. They tried shouting something but I couldn't make it out in the wind and the noise from swirling vortex behind us. Then I saw what looked like a rope falling down from where they were standing; it continued down until it was about half way down the cliff, right where the really steep part started. It was tied into a circle so I could step into it for them to pull us up in. We were going to have to climb high enough to reach it.

"Scootaloo," I remarked over my shoulder, looking at the task in front of us that was no doubt extremely risky. "If we can climb up to that rope they let down, do you think you help me step into it?"

"I'll try," she replied, looking on with a daunted expression.

"Thanks. You've been beyond amazing," I whispered.

"Well if I've been amazing then there like isn't a word to describe what you've been."

"Keep an eye on them. Let me know if anyone slips."

Leading the way I started reaching hoof after hoof and stepping higher and higher on the rocks, working my way up with my body sideways as much as possible. It wasn't a fast process - many of the places I was stepping were dusted with snow and I had to balance myself on uneven or narrow stepping places. The only plus was that their smaller hooves and bodies made it easier for them to climb and balance compared to how it was for me. On top of this I had to let them catch up one by one each time I advanced. Managing this rope and makeshift harness was indescribably more difficult than I anticipated, having to step over it and the like - we had tied it around my chest and neck so I could utilize all four of my legs. If something happened and one or all of them were to slip and hang down I had to be prepared to hold up all of them somehow, hoping they could regain their hooves on the cliff before I fell and sent us all hurling below.

"Don't look down!" I reminded them occasionally.

We made our way up - twenty feet or so, then thirty, then several minutes later we hit forty. Scootaloo was encouraging me and giving status updates throughout - but the cliff was getting steeper, and when we got to forty and above it took a turn for the worse that led me to question heavily this decision; climbing was getting much harder and the amount of focus and attention to detail I had to maintain at all times was exhausting me to dangerous levels. Finally, when I had nothing left on which to step I was stuck in an extremely difficult position stretched out with my front hooves higher than my back ones.

"Tell them to stay where they are," I muttered to her, stealing a glance downward. Normally height is a wonderful and empowering thing for a pegasus, but now it was terrifyingly scary; a fall to the bottom from this high up, if we didn't get sucked up into the tornado that was spinning right behind us, was going to end in tragedy. Every breath I took now was a painful one as the adrenaline had mostly worn off; my body was wracked with pain and the effort needed to maintain balance was excruciating.

"Sonic!" I heard Thunderlane's voice call from above. Now we were close enough to hear them.

Managing to lift my eyes upward I beheld his face and Clear Skies' clearly; they were both every bit as grave and anxious as mine. The rope was just above me, and there was a place to step my both of my front hooves and my back right hoof up but there wasn't anything else I could step up onto fully for me to be high enough to step through it. This was where the cliff was getting the steepest, and I gathered above this there was nothing more to climb with.

"You're amazing!!! You're doing so well!!!" he screamed down to me over the wind. "This is the most incredible thing we've ever seen!"

I was so cripplingly afraid and yet so focused on not slipping that I was barely able to take any consolation from his encouragement, though I tried to. "Can she tie that rope to you?" I heard him ask.

"No!" I shouted back up between breaths, shaking my head. "Scoot... Tell him there isn't a place to step up to once I grab it," I whispered to her so I didn't have to spend energy trying to yell.

"Can you let down any more rope?" she added at the top of her lungs.

"No, because we need to be lined up like this to pull you up - they're all behind me ready to pull," he replied through the noise. "We threw it down right here because there's one last place you should be able to stand right above there - you see it?"

"What is he talking about?" I muttered, unable to take my eyes off my front hooves. She raised her head as high as she could trying to get a glance.

"It looks like there's one last rock jetting out you can get up on to tie yourself!" she replied.

I lifted my head again to try to see what they were talking about for myself. I saw what they were referring to, and I figured if I grabbed the rope with my mouth and stepped on this one small place in between it I might be able to propel myself up to it. But this was going to be an unbelievable risk. If I stepped up all at once with the rope in my mouth and the kids all fell, then I wouldn't have the strength to both hold them while simultaneously hanging on to the rope with my mouth and my hooves not firmly planted into something and it seemed highly likely that would happen if I stepped all the way up there at once.

"Should we take our chances with the tornado?" asked Thunderlane.

"No," I shuttered to Scootaloo - I was in such a predicament that even thinking about anything other than keeping my balance was extremely stressful to the point of almost impossible. "I was in it," I said, having to speak in intervals. "It's too strong... miracle they made it over ok," I told Scootaloo to tell him.

As much as I regretted coming up here now, playing with the tornado was a numbers game I thought we were sure to lose - someone out of fifteen of us was going to get seriously hurt or worse. If it came to it though and we did fall I would do everything in my power to get us into the vortex on the descent to give us a fool's chance.

"He says no!" screamed Scootaloo Thunderlane.

"If I make it all the way up there... do you think I would jerk Pip off his perch or is there enough loose rope to cover us?" I uttered in a whimper.

"It's gonna be close!" she replied.

Closing my eyes I begged and begged for a way out of this, though I knew there wasn't one. How did it come to this... This was our only option and the anxiety from the realization hit like a train. This was my doing. I had to either steer us out or sink with the ship, which meant them and everyone's incredible resilience and determination along with me.

"Tell Thunder," I told her while I emphasized long inhales, "when you yell pull... to heave us up... once I'm in the harness. Let the kids know what we're doing so they're ready."

Stealing another glance down at the foals, one last time I took in their terrified expressions knowing full well each one of their lives depended entirely on me while noting the weight of the filly I loved like a little sister on my back. Each of their family members' lives depended on me too... along with Rainbow's, the team's... probably all of Ponyville for that matter. If I failed now then they'd all carry it the rest of their lives. All of it hung on my getting up to that last balance-able spot so I could tie myself to their harness while not letting the weight of possibly fourteen fouls falling down at once take me along with them should one of the, lose their balance in the act.

"Sonic you got this!!!" cried Thunderlane. "You're a legend! We're all ready to pull when she gives the signal!!" called Thunderlane.

We were about to find out what this enchanted rope was capable of. Looking up one last time I noted the exact location of the rope, the place I needed to put my back hoof to push off of and envisioned my front hooves reaching up to the final perch once I secured the rope in my mouth. All there was left to do was hope and pray I could do it. I closed my eyes and tried with all of my heart to prepare myself for what had to be the most daunting and difficult 3 seconds of my entire life. A long moment passed of me breathing in and out with my face against the rock with my eyes closed, thinking of my first and greatest hero and the part of her that I carried with me for ten years. Please help me... Scootaloo wrapped her legs around my neck.

"You ready?" I asked her.

"Yes... and Sonic, I - ... I- "

"I know," I whispered. "Just don't forget that I told you back there." Three more deep breaths. "Here we go. Here we go!" I spat. "On the count of three. One... two... THREEEE!!!"

Blasting off my back hoof I launched up and off my right hoof and bit down on the rope so hard it felt like I chipped my teeth and I slammed my front hooves down and pulled myself up while simultaneously flapping my wings as hard as I could for any extra lift. I lost the rope in my mouth and fell forward flat on the perch - I had made it - but I felt the rope behind me tightening - knowing that meant a chain reaction was coming I scrambled to fix my legs and pushing up and off the ground I leaned forward and stepped into the harness. Once my head and front legs were through I leaned forward as I prepared for the rope behind me to get extremely heavy - I put all of my weight into my front so I could push off my back legs to hold myself in place.

"PULL!!!!!!!" screamed Scootaloo.

Almost at once I felt the tension in the harness carrying the foals behind me level off as the new harness from above tightened, but before it could squeeze me to death I suddenly was blasted high off the perch and up towards the clifftop.

"AH I CAN'T GET A GOOD GRIP!" I heard from an supremely distressed Thunderlane.

"DIG IN!!! DIG INNN!!!!" cried Blossomforth.

"I'M TRYING!!" exclaimed a hysterical Merry May.

Amidst their violent screaming we were steadily moving upward; I scrambled to look below me and saw all fourteen speechless foals looking up at me hanging as freely as I was. Desperate to do something I turned my body in air so my hooves were touching the cliff and I pushed off and up furiously as if I was climbing straight up the cliff. The enchanted rope seemed to be holding up and we were nearly to the top when suddenly the rising slowed down almost to a halt.

"I'M LOSING!! HELP ME! HELP MEEEE!!!" screamed Buddy.

"ME TOO!" seconded Clear Skies.

"WE'RE ALMOST THERE!!!" I shrieked. "WE'RE SO CLOSE!!!!"

We came to a halt in the air. The tension shifted and it seemed like we were about to start a descent as I frantically prepared to kick off the cliff and launch us back towards the cyclone. Then all of a sudden the rise resumed inexplicably. Throwing my front hooves over the edge I reached the top and drove my legs into the ground. Roaring loudly I thundered forward as the harness from the front suddenly went limp and several dark figures streaked by me on either side. After several more impassioned steps forward my body finally gave out and I collapsed into the snow on my back from total exhaustion. Scootaloo and Pipsqueak both fell into my stomach. With my last drop of conscious energy myself and the two of them immediately turned our heads back. We saw the entirety of the foals and the team... safely behind us. A glorious, thunderous declaration from my triumphant friends echoed throughout the valley.

"WE DID IT!!!!"

"NEVER GIVE UP!!!! NEVER GIVE UUUUUPPPPP!!!!"

"WOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

"HALLELLUJAH!!!!"

Barely awake and sucking wind with every second with my head and ears in the snow, I was conscious enough to be treated to the best sounds bites my ears ever heard. Though I couldn't yet see what was going on I heard the deafening victory yells, the celebrations, the euphoric laughter, and felt the two heads of the foals on my breast digging in with the sweetest gratitude, which I instinctively responded to with both hooves resting gently on each one. I was almost too exhausted to have experienced any of it but it was still maybe the second happiest moment of my life. The words "awesome", "incredible" and many others of the like were all over the place along with many others I'd never even heard as the positive energy had empowered every foal into celebrating with them.

"Dainty!! Bee Bop!!!" said Merry May after which voice of one happy filly apparently named that cried her name in return.

"Hey! We know you - you're Rumble's big brother!" proclaimed a terribly excited group of colts.

"Heyyyy, that's right!!!" laughed Thunderlane.

"You're all here!!!" remarked a giddy Blossomforth. "I'll take these two angels!!!!"

"Alright!!!! You ready to go see your family?" offered the voice of Buddy.

"You all are just so cute!" gushed the voice of Clear Skies.

It was all the most glorious music to my tired soul. We're doing it Rainbow... With one final effort... maybe, just maybe we'd return to those magnificent white clouds in the blue sky looking over all of these children playing happily in warm green pastures. And Scootaloo flying through the sky with the best set of wings anyone ever saw alongside Rainbow's.

"Sonic! Wake up!" she giggled.

My body was still sore. But my breathing was coming back under control and my cognitive capabilities seemed to be improving. Opening to my eyes to a beaming Scootaloo looking like she was on cloud nine was more than I could ever ask for in recovery. Leaning up I beheld with my own vision five of my best friends playing and laughing with twelve slightly confused but rapidly improving kids. Knowing their hard work and faith in the mission was paying off with these results was a surreal and wondrous feeling. After sharing the appreciation with both Scootaloo and Pipsqueak I staggered up off the ground.

"Let's get you guys untied." One more effort... and we're all home free... if he did survive, we can all take him on together as a race.

When the three of us had helped each other get our bodies free from rope I noticed the noise from the playing and the camaraderie seemed to have stopped, replaced mostly with the moaning valley winds that seemed a little calmer now than they had been the previous countless hours. With Pip and Scoot on standing at either shoulder of mine I turned around and saw seventeen pairs of eyes glowing directly at me. In a line across my five team members stood with foals on either side; from right to left Thunderlane had four colts, Blossomforth and Merry May each had two fillies, and Buddy and Clear skies both had one of each.

A strange feeling came over me as I took in their expressions... each one was shining with a depth of feeling I'd seen in only one other pony in my entire life, encompassing awe, appreciation, friendliness, and gratitude among other things. This was an odd and unfamiliar experience for me to be the recipient of such profound expressions from anyone other than Rainbow, let alone all of them, but I realized what I saw represented exactly how I felt about all of them so if I couldn't accept the feelings in return it wouldn't be right of me. Unable to deny it was a spectacular and wonderful feeling, I gave it all right back to them standing there in the snow with my own gentle smile. As long as they understood how great they were and they shared equally in this, I was ok with anything.

"Sonic..." muttered Thunderlane, shaking his head with a step forward. "There aren't words..."

"For most of my life..." I replied, before I too choked up and had to take several breaths to get it under control. I started thinking about all of the things we'd been through together and all of the horrible conditions they and I had to endure up to this point, which was the worst aid to my keeping it under control. Trying to give a speech with these feelings flooding through was almost impossible, but I needed to try wading through this so they could hear what I had to say.

"For most of my life, I've felt like everyone else in Equestria was living this idyllic existence. And that I was exception."

"What?" asked a concerned Thunderlane, turning his head with sensitivity. I was afraid to look at him directly lest he might see something that he didn't need to know right now, but one day soon when the time was right I knew he would.

"When I was a foal, after I left Cloudsdale... something happened. Something not good," I muttered, looking away. "For a long time I thought I had it worse than any other pony, and that maybe I deserved it. But many other things aside... being out here, seeing you go through the same struggle, the same nightmare... seeing you all standing here now, knowing I wasn't alone... I regret every minute I ever spent doubting myself, because every minute of self-loathing is time I could've spent loving you, seeing the good in all of you and working to ease the very real suffering of ponies who deserve it the absolute least. All a pony can do is admit when he's wrong, and ask forgiveness... But the way I feel about you all... Everything I've done out here is to make you all and Rainbow proud... Everything I've ever done..."

I had to stop talking, and clutch my chest as the internal feelings were too overwhelming. Before I could say anything else Thunderlane stepped forward and matched my emotions with his own, putting his forehead almost to mine.

"You are *my* captain."

Blossomforth came next, covering her face with her wing. "I doubted much more than myself. I doubted everything I believed in out here, the more we endured, the more we took, the more we looked and found nothing and the growing despair crushing down on me. Yet through it all... there you were the whole time. There's a power in your face that, I, I c-can't - your devotion to these foals, to your teammates, to me... You're *my* captain."

"And mine," added Merry May, as Buddy and Clear Skies traded glances.

"You're our captain!" declared the mare for both of them.

"I honestly kinda have a hard time believing Rainbow could never be more proud of you then we are," said Thunderlane.

I didn't know if I could take much more of it. I could barely believe the words.

"Every one of you has contributed so much... every single one of you, you take anyone's efforts away and none of us are here right now," I asserted to the best my ability considering the difficulty I was having composing words, yet for them I was somehow pulling it off. "And believe me, I remember every last bit of it and I'm never ever gonna forget any it. What I'm just trying to say is," I paused again, hiding my crying face in my wing. "That I see... five of the greatest and best friends a lonely stallion could ever-" I took another breath, losing all control at this point. "With fourteen of most beautiful children in the wide world- "

The lot of them were kind enough not to let me keep making a fool of myself. They moved in and surrounded me on all sides where we all joined together for the longest and most therapeutic group hug that ever occurred. Further strengthening everyone's reluctance to end it was the fact that it shielded us from the cold and everyone warmed up tremendously on the inside and the outside. Scootaloo, Pipsueak, and Thunderlane were the most intimately involved with me directly, but the love and appreciation flowed unrestrained through the entire group from one pony to the next.

After a time when I had regained my ability to talk I set my both wings on Scootaloo and Pipsqueak and happily sang their praises to the rest of them.

"You should have seen Scootaloo down there... she had the most ingenious, the most heroic, the most unbelievable - look, she's blushing but we when we get back I'll tell you all about it." The foals nodded their heads in unison, and my team members watched her with excited curiosity as she laughed it off with embarrassment. "And this guy here," I said, looking at Pip. "He led the entire group of them out when I went back for Scoot and did a great job. All of you... every single of you was unbelievable," I gushed, looking around at all of them.

"You know," started Blossomforth, raising an eyebrow in Thunderlane's direction. "I gotta admit... Thunderlane distracting that dragon king for us to all escape... that was awesome, there's no two ways about it."

"Awwww," teased Thunderlane. "I knew you'd come around!"

"And it was Buddy's idea to swing back and forth on that feeding station that set us free," I added with a smile in his direction, to which the green stallion lowered his head bashfully.

"Let's not forget the wolves with wings, guys," said Clear Skies, and the kids' faces lit up with shock as they looked around at one another.

"Heh... I think I wouldn't mind forgetting them actually. Epic fight though, just epic," replied Thunderlane. "Merry May, you really pack a punch - we saw you over there!"

"Yeah... about that," she laughed, twirling her hoof around in the snow.

"Then you guys all got us over that cliff while I dangled from a rope doing nothing," I remarked. "I'll be honest there, I thought we were going down for a second but you guys really dug deep-"

"Oh - so did we!" interjected Buddy, shaking his head up and down violently with the rest of them.

"Seriously, how did that happen? I don't doubt the rope is enchanted, but..." mused Blossomforth thoughtfully.

"I was in the back!" exclaimed Buddy, at a loss. "I had my head down, pulling as hard as I could but it honestly felt like something - or someone - came up grabbed and helped us pull. Was it a - maybe a - geez I don't know, an... angel, or something?"

"Far from an angel," replied a more distant male voice from the wind.

Everyone gasped and swung around to see who or what had said this. Immediately the dark silhouette of a cloaked pony emerged through the flurries, walking forward and throwing back his hood with a thrash of his neck. There was no mistaking him.

"Whitewash!" we adults all exclaimed in unison... otherwise completely and utterly speechless.

"It was you!" shouted Buddy, pointing a hoof at him. "I couldn't see from all the snow we kicked up- but you came up and helped pull!"

"Yes, I did," he replied calmly, though his voice was strong as usual. "And yes, I heard everything. And no, I wasn't here the whole time, I found you right before you all started pulling. And yes... I'm really, really ... " he took a breath and looked away for a moment - "sorry... especially to you," he continued, pointing to me, "and you," he added shamefully, looking to all of the kids, "and also you," he finished, gazing towards the five.

Standing in the snow at a slight distance, he was just separated from our group. Though we were all shocked and surprised, the kids' feelings were a little different than ours as many of them wondered how we knew him or if he was friend or foe, though I think many of them did recognize him. If I speak for my team members, which I'm sure do, I'd say the rest of us were deeply in love with him. This was an image of Whitewash I had never seen. He always looked so tough and unwavering but now there were strong feelings all over him that he couldn't hide.

On one hoof I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at all unsurprised to see him, but on the other I always knew there was a soft spot in him. I saw the look he gave his brother at the train station that day when he was saying goodbye to his friends - who here with us now - and remembered the words that Thunderlane had advised me on that platform. It's not really his fault... I'll you about it later,, they rang in my head.

"You know..." he started, going back and forth with his gaze between the lot of us and the darkness of the valley. "No one gave us - gave you all, anyway - a chance to get this far. I least of all. I'll spare you the self pity but I've been dealing with some stuff before we came out here, and anyway I've been nothing but anger and negativity out here. And this hasn't been easy for me, but that's no excuse. You all were going through the same thing, but I stuck out for all the wrong reasons. We all fought the wolves and the dragons, we all put up with the abuse from Spitfire and the Wonderbolts..."

"Ohhh boy," lamented Thunderlane as he looked around at all of the foals surrounding him. "I really want to say something about the Wonderbolts right now, but I really shouldn't with all these foals here..."

"Cover your ears kids," smirked Blossomforth.

"Heh... maybe we can dance around them when we get back," he continued.

"Look - trust me," offered Whitewash sympathetically and forcefully taking back full control of the conversation. "I hear you on that - believe me, I think we all do - us seven anyway. But as I stand here now, and I look at all these kids, and you six... I know now this is about so much more than hating the Wonderbolts."

"Yeah..." said Thunderlane, looking away with guilt. "Just... forget I said that."

In my heart I was indescribably endeared to this white stallion and I'm sure it was highly visible on the smile that was forming on my face. I had suspected so strongly there was something driving his being so cold, something that wasn't rooted in selfishness or anything he was responsible for and I was moved nearly to more tears with his confession.

"Aww... Whitewash," gushed Clear Skies tenderly. "The important thing is you came back! You saved us all!"

"Yeah," he remarked, his eyes shifting sideways for a moment before coming back. "But as Sonic pointed out, you all have been saving each other this whole time. For what it's worth, when I left I was very conflicted. On the one hoof as much as I hated it I bought into the Wonderbolts' despair... I told myself we had no business out here and my little brother didn't deserve to have his big brother - well, you ge the point. And I threw all that anger and guilt at the Princesses where it didn't belong."

"You're not the only one here with those feelings," remarked Blossomforth. "You forget we all left for a time too. Except him," she said, motioning to me.

He paused, taking a few breaths. He was quite the contrast to me... whereas I was horrible at keeping everything together and my emotions did whatever they wanted, he wasn't crying or choking up even though it looked like he was near that point. Then he brought his eyes to mine and I had spoke to soon - a tear fell from his eye right eye when he didn't look away.

"On the other hoof, I thought... what if Sonic stayed out here and found something. I could've been there to help, but wasn't... and a foal that would've been saved would've been - and it would been because of me. I thought, what is my little brother gonna think of me when I come home, how sad is he gonna be for his - ... when you look at me, Sonic, it's like you're trying to understand me. Not so that you can use it against me, but so you can use it for me. The whole time you were just trying to help me and I was giving you nothing but the ice cold shoulder... because I'm just a coward, I guess."

"My friend," shaking my head in disbelief and walking towards him. "You are anything but a coward. You have made us all *so* happy."

"I am a coward," he reinforced, shaking his head shamefully. "I never stuck up for you when Spitfire was treating you like garbage. Thunderlane did. Blossomforth did. They did. I second everything they just said about you, Sonic. But I never gave a word to your defense. I kept all of you down too. Though I'm gonna try my best to make it all up to you right now if I can. I promise you that. You got any kids I can carry?"

Whether he wanted it or not, I ran forward and threw myself around him. I didn't take him for the hugging type but I couldn't help myself; I had so much love to everyone it seemed like I was drawing from a source as infinite as the sky, and Whitewash was next in line.

"Yes!" I cried, as finally a genuine smile came over him. "YES!" I repeated forcefully in response to it. "I always knew," I whispered, looking him over.

"You always knew?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well I'd say you were right. And I thank you for that. Hey, I know you two," he said, pointing behind me in Thunderlane's direction. "You're friends with my little brother!"

I looked back and the two of them looked over at us curiously - it was clear Whitewash was hoping they'd come forward without offering to take them himself, but I figured I could help him with that.

"You two will want to ride with him," I told them. "He might be the toughest pony here. You should've seen him in our big fight against the wolves," I told them, knowing and believing it very genuinely. At hearing that they both looked at each other excitedly and ran forward. For the rest of us, seeing these three accept each other seemed like the best thing for us before we tackled the last leg of this mission together.

"Wasn't there supposed to be eighteen?" he asked fearfully.

"Rainbow has the other four," replied Clear Skies.

"Rainbow? I thought she-"

"She walked out here. With a sled. To drag four of them back herself."

"You're not serious. How did she get past the giant black hole in the front?"

"She found another way in!" I informed him.

"Wow... just - she's the toughest pony who ever lived, all I gotta say," he replied shaking his head.

"Eccccuse, me ssssir," piped Pipsqueak to me, with chattering teeth. "You wouldn't be able to sssspare a bbbblanket would ye?"

We looked around at the rest of the foals - the shivering had begun to settled in. All at once the whole atmosphere seemed to monumentally shift as the sense of duty draped all around us. We knew what this meant. Turning our attention down the dark valley that had been working against us all for so long, one fact rang clear. It was time. All there was left was to fly them back ourselves through this wind and snow. One last, gallant effort... and our dreams would be a reality and we could start our new lives as the best of friends.

"I think we should let them use our cloaks as blankets... let them eat our last bit of food and leave everything else here. We need to fly as light and fast as possible," I remarked, which the rest of them agreed with a nod. My words hung in silence as everyone started to prepare themselves. Scootaloo and Pipsqueak finished off my oats while I stepped out of my cloak and helped them both onto my back. I couldn't get rid of everything though. I reached my snout into the one saddlebag I knew where it was.

Pulling out the small blue feather, I turned to place it in an unsuspecting Scootaloo's hooves. She was not prepared for it at first... seeing the worn, small piece of her hero from a time when she was at least as young as the youngest foal in this group hit her hard, as I knew it would.

"There's no one else in the world I would trust this with."

"Oh Sonic," she burst, smiling profoundly at it - and then at me. "I promise I'll keep it safe for you until we get back."

"That's not what I meant," I replied, and her head shot back up in bewilderment.

"Wait... what?"

"If I offered you that feather to keep permanently... would you accept it?"

She stared into me, disbelieving my words. But my heart was made up if she would take it.

"M-me?" she stuttered. "I-I ... B-but Sonic... Rainbow, she - "

"Rainbow gifted me this feather when I needed it most," I replied, finally remaining strong for her as her mouth fell freely. "It's mine to do with as I please. I carry that feather with me everywhere in my heart, whether I have it in person or not. Until right now at this very moment, I would never have ever thought of ever giving this to anyone other than the filly who gave it to me. But now I see that it belongs with you, if you will accept it. That way - and this day may not come again - the next time you hear his voice in your head, the next time you remember that he told you I don't care about you, you can look upon this and decide for yourself."

Six of my best friends began to circle around me for one final time before take off, each of them now with two foals on their backs. Scootaloo and Pipsqueak were ready on mine. Thunderlane stepped forward. The five of the others and him traded a long glance, then they all came to rest on me. He continued towards me with a rapidly deepening expression. I returned it in full force, remembering all time all that he's done for me. All the time he's made me laugh, even out here. All the times he's supported me. I love you so, so much... my dear friend...

"Lead us home, Sonic," he said, speaking for all of them. "And... invite us to the wedding. And preferably wait to for me to be present when you propose."

One last time I had to take this all in as still didn't seem real. Just hours ago it felt like this moment could never come and was a joke for me to even entertain, to keep hoping for. We were finally leaving this valley... with fourteen healthy children. Most of all I had to savor the thoughts of feelings of all of them so I could call upon them when my body and spirit weakened in this final stretch. The triumph of the previous victory still lived in us, as did the triumph in all of our victories - but we knew and understood that the biggest effort of all for one another had to come now, and the after that we could celebrate for a lifetime. In trading these looks with one another we reinforced our commitment and strengthened our respect.

It was conscious on all of our minds that the defining moment of our lives was almost to it's conclusion. We'd beaten all of the odds because we never stopped seeing the value in each other. We'd grown so powerfully and incredibly close.

"I'm so proud of you all," whispered a now sobbing Clear Skies, which led to Merry May and Blossomforth tearing up again instantly as well.

"Me too," they both said.

"Geez... I don't stand a chance against that," muttered Thunderlane, covering his welling eyes with his wing.

"Me too," said Buddy, leaving Whitewash.

"And me."

"I'm getting really cold. Ready if you all are," said Thunder.

They all looked to me. We were ready for take off.

"Let's all go home," I told them.

Just then I suddenly became aware that the night had gotten so quiet that it felt like all of the wind surrounding us had stopped. There was no drifting snow, no faint moan from a breeze above us. There were winds that could be heard in the mountains well above us, and gales perhaps down the valley - but where we stood it had grown deathly quiet. Until... A strong and eerie gust could be heard from down below the the cliff.

All at once everyone seemed to become conscious of the silence that wrapped over us like a black cloud. My sense of security began to freefall. All of us looked in that direction as still as statues.

"I've read a lot of books, and uh... gotta say that's usually a bad sign," whispered Thunderlane. "Sometimes it's not... Sometimes it's coincidental. But other times it is indicative of something powerful and usually not good. You know, I was meaning to ask you Sonic. What, uh... what exactly did you find down there anyway?"

"Guys... I don't hear that tornado anymore," remarked an increasingly nervous Merry May, who's feelings were quite mutual among all of us.

Suddenly in the dead quiet strange whooshing noises could be heard swirling around in the pit; we were far enough away from the cliff's edge that we couldn't see what was down there, but I wasn't interested in finding out. In fact I found it horrifying. I realized I never saw his body; I had been so concerned with Scootaloo and then getting them all up that the way it played I never actually did get around to thoughtfully considering what did happen down there.

"Let's go," I muttered.

Before we could move - which we did not - a glow of light suddenly started to appear on the sides of the cliffs and mountains rising over the back and the sides of the bowl from which we had came. It got stronger and brighter with more time, as though some shining ball of light was coming up slowly from the bottom. The kids began to gasp, holding each other with fear and grabbing tightly to their adult's neck.

"What is this new devilry?" whispered Whitewash.

All eyes turned to me for answers. But my face was locked in that direction. No... I thought to myself. This can't be happening. Please... Scootaloo and Pipsqueak both leaned in and held on tightly.

"Sonic let's go!" she begged into my ear.

Then - totally without warning - there was a tremendous sound of wind and an explosion of light and sound. We all looked up... There in the sky, just above us, he appeared. His body glowed with a shining aurora in the dark sky like the moon in a sea of black. The same handsome purple stallion head, a blue robe that now had streaks of white, white claws, white feet, upright on two legs... and two lifeless white eyes. He hovered still where he was without using his white wings. Only now he was surrounded by what appeared to be like countless tiny white stars, moving in different directions all around him and twinkling brightly.

We all stood in speechless silence. He stared forward intently and with a purpose at first... as unmoving as a stone. Then his trademark smirk - arrogant, unsettling, and subtly insidious - formed across his face as he turned down to look at all of us. Opening his claws with his palms facing upward and without opening his mouth, he addressed all of us in our minds.

Before we get to introductions, since you all are wondering what these are... this is my prized collection. Why yes, I am interested in adding to it.

His Whole Persona

Fleetfoot couldn't believe how many ponies had come out to this base camp that was just a ways out from the miserable valley behind the mountains she had just left behind. Based on numbers alone it looked and felt more like a city out in the middle of the plain rather than a temporary settlement and she knew this consisted of way more than just the inhabitants of Ponyville.

The blue mare with the snowy white mane had spent the last couple hours warming in front of a fire covered with blankets and drinking hot fluids in a large tent that was prepared just for them... she wasn't freezing anymore and her strength was finally starting to come back, but despite everything she'd been through and how tired she was, she couldn't sleep or leave; she was very irritated that the princesses had refused to yet call off the mission, and hadn't sent this inexplicable presence of legions of ponies from all over the land back to the comforts of their homes, where they could all hopefully start to put this dark hour behind them.

After a time when it was determined that none of the Wonderbolts had life-threatening conditions and should recover just fine once they'd have a chance to rest and recuperate, Princess Luna ordered her and the rest of the Wonderbolts out of the main medical tent and into another large one with open walls.

The acclaimed flyer looked all around her and saw the demoralized and dispirited faces of ponies just outside whispering among themselves; even though she had been the one out there in the valley they looked just as bad or worse than she did. Whenever she made eye contact with one of them she wasn't met with the praise and admiration that she had gotten so used to and this was a foreign and dislikable feeling for her. I just went through all of that to try to save some kids, and this is what I get? she thought to herself.

Standing up with a purpose she made her way over to her friend and captain - Spitfire, who was staring despondently into the fire and mumbling to herself. Most of the Wonderbolts including Fleetfoot were loyal to Spitfire and her decision to leave the valley, but a group of four of them led by Soarin' had recently chose to leave their circle of team members and were either in a different tent or off doing something else around the base camp, away from them anyway. Fleetfoot had walked outside just before to look for the ice blue stallion but was met with more unwelcoming vibes when she encountered his group, which she strongly resented. If he wanted to go back out and freeze to death then she wouldn't stop him.

"This is ridiculous. There's ponies from all over the place out there - how did this get out so fast? I mean knew we were in there for a long time but geez," whispered Fleetfoot to the broken mare, gazing around at the crowd as she talked. "I know it's a horrible situation but you'd think we'd get a little more respect from these ponies considering we even made the effort in the first place. We've got to push back on this narrative that of all ponies we're somehow the cowards here. That the rest of them who stayed behind are so much better than us."

The yellow mare with the fiery mane and tail just kept staring at the fire with a totally unchanged expression before she spoke out loud.

"You - you don't think I called off the search t-too early... did I?" she finally muttered.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Fleetfoot urgently in a muffled whisper and resting her wings on the captain's shoulders. "What happened to the reasonable mare that got us the heck out of there without a second thought before we got permanently iced along with the rest of those kids?"

"That's - that's right," mumbled Spitfire to herself, though her friend could hear. "I-I was acting in the team's best interests... it was the right decision..."

"Yes... I don't wish this on anyone, I mean none of us do but's not like we were gonna find anything, and we gave it our best shot," added Fleetfoot. Spitfire reinforced herself with her friend's comments and her expression got a little sturdier.

When Fleetfoot had been outside to look for Soarin' she had heard some of the ponies talking among themselves.

"Did you hear that Sonic was innocent after all? Guess he was telling the truth about that tornado thing back in Ponyville," she remarked.

At the question the yellow mare's eyes finally broke, and Fleetfoot was surprised to see her a flicker of fear in her face before she settled back to the fire in front of her.

"W-what? Oh... y-yeah, I think I heard that."

"He was kind of annoying... but you were awfully hard on him. Can't really help you much there if it ever comes up."

"W-w-what?" asked Spitfire in a fragile voice, shaking her head as she looked up again. "B-but I-I wasn't... I didn't-"

"They won't shut up about him and Rainbow," continued Fleetfoot, ignoring her mumbling. Sonic was a decent flier with good speed - Fleetfoot could give him that much - but all around he wasn't close to theirs or Rainbow's level and she knew he couldn't hold up to the Wonderbolt standards. "Did you hear she apparently went out there? She must've found another way in or something, but either way she's a goner for sure! There's no way anyone could last out there without their wings. Not even her. Gotta admit though, she is pretty tough. Can you believe she loves a softie like him?"

Suddenly there was approaching them a white earth stallion with glasses and a golden mane - he wore an expensive winter coat tailored to his sturdy body. She knew he had to be older then them, though not by much. He was joined on both sides by two slightly younger stallions - a green earth pony with a white mane and a grey unicorn with a black one. The two ponies on either side were carrying some accessories attached to their necks though Fleetfoot couldn't make out what they were. The pony in the middle was clearly the leader of the three - his face was not accusatory or unkind, but not unlike all the other ponies that were there he appeared to be sleep deprived and plagued with grave thoughts.

"Who are you and what do you want?" asked Fleetfoot as she raised an eyebrow at him. Spitfire's eyes drifted backward. Neither of them noticed the large group that was tagging some ways behind him in the darkness. He traded quick glances with his friends - or whatever they were before he came back to her with an attempt at a conciliatory expression.

"I'm sorry, I know these circumstances are far from ideal but - my name is -"

"Look pal," she interrupted coldly. She could tell he was going to ask about the rest of the team, which she didn't feel like talking about. "This isn't really a good time if you're wanting to do an interview or whatever."

The white stallion hesitated, not sure how to respond initially. He wanted to speak to her to try and find out more about the situation as it was information that he and everyone else was craving, so he started thinking for a way to get through to her after clearly starting off on the wrong hoof. He understood that she had to be very tired and not in the mood to talk.

"Hey I get that trust me, and I'm sure you had it really rough out there; it's just that, I know lots of us are wondering about, you know-"

"Wondering about what?" asked Fleetfoot. "You don't know how 'rough' we had it. We had to fight ice dragons, wolves with wings, the constant snow and wind in our face, and a million other things..."

"There was no sign of them anywhere," muttered Spitfire, staring intently into the fire.

"No sign?" asked the white stallion. Now he was confused, though he tried to understand what she meant by that. He tried to be as non-confrontational as he possibly could, struggling for the right words. "No sign? Oh. It's just that - I thought that when you all got back Soarin' had said that -"

"Look, we don't really care what Soarin' said," replied Fleetfoot angrily. "Their idea of a 'sign' as something we could actually go off didn't exist. And clearly he agrees if he came back here with us, doesn't he?"

"We looked and looked," offered Spitfire bitterly, standing up facing him. "And we didn't find anything!"

"Whoa, whoa," said the white stallion, raising a hoof encouraging them to calm down. "Please... there's no need to get angry here. I promise you I'm not trying to-"

"We're not in the mood, ok? You're not that important, so get over yourself and get lost," spat Fleetfoot, turning her head to face the fire with Spitfire.

The white stallion stared frustrated at both of them from behind; her final remark especially left a bad taste in his mouth. They'd met each other before, though they clearly didn't remember him - he knew them somewhat well as the ultra-competitive win-at-all-costs stars of the Wonderbolts, and he also knew that they had just put in some really tough hours out in the valley, but that was not was he was expecting nor what he felt he deserved. He couldn't help but get defensive as he lowered his eyebrows at the back of her head. Not important? he thought to himself. You little brat... I'm Bucky Quill.

Princess Celestia paced the floor alongside her sister in their own royal tent decorated by the monarch's banners. The former stopped in her tracks and brought, using her a magic, a blank scroll before her face before she frantically scribbled the words: "EMERGENCY - PLEASE RESPOND ASAP!!!" and sent it off to her own royal protegé.

"Come on Spike!" she pleaded grievously. This was the third unanswered scroll she'd sent in the last hour. "If White Death absorbs their souls... it may well be over, and we all face death and judgement. His power will be unstoppable and he will rip through Equestria until he has absorbed every last one."

"I don't know about Spike but she's not sleeping," remarked the princess of the night. "He may be, or they may well be in a bind of their own."

"Not like this they aren't," replied Princess Celestia, before she noticed movement by the door. They both knew that Princess Twilight providing any kind of aid was going to be long shot from the beginning considering she was out of the country negotiating a volatile situation between two faraway lands, which is why they hesitated to try and even make contact with her at first. But upon learning that White Death was behind the kidnapping, they knew they needed to grasp at any straw they could.

"Here comes the captain," she muttered to her sister.

The chestnut stallion entered with a salute as the two sisters hoped for a positive report.

"The Crystal Empire is being informed of the threat per your command. Applejack was located at her relatives' out in the country and is on the way. Fluttershy was harder to find but I think they may have located her... I believe she was found at a zebra's house in the woods. Four of the element bearers are accounted for, though Miss Pie's whereabouts are now currently unknown as well."

"She's around here somewhere. She is not the contemplative type - she must keep herself busy, she can't just sit and wait... though she should appear if we really need her," replied the regal white mare, after which she hung her head. She had come to depend so much on Twilight and her friends for everything... but now she couldn't do that. "It's not like it matters..."

"Your... your highness?" asked the surprised captain of the royal guard. He was hard pony - to be the captain required as much. But not even he could hide everything in this mess.

Her loyal servant had never seen his princess so stressed out and for so long. Indeed, he reckoned this was her darkest hour. But his devotion to her and her sister had never come easier as they had done what he knew he could never do - they had comforted the families of the lost foals and somehow despite everything and were still working for a positive conclusion. Now he was wondering though whether or not she truly had really given up hope... If either of them had, then he knew what that meant for the rest of them.

"I've been wrong before, but not unless I am truly blind will the elements of harmony help us here. I know it in my heart," she whispered with her eyes closed. "Our hope is entirely dependent on eight pegasus ponies."

A dead silence hung over the last three words. Eight pegasus ponies... seven of whom were neither Wonderbolts nor an element of harmony, with the eighth having a grounding wing injury. The Princesses hadn't disclosed to the rest of the ponies who White Death was nor did they intend to. They didn't know exactly what was happening in the valley at that moment, but they knew that out of the seventeen ponies who were sent into an arctic wilderness to retrieve Ponyville's children - and the one who went out there anyway - these eight pegasus had decided to stay behind and weather the cold and the monsters for one last effort. And - whether they knew it or not - to take on this evil spirit themselves. Rainbow Dash, Sonic, Thunderlane, Blossomforth, Buddy, Whitewash, Clear Skies, and Merry May... and eighteen foals between the eight of them.

"We are asking so much of them," lamented Celestia, falling to her stomach and laying her head down on the ground.

"Do you - do you really believe they have a chance?" asked the captain, .

"Absolutely," asserted Princess Luna, trading a glance with her sister. The captain was not as close with the Night Princess as he was to her sister, having lived most of his life when she was still banished. But she had built on his trust in her on this mission. "I've been in their dreams and I have seen glimpses into their hearts. The elements themselves can live truly in each and every one of us and rise up even the most insignificant - they are not confined only to their vessels among Twilight and her friends. But whether or not they will accept this, or have the power and strength of will to resist this foe... we are going to find out."

Soarin' had suspected as soon as he got back to camp. He knew when he saw all of these ponies from different locations throughout Equestrian who he'd since learned had traveled by train willing to brave the elements just to support their grieving fellow equines, and to support him specifically. He witnessed the devastation on their faces, everyone who was ready to welcome him and a lost foal on his back.

Making matters worse, when he got back he had found out that not only did more ponies than just Sonic stay behind in the valley but a mare that he had long especially admired was out there as well... with a broken wing. He knew she was brave but he didn't know anyone was that brave.

Soarin' was identified as a fantastic flier from an early age who would have certainly been the best from almost any town in Equestria. His only problem was that coincidentally or not, two other fillies named Spitfire and Fleetfoot - both from not only his own hometown of Cloudsdale but from his own class as well - were not only just as good, they were actually better.

While the three of them had been friends since their elementary years, and though his own personal success continued at the Wonderbolt Academy, a part of him always felt like he was only living in their shadow. But what hurt Soarin' the most was that his Wonderbolt team members had, he thought, displayed moments of genuine growth in the past - never did he think they would fall this far. Before his Wonderbolt years he had started to notice Rainbow Dash as the up and coming flying prodigy a few years behind him. What it was exactly about her that captivated his interest he didn't know, but it was something more than just her flying ability.

What was going to happen to all of them now? Would they all die, and would that have been his fate as well had he stayed? He wasn't sure. It had seemed so bleak out there. They had spent so much time looking and hadn't found anything. It had made him so tired and so cold... he hated leaving empty hoofed, but Spitfire and the rest of the team was ready to go back and he figured if they were throwing in the towel then there was no reason he should stay and give his life for a lost cause.

Now Soarin' was leading a group of three other Wonderbolts - another stallion and two mares - making their way towards the royal tent where the Princesses were stationed. When they reached a spot not far from its entrance they stopped and stood silently as he noted the royal guards just outside. They had been drinking hot soup and warming by the fire and now felt like they had the strength and desire to go back out and give it one last shot if they could.

Soarin' had front row seats to the tension between the Wonderbolts and the Ponyville team out in the valley, and for his part he tried to build a bridge between them; the truth was however that Spitfire and the others had hurt him deeply with their treatment of the other team, especially the poor stallion named Sonic who was apparently innocent of his supposed crime all along. Granted the whole situation being what it was, Sonic had always appeared so distraught when Soarin' saw him that he couldn't help but feel bad for him at every encounter... there was no question in his mind though that this stallion was deeply and constantly concerned with his teammates' well being and strongly in tune with their feelings.

Sonic was the first pony to help him when the avalanche came and Soarin' would never forget how genuinely relieved he'd looked to have found him. Knowing Sonic was staying behind by himself had devastated Soarin' when the rest of them left the valley and he had tried to persuade him to come back as well. He hadn't brought himself to staying back with him despite it though. The whole thing had left him so conflicted, but Spitfire and Fleetfoot - some of his oldest friends if you could call them that - seemed to have a convincing argument that it wasn't fair for them to have to die out there too. It had been convincing out there anyway.

As Soarin' now stood there weighing an approach on the royal guards to enter into the Princesses' quarters, he was faced with another dilemma. If he went in there and swore himself to this cause again, he assumed they would welcome his decision and send him off. But he had no idea what he'd find in the valley if anything and seriously doubted he'd survive out there. Instead of going in there with seventeen other ponies, he'd only be going in with maybe three now. He took several deep breaths. He had never had a private conversation with the Princesses and this circumstance was the absolute last one he could ever possibly want for his first. However he knew this was going to follow him forever and after trading glances with his three companions he resolved to go in.

There were many royal guards in various places all throughout the camp and near the royal tent, but he came and stood just in front of the two royal guards positioned at the entry way of the Princesses' pavilion.

"I... I wish to speak with the Princesses," he offered gently, though they did not respond to his request at all - they remained steadfast in their expressions straight ahead, which quickly frustrated the Wonderbolt. "I wish to speak with the Princesses," he said louder.

The royal guards did not move; they were like indifferent statues. Not knowing what else to do but not wanting to turn away, Soarin' legs started to move him slowly towards them when suddenly the two of them stepped towards each other together in union - blocking his way while simultaneously shooting cold, unwelcoming glares at him. An increasingly anxious Soarin' froze in place unsure of what to do, though shortly after an obviously high-ranking chestnut stallion sporting the full regalia of the guard stuck his head through the opening and quickly sized him up.

"What do you want?" he asked impartially.

"I," he started, catching his breath and regrouping with a gulp. "I'm Soarin' of the Wonderbolts. I wish to speak with the Princesses."

The chestnut stallion disappeared in the tent for a just moment before reappearing.

"Permitted," he replied flatly.

The royal guards stepped back in their places together and their eyes left Soarin' at once. With only slight relief he stole one final glance at his group before walking slowly between the two and entering. When he got inside he noted the royal banners, a small fire with likely a pot of tea on it, maps of the area, some scrolls, and two of the best sleeping or lounging cots he'd ever seen. Aside from that though there wasn't much else.

Sure enough right there before him stood, alongside the captain of the royal guard, were the two highest-ranking beings in Equestria. Before this whole situation Soarin' had never officially met Princess Celestia, though as a successful Wonderbolt the two had made eye contact several times in his life before. Each time it had been a brief and distant encounter, yet whenever she looked upon him it was a warm and meaningful experience with always a sense that she knew him personally. Though a lifelong jock who loved a good competition, he secretly longed for many more of these encounters and to be the recipient of that pure affection.

This time he immediately sensed it was different. Though she stood there calmly the first thing he noticed was how sad and stressed out she appeared and looked as if she had just gone several days without sleep. The image of himself in her eyes as a Wonderbolt who gave up was an extremely painful one, and to his tremendous hurt he knew he saw it on her face when he first walked in even if she still wasn't withholding all of her motherly love from him.

Mirroring her feelings almost exactly was her mysterious sister. He was still getting used to Princess Luna as a sovereign having known her for most of his life as a distant mythical villain.

He bowed before them and closed his eyes. This was already so much harder than he thought it was going to be.

"Your Highnesses," he whispered, and it quickly occurred to him he hadn't thought of exactly what to say. Now he realized the tears were coming too and he fought hard to hold them back. "I- I come representing three other Wonderbolts as well. We've come to... beg your forgiveness, and your permission to return to the valley to help Rainbow, and Sonic, and the rest of the team. We've recovered some strength."

He forced his head up to face them and hoped for a merciful response. Initially he received what he craved; their faces softened, and a weak smile had appeared on Luna's face for a short instant. But to his surprise and dissatisfaction it was very short lived as Celestial lowered her head sadly and Luna's eyes eventually drifted away to the side.

"We appreciate your apology Soarin' and we do not doubt its sincerity," started the sun princess before pulling her head up. "But allow you to return to the valley... we cannot."

"W-what?" he stuttered quietly in disbelief.

This was the last response he was expecting. He thought for sure they would be happy with his offering to go back. How could they say no? Had he really destroyed any and all of their faith and trust in him? If this was true then he would be inconsolable.

"We had no right to ask this of you, and for your efforts in the valley and for your offering to go back we are sincerely grateful," she continued. The praise surprised Soarin' but it only made him more confused. "But my heart tells me that what's done is done, and to not disturb what has fallen into place now. They made their decision, and you made yours. This is their battle now and we must let it play out."

Soarin' lowered his head and stared brokenly at the ground, eventually laying down and covering his head with his hooves. All kinds of feelings were coming over him and none of them were positive. The reality that he made the wrong decision was never heavier. Disappointment and anger with himself as well as with Spitfire and the rest of his team were prominent, though also an inability to understand as to why Celestia could seem genuinely grateful yet deny his request return to help the Ponyville team.

"It has less to do with you Soarin', and more to do with the nature of this foe," remarked Princess Luna sympathetically.

"I... I don't understand," he replied dejectedly.

The princesses traded looks with each other and with the captain. Princess Celestia took a deep breath causing Soarin's curiosity to soar, and it seemed she was about to satisfy it.

"We will tell you, but you must promise to keep this to yourself for the time being. If trusting you with this information is a mistake then we shall answer for it."

"Your- your Highness?" he asked, after which the white mare took a deep breath.

"This valley is home to a demon who has slept here for a thousand years," she started. Her fear was contagious, spreading especially to Soarin'. "Long ago this fallen spirit began stalking ponies of the north, posing as a friend before he eventually harnessed their magic for his own malevolent purpose. We eventually discovered his activities and raised the elements against him - he was deathly afraid of them, of this there can be no doubt... and I assumed he would never show himself again, but that was obviously a grave mistake."

"Without the elements of harmony to call upon directly," said Princess Luna, "the nature of his power is such that sending more souls to him is dangerous no matter who they are... if you fall to him it will only make him stronger. That is why we are hesitant to send you."

"Your Highness, if I may ask..." started the captain of the royal guard, disregarding Soarin's struggle to comprehend all of this. "Do you think there is a chance that he has not yet harnessed the children? Would he hesitate?"

Celestia turned her back to them to think to herself as Soarin' tried to cover his gasp with horror. Following the most uncomfortable silence yet she turned back around to face them.

"Yes," she whispered, glancing at her sister. "He hates us so much that he would wait to take them until we were present to see it. He takes no pleasure in a quick kill. That may be an advantage for the team if they locate him... he will surely be expecting Luna and myself, not them."

"How powerful is he now? Do you think they have a legitimate shot to take him on themselves?" asked the captain, wondering what their plans of action should be for a few different scenarios. Soarin' was overwhelmed with all of this information, and though he still strongly regretted his decision a part of him was now admittedly relieved to be here with the Princesses instead.

"I'm not sure the extent though I fear it is a ponderous amount. He draws his power at the expense of those from whom he has taken it... once used it cannot be recreated which may well be his true weakness, but if he takes them without having to use much of it then they will all fall like dominoes and like an avalanche there will be no stopping him. Either way they are going to bear his wrath and they will endure or perish, and likely we along with them."

Poor Rainbow... Poor Sonic... Poor all of them, Soarin' thought to himself. On one hoof he was terrified of this malicious entity they spoke of and glad that he didn't have to face him. But at the same time he was angry and disappointed in the part of him that felt this way. If he had stayed out there he could've helped them take him on, never in worst nightmare did he realize the implications were so much bigger than they already were - and they were incredibly high to start with. Now he was stuck here to wait it out and face the consequences of his decision alone.

"Help me Princess," he muttered, looking up at her from down on his stomach. "What would you have me do?"

The caring tenderness returned to her face when she looked down on him this time, as Princess Luna glanced away sadly. He braced for whatever she had to say and hoped he could manage whatever she told him.

"The families of those who are still out there are in need of as much support as they can get. If you can help them stay strong as well that is more than I could ask from you."

"Oh no," he cried, pressing his hooves down on his forehead. The mere thought of this was almost too much for him to handle. He had tried so hard not to think about it, and if there was one thing she could ask of him that he couldn't do... "No, no, nooo..." he groaned. "I can't - not after I -"

"I understand," she replied softly, gazing down at the ground in front of him. "I will not force you to do anything... but I would tell you that an opportunity like this may never come again."

The three Wonderbolts loyal to Soarin' saw him emerge from the tent slowly with his head straight down and his eyes closed. Eager to know what happened they galloped the short way to meet him, though it couldn't energize him in the slightest.

"We have to stay here," he muttered barely loudly enough for them to hear with a despondent shake of the head. Wasting no time he then continued his sluggish walk without a destination, leaving them to stand there and watch him as he eased away into the darkness.

He never felt lonelier as he dragged through the camp aimlessly. The princess' words repeated over and over again in his head... you may never get another opportunity like this in your life. He had all the resources to make the right decision. But he chose wrong. He could see Sonic's face wrought with so much pain and worry as he continued to slave away trying so hard to convince him and the others to stay... and failing to do so.

Having no awareness whatsoever of where he was walking it came about that he almost wandered straight into one of the many fires that were burning around camp for ponies to warm up at which forced him to come to a halt. But then, just when he thought he could go no lower... he looked up and saw exactly where he had stopped. His flank sunk to the ground. Scattered through the darkness and flickering in the firelight were dozens of silent faces, each one dealing with this in their own way. Doctors, foals, parents... families. Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters - entire units of them all huddled together, their hope for their missing member hanging by a thread.

Many of them were looking straight at him now. Of the feelings they reflected, anger or hatred was not among them. Mostly he saw it was just fatigue and sadness - the deepest and strongest he'd seen, the sight of each face ravaging his entire being. Each of those missing foals represented a hole in each of these ponies' hearts; a hole he had been tasked with filling. Standing near him was a yellow stallion with a black mane, his wing wrapped around his grieving wife - a white mare with a purple mane. Below them two foals of their own, a very young filly and another that looked to be in her teens, laid down in the ground next to the fire. If Soarin' had brought back their son or daughter, their brother or sister... they could have all gone home in peace.

His front legs gave out from underneath him and he fell on his face. He understood now that if ever there was something to die for, this was it. And he blew it. All of the shows, the races, the parties, the high life... none of it would ever be the same to him again.

After a time he suddenly felt a gentle hoof on his shoulder. He looked up; it was the white mare that had been standing near him. She seemed to have taken pity on him, but he buried his face in the ground wanting fiercely to reject it as he felt he didn't deserve it.

"For the effort you made to save my son Bumble... on behalf of my family, I want to thank you," she whispered.

Soarin' was disconsolate. He pressed his head deeper into the ground and willfully rejected her gratitude. This was the last thing he could ever accept from one of them right now. He had abandoned the mission to save her son and left the other eight to deal with some awful enemy themselves, all to save himself.

"Why do you thank me?" he cried into the slush. "Rainbow... Sonic... Thunderlane... Blossomforth... there's more too," he continued in a broken utterance, lifting his head to face her. "These are the names of ponies you need to thank. Not me. Not Spitfire. Not Fleetfoot. Not the Wonderbolts."

"Young stallion... Bumble is more than just a colt, he is my entire purpose in life. Yet I would not ask your mother to give her son's life for mine."

Upon hearing this he thought about his own mom and what she might say if she could see him now. She would try to understand his decisions, he figured... but she would wonder how and why he could have listened to Spitfire and Fleetfoot. Just then... at hearing in his head the mention of those two names in the disappointed voice of his own mom... Soarin's tears of sadness at once turned to tears of rage - strong enough to lift himself off the ground.

"Why would you tell ponies to go home when they still have hope?" asked an orange stallion from Manehattan.

"Because they asked me what I thought, and that is my answer. I'm sorry I didn't lie to them for you," growled Fleefoot back at him.

"Let's just all go home and try to forget this horrible nightmare," suggested Spitfire, standing at her shoulder.

A disturbance was emerging from one particular section of the base camp. Morale across the board was at all time low, and many ponies were about to start going home in droves. Bucky, the young and popular writer for the Manehattan Times, had come to represent the multitude of ponies from all over the north who had descended to this location via train. He unwittingly moved them all into leaving the comforts of their home lives and supporting the team and the families out here. He connected with many of them on a personal level and they respected him, and trusted him to bring them as accurate information as he possibly could. But Bucky felt personally responsible for them now, and that it was his duty to, among other things, keep them as up to date with the situation as possible but also not let them plunge into a nightmarish long term mental and emotional state.

Bucky was now part of a small crowd standing near the Wonderbolts. He had been trying to get some information from them, primarily from the superstars (and leaders) Spitfire and Fleetfoot to try and better understand the situation the remaining team members were facing, but for the most part they were hostile and defensive when he tried to ask them anything. It was catching on to other ponies in the area; apparently they had just advised some inquiring ones to go home. Ponies surrounded the Wonderbolts, and more were joining in.

"I get that they risked their lives out there, but geez," remarked Ash, Bucky's grey stallion assistant in his ear.

"These are the ponies we hold in the highest esteem?" uttered Lucky, his green assistant at his other ear. "Bunch of pompous jerks if you ask me. Seriously, do these divas not know who you are or that you have the power to humiliate them on a national level?"

"We need to talk to Soarin'," whispered Bucky between them, shaking his head at the two mares. He was starting to suspect that there was something deeper going on here, but he felt powerless because at the end of the day it was true that they had been the ones out in the valley, not him. As annoyed as he was becoming with them it still didn't feel like his place to criticize to them. "He'll tell us what we need to know."

"Cowards," remarked an agitated stallion suddenly and loudly from the crowd, which forced Bucky's eyes to widen with shock.

"Oh boy... here we go," remarked the columnist under his breath, shaking his head again. He had been resisting an open confrontation with them as much as possible as he also figured the last thing anyone needed was a big fight - he also preferred not to flaunt his power as an influential writer if he didn't have to, but he was finding not indulging it to be increasingly more difficult as tensions were rising rapidly.

Following a brief silence - at which Fleetfoot and Spitfire obviously fumed with anger though facing away from him - slowing turning around they joined shoulders together while raising their heads high and pinning their ears back against their heads.

"You," Fleetfoot said in a snarling whisper to him, in the back of her mind wondering why this random ungrateful stallion from Manehattan cared so much as it wasn't even his foals or friends out there. "Tell me... how am I a coward?"

"Because you abandoned your team members and gave up on those kids," replied an angry mare from the crowd.

"The mission was a lost cause," the blue mare fired back heatedly. "You have no idea what happened. You weren't there."

"You have no right to criticize us!" yelled Spitfire to the ever-growing group. "Those aren't even our foals but we still went out there and risked our lives out there! We gave it our best shot. There was nowhere left to look and nothing thing left to do except die. Why should we be ridiculed for choosing life over death?"

"They chose death. Good for them," said Fleetfoot. "But be honest; would you have done the same?"

"Well for one, like many here I'm an earth pony so I can't fly," piped up another stallion behind Bucky. More and more ponies were leaving their campfires and flocking to this area in response to the disturbance, adding to the already large crowd around the general area. "For another, we're not sensational athletes like you are. If we were, our answers might be different."

"You weren't out in the valley, so you can't comment on whether you would or not," said Spitfire.

"If the Wonderbolts are such great fliers," remarked an unseen mare to the last stallion's comment, "why are they are here and eight of them are still out there?" Fleetfoot especially bit hard.

"We are the best fliers in Equestria - this has nothing to do with that," she snarled.

"It's easy for you to sit back talk," whined Spitfire, "yet none of you have done anything to help those foals."

"Alright that's enough," hissed Bucky, which coming from him really energized the crowd and fueled their boldness. "I tried to be nice. But I didn't give up the comfort of my Manehattan apartment to come listen to this."

Up to this point he was reluctant to get push back until he knew what really happened out there; he knew there was a significance to the fact that they had gone out and endured the valley whereas he had not... but now she had really crossed the line, and this could not be ignored.

"Take a look around you why don't you? They have come from all over... Manehattan, Whinnyapolis, Fillydelphia... we may not have gone out into the valley like you, but come on - you look at us and you tell us with a straight face that we aren't miserable. These ponies have been sharing in the pains of those parents and those siblings by their own accord. Our whole reason for being here is to support them - and, I might add, to support you! Service or not, don't point your egotistical hooves at us - 'cause we've been through plenty out here too, trust me."

Many ponies started screaming and cheering in support of Bucky.

"Supporting these families while sitting around fires drinking coffee and tea, we didn't have that luxury!" replied Spitfire. "You came here to support us yet here you stand, calling us cowards."

What came next though wasn't Bucky. Who did reply did so with such a paralyzing power that it silenced it seemed to silence within a ten mile radius.

"YOU *ARE* COWARDS!!!!"

Soarin' bellowed these words so loud and so forcefully that all hushed and froze with shock, save for the ponies around him that quickly cleared away as soon as it happened so that he and his three teammate friends were left standing in the open in direct opposition to their Wonderbolt counterparts. No one was more surprised than Spitfire and Fleetfoot - who were left speechless - and no one now stood between them, those Wonderbolts loyal to them, and Soarin'. All eyes in all directions were squarely on them. Bucky suddenly noticed Celestia and Luna had appeared to invesitgate the disturbance, but other than listening and watching for themselves their presence had no effect on the status of this confrontation. Ponies from many different spots thoughout the city in the tundra were now rushing in to get the gist from all directions to get the gist, adding to the huge number already there.

"Spitfire," growled a seething Soarin' though everyone at around him could still hear him, "tell me... tell all of them... do you really believe you treated Sonic and the other team members well? How you would want to be?"

All eyes came to her, even Fleetfoot's drifting sideways towards her friend as the captain gulped with fear.

"You can't call me a coward," retorted Fleetfoot, shaking her head and breathing heavily. "Not unless you call yourself one-"

"I DO!" thundered Soarin' back at her, and the crowd gasped. He stepped towards her leading the now frightened mare to take one backwards, almost stepping back into the fire. She was quickly losing her confidence and anguish was building in her as she thought frantically for a way out of this. As for Soarin', Bucky had never seen a more conflicted or violently angry stallion in his life. He spread his wings and pinned back his own ears.

"What has happened to you? LISTEN TO YOURSELVES! All you care about is WINNING!! Even now, all you talk about is YOUR EFFORT, and YOUR SACRIFICE!!! You don't offer so much as a visit or a word of encouragement these parents, you don't care that these ponies you fight with now are suffering - you just go right back to asserting YOURSELVES over everyone else you can, just like you did out there in the valley!! Well I tell all these ponies here now... you treated Sonic and the others like garbage - when all they wanted was to HELP!!!"

Gasping and murmuring flared throughout the crowds in all directions and quickly spread through all levels. Bucky could not believe the situation. The crowd looked to the Wonderbolts for their response, but the two mares representing them had none; their silence spoke for them with their fear and guilt written all over their faces. They looked around hysterically as their status as Equestria's most respected was disappearing right before them as the crowd set themselves against them.

"You can't say those things," said a now teary-eyed Fleetfoot. He just did... thought Bucky.

"Demons," roared Soarin' as the crowd hushed again to hear him. He hadn't lost an ounce of energy, if anything the power in his voice seemed to be getting stronger building on every word. "NEST OF DRAGONS! Do you even care about friendship at all? Were you ever my 'friends' to begin with? HAVE YOU NOT HEARD the teachings of our Princess? Have they not been told to us SINCE WE WERE FOALS? Where is your self-reflection or accountability? You do not ask what you can do for your friends - you ask what they can do for you. Well I say that we may be great show fliers, with trophies and titles... But you preening peacocks are awful friends. We had more to give out there, and you all know it. As long as I live I'm gonna have live with the image of Sonic swallowed with despair, begging us all to stay longer... leaving him and the others to die and coming back to see these families for myself. But I will not stand here for one more second and listen to you justify yourselves to these ponies... because I'm going to tell them *everything*. And I will not fly with you again. Not until you've learned to cry alongside those you've hurt."

In a deafening uproar noise exploded from the angry mob and the situation was plunged into total chaos. Huge hordes of enraged ponies began flooding around Soarin' and his friends to support him while leaving the rest of the Wonderbolts desolate and surrounded on all sides. Bucky quickly noticed the speechless expressions of the princesses before a crowd of ponies blocked his view; mares and stallions all over the place began to shout and jeer and the colossal campsite was plunged into total choas and pandemonium. So much was being said at once it was hard to make out single phrases, but all of it was directed at the Wonderbolts with each one seeming to wreck more devastating on them than the last.

"You're no friends of ours... preening show peacocks!!!" scoffed one stallion to them as he ran forward and spit towards their hooves. They could do nothing but stand there and take it.

"Nest of dragons!!!" mocked another mare.

"Your glory days are finished!" jeered another. "Nobody respects you now!!!"

Bucky saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rising themselves up over the crowd appearing as about to do something drastic to get the masses under control when suddenly from out of nowhere a pegasus stallion who did not seem to be from this group flew up to Celestia at full speed with the wildest and most urgent look on his face. The pegasus shouted something in her ear and Bucky was immediately desperate to know what was being said. The Princess' face exploded with shock at his words and she immediately sent a powerful blast of incredibly loud magic from her horn.

"SILENCE!" she commanded after the explosion as the crowd began to hush. She then signaled to Luna and the two of them shot through the sky in the direction of the valley, or the edge of the camp on that side. The crowd who just witnessed this was now looking up at the pegasus bracing anxiously for an update. None of them could have prepared for it in their wildest dreams, however...

"IT'S RAINBOW DASH!!!" he proclaimed. "AND SHE'S GOT FOUR FOALS!!!"

"IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!!" screamed Fleetfoot. Spitfire, who had sunk the ground on her rump, covered her forehead with her hooves to shield her face while exhibiting sounds that many ponies might say resembled a dog's whimpering. The thunderous galloping of countless hooves raced off in the direction of the valley, leaving them and the rest of the Wonderbolts by themselves.

Bucky sprinted as fast as he ever did in his life to catch a glimpse of Rainbow Dash and her four foals, at the front of the wide and enormous stampede of adrenaline-raged equines to that part of the camp. It was the most exhilarating few seconds he'd ever lived, blasting through the tents and past the campfires until they finally arrived at the front. When they arrived, what they saw lived up to the moment and more.... Four hysterical families hugged and celebrated with their lost young member while a host of disbelieving doctors were anxiously looking them over. It appeared to Bucky to be two fillies and two colts - two daughters and two sons, two sisters and two brothers. The multitude was hardly able to comprehend what they were witnessing, the numbers and proximity only amplifying the blast of emotions for every individual.

Soarin' himself pushed through several ponies and forced his way to the front - right near Bucky, who saw him look with interest at one particular family rejoicing with a yellow colt named Bumble. His father looked almost to identical to him, though his mother was white with a purple mane, and two sisters dancing all around him while medical ponies closely examined him. Through his heavy breathing, Bucky saw a weary bittersweet smile come over the good Wonderbolt as he looked on.

Energy surged through the legions of ponies; countless pegasus were flying up and overhead to get a view for themselves and there was cheering and rejoicing along with the jubilant parents and siblings of these returned foals. Behind these families though Bucky saw the families of the other fourteen foals still missing, themselves running out and looking desperately for any sign of their own lost ones.

"They need warmth, rest, and fluids," called a doctor among the foals to the princesses, trying to speak over the chaos. "But at first examination... they appear to be OK!!"

Chattering and gasping erupted; waves of ponies began moving and stretching around all sides to see for themselves, but then suddenly it all stopped at once. Bucky's heart sank as fast as it had flown so high as they were all instantly brought back to Earth; Rainbow was collapsed into the snow, and didn't appear to be moving or possibly even breathing. Several began to surround her to see if she was ok, inquiring with grave concern. On the ground it appeared a rope tethered a sled behind her body that she had pulled them in on. The whole world could see now that this mare would not be denied by a broken wing, though they wondered if she gave her life in the process. But would she survive it?

"GET BACK!" commanded Princess Celestia, landing beside her along with her sister and pointing to the crowd to keep space between them and the rejoicing families.. "ALL OF YOU! Doctors only!"

A grey fleabitten mare with a white mane, clearly a doctor (and from what Bucky had gathered previously, the top doctor) ran up to Rainbow threw herself into the snow beside her, looking her over before giving a quick glance at the sled and then the mountains between them and the Valley of White Death.

"How is this possible?" she whispered to the royal sisters.

"It's Rainbow Dash, that's how," remarked Princess Celestia who along with Luna was consumed with concern for their beloved blue subject. "We need to get her out of here... Doctor, can you meet us in my tent? Bring whatever you need!"

The two princesses' horns lit up and they lifted her up out of the snow and began to carry her off. Consumed with passion Bucky turned around and throwing his hoof up into the air he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"RAINBOW! RAINBOW! RAINBOW!"

Almost immediately the crowd picked up the call and began chanting her name over and over again stronger and louder with every utterance. As the princesses disappeared with her in the direction of their own quarters Bucky felt his his hurl itself after them, his legs pumping hard chasing after them. Galloping through camp yet again he went to throw himself into the royal tent as Luna's blue flank disappeared into it, but he was instantly stopped and overwhelmed by royal guards. He ignored their advances and fought back, trying to enter by force when the night princess stuck her head out to see the commotion.

"Princess!!!" he called, trying to wiggle free of their grasp. "Please!!!!"

"Just him," she replied, and the guards at once released him though they set up a stout line around the tent against other approaching ponies who had naturally followed him.

When he entered the tent he moved off to the far side to be out of their way, watching them rest Rainbow gently on an elegant bed or cot of some kind with their magic. After pulling a blanket over the most beloved blue mare in all of Equestria - who now looked barely alive - the two of them closed their eyes and rested their horns on her forehead and chest respectively, together reciting some spell with as much as focus and effort as any pony on Earth could ever imagine.

A shellshocked and out-of-breath-Bucky stood marveling at this legend, this goddess before him. If it weren't for the thousands of other witnesses alongside him he wouldn't have believed any of this himself though he'd seen it with his own eyes. He had never thought higher of any pony than he did right then. The mare was the most extreme version of exhausted, dehydrated, frozen, had cuts all over her body, a broken wing and was within an inch of her life... but to her the cargo she carried back was so precious that for her it obviously warranted all of this. He could never dream to truly capture this moment in writing, he thought to himself.

The more he admired her though the lower he sank. He bowed his head and begged with all of his strength, please let this mare be ok... Please.... After what seemed like quite a long time light finally burst forth from the princesses' horns and seemed to cover Rainbow's whole body in a kind of magical glow. Just as the flea-bitten grey doctor mare burst into the tent with two more doctors - a mare and stallion - Rainbow began to cough, while her shivering stopped completely though she laid still with her eyes shut and was still breathing heavily. Bucky witnessed the two sisters hug each other in celebration with Celestia raising her eyes upward. He had plenty of pity left over for these two... he figured this whole thing had to be as hard on them as it was on anyone.

"Any sign of the others?" asked Princess Luna to which the snow-maned mare shook her head.

"She had them covered in her cloak, plus each other's body heat so I think they are gonna be fine," said the lead doctor, talking fast and loud to the princesses as they listened to her heart with a stethoscope as the royal sisters watched wrapped in each others' wings. "But this one..."

Rainbow began to groan and grimace as though in excruciating pain as the doctors pulled back the blanket for a quick look at the rest of her body.

"She's not cold!" proclaimed the stallion doctor. Princess Luna and Celestia traded glances, revealing their teamwork before they had come in had paid off.

"She needs water," said the lead doctor. Reaching her mouth into a saddlebag of supplies over her white coat she pulled out a water canteen and put the drinking nozzle near Rainbow's lips, which instinctively began sucking in large amounts of it. "Not too much at once!" she advised, pulling it away after she took a considerable amount in a short time. After a short fit of more coughing, she opened her eyes and dazedly tried to raise her head, looking around desperately.

"S-s-sonic... Where's Sonic? S-scootaloo? Go check on 'em," she muttered as she scanned the room around her.

"They're not back yet my dear," replied the doctor, to which she closed her eyes with more crying and grimacing.

"Ugh I'm so sore!!!!" she wailed, and Bucky could see her body shaking underneath the blankets.

"That's all the lactic acid in your muscles - how far did you pull them?" asked the Doctor, as every ear in the pavilion was now pointed squarely at her.

"F-far," she replied weakly.

"She needs to rest," the snow-maned doctor told the struggling princesses.

"We need to find out what happened as soon as possible. We need her to try to tell us whatever she can first," lamented the white princess, fawning over her subject. "Our lives could depend on it."

With this Bucky and the doctors' faces turned to her with shock, though she ignored it with her focus entirely on Rainbow.

"Doctor Snowmane, are the four foals she brought back in condition to talk to us?" asked Princess Luna, and Bucky now had the name of the lead doctor.

"Yes," she replied.

"Very well," agreed Princess Celestia, content to let her rest.

"They're in a cave," suddenly remarked Rainbow weakly, who despite much difficulty speaking seemed to now be showing signs of improvement - her breathing had slowed, and her expression seemed to indicate a bit more of control over the pain though her eyes remained shut. "These four escaped.... found them under a pine tree with Sonic... Sonic is getting the rest... with the team."

Following a heavy silence, Celestia walked behind and lowered her head so it was near hers.

"Rainbow... did they tell you anything about who captured them?"

The reeling mare didn't seem to hear her... she took several breaths, and many of them thought she had fallen asleep or dozed out of consciousness. But then two words escaped her mouth. Two words that meant nothing to the doctors or Bucky, but everything to princesses.

"White eyes."

The royal sisters walked slowly together to a corner, facing away from the rest of them so they could discuss in private, leaving Bucky to stand there by himself as the chanting of Rainbow's name could be heard ongoing outside.

"This doesn't change anything. It just confirms what we already suspected, though if she brought four foals... that leaves two foals per each of the remaining members," said the dark blue mare. "He must be considering that we are coming after him with the elements."

"Yes... but once he enters their minds he will quickly deduce the truth about the elements and how they are not all available to defeat him here," replied the older of the two.

"They will be curious," motioned Luna to the others. "They have a right to know... it involves them all."

"I agree," replied Celestia. She took the lead and moved towards the middle of the room calling across it to the writer, who had been standing by himself watching Rainbow. "Doctors, you have been incredible. Bucky, you have many fans here that trust you, and you have shown yourself to be a stallion of integrity. We are going be transparent about the situation with all of you."

Following the revelations from the Princess' brief summary of White Death, none of them knew how to react. Doctor Snowmane had her chin to her hoof in curious thought.

"I don't mean to speculate for nothing as they could be totally unrelated, but there have been whispers of disappearances near Whinnyapolis for years now. Rare, but they do happen," she remarked.

"Why wasn't it brought to my attention, I wonder?" replied Celestia.

"Whispers are whispers after all, and I'm only a doctor," Snowmane shrugged, though she was thinking of all ponies Princess Celestia should understand that not *everything* can be brought to her attention. "My understanding is that those in charge wanted to handle it themselves. Equestria is known to be the home of some unsavory creatures."

Bucky started to chuckle, and it continued to the point that it slowly evolved into a full blown laugh. It was not at all that he wanted to laugh, in fact it was extremely uncomfortable. But for him this was the only natural response to what he was hearing and the only way he could possibly cope as it was simply too much for him to take in.

"I'm sorry," he started, "it's just that three nights ago I had dinner at one of the most expensive places in the city. Life was good," he remarked, shaking his head and getting his laughing under control. He sat back and put his hoof on his forehead. He didn't regret anything he had done, coming out here in the first place to writing the story that captivated the nation. This was the most exciting time of his life wth some of the most incredible acts anyone had ever seen, and if he'd learned anything thus far it was that these folks were worth it. And many still, like Rainbow, had it way worse than him. But he certainly wasn't prepared for any of it.

Right on cue the mare in question could be heard sobbing, and this time it was clearly coming from deep inside - not just the exterior. In fact, as the latter the seemed to improve the former took it's place on the other extreme. It immediately commanded the attention and deepest sympathies of everyone present, and Dr. Snowmane signaled to one of her colleagues.

"A little more water is fine," she said quietly and the stallion doctor obliged, though Rainbow only took two short sips this time. Her weeping and crying continued despite visibly trying hard to fight back, leading Celestia to cover her own face in her wing and Bucky following suit with his hoof. They all knew what - rather, who she needed - but none of them could provide.

"Rainbow - look who's here," suddenly said Princess Luna.

Bucky himself turned upward to see; somehow two ponies had entered without him even noticing; a middle-aged stallion that by appearance alone was clearly Rainbow's father and the other was obviously Rarity, one of her best friends and fellow element of harmony. They were at her bedside facing away from him so he couldn't see their faces which at this point, it wasn't that he wanted to anyway.

The ailing mare tilted her head and opened her eyes, and this time a lot more was in them then the first time she had opened them.

"Hey dad. Hey Rarity," she managed, weakly but with much appreciation before she rested her head again and inevitably returned to depression. Between the three of them though lots of memories were smiling at each other.

"Is she-?" asked the broken voice her father.

"She's gonna be ok," Doctor Snowmane assured directly to the both of them. "For now anyway."

"Did you h-hear all the p-ponies cheering your name outside?" he asked her.

"There's thousands of them out there Rainbow... maybe more," said the just-as-broken voice of Rarity, fighting her own battle. "Pinkie and I got some, but Bucky back there... ponies from all over Equestria have come here thanks to him."

"Bucky?" inquired a confused Rainbow, lifting her head briefly to get a glimpse of him. He'd been caught completely off guard and froze as the legend's eyes met his. "I remember you," she remarked, then laid her head down again with deep breaths. "Ch-cheering my name?"

"Of course," Bucky heard himself say with a few steps in her direction. "You're the greatest hero that this world has ever seen."

If only Sonic was here to hear you say that.... he'd be so happy... Rainbow thought to herself as she pictured the stallion just as he was, his face shining with his supernatural kindness. This was the face that had both taken her to miraculous highs and, in times like these, made her incomprehensibly sad. She loved him so much that forcing herself up right now and staggering back into the valley was not only a conceivable course of action, but the second her body recovered enough strength to get itself out of bed, that's what she resolved she was going to do. Every last fiber of her being desired with all of her might to have him there now so she could make him feel how only she knew he deserved.

"There's a greater hero than me," she muttered with her eyes closed on the cot.

"Rainbow..." whispered Rarity. "I cleared him... I proved his innocence. They all know now."

Yet he doesn't know they know... Bucky thought to himself.

"I've got to go back out there," cried Rainbow and she started a futile attempt to get out of the makeshift hospital bed. The doctors sent a pleading, horrified look to Princess Celestia who sternly rejected this idea.

"Rainbow... no," she replied flatly. "You are not permitted to go back out and furthermore if you attempt to the royal guards will bring you back at once."

The pegasus shot her an expression of the utmost frustration and anguish and covered her eyes with her hooves, beginning to sob. For Bucky, watching her now he began to wonder just how much she and Sonic had been through the last 48 hours. The fight with the royal guards and all the running around had ruined his tailored winter coat, but falling out of one of the pockets was the now-crumpled up picture of her and Sonic that Bucky had used for his section in his piece for the newspaper. Easing it out of his pocket he let it fall to the ground so he could study it one last time.

It was the now-famous one the photographer took of Sonic and Rainbow just before the now-infamous Ponyville incident, just moments before it all went downhill for them when they were snapped in their moment of triumph facing each other soaking wet among the crowd of pegasus. What a tale of two mares it was between the one in the picture opposite her gleaming true love, and this one right in front of him literally shaking in bed from exhaustion. His gaze drifted from the brilliantly happy female to the blueish gray stallion with turquoise eyes that glimmered with a mythical and unbelievable affection. If anything could be taken from this it was that for both this mare and her stallion the place where the other stood was holy ground.

"Rainbow... if you're up for it, I just want to ask you one question," he said from across the room to her after wiping his eyes, and the mare lifted her head to face him for it. "Who is he?"

Who is Sonic? At these words she rested her cheek softly on the sheets. It was an concept beyond understanding to Rainbow, that not only were there those who did not know who he was - until recently the entire world didn't know him hardly at all. That Sonic could appear to anyone to be just a young stallion with phenomenally gentle eyes was something she couldn't begin to wrap her head around. The question itself was astonishingly simple. One that she naturally should be able to answer better than anyone else in the world.

Who is Sonic, she repeated to herself. She had been preoccupied with that for several days now to the point of being totally unable to think about nearly anything else besides saving the children of Ponyville that both of them loved. No matter how tired and weak she was, no matter how long it might take her, she knew she was going to give this a shot - she owed as much to the question's adored subject. It might take her a while, but he'd just have to be patient.

"One day when I was nine years old," she started in a slow whisper, returning vividly to the past. "I lined up at flight school and blew right by everyone... like usual. On the first day of camp though during that first race, I saw this little blue-gray colt trying so hard to control himself. Between that he even tried to help Fluttershy who was just as afraid as he was. And then he had the coolest and most epic wipeout I'd ever seen in my life, limbs flailing... everything crashing. But those two numbskulls Dumbbell and Hoops started to make fun of him and call him names... so I just stuck myself between them and told them to stick it where the sun don't shine. After that... that's when I turned around and saw him for the first time."

I didn't think it was that much, what I did. Another day, another heroic deed. This colt though... you would think I just saved his life. At least that. Even as a nine year old I was amazed at how grateful he looked. He asked me if I was angel. I sure ain't no angel... but with a smile like that I thought maybe he was. Well it turned out on top of that the little colt liked having fun as much as I did and in a few months we were best friends. He made me feel so good all the time... it was like that was all he ever wanted in life."

Then one day when we were up in the clouds his parents came to get him right as the sun was starting to go down. They told him right in front of me that they were leaving right that second and never coming back. I had never seen anyone as sad as him and they literally just dragged him away with no compassion. I had no idea what to do or say; I barely even had time to understand what was happening. Until a few days ago that was the worst day of my life and in the moment the only thing I totally understood was that something horrible was happening... I just felt so bad for him, and the worst part was I couldn't protect him like I normally could. I couldn't' do anything."

But this couldn't happen. It felt like these wings were meant to look after that colt forever. He couldn't take my wings with him but if I could just leave him with a small piece of them to remember me it was better than just standing there, which isn't my style. So I ran forward. He saw me when he turned around and broke free from his parents so we could say goodbye. I bit down on one of them - a feather from my right wing - and plucked it right out. Then I set it in his hooves... and when I looked back up it was like the two brightest and most powerful stars in the universe were shining straight into me. Just for me. It was the most awesome, most incredible, craziest, ... whatever other words there are, I don't know - feeling in the world. Then he was gone. Just like that."

Twilight says you only miss the sun when it's night, and you only miss the stars in the middle of the day. Up until that point I never had feelings for anyone - I thought that stuff was gross - but of course the day I lost him was the day I found out how much of a crush I actually had on him. It really sucked at first and I was so sad, but I knew Sonic loved everything about me and wouldn't want me to change anything, so I didn't. Somehow I just kept on living my life as the awesome fun-loving pony I am, kept winning every race, beating every dare, and being a loyal friend. In the back of my mind though I always hoped I would meet him again someday."

On top of all those accomplishments I met Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie... and with Fluttershy we all became these friendship super-heroes together, stopping Discord and Nightmare Moon. Being the hero all the time is great, and believe me - I'm loyal to my best friends, because sappy or not... we've got something really special between us. But Sonic's eyes ... they are like a life-giving stream, and once you've drank from them... No one ever appreciated me to level that he did. No one ever understood me like he did... though I'd been looking for it. But then one day I finally found something on that level where I least expected it... from a filly named Scootaloo. To say I love that filly... is to criminally understate it."

And between her, you dad, and you Rarity, and our family and our other friends... I know I've had a great life and felt good... though I did start to wonder if Sonic had just moved on and forgot all about me. Then one day I was at this party having an awesome time when I happened to turn my head up... and I saw this glowing stallion across the room looking right at me. I knew instantly it was him. It was too much to handle. Not only did he have all the gratitude and appreciation he had when we were foals, somehow it seemed like it was a thousand times stronger now. Like how is that even possible? It caught me so off guard I was losing my mind. Then when he smiled at me I thought maybe I should just leave party before I cried I was so happy... and totally embarrass myself in front of everyone. Just like that I was in love with him all over again only this time it was way more extreme. It felt so weird because I'm a competitor, an athlete - but romance?"

He kept trying to come over to me but kept getting interrupted by Pinkie and the party broke up before we could even connect, and the whole rest of the day I was like insanely eager but *sooo* nervous to talk to him. Later that day he finally caught up to me and I couldn't get over how cute he was in everything he did... the way he talked, his gentle chuckles, the nervous glances... I wouldn't dare say it yet but him taking his eyes off me at any time was the absolute last thing I wanted. It was perfect... I knew I couldn't deny it anymore because it was clear from the second I saw him how he really felt about me."

But then when he went to take me home and say goodbye... he pulled out that little blue feather and put it in my hooves. And he finally wasn't afraid to look at me anymore, and could totally just be himself. For me, looking at my feather, and then back at him..."

Rainbow stopped for a quick break. She closed her eyes with deep breaths. She had taken her time up to this point and gone at her own slow pace though she wasn't fully aware of how slow she'd gone. In reality from a physical standpoint it had been therapeutic and was helping her recover, thinking this much about him.

"I barely slept at all but when I woke up the next day I knew I had a huge problem. I'm Rainbow Dash, I'm the toughest coolest pony around. How could I have gone so soft and fallen so hard for a stallion to the point I just wanted to marry him that day and be done with it already? What was everypony gonna say? I flew into the Everfree Forest to think about it, but sure enough he had come looking for me... and who was I kidding? I gave in. We hugged... and kissed... and it was the best thing ever.

From that point on every minute we spent together was like this wild thrilling adventure that could make Daring Do sound boring. I told him all about everything I'd achieved since I last saw him and the whole time couldn't stop asking myself how this could be real, how he could be real. Then he met Scootaloo, which I was really scared to see how she would react to him at first and I was so afraid she'd be super jealous. I thought for sure she would have to warm up to him over time. But they connected instantly... he made her feel the second he met her like she was his little sister also, and the three of us formed this impenetrable love triangle... the good kind. I thought if life can be this great, what the heck is heaven supposed to be?"

Moving along the timeline in her mind, Rainbow's fond recollecting then turned to pure rage as she remembered what came after, closing her eyes again to fight the tears.

"But then... those stupid evil punks had to go and ruin everything. They framed him for that mess with the Wonderbolts and the weather job for Cloudsdale, and I found out I can't fly through the sky with Sonic for months now. But the worst part by far was seeing how disappointed everyone was in him... it hurt him so much, not just 'cause all he wants in life is to be a good friend to everyone he meets, but also because he knew how closely he was associated with me now and he was so eager to represent me well. If seeing his face happy is the greatest thing anyone can imagine, then seeing that face depressed and heartbroken is, well... super depressing and super heartbreaking."

Rainbow now buried her face in these sheets. Speaking of super heartbreaking and depressing...

"Then the next day in my hospital room I saw that Sonic wasn't shaking this as easy as he should have been. I could tell there was something deeper going on, but I had no idea how deep it actually was. I was so stupid and selfish..."

Digging her face deeper into the bed the now-tortured mare covered the top of her head with her wings. There was only one pony on Earth who would ever really know just how low she'd gone the last few days. This section was going to come very slowly... if she could even make it through it. While Rainbow could never have ever dreamed how much she was going to go through, deep down she would go through it all again over and over for him. He is worth it.

"I just wanted to help him and understand, but he clearly wasn't ready and it wasn't the time. Yet I pressed it and got it out of him anyway. Well... it turns out, after Sonic was ripped from my wings as a colt by his - by the two soulless windbags who may call themselves his parents... they flew him far out into the country. And when this colt woke up the next morning... they w-weren't there."

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I MEAN TO FIND OUT!"

This deafening bellow was from Princess Celestia - it seemed to echo throughout all of Equestria. Rainbow though had her eyes closed and was dealing with enough on the inside to make too much of it, though she would never know how terrible the Princess' wrath really was. She was actually starting to fall asleep - as to everyone's else reactions thus far she couldn't see, though they could very much be felt. She could picture Sonic ten years old - alone in the woods and crying, broken, and confused resting his head upon his only consolation... her feather. What an incredible thing for her to even comprehend... that she alone had saved him. That he could bounce back from this and come to her with unparalleled happiness; the passion for her and for life that radiated from his entire being. Then she could picture a homeless, teenage Sonic - something half way between what he is now and what he was then... lying out in a field with his eyes to the stars and her feather tucked safely away under his body, wanting more out of life as he thought of her.

"So... while I should have been taking care of Sonic and making him feel better... instead I was the one who went crazy on hearing this, and now he was having to take care of me. He told me how my feather had got him through it... my feather and a zebra. That not only did I get him through it, but he moved right on from it - vowing himself to me and any pony that would accept his friendship. You see... Sonic doesn't deserve a happy ending. I want to give him a happy beginning. Only right after the two of us had addressed this together, and cried in each other's wings until we felt better... ready to start that beginning... did this stallion then get the call to come to Canterlot. Where we received the news of the lost foals. And you tell me... do you think that stopped him from going out there?"

Rainbow's delivery was slowing as she was getting closer to unconscious sleep, though she wasn't done yet. Suddenly she felt something soft and feathery on her shoulder, correctly guessing it must've been the wing of one of the Princesses.

"Hear this, my dearest subject," whispered the voice of Celestia in her ear, all of it's soft and motherly compassion restored. "In this life or the next, both you and Sonic shall rise to enter your glory."

"Sonic's glory," whispered Rainbow.

She was unable to open her eyes now, though she could still see him standing in front of her. His whole body glowed with the light of his benevolent spirit. His heart - transparently visible through his chest - was engulfed in flames, on fire for her as he poured it all through his face.

"Sonic's glory..." she repeated slowly. "Is seeing me more alive and free than he can comprehend... which for me just so happens to be himself in my wings, with Scootaloo beside us. Sonic's glory... who Sonic is, his whole persona... is me and all of his friends lifted to places way higher than himself. He sees the good in everything and everyone and reflects it right back at them so they can see it for themselves. My glory is seeing that stallion come out of that valley with all of those lost foals so he can be where he deserves... which is with me, forever, as his true love. Anything less-"

With that, the mare was finally asleep.

The Fight for a Feather

"GO! DON'T LOOK! FLY!!!! DON'T LOOK BACK!! DON'T LOOK IN HIS EYES!!"

Running the down the line I violently shoved each of them in other the direction. One by one they each took off in flight; once every last one of them had caught on and lifted up and away I leapt off the ground myself and driving madly after them into the sky. With giant, hard pumps of my wings and rushing air roaring in my ears I ascended to the rest of group and we settled into a wide v-formation with me and Thunderlane in the center as we blasted through the night air just above the tree line. Scootaloo held to my neck for her life and Pipspeak held to her for his.

"NOBODY LOOK BACK!!!" I shouted to everyone. The arrangement settled into place so that Thunderlane was just to my right and beside him was Buddy and beside him was Clear Skies. To my left was Blossomforth, Merry May, and Whitewash respectively. "If you look directly into his eyes he'll kill you!!!"

"Ok that's bad!" remarked Thunderlane. "What's the plan?" he asked turning his head to me with crazy eyes while the rest of them following suit as my last declaration hit each of them like freight trains.

"Get these kids back to their families!" I cried over the wind, unable to look anywhere but straight ahead. Get them back at all costs; just keep flying and don't look back, regardless of what happens. Fear was devouring me so much that my vision seemed foggy, and in this darkness the only way I knew we were going in the right direction were the pitch-black outlines of the mountains going up on either side of us. "Don't fight him, don't look at him - just fly them out of here!!! Whatever it takes just don't give up!!"

"What if he attacks us???" screamed Buddy.

"He will. Just keep flying!!" I replied - it was inevitable but I was trying so hard not to think about it.

The panicked conversing stopped; we pushed forward with all that we could instead. I set everything I knew in life aside except flying straight ahead as fast as my body could possibly achieve while the icy air assaulted my exposed frame now that I didn't have a cloak to protect me. Considering I had already asked so much of my body to even get to this point, flying up here with those two on my back hadn't been an easy task. The extra weight on top of the resistance from arctic blasts of air made it such that almost instantly upon liftoff it was devastatingly clear as to just what I was going to have to put myself through to get them out of here.

All the more daunting was knowing white eyes of death followed just behind us. What really made Scootaloo and Pipsqueak so heavy for me of course was not their bodyweight; it was their feelings, their experiences, their memories, their hopes and dreams, their relationships, their futures... and not just those two, but everyone surrounding me along with their families, their friends, the princesses, along with of course the mare who made this all possible.

The degree of insurmountable pressure became clear as I knew I had only a few seconds to mentally prepare before he was sure to engage us. Though I couldn't intellectually comprehend everything that was happening - or everything that was about to happen - the unfathomable implications of everything hanging in the balance burned brightly in my subconscious as snow flurries whipped by my face in the darkness.

With looks in either direction I saw my terrified teammates fighting the exact same inner battle with the two scared and hopeful foals of their own clinging for survival. My entire life came down to this moment. If I didn't give every last bit of life and energy that I had left - if I left *anything* in this valley - then everything I've done in my time alive would have been in vain. As I locked myself into this fight to end all fights vowing to give my strongest resistance until my dying breath, my mind, body, and spirit ordered themselves solely around the six words that now defined my whole existence. I want to save them all...

"Come on guys!! ONE MORE TIME!" yelled Whitewash at the top of his lungs, flying slightly in front to look back at everyone. "We never dreamed we'd get this far - don't look back!!!"

"Just stay together!!" offered Blossomforth, with ferocious beats of her wings. "We're so close!"

"AHHH this wind sucks but I'm not giving up!!" shouted Thunderlane.

Then it came.

Oh Sonic... I told you - I'm not evil. Just natural.

In spite of all the noise his smooth, youthful voice penetrated far and clear into my head. It was clearly addressed to all of us since out of the corner of my eyes I could see my companions turning their heads up and around fearfully in response.

I'm just behind you.

"DON'T LOOK!" I screamed at them as some of them had started to turn their heads. The wind was forcing water out of my eyes when the gusts lined up squarely against my face.

I really must offer a counterargument to not looking behind, he continued - we had no choice but to hear every word. Granting Sonic's concern for the effect that looking back might have on your personal wellbeings, I might point out that all of you are already exhausted and you must realize that with two foals on your backs there's simply no way your bodies can make it back to your camp... and that's excluding my influences. So it would certainly save you some more meaningless discomfort. It may also be worth acknowledging that though refusing to visibly engage with me may make for less interesting of an interaction, I can assure you that in the short moment that you all did gaze up at me I took full advantage in getting to know each and every one of you as much as I could.

"Get out of my head!" wailed Whitewash while everyone else shook theirs in distress. Merry May and Buddy both screamed out loud and terror rattled down my spine.

Alright, fine... though I see my logic has not swayed you I would still like you to see me. Suddenly there appeared in front of us in midair just above eye level what looked to be a large mirror that he quickly stepped into, revealing his entire appearance to us with the tiny luminous spheres circling all around his being; the light from these star-like orbs reflected off the mirror so that everyone's face was faintly visible in the darkness - especially their eyes. We were flying as fast as we possibly could but he had to be following along behind us in the air. Though the mirror itself seemed to be stationary it always stayed in front of us at the same distance so it was as if he was at all times just hovering sinisterly while looking down on us. Now to fly away from him, we had to fly towards him.

On his purple stallion-like face with the two small fangs on his upper jaw was the same smug and indifferent expression I'd seen in the cave. Still holding it so steady he opened both palms arrogantly. Clear Skies... I must thank you for the most informative exposition on the elements of harmony I ever could have asked for - true to your name you cleared up what Sonic was not able to explain very well, he remarked with a comfortable smile of pure malice. The pink mare who despite everything had seemed to maintain an innocent fearlessness for this entire ordeal had now visibly succumbed to dread.

"Why are you doing this?!?" called Thunderlane to the image in the floating mirror.

"Don't talk to him!!!" I begged, fighting back against my wings that were increasing in soreness at a disturbing rate.

I say Sonic, it's rather difficult to refrain from speaking to me in these circumstances... you need not do so out loud, he sneered at me before his face turned squarely down on Thunderlane. From my point of view it's rather simple... what you believe is substantial I know is not, however for the purposes of explaining it to you, Thunderlane, I would merely maintain that our perceived hostilities are attributable to irreconcilable philosophical differences, though primarily the lack of intellectual capacity to comprehend them... on your part.

"Oh I see," retorted a disgusted Thunderlane who was confused at first but quickly made sense of the sophisticated sentence. "So us peasants are too stupid to be owed an explanation, is that it?" he shouted back in a display of incredible bravery and grit.

That's a surprisingly accurate summation...

"Try me!"

The white-eyed creature continued to stare ominously at him then seemed to smirk in reaction to something that Thunder must have thought in response.

My dear Thunderlane, I certainly can if you insist. By the way, I saw that you have some, shall we say, *astoundingly* intimate and sensuous feelings for Princess Luna. And also, more recently - oh, my... a female ice dragon? He placed his left claw on his face and shook his head in mocking laughter leaving Thunderlane wide-eyed and speechless. The shocked stallion looked stiffly in both directions and then shrugged mid-flight.

"Yeah, I got nothing."

"Seriously??" called Whitewash from across to him.

"She had the IQ of a coconut!!!" cried Blossomforth.

"I wasn't gonna do anything about it!" he offered defensively.

"GUYS!!!" I screamed.

As far as Princess Luna is concerned under different circumstances I might encourage you to pursue those aspirations, he chuckled. Having read her mind I can tell you that for a supposedly virtuous and angelic being she certainly harbored some strong jealousy and was in desperate need of some affection... as of a thousand years ago anyway. With regards to Queen Blizzard of the ice dragons however, I have seen some strange things in the minds of stallions especially... but this?

"Hey, you know what? I shouldn't have to take this from you!" Thunderlane barked back angrily. "You're just a random last-minute villain!"

Am I? he mused, not losing one shred of his own assurance as he stared down my treasured companion. Your bizarre passing fancies don't seem to bother you. Very truthfully, I can actually respect that. I do know your true weakness though. He's just to your left.

My head jerked upward in a gasp as I was slammed with dread. Just keep flying, Sonic... Just keep flying! I told myself in my fight back. My concentration began to shift as I started to anticipate an attack of some kind. Protect Scootaloo and Pipsqueak, and protect my team members... Whatever it takes, I thought, just get them through this. Rainbow please get me through this!!!

"My best friend is my weakness?" Thunderlane laughed. "You're insane!!"

You think you love your friends so much. That they're such a source of strength for you. They make you so happy. Well Thunderlane, I can assure you that your feelings for each other are quite mutual. Sonic is as fond of you as any I've ever observed and it would be a waste of time for me to attempt to lie about that. In reality I cannot deny you've all grown exceptionally close to one another.

I felt the eyes of everyone on me and the endearment between all of us seemed to glow especially strong in each of us, but what was deeply disturbing and surprising was the fact that not only did he seem to admit this with no reluctance whatsoever, it just seemed to empower him. Thunderlane looked in my direction and then felt especially brave.

"HA! You idiot!!!" he declared. "Now I'm even more motivated to kick your - "

Interesting... he interrupted with a malevolent grin that penetrated me to the core. What is he planning, I thought to myself. What is he going to do to us? Not knowing meant I couldn't prepare for it. As it turns out even if I did know I wouldn't have hoped to have ever been prepared for what did come next. You have been so eager and so quick to defend Sonic from your Wonderbolt counterparts, and he was quite appreciative. His head then seemed to turn to me, his reflection's cloudy white eyes looking directly at me and the cruelty in his expression becoming a little less subtle as he winked at me. Just between you and me, Sonic, I can tell you he is most certainly not ready for this...

"What?" I asked him though my words were a mere whisper in the roaring noises of flying and thundering through the valley. "NOT READY FOR WHAT?"

You see, Sonic and Thunderlane were close when they were colts until his parents moved him away from Cloudsdale. Of course this is also where he met his true love - the rainbow mare you all apparently know very well - and the two of them were quite romantically attached even as young foals. You think you live in a land of peace and harmony. What Sonic never got around to telling any of you is the unspeakable misfortune that happened to him right after he moved away from Cloudsdale. He's hidden his lasting scars from you all...

"NO!!!" I pleaded with all of my will. Thunderlane didn't know. None of them knew. "Don't tell them about that NOW!!!"

The team took this with worry and distress wondering where he could be going with this despite our efforts to keep forward in the wind. At the same time a particularly strong freezing gust abruptly blasted us from the side and almost sent us all into careening disarray and the aches in my wings and my body were getting stronger and utterly impossible to ignore. We fought to regain our balance in flight and then Thunderlane turned his gaze to me with a genuine fear growing by the second.

"Unspeakable misfortune? Sonic what is he talking about?" he asked me, and I couldn't even hardly look him in the eyes though the evil one's strong chuckling drew his attention back to him.

You are utterly oblivious to your new best friend's depressing history. Just as I couldn't lie to you about Sonic's affinity for you, neither can he lie to you now regarding what I am about to reveal to you....

"Stop it!!!" I shrieked.

That I cannot do.

"WHY NOT??" I screamed at him as my feelings took over. I frantically searched my mind for some kind of strategy to fight back and prevent this but I was totally powerless.

Do not ask me why, he snarled. His smugness had finally left his face in the form of merciless anger. I tried to have a conversation with you in the mountain but you wouldn't listen.... you can accept the worthlessness of your life, as your parents did - one of the few enlightened entities in this world - but I am not obligated to pretend that reality is anything but what it is.

All I could do was flap my wings. There was nothing else to do but flap my wings while thinking of everyone else.

When Sonic was a colt he was always eager to please his parents, but for reasons not known to him he began to notice they seemed to abandon all concern for him. For recourse he turned to you Thunderlane and of course to his foalhood hero and idol - his true love, the rainbow filly. And recourse he found a hundred times over in her affections. But then, when the two of them were reveling in the glory of their soaring friendship -

"Don't listen to him!!!" I begged them furiously, throwing my wild eyes in each direction at my horrified companions. "Just keep flying!!! For my sake it's not important!!!"

Sonic loved this filly as much as any colt could ever love anyone, he interrupted forcefully - at this point my eyes were closed and I was shaking my head violently to get the water out of them. One day his parents appeared and announced they were to leave Cloudsdale - including his rainbow filly - immediately and forever. They dragged him from her side as he wept bitterly and flew him to the far ends of the Equestria, and when he woke up the next morning in a dark forest... there was nothing but himself.

"WHAT?!?" muttered Thunderlane who swung his head in my direction and I watched as his expression grew from complete shock to totally brokenhearted. "What happened to his parents??"

They left him to die.

"No... That's not true!" he cried, shaking his head torturously. "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!! NOT SONIC!!!"

It is true. Your cherished stallion was humiliated beyond your wildest nightmares and abandoned by his own parents...

"You're lying!!!" sobbed Blossomforth angrily. She then looked desperately to me for reassurance but when she found none I got a full view of the crippling misery that coursed its way through her. To her left Whitewash and Merry May exhibited identically gaping mouths of utter sadness and disbelief. I felt Scootaloo's face buried into my neck.

"How could they do that?!?" lamented a distressed and otherwise speechless Clear Skies, with Buddy's reaction mirroring Whitewash's.

Until this I'd been putting everything I had into overcoming the exterior challenges to get us all back, but now - as I looked at each one of these ponies I'd come to care for so passionately - I saw the lengths to which they were tortured all because of what happened to me. Thunderlane was so distraught he looked barely able to carry on.

This devastated your friend beyond what you can imagine. It left him broken and confused. When he and Rainbow had parted however the filly had gifted him with a single feather from her a wing without which he never would have made it through. That feather he guarded closely for these last ten years and that he only just now bestowed upon the orange filly on his back to prove that she is not merely a means to an end. Well Scootaloo, rarely do I ever misperceive reality but in this instance I admit it... this stallion is genuinely devoted to you.

Even through the chaos I heard her gasp; when I looked up I saw it was in reaction to what was now floating just above the open palm of his reflection's left claw. This is that very feather. But what a failure your vain existence was, Sonic. You went through so much pain... you waited ten years for your happy ending, only to come up just short. Maybe now you can finally understand. Then - in plain sight before everyone - the small blue feather that had been my only true comfort for ten years that I had freely gifted to Scootaloo... burst into flames.

For a moment it seemed like time itself stopped all throughout the universe with the weight of the whole world on my shoulders. I felt everyone and everything slipping away. Then the scariest thing of all; my roaring feelings both internal and external - from the devouring anxiety and thunderous noises to the aching muscle and shivering bones - were completely suspended. They fell all the way to zero until I was completely numb in all sensations. Tell me Thunderlane, based on how you feel right now... was it worth it? Looking at you and seeing your state of being, which truthfully is at this very moment as grim as I've ever observed... I'd be inclined to think not... It turns out you weren't prepared for what you thought you wanted. Perhaps it's not what you thought it was, friendship and compassion... But it can all end right now. The pain will go away forever. Just look back.

When I gazed over I saw on the outside what was tormenting him on the inside... and that was the experience of my parents leaving me. My body began to shake. Then like a volcanic eruption the numbness ceased instantly and all of my feelings came back a thousand times stronger. 10 years of buildup exploded out of me in a scream that seemed to reach the stars themselves.

The fatigue was severe and the suffering of my friends was crushing, but they - my gallant heroes - lit a flame of determination in me that suddenly blazed out of all control. I hadn't come this far to see them fall before my eyes.

My best buddy right beside me looked close to dropping from the sky or maybe even looking behind him, but he was at my faithful service.

I called to him, turning my body and flying right up beside him. I wanted to start by telling my brother that nothing that I've ever been through was worse than what he was going through right now with the rest of us, and - that though I would never in a million years ask him to have to endure it for my sake - he was handling it so courageously. But before I could say anything though my best friend's head suddenly thrashed upward towards our attacker with a ferocity that could've sent all of the other monsters in Equestria fleeing for their lives.

"I'm not looking back..." he declared tearfully, and the arrogance faded from our adversary's face who though calm was visibly taken back at the stallion's voice that got stronger with every word. "I've never felt worse in my life than I do right now. I don't know how I'm still here... but now that I've lived through that, now that I understand - I just love him that much more... and I'm glad you told me. In fact - GO AHEAD!! READ MY MIND!!!! READ THIS AND TELL ME I'M LYING!!!!"

The creature was taken aback and flashed a terrible wrath with clenched claws before snapping back to a calm laugh just as quickly. He snapped two of his talons and raised his claw into the air and a giant ball of white light erupted from it in a loud bang; it exploded into countless white stars that instantly surrounded us on all sides descending from the sky.

As they approached each one of us it was clear they were hostile and seemed to be either deathly cold or white hot - in a panicked terror and with no other choice I began dodging frantically, flying into a barrel role prompting the two foals on my back to scream. I dodged and dodged with flaps up and down and dramatic shifts in all directions as they sizzled past me with a few feeling like they'd scorched my body.

"Are you ok???" I screamed to the foals on my back as we emerged from this minefield and back into the snowy darkness.

"Yes!!!" replied Scootaloo.

It had devolved into an every-pony-for-themself moment but to my astonishment as I looked around I saw everyone else had seemingly made it through as well, foals and all - only now Thunderlane was just to my left and everyone else was to my right as the V formation had rearranged itself so that Blossomforth was now dead in in the middle with Merry May just to her right. That gauntlet had taken a toll on my wings which never felt heavier but everyone seemed energized at the sight of each other still moving forward; a thrilling rush that would ease the physical pain for just a few seconds before it would return in full force.

Blossomforth... muttered the glowing demon in our heads as the mirror containing his reflection appeared back out in front of us. I could barely see her in the snow and the faint luminescence from the stars that circled his being as emanated off the reflection onto her, but the white mare's eyes twinkled with a fear that I'd never seen in her as she flapped her wings in a wild frenzy.

You all know her as your strong, intelligent and unfazed team member... she certainly comes across so. She is aware of her own relative intelligence, but she's successfully concealed her tortured spirit as of late... she's not living up to her potential and she doesn't know how to fix her life, on top of that pesky self-consciousness. Of course there's many other things you don't know about her; for instance it never once occurred to you, Merry May, that Blossomforth has been quite conscious for a long while now that while you've doted and fawned over the filly on your back for many months now you seem to save very little affection for her, your actual sister... What does that say about you, Merry May? Does that filly give you something that your real sister cannot? Have you given up on Blossomforth?

Wrought with grief at this publication the crushed green mare turned to her sibling who shot her only a quick glance in return, which only seemed to embolden the reflection in the floating mirror who's eyes were locked on Blossomforth as she silently begged him to stop, and I had no idea what to do about it with my heart going out to both of them. You all may admire her confident decisiveness, but none of you know what's been tearing Blossom apart ever since you escaped the dragons' cave... and once again, your so-called kindness is to blame, Sonic.

My inner fire turned all it's attention to helping this mare. To his credit she was indeed the source of my profound admiration for her unfazed steadfastness and her many helpful observations, but more importantly she was underneath it all an ever-loving and empathetic friend.

She didn't turn her head to face me though - she just gasped as her expression went from utter desperation to heartbrokenness.

You see Sonic, Blossomforth has been fighting more battles then the rest of you for several hours now - the fate of these children isn't the only thing ripping her heart in torturous conflict; the other subject at the center is none other than you, my dear stallion. The sight of her closing her eyes and wiping them frantically with her hooves as she shook her head back and forth sent shockwaves down my spine.

When you were prisoners in the cave and the two of you hung beside each other in chains is when she truly invested herself in you for the first time... she gazed unchecked into the false hope that your deceiving eyes distribute so carelessly, and that was her downfall. You struck something deep within her and instantly and at once she adored everything about you in quite the romantic bliss, which she has been from that very moment been so determined to destroy knowing full well your heart belongs to someone else... but thus far it's been to no avail, and she is twisted and plagued at this very moment deathly afraid she will fail you all because she can't control these additional feelings weighing her down.

The entire time his voice was speaking he was glaring silently straight at her funneling as much malice into her as he possibly could, all of which overflowed straight into me. It was such a blast of negative feelings that I barely knew how to process it as never before had I been in any situation like this nor ever considered my appreciation for someone could be hurting them so much. The white mare meanwhile began to sway out of a straight line as she tried flying ahead with her front hooves covering both eyes.

She knows all too well... How could a stallion who is pledged to another make her feel so valuable and loved? It's such a powerful thrill, but for her it will never be quenched. She now desires you among all creatures to sire her foals, but everyone knows where your heart lies.... you will marry your mare and forget all about Blossomforth, and no stallion will ever live up to who she will always know was perfect for her... how could she ever be satisfied with someone else for as long as she lives? She has nothing left... but a miserable and lonely life ever aware of the unattractive and inferior specimen that she is...

Not for the world could I listen to this for another second. I barely knew what to do with this, but I what I did know I had to make clear to her as she reeled from one of the most devastating acts of psychological terrorism that any of us had yet endured. I threw myself across the line and stuck my face in hers, begging and pleading for her to listen to me.

He made her feel as horrible as anyone could ever feel, and he used me to do it; his implication was that because Blossom and I would never get married and have children that this somehow meant that our relationship - what I viewed as an incredible friendship - meant *nothing*. That it would soon fade. After all we'd been through even entertaining such a thought was not anything I could begin to process, nor anything I could ever let happen while I live.

"LOOK AT ME!" I demanded as we flapped wings beside each other. She turned to face me and I never saw a more piercing helplessness or a more desperate plea for something, anything that might console her. She felt as horrible as anyone in the world can feel, and I shared in all of it. "You look at me," I repeated.

She hesitated, ready to consider whatever I had coming; I knew that the salvation of both us hung in the balance, because if I couldn't convince her now it was likely over for me as well.

"None of that - and I mean NONE of it - is true," I stuttered, pouring myself out to her. "If you aren't a part of my life when this is over," I continued, hardly able to compose words - especially in the circumstances. I felt as strongly about her as she apparently did about me minus one aspect.

I had so much to say to her... about her courage and decisiveness, her powerful encouragement, how my appreciation and desires for her well-being are real and everlasting, and how I was so eager to see her go through life's experiences as we grow older together. But in this setting only my expression could do the talking and I could only hope that was enough... I spoke the truth as best I could.

"Look in my eyes and tell me this isn't real. TELL ME I DON'T NEED YOU IN MY LIFE!"

Wanting as desperately to believe me as I needed her to, she battled forward while she fought herself from within, eventually lowering her head.

"Blossom!" called Thunderlane, who was shaking his head back and forth to get the tears out of his own eyes. "If anything happens to you I'd probably commi - and you're *so* not ugly! Trust me!"

"You've been a rock of this team Blossom - everything I was too scared to be," called Whitewash to her as the support began to flood in from each team member. Merry May, her own sister, was in her ear opposite of me muttering fanatically her own private words of support and what had to be apologizing for her own perceived failures.

"YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING!" she finally screamed in a furious outburst at our adversary with more passion and ferocity than the storm we were flying through. "I may be young but I'm old enough to know that young mares have feelings they can't always control - that never last very long. Sonic and I love each other but I don't need to marry or have kids with him for us to have a friendship as deep and magnificent as the stars - and even if I am unattractive I would NEVER submit to a self-hating worldview like yours where I would give up on my wonderful friends and family over something like that!!!"

The floating creature in the floating mirror shook his head in either direction appearing to be greatly irritated with her rebuttal which he attempted to hide through a dismissive smirk. His irritation turned to self-indulgence as though he had the perfect answer to her, and suddenly the luminous balls rotating around his being once began to increase in speed and luminosity and he rose both of his palms high into the air. They began to absorb and emit some kind of terrible energy which was undeniably a precursor to a catastrophic attack.

Though it felt as though time stood still as all of our hopes and dreams hung in the balance, I saw out of the corner of my eye Blossom's head turn downward.

"Follow me!!!!" she cried before she impromptu nose-dived into the forest below us.

Almost involuntarily I felt my body fall downward after her as she disappeared below the treeline - I lost her almost instantly but began weaving my way in and around the sea of pine trees as other team members began to quickly cross me from every direction before they disappeared into the trees - with each pass we flashed each other our own terrified and exhilarated expressions as we criss-crossed midair through the forest.

At first, as I settled into this new strategy it seemed like a brilliant escape considering we'd escaped the draining sight of our opponent with his endless torrent of discouragement as we passed what felt like two or three pine trees a second; it very quickly however took an indescribable toll on my already-ravaged body as the effort that went into weaving in and around the trees and up and under my own teammates quickly.

Then - at once and without any warning - a large tree directly in front of me burst into flames. In an instant were surrounded by blinding orange light and deafeningly loud explosions on all sides as pine trees all around us began to disintegrate in towering infernos that seared my body numb from the cold. Scootaloo and Pipsqueak screamed as fear raged through me despite my best efforts. Just keep flying, I told myself as I thought of Rainbow and played images of their smiling faces in Ponyville through my head. Keep trying for their sake Sonic!

Flying through the trees was not an option anymore. Though my wings begged and pleaded me not to, my spirit fought back as I dug deep into my last reserves to lift us out back into the sky above. Looking frantically in either direction for my beloved friends as I rose I saw each team member ascending back into the driving snowstorm with me with two foals on their backs. Everyone looked significantly more exhausted as our traumatized faces traded incredulous glances; the tip of Thunderlane's tail was now pitch black, Whitewash's coat was scarred in certain areas, and the others had what appeared to be some burn marks on their hides and wings... but the foals looked unharmed, and somehow... every one us was still flying forward.

Whitewash was now in the middle as the team settled back into a line as most of them were to my left with just Merry May and Clear Skies to my right. The debilitated and worn-out stallion for whom every flap was a struggle was perfectly representative of every one us as he defiantly plowed ahead in the face of every force in the universe working against him. Just keep flying Sonic... just keep flying... Opening my eyes and looking in front I saw White Eyes hovering still in his mirror gazing on with a calm hatred. I wasn't sure but it seemed like he was not surrounded by as many tiny stars as he'd been before.

"We're so close! Don't give up! I promise! I PROMISE NOT TO!" Whitewash cried to each of us as he thrashed his head in both directions.

Well, if it isn't the mighty Whitewash, who from the very first instance I spoke has been dreading the moment I expose his pathetic facade to the rest of you like a schoolyard filly watching her web of lies come crashing down... Why else do you think he was been so quiet?

The white stallion who up to this point had never shown the slightest glimpses of fear in his life lifted his head to the mirror with nearly the identical one Blossomforth had only a short moment ago, reduced to the most helpless and depressed existence imaginable as he stared down his worst nightmare.

Whitewash, as you all well know, has sought hard to see himself as an indomitable rebel with his intimidating anger and merciless shoulders. But what many of you somehow don't know is that he's merely nothing more than an insecure and self-pitying little colt who hates his mother and father.

You see, Whitewash is at the center of some family drama uncharacteristic for much of the rest of Equestria. Much like you Sonic, Whitewash enjoyed a loving home in his earliest years. But to his great disappointment and bewilderment these last few his mother and father's empathy for each other has waned to the point of non-existence. Despite his steadfast attempts and wholehearted investments into saving their marriage and the home life for his dear colt brother, the vitriol between his mother and father has only increased to the point that it is now a matter of time before their impending split becomes a public affair. Deep down Whitewash knows he himself is to blame for his own and his brother's woes...

The stallion who had yet refused to stop flapping his failing wings closed his eyes and lowered his head as he flew blindly into the driving storm. With what little strength I had left all of it was now spent suffering with this brave, reeling older brother at the center of everyone team members' grieving eyes.

Your so-called 'toughness' is just a cover for your own failures, isn't it Whitewash? Sonic - who has so longed to understand you - could've shared a thing or two about his own parent-induced hardship... but you repeatedly hardened your heart against him and anyone who tried to show you any kindness.

With this the ailing older brother opened his water-filled eyes gave himself up totally with a fling of his head directly towards me.

"I am so sorry!!" he wailed hysterically as he shook his head back and forth. I heaved myself over to him and put my own sobbing face directly in front of his.

"You are my hero!"

Just as you failed you to save your own family, so too will you fail to save your foals and your friends. You are nothing but a sad, confused, insecure little boy who understandably fails to make sense of a world that has been so cruel to him...

With this the stallion's face and eyes began to drift slowly back towards the direction of the mirror in front him as he began to seethe.

"The only villain in my life... is YOU!!!" he fired back. "I'm done feeling sorry for myself. My brother believes in me. My friends believe in me. These kids believe in me. I believe in me. The only one here who doesn't is YOU!!!"

Suddenly the mirror in the sky disappeared, and shooting straight up in front of us was none other than White-eyes in the flesh taking the place of his own reflection. He glimmered in the night sky like a dark angel amidst the sea of snowflakes, always staying directly in front of us despite a lack of any visible movement as we pushed ahead. His white wings which he was not using began to glow dark blue as they stretched out and quickly became huge.

When I see you lying dead in the snow I'll remember which one of us was right... His once again raised and tilted his palms upward; his claws began to glow with intense electricity that grew with every second accompanied by a increasingly loud and terrible sound while the rest of his body gleamed in a mystical ecstasy. His being seemed to be drawing a prodigious energy to his claws from his surrounding orbs. He was booming so bright it was like an exploding star and with no regard whatsoever every single one of us gazed straight into this white death as we anticipated the impending destruction.

"SHIELD THE KIDS!!!" I heard Whitewash's voice bellow.

"KEEP FLYING!!!" screamed Thunderlane before the building energy drowned out all other noise in what had already been an incredibly loud environment.

Both of his claws shot high into the air. Blinding light erupted forth from each in the form of hyper charged lightning bolts that began to flash by us in all directions amidst thunderous roars. Seeing nothing but flashing lights I tried futilely to dodge them but they were too many and too fast - I turned my body to protect Scootaloo and Pipsqueak and almost instantly the first one hit my neck, immediately followed by another to my back left leg.

Electrical currents surged up and down my spine as my muscles convulsed violently and my skin began to smoke. Initially I fought to fly forward but the pain throughout my whole body was so great that it felt like I was briefly separated from it and I actually saw myself falling from the sky as I endured the shocks. Coming to at the last second I somehow spread my wings to keep us off the ground before my hooves scraped the snow and I collapsed belly-down into the snow.

....

...

...

...

Somehow I was still conscious. Barely conscious, but conscious nonetheless. I knew I was lying in the snow. I knew the electric shocks and convulsions had stopped, but my body screamed in the worst physical discomfort I'd ever experienced from the fight to get this far at a level that was nearly as severe as when the lighting was coursing through me. The heartache, the weakened spirit. I had no tears left to shed.

Dreamy images of Rainbow Dash with the sun at her back and Scootaloo at her side were my perceived reality. Both of them appeared so happy together, until they looked up and longed for me to join them. Yet they were so far away. How much I'd love to be with you right now, resting under your wings, I thought to the mare. Seeing Scootaloo's face reinforced a powerful sadness. Somewhere inside I knew that brave and glorious angel was not yet safe. No matter what happens... no one can take away what we had. They disappeared, and the cold started to set in.

Without moving a muscle I tried feeling around for it. Maybe in mane. Or maybe I was on top it. The feather, that is. That's when I remembered. Oh... right. The feather wasn't something I kept on the outside anymore. Deep down, that feather was still in here. The flame was almost extinguished. But an ember still burned. Don't let it die... I heard within me. I remembered everything, from the revelations about my friends to their steadfast resistance to dodging the attacks, and then finally the lighting that struck me down here. Then... a foreign and unfriendly voice invaded. I laid low the royal guards of old with that assailment, how did they manage to survive? pondered the voice angrily. And they protected the children... At least I will get use of out of them now.

Despite lacking the ability to act my heart suddenly cried out with a dire need to know the state of the rest of my company. While I opened my eyes I somehow found the strength to lift my head straight ahead out of the snow, with two foals especially on my mind. It was extremely dark but I saw the silhouettes of Scootaloo and Pipsqueak, and with a few more breaths their grave state of being seemed to almost improve at the sight of my looking up at them. They were alive, and didn't appear to be hurt. In spite of everything I knew that that was good. I looked into their eyes. How deep and gorgeous they were. We had already accomplished the impossible on account of those eyes.

But they were so sad. I remembered that look. I had it ten years ago. They deserve better. So much better. That was a much greater tragedy then the ravenous afflictions consuming my body. Resting my face back in the snow I prepared to lift myself up. I don't know what's gonna happen, Rainbow. But I'm still alive, and I'm going try to my very best.

The first attempt was in vain and my limbs barely moved. Get up... get up... A second more concerted effort and I got my legs underneath me. I pressed against the snow - it was a slow process but I staggered upward to the utter resentment and bewilderment of the rest of my body. Out of the corner of my eye was something large laying right beside me. A turn of my head revealed Whitewash waking up in a similar fashion. The mere sight of him instantly gave the ember within me a little more strength as he began to attempt to lift himself up.

A glance across revealed a similar scene unfolding with all of the others and their two foals, with groans and sighs coming from my team members who were too tired to make any words. Amidst my long and focused breaths in my mind there was only one thing to do... get the foals onto our backs and continue onward.

You are such a waste of time and energy... suddenly remarked the voice of the the foreign invader. In a world where I can freely assail you like this, where is your self-pity? How can you not ask why? White-eyes appeared, lowering in a hover just out in front of us with his namesake squarely on me. I briefly noticed directly above him were the same two shadowy equine figures after which I turned my head and looked down at Whitewash's hooves.

"I do ask why. Why do you hate us so much? What did we ever do to you?"

There was a long pause before pause before he replied. In the lengthy meantime I simply inhaled and exhaled hard and slow with my eyes closed. Because you believe in a lie... that your life matters in a universe with so much pain... and a universe that is set directly against you.

"It can't be," I uttered quietly. That one hurt. I thought I had no tears left to cry, but I was wrong. Bleeding on the inside and outside I was aided only but significantly at the sight of my friends pulling themselves out of the snow along with Scootaloo's innocent face standing just behind me.

And how do you figure? I have seen thousands of hearts... yours all suffer more now than any I have ever seen. You were specially chosen for the greatest failure of all time. The weight on the whole world is on your shoulders.

"Because I still have my feather."

Your feather is ash in the wind...

"No," I declared, as Whitewash put his shoulder directly next to mine in a show of solidarity. I wanted to look directly at White-eyes so he could see how strongly I believed, but knowing I couldn't I looked at all of my friends instead so they instead could see it along with the blameless children that I sought so passionately to save from worse than my fate. "My feather is immaterial, and it belongs to Scootaloo, Rainbow, and every pony that you see here. I figure because I have them in my life who are good and wonderful and deserve everything I give them, and because they make me so happy."

He scoffed at my response with dismissive laughter. You are completely delusional, not to mention insufferable, he then hissed harshly. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him hovering towards me with purpose, quickly closing in on me. Look at me... he demanded.

"We will not look," I responded feebly, taking more deep breaths as he approached. As I shut my eyes altogether I suddenly felt his slender but huge ice-cold claw wrapping around the front of my neck. I'm afraid you are now obligated to join my collection since you have wasted so much of it. You should know that one characteristic about my appearance is that I take on the features of the latest pony I've added to it - this stallion was quite handsome, wasn't he? Thus after more consideration I resolve I shall have to save you for last, as it was my intent when we first met to meet the royal sisters with your head on my shoulders... but now I think I may have to find your rainbow mare first instead assuming she's still alive.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" sobbed Scootaloo fiercely to him. "You are such a coward!!!"

I am no coward. Cowards fear... I do not fear him in the slightest, he quipped coldly. The grip around my neck tightened and I realized he had Whitewash in his other claw. He lifted both of us upward as I felt the air I fought to draw into my lungs decreasing. After more deliberation however, maybe I'll end your life you right now in front of every one of them instead... that will surely be enough for them, and I'll absorb their life and become the most superior being in the cosmos by my own intelligence. But before you go, my dear Sonic, there is one little secret of mine that I think you will find especially interesting. He paused while his claw squeezed my neck tighter, as his voice drew to it's lowest tone. I will have you know... that this... my claw on your neck, the way it is right now... this is the means in which I -

Suddenly my neck was free. Without warning he unexpectedly released me, casting me into the snow along with Whitewash as the two of us gasped for breath. Scootaloo and the other foals surrounded me as Blossomforth, Merry May, and Thunderlane lumbered towards us as well. My body quaked with every cough as my face absorbed snow that melted on-contact into an ice cold drip.

"You'll wish you hadn't done that," growled the demon in the other direction, but unlike any other time he had ever spoke this was through his mouth rather than in the form of a mind-to-mind communication. His actual voice lacked completely the subtly and smoothness of his other voice. Instead it was much deeper and rougher and altogether monstrous.

"Sonic!" the filly screamed to me separately.

"Scootaloo," I repeated in a faint whisper as I searched for strength from that ember deep down. I'm not giving up... When I got my breath under control many foals along with Thunderlane, Blossomforth and Merry May helped Whitewash and I to our hooves as we repeated the process of standing up, this time inviting Scoot and Pip onto my back. The lot of us gave each other a final embrace.

Clear Skies and Buddy must have done something when Whitewash and I were being choked as when I turned around I saw my two friends shaking in utter terror as they were stared down, though they intelligently weren't gazing up at him directly. Now that I could observe him from the back and therefore without fear of his eyes the creature now clearly had less of those tiny stars emanating from his being, which I found curious despite too tired to make anything of it.

"Leave them alone," I called weakly to him. I hope that I was as grateful for their incredible courage on my behalf as anyone in the world could be. He turned around and I saw his expression for the briefest moment before I glanced away into the snow. He looked good and long at me with Scoot and Pip on my back me with utter shock and confusion.

What are you doing? asked his usual mind-reading voice intently, noting them on my back.

"We're taking these kids back to their families," I answered slowly, not knowing what else to say.

You... are... not... serious... he replied incredulously. You are not about to attempt to fly... you have no reserves left. You shouldn't even be alive, you won't make it off the ground.

With several long, concentrated breaths I shook my wings out. They ached worse than anything I could put into words and in many ways flying back into the sky and icy wind was the last thing I wanted. But they seemed to have gotten just enough rest for one final run whether they could handle it or not.

"I am serious," I uttered in reply, motioning at the two ponies in front him who I disregarded completely. "Everyone mount up... Get the kids and let's get out of here."

It was of course obvious to me and all of us that there was a host of attacks or actions that he could levy against us at any moment and it was entirely possible if not likely we wouldn't even make it into the sky at all, but I tried my hardest to suppress the fear and stay focused on them. He kept staring at us as if to see if we were actually going to fly away.

With a few more breaths I turned up and peered back through the darkness at my team members as their foals climbed up on their backs and we prepared what we knew and to be our final attempt to enter the skies once again. They looked much different now on the outside then they did when we all gazed into each other not long ago, before our epic battle with this foe appeared.

In reality the lighting attack had robbed us of most of what we had left. Deep down the confidence was gone and doubt was present despite our best attempts to subdue it. But the resolve was exactly the same as before. Just as we could not believe that we had made it that far and our connection to each other seemed to be at a level impossible to ever raise again, so much moreso were these true at this time. All I could think about was how proud I was of them, and how inspired. I hoped Rainbow would be proud of me, and deep down I knew she would be, and I knew she was. As long as I kept fighting.

Right before he spoke again is when it started to hit me. I was exhausted to the point of being delirious with slowed thoughts but a few more deep breaths in the company of my friends and it occurred to me that we had to be close, as in the valley's entrance had to be near based on the ground we'd covered. We'd made it this far. We were still alive - every single one of us. But most importantly, we were *close*.

"What are you... DOING?" our opponent bellowed ferociously.

His disbelieving growl injected a large dose of fear into me but it was just the kickstart I needed to conquer the impossible lift off.

"COME ON!"

With a savage press off from the ground I beat my wings in defiance of the excruciating response. While my limbs and muscles screamed in violent protest the noise quickly grew to deafening levels when we met the gales above ground. The only source of light in the valley - the countless lives he held hostage - was behind us, but with our ascent into this dark blizzard the valley was lit with affection, fear, sadness, disbelief, courage, passion, dreams, awe, appreciation, hopes... Maybe I'll never see Rainbow again. Maybe we'll all be annihilated by another lighting attack only seconds away. But as long as we breathed we were going to keep trying.

Take off was extremely challenging for everyone. There was nothing I could do to ease the anguished cries of my teammates; lifting my eyes upward I searched diligently for the stars - the infinite expanse of snowflakes was going to have to suffice though I knew they were just beyond. Scootaloo and Pip were getting heavier and heavier, but if they weren't on my back I never would have made it this far.

Just keep flying... I told myself repeatedly knowing he'd be right us. As the wind and cold raged once more against my whole existence and though I was apparently - as he stated - the most miserable creature who ever lived, I ultimately wanted nothing more than to to keep giving it all right back with ten times the force it was throwing at me. But not just against him.

More than anything I wanted to rage against doubt itself. The possibility that we might not make it back. The thought that I might not give every last bit of myself for my heroes. The very idea that Rainbow's feather, the extraordinary sacrifices of my friends, and the unspeakably beautiful children on our backs were anything less other than of infinite value. That they were nothing but a means for him to advance himself.

If anything in life was clear it was that these ideas and the forces that advanced them hated me. And as much as they hated me, I realized that I hated so much more. Because I *love* Rainbow. I *love* my friends. And I *love* the lost children of the world, which I was once one. This is my whole identity and indeed my entire being - and in this dark hour, with the help of my feather and whatever the cost... I'm going to save them all.

One more time across the line... Scootaloo. Pipsqueak. Thunderlane. Blossomforth. Whitewash. Merry May. Buddy. Clear Skies. Each of their foals.

With what life I had left I sought to fight the icy gusts resisting my advancement with one hundred times the power they tried to throw at me. Then suddenly out in front of us he shot up into the sky with a purpose. You thought a feather was going to save the world... Wasting no time he pointed his claws directly at me and tiny orbs of brilliant blue shot out from each one rapid fire.

*RATATATATATATATATAT*

This barrage of supercharged bullets pounded me repeatedly straight in the chest and the face with several hits a second. Each one had an evil will of its own feeling like the crack of a soaked whip that attacked my body's traces of reserves much like the lightning had. I raged on, and despite my absolute best effort I began to fall from the sky once more when Thunderlane flew in front and took the barrage of bullets.

A phenomenal surge of gratitude... my descent stopped.

Thunderlane fell to my side, but Blossomforth took his place to receive them. Merry May took her sister's bullets, and Whitewash hers. Clear Skies and finally Buddy received theirs willingly as well. Then the attack stopped.

We were, according to him, the most miserable ponies in the world seconds from death. But in those few seconds we were still flying.

You are all within an inch of your life... one more attack will suffice. When I exit this valley my first course of action will involve Rainbow and the Princesses. After that, I shall be going straight to your families and telling them all how you offered the me the children to save yourselves. Then I'll add their hopeless souls to my collection and everything any of you have ever done in your lives will have been in vain.

The sheer willpower it took to stay airborne and keep pressing forward came at the expense of not being able to think critically; I finally realized that when White Eyes made the remark about my joining his collection he must have meant that it was my own life that he sought to add as he had tried to in the mountain - and the tiny lights surrounding him were the souls of ponies he had previously claimed.

However - the critical fact of the matter is that this also meant every attack he leveled against us was apparently power he couldn't get back, made clear in that we had "wasted" his collection. Which meant not only were we nearing the valley's exit, if we could just somehow survive a few more of his powerful assaults...

When my face exploded at this shattering revelation I immediately gasped at another equally shocking spectacle; directly in front of us now were the outlines of two giant monstrous clouds in the form of the two ponies that had haunted my hoofprints more than any on Earth not named Rainbow - my parents. The two clouds had their distinct features, only now their joyless and indifferent eyes were pure white to go along with sharp canines.

With the reality of their appearance was I wasn't sure if they were deliberately created using the images in my own memory or my own hallucinations. A quick glance at a few of my teammates' visible reactions to them confirmed it had to be the former. It inevitably drudged up the memory of their joyless faces disappointed with my very existence precluding their final solution for me. But regardless of whether or not they were or my own creation I was going to rage against their apathy and doubt.

You will never move on from it, he snarled to me. There was now open and unfiltered rage in his voice that lacked any subtlety. It had become apparent he was losing all patience and was no longer enjoying what he had been treating as a game of cat-and-mouse. Above the two evil clouds of faces resembling my parents, the shadowy outline of the two equine beings loomed above and behind them, figures much smaller than the ones right in front of us. If Zecora and Rainbow Dash couldn't free you from it, nobody can. You will NEVER heal from their most intelligent decision to abandon you.

I HAVE moved on, I fired back, unable to say anything out loud anymore. I AM moving on! I can't control what you or my parents choose to do to us. But you'll never take my feather and I'll never stop giving it to those that need it. As if to mock my response the two evil figures opened their mouths with demonic laughter and flames of war poured out from their gaping mouths in the forms of countless white fireballs. Though it didn't seem like I had the energy or capability to speak I had to somehow muster the strength to let everyone else know that our efforts meant everything.

"HE'S LOSING POWER!!!" I blasted out at the top of my lungs before I had to struggle to not to fall out of the sky as I began to fall when I made the sacrifice to yell this.

Regaining myself just in time the unfriendly flaming spheres quickly encircled us on all sides. When we began to attempt the necessary flying maneuvers to avoid them we soon discovered they were actually like small heatseeking bombs; as they neared they turned inward that upon detonation sent vigorous powerful waves of force and heat that seared my fur in several locations.

Scootaloo and Pipsqueak clamped their mouths onto my mane. Bright flashes, thunderous booms and burning hot air blasted me from every direction as we danced around the sky for our lives in a terrified daze. Up, down, sideways, twirling... every flash and boom in my face was like a shrapnel of stress and trauma as every last part in my entire being raged in maximum overdrive to protect the foals on my back. This continued for several seconds - some of the longest and most taxing few seconds of my entire life as the amount of effort and focus that it took to escape with only minor burns to myself was indescribable.

Then my parents disappeared.

No pony could have endured th- IT'S NOT POSSIBLE! he hissed furiously.

Against all odds everyone had made it through alive. Though he undoubtedly did not mean to concede anything to us, whether he liked it or not he knew that what we were achieving was beyond extraordinary. Every single one of us. Nothing we ever do for each other will ever be in vain,, I told him from inside.

Searching madly in front of us I hoped and prayed for any sign of the entrance. Lo and behold far some distance ahead through a lighter snow the black outline of the mountains seemed to be closing off in front of us, though they weren't close enough.

A feeling that I'll never experience again swept over me when I realized the implications of what might be if we could just last a few more seconds and the hope and confidence that we could just possibly make it through this came roaring back. The sudden reality was not only was he using large amounts of power that he could never get back but we were nearing the valley entrance that had just come into visible contact a ways in front of us. Everything we'd been through - the fear and doubt stretching back to childhood up to the inconceivable difficulties of this mission - would all be worth it. We weren't just going to save the children. We were going to save the world.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET US TAKE OFF AGAIN YOU SON OF A - " screamed Thunderlane.

"I SEE THE ENTRANCE!!!" cried out the voice of Blossomforth.

"WE'RE ALMOST THERE!!!" encouraged Whitewash hysterically.

Each one was getting their last words in at the climax of our lives.

Every second that now passed by that we continued to soar through the driving winds was itself an impossible accomplishment as we pushed our bodies beyond the ultimate extreme. We had to clear the giant black trench at the front of valley, and what came after that no one knew. It was now abundantly clear that we were reaching our final moments in air as there was simply no way that we could survive more than one or two attacks at the most before we crashed to the ground with nothing left no matter how badly we wanted it. But we flew with the confidence that each and every one us was going to proceed with a determination that the world has never seen, all on account of each other.

Our attacker's fury was growing exponentially. His put-downs and derision had ceased while he searched indignantly for anything he could throw at us. He didn't seem to in any way expect us to survive his last attack and though I couldn't at that moment see him I could feel him; his raw hatred had been unleashed and draped all around us like invisible black smoke.

You are quite right, Buddy... he suddenly snarled. You have wasted your entire life in irrational fear of the most minuscule affairs, he taunted. He had apparently identified current the weakest link and was going to try to exploit it as he had done with nearly everyone else, attacking the stallion for something that he'd been struggling with but wasn't known to the rest of us. Attempting to look over to see the green stallion who was the latest object of his contempt - the stallion who had conquered all of his said fears - it was impossible for me to see the internal impact it was having on him as were putting our all of our souls into staying airborne in the face of the mighty valley winds and our failing wings.

The guilt that has racked you for the better part of this mission, hasn't it? The realization that this valley has rendered your lifetime fears to be totally in vain and that every major life decision you've ever made was wrong because you were too afraid to do the right thing... You can't take back the times you've failed to manage your irrational fears and indecisiveness nor the misery that will accompany you for the rest of your life because of it. Now the foals entrusted to you will freeze to death.

Another devastating blast of energy from his claws.

But we refused to die.

I didn't have the strength to say anything to Buddy over the screaming noise but I put everything I had into flying close to him. In my own heart I regretted many things, starting with my continuous doubt that I was ever worthy of Rainbow's love and the amount of energy I wasted self-loathing after the abandonment - energy I could have put into loving my friends. However if I had anything to say to Buddy, it was that we can't change the beginning or the middle, but we can change the end. If I didn't have the power to tell him directly as I bent all my last energy on moving forward, I would at least fly as close as I could in the hope he could feel my willing his good and support. As I did that I realized that every pony now surrounded him.

You have romantic feelings for the least intelligent pony I believe I have ever engaged, the imbecile right beside you... continued the voice. NOT CLEAR SKIES!! I thundered back as I grimaced through this physical inferno; my wings were liable to detach from my body at any second and send Scoot, Pip and I hurling to the ground. Whereas with the others I at least still had the ability to offer some verbal and emotional support when they faced his assaults, now we were at a point where we couldn't say anything to help these two when they needed it most.

Clear Skies... you have the intellectual capabilities of a FOAL! While it is obvious to Blossomforth that Buddy feels stronger about you than anyone else in his life - having way less exposure to the signals as you have - you have remained ignorant of this right up until just now, even though you may in fact return his feelings if you would but spend a little more time in thought about it. You have contributed the least of any team member, and you will never be more than a dim-witted weather pony with a simplistic enthusiasm for the elements of harmony of which you are a LESSER-BEING...

"LIAR!" screamed an enraged Buddy, an emotion I never thought I'd use to describe him.

He's so wrong Clear Skies, I told her from the inside as now I could barely put my thoughts into words though I remembered her kindness when she and Buddy came over to my house with Thunderlane to console me after the incident that sprained Rainbow's wing in Ponyville for which I was framed. No one believed me at first, not even Blossomforth... but you always did. You came to my house and believed me when no one else would. Being smart doesn't mean anything if you use to it put others down. You're one of the friendliest and pure-hearted mares I have ever met, and that's how I choose to remember you!

"Sonic look out!!!" Scootaloo suddenly shouted in my ear.

Now there was swirling straight in front of us and a giant and malevolent tornado much like the one guarding the entrance of White-eyes' domain under the mountain, although unlike before this one appeared to be born from a hatred that was increasing exponentially with every second. It seemed like I was just going to fly straight into it since I definitely didn't have the strength or ability to stop and hover or try to fly above it. If it had the strength of the one I'd flown into before it was sure to scatter us all throughout the valley, and it appeared to have ten times the power.

But Clear Skies dipped down and Buddy followed directly behind her with both of them now flying right towards it at an angle. The slightest idea or comprehension of what was happening I lacked completely but I got in line right behind the green stallion. Soon the rest of the team trailed me in single file as we all put our faith and hope in the pink mare knowing what she was doing. Our lives were in their wings.

Watching nothing but Buddy's rear for guidance we leveled out near the ground and changed direction slightly - approaching the tornado from the side before flying directly into the outside of it's vortex with it's rotation. We entered the terrifying swirl. Following Clear Skies' lead Buddy tilted his inside wing down, and with what I had left I spent trying to copy his every move. The icy cyclone lifted my wings and shot us forward and around, but Buddy tilted his body he launched out of it towards our final destination. In perfect harmony I tilted my wings to create the same effect, and somehow... it worked. Thunderlane quickly popped out behind me with Blossomforth coming next, Whitewash following her and Merry May after him.

I BELIEVE!! I screamed internally. WE'RE DOING IT!!! I'M NOT GIVING UP!!!

We were now only a feet above the ground as the black silhouettes of the mountains in front of us began to tower higher and higher above us. My wings began burn as though they were being blowtorched point blank by the mouth of a dragon as I offered them every last ounce of support the rest of my body could possibly give while the universe's center of pure malice and ill-will was growing to the size of a mountain just behind us as we left him behind.

I BELIEVE IN THEM!! I BELIEVE IN MY FEATHER!!!!!

A twisted but altogether desperate laughter that had lost all sanity or rationality shook the entire valley to it's core. I don't care if I void all my earthly power and use every last worthless life I've thus far acquired! If I must send myself back to the very beginning and spend the next hundred or thousand years collecting souls to regain my current status I shall do it if it means fulfilling the only objective I now have at this time...

The demon roared with many times the force and vengeance then the one that led to the avalanche that had buried us all.

"DEEEAAAATH!!!" spewed forth from his mouth.

Every inch forward now was for Scootaloo running out to face White Death herself in the cave. Every time that Thunderlane made me laugh. For when Whitewash came back. For when Blossomforth spoke up for us. For when Clear Skies and Buddy came to my house to comfort me. For every encouraging glance from Merry May. For every time I failed to be a better friend. For every lost foal in need of a feather. For their families that needed them home. For Zecora, who took me in as her own and will always be real mother. And for the filly who made all of this possible one evening ten years ago.

Consciousness faded; my mind slipped away while I poured out my last traces of life to last the final few seconds. Somewhere behind us the same hideous sound of intensifying electricity that we'd heard before his devastating onslaught of lighting began manifesting itself once more while mystical white gleams lit up the valley bright enough to see with my eyes closed.

He harnessed every last bit of power he had to launch his final and supreme attack. I felt the tips of my hooves brushing the snow and images of my entire life playing through my head.

It all flickered by so fast - childhood, moving to Ponyville and meeting Rainbow, reconnecting with her and Thunderlane, befriending the Scootaloo and the other 5 team members, telling Rainbow about my parents, hearing about the lost foals... and everything that happened here in the valley.

Finally... a long and lasting image of the filly's longing eyes while she plucked it from her wing.

Then placed it in my hooves.

I love Rainbow... I love Scootaloo... I love all of my friends... and I love my feather...

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In the far north of Equestria just west of the northern plains there laid a dark and narrow valley wedged between two mountain ranges.

The valley was a place of severe arctic climate, foul creatures, and the most insidious entity in the world... a land where no pony had ever previously dared to venture, if only in their most haunting nightmares.

On this night, a great host from across the land in waited breathlessly in darkness. Mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles stood together in the bitter cold with a legion of support.

Just before dawn as hope was fading, a silence hung over all the land.

Tucked away in the mountains' gate under the cover of its towering cliffs, there laid together in dreamless sleep seven pegasus in the hushed shadows.

With each that rested peacefully there, two cold and grieving foals nestled their tender heads into this devoted protector who left the luxury of their own home to enter willingly into this nightmare that they may be brought back.

One filly was as broken as any as she wept inconsolably into her eternal advocate.

From the moment he entered into her life his interest in her wellbeing was unparalleled... her joys were his joys, and her sorrows were his sorrows.

He was matched only by her longtime idol, who so happened to be his.

The nightmare he freely endured for her was unexplainable and unfathomable; a mystery that overwhelmed her whole being.

For what started off as a romance between himself and his first love had been transformed into a romance between themselves and the whole world.

Their appreciation for each other was so strong and their inspiration so deep that it would never be contained to just two ponies.

Far from taking away from what this mare and stallion had, this added to it so profoundly that its extent could never adequately be described in the boundaries of this dimension.

The filly was touched by love's pure light... the living eyes of he who believed with all of his heart in the value of her being and whose investments in her were immeasurable.

The stallion who lifted his dying head from the snow, but upon looking at her did raise himself up.

But his glowing appraisals of his dearest companions is not a figment of his imagination... it is real, for all that laid with him shared as intimately in his glory and gleamed as bright with regal beauty.

His spirit craved desperately the very best for his friends and his great hero... The more he gave to them, the more he had.

Until he had nothing left to give.

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"Sonic..."

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"Sonic..." whispered the raspy voice. It was softer than a night breeze, coated with sweetest affection.

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"Sonic," it repeated gently in the silence.

This time, the stallion stirred.

"Here I am," he replied.

He couldn't see anything. He was barely conscious. But light and warmth were both present.

"It's time to come home. There is a place prepared for you with me. All of our friends will be there."

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*Inhale*

*Exhale*

One deep breath. Followed by another. Slowly the stallion's surroundings began to come back. Darkness still hung. But for the distant winds it was quiet. The ground was cold and hard as was the air. His entire body was sore except his back, which was numb. But two small ones were cuddled into his chest. He sensed that they were suffering. His soul descended to embrace their sorrow and share in it, that he might relieve them. His head moved downward and welcomed their warmth, returning theirs with his own.

...

"S-S-Sonic?"

...

He knew that voice. Suddenly her pain was melting, shifting rapidly into divine wonder.

He took another deep breath, and with this one remembered *everything*.

His eyes opened. With all of his strength he lifted his head but a little, and was blinded by the radiant beams from the filly's face. Beside her was another magnificent star, a painted colt. Laying his head back down, he inhaled the breath of life from their glimmering faces. When the two then returned to his chest they came with a euphoric enthusiasm that he was not strong enough yet to experience with them, though with every ounce of his ability he condensed his body and took in their bliss for a lasting rest.

When next he opened his eyes he saw the deathly stillness of his best mate laying just beside him, on top of which two hopeful colts begged for revival. With an urgent want he leaned in with a gentle breath into his friend's nostrils. When no response came his spirit descended again and with closed eyes he conferred tenderly his next blow onto this prince's muzzle.

Thunderlane's stomach expanded and a groan escaped his lips.

"My wings," he murmured in his halting slumber.

Despite their mutual discomforts Sonic's weak smile downplayed the power of his rejoicing.

"Oh no..." stirred the prince. "This can't be heaven, so it must be -"

Thunderlane's eyes then opened, and beheld his adoring best friend.

"N-nevermind... it's h-heaven."

The two of them buried their heads in their foals once more, and the recovery moved along. Sonic turned and saw Blossom on his other side. He exhaled warmly into her nose, and when the mare woke up, so did the wonder within her. A few more breaths and Sonic's mind began to clear. Thunder and Blossom nuzzled two more beside them, and before long all seven were awake or stirring. That's when Scootaloo called his attention.

"Sonic," she muttered.

Her tone was serious and her demeanor was breathless. His attentive response matched her urgency. Her face beckoned behind them, as if to call attention there. Silence reined supreme, but over the distant wind a rhythmic wheeze that struggled quietly could indeed be heard. Sonic leaned upward, peering heedfully into the darkness.

He knew an investigation was necessary. With his limbs underneath him he conquered his soreness and staggered upward, but when he looked that way he saw them immediately; two white eyes glaring straight back at him.

He drifted his own eyes so he wasn't making direct contact with them, which were several pony lengths in front of them. They belonged to a decrepit, skeletal creature; exposed bone dominated his whole appearance, with white leathery wings full of holes. It appeared to Sonic to have been devoured by its own power, it's own hatred for them and for itself as it laid belly-down on the ground raised slightly on its two front claws. One small twinkling orb drifted slowly around its body. It had no robes or clothing of any kind, and it laid at the edge of the great black abyss that stretched across the gap just behind him.

Sonic stared in that direction with total stillness. The creature's gaze was as steady as a rock with its ragged inhales. This continued for a long time, with Sonic gathering more and more of what had happened - until the creature finally laughed at no provocation. It was a detached and sickly cackle belonging to a hideous voice.

This frightened Sonic, but now all of his companions stood on either side so that all twenty-one of them faced the abhorrence together - the hopeless monster choking on its own laughter in the gray. Sonic started pondering the next step for his team - he was recovering with every second, his feelings and understanding of everything increasing though he was still sore and heavy to his core. His thoughts and energy remained squarely on his everlasting purpose.

Looking around, he wasn't sure exactly what happened. They were at the end of the valley; the giant rockbridge with it's tubular holes hung overhead. The valley's gate with it's towering cliffs was just behind them. He wasn't sure if this creature had any power left to harm. But he knew it was beyond their help and they had to leave it here whether it had any ability to do anything about it or not.

Sonic lowered his head and turned his body away from it. They couldn't fly away as their wings were numb - Sonic suspected his right wing was sprained or broken. They couldn't run, as they didn't have strength for that yet either as they'd only just got up. So he started to walk. The team at his beckoning slowly and uneasily started towards the passage through the narrow cliffs with the goal of leaving this creature and this awful place behind them forever. The creature went quiet, and Sonic drove each aching hoof into the ground, hoping and begging for a peaceful exit with his heart set on delivering his heroes to their happy ending.

Then it called out to him.

"Your parents never abandoned you."

With these words, the stallion - along with every other pony - stopped dead in their tracks. They were all frozen in place and time and his statement hung on suffocating silence.

"When I first saw you in the mountain, I remarked I'd seen you somewhere before, that I couldn't put my talon on it. Then when I looked into your eyes I realized I saw you as a foal in the hearts of your parents. They were nomadic, moving all around the land with you when you were young. Following the ancient battle of old I first awoke in the darkness some years ago, but I did not just remain here. I ventured out into the north, both to observe and add to my collection. I claimed many souls, until one day I came upon a mare light purple in color with a dainty blue mane.

"She was passing through a remote woods in search of a gift for her son, somewhere to the southwest. It was summertime, so these northern woods were in full bloom for a short time. I engaged her. She was open to conversing at first, but she soon decided she wanted to return to you. I insisted otherwise. She had many flaws and deficiencies which I plainly revealed to her, though she refused to succumb to despair on your behalf. When I finally emerged to take her for myself, she broke free on account of you. Never before had that happened. Evidently she saw me as a great threat and I saw in her mind her intention to notify Celestia. But that I could not allow, for I was not yet ready to advance against the elements of harmony.

"She fled. So as a wolf chases a deer I pursued her, and finished her with my claws - your father I found shortly after and proceeded likewise. But I knew I had a problem with their son, that ponies would inquire about their whereabouts on your behalf. So I made, just for you, two soulless golem to take their place. They would stand in for a time, but they were made ultimately for one end... your end."

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Sonic's legs began to shake. His vision blurred as smothering darkness surrounded him.

He finally he stumbled several steps backward and fell heavily to the ground. His throat tightened so that every breath now seemed a battle. His heart twisted around in his chest. His stomach lurched in violent pulls in all directions. Spasms wracked his entire body.

Thunderlane was next. The stallion's legs gave out from under him and clutching his chest he collapsed. He staggered back up but crashed hard next to his best friend. He threw his limbs around Sonic and the two stallions cuddled together in the cold. They clung to each other for life.

They were joined immediately by Scootaloo, and soon after Blossom, Buddy, Whitewash, Merry May, Clear Skies and every foal were huddled together as one body bearing this monumental blow, crying out over the creature's unnatural laughter.

But none of them were under any external influence of the creature's whatsoever. All of their actions and feelings were solely in response to what he had disclosed.

They convulsed and thrashed while this great evil made its last and most violent stand in their lives. But then... at the center of it all, amidst the hardest bearing of the stallion's burden that everyone shared - a certain truth was springing up from his heart that began spreading to every pony that embraced him.

His parents never abandoned him. They always cared for him.

Another truth... even more powerful... was that even if they had not, Sonic had already found victory through his friends.

Suddenly a stray and thunderous gust from the valley came barreling towards the valley's entrance. The memory of the events at this very spot when the team first arrived flashed through their minds as they instantly recalled the converging winds that had sent them scrambling for their lives when it had tried force them into that bottomless pit. In the mad rush to get themselves and the foals to safety, the stallion at the center of them used his strength to push Scootaloo out of harm's way as the winds from above engulfed him.

He grabbed unsuccessfully for anything he could as he slid along on his belly at the gust's compelling. The others had made it out just in time, but Sonic soon slid off the edge into the black. Before he could begin an endless descent into it however he found himself immovably stranded on a tiny perch of hidden rock just below the edge.

The creature had also been hurled into the pit by the stray gale. Sonic saw it as it flapped its damaged wings meaninglessly against the winds that compelled it down, the lone soul that surrounded his being as the only light in the darkness. It appeared to be terrified, screaming and clawing hopelessly for the surface as though drowning. It shot itself upwards several times in repeated bursts of light and energy, but then the star accompanying it departed.

The creature's futile struggling then ended and in one last glint of hopeless despair the light seemed to leave its white pupils as it plummeted into the crushing darkness.

Sonic's body was leaned tight against the rock and his hooves were barely able to fit into the ledge that was holding him up, stretched out with disproportionate weight on his front right leg. With the exception of his head he couldn't move his body at all, and his wings were uselessly numb.

He closed his eyes and his breathing slowed.

"I'm so afraid," he whimpered.

The deathly exhausted pony buried his face into the frigid cliff and pictured Rainbow and his friends... but out of nowhere a feeling foreign to this valley seemed to wash over him. It was an uncharacteristically warm and peaceful breeze that enveloped his freezing body and soothed his weary spirit.

He lifted his head and beheld the clouds parting in the sky to reveal glittering stars in a painted twilight sky. It was dawn... the most natural light he'd seen since before they left for Canterlot.

More significantly in the sky were the two translucent equine figures he saw (or thought he saw) before. A female's voice he hadn't heard in many years then whispered tenderly into the depths of his heart... You are going home.

"W-Who are you?"

Ask me who you are, she answered.

"Who... who am I?"

You are our beloved son... and we are so happy with you.

The luminous mare spread her brilliant wings. She then departed from her lofty perch, gliding down directly towards him. The closer she drew the more her presence filled him with an exhilaration not of this world. Her glistening face came, finally at long last, into full view. He dared to whisper:

"M-Mom?"

She smiled.

"SONNNNNIIIIIIIIC!!!!" Thunderlane shrieked.

His giant eyes desperately begged the darkness for any sign of him.

Sonic jolted out of his trance. Shaking his head he looked up once more - the vision of his mother was gone but countless sets of eyes stretching across the top were searching furiously for him. Their hysteria rapidly became his as he fought to process what was happening.

"Down here!" he called up to them and by the twinkle in his eyes they spotted him. He leaned his body into the cliff and tried to rearrange his legs, but he had no room to do so whatsoever. He looked around for his mother, who was gone.

They cried out his name in unison. Buddy and Clear Skies hugged each other violently upon first sight of him as did Merry May and Blossomforth. Whitewash, Thunderlane and Scootaloo each leaned their front legs over the edge and reached in vain for their friend they so direly craved. But the distance between them was too far for them to help him up and any rejoicing they had at finding him was soon replaced with frantic desperation.

"Thunderlane... my parents never abandoned me."

"I know S-S-Sonic," he replied, choking on his own words.

"I love you. All of you," he muttered, looking directly at a certain orange filly who at that moment knew she would throw herself in the darkness to enter it with him before she ever watched him fall alone.

"It's o-k-k Sonic..." Thunderlane stuttered. "He's gone... We're gonna get you out of there and we're gonna have the greatest happy-ending anyone ever dreamed of..."

"I-I-I c-can't hold on much longer - my front hoof is slipping," his best friend replied as he pressed hard against the cliff.

"SOMEBODY FLY DOWN TO HIM!!" screamed Thunderlane.

"AAAHHH I CAN'T MOVE MY WINGS!" cried Merry May.

"ME NEITHER!!!" wailed Whitewash, as they all tried fruitlessly to move their feathered appendages.

Sonic beheld the urgency of their need - the impossible degree to which they cared for him - and reciprocated it a thousand times over as tears spilled uncontrollably out of his eyes while they sobbed inconsolably without him.

"Don't leave us Sonic," begged Buddy, shaking his head free of the water in his eyes.

"Sonic, I c-can't - i-i-f you d-don't - I w-w-on't e-ever-" stammered Blossomforth.

"Please Sonic, please FOR THE LOVE OF HEAVEN DON'T-," pleaded Whitewash.

"Hold on Sonic... p-please, j-just hold on..." wept Merry May.

"Don't let this happen," bawled Clear Skies into her hooves.

"Forget this - I'M GOING BACK TO CAMP!!! HOLD ON!!" demanded Thunderlane.

"Thunderlane I can't hold it that long!!!" wailed Sonic up to him - he had nowhere to put his left front hoof as his right front hoof was holding up much of his weight by itself, but his leg was going to tire and slide out of place soon.

"WE'RE SO CLOSE!!!" shouted the grey stallion as he threw his hooves through his mane. "WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING!!!! DOESN'T ANYONE HAVE ANY WINGPOWER LEFT???"

His cry was answered in a flash of dark blue. There suddenly emerged at the top of the abyss a most zealous ally eager to assist in any way he could. Landing wide-eyed next to the spectacle was none other than Soarin' the Wonderbolt, fueled by the unimaginable thrill of seeing 19 hearts whose deliverance now rested solely on his fresh wings.

Gazing down into the pit he saw clinging to the cliffside the humblest eyes in the world staring helplessly back at him. It was clear that he was at the brink of falling into the never-ending darkness and were for whatever reason unable to fly as it appeared to be for the rest of the Ponyville team members.

He knew instantly what he had to do. Though he hesitated, as this required him to confront a more terrifying reality than he could ever imagine in his worst nightmare. He had to plunge face first - immerse himself completely in this horrifying unknown before he could turn around and blast Sonic out.

Peering directly into the void of death every bone in Soarin's body told him not enter this black nothingness as he was consumed with fear. His life flashed before him - most especially he remembered what he knew nothing could ever be worse than, which was facing parents and siblings of the foals that he had given up on and the disappointment in his Princess. Nor would he would never forget the sacrifice of Rainbow nor the divine rapture her dying spirit bought for her foals' families.

With a final look at the the glowing star that Rainbow needed the very most the stallion bucked his fear and launched off the edge straight into the abyss. His descent was over in a few seconds; he spread his wings in the pitch black and turned his eyes to the light to begin his epic ascent. Aimed at victory for the innocent he flapped with all the rage of his blue idol.

Sonic's front hoof finally gave out. As quickly as his body started its free-fall Soarin' swept through him from below.

They lunged upward. Despite the Wonderbolt's best efforts they leveled out and Sonic felt them starting to dip.

Until Scootaloo's head slammed into Soarin' from below and leveled them out again.

They couldn't seem to lift him any higher.

But with their failing wings they entered the nightmare one last time.

They fought like their great heroes.

They fought like true believers.

The Gift of a Feather

For most outsiders, my homeland is viewed as the ultimate paradise. A place of light and beauty, phenomenal landscapes, and a simple culture of pure friendship. Peaceful harmony between the divine monarchy and their subjects. The inhabitants must be extraordinarily happy most if not all the time. That's the perception, anyway.

Throw all of that in with the fact that I'm twenty years old, a pegasus stallion, and a fair flier (I think anyway). Looking at myself so far I suppose one might say I'm in a desirable state of being. Of course that is in no way to imply that pegasus are intrinsically better than the other two grounded equine species that make up our civilization - earth ponies and unicorns - but I definitely love to fly.

Right now I'm on my way to the royal city itself, Canterlot - the home of the Princess and the dwelling place of some of our entire country's social elite. Trotting up the road on the side of the mountain, with puffy white clouds outlined against the brilliant blue sky and the sun shining beautifully. It shouldn't get much better than this.

Before you start getting green with envy though, you might want to know why I'm going there. I'm not going there because I can afford to live there and I'm ready to join the affluent. I'm going there to start my new job. Flier like me, you probably think I'm a Wonderbolt, or at least a foal-flying trainer, right? Nope.

When you have as little connections as I do, it's hard to get a job that requires flying. I'm actually going to Canterlot to start my new window-washing job. Great living, I know. But it could be worse! Up until now, I haven't exactly had the best of luck with jobs. I'm hoping this will be kind of a breath of fresh of air, and who knows - maybe I can get a better job and move to a pegasi city like Cloudsdale someday.

On the subject of where I'm going to live while I'm here, well... let's just say I'm kind of still trying to figure that out. To be completely honest, I've kind of been trying to figure that out for years now. Don't feel bad too bad though - sleeping under the stars has its perks... seriously! If I can find a nice patch of grass somewhere that isn't privately owned, maybe in the courtyard outside of the castle (if the guards don't kick me off), and the summer breeze is as cool as and gentle as it's been lately, I should be comfortable during Luna's nights. Winter is a different beast, but I'll deal with that when I get there I guess.

My name is Sonic. Sonic Rain is my full name. When I was a foal I was known for my amazing velocity in the air, as well as my equally amazing lack of control (which resulted in me crashing into things- a lot). My parents named me after the more positive quality, so I do thank them for that. I got the last part of the name Rain when I was also a very young foal; I used to lie on my back and play in the rain, and whenever I got pulled inside by my mom, I would cry to back outside and play in the rain. Nobody calls me Sonic Rain much anymore though, I mostly just go by Sonic now.

My coat is a solid color, but it's kind of a tweener between grey and light blue. My mane and tail are both the same; streaks of (bear with me) dark blue, blue, light blue, dark gray, gray, and light gray. My flank marking (also known as cutie marks by some, a distinguished marking all equines have on their flank designating a special talent) is a yellow lightning bolt going through a raincloud.

Ever since I was colt, I've been kind of a drifter, though I spent a lot time in the western region. I haven't always been sure where my next meal is coming from, and my impressions seem to be that I've had to settle for less than civilized eating more often than some. But I usually do find something, and that's a lot to be thankful for right there. There is a lot of lush and edible plant life in across our land, even if I can't get in on any of the more eloquent meals that most ponies enjoy.

I've even made a few friends along the way, and even though they haven't stayed with me to this day, I still relish the time that I spent with them. The greatest part of my homeland, called Equestria, is indeed that there are indeed many incredible, wonderful, and praiseworthy ponies that live here, from the kind-hearted country folk to the fascinating city dwellers.

For all this glass-half-full talk, I am hoping to settle down somewhere. I'm tired of drifting across the land and losing the friends that I've made. I may be really dreaming now, but I want to find a job that can really take advantage of my flying skills, and who knows, maybe I can get enough money for a house.

Oh, there is one more thing you need to know about me. It involves the only real dream I have, or have ever had. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the kind of job I have, or the kind of place I live. Consider this; as I was walking the long road up the side of the mountain to Canterlot, I thought I lost ... *it*. I thought I lost the one thing I own. The mere sight of it, much less the feeling I get when I hold it against my heart, driving away bad feelings or emotions I've ever had. It wasn't in the snug spot where I usually kept it in my mane. I looked all around the road where I was walking, and I didn't see it there either.

"No, no, no... No! Where is it," I cried as my mind was running to hysteria. All these years I've never lost it; how could I let my sole possession - in fact my life and my hope - get away from me? Then I felt it tangled in my mane and sighed the most relieved sigh there ever was in the history of ponies.

What I thought I lost, which if I had would be a greater tragedy then sleeping in the snow or going three days without eating, was a feather. Yes, you read that right. Just a feather. I cradled it in my hoof and pressed it against my cheek for comfort. I've kept this feather for ten years. It's the loveliest light blue color you've ever seen, but not a light blue from my wings.

It all started on a bright and sunny summer day in the pegasi city of Cloudsdale. I was only ten years old, and my flying needed work. I had great speed, but for the love of heaven I could not control myself worth a feather. So my parents decided to enroll me in a junior speedster flight camp.

Oh yeah... My parents.

I was the only foal of my parents, and Cloudsdale was the third city we'd lived in during my lifetime. We spent the first five years of my life in Baltimare, before heading off to the west coast for just two years, and that was after I finally made a few friends in my home city. Nevertheless, just as we got comfortable in the west, for whatever reason my parents decided we were to pack our bags and head out, this time exploring the north near Whinnyapolis before ultimately settling on the city of Manehattan. We were only here for two and a half years before we moved yet again, finally to Cloudsdale. Good ol' Cloudsdale.

Whenever we moved, I would lose all my friends so my parents would become my only friends every time we moved. My relationship with my parents was... unique, to say the least. When I was a young foal, they often took care of me together. It sure seemed like loved me. They played with me, they talked to me, they encouraged me. They were my life. They brought me the kind of joy and comfort that one should expect from parents.

I'm not quite sure when exactly it happened, nor do I have any knowledge of all the contributing factors. But there came a time though when it seemed like what we had in the beginning started to fade. I started bothering them more and more, and we started spending less time together as they preferred me to play on my own. All of the happy memories in the beginning seemed to disappear, and they seemed to turn so uninterested in me. "Why don't you make some friends and leave us alone?" my father used to say. It made me terribly sad to think that I was starting to become a nuisance to my parents, and that I frankly had become so uninteresting, so unimportant, so disappointing to them. Being around them and seeing them happy had always made me happy, and seeing them sad had made me sad.

My body has filled out nicely, but when I was little, I was actually small for my age. I was a cheerful and probably fairly cute little colt, but so are all foals I suppose.

I've never been the most confident, and when my relationship with my parents seemed to inexplicably deteriorate it got worse. I was shy, but upon arrival in Cloudsdale, I vowed to make some friends at any cost. If I could have someone to love and spend time with other than my parents, then it would make me feel a lot better, and hopefully it would make my parents happy, too. So now, on the first day of flight camp, I was determined to make a change - and some friends.

Cloudsdale is a city of only pegasus, meaning it's up in the clouds above the land. So first day at flight camp, up on the puffy white clouds I stood in a line with twenty other fillies and colts facing our flight instructor and waiting for orders. All around us was an obstacle course that featured various flying "challenges" that might be used to turn us foals into better fliers. I was eager to talk to some of my new fellow cadets though afraid they might think I'm boring or laugh at wild flight crashes.

Our flight instructor walked down the line and was giving us all good, hard looks - but not too hard; remember, we're just foals. I think everyone was probably a little intimidated. I remember being so excited that I barely stand still. I was energetic, young, and innocent, and when the flight instructor, a cream colored stallion with a brown mane and white cap had his back turned I leaned over to the colt on my right.

"Hi, I'm Sonic. What's your name?" I whispered in my eight-year-old high-pitched voice.

"Thunderlane!" whispered back the charcoal-grey colt with a mane that was white and grey. Just as I leaned back into place, the flight instructor stood before me with a rather menacing look of disapproval. Oh no... Please don't send me away, I haven't made any friends yet! I thought to myself. Though quite frightened I did my very best to look straight and answer his questions as best I could.

"Do you have something to say, little one?" he asked. I kept looking straight ahead and avoided all eye contact. I hadn't been to flight camp before, and I didn't know exactly how to act. But thankfully, I knew, or at least I thought I knew, that it's good to scream and to address your flight instructor as "sir." Couple that with the fact that I was utterly terrified, as most foals were of adults. I didn't want to start off in timeout, nor let my parents and other cadets down.

"NO, SIR!" I squeaked. He raised his eyebrows with surprise. My mother once explained to me that this was how both the Princess' royal guards and the cadets in the Wonderbolt Academy addressed their superiors, so looking similar I assumed it must be the same here.

"Why have you come, little one?"

"SIR, I AM HERE TO IMPROVE MY FLYING IN THE BESTEST WAY I CAN AND TO DO WHATEVER YOU TELL ME TO, SIR! OH AND TO MAKE FRIENDS, SIR!"

The flight instructor smiled, which in turn made me feel much better. Of course looking back he was probably just smiling at my innocence and I'm sure this was not how was used to being addressed. Some adults like it when you talk loudly! I thought.

"At ease, cadet!" He said.

"YES SIR!" I said, not holding back a smile. He laughed.

"At ease means you can speak softly, cadet! You don't have to yell."

"YES SI- uh, I mean, yes sir," I said, blushing in embarrassment. My moment in the spotlight was over for now, and the flight instructor took a step back and addressed the new group of foals.

"No need to be scared! I can guarantee that you will all make friends and improve your flying. If you listen to me and follow my instructions, there will be no problems. Understand?" he said, and everypony nodded their heads in agreement. Many of the foals that were nervous like me started to relax... we had one of the nice adults. In the back of my mind, I had to make some friends. I loved having friends, but also so I could not be a burden to my parents as much anymore. The cream colored stallion smiled at me once again before addressing the rest of the foals.

"You may all just call me sir, as this little one has demonstrated," he said, nodding to me. "Let's get to it. We're gonna warm up those wings first, so I want twenty laps from all of you. Hop to it! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" he said, flapping his wings and propelling himself upward while blowing his whistle.

Just like that, we were in business. Knowing I had a serious lack of control made taking off scary, but that wasn't going to prevent me from partaking in flight camp. Like many other foals I thought these mere warm ups (along with most everything else) was an ultra important race. With a leap I began pounding my wings as fast as I could and propelled forward. Like a slingshot, I turned onto the obstacle course and darted my way through the air towards the first turn, with the wind in my mane and water in my eyes from the speed. Ready or not, I was about to find out.

Just before the first turn was a set of three rings that we were required to fly through. They were separated by only about ten feet, each ring about five, ten, and fifteen feet off the clouds respectively. Upon approaching them, I was suddenly filled with fear. What if I lose control and everyone laughs at me? I closed my eyes and braced for failure, not before opening one eye as I came to the first ring. I turned my wings so that I could descend low enough to enter the first ring, the lowest one; I shot through it like a cannonball, and with no time to spare, I fearfully headed towards the next. I flapped my wings violently, just barely propelling myself high enough to make it through each ring.

I emerged from the set of rings unscathed, and was shocked and happy. I did it. I did it! I smiled triumphantly as I reared the corner, but the smile didn't last long; I was drifting into the set of "bumper" clouds. I desperately turned my body in the air and flapped violently, brushing the clouds with my hind legs.

Before I knew it, I was back on the straight path, putting some serious distance between the ponies that were behind me. I desperately weaved my way through the next obstacle – a set of flags – at high velocity but little control. I was gaining confidence in myself; even though they were just laps, I was in second place. Before long, I found myself already finished with the first lap and ready to repeat the course all over again for lap number two.

Something unexpected caught me off guard as I came to the first set of rings again; a small and shy-looking filly was feebly struggling to fly up through the rings. Her coat was a shiny yellow and her mane was a bright pink. She was struggling mightily to get off the clouds and through the rings, and her wings fluttered weakly. This young filly was clearly very frightened and humiliated, even moreso than me. I was overcome with pity and wanted nothing more than to make her feel better. I thought to myself, Maybe if I help her, she won't be scared anymore.

I spread my wings and the let the wind catch them so that I slowed down. My young heart related heavily to her, as I had also been so scared myself. Maybe she could be my first friend, I thought. So as the fliers from behind approached us, I lowered myself down to her and encouraged her.

"Hi there," I chirped, and she wilted down. Her eyes were a lovely green, but there was so much fear in them, even towards me. "Don't be scared, I'm not the bestest flier either - I crash into everything."

I gave her as friendly a look as I could muster and reassured her. Right on cue, suddenly I realized I was approaching the next set of rings much faster than I had before having had a lap to build up to it - I beat my wings swiftly and clumsily propelled myself forward through the first ring, and as I flapped desperately to get up to the second, I knew I wasn't going to make it.

I let out a cry as I shot through the air and closed my eyes, my legs hitting the ring as I flew through. I flapped my wings and sped up despite my failing control, and I ducked to avoid hitting the third ring with my head and hit it with my legs instead, which sent my body twisting and flailing through the air.

"Oh no!" I cried.

Losing all balance and control, just before the turn I flew face-first a flag. It covered my head so I couldn't see anything at all, and then I started to scream. Unable to see anything at all I sped up right into the bumper clouds and bounced off of them until I landed harshly on the plush cloud below, tumbling and flipping all about. After stopping and lying still for a few moments, I felt around my face with my hooves and pulled the flag off of my face.

I pulled the cloth from my face and opened my eyes, and standing right there before me were two young colts my age. One of them had a dark brown coat and a cream-colored mane, and the other was a caramel color with a dark brown mane. They were laughing - delightedly, loudly - at my humilitation. My spirits were crushed instantly.

"That was the worst flying I've ever seen! Maybe you and Fluttershy can pretend to be earth ponies for the rest of your lives!" scoffed the brown stallion, whose name was Dumb-bell. His friend, Hoops, joined in on the taunting.

"Yea, they should call you, uh... Crashie!" he said, and the two of them broke out into laughter. Their words were like crushing blows from a club that bruised my insides. Behind them I could see the young filly, Fluttershy, looking on with great sadness and embarrassment for me. I thought to myself that if everyone felt this way about me, maybe I was just an all around worthless colt. So I sat there on my flank, unable to talk or move.

Staring at those two who were wailing with laughter at me, I felt like crying. My eyes welled up with tears, and I wanted to fly home. A moment ago I only wanted to make some friends and help the filly through the rings. Instead, I embarrassed myself. Who would want to get to know me now that everypony was laughing at me? It looked as though I would have to tell my parents that I didn't make any friends at flight camp. I lowered my head in shame and wiped my eyes. Mom and dad will be so disappointed in me.

"Look at him now! I think he's gonna cry!" said Dumb-bell, and the two of them broke out in yet a louder round of laughter. I turned my head away from them so they couldn't see my tears.

But then...

Just as my head reared away from them and I had closed my eyes, there was a sound a rushing wind and a mixture of light blue and rainbow flashed before my eyes and landed on the clouds, standing directly between my tormentors and I. I realized it was the pony who had been in first place all that time - I had been so focused when I was flying I hadn't got a good look until then.

One of the worst moments of my life was over, and my emotions of sorrow and pain were suddenly replaced with shock and awe. What had come between us? I looked on, and I saw what appeared to be another filly, with a light blue coat and a rainbow mane and tail, standing in front of me. I had never seen such a pretty filly before... at once the glorious colors of the sun, the sky, and the clouds seemed to radiate around her in reverence of her. She whipped her tail in fierce defiance against the two colts.

"Losers!" she said in a high-pitched, raspy voice. Is she... is she defending me? Out of nowhere I now felt this new-found strength inside of me. I couldn't believe the life and beauty that shined from her. My curioustiy immediately took ahold. Is this an angel sent to protect me? Dumb-bell snorted with anger. "He was in second place and he's way faster than either of you!"

"What are you doing here, Rainbow Crash?" he snorted angrily. "You gonna get flying lessons from this wrecking wonder?"

Wrecking wonder... The comment hit with force and I turned my ahead away ashamedly still sitting on my flank, but again to my amazement the rainbow filly trotted forward and stuck her snout right in his.

"No, I'm here to keep you from being a jerk, jerk! You got nothing on this little guy or Fluttershy. At least they're not big meanies," she said. Here is this little filly whom my young heart mistook for an angel, a filly I've never even seen or talked to, and she's defending me with such confidence. Dumb-bell, although boiling inside with anger, turned to his friend and raised his snout.

"Come on, Hoops, we're better than these losers," he said, and the two of them fluttered their wings and began flying down the rest of the course.

I could barely comprehend what just happened. Through no action of my own, my tormentors stormed off, unable to continue their taunting - and still standing there with her back to me was the radiant young filly with the rainbow mane and tail. I was overtaken in wonder and astonishment. I couldn't talk. I couldn't do anything.

She turned around, and for the first time I saw the windows to her soul... Her eyes. They were a strong shade of magenta; when she first turned around, the toughness and fortitude that she displayed with Dumb-bell and Hoops was still lingering, and I saw plainly the defiant grit that had been directed at them, but once she got a good long look at me, her eyes eased up, and started to become very tender until she had almost a bashful look on her face.

I suddenly never felt warmer than I did right there as she looked at me like that. I couldn't understand why would she defend someone like me, but the gratitude I felt for her doing it was stronger than any feeling I'd ever felt before.

She walked forward with the same look of sensitivity and embarrassment, and smiled at me bashfully. I still couldn't move... and I was still wondering if she was an angel.

"Don't worry about them. Those guys are a buncha losers," she said. Her high, raspy voice was somehow more comforting to me then anything I'd ever heard. For a while I was speechless but finally I freed my tongue.

"W-why would you help me after a crash like that?" I asked, and there was still some lingering shame in my voice. Little did I know it was about to disappear. Her eyes somehow got even softer, and then lit up, and my heart with them.

"Dude, that was like the most wickedest wipeout I've ever seen!" she declared excitedly. I managed an even bigger smile. My wipeout was wicked? As in cool? She smiled and patted me on the shoulder with her hoof. "Besides, it was really nice of you to try help my friendFluttershy get through the rings. And you're really fast! Not as fast as me of course. But still really fast!"

In truth I was in love the moment she turned around and looked at me, but this just sealed the deal. Even though she was the coolest, fastest athlete I'd ever seen she had looked at Fluttershy and me with such enthusiasm.

"Are you - are you an- an angel?" I whispered.

Of course, looking back now I realize that's about the sappiest and least original thing anyone could say, but I was only a small colt and that was my very genuine intuition about her and I seriously wondered if it was the case.

This caught her off guard, like she wasn't used to compliments *that* lofty. At first she didn't seem to know how to process the question, simply blushing - but then she started laughing which made me turn red with embarrassment. It was a nice and delightful embarrassment, though, not anything like the kind of embarrassment I had suffered moments before.

"No, I don't think so," she giggled. "Maybe?"

"O-oh," I stuttered. She let out a high-pitched laugh that tickled me, and walked closer with big smile on her face that I couldn't help but return.

"I'm a really awesome filly though. I'm nine years old," she declared proudly. Just one year younger than me. She chuckled some more, and I looked down at the ground sheepishly for a second. "You're funny! And you're fast! What's your name?"

"My name's Sonic... uh, Rain. Sonic Rain. But I like Sonic, or Rain. Or Sonic Rain," I replied. Even as a kid I was hoping that I wouldn't always be this nervous when I replied.

"Sonic?" she said, turning her head. "I'm Rainbow Dash," she said, putting her hoof to her chest. Rainbow Dash. It somehow captured all of her awesomeness and was still pretty. "You know, you have a *really* friendly face," she stated out of nowhere, smiling brightly. Apparently the praises I sang to her in my heart were gushing out of my expression. "You wanna be my friend?"

My heart melted, and eyes stared wide with raw affection. She wants to be my friend? Moments ago, I thought I was saddened beyond all hope of ever being happy again, and just like that, I was now the happiest colt in the land. All thanks to the beautiful, amazing blue filly with the rainbow mane and tail. I had never felt like this before. I just wanted to leap for joy.

"Duh!!! You're like the awesomest pony ever," I declared.

Rainbow Dash raised her front leg for a hoof bump. Staring intriguingly, I didn't know what she was doing as I had never hoofbumped before. I picked up quickly enough what she was asking, and beyond flattered I raised my right hoof slowly until it pressed all the way against hers.

As soon as they touched, I was filled with an indescribable happiness that shined right through my eyes. She wasn't really expecting it to happen this way, but she didn't protest. Instead her ears dropped and her cheeks turned a rosy red while she stared back at me. The light and beauty of the world was suddenly amplified a millionfold. All I could think about was how much I wanted the two of us to be best friends forever, and based on her enchanted expression... the more she seemed to be feeling the same way.

I couldn't wait to tell my mom and dad that not only did I make a friend; I made friends with the most amazing pony ever. I just couldn't wait to play with her.

The flight instructor suddenly landed right beside us and towered over us with his height.

"You guys have some laps to do," he said. Rainbow Dash looked at me and smiled, and her eyebrows lowered with determination.

"I'll race you," she said, with a certain tone that suggested respect, if anything I'm guessing for my raw speed. With those words, I was all but as tremendously excited as a little colt could be. My friendship with Rainbow Dash was now official.

"YES!" I declared.

Again, Mr. Original, I know... but we thrust ourselves off the cloud together and began making up our lost ground, side by side. It was the perfect way to start a friendship with this special pegasus.

Even as I'm recalling this right now, I'm smiling from ear to ear. Following that day, Rainbow Dash and I became closer than family. She proved to be everything I ever wanted in a friend, and much more. She introduced me to her friend Fluttershy, and the three of us could be seen together often. Though a wonderful and kind filly, Fluttershy (as her name would suggest) was not always up for everything we did given her delicate nature, so sometimes she was not with us - which was perfectly fine of course, but that only meant more time for just Rainbow and me.

She would even fly with me back to my home (my parents were most pleased that I had found someone to spend time with other than them), showing me all kinds of new moves she had learned, and she pulled all kinds of pranks on me that reinforced the innocence of our friendship.

There was never a bad moment with her. She was tough, brave, and adventurous; and beneath all that was a softer side of her that I think I've come to love the most. She radiated awesomeness. She knew it too and wasn't afraid to tout it - but she loved her friends. Along with Fluttershy, I became her best friend, and even in spite of my parents, life was so good at her side.

You cannot see my expression, but might you be able to sense it in the tone of my voice; this the part of recollection where the smile on my face is fading. I've already told you a little bit about myself, and my current situation... a reality of life that everyone knows is that sometimes things happen that you're not quite prepared for.

I was definitely not prepared for what happened one fateful day, going towards almost a year after I met Rainbow Dash. I had grown in maturity and wisdom in those months, but I was still only ten to eleven years old. What I didn't realize was just how mature I was going to have to be. Just like my age of the day, it was just over ten years ago, and like my first encounter with her, I remember it too well.

It was a bright, sunny day, just like our first encounter. We had finished flight camp the day before, and so the fillies and colts didn't really have anything to do until school started. You can guess what that meant; playtime with Rainbow Dash. So at the crack of dawn I hopped out of my bed and left our house (which was made of clouds) and headed to the rainbow fountains. The rainbow fountains are waterfalls where the pegasus make the rainbows, and it's also the spot where Rainbow Dash told me to meet her on this particular day.

In intervals of trotting and anxious wing flapping, I bounced on and off the clouds on my way over to see her. My mind was filled with thoughts and ideas for the day, all of which involved nothing but ridiculously fun activities. We could play tag, we could tackle each other while we're flying... maybe she'll dare me to try some of this rainbow fountain... Either way, I wanna spend the whole day with her today. Picturing her smiling at me was making me giggle with delight as I bounced my way over to the falls.

When I got to the falls, I realized I had beat her there. I looked up into the sky, and the dark purple clouds overhead were becoming a more bright pink the closer they got to the rising sun. Behind the clouds, the twinkles of the stars were still visible - at least where the sun's light was not as strong. I looked at it in awe, and slowly I sank my flank down the clouds and looked all around me. It was the most glorious sunrise I'd ever seen. It's so pretty... I wish Rainbow Dash were here to see this. I wonder where she is? Maybe she got lost.

It didn't occur to me that Rainbow Dash knew Cloudsdale a lot better than I did so she certainly wasn't lost. Typically by myself I had the attention span of a sparrow, but the beautiful colors all around me were enough to keep my attention and awe for at least a while. Eventually I fell on my back onto the clouds, and stared at the sky, waiting for my playmate.

I'd say maybe an hour passed, and still no Rainbow Dash. I was able to dream away most of that time in my wild imagination before I started to wonder about her. Among the things I pondered was our first encounter, where she saved me from humiliation. Well, the bad kind, at least. She didn't even know me, and she stuck up for me.

I let my head fall to side into the cloud like a pillow and stared forward, and the sun was now high enough to where the sky was turning blue. How can anyone be so nice, and so tough at the same time? I was truly perplexed. She was a lot tougher than I was, at least when she saved me. She had taught me to be much more confident and upright, and she had made me a lot stronger inside.

She was supposed to meet me at the rainbow fountains, and she wasn't there, even after an hour and a half. Maybe I'm just a lousy friend. I had always thought to myself if my parents didn't like me, at least Rainbow Dash did. It's still morning. She'll come here... I know she will. She's the bestest friend ever. I could intensely depress myself at the mere thought of losing Rainbow Dash, and even though I had hope, I sadly got up and made my way over to rainbow fountains. I peered in, and my light green/bluish eyes looked back at me. A random thought occurred to me at that moment. I wonder what the rainbows taste like?

I started to do the only thing I could think of to answer this question. I lowered my snout to the water to try a taste, but before I could, there was a sound of rushing wind and a flash of light blue with a rainbow trail, and before I knew it, I was blasted into the clouds and was tumbling back and forth over until I landed face up with a familiar face staring down at me with a smile as bright as the sun.

"Rainbow!" I cried euphorically.

"My parents made me go to the doctor first thing this morning and wouldn't let me skip!!" She cried. "The whole time I was thinking how I just wanted to be with you!" She fluttered off of me before helping me up. "Seriously, what were you thinking drinking from that?? That stuff is spicy! I mean even for me... Well, it's not too spicy for *me* - I'm sure I could have some right now if I really wanted, but you know... I'm just not in the mood..."

She stopped - she was caught off guard by the fact that I was still staring at her with a huge beam. I didn't even really hear what she was saying about the fountain - I was just so overjoyed that she had come, especially when I had just started to doubt she would. How could I have ever even thought that? The blue filly gave me a slightly awkward look as I kept showering her with a beaming smile as though she wasn't sure what was wrong with me.

"Are you ok?" she asked, suddenly with tenderness.

I didn't really know what to say, or what was the right thing to say. But I spoke what was on my mind anyway.

"Uh, Rainbow?" I said, blushing. "You are the most amazing pony in the whole world, and I just wanna say kinda think about you all the time. I hope that's not weird, you're just so awesome."

Her ears fell down when I finished my sentence and she pulled her head back in embarrassment. Once again, her softer side showed as she giggled and turned red. This was the only time I'd ever seen her like this, since I asked her if she was angel when she first appeared before me. She was so confident and energetic, typically this side of her was rare. It was as if no one ever complimented her like that before.

"Yeah? Well if I'm the awesomest pony, then you're the second most awesomest pony in the world, Sonic," she replied, her head turned sideways though unable to take her eyes off mine. "And I kinda... think about you all the time too."

I didn't how to respond. I couldn't. To hear something like that from her was like the best thing that ever happened to me. I came close at the first encounter with her, but it was nothing like this. It felt like my little heart was going to explode.

She moved in unexpectedly and wrapped her front leg around for a hug, and I felt the life inside me bursting with delight. This was beyond anything I had ever felt. I wondered how it could get any better than this.

This particular wonderful feeling would prove to be an extremely significant one. As happy as I was at that moment, it took only an instant to fade away as Rainbow Dash withdrew, her smile disappearing as her gaze caught something behind me.

"Um, did you know your parents are here?" she asked.

I turned my head around swiftly, and she was right. My parents were trotting towards us, and they didn't look too happy. They looked serious, as though they had something urgent on their minds that included me. My mom - a light purple pegasus with a light blue mane, strutted just to the right of my father, a blue pegasus with a grey and white mane.

Rainbow Dash looked at me uncomfortably and my heart sank as I looked back at my parents with fear for myself. Typically my parents did not venture after me when I left the house, so whatever this was, it was important. I'm not in trouble am I? What's going on? They stopped about fifteen feet in front of us, and my heart began to pound. I had told my parents about my friend, but I never actually introduced her.

"Hi mom, hi dad. This is my friend, Rainbow Dash," I chirped, and Rainbow Dash lifted a hoof for a wave.

"Sonic, there you are. We're very sorry to have to tell you this now, but there's been a change of plans," said my father, looking directly at me and nowhere else. It was as if she didn't know she was just introduced to somepony.

"A change of plans?" I said, my voice trembling. What did that mean, a change of plans? My father stepped forward, and thrusted the sword through my soul.

"Your mother and I have decided against living here in Cloudsdale. We're moving to Los Pegasus, and we're moving today."

It took a long moment to register what he actually said. It wasn't crushing all at once, but more like a slow and painful death.

My worst fear- which had never even occurred to me, which should've occurred to me given my parents' nomadic past - had been realized. It didn't register at first, but when it did, was devastated, and I felt like I was going to fall right through the clouds all the way to the ground, barely able to flap my wings.

Having Rainbow there however gave me a courage I never would have had if she hadn't been there. No! I can't leave! I wanna stay with Rainbow Dash! She's my best friend!

"But I don't want to leave!" I declared. "I want to stay here with my best friend. You told me to make friends and stop bothering you, I thought this would make you happy."

"You didn't want to come here to Cloudsdale, either, but here we are," he retorted.

"But- but that was before I met her!" I pleaded desperately with a furious point of the hoof as Rainbow Dash looked on with disbelief.

"You can't move!" she said, and for the first time ever I saw tears forming in her eyes. "Sonic can't leave!"

"I'm sorry, but he has to," said my mom to her, and my father stepped forward to put away any hope I had that they were joking. His eyes narrowed and his voice rose with anger, his right hoof stomping on the cloud.

"You're coming with us. Another word of protest and you'll feel the back of my hoof!"

There has been no moment in my twenty years of living that was more unexpected or more crushing than this. It all happened so fast and I was supposed to just deal with it. I had to fight back my tears and the only thing that was giving me the strength to do that was my desire not to cry in front of Rainbow Dash.

I kept staring at my parents, who stood their ground, and I was breathing heavily with a look that desperately pleaded for them to be kidding. Everything we did together, everything I liked about her, would no longer be a part of my life. I had to leave the best friend I ever had.

"Say goodbye to your friend, Sonic," said my mom.

Naturally, I tied my best to cope with what was happening... but the reality was I didn't have the slightest idea of how to do that. I was beyond sad. Looking over I gazed one last time into those beautiful magenta eyes and saw the nothing but pain. My absolute worst nightmare was seeing her face look like that. An image and concept I wish I could delete from my mind forever. My snout stared down my own hooves and my voice cracked with every word.

"I'll never forget you. Thank you for being my... for being my friend," I said, somehow forcing myself to look back up into her eyes. I tried my best to give her a smile, to leave her with something positive, but it was to no avail.

She was frozen, still staring at me with a look of utter sorrow. I waited patiently for her to say something, but the words never came. Not they needed to. Her expression said all I needed to know, but it was in it's own way comforting knowing we shared in this suffering, though I never wished that on her.

Looking a little longer, it wasn't long before I felt my mom's hoof on my shoulder. So I turned my head slowly and my mom put her hoof around my neck and started pulling me back until I was walking away from her completely with my head held low. It appeared that I was going to leave without a word from my best friend.

My mom and I reached my father, and the three of us began walking away, and that's when the most timeless moment in my life began. The most desperate sound came from behind us; it was from the high, raspy voice of my beloved friend. Turning around in shock I planted my hoofs in the clouds, as my parents took a few more steps before they too stopped and looked back at her.

The flying prodigy galloped toward me. She slowed down and came to a halt about five feet in front of me. For a long moment, uninterrupted by my parents or anything else, she and I engaged in a soul stare, taking a moment of silence to lament the loss of the other.

She finally took two steps forward until she was face to face with me, and she slowly turned her head back towards her left wing. She closed her eyes, and with her mouth she gently bit down on one of her feathers, and without flinching - not in the slightest - she pulled her head and plucked it from her wing. Her eyes moved right back on me, and she brought her hoof to her mouth until she was holding it, and then she placed it an inch from my chest.

Reaching gently with my right wing I accepted the feather, taking it in as a tear ran down the side of my cheek. I looked up back at her and felt a love I'd never felt in my entire life as I stared back into her eyes one last time. This meant beyond any doubt that I meant something to her, and it seemed to prove the real value of my very being. I fully understood the depth how much I loved this filly. I belonged to her body and soul.

Rainbow slowly turned her head and started walking away, and that was it. That was the last time I ever saw her, and my mom once again placed her hoof on my back and started pushing me forward until I was walking side by side in between my two parents. I placed the feather in a safe place inside my mane, and began looking at it and it treasuring it with all my heart. It was my personal gift from Rainbow Dash, and it would be the only thing I'd have to remember her by. But it would have to do, and I remember taking the oath I've never broken at that moment. I will guard you and love you for as long as I live.

Back to the present, Canterlot is truly a beautiful city. The palace of the princess is breathtaking, and I got here just in time for sunset. I may feel out of place here - as in I may be at the bottom of the social class - but I'm still excited to start window-washing. Maybe I could get some money, and move my way up until I can somehow get a job utilizing my flight skills, and who knows? I hang on to the hope that someone will see me someday.

I am now laying down in a patch of grass just outside the castle, and so far, I have not been asked to leave by any of the guards. The soft grass is just what my head needs right now after the trip it took to get here. Anyway, I suppose you are still wondering how I came into this kind of situation. Well, I'd like to take you back in my past again. As a matter of fact, why don't we pick up right where we left off.

I would like to add that even though my parents had begun to become distant in my life, and even though they had just dealt me a rather painful blow by moving again, despite it all I had still loved them. They're my parents, and they brought me into the world. Even as a foal I comprehended well these things.

After I had received the feather from Rainbow Dash, my parents and I continued walking. In the time we walked, we said nothing to each other. I just looked at my new feather, and my parents walked and stared blankly at what was in front of them. It wasn't until we were almost to the edge of the city that my mom finally spoke.

"We're not taking the train, it will take too long. We're going to fly directly to Los Pegasus. That means you'll have to fly on my back," she said. At this point, I had stopped crying, and I wiped my nose one final time and nodded my head in agreement. I had never heard of anyone flying directly to a city before, but if that's what my parents wanted, then I had to obey.

Any other time, I might've been excited but now the adventure meant nothing to me. I could only think about how much I loved Rainbow Dash, at how happy I wanted her to be for the rest of her life, and how much I wanted to see her smiling at me again.

So when we got to the edge of the city and I got on my mom's back; I climbed up to her neck and held tightly as she spread her wings, and alongside my father we took off into the air, at first flying a little higher before we began a slow descent. We were definitely flying to the south west, because the sun was setting at about two o'clock from my vision. Below me was the glorious countryside of Equestria, and everything looked so small. I had lived on the ground before, so this was not completely alien to me, but it had been a while.

We flew for a long, long time. I rested my head on my mother's neck and closed my eyes, but I didn't sleep. I thought about what lie ahead, but mostly I thought about her. I thought about all the good times I had with Rainbow, and I did my best to relive the time when she defended me from the bullies in my imagination. Maybe I'll see her again one day.

When it was completely dark outside we descended into a forest and my parents finally landed. I was barely awake at that time but I was curious as to where we were and why we were there. It seemed as though it was a two day trip.

"Where are we?" I asked my mom as she touched down and lowered her head for me to get off.

"We don't want to travel during the night, so we're resting here tonight."

My eyes were dim but I looked into the dense sea of trees and was rather frightened at the darkness, not to mention all the critters that were in there that were making noises. I ran over to my mom and wrapped myself around her leg for protection. We met up with my dad, and the three of us walked over the shelter of a pine tree. My parents laid me down, and even though I was still a little afraid, I felt better that they were there to guard me.

I laid my head onto the soft bed of pine needles, and began drifting away. I saw my parents lie down beside me and that was my last vision until I was too tired and finally closed my eyes and fell asleep. Amidst all the scary things that come from a forest at night, at least I could now get some rest. I drifted into one of the deepest sleeps I'd ever have, and dreamt of Rainbow Dash.

My mind slowly came back into consciousness and I could start to hear the sounds of the forest around me. My eyes began to open ever so gently, and I could see the rays of the sun shining through the trees in front of me, as well as through the branches of the pine needles.

The forest itself was actually quite beautiful during the day, I quickly realized. I rubbed my eyes with my hooves and sat up, looking over my shoulder for my parents. They weren't in the shelter of tree.

"Mom?" I called.

I stood up and looked around, and ventured out of the bottom of the tree.

"Dad?" I cried, as loud as I could.

Silence hung on the air. They were nowhere in sight. I was bewildered. Where could they have gone?

I called to them again. I ran forward in one direction, then ran around to another. The endless expanse of trees offered no consolation and no clues.

Beating my wings I shot up through the canopy and looked out. Nothing but trees. For miles and miles. Mountains in the distance. No pegasus in sight. Not one.

Trotting through the forest I kept looking. Passing through the trees, thinking they must be somewhere.

The more I looked, the more my breaths got heavier and heavier.

So did my heart.

This continued for around for an hour or so. The minutes themselves turned to hours, as my wanting so badly not to believe it grew and grew. A crushing shadow of grief and sadness that grew into something that cannot be described started to consume me.

Eventually... I gave up looking.

Collapsing on the forest floor, the tears started flowing freely from my eyes as I fell to my knees and looked up into the canopy. I never felt more alone in the world then I did right then.

My sorrow and despair had drained me of all and any energy I had, and I fell forward on my face until I was lying in the dirt. I didn't know what to do now. I was only ten years old.

Where would I go from here?

After a few hours of lying on the ground, I just remember taking out the feather that Rainbow Dash had given me, and staring at it. It was my only consolation.

Every moment I looked at that feather and my heart poured out with love, but also sadness. I pictured her smiling face, and somehow in this horrible moment it breathed solace into my young, innocent heart so that I could not be utterly defeated in a deathly depression.

Someone in this world had still seen meaning and value in my life. That filly was my hero, my life, my admiration, and my happiness. I love you, Rainbow Dash.

I didn't do a single thing that entire day. I didn't eat. I didn't drink. I just laid in the same pine-needle bed that I slept the night before trying to get ahold of myself, and lamenting. I slept there again the next night. I woke up the next morning after the worst two days I'd ever experienced, the two days I lost everything.

The following day I knew for certain I was on my own now, and any lingering thoughts of my parents' return were fully eradicated.

What does one do in that situation? I was only ten, but I was old enough to know I was going have to find food and water for myself, and the pine tree shelter was going to have to be my temporary home.

The adventures of my life only got started on that day. Fortunately, the details of this part of the story are going to end now; those tales are going to have to wait for another day. I will add, however, for your comfort, that things did get better for me, at least for a while. Just three days after I woke up alone, I discovered about midday in the middle of the forest a most peculiar-looking hut.

It's inhabitant nearly scared me to death when, as I examined it from the outside, she appeared right behind me; her coat and mane were stripes of white, grey, and black; later I learned that she was not a pony, but a zebra.

She looked at me with tremendous fascination, confusion, and pity as I cowered in fear before her. The first words she ever spoke to me as I covered my eyes at her hooves will never be forgotten.

"How is it that a poor and helpless lonely foal appears to me without a goal? Why do you cry, my little friend? Do not fear me, for I you will never offend."

You see, zebras speak in rhymes, or at least she does. More importantly, her rhymes come from her heart of gold as I quickly learned. She took me into her own home on that day and became my real mother. And I stayed with her for three years.

I cannot describe the comfort and consolation that Rainbow Dash continued to bring me and it was with her help that I was still able to be happy. You see, that's why I guard the feather so tightly. Every single day since she gave it to me, I've thought about her.

My crush was born on the day she rescued me from humiliation, but she became my life the day she gave me this. She must be a mare now. She was a year younger then me and I'm now twenty, and what a beautiful mare she must be, for she was the prettiest thing my eyes had ever seen when she was only a filly.

Zecora played a huge role herself in shaping me herself. She tried so hard to help me put my parents behind me. To help me forgive them and move on. I can honestly say she did a wonderful job.

The reason I stayed with Zecora for just 3 years was also due to an unforeseen and extremely unfortunate occurence, though perhaps not as devastating as being willfully abandoned by your own parents.

It happened seven years ago when we were traveling through the wilderness together looking for a new home. We happened on some migrating dragons who took an interest in us as food items.

We came suddenly upon a rock ledge - a dragon perched on top of it saw us and quickly called us to the attention of his friends. With Zecora being unable to fly, I took matters into my own hooves; I encouraged them to come after me to lead them away from her. After an exhausting and mostly sky-bound game of cat and mouse that turned into an all-day affair, I finally lost them. Or they gave up.

It took a lot out of me and I had to rest. When I went back to stealthily investigate, by that time more than a day had passed and I found the dragons were right back where we had been separated, probably looking for her as an act of revenge. Which meant Zecora couldn't have waited for me there lest she be eaten herself. And she therefore could've been anywhere.

I searched in vain to find her, but it was no use. It was another huge blow. Equestria is vast, and she had to clear the area to escape the dragons. Despite that, her net positive on my life and wellbeing was indescribable. Zecora encouraged me to me let go of my parents did, and in many ways I owe her my life along with Rainbow. She saved my life and took me in when she had no obligation to. With our parting at least I got to save hers. Maybe some day I'll meet her again. I sure hope so.

From that point on, I've been totally on my own. I've been tired, hungry, and homeless for a good bit of it. I've have slept outside for most of my life. But I wouldn't trade my life and my existence for the whole universe. The stars became my friends. They whispered to me many a nights that Rainbow would never forget me. She'd never stop being my friend. And every single night I got to lay my head down on my most special feather and dream of the one who gave it to me.

One day soon, maybe when I have made enough money for a home, I should very much like to find her. I will look for her in every city and town if I have to. She may not even remember me. She may even have a boyfriend or a husband for all I know. But I would give the entire world just to see that amazing pony again. To just see her smile one more time...

Snow Storms in the Northern Plains

Rainbow wasn't quite the same the next day. I offered to let her stay with me in my home so she wouldn't have to go back to the hospital, but she insisted on sleeping on the grass. I guess she wanted to see what it was like, and by now you know how she is; if she's set on doing something... she does it. At least I convinced her to take the patch right in front of my house. I stayed with her the entire night and slept in the grass right beside her anyway. I hear the doctor wasn't too happy about it - her leaving the hospital, and that he even complained to the mayor, but you could argue she's more powerful and influential than the mayor is anyway given her status as an element and best friend to the Princess, so there wasn't much they could do.

That night and the next day she was quieter than she usually is. To my disappointment, she didn't smile as much. She's usually wide-eyed and talkative, looking for fun in every corner of the land - but she was different. She was pretty unresponsive to the ponies around us. I knew she wasn't going to get over this instantly. If she did, I suppose that'd be a bit worrisome in and of itself.

She wasn't unwelcoming towards me though; on the contrary she seemed to be strongly appreciative of my being beside her, but she lacked her usually energy to be sure and it weighed on me. I had simply never seen her this way, except for maybe the short moment when my parents took me away as foal.

I couldn't know all of what was going on in her deep and thoughtful eyes. I asked her that morning if there was anything more she wanted to talk about, but she said no. I guess everyone has their own way of adjusting to bad news, or adversity, or anything like it. I just wanted to go back to the way we were before it came out- happy and laid back, basking in the joy of each other's company. I just hope she recovers quickly... I just have to do everything I can for her until she does.

"Sonic!" cried the voice of Rarity from behind us.

Rainbow and I were making our way to the train station around noon to send off Scootaloo to the Crystal Empire for the Thunderhooves concert. We were just about to step onto the platform when the white mare came running up from behind us, and we knew this could only mean an update in the investigation. We turned around and saw her trotting anxiously with a notebook floated beside her as her horn glowed blue. Her face was covered in exhaustion that made me feel both appreciative and guilty knowing what she was going through for me.

"Have you got anything?" asked Rainbow hopefully, and it echoed my feelings.

"I've interviewed close to fifty ponies the last twenty-four hours, and I have nothing conclusive yet I'm afraid," Rarity bemoaned over her heavy breathing. Rainbow and I traded soulful looks, but before we could say anything she continued. "But I'm getting on to something, my darlings. One mare, Flitter, said she saw Thorn standing very near Hoops and Dumbbell before the race, even though Dumbbell and Thorn denied talking to each other at all beforehoof and - oh! You should've seen how rude and uncooperative those three were when I tried to interview them! Hmp! Sonic, they are guilty and by heaven I'm going to prove it."

Rainbow raised a lamenting eyebrow at me.

"That's suspicious but it doesn't prove anything for these other numbskulls to believe," she said, and my heart sunk a little bit. Rarity was clearly working really hard, which made me feel bad.

"No, it doesn't," she replied sadly. "But get this; another mare, Sunshower, said she saw Hoops smirking at Dumbbell moments before the tornado fell apart. Another pony says he saw Thorn moving up to the area you were flying in that same time too! But they denied any collaboration."

I didn't know how to feel about it. Rainbow seemed to have confidence in her friend as she expressed to me earlier. I was definitely depressed to hear that Rarity couldn't prove anything yet, but Rainbow sent me a faint smile -faint, though deep - that was just enough to touch me.

"Look Rarity, if you need to take a break then by all means please do... and if you know anything at all in this world then please know that I'm really grateful for this incredibly generous thing you're doing," I said, and Rarity managed an appreciative beam.

"It's not a problem at all, sweetheart. You and Rainbow are beyond worth it. Please don't despair, though, darlings. The photographer took close to sixty photographs of the event yesterday. I'm headed over there to look through the developed ones... I will search every inch of every picture for anything to clear your name!" she said with extra drama and emphasis in her delivery. Just like that, she was gone in the other direction, leaving us standing beside each other as we watched her.

Rainbow sensed in me that as I looked at Rarity disappearing into the distance, I knew that those pictures would probably be my last hope. Odd and suspicious behavior would not be enough to convince this town of my innocence, which I wanted everyone to know for my sake but also if not especially Rainbow's. She would deny it of course, but I could see how it was affecting her.

"She'll figure it out. I know she will," she said in a soft voice. Somewhere in her weariness I could see glimmers of hope. I tried to think of something I could do or say to make her day a little bit better. I wanted to tell her that my past didn't matter to me, nor the accusations against me regarding the failed reservoir lift. But they did matter to me because I could see that they mattered to her.

I sighed; just as I opened my mouth to say something the voice of a filly from the platform interrupted us.

"You guys are coming now?" asked a hopeful Scootaloo. The two of us whipped around and saw her galloping towards us. We stepped up onto the platform beside the train tracks and met her alongside it. It was crowded, especially with fillies and colts. Some ponies were getting off the train, but it seemed like no one besides little ones really seemed to be getting on. There were several ponies closer to my age there too that all seemed to be doing the same thing we were - talking to the little ones - which I took to be brothers and sisters sending their siblings off. I saw a few parents.

Scootaloo was excited to see us; she had this big smile on her face that pretty much forced Rainbow and I to cheer up. It lifted me a little bit to see all the other happy foals running around with not a care in the world. I remember those days.

"We might," replied Rainbow with a smirk. "It's awful tempting. We might just come anyway and I'll put up with the pain," she said looking back at her wing, and I have no doubt whatsoever that she was seriously entertaining the idea.

"That'd be really cool!" said Scootaloo, looking at Rainbow with an excited beam that quickly faded at a realization. "But wouldn't that just make your recovery longer if you, you know, like bumped it a million times?"

When Scootaloo pointed this out you could see in her face the thought of waiting longer to start flying again really deflated Rainbow's entertaining of the idea.

"The doctor said definitely not," I reminded her, raising my eyebrow her way though I would never deny her if she absolutely wanted to.

"Yeah... sorry squirt but I think I better stay here," she said, and Scootaloo lowered her head disappointed but her face said she understood. I wanted nothing more than to say something to cheer her up, but I couldn't think of anything. "Don't feel too bad though. We actually came to send you off, and to make sure you have a wicked awesome time without us," continued Rainbow.

"Wait... how did you hurt your wing again? During the reservoir liftoff or something?" asked the filly. Rainbow and I met eyes for a split second; I was actually thrilled to hear that someone didn't know this story, much less Scootaloo, who's love I admittedly crave. I wasn't sure how anyone *couldn't* know at this point, but I was beyond content.

"It's kind of a long story. I'll tell you about it when you get back. It involves dirtbags who I'm going to beat the snot out of when I'm healed," replied Rainbow, putting a proud hoof on her shoulder that seemed to shock and excite her at the same time.

"Ugh, there's so many young fillies and colts going," said Scootaloo quietly, looking over her shoulder embarrassed before staring back up at us with big purple eyes. "I'm gonna be like the oldest one there! Maybe I should just stay with you guys."

I had forgot how when you're a foal, you want nothing more than to grow up. Then of course once you get here, you want nothing more than to go back. You can't ever tell a kid that though.

"What?" asked Rainbow, somewhat shocked. "Come on, you're saying none of these young mares and stallions are going?"

"Right?" she replied, mirroring her disbelief. "They're just here with their siblings and what not... they're not going."

"But that's - huh?" blurted Rainbow, her mouth hanging open as wide as her eyes. "This is Thunderhooves! He's not just for fillies and colts!" she proclaimed, almost frantically. "Where's Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom?" she asked, shaking her head. "Why don't you three just go together?"

"Sweetie Belle is helping Rarity today with her boutique since she's busy doing something else, and Apple Bloom just went on a business trip with her family. They're taking apples to their distant family somewhere," replied Scootaloo in a voice that longed for her friends.

"What? Didn't they just go on vacation?" asked Rainbow in disbelief. "Applejack, what are you- ugh, whatever," she continued, facehoofing herself.

"I guess I'm gonna go. I mean this is Thunderhooves we're talking about," said the filly.

"Yeah. I mean, you gotta go and tell us all about it. Like if he uses smoke screens, and if ponies scream until their voices are gone, and if there's pushing and shoving so hard that ponies actually get hurt," replied Rainbow, as if that was exciting.

It seemed Scootaloo had forced some of Rainbow's old self back, if she wasn't quite as enthusiastic and excited as she'd normally be. At the sight of it, a warm feeling rushed through me that made it's way onto my face, and I loved Scootaloo even more for accomplishing it.

Just then, the sound of laughter from a few foals behind her making their way onto the train caught Scootaloo's attention and she whipped her head around. I saw an innocent love of fun light up in her eyes, before she sighed as though she remembered how young they were, embarrassed to still be "one of them". She's right at the age where she's almost ready to graduate from fillyhood if she's not quite there.

I wanted to tell her to cherish her time right now as she is, that she'll look back and wish she was here again. I know she can't wait to grow up and be like her hero Rainbow Dash. I had to say something to her before she went off though, since I hadn't said anything at all yet. I looked at her, loved her, and just tried to think of anything that might encourage her.

"Hey Sonic, can I talk to you for a second?"

She asked before I could say anything. I think Rainbow and I were both surprised. I looked over at her and she shot me an affectionate smirk as though to say she was happy for me; I had graduated to private conversations with Scootaloo. I was pretty happy about it, not to mention flattered. Feeling special I walked over with her so we were by ourselves on the platform. She looked up and spoke quietly, throwing an eye back towards her idol.

"Is Rainbow ok?" she asked. "I get that she's hurt and all, but she's been hurt before and it never bothered her this much. Maybe it's just me but it seems like there's something else too."

I didn't know what to say. At first I just kind of stared at her with an open mouth. I was astonished at her perception for one, I had no idea of where to even get started for another. She's upset, because, well... because of me? It sounded really depressing in my head, and I definitely didn't want to hear myself say it out loud. On the other hoof I was impressed with Scootaloo and how much she must care about Rainbow if she can sense something like this. I decided that was a good place to start.

"You were able to tell that just right here?" I asked her, impressed and in more of a whisper.

"Well, I saw you guys earlier today actually, but I don't think you saw me. It just looked like, I don't know... something was bothering her. Like besides her wing and all."

"You know, you're a lot smarter than I was at your age. Either that or you're just an awesome friend, but I'm gonna go ahead and go with both," I told her. It took a second for her to get it, but she smiled once she did.

Now that I told her she was correct in her presumption, I had to tell her why, or at least come up with something. I struggled to think of anything as I looked back at Rainbow. I saw the underlying heartache that laid just beneath her surface as she looked around at the children over the platform. Something stirred in me, seeing the whirlpool of emotions she couldn't hide from those who know her the best.

"It's kind of a long story, but, uh..." I heard myself say, as I turned to my heart for answers instead of my mind. "You know how she is, how she cares so much about you, and me, and all of her other friends..."

Scootaloo turned her head sideways as though she didn't quite understand what I was getting at, and I can't really say I can blame her. It was suddenly weighing on me as I searched for an acceptable answer. I didn't want to come to another pause, but I did. I didn't think thinking of the right answer could be so painful. At the risk of confusing the filly or leading her the wrong way, I finally came up with something that wasn't a lie.

"I think she's really upset that she can't go to this concert with you," I said with a sigh, breaking into an affectionate smile, though I felt a twinge of guilt knowing I had withheld the main reason from her. I think she believed it; her young face seemed to say she was deeply flattered to hear that while feeling bad about it at the same time. "Don't feel bad though, it's not like it's your fault."

"Nah, I I guess not," she replied, glancing her eyes back to Rainbow.

"So I guess she really likes you a lot, huh?" I added, and to my delight more flattery flashed across the filly's face.

"Really?" she asked, unable to hide her happiness.

"Oh absolutely. She talks about you a lot. You're her favorite filly, you're like a little sister to her," I went on. I knew exactly what I was doing, seeing so much of myself in her. Watching the wonder and joy light up in her eyes and catching a glimpse of the depth of their relationship was an indescribably lifting experience. A friendship with Scootaloo only deepens my relationship with Rainbow, though she's a unique and wonderful soul all on her own without Rainbow involved or not. I feel so connected to her because I see so clearly all of the same admiration and idolization in her eyes that resonate so strongly in me, for the same pony no less.

"Well, I- I don't know what to-," she started, looking away with an embarrassed smile. Eventually though it faded into wishful thinking, as though there was more to be desired, and I wondered what that might be. "I just wish I was a better flier," she said, looking aside sadly. Her wings again? It was hard for me to believe that a filly like Scootaloo might have a confidence problem given her idol. I remembered she still needed to see me about them given I promised to help her develop them faster. But even so I had a more important thing to clear up first.

"Hey, do me a favor," I replied, sitting down beside her and putting my wing around her. I wasn't about to let her feel this way. "Look at Rainbow over there."

"What?" she asked, chuckling with amusement.

"You see her?" I said, smiling her way. She wasn't looking at the two of us at first as she stood silently on the other side of the platform, but eventually she glanced our way and met eyes with the two of us. Immediately she broke into a blush and turned her head. "You see the way she's looking at us? You think she cares about that stuff?"

"You know how bad of a flier I was when I was your age? I couldn't even fly straight. I was faster than lightning but it wasn't worth anything because I crashed into everything. I was waiting for Rainbow to dump me as a friend because I couldn't fly," I went on while her eyes absorbed it eagerly.

"You couldn't fly? But... I've seen you flying and you're awesome at it, how did you-? I've waited so long for my wings to develop but-"

"Let me look at them a second," I said, holding my right hoof up. Her left wing gently reached itself out to me and I just barely touched the quills in the back middle. Her wings are admittedly on the small side of a filly her age, but they were coming in. "Be honest with me now... you've seen a some improvement these last few months, haven't you?"

"Well," she said, mixing confidence and hope with wishful thinking, "I guess I have seen a little improvement now that you mention it, but I'm still not where I wanna be," she relented, but I could see I was gaining on her.

"I promised you the other day that I'd sit down with you and help you develop your wings even faster. I meant that. What do you say you come on over to my place tomorrow and Rainbow and I can work with you?" I told her.

"That would be awesome!" she proclaimed, and it seemed I had officially broken through. I wasn't quite done though, and rested my wing on her shoulders as I looked down at her.

"Remember this though," I said, and I felt my heart getting heavier and begged myself not to tear up or get too emotional, "-setting aside the fact that I think you have some real skills and potential- was that Rainbow Dash loved me when I couldn't fly. That's ultimately not important to her. I happen to know for a fact that she really loves you."

Her face filled with happiness. I wanted to tell her honestly that I loved her too even if we had only known each other for a short time, but I thought telling her that out loud might be a little too early.

"Alright, sap-fest," she remarked, peering away with a blushing beam.

"You two," I replied, shaking my head at how alike they are. "You two are the sappiest ponies I know," I said, chuckling. She looked up and smiled at me, and I saw for the first time that she really trusted me, and it made me very happy. "Such denial."

"Hey Scootaloo, who's your friend? He looks nice," said the energetic voice of a small young colt standing right behind her. He was a paint with white and brown splotches. He had a strange but very likable accent, probably from Trottingham I thought. He seemed full of life.

"Sonic, he's awesome!!!" exclaimed Scootaloo. I laughed with embarrassment, and saw Rainbow beaming at me from just a few steps away; she had walked up too.

"Pleasure to meet you Sonic! Pip Squeak at your service," he said enthusiastically. I loved him already.

"I am at yours," I assured him, nodding my head friendlily. "Are you coming to the concert too?" he asked with wide eyes, now standing right beside the filly. Just as I started to respond, Scootaloo spoke up for me.

"He can't, he wants to but he has to stay and - well, he just can't," she said, beaming at me. "But he loves Thunderhooves! And we're gonna hang out when he gets back."

Suddenly three more foals - a gray colt, a purple filly, and a blue filly - came running up behind them. Each one of them was probably a little younger then Scootaloo, but all three of them were beyond cute.

"Hey guys, you wanna play hide-and-go-seek on the train?" asked the blue filly to Scootaloo and Pip Squeak.

"No, we're playing tag," said the purple filly indignantly over the blue one.

"Nuh-uh," she replied back.

"Why not both?" I asked them, chuckling.

"Who's your friend here?" asked the blue filly to them, pointing at me.

"Hey, I know you!" said the gray colt to me with wide eyes. My ears fell down in shame as I prepared for something nasty. "I know you! You saved the colt in Canterlot! You're a hero!" he proclaimed.

My ears shot back up in astonishment, then fell back down in delighted embarrassment. Remember that from, what, my third entry? I didn't think anyone in Ponyville beside Rainbow knew about that, much less remembered it. I barely remembered it myself even if wasn't that long ago. I sure wasn't expecting anybody to bring it up here.

"He did?" asked Scootaloo excitedly.

"A hero, you say? Tremendous making your acquaintance, mister!" piped Pip Squeak as they all huddled around me in undeserved awe and admiration.

"I-I wouldn't s-say that," I stuttered, looking to the side and rubbing my neck though I couldn't hide my smile at the sight of five pairs of adoring eyes looking up at me. "H-how do you know about that?" I asked the gray colt.

"My parents took me there for part of the end-of-summer festival," he replied.

"Oh, that was nothing, I just you know... didn't want anything happen to that poor kid, that's all," I replied again. I was just so happy to know them all right then, and I looked around at each one of them letting my expression say thank you. This kind of thing had never happened to me before... and this is what Rainbow has lived with since she was young.

"And Sonic's gonna hang out with us tomorrow, right Sonic?" asked Pip Squeak.

"Well if you guys want to, I'd be more than happy to," I replied as I caught Rainbow beaming at me in the corner of my eye, and to my euphoria and disbelief they actually cheered when I told them I could. "You guys don't read the papers much do you?" I asked more to myself as a joke though it was said out loud.

"Ah, newspapers are boring. That's stupid grown-up stuff," said blue filly. Certainly good enough for me, and the five of them except Scootaloo nodded their heads in agreement, who looked away with an anxious look as though the word struck some unpleasant experience with her. "Come on guys! Let's get on the train, it's leaving soon!" said the purple filly, and three of them followed her. Scootaloo hesitated, staying put as though saying goodbye to Rainbow and I one last time.

"What are you waiting for Squirt? It's just a Thunderhooves concert, you'll be back and we'll be here," said Rainbow with an affectionate smirk. Scootaloo's expression seemed to concede. "Tell us all about it, will ya?" she said, and I caught a little drop of sadness in her voice this time. I was standing a little closer to the filly than she was, who was right behind me. As she started to run towards the train I took a half step towards her.

"Hey... they'll need you to be their leader," I whispered, nodding confidently. I figured if she wanted to grow up, and since she was probably the oldest, it wouldn't hurt for her to see herself as their protector rather than their equal. I told her this with as much sincerity as I've ever told anyone, and she seemed to take it in stride. "Just do what you think she would do," I whispered again, flicking my eyes back towards our idol. She seemed to take it to heart and then was gone.

I was left standing alone alongside my crush, watching our little friends behind the train windows. I glanced over at her and saw her silently watching them in the train, full of emotion both good and bad. Now that Scootaloo had left us her hidden sadness that I felt somewhat responsible for was much more visible again. Though I couldn't know all of what she was thinking about, I saw enough of it. More than anything I saw so clearly that she has such a deep care for them, especially Scootaloo, even if she doesn't like to show it. All of that, coupled with my own feelings for those children, and my ever-intensifying feelings for her, and I myself had to look away for a moment.

"Come on," I suddenly heard the distinguishable voice of a young stallion say. I looked over and saw Whitewash standing near the train with a somewhat stern expression. His hoof was on the shoulder of a small colt, who was saying a sad and reluctant goodbye to his friends who were getting on the train. Whitewash edged him away from them, and I couldn't help but a draw a parallel to my own experience so many years ago, if this was not on a much smaller scale. I wondered why his little brother couldn't go with them. Whitewash wasn't altogether indifferent though; his face almost seemed to suggest he felt bad, and for a moment there was a twinkle of a deep affection. He turned his head up and looked my way, meeting my eyes. When that happened his expression hardened and he looked forward coldly.

At this, I couldn't help but sort of hang my head. Suddenly though another recognizable voice also from out of nowhere, this time just to my right, spoke up.

"It's not really his fault," whispered Thunderlane. I whipped my head around in surprise. He was standing just a few feet from me, and his hoof was on the shoulder of a young colt as well, a gray one with a black mane. "I'll tell you about it later."

"Well hello," I said, turning and facing him. "You going?" I asked him, impressed.

"What, to the concert? Nope. We're just here sending off this guy's little friends. Rumble, this is Sonic- one of my best friends. Sonic - Rumble, my little brother," he said, patting his little brother on his shoulder. He looked like he was in a much lesser mood than his older brother; he had a sad expression on face that I couldn't help but feel really bad for as he stared up at me - it was almost identical to the one Whitewash's little brother had.

"Hey buddy... are you ok?" I asked him, worried.

"Yeah, he's alright. This guy can't go because he's grounded," Thunderlane replied with amusement, attempting to comfort his brother by patting him on the shoulder again. There was certainly nothing I could do about that, but I felt a little bit better knowing that was all.

"I'm sure your brother will take you to another concert here pretty soon Rumble," I said with wink, smirking at his older brother. "Who knows, maybe they're a little overrated," I said, reaching desperately for anything to try to comfort him.

"Hey listen, we should do this again real soon but I gotta get back and take a nap," he whispered to me with the utmost confidence I would completely understand.

"Sleep well," I mused, and the two of us shared a friendly parting gaze.

As they walked away, I turned to talk to Rainbow when yet another sight caught my gaze; down the platform in the crowd I spotted Merry May and Blossomforth standing side by side, talking back and fourth and staring affectionately down at a filly who stood between them. I couldn't know what they were saying, but what struck me was the love that all these fillies and colts had, and the closeness of the families in this town.

Looking down the platform I saw another sight that caught my interest; the engineer - a scruff, younger chestnut stallion with a black mane - had gotten off the locomotive, looking anxious and walking towards the station. He met a middle-aged gray stallion walking out in the middle of the platform. He had some kind of shirt on that indicated he was some kind of official, maybe a train official of some kind. Just then the door opened and a frustrated conductor (another middle-aged stallion) exited the train walked right by, heading straight for the engineer and the official who were discussing something that looked work-related. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but the train official was pointing down the tracks and explaining something to the engineer, and then also the conductor when he walked up.

Suddenly curious, I found myself walking slowly towards them. I couldn't hear anything over the noise from ponies on the platform. Looking in the train I saw no adults - only foals in the windows. I didn't really know what to make of this, other than that maybe they should have someone older with them. As I walked closer, the official kept explaining and pointing something while the other two - especially the engineer - listened attentively.

Finally, just as I got close enough, I caught the tail end of something.

"Twice, actually, since the Crystal Kingdom was restored," said the official.

"Ok then," said the engineer, as he turned away from them and walked swiftly back towards the engine before climbing up into it. The conductor too turned around quickly and headed for a passenger a car, getting in. The official started to walk back towards the station building, I was guessing he worked the control desk facing the tracks; I could kind of see it in a glass room of sorts. I had missed all the relevant parts of their conversation, but I'd walked this far and was curious.

"Everything alright?" I called to him from behind. He stopped, surprised, and turned his head around and glared at me.

"Yes," he replied, still standing. My expression begged for a little bit more just to make sure everything was in fact ok. "Snow storms worse than usual in the northern plains and around the border," he continued, though his face before seemed to say that it was none of my business. "Got a radio report, they'll have to take the back way in, that's all," he said, presumably referring to back way into the Crystal Empire. Without any response from me he turned away and walked back into the station building.

"All aboard!" I heard the conductor yell from behind me. I turned around as clouds of steam burst around me and before I had time to think or practically breathe the train was gone, heading north down the tracks. I lingered on the platform, watching the train shrink. I knew the conductor had to be telling the truth. But some strange and unsettlingly powerful feeling loomed around me on the platform, where it came from I'm not entirely sure. I wondered for a moment if it had anything to do with the odd feelings from the day before, but before I had any real time to ponder it, Rainbow was right beside me.

"What was that about?" she asked, nodding towards the stallion in the station building, the train director.

"He said something about storms in the northern plains," I replied, and her head turned with mulling interest. "Snow storms. He said that train would have to take the back into the Crystal Empire."

"Snow storms? But there's always snow storms in the northern plains," she said, looking confused. "It's always been way out of pony control."

"Well, he did mention something about worse than usual," I added, and she raised her eyebrows in thought, glancing over at the train official.

"Hm. I guess that makes sense," she conceded.

I looked around the platform. Now that the train had left, ponies were starting to leave. As she made her way towards the steps down to the ground alongside the tracks, a couple pegasus mares our age whom I recognized from the reservoir lift passed me and shot me glares that said enough about their displeasure with seeing me. There was nothing at all that I could say to them, nothing I could do but accept that they didn't want me there. The feeling of unworthiness was suddenly all too real again, and a disapproving glare from my past long ago appeared in my head. Come on... not here... not right now. This one had a particular sting. With a concealed sigh I glanced over to Rainbow to see if she'd seen it, and thankfully she hadn't.

While my heart began to ache my head began to turn, and I looked down the tracks one last time, the train already a spec in the distance. Oh, how I love those kids. I have always strived to love rather than be loved, but I could not deny the feeling when I saw the wonder in their eyes directed at me and trusting me. There wasn't the slightest bit of judgment on those innocent faces. They hadn't heard or cared about any of the stuff that these other ponies did. They simply loved. It was a truly unique experience for a stallion that spent a lot of his life on his own and wasn't exactly used to being admired. They would never know how much it suddenly meant to him in a hard time, and his heart filled with something so overwhelmingly appreciative that it spilled down from his eyes as they disappeared into the blue horizon.

"So are you trying to replace me as Scootaloo's hero?" asked Rainbow, but she couldn't have been serious given her half smile.

The two of us were on the path towards my house, walking very slowly; in fact we were almost there, as it was just up the path from us. It was just before sunset and the sky was bright orange to the west, a little darker to the east. She clearly wanted to spend most of the day away from other ponies, so from the time we left the train station up until this point we spent most of our time walking up and down the banks of the river to the south of town. At one point before we settled here, she started to take me to Applejack's apple orchard but on our way she decided that my first visit there required a tour from the farmer herself, so we turned around.

She was just starting to warm a little bit and talk more. I wasn't used to her being so quiet, and I was a little disappointed that she wasn't more talkative. I had never seen her lost in such deep reflection before, and she was keeping most of it to herself so I had spent most of the afternoon trying to think of some way I could relieve the both of us from this unspoken sadness.

But I took this playful jab as a good sign, and my mood lifted a little bit as I glanced warmly at her.

"Heh," I chuckled amusedly. "I think that's why she and I click... the god of our idolatry is the same."

Instead of coming back with something like I expected her to, she laughed gently, and I could tell as her eyes went from me to the ground that she was genuinely flattered. I was waiting for her to start a back and fourth but to my surprise she remained quiet. At least I love seeing her laugh like that so I said to myself I'll take it. Following a brief pause I took a deep breath and looked at the ground for a second myself.

"You seem like you're feeling better," I remarked again, and she smiled very lovingly.

"I'm sorry it took me so long," she remarked, though she genuinely looked happier.

"You know, for Nightmare Night I could be your loyal dog," I said, encouraged enough to experiment with silliness.

"What?" she asked, laughing.

"Oh sure. Or if you want we could both go as golden retrievers... Rarity would make the cutest costumes ever," I went on, and she laughed even harder.

"You're dead serious aren't you?" she said, and her joy was contagious. "You know... I was so sad yesterday..." she said, and she put her hoof on my cheek. "But the more I learn about you, the more deeply in lo-"

Before she could finish, everything was cut short by the sound of thundering hooves. Two royal guards appeared seemingly out of nowhere, running straight to us.

"Rainbow Dash? Sonic Rain?" one of them asked. The two of us looked at each other, all of our emotions suspended. "The Princess requires your presence in Canterlot. Immediately."