//------------------------------// // Prologue - Only a Blind Filly // Story: Only a Blind Filly // by Skijarama //------------------------------//         “Mom?” A little earth pony filly asked, looking blankly at the ceiling from her clinic bed with eyes that had once been a lovely shade of pink that now shown as a dull and milky mockery of what was once there. Her dark purple mane was tucked neatly to the side, so as to not bother her face.         The cream colored mare sitting next to the bed reached out her hoof to gently hold the filly’s own magenta colored one. “Yes, Iris?” She asked gently, smiling down at her daughter.         “How long do i have to stay until you can take me home?” The filly asked tiredly, shifting ever so slightly under her sheets to get more comfortable.         “Tomorrow morning at the earliest, according to the doctor, dear.” Iris’ mother said, giving Iris’ hoof a few gentle strokes. She flicked her eyes over to look at the cast on the filly’s left hind leg. “You're such a lucky filly, that fracture could have turned into something much worse.”         “And my eyes?” Iris asked, catching her mother off guard. It was a matter they had discussed a lot in the past. A subject that Iris brought up sometimes before everypony went to sleep, as well as one that her family did not like answering.         “I’m sorry, Iris, I just don’t know.. Believe me, I would love for you to be able to see how the trees are swaying in the breeze, or how they start to turn red,  yellow, orange and pink with the arrival of autumn.” her mother said solemnly.         “Can you tell me about it?” Iris asked, earning an exasperated chuckle from her mother.         “You’re going to ask me that every chance you get, aren’t you?”         “Yup~!” Iris chirped, giving a proud smile.         “There’s no winning against you is there? Very well then. What do you want me to describe?” Iris’ mother asked pleasantly.         “Uummm… how about the sky? Is there a sunset?” Iris asked. Her mother's ears folded as she looked out the window at the weather team as they brought in fresh rain clouds for the coming rain.         “There is. It’s beautiful. The light from Celestia’s sun is reflecting off of the clouds, creating a dazzling array of oranges and pinks, bathing all of Ponyville in a warm glow. The clouds themselves seem to be of the sort to cause rainfall, so you may get some soothing sounds tonight.” She described, smiling as her daughter’s face practically lit up at the descriptions.         “Tell me about the clouds.” Iris requested, her mother only too happy to oblige.         “They are as I’ve always described them. They’re beautiful, taking on all sorts of shapes as the winds sculpt them.”         “What do winds look like?” Iris asked. Her mother only smiled and rubbed her hoof some more.         “We ponies can’t see the wind. Only what comes with it, should it blow fast enough.”         “Oh…” Iris looked only slightly dejected.         “But you can feel the wind. You've felt it before, and you've heard it too." The mare giggled at the last part. Iris had mistaken the sound of the wind for a moaning ghost in the past, and the giggle acted as an unwelcome reminder for the little filly as she recalled her misconception.         “Yeah, I remember....” Iris muttered before stretching and yawning, her eyes closing in the process.         “Tired?”         “Yeh…”         Iris’ mother cracked an amused smile. “Alright. I’ll let you get some sleep, then. Goodnight, little Tulip. I love you.” She kissed Iris on the forehead before standing to go.         “Goodnight, mom. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Iris mumbled, already starting to fall asleep. Her mother smiled at the filly before stepping out, not needing to turn out the lights, as they were already off. *        *        *        *        *        *         “Look out!”  Iris was snapped into wakefulness by the gut-wrenching sound of a mare crying out in fear and shock, a long sound that already made the filly in the bed beyond uncomfortable. She shifted and propped herself up, twitching her ears to try and get a better idea of what was happening. Whatever the commotion was, it was occurring outside.         “Close your eyes! For the love of Celestia, close your eyes!”          This voice was closer than the last one. Much closer. There were terrified pants, cries, and screams accompanying this new voice as they drew closer. It sounded like a group of fillies passed right by Iris' window, given the way their voices and movements became much clearer for a moment. As they rushed by, there was a sudden eruption of deafeningly loud noise, causing Iris’ ears to ring painfully. Thunder?         Iris’ forehoof brushed against the patient controls while she was in the process of shifting nervously. She snatched it up and began repeatedly pushing the call light button, calling frantically to try and catch the attention of anypony who might be able to help her. “Doctor!? Nurse?! What’s going on!?” She called as loudly as she could, though her words were drowned out by the residual echoes of the thunder and the rapidly quieting screams of another filly.         “Sweetie Belle, NO!”         A familiar mare’s voice called out in despair as the screams of the filly quieted into silence. Iris felt an intense chill run through her, the fur on the back of her neck starting to stand on end.         “Ah’m sorry, Rares, but we can’t go back yet! We need Twilight!”         Another mare’s voice, this one sounding like a member of the apple family. She had called the other pony ‘Rares.’ That was a nickname some of Rarity’s close friends used when addressing her.         “I can’t leave her, Applejack!” The voice which Iris assumed to be Rarity’s spoke up in a defiant shout.         “And ya’ll ain’t gonna do her any good gettin’ yerself in the same darn mess! Now let’s GO!” The voice of Applejack countered before both voices faded away, presumably due to them galloping away from whatever this all was. Another crash of thunder rolled through, rattling Iris to her core and causing her to duck low on instinct. As the rumbling echoes faded away, a distant noise reached Iris’ ears.         Panicked screams reached her ears. It sounded like every single pony in Ponyville was trying to flee from something Iris could not see. She took a deep, jittery breath to get a hold of herself and pushed her blankets away slightly.         “Doctor!? Nurse!? MOM!?” She called out again, pulling her blanket off of her prone body and sitting up onto her haunches, listening intently. After several moments of the ambience outside continuing, and no sounds sounding from within the hospital, Iris tentatively started to edge herself out of the bed, carefully avoiding putting too much weight on her injured leg.         A quiet hiss slipped from between clenched teeth as dropped a bit further than she anticipated, sending a spike of sharp pain through her spine and almost causing her to fall. She was able to throw a forehoof out and steady herself on the side of the bed. She spent a moment collecting herself and letting the pain decrease to more manageable levels before she began to slowly move towards where she assumed the door was, keeping one foreleg in front of her at all times to avoid any unexpected collisions.         After almost knocking over a few items, Iris was able to find the handle for the door. She turned it and pulled it open, the soft click it made almost unbearably loud when compared to the unnatural silence beyond. Iris paused with her head poking just slightly out the door, listening intently for any sounds that might signal danger. When she was sure there was nothing, she took another step into the corridor.         “Hello? Is anypony here?” She called, trying her best to keep her voice calm. She waited, breath held for what felt like an eternity. She didn’t get any replies to her call, save for the now muffled sounds of the chaos outside. She rested a hoof against the wall for support and guidance and began to slowly inch her way into the eerie silence, shivering from the chill that was starting to seep its way into her bones. The further she went, the louder her hoofsteps seemed to become, echoing around her and amplifying a rapidly growing headache to borderline agonizing levels.         “Please!” Iris cried in desperation, picking up her pace to a brisk canter, about as fast as she could go with her leg the way it was while trying to stick to the wall. “Somepony answer me!”         This time, a sound answered her call. It sounded like another pair of hooves, trotting towards her at a brisk pace. Iris relaxed slightly and slowed down. “Hello? Do you work here?”         There was no answer. Instead, the trotting sound simply kept getting closer and closer. It sounded like whoever was approaching her was increasing their speed. Another chill ran down Iris’ spine as the pony drew closer and closer. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that left her was a startled yelp as she was suddenly tackled. The wind was knocked out of her as she was slammed hard onto the ground by a pair of hooves possessing strength that should have been impossible.         Iris started screaming and struggling with whatever pony had her against the floor, but her efforts were wasted. Whoever this pony was, they possessed immense physical strength. In short order, she was pinned down and a pair of forehooves were pressing into her temples, squeezing her face and putting immense pain into her skull. Her eyes opened on their own when Iris’ aggressor applied a sharp squeeze.         Her assailant suddenly went stiff, muscles tensing up. Several seconds ticked by in anxious silence, each one feeling like an eternity to Iris. She could feel the breath of the stranger washing over her face, making her wince slightly at how it seemed to be thick, sticky and unnaturally cold. Finally, the pony released her from it’s grip and, without a word, cantered off away from Iris, leaving her on the floor.         She shuddered uncontrollably and got back to her hooves, gasping when she realized how much more her injured leg hurt after she had been tackled and pinned like that. She wobbled and collided with the wall, letting it support her as she tried to get her racing heart and scattered thoughts under control. Minutes passed before finally, she was able to make herself move again.         After a few long minutes, Iris found herself passing in front of an open door that led to one of the clinic rooms. She paused as she felt the breeze from an open window reach her alongside the sound of falling rain. Thunder sounded again, though this time far more distant. What was most unsettling of all, though she believed it should have been comforting, was the silence behind the sound of the rain. All of the screams and shouts of alarm and fear had faded away, leaving behind only a sense of dread.         Iris limped into the room and shook as the cold wind rushed against her. She jumped in surprise as her forehoof crunched against something cold and sharp on the ground. Broken glass.         In the newfound, relative silence, Iris’ adrenaline began to wear off, leaving her to feel the weight of sleepiness on her shoulders return. She stepped back from the glass, trying to return to the hall. She tripped over her own hooves and collapsed to the ground, grunting upon impact. “Maybe, this is all a nightmare…?” She muttered to herself, hoping it was true.         “What’s happening? Mom… Dad… somepony, please… Help me… help me… help… me…” her voice slowly quieted as she slipped out of consciousness. As her eyes closed, a moment of clarity came to her in which she came to a conclusion.         That pony from before could have done anything to her. She guessed that they let her go for one reason…         What could she possibly do? She was powerless, weaponless, and defenseless, she couldn’t have fought back. After all…         She was only a blind filly.