I was running down a long dark hallway. It was the only way to escape the horrific scene behind me. I fought to control the tears of grief and guilt that were threatening to overwhelm me. There was no time to stop; I could hear them burst into the hall close on my heels. The end of the hall was fast approaching and there was no time to slow down and open the door to the fire escape. I jumped, wrapped my arms around my face, and hit the glass. I felt bursts of pain all over as the window shattered around me, slicing the skin of my arms and back.

His injuries were not severe, Sister. Why isn’t he waking up?

I tumbled through the air out of control, stunned by the impact, and crashed into the garden below. I was bleeding badly and only half-conscious when another two enforcers picked me up and dragged me to my feet. He restrained my arm behind my back and dragged me back to the building. I struggled weakly but I couldn’t escape.

Tis beyond your skill to see. His soul has been torn.

“We’re not done yet. Time to finish paying the price boy” he growled. I was struggling against his grip as the other pulled his knife out. I could feel the blade tear into my abdomen and then they dumped me on the floor. I stared blankly as my vision grayed. I had failed in every way possible, and there was nobody I could blame for this but myself. One single thought echoed through my mind.

I was at my kitchen table eating supper when I heard the sound of crunching gravel out front. Before I could react, the front door was knocked off its hinges. Dark figures burst in and charged, reaching out for me with scaly claws. I grabbed my long sword and took a swing at the lead figure. The first one fell, but the rest of them quickly overwhelmed me. I could feel their claws tearing into my arms, back, and shoulder.

Indeed. He will not survive long. Something has infected the wound.

“It’s time to finish paying the bill brat. They’ve already covered the rest of the cost,” he said, tilting his head at the front door. There were two crumpled figures by the door. I easily recognized the forms as my parents and a wave of sorrow washed over me.

“I’d kill you but that’s so final. Enjoy your life.” Then the scorpion tail slammed into my stomach.

We must find him. You know tis my responsibility alone.

I tumbled through the air out of control, stunned by the impact, and crashed into the garden below. I was bleeding badly and only half conscious when another two enforcers picked me up and dragged me to my feet. We can smell your taint beast. Where are you hiding? He restrained my arm behind my back and dragged me back to the building. I struggled weakly but I couldn’t escape.

“It’s time to finish paying the bill brat. They’ve already covered the rest of the cost,” he said, tilting his head at the front door. There were two crumpled figures by the door. This dreamscape is hostile, Silver. We are trying to find you. Stay strong. I easily recognized the forms as Steel Rain and Nurse Redheart. A wave of sorrow washed over me. I had failed.

“I’d kill you but that’s so final. Enjoy your life.” The scorpion plunged the blade into my stomach.

“It’s time to finish for your insolence. They’ve already covered the rest of the cost,” she said, tilting her head at the front door. There were two crumpled figures by the door. Fight it Silver! We are getting close. I easily recognized the forms as Twilight and Fluttershy. A wave of sorrow washed over me. I had failed.

“I’d kill you but that’s so final. Enjoy your life.” Sunset plunged the blade into my stomach.

Suddenly the fire escape door burst opened and a blue winged unicorn burst into the hallway in front of me. I couldn’t slow down and I crashed straight into it. Its eyes blazed in triumph as it faced the thugs chasing me. The creature’s horn flared a blinding blue and a glowing shield encased my pursuers.

The men who were chasing me started screaming in agony as the shield contracted around them. Their voices slide away from humans and became more alien. Their figures collapsed into a single inky black void and it began to laugh as it shrank out of existence.

“You are only delaying the inevitable. The remnant of this shell is mine to consume. Nothing can save it now.”

“We dispute that beast,” The horse creature declared. “Your powers are far less than you arrogantly believe. We will expel you from this body!”

Finally the inky black figure faded and vanished in a sparkling cloud of dust. I could still hear the laughter echoing in the distance. I was confused, dizzy, and panicking. I just needed to go back to sleep. The hallway around me began to fade like it was mist.

“Remain here Silver Spark, do not drift away. We have found where you were trapped and can now help thee escape this nightmare.”

There was something in that gentle voice that seemed to clear the fog from my mind. The hallway regained a sort of solidity and I looked for the source of the voice. There was a horse-like creature standing proudly before me. She stood as tall as me with midnight blue fur and wings spread wide. Her eyes were piercing cyan but it was her mane and tail that drew my eye. They looked less like hair and more like slices of the night sky, rippling in an unseen wind. A black metal crown sat on her head just behind her horn.

“Peace Silver Spark,” she reassured. “We are Princess Luna, Alicorn of the Moon, and the Warden of Dreams. This is thine dream now, though t'was a veritable nightmare to find your true mind.”

I pinched my nose, trying to think. “This doesn’t make any sense. Why would you have so much trouble finding me?”

“You were injured and unconscious when you entered the realm of Equestria. Mine sister and niece joined me in healing thine broken body but the injury to thine soul is far more severe. Your mind had retreated into darkness and we feared it would dissipate into the Astral Realm. Dreams and nightmares are my domain alone, so it is my responsibility to help.”

My shoulders slumped and looked away. “You shouldn’t waste your time on me,” I mumbled. “I’m not important your highness.”

“In all our thousands of years of life, we have never met a pony who wasn’t important Silver Spark.”

Honestly, at that moment I figured this was all just a dream and in a way I was right. Luna stomped her foot, sending a powerful ripple through the dream. My legs crumpled under me and I fell heavily onto my butt. I looked up into the face of an angry God. Her mane was churning like a storm and her eyes almost seemed feline for a moment. There was something in the air that I couldn’t identify; something like heat but that wasn’t exactly the right word. Whatever it was, it made all the hair on my body stand on end.

“CEASE THIS FOALISH WHINING!” She snapped. Her voice, eyes, and mane quickly returned to normal. “My apologies but you must listen! These feelings are not entirely your own, they are as much a construct of the creature that has infected your mind and soul. We will not simply abandon our sacred responsibility to protect the ponies of our domain simply because you inaccurately believe you are unimportant. However, we cannot help you if you refuse to act. We can guide you to the road but you are the one who must walk it Silver Spark.”

I gaped up at Princess Luna, trying to remember how I got here. A trickle of blurred memories flowed into my mind. Memories of the pain of living a singular moment over and over again.

Her horn glowed and the growing torrent of dream memories cut off. “We are real and yet not in a manner of speaking. Tis of no importance. We must find out why you are trapped in this cycle of nightmares. We hope that will lead us to the clue needed to heal your soul.”

“We failed our duties towards you,” she apologized. “In truth, you have experienced variations on these horrors many thousands of times since you came into our care.”

The expression on her face turned my blood to ice. She was deadly serious as she explained the stakes.

“We are not certain if you will be sane when you wake but we will do our best to keep you whole. If you choose to resist or reject my aid, there is nothing more we can do to save you. We must delve into thine true memories and cannot do that without risking damage. Forceful methods would break your mind and kill you just as quickly as thine current infection.”

I was at a loss for words while I looked into the eyes of this strange creature. The whole situation felt totally surreal and I honestly didn’t know what to do. Could I trust that this Princess Luna was being honest about the situation or was this just a final hallucination?

“We had hoped you might know how she was fairing in thy world after seeing her in thy nightmares,” Princess Luna replied warmly. “She is a dear friend and the youngest Princess of Equestria. It was she who led the Elements of Harmony to rescue us from a thousand years of insanity. We trust she is unharmed.”

At that moment, it occurred to me I simply had nothing to lose. It didn't matter if she was real or just another trick.

“Twilight is doing very well. She has been a true friend to me since I met her. Very well, I accept your generous offer to help your highness. What must I do?”

“First, thou must call us simply Luna,” she replied. “Honorifics and titles are of little value here. Your path starts at the beginning. We need to explore the true memories that make up those events. They are somehow tied to the taint that is creeping through your mind and we must explore them to find where this darkness took root.”

Luna’s words struck a chord for some reason but at the same time, I was afraid to revisit these memories. I had buried them deep inside for months. I dreaded returning to something that I had firmly closed the door on as far as I was concerned.

I drifted off as the world dissolved and reshaped around us. The hallway became a concrete sidewalk and the walls were replaced with the massive buildings that made up the streets of Manhattan. The neighborhood was exactly as I remembered it. I turned around to find a startling sight. It was me, standing at the front door of Steel Rain’s dojo while I stood across the street watching him. To say it was a disorienting experience would be an understatement. I looked over to Luna to find an amused expression on her face as she observed my reaction.

“We are watching your memories without interference,” she explained. “Thine mind is subconsciously filling the gaps so we can stand here and watch as ghosts. If we placed you directly inside the memory thine foreknowledge would contaminate the events and quickly transform them into an unhelpful dream.”

“It would be best if you thought of him as a different individual,” Luna explained. “He is you as you were during an instant of time that is long past. Simply an echo of your past self as all memories are. This is not who you are now.”

I stared at the face of my former self and sadly I found it quite easy to think of him as someone else. He was dressed in slacks and a tight t-shirt that showed his lightly muscled frame. The bare skin of his arms was clean and smooth, lacking the humiliating web of scars that decorated my body now. His golden eyes were bright and fit the small smile on his face. His shoulder-length brown and gray hair was clean. What really hurt was watching him stand tall; filled with the confidence that he could take on the world. He was nothing but a distant memory.

Luna shot me a sharp look but didn’t comment on my choice of words. Memory walked down the streets with his gym bag hooked over his shoulder. There was no fear in his face and he didn’t even flinch as cars raced past him. When he made the fateful turn into an alley, I really wanted to yell at him to stop but as Luna said, that would interfere. I resisted and just watched the scene play out.

Two men in leather jackets stepped out into the alley and stopped Memory in his tracks. Their jackets were each decorated with a white scorpion logo that frightened me terribly now. Memory didn’t care; he just stared at the two thugs as if daring them to make the first move.

“How about you step aside and let me pass peacefully,” He replied after a moment of hesitation. “That way you won’t get hurt.”

The two thugs exchanged a surprised glance and then laughed. There was no humor in their laughter, only a threat. Then raised their weapons and approached Memory.

“Looks like we’ve got a comedian here,” the second one said. “Let’s give him an education ‘bout who runs these streets.”

As the first thug swung his weapon, Memory burst into action. He let go of his gym bag and had blocked the attack before his bag even hit the ground. As the pipe swung clumsily to one side, Memory grappled the arm that held the weapon. With a quick spin, he was behind the thug and twisted the arm holding the pipe upwards.

Luna and I both winced at the loud pop as the thug’s arm was dislocated. The thug screamed from the pain and let go of the pipe. Memory snagged the section of metal right out of the air and used it to block the attack from the second thug and then countered with a strike to the side of his head. The second thug dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks. Memory laughed as he knelt down on the back of the first one to keep him from rising. His phone was already in his hand and he was dialing 911 while he muttered about their mediocre combat skill.

“Impressive,” Luna commented. “You took those two down with the ease of a seasoned warrior.”

I turned my back on the scene. “I should have tried to escape,” I sighed. “Fighting them was an idiotic decision when I could have run.”

I turned back in shock to find the pinned thug leaping up off the ground as if Memory wasn’t even there. He rushed towards me and Luna brandishing the pipe. It was dripping with black smoke as it swung at me. I dodged out of the way and rolled across the sidewalk. Luna turned and bucked the thug back into the alleyway with her hind legs. He flew through the air and hit the wall with a sickening crunch before being gathered up with his companion in a glowing blue sphere.

“Why are you ashamed of this victory?” she demanded, stomping her hoof forcefully. “You vanquished two dangerous foes and protected future innocents from harm. This creature would have no strength here without powerful regret.”

There was a hissing noise as the shield contracted, compacting the two thugs into a black mist that quickly evaporated into nothingness. She stared at me, demanding an answer.

“I was arrogant,” I replied, shaking my head. “After the police arrived I went home and didn’t give it any more thought. The price of my hubris was far too high.”

As I spoke, the scene shifted to the hallway of a modern apartment building. This was a place I had only seen once since it all went wrong. We ghosted through the door like it wasn’t even there. My parents and Memory were sitting in the kitchen eating a late dinner. Our food was still sizzling in a cast iron pan in the middle of the table. The three of them were engaged in quiet conversation. I couldn’t even remember what we were talking about at that moment so I simply drank in the faces I wouldn’t see again in the waking world.

“This happened two weeks after the incident in the alley,” I explained. “The night I paid the price.”

“Could you tell me about these people with you?” Luna asked gently. “Who are they?”

I walked over to the woman at the table. She was lithe with dark gray skin and gold eyes. Her eyes sparkled with amusement at something.

“This is my mother, Swift Strike,” I said before gesturing at the man. “And this is my father, Iron Hammer.”

Iron Hammer was a tall, heavily muscled man with pale blue skin and blue eyes. His hands were covered in callouses and burns from years of his work. I wanted to tell Luna all about them for the sake of someone else knowing them but the events played out exactly as I remembered them. There was a loud bang as the front door of the apartment was knocked right off its hinges. Several large men in black leather jackets burst in with knives and pipes in hand.

The first one burst into the dining room with his knife raised. “You knew this was coming brat! Nobody messes with the Scorpions and- ACK!”

His rant was cut off by the impact of a hot cast iron frying pan that flew across the room into his face. Mom had whipped it at him without hesitation and all three of them were on their feet. Father had grabbed a short sword off the wall and mom was already in a martial arts stance. Memory had grabbed the phone and was dialing 911 but his face was a frozen mask of fear and guilt.

“To this day I have no idea why they hunted me down,” I said, sadly watching the growing chaos. “It was just a failed mugging as far as I know. I don’t even know how they found my home. It doesn’t really matter anymore because it was my fault the Scorpions came here looking for blood.”

I knew what was coming and I hated every minute of watching my parents bravely fight off the invaders. Mom had grappled one thug to the ground and gave his arm a quick twist to disable him. Another thug was screaming as my father’s blade tore through the leather jacket and sliced his arm open. After screaming the address into the phone, Memory had moved to grab a weapon but my parents interrupted him.

“Get ready to run Silver!” my father exclaimed. “We’ll make a hole! Now Swift!”

Memory’s face was aghast as my parents pushed aggressively into the living room.

The gang members were stumbling in every direction as my parents redoubled their effort. Then several shots rang out as two thugs opened fire. Memory, Luna and I were all frozen in horror as my parents both collapsed to the ground, red already beginning to stain their clothing.

Memory only hesitated a second before sprinting out into the hallway. I watched him go, closely followed by two of the thugs. I didn’t turn and look at the crumpled corpses of my parents.

“I should have fought,” I sniffed. “I regret that cowardly decision every moment of every day.”

Luna and I spun around. To my horror, my parents stood up, black mist bleeding off them. They spoke in unison, their voices mixing into one.

They held their hands out as if inviting me in. Guilt threatened to crush me and I actually made one staggering step towards them. Before I could take a second step, Luna was between me and the shades.

I stumbled back as Luna’s horn glowed incandescent, evaporating the two figures, leaving the true forms of my parents crumpled on the floor. My heart was aching for them but I turned and walked out into the hallway where Memory was frozen mid-stride as he ran down the hallway towards a glass window and the fire escape. The two gang members were hot on his heels, also frozen in mid-stride.

“This is where you came into my dream earlier Luna,” I said, staring at the scene. “Sadly, there was no Alicorn to save me from what comes next.”

Time resumed and Memory finished his sprint with a desperate leap towards the window. He covered his face and ears with his arms as he hit the glass. It shattered around him, blades of glass slicing through his clothes and skin as he tore through. We could see him tumbling through the air in a cloud of shards but the sight was blurring. I was shaking with fear as the memory of the pain resonated through my body. I collapsed to the floor and curled into a tiny ball, trying to escape the echo of the pain from the glass slicing my body. I nearly screamed in terror when a feathery weight fell across my body.

“There is no shame in fearing this,” Luna murmured, holding me tight with her wing. “We too feel the pain of memories we would give anything to fix or change. Remember these words: What has been done cannot be changed. All we can control is how we use the knowledge and experience we have gained. Life must go on Silver; even when we feel like we have lost everything. Just breathe. There is time.”

We sat there for a moment of eternity as I shook with fear on the floor under the warm, comforting feathers of an alien wing. My heart began to slow down and I could feel my muscles start to loosen up. Finally, I unwound from the ball and sat up.

The scene blurred one last time and we appeared on the ground where Memory had just landed. Amazingly, Memory was still conscious but everything was blurring around us as shock began to take hold. I knew from medical reports that he had a broken arm and leg. The numerous lacerations covering his body were choked with fragments of glass and shreds of clothing that were the genesis of my scars. One of the Scorpions walked out of the building and over to Memory’s crumpled form. He had a sadistic grin on his face that haunted my nightmares.

“We’re not done yet. It’s time to finish paying the price boy. This is what happens when you mess with the Scorpions. I’d kill you but that’s so final. Enjoy what little time you have left.”

Suddenly he drew a knife which he sent plunging towards memory’s stomach. The phantom pain of the blade slicing through my gut was growing. Just before the knife impacted the skin, I was nearly blown off my feet by an explosion of magic from Luna.

Everything stopped moving and a shimmering blue shield appeared around the Scorpion thug and his knife. To my horror, they both dissolved into a black ooze and it started to churn like a living creature. It was hissing vile insults as it slammed against the shield again and again. Hooked tendrils formed inside the shield and tried to punch their way through to Memory’s stomach but the shield held firm. The sight made my stomach turn so I turned my attention to Luna who was examining the creature.

“Now we shall find out what you truly are you beast . . . No, this cannot be.”

She spun to me and I stepped back at her expression. Her pupils had shrunk to pinpricks and she had actually gone pale. She almost looked physically ill.

“I believed this creature was a nightmare native to your realm but I was wrong,” she whispered. “We were horribly wrong. This creature is no nightmare. Canst thou recall more details of the knife?”

“I can try but I was pretty far gone at the time. Why? What do I need to do?”

“Tis a cause we didn't consider. Just concentrate on those last moments when you saw the knife, I will guide the rest.”

As I thought back on those moments, the fuzzy silver dagger appeared in the air between me and Luna. After a moment, the image began to sharpen like someone was focusing a camera. Intricate runes and details came into focus revealing a simple silver dagger forged from a single piece of metal. Luna gazed at it and suddenly another dagger appeared by the first. This one was so detailed it seemed almost real.

“No . . . This cannot be,” Luna snapped. “They are all- Unless- I beg your pardon Silver. I will return in a moment.”

A hole opened in reality, revealing a blue star filled expanse beyond. Luna walked out of the dream but the gap was left open. A moment later, I thought I could feel the thunder of her voice though I couldn’t make out any words.

I gazed at the starfield for a moment but the faint whispers from the shield sphere drew me. Almost in a daze, I walked over to the black creature writhing inside Luna’s shield. The whispering came into familiar focus.

You cannot defeat me.

This pony will be of no help.
You are a failure.
They will leave you.

Luna has abandoned you.
They all hate you.
You are mine.

Give up.
You deserve to die.
Break the shield.
Embrace your fate.
Die. End it. Die.

The black thing in the sphere was calling for me and my arm involuntarily began reaching for it. All I had to do was reach inside the shield and my suffering would finally come to an end. Black tendrils eagerly beat against the shield as my hand reached forward. Closer and closer till I was just about to touch it.

Before I had a chance to touch it, the shield began to glow brighter until it was burning incandescent blue. With one final scream of defiance, it dissolved into nothing. I stumbled from unexpected exhaustion and nearly collapsed but suddenly Luna was there putting her head under my arm to support me. I looked at the blurred scene that had reformed. Memory was still nearly unconscious with the Scorpion thug holding the dagger in his hand. The dagger seemed almost unreal it was in such sharp focus when compared with everything else.

“It is done Silver, the taint has been purged and your soul can begin to heal. How do you feel?”

“Worn out and weird. Is it strange that this scene seems both more and less real now?”

“The original memory is gone with the taint," she replied, wincing a bit. "I'm sorry but there was no other way. What you see now is your memory of remembering the memory.”

I blinked a couple times trying to sort out the logic of the situation but I decided not to question the magic. I let go of Luna and stood up on my own two feet. I turned my back on the scene and found Luna examining me with empathy in her expression.

“It will be a year in two weeks,” I sighed. “I’ve been trying not to think about it.”

“Truly!?” she exclaimed. “It should not be possible. Every victim of that accursed weapon has been driven into death or insanity within a week of the injury. Perhaps your world’s lack of magic protected you from the worst. Still, to have survived a year with this curse infecting your very soul . . .”

She trailed off and looked up at the sky. Then she looked at me with those piercing blue eyes. I was shocked to see they were brimming with tears.

“We- no, I am sorry Silver Spark,” she said. “The cause of thine suffering lies on my shoulders.”

“A terrible weapon created by an angry arrogant mare over a thousand years ago,” she replied, closing her eyes. “So many mistakes still haunt us; this is just another black mark. I am sorry you suffered because of my sins.”

I threw caution to the wind and walked over to hug the sad Alicorn. Her wings wrapped around me in response.

“You said it yourself Luna, what’s done is done,” I comforted. “For what it’s worth, I forgive you.”

“I suppose I am neglecting my own advice,” she said while a smile spread across her face. “Let us leave this place of sorrow for a more pleasant memory. Simply concentrate on a happy moment Silver.”

I followed her instructions and was rewarded with a darkening sky. The towers faded away, leaving trees and bushes. We were standing beside my house in the human world. The dark sky was glowing with stars and I heard the door slam as my memory of Twilight, Spike and I walking into the house played onwards. Luna and I did not follow. Instead, we watched the stars in silence for a minute, letting the cool night air wash away the bitter memories from earlier.

“Tis a beautiful sky,” she sighed. “I thank you for your inspired choice of memories. Sadly, our time is running short. Please Silver, would you simply tell us what happened after your injury?”

“There isn’t really much more to say,” I murmured. “I was kept in a medical coma for a month while they put me back together. I woke up in the hospital to discover my parents were dead and I was alone in this world.”

I held up my arms to examine the parallel scars. “I only returned to the apartment one single time and then I arranged its sale and the sale of my father’s shop as quickly as I could. I moved to Canterlot City to escape the memories and swore to never defend myself again. My parent’s lives were the price of defending myself from the Scorpions. I cannot risk that happening again.”

I stared at Luna in shock, the rude slang catching me completely off guard. She met my gaze with an intense glare.

“Nopony should ever give in to the actions of thugs and bullies,” Luna declared. “Ponies like them live to take and can only be stopped when somepony stands up and says NO MORE! You have shouldered the blame for something that was beyond your control! The Scorpions chose to attempt to mug you and then chose to seek retribution for a perceived slight. You are not responsible for their monstrous actions nor should you allow yourself to suffer further because of them!”

“I have no doubt the curse bestowed by the dagger multiplied the weight of that guilt,” Luna added more gently.

I thought about that quietly for a minute. Was I overreacting? Had the curse skewed my decisions for the past year? How could I trust myself to make the right decisions? I stared silently at the sky and realized I was lost.

“Tis not an easy road,” she conceded. “The taint has been removed from your soul but the trauma it imparted is something you will have to carry with you for all your life. Meditate on your decisions and discover who YOU truly are. Defend yourself from harm so you may stay healthy and have the strength to help others. Find a way to live your life in peace and resist the urge to just drift through it. Take comfort in your friends and companions in life.”

My mind was spinning and my heart was aching. That last instruction hurt because there were no friends waiting for me back home. Still, I couldn’t give up. I stood up and stretched and the sky began to brighten.

“You are most welcome Silver Spark,” she replied. “Now I believe you are beginning to awaken. Prepare thyself.”

I awoke lying face down on an incredibly comfortable and warm bed. I almost felt like I was floating, my head was clear and there was no pain at all in my body. I opened my eyes to a dimly lit room made of what looked like faceted crystals. I lifted my head up and looked over at the three equine figures standing beside the bed.

I met Luna’s eyes first. She was every bit as imposing in the real world as she was in the dream. Beside her was a much smaller pink Alicorn with a purple, pink and yellow streaked mane and a glint of mischief in her eye as she examined me. The third pony was slightly taller than Luna and gave off the same warm aura as well. She had brilliant white fur and her pastel mane flowed like her sister’s starry sky. All I could do was stare at the three while my brain tried to reconcile the new reality I faced.

“Welcome back to the waking world Silver Spark,” Luna said warmly. “May I present my sister, Princess Celestia and our niece Princess Cadance.”

I nodded dumbly, feeling a bit disoriented as Luna had mentioned. If I was awake, I had no idea how to even react to the obvious power of these three who saved me.

“A bit drained, but better than I’ve felt in months,” I said. “My fingers are bit numb though.”

I lifted my arm up to look at it. Instead of the expected hand, a blue-gray stump came into view. I reacted in an entirely calm and collected manner of course.

I tried to roll out of bed and on to my feet but my body wasn’t responding properly. I got tangled up in the blankets and then something twitched on my back. With a loud snap like a cracking wind, the blanket exploded off my back. My legs straightened reflexively out of fear sending me tumbling over and onto my back. I looked up at where my hands should have been and saw two fur-covered legs that ended in hooves twitching from me trying to move nonexistent fingers. I tried to roll over and was rewarded with a slap in the face from a leathery wing.

The room filled with laughter as blue glow enveloped my body. An unseen force lifted me up and gently placed me on four legs. Luna’s eyes were filled with mirth as she looked me in the eye. When I was human I stood a foot taller than her but as a pony, I was an inch or two shorter if you excluded her horn.

“Peace dear Silver,” she laughed. “We know Twilight became a human on your side of the portal from thine dreams. It should not be a surprise that you became a pony upon traveling here. You will regain your familiar form when you return home.”

Home? Where is that now?
I guess we’ll have to find out.

I took a deep breath and examined the rest of the room. To my surprise, the place looked like a tornado had hit it. Books, blankets and other items were strewn around. The balcony doors were wide open with a snapped latch.

“My sister became quite distraught when she realized the cause of your illness. Do not let it worry you. Are you curious about your appearance?”

At her question, she gestured one hoof at a mirror on one wall. I walked carefully over on all fours and examined the strange creature with a face that was both familiar and alien. My dark blue skin had been replaced by a nearly identical fur coat. My mane and tail were brown with gray streaks just like my hair except my mane was much longer than my hair. I had golden cat-like eyes, pointed ears with a tuft of fur on top and I could feel a stubby pair of fangs slightly longer than my normal human canines in my mouth. The whole face was stretched out like a horse’s muzzle, but it wasn’t the same since the eyes were facing forward more like a human. I was disappointed to see the scars remained quite visible through my fur.

I stretched my back then nearly jumped out of my skin when a pair of dark blue bat wings spread out. I stared in disbelief and then tried to move one closer to my face. I was rewarded for my efforts by one wing bending in close so I could examine it. They were coated in a layer of velvety smooth fur. The sensation of having two additional appendages was indescribable. I started flapping my wings and I felt a sense of joy during the brief moment my hooves left the ground. I folded them back up as easily as if they had been part of me all my life. Then I noticed there was an image of a crossed hammer and sword on a black shield with silver trim tattooed on each of my flanks. I turned back to the princesses who looked quite amused.

“So . . . what kind of pony has bat wings and fangs?” I inquired. “Also, what's this tattoo on my flank?”

“You are a Thestral Silver Spark,” replied Luna. “Twas most unexpected to see one arrive through the portal. You might also be called a bat pony by the uneducated or a vampony by the superstitious but rest assured that blood is not in your diet. Thestrals are reclusive and small in number but many now serve me loyally on the Lunar Guard.”

I gazed at the visage in the mirror again for a moment. Then I actually smiled. A real, honest smile as I looked at the strange alien in the mirror.

I look kind of awesome actually.
Yeah.

“The mark on your flank is called a cutie mark,” Celestia added. “It appears on all ponies during late childhood when you discover your special talent.”

“Fascinating,” I breathed before urgency kicked back in. “I wish I could stay longer to discover what all this means but I have to get back and help Twilight. How long do I have before the portal closes?”

The princesses were an overwhelming presence in the room so I was caught completely off guard when a pink blur appeared right in front of my face. My wings flared wide and my back legs buckled sending me to sitting with a thump. The blur began babbling in a disturbingly familiar voice.

“Really!? You've seen Twilight? Neat, how is she doing, is she your friend? Did you help her out with her song and get her set up to win back- MMMPH!”

An orange hoof had been stuffed into Pinkie's mouth. The mare attached to the hoof had a cluster of freckles on each cheek, emerald eyes and a disturbingly familiar Stetson on her head.

“Ah need you to calm down Pinkie,” she said. “You're gonna scare the poor pony with your antics.”

No way, this is insane.
I have no idea what we should think about this.
Sweet Luna, if you start suggesting I kill myself-
Peace! I won't. Promise.
Buck me, why am I still crazy?

An equally familiar cyan Pegasus with a rainbow mane flew right up in my face. “How did you know her name?! Are you a spy?”

My wings started to twitch as I watched her effortlessly hover there. The deja vu was overwhelming. “No more a spy than Twilight Sparkle in my world, honestly this explains so much. Apparently, you and your friends have twins in my world.”

I snorted, remembering the last conversation with her counterpart. “I'm forced to agree. You do appear to be pretty awesome.”

“A twin?!” A posh voice that could only belong to Rarity exclaimed. “Really darling? Well, a handsome stallion like you must be getting along famously with my counterpart.”

Handsome? I wish.
Enough talk. I want to fly!

I turned and discovered Rarity's pony counterpart was a unicorn. Her mane was styled almost identically to the human's hair but that was where the similarity ended. I had never seen such a warm smile directed at me by her human counterpart.

“I'm pleased to meet you Miss Rarity,” I replied politely. “Unfortunately, your counterpart and I are barely acquaintances at this time so I couldn't really say. Is there a Fluttershy in this world as well?”

A pair of teal eyes under a pink mane poked over the couch in the corner of the room.

I waved a hoof at her and just smiled gently. Her eyes crinkled with a shy smile but she stayed firmly ensconced behind the couch. Celestia raised her hoof to interrupt.

“As delightful as all this is, there is less than three hours before the portal closes. Silver Spark, can I count on you to help Twilight return with the Element of Magic?”

“Only three hours . . . darn it all, the dance.” I looked at the ground. I had failed, Sunset had probably gotten Twilight expelled and the dance would be canceled.

There's nothing more I can do.
That's a load of horse apples and you know it.
Right. Thanks for that one.
Come on. Let's do this.

I straightened up and cleared my throat. “I will help Twilight in any way necessary your highness but that was already my intent. She has been a dear friend though I have only known here a scant two days. Before I leave, might I ask a small boon?”

“Two minutes of somebody – somepony I suppose, making sure I don't die while I try to fly for real,” I said, fluttering my wings for emphasis. “I don't have wings in the other world and I would regret not making the attempt for the rest of my life.”

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened and she zipped forward incredibly fast. “You've never flown and you don't normally have wings!?! Well we can't have you leaving without the full experience now, can we? I'm awesome enough to keep you safe. Let’s go!”

Rainbow Dash zipped out to the balcony and hovered in the air outside with a smirk on her face. “You coming Sparky?”

Sparky!?
What are we waiting for?! Let's FLY!

My hooves were in action almost of their own accord. Before I could stop myself, I had galloped to the balcony and jumped over the railing. Into the open air over a hundred feet off the ground.

My wings suddenly seized up and I could not make them move. I started tumbling through the air, but then Rainbow Dash was right by my side.

“You're nuts Sparky!” She shouted over the wind. “I was not expecting you to just jump off like that! You're good, just spread your wings, same as you did inside. Then just rotate them until the air catches them!”

Somehow, I managed to overcome my natural fear and I gingerly spread my wings. With a slightly painful snap and boom, my leathery wings caught the air. Suddenly I was gliding. Unsteadily, with my heart beating a mile a minute but I wasn't tumbling to my death anymore.

“Awesome!” Dash yelled. “If we had a week, I'd have you doing loops but for now just stay on my tail. I don't know how your wings work so try to sense my magic! I'll make a training groove in the air for you to follow.”

I just nodded, not trusting myself to speak while trying to concentrate on my new appendages. She flew in front of me and then I felt the air shift around me. Suddenly it was like there was a road in the air I could follow. I flapped my wings a few times and dropped into the groove. Feeling a bit more like I had some modicum of control, I took a moment to look at my surroundings. What I saw almost made me lose control of my wings again.

We were flying beside an incredible crystal tower that seemed to be reaching for the clouds. A massive city of purple and blue crystal buildings was spread out below me, organized in geometric perfection. The green grass and trees of the city stood out in stark contrast to the snow I could see beyond. It was an oasis of summer and the sight was breathtaking. At that moment, I knew right down to the depths of my soul that this was real. This wasn't a delusion from the last gasps of my life. It wasn't a trick by whatever had tried to destroy my mind.

With Rainbow Dash providing an easy path through the sky, we took an easy loop around the tower while we climbed back up to the balcony I had just exited. The other ponies were crowded on the balcony and clapped their hooves as we landed. I had a giddy grin on my face that made Rainbow Dash laugh out loud and held up her hoof.

“You've got serious guts there Sparky; you didn't even hesitate. Next time we'll practice a bit closer to the ground though but Twi's going to be jealous when she hears how well you did. You're a natural.”

I bumped her hoof with mine and I shook my head. "I can’t believe I just jumped off a balcony like that. Thanks for making sure I didn't wind up a pancake.”

I turned and bowed to the three princesses before looking them in the eyes. “Thank you all for your kindness. It was an honor to meet you and I swear that I will do everything in my power to see Twilight through that portal with the Element of Magic.”

To my surprise, Luna stepped forward and wrapped her arms around my neck to give me a gentle hug.

“I am pleased I could help you Silver Spark,” Luna said warmly. “Go forth with the strength of our blessing and friendship beneath your wings. When the portal opens again in thirty moons, I would be pleased to hear how you have fared. Be safe.”

I hugged her back, blinking back the mist in my eye. “Goodbye, Luna. I will try not to disappoint you.”

We walked across the hallway and into what looked like a storage room. There was a mirror set into a horseshoe-shaped frame standing on a pedestal. I turned and waved a hoof to the princesses and the other ponies before walking through the mirror. There was only one thought in my mind as the world dissolved into a kaleidoscope of swirling colors.

Finding a Place

by Battlecat

Chapter 6 - To Rise (R)