Horror, plain and simple.
Pure, raw, undiluted horror.
It was not feeling all too unfamiliar to Knight, but that hardly made it more comfortable to experience.
The image of HIS remains decorating the cavern's walls like sick, gruesome art remained cemented in Knight's mind and contributed greatly to his horrified feeling.
The worst part of all, however, was that somewhere, deep down inside of him, he took pleasure in the sight of HIS morbid end.
WHY DID I ACT THAT WAY?!
Impossible memories of hours spent acting in a matter so entirely contrary to what he'd learned through the years were there, in his head.
The atrocities he remembered committing were so separate from the true nature of reality that at first he knew they could only be phantoms from a horrible dream.
But that was simply untrue, and the picture of Broken Barrier's mangled carcass continued to testify of that.
Incoherent screaming filled Knight's mental space completely, leaving no room for anything but utter horror and disbelief.
For all the decisive mental calculations Knight had been able to perform over the years, he was simply left unable to process the reality of his actions.
Knight didn't cry often, but desperate, heavy sobbing was the only thing he found himself able to accomplish at the moment, lacking the energy to so much as pace the inside of his shield or even stand.
Abrupt movement on the outside of the protective barrier-...
That's what they're for. Defending. Nothing else. NOTHING ELSE!
WHYWOULDIEVERDOTHATPLEASEWHYWHYWHYINEVERWANTEDTHISPLEASE-
...-quickly changed that issue, and the colt leapt to his hooves, swollen eyes set with an expression of pleading alarm.
No. Oh, Faust please no!
A new emotion flooded his being upon gazing at the butter yellow pegasus mare before him. Knight turned away, burying his face in his forelegs as shame flooded his soul.
The colt continued his weeping, though the new tears were fueled by an emotion quite different from before.
I...I did that. I'm evil. Just like HIM.
Fluttershy tapped on the shield and looked to be speaking, but he only curled tighter in response, regretting everything in that moment.
Knight had completely lost track of time, but it couldn't have been long since he had taken refuge in a small cave under Canterlot's famous waterfall.
There was plenty of space to do so, seeing as the water had been redirected in order to put out the fires.
Knight's fires.
I...did that.
BAD!
Time crawled slowly by as the colt grew increasingly dehydrated, but several tentative peeks up revealed Fluttershy still waiting patiently outside the barrier.
She was still hurt.
Everypony was hurt.
All because of me.
Miserably, Knight laid his weary head on the damp ground, finally arriving at a decision he never once expected to make.
Darkest?
Some shoved-aside section of his tormented brain perked up in recognition. Yes, Knight? Are you finding yourself finally prepared to return control to me?
...yes...
Darkest did not smile, but he could not help feeling the slightest bit smug as the raw intensity that was Knight faded away ever-so-slightly, allowing conscious action and purposeful logic back to reign. With his mind mostly free of base instincts and thoughtless reactions, Darkest immediately set to work on properly analyzing the situation. Well, now let us see: Fluttershy is sitting just outside mine shield, thus, I should remove it straightway, so as to be nearer to her. Simple as that. Despite these thoughts, Darkest found himself unable to remove the shield completely, preferring instead to open it to a degree such that he could poke his head outside.
"Fluttershy?" The colt's voice trembled with caution and guilt, but no fear was to be found in addressing the mare, who smiled demurely as she bobbed her head. For once, words failed Darkest completely as he continued to stand there, resting his head on the edge of the shield in vain efforts to save what little energy he had left. I must get a read on the situation at hoof. I now know that my complete trust in her is ingenuine and possesses little to no evidence to support it, no matter how safe I feel when in close proximity to her. The temptation to gallop straight into her hooves and sleep the stress away was one that grew stronger by the moment, but Darkest knew to put more thought into his actions.
"Fluttershy, I-" Darkest swallowed dryly, regret and a deep exhaustion so prevalent in his voice that his usual eloquence was all but staunched entirely. "I am sorry." The pegasus nodded once more and opened her forelegs in a silent invitation, which served to greatly intensify the urge to run to her. I simply cannot do so. Objectively, I am safer within an indestructible shield than in some mare's forelegs, especially with Broken's...indisposed...status. Instinct and logic were at war within Darkest Knight, as they so often were, leaving him helplessly eyeing the safe shelter that felt so superior to his own yet factually was not.
"It's okay, Darkest. I forgive you. It's really not too bad. I was thinking of getting it cut anyways." Fluttershy gestured at her significantly shorter mane with a wing, which had been carelessly severed by Knight when he placed a prison around her mere hours prior.
I WAS CAREFUL! I DIDN'T HURT THE GOOD ONES! I DIDN'T HURT MY FRIENDS!
Cease your screaming, Knight, for you are simply incorrect, as Fluttershy's new manestyle can attest. Darkest blinked rapidly in vain attempts to combat his newfound exhaustion, which found itself overshadowing even his horror and regret. The yellow forelegs before him became still more tempting as the fatigue caught up, and the conscious decision-making part of the colt's mind found itself less able to resist sleep's pull. Past experience would testify of her true intentions, methinks. She has never done ill to me before, so perhaps mine caution is unnecessary and in fact detrimental? The sheer volume of pure agreeance which erupted from the colt's mental scape upon his proposal served only to solidify his decision.
The barrier which so wickedly separated Darkest from true shelter was swiftly done away with, allowing him to gallop straight into those wonderful hooves and embrace the friend they belonged to. At least, that was the plan, but Darkest soon found himself with only the ability to gracelessly flop to the ground with his support gone, too lethargic to accomplish anything else. Luckily, Fluttershy seemed able to read his intent well enough, seeing as she immediately trotted over to gently pick his limp form up, tenderly cradling it against her soft barrel.
Darkest slept, but no smile adorned his face as it had previously, for he knew that this slumber was but a brief respite at the end of which lay impending justice for his actions.
"Is everypony okay?"
Princess Twilight Sparkle was now mostly healed thanks to a slew of self-cast unprofessional-yet-effective healing spells as well as her alicorn physiology. She had skidded to a halt in the middle of town square moments prior and was currently worriedly studying her various subjects. The citizens of Ponyville had recovered from the ordeal quite fast, helping each other out of large depressions in the ground and running the severely injured to the hospital with incredible coordination, considering their lack of instruction.
"Several roll calls reveal none to be in life-threatening condition, so we'll all live!" Dr. Whooves, a fellow scientist and good friend of hers answered, trotting up to her. "Still, mentally speaking it may take quite a while for everypony to recover from this, myself included." That was evident enough: The look in the doctor's eyes revealed his disturbed feelings, which were shared by every civilian in sight, at least that Twilight could detect. Rarity, who had been following behind the alicorn with Spike on her back, rested a sympathetic hoof on the stallion's shoulder.
"I know exactly what you mean, darling. To have such a diminutive colt suddenly attack all of us out of nowhere is certainly quite unexpected, to say the least." Nearby townsponies vigorously nodded their heads in agreeance to the unicorn's statement, several turning to mutter to their neighbors in hushed tones. Twilight waved her hoof about, catching their attention and causing them to cease such an unhelpful action.
"Does anypony have any idea why Darkest did this? Any clues whatsoever?" Shrugs and shaken heads were all too abundant, and the princess glanced about helplessly, searching for a certain cyan pegasus who was meant to be watching the colt in question. Erratic movement from under the crowd's legs caught her attention, and she blinked in surprise as a ragged-looking Scootaloo burst out from under the collection of ponies, Apple Bloom following soon after. Both fillies seemed greatly regretful of something or another, and consequentially almost couldn't meet Twilight's eyes.
"It...it...it was..." Apple Bloom began, but was cut off by a sudden outburst from her pegasus friend, who looked to be nearing tears as she choked back a sob.
"It was me! I did it! It's my fault!" Astonished gasps rang out from the gathering as Scootaloo flopped to the floor, miserably covering her face with a dirty forehoof. Her bow-wearing friend blinked out of her repentance long enough to look indignant, angrily stomping the ground as she addressed the pegasus.
"Now you see here, Scootaloo! I brewed the dang potion!" But the orange filly only shook her covered head, barely able to force her rebuttal out through trembling lips.
"No, AB, It was my idea in the first place. If it wasn't for me and my dumb plans, nopony would be in this mess!" Twilight, having heard plenty at this point, swiftly broke the argument before it could progress any farther.
Levitating the two fillies in her magic as she began to trot towards her damaged castle, the alicorn couldn't help but create a mental to-do list. I'll find out whatever I can, then go to Canterlot and see how Starlight and Fluttershy are holding up. Hopefully, they've found Darkest and already worked their magic.
"it sounds like you two have quite the story to share, hm?" Guilty sighs and reluctant nods were her answer as the two foals went completely limp in her telekinetic grasp.
"Yeah...we do."
Canterlot had clearly seen better days.
Twilight had never seen the whole city look so broken in her entire life.
Still, repairs were underway and going smoothly.
While the hospitals were overflowing, that was mostly due to the high-class ponies that hadn't had any kind of minor injury in years and overreacted in every situation.
The only buildings to have collapsed were old and set to be demolished in the next few years anyway
What fires had been started were quickly and easily extinguished, leaving only a few blackened areas to speak of, with no casualties whatsoever.
In fact, the worst injury had been a skull fracture in a noble unicorn named Fleur De Lis, who said she had been thrown into a pile of rubble and knocked out after losing herself to mindless screaming. Still, the doctors said she'd make a full recovery, though the same couldn't be said for the cracked rubble she'd landed on.
The three alicorns sat together on the highest tower of the castle as Celestia relayed all of this information to Twilight, who found herself stuck in utter disbelief. He must've been capable of destroying the whole city, but didn't for some reason? Why? He hates Canterlot!
Princess Twilight Sparkle had teleported straight here after getting all the information she needed out of the guilty parties, hoping her letter had been enough to forestall any hasty actions. Apparently, the Sisters had brought her brother to Canterlot upon receiving it, hoping he would be able to lead a successful charge to stop the rampaging colt while mitigating any damage done to him. The Princess of Friendship was immensely surprised to learn how Darkest had broken straight out of a mana-nullification ring, a feat that could normally be accomplished only by a user of arcane energy.
I suppose it makes sense: He must have used his connection to Thaunon to channel energy into his horn, something the ring would be powerless against, because it wouldn't use any mana.
Twilight had intended to explain Darkest's actions to the Sisters__mainly how they were completely out of his control and not his fault in any capacity__but that seemed unneeded now. The rulers had just finished directing and assisting with the repairs currently underway, now overseeing everything from their castle's highest tower balcony. They also seemed concerned about mainly one thing after confirming the wellbeing of the rest of their subjects.
"He is okay, correct? I'm worried I may have been a bit too aggressive with my stunning spells, and..." But Celestia trailed off at a nonplussed expression from Twilight, who leaned forward, staring her straight in the eyes.
"Princess, there's something more going on, isn't there? What aren't you telling me?" The purple alicorn's former mentor sighed heavily, giving her newfound equal a rueful smile.
"Ah, Twilight, perceptive as always, I see." Celestia gave a passing glance over to her sister, who appeared deep in thought as she studied the ground. "Well, the truth is that I could see fear in his eyes during our whole encounter. It's always been there, his inner terror of me, but I was simply too shortsighted to see it."
The sun princess' smile turned melancholy as her ethereal mane and tail's constant movement slowed significantly. "I'm just glad he focused his anger on us instead of, say, Shining Armor. Though, who can blame him, after I brought him to Canterlot. Twice." The great alicorn winced and she lowered her head even farther to the floor, but Twilight was too caught up in a sudden burst of curiosity to notice or care too much.
"Wait, why did you ask us to bring him a second time? You'd read the reports I sent about my findings by then, so how exactly was that a good idea?" The purple alicorn spoke with a largely puzzled tone, but her word choice seemed to remind her former mentor of something that caused her to become even sadder.
"Twilight, you've heard how Saddle Arabia is in the middle of a civil war at the moment?" After observing an affirmative, inquisitive nod, the diarch continued: "Well, both the Freedom Fighters and the Great Arabian Union have been requesting Equestrian aid for months now. I thought that maybe, if I could just check in pony, see if his recovery was far enough along..." Celestia was cut off by a horrified gasp from her former student, who looked like she was about to be ill.
"Princess! You weren't going to send a foal into battle, were you?!" Thankfully, both Sisters seemed equally horrified at the proposition, and the white alicorn shook her head viciously in response.
"No, Twilight, I could never!" She continued indignantly moving her head for a few seconds after, until the three of them had calmed down. "No, I was going to send the Elements to assist if anything, but I couldn't do that until your previous mission was accomplished, or at least until it was at a point where I could reassign it to somepony less capable." Celestia sighed once more, turning to place her hoof on the railing of the balcony they were currently sitting on. "Now I'm worried word might get out about how powerful he is, but I suppose not much can be done about that."
A pregnant silence followed those words as Twilight digested the information, already contemplating her next move in the ambitious journey that was helping Darkest Knight. Fluttershy and Starlight are back in Ponyville by now, and she told me she's planning to do a session with Darkest as soon as he wakes up. Honestly, I can't think of any better action to take, or any better mare to do that action. Sudden movement from Luna drew Twilight's attention back into reality, and she quirked an eyebrow as the blue alicorn addressed her.
"There's something else you should know, Twilight Sparkle. When we were still trapped in the barriers, I had no choice but to call for Broken Barrier to free us, for I couldn't teleport out due to my injured condition." Pure shock crossed the purple mare's face before the light of understanding overtook it and she nodded affirmably. Teleporting while hurt is really dangerous, even for alicorns. "Broken__may he rot in the deepest purgatory there is__ was no help with freeing us, but he did offer some prized information I feel you should know about before his untimely demise at the hooves of Darkest Knight." Twilight jolted, her purple eyes bulging out as she considered this information.
He killed somepony? Even with how bad Broken was, did he deserve to be killed by Darkest? Wait, no, not Darkest, the opposite of him. Normally, such a reversal potion would have only supplied a minor confidence boost, but Apple Bloom had admitted to upping the dosage such that the result was a near-perfect reversal of Darkest's actual personality. Luckily, ...or maybe not, all things considered... it seemed he had primal enough instincts that didn't constitute personality which were able to stop him from doing serious harm, even if he didn't realize it himself.
Twilight decided to consider the information later and snapped out of her thoughts in time to catch Celestia's gradual curling into a ball, tiny puddles forming on the marble floor beneath her graceful head. Is she...crying?
"Broken Barrier told us who Darkest's parents are, and after interviewing the couple in pony, we can say without doubt that he wasn't lying this time." Luna continued, sadly eyeing her sister's back, which was all that was facing them at this point. An uneasy feeling began to permeate Twilight's being, one that climaxed as Luna opened her muzzle to speak the words that would shock her to her core:
"Darkest Night's parents are Stormy Night and Light Night, who you will recognize as the twin brother to one Night Light, your father."
The last thing Twilight remembered hearing was the sobbing of her former mentor Celestia.
Then everything went black.
Darkest sat on the highly-favored grassy hill overlooking the town he had so mercilessly desecrated, shamefully studying his hooves while feeling Starlight Glimmer's gaze boring into the back of his head.
He had awoken mere minutes prior, still held by Fluttershy, who ensured he was fine being left with his unicorn friend before flying off. The two had simply sat in silence for the minutes since then, with Darkest continually pondering the nature of the punishment to come. I was certainly not behaving in an acceptable manner, so swift recompense for mine actions is all but guaranteed. Starlight is certainly very magically adept, so mayhap she will cast some manner of agony-inducing spell on me? Force me to summon a barrier so she can break it? I would not doubt her ability to do so.
NO! Starlight wouldn't hurt me! She's a safe pony!
Unfortunately, Knight, there is absolutely no evidence to that aside from the charm we have been placed under. Finally, the mare spoke, and the troubled colt's ears twitched as she did so.
"You know, it's pretty nice out here, Darkest. I can see why you like it so much." He inhaled sharply at this, beginning to draw his body in towards itself. See, she even sounds like a therapist, and who is to say she is not one?
I do! I like Starlight! She's good! She's not a therapist!
"You know, Darkest, I'm actually really proud of you." This caused the colt to give a mighty jolt, disbelievingly staring at her as his mind searched for some explanation to her nonsensical words. Does 'proud' have a different meaning nowadays? Did I perhaps mishear her and she actually spoke a word I am unfamiliar with, one synonymous to 'repulsed'? 'Abhorred'? 'Infuriated'? "That's right, I'm proud of you."
Darkest shook his head viciously in utter befuddlement, but Starlight only nodded with a genuine smile before gesturing to the demolished town. "Even with your mind altered, you managed to stop yourself from hurting any ponies or any buildings too badly." The incredulity was at that point too great for the colt to resist speaking up, standing to also gesture at the ruined town he was still avoiding gazing at.
"Have you gone entirely mad? I destroyed everything! I trapped you in a barrier! I...I...I cut Fluttershy's mane!" But Starlight merely shook her head, smiling sagely as she rested a gentle hoof on his shoulder. Darkest could scarcely help but enjoy the contact, leaning into it even as he protested that action's logical dangers.
"No, Darkest, you didn't do those things, the exact opposite of you did. And you know what I think?" The foal gazed up at her smiling countenance, his raw disbelief beginning to be replaced with curiosity. "I'm pretty sure that you've been mentally intensifying the situation, making it out to be worse than it actually is." Starlight pointed to Ponyville once more, only resuming her speech when Darkest finally gave the ruined town a closer inspection. "Ponyville is damaged, yes, but the worst of that damage is in the form of a crater in the ground and some crushed buildings, which I believe you made sure were empty at the time."
The smaller unicorn shook his head again, intending to break away from her presence yet finding himself only pressing harder against her body with what feeble strength he had regained from the short rest. "Actually, I take that back: It seems the worst of the damage is on you."
Starlight pulled away then, doffing her saddlebags to reach into them with both front hooves as Darkest weakly flopped to the grassy ground. It had gone mostly unnoticed until that point, but the colt was finally beginning to register just how hurt he really was, physically speaking. The worst of the pain came from the streak of burned, furless skin that ran down from his horn and ended at his chin, but blackened scorch marks were spread throughout his coat as well, which stung as they were moved.
Numerous cuts and scrapes were found everywhere on his figure, likely from the flying shattered crystals that resulted from throwing an alicorn through the crystal cavern. Finally, his hooves had taken serious damage from the ordeal, indubitably from stomping around everywhere he went like some self-absorbed brat.
Darkest's friend withdrew a first-aid kit and some other miscellaneous medical supplies from her saddlebags, but waited until he gave an assenting nod before beginning to treat his injuries. The agreeance was heavily reluctant, as both Darkest and Knight felt he deserved the pain, but the former figured he ought to be in the best condition, while the latter simply wanted to feel Starlight's comforting hooves again.
Safe.
Not so, Knight. There lies no proof of that whatsoever. Even despite this meager resistance, Darkest could not help but close his eyes and smile slightly, reveling in the feeling of such caring physical contact.
"You see, Darkest? Even if ponies had died, it wouldn't be your fault, it'd be the fault of whoever fed you that potion." The colt found himself reluctantly agreeing to the statement, if only because he lacked the energy to resist any longer. Still, one thought entered his mind upon her words, one that he quickly voiced.
"But I did kill somepony! Broken is dead because of me!" Starlight paused in her ministrations, but only briefly, resuming just as she responded with her voice just as pleasant and inviting as before.
"And how do you feel about that?" Incredulousness flooded the younger unicorn's being immediately after the question was asked, but upon further pondering on its answer, confusion swiftly dominated him instead. Darkest's ears pressed against his skull and he shifted in place uncomfortably as he absently gazed out at the bustling town in the distance.
"I...I do not know?" The colt felt a hoof gently pat the top of his lightly singed mane before it continued rubbing some salve or another across his withers.
"And that's perfectly okay, Darkest. Plenty of ponies don't know how they feel about things." That statement was what solidified the internal argument taking place in the colt's head. Actual therapists were demanding, and never ceased their continuously louder insistences on exactly what emotion he was experiencing.
True therapists hurt him, emotionally and physically, when they failed to receive their impossible answers. They did not heal or comfort, they did not supply safe havens, and their hooves did not feel nearly this good when they made contact with his body.
Starlight's good! SEE!
You...are correct, Knight. Despite how often she may sound like one, she must simply be Princess Twilight's student and nothing more. Darkest finally allowed his head to droop to the ground as his until-then purposefully tensed body instinctively relaxed.
NO! She's my friend!
That is also true, so I simply must agree, even despite the dubious evidence which exists to support the conclusion. The colt felt a sudden cooling sensation spread through his body as Starlight casted some type of healing spell, consequentially shuddering in relief as the last stinging pain left entirely.
"So, what do you think about the charm you're under? Would you like to get it removed?" Abrupt panic flooded Knight's being upon hearing this sudden proposal and he shot to his hooves, causing Starlight to fall onto her back in surprise.
"NO!" Knight shouted before turning his body to gallop up to her dazed head, shaking his own in desperate protest. Starlight gazed up at him from the ground, not bothering to move from her position as she creased her eyebrows in great concern.
"But...why not? You must want it gone, right?" But Knight buried his muzzle in her neck in response, nuzzling it fiercely as both his lips and legs trembled. "You mean you want to stay charmed?" Knight nodded vigorously, only narrowly able to avoid jabbing his friend in the eye with his horn as he did so. "W-why, Knight?" The colt paused upon hearing this inquiry before laying down and resting his head on her barrel.
Starlight smelled wonderful, as all of his friends did, but her scent was uniquely that of raw mana, almost yet not exactly like ozone. Knight's nose twitched as he breathed it in, calming down from the enervated state her words had sent him into.
"I...like...it..."
The feeling of complete and utter safety he felt when in close proximity to any of his friends was one that Knight treasured immensely. It didn't matter if it was a charm or whatever Darkest said about it not being true, Knight felt safe.
I like safe. Safe is good. This is good.
Unfortunately, Darkest did not feel the same, and he established that by resuming control, something Knight was unable to stop due to not being in any danger.
"Knight insists I remain charmed like the unreasonable fool he is, and I am consistently far too weak to overpower him when he sets what little idiotic mind he has on something." Silence reigned after Darkest's statement as Starlight processed the information before finally reaching out to stroke his weary head with a hoof.
Darkest wanted to__nay, should have flinched away, but the enforced safety he felt from the deceitful charm was too all-consuming to allow him to do so.
"Hey, Darkest, Knight is part of you, so you shouldn't be insulting him like that. You wouldn't want somepony else to say that about you, right?" The colt scrunched his face up upon hearing these words, raising a puzzled eyebrow as he made eye contact with the mare.
"But...I am lowly and worthless! That is an acknowledged fact which has never once been in question!" Correct, scum, and do not ever forget it. The continued voice of HIM in his head still testified of the truthfulness of the statement. Why is Starlight implying that I am not the lowest scum of the earth? Does she think I am deserving of anything save the poorest possible treatment? Can anypony be so...silly?
In thinking these things, Darkest quickly remembered his place and accordingly shifted his unworthy gaze off of his friend's periwinkle eyes, yet could not make himself cease contact with her barrel. However, for some inexplicable reason, Starlight moved her hoof under his chin to redirect his white eyes back onto her own, effectively forcing him to maintain eye contact.
"Darkest, you're not worthless, you're priceless. Do you know the difference?" The colt shook his head and blinked uncomprehendingly, causing the lilac-colored mare to smile earnestly as she gazed at him, still having not moved from her fallen position. "Well, worth is indicative of value. To say something is worthless is to say it has no value. In contrast, a price is the number we put on things we don't need and can thus sell to others. To say something is priceless is to say that it is so valuable that we simply cannot give it up, no matter what we get in return. The two words are antonymous."
Starlight finally moved, sitting up in a position that could not possibly in any capacity be called comfortable and laying Darkest's fatigued head in her lap, continuing to stoke his scorched mane as she did so. The colt fought the urge to fall asleep then and there, wishing to hear the rest of the ongoing lecture. Besides, Starlight would not take too kindly to me falling asleep in the midst of her talking, methinks.
"All creatures are priceless, Darkest, including you. We are all thinking, breathing, feeling beings that can't be replaced. If only we could get past our inequalities to realize that." The younger unicorn raised a questioning hoof, inquisitively staring up at the elder unicorn from his newfound place on his back.
"Well, yes, indubitably you all are priceless, as you say, but there lies a key difference between you and me in that I am not! Broken always stated it thus." Something he said caused Starlight's expression to sadden and the colt could almost swear he saw her lips faintly trembling, which only confused him more. Did she honestly go this long without making this connection?
"But Darkest, Broken lied about things all the time, right? You could never trust him with anything, so why would he be telling the truth about that?" Darkest's face went slack as he considered the proposal, but his confusion only intensified in doing so and he was left helplessly staring up at his unicorn friend, lost completely as to what actions to take.
Luckily, Starlight understood his feelings well enough, and merely wrapped him in a gentle embrace which he gratefully returned. "It's okay if you're confused, Darkest, I can see there's still a long way to go. I think I would like to have more of these talks, wouldn't you? Maybe every Saturday we could come out here and hang out? Does that sound good to you?" It did, and the colt nodded accordingly, which caused the mare to tighten her grip around him, though she still remained gentle and non-threatening.
"Good. I'm looking forward to it."
Darkest Knight simply sat there in the fading sunlight, basking in his friend's comforting presence, deciding then and there to leave all cares for later.
For now, he would just enjoy being so safe.