//------------------------------//
// They Raise Me 
// Story: The Castle 
// by Discombobulated Soul 
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For as long as I can remember, my friends have been there. 

They've always been there. 

To laugh, help, give advice, or what have you. 

I don't recall much of what came before I arrived at this place. 

All I have are the faintest recollections of faces. There is a grey face, a blue face, a white face, and a pink face. The white one was fraTernal, I think, and he was always nice to me. THe pink one really liked him. I believe the others were older than us, by quite a lot. If I struggle really hard, I can almost picture a gathEring of some sort. 

Aside from that, there's just flashing images of fire. 

A burning home. 

A scorched carcass. 

A cindered heart. 

Then came this place: Where foals like me end up. I'm so glad that mY friends have come along for the ride. They're so loyal. 

Right now, I'm engaged in some meaningful chatter with Applejack, who just recently got her cutie mark. She's so happy that it's a trio of apples, and won't stop expressing just how proud her parents would have been. How good for her. 

"Boy howdy, ah wish mah Ma could've seen this!"

I nod along pleasantly, gRinning at my earth pony friend as we trot down the hall towards the cafeteria. 

"That's amazing, A.J.! I'm so happy for you!" We reach our destination soon after, and we part with a quick hug. I watch forlornly as the other filly hEads into the empty room, casting a troubled glance at my own blank flank. Another foal approaches me, and I notice that he's one of the colts before he speaks in a puzzled tone. 

"What were you doing?" I tilt my head, giving him a confused smile as I reply in my peppy voice. 

"I was talking to Applejack! What else would I be doing?" He stares at me uncomfortably for several seconds, but then movement in the cafeteria catches both of our attentions. 

It's Her. She's moving through the empty room, scowling as She goes. Her horn is alight with magic, and She's zapping stains and other such messes from the floor with wild abandon. 

A faint ghost of concern enters my mind for Applejack's safety, but I quickly brush that aside. After all, She never pays my friends much mind, so she's probably fine. A.J. never did tell me what she plans to do in the empty, unused cafeteria, though. I guess she wants to bake something?

None of that's important. She's coming, and She's definitely not in one of her rare good moods. 

No food for us today, then. A glance at the colt shows he's thinking the same thing, and we both bolt straight back through the hallway, away from Her. 

The colt and I split up to heighten our chances, but luckily it seems like She's not in a chase-y mood today. 

I head out of the building and into the attached courtyard, sighing in relief. I really want to meet up with another of my friends, because it's never good when we're apart for too long. 

As I suspected, Fluttershy is there, sitting up in the branches of the dying tree. It's the only living plant in sight, which I guess is why she likes it so much. Fluttershy loves to tell me stories about the animal friends she used to have, and I'm always ready to listen with rapt attention. I find it so fascinating that there are creatures other than ponies, but she says that not all of them are nice. 

"Fluttershy?" I ask tentatively, gazing up at her peRch in the cracked, splintering limbs of the willow tree. "Why don't you leave? Fly away from this place? Go back to your animal friends?" 

The yellow pegasus filly gasps, immediately jumping from her spot to stand next to my sitting form, her slender, long lEgs making her a good deal taller than me. 

"And leave you here? I couldn't possibly!"

Tenderly, Fluttershy drapes a wing over my shivering, malnourished body, and I give her a grateful smile. Sometimes the winds get really cold, but she's alwAys there to help warm me up when nothing else can. 

Her feathers are a great substitute for blankets. They retain heat much better, too. 

We sit there together, serenely watching the gorgeous green sun set below the horizon, the last of its cold light giving way to the warm night. 

I'm so glad I have friends. 



L