Envy looked at the masses with an unreadable exterior. It had chosen to... humanize itself, to make itself more like the ponies, more equine. But it felt that such a small form was uncomfortable, out of practice, and unworthy, so it appeared to them like a great beast dressed in pony skin with wings. Stretched out too far on jaws with too sharp teeth.
This still didn't frighten them away. He was the embodiment of the dangers of the surface world and they would not turn away from that accursed idea.
But it also knew that if it did not help, if it did not aid, if it did not teach, then they would run off. They would run outside as quickly as they could, their minds were tuned to the frequency of the 'heaven' above, they would not listen to an explanation of the dangers or heed the warnings of history. They thought they had everything all mapped out, and in a way, they did. The logic was sound, yet it made its stomach bitter.
So it would help them. It would teach them.
"Listen, Envy sir, I get that our folks... Well, they lost a lot. They lost a lot of things that I couldn't possibly understand. But I want to go up there. I want to know what is that's hiding up there."
Envy sighed, knowing that nothing they could say would change the ponies mind. In spite of this, it still tried, and it began with only a slight flick, incapable of verbal attack.
"I understand that you are curious little one. But I must ask... what if there's something horrible above the clouds? Something worse than what the war did to us? What if it's dangerous?"
The pony would not budge. They were determined to go up and see for themself.
"I. Want. To. Go. Up. There." The pony demanded.
Infected with fear, Envy kept his words brief, and unwavering.
"My dearest sun, light of your forefathers, why?"
The ponies expression hardened and its eyebrows drew in together. It was clearly tired of Envy's attempts to be delicate with the situation. If only, if only it knew of the suffering that awaited above.
"I want to know what is up there, for myself." The pony said, the words clipped, their tone harsh.
Heartbeats misfired and pumped out of sync, as it shook its head and angled itself strangely. Envy could only huff, as it thought of ways and methods, logic and reasoning. Free will was a hazard, and so too was its own free will. Too many ways to go wrong, and only so many few ways to go right.
This one, had its mind concluded- and was sadly the more deluded.
"Sunshine, you know not of what you ask nor of what you speak. Thy mind believes there is something more- but there is nothing more above that below cannot grant."
The pony stood their ground, its stare determined.
"I do not believe you. Do you really expect me to settle down and take your words with faith alone? Why won't you let me look for myself? What are you hiding?"
"You. In commandment, I do hide your light from that which burns all. There is no place of honor above those clouds, no highly esteemed deeds are commemorated there, nothing valued is there. What is there is dangerous and repulsive to us, a danger present in your time, as it was in mine."
The pony refused to waver, in spite of the heartrate that it could hear rising, the pulsing of blood like the fluttering of wings.
"Then I wish to be exposed to this danger. I wish to see it, with my own eyes. What is the harm in simply looking up?"
"All who have looked up are burned and hardened, for the sun of Equestria does not shine kindly upon you, sun of your forefathers."
Envy reared its great head back, feeling its teeth itch. Free will was surely flawed.
"There is no heaven waiting for you above, unless you will build one using death as brick and blood as mortar."
The ponies stare faltered, the words clearly affecting it. In all likelihood, nothing was going to stop them from going up above the clouds.
"Then I wish to experience the heat of this fire. I wish to see and understand the horrors of what is up there. Perhaps it will be enough to scar me? To change my mind?"
And Envy, did not hold strength to hurt that which it did not hate. It did not love, but it did not hate this one. It did not hate this one, so it could not attack nor rebuke in great strength, it could not shatter this innocent dream. An innocent dream with grave consequence as the price of failure.
"Please, dearest light of your father, I plead to you. Turn back, now. Turn back, and return to your home. The pain you wish to see is not one you deserve. Turn back."
Envy watched through hearts and souls as the ponies expression softened, a mix of pity and frustration as it heard the words of Envy. Influenced and speared more by the emotions, the desperation, than it was moved by his word. And, As much as Envy was pleading, nothing would change its mind. Not words, not magic, nothing. It was determined to go up and see the horrors above the clouds.
"I'm sorry... I can't do that. I want to see what it's like up there, for myself. No amount of warnings will change my mind. I must witness this horror myself."
Envy dissolved its own eyes, and the shadows did drape themselves bent to cover its expression behind long locks of jet black hair. If it could cry it would, so it severed that ability, and it tightened its throat and steeled its rotten heart.
"Little wanderer, I ask you, once more as you will speak again. Of this, are you most certain that you wish to see? That which has been seen, cannot ever again be unseen, a change that cannot be unchanged."
To his dismay, the pony nodded, their expression hard and determined.
"I am certain. I wish to see the horrors that lurk above the clouds, if they truly do exist. And with my own eyes I desire to see it. Not through magic, or stories, but with my own eyes. I must witness this for myself."
Envy's heart did ache a strange and dull pain, and it reared its head back and tilted it low.
"Then go forth. Not today, for I know unprepared you will surely die. I deny you to go alone, for we did not survive alone and so you will not survive alone above either. Return then, with friends, with comrades, return with more in your number, more who wish in their heart of hearts to see."
The pony nodded, a sad smile on its face as it looked down at Envy. The ponies shoulders slumped, the joy of adventure drained in that moment, a bitter determination in its thoughts.
"I promise to return, with many more ponies to stand by my side, and witness the horrors of the unknown. You may be right about what is above the clouds, but there is no way to know for certain till I see it... with my own eyes."
In response, Envy could only speak softly.
"Return. Return with companions you will trust by your side and those who they trust by their side. Return, and I will teach you, give you great boons. I cannot stop you, and so I will do all to prepare you."
The ponies smile brightened, a new light of determination in its eyes. And as much Envy wished for this adventure to never happen, the pony had its mind set, and nothing would change that. The words of Envy rang most hollow in its ears, as it prepared to share the news with its fellow ponies.
"And I swear that I shall! I swear that I will return, with many brave and daring ponies beside me. I'm sure they share my desire to see what's up there. And when that day finally comes, I shall return, and you will guide us."
The pony left, with a sense of vigor burning in its eyes, and Envy cast its gaze downwards as invisible tears fell down silently from its face, silent sobs jerked and heaved its body. It felt a strange mixture of pride, and shame... It was the first time a pony had ever stood up to it like that. To truly sit down and talk, talk with determination, with intent.
But was that enough? Was will and bone to truly conquer the horrors above the clouds? Heavens that shattered them and scattered them to the winds, were not swayed by words and love. And Envy had been. He had been swayed, unwillingly. And Envy could only weep, this tiny pony so determined in its quest to reach the horrors above the clouds... This pony who would doom themselves to die if they went there.
How Envy wished it would turn its back on that dream as it had on him, how it hoped that something else would occupy that ponies thoughts and sap away its time- How it wished for nothing more than that tiny pony to be safe... But there were wills at play that answered to more than just him, outside forces beyond his control. Event's in motion that could not be stopped.
So, Envy waited. It waited for their return.