//------------------------------//
// Nineteen years 
// Story: Shimmer 
// by CrescentShimmer 
//------------------------------//

XV:

“But Twilight, we were worried!” Spike stood next to Crescent on Skyward’s lawn. “You didn’t tell us where you were going or how long you'd be.”

“I’ll ask again. What worked!?” Crescent asked in an aggressively curious tone.

Skyward and Twilight stood up and faced them. Skyward ran up to Crescent and hugged her tighter than he had ever before. 

“I’m sorry guys,” Twilight looked down. “I should have told you I would be here.”

“Why are you here anyway? Spike, what’s going on?” Crescent’s voice dropped into a depressing tone.

Spike began to speak, but Twilight interrupted. “Let me explain.” She sat in the grass next to Crescent. “I have this book on spells involving the sense of sight. I traveled here, to Trottston, because I needed to be sure that they would work.”

“I don’t understand.”

“After meeting you, Crescent, I felt some sort of need to want to help you. I researched spells to cure blindness.”

“So, it’s this again?” Crescent said rashly.

“Excuse me?” Twilight was confused.

“I left Trottston to get away from people trying to help me, and that’s all I’ve found. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate your concern, but I do not need anyone’s help. I’ve been this way for so long…” She stopped talking and began crying. “I’m sorry… I should be grateful, not rude.”

Skyward walked over to them. After a few moments of no other sound but that of a crying mare, Twilight spoke up again.

“Skyward here allowed me to make him blind momentarily so that I could practice curing it.” Twilight stroked Crescent’s mane. “The spell is dangerous and fairly advanced, even for me.” Crescent just faced the ground with tears running down her face. “…Because he loves you.”

Crescent stood up. “Skyward?” She called to him.

“Yes?” He answered.

“I’m sorry about all of this. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t see…” She chuckled a little at her wording. “I couldn’t see that all of you just wanted to help.” She rested her head against him, still crying.

“You heard us. It worked, you know.” Twilight told her softly. “If you would like me to do it…”

“Funny thing about that is,” Crescent smiled despite the tears, “I don’t even want it.”

“What!?” Twilight and Skyward said simultaneously.

“Nineteen years I have gone living with blindness. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I could see. Plus, if it had not been for it, I would have never met you, Twilight. I would have never run away to Ponyville. And most of all, I would have never learned the lesson that I have learned tonight. That sometimes what seem to be a pony’s greatest weakness, can turn out to be her grandest strength.” She paused and hugged Twilight and kissed Skyward. “I would never have understood like I do now that you’ll do anything for me… And that you’re all my very best friends.”

The heavy emotion was weighing down on all of them at that moment. Skyward was silently holding Crescent tight in his arms. Even Twilight’s eyes were becoming glassy. They remained quiet for quite some time. With nothing to say, they let the pure magic of their friendship do all of the talking.