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// Prologue: The Gift of Sight 
// Story: Fate Can Be Cruel 
// by AxelGunn 
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Prologue: The Gift of Sight



By MrAnderson92


It is not easy being blind. Or maybe it can be, but I just don't want to adapt. I don't know. But being born with the gift of sight, only to have it torn away from you in a terrible accident just when you're starting to appreciate things for their beauty is quite difficult to adapt to.

That's what happened to me.

Four years ago, when I was 16 years old, there was a stampede on the outskirts of Fillydelphia, where I was visiting family. I ran to see what the commotion was, and to see if I could help. Some white pegasus pony who was flying high above everypony suddenly swooped down and informed us that a huge herd of cows was stampeding straight for Fillydelphia from one of the farms not too far away. A small group of ponies was beginning to form of who was willing to try and divert the stampede from going through Fillydelphia to going around it. I joined the diversion group, much to the distress of my parents, who said it was much too dangerous for a pony of my age. I tried to ease their nerves by assuring them that I was going to be fine, that with my magical skill (which at that time was rather advanced for my age) I wouldn't be harmed and that I would be of great assistance to helping save Fillydelphia.

I should have listened to my parents.

I was positioned on the far left side, along with dark blue unicorn and a caramel colored earth pony who apparently was a great herder. Which she was. The dark blue unicorn and I were there in case some of the cows didn't go with the herd and we were to use our magic to stop them. To be completely honest, I wouldn't have needed the other unicorn.

Everything was going well, the stampede was successfully averted, and I was running behind everypony, to the right side of the herd, alongside the caramel earth pony. I could've easily ran faster, but I wanted to hang back just in case something went wrong. And it's a good thing too, because things took a turn for the worst.

I heard a yell come from beside me as the earth pony I was running with tripped over a rock. I slammed my hooves into the ground, every fiber of my being suddenly focused on saving her from being trampled. I ran as fast as I could to where she lay in the dirt, groaning and holding her hoof. I quickly felt over her hoof with a couple of tendrils of magic, and found that she sprained her hoof. I cursed silently, then focused my energy to envelop her whole body. I lifted her off the ground and started running from the stampede, holding her above and in front of me as I ran for our lives.

But fate decided to be cruel that day.

I felt my hoof scrape the ground far too early, and saw the world tip on its side as I fell forward and had my jaw slammed into the dirt. The caramel earth pony fell to the ground again, but before my magic gave out I moved her off to the side so she was out of harm's way. I, on the other hand, was right in the path of the stampeding cattle. I knew I wasn't going to get out of the way in time, so I curled up into the fetal position, closed my eyes, and waiting for my impending demise. The sound of pounding hooves grew impossibly loud, as if I was in the midst of a thundercloud, then they were upon me.

The pain was indescribable.

I didn't die, obviously, and when I next came to I was in the hospital in Canterlot. But I did not know it at the time.

Because I was blind.

I had lost the gift of sight.