Steam Snowflake laid on her bed, looking at the ceiling. There was nothing to do. There was no school today. Her mother was busy. She had nothing to do. Steam sighed, standing and walking to the balcony doors. She looked outside, slowly blinking in boredom. She turned on her hoof, her tail flicking the door.
"Mr. Woofs?" She asked, peeking down into his little home.
"Yes, my dear Snowflake?" He asked, looking up with a smile.
She laid down, getting comfortable. "I'm bored. What should we do?"
"We could talk."
Steam smiled and nodded. "What should we talk about?"
"How about we play truth or dare?" He asked.
"Sure." She giggled. "Truth or dare, Mr. Woofs?"
"Dare!"
"I dare you to... run up and down the stairs two times!" Steam smiled.
Mr. Woofs stood and ran to his stairs, running up, then down, the up, and back down, breathing a little heavy. "Okay, truth or dare?"
"Truth!"
"Do you want a special some pony?"
Steam was surprised. She had to think for a minute. "Well... yeah, I mean, eventually."
"What do you want him to be like?"
"Ab bab bab!" Steam grinned. "It's my turn! Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"What was it like before I animated you?"
"Well, that's a good question. I remember sitting on a shelf alone for what felt like eons. And then, one day, out of the blue, an orange maned mare with a candle on her head walked in. She carried an adorable little blue Alicorn filly around her neck, and that little Alicorn picked me out. I went home with her. I spent every day and night with her, protecting her, keeping her company, giving her advice. She went to school and eventually moved to Canterlot, and then she animated me. Best days of my life ever."
"Wow."
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"What do you imagine your future to be?"
"Well... I want a husband. And I want to be an artist. I'll have four foals. Two colts and two fillies, a colt, then filly, filly, and colt. Then I can protect the colt, and he can protect his little sister. They'll protect their little sister, and they with that sister will protect the last colt. And that colt will protect you, Mr. Woofs, and you will protect him."
"That's a good answer, Snowy." Mr. Woofs smiled before frowning as he looked past his owner. "Uh-oh."
Steam tensed as she felt it. It was like hundreds of pounds on her back, like thousands of burning coals laid on her wings, and ice cold snow ran over her horn. She shivered as she didn't dare turn around. She already knew who was there. Her body shook, her wings splayed, her horn unable to use magic. Hell, she couldn't even stand the tension was so heavy.
Behind her, her balcony doors were open with a large blue Alicorn mare in front of them with a surprised and angry face. Her mane and tail waved on a non-existent wind, and she wore a black tiara and chest plate, with blue horse shoes.
"Steam Snowflake..." She said, her usually ebony voice now twisted in sadness and disappointment as it resounded in her ears. "What have you done?"
"P-Princess Luna, I-I can explain!" Steam said, not daring to turn to look at her mentor. "I didn't mean for-"
"Princess Luna, if I may interject," Mr. Woofs said, walking onto Steam's head. "I have always been self aware, however, Steam Snowflake gave me the greatest gift of all. Life. I was a rag doll, something a foal would throw around and forget. Steam never forgot me. She's loved me since the day we met. Surely you cannot punish her for wanting to have a friend?"
"Steam, what have you done?" Luna said again, turning Steam around with her magic. "You know those spells are forbidden magic!"
"Princess Luna, please, listen! I was so lonely! I was... I was so sad." Steam said, looking down. "I knew Mr. Woofs was alive... he just... couldn't move. He wanted to live and I wanted a friend. Unicorns don't like me because I'm so good with magic, and Pegasi don't like that I can fly faster than them. Earth Ponies hate that I'm just as strong and... I'm all alone!" Steam's coat began dimming without her noticing. "I just wanted a friend, Princess! Just one!"
She stamped her hooves as tears rushed down her face. Her trembling lip and eyes stared straight at Luna's unhappy expression and disappointed look. Luna's breath hitched as she saw a piece of herself in Steam Snowflake. She wanted to be appreciated... to be loved. If it was obvious to any pony, Princess Luna knew it the most.
Luna sighed and held Steam close, rubbing her mane gently. "I know the pain you are feeling, Steam, I know it far too well. When some pony's pain gets so great... their mind becomes clouded and filled with resentment. It was my own fault that I did not foresee this outcome."
"As was mine of yours, sister," A larger, elegant voice said, trotting in from the rain. "It seems we are all peas in a pod."
"Sister."
"Princess Celestia."
"Steam, I know what you did is wrong, as well as none of my business. Luna. I trust you to make the correct decision here." She walked closer to her sister to whisper. "Don't make the mistake I did with you, please."
The large, pale pink Alicorn walked out and flew away quickly, tears streaming down her face as she cried with the rain and yelled with the wind.
"How did Princess Celestia know?"
"My elder sister knows of many things not only in Canterlot but all of Equestria. It is hard to hide something from her." Luna responded. "Steam Snowflake, dark magic cannot be tolerated."
"No, Princess, please," Steam began.
"Hush." Luna said sternly. "Dark magic is not tolerated, and you have not broken that rule. If all were to follow this code of ours that we share so similarly, every pony would be imprisoned." She held up Steam's face with a hoof. "I made the mistake of letting my anger and resentment getting to me, and I used the dark magic of my moon to do so. I feel horrible for it, but I have learned to forgive and forget. Steam, this is just a mistake."
"R-Really?" Steam whimpered.
Luna nodded. "Indeed it is."
A guard burst through the door with a frown, panting. His lip trembled as he saw Steam Snowflake. With a frown, he spoke his mind. "Lenora Lantern Glow has been injured."
And with that simple six worded sentence, Steam's whole world was destroyed.