> A Live Exchanged
>  by RedgeTrek
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> Main
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The great city of Herdlin was home to thousands of ponies. You’d expect that in such a city, nopony need ever feel alone. And yet, a young filly named Tinder Hooves lived there, and she felt very much alone. Orphaned at a young age, she had no memories of her parents, nor any other living relative. Her home, the Tender Wing orphanage, was bright and warm. Many foals her own age lived there, and she was friends with all of them. Still, she felt at times unbearably alone. She hid her feelings from those around her. So convincing was her act that none suspected her heart was in shadows.

As the years went by, some of Tinder’s friends were adopted and some struck out on their own. With each familiar face that was lost, the loneliness in Tinder’s heart grew greater, ‘till it engulfed her and left her gasping at nights, when nopony else could hear.

To her credit, Tinder Hooves had great strength that allowed her to endure this way for years, until she was almost counted a mare. But even that great strength wore out, and one night the solitude of the night overwhelmed her, so that she wished only to seek an end to the pain. So she went to the roof of the three story orphanage, and threw herself off. As she felt her end approach, a weight was lifted from her.

But the end she expected did not come. When she opened her eyes, she found herself flying above the streets of Herdlin, lying across a midnight blue flank.

"Little one," spoke princess Luna. "Has thy own existence become unendurable to thee?" A sadness as deep as the night sky was to be heard in that voice. “Long have we observed thy dreams at night, and sought to assuage thy woes. Now the only option that remains to us is this: if thy current life no longer suffice, we shall grant thee a new one. We shall take from thee thy memories, and replace them with new ones. We hope thy next life shall turn out better. Now sleep, my little pony.” A pale light shone from Luna’s horn, and the light faded. Tinder Hooves went to her final sleep…

…and Second Wind awoke, in her bed in her house in the village of Rut. She went outside and was gladly greeted by her neighbors, all of whom had known her, or so they thought, since she first moved into the small village a few years ago. She worked at the local bookstore, where she could advise her customers on all the books on every shelf as she had personally read all of them. In the evenings she walked to the village square where ponies would gather to talk to each other. She went clothes-shopping with mare-friends, she enrolled in book clubs and gardening clubs. She took part in the preparations for the annual village festival, and she quickly gained a reputation as a dependable mare, who ponies turned to for help. And in turn, whenever she needed help with something, many ponies stood ready to come to her aid. Every day, Second Wind found herself surrounded by neighbors and friends who cared for her well-being, and likewise, she cared for theirs. Every day was filled with talk and laughter, and no thought of loneliness ever entered her mind.

Many years passed. A blink of an eye to an eternal princess, a lifetime to a pony who lives her life to the fullest. Second Wind had grown old and weary, and these days she spend most of her time in bed. A lovely young mare from down the street came around every day to clean up and bring her meals. Every other day an old friend or acquaintance would stop by. Nevertheless, she felt tired. Her long life was finally wearing out.

It was in that time that, in the deep of night, a visitor came to call on her. A shadow came from the sky and landed on the porch before stepping into Second Wind’s room.

"Princess Luna," Second Wind said when the great mare entered the light. "Hast thou come for to consign my soul to the night, to bring about the inevitable end of my light?"

"We have." said Luna. "But first we would hear thee speak of thy life. Didst thou live well?"

"Very well." Second Wind said, with a contended smile. "I was granted the friendship of my neighbors, the respect of my youngers, and the love of a fine stallion. And even though he has journeyed on before me, I know that I shall soon follow, and I do not feel alone." She lifted her gaze to meet Luna’s eyes as she spoke next. "Things could not be more different from when we last met. Where then I felt only loneliness, now I feel only gratitude."

A look of surprise came over Luna’s face then. “Assuredly we dispelled thy memories of that previous life, to ensure that thy burdens then would not assault thee again. Yet dost thou recall that night?”

"Thy magic wore out years ago. I am fully aware now that I was once Tinder Hooves. It matters not. Though I recall the cold grip of solitude, yet have I found love, and the knowledge plagues me not."

With tears in her eyes and a breaking voice, Second Wind spoke her last words in this world. “I know that my second life was thy gift, noble Luna, and words cannot express my gratitude to thee. Now the time has come for that gift to be returned.”

No more words were spoken that night. When the young mare entered Second Wind’s room the next day, both she and Luna were gone. Thus ends the tale of Second Wind, the mare who lived twice. She had known loneliness and love, and finally found her peace with both.