Rei's brown gaze lifted from the jubilant colors dancing upon her coat to the approaching unicorn. She made no move to stand yet. Once the worn looking body finally reached her the few words that she did speak cracked out like a whip.

"Rei." She squeaked intimidated by the unicorn's tone of voice. Stumbling in her own haste Rei dipped her head in respect to the mare, "I am Rei of Dragon's Throat. I did not wish to intrude. Is this your home?"

Rei's eyes bulged at the sight of the beast that approached. Fear savagely gripped at her as it never had before. Overwhelming panic gripped her shutting her common sense down. Backing up against one of the columns of the Rotunda she threw her head up in eye rolling, whites showing display of pure fear. Exits surrounded her but she remained in place still draped in the gaily glimmering light show.

Once she finally convinced her legs to move from their places' the pegasus moved with speed that can only be reached with the pulsing race of adrenaline Rei took a few strides and threw herself in the air her wings struggling to bear the weight of such a sudden lift.

Then she remembered the slow plodding of the elderly unicorn. She would not be spry enough to flee. Rei felt herself being torn. Her sense of self preservation begged her to fly straight for the Throat, never to leave its safe boundaries again. While her conscience pleaded with her to make a stand for the practically helpless mare she had left behind. If only everyone had wings! she thought to herself before spinning back towards the Rotunda.

Landing between the wolf-unicorn mash up Rei put forth a strong front. With her legs braced apart, her neck snaked out, ears pinned, and her wings spread she was an uncharacteristically fierce sight. Scarier than the beast was the knowledge that she would not hesitate to harm him if he made any move towards her. The fear she had for the monster before her had brought forth her own inner demon.

The wolf head with the macabre grin tapered into the still developing body of a colt. Innocence had meshed together with what looked as if it had marched its way straight up from the most dismal pit of hell. Was there still two separate mindsets?

"You haven't always been like this have you? You may thirst for the power that has been thrust upon you, but are you happy? What if," she hesitantly made a step towards the nightmare before her. "What if we helped you?" Compassion laced with fear intensified her question leaving them with a depth that a mere five words can rarely contain. Oh the magic of the simple word "if"; the word could leave enough possibilities to drive one mad.

Time itself seemed to pause, maybe old man time himself had stopped in his tracks and perked his ancient ears to listen for a response to the question that still hung in the air. In it hung the balance of the events to come. Would they wince at the sharp twist of tragedy or would they witness a miracle; a heart being reached through the vile black fog it had been enveloped in. However it played out lives would be rattled to the core. Rei hoped that they would be changed for the better and not left in shattered remains.

Heart hammering in her chest she remembered her grandfather's words from what felt like centuries ago, "Rei, it takes true courage to be kind in such a ruthless world. One must be the songbird that still offers its song to the ears of the hawk."

"I mean it. I want to help you. I would like to be your friend." somehow she had found the strength to banish most of the fear from her voice. "I want to help." She kept her words kind but a part of her was still hardened. He had the wolf of a head, but she knew that he could have the heart of a snake.

What if he struck her down using her kindness?

But what if she could make a difference in him?

Rei's kindness felt like a double edged sword that she herself had invited to be pressed against her own throat.

@[Sheba]