Chapter 72
I opened the doors to the dining room and took a step back allowing the girls to enter before me. As soon as they had all gone by I closed the doors and followed them in.
“Ah my little ponies it is good to… Where’s Shadowmere, I thought you said he was with you.” Celestia said as she looked over our group.
I stepped forward meekly from the group. “Tha-that’s actually why I’m here, your majesties.” I stuttered out nervously, taking a very low bow. I make a lot of ponies nervous so I had picked up a few things.
“And who are you?” the princess asked.
I stood straight again. “Well, your majesties I am Doctor Suture. I’m the doctor overseeing Mr. Shadowmere’s condition.” I lied out. “I heard about his arrangement to meet you and asked to come along, you see there’s been some… complications.”
“Complications? What do you mean?” Luna asked with a hint of worry.
“Well he awoke from comatose a few hours ago and was acting normal, so decided to take him out of urgent care. However, less than an hour ago some damage from his accident must’ve caught up with him. These mares rushed him to the hospital.” I said indicating to the others. “We barely got to him in time.”
“Got to him in time?” Celestia asked. “What’s happening?”
I lowered my head slightly. “He’s relapsed into comatose, his brain function was deteriorating quickly. We worked hard and as fast as we could. We barely managed to keep him alive, but I’m afraid that his mind has degraded too much. We’re currently unsure how bad his condition is. Our best case scenario has him never waking up from his coma, worse case… He may have two days.” I looked back to the princesses. They had looks of horror. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this. I have to go now, I’m needed back at the hospital.” I said taking a bow.
“Wait.” Celestia said quickly. “What room is he in?” She asked.
My mind worked quickly thinking back to my room, I caught the number when I left. “Room 132 your majesty.” I answered.
“We’re going there now.” Luna said as she got down from her seat. Celestia did the same.
“Your majesty, I don’t know if that’s for the best. Adding more variables may just make things worse off for him.” I said to them.
“We care not, he is our friend and we shall see him.” Luna said as both she and Celestia walked by me.
“Your majesties wait.” I called out. They looked back at me. “I just have one thing to ask you before you leave to see him.”
“Then ask we are in a hurry.” Luna responded.
“Do you think it strange that there is a normal cutie-markless pony like me working at a hospital in the Crystal Empire?” I asked them flashing a grin.
The princesses were confused for a moment before I saw a flash of realization.
“Making them fear for your safety like that, I approve.” The darkness said with a chuckle as a puddle of shadows detached from my own shadow, which then formed into a pony shape.
“Shadow?” The princesses asked very surprised.
“Not with this coat color. I actually find Midnight preferable when I look like this.” I told them smiling. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the mares. Rarity and Twilight were both frozen in shock while the others were just trying not to laugh. “Also am I actually a friend and not a subject. I find that quite touching actually.”
Celestia was the first of the sisters to recover. “Yes that must by him. Only Shadowmere would be this difficult.”
“Calling me by my full name? Why that’s just mean.”
“I thought your full name was Midnight.”
“Shut up.”
"Now." Celestia said walking over to me. "Would you mind explaining...this?" She said gesturing to the darkness and myself.
"Do you want the long story or the short story?" I asked.
"Short if you would." Celestia told me.
"Very well, the darkness and I have split in mind and body from the magic explosion of the crystal heart. We are planning on rejoining very soon, to answer your question before you ask, yes I am fusing with him of my own choice. If I don't my life-force, as well as his, will expire." I told them.
"So the crystal heart's magic doesn't like you?" Luna asked.
"Well him more specifically." I said gesturing to the darkness. "But at the time we really weren't that distinguishable from the other."
"And just so your aware it wasn't a fun experience." The darkness said.
"Pardon?" Celestia asked.
"Splitting our minds hurts... a lot. I was lucky enough to pass out in the first few seconds. The darkness...not so much." I told them.
"Hmm, so how soon is it until you decide to fuse together again?" Celestia asked.
I looked at the darkness. "Well I estimate about two hours left before we die, one hour before we're immobile, and maybe five minutes before we start to become lethargic and the process begins." He said.
"...So guess that means now." I said.
"Wait, your seriously thinking of fusing right now?" Luna asked.
I gave a quick glance to the darkness. "Well no I'm not thinking that." I told her. "I'm doing it." My body suddenly ran cold as it was enveloped in the shadows. I felt pressure on my mind and I opened it up. I felt the darkness's presence rush into my body. My mind was disconnected from my body for a moment before my senses returned.
My eyes opened and I found myself eye to eye with Celestia. The entire room was silent with surprise.
"Shadow?" Celestia asked surprised by my newfound size.
"No, we are not Shadowmere." We said. "Nor are we the entity of darkness."
"What are you saying?" Luna asked.
"The two beings known as Shadowmere and the darkness are in our mind, but we are not either of them. We posses the strengths of both, but none of their weaknesses."
"So your not Shadow or the darkness, but instead a being create by the combination of them?" Celestia asked.
'Took them long enough to understand that.'
'They aren't very quick to accept new things are they.'
'Hey, they accepted us...well me.'
"Correct." We answered Celestia.
"So...what do we call you?" Luna asked. "I mean you said you aren't Shadow or the darkness."
"Hmm, you are right. Though we don't necessary require a name, It would prove an effective means of identifying us when we are being addressed." We responded. "...You may call us Erebus."
"So...what is your goal?" Celestia asked.
"Our goal...it is hard to say. All our attributes are normally a combination of things from both Shadowmere and the darkness. However, in this case their ideals differ so much that it has proven difficult to decide what it is we want from this world. Currently the only real objective we have, is survival." Erebus answered.
"So when do you plan on separating?" Luna asked.
Our eyes closed. "Not now, during separation the mental pain is truly unbearable. It is truly a surprise that the darkness has been able to stay conscious until the end. We will separate sometime later in the evening." Erebus answered opening our eyes.
"Wait so are Shadow and the darkness still inside your mind?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, both the darkness and Shadowmere are conscious and perceive all that we perceive. Their own experiences teaching us how to deal with different situations. Neither have true control, but they do have influence." Erebus told her.
"So what now?" Luna asked.
"Well, currently our body has been unconscious for a few days, and though we have taken the darkness' longevity we have retained Shadowmere's mortality and do in fact require food for survival, so we believe that dinner seems most appropriate." Erebus answered.
"That sounds like a good idea." Celestia said. "I do hope that Cadence and Shinning Armor arrive soon, they are certainly going to need an explanation."
"Agreed, we believe that it should us that tells them." Erebus said. Celestia nodded.
As they all sat down The doors opened again. This time Shining Armor and Cadence came through.
"Sorry we're late we-" Cadence started but froze as she saw Erebus.
We stood up. "Hello, allow us to introduce ourselves. We are Prince Erebus." We got many looks from the others around the table. "We're the brother to Celestia and Luna, we have been away for a long time on a diplomatic mission to the dragon empire. We have been out of touch for a while and have been unaware of the acts that have happened recently. Had we know we would've rushed home immediately." Erebus said.
"You have a brother?!" Cadence asked turning to Celestia.
Celestia gave us a small grin. "Why yes we do Cadence." She said playing along. "He has been away as he said for quite some time. Erebus this is our niece Cadence and her husband Shining Armor." Celestia said.
"Ah so this our niece that you've told us about." We said looking her over. "And our nephew-in-law." We continued looking at Armor. "...Royal blood has truly degraded, they'll just make any alicorn into royalty these days." We said shaking our head.
"Hey! Are you insulting my wife?!" Armor asked. "I don't care who you are I will not allow anypony to insullt her!" He continued.
"Actually no I was not referring to her." Erebus said. "I was refering to the newest alicorn declared royalty."
"Who do you-...Shadowmere?!" Cadence asked. "Shadowmere was declared royalty, when, by who?"
"Well, now, and by us." Erebus said with a small smile and gesturing to ourselves.
"Wha- You mean you just- how could- why-" Cadence stammered.
Armor however got a thoughtful look, then a look of realization. "Shadow?" He asked.
"Though he is up her we do prefer Erebus." We said indicating to our head. We then turned to the others. "It would appear we found another goal that both Shadowmere and the darkness share. We wish to pull pranks." Erebus said.
"What's going on?!" Cadence asked.
Celestia smiled. "Allow me to explain, Erebus would probably just confuse you further." Celestia proceeded to explain the details to Cadence and Armor, while everypony ate. Occasionally the two would send a surprised glance at Erebus. Celestia finished her explanation, and Cadence decided to ask some questions.
"So you're both Shadow and the darkness?" She asked.
"No we are neither Shadowmere or the darkness. We are a being created by both of them, but and not actually either of them." We answered. "Now if you will excuse us, we would like to leave the area."
"What? Why?" Twilight asked.
"Because we do not think you wish to hear us screaming." Erebus answered.
"WHAT?!" The table screamed with the exception of the princesses.
Erebus sighed. "As we have said the mental split is very painful, and in truth a danger to all around us. If the castor loses consciousness. Shadowmere's and the darkness' minds could be lost forever and as well as lose of control of our magic that could result in many damages." We answered.
"Well maybe we could-" Twilight started.
"Actually you can't." We interrupted as our horn glowed and we teleported to the outskirts of the empire. "Let us proceed."
'Any chance you found a way to make this not painful?'
'As a matter of fact yes.'
'Really?'
'Of course not. Bite down on something.'
'But I'm a mental entity.'
'Then Gaia help us.'
I felt the magic start, then came the tearing, then came the pain, then the screaming, and then blackness, followed by more screaming.