//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Internal Darkness // by Silver Sorcerer //------------------------------// Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all associated characters, settings and stories are the rightful subjects of Hasbro, the HUB, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. Chapter 4 The night slowly crept forward for Magicon as he tossed and turned in his bed. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm himself, empty his mind, attempt to get an ounce of rest but none came. The more he tried to relax and stop worrying about the events of the day the more he became anxious and restless. He flooded his mind with soothing and comfortable thoughts, like his beautiful mansion, or images of Manehattan only to have them shattered by images of blood, gore, and dead ponies everywhere. ‘Nopony can be that cruel. Nopony can do those things with a sound mind and body,’ Magicon tried to convince himself. But the actions of the day had proved otherwise. When Celestia and Luna agreed to show him their secret Magicon felt a small triumph flutter inside him, only to have to it stolen, crushed, and subjected to the torture that was Red-Blood. The images would stay with him forever, he knew that, and he knew that since Red-Blood had been introduced in his life, he would not forget it. Celestia and Luna were wise to hide it from everypony. But the times called for action and he had to answer them. He quivered for a second at the thoughts of the dismembered unicorns. He was never a fan of gore or excessive blood. Red-Blood’s actions made him sick beyond his stomach. He felt disgusted, horrified, scared, and worried about the past actions of that pony and the fate he had for the princesses today. But another emotion also rose out of his thinking mind: curiosity. The curiosity about Red-Blood’s idea about the place alicorns had in pony society. The curiosity about what drove Red-Blood to this idea. The curiosity about Red-Blood himself. ‘I doubt anypony knows about Red-Blood’s life other than the one he made for himself. I doubt anypony knows how he got that idea in the first place.’ Magicon pondered the possibilities, ultimately coming up with no satisfying answer. ‘Any traumatic life event could’ve shaped Red-Blood, just like…NO!’ Magicon leapt out of bed, eyes widened, stunned at the thought. ‘No! It can’t be! I’m not like that! I’m a good pony; I’ve done good for as long as I can remember. I’m not him! He and I are nothing alike!’ But his memory betrayed him as a faint and distant sound crept into his mind; the sound of crying. A soft cry, one of regret and sorrow; the cry that only comes with the loss of a loved one. Magicon closed his eyes and fought the memory only to have himself consumed by it. He was there, gazing around his parent’s living room. It was room of peace and tranquility; where he had played and his parents had laughed; where they were one happy family. Now, the room was a scene of destruction, chaos, and fire. The room was ablaze engulfing every item and everything in its path. In the doorway stood a blank-flanked, eyes widened, young colt named Magicon. He stared at only one thing; the lifeless pony before him on the floor in the middle of the room. She was the love of his life; the one pony he had always loved and respected; the one pony who would caress him to sleep at night and help him with his homework: his mother. Her lifeless unicorn figure was flawless, even in death; except for the small, black burn mark on her muzzle. Magicon was paralyzed with indescribable and infinite emotions. He didn’t want move; he didn’t blink. His mind raced at lightning speed with never-ending thoughts. “Mom? Are you ok? Why are you on the floor? Why are you not breathing? Why aren’t you moving? Come on, we need to get out! Mom! Get up! MOM!” Realizing his mother wasn’t responding Magicon collapsed next to her overcome with emotion, tears falling like an endless waterfall. The fire continued to swallow the room and the smoke was becoming unbreathable, and the fire would seer the flesh and hair off anypony but Magicon didn’t notice nor did he care. He just wanted to be with his mother. He managed a final faint whisper before his vision blacked out, “I love you mom.” Magicon shook his head and opened his eyes quickly glancing around his room. He put a hoof to his head and let out a long sigh. He sat down on the floor at the foot of his bed knowing that sleep would never come tonight. He had experienced that memory before and, though his reactions weren’t as emotional as they had been in the past, he still didn’t like the memory. It haunted him like a demon and perhaps it was the inner demon that he didn’t know or refused to know. All he knew was what he had seen and what his father had told him afterwards. He was once again a colt, but now outside with his father and fire-ponies with hoses extinguishing the last remnants of the place he called home. All of his possessions, all of his happy memories, all of his mother were gone in a matter of minutes. His earth pony father held Magicon’s hoof tightly and looked over at his ash covered son. “I’m so thankful you’re alive.” His voice trembled and sounded relieved, still worried. He pulled his son close to him and embraced him in an affectionate hug, which Magicon returned, but with less warmth. “Dad? Why didn’t mom get up?” Magicon’s voice was flat but quiet. “Because…” his father’s voice trailed off as he searched for a reasonable explanation. “I…couldn’t say son. When I saw the apartment on fire I galloped down the sidewalk rushed into the building and saw you collapsing next to your mother with the flames nearly touching you.” He paused with tears in his eyes, “I couldn’t save both of you so I…I saved you.” He brought his hoof to rub away the tears. Magicon was silent and looked at his father’s mournful face and closed his eyes. “So what happens to mom now?” “She can’t be with us, in body, anymore,” his father quietly stated. “She’ll be with us in spirit, but…Magicon, I’m so sorry.” He grabbed Magicon in a tight hug and wouldn’t yield. Magicon didn’t resist his fathers grasp but felt it loosen and disappear around him as Magicon brought himself back to his older lonesome self in his dark chamber in Canterlot. He hadn’t understood everything at the time, but he grew to understand it as he aged. He had learned to grow up fast, especially after the funeral when his father suddenly disappeared, never to be seen again. Magicon sat himself down on the bed, reflecting on his father’s disappearance. ‘Was it better for me that he left?’ he thought. ‘Why did he even leave me? He told me he loved me yet if he truly loved me he would’ve stayed and cared for me and not leave me on my own. He was a good father, but I just can’t understand why he shed his responsibilities just when I needed him the most.’ The only logical conclusion that Magicon could invent was that his father, who loved his mother unconditionally, died inside when she died. Seeing and raising Magicon would bring back the memories of her; the memories he couldn’t bear. He must’ve been ashamed of himself and just couldn’t face the shame so he abandoned his life in an attempt to start over. ‘I’m thinking about this too much,’ Magicon tried to convince himself. ‘My personal problems are not what should be on my mind. I have a job to do.’ He then abandoned his bed, crouched on the floor, extended his hoof under the bed and pulled out a large, ancient, leather-bound book. The cover was a worn dark chocolate with thick black borders. A large, rusty, black magical lock was on the side. There was an unreadable title in faded gold showing the great age of the book. Overall, the book was centuries old and had experienced much and had many readers in its lifetime. Satisfied with his text, he levitated it onto the bed where it landed with a thud. Climbing slowly back onto the bed, Magicon examined the book to make sure that it had not been disturbed by anypony since he last used it. It remained locked with a subtle amount of magic, but still powerful enough to prevent any intruders from unsettling the book and its contents. He was about to unlock it when there was a light knock on the door. Giving himself a little light to look at the wall-clock and noticing the time, Magicon was surprised to find somepony else up and disturbing him. Stealthily hiding the book back under his bead, Magicon took in a breath and approached the door. He opened it and looked at the stallion before him. Even at this hour of the night Magicon could still tell it was the stallion with the shining white coat before him. He spoke in a hushed tone, “I’m sorry if I woke you Magicon but I think the events of the day scared you as much as it did to me. May I come in?” “Yes of course,” replied Magicon in a low voice escorting Shining Armor into the chamber glancing behind the stallion to see if Cadance was with him. “Cadance is asleep I presume?” asked Magicon as he silently closed the door. Shining Armor nodded and sat himself on the lower half of Magicon’s bed. Magicon remained standing. “You look tired,” he stated. “You don’t look great either.” Magicon attempted a smile only to have it turn out awkward and forced. He stared at the floor in slight embarrassment before looking back at Shining Armor. “So…what can I help you with Shining?” He looked at Magicon with a solemn face and took a deep breath before speaking. His voice wasn’t its confident self; it was hushed and anxious. “You were, without a doubt, disturbed by the memories of Celestia and Luna.” Magicon nodded. “I still am.” “I am too. I must confess that I knew Celestia and Luna had a dark past but I didn’t expect it to be anything like what we saw.” “Oh, I agree Shining. I agree.” “I mean, when I vowed to protect the princesses and Equestria at all costs I knew the responsibility that came with it but I didn’t imagine fighting against an enemy like Red-Blood. I expected dragons, changelings, minotaurs, and some angry ponies but nothing like Red-Blood.” “Are you prepared for this?” “I can’t say. I have to keep a lot of information secret from my man which doesn’t help matters. In addition we don’t know how Red-Blood will strike so anything can happen. I’m just really worried.” “You sound a little bit scared too.” “No. I’m not scared,” Shining Armor lied. “You don’t have to lie to me, Shining. We’ve known each other for years and we are the only ponies that know the princesses the best. If we are going to protect them, we need to be honest with ourselves.” He sat down on the bed next to Shining Armor. Putting a hoof on Shining Armor’s shoulder, Magicon asked, “Now, tell me; are you scared?” Shining Armor lowered his head and sighed. He looked at Magicon with solemn eyes. “Yes, I am scared; for the princesses and myself and most important Cadance.” Magicon extended his hoof around Shining Armor brining him to a gentle hug. “We’ve been good friends for years and I would be lying to you if I said that I wasn’t scared myself. Red-Blood is a really scary pony not just because of what he did, but because of what he also believed. But hiding from these fears will not help us or stop Red-Blood. If we are going to stop him we need to fight our fears. Princess Celestia and Luna were brave enough to not only reflect on their memories but also share them with us.” “Yes I know, but still…” “You’re just as worried and stressed as I am. Probably even more so and I’m glad you’re not hiding this.” “I’m just glad there is somepony other than Cadance I can share my feelings with. I thought I could handle my fears on my own, but they were keeping me up at night and I couldn’t get what I saw out of my head.” “Me neither. Have you talked to Cadance about this?” “I tried to but it was more of listening to her fears rather than voicing my own. She’s scared for the princesses and for me. She’s not even worried about herself, though she really should be.” “She loves you, Shining, and she loves the princesses. She basically is the embodiment of love for others. She’s going to put everypony else before her before she worries about herself.” Shining Armor sighed and was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. “You know…I’m glad Celestia brought you here Magicon and I’m happy to see you are dedicated to her just as much as I am.” Magicon turned his head away from Shining Armor and brought his hoofs down in front of him. “You alright, Magicon?” Magicon let out an audible breath before speaking. “I’m just tired; that’s all.” Now it was Shining Armor’s turn to be the comforter. He put his hoofs around Magicon and brought him in a firm embrace. “Like you said, we’re good friends. You can tell me anything, so please do.” Pulling away from him, Magicon looked into Shining Armor’s cerulean eyes. Even at this dark hour he could still tell that his eyes were remorseful and compassionate. ‘He would understand, right?’ Magicon thought. ‘He is a kind and caring stallion but is not foolish. I can tell him. No! You can’t! You have a job to do and you can’t be focusing on your history right now. What happened to you in the past was tragic, but now is not the time to be generating sympathy for your own problems. But if I get this off my chest I’ll be able to focus better and help the princesses. If you do that…Magicon…Magicon-?’ His thoughts were cut off by Shining Armor’s voice calling his name. “What’s with you Magicon?” Blinking a few times and quickly shaking his head he asked, “Did I say something?” “You were whispering to yourself. I couldn’t make out what you were saying but you started getting agitated.” “Oh…well…I’m…sor-“ “No need to apologize, my friend, just tell me what’s wrong?” Magicon let out a long sigh and summoning his courage he began, “Well Shining, before you knocked I was having a flashback of my parents.” Shining Armor was silent. He was the only pony who knew about Magicon’s history and he felt so sorry for the stallion. Again, he pulled Magicon into a tight hug; one where Magicon could not let go. “Oh. Will you be ok?” he asked. “Mhm.” “You sure? I never experienced what you did, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t offer my help and support.” Magicon felt a twinge of warmth. Like a small but warm fire that refused to burn out. A minute smile crept onto his face. “Yeah. I will be. It’s just I miss them sometimes and this is one of those times.” “I know it must be upsetting for you. But if you ever need somepony to talk to I’m here for you.” “And I’m here for you. Thank you Shining.” “Thank you Magicon.” As the night crept onwards they remained huddled together each with a gentle smile as two close friends. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ The day proved to be hectic with ponies busy with preparations for Winter Wrap-Up. The organized panic and rush of the day gave everypony energy and fueled their desire to do the most they could before the big day. The remaining ponies from the distant reaches of Equestria were leaving in a rush to get back to their own celebrations while the unicorns of Canterlot busied themselves with anything they could to make the city look more presentable and tomorrow’s job easier. There were only a few times a year when Canterlot looked so busy that the sophisticated royal atmosphere of the city gave way to the hustle and bustle of a true city. In the Royal Palace, Princess Celestia was busy dealing not only with the final guests but was also attempting to catch up from the two days she was absent. Struggling to do both, she asked Princess Luna to help her who did so. Despite both of their efforts the amount of work had gotten away from them and now they were paying the price for it. Both looked tired and over-worked, but they plowed on with attempted smiles and politeness. On top of all of this, extra Royal Guards were being stationed all around Canterlot causing headaches and delaying preparations. Shining Armor was extremely busy with the guards and attempting to please annoyed ponies about the extra burden of Royal Guards hampering the days’ efforts. He had little time for Cadance, who found herself helping the nobles of Canterlot most of the day. Whenever she could afford the chance she helped irritated ponies with the Royal Guards and did what she could to mend the situation. Magicon was also occupied. While Celestia and Luna were engaged with ordinary ponies and the nobility, Magicon ran the government and oversaw the running of Equestria. From attending meetings with various ambassadors, to issuing passports and travel documents, to conferences with various committees, Magicon found himself completely engaged. On top of it, Celestia and Luna often asked for briefings on the status of Equestria often forcing him to gallop down the halls of the Palace to meet them on time. With such a busy day, nopony thought about Red-Blood easing their minds and nerves. But as the sun began to set and the moon rose, the activity of they city began to settle down. The preparations had been made and now everypony settled down for a good night’s rest before the big day tomorrow. For the five, there was no winding down. Celestia and Luna remained back-logged and continued working with the remaining ponies and catching up with the government. Shining Armor remained with the Royal Guard, drilling them, testing them, and preparing them for the unknown threat made against the princesses. Cadance actually left Canterlot to deal with the weather pegasi in Cloudsdale. Magicon managed to catch up with everything and finishing his final meetings for the day, he headed back to his chamber. Upon arriving, he locked himself inside, closed the windows and curtains, and lit a few candles before grabbing his book under the bed. Checking again to make sure it had not been disturbed and satisfied that it hadn’t been, his horn glowed a dark lavender and the protective enchantments fell and the lock unlocked. Opening the book the scent of ancient parchment and old ink filled his nostrils. The scent of age permeated throughout this book. Slowly and delicately turning the pages, he turned to one in the middle of the book. The black text had been hand written and was stylized in flowing calligraphy. The detail was meticulous and required a good eye to read it. Fortunately, Magicon had two good eyes and was about the read the text when he realized he forgot something. Climbing out of his bed, he went to his closet, moved to the very back of it, and pulled out his favorite fashion item: a navy blue collared cape that covered his lower torso and his cutie mark. He felt protected and secure with it on, feelings that he lost so long ago. Now with everything set he returned to his bed, determined to read those pages. Setting himself on the bed, he divulged himself in the text. His mind was filled with wondrous and fantastic images of ancient stories of heroes and villains in epic battles. The sacrifice, the deception, the honesty, the hostility, all cumulated together in one great text that he possessed. While reading this, he mumbled to himself incantations as his horn glowed a dark lavender. Red-Blood would strike against the princesses tomorrow; Magicon would be there to help the princesses and Equestria. Celestia had warned against magical protections but Magicon knew what he was doing and knew that this was for the best. His voice grew louder as he continued with the incantation in an ancient language. His horn continued to glow with more energy as a few beads of sweat began appearing on his muzzle. The magic grew, becoming more potent, more powerful, and more dangerous. Just about to collapse from the strain of the magic, a spark flew out from his horn causing Magicon to fall out of his bed. Slowly rising, he noticed that the candles had extinguished and the room was now completely black. Allowing himself a little light from his horn Magicon staggered up and back to his bead where on top of the book lay the item that he successfully conjured for. The one item that would help the princesses and help him. A smile appeared on his face as his heart jumped in excitement. His spell had worked and the item was his. He realized he only had one day to use it, but that would enough time to help the princesses. Picking it up with his hooves he examined it closely admiring the symbols, carvings, and engravings all over it. Slowly turning from the bed, he telekinetically held the item in the air and proclaimed to himself, “Don’t worry Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Tomorrow is going to be a great day.”