//------------------------------//
// Malevolence 
// Story: The Crowded Library 
// by SuperGiantRobot 
//------------------------------//

Just one jealous thought. That’s all it took.

One pony thinking ‘My neighbor has it better than me’ brought it into the world.

Oh,it was a tiny thing at first, as all newborns are, but it began growing soon enough, and quickly. Jealousy was easily found here, for there were three tribes found across the land, each of which held dark thoughts towards the others.The ponies of the sky were jealous of their brethren who could control magic, the ponies of magic were jealous of the ponies of the sky for having the heavens all to themselves, and the ponies of the earth were envious of both, for they had nothing, not magic nor wings, and they knew the others snubbed them for this.

Yes, jealousy was easily found and it ate its fill. Soon it took a name.

'Malevolence.'


Eventually Malevolence found that jealousy no longer filled it as before.

Soon the jealousy of the three tribes reached its breaking point. One day, a pony of one tribe struck a pony from another out of its jealousy. That pony struck back and soon the two tribes tribes were at it, involving the third eventually.

Malevolence had found something new to feed upon. Malevolence had found hate.

Malevolence grew strong on this hatred and greedily wanted more. It called forth a great storm of cold and ice, one that affected all three tribes and waited to see what would happen.

As Malevolence had hoped, the storm had the desired effect. The storm killed the food the ponies of the earth sowed, and the ponies of the sky and the ponies of magic went hungry. The three tribes each blamed the other. The ponies of the earth were blamed for hoarding their food and letting the other tribes suffer. The ponies of the sky were blamed for allowing the storm to continue, without using their abilities to stop it. And both tribes pointed a hoof at the ponies of magic and blamed them, saying their spells had created this unstoppable storm.

Malevolence feasted on both the jealousy and hate it had created, both of which grew and grew. Malevolence laughed aloud as the tribes threatened to go to war.

Unfortunately, the storm Malevolence had created eventually bonded the three tribes as one, and the jealousy and hatred began to dissipate, weakening it. But through the years, Malevolence learned a trick: it could whisper spiteful thoughts into the ears of those that it could easily sway, and strengthen any jealous thoughts it already found there.

It could even control these ponies to some degree, for it would promise them the strength to act upon this jealousy and hate. And many accepted, using this given strength to fulfill their vengeance, learning too late the trick Malevolence had played as it fed upon them, soon destroying them from within.

These were enough for Malevolence to survive upon, but soon it began to despair - its strength was fading further, and these morsels were not enough to sustain it any more. Soon it began to dissipate, and Malevolence knew fear.

And then Malevolence felt it.

A source of jealousy and hatred of a strength it had never encountered in all its years - one which drowned out those of the three tribes combined. It rushed forth, seeking the source, soon finding it in the form of a large dark pony, the likes of which never seen before - one with the wings of the ponies of the sky and the horn of the ponies of magic. This new pony, this 'alicorn' as Malevelonce learned it was called, felt jealousy and hatred towards her sister, to such a degree and depth that Malevolence could never feed upon it all.

And yet, there was also a light within her, a light which prevented the dark pony from acting on this jealousy and hatred. A light which was growing dimmer and dimmer.

And so Malevolence crept upon the pony and whispered its message into her ear, promising to give her its strength as it had promised countless others, so that she may strike down her sister while it gorged on her dark thoughts.

Malevelence whispered. 

The light dimmed, but the dark pony paid no heed.

Malevolence coaxed and persuaded..

The light dimmed, but the dark pony paid no heed.

Malevolence told the dark pony lies about her sister, lies that contained just enough truth to be believable.

And the dark pony paid heed at last.

And the light faded completely.

And Malevolence rushed forth to feed.