//------------------------------// // Friend or Foe // Story: Burning Passion // by Crimson Beat //------------------------------// Surrounded by darkness again I just laid there floating in the endless ocean of sorrow. Slowly I landed on the shore of a pond that was on the outskirts of ponyville. For some reason unknown to me I felt some sort of connection to this pond. Sadly I couldn't remember why this pond had a significance to me. I just shrugged it off as I heard the crashing waves hit the shoreline. It was peaceful. I felt like I was in a true paradise all to my own. "Is he friend, or is he foe. This pony would like to know." A dark and mysterious voice called from the night that surrounded me in its devious grasp. "Who's there!?" I screamed out into the night. Then I saw it the creature that gave of that horrific voice. It was cloaked so I couldn't see its face, but it seemed familiar. Suddenly before I knew what was happening it began floating towards me. I tried to back away but to little success. I felt like the bony hooves of ponies from the past held me down. I tried to struggle free with all my might to break free. Amidst my violent fight for survival I could feel something wrapped around my hooves. Then I realized that something was holding onto my hooves securely. I looked down slowly and cautiously and met my assailants face to horrendously disfigured face. "Aaaaaahhhhh get off of me!" I screamed as I swatted at the disfigured abominations that surrounded me. At first I couldn't make out who they were; then I discovered their horrifically true identities. These terrible creatures were my friends and even my sister Rainbow Dash. I could feel my insides become torn apart as their bloody, ragged bodies crawled slowly up my body peeling my skin away to reveal the warm nectar which they feasted on hungrily. "Why didn't you save us Crimson? You were our only hope. Join us so we can be together forever." They called at different times as their voices rang in my head like church bells. I couldn't look away from their hollow, dark, gruesome and bloody eyes. I began to cry as I looked my friends in their eyes. Their dark, hollow, soulless, and bloody eyes. As I started to give way into my feeling of guilt my hooves began sinking into the pond sand as my deceased friends pulled me under the surface. "Enough!" the mysterious creature shouted. As soon as those words left his mouth the zombified versions of my friends began to melt into a mixture of flesh, blood and bones. I snapped away from my psychological trap and ripped my hooves out of the sand. I looked at the smoldering puddles around me as I grieved for my fallen friends then I looked up slowly. As my head rose with tears stinging my eyes like needles I came face to chest with the mysterious creature from across the lake. Slowly he removed his cloak revealing who he really was. "What the hell are you doing here and why did you help me Tirek!" I screamed at the centaur-like figure that towered above me. "Why so hateful I just saved you. Is it because you still believe I'm evil? HAHA trust me I'm not I learned my lesson. Now I'm a muse and I help ponies with their past and future." He stated coldly to me. I Just stared at him with a look of pure disbelief on my face. "Let me prove it to you. Do you remember this pond Crimson?" Tirek asked me deviously as if he were to slay me right then and there. I discarded these thoughts because if he truly wanted to be rid of me he would've let those horrific monsters kill me. I shook my head because honestly I couldn't remember what this place meant to me. "Allow me to shed some light and precious memories." he said excitedly. Suddenly time resumed over the reminiscence of my past. Off in the distance I could see a little foal around the age of eight weeping as she sat next to the water looking into the liquid mirror before her. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her when I noticed the cuts and bruises that peppered her body. I didn't realize who she was until I saw her golden yellow coat and her flaming mane. Then like somepony punched me in the gut I remembered where this was and what was happening. "Where's Luna and how did you get ahold of this!? Tirek answer me!" I demanded as I hovered in his face burning with anger inside. "Well for starters while I was partaking of my rightful ruling of Equestria I did some studying and found a potion that allows the user to enter dreams unnoticed. Oh and for the matter of this memory that is more complicated. You see I've been watching you Crimson Beat ever since you were born I know all your memories, fears, hopes, and dreams there's nothing you can hide from me." He laughed hysterically. "You bastard." I said through my gritted teeth. Out of all the terrible times from my past from being disowned by everypony except for my sister Rainbow Dash to getting into numerous fights when I was young that I have forgotten why in the world couldn't this fucking memory be one too. I just sat and watched as the little mare cried into the water. Then over the horizon a new pony came over who was about the same age as the little filly at the pond walking painfully as if he just got out of a fight. I tried to look away from the dreaded reminder in front of me, but I couldn't because that little colt was me. My body began to get hot, not just a regular hot it was as if somepony had drenched me in flames. Then there was a bright flash and I was my younger-self walking towards the young Spitfire. I tried desperately to turn around or stop because the grief was just too much to bear, but my body didn't listen. I was on autopilot. I walked over to her and sat down next to her without saying a word as I let her release the liquid sorrow from her body no matter how painful it was. "Why did you fight those guys?" she finally said once she reorganized herself. "Because they weren't treating you nice." I responded quickly. "So, I didn't ask you to help me I could've handled them on my own." Spitfire said in a mixture of rage and sorrow. "There were three of them and they were three or four years older than you." I replied trying to keep my rage from intensifying. "So that doesn't matter they weren't doing anything wrong." She scolded. "Enough!" I screamed in pure rage as I overflowed with emotions that I have always felt. "They were hitting you repeatedly while you pleaded for them to stop! After you screamed for help what did they do?! They just looked at you and laughed saying how nopony would help a stupid little girl like you. How many other ponies walked past this ordeal?! Do you know the number because I do. Seven ponies walked past you even parents walked past you. I even heard one little colt as his mom why nopony was helping you as she hurried him away from your pleads. I didn't act because I thought an adult was going to intervene, but after seeing that I knew that nopony would. So I accumulated every ounce of my courage to stand up to your attackers while you just watched in disbelief without saying thank you. As if you believe you belong on the ground like the rest of the dirt. Are you even listening to what I'm saying do you think your life doesn't mean that much!?" I screamed at her as my rage finally broke free from my weak imprisonment. She just sat there and looked at me speechless with her ears pulled back as tears flowed like rivers down her cheeks. I looked her in her eyes the entire time I gave my little rant. Then they were the only things I could think about. Those gorgeous amber eyes. I felt a small tear drop roll down my cheek that was soon chased by many more. "Spitfire I know who you are okay. We go to the same school. You're not meaningless. At least not to me. When I saw how the others bullied you I wanted to talk to you and get to know you better, but I couldn't work up the courage. I have also wondered if my life had any meaning. Please promise me you'll stop acting like you don't matter because you do matter," I pleaded through the flowing river of tears. "You matter to me." I finally chocked out. The next thirty minutes were laced in complete silence as I recomposed myself. "What's your name?" she asked as the tears stopped flowing from her eyes. "Crimson Beat." I responded shyly as I wiped away my tears in return. "That's a pretty name." Spitfire said happily. I've never heard her sound happy before and it felt as if I was talking to an angel. Then after hearing her happy tone after how I acted I felt guilty. "Listen I'm really sorry about yelling I've just seen this world go to heck and back and I thought that if I could save you and protect you that I might be able to work up the courage and try to save this world." I said as I stared into my reflection in the pond with tears beginning to flow once more. As soon as the first tear began to roll down my cheek something caught me off guard from my left side. I felt hooves wrap around me. I slowly looked down and nearly had a heart attack because she was hugging me with tears in her eyes. Spitfire the filly that cries for nopony was crying while she held onto me. I could honestly say that I did something good for once because having her close to me made me feel like I am essential to this world. "Crimson thank you for protecting me." She said in her soft and sweet voice. Following those words leaving her mouth tears began to flow out of my eyes. "Spitfire I promise you that as long as I live I will protect you no matter what." I said as I held her even closer. Then just as fast as it started the memory suddenly paused and I had returned to my place next to Tirek on the other side of the lake with tears in my eyes. "Welcome back how was your second experience?" Tirek asked curiously. I didn't say anything I just stood there and looked at my younger-self with the mare of his dreams. "So what's your decision Crimson? Will you accept my gift?" He asked urgently. "Honestly I don't know. I want it to protect her, but then again I don't want it because I'm scared I'll become a power crazed dictator like you." I said as I began thinking of the potential future. "Remember this those who have power can either consume and absorb it or let it consume them. Well until our next visit think about what your decision is because next time I won't be so lenient. Oh and one more thing before you wake up if you encounter a pony and you feel a chill in your spine and your right hoof feels like it's burning one of my servants is near." The demon said as he began to walk away. I stood there thinking of what he meant by those last words; but before I could use this time in the dream world to think about what he meant something unignorably powerful disrupted my slumber. "Son of a bitch!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I bolted upright in my bed. I felt a searing pain in my right hoof as I looked down I could see a weird triangular shape burned into my hoof. It looked like the necklace Discord had given Twilight; Rainbow was telling me about it along with the amazing powers they got. As soon as it appeared it sunk back into my hoof disappearing without a trace. "Sweet Celestia quiet down Crimson I know you're still probably hungover but its only nine o'clock!" Rainbow Dash responded as she burst through my door. "Sorry Rainbow I just don't know what came over me." I said through panted breathes. She just rolled her eyes and got ready to walk out the door. "Coffee and breakfast are ready bro." She called back to me before she walked out. "Thanks sis." I responded trying to act calm. I can't tell anypony about what happened in my dream, especially Twilight and the others I thought as I sat upright in my bed. This day is going to be a pain in my- "Crimson come on your food is getting cold!" Rainbow called from down the hall. "Coming." I responded. Today is going to be something alright that's for sure. Now only if I can find out what it will be.