Light and Shadow

by oop

The Final Intermission: In Which I Look Back

The stage is set, the lights are up, and the space behind the words of the story once again becomes the place where the fourth wall loses opacity and becomes a clear curtain. A curtain behind which a pegasus, whose cutie mark is a scroll and ink bottle, stares up at the words he himself wrote.

Yes I admit, I look a little different from the last time I was here. In the past I’ve projected myself here as I would like to see myself, strong, handsome, and intimidating. I approach you now with a gray coat, black mane, and square spectacles covering brown eyes. This is much more the real me, the me susceptible to my own story.

I admit I’m in a state of shock here, having come all this way after such a long time, after stalling and abandoning and reintroducing this project. After vague skepticism and gross favor of other stories, I still bring myself here, to the end of the road.

Three years… three solid years of on and off work I’ve done since 2011 to push this story to the denouncement. I’m proud of myself, shocked at the haughty determination I never saw coming, the fact that I could ever, even with such breakage and hesitation, plod my way through a novel-length script.

I’m staying alone back here for the first few paragraphs; it’s actually starting to seem like a very long author’s notes. I’m sure eventually I’ll have one or two of my characters joining me, but Lightning and Shadow are incapable of coming… I can wipe their memoires as they leave and grant them safe passage here, but in this case even their non-canonical presence would injure the plot.

I heaved a great sigh at this, none too content with how this act is drawing to a close. In my hooves I toy with a new script, the plan for the aforementioned sequel. In all honesty I’m not sure if I want to produce it at all, the idea is only half thought through…

But still, people can use entertainment, and though season four is not close to completion at my time of writing it could very well be finished by the time you read these words. As this story took place between three and four the next would happen between four and five, if indeed, there is a season five. I have a good feeling about that, my bet’s on it ending after six.

Quiet introspection really ought not to be put into so many words as this, particularly not with my audience peering in at me between the words. This sort of talk clearly isn’t much of a show, so I’ll end it here, bringing in the first character.

Mesa tramps out, looking mildly peeved at the overall situation of things. “I don’t see why you felt like calling me out here,” he says in a grumpy sort of voice “I wasn’t even in that chapter, why bother checking in?”

Well, I kind of felt like giving you a sort of proper sendoff… you’re not coming back into the story before the end so I wanted to see you one more time, just in case.

“Ain’t that sweet.” Says Mesa sarcastically “Well you couldn’t have just brought me in one more time, that wouldn’t have been a better idea or anything.”

No, it really wouldn’t have. I assure you that if we keep going with this story you’ll have a much more prominent role to play than you did here. I must say your overall inclusion was forced to be necessary, I’d say it might even have impinged on the scene you were in.

“Honestly I think a lot of people didn’t like that part,” says Mesa “It was… extraneous… Its big purpose was setting the stage for other small details in the story. It was a lot to read for not a lot of content or whatever.”

I really felt like it was an anti-expositional chapter, didn’t really do much as a stand-alone but it’ll be vital for events later on. That is, you know, if it does go on…

“I’m not going to be very happy if you don’t.” says Mesa.

You won’t exist anymore, except in my mind, and I guess in the minds of people who read about you. I’m not sure I could ever totally wipe you out of existence I guess…

“Made me, can’t stop me,” says Mesa smugly “Now what do you say I trust you to go on with the story and I’ll be on my way.” Said Mesa, smiling to himself “I’ve got a date with Little Strongheart tonight and I’m hoping for muchas smoochas.”

W-wait, what? Mesa! Get your sorry flank back here! I pause, realizing in stunned silence I’m not even able to stop Mesa from going off on his own agenda. God, I’ve never felt more powerless… Anyway, yes, in case you didn’t infer or I forgot to mention earlier he’s chilling out in Appaloosa right now. However I did not give him any pretext to be moving in on the girls of the tribe… muchas smoochas… where did he even learn that phrase? Wait… that had to have come from me…

Oh well, little minds are fascinated with the idea of romance, mostly because it isn’t something they understand. That’s only going to get worse when one of them gets their hooves on “Your changing body.” Dang pre=teen angst, that’s going to be a fun thing to write about in the sequel…

Anyways, one more brought in today is the changeling princess Abby, she walks in, looking a little awkward as she looks around the space, seemingly confused about it overall. It’s good to have you Abby, if I can call you that.

“It’s fine,” she says sheepishly “Sorry it’s just this is a really weird place…”

Try and put yourself at ease, there’s nothing here that can get you. Anyways last time I checked you were watching Nightmare Moon coming to odds with Light and Shadow, do you have any thoughts on that?

“I think you’re an inconsiderate oaf,” says Abby “You left me and mom up there with her struggling for life. Are we just supposed to die up there?”

No, no, no, she’s going to be fine, Chrysalis was not physically injured by the ordeal and she’ll need time for her power to replenish. You’ll be able to get yourselves home eventually though you may have to utilize some of the things in that cavern.

“And what about the shards of Nightmare Moon’s armor?” Abby asks “I guess we get to keep those huh?”

Yeesh, I left a lot of loose ends with you guys huh?

“Yes, you did,” Abby hisses.

Well don’t think you’re getting the armor out of this. Nightmare Moon has ways of manipulating who she possesses and Chrysalis already proved incapable of fulfilling the role of host. The shards are probably going to be lost on the moon for a long time, they probably even hid themselves. You’re not going to get them, but they’ll surface eventually.

“Like in the next book?” asks Abby.

No, probably not in the next book, though it could fit the plot. I doubt I’ll use it though, that’s the sort of thing I feel perfectly safe never going back to.

“Sounds lame,” says Abby, uttering a long buzz that was the changeling equivalent to a yawn “Can I go now? Apparently I’ve got a whole lot of nothing to do.”

Well I’d prefer you weren’t quite so rude about it. Just because you’re a villain doesn’t mean you have to be a little snot. Actually I prefer the villains with savois-faire, attitude sprinkled with grace. Honestly I’m a little miffed you turned out to be none of that.

“Well who’s rude now?” Abby hisses “Fine, I guess I’ll see you again never!” her wings go crazy as she zips off the stage in a low hummingbird flight.

Well now… that was an encounter I could stand to have done without… ugh I wish I had Shadow with me right now, he’s a character much easier to write into existence… how is it that I’ve made enemies even among my own characters…? This is a truly diabolical state of affairs.

Though, there is one more person I would like to see before the story ends. You know, just in case this really is the end… A little zebra filly timidly steps forward, inhaling the air deeply before trotting over to me. Her front hooves spread for a hug, which I gratefully accept.

“I’ll miss you,” she says quietly “It’s been so much fun, getting to be with all my friends, I’m glad I could exist…”

Hey, it’s ok. This doesn’t have to be the end you know… And if the story is picked up again you’ll be back and better than ever. I sigh before continuing. I hate where I have to leave you at the end of this story… all alone in your mother’s hut… especially with what happens when season four starts… I want you to know that I’m sorry.

She snuggles closer, and I know she’s smiling “Don’t be…” she says “I got to go on an adventure because of you… I got to live in the minds of lots of people… if I have to go now… I’m glad I got to meet everyone I did…”

I won’t pretend otherwise, by this point I’ve let a few tears fall onto the striped coat. I know I want the story to go on, because these guys deserve a happy ending. I hope with all my heart I’ll be able to…

When the time comes that I look up from the filly’s warm embrace, my eyes alight on a hooded pony figure. My heart turns to ice as I pull myself away quickly, suddenly very fearful.

“M-mister Comet!” Iris squeaks “W-what’s the matter?”

Sorry Iris, I can’t let you witness this… a white barrier appears over her, sending her back to her own point in the story. I stare down the hooded figure, backing slowly away.

“Why so shocked Comet? You should have been aware that I would be coming for you…”

Not until recently… and I had a feeling you would be giving me more time…

“I suppose you were wrong about that, I’m almost disappointed, I would’ve thought my own creator would be more aware.”

Yes I might just have… Good old square root of negative one right here everyone, nice guy if you meet him. Bit of a fool to show up here though. You should know that I know everything about you, your powers, and more importantly your weaknesses. I gave you incredible powers, yes, maybe even godlike ones, but it’s nothing compared to what I have.

“Yes, so it appears you do. Comet, I don’t know you, I don’t know about you. I have come here because it is the next place I have to influence. I don’t know where I am, or who you are, the knowledge of you as my creator is given just for being here. Now, perhaps you will stop me. You could have that power. I don’t know…”

Yes… your weakness… your power over all but knowledge of nothing. The opposite perfect of your dear sister… I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you here earlier, I guess I just don’t have that ability…

“You’re stalling.”

I am.

“What will you do?”

What will I do?

“Will you stop me?”

Will I?

“I wish to know. I will make my next movement now. And I can’t wait to know if you will be my downfall.”

Instinctively I raise a hoof, prepared to call on his easy downfall, but I stop. I sigh, head hung low, teeth gritted. Yes, I could stop you… so easily… but it isn’t my place to do so… you’ll fall in your own time…

“All fall eventually. Now, for instance, it is your time to fall…”

The white stage fades into an ungodly black space, the far distant words of the story turn white in contrast. I take a deep breath, resigned to the fate my own character would have for me. The darkness wraps around and I fade away, the visage of a pencil forms in the darkness where I was, then slowly fades away.

“And thus I became God, the ruler of the world in which I exist. Though bound by the rules of the one who came before me I may now continue the story in the form of my own creation. I have won.”

The black hooded figure is gone. The place once familiar as the white stage is now dark, stark, and empty… a voice floats from somewhere unseen.

“My apologies reader, but I do believe your story will be taking a much different line…”

Author's Note:

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