The Crystal's Shadow

by Shadow Beast

Chapter 1: A Simple Curse

The Crystal ponies cheered! King Sombra was finally defeated and the Crystal Empire was finally free! Love and happiness flowed into the Crystal Heart, which amplified the emotions and shot them upward in an pattern of beautiful color! The cold snow melted in the warmth of the Heart. Every inch of the Empire was saturated in happiness, and every Crystal pony was finally happy and in control of their lives again!

Everypony... except me.

The liberation of the Crystal Empire was a whole week ago, yet I do not feel free. My coat is dull, my head aches when I try to remember... I have no name. I do not see like the others see; my vision is blurred. They gave me glasses, which helped, but now I only see smiling faces. Is there anyone out there as depressed as I am?

The first thing I remember was being a doctor’s first patient after the liberation.

“A simple curse!” he said with joy after a tiresome examination. “You just need to smile and remember the days before the darkness.”

“But I have told you everything I remember!” I insisted, almost wanting to punch the doctor in frustration. “I do not remember a thing about before! And what of my headaches? Or my eyesight?”

“They will go away with time,” he said plainly, dodging the eyesight question. “Your house was one of the first to be consumed by darkness when he came back, right?”

He kept missing the point. “But that doesn’t explain--”

“You were cursed a little bit more than everypony else here; it should clear up in no time! Glasses will fix your eyesight, but the curse is more easily cured: You need to learn to smile... and try to remember the past.” Hearing me sigh in frustration only encouraged him, unfortunately. “How did you like the Crystal Fair?”

“What ‘Crystal Fair?’ I told you I can’t remember anything!” I stomped my hooves down.

For better or worse, I trotted out of the room. He did not understand... he could not understand. This isn’t a random hex from a dead king... this is amnesia! How hard is that to understand?

Those were the days of denial.

Now, I lay about my house most of the time. I sleep when I can, I barely eat, and I just don’t see the point in life anymore. My house is small; there is a table in the center where meals are eaten, if they’re eaten. There is a kitchen to the right, and the den to the left. There are stairs in the den that take me up to my bedroom; I haven’t used them for several days. The couch in the den is my bed now; I don’t see the point in climbing the stairs just to rest. The windows in my house are the only source of light; my lantern burned out long ago. I don’t see the point in fixing it so it sits on the table, covered by a thick blanket. The thick blanket was too scratchy for my tastes, and it serves its purpose: keeping me to my own thoughts.

I eventually tried to take the doctor’s advice. I try hard every day to remember... but it never works. I try to feel happiness, but I only feel fear. I try to find love, but I only find sadness. These didn’t help the headaches I was getting, and I got sick of it after a few hours. I decided to try going outside for a change. It’s almost... invigorating. I trot outside and everypony is so happy. I feel... jealous. Is there a point to this life? They seem to understand it. The foals and the sheep played in the streets that day, it was “fun” to watch. Despite all the cheeriness, the frown on my face would not weaken. One of the foals tripped, skinning his hind knee. An adult quickly reached the crying child and patched him up. Finally, there was something we could agree on; I can’t stand the sight of blood. I started making the long trip home.

I don’t know why, but I decided to revisit the doctor’s. I told him everything. He nodded his head as if he were actually trying to understand this time.

“So you haven’t been eating regularly?” he said, turning to a nurse and nodding.

He was dodging the subject again. But there was no frustration this time... only sadness. “What about my memory loss? I still don’t know who I am!”

“It’s important to eat regularly,” he stated blankly, as if avoiding the subject.

The nurse returned with a small food container. I couldn’t see what was inside. The doctor took it from the nurse, and showed it to me. With a twist of the lid, a bunch of yellow stalks could be seen inside.

“This is called ‘hay.’” My head began to hurt again, but I hid my pain in fear of interrupting the doctor. “It’s an Equestrian delicacy that doesn’t expire. Make sure to take a bite at least 3 times a day.” He smiled as he twisted the lid back on. His hooves extended, just asking me to take the container. I obliged, hoping it would change the subject back.

“But what about my memory loss?” My right hoof found my forehead for emphasis and comfort.

“The food should help your brain as well as the rest of your body,” the doctor insisted. “But I suppose you want something extra?” The doctor thought for a short while, scratching his chin with his hoof, then asked a strange question. “Do you know how to write?”

My headache grew more painful as I wondered. It was too much to hide. “I’m... I’m not sure.”

“Well if you ever come across a notebook or some scrap paper, just start writing your feelings down. Maybe some of the events of that day as well.” His happy demeanor contrasted the amount of pain his words gave to me. It was weird... any talk of emotions and my head would feel funny, while certain “keywords” seemed to make it feel like a hammer came down on me.

Perhaps one of these feelings is connected to my past... maybe both! I shrugged to myself, inadvertently doing the same to the doctor. Somehow I was able to pull it off with: “I guess it couldn’t hurt to try...” The irony of that statement was obvious to me even then. I turned and trotted outside.

With hay in hoof, I trotted back to my house on three legs. I wasn’t sure how I would like the taste, but I did not dare take my eyes off of the path. The little foal’s tumble earlier had me paranoid... scared... awkward. It was getting hard to find thoughts that wouldn’t end in headaches.

I weakly pushed the door to my house open. It was unlocked, just as it always has been to my memory; I don’t see the point in locking it. The doctor’s sentiments bounced in my head, making it hurt more than usual. I stopped at the table and took a seat. I took a piece of hay from the box, wondering why it’s name seemed so painful... I took it in my hoof and sniffed it. The scent was somehow familiar. But it burned my nostrils. I looked down to see blood on the table. My head spun and hurt. Everything went dark.

I awoke on the floor, and on my stomach. I galloped to the kitchen and grabbed a towel. I wiped away the remaining blood from my face and the table, then I quickly threw the cloth into the garbage. It seemed that Equestrian food was no longer an option...

As I sat in futility, my mind went back to all those happy faces.

How can I feel happy?! I don’t even know who I am! Everyone else remembers, why can’t I?!

My head throbbed harder than it did before. I slammed my hooves on the table. “Stupid royal spell!” I yelled in anger.

A loud THUD emanated from the ceiling. Something must have fallen over in my bedroom... but I had not been up there in days. My head still hurt and my ears were ringing, but I could have sworn I heard hoofsteps above me...

“...hello?” I asked loudly, hearing my own fear in the words. There was no answer. “Hello?!” I asked again, with more energy and confidence. I just stared up at the ceiling, as if a face would sprout from it to answer my question. Then I turned to the stairs. I trotted slowly toward them, keeping my ears open for any more hoofsteps from upstairs. There was silence for a few minutes as I contemplated my next move.

There could be someone up there... or it could have just been the wind. Maybe there was a window up there I never closed?

I shook my head, and sighed.

Third time’s the charm...

My headache suddenly came back with a vengeance at the thought, but I stayed true to the value. “Ow... Hello? Anyone up there?” I almost felt ashamed to allow my physical pain to be apparent in my voice. Now I was sure I’d get an answer...

The house was silent.

I tried to find an excuse for just simply going back to my couch; I couldn’t find one.

Just find out what fell over, it’ll be fine!

I trotted up the crystal steps. In what seemed like an hour, but was actually a couple minutes, I reached the top. Slowly, I trotted to the door to my bedroom which lay directly above my kitchen. My hoof turned the doorknob and pulled back slowly, opening the door.

At least he can’t hide behind the door...

My fear blinded me; my eyes were closed when the door opened completely. I had almost seen it immediately. But I looked towards the bed first when my eyes opened, and the upright nightstand, and the closed window. I turned to trot out of the room, almost relieved when my peripherals caught something strange... a bright cyan. They were eyes. They watched me turn around and come face-to-face with their owner. We both blinked in confusion. The creature that stood before me was black, its eyes a pure cyan with no sign of a pupil. The legs of the creature will filled with holes, and its insect-like wings were the same way. We tilted our heads to either side. There was a familiarity about this creature that made my head throb. It saw my pain.

“I’m sorry about all of this...” it said in a more high pitched, almost crackly voice. “I... I just didn’t want to starve.”

“Who are you?” I asked the creature.

“I have felt your pain; I fed off of what you love. You can’t know my name.” There was a distinct sadness in the creature’s voice.

I couldn’t believe the implications. “Are you... are you from before? ...before the liberation, I mean.”

The creature’s eyes went to the floor. “I have been alive for a long time; but we have only just met.”

“Then why can’t I know your name?”

“You may call me, ‘Masquerade.’” The creature’s eyes returned to my own, as if checking for something. “Do you feel pain in this name?”

“Masquerade?” I mouthed. Not feeling any pain, I shook my head. “Nope. Masquerade is a new name to me.”

The creature half-smiled, as if it were relieved.

Sunlight shone through the window. It struck the creature’s skin and reflected off of it. It reminded me of one of the happy Crystal ponies.

“I’m a shapeshifter,” it explained. “I... I can’t seem to keep your form.”

“Is that why you’re staying up here?” I asked, ignoring the slight headache.

“As long as you’ll have me.” Masquerade forced a smile.

Suddenly I remembered the foals and their sheep. Companionship. “Sure, it’s fine.”

Another slight headache forced me to wince, but Masquerade simply smiled. It nodded back. “Thank you.” I was not prepared for what would come next. “I left you a gift on your table,” it said.

“I didn’t see it...”

“Under the thick blanket...”

“The broken lantern?” I laughed. Even if Masquerade was that cheap, I didn’t want to threaten him.

“A fixed lantern.” It smiled. My laughter was gone. It was replaced by fear. I turned back toward the door.

“I’ll... I’ll go see it then.”

Masquerade kept smiling.

Comments

[dr cuttles]

A good story all in all. But I find the high number of italic:ed words to be slightly annoying, tone it down a little, I find myself putting weight on words that has no real/obvious importance.

Since I'm not a "professional" critic, or writer, I can't add any more constructive critique than that, heh

Other than that, it's an interesting story that I intend to follow