The Shine Of Time

by Arreis Of Avalon

Chapters

• Counting Stars (Part One)
• Counting Stars (Part Two)
• The Story
• Hearts In Pain
• Healing, Birth And A Cracked Wall
• The Lights In The Fog
• If You Cut A Drawing
• Only Pain In The Darkness
• Love Talks and Shadow Moves
• Faded (Part One)
• Faded (Part Two)

Counting Stars (Part One)

The stars shone brightly that night, flares of flame against the black sky. Page watched them closely as he did every night, his daughter Gale Measure sitting in his lap. She was young still, but she was old enough to enjoy the stars. “Aren’t they beautiful,” Page said, smiling. She nodded, causing him to smile further. “Do you know why the stars are so pretty, Gale?”

Gale shook her head, thinking. “Cuz of Luna?”

Page glanced down at his daughter, smiling. Little did the young mare know, he had been thinking about the stars just the night before. “The stars are pretty because they are ponies we knew who left us for a very long time. Without them here, we get sad. They want us to smile, so the stars make themselves very pretty for us, so that everyone smiles.”

Gale tilted her head to the sky once more, gazing at the stars. She spoke softly, as though not to disturb the fragile silence that seemed to exist in each night as you watched the stars. “Will you and mommy leave someday?...”

Page was somewhat surprised by the question. He didn’t wish to worry his daughter, but… He held firm with the belief that he should use strict honesty with his family. “Yes, Sweetie… One day, Mommy and I will be up there.” Gale frowned and Page shook his head. “Now now, no frowns. Mommy and I won’t be leaving for a long time.”

“B-but why ever,” the filly asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Page sighed softly. “Because we all must, one day. You will too. You’re younger than us, though, so it’ll take a bit longer.”

“O-Okays…”

Page smiled at his daughter as she curled up against him, nuzzling his hoof. “It’s alright, Gale. Mommy and I are here to stay for a long time~” Gale nodded, happy to be snuggled up to her father. “Besides,” Page added, still smiling. “You can always hold each star close to your heart. Some say, if the bond with a star is strong enough, you can even speak to them. And guess what?” Gale looked at him curiously. “They can even speak back~”

“W-wow…” Gale glanced back up at the sky, watching the stars shining high above them. Page glanced up with her, smiling at the stars he once explored. The stars merely shined on, winking in and out as clouds shaded them from view. Gale thought for a minute before she spoke again, hesitant to break the beautiful silence of the night. “What stars do you speak to, Daddy?”

Page’s smile dropped from his face as he thought of his friends and family, all those who had died knowing him. “There are… two ponies. Two in particular that I speak to often.”

“Who?”

“One… one was a little filly… I once knew her, long ago… Her name was Mistearia.” Page smiled softly in remembrance of the mare he had called daughter. Her long black mane with purple streaks and her misty amethyst eyes… The little parentless mare he had once known had grown into a lovely mare who had forgiven him in the end. He would never forget her.

Gale nodded, snapping Page out of his daydream of the past. “And the other?”

“The other… She was a mare I knew, long ago as well…” Radiant… “She was quite a bit like your mother.”

“Another mommy,” Gale asked, confused.

Page shook his head. “She was like mommy, but she wasn’t the same. Besides, your mommy is the mommy who is here right now~”

Gale nodded, stargazing once more. Page gazed into the black and blue sky, glorifying in now his past lives, thinking of all those he had met, the lives he had saved. He had lived hundreds of years, and all of them hung in his eyes like the stars in the sky. He smiled, thinking of the idea of his loved ones above him, listening to his callings. Mistearia… I love you… and Radiant… Know I will never stop loving you, though I have re-married. You will never be lost from my heart.

Gale gasped. “Daddy, look!” Page jumped slightly, snapping out of his daze once more. Page looked up at where her hoof pointed. “D-daddy, the star moved!” Gale’s eyes were filled with delight, watching the star fall.

Page smiled, watching it. It’s beautiful… but it’s rather big… He squinted his eyes, watching it closely. “Is it… getting bigger?” Or… Closer? Page gasped slightly, standing as he held onto his daughter. She looked at him, confused. “Sweetie, I need you to be very brave for me, alright?...”

Counting Stars (Part Two)

Page watched the star burning and gaining speed as it flew closer. He had no idea what was happening – Strike that. He had EVERY idea what was happening, and what was happening was something he had not been expecting. “Sweetie, I need you to be very brave for me, alright?”

Gale looked confused, but nodded either way. “Okays…”

Page quickly galloped inside. He placed Gale on the floor, looking at her closely. “Gale, go get mommy and tell her to come downstairs, alright? Make her come downstairs.” He was speaking fast, his mind going faster. I’ll need to get Diane, she’s the only one with enough magic to stop this. “I’ll be back, alright sweetie?” Gale nodded quickly, sensing the urgency of the situation. She quickly ran up the stairs as Page teleported outside of Pinkie’s room. Without a second thought about privacy, Page barged in. “DIANE!”

Pinkie gasped, falling out of the bed. She HAD been asleep. She rubbed her eyes angrily. “Page?! W-what’s –“

“No time to explain, Diane! Read my mind and get the hell outside!”

Pinkie quickly read his mind, using very little magic in the process. Pinkie constantly had a reserve of magic, mainly gained through her husband’s demonic powers each time they were ‘together’, so to say. Marrying a succubus demon always had its benefits. Mind Reading was something Pinkie did almost unconsciously now, and at a time like this, she was glad she could to save time. Her eyes widened. “SHIT!” Pinkie scrambled to her hooves quickly and let Page teleport them both downstairs.

Back in the lobby, Winter stood, her eyes tired. She had obviously just woken up. Page ran over to his pregnant wife and kissed her deeply, promising to himself that he would protect her, no matter the cost. Winter was surprised, but quickly kissed him back. He broke the kiss, his eyes worried. “Sorry about having to wake you, Winter, but something big is happening, and I need to know you’re okay.”

“What’s happening,” she asked as Pinkie ran outside.

“A meteor.” Winter jumped slightly, startled. “Diane’s going to try to stop it… It’s headed straight for Ponyville. I need you to stay with Gale, Winter. Diane needs my help with the calculations, my mind is fast enough to think it all out.”

Winter watched him, worry etched into her face. “R-right. Be careful.”

“I will.” Page kissed her again as he heard Pinkie call for him. “Stay safe. I love you.” With that, he ran outside into the night. Winter held Gale close to her, unsure what to do now.

Page stopped next to Diane, his mind running with calculations and ideas, predicting the size and shape and trajectory of the meteor from that single glance. A time pony’s mind was far advanced from a normal pony’s, yet he still had trouble thinking under this pressure. He took a deep breath, reviewing what he had discovered in those mere seconds. “The trajectory is straight for Sugar Cube Corner, Diane. We can’t destroy it, the shattered fragments would still be lethal. Stopping it would drain your magic and kill you in the end. The best we can do it divert it. There’s a nearby field, empty for the time being. It’s… 124 degrees, to the right. Diane, do you think you can do that?”

Pinkie nodded as she thought of her own strength. She may be very strong and very talented in magic, nearly at her friend Twilight’s level, but she knew she wasn’t strong enough to stop a meteor. She would need every ounce of magic she had. “Page, I’ll need your help. Give me as much magic as you can.”

Page nodded, his horn sparking. Pinkie took a deep breath as she felt foreign magic surround her, allowing her to take as much as she needed. She raised her hooves. “HERE WE GO!” Using her innermost magic, Pinkie felt her hooves glow. The meteor seemed to slow a bit, but not nearly enough. Groaning, she pushed against it with her magic, making it move in halting stops.

Page let his magic spark further, feeling himself already beginning to drain. He felt like there was an enormous weight on his back, pushing him down. “D-Diane, you must not hold it any longer! Deflect it, before you die from it using up all your magic!”

Pinkie nodded, feeling sweat dripping down her face. “O-ONE MORE PUSH THEN!” With a heavy groan, Pinkie physically seemed to push the air to the right. The meteor followed the path of her hooves, speeding up as though unhindered now. However, it sailed in an opposite direction, now heading away from Sugar Cube at an angle.

Page concentrated hard, using his own reserves of magic to form a weak shield around Sugar Cube Corner. The meteor would strike in the field, but it was still close enough to cause some major damage from mere heat and earth shaking speed. The shield formed around them as well as Diane stopped her massive surge of magic, panting. There was a loud boom as the meteor finally crashed to the earth, shaking even the shielded inn. Pinkie and Page steadied themselves from the shaking, both worn slightly from diverting the large asteroid. The shield held, however. When the shaking subsided, Page quickly dropped the shield and ran inside. “A-are you all okay?!”

Winter had dropped to the floor, clutching Gale close to her. She nodded to Page. He noticed tears rolling down Gale’s face as she shook in fright. Page trotted over quickly and helped them up, hugging them tightly. Gale cried in between them, but Page knew everything would be okay. She had just gotten scared. Pinkie walked in, wrapping up in something warm now. Page glanced at her. “Are you alright, Pinkie?”

Pinkie nodded, still panting a bit. “It’s not every day a mare of my age stops a meteor. But I’ll be fine.” Pinkie glanced out the window at the smoking field. “We’ll need to check it.”

Page nodded and kissed Winter again, relieved that everything was fine. Page broke the kiss and trotted over to Pinkie. “Let’s go.” With the spark of his horn, he teleported them both to the field, just outside the smoking crater. Page glanced at Pinkie. “I’ll go down.” Without another word, he slid down into the crater.

Pinkie groaned. Why didn’t anyone give her time to answer? “It might be hot still, so be careful!”

Page coughed slightly, squinting through the smoke. He saw a form in the smoke. I can barely see it but… I don’t think that’s a rock… Page gasped and recoiled as the form in the smoke shifted and he heard a groan. Startled, Page cleared the rest of the smoke to reveal an alicorn mare lying in the center of the crater. “I-It’s a pony?!” The alicorn seemed to wake at his voice, opening deep, blood red eyes. With a startled shake, she stood weakly, swaying where she stood. Page couldn’t help but think she looked somewhat familiar. She had dark orange fur, and around her neck was a small broken locket. “M-Miss?...”

The mare straightened up as she heard his voice clearly. “Y-you… That voice…”

Page’s eyes widened. That voice… “No, it can’t be… R…Radiant?”

Radiant snarled at him, no longer the mare he once knew. “YOU DID THIS TO ME!” She charged forward, screaming at him. Page recoiled, stumbling back. Radiant was almost upon him.

Suddenly, she stopped, gasping. Pinkie had her hoof held high, using the last reserves of her magic to calm the mare, a relatively easy spell. “Time to sleep, madam. Let your restless soul finally dream.”

Radiant’s eyes began to droop as she stood in front of Page. “I swear… I will end you… Page… I s-swea...r… “ With a tired sigh, Radiant fell forward, passing out from exhaustion. Page caught her as Pinkie stopped the spell. He just stared at the sleeping form of the mare he had once loved. She was completely different now. She had gained a horn, and her eyes were slits. He realized with a small start that the locket around her neck was the same one that he had given her before she had died. M-My Shine… What happened to you?...

Page jumped as he felt Pinkie put her hoof on his shoulder. He hadn’t heard her come into the crater. “Page… we need to get back.” Page nodded after a moment’s pause. He teleported them back, holding Radiant in his hooves, careful not to let her get harmed. The instant they appeared in the lobby, Gale turned and walked to her father, confused as to why there was a mare in his hooves.

“W-where do I put her, Diane,” he asked in a trembling voice. He realized he had tears in his eyes.

“Just lay her on the couch, Page. I’ll tend to her wounds.” Page nodded and laid her on the couch. Tears rolled down his face as he watched the sleeping form of the pony he had once known to be kind, caring and loving… Now… everything had changed…

“W-what’s going on,” Winter said from the stairwell, having just come downstairs.

Page hung his head, not wanting Winter to see his tears. It didn’t stop his wife from seeing them, however. Without another word, Winter walked over and wrapped her hooves around him in a hug. Finally, Page broke down, sobbing on his wife’s shoulder. “S-s-she’s back, Winter,” he finally managed to choke out. “H-How is she back?...”

Winter kept holding him as Pinkie began to bandage Radiant. “I don’t know.”

Page sighed, wiping away his tears. “L-let’s all get some sleep… It’s been a long night.” Winter nodded. Page stood and picked up Gale. “I trust you can handle Radiant, Pinkie?”

Pinkie smiled softly at Page. “You should’ve just said ‘I trust you’. I’ve got her, Page.”

Page nodded. “Sleep well, Diane.”

“You too.”

With that, Page, Winter and Gale made their way upstairs to their room. Pinkie cared for Radiant through the night, and eventually took her up to a room of her own. Pinkie laid her on the bed and put a small key beside her on the nightstand. She sighed and shook her head. “Time for things to go to hell and back…”

The Story

Page stood outside of Radiant’s room, taking a deep breath. Beside him, Winter stood. “You alright,” she asked, concerned for how he had been acting since Radiant had appeared. He had been off edge since last night, and he had had nightmares.

Page hung his head slightly. “I’m not sure if I can do this, Winter. She’s so different now… and, somehow, I feel like it’s my fault…”

“Page, this is your choice…”

He sighed. “I just… I need to know what happened to her… How she became…” He chose not to finish that sentence. He wasn’t sure what Radiant was now. Hesitantly, he knocked on the door.

Inside the room, Radiant sat, a broken locket in her hoof. “Come in.” Slowly, the two ponies made their way inside the room. Radiant glared at them both. “What do you two want?”

Winter nudged Page, letting him know that he would be answering the questions for now. He cleared his throat. “We came to settle any confusions you no doubt have, as well as ask some questions ourselves…”

Radiant stared at Winter, her face full of distrust and disgust. “You brought a mare with you… A pregnant one at that…” She glared at Page. “You truly left me behind, didn’t you?”

Page sighed, having known this would be the first thing addressed. “You were dead, Radi-“

“I WAS NEVER ONCE DEAD, PAGE!”

Page shook his head softly, keeping his patience. “There is no need to shout, Shine.”

Radiant scoffed at the name. “It is Shadow now. Radiant Shadow.”

Page sighed once again, sitting down in the nearby chair. He was confused, and that was something Timelords, even those who had fallen to become single hearted ponies, hated. “W-where were you all those years? You have been thought dead for so very long… I lost count of the years…”

Radiant shook her head, resigning herself to the fact that she would have to explain her whereabouts all those years. He would never let the subject drop otherwise. “I had found the alien in our town, the one who ‘killed’ me later. . I knew you had wanted to find the pony who had stolen that TARDIS for so long. I had heard the he made his life saving others from dangerous aliens and so I...” She paused, sighing. “I knew somepony would save me if I got into trouble, if not you, than he would. I baited the alien, that shadow… I led it to our home. I was so proud of myself… until I realized that no one was going to save me.”

Page could almost see the scene before his very eyes. Radiant, as she had once been, watching the Vashta Nerada fearfully, tears in her eyes as she realized that the love of her life – the very one who had vowed to stay with her and protect her until death do them part – would not save her. He felt tears stinging his eyes. Winter gently held Page’s hoof, sensing her husband's distress.

Radiant ignored them both, continuing her story bitterly. “I knew of a teleportation spell… it was black magic, something I had learned on one of our adventures. It would teleport you to the nearest planet. Being a pegasus, it was the only spell I knew I could do then and there, and I needed to escape desperately… It was my only escape. I did the spell as quickly as I could, but… something went wrong. I felt burning, searing agony through my entire being. I felt as though my body was torn in two. The bones you found in our home, cleaned by the Vashta Nerada, those were mine… But they were duplicates. The spell had basically taken half of my life force away to create a clone. And thus, the rest of me, the inner soul and a shell of a body, teleported…”

“W-where did you end up,” Page said, his voice shaking from his tears.

“The moon.”

Page sat straighter, his eyes widening. The moon? Winter beside him shook her head, trying to grasp just how far Radiant had traveled. “Wow.”

Radiant merely continued her story, ignoring their reactions still. “I was utterly drained after I reached my destination. I could barely move, and I was certain I was dying. I was in utter misery, alone and afraid… until she found me.”

Page thought a moment and his eyes widened. “That’s right… Was it truly so long ago, Radiant?”

Radiant scowled at him. “Over 1000 years… Nightmare Moon found me, battered and afraid. She used her magic to nurse me back to health, though I could tell that she was weak herself. She even cast the spell on me that allowed her to live on the moon without aging. She protected me like you could not, Page. She taught me everything I had lost in life, everypony who had lied to me…” She shook her head angrily, remembering all too well the conversations Nightmare Moon had had with her. “She taught me that you will ALWAYS be betrayed by the ones you love… Her own sister had banished her… Her own blood…”

“Radiant,” Page whispered, unable to comprehend the amount of suffering she had gone through during that time. He realized that to her, he had abandoned her. He had left her for dead, instead of looking through all of time and space to save her. Had he but known, he would’ve…

“It was proven true once again when she left me on that moon. Left me alone on that god forsaken rock to stare at the stars I had once found lovely, radiant even… Now I hated their shine, and I only wanted them to fizzle out!” She shut her eyes, telling herself to concentrate on the story. Her feelings were strong about this, and she had trouble focusing. “I had no way of knowing how long I was on the moon… I just knew that I would never come back to the place I had started.”

“As time continued to pass,” she continued, her voice settling back into her usual softness as compared to her earlier anger, “my magic grew… I was healed long ago, but now… Now I knew all Nightmare Moon had taught me. You did not need to be a unicorn or alicorn to use magic, Page. I harnessed the knowledge she taught me, reveled in the truths she had shown me. I used the power of the darkness in my own soul, and I felt the immense power that had grown. I was no longer Radiant Shine, the kind pony who saw light in everypony’s smile… No, I was something far, far better… I became Radiant Shadow.” She smiled a horrible smirk, glad to see Page so shaken by her tale as she looked at him. “I practiced over and over again with my magic, learning things you could only dream of, Timelord. I learned how to search for souls. I started small, locating the souls of the stars, but in time, I reached Equestria… I found you, and I locked on. I came back down to this place, following your miserable soul all that time. I burned in the atmosphere, and grew weaker from the shield I had placed around myself, but I had found my way here at last… I could finally show you the truth as well, and finally end your hideous existence.”

Page spoke softly, feeling tears rolling down his face that he couldn’t care less about. “Until Diane binded your magic… You cannot harm anypony directly with it…” Radiant fell silent at that, finding no reason to speak. Her silence somehow made his sorrow grow as he looked at her. The pegasus was gone that he had known. There was not even a glimmer of hope in her blood red eyes. He stood, breaking away from Winter. “You made us all think you had died! W-why would you have put yourself in danger like that?!” Still no answer. “I-If you had just told me what you had planned… I never w-would’ve thought… You wouldn’t be like this, this… THIS you are today!”

Radiant stood as well, snarling at him. “AND HAD YOU NOT GROWN IDLE, PERHAPS YOU COULD’VE SAVED ME!”

Winter looked between the two ponies. “Calm down…”

Radiant glared at Winter. “Why should I follow the orders of the bitch he managed to ensnare with his faulty love?!”

Winter fell silent for a moment. “How DARE you,” Page screamed, infuriated.

Radiant opened her mouth to say something back, but Winter cut her off. “Seems he loves this ‘bitch’ more than he loves you.” Radiant fell into a somewhat shocked silence. As did Page.

Suddenly, Radiant began to laugh. It was quiet, a small chuckle at first. Then, it grew, never reaching more than a small crescendo. She smirked at Winter. “You’ll learn soon enough… He’ll always abandon you…” Lifting her head, she smiled sweetly, her eyes betraying her malicious intent. “Won’t you, Turner?~”

Page gasped as he saw Radiant’s horn glow with a black aura. His sight went black, and he could see nothing. Yet, somehow, he could see everything, all Radiant had gone through, everything he had betrayed her in. He was in a cavern or a bottomless pit, and no light would ever shine his way. He felt terror grip his heart. He dimly heard his wife scream. “What are – doing?!”

“Winter,” He tried to scream out, but it came out as a choked whisper. He needed water, but nothing would come. He was slowly wasting away, and no one would save him. Suddenly, it felt like months, then years, then eons since he had last seen the ponies he had loved.

“I -- truth of all things,” a voice said. He could not recall whose voice it was now. It had been too long. Still, the words echoed in his head. That voice… That voice was the truth. He would listen to the voice when it spoke.

He had stopped crying a few centuries ago. He didn’t know how he survived, but his mind felt overworked. He wanted to shut down. He wanted to sleep. He dimly shut his eyes, and the last thing he saw was a shadowy orange mare fly down and smirk at him. “Go to sleep,” the voice said, “and let me take over for awhile.”

*~*~*~

Winter snarled at Radiant. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Radiant merely smirked as the aura around her horn grew more powerful. “I am showing him the truth of all things.” Beside them, Page was on the ground, still but for the tears rolling down his face.

Winter’s horn glowed a deep red, and suddenly Radiant was slammed against the far wall. A long, jagged cut scared her forehead from the attack, and she felt her magic stop suddenly. She gasped and fell to the floor. “Stop it,” Winter said softly, her voice calm enough yet strong enough to shake mountains and fell armies.”

Page gasped, opening his eyes, the blackness that had invaded them fading. He began to gulp down air as though he had not breathed in centuries, his eyes wincing at the bright light in the room. Winter quickly ran to Page and helped him up, wincing a tiny bit herself. Her spell had taken a bit out of her.

Radiant’s hoof strayed to her forehead, feeling the blood from the cut. “You will see in time,” she said softly, obviously tired. “He will leave you… He always will.”

“Oh, shut up you sore bitch.”

“W-winter,” Page said weakly, standing on his own so she didn’t have to hold him any longer. He glared at Radiant. “Let’s leave this one to her sorrow.

“Right.”

Page began to walk out. “Goodnight, Shadow.”

Radiant smirked. “Goodnight, Sanfero.”

Page froze, his eyes widening. She smirked. “You… You have absolutely no right,” he said, the name echoing in his head.

“Don’t I, Sanfero?~ After all, every Timelord has a name.” She kept smirking at him, knowing she had not only brought back painful memories with that name, but had also revealed his true name to Winter, a secret she had not even known he was keeping.

He shut his eyes tight. “And every bitch has claws.” His horn sparked with magic and the cut on Radiant’s horn burned, causing her to gasp. Page walked out, obviously angry. “Come along, Winter.”

“One more thing, Radiant,” Winter said, glaring at her. Radiant glared right back at her. Winter walked right up to her and leaned down. “Touch my husband again, and I’ll slit your throat.” She grabbed Radiant’s hoof and twisted it harshly, smirking at the cracking sound. Radiant screamed in pain, tears instantly coming to her eyes. Winter dropped her hoof. “Night, bitch.” She walked out, flicking her tail at Radiant.

Radiant clicked her tongue and reset her hoof, using magic to heal it. She closed the door and smirked. “My spell took hold, whether they like it or not. Now, Pagey, time for some fu-un~” Her horn sparked black as she began to use her spell.

Hearts In Pain

Page massaged his head as he came back to his room. Winter glanced at him, concerned. Something felt… off about him. They both trotted to the bed, lying down. Winter kissed him lightly, though tiredly. Page smiles softly, his eyes sparkling green as they always had. Still, to Winter, his eyes seemed a bit dazed. “Promise me you’ll never end up like her.”

“I already was her,” she replied. She cuddled up to him softly, feeling cold despite how close they were. Of course, Winter was often cold.

“And then you met me.” Winter laid her head on Page’s shoulder, nodding as softly as she cuddled. Page put his hoof around her, yet Winter felt no comfort. She couldn’t quite put her hoof on what was wrong. She hadn’t felt like this since before she had met Page…

In her room, Radiant grinned as her spell continued. She had her eyes closed, yet could see through the blackness. She saw through Page’s eyes, heard through his ears. “I swear, Winter,” she said, smiling, “I will always-“

“Love you,” Page said, his glazed eyes shining with love.

“I hope so,” Winter said, still feeling strange. Softly, Page kissed her. Winter kissed back, and as they kissed, she realized what was wrong. Kisses are full of love and hope, as she had learned from this very man. As she drew back, his face grew concerned. But Winter knew better than that face. She could read the worry lines on his face, and she could see the turmoil in his heart through his glazed eyes. Finally, she could see what was wrong – or, in this case, who was wrong.

Page looked at her. “What’s wrong? Is it the baby?” He gently laid his hoof on her stomach, his face worried.

“Radiant…”

Page looked at her. “I know she shook us both up…”

“You know I can read minds.”

Still he looked at her, but now a small smile was on his face. She could see the pony behind that face now. She knew what was wrong. “You can’t read a timelord’s mind, Winter.”

She glared at him, pushing his hoof off of her. “That’s just it, Page. You’re not a timelord anymore. You changed for me. You changed for love, and now that love has left your eyes, and even your looks. That’s why you’re suddenly so emotionless.”

Page opened his mouth softly, but stopped, as though analyzing the situation. He closed his mouth, eyes calm, yet intrigued. Without warning, Page grabbed Winter and pushed her down, his hoof putting pressure against her neck.

Winter gasped as she began to lose air. Not breathing was such a strange sensation. She gagged, trying to find breathe. “I should have known that foal would do something like this for love,” Page said above her. His voice barely reached Winter’s ears as she ignored him, knowing what he said was no longer him, but the mare he had once loved. She felt tears stinging her eyes and her throat began to burn.

Suddenly, Page winced in pain, his grip lessening. In the darkness that surrounded her eyesight, the very darkness that had nearly claimed her, Winter heard a voice. A voice she had not truly heard since she had left Radiant’s room. Win… ter… Page groaned, holding his head with his spare hoof. He..r… me…

Winter felt something click in her mind. With a powerful buck, Page was thrown across the room. He landed on his hooves by the bed, holding his head in pain. Winter quickly stood, taking deep breaths. Her love was somewhere in there, and she wasn’t about to let him go. In her room, Radiant also held her head, groaning. –ter, said the real Page, his voice like static through old speakers. S-say… -ame… hel-..s.. “S-shut the hell up,” Radiant said, both in her room and in Page.

Winter grabbed him by the shoulders, looking him in the eyes. “Page,” she whispered, worried. In her hooves, he thrashed around, tears rolling down his face. He was obviously in pain, his eyes scrunched up tight as he tried to both silence himself and scream aloud. He snarled at her and tried to kick himself away from her. Winter pinned him to the ground angrily. “Page, come on!”

Page opened his purely black eyes, the same eyes as Radiant. He screamed out loud, his voice a combination of both ponies in his mind at once, both in extreme pain. “L-LET ME GO,” they both cried, their voices blending together into a mangled scream, tears falling from his eyes to the floor.

Winter held her ears with her hooves, keeping him pinned with magic. “P-PAGE, I CAN’T HOLD ONTO THIS BITCH!”

Winter, B-Back away! Winter’s eyes widened as his voice came through much clearer, though very strained. She backed up instantly. In her room, Radiant sobbed, still maintaining the spell for as long as she could, her horn sparking as it struggled against the might of a half timelord.

Page panted and gasped in pain, his body beginning to glow with a strange light. He dimly recognized it as regeneration energy, but of a different type. This energy was black, and surrounded his body like a veil. As the energy touched his body, it seemed to seep into his very being, tugging at the corners of his mind and soul, setting his insides on fire. Soon, the flame reached his heart. Or, as Page soon realized, his hearts.

Page screamed with Radiant, his eyes wide with pain. The darkness around him was no longer energy, but a lack of it. He could not see life – he only saw pain now. Agony, sheering, ripping pain that tugged at his body, inside and out. Weight crashed down upon his lungs, cutting the sound off. He shuddered, his mouth open in a silent scream, and suddenly, all was still. He breathed out softly, black energy curling from his lips. In her room, Radiant fell to the floor, knocked out as tears rolled down her face.

“P-Page?!” Winter ran over to him, the energy around him fading. She cradled him in her hooves, as she would her own child.

Page smiled softly to her, coughing. Winter saw blood on his lips. “I-I’m alive,” he managed to croak out from his throat. “D-don’t worry…” Winter held him closer, scared for him. He was panting badly, looking pale but for the dark red blood staining his lips. His smile faded as he licked his lips, tasting the blood. He coughed again, worse this time, more blood appearing in place of the blood he had just swallowed. “M-maybe… get Pin..k…” He shut his eyes, unable to finish the sentence, and Winter could feel his breath shudder.

With panicked hurriedness, Winter’s horn sparked while she laid him back on the ground, feeling tears of worry spring to her eyes. In a flash, Pinkie stood in their bedroom, eyes wide from the unexpected teleport and a mug of tea in hoof. “W-wint- ?!” She dropped her glass, seeing Page on the ground, blood staining his mouth. “SHIT!” She ran to him, her hoof instantly glowing with magic, ignoring the shattered remains of the mug behind her.

“I-Is he okay,” Winter asked quickly, sensing the urgency with which Pinkie moved.

Pinkie sighed in relief, doing a quick scan of his body with magic. “He’ll be fine, it seems… This is bizarre… See, when a Timelord turns into a Pony, they still retain some of the same inner anatomy. He’s torn up his second heart to near shreds. He’ll be in quite a bit of pain, but it can heal.”

“I swear, I will end that bitch,” Winter muttered, eyes dark. She knew Radiant was somehow behind this.

Pinkie gently placed her hoof on Page’s head. “But,” she said, her eyes widening, “this… This makes no sense…” She shook her head slowly, bewildered. “I put a spell on her that makes it impossible for direct violence within the inn. Whatever her spell was, it didn’t harm him directly. He… did all of this to himself.”

Below them, they heard a weak chuckle. Page opened his eyes halfway, a cheeky smile on his face. “Did… myself,” he managed to croak out, wincing in slight pain.

Pinkie glared at him. “You’re not supposed to be awake.”

Page ignored her, turning his head very softly to gaze at Winter. “Radiant… spell took over… not hurting me… trying to hurt you…” He was obviously struggling, yet a smile remained on his face. “Couldn’t let her… baby…” Weakly, he reached his hoof out and laid it on Winter’s swollen stomach. “Brought enough pain… she let go… not enough… kill myself…” Winter watched him, stunned. “You… safe?”

Winter nodded, realizing everything he had just done to himself for her. He had literally nearly killed himself to save her life. “I’m safe, Page…”

Page continued to smile. “Here, Page,” Pinkie said, drawing his attention back to her. She poofed up some medicine, pouring it into a glass of tea. “This stuff is packed with herbs and painkillers.” As Page began to sit up, he groaned, feeling pain shoot through his chest. Winter softly lifted him up, using her wings as support. He smiled his thanks to her. “Drink this tea,” Pinkie continued, “and you should be all healed up in an hour.”

Gingerly, Page reached out and took the tea. “T-thank you…” Slowly, he drank from the cup, feeling a small wave of relaxation come over him sooner than he thought.

“Until the hour’s up, make sure he stays in bed and doesn’t use magic. It could have some… adverse effects.” Winder nodded.

Page smiled softly as he finished the drink. He felt as though he had cotton in his ears. Everything felt a bit fuzzy. “T-thank you, Pinkie…” He reached out his hoof that had the cup in it. He dimly realized Pinkie took the cup from his grasp and let his hoof fall once more. “Winter?... Would you mind taking me to my bed? F-feeling a  tad tired…” Winter smiled and helped him up. Gently she lead him to bed and he collapsed on it, wincing in pain. “Thank you, love…”

“No problem,” Winter said softly, smiling at her husband. Page shut his eyes and fell asleep quickly, peaceful due to the sleep inducing medicine.

Pinkie smiled at Winter as she waved her hoof, the shattered glass and tea that had spilled cleaning. “I suggest you get some rest too. Sleep well.” She trotted out.

Winter curled up on her bed, nuzzling her sleeping husband. He didn’t respond in the slightest, fast asleep. Winter smiled and shut her eyes, hugging him in her sleep.

Healing, Birth And A Cracked Wall

Page opened his eyes softly. The room was dark. He supposed it must be night time, then. He felt refreshed right now. He wondered why dimly. He glanced to his side where he saw his sleeping wife. He smiled, but frowned as he saw a red mark on her neck. With a small smile, he kissed it lightly, his mind beginning to clear as he remembered the events of the night. Must have been at least an hour, then.

Beside him, Winter mumbled, opening her eyes. Page nuzzled her lightly. “Sleep well, love?”

She frowned sitting up a bit and groaning. “I-I’ve slept better, sweetheart…” Page rubbed her back lightly, trying to work out the tense knots that grew in her sleep. “Thank you, but it’s not really he-“ Winter stopped for a moment, a light blush rising to her face. “… S-sweetie? W-why is the bed wet?”

Page froze, eyes wide. “… O-Oh my lord.” Gently he picked her up. With a flash of his horn, they were in the hospital. He found a nurse quickly, and the process began.

*~*~*~

Smiling, the nurse held up the crying foal. “Congratulations, you two. It’s a unicorn.” Winter smiled, panting lightly. Page gently let go of her hoof, smiling as well. Gently, the nurse handed Winter her child.

The little boy glanced up at her, crying. Winter felt tears sting at her eyes, not the first of the night. Gently she cradled the child, sniffing. “H-Hello…” The nurse smiled and walked out, going to fetch the paperwork.

In her hooves, the child began to stop crying, staring at his mother. Gently he smiled, cooing. Winter smiled back, watching her son raise his hoof hesitantly, as foals do, and begin to suck on the tip of it. Page smiles at the two of them. “Seems he likes you,” he said softly.

Winter felt tears rolling down her face as she held the little boy in her hooves. The colt snuggled into his mothers hooves, yawning slightly. “T-to think… Radiant almost hurt a little angel like you…” The boy cooed lightly, smiling softly as he shut his eyes.

Page kissed his wife’s cheek. “I know just what to name him.” Winter smiled at her husband. “Frozen Time.” Winter nodded, agreeing with him. She leaned back against the pillows behind her, yawning from her exhaustion. “Why don’t we get some rest? The nurses said they’d let me stay here tonight with you.”

Winter smiled and kissed him lightly. “Alright.”

Page sat beside the bed in a chair, smiling. “Sleep well, Love.” Softly, the three ponies all fell asleep.

*~*~*~

Some time passed, but it was all a blur for the family of four. Eventually, an entire month had gone past. Autumn was on its way, and the leaves had begun to fall. The family had all grown used to having the small colt around by now, feeding him and burping him, taking care of him as families did.

Winter held Frozen one night, cradling the little boy in her hooves. Beside her, Gale curled up, intently watching her brother. Not once in all that time had her interest in the child faded. Lying on the other side of Winter was Page, looking exhausted, but with a smile on his face. Gale leaned into her brother a little, giggling as the baby cooed at her. “Hi Timey.”

Frozen smiled brightly, saying something along the lines of ‘Badapi’. Page chuckled at his son’s attempt at speech, thinking back to when he and Radiant had considered children. He had always thought of children as slow and bizarre creatures. Now, however, he saw their hidden soul and beauty, the child residing in them all brought forth into a single body. “He’s a sweet little thing,” he said softly, unable to bring the smile off his face as he watched the baby smile.

Page felt a pang in his head once more. He winced, massaging it, groaning very lightly. Not again… Winter glanced at him, a small bit of concern in her eyes, though her face still alight with the light of a new mother. “You alright?”

Page smiled back tiredly. “Just a small headache. Probably from the lack of sleep.”

“You’ve been getting a lot of headaches lately…”

“Again, probably from lack of sleep. This little rascal has kept me up most nights now.”

“All right, if you say so.”

Winter turned back to Frozen just in time to hear his stomach grumble. He made a face, close to crying. Page smiled, standing up. “I’ll go get him some milk, hmm?” Winter nodded, smiling. Page trotted out, shutting the door quietly. He winced slightly as he felt a sharper pain shoot through his head. He shut his eyes tightly until the pain faded. Slowly, he began to walk down the hall, not to the stairs, but to a room he had grown familiar with this past month.

It had been a long month.

Page opened the door to Radiant’s room, eyes cold and tired. “You called?”

Radiant sat on her bed, smirking. “You come every time I call. Every time I give you the tiniest little shot of pain.” As she said this, her cracked horn glowed black. Page gasped in pain as he felt what seemed like fire sear through his brain. He glared at her, not saying anything. He wouldn’t give her the benefit of his words. Radiant tsk’d lightly, letting the spell end. “It took you long enough to get here. It’s almost like you don’t care about me anymore, Fery~”

Page merely glared at her, emotionless to her taunting. “I don’t care what you think, Radiant. Just tell me what you want and let me be on my way.”

Radiant stood, angry. “I want her to feel what I felt. I want YOU to break her heart. Why do you think I’ve been calling you to my room this past month? All those conversations with you haven’t been for my pleasure. They’ve been to get to know the new you.”

Page thought about what she said for a moment. I’m surprised she cared enough to get to know me… or maybe she was just cunning enough to trap me like this… “I only respond to your calls because you’ve threatened my family, Radiant. I won’t let you hurt them. Even if it means I’m the wall between them that you attack.”

“How noble.” She trotted over and lifted his chin with her hoof, forcing him to look her in the eyes. She realized how much time they were taking. His wife would grow suspicious if he was gone too long. Such a pity. I wanted to play with my toy longer. “Go back to your wife, Sanfero. I want you to spend as much time as you can with her… You won’t have long.” She dropped his chin, turning her back on him.

Page shook his head slowly, teleporting back outside his room. He took a deep breath, maintaining the walls he had set up in his mind. He knew his wife had mental magic, and would do anything to keep his secret meetings from her. She would worry… He wanted their days together to be spent in loving embraces, and not sorrowful tears. Even if that meant lying. He poofed up a bottle of milk and opened the door.

Page smiled at his wife ruefully. “Sorry I took so long. Pinkie chatted my ear off. You know how she gets.”

Winter chuckled, smiling. “It’s alright.”

Frozen reached for his bottle, cooing. Page smiled and gave it to him, letting him drink from the bottle. Frozen happily drank his milk while Page sat next to Gale. “You know I love you, right Gale?” The little filly nodded, giggling as she fluttered her wings. Page smiled, stroking her mane. “And you know I always will, no matter what happens?”

Gale nodded again. “Of course I do, daddy!”

Page smiled and glanced at Frozen. His son was curled up, hugging his bottle like a teddy bear. He yawned as he hugged it close. “Want me to take him to bed,” Page asked, turning to his wife. Winter nodded and Page picked up Frozen. He carried him to his crib and laid him down, smiling as the little boy curled up in his blanket. He sighed happily, thinking of the man the boy would someday grow to be. Maybe he will escape my fate.

Page glanced at the other end of the room. Moonlight seeped through the curtains, creating just enough light to shine in the mirror, showing his eyes. He noticed they looked grey, and not green. He sighed, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. He was tired, and couldn’t rest. If he slept, even an instant, he would dream of the olden times. He would dream of when he loved one mare and one mare only. There was only his one true love, Radiant.

But the dream would shift. It would always shift into shadow. Any dream of Winter would be destroyed by that same shadow, a rift between the two ponies he had loved. I loved Radiant… I had, once. But that time is over. I am in love with the most wonderful mare I have ever met. No matter what, I will not let this shadow hurt her, or my family. I will shatter if it means she stays standing…

Page trotted back out to Winter, seeing that Gale had already gone to her room. He curled up with his wife and tried her best to sleep without dreaming, or without sleeping in a way. Winter slept peacefully, and all was well for her.

However, there was one mare this night who could not even attempt to sleep. She trotted downstairs, glancing around. Radiant sighed, looking around with sorrowful eyes. What’s the point?... With not another backward glance, she walked out.

The Lights In The Fog

Radiant walked through the foggy night, thinking. She wasn’t quite herself tonight. Actually, she thought, I’m more myself tonight than I’ve been in a very long time.

Radiant kept walking, her mind as foggy as the night before her, yet as clear as it had been in a very long time. She wasn’t quite sure where she was going, but that soon became clear as she came across a lake. Looking across, she couldn’t see the other side through the fog. The bottom was also out of sight. Deep, dark and dangerous. Like yourself these past years… “Well,” she said softly. “Here I am.”

Softly, she dipped a hoof into the water. She watched how the water rippled, hearing it sway against itself. Once, she had found hope in ripples. A single touch could change so much, rippling through the entirety of her life. She sighed, thinking, one hoof in the water. The ripples soon stopped, leaving the water still around her hoof. “There’s no point in what you’re doing, Radiant… So why are you trying?...” She shut her eyes, realizing what she had to do to stop whatever being had claimed her heart.

The only way to stop all this pain would be to kill myself. No matter what, each time he sees me, he will remember what I have done. He will remember what I plan to do. And it will hurt us both more than my death ever would.She took a deep breath, ready to dive into the depths and never return.

“Trying to do what, miss?”

Radiant jumped away from the water, eyes wide. She spun around, seeing a pony there who had seemingly appeared out of the mist. He was an alicorn, she noticed. He looked very serious, almost as though he never smiled. “W-who are you,” she managed to stutter out, her heart beating a mile a minute. She hadn’t expected anypony to be here to witness her death.

“My name is Chrome Wind.”

“… I-I’m Radiant,” she responded back, not using her last name. She wasn’t quite sure what it is anymore anyways. “Why are you here?”

“Why are you?”

She stopped for a minute, unsure how to answer. She decided to be honest. “I came here to drown myself.”

“Why would you do that?”

“It’s the only way to end this pain…” She sighed, shutting her eyes. Which pain? The pain I cause Page, or the pain I’m causing myself?

“Really now?” She nodded. “I had better go along with you, then.” She opened her eyes wide, staring at him, bewildered. Still, he had that serious face. “I’d be a witness. I could be accused of being your murderer if they found your body. I don’t need any more shame than I already have.”

Radiant shook her head, confused. She tried to sort out in her mind everything he had just said, but found it foggy once again. She couldn’t quite register everything that was happening, as though time was moving faster than she was. “I-It wouldn’t matter… No one would care if I died anyways… Quite the contrary, they’d be pleased.”

“Nonsense.” She glanced at him again. “Every life is worth something. Sometimes, we have to fight for our worth.”

She thought about what he had said. Fighting for our worth… Perhaps… “Perhaps I can fight against this… thing that has taken hold of me. Perhaps I can end this without ending myself.”

“Yes. And, perhaps… I can help, somehow.”

Again, Radiant looked at the man, bewildered, though with a small smile on her face now. “You wish to help me?”

“If I can.”

“That is…” She tangled with her mind, grasping for the word she wanted. “… Surprising.”

“How so?”

She thought for a moment. “You’re… well, the first.” The first I believe, at least. The first whom I believe won’t betray me. Why would you betray a complete stranger?

“Someone has to be the first,” Chrome said, looking at her with a grim face.  

“Why do you want to help me?”

“Good question. Maybe… Maybe because I see a bit of myself in you.”

Radiant once again was sent into a mental battle, trying to decipher what he meant by that. Was he sad? Was he suicidal? She shook her head. “I suppose it does not matter, in the end of all things. Thank you, Chrome.”

“No need to thank me, miss Radiant.”

She smiled, realizing now who she really was. Who she needed to fight to be. “My full name is Radiant Shine.” The man nodded and watched as she glanced at the still lake. “I chose to fight. Not this.” She turned her back to the water, smiling at the man. Somehow, her mind felt less dense, less at a loss. He nodded, approving of her answer. She glanced at the sky, watching the moon. “I should be returning to my home soon.”

“Where is your home?”

“The Inn.”

Chrome glanced at her curiously. “I live at an inn as well. Sugar Cube Corner?”

Radiant smiled at him. “Yes, that’s where I stay. Perhaps we will see each other again.” He nodded, simply acknowledging what she had said. “I wish you a good night, Chrome Wind.”

“And I you, Radiant Shine.”

With a small smile, Radiant began to walk home. I just need to fight back… I’m sure I can do that…

Chrome glanced at the stars, remaining where he stood at the lake. He would not be returning to the inn for quite awhile, he realized. There was much he had to think about, and much more to physically do. He took much of the conversation to heart, realizing that it could help in his own life. I just have to fight back… I need to bring her home… That might make father proud… He sighed. But how to drag my own sister away from the place she loves?

As Chrome sat by the lake on a nearby rock, another figure watched him from the distance. Though blind, this pony saw far more than anypony ever realized. He saw the turmoil brewing in the Inn, and he knew that somepony had to connect all the dots. If not, catastrophe would hit the Inn, and (quite literally,) all Hell would break lose. He sighed. “Seems my job is never done.” With a small, wistful smile, Card Trick trotted back home, shadows curling from his hooves as he disappeared into the mist.

If You Cut A Drawing

Page gasped as he sat up in bed, his fear etched into his face. He was panting lightly as he felt another sharp pang in his head, having grown familiar these past few nights. Or has it been weeks? I’ve lost track… He rubbed his face, glancing around the dark room. Beside him, Winter was fast asleep. He watched her sadly, brushing her mane back from her face. She slept with a small smile, the smile he had given her. He sighed silently and stood, making scarcely a sound.

Page walked to the door, slipping on his cloak. He glanced one more time at the silent and peaceful room. As his head stung again, he winced and turned his back on the room, walking downstairs. He swayed slightly as he came to a stop in the lobby. No pony was there. He coughed lightly and walked out into the cold night. He kept walking, until he collapsed against a building, coughing badly. He watched black regeneration energy curl away from his lips, feeling sick. “S-shit,” he whispered in a hoarse voice, feeling his mind degrading with every pang and stab in his head. He shivered and kept walking against his will, knowing the pain would not cease until he followed instructions. I have… to go to rendezvous… meet… her…

Page sighed in relief as he sat on the rock near the lake. It was abandoned tonight. He shivered, cold from the winter night air. He took a deep breath, coughing a bit more regeneration energy into the air. A minutes rest… T-that’s all I want, is to rest…

“Oh, Sanfero,” a voice said from the mist, practically singing out the name.

Page looked up at the alicorn, the tormenter of his days and nights. Radiant Shadow stood before him. However, he knew something had shaken her. Something was fighting her. He had to keep his hope while playing her game. He couldn’t show he had the upper hoof. At this point, though, he realized dimly, I think she may have the upper hoof… “S-shadow,” he said weakly, responding to her call.

“Good puppet,” Radiant said, nearly purring as she saw how weak he was. Her horn sparked, the crack shining strangely from her horn with a red light. Shadows reached up from the rock he sat on, grabbing his hooves and body. Page kept his mouth shut and made not a sound as the shadows lifted him up to a standing position and held him there. Radiant smirked. “Yes, a very very good puppet. Not fighting back, not speaking a word…” Slowly, she began to circle him, her eyes wide with madness. “After all, you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your little bouncing baby boy.”

Page shut his eyes, trying not to imagine what she could do to Frozen, or any of his family. Allow her this one liberty, Page, and your family will remain safe. “Are you ready for your treatment,” he heard Radiant say. He nodded slowly, keeping his eyes shut. “Good.”

Page bit his lip to keep from groaning as he felt the all too familiar touch of steel on his hoof. It was cold against his fur, until it pierced his skin. He felt his blood warm his skin, pain stinging around the cut. It felt like an open fire, dancing on his fur. Radiant leaned down, watching his blood roll down his hoof, like a snake its prey. She lunged forward, licking up the dark substance, smirking as he didn’t make a single movement but for a grimace. “Mm, so tasty,” she added, standing straight and licking her lips.

Page groaned very softly, exasperated. “Get this over with,” he said softly.

Page gasped slightly in pain as an unexpected slash ran across his face. “No. Talking.” He nodded softly, hanging his head, feeling blood run down his face. Radiant raised his head close to hers, grinning. Page’s eyes widened as he felt the ever familiar shadows she used roll around his hoof around the cut. Suddenly, roughly, they shoved themselves into the cut, searing the inside with intense heat. He winced, managing to bite back his scream of pain. “I don’t know why you’re so surprised, Page. I have been doing this for awhile now.”

Radiant glared at him as he shut his eyes tight, keeping his lip bitten. “Man up, Sanfero. I’m only killing you as painfully and slowly as I can~”

Page took a few deep breaths, concentrating on the rhythm of his heart. It grew faster as he felt the shadows worm their way through his blood stream and nervous system. He tried to ignore the tears rolling down his face, but to no avail. Radiant merely grinned as she watched the nerves under his fur glow black. She suspended her spell just as the shadows reached his heart.

Page screamed, but only for a moment did its loudness shatter the air around them. He quickly cut off the scream with a muffled sob, biting his lip until it bled. Radiant merely smirked, allowing the spell to simply remain in his system, enjoying the torment he was going through.

Sheer agony. There was no time anymore. There was no happiness or sadness or even the comfort of being able to cry. There was only agony, and blackness ran from his eyes instead of tears. Nothing made sense, and blackness was all that remained. He needed to cry, he needed to smile – He needed anything but this oblivion.

Eternity is a long wait. He writhed in the shadows holding him, ignoring the anger of Radiant as he tried to escape. He sobbed shadows, his blood feeling thick and heavy in his body. Everything about him felt dim, heavy, thick – Tired. He wished he could be claimed by a different oblivion, one that would end this pain and sadness. Yet, as these thoughts came to his mind, one single, shining idea still shone - the only light in the darkness. Winter.

Page gasped in relief as he felt the blackness recede. He collapsed to the ground, shivering as the shadows released him. Their touch had been all that had supported him, and without them, he was weak. He coughed, panting, as he felt a strange tingling sensation around the cuts she had made. The wounds healed, the blood pooling around them. He noticed the blood looked black. Either that, or it was just darker than usual. His fur also seemed a tad bit darker, just enough to be noticeable if you looked hard enough at him.

Radiant softly lifted his head to look at her. His eyes, despite their usual green color, were nearly completely grey now. His eyes looked dead and tired. She smiled softly, seeing the pony she hated living yet dead at the same time. Inside, she felt a small pang of sadness, but smothered it quickly. I’m in control right now. “Who am I,” she asked sweetly, smiling softly.

Page looked her in the eyes, seeing past her charade. He sighed softly, realizing there was no way he could fight her right now. The darkness that had claimed her had left her untouchable, just as the shadows within him had left him weak by comparison. “You… are my master,” he said, the words tasting bitter in his mouth. The truth often tastes bitter. “I must obey.”

Radiant smirked, drawing him close. He felt her breath on his ear as she held him. “My Sanfero…” Softly she laid her hoof over his beating heart, remembering how the beat used to go back when he had two. She smirked, leaning closer to his ear. “2 more nights,” she whispered. “2 more and you shall be no more. Then this all ends, and our deal is done.”

Page’s eyes widened as he felt something in him slip. Some core belief that if he suffered through all of this, everything would be alright in the end shattered with those words. No more… I will never be able to see them again… These are my last two days with the ponies I love the most… And I have betrayed their love.

Page fell to the ground as Radiant dropped him, smirking. She turned and began to walk off into the mist, humming an eerie song. The notes seemed to echo in his mind. He heard her sing softly, “If you cut a drawing, then it shall feel no pain. Ink or bloody red, it’s still the same~”

He panted, sitting up against the rock, groaning. Softly, he laid his hoof to his heart, feeling the beat beneath his skin. My heart is still beating… so why do I feel so dead inside? Softly, he looked up through the fog to see the stars sparkling above. He would be joining them soon, he realized. He would look upon his family from the stars. He felt tears rolling down his face. “No crying,” he said hoarsely, chastising himself. “No crying… W-winter and I aren’t l-leaving… for a very… long time…”

He sighed, feeling the tears continue, despite his efforts to stop them. All of my family… I’m leaving them for good. But they have to understand… He shut his eyes slowly, sighing. “I do this for you,” he whispered, imagining them understanding what he was doing for them. “I will end myself to let you all live… Even if it means hurting you more than she ever could…” He opened his grey eyes, with a single spark of green remaining in them, the part of him that spoke now. “I’m so sorry, my love.”

Struggling to stand, he eventually rose to his hooves, realizing the night would be ending in a few hours. He wiped away his tears, finding he was no longer crying as he did so. He sighed, trying to regain his strength, knowing he was fighting a losing battle. “Time to go home,” he said softly. Whether it was from weakness or from the late hour of the night, Page couldn’t tell. He picked up his fallen cloak, not quite realizing as he went through the motions he had gone through each night Radiant had called him to this spot.

Slipping his cloak on, he started walking home, not feeling strong enough to attempt a teleportation spell. The mist seemed to dispel around him, like a rock through water. He made it back to the inn, feeling marginally better after the night walk. He did a quick spell and teleported to his room, wincing slightly. Magic was still a bit too harsh on his head. He sighed silently, hanging up his cloak without a sound. Winter was still sound asleep, and all was well.

Page walked to the bed and gingerly curled up with his wife, wrapping his hooves around her. He nuzzled her softly and whispered in her ear, “I will always love you. Remember that.” He saw Winter smile lightly in her sleep, snuggling under the sheets with him. He smiled softly, only for the smile to fade. He shut his eyes and breathed out, the black regeneration energy blending into the darkness in the room.

And into the darkness his dreams fell.

Only Pain In The Darkness

Radiant felt confused. Almost as though she had missed something. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Radiant,” the man said as they sat outside together. She merely stared at him, confused. I still don’t understand why he’d be interested in a pony like me…

Radiant had regained control after she and Page had their last ‘get together’. She shuddered inwardly, wishing beyond hope that she could’ve erased that time from her memory. She glanced at the sun, not quite registering what he had said. Of course, she was only partially in control. Her mouth moved in words she didn’t realize she was saying, while she thought about things she never thought she would have to think of. “Our talk really helped me,” she said, watching the sun set beyond the horizon. Is there any way I can go back to what I once was? I can’t just run… I can’t kill myself… The only way is to fight, but Page is getting hurt, and his family with him…

“You seem a lot cheerier since that night,” she heard him say. She felt a smile on her face. She supposed that whatever had her in its control was quite happy with how Page’s condition was progressing. She nodded, still lost in thought. “Good to see you smiling.”

Something about the word smiling set off something in her mind. Like gears turning, her thoughts were lost for a moment. She turned to him, scoffing slightly, realizing that the darkness was beginning to take a stronger hold. “Happiness is a fleeting thing. Why bother saying it is good when it is here so rarely?”

“I have no idea,” Chrome said, leaning back. “A habit the generation before us taught us, I suppose.”

“Then our ancestors are idiots.”

“Maybe they were,” Chrome said. “They claimed we had so much to live for… What a bunch of liars…” Radiant felt a smile on her face where she wanted a frown. Such depressing thoughts… “Makes me wonder why I did stop you. Why I just didn’t jump along.”

Radiant shrugged, but felt the need to say something to reassure him. Fight. “I’m happy I didn’t jump, now.”

“Happiness is a fleeting thing~” Radiant jumped slightly, watching him as he stared into the sky, oblivious to her reaction. “Soon enough, you’ll regret your choice… And then what? You’ll try again, only for someone else to try and stop you. And then you’ll claim to be ‘happy’ again, only to regret it once more.” He glanced at her, his eyes as deep as the loop he had just pointed out.

Radiant stared down, thinking over what he had said. Why do you keep doing this to Page? Soon enough, you will regret that choice… You’ll keep trying, until someone stops you. You will end up regretting it over and over again. I need to stop this. I need to put an end to this madness. Still, she could not muster up the force to take full control. But it was progress. “Unless I do it enough times to stay happy,” she said, though which being, she didn’t know.

“It’ll get boring eventually. And soon, no one would help you anymore.” Radiant was silent. He stole another glance at her. “So I wonder. How many times would you try?”

“… It is the only way I can be happy now,” she responded hesitantly. “So my answer is infinitely.” She dimly realized she wasn’t talking about killing herself anymore. They had shifted topics without him even realizing. How could he have known? There was no possible way, sadly.

“Nothing is infinite.”

“Then until I end.”

“That’s a shame,” Chrome said with a sigh. “Every good book has an ending.” Radiant stared at him, bewildered. He saw her face, grimly taking in her confused expression. “I’m not through reading your adventures yet.”

Radiant thought about that for a moment. This pony was… interested in her? Wanted to know more? This made no sense. “… M-Mine? What on earth would make you interested in my story?”

“I have no clue.”

“… B-But you still are?”

“Mhm.”

Radiant smiled softly, realizing it was truly her smile. Something had clicked between them. Something felt right. It was always easier to fight this darkness when Chrome was near. In fact, she was always more in control when he was around. She felt… happy. And maybe that was what was fighting back the darkness. Maybe there’s something to this whole happiness thing…

Radiant stood, smiling. “I’m going to head back in.” Chrome nodded, standing as well. They both trotted inside. Radiant nodded to Chrome and began to walk upstairs when she suddenly stopped, eyes wide.

Pain.

She gasped as she felt the first wave hit her. It was like a thousand pound weight was compressing her brain from all sides, pushing roughly against her skull. She held her head in fright, her eyes welling up with tears. “S-shit,” she said softly, feeling herself beginning to lose control as the darkness welled up inside her with rage.

“R-radiant,” Chrome said, surprised, seeing her frozen in place in her pain. He trotted over to her, worry etched into his face. “Are you alright??”

Her horn sparked black as she traced the spell, trying to find who was causing this. The answer was obvious. “U-Upstairs,” she said, panting. “U-Unicorn upstairs… R-room 201… H-hurting…”

“A hurting unicorn?”

Radiant felt the next head-splitting wave of agony spread through her body. She practically screamed as the earlier pain increased tenfold. “H-Hurting ME!”

Chromes eyes narrowed as he gently touched her head. His horn sparked and he appeared in… a bathroom?

Page jumped, grey eyes wide. He looked pale and sick. His face had a single cut on it, a barely visible and thin scar. Chrome could also see numerous marks on his hooves. “Hello there,” he said, his voice calm yet forceful. Page backed up, his eyes fearful, his horn sparking out of control as he ended the spell. So much fear in such dead eyes… “I politely ask you to stop hurting Miss Shine.”

“Shadow,” Page managed to say weakly, his voice dark. “She’s not shine anymore.”

“She is.”

“She will always be a shadow… You have no idea what you’re getting into, trust me.”

“I do not trust you, and I will protect Miss Shine.”

Page looked him over. This is my final effort, and this… alicorn shows up and stops me?... Is he trying to protect Shadow or Shine?... Should it matter either way? You’re a dead man, Page… You’re simply a dead man walking. He sighed, turning to look again in the bathroom mirror. “Tell her Sanfero sends his regards… and he’s not giving up on his family.”

“Nor will I give up. So if ‘Sanfero’ can hear me now, he better be prepared.” He glared at Page, taking a small step forward. “Do not make me unleash the Southern Kingdom’s power. You will regret that.”

Page spun in rage, looking back at him. How DARE he assume he knew what happened in his life, what Page had gone through and still was. “And do not let ME unleash the power of a TIMELORD.”

“… Who isn’t one anymore, it seems.”

Page glared at him. “I’m… half of one now… Not quite a Pony… Not quite a Timelord…” A figment of nothing. Damn it, Page, what are you doing? He felt tears coming to his eyes as he looked away. You’re losing yourself. You don’t hurt ponies, and you never did… so why are you trying to now?

“I will leave, but only if you leave Miss Shine alone.”

Page looked back at him, and Chrome saw just a glimmer of a bright green color within his eyes. “Keep close watch of her… Please… Don’t let her continue down this path.”

“You should return to the light as well.” Page glanced at him again, sorrowful. He sees more than I thought…

“This is my light.”

“No, it’s no-“

“Ask her what she’s done to me, then! What she’s done to my family!”

“Your family is you light. Return to them.”

“W-why do you think I am this way?... All I am trying to do is protect them…”

“You can do so without relying on this negative power.”

Why can’t he get it? Why can’t he see it’s not my power? Why can’t he see I’m broken, useless, worthless, nothing? Why can’t he see I’m nothing?

Why, why, why?

“I am not relying on it, S-somepony else is…” Why, why… Fight… Why fight?

“Don’t make my mistakes…” Chrome turned, shaking his head sadly.

Page simply stood there, feeling his tears running down his face. Why fight, the voice in his head said. You are nothing. You are worthless. You are broken, you are useless. You’re a simple drawing, and you have been torn in two.

“Say no more, puppet,” Radiant Shadow whispered from downstairs, her horn alight with darkness. “You have said far too much already. Your punishment awaits tonight.”

“J-Just go,” Page whispered, though he didn’t know whether to Chrome or Radiant. “Please, j-just go…”

“Farewell, Turner,” Chrome said. Page didn’t question how he knew his name. Page didn’t care. Nothing ever does care.

Chrome trotted downstairs, wiping away a stray tear. Radiant watched him come downstairs. Chrome looked at her, eyes downcast and… not angry. Simply disappointed. “I thought I could trust you,” he said softly. He sighed and turned to walk out.

Radiant felt that same spark from earlier. “W-wait… Where are you going?”

“Why?”

She thought for a moment. “… I’m not done reading yet.”

He glanced at her, seeing in her eyes the same softness that had first attracted him to her side, that had first convinced him to help her. And he vowed he would not be fooled by those eyes again. “My pages are blank. And you betrayed me. You have no right to read.”

“W-what’s been done has been done,” she yelled, tears welling up in her eyes. Finally, she could begin to let go of these feeling inside, she could begin to say what she had needed to say since she had first tried to attack Page, or even before that, when she first felt the darkness claim her. “T-this cannot be my fault if it remains in the past!”

“We have that in common. We only rely on ourselves.” With that, Chrome tore his gaze from her and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

Radiant stood, tears rolling down her face. “And myself… I-Is all I have…” She hung her head, feeling the darkness in her rising, yet trying to smother it with what little power she had herself. “I… can’t even rely on myself, now…” She sunk down against the counter, sobbing into her hooves. I am only a monster of darkness now.

The Shine has faded… and only I am left. Please… Somepony, help me.

Love Talks and Shadow Moves

“Yet again, all alone…” Chrome sighed, standing on the all together too familiar cliff face. This was the place where he had first heard Radiant at. He had gone to investigate and had sat on the rock, watching her simply deciding whether to drown herself or not. She looked innocent, and so sad… I suppose I thought I could help her… Foalish me…

“Did you really expect to be alone, good sir?~”

Chrome didn’t turn as he heard wings in the air and a pony land behind him. “Who are you, and why are you here?”

“I am merely somepony who comes around when the Inn is in more serious trouble. Call me Card Trick~”

Chrome glanced the pony over. He looked young and old at the same time. His wings were a peculiar type of metal, and his eyes were purely white, a sure sign that he was blind. A blind pegasus. How ironic. “I mean, why are you here, now?”

“I am here because you have been pulled into this tale, and you story does not end with a cliffhanger,” Card said, glancing over the edge of the cliff.

“No one knows my story. And no one should.”

“I know some of it, myself. Not all. None can know everything. But I do know some.”

Chrome sighed. “Right now, I could care less about that Inn.”

“But you do care about Shine.”

“Not anymore.”

Card smiled softly, chuckling. “You don’t actually believe Shine has done any of this, do you?”

“I stopped reading her story.”

“Tsk, tsk, never put a good book down. Otherwise, they fade.”

“Then let it be so.”

Card simply stared off into the sky, smiling softly. “Would it faze you to know she loves you too,” he asked.

“What makes you think I love her?”

Card laughed. “I am a man in love, Chrome Wind. I know many who are in love, and I happen to have been taught by the best matchmaker this side of the griffon kingdoms.” Card glanced at him with his eyes open, smiling. “I know love when I see it.”

Chrome glanced at Card, unamused. “I do not love anyone. I do not NEED anyone.”

Card smiled still, never stopping this entire conversation. “I never said ‘need’ was a part of love.”

“I never once said I love her.” This kid is getting annoying…

“You never had to.” Card sighed, still smiling, though it was a sadder smile. “However, it does not matter either way. After all, isn’t happiness fleeting?”

“Yes, it is.”

“So then why am I still smiling?~” Card shut his eyes, lying down on the grass. Chrome could tell, somehow, that the strange man would stay awake, despite his obvious lack of energy at the moment. He was starting to become unsettled by this pony, and starting to get angry at his constant refusal to listen.

“Because you feel you are helping me, whereas I do not need help.”

“It’s not you I’m helping. It’s Winter.”

Chrome glances at him. “Winter?”

“A Miss Winter Born, Sanfero’s wife. It is her I help now, through talking to you.”

“I am not part of this.”

“Oh yes you are~” Card opened his eyes again. “You are the only one who can save them now. And, perhaps, I can help.”

“I am not.” Chrome shut his eyes, wishing that this foal would be quiet and leave him in peace.

“You are, I’m afraid. I’ve searched quite awhile, and you are the only pony.”

Chrome spun to look at Card, angry. “I said, I AM NOT PART OF THIS! I cannot help ANYONE! I cannot help my kingdom, my sister, and by the gates of hell, I cannot even help myself!” He found himself panting in his anger, a small weight seeming to list from his chest, only to be replaced by a heavier weight as Card opened his eyes once more.

They were not the same eyes. These eyes… They held his every fear, his every desire – Those eyes held the universe within them, and it was utterly terrifying. Chrome stood still, watching Card, tense as he attempted to maintain eye contact with the suddenly larger than life man. “And thus,” Card said, his voice calm enough to sway a summer breeze. “The words on your page appear.”

“Everyone assumes I will be the one to help them. They assume I’ll save them, fix all their problems! I have my own forsaken problems as well, but does anypony ever help me?! NO.”

“And yet,” Card said, still eerily calm, “When you think I am helping, you refuse my help.”

“Congratulations. You read the blank pages of my story. What do you intend to do now?”

Card stood, smiling, his eyes shut. “I intend to turn around and ask Radiant how much she heard.”

Chrome heard a small gasp behind them. He turned, slowly, to find Radiant standing there. Her eyes shone with that same light, that damn light and kindness that had claimed him before. Her eyes were wide, and there was a light blush on her cheeks as she realized she had been caught. She would be beautiful, were she not a devil in disguise. “I do not care for her anymore… Not for anyone, but for my kingdom.”

“Then why did you tell her not to jump?”

Chrome was silent for a moment as he thought. “Simple. Because every life, no matter how bad, is worth living.”

Card smiled, not saying anything to this. They sat in silence for a few moments, until a small voice spoke up. “Do you… really believe that,” Radiant asked softly.

“Every journey is different. Some have a long road, some have a short road… But it is always our happiness that awaits us at the end. We need to build up that happiness before we reach the end.”

Radiant hung her head. “I… I’m sorry I hurt Turner… You were angry about that…”

“It’s none of my business.”

“I still wanted to say sorry.”

Chrome turned to the cliff side again. “And now you have.”

Radiant sighed. Isn’t that all you ever do, she heard a familiar voice say. A shadowy voice, and one only she could hear. All you ever do is say you’re sorry. You know how much stronger you are when you’re hurting him, hurting them. You’ve nearly drove a man to death with my help, and now another stands on a cliff face. You can’t deny, you enjoy having so much power.

Radiant hung her head, knowing the voice was right. After all, how could she deny her own thoughts? She sighed. “I’m… sorry to have bothered you…” Sorry again.

“Goodbye, Miss Shine.”

Radiant glanced at him, registering that he had called her Shine. Even after the atrocity she had committed, he still called her Shine… And it still didn’t change who she still was. “Goodbye… Chrome Wind…” With that, she turned and began to walk home, her mind racing with thoughts.

Card sighed as she walked away. “Well, it’s a start…” Card looked up at the sky, thinking. “Page is already too far gone to save him currently…”

Chrome sighed. “Look, Sir Trick, I have no business in all this. If you claim to know all that is going on, why won’t you help them out instead?”

“They would refuse me.”

“Then help behind the scenes.”

Card smiled lightly, glancing at Chrome. “That’s what I’m doing. Think of me as the man behind the curtain, and yourself as the curtain.”

Chrome glared at him slightly. “I want no part of this puppet show.”

“A puppet show, hmm?~”

“Everypony is being controlled, aren’t they?”

More than you know, Chrome… “In a way, I suppose. However, I’ve always been good at defeating puppeteers.”

“Then destroy the one that’s controlling this. The one that’s caused Miss Shine all of this trouble.”

“Unfortunately, that would end in the demise of Miss Shine, and Page, therefore, hurting Miss Winter far more than she already will be hurt by his changing.”

“I thought you said it was too late for Page.”

“It is too late to save him from the darkness. However, that does not mean I cannot bring him back to the light after he has diverged from it.”

Chrome sighed, looking at Card seriously. “Once more, I have no business in all of this.”

“Why do you think Radiant came here? To this exact cliff, at this exact time?”

“I do not know, and I don’t care. I merely wish to return home.”

Card shook his head, starting to get angry. “You are blinder than even I.”

“Those are your words, not mine.”

Card flared out his wings, his eyes open. The very air shook around them in his anger. Chrome glanced at him, recognizing his power. “There will come a day when you will walk that very same path, Chrome. Will you be as blind as you are now, and stray then?”

Chrome looked him dead in the eyes, his face cold as ice. “I probably will.”

Card watched him for a second more and dropped his gaze, sighing. “Their only hope is if you are caught as you fall…”

“I do not need anyone. All I wish to do is return my sister to our home safely.”

Card turned his back to the man, shaking his head softly. “You cannot see what you need anymore.”

Chrome shut his eyes tightly. “If. Say, IF I were to go to her, and it seems I am unneeded? My path would end there, and I would have to turn around and pick another road. It would be a waste of time.”

“Yet say you ARE needed. Would THAT be time wasted?”

“I cannot see that~”

“Exactly!” Card spun, and Chrome could sense the sudden urgency in his voice. “You CANNOT see! Yet, if you were to take this mask away from your eyes…” If you were not so much as I was, Card thought, sighing. “Imagine all you would see…”

“Imagine?” Chrome scoffed, keeping his eyes geared to the now setting sun. “So I should now fantasize? Make fake images in my head of what I want this world to be?”

Card hung his head, turning once again away from the man. There was no reasoning with him when he was like this. I can only hope I brought to mind what he truly feels, even if he cannot see it himself. “Do what you wish, Chrome. Just keep in mind what I said. And… Take good care of your sister.” He glanced one last time at Chrome. “She’s all you’ll have left.”

In silence, Card took off, leaving a very tired and irate Chrome to sort out the headache of his thoughts.  Chrome watched the pony with the strange wings disappear into the clouds. He sighed, massaging his head.

In her room, Radiant was pacing. Her eyes were darker than usual as she muttered to herself. “Betrayers, all of them… I was foalish to have listened to that one, Chrome.” Inside, the true Radiant cried, hidden from all but her own heart. Chrome… I’m so sorry…

Chrome shook his head as he flew back, quickly landing outside of the Inn and trotting inside. He sighed, suddenly letting the thoughts he had been restricting all along wash over him. “Oh Chrome… Why did you chase her? Why didn’t you just take your sister home when you had the chance?...” He bowed his head, tired as he began to trot upstairs.

In her room, Radiant Shadow stopped pacing. Suddenly, she closed her eyes, her horn sparking black. Radiant, inwardly, gasped. W-what… I’m not doing this… I-It has control again…

There was a soul wrenching pain as Radiant was ripped from her body, her spirit and her body separated. She took form, her original form, before the monster that had claimed her. She whimpered in pain, hiding in her pastel mane, crying. “What were you THINKING!?” Shine flinched back, eyes wide as the monster grabbed her, shadows curling from her hooves. “You were the one who wanted this, Shine. You changed, on the moon. When Luna was becoming weak and tired of me, you felt pity on poor Shadow. You were my only friend. Do you want to let down your only friend, Radiant?”

Shine sobbed, wanting desperately to answer the terrifying figure in front of her. She was terrified, and she wished for someone to save her. I can’t save myself anymore.

“ANSWER ME,” the Shadow her screamed. Shine yelped in pain as she was slammed full force into the wall.

On the stairwell outside her room, Chrome froze, his eyes wide. “…N-No… It’s none of my business.” He shook his head and kept walking, intent on making it back to his room, ignoring the noises from Radiant’s room.

Shine limply slumped against the wall, tears rolling down her face. “I-I’m s-sorry… I-I won’t mess up again…” S-she’s my only friend, now…

“Good…” With a spark of her horn, the Shadow Radiant began to call the other back to her original body. Radiant gasped in pain, but muffled her shout. Chrome, already farther ahead, shut his eyes tightly, trying to ignore it.

“Weakling,” the Shadow said, her face deadpan as Shine disappeared once more. Inside her mind, Radiant was alone again. I’m… sorry I’m so weak, S-shadow… “Shh,” the Shadow said, smirking. “You’re safe with me again, now. Come, pet. We need our rest.” Going to the bed, the Shadow lay down, once again in the form Page had seen her in, the dark alicorn. Inside, the shy Pegasus cried softly, so as to not wake her captor. The only semblance of hope was the idea that Chrome might save her from this nightmare. That Chrome could help her break this spell over her. Please… Chrome…

In his room, Chrome lay down as well, sighing. He struggled to get the mare out of his mind, but he couldn’t. He could see her inner beauty, and saw the way her eyes sparkled. He glanced out the window at the now late night. He shut his eyes, seeing her face once more. Though, it was nearly two faces. The face he had seen inside her, and the mask she wore. Goodnight, Shine… or… Shadow…

Faded (Part One)

Page sighed as he set Frozen in his crib, tired. He hadn’t slept well at all these past few nights. Winter was off in another room, putting Gale to bed. Page leaned down and kissed his son’s forehead lovingly, looking into his face. Somehow, his son looked worried… A weird feeling to see on a foals face. “You understand quite a bit, don’t you, my son?” Frozen reached up his hooves, hugging his father’s hoof tightly. Page gently took his hoof out of his son’s embrace, looking at him with tired grey eyes. “Goodnight, my son.” Unable to look at his son any longer, Page turned and trotted back to his bedroom. I suppose he got my sense of emotions…

Winter trotted back out of Gale’s room, smiling brightly. Page smiled softly, if only for his wife. She had no idea how many secrets he still kept from her, how often he lied to her. But it was all to keep that beautiful smile on her face. “Are you alright, dear,” she asked, a small bit of concern in her voice.

Page nodded softly, nuzzling her lightly. “I’m fine, Love. I’m just rather exhausted as of late…” He sighed, rubbing his head. It had been hurting all day. “I believe I’m still recovering from Radiant’s attack…”

Winter watched him, worried. However, she knew Page would never lie to her. Not about his own health. “Alright…” She sat down on the bed, yawning.

“I’m going to go downstairs and get something to help this headache. Why don’t you try to get some sleep?” He kissed her lightly, leaning over the bed.

“Alright.”

Page smiled softly at his wife, taking in her face and how she looked. He knew he wouldn’t have time, soon. He knew that whatever Radiant was doing to him, it would be finished in two days time. He didn’t know what would happen to him, but he knew that if he was to die, he wanted his last memories to be of his wife and his family.  “I love you, Winter. More than words can describe.” She blushed lightly, smiling. “Promise me you won’t ever forget that?”

“Of course~” Winter watched him, smiling. As he leaned back up from the kiss earlier, Winter saw the faintest scar on his cheek. She looked at it, unsure of where it had come from. She hadn’t once noticed it until now.

“Alright. Painkillers.” With that, Page turned, yawning, trotting to the door. “I’ll be right back up.”

“Okay,” Winter said hesitantly, wondering for the first time now why Page had been so lovey dovey lately. She had assumed it was because Radiant had scared him with her spell, and that he simply needed time to relax. However, now that she thought about it, he had had plenty of time to relax from that experience. What was wrong with her husband?

She looked back up from her thinking to talk to him, just in time to see the door close behind him. She sighed. “I guess I can just ask him when he gets back.”

Page trotted down the stairs, feeling slightly dizzy. Maybe a bit of water first… He went to the fridge and pulled out some water, getting himself a glass. He lifted it up to his lips, then froze, his eyes wide.

Time to pay for today, Sanfero. It’s showtime.

“N –No,” he said as he dropped the glass, not even hearing it shatter. He felt his breath quicken as his blood seemed to stop pumping and his heart skipped a beat. He was frozen in place, pain tearing at his very bones. “N-No, p-please, I-I had another night w-with them…” He saw, through his watering eyes, his hooves turning grey as the veins within swelled and bubbled black. He felt something rising in him, and it was getting harder to see. It was going dark.

He managed to see Winter run down the stairs, stopping at the base of them, her eyes wide. “No,” he whispered, his voice hardly more than a whisper as tears streamed down his face. I don’t want to see her cry. I can’t stand this. P-Please, no…

But Winter couldn’t hear him. She hadn’t heard him all this time – Why would she now?

“No, no, no,” Winter said, frozen as she saw her husband changing before her eyes. She knew she couldn’t do anything, and it was worse than anything else could ever be. She was a filly again, unable to save her mother. Unable to do anything. She was helpless.

Page felt ridiculously dizzy. Time had slowed down. He felt almost like he was floating – No. He was fading. Darkness tugged around him as he realized dimly that the blackness inside his blood was spreading to his heart. He felt his heartbeat slow. And suddenly, it stopped all together.

He felt darkness. He was darkness. He did not exist in any form he recognized. His entire being had changed – and yet he was so similar now. He saw through grey eyes, dark mind and a shrouded soul. He took a deep breath and the foreign mask he now bore breathed as well. He had no speech. He had no freedom. He simply existed.

This is not life. This is simply living. He gazed through nothingness to see his wife, standing there… crying. He felt a pang of pain in his heart – But the foreign mask did not. The body around him, himself now, felt nothing for the mare. Not yet.

“P-Page?” Winter walked up to the grey pony, seeing his tan-black hair. He had dried tears on his face, although he now looked emotionless. Dead.

“And you are,” the pony said, looking at her blankly.

Winter gasped lightly, her eyes wide. He doesn’t… N-no… “P-Page, please…”

The pony tilted his head softly, staring at her as though she were an interesting spot that had appeared on the wall. “I… remember that name… It’s fuzzy, but I remember a book…” He stood up straight, thinking.

Inside, Page felt himself continuing to fade. Starting to give into the darkness and simply relax. He felt horrible, miserable, and most of all – tired. He was so very tired… It was time to sleep. With that, the inner part of the pony fled. No more pain. No more tears. All that was left was the pony who had now replaced him.

The grey pony looked around, thinking for himself, his mind sparking with new ideas. He saw a glimmering knife on the counter, freshly cleaned. Interesting… I remember, once, having thinner blood… How do I feel my blood? Oh yes… I’m not a pony, I’m a Halfling… What an ugly thing to be. I should fix that.He trotted over to the knife, looking at it curiously. My blood seems the consistency of something different… I wonder… “This is a good one,” he said softly.

Winter’s eyes widened at the pony cut his hoof, watching as dark blood seeped from the wound. The pony didn’t so much as wince. Looking closer, Winter gasped as she realized it wasn’t blood coming from the cut – it was ink.

“This is new… but it feels… powerful… just like that book I remember… I…” With a dark smirk, the pony smeared the ink on the table, forming a picture of a heart. His horn sparked, and the drawing lifted up, forming an actual beating heart on the counter space, lifted slightly by his dark magic. His hoof healed as the ink solidified around the cut, creating so thin a scar, it was as though the cut had never happened.

“O-oh my god,” Winter said as she took a step back. The sight in front of her was sickening to the core. Her husband would never do this – Page would never become a dark magic wielding unicorn. It simply wasn’t in his nature.

The pony lifted the heart to his hoof. As it made contact with his fur, he noted that it stopped beating. Peculiar… I bring death to my creations, it seems. No matter, however. After all, if I bring death, then… “On death I will survive,” he whispered as he shut his eyes. With a flash of his horn, the heart disappeared. He gasped as he felt within his body another heartbeat start, beating at an opposite pace to the other. 1, 2, 3, 4 beats, all in a row. He laughed, the feeling in his chest intoxicating. “L-Like a bloody samba,” he whispered, chuckling almost madly.

His ears perked up as he heard the pony nearby shuffle away from him. He turned to see her backing away. Her face was stained with tears, he noted, and she seemed… pitiful. Saddened by something so insignificant, it held more weight on her than anything else. As though someone had merely turned out a light, and she were a filly lost in the dark. His heart – hearts – felt a pang of sympathy for her. “Why… do you seem familiar?”

“… I-I’m your wife…” His eyes widened. “I-I’m your wife, we have 2 kids…”

“Impossible. I’m a timelord. We’re infertile, it’s impossible to have children… You must be mistaken.” He shook his head, feeling a slight headache in the making.

“P-Please, Page, w-what happened?!” Winter felt her useless tears rolling down her face, trying desperately to ignore them, not knowing who the pony before her really was, hoping beyond hope that Page was still somewhere in there.

As the grey pony looked at her, his eyes widened slightly. Inside, a single spark still lingered, a small ember of Page. You can’t get rid of the soul, Radiant. That’s why you still feel love for that pony, Chrome. That’s why I’m still here. You can’t get rid of my love for her, no matter how hard you try. In the darkness around him, a small shield of light kept Page from drowning in the shadows of Radiant’s design. In his eyes, a timelords fire burned with love for his wife. He opened his mouth, speaking from the heart.

“Don’t cry… Winter.”

Winter smiled brightly, her hope somewhat returned. But, just as quickly, the grey pony shook his head, bewildered as to where that sympathy, where that love had come from. No… I feel nothing for this mare. She is simply a crying mare.

But what if she’s more than that?

She’s not.

She is sobbing.

Winter was her name, you said. Winter, cold and heartless. She can handle it.

Names are important. What’s yours?

“My… name is Ink. Call me Inkwell.” As he spoke the words, he realized the pounding in his head and chest has stopped. His pulse had ended. He wasn’t sure where the name had come from in the flurry of thoughts and ending beats. “Your name… I-It was Winter? Winter Born?” Where are these memories coming from? How am I still alive? What’s going on?

“Yes, I am…”

Inkwell held his head, trying to sort through the fog in his head. He felt like he was being pulled in two different directions, pulled towards aloofness and love at the same time. “It’s so hard to think… So much to think about… I remember a-a fog… a mare in the shadows… She… She wa-“ His voice faltered as suddenly, images of everything hit him like a wave, drowning him in memories. He gasped slightly, seeing his body overcome by shadows, seeing a mare and their intimacies, seeing his children born, even seeing a small filly with amethyst eyes, and a lovely little pegasus mare with love in her eyes and a beautiful heart – It all was consumed by shadow, strings tearing at the memories like black thread. All of these glorious, wonderful – horrible – memories, twisted and reformed with the strings, so fragments of the past shone through. “T-this is-“ he managed to say before the next torrent of memories came to him. Gallopfrey, the moon, Nightmare Moon’s return – that and so much more was re-written for him.

All in seconds.

Inkwell began to pace, his eyes wide. “So confusing, so maddening – So many thoughts, just repeating over and over, and all at once – It’s so very confusing, maddening, too much, too much-“ He cut off slightly, hardly listening to his rambling as the pounding in his head began once more. He tapped his hoof on the floor and counted the reassuring beats in his mind.

1…2…3…4…1..2..3..4..1.2.3.4.1234123412341234123-

He laughed out loud as the beats sped up without him even realizing. “It never ends, do they, those beats? Madness is tapped out in those beats, and – god, t-this pounding-“

“It hurts, doesn’t it?”

Ink spun around, suddenly silent and serious. He glared at the pony now standing in the stairwell with a smirk on her face. She was staring intently at him, and instantly, he knew who she was. “What do you want, Radiant?”

“So the corpse has claws,” she said softly. She turned to the sobbing Winter, grinning an almost fanged, hungry grin. “He did this to himself, you know… Every night, he came to visit me…” She walked around Ink once, waving her tail under his chin, eliciting a shake of his head. “So sweet of him to stay so punctual.”

“Go f-fuck yourself,” Winter said with a shaking rage in her voice. “Just go fuck yourself with a spike.”

Radiant chuckled softly, her smirk resting nicely on her face. “My my, such anger. I see where Page learned it.”

“Y-You couldn’t just drop it!” Winter, used her magic to wipe away her remaining tears, her anger taking over her emotions. “What a desperate mare… Pathetic.”

“I was only showing you the truth of all things, Winter. You should thank me~”

“The truth?”

“He will leave you, as all men do. He will always abandon you in the end.”

“You MADE this monster!”

Inkwell felt a spark within himself as he heard her say that. The memories came back… Each memory of him, walking through the fog... willingly. “She… didn’t…”

“Shut it, you.”

“But she didn’t.”

Radiant snickered, enjoying the little fight between the couple. Winter turned to him, her eyes dripping with malice. “Fine… if she really didn’t do this… Don’t you DARE come near me, or the children. You AREN’T my husband.”

His eyes widened. No, he heard, deep inside himself, something call out. Winter, please, I-

“Marry that dumb bitch that made you. Monsters love other monsters.”

“I’d rather die,” Ink said softly, feeling… emotions. Anger, denial, fear – Love. Things that were all new to him, and all happening too fast. It was as though he were two separate beings, and both had the same mindset, with different minds. It was vastly confusing.

“Then die.”

Anger. “I already have. Or didn’t you notice?” He glared at her lightly. “My heart stopped beating quite awhile ago.”

“Whatever.”

Ink shook his head angrily. “Fine.” He began to walk out, but as he reached the door, an unseen force froze him in his tracks. He heard a single memory play out in his mind. His anger melted away for an instant, replaced with another emotion. “… Promise me you’ll never forget that…”

Winter felt fresh tears well up in her eyes. She tried to hold them back, but couldn’t as she realized the love of her life, who had promised to never abandon her, had done exactly that. “That wasn’t you… that was him. He said that.”

“Then never forget he loves you.” With that, Ink – Or Page, or both ponies – walked out of the Inn. And as he stepped hoof out of the doorway, Winter felt a shift in her, and her cutie mark, the one Page himself had drawn for her, faded away ever so slightly.

Faded (Part Two)

Winter stood in the lobby of the Inn, her heart shattered. Ink took a deep breath, standing in the cold air outside. He glanced up at the stars, but quickly looked away. What interest did they hold with him?

Inside, Radiant smiled at her handiwork – A mare in ruins, and a pony gone dark. If she managed this much havoc, how much more could she spread with her power? She sighed inwardly, however. “My work here is done. I’ve fulfilled my contract.”

Winter glanced at the mare. Contract?

Radiant shut her eyes, glowing black. Suddenly, there was a bright flash, forcing Winter to close her eyes tightly. When she opened them again, she was surprised to see a small, cowering pegasus in place of the dark alicorn. Her mane now curled softly, it hung over her eye, hiding it from view. Her eyes were the only things that remained of the Shadow before, and even then, the redness was softened ever so slightly. Winter knew exactly who the mare was. She didn’t give a shit.

Radiant Shine shook, staring at the pony who had every right to despise her. “O-oh m-my god…” Her voice was soft and airy, but shook with her fright. “I-I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, I c-couldn’t stop her-“

“WELL TOO BAD,” Winter screamed, taking a step towards the mare. She was in a rage, infuriated. “THE DAMAGE IS ALREADY DONE!” With that, the cutie mark on her side vanished completely.

Outside, in the alleyway, Ink winced. Inside himself, he felt something slip. Something needed to be fixed. Something he had done in the past needed to happen again. But he didn’t know what. Shaking his head, he continued walking, ignoring the small pain in his chest.

“I-I tried to fight her,” Radiant said, backing away from the mare. “I-I’m sorry,” she kept muttering, trying to keep her head down.

“I don’t give a flying fuck.”

Inkwell reached the outside of the Inn, looking at the wall. He pulled out the knife from earlier, cutting his hoof lightly. Black ink dripped from his hoof. He smeared the ink on the wall before him, sketching out a door, crafted well. The door then appeared, sunken into the wall slightly. He shuddered as he felt the cut heal, but reached forward his hoof and took hold of the knob. He turned it and opened the door to a nicely sized room, simply furnished as a room in the inn would be. He realized dimly that the room was far bigger on the inside, seeing as it technically rested within the walls of the Inn. Shutting the door behind him, he walked to the wall opposite the door and leaned against it, sliding down in his weariness. When did I get so exhausted?

“I-it’s fine,” he heard Winter say. His eyes widened slightly as he realized he could hear into the lobby. “It’s okay… It’s all fine!” He heard her laugh slightly. “P-Page is upstairs and everything is fine!” He sighed, realizing with a small pang of regret that the mare inside was insane. “S-see!? W-why aren’t you happy?!?”

“Y-you poor mare…” Ink’s eyes widened further as he realized Radiant’s voice had changed. It rang like a bell, soft and clear. She’s returned to who she used to be…

“P-Poor?! I-I’m the happiest mare ever!” Inside, a horrible, terrible smile took up Winter’s face. She was forcing herself to smile, forcing the world to be okay again. Her husband wasn’t gone – No, he was just asleep. He was just resting.

In his room, Ink felt more pain in his chest. Suddenly, it was as though a channel from his old heart had opened to his mind. He shut his eyes softly, and spoke. He realized that if he could hear them, then they could hear him. His voice sounded almost exactly like Page's. “If… I touch a burning candle, I can feel no pain…” What am I saying now? Reassuring her of my death? Why am I even speaking?

“P-Pagey?!” He heard her turn, but it didn’t matter to him.

“Cutting drawings with knives… it’s all the same.”

“P-Pagey, I knew you would come back to me! W-where are you?!”

“I know your heart is beating, Winter.” She stopped as he said her name. “For now, I am away.” A soft sob. “But the… love… I feel for you… It’ll ALWAYS be real.”

“W-why don’t you come back now, Pagey?...”

“I will come back soon, my dear… I-I will…” He felt tears rolling down his face slowly, unsure as to what exactly had caused them. Within, he felt like his heart was breaking for this poor mare – Only one. The other beat on, uncaring. Something deep inside me is stirring for this mare… I think it’s him. The one she thinks is me. I think… am I not real?

With that sobering thought, everything suddenly made sense. Of course he wasn’t real. He was simply Ink. A drawing, a sketch of a real pony – A cover up of the artwork beneath him. He realized with shattering clarity and in seconds that there was no true way to fix that either. Cutting himself away would resolve in him killing this mare’s husband. That deep, stirring part of him would never allow that. Nopony would be able to erase the drawing above without erasing the drawing below. It was hopeless. His entire existence was hopeless.

It was a sobering thought. And that was all it was.

“Treat the kids well,” he heard himself say on autopilot. The pony inside him was speaking, the last sparkling remnants of him still shining through the black ink that overlaid his own flesh. “And wipe that fake smile off your face,” he added, recalling the fake smile she used to have, way back when they had first met – when she had tried to mask her pain. “I-I always loved your true smile,” Ink heard himself lie. I don’t know this mare. I’ve never seen her truly smile. “Keep smiling for me and the kids.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

Ink looked at the slender scar on his hoof. There has to be one gift I can make for her… One single thing that I can do to heal her sorrow…

The answer came to him quickly. After all, hadn’t all of this stemmed from pain? All that can heal this is even more pain… He drew his knife once more, cutting his hoof, wincing as the bloody ink ran from the wound once more. Shaping it with his magic, he soon held a fully bloomed, jet – black rose in his hooves. A black rose… the color symbolizing death… Fitting, for a corpse like me. That’s all I am, after all. A shade. A corpse. A shadow of the pony I once was. “You will understand someday soon, my Love.” With a spark of his horn, he teleported the rose a short way away, letting it rest in Winter’s mane. She gasped softly, and somehow, Ink knew her tears had slowly begun to stop falling. “I love you always, my Impossible Winter…” The only Winter in which the petals of Love can bloom… That was how he would describe her… “P-promise me you will never forget that,” he finished, echoing the words he had repeated all night. Once with undying love, the second with cold harshness, and the third with regret and remorse.

“Okay, dear,” was the response through the wall.

“Sleep well, Winter. I will be with you, now and always.” He heard her slowly ascend the stairs. He sighed softly, his tears falling, cold as the namesake of the mare he shed them for. Then, he heard another voice – Soft, like a bell. Her…

“Page,” Radiant whispered, her own eyes full of tears. “I’m… s-so so sorry… I never meant-“

“Get away from the wall, Radiant.” He shut his eyes tightly, fury boiling his blood. “I don’t care if you’re Shine again or not. You did this to me… You did this to him… You caused all of this to happen… So just fuck off for awhile.” With that, he heard a soft sob, the fluttering of wings, and knew he was alone. As a corpse is meant to be.

Winter dimly realized she had reached her bed. Her eyes were red from her crying. She heard her children, fast asleep, knowing they didn’t know what had happened – No. Nothing had happened. Page was just – away. He was just away right now, on very very important business. Princess Celestia herself needed his advice about the dark alic- the meteor that had struck Ponyville. “P-pagey will be back soon,” she said with a hideous smile. “He’ll be fine.” She lied down softly, not caring about the tears that dampened her pillow. She didn’t need to care about them. She only cared about Page.

Winter shut her eyes, and her dream was simple – Her husband held her softly, whispering sweet tidings in her ear, each accompanied with a nuzzle or a soft kiss. Her rest was soft and light, yet fulfilling all the same. Those in delusions lived in a nightmare – Only when their eyes shut and their brains rested did their true desires become fulfilled.

Inkwell curled up in his own bed, provided by the room in its creation. He watched the ceiling, gazing at the black pattern intently, not quite taking in its appearance. He sighed and shut his eyes, and drifted off into the dreamless sleep that accompanied all untroubled men to their beds – Indeed, a corpse could not be troubled.

In her room, Radiant wiped away her tears. She looked in the mirror, but her reflection was not her own – It was a monster, dark with a horn, that gazed back at her. Shaking her head in fright, she turned and lied down in her bed. She shut her eyes, but her dreams were fitful and dark – Full of nightmares most foul, and unable to escape the tiredness that wore at her bones. For, as much as she wished otherwise, she had committed a terrible crime – the loss of a loved one. Truly, she was a victim as well as a monster. Her nightmares made this apparent.

Only one pony did not rest this night. He walked out of the Inn, stretching his wings for a small flight. They had begun to grow stiff in the cold winter air. His blind eyes swept the clear night sky, coming to rest on the moon. “Well, old friend,” he said to the moon, smiling softly. “Things have gone to hell, haven’t they.” He sighed, looking then down the alley way where Ink had departed. “I suppose now, it’s time for them to come back. ‘To hell and back’ is the saying, correct?” With a brisk laugh, Card Trick took to the night, flying through the air. He would have much work to do soon – and why not enjoy what time you have left?

As Page had shown them all, time was a valuable thing – and as Radiant had shown, it was taken away rather quickly.