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.

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