“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…

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