How did it come down to this…?
Murder…
Betrayal…
Cannibalism…
Insanity….
Brightsmile went down the path of darkness… All thanks to that voice… But when was this path truly chosen for her?
The answer resides in her childhood…
It began with tears… And a broken doll…
Mareana, an old farming town that resides deep within the deserts, growing mostly cotton, corn, and wheat. The town has hardly changed for over a hundred years. Most ponies cling to older ways and chase out the new ones.
It’s a town that hides some of the darkest secrets in Equestria... The story of this dark secret begins during school... Where our innocent little filly is surrounded by hateful beings...
“Why did you break it?!” She shouted at the older foals, her doll lying in ruins before her. Rage filled her, but so did sorrow. She was 8 and was already living a miserable life in her own way…
The bright white filly was very different than the other foals. She was very calm and didn’t play around much, and she had a strong dislike of sweets…
She stood out from the other foals obviously, and that attracted nothing but bullies…
“Because it was fun! What are you gonna do about it?” Sneered one of the bullies.
There were 3 in all; each one was bigger than Brightsmile and they were ready for any fight she may put up. The bullies terrorized most foals but Brightsmile was their favorite victim...
Fist was the leader of the group. His pelt was dark red and his mark was a punching bag. Then there was Tiny and Shake, both of them were brothers.
Shake was orange and skinny, and his mark was simply a milkshake. As for his brother Tiny, he was pretty big despite his name. His skill as being a little pony wrestler...
Out of nowhere Fist, who lead the group, swung his hoof and it connected to side of poor Brightsmile’s head… Why? Well, why not?
The little unicorn was asking for it by being so different! She was knocked a foot away, the pain throbbing throughout her head. That was surely going to leave a mark…
Slowly she got up as the bullies laughed at her, but instead of hitting back she ran off…
She was heading to her secret place… A small maze of corn that hid an abandoned cabin in the center…
She always went here was she was sad, or was hiding from those 3 bullies… So the place was used very often. She busted inside and threw herself into a makeshift bed, burying her face into the pillow and sobbing… But what she didn’t notice… Is that she wasn’t alone…
“That was a rude thing they did to you…”
Brightsmile gasped and looked about. Where did that voice come from? She couldn’t see anypony inside, but that voice was definitely from inside…
Suddenly a shadow in the corner or the cabin gave her an answer… It rose up and took the shape of a pony, and the dark form of a pony spoke once again. “Don’t be afraid, little one…” The shadow said soothingly, even though it lacked a mouth…
Brightsmile almost screamed at the top of her lungs by this sudden encounter. But the shadow didn’t pose as a threat… How would a shadow hurt her anyways?
“I could help you with your bully troubles, if you don’t mind being my friend… I haven’t had a friend in so long…” Continued the strange shadow, sorrow pouring out of its words… Was it telling the truth? Would she really be Bright’s friend?
The little filly got out of the bed and looked up at the shadow. Her eyes no longer held fear, it was replaced by joy. A shadow being her friend is way better than having no friends at all!
“I would really like it if those bullies left me alone… And have you as friend!” The innocent pony said with glee… “My name is Brightsmile, what’s yours?”
“Just call me Crimson.” Was the answer. “Now, close your eyes… And when you open them you won’t have to worry about those bullies in a long, long time…"
Foolishly, the sweet little unicorn followed her instructions. As she breathed in, the shadow went inside her lungs… But when she breathed out. Nothing but air was expelled… Her eyes opened, and for just one second, they were a wonderful crimson color… Darkness flowed out of her horn.
And she was gone…
“We so showed her, right Fist?” Said Shake. All of them were at their hang out, an old tree house that they took from some fillies, relaxing and joking around.
Fist was busy pounding away on a punching bag that was chained to the roof. It also had a drawing of Brightsmile on it… “Got that right!” He said, bursting with satisfaction. What was almost too easy to make her run off crying!
“Yeah, it showed me how slowly I’ll kill each of you…” Said a small, yet sinister, voice behind the 3 bullies… Fist, Shake, and Tiny turned to see who just said that, and to their surprise… Brightsmile was standing behind them!
Instead of kindness or sorrow in her eyes… A murderous gaze replaced it… But the gaze didn’t affect the taller bullies. Instead it caused them to start laughing at the tiny filly. What could she do to 3 older foals?
The answer came to them as punching bag sudden broke free of the chain that made it hang about and slammed into Shake, the skinniest one of the group, and it flung him into the wall.
Shake yelped out from the sudden blow, but before he could react the bag threw itself into him once more and send him and the bag through the wall!
He landed with a sickening thud... “Shake!” Shouted his brother. Tiny looked at Bright with pure rage. “I’m going to kill you!” He shouted as he charged at her blindly, ready to rip her apart.
But Brightsmile merely yawned at his rage. Once Tiny was close enough she stepped out of the way and tripped him and sent him tumbling out of the tree house, giggling as she heard a huge thud a few seconds later.
That’s two down for now... One more to go.
Fist stared at the white filly in fear… Was this really the same Brightsmile he sent him crying earlier today?! He had to do something before he becomes a victim now…
He ran to his rack of dumbbells and began to picking them up. “B-back off!” he stuttered, he aimed the dumbbells at her to show that he meant business… But all Brightsmile did was cackle at his stupidity…
“The tables have truly turned… Brightsmile used to fear you… But now you fear her… That’s a nice bit of irony.” She said as she advanced to the red foal, the laughter never ending
What was she talking about? She didn’t sound like the Brightsmile anypony knew… All that registered to him was that she getting close…
Fist threw a dumbbell at her, aiming right for Bright’s head, but before it made contact… It stopped!
The dark aura cloaked the dumbbell and stopped it just before it hit her… And then suddenly the dumbbell flew into Fist’s leg, making a horrid snap as his leg bone broke from the impact and jutted out.
Fist fell to his side, screaming bloody murder. But it wasn’t over just yet… Brightsmile forced him to stand just to knock him back down by hitting his jaw with the dumbbell once again…
She slammed it down into his side to break a few ribs, cackling at his dreadful screaming…
Shake had 6 broken ribs, many bad splinters, and a concussion… Tiny had a broken ankle from his fall, along with a dislocated shoulder due to the way he fell.
Fist had a broken leg, jaw, and ribs… Each foolish foal was begging for mercy, and that they would never bully her again... But it was far too late...
The bright filly levitated the 2 groaning brothers back up into the tree house and put them beside their defeated leader... Bright... No, Crimson spoke as she glared at each whimpering, pitiful foal.
"You had all the chances to stop what you were doing to Brightsmile before I came... You remind me of the filthy foals back in my time... And that’s why you must die!" She began her mad laughter as dumbbells began floating into the air... And began shattering every little bone they had.
A chorus of painful screams pierced the ears of nearby farmers and they all rushed towards to the tree house and found... Nothing?
All they could see was a hole in the wall, the punching bag under the tree house, and a dumbbell rack minus the dumbbells! Where was the source of the screams? Sadly they were just a second too late to see the possessed filly teleport herself and the evidence somewhere...
Fist, Shake, and Tiny were each far out of the town, and far from any main path in and out of Mareana... They were alive... For now... Each leg and almost every rib were in little pieces and they're body were merely bloody, bruised up lumps of pulp.
The shadow figured that they wouldn't need their bits anymore so it helped itself to the bag of bits that they stole yesterday... She left them to die in the middle of nowhere with no way to find help.
Around her were orbs of their blood that was covering the tree house’s floor boards and as she walked she was drinking plenty of the liquid of life... Cackling to herself and enjoyed her time using a new body...
As for Brightsmile… Her friend eventually gave up control and she found herself in front of a candy store with some bits… Awesome!
With not a single memory of what Crimson did and a strange taste of iron on her tongue, she skipped inside happily… They had tons of sugar free candy at the counter just for her.
The story of how Brightsmile got her demon was told… But what about the demon’s tale?
It’s time to reveal the past of a shadow.
To see how Crimson the witch became a demonic parasite inside a foal of pure innocence…
"Wake up! Hurry up and come down to eat!" The not so loving father hollered from downstairs. The sweet little Brightsmlie woke up with a start and nearly fell out of her bed. The sun was barely peeking from the mountain tops... A typical morning at her little home.
"Hurry up or else you don't get breakfast!" Yet another rude awakening, filled with a pile of chores. Her bed was a modified cradle minus, the bars, and her room was almost completely void of anything except for her last homemade doll on top of her dresser.
Bright and her parents lived on a farm, not really the ideal home for a family of unicorns, but her parents were conned out of every bit years ago and in turn they got a smelly old home in some smelly old farm. They used to be kind folks and very loving to the little filly until it happened...
Now when they weren't too tired to even care about her they'd yell at her from some little thing she didn't even do. Their main source of income was doing an odd job with selling dead animal pelts... To whom? Her mother and father only knows.
Her father was a thin black colt with an unkempt main and a cutiemark of a sheriff badge; he was a sheriff but was fired for abusing his power of the law... He also had a scratchy voice, most likely caused from his constant yelling.
Her mother on the other hoof was a pretty purple mare with a wavy main, but she doesn't speak very often. When she did it was just a sentence, max. Her mark was a pile of bits; she was great with keeping track of her bits when she had it...
The tiny unicorn rushed downstairs, eager to get out of here and get to school. Yesterday the teacher said that there was going to be a special lesson held today!
"You need to learn how to skin off pelts..." Her father grunted; his attention on today’s newspaper, “It’s time to pull some more weight to help keep food on this table”. The now not so cheery Brightsmile cringed at the idea of it.
Last time her father tried to show her she fainted just at the blade sunk into a bunny's skin. She’s just a filly for Celestia's sake! "Maybe after school...?" She said, trying to sound a bit more excited about it than she actually was...
A rough grunt came from the father's throat, that’s probably a yes. Once her mother set down some hay and oats on the table the bright white unicorn began eating as quickly as she can so she could get to her chores sooner. They consisted in gathering all of the rope laying around, feeding the pigs, watering the crops, and the horrid job of cleaning up animal droppings... Yuck!
Once those were done it was off to a very special day at school...
Ah... Another bully free day... Ever since that shadow became Bright's friend those 3 horrid foals have been gone for weeks! None of the other foals know what happened to them, and if any student asked a teacher the reply was always the same.
"Fist, Shake, and Tiny had an accident and won't be back for a while."
Oh well! All that really matters is that Nightmare Night was creeping up in a few days. Filled with its wonderful traditions, making huge spider webs with rope, and the dentist's office being turned into a haunted house!
Not to mention... Free toothbrushes and dental floss! Of course the little filly would be so excited about that, since her dream would be to work there one day. A clean, healthy smile was one of the most important things in her life, nearly more than life itself!
*Scraaaaaaaaatch!*
Equestria's most evil teacher, Mr. Tale, slowly dragged his hoof against the chalkboard to gain the class' attention every day. This time he did it extra-long to make sure each foal was begging to stop it before he spoke. "Today you all will listen to the dark history of our fair little town..." Doors were locked, the blinds were dropped, and a single candle was lit.
"This town has plenty of dark secrets. I wonder which one he means." The shadow took its chance to whisper in Brightsmile's ear, as it does whenever she was alone. "Some of them only a few ponies know about..." Maybe the shadow should start teaching. She doesn't have the ability to scratch the chalkboard at least.
"This is the story, of "The Crimson Witch." It is a true story and I believe as your teacher I should let you know this important history..." Every little foal was huddled up and shaking as he blew out the candle, swallowing the room with almost utter darkness. This time, her dark friend went silent...
"It all started exactly a hundred years ago on this day, when a pile of animal bones were found on the mayor's doorstep..."
~ 6:24 A.M. Mareana, 100 years in the past. ~
“Somepony please explain why there is a bunch of chewed up bones are in front of my home!” The mayor glared and yelled at the growing crowd of curious townsfolk as if each one of them did this. “And who would dare make this message out of them?!”
The bones of several little animals that lived in the vast desert were arranged to leave one, just one, dark message... “The town’s flesh will cook nicely in my cauldron” Only one type of pony would dare do this... "A witch!" The entire town became alive with panic. Those who were cowardly went to board up their windows and doors, while the braver ponies stayed to receive orders to search for this witch.
Including hunting down and killing those who used witchcraft...
This situation should be under control now. A witch was never hard to find before. Sadly they had no idea what they were facing... Until the mayor's wife went to see if their son is ok, and then her screams shook the little town... "It has my son! The witch has my son!!!" Their dog's body was in the son's room... Throat cut open wide and its blood was used to bring another message.
"Starting with his..."
In a lovely little home a beautiful mare earth pony with a crimson coat began walking down to basement, humming a sweet and mysterious tune to herself. "Ah, you're awake I see. I hope you're comfortable~" She was speaking to a smaller earth pony, the mayor’s son... He was tied to a table and only had the ability to lift his head and see the horrid smile the mare had of her face.
"P-Please just let me go!" The little brown pony whimpered. He was so young, maybe just in kindergarten and he didn't have his cutiemark yet. The mare giggled to herself and made her way to an old cauldron, ignoring the foal's plea. "What is your name, little one?" She asked as she began lighting the wood under it on fire. It was time for a potion...
"Ink Well... I just want to see my mommy and daddy again... *Sniff* If you let me go I promise I won’t tell anypony!" Little Ink begged once more, we was beginning to sound like a broken record by now... The crimson witch just gave a dark cackle and began adding ingredients to the hot water in the cauldron. Eyes, bones, and jars filled with blood were dropped in...
"What a lovely little name... Mine is Crimson Blessing... But the fools in this town only know me by Heart Song... Disgusting Filth is the true name of this town and it's people!"
A knife went across the room and the blade stuck into Ink Well's right front leg, which he managed to get free from the rope binding it. The poor brown foal's scream was cut short by Crimson holding it shut. She smiled savagely at Ink and dug the knife in deeper and wiggled it about. "I once had a sister..." She cooed in his ear, deep rage that was bottled up for so many years were finally surfacing... "Do you know what happened to her?"
The mayor's son was crying, shaking, and tried to scream out in pain even though it was being held shut by a hoof. There was no possible way to answer... "Your father burned her alive for witchcraft! She was only a year older than you were!!!" The witch screamed in his ear, but she finally gained some control of herself and continued in a calmer but still furious voice.
"It is time he felt the loss of something he holds so dear... I lost my sister... He will lose a son... His town... And then himself for last!"
The knife was taken out, and she gave the blade a long lick, tasting the sweet taste of Ink Well's blood. "A foal's blood tastes amazing... I only had the chance to try my own throughout the years so why not take the chance to try somepony else's?" The cut the little brown pony's throat wide open and the blood loving mare began drinking down his blood that gushed out.
His vision began fading fast; the liquid that keeps him alive was flowing freely out of him. The pain faded away and during his final seconds he heard some of the witch's chanting... "I began my monsterous deed to make sure that my plan shall succeed..." Blood from her muzzle dripped into the cauldron as she sung it all... So were her tears...
"I gave you all the blood you need. Now I will offer souls for the gates of tartarus as was part of your deadly decreed... When I drink this I shall shed this body and plague this vile planet for eternity. And when I must to will latch to innocence till they reach the peak of insanity... So let this vile potion of blood enter my soul and cast a dark shadow across the land, and hope that my wretched reign will be so grand!"
The world went dark for Ink Well... But for a passing colt that heard the chants through a small window it was beginning to bring light to the witches home... Blazing light from twenty or so torches that were thrown onto the roof... Every pony from the little town stood around Crimson's home, watching the house as it began burning. It wasn't long until she will be forced to come out...
The sound of laughter rose over the crackle of flames and shouting townsfolk... The bloody witch of the desert began walking into the open, began transforming laughter into wicked cackles as the town tried swarming in on top of her. Only to be pushed back with a strange force... "What has started will never be undone. So I sacrifice this flesh prison for a new one. This body was destined to burn for all to see... But I shall make sure that you all will come to tartarus with me!
Fire... The fire moved like a living beast, a beast that engulfed most of the town... Ponies began screaming as the blaze covered them and traveled inside their bodies. But some strange force, stranger than what gave the flames life, stopped it and snuffed it out as quickly as it began spreading... Some ponies were saved but the numbers that weren't were so great...
"What life that remained in the ruined town decided to never speak of what horrors one day had brought. What they couldn't imagine was that the witch's spirit still wandered through the deserts in a search. A search for a pony with an innocent heart to corrupt and recreate such a horrible tragedy throughout the land once again... The... End..."
Blinding sunlight was allowed to enter the classroom once again, and the door was opened wide to let the children out. "Class is dismissed children; you can go home early today." Mr. Tales had a strange smile on him... Maybe he got a sick kick out of watching the children run out, trying to get home as quickly as they can and hide under their covers until the end of the day. He defiantly had some urine to clean up today because of his story.
Brightsmile was walking home slowly... Staring at her shadow behind her as she walked... The witch did latch to an innocent pony... The host was just a little filly that was at her greatest time of need... It rose and walked beside her as she was out of the sight of anypony else and began speaking in a gentle tone... "That was an interesting story... But he wasn't spot on..."
The shadow gave her a soft nudge and managed to spit open a mouth to show a soft smile... "I wasn't a witch... And I didn't do those things... You can thank the villagers that didn't burn themselves for such a cruel story... I would never do such an evil thing! I never found a way to leave because I was looking for a friend that could understand me..."
Just the words that the tiny white unicorn wanted to here... Of course that had to be it! If she was so evil why would she help Bright with her bully troubles? "I believe you, Crimson. I'd be a bad friend if I didn't! Let’s get home quickly and see if we can play in my room!" The silly little filly began running home and left her shadow to catch up...
It's smile slowly began to bare sharp, bloody teeth, and blood oozed from her eyes and mouth... Stupid little Brightsmile... You will help create not just a horror that will be grander than what happened a hundred years ago... It was bloody the entire land of Equestria itself...