Demons

I walked down the stairs and found Twilight busily cleaning up her library. For a moment I stood there, watching her. She hadn't lost her memory, she didn't have a fear that she was a monster deep down. She had a normal life, full of normal things, likes lunches with friends, dates, sleepovers. Did I have any friends? Obviously I didn't know. I didn't know anything. For a moment, I was envious of her.

But I put these thoughts aside and replaced them with new ones, why had I come back? I had been struck by lightning and escaped unscathed, I was confused, I didn't have any sort of idea who or what I was, and I kept having strange dreams, that seemed to follow the life of a colt who may or may not have been me. But there was...something different about Twilight. She just seemed...familiar, like the way she took steps in groups of three when inspecting a shelf, or the light, airy, intellectual feel about her. I couldn't place a hoof on it, but somehow, someway, I knew she could help me.

She finally noticed me standing there on the steps, clad in my specially made black trench coat, which had finally been dried out from the rain. She smiled and said, "Oh, good morning, Isaac!"

I nodded in response, too deep in a tangled mess of thoughts to respond verbally.

She nodded, finished her chore, and went to the kitchen, most likely to prepare breakfast, "Do you remember anything yet?" she asked.

Did I? Those dreams could be considered memories, even if they weren't mine. Or maybe they were. I was just tired. Tired of thinking, tired of wondering, tired of running.

Wait, what?

Tired of running...that sparked something. Whatever my past was like, it had quite a lot of running involved.

I hadn't responded to Twilight's question. She peeked her head around the corner and looked at me worriedly, "...Isaac? Is everything alright?"

What are you, daft? Of course not! I had no memories except for a few bits and bobs, dreams and stardust to guide me, but every time I discovered something new, it discouraged me from going any further even more. But I shook my head, "No, I'm fine,": I made my way down the steps and sat down on the couch, pulling my journal out of my pocket.

'What I didn't ask for,' That's what it was called. I had chosen that title, what did it mean?

Twilight set a meal down in front of me. Eggs and salad, blech. Was that a pear? I hated pears! ...I think. The meal just made me sink even lower into this palpable depression settling in my mind, it reminded me of the last meal you give a prisoner before execution. I simply pushed the plate away and put my head in my hooves, sighing quietly.

Twilight could tell I was depressed, though I doubt she knew what for. "Hey, cheer up!" She said brilliantly, giving me a friendly knock on the shoulder, "My friend Applejack always says, if you're feeling down, the best medicine is a little hard work! In fact, I'm going over to her place later to raise a barn, would you like to come along and help out?"

What else was I going to do, sit here and sulk? I definitely wasn't going to crack open that journal. It just sat there, foreboding. Maybe a bit of hard work would do me good; I got up and nodded, forcing a smile, "Alright."

Twilight was pleased, "Great! Let's go!"

"Now-*grunt*-Y'all just...hang...tight....there!" The orange earth pony Applejack said, stepping away from the newly raised barn wall, panting. Twilight and I had arrived in the middle of the barn raising.

"Hello, Applejack!" Twilight greeted warmly.

Applejack turned to see the purple unicorn and said, "Twi!" They exchanged hugs, and then Applejack noticed me. I was quite the sight, with my jet black mane that drooped down and covered most of my head and face, my blood red eyes which sharply contrasted my pale cyan fur, not to mention the fact that I was wearing my comfortable, all black trench coat and standing upright on two legs. She leaned towards Twilight to whisper, "What's with the freakshow?" She hadn't meant for me to hear. I heard anyway. I wasn't offended, I would feel the same way if I saw me, but Twilight was embarrassed at her insensitivity, "Applejack, hush!" She whispered back, "He's not a 'freakshow', he's my new friend, and he's here to help you raise your barn!"

"Barn raising, huh?" Applejack proclaimed louder, directed towards me. She took a step closer to me and asked with a very serious look in her eye, "Tell me, mister, whaddya know 'bout raisin' barns?"

I looked her in the eye and gave a smile that probably made me look like the bad guy in an old cartoon, "Is it that difficult?"

She was shocked, "Well, ah never! Y'all think yer all high 'n mighty, why dont'cha go over yonder and raise th' next wall?"

I looked over at the barn in question; it had three walls raised, the only one left was the broad left side, and there it lay, on the ground, ready to be lifted.

It seemed easy enough, I could probably infer enough to figure it out. I walked over on two legs to spite Applejack and knelt down next to the barn wall. It had a rope tied to what would be the top of the wall in three places. I picked up the center rope and slung it over the board where the wall would be nailed in, then backed up and braced myself to pull. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Twilight looking over with wonder, but Applejack was snickering as if I was acting like a cute fool.

I wrapped my two forehooves around the rope, which was much more comfortable than pulling the rope in my teeth, and began pulling, using my rear hooves as a brace against the ground for traction. The barn wall was upright lickety-split, and a dumbfounded red furred stallion at the top of the wall nailed it in, all the while staring at me in awe.

Applejack and Twilight approached me from behind, each with a similar look, but none more so than Applejack, "That wall takes three exceptionally strong stallions to go up, four regular ones, and y'all did it all by y'self..."

Woops. Once again I had let my apparent supernatural abilities show, the same way how I had saved those three fillies, who, coincidentally, were standing atop the hill behind me, staring in awe as well.

Twilight slowly approached me and asked quietly, "...who are you?"

I shrugged in reply, "You've got me."