The Shadow Watches the Broken Flower
My name is Ombretta. I am a Shadow Pony. Not to be confused with a Nightmare. That being can influence others. I cannot. Our only similarity is that we lurk in the shadows. But our main difference is that I am a semi-physical manifestation of shadows. I have a Pony shape and a cutie mark (a skeleton key). I have a mane and tail and fuzzy ears. What I lack is a defined face. If you ever did see me, all you would see are my glowing eyes, which lack pupils. And since I am a shadow, I can change my appearance into what suits me for the moment. Not the same way a Changeling can, but simply manipulating my body, I can have wings or a horn or even turn my hind legs into one.
But this stuff is just to know a little about me. Today, as always, I’m a bystander to some pony else’s pain. This time, it’s my host (so to speak), Lotus Moon. I was drawn to her aura. At once, it was so radiant and full of hope. Now, it was barely an ember...so weak, it could easily be snuffed out. I stand in the entrance of her dark room, it’s been trashed to Tartarus. And in the center of the room is Lotus, laying on the floor. Her fur is matted and messy. Her mane and tail are completely unkempt. And looking closely, there are specks of blood on her coat. From surveying the room, there are broken glasses and a shattered mirror. Some of the shards must’ve gotten her and she didn’t bother picking them out. I also spotted dozens of alcohol bottles around her.
Walking in, and seeing very clearly, her face is a mess of vomit and drool. If I had a defined nose, I know I her breath would reek of alcohol and vomit. I also saw her eyes were puffy and tear stained. Something must’ve happened. And I won’t find out till she wakes. Blending in with the already darkened room, I sit in the corner...and wait.
In the shadows, time hardly has any passage. It could have been a few minutes or even an hour and Lotus finally awakens. Aside from adjusting herself to sit up and wiping a face with her hoof, she doesn’t move. With her in this position, I can see she lost a lot of weight. She looks to her phone and taps it. Dozens of notifications are on it, but she doesn’t make an effort to respond to any of them. She clears them all out and just stares at the wallpaper on the screen. It was of her and another pony, young one, and slowly breaks into tears once again.
Why am I so useless when it matters? Why can’t my efforts reach anyone? Why...why...
She isn’t addressing me, but I want to answer. Looking as if she can barely manage her own weight, she unsteadily gets up and stumbles over to her alcohol stash and pulls out a new bottle. Her dull, disoriented eyes read the label before she pops the cork and drinks straight from the bottle.
Is it just my destiny to be useless to others? Is that is?! Is that all I’m fucking good for?! IF THAT’S THE CASE, WHY THE FUCK DO I EVEN BOTHER TRYING AT ALL?!!
She spots her reflection in a mirror, one merely cracked. I watch her clumsily walk up to it, drinking more, and stare at her reflection with so much disdain and disgust, it upset her more.
What in fucking Tartarus are you looking at? Everything is your fault! YOU couldn’t do anything! YOU made everything worse! YOU are just a leech with a childish, rose-colored dream. Well, guess what...the fucking world isn’t some dream or fantasy land where everything just works out the way you want it to! There is no true happiness in the world!! And you know what else! All the shit in the world will never be fixed no matter how hard you try!!! YOU’RE FUCKING WORTHLESS!!!
She turned faster than I thought she could and reared up on her front hooves, her back legs quickly connecting with the mirror, shattering it more. But to her growing irritation, it didn’t break. So she kicked it. Over and over and over. Shards fell and left small cuts in her coat, but she didn’t pay them any attention. She just kept kicking, till finally, the mirror completely shattered on the ground. Another sound was mixed with the shattering of the mirror. A soft crack. And judging by the slight limp Lotus now has, she must’ve twisted her hoof on the last impact. She panted heavily before suddenly vomiting over most of the shattered glass. When she was done, she moved away from the messy puddle and collapsed onto her side. Quiet sobs the only sound coming from her.
I’m so pathetic. If I can’t...help one pony...who am I to try making other ponies happy...
Her phone buzzes and with little effort, she takes it in her magic and looks at it. She must’ve read something bad because her quiet sobs turned into shrieks of anguished screams. Her magic lashed out violently and trashed her room more. I evaded the violent magic easily by growing wings, flying up and land elsewhere silently. I watch as Lotus crumples in on herself, more anguished cries coming from her. Whether intentional or not, she smashes the bottle she was drinking from and wrapped her hooves around herself.
I’m sorry...I’m sorry...I’m sorry...some pony...any pony...s-save me...END ME!!!!
I walk up to her, hoof steps as quiet as a tomb, and stand behind her. Lotus barely looks at me through her tear stained eyes and messy mane. I always saw her as a strong and confident mare who held a smile no matter what the adversity. But to see her like this...was heartbreaking.
Ombretta...please...take me into yourself...take my misery. I can’t...stand this pain any longer...
As I read her face, she reads my eyes. She knows I understand her. I lean closer and she places a hoof on my cheek.
Promise me...one thing...take care of everyone...including...them...please...
I nod my head and touch my forehead to Lotus’ horn. After a moment, the mare who I saw as an unbreakable beacon of hope, slumps on the ground like a wilted flower. Her eyes were devoid of life. But she is not dead. Merely asleep. In my hoof is a small orb. What she calls her heart crystal, or in other words, her essence. Everything that she is, contained within. I cradle it to my chest and silently promise her that I will carry out her wish. A horn sprouts from my head and I restore the room. The once gloomy space was back to its original, organized setting. I set Lotus on the bed and make her comfortable, nuzzle her gently, and leave. Her phone is the only thing I take with me as it floats in my dim grey magic.
My name is Ombretta. I am a Shadow Pony. And I will keep my promise to Lotus and help her heal.
Author's Note
I took this chance to reintroduce Ombretta, my shadow OC. Also I’m hitting another hard patch in my life and writings like this help me to vent. So if it’s depressing, forgive me for not really caring.
