Those Who Cried Wolf

by wackaditto

Rating: teen
Tags: Suicide / Self Harm, Horror, Stygian, Twilight Sparkle, The Pillars, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Death
Length: 1289

Those who cry wolf are left to the pack. The Pillars cried wolf, yet they are heroes.

Stygian's side of the story was never told. He was never called Stygian. He was called a monster.

It's getting harder to escape his shadow.

Written for this contest: https://www.fimfiction.net/group/214288/folder/70810/write-off-entries-nightmare-night-in-april-2020

Published 2020-04-25 08:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-04-25 08:30:01 UTC

Burn the Witch

They deserved nothing they got. They cast you out. You are forbidden from even glancing at them. No explanation. Nothing. It frustrates you to no end! Doesn't it? What's your name?

Not even gonna answer me?

Well, it's not like I'm a big enough influence in your consciousness anyway.

Did you ever notice you never had a shadow, Stygian?

Witches.

Witch. You are a witch. It's going around everywhere, Stygian. I hear it. Everyone else has a shadow except for you. You must be a witch, then! How awful is that?

...

I'm not just trying to get your attention. You have to understand what's going on. Your "friends"? They left you for dead. Dead. Imagine dead.

[stomach turns over, my head hurts, thought: Imagine dead.]

Trust me. I can be your shadow. You won't be ridiculed any more. How's that? They'll like you, Stygian. Go find a new village to settle in before this one casts you out.

You just have to give me enough power.

Can you hear me? Hello? I'm not giving up on you.

[who are you?]

Ah! Great! You can hear me!

[who are you??]

I'm going to be your shadow, Stygian.

[shadow?]

You don't have one.

[i've noticed]

You seem to the village to be a witch. Some kind of abomination. Haylem suspects you.

[how do you know?]

I know my way around.

[how can i trust you?]

Like I said: I know my way around.

[it's horrible shadow just plain horrible]

They hate you.

[...]

They hate you, and they always will, even though there's no reason.

[...]

You know it's true. You feel it in your gut, don't you? You feel shame squirming through your body. Every step is so shaky and unsure that everyone in the village is convinced you're insane.

[i do that?]

Yes! They really think you're a witch now. Do you know what they do to witches?

[...]

They burn them.

[why...why me?]

They had a source. I bet it was your "friends".

[...]

They betrayed you. They wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

[...]

Stygian?

[what if i...jumped?]

Jumped?

[just vanished. you can make me vanish, can you, shadow?]

I'm afraid I can't, for I don't have the power.

[...]

Don't.

[...]

Stygian?

[...]

Stygian?!

[i'm here.]

Listen to me. You cannot jump. You're letting them win! You're dying as a monster. You don't want that, do you?

[...]

Or you could be a weak, pathetic, attention-seeking little pushover and perish. Look down.

[i see the edge of the cliff.]

Over yonder?

[the rocks. the sea.]

Your head will explode on that rock right there. A foreleg, gone. An eye, possibly mangled. That's the monster you'll become.

[a coward?]

No. A failure.

Look behind you.

[what? is there someone following me?]

No, I promise. Just turn your head.

[...]

What do you see?

[a...shadow.]

No longer a witch. But the news--

[i'm not interested.]

Why? Do you not want me anymore? After all I've done for you?

[what have you even done?!]

I beckoned you away from the cliff. I gave you a shadow. And now I give you a plan.

[what plan?]

I want to show you something.

[what? something else to fuel my hatred?]

Why? Don't you thrive on this? Don't you feel it powering you, your life force, your motive?

[i hate it. my heart hurts.]

You have to let that pain out, Stygian. No, I'm not going to share the news with you. I'm going to show you.

[what?]

[what are you - ]

let go letgo please stop

my shadow?

hello?

[This is possession.]

what are you doing?!

[I'm stronger now, Stygian.]

please. let me go. give me back my body.

[I will, just give me a moment. Think of something you hate.]

why? why more hate?

[See yourself? In the mirror? Think of Starswirl.]

starswirl...

WHATAREYOUDOING/YOUARENOLONGERWELCOMEHERE/LIVEONYOUROWN/YOUMONSTER/YOUGREEDYMONSTER

[Stygian. Stygian! Look!]

[what in Tartarus was that?]

The darkness. Where's the thank you for giving you body back?

[...thank you.]

Saw the black flame? The glowing eyes?

[yes.]

How did it make you feel?

[scared.]

...And what else?

[...]

What else?

[lighter. my hate...it's gone. nearly gone.]

It feels powerful, doesn't it?

[...yes.]

Relieving. You used your hate to power me. You used it for power. This is why hate is good. It's fuel. It's life.

[i'm visiting my friends.]

You can't possibly consider the Pillars your friends!

[i do. i want to explain myself and gain their friendship back.]

Of course.

[why don't you object?]

I should have known you weren't a good host.

[host? are you some parasite?!]

It's fine, my Stygian. We shall meet again.

[my shadow? hello?!]

...

[hello??!]

[i don't trust him one bit, that greedy bastard, witch...shadow. darkness. he does not concern me now. i am making friends again. i will clear my name.]

WoN'T IT FeEL GoOD TO GeT REVeNGE? TO TEaR THEiR THrOAtS oUT? WaTCH THEiR EyES GrOW GrAY? TeAR OFf STaRSWIrL'S HoRN?

[who are you?]

"Stygian?"

WOn'T IT FeeL GOoD?

"Stygian, what are you doing here?"

[the looks on their faces--]

It'LL fEEL GREAt DoN'T YOu WaNT THEiR LOoKS OF DIsGUSt TuRN INtO LOoKS OF FeAR?

[please stop i beg of you please stop my shadow]

"Stygian, go!"

LET IT OUT

[i couldn't help it i couldn't i'm so sorry i didn't want this to happen why didn't i get rid of him sooner! please forgive me please please i hate this creature! please let me go, starswirl, rockhoof, magnus, meadowbrook, somnambula, mistmane, i remember you, remember me, please, what is that, please, let me go let me GO LET ME - ]

"Stygian?"

[i was.]

"You are."

[who are you?]

"My name is Twilight Sparkle."

[oh.]

"I saw you. You tried to get out."

[i did.]

"You've never stopped fighting, have you?"

[i've fought this thing for just a couple months.]

"But...you were in Limbo."

[...what?]

"For a thousand years."

[...]

"I'm sorry. Starswirl believed he couldn't find a way, but I think I can...Stygian?"

[i wanted the artifacts because i wanted to make copies. twilight sparkle, they were heroes. i assembled them, and i wanted more responsibility, more recognition. i didn't want them for my own. i wanted...]

"Stygian? I'm sorry. They should have understood."

[...]

"Please, let me help you."

[how? how can you help a monster?]

[it's been a while.]

You...you've come back.

[not for long.]

What happened to you?

[i was saved.]

Ha! They didn't even need some puny gems that time. Did they? I don't recall.

[you, me, we're in Limbo together. again.]

Yes, and?

[have you noticed that you can feel?]

What - STOP!!

[that flame. you can feel the flame.]

What...what have you done?

[this wasn't a portal to Limbo, my shadow. it was intended to be, but the spell alterations made it otherwise.]

How have you made me mortal?!

[the spell alterations.]

...

[any final words?]

What are you planning to do?

[not a good choice for me, but i'm fine with it. goodbye, my shadow.]

Don't you dare, don't you DARE THROW THAT MATCH -

[it's a shame no one can hear you screaming.]

...

[really a shame.]

...

[you want to know why?]

...

[you really want to know?]

...

[i can feel your presence slipping from my mind, but i still see my shadow. you can't get rid of hate by ignoring it.]

...

[you have to let it out.]

...

[well played, witch.]

...

[i see that look. 'witch? how dare i?']

...

[this isn't haylem, but it's good to think of the old times. remember what happens to witches?]

...P...please....

[we burn them.]