In the ancient ash of forgotten worlds, destruction wasn't a mere historical epoch but a calculated collaboration of the cosmos, leaving everything in ruins. My heart, then as now, failed to fathom the depths of this cosmic chaos. As I gaze upon the stallion in the mirror, questions gnaw at me—what lies beyond him, what he is, what he desires, and how my life has transformed.

Only a few days have passed since that fateful night in the bar, yet peculiar sensations pervade my senses. The heart, a mysterious force, manifests itself in my clammy hands, aching sides, and a restless mind. I can't shake this overwhelming feeling. The enigma lingers – why do I truly exist? My struggle against depression persists; I yearn to escape, to find a cure, to liberate this accursed form from the shackles of this wretched feeling. Yet, my entire being cries out for release.

Today, the illusion of liberation beckoned, or so I tried to convince myself. These relentless days felt ensnared in a pervasive despair, causing me to abandon my classes and fabricate excuses for my failures, even drawing a reprimand from Starlight. I couldn't find the courage to speak up, despite the concern evident in her gaze. My feeble attempts at addressing the issue remained futile, my voice ensnared in an unbreakable cage.

The claws of desolation never relented, persistently gouging into my heart. As I pen down these words, I sense their unyielding grip, pulling at the fragile threads of my mind, tearing through my feeble restraints and allowing that malevolence to seep in. Whatever was implanted within me remains a sinister force – violent, hateful, and resentful. Above all, it deems me a pest upon this world, a belief not entirely unfounded. I am an invasive parasite, driven by an inscrutable impulse to forge a new existence, one that could perhaps cleanse the stains of my past sins.

This alternate version of myself, or the "other me" as I dubbed it, wrought changes within me that surpassed mere pestilence; it birthed an entirely new persona. This entity communicated in tongues of fire and brimstone, its words unintelligible to my ears yet comprehended with eerie clarity. It harbored a fervent desire to mete out punishment to the wicked, akin to a deranged zealot. Endlessly, it expounded upon the sins of those in power – the bloody empress presiding over a nation of slaves, the mare in the moon leading a cult, the mare of the sun governing a nation of fools. He alluded to others, but their significance remained a perplexing mystery.

In the midst of his fervor, he revealed a desire to engage in a peculiar game, a "shadow game," where the stakes were singular and dire – nothing less than the players' lives.

Crimson orbs, akin to the sunset above my head, locked gazes with mine. Today unfolded like countless others – awakening to a pounding headache, adhering to the prescribed medication, and stepping outside only to bear witness to something scarcely believable yet all too familiar: the torment of the vulnerable.

From the shadows emerged wings of pure light, emanating a searing heat as they approached. A voice followed, declaring, "You will not subject them to a deadly game; you will release them this instant." The tone was cold yet commanding, eerily familiar. My alternate self appeared less than amused, retorting, "What would you wish of them then, goddess? Shall we throw them to the authorities, booking them for a crime that will never see justice served? Aid them on their way to…?" For what felt like an eternity, the two locked eyes in a tense standoff.

The stallions seemed to terrified to move, my other self only sighing as the shadows vacated their position. The stallions running off with some guards helping the mare up and into a medical tent near by, the mare of the shadows, that odd purple mare, the mare of the sun and cadence? what were they doing here? especially out in the open? my other self seemed less than fazed at this. "Oh, what a delightful surprise – the bloody mare, the devoted cultist, the vengeance bringer, and the mare who's too innocent to discern between foe and friend. All assembled just for yours truly. How utterly predictable, yet amusing."

***

I found myself unable to grasp the unfolding chaos, desperately imploring my alter ego to cease, to simply offer an apology and let go of this conflict, allowing it to fade away like transient dreams. I beseeched any deity within my mental reach, yet received no response, not even from the internal presence. Amidst the turmoil, Nightmare Moon voiced concern from the collective consciousness, questioning the sudden emergence of power in someone as inherently kind as me. "What magic could lead you to subject these stallions to a deadly game?" she inquired. My other self scoffed at the inquiry, dismissing it as nothing more than a jest. "A mere joke," it sneered. "You're toying with gods!" Nothing is infallible, weaker self."

"You appear quite invested in championing the cause of those stallions who laid hands on a mare. The poor girl found refuge in your guards, yet one can only speculate on the potential consequences had I not intervened. It's interesting to observe your greater concern for their souls rather than acknowledging the blemishes on your own, my old friend. Or should I address you as Luna?"

How did it....how? The words seemed to anger the four of them, Nightmare moon herself glaring daggers "How do you come by such knowledge? This should defy possibility, yet your understanding exceeds what my sister and I had envisioned. This does not augur well. Even your ally appears conflicted by your proclamations, Eon. Are you genuinely in control, or is there a deeper force at play?" My other self seemed more amused at her response than anything.

"My other self, right? He's merely observing events as they unfold, while I extended an opportunity for those stallions to amend their decisions. No stallion or mare is beyond the reach of justice, and what needs to be done will only unfold within a Yami no Gēmu. All will be unveiled within such games. You are no exception, and neither are the stallions who will wander these streets, haunted by the consequences of their choices." This other me, he spoke with such a revere I couldn't help but admire a little, taking little chances to let them override his words.

Daybreaker merely sighed "You mention my sister's name, a fact only a foal within my family would be acquainted with by now. Attempting to play out this little game with your crude notions of justice, you're not the Eon my fellow empress speaks of – nothing more than a feeble imitation." My other self seemed angry at this notion, before all goes black. Him. Me. Who am I?

"You mention my sister's name, a fact even a foal would be acquainted with by now. Attempting to play out this little game with your crude notions of justice, you're not the Eon my fellow empress speaks of – nothing more than a feeble imitation." Those words seemed to hold value to my other self, my weaker half, his mind a mess and with little negotiation I knew it better to hide for now, lest they find me. Things all must go black.

***

My head ached and my mind was a mess, something felt off. Wincing with every little grasp for air I awoke, this time in.....Cadence's room? Why was I here of all places? The air felt off, was this a magical barrier? I had been keen enough to know some spells by now and this seemed all too familiar but why? What had my other self done now? From the door came in cadence, looking rather annoyed, maybe at me or him I wasn't entirely sure, his actions were my own after all.

"Eon....what the faust was that show? First you display songs that not a musician in this world can play or renact in any way Then you go and trap those alleged criminals in some death game?! What in the world is going on with you! The doctor's have already relayed that your mind seems all over the place. You talked in your sleep in tongues I couldn't find the words to. Twilight couldn't even find the first inkling of a translation and she'd been working for 3 days already! Just....tell me what in the great heaven's is going on....please." That sweet tone, that gentle face, all things melted in my friends aura. I wanted to truly just tell it all but something held me back, maybe my sense of comfort to not confront it, maybe him working some strings, who knew really. I stayed silent.

She couldn't help but groan at this and for a while tried anything she could think of to get me to open up but I refused, ever bit of my will holding back the dam from breaking. For some time this would be a little bit of our own, she'd try to get me to open up and time after time it'd fail. Every ounce of my strength seemed to be in keeping this front going but why? I couldn't even remember how I ended up here! much less what I had done at the bar or even before? what did I do? My mind was a mess, riddled with nightmares, filled with this other force. Even my own actions were becoming more detached from my soul. Every last bit of the soul I once had was gone, maybe I wasn't me, maybe whatever did what had been done was me, who was he? what was he like?

"Very well. If you choose not to share, I regret to inform you that I've been granted authorization by the court and my allies to proceed. I am compelled to delve into your mind to discover firsthand the issues troubling you, my friend. I am committed to assisting you, even if you resist help." I could struggle against the magic holding me down but my friend's horn touched my forehead and then everything went black once more.

A gentle darkness.

a creeping light.

Parasites.

My self woke from his dream, now present in the maze that had become my mind, winding stairs and doors that led to nothing. She tried for some time did she not? going from the left door into that middle one, then the right door and the second right door. Seeing me must've made things more complicated but I would keep this safe. Even if you did not myself. This maze would keep our souls connected, keep them safe and more importantly shield you from the work that must be done.

"You're the one who wished to see me correct?" Before Cadence was not just some imitation, an exact copy. The only difference his once brown eyes now a piercing silver color. "What do you seek from this place? my other self does not wish to be disturbed and I would imagine invading the mind of your friend would be a dangerous prospect all its own. Maybe I'm wrong to judge you some good force in my life Cadence, invading the mind of your one friend you hold in high regard? What friend pries where she should not?"

Cadence looked to me with somber yet gentle eyes "You claim to be Eon, but your actions don't align with his character. Who are you truly, and why have you seized control of his soul? The games you intend to impose on the sinners won't rectify the issue you seek to address with justice."

"What do you understand about justice, bloody empress? You massacred an entire nation for your so-called 'greater good,' ruthlessly ending hundreds of lives over a minor disagreement with the former king. Sombra wasn't a fool; he saw through the kind façade you present." She glared and vehemently shouted at the man standing before her.

"Sombra was a fool! I believed it wiser to preemptively invade and quell the threat rather than allow it to fester. What were the Zebra's intentions? They possessed muskets, weapons of war, and their hatred towards ponies became increasingly overt. What was my alternative? Permit a reformed tyrant to appease these monsters, letting them trample on our people? I couldn't allow that to happen."

"Nevertheless, you executed him and countless Zeebras, creating a throne of blood. It's no mystery why your fellow empresses view you as a child. How else should one deal with a ruler consumed by bloodlust and hatred towards their own kind? You've become a petty tyrant, turning a blind eye to the plight of your people. You falsely reassure them that their struggles are over, justifying the massacre of Ponyville under the control of those Zeebra adversaries as a necessary sacrifice."

"My friend has nothing to do with my sins! allow him freedom from this darkness before it becomes worse, please save him, please free him, he's my only friend!-"

"You have no authority to command me; you're merely an intruder in a human mind, child. You claim to seek friendship, yet you evade accountability for your own transgressions. You're no angel, and neither is your friend; he's just a sinner striving to address his issues. While you seek retribution for him, you choose to bury your own past, disregarding the deaths you once held in high regard. You turn a blind eye to the pleas of the souls you've condemned for centuries. You're no empress; you're a petty child yearning for power." With a snap of his fingers, the world of shadows vanished from Cadence, with a yelp her horn backed up from the man's forehead, her horn singed with dark magic. She held herself, a shaky breath from her jaws echoed in the room as she gripped her garb tightly.

"If you're reluctant to accept help, Eon, then I won't force it upon you. But if this... entity wishes you down this troubling path, I can't idly stand by. I'll guide them, guide myself, and guide both of you towards the righteous path you aspire to find. Who is this spirit that has taken hold of your soul, Eon? What are its true intentions? Despite becoming my friend, I can't help but feel a sense of pity for you even now. I earnestly hope that, as friends, we possess the strength to see this through." She muttered these words to herself, gently holding her friend's hand as he shook and shivered deeply in slumber.

For a while, all I could manage was to vaguely clutch myself and absorb his words resonating within my soul. In this moment, a faint twinkle of light emerged, accompanied by impossible shapes and voices dispersing around me. From a wretched mass of bones and flesh, a shadow of pure black materialized, my blade coiled around his neck like a small necklace. He spoke assertively, "Begone, demons! This vessel, this alternate self, shall no longer be tormented by the malevolent entities of dreams and wickedness. You shall cease!" A golden glow enveloped both of us, and the world seemed to transition into a state of almost crystal clarity.

The world of white turned to a blanket of pure dream. My good life, my old life, My mom, dad, sister's Lily and Sage, my young brother Alexander and me. All happy in a cute little frame, I could feel it in my hands and could barely hold back the tears ebbing from my eyes. I just wanted home and this was the closest I could get. I could feel his er, my hand on my own shoulder "I think its best I name you right? Since we seem stuck together other me...how about.....Yami?" He only grinned at this, a sickening grin I might never get over yet one that felt all too familiar "Sure other me or Eon right? I guess that would make me Yami Eon huh? weird name for sure."

This other stallion, he was certainly strange. "Not that I was opposed to whatever we'd done...if I'm right anyways. Why do you seek justice? how do you even know of Cadence's past? I know I've only been her friend for a few weeks maybe 2-3 months at this point but I still worry about her a lot." He merely shook his head at this, seemingly more passive than his confident persona from before...how did I know that? "No other me, I do not know of her, only what has been recorded after all, I may be your other self but I am in no ways omnipresent, though that guess of Luna was spot on. I simply am for justice, that is my goal after all. Why or how is irrelevant in my eyes but what confuses me how we look the same. I was once not you, nor your soul's second half. Whatever brought this mix forth clearly was not regular magic and that remains a question best suited for another time it seems."

"Well you said this was magic so whatever brought me here, somehow mixed two souls into one, reminds me of this game back on earth but yea. Truth be told, I wasn't even sure this was all real, thought it was just another nightmare or visit from Nightmare Moon. Or for all I knew just my mind going insane, honestly not sure."

"Hm, I see. I can confirm whatever dreams have become an issue will not remain an issue forever though you must face them without me when the time comes my other self. We may bring justice but it is not a good or fun game. Justice is for the benefit of all even if your bloody empress wishes me to be locked up and thrown away."

"Why lock you up? From what I know, we haven't hurt anyone, just merely being around each other and existing in my-our body. What possible crime could we have commited to recieve such a punishment?"

"Your friend, be damned decided to intervene herself and cause more trouble for ourself, trying to pass judgement to our soul as if we were just another one of her court or her people, pitty she never gave me the chance."

I wasn't so much shocked as surprised, if this other me was to believe then she wanted to simply lock him away? I don't know why but that angered me. Maybe it was because at the time I was naive or maybe now I see things from a different perspective. Locking some soul away for actions that I-We committed was just wrong! If we were this unruly creature then surely a trial made more sense not just locking us into whatever cell she had.

"Ironically she tried to pass judgement, thankfully in this space all thoughts and memories are as free s the air. Seeing her sins wasn't an issue for myself but for her to pass such judgement when she hasn't faced even a sliver of the bloodshed? Childish and unfortunately for one with such potential."

I was every bit as confused with every word but I decided it'd be best to ask....me about this.

"You say she's a sinner and all this nonsense but why treat her harshly? sure she went into our mind without provocation or asking but what benefit would that bring us to lock her away? even if she was deserving of such of a fate, what in gods name brough you to the conclusion she deserved to be put into a life and death game?"

"Simple other me, she's no better. You may not see it now, but be wary. She's no kind empress nor is she some savior. No good deed comes about without some darkness, even I accept this. No empire is built from good intentions, not in all the history we've been privy to."

The flashes of black and white collided in this room, this place of dream and thought. My other self sighed at this notion before waving it off with a dismissive groan "It seems you're waking up, well other me, its been fun to talk for once but let me clear here, when I decide justice I am in control got it? Never again will you try to sway me from passing such judgements onto the sinners of this universe." Though I wasn't sure why, I agreed. Something in me told me I could at least trust him on that, well trust me on that. Still all so confusing. Within a moment's notice everything turned to sunshine, waking up in a fluffy yet comfortable pink bed I was shocked to find Cadence near the bed on a chair awaiting me while sleeping. Heh, she looked goofy like this to be fair.

I sighed in relief, making sure to be quiet to not stir her from slumber, things were just a mess now. I had this other self completely obsessed with his justice ideals, passing judgement, condemn my friend to some unknown fate worst of all, I didn't even know what I did to end up being judged like this! My mind was just some mess now and for once I couldn't be helped but feel some tears well up. Just what was my new life coming to? I spent days in the hospital, never practicing combat again, limiting my magic, embellished with some blade and stuck in a world I had no heads or tails on understanding!

If anything was right as of now was that I seemed to be in a better state of mind, things were a lot less confusing. I think. My mind didn't hurt, the nightmares seemed less now and to top it off I've got a voice in my head, I sound like some madmen to be fair. Just what was this all for? why send me here? why bring some dangerous justice obsessed psycho into the picture? Things may be different now, but if anything's going wrong its the fact I must learn to live with this...thing. Him. Whatever I wanted to call him.

I can hear her stir from her slumber and honestly I just want to rest for once, good nice sleep, sounds good really. I can already feel myself getting tired within the few words left on this page. I'll say that this life, is just the beginning of more crazy shit.

END of chapter 7

Author's Note

I apologize for taking so long with this, had too many rough ideas and holidays creeping up among many many other life problems. I will try to be more active but I think making the odd dreams and now "Yami" a more present force will be more fun going forward. Hope you all had a lovely holiday!