My Little Twisted Sweet Tooth

Waking up brought on many painful sensations as my body regained consciousness. It ached all over. Was I awake? I raised both hands to my face to make sure finding that my hands were hooves. With no energy or motivation to ponder this change, I lowered them both to rest on the ground. I must still be dreaming. It still feels like it. Lying on my back, I watched the clouds move along across a quiet morning sky. If this were some kind of dream, it was a bit relaxing considering all the chaos and torture my other side had put me through.

When I’m dreaming he’s awake, and when he’s awake I’m dreaming. To have a split personality such as mine would drive anyone to madness. The monster kills anything he can. All I can do is watch while my body commits atrocities one would only see in their worst nightmares. Rolling over to my side, I opened my own eyes to the colorful world before me. It appeared as though I was in some sort of clearing.

“W-Where am I...Wait, I remember all this through his eyes. All the horrible things he’s done. Why does he enjoy murdering so much?”

I shifted my legs in an effort to stand up and realized there were ponies staring at me from a fair distance. I knew what he did and didn’t know what to say. For now, I painfully got up to my feet.

The purple pony that I suppose he was calling his ‘Queen’ looked at me with much sadness in her eyes. Maybe she understood that he was gone forever just like I was now realizing it. I certainly didn't feel his presence inside me anymore. He may have been a killer...but he was her best friend…now he was gone forever. It was silly of me to be thinking about him like this as he took everything from me. Still, much sadness seemed to weigh heavily in the air. Can a killer really be loved? I didn’t want to think about; it made me sick to my stomach knowing all too well who he was...but still.

My eyes locked with hers and I watched as one tear after another fell from her eyes softly hitting the ground. The steady stream of sadness reminded me of the time I finally realized my inability to hold him back from harming my family. Many times I stared into our house's bathroom mirrors trying to hold back his advance. His intentions in harming my family were clear so I tried to drive them away for their safety. Regrettably, they stayed offering support but also in time to see the change. On the day he took full control, I could only weep and let it happen. I lost everything that day.

Nobody said anything for the longest time until…I suppose her name is Twilight spoke,

“Are you Marcus?”

I nodded.

There were a few minutes of silence after that but I felt like I had to say something before the silence drives me crazy. I turned to his ‘Queen’ and spoke what I felt to be the right words.

“I saw everything through his eyes. I know all there is to know about him. He never cared about anything or anyone. I can guarantee that. That is...until he met you. There was…something he saw in you like himself…maybe that was Nightmare Moon…but he did care very deeply about you. I've never seen that monster ever care about having a friend. But he found one in you. I'm very sorry that he's gone. Not for myself, you see, but for you. From your many tears, I'm assuming you feel the same way about him.”

“I know. He was always there in our darkest hour,” her eyes once again filled up with tears when she said this. “Many times have we been betrayed in our life. He stood by our side through the worst of it. Our relatable afflictions provided comfort in each other's company. Many joyful nights were spent in sharing stories, laughter, and sympathy. Those occurrences will remain but a memory; a keepsake of good times never to return. It is a loss that will weigh heavily on our shoulders for many years to come. We think it is time to take our leave-”

“-Wait! I really have to say something…to everyone here. I’m really sorry for everything he’s done - was going to do - to you all. I…really just want it to be clear I am not him. He took everything from me: my family, my life, my dignity, my very existence! He might have been there for you in those long lost nights, but I don't feel the same way due to how he cruelly took my family away. I will never get my family back only to carry memories of something gone forever. Due to all the murder and mayhem caused by him, I can’t truly tell if I’m dreaming right now. Every time I’m ‘awake’ I’m confused and lost like it is all still a dream. I'm sorry about what he was going to do - and has done. Blame me for everything he did. I’ll accept it gladly. I…am just so sorry and want to thank you all for doing what I couldn’t do…getting rid of the demon. If there is ever anything I can do let me know - anything at all. Maybe, in a different life, things could be different. Maybe my family would still be with me! Maybe you all could have been my friends…maybe I could have been your friends...maybe...maybe not...”

I started crying and walked away trying to leave the mess behind. I've had enough of losing everything to him.

I walked for a good hour or so into the forest which was pretty scary to say the least. There seemed to be eyes everywhere watching my movements. If I were to die right now it wouldn’t matter. I had nothing – all taken. What good is life when you have nothing to live for having it all taken away? Soon I came upon a pond and saw my reflection in it…well, that strange zebra was looking back and not my own two eyes. I started to miss my daughter, son, and wife so much. They were the only thing in the world (my world) that ever mattered. The cruelty of life knows no bounds I suppose. Slapping a hoof against the water, I watched as ripples distorted the reflection.

Just then, I heard rustling behind me and expected the worse.

It was the pink pony. I’m not sure what she wanted. However, I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything to hear her out.

“Your name is Marcus, huh? I knew a Marcus once but he’s not here anymore. He left…a long time ago without saying goodbye. I-I don’t want that to happen again. Is it okay if I sit down?”

“Yes. I’m not sure why you would want to sit next to a killer though.”

I slapped the water again to watch the ripples distort the reflection once again. She sat down next to me and stared at the pond and I did the same.

“You’re not a killer! You said it yourself! It was him doing the killing with you trapped inside. Did you really see everything he did?”

“When he first took over, no, I did not. Though I did witness him murdering my wife, brainwashing my son, and trying to kill my daughter. Over time, our minds melded I guess. I saw every atrocious thing he did from that point forward. There are so many images I will never be able to get out of my mind. I don't even need to dream in order to recall those agonizing screams crying out for mercy only to brutally silenced.”

“That’s terrible but, you know, now that he’s gone you can start over!”

“Not really. I have nothing. No family…no close ones…no friends…”

“I’ll be your friend.”

I'll be your friend. Those simple words took me by surprise. My despair immediately left with a slight pang of happiness. She looked at me. I looked back at her. Quicker than I could respond, she gave me a very tight hug to which I hesitated at first to return. However, I really needed a friend and would be proud to call her one.

“…My new best friend…thank you…” I wrapped my arms around her and returned the hug with a stream of tears making its way to the ground. We sat like that for a while. I really felt like she knew me. It felt like having a sister.

[/hr]

I returned to the town with the pink pony, Pinkie Pie. All the ponies were surprisingly accepting of me considering what I – he – had done. Make no mistake as they did keep their distance but, nonetheless, they greeted and talked to me. I apologized everywhere I went. There was not much else I could do. Twilight contacted Luna and Celestia who both agreed to send me back to my world. It was for the best. Before being sent back, I said my final farewells to my new friends especially Pinkie Pie. She let me know that she would never forget me and I reciprocated the favor.

Back in my world, I could feel all of Minion’s powers still flowing through me though after that they faded in time. Sweet Tooth spawned when Minion possessed my body but the elements of harmony apparently destroyed him as well. Well, maybe not ‘destroyed’ as he was a demon after all. Maybe exorcised is a better word. The first order of business was to free everyone that participated in Twisted Metal.

There would be no more games.

It was very strange when all the contestants were released in the same room. I think I should’ve put more thought into that. Everyone stared at each other for quite a while expecting something to happen. Nothing did. It was probably because most of us wanted it to be over. No one said anything to each other but simply left the room one by one. What could one say in a situation like that? Well, there was one who said something but only to me – Mr. Grimm (the grim reaper).

He walked up to me in stop motion movement that put me on edge. It wasn’t slow either but rather quick.

"So he’s dead? I can no longer feel his presence in you." He said this without moving his jaw in what sounded like a deep animal growl.

“Yes…he’s gone.”

“Good. I’m going to revive your family and those killed in these contests.”

He said this and abruptly turned around and started to walk away.

“Really? Thank you.”

His head snapped around so quick it made me jump a little.

With flames coming out of the eye sockets he said, “I’m not doing this for you!! It’s my fucking job!! Some bastard thought it wise to steal my job, my powers, and fuck everything up!! Now I have a big fucking mess to clean up!!”

He was out the door quicker than I had time to come up with a response.

My family came back. There they were right before my very eyes: my wife, my son, and my daughter. They were scared to come near me so I had to convince them that their husband/dad was not a scary monster anymore. I gave them a hug that I never wanted to end. It felt just like hugging Pinkie Pie. I had my family back and that was all that mattered.

My children grew up and had grandchildren of their own. They came over to my house once in a while to spend time with me. We did things like biking, fishing, and watching movies. One day I turned on the TV for the kids to watch. I came across reruns of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and watched it with the kids. At one point, Pinkie Pie stopped in her tracks and it seemed like she was looking at the audience.

It was undeniable. She was looking at me!

A big smile came across her face as she waved her arm back and forth quickly. I smiled and waved back.

Thank you for being my friend when I needed one the most.