Lost in the Dark

As Hige continued to walk, he came across a very familiar sight: his old tree house. It seemed as if it hadn't aged a day. As he approached it, the fireflies began to spread and covered the treehouse in light. Hige walked around the treehouse once before he faced the wooden planks he used to get up to the house with. He took a deep breath and placed a hoof on the first wooden plank. ‘I feel like I’m forgetting something...’ Hige thought as he continued to climb up. Once he began to put weight on the fifth plank, it twisted around and caused Hige to lose his balance. ‘Oh right... That plank was loose...’ as he lay on the ground, an uncontrollable need to laugh overcame him.

        “That’s weird... I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time”, Hige said out loud.

        “Yes. You should really grow a sense of humor”, A familiar voice said from inside the treehouse.

        “And you should learn to be more mature”, Hige responded instinctively. ‘Wait... What did I just say?I feel like I know him...’

        “Ha! Seems like you’re learning”, the voice said as a figure jumped out of the treehouse and landed next to Hige. Hige turned his head to meet the figure and was surprised to meet a younger version of himself, only difference being that this version had red glowing eyes. “So you finally decided to come back”, he said, his tone and facial expression becoming serious.

        “I came here to see you?” Hige asked as he got up.

        “You tell me, why have you come all this way?” it asked.

        “I don’t know...” Hige responded.

        “Are you sure? There must be something you want out of all of this, something you’ve been craving”, It persisted.

        “I... You’re supposed to be my past, right? you can show me it?” Hige said as he slowly began to realize.

        “Right on the nose”, It said with a smile as he placed a hoof on his nose.

        “Show me...” Hige said.

        “Show you what?” It asked. The tone made it seem as if he wanted Hige to say what he wanted out loud instead of it being an honest question.

        “I need to know what happened that day, the day that Yowai tried to kill me. I know that there’s something missing.”

        “Heh... Been waiting to hear that for years. Do you really want to know? Once I show you, your fate is sealed”, It said in a grim tone.

        “I know, but tired of this... All of this... I need it to come to an end”, Hige answered.

        “So be it, follow me”, It said as it flew up into the tree .“The visions you had about your past , the one you had the first few days in Ponyville, was true in the most part, but there are a few features that are were lies.” It took a deep breath as Hige landed on the opposite side of the treehouse “Yowai... He wasn’t as you remembered, he.. he... He was never your friend...”

        “What...?” Hige said as he sat down.

        “I’m sorry to say this, but he always despised you. He used you because you were stronger than him, and you could protect him. The only reason that you remembered otherwise is because you wanted to. When Fluttershy asked you if you had a best friend, you instantly thought of him, and since you didn't remember much from your past, you thought it was true.”

        “Oh...” Hige said as he remembered the countless fights he had been in and how Yowai never did anything. He remembered the doubts he had about him so many years ago. He cringed at the pain in his head. “Why does it hurt...?”

        “Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon”, It said. “Now then... There’s still something more.”

        Hige took a deep breath and exhaled. “Okay... I’m ready.”

        “The Ritual, the one that Yowai made for you. Do you remember the face you saw?”

        “The face?” Hige thought. Hige cringed and placed his hooves on his eyes and the devilish face began to fill his mind, “No! Not him!” Hige screamed.

        “So you remember him...” It said

        “Disgusting...” Hige said in response  with a face of anger while he placed a hoof at the side of his head to calm the pain.

        “Hmm... Well that face, that’s the demon that drove Yowai to do what he did. He needed a host, and Yowai was a perfect candidate. His will was so easy to alter that he couldn’t resist. When you screamed at Yowai to stop, Yowai realized something. He realized you’ve done nothing except protect and help him, and he was about to kill you for nothing. For a split second, the will he had for not wanting to kill you was powerful enough to stop himself from going any further.

        “The ritual was never made for sudden regret. Once you start there should be no turning back. The amount of energy it took for Yowai to get you back together was... He couldn’t do it alone, even if he sacrificed himself.”

        “What do you mean?” Hige asked

        “He made a deal... If the demon would agree in saving your life, Yowai would allow it to use his life energy to save both of your lives.”

        “So where is the demon?”

        “He’s inside of you. After saving you, he sealed himself inside of you.”

        “The bandaged pony...” Hige murmured. “But... I thought a demon couldn’t possess you unless you let it”, Hige mentioned.

        “Normally they can’t, but there’s nothing normal about this situation. He did not possess you, like I said, he sealed himself inside you. He wouldn’t have survived if he hadn’t.”

        “Then... Those strange powers... That came from him?”

        “Yes. You tend to let your emotion get the better of you, and you end up forcing some of his power out. Other times, he lends you the power.”

        “Lend me the power?” Hige asked skeptically “Why?”

        “You die, he dies too”, It answered. “He doesn't wanna die either.”

        “Then why doesn't he leave?”

        It gave a sigh. “He’s trapped. He can’t get out even if he wanted. The chains he was wearing was what bined him to you. He tried to get Fluttershy to take them off so he can leave.”

        “Why does it sound like you’re on his side?”

        “I’m not... I’m trying to help you understand. I’m not taking sides here”, It answered.

        “Then what is your opinion?”

        “Do you really want to know?” It asked.

        “Yes I do.”

        “He’s not completely evil. He’s kept his end of the bargain, and all that he’s done was him trying leave your body.”

        “Why couldn’t he just ask?” Hige said with a hint of anger

        “He has. All those dreams you’ve had was him trying to reach out to you.”

        “No... No! That was him trying to scare me!” Hige protested. “Don't you try to twist it around!”

        “My turn is done. I’ve showed you all that I can”, It said.

        “But... what now?”

        “Now? Now it’s your turn. Do you accept everything that has happened in your past? You need to understand, this is your only chance.”

        “Fine... I understand”, Hige said. A familiar dark vortex appeared in the treehouse giving way to the dark alicorn. “What are you going to do?”

        “We’re going to make you relive moments in your life you have long kept hidden”, the dark alicorn answered.

        “How long will that take!?” Hige asked in shock.

        “Don’t be an idiot, it’ll take about half an hour in the real world, but...” the red eyed clone began, but found it hard to finish his explanation

        “The moments in your life have already happened, the good and the bad. Your body will be out of your control, and it may take a large strain on your sanity.” The alicorn finished

        “Sanity? Never had one... Let’s get this over with”, Hige responded.

Hige took a deep breath as both the the younger version of him and the alicorn version of himself began to walk towards where he was sitting. As they reached Hige, they began to glow white and intensified as they got closer. The white light began to send Hige into various memories. Hige began for feel as if years of his life passed. Once he was done, he found himself in a deteriorated version of his treehouse. He laid there in shock as he realized only minutes have passed in real life.

‘I’m not dead?’ Hige thought as he looked around the room. ‘Good... Still need to take care of Them...’ Hige tried to get up, but found a sharp pain in his head making him dizzy and forcing him back to the ground. ‘Just... I’ll rest for awhile...’ Hige thought as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

‘Time to leave...’ Hige thought after he woke up. He got up and found that most of the dizziness had passed. He jumped out the door frame and found that his wings weren’t at full strength. He kept his balance and landed on the ground with a loud thump. He retraced his steps and found the rush from where he had walked in from.

Big Macintosh, Vinyl, and Fluttershy turned in reaction to the movement they heard within the brush.