Madmare's Paradise

The hours pass and I let the boredom wash over me. I once hated boredom. I may have even been afraid of it. The still and quiet always felt unnatural. I had to force myself to embrace the idea of calm. Now it is my way of life.

The sky is growing brighter. Soon the sun would rise over the horizon. Soon we will arrive in Marenonia. I get up and walk over to Lyra and Bon Bon. I reach up and gently shake Bon Bon awake.

Bon Bon stretches and looks out the window. She then picks up her saddlebags and begins to rummage through them, checking over her supplies. “So, I take it we’re almost to Marenonia?” Bon Bon looks up at me.

I nod to her and point out the window across the aisle where I had been sitting. Outside a few farm houses can be seen. It is still dark and hard to make out the details of the landscape. I could tell, however, that we were approaching the small farming community.

As the train pulls up to the station Bon Bon and I try to get Lyra to wake up. Lyra opens her eyes and squints as she looks around the train car.

“Wha, huh?” Lyra mutters.

“We’re here Lyra,” Bon Bon says as she pulls Lyra out of her seat.

“We where?” Lyra asks still groggy.

“Marenonia.” Bon Bon says

“Awesome,” Lyra exclaims. “Let’s get out there and do this.”

Lyra grabs her saddlebags and skips her way to the car door. Bon Bon smiles and follows suit.

I make my way off of the train as well. Upon stepping out on to the platform at the station I get my first look at the town of Marenonia. The sun is high enough in the sky that I can now make out the town. Spindly, half-dead trees dot the landscape. Ponies are coming out of their homes and silently going about their business.

It feels almost relaxing to me. No pony is looking at me, so I don’t need to hide. No pony is there to greet us or throw a party to welcome us. It seems nice.

This town is so quiet, calm and peaceful. There’s no undue panic, no rushing around, no exuberance, no enthusiasm. There is no joy. No hope. Something is very w rong. I didn’t see it before. The whole town is subdued, like it is almost lifeless. It feels like everererypony is not really there. s Op

They all move around mechanically. As if there is no life in them. It’s like they are empty. as a m i

A thought appears in my head, asking me if this is what I am Striving for. Is is what I look like to others? No, never lo e

They NeveR speak to each other. They avoid interacting with each other. They don’t look at each other. They show know emotion. They just ARe. never

Is this how I act?> plEAse lose

Is this what I am? sTOp con-

Am i e-pty, like them? bEe des…

No, not empty. cALm!

There Is DespaiR. i Can feel it cr eeping into my mind and now i can see it reflecelfer in the e----y ponies. i Don’t want this. They d on't want this either, it was forced upon them. Tears begin to run run down my cheek. -trol

“I don’t…want…” ...pair <

Bon er speak! front

Bon Bon stop.s walking in frontback of me and looks frontback. iCan see the surPrise on her face. She can sea the tears n mine. back fear

cho l t rai ver seen! ovERhead.

UN expectedly, clouds begin to begIn gather ARain storm is falLsforming from rainpink. clouds. DEsPair. Bon Bon fearstops walking. i FlOaTiNG upup To tHe Lyra calls c l uds o u t to me.

Nt Sc b l” ConT . NeVeR lost sou
los soEuV ER. r ndcon rol.

nd o Can’t control.
Erase all… al l

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.

Er a s e a l l t h a t i s

Never Always

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.

. .

…e y j u… …r e…

… t h i s h o w I a ct?

All gone. Em_ty ?

return

like Them?

No, not empty. c a l m

There is despair. I can feel it creeping back into my mind and I see it still reflecting in the eyes of the empty ponies. I don’t want this, even though I chose it. They don’t want this either, it was forced upon them.

I want to fix this.

I want to be more.

Bon Bon stops walking in front of me and looks back. I can see the confusion on her face. She looks around for a second, then shrugs and continues walking after Lyra.

Clouds have begun to gather in the distance. A storm is coming and it will just add to the gloominess that surrounds Marenonia. I can’t let this depressing place get to me. Again.

I can never lose control.

Self-control makes me feel empty, but I’m not. There is despair. Despair over what I have made of myself. There is fear of what I can do. There is hope for what I can become. There is also Lyra, who believes in me, and Bon Bon, who worries for me.

Lyra looks out, surveying the town. “Well, this place sure is…” she pauses looking for the right word to describe the town. “Dreary.”

Bon Bon walks up next to Lyra and the two of them continue looking around. They take note of the buildings in the town. They are drab and most are in minor states of disrepair. They have yet to notice anything wrong with the residents yet.

“Look,” Lyra says as she points toward a building in the distance. This one is different from the others. It is a house that is well kept and freshly painted. “The fanciest building is probably the most important building. Let’s check that one out first.”

Lyra skips cheerfully off toward the building. Bon Bon chases after her. Now both of them are too caught up in Lyra’s quest to pay proper attention to their surroundings. I don’t think we are safe here.I don’t like ithere.Weshould leave . I could easily stop themgo Home.

No. I won’t give in to fear.

I might lose control again. I should wait and watch. Lyra can handle this. Bon Bon will help keep her on task.

Right?

I follow after Lyra and Bon Bon. Up ahead I can see they have already reached the house. They are talking to a blue earth pony who seems to be inviting them in. I seem to have been forgotten. amUP

Walking up up to the house I uP OnToPthe roof. That is getting easier. I creep up to the edge of the roof right above an open window. Inside I can hear Lyra and Bon Bon introducing themselves to their host.

I was right; it is easier to eavesdrop when you are not in the same room.

“So, what brings you to my town?” asks the blue mare.

“Simple,” Lyra explains. “We heard there was an evil artifact found here and we are going to stop any evil ponies from using the evil artifact to hurt anypony with evilness.”

Wait.

What?

Did she really just come right out and say that? Bon Bon really needs to teach Lyra the importance of subtlety.

It’s silent for a few seconds. I can picture Lyra with a big, oblivious grin on her face as Bon Bon and their host stare at her. Somepony lets out a sigh, and I suspect it comes from Bon Bon.

“What? We’re here to catch the bad guy and save the day right?” Lyra huffs defensively.

“Seriously?” questions the house’s owner. She lets out an amused chuckle. “You are here to ‘stop evilness’ and ‘catch the bad guy?’ Are you serious?”

Below there are sounds of somepony opening a dresser and pulling something out.

“Well…,” Lyra begins hesitantly.

“Are you serious?!” Pure rage bursts from the house. It hits me like a tornado, stunning me. “A weakling of a unicorn and her pet dog pony, you dare stand against me?”

“Lyra, look out!” Bon Bon cries. There is a loud crash inside the house. I hear Bon Bon scream in pain.

D

o

w s y

n at the door D e t o It

I leap inside the building. r

The blue mare is standing right in front of me. Against the wall Bon Bon is laying on top of Lyra. Neither of them are moving.

“Oh, look,” the blue mare snaps at me. “Are you their friend? Do you hope to save them? You pathetic pink earth pony, you are nothing. You worthless dog.” Her eyes are wild with rage.

She’s insane, a monster.

“I’m no dog.”

She hurt the ponies that live here.

“I’m the mare of misdirection.”

She hurt Lyra and Bon Bon.

“I’m anarchy’s heir.”

I hate her.

“I am the daughter of Discord!”

I Hate her.

“And I am going to destroy you.”