The Pony of Shadows. For generations, this creature of myth has terrified every pony who heard about it, and it became known as the source of all the darkness, cruelty and wickedness in the world, the wellspring from which evil flowed. Twilight, who has led her friends against many foes in the past, seeks out this ancient enemy of her people, to vanquish it once and for all.
But when she finds it, she and her friends instead discover a different story. One the young Princess would never have expected.
Chapters (2)
SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A very well-written piece, and one that our species as a whole should learn from. ACCOUNTABILITY.
That's "convenient". Just the one "t" there.
That aside, a great piece of writing! I really enjoyed reading this and love this take on the Pony of Shadows far, FAR more than the S7 finale version we got. Hell, I might have to use this idea in one of my own stories sometime, if you don't mind. (I'd totally credit you for the inspiration!)
Honestly, reading this made me think of a dialogue from The Witcher. The original stories, I mean...
Granted, it's nowhere near to that level with what Stygian is talking about here, but the point still stands: it's easier to blame something else for the darkness in life, rather than look at yourself and confront the darkness within.
Cool story Equestria-Forever. It reminds me of the ending of "Wonder Woman", when she discovered that Ares didn't cause man to do evil, but that man brought evil upon themselves.
Just perfect, in my opinion
Love this story. Great job with the characters.
"In the darkness, light shines more brightly, and where light shines, it casts a shadow." —Ulan-Tan, from Destiny
Okay, severely reminded of DC Comics version of the Devil, and this quote in particular.
A much better version of the Pony of Shadows then we actually got. Stygian himself was fine as a character, but the show Pony of Shadows? Pathetic. Didn't even really have much of a plan. Great, now you've got me humming Sympathy by the Rolling Stones.
they got a rainbow cannon. use it
If dark were to not exist, neither would light. The same can be said vice-versa. Were true evil a thing, there would be no good, were true good a thing, strife would conqueror the hearts as conflict would be unheard of.
One cannot exist without the other. Such is our fate in this world.
9397902
Why didn't you like the Pony of Shadows we got in Season 7 as much?
This is amazing!
I love this idea and I wish that Hasbro would have used this.
9398584
Because Stygian's backstory squandered any sympathy I had for his plight with the implication that he outright stole his friends' magic relics without even making any attempt to TALK with them about how he felt. Nope, no effort to try and explain himself or even ask permission. He just came off as a weaker retread of Nightmare Moon to me.
9398641
Ok, got it. Yeah, I guess he was kind of a repeat of Nightmare Moon.
A facisnating tale of perspective and duality to be sure! A nice and small read for my brain, excellent work!
9397902 Thanks for pointing that out to me
I need more of this. It's too good.
Two questions for the Shadow that might make his story fall apart: what happened to Starswirl and the others, and why did he need to possess another pony?
I’m treating this fic as “like the episode except where noted,” so I am curious about why this guy would want to “Become a Pony”. Still, I always liked he idea of a being of darkness actually representing Darkness instead of just Evil. I mean, darkness gives us the Night Sky, places to hide, and solitude.
...OK, I had to stop reading about 5% into this...
...what the bloody hell are you doing with your paragraphs?
9399391
And the ellipses... and the italics...
9399259
I think in this alternate history, he did not possess another pony. He is Stygian and the Stygian we know in canon never existed.
Good, but melodramatic. I think it's biggest problem is that it leans so hard on headcannon that it feels like the Mane Six are made to look like idiots so that the author can explain whatever issue he or she wants to talk about, like an after school special but without the moral.
It does go without saying that it's better than the real Pony of Shadows.
This is an interesting concept. Which makes me wonder what happen to the pillars in this au?
Good story.
Did you just write a much better version of Shadow Play?
I think you just wrote a much better version of Shadow Play.
Enjoyable with good philosophy, but I think you might have unintentionally introduced another question.
How does one respond to a creature that knowingly and very willingly feeds on conflict, even though it is not the source? Stygian may not cause conflict but it knowingly benefits, and indicates no desire to stop conflict based on how conflict never ends. Is it evil or is it simply a force of nature letting nature take its course?
But...friendships DO end. As do conflicts.
9484231
Specific ones, yes. But you will never end all conflicts or all friendships...
Well, as long as you don't end all live
9484435
That sounds pretty harmonious.
9499982 Oh stop. You would have done a better job and we know it
*Deadpan voice-over*
Ladies and gentlemen, the Mane Six are going to the Congo.
This is better than what I expected. (Something like from the Star Trek episode Skin of Evil).
Stygian bringing himself to the same level of the Tree of Harmony reveals a problem the first chapter refused to address:
The Tree was an active force for Harmony and Friendship. If he's the opposite, then he may not have been the source of all evil, but he can still be perfectly responsible for any individual evil he does. If he's not, as the story implies, doing anything evil, then he's not the Tree's equal, he's just there—and superfluous, because doing good has always been an option instead of sulking in the dark, nursing wounded pride like a little child.
9630614
I think it's more implying that the beings that turn evil turn that vicariously through the Pony of Shadows. For every evil act that is committed, the Pony of Shadows gains more power, just has more active harmony makes the Tree more powerful. 'Active' is.... subjective because while the Tree is a FORCE of Harmony, it was never 'Active' per say
9630614
I agree with you on a whole but maybe that's the point, while good has an active champion the dark can literally do nothing and still almost win.
This story... kick season 7 finale’s ass! This is way better than it! Darkness and Light are everything, legends are altered for future generations to blame something for existing. What happen with the truth in shows? I know it’s dark but that’s life and the truth.
9630687
The Tree did offer support, however. From the use of the Elements to giving Twilight the Harmony Box when she returned them, to keeping the Everfree at bay. What is Stygian doing, exactly? For that matter, his refusal to help makes me wonder if he hasn't been lying about being innocent in the first place. Again, he doesn't have to be the source of all Evil to still be plenty evil anyway. We're simply drawn to believe him because the narrative refuses to question his words.
9630707
I don't think that's the point. It's more a Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover moral, done by stripping one side (Stygian) of all possible flaws while keeping all the trappings of some evil being. The result is that every character, except Stygian once more, has less reason to act as they do.
9631339
That is true, but just as the Pony of Shadows (in the show) wanted to use the artifacts that the Pillars had to become all powerful, the Tree made artifacts to be used, but would eventually run out of power, such as the elements, if The Beginning of the End was anything go by, they have a limit. The first chapter of this story though is more of a, what if they fought the Pony of Shadows before releasing the pillars. Even in limbo, his essence and power could be felt through it, causing all sorts of evil, much like an illness. Only this is an illness that infects 1 to 4 beings before halting its progress.
If Discord had shared the land rather than conquer it, if Tirek had listened to his family, had Chrysalis went for help instead of taking it by force, would their stories be different? The only one we can count out is Sombra because his species, the Umbra, are meant to be evil. True Evil I think it goes.
Another good chapter, definitely bittersweet considering there's the possibility that Stygian may very well be dying. Kudos.
I never noticed until now that there was another chapter of this!
Anyway, good reading. I liked the way that this ended. Well, in some ways, ended - Stygian might have gone on, but the cycle of harmony and darkness, good and evil, continues without him. Nothing ever truly ends, is what I think to take away from this.
Mark Oliver (aka Lord Garmadon) as Stygian, the Pony of Shadows
James Earl Jones as Stygian aka The Pony of Shadows.
9484231
If only for a brief moment.
9400465
you have to remember the context that the mane six have had every legend told to them so far be proven true so the legend of the pony of shadows even if it is incorrect in this au would be taken as fact it doesn't say that the mane six are idiots it just shows that history is written by the "victors" which leads to different beliefs down the line
Good and Evil.
Light and Darkness.
Order and Chaos.
Different, yet, they have parts of each other. It’s a constant flow.
It’s like the Yin and Yang. I like stories like this.
9484435
Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
I have not much to say but this is most definitely one of very few things or story that i will remember even in darkness. In other words i love it as well.