Chapter 10

AN: OMG DARN THIS CHAPTER! KLDSKLFJL;SD!...ok anyway! Here is chapter 10 of Nights Shade. This gives you a little explanation on Demona's character. Also if any of you are look for a good mlp story to read, read "Cloud Cover" by: N30N- THUND3R . It's nice and long and only has five chapters so far. The writing is bearable (meaning its good) and for some reason his main character makes me think of Allora…eh. So if any of you are looking for a fresh new story to read I would check him out. Now than move on to the chapter!

"Alright Allora, what do you want mommy to sing to you tonight?" Velvet smiled towards her bundle of joy who lay in her wooden crib, cuddled up inside a white blanket, "We have Star Mistress, Bleeding Wings-oh, no, we aren't singing you that! And then there's Lady in Black."

Immediately after hearing her mother say the three words she now knew by heart the foal cooed excitedly to her mother, who merely sighed at her daughter's actions.

"Again…Allora I have sung that to you every night since we brought you home sweetie. Aren't you bored with it?" Velvet looked towards her daughter as if for an answer, though all Allora gave her was a blank curious face. "I guess not…alright mommy will cave into your whim. But someday I know you'll get bored of me singing this poem your grandmother wrote."

Velvet took a few breaths before starting. After singing this poem so many times she had memorized it, there was no need for her to read off the old paper that the poem was neatly written on.

I am the partner of the dark Abyss.

My Voice is your unwanted addiction.

Singing the tales of woe and dancing in tune.

So many years I've worsen your dreadful pain.

Watching your tales, of broken dreams. How sweet.

Your Sun will set once I am near. How cute.

Will that unplease you? Even though you are my…

Toys of deception and lovely chaos.

Though your pleads will never reach my ears,

I can still see how much you've fallen.

So many of you beg to know why,

Perhaps it's time I tell you my story.

Dressed in black, I stand before you waiting.

Why do I wait? I suppose you need clues.

My fallen bouquet and shattered veil

Will be your only clues.

As my eyes begin to fade…

I'm the unwanted bride. Now you know why.

Yes I shed my tears for your loss and pain.

But it's my job, so please forgive me.

For I, must serve my loving Abyss…

Velvet could already hear her daughter giggling and cooing with excitement. That song was meant to put her to sleep, what a stubborn little one. Velvet swiftly paced herself to Allora and placed a hoof on her daughter's cheek and than her horn.

"I can't believe you're a unicorn…me and your daddy are both earth ponies after all. But you take after my side of the gene pool. The Mist family did have a history of baring a few unicorns in the past…but they, well, never made it to adult hood. But mommy is going to make sure that doesn't happen to you!" Velvet chimed as she rubbed her noise with Allora's, who started smiling widely at her mother's action.

A slight chill soon entered the room soon after. Velvet couldn't help but let out a sigh. She could already feel her happy facial expression slipping away. Her pink eyes soon became a dull, showing little emotion as possibly. The gray mare could already hear her daughter sniffle a cry.

"Don't worry, mommy will be back soon." Velvet reassured her daughter as she began to turn herself away from her daughter and out of the room.

Cries could already be heard throughout the house. Velvet had to do her best not to turn around and comfort her daughter; it crushed her to have to deny Allora the satisfaction of comfort.

By the time Velvet had reached the fire place, located in the living room, the chill had only gotten worse. From the corner of her eyes Velvet could already see a glimpse of red colored strings. However that wasn't string at all. More like the mane of a very devilish witch!

"What do you want Desdemona!" Velvet barked at the materializing form.

"Mmm…how nice of you to call me by my full name, though I very much prefer Demona."

"That didn't really answer my question, now did it?" Though Velvet did her best to sound menacing, she was far from it.

"How strange, I'm a relation to your beloved and yet I'm stuck haunting you? Don't you find that strange?" Demona cooed out with a snickering smirk.

"Quit avoiding the question and answer it!"

A frown soon crossed paths with Demona's mouth. The (very) tall mare soon moved closer to Velvet. She bent down her head to Velvet's height and began to whisper in her ear.

"Not until you answer mine. You may be acting touch right now, but we both know that you can't possibly hurt another pony, so don't kid yourself."

Velvet's eyes soon went wide from the words. She was already clenching her teeth out of fear of her spitting something stupid and insulting to the Alicorn. Before continuing any further in the twos conversation Velvet took a deep breath in and out.

Instead of turning around to face Demona Velvet began to move away from her instead. Ignoring the slight moans and grunts coming from Demona, Velvet began to search for the closet mirror within the confines of her home. To her surprise it wasn't as far as she thought it would be, it was right next the fire place, perhaps Demona knew what her intentions were and decided to poof up a mirror closer to where they were now.

The image that Velvet saw wasn't what she wanted to see...other than the fact that she could see Demona's true form, her once living and breathing form instead of her usual golden mist like appearance. Even if she looked lovely as it, it wasn't her. All the golden from was a bright light in the shape of an Alicorn, it's only features you could see were the eyes, everything else was just bright gold light. No, Velvet's eyes were on her appearance. Her once pink eyes were now the deep red color of Demona's mane and eyes.

With a flash Demona was side by side with Velvet. Instead of turning her head to face Demona, all Velvet did was look in the mirror. She fixed her eyes on Demona's only to realize that her eyes were now red as well, however her eyes were soon becoming stained with a red liquid beginning to form under her eyes…tears? Yes, Velvet almost forgot that instead of the pure clear liquid that tears were usually made of, Demona's were red and bloody. Velvet had a feeling as to why the Alicorn was crying, but she wasn't to bear thoughts like those.

"I hate you…" Velvet said lowly.

"I know…I know you do. I'm sorry, but I don't have a choice anymore really. He's the one who pulls my strings now, not me." Demona responded with a hint of sincerity as she closed her eyes, allowing the bloody tears to run down her face.

"Will you show this much emotion to my daughter?"

"No…she has to recognize me as her enemy. She will have no mercy with me. She will bear witness to my crimes of pain and torture…it's for the best, since I'll be reborn as-"

"Please don't…don't do it." Velvet pleaded.

"Will it make you feel better if I tell you that there could be a possibility that she will take my place instead?"

"No…it would make me feel better if she was born into another family."

"But she wasn't. Your daughter has two possibilities for her future, both leading to darkness. Unless…" A slight smirk crawled up Demona's lips.

"Unless what?" Velvet asked with surprise meant.

"Tell me…don't you find it odd that I'm the one haunting you when the one I'm related to is your beloved?"

"…Witch…" Velvet said with a hint of a smile.

"I know…"

xXx

"Dame it…why did I tell her who I was? He gave me too much free…Deceit gave me too much; he did it on purpose didn't he? I-we-I-we…were suppose to wait until the night to reveal anything, so why did he allow me to tell Allora my name! What if she remembers that little piece of information somehow? What then? And why am I worried? GAH THIS IS TO CONFUSING!" Demona screamed within the mind of Allora, who now (hopefully) had returned to reality.

When Allora had been forced to leave this somewhat alternate world that was her mind, Demona had somewhat snapped.

While the Alicorn thrashed around the room she was in the eight robed ponies began to slowly surround her. Six of the eight robed ponies had names or faces, the others were yet to be filled.

"Perhaps you should end the pursuit of this mare." One of the robed ponies said.

"I agree, end this foolish pursuit to regain life and awaken Deceit. You have been haunting these two families for too many years and for what? In hopes of them meeting so they can produce you a vassal to take over and to complete us? This isn't even what you want, Deceit is the one doing this to you…he's controlling your own free will!" Another robed pony shouted, trying to reason with Demona.

Demona was now still, her head facing down at the ground with her mane covering her eyes. None of them could tell what here emotion or mood was at the moment. Neither of them had the courage to walk over and check. That is, until the newly added, Roselock, decided to make the first move.

"Mistress…are you ok?" Roselock choked out before she was soon pushed aside by a flash of gold. She was already screaming from the blow of it.

The group of eight gasped before they turned their eyes away from Roselock and towards Demona. They could now see her facial expression. Her once golden eyes were now a deep crimson and were wide, not out of shock or fear, more of insanity. At first she wore no smile on her face until after all eight of them took noticed of her. Her once neat mane now had a few thin layers sticking out wildly.

"You dare question your Mistress…your QUEEN! Well than…maybe it's time I…ADD ANOTHER ADDICTION TO THE GROUP!" Demona laughed wickedly as the eight robed ponies began to plead for her to calm down and begin to see reason. But it would be for nothing. Demona was too far gone; she didn't know when it was her free will or when it was his. So instead of diving into that pool of craziness she'll just continue to her objective for all these years to gain the answer from her beloved.

To regain her life…

xXx

"How is he doing?"

"Fine your highness. I think he'll be coming to very shortly."

"What about the rest of his family? I heard Allora's wounds had reopened causing her to collapse from blood loss and Evermore had fainted after a fall that could have broken something, although one of the Royal Guards saved her in time." Celestia said to the doctor.

The doctor nodded reassuringly to Princess Celestia. "Yes that is correct. I heard that Evermore has already woken up and is already moving around, which is not really the best thing for her to do…and Allora is currently being re-bandaged."

…Allora…Evermore… An awakening Corvo thought as he felt his eyes slowly glide open. His vision was cloudy at first his vision was a bit cloudy, but it soon became clearer as time passed by. Once his vision was completely clear he was able to figure out who was near him, an earth pony with a pink coat and blue short mane, kind of like the opposite of Evermore…could that have been? No, she was long gone. While Princess Celestia was the other pony in the room, she wore a worried look on her face.

Corvo was quick to raise himself off of the hospital bed slightly. The first to notice was the Princess, who soon smiled once she realized that he was ok. Corvo smiled back at her, until he turned his face towards the doctor.

"I see you're awake now…Corvo Night Shade? Nice name." The doctor said before turning to face him.

The old stallion couldn't help but widen his eyes; the doctor had light pink eyes like his deceased wife, Velvet. But that wasn't the only reason why he had widened his eyes. They soon went back to their regular stern appearance. When that happened he couldn't help but notice the small smile the spread across the doctor's face.

"Oh, Corvo this is your doctor, miss Bliss Ever." Princess Celestia quickly commented.

"Nice to meet you," Bliss Ever said to Corvo with a nod as she seemed to be looking at his chart.

"Likewise…Excuse me Princess, I couldn't help but hear that Evermore and Allora are here as well?" Corvo quickly changed the subject to his two daughters.

"Yes they are. Evermore has apparently already been checked out of her hospital bed and Allora is still I believe passed out."

"Evermore is already checked out? How long have I been asleep?" Corvo questioned.

"Just a few hours, Evermore wasn't in bad as shape as Allora or you were. Actually we don't know what happen with you…but your fine now." Princess Celestia said.

A smile crossed Corvo's face as he learned the news of Evermore. She was such a easy going mare sometimes.

"May I go see Allora?"

"Yes, you may go see her. I see no reason why you have to be in here any longer. What about you, doctor?" Princess Celestia turned her head to face the doctor.

"But of course not, I think I'll accompany you two. It's been a slow day anyway."

"As long as it doesn't interfere with your duties than you may join." Princess Celestia chimed in.

Corvo sighed slightly. Darn that mare…

As the group ventured throughout the hospital halls they came across Evermore and her group of ponies. Evermore waved and smiled when she saw her father, who smiled sweetly towards her. She had decided to join her father and the two ponies accompanying him to go see Allora, as did the other three ponies with her.

Once they reached the room Allora was being kept in Evermore immediately squealed loudly and ran for the room, doing her best not to slip on the slippery floor of the hospital halls. Corvo couldn't help but widen his eyes at this, same with everyone else except the doctor.

"MINE!" The group could hear Evermore shout at whoever else was in the room.

"Oh dear…here we go." Corvo gulped slightly as he and the other ponies entered the room.

xXx

Lightning was in a bit of surprise meant. The blue earth pony, which he had learned was Evermore, had just come out of nowhere! Once Evermore had caught sight of Allora in the hospital bed and him gazing over her she just shouted from the top of her lungs "mine" and ran straight into her sister's bed and cuddled in with her. She must have been pretty pleased with herself because she had one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen on his face.

"Evermore Night Shade, you get out of your sister's bed right now!" Lightning turned his head to see the father of the two in the room with them now, and a few other ponies, including his cousin Tia.

"No," Evermore pouted slightly.

"Yes, now! You're going to reopen your sister's wounds or something."

"No I won't, I'll be extra careful."

"You're cuddling up to your sister as if she was a stuffed animal, I don't think that qualifies as extra careful…" Corvo couldn't help but mentally face hoof himself, "Now come on let's get you out of there-" Once Corvo caught sight of Evermore giving him a menacing glare and seemed to be bearing her…fangs?

"When I say no, I mean no…and when I say mine I mean…MINE!" Evermore growled, but then went back to her cute little features once she had finished what she was saying.

"OK, yeah, sure-haha!" Corvo quickly said with a worried smile on his face and his hooves up in a waving motion.

Everypony in the room couldn't help but either laugh at the two or be frightened by Evermore's actions. She must really love her sister.

Suddenly the group began to hear a faint moan. Lightning quickly looked down at Allora. He bit down on his lip as he noticed a grave expression on her face. Apparently Evermore hadn't noticed because she had fallen asleep…what? How does a pony fall asleep that fast? Lightning thought to himself before he noticed Allora being to drift her eyes open. She came to!

xXx

Once Allora's eyes had opened up she was greeted with a few familiar and unfamiliar faces. For some reason she hurt around her chest area. As she brought her hoof to her face and rubbed her head she began to speak.

"What…what happened?"