Grenadine was blasted from her place in the jaws of the dark shadow surrounding her. Her body was thrown to the ground, quickly followed by Goldie being released. Mirror swooped down to grab them with her magic, slowly placing them both on the ground. Golden Rays held herself up, catching her breath after leaving the deadly grasp of her daughter's conscience.
"Grenadine!" Snow exclaimed, running over to join Mirror in gazing upon their friend's unconscious body.
"She's gone. She blacked out," Mirror said. Goldie trotted over and sighed sadly, her face drooping into a frown. Citizens gathered around their Empress, the Unicorn who started it all grinning deviously from the balcony of her own home.
"Is she going to wake up the same?" Golden Rays asked the pink Alicorn. Her large hair blocking the sight of many.
"I don't know."
"They stopped me," The shadow grumbled angrily. "How could she stop me? She was a puny little princess! I'm akin to a God in this form! How could she stop me?" The silhouette turned to Grenadine in the dark space that was her conscience once more.
The Umbrum was simply standing there, head down. She felt drops of water fall from her eyes as the stared down. "I don't know," She whispered.
"Speak up, insolent host!" The silhouette demanded.
"I said, I don't know!" Grenadine lifted her head up, her hair flying around. "I didn't want this. You're not me! I've lost my mind and Mirror just blasted me out of it! Please, leave me alone!" She ducked her head again, crouching slightly in defence.
"You're weak. She knocked you out because you couldn't keep me in your control just like they said you could. You disappointed her. You're stuck like this, with me taunting you forevermore because you can't accept that you're scared of yourself."
Grenadine began crying harder. She shook as she collapsed on the ground, scared of what her own self was saying. It was true; her friends expected more of her and she couldn't do it. She was weak.
"... okay. We'll get her... this..."
Grenadine looked up, her vision was blurry from the tears. Was there another voice in here? The Umbrum did her best to hear it better. Would it make another noise? She squeezed her eyes shut and willed her ears to listen.
"Wake... please, sweet... art."
"What are you doing?" The shadow frantically created a fog around Grenadine, trying to block whatever her plan was.
"I can hear someone."
"Hear someone? Oh, that's rich. You want to be better so bad that you're tricking your own ears to hear your friends act as if they care about you!"
"Shut up! I can hear them!" The mare angrily glared at her own shadowy reflection. "You're being a pessimistic pest."
"A pest? You realize you're calling yourself a pest by saying that's what I am?" A creepy chuckle rose from the throat of the silhouette. "You're not waking up. Even if you do, I'll follow you again. Take further control of your body and mind. Your little girl and boyfriend won't be able to stop me next time."
"Oh, please... up, Grena... need you."
"There it is again! That was Snow!" Grenadine was standing up, her tears forgotten and her ears perked up higher than ever. "You're a dirty liar. You're just my own self-doubt," The Umbrum declared, looking at the silhouette. It looked back her, thoroughly unimpressed. "If I don't doubt myself, you'll disappear."
