A mere shadow

After Echo Shade goes on his way Shadow starts heading towards Ponyville to catch a late lunch. She emerges out in the open air thinking about the meeting that just happened and doesn't see that she's a lot farther away from Ponyville than she thinks.

"This is gonna be easier than we thought! Are you sure this is the right pony?"

"Shut up! Master is always right and the only reason that this wouldn't be the right pony is if we messed up... Again... But just be quiet the pony is coming this way!"

Shadow raises her head sniffing the air.

"I thought I heard something... Guess I didn't, and I really hungry now." Shadow says to herself, unfolding her wings and preparing to take off.

"She's going to get away!"

"Stop being an idiot we just have to act now!"

All at once a gryphon and a pegasus leaped out from behind the bushes. Shadow just stands there almost laughing at their comical glares.

"What are you two doing here?" She asks, slowly backing away when they narrow their eyes. "I don't see what reason two handsome gentlemen such as yourselves would want..." They start to advance slowly towards her.

"We... We're all friends here... Right?" They keep their silence.

"Never was a very convincing flatterer..." Shadow says while pulling her knife out of it's hidden sheath and pointing at them while she starts flying.

"Now Blue Blaze!"

A bolt of blue magic aimed directly at Shadow comes out of the bushes, Shadow tries to move out of the way but she isn't fast enough, and the magic forms a net and anchors Shadow to the ground.

"Why do you guys want me? Did I put one of your buddies in jail once?"

A dark blue unicorn with a lighter blue and yellow mane emerges out of the bushes.

"So we meet again Shadow, how very interesting." His voice was deep and manly.

"What do you want with me Aegeus?"

"I actually want to kill you, but rather sadly I am not in charge at the moment. Me and my rather idiotic henchmen are going to take you to our headquarters and give you your mission." He says walking right to the edge of the net.

"Mission? What mission? What are you talking about?"

Aegeus ignites his horn and casts a sleeping spell on Shadow, then beckons to his henchmen to pick up the limp pegasus all tangled up in the net.

"The mission that will make the master truly happy." He says and leads the way back to the headquarters.

"Your name is Aegeus? That is an awesome name!" Says the grey pegasus.

"Shut up Dolostone! My name doesn't matter, just pick up the pegasus and lets get moving."

"You don't have to shout at him like that..." The gryphon say defensively.

"And you too whatever your name is... Just shut up!"

"It's Eagle Claw...." Eagle Claw says quietly but Aegeus either doesn't here or doesn't care, probably both.

Dolostone and Eagle Claw pick up the limp figure wrapped in net and follow there abusive master. Arriving at a hollow tree Aegeus casts the opening spell. A door appears in the old battered bark of the tree, Aegeus opens it and steps down into what you would think is the room of a castle, at the very least a mansion.

"Tie her up over there, then go wash your stinking bodies."

The minions did their masters bidding and exited the room while the master sits in his great throne-like chair and stares off into space.

Uggh my head hurts... Where am I? I'm not in bed because I'm on cold damp ground... Aegeus! As she comes to the realization of where she is she opens her eyes and takes in her surroundings.

I have chains on my wings... And each of my feet and my neck... But I think I can still sit up, but my wings are useless at the moment.

She tries to get to a less prone position without rattling the chains to much. She fails.

What's wrong with ropes? I use ropes all the time! But then again ropes can be cut through...

As she makes these revelations Ageus gets off his chair and walks over to her. While she adjusts herself to a more dignified sitting position.

"What are you going to do to me? I was only doing my duty with you."

"Doing your duty? I don't care what the reason was that you tracked me down. The point is you did and succeeded as well, and I am know to hold a grudge against those who get in my way." As he is saying this he lowers his face until in was barely an inch from Shadow's then he sparked his horn. For the first time in this ordeal Shadow felt a glimmer of fear.

"I still want to know what you want with me." Shadow says defiantly. To which Aegeus laughs scornfully.

"Want I want to do is make you suffer, but that will have to wait for another time... If I was in charge at the momen-"

"I know! But why am I here?"

"Never interrupt me like that or I will go against my orders and kill you anyways."

"Whatever, just tell me why I'm here."

Aegeus growls but continues all the same, "My... Master has a mission for you, he wants you to steal two certain artifacts from the Canterlot."

This is the perfect way to get you locked up forever! If I play my cards right.

"What would I get out of it?" Shadow says deceitfully, but almost immediately notices a note of triumph in his eyes.

"My master has agreed to pay two hundred bits, one hundred for each relic."

Shadow ponders this for a second then says. "Seems fair enough... What does this mysterious master want me to steal?"

"The Gryphons Goblet and the Sapphire Statue from the Canterlot library.... And he wants them in seventy-two hours at the latest."

"How will I know where to leave them?"

"I will find you do not worry over that fact. Just remember three days, starting at dawn."

"Dawn? Why Daw-" She didn't see the deep blue hoof until it was too late. Aegeus smiles evilly scorning the prone figure sprawled on the ground.

"Dolostone! And you gryphon.... Eagle Claw! Take this pegasus and deposit her somewhere out on the forest."

Aegeus retires to his quarters laughing evilly.