A mere shadow

It's one o'clock in the afternoon when Shadow wakes up, "Tell me last night was a dream... Ow... I guess it wasn't..."

She props herself up on the bed inspecting her leg. “Just a bit of scratch, I'll be ok.” She concludes and steps onto her carpet trying to ease the pressure on her leg. She makes her way over to her desk and starts another entry her journal.

One o'clock in the afternoon,

One thing I am certain of, last night was not a dream. My leg got cut and the relics are here on my desk. Tonight I will go with Dawn back to Canterlot, I pray that Captain Echo Shade will not react harshly. It wouldn't be surprising, we did steal from the museum and it was very wrong of us but it had to be done. Dawn says he likes me... And I might like him, I'm not sure... Now I need to stretch my leg and get Dawn up.

Shadow replaces her quill back in the inkwell and with measured weight on her leg she makes her way into the other room.  Dawn is sleeping on the other cushion. Shadow walks over and gently shakes Dawn.

“Time to get up, Dawn. We have things to do before we go to Canterlot tonight.”

“Hmm what?”

“Time to get up.”

“Ok just a sec.” Dawn yawns and stretches. “Last night made me sore...”

“Me too, and I didn't get away completely unscathed, one of the guards got a swipe at my leg.”

That woke Dawn up. “Are you ok? How bad is it?”

“Just a bit of a scratch, I need to wash it and exercise it. Wanna come to the pond with me?”

“Are you sure it's not that bad? And yes, I'll come to the pond with you.”

“Yes, I'm sure.”

They get up and fly out the door, after a moment they reach the pond and land right by it.

“Oops, I forgot to bring the bucket for water... Can you get that Dawn?” Shadow asks.

“Sure, you just rest here.” Dawn answers and takes off again while Shadow wades into the water. At first she just stands there getting used to the temperature and then she plunges her head under and swims a few yards under water. As she comes back up she twirls around like she heard something.

“Strange, I could have sworn there was somepony over here...” She says to herself.

Those guards said that they lost the trail right around here... Damnit! I really, really don't want to be wrong about that mare... Holy Luna she's sexy with that wet mane.

Echo Shade thinks to himself from a tree near the pond. Did he just have a knack for choosing the wrong mares? He hardly knew Shadow but all the facts were leading up to her being one of the thieves last night. Not to mention that she and that other mare that just left... Dawn her name is? Had gone to the museum the day before the robbery. He hated to admit it but all the facts were leading up to a horrible realization. She had said something about a plan to capture her enemy once and for all... Maybe he could just wait for more facts before making an accusation. After all he didn't want to throw the wrong pony in the dungeon did he? Having made his decision Echo Shade took off from the tree just as Dawn came back with the bucket.

"Shadow? Why are you just standing there?" Dawn asks setting the bucket down.

"I could have sworn that somepony was watching me..." Shadow answers shaking her head. "Let's just clean up then go into town."

"Sounds like a plan."

They swim for a while relaxing in the cool water of the pond. After about an hour they fill up the bucket and fly back to the house.

"Why don't we go to the market? You're running low on food.” Says Dawn while she was looking through Shadow's cupboards.

“Yeah, that's a great idea. I'll get my saddlebags.” Shadow collects her saddlebags and goes out the door followed by Dawn. After flying for a couple minutes they come into town where they land and walk into the market.

“Did you hear about the robbery at the Canterlot museum? It's all over the newspapers.” Shadow hears one mare asking another.

“There's no way Aegeus won't pick up on our success. Let's grab a paper and see for ourselves.” Shadow whispers in Dawn's ear.

“Why don't we get some supplies first? Then read the paper over lunch.”

“Sounds good.” Shadow replies. They spend a couple hours somewhat monotonously standing in lines and buying goods. Then with full saddlebags they make there way into SugarCube Corner with a paper tucked behind Shadows wing.

“Heeeyyy ponies! What can I get you? You look absolutely famished!” Pinkie Pie says bouncing over to them.

“A couple blueberry muffins would do nicely.” Shadow answers.

“We don't have any blueberry muffins at the moment. The mailmare Ditzy came by a while ago and took them all.” Pinkie stops bouncing to gesture to the display of various cookies, cakes, pies, cupcakes, and muffins. “But we have plenty of other things.”

“Ok, then I'll have a piece of strawberry shortcake.” Shadow decides.

“And I'll have a piece of lemon meringue pie.” Dawn decides a couple seconds later.

“Okey dokey lokey!” Pinkie says scooping out a piece of each of the pies and putting them on a couple plates. “That'll be four bits please.”

Both of them hoof over two bits each and take their pies to a table in the back. Shadow looks over the article about the theft.

THEFT FROM THE CANTERLOT MUSEUM!

It was reported this morning that last night about one o'clock p.m. Two pegasi broke into the Canterlot museum and successfully stole two important relics. The sapphire statue that is supposed to bring you great wealth and the Gryphons Goblet that is supposed to give great power to whoever drinks out of it. When questioned one of the guards that tried to stop the culprits said, “It was like they didn't want to hurt us... I'm certain I saw a knife on one but it was never drawn. Me and my partners lost their trails out over the EverFree Forest after a merry chase through the city.”

The captain of the Lunar Guard said that he had a lead that he would be following up this night. There is a team of tracking experts looking over the scene of the crime. The only thing that was damaged was a window in the staff section of the building. The cases themselves were forced open.

“Well that sounds about right... From that guards comment he knew nothing about us.” Shadow says finishing the article.

“So we're off the hook?” Dawn asks.

“No, Echo Shade has a lead. But since I'm going over there tonight so he can help us he can keep it quiet...”

“There's going to be a whole article about it when the press discovers the Lunar Guard has the culprits...”

“Who knows what will happen... Let's go back to my house and unload the groceries, I have a certain cat to visit.”

“Ebony?”

“Yeah, she hurt her leg and is with Fluttershy at the moment.”

“Aww, but Fluttershy is an expert with animals.”

"Yes she is."

“So, to your house then hers?”

“That's the plan.”

They finish there pieces of pie and throw the plates away. Then they walk outside and have a sloww flight back to Shadows house.

“Are you sure he'll be understanding? You know, and not throw us into the dungeon? Or worse, have us sent to the moon for a hundred years?” Dawns asks as they leave Ponyville.

“Dawn, we've been over this before, more than once. I'm one-hundred percent sure that he will at the very least not send us to the moon!” Shadow answers irritably. But it the back of her mind doubts were beginning to form. What if he didn't understand? He could have us thrown in the dungeon in just a few words! But the only thing they broke was that window... She didn't even draw her knife except to help pry open the cases. And besides the relics were in a safe place... But they did steal them...

Shadow thoughts were cut short as they reached her house. They go inside both lost in their own thoughts, and unload the various fruits, vegetables, and baked goods into her cupboards.Then take off towards Fluttershy's cottage still lost in their own thoughts. Shadow, mentally fighting herself, would he understand? Would he help the or lock them up? Then her thoughts wander over to what Dawn had said. “I think he likes you, and I think you like him back too.” Did she like him? She had or thought she had loved once.

Her thoughts flood back to five years ago, she had been just fifteen and there was this really cute pegasus living in Ponyville his name was Shooting Star. He had a deep blue coat with shining golden eyes. His mane was black and the same gold as his eyes. He really liked the night and his cutiemark was a shooting star. He had a great personality and he was really gentlecoltly and kind. One day when she was sitting all alone on cloud near the edge of Ponyville when he flew over to her and said, “Um, Shadow?”

“Yes?”

“Will you go to the school dance with me?” He asked her.

Shadow blushed, there was no way he could know how much of a crush she had on him. She sat there silent so long that he was getting worried.

“Shadow? Do you already have a date for the dance?” He asked her worriedly.

“No, I don't have a date and I'd love to go with you!” She hugged him warmly and that was the start of about a relationship that lasted about a month. A pretty new filly came to town and stole him away. One night when he had said he was going to take her to a movie. He never showed up and in her desk the next morning she found a note in her desk.

Shadow,

The reason I never showed up last night is because I took Strawberry to it instead. Yeah, she's my new fillyfriend.

~Shooting Star

Shadow was so mortified when she read that. Two simple lines that were so unlike him... But when she looked over to the door it was true. Shooting Star and that stupid new filly were outside and they were kissing! She was so mad that she ran out of the building and missed school entirely that day.

Shadow stopped reminiscing about her teen years as they reached Fluttershy's cottage. She knocks on the door, a white bunny opens it and them squeaks and Fluttershy comes to the door.

"Oh, hello Shadow. I thought you were coming tonight..."

"Yeah, I miss-read my schedule and I can't take her home until tomorrow. I just wanted to stop by and tell you that."

"Oh, ok... Would you like to see her? Her limp is almost completely gone."

"I'd love to see her... But I really have to go."

"Ok then, bye." Fluttershy says as they go back down the path and over her little bridge.

"To Canterlot?" Asks Dawn.

"Yes, if we start now we should get there a little while after sunset.