A mere shadow

by Forestshadows

Rating: teen
Tags: Alternate Universe, Sad, Dark, Adventure
Length: 12693

In Nocturnal, Echo Shade doesn't die, neither does Dawn. But if they had? What would happen then?

An alternate path for my story Nocturnal.
I recommend reading the first seven chapters of Nocturnal before this.
After Echo Shade dies, Shadow delivers his body back to Canterlot. Leaving without an explanation she wanted for the suspected murder of the stallion. She then becomes just a shadow of her old self, consumed by grief.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-08-08 20:06:37 UTC

1-First meeting

Shadow woke up at dawn just when the stars were fading, she usually went to bed around midnight -that is if it wasn't a full moon, if it was a full moon she just could not sleep- So she got about three or four hours of sleep, as well as a nap in the middle of the day. If she wasn't working.

"Mornin' Ebo." She said to her little pet panther, who in turn licked her face exuberantly.

"Thanks you little rascal, that really helped wake me up." She said scratching behind the panthers ears.

"I should really get a better sleep schedule... I don't get much sleep..." Then she got out of her bed and wandered over the the kitchen.

Her house is a treehouse... Of sorts, it used to be a hollow tree but then she put in a floor a little balcony outside and trimmed up the walls until it was a nice three roomed house. The main room has a little table, a couch, and a bean bag in the corner. There are two doorways from there, the one to the right leads to her kitchen a sink without plumbing. (for how do you get plumbing to a tree in the middle of the Everfree Forest?) A counter and cupboards above it. She has no food that spoils easily. (because she has no electricity either of course) But she does have a large pot and a little fireplace for soup, she often enjoys soup. The doorway the the left in the main room leads to her bedroom which has a simple feather bed a nightstand with a candle on it and a desk covered with inkblots with a journal, quill, and ink pot of it. Beside the door there is a peg with a dark green cloak hanging on it. She has little in the way of clothes, but back to the story now.

"I hate getting water in the morning...." She sighs as she takes up the bucket in her mouth and flies out of her house dodging a few trees and landing at the edge of a small pond with a little stream feeding it.

"Even if it's really pretty here." She says taking up the bucket and dipping it into the pond, setting it down again while taking a quick drink. "It's really not the best to fly with..." She says begrudgingly through the wooden handle while walking back to the base of her house, then flying shakily up.

"Of course I could install stairs... But then it would be more obvious this was a house not a tree."

She reflected the way she said these same thoughts just about every morning.

"I need a life." She says as she puts the bucket down in the kitchen, just like every other morning.

"This life is waaayy to monotonous.... Wake up, check, get water, check, feed Ebony, checking..." Ebony obviously not satisfied with the "checking" looks at Shadow disapprovingly.

"Heh, ok silly panther, I'll get you're food." She rummages in the cupboard for the bag of cat food she keeps for Ebony.

"But one of these days you're gonna have start hunting... Well off to town, wanna come with me?"

Ebony purred, having finished her meal, and rubbed against Shadows legs.

"Course you do...." She stopped realizing that she talked to herself and Ebony way too much. "I really need more of a social life... Come on Ebony, time to go."

Shadow put on her cloak, because a thin misting rain started over the Everfree, put on her saddle bags and set out with Ebony between her wings. Ebony shivered in the rain..

"You cold? Ok I'll figure something out." She said as she landed under a tree, Ebony jumped onto the ground.

"I don't think it's raining in Ponyville... Just hang on, maybe I'll pick up a cloak for you."

Ebony shook then jumped back up huffily. "That's a girl." Shadow said as she flew back up through the trees then she landed at the edge of the little town, where it was sunny and not a cloud in sight.

"See? Told you that the clouds were cleared here." She said teasingly to her pet. The panther harrumphed and jumped off her back, while Shadow pulled of her hood and folded her wings against her cloak. (She holes just big enough for them, it was a pegasus cloak specially made.)

"Come on lets see if there's anything for us to do today... Ponyville is too peaceful..." Ebony nodded her agreement as she walked beside her kind master.

Shadow had found Ebony a couple months ago hiding in a tree and she couldn't get down. The poor panther was just skin and bones barely alive, Shadow took the little thing home and nursed her back to health. Ever since the baby panther has been a loyal companion to Shadow who welcomed the break in her very monotonous life.

Shadow made her typical rounds around the small town, but as she suspected she found nothing amiss.

"Come on Ebony, lets get something to eat... Hey what's wrong with your paw?" She said noticing that Ebony had started to limp, she inspected the paw, but she didn't see anything amiss. So she just fished in her saddlebags and came out with a bottle of water and a bandage.

"Lets clean that paw off, shall we?" She poured the water on the panthers paw then wound it up in a bandage. Ebony growled at first but as Shadow talked to her soothingly she calmed down. Shadow finished winding up the bandage and then put Ebony on her back.

"I'm gonna take to Fluttershy, she knows more about animals than I probably ever will." Says Shadow heading towards the edge of the village. "She'll take care of you."

Shadow arrives at the quaint cottage and knocks on the door. A yellow pegasus pony with a long pink mane over one eye opens the door.

"Um... Hello?"

"Hello, my name is Shadow. My baby panther hurt her paw..." Just then Ebony climbs up Shadows head and peeks between her ears. Fluttershy gasps and says, "A baby panther! I've only seen adult panthers! She is soo cute!" Then she makes this sort of "Squee" sound and scoops up Ebony.

"Is this poor little panther hurt? I'll take care of you! Yes I will!" She then goes inside and shuts the door.

"Ok... I'll come back tomorrow then... I guess..." Says Shadow turning away from the cottage and heading towards her home.

"Well.... She's obviously an animal fanatic... Who in the hay is that?" She says catching a glimpse of a black pony in the distance, on the edge of the EverFree.

Maybe my day won't be as boring as I thought. She thinks as she melds into the landscape pulling her hood up around her head and letting her "veil"(1) slip over her. Using her talent to it's height she follows the mysterious pony. As she gets closer she sees that the pony is a stallion and a pegasus, he is black his cutie mark looks like sound waves of some sort. His mane is black with purple streaks. The stallion emerges into a clearing where Shadow lets the veil go and dives out in front of him.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" She says threateningly, stomping the ground.

"Whoah, lady. I'm just minding my own business. Unlike somepony." He replies a little angrily.

"I actually am minding my business, I investigate all mysterious ponies hereabouts."

The stallion scoffed and said, "Maybe you should check out yourself. You look pretty mysterious yourself."

Shadow pulls down her hood and glares at the stallion saying, "I'm mysterious? I don't have a cutiemark that doesn't really make ant sense! What is your name and what does your cutiemark mean?"

Rolling his eyes the stallion answers, "My name is Echo Shade, and my cutiemark means that I'm good at mysterious things like shadows and sonar."

"Sonar?"

Echo Shade opens his mouth and fires a tone, stunning Shadow for a minute then he dives into a shadow and comes out of another one behind the mare of the same name. When Shadow opened her eyes she couldn't find Echo Shade until he pulled her cloak from behind her. She twirls around but Echo Shade still has her cloak in her teeth leaving her cloak hanging down her front. She glares at him.

"How did you do that?"

"Just a simple talent of mine, I jump in a shadow and come out in another. As you probably noticed I can also use sonar. I'm a nocturnal pony. The last one I know of."

"That's rough..."

"I've gotten used to it. But what I really want to know is what your cutiemark means." Echo says casting his eyes to Shadows flank, where there were three hoof prints that she was quite proud of. "And what your name is too, I told you mine. Now it's your turn."

Turning her cloak back around she answered, "I might as well. My name is Shadow and my talent is stealth and tracking. That is why I have hoof prints, obviously."

"Oh, of course, obviously I'm sure."

"I wonder how your mother put up with your sarcasm. It's quite annoying."

Echo Shade lowered his head saying, "I wouldn't know... The first thing I remember is right after the Nightmare Moon event. I was a young colt, I've lived in the Everfree all the life that I remember. I don't socialize very much at all, ponies are scared of my eyes." He raises his head and opens his eyes wide.

"I can see why, they are kind of cat like... If it's any consolation I never knew my mother either, and my father... Well that doesn't matter anyways. Why am I even telling you this?"

"I don't know, I don't know why I told you about me either....." His eyes then brighten and he says teasingly, "But I bet you can't catch me!" He then dives into a shadow leaving Shadow to find him.

"Alright, you're on!" She says pulling up her hood and letting her veil over her again. "But I think you will find that I have more talents than you think." She flies into the forest rustling leaves but making the sound come from a different direction. Echo Shade comes out into the open then dives back into the forest, the direction the noise came from. Shadow comes back out saying, "Nope not there."

"I'll catch you! You just wait and see." He dives toward Shadow but she easily evades him flies into the forest and there is a noise like she hit a tree.

"Now why did you do that?" Says the cocky stallion sauntering over to where the sound came from, seeing an indentation in the bark in the tree. "That must have hurt... Where are you anyway?" He says looking around for Shadow. Then he feels a sharp pain in his neck. "I'm right here and I didn't hit my head, I just hit a tree with my hoof but it wasn't this one." She lowers her knife replacing it in her hidden sheath. "Also, I got you."

"So you did, but I'm more interested in these indentations. You're the tracker, so track."

Shadow obliged, checking the indentation. "Hmm... Looks kind of like a timberwolfs head..."

"But that could mean.... Lets get out of here, I think it was a Stonewolf..."

"Stonewolf... Oh, I see. Lets go then."

"Yeah, I'm terrified of them." He lifts his wings and shows Shadow a scar. "A stone wolf gave this to me..."

"I'm... Sorry...."

"Me too.. Hey! Maybe we could catch a late dinner someday."

"Um... I suppose so.. But right now I have other duties to attend to.... Good bye."

"Yeah, bye."

Then they go their separate ways.

2-An old enemy

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.

3-An old friend

Echo Shade flies through the forest just feeling the wind through his mane and tail. Then he sees a figure sprawled on the ground.

"Who or what could that be?" He says landing a few feet away, as he walks closer he sees that it is indeed a pony and not just anypony.

"Shadow? What happened to you?" He says checking her over, she moans and starts to wake up.

"My head..." She moans and shifts onto her side.

"What happened to you Shadow?" Echo Shade asks helping her up.

"An old enemy happened... That's what." She says rubbing the side of her head. "But I have a plan to put him away once and for all."

"Can I help you with it? I'm just recently the Captain of the Royal Lunar Guard."

"How recently?"

"A couple hours recently..."

"Then why are you here?"

"I have to gather my possessions and move into my quarters at the castle."

"I see, but I can't tell you my plan yet. You can only help me when I find you."

"Wait why?"

"That doesn't matter now, I'll tell you when it does matter... Believe me."

Echo Shade sighs then answers, "Fine but at least let me help you back to your house."

"I'm sure I can manage." Shadow answers then gathers up her possessions. "I'll find you when the time comes." And she flies into the forest.

"But... What if you got hurt?" Echo Shade flies slowly back to his cave.

~~~~~

Back in her house again Shadow inspects her head wound in her little mirror. "It isn't all that bad... it just hurts."

Shadow says putting the mirror back down then sitting down on her head and relaxing. "I should go the museum first so I know the feel of the place, but as it is sunset that will have to wait until tomorrow."

She sighs looking around her room, "What if this doesn't turn out how I want it to? ...I should go tell Fluttershy that I will either pick Ebony up tomorrow or I don't know when."

Saying this Shadow repacks her saddlebags then puts on her cloak and proceeds out the door.

Shadow lands at Fluttershy's cottage and knocks on the door, a little white bunny with a frown opens the door.

"Who is it Angel bunny?" Says Fluttershy opening the door the rest of the way. "You're the pony who brought the baby panther!"

"Yes, I am and my name is Shadow... Can I come in?"

"Oh, certainly Shadow. Come in."

"Thank you." Shadow says coming into the cottage. "How is Ebony? What did she do to her paw?"

"Well... It looks like she stepped on a piece of glass or something. There wasn't any in her paw but her paw was cut..."

"But she fine now?" Fluttershy nodded then Shadow continued, "I'm glad but I can't take her home yet... I'll either come get her tomorrow sometime... Or I'm not sure when... But I know I can trust you to take good care of her and I'm confident that she will be happy here until I can come get her."

Ebony comes wandering into the room and jumps onto Shadows back and starts playing with her mane as soon as she sees her master.

"Hey there Ebony, miss me? Fluttershy will take good care of you I'm sure."

Shadow stands up placing Ebony back on the couch with Fluttershy.

"Thanks again Fluttershy, I'll hopefully come back tomorrow."

"Ok Shadow... I'll probably see you then."

Shadow left the cottage inhaling deeply, then she heads towards Ponyville for a late dinner. Picking one with outdoor seating she goes and sits down waiting for the waiter.

I really hope nothing bad comes of the whole deal with the relics... But my plan should work...

She keeps thinking and doesn't notice the waiter come to her table.

"Madame?"

Shadow starts then says, "Sorry, I was lost in thought... What did you say?"

"What is your order Madame?"

"Ah yes, I would like a daffodil sandwich and a bowl of acorn soup."

The waiter wrote down the order then asked, "And to drink?"

"Just water, thanks." She answers then keeps thinking, not noticing when a tall, skinny, black pegasus with a short straight mane with white streaks in it and a long thin tail which had a long white streak in the middle walks up to the table. Her eyes and the tips of her hooves are are a deep golden yellow.

"What is so interesting Shadow? You're usually so alert you would have seen me coming from a mile away!"

"Dawn! Sorry I have a lot on my mind... Where have you been?" Shadow says snapping out of her reverie and embracing her lifelong friend.

"I went to Manehatten following a lead about my parents."

"And?"

Dawn sighs and as she answers, "Just another dead end..."

"I'm sorry... But I know how you feel, I don't know if my parents are living..."

"I guess your right... And at least my father isn't evil and didn't beat me up in a dream." Dawn says, the light back in her eyes again.

"That was a horrible time of my life.... But then I met you!"

"Yes, you did. And I'm very glad to know somepony who understands my predicament."

The waiter comes back with Shadows dinner.

"Waiter? Can I place another for my friend here?"

"Certainly Madame." He says taking out his notepad again.

"Um... I'll just have what she's having... The daffodil sandwich and acorn soup."

"Right away Madame." He says and trots back to the building again.

"So what was the lead this time? And why didn't you tell me where you going? I had no idea where you were!"

"I thought I had a relative in Manehatten... I guess I remembered wrong... I couldn't find you and I was going to be late for my train...."

"Well... It's ok..."

"Yeah, it is. But I'm more interested in what you so deep in thought."

"That isn't safe conversation for right here... Come to my house after we eat and I'll tell you everything."

Dawn raises her eyebrows but seems to understand. Then the waiter comes back with Dawn's meal and they begin eating.

"Big case?"

"Um... I guess you could say that..."

"I see, public area and all..."

"Exactly."

While they finish there meal they talk of the weather and local news. When they finish they leave a tip on the table and go inside to pay. At least Shadow did, Dawn could hardly stand going in places like that. Shadow comes back out and Dawn joins her as they begin flying.

"Care to enlighten me on some details?"

"I'll feel safer in my house..."

"Alright."

Dawn says speeding up, Shadow chuckles as she flies easily ahead of her. Then the race starts in earnest both of them trying to get ahead just by a fraction. They land on the little balcony.

"I won!" They say at the same time then burst out laughing.

"We always do that... Every time we race." Shadow says recovering first.

"Yes, yes we do, but I would like to hear the case that you couldn't discuss in public."

"Ah yes... That... Come in and I'll tell you all about that bit of unpleasant business."

They go in and sit down on Shadow's little couch.

"You remember Aegeus?" Shadow asks Dawn.

"That creep of a unicorn that you spent so long tracking down?"

"Yeah that's the one."

"What about him? I thought he was still in jail..."

"Well apparently he got out... But I have a plan to get him locked up once and for all!" Shadow tells Dawn about earlier in the day when Aegeus had caught her and given her the ultimatum.

"And the plan is?"

"I'll steal the relics... With your help if you will.." Dawn looks skeptical but Shadow continues. "But then Echo Shade, the other stallion I told you about, and you and me would get them back! That's the base of my plan anyways..."

"It seems awful risky... What if we get caught?"

"So you will help me! And don't worry, I'm sure we won't."

"I guess I will help you... And can I stay here tonight?"

"Of course you can stay here tonight! I just only have one bed..."

"That's ok, I can sleep here on the couch if you have an extra blanket."

"Let's see if I can dig one out of somewhere..." Shadow replies and goes looking for an extra blanket in her closet. Finding one she takes it back to Dawn.

"It's plenty warm... That's why it in the closet not on my bed."

Dawn took the blanket feeling it's softness. "I love this type of blanket! But of course I won't be sleeping till midnight or later..."

"You and me both, Dawn... But we should go to bed around midnight since I plan on going to the museum tomorrow..."

"True that... Knowing the layout of the museum will make tomorrow night go smoothly..."

Then Shadow brews some tea and they talk for a while before retiring.

4-The heist

At dawn the next morning Shadow wakes up as she normally does, she gets up, stretches, gets water. When she places the bucket of fresh water on the floor of the kitchen Dawn wakes up.

"What are you doing Shadow?" She moans.

"Just getting fresh water, you should probably get up. We have a full day and night today."

Dawn sighs and says, "Are you sure that's the best way? Stealing age-old relics from the Canterlot museum?"

Shadow brings some toast and tea, "I've had encounters with Aegeus before... And the new captain of the Lunar guard is going to help us."

"He knows about your plan? That's not good Shadow!" Dawn says worriedly shrinking back under her blanket.

"No, I didn't tell him... I just told him that he could help with the plan after I found him again."

"What excuse will you use for the relics?" Dawn asks calming down.

"I... I'm going to tell the truth.... We'll stash the relics here and go find him. Then the next day when the robbery is in the papers we'll deliver the relics and he'll help us catch Aegeus once and for all!" Shadow answers determinedly. But Dawn is still worried.

"What if the plan goes awry? What if he just puts us in jail? AND DOESN'T EVEN LISTEN!!!"

"Calm down Dawn! I'm sure he'll understand. He's not the type of pony to jump to conclusions..."

"He won't have to! You're saying that we just waltz into Canterlot and tell the Captain of The Royal Lunar Guard That we stole the relics and gave them to a criminal and now we need his help to get them back? Shadow you're crazy..."

"No no, We will still have the relics here remember? I'll propose my plan to capture Aegeus and them we'll all be hunky dory!"

Dawn murmurs something about poison and nursing back to health but Shadow just ignored that and poured the tea into the the cups.

"Have some breakfast and calm down, everything will work out fine."

Taking the offered cup Dawn says, "I hope your right Shadow, for all our sakes."

They eat the rest of the breakfast lost in their own thoughts. When they finished and had cleaned up Shadow says coming out of the kitchen, "Well, we better go so we don't miss the train."

"I suppose your right... Are you gonna wear your cloak and knife?"

"Oh... No I'm not..." Shadow says while she stops putting on her cloak and takes off her knife. "I'm just so used to having them with me at all times..." She put on her saddlebags and commences to the door, Dawn follows her and they take off towards Ponyville.

"I've been thinking about our plan and I've brushed up on a few aspects of it. We are going to go to the museum as sisters. We just about already think of each other like that. And it's not hard to believe with our colors."

Shadow goes on going over their plan until they reach the train station.

"Remember Dawn, we're sisters and we are just going to Canterlot for a friendly visit." Shadow whispered to Dawn, Dawn nods her understanding and they board the train. They sit down at the end of the last car where only a few other ponies were, after a while Shadow fell asleep.

Shadow is in the deep forest, she looks around and sees nopony. At first she see's nopony but then out of the corner of her eye she sees something. Acting purely on instinct she takes off and lands in the right above her head. The pony comes into her view and she sees that it's Echo Shade.

What is he doing in my dream?

Echo Shade stops as if he heard something then he looks up, straight at Shadow.

"What are you doing in my dream?"

"I'm the one in a dream here, you're just a figment of my imagination."

"I can tell you quite certainly that this is my dream, I usually don't see that it's a dream while I'm dreaming but this time I do."

"But I'm asleep on the train..."

"Train to where might I ask?"

Shadow doesn't answer she feels herself being pulled not unlike the time that her father was in her dreams.

"Shadow, wake up!" Shadow opens her eyes and blinks a couple times.

"What? We can't be at Canterlot yet can we?" Shadow asks, irritated.

"You were talking in your sleep... Did you have a nightmare?"

"No, I didn't have a nightmare... Do you remember when I told you about my father walking in my dreams and beating me until I was half dead?"

"Yeah, you had a broken leg and ran away from the hospital after they found out that you were an orphan..."

"Well... I think I'm a dreamwalker.. Echo Shade was in my dream but he said that it was his dream to..."

"Why would you think that you're a dreamwalker? You just had a dream that you saw Echo Shade and he said that it was his dream too..."

"Maybe you're right... But maybe you're wrong..."

They sit the rest of the trip in silence. When they got to Canterlot Echo Shade was sitting on the bench near the exit. He saw Shadow and went over to her.

"I thought you were nocturnal..." Shadow says as he approaches.

"I am but I had... A dream.. You said that it was your dream and that you were on the train... You go sucked out of the dream before you could answer so I decided to come down to the station and wait for the next train. Turns out I was right and you were on the train here."

"Yeah, me and my sister wanted to come see the Canterlot museum..."

Dawn just nods her agreement and retreats behind Shadow a little more.

"What with her? She's rather shy."

"Yeah, she always has..."

After an awkward pause Echo Shade says, "The museum huh? I'll give you a personal escort to it..."

"Oh..um... That's really not necessary... And shouldn't you be sleeping so you aren't tired for your job tonight?"

"I can certainly get plenty of sleep after I escort you two pretty young mares to the museum."

There can't be any harm in letting him escort us... Why is he looking at me that way?

Echo was looking at Shadow through the corner of his eye but enough that Shadow could sense that he was looking at her.

"Um... I guess you can escort us to the museum..."

"Excellent, come this way." Echo turns and leads the way to the museum.

Why is he so eager to escort us to the museum? And why does he keep glancing at me that way?

They reach the museum and Echo Shade opens the door for them.

"Here we are ladies, now I must return to my sleep if I am to serve Luna this night." He flies off and they go into the museum and pay for there stay.

"I think he likes you." Dawn says quietly as they walk slowly down the hall.

"What? Why would he like me?" Shadow asks quickly, quickening her pace.

Dawn smirks before answering, "The way he waited at the train station to see if you were on the train, the way he kept looking at you when we were coming over here. And I think you like him too."

Shadow blushes at this remark but as she's still ahead Dawn doesn't see it.

"W-why would I like him?"

How do you tell if you like somepony?

Dawn just rolls her eyes and catches up with Shadow.

They spend a pleasant day in Canterlot despite the darker motive they had for going there in the first place. Now it's sunset and they are preparing to go make the theft.

"I'm really scared about tonight... Are you sure there's no better way?" Dawn asks nervously putting on a black cloak over a brown tunic and putting on a bandana over her nose.

"I'm scared too, Dawn. But I'm certain that this will work..." Shadow answers dressing herself the same way. "Nopony will be able to identify us like this. The light will be uncertain so they won't be able to discern our colors and the cloaks will hide the rest of out bodies."

"What about my hoof tips?" Dawn asked uncertainly.

Shadow ponders this for a moment then she goes into her room and comes out with 2 pairs of leather shoes. "These will cover your hooves." Shadow says tossing them to Dawn.

"It's like you've done this before Shadow..."

"I've never stolen from a museum before... But on more than one occasion I've had to break into a highly guarded establishment.. How different could this be?"

Dawn finished dressing and went onto the balcony looking at the moon. Shadow comes and joins her putting a wing around her friend to comfort her.

"It'll be ok Dawn... And the fly to Canterlot will help us clear our heads."

"You're right, Shadow, it just seems so... Wrong."

"It isn't actually wrong... It's kinda like that old story.. About the knight and his squire, who were so tired of this woman coming and asking for them to go get her son that they did. But for the wrong reason... I guess you can't exactly do the wrong thing for the right reason... But this..." Shadow trails off looking uncomfortable.

"I understand what your trying to say, Shadow. Why don't we just go and get this unpleasant business behind us?"

"Best suggestion I've heard all night, lets go."

The two best friends take off and fly into the night heading towards Canterlot.

~~~~~

The Sapphire Statue of wealth and Gryphon's Goblet of great power sat innocently in their glass cases. Then two black ponies dressed alike, except one had leather shoes on, came into the room and made their way directly to the cases.

"How are you going to get them out?" Dawn asks quietly.

"Shh! Aha, there's the opening... How am I going to get it open?" Shadow muttered mostly to herself, then she turns to Dawn. "Go guard, I'm sure that busted window won't go unnoticed for long..." And turns back to the case puzzling how to open it without smashing something. Dawn goes and stations herself a few yards away. Shadow is picking at the opening with a needle now. A small click and Shadow exclaims,

"Ow.. Got it.... Now for the other one." Shadow licks her lips and moves to the other case, opening the second with more ease.

Dawn comes flying over quickly, "I heard a clattering! The guards are coming!" Dawn almost screams.

"Dawn, calm down we're almost there. We just need to grab the relics." Shadow says hushedly prodding open the cases and grabbing the relics stuffing them into her saddlebags."

The pair of black pegasi launch into the air right over the heads of the unicorn guards, only to be blocked by pegasi when they try to get out.

I knew it was going to smooth... But I can't let them catch us!

Mind racing at a million thoughts a second Shadow grabs Dawn and bowls through the pegasi taking a couple cuts but keeping herself under control and racing out of the museum.

"We should... Split up... And meet at my house." Shadow says punctuated because of the cut on her leg. They split up and go in different directions. Shadow takes some trick turns and flies as fast she can into the forest dodging the trees naturally. Dawn tries her luck heading towards the end of Canterlot where there are more high buildings, intending to use her agility to the limit. After a wild chase later they meet in Shadow's house.

"They almost had me! Those guards are so picking fast!" Shadow says in between breaths.

"I thought they had me as well. I'm so scared..."

"They won't be able to recognize us... And the relics will be save back in the museum the day after tomorrow..."

The two friends huddled on the floor the floor a while, both taking in what they had done that night.

5-The wait

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.

6-Taking a risk

The work day has ended and the nightclubs haven't started up yet, the sunlight is failing as Celestia keeps it on it's course and the gentle moonlight is taking it's place. Two ponies make their way through the mostly empty streets of Canterlot.

"You ready?" Shadow asks.

"I think the question is more along the lines of, are you?" Dawn replies with an edge to her voice.

"Why is THAT th-"

"After all, I was just coming along and doing what you told me to do, you were the instigator."

"If you think about it, Ageus was the instigator." Shadow shoots back.

Dawn lowers her head shamefully and mumbles, "I'm sorry Shadow, I don't think I'm ready at all..."

"The sooner this whole ordeal is over the better."

They stop a little ways away from the draw-bridge of the castle. There are two solar unicorns just leaving and lunar unicorns, clad in the armor of the Royal Lunar Guard, taking up their places.

"Come on, Dawn, I'll do all the talking, but you have to come along and give me moral support at least." Shadow whispers to Dawn as they make their way over the draw-bridge, they stop just short of the guards as they cross their spears and command, "HALT! State your business inside the castle."

Shadow takes a slight step forward, signifying that she's the spokespony, "We have important information for the captain of the lunar guard." She states boldly.

"Give us the information, and we will give it to Captain Echo Shade."

"No, we will only speak to your captain."

'Cause there's no way I'm telling you two that it was me and my friend that stole the relics. You'd arrest us on the spot!

After an uneasy moment of silence the guards come to a solution, "Very well, tell me your name and what this information is about at the very least."

"Hmm... Very well, tell him that it's Shadow and Dawn. We have information about the stolen relics and we will only talk to him."

The guard nods and levitates a scroll and quill out, after a moment he sends it off in a burst of magic.

"Um... Are we just supposed to wait here?" Dawn whispers to Shadow.

"I guess so..."

And so they wait, thoughts flying through Shadow's head like a whirlwind.

What if he immediately knows? And doesn't let me explain my side of the story? Aegeus has been responsible for so many thefts... And it's not like he has the relics, I do. If every thing goes according to plan he'll never lay a hoof of them anyways.... But he could just take the relics and not care about Aegeus.... The only reason I ever took them in the first place is so he would be put behind bars!

Shadow stops her thoughts in their tracks, she's never been this nervous with much more dangerous things than this before...

Of course he'll want to capture this criminal... There isn't any reason he shouldn't...

* * *

Echo Shade paces his office, what he probably should do is take a couple guards and return to Shadow's house, arrest her on the suspicion that she is the thief and search her house. The evidence all points that way, she and her friend, Dawn, had visited the museum and that night the pegasi had broken in stolen the relics...

His thoughts are disturbed as a scroll materializes above his head, he picks it up and spreads it out on his desk.

Captain Echo Shade,

There are two pegasi at the gate claiming to have information on the stolen relics, their names are Shadow and Dawn, and they will only speak to you.

Sincerely, Dusk

Pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind Echo Shade spreads his wings takes off for the gate.

* * *

As Echo Shade draws nearer Shadow sets her face into an expressionless mask. He lands between the guards and the mares.

"Shadow, Dawn... Come with me please." He says after a moment of studying them, Shadow's expressionless mask and Dawn's nervous demeanor. He takes off with the mares right behind him, and instead of going back to the castle he heads up and sits on a cloud.

"Echo Shade..." Shadow says, not quite knowing how to tell him.

"You have information on the lost relics." He replies.

"Yes... And, um, the certain ponies that stole them..."

Dawn breaks in here much to Shadow's surprise. "There are two mares, they stole the relics... But you see, they didn't want to. An evil stallion captured one and threatened her if she didn't get the relics for him. She could have gotten away if she tried but she wanted to think that the stallion has power over her. She agrees to get the relics then finds her friend and tells her the plan of stealing the relics but not giving them to the stallion until they get some help. But they're afraid that the stallion they come too won't help them, and will just lock them up in jail and try to defeat the stallion himself. But he really need somepony, like the mare that was captured, to help him otherwise things won't end well...."

Echo Shade looks at Shadow with a new respect in his eyes, "You were that afraid that I was going to lock you up, but yet you still came to me for help... That day when I found you in the forest knocked out....  That was His doing wasn't it?"

Shadow let out a breath she didn't know was holding, "Yes... And I was trying to be fairly obvious to you when we came to the museum the day before. I... I was hoping..."

To tell the truth she doesn't know what she was hoping, but the look in the black stallion's eyes tells her that he understands.

"The relics are safe then, so... What's the plan?"

Shadow relates her plan to Echo Shade as they fly back to her house. Shadow will turn up with the relics with Dawn not far behind. Echo will 'happen' upon the exchange and recognizing Ageus as a criminal proceed to arrest him, if he resists Shadow and dawn will help restrain him.

"It's too bad we don't have a unicorn to help us." Remarks Dawn.

"The fewer ponies that come along, the better. I can make myself almost undetectable and he will already be expecting Shadow and most likely you as well Dawn. After all, it was reported that two ponies, not one, broke into the museum..."

They landed and Shadow winced and stumbled as her leg had grown stiff during the long flight, she spread her wings for balance and one of them landed on Echo's shoulder startling him.

"Shadow?" He notices her favoring a leg and then sees the white bandage on it. Mentally berating himself for not noticing earlier or remembering the fact that one of the intruders had gotten injured he puts out a wing to steady her. "I'm an idiot, I should have noticed that earlier, and remembered the fact that one of you had gotten injured..."

Dawn watches the interlocked wings and obvious note of concern in Echo's voice with certain amusement, she so called it.

"I'm fine, it's just stiff... That's all..." She glances back at their wings, then looks at Echo, they blush and step away from each other.

Barely suppressing a snicker, Dawn trots between the two embarrassed pegasi. "Well come on then, we don't have enough time to stare into eachother's eyes all night."

"Dawn, we glanced at each other for a second. It does not qualify as staring into eachother's eyes!" Shadow storms past the gleeful Dawn and put on her pre-packed saddlebags, then tossed the other pack to Dawn. “Do you have everything you need Echo?” She asks turing back to the stallion, he nods and they take off again towards the edge of the Everfree where Shadow had woken up. Aways from the clearing Echo Shade lands separates from the mares he would sneak up while

Shadow and Dawn were talking to the villains. The mares land and Dawn remains a few yards back cloaked in the shadows.

* * *

A grey earth pony stallion with a brownish mane stands nervously in the middle of the clearing, he'd been here last night as well but nopony had come. He was just about to resign himself to the wrath of Ageus when out of the shadows a cloaked figure arrives.

“Do you have the relics?” He asks, thankful he kept his voice steady.

“Where is Ageus, is he so much of a coward that he has to send out one of his lowly slaves?” Shadow challenges, grateful herself that she was able to maintain such a regal and challenging tone.

Before the earth pony could reply an equally challenging voice rang out behind him, “Are you so much of a coward than you keep your friend behind you in the shadows?” A tall figure in a cloak strides out from the trees and shoves the earth pony back towards the trees. “You have the relics I presume?”

“Don't I always achieve what I want?”

“If that were the case I would be behind bars, wouldn't I Shadow?” He beams inwardly at the quick flash of anger that rises to the mare's eyes.

Shadow opens one of her saddlebags and pulls out the sapphire statuette, she glances past the stallion in front of her and sees Echo Shade standing there. He nods slightly and starts towards Ageus.

“So you do achieve certain things you wish to.” The emphasis Ageus placed on the word 'certain' grinds on Shadow's patience. But Echo Shade is only a few feet away now.

“Well, what do we have here? I see a known criminal, and the thief that stole the relics. How very nice.” Echo Shade, now standing directly behind the other stallion proceeds to sweep the legs from under him and pin him on the ground. “You, sir, are under arrest.”

Dawn leaps forward with a net woven from the fiber of a plant that nullifies magic power, in other words, putting the net on somepony like Ageus would effectively strip him of his magic until it is removed.  But she isn't fast enough and in a flash of light from the unicorn's horn she vanishes.

“WHAT IN LUNA'S NAME DID YOU DO TO HER?!?!” Shadow yells in her fury grabbing the net from where it lay on the ground and thrusting onto Ageus, pulling it tight with the help of Echo Shade.

Even on the ground and tied up as he is Ageus couldn't prevent himself from cackling, “Oh, she's not dead. Yet.”

Shadow stops any further remark with a blow to his head, knocking him out. “You. Monster.”

Echo drapes his wing across her shoulder as she stands where she last saw her life-long friend. "He did say she wasn't dead."

"Yet. That she wasn't dead. Yet. Implying that she would die a long and painful death."

"He will tell us where she is. Don't worry."

"I wouldn't count on it."

She shrugs his wings off her back and strides back Ageus pulling back her hoof to strike his face again, but Echo Shade catches it and twirls her around.

"Violence is not the answer here. There are many skilled unicorns at Canterlot, we will get her back."

The look in his eyes, the... Love? She saw there made her stop. "You're right, violence is not the answer. We need to take him back to Canterlot." She picked up the relic where it had been dropped and replaced it in her saddle-bags. "We need to go."

Echo Shade swats a mosquito then joins Shadow by the prone form of Ageus, he wants to give her a reassuring look but she's pointedly looking away. Together they pick up the netted figure and begin the flight to Canterlot.

About five minutes into the flight Echo's breathing becomes ragged and labored. This surprises him since they are barely over the treetops and he can fly for miles without tiring, even carrying something. Besides the fact that half of Ageus really isn't all that heavy. He concentrates on flying ignoring Shadow like she's ignoring him.

Shadow is not actually ignoring Echo Shade, in fact she's practically staring at him, wondering why in Luna's name he looks

so very tired and why is breathing is ragged. Just five minutes ago he had as much energy as she does. She's about to offer to carry Ageus herself or that they rest, when he collapses. Suddenly weighed down with the whole weight of Ageus she barely has time to grab Echo's tail in her teeth. It's too dense to land and she see's no clearing within a reasonable distance. With each passing second the pain in her neck and the strain in her wings increases.

She sighs as she comes to a decision.

Shadow untangles her hooves from the net, letting the unicorn stallion fall to the trees below. Then she lets go of Echo's tail, swoops down and catches him neatly in her hooves. Now with the pain in her neck practically gone and the strain in her wings greatly diminished she turns and heads towards her house.

7-Questions

Shadow fumes, after she had laid Echo Shade out on her bed she had rushed back to where she left Ageus. The only evidence that he been there were a few broken branches and the magic-stifling net he had been tied in hanging on one of the branches. There was a possibility he had woken up in the short time she was gone, but even then she didn't see how he could have possibly gotten loose and away. Without even leaving tracks! She has the net with her now to check in the better light from the lamps in her house. While thinking of her house, she thinks of the stallion on her bed. Then she turns her thoughts to how he could have gotten so sick, it was sudden, the labored breathing and dead tired look about him. It couldn't have been Ageus, the only spell he was able to pull of was the one that... She shakes her head to clear it. The one spell, then they had gotten the net on him. She then studies every moment from then until he collapses, only one thing keeps coming to mind. Before they took off Echo had swished his tail as if to brush away a mosquito or something... But there aren't mosquitoes around there, it's dry as a bone... A poison dart! That's the most probable explanation,  the timing the symptoms, everything! With renewed vigor Shadow rushes back to her house.

She checks Echo Shade over more carefully. "There you are, you little beastie." She mutters to the point of the dart still stuck in his flank. Not wanting to poison herself of accident she retrieves a pair of tweezers and uses them to pluck the tiny dart out. She sniffs it, but can only smell blood. "No help there, I'd never be able to determine the poison in any reasonably amount of time..." She throws the nub away and pulls several books about poison and the like down from her bookcase. Stifling a yawn, she sets to work and Celestia's sun peeks over the horizon.

* * *

Shadow wakes with a start, how long had she been asleep? She glances out the window, the sun has barely cleared the horizon. "That means I've only been asleep for a few minutes... I need to stay awake, if I fall asleep again... Echo could die..." She looks at the stallion still unconscious on her bed. What's this emotion she feels toward him? Love? Again her thoughts go back to five years ago, with Shooting Star and that dammed pink and red unicorn that stole him away. She banishes the thoughts from her mind refuses to think of it again.

"It's possible Zecora's still at her house." She knows that the zebra planned on leaving for a festival in her home land in the near future, but it's still possible she hadn't left yet. "At any rate, the short flight should help me clear my mind even if she's not there." She doesn't leave immediately however first she prepares a tonic that will, in most cases, slow down poison. There are about ten different poisons that the tonic would affect, and five others that would actually get worse. Not that she thinks he was poisoned with one of those, except for the possible one... But the odds of that are about a hundred to one. She finishes mixing the tonic and brings it back over to Echo Shade, forcing his mouth open she pours it in. First he tries to spit it out, she holds his mouth closed, he breathes through his nose, she blocks it until he swallows. "Good boy, I'll be right back... With or without Zecora."

Flying through the cool morning air does wonders for Shadow nerves. Soon she's wide awake and her mind is racing, she has doubts about leaving Echo Shade untended, but the slightest that she could bring Zecora to help was too much to give up. The zebra was far more advanced in the knowledge of plants and poison and things like that. And another thing, if he was poisoned with what she thinks he was... A fever would take hold of him and he would start babbling nonsense... She really doesn't want to witness that. Wiping away a tear she lands at Zecora's hut, she knocks on the door, waits, and knocks again. The zebra would be up by now she was sure, the zebra all basically worshiped the sun, they got up at dawn and slept at dusk. Frustrated with herself for the wasted trip she rockets off back to her home, determined to not waste another moment.

She reaches her house, panting slightly from the fast trip, and opens her door. Echo moans and she rushes to his side. "I was afraid of this." She says to herself. Echo has a fever, just as she feared. She rushes to her kitchen, picks up the bucket by the door and rushes out to the pond back of her house. Her neck straining as she lifts the full bucket back to her house, puts the bucket by her bedroom door. Rushes back into the kitchen knocks over a bowl of fruit, grabs the bowl and a couple towels. Back in her bedroom she sets the bowl on her nightstand, accidentally knocking a candle off of it. She fills up the bowl with cool water from the bucket, soaks a towel and lays it on Echo's sweaty brow.

Sweating from the constant exertion, Shadow takes a moment to regain her breath and ponder what to do next.

"Books, find the books with the cure. Make sure I have all the herbs to make the cure, and give the cure to Echo."

* * *

The whole day Shadow works, studying all her books for the type of poison Echo Shade was poisoned with. Punctuated with pauses to change the cloth on Echo's brow. Around two in the afternoon he starts mumbling and raving in his sleep, she takes a break from trying to find a cure and strokes him sweat-soaked mane.

"Oh Echo Shade, I'm doing everything I can... Dawn's gone, I have no way of finding her. Ebony's still at Fluttershy's cottage but she would just get in the way anyways... I never knew my parents... From what I could find out, Storm, my father, was at the hospital when I was born. He was... is? A pegasus. My mother Star is... was? a unicorn... They went home with me, that's all I was able to find out at the hospital. Plus one picture of my mother holding me." Driven by some unknown impulse, Shadow lays her head on the stallions chest, listening to his heartbeat. "You on the other hoof, you're the captain of Luna's royal guard! I don't see how somepony like you would ever be able to like somepony like me, an abandoned orphan. Even if my parents are still alive... They still abandoned me, left me to face life on my own. The only true friend I've ever had is Dawn, and she's been taken from me as well..."

Wiping tears from her cheek Shadow goes back to work, looking for the cure for Echo Shade.

* * *

That evening Shadow finally discovers a cure. "Colere! Of course." She immediately sets about preparing the cure. Finding she has all but one of the necessary herbs she stifles a scream of pure frustration. Grabbing her saddle-bags and cloak she rushes back out the door. "I think I know where to find some of this herb. Lachen, there's a patch of it by that river." Flying to the river, Shadow ponders the various uses for the herb. The most basic use for it was making ponies laugh, but at the same time tell the truth about any question they were asked. A sort of truth serum, but she knows that mixed with various other ingredients it could have other uses. Maybe it has medicinal qualities as well? Knowing that the author of the book most definitely has better knowledge of poisons and the cures, she turns her whole attention to finding the last herb. Finding the river she lands, and scans it's banks for the Lachen.

"Ha! Maybe fate is still in my favor!" She spots a patch of the herb, each time she goes looking for it, it always amazes her how much like common mint it looks like. She grabs a mouthful, trying not to taste any of the bitter herb, puts it in her saddle-bags, and grabs a few more mouthfuls. Spitting, she takes off again, as Celestia's sun makes it's way below the horizon again. Once back at her house, she drops her cloak on the floor and checks on Echo, who is sleeping peacefully. Shadow heads once again to her kitchen, tripping on an apple as she finds another bowl. First, she grinds the herbs into a pulp, adds the dried herbs. Then she mixes in the liquid ingredients, ticking of each ingredient in her head as she does.

"Now I just need to... Keep it at a simmer... For an hour?" She reads the directions again, and again, just to be sure. "He's waited all day while I figure this out... Surely he can wait one more hour?" She pours the potion in a pot and hangs the pot in her fireplace, lights the fire underneath it and goes back to reading about the deadly poison Colere.

"From the time poisoned to the time of death is about twelve hours? He was poisoned shortly before dawn... And it's sunset now..." She fights to quell her growing panic. "I can give him that tonic again... Colere is one of the poisons that can be slowed by it..." She quickly prepares the tonic again, and this time when she gives it to him, he hardly fights at all. That making her all the more panicked she rushes between the kitchen and Echo, constantly checking to see if the potion was blue-green, and if Echo Shade was doing any better or... worse.

Staying awake and alert for over thirty-six hours, all that happened over that period of time, and her overwhelmed emotions eventually took her toll. She woke with a start with her head on her bed and panicked all the worse.

"Ok, good you're still alive... And this still hasn't turned blue-green yet!" She reads the instructions again just to be sure, but for all her wishing nothing was different. Noticing the dim light she lights a couple candles putting them in handy spots around her house. And with nothing else to do, resumes her frantic dance from pot to stallion.

* * *

Finally after what seems like hours to Shadow, the cure is a blue-green color. She pours it into a clean bowl. "Now I need to give him a dose every four hours, until all of it is gone." She measures out the proper amount and rushes back to Echo. "I have it, I finally have the cure." Her voice breaks as she sees how weak and fragile he looks. Opening his mouth, the distraught pegasus mare pours the concoction down his throat. He doesn't fight at all. She steps back to see if there is an immediate change, and sees he's not breathing.

"No, NO!" She crumples, sobbing into her sheets. "No, you can't be dead. You can't!"