A shadow in the light

"IF YOU'RE NOT COMING OUT THEN WE'RE GOING IN!" Twilight's boisterous voice announced a few meters from the front door.

Shadow paced in circles around his living room, quickly manifesting any kind of plan he could think of to explain his previous stupidity. The sweat accumulated around his forehead attempting to cool his overheating brain which was straining in the struggle to create a favorable situation for him. Distracting his thoughts were noises coming from outside, voices, chest hinges and Rainbow's somewhat comedic war cry just as she accelerated with destructive intent towards the front door.

Shadow decided against destructive force whether it be caused by himself or others, hurting them wouldn't exactly prove his innocence and Luna probably wouldn't be to happy at his threatening acts of violence either. In honor of his decision he bolted for the door and by using his momentum whirled the door open with a loud crack as it hit the wall at the end of its rotation. He had sped the door to safety, unfortunately for him, saving the door only revealed a cyan blur speed it's way through the doorway, right into his gut, throwing him towards the back wall.

"UUMMPPHHH" cried the wind extracting from his lungs barely audible over the reverberating sound of flesh slapping against hard wood. Shadow slumped to the carpeted floor, holding his badly bruised body, sitting upright although with his head wriggling over from side to side in agony. Even with squeezed eyes he could clearly picture the five assailants taking quick paces into the room. Over his moans of pain an aggressive voice only a few centimeters away from his face, was raised in harsh and demanding tones.

"What have you done with Pinkie Pie?" The slow voice clearly spoke as to sound intimidating. Shadow, at this point was terrified, very few times was he ever caught off guard and in such a hopeless position. Previously, he could have fought his way out of such a situation. Unfortunately his aggressors were not invading changelings and therefor he had no right to harm them in anyway.

In response to the question he lifted one hoof, pleading for a moments rest while his other still clutched the internal wound that began to appear visible under his fur. This was met with a spell lifting his body slowly in the air and turning him upside down forcing him to open his eyes and meet the furious purple orbs of Twilight's.

"I won't ask you again, where is she?" Twilight's patience had run out and was applying force to his injuries causing him to writhe slightly in pain. With liquid swelling up around his twitching eyes he forced himself to speak over his desire to scream in torment.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry for what happened to your friend, it was an accident!" He yelled taking in a gulp of air through the wincing pain, making sure he didn't have to repeat himself.

"Keep an talkin', " Applejack approached from behind to glare into Shadow's eyes with loath.

"She took me off guard in an alley and I sent her to another realm," The purple glowing grip loosened with each word he spoke. In his position Shadow knew he would be unable to explain in full the situation, but tried his best anyway. "I went there myself to get her back but she wasn't there afterwards, I don't know where she is! She scared me and I didn't mean to!" He shouted as gravity took hold, pushing him towards the grey carpet below. He met the carpet head first with another grunt of pain before making an attempt to raise up from his dizzy cosmos.

Gasps were shared throughout the five ponies, each taken back with the new knowledge.

"You WHAT?!" The chorus of ponies sang in unison. Only one was able to speak above the others even while in such shock.

"This is THE, WORST, POSSIBLE, THING!" Rarity announced, lying upon a red decorative sofa that did not belong in Shadow's house.

"So what'll we do now Twi?" Applejack inquired, now with her brown stetson hat removed from her head and placed on her chest as if attending a funeral. The outraged look that screwed up her face was now replaced with worry and hopelessness. As much as Shadow would have like to help them and prove his innocence, he himself was just as clueless in this situation as they were, even with his knowledge he could only sit back and think of possible solutions rather than taking responsibility for his actions.

Only now, after some confusion had died somewhat could he notice golden necklaces around each mares neck with the exception of Twilight whom wore a crown. Each one was embedded with a strange coloured symbol that Shadow didn't recognize.

Fluttershy was sitting just outside the front door not daring to view the scary monster within that had taken away one of her best friends. Tears crept their way down her cheeks, releasing the worry and sorrow she felt for her missing companion.

Rainbow on the other hoof took a different approach to the situation, one Shadow had expected to arise much sooner than it did. With her enraged face she suggested brutality for his actions.

"I dunno if what he says is true, but I think he should pay for what he's done." She clamped both her hooves together to enforce the act of conflicting pain. "Let's hit him with the elements, that'll teach him mess with us!" A smile slid it's way onto her face unknowingly. As she stared intently at Shadow's wet eyes, everypony else was waiting on leader Twilight's decision. All the suspense in the room multiplied for each second Twilight shut her eyes in contemplation and concentration.

Shadow, sitting bent over in pain, fell to his side gasping for the air that the cyan pony had punched from his lungs. He knew he was helpless in such a situation and began to collect himself. Oxygen finally reached his head allowing him a clear mind, with this he gazed up once again towards the group. His tears were shed and now lay soaked within his already dark mane. He decided against protesting, he had been in such a situation long ago and learned that no matter what he said it would only worsen his situation. Running away was not happening anytime soon, his injuries would vouch for that. Offending them either verbally or physically, would make him look even worse and reminiscing about Luna's lessons had reminded him not to let temptation break your morals. Too weak to use magic, he did the only thing he could think of, an honorable defeat. The choice of whether it was right for them to end him then and there was out of his hooves now that he himself had taken a precious life of theirs.

"There is a fine line between justice and revenge," He advised, receiving all the attention in the room. Only Twilight stood still, only to let her twitching ears suggest that he gained her valuable attention. "No matter the choice, I want you to be clear of which you base your decision,"

Slowly, the purple eyelids raised to reveal shining magenta eyes that stared deep within Shadow.

'Those eye's again,' He reminded himself. 'Why do they always look at me with those eyes?' He stared back at Twilight not breaking contact for even a moment. The room was still, not even the beating of Rainbow's wings sliced through the silence.

Few more seconds passed before the magical mare before him broke eye contact. She turned to announce her decision to her friends, each waiting patiently for her answer, but Shadow already knew what would come, her eyes told him everything.

"Evil shouldn't be allowed to roam free in Equestria and now that you have shown your true colours, it is our job to dispose of  you who represent the darkness," A magical aura picked shadow up to follow the group now moving outside without a word. They moved away from the house to give distance between them and Shadow before he was laid to rest in the sun at the front door step. A cool breeze swept his mane from his forehead allowing him to see the group of mares in front of him.

Twilight closed her eyes and focused magic into her horn, allowing it to fill her up as well as flow into the element sitting above her head. She opened her eyes, allowing a white light shine through. A spark flew from the ornament before a full bright white light shone with the power of the sun, glowing ever brighter until it seemed to stop only to stretch towards the other ponies pendants which reacted in the same manner. Each glowing brighter until their owners could barely be seen through the radiant glow.

Shadow could feel a hot gust of wind press against his face as if a sun itself grew before him. The mares, no longer visible before him raised into the air, gushing wind releasing from their unparalleled power. Together they all seemed to vibrate with magic, even the earth and Pegasus' shrugged with power. Suddenly two rainbows of different colour, one containing warm yellow's and reds, the other cool blues and greens, burst from the glow to reach for the stars. The two rainbows twirled around each other in magnificent harmony while it fell towards Shadow's vulnerable body.

An eye for and eye

With closed eyelids and a contempt feeling Shadow accepted the harsh reality of what was about to happen to him. He rested his head on the soft doormat now feeling all the energy leave him, whether it was from fear or pain that he didn't try and run he couldn't be sure, but it seemed to be the end for him and he couldn't stop thanking Luna enough for what he had been given. His ears lowered in defeat, he let the world disappear from him.

The power of the elements struck the navy blue pony surrounding him in every colour imaginable, from the darkest blue to the brightest yellow. The magic twirled around him, consuming him and twisting to shape his body. A high pitched noise deafened the Elements as the rainbows accelerated around Shadow until they merged to form the same radiating glow Twilight and her friends were hovering in.

Out of nowhere, the magic enclosing on Shadow erupted, shattering into tiny sparks flying off into different directions. A significantly large ray of light made course for the five mares striking them down forcing them to plummet to the earth, not as to injure them but seemingly to destroy the magic that which held them in place. Each fell and landed with an 'umph' quickly standing to gain their bearings.

Rainbow Dash, having tumbled and crashed many a times before, was the first to compose herself.

"What in the hay just happened?" She blatantly quizzed.

Rarity was next to answer. "Hmmmm, I'm not quite sure, Twilight?" As was everyone else, they looked to Twilight, the expert on knowledge and especially the Elements of harmony. The purple mare joined the group taking off her golden crown and observing it for any imperfections. Without finding any she placed it atop her head.

"I... I... Have absolutely no idea, for once I was hoping somepony else could explain it to me," She looked to the others who had now poised themselves and wondered what had gone wrong. "Is it because Pinkie wasn't here? Is that why it backfired? Magic doesn't usually do that unless it's a complete failure. Wait..." She turned to the cottage. "If it didn't work then..."

Shadow slowly brought himself to his hooves using the door frame for leverage. Grunting from the pain caused not from the magic but from his previous injuries, he backed off into the house to relieve himself from the attention and limped his way to the nearest seat with heavy hoof steps. Resting on his dull red couch, the mares followed him in now aware that that he was no longer a threat, they surrounded him and talked as if he were just an artifact, unable to hear or respond to a word he said.

"Could it have been the lack of an element" Rarity began the conversation with the most obvious question.

"I dunno, if it even got ta the point of hitting him then don't that mean the magic worked?" Applejack brought forth a surprisingly reasonable explanation for a farm pony.

"Did he cast some anti-magic shield thingy?" Rainbow continued.

"Is he Magic resistant? Rarity added.

"Well, if he's still here then what in the hay went wrong?" Rainbow exclaimed prodding Shadow on the forehead.

"HEY!" he yelled fending off the hoof and grabbing everyponies attention. "Maybe it's because I just made a freaking mistake! I could feel the magic attack my body and I can definitely say that it did nothing!" Shadow was infuriated at this point, even after all his calm replies, his pent up anger broke the floodgates. He had been accused, punched, knocked about, hit with magic and not insulted all because he made a small blunder.

"I know that I haven't made the best impression, or done the greatest of things by sending your pink pony to who knows where but you don't have any right to treat me like this!"

Everypony in the room was taken back recoiling in the strength of his voice. So far he hadn't been aggressive and so the sudden change of demeanor scared them. Only Twilight, fueled through anger, was able to retort.

"If your so innocent then where is Pinkie Pie? Huh? Can you bring her back when YOU don't even know where to look?" The two scowled not into each others eyes, but much, much deeper. Shadow's empty pupils saw right into the flamed emotions of Twilight's, as did her eyes to his. Neither side would give in, not Shadow's numb body sitting lowered into the couch nor Twilight's stiffened posture standing over him.

"What's all the racket about" A familiar voice emerged turning everyone's heads "You guys look really sad, but don't worry I'll turn that frown upside down! LET'S PARTY!"

Every head in the room turned to lay their eyes on the sore sight of the pink pony bouncing from upstairs, with crumbs about her mouth. She landed on the last step and in less than a second was bombarded with teared ponies hugs.

"Pinkie!" Echoed throughout the house in a chorus.

Shadow sat there dumbfounded as to what had just happened. He was sure he sent her someplace with his magic but where the hell had she come from? Before he could answer somepony in the crowed beat him to it.

"Where were you? We were worried!"

They all toppled over in the unbalanced chaos. Now laying on the floor all smiling, they nuzzled their snouts into the pink fur, wishing she had never left.

"I was upstairs eating some candy and boy was it delicious!" She responded seeming to misunderstand the question. Shadow wanted answers and was determined to get them.

"Wait just a second!" He demanded. His outburst halted the tears of joy and which allowed the Pink pony to stare at him with an unnaturally big smile on her face. "I sent you to another realm," he began realizing his words could lead to more trouble. "BY ACCIDENT. how did you get out?"

She jumped onto the couch next to Shadow urging him to move a little further away in fright.

"Firstly, thanks heaps for the cakes and stuff, it was yuuummmoo. Secondly, I'm sorry for scaring you mister, It's just that I've never seen you before and if I've never seen you before that means that you're new here and when your new here that means you've never been to one of my parties and eveypony knows that my parties are the best I mean we have cake, balloons, and everything I hope you like cake 'cause......"

The hyperactive chatterbox just went on and on, even after Shadow averted his gaze to the others, she didn't seem to notice and kept rambling on about parties, food and Ponyville. Twilight, once again was the one to take charge.

"Pinkie," She called receiving her attention and ending her rant. "I'm sure he'd like to know all about your parties, but what's we'd all like to know is what happened to you after you met Shadow and disappeared?"

"Ohhh, so your name's Shadow. I'm Pinkie Pie, but every pony calls me Pinkie 'cause...."

"Pinkie!"

"Oh, right, sorry. Well," She paused to think while placing a hoof to her chin. "You sent me to some dark and mysterious place and since it was lonely and there wasn't anypony else there I just left. So I came here to apologize but I smelled some yummy sugary goodness still in your saddle bag and had some for lunch! Then I heard you guys down here making all this noise and so, here I am!"

"Wait, what?" Shadow couldn't understand what she was saying, it didn't make any sense whatsoever. "So I DID send you to another realm and you just left?"

"Yep!"

"How did you leave? Can you use magic?"

"Nope, I just did, let's say it's Pinkie's little secret," She responded with the biggest and most oblivious grin he'd ever seen.

"But, but," He tried to question her logic but couldn't find the words to express his utter confusion. A hoof rested on his shoulder behind him prompting him to turn and face the nervous yellow coated pony of the group.

"Please, don't worry about it. Pinkie can be a little..."

"Random," Rainbow interrupted.

"Well yes a little bit of that, but please understand that she means well, even if she doesn't show it in the way other ponies would,"

Shadow felt touched by the sweet voice of the pink maned mare. She calmed him from his outburst as well as comforted him when scared or confused.

"So there aren't any other ummm, not to sound rude, but there aren't any other crazy ponies like her"-he gestured at Pinkie-"around, are there?" He assured, receiving a giggle from his audience.

"She is one of a kind, luckily for you" Rarity joked relieving Shadow of his worries.

After all the confusion Shadow was able to smile at the unlikely group of friends, even if he was injured and had been terrified he was able to bring forth his better side. Only then did it hit him that he may have made a group of friends all at once. Thinking back to his last day in Canterlot, he never would have thought anything like this occurring. His next few words would be the start of his new life. He began attracting attention as his giggle was transformed into an outright awkward laugh.

"You kay there partner?" The farm pony inquired.

"Even after, being accused of kidnapping, punched in the stomach, you all attempting to destroy me with the 'Elements', I must say thank you," Shadow hoped that his speech was sufficient enough that they would understand. However it clearly wasn't.

"What in name of Celestia are ya talkin' 'bout? We should be sorry fer doin' all those things to ya!"

"Haha," He blatantly laughed which confused everypony even further, causing heads to turn, even Pinkie's. "No, as much as you think you should, I won't accept such humble apologies. I was in just as much wrong as you were, I sent umm, Pinkie here to... Someplace and wasn't able to do anything about it myself. I am thanking you all, for reasons beyond my comprehension, for the fact that I am truly smiling at this moment. It's been a while since I felt this way," She looked up to nopony in particular to present his Pinkie like smile.

More giggles ran it's course through them before Twilight greeted him with her speech.

"Even if you don't accept our apologies, I think we owe you for your injuries none the less,"

"Yeah, I guess we kinda reacted badly didn't we" Rainbow said sheepishly.

"I'm dreadfully sorry darling, If there's anything you need, you know you just need to ask," The pretty white mare affirmed.

Shadow admired their forgiveness that complimented their apologies. Each had made a mistake and didn't try to ignore it but took up the shame and dealt with it. Not an ounce of Shadow even thought of taking advantage of this moment, he had been taught better than that. All he wanted was some peace and quiet for now. Time to be able to take in his experience and learn best from them. He was a sentimental pony if nothing else.

"I'm sure you're all very sorry but i'll need to stop you there, I... I just need some time alone for now," He looked over the group one last time. "I don't mean to be rude but I'm going to ask you to leave,"

With the awkwardness building up Rainbow was the first to leave followed by Applejack and Fluttershy. Just Rarity and Twilight remained behind for a few last words.

"When you would like your cape size measured, just come around, I'll probably be there," Shadow gratefully accepted her generous offer and she too left leaving Shadow lying on his couch, and Twilight standing off at the end of it. Pinkie Pie had vanished once again not leaving through the door, but in another manner entirely that only she would knew how.

"What did it feel like?" Twilight asked bringing forth her studious urges for knowledge.

"I'm sorry," Was his response to the question lacking somewhat in information.

"When the Elements of harmony hit you, what did it feel like?

Shadow looked to the floor with a puzzled look. To explain the feeling in words was harder than one would think at first. He summarized his feelings into the most plain language possible.

"Surprisingly I though it would hurt, but it was warm and my emotions wouldn't stay still I felt happy, sad, frustrated, bored and excited all at the same time. Weirdest thing was I felt my magical power being multiplied rather than being devoured. I thought it was going to destroy me, but, I dunno, guess the elements knew it was a mistake or something like that and decided to let me live,"

Twilight sat for a moment taking in all the judgments she had received.

"That is interesting" She inquired. "I'll be back in the morning to check up on you, It's the least I can do for what's happened," She headed for the door waving a last goodbye, looking back to mak sure she was the last to leave.

"Umm, okay? Bye!"

Then she was gone and Shadow was left alone once more. He was hungry and limped slowly upstairs taking it one step at a time. Reaching his discarded saddlebag he realized that Pinkie had left his box on his bed, opening it he found crumbs of what she had finished. Swiping the box to the floor in irritation he climbed onto his blankets. Ignoring the fact that it was still early in the afternoon, exhaustion caught hold of him wavering him into unconsciousness.

Sleep came easily to him but his dreams never formed. Luna would be collecting a lot of stories next time they met.