Equestria Under

by xXElite AlicornXx

Rating: everyone
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad, Romance, Random, Adventure
Length: 34526

Equestria Under. A world somehow like Equestria. But the ponies there... not so much.

Picture is not my own; all credit to the artist.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-01-19 07:09:22 UTC

Chapter 2: The Pony

As I exited Shadow Dwell, I felt as though I was stepping through some kind of barrier. Once on the other side, I turned and looked back into Shadow Dwell. I saw a bit of mist settle over the town. I was not worried about that, because mist settling didn't usually mean anything other than what the normal would; that a cloud descended and settled. The only strange thing about this was that with the clouds down here being so dark -- how is it when they descend they are so light?

I watched as a few shadow-ponies exit their dwells. Why they did this? It was the same idea with the rays which came at ray-time -- they thought that once the clouds went back up, they could go, too. This was sad to see, for I knew it didn't work, but I didn't blame them for wanting so hard to leave such a place we were in. I turned from them and began to walk out onto the large fields that covered a vast area of Equestria Under.

Walking along, I felt cool breezes past straight through me... I felt moisture from the recent rain just barely touch my nearly transparent hooves as I walked. Like I mentioned earlier, that it is not a shadow-pony's "tradition" to come close to feeling him or herself. That would simply mean that shadow-ponies don't care to act as though they are true ponies, like those of the true Equestria. And why not? Why not act like it if they want to be up there, so much? Well the answer is this; if a shadow-pony were to act like a pony, then it would be like abandoning their essence; this could destroy them. Running and/or doing really active things could destroy our frail essences, I have heard, and am cautious about doing anything I ought not to... We usually just move slowly, anyways...

Sometime this bothers me because I feel like I am literally and practically getting nowhere. I am getting nowhere closer to Equestria, I am getting nowhere, at all, and some days I just feel so... low... Being slow doesn't help -- I just can't accept my self, nevertheless, I am not crazy enough to destroy myself. The only way a shadow-pony can make it out of this place in one piece is either through ascension or ceasing to exist y way of the death of their host.

Sometime later, as I still walked across the misty fields, I looked past it all to a large shadowy silhouette that was pretty far away. I had never strayed so far from Shadow Dwell, so I stilled, lifting one hoof, hesitant to go on. I squinted; what was it? Just then, some of the mist cleared, and I saw a large mountain. The mountain seemed to disappear, it highest part somewhere far up into the black clouds. I wondered just how far up it went... Some movement caught my eyes as I stared up at the mountain; something, a creature of some sort, was circling about the mountain, steadily getting higher and higher. I shook my head and blinked; it was gone. What had I just seen? I slowly took my attention off of the mount. I would probably never know what they thing was; it was black and dark and when close up, it was most-likely too look either really ugly or really scary... may be even both. All I know is the vibe I got from just seeing the creature was bad enough.

I continued to walk through the fields, aimlessly, not really sure of what it was I was looking for, or what I was doing. But even so, it felt good to get away from Shadow Dwell, for once. Just then, another movement caught my eye; I looked out into meadow ahead of me to see a winged shadow-pony. He or she was standing under a colored ray of light, which descended from the dark, swirling clouds above... My eyes followed the ray back up into dark clouds... How close was I to being up there and beyond? I wondered. d where had such  ray of light come from?

I turned my attention back to the shadow-pony; it began to slowly flap its wings and was soon off of the ground. I stared at it, intently. Was that shadow-pony really going to make it to the top? How foolish I had thought it was to try to do such a thing, but now - I watched the shadow-pony, carefully. Slowly, it rose higher and higher and when it got to the point, within the ray, where it had reached half-way point, it seemed to shudder and then immediately fell back to the ground. The shadow-pony collected him/her self, rather quickly, and then, folding in its wings, stared back up into the ray.

What was it waiting on? I wondered, watching the sky, now. Was there a certain time one should go about getting up there, through the rays? And wasn't this shadow-pony supposed to wait until the ray was began to ascend, in order to attempt such a feat? I felt myself moving forward, moving towards the shadow-pony. "Is he... or she... going to make it?" I thought, readying to increase my speed if I figured this to be so.

But this is when I stopped dead in my tracks, when I noticed a dark, bulging, rippling, hideous mass approaching the shadow-pony from behind, (his/her left side turned to me). My eyes widened with horror at the sight. The thing was getting closer, but the shadow-pony paid it no attention. Didn't he or she feel it coming?! Why not run? They had a chance to save themselves - run!

See, down here, to deliberately fly and run or actively go about, as a shadow-pony, then that is when an essence might be lost. But to do so out of fear and/or escaping the horrors of this world, then - and only then - that is such a thing permitted. I quickly looked about, for shelter, as my leg-parts began to weaken from fear. I quickly scanned the area about me, when suddenly, I spotted a rock! I dove behind it as quickly and as silently as I could; my virtually weightless form making hardly a sound.

I looked on as the creature was just a few hooves behind the shadow-pony, now. The shadow-pony was still trying, (and failing) to fly up into the ray and beyond. The feat was unsurprisingly exhausting, so the shadow-pony wasn't really getting too far off the ground, at this point. I feared greatly for him or her, but I could not have managed a squeak if I wanted to. I felt my essence begin to burn at the core, as a spirit rose to consume it.

A shadow-pony's form is really nothing more than a frail shadow of an form - much like a ghosts, only tangible, yet hollow. The emptiness in a shadow-pony is only there as a vessel of the spirits the shadow-pony is supposed to gather. Being a shadow-pony, though, the typical spirits which inhabit the hollow space are usually lowly ones, akin to sadness, fear and hate. The one over-taking me, now, was fear.I have heard that in the world above, it is not as perfect as many shadow-ponies would like to believe... There is this thing called pain; something every creature up there must suffer... I know not what this pain is, exactly, but to burn from the inward out is not very comforting; it is very discomforting, in fact, but nothing less than what I was experiencing. The spirit-fire of fear burned greatly within me, causing me to e rooted in place, slow to make any sort of movement.

So saying,, my eyes would not leave the scene before me. I watched, trembling and wide-eyed as the creature rippled and stretched, creating a large black-as-night opening in its self. The thing had large red eyes which, in the dim light, illuminated the inside of its huge mouth. Even from where I was, I could see that the creature's mouth was very, very, very deep. It was very, very, very dark, also. This sight frightened me --  and even more for the other shadow-pony. Had he or she really not felt the presence of that creature, as of yet?

I watched, then, with complete terror, as the shadow-pony finally realized its position. It turned and slowly looked at the beast. Loud roaring, gurgling noises could be heard from within the cavernous opening which served to be a mouth. The shadow-pony took a step back, and the creature advanced with quick pace upon him/her, devouring the shadow-pony, completely. Oh the horrible noises it made! Just then, the creature back off, backed away, turned and then headed in another direction; no doubt to go find a new prey. My hooves trembled at the sight of it going and with the rising mist, I felt as though it could come at me, from anywhere; I quickly looked about me; nothing.

I then gave my attention to the spot where the shadow-pony had been and - wait! It was still there! But how? I could see the what was left for a form of a shadow-pony, only now it lie on one side, on its flank... Still... Surely this isn't what happens to shadow ponies, right? When they are devoured by such creatures, then surely they are devoured whole and nothing is left! That or the shadow-pony simply becomes possessed and darkens, turning into a terror of this world, below. The later I was nearly sure had not happened, although I had never come across a possessed shadow-pony before.

The shadow-pony did not stir. I was going to walk over to it, out of curiosity, which had gotten the better of my fear, but then I saw that I could not approach it. The mists had risen, again and as the mist crept over the shadow-pony's essence, the form seemed to dissolve, disappear into nothing... Right. In front. Of my eyes.

I didn't know what to make of this, but I still felt a burning within me; my spirit of fear was still in command. I scrambled back and turned - not in the direction of Shadow Dwell, but to another; the opposite way the creature had gone. I ran, ran, ran, not knowing where I was going, and couldn't help not caring. I found that, after some time, something was drawing me... drawing me in the direction I had lready een going. Eventually, I ran my self out of the mists and stood before a large forest!

"A forest? Here? Down below?" I thought to myself. "No such thing is ever known to exist, except in the world, above..." The forest was beautiful. The trees were very tall and all seemed to be made of and/or full of light! Light was everywhere in that forest, and I could see little sphere's of light floating just beyond the treeline....

"What is this place?"

I remembered hearing of a place beyond Shadow-Dwell that was "full of light", but I thought that the shadow-pony who spoke meant Equestria, the world above... I guessed wrong; this had to be that place. And now... now that I was here... what next? I approached the forest, slowly, creeping up to an entrance I had spotted among the trees -- a trail leading back into the forest, clearer than any I've ever seen, despite the fact that it was more hidden than not.

I involuntarily side-stepped, as a small wave of force rippled through me and I caught an aura. Abad aura. Was it... coming from the trees? The forest? I looked about; where was it coming from? My attention finally landed to the east of me. What my eyes fell on was a large, goopy, black mass. It didn't  too much different from the daemons which I had encountered during the storm that had occurred, in Shadow Dwell, a few days back, only that it was took on no normal form. I was paralyzed with fear. The thing seemed to realize this, and began to advance in my direction. I began to see bulbous, sinister eyes appearing in its blackness, frightening me, all the more. Multiple mouths began to open up on the creature, as is now seemed to take a more stable form; it's cavernous, multiple mouths were literally dripping black goo. The drips would hit the ground and sizzle into it, leaving a black mark! I could only imagine what would happen to me if that thing got to me. They say that the "greedier" the creature, the "goopier" the creature. A saying I didn't fully understand, though I still shivered at the thought. I could do no more; I just couldn't move! My essence was, once again, ablaze with the spirit of fear and I was stilled!

I watched in horror as different sections of the creature departed the mass and formed into shadow ponies the color of darkness. They all began to come at me; the mass of blackness slowing back as they advanced. I only managed a step back.

"Was this the creature from before? Has it... followed me? How did that other *shadow-pony feel? Did he or she feel as terrified as I am, now?"* These thoughts ran through my mind, helping the situation, little.

Just as the creatures advanced and I was sure it was my doom, sure that this was my fate, certain that I was destined to cease to exist  by no other means -

PSHEW! PSHEW! Beams of radiant, heated light came from behind me and zapped the creatures. PSHEW! PSHEW! The beams came again, longer this time, and didn't stop. I faltered and fell onto my flank, eyes wide as I watched the screaming, howling, black members seem to explode in the areas at which the beams hit. The beams pierced their blackness, causing their unearthly wails to grow louder.

As the black-shadow-ponies retreated into their black matrix,  I was made to be thoroughly amazed when a white flanked, white maned pony appeared before me. PSHEW! PSHEW! His horn was illuminated right before a blast -- a stream of power surged out, towards the mass of creatures. The now gathered creature groaned with each impact of energy. It didn't take the beast long to realize it was out-matched and began to retreat. More howling ensued, but I could hear none of it. My full attention was on the pony before me. A burst of energy came to life inside of me: I had gained a spirit! The spirit of amazement!

The pony momentarily ceased fire and turn to yell at me, "What are you doing?! Go! Get out of here, now!"

I blinked. "What?" My spirit of confusion beginning to mix with those of fear and amazement.

"Go! I said, GO!" The pony dashed over and quickly ushered me to my hooves, pushing me with his snout, his horn still glowing at what seemed to be full charge. The sparks from it hit me and I felt... I didn't know what I felt, but I didn't have the time to think; his horn went dull and he began to shove me forward.

"Go, go!" He shouted. I wasted no more time andI took off! It was good to have strength in my leg-parts, again. I looked back when I heard a loud rumbling sound; the creature was all smokey, now, and flailed about. I could no longer see any eyes or mouths... Just then, there was a burst of light, and the pony was beside me, running along side me!

"Yes, that's right - don't look back, just keep going!" He said. "You're doing great, just don't look back - go, go!"

I could only glance at him, briefly, before turning my head forward and speeding up. We ran and ran - just then, the pony came to an abrupt halt, his hooves skidding across the ground. He turned back. I ran but then slowed and began to stop, wondering why he had done so.  It seemed that pony knew I  would do that, and immediately turned and pushed me forward. "I said go." He said, more calm, now, then before.

"Bu - but -!" I began, the spirit of confusion over-taking me. Just then, the mist behind us seemed to be ripped in two as the large black creature came bursting into view - and it was close!! How had it gotten so close?!

The pony, wide-eyed, turned and kicked his hind legs at me; "GO! GO NOW!!" I stumbled back, but one look at the hideous creature set me running.

And this time, I did not look back.

Chapter 3: Coalette

I watch as the dark clouds circle above. "What a lovely shade black that is," I murmur. I also see a few rays of light ascend from those clouds; what a horrible combination! Though dark colors are so very attractive, both of those, together, just won't work...  I then turn my attention away from my dwell's window and wonder over to the hearth. A dim glow from my horn ignites a white fire from between the beautiful black coals... I loved to watch my steaming hearth - not like there was anything better to do.

"I can understand why every shadow-pony would be out on such a wonderful ray... Well, actually, it is the rays that might attract them so much.... hm." I nodded; this must have been correct. It was a sad thing, I thought, the way any of the shadow-ponies would run after the rays, go after them, try to leave this world, below, with them... To me, it just wasn't right... They should all wait their time, that's all. Besides, what's the rush?

I kept my eyes on the steamy fire... Watching it, for a while, I felt my essence begin to burn with a new spirit. What was it? I wasn't sure. See; I had done this so many times before, watched the steaming hearth, but only recently did  begin to feel so... different... This burning, inside of me was literally indescribable...I couldn't understand what I was feeling and didn't recognize the type of burning... "Of all the spirits - I began to say something, but was cut off by some noise outside my dwell.

I turned. "Oh bother! Why can't any shadow-pony keep to themselves, this ray? Can't they see - oh my embers!" I sped over to the window, hooves pressed against the pane... "Oops, have to remember to stop speeding about," I thought. See, it isn't good, I heard, for shadow-ponies to be so active... I wondered why. It's not like it ever bothered me... hm. Just something I heard. I headed for my dwell's entry/exit. It was all misty outside and I loved it! That same feeling, a burning, ignite within me, and I couldn't help a smile; I adored mist!

Not that I believed mist could be a savior to any shadow-pony - why be saved? What about this place not to like?  I slipped through, to the outside of my dwell and shook myself, trying to take in the mist... "Why not take a little walk, Coalette?" I thought to myself.

I began to trot down the street and as I passed by any shadow-pony, I observed their countenance; dreadful expression they had. I turned my head away every time I saw a sorry face and a pale body; nothing of my interest, there. I just couldn't understand how they could be so droll; what's not to enjoy? Well. There were a few things, but what could I do about them?... Actually, there was something...

I trotted towards Scorn Stone valley. The stones there were a beautiful, shiny black rocks - and also home to one of Equestria Under's negatives. On arriving, I headed for the first, biggest rock I saw. "Beautiful!" I threw myself onto it. "Wonderful!" I climbed to the top and looked out over the whole rest of the Scorn Stone field... So many large, pointy rocks to explore...Of course, it's not like I haven't been here, before... I have. My entire essence was burning with that same, new spirit - also another one I couldn't explain, but who cares? Burning with this spirit that wouldn't let the smile off my face, I hurried about, throwing myself on every rock and rubbing against it with my hooves... Such a nice feeling...

I was almost surprised when I began to hear a sort of hissing sound; my ears pricked. I raised my head and looked about...Looking down, I saw two large, green, glowing eyes staring back at me from the shadows between two rocks, one being the one I was on and another right under it. I rose on all four hoofs, still looking down at it. The thing hissed some more and crawled, slowly, out of the space in the rocks... The creature had yellow-green, glowing eyes and strange looking hoof-feet. It was a bit of a mix of creatures, I thought, some I was sure I had never seen before.

I then paid it no mind and continued rubbing the shiny rocks under my hoof, humming to myself, literally ignoring the thing. So it crept closer and closer, up to where I was; hissing, eyes glowing brighter... I still paid it no mind. And just when it was close enough, it reared its ugly head back and made the most irritating, horrible sound. Something between a hiss and a scream, I thought. Just then, others like it seem to appear out of nowhere, coming from between the rocks, stalking me, crowding in from other areas of the Scorn Stone valley...

I stopped what I was doing and stood back on all fours, again, looking down at the first creature that came, I said, "Well, well... it seems you have called up a few friends... You little devil." More hissing, weird sounds and screams started to rise up from the crowd of little devils that surrounded me. I decided to let them get just a bit closer before I reared my head way back, hooves rising off the ground, and ignited a little white glow at the top of my horn.

I can down on my front hooves with a bang! "Ha! Take a good look you hideous things! I, Coalette shall smite thee!" I jumped into the midst of them and shook my horn at them, the best I could. And of course, as usual, they all began to scram; running and screeching their way off somewhere, while other just disappeared in a puff of black smoke and the rest dissolved into the shadows...

"Ha. Well. Looks like my little light was too much for the poor little things... those lit-tle dev-ils." I said, in a bit of a sing-song voice. "They should have learned, long ago not to mess with this little miss Coalette'! Tee-hee!" I couldn't stand it anymore, with the newly found spirit just blazing, roaring within me, I couldn't help but know what it was. I was feeling giddy. A kind of feeling I had that probably no other shadow-pony even knew about; this only made my snorting and giggle-fits worse. This meant that I was now a very special shadow-pony, for I had just gained another spirit!

"Oh, foo-ey!"  said aloud, as I trotted about Scorn Stone Valley, "I am just one spirit closer to Equestria - unlife is so unfair!!" I trotted about, looking for the perfect stone to lay a hoof on, to rub it against... It really did feel nice and I had no idea why!

"Stupid little devils.... now I need to find a new - oh!" Just then, I came across a cave. It had a huge opening, and seemed very deep and dark and spooky...

"Looks like just another excuse to use the ol' horn!" I said, prancing up to the cave entrance... "Oopsy, need to stop doing that!" I said,  with a giggle. "Who knows - I turned and looked at my rear end - that little rump back there might be the first thing to go! I began to giggle again.

"And not to mention how effective it is in the world above! As I understand it, the equines above use their rumps for so many things! Or wait... was it may be something else...? Oh well, I might just have to sit in at the next gathering to find out - tee-hee!"

I was now inside of the cave. I used my little horn light to try and see into the darkness... It bothered me when I saw light on dark like that... it seemed so... unnatural... But I had to see in the dark to know what was there; there was no use complaining... "And you know what?" I said to myself, "I do a lot of that too, don't I? I talk, I mumble, I mutter, I complain... I wonder it that could destroy me...? I tried looking down at my muzzle; it was there, but I couldn't really see it all that much...

Just then I heard some noise in the darkness, something beyond where I stood. "Hm?" I looked about, "Who's there?" When there was hardly an answer, I said, "Oh, well I guess you wouldn't answer, would you? You little devils you..." Just then, a figured thrust his way into my vision.

"Who are you calling a devil?"

"Ha! Get back! I have a light and I am in no way afraid to use it!" I shook my horn at him the best I could.

"Please." The figure said, "I am not afraid of that little thing." He began to approach me.

"Er... You're not?" I said, raising my head.

"No, I am not." He answered, placing a hoof on my horn, seeing as I had it lowered, almost to the ground.

"Hey, get off!" I said, shaking him off, "And how come you can touch me, anyways?" I backed up into the dim light that came in from outside the cave. I could see mostly only the face of a stallion gazing back at me."Who...who are you?" I asked.

"That isn't for you to know." He answered, walking towards me, "All you need to know is that this area is no place for a... um... under-ponies like your-self." I could see that he had dark blue hair on his head, and his body was a full blue... He was a pony!!

"You're... you're a pony!" I said.

He nodded, "Yes, I am. And I am telling you, you do not belong here... Down, within this cave, are horrors probably not discovered of any pony or under pony as of yet..."

"Other than you?" I asked.

"Well, perhaps..." The stallion said, "But still -

"Oh, I don't care." I said, "I have my horn, so what could possibly happen? Hm?"

The stallion just gazed at me.... I couldn't help my eyes wondering all over him; it wasn't every ray any shadow-pony saw a true equine... Just then I began to wonder... did he have a mark? I was searching and poking all over him until he said, taking my hoof off of his head and the other away from his chest, "What are you doing?"

"I am just looking..." I said.

"You." He said, "You are very interesting..."

"Oh, am I?" I said, still looking about him.

"Yes..." He took a hoof and moved my face to look at him.

I smirked, "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" He asked, letting me go.

"How can you touch me?" I asked him. "No pony is allowed to touch a shadow-pony, isn't that right?"

"Where have you heard that?" The pony asked me, glancing over his shoulder.

"Ah - he cut me off.

"Let me guess, as a gathering?" He asked.

"Yes - how did you figure?" I shot back.

He chuckled, softly and the said, "I used to be like you."

A moment or so passed before I said, "Of course you have."

"Yes." He said, "But now I must go - be sure not to come around here, again... I might not be around anymore to stop you." He turned and began to walk away.

"Oh, ho-hum." I said, "Please, I can take care of -

"You are not to go this way, am I clear?" The stallion asked, gazing back at me.

"Oh, alright, alright," I said, "Fine.... I guess you ponies think you're better than every shadow-pony else!"

The stallion only shook his head, turning. As he went back into the cave, he said, "You hold a good conversation... keep that up and you might just be next..."

"Oh foo-ey, what's that supposed to mean?" I spat.

"Ah well, ye shall see..." He was gone, his body completely covered by the darkness of the cave...

I waited around to see if he would return, but he did not. As if I cared! I didn't want anything to do with those... those... equines! I was better off alone. And what did he know? How arrogant was he? He is a pony from down here, not one from above, as he seems to think. "I used to be like you - please!" I spat, trotting away, another spirit beginning to take over my essence, "I don't need that from him! I already know that - but what he doesn't know is that I don't care! And what did he mean I might be next?  To go up there?" I looked up at the sky... "Well. I said, it seems that at least the mist has lifted... Oh well." I was never going to the world above until I wanted to and that was that!

I silently walked back to my dwell... What was there to say? To do?... Did I only act like I did because I was getting closer to leaving this place? As I walked back home, I looked at every shadow-pony who passed me; head down, moving slowly... Some walked with their head up, but their eyes were low and they were all so dull... Somehow it all seemed so perfect... But to be the way I am is to have all of the other shadow-ponies... just the way they are... It was really something to think about, so before I reached my dwell, I happened to walk into some shadow-pony., because of it.

So I was walking, thinking, not paying any attention to where  was going, and all of a sudden, things seem to get very, very, very cold. I slowed my steps. My whole world, for just a few moments, was thrown into some kind of dark-swirly darkness of a  world...and for a moment, I could hear voices... far away voices, it seemed.... But only for a moment. I also experienced having the feeling of being very heavy and did not know why... Other feelings came and left, just like a more noticeable stinging sensation had, but as soon as it all passed, I blinked.

I turned and to my surprise, I saw my rump slipping straight out of another shadow-pony. This shadow-pony was surrounded by a dark aura and when he turned to look at me, his eyes were large and red. "Watch where you are going." He said, with a raspy, creepy voice. I just nodded, lazily, feeling it was best to act as any other shadow-pony would... He turned and trotted off. There was something wrong with that shadow-pony that just didn't feel right - well OF COURSE it didn't feel right, none of those feelings felt right... And to be quite honest, it was as if - on passing through that pony - somehow it was if all of my spirits, within me, were separated - they all went crazy, it seemed, and my essence was just... it was just... truly a strange experience... But, of course, this only lasted a moment... all of this only lasted a moment or so, so...Who knows - who knows what it was? Or could have been...?  Who is to say it wasn't just me?

Chapter 4: The Gathering

......

.....

.....It has been... there have passed.... It's just that... Three rays have passed since my meeting with that pony... It was at that time that I also had my first encounter with a black beast. That's what they thing was that had chased the stallion and I. They are called black beasts - and for obvious reasons, but their objectives are not that obvious, at times. For starters, the one that had chased the pony and I was just as greedy as I thought. The thing is - it was greedy for souls, and not really looking to destroy any shadow-pony, which - at the time - would've been really hard to believe. In other words, just as it has other shadow-pony souls that make it up to be what it is, it simply wanted another.... it wanted me.

The creature that attacked the flier-shadow-pony, was also a black beast and am now positive that it was the same one. I am assured that the black beast that I had encountered, twice, a few rays back, wasn't a King Daemon, a Soul stealer or a Black mob.

So before I go on, how do I now know all of this? Well the answers can be found in a gathering, three rays ago, after I returned from my little adventure beyond Shadow Dwell... Though I will not fully tell you of the events of the actual gathering, I had another encounter of knowledge which was just as - and may be even more so - important.

*  *  *  *  *  *

I ran and ran and ran, the spirit of fear dominating my essence, almost completely. Almost. There was something else, there, too. But what was it? It was the beginning of another spirit, within my essence, only I couldn't pay much attention to it, then. And it was not long before I reached Shadow Dwell. As I did so, I slowed into a trot but still hurried onward. I observed a large dome-like thing that seemed to stretch up and over Shadow Dwell. I had never noticed it, before and credited the fact that I was almost always looking down.

I entered Shadow Dwell and felt it as I passed through the dome. Once on the other side, I looked over my shoulder at the mist-less meadows... nothing was out there. At least, not anything I could see. I turned my head back in the direction I meant to walk; three shadow-ponies were standing there, gazing at me. And they were so close... I blinked slowly and they all, soon, did likewise they all did the same to me. I lifted a hoof, testing them... they were still. I cocked my head at them... they kept gazing.

Finally, I found my voice, "Um... What do you want?" I asked.

All three shadow-ponies perked up, once I had spoken, and one said, "So you can talk."

"...Of course I can talk. But as a shadow-pony, not many of us like to make conversation..." I answered.

"I know." The shadow-colt answered. "But my... um... partners and I wanted to talk to you. You don't seem to be very... conversation-shy as many other are..." The shadow-colt glanced about.

I was quiet a moment or so. I figured I really never did mind talking... There was just never any shadow-pony to talk to. I wasn't sure what the deal was with these three and my fear spirit was still a bit high, though much less enraged, within my essence. "What do you want?" I asked, again.

"We want to know why we saw you running." The shadow-colt answered.

"Why do you want to know that?" I asked, fear spirit rising again.

"Because." The shadow-colt stepped forward, "We know that shadow-ponies, like you... like us... aren't supposed to do that... At least... that's as far as we know..."

I found it strange that he said "we". I looked from one to the other, to the other, to the other... Why were they together? Was it not every shadow-pony for himself, down here? I met the shadow-colts eyes. They were dull, yes, but there was a small spark inside of them... a very, very small spark... The light of the spark was faint, but it was there. I wondered if it meant anything and I as I looked into the eyes of the other shadow-ponies, I saw that they had the same... "Do you think," I began, "That I might know any better?"

The shadow-colt nodded his head, slowly. "Yes. Yes, we do." Both of the other ponies took a step closer to me, there gazes steady. I backed up a bit.

"Well of course I don't know better..." I said, trying to sound gruff.

"Then... why did you run?" The shadow-colt asked, the spark in his eyes, growing.

"B-because," I stuttered, "I was... afraid..." The spark in his eyes began to fade.

"Oh, I... I see..." The shadow-colt nudged one of the other shadow-ponies, "Let's go..."

As they all turned to go I noticed that all of their flanks seem to have a bit of a glow to it. Thinking on it, I realized that their flanks had always had a it of a glow... I just hadn't noticed until this point. I wondered how that was possible. My speaking to them seemed to make dim their flanks, so I didn't want to ask bout it

.

"Wait," I said. They all stopped and the shadow-colt turned sad, grey eyes to me. I had just begun to move after them, but stopped, hoof still up. "Um..." I wished  could say something to bring back the curious shine, but I wan't sure why they had even spoken to me, in the first place. "N-never mind..."

The shadow-colt just nodded to me and then they all walked away... All three of them...all...together... It was a strange sight seeing shadow-ponies, together, like that. It was so... abnormal... I waited for them to go a certain distance and then continued on into Shadow Dwell. As I walked back towards my dwell, I noticed that all of the shadow-ponies were headed in the same direction. Just then, I felt something ripple through my essence, from the front. I stopped. It happened again, only a bit more forceful, now. I waited a few moments and it came again, the wave equivalent to that of the second.

Unsure of what it was, I trotted on. Wait... why was I trotting? I stopped trotting and slowed to a walk. I looked about to see if any shadow-pony was watching me. None of them seemed to be interested. Instead, they were all still slowly moving in one direction. What did this mean? I continued to feel the waves as I was on my way to my dwell... They were getting stronger... But then I realized. Such a thing only had one meaning.

Just then, I felt something behind me. It felt... dark... it was a strong aura... A strong... dark... aura. My fear spirit was ignited again.

I slowly lifted my head and turned it to look over my shoulder... Another shadow-colt stood there, watching me. He had a strange-looking black fire blazing about him, one that I could see. His eyes were large and red, his dark flank seemingly much more tangible than mine. I was not sure what he was going to do  - I wasn't even sure what I was going to do. All I knew was that I was scared and could therefore do nothing.

After a little while, the shadow-pony said, "Your spirit of fear is strong... Is something the matter?"

I turned around, completely, and stared back at the shadow-stallion (stallion because he looks older than just some ordinary shadow-colt. In addition, is vibes are different - whatever it I am getting from him is sincerely sinister and equally powerful.

"Hm?" He said, "Have you something to say?"

"....." I didn't dare say anything.

"No?" He said, "Very well..." He approached me and all I could do was take a step or so back and then cower.

"Relax." He said, "All I have to say is that for your own benefit, join every under-pony else at the next gathering. It begins, soon."

I just looked up at him, unsure of how to respond. He was a bit scary with his large, nothing-but-red eyes and flashy fangs. His skin was a dark blue, so he certainly wasn't a shadow-pony or a - how had he said it - under-pony... He stood over me for a few moments more, but then passed me by. I got to my hooves and gazed after him. He turned his head back and said,"Do not stare, it is impolite." With that, he walked on.

I just stood there. Such a strange encounter. But I considered what he said, that my "fear spirit" was strong and that coming to the gathering would benefit me...But... would it really? I had been to a few, but... What was the point? I didn't really feel like they were getting me anywhere, I mean... Sure I was learning things, but... Did it really get my spirits up or benefit me in any other way? I never thought so.

*  *  *  *  *

I soon found myself standing under what was probably largest most strange-looking dwell I had ever seen. It was so tall, so big, so different to the point where the structure never ceased to get me. I tilted my head back at it and then cocked my head to the side. I recalled that something like existed in the world above -- what was it called again? A manesion? Something like that. Anyways, this dwell looked just like one.... or so I thought. I looked towards the door, ahead of me. I carefully ascended the stairs and entered into the dark dwell. It was probably the darkest dwell in all of Shadow Dwell -- something I had concluded, long ago, at the first gathering I ever attended.

Walking through the dwell, now, I caught sight of other shadow-ponies.All around me, they were. All walking at their own, tedious pace. Beyond them -- I couldn't help noticing how strange the dwell looked as I went on. It seemed like forever had passed since I was last here.

Unintentional, I strayed from the stream of essences and headed off down another corridor. As I did so, I saw things hanging on the walls... There were images of actual ponies on the walls and many of them looked scared. Many of them had wide eyes and gaping mouths, looking like they were about to run, already running, or closed their eyes with something coming from it... I touched the picture I saw where a pony had his eyes closed, as if trying to get a better understanding of what it portrayed. Just what was that stuff coming from his eyes? What was he feeling?

The thought of pain jumped into my head. I had never felt pain before... had I? I figured it was only something of the world above... I stroked the picture with one of my fore-hooves. Oh to be where those ponies are... What would I give to go there?... Then again... what did I have to give? Nothing... My hoof slowly slipped from the image and I began to turn away from it. What was the point in hoping when I had no idea just how long before I would leave this place?

"Diana." I heard a voice say. I perked up, then and slowly looked behind me... It was that shadow-stallion, again... "I knew I would see him here...."

"Well of course you did." The shadow-stallion stepped forth from the shadows of the doorway from which I had entered into. It was strange enough to see him as a pony - no blazing aura, no tempting vibes - but to see him in a dwell which didn't look like one at all, well...That only added to the mystery of the creature. As he approached me, I skidded backwards and eventually fell on my rump. A toothy smile formed on his face, revealing his fangs.

"You flatter me..." He purred, "If only everypony-else would learn to respect like that..." He touched an image with one of his fore-hooves.

"Every...pony?" What did he mean?

The shadow-stallion stopped observing and stroking the picture and turned all attention to me. "Why aren't you with the others?"

"I... I wondered off..." I answered, quietly.

"Well of course you did." The stallion looked about the small corridor... "Hm. Well did you notice these?" He motioned to and nearly touched a torch of flame which adhered to the wall, at an angle.

"Not... not really..." I answered, attempting to stand.

"Oh no?" He said, snapping his head in my direction. I immediately fell back onto my rump, feeling like I had been forced to somehow.

He made a weird sound in his throat... one I had never heard before... "Well now." He said, "I should think that fire is one of the main attractions of all and everyp - um, shadow-pony."

"....."

"Well is it not to you?" He asked.

Well see, the thing about fire is that I often forgot it. I knew what it was from a recent gathering, but I didn't care for it very much. I put my head down and turned it away. I didn't feel like making conversation, anyways.

"Pinkamena." The stallion's voice rose a bit. "I know what you want... You want to be like them, right?" He motions to the images on the walls and I nod.

"So you want to feel pain, is that right? You want to feel the ultimate feeling, the wondrous sensation of all the ponies above when they are at their highest - even when they don't know it! You want to feel that blissful, saving feeling which means that you have finally made it to "higher ground", that you are truly and definitely a pony! You want to feel this, right?"

"Ponies... at their highest? And. they don't even know it? How terrible! If I felt pain then I would be sure to realize how wonderful it is!! I would vow it on my life if I had one... But what is life, anyways? All I know is... it is something ponies experience, so it must be valuable...

"I want to feel pain." I said, rising to all fours, pulled towards the thought of experiencing the apparent treasure that was pain. "I want to know what it feels like to e a pony -- or better -- if that is possible."

The shadow-stallion smiled, "Of course you do. And of course it is." He led me over to a torch on the wall and said, "Touch it."

Staring at actual flame caused the spirit-flames within me to go wild, blazing as one and reaching out for the fire, just as I did. I wasn't sure if I wanted to, but... I reached for the flame, and -

I pulled back after having set my hoof in the flame for a few moments. I looked at my hoof... Nothing... it just looked a bit darker, really... "What... what was that?" I asked the shadow-stallion.

He continued to stare at the fire but said, "What you felt was not pain but justification."

"What do you mean?" I asked, glancing from the fire back to him.

"It was justification, Pinkamena." He answered, "It means that the longer you can stand the feelings given to you by fire then then that is how you know you are closer to the world above... Isn't that what you wanted? Because as soon as you accomplish withstanding the fire for a certain amount of time - which you will know - then you will feel pain. And after that, you will be a pony." He smiled over at me and I was amazed... I knew I would do anything, but... this feeling... what I felt just now... it was so... different, yet... wonderful at the same time... it was very, very strange...

But was this really true? All I had to do all this time was withstand this fire and I could be a pony? All I needed was fire and it was right here, right in front of me...! I reached for the fire, again, but the shadow-stallion stopped me, saying, "No! No. Not again.... not now... You still have a lot of preparing to do before you can try again... Until then, this place is off limits to the uses."

I backed away from the shadow-stallion, head bowed.... I was going to get to that flame when I was ready... and I was sure he would let me know when I was ready, so...

"Yes, Pinkamena, I will let you know when you are ready... Until then, come to the gatherings. Anytime could be your time." He grinned and for once I almost smiled back.... almost...

*  *  *  *  *

The rest of the gathering was, for better or worst, uneventful. I sat in the back of one of the large rooms within the dwell and listened to the INspecter as he spoke of that far away world of Equestria. The World Above...The Land Above.... Equestria Over.... The Equine Nation....all of these titles and more were unnecessary for me to memorize for I knew doing so really benefited me little. The only focus was getting there. I had to get there. More than any shadow-pony else, I had to. The INspecter also spoke about this world.... The World Below.... This Land Below.... Equestria Under... The Shadow Nation... These names I nearly detested and despised, for each any every one of the was just another name for this cursed prison I was in....Which brings me back to how I found out about the names of the few creatures that I have mentioned, earlier on:

King Daemons: Not much is known about them other than that can change forms and make communication, at will. They are very powerful and can do more than most any shadow-pony can even begin to imagine.... They are after souls and devour them to increase their power. After devouring the essence of a shadow-pony then that shadow-pony is lost and can never come back again. It is said that there has only ever been one King Daemon to ever exist in the realm of Equestria Under.

Black Beasts and Shadow Beasts: The globby or smoky dark creatures which prey on un-suspecting shadow-ponies. Once a Black Beast has devoured a shadow-pony that shadow-pony either becomes part of the creature or is lost, forever in the depths of the creature -- forced to wonder alone in a world of blackness.

Black mobs: The shadow-ponies who make up and were already devoured by Black or Shadow beasts.

Soul Stealers: Ghost-like creatures that can appear anywhere, anytime. The cause and theirobjectives are unknown. We are only ever told not to look into their eye-parts.

So knowing all of this, now, I fell that gatherings aren't so pointless after all. Though the information was frightening, I must nevertheless venture out into Equestria Under, once again, for there is one creature that has not been spoken of. That pony. The under-pony. One who would risk himself for one lower than himself, no doubt.

I must see him again.

Chapter 5: Shadow-ponies and Snow

Chapter 5: Shadow-ponies and Snow

A few rays later, I sat in my dwell as the rain poured down, out side. I listened to it, but didn't give it much thought, even though it was coming down harder than usual. The only thing I thought about was the fire.

On returning from the gathering --I had certainly learned a few things, yes, but none of that was on my mind, now. Only the fire.

I could have been distracted by the rain, could have begun to think about the outside of Shadow Dwell , how I had seen that shadow-pony attacked by that black beast , how it attacked me, how I met that pony...that... under-pony... But no. I couldn't think about that, now. Only the fire.

.....

....

And why not think about it? It was only thing that I knew of that would help me easily escape this cursed world. The only thing that would help me become a pony! But then again, I still had to prepare myself... but how?

I pondered this, and pondered it for a long time. I was not exactly sure what I had to do to become ready, but I definitely  wanted to find out. I made up my mind to go out into Shadow Dwell and look for that shadow-stallion. May be I'd run into him, instead of the other way around, this time.

These thoughts stirred something within me, but it was very faint and I didn't give it a lot of attention. Instead, I proceeded over to my dwell's exit/entrance. I was certain I didn't need any more spirits where I was going.

When I got there, I raised a hoof in attempt to step through it -- and froze. I could see through it, fairly clearly, but I almost didn't believe what I saw on the other side... It was the pony. He was walking along, looking from side to side. I wondered what he was searching for. Slowly, I pushed my hoof through to the outside. I carefully brought my body to the outside, as well... Standing on the outside, now, I turned to look at the pony. He only took a few more steps, before stopping and then suddenly turning in my direction. I waited to see what he would do, which was nothing more than take a good look at me, before trotting over. I waited for him, all the while wondering what he as going to say, what he would do... Would he say anything? Would he... do anything? Had he been looking for me?

Just then, I realized something and looked up. The rain had decided to stop, all of a sudden.

"Hello there." The white pony started, simply, as I turned my attention back to him and nodded.

"Do you remember me?" He asked, a hopeful grin on his face.

I nodded again.

"Well that's good, I was looking for you... And by the way, my name's Snow." The pony said.

I paused. He had been looking for me.

"What... do you want?" I asked.

"Oh, well, I just wanted to make sure that you were alright." He said, with a bit of a shrug.

I just looked at him. Alright? Alright? How could I be alright? I was a shadow-pony and what was alright about that? Nothing. In fact, it was all wrong. I didn't want to be what I was, I wanted to be something more than that. I wanted to be like him. I turned from him and began walking in the opposite direction; I had to find that shadow-stallion and ask him how I could prepare myself.

"I... I'm sorry, did I offend you?" The pony asked, from behind.

I stopped. I had so quickly forgotten about him. "No." I said, then continued on walking.

"Oh, well, that's good." He responded. "And if you don't mind my asking... Where are you going?"

I began to stop, but when I thought about the answer, I kept moving. I was glad the rain had stopped as soon as I exited my dwell; it would be easier to find that shadow-stallion, now.

"Er..." I heard the pony say. His voiced sounded unsure, but I refused to pay him any mind.

"Can I come with you?" He asked, trotting up beside me, soon slowing his pace, falling into step beside me. I glanced over at him, observing his features... Of course he didn't need to come with me; he was already a pony.

"No." I said. "Where I am going, you do not need to be."

"Oh? Why do you say that?" He asked.

"Because." I said.

"....Why?" He asked.

"Because you don't."  I responded.

"...But I would like to know why you say that." He persisted.

I stopped and looked at him. "Do you... understand my condition?" I asked.

"Oh, wel -

"Do you understand what I am?" I asked.

"Of course I -

"Do you understand that I really shouldn't be speaking to you?" I asked.

"...!" The pony  took a few steps back, "But I just wanted to -

"Well then." I said, "If you know that I can't speak to you, then please go away." I walked on.

"...Oh... alright then." The pony said, "If you're busy then..." I paused to listen to his hooves as he clip-clopped away. I turned my head in his direction and watched him trot off. How had he ever became that way? So carefree, so confident about motion, so... pony-like?

I wanted so much to be as he was... And with that being known, I couldn't waste anymore time. Head turned forward, I walked on.

*   *   *   *   *

It was a pity -  a shame, really; I couldn't find that shadow-stallion anywhere... I could have gone back to the gathering place but that was off-limits to ponies when there was no gathering.

I had searched and searched. I was positive that I had never walked so much in all of my time and was certain that I would dissolve into nothing if I didn't stop, soon. I was ready to give up.

Just then, I saw that same shadow-colt from before. He was the one who had approached me on my return to Shadow Dwell a little while back. He had been flanked by two others, that time -- mares, were they?

The shadow-colt had just exited his dwell. On exiting, he pressed two fore-hooves to the ground, arching his back, awkwardly. He then braced himself with his rear-hooves and pulled his body back into an upright position. Very strange; why would a shadow-colt be doing something like that - or any shadow-pony, for that matter?

I was dragged away from my slow-step-search for the shadow-stallion and instead turned my attention to this shadow-colt. I followed him through Shadow Dwell and was sure to remain unseen when he went up to another dwell. What under Equestria was he doing?

I watched, intrigued, as he pressed a hoof up against the dwell's exit-entry way, making it shimmer and ripple. I heard him say something but the words were inaudible. To my surprise, one of the shadow-ponies who he had been with exited the dwell and stood before him. I wasn't sure what I had expected, otherwise, but just for shadow-ponies to voluntarily be in the company of one another was just....unheard of! Even if I had seen them together, already, the sight was still something to behold.

"Are we ready to go?" the shadow-mare asked the shadow-colt. "Or do we need -

"No. I think we can do this without her, this time."

The shadow-mare nodded and they both turned and walked up the road. I followed after them.

*   *   *   *   *

Not too much later, the shadow-ponies and I found ourselves on the outskirts of Shadow Dwell, amongst a patch of thorns. Down under, thorns are a sort of representation of "trees", which are found in the world above. They are thick, crooked, things; almost always a darker shade of grey and very tall.

"So, what...activity...are we doing this ray?" The mare asked, nearly tripping over the word "activity".

"Nothing much," The  shadow-colt answered, his tone matching hers, "Just a few things..."

"A...a few?" The shadow-mare asked, glancing about. "A-are you sure?"

"I''ve been sure." The shadow-colt answered, firmly, "And I thought you were, too."

"Yes, but without... without Talia, here, I feels so different... and a bit insecure..." The shadow-mare said, looking somewhere behind her.

"Do not worry." The shadow-stallion answered, offering the shadow-mare his hoof. "We can get through this, together."

The shadow-mare nodded and pressed her hoof onto his.

"Do not push so hard." The shadow-mare said, after a little while, "I can feel that, you know."

"I know." The shadow-colt said, "That is the point." They both switched to their right hooves and pressed.

"Talia had us do a lot more than this, you know." The shadow-colt said.

"The know." The shadow-mare whispered.

"So we have to do more, on our own." The shadow-colt continued, turning his rear-part to the shadow-mare. She  sighed and turned as well. They both pressed their back hooves together, the left ones, first.

"Yes, because this and more is what it's going to take to become ponies," The shadow-colt urged as they both switched hooves.

The shadow-mare seemed to tremble at the word, her voice raising as she replied with an "I know!

"Here we go..." The shadow-stallion replied, his last hoof on the ground, ignoring the shadow-mare's apparent distress.

"Wha-what if we get caught?" The shadow-mare stammered, for the 3rd time.

The shadow-colt paused a moment and turned his eyes to her. "May be Talia should be here, right now." There was a certain edge to his voice that I had never heard before in a shadow-ponies voice. And the look the shadow-mare had on her face was quite unique as well... It was strange. It was as if his voice actually provoked an expression from her.... Was that even possible?

"A-alright..." The shadow-mare stepped up beside the shadow-colts head.

The shadow-colt shook her hoof off. "Why don't you lead, this time?"

"Wha - what?" The shadow-mare stammered, again, apparently caught off guard by the question.

"Go on." The shadow-colt responded, bluntly.

The shadow-mare began to drag a hoof through the earth. She did the same with all of the rest and I wondered why. The shadow-colt watched her, gaze un-wavering.

Suddenly the shadow-mare took off with a speed un-matched by any shadow-pony I ever knew dared to run! (Not that ever saw any). The shadow-colt took off after her with almost the exact same speed. y spirit of amazement blazed to life within me. HOW could they be doing this?? Did they mean to destroy themselves?! I simply had to see what would become of them and that meant following them. I told myself I'd only run for w little while and then stop if they did not.

*    *    *    *    *

"Very good!" I heard the shadow-colt call to the other. My ear twitched. There was another kind of tone to his voice that just didn't make any sense to me... How did he do that?

Even as I ran I managed to reach up and swipe I touched my ear; was it me? Had I heard wrong? No... That couldn't be it. The occurrence of alteration in a shadow-pony's speech was beyond un-likely! Coming from a shadow-pony, such a thing only ranged from rare to never.I looked down at my hooves. There didn't seem to be any change in them, so I decided to continue the chase.

Just ahead of me I could see that the shadow-colt and shadow-mare close together, still running at what was probably max speed.

"I think you're doing very well." The shadow-colt complimented.

The shadow-mare didn't so much as look at him.

"No, really!" He said, "I really think you're doing it! Just a little ways more you'll beat your all-time record!" The tone of his voice was very disturbing to me. No shadow-pony would ever sound that way. He was so...sincere...

Just then a light seemed to come to life directly between the two shadow-ponies.The shadow-mare gasped a gasp that disturbed me just as equally as the shadow-colt's voice had.

I looked back to the two shadow-ponies - I felt something hit my muzzle. I blinked and looked up. It was beginning to rain, again. I turned my attention back to the two shadow-ponies.

The shadow-mare had begun to move away from the shadow-colt, although they were both running in the same direction. A sharp turn and they were both out of view. The intensity of light that had started between them had increased, greatly. I had to know what would happen next and did the only thing I could in order to achieve that. I dared speed up.

Coming around the corner I could see that the shadow-colt and shadow-mare had come to a complete stop and struggled to slow down -- just managing to scrambled behind a thorn before either of them could notice me. Not that they would. Both - or at least the shadow-mare - were giving no attention to anything else but the glowing shadow-colt. Turns out it wasn't a light between the two that I had seen, but a light coming off of the shadow-colt. He had gained another spirit....or so I guessed.

"Barry... are you...alright?" The shadow-mare asked the shadow-colt.

"I...think so." The shadow-colt who was apparently names "Barry" answered.

"I-it's beginning to rain... do you think we should go back to our dwells?" The shadow-mare asked as the glow of the shadow-colt died down.

Ignoring her concern the Barry responded, "And I think I've never felt better!"

"What do you mean?" The shadow-mare asked, seemingly afraid of the shadow-colts brightness.

"I've just received another spirit!" The shadow-colt said, loudly. "I am just that much closer!!" Another burst of light and this time I knew it was coming from Barry. A wave caused by the magnitude of the spark hit me and I could tell that the shadow-colt was....happy.

What a strange thing to be feeling, now. Down here. In this world. Amongst these thorns and away from the safety of Shadow Dwell. A certain spirit began to come to life inside of me, but I ignored it. I guess...I guess it wasn't so strange to be the least bit happy, though. I gazed at the shadow-colt who had his face turned up into the rain.

"Make that, two..." The shadow-mare said, quietly.

"Yes," Barry responded, his tone as soft as hers, "And I am so glad that you were here to see it."

Before the shadow-mare could respond, the shadow-colt wrapped a foreleg-part around her and pulled her in close. I had no clue what under Equestria he was doing, but I knew that it wasn't anything normal. Was he trying to destroy her essence or something?

"Barry!" The shadow-mare sounded as alarmed as I thought she should have, "What are you doing?!"

"Oh...well...it's just...it just came over me..." Barry responded.

"What came over him?" I wondered.

"I forgive you." The shadow-mare said, softly, "But now, we really need to be heading back.

"You are right," Barry said, turning and leading the way back, "But you really have no idea how good this feels."

"What?" The shadow-mare asked.

"To be happy." Barry said.

As the two passed by my hiding place, I was sure to adjust to the changes in their position in order to remain hidden.

I watched as the rain came down on the two, and hardly noticed as his hit and then slid right off of me... And as weird as it was, the rain didn't seem to just slide right off of the two - at least not the shadow-colt. Instead, the rain seem to actually make contact.

*   *   *   *   *

I returned to my dwell, not long from then, a few of my spirits struggling to dominate my essence. I had never felt so many strong feelings at once. What did this mean? There was confusion, that was one. There was fear, that was another... I was afraid for the two shadow-ponies I had seen doing the unthinkable.

But just what did anything I had seen mean, anyhow?

Why... what... why.....

.....

Perhaps it was best I stopped trying figure things out. I wouldn't want my head to ware away, did I? Also, around now, I couldn't help trotting. I really couldn't help it. I had trotted all through Shadow-Dwell to get to my dwell, through the rain and everything, spirits and thoughts swirling. What could be worse? If I didn't dissolve within the next few moments I didn't know what would happen to me...

Turns out, nothing exactly happened to me. Perhaps because my essence wasn't fully decided on anything -- too much was going on within me, I guess. Hm. That is interesting to consider.

Anyways, when once my dwell was in view I decided to slow to a walk. Some shadow-pony was there. But who could it be? Turns out, it was that pony. He was waiting for me. He was waiting for me, outside of my dwell, when I returned.  I wondered why. What did he want with me? Regardless of the fact that I was thinking THESE thoughts, when I saw him, I trotted right up to him, WITHOUT thinking.

He had his backside turned to me, as I approached, but then - as I suspected him to - he heard me, and with a flick of his ear, he turned and said, "You're back." He was smiling.

I trotted up and trotted right into him, both of our muzzle-parts nearly touching.

"Uh-uhb." The pony named Snow said.

He backed up, blinking. My spirits which had just begun to settle, began to be aroused.

"Oh." I said, "I wasn't thinking."

".... That is alright." He said.

...

....

Neither of us said anything for a few seconds and then he said, "I...I should be the pone who is sorry, I... I don't think we got off on the right hoof...um....both times, so-" He extended a hoof towards me -

"Hello there, my name is Snow."

Chapter 6: Raindrone

I... am a fly-shadow-pony. NOT a shadow-pony. NOT a pony. NOT some slow and low unlivin' thing. No. No way. I am better than that. I can be better than that. And I WILL be better than that. I don't care what any shadow-pony thinks. I don't even care what any pony thinks! I am going to make and find my own way - no questions asked!

"I can... urgh... I can... do this... urgh..." I began to flap my wings. And when I did so, it felt like there was a ton of weight weighing them down... "Urrg!"

Uhg! I can't get off the ground, like this... Harder!" I began to flap harder.

"Harder!" I flapped harder and began to lift my self up, off of the ground.

"HARDEEER!!" A few feet off of the ground, now - I suddenly shot up into the air. Flapping, rapidly, to control myself. Finally, I steadied. Looked back down at the ground I realized I had surpassed my height of the previous ray. This ws great! And even better since I had manged to get above "the line". The line was this "area of resisting force" which I had to get through in order to reach the sky. The bad part of this? Well...actually...there is no good side. See, this invisible area of force can only be felt by fly shadow-ponies. Once we begin to even attempt to get off the ground, we end up being kept on the ground by this force of resistance". I suppose it's supposed to discourage us from flying, since word's got around that being too active is bad for you.No matter. I had done it. Again, I had done it. I had left the ground into greater heights! And since I was still here, there's no way such a thing could be bad! t leas not for me!

Sure I was still like every shadow-pony else. Trapped down in this light-forsaken land, simple and nothingful, dim and meaningless... But that wasn't going to stop me! If I am going to be a pony, I will be the first have to be shadow-pony to be a some-shadow-pony instead of a worthless essence of nothingness. I, Raindrone, am going to be what I want to be, down here, so that when I reach the surface, I will exceed even those who dwell above!

Flying through the air, high up, yet far below the dark clouds, I thought these things. I smile spread across my face as I did so... No pony - no shadow-pony was going to stop me! Ever! And no - I came to a halt in the air and looked down, below me... I saw a large, black gurgling mass crawling about. I shuddered with disgust. Those things. I had to stay away from those things. I saw what it could do to shadow-ponies and no way did I want any part of that. I was too busy being what I wanted to be, too busy trying to get free to be devoured by some monster from down here.

And what's the deal with that, anyways? I flew on as I thought. I had overheard a couple shadow-ponies talking about how they might as well give themselves to those monsters - how pathetic! THIS is why I want no part of what I am. Some frail, weak thing - not me! I was going to make the best of it! And what better way to be a rebel than with these babies? I tried my wings by flying in a circle, barrow-rolling and spiraling... "Ha! If I can do all this, I might as well already be a pony!"

"ENOUGH!" A sparking, crackling, dark ball of flame just missed my mane. "YOU INSOLENT! ARROGANT! WORTHLESS - !" I flew down to the ground, but kept a height of at least three feet. No way was I going to pass "the line" and be stuck trying to lift off, again, NO way!

I moved swiftly just over the ground, but it was hard. It was hard to have wings, only to fly so low to the ground - mare, it was frustrating! "I hate this! It's like I am some kind of lame shadow-pony who can't try worth nothing to fly." I thought, with disgust. But I had to stay out of the air, for now -  PSHEW! Another crackling ball of black flame zipped past me.

"Whoa - !" It nearly had me, but I was too fast for it!

"Ha!" I flew backward for a small while, as I watched the balls remains crackle and burn itself out and seem to melt away within into ground.

PSHEW! PSHEW!

"Uhg! Leave me alone!" I zipped and zagged, dodging the black flame balls as best I could while staying just above ground, resisting the temptation to land and run.

"NOT A CHANCE!" A voice boomed after me, "YOU ARE A SHADOW-PONY AND KNOW BETTER THAN TO BE DOING THESE THINGS! RETURN TO SHADOW-DWELL OR I WILL BE FORCED TO DESTROY YOU!"

"Catch me if you can!" I yelled over my shoulder. But I knew I should probably not mess around with this one - I had met him so many rays back and had learned two things. Number one, he was no ordinary shadow-pony, if that. Number two, he was pretty powerful... somehow. And, oh yeah, that last thing about him - other than wanting me to stop making use of my wings, he seemed to want something more from me - to help me and/or save me, or something...whatever that meant.

I could guess that was the reason for chasing and wanting to "destroy me". Tch. Right. That sure wasn't the message he preached to me when he first met. So keen on helping me and all that...then what was all this for?!

*   *   *   *   *

I walked through to the outside of my dwell... Was I sure I really wanted to do this? I mean... ever since really realizing what every shadow-pony was like, here, I was so disgusted. I didn't want to be like the rest of them, I wanted to - I want to - be different.

But then... was this the only way to be different? To use these... my wing-parts? Could there be another way? I had already gone probably all over Shadow Dwell looking for some shadow-pony who might not be like the rest, one who might have found other things to do than just walk around like some kind of dull and worthless drone. Unfortunately, I never found one. And yeah, sure I'm a shadow-pony as well, but do I have to act like it? Hoof, no!

Ever since realizing that nothing could control me, I decided that I was going to be my own self - different from every other being down here! I wasn't going to be like these pathetic shadow-ponies... I watched a shadow-pony slowly walk on by me. It made me sick to see it had wing-parts as well as I.

Had it not attended the last Gathering? Where the shadow-ponies learned about the ponies above, specifically, the ones who could fly? That, I thought, was very interesting - especially because I have wings as well as they -- and that they were obviously the most important ponies up there. I mean -- they could FLY even UP THERE!! Nothing could be better than that, nothing!

"Wow! Ponies have higher ups, too, huh?" I remembered thinking, "That's incredible - and I have wings so I must be bound to be better than every shadow-pony here!"

"And being better means being a pony." I said, responding to my thoughts from that time, "Because all I am really doing is just denying my essence, anyways."

Just then, it is seemed like something exploded within my essence. I shook all over as light seemed to come from within and through me. I could actually feel my eyes. They surged with power - my entire essence was illuminated, I could just feel it! I was full of light and energy or power. Whatever it was, by the time the luminous feeling had gone away and I had stopped shaking and my eyes... my eyes... I blinked. They felt so... there. As if... I had never really been there, until now...

"Hm... Strange." I muttered. I lifted both front hooves and then tried the back. I looked over my shoulder to my tail and flicked it. I flapped my wings and then stretched both back legs.

Why did all of this movement feel so... normal, all of sudden? It had never felt normal, before. I mean sure I walk around -- maybe even run, sometimes -- but I didn't always feel comfortable doing that. All I ever wanted to do was shake of that no-movement feeling and be different -- and now it seemed I had my chance!

I trotted away from my dwell, head held up, knowing that no shadow-pony would dare to do what I was doing. Eyes closed, I peeked around at a few shadow-ponies. A few lifted their heads when they saw me and either stared after me or blinked, and turned away... Ha! I would show them! I would show them all!

I wasn't going to just be all dull and inactive or whatever - not like all of them were. I felt some kind of.. what was it called, spirit? Ignite inside of my essence. My essence which I now chose to call my body. And why not? The ponies above did it, why not me? Besides... I felt... different, now... not... not like any of the shadow-ponies around me. The spirit which had ignited within me seemed to grow and I just trotted on.

"How about a run, now, eh Raindrone?" I asked myself. I picked up speed and began to run. As I did so, another spirit was ignited within me, steadily began to grow.

"Whooo!!" I yelled, as I ran about, aimlessly. Many heads turned to look at me. Others were tempted to follow me -- I just knew they were.

"Come on!" I yelled to the few that I passed directly by, "It's... it's... incredible! It's... awesome!!" My hollow inside was filled with the eruption of two new spirits. I was so happy, so carefree! "Must b what my spirits were acknowledging", I thought to myself.

"YIPEER" I crowed. "Such happiness - this is fun!!" I lept into the air and, using my wings, did a airy back flip, landing gently. I blinked. I had just acknowledged by two newest spirits. How I knew em'? Who cares? But what had I had just done, besides that... I tried my wings, again, flapping them.

"Perhaps there is more fun involved, here than I thought!" I lifted myself off of the ground, but only a little, and flapped, going straight, going in circles... I was trying to get the feel of using my wings-parts -- I mean wings. (Might as well call 'em, that, too). It seemed that whatever had happened to me back at my dwell didn't seem to completely erase the feeling that I shouldn't move about a lot. I still experienced discomfort in using at least my wings.

"Uhg, come on, of all parts," I grounded. But the again...this has been a bit more of a challenge before whatever happened back there happened, so...

"Who's to say I can't over come this one?!" I bellowed, glowing with a spirit of determination. Before I could continue on with this little show of victory, I was interrupted.

"I do." A voice said.

"Hm?" I settled myself down and looked about. Even though I was settled, I could still feel a good few spirits raging around, inside of me... But now another one was rising, one I had already acquired, long before. Caution.

"Who's there?" I asked. The area around me was desolate of any other shadow-pony. I was alone, as far as I could see... I turned and turned and looked and turned, again. After turning in a complete circle, I went to turn, again, saying, "Come on, show yourself, already - umph!" My muzzle met a surface.

"Well, now. You're a very lively one." That voice said.

"Uh..." I backed up and away from whatever it was I had touched.

"Raindrone." The voice said.

I shook my head, "Wha...?" I blinked. "Who are you?" I saw, before me, a tall, black... shadow-pony? No... he was a... a stallion. Either way, he was tall, black, had large red eyes and I was getting a certain vibe from him...It wasn't a good one.

He chuckled, "You can call me... well... whatever you wish. The only thing you really need to know is that  am here to help you."

"Help... me?" I asked.

"Why, yes." He said, stepping closer to me. "You see, you've just gone through a very, very exceptional change within the last few minutes..."

"Er... minutes?... Change?" I responded, taking a small step or so backwards.

"That's right." The shadow-stallion said. A change that it very, very dangerous to you. A black aura seemed to rise up around him.

"Uhh...."

"Oh, don't worry, Raindrone. It's nothing I can't fix. The aura around him surged upwards and seemed to get stronger.

"Uh, worry?" I said, "I'm not worried about anything."

"Oh? Oh no?" The shadow-stallion asked, his face changing.

"No way!" I said, "And this change you're talking about -- you saw it, right? I mean, you saw it when I began getting all these weird feelings within me? When it seemed like I was glowing or something?"

"Yes." The shadow-stallion answered, his voice suddenly becoming one of a hiss.

"Alriiiiight..." I said, "So what did it mean?"

"Well it means that you've gotten worse." He answered,(perking up in the least bit).

"What? Worse? What do you mean?" I asked, my mind seemingly glowing with the spirit of confusion.

The shadow-stallion took a step back, "Ergh...It's just...you need to stop what you are doing."

"What?" Why?" I asked, attempting to walk up to the shadow-stallion.

He backed up, a little, his aura, like a fire. "DON'T ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS! He yelled. "JUST - listen... Listen to me... You have to stop doing what you are doing, it's... bad for you..."

"What? What do you mean?" I asked.

"All that you're doing... you are destroying yourself." He answered.

"So what?" I asked.

The shadow-stallion seemed taken aback. "Wait, no - you - uhg - look! Listen! You are destroying yourself, meaning soon there will be nothing left of you!! But I can help you --um.. I mean I will help you."

"I don't need any help." I responded. I eyed the black fire around him and noticed how it "raged" when he did.

"You do," He said, taking a step closer, "You do need help. And what about the feelings, hm? What about that?"

"What feelings?" I said, clueless.

"Didn't you ever feel bad doing what you were doing, during that time, not long ago?"

"Well, kinda, not really." I said, "I felt different... I felt like I could move a lot more than I had before that whatever it was took place... I felt... better...But the explosions... those just felt strange."

"Explosions." He said, "You felt explosions?"

"Yeah, inside of me." I said, "They felt weird, like... things just exploding inside of me... I didn't really know what was up with that..."

"Those are bad." The shadow-stallion said, "It is a sign that your essence is giving out. You need to stop being so active, before it's too late!"

"I don't get it." I said, "How can my essence be giving out when I feel like I can do anything, about now?"

The shadow-stallion sighed and said, "That's just how you think you feel. You think you can do anything because you think that your "defying your essence" makes everything better for you... and your wrong...But I can help you. I can save you. You just need to - he moved closer to me, but I jumped back.

"No way! I don't need help! I don't need saving! I don't need you - or any shadow-pony else! All I need are these, (I lifted my wings), and determination!" I felt another explosion take place inside of me and my eyes were full of power, again, only not for as long, this time.

The shadow-stallion stumbled back, and growled, his eyes turning darker and the fire-aura thingy around him surged, upwards.

I turned from him and ran off, soon lifted myself into the air, and flew away.

Chapter 7: True Fire

"So...what are you saying, then?" I asked Snow.

After making an 'eh-heh' sound, Snow answered saying, "What I mean is that I just took a special interest in you..." his face reddened, some.

"...What was that?" I asked.

"What was what?" Snow asked.

"That...sound you made... What was that?"

"Oh. Ooooh! Thaaat!" Snow said, rolling his eyes and head slightly around, "It was just a chuckle."

"What is... a chuckle?" I asked.

"Well I guess you could say it is just a laugh..." Snow answered. I watched as he walked over to the hearth and began to fiddle with it.

There are only a few accessories to  dwell. One, a hearth. Something I've never made any use of since I never knew or cared how. Two, a  window. A simple thing, really. Every shadow-pony knows its only there so he or she is constantly made to veiw the miserable place we dwell in. Three, a exit and entrance, in one. This feature is self-explanatory. And lastly, a mirror. I've never made any use of this device, for, again, I know and care not how to use it. But it was now that Snow, this under-pony of whom I have only known a few rays, was fiddling with.

"A laugh?" I asked, tilting my head so to see what he was doing.

Snow turned his head to look at me. "You're curious. That is good. And a laugh, well... You'll learn about that, in time."

"....." I didn't say anything to him.

"Here - I am going to put a fire in your hearth for you." Snow trotted over to the exit/entrance of my dwell.

"Fire... you said... fire, didn't you?" I asked, turning to him.

"Yes. Why?" Snow asked.

Now's my chance. I thought. "Please, let me come with you."

"Yeah, sure." Snow said, smiling. I begun to walk towards him, but paused when his...smile... discomforted my essence. To even think to act on such an expression is bizarre! But for an under-pony -- which, he did specify at one point that he was-- I suppose it is not so  strange... But why direct his smile at me? Was I truly worth smiling at? How pitiful I must always look to him. He had already smiled in my direction, several times, since the time we had met at my dwell, a few rays back. Why did he care to be around me, so? What was so intriguing about me, anyhow? Nothing. Nothing at all. And I knew it.

Which only leaves me to wonder....

*   *   *   *   *

Snow and I walked deeper into Shadow Dwell. Somehow it  reminded me of when I went and I left Shadow Dwell, for the first time.

I felt eyes watching me. I glanced ahead, at Snow... and then again. He wore the eyes that were watching me.

He smiled back in my direction, "Something wrong?" He asked.

"More than me and my situation? What could possibly be? I wondered. I wasn't sure what to say to him, though, so I said nothing.

"Yes? No? May-be-so?" Snow asked.

"It's just..." I began, but then trailed off.

"What?" Snow asked, "Did I do something to offend you, again?"

"No." I said. "I am un-offended. This time, as well as the last..."

"So what is the matter?" Snow asked.

"It's just... You. You...You say that you're interested in me... why?"

Snow looked forward, "Because you are different." He said, "You are brave."

A spirit ignited inside of my essence. I stopped to look at him. "What?"

He paused, mid-step and looked over his shoulder at me. "It's not ever ray you see a shadow-pony so courageously leave Shadow Dwell, un-escorted, alone, and willingly, now, is it?"

"Well...no...of course not, but... I am not brave... I was... I was never brave, I..." I trailed off, again.

"Curious?" Snow asked, smiling a certain way.

"I...suppose so..." I said, blinking at my own recognition. Just then, something exploded within me essence, taking me by surprise. I felt something pass through my eyes, but only momentarily. I looked down at myself, enabling me to just catch the faintest glow about my essence before it died away.

"Oh, so you never acknowledged that spirit then, hm?" Snow said. He moved along, somewhere ahead of me.

"Acknowledge?" I said.

"Yes." Snow said, quietly, "When a shadow-pony, such as yourself does something and receives a new spirit, he or she acknowledges it... I assumed you knew - I assumed everypo - er - every shadow-pony knew that...

"Perhaps I did know." I said, quietly.

Snow just smiled in my direction, again, and then began to trot. I caught up to him and fell into step beside him... tried. I suppose he saw my struggle and slowed to a walk. "Sorry about that." He said.

I just nodded at him and we walked, quietly, on.

"So..." He said, after a while, "You know where we're going, right?"

"No." I said. z

"Oh, well, I kind of assumed... um...never mind..." Snow's voice trailed off.

I glanced over at him a couple times. "Why?" I wondered. "Why do I feel so...comfortable around him, as... as if... as if I am so used to being around...ponies... I... I've never even seen one before him, so... why...?" I glanced over at him again. His white hair covered his right eye, so I couldn't see it. I supposed his other was exposed other wise he shouldn't have been able to see, unless... I began to lean forward, in an attempt to see all of his face.

I leaned some more... and some more... an then right when I was sure I was going to get the slightest glance, I fell over. I fell forward onto my...my... chin-part, was it? Yes, I believe that's what it was. My chin-part. I had fallen forward and somehow my forelegs had ended up horizontal to my torso and my bottom was sticking up behind me. I blinked, almost confused.

"Pffff....pffff....pffft!" I turned my head and moved my eyes to see Snow. He had a hoof to his mouth, but I could see his smile....And why was he making those sounds? It was a struggle to get up, and I slid myself across the ground for a few seconds before managing to bring my right hoof back to the front. I then managed the other, and eventually stood. Behind me I heard a sound and then turned around.

I saw Snow lying on his back, kicking his back hooves - and making a lot of noise off of the while. I turned and walked over to him, looking down at him.

"Hahahahahaha!!" Snow wouldn't stop making that noise.... I looked around, but saw no shadow-pony around... Good. Things could get pretty awkward if any shadow-pony were around to see such a ridiculous sight.

"Snow, please stop." I said.

"I - I'm sorry, it's just... you looked so funny!" Snow said, continuing his noises.

"...So... I am funny, now?" I asked.

Snow's expression changed, immediately. "No."He said. "No, no, it's... it's just me. Forget I said that... I am sorry."

"You're always sorry." I responded, walking on, "Isn't that a bad thing?"

"Well, no." Snow said, trotting up besides me. "I am an under-pony, after all."

"Oh yes, well doesn't that matter, still? I mean... you aren't supposed to be sad or anything, right? That is to say, if any one should be sorry, it's me. I can't help being what I am so..."

"It isn't like that, Pinkamena." Snow said. And when he did so, something seemed to move within my essence... It was just so weird, so strange...How could he speak my name so easily? And...why didn't I care? I didn't even remember telling him my name...

I turned my head to say something to him, but he continued, "I am an under-pony. That has already been established, with and within me, so I am certain that I - as well as any other - can never go back. Ever. And why would we want to?" I turned my head away, uncomfortable with the way he said "we" - meaning not me.

"I can be sad if I want to - if I choose to. I do not chose to be sad, for what have I to be sad about? I am just one step closer to being where every - " He stopped for a few moments and then said, "Where every one of us wants to be, some ray."

"...I understand." I said, and hung my head. "I guess... I guess it really is true, how low we are....how low every *shadow-pony is... Are we really the only kind of "pony"- so to speak - who actually, truly suffers this way?"* I felt so deprived, now. The dominant spirit within me, now, consumed a large part of the hollow space within me and made me feel sickish.

"But don't worry, Pinkamena." Snow said, close to my ear, causing it to flick. "I am sure I know what you're thinking, right now... And about what you said earlier - you can change. I know so... It happens, it happened, and it will happen."

"Of course." I said, turning my head away. But even when I knew the secret about fire I was somehow, now, feeling a bit discouraged about it.

*   *   *   *   *

I remembered watching, consumed by the spirit of wonder, as Snow gathered the wood that now burned within my hearth... I remembered the conversation we had had about the fire and what Snow had said. I also remembered the advice he had given me, and the answer to the question I had asked him...

*   *   *   *   *

I had never noticed it before, but there were these things that stood taller than the dwells, within Shadow Dwell -Snow said that they were roots.

"What are roots? I asked.

He told me that they were supposed to represent trees, like those in the world above, but that they were just the opposite.

I asked him what he meant and he answered saying, "In the world above, there are plants and trees. The closest thing we know as plants is probably the grass.... But as far as trees, we have these." He motioned to the root. "Now the reality is that - in the world above - these roots are beneath trees, but are attached to them... As far as I hear, these roots help the tree to...live..."

My eyes widened a bit at his words, though he couldn't see it. His back was turned to me as he observed and tampered with the "root", as he called it. I had always known these things to be "thorns", for that is really want they looked like in my eyes, but I was certain Snow knew better, so I willingly acquired the term.

"Of course, I doubt these roots have any capability of giving life whatsoever. They are black, dark, ugly things which I would never give acclaim to..." Snow went back to what he was doing, and I watched, in silence.

Silence....Silence....Silence....! Why did I have to be silent? And why... why now... with him... did I want so badly to speak?!

Regardless of my wished, I said nothing as I continued to watch Snow, my spirit of wonder beginning to ignite within me. I felt a small burst, soon after and realized it was another spirit I hadn't acknowledged.

As I watched, Snow's horn glowed and at that moment, a glowing line was traced out over a portion of the root.The glowing perimeter brightening as the small portion of the root was removed from the whole. He set the piece down next to himself. He continued like this - every separate portion of the root a different shape an size - until a pile was formed at his right hoof. Taking a closer look, I saw that the root-pieces were giving off their own glow...

Snow turned in my direction. His eyes were at full-glow, but they died down, as well as his horn's glow.

He smiled, a little, and walked over to me.

Wrapping a foreleg around my neck, he quietly said, "I am so glad I can help you."

What was this madness?! He was much too close to me! And to touch me -- didn't he care?! I found myself pushing him away.

"Snow." I said, my tone firm.

"Yes, yes, I know - I'm sorry. I'll stop..." With his horn, brought the pieces of root over to himself.

"That's not... what I meant." I said.

"It's not?" He asked.

"No." I responded. "I..." I paused a moment. "You..."

"What is it, Pinkamena?" Snow asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I just...wanted to make sure you know what you're doing." I said, "With that - with those root pieces."

Glancing at them, Snow said, "I am going to make fire."

"Yes." I said, "And then I will become a pony."

....

....

I am not sure what happened between the small space of time after I made that statement or when when Snow began to speak, but I could feel it... Looking back, I suppose I must've said something...strange to him.

Snow's eyebrows came together. His face continued to change a little bit every now and then and I wondered what he was doing.

Finally, though, he seemed to decided on what face to wear. I didn't like the pick. His face seemed to be...well... not its usual. But on the other hoof - his eyes. His eyes bothered me. The way he looked at me -- what he meant -- all of that seemed to be caught up in his eyes, somehow.

"Pinkamena. Who told you that?" Snow asked, the sound of his voice, varying greatly to what it had been a few moments a go.

"I was told by -" I stopped short, realizing just how unsure I was of who it had told me. I decided that maybe I could just describe the character to him, so I did.

After a few moments of silence, which seemed to mean something, Snow asked, "And you believed him?"

"I did." I said, "And I do."

"...Pinkamena, I... I don't want to discourage you, but... I must let you know this - and you believe it." Snow's eyes seemed to challenge me in some kind of way that I did not yet understand.

"Pinkamena," he said, "You were lied to."

....

....

A small explosion took place within the boarders of my frail essence, although the discovery that the spirit defined was one of surprise and knowing myself, that was no small thing. I wasn't only surprised, I was shocked! My mind I acknowledged it.

I had believed that shadow-stallion. I had believed him with nearly all I was worth, I am sure... But... But ever since meeting Snow, that belief had somehow managed to be shaken - even when I never told Snow about it, until now.

Although now Snow had gone a bit too far, I thought. He was telling me that the shadow-stallion HAD lied, that he was wrong. He was telling me not to believe in my last hope of getting to where I wanted to be. He was telling me to give up... forever.

I stared at Snow. I stared hard, my eyes not blinking because they didn't have to. I stared until I couldn't anymore because I began to see an aura like the one about the shadow-stallion form about Snow. Instead my eyes simply widened, in wonder.

There was a dark and heavy spirit that was close to consuming me and I realized that I was giving off a bit of an aura myself...But just then, just now...seeing Snow that way... My aura subsided. I felt this emptiness in my eye-sockets leave. All of my attention was on Snow.

"Pinkamena," he said,  I never intended to anger you. I want to help see that what you were told was wrong. I know it might come as a shock to you and I am sorry, but.... I cannot stand by and let the shadow-pony I care about throw herself away like that. Give herself for something she was lied to about."

"What... do you mean?" I asked, my voice low. Another spirit seemed to be growing within me, but it was far from being defined or acknowledged.

Snow seemed back to normal, now, and used his magic to make sure the pile of roots near him were where he wanted to, before approaching me. I backed up a bit, but he didn't slow his approach. He put a forearm around me, again, and pulled me close, held me tight.

"Too tight! Snow... you're going to break me!!" I screamed this in my thoughts because somehow, right now, I couldn't speak. "Snow - Snow, please!! I... I am going to break, I am going to disappear! Oh some *shadow-pony, any thing, anypone - help me!!"* "Oh why, why can't I speak!?"

"Pinkemena, listen to me." Snow said, "I understand how you feel, right now. I know what you're thinking, and... I am sorry. You must believe me when I say that the fire you learned about will not help you." He held me closer. Surely, now I was going to break?

"And that is the the other thing." Snow said, "You are not going to break. You can't break. There is no such thing and whoever told you, whatever they told you about that, it was also a lie."

"A lie? Another lie? How - why?! This was a lie also? But then...How does Snow know that? How is he so sure...?"

"Pinkamena. You have been lied to, a lot, I assume. The stallion who told you these things - whoever did - they do not care bout your escaping this place. They want you to stay. They do not want you to leave this world under and only because they feast off of your fear your terror... your hate... They keep you for their own gain, yet... yet is there an escape... But fire isn't the way. It can't be. And it can't because because it is not the true fire.

Snow let me go, now, and just looked at me. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I didn't posses the spirit of confusion. I was... somehow... neutral. I felt nothing, really, for what was there to feel?  I could only stare back at him.

"Snow," I said, "The fire... why can't it help me? What can help me escape, otherwise? And... how do you know all of this?"

After a brief pause and sigh, Snow said, "How I know will be told, in time. But what I do know will be told, now."

"The fire you look for is bad because it is like a binder. If a shadow-pony touches it, they are forever bound to this place." His voice was solemn and eyes unwavering.

"But... that doesn't... I... I touched it." I said, finally finding my voice, "Does that mean that I --

"Yes, you did touch it, but NO that does not mean you are forever bound, down here. What you don't understand is that before time you had already been in the practice of observation. You observed this place you are in and responded to it. With this being said and done, you have set yourself away from the other shadow-ponies of this place. Notice how you talk, how you walk, how you do things. And compare it to them. You are different, in spirits and all - the stallion you spoke to must not have noticed this, for when he let you touch the fire you were left unaffected."

"So what are you saying, then?" I asked. "What about myself - why did he invite me back?"

"Because you were loosing hope, Pinkamena." Snow said, "Whatever you had been thinking before time kept you going, but then somehow you decided to decided to give up. You thought that there was nothing this place had to offer you -- and you might have given yourself to the evils thereof -- only that was the key. You couldn't see yourself being devoured by such evils so your spirit of hope was still somewhere within you...still is... And I suppose this is what he thought, that stallion. That you HAD given up. Completely."

I thought about this. I thought about what Snow was saying. Was he truly right? I began to think of my earlier rays. I had started thinking about giving up, often, hadn't I...

"But then why was this...stallion, as you say...why if my hope was waning did he want to give me more hope, even when it was false?" I asked.

"Did he not tell you that he would tell you when you were ready? And that it would be soon?" Snow questioned me back.

I nodded.

"It seems he saw that he could not get you with the fire, just yet. But it would have been soon that you would have lost all hope - he would have waited for this time and could have because you could only get access to fire when he wanted you to. He lied to you about the fire in hopes that you were like some other shadow-ponies, that you have just given up. It was a trick." Snow said.

"I see." I said. And I did see. It all made sense to me, now. The sha - the stallion had been lying to me.

"So now what am I to do?" I asked, aloud, almost not speaking to Snow, directly. "What can I do?"

"Just be patient." Snow said, "Be patient with this unworthy world around you and remember. Remember the True Fire, the fire that is within you. The fire that can save you. Your spirits. Remember your spirits and that when the time is right and when you have earned the correct spirits and become wholesome, then that is when you will earn your escape from this divine-forsaken world. But most of all, remember that this world - it and all of its unworthy inhabitants - are in no hurry to get you where you want to be. But also, know that not every detail of this world is bad and that may be you could actually come to dwell in it peacefully... This is the path you must take in order to get to where it is you truly want to be."

I wanted to say something, but what? What could I say? Was this all as true and as real as it seemed? What could possibly drive me to want to EVER dwell in this place? And peacefully at that?! Was there really any good down here? Was there really something down her that I could reach out to and take hold of, knowing that some ray, some time, it would guide me along the path that I always longed for? So many things seemed to clash -- it all seemed so simple, yet so complex at the same time!

"And I wonder... to do all this... did he do all of this?" I looked at Snow. "And alone? Was he alone? Who comforted him? What kept him going? How...?"

I suppose he knew of my thoughts, for once again he embraced me. "I will be with you." He said, "Because I want to and because I care about you."

This was the other thing bothering me.

"Why? I said, my voice soft and low, "Why? Why do you care about me of all things? Why do you even claim such a thing? What am and what ever was I to you, up until this point that you can say these things?"

"Because you are special, Pinkamena, and have always been so." Snow murmured in my ear. "Because I want to care about you. Because I can and truly want to."

Chapter 8: Earning Trust

The fire crackled, sizzled and popped as I added to its pyre the last of the root-pieces. I had already been doing a lot of thinking since my departure with Snow, regardless the same thoughts seemed to continue on in an endless track, within my mind. As soon as Snow and I had returned to my dwell he informed me that he sensed that I might be discomforted if he were to "stick around". He bid me good-bye and informed me that he would be back once "the cost was clear". I didn't really understand what he meant and I didn't really care. I had some thinking to do and I had rathered it be without him present. Then again...I guess that's what he meant... he knew, somehow, that I wouldn't have wanted him around while thinking on what he had told me.

But that was the thing about Snow. He always seemed to just know things. He knew my name even when I didn't remember telling him what it was. He seemed to know where I was located in Shadow Dwell, after the time we first met...Though I hadn't told him that, either. He even knew that I had been purposely lied to... How he had come to know all of these things, I might never know. Unless...I ask him, of course. But would he find it offensive? Maybe his under-pony self would regain consciousness from somewhere within his form and he'd finally realize he is not meant to be with me? -- or any shadow-pony for that matter.

I wonder, also, how he came to forsake his self, in that manner. One ray he just up and decided, "Oh. I think I'll go find and talk to a shadow-pony."

Is that how it went?

That scenario doesn't seem likely so I guess it must've been something else... But what?

And how? How did he come to be the way he is, now. I mean, surely he was once a shadow-pony as I am, so what uplifted him to be the creature he is, in the present? Did he use the spirit-method, by some chance? He seems to be encouraging myself to do so, so...was that it? But how could a thing like that possibly work? I mean...watching those other two shadow-ponies --that shadow-colt HAD, indeed, gained a valuable spirit.... And what was it had he said? Together? That the two of them would work together? And that there had been another one, with them? This one named..Talia, was it? She had made them do the unthinkale and beyond -- but where was she now? Had she, perhaps, already ascended?

It then hit me. Perhaps...perhaps Snow. Maybe he had someone just like that who helped him do the unthinkable just to get where he now was. And maybe by their influence he meant to do the same to me. It is why he said he cared and wanted to care about me...It must by why he said he'd always be there fore me....

A small sensation of sorts awoke me from my thoughts. My hoof had somehow wondered into the hearth's fire.

"Trust Snow." I thought to myself. "Believe in him and hold him to his words...." My hoof slide away from the fire.

"Or", I thought, again, "Try it and see for yourself. He spoke against fire yet has aided in bringing it to life, within your very own dwell. And why has he done that? To mock you, perhaps? You are just a lowly shadow-pony, after all. You know he doesn't and never had to care about you in the first place." My hoof moved towards the fire, the tip of it resting at the needle-thin edge of the flame. "All you have are his claims -- and just after shattering your biggest stepping stone towards the world above. Let this opportunity pass and you might not get another, ever again."

"You are right." I spoke back to the voice in my head, "All that you say is, indeed, possible. I know what I am. I know what he is. And I know that after a while he will, again, return to me. But even so...with all that I am...why did he risk himself for me, out of nowhere? I was nothing to anything and yet this creature comes along and saves my essence! While I should be distressed as well as grateful for this, I never asked him why he did it... Why he chose me, of all creatures... Perhaps... if I had been another...would he have done the same thing? And then go on to aid them in their ascent?" A burst of surprise overwhelmed me, as well as a touch of concern.

If I had been another -- or if another had been at that place, at that time, doing exactly as I had been...would it still have been me he would claim to care about? Would it still be me he would make it a priority to walk by and comfort?

"But then," I spoke, again, "What would I be without him, now? A mindless black mob whose only existence is depended upon that of a deamon??" My essence trembled at the thought and a new spirit was ignited within me.

"Gratitude." I thought, "I am thankful to Snow for what he has done, for me. And...and even if it could have easily been another, it was me he chose to help. Knowing this, I think it best to trust him and him, alone, until I can be sure of things, on my own."

The first thing that grabbed my attention after deciding this, though, was a feeling on my left hoof. I extended it , outwards, to see it, clearly. It was darker than the rest of me, that was for sure...but there was something strange about being able to feel it more than the rest of my frail essence. I wasn't even close to being accustomed to Snow's touches - if not any shadow-pony else's - but this feeling was just there. Plain and simply there. As if it were some other part of my essence I had yet to learn of. It was a lot less frail and looked a lot more tangible... It was strange. The bad kind of strange, I perceived.

Just one spark and the spirit of fear was ignited somewhere inside of my hollow self. The glow of the fire seemed to beckon me closer, but I scooted back, in the opposite direction.  I now feared the fire. There indeed was something wrong with it -- and with my touching it.

"I trust you Snow," I said, quietly. "I understand what it was you were trying to tell me. I understand and I believe you... I trust you. You may no longer have the flaws of a shadow-pony, as I do, being a shadow-pony, but I trust that, in time, I will begin to understand those traits that you do have, as yourself. I will begin to understand the what, the who and the how. I will begin to understand you. Just as you said I would. "In time", you said, "patience", you said..."

"Yes, Snow. I will wait to understand you. I will elieve you. I will trust you. I...I do trust you..." My head rose with the revelation of the truth in my words. "I do trust you."

For probably about the final time, that ray, a burst of energy ignited within me. My essense rippled in sync with the waves of power created by the birth of my newest spirit that was trust.

I did trust Snow. And as far as I was cornered, that would never change.

Chapter 9: Apple Black

The boss trudged along the ground, black steam rolling off of his back. He did it to preserve himself, so that merged essences did not dissolve, against his will. I looked out at the temporarily vacant wasteland of Equestria Under, through the black steam that surrounded me. There were no sounds....of course...not that I could've heard them, had their been any. Reason? The wails and groans of my fellow mos pressed themselves into every nooks and cranny of my surroundings. For a long time, now, those sounds had been extremely annoying...But about now I had finally learned the only escape from the horrendous noises...thought. Thinking. It saved me from lot more than just the noises, though. It saved me from everything. During my capture I figured it was the end for me. But I was wrong. It was really just the beginning. Of course.... I suppose that is where I should start from; the beginning.

It all started many rays back when I had exited my dwell for the last time. I only ever exit my dwell for one reason. And that reason had come around, once again. The vibrations from the inner-parts of Shadow Dwell summoned a multitude of shadow-ponies to the gathering. The waves hit me with lesser and lesser a force, as I headed in the direction of the dwell which towered above all others, at the center of Shadow Dwell.

As I made my way to my destination I couldn't help but notice a few darker essences in the midst. In other words, the INspectors. I recognized them by way of their attire; dark robe and a hood. It was beyond me how they could even attempt to burden themselves with so much, all of the time!Didn't they fear for their essence? I understand that I don't exactly believe all that they say bout the frailness of us shadow-ponies, but I do have some concern... It is why I t least choose to wear nothing, as all others do... The other good point about that is that I am less likely to attract unwanted attention. It is apparent that if any other shadow-ponies see you act different from them, they begin to hate you. I've been here only so long, but I've seen it happen a few times.

But in regards to the INspector I saw before me, now... His dark attire suited his dark aura as well as his darker, more menacing eyes. I saw him approaching  few weary shadow-ponies who were moving too slowly towards the Dwell of Gatherings. He spoke in low, raspy tones and I couldn't help that perceive how his would-be nicer words were just butchered by his menacing presence. After he dealt with those two, I noticed him turn in my direction. Oops! I realized I wasn't moving towards the Dwell, anymore. Quickly dropping my head back down, I made an effort to emphasize my moving along...even without exactly speeding up. The INspector followed me the whole way there.

*    *    *    *

Strange as it was, this was one of the rare rays when the INspector overseeing the gathering decided to focus his lectures on the lives of the pony's. You know, the creatures that dwell above. I took not much of an interest. To be honest? I didn't care if I left Equestria Under of not...just as long as I got to do whatever I wanted, either way.

After the gathering, all departed back to their own business... I hadn't anything special to do, so I  decided to leave Shadow Dwell. Only time could tell whether or not I was making a mistake.

*    *    *    *

I walked along the misty fields that bordered Shadow Dwell and whatever other feature sat on the land. I waked alone -- I walked along, without any purpose...I had no idea where I was going, wanted to go or was going to end up. I did not care, though. At least I was away from the rest of those shadow-ponies and Shadow Dwell, itself. Something about departing from the place seemed almost uplifting to me.

But the little victory or accomplishment - whichever you wish to call it - immediately down-spiraled from there. A large, dark mass burst forth from the shroud of mists and was soon towering over me. My eye-parts became increasingly wide and my spirit of fear awoke, somewhere within me.

"A b-black..beast..." I stuttered, gazing up at the menacing, gurgling mass. The large, shuddering creature of darkness seemed to take its time to actually give any attention to me. It slowly turned its body downward, revealing to me its enormous rage-red eyes. It then slowly opened its mouth part...and spoke.

Shadow-creature... The thing said to me, its cavernous mouth-part, un-moving. Joinnnn meeee...

Join ussss Join ussss Smaller voices hissed at me, from somewhere in the mass of darkness that was the beast.

Yesss The creature said, swaying in agreement, Joiiinnn ussss

"Uhh..." I just stared up at the thing. I was sure this is not how shadow-pony black-beast meetings actually went. Surely these previously-assumed brain-dead creatures of blackness would make no communication whatsoever, with anything! From what I remembered learning bout these things led me to believe that they had not a shred of "being" about them. They were just soul-hungry creatures out searching to devour. Only existing in order to devour.

What do you saaayyy? The creature asked in his cold, eerie, drawing voice. Even if I ever planned to give a response, there wasn't any time. Immediately the creature lept forward, engulfing me within himself. For longer than I care to remember I felt myself fall. Falling in a blackness darker than I had ever known. Discomforts like I had never known there were constantly upon me, as well, straining and stressing my essence. I felt as though any moment I would be crushed into a lesser nothingness than I already was, collapsed into  shadow of myself - if such a form even existed. All the while my fear-spirit raged within my essence - and so much to the point where it, too, took control my apparently now officially useless essence. I was a fire of a being... the only spark in a world of screams, discomfort and blackness....

I was drowning, now...drowning...there was no escape...

*    *    *    *

So that is how it went. Not very exciting, yes, but then whatever can be called such, down here? Anyways, after my descent I seemed to have "woken up" in a knew form. I was a black mob, then, surely never to return to my true form. It was true. I had become from greatest fear and taken on the the lowest of forms. I was a shadow. I am shadow. A blackness that's lower than the things that shadow are made of. I have surpassed even the lowest of my kind... And this is no saving. I can assure myself that I would have much rather perished then become a slave to this hunger-driven behemoth of blackness, but I suppose I am not as fortunate as some others must have been, when the came across  one of the beast that roam the field beyond Shadow Dwell... If only I knew what I was getting myself into...

At least I still have thought. It keeps me from sinking any deeper.

Chapter 10: A Ray of Learning

There was something strange about the sky, this ray. There were a lot more rays than usual.

I sat, staring out the window of my dwell as I had become accustomed to doing. My gaze was directed at the sky and my mind wondered at the reasons for this little phenomenon.

"Perhaps if I leave my dwell, now, I could watch other fly-shadow-ponies try and make their way up, into the rays --I stopped myself, immediately. I did not want to re experience the terror that over-took me, the last time I did that. I lowered my eyes to Shadow Dwell. Yes. There were certainly shadow-ponies out and about, out there.

"Poor fools." I said, to myself, "Though I, being not much better off than they, at least I know what what could truly make one perish..."

Just then, there was someone was at the entrance to my dwell. I stiffened, the spirit of fear rising, within my essence. I turned and locked my gaze on the entrance. Who was there? Could it be possible that it was another shadow-pony? If so then why had they come?

The someone entered.

"Oh." I said, my fear-spirit retreating.

"Oh? What, were you expecting somepony-else?" The now familiar under-pony asked, as he blew a few strands of white mane from his face.

"Shadow-pony," I said, "But I would have wanted no one else."

Snow smiled, soon dragging me into an embrace.

"I am glad to hear that," he spoke into my ear-part, softly. It twitched, uncomfortably.

"Mhm." I said, as he let me go. "Why have you come?"

"To see you, of course." Snow answered, still smiling in my direction.

"To see me?" I asked.

"To be with you," Snow said, "Remember, I am here to help you, so I should think that you would see me often...Wouldn't you agree?"

I nodded and suddenly felt compelled to ask his all that what on my mind the light-time, before. Snow didn't know this and went on to invite me outside.

"Not much to do in here, at the moment," He said, "Care to join me?" His hoof was directed towards the dwell exit.

"Yes." I said, and slowly made my way towards it.

"Perhaps I will speak to him about those things, later..." I thought to myself as I took a glance at Snow and then exited my dwell.

"After some time, you will see that it feels better to just get out, more." Snow spoke as he exited the dwell.

"Will I?" I asked, taking a glance to the left and right of my dwell.

"Indeed and very much, so." Snow responded, cheerily.

"I trust you." I said, slowing turning my head in his direction, a he stepped up beside me.

"You do?" He asked. There something in his voice that disturbed me, so I decided to be more convincing.

"I do," I restated, stressing the "do". "I really."

Snow just blinked at me.

Once.

Twice.

There was  decent pause between each of his blinks, so I wondered if perhaps I had offended him, in some way.

"Have I....offended you in some way?" I finally decided to asked.

"What, who, me?" Snow began to "laugh", as he called it.

"Yes." I said, nodding, "Have I?"

Snow trotted away from me, still laughing all the while. "Of course not!!"

I waited a moment or so, before following him. I had to run a bit, in order to catch up with him.

"Why are you...laughing?" I asked Snow, once I had caught up to him.

"You silly thing, you." He said, smiling at me, his smile bigger than usual.

"....?" I didn't know what he meant, nor what to say, so I didn't say anything.

"I'm happy," Snow replied, suddenly, "I'm so glad you said that!!" He began to laugh, again.

"Why...how are you happy, about that?" I asked, my spirit of confusion, stirring somewhere within me.

"Because!"He laughed, "That is all I really need from you!"

I stopped short of the walk.

"What?"

Snow laughed  it more, but when he realized I had stopped, his laughter died and he turned and looked at me.

"What?" He said.

"That's what I said," I told him, "And what I meant was... well...what do you mean by that? That is all you really wanted from me...what does that mean?"

Snow's smile changed and he trotted back over to me.

"Aww, I didn't mean it like that." Snow pressed his muzzle up against my face.

"Mean it like what?" I asked, allowing my face to be forced to the side, by him.

"All I meant is that for me to help you in the way that I want to, then it is trust that is most needed from you, in order for this to succeed."

No spirit of mine was kindled by his words as I tried to understand what he was saying. He must've known, for he then spoke, again.

"Without you trusting me then you are subject to leave me, at anytime. Even my most honest attempt t helping you would go to waste, if this were to be so.... So we would both loose out." His tone was very serious, sparking my spirit of fear, just a little.

"I understand." I said, at last.

"Good." Snow said. "Now then, shall we?" He motioned his head towards inner Shadow Dwell. I nodded and returned to walking.

*    *    *    *   *

Snow touched his hoof to a root which bordered the edge of Shadow Dwell and marked the beginning of the root forest which I had been in, not many rays earlier. It was the place I had seen the two shadow-ponies.

"We can start with something simple," Snow had said, as we approached the forest. "A few things related to the dwell, couldn't hurt... Ah!" He had run ahead and stopped at the place we now were.

"Uhuh," he was saying, now, "This'll do it."

"What are we doing?" I asked, watching at his rubbed his hooves over the root. "Is it something related to the dwell, as you say?"

"Yes," Snow said, "And what we are going to do, here, is gather more root. The fire in your dwell cannot last forever, you know."

I nodded, slowly. Of course it couldn't....just like there were a lot of other things it couldn't do...

"Here we go." Snow grunted as he tor a large piece of the root away from the rest , with his magic.

"It isn't very small," I commented.

"No, no, it isn't, he said, smiling at me. "But then, if it were than you would have nothing much to do, right?"

I nodded a bit, "I guess."

Snow laid the piece down onto the ground.

"Go on, he said, "crush it."

"What?" I said, a bit confused.

"Like this." He pressed his hoof into the root. There was a creaking sound as it bent, inward, and a cracking sound as small, crinkled lines began to appear on the piece of root. As I looked down at the display, a small glow attracted my attention, upward.

Looking up I could see that Snow's horn was glowing and his eyes were alight.  I wondered about the magnitude of his efforts.

The root-piece finally gave in with a large snapping sound. I flinched.

"There we go, then." Snow said, the glow in his eyes receding to nothingness and the glow in his horn diminishing. "Now you try it."

Snow pushed the broken piece of root towards me.

"But...it is already broken." I said.

"Mhm." Snow said, but is it broken enough?"

After a moment or so of thought I said, "How can I tell?"

"Only you can tell," Snow replied, "It depends on how often you use your hearth, how much root you need for it, at one time; how much you plan on taking back with you and how small you want the pieces, which will - in turn - determine the endurance of the flame."

"That is a lot to contemplate, considering." I said, my voice timid.

Snow laughed, "Yes, it is. But when you have help, then you have help - namely, myself - then you needn't worry."

I could feel something stir within my essence when he said this, but it was very faint. I nodded my thanks and looked down at the root.

"Well," I said, "First things first, I guess... How often will I use my hearth?" Thinking a moment, I looked at Snow and said, "It is safe to say 'as much as you want me to?"

"For now," Snow replied and I could somehow tell my words pleased him.

"And how often, then?" I asked.

"If possible, I would like for you never to let one ray-time go by, without the hearth being lit with a fire."

My fear-spirit stirred and I couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

"The world below, is a cruel, cold place, Pinkamena. In time, you will come to appreciate the warmth the hearth brings."

Snow's tone had that serious ring to it, once again, and I was compelled not to press the matter, anymore, even though my question had only partially been answered and concern only mildly addressed.

"So saying..." I looked down at the root-piece. "I...we...will need a lot more of these."

Snow smiled, "Indeed we will." He went back to work on the root, carving out another few large pieces of root.

"Secondly," I continued, "How much root does it take to light a hearth, at one time?"

"Two or three of these large pieces should do it," Snow responded, not looking at me, "But the larger the pieces, the smaller the fire."

"Then that is another thing to consider," I said, sounding a it duller than I meant to.

"Are you discouraged?" Snow asked, looking at me, this time.

I shook my head no. "Just...observing, is all."

With nod and a smile, Snow went back to work.I realized that this smile had been different from the rest of them, that it had not only been directed at myself, but actually at myself.

I watched him work a while longer before saying, "Thirdly...How much are we able to take back -- I mean me." I paused when I realized I should've been asking only myself that question.

"What is wrong with "we"?" Snow asked, turning and slamming both back hooves onto the root.

"There is certainly nothing wrong with it," I said, "But...what if you are not always here?"

Snow took another swing at the root, but as I spoke these words his attempt faltered and he fell.

This shocked me and rushed to his side.

"Are you...alright?" I asked.

"I am fine," he said, his laugh as weak as his attempt, "I am alright."

"Alright," I said, backing up, as he stood.

"Pinkmena," he said, immediately after standing, "I will be with you, for as long as I can be."

I nodded, "Yes, but you do leave me, at time...have, I mean. So I assume since you must have other things to do --

He was suddenly embracing me, again. "YOU are my priority, Pinkemena," he said, "Yes, I might have something to do every now and then, but none of it - nothing - is as important to me as you are."

I shifted in his embrace as I thought to ask him about my other concern...about...who had helped him, all of this time...

He held me back and gazed into my eye-parts, "You trust me, don't you?"

"I do." I said, spark of energy within my essence, confirming that, "I will hold you to your words."

Snow smiled, "Thank you, Pinkamena."

I nodded, "You are...welcome..."

*    *    *    *

Later, after we had returned a great amount of root to my dwell, we set out, again.

"What is it we are doing this time?" I asked Snow, once we had left the dwell well behind.

"We are headed to the cves," Snow replied, "And before we get there, are there any questions about what we did, earlier?"

"Well...if you don't mind my asking, about now..."

"Mm-mm" Snow shook his head, "I don't mind."

"What are the caves?" I asked, "What are you referring to?"

"The fields are a place also known as "The Caves." Snow replied, "They are a place just within Shadow Dwell, only hardly anyone even knows about them."

"I understand," I said, "And why do we go there, now?"

"If you don't mind my saying -- it is when we get there, that you will understand." Snow answered me, bluntly.

"I...do not mind." I said. "May I ask other questions, now?"

Snow laughed, a little - a chuckle, I think it was - saying, "Of course, you needn't ask."

I nodded, though he couldn't see it, and the proceeded with  question.

"About earlier," I began, "Why did we go from one root all the way to another? Could we not have just made  greater use of the first one or...is that not even possible?"

"Oh, it's possible," Snow replied, "But what of the other shadow-ponies?"

"Other...shadow-ponies?" I said.

"Yes, the others," Snow said, "Did you not see them?"

Processing his question a moment I said, "I know there are others....do you mean to conserve, for their sake?"

"Well, that wasn't really my concern..." Snow said, quietly, but then  raised his voice to say, "But it was you who I was thinking of."

My essence jolted with the realization that I had just made an assumption...the better one....and for other shadow-ponies, at that.

I guessed that Snow saw my discomfort and said, "Is something the matter?"

"It is nothing," I said, "And do tell me...how was it that you were thinking of me when you mention the shadow-ponies, now?"

"Your words tell me that you did not see them standing there, during the end," Snow said, his voice dropping, in volume.

"During the end? I I repeated him, "Where...what...when?"

"During the end of our gathering-of-the-root session." Snow replied, maintaining his pitch.I nodded, for he had mentioned the title a little while back, while we were in the dwell. "There were shadow-ponies who had come and started to watch us."

"And is this a bad thing?" I asked, slightly concerned.

"Yes and no." Snow replied, his tone rising to a more serious level.

I looked at him, now, "How do you mean?"

"Their eyes..." he said, softly, yet not loosing the powering his voice, "Their eyes...the way they looked at us...at you...such hatred..."

"Hatred," I repeated, "Just to assure I had heard, correctly. (Snow nodded, as if he knew this) "But I have done nothing to them...and I would assume you had not, either."

Snow nodded, again, "Thank you for believing that." He said, "For I have not. Regardless..." he trailed off and looked way from him.

"Regardless?" I  said, meaning to urge him on.

Snow sighed. "Regardless... I think you understand why they did so."

I nearly tripped over myself with surprise, when he said this. My spirits became unsettled.

"Why...do you say this?" I asked, certain that my questioning would give him the hint that I had not an understanding.

"It is because you know hate Pinkamena." He said, looking at me, now. His gaze darker than I had remembered. "You have felt hate, before. It is with you...always. And not just because you are a shadow-pony... but because...I know... I know what you think about."

"How do you know?" I asked, my tone noticeably quieter.

"Because you trust me." Snow said. "You trust me and you know why you do. Knowing this, there is no doubt that you abhor what you are. You want more for yourself and have taken the first few steps to gaining just that. But not only do you abhor what you are. You abhor what your aren't.... I know you do... And it is just how those shadow-ponies felt looking at you.... Looking at me...They look at you the way you once looked at me..."

Snow's eyes were no longer dark. There was something else there...something...enticing about his eyes... a flame... A flame in his eyes!

I guess I had not responded to him, for a time, because he turned from me and it was then that I was broken out of the trance set on me by his eyes.

"Snow," I said, before I knew I was speaking, "You are right. I have...I do know hate." I truly do know hate...but..."

Snow looked at me. "But?" He repeated, his expression one of sadness.

"But even though I know hate, please do not think that I...please do not think that I still hate you...I don't hate you..." I stopped walking. Something about movement just didn't seem right, just now. I had to tell him this and I had to tell him it, now. "I did not believe in you, the first time we met...nor a little while, after. I did not trust what you said about the fire, when you told me, now did I really believe you cared about me. Because you are a creature more than I, you are higher that I. You are closer to the place that I want to be. And at one point I truly abhorred you for it...But...but now...now, Snow...now I know better -- believe me, I do! I'm...I'm being honest with you... I'm being honest with you about all of this so please, please believe me..."

My words were the spark for what happened next. A fire roared to life within my essence, vibrating me hard enough for me to explode! But I didn't. I just shook. And trembled as not open, but two spirits came to life within me -- almost at once! Lights danced around within my hollow self, burning brightly until dying, slightly...fading...until I was once again myself. My essence suddenly felt weak and I collapsed where I was.

Snow approached me and lifted me onto his back, with his magic. I tingled with the touch of his powers.

"That is alright," He said, "We can continue on to The Caves, tomorrow."

"Alright," I said, "Just...do you believe me?"

"Honestly? I do." Snow murmured, "And I couldn't have asked for better proof."

Chapter 11: A Stranger Encounter

It was a strange thing, passing into my own dwell on an under-pony's back. I sensed that Snow felt the oddness of the action, as well, yet said nothing as we enter into the dwell. Once inside, Snow walked over to the left wall of the  dwell and began to fiddle with it. I turned my head to the other side and watched as a a perfect fraction of the wall became alight. Glancing upwards I could see that Snow was making use of his magic, somehow. Raising a hoof, he squeezed the the tip of it into the glowing crack on the wall and pulled the fraction of the wall out and downwards.

"What is this?" I asked, as Snow placed me atop the platform.

"It's called a "pull down," He informed me, the horn of his glow fading. "It's alright if you didn't know about it, yet."

I shook my head. Even after all the time I spent in my dwell, I had never come into the knowledge of any such thing even existing within it.

"What is it for?" I asked.

"It is for you to relax on it." Snow replied. I saw his eyes wondering.

"Couldn't I simply relax on the floor?" I asked, watching his eyes.

"Yes," he said, "You could do that..But why would you, when you can use this?" His eyes met mine and I decided I wouldn't ask him what he had been looking at.

"What makes it any different?" I asked, instead.

"Well, look at it." He said, motioning, eagerly, with a foreleg.

I looked down at the platform I was on. It certainly did look different than the floor... For one thing, instead of being just plain and firmly meeting the bottom of my hoof-parts, it sank in, a bit, at their touch. It had patterns engraved into it, as well as shone with a darker shade of red. All of these things I took note to, but none did cause my spirits to react.

I looked up at Snow.

"Well?" He asked.

"I see it," I said, "I can see the differences."

"And?"

"And...what?" I asked, taking a glance at the platform, before returning his gaze.

Snow shook his head, "Never mind. I supposed I shouldn't worry about that, just yet... How do you feel?"

I opened my mouth to respond but Snow quickly rephrased.

"I mean how do you fare?"

I wasn't sure how to word it, but I had somehow been put into a state of neutrality. The spirits I had gained that ray had shook me so until my essence seemed to be at its limits. I was in a state of neutrality, I guessed, because my essence needed some sort of "break" from such erratic experiences. I did the least I could do and explained to Snow that I believed that I was not able to acquire any spirits, for a while.

"My essence seems...tired," I said, "I am not sure I could tell you any more than that."

My words seemed to concern Snow, greatly, and he immediately responded with an, "I'm staying."

"You mean you will stay here?" I asked, "But for how long? I do not think I am any sort of trouble, I just...well, it is only as I have said."

"Not being able to acquire spirits is a serious thing, Pinkamena. I trust you if you believe this is the state you are in, but that doesn't mean it renders it any less important. I am willing to stay with you until you have returned to your former state." Snow rubbed at my mane, as he spoke, but then turned and approached the hearth.

"I will light the hearth, now," He said, reaching for a piece of root from the stack which st directly next to the hearth.

"Please don't." I said, my words empty. I was certain my spirit of fear would acknowledge itself, at this point, but as I have said, my essence is neutral. Every word I speak and spoke is as empty as my essence now seems to be, not a spirit stirring... I do not like it.

"Why not, Pinkamena, is there a problem?" Snow asked from where he now stood, root-piece in hoof.

"Yes." I said, "I fear it, now."

"You fear what? Snow asked, "The fire?"

"Yes," I said, responding to him as I gazed into the empty hearth.

I only half-noticed when Snow followed my gaze... and then returned his to me. A moment or so of silence passed before Snow spoke.

"Pinkamena?" He said.

"Yes?" I answered, not giving him my full attention.

"Do you believe that I am the one who has brought this fear upon you?"

I did not answer, right away, for his question was certainly one to consider. Was he the one who planted this fear into me? Surely, not. For if he had been, then wouldn't he have been present when the fear had overcome me on the fire's regard? Surely, yes.

"No," I finally said. "No, you are not."

Snow was expectantly silent, so I decided to go on, regardless of how it discomforted me to speak.

"But it was because of yourself that I gained the spirit of trust. Not long after you spoke to myself about the fire, I considered your words. I considered you. I asked asked myself and counseled with myself.... Did believe you? At the time, I did not. I did not because I did not want to. But with all of this thinking, my hoof-part -- the right one - had ended up in the fire and I did it not intentionally..."

Snow nodded somewhere in the right of my field of vision and I knew he was listening.

"Yes, so then on observing my hoof," I continued, "I realized how unlikely it was for fire to be the key. It made me feel so strange after sometime that a spark of fear was ignited within me and I have feared it ever since."

Snow did respond for a while and a long stretch of silence followed my words.

"I advise against your fear, Pinkamena." Snow's finally spoke, his voice so solemn and demanding of me that I could do no less than give him my full attention. It seemed that with myself being so neutral it was his spirits that I could make more sense of. Of course, being an under-pony he actually has "feelings" and his actions are not governed by spirits, necessarily. It's just that whatever he was feeling was perceived so well by myself that I felt subject to the dominant being that he was. I couldn't possibly ignore him.

"How do you mean?" I asked, my voice so empty that it almost made me sick.

"Do your best to rid yourself of this fear, Pinkamena," Snow admonished me, "I beg of you -- If you do not, then sometime, soon, you will most-likely allow the spirit of curiosity to entice you back into giving fire a try. When you hit a hard spot or for some reason think you do not have what it takes to go on, you might do this. And it is then. It is then that you will fail. Please, I beg of you, do not fear the fire!" I hadn't know it but Snow had raised a hoof and before I did notice that hoof hit the floor, hard. I interpreted the display as emphasis on his part, but I couldn't react properly. My spirits still did not move.

Turing my face slowly from him, I considered his words. I then expressed to him how fearing the fire, I believed, would help me keep away from it...not eventually lead to my "fall", if tried it, once again.

"Nevertheless, I believe you," I added, "I trust you and if you could take my rather... hollow words for it... I will do my best not to fear the fire...any fire." I looked back at him, waiting for a response.

"Thank you, Pinkamena," Snow finally said, "Thank you for trusting me...I will hold you to your words, regardless of how "hollow" they may be." He smiled.

I nodded and felt something stir within my essence.

"Are you any better now, at all? Snow asked, rubbing one hoof over the other.

"A little, I think." I said, "Something is moving within me...." I looked down at essence.

"That's good." Snow said, "I am glad to hear that."

Looking over at the empty hearth I asked, "May you now light a fire?"

"Certainly." Snow said, turning to prepare the hearth.

As I watched Snow summon the flames I couldn't help thinking on how the flame and I were alike.

The root-pieces were neutral, now. They were dull pieces of nothing. But being piled together like that...being set firmly in place...A spark from the horn is set upon them and fire is summoned. One by one they fall to the flames...one by one they ignite and transform into a medium for light...

Suddenly I felt myself fall and make contact with the floor.

"Oh!" Snow whipped his head in my direction, are you alright? What happened?"

Picking myself up into a sitting position, I looked myself over. I could feel the spirit of gratitude being ignited by Snow's words.

"I am alright." I said, "I even think my essence has returned to normal..."

"That's wonderful," Snow said, softly, sending the last piece of root in his hoof back to the pile with his magic. He turned and approached me, "You look as if you are glowing..." He pressed his muzzle against my face...a lot gentler, this time.

"I am sure it is just the fire," I said, "I don't think I'll ever glow."

Snow chuckled and instead of pressing his muzzle -- pressed is lips against my face. "You will," he said.

"I hope so," I said, gazing into the fire, "If it is by your hoof, then I know I will..."

*    *    *    *

"Alright, Pinkamena. It is time for me to go, now...Are you certain you are alright? -- will be alright?" Snow had stayed with me a good portion of the ray, even though I was sure my essence had returned to normal.

"I believe I will be alright," I said.

"Good. I will hope to see you, soon," Snow rose up from where he rested, next to me, in front of the hearth.

"I hope to see you, soon, as well." I said, looking after him.

Snow, now at the dwell's exit, smiled back and me and said, "Good-light to you."

"....Good-light to you, as well," I said, after a pause. Snow exited and I turned back to watching the fire.

Snow. An under-pony. He was the first creature to ever wish me good-light! I never thought it would happen to me, yet it has!

In Equestria Under, when any one of a company would leave the rest -- if during the light-time -- to be polite would be to wish the other or others good-light. Fore see, other than the fires that might occupy the dwells of any learned shadow-pony, there is no light in Equestria Under, save fore the dim glow given off my the surroundings. During the light time, mist descends to the ground, below. The mist that settles during the light-time is the only source of light, during this time. The mist is unlike the most of the morning, though. It is more like a thin veil than a thick fog; once can see straight through it and nothing within one's range of vision can not be seen. Nevertheless, some portions of the mist are brighter than others and if one happens to be in an area where the mists are dim then my they tread with caution. Anything can reveal itself from the dark that with evidently surround them, otherwise. Even in shadow-dwell one isn't safe...Woe be unto those who happen to be where no mists settles.The dark there will be greater than night and everything that is anything could be there, sitting and waiting for prey...

So yes. It is a good thing to wish others "good-light", in hope that they find themselves where the best or better light is, during the light time. Of course, it is not as though when I learned of the words "good-light" that I expected any creature, to say it to me -- let alone an under-pony! Why, if no shadow-pony would so much as look my way, how t all possible would an under-pony speak to me?! Such thoughts were nowhere on my mind. Regardless, Snow has made one of the greatest events impossible a reality in my world. In this world!

These things drew me deeper into thought and awe...Of all that had happened to me, this event most-certainly was the greatest! It never dawned on me 'till now how fortunate I was to have an under-pony dwell with me...only how strange it was...

I will be sure to thank Snow, whenever it is that I see him, again.

*    *    *    *

I exited my dwell to find a mist-less Shadow Dwell.

How strange! I thought, There was always mist in Shadow Dwell... I couldn't even see any farther off into Shadow Dwell. Everything was so clear...

I decided to start off with a trot in the direction of the Everthorn Forest. In case I did not mention, that is the name of the forest I was in when I witnessed those two shadow-ponies being together. I decided I would start there and then just make my way round Shadow Dwell -- just walk around, a little. Reason being is that I knew I would be doing a lot of walking with Snow, in the future, so I wanted to get myself ready. I decided I would continue this as long as Snow I walked together.

On my way to the forest, I came to a lump in the path - an incredibly small hill, if you will. I could not see over it but decided to proceed, anyways. Every step was a cautious one, that ray, since I no longer wished to run into the INspector whom I had met at that memorable gathering, a few rays before now. I poked my head up over the hill.

"Hello there," a voice said. My fear spirit surprised me as it sprang to life all too suddenly. I looked up only to come face to face with another shadow-pony.

I did not say anything to her and just continued to stare.

"Ah well, it was worth a shot." She said, and made her way around me.

I reached the top of the small hill, turned, and looked after the shadow-pony.

"Hold on." The thought finally struck me, "Did that shadow-pony just speak to me? Willingly? Voluntarily?"

"Wait." I called after the shadow-pony in a small voice.

"Hm?" The shadow-pony turned, "Do my ear-parts deceive me? I thought for a moment, there, that I heard you speak."

I wasn't sure if should really say anything to the shadow-pony, but I did not want to miss the opportunity to see if any other shadow-pony could truly hold a conversation.

"I...I did." I said, as the shadow-pony turned and approached me.

"Well don't look so surprised about it, dear." The shadow-pony laughed -- and what more, actually gave a SMILE!  I was completely and utterly surprised at this and my spirits confirmed this.

"O-oh..." I stuttered in surprise, not at all certain what to say next. To see a shadow-pony actually smile --!!

"Well, can you say anything else?" The shadow-mare asked.

"I...I can." I said, "I am convinced I can say a lot more..."

"Then why don't you, sweetie?" The shadow-mare asked.

"What?" I said, taken aback by her name-calling.

"Pardon me," she said, "But I am in the habit of calling names, every now and then...and you do look like a sweet one." She was smiling, again.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"What does it mean to be sweet?" The shadow-mare asked.

I nodded my head.

"Aww, that's so cute!" The shadow-mare gushed, squeezing her face between her hooves. What made it even more strange was that the shadow-mare's voice was much too lively to be coming from herself, as a shadow-pony.

"What's cute?" I asked.

"Why, YOU, of course!" The shadow-mare exclaimed, happily. "A torch of light, compared to so many other's I've seen around here!"

I was almost afraid by the way this shadow-mare acted...almost. But, at the same time, I was intrigued and wanted to converse some more.

"Well...thank you..." I said.

The shadow-mare gasped, "And thankful, too! Oh, you are very welcome!" She suddenly had me in an embrace. It didn't feel like much, but I knew it would've been a lot different had any ordinary shadow-pony touched me, in this way.

"Oh! So sorry about that, dear!" The shadow-mare said, holding me away from her.

"It is alright." I said, quietly.

"Oh?" The shadow-mare said, making a face, "But haven't you heard? When a shadow-pony --

"I know." I said, "But that is not true."

"Oh no?" The shadow-mare asked, "And how do you know? How are you so sure of yourself?"

I realized that her words were just as mine had been, when I had first met Snow. Just how was he so sure of himself? He never told me, but at least I knew that if I could not trust myself I could easily trust him.

"I am not," I finally responded, "But I am completely sure of the one who told me."

The shadow-mare did not answer right away -- only when I had focused on her, and left my thoughts did she say anything.

"You have a nice smile, sweetie."

"What?" I perked up.

"Your smile, dear," The shadow-pony said, "You did not notice, did you?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

The shadow-mare touched my face, "Don't worry about it, dear." She walked around me, back towards the way she had first come. "Come. Join me in my dwell, won't you? It seems we have much to talk about."

After a moment of hesitation I said, "Yes," and made ready to follow her to her dwell.

*    *    *    *

"Go on," The shadow-mare said.

We now stood outside of her dwell. It hadn't been too far from the hill -- or the forest, for that matter. I was certain that if for any reason I -wanted to see this shadow-mare, again, I could easily do so.

I touched my hoof to the dwell entrance in order to pass through, only to be forcefully repelled backwards. I landed, hard, on the ground, my essence vibrating, uncomfortably.

"Oh, my embers! Dear, I am so sorry! I had no idea that would happen!" The shadow-mare called, from where she stood, "Do you fare well?"

"I am well." I said, my fear spirit humming round inside of me.

"That is good," the shadow-mare said. "Here, now. Let me go inside, first...maybe that might change things..."

I had already gotten to my hooves, as she spoke, and nodded for her to go head and give it a try.

After she slipped inside, I walked up to the entrance and looked through to the inside.

"Try again, dear," the shadow-mare said, from the other side.

I nodded, slowly, at her, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to...

"How do we know if it will work, this time?" I asked.

"We don't," the shadow-mare responded, keeping her gaze steady.

I was still hesitant, but soon moved to try again. Lifting my hoof-part I slowly pressed it into the barrier. My hoof-part vibrated as some sort of energy buzzed through it. It wasn't too long before my whole essence had passed through the barrier.

"Very good!" The shadow-mare squealed, apparently delighted at my feat.

I nodded. Something was still buzzing through my essence, making me feel the least bit uncomfortable, but I decided to try and ignore it.

"Oh do speak up, dear," The shadow-mare said, "It is, after all, why we came here."

After a moment or so I finally decided that an "alright" was a good enough response, for the time being. The shadow-mare didn't seem so bothered by this and approached the hearth.

After a few quiet moments of fiddling around, she finally said, "Well I was going to save these, as an excuse to go out to the caves, once again, but I suppose not. Besides, I could easily use this as an excuse not too!" She smiled back at me and then began to tend the hearth.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Why, making a fire, of course! Do you know what a fire is, dear?"

I nodded, only the shadow-mare did not respond...not for  while.

Finally, a fire blazed into existence and the shadow-mare turned to look at me.

"This, here, is a fire." She said, motioning to it. "Don't get to close! I hear it can have many effects on us shadow-ponies!" She blinked on eye at me.

I looked over at the fire nd then to her...Oh yes! Now I got it! I had never answered her!

"Oh...yes...I've heard that, as well." I said.

The shadow-mare smiled,once again "Now then, dear." She settled down in front of the hearth, "Talk to me."

I approached the hearth and lowered myself down next to the shadow-pony. I looked into he fire and immediately remembered Snow....I wondered if I should tell her about him...

"Go on, dear!" The shadow-pony encouraged me, "I want to hear everything! Why were you out, this ray? Were you looking for the mist? What about yesterday? Are you out, often? Perhaps after this ray we might be able to speak with one another, sometime? Just how many more of you are there?"

The plethora of questions from this shadow-mare brought me back into her world and I decided it was best not to speak about Snow until I asked him. I would dance around his existence in my world, until further notice. I decided to speak to her about other things.

*    *    *    *

I spent a long time at the shadow-mare's house. The shadow-mare, whose name I learned was "Coalette" even invited me to stay over. I simply had to decline the invitation, though. The buzzing from earlier grew greatly, within my essence and I was in great discomfort.

"Perhaps another time, dear?" She said, hopefully, as I stood at exit to the dwell.

"Yes, perhaps another time," I said.

"Before you go," she said, stepping up beside me - she held me in an embrace, squeezing me more than I thought necessary. "Good-bye, Sweetie." She said, still squeezing, "Mmm-mm!"

"Good-bye," I said, as she let me go, and finally stepped out into Shadow Dwell. Many of the rays had gone and I knew it was becoming light-time. Such a long time I had spent with this...shadow-pony. This creature who was actually my own and whom I had never met until this ray! But I liked her company...and I realized I liked to talk, too... Oh, I would have so much to discuss with Snow when we met, again. But for now, it was late... so it was time to head on back to my dwell and await the next ray.

I was and forever will be certain that I had never a stranger encounter than with my own kind.

Chapter 13: [Enter] The Caves

I trotted, with purpose, towards the end of Shadow Dwell. I knew Snow would be waiting for me. He would have to be. There was just so much I wanted to ask him, so much I wanted to tell him! As I reached the edge, I gazed out into the field, hoping I would soon see him. When I did not I, instead, turned my attention to the sky. What fortune awaited me, there? It seemed that just the other ray, when the rays were abundant, a great positive was bestowed upon me...So what of toray?  I scanned the dim sky, eyed the dark clouds and counted the rays. Not many more than normal, apparently.

"Then, perhaps, I should not expect too much, today..." I thought, aloud. This was a jest, on my part, of course. The path of a shadow-pony depended only on them and - if any - those who wanted to help them.

After a few more minutes passed, myself still gazing into the sky, I saw an object move up there. It wasn't the dragging or swirling movements of the clouds, but something else...Plus, the object seemed a lot smaller against the vast sky. After studying it a moment, I realized it was a fly shadow-pony!

"What under earth is that fly shadow-pony doing, way up there?" I asked myself, still staring. I watched as the fly-shadow pony dipped and dove, twisted and turned, looped and rolled around in the sky. How courageous! What feats! How did they ever manage to get to such heights!

I began to shift , uncomfortably, as I watched the creature do the things I could only think to do. I wasn't sure if I was more appalled than I was attracted -- or even if it were both!

"Hello." A voice from somewhere around me, said. I snapped out of my thoughts, and looked swiftly about.

"Snow." I eyes the under-pony as he trotted up to me, his head already turned in the direction mine once was.

"If you do not mind my saying, just what are - were -  you looking at?"

I looked back up at the sky. Nothing. No trace of the fearless figure I had seen, just moments before.

"...It is nothing." I said, "Do not trouble yourself about it."

Snow was soon hugging me. "If that's what you want," He said, quietly.

"Mhm." I slipped from his grasp and proceeded to exit Shadow Dwell.

"Where are you going?" Snow asked, a laugh in his voice.

"We," I said, "Are we not going to The Caves, this ray?"

"We are. But remember I said The Caves are located on the inside of Shadow Dwell."

"Right....you did say that..." I turned and trotted up beside Snow. "Lead the way."

"Sure thing," Snow bumped me in the flank with his own and then started off with a trot.

*    *    *    *

It was not long before we stood before a precipice. It was so large, in fact, that I almost wasn't sure how I had never noticed it. The cliff was located at another end of Shadow Dwell, once which I had never visited, before. Painted on the face of the cliff was a huge, gaping hole. I sensed nothing from within, yet still felt the least bit uneasy just looking at it. All the way here Snow had been so up-beat about just getting here that I had only been able to put a few words in. I was afraid that it wasn't appropriate to start asking questions, just yet... Doing that might upset him.

"Well then!" Snow said, cheerily. "Here we are! The Caves!"

"So if this is 'The Caves', then why do I only see one cave?" I asked.

"This is simply the entrance, Pinkamena," Snow explained, "The inside, though is known to be maze of twisting and turning corridors which my only lead to one's doom if ever one should enter..."

Looking over at Snow, through my mane, I said, "And who has told you this?"

"I...I heard it at a gathering, once," Snow coughed out. I could tell it bothered him to speak these words. No surprise. I was certain he was above gatherings, at his point...or...was he?

"That is another question I will ask him... sometime." I thought to myself. I ws already feeling as though I wanted all of this to hurry up and be done with so we could return to the dwell and speak, there. Something about asking Snow the questions out in the open was a bit disturbing to me.

"Shall we proceed?" Snow asked, moving forward.

"But...how do you know I am ready?" I asked, holding back, "Surely if any who enter may as well perish, do you not think that I should be more...able to go?"

Snow pulled me up next to him, with his magic. "Do not think that I believe you to be a burden or a slow-down, Pinkamena," He said, "I am with you and you are with me. If you feel you are not ready for this then we can leave, but if not then let us proceed just a little ways in."

"....I will go with you." I concluded. "And it's not that I feel like I am a burden, per se, it's just... well...Snow might become upset if I stall any longer.... I stepped up next to Snow and we were soon enveloped in the darkness of the cave.

*    *    *    *

The light from Snow's horn gave off a pleasing light, allowing for a greater view of the surrounding tunnel. We had already traveled a little ways and, earlier on, Snow informed me that his magic was limited and that he would use his best judgement to determine when it would be time to go. He could keep his horn alight for a considerable amount of time, yet it was only the brightness that could never stay the same, for as long.

Snow also informed me that the creatures which might dwell within the cave were unknown to the creatures on the outside, so he said it was best to keep our guards. I was sure to quickly put him in the know that "keeping a guard up" was not a strong point for any shadow-pony...but that I'd give my best efforts if anything were to come up.

Snow had laughed, then, "I appreciate your saying so." I wondered if he had been mocking me, at the time, but I did not care enough to ask him.

"How far do you think we've gone in? I asked, eyeing Snow's horn. We had already been walking for a quite its light had not decreased, considerably, at all, but I knew its luminosity had dwindled, in some way or another. Just something any shadow-pony would know.

"Over 230-some steps," Snow replied, continuing to look about the cave, as we went along.

That had been my attempt at small talk and I didn't expect him to actually answer - not in that way, anyways. Nevertheless, if I had any patience it was already gone.

"How much longer do we have?"

"Well," Snow stopped to rub his chin, "I couldn't tell you that. Remember I said that The Caves are a network of  joined corridors...there isn't just one and they all probably don't have an exact "end", if I know anything--

"And you certainly do know things," I commented.

"Well, yes...I do," Snow said. I could tell he was looking at me. "Pinkamena..."

"Perhaps this is the end?" I suggested, pointing a hoof at what really appeared to be the end of the cave. There was nothing more before us but a looming, solid wall of stone.

"Oh." Snow said, his voice cracking, "Well...it appears I do not know as much as I think."

"You spoke with certain uncertainty," I assured Snow, "So perhaps you do know as much as you think...and possibly a bit more."

Snow just looked at me, seemingly unsure of what to say.

"Anyways. Now that we've reached the end, the next step would be to turn around and go back." Snow watched as I steadily made my way back towards the entrance. Eventually, he decided to follow.

*    *    *    *

Back at my dwell, I found myself trying to start up a fire, on my own. Snow quietly entered into the dwell, behind me, and I assumed he was only watching me, now.

"Want some help with that?" He asked.

"I do not mind." I said, moving aside, as he stepped up beside me.

"Pinkamena," Snow began, immediately as he got to work, "I've...been thinking about something, toray."

"I have, as well," I answered, gazing at him.

"Mhm, yeah, well... the things I've been thinking about probably aren't anything like yours," Snow moved a few more pieces of root into the hearth.

"Perhaps not," I agreed, still staring.

"Yes, so, well, perhaps, then you wouldn't mind hearing me out about a few of my thoughts?" Snow asked, bending his horn towards the hearth.

"Not at all. In fact it is such a conversation that I've been longing for... all ray." I finally admitted, feeling as though a burden had been lifted from my essence, somehow.

The fire in hearth raged into existence. Snow looked over at me and then bent down to the floor, bringing his forelegs into a comfortable position. I followed suit and waited for him to begin.

"Well, first of all...what you said...I expected that." He paused  moment and then said, "Well, I expected something. I mean, toray - all that transpired - it all felt so rushed. First we were one place and then another and...well... I admire your enthusiasm and all that, but toray was...well...different. Your enthusiasm seemed hollow and your worlds for conversation, empty...I don't like that from you, Pinkamena...But I am glad I have an inkling just what was up, though."

I nodded at Snow. "I understand...And so I guess some sort of  an apology is in order?"

"Not necessarily." Snow said, "Just...maybe next time you're not so interested in what I - what we're doing - just let me know, won't you? and every time after that."

I nodded, once again, "I'll do that."

Snow sighed and then smiled, "Thanks. Now on to what you needed to say."

"But you said 'thoughts'" I said, "Doesn't that mean that you have more to say?"

"No, no...the aggregate of the thoughts were on regards to your actions, on toray...They've been assuaged, thank you very much."

"I see." I said, " But now, Snow, there are many thing that I have to say. Many of them are in regards to yourself and under-ponies because there is just so much I want to understand about you all."

Chapter 14: A Talk to Remember

"What would be your first question?" Snow asked.

"Well my first question..." My mind drifted all the way to when I first met Snow. "It derives from an event of a few rays passed. The time you and I first met."

Snow turned his head to me, "And what about that time?"

"Just...where did you come from, I would like to know." I said, "Had you been there...watching? How were you just in time to save me?"

"It was a coincidence," Snow replied, "Really, it was. For see, I had been out exploring the fields, during that time. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time, you know?" I saw his eyes move to a fro, across my face.

"I understand." I nodded at him. So...it had been a mere coincidence... "It appears that I am to been more grateful to you than I thought."

"Don't worry about that," Snow said, "What other questions do you have?"

"Well, the next question would be...why. Why did you do it? Why did you save me, like that? It's obvious you saw the danger I was in...Surely you couldn't have have mistaken me for an under-pony, such as yourself."

Snow was thoughtful a moment and then said, "Why do you say that? I mean besides the question, now - why do you mention the fact that you aren't an under-pony?"

"Well why not?" I snapped, "You know perfect well that I was - that am not."

"And you think I would've been less likely to save you, had I not believed so, yes?" Snow steadied his gaze.

"Yes." I replied, "That is exactly what I believe--

"Well you're wrong." Snow replied, sternly, "Because when I saw you I knew exactly what you were. But what you are wasn't all I saw. I saw hope. And you want to know why? Because no other shadow-pony would do what you were doing, that day. Braving the vast, perilous fields -- throwing themselves into a den of beasts -- never! Or at least not often! But you! You. You were...you are different. THAT is why I did what I did. And it, WASN'T a waste of time."

When I was quiet a while Snow then said, "What is you next question?"

I sighed, "I seem so ungrateful, now, don't I? It burdens me to think so, but I do...anyways...next question..." I sensed Snow's nod. "Where did you learn magic? I mean....how -- who taught you? And how did you know you could use it against a daemon?"

"Isn't that two questions?" Snow asked, perplexity in his voice.

I was taken aback by how confused Snow sounded. I peeked out from behind my mane. Snow was smiling.

"Gotcha," He said, softly.

I let my mane shield my face, once again. I did not want to look at Snow, at the moment. I didn't feel it was right to instead I simply said, "Will you answer the question? The first one, I mean."

"I will answer them both," Snow said, "And as for the first one -- it's actually rather simple and might not surprise you like I expect you think it would."

I nodded, once, acknowledging that I was listening.

"If one shadow-pony has a horn as I do, eventually, as they grow in spirit, they will reach the level of magical abilities. It is at that time that they know they are an under-pony, and have reached the next step towards...you know."

I nodded, again.

"Yes, and it is not something they can practice or that is developed. Once they have it, they have it. If they don't, then they must wait their time...Do you understand?"

"Yes. I understand," I said.

"Alright then. As for the next one, I just...learned it. I mean, one ray I was walking around in the fields and a beast - not a daemon - appeared, suddenly, from behind the mist. It scared me, to be honest, and I fell over. Nevertheless, I didn't give into the fear. I gathered my courage and bam, just like that, a surge of power left my horn. It hit the beast, stunning it, giving me enough time to get out of there -- and I did. From that time one I just, you know, knew how to defend myself. The creature wasn't the only one taken by surprise, that ray, though - trust me, I was ecstatic!" Snow laughed, a little.

I just looked at him.

"What?" He said, as I peered at him from behind my mane.

"That story of yours," I said, "I think it could've been more...hmm...I don't know. It was missing something. You didn't say it right."

Snow gave me a strange look. "Really?" He said.

I nodded, " Yes, really... the only feeling you gave you anecdote can be heard, at the end..."

"And you noticed?! Snow cried, his expression full of disbelief.

"Yes, I noticed," I said, annoyance in my voice, "Which brings me to my next question."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Snow asked, attentively.

"Why are you so...non-under-pony-like?" I blurted out, "You don't seem to act anything like what you are. First, you claim to have an interest in me and out of nowhere you want to "help" me. Don't you care that you're an under-pony? Don't you feel as though you shouldn't be around me  - or any shadow-pony, if you could help it? Don't you think you're better than every other creature in Shadow Dwell!?"

I was standing up, now, and my voice had risen higher than ever before. I didn't know why I was getting so worked up, spirit of frustration ready to evolve into anger and my voice rising, but it was so. I looked down at Snow with a facial expression probably as different from usual as my tone of voice.

Snow just looked up at me, his eyes and expression giving nothing away. He continued to gaze at me as the spirit that flared within me died out and I retreated to the floor, once again. He was still staring at me as I sat quietly, for a while. Eventually I decided to look at him.

"Finally," he breathed.

"Finally...what? Finally I looked at you? I suggested.

Snow nodded as he did his best to keep my mane from falling back into my face. I removed his hoof and threw it back, on my own.

"Why does that matter?" I ask.

"Because I want you to look at me, when I'm saying this. I am certain you can perceive, well, so...I want you to do your best and interpret my feelings, when I speak." He emphasized by placing a hoof on my chin and directing my face towards him, exactly.

When I told him I understood he nodded, removed his hoof and then sighed deeply.

"Listen. First of all, I can only speak for myself. I am an under-pony and I know that. But think of my beginnings. I could not have become the being I am, this moment, without first being a shadow-pony, yes? So how can I look down on what I once was? I cannot -- nor can I think myself "higher" , in that way, seeing as at anytime I can easily go back..."

I perked up at that statement and Snow probably knew it. He didn't give me a chance to speak, though, for he then continued with, " So there is no reason for me - or any other under-pony to act all "higher than thou" towards any and every shadow-pony we come across. We are much too grateful...and we -- particularly me - couldn't possibly be anything less...And I mean that, with all my essence..."

A pause, yet again, I did not have enough time to speak, for Snow continued on, once again, "But I know why you must feel the way you do....too many lies. Too many lies have been given to the shadow-ponies! And only because you all don't know what to think, because you don't know what to believe! You are so deprived of help and the truth that it's ridiculous! I don't act any one way around you because I am me, Pinkamena, and for long time before not so long ago, I hadn't even that privilege and why?! Because I was just like you! Like a shadow-pony -- but I got help! And could've done nothing without it! THAT is why I want to help you, so much, THAT is why I want to be with you, so much, THAT is why I care about you, so much, because I can! Because I want to! Because I can and because I want to!"

Snow sighed and vigorously shook his head, "I've told you so, before, hadn't I? Why I care about you, so much? I mean...I mean, you could've been any shadow-pony out there, like that, and believe me no matter who it was, I would've done the same thing as what I did! Such a chance on your part simply can't be wasted! I did it, for you!"

The fire in Snow's eyes went from orange-red to green-blue and it hit me. That was where an under-ponies spirits went! That was how I could tell what Snow was feeling! Not that I needed it. I was familiar with all of the spirits he was expressing, already. Anger, sadness, regret... I had felt those things all my time and now that I knew what he had just told me... I was probably being much to ungrateful...

I turned my head away from Snow, lowering it. Of course I had believed all of those things about under-ponies, but to believe it about Snow?! That was certainly going to far.My spirit of sorrow welled up inside of me and I was ashamed. There were so many un-spoken things I thought about Snow -- grouping him with the kind I had never even met before, save himself! How could I? I was so worried about other things than how grateful I should be, for him...

"Pinkamena?" Snow brought my face back into focus, once again.

"My essence burned with sadness and shame, "How could I?" I whispered, "How could I?"

"It's not your fault, Pinkamena," Snow said, scooching towards me and lessening the space between us, "But I wasn't finished...there was something else you had said...Would I be around you, if I could help it? Of course I would. But what sense you it make for me to always be around?  Surely, there is some growing you could do on your own, in my absence, don't you agree?"

I just shook my head, thoroughly disappointed in myself. "I just...don't know..." I said, not really sure what it was I wanted to say.

"That's alright, Snow murmured "Did you have another question for me?"

"Yes.. a few" I said, my essence still burning, "Um... how did you learn about the fire lie? Who told you, otherwise?"

Snow was directly next to me, now. "Ah. That." He said, "Well..." He was hesitant. Why was he hesitant?

"That's alright, Snow," I said, "You don't have to tell me..."

Snow averted his eyes, turned his head, "Are you sure? I mean.. you know..I want to, but..."

"I am sure," I said, "Remember I do have more to ask..." The flare of my inner spirit began to die down, within me.

"Oh yes, right!" Snow perked up, "Do ask and I'll do my best to answer!"

"That's alright." I said, "My next question would be about how you made fire... Who taught you that?"

Snow went stiff, again. Hesitation gripped his being.

"You cannot say?" I leaned forward and peered into his eyes, searching for a hint.

He blinked and turned his head, "I won't...I mean...I want to be honest with you, Pinkmena."

"And you feel you cannot be, when I ask you these question? I understand." I looked away from Snow, but I could tell he truly did not want to sit on the answers to my questions - or answer, if that was the case.

Snow sighed, "Any other questions?"

I thought  moment and decided the other questions would have to wait for another time. I was certain - the best way a shadow-pony could be - that I knew exactly why Snow would not answer the questions. It was pride, perhaps. He didn't want me to know that someone had helped him get to where he was, now. How he aimed to help me, his mysteriously knowing things, how he had hinted at it earlier....it all added up to this. But why be so prideful? He already erected the fact that being an under-pony did not influence him in that manner, so... But aw well. Even under-ponies should be able to keep their secrets.

"Pinkamena?" Snow awoke me from my thoughts.

"Yes?" I looked at him.

"Any other questions?"

"Perhaps we can save them for another time," I suggested, "It would make for good conversation as we go along our way."

"It most certainly would" Snow lowered his head down and rolled in my direction, grabbing my flank. He pressed his face into my essence moved his head back and forth.

"What are you doing?" I asked, gazing down at him.

"Mmm..." He didn't really give an answer, but continued with whatever bizarre thing he was doing.

I decided I didn't really mind and turned my attention to the dying fire. "This has certainly had been a talk to remember..."

Chapter 1: Equestria Under

Life... What is Life? Is it... a place? A place where you go to do whatever it is you want? If so then, surely, it is not here...

Or... is it a path? A path from which you cannot stray, yet you can build upon on - a invisible surface that was set before you were even in existence? This seems to be so. But how shall I know, if I have never lived? I am only a mere... existence...

Well, I guess I'll never know. At least... not until it's my time... that is, if it will ever be my time... For you see; I am a shadow. A nothing. An apparition, if you will. And my home? A cursed wasteland of nothingness; a place only known by the name of "Equestria Under". But this world is only one of the balances on the scale; the other being Equestria, itself. Equestria is said to be a place of wonders, color and happiness. Equestria Under, on the other hoof, is a dreadful place, inhabited by daemons, lost souls and evils so great that if the earth did not contain them, nothing of either worlds would exist. And, of course, shadow-ponies.

Shadow-ponies dwell on the "other side" of Equestria and, therefore, have no choice but to act the part. We shadow-ponies have no life about use -- no feelings. We have a shadow of consciousness and enclosed within us are the darkest of souls. Shadow-ponies are supposed to represent the "alternative" of that which is their other-wordly host. In other words, a shadow-pony cannot exist without a pony. A "pony" being one who walks the surface of the other world as their true selves. Once this pony passes away, the shadow-pony ceases to exist. Just. Like. That. But if this pony lives on then the shadow-pony dwells on, down here, in this wretched place. One cannot exist without the other. Or so I've been told. Although I have no idea what could possibly happen to a body when its shadow-counter-part goes away with it still living.

Nothing drastic, I should believe. Those who dwell above, in the light...they should and could have nothing to complain about. Yet, here  am. A cursed being from the start, with really nothing to call my own and every step and/or turn the same as the next. Trapped. I am trapped, forever, in this world of nothingness, while so many others, SO many others re up there enjoying the privilege that is life....

And it is strange... it is strange that I both desire and despise the world above and its inhabitants. On one hoof, I long to be there, but at the same time, also, I detest it. If I were to ever make it to that place, then what would become of so many other shadow-ponies? Nothing. As long as their hosts still posses the breath of life then they must remain here. Just as I have for so very long, now.

So curse this lifeless wasteland I call my home....Curse the place I long to be....And curse me, Pinkamena,  worthless shadow-pony who shall never leave this place called Equestria Under.

All off these thoughts occupied my mind as I stared out of the window of my dwell. A dwell is simply the place a shadow-pony can stay and be protected from the horrors of Equestria Under... Yes, even this world has its own troubling features... even in this world... And why do I stress such a thing? Because as shadow-ponies , we already have it hard; we hardly have an existence and we are stuck here, suffering because there is no light as there is in the world above. Oh, how I have longed for light! For something! Something above this world -- something more. Something more than just he same old place, everyday and night. And oh yes...that. We shadow-ponies go by ray and light-time, as to know when it is "day" or "night" as we shadow-ponies cannot exactly see what is called "the sun".

"The sun..." I thought. I heard of this thing called the sun while at one of the gatherings. A gathering is just the place where many shadow-ponies come together to learn about the Equestria Over, the place we are meant to go to. It is supposed to "keep spirits high", as I have been told. Regardless, it has never helped me in the way I have been told it is supposed to; it only makes me want to get there, faster, for I just cannot wait!

I stare out of the window of my dwell and look at the sky... It is always the same. Its color is a dull, grey/tan color. As if a part of the shy, there are always large dark clouds which have een stretched thin and that go round and round, in a spiral -- until they disappear at the center of the sky. The hole where the dark clouds disappear is actually right above Shadow Dwell.

Shadow Dwell is simply an area of Equestria Under where many dwellings are, as well as many shadow-ponies, who occupy the dwells. I believe that any shadow-pony who is wise would stay in this area, until they are ready to ascend to the world above. I believe this for many reasons. Regardless, my philosophy has never seemed to help me, any. I have been here all of this time and I am eager to leave already. Only I can't! For even if I did, where would I go? All of Equestria Under is home to the dangerous entities that make this world the cursed place that it is. Indeed, departing from Shadow Dwell and heading deeper into Equestria Under is surely to give  shadow-pony a change to loose their soul. Once this has happen, that shadow-pony will become destined to forever wonder this world below, with 0% chances of ever being able to escape their eternal prison.

I sigh as I look out at the world beyond my dwell's window. It looks as though it is about to rain. Perhaps there would be a storm? I am not sure. But I do know that if there was to be any sort of storm, I was hoping that it would not be one of Daemons... Daemons... I especially don't want that kind of storm.

"If it must be one of Daemons, then let it not be like the one that swept across Shadow Dwell, a few days back.", I said, speaking my thoughts aloud, propelled by my spirit of fear. For it was these storms of Daemon that were to be feared, the most.

I knew that such an event had occurred rays and lights back, because three times it had been ray-time and three times it had been light-time since that time. Ray-time is the time in Equestria Under where the dark, swirling clouds above open, and rays of dim, grey light come down to illuminate what little they can of this darker place. This signifies that in the world above is experiencing "day time". As I have said, three light-times have passed since then, as well. Light-time is when the rays disappear, pulled steadily back into their darker hosts and the world under is enclosed in darkness -- illuminated only by from those few features that actually give off light in this place. Regardless, the experience was no less frightening.

I have heard that many shadow-ponies have tried to follow the light back into the dark clouds, yet have they failed. Of course... it is during the light-time that every shadow-pony should be in their dwell. That is, unless, they have given themselves up to the darkness and evils of this realm. I, for one, have thought of giving myself to the evils, on many occasions, though each time I feel much to frightened by the thought to proceed with the action.

It is safe to say that it is the terror provoked by just the thought of being devoured that has kept me going, but I speak truthfully when I say that I have nearly lost all faith in hope -- even though I know not what it is that I even hope for. I have been outside of my dwell, before, but it was the daemons that I saw a few days back have scared me into hiding in my dwell, this long. I will probably never have the courage to be devoured by one, even if I truly wanted to be. The daemons that were present at that time, took the form of creatures which had gaping holes in their faces strange body shapes adorned with thorns. Some had tails - others had tails which were just an extension of their bodies -- with no leg-parts! Each one of the were of a large size, and there were times when they did decide to cease to crouch and ran erect, increasing their height all the more. And what speed they had, running about banging on the entrance to every dwell, screeching and screaming, howling, trying there best to break the "dwell spirit" - the will to dwell - of any shadow-pony they could.

The reason these events are known as  storm is because of the way the included daemons travel; in groups. This storm does not originate in the sky, but simply appears anywhere in Equestria Under. Those who decide to keep refuge in Shadow Dwell are safe from the random spawning of these horrific creatures - that is, until these creatures make their way into Shadow Dwell. The daemons are not allowed to spawn inside of Shadow Dwell, yet are able to enter any time they please. It is a tragic thought, but at least shadow-ponies know when these storms are come - most time. The sky will let us know.

I remember that when this particular storm was come, I was just nearly to my dwell; I had parted from it during the earlier parts of the ray-time to see if anything on the outside would possibly spark my dying hope. I walked quietly and softly along, but then lifted my head, slowly. Something in the sky caught my attention, some kind of movement. I stopped, one hoof raised as I paused, mid-step. What was... that? They sky; already dull and grey, began to grow darker, (or at least the part I was looking at). There seemed to be some kind of shadow stretching across this part of the sky, just over Shadow Dwell. I looked about, quickly, and saw that other shadow-ponies were looking up, taking heed to the signs of an approaching storm. I then felt something; some kind of force seemed to slam into my frail essence. I was moved back a few inches, and this is what turned my attention towards the end of the path on which sat my dwell.

A great black smokey cloud was rushing towards me, each inch gained in my direction causing me to become rigid with fear. I began to see large heads form from within the blackness; large, ferocious creatures, large sharp teeth; large, scary eyes and no true form, as of yet. I saw a bit of them turn to daemons with forms of large creatures with large claws, hideous faces and even more twisted bodies! Many of the creatures opened there mouths and screeched. Loud, horrible noises did they make, causing me to no longer  stick to the ground on which I stood. I made a break for my dwell; the ONLY place I would be safe, I knew, until the daemon storm did pass.

Faster, faster, I ran. I had never moved so quickly, for it was no shadow-pony's tradition to do so. ut it mttered not how fast I ran --I was a target. The daemons were very close to me by the time I came to my dwell. I dared look only once more at them - a terrifying sight - and then passed through the portal-like entrance to my dwell - just in the nick of time, too! The daemons which had come after me did not give up, though - oh, no - they pounded on the windows, tried the entrance, all to no avail!

Their cries did not temp or take me; I was much too scared of their appearance; large-eyed, sharp-toothed, large, loud, noisy, black as night, with evil just radiating off of them. Them. More then one of them banged and pushed against the entry, trying desperately to get in. I remember staying in the farthest corner of my dwell, shaking, nearly cursing this world and the world responsible for this world's creation.

I was shaken so badly by that experience, that I am here. Here, in my dwell, on this third ray. Three rays and yet do I still feel a  tremble in the leg-parts of my essence, as I think on those beasts, alone. Think on them, alone. I know there must be many more wherever it is they came from, OUTSIDE of Shadow Dwell and because they were from the outside, I had to ask myself:

"Will I ever again leave? Leave my dwell? Leave Shadow Dwell?

"May be not... May be... never..." I spoke aloud, answering the question of three rays old.

The thought only somewhat comforted me, though. If I never left my dwell, then I would have the best chance there was for never being devoured by the evil spirits and creatures that were about Equestria Under, true. This would then increase my chances of getting to Equestria Over, faster -- also true, yes? I placed my hoofs on the glass of the window and nodded my head; this was certainly right... right? If so, then... now all I had to do was be patient and wait....

No! This can't be true! Staying inside of my dwell, forever, can not be the answer! For even if I were to stay in this dwell then what would be accomplished? For a shadow-pony to leave Equestria Under they must gather the correct spirits - build themselves up in order be granted the highest achievement, the right to live in the world above. How am I to gain spirits when staying in one place? At least I have sense enough to know what makes sense... But if this is so, then I should try and see what more - what other things await me in the world beyond my dwell, should I? Beyond Shadow Dwell -- should't I?

I let my hooves slide down the window. Once they touched the floor, I began to walk, slowly over to the exit of my dwell. I gave the exit/entryway a good looking through. I could see the other side. I could see outside. All that looked back at me was a dull Shadow Dwell. Simple, hut-like dwells - all similar to mine - and pathways in-between them - gazed back. Despite the dismal appareance of the outside, the sight sort of comforted me, as well as the fact that there were no daemons around.

I slipped through the portal-like doorway to my dwell, stepped out into Shadow-dwell and then - a few minutes later - out of Shadow Dwell, all together. I didn't know what I would find out here but whatever it was, I hoped to be ready for it. For, assuredly, I was going to get to the world above. I hadn't come far, but I was sure if I kept on keeping on, that fact was bound to change....hopefully....

Chapter 12: Flickr Shade

I. Am a shadow-pony. A cursed being, really, and only a mere speck of what I used to be...