Rising Shadows

To say that Shadow's sleeping was uneventful would be an understatement, not with him and Nightshade having a conversation all night inside the all white world while he slept.

"So why does it feel like its been a whole day in here, "I haven't been a sleep for a whole day have I,"Shadow asked.

Nightshade laughed before replying, "No you haven't been asleep for a whole day, since your unconscious mind processes things faster, time itself moves faster in this world, this means a few hours here is about half an hour in reality."

Shadow nodded his head to indicate that he understood.

"So is there anyway I can enter this place with having to be unconscious or asleep first," he asked.

Nightshade was silent as he thought about it.

"Well you can probably enter by meditating, but I doubt you could sit still long enough," he said before letting out a small laugh.

"Eh, you got me," Shadow said scratching the back of his head, "So do you also have to be a disembodied voice or can you also have a body when we're in this world," he asked.

Nightshade was silent for a moment, Shadow felt something tap his shoulder, when he turned to see what it was he saw an Alicorn the same height that he was and who also had a black coat, but the Alicorn in front of him had a mane, tail and eyes all purple instead of blue.

"Does this answer you question," the figure said, causing Shadow to jump a little.

"Next time warn a pony before you sneak up on them," he said causing Nightshade to giggle.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Nightshade said.

Shadow rolled his eyes and laughed a little, "So since I'm also a decendent of your's, why aren't I an Alicorn like you?"

Nightshade thought for a moment before deciding not to tell Shadow the whole truth just yet.

"Its because of the Alicorn blood running through your veins isn't enough for you to actually be an Alicorn, Nightshade said, "You understand what I mean right?"

Shadow thought about that for a moment, he had a feeling in his gut that something was being left out but decided it was probably nothing.

Shadow nodded to indicate that he understood, "So is the Alicorn blood that I have the reason why I'm so skilled in magic?"

Nightshade smiled before he replied, "Well yes and no."

Shadow raised an eyebrow and waited for Nightshade to continue.

"It does give you an advantage but its your understanding of the arcane that allows you to use even the most advanced spells with ease," Nightshade explained.

Shadow thought for a moment.

"I see," he said letting out a relieved sigh.

If there was one thing that scared Shadow, it was feeling as though his existence wasn't his own.

"I really need to get a grip," he thought to himself.

Nightshade looked at him concerned, "What's wrong, for a moment there it looked as though the life had been sucked out of you."

Shadow nodded, "Yeah I'm fine, it's just I don't like feeling as though I don't truelly exist, you know what I mean?"

Nightshade chuckled a little, "Yeah, I think I understand, however, just because you are my reincarnation doesn't mean that you aren't Shadow Volt as well, you are who you choose to be," Nightshade said moving over and putting his hoof on Shadow's shoulder.

"And don't ever let anypony tell you otherwise," Nightshade finished.

Shadow nodded.

"Good, so have you perfected the Bass Wave yet," Nightshade asked hoping to raise Shadow's spirits.

Shadow smiled his trademark smile, a smile he used when he was about to amaze somepony.

"Oh yeah, I figured out how the Bass Wave works as well, the Bass flows through the gems which gives each sword their attribute, but when the swords are all combined all eight gems are perfectly aligned with each other, as the Bass travels through them it amplifies and when combined with my magic allows it to be released when swung, I've also been working to see if I can fire it like a beam without swinging the sword but haven't gotten it to work yet, as for using the Bass Wave itself, I can use it at will now," Shadow explained realizing when he explains anything he sounds like Twilight when she does.

Nightshade chuckled again, "That is impressive, have you tried using your magic like you do with the Bass Wave?"

Shadow sat there in silence for a moment before he facehooved.

"Why didn't I think of that," he groaned.

Nightshade chuckled before his face went serious, "Shadow, whatever you do, do not drop your guard around Strife."

Shadow nodded, "Ofcoarse, he won't have time to think before I've kicked his plot."

Shadow and Nightshade both laughed as Shadow was pulled from the all white world and back into the bed he was sleeping in.

Shadow sat up and looked at the clock hanging from the wall.

"Only 7am," he said stifling a yawn and looking around at the empty beds.

He was shocked to see that even Rainbow Dash was already out of bed.

"Might as well head upstairs with everypony else," he said stifling another yawn.

He got up out of bed, put his normal attire on, which now included the carrying case, and went upstairs.

"Good morning everypony," he said as he walked through the door, "What's for breakfast?"

"Morning Shadow," Twilight said giving him a good morning smile, "Spike is still cooking but its pancakes with Zap apple syrup."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Shadow was at the table ready to eat as soon as the food was done, anything made from Zap apples was his favorite, he sat there waiting patiently, which, for anyone who knew him, came as a surprise.

"Well you're being.....uhm.......," Twilight said surprised.

Shadow looked at her with a sly smile on his face, "I think the words you're looking for are 'well mannered'."

Twilight rolled her eyes while giggling.

"Yeah, so why are you being well mannered," she asked.

Shadow thought for a moment.

"Zap apples," he simply replied.

Twilight looked at him trying not to laugh, "Zap apples?"

Shadow nodded, "Zap apples."

Twilight couldn't hold in her laughter any longer and just sat there laughing until Spike brought them both out a plate of pancakes covered in Zap apple syrup.

Shadow and Twilight thanked Spike before they began to eat, Shadow finished eating before Twilight did, cleaning his plate completely, without leaving a drop of syrup, he then took his plate into the kitchen and put it with the other dirty dishes and went back and joined Twilight at the table.

"So where did everypony go," he asked.

Twilight took a moment to finish eating before she spoke.

"The girls went to work, Princess Celestia went back to Canterlot until Cadence arrives from the Crystal Empire, Princess Luna came in this morning to take Princess Celestia's place until she gets back, she's currently at town hall speaking with mayor Ivory Scroll, Shining Armor has set up patrols for the guards and is coordinating them from town hall, and I'm here studying like normal," Twilight said with a small laugh.

Shadow nodded his head, "I'm gonna go see how Shining is doing and then head over to the practice field for a bit, need me to do anything while I'm out?"

Twilight thought for a moment.

"Could you pick up some eggs on your way back," she asked still reading her book and eating.

"Sure thing," Shadow said as he left.

After adjusting his shades he headed straight to Town Hall, and arrived after a few minutes of walking.

Shadow sat in the lobby waiting for a few minutes until Shining Armor finished listening to the latest report from some of his guards, after they left Shadow finally walked over to Shining Armor.

"So how have you been, you know, after defeating Chrysalis, marrying Cadence, moving to the Crystal Empire, and helping save the Crystal Empire from Sombra, and how is Cadence by the way, I haven't seen her in a few years, oh and sorry for missing the wedding, you know how crazy work can get in Manehattan," he said.

Shining Armor nodded as he smiled, "Cadence and I have been doing well, she slept for about a week after Twiligh, Spike, and the others defeated Sombra, and yeah I heard you were so busy you barely had time to eat let alone sleep."

Shining scratched the back of his head, "So how have you been, also why were you in Manehattan working when you live here in Ponyville, just wondering cause that seems to be a long ways to go for work."

Shadow nodded, "Yeah, I was up there to do a gig with DJ Pon-3 but after it was over I kept having ponies hire me for more gigs, what was supposed to be a one week trip turned into months, atleast I made some decent money out of it, came back got a house of my own and still got quite a bit left in the bank, when I got the invitation I took the very next train but I arrived too late though," Shadow said looking at the ground with a frown on his face.

Shining let out a small laugh, "Don't worry about it, water under the bridge, so what can I do for you?"

Shadow smiled, "I just came to see how you were doing, about to practice some more with my new swords at my training field, then pick up some eggs for Twilight on the way back."

Shining Armor nodded his head, "I won't keep you then, you need to train as much as possible while you have the chance, but before you head out, Princess Luna wanted to see you, she's in the Mayor's office."

Shadow nodded and went to see what Luna wanted, when he entered the Mayor's office and closed the door Luna was sitting behind the desk, "Shining Armor said you wanted to see me Princess, is there something you need me for?"

Luna looked up at Shadow and smiled, "I just wanted to thank for delivering my uncle Nightshade's message to me and my sister, you don't know how much it means to hear those words even after I became Nightmare Moon."

Shadow smiled at Luna, "Ofcoarse Princess, I know you and Princess Celestia would do the same thing for me."

Luna nodded her head, "Ofcoarse, now don't let me keep you from what you were doing," she said smiling.

"Goodbye Princess, just call for me if you need me," Shadow said as he left.

Shadow arrived at his training field and quickly set up some practice dummies, "Okay let's see if Nightshade suggested will work."

Shadow took out the eight pens and after a few swift movements he had his swords in their final form, which he had dubbed the Bass Buster, he closed his eyes and took a deep breathe, focusing his magic through his hooves and into the sword itself, he then opened his eyes and pointed the tip of the blade at one of the dummies.

He took another deep breathe, "Here goes nothing!"

He focused his magic through the blade and after gripping the hilt tightly a sphere of blue energy formed at the tip of the blade, it quickly grew bigger and bigger and after a few moments reached its largest size.

He gripped the hilt even tighter and focused his magic through the sword and out the tip of the blade causing it to fire the blue energy in a large beam, once again taking out all the dummies in one attack, backwards force caused Shadow to slide back several feet.

"Now that was awesome," Shadow beemed.

After a couple of hours training Shadow decided to call it a day and went back into town.

"Better not forget to pick up the eggs like I said I would," Shadow said as he got back into town.

After getting a couple dozen eggs from the General Store, Shadow went back to the Treebrary and placed them inside the refrigerator.

He then returned home and began working on a new secret project, hoping that he had time to finish it before Strife arrived.