MoonShadow.by ParadoxPonyChaptersUnseen Unheard Unnoticed...Unloved.Ch2Ch3Ch.4Ch.5Unseen Unheard Unnoticed...Unloved.Author's Note I wrote this because I knew I might forget her. you all know me, im the Professor. Unseen Unheard Unnoticed...Unloved. ~The Professor. Diving behind a bush, she watched them pass. She knew all of their names, their faces. All of them. So why was she so hollow. So empty inside. Like a painful memory, her days passed, each one getting a little simpler and yet, a bit more complicated as Celestia's sun crossed the sky to rest on the mountains afar. How beautiful this place was. How infected and painful she chose it to be. How much pain must she inflict on herself until she is satisfied with her own guilt? Her mane was rough and dark gray, almost purple, like the sunset that was now becoming to be. A single tear formed in her eye and rolled down her matted, wet fur. How plain her fur was. How non imaginary and dull, and how despising her eyes were Red, like blood. At least nopony could see her in the shadows of the alleyway. MoonShadow ran a hoof through her fur, still staring into her own reflection painted like a portrait on the forming puddle beneath her hooves. With a scowl and one swift move of her tail, the puddle was destroyed. "Come on miss hooves!" She knew that voice. That was the Doctor, she knew every pony's voice. "I'm coming Doctor!" That was to be what appeared so, his mare friend. Shadow watched them disappear into their blue box. Dear Celestia knows what magic was held in there. The light above it shone bright and flickered on and off, on and off, until the box disappeared with it's passengers as if fleeing from the ever growing black clouds. Shadow's coat shivered as a raindrop sunk through to her skin. Every Pony was getting out of the rain...Every pony, but her. It was better to stay in the shadows. Better to hide than to run. MoonShadow continued to pull her hoof through her mane in some attempt to straighten it out. It wouldn't mater, even if it did work, no pony would see it. No pony would care. But maybe he wou- No. She would not allow herself to think like that. Not again. For his sake. Luna's moon was now overhead and Celestia's sun, long gone. Only the early morning ponies who needed to set up their stands for a busy day of selling were up at this time. She knew all their jobs. All of them. From her spot in the bushes, she watched AppleJack set up her apple selling stand. She watched as her younger sister, AppleBloom, bounced up and down in excitement even as the rain beat down hard on the filly's back. This was probably because her older sister was finally allowing her to participate with the apple stand. AppleBloom was still a blank flank, but her older sister had three juicy looking red apples printed on her hind quarters. THREE! She glanced down at her own flank. What MoonShadow wouldn't do for just one on hers. Her flank would be bare if not for the red hoof print done in with a permanent substance. She almost smiled, remembering when she had done it as a young filly. Remembering why she had done it brought only beads of most, salty tears to her eyes. Lifting all four hooves back beneath her, MoonShadow left the alleyway. The sun arose quickly, so the mare decided to pick up speed and from there, disappeared into the EverFree, leaving a dust trail behind her. When the time came, it was easy to sneak past Zecora's hut. That zebra was always mixing or brewing one thing or another, too busy to be on the lookout for intruders. MoonShadow glanced up to the skies above her, even if the sun was risen all the way, overhanging trees and large bushes blocked out all of the sun's rays from reaching the forest ground beneath. The trees. They leaned over her like a pack of timberwolves, silently threatening her every step. MoonShadow growled loudly at them, as if to frighten them back. Everything about what she called home would send any pony running. The cracked and crumbling stone bricks shook beneath her hooves. The vines and hanging tree branches scrapped and pulled at her mane. "Hello." She told her home. It had once been a magnificent palace, the castle of the two sisters. It had once been so beautiful. It had once owned a purpose. It had once been loved and cared for... Once... Once had a mother.... and a home...and- MoonShadow forced a hoof to her own face, trying to hold back tears and anger and pain, and for the most part, regret. she knew who she was, even though her rump refused to give in to the truth and claim the proper cutiemark as her own, she knew. Shadow reached back and felt around her false cutie mark. Disgraceful! _________________________________________________________________________________________ The moon was bright that night, that, and an unexpected timberwolf in the bedroom woke her up. She had chased it away with a torch and she knew it wouldn't be long till he was back with his friends for a midnight snack. Timberwolves always hunted in packs of three or more. Still, even if they weren't coming back, she still needed to move. The midnight markets would be open in Ponyville right about now and she planned on being there. It was so easy to be herself in the shadows. The darkness assuring her a save escape from anypony who may see her on her way. Dowsing the torch in a small pool of water, MoonShadow left the clearing and ventured back into the woods until reaching the outer boundaries of the little town. It was quiet, just the way she liked it to be at this time of night. Staying in the shadows, she still found it a bit harder to stay hidden from their pony eyes. Luna must be planning on doing some late night work if she wanted the moon THIS bright. "Ah, Professor!" My head span around like a snake. "I take it your here for...well, you know where to get it!" The voice belonged to BlackSky, the royal guard that was in charge of the "Changeling Cleanup Crew," a team who found the changeling left too close to canterlot and wiped them out, with the exception of one called Zinc, he was said to be in the possession of Princess Luna. Apparently under interrogation according to the royal guards who passed through ponyville. "Um, yes, thank you." MoonShadow stepped closer to the two, trying to see who the other was. She had never heard his voice before. It was british and belonged to a stallion, but softer than the usual hard voice of a male pony. "Right in there." BlackSky pointed to the ally she had rested in the previous day. "Off I go then!" MoonShadow's ears tilted in interest. The stallion stepped into the moon's light, his coat was brown and his mane, well kept. His tail was long and rough yet a slightly lighter brown than his fur. His eyes were light blue and surprisingly hard to look away from. "Hello! Who are you?" MoonShadow hadn't noticed that she had stepped out of the shadows! With a gasp, the mare dashed back into her shadowy save haven. The stallion winced and then continued on his way. MoonShadow breathed heavily, but something made her stop, something made her turn around, and something made her follow him. Ch2Author's Note I wrote this chapter at 2 A.M so I know it's not as good as the last one. sorry. It...REALLY SUCKS! Ch2 The grass was still wet and the the clouds still hanging above her, making it impossible to tell if morning was soon to come. Keeping up with the stallion's pace was a peace of hay, keeping hidden from his watchful eyes was a bit more difficult. He kept looking back and forth, as if searching for something he was certain would be there. MoonShadow watched intently as the pony raised a hoof to the door, but did not knock it, instead, holding a odd looking tool in his hoof. The end of the tool lit up and the mettle door swung open. The stallion disappeared inside the building, glancing down both alleyways as he did so. "Come on out!" He said" I know you've been watching me." MoonShadow gasped and hung her head low, hoping he wouldn't see her. "Okay, I'm coming!" She let her muscles relax and allowed herself to breath once more. But the question still lingered in the air, who WAS he talking to? The mare peaked her head out of the bushes, glancing left and right like the older stallion as she did so. "Hold on a sec, i need my sandwich!" Definitely a mare, and by the slight high-pitched voice, a filly. More importantly, a filly she did not recognize. The filly came out of the doorway, swallowing the last of a rather tasty looking dandelion sandwich. Her coat was a light yellow and her mane and tale a combination of cream and blonde. MoonShadow touched her own mane, secretly despising the filly for her beautifully styled mane and braided tale. Shadow narrowed her eyes. The filly nuzzled up against the older stallion, wrapping her hooves around him. "Where are we going Professor?" Professor? What kind of griffin-loving-hay-hoot'n-mother would name her child PROFESSOR? MoonsShadow growled under her breath. He shouldn't even HAVE a daughter! Locking her in an alleyway like that! HAH! The nerve! She had half a mind to go tell him off! Half a mind to tell him what a stupid name he has, half a mind to ring his neck for leaving a filly alone in this part of ponyville, and half a mind to tell him how angry she was at him for finding a special some pony before she could meet him...Shadow slapped herself with a hoof trying to keep those thoughts far from her. Her coat shivered and she retreated further back into the shadows. How could she let herself think like that again? The mare slapped herself once more. Turning her attention back to the alley, a slight feeling a disappointment crossed her wondering thoughts. The Professor and filly had both gone, leaving only rays of sunlight in the place where the two had stood. Sunlight?! SUNLIGHT! MoonShadow's eyes shrank to the size of pinheads. Turning as quickly as a pony can, she ran back down the street, passing through shadowed corners and hidden passages no pony bothered to look in. Shadow bolted down the still darkened parts of the streets, neither taking note nor caring of the ponies setting up their shops once again to welcome the new day and new costumers. When back in her home, Shadow rested on her side amoungst the many pillows in Celestia's secret library. With a gasp, MoonShadow's eyes snapped open, but the gasp wasn't her own, it came from the main library and by the sound of it, a mare. She held her ear up against the secret passage. "WOW! Look at all these ancient books!" Shadow winced, more than one pony, that was new. No pony has ever dared to come here but once, when nightmare moon was defeated. "it's a veritable gold mine of information. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" She sighed in frustration. Great, another one's getting into meh books! "WOOHOO!" MoonShadow then heard what sounded like a stumble and the smashing of her books, then a small scream. A male voice aroused in the chaos," Uh..hehe, so Twilight," Twilight? Oh not her!" "Ready to head home?" "Are you kidding?! This place is perfect!!!" Oh hayseeds... MoonShadow pulled from the door. Pull it together, you've scared away other ponies Shadow, you can scare this one. Tiphoofing, she left through another exit, grabing her black cloak as she did so and making sure not to let Twilight know she was there. Even though it was morning, no sunlight made it's way through the castle windows, or what had once been windows anyway, and it was difficult to see without her torch. After banging her hooves on several loose stones, she found her way outside. "Are you sure you need those tapestries?" MoonShadow's face twisted into a frown and her eyes narrowed, how dare they! This is HER home. A familiar feeling burned in her chest. Another voice, recognizable as the mare who ran The Carousel Boutique "Of course, although, I must admit, these ruins are a fright." Shadow watched the two mares and one rabbit, enter the castle, secretly wishing it was still raining. "Just look at all this dirt everywhere!"The white mare shook her hooves off. Shadow tensed her muscles, readying herself to pounce out at the unsuspecting two, when the rabbit charged into the castle and as did the pegasus, calling in after him. The mares disappeared into the darkness. Seeing as nopony was there, Shadow stepped out into the clearing, her dark shadow falling upon the doorstep. Before entering, she stopped at the door and could still hear mumbling on the other side. A devilish grin crossed her face and she entered just in time to see a light pink tale and yellow rump fellow it's friends to the next room. Shadow dashed behind a piece of fallen ruble. "I don't think we'll need all these candles Twilight. I was really only scared for a second." Scared? MoonShadow glanced up at the two crossing by, followed by levitating candles. Her eyes squinted at the light. It was beautiful, unlike her. :oh, these aren't for you Spike," Spike, she knew that name, " We're going to be studying late into the night." The young dragon's eyes grew small in fear. "And we're gunna need all the light we can get!" Spike then complained under his breath. Staying in her hiding spot, she could hear more voices, and by the southern twang, AppleJack. "Well, here we are!" RainbowDash was following her in. "Uh, what's so daring about this place?" The two stood next to each other, staring into the castle and just missing Shadow's tale. "This is where we got the elements of Harmony." Rainbow continued. MoonShadow cringed at the title, but continued to listen and watch while AJ formed a sneaky smile on her face. "When I was just a filly, granny Smith told me of an ancient legend." The orange mare climbed to the top of a crumbling brick staircase." When NightMare Moon was banished, not every last bit of her dark magic whent with her." A knot formed in Shadow's throat. "Granny used to say, when night falls on the castle," She glanced out a large hole in the wall and stared off into the moon. "That magic, takes the form of..." AppleJack paused "The Pony Of Shadows!" Aj raised her hooves in the air as an attempt to scare her friend. Tears flew freely from MoonShadow's eyes. She didn't try to hold them back, she didn't even care to wipe them away from her dark purple face. This is what she deserved, to be alone, and sad. "You mean like a...ghost?" Rainbow spoke quietly, as if trying to hide her fear. AppleJack came up next to her friend, and frozen look of(What she was trying to make) shock on her face. She waved her hooves in the air, messing up her yellow mane. "Noooo Poony Knoowwwwss" Rainbow grunted. Taking her chance, Shadow left the room, and the mares. Sneaking around the back way, she watched as somepony activated the trap wall. Rainbow screamed, AppleJack screamed! MoonShadow stood up to her full height, casting a longshadow upon the two, causing more screams and squeals of fear. Fear. It felt so natural. NO! She pulled back, taking her shadow from it's place and leaving the horrified ponies alone. She hadn't been in this room for what felt like centuries. It was darker than the first time she used it. Closing her eyes, Shadow concentrated on she castle, all the trap doors, all the paintings and the secrets...And activated them. She had neither will nor power to frighten them off herself...But maybe.... She concentrated on the paintings in the hallways, making their eyes move back and forth, and then the trap doors in the floor...Yes, surely there will be a pony there as well. Ch3Recalling the previous events of the night would be futile. All she knew was they were gone...Good. MoonShadow kicked a pillow out from her side. With a groan, she got up, stretching out her four limbs and yawning. Her muscles were sore, but she managed to walk to her window. The birds were chirping and the sun was out. Shadow blinked several times in attempts to clear her sight. She pulled a brown wool sack up off the floor, almost stumbling over her front hooves. When she opened the bag, the sweet citrus scent of lemon and other fruits hit her nostrils. The food she kept as a reserve in case her master did not serve. The food she would have to eat anyway. No, no this wasn't how it would be, she would trust her master. Master will come through. MoonShadow looked down at herself, ribs stuck out among loose skin and matted fur. No, no she would wait, just a little longer. Just...A...Little... Shadow dove into her sack, not even bothering to chew. Her stomach still felt empty...or maybe it was just her heart, she couldn't be sure. Food...She needed food. Just a bit more...Master won't mind. It didn't mater if the bright day sun shone overhead, Shadow had never felt so lonely and empty inside, all she could think of, the only picture drifting in her head, were the screams of the ponies she had frightened the night before. Now she needed food. Master wasn't going to help her. Master was wrong! MASTER LIED! MoonShadow veered right down the darkest road in sight. Master had food, master lied... Ducking behind a rather large carriage, Shadow swiped an apple off the stand closest to her. The juice squirted everywhere. It tasted like horseshoes compared to her usual diet. I will find a new hate, a new master. I have had two masters before...I can find a third... Tears streaked her face, that is until she saw him. Him, walking with his daughter, him buying apples from the stand next to her, him laughing as AppleJack said something she did not catch, and him looking into her eyes, a smile still printed on his face. MoonShadow snapped back into reality and bolted faster than RainbowDash ever could out of his sight. After safely in between two buildings, her head peaked out onto the streets in his direction. He was still picking his apples. Good... She would starve to death thinking the way she did...But still... The moon wasn't as bright as it usually was, but MoonShadow wouldn't have noticed even if she had dared to look up at it's rocky surface. She was on a hill. A small grassy hill over looking a pond. She could only look down at her hooves, for the pond reflected the moon, she didn't want to look at the moon...She was going to die, and truthfully, it didn't mater. She had no purpose. No reason to get up to greet the dark sky and moon every night. No reason go on. MoonShadow held back tears for a brief moment then let them fall free, no reason to hold them back anyway. The salty liquid weaved between her fur, making it messier than usual. "I know who you are..." MoonShadow froze, every muscle and internal instinct telling her to run away, but why? Why should she...This pony was obviously going to kill her. Shadow closed her eyes and let the muscles in her legs go limp and her body fall to the ground in a wet and hopeless pile of fur and flesh. The sudden physical touch of hoof to shoulder sent shock through her being, she wasn't sure if it were a hit or a touch, but she didn't resist either way. An apple was placed in front of her. Reluctantly, she lifted her eyes to meet his...He found her, but he was neither smiling nor frowning, in fact, his expression was unreadable, but his eyes screamed concern. Love. She jumped back and hid her face behind what mane she had left. "Please, let me help you...I'm the Professor..." His voice was calm and in a accent she did not recognize. ... "What's your name?" "MoonShadow." The Professor sat next to her, looking up into the sky as if searching for something the same way he did in town and with the same wondering sea-blue eyes. He must have realized she was staring because he turned to look at her. MoonShadow quickly turned away. "Why do you hide?" "Why do you search for that of which does not exist? In the sky, on the streets? Your eyes never cease their searching." the Professor winced, clearly caught off guard. "You of all ponies would know why miss Shadow." She could tell her vision was blurry, but wasn't sure if it's origin would be tears or the dim lighting of the night sky. "I'm so sor-" She stopped ... " it's just Shadow..." The nervous mare tried to hide her mistake with a smile, revealing her fang-like teeth to the unsuspecting Professor by her side. His expression turned from worry and doubt, to calm and disappointment, much like Luna's used to. MoonShadow let her false smile drop and continued to stare at her hooves. "You don't have to do this, you can do what the others did, there's still time. I can help you mis- I mean, Shadow." Something boiled inside of her and it showed, her expression flipped to twisted and angry, full of past wounds that had long since been forgotten and now been reopened by the stallion. "Leave me..." The Professor reluctantly did as he was told and marched back down the hill, this time, Shadow didn't look back. She had fallen asleep on the hill, memories in the form of a dream haunted her night. Master was there...She was angry with her and taunted her dreams of what had once been, to nightmares of what is. Waking up in a cold, and uncomfortably soggy sweat, MoonShadow could see the sun just rising over the hill. That wasn't right, Shadow was meant to rise at the moon's glorious glow, not the sun's harsh and demanding light. MoonShadow raised to her hooves, using the tree by her side as balance, then staring back at the sun. "Go awake somepony else princess Sunny butt!" Shadow reprimanded, waving a hoof at the bright ball of light Celestia controlled. Seeing as the everfree was a bit of a walk away, and by the time she got there it would be evening, Shadow decided to refill her "just in case" bag of fruits. Using a "borrowed" pillow sack from a near by laundry rope, she headed back to the main market area in the center of ponyville, Snatching various types of pony food as she when and stuffing them into her bag, too ashamed to buy them herself. Ch.4Author's Note I know it's a short chapter, but hey, I actually enjoyed writing this one. Thanks for following my chapters everypony! Ch.4 Maybe I can....no no no! They are still angry...But he looks so lonely...Where's his filly? MoonShadow's dark purple coat shivered in the cold night air. It had long since been time for her to leave, being out all day and from then, the night's darkness. But tomorrow the trains to foreign parts of equestria would leave the station, taking all visiters to ponyville with it. Maybe no one will notice... The mare placed one hoof into the dim lit streets, then another. Few could be seen that night, understandable, the moon was hidden in clouds, making the street lights the only source of heat or sight. He was sitting on the outside tables of a porch restaurant, but his eyes did not wonder, his smile long gone, and she could almost taste his disappointment. Another step... No pony inside, a carriage sped by along the road, splashing rainwater over her coat and turning it brown. Step... She could see his lips moving but the words did not cross her ear. Step, step... Timberwolves could be heard howling beyond the town. Zap apples would be here soon. Step... He looked up from his misery and cup of mint tea by the smell of it, and matched eyes with hers. A small shock traveled through the pony's back. She hadn't noticed how close she had gotten. A smile long since forgotten to her graced her lips. Unlike last time, he never smiled back. He just... looked at her, his eyes a little red and puffy. His voice stuttered, "She's never been gone this long....." The Professor let out a long and surprisingly deep sigh. "It's been 5 months DarkShadow...." She didn't bother to correct him. He wiped his face and pasted a smile atop it. "No need to bore you with my troubles miss Shadow..." The stallion got up and turned to face an empty town. "She's been gone loner in the past I suppose..." "You let your daughter disappear for FIVE MONTHS?" "I'm sorry, but...WHAT?!" "Is she not who you cry over?" He winced, wiping away at his face again. "I believe you are mistaken, I don't even have a daughter." "But I saw.....She was?...You. Where.....But-But?" "You..You were watching me?" MoonShadow's face turned the same color of the rising sun. "I was..I-I-" She could feel her ears turn hot and her hooves trembled beneath her. "I-I-" Professor stopped her, placing a hoof on her mouth. Her eyes turned the size of pin heads at the sudden physical contact. "Don't fret miss Shadow, I know you are just trying to stay alive by finding it yourself, but following me wouldn't help. I don't know where she is." MoonShadow's feeling snapped from awkwardly cute, to completely confused. His hoof retreated from her face. "Um...Yah! You got me! So, why don't you talk to me about....her..." Her? He knows I feed on hate. Her...She.... She must be FULL of it! "Well, she usually comes to find me... She's always different. Always telling about some place I've never been... I think she's been taking out another stallion..." "Oh...You're...her coltfriend?" "WHAT?" Now he turned red, "No NO NO NO NO!...........You don't know what I'm talking about do you?" "Not especially." MoonShadow shifted her weight between hooves, refusing to meat his eye. A hoof found her chin, tilting it up toward it's owner. "Please, let me help you MoonShadow. There is so much more to life." He could feel her shaking, and a well remembered pain sank into his heart as wet, salty beads formed in the mare's eyes. Through gritted teeth, she pulled herself away from him. The mare continued to shake. Her shaking turned to weakness. She could only watch helplessly as a single tear fell from her face onto the pavement. Her weakness turned to sadness. The Professor placed a hoof o her shoulder, her coat shivered at the touch and he could tell where the carriage from earlier had drenched her. Her sadness turned to fear. MoonShadow allowed her legs to buckle up under her, they would buckle anyway. And her fear turned to anger. The worry full stallion leaned in to help her up. She instinctively knocked him to the ground with a quick movement of the hoof. A purple mark formed on his right eye. "STAY AWAY FROM ME! I DON'T WANT TO HURT THY!" The shocked Professor took a step back, then stopped. Recognition reaching his mind. The terror that took most ponies was not taken by him, in fact, he looked rather pleased with himself. "WHY DOTH THOU STARE AS THOU DOST?" Instead of an explanation, he only spoke a name, "Luna." Adrenaline shot through her and left at the same time. Fear and shock was clearly pasted on her face, and he could see it. "Ah, so you are the last of your kind. The rest left you didn't they? Anger, fear....and pain too? Hmm...I wish I knew it early...I don't see what's so wrong with joining back with them dear one." He began to reach his hoof out to touche her, then resisted as not to cause another rift between them. " I know what you did to Luna...And.." He looked away and squeezed his eyes tight, "And my companion." MoonShadow listened intently. The Professor cleared his throat. "Well, " A hoof was extended her way, "What do yuh say?" Her body shook uncontrollably. "Miss Shadow?" Will a heavy heart, the mare forced her hooves into action, moving at a gallop toward the everfree. Ch.5MoonShadow. ~The Professor. "Miss Shadow!?" She pushed hard against her ears to keep his words from finding her and tempting her to leave the hiding spot among the bushes. "Please come out! I'm only trying to help Mis- um, I mean, MoonShadow." The sound of dry leaves and decaying branches cracking under his hooves made her whole body shake with every step. He would find her soon, and she was too weak to run anymore. His care for her was poisoning every breath she took. "Miss Shadow...Please let me help you. I'm sorry I scared you..." MoonShadow should never have fallowed him in the first place. There was no way she could scare him like the others, he was not afraid of her. No fear emanated off of him, in fact, she could only stay hidden there as his poisonous care for her numbed her every breath. "I-" He stopped, hearing her body fall to the forest floor. And now he grew ever closer. "MOONSHADOW!" He cautiously pulled her onto his back. She didn't resist, she had no energy to. "RRR! Come on...Let's get you somewhere safe where I can check what's wrong with you." She tried to speak but no words came out. She tried to move, but her limbs remained hanging loosely to the strong stallion's side. Everywhere ached, everywhere stung. She opened her eyes to find the Professor leaning over and matching hers. Even with the pain, she could feel the blood rush to her ears and face. "Don't try to move." She did as was told. When she began to speak, she found her just as throat dry and painfully numbed as the rest of her body. "Wh-ouch!" "Um..Don't try to speak either." MoonShadow tilted her head various directions in attempts to find out where she was. It was definitely inside, but not her castle home or a hospital as she had expected. The Professor saw her questioning looks and pushed her head back down with a gentle hoof. "Don't be difficult now miss Shadow." "Where- cough- am I?" He winced, "Oh, right, of course..." He looked down and clapped his hooves together nervously. She took note of this and forced her aching muscles into action, pinning her new captive to the wall and pulling her front left hoof back. "Where am-" It was no sooner than she said this that the room shook and sent the mare falling back down, the Professor took his chance, running to higher ground and the protection of a two-way stair case. "OK...That was new." Her hooves shook beneath her, threatening to give out and send her back into a state of unconsciousness. "Please! I'm just trying to help. " He spoke slow, and seemed to be looking past her "I'm sorry but-" Somepony was behind her! Using what energy she had left, MoonShadow bolted toward him, but it was too late! Whatever it was had got her in it's iron grasp around her neck and torso. The being spoke in a mare's voice, "What do you want me to do with her Professor?" MoonShadow tried to get a glimpse of her captor, but a mettle-like hoof quickly rightened her. "Be gentle Narris! Put her back in bed and go get Italy!" MoonShadow was lifted back onto the place on which she awoke and lay there gasping for the air to return to her lungs. The sound of mettle on mettle clapped against her ears as "Narris" left the room. "You're in my home MoonShadow, you're in the TARDIS." "T-the...wwh-what?" She managed to stutter. "The TARDIS, my home miss Shadow. She came back!" He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, as if it were all so obvious to every pony but her. The poker face printed on MoonShadow spoke for her. "-sigh- Time And Relative Dimensions In Space." "And that means...what?"' "It means you are safe. And that I saved you...So...Good for me, but not for you, no, you're dying." He still spoke as if it were obvious and such a simple fix! "I'm...WHAT?!" He pulled out flash cards and held them to her face, reading each one aloud as he did so, "You. Are. Dying." ... "But don't worry, I can fix that!" He picked up what appeared to be a mix between a flashlight and a pen from the able next to her in his mouth. "Iwt wi'w jush take a min'ut!" "STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!?" He let the...thing, drop to the floor. "I, my dear pony, am not doing anything, you however, are! I'm going to save you!" A toothy smile formed across his face. "W-what is that thing?" The Professor looked down at the item he had dropped and promptly picked it up before MoonShadow had a chance to do so herself. "Oh! This thing? I wasn't really sure when I found it on the TARDIS. At first I thought it to be a flashlight, but them I did some experiments. It a genuine sonic screwdriver...Come to think of it, was kind of dummy wouls sonic a screwdriver!? I Would have chosen a watch." MoonShadow raised an eyebrow. "And this...Screwdriver...What is it going to do to me?" "Well, um..." He looked around the room as if the answer to her question was somewhere in the room. "Weeell...." "Well?!" "-Sigh- Look, I know you don't want to go the same path as those who abandoned you but-" "NO! YOU SHALL NOT CHANGE ME!" "MoonShadow... I know what it's like to be the last of your kind..." He bit his lip then spoke in a quieter tone " I know." She blinked, that answer was unexpected. " But- But-.... You're a pony!?...Right?..." He wordlessly placed her hoof on his chest...Thump..Thump..Thump..went his heard.. And then something more. Thump-Thump...Thump-Thump... Her eyes shrunk and she quickly pulled her hoof out of his grasp. "Y-Y-YOU H-HAVE TWO H-" "Two hearts? yes."
Unseen Unheard Unnoticed...Unloved.Author's Note I wrote this because I knew I might forget her. you all know me, im the Professor. Unseen Unheard Unnoticed...Unloved. ~The Professor. Diving behind a bush, she watched them pass. She knew all of their names, their faces. All of them. So why was she so hollow. So empty inside. Like a painful memory, her days passed, each one getting a little simpler and yet, a bit more complicated as Celestia's sun crossed the sky to rest on the mountains afar. How beautiful this place was. How infected and painful she chose it to be. How much pain must she inflict on herself until she is satisfied with her own guilt? Her mane was rough and dark gray, almost purple, like the sunset that was now becoming to be. A single tear formed in her eye and rolled down her matted, wet fur. How plain her fur was. How non imaginary and dull, and how despising her eyes were Red, like blood. At least nopony could see her in the shadows of the alleyway. MoonShadow ran a hoof through her fur, still staring into her own reflection painted like a portrait on the forming puddle beneath her hooves. With a scowl and one swift move of her tail, the puddle was destroyed. "Come on miss hooves!" She knew that voice. That was the Doctor, she knew every pony's voice. "I'm coming Doctor!" That was to be what appeared so, his mare friend. Shadow watched them disappear into their blue box. Dear Celestia knows what magic was held in there. The light above it shone bright and flickered on and off, on and off, until the box disappeared with it's passengers as if fleeing from the ever growing black clouds. Shadow's coat shivered as a raindrop sunk through to her skin. Every Pony was getting out of the rain...Every pony, but her. It was better to stay in the shadows. Better to hide than to run. MoonShadow continued to pull her hoof through her mane in some attempt to straighten it out. It wouldn't mater, even if it did work, no pony would see it. No pony would care. But maybe he wou- No. She would not allow herself to think like that. Not again. For his sake. Luna's moon was now overhead and Celestia's sun, long gone. Only the early morning ponies who needed to set up their stands for a busy day of selling were up at this time. She knew all their jobs. All of them. From her spot in the bushes, she watched AppleJack set up her apple selling stand. She watched as her younger sister, AppleBloom, bounced up and down in excitement even as the rain beat down hard on the filly's back. This was probably because her older sister was finally allowing her to participate with the apple stand. AppleBloom was still a blank flank, but her older sister had three juicy looking red apples printed on her hind quarters. THREE! She glanced down at her own flank. What MoonShadow wouldn't do for just one on hers. Her flank would be bare if not for the red hoof print done in with a permanent substance. She almost smiled, remembering when she had done it as a young filly. Remembering why she had done it brought only beads of most, salty tears to her eyes. Lifting all four hooves back beneath her, MoonShadow left the alleyway. The sun arose quickly, so the mare decided to pick up speed and from there, disappeared into the EverFree, leaving a dust trail behind her. When the time came, it was easy to sneak past Zecora's hut. That zebra was always mixing or brewing one thing or another, too busy to be on the lookout for intruders. MoonShadow glanced up to the skies above her, even if the sun was risen all the way, overhanging trees and large bushes blocked out all of the sun's rays from reaching the forest ground beneath. The trees. They leaned over her like a pack of timberwolves, silently threatening her every step. MoonShadow growled loudly at them, as if to frighten them back. Everything about what she called home would send any pony running. The cracked and crumbling stone bricks shook beneath her hooves. The vines and hanging tree branches scrapped and pulled at her mane. "Hello." She told her home. It had once been a magnificent palace, the castle of the two sisters. It had once been so beautiful. It had once owned a purpose. It had once been loved and cared for... Once... Once had a mother.... and a home...and- MoonShadow forced a hoof to her own face, trying to hold back tears and anger and pain, and for the most part, regret. she knew who she was, even though her rump refused to give in to the truth and claim the proper cutiemark as her own, she knew. Shadow reached back and felt around her false cutie mark. Disgraceful! _________________________________________________________________________________________ The moon was bright that night, that, and an unexpected timberwolf in the bedroom woke her up. She had chased it away with a torch and she knew it wouldn't be long till he was back with his friends for a midnight snack. Timberwolves always hunted in packs of three or more. Still, even if they weren't coming back, she still needed to move. The midnight markets would be open in Ponyville right about now and she planned on being there. It was so easy to be herself in the shadows. The darkness assuring her a save escape from anypony who may see her on her way. Dowsing the torch in a small pool of water, MoonShadow left the clearing and ventured back into the woods until reaching the outer boundaries of the little town. It was quiet, just the way she liked it to be at this time of night. Staying in the shadows, she still found it a bit harder to stay hidden from their pony eyes. Luna must be planning on doing some late night work if she wanted the moon THIS bright. "Ah, Professor!" My head span around like a snake. "I take it your here for...well, you know where to get it!" The voice belonged to BlackSky, the royal guard that was in charge of the "Changeling Cleanup Crew," a team who found the changeling left too close to canterlot and wiped them out, with the exception of one called Zinc, he was said to be in the possession of Princess Luna. Apparently under interrogation according to the royal guards who passed through ponyville. "Um, yes, thank you." MoonShadow stepped closer to the two, trying to see who the other was. She had never heard his voice before. It was british and belonged to a stallion, but softer than the usual hard voice of a male pony. "Right in there." BlackSky pointed to the ally she had rested in the previous day. "Off I go then!" MoonShadow's ears tilted in interest. The stallion stepped into the moon's light, his coat was brown and his mane, well kept. His tail was long and rough yet a slightly lighter brown than his fur. His eyes were light blue and surprisingly hard to look away from. "Hello! Who are you?" MoonShadow hadn't noticed that she had stepped out of the shadows! With a gasp, the mare dashed back into her shadowy save haven. The stallion winced and then continued on his way. MoonShadow breathed heavily, but something made her stop, something made her turn around, and something made her follow him.
Ch2Author's Note I wrote this chapter at 2 A.M so I know it's not as good as the last one. sorry. It...REALLY SUCKS! Ch2 The grass was still wet and the the clouds still hanging above her, making it impossible to tell if morning was soon to come. Keeping up with the stallion's pace was a peace of hay, keeping hidden from his watchful eyes was a bit more difficult. He kept looking back and forth, as if searching for something he was certain would be there. MoonShadow watched intently as the pony raised a hoof to the door, but did not knock it, instead, holding a odd looking tool in his hoof. The end of the tool lit up and the mettle door swung open. The stallion disappeared inside the building, glancing down both alleyways as he did so. "Come on out!" He said" I know you've been watching me." MoonShadow gasped and hung her head low, hoping he wouldn't see her. "Okay, I'm coming!" She let her muscles relax and allowed herself to breath once more. But the question still lingered in the air, who WAS he talking to? The mare peaked her head out of the bushes, glancing left and right like the older stallion as she did so. "Hold on a sec, i need my sandwich!" Definitely a mare, and by the slight high-pitched voice, a filly. More importantly, a filly she did not recognize. The filly came out of the doorway, swallowing the last of a rather tasty looking dandelion sandwich. Her coat was a light yellow and her mane and tale a combination of cream and blonde. MoonShadow touched her own mane, secretly despising the filly for her beautifully styled mane and braided tale. Shadow narrowed her eyes. The filly nuzzled up against the older stallion, wrapping her hooves around him. "Where are we going Professor?" Professor? What kind of griffin-loving-hay-hoot'n-mother would name her child PROFESSOR? MoonsShadow growled under her breath. He shouldn't even HAVE a daughter! Locking her in an alleyway like that! HAH! The nerve! She had half a mind to go tell him off! Half a mind to tell him what a stupid name he has, half a mind to ring his neck for leaving a filly alone in this part of ponyville, and half a mind to tell him how angry she was at him for finding a special some pony before she could meet him...Shadow slapped herself with a hoof trying to keep those thoughts far from her. Her coat shivered and she retreated further back into the shadows. How could she let herself think like that again? The mare slapped herself once more. Turning her attention back to the alley, a slight feeling a disappointment crossed her wondering thoughts. The Professor and filly had both gone, leaving only rays of sunlight in the place where the two had stood. Sunlight?! SUNLIGHT! MoonShadow's eyes shrank to the size of pinheads. Turning as quickly as a pony can, she ran back down the street, passing through shadowed corners and hidden passages no pony bothered to look in. Shadow bolted down the still darkened parts of the streets, neither taking note nor caring of the ponies setting up their shops once again to welcome the new day and new costumers. When back in her home, Shadow rested on her side amoungst the many pillows in Celestia's secret library. With a gasp, MoonShadow's eyes snapped open, but the gasp wasn't her own, it came from the main library and by the sound of it, a mare. She held her ear up against the secret passage. "WOW! Look at all these ancient books!" Shadow winced, more than one pony, that was new. No pony has ever dared to come here but once, when nightmare moon was defeated. "it's a veritable gold mine of information. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" She sighed in frustration. Great, another one's getting into meh books! "WOOHOO!" MoonShadow then heard what sounded like a stumble and the smashing of her books, then a small scream. A male voice aroused in the chaos," Uh..hehe, so Twilight," Twilight? Oh not her!" "Ready to head home?" "Are you kidding?! This place is perfect!!!" Oh hayseeds... MoonShadow pulled from the door. Pull it together, you've scared away other ponies Shadow, you can scare this one. Tiphoofing, she left through another exit, grabing her black cloak as she did so and making sure not to let Twilight know she was there. Even though it was morning, no sunlight made it's way through the castle windows, or what had once been windows anyway, and it was difficult to see without her torch. After banging her hooves on several loose stones, she found her way outside. "Are you sure you need those tapestries?" MoonShadow's face twisted into a frown and her eyes narrowed, how dare they! This is HER home. A familiar feeling burned in her chest. Another voice, recognizable as the mare who ran The Carousel Boutique "Of course, although, I must admit, these ruins are a fright." Shadow watched the two mares and one rabbit, enter the castle, secretly wishing it was still raining. "Just look at all this dirt everywhere!"The white mare shook her hooves off. Shadow tensed her muscles, readying herself to pounce out at the unsuspecting two, when the rabbit charged into the castle and as did the pegasus, calling in after him. The mares disappeared into the darkness. Seeing as nopony was there, Shadow stepped out into the clearing, her dark shadow falling upon the doorstep. Before entering, she stopped at the door and could still hear mumbling on the other side. A devilish grin crossed her face and she entered just in time to see a light pink tale and yellow rump fellow it's friends to the next room. Shadow dashed behind a piece of fallen ruble. "I don't think we'll need all these candles Twilight. I was really only scared for a second." Scared? MoonShadow glanced up at the two crossing by, followed by levitating candles. Her eyes squinted at the light. It was beautiful, unlike her. :oh, these aren't for you Spike," Spike, she knew that name, " We're going to be studying late into the night." The young dragon's eyes grew small in fear. "And we're gunna need all the light we can get!" Spike then complained under his breath. Staying in her hiding spot, she could hear more voices, and by the southern twang, AppleJack. "Well, here we are!" RainbowDash was following her in. "Uh, what's so daring about this place?" The two stood next to each other, staring into the castle and just missing Shadow's tale. "This is where we got the elements of Harmony." Rainbow continued. MoonShadow cringed at the title, but continued to listen and watch while AJ formed a sneaky smile on her face. "When I was just a filly, granny Smith told me of an ancient legend." The orange mare climbed to the top of a crumbling brick staircase." When NightMare Moon was banished, not every last bit of her dark magic whent with her." A knot formed in Shadow's throat. "Granny used to say, when night falls on the castle," She glanced out a large hole in the wall and stared off into the moon. "That magic, takes the form of..." AppleJack paused "The Pony Of Shadows!" Aj raised her hooves in the air as an attempt to scare her friend. Tears flew freely from MoonShadow's eyes. She didn't try to hold them back, she didn't even care to wipe them away from her dark purple face. This is what she deserved, to be alone, and sad. "You mean like a...ghost?" Rainbow spoke quietly, as if trying to hide her fear. AppleJack came up next to her friend, and frozen look of(What she was trying to make) shock on her face. She waved her hooves in the air, messing up her yellow mane. "Noooo Poony Knoowwwwss" Rainbow grunted. Taking her chance, Shadow left the room, and the mares. Sneaking around the back way, she watched as somepony activated the trap wall. Rainbow screamed, AppleJack screamed! MoonShadow stood up to her full height, casting a longshadow upon the two, causing more screams and squeals of fear. Fear. It felt so natural. NO! She pulled back, taking her shadow from it's place and leaving the horrified ponies alone. She hadn't been in this room for what felt like centuries. It was darker than the first time she used it. Closing her eyes, Shadow concentrated on she castle, all the trap doors, all the paintings and the secrets...And activated them. She had neither will nor power to frighten them off herself...But maybe.... She concentrated on the paintings in the hallways, making their eyes move back and forth, and then the trap doors in the floor...Yes, surely there will be a pony there as well.
Ch3Recalling the previous events of the night would be futile. All she knew was they were gone...Good. MoonShadow kicked a pillow out from her side. With a groan, she got up, stretching out her four limbs and yawning. Her muscles were sore, but she managed to walk to her window. The birds were chirping and the sun was out. Shadow blinked several times in attempts to clear her sight. She pulled a brown wool sack up off the floor, almost stumbling over her front hooves. When she opened the bag, the sweet citrus scent of lemon and other fruits hit her nostrils. The food she kept as a reserve in case her master did not serve. The food she would have to eat anyway. No, no this wasn't how it would be, she would trust her master. Master will come through. MoonShadow looked down at herself, ribs stuck out among loose skin and matted fur. No, no she would wait, just a little longer. Just...A...Little... Shadow dove into her sack, not even bothering to chew. Her stomach still felt empty...or maybe it was just her heart, she couldn't be sure. Food...She needed food. Just a bit more...Master won't mind. It didn't mater if the bright day sun shone overhead, Shadow had never felt so lonely and empty inside, all she could think of, the only picture drifting in her head, were the screams of the ponies she had frightened the night before. Now she needed food. Master wasn't going to help her. Master was wrong! MASTER LIED! MoonShadow veered right down the darkest road in sight. Master had food, master lied... Ducking behind a rather large carriage, Shadow swiped an apple off the stand closest to her. The juice squirted everywhere. It tasted like horseshoes compared to her usual diet. I will find a new hate, a new master. I have had two masters before...I can find a third... Tears streaked her face, that is until she saw him. Him, walking with his daughter, him buying apples from the stand next to her, him laughing as AppleJack said something she did not catch, and him looking into her eyes, a smile still printed on his face. MoonShadow snapped back into reality and bolted faster than RainbowDash ever could out of his sight. After safely in between two buildings, her head peaked out onto the streets in his direction. He was still picking his apples. Good... She would starve to death thinking the way she did...But still... The moon wasn't as bright as it usually was, but MoonShadow wouldn't have noticed even if she had dared to look up at it's rocky surface. She was on a hill. A small grassy hill over looking a pond. She could only look down at her hooves, for the pond reflected the moon, she didn't want to look at the moon...She was going to die, and truthfully, it didn't mater. She had no purpose. No reason to get up to greet the dark sky and moon every night. No reason go on. MoonShadow held back tears for a brief moment then let them fall free, no reason to hold them back anyway. The salty liquid weaved between her fur, making it messier than usual. "I know who you are..." MoonShadow froze, every muscle and internal instinct telling her to run away, but why? Why should she...This pony was obviously going to kill her. Shadow closed her eyes and let the muscles in her legs go limp and her body fall to the ground in a wet and hopeless pile of fur and flesh. The sudden physical touch of hoof to shoulder sent shock through her being, she wasn't sure if it were a hit or a touch, but she didn't resist either way. An apple was placed in front of her. Reluctantly, she lifted her eyes to meet his...He found her, but he was neither smiling nor frowning, in fact, his expression was unreadable, but his eyes screamed concern. Love. She jumped back and hid her face behind what mane she had left. "Please, let me help you...I'm the Professor..." His voice was calm and in a accent she did not recognize. ... "What's your name?" "MoonShadow." The Professor sat next to her, looking up into the sky as if searching for something the same way he did in town and with the same wondering sea-blue eyes. He must have realized she was staring because he turned to look at her. MoonShadow quickly turned away. "Why do you hide?" "Why do you search for that of which does not exist? In the sky, on the streets? Your eyes never cease their searching." the Professor winced, clearly caught off guard. "You of all ponies would know why miss Shadow." She could tell her vision was blurry, but wasn't sure if it's origin would be tears or the dim lighting of the night sky. "I'm so sor-" She stopped ... " it's just Shadow..." The nervous mare tried to hide her mistake with a smile, revealing her fang-like teeth to the unsuspecting Professor by her side. His expression turned from worry and doubt, to calm and disappointment, much like Luna's used to. MoonShadow let her false smile drop and continued to stare at her hooves. "You don't have to do this, you can do what the others did, there's still time. I can help you mis- I mean, Shadow." Something boiled inside of her and it showed, her expression flipped to twisted and angry, full of past wounds that had long since been forgotten and now been reopened by the stallion. "Leave me..." The Professor reluctantly did as he was told and marched back down the hill, this time, Shadow didn't look back. She had fallen asleep on the hill, memories in the form of a dream haunted her night. Master was there...She was angry with her and taunted her dreams of what had once been, to nightmares of what is. Waking up in a cold, and uncomfortably soggy sweat, MoonShadow could see the sun just rising over the hill. That wasn't right, Shadow was meant to rise at the moon's glorious glow, not the sun's harsh and demanding light. MoonShadow raised to her hooves, using the tree by her side as balance, then staring back at the sun. "Go awake somepony else princess Sunny butt!" Shadow reprimanded, waving a hoof at the bright ball of light Celestia controlled. Seeing as the everfree was a bit of a walk away, and by the time she got there it would be evening, Shadow decided to refill her "just in case" bag of fruits. Using a "borrowed" pillow sack from a near by laundry rope, she headed back to the main market area in the center of ponyville, Snatching various types of pony food as she when and stuffing them into her bag, too ashamed to buy them herself.
Ch.4Author's Note I know it's a short chapter, but hey, I actually enjoyed writing this one. Thanks for following my chapters everypony! Ch.4 Maybe I can....no no no! They are still angry...But he looks so lonely...Where's his filly? MoonShadow's dark purple coat shivered in the cold night air. It had long since been time for her to leave, being out all day and from then, the night's darkness. But tomorrow the trains to foreign parts of equestria would leave the station, taking all visiters to ponyville with it. Maybe no one will notice... The mare placed one hoof into the dim lit streets, then another. Few could be seen that night, understandable, the moon was hidden in clouds, making the street lights the only source of heat or sight. He was sitting on the outside tables of a porch restaurant, but his eyes did not wonder, his smile long gone, and she could almost taste his disappointment. Another step... No pony inside, a carriage sped by along the road, splashing rainwater over her coat and turning it brown. Step... She could see his lips moving but the words did not cross her ear. Step, step... Timberwolves could be heard howling beyond the town. Zap apples would be here soon. Step... He looked up from his misery and cup of mint tea by the smell of it, and matched eyes with hers. A small shock traveled through the pony's back. She hadn't noticed how close she had gotten. A smile long since forgotten to her graced her lips. Unlike last time, he never smiled back. He just... looked at her, his eyes a little red and puffy. His voice stuttered, "She's never been gone this long....." The Professor let out a long and surprisingly deep sigh. "It's been 5 months DarkShadow...." She didn't bother to correct him. He wiped his face and pasted a smile atop it. "No need to bore you with my troubles miss Shadow..." The stallion got up and turned to face an empty town. "She's been gone loner in the past I suppose..." "You let your daughter disappear for FIVE MONTHS?" "I'm sorry, but...WHAT?!" "Is she not who you cry over?" He winced, wiping away at his face again. "I believe you are mistaken, I don't even have a daughter." "But I saw.....She was?...You. Where.....But-But?" "You..You were watching me?" MoonShadow's face turned the same color of the rising sun. "I was..I-I-" She could feel her ears turn hot and her hooves trembled beneath her. "I-I-" Professor stopped her, placing a hoof on her mouth. Her eyes turned the size of pin heads at the sudden physical contact. "Don't fret miss Shadow, I know you are just trying to stay alive by finding it yourself, but following me wouldn't help. I don't know where she is." MoonShadow's feeling snapped from awkwardly cute, to completely confused. His hoof retreated from her face. "Um...Yah! You got me! So, why don't you talk to me about....her..." Her? He knows I feed on hate. Her...She.... She must be FULL of it! "Well, she usually comes to find me... She's always different. Always telling about some place I've never been... I think she's been taking out another stallion..." "Oh...You're...her coltfriend?" "WHAT?" Now he turned red, "No NO NO NO NO!...........You don't know what I'm talking about do you?" "Not especially." MoonShadow shifted her weight between hooves, refusing to meat his eye. A hoof found her chin, tilting it up toward it's owner. "Please, let me help you MoonShadow. There is so much more to life." He could feel her shaking, and a well remembered pain sank into his heart as wet, salty beads formed in the mare's eyes. Through gritted teeth, she pulled herself away from him. The mare continued to shake. Her shaking turned to weakness. She could only watch helplessly as a single tear fell from her face onto the pavement. Her weakness turned to sadness. The Professor placed a hoof o her shoulder, her coat shivered at the touch and he could tell where the carriage from earlier had drenched her. Her sadness turned to fear. MoonShadow allowed her legs to buckle up under her, they would buckle anyway. And her fear turned to anger. The worry full stallion leaned in to help her up. She instinctively knocked him to the ground with a quick movement of the hoof. A purple mark formed on his right eye. "STAY AWAY FROM ME! I DON'T WANT TO HURT THY!" The shocked Professor took a step back, then stopped. Recognition reaching his mind. The terror that took most ponies was not taken by him, in fact, he looked rather pleased with himself. "WHY DOTH THOU STARE AS THOU DOST?" Instead of an explanation, he only spoke a name, "Luna." Adrenaline shot through her and left at the same time. Fear and shock was clearly pasted on her face, and he could see it. "Ah, so you are the last of your kind. The rest left you didn't they? Anger, fear....and pain too? Hmm...I wish I knew it early...I don't see what's so wrong with joining back with them dear one." He began to reach his hoof out to touche her, then resisted as not to cause another rift between them. " I know what you did to Luna...And.." He looked away and squeezed his eyes tight, "And my companion." MoonShadow listened intently. The Professor cleared his throat. "Well, " A hoof was extended her way, "What do yuh say?" Her body shook uncontrollably. "Miss Shadow?" Will a heavy heart, the mare forced her hooves into action, moving at a gallop toward the everfree.
Ch.5MoonShadow. ~The Professor. "Miss Shadow!?" She pushed hard against her ears to keep his words from finding her and tempting her to leave the hiding spot among the bushes. "Please come out! I'm only trying to help Mis- um, I mean, MoonShadow." The sound of dry leaves and decaying branches cracking under his hooves made her whole body shake with every step. He would find her soon, and she was too weak to run anymore. His care for her was poisoning every breath she took. "Miss Shadow...Please let me help you. I'm sorry I scared you..." MoonShadow should never have fallowed him in the first place. There was no way she could scare him like the others, he was not afraid of her. No fear emanated off of him, in fact, she could only stay hidden there as his poisonous care for her numbed her every breath. "I-" He stopped, hearing her body fall to the forest floor. And now he grew ever closer. "MOONSHADOW!" He cautiously pulled her onto his back. She didn't resist, she had no energy to. "RRR! Come on...Let's get you somewhere safe where I can check what's wrong with you." She tried to speak but no words came out. She tried to move, but her limbs remained hanging loosely to the strong stallion's side. Everywhere ached, everywhere stung. She opened her eyes to find the Professor leaning over and matching hers. Even with the pain, she could feel the blood rush to her ears and face. "Don't try to move." She did as was told. When she began to speak, she found her just as throat dry and painfully numbed as the rest of her body. "Wh-ouch!" "Um..Don't try to speak either." MoonShadow tilted her head various directions in attempts to find out where she was. It was definitely inside, but not her castle home or a hospital as she had expected. The Professor saw her questioning looks and pushed her head back down with a gentle hoof. "Don't be difficult now miss Shadow." "Where- cough- am I?" He winced, "Oh, right, of course..." He looked down and clapped his hooves together nervously. She took note of this and forced her aching muscles into action, pinning her new captive to the wall and pulling her front left hoof back. "Where am-" It was no sooner than she said this that the room shook and sent the mare falling back down, the Professor took his chance, running to higher ground and the protection of a two-way stair case. "OK...That was new." Her hooves shook beneath her, threatening to give out and send her back into a state of unconsciousness. "Please! I'm just trying to help. " He spoke slow, and seemed to be looking past her "I'm sorry but-" Somepony was behind her! Using what energy she had left, MoonShadow bolted toward him, but it was too late! Whatever it was had got her in it's iron grasp around her neck and torso. The being spoke in a mare's voice, "What do you want me to do with her Professor?" MoonShadow tried to get a glimpse of her captor, but a mettle-like hoof quickly rightened her. "Be gentle Narris! Put her back in bed and go get Italy!" MoonShadow was lifted back onto the place on which she awoke and lay there gasping for the air to return to her lungs. The sound of mettle on mettle clapped against her ears as "Narris" left the room. "You're in my home MoonShadow, you're in the TARDIS." "T-the...wwh-what?" She managed to stutter. "The TARDIS, my home miss Shadow. She came back!" He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, as if it were all so obvious to every pony but her. The poker face printed on MoonShadow spoke for her. "-sigh- Time And Relative Dimensions In Space." "And that means...what?"' "It means you are safe. And that I saved you...So...Good for me, but not for you, no, you're dying." He still spoke as if it were obvious and such a simple fix! "I'm...WHAT?!" He pulled out flash cards and held them to her face, reading each one aloud as he did so, "You. Are. Dying." ... "But don't worry, I can fix that!" He picked up what appeared to be a mix between a flashlight and a pen from the able next to her in his mouth. "Iwt wi'w jush take a min'ut!" "STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!?" He let the...thing, drop to the floor. "I, my dear pony, am not doing anything, you however, are! I'm going to save you!" A toothy smile formed across his face. "W-what is that thing?" The Professor looked down at the item he had dropped and promptly picked it up before MoonShadow had a chance to do so herself. "Oh! This thing? I wasn't really sure when I found it on the TARDIS. At first I thought it to be a flashlight, but them I did some experiments. It a genuine sonic screwdriver...Come to think of it, was kind of dummy wouls sonic a screwdriver!? I Would have chosen a watch." MoonShadow raised an eyebrow. "And this...Screwdriver...What is it going to do to me?" "Well, um..." He looked around the room as if the answer to her question was somewhere in the room. "Weeell...." "Well?!" "-Sigh- Look, I know you don't want to go the same path as those who abandoned you but-" "NO! YOU SHALL NOT CHANGE ME!" "MoonShadow... I know what it's like to be the last of your kind..." He bit his lip then spoke in a quieter tone " I know." She blinked, that answer was unexpected. " But- But-.... You're a pony!?...Right?..." He wordlessly placed her hoof on his chest...Thump..Thump..Thump..went his heard.. And then something more. Thump-Thump...Thump-Thump... Her eyes shrunk and she quickly pulled her hoof out of his grasp. "Y-Y-YOU H-HAVE TWO H-" "Two hearts? yes."
