My little pony: the Shadow veil saga

Chapters

Chapter 2: magical duel
Chapter three
Chapter 4: dinner party
Chapter 5: sparks will fly
Chapter 6: decision making
Chapter 7: the sentence
Chapter 8: back to Ponyville
Chapter 9: meeting with the mayor
Chapter 10: hydra at the party?!
Chapter 11: returning to the apple farm
Chapter 12: Old ties, new tricks
Chapter 12: Old ties, new tricks
Chapter 13: how to deal with timber wolves
Chapter 14: students of the princess
Chapter 15 Envy might have a heart?!
Chapter 16 Rarity's shop
Chapter 1, a message from a fellow student

Chapter 2: magical duel

Right away Shadow veil shot a green flash at twilight, and for a moment, nothing happened, then twilight began to feel a wired tingling in her mouth. And before she realized it, she began babbling all kinds of nonsense, ranging from facts about Canterlot history, to sections of a bedtime story she would tell Spike when he was little to get him to sleep at night. She was trying to think of a way to counter this spell, but as she did, her lips and mouth began to swell up like a balloon.

"One of my mostly used, non-lethal spells, 'babbling bloat'." He said with a smirk. "Causes uncontrollable rambling, shortly followed by swelling of the lips, tung, and eyes." He then stretched his front legs and let out a yawn. "Applejack, Twilights's time has begun."

Reluctantly, Applejack began the timer, and with every second that passed, as hoped her friend could find a way to break the spell.

"Oh and by the way," Shadow Veil added. "If you wish to forfeit the round, stomp your right hoof three times to signal a surrender. The spell will then end immediately."

Ten seconds had already passed, but Twilight couldn't concentrate. Her rambling of various bed bedtime stories, history, and other memories were filling her head. To stop this, she stomped her right hove three times. And almost immediately the rambling stopped, and her facial muscles began to relax. She let out a huge breath and almost passed out.

"Come on Twilight!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "Whip the floor with this guy!"

"We believe in you!" Rarity added.

"Make him laugh!" Pinky Pie screened. Which actually gave Twilight a brilliant idea.

It was her turn, the score was Shadow veil 1 twilight 0. But she was going to turn the tables this round. Applejack saw the enthusiasm in twilights's eyes and knew her friend had this in the bag.

"Draw!" Applejack cried out to the magic users.

Instantly, Twilight's horn glowed and this off a blast of energy that flew at Shadow Veil too fast for him to counter. But instead of being knocked to the ground, little balls of light surrounded him from all sides. He looked at them confused as to third purpose. After a moment on them just floating there, he stopped to examine why they remained motionless. Then they took the form of feathers! Soft, purple glowing feathers!

The feathers began tickling Shadow Veil, causing him to drop to the floor laughing. Applejack began the timer with a confidant light smirk, seeing as how Shadow Veil couldn't counter it.

"Yeh!" Rainbow Dash screamed as she did a back flip in the air. " I knew you could do it!"

"Smashing! Truly brilliant!" Rarity threw out there.

"Yeah!" Fluttershy softly spoke, in her normal, quiet, cheering voice.

"Great idea!" Pinky commented. "I wish if thought of that! Or a pie to the face! Oh, or raining cupcakes! But not chocolat-" Rainbow Dash put her hoof over Picky's mouth.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet girls" a slick, female voice said. Twilight looked over to Shadow Veil's assistant, who's pupils had shrink, making her look more like a snake then a dragon. "He's just toying with you. Watch..."

And as the dragon predicted, the grey unicorn shot a flash of green from his horn that surrounded his entire body, creating a bubble like shield. He then stood up in the shield, fully protected from the tickling feathers that were now attempting to reach him threw the barrier, but having very little success.

With a proud grin, Shadow Veil replied, "countered, and now I think I will return them."

He then twirled the shield around by running in place, like a hamster ball. The feathers then flew off of the shield and began flying off in random directions, hitting the girls and the black and red dragon assistant. The feathers resumed tickling them all. But when Twilight caught a breath, she dispelled the tickling feathers.

When she caught her breath, the dragon assistant began to yell at Shadow Veil. "What was with that! Why did you hit me too!? Are you stupid or something?!"

"Calm down, Envy. I couldn't control the direction of the feathers." He said coldly to his assistant. Turning his attention back to the girls, he cracked a sinister smile. "That's 2 me, 0 for the Princess. I was expecting a little more of a challenge."

Twilight's temper shot up a little, she could feel her pulse increasing and her heart race, but then Rarity cried out "keep your cool, dear! He's just trying to use your anger against you!"

Twilight took a deep breath, lifted her hoof to her chest, then as she exhaled, she let her hoof fall to the ground, a relaxation technique her old filly sitter, and sister-in-law, taught her. She then smiled back at her friends, who gave her an cheer of support.

Twilight then shot a confidant glair at Shadow Veil. "It's your move."

He smiled back "good to see you still have some fights in you. This would be boring if I won against the number 1 student so easily."

"Draw!" Applejack cried out.

Instantly, Shadow veil shot a flash of green at Twilight, and much like her last spell, orbs of green light surrounded her, but these where bigger, and in fewer number. It didn't take her long to know what he planned to do. The orbs then changed from balls of green light into floating green glowing boots. But unlike the slight tickling of the feathers, they began kicking the alicorn princess. She took a few shots in the shin, one in the back of he head, and a few in her flank. As Shadow Veil nodded to Applejack to begin the timer, the confident smile appeared on Twilight's face again.

This shook Shadow Veil slightly, but not enough to were he felt much danger. He knew she couldn't project a barrier like he did. And it's true she couldn't, but it is also true that she did know of a way to counter his spell.

Her horn then flashed purple, and a aura of purple surrounded the shoelaces of the boots. The laces then stretched out, as began tying the boots to each other, they tied over and under, and all around until all the green boots were tied together in a giant ball, unable to kick. Twilight shot a victorious smile over to Shadow Veil, who no longer looked so smug.

"Point to Twilight!" Applejack cheered out, the added "2:1"

Shadow Veil shook off the uncertainty, and regained his bravado. It was her turn. He had an ace up his sleeve, but he had hoped not to use if he could help it. "Your turn to attack, Princess." His words trailed out like a thick smog.

"Draw!" Applejack called out confidently.

Twilight then shot a small and fast flash of purple flash at Shadow Veil. He didn't have time to counter with his defensive spell before it hit him though. He looked around, wondering if she had used the same spell twice or had copied his own version of the spell. But there were no boots, no feathers. But as he checked his face for swelling, he felt something plushy on his face, and without thinking, his horn flashed green as he cast the counter spell to the 'babbling bloat' spell. The counter to the babbling bloat was a spell that chilled the mouth and face, reducing the swelling and calm the rambling mind. Only, when he performed the spell, something on his face froze!

He touched it, and there was a solid block of ice attached to his face! He looked to Twilight, confused as to what she had done. She stood tall and proud, mimicking his own stance.

Knowing what he was confused about, she answered his question "I just used the mustache spell, you did say non-lethal spells right? You never said I had to use a spell that would directly be a weapon. I had a feeling you would prepare a quick counter without thinking, being this close to the end. All I had to do was set a spell up for you to counter knowing you would rush to counter without fully analyzing the spell first."

"Woo-hoo!" All get friends cheered for her as she made her was back to them to give them all a hoof five.

Shadow Veil, now annoyed, shot a medium sized yellow lightning bold from his horn, that shattered the frozen mustache on his face, severing it from his body. His cocky grin was now an annoyed grit. "I've gone easy on you up till now, but the horseshoe has been thrown!"

Twilight repositioned herself, ready for what she expected to be a very powerful spell. She locked onto Shadow Veil, afraid of what would happen if she dared look away. But her friends still cheered for her in the background, which gave her confidante in her abilities and the strength to overcome anything.

"Draw!" Applejack screamed.

And within an instant, Shadow Veil's horn began summoning a giant ball of green glowing energy, which started to grow more and more with every seconds hat passed. Horror struck Twilight when she saw how big the sphere of magical energy was. She looked behind her and saw the shadow of the sphere engulf all of get friends! If it his her, they would be in danger too!

Twilight's horn began to glow as well, she began to summon as much magic as she could to try and block the attack not just from her but from her friends as well. Both the dark unicorn's and the purple alicorn princess's eyes turned white with the amount of magic they both were summoning. Right before the attack , when Twilight thought that Shadow Veil was going to shoot the ball off at her directly, the ball shrunk to the size of a parisprite!

Her eyes returned to third normal color as she saw Shadow Veil shoot the small sphere, not at her, but at an angle at the pond not far over to there right. She looked at the size of the ball and wondered what he had planned. Then when the sphere hit the water, the entire pond exploded! Creating a huge splash that engulfed not only the entire park, but Twilight's friends as well.

"Envy!" Shadow veil called out. "Hop up in that tree!"

"Why?" She asked in a snarky tone.

"Do it!" He yelled in an angered tone, shooting more sparks from his horn.

She must have realized something, Twilight thought,because her eyes grew wide and her pupils extended past their usual sliver. She immediately hopped up in the nearest tree.

Twilight watched their reaction, still confused as to what the spell was supposed to have done. "What was that about?"

Shadow Veil turned his attention back to the young princess, his smirk turned into a teeth clenching smile as he told her "if you give up right now, you won't have to find out. But I'll tell you this, I have you and your friends set up to receive the 'shock of your lives'!"

Twilight looked once again at the unicorn's horn that began sparking more and more. But not with a magical green light like what he used, but with sharp flares of yellow. She then looked around her and the others who were drenched due to the pond exploding. Then she pieced it together, and Shadow Veil's threat was realized!

"You can't use another spell! That's cheating!" She called out to the grey unicorn who stood with a triumphant grin.

"For one thing, Princess Twilight Sparkle, spell combos are commonly used, but one can only combo one directly after another. And another thing, what I plan to use is not a spell, but a sick joke of fate. Not you have your choices, you have 3 seconds to surrender, 4 seconds to try and dry you all off, or enjoy a free perm!"

Twilight quickly began thinking of possible options, but knew ultimately that there was no spell she could cast in under 3 seconds that would keep her friends from harm's way. And even if she wanted to try, she wouldn't want to risk her friends safety. She hung her head low, her eyes closed and began stoping her right hove.

Once. Shadow Veil laughed maniacally as his assistant cheered from the nearby tree.

Twice. All of twilight's friends watched eagerly, wondering what she was thinking. Rainbow dash trying to reach her with words of enthusiasm, while the rest of them nearly watched and bit their lips (exempt for Fluttershy who couldn't watch and hid her head underneath her hooves).

But right before Twilight could stomp her right hoof the third and final time, a familiar and comforting voice rang out from the sky. "What is the meaning of this?!?!"

Twilight and her friends looked up to see Princess Celestia descending from the sky, ridding up in her Pegasus driven chariot. Shadow Veil looked back at his assistant who shared a look of equal worry. Whilst the girls all ran up to the princess of the sun as her chariot landed, and stopped.

Princess Celestia smiled down on the girls, happy to see them, but wondering why they were all soaking wet, what had happens to the park, and why they were there in the first place. She turned to her faithful student for the answer, but as soon as she saw slight yellow sparks fly out of the corner of her eye and say the grey unicorn looking sheepishly guilty over at the other end of the park, it became painfully clear what had transpired here.

"Magical duels again, Shadow Veil?" Her voice was dry and disappointed.

Chapter three

Princess Celestia glared with a strict and strained annoyance for the grey unicorn who couldn't make eye contact with his teacher and mentor, his head hung low with shame.

"I'm very disappointed in you" she began, her words like ice. "I'm not even going to ask how you got that letter I wrote for Twilight. I gave it to one of the pegusi guards to hand deliver to her, once she arrived at the castle."

Shadow Veil remained silent, still not making eye contact with Princess Celestia. She shook her head, and told him "I will speak with you later. For now, you and your assistant will wait for me in your room. And neither of you will leave there until I have had a word with you."

With a white flash from her horn, the princess made Shadow Veil and his assistant vanish into thin air. She turned back to face the girls. "I'm terribly sorry about this all of this. Please, allow me to make it up to you."

"No worries, ma'am" Applejack replied first.

"Applejack is right, your highness" Rarity began "you had nothing to do with this."

"Yah, it was that psycho pony and his creepy dragon." Rainbow dash said, a strong since of anger in her voice.

"What was that all about? Who was that?" Twilight asked the question that buzzed to the top of her mind.

"He is a student of mine, Shadow Veil. Please don't think too badly of him. He's just a little... misguided." Princess Celestia said, which threw the entire group threw a loop. All of them looking at her with questioning stairs. She knew they wanted to question her word and why she felt that way, but she didn't want to just leave them siting there, soaked and water logged. "Please, accept my offer for a trip to my private spa and the royal dinning room for dinner with myself and the royal fmaily."

"I don't know if we-" Twilight began to turn down the Princesse's offer when her white unicorn friend covered her mouth with her hoof.

"Did you say your own 'private' spa?!" A glimmer shunned in Raritys' eyes.

Happy to see the eagerness Twilight's friend held, Princess Celestia also added "as well as dining with me and a few of my family members in the Royal dinning room."

Rarity turned to Twilight with pleading eyes, begging Twilight to accept the offer. Then Twilight heard not only her own stomach growl, but a few stomachs of her friends. To which, when Pinky Pie's stomach growled, she just pulled a cupcake with pink frosting out from behind her back, and swallowed it in one bite.

Twilight turned back to her mentor, teacher, and fellow Princess and told her "we would be honored to be your guests."

"I'm glad to hear it" Princess Celestia told her most faithful student.

Not an hour later, the girls were enjoying some pamper time in Princess Celestia's private spa. While Applejack, Twilight and Rainbow dash were enjoying a relaxing massage, Pinky Pie was swimming around in the hot tub bath like it was a pool while playing with a blue submarine toy, and Rarity and Fluttershy were relaxing with facials and hooficures.

"Now 'this' is the life" Rarity said with a face of green skin cleanser and cucumber eyes. "A pony could get used to this."

"Hey Twilight," Rainbow dash turned to her purple alicorn friend. "Why did you try and throw the fight back there? You could have beaten that guy, no prob. What happened?"

Twilight shook her head. "Did you see his horn?"

"I was ganna' ask 'bout that" Applejack intervened. "What was with that? Ah thought unicorn pony's magic only glows one color, why did his magic glow both yellow and green?"

"I don't know." She answered honestly, puzzled and district by the odd fact. "But he was going to shoot an electric current threw the puddles and shock not only me, but all of you guys too..." Her voice trailed off. "... I'm so sorry girls... I never wanted you to be in any danger... If only if I knew more spells that could have helped..."

"It ain't your falt, Twilight" Applejack reassured her.

"Ya, if anyone's to blame, it's that jerk, Shadow Veil!" Rainbow dash was steaming. "Next time I see him, I'm gunna-" and without thinking, she accidentally kicked the massage pony in the muzzle.

She looked down at the stallion who was rubbing his jaw as he shot an angry glair at the blue Pegasus with a rainbow main and tail. "Heh heh..." She said while rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry about that..."

Chapter 4: dinner party

After the girls left the spa, feeling fresh and rejuvenated, they were lead to the royal dinning hall by a Pegasus guard. The royal dinning hall was a large room with stained glass windows, put together to depict moments in pony history. One of them were of the girls when they first acquired the elements of harmony, another depicted their battle against discord, another was one of Princess Celestia and her sister Princess Luna, and so on. The girls all sat together at one end of the table, about several ponies away from the head of the table.

Amongst them were members of the royal family as well as royal members from neighboring kingdoms. Twilight immediately saw her brother, Shinning Armor, and her sister-in-law, Princess Cadance. She waved at then from across the table, they smiled and waved back, but still tried to keep a level of proper educate. Some of the royal family separated then, including to Rarity's discomfort, Prince Blueblood. She remembered how rude and disrespectful he had turned out to be at the Grand Galloping Gala the last time they attended. And to make matters worse, he ended up sitting next to her.

She tried desperately not to catch his attention. But as hard as she tried, she wasn't able to hide under his radar. "I dear say" he began, looking at the white mare unicorn "haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

Not wanting to bring up the gala, rarity answered without making eye contact "I do t believe so, I think I would remember meeting a member of the royal family..."

"Ah, good" he commented. "So you know who I am. Yes, it is good to know royalty, isn't it, especially for some pony such as you, am I right?"

Rarity couldn't contain herself "and what, pre tell, do you mean by 'some pony like me'?!"

"Well I happen to know every member of the royal family, the royalty from the crystal empire as well several royal members from near by kingdoms. I don't recognize you, so you are either a student of princess Celestia or you are a guest of one. Because you are no royal pony."

Rarity was on the brink of hitting the stallion in the mouth when a thought hit her. And she calmed down enough to ask "wait, did you say students of Princess Celestia's attend the royal dinners?"

"On occasion, but they are just here to take up space. You know, to help make us royals, the crem de la crem, look beter. Why-"

Before the pompous prince could finish what he was saying, rarity backed out of her seat and cautiously walked over to where Twilight was sitting at the other end of the table,having a pleasant chat with some bright blue unicorn with a star and moon cutie mark.

"... And then the potion blew up! Could you believe it! His mane didn't grow back for 4 weeks!" Both the blue unicorn and twilight laughed loudly.

When she could, twilight gathered herself, wipped away a tear of laughter and spoke "that's professor, always blowing up the lab."

"Oh you should have seen it this one time-" the blue unicorn began, but was interrupted by rarity, who spoke quite nervously.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem" Rarity said shakily quietly whispering to twilight.

"Who's is this?" The bright blue unicorn asked with a smile on her face. "Are you a student from another kingdom?"

"Oh I'm sorry" Twilight said, ten introduced the two unicorns to each other. "This is my friend Rarity, she runs a dress salon back in Ponyville. Rarity, this is my friend, Stardust from Celestia's school for gifted unicorns."

"It's nice too meet a friend of Twilight's" Stardust said and extended a hoof.

Rarity met that hoof and shook it politely, but with great hast. "Charmed, the pleasure is all mine." Then she immediately trend her attention back to her alicorn friend. "We have a problem."

Twilight looked quesgionly at rarity before cautiously asking "what kind of a problem?"

"I just heard from Prince Blueblood that Princess Celestia's students attend the royal dinners on occasion!"

"I know" Twilight said "that's why Stardust and some of the others are here from my school. Why?"

Rarity looked around nervously, expecting the grey unicorn to pop out of the shadows at any given moment. But then she spoke her fears out loud "wouldn't that mean that Shadow Veil could attend?"

"Oh no worries" Stardust reassured both twilight and rarity. "He doesn't like coming to these events. Says it cuts into his work. He mainly eats in his room."

Rarity and Twilight shared an awkward glance with each other.

Stardust saw this and clarified what she said "he lives here in the castle."
She looked at Twilight "I thought you knew that?"

"I don't even remember gone to school with him" She answers honestly. "Was he really with us in class since we were fillies?"

"Yeh, but you were so indulged in studying and he kept to himself so much you might not have noticed him. But if you don't mind, let's not talk about him." Stardust said nervously, looking into the far corner shadows of the too as rarity did earlier, "he makes me kind of nervous. Actually, he kind if makes us all nervous."

"Who is 'us'? You mean the other students?" Twilight asked, concern present in her tone as she looked at her fellow student.

The bright blue unicorn looked around nervously again, then answered Twilight's question. "Kind of. Every-pony ranked above him. Since you've been gone, we set up a point system to encourage the students there to try better and study harder. I'm ranked 4th in the class, Moon dancer is 6th, Snow top is 8th-"

"What rank is Shadow Veil?" Twilight interrupted, not trying to be rude, but rather wanting to get to the point.

"That's the thing, we are graded on both comprehension as well as test scores. And even though he knows even more then some of the teachers about the spells we study, he doesn't always do well on the tests, so.... He's 27th out of our class of 33."

"Really?!" Rarity explained astonished by the fact. "He's an egotistical jerk, but he gave Twilight a run for her money. Why so low of test scores?"

"He just seems to choke on written and field tests. I don't really know why, but no pony really knows much about him other then he is one you don't want to mess with." Stardust stated, a worried look in her eye.

"Well as long as he isn't going to attend, I suppose it's alright. I better take my seat next to... Eh... Prince Blueblood... Dinner should be served soon." Rarity began to walk back to her seat.

As she sat back down next to the annoying prince, she overheard him speaking to another one of Celestia's students about one of his expeditions to a nearby kingdom. "... The food was mediocre at best, and the town itself left a lot to be admired, but the palace was decent at least. Although nothing compared to Canterlot, although hardly anything could compare to Canterlot's castle." He turned around to see rarity taking her seat. "Ah there you are, you missed one of my more entertaining stories of one of our neighboring kingdoms. I'll kindly start it over-"

"Don't repeat yourself on my account, prince. I just had to have a moment to speak with my friend about something." She said, forcing a grin.

"Something more important than my briliant description of another kingdom?!" The prince said exasperated. "What could be more important?"

"Just had to talk to Princess Twilight about another student." She said, then sipped some of her tea.

"Ah, my aunt is far to kind. She let's such riff-raff attend such important gatherings." He said pompously, shaking his head. "Well at least no one has to lay eyes on that one student of hers. He's an absolute disgrace. And to think, she allows him not only to study under her, but to live in the castle as well! It's utterly preposterous!"

Raising an eyebrow at the Prince,Rarity asked "you mean Shadow Veil?"

"Don't say his name!" The Prince shoved both his hooves into Rarity's face in an attempt to stop the uttering of the dark stallion's name.

After a moment of him looking around nervously, he released his hooves, allowing rarity to gasp for air. He exiled his held breath and swooped his main back over to one side, trying to look as impressive as he always does. He then turned back to Rarity and told her "you shouldn't speak of the lower class, especially ones as disturbing as that one. Honestly," he began to speak out of his backside again. "I could never understand what was going threw my aunt Celestia's head when she allowed that penniless pony into the castle, even worse she-"

"I would watch what you say about Princess Celestia, dear Prince Blueblood" a voice emerged from out of nowhere sending a shiver down the spines of the obnoxious prince and rarity.

Out of the shadows it seemed, the very pony hey were talking about manifested as if summoned by their words. He looked as if he had showered and cleaned himself up for dinner, wore a chained neck less with a golden sun dangling from it, and stood up strait and tall. He carried himself with more nobility rather then a swift and cunning sense . Prince Blueblood shook nervously from the presence of the dark stallion. Then when Shadow Veil turned and locked his eyes on the frightened Prince Blueblood sank deep into his seat, beads of sweat dripping down his face like a leaky faucet.

This brought a slight smile to Shadow Veils face, and as he spoke, his words seemed so slither out between a forked tong. "So, do my ears deceiving me, or were you talking about me before you began to question Princess Celestia?"

"No, no. We weren't talking about you at all!" Prince Blueblood stuttered, which was a sight for Rarity to behold.

Shadow Veil's eyes pinned the prince down while his smile continued to intimidate. "Really? I could have sworn I heard my name uttered?"

The Prince immediately shot his hoof up and pointed at the white unicorn pony. "S-she d-did it!" He stuttered with great panic. "I tried to change the subject, but she insisted!"

Shadow Veil's eyes wondered over to rarity, his threatening smile dissipated,altering his appearance to a nanchalont look as he gazed at a rather annoyed Rarity. Who she was more annoyed with, weather the cowardly Blueblood or his own presence, Shadow Veil neither could tell or care.

His eyes then shifted back to the quivering Prince. He leaned in closer and whispered just loud enough for him, Prince Blueblood and rarity to hear. "If I were you, I'd not only never question her highness, Princess Celestia again, but I'd find a different subject to speak out your flank about. Otherwise, you might hear your own secrets exposed. Am I clear?"

The shaken prince nodded heavily and immediately.

"Good" Shadow Veil said as he withdrew his head from the prince's ear shot and spoke in his regular volume. "Now if you'll excuse me, it seems her highness wishes an audience with me."

As the dark pony walked away, Rarity looked from him to the shaken prince who wasn't just now sipping from a cup that he lifted with magic. Despite the use of magic though, it seemed he prince was so nervous that he even had a difficult time keeping his magic from shaking.

As he walked up to the Princesses Celestia and Luna, who sat at the head of the table, all three kept a formal atmosphere about them, but Princess Celestia couldn't help but smile as she saw the neckless that Shadow Veil.

"I remember giving you that for your birthday years ago" she spoke softly. "I was beginning to think you didn't like it."

"It's my most treasured possession, your highness." He exclaimed, bowing his head in respect. "But I don't wish for harm to come to it. So I don't wear it except to social events."

Even though she knew he was really fond of her gift to him, Princess Celestia knew this was maybe the third time he had wore it. She was more then aware Shadow Veil very rarely left his room or the class room, much less go to any social event. The princess was beginning to wonder if she had a talent for selecting students who too easily become inthralled in their studies.

"Please have a seat" she told her stallion student. "And do keep in mind what we spoke of earlier."

"I will do as you wish, your majesty" he exclaimed before raising his head, and began walking down to the end of he table, both away from the royal family and where there were available seats.

As he made his way to an open seat, Shadow Veil couldn't help but notice a blue unicorn pony sheepishly sinking in her seat next to Twilight sparkle. He stops, and turned to his fellow student, wearing a stiff, emotionless face. "Greetings, miss Stardust, number 4 student. It's been a while since I've seen you."

Without making eye contact and holding her head low, Stardust replied "W-w-well... Uh, I've been... I've been out sick. Yes, very sick. Couldn't work my magic well."

Shadow Veil's expression did not change, but a slight spark flickered from his horn. "You don't say? Well there must have been something terrible going around. Numbers 5,6,7,8 and 12 have also been absent for a while. I'm glad to see you are feeling better. And you'll be happy to know that I have gathered all the field data I needed from all of Princess Celestia's students, and will no longer need neither your not our fellow student's help with field testing."

"Wait?!" She shot up. "You mean no more magical duels?! Like, ever?!"
Stardust held her breath as her eyes grew wide at his last statement.

"That is correct, I have squired all the field data I need." Shadow Veil states, his voice flat and deprived of emotion.

Twilight eyed the dark stallion carefully as he watched the light blue unicorn's reaction. Unlike Stardust, who was overcome with since so joy, relief, and a slight since of disbelief at he great news, Shadow Veil just remained as cold and emotionless as he presented himself when he first walked into the room.

He then bowed his head to the mares. "If you'll excuse me, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and number 4 student, miss Stardust. Dinner will be served shortly, and I will need to find a seat." He began to walk away, leaving both twilight and Stardust alone, to which they relaxed and let third guard down.

"Oh but miss Stardust" Shadow Veil turned his head back to the two girls. "Next time you and numbers 5,6, 7,8, and 12 try and attend class via invisabluluty, you may want to allow yourselves a little more time to wake up in the morning. You were still barely visible."

With that, he left stardust sitting in a puddle of her own sweat, teeth shattering and goose bumps breaking out all over. Twilight knew ten that she defiantly couldn't trust that dark stallion, and had to keep a close watch in him.

Chapter 5: sparks will fly

Shadow Veil walked past many ponies, including Twilight's friends, before he came to an open seat at the end of the table, separated from the other guests by at least a seat space. He promptly sat down, but instead of engaging in dinner conversation, he simply admired to glass works around the room. He received a few stairs from the guests nearest to him, but no pony said anything. Well, almost no pony.

The dark pony was gazing up at the stained glass window of 6 ponies using their elements of harmony against nightmare moon when a pink pony popped out from behind him, nearly sending him into a heart attack, and stumbling in his seat.

"Hi there! What cha doing all the way over here?! The party's over there!" She said to him as she stood On top of his head and pointed towards the other guests who watched with frightened looks at the dark stallion being bothered by the party pony.

But rather then perform some violent act that would frighten Pinky Pie away, Shadow Veil simply used magic to lift the party pony gently off of his head, placed her in the seat next to him, then spoke monotony "I prefer to eat alone. I enjoy my solitude. But thank you for yo-"

Before Shadow Veil could finish his sentence, Pinky Pie lifted both him and his chair up, carried him over to where her and her friends were sitting, plopped him down next to where her and Fluttershy were sitting, and took the seat next to him.

"I think I know the reason why your so sad" she exclaimed Shadow Veil.

He raised a half alerted and suspicious eyebrow at the energy filled, pink pony. "You... Do?"

"Pfffff, of course silly. It's completely obviouse!" She told the dark stallion.

Shadow Veil just stared at pinky pie for a moment, wondering if she was going to elaborate. But when she didn't go on with her explanation, she only sat there, looking at him with a smile and eyes that did not blink, he pushed for an answer. "And the obvious reason would be...?"

"Well you feel bad about what happened earlier, but you don't want to make it awkward for any of the guests, so you hid yourself back there, hoping I would bring you here to apologize to Twilight, me, and he rest of us, and we can all be friends, duh!" She said all that without taking. Any kind of a breath until the end. "But you know, you didn't have to go threw all that, silly. All you had to do was say you were sorry, and then we all could be friends!"

Shadow Veils worries dissipated, and he decided this might actually work in his favor. He didn't want to over do it, but he knew he would have to break from his true character in order to gain some trust from Princess Celestia.

He turned his head towards the purple alicorn princess, bowed his head, and said "I apologize for my earlier actions. They were out of line, and I made things awkward between us. I never meant for you to feel as though I put you or your friends in any danger. I had the situation under control, and I would never allow harm of any kind to come to an innocent. Especially ones as favored and important as you 6."

Shadow Veil looked up to be met by the suspicious eyes of Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow dash, and Rarity. Fluttershy averted her gaze, but amazingly Pinky Pie met him with a smile.

"See!" She screamed in his ear and draped her for-leg around his neck. "Don't you feel better?! And now that that's done, you can sit with us and we can talk about things, like what we like to do for fun, or what our favorite ice cream is, or our favorite cookie, and we can go to parties all together and drink punch and dance, and we'll be great friends-"

"NO!" Shadow Veil stopped the party pony before she could continue with her future fun. Sparks shot from his horn and into the table, but only enough to do that, not damage anything in the table. His gaze turned to stone as he averted his eyes from the group who were probably in their guard now. Flashes from the past overcomes him, forcing a few more sparks from his horn.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, relaxed for a second before meeting Pinky pie's curious look. He forced a smile, coughed to clear his throat, the processes to say "I simply meant to apologize. We don't need to go as far as being... Friends..." The last word was strained as if he forced it out.

Pinky Pie looked as if she didn't understand, but before she could say anything about it, Shadow Veil added "but how about we have that party some time, eh?" Again forcing a smile. "And we can have cup cakes, the chocolate kind with strawberry filling and strawberry frosting with sprinkles. The kind you really like, right?"

Pinky Pie stared at him blankly for an unnerving second. Shadow Veil just sat there, a forced smile glued in place. And after an eternity in that short moment, Pinky Pie wrapped her front legs around him without a moments notice and began squeezing the life out of him. This sent twilight and her other friends, as well as Shadow veil, into shock. She then began swinging the large dark pony side to side like a rag doll. "I knew we were going to be best friends! You even knew what kind of cup cakes I like. And the kind of filling. What kind of cupcakes do you like? Or are you more of a cookie pony? Or do you like muffins more? Either way, I want to know so I can plan it for the party!"

As a last ditch effort, Shadow Veil used magic to teleport himself out of the pink one's right grip, and reappear behind her. Small sparks flickering off of his horn. "Thank you for that, miss Pinky Pie. We will have to set up the party for some time in the near future. However, for the moment, I wish to take my seat back at the other end of the table."

As he began to walk away, Pinky reappeared in front of him. "But don't you want to sit with me and your other new friends?"

Shadow Veils forced smile turned sickly and he looked over to the other 5 element holders. Their looks were either more forced to appear happy then his own smile or were glares of deep suspicion. He turned back to Pinky Pie, who was the only one with an honest and sincere smile. "No offense to you, miss Pinky Pie, but it would be in everyone's favor if I were to take my rightful seat at the far end. Away from everyone."

Pinky Pie frowned, and her eyes grew huge and began to fill with water. " But you'll be all alone down there. Won't you be lonely?"

"I am most content to my solitude, miss Pinky Pie." His sickly smile faded as he began telling the honest truth. "I believe everyone would be more comfortable this way. But tell you what, we'll start working On that party right after dinner, ok?"

"You silly head!" Pinky Pie immediately cheered up as she bounced all around the dark stallion. "It's going to be a surprise party, you won't know when it happens! But I do need to know what you prefer! Muffins, cupcakes, cookies, oh! Or all! We could have muffins inside of cupcakes that have cookies sprinkles on top! Or we could-"

"I think I'll leave that to you, miss Pinky Pie. After all, it is what you are good at, right?" The dark stallion complemented pinky as he slowly made his way back to then end of the table, leaving pinky pie shooting off ideas with her friends.

As he made it back he sat back where he was, pulling a chair from the other side to where he wished to sit. And he once again began to examine the stained glass window of nightmare moon, as he drifted deep into thought.

Rainbow dash' eyes never came off the dark stallion since he first entered the room. But her concentration was interrupted when rarity poked her side, making her flinch.

"What do you make of him?" Rarity asked her group of friends, trying desperately to keep her voice down.

"I don't trust him" Rainbow dash said, shooting a glair at the dark unicorn at the end of the table. "Something is defiantly off about him."

"Like the' fact that he tried ta' fry us up like home made apple fritters?" Applejack added in, not bothering to keep her voice down.

"But, um..." Fluttershy began to say. "He did say that he, well, he had control of it. And that we weren't in any real harm, I mean, he did seem to know what he was doing. Maybe..."

"I don't think it matters much, even if he knew weather or not he could control it." Rarity added, no longer speaking in a whisper.

"I agree" Twilight finally spoke up. "A magical duel is one thing, but threatening my friends and brining them into it is another."

"But he said he was sorry" Pinky Pie stopped talking about party plans and joined in on the conversation. "And I bet a party would help him turn his frown upside down."

Fluttershy nonchalantly looked over at Shadow veil who was still deep in thought at then end of the table. It was then something bothered her about the way he looked. And then a few slight sparks flickered off of his horn, making Fluttershy think he had noticed her with I him, and she quickly averted her eyes. The conversation quickly died down not long after that.

The dinner continued as well as to be expected. The first course of either salad or soup was served, and not long after the last guest diminished, the main meal was served. But whilst everyone began their dinner, a new figure barged into the room.

He was an older looking Pegasus pony solider, with parts of his helmet dented, a few feathers missing from his left wing that made an obvious gap, and a scar over his right eye. But these inflictions were from battles that lie in the past. He made his way up to the head of the table, and kneeled down before the princess sisters.

"Your majesties" he said, his voice very stiff and rough. "I don't mean to disturb you, but a subject requires immediate action."

"What is it General?" Princess Celestia asked the old Pegasus.

"We need more ponies at the front line," his voice dropped down to almost nothing as he spoke more on the subject. No one else other then the sisters could hear the elderly soldier pony.

"I will allow it, but please be careful, I have a very bad feeling about this." Concern shown in the sun princess's eyes and the old warrior bowed and turned away.

As the elderly Stallion was about to leave, he noticed a familiar and unfriendly face out of he corner of his eye. He turned and approached shadow veil who ignored him and used magic to levitate his glass and take a drink.

"Well, well, well" the old stallion knight began. "Lookup what we have here. Isn't this an amazing sight? The 'all-mighty-Shadow Veil" has graces us with his presence, what's the occasion, your majesty? Has all of Equestria been turned upside down?!"

Shadow Veil kept a poker face as he finished sipping his drink and used Magic to lift a napkin to his lips before answering to the old solider, not even nothing to put on a forced smile. "Always a pleasure to deal with one such as you, general. But don't you have some war to go and fight?"

"I'd watch yourself, you maggot." The general shot at shadow veil. "From what I hear, you really crossed the line today, not only attacking another student, but this one a princess A princess!." A confident smirk stretched across the old pony's face. "I also hear that Princess Celestia might even enlist you to me as a new recruit-"

"That won't happen" Shadow Veil interrupted the old stallion, small sparks shooting off of his horn. "Princess Celestia's knows how I feel about your use of magic. You use it as a weapon to win wars, it's no different then a spear or catapult to you. And for another thing general," shadow veil's poker face cracked slightly, revealing a shimmer of distasteful anger. "I did not 'attack' the princess twilight sparkle, I engaged her in a magical duel. Nothing more. No real harm had come to her, nor anyone else-"

"You call it what you want" the general interrupted. "But I know that it got so out of hand that the princess had to break you two up. I don't want you to worry though."

This notion shocked shadow veil slightly, but he knew the general better then to let his guard down for very long around the old war pony. "And why shouldn't I worry, dear general?"

"Becouse" he began to say sincerely, then the egotistical Amir reappeared. "I've broken worse ponies then you in the first week of training. I'll have you acting like a proper solider in no time, once Princess Celestia hands you over to me."

"Although I admire your enthusiasm, general" Shadow Veil began. "And I do understand your need for more personnel, and my skills would be of great use to you, but I simply do not agree with you and your view on magic. Perhaps some time I could teach 'you' a lesson on it." Amazingly, shadow veil kept his cool threw the awkward conversation, with only a few slight sparks shooting off of his horn.

The general felt his blood boiling, but before he could say anything further, shadow veil coughed slightly into his hoof, and pointed with his eyes at the guests at the table. The general looked around at the dinner guests who were all looking at he general with awkward gazes. The general felt his anger submerge beneath a sea of embarrassment. He then smiled and laughed nervously before turning back to the dark unicorn, who took great pleasure in the general's awkwardness.

"...I'll see you at the barracks."

"If your going to throw me a party there maybe, and you might have to have a word with miss pinky pie before you plan anything. She's an expert."

Frustrated, the general stormed out of the room just as several waiters entered, carrying trays with third magic.

"Oh good, Dessert " shadow veil said with a smile in a low voice so only a few select ponies heard his comment.

Chapter 6: decision making

After the dinner party was over and all the guests were leaving, a royal guard delivered a message to twilight from Princess Celestia. It requested her and her friends to meet with her and Princess Luna in the royal study.

As the 6 mares all made their way to there down several twisting hallways, they arrived at a pair of golden doors with the image of two alicorn sisters engraves on it. Before they grab hold the door handle, it opened from the other side, and emerging was the dark stallion, Shadow Veil himself. He looked at the girls with the same poker face he used at dinner, plainly said "pardon me", and stepped threw the 6 girls as he and his dragon assistant made their way down the hall and out of sight.

A strong since of concern overcame Twilight and her friends as they entered the royal study, fearing that the reason they were summoned involved the dark unicorn.

"Thank you all for coming, girls" Princess Celestia greeted then as they all entered into the room. The door shut slowly behind them as the last one entered. "May I say first that I thank you for coming and joining me, my family, and my students for dinner."

"pleasure's all our's, ma'am" Applejack said toPprincess Celestia.

"Indeed" Rarity added. "It was a pleasure to sit with royalty. Well" she whispered under her breath "some with more pleasure then others..."

"Yah, like that Shadow guy" Rainbow didn't bother to whisper, anger still fueling her words.

"Rainbow"Ttwilight shot at her, but the princess cut twilight off.

"I'm very sorry about Shadow veil" she began. "He's... Rough around the edges, and doesn't always get along with every pony."

"Some of us more then others, sister" Luna commented. "But we must find a way to overcome such obsticals."

"Do you agree,Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Princess Celestia asked her most faithful student.

"Yes, I do." She answers whole heartedly, not just from the spur of the moment.

"Then I will ask for advice from all of you" the princess of the sun lowered her head for a moment then met all of their eyes. "I need to punish Shadow Veil for what he has done, not just for Twilight, but to all of my students as well. I've let him go on unpunished long enough, but this time some pony could have been hurt."

"We have spoken for a while now on the subject," Luna interjected. "And we decided on one of three possible, and suitable punishments. But we need you 6 to help us."

"Why us?" Twilight asked.

"You 6 not only represent the spirits of the elements of harmony, but you also have saved several kingdoms time and time again, as well as proven to have a great sense of justice and heart." Princess Celestia honestly said to the six young mares. "If there is anyone I can trust with such judgment, it all of you."

Feeling extremely proud and honored that the princess thought that of them, the girls all smiled back at the two princesses, having twilight answer "we'll do our best, Princess Celestia."

"I know you will" she smiled back at her student.

"The first punishment is banishment" Princess Luna began, using her magic to create a image of a barron waist land. "He would be banished forever, in a land beyond the ever-free Forrest. There, he will bring no harm to any pony ever again."

As the girls viewed the desert landscape, they seriously thought about if they could actually send any pony there to live forever. The place where they would banish him seemed to terrible and barren. They might have been willing to banish queen Chrysalis or king Somba there, but maybe not Shadow Veil.

"The next punishment is being recruited into the Canterlot army" Princess Celestia replaced the unpleasant desert image with one of a training area where stallions in armor were training in various ways. An image of the general from earlier appeared. His gaze stretched over all the solders training as he smiled, took in a deep whiff, then released in threw his mouth.

"I love the smell of back breaking hard work I the morning." He said as he stood proudly.

"That might set him strait" Rainbow dash commented.

"Yes, but.. Well..." Fluttershy began. "I don't think they, well, nessisarily like each other."

"Plus he hasn't even talked to me about the surprise party!" Pinky Pie popped in.

The girls stared at her for a moment, then twilight turned back to face Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. "What's the third option?"

Princess Celestia closed the image portal, then looked at her student and her friends very sternly. "The third is we sent him to Ponyville to perform a month'a worth of community crevice, without magic, as well as to learn about friendship from you six as well as any pony else who might get threw to him."

"Are you serious?!" Rainbow dash flew into the air, shocked and dumbfounded at the princesses' third option. "No offense your highness, but I don't think someone like him would even want to learn about friendship."

"I hate ta' admit it ma'am, but I think it's a lost cause" Applejack agreed

"...he does seem a bit... Scary" Fluttershy mumbled.

"He keeps a lot to himself" Princess Celestia commented. "But I have seen good in him. He just needs to be put back on the right path. And I believe you and your friends are the only ponies who could do it. But I don't want you to feel obligated to choose the third option. Sleep on it. Think long and well, not just for what's best for him, but for all of you."

"Yes, Princes Celestia" all the girls answered in unison.

Not long after the princesses left did the girls begin debating about what the fate of the dark and dangerousness unicorn should be.

"I think the Canterlot guard is just perfect" rarity began. "He'll learn discipline and put those violent outbursts to good use."

"'Ah agree" Applejack added. "I know the feller' don' like the General much, but it's better then being exiled. What do you thinkTwilight?"

The purple unicorn shook her head. "I have no idea. I mean, he put all of you in danger, but he claims to have his power under control."

"Yah, that worked so well at dinner" Rainbow dash added. "The guy is a menace. He's dangerous. But as much as I don't like him, I don't think exiling him would be the best thing."

"Of course not" Pinky Pie added. "He still hasn't had his party yet! I bet that's why he's so sad."

"He's not sad, Pinky" Rainbow dash added. "He has some serious mental issues."

"And I believe being recruited into the canterlot guard would help him straitened out" Rarity commented.

"Maybe I could even see if Princess Celestia would let him go into the Crystal kingdom guard." Twilight sprang the idea. "That way he can get the discipline that he needs and he won't have to be subjected to the general!"

"That's brilliantTtwilight!" Rarity said.

"And yer' older brother's the captain, so ya' know he's in good hoofs'" Applejack added.

"That sound like an awesome plan, if anyone could control that pony, it's your brother." Rainbow dash commented as Fluttershy nodded.

"I'll go talk to the princesses about it right now, I don't think there would be a problem." Twilight said as she began to leave the room.

"We'll keep on discussin' idears till ya' get back, just in case" applejack said.

"Sounds like a plan" Twilight replied. "It should take me too long. I'll be back in a sec."

Twilight made her way down the twisting hallways that she thought her and her friends came down before to get to the royal study but found herself lost. The castle looked unique and different from the outside, but some of the hallways looked to be like a never ending laboratory of identical doors. Then something fought the ear of the purple alicorn princess. It was yelling that seemed to slither out of a door that was slightly cracked open. She walked up to the door cautiously and quietly, knowing full well who it was the voice belonged to.

Twilight peered threw the crack cautiously to see what the fighting was all about. Envy was standing with her back to the door and seemed to be in a fit of rage, while Shadow Veil looked to be packing an averaged sized suit case with books, vials of strange colored liquids, and papers that easily over flowed the suit case.

"...how can you act so calm?! We could be exiled! As in, beyond the Everfree forest!" The dragon assistant hissed at the unicorn. "And your just going to let it happen?!"

"And what could I do about it, Envy?" Shadow Veil commented in a monotone voice. "Beg the Princess for a lesser sentence? By all rights, she should have exiled me long ago."

"No, instead she left it up to those mares to decide your fate! And you won't even try and influence them?! Cant you, i dont know, use your magic to brainwash them or something?!" Envoy's words were cold and sharp.

"I could easily use magic to brain wash the five ponies into voting me to just community service, that would allow me to eventually return to Canterlot after a short month." Twilight almost gasped at the words spoken by the dark unicorn. She's seen magic used to brainwash others before in the other world by Sunset Shimmer, but she didn't think anyone here could do that. She had to stop him.

But right before she burst into the room, the harsh words of Shadow Veil's assistant stopped her. "But you won't. I don't under stand you, you study all these spells, spend countless hours every day either making potions, studying or practicing spells, and yet, you don't even use most of them! What's the point?!"

AsTtwilight stopped, she listened again to what the dark unicorn had to say. "I have studied many spells, especially ones that the Princess deemed 'dangerous' or 'forbidden'. But I believe it is better to know the spells and only use them if you absolutely need to.Not for one's owmn personal gain. Besides" he said as he took a vile of powder and sprinkled it over the large stack of his personal items that easily overflowed the sit case, and would have filled it five times over. "We knew this day would come. We don't really have a home. So weather they exile us or condemn us to the Canterlot guard, it won't matter..."

"We did have a home you know! Here! In the castle." Envy hissed. "You just had to go off though and ruin it with your whole 'I have to prove my self to Princess Celestia' tangent and attack her students."

"Now your starting to sound like the general" Shadow Veil's voice grew annoyed and sparks flew from his horn. In the back, Twilight watched as the powder that Shadow Veil sprinkled over his luggage caused it to shrink down till it all fit perfectly in his suitcase, with room to spare. Shadow Veil turned to his assistant, anger glaring in his eyes "I've told you a million time now envy! Magic is not a weapon! It is a gift that one uses to make the world a better place!"

"Is that why your sparks aren't magic?" Envy calmly and cockily said, pointing at the dark unicorn's horn.

Shadow veil then shot envy with a small lighting bolt that he created from his horn, sending the little dragon flying out the door. Shadow veil then went out the door and called out to his assistant "while you're out, make yourself useful and gather more ingredients for potion understand 4 and 6, we'll need them!"

After he called out to her, he looked around the hallway. He thought for a second that he heard something. After a few moments of silence, the dark stallion shook it off and went back into his room. Twilight was glad she had practiced more with her gravity spells before coming to Canterlot. She had use them once before in the crystal kingdom, but had no major uses for them after. She was standing upside down on the ceiling, watching as shadow veil walked back into his room to finnish packing.

She thought she knew what she wanted to do before, sending him off to learn disaplin as a solider. But something he said made her think that that would be a bad idea. His words echoed in her head, making her lean towards the decision she didn't want to make.

Twilight returned shortly to the royal study where her friends were waiting. Applejack noticed something was wrong first and asked her friend "Everything alright, sugar cube?"

"Yes darling, you look like you just spent an hour listening to Prince Blueblood's trip to Las Pegusus"Rrarity commented.

Twilight took a deep breath, raised her head, and met her friend's gazes. "Girls, I need you to trust me when I tell you this..."

Chapter 7: the sentence

Shadow veil appeared before her majesties, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Candice, Princess Twilight Sparkle, as well as the rest of the ponies who represented the elements of harmony. He knew he was to be judged and sentenced. He knew the chances, and he understood that whatever happened, he would trust the decision.

As he entered the thrown room, he saw Twilight and her friends standing together on the right side of the room, Twilight at the head of the line closest to Princess Celestia, on the left were Prince Shinning Armor, Princess Cadence, a few royal guards and the General, who carried a confident look on his muzzle. Ahead of him, at their throwns were Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Everyone except the General showed Shadow veil a hard look, one of either disappointment or disgust. (Well, and Pinky Pie who was smiling, and waved to the dark stallion.) He couldn't never tell which one, but he knew both feelings towards him all to well from so many others, so it barley fazed him. He kneeled before the princesses, then rose to meet there gaze.

"Shadow veil" Princess Luna began, her traditional Caterlot voice, both strong and commanding ."You have been charged with threatening the welfare of not only Princess Twilight Sparkle, but the other bearers of the elements of harmony as well. Despite the control you claim to have over the power of lightning that you poses, harm still could have befallen these young mares. How do you plead?"

"Guilty" his voice was flat, stern, and emotionless.

"Your sentence has been decided..." Princess Celestia's voice carried through the entire room. "As punishment, you will..." Shadow veil held his head up high, ready to endure any punishment that she saw fit. "... Spend the next 30 days and 30 nights performing any and all community service tasks, without the use of magic, which will be assigned to you by either Princess Twilight and her friends, or by the mayor of Ponyvilel, where you will be serving your sentence."

Shadow veil's eyes nearly popped from his sockets. He stared in dumbfounded amazement first at Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who both had slight, pleased smiles, then at the 6 ponies of the elements of harmony. The girls all looked coldly at Shadow veil (well, again except for Pinky pie and Fluttershy.)

"You have got to be kindling me!" The General shouted as he stepped out of his line and turned to the princesses. "Community service?! The stallion is a hazard! And to send him off to some small town were he could easily just disappear?! Someone needs to control him! He-"

"I give the Princesses my word" Shadow veil spoke over the old war stallion, bowing to the princesses. "That I will perform my duties to the best of my abilities, and not stray from my Objectives. You also have my word that I will allow no harm to any and all of he resistance of Ponyville."

Princess Celestia and Luna smiled, but the girls were all still weary of him. But something tingled in the back of Twilight's mind. A slight since of doubt that he actually was a bad pony, and that he actually did just need a chance. But a strong image of that vicious unicorn who dueled her the other day still burned in her mind. She hoped that she had made the right choice.

"You sure talk awful big for a pony in your positon" The General shot at Shadow veil.

"You sure question authority for a pony who swore loyalty to her majesties, as well as for one who claims to live and fight for the kingdom." Shadow veil shot a cold glance at the general. "It would do you wise to not question the decisions of her majesty."

The General bit his lip then bowed to Princess Luna and Celestia. "Forgive me your majesties. I acted out without thinking. I completely trust your judgments. It's the stallion I do not trust."

"He will be in good hoofs" princess Celestia told the general, then motioned for him to take his place back in line. Turning her attention back to Shadow veil, as well as the 6 girls, Celestia added "your train will leave in a few hours correct? How about I have the royal chefs prepare a brunch so you all can get to know each other better?"

"Forgive me, you highness" Shadow veil interrupted. "Eating meals in the morning upsets my stomach. I wouldn't mind enjoying a morning cup of tea, but I still have much packing to do. Forgive me if I can not join the rest of you."

"I understand," she told the dark stallion. "But please be ready to leave when the girls are."

"I will meet them at the station, with everything packed and Envy close at hand." He said as he rose and was about to walk away when princess Celestia continued to speak.

"That reminds me," she said, drawing back Shadow veil's attention. "I've asked Twilight and her friends to write to me about what they've learned about friendship, when they learn a lesson about it. Since you yourself have an assistant dragon, I am also assigning you the same task. From the first day you start your community service, I would like for you to write to me about anything and everything you learn about friendship."

Shadow veil stood still for a silent moment. Unsure of what to make of the princess's request. Then he simply nodded, and replied. "I will do my best to write to you what i lern about... friendship..., your majesty."

Everyone remained silent as the dark unicorn left the thrown room, followed not long after by the members of the royal guard and the general. Once they left, the girls all exhaled and began to relax.

"I hope you know what your doing" Rainbow dash said to twilight.

"I do," she replied to her Pegasus friend. Then turned to the rest of her friends. "Thank you for trusting me on this. I'll explain fully later."

"We trust ya,Twi" Applejack nodded with a smile.

"Without a doubt" Rarity added.

"Ya, you have a good head on your shoulders!" Pinky Pie commented as Fluttershy just met twilight with an approving smile and nodded.

Twilight smiled brightly as she reached in and gave all of her friends a big hug. She knew she could rely on her friends for anything. Thinking back to the first day she arrived at Ponyville, she remembered how she didn't want any friends at all, and only thought every pony there was crazy. She never thought that they would become such close friends in such a short time, or that they would ever have this strong of a bond. But she knew that this was the magic of friendship.

She looked over at the door where the dark stallion, shadow veil, had left not long ago, and silently hoped that she could help him too. The words came flying into twilight's head again, the words that helped her with her decision;

" ...I'm not surprised you don't remember me..." Shadow veils haunting words reappeared "...a fellow student of Princess Celestia's..."

"...please don't think too badly of him.." Princess Celestia's voice echoed. "...no pony really knows much about him other then he's one you don't want to cross..."

"... He kept to himself so much you might not have noticed..." Stardust's words reappeared.

"...I enjoy my solitude..." Shadow veil's calmed voice echoed again "... "I simply meant to apologize. We don't need to go as far as being... Friends..."

But the words that spoke the loudest to twilight where his words he spoke to his assistant when he thought they where alone"..."We knew this day would come. We don't really have a home. So weather they exile us or condemn us to the Canterlot guard, it won't matter..."

The honest sadness in his voice seemed to touch twilight. It's possible that all he needs is to be shown a little bit if friendship. Maybe there is good in him like princess Celestia said. Either way, twilight wasn't going to turn her back on the stallion, no matter how much he sought to hide in the shadows.

Author's Note

i imagin the General to closly resemble Sarge from the popular web series 'Red vs Blue'8(owned by Rooster teeth) what with his gruff and hard attitude.

Chapter 8: back to Ponyville

The girls enjoyed the rest of their night after Shadow veil's hearing. They went out and enjoyed some of Canterlot's night life, which consisted of opera plays, musical orchestras, variousness art exhibits, a few night clubs, and some coffee shops. After they took a look at some of the dress shops rarity wanted to see, they took a break at a coffee shop and took in the atmosphere I the night as they sat and chatted about this and that, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

The next morning, they all ate breakfast with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in the royal dinning hall. They were half surprised that Shadow veil showed up for a short time, ate a quick beagle with cream cheese, saluted the princesses, then left to finish packing, or so he claimed.

After breakfast, the girls packed their things as well and made their way down to the train staton, where an inpatient Shadow veil stood, tapping his hove, his assistant standing next to him, looking equally as impatient but more annoyed.

When he saw them, his annoyed face melted into his usual poker face, and he stopped his hove from moving. But before he could say anything, his dragon assistant, envy, spoke up.

"What took you girls so long?! The train conductor is announcing last calls! And the next train wouldn't leave for Ponyville till this after noon!"

"Sorry" Twilight spoke up. "But we made it in time."

Before Envy could dig into the purple alicorn princess, Shadow veil put a hove over her shoulder. "Silence now, Envy. They made it here in time. Let's just go and get this over with. The sooner we get on, the sooner we come back in a month."

With that, the dark stallion boarded the train with his dragon assistant, who shot a evil glance at the girls and flickered her tong like a lizard.

"Well it looks like we're off to a great start" Twilight said sarcastically.

"Don't let them get y'all down now" Applejack said as she walked up and into the train.

"She's right, we have to keep a stuff upper lip" Rarity added, keeping her head high as she also boarded the train.

The rest of the girls followed suit, and filed into the train. They found Shadow veil and envy sitting in the corner of a box car. Envy was looking out the window, already bored, Shadow veil sat next to the isle totally engulfed a leather bound book. The girls sat on the opposite side of the car from them, but kept to the back so as to keep an eye in them.

As the train began to move, the girls saw the image of canterlot began to shift in the window, and before long, the scenery had changed to the view of a green mountain landscape. Then a pony came by collecting their tickets, each of the girls handed them there tickets one by one, then the ticket master moved to where the dark unicorn was busy reading on the corner. He asked for their tickets, but shadow veil was to enthrall with his reading to pay any attention to the ticket collector. Envy handed the pony their tickets, and as he took them and began leaving for the next cart, she flicked her tung at him behind his back.

The group talked amongst themselves for a good while, then about at the half way point, Shadow veil placed a book mark in the leather bound book he was reading, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and let out a deep breath.

"What were you reading?" Twilight looked over and asked the Shadow veil.

He cracked one eye open at Twilight and thought to be nice, and replied "Arch Lighthorn's theory of magical properties."

"I've heard of him" she replied, "he's the unicorn in Manehaten who theorizes the creation of magical spells right?"

"That is correct, Princess Twilight Sparkle" Shadow veil said. "He's been working with variousness professors from unicorn schools from all over Equestria, even some from Canterlot, to prove, disprove, or modify his theories. He was going to visit campus a few days after the Lunar Eclipse festival."

"Did you want to see him?" Twilight asked with concern. "I'm sure Princess Celestia might give you a day off and let you come back to Canterlot to see him if you do well with your community service."

"Thank you for your concern, Princess Twilight ?Sparkle, however, I ..." He paused and thought for a moment about which words he would use very carefully. "... I have read his book at least 3 times and fully understand what he is stating. I'm just re-reading his book because I want to make sure I didn't pass anything over. Not because I admire him specifically."

"So what do you think about his work?" She continued on the topic.

"I already know that most of his theories are correct. But he tends to go off more on a scientific note with magic. But magic is more then a science or an art-"

"It's something that can't be explained. Like a feeling deep inside that flows and breaths..." She continued his sentence.

"Precisely" Shadow veil cocked an eye at her. "And frankly I don't know what is worse, Lighthorn's believing magic is a science or that ignorant General who sees it as a weapon."

"So what's the deal with you and that general feller?" Applejack joined in on the conversation.

Shadow veil looked over at the orange farm pony, his face slumped, but he answered her. "Two things; one, his troops keep disappearing, which is why he asked Princess Celestial for more troop support wherever he is stationed at the moment, and two, he knows he needs me, which bother's him so he tends to try and give me a hard time. I don't wish to join the royal guard, but he knows he needs my power and knowlage. But as I said before, his and my views on magic are completely opposite."

"What do you mean by disappearing?" Rarity asked, now joining in on the conversation.

"I hear many things that are whispered in the castle" Shadow veil explained. "And from what I heard, wherever the General and his soilders are stationed, his men seem to mysteriously disappear."

"That's terrible!" Fluttershy silently commented as she put her hives over her mouth.

"Someone needs to do something" Rainbow dash said as she flew up from her seat and hovered in the air, her chest puffed out as if she was ready to take on the world.

Shadow veil relaxed in his seat and smiled, breaking eye contact with the mares. "Don't worry yourselves about it. It's going to be worked out by itself in the next week or two."

The girls looked at him like he was nuts or lying. But the sure grin he had on his face showed his great confidante in his remark.

"How do ya' figure tha' one?" Applejack asked.

"I have my ways of knowing, so just believe me when I tell you that we don't need to do anything. Otherwise I would have informed Princess Celestia about the situation and aided her in settling the problem." Small sparks few from his horn as he took a long yawn. "I think I'm going to take a quick nap now."

And like that, the dark unicorn fell into a deep sleep beside his dragon apprentice who was already in dream land.

The girls began to speak quietly amongst themselves again while a horrid nightmare crept into Shadow veil's mind. Terrible images of the past flashed in his head. Hitting him at his very core when his defenses were down, hitting him where he could not protect. He began writhing, twisting and turning in his seat. His face flared his pain. Twilight saw this and carefully approached the dark unicorn, her friends right behind her, watching cautiously. Right before she went to nudge him, he awoke screaming "get away from me!" Just as fast as he awoke, he shot a large surge of lightning from his horn that destroyed several of the seats in front of him and almost hit Twilight.

She fell back into her friends arms as the dark stallion sat there, breathing heavily, covered in beads of sweat with blood shot eyes. His apprentice awoke, just as frightened as the girls had been. She rushed to comfort the dark stallion, but he shrugged her off.

"Get away from me!" He yelled at the young dragon. After a moment, he began to calm down and looked around, seeing the train car different as he had seen it right before he had fallen asleep. He shook his head, stood up, and began to walk away. "I'm going for a walk."

"What the hey was that?!" Rainbow dash's words stopped the dark unicorn.

"In deed, your just going to stroll off without so much as an apology for almost fricasseeing Twilight?"

His blood shot eyes shot back at the mares who winced for a second and his cold gaze met theirs. "If you hadn't tried to wake me, you would have been fine. Next time, mind your own business."

With that, he left the girls and his assistant behind. The girls were both shocked and appalled at his cruel words. He could have seriously hurt somepony, but he didn't even seem to care.

"What a meanie!" Pinkie Pie said what they all were thinking.

Twilight was going to add something but was interrupted by the sound of shuffling glass. The girls looked over at envy who had one of the suit cases shadow veil packed open and was rummaging threw. After a moment, the dragon assistant pulled out a small vile marked with a number '3'.

"What's that?" Twilight asked her.

"It's a potion, duhhhhh...." Was Envy's only response.

The girls continued to ignore the small dragon and tried to comfort their alicorn friend as best they could. But twilight was actually calm about the whole situation, all except for Shadow veil's quick and harsh reaction.

Moments later, Shadow veil reinterred the car, his bloodshot eyes returned to normal, and the beads of sweat had been washed off. Without saying anything, Envy tossed the bottle marked with a '3' at the dark unicorn who caught it with magic, pulled the cork out of the top, and downed the entire thing.

Without saying anything or even looking at the girls,Shadow veil walked back to his seat, picked up his leather bound book, removed the book mark, and picked up where he left off. His assistant places the empty vile back in the same place where she plucked it from in the suit case, then went back to sleep for the rest of the trip.

For the duration of the trip Shadow veil just finnnished reading his book, then pulled out a few scrolls and looked over them with a quill, making slight changes in some calculations. While half of the girls slept, Rainbow dash, Applejack and Twilight kept an eye on the dark unicorn, untrusting of him after the last fiasco that almost took twilight out.

They arrived at the train station at Ponyville in the middle of the afternoon. The girls and Shadow veil grabbed there luggage and filed out of the train. As he left the train, shadow veil handed the conductor a bag of bits to pay for the damaged seats.

Right as soon as they exited the train, Shadow veil looked out over the area, and a wave of painful nostalgia hit him with the force of an Arctic storm.

"I can't believe Princess Celestia sentenced us to community service in this dump." Were Envy's thoughts.

"She took great mercy on us, well..." he looked over to where Twilight and her friends were standing at the station, preparing to head to their respective homes to relax from the trip. "They took great pity on us. We could have been exiled, or worse, sent to work with that fool of a General."

"But the plan is still on, right?" Envy's words came more silently the net previous ones.

"This changes nothing" Shadow veil's tone was hard and dark, "everything is still going to go according to plan. We just need to plan our work around these pitiful and simple minded ponies."

"I guess that means I'm going to be doing more of the running around work?" Envy's enthusiasm had now completely dissipated.

"Yes, you will. Remember, me achieving my goal means you also achieve yours." Shadow veils words were ice, but also what he knew he could be sure on. He knew he could trust those who shared his same goal if it benefited them. As he looked over at the 6 ponies who represented the elements of harmony, they all looked back at him, most of them bearing hard glares. "Nothing will stop us from achieving our goals. Especially not some ponies who's greatest strength happens to be something as weak and frail as 'friendship'."

Chapter 9: meeting with the mayor

As shadow veil approached the group, he asked them "which inn shall I take resistance at?"

"You'll be staying with me at the library" twilight spoke up, forcing a smile, trying desperately to appear pleasant.

"I understand the need for you to keep me under surveillance, but I can be trusted to reside at an inn."

"We don't think you'll skip out on your work" rainbow dash said

"We'r just thinkin' you'll be a little more comfy if yer' around other ponies rather then locked up in a dark room whenever yer' not workin'" apple jack honestly said.

Shadow veil let out a heavy sigh as he rolled his eyes. He took a deep breath and said "very well, but I require a room for myself and my assistant."

"The library has a spare bedroom for guests" twilight added, this time her smile was more at ease.

"Very well, but I must insist on us meeting with the mayor before we head back to the library to unpack."

"What's the rush?" Rarity asked

"I would like to have a schedule or at least a plan for what I am to do here for my community service so I can prepare for it as well as around it. Just becouse I am here as a punishment, doesn't me an I can take a vacation. I have work to do."

"Didn't princess Celestia also ask you to send her letters on what you to send her letters about what you lean about friendship while you are hear?" Twilight slid her words over to shadow veil, who returned with a cold sneer.

"That is correct" he forced the words from his mouth. "All the more reason to get this under way."

"Alright" twilight agreed, then turned to her friends. "I can handle this if you guys want to head back home."

"If you all wish, I can send you all a copy of whatever schedual the mayor gives me." Shadow veil said looking at envy. "I'm sure my assistant wouldn't mind making a few trips tonight."

Applejack looked at the little dragon who appeared to already tuckered out. "It's ok, we can wait ta hear 'bout it till tomorrow."

"You sure you got this by yourself twilight?" Rainbow dash asked, shooting a sharp glance at shadow veil who ignored her.

"I'll be fine, but thank you" twilight told her blue Pegasus friend.

After they said there good byes, shadow veil and twilight, followed by envy, made there way to the mayor's office at town hall. Envy stayed outside with the suitcases while shadow veil and twilight spoke with the mayor.

"So your the infamously shadow veil I've heard so much about" she said as twilight introduced him. Her voice was bright and chipper until he shot a glance at her and some small sparks shot from his horn. "W-well, let's see what we have on file..."

Mayor mare began looking threw a filing cabinet, then after a moment or two of shuffling, pulled out a small file.

"Well let's see," she said as she began skimming threw the papers. "We have some trash collecting duties, some aid requested at both the Ponyvill retirment home as well as at the school..."

"My friends and I also spoke about some work needing to be done at the apple farm, sugar cube corner, fluttershy's house with the arrival of new animals...." Twilight went on.

"Alright, let's work those in first so they can help him get used to the community service" mayor mare commented. And both the mayor and twilight began organizing a schedual for shadow veil as he sat there watching the two organize and plan the schedule.

It didn't take them long to have some plan set up, giving shadow veil 30 days of scheduled community service including a day off once a week. As twilight and shadow veil, along with his assistant envy, left the mayor's office behind shadow veil couldn't help but look at the month long calendar and all the jobs he was to perform.

"Basically you'll start around 9 am most days, and end around 5pm. But when you help at the apple farm, you'll start at 6am sharp and be done around 1 or 2 pm..."

"Alright," was all he said as he used magic to roll the paper up and slid it into one of his suit cases.

"And remember no magic" she said, still trying to be pleasant.

"I am aware of every aspect involving my punishment, princess twilight sparkle." His voice was harsh with his remark.

Trying to ignore his crude tone, twilight told him "you don't have to keep calling me that, you know. You could just call me twilight sparkle, or twilight."

"I choose to speak formally for a reason, and have no reason to address a single pony informally." Shadow veils words were still cold but less of an attack.

"Suit yourself..." Twilight left it at that.

The walk back to the library was a quiet one, which made the time seem to fly. Before hey knew it, they were both at the front door.

"Good," shadow veil said "I looked forward to unpacking and relax-"

As soon as twilight turned the lights on a huge group of ponies jumped out and screamed "surprise!!!"

Shocked and thrown into a state of attack and defense, shadow veil jumped back, lowered his head and shot a huge bolt of lighting from his horn at the group of ponies. He couldn't stop himself in time once he realized what was going on. The bolt of lightning struck the cake that pinky pie was holding, and an explosion of chocolate cake and strawberry filling exploded, hitting every pony at the party.

When the smoke cleared, shadow veil, twilight, envy, and every pony else saw a pile of chocolate and strawberry mush covering the pink party pony from head to toe. Everyone was quiet for a moment. Then a huge pink tung popped out of her mouth, swirled all around her body, licking the frosting off, and pulled it into her mouth with a lip smacking sound.

"Now that cake was gooooooood!" Pinky said with a huge smile on her face. And with that every pony began to party.

Chapter 10: hydra at the party?!

Chapter 10 hydra at the party

Shadow veil was helping himself to some punch, trying desperately to avoid speaking to other ponies, which proved difficult when Pinky pie had a banister made with not only his name but a crude drawing of his face on it.

"When did she have time to do this?" He asked himself, as he poured a glass of punch with magic.

"While you and Twilight were with the mayor, silly!" Pinky pie appeared as if by magic right beside shadow veil, making him drop his drink and nearly suffer a heart attack.

He looked at the pink party pony for a moment in shock and awe, then took a deep breath and remembered she often did that. "Right, well I didn't think you'd want to do it tonight."

"I know what your thinking, that I didn't have to try and squeeze this in when there was so much already going on, but it's your first night in Ponyville and I know these aren't the best circumstances, but you should still get a chance to enjoy yourself, and I thought the best way for you to enjoy yourself would be with a party, after all, what a better way to enjoy yourself then at a party surrounded by a bunch of friends-"

Shadow veil had took a sip of the punch while pinky pie went on and on about something or other, he wasn't paying too much attention to the pink pony, until at the end when she claimed that he was surrounded by friends, to which he then reacted by spitting the punch in his mouth out in a small spraying shower.

After a moment of nearly choking, shadow veil wiping his mouth and turned to the pink party pony and in a very clear and stern voice explained "miss Pinky pie, I appreciate the welcoming party, but I do not want any .... Friends" the last word was forced out as if it was stuck in his throat.

"What's wrong with making friends?" Twilight's asked as she approached pinky and shadow veil.

The dark stallion stood up strait and met the purple princess eye to eye. "What you and your so called 'friends' call 'friendship' I find to be a load of oats. No offense to you, princess Twilight sparkle, but the only ponies you can truly rely on are those who hold the same goals as you, and vise versa. simply because you both are working together to achieve said goals. And if they were to hinder you, their own progress would be hindered. And no pony ever truly wants to hinder third own progress. That would mean they hinder their chances of achieving something they want. In short, friends are only ever truly friends if they get something out of it."

"That's not true," Twilight put her cup down and looked Shadow veil strait in the eye. "Friendship is a bond that binds ponies together, it's stronger then just meeting some goal or objective. When one has friends they can depend on, they don't need anything to work for or achieve. A true friend will never abandon you or-"

"ENOUGH!" Sparks flared from Shadow veil's horn. "It seems as though we are at an end pass here, princess Twilight sparkle. However, one day, your friends will stab you in the back and leave you out in the rain, whilst they enjoy the fruits of your 'friendship's' labor, and when they do, I want you to remember that I tried to warn you."

A small group of ponies nearest to the punch bowl had stopped what they were doing and were listening in into the conversation.

Shadow Veil noticed this, cleared his throat, and told Twilight "excuse me, I need to use the restroom. Where is it, pre tell,"

A slightly annoyed and down trotted Twilight pointed up the stares and to the left.

Shadow veil calmly walked away, acting as though nothing had happened. Then when he arrived in the bathroom, he quickly locked the door, then used magic to summon his assistant to the room as well.

She looked around curiously, a punch cup still in her hand. "Do you need toilet paper or something?"

"No, I need this party to end," he said maliciously. "Any ideas?"

"Well blowing up the cake and yelling at the princess didn't work." His assistant said as she threw the cup out the window. "So I'm guessing you need something bigger..."

"Bigger eh?" Shadow veil grew a deviant, long grin on his face as he began cooking up a wicked plan.

The party went on as if nothing had happened after shadow veil excused himself, well, for most ponies it did. Twilight was speaking with a few of her friends, seeking comfort from them.

"I think I've bitten off more then I can chew" Twilight admitted to Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow dash. "I can't quite figure him out."

"He's a tough nut to crack" Applejack commented."we don't know much 'bout the feller."

"I agree" Rarity added. "His name does just fully describe himself. Mysterious and dark, but still, there is no excuse for acting like that."

"I need to show him how having friends isn't a bad thing, but how-" Twilight began, but was interrupted by the sound of screaming ponies from outside.

Twilight and her friends rushed outside and had to do a double take of what they saw. Standing there in the middle of town was a 7 headed monster, hissing and chasing ponies around, snapping at their heels.

"How did a hydra get into town without any pony noticing?!" Twilight asked the rhetorical question loud enough to reach over the hydra's cry.

"Does it really matter right now?!" Rainbow dash said as she glared down the monster.

"Rainbow dash is right, we need to get it out of town before some pony gets hurt!" Applejack said rushing next to her purple alicorn friend.

"Maybe he just wants some cake!" Pinky pie hopped onto the scene, holding a slice of the cake in hand.

"Well he needs to go back to the evergreen forest," Twilight said as she took a step forward towards the beast. "And ideas anyone?"

"Twilight!" Shadow veil came running out of the library, a salt shaker in his mouth. He tossed it to twilight , who caught it with magic. "Use this! It's shrinking powder! Sprinkle it all over the hydra! Use the whole container!"

Twilight didn't argue with the dark unicorn. She looked to her friends and asked "could you guys distract him for a minute while I douse him with this?"

"Not a problem, sugar cube" Applejack said as she dashed off towards the multi headed creature, kicking the beast in variousness spots around it's legs and tail. This annoyed the monster, and it sent some of its heads after the earth pony. Right when the creature would have the farm pony in its sights, Applejack would jump right out of harms way.

"I'll help too, I'll show this bruit what for" Rarity added as she began shooting the hydra with shots of magic, being sure to keep moving around the beast to avoid being hit by it's heads.

"We got this" Rainbow dash said as she followed Applejack's example and began flying around the various heads in an attempt to confuse it. The heads then had three different attackers to try and pay attention too.

As her friends distracted the hydra, Twilight flew high into the sky, and waited directly above the monster. "Now guys!" She cried out to her friends, who then moved out of hams way, leaving the hydra some what confused.

As Twilight began emptying the entire contents of shaker onto the hydra, it noticed her. The hydra then sent all 7 of its heads after the purple alicorn, but it was too late. As it reached out for twilight, jaws ready to bit down on the alicorn, the world around it began to grow. By the time Twilight had used all of he shrinking powder in the shaker, the hydra had shrunk down to the size of a large insect.

"You may want to put it in this" Shadow veil appeared beside Fluttershy who leaped at the sight of him. He held out a jar with holes in the lid. "You don't want him to get hurt, do you?"

Fluttershy took the jar and immediately went over and scooped up the hydra.

"Why don't you help her take that back to the ever-free forest" Shadow veil then whispered to Pinky pie, who then jumped over to Fluttershy.

"Come on Fluttershy" she said while bouncing her way towards the ever free. "We need to take this little guy back home."

"Water reverses the powder's effect!" Shadow veil cried out to the two mares as they made their way out of town. "Be sure to only get the hydra wet after your in the ever free at a safe distance!"

And like that, the problem had been solved, and a huge catastrophe had been diverted. Every pony remained silent for a moment, in shock at what they had just seen. But before any pony could ask questions, envy shouted out "the princess and her friends saved us! Hip hip-"

"Ha-ray!" The town ponies all cheered and followed suit. They began cheering for the girls who saved them.

Rainbow dash, Rarity, Applejack and Twilight sparkle were now the center of attention. They all stood tall and proud of their victory. But something bothered Twilight, other then the hydra's mysteriously appearance. Shadow veil reacted pretty fast to the whole situation, almost as if he knew what to do at every second of the conflict. It didn't sit well with her.

The cheers didn't last long, and by the end of it, every pony was exhausted from the great scare of the hydra's appearance, and decided to call it a night. Pinky pie and Fluttershy returned just shortly after the huge crowd disbanded.

"We. Were. Awsome!" Rainbow dash exclaimed as she floated in the air around her friends.

"I agree, most excellent team work every pony" Rarity commented.

Pinky pie was about to make a comment, but she instead let out a huge yawn, reminding every pony just how late it was.

"We should probably head on home," Applejack suggested. "Got to get up bright and early for apple buckin'."

Twilight waved good by to her friends as they each went their separate ways. When she re entered the library, which was still covered in party decorations, she found a note on the punch table. She plucked it off and began to read it.

"Dear princess Twilight soarkle,

Congratulations on your conquest of the hydra, I did not expect to see one so close to the center of Ponyville. I will have to be better prepared for next time should something like that were to happen. I have already gone to bed, along with my assistant envy. I'll leave her here tommarow morning as I perform my community service. Feel free to have her clean up the party mess. I would have her also run out to pick me up some more shrinking powder, but it's hard to find. I'll have to look for more myself later. Sleep well.

Sincerely, Shadow veil"

Twilight read the note over again in her head, and although the hydra's appearance did bother her, what bothered her more was the fact that Shadow veil helped them each to get rid of the hydra without harming it.

"Maybe there is some good in him like princess Celestia said..." Were her last thoughts before she shut off the lights and began for bed.

Chapter 11: returning to the apple farm

Shadow veil awoke early the next morning, before the sun rose, and was mentally preparing himself for a hard day of community service, without magic, at the apple farm, when a delightful smell filled the air. Curious, he followed the cent to the kitchen, were he found Twilight sparkle preparing a full hearty breakfast.

Not a moment after Shadow veil arrived at the doorway to the kitchen did Twilight notice him, and almost dropped a tray of oak pancakes. "I didn't see you there, good morning."

"Good morning to you too, princess Twilight sparkle" he said, his voice still a little groggy from his heavy sleep. "What is all of this?"

"Well, I just thought you'd want a nice breakfast for your first, busy day" she said with a honest and sincere smile.

Shadow veil eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then came to the conclusion that she was just trying to win his friendship over with food. A good attempt in his opinion, and it might have worked on any other pony, but he knew better. Not long after he would start eating, would she begin asking him questions she wanted answered. Prying into either his work, his past, or his secrets in a desperate attempt to have some hold over him. Well she had another thing coming. He was wise her plan.

As he sat down at the table, Twilight levitated a plate of pancakes over to him. "Eat up, you'll need your strength."

He took a questioning look at the oat pancakes, then at the princess, then at the pancakes again. But all Twilight did was sit down to a slightly smaller stack of oat pancakes and used magic to lift a container of syrup up and have it pour onto her pancakes.

Shadow veil couldn't help but feel tempted by the pancakes, and decided that he really would need the extra energy today, so he began preparing his pancakes as well by pouring a sufficient amount of syrup on them. Then he used magic to lift a fork and knife and began eating the pancakes bit by bite. With each bite he took he excepted the purple alicorn to begin with her assault of questions, but she never did. All she asked was if he liked the pancakes, to which he replied that they were delicious.

Shortly after they finished and Twilight put the dirty dishes in the sink, to clean up when she returned, then they left the library to make there way towards sweet apple archers.

Applejack greeted them at the gate with a honest smile. "Ya' ready to work?" She asked the dark unicorn.

But Shadow veil walked past the orange farm pony and looked over the apple farm. He scanned one end of the farm to the other, taking everything in. Both Twilight and Applejack watched curiously as Shadow veil took in a deep breath, taking in the scents of the apple farm, then exhaled.

He then turned to Applejack with a smile that shook her and Twilight sparkle as he replied "Ehup" sounding just like Big Mac.

Both girls looked at the stallion curiously as a pure and honest smile at reached across his face, brining to him a new light to him that the girls have never seen. He then turned to Twilight and said "I'll see you later, princess Twilight sparkle" then he booked it at top speed down the dirt road towards the apple farm house.

The girls just stood there, confused as to the stallion's drastic personality change. He had made it half way to the farm house when Applejack said farewell to her friend and chased after the dark unicorn, feeling slightly nervous at his change in attitude.

When they arrived at the edge of the apple orchard, Applejack began to explain to Shadow veil how to buck an apple tree and get the apples down.

"If you don't use enough force, they won' all come down. But ya' don' wan' ta be using too much neither. Otherwise it could hurt the tree. Watch me, I'll-" Applejack was interrupted by the sound of an apple tree being bucked.

Shadow veil had kicked one of the near by apple trees were baskets were under to catch the falling fruit. She was shocked to see that he got nearly every apple down, say for a few stubborn ones.

"That ain't half bad for a first try" she commented, smiling at the dark stallion.

"I'm a little out of it" was all he said as he looked at the tree. "It's been years since I bucked for apples. Guess I need more warming up. After all, a strong mind needs a strong body. Exercise and physical labor help strengthen the flow of-"

"Wait now" Applejack interrupted the dark unicorn. "You've bucked apples before? Where?"

"Many years ago" he replied as he began picking up the loaded baskets and putting them on a nearby cart. "And here, at sweet apple archers."

Chapter 12: Old ties, new tricks

"So he's been here before?" Applejack asked Granny smith

"Why, yes" Granny replied while rocking on her rocking chair. Her and Applejack were watching as Big Mac and Shadow veil competed to see who could buck more trees and get the most apples. Both the stallions were smiling and enjoying themselves.

Granny Smith smiled at the wonderful sight "now that I think about it, it was when ya left fer manehaten that he came. Yes, I remember it as if it were yesterday...

Both Big Mac and I were upset that you left, but knew better then stand between a filly and her destiny. Still, it was hard. But it wasn't that long till Big Mac saw the small feller stroll right outta' the Everfree forest, like it was an evening stroll threw the orchard.

He was starvin' but refused to tell us anythin' other then his name and where he be goin'. Which was fine with us. Big Mac never done much talking, and I can respect a stallion who wants to keep to himself. Although from the way he acted, you couldn't tell he wanted that.

We gave him a whole heapen' help in' of apple pie, apple soup, apple sandwiches, and apple cider to fill his empty belly. Then we let him sleep in the barn over the night. Couldn't let the poor feller go over night sleepin in the wild. He was just a little colt after all. At first he refused
The bed, but a few yawns and droopy eyelids sure changed his mind fast.

He insisted on paying us back for the food an' bed we gave 'em by working on th' farm. He may have been a little unicorn, but he worked hard as any earth pony I ever did see. Said that where he came from, folks worked just as hard every day, so he's used ta it.

And when he wasn' putting all his heart inta workin', he played around with Big Mac somethin' fierce. Why, I haven seen Big Mac play like that since ya' left. It was like he had found a little brother he never knew he had.

But anywho, after a few days, he said he had to be mosyin on along. That he had to make his way ta Canterlot. That he was ganna be taught how to do magic, and how to fix his horn-"

"What do ya mean 'fix his horn'?" Applejack asked, interrupting her grandmother.

"Well," Granny Smith rubbed her chin, then found where she left off. "He said something was wrong with his horn, and that he was ganna go get it fixed by the princess in Canterlot. Then he was ganna study real hard and become-"

"The greatest wizard in all of equestria!" Shadow veil finished Granny smith's sentence with in a boning voice, followed by thundering laughter that made sparks fly from his horn and sparkle till they hit the ground.

Both he and Big Mac had taken a break from bucking apples to see what the mares were talking about.

"Ehup." Was what Big Mac had to say to shadow veil's statement.

"Telling miss Applejack about days long past, miss Granny Smith?" Shadow veil asked, his voice still dark, but his words flowed from a kind smile.

"You know, your speakin' has really improved since you been in Canterlot." She said as she reached over and pinched his cheek. "Must be all that book learnin' you be doin'"

As soon as she released his cheek, he rubbed it, but kept the smile. "I must admit, a lot has changed since then. My vocabulary being one. My magical skills as a unicorn being another."

"Are ya the greatest wizard in all of Equestria yet?" Granny Smith asked jokingly.

"Not quite yet. But would you like a demonstration?" Shadow veil asked
Granny Smith, still smiling, but his eyes narrowed at her.

"Why don' cha' show me what cha got, partner?" She squinted back at him, smiling at the dark stallion who soled back.

"I don' thin that's such a good idear, y'all" Applejack said, feeling nervous, remembering princess Celestia's order for Shadow veil to perform hai community advice without the use of magic. Not to mention what happened in the library and on the train ride over with the lightning.

"At ease, miss Applejack. I will not perform my community service using magic," Shadow veil spoke now with a silver tong. "But I can still have some fun!"

The dark unicorn jumped a little ways away from where the Apple family were, and took a firm stance, hooves planted well into the earth, as if he were bracing himself to be hit by a typhoon.

His horn ten began to glow bright green as beads of sweat began to drip down his face. All of a sudden, all the apples they had gathered that morning were coated in the same glowing green light. They began to lightly rise up from the baskets they sat in, then, without warning, they began to swarm above the pony's heads. Like an angry swarm of bees, the apples being controlled by shadow veil soared over the trees they originally came from, all sticking togeather.

Shadow veil then focused harder, causing a few veins in his head to pulse as motioned his head up. The swarm of apples then all rose up to the sky, and took the form of an egg shaped oval. Shadow veil then motioned his head to the left, then the right. The oval shook back and forth, then looked to split in two. The apples then reshaped and took the form of an adult, winged dragon. Shadow veil lowered his head, having the dragon slowly decent to the earth, motioning it's wings as if t were actually using them to keep itself afloat.

The dragon then landed on it's back legs and flexed it's chest, arms and wings. After a few moments, Shadow veil allowed the apples to flow back into a swarm, and file back into their respective baskets.

Shadow veil then released a heavy, deep breath as he fell to his knees. After a few moments of heavy breathing he as able to muster "How...Was ... That...?"

The Apple family was still in awe at the performance. But not long after shadow veil finally cough this breath and whipped the last of he sweat from his face, did the entire apple family cheer for him.

"That was amazin!!!" Applejack commented clapping her hooves.

"You've really come along way!" Granny Smith commented as she clapped her shaing hooves.

"Ehup" Big Mac agreed as he cheered.

"That was awsome!" Apple bloom appeared beside her grandmother.

Then, before Shadow veil could accept the complements, Apple bloom turned and asked Granny Smith "granny, I finished all my chores, and I go meet Scootaloo and Sweetie belle at the club house?! Please please please?!?!"

"Alright, go fer it" Granny Smith told her grand doughter, who then dashed off threw the aorchard.

Granny Smith, Big Mac, Shadow veil, and Applejack all watched as the little filly ran off into the orchard towards her clubhouse and her friends.