The Shadows

The alicorn of the sun, Celestia, stood in front of a panting injured male. The male was solid black and was also an alicorn the alicorn of fear to be exact. His leg was bleeding and so was his side his deep purple sword hung helplessly at his side he barley had the strength to hold it up.

Shadow's voice was was rough. "I didnt want to fight you. Harmony's fate was already decided i had nothing to do with it. i just sped it up"

"Oh shut up you worthless excuse for an alicorn. i dont want to hear your lies." Celestia tried hard not to cry.

"He was going insane as it was. what kinda gain could i possibly have for doing this to my own brother. He was trying to ruin this world but your too love struck to believe it."

Celestia pounced at him and swung her sword slashing him in the chest. Shadow fell to the ground his sword went flying.

"You are a sick person." She spit on him and started walked away

“How could you? How could you. He was trying to help the world.”

“No he wasn’t.”

The alicorn of the sun turned and left. Her pink hair and tail sagged. Anyone could hear the hurt in her voice as she looked over at the sun being lowered in the sky thanks to she sister Luna and thought of Harmony. Harmony was the love of her life but the war that had happened between him and his brother changed him into a dragon  type thing called Discord. The sword that Celestia has was smeared with blood, she dragged it on the ground as she left she didnt try to hide her sobs.

She left a young man holding the body of an alicorn. The man was all white with light green hair and a matching tail. His hair was dirty and hung in his face. He was crying. The alicorn in his arms was Shadow, the alicorn of Fear. He lay helpless and bleeding in the man’s arms.

“Light….”

“Shadow!”

“It is okay.”

“No, it’s not. You’re going to die.”

“I don’t regret anything I did.”

The man, Light Glider, let a smile creep across his face. “I know you don’t.”

“But…I can’t just die.”

“Why not?”

“Someone has to keep fear in this world while I search for someone who can house my abilities properly and I believe that you can do it.”

“What? me!”

“Yes, you.”

Light Glider looked up at the setting sun and back at Shadow. “I’ll do it.”

Shadow’s eyes fluttered shut. “Thank you Light. You were always my best friend.”

Tears filled Light Glider’s eyes. He pulled Shadow’s limp body into a hug. “You were mine too.”

As Light Glider was placing his best friends body down is was processed by a dark light. The alicorn’s body was pulled into the fresh night sky. The light got brighter and it was no longer possible to see Shadow’s body. Light Glider could not take his eyes off of the skeptical.

Shadow’s voice grew deep and boomed through the abandon streets. “Light Glider you shall be the leader of a new race that will keep fear in this world until a new person is chosen. I shall make 6 boys that will represent reasons for that fear is alive. Be sure to keep these boys alive for they are the keys to fear.”

“Yes Shadow.”

Light shot into Light Glider. His skin hair and tail grew dark in color. When the light was gone his body was all but black except his eyes that remained the bright green they were and a single streak in his hair and tail to match.

Shadow spoke again. “You’re name, Light Glider, is sacred to me and I will like to keep it with me. So your new name is Trepidation and these are the keys to fear.” Shadow’s voiced faded and his body was replaced with 6 boys all younger than Trepidation who was 19.

Trepidation moved slowly towards the boys until one bounced up and growled at him.

“You guys must be the keys of fear do you have names?”

The one who growled was all black, they all were solid black but each of them had different colored eyes and a streak to match. In all there were orange, blue, purple, red, and two yellow ones.

The growler had orange eyes and streak. “I’m Unknown.”

The blue one looked over at Trepidation. “I’m Phenomenon.”

They all looked at Trepidation and said their names; Red-Pain, Purple-Death, and the Yellow ones were Future and Past.

Death walked over to Trepidation. “Do you have a name?”

“I am Trepidation.” Trepidation has no clue about his past self, Light Glider, but he wasn’t completely clueless.

All the boys gathered around Trepidation with questions but Trepidation didn’t have answers. The keys to fear were a mix of ages, Pain was the youngest he looked to be only 14 and Unknown seemed to be the oldest who was about 17.

Past and Future spoke in unison. “I’m hungry.”

Pain pulled his sleeve “Yeah I’m hungry too.”

That begins the long journey that Trepidation had to take in protect the Keys of Fear. He had to feed them and take care of them. Trepidation had his doubts about his abilities but he knew that he could not let Shadow down at least without trying. Trepidation looked around he spotted a nice little restaurant. He ran into another problem: he didn’t have any money or at least he didn’t think he did. Trepidation felt his pockets but felt something better a whole satchel full of supplies. Trepidation sat on the ground and emptied its contents. There was a pocket knife, a rather large bag of bits, some medicine, bandages, candles and some matches.

Trepidation looked up. “Thank you Shadow.”

Death cocked his head. “Who’s Shadow?”

“Don’t worry about it and let’s go get something to eat.” All the boys bounced and cheered.

After they left it was early morning but the sun still did not rise. Trepidation turned and looked at his new responsibilities and they looked exhausted. The restaurant they ate at was a buffet and they ate to their hearts content or more like their stomach’s content. The youngest Pain was about to fall over and sleep right in the middle of the road.

“Okay now I need to find somewhere to sleep.” Trepidation scratched his head and looked around but he did not find anywhere they could stay so they started to walk. Pain complained and before Trepidation could do it himself Unknown offered to give him a piggyback ride and of course he agreed.

“Is there anywhere that we can stay?”

“I’m looking but I don’t want to pay to stay somewhere and waste money that we could use for food.”

Trepidation stopped dead in his tracks and the boys who formed a line behind him all crashed like dominoes.

Trpidation wagged his tail “That’s it!”

Phenomenon looked at an old house. It wasn’t destroyed and it was clearly abandon and old. “A beat up old house? Really?”

“Yes, think about it we don’t have to pay and I can just buy stuff that will last us instead of me wasting money on staying somewhere every night.”

Future stood beside trepidation. “Makes enough sense but it’s really late what place is open that sells blankets?”

Trepidation’s shoulders sank. “You have a point.”

“Idea!” Past stood on the other side of Trepidation. “What if for a few hours we stay in a hotel of some sort and then we use the house?”

Can you guys come to a decision because Pain here isn’t getting any lighter?” Trepidation and the others turned to see Unknown straining under Pain’s weight.

Phenomenon walked over to him. “Here I’ll carry him for a little while.”  Surprisingly enough the boy knew some magic or at least a levitation spell to move pain from Unknown.

Future started to complain. “Why can’t I get carried? I’m tired too.”

The boys started to talk while Trepidation just watched. He was amazed at the level of common sense and sincerity that went through these boys after only being in Equestria for a couple of hours. They know magic and had some common sense. It was none the less interesting. Each one of them had a different personality that clashed and complemented each other. But they didnt have cutie marks, they were old enough to already receive them but their forearms remained bare. Trepidation looked down to find out that a cutie mark did not rest on his arm either. That was quite strange to think that in this world everything you become is based on some picture on your forearm but it seems that these boys didn't mind at all they aren't even concerned with it. Trepidation smiled they seemed more concerned with the well being of each other. Just by looking at them you get a strong feeling of brotherly love. Trepidation shook his head and left his observations on the boys. They did look exhausted and he completely forgot the events that happened.

He sighed. “I’m pretty strong. Who wants a ride? I know a hotel that it opened all night and is pretty cheap.”

Death the second youngest looked pretty tired. He could be no more than 15. Unknown worked some levitation spell and placed him on his back while himself he was carrying Future to make him be stop his complaining. Death was already sleeping; his head rested heavily on Trepidation’s shoulder. He was surprisingly pretty light.

The walk to the hotel was pretty short and the lady at the desk was happy to see them.

Her voice was pretty low and ugly sounding. She had her sleeves rolled up and a cutiemark depicting a house and pen was placed on her arm. she must be really good with realistate  “What do you fine boys want?”

“We want your largest room for the night.”

“Well you’re in luck its open but do you have the money?”

Trepidation worked his own levitation spell and put a decent amount of money on the table careful not to indicate that he had anymore.

“Sorry honey that aint enough?”

He was prepared for that and he put on his best poor boy sad look. “But Miss that is all I have and me and my brothers are very tired. Just look.”

Trepidation moved to the side to give the counter maid a clear view of the boys who weren’t putting much of an act up. Their exhaustion was true. Unknown and Phenomenon tried hard not to look tired but that just made it worst all three of the boys being carried were snoring peacefully and Past sat on the floor with his legs tucked in and his head resting on them.

The “act” worked and she gave them the room for only half the price that Trepidation has offered.  “Now you boys rest up.” She handed the key the room to Trepidation and was relived to find a huge queen sized bed with a sea of pillows and blankets covering them. All the boys sighed in unison. Trepidation, Unknown, and Phenomenon placed Death, Future, and Pain on the bed. Past made himself pretty comfortable on the bed as well. Trepidation covered them up with a blanket. With the older boy’s levitation spells combined they managed to move the bed to the corner of the room and mad a small bed on the floor for themselves. Unknown and Phenomenon fell asleep instantly, Trepidation on the other hand stayed up a little longer. He looked out the window as tears fell from his eyes.

“Oh Shadow. This isn’t going to be easy. But thank you for all that you did. You didn’t give me a bunch of babies to look after, instead you gave me a group of decent young men who have common sense and can think for themselves and I thank you personally for that. “

Trepidation turned around and looked at the mess of limbs and heavy breathing. The young ones were curled up in small balls. Past was hugging his tail A small smile crept across his face as he crawled into the makeshift bed.

“This isn’t so bad.”

Celestia  spent the rest of the night in her room crying. After Luna was done raising the moon and the stars she flew in from the window.

"Big sister I know you are sad but it is not like he was killed."

Rhe regal alicorn took in a breath. "I known but he isnt Harmony anymore he is Discord."

Luna sat on the bed next to her sister. "I saw something today."

"What?"

"Shadow turned his friend into a dark being his body was transformed into 6 boys and they were traveling through Canterlot."

Celestia's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.Then it turned into a growl.

"I want them gone for what they did to Harmony."

She stood up and walked towards her window her eyes glowed a yellow color and her wings expanded. she laughed a wicked laugh as he levitated a pencil and paper to her.