True Heroes Never Die

by LCranston

Rating: teen
Tags: Rarity, Romance, Adventure, Tragedy, Princess Celestia, Sweetie Belle, Princess Luna, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 10031

Sweetie Belle is a fan of Shadow Nose and wants to learn if he was real.

Sweetie Belle cons a free trip to Canterlot with Rarity in order to fix a broken radio. While there she learns about the inspiration for her favorite fictional character, both the good and the bad. She decides that she doesn't like the way it ended, so she makes an effort to fix it.

Published 2014-06-28 18:30:05 UTC
Last updated 2014-06-28 18:30:05 UTC

Chapter 1 - Broken radio, intact hopes

Disclaimer:

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro and associations and are used without permission for the sole purpose of entertainment for no financial gain of any kind.

Crusher Calloway, Squeaky Clean, Vacuum Tube, Radio Dial, Hyde Bound, Four Color, and Dimension Door are my intellectual property, but Lauren Faust can make me an offer if she wishes.

The characters of Mare-got Game and She-Was-Calm are my creation but the name puns are kind of embarrassing.

Law Cranberry is the property of Spectre Von Baren and is used with permission.

Background and setup:

Spectre Von Baren wrote a story called “S.O.S. Foal Detectives”. It was a story where Sweetie Belle discovered Shadow Nose, the radio show character. She liked the character and tried to convince the Cutie Mark Crusaders that he was a cool role model.

Shadow Nose was homage to The Shadow, of 1930’s radio mystery fame in the U.S. I personally love The Shadow. He uses his brain to solve crimes, not just fists or guns. Another big fan of The Shadow was young Bob Kane, who would sit in the living room of his residence and listen to The Shadow on the radio with his father. Later on in his life, Bob Kane would go on to create a comic book character based on the Shadow but made it more up-to-date with his time period. He called it Batman.

Spectre Von Baren was nice enough to allow me to write a story about Shadow Nose, his original character, with permission. Still, this is a little fantastic since the story is set in a land of magic talking ponies.

Thank you, Spectre Von Baren.

True Heroes Never Die
By Charles Johnson

In the dark room, the young unicorn filly hunched under her blanket. She pressed herself back against the bed, trying to find some protection.

A harsh, gravelly voice called out, “Where are you, little filly? Come out here now!” A moment’s pause brought no results.

The voice took on a falsely sweet tone as it continued, “Come on, little girl. Uncle Crusher has a treat for you. I promise not to hurt you.”

A filly’s voice whispered, “Promise?” A pair of hooves began to step out.

Sweetie Belle peeked out from under her blanket and cried out, “NO! Don’t believe him!”

A deep, powerful voice announced, “Stop right there, Crusher Calloway!”

Crusher gasped, “Shadow Nose!”

Sweetie Belle happily squealed, “Shadow Nose!”

Shadow Nose stomped his hooves closer. He stated, “You’re under arrest, Crusher. I know about the jewels in the doll. I know about the murder of Squeaky Clean at the laundry. You’re finished!”

A rustling of fabric preceded a shriek of fright.

Crusher stated, “Don’t come any closer, Shadow Nose! If I can’t escape, this here filly gets hurt!”

Sweetie Belle crept closer to the radio, tears running down her face. “NO! Don’t hurt her!”

Shadow Nose altered his voice to be hollow and with an echo. “It won’t work, Crusher. Your gun is too heavy. You can’t lift it. It’s made of pure, solid lead!”

Crusher gasped from effort and whined, “Augh! I can’t keep it lifted! It’s too heavy!”

Sweetie Belle jumped up, throwing her hooves in the air and cheering, “YAAAAAY!”

The door to the bedroom flung open. BANG!

The pale unicorn, wearing a furry robe and a green mud mask scolded, “Sweetie Belle!”

The young lavender-maned unicorn screamed, “AAAAAAUUUGGGGHHHH!!!!”

Sweetie Belle spun around to face her sister, knocking her hoof against the radio. The device fell to the floor, dislodging the crystal battery. The radio cut out immediately.

Rarity shouted, “Will you please stop making so much noise that the neighbors all knock on our door demanding my apology! Why are you even up this late?”

The lavender-maned filly shouted back, “You broke it! You broke my radio! Now I’ll never know how the story ends!”

The fashion designer retorted, “Who would ever want to listen to this program anyway? You know how it all ends every time! Would you please just go to bed? I can’t prepare for my trip to Canterlot if I can’t get any sleep?”

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened and her expression blossomed into a smile.

She sidled up to Rarity and asked, “Canterlot? You’re going to Canterlot? Take me with you, pleeeeeeease?”

Rarity rolled her eyes and sighed. She forgot to conceal that detail.

She calmed down and tried to reason, “Sweetie, I can’t turn this into a pleasure trip. I’ll be working too much to watch you.”

The filly huffed and narrowed her eyes. She complained, “You never take me anywhere! You just shovel me off to your friends and then go off and attend parties.”

The fashion designer objected, “That’s not true! I go to Canterlot for my business. I’ll be there for only three days to deliver custom clothing to a convention. I can’t do things with you because I can’t leave as long as the convention is going on.”

Sweetie Belle insisted, “That’s perfect! I’ll just stay in the hotel and read my comic books. I can get new comic books and even a replacement crystal for my radio. Canterlot’s the only place that has those old crystals for my radio.” Seeing Rarity’s nonplussed face, she whined, “Which YOU broke!”

For the piece de resistance, Sweetie gave her sister the Ultimate Pout of Suffering. The gaze melted the heart of her sister instantly.

Rarity, sighed and acquiesced, “Fine, you can go. But only if you…”

Instantly, the lights in Sweetie Belle’s room went out and the rustle of fabric came from the bed. The hallway light illuminated Sweetie Belle, already in her bed with her eyes closed.

The fashion designer gaped in awe at just how fast her little sister could move when she wanted to.

The next morning, the two unicorns arrived at the train station frantically. Rarity held two tickets in her mouth while dragging a large suitcase behind her. She pushed herself towards the platform and then spoke around the tickets.

“Sweetie, hurry up! You said you wanted to be in Canterlot now bring those outfits!”

The small filly huffed, puffed, and groaned loudly. She pushed the covered clothes rack on its wheels with her head, using all of her exhausted might.

She complained, “Ugh! Rarity, why do you have to bring half of your store with us? This is so heavy!”

The elder sister spied a stallion in an official uniform and looking at a watch.

She called out, “Conductor! Assistance, if you please!”

The conductor galloped over and began to pull on the luggage into the train car.

Sweetie Belle collapsed onto the platform and moaned theatrically, “That’s it! I’m finished! I have met my doom within a train station!”

Rarity harrumphed loudly and grabbed her limp sister. She pulled Sweetie into the car and growled in a low voice, “Celestia help me but if you are this much of a pain in Canterlot then I’m mailing you back to Ponyville…book rate!”

From inside the train car the conductor grumbled to himself, “Surprise, surprise. It’s another happy family and another quiet, peaceful day. Glad I turned down my marefriend’s proposal.”

He then made the announcement, “All aboard to Canterlot!”

Chapter 2 - What dreams may come

Sweetie Belle found herself in a dark alley, surrounded by tall buildings that blocked out the night sky. The only illumination was at each end of the alley. A shaft of streetlight reached around each corner, trying to drive away the darkness.

In front of her, a familiar stallion stumbled into the light. His gray coat was capped by an even darker gray mane. His red scarf fell away from his face, exposing his identity. His opera cloak was slashed and punctured. He stumbled onto his knees and gasped loudly for breath.

The filly shouted in delight, “Shadow Nose!”

From behind her, she heard a smooth, silky, seductive voice. “Cranberry…”

Sweetie looked behind her and saw a shape enter the darkness from the light. For just a split second, she saw the last fleeting image of a nightmare in real form.

It was a large, black fire. It burned and licked up into the air, towering above her. It had red within green eyes. There were ribbons of sickly purple energy leaking from the eyes like profane tears.

Suddenly, the shape plunged into the darkness. It disappeared.

Shadow Nose’s face shocked into panic. He spoke rapidly to the filly.

“Sweetie Belle, run away!”

Sweetie replied in uncertainty, “NO! I have to save you! Come with me!”

From the solid blackness, the voice thundered from every direction.

“I will finally destroy you…Cranberry.”

Shadow Nose desperately gripped his scarf with his teeth and flung it at Sweetie Belle. The scarf tumbled end over end through the air only to land upon her neck.

He narrowed his eyes at her in concentration and ordered, “You have to remember me. Don’t let me be forgotten.”

From the darkness, a dozen black tentacles reached out to ensnare Shadow Nose.

Sweetie Belle reached out with her hoof, trying to grab her hero.

“NOOOOO! Cranberry!”

The dark hero slipped into the blackness silently.

The smooth, silky voice gloated, “You belong to me, Law. You will serve Celestia no more. You will serve…nopony.”

The spunky filly shouted at the top of her lungs, “Let him go! LET HIM GO!!!”

From the blackness, the eyes appeared again. They searched around the alley, finally settling upon her.

The voice intoned, “There you are. Now you will belong to me, little pony.”

Sweetie Belle’s courage faded into the gaze of the dark thing. She turned around and ran towards the source of the light.

She sped away from the horrible…whatever it was. Looking back over her shoulder, she hoped with all her heart she wouldn’t see what it looked like.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms picked her up.

Sweetie Belle shouted, “Let go of me! Let go!”

A familiar voice cried out, “Sweetie Belle! Wake up!”

The frightened filly looked up at her holder and saw…a unicorn mare with stylishly coiffed mane…dressed in a policepony’s uniform.

Sweetie Belle opened her eyes and looked up at her sister’s concerned gaze.

Rarity fussed, “Sweetie, you were crying in your sleep. Whatever is the matter?”

In response, Sweetie clutched her sister tightly.

Feeling eyes upon her, Rarity looked around to the collective concern and annoyance of the other passengers.

Her face flushed and she smiled awkwardly.

“Uh, ha, ha. Sorry, everypony. She, uh…didn’t get a full night’s sleep last night.”

The next day, Sweetie Belle woke up feeling groggier than she had ever been before. She decided to just write off the day and go back to sleep. Rolling over onto her other side, she tried to go back to sleep. However, she just couldn’t get comfortable. She tried rolling over again but she suddenly couldn’t move her hooves.

Aggravation crept up into her brain and she opened her eyes. She saw the ugly truth. She had tied herself in her blanket like a unicorn burrito. She expressed her frustration like a perfect little lady, just like her sister taught her.

“AAUUGGHH! You stupid, dumb, blanket! You’re supposed to comfort me not wrap me up like dinner! I wish you were never woven!”

She tried to untangle herself by swinging her hoof around her shoulder and bringing it up out of the blanket.

What she succeeded in doing was rolling herself off the bed. WHUMP!

Finally, Sweetie Belle acknowledged her fate.

“Fine! I’ll get up and do my errands! Now let me go!”

A couple of hours later, Sweetie Belle came back to the hotel with a couple of bags of sewing supplies and special threads. Rarity had given her a list of supplies to fetch. It was supposedly her price for the trip to Canterlot.

However, she got it all done quickly. Placing the items in their room, she then ran out, looking for the antique store.

She addressed the hotel desk employee, “Hello. Do you know where I can get old radio parts?”

The mare at the desk looked around, as if searching for somepony.

Sweetie Belle asked again, “Hello! Where’s the radio store?”

The mare at the desk looked around again.

The little filly griped, “Down here!”

The blue-maned mare with the yellow coat looked over the desk and smiled most insincerely.

“Hello little one. Are you lost?”

The little one felt upset. She hated it when everypony treated her like a little foal.

“Lady, I asked you twice. Where…is…the…radio…store?”

The desk employee frowned and chided, “Young filly, that is not how to talk to adults.”

Sweetie Belle hated to use this trick but sometimes you needed to.

She started shedding tears and wailed, “You won’t help me!”

The mare felt self-conscious and looked around. A pair of respectable-looking ponies walked in, right at this point. They cast disapproving glares at the mare.

The desk employee tried to hush the filly, “Um, I’ll give you some candy if you’ll be quiet.”

Sweetie Belle pointed at the mare and wailed, “I have to run an errand for my sister and it’s super important and you’re stopping me!”

The pony pair began whispering to each other.

The desk employee threw her hooves in the air and begged, “What do you want?”

The filly cast an accusing glare and stated with sass, “All I want is to know where the radio store is and you keep me from helping my sister.”

The mare growled and explained, “Go across the street then take a left. Go two blocks and turn right. You should be able to see Vacuum Tube’s Radio Emporium. Now, just go away.”

Sweetie Belle instantly recovered her sunny disposition.

She chirped, “Thanks, bye!” Then she ran out of the hotel. The adults left behind were left with their jaws hanging open in astonishment.

The young filly walked into the radio shop with gusto. She looked around all over. There were old blenders, old waffle irons, old sewing machines, and…

“Old radios! Yes!”

The exclamation reached the ears of a pony in the back room.

He walked out to the front and greeted lethargically, “Welcome to Vacuum Tube’s Radio Emporium where we…”

His eyes spotted the eager young filly and he lost his momentum. “Oh.”

Sweetie Belle stepped forward and gushed, “Oh, happy day! Now I can get my radio fixed! Hello, my good stallion. I need a new crystal battery for my radio.”

She raised a hoof to her forehead and intoned dramatically, “My misbehaving older sister broke it in a fit of jealousy and I am in need of your assistance.”

The young stallion snickered and smiled at the filly’s antics. His coat was red and his mane was dark purple. His flank symbol of a radio clearly showed that this shop was his calling.

He spoke evenly, “My lady, you have come to the correct establishment. I have the wares to satisfy your need of repair and deliver just comeuppance to your cruel sister.”

Sweetie Belle had never met anypony who ever talked that way back to her. She giggled and jumped a few times.

The stallion asked, “What model of radio do you own, miss?”

Sweetie looked around, scanning the collection of radios on a shelf.

She pointed at a similar model and stated, “That one.”

The stallion reached under the counter and brought out a shining crystal.

He said, “Ten bits.”

Sweetie Belle reached into her saddlebags and traded the coins for the crystal. She was so happy that the smile threatened to split her head in half.

She replied, “Thank you, Mr. Tube!”

The stallion’s smile slightly narrowed.

He corrected, “Vacuum Tube was my father. This was his shop when he was…here. My name is Radio Dial.”

The little filly didn’t understand the subtle hint but her manners stayed perfect.

“Thank you, Mr. Dial! Now I can stay up late and listen to my favorite show again!”

Radio Dial asked, “What’s a little filly like you staying up late for? What program?”

Sweetie Belle proudly mimicked the announcer’s voice to her favorite program, “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of ponies? Shadow Nose!”

The stallion’s eye raised in recognition.

He said off-hoofed, “Shadow Nose? I remember Shadow Nose. My dad and I used to listen to Shadow Nose all the time when I was a colt. Are they still playing those old shows?”

Sweetie explained, “They do in Ponyville. It on late at night and only on one station and it really makes my sister angry.” She giggled at memories of Rarity’s growls of frustration.

Radio Dial offered, “That’s great to hear, kid. Listen, they used to sell Shadow Nose comics when I was a colt next door at the bookstore. You never know if they have anything left.”

The happy filly left the store, calling over her shoulder, “Okay, thanks!”

Trotting next door, Sweetie Belle entered the Leather Bound Bookstore.

Rows and rows of books lines dusty shelves. In the back, a wizened, old stallion sat behind a desk. Leaning back against his massive wooden chair, his eyes were closed and he snored peacefully.

Sweetie Belle’s ears flattened against her head in guilt as she approached. She quietly walked towards the desk.

She cleared her throat softly, as if hoping not to wake him up. When she got her wish, she then cleared her throat more loudly.

The older pony woke up fitfully, “Uh? Huh? Who?”

His mane of solid white hair graced his head and neck over his coat of pale purple.

She introduced herself, “Hi there. I’m Sweetie Belle. Radio Dial next door said you used to sell Shadow Nose comic. Do you have any left?”

The stallion stared at her for a moment, and then replied morosely, “Huh…Shadow Nose, eh? Foals your age don’t read Shadow Nose anymore. They haven’t in over forty years. Nopony remembers Shadow Nose.”

Sweetie’s ears stood up straight as she insisted, “I remember Shadow Nose! He’s on my favorite radio program in Ponyville! He’s the best detective!”

The old stallion agreed, “He was Equestria’s first superhero. Did you know that in the comic books, he didn’t have any powers?”

The young filly’s eye were as wide as her mouth as she demanded, “What?! No way! How did he fight crime if he wasn’t psychic?”

The elder pony elucidated, “He was a hypnotist. He planted suggestions in the minds of criminals so they couldn’t look directly at him or aim weapons at him. Also he had good, old-fashioned common sense. With that, he could solve any mystery. Not like the over-powered thugs in today’s stories.”

“Do you think they’ll ever print his stories again, Mister…”

“Call me Bound, kid. Hyde Bound, seller of the printed word. Stories both fictional and non-fictional.”

Hyde leaned in and whispered, “Which do you think Shadow Nose’s stories are, kid?”

Sweetie Belle replied uncertainly, “Well, if he was a hypnotic detective who got a radio show then…well, I think he’s fictional.”

The older pony answered, “Maybe, kid. However, I knew the publisher of his stories, Four Color. Old Mister Color claimed that he never did business with a fancy corporation. He just got manuscripts from a lawyer.”

The young filly’s face scrunched up in confusion. “A lawyer? Why would you get comic book stories from a lawyer?”

Hyde stated, “According to old Mister Color, the lawyer insisted he was the executor of the Cranberry estate. After time passed, somepony’s will demanded the stories be donated to some publisher. Lucky they were popular or else they’d never see past the first issue.”

Sweetie Belle idly asked, “I wonder if we could tell if any of them were ever real.”

The older pony sat back in his chair and mumbled, “Doubt it, kid. We’d have to find some pony who knew the Cranberry estate when it was alive.”

Disheartened, Sweetie Belle left the store and mumbled, “Bye.”

Chapter 3 - Visions of the past

Later that night, Sweetie Belle was moping in the hotel room with her sister. The remains of dinner from room service graced the room’s only small table. Rarity daintily wiped her mouth with a magically levitated cloth. Rarity’s face was tired and her eyes were half-closed.

She prodded, “Sweetie, you really should finish your salad. It costs money, you know.”

The little filly moaned, “I’m full. I don’t want anymore.”

The fashion designer mumbled, “Well, I guess you’ll have to finish it tomorrow. It’s not like you burned off enough energy today. All you did was run errands.”

Sweetie complained, “At least you didn’t have your dreams crushed today. I found out they don’t publish my favorite detective stories anymore…for the past forty years.”

Rarity retorted, “I did so! I had to alter my entire line today because the hostess decided that all of her guests were a size smaller. Not that the new size fit anyway. I had to exaggerate my un-altering to convince them the regular size fit them perfectly.”

The little filly flopped into her bed and pulled the covers over her head.

She begged, “I just wanna go home!”

Rarity denied her, “Well, we just got here. You wanted to come along so you got what you wanted. We have two more days and you should be thankful to have the change of scenery. At least you’re not working all day.”

She packaged the leftover salad and turned out the light.

“Goodnight, Sweetie Belle. Maybe tomorrow will be better.”

Sweetie Belle tipped her fedora down, shading her eyes from her enemy. It drove the warlord crazy. Maybe she’ll make a mistake.

The warlord mare, dressed in full regalia of decorated plate armor, growled loudly. Her mind-reading power couldn’t work without eye contact. She pulled an innocent-looking ball from her satchel and threw it at the filly’s hooves.

BANG! CRACK!

The edge of the tower broke and collapsed. The filly reached out and grabbed a conveniently-place metal bar to avoid falling too far. However, the warlord stomped over.

She leered down at the cloaked filly and gloated, “Finally, I will destroy you Shadow Belle! Once you’re gone, nopony will be clever enough to stop my conquest of the world!”

Shadow Belle reached into her cloak and grabbed her trusty failsafe device.

She proclaimed, “Not so fast, She-Was-Calm! Look deeply into this heirloom and be free of your rage!”

She then pulled out the device and held it proudly.

“QUACK!”

Both ponies adopted a perfect expression of surprise. Sweetie Belle turned her hoof towards her face and stared face-to-face with a rubber ducky.

Sheepish grin graced her face as she asked, “Um, time out? I know I got a mystical mirror here somewhere.”

Unexpectedly to our heroine, the warlord grinned a nasty grin and refuted, “Nope.”

The warlord raised her front hooves, ready to crush the skull of our cloaked filly.

“ENOUGH!!!”

A thunderclap shook the entire world. The warlord cowered in fear of the approaching specter of winged darkness above her. The shape landed, placing itself between Sweetie Belle and the warlord.

The cloaked filly chirped with glee, “Princess Luna!”

The warlord grunted, then charged forward.

Luna’s horn shone with a dark blue sheen and then emitted a ray, striking the warlord. The villain dissolved into a puff of air.

She then looked at the young filly and levitated her onto the solid tower floor.

Princess Luna said neutrally, “You seem to have trouble managing your helpful items.”

Sweetie Belle blushed and giggled. She tipped her hat over her eyes, trying to look cool.

She then looked up and greeted, “Thank you, Princess Luna, for saving me again.”

She placed a hoof upon her chest gallantly and boasted, “Of course, I could have totally saved myself. I’m sure that mystical device was more than it seemed.”

The dark alicorn smirked slightly and replied, “Of course. There was no doubt. I merely wished to visit with you again. How have you been?”

Sweetie’s expressed melted into passive disappointment.

She explained, “Terrible. I convinced Rarity to bring me to Canterlot while she was at a fashion show. Then I learned I can’t get the comic books I want ‘cause they’ve been out of print for decades.”

Then she pointed out her garb and spoke excitedly, “I got the replacement part for my radio, which Rarity broke in the first place. Now I can listen to my favorite old radio program, Shadow Nose. That’s what this costume is. I don’t suppose you even recognize it, do you?”

Luna nodded, “Aye.”

Totally oblivious to the response, Sweetie Belle continued, “Well, he’s a detective and he’s got mental powers and he’s totally cool ‘cause he solves mysteries with his brain instead of just using force. I wish I could have met him. The guy at the bookstore said he might have been real. Do you think he was real?”

Luna agreed, “Yes.”

Sweetie continued hurriedly, “They say the stories came from some lawyer but why would they wait so long? I just wish more ponies knew about him. He’s such a great role model.”

Luna stated, “Yes, he was.”

The excited filly stated, “Maybe even Ponyville might stop playing the radio shows soon. I have to stay up really late just to hear the show and it makes Rarity angry if she catches me.”

Suddenly, the words of Luna finally finished passing through the overloaded queue in her brain. Pure surprise graced her being as she cried out her perfect fusion of bliss, anxiety, and confusion.

“WHAT?!”

The dark alicorn elucidated, “Shadow Nose was indeed real. I knew him personally. I also disobeyed my sister. When he went on his cases, about half of them I was present.”

The little filly found herself overflowing with energy.

She cried out, “Really?! How did you do it?”

Luna confessed somewhat proudly, “I mostly reversed my color palette and disguised my cutie mark. I had a white coat, a red mane, and a pink fedora on my flank.”

Sweetie Belle could contain herself no longer. She began bouncing all around the dark alicorn with joy and admiration.

“You mean you were Mare-got Game? The lady with style and the acting school certificate? You are so my hero!”

The young filly could not help herself as she opened her eyes to see herself nuzzling the tall foreleg of the Royal Princess.

Backing off slightly, she apologized, “Um, sorry. It’s just that you are soooo cool.”

Gently, Luna nuzzled the enthusiastic filly on the nose and giggled.

Luna stated, “It is all right. I think you were very cool standing up to She-Was-Calm like that. Only Shadow Nose had ever done that before. The rest were too afraid of her mind reading tricks.”

Sweetie Belle jumped up and down again, “You have to tell me a story! Tell me about one of his cases!”

The dark alicorn looked off into the sky, as if gauging something not visible.

She mumbled, “I am not sure I have the time.”

The young filly stated, “It’s not like I can get back to this dream. It’s all ruined. Besides, you can make it a short case. Pleeeeeeeease?”

She then used the Stare of Ultimate Adoration upon the royal countenance.

The royal countenance put up a mighty struggle. However, after several seconds ticked by even Princess Luna succumbed.

“Oh, Very well. Just a brief one. This happened a very long time ago, before my banishment.”

[Start flashback]

The false snow fell from the ceiling of the ballroom. It swirled merrily before falling to the floor, where it disappeared. The mass of splendidly-dressed ponies danced and chatted in the illusionary snowstorm. A single snowflake sparkled and settled upon the nose of a white-coated unicorn mare with the bright red mane. It twinkled once before disappearing.

The mare laughed and turned to her escort, “You never take me anywhere often enough.”

Her date, a shorter stallion with a gray coat and darker gray mane smirked as he smoothed the folds of his tuxedo deliberately.

He replied blithely, “Strange you should not be familiar with this room. It’s in a familiar enough castle to you.”

She sidled up to him gently and kissed him upon his cheek.

She corrected, “Behave yourself. My sister is here. Besides, it’s not the same if you don’t escort me, Law.”

Law Cranberry, criminologist and wealthy colt-about-town, laughed.

He stated, “Keep your mind on why we’re here. If we wrap up early, I’ll ask you to dance.”

The pair mingled with the ponies of high society, keeping their eyes gazing all around.

Suddenly, Mare-got whispered, “Law, over there.”

The gray earth pony turned his head to watch one of the guests reach behind the neck of a well-dressed mare. He plucked the clasp of her necklace and then twirled himself as if dancing. The necklace slid away from her neck and into his grasp while his body slid behind a pair of dancing ponies.

Law whispered back, “Act weak.”

Mare-got slumped forward, requiring Law to catch her.

She moaned, “Oh, I do not feel well at all.”

The crowd parted for them, whispering amongst each other.

The gray earth pony asked pointedly, “Can you make it to the door to the garden?”

Mare-got gave a stage whisper, “I’ll have to try.”

The crowd opened a path to the glass doors leading towards the garden, the same direction as the thief.

Law spoke in a hurried tone as they limped past. “Excuse us.” “Sorry.” “Pardon.” “Make way, please.”

The pair erupted into the garden, suddenly forgotten by the crowd inside the ballroom.

Mare-got stood up tall and asked, “Do you see him?” Her gaze swept around, looking for quivering shrubs. Her eye caught a pair of trimmed hedges lightly shaking.

Suddenly, Law charged off to the right.

Confused, Mare-got followed him asking, “Law? Those bushes have some pony in them!”

The earth pony retorted, “But the most recent hoofprints go off this way. He’s trying to blend in with the town square!”

The pair quickly arrived at the town square, where numerous merchants quietly stood outside of their shops, showing off their wares to anypony who passed them by. Hundreds of ponies walked through the area, making it impossible to track any one pony.

Several ponies stared at the couple. They were dressed formally for a gala rather than walking downtown.

Mare-got sighed with defeat, “We lost him. I didn’t even get a good look.”

Law pulled an expensive ruby necklace out of this jacket pocket. Placing it around her neck, he pushed Mare-got into the sidewalk traffic.

He ordered, “Pretend you’re on your way home. I’ll be around.”

She looked over her shoulder, wondering what the point was. He was gone.

Shaking her head in confusion, she tossed her mane over her shoulder and held her head high. Trotting down the sidewalk, she cast her glance left and right, perusing the wares.

She trotted over to a baker selling cream-filled pastries. Paying several bits for a pair of pastries, she smiled and went on her way.

Suddenly, she felt a light tug on her neck. She spun around and saw the retreating form of a stallion. She threw a pastry at him, striking his back. Expensive cream smeared over his shoulders.

The fleeing pony ducked into an alley. Mare-got chased him, well away from the street. He was yellow of coat and a blue mane. He seemed to have a ruby for a flank symbol, fleetingly seen under his flapping smoking jacket.

Mare-got confronted him, saying, “You thief! How dare you steal jewels from ponies?”

Swifter than could be seen, the thief flipped backwards over Mare-got to land behind her. He pulled out a dagger from his smoking jacket.

Pointing it at his pursuer, he decided, “I do it because I can. My destiny is to collect all of the best jewels. But now that you’ve seen me, I have to get rid of you. Just business, lady.”

Mare-got backed up. She could use her alicorn magic, but that would drop her disguise and reveal herself. That would be the end of her adventures with Law. Would she give him up just to save herself?

The alley echoed with sinister laughter, “Heh, heh, heh! HA, HA, HA!”

The thief cast his gaze around, demanding, “Who’s there?!”

The voice taunted, “What will you do, Stone Facet? Face the girl and turn your back to me? Or maybe face me and risk exposing yourself to a mare?”

Stone Facet turned his back to Mare-got Game and stabbed the air in front of himself.

He yelled, “Ain’t no dame can take me down! Come out and fight me, Shadow Nose!”

Mare-got kicked his hind legs out from under him.

His flank struck the ground and the shock made him drop his dagger.

Instantly, Shadow Nose appeared before the thief a mere millimeter away from his face.

Stone Facet gasped in surprise and felt his willpower drain from the steely gaze of the vigilante.

Shadow Nose pulled his hoof back and slammed it into the thief’s face.

THUD! Stone Facet hit the ground unconscious.

Mare-got gazed upon her hero. His flank symbol of a bright, red question mark shone boldly in the light of the alleyway lampposts. She knew he kept it covered in powder while in his alter ego, so she never got to see it often.

The vigilante put away his costume and covered his flank symbol again. Mare-got called a guard over to take care of the thief.

When the guard left with the prisoner, Law gazed fondly upon Mare-got and said with satisfaction, “Well, we caught the thief and eventually all of the stolen jewels will be replaced.”

The white unicorn replied happily, “I love to help ponies. It makes me want to dance!”

The pair stepped out onto the street and began dancing together. Law Cranberry began to sing a popular song.

“I see you, you see me.

Watch you blowin' the lines when you're making a scene.

Oh girl, you've got to know.

What my head overlooks

the senses will show to my heart

when it's watching for lies.

You can't escape my

Private Eyes.

They're watching you.”

Law and Mare-got then began a simple dance together.

CLIP! CLIP-CLOP!

“They see your every move.

Private Eyes,

they're watching you.”

CLIP! CLIP-CLOP!

“Private Eyes,

they're watching you, watching you, watching you, watching you.”

The ponies on the sidewalk smiled at the display and joined in.

“You play with words, you play with love.

You can twist it around, baby, that ain't enough,

‘cause girl I'm gonna know

if you're letting me in or letting me go.

Don't lie when you're hurting inside.

'Cause you can't escape my

Private Eyes.

They're watching you.”

CLIP! CLIP-CLOP!

“They see your every move.

Private Eyes,

they're watching you.”

CLIP! CLIP-CLOP!

“Private Eyes,

they're watching you, watching you, watching you, watching you.”

“Why you try to put up a front for me?

I'm a spy, but on your side you see?

Slip on, into any disguise.

I'll still know you,

look into my Private Eyes.”

CLIP! CLIP-CLOP!

[End flashback]

Sweetie Belle asked, “Did everypony really join in singing and dancing? It hardly ever happens nowadays.”

Princess Luna answered, “It was a different time. Theater and dance balls were much more common. Everypony prided themselves on their ability to sing and dance.”

She then leveled her gaze at the little filly and said, “You’re about to wake up. Say hello to your sister for me, please.”

Chapter 4 - Professional infiltration

The young filly sat up in bed suddenly, gasping. She looked around the hotel room.

Rarity stood in front of the door, ready to leave. As she checked the contents of her saddlebags, she looked over to her sister with concern.

“Sweetie, are you all right? Bad dream?”

The young filly got out of bed and trotted sleepily over to the bathroom. She mentioned in passing, “I’m all right. Princess Luna says ‘hi’ by the way.”

The fashion designed hugged her sister in passing and asked, “Any plans for today?”

Sweetie replied morosely, “No. There’s nothing for me to do. I already got my crystal battery and there are no more Shadow Nose stories anywhere.”

Rarity lifted Sweetie Belle’s chin gently and advised, “Well, maybe only you care about Shadow Nose anymore. Why don’t you write your own stories? Do some research and maybe I’ll help you create a book to put on your shelf.”

She then left for the fashion show.

The young unicorn groomed her mane and brushed her teeth, thinking to herself about her plight. It seemed that only boredom awaited her today.

The mental image of Shadow Nose being pulled into the darkness came to her mind.

She stomped her hoof, saying, “I hate that darkness! Nopony should defeat Shadow Nose.”

She trotted over to her window and opened the curtains. Sunlight flooded the room, casting her shadow long against the hotel room floor.

Sweetie Belle decided, “If I were writing a Shadow Nose story, he’d totally defeat that darkness. He’d uncover that thing’s real name and find its hideout. Mare-got would be there and the police would be there.”

A strange thought crept into her mind.

“Maybe I can do it. I can come up with Shadow Nose stories. But how do I get published? Where do I begin?”

She placed the hotel room back and forth slowly, trying to come up with a plan. This was always easier with all of the Crusaders together.

She decided, “I’ll just have to ask Princess Luna for help. They probably don’t just let anypony into the palace, so I’ll have to stealth in. Good thing I packed for just such an occasion.”

An hour later, Sweetie Belle arrived at the front gates to the Palace Gardens, carrying a pile of lavender cloth on her back. A pair of Royal Guards flanked the open gate to the pleasant sitting area with benches and trees.

She reached onto her back and pulled out her costume.

She announced, “Our heroine, Sweetie Belle, dons her dashing disguise. She will stealth into the palace and get the information she needs to write her own stories.”

The nearby guard looked over at her, wondering what was happening.

The young filly put on a matching set of pants, shirt, cloth helmet, and long, flowing scarf.

She proudly declared, “There! Now, I’m totally invisible!”

The guard’s eyes opened wide with surprise.

She then stood up on her hind legs and placed her back to the nearby hedge. Carefully sliding towards the gateway, she slid behind the guards.

The filly dove across the open gateway to the other side and finished with a roll. She tripped on her hoof and fell onto the ground.

“Oof! Ow.”

She stood up and hid behind the hedge and stared openly into the sitting area.

Aiming for a stone bench with an elderly married couple, she sprinted and slid under the bench.

She then crawled across the open lawn on her belly towards the castle doors, much to the amusement of the married couple.

Opening the unlocked doors, she slipped inside.

She jumped into the air, hoof raised in triumph.

“Woohoo! I totally nailed that section. Not a single pony saw me. Now to find Princess Luna!”

She dashed off to the right at full speed.

After bumping into the end of the hallway, she dashed off to the left at full speed.

The guard looked over to his partner and asked, “Did you…?”

The other guard said stiffly, “No and neither did you, unless you’d like to file the report.”

The guard returned to his stance, hoping the weekend to arrive quickly.

Sweetie Belle stalked obviously down the hallway, narrating the whole way.

“The crafty ninja filly quickly located her target. She crept up totally silently on the bedroom door of her quarry. Soon, the information would be hers.”

“You are not invisible.”

The filly startled, looking behind herself. Princess Luna stood there, looking down upon the filly curiously.

Forgetting the nature of her trespass, Sweetie Belle jumped up and greeted, “Princess Luna! I was looking all over for you!”

The alicorn princess insisted, “Sweetie Belle, you should not just enter the palace anytime you wish. This is not only the home of myself and my sister, but it is the central building of Equestrian government.”

The filly pouted, “Rarity comes here all the time. You don’t yell at her. I’m her sister and I’m on a mission!”

Luna retorted, “I do not yell at your sister.” She titled her head quizzically and asked, “What mission are you performing?”

Sweetie proudly declared, “I’m on a mission to find out more about Shadow Nose! I need to hear more stories and find out his ultimate fate. I need that information if I’m going to write my own stories.”

The dark alicorn raised her eyebrows and then smiled.

She said, “Writing your own Shadow Nose stories? You wish to be an author?”

The young filly stated, “Shadow Nose is the best detective story ever. It should be back in print, but nopony knows about him.”

She then looked at Luna with a curious gaze and asked, “In all the stories, Mare-got keeps acting like she’s got a crush on Law. If you were Mare-got, then did that mean you had a crush on Shadow Nose?”

Luna brought a hoof up towards her face demurely. Her eyes looked aside and a slight blush crept upon her face.

She tried to say, “Sweetie Belle, you shouldn’t ask such a personal question...”

Sweetie interrupted her, “You’re blushing! Was he your Special Somepony?”

Luna turned her head aside and mumbled, “I don’t have to answer that…”

The excited filly stepped up close to the dark alicorn and sweetly demanded, “Did you ever kiss him?”

The alicorn princess took a deep breath and steeled her resolve. She leaned forward and smiled.

“Yes. I kissed him a lot.”

Sweetie Belle’s face blossomed with glee and she declared, “AWWWWWW! That’s soooooo romantic!”

After taking a deep breath, she asked, “Tell me a story about him! Tell me a romantic thing he did!”

Luna tried to defer, “Well, um…” The blush deepened.

Sweetie pressed, widening her eyes, “Pleeeeeease?”

The mountain of the alicorn princess’s willpower crumbed. She wondered how such a thing was possible from a mere child.

She acceded, “All right. This is possibly the most romantic thing he did. I still marvel at the depths of his resourcefulness sometimes.”

[]Begin flashback[]

Law Cranberry strode boldly into the back end of the castle lawn. He dragged the cello case behind himself. The wheels of the case rotating with a mild squeak as it moved across the grass.

The night sky was completely clear, punctuated by the full moon overhead. The collection of stars twinkled in a symphony of light.

He walked to a place under a particular window. He opened the case and gathered the cello and bow.

He then began to play the cello. He played a song normally played fast, but he slowed the tempo down to about a quarter of the original song. This made the song more romantic and appropriate.

“My friends wonder why I call you all of the time.

What can I say?

I don't feel the need to give such secrets away.

You think maybe I need help, no, I know that I'm right.

I'm just better off not listening to friends' advice.”

A white alicorn mare’s head poked out of the window. Her multi-colored mane flowed in the ethereal breeze not felt by anypony else.

Upon seeing the earth pony below, she smiled in recognition and ducked back inside.

“Luna. Luna! There’s somepony to see you down on the lawn.”

After a second, a dark alicorn peeked outside and down at the lawn.

Upon seeing the earth pony’s face, her countenance melted away from anxiety to pure bliss.

She leaned forward, holding her head in her hooves at the window sill.

“When they insist on knowing my bliss,

I tell them this.

When they want to know what the reason is,

I only smile when I lie, then I tell them why.”

“Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.

Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.

Because your kiss is on my list of the best things in life!

Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.

Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.”

The voice of the other alicorn asked, “How did he get past the guards? They would have stopped him before this.”

The dark alicorn whispered, “I don’t care.”

“I go crazy wondering what there is to really see.

Did the night just take up your time? 'Cause it means more to me.

Sometimes I forget what I'm doing, I don't forget what I want.

Regret what I've done, regret you? I couldn't go on.

And if you insist on knowing my bliss,

I'll tell you this.

If you want to know what the reason is,

I'll only smile when I lie, then I'll tell you this.”

“Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.

Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.

Because your kiss is on my list of the best things in life!

Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.

Because your kiss, your kiss is on my list.”

The dark alicorn ducked back inside her room, then reappearing suddenly. She blew a heartfelt kiss down to her stallion and tossed a red rose into the air.

The stallion caught it deftly, placing it in his jacket’s chest pocket.

He whispered up to his lady, “I love you.” Knowing she heard every word, he packed up his cello and left.

[]End flashback[]

The pair reveled in the romantic memory for a moment.

Then Princess Luna encouraged Sweetie Belle, “It is probably time to go home. Your sister must be worried about you.”

The young filly countered, “Nope. She’s at the fashion show all day today. She’ll be there for hours. I got all day.”

The dark alicorn became flustered at the possibility of babysitting for hours. She heard rumors from Twilight Sparkle about a group of enthusiastic fillies who call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Luna wondered if this filly knew those other fillies.

The sound of hooves walking across the stone floor filled the hallway. Princess Celestia emerged from around a corner.

She smiled and greeted, “Well hello, Sweetie Belle. Is Rarity here as well?”

The filly replied, “She’s at the fashion show in town, presenting her latest line. I’m here to visit Princess Luna.”

At Celestia’s humorous countenance, Luna explained, “Actually, it is time for me to sleep. Perhaps if you could regale her with a tale of Shadow Nose then I could rest.”

Sweetie Belle added, “Tell me about his last case! I wanna know how he ended his career. Also, can you point me to where he retired? Maybe I could visit there and talk to ponies who knew him.”

Celestia’s face melted into sorrow.

She whispered, “It was my fault.”

Luna’s ears shot up at that admission.

She queried, “Pardon?”

Princess Celestia offered, “Come with me and I’ll explain.”

The group relocated to Celestia’s bedchambers. She gave instructions to the guards for no interruptions.

Celestia sat upon the floor in silence, summoning up her courage.

Luna interrupted her, “Well, what hast thou to say?”

Her sister glared back, only to turn her head in shame.

Chapter 5 - Confession

[]Start flashback[]

Celestia sat in her throne room patiently, awaiting her visitor. The night had fallen, but still the palace was brightly lit. Flanked by two of her guards, she was confident that she would control the meeting.

Minutes ticked by and still no visitor. Still, Celestia had learned patience over thousands of years of life. She let her visitor take his time. He did not control anything. He was coming to her.

Suddenly, a gray earth pony with gray mane steeped into view front behind the throne. His opera cloak flared dramatically and his fedora was tilted at a rakish angle, concealing the top of his face. His bright red scarf concealed the bottom of his face. His bright red question mark was displayed proudly as he walked in front of his ruler.

Celestia looked aside at her guards, wondering why they did not move to capture Shadow Nose. They stood still, like statues. One adjusted his forelegs in place.

She asked, “How did you do that?”

Shadow Nose replied, “That is my secret, Your Majesty. Good evening. I understand you wish for me to discover something?”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed in annoyance.

She spoke graciously, “North of Equestria is the Crystal Empire, my ally. They are beset by a dark magic I cannot fathom. I refuse to allow my ally to succumb to dark designs.”

Shadow Nose politely asked, “What were the results of your previous incursions?”

The white alicorn instinctively reared back an inch. How he could so politely learn these things was dangerous.

She replied, “Every attempt resulted in no effect of any kind.”

He asked, “And the agents?”

Celestia closed her eyes for a second in reverence and then answered, “None survived.”

Shadow Nose gallantly asked, “What is his name?”

The alicorn spread her wings wide in anxiety, “Do not take him lightly. None know how his magic works, and Sombra has nothing less than the Crystal Throne in his sight.”

The detective bowed formally and then raced off through the doors to the hallway.

The guards looked around, noticing their liege. The guard on the right noticed her wings spread.

He asked, “Are you all right, Your Majesty?”

Closing her wings, she stood up.

Walking towards her chambers, she answered, “Yes. It appears that we won’t see our visitor tonight. It is time to retire.”

Weeks later, the moon hung high in the sky over the Crystal Empire. In the capital, squads of guards roamed randomly, trying to find the dark warrior that had laid siege to the city.

Shadow Nose ran at full speed through the well-lit street, sticking to the middle.

CRASH! A crystal lamp shattered, the cause unknown.

Shadow Nose came to a stop, looking in every alley and rooftop.

CRASH! Another lamp broke into pieces.

The gray pony reared up, roaring his challenge, “FACE ME!”

A low rumbling entered in from every alleyway. The street vibrated with the power. He knew that his enemy had fully manifested nearby.

Frantically, he surveyed his surroundings. His eye caught a familiar store.

He bolted in at full speed, smashing the door open. BANG!

A young-looking unicorn mare sat behind the counter, lighting candles with her horn.

Her gaze snapped at the intruder. His cape flared with speed and his eyes seemed to pierce the night. Without thinking, she gasped in surprise.

The stallion glared at her and spoke, “The sun in bright…”

Lowering her head in submission, she replied automatically, “…but not in the alley.”

He raced around the desk, knocking over several display boxes. A sign that read, “Speedy Same-Day Delivery Special – 10 bits!”

The unicorn mare backed away trembling.

CRASH! Another crystal lamp outside shattered.

Her gaze flicked between her intruder and the darkening street outside.

Shadow Nose grabbed quill and scroll, writing furiously.

She asked, “What do you want? What’s going on?”

Talking around the quill in his mouth, he bluntly replied, “Dimension Door, I need a favor. Deliver this message to the Princesses in Canterlot tonight.”

The young mare sported a yellow mane on a brown coat. Her cutie mark was a gray cloud. Both her mane and tail were cut short and her horn seemed small for her age.

She lowered her gaze and said miserably, “I’ve done too many favors for you. Business hasn’t been great this year.”

The vigilante reached into his cloak and pulled out a large currency bag. He dropped it carelessly on the desk. The top of the bag opened, revealing a hundred bits inside.

He barked an order, “Do this favor and we’re even forever! Do not lose this message. Do not give this to anypony except the princesses. They’re waiting for this.”

Finishing the scroll, he shoved it into her twitching hooves.

His eyes bore right into her soul as he explained, “If you fail to deliver this one scroll, the entire Crystal Empire will be doomed forever.”

Such a burden being placed on a young mare! Her nerves shattered and she nearly dropped the scroll.

She tried to reason with him, “But…But…”

SMASH! The front glass windows of the store burst inward, cutting both ponies.

Shadow Nose stared at her and screamed, “GO!”

Dimension Door grabbed the bag and the scroll firmly, then concentrated. A streak of light left her horn and circled her body. The circle rotated into a solid white sphere of light.

WOOSH! The sphere collapsed and disappeared. The caster was at her destination.

Shadow Nose faced the broken windows.

CRASH! The last light left the street. Only the smallest light leaked out from side streets.

Shadow Nose had trained his eyes to see in almost total darkness. What he saw confirmed his suspicions.

The very darkness coalesced into the form of a tall stallion, dressed in armor and a royal cloak. His red within green eyes burned through the darkness. Purple energy oozed from his eyes, showing his lack of restraint in his own newly-formed power.

The tall stallion taunted, “I thought you liked working in the dark. Stalking ponies unseen. Surprising them from behind. Sneaking away without being caught.”

They shorter gray pony held his head high as he retorted, “You and I have different goals, monster. I prefer to live in harmony with ponies, not conquer them.”

The dark monster snarled, “A flaw that shall cease tonight. Make your decision. Serve me as my enforcer or perish.”

Shadow Nose shouted, “Never shall I serve you, Sombra!”

The sorcerer Sombra roared his displeasure and shot out a dark beam of purple energy.

The bolt crackled jaggedly through the air, striking Shadow Nose in the chest.

His mouth hidden underneath his scarf, Sombra did not notice the lack of scream from the mouth. The dark energy spread over the vigilante’s body, transforming him into a solid mass of blackness.

Then the blackness dissolved onto the floor and evaporated into the surrounding night.

Sombra threw back his head, cackling loud enough to shake the roof of the small building.

Hours later, the shop was still covered in broken glass. Echoes of explosions and panic filled the streets.

A consciousness came alive.

A puddle of shadow gathered together. It nudged one way, then another.

CRASH! The faint echo of a crystal lamp filled the shop from the alley.

The puddle quivered and then asserted itself into the vague shape of a pony.

It tried to grab the desk to climb up onto its feet. Its hoof passed right through the desk.

The shadow pony hung its head silently. Slowly it learned to crawl into the nearby alley.

Looking up into the sky showed the stars. The moon had already passed towards the horizon.

Morosely, it resigned itself to its fate and sang its own dirge.

“Shake it up is all that we know,

using the bodies up as we go.

Waking up to fantasy,

the shades all around aren't the colors we used to see.

Broken ice still melts in the sun,

and times that are broken can often be one again.

We're so alone

and soul really matters to me.

Take a look around.”

“You're out of touch,

I'm out of time,

but I'm out of my head when you're not around.”

“Reaching out for something to hold,

looking for a love where the climate is cold.

Manic moves and drowsy dreams

or living in the middle between the two extremes.

Smoking guns, hot to the touch,

would cool down if we didn't use them so much.

We're so alone

and soul really matters to me.

Too much.”

“You're out of touch,

I'm out of time,

but I'm out of my head when you're not around.”

“You're out of touch,

I'm out of time,

but I'm out of my head when you're not around.”

It looked up at the night sky again, wishing it could see the cutie mark of the alicorn he loved so much.

[]End flashback[]

Celestia somberly stated, “I received Dimension Door’s scroll. It was a report from Shadow Nose about King Sombra’s magic. He explained that Sombra was experimenting with a dangerous combination of darkness and raw emotion. This made him seemingly immune to normal magic. It also made him skilled in curses.”

Luna’s ears moved forward, showing her interest in new information.

She said proudly, “So it was Shadow Nose that taught you how to defeat King Sombra.”

Celestia cautioned, “He gave me the information to let me experiment with his style of magic. It took me a long time to master Sombra’s magic enough to find its weakness.”

Sweetie Belle’s face scrunched up in confusion and she queried, “But…the Crystal Empire was under attack. How long did it take?”

The two alicorns cast a cautionary glance at Sweetie Belle, then at each other.

Celestia confessed, “I was impatient. After mastering one spell, I tried to surprise Sombra and blast him into submission.”

Luna added, “It didn’t work. Sombra was wounded but still in control. He cast a huge curse, sealing the Crystal Empire away from the world while he recovered.”

Sweetie Belle timidly asked, “But when did Shadow Nose escape?”

The alicorns hung their heads in shame.

The young filly worriedly asked, “Didn’t he escape?”

Celestia took a deep breath and said, “No.”

A couple of days later, Rarity and Sweetie Belle were seated on the train headed for Ponyville.

The fashion designer used her magic on a comb to style her mane.

She spoke with exhaustion and pride, “Well, that went very well. Eventually I was able to convince everypony that wearing clothing too small was simply not appropriate or comfortable. I got several orders for outfits. This will certainly pay the bills for months.”

Sweetie Belle did not answer. Instead, she was writing in a blank book with determination.

Rarity noticed the lack of conversation and asked, “Sweetie, what are you doing there?”

The filly answered, “I’m writing Shadow Nose stories. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia said they’d help me publish them. We’d like to get the public interested in Shadow Nose again.”

The fashion designer gasped and demanded, “Sweetie Belle! You didn’t trespass into the palace and bother the princesses, did you?”

Sweetie declared, “No. They were glad to see me. Now if you please, Rarity, I need to concentrate. After I fill this book, I need to ask Twilight to send it off.”

Rarity harrumphed, “If this is some kind of joke, it is certainly not funny. Twilight’s magic is not reserved for silly little comic books based on outdated scary radio programs.”

The young filly ignored her sister and continued writing.

In the Crystal Empire, night began to fall.

A married couple walked down an alley for a shortcut going home. Both ponies had full saddlebags of supplies they bought.

A rough-looking stallion stepped out around a corner, holding a knife in his hooves.

He threatened, “Shut up! Give me your bits or you’ll be begging for a hospital.”

From behind the criminal, the alley echoed with sinister laughter, “Heh, heh, heh! HA, HA, HA!”

The criminal turned around, trying to find the source of the laughter.

A shadow graced the wall of a building. It showed a short stallion wearing a cloak, hat, and scarf. The criminal looked around for the source of the image.

He taunted, “Show yourself!”

The shadow actually detached from the wall, filling out a three-dimensional shape.

The shape opened bright green eyes and focused them on the criminal.

All three ponies fled from the alleyway, trying in vain to shut out the echoes of laughter.

THE END