Links to the Past

" Did you enjoy your sleep? " the receptionist mare asked.

" I did. " the black unicorn smiled, while heading for the breakfast room.

This was the day. The day his plan would come true. This would be one of his most memmorable days. Yet it started with ordinary eggs for breakfast.

The hotel was quite full, as he could see. The table he took was one of the few almost free tables. There were no unused tables. There was a big family with three or more foals in the other side of the room, that had joined two tables to be together. As their laughter was heard in the other corner of the room, most of the ponies threw gazes of annoyance at the big family. Only the black unicorn and a couple on the table next to him smiled weakly.

Most of the ponies in the restaurant were tourists. Ponyville wasn't exactly overflowing with sights, so they were very dissapointed to hear, that Princess Twilight, the reason they had taken the trip, was in canterlot and wouldn't return at least until two days later. The black stallion raised an eyebrow, as he heard many conversations, concerning how a royalty should always proclaim any trips, or at least leave a note at the mayor's office.

' Maybe she just doesn't want to be a tourist attraction for ponies like you. ' the black unicorn could say to them all, but he didn't. He quietly got up and left the restaurant. He headed for the Carousel Boutique.

Hase smiled, as he looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Right now, they were trying to get cutie marks for being jewellers, practicing with the gems Cobalt created for them and his small diamond chisels. Since Rarity's cutie mark was three gems, Sweetie Belle was the most optimistic of the three.

" How is it going? " he asked, as he neared them.

" Nah. Macutie mark certainly ain't a jeweller's cutie mark. " Applebloom shook her head.

" Why so? " the stallion raised an eyebrow.

" Look. " the earth pony stepped aside.

This allowed Hase to take a look at the three fillies' progress. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's chunks... were still chunks, only with some missing parts, but Applebloom's had broken into small shards.

" It sometimes happens with gems. Softer intrusions. " Cobalt explained.

" Hey, let me try. " Hase got an idea, that would have cheered the little earth pony up.

A small amethyst, just like the one Applebloom had tried to tur into a jewel, grew from the rock lord's left forehoof. He broke it as if it was a flower and hoofed it over to Hase.

Hase took the chisel in his mouth and carefully looked for cracks, or other signs, that would indicate the stone's weakness. However, one couldn't be found. He hit the stone with his chisel, not having any idea if his plan would work. A small piece broke off, but nothing more. The red- maned filly frowned even more, until suddenly cracks appeared along the surface, and the whole stone broke to little useless pieces, returning the smile on her face.

The scientist knit his brows, although only joking, and said the earth pony:

" You see? Nopony is good at everything. I might be good with science, but I think I'll leave the jeweller's stuff to Cobalt. "

" Yah, mah too. " Applebloom also let her chisel down.

" You can't be sure. I can. My talent is inventing, not crafting jewells. However, that blank flank of yours means your cutie mark can be literally anything. I can give up, since I know my talent will never be jewel crafting. You, on the other hoof, can;t be sure. So keep trying. " Hase grabbed the chisel in his mouth and gave it to Applebloom.

The filly smiled in responce and picked the chisel, while Cobalt provided her with a second gem. Hase went aside and joined the Starfliers, who were sitting on a sofa.

" They remind me of us at their age. " Thunderflight commented, as the scientist took a seat next to them.

" Never sticking to any rules, only following one purpose: finding the cutie marks. " the beige earth pony agreed.

Gale smiled, as she recalled those days. They weren't very different from the Crusaders, and their group, the Adventure Hunters, just as them, was looking for their cutie marks almost all the time. They knew every square foot of the town. Canterlot didn't provide them with any place, suitable for a clubhouse, so they usually gathered at one of their houses.

Although the main memories remained, she hadn't remembered their meetings in details. All of them had blended into a single, collective memory. With several exceptions. One cloudy afternoon they had gathered in Hase's house. It was a smalll, but comfy two- storey building on the corner of a street. They had two windows to look from, but this day they had gathered around the table, planing the next activity, that could possibly bring them their cutie marks: theatre. As any filly at that age, Gale had been excited. At first Hase and Thunderflight had been a bit sceptical, but soon they had agreed with her. Only Rush had remained resillient.

" We don't have any masks or costumes, silly heads! " he presented a very valid argument, that made the other three foals go silent. Hase's mother, an earth pony mare with white coat and blue- green mane and tail, had become confused at the sight of four foals sitting in complete silence, so she had asked what the case was. As Gale had told her, she remembered how the mare had smiled and said:

" It's not the mask or costume, that matters. What matters is what lies behind them. "

Eventually they had organised a theatre. They didn't have masks or costumes, and although it didn't bring neither of them their cutie marks, all agreed, that it had been a good experience and Rush regretted arguing before that.

Than she recalled the other memories she had and took an importrant decision. They owed it to Hase. They had to tell him the whole truth, even if the others wouldn't agree. The pegasus was about to confess to the scientist the actual reason for their arrival, but before she could even open her mouth, the mare was interrupted by a door bell.

" I'll open. " the beige earth pony jumped up and trotted towards the door.

The three fillies stayed behind, trying to make a gemstone out of the precious minerals, while the scientist opened the door. A black unicorn with a dark violet mane and eyes of the same colour stood behind it. He lifted his gaze, as the door was opened, and when his eyes stumbled upon the earth pony, small signs of smile appeared in the left corner of his smile.

" Mr. Hase? " he asked.

" Yes? " at first the inventor thought it was just another pony, unaware of Rarity's absence, coming to order a suit, so he was quite surprised when the stranger adressed him by name.

" You are an inventor, aren't you? " the other pony asked.

" Yes, I am. Is this of any importrant matter to you? " Hase tried to be polite.

" Well, I wouldn't be able to order a specific device I'm sure is too complicated and probably too hard to understand to a pony, who isn't an inventor, now, would I? "

The beige stallion raised an eyebrow:

" You want me to build an invention for you? "

" Yes. Does this surprise you? " the unicorn replied, showing unexpected interest.

" Actually, yes. Most of the ponies, especially unicorns, prefer to use more... conventional techniques, magic, to do the work. "

" Magic won't do the trick. I need the machine to function even when I'm not in my house, and I just couldn't use spell all the time. I believe this is the case, in which technology is superior to magic. But I think it would be more convenient for both of us if we moved to your office... your laboratory perhaps? "

" Sure! " the scientist promised and turned back to speak to his friends and the cutie mark crusaders:

" Guys, I'll be busy for a while. I'll be back in an hour or so. "

The ponies inside the room nodded at him.

' Yes, an hour will suffice. ' the black unicorn thought, and smiled as the beige earth pony shut the door and asked him to follow him to the lab.

" How long have you been in Ponyville? " the scientist asked his client.

" Two days. " at that point, there was no use of lying, so the other stallion just told the truth.

" You came to me on the third day after your arrival? What makes you so interested in my inventions? " Hase wondered.

The black unicorn frowned. He had forgotten, that the inventor's services weren't very popular in the town, and he had looked suspicious.

" I faced a serious problem. " he hoped this alibi would be enough.

The beige earth pony looked at him with knit brows for a second or two, but than he just shrugged his shoulders and continued asking him about his opinion of the town, details of his stay and simillar stuff. Than he went on to describing some of his inventions, interested in the need of the unicorn.

' He acts as if this is an everyday procedure for him, although he's aware both of us know I'm probably his sixth or seventh client ever. ' the black pony had a ready answer for the question of the inventor, so he spent the time Hase gave him to think to analyse his behaviour.

' He doesn't let dissapointment affect him at the slightest. '

Meanwhile they had already reached the laboratory. As Hase led his guest upstairs, the dark violet- maned stallion took a look at the machinery, looking for anything, that could potentially foil his scheme. He asked to take a peek at these " wonders of the modern world ", and the scientist gladly allowed him. He even began describing what each device served for.

" ... that is a superconductive liquid. It's probably the best electroconductor ever created... "

" ... the darts are filled with dilluted neurotoxin. Not lethal, but can stun a pony for half an hour... "

' You're too naive. ' the dark unicorn thought, as he sat opposite the inventor in his office on the second floor and said, that he needed a water pump, that pumped twice as hard as a normal one in order to drain his land off subterainian water. The glow in the beige stallion's eyes faded, but he managed to keep the enthusiasm in his voice, although only from his eyes his client could see, that he's not only dissapointed, but insulted as well.

' You're not too arrogant, but not without any pride. You boil from the inside, but you know when to show it and when- not to. ' the black stallion grinned. This masquerade was soon coming to its end.

' So, on the whole, you're proud, but not arrogant, you're smart, but you don't show off with it, you're tender when you need to be tender, and hard when you need to be hard, as I have heard. Just the pony I expected... but you're naive. Trust is a good thing, when measured right, but otherwise it's a drawback. However, this drawback woud soon be gone... "

Than the signal was given. A sound, that most ponies couldn't hear. But something heard it.

The serpent hissed. Finally, the signal was given. It took her long to reach this house without being seen, but her long and dark body was as dark and silent as the shadows it hid in when she needed to vanish from the ponies eyes. The snake used one of her heads to clean the broken scales off the other two. The left head looked around and saw, that nopony was near the building the master had called " Carousel Boutique " .

The black unicorn knew the serpent had already heard the singal, so all he had to do now was stall.

" By the way, could you invent a device, that mows the lawn? "

" Yes, I have already invented such a device... " Hase was having a hard time keeping his normal tone. His client saw the spite building up in his eyes.

' Time to see how's your anger management ' the pony of the shadows thought.

" It has already proved itself as an efficient tool for lawnmowing... " the inventor used the long explanations to let out the steam.

' Good! Great self- controll!  ' the black stallion was impressed.

While Hase's personality  was being tested, the three- headed serpent stood up in its full size and used the hard end of its tail to gently knock on the door.

" I'll open! " the happy Scootaloo said. Together with the Starfliers (or the Adventure Hunters, as they had started to call them), the three fillies were playing hide and seek. The purple- maned filly had already been tagged, so she had nothing better to do than to open the door. She jumped and opened the door, expecting to see Hase after another failed assignment, so she was preparing to cheer him up, when she suddenly stood face to face with a three headed snake.

It was really more like face- to - tummy, since the snake was probably 6 feet tall. The three heads came down, so that they would be facing the orange pegasus. This way she could see the 6 red eyes, cut in half by dagger- like pupils.

" Ssscootaloo? " the middle head asked, while the other two just showed their forked tongues.

" Yes? " the frightened foal made a step back.

" Where are your friendsss? " the serpent faked a friendly voice. A purposely bad imitation.

" Which friends? " Scoot made another step back.

" Oh, I'm ssure a filly like you has friendsss... " the black beast slid its body, and the left head curled around Scootalooand yawned, a drop of venom from its fangs falling an inch away from the filly's muzzle.

" Wwwe werre pllayingg hidde an... and seek. " the terrified pegasus thought of all Rainbow Dash had told her about bravery and stopped stuttering.

" Oh, I'm esspecially good at it. " the forked tongue of the left head brushed Scoot's left ear.

" Mind if I join you? "

The giant snake didn't wait for the answer. The left head curled up around Scootaloo, blocking her mouth, so that she wouldn't scream, but leaving her nosdrils out, so that she would be able to breathe, held her in the air, while the two other heads laid on the ground and moved in synchron with the tail, as it crawled, searching for the other two fillies.

' Gale would nevah find me here. ' Applebloom thought. She had found the perfect place. A storeroom, that Rarity used for her hats. Not only was it the last place somepony would choose to look for a pony, but she was also burried in a pile of hats. Nopony could find her, unless they knew exactly where to look for her.

The black serpent, however, had no problems locating her. The three forked tongues caught any smell, left hanging in the air. In the central room, she distinguished 6 different pony smells. One was that of the pegasus infant, so from there on the beast ignored it. She guessed the ponies hiding wouldn't have moved much, so she also ignored the three smells, that were all over the place. Two traces, however, led away from the main room, and the three headed serpent guessed those would be the fillies, who were hiding. She heard steps upstairs and quickly slid, following one of those trails. Scootaloo energetically waved with her left forehoof, hoping to be seen, but the left head pulled her with the rest of the snake before her sign was seen. Than she curled up around her forehooves as well and grinned deviously.

Just as Applebloom thought she would win the game, a knock was heard on the door of the closet. The earth pony could barely hold in her laughter.

' Seriously, knockin' durin' hide'n'seek? So tha' I'd hide betta? Is this how they played it before? ' the filly wondered, but than heard a sound she didn't expect. A loud hiss.

' Tryin' ta scare mah outa my cover? Good luck with tha' ! ' the red- maned filly laughed in her mind, at least until the door was open, letting out a screech. The hiss was heard again, as a voice spoke:

" There's no ussse of hiding. Your game of predator and prey is too easy for a real predator like me. "

Applebloom raised an eyebrow. Gale sure knew how to imitate voices. This one sounded nothing like her.

" We'll find you all! I got  Rush and Thunder! Sweetie, Applebloom, you're next. " Gale's dull voice came through the walls. The earth pony knit her brows:

" But than who... " mid- sentence she realised she had said it out loud.

Something jumped in the pile of hats, sending half of it across the room and exposing her. Applebloom's mouth fell open.

In front of her stood a 6 feet long black snake with gushing red eyes. 3 feet of her length was her tail, and the other half of her split in three heads, one of which had curled around Scootaloo, who was frantically trying to escape. When she saw her friend, she energetically shook her head. Getting the meaning, Applebloom threw herself past the snake, hoping she would reach the exit, but the right head curled around her and held her in a simillar fashion to her fellow crusader. Not wasting her time, the central head laid on the floor and slid out of the room, while the other heads stood upright and observed the prisoners.

Sweetie Belle held her breathe, as hoofsteps passed near her cover. Her friends had probably found better hiding places than her, but hers was covert enough. Or so she thought. The steps stopped and the sound of a locker being opened was heard. One by one, Gale started examining all the kitchen lockers. She had just reached hers, when a thud was heard. The hoofsteps were heard again, as the pegasus went away from the locker, expecting to see some of her friends switching covers.

The serpent hid in a bedroom, while the pegasus followed the false lead. All she had to do was knock and the pony immeadietly fell for it. A true predator knew, that a bird in the hoof was worth two in the shadow. A true predator wouldn't have left a sure prey for something else. That was the difference. For this mare, the game of prey and predator was just a game. Where the snake came from, it was the game of survival.

The snake slid inside the kitchen, knowing perfectly well where the filly was hiding. She delibarately pushed a basket of fruits of a table, so that her prey would be alerted of her presence. An excellent predator like the black reptile could afford playing with the pray. The snake than drove her tail across all the lockers, awaiting to smell the sweet, intoxicating smell of fear pheromones. However, their amount was surprisingly low. The filly still thought this was all a game. The dissapointed serpent hissed angrily and opened the door, behind which the filly was hiding. Her tail reached in and caught the unicorn filly, covering her mouth. The three heads grinned, as they saw the pupils of the small unicorns shrink at the sight of them. The air was filled with fear, especially after the filly saw her friends. The central head wrapped around her just as the others curled around her friends. With the three heads up, the snake crawled out of the kitchen and headed for the exit. In the main room, just next to the door, she bumped into the chasers, who were apparently choosing another plan for their hunt, without knowing they're out of prey. As they spotted her, the supreme predator, they instinctively made a step back. Their mind wanted them to save the fillies, but their primal instincts held them back. Oh, how she liked those type of conflicts!

The bloody red eyes glared at the mare with the light blue coat, and the three heads spoke in unison, with the same voice:

" Never leave the substance for the shadow! "

Than the central head sprayed some venom on the carpet, ensuring the trio wouldn't do anything stupid, and slid out of the front door, without meeting any resistance. The serpent quickly set out to the edge of the town, bringing its valuable prey with itself. Even though the master was going to send her off when she delivered those foals to the set location, she was glad she had played such a pleasant game of hunter and prey. It was worth it.

While the black unicorn was asking for inventions of different sorts, pretending they would be useful in his non- existent house, he heard a faint hiss coming from outside. He smiled, as he heard the signal for a successful mission, stood up and told Hase:

" Well, I am glad we had the chance to talk. I will contact you as soon as I need you. " he didn't lie saying that.

" Likewise. " at this point Hase was sure this pony would never request any invention of his, and wasn't even merely interested in his work, but he managed to keep his polite tone.

As he was exiting the laboratory, a sprinting mare rushed past the dark unicorn and quickly entered. The smile on the face of the shadow pony grew wider, as he walked in direction the Carousel Boutique.

' The trap snapped. ' he thought

" Hase! " Gale yelled at the end of her lungs. As he heard her, the worried earth pony rushed downstairs.

" What's wrong? "

" I know it's unbeliavable... but a snake ponynapped Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo! "

The inventor raised an eyebrow:

" You're joking, right? "

" Ni, I'm not! It was 6 feet long, with three heads, and as black as that timberwolf we met on the lawn. "

As he heard this description, the scientist realised the green- maned mare wasn't joking. Sweat came down his cheek, as he asked, worried:

" Where are they? "

" I don't know! Rush and Thunder are looking for the snake right now! "

Panic took over the beige stallion.

" How could you let this happen?!? " he shook her shoulders with his forehooves.

" I... I don't know! We were playing hide and seek, when suddenly that snake appeared, with all three girls. It exited before we could do anything! "

Hase took his forehooves off his friend's shoulders, knowing she had no fault. He loved the three fillies as if he was their brother, and now all three of them had fallen victim to some vicious reptile. What would he say to their sisters when they returned? Furthermore, how could he live with such guilt? Three fillies ponynapped because of him hoping his inventions would finally be appreciated. Perhaps things would have gone differently if he was there. Why wasn't he?

Because he had tried to find happiness and appreciation from ponies, for his machines, while knowing he was appreciated for the pony he was. He wanted to be appreciated because of his machines, while his many friends appreciated him without them.From now on, he'd never do the same mistake. Ponies disliked his machines, he liked them. He didn't need to make others like them to be liked. He was already liked.

He'd never trade the substance for the shadow again.