Everlasting Shadows

“I don’t want to!” I yelled as loud as I could standing tall (as tall as my small frame could at least) in front of the large book shelf in Twilight Sparkle’s Library. It had been just over a month since I had come to the small town of Ponyville with Rarity. I hadn’t expected things to go as well as they had. The princess she had talked about was named Twilight Sparkle, I knew I had heard about her before, but I couldn’t place it at the time.

They had taken a long time to talk with me, Twilight asking me where I had lived most of my life, to what I was able to do with my magic. So I told her the truth. I told her I was scared of my power, so I didn’t use it. Rarity told her about the power I’d displayed that night and the princess was very interested. So she said she would take me in as her first Student, (I had no idea what she meant by that at the time).

So that’s how it all started, I ended up staying with Rarity and every day I was sent over to Twilights house, which was a library (Who lives in a library?) and she would have me read books on basic unicorn spells for hours. At first I thought I was going to hate it, but in reality it turned out to be something I really liked. I never had much time to read when I was growing up and the books she had were interesting. Though I wouldn’t tell her that, not just yet.

So now we are here, Twilight has started to teach me how to use my power, and we were having the same argument we’ve been having for the past few days now. I didn’t want to use my magic and she did. She moved closer to me, a small sigh coming from her lips as she said “Listen Shadow, sooner or later you are going to need to use your magic. It’s in a unicorn’s nature to use magic no matter how big or small.”

I huffed and stomped a hoof down on the floor looking up from my latest book, responding with a bit of an attitude “Well, I’m not your normal unicorn, my magic is dangerous and I won’t use it.”

She sat down rubbing a temple with her hoof saying slowly “From what you have told me about the few times you have used your power, it sounded like a magical back up.”

I looked up at her cocking an eyebrow “A what now?”

“When a unicorn with a lot of power doesn’t use it, the power starts to back up. Then when the said unicorn has a peak of some kind of strong emotion like fear or anger, then that power can come rushing out in one big magical back lash. I have a feeling that’s what’s been happening to you. If this first happened when you were a filly, I could understand why you were scared to use your power. The problem is I can’t help you figure this out unless I see what your power is like.” She said finishing with putting a hoof up in the air as if proving a point.

“Well I still don’t want to use it.”

“All I’m asking you to do is a simple levitation spell. It’s the first spell a unicorn learns and it’s simple to master. Do that for me at least and I’ll make you a promise, if you can’t at least control it by the end of the lesson, then I’ll let it go and I’ll admit you’re right.” Twilight told me with a small smile on her muzzle.

I frowned and finally said “Fine, but if I can’t get it right, then I’m done.”

She rolled her eyes and said “Agreed. Now all you have to do is focus on the object you want to lift. Think of your spell as an extension of yourself, the magic is something you can use to lift the object and control where it goes.”

I got up and walked over to her noticing just how tall she was. I looked around after a moment the said to the older mare “What do you want me to levitate?”

She moved a side and pointed a hoof at the broom that was sitting in the corner, “I want you to lift that broom and move it around the main room of the library. That’s all I need you to do and we’ll be done for the day. Oh and if you try and act like you can’t I’ll know. Magic is my special talent after all.”

I rolled my eyes and did as she told me. I let my red eyes fall on the broom and started to focus my magic on it, my horn starts to glow with a bright red light and so does the broom. I follow what Twilight told me and force the magic to pick the broom up. It started to wiggle then with a loud boom, it flew into the air. For a moment I felt a spark of joy fill my heart, soon followed by dread, as the magic did as it always had and too much came pouring out of me. The jolt of magic launched the broom forward and through the wall, leaving a small hole. I ran to the window and watched as the broom vanished into the distance even after I had let the spell go.

Tears filled my eyes, but I did my best to hold them back. Once again I was a failure. It was then that I heard the small snicker from Twilight. I turned my head around and looked at her in amazement. She was on the ground, wings covering her head as she tried to hold back small fits of laughter.

Hot rage filled me at the sight and I responded as one might expect of a teenager “Oh yeah laugh it up. Make fun of the filly who can’t help the damage she does with her magic.”

She took another moment to get a hold of herself, then the violet Alicorn got to her hooves and wiped her eyes saying “Shadow, I’m not making fun of you, I wasn’t expecting you to have as much magical skill as you do, and when I saw what you just did it reminded me of when I had something like that happen to me when I was a filly.”

My anger vanished quite quickly at that and I couldn’t help asking “What do you mean?”

“When I was young and taking my entrance exam to get into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, I was supposed to make a dragon hatch from an egg.” She said walking over to a picture of herself (oddly without wings) and a small baby dragon. “I did hatch him, but I also turned him into a very large dragon and turned my parents and a couple of teachers into potted plants. Celestia herself had to come and help me calm down and turn everything normal again. I did a lot of damage to the school, but Celestia was fine with it. She just told me that I was very gifted and took me under her wing as her own private student.”

I looked at the joy in her face as she told me that story and couldn’t help a smile of my own as I said “You look like it was the best day of your life.”

“It was one of them yes, I’d gotten my cutie mark as well, so I was quite happy.” She said then she looked the picture next to the one I was looking at. “Though I would say that one was the best day of my life, it was the day I was forced to move here to Ponyville.”

I sat down and looked at the picture again then at the one next to it. It was a picture of Twilight, and five other ponies, one of which was Rarity. I was sure the others were the friends I had been told about by Rarity, the bearers of the elements of harmony. I looked at it wondering what it was like to have such responsibility in your hooves. “Why was that the best day of your life? Was it because you beat Nightmare Moon (I read about that one for the first time just today) or was it because you found the strongest magic known to pony kind?”

She laughed a little bit again then said “I will admit that it was kind of neat, but that wasn’t why I love the day I came to Ponyville. No I love it because it was the day I met my friends, it was also when I found out that friendship was magic and something I needed more than just studying.”

“So making friends was better than defeating someone as evil as Nightmare Moon?” I asked a little surprised by her answer.

She smiled at that “I used to think that books and learning magic was what life was all about. Who needs friends I used to say to myself. I found out how wrong I was when I found them though, and yes it was much better than defeating Nightmare Moon. I couldn’t have done it without them and even if I could have, where would I have been?”

I looked at her again and said “I’m not sure.”

“I’d be in Canterlot with spike and no friends, and Equestria would’ve still fallen, because friendship is what has always saved us from disaster.” She said

I frowned at that and looked away and out the window. My eyes fell on the sky. The sun was starting to set and in the distance I could see the moon poking out from the horizon. I wanted to know what it was like to have friends just like Rarity and Twilight, but I had no idea how I would find any. I had always been a loner pony and I had always been ok with it growing up, or at least that is what I had told myself.

Twilight moved next to me and sat down putting a foreleg over my shoulder. For a long time we just sat there watching as the moon made its way into the night sky and the stars came out, beautiful across the black sky. When the sun had fully set, Twilight said “You really like the night sky don’t you?”

I let my head rest on her side, my eyes not falling away from the beautiful sight as I said “It’s funny, I never really noticed it when I was growing up, and I never felt like I needed to look up at the sky. In the Zebra lands the night is something to be feared. Monsters and other things live in the night. When I came to Equestria I didn’t have time to notice it either. It wasn’t until I first met Rarity and relaxed for ones, that I looked up and saw it and noticed how beautiful it was. When I saw that, all I wanted was to be able to be as beautiful and as pure as that star filled night, I wanted to be more than just a blank flanked shadow.”

She nuzzled me at that and said “My little pony, do you want to know what I see when I look at you watching that sun set every day you’re here?”

I took my eyes away from the sky and said “What is that?”

“I see a lost filly that has found something good for once in her life, and she’s scared to look away from the beauty, just to make sure it isn’t a lie. When you look up at that sky the real Shadow comes out, and I don’t see a blank flanked Shadow who doesn’t have a place in the world, I see something beautiful.” She said smiling.

I held back the tears I could feel, not wanting to show her how much those words meant to me. I felt that if I cried I would look weak…and I failed, I pressed my face in to her chest and started to cry. It was the second time I had ever let anyone see me like this. I wasn’t crying because I felt sorry for myself, I was just crying because I could and it felt right.

Twilight rubbed my main and nuzzled me more, like a mother would. It only made me cry more, but it was ok. I finally knew what it meant to have something good and I wanted to let it be, even if it didn’t last.

When some time pasted I was finally able to pull away and look up at Twilight saying “I don’t want to be a nopony, there has to be a reason my magic is as strong as it is. Hiding it only seems to hurt me…so…Twilight can we try again…I think…no, I know I’m ready.”

She smiled at me and nodded “Come here then Shadow and I’ll show you myself how I learned to control my own power.”

A year had passed and my life was great…for the most part that was. Rarity had taken me in for good and I was part of the family now. Rarity wasn’t a whole lot older than I was so I didn’t really look up to her like a mother, she was more like a big sister. That also could have been that her own sister, Sweetie Belle was the same age as I was (Pushing Seventeen) and it felt better that way.

Funny thing was a couple of days after I had my break down with Twilight, I made my first friend, who happened to be Sweetie Belle. It turned out that their parents traveled a lot for work and Sweetie Belle lived with Rarity more than her parents. The two of us shared the bedroom and after the first night we were talking so much that Rarity had to force us to go to bed, and we became best friends.

I think that’s what started the change that I went through over the first year in Ponyville. Sweetie Belle told me how she got her own cutie mark, (it was a beautiful bell with a couple of musical notes around it) and for once I wasn’t jealous. I guess she was a late bloomer as well, maybe not as late as me, but I was not going to go there. Her two friends were the same way, Scootaloo had flames with two large wings for a cutie mark, and Apple Bloom’s was an apple seedling just starting to bloom.

The three of them had all become good friends to me, but Sweetie Belle was the one that I trusted the most, I would tell her anything. Well everything apart from the small secret I still hadn’t been able to tell any pony about yet. I knew sooner or later Sweetie Belle would find out, but for now I was ok with it staying quiet. I mean it wasn’t hurting any pony not to know, right?

Where was I…oh yeah…A year has passed now and I was just leaving my lesson with Twilight. I didn’t get to be at her place as long as when I first moved to Ponyville to do school, but I still have to take a few hours every day to go in and learn from the older mare.

I looked up to her almost as much as she looked up to her own mentor. By now I could better control my magic and was much better at casting spells. Now and then I would still have a hard time keeping it under my control, but Twilight said she had the same problem when she was younger and it would come with time.

Now I could levitate things without dropping them (or sending them flying), I could even lift heavier things than a normal unicorn could. Twilight was still better, but she’s an Alicorn. I was able to teleport as well and I seemed to be quite good at it, same for a few other spells that had to do with stealth. Twilight was amazed when I first checked out a book called “Silent Hoof” and mastered six spells from it in under a week. So I figured that it has something to do with my special talent. Even though the both of us really didn’t know what that was. All we knew is that my cutie mark of a nebula surrounded by small white stars, was just that, it was a picture.

Twilight took a couple of guesses at it saying that part of it may mean that I’m good at magic, though I didn’t see it. The other was that since a nebula was the birth of a star, maybe it meant I had a love of the new night sky and maybe my talent had something to do with Astrology. Whatever it was though I was just happy I had one.

See here I go getting off track again…So as I was saying I’d just left Twilight’s and was on my way home when I ran into Rarity who just left the market. Her saddle bags were full of apples. I smiled and said “Hey Rarity, fancy running into you here. I thought you didn’t go shopping until Saturday.”

“Oh hello Shadow, normally I do, but I was on my way to Twilight’s and I went thought the market and on my way I ran into Applejack. She somehow talked me into getting a killer of a deal on her best golden delicious apples, now I have too many. I guess we’ll be eating a lot of apple based dishes for the next few days.” She said her legs wobbling a little from the weight of the apples in her bags

“Why didn’t you just say no, I mean it’s not like you have to buy them, even if she is your friend.” I said as I used my levitation spell to lift her bags free so her back could have a rest.

“Darling you have no idea how hard it is to say no to Applejack, and I do really like the apples. Honestly I’m more annoyed at it taking so long, I was hoping I would find you before you left Twilight’s.” She said with a sigh.

“Why is that?”

“I just felt like talking with you is all and I felt that it would be easier away from the house is all.”

That told me one of two things, either I was in trouble and she didn’t want to get after me in front of Sweetie Belle or her parents where over visiting and she was avoiding them. I was guessing the ladder, so I said “Your mom and dad are over huh.”

She rolled her eyes and said in her poor me voice (I have names for all of her mellow dramatic voices) “Oh you have no idea darling. They are going on and on about some rude griffin they ran into in Manehattan. I mean how long of a story does it have to be when all that happened is that she bumped into you.”

“Knowing your mother I’m sure she said something to this griffin and that’s what started an argument.” I said with a snicker.

She nickered and said “I’m sure that is what truly happened, but mother doesn’t see it that way I’m sure. So since they are at the house and I need to talk with you I figured I’d come to you.”

“As long as I’m not in trouble then I’m ok with that. Do you want to go to the park then?”

She looked at me with a knowing look “And why would you be in trouble Shadow?”

“No reason at all.” I lied.

She looked at me for a long moment the said “Ok, but I guess the park is fine, unless you’re ok with going back to Twilight’s, or we can see if Fluttershy is home.”

“You aren’t going to get dirty walking in the park and sitting on a bench Rarity.” I said, it was my turn to roll my eyes it seemed.

“Ok you win, and it is less of a walk, I really don’t want to get any sweatier from this damned heat.”

I let that one go, not pointing out that she wasn’t even sweaty at the moment. So we made our way to the park. We found a nice place to sit down where we had a nice view of the fountain. When we were settled in she looked at me and smiled saying in her sweet voice “So how do you like it here in Ponyville Shadow?”

I laughed at that saying “I figured after a year of living with you that it would be obvious.”

“It’s always good to hear it from you and not just from what I see.” She said.

“I love it here, sometimes when I wake up I think I’m still dreaming and I’m happy to still be in the dream. I know this is all real, but it just feels like it could be taken away. I’m still the same mare I was when you found me, I’m still broken, but thanks to you and Twilight and my friends, I’m starting to heal and mend.” I said smiling back at her.

“I’ve been thinking about that as well, when I first found you, you told me you didn’t have a real name. Do you remember that?”

“I told you that everypony just called me Shadow because of my black coat. I didn’t really know how rare of a color it was until I came to Equestria though and it does seem to be a fitting name at times.” I said wondering what she was getting at.

“I agree with you, I also think that you need a proper name. Something that fits who you are in both ways, not just as the mysterious filly with a black coat. No you are also a beautiful pony who shines like a bright star in the night sky. So after talking with Celestia and Twilight I thought I would give you a new name one that keeps who you used to be and who you are at the same time. It will be the last step in you finding out who you really are I think.” She said looking a little nervous now “That is if you’d let me.”

I was taken aback for a moment, I wasn’t sure what to say. I had always thought of what it would be like to have my own name, but I also liked being called Shadow as well. I shook my head and knew what I wanted so I said “If I like the name then I’ll agree.”

She smiled and said “I still want you to be Shadow so I kept that and finished what I think you should have always been called. I like the name Shadow Star.”

I blinked and blushed a little, I opened my muzzle and mouthed the name silently for a long time, letting the feeling of it roll off my tongue, and then finally I smiled and said “It’s beautiful, I’d be happy to take the name you’ve given me Rarity.” I moved over and hugged the taller mare and said “Does this mean you’ll stop calling me a filly now that I have a real mares name?”

She laughed at that saying “No way darling, Shadow Star you may be, but you’re still not an adult and I just like watching your face when I call you a filly.” I scoffed at that and nickered “See just like that, it’s so adorable.”

“Hey now.” I said acting like I was angry “Don’t make me hurt you. Twilight has been teaching me some pretty cool lightning spells.”

“Oh has she now, has she been showing you how to teleport into the mayor’s office so you could plant magical traps. Traps mind you that made all of the mayor’s papers fly around the room for three hours without stopping?” she said her smile gone.

Looks like I got a two in one today, Rarity used me to escape her parents and I was in trouble. That’s a new record for me. All I could do was look at her and smile weakly “Um…no?”

“Because your word is always true right?”

I gave up and said “It was spike’s idea! He wanted to see who could pull off a better prank than Pinkie Pie, and you have to admit it was funny.”

“Oh yes, doing what a teenage dragon who is just as immature as you and my sister is always the best course of action.” She said with a sigh “Well for punishment Spike and you will be cleaning her office and you’re grounded.”

I got up and stomped a hoof “What? Why should I be grounded I was only helping a friend with a prank and no one got hurt?”

She laughed “As I said, you are still a filly and it’s the only way you’ll learn. Think of it as a life lesson.”

“Yeah what’s that?”

“Whenever the words “Best or out do Pinkie Pie” are said you shouldn’t do it.”

Another year later…

Today was the day, the day I was finally an adult, or so that’s what I kept telling myself. It was my birthday, but Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Twilight, and I weren’t spending the day to celebrate. Today was all about Sweetie Belle, she had an audition to get into Canterlot’s school of Music. Rarity tried to get the day changed, but Sweetie Belle was a last minute audition and they couldn’t see her again for a few months. With school being out and most of the summer being almost over she had to get in now or wait another year to start class.

I told Rarity it was alright and we could do something on a different day. She protested at first, so did Sweetie Belle, but I insisted as long as it was ok if I got to go with them so I could see Canterlot. So that was what we were doing now. The day ended up going better than I thought it would though, because Twilight was joining us. She said she had some business in the capital anyway and she figured since I was going to be there she would show me around some and let me meet with the Princesses.

“Oh my gosh look at that.” Yelled Sweetie Belle in her excited squeak of a voice pointing a hoof up at the towers of the castle.

I followed her hoof and only saw the castle itself, it was quite a sight, but not worth the amount of excitement she was showing, so I pointed this out “Belle, I thought you’ve been to the castle before? It can’t be that exciting.”

“No silly, look who’s up in the top tower. Its princess Cadence, I’ve never gotten to meet her before. I heard she has a beautiful singing voice and I’ve always wanted to meet her.” Sweetie Belle said jumping up and down.

Twilight giggled at that as I rolled my eyes and Twilight said “She does Sweetie Belle, I’m surprised you never told me you wanted to meet her, she comes by my place every couple of weeks. Shadow Star has met her a few times.”

“WHAT!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed with an accusing voice and an overpowering squeak “You never told me that!”

I rolled my eyes again and said “I didn’t think it mattered really, she’s just Twilight’s sister-in-law. She comes over sometimes while I’m practicing with Twilight.”

“You know I look up to her.” Sweetie Belle said.

“How would I know that? You haven’t really said anything about her that I can remember apart from being in her wedding as a flower filly.” I said rolling my eyes again (Wow I really do that a lot)

“I have a poster of her next to my bed!” she said her voice getting higher again.

“You have over a hundred posters on your side of the room, and a few more that have migrated onto my side of the room. Most of them are of Lyra, or a few other music ponies.” I said honestly, I mean it was true, I still don’t know what color her walls are on that side of the room, because she had so many posters.

“Well…I thought I said something before…look it doesn’t matter she’s still here in Canterlot today and that’s just SO cool.” I thought she was going to explode with excitement.

Rarity looked back at her little sister and said in a board voice “Sweetie Belle, do please calm down. We are in Canterlot the royal city, it is uncouth of you to be acting like this. You’ll also mess up your mane, and I won’t sit there listening to mother getting after me because you didn’t get into school because of a messy mane.”

“Sis they won’t care about that, it’s a school of music they care about my voice.” Sweetie Belle said, it was her turn to roll her eyes now making me giggle a little.

“Yes, and it’s a school in Canterlot. The ponies here are not like the ones in Ponyville or even Manehattan. They are dignified ponies here, and you have to look your best if you want to get into their school.”

“Twilight got into the school for gifted unicorns and she’s far from dignified even as a princess.” I said holding back more giggles at the look Twilight gave me…and failing.

“I got in because Celestia liked what she saw in me it’s true, but Rarity is right Sweetie Belle you should do your best to look good, the ponies here are different.” Twilight said as she walked by us looking up at the castle. “As for Cadence if you want to see her then I’ll see if she can make it to dinner with us tonight. I’m here to see her anyway.”

Sweetie Belle looked like she was going to explode again. It was odd to see my best friend act like a fan filly, but I guess everypony will act like that with somepony they idolize. Even if Sweetie Belle had a lot of ponies she idolized.

I walked closer to Rarity and asked “What time do you two have to be at the school?”

Rarity looked at me and smiled (She still had to look down at me…it was annoying to be so short) “We have a little time, though I’d like to get her there early if I can. Why do you ask Shadow Star?”

“I was going to see if I could wander around a little while you two are gone and while Twilight’s busy.”

“You are an adult now dear so I think you can handle yourself in Canterlot, just make sure you don’t get lost, and make sure to meet us at Donut Joe’s in a couple hours.” She said nuzzling me on the top of my head ruffling my mane a little then looking me over “Oh dear I’m sorry, now look who’s getting their mane all messed up.”

I tried to push her away as her magic wrapped around me, it was useless though. Getting Rarity to not fuss with my mane was like getting Spike to go a day without eating a gem, it just wasn’t going to happen. So I let her take my long mane and pull it back and put it into a tight braid leaving part of my bangs out to hang over my face a little, then said again “There we are, now you look more like a presentable Unicorn for this city.”

I shook my head and nickered walking past her to Twilight “Where’s that place you said I should check out again?”

Twilight looked a little confused for a moment then finally she said “Oh you mean the book store I used to go to when I was young?” she pointed behind me to a long towered building not far from the castle “That’s Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. In front of it is a market place, the store is just across from the great fountain, you can’t miss it.”

“Okay thank you.” I said as I started to trot away only to be stopped by Twilights voice.

“Just remember to keep an eye on the time okay.”

I looked back at them and smiled waving a hoof and started to head off. It wasn’t hard to find my way to the small shopping center that was right outside of the school. When I found my way there I was lost for a moment in the sight of it however. Celestia’s school was not just a large building, it had magic all around it. I could see floating balconies just outside of some of the upper levels where small classes were being taught, magical colors flowed down the sides of the building at random intervals giving the building a beauty that couldn’t be matched, and at the top was a giant magic telescope.

I’d heard of it before from Twilight, she said it had magic that would make it so you could look farther than any normal telescope could. She had a small one in her own home, though it didn’t have the amount of power or beauty this one did. It was all I could do not to teleport up to the top of the school and take a look.

I shook myself and looked away from the building and looked for the store I wanted to come check out. The shopping center had a few restaurants, a shop that sold what looked like clothes, another was a magic item’s shop, one had a buck standing out front trying to get people to come have a drink at a place called “The Watering Hole.” I didn’t see anything next to him though apart from a dark alley, and I made sure to avoid it, not wanting to go down anymore dark alleys again in my life…if I could help it.

In the middle of the open yard was a fountain of Celestia and her sister Luna both looking up at the sky as water spouted out of their horns. On the other side of it was a small shop with a green roof, a sign over the door reading “Velvet’s Corner.” It had a picture of a stack of books on it, so I made my way over to it and walked in.

The store was filled with books, I thought I’d died and went to book heaven, if such a place existed. I wanted to run around and try to see if I could buy every book in the store, but I kept myself calm and took a moment to breathe. When I was ready I started down one isle only to almost run into the flanks of an off-white unicorn. I fell back and looked up seeing the unicorn had a purple and white mane, her blue eyes looking down at me.

She smiled and using her magic she lifted me back to my hooves saying in a sweet voice “I’m so sorry my dear, I wasn’t watching where I was going. Can I help you find something?”

I shook my head a moment then said “No it was my fault, I just saw all the books in here and was so captivated at how much was here that I wasn’t paying attention.”

She smiled at that and said “Well this is a book store, we sell books, and I’m just a little over-stocked at the moment is all. Though we don’t get many people in here who like books so much that they wouldn’t watch where they were going…well all but one unicorn I know.”

“I know an Alicorn who would do the same thing I just did, she’s the one who told me about the store. She said I could find a few books to help me with my studies here that I couldn’t find anywhere else.” I said as I let my eyes wonder over the shelves, it made Twilights Library look small.

“Oh I always forget to call her that, it’s been a few years and I still can’t help calling my daughter a unicorn, though it’s not every day your child becomes a princess.” She said laughing “I’m sure that’s the same Alicorn you meant am I right.”

I was taken aback for a moment the words in my mouth in a jumble as I gave her a look of amazement. Finally I was able to say “You’re Twilight’s mother?”

She smiled and looked back at me, I could see the resemblance now. They had a similar build and their faces and eyes looked a lot alike as well. Her mother even had three purple starts for a cutie mark. She looked me over then smiled wider saying “You must be that filly Shadow Star that my Sparkle has been teaching. I should’ve noticed sooner, she sent me a picture of you once back when you first moved to Ponyville. She says you love to read almost as much as she does.”

I nodded, still a little shocked that I ran into Twilight’s mother at a book shop. Then I thought to myself that it couldn’t be that odd, her mother lived in Canterlot and Twilight had to get her love for reading from somepony. “I didn’t know you worked at a book store. Tough I haven’t talked to Twilight much about her parents or any of her relatives really. And yes I am Shadow Star, you can call me Shadow if you want too, I’m kind of used to it. It’s nice to meet you…um…” damn I couldn’t remember if Twilight had ever told me her parent’s names… “I’m sorry I don’t think I got your name.”

I felt a hot rush of Embarrassment as I admitted that, but she only smiled and said “That’s ok dear, honestly it’s more my daughters fault, like you said she isn’t big on talking about her relatives. I don’t think her friends even knew she had a brother until right before his wedding. My name is Twilight Velvet and I don’t work here, I own the shop.”

I was shocked again, though not as much as I’d been before. This also made sense, why else would Twilight tell me I should come to this store to get books, because her mother owned the place and would have what I needed. So I smiled and said “So she was named after you then, I like that.”

“She was indeed, my husband’s idea really, but enough about me how about you. Tell me what you came in here looking for and you can tell me a little more about yourself dear…” and with that she was off walking me around the shop showing me all kinds of books I’ve never even heard of, and they all sounded extremely interesting.

I gave her a list of the books I needed for Twilight’s new class she was going to be starting with me in a couple of weeks, and I told her a few others I wanted for myself as well. She smiled at every title I told her and was off in a flash grabbing every single one I read off and setting them on the counter. Soon a good sized pile was lying in front of me.

As she worked I told her more about myself and my studies with her daughter and the small adventures I would have with my friends. She drank it in like a mother would with her own daughter who had come home for the summer from a school in another city far away. After a couple hours had past of us just walking around the book store and talking I realized that I had to get going or else I would be late getting back.

“I do have to get going or else I’ll be late getting to Joe’s, how much do I owe you for the books.” I figured it was going to be a lot and I hoped I had enough bits from the small purse of coins Rarity gave me.

“Well the books you had on the list from Twilight won’t cost you a thing, they already belong to her, just don’t tell her I let you take them for free. She always seems to think I need the books she gives me to make me more bits. The other three books though will cost around fifteen bits.” She said with her heartwarming smile.

“That’s all, even for the books I wanted I thought it would be more.”

She winked “Discount for being a doll and keeping this old mare company for a while.”

I levitated the bits to her saying “Thanks again for this, and it was nice to meet you.”

“Same here, and if you ever want somepony to talk to all you have to do is send me a letter. I do so enjoy hearing from ponies I think of as family. Now you better run along before Twilight gets worried.” She said giving me a quick nuzzle.

I smiled at that and made my way out the door, my saddle bags full of books. When I got outside the street was full of ponies. I guessed the school must’ve just gotten out or was on break or something. I made my way past the ponies I could, trying to just get out of the Shopping Center. I knew it was hopeless though, that was if I wanted to make it on time. I looked around trying to see if there was a way I could get out of there faster, that didn’t involve teleporting. I wasn’t half bad at it, but the backlash could piss off another pony if I did it wrong.

I looked to my right and saw the alleyway that I saw before, the one that earlier had a pony yelling about trying a drink at some bar. Being this close I could see down it a lot better and there was in fact a door to a bar at the end and the alley twisted around leading toward more sun light. I figured it was a good short cut out of the Shopping center.

Looking around knowing time was going by I made my decision, I mean this was Canterlot not Manehattan, what could go wrong here? I walked into the shadow of the alleyway and trotted quickly down it. When I reached the door to the bar I turned heading down the curve that went to the left, I saw that it was a long way down, but at the end was a splinter of sun light, and a couple of drunk looking ponies wandering around down the other alley.

I started myself on this path and I wasn’t going to stop now. So I moved quickly, at first I thought, hey this isn’t too bad, then about half way down a pony stepped into my way. I stopped, my ears flattening against my head as I said “Pardon me sir.”

“Well look at what little thing walked down our little alleyway bucks.” Said the Stallion who was standing in my way.

I couldn’t make out much of what he looked like, I just got a quick look at the color of his coat and the sound of his voice. That small bit of information put ice in my veins. I backed up more, only to back into another large stallion, I jumped and tried to find a way out. Looking back I saw two more blocking the Alley behind me. Panic started to set it and I tried to call on my magic so I could teleport away, but the magic kept on slipping away.

“She looks a little small for us I think Boss, I mean she is no bigger than a filly.” Said one of the bucks behind me.

The Stallion in front of me laughed and his horn started to glow giving me a better look at his face as the small alley filled up with a dull light. I saw what I feared, it was him Quick Shot, the Pony who tried to rape me and black mail me back in Manehattan. He moved his face close to mine and said “Well this really is my lucky day, bucks we have ourselves a former runaway of mine. The one who got me kicked off the force, little Miss Shadow.”

“Boss isn’t she a little young to be doing this too?” one of them said sounding a little sick “I mean it’s one thing when it’s an adult mare but she’s a filly.”

“Oh don’t let her small size fool you, she is old enough, she’s just a small fry, always has been.” He said one of his hooves slammed into my face and making my head bounce off the wall. His horn glowed brighter and he cast a spell. My own horn felt like somepony just shoved a few red hot needles into it. I couldn’t help myself I screamed at the pain.

“Damn it boss now she is going to get people looking down here.” Said the first stallion sounding even more scared than his partner.

Quick Shot’s horn glowed again and I felt something cover my muzzle making the scream die down. He looked at the other two and said “We’ll have to get her out of here before somepony comes looking, I owe this bitch a lot of pain for what she did to me.”

The fear I felt before only grew as I saw the look in his eyes as he looked me over, his face inches from mine as he said “I’m going to make you pay for what you did to me, this time you won’t be using that spell like you did before. I used a magic blocker on you.”

Before he could say anything else though I heard a voice that made my heart jump for joy. Twilight said from behind the other two “Step away from my student.”

Quick shot looked up saying “Shit it’s the fuckin princess.”

“I said back away from her before I’m forced to make you.” Her voice was filled with anger.

“You two deal with her while I get the little bitch out of here.” Quick Shot said lifting me up with his magic. I tried to fight back, but my head was on fire and my horn hurt.

“Now miss Alicorn why don’t you mind your own business and…” started one of the other stallions, only to be cut off as a flash of light filled the Alley

“I said BACK AWAY!” screamed Twilight sending another jet of light at the other buck, knocking him out like his friend who was talking a moment ago.

“Ah I see, so you must be Princess Twilight. Good thing it was you and not one of the royal sisters or that other one from the Crystal Empire.” Quick Shot said with a grin.

“Why…” Twilight started, but before she could answer another voice from behind her said in a silky voice “Because they would have been harder to do this to.”

A blinding explosion of light erupted from behind Twilight making her fly forward and bounce off the coble stone road; skidding to a halt next to me. My eyes fell on hers as they looked out at me blindly, they looked like empty orbs. If it wasn’t for the rise and fall of her chest, she would’ve looked dead.

What or who ever had used the blinding spell said in that same silky voice “You’re lucky I was still in the area Quick Shot, or else this could have gone much worse for you.”

I couldn’t see who was talking to him, but I could tell he was from a faraway land by his accent. Quick Shot moved closer again then looked up past me to the other presence saying “I didn’t think I’d get this lucky, I was really just looking for easy tail tonight. I guess good things come to those who wait huh.” He laughed at his own jest “Do you need the Alicorn, I thought that was one reason you came to Canterlot in the first place.”

“No, I needed to try the spell on an Alicorn, but Princess Luna would’ve been who I needed to take with me. If I were you I would hide the body of this one away for now until she succumbs to the magic poison. I must be on my way to let my elder’s know of this. Thanks again for the help with the other matter we talked about before Quick Shot. We’ll be sending your payment next week.” Said the other

“Any time.” Quick Shot said and I heard the, whatever he was leave. “Now where were we…oh yes that’s right.” He looked at the two bucks who were out cold “Damn it all, that fuckin Alicorn had to attack my only two earth pony’s.”

I didn’t listen to him at all, my eyes were only on Twilight and what I just heard the stranger say. I felt the hot rage I had before building up inside me, only this time I knew how to channel it. I felt my body start to move as I got to my shaky hooves. I looked at Quick Shot who still looked a little amused that I was trying so hard. My horn started to glow with its deep blood red light.

“Oh how cute, you’re going to attack me are you? Well you can try, that spell I put on your horn will only hurt you more the more powerful of a spell you try. It’s a police pony spell to keep unicorns in check when they’re being arrested.” He said laughing as my horn got brighter.

I planted my hooves, and ignoring the pain as I screamed at him “Fuck Off and leave me ALONE!” with the last word I screamed with anger and pain as my magic blew apart his spell around my horn, making it feel as though I had just been hit in the head over and over again, and on top of that it also felt like somepony just ripped my horn off. I didn’t care though, I drew on the dark power I felt inside me, drawing on the emotions I was feeling. I whipped my head down and a large blinding bolt of red arcane lightning came down hitting the ground just in front of myself and Quick Shot.

I was able to throw up a protection spell at the same time so Twilight wouldn’t get hurt by the spell, but Quick Shot wasn’t fast enough. The blast exploded outward throwing his body back down the alleyway. He didn’t even have time to scream as a good part of his coat and skin were roasted away in the attack leaving him with third degree burns across most of his body.

When the anger and power passed I fell to the ground. I noticed a lot of flashes of light around me. I looked up and saw Princess Luna looking down at Twilight then at me, behind her were a few of her guards. When her eyes fell on mine she said “What happened here?”

I could feel consciousness slipping away, so I did the only thing I could and said “Magical…poison…Twilight needs help…other unicorn…attacked…” and I was out…