Memories of a God

God 7

The next day after Sigma had overtaken Shadow's body, he had decided on a target and had flown to Cloudsdale to see Rainbow Dash. He knocked on her door and she answered. He looked in her eyes and said, "Hey! How are you doing, beautiful?"

"Pretty good, how about you, Shadow?"

"I'm feeling great!" he said happily.

"You're unusually happy today, what's up?"

"I just decided something."

"And what would that be?"

"I wanted to get you some lunch, how 'bout it?"

"Like a, uh... Like a date?"

"It can be."

"Alright. I'm not doing anything anyways."

"Perfect!"

"Well, lets go." she said.

Sigma and Rainbow headed off towards a nearby resturant. Maybe 'I'll crush her little heart before killing her, just to make it that much sweeter.' thought Sigma.

'I swear, if you hurt her, I'm going to make you regret the day you were born.'

'We weren't born, Shadow. We were created.' he replied. 'Then again, maybe I won't.'

"So Rainbow Dash, you seem a bit unhappy. Did anything happen recently?"

"Well, I missed a Wonderbolts show. I really wanted to go, but I was sick."

"What are the Wonderbolts?"

"What are the Wonderbolts?!" she repeated, shocked. "Only the best flyers in all of Equestria! Where have you been?"

"In a cave. Bit of a hermit."

"That would explain a few things."

"So you like the Wonderbolts?"

"They're awesome!" she said.

'Maybe I could destroy the Wonderbolts.'

'Stop getting ideas!'

They got a meal and sat down to eat it. Sigma smelled something odd.

"Can you smell that?" he asked her, smelling the air.

"All I smell is this great food."

"Never mind."

Afte they finished their meal, Sigma got some chocolate milk for himself and left.

"You really like chocolate milk."

"Can't get enough."

Sigma dropped the container and it spilled all over the ground.

"Bummer, dude."

Sigma ripped the cloud from the ground and emptied it into his mouth.

"You really just did that?"

"Yeah, yeah I did."

"You'd drink that off of anything, wouldn't you?"

"Oh yeah."

"What about a living being?"

"I just told you the answer to that."

"That's kinda weird."

"Not everypony thinks that way."

Sigma jumped off of the cloud he was on and landed in Ponyville without lifting a wing. He looked up and saw that Rainbow was following him.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"I just felt like heading back to that quarry we went to a few days ago."

"Alright. Why so?"

"I saw something there. I think it was a rare gem."

"So... you're going treasure hunting?"

"Just like Daring Doo." he said happily.

Sigma flew off towards it at a leisurely pace. After reaching it, he looked around and saw a cave. "Over there!" he said, flying inside. He hid behind a rock near the enterance.

She followed him and said, "How could you see anything in here? It's too dark. Where'd you go?"

He pushed the rock in front of the enterance with a mightty shove.

"Shadow, why did you do that?" she asked.

"Tell me, Rainbow Dash, are you scared of the dark?"

"No, I'm not scared of anything!" she said confidently.

"There's no reason to fear the dark. It's what's inside the dark that you should fear."

He walked towards her. A beam of light shining through the cracks between the rock and enterance illuminated his face. He had a horrible, twisted smile. Rainbow backed off as far as she could.

"W... What are you doing, Shadow?"

"You're lucky you get me, and not the real Shadow Streak."

"What are you talking about? Why am I so lucky?"

"I'm not Shadow Streak, my name's Sigma, lord of death. You're oh so lucky because if Shadow was doing this, he would tortue you until you screamed for death."

'I would what?!'

'You heard me.'

"Me on the other hand, I don't believe in physical torture. No, I deal in a different way. One attack, one point of entry, one death."

He quickly ran at her and grabbed her neck, then pressed her up against the wall. "You can have one request. Say what it is that you want me to do."

"P... Please, stop this."

"Tell me."

"I... I want you to... to... not let my friends worry about me."

"Rainbow Dash, loyal until the end."

He looked in her eyes and rammed his hoof into her chest. She shook for a second, then went limp. He set her down and closed her eyes. "Rest in peace."

He expected to hear a remark from Shadow, but there was nothing. "Well old man, what will you say about that? Say it!"

No answer.

"Fine then, ignore me."

Sigma moved the rock and walked out. He flew off and back to Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash started to stand up. Her wound was pouring blood. She put her hoof over the wound to slow the bleeding.

'Didn't I just die?' she tried to say.

"Yeah, you died. You're dying to be precise."

'Who was that?'

"It's me, the real Shadow Streak."

'Where are you?'

"I'm inside your body."

'Ok, that sounds wrong on so many levels.'

"Shut up. Sigma tore a hole in your chest, but right now, since I'm in here, you're not gonna die."

'Shouldn't that hurt?'

"More than you can imagine." he said.

'What does that mean?'

"I am feeling the pain of this. Just me. You couldn't handle it. It's too much."

'Oh wow, that seems...'

"Don't. Just don't try and sympathyse. It was my decision alone. Either I did this, or you die. I need to get to Celestia and Luna. They need to stop him." Shadow started limping out of the cave.

'Why don't we go to town? We can warn everypony.'

"No, he'll just kill them faster. If he's alone, he's respectful, but if he's in a crowd, he kills until there's no more movement."

'But my friends...'

"Will die if you continue this path."

'That's not true!'

"Stop."

'Give me back my body! I want to go help my friends!'

"With a hole in your chest? Not likely."

He felt Rainbow try to take her body back. The pain in his chest subsided for a fraction of a second, then returned to normal.

'How can you possibly stand that?' she asked in shock.

"I've felt every type of pain there is to feel."

'Really?'

"Yes."

'What was the worst pain?'

"I was thrown into the center of a neutron star. I was crushed beyond the point of life, and further still. It took me thousands of years to get back to the surface and leave."

'What's a neutron star?'

"How much do you know about stars and matter?"

'The basics, but not much more.'

"I'll try to explain it while I'm walking. A star has a lot of mass which creates gravity. After a very large star runs out of feul, it collapses. All of the mass in a star goes into a very small area, about the size of a small city. This smaller area with the same mass increases it's gravity. If the original star was bigger, it would collapse into a black hole, even smaller and with more gravity. Black holes and me can't affect each other though."

'Sorry, I don't follow.'

"Something closer to home then. I... uh... I was forced to swim my way through lava from the core of a planet that was overheating and dying. I could feel every atom of my being screaming in pain. It took me 723 years and 144 days to get out."

'That sounds awful.'

"Yeah. Hey Rainbow Dash, usually whenever I use another's body, they're angry. Why not you?"

'You saved my life, Shadow Streak.'

"But besides that."

'What more would there be?'

"Something. Not an emotion or feeling or anything sappy like that, but something else. We're not gonna make it in time."

'Huh?'

"If we don't pick up the pace, he's going to get to another. Then another, and another. If we don't hurry, we'll be in the middle of a blood bath when we get back! I need your help."

'With what?'

"I'm going to let you use your wings. I want you to fly us to Canterlot and then to the palace. I need you to tell me if you feel pain."

'Alright, do it!' she said.

She felt her wings again, and started to fly to Canterlot.

"Anything?"

'No, I'm good.'

"Great! I'm gonna put on some more speed, you just concentrate on flying." he said.

Rainbow went faster then ever before. They made it to Canterlot in a matter of minutes.

'Shadow...' Rainbow grunted.

"You're doing great, just a few more feet."

'I can't.'

"C'mon Rainbow, you can do it!"

'It hurts!'

Shadow quickly took back her wings and was met with a wave of exaustion. Her wings were burning. He had to land at the edge of Canterlot. He started limping through town. He sniffed at the air.

"A storm's coming. How long will it last?" he asked.

'About two days. Why? Does it matter?'

"Sigma may be a killer, but he hates getting wet. If we're lucky, and he's stuck alone, he won't make a move. He can't fight either. You heard it yourself. One attack, one point of entry, one death. If he attacks you once, you're already dead. Make that fail, and you're home free. He will never strike twice. He doesn't just kill sometimes either. Sometimes it's worse."

'Sigma said that you would torture me until I begged for death.'

"And for all I know, I would!" he said angrily, "I'm not that kind of pony anymore. I never want to be. I'm sorry I snapped, but..."

'I know. You don't want to be labeled as a murderer.'

"How do you know that?" he asked.

'I don't know.'

"I hope you're not absorbing my memories. Nopony should have those but an immortal."

Shadow recognised a pegasus royal guard who was off duty walking around with a mare. "What do you think, wife or friend?" he asked Rainbow. He ran over to him and said, "I need your help!"

"Sorry, but I'm busy right now."

"Who is this?" asked the mare.

He coughed up some blood and said, "No time! I need you to take me to see Princess Celestia right away! It's an emergancy!"

"What kind of emergancy?" he asked seriously.

"If I don't see her right away, the whole of Ponyville could be slaughtered."

"What proof do you have?"

He removed his hoof and said, "A large, gaping, bloody hole in my chest." He quickly returned his hoof, then fell to his side.

"I think I'm gonna be sick..." she said, running off.

"Are you alright?!" asked the guard, concerned.

"I'll be fine, is that clear? It happens to me often. It always goes away. I need you to take me to the Princess!"

He quickly picked him up and put him on his back. "I need to go, official business." he said to the mare. He took off, jarring Shadow's wound. "Sorry!"

He quickly made it to the castle. Some guards joined them.

"What are you doing here on your day off?" one asked jokingly.

"Who's that? That your marefriend?"

"I don't know who it is. She's heavily injured and I'm taking her to see the Princess."

"It's a matter of life and death, now hurry up!" said Shadow.

He sped up and entered the palace.

"Thanks, I can take it from here." said Shadow, sliding off, "Celestia! Get your lazy ass down here this second!"

"That is no language to use in the presance of a Princess, Rainbow Dash!" she said angrily.

"Shut up and listen!" he said angrily. "I'm Shadow, I took her body."

"Wait, you what?!"

"She was dying!" he said, showing her the wound, "Sigma's back!"

"Oh no..."

"He's in Ponyville! He's taken my ever-regenerating body! I can't do anything about it or she's gonna die!"

She growle angrily. "How can we fix this?" she asked.

He started to cough blood again. "Remember, he can't fight. Get Luna, Shiny, anypony who can help. That's it."

"You're not going to help?" she asked angrily.

"Hello? Earth to Celestia? Hole in chest! I am going to the damn hospital! Rainbow Dash will die when I take my body back if she doesn't get help! I don't want her to die. Not now, not ever."

'Thanks, Shadow.'

"You, guard... Name?"

"Call me Blue."

"Celestia, after we take care of Sigma, give Blue a promotion, pay raise, something, anything, I don't care. Now, if somepony can take me to the hospital, it would be great."

"I can do that." said Blue.

"Oh yeah, you're getting a promotion."

He got on his back and said, "Try to be careful this time. Nopony's in a hurry." He slowly left and headed to the Canterlot hospital.

"Rainbow, thanks for letting me use this." he said.

'Don't make a habit of it. I'm gonna want it back soon.'

"Yes, when you're healed."

'So I would die if you left me?'

"Absolutely. You've lost most of your blood. You're going to start randomly spasming, Sigma's fault entirely, might bite your tougne clean through due to that. Other than that, chest hole."

'That would cause a real problem. How can you survive that?'

"Immortality." he said.

"I'm sorry, but who exactly are you talking to?" asked Blue.

"I'm talking to Rainbow Dash. She's still in this body, alive and well. Now... hospital."

Blue made it to the hospital and Shadow got off of his back. "You can go."

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah. Go see your marefriend. Clean the blood off your back first."

He nodded and flew away. Shadow limped in and said, "Can you have somepony prepare a major surgery room for a crushed ribcage?"

He coughed up some more blood, then collapsed to the floor. He didn't go unconcious, but didn't move. He was put onto a hospital cart and taken to the surgery rooms. They tried to give him anesthetic, but he said, "That doesn't work."

"You shouldn't talk." she said.

"Anesthetic doesn't work on me. Fortunately, pain killers do."

"But..."

"I need a piece of cloth. A blindfold."

"Why?"

"I really don't like seeing my organs."

He was given a piece of cloth which he tied around his eyes. "Now, my chest caved in and stopped about halfway through in the exact shape of a hoof.  I've lost a fair amount of blood, but worry about that later."

'Are you going to be alright, Shadow?' asked Rainbow.

"I've had surgery on worse in another's body. Course, they died. But, they were in luck, I'm here. Now, do pain killers work on you?"

'Yeah.'

"Good. Now, you lot. Doctors, nurses, everypony. Take as long as you need. I want you to know this, no matter how long it takes, I won't die. Just be careful. No mistake will be fatal. Remember that."

"Just save your stegnth, Rainbow Dash." said one.

'Hey, she knew my name. Who is it?'

"Could be a friend, could be an observant pony. We'll find out later." he said. Then he turned to the ponies around him. "Halfway through, I'll start regenerating quickly. During which, I'll need a a half gram of cyanide and another half gram of ammonium nitrate mixed together and injected into my arm."

"That's not safe."

"But I want you to do it."

"But you could die!"

"Shut up. Hey, I'm falling asleep!" he said happily.

Shadow leaned back and quickly fell asleep. He sat up again and looked around. He saw that he was in his original body.

"Is that you, Shadow?" asked Rainbow.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm dreaming right now. Since we're in the same body, you're here too."

"So now what?"

"Body went into shutdown mode. I can't stop that. You won't die, but we'll be here until surgery's done."

"How long will that take?"

"Few hours to a few days. We're going to be alone here for a while." Shadow laid on the ground and looked up. "Take a load off."

"Shadow, where exactly are we?"

"Dunno. I like it that way. I hate knowing because it's boring. That's why I don't like oracles. Now c'mon, take a load off. We're not gonna go anywhere. There's no way."

"What do you mean there's no way?"

"Not even I could get out of here. Yup. Stuck we are."

He sniffed the air and said, "There's that smell again."

"What smell?"

"Dunno. It's gone now."

"Well, what should we do here?"

"Have you not been listening to me? Just take a load off!"

"Well alright then." She laid down next to Shadow and looked at the sky with him. "Shadow, who are you?"

"I don't know."

"Well, tell me what you can."

"I am Shadow Streak. I don't know who I was, but I know who I am. I'm not evil. I'm not bad. I help ponies. I bring them from the dark into the light. I protect them through hard times."

"That's interesting."

Rainbow closed her eyes and fell asleep. Shadow kept looking at the sky for a while, then fell asleep as well.

*I re-wrote this chapter five times. Got another thousand words or so from it saved away. Anyways, comment or review or rate or whatever. Or not.