(1) Arrival to Appletree Hills
"Yes, my highness. I will depart from Canterlot as fast as I can." I said.
"Are you really sure, you are ready, my faithful student?" Princess Celestia asked.
"Yes, my highness. I'm ready." I answered.
"Do you know every rule?" Princess asked.
"Yes, my highness. I will keep my presence in secret. I won't reveal the secret of Shadows. I won't disappoint you, my highness." I answered.
"I know. Now, go, my student. Fulfill your mission." Princess said and I left her personal quarters.
As you realized, I'm secret student of our Princess. I agreed to be kept in secret, because I was the one, who revealed secret of Shadows. What you don't know is that I in fact am one of them. Half of them to be exact. When I was a bit younger, I was caught by one of them. Shadow of mare. One of the oldest Shadows. It was a little hilarious, because I tied with her. Old Shadow tied with a little, young unicorn. In that struggle of minds, I refused to give up and let her take my body. But I was too weak to really defeat her, so I made a magical bargain with her. I will let her to be with me in my body, to be my friend, if she let me my control over body. I was lucky. That Shadow have forgotten, what it is being friend and I have woken up her curiosity. And she agreed.
For a few days, I was happy to have at least one friend. Even if the Shadow was really old, she was a lot like me. She started to be happy. We talked a lot. It was not talking like to everypony else. It was more like thinking about something. She only responded on my thoughts. Sometimes she went out from my body, but magical bargain kept her chained to me. She have never felt pity for doing that bargain. Third day, she told me that she will share her all power with me, because she like to do something for world to be a better place. She really hated, what she became and before she met me, she thought that only way is to destroy everything. I quickly learned her, that it's she, who is doing all that pain, and she apologized.
In that days, she told me, who she was. It was hard for her to remember, because it was a very long time ago. She was one of the students of famous Star Swirl the Bearded. She died during dangerous experiment, when whole laboratory exploded with not only her inside. She was the one, who was responsible. She must had felt horrible shortly after that accident, but when she said that to me, she looked...cold. Without emotions. She looked like a true Shadow, but still I noticed that she had a bit brighter color.
From that day, my second Cutie Mark appeared on my flank. Right above my own flame. One, dark, terribly looking sword. Ever since then I have been able to summon that sword and control it. Shortly after my first successful attempt to summon that sword, Princess Celestia appeared. She was prepared to kill me for what have I done. It was like a treason for her. She was the one, who have been doing my job before me. After all she was able to use the Elements. True purpose of Elements was for getting rid of anything, what didn't matched harmony. Shadows are included. I have never run so fast in my life. My shadow friend was running with me. She helped me with her magic to get away faster then I can imagine.
But it wasn't enough. Celestia caught me. For a one second of my life I thought it was end. I hugged my ethereal friend and my friend hugged me. She thanked me in mind for that bargain and said her sorry. I immediately forgave her and prepared myself, but there was nothing coming. No pain. Nothing. I opened one eye and looked up. Celestia was still there, but she was not going to kill me.
“You both will come with me.” Celestia simply said and then she had taken us to the Canterlot. She accepted us as her new secret students. I was really confused for the first time, but then she told us everything. About Shadows, about her secret job and about friendship. From time to time she brought us a letter to learn from it. It was from her other student named Twilight Sparkle. I have never met her, but I was wondering why she didn't have any friends. She had only her brother.
Today I was sent to my third mission. This one was tricky, because it was in the middle of the village. I have taken cloak to cower my Marks. Getting two Marks is nothing common. It can be achieved only by two ways and only one of them is permanent. Cutie pox is not that permanent. I have taken a train. I really never tried to mask my Marks by magic. It can be revealed by every second unicorn if he or she tries so I decided to be unknown. I kinda liked it, because it scared everypony, when they saw me. In Canterlot, there was some rumors. One of them was that Princess likes the young ones. Other one was a bit too close to thuth. It was about dark pony, who is slaying the bad ones and the ones, who refuses to listen to Celestia. I was able to hear that rumors, because I was really good in hiding.
Traveling was boring and I was nearly alone. There was many memories, which wasn't mine. I started to realize, what pain my Shadow must have felt. In one memory, she had a child, a little filly. A moment of horror came, when she mentioned that her child was in the same building as laboratory. She had laboratory next to her room. She mentioned, that she heard her child screaming in pain. For a while she was guiding me through memories with her mentor. Then she stopped and recommended me to do some magical training with her.
Princess left that training on her, because she was really capable. She must have been, because she was student of Star Swirl the Bearded. She also can teach me faster then anyone else. She gladly share her understanding of spells with me. We started to be very good partners. If I made some mistake, she helped me. Sometimes she have taken control of my body for a while to show me some move or position for complicated spell, or in fight. I have been learning very quickly and I was able to learn faster then anyone in Canterlot. I have been learning through whole day and even through whole night, when she pulled me out of body and we trained spells or fight together.
We must, because every free minute was painful and full of memories. We had no mutual memories except studying or training. Our training was our game. We have been forbidden to make friends for Equestria's sake.
Finally we arrived to Appletree Hills. It was dawn. One day after Summer Sun Celebration. It was nine hundred and nighty ninth year of that celebration. She mentioned that there is only one year left to loosing her power over Elements. She was training me especially for one thing. There was prophecy about returning of Nightmare Moon. Second part talked about pony, who return her back to sanity. She talked a lot about her student Twilight as she is the one mentioned, but part of her was not so sure especially after founding me. Since that day I saw Nightmare Moon every time I saw the moon. She was the strange shadow lying over half of the moon. Me, my Shadow and Princess was only three ones, who knew that. My Shadow had memories of the moon without that shadow. It looked a lot better. Don't worry, we will see it without that shroud again. She said me.
I walked through nearly empty main street of that little village. I found local inn. I was able to save up enough money to have anything I wanted. Comfort is one of the few privileges of being hardworking secret student. I have been able to get bed, shelter and food on every one of my missions. Some bits for having a room and some sort of privacy is just nothing for me. I locked my room and then we waited till midnight. We were running as souls through that village to find the problem, but everything seems to be all right. But with midnight coming I heard something terrible. It was like scream, or cry. I have woken up and teleported myself outside of the inn. Whole village was dark, air was cold. I summoned my sword from flames.
Sword was nearly invisible in that darkness. There was no light from houses. My sword was from black metal. Head was only a ring, hilt was wrapped in dark leather. Hilt was long as one third of whole weapon. Another two thirds was a blade. Dark, wide and only one-sided blade looked a bit like a long cleaver. Blade was without tip. I quickly learned to use it as a stick since the connection with my sword was a bit different then levitating things. It was like I have been holding it with invisible hoof. I can jump and push off myself with that sword even higher. On the blade of that sword were runes glowing with red color. Runes said that this blade is made for slaying. It have taken me a while since I was able to read it. It was written in very old language. My shadow mentioned, that this sword changed when she started to do harm.
It was obvious, what is causing troubles in that village. Small Shadow was sitting in the middle of main street, crying loudly. I slowly approached it. I was said to sort it. All my sorting was always about come, kill and then leave. But I couldn't simply kill small crying things even when a crying was awfully annoying.
“Umm...hello. Why are you crying?” I tried to ask it. I was wondered, when it stopped crying and looked at me.
“I...I'm sad, so I cry.” small thing answered my question.
I sat down in front of that creature. It looked like pegasus pony, but something was different, unnatural. I realized what. That creature must have been blinded. But not only blinded. It looked like tortured. I have felt horrible while I was looking at that poor child.
“W...Who done that to you?” I asked with a bit of weakness in my voice.
“I don't know. I walked through that street in night and on that corner” child pointer on a corner of one of the houses, “I felt sudden pain, but I was unable to see anything. I can only hear laugh. Terrifying laugh. It was like.” and the child started to laugh. I immediately chilled in fear, because I realized that it was not imitation. That child opened her mouth filled with huge and sharp fangs. It started to change itself into Shadow's real form.
“Stop it!” I shouted. It worked. That child stopped for a while and then it returned back to crying.
“Shh. I will find the one, who is responsible, but you should go. Go to the other side. There you will find somepony, who will take care of you and friends. I promise.” I tried to convince it to leave.
“I...can't. It was not fair. I want to everyone know my fate.” it said.
I sighed, because it was what I was afraid of. I didn't wanted to lay my eyes on tortured body of that child, but there wasn't another way. I left child and vent back to my room to take my cloak. Then I returned back to main street to do some investigation. I sniffed the corner of that house. Then I used my horn to conjure light. I spotted something, which could be blood. The culprit was obviously not skilled. He left many clues behind, but no pony was pointed to the right direction. Still they had to heard something. There must have been somepony, who witnessed it. I followed a trail, which told the terrible truth. That poor blinded child was dragged by somepony. There was some small blood stains through path. Path ended before trapdoors leading to the cellar of a small house. This house was a bit apart from whole village. I used a simple spell to open the cellar and then I walked into. I smelled mainly blood, but there was more things, which smelled more badly. It was good think I didn't get something to eat. That smell was horrible. I finally get into a small chamber. It must have been at least three meters under ground. No wonder that no pony noticed any screams. I let some more energy into my ball of light and it quickly lighten whole chamber. When I looked, I realized that it really wasn't a good idea.
I can never imagine that it will be so easy to get into something like this. Blood was nearly everywhere, but blood was the least bad thing of all I saw. It was scene like from horror. There were two tables. One small with some knifes on it and a larger. There was still bound corpse of that poor child. My stomach have literary made a flip. I closed my eyes for a while and when I calmed my stomach I opened them again. That child was whole covered in dry blood. It must have been dead a few days. There were worms. It looked like this child was eviscerated while it was alive. It was enough inspecting for me. I have never got that scene out of my head. Every time I see some pegasus with a ochre coat, I remember that corpse and it make me feel sick.
When I got on fresh air, it was much better. I locked back that cellar with magical seal. Then I summoned quill, parchment and inkwell. I started to write a letter to my Princess.
Dear Princess,
there is no time to write a long letters. I need your letter to approve my actions. With royal seal, please. I have discovered that there is a murderer in this village. His actions nearly led to create Shadow in the middle of this poor village. Most terrible thing is, that there was killed a child. Not only killed. I think that culprit tortured that poor child and let it to die by horribly painful death. I sealed the cellar, which was full of proofs.
I think that culprit is mad, because of cold-blooded action. I think, that he will be proud of that kill, because he didn't get rid of the corpse yet.
I hope, you will give me letter of approve quickly. I'm going to seize him and then, after telling a whole village, I will take him to Canterlot.
Your secret student,
Flaming Mane
I sent that letter at once. I hoped that Princess will be awake or at least my letter will woke her up. I need that to be trustworthy for those villagers. Few moments after, two letters came back to me. One with royal seal was what I waited for, but I read another one too.
My faithful student,
I'm glad you informed me first. This situation is worse, then I thought. I'm sending you letter, which approves you for action. Be very careful. This pony could be really dangerous and unpredictable. Your discovery is really terrible and I'm not happy for what you must have seen.
I will inform royal guards immediately to expect your arrival. I recommend you teleportation, because it's faster. If he or she will be unicorn, don't forget to seal her magic or you both can end very bad during teleportation.
I'm expecting your full report soon,
Princess Celestia
PS: I included some gems. Cast memory spell on them to put your memories of that place into that gems, then send them back immediately.
I cast a memory spell as Princess wanted and sent gems back and then I rushed into that house. I have woken up that unicorn, which was sleeping inside. There was no doubt I have gotten the right pony. That white unicorn with brown mane was covered by blood.
“In name of Princess Celestia, I seize you!” I shouted and cast a paralysing spell on that unicorn. My shadow cast another spell sealing magical abilities of that unicorn.
“You are still late! And now I will be finally all famous!” that unicorn started to laugh. He really was mad, but still it's not excuse for blinding and torturing children. I lifted him and took him in a middle of main street of that town. He was shouting his nonsenses all the time. He also woke up whole village. Everypony in that village have gathered up around me.
“What's going on here?!” one orange colt talked, “As mayor of this town I'm telling you, tell me, what's going on!”
“I'M BECOMING FAMOUS! THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING!” unicorn shouted on a whole village. I cast a sleep spell on him to stop interrupting me.
“I'm here as an agent of our Princess. I caught a pony, who tortured and killed a little child. Here is letter, which approve my actions.” I told him and showed him a letter with royal seal. In eyes of that crowd was only horror.
“What?! My...little...dead?!” one mare in group screamed and then she fainted. It looked like she was mother of that poor child. Some ponies around that poor mother started to look over her.
“I'm now taking him to Canterlot to deliver him to hands of justice. Tomorrow, there will be royal guard. Please do not enter into that house and do not break the seal on cellar doors.” I said and then crowd was started to broke up.
After few moments, I was left here alone. That Shadow, which was crying previously came to me.
“You found him. Thanks to bringing him to justice. Now, I can go. Bye, my last friend here.” child told me.
“I wouldn't be able to complete this without you. Bye. I hope, you will forget that.” I said softly, while I was looking completely different transformation. Dark pony phantom changing into a white soul, which is ready to cross the last river. I've seen that happening only once. This was second time. When I left alone in street, I cast a teleportation spell to get myself and my prisoner back to Canterlot.
As Princess has written, there were guard waiting for me. I have given them my prisoner and then I head to Princess’s quarters to give her my report. She have been waiting for me.
“That...was...terrible.” she said me, after her greetings, “I just don't know what to say. It's terrible. I'll pass these gems to the investigation team, but I think these gems are enough to executing him to imprisonment for eternity.
“He just kept yelling about what famous he will become. You were right. He is really mad. That crying Shadow was his victim. After I have shown him to whole village, that Shadow came to me and changed to white soul. Still I don't believe that. It was...easy.” I reported.
“Sometimes, things are easier, then we think. You can go now. It was good job. As a teacher, I'm proud of you. Good night.” she said
“Thank you, my highness. Good night.” I said and left to my personal room.
When I was there I finally put down my cloak. My own Shadow friend was standing before me. I never thought about this, but she changed her color. Now, she was purely white, looking like cloud or haze. When I saw her for the first time, her color was whole black. I like black color. I thought. But it's not good color for soul. She replied me. I smiled.
I didn't realized, that teleportation spell was so exhausting. When I levitated my cloak to clean it up, my horn suddenly ignited my mane.
“Uups.” I said. Even when I've got something like fire resistance with my Mark, my mane, tail and fur was still able to burn and I was able to feel heat. I quickly extinguished that fire. It's still happening. Sometimes I hate my inner flame. I said to myself. I think this is why your parents named you like that. Shadow replied. I know, you are saying this every time it happened to me. I said her with smile.
She was right. My parents said, that first, what they saw after my born, was me with ignited mane. At first they was frightened, but then they discovered, what does it means. I have been destined to have my Mark since I had born. I have been always able to do every fire spell I have ever thought of. It also got me into some serious troubles. Fighting of somepony, who tried to bully me should be really better then simply igniting him. I was the first pony, who got his Mark in my class, because I have been simply attracted by fire, flames, fireworks and every stuff with fire. Even my Shadow mentioned, that she wasn't summoning her sword from fire. I had simply a flame inside me. I only hope, that this fire won't consume me one time.
I managed to clean up my cloak without igniting myself again, then I stretched myself a bit. I have always loved stretching myself. I learned how to control nearly every single muscle in my body. Massage would be better, but I wasn't allowed to walk on public freely or letting somepony saw my Marks. I looked out from window. My thoughts were about my life. My life was miserable. I yawned and let myself fall in my bed.
I was lonely and my only friend was ethereal. Pony with ethereal friend. Small laugh escaped my mouth. It sounded stupid. But still pain inside me was escaping from me through tears. I had my nearly unending life before me and there was nearly no pony, who would be able to live long enough to keep me company through my eternity. Having bound with Shadow have not only given me his strength, power and additional mind, but even his immortality. I would be looking that old as I was when she got me, if I wouldn't used a spell to make me look older. I smiled, because I realized that I'm in fact really pathetic. I stopped thinking about my feelings and after a few moments, I was sleeping like nothing had happened.
