Friend of Shadow

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.