Past Actions, Future Consequences

by Rill

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Luna, Original Character, Adventure
Length: 256210

Forced to run for his life, a young colt finds himself simply trying to survive while on the run and soon finds himself in the last place he ever wanted to be: Equestria.

Everypony has secrets. Some are big, some are small. Shadow's secret is a big one. When his secret is discovered, the young colt is forced to run for his life and quickly finds himself simply trying to survive in a land that he has only ever heard about in rumors and history class, a land ruled by an iron-hoofed tyrant: Equestria.

Published 2017-01-10 06:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-05-11 23:03:40 UTC

Red Lake Valley - Part 2

The rest of the day seemed to pass in a blur for the young colt, who found himself wondering what the hurry was. As promised, Mrs. Pie dismissed her class two hours earlier than normal, the class having been unusually focused. Shadow stopped as he heard his name get called out. Turning around, he saw Mrs. Pie gesture for him to come to her desk, “I’ll be quick since I know you want to get out of here,” she said, smiling to put the young colt at ease. “I was doing some grading last night and noticed that your grades in magic class are rather impressive.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Pie.”

“Anyways, I thought you might enjoy something challenging for a change.” With this, she reached under her desk and set a rather thick book down in front of the lone student. “I found this book in the library a while back, and I thought you might find it interesting.”

Gently lifting the old book, Shadow looked at the cover, the words Advanced Magical Principles and Theories by Silver Star embossed in gold dully shining back at him. Letting the book hover in front of him, he slowly leafed through the pages. As he did, he realized that this book wasn’t just old; it was ancient, if the worm holes and faded writing were any indication.

“This book is over seven hundred years old. It’s a copy of the original, which was sadly lost long ago. The librarian wasn’t happy when I told him who I wanted to check it out for.” She held up a hoof to forestall her student’s protests of innocence, “After I assured him that nothing would happen to the book, he suggested the spell on page 81 for you to try. He said it didn’t look too difficult, but I’m not a unicorn, so I wouldn’t know. I just figured you might find this interesting.”

Shadow turned to the suggested page. If this is simple, what in Tartarus does he think difficult is?!? Shadow thought as he looked over the spell. The circle looked simple enough to construct, though the energy requirements and complexities the text hinted at left him wondering if he could do it. The mare leaned forward, smiling as the colt got the hint and leaned closer. “The librarian also bet me ten silvers that you couldn’t do the spell. With any other student, I would have agreed, but knowing your grades, I took his bet. Don’t worry if this is too advanced for you to do Shadow, but if you can do it, I’ll split the winnings in half with you.” Watching her young student gently set the book in his saddle bag, she nodded towards the door. “You should get going; Star Gazer is probably waiting for you outside.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Pie,” Shadow said, nodding his thanks as he left.

“Just bring it back on Monday.”

“Yes ma’am,” he replied, disappearing around the corner a second later.

The earth pony smiled as her student bounded out the door. Yet, the smile did not last. As soon as the sound of Shadow’s hooves faded, Mrs. Pie collapsed into the seat behind her desk. For a while, she sat there, staring at the desk in the back where Shadow sat, knowing that it would be less one student come Monday.

Traitorthe voice in the back of her mind slowly exhaled. He trusts you, looks up to you, and this is how you respond? If anypony had been looking, they would have seen the teacher slowly slump in her chair. You’re not fit to teach.

Leave me alone. I’m only doing what’s necessary. She retorted weakly, trying to recall the conversation she and the mayor had had a week earlier. His evidence had been compelling. She had tried to deny the photos at first, saying that the dark blob Star Gazer was flying with could be anything, a bird or a piece of dirt on the lens. At that, he produced the final picture, an image of Shadow standing in his back yard, wings outstretched, seeming to enjoy a good stretch. She didn’t know how Shutter Speed had gotten the pictures, and didn’t want to know.

After that, the meeting had turned decidedly darker. They had argued, but she had to eventually acknowledge what her student was. At that, the mayor revealed the book she had just given Shadow and explained what he wanted the teacher to do. She had been appalled by it at first and refused. “You’re a teacher right? Do you teach your students history? Sombra murdered his entire family trying to become an alicorn. Have you taught your students about Star Trail? How many died before she ascended? After? We’re still recovering from her! How many have died at the hooves of alicorns? Thousands; and those are the ones we know of!”

“What about Luna?” She retorted.

“She’s dead thanks to her sister. The simple fact is Mrs. Pie, we can’t take the chance.” The teacher hung her head, knowing that she had little choice.

Standing up, Honey Pie grabbed her saddle bags. The room had suddenly become too small and she didn’t feel like staying. Checking the straps one last time as she walked out the front, she turned to lock the front door. As she started to head for town, she could hear the laughter and squeals of delight of the town’s fillies and colts. Not wanting to spread her bad mood to her young foal, the young teacher decided to wander, letting her hooves go where they wanted.

As she walked, Mrs. Pie could still hear the voice in her mind calling her a traitor, a coward, occasionally calling her worse. As much as she tried, she couldn’t stop agreeing with the voice. It was right. Everything it called her was true, and if she was to be honest, it was holding back. She didn’t know how long she had been wandering, it could have been twenty minutes or two hours for all she cared, but the earth pony teacher eventually found herself standing before the town hall’s stone steps. Coming back to reality, Mrs. Pie looked around, taking stock of where she had ended up. Frowning, she climbed the steps of the wood and stone structure. Walking down the slowly darkening hall, Honey Pie stopped at the large oak doors at the end. Sighing, she knocked a couple of times; gently opening the doors when she heard somepony inside call out. Across the room, she could see the mayor, a white-maned grey earth pony whose face was starting to show its age, sitting behind his desk. Looking up, he smiled at the school teacher.

“Mrs. Pie, welcome, please come in.” The older pony stood up, his current guest following suit. “Can I get you anything? Water?”

“No thanks.”

The mayor slowly sat back down, “What can I do for you?”

Mrs. Pie slowly entered, taking a chair that the mayor gestured to. “I need to see those pictures again.”

“Still got doubts?” He asked as he unlocked one of the desk’s wooden drawers.

“He’s one of my favorite students. Of course I do.”

Not saying anything, the mayor spread the photos out in front of her. They were all there, all saying the same thing. “It’s interesting that you should show up, Mrs. Pie. Shutter Speed and I were just talking about some interesting images he took this morning up at White Head.” Next to her, the yellow and blue Pegasus pushed an envelope in front of her. Tipping it upside down, a half dozen photographs spilled out across the desk. Most were of the artistic variety that the pegasus was well known for across the island. One image stood out among the rest. On it she could see Shadow, hovering in mid-air, surrounded by a shield and a number of snowballs. Looking closely, she noticed that his eyes seemed to glow.

“Were the glowing eyes your idea?” She asked the photographer, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.

“Unlike some ponies I could name, I don’t need to manipulate my images.” He responded huffily. “What you see is what I saw.”

“Does this settle your doubts?” The mayor asked; stepping in before the conversation could get out of hoof. The young teacher nodded “Good. Did you give him the book?”

“And pointed him to the spell like you told me to” She answered as she stood.

“Will he try it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. You did the right thing.”

“I hope you’re right, because Luna have mercy on all of us if you’re wrong.” Closing the door behind her, she fled the claustrophobic hallway for the town square. Outside, she stood in the sun, her eyes closed as she let its light warm her fur, though the warmth didn’t seem to go much deeper than that. Around her, she could hear the sounds of everyday life, the sound of wagon wheels on the stone streets, the squeal of a young filly, ponies talking. Around the square, she could hear the sound of hammers on wood as ponies erected booths and rides for the next day’s celebrations, while others hung flags and banners that bore their fallen Princess’ mark. Around her, life went on, unaware of the mayor’s plan or her reluctant role in it. Not quite ready to go home, she looked around, her gaze eventually settling on a tavern a block away. It wasn’t her usual place, but she didn’t feel like going someplace where somepony she knew might see her and want to talk. Groaning, she trudged down the steps heading for the small, unassuming building with the stone façade. She needed a drink.

Shadow could hardly contain himself as he walked down the school’s front steps. Smiling, he stopped at the bottom, enjoying the sun’s warmth as he took a deep breath, trying to decide what to do with the unexpected extra two hours of freedom. Coming up empty, the young colt looked around for a certain energetic pegasus, who was nowhere to be seen. Looking up to the school’s roof, he saw his sister sunning herself on the roof, her wings spread out to get as much sun as possible. Whistling to get her attention, his sister cracked an eye, looking down at her brother. Yawning, she slowly stood, taking her time if only to annoy her brother before leaping off the edge. Shadow ducked his head as Star zipped overhead, her tail barely brushing his horn, before she pulled up and came back around to land next to him. Though simple, the maneuver was a reminder to Shadow of just how different he and his sister were when it came to flying. Even though he could have pulled the same maneuver, both ponies knew he never would have been able to bank as hard or as crisply as Star. “So, what did the teacher want?” She asked as they turned to leave.

“She just wanted to give me a book on magic.”

“So, she didn’t find out about… you know.” His sister asked, looking around as if to see if anypony could overhear them.

“About what?”

His sister winced. “Needs work, but keep at it and they might believe you.”

Shadow shook his head, not knowing what his twin was talking about, but fairly certain that she was trying to pull something on him. “So, what are you going to do?”

“Enjoy the day, that’s what!” She replied, jumping in excitement at the situation, “Gale Force, Iris and I were planning on flying around the valley; you?”

“Probably stop by dad’s shop and do some reading.” He could hear his sister blow a raspberry at this.

“We get out of class early for the first time ever, and you want to spend that free time reading? Are you sure we’re twins?”

“What can I say; our ancestor’s diary is getting good.” He looked over to see her roll her eyes at this.

“Whatever. This isn’t Equestria, so you are perfectly free to waste your time anyway you want.” She paused a second to look up at the open sky. “Could you take my bags with you?”

“Forget it. Just stop by mom’s stand and leave them with her.” Without a second thought, his sister crouched, launching herself into the air a second later. Staggering under the sudden blast of wind, Shadow looked up to see his sister’s form quickly shrink into the distance. Smiling, he picked up the pace slightly as he headed into town. On a whim, he turned down a shaded alley, a shortcut he had taken before to get to his dad’s shop.

Perhaps it was the beautiful weather or the fact he was out early, but whatever the case was, Shadow failed to notice the larger colt peel off from the crowd and enter the alley a few second behind him. Halfway down the shortcut, Shadow saw a larger pony enter the alley ahead. It took him a few seconds, but the young disguised alicorn felt something sink inside when he recognized the pony ahead of him. Before he could react, Shadow felt something grab his tail and yank on it, violently pulling him off his hooves and dragging him across the filthy pavement. Shadow felt himself get ripped off the ground, his back slamming into a building’s wall a split second later. As his vision cleared, he found himself looking into the green eyes of Honeycrisp’s older brother.

Shadow groaned. “What do you want?” He wanted to add a few colorful descriptions of the young stallion to the question, but figured he didn’t want to add to what was coming.

“I’ll be brief, and make this easy for you to understand half-breed. Stay the fuck away from my sister. Understand?”

“What did I do?” Shadow gasped as he tried to breathe, his back hooves dangling off the ground.

“I saw you talking to her earlier today.”

“She approached me first.”

“Shut it, you little bastard and get this into your half-breed mind: stay away from her. I don’t want you to talk to her again, got it?”

“Yes.” He gasped in reply, his ears ringing from the lack of air.

“Good.” Shadow was too focused on trying to breathe to see the older pony’s hoof connect with his gut. Falling to the ground, Shadow tried to curl into a ball while gasping for air. “And just so you don’t forget…” Shadow didn’t get a chance to react before the older colt’s kick connected with the younger colt’s chest. Wheezing, Shadow finally managed to curl into a ball as Honeycrisp’s brother and his friend spat on him, kicking dirt in his face as they turned to leave.

Shadow lay there for a few minutes, trying to get his breathing under control and wincing as his ribs painfully protested every lungful of air. Fighting back the tears that threatened to escape, Shadow slowly forced himself to stand. Once on his hooves, the young colt leaned against the nearby wall for support for a few moments before he began walking again. It felt like hours, but within a few minutes, Shadow found himself in front of his father’s store, the simple beaker shaped sign above the door telling everypony where they could find the town’s potions master.

Pushing on the door, Shadow tried to slink in, but the bell above the door ruined any chance he had. Hearing his dad coming, Shadow managed to suppress the groan that threatened to escape and add to his pain. Looking up, he saw his father walk out of the back room, only to stop at the sight of his son.

“How many?” He asked as his horn lit up. Behind him, Shadow could hear the open sign flip around before his hooves left the ground.

“Two.” Shadow replied as his dad levitated him over the counter. Closing his eyes, the young colt let himself hang there as he felt the weight of his bags disappear.

“Who?” Silver Maple asked as he gently laid his son down on a mattress in the back.

“Honeycrisp’s brother and a friend of his.” Shadow said, sighing as he felt the cool mattress beneath. “I was too busy to ask the other ass’s name, and he didn’t offer it.” Opening his eyes, he could see his father’s horn gently glow. A sudden sense of warmth pervaded the young alicorn’s body a second later as his dad look him over with his spell.

Sighing, the older unicorn turned to a nearby shelf, pouring one of the nearby jars into a cup. “Except for a few bruised ribs, everything inside is alright, though you’re going to be tender for a few days.” He said as he lowered the cup to his son, who drained it without a second thought. “This will help with the pain, though I’ll whip something up for the ribs when we get home.”

“Thanks” Shadow said, offering the cup back to his dad. Already, he could feel the pain starting to fade.

Setting the cup aside, Silver Maple sat as he gently rubbed his son’s back. “So, how was school?”

Later that night, Shadow stared at the crackling fireplace, the rest of his family having retreated to their rooms long ago. Watching the flames dance, Shadow felt a few tears slowly roll down his cheek. Why? Why did they have to treat him like that? Why did everypony seem to hate him and his sister? They had never done anything to anypony, and yet they were treated like freaks. Sniffing, he wiped the few tears away. Shadow knew the answer to those questions, but it still didn’t satisfy him. Sighing, the colt looked at the small pile of books next to him.

A few minutes after they had gotten home, Shadow’s dad had come up from the basement carrying a book and a slightly steaming cup in his magic. As he drank his dad’s brew which had tasted faintly of chocolate, the black-maned grey unicorn set a thick dull blue book down on his son’s lap. Setting the cup aside, Shadow had felt his heart all but stop at the sight of the book. He ignored the name etched into the book’s cover, instead staring in awe at how the light from the nearby window struck the cover’s facets. “Is this what I think it is?” He asked, barely able to form the words as his hoof gently stroked the book’s cool cover.

“This” his father had said “is the completediary of Summer Breeze in its original crystal cover.” The world seemed to disappear as his father’s words slowly sank in. He had known about this book his entire life, but he had always thought that it was at the museum in Dragon’s Bay, along with the only other crystal bound book on the island. This book was his family’s single greatest possession, having been carefully preserved and passed down for generations. “I got this from my mom when I was about your age, and I think you’re now old enough to have it.” Shadow didn’t know what to say. What could he say? With a promise to show him the spells to preserve it, the older unicorn left to go meet the mares walking up the trail outside.

Lifting the book with his horn, Shadow gently wrapped his vest around the ancient text before setting it in one of his saddle bags, along with his school version. Grabbing the final book in the pile, Shadow carefully set it down, before opening it to the page his teacher had mentioned. Looking at the spell, Shadow grabbed a small piece of chalk from the mantle above the fireplace and began to draw the circle from the book. It took him nearly an hour in the firelight to copy the casting circle. Once he was sure he had copied it perfectly, the young colt moved to the center of the drawing on the floor. Reading the instructions one last time, Shadow gently placed the book down next to him.

Closing his eyes, he took a few slow deep breaths. When he was ready, Shadow started to channel power to his horn. In his mind, he could see the magical threads as he created them, slowly growing and splitting as he poured more magic into the attempt. Slowly he could see the threads starting to connect, to branch out and connect to even more threads. As he continued, Shadow could feel himself starting to tire; beads of sweat began to roll down his face as he pushed on. He had never pushed himself this hard before, never having need to use this much magic at once. Nearing his limits, Shadow slowly began to sense a new source of magical energy inside him. If he was sensing things correctly, this new pool of magic dwarfed his current amount more than he thought possible. Was this part of the spell? Mentally shrugging, the young colt reached for the new source.

As he did, Shadow could feel his grip on the spell start to loosen. Before he could stop it, the threads of magic he had woven snapped like a bowstring, shattering the spell and sending him staggering into the couch behind him, his mind searing in agony at the backlash. Blinking several times to clear his vision, Shadow shook his head to clear it, instantly regretting the move as the room began to spin. Testing his horn once the room stopped spinning, Shadow tried a simple light spell. A few small sparks spat out of his horn, before dying altogether.

“Great” He muttered as grabbed his saddle bags. Gently placing the ancient book with the others, he glanced at the small fire. Normally he’d put it out with a simple shield spell, but since that wasn’t an option, his only other choice was to use some water from outside. Thinking it over, he decided to let the fire burn itself out, since it was too small to do much else, and he wasn’t in the mood to go out into the dark woods alone; especially if he wouldn’t be able to see where he was going. Yawning, he slowly climbed the stairs to his room, his bed calling to him like a siren with the promise of sweet oblivion. Placing his bags on the floor, Shadow slowly crawled into the open bed, feeling his body shutting down for the night as he did so. Laying his head on the pillow, the young colt closed his eyes, and was asleep seconds later.

Slowly the hours passed as the night wore on. In the living room, the fire slowly shrank until nothing but glowing coals remained, occasionally lit by a few stubborn tongues of flame. Slowly a bright orange flame grew from one of the embers. Small at first, the orange tongue of fire rose higher and higher. Once it was a few inches tall, a pair of black eyes opened up, taking in the surroundings. Seeing the room was empty, the flame began to grow bigger. Soon, a pair of arms sprouted from the flame, clawed hands opening and closing moments later. Grabbing the charred log behind it, the flame pulled itself up, legs sprouting from the flame’s body as it did.

Satisfied that the area was deserted, the small creature muttered something. Seconds later, several dozen more flames began to grow from the coals. Running across the open stone hearth, the flame paused for the others to join it, the wooden floor beneath it slowly turning black under the heat. As it looked around, the creature glanced down, noticing the chalk line in front of it. Waving to the others, he pointed at the floor and a small circle of flames soon lit the room, all staring at the circle before them. Gesturing to the other flames, the creatures quickly fanned out across the room. Their footprints slowly growing as the floor caught fire.

Shadow wasn’t sure at first what was going on. He had been having another flying dream, until something started shaking him. It took his sleep besotted mind a few seconds to recognize his room in the dark. Next to him, he could barely make out his sister who was shaking him again.

“What do you want?” He groaned as he tried to turn over and go back to sleep.

“I smell smoke.”

“It was just a dream. Go back to sleep Star.”

“Shadow, please, I’m not fooling around.” She said, shaking him even rougher than before.

Shadow had half a mind to yell at her, to tell her to go back to bed and stay there. As he turned to give his sister a piece of his mind, he stopped. Something on her moon lit face telling him that she wasn’t just scared, but terrified. Taking a deep breath he froze, a shiver racing down his spine and across his body.

He smelled it too.

Scrambling out of bed, he walked the dozen paces to the door, his heart hammering in his chest. Opening the door with his hoof, he was greeted by a blast of smoke. Stumbling back, he felt his lungs heave as the smoke billowed up from below. Looking through the doorway again, he saw flames racing across the floor and up the stairs “Star, run!” He yelled, slamming the door shut as the flames reached the top of the stairs.

Turning, he raced for his bed. Reaching his saddle bags, he heard the door explode behind him. Looking behind him, the flames roared from the open door, the floor and walls quickly catching fire. Grabbing his bags with his mouth, Shadow bolted for the open window as the flames raced past him, engulfing the room around him. Gritting his teeth against the searing heat, Shadow threw himself through the wall of flames and the open window, biting back a scream as he felt his skin burn. Diving sharply then banking, the young alicorn landed inside the tree line, a cry of pain escaping as the burns on his legs protested the sudden landing. Without taking his eyes off of his burning home, the young alicorn ignited his horn, tightening the strap around him. A quick check told him that nearly everything he cared about had made it out safe with him. Looking around, the colt felt the world around him come to a screeching halt as he looked around, suddenly noticing that he was alone. Where’s Star?!

From the flames roaring out of the window he had just leaped from, Shadow heard a scream. The scream was one of pure agony. No. He had never heard a pony make a sound like that, but he knew without a shred of doubt who was making that sound “STAR!” Shadow screamed his sister’s name at the top of his lungs, his throat raw as he charged his burning home. Leaping into the air, the colt’s wings tore into the air as his horn glowed. Ahead of him, the golden wall of magic glowed, the normally clear shield quickly going opaque as it tried to cope with the intense heat. With every beat of his wings, the young alicorn could hear the screams of his twin. Angling to throw himself into the wall of flames that had consumed the window of his former bedroom, Shadow saw his shield crack from the strain of the heat, before shattering completely a heartbeat later. Unprepared, the young colt was thrown away from the raging inferno. Barely catching himself in time, he managed to tuck in his wings before he hit the ground, going limp as his mom had taught him as he rolled across the open ground.

Forcing himself to his hooves, the alicorn stood in shock as he watched his home burn. Other than the sound of wood snapping and popping in the heat and the roar of the flames, the world was silent.

“MOM!” Shadow screamed, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath “Dad!” Hearing no reply, the young pony felt his rear legs give out. Barely noticing as his back end hit the ground, he felt the first tears streak down his face as he barely whispered a final name “Star.”

Slowly looking around, Shadow could see that the entire clearing was bathed in an orange glow, the shadows of the trees and surrounding forest dancing in the light of the flames. Hearing a loud crack, Shadow scrambled back as the roof of his home collapsed, sending sparks shooting into the air. Following the main beam’s fall from where he sat, the colt’s eyes settled on the rock wall that formed the basement’s back wall.

Originally, the basement’s four walls had been formed by the small rise it had been dug into. Shortly after the fiasco that had been his eighth birthday, his father Silver Maple had proposed digging out the part that formed the basement’s back wall and replacing it with stone. He had never seen his mom so angry before when his father had admitted that he had suggested it was so he could store some of his more potent, and less stable, potions and ingredients there. His mother had been steadfastly against the idea, only relenting once her husband changed the design. Shadow had spent the rest of the summer helping his dad excavate and rebuild the wall in a way that would allow it to blow out if something set off the stuff inside. After getting his cutie mark a year later, the colt had added a number of shield spells to the barrels stored there.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, Shadow forced himself to his hooves. “Why do you have to store this stuff here?” the colt recalled asking his father as they dug. “Why can’t we just dig another storage cave?”

“Because I can’t let these freeze;” The stallion looked over at his son “If they froze, they’d be useless, and I can’t store this stuff at the shop because it might get too hot there.”

“What would happen if it got too hot?”

The stallion had a far-away look in his eyes as he stared at the house “Boom.”

The single word ricocheted around Shadow’s head. Feeling the sudden tension squeeze his heart until it felt like it would explode, the colt turned; his horn ablaze. As he started to run, Shadow thought he heard something in the basement shatter. Whether or not he heard something suddenly became the least of the colt’s concerns as the stone wall erupted, blasting wood and stone shrapnel at him and the surrounding forest.

The blast slammed into Shadow’s shield, tearing through it like had never even existed. Faster than he could blink, Shadow was torn off his hooves and hurled into the forest. Unable to control his flight, Shadow spun through the air, his mind barely grasping what had just happened. Before he could react, the ground rose up to slap the young alicorn from the air. He couldn’t stop himself as he rolled and tumbled across the unforgiving ground. Then a tree appeared, and Shadow knew only darkness.

Celestia glanced at the scroll that hovered before her, trying to remember the name of the silver tongued son-of-Discord who had convinced her to accept those changes to the tax system 200 years earlier. Eyeing the crackling glow of her fireplace, she idly wondered how long it would take for the scroll to become ash. Sighing at the pleasant, although sadly impossible to accomplish thought, she looked it over one last time before signing it, mentally noting to start working on tax reform, even if the result meant slightly less paperwork and a little more sanity; especially if it meant less paperwork.

Levitating another scroll, she began reading it, though it didn't take long for her to start hoping that a letter from Twilight would appear; coalescing from a green flame to gently land on her desk, a nice evening treat she had looked forward to that had become all too rare since her student's coronation the previous year. Taking a long look at the jeweled night sky, Celestia slowly turned back to the task at hoof, knowing that it could not be avoided.

In a small, rarely used fireplace that few visitors noticed, a few light tendrils of smoke began to waft up from the dust covered logs that lay inside. A minute later, a small green flame burst into existence. As it grew, a pair of eyes slowly opened, allowing their owner to check the surroundings. Satisfied, the flame grew taller, forming a neck and body, followed by a pair of arms and then a pair of legs. Taking a second quick look, the creature climbed to the top of the log pile, wondering why it always seemed more difficult every time he visited.

Beyond the fireplace, the being could see the princess, who clearly looked bored with whatever she was reading. Leaning back for a moment, the creature snapped a small twig from a nearby log, both of which quickly burst into green flames as he ate and allowed himself a moment to relax and enjoy the sweet flavor of well dried Maple. As the twig's ash slowly drifted to the floor, he watched the princess sign the scroll before placing it on a small pile of others.

Before she could grab another scroll, Celestia heard something clear its throat before calling out her name. Turning to her left, she saw the child-sized creature sitting on the slowly incinerating pile of wood, looking intently at her. A smile slowly formed as she recognized the creature in the raging fireplace. "General, it's been too long."

"Celestia, we need to talk." It replied seriously, its tone brooking no argument.

"What about, General?"

"Our treaty."

"What about it?" She asked, a lump slowly forming in her chest. Nothing good ever happened when the treaty was mentioned.

"It’s been broken and our attack is underway."

Author's Note

If you've gotten this far and are reading this, thank you for taking the time to check out the first chapter of my story. If you see any spelling errors or other issues, please PM me and I'll look into it.

Tartarus is Real - Part 2

Opening his eyes, it took the colt a few moments to realize what had happened as he sat up. Around him the forest had grown quieter, the darkness that sheltered from the sun during the day having begun to reclaim its territory as the sun passed overhead. Already the temperature had dropped, the promise of another cold night hanging on the still air. Looking down, the burns on his legs still stung and had started to darken in color. Leaning down, the young colt sniffed, yanking his head back as the stench hit him like a brick. Great, just what I bucking need. Sighing, he channeled energy into his horn, the pain in his legs slowly retreating. Dropping the spell a few minutes later, Shadow sat there, undecided on what he should do.

Almost immediately, his stomach decided to voice its opinion. Nervously, Shadow looked around. Hearing nothing but a few birds overhead, he stood. Glancing around, it took the young alicorn a moment to recognize his surroundings. There were several half buried boulders nearby, their exposed surfaces covered in a pallet of moss and lichen. Off in the distance, he could see a particularly large boulder looming in the darkness. Smiling, Shadow turned, winding his way around a few bushes. He had been to that boulder numerous times. His mom had shown it to him and his sister when they were younger and had told them that it had been left there when it broke off of White Head Glacier. Shadow had never thought that that had made any sense. How could a glacier, miles from his house, drop a rock a mile from his house and do it with nopony noticing and not damage a single tree? To him, his mom’s story made about as much sense as an overweight pony sliding down his chimney to give him gifts on Hearth’s Warming Eve.

Spotting the familiar low rise half an hour later, Shadow slowed. Images of what was left of his home sprang to mind as he stared at the open ground ahead. Shaking his head to banish the thoughts, he turned to his left. Around him the trees had transitioned from pines to maples and oaks, the late afternoon light danced in their swaying canopies as the shadows beneath lengthened. As he moved, Shadow tried to avoid every branch or twig he could. He didn’t know if anypony or anything was around, and he didn’t want to risk telling them where he was. Around him, more boulders rose from the ground, their moss covered forms standing silently as he walked by.

As he walked, Shadow looked around, searching for two boulders in particular. Spotting them a few minutes later, he cautiously made his way towards them, his head constantly turning while his ears still rang. At the rocks, he walked around them. Behind them, Shadow levitated several large branches, revealing a hole in the ground large enough that a pair of ponies could walk through side by side without scraping the walls. Glancing around quickly, Shadow trotted into the hole. Pausing for a moment, the colt ignited his horn, its white glow lighting up the long dirt floored tunnel. Along the stone lined walls, rough wooden shelves held hundreds of syrup filled glass jars of various sizes. In the back, the cellar branched off in two other directions. Not feeling interested in vegetables, the young alicorn turned right. On the shelves along the walls sat jars of berries and various preserves, along with boxes filled with hay and oats.

Taking his time as he ate, Shadow finally had a moment to think. Where would he go when he left town? He knew he couldn’t survive on his own. He couldn’t cook to save his life, which meant that anything he ate would be raw. That would be fine for the moment, but when winter came, he would be in deep trouble. He could go and see if his grandparents would take him in, but they had been just short of openly hostile towards him when he and his family had visited during his eighth birthday. If I showed up, they’d probably slam the door in my face; Shadow mused. Or turn me in to the authorities themselves. Likewise he ruled out an orphanage. He had never heard anything pleasant about them, and if he did go to one, his wings would be discovered.

As he ate, Shadow slowly realized that he couldn’t stay on the island. If he wanted to see his twelfth birthday, he’d have to leave, which meant that there was only one place he could go.

Equestria.

Feeling his chest heaving, Shadow paused, forcing himself to breathe slowly. Sighing in relief as his breathing returned to normal, his anxiety still remained. A thousand years ago, his ancestor Summer Breeze had been exiled, along with her family and band of ponies for their role in the Nightmare War. They had been told to leave and never return, which was exactly what they had done. Since then, Equestria had taken on an almost legendary status, a place ruled by an alicorn tyrant who brooked no dissent, whose subjects had been brainwashed to constantly praise and thank their ruler. Shadow had been skeptical about the legend at first. He remembered the night when he believed everything he had been told about that land far to the east.

He could remember sitting on his father’s back, watching the mayor give his Ascension Day speech, a rather long winded affair that the older stallion was well known for. Far above, the moon hung silently in the night sky, the Mare in the Moon watching over them as she had for a thousand years. Above the crowd, the pegasi and thestrals hovered. After wrapping up his speech, the mayor directed the crowd to watch the moon. As he had looked up, Shadow saw a number of stars slowly glide across the sky until they reached the moon. Then the moon flashed and the shadow of the queen disappeared.

There had been a momentary pause as the ponies realized what had happened. Then somepony cheered. Then another. In the space of a heartbeat, everypony on the ground was pounding the street with their hooves. Above, those with wings flew around like butterflies in a tornado. The party lasted for hours into what should have been morning.

Then the sun appeared.

The shock had been immediate. Everypony stopped what they had been doing to look. Above, a few ponies nearly hit the ground. How could this happen? Why would their Queen raise the sun, the symbol of her sister and the pony that had left her trapped in the moon? Nopony knew for sure until that night when the moon rose without its shadow. After that, Shadow believed everything he was told about Equestria. How could he not, when its ruler had killed her own sister? That had been the most common explanation for what had happened, and Shadow believed it. If Nightmare Moon had won, why would she raise the sun? Why would she not appear before the ponies that had been loyal to her for generations?

Shaking his head, Shadow looked around, the light from his horn creating long, strange shadows. Neither option particularly thrilled him or filled him with confidence, but deep down the colt knew he had to get off the island if he wanted a future.

Groaning, Shadow slowly stood, ignoring the pain in his legs. Before he did anything, he’d have to deal with his burns, which meant sneaking into town. Even now he could smell the slight stench they were giving off, which meant only one thing to him: infection. He didn’t have to think back far to remember the last time he’d gotten an infection. A simple cut he gotten while playing hadn’t been cleaned in time and by the next day he was laid out in his bed sweating and hallucinating. Even with his dad’s potions it had taken him a week to fully recover.

Outside the cellar’s entrance Shadow could see the night sky. Overhead, the black sky was covered in stars, as if somepony had taken a paintbrush and used the sky as their canvas. In the dim light, the young alicorn looked around; slowly releasing the breath he had been subconsciously holding. Pausing for a moment, Shadow replaced the cover over the cellar’s entrance. He doubted that anypony would come around here at night, but it was a habit that his parents had drilled into him and his sister.

Once the hole was hidden, Shadow started towards town, only moving when the breeze rustled the canopy above. It was a small trick he had learned while playing with his friends and it had served him well when he wanted to move around quietly. On more than one occasion he had seemed to appear right next to another pony without them hearing him, only for them to jump when they finally noticed him. This little trick had also served him well when he played the odd prank, usually on another pony that had been less than kind to him or a friend.

At the forest’s edge, Shadow paused. Despite what he had seen earlier, the young colt still wasn’t quite prepared for the emptiness of the clearing. In the darkness he could see the outline of his home’s charred remains. Shaking his head, Shadow tried to suppress a stray memory that had crept up, a memory of him coming home just after the sun had set, the light from the house’s windows a welcoming beacon in the darkness that promised warmth and a hot meal.

Banishing the memory, Shadow slowly walked down the hill, forcing himself to look ahead as he passed his burned out home. At the opposite end of the clearing he stopped. Taking a deep breath, Shadow ignited his horn before dousing it out a moment later. From the young pony’s perspective nothing had happened. To anypony watching, it would have looked as if he had simply disappeared. The spell had created a small bubble around him that reflected the surroundings back to any outside observers in a way that made it look like he had vanished into thin air. The illusion spell was one he had found a year earlier and had used on more than one occasion when he had to make himself scarce.

While it had helped with bullies and the occasional prank, the greatest drawback of the spell was that he was forced to move at a speed that a foal just learning to walk would have no problem matching. Anything faster would result in visible distortions that even a blind pony would notice.

Shadow stopped atop a small rise that overlooked the town. Down below, everything was quiet since most of the residents had gone to bed early in anticipation for the festivities the next day. As he waited at the top of the hill, Shadow watched as one by one, windows went dark in the town. Watching as the moon slowly rose above the mountains in the distance, the lone colt took a moment to enjoy the calm as the world around him settled down for the night. Overhead, an owl silently flew by as it hunted, while a timber wolf howled in the distance. Glancing down, the young alicorn could see the burns had darkened even more. He may have not been an expert, but he knew that this infection was spreading rapidly. Even now, despite the spells, his legs throbbed in pain.

Getting to his hooves, Shadow started for the town, only now noticing the limp he had picked up. As he walked, the alicorn could see a few ponies flying above the town, their bat-like wings effortlessly cutting through the cool, still air as they patrolled the town for any threats. On a stray thought, Shadow moved off the path to walk on the grass along the side, smiling as the sound of his hooves crunching on the gravel disappeared.

It took him over an hour before he found himself in a shadow cast by one of the town’s outlying homes. Pausing for a moment, Shadow looked around, his ears still ringing slightly from the previous night’s explosion. Releasing the breath he had been subconsciously holding when he didn’t see anything, the young colt slowly made his way around the side of the house. Stopping at the front, he glanced around and above him before he bolted for the shadowy cover of another house across the street. Wincing as his legs protested the sudden abuse; he paused to catch his breath while waiting to see if anypony had noticed him.

Satisfied that he was alone, Shadow slowly crept among the darkened alleys and walls of the town as the night passed. Above, thestrals patrolled the air, their sharp eyes and ears never noticing him, despite a few close calls. As he crept forward, Shadow could see his father’s shop across the street. Stepping out from the shadows, the young alicorn quickly dove back into the alley. Mentally slapping himself, the colt held his breath as the large, middle aged stallion slowly walked by, his eyes never still as he patrolled the sleeping town. Shadow watched as the stallion, Brick Wall, passed by. Everypony knew the pony by the reputation he had earned when he killed a pair of timber wolves that had wandered into town one night and had decided to try and make a meal out of him. Even now, the quiet stallion wore a necklace with a pair of wooden canines around his neck.

Most ponies knew him from that incident, but Shadow had met the older stallion a year earlier when the young colt had literally run into Brick Wall as he had been looking over his shoulder to see if he has lost his pursuers. It had taken a moment for Shadow to clear his head before he realized who he had run into. Surprisingly, instead of being angry at the younger pony, the older stallion had merely told Shadow to watch where he was going next time, before walking off as if nothing had happened.

Smiling, Shadow watched as the larger pony rounded a corner and disappeared. Making sure he was alone, Shadow rushed across the street, barely able to keep himself from running. At the shop’s front door, the colt paused. Dropping the invisibility spell, Shadow channeled energy to his horn, watching as the door’s lock glowed for a few moments before he heard a barely audible click as it unlocked. Smirking, he gently pushed the door open far enough for him to slip inside. Most ponies thought the door needed a key like any other in order to open it. While that was true, what they didn’t know was that Shadow’s father had enchanted the key and the door’s lock so that only that key, or a pony who knew the enchantment, could open the door. Once inside, Shadow closed his eyes before pouring more energy into his horn. When he opened them, he found himself staring at an uninjured version of himself. The clone blinked once before raising an eyebrow, silently asking what Shadow wanted. “Watch the door.” Shadow told his clone, who simply nodded before slipping through the front door and dashing into the dark alley across the street.

Looking around, the young alicorn limped towards the back as his legs flared in pain. Igniting his horn, the back room came alive in moving shadows as the colt slowly paced around the room, reading the labels on the hundreds of beakers and bottles on the shelves. Fifteen minutes later, he knew that there weren’t any potions for burns. Thinking quickly, Shadow walked back to one of the shelves, a number of bottles floating into the air as he searched for his target. Near the back he found the small blue glass bottle hiding, INFECTION written on the slightly faded label. Pulling it out, Shadow set the rest back on the shelf before grabbing a couple rolls of bandages.

Pulling the cork out of the bottle, Shadow to a deep sniff. The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally poison himself. Not smelling anything that would indicate the potion had gone bad, he tipped the bottle back, downing the contents in a single pull. Waiting for a few seconds he bent down, sniffing one of his burns. Not finding any signs of infection, the lone colt set the empty bottle aside before unrolling the first bandage. Starting at the top of his hoof, Shadow slowly wrapped his legs as his dad had shown him, tight enough to keep the bandage from slipping loose, but not tight enough to cut off circulation.

As he worked, his mind flashed to when he had burned himself on a hot pot at home a few years ago. His dad had been so calm that, despite the pain, Shadow felt himself calm down watching his dad as the stallion gently wrapped his son’s hoof, quietly explaining what he was doing as he went.

We got company!

Shadow froze as the thought raced through his mind. He could feel the nervous energy from the hidden clone outside. Taking a deep breath, Shadow tried to stay calm. Thinking quickly, he channeled energy to his horn, another clone appearing out of thin air a second later. Before he could get the clone to ask where the ponies were heading, Shadow heard the bell over the front door ring as somepony opened it. Gesturing to the clone, Shadow dove behind some crates, the clone seeming to melt into the room’s darkness.

“Watch it, you idiot!” A voice outside hissed.

“Watch it yourself!” A second voice snapped back. “Last time I was here, that traitor didn’t have that bell over the door.”

“I don’t care. Shut up and let’s hurry, I don’t want the Night Watch to catch us.”

Do you two need help? The clone outside asked

Shadow glanced at clone across the room and shook his head. The clone nodded as he talked with the one outside.

Got it; I’m ready if you need me. The clone across the street replied.

Outside, Shadow could hear the intruders talking as they rifled through the counter outside. “What caused the explosion last night?”

“Apparently, the owner’s half-breed son thought it would be a good idea to steal a book from the library.” Shadow heard something in the other room break. “Unfortunately for the little bastard, the book he happened to take was from the library’s restricted section. According to the mayor, the little dumbass tried a spell in the book that had been banned centuries ago, and got himself and his entire family killed.”

“Serves him right.”

Shadow could feel the anger in him building, barely managing to get it under control. How could they say that? How could they call him a thief when he was given the book? Across the room, he could see the clone looking at him. Signaling for Shadow to calm down, the clone’s horn glowed, a large cast iron pan slowly floating into the air a second later. Not waiting for Shadow’s permission, the clone crept from its hiding spot with the pan hovering next to it. At the doorway, the clone paused for a second before rushing around the corner. Before he could get up, Shadow heard a pair of off-tone clunks. “We’re clear” The clone said a moment later, sticking its head through the doorway.

Walking around the corner, Shadow took in his clone’s handiwork. The two ponies, a unicorn and an earth pony were sprawled out across the floor, large welts already starting to grow from their heads.

“What now?” The clone asked as it set the pan down next to the unconscious unicorn.

“One last look in case I missed anything, then we get out of here.” Shadow said as he turned for the back room.

“What about them?”

“I’ll deal with it.” Shadow replied as he grabbed a small box of bandages, emptying the contents into an open saddlebag. Across the room, he could hear the clone rummaging through a dust covered desk that had been buried under a pile of boxes.

“Found something.” The clone said as it opened a drawer. Glancing over, Shadow could see the clone pull out a small bag along with a book from the back of the drawer before passing it over to Shadow. Opening the bag, he could see the hoof-full of silver coins glint in the light of his horn. Nodding, he sealed the bag with a knot before adding it to the half dozen bandages in his saddlebag. Flipping through the book, Shadow could see his dad’s horn writing and it took him a moment to realize that this book contained the recipes for his dad’s potions “Anything else?” The clone asked as it finished with the desk.

“No. Watch the door; I’ll be out in a sec.” Shadow replied as he looked around, while tossing the book into the open saddlebag. Silently, the clone left the room, leaving the young colt alone. Watching the clone leave, Shadow’s gaze fell on the slightly twitching form of one of the intruders. As he watched a leg twitch, Shadow felt a sense of rage start to build in him. How dare they! How dare they accuse him and rob his dad’s store! Especially so soon after what had happened! Glancing at the shelves, he looked at the hundreds of glass containers sitting quietly in the dark. It wouldn’t be hard he thought. One simple spell and every last bottle and jar would be destroyed. He didn’t know what would happen if the various potions mixed and he didn’t particularly care. After how he and his family had been treated, the incensed alicorn figured the town’s ponies deserved nothing less.

Yet, before he could do anything, the face of his friend Night Wind came to mind. Shadow had met the young thestral during a Feather Flu outbreak that had hit the colony especially hard. The colony’s leader, Eclipse, had led the alchemist and his son to her cave as soon as they had arrived. The reason why was obvious when they entered. Her son Night Wind was lying on his bed, barely conscious and seeming to try and cough up a lung. By the time Shadow and his father had left, the two young colts had become friends.

Remembering that weekend, Shadow dimmed his horn as he realized that he couldn’t destroy everything. Despite how it might make him feel, he couldn’t endanger everypony to satisfy his pent up rage and anger. Sighing, Shadow glanced around the room one last time before stepping over the unconscious forms of the intruders. At the door, the clone turned to look at him. “We’re alone for the moment, but the sun will be up in a few hours.” Nodding, Shadow slowly opened the door and glanced around before running across the cobblestone street. The second clone followed a few moments later once Shadow was hidden. As the clones turned to move down the alley, Shadow ripped a loose cobblestone from the alley with his magic before firing it across the street, shattering the shop’s front window.

Almost immediately, an ear piercing alarm began to wail. Running, Shadow caught up to the two clones and threw the invisibility spell over them just as a pair of thestrals rocketed overhead, straight for the shop with the smashed window.

Two hours later, Shadow found himself back in the hidden cellar. Thanks to the distraction at his dad’s shop, he had no problem getting himself and the clones out of town. Nearing the burned out wreckage of his home, the adrenaline that he had been going on since the moon had risen finally ran out and he had nearly fallen on his face. Fortunately the clones had been there to support him as the three Shadows made their way to the forest. Lying on the cellar’s dirt floor, Shadow felt himself begin to relax as the cold air slowly cooled him. He didn’t know how long he lay there, but when he opened his eyes he could see sunlight gently filtering through the forest’s canopy. Arching his back, Shadow felt a few joints pop as he stretched. Looking down at one of his wrapped legs, the young alicorn rolled back the bandages, revealing clean, light red burns. Satisfied, he rewrapped the wounds before finally standing.

Stepping outside, he saw one of the clones sitting on top of a nearby boulder. The clone turned to look at him before jerking his head to the side, indicating where the other had gone. As if on cue, the second clone seemed to appear out of nowhere, a small ball of wild berries hovering in front of it. Smiling, Shadow trotted back into the cellar, returning a few minutes later wearing his saddlebags, one of which bulged with as much food as he could stuff into it. Thanking the clone, Shadow enjoyed the berries as he tried to recall what he had been thinking about during the walk out of town.

He knew he had to leave the island, and that meant going to Dragon’s Bay. The town was the main port for the entire island, so there would be plenty of ships that could take him. Yet he still didn’t know how he was going to get on one of those ships. When he had gotten back, Shadow had gone through the small money bag the clone had found. There was barely enough silver in it to pay for a half decent meal, let alone passage off the island. Groaning, he shook his head. He’d deal with that when he had to. For now, he had more pressing issues to deal with. Next to him, the cellar’s mouth lay open like a black hole that led to Tartarus.

Looking around, Shadow scanned the area looking for something he could plug the cellar’s opening with. Silently, the clones also started to look as well. Not seeing much, Shadow’s eyes fell on a nearby boulder that sat in front of the entrance. Shadow knew he couldn’t pick the whole thing up but perhaps he didn’t need to. Powering up his horn, the young alicorn focused on the side farthest from the cellar’s entrance. Slowly the rock’s side began to rise up. Putting more magic into it, the rock wavered before rolling down the small hill it was perched on. Even though he was far enough away, Shadow barely kept himself from jumping as the boulder slammed into the cellar’s entrance.

Satisfied with its placement, the young orphan and his clones spread leaves around the boulder’s edges and over the spot where it had been sitting. After a few minutes, the young colt stepped back, satisfied that nopony would be able to tell that the boulder had ever been moved.

With nothing left to do, Shadow turned to the two clones who were standing next to each other off to the side “Thank you.” He said, bowing his head to them.

“No problem.” The one on the right said, smiling.

“Watch your plot, and don’t hesitate to call on us.” The other clone added before it and its twin dissolved like fog before the sun, leaving Shadow alone among the trees. Sighing, he turned and, without a glance back, left.

As he walked through the forest, Shadow could feel a sense of finality slowly settle over him. He would probably never see this place again, and if he was honest, he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. There were things and ponies that he would miss, yet there was plenty he wouldn’t. As he walked, Shadow realized that there was one last thing he had to do, three ponies that he had to say goodbye to.

The walk to the town’s cemetery was mercifully quick. Shadow thanked Luna for that. If it had been any longer, he might have chickened out. Slowing as he approached, Shadow stopped in his tracks at the sound of voices. Watching where he stepped, the colt slowly crept through the underbrush. Pushing a bush to the side, Shadow could see across the cemetery, headstones of various sizes and colors stood in neat rows, the grass between stones kept short and weed free.

Off in the distance, he could see about a dozen ponies gathered around four simple coffins. Among the ponies, he could see his teacher and Night Wind. Mrs. Pie was leaning against her husband, his strength the only thing seeming to keep her on her hooves. Even from a distance, Shadow could see the sobs rack her body as she seemed to hold nothing back. Nearby, Shadow could see the thestral leader Eclipse standing like a rock. Under one of her wings, Night Wind had buried his head. From his hiding spot, Shadow was glad he couldn’t hear the group of ponies. He wasn’t sure what would happen if he could.

Silently, Shadow watched as the mayor stepped forward to say something. As one, the gathered ponies lowered their heads. After a few moments, they lifted their heads back up before leaving. One at a time, Shadow saw them place flowers on the caskets. While the group slowly walked or flew away, a nearby unicorn gently wrapped the coffins in his magic before lowering them into their respective holes.

Shadow watched the unicorn finish his job and leave. The young colt wanted to get up and go to his family. He wanted to apologize, to try and put words to his grief, yet his legs refused to move. With tears streaming down his face, Shadow felt himself backing up, as if somepony else was controlling him. “I’m sorry” He said as his family’s resting place disappeared behind the bush, the sound of his sister’s screams echoing in the distance “Please forgive me.”

To Shadow, time seemed to drag by as if it was intent on making the day last as long as possible. Despite the sun and warm weather, the colt felt none of it. Inside, all he wanted to do was to just collapse and cry, to vent every last ounce of frustration and despair. Yet he found himself putting one hoof in front of the other as he slowly fled from everything he had ever known and loved.

By mid-afternoon he could see Dragon’s Bay in the distance, the ocean a blue haze shimmering on the horizon. Coming upon a small stream, Shadow stopped to quench his thirst before splashing some of the ice cold water over his face, washing away the tearstains that had marred his face for most of the day.

It was early evening by the time he walked into town. Despite having been there before to visit his grandparents, Shadow was still awed by the sheer number of ponies he could see. All around, ponies went about their business without giving him a second look, other than the odd glance at his legs. Unlike home, nopony gave him dirty looks or yelled at him to get out of their sight or threatened him. As he walked down the street, Shadow could smell the salt on the air, and couldn’t keep himself from smiling at the scent.

Around him, the houses were made from brick, the various shades of red contrasting with the light grey mortar. Most of the roofs were covered with light brown tiles, while a few used the dark grey slate that he was used to. Taking in all that he could see, Shadow was disappointed when he found himself along the wharf, feeling that time had pulled a cruel prank on him, making the day drag, only to race along when he wanted it to slow down.

Not wanting to get hit by a passing cart, the disguised alicorn stepped off to the side. Towering above him, the masts of a half dozen ships loomed overhead like trees that had had their bark and leaves stripped away. Around him he could see dozens of ponies and other creatures scrambling around, seemingly driven to run around by some unseen force. He could see unicorns and pegasi loading or unloading items from the ships. Alongside the ships, earth ponies and a minotaur were hitched to carts, waiting to be loaded.

Seeing its chance, Shadow’s stomach voiced its opinion, making the colt realize that he hadn’t eaten anything since that morning. Looking around, Shadow spotted an earth pony sitting by a cart loaded with food. Slowly wandering over, Shadow surveyed the cart’s top, his mouth watering at the variety of fruits and vegetables on display. Shadow had to stop and give the cart a thorough look before he believed what he saw. Unlike what he was used to, there was no sign, either on the cart or nearby, that showed who or what was welcome. Cautiously the young pony approached the cart, the owner not noticing him at first.

“Hello.” The tan earth pony said when he noticed the young black unicorn surveying his produce, causing the colt to jump slightly.

“Hi.” Shadow responded, avoiding the older pony’s eyes.

“See something you like?”

“Everything.”

The cart owner laughed at that, wishing he got that response more often. “So, what will your pleasure be?”

Shadow looked over the selection, trying to hide his surprise that he could buy any of it. “How much are those carrots?”

“Four silvers for a half dozen.”

“And the apples?” Shadow had noticed the apples, and had been unable to keep his eyes off them since.

“Normally six for a half peck, but since you complimented my wares, you can have a half peck for three silvers.”

Shadow couldn’t believe his still ringing ears. This pony, this earth pony, had given him a discount for nothing more than an honest compliment?!? Shadow had to remind himself to breathe as the coins floated from his saddlebag “Apples and carrots, please.” Taking the produce, he packed the apples into the open saddle bag, while the carrots hovered nearby.

As the earth pony collected Shadow’s money, he glanced out to sea and groaned. Shadow glanced up, raising an eyebrow at the vendor. “You might want to get going little guy; it’s going to rain.”

Glancing behind him, Shadow could see the clouds over the ocean darkening as they grew. It only took a few seconds for the first cloud to flash as a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky. The ensuing clap of thunder was strong enough for Shadow to feel it in his chest. “Thank you” Shadow said hastily as he tightened the cover of his bag. The older pony didn’t say anything as he rushed to pack his cart and get home before the storm hit.

Shadow looked around trying to find a place where he could keep dry. Above, the sky erupted in light and sound as another lightning bolt ripped across the sky. Around him, the young alicorn couldn’t find anything to hide under. As he started to panic, the sky decided that it had held off long enough as it opened up, ice cold rain pelting any pony unfortunate enough to be outside at that moment. Thinking quickly, Shadow charged his horn, casting a shield over himself to block the rain. Taking a moment to think, he knew that the odds of finding shelter on the wharf were low, and he didn’t want to try and sneak aboard one of the ships. If he got caught, they would probably think he was attempting to stow away, and he’d be lucky if all they did was kick him off. If they reported him… Shadow shook his head to banish that thought.

As if it wasn’t satisfied with his misery, the storm started to rain down hail upon the lone pony. Deciding he had had enough, Shadow turned to leave before spotting a small stack of crates near one of the ships. The wooden boxes were stacked in a small pile on a large canvas sling, most likely waiting to be taken away. The largest crate was at the bottom and, to Shadow’s delight, was empty; its cover lying nearby on the ground. Knowing a good deal when he saw it, he ran for the crate, diving inside as the hail grew to the size of large pebbles.

Taking a moment to shake himself dry, Shadow sat down to watch the world disappear behind grey sheets of rain and hail as he satisfied himself with the carrots he had bought. Taking a deep breath, Shadow shuddered slightly. He had always enjoyed it when the weather was less than perfect, much to Star Gazer’s annoyance. She could never understand how he could enjoy the noise of a thunderstorm or the howling winds of a blizzard as it blew down from the surrounding mountains. Propping the tipped crate’s cover over the open side to block out the pounding rain, Shadow worked to get comfortable, knowing that it was going to be raining for a while. Realizing what was ahead of him, Shadow watched the rain spill off the deck of a nearby ship. How was he going to convince a captain to take him along? As he thought about his situation, the sound of the rain and hail, combined with everything he had been through joined forces against him. As he lay there, the young orphan felt his eyes slowly growing heavier, and before he could even try to fight it, he was fast asleep.

Author's Note

Comments are always welcome and wanted. If you see any mistakes, please PM me.

Ch.3 Tranquility

As his ship sped down the backside of the wave, Captain Main Stay’s laugh was drowned out by a crack of thunder that he felt in his chest. His laugh - a combination of excitement and anticipation - came to a sputtering halt as the Tranquility’s bow slammed into the base of the next wave, a wall of spray flying across the deck and into the captain as he held onto the wheel like his life depended on it - which he knew for a fact that, despite being roped to his ship’s wheel stand, it did. Wiping away the Great Ocean’s latest attempt to drown him, the Tranquility’s black maned master chuckled as his ship began to climb the next wave. With the wave’s crest growing closer and closer, Main Stay felt that familiar flutter in his chest and stomach, as if a flock of gulls had suddenly decided to take flight.

Main Stay ducked his head as the front of his ship cut through the top of the wave, this time anticipating the blast of spray from his ship’s bow. Watching in undisguised anticipation as the bow of his ship began to tilt forward, the stallion felt his brown fur stand on end as a shiver raced down his spine. Without thinking, the earth pony shut his eyes as tightly as he could as he ducked behind the ship’s wheel. Despite his best efforts, the world still disappeared in a flash of blinding light as the bolt of lightning struck the top of the ship’s main mast. Opening his eyes Main Stay felt, rather than heard, himself laughing over the ringing in his ears as the Tranquility raced down the wave’s backside, the siren-like whine of the wind whistling through the ship’s rigging slowly rising in pitch as the ship picked up speed.

Looking up, between flashes of lightning the captain could see that the ship’s masts were still intact though slightly blackened as the protective spells had done their job, deflecting the bolt of energy into the surrounding ocean. Despite the cost to get the spells placed, the stallion was glad that he had listened to Sea Breeze - not that he would ever admit it to her. The mare wouldn’t let him forget it for months. Of course, she probably wouldn’t let him forget his decision to sail into this storm anytime soon either. While the Tranquility rode the waves, Main Stay found himself second guessing his decision. It was something he hated to do and found more distracting than the sheets of rain slapping him in the face. Despite rumors to the contrary, he would probably admit that leaving Dragon’s Bay so soon was most likely a mistake. The rock walls of the town’s fjord provided the perfect protection from any storm for a ship, especially an aging merchant vessel like his. Plus, they could have waited out the storm in one of the wharf-side bars, warm and dry, with full bellies as they watched Sea Breeze drink her challenger under the table and win that small chest of silvers. Another thing the mare wouldn’t let him forget anytime soon. Shrugging, the stallion turned back to the task at hoof. In the end, he was the captain; he had made the final decisions.

Glancing around from where he stood Main Stay could see that the Tranquility and her crew were surrounded by monsters. They rose, seemingly as tall and formidable as mountains, before crashing down and carving deep, foreboding valleys in the ocean. Their roars echoed around the captain, adding to the song the wind whistled through the ship’s rigging as it pushed the lone ship along its course. Steering his ship through the howling storm, the waves - monsters to most ponies - continued their dance; rising and falling, roaring along with the wind’s whistles and howls. Occasionally one would try to challenge his ship, try to show that it was superior to the wooden vessel, only for the Tranquility to take it head on, splitting the impudent wave with its steel clad bow as if it was nothing, before sailing on to face the next challenger.

These waves, these monsters, the captain and his ship knew well. They had sailed together for too long to not learn how these creatures of wind and water behaved; how they seemed to think. Together, they had sailed the world, from the gentle waves of the tropical south that played and almost seemed to sing, to facing down the waves of the far north that liked to throw chunks of ice hard enough to pierce the hull of the strongest ship while growing to sizes that made the waves around him seem like newborn foals in comparison. From the gentle south to the unforgiving north, the waves demanded his respect and got it, though not his fear. Main Stay knew the waves his ship faced and that she could handle them, which was one of the reasons he had sailed when he did. What Main Stay feared wasn’t visible at the moment and the captain prayed to any power that might have been listening that it stayed that way. The thing that he feared most he had seen only once and despite the decade since that day, the memories still stalked him, invading his dreams and filling them with the screams of lost friends, twisting otherwise pleasant dreams into the kind of nightmare that he doubted even Luna could deal with, his only escape being to wake up screaming. By the time a passing ship had happened upon him and pulled him from the sea, Main Stay had made peace with his fate and had vowed that if he survived, he wouldn’t abandon his ship or friends again if that thing attacked; he would stand by his Captain and fight to the end. He had also vowed that day to live for his lost shipmates; to live a life they never could and since then he had tried his best. Yet despite his best efforts, the greatest thrills, the things that made him feel the most alive, were at sea. He had tried many of the things that other ponies found thrilling but try as he might, things like roller coasters and cloud diving failed to get anything other than a yawn from him. Feeling the Tranquility starting to pick up speed as it plunged down another wave, Captain Main Stay laughed at the top of his lungs, hoping that his friends were laughing too, wherever they were now.

Below deck, Zetani jumped slightly in his hammock as another crack of thunder echoed through the ship, drowning out the creaking of the wooden vessel’s decks. As the peal of thunder slowly faded, the young zebra could hear the captain’s laughter despite the deck between them. A small shiver ran down his spine as his captain’s laughter stopped abruptly, seconds before his home rocked to the side. In the canvas sling above him, the pegasus mare muttered something under her breath as she turned to the next page in her book. Groaning, the black and white stallion swung his legs over the side of his bed, his muscles protesting the sudden movement. Shaking his head to clear what little sleep remained, Zetani didn’t need a mirror to know that his mohawk was now plastered to his head; the storm had seen to that. The young zebra chuckled to himself as he imagined what he must look like and how his older sister would react if she could see him. She’d likely chide him about how disgraceful he looked with his mane so thoroughly messed up. Knowing her, she’d voice her displeasure in that rhyming way that was so common among the shaman and their students, especially the mares. Spirits knew she loved to do so whenever he swam in the river back home, at least until he soaked her with a splash to the face. Taking a moment to run a hoof over his mane to loosen it, he started walking around the cabin with a rhythm that he had learned over the past two years. Moving in time with the heaving deck, Zetani slowly made his way over to where the second mate and another crew member were playing some card game on a small, heavily scarred table the two unicorns had pulled between their hammocks.

“What’s up doc?” High Tide said as he laid a pair of cards face down, replacing them with two from the deck.

“Nothing, just wanted to stretch my legs.” The zebra replied as he leaned over the other unicorn’s shoulder to look at his hand. Shaking his head, the zebra moved to look at the second mate’s cards, which floated face down to the table while the pony glared at the ship’s doctor. “What?”

“No helping him. He’s gotta lose fair and square.” Turning back to his opponent, High Tide watched the younger pony study his cards before looking into the second mate’s eyes. Shaking his head, the unicorn dropped his hand face up onto the table.

“I fold.”

“It happens to everypony, Spray.” High Tide said as a small pile of various coins floated over to him.

“I hafta hit the head.” The blue and yellow pony announced as he stood; twisting his head until his neck popped a few times before walking away.

“Wanna go a round?” The remaining unicorn asked Zetani as his opponent went to relieve himself. Shrugging, the lone zebra slipped into the vacated hammock as the cards began to shuffle themselves in mid-air. The doctor watched the pieces of printed paper become a blur as they jostled among themselves before dropping to the table. “Cut it.” Zetani grabbed the top third of the deck and set it aside. The new top card floated to him as High Tide dealt the cards. “So, what was so funny earlier?”

“Hmm?” Zetani asked, not paying any real attention to his opponent as he studied his cards.

“What was so funny earlier?”

“Oh, that” He replied while shuffling a couple of cards around. “I was just thinking what my sister would say if she could have seen my mane.” The zebra replied as he set a pair of cards aside and replaced them.

“Well, tell us.” The officer said as he replaced three of his cards with new ones.

The doctor paused for a second, trying to recall what she had said to him in the past. “‘Zetani, look at your mane. If anypony saw you, they might think you weren’t quite sane.’” He said, doing his best to imitate her voice as he discarded another card. Glancing up, he could see the yellow unicorn across from him trying to stifle a few chuckles and failing.

“Considering where you are right now? She was probably right.” Another blast of thunder roared through the ship, followed by the captain’s laughter. Looking up, High Tide locked eyes with the zebra before rolling his and returning to his hand. The crew had long ago learned to accept their Captain’s special brand of insanity.

“Anyways, she’d usually give me grief about my mane after I got back from the savannah or while I was swimming in the river near our village.”

“Like what?”

“‘Wait until father has seen what you have done. He might not be pleased with his eldest son.’ If I was in the river, I’d just splash her and soak her mane. She’d always respond to that with ‘Fine, soak and play for a while. Just watch out for that cragadile’; got me every time.”

“Every time?”

“Yup, but since there were cragadiles in the river, you could never be too careful.”

High Tide snickered as he tried to imagine the doctor galloping out of the water while screaming like a little filly. In a nearby sling, one of the crew moaned as the ship was rocked by another wave, the pony’s coat looking decidedly paler than normal. “Aw come on Star Chart that was a small one.” The pony didn’t respond as he rolled onto his side, his back to the older unicorn. Smiling, High Tide continued, “It could be worse you know. The ones up north are like a roller coaster. Up and down… up and down… over and over, without end for days.” As if seeming to know the officer’s plans and approving, the Tranquility began to slide down the back of the latest wave that got in its way. For his part, the young pegasus managed to hold himself together for a few seconds before rapidly scrambling for the bucket near his hammock and retching into it.

Zetani glared at High Tide as the unicorn laughed at the younger crew member. “Not funny” He said as he moved to the pegasus’ side.
“Maybe not but I was just using the opportunity to show that some ponies don’t belong on a ship and this colt cuddler is one.”

The doctor heard the officer as he looked over the younger pony. “That’s your head-up-your-plot opinion, and I’m sure everypony else would be just as happy if you kept it to yourself.”

“Don’t get mad at me just because I point out the truth, Doc.”

Having been on the Tranquility for a few years, Zetani had seen the second mate point out the ‘truth’ on several occasions. While he had been able to ignore it up until that point, the young zebra decided that he and the crew had put up with it for long enough. Smiling, he rubbed the pegasus’ back before slowly turning around to face the older unicorn “The ‘truth’ huh? Remember when we were in Stalliongrad last year and you decided to get acquainted with some of the ladies there?” Zetani’s smile grew as he saw High Tide’s smile start to fade as he realized where the conversation was heading. Coincidentally, Zetani noticed, other than the noise from the storm, the cabin had become silent as the rest of the crew listened in. “If I remember correctly, it was because every last mare on this ship had shot down your advances.” Several of the mares nodded as they smiled at the officer’s growing discomfort. “Remember how you came to me later the next night with that rash on your face for me to cure that just wouldn’t go away on its own? You know, the one that you got after kissing one of the locals?”
High Tide’s head slowly shook as several of the crew sniggered.

“No? Come on, I’m sure you do. What was his name again?”

“It’s not my fault I thought he was a mare! This is Stalliongrad we’re talking about, even the mares look like stallions!”

“Right… and I’m sure the multiple coats didn’t help either, right? So how long did it take you to realize that she was really a he? After you paid her or after he took off his coats?”

“That’s enough Doc.” The now thoroughly embarrassed officer growled. Around the room, both ponies could hear the other crew members failing to hide their amusement.

“Don’t get mad at me just because I point out the truth, sir.” The smiling zebra replied as he moved to the less than happy officer. “Just remember sir,” he whispered, just loud enough for High Tide to hear, “I know things about everypony on this ship and plenty more about you. Keep that in mind next time you decide to target another crew member because you don’t like them for some idiotic reason.” Turning around, the doctor moved to help Star Chart to his hooves. “As for you, we got some work to do down in the hold but first I got some ginger root for you that should help with your nausea.” Letting the pegasus lean against him, Zetani turned his head to throw one last scowl at the second mate before leading Star Chart deeper into the ship.

“It’s such a shame. That was a good burger.” Star Chart said from the top of a stack of crates as he checked the knot at the top that held their net together. “I mean, I’ve had daisy burgers and hay fries before but that one was the best ever.”

Down below, Zetani hummed in reply as he checked the cargo as well. “At least you got the chance to eat some real food. I was just about to join you guys when you came rushing up the ramp.”

“I think Sea Breeze was the most pissed. She was about to win a nice sized pile of silvers when the captain yanked her and ordered us back to the ship.”

“How many shots did she do?”

“I lost count after ten.”

Zetani paused as he tried to figure out how much alcohol that was. Shrugging a moment later, he returned to his task. He wasn’t too concerned about Sea Breeze; on more than one occasion she had done twice that amount, with nothing but a massive hangover the next day to show for it. He’d probably drop by and check on her after they were done checking the cargo. Picking up his lantern, the zebra tapped on the glass a few times, the glow from the fireflies inside increased slightly but the insects stayed where they had landed. It wasn’t hard for the striped pony to see that they weren’t too thrilled with the weather as well. “Don’t worry. Just a little more, then you’ll be able to rest.” One of the bugs inside looked up at him for a moment before closing its eyes again as if attempting to stop the world from spinning. Quietly the doctor hoped that they’d get a few of those new glow crystals that were starting to be shipped out of the Crystal Empire. “So, you got somepony special waiting for you?”

“Why do you ask?”

The doctor shrugged, “You’re new to the crew and I like to know about my shipmates.”

“His name is Bright Palette. He owns an art gallery in Manehattan.”

“Painter?”

“Artist… sculptor… photographer when the mood takes him. We met when I walked into his gallery looking for a piece or two for my apartment.” The young pegasus smiled as he relived that day in his mind. “He was so cute and before I knew it, I could barely fly back to my apartment with the pieces I bought. I’m sure you can figure out what happened after that.” The pegasus’ striped companion could. “After a few months he moved in with me. We’ve been talking about adopting for a while so I signed on here to help make that happen.”

“Congratulations. I’m sure you’ll make an excellent father.”

“Thanks. I can only hope you’re right.” Star Chart said as he jumped from one net wrapped stack to another, his head barely missing one of the overhead beams. Pausing for a second, he sniffed the air. It took him a few moments before he found the scent but once he did, he knew what was causing it. “Hey Doc, you smell that?”

Zetani looked up at the pony above him, about to ask him what he meant, when the zebra caught the unmistakable stench as well. “Oh yeah, smells like somepony missed the bucket. Where’s it coming from.”

Star Chart fluttered among the stacks of crates before landing beside his friend a minute later. “Small stack of loose crates under the main deck hatch, I think.”

“We’d better check it out.” Zetani said, muttering something in Zebran as he followed his companion. Making their way to the center of the ship, the two ponies continued to check the cargo, since shifting cargo could sink the ship in seconds if it moved at the wrong moment. Ten minutes later the pair arrived at the small stack of loose crates, the stench becoming almost unbearable. Jumping into the air, Star Chart hovered, sending a small breeze into the area to help clear the air. As he landed, he heard some noise come from the bottom crate. One look at the zebra told him that he had heard it too. Crouching low, both ponies crept toward the slightly open crate. When they reached it, they looked at each other and yanked back the broken cover as one.

Instead of the fight they were expecting, they looked inside to find a young black and grey colt curled up on the floor moaning and half consciously asking for somepony to stop the ride. “I’ll be right back.” Star Chart said, before spinning around and galloping off. Finding himself alone, Zetani looked over the young colt. Other than the mess him and his saddle bags were covered in, he looked to be in fairly good condition.

“Hey kid, what’s your name?”

Shadow curled a little tighter, moaning as another wave of nausea washed over him.

“What are you doing on this ship?” Zetani asked, getting another moan in response. Behind him, he could hear the sound of hooves on wood echoing among the stacks of boxes. Moments later, Star Chart and a unicorn mare rounded the corner, skidding to a stop next to the doctor. From her back, the mare lifted a blanket and gave it to the zebra. Nodding his thanks, Zetani spread the blanket on the floor as the mare gently lifted the colt out of his wooden box and onto the waiting blanket, before wrapping him in it and laying him on the doctor’s back. “Thanks.”

“No problem Doc. Take care of your stowaway while I clean up this mess.”

“Tide probably won’t like that.”

“Oh well.” She replied; a smile lighting up her face at the thought of annoying the chauvinistic Second Mate.

“So, what are we going to do now?” Star Chart asked as the pair walked into the small room that served as the ship’s sickbay.

Groaning, Zetani gently deposited his passenger onto a small bed built into the back wall. “First, I make sure this little guy is alright and that he can keep his food down. Then, we have to tell the captain.”

“He won’t be very happy.”

“Who knows, he’s been rather happy today from what I can tell.” As if to back up the doctor, the sound of laughter filtered down from above.

“Is he always like that?”

“Only when the weather and the sea try to kill us” The zebra said as he moved over to a cabinet and pulled out a lumpy, tan root. Walking over to his patient, Zetani gently shook the young colt until he managed to partially open an eye. “Eat this” the doctor said, gently handing the root to the young vest wearing unicorn.

Shadow looked over the proffered root for a moment before taking a small bite out of it, taking his time chewing before swallowing it. After a few minutes, he took another bite out of it, finishing it off half an hour later. Realizing that whatever he had eaten wasn’t going to try and escape, Shadow slowly sat up, finally taking the opportunity to look around without the world trying to make him sick again. A few feet away, a strange striped pony slowly moved around the room, his back turned to Shadow. “Where am I?”

“You, my young stowaway, are on the independent merchant vessel Tranquility which is somewhere on the Great Ocean. And you got some explaining to do about what you’re doing here but first you’ll probably want to clean yourself up.” Zetani said, walking around the table in the middle of the room to face his young guest. Lifting up a hoof, he gently pushed a half full bucket of water next to Shadow’s bed, a small wash cloth gently floating inside.

Grabbing the cloth with his magic, Shadow set to work wiping and scraping the dried crust off of his fur. “Thanks” He said as he dunked the towel back in the water, before he started working on his face.

“No problem…” Zetani replied, pausing for the young pony to fill in the blank.

“-Shadow.”

“Shadow” The zebra watched his young patient clean himself up. As the last of the crusted filth came off, Shadow turned his attention to his saddle bags, which had managed to mostly escape getting coated, unlike their owner. “So, what are you doing on our ship?”

Shadow shrugged as he re-soaked the wash cloth. “Last thing I remember was taking shelter in some boxes from the storm. After that until now, it’s mostly a blur.”

Zetani pondered the colt’s story. He had checked the crates before loading them in the hold, right? Normally he would have assumed he had and the colt was lying but something held him back. Closing his eyes, Zetani mentally retraced the previous day, groaning as he remembered that he was rushing to load the last bit of cargo so he could join the rest of the crew at the tavern. Besides being hungry, he knew from experience that large amounts of alcohol did not mix well with some of the crew, which meant that he’d probably be needed before too long.

“You alright?”

Zetani opened his eyes to a look of concern from the young stowaway. “Yeah, though the captain isn’t going to be happy with either of us when he finds out.” He paused as a thought occurred to him. “And neither will your family.”

“My family is beyond any point of caring right now.”

“That’s rather harsh. I’m sure they’re wondering where you are.”

“They’re dead.” Zetani stopped at that. “They’re dead and all I could do was watch them die.” The young colt seemed to hitch at this, his face visualizing the emotional battle he was fighting inside. Before any tears could escape, Shadow dried his eyes on the back of a leg before giving his bags one last examination. “So no, I doubt they’re wondering where I am.”

Before he could say anything, the doctor jumped as the nearby door swung open with a bang. “So the rumors are true,” High Tide said as he slowly walked into room “we do have a stowaway on board.” The unicorn slowly walked over to the lone colt. “What’s your name?”

“Shadow.”

The smile that bloomed on High Tide’s face unsettled the room’s other occupants. “Welcome to the Tranquility. What the fuck are you doing on board?” He saw the ship’s doctor glance at the stowaway. “Don’t worry Doc, you’ll get your chance to explain yourself but for now I would appreciate it if your little friend would answer the question.” The colt before him seemed to hesitate. “No? Well, that’s not a problem. Get off your plot; you two are coming with me.” He replied, turning around to leave.

Shadow looked over at the striped earth pony, who closed his eyes and nodded, looking as if he was trying to fight off a growing headache. Jumping down from the bed, Shadow found himself slamming into the side of a cabinet as the ship was heaved by another wave.

“If I have to carry you, you won’t enjoy it.” The second officer barked without turning his head. Stumbling through the door, Shadow walked as fast as he could as the ship rolled about in the waves. Shrugging off the doctor’s help, Shadow found himself having to resort to his magic to help keep himself upright as he tried to climb a set of stairs that refused to stay still for more than a heartbeat. At the top he paused to catch his breath, closing his eyes in an attempt to make the world around him stop moving. Next to him, he heard the older unicorn mutter something before knocking on a door. Shadow didn’t hear a response, yet the older stallion opened the door and all but kicked Shadow into the room before following the doctor in.

Coming to a halt, Shadow threw the stallion a glare that did nothing as his target simply glared back and jerked his head to the side. Turning away from the second officer, Shadow took the chance to survey the room they had entered. The room itself was by no means big, though it was several times larger than the one he had woken up in. The solid wood walls had a number of paintings hung on them. To his left, one of the walls was dominated by a large map with a single main continent and a number of smaller islands surrounding it. Below it, a small globe sat on top of a small cabinet full of books. The back wall was almost entirely composed of glass that allowed everypony in the room an unobstructed view of the angry and roiling ocean waves outside. As he watched, a large wave sank from sight, only to throw itself against the wall of glass a moment later with a thundering crash that shook everything in the room. In the middle of the room stood a single pony who had his back to the new arrivals. As the wave sank away, Shadow could hear the pony break out in a laugh before saying something, as if answering the wave. Glancing at the striped pony next to him, Shadow saw the doctor roll his eyes as he shrugged.

“So, what brings you here this fine morning, Tide?” Main Stay asked as he grabbed a towel off a nearby hook to dry off.

“Afternoon, sir and we have a little situation I thought you’d like to know about.”

“Really? What kind of situ-” The captain turned around, the smile on his face freezing in place as his eyes fell on Shadow “-ation. Who’s this?”

“This” High Tide said, forcing the colt forward with a shove, “is a stowaway the doctor and Star Chart found and didn’t feel like reporting.”

“If they didn’t tell you, how did you find out?”

“I overheard Rain telling another member of the crew.”

“How did she know and why didn’t she report our young guest here?”

“I don’t know, though I plan on asking her real soon.”

The captain though about it for a moment before turning to the colt, “What’s your name and why are you on my ship.”

“His name is Shadow, sir and it’s my fault he’s on board.” Zetani said; speaking before Shadow could open his mouth. “I didn’t check the last load of cargo we took on before leaving. Star Chart and I found him while checking the cargo and I asked Rain to not tell anypony about him until I had brought him to you.” Shadow looked at the striped pony, whose attention was squarely on the captain. The colt didn’t remember much, but he was pretty sure the doctor was lying right now.

“What you were planning to do is kind of irrelevant at this point Doc. The question now is what are we going to do with our little stowaway here?”

“We could always keelhaul him?”

Zetani and Main Stay both looked at the second officer with shock and incredulity at his suggestion. “No.” They said and shouted at the same time. Both stallions looked at each other for a moment before the captain continued. “Nopony is getting keelhauled as long as I’m in charge, is that understood?”

“Yes sir.” High Tide replied, though he didn’t appear happy about it.

“Good. Now, why are you on my ship, Shadow?”

“It wasn’t by choice, Captain. I took cover in an empty box when it started to hail yesterday and the next thing I know I’m waking up with a black and white striped earth pony shoving a strange root in my face and telling me to eat it.”

A smile slowly bloomed on Main Stay’s face. ‘Striped earth pony’? “He’s a zebra, Shadow, though your description is pretty accurate.” Looking at Zetani, the captain could see that the ship’s doctor was barely restraining a laugh. “Second, I believe your story, though this ship is not designed for passengers. Third, I need you to empty your bags.”

“What.”

“Empty your saddlebags.”

“Forget it.”

The smile on the captain’s face started to fade. “It wasn’t a request, young colt.”

Shadow didn’t move as he stared at the captain, as if challenging him to try and make him. “Do it.” The youngest pony in the room looked up at Zetani. “The captain just wants to make sure you don’t have anything dangerous.” Turning back to the ship’s master, Shadow saw him slowly nod once, as if confirming the zebra’s words. Without removing his eyes from the captain, Shadow ignited his horn, loosening the strap around his waist before lifting the bags up until they hung in the air before him. Gently tapping the nearest bag’s lock, the bag’s cover opened with a snap. Reaching inside, Shadow levitated everything in the bag to the floor between him and the captain. Repeating the process, he gently lowered the four books to the floor before flipping the saddlebags upside down and roughly shaking them.
Slowly walking forward, the Tranquility’s black maned master eyed the displayed contents. One pile had a couple of apples, some oats and vegetables, a small pouch with a string around its neck and a hoof-full of bandages. The other bag’s contents hovered in the colt’s magic as the stallion inspected them. “Thank you, though this presents us with something of a problem. Normally we don’t take passengers and those we have taken paid. As it stands, everything you have wouldn’t be enough to cover your passage, though those books would go a good distance covering your fare.”

To say that Shadow’s reaction was quick would be an understatement as he pulled the books to him and projected a shield around himself that knocked the two ponies next to him off balance, sending them stumbling. “Forget it. The only way you are getting these books is over my dead body.”

“That can be arranged.” High Tide growled, glaring at the colt as he rubbed his nose which had had a sudden encounter with one of the cabin’s walls, thanks to the stowaway’s shield.

“Try it!”

“That’s enough!” Main Stay said, stopping the two before they could go any farther. He turned to his Second Officer, “Nothing is going to be arranged and don’t you have something better to do?”

High Tide tilted his head as he seemed to think about it for a moment “No, not really.”

“Then find something” The captain said “Preferably somewhere else.” Throwing a final glare at Shadow, High Tide growled something at the colt before stalking out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Gently depositing the books back in their bag, Shadow reinforced the spells on his saddlebags before turning back to the captain. Picking up the small pouch, he levitated it over to the ship’s master before pulling on the string around the neck and pulling out the remaining coins. “Here. This is all the money I have. I’ll pay the rest of my fare by working.” Shadow said as he put the coins back in the pouch and gave it to the captain.

“Doc, why don’t you take him back to your office and go over him. Make sure he isn’t infested or anything.”

“I. Am. Not. Infested!” Shadow shouted as Main Stay put the pouch of coins into a small chest on the floor.

“I don’t care.” The ship’s master said as he closed the chest’s lid. “Everypony gets checked out and you are no exception. Doc?”

“It’s true Shadow, even the captain gets checked.” Zetani said, as he turned away from a bed that Shadow only now noticed. “She’ll be fine in a day or so Captain, just the usual hangover and sensitivity to light.”

“Thanks Doc.”

Zetani nodded as he led the vest wearing colt away. As soon as the door was shut, the captain let out a groan before sinking into a plush couch he had found during a stop in Manehattan. For several minutes he just sat there, letting his muscles slowly relax and loosen. Outside, the waves still pounded against his ship’s hull, occasionally sending the ship reeling, or tried to sneak up from behind and break the magically strengthened glass. Sighing, he listened to the sound of the rain against the glass and the deck above, letting the sound drain the frustration he felt. Slowly he became aware of the gentle snoring coming from the cabin’s only other occupant. Feeling the hours of battling the sea finally starting to catch up, Main Stay slowly stood with a groan before crossing the small space between him and sweet temporary oblivion.

He had barely lifted the covers before the bed’s lone occupant rolled over, trapping the sheets beneath her. Glancing down, the captain found himself facing a single, blood-shot pale emerald eye glaring back. “Give me one good reason why I should give you any part of this bed” the mare growled.

“I’m the captain?”

Sea Breeze turned her back to him. “If that’s all you got, you can forget it.”

“What’s wrong?”

He winced as soon as the words had left his mouth. He knew he had stepped in it and judging by the painful silence he was getting, his mare friend knew it too. “What’s wrong?” She asked, sitting up and turning until they were eye to eye. “Let’s start with the raging hangover I got and all for nothing I might add, thanks to you. Or how about this storm you decided to sail us into as I was about to win a small fortune. What in Tartarus were you thinking?”

“The tide was starting to turn, and I didn’t want to miss it.”

“Ah yes, the tide… You could have told your beloved tide to go fuck itself but instead you decide to yank me before I could win!” She yelled, shuddering at the noise. The captain rolled his eyes, figuring that it was the hangover talking though he made sure she didn’t see him do it. “On top of that, you sailed us into the middle of what is probably the largest Celestia damned storm of the year! What the fucking hell were you thinking?” Before he could answer she turned her back to him again before wrapping the sheets around her once more. “Enjoy the couch”

Knowing that she was right and that arguing wouldn’t help, Main Stay slowly trudged across the small room, pulling the lone blanket off before climbing onto the couch. Throwing the blanket over him, he listened to the wind and waves outside, letting the slowly dying storm lull him into sweet oblivion.

Tranquility - Part 2

Below deck, Shadow jumped onto the small bed he had woken up on, the aches and stiffness from his last sleeping place slowly melting as he took a moment to enjoy the bed’s padding. Letting out a small sigh as he opened his eyes, the colt watched the striped earth pony – zebra, he reminded himself – move about the small room as he grabbed a few items and set them on the table in the middle of the room. “Can I ask you a question?”

“I don’t know, can you?” Zetani smiled at his young patient’s raised eyebrow. “Sure.”

“Where are you from?”

The doctor paused as he thought about his answer. “Zebrica; it’s a small country south of Equestria, near the equator.”

“What’s it like?”

Zetani smiled as he put a flashlight equipped headband on. “Imagine a land covered in grass as tall as a full grown pony. It’s hot in the winter, obscenely hot in the summer and raining the other two seasons. Zebrica has many different species in it that live together in relative peace and quiet. While I doubt you could pronounce my village’s name, the best translation I can come up with is River’s Bend.” Zetani turned on the flashlight as he started his exam with Shadow’s eyes. “Growing up, I was the second of seven kids. Beautiful eyes by the way.”

“Thanks?”

“It was a compliment. I bet the fillies were all over you.” The doctor added as he began to comb Shadow’s mane.

“Not really.”

“Oh, so you were chasing them?” The lone zebra smiled at the look of disgust on his patient’s face. “Anyways since I was the oldest son, my dad would take me out into the grasslands, teaching me how to find food or medicine.”

“How did you end up here?”

Shadow winced as Zetani sighed. From the older pony’s face, he knew he had hit a sore spot. “My father and I got into a rather nasty fight” he said before Shadow could say anything. “Like I said, most of the species in Zebrica live in relative peace but things were starting to heat up between another zebra village and the elephants. When my village’s chief decided to send warriors to help our sister village, my father volunteered me.” Zetani moved to inspect Shadow’s tail as he continued. “I was never interested in fighting or being a warrior and when I told him later than night that I wouldn’t fight, well…

My older sister had left home a year earlier and after that fight, I decided to follow her example. So I packed what little I had and left as soon as it got dark. Eventually I made it to a port and signed onto the first ship that would take me, which happened to be this one.” Moving around to his patient’s front, Zetani reached up to unzip the young colt’s vest. He got the zipper half way down before the colt noticed what was happening. Before he could blink, the ship’s doctor found himself stumbling backwards as a golden shield shimmered where he had just been standing. Rubbing his nose as he picked himself off the floor, Zetani winced as he looked at the colt, who stared back unapologetically. “Okay… keep it on.”

“Sorry, but this comes off for nopony.” Shadow stated matter-of-factly as the shield dropped and the zipper moved back to his throat.

“Can I at least take a look at your legs?” Zetani asked as he approached the young stowaway. Shadow shrugged indifferently as the barrier between the two disappeared. “Thank you.” As gently as he could, the striped stallion unwound the cloth bandages. “What happened?”

“There was a fire. I survived.”

“I’m sorry.” Zetani said, surprised by the emotionless, matter-of-fact response. Looking at the revealed flesh, the zebra was surprised by how clean the burns were. Serving on the Tranquility for two years had taught him plenty and he had seen his fair share of burns.

“My dad ran the town apothecary. After the fire, I broke in and found a potion for the infection.” Shadow said, answering the healer’s unspoken question.

“Broke in?”

“Kinda had to since everypony thinks I’m dead.” Shadow replied. “Long story, don’t ask.” He added at the doctor’s raised eyebrow.

“No burn potions?”

“Not much need for one. They tend to go bad after a week and they’re easy enough to make.”

Shrugging, Zetani looked over the healing wounds a final time before wrapping them in fresh bandages. “Good news is that whatever you took definitely did the trick. Your burns are healing nicely, and the skin should be back to near normal by the time we reach Equestria.” Stowing the few pieces of equipment he had grabbed, the doctor turned to the colt. “I am also happy to report that you are parasite and pest free, though I think you already knew this.” Coughing slightly at his patient’s raised eyebrow, Zetani glanced toward the door before an idea sprang to mind. “Perhaps we should find you someplace to sleep.”

In the crew quarters, the conversations among the lounging ponies died as Zetani and Shadow appeared. Shadow could feel everypony’s eyes on him as he stood there looking around. Across the room he could see High Tide glaring at him. Around him, the mix of ponies stared back for a few more seconds before slowly returning to whatever they had been doing. Sighing in relief, the young colt followed the ship’s lone zebra as he maneuvered around the swaying slings. Stopping at a pair of empty hammocks, the doctor gestured to the one on the right. “This one is yours. You can toss your stuff in the hoof locker beneath it.” Nodding, Shadow unbuckled his saddle bags, checking the protective spell on them before setting them in the indicated box. Next to him, Zetani slowly sat down on his hammock, letting out a contented sigh as he did. “It takes some getting used to, but after a long hot day on deck, you’ll be longing for this.”

Groaning, Shadow slowly lowered himself into the waiting piece of canvas, “Better than sleeping on the floor.” Letting his head slowly sink into the thin pillow, the young colt stared at the ceiling as his bed slowly swayed side to side as the ship rode the waves. Thinking, Shadow found himself strangely empty. He had managed to get off the island, by complete accident admittedly, but now that he had gotten off, what next? Where did he go from here? He couldn’t stay in Equestria; that was for sure. The last thing he wanted was to be anywhere near the solar tyrant and being in any of her lands was too close for comfort. Around the small room, he could hear the other crewmembers talking, his name being mentioned more times than he cared to count. It didn’t matter to him what they said at that point. With everything that had happened recently, with the possible exception of Zetani, he was too tired to care what they thought. Turning over, Shadow didn’t resist as his eyes slowly closed, surrendering himself to blissfully dreamless sleep.

Shadow slowly felt himself come around. Feeling his body slowly wake he lay motionless in the hammock, the gentle sway of the canvas sling calling him back to oblivion. Opening his eyes, the room around him lay dark with the only light filtering in through a hoof-full of previously unseen windows and except for the sound of the ocean outside and the occasional cough or snore, the room lay quiet. Slowly sitting up, the young colt slowly shook his head, trying to clear out the bits of sleep that lingered like a party guest that had overstayed their welcome. Stretching, Shadow had to hold himself back from groaning in pleasure as he could feel stiff muscles slowly relax and loosen. Twisting his back, the disguised alicorn could feel his wings slowly start to cramp. He knew this would happen when he had climbed into the canvas sling; every time he had ever slept with his vest on resulted in wing cramps the next morning. While they would eventually go away, that knowledge did little to comfort him since he knew he’d be sleeping like this for Luna only knew how long.

As quietly as he could, Shadow slowly let himself slide out of the hammock. Before he could stop himself, he felt a hoof step in something cold that felt like lump filled mud. Biting back a few choice words, he slowly channeled energy to his horn; a soft golden glow slowly filled the room. Looking down, Shadow found himself standing on a plate, his hoof planted firmly in a pile of mush that he didn’t know if he could describe if he wanted to. Hearing a few groans from those around him, he dampened the glow from his horn until he could barely make out anything within a few hoof lengths. Scraping the mush from his hoof back onto the plate, Shadow picked it and the nearby cup of water up with his magic. Silently glad that the world seemed to be in a better mood, the colt slowly made his way across the room, learning quickly to step in time with the sway of the ship and the waves. At the stairs, Shadow took a moment to catch his breath. He wasn’t used to using more than one spell at a time and he could already feel a small headache that he knew from experience would only get worse the harder he pushed himself. Dimming his horn until it was almost completely out, he slowly climbed the steps as he focused on not dropping the plate and cup. At the top of the first set of steps, Shadow reared up onto his hind legs before pushing down on the simple latch on the door and pushing it open with his head. He could have used a bit of magic to open it but with his magic split two different ways already, he didn’t want to risk breaking the plate and using his mouth was out of the question as far as he was concerned.

Stepping into the open, Shadow paused for a moment, surveying the open deck before him. Above, the moon shone down full and bright, its light bathing the ship in its gentle glow. Extinguishing the light from his horn, the young colt gently closed the door behind him with a bit of magic, making sure to set the latch back in place. Above the lapping of the waves, he could hear the strains of a song slowly filter down from above. Mentally shrugging to himself, Shadow climbed the nearby set of steps. At the top, he could see the captain at the wheel, standing on his back hooves while his front hooves grasped the handles coming from a wheel that was almost as large as the ship’s master. Standing there in silence, Shadow watched a smile spread over the stallion’s face as he began to sing, not loudly as if trying to impress the world with his voice but quietly and gently, like his mom and dad used to sing to him and his sister at night when they were younger.

As he watched, the captain slowly trailed off as he seemed to search his memory for the words of the next verse. Apparently not finding them, the older pony shrugged as he turned his head to stretch “Couldn’t sleep?”

It took Shadow a moment to realize that the captain was talking to him “Something like that.”

Gently chuckling to himself Main Stay jerked his head to the side, inviting the younger pony to join him. “I can’t blame ya” he said as his unexpected guest joined him. “Canvas takes some getting used to.” Looking across the deck of his ship, Main Stay let his trained eyes wander over the deck, noting the odd piece of loose rigging, a few crates knocked loose by the storm that, somehow, hadn’t gotten washed overboard. Glancing down at the pony next to him he watched the young colt look over the plate before him, his face screwing up in disgust after taking a quick sniff. “Believe me, it’s best to hold your nose and gag it down. Smelling it won’t help any.” Shadow looked up for a moment before grabbing a portion of the mush with his magic and swallowing it as quickly as possible. Main Stay laughed at the face the colt made. While it was agreed among the crew that the cook wasn’t exactly Equestria’s best, he certainly wasn’t the worst, as anypony who had tried Main Stay’s cooking could attest. Smiling at the crew’s threat to mutiny should he ever cook for them again, Main Stay’s mind wandered to earlier that day in his cabin. “The name’s Main Stay.”

“Shadow Dancer.”

“Shadow Dancer?”

“Yeah, apparently I was more active than my sister before we were born and my mom thought I’d be a dancer or something.”

“Ah.” Main Stay let the sound of the ocean wash over them for a while. “I’m sorry about your family.”

Shadow’s head whipped around faster than Main Stay thought possible. “How did you-”

“Know? I saw it in your eyes earlier. You didn’t tell me but you didn’t need to.” He said as he turned the ship’s wheel slightly. “I could see the pain behind your eyes as clearly as writing in a book. I doubt the others saw it though. Only a pony who’s faced Tartarus, only to survive and lose everything in the process can see that kind of pain in another.”

“What happened to you?”

Main Stay paused at the simple, innocent question. Did the colt need to know about what made him wake up screaming most nights? “That’s a nightmare for another night.” Next to him, Shadow seemed to think about it for a moment before shrugging. “I don’t know what happened, but if you ever want to talk about it…”

“Thanks.” Shadow said as he slowly stood. Leaving his cup and plate of half-eaten foulness behind, he slowly made his way down the steps he had come up. Moving to a shadow filled corner by the door he looked back, making sure the captain couldn’t see him. Happy that he was alone for the moment, Shadow quietly tugged on his vest’s zipper. Slipping it off, the young alicorn slowly spread his wings, a smile slowly growing on his face as he felt the gentle breeze flow through his feathers. Closing his eyes, it almost felt like he was flying, the world and all its problems far below him as he soared through the open sky, seemingly dancing. As nice as it felt, the smile slowly faded as he remembered what, or rather who, was now missing from his life. Quietly flapping his wings a few times to work out the cramps, Shadow slipped them back into the hidden pockets in his vest. With a quick zip, he was just another unicorn as far as the world was concerned.

Looking up, he could see far more stars than he had ever imagined were possible twinkling above. Climbing the steps again, Shadow laid down along the back railing behind where the captain stood. As he lay there, Shadow watched the ship’s master do his job, the older pony occasionally breaking out into gentle singing as the mood took him. Lying there, the young colt could feel himself warming up to the earth pony like he had with the doctor. How he had known about Shadow’s past was beyond the alicorn. Sure the captain could be telling the truth, that he’d seen it in Shadow’s eyes, but he had told Zetani, and it wouldn’t take much to imagine the zebra telling his Captain what he had learned. It wouldn’t be the first time that something like that had happened to Shadow. Yet as he thought about it, he found himself at odds with himself. Part of him wanted to believe the captain and trust him. The stallion had offered his condolences and had then let the subject drop. He didn’t try to explain himself or offer any number of trite phrases other than a very simple ‘I’m sorry’. Yet as he felt himself relax, another part screamed at him to not be such an idiot. Hadn’t he learned anything while growing up, especially when it came to earth ponies? Shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts Shadow left the argument for another time as he closed his eyes. What energy he had woken up with had quickly disappeared, and before long he was asleep once again.

Shadow stood next to the Tranquility’s master as the older pony held the ship’s wheel steady. Across the ship’s main deck, the crew lounged as they ate whatever it was that the cook had thrown together. Looking down at the plate he had practically licked clean, the youngest pony on board silently wondered if the cook, having finally gotten fed up with the comments on his food, had decided to teach the crew a lesson they wouldn’t forget by throwing everything he knew about cooking overboard, accidentally creating a meal that, while as indescribable as any other, was in fact quite delicious and earned the middle aged pony more praise in one day than he had earned in the five years he had so far served on board. Even High Tide, who still had yet to even remotely thaw to the young stowaway, had seemed to relent, if ever so slightly, by holding his tongue when the young colt had sat next to him during dinner. Smiling for probably the first time he could think of since being orphaned a week earlier, Shadow closed his eyes as a light breeze blew across the ship, his grey mane and tail playfully fluttering in the wind.

“Enjoying this?”

Shadow looked up at the older pony next to him, a knowing smile on the captain’s face. “Absolutely” He replied, a small shiver of pleasure running itself down his body.

“Good.”

Down below, most of the crew seemed to be doing the same as the sun slowly set behind them. Spray and Sea Breeze were engaged in a friendly, though never-the-less vicious, game of poker. A couple of other crew members were watching, occasionally earning a nasty glare when they offered their own advice. Overhead, the Tranquility’s pegasi had taken the welcome down time to fly for the fun of it, breaking out in impromptu games of Tag or Steal the Feather or just flying above the ship like a flock of seagulls. Glancing down, Shadow saw the door leading to the crew quarters swing open, the second mate stepping through a moment later. Held almost reverently in his magic was a well-cared for wooden case. As the door closed behind the officer, Shadow heard a number of the crew cheer as the older unicorn appeared. Tilting his head at the crew’s behavior, Shadow walked down the steps, his plate never leaving his side as he joined the small crowd around High Tide. Pushing his way in until he could see, the colt watched as the larger pony gently set the case down before flipping the latches to reveal a violin that looked like it had just been bought from its maker.

Smiling, High Tide settled the instrument below his chin before drawing the bow across the strings. The single note that sang out seemed to hit the gathered crew like a wave as they slowly backed away to give the violinist some space. Without any introduction, the second mate dove into the first song, the bow sawing back and forth over the instrument while the strings flexed under their master’s magic. For his part, Shadow barely managed to keep his jaw off the deck as he watched. How could this pony, a pony whose only purpose seemed to be to make Shadow’s life a waking nightmare of shouts and curses when he wasn’t making advances on the mares of the crew, create something with such beauty as this? Looking up, some of the pegasi seemed to be thinking the same thing as they listened, while others seemed completely unsurprised. As the song came to an end, the entire crew made their appreciation known as the musician bowed.

“I didn’t know you played!”

High Tide looked at the speaker. “Of course you didn’t. I don’t play for just anypony.”

“How long have you been playing?”

“Since before I was in the guard.”

“You were in the Royal Guard?” Shadow asked, realizing his mistake as the words left his mouth.

The older unicorn glanced at the colt “Yes, I was. Of course, this was long before you were a twinge in your father’s loins and I was damned good at my job before I left for something more challenging.”

“I thought you left before they could throw you out for multiple sexual harassment complaints?”

The officer’s face flushed red as his head whipped around, searching for the offending speaker. His demands for the coward to show himself fell flat as whoever had spoken decided that for the moment, silence would be golden.

As his tormentor searched for his newest victim, Shadow glanced at the older pony’s horn, his eyes having caught something. Sure enough, there was a slight blackening around the tip of the horn that ran down a few inches to the horn’s second spiral. His eyes narrowing, Shadow forced his way out of the crowd, his anger slowly growing as he heard the bastard continue to talk.

Nearby, the ship’s lone zebra was leaning against the railing, copying the text from the small notebook that he had been loaned as the mare next to him translated it. He looked up as the notebook’s owner stomped by. “Everything alright Shadow?”

“I’m fine.” Shadow said as he forced himself to calm down, if only for the moment.

Zetani knew the colt was lying but shrugged it off. If it was anything important, he’d likely find out later “Just asking. Can you take my plate with you?”

Wordlessly the young colt grabbed the plate as he left. Setting the two plates on a stack of their brothers, he had to force himself to not rip the door off its hinges as he opened it, though he felt no compunction as he slammed it shut behind him. Within seconds, he was walking among the gently swinging canvas slings, the stench of ozone slowly growing as he neared his hammock. Not having to guess what had happened, Shadow flipped the top of his trunk open, his saddlebags still where they belonged. A quick check confirmed what the stench in the air told him. The bags were drawing in the ambient magic around them as the spell he had put on them several months ago recharged itself. Closing the trunk, he found himself walking deeper into the ship until he was in the cargo hold, the only place he knew where he’d be left alone.

That bastard!

What in the damned name of the solar tyrant did he think Shadow had that was so valuable that he’d try to break into his bags to steal it? Above, Shadow could hear strains of some nameless melody filter down from the ship’s top deck. Taking his frustration out on the crate that he had taken shelter in a week earlier, Shadow felt himself slowly calm down. Even though that bastard of an officer had tried to steal from him, Shadow knew it had failed. The spell protecting his bags was one that he had created himself and was understandably proud of. The spell itself was deceptively simple and had yet to be beaten, as numerous ponies back home had found out the hard and rather painful way. The ozone and the scorch mark on High Tide’s horn were the tell-tale signs of a failed attempt to open the bags and would happen to anypony who the spell detected wasn’t allowed to open the bags, which now consisted of everypony. Smiling to himself, Shadow wished he had been there to see the officer get hit by the bag’s sudden discharge.

Before he could laugh at the mental image of the bastard reacting to the spell, Shadow felt the deck beneath him heave. Trying to regain his balance, the Tranquility rocked again, this time much more violently, knocking the colt completely off balance and sending him crashing into an unforgiving crate. Shaking his head, Shadow felt the ship buck a third time, a crate above breaking free of the rope holding it down only to crash within inches of the hold’s lone pony. Kicking the pile of brand new firewood aside, Shadow was rewarded with a jet of ice cold water to the face.

Sputtering in shock and surprise, the young orphan’s horn glowed as a golden shield shimmered to life in front of him. Shaking the water from his face Shadow looked up, finally noticing the crack in the hull. Grunting in pain from the rough landing, he forced himself to his hooves. Channeling more energy through his horn, the colt pushed back against the stream of water until his shield was against the wall. Ignoring the water spraying around him, Shadow stared at his shield. Slowly it began to grow and thicken until it covered the crack in the hull. Closing his eyes for a moment, the young pony visualized the spell protecting his saddlebags. Scanning the spell, he found the part of the spell he wanted and hastily memorizing it, added it to the shield.

Panting, he waited a moment before slowly letting his hold on the shield go, smiling as the magical barrier stayed in place. Wiping his face, Shadow felt his ears turn, the sound of screams and shouting piercing the ceiling above. Feeling the ship rock again, Shadow ran through the maze that was the hold as fast as he could. Around him, the cargo shook and rocked against the nets and ropes holding it down. Hearing a rope snap like a whip, Shadow threw a shield above himself, the rogue crate shattering against the magical barrier. Throwing himself through the open doorway, Shadow threw the shield at the free swinging door, slamming it shut as a number of crates crashed to the floor. Picking himself up, he ran for the stairs. Ignoring the stairway that seemed intent on beating him to death, Shadow crawled up the wooden planks before throwing the door to the main deck open.

Bolting through the opening, the young alicorn skidded to a halt. Around the ship, ponies were screaming. Above him, Main Stay was roaring at the top of his lungs while his eyes shrank to the size of pinpricks. Shadow followed the captain’s gaze and felt his heart stop while his stomach tried to swan dive into the deck beneath him.

Oh dear sweet Luna…

Above the ship, the creature loomed. Shadow had to tilt his head nearly all the way back before he could completely see the creature’s monstrous head. At least a hundred feet above the deck, the triangular head hovered, the creature’s four eyes blinking in sequence as it surveyed the ship below. Getting a hold of himself, Shadow ran up the nearby steps before coming to a halt next to the captain.
“Sir, we got a leak in the hold!”

Main Stay snapped back to reality, “How bad?”

“I got it patched for the moment, though I don’t know how long it’ll last!”

“Great. Can you cast a shield?” Shadow nodded vigorously. “Good. Get to High Tide and he’ll tell you what to do!”

Running down the stairs, Shadow could hear the captain shouting orders to the pegasi above the ship. Glancing to the side, Shadow threw himself to the deck. Above, a massive limb thicker than a century old tree whipped overhead, barely missing his head. Hearing a high pitched scream, the young colt looked up in time to see one of the crew, a blond maned unicorn get hit. The pony’s scream ended abruptly as his broken body was sent flying over the side. Before Shadow or anypony could react, the creature’s head dropped from the sky. With its mouth wide open, the monster disappeared beneath the waves, taking the unicorn with it.

A deathly quiet washed over the ship as everypony realized what had just happened. Slowly Shadow began to hear Main Stay yelling behind him. Around him, the rest of the crew seemed to be doing the same as they began to run around the deck. Finally spotting the yellow and black Second Mate, Shadow chased after the galloping stallion as he ran for the back of the ship. Following him, the colt watched him break open a hidden door in the wall below the helm. Ripping the rest of the false paneling off with a burst of magic, the officer reached in, pulling out a spear as long as himself.

“’Bout time you show up, where in Tartarus were you?” He yelled, tossing the spear in the air. “Fuck it. Take this and defend the ship like your life depends on it, because it damn well does!” He continued, tossing a spear to Shadow before the colt could open his mouth.
Grabbing the weapon, Shadow backed off as any pony without wings began to crowd around the older officer, wondering how he was supposed to use it. He had no illusions why he had it but was he supposed to throw it at the creature if it came back or thrust it into anything moving that wasn’t a pony? Glancing at Sea Breeze, the blond maned First Mate glanced back, giving him a small smile.

“First time holding a spear?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t worry; just stab it into anything that has scales.” The ship rocked again. “Don’t hesitate to throw it if you get a shot at its eyes!” The mare hastily added as the water around the ship began to boil.

Before anypony could react, the creature’s tail burst out of the ocean, once again slamming into the ship’s deck. In a move that seemed to defy all belief, the ship’s lone female officer was a blur as she rolled out of the way before bringing her weapon down on the offending limb with as much force as she could. The weapon’s shaft shattered upon impact as the razor sharp tip bent like paper. The limb retreated into the ocean moments before its owner’s head rose out of the water. Coming to a stop, the thing roared; the force of its challenge blowing back Shadow’s mane.

“Here!” Shadow yelled, tossing his weapon to the mare, the weapon rolling to a stop next to her unnoticed.

Overhead, the creature roared again. As it did, teeth as long as a pony was tall locked into place in its mouth. As it reared its head back, everypony could hear it inhale. Above the noise, the colt could hear Main Stay yelling something. Sparing a quick glance at the ship’s master, Shadow turned back in time to see something glowing in the monster’s throat. Without thinking, Shadow ignited his horn, the glowing shield bursting to life a split second before the creature exhaled, flames as bright as the noonday sun blasting against the colt’s shield. Panting from the effort, Shadow looked up as the blinding jet of flames ended.

The monster was absolutely enraged. It had been denied its prize and everypony knew it. They also knew that it was only temporary. As it began to inhale again, Shadow threw every trick he knew into the shield, every ounce of magic and every spell he thought might help, trying to strengthen it. In the moment between breathing in and flames, the ship’s pegasi chose to strike. The crack of light and sound took everypony by surprise. Above, the pegasi crewmembers drove clouds as black as a moonless night towards the creature. Once in range, they jumped on the clouds as one. Bolts of lightning as thick as trees slashed out from the clouds to strike the tallest object around.

The creature roared in agony as the bolts struck repeatedly. Falling back, the creature disappeared beneath the waves with a crash that soaked everypony on the Tranquility. The cheer from the crew was as jubilant as it was short. Within a heartbeat, the monster shot out of the water, fire already leaping from its mouth. Above, the pegasi scattered, their clouds evaporating faster than anypony could blink. One pegasus who had lingered a moment too long fell screaming from the sky, slamming into the ocean. Before he could recover, the creature struck like a snake, swallowing the luckless pony whole.

Pulling its head back again, it threw fire at the Tranquility again. The flames slammed into the young alicorn’s shield. Beneath him, Shadow could feel the wooden deck hiss as the water in the wood turned to steam. The flames continued for what seemed like an eternity. As the thing stopped its attack, Shadow felt his shield begin to crack. Looking up, he could see a few jagged cracks race up the dome. Before he could react, the dome shattered as drops of liquid fire that hadn’t rolled off fell onto the ship. The colt watched as a drop as large as him fell. Looking to where it would hit, he saw Sea Breeze.

It took Shadow a moment to realize that he was running. A moment later, he realized he was running towards the white and blond mare. Time seemed to slow as he ran. Glancing up, he could see the drop of liquid fire falling. The mare finally seemed to notice the danger as Shadow looked into her eyes. Before she could react, Shadow turned his head, slamming his entire body into her side, sending her tumbling.
The world blossomed into perfect, unimaginable, indescribable agony for the son of Silver Maple and Willow. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear. All he knew, all he could feel was the fire as it washed over his back half. Faintly he could feel a scream rip itself from his throat. Blinded by the pain, Shadow stumbled around, not feeling the burning deck sear his hooves. Not able to see through the pain, the colt ran through the flames and straight over the ship’s side.

Sea Breeze watched in horror as Shadow ran off the ship. Above her, she could hear the monster roar in victory. Acting on instinct, the mare ignited her horn as she scrambled to her hooves. Racing to the shattered railing, she cast a shield around Shadow’s quickly sinking form and the water around him. Throwing her head back, she yanked the colt out of the ocean as the creature burst out of the water where Shadow had been a split second earlier. Killing the shield, Sea Breeze grabbed Shadow from the air as the trapped water spilled across the deck.

Above her, she could hear their attacker roar in rage. Running for something resembling cover, she saw the young colt’s eyes snap open. Without warning, his horn burst to life, severing her grip on him and dropping him to the deck. As another scream of agony tore itself from him, his horn pulsed once. In front of the ship, a wall of dense black clouds appeared out of nowhere. Within seconds, the mare couldn’t see the hoof in front of her face, much less the colt who had saved her. She could hear him finally pass out from the pain along with other sounds beyond the ship. As the Tranquility cleared the cloud bank, Sea Breeze found herself looking at a perfect copy of the Tranquility sailing fifty yards off her Tranquility’s port side. She turned her head and there was another Tranquility copy to starboard.

Around her the crew stood silent in shock before remembering their situation. As they raced to clear the deck, Sea Breeze distantly noted that the crews of the copycat ships were doing the same thing. Picking Shadow off the deck, she tore the door off its hinges as she raced down the Celestia damned stairs. She didn’t need to say anything as she burst into sickbay.

At the first jolt, Zetani had raced to his station, clearing the table in the center of the room with a quick swipe of his leg. As he prepared for injured friends to come to him, he had been unable to not hear the fight going on above him. He jumped as the door above was sent flying into the ocean. “Get him on the table!” He yelled as Sea Breeze burst in. He didn’t waste time asking what had happened. He had heard the flames and felt the heat from the attack. Outside he heard something explode, the sound rattling the various jars around the room. “What the fuck was that?”

“How in Tartarus am I supposed to know!” Sea Breeze yelled back.

Zetani ignored her as his trained eyes poured over Shadow’s shaking form, multiple potions and techniques rapidly coming to mind.

Next to the ship’s lone zebra, Sea Breeze felt her stomach turn at the sight of the colt before her. All the fur along the back half of Shadow’s body no longer existed, as it had been incinerated by the flames, along with some of the flesh underneath. What was left was a twitching mass of blackened muscle that crackled whenever the colt moved too much. Taking a deep breath at the sight, the Tranquility’s Second Mate felt her stomach heave at the stench of roasted flesh that had started to permeate the small room. Racing to a nearby bucket, the mare heaved as everything she had eaten that day made a sudden reappearance. "Do what you have to doc, but he lives." Sea Breeze said as she wiped her mouth on a leg, jerking her head toward the moaning, twitching, unconscious colt on the table.

"Of course ma'am; I'll do my best." Zetani moved over to a bowl to wash his hooves.

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear.” Sea Breeze growled, stalking over until she was in front of the zebra. “I don't care what you have to do, but he lives. If you need anything, come to me and you'll get it, even if we have to beg, borrow or steal it. If we need to go anywhere, we'll go. Am I clear?" She finished, her nose inches from his as she glared at him.

"Yes, ma'am. If I may ask-"

"Why I'm so demanding? Because he saved my life; and I'll be damned if he dies because of that."

Zetani began to soak his hooves in the bowl’s contents, which would keep him sterile for the next few hours. “If you want to help, get that vest off him” he bit back.

Turning to the now motionless colt, Sea Breeze focused on the vest’s zipper, her eyes watering as he pulled it down. Why did he do that? Gently cutting the vest with her magic in a few spots, the mare slowly peeled it off Shadow, her eyes trained on the burned edges so she didn’t take any more flesh with it, before carefully picking him up and pulling the rest of it away. Tossing it into a nearby corner, she turned back to the colt, her mind trying to register what she saw. The room shook with the sound of another explosion, but she took no notice “Doc?”

“Did you get the vest off?”

“Yeah…”

“Good. Now I need you to-”

“Doc?”

“What is… it…” Zetani turned to the first mate. Seeing her staring at the burned colt, he turned to see what she was staring at. It took the zebra healer a moment to register what he was seeing, and a few more before he could speak. “Well… this is new…”

Author's Note

At six months, this chapter took me the longest to write. It took so long, that I ended up punching out nearly two other chapters. If you notice any issues or errors, please PM me.

A New World - Part 2

Shadow stood at the Tranquility’s bow, his head resting on his front legs as he leaned on the temporarily repaired front as the ship plowed through the waves. In the distance, he could see the buildings of Manehattan slowly growing on the horizon. Behind him, he could hear the ship’s crew working, calling out to one another as Main Stay guided his ship, but the colt tried to ignore the noise behind him. Even though he felt fine and had felt so a few days after they had weighed anchor, despite his protests, the crew refused to let him participate in daily tasks. Oddly, the only pony on the ship who agreed with him was High Tide. As the second mate had told him a week after they had left the island: “This isn’t a cruise ship and it sure in Tartarus isn’t some pleasure yacht.”

Ignoring the spray kicked up as the ship dug into a wave, Shadow yawned. Like most of the crew, his dreams were occupied with screams and fire, but unlike the others, those weren’t the only things he had to deal with at night. The colt didn’t have to try hard to recall the images that had plagued him since he had woken up on the ship. Images of what might happen if he was caught by the solar tyrant or her army prowled his dreams, setting upon him when he least expected it. He didn’t hold any illusions about how he would never talk, never crack no matter what Celestia did to him. If she caught him, he knew that he’d talk before she could do anything to him, which made the growing knot in his chest tighten all the more as Equestria slowly grew on the horizon. He’d tell her anything and everything, leaving him broken as he betrayed his home and anypony he had ever known or loved. What the princess did with his information was beyond him but he didn’t have to imagine that it wouldn’t be anything good for his home.

Overhead, any pegasus that wasn’t doing something onboard was above the ship. Some simply kept pace with the Tranquility while some ducked and weaved with the wind, but the injured colt knew that despite the easy going, almost bored attitude of the ship’s flyers, they were all on alert for the creature, even though no pony had seen that thing since it attacked. Likewise, all of his clone ships had done the same. Turning his gaze back to the horizon, Shadow squinted, noticing a small group of specks just above the horizon. As he watched, the specks slowly grew until they resolved themselves into the ship’s grey coated navigator and a trio of golden armored Royal Guards. Igniting his horn, Shadow pulsed the light shining from his horn, completing the only task that the captain would let him have. Main Stay had said something about this task being important but Shadow didn’t buy it. There were at least half a dozen unicorns on board who could have done it. The only reason he could think of for Main Stay having him do this was to let him think he was helping, while at the same time not giving him anything particularly hard or taxing.

Letting the signal blink for another few minutes, Shadow dowsed his horn before turning his back to the bow. Across the deck, anypony not working the sails was hard at work repairing what parts of the ship they could. Down below, he knew that a few crewmembers were inspecting the hull for new leaks which seemed to appear almost daily. If they spotted a leak, they’d patch it with a shield like the one he had used when the creature had attacked. Again, it had been High Tide who had been the one most willing to let Shadow teach the ship’s unicorns how to create that shield. The two ponies who outranked him along with Zetani had been against it until the unicorn stallion had bluntly told them, “knowing this spell might just save our lives next time, and if he’s willing to teach us” he pointed to Shadow “then I don’t see what the problem is.” They hadn’t been happy with the older unicorn but had finally relented when Shadow joined with him.

Taking a moment to stretch, the young alicorn made his way across the patchwork of repairs that covered the ship’s main deck, carefully avoiding the numerous holes and too thin looking boards. Climbing the stairs, Shadow saw Main Stay flash him a smile as he approached. “Feeling alright?”

Shadow yawned “Tired; didn’t sleep well last night.”

Nodding, Main Stay surveyed his crew “Seems like you’re not alone.”

“Hard to imagine why” Shadow unsuccessfully fought another yawn. “It doesn’t help that I’m not looking forward to what comes after we tie up.”

“You don’t have to leave, you know.” The ship’s master said, his eyes never leaving the ocean. “You could stay on board as part of the crew. I know that Sea Breeze wouldn’t mind. Neither would most of the crew.”

Shadow couldn’t deny that the captain’s offer wasn’t tempting. Taking it would mean that he’d always be on the move, never in one place long enough for Celestia to find him. Yet, as much as he was tempted to accept it, the colt knew he couldn’t. He’d be on a small ship, constantly worried that the crew would learn his secret. While Sea Breeze and Zetani knew about it and had accepted it, Shadow didn’t know enough about the rest of the crew to be at ease. On top of that, repairs would take several months, which was too much time spent in one place for Shadow’s taste. While Main Stay, among others, had assured him that nearly everything he had heard about Celestia wasn’t true, the colt couldn’t risk it. While he knew the crew believed what they said, they had been raised in Equestria and would likely believe anything they were told about the solar tyrant. Sighing, Shadow shook his head. “I can’t.”

Main Stay’s shoulders slumped at this. “It’s a shame, but I can understand why” He looked up as Star Chart and his companions made their final approach “But it’s a standing offer, so if you ever change your mind, just come to Manehattan and wait for us.”

“Thanks.” The young colt replied as he lay down against the stern railing.

“Anytime” Before the stallion could say anything else, Star Chart landed next to the captain while the three armored pegasi landed as one. Gesturing to the helm, Main Stay let the navigator relieve him before greeting the armored pegasi. Watching from where he lay, Shadow could see the three larger ponies sneaking glances at him and the bandages that covered most of his body. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Shadow wanted to leave but decided to bear it and ignore them. Closing his eyes, he pretended to try and sleep, and within moments, was.

Opening his eyes, the first thing Shadow noticed was how the sun had noticeably moved from where it had been earlier, now solidly hanging in the western sky. Slowly getting to his hooves, the next sight took Shadow’s breath away as he stared at the unimaginably tall buildings of glass and metal that loomed over the harbor and swallowed the sky line. Tearing his eyes away from the buildings, while his mind was still trying to process what he had just seen and the myriad of questions that had arisen, he noticed that there were a number of other ships in the harbor as well. Some were all wooden or had metal parts like the Tranquility. Others though, were clearly all metal and somehow glided across the water without the use of any sails. On all of these ships, the ponies on board stopped to stare as the Tranquility limped past, the damage from its battle fresh and visible for the world to see. On one of the metal, sail-less ships, a number of ponies pulled out cameras and started taking pictures, the flashes dazzling Shadow, leaving him to see spots after he blinked. At the helm, Main Stay guided his ship in, objectively ignoring the gawking ponies and the lone Guard next to him. Looking off the back of the ship, he could see the fleet of clone ships riding the waves outside the harbor “Captain?”

Main Stay looked behind him; he looked at Shadow, then the other Tranquilities “Can you get rid of them?”

Smirking, Shadow’s horn glowed for a moment before the fleet shimmered into nothingness seconds later. The wide eyed, opened mouthed gape on the pegasus Guard’s face, along with Main Stay’s smile was priceless to Shadow. Remembering where he was, Shadow silently excused himself. Ducking into the stairwell, the colt trotted down the steps, running into the first mate at the bottom. “How are you feeling?”

Shadow sighed at the one question he had gotten sick of hearing the first day after sailing from the island “Overwhelmed.”

“Heh, Manehattan has that effect on the unprepared. What brings you down here?”

“Needed someplace to think.”

“About how to sneak off the ship?” Shadow looked up in surprise at the mare’s question. For her part, she simply smiled. “Don’t be so surprised. I’ve known your feelings about coming here for a while and Main Stay filled me in on some of the details.”

“Yeah; preferably without the Royal Guards knowing.”

Sea Breeze considered the colt’s situation. Slowly smiling, she nudged Shadow into the crew quarters. “Stay here for a moment, I got an idea.” Without another word, she trotted up the steps. Frowning, Shadow walked to his hammock, his horn already glowing as he opened the chest beneath his bed. Checking the contents of his saddlebags, even though he knew that everything was there, it took him a moment to strap the bags around himself, and several more moments to get reacquainted with their feel and weight. Turning his head at the sound of hooves on the stairs, the first mate came trotting over to him. “Open your bags; quick.” Arching an eyebrow at the order, he nevertheless ignited his horn, unlocking the nearest bag. Scrunching his nose at the stench that greeted them, Shadow removed the bag’s rotting contents. “Don’t worry about it.” Sea Breeze said, tossing the small bags she had into the larger open bag. “Here’s your money. Seeing how you nearly got killed defending this ship, I thought a refund was in order.” Shadow started to open his mouth, but the mare cut him off. “I threw in some food as well, but don’t think that this makes us even. We still owe you for saving all our lives.”

Tilting her head, Shadow followed the mare into the ship’s hold. Sloshing through water that reached his fetlocks, the colt finally began to appreciate how lucky he was to still be alive. The walls of the hold were covered in a staggering number of glowing shields and hastily hammered in patches. Stopping for a moment, Shadow called upon his impromptu spell to patch a new leak. Turning back to the first mate, he found the mare standing next to an empty crate that the young colt was more familiar with than he cared to admit. “The only way to get you off without anypony noticing is if nopony sees you get off.” Seeing his face, the mare smiled. “Don’t worry you won’t be in there for long.” Overhead, the two magic users could hear Main Stay call out as the Tranquility pulled into port. Groaning, Shadow crawled into the wooden box, the cover sealing him in as soon as his head was clear.

With a few deft moves, Sea Breeze secured the crate’s cover with a hoof-full of nails and a hammer that lay nearby. Gently picking up the box with her magic, the Tranquility’s First Mate grabbed a pair of sealed crates as she walked out of the hold and onto the main deck with the crates in tow. On deck, the crew was racing around as their ship slowed to a halt. Along the wharf, a group of longshoremares grabbed the ropes tossed from the ship, wrapping them around the bollards along the dock. Overhead, the canvas sails were pulled up and secured. Not waiting for anypony’s permission, the mare trotted down the gangplank as soon as it was secured in place.

Before she could set hoof on wet concrete, Sea Breeze came to a halt as she found her path blocked by a group of armored unicorns and earth ponies. “I’m sorry ma’am, but we need everypony to stay aboard until we’ve collected everypony’s statement.”

Sorry my flank Sea Breeze thought as she frowned at the larger maroon pony. “Look” She squinted at the stallion’s chest, “Captain, let me be clear. Unlike the guard, we don’t make money by sitting on our plots all day or by harassing innocent ponies when we get bored.” She had to force herself not to smile as a frown crossed the lead guard’s face. “Every day we’re in port costs us bits. Now, I got a crate of Gryphon Blood Melons that have to get to their buyer now, before the spells on the crate expire and they start to rot. Have you ever smelled a rotting Blood Melon?”

“Uh…”

“Didn’t think so; you don’t ever forget something that foul. We’re two weeks late because of the damage and if I don’t get these off now, the buyer won’t take them. I’ll lose bits and will have a crate full of rotting melons to dispose of. Guess who I’ll think of first?” She let the unstated threat sink in “Good luck explaining the stench to your commander, or getting rid of it. Now, let me make this simple: either step aside or I hope you can swim in your armor.” Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the armored earth pony.

Sighing, the stallion stepped aside “Corporal, help carry the mare’s things and escort her back.”

“I don’t need any help, unless the corporal has experience telling parents that their child was eaten by a fucking monster.”

“Just come back when you’re done” the stallion said in exasperation.

“Don’t worry, this is my home.” Sea Breeze sniped back as she trotted off alone. As soon as she was out of sight, the mare released an audible sigh of relief. “Thank Celestia; that was close.” She heard an impressed whistle from above.

“Thanks” Shadow said. “What’s a Gryphon Blood Melon?”

“Damned if I know” The mare muttered to the nearby crate as she waited to cross the busy street. “Word of advice kid, if you have to bluff, don’t be halfhearted about it.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’ll drop you off in an alley a few blocks from here” The mare said quietly as city ponies walked by her. Crossing the street, Sea Breeze let her legs do the walking as she had no idea where exactly she was going. Ten minutes and several blocks later, she turned down an alley darkened by the nearby buildings’ long shadows. Setting his crate down, it only took a second for the mare to rip off the crate’s cover. Staring at the young alicorn as he stepped out, the lone mare tried to think of something to say. Setting the other two crates down, Sea Breeze wrapped the young colt in a hug. “Thank you.”

Shadow didn’t know what to say as he returned the hug. “Could you tell everypony goodbye for me and that I’m sorry I couldn’t do it myself?” Feeling the mare nod, Shadow couldn’t help but tighten his grip. “Thanks.”

Letting her grip slowly relax, the mare nodded to a nearby alley that connected to theirs “You need to get going if you want to find someplace to sleep tonight.” Wiping away a few rebellious tears, Shadow silently nodded; turning and walking down one of the connecting alleys. Waiting until he had turned the corner and was out of sight, Sea Breeze sat down, a couple tears crawling down her face. Slowly getting to her hooves a couple minutes later, the mare gazed at the empty crate before her. With her horn glowing, she gently picked up the two sealed crates and turned, leaving the empty crate behind, just in case he couldn’t find someplace to sleep that night. Beside her, the two crates hovered silently, stenciled names on the wood reminding her of what she had to do next. Unbidden yet not entirely unwelcome, she felt her eyes start to water again.

Shadow had to force himself to put one hoof in front of the other. Around him, ponies walked and trotted along the sidewalk, taking no notice of the young colt. This lack of attention, while welcomed by Shadow, also helped to increase the sense of loneliness that had planted itself in him when he had turned the corner. For the first time, he was truly alone, with nopony to rely on if he got in trouble. It took everything he had to not turn around right there and run straight for the Tranquility. He knew why he couldn’t go back, but knowing why didn’t make it any easier. On the Tranquility, the crew had taken him in, treating him like one of their own. Some even knew his greatest secret and had treated it like another minor oddity in a world full of them. He had felt welcomed, had felt like he finally belonged somewhere for the first time in his life. Shadow wasn’t sure if he had felt that sense of belonging outside of home before, but now found its lack almost painful.

Feeling tears threatening to spill, the disguised alicorn looked around, trying to distract himself with everything around him. Above him, buildings of stone, metal and glass towered over him, their shadows casting everything below in an early twilight. As he let himself walk, Shadow found his mind wandering at each new sight and smell. How could ships like he saw in the harbor float when metal sank in water? Were they wooden on the inside? How did they move when they didn’t have a mast to catch the wind? In the buildings around him, he could see ponies moving about. How could buildings get so big without collapsing from their own weight? How did they light the insides? He couldn’t see any candles, but he didn’t rule them out. If they used candles, whoever made them must be rich.

Stopping for a moment at the mouth of an alley, Shadow paused to let himself take everything in. Nothing like this had ever been mentioned in school, never hinted at. How could ponies achieve such heights, literally in some cases, and yet the whole world didn’t know? Twisting his neck as it threatened to cramp, the colt felt his stomach grumble. Sighing, Shadow joined a group of ponies standing at an intersection. On the street, carts and carriages passed by at a speed the young orphan couldn’t understand. What was the rush? Overhead, pegasi flew between the buildings, some pulling airborne carts while the less burdened fliers simply flew over or under the slow moving obstacles. Pegasi he could understand being in a rush, since his sister could never seem to sit still for five seconds, but everypony else? It seemed like everypony had someplace to be and that they were going to be late.

Following the group of waiting ponies across the street, Shadow silently wished he could fly. He had no idea where he was and no clue where he was going. If he could just get in the air, then he could be out of this city. While his wings hadn’t been injured in the attack, he kept them in their hidden pockets. He couldn’t afford to show the world his secret, especially in a city where Celestia had who knows how many eyes watching. Seeing the sun slowly setting between two buildings, the colt turned a corner, putting the ball of light behind him.

Hours passed as Shadow slowly made his way out of the city. Overhead, the stars of his Queen were barely visible. Feeling his gut protest the lack of anything to eat since that morning, the lone colt looked around. He had left the confines of the oversized buildings hours earlier and now found himself surrounded by homes. Through the windows, he could see ponies eating, parents playing with their children. Crossing a quiet street, Shadow paused. Instead of more houses, the fenced in area before him was covered in grass, with a number of trees planted throughout the area. Walking through the open entrance, he could see a playground on the other side while a couple paths cut through the well-tended grass.

Like I got any better options? Feeling his gut protest again, Shadow silently made his way to the playground. It wasn’t a particularly big playground. He had seen bigger in Dragon’s Bay, but he didn’t care. What he cared about most was a short tunnel-like structure next to the slide. Climbing a small set of stairs, the colt looked at the tunnel. It wasn’t a large tunnel, but it was big enough. Igniting his horn, Shadow dropped his saddlebags before opening the bag that Sea Breeze had had him open earlier. Next to the small bag of coins, was a larger bag. Pulling it out, the colt opened it, the sight of fresh fruit and vegetables greeting him. Setting an apple and some carrots aside before putting the bag of food back, the lone alicorn crawled into the tunnel. It was barely longer than he was, but so long as it kept him dry and out of sight, he didn’t care.

Slowly munching on his dinner, the colt stared out at the city in the distance. The buildings that had left him speechless were ablaze with light, as if nopony ever bothered to sleep. Spitting out a couple seeds, the young orphan got as comfortable as he could. Beyond the lights of the city, Shadow saw the sky light up as a bolt of lightning illuminated the previously invisible clouds. Great the colt thought as the sky over the ocean came to life. Setting one of his saddlebags under his head, the colt curled up a little tighter. At least I won’t have to worry about anypony seeing me tonight.

Ch.5 Welcome to Equestria - Part 1

Luna sighed. She could feel her annoyance for the self-important windbag in front of her slowly growing, but kept what she felt from showing on her face. One of the first lessons Celestia had taught her after her return had been the need to keep her expressions neutral when dealing with ponies making requests, no matter how absurd the requests were. While she found the need to do this irritating to no end, especially when it came to dealing with the nobility, she had to admit that the practice had made her nearly impossible to read when she played poker, or so numerous guards and her advisor had told her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the guard to her right roll her eyes as the pony before the lunar princess continued to talk. Holding up a silver shod hoof for silence, Luna allowed herself a small smile of pleasure as the room grew quiet. “My good sir, I would first like to thank you for bringing this issue before us, but I must decline your request for tax money to fund your project. While some would no doubt welcome a statue of you in their town,” especially the pigeons “we feel that our subjects’ hard earned tax bits would be better spent on roads and schools instead.” She held up her hoof again to forestall his inevitable protest. “We thank you for your time and hope you have a pleasant evening.” She could see the emotional conflict play out on his face, but after a moment he bowed and turned to leave.

Luna waited until the door closed behind him before sagging down in her throne, a hoof gently massaging her forehead. Why ponies came to her with proposals that Celestia had already shot down was beyond her. Did they think that she was a pushover compared to her sister? Was it her supposed inexperience? Did they really think that a thousand years on the moon had relieved her memories of a trick that foals tried on their parents? Though she doubted it, perhaps they were hoping that she’d approve their requests just to spite Celestia, like she used to do before her banishment. She glanced over at the lone thestral to her right, who rolled her eyes again at the princess’ raised eyebrow. “How my sister put up with this kind of buffoonery for a thousand years without sending a few to keep me company is beyond me.” She muttered to nopony in particular as she stared at the room’s two main doors.

“Perhaps you should ask her.”

The younger diarch shrugged, logging her Court Advisor’s idea away for later. “What shall it be tonight?” She asked, turning to the young mare next to her.

Honest Truth reached behind the princess’ throne, pulling out a drawer hidden in the base. “Cards or chess” the advisor said, pulling out a deck of cards and an ornate wooden chessboard.

“You choose” The princess stated simply. She didn’t particularly care to play either, but it was either this, or sit on her throne and look at the doors on the far side of the throne room for two more hours. Mentally noting to toss a few books in the compartment, the princess’ head rose as the large doors ahead of her slowly opened. Trotting down the long carpet leading to her was a young pegasus clad in shining golden armor. As he approached, Luna could hear the soldier’s heavy breathing. Intrigued, the lunar diarch glanced at Honest Truth, who had stopped setting up the chessboard as soon as the doors had opened. Glancing up at the princess, the young earth pony simply shrugged.

“Arise.” Luna said as the armor-clad guard reached the dais and bowed. “What brings you to us this evening…”

“Lieutenant Storm Front, ma’am” The guard replied between breaths. Gulping, he continued, “I’ve just returned from a courier run from Manehattan with a dispatch marked ‘Royal Eyes Only’.” Approaching the younger princess the lieutenant turned, revealing the remarkably ordinary looking saddlebag hanging on his left side.

Her interest piqued, Luna magically relieved the pegasus of his bag. As it floated to her, she could feel the standard magical seal on the bag burning strongly. Beneath that, she sensed the subtle, yet much more powerful seal placed on it by her sister. If the bag had been intercepted, whoever had it would neutralize the more obvious spell protecting it, but would almost certainly miss the second sealing spell. If anypony tried to open this bag or its many siblings without properly dealing with the second spell, Luna doubted that the Royal Guards would find much of the thief or the bag, except maybe a crater with bits and pieces of both scattered around.

Knowing this, Luna regarded the bag with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. It was unusual for one of these bags to arrive in Canterlot and all but unheard of for it to be brought directly to her, instead of being locked up for Celestia to deal with. Thinking, Luna couldn’t recall having ever received one of the bags since her return. Taking the tan bag, Luna touched her horn to the lock. Feeling her sister’s spell react, she pulsed the magic in her horn in a pattern known only to her. As the latch clicked open, the lunar princess let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. Glancing at her advisor, Luna levitated the small bundle of papers from the bag, before breaking the seal on the package with a simple wave of her horn.

Honest Truth watched the princess read the top sheet of the message. The mare hadn’t reached the position of Court Advisor without learning a few things and as she watched the princess, the earth pony knew from the alicorn’s body language, like the subtle stiffening of her wings and how her eyes slowly grew in size as she read, that something was wrong. Silently glad that the game would have to wait, she quietly packed the chess pieces into the folding board and stowed it back in its hiding spot. Glancing at Luna as she heard the flip of a page, Honest Truth’s suspicions were confirmed with a quick glance at the princess’ slowly dropping jaw.

Luna could barely keep her thoughts under control as she skimmed the report’s cover sheets. Reaching the end of the last sheet, she closed her eyes for a moment to collect her thoughts. Sighing as she opened her eyes, a single glance at her advisor told the mare everything she needed to know for the moment as the earth pony gestured to the guards who began to close the room down for the night. Watching them go for a moment, the princess turned to the lieutenant, who had been standing at attention in front of her since being relieved of his burden. “We thank you for getting this to us so quickly, Lieutenant.” Luna looked over at Honest Truth, who already had the sheet of paper ready. “Given the sensitive nature of the message, we would ask that you not tell anypony, including your commander or fellow guard, what you delivered.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

Luna slowly smiled at the soldier’s response. “As well, we would ask that that you take the rest of the night and tomorrow off to recover after such an arduous flight.” Grabbing the small slip of paper from her advisor, Luna signed the pass before giving it to the lieutenant.

“Thank you, your majesty” The lieutenant said, saluting. Lowering his hoof at her nod, Storm Front turned around with the kind of precision that can only be beaten into a pony during basic training, the doors closing behind him a moment later as he trotted out of the room.

“What’s scheduled for tonight?” Luna asked as the doors closed behind the lieutenant.

“Just a meeting with some nobles in two hours.”

“Good. Cancel it immediately and anything scheduled for tomorrow as well.” Luna rose from her seat, a few joints popping as she stretched, “If you need me, I will be in my room for the rest of the night. I am also not to be disturbed unless it is an emergency or somepony’s life depends on it.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Any word from Cloudsdale about repairs to the weather factory?” The drought that had set in shortly after the factory had been crippled a month earlier was starting to have visible effects on the nation, despite the emergency restrictions and actions that she and Celestia had enacted. Already, reports of increasing food prices were starting to appear. Whether that was a genuine result of the drought or ponies using the situation as a reason to raise their prices remained to be seen.

“Repairs to the building’s foundations should be completed by tomorrow morning” The mare said as she cleared the princess’s almost non-existent schedule. “At the earliest, the replacement equipment could arrive sometime this week, though Mr. Weather Vane says he isn’t holding his breath.”

Luna nodded as she digested the news. It wasn’t as good as she would have liked, but was much better than it could have been, considering the extent of the damage caused by the explosion. “Have they determined the cause of the accident?”

“No ma’am. The investigators’ latest report says that they’re still finding pieces from some of the missing workers.” The young mare shuddered at the mental image of burned, blood soaked feathers being scraped off the wreckage.

Luna grimaced at her advisor’s reply. “Keep me informed, and please tell Mr. Vane to contact me or my sister if he needs anything.”

“Of course, ma’am” Honest Truth said, bowing as the dark blue alicorn left the room.

As the doors to her room opened for her, Luna smiled as candles around the room silently burst to life as she entered, lighting the room with their gentle, inviting glow. Celestia had made sure to keep the room up to date with the latest technologies while her younger sister was gone, going so far as to install electrical lights in the ceiling and along the walls. While the younger alicorn appreciated the thought and did use the lights on occasion, she had found fairly quickly that she much preferred candles to light bulbs. The lights did their job exceptionally well, but perhaps a bit too well in Luna’s opinion. While they lit the room, they also had a tendency to drain the room of any shadows and atmosphere, drowning out the subtleties of the room in favor of stark, naked light that exposed all.

Smiling, the lunar diarch walked into her room, feeling at home among the darkened room and its shadows. Along the wall, a lone fireplace crackled as the logs inside slowly incinerated. The gentle glow from the fire made the room’s shadows jump and dance as if they were alive. Most ponies who had seen the room were struck by how different it was from how they had imagined it. The walls of the single room were almost completely lined with fine mahogany bookcases that were filled with scrolls, books and various documents ranging from brand new to items that Luna had grown up with. What bits of the walls that weren’t covered by the bookcases hosted paintings by a number of artists that Celestia had bought over the centuries. From the balcony, a pony could see for miles, with Canterlot gently glowing below and the bright lights of Manehattan a faint promise on the horizon on only the darkest and clearest of nights. Sighing that she wouldn’t get to use her telescope again that night, Luna settled down onto her bed, a plush and rather simple affair that occupied one corner of the room.

Feeling the tension drain from her like it always did when she sat on the cloud bed; Luna allowed herself a moment to relax before she began reading the captain’s report. As she did, she paused to look at the photos that had been included, which gave stark witness to what the guard captain’s words could only describe. How this ship had managed to survive was beyond her.

Setting the official report aside, Luna turned to what she had been anticipating since she had received the report. Along with the main report, the captain had included a copy of the crew’s memories of the attack. The spell the guards had used allowed a specific memory or sets of memories to be copied to a sheet of paper, allowing investigators to see events from the witness’s view point, yet allowing them to remain detached from any emotions involved. Flipping through the nearly two dozen sheets of paper, Luna removed the sheet marked with the name of the ship’s master. Closing her eyes, the princess channeled some magic into her horn before touching it to the sheet.

Luna felt the hard wooden deck heave beneath her hooves as the ship bucked. Unable to stop herself, the princess was thrown into the air before the deck leapt into the air, slamming into her and sending her tumbling into the railing along the bow. Forcing herself to her hooves, Luna wiped her nose across her leg, the brown fur coming back bloody. Looking across the deck, she watched as chaos ruled. At the helm, the captain roared out to the crew, though whatever he said was drowned out by the screams and cries of the ponies below him. From her unique position, the lunar princess watched as a black, scale covered limb that reminded her of a dragon’s tail, shot out of the water and swept across the ship’s deck, sending the few that could fleeing while the rest were thrown over the side, their limp, broken bodies disappearing beneath the waves as soon as they hit. The limb slammed into the ship’s lone mast, wrapping around it before ripping the solid piece of wood straight from the deck. The mast fell like a tree beneath the woodsmare’s ax. The captain, who had been screaming orders the entire time, had enough time for one final, high pitched scream before the mast fell, crushing him and turning the deck and cabin below him into splinters.

Luna felt herself go flying as the ship’s bow bucked from the mast crashing into the stern. Getting to her hooves, the sky above her suddenly darkened. Looking up, the grey, cloud filled sky was blotted out by the massive limb as it descended from above. Without thinking, Luna jumped, smashing bodily through the railing, watching the limb break the ship in half as her back slammed into the water below. Struggling to the surface, the princess had enough time read the name Harmony on the back of the ship, before the creature leapt out of the water and pounced on the sinking vessel like a fox on an unsuspecting mouse tunneling beneath a couple feet of snow.

Opening her eyes, Luna found herself gasping for breath, her heart racing as she sat in her bed. As she got her breathing under control, the younger diarch grabbed the incident report, scanning it for the name of the ship. Finding the name, she found herself confused by what she had seen. If the Tranquility made it into port, then why had she found herself on an entirely different ship? Why had she gotten a crewmember’s perspective and not the ship’s masters’? Could the memory be fake? Could somepony have figured out a way to create a false memory and knowingly pass it off as the real thing? Popping her neck, Luna grabbed the next memory from the pile.

The ship gently heaved under her hooves. Around Luna, ponies were enjoying themselves beneath the warm sun. Smiling, she slowly moved among the crew, nodding at the other ponies as the sound of a lone violin drifted from a group of ponies on the far side of the deck. Across the deck, a gust of wind played with her mane and tail, while sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine as the breeze warmed her fur. Letting herself go for a moment, Luna let herself enjoy the second-hoof sensation. It had been so long since she’d felt the wind in her mane, or the smell of the open ocean that she couldn’t help but enjoy it. Climbing up a flight of steps, Luna sidled up alongside the pony at the helm, kissing him before she knew it. “How’s she doing, Captain?”

“Beautifully” the brown and black stallion replied, stealing another long kiss with her. “How’s the kid?”

“I don’t know. I saw him storm off a little bit ago, and Zetani didn’t know why when I asked. I was about to hunt him down.”

The stallion nodded. “Bring him back with you; he’s missing a good time.”

Leaving the stallion, Luna was halfway down the steps when the ship jumped beneath her, sending her flying face first into the deck below. A string of colorful expletives exploded from the first mate as she got to her hooves. Above her, Luna could hear the stallion bellowing to the crew below him, who were picking themselves up. Hearing a shout from above, Luna raced for the port side of the ship. Glancing over the side, the water bubbled and writhed. Without warning, the water alongside the ship exploded, erupting in a column that drenched everypony on deck. Wiping her eyes, the princess looked up to find a black column rising out of the water that reminded her of one of the thinner towers on the old Everfree Castle. Looking up, Luna felt her stomach sink as she saw the massive head that looked down on the ship like it was a meal.

Hearing a shout from behind her, the Lunar Princess turned, before throwing herself to the deck, the armored limb barely missing her horn as it whipped overhead. Whipping her head around at the sound of a scream, Luna watched as a young pony who couldn’t have been more than twenty was sent flying over the side, before the creature lunged. As the captain’s voice snapped her back to reality, Luna ran for the back of the ship, grabbing a spear from the air as it was tossed to her “First time holding a spear?” She asked a young colt, who came walking up behind her; a spear gently floating next to him.

“Yeah” The colt’s accent caught her off guard. It felt like she had heard it before, but she couldn’t place where or when. One glance told the younger Princess that the colt was about ready to wet himself, not that she could blame him.

“Don’t worry; just stab it into anything that has scales.” The ship rocked again. “Don’t hesitate to throw it if you get a shot at its eyes!” The mare hastily added as the water around the ship began to boil. Luna’s world became a blur as the first mate rolled out of the falling limb’s way before bringing her weapon down against the offending limb to no effect. Looking up, the creature roared at her loud enough to leave her ears ringing. Watching it pull its head back, Luna could see a bright glow grow in the creature’s throat as it inhaled. Ducking, Luna watched as the attacker sprayed fire at the ship, only for its attack to be blocked by a golden shield.

As she watched from the mare’s perspective, Luna found herself impressed by how the crew reacted, no pony snapping as they worked to defend their ship. The world spun around the princess as she was sent rolling across the deck. She watched in horror as the colt who had thrown up the shield that had saved the ship disappeared in a burst of flames and light. The sound of his scream sent a chill down the princess’ spine as she watched him run blindly through the flames and over the ship’s side. The world around her disappeared as Luna raced for the ship’s side, pulling the colt from the water a heartbeat before the creature struck. As she raced for cover, the colt’s eyes snapped open, his eyes and horn glowing as he fell from her grasp and hit the deck, screaming.

Without warning, the world around her disappeared. Moments later, Luna found herself looking at perfect copies of the Tranquility as they emerged from the magical cloud bank. Before she could think about it, the royal sister found herself racing down a staircase as the sound of an explosion tore through the air around her. While the first mate and the ship’s lone zebra talked, Luna ignored them for a moment. Where were those explosions coming from? Since this was a merchant ship, it didn’t carry any heavy cannons, at least, not from what she had seen, and if they did, wouldn’t they have been the first thing the crew went for? Returning to the situation at hoof, she pulsed her horn, pausing the memory as the doctor joined her.

She stared at what she saw; momentarily unable to comprehend what lay before her. As she studied the scene, she found her mind racing, questions flooding her mind as she tried to comprehend what she saw. Silently, she resumed the memory.

“Well… this is new…”

Luna paused the memory again. “Doc, you have no idea…”

Groaning, Luna slowly crawled off her bed, feeling the stiff muscles protest the move. She didn’t care; she found that the pain and discomfort helped wake her up. As she paced her room, Luna found that she had far more questions than she could possibly answer at the moment. What was that thing? Where did it come from and why did it attack the Tranquility? Had it attacked others, like the first memory suggested? Yet as she moved about the room, her mind turned to something just as confusing; the colt. Where was he from? Why hadn’t Celestia told her about him? She had full control over the Plane of Ascension, so she would have to know about him.

Looking over at the simple digital clock next to her bed, Luna groaned again, seeing that there were still a hoof-full of hours left until sunrise. Grabbing the report as she opened the door, Luna ignored the pair of guards that fell into step beside her as she walked down the hall. She’d let her sister have the final few hours of sleep, knowing that she’d need them. While she couldn’t answer any of her many questions about the colt, she might be able to answer some of her other questions down in the archives.

Shadow groaned. Slowly opening his eyes, the young colt’s ears twitched as a gentle breeze played with the leaves of a nearby tree. Yawning, he slowly rolled onto his stomach, wincing as his stiff wing ached from being slept on. Outside, the street lights still burned brightly. Muttering to himself, the lone alicorn slowly dragged himself out into the open.

Around the park, the neighborhood was quiet. Taking a moment to stretch, Shadow ignited his horn, pulling on the zipper that kept his vest together. Smiling to himself as he flapped his wings, the alicorn looked up at the hoof-full of stars above him. It would be so easy. All he had to do was get his saddlebags and he could be out of the city well before the sun rose. Muttering to himself, Shadow flapped his wings a couple more times before putting his vest back on. Even if it was dark out and no pony was around to see him, he couldn’t risk it. This was Equestria. There was no telling how many spies Celestia had. If one of them spotted him... Shadow shook his head. He couldn’t risk it. Sighing, the lone colt ignited his horn again, the familiar weight of his bags settling on his back. If he couldn’t fly out of the city, he’d just have leave the other way.

At least it wasn’t raining.

Celestia stood on the balcony, looking out across the vast expanse before her that was only a fraction of her nation. Below her, Canterlot lay quiet, most of its citizens still sleeping. The street lamps still glowed gently, lighting the city so that it could be seen for miles from its mountain side perch. Closing her eyes, the solar princess sighed in pleasure as a light breeze blew across her back. She could hear her attendant quietly shift behind her, but she ignored the mare for the moment. Rare was the chance that the eldest Royal Sister got to just enjoy the moment, and centuries of experience had taught her to enjoy what she got when she could. Opening her eyes, Celestia could see her sister’s moon slowly sinking in the west, its bone white color starting to soften as it set. Channeling energy to her horn, Celestia could feel the tug of the sun as she coaxed it until it began to slowly rise in the east. Smiling as the sun’s light began to bathe the land before her in gold, the princess turned to leave, her attendant falling into place beside her. “So, what fires do I get to put out today?”

“Hmm… the morning schedule looks relatively safe, your highness. Breakfast followed by a meeting with the Gryphon ambassador, then open court, and a school group from Manehattan before lunch. ” The mare winced as she reviewed the afternoon’s plan; “After lunch you got a meeting with the tax bureau, followed by a meeting with the nobility before a planning meeting for upgrades to Trottingham’s municipal water system.”

Celestia quietly groaned to herself. She could handle the tax meeting and the planning meeting actually interested her but the thought of having to deal with the nobility, which had recently been more demanding and fussy than usual, did not particularly excite her. Looking up, she saw the doors that led to her private dining room slowly approaching. “Thank you for the heads up” She said as they reached the pair of simple oak doors. “I will see you at open court.” Nodding her head at the bowing attendant, Celestia let the lone guard open the door for her.

Inside, she could see that the kitchen staff had set up a simple breakfast of fresh fruit, pancakes and toast, along with several pitchers of juice and water on a buffet table along the back wall. Few ponies knew about this room, and even fewer had stepped hoof inside. If they had, the first thing they would have seen would be a table that was notable only for its complete lack of remarkability. The table was not what most ponies would expect the solar diarch to eat at. It had no encrusted gems, no gold leaf or fancy exotic inlays. It was on the whole, completely ordinary and more typical of what one would likely find in a regular citizen’s dining room. That simple ordinariness was what had caught Celestia’s eye five hundred years earlier, and she had made sure to keep her favorite table in good condition since then.

Already seated at the table was the other half of the diarchy. Luna looked up as her sister walked in, smiling as her older sister let out a very un-Princess like yawn. “Good morning, sister.”

“Morning, Luna.” Celestia said as she levitated a plate and began to load it with pancakes and fruit. “How was Night Court?”

“Livelier than normal” Luna replied, before swallowing a forkful of pineapple. “Lord Winterbloom petitioned me to help fund a statue of himself like you warned me he would.” Luna heard her sister snort at the noble’s attempt.

“I take it you said no?”

“Of course.”

“Any word from our ‘friends’?”

“None.”

Celestia nodded as her fork speared a piece of diced watermelon. It had been several months since the ambassador’s sudden visit, and the fact that she and Luna had heard nothing – other than a quick update from the general that the pony responsible for the attempted breach had escaped – bothered her. Perhaps the pony was still alive, or maybe the Sprites had caught up with them. Either way, the lack of knowing gnawed at the older sister. She had expected some kind of an update by now. Pushing the line of thought aside for the moment, she looked up at her sister. “So how much did you win last night?”

“Never got the chance to break out the cards; shortly after Lord Winterbloom left, a Pegasus messenger arrived from Manehattan carrying a dispatch from the guard unit there in a marked bag.”

Celestia looked up at her sister. It was rather unusual for a Pegasus currier to deliver something directly to the princesses, rather than the Captain of the Royal Guard. The fact that it was in one of the high security bags intrigued the older alicorn even more. “What was the message?”

Luna looked at her sister. “Yesterday morning, a ship that one would be hard pressed to call seaworthy at the best of times, barely managed to limp into port. It had somehow managed to survive being attacked at sea and while there were several casualties, by some miracle, they only lost two crew members during the attack.”

“Who attacked it?”

“It’s not so much a question of who as it is of what, and I have never seen a creature like this before.” Luna shuddered as she remembered the memories she had seen, silently glad that she had full control over the Realm of Dreams.

“How did they survive?” Celestia asked, her breakfast completely forgotten.

“One of the crew created a number of explosive illusionary copies of the ship. The creature quickly decided it had better things to do after attacking a couple fakes.” Luna looked down at her plate before shoving it to the side. “Also, I believe that this isn’t the first ship this monster has attacked.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I took a look at past reports for ships that have gone missing, and while some can be explained by accidents or storms, I found a fair number whose disappearance can’t be so easily explained. This attack, along with the disappearances, took place on the Great Ocean. I only had time to go over records for the last decade, but I’m sure I’ll find more when I look back even further.”

Celestia looked out of one of the room’s many windows. A creature was attacking ships? Was it intelligent? Could it be reasoned with? Could it be convinced to stop its attacks? This information offered an explanation for a number of missing ship reports she had seen over the years. “What flags were the missing ships flying?”

“Ours, though I doubt that thing is attacking just our ships.” Seeing her sister nod in agreement, Luna levitated a small folder to her sister. “I have prepared a number of letters to several other nations requesting information about any ships that have gone missing over the last fifteen years.”

Celestia looked over one of the letters. She made a mental note to give the gryphon ambassador a copy when they met later.

“There’s something else I discovered in this report last night.” Luna saw her sister look up.

“There’s more?”

Luna nodded. She could feel a slight flutter inside her as she prepared to ask her sister the one question that had been bothering her the whole night. “How many alicorns are there in the world?”

Celestia paused, confused. What did this have to do with anything? Besides, Luna knew the answer to the question, “Just you, me, Cadence and Twilight.”

“Are you certain?”

“Positive. Why?”

Luna met her sister’s gaze unflinchingly. “I found another.”

Celestia felt her mind go blank with those three simple words; another alicorn? How was that possible? Before Cadence had ascended, she and Luna were the only ones of their kind. If there had been any others, she would have known. Alicorns weren’t exactly common, so if there were others, she would have heard. She shook her head. Luna was mistaken; she had to be. If they had reached the Plane of Ascension, she would have felt it like she had with Cadence, then Twilight.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Luna said, as if reading her sister’s thoughts “Remember when I mentioned the explosive illusion ships?” She watched her sister slowly nod. “A ten year old alicorn colt created them after suffering injuries during the attack that no pony should have survived.”

Slowly, Celestia could feel her mind start to work again. Assuming that Luna wasn’t mistaken or trying to play a joke, this news brought a wave of questions crashing down on her. How was this possible? How could she have missed his ascension? Where was he? As she slowly drowned in questions, the solar princess felt a lump of ice settle itself in her chest. “You said he was badly wounded?” Luna nodded; “Only ten?”

“More or less.”

A badly injured ten year old created a group of explosive illusionary ships? If that was true, it meant that he had to be extremely skilled or powerful. If that was the case… “Luna, where was this ship sailing from?”

“A town outside Equestria.”

Celestia felt an invisible something slowly squeeze her heart; a strong magic user from outside Equestria? On top of that, a pony his age might see that spell as a challenge and might attempt to cast it without considering the potential results. Not only that, General Cinder had yet to confirm that his people had dealt with the pony responsible for the attempted breach. Celestia slowly turned to face her sister. “Could this be the pony the Sprites are after?”

Luna’s face slowly began to mirror her sister’s as she began to grasp what Celestia had said. Why hadn’t she thought of this earlier? The spell that bridged their world with the Fire Sprites’ required the caster to be incredibly strong magically to even attempt to cast it, let alone complete it. Even with her status as the Element of Magic, the lunar princess had serious doubts that even her sister’s former student could complete the spell. “All we know is that the General said that their failed attack occurred outside Equestria. For all we know, the pony they’re after could just be an extremely gifted unicorn, but if this young alicorn is their target…”

Celestia didn’t want to think about what would happen if the Sprites found this colt before she and Luna did. If they attacked while he was surrounded by other ponies… Celestia shook her head, forcing the painful memories back down. The older sister knew that the Sprites preferred permanent solutions to their problems and would have no problem with killing the colt, along with anypony nearby. As she thought about the situation, a single terrifying thought sprang to life in her head, what if the attempt wasn’t an accident? Celestia was fairly confident that it had been an accident, but like an image hidden in a painting, once that thought had surfaced, she couldn’t ignore it. If it was just an attempt by a colt who didn’t know better, the eldest sister was confident that she could convince the Fire Sprite council to back off, though they would demand to know how the colt had gotten his hooves on the spell when doing so should have been impossible. Yet if the colt’s failed attempt had been on purpose… Celestia felt her stomach sink at that thought, her mind flashing back to the last time the Sprites had felt threatened. One way or another, they had to find this pony before the Fire Sprites did, not only for answers, but if this colt was as powerful as she suspected and he wasn’t careful…

“Here.” Luna said, breaking her sister’s thoughts as a single photograph slowly floating over to land before Celestia. The image was of a young black and grey unicorn colt in a red vest.

Celestia looked at the image. “Why does he have a vest on?”

Luna shrugged. “Perhaps he does not wish to draw unwanted attention?

Celestia nodded as she thought. If they wanted to get to him first, they would need to move as quickly and quietly as possible. A smile slowly began to grow on the elder sister’s face as she realized that she now had an excuse to avoid the nobles. Looking up, she groaned as she saw the time. She’d have to hurry if she didn’t want to keep the gryphon ambassador waiting. If she did, she knew that the old buzzard wouldn’t let her forget about it. Shoveling the rest of her breakfast in a fashion better suited to a small child in a rush than to the immortal head of a nation, Celestia bid her sister a good day as she left. A quick check with her attendant confirmed that lunch would be just her and Fancy Pants. She wanted the young lord’s opinion on the matter, though she wouldn’t mention that the colt was an alicorn. That would stay between her and Luna for the time being. By the time she was halfway down the hall, she was already composing the notice that would be sent to every City and Royal Guard outpost in Manehattan and the surrounding area. They had to move quickly, but they couldn’t afford to tip their hand to the Fire Sprites or the young colt. Celestia suppressed a shudder at the thought of what could happen. She had experienced that horror once, and had no desire to do so again.

Welcome to Equestria - Part 2

With a groan, Shadow lowered himself, slowly letting himself down onto the cool stone beneath him. Sighing in relief as the coolness of the exposed rock bled through his bandages, the colt closed his eyes, taking the moment to enjoy the feeling as the dull ache in his back half slowly vanished while trying to remember the last time he had felt this sore from something that didn’t involve getting beaten up. Opening his eyes, the alicorn finally looked around at his surroundings. Above him, the sharp granite spires of the Unicorn Range towered above him. The string of mountains ran along a section of Equestria’s western shore, their imposing size providing an easy reference for ocean going vessels as well as a dramatic backdrop for the numerous towns and cities nestled along the coast. Coming into Manehattan, they were the first piece of Equestria Shadow had seen, their jagged tops growing out of the ocean long before Manehattan was visible.

As he had made his way out of the city that morning, the colt hadn’t been sure how he was going to cross them. That small issue resolved itself when he saw the wide gravel road leading out of the city and into the mountains. By midmorning, Shadow had found himself pleasantly surprised at how quickly he was moving. Around him, tall apartment buildings had given way to small homes and businesses, before thinning out into open fields of grass and corn.

Feeling his stomach voice its latest complaint, Shadow finally relieved himself of his saddlebags, setting them down next to him before opening the left side bag. Igniting his horn, the colt set everything in the bag before him. Without hesitating, he grabbed one of the apples in his magic before taking a large bite out of it. As he enjoyed the fruit, the colt unfolded the lone sheet of paper that was flapping in the breeze, held in place by the small coin bag on top of it.

Shadow,

I realize that there’s probably no point in me trying to convince you to stay on board, so I won’t. Instead, I want to thank you for everything. Because of you, we survived something that probably no pony ever has. Because of what you did, ponies will be able to see their families again, be able to hug their children and loved ones again. You’re probably still too young to realize the impact of your actions, but believe me when I say that they will echo for decades, if not centuries, to come. When I saw that fire falling towards me, I saw my life flash before my eyes. I knew I was about to die. Then you pushed me out of the way, nearly dying in my place. I find myself unable to find the words to properly express my gratitude for that idiotic move, so I won’t sully this letter with fancy words.

Thank you.

Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for giving me the chance to marry the stallion I love (he proposed while you were unconscious, and you’re the first to know). I know the crew would have wanted to thank you. I don’t know what you’re looking for, but I hope you find yourself someplace where you can feel at home, doing something that makes you happy.

I know that both my fiancé and I have told you that you’re always welcome to join us, and that is a standing offer. I know you have your reasons why you think you can’t stay, but you’re wrong. Despite what you’ve been taught, Celestia isn’t a murderous tyrant, and the crew would accept your… uniqueness. We both know what would happen if they gave you any shit about it.

Shadow smiled, recalling how Sea Breeze had verbally brought the wrath of the solar tyrant down on a crewmember who had kicked him in the chest for simply being in the way.

Take care, Shadow. I have no doubt that you will do great things in the future, so don’t forget about us.

Sea Breeze

P.S. Rereading this, I guess I lied at the beginning. Oops.

Smiling, Shadow wiped away the tears that threatened to escape. He had learned early on that crying was something only fillies and weaklings did, and despite being alone on the outcrop that overlooked Equestria, he still heeded the lesson. Gently folding the lone sheet of paper, the colt placed it inside the school copy of his ancestor’s diary.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath as he got his emotions under control, the young alicorn turned his attention to the final object from the empty saddlebag. As he enjoyed the gentle breeze rolling down from the mountains around him, Shadow unknotted the small coin purse’s drawstring, before carefully emptying it onto the ground in front of him. Gently lifting one of the coins with his magic, Shadow studied the coin's face; the Crystal Emperor's bust stoically looking off to Shadow's left. Picking up the other coins, he saw the rest of the royal family, the Empress and their daughter, the crown Princess. As he studied the slightly scarred coins, Shadow realized that in front of him was the most money he had ever had to call his own. Gently setting the coins back in their little bag, he repacked the open saddle bag. Growing up, he had known that his family wasn't exactly well off. There had been times when he had overheard his parents quietly talking about their lack of money, but he had ignored it for the most part. He had had a roof over his head, and even if a fully belly was a rare and treasured memory; he and his sister had never exactly gone hungry.

As if he needed a reminder why his family often had to do without, the colt could feel his battered, singed vest gently pressing against his wings and side. Cloth, especially the kind meant to be worn, wasn't common on his island home. Everypony had at least a towel or two at home, but nopony would willingly wear a towel in public. How his parents got their hooves on the fabric for his vest was a mystery that pulled at the young colt's mind from time to time. What had his parents done to get the material? What had they sacrificed so that he could go out in public? As the questions danced in his head, he felt a lump slowly grow in his stomach, remembering how he had initially rejected the vest, resenting his parents who made him wear the awful thing. What must they have thought, having gone through all that hard work, only for their son to reject the very thing that would help him live a normal life? It didn't help that anypony at school having a bad day almost always chose him to be their target. They'd corner him, demanding to know why he was so special; why his parents would waste their money on something as frivolous as a vest for him. It wasn't a particularly flashy piece of clothing; black trim around the red body with golden thread holding it all together, but it mattered little to most ponies. As far as they were concerned, the vest simply made him easier to spot and harder for him to get away.

Looking over the closest link to his mom that he had left, Shadow was surprised at how well the simple outfit had survived. There was some burning around the back where he had been hit, but as bad as it had been, Sea Breeze had somehow found similar enough material to patch it during the week they had been sailing for that deserted island. The mare had admitted that she much preferred canvas and wasn't particularly good with needle and thread, yet her repairs were nearly indistinguishable from his mom's original work.

Maybe I could do it, Shadow thought as he removed his vest, studying the repairs. It wouldn’t be easy, but I’ve passed myself off as a unicorn before. Maybe Celestia doesn’t even know I’m here. He thought about that last idea. The fact that he was here, and not tied to a torture device in some dank, hidden dungeon was a tempting piece of evidence. Yet, as the idea of returning to the Tranquility started to take hold, a lone mental image of the ship in flames, Celestia wreathed in flames as she hovered off the sinking ship’s bow flashed across his mind, killing the idea of turning around.

Feeling his heart sink, the colt put his vest back on as the temperature around him started to drop. Curling up beneath a large bush, the colt stared out across the land before him; the mountains’ shadows slowly enveloping the land as the sun slowly sank behind him. Now that he was out of Manehattan, where was he going to go? He couldn’t stay in Equestria; that much was certain. If he went north, he’d eventually find himself in the Gryphon Empire. Shadow shook his head. Going there would be the same as staying in Equestria, maybe even worse. Assuming that they didn’t kill him for being a pony before he got to their Empire, if they discovered where he was from, they’d likely torture him to death in revenge. Or worse, torture him, and then hand him over to Celestia.

With those two options out, that only left one possibility: go south, which meant Zebrica. As he thought about it, the idea of going to Zetani’s homeland started to appeal to the young alicorn. Until very recently, Shadow had never heard of Zebras, let alone their homeland, which meant that the chance of his home having any problems with the Zebras was almost non-existent. Not only that, but with it being outside Equestria, he would likely be much safer than anywhere else.

As the mountain range’s shadows swallowed him and everything before him, Shadow yawned, finally letting his exhaustion catch up with him. Closing his eyes, he felt a small knot in his chest. Knowing that he finally had someplace safe to go, he smiled. Come morning, he just had to get there.

Luna sneezed, unable to contain the sudden explosion despite knowing for several minutes that it was building. Waving a hoof in front of her face in an attempt to clear away the dust in the air, she frowned as the dust easily avoided her hoof, seeming to laugh at her efforts. Sighing, Luna turned her attention back to the musty, dust covered stack of papers on the table before her. How the Royal Archivist worked down here without constantly sneezing was beyond the princess’s comprehension. Igniting her horn, Luna levitated a number of scrolls and papers, reading them one at a time before sorting them into two piles. The first pile was all the reports of ships whose cause of loss was known or the likely cause was backed up with evidence and testimony. The second, smaller pile that lay next to the lunar diarch was for the rest.

From the moment she had raised her moon, the younger Royal Sister had sequestered herself in the Archives, diving into the dust covered records like her sister’s protégé would occasionally do with a problem that needed fixing. Starting from where she had left off the previous night, it hadn’t taken her long to start finding more unexplained missing ship reports. Scanning the next report, Luna paused as she read the name of the ship: Harmony. Gently setting the other reports down, the princess slowly read the incident report. While it was a rather cut-and-dry report of a lone pony being pulled out of the ocean in the middle of nowhere, it did answer a couple of questions that had been burning in the back of Luna’s mind. While the report’s author dismissed the rescued pony’s testimony as a product of trauma and being stranded at sea, they had still included what he had said. Recalling what she had seen the previous night, the princess found that the stallion’s account matched what she had seen. Leaning back in the tired, creaking chair, Luna found herself relieved that what she had seen wasn’t a figment of somepony’s imagination.

Setting that report to the side, Luna read through the rest of the decade worth of reports, sorting each report into one of the two piles. Looking up at the lone clock on the wall as it ticked past midnight, the princess set the larger of the two piles in a nearby basket for the staff to put away in the morning. Lifting the smaller pile and the Harmony report with her magic, Luna paused at the door. With a simple thought, a stiff breeze sprang up out of nowhere to blow among the shelves, blasting the accumulated dust into the air until the air turned into a grey haze. A slight change to the spell caused it to form a miniature tornado that slowly floated among the shelves, sucking up the dust before half filling a nearby trash can with several decades’ worth of dust and filth. Mentally reminding herself to talk to the archivist about this, Luna turned off the lights as she closed the door. Trotting down the hall, she heard her guards fall into step behind her.

Setting the pile of reports on the floor of her room as she entered, Luna groaned as she slowly stretched, a number of cracks breaking the room’s tranquility as she arched her back. Glancing at the clock next to her bed, the lunar princess sighed, realizing that she’d have less time than usual to help her subjects in their dreams. Getting comfortable on the room’s lone sofa, the alicorn closed her eyes, letting the peace and quiet of the room wash over her. Of all her new duties, this was her favorite, even if her citizens almost never remembered her intervention. If I had had this duty a thousand years earlier… Luna shook her head, banishing the stray thought. It didn’t help to dwell on the past, but there were still times when a sin or mistake from long ago came back to kick her in the flank as a not-so-gentle reminder of her past. Opening her eyes, she ignited her horn, her eyes blazing white a moment later as she entered the realm of dreams.

Like always, Luna found herself floating above Canterlot as the mountain side city slumbered. Across the city, she could see lights floating above the houses, small flames that represented each pony inside, some blazing brightly with the promise of youth while others glowed dully with the weight of years. Turning to her sister’s tower, Luna was glad to see Celestia’s blindingly bright light was calm and peaceful as her sister dreamed about lying on a deserted beach, simply enjoying the warmth and utter lack of squabbling nobles. With a flap of her wings, Luna slowly soared above the city, her eyes studying the lights below to see if anypony needed her help.

Satisfied for the moment; the lunar princess dove, letting gravity take her as Canterlot disappeared above her. Thinking for a moment, Luna’s horn flashed as her star studded mane transformed into hair which whipped around behind her as she dove. Flaring her wings as the ground rushed up to greet her, the royal sister smiled, taking a deep breath of the cool night air. The forest below was covered in millions of tiny lights that blazed just as brightly as those of her ponies. Far ahead, Luna could see the several thousand lights that represented Ponyville and its residents. Pushing herself, the Mistress of the Night soon found herself gliding as silently as an owl over the sleeping town. Sensing a slight disturbance, Luna banked, pulling a tight turn around the remains of the town’s library as she flew towards the crystal tree that now acted as the town’s new library. Near the top she could see a pair of flames. One green flame blazed bright and calm as its owner slept soundly. In comparison, the smaller flame’s larger purple companion raged like a blast furnace.

Passing through the castle’s wall like it didn’t exist, Luna landed beside Princess Twilight’s bed, the world’s newest alicorn tossing and turning as her face contorted. Placing a hoof on the distressed pony, Luna found herself standing on a blasted plain. Around her, grass burned and smoked as rocks the size of buildings sailed overhead. Looking up, Luna found herself standing before Tirek, her horn barely reaching past his fetlock. Stepping to the side, the princess found herself watching in fascination as that bastard and Twilight fought. While she had been locked up in Tartarus at the time, the reports she had later heard of the battle left little doubt that they had been right to trust their power to the young Princess. What doubt she still had disappeared when she flew over the battlefield later that night, seeing the damaged fields and mountains for herself. Watching the dream play out before her, Luna could see that it had been going on for quite a while, as almost nothing of the surrounding environment remained unscathed. In the distance, Luna could see Twilight leap into the air, her horn blazing like the sun as she closed the distance between her and Tirek. As the young alicorn fired, the darker alicorn’s horn blazed. Tirek staggered under Twilight’s assault and as the smoke and dust cleared, Luna had to suppress a laugh as Twilight gawked at the suddenly shrunken and extremely irate minotaur.

Smiling, Luna removed her hoof from the sleeping alicorn, satisfied that the rest of the night would pass in peace for her sister’s former student. Checking on Spike, Luna jumped through the open window, her wings spreading to catch the night air. Slowly spiraling higher and higher, it wasn’t long until she could see the lights of Manehattan blazing beyond the horizon. On a whim, the lunar princess turned toward the city, the peaks of the Unicorn Range slowly growing on the horizon. She didn’t know why, but she felt drawn toward the city for some reason. Perhaps it was intuition or some form of latent magic that nopony could explain, but whatever it was, Luna had learned long ago to simply go where it led.

Enjoying the cool breeze flowing from the towering peaks, Luna almost missed the lone light at the top of a cliff. Bleeding off some altitude, Luna sailed toward the light. Why would a pony spend the night there, instead of one of the rest areas that had been set up along the roads that passed through the mountains? Trotting to bleed off excess momentum as she landed, Luna quietly approached the lone pony. While it was rare, there were ponies who could sense her presence when they were asleep, and if this pony was one of them, she didn’t want them stumbling around the top of a cliff that promised a long drop if they put one hoof out of place. Smiling as the pony didn’t even twitch as she neared; Luna felt the smile slowly fade as she noticed the pony’s red vest. Could it be? The lunar diarch crept closer, holding her breath like the pony might hear her. Seeing the grey mane, Luna stopped as her mind raced. This was too good to be true, yet she knew it to be real. The one pony they were desperate to find was sleeping alone! It would only take a simple spell, and she would find herself back in her room. A quick order later, and her guards could catch this colt while he was still asleep, and have him in Canterlot before the sun could rise. Preparing the spell, Luna paused as she watched the colt’s legs twitch; above him, his golden yellow flame writhed. Letting the spell disperse, the older alicorn hesitatingly placed her hoof on the colt’s shoulder.

Luna found herself standing in a dark room, a fire gently crackling in the nearby stone fireplace. Looking down, she found that she was standing in the middle of a large chalk circle. Backing up, the younger sister felt her chest tighten as she thought she recognized the casting circle, despite the fuzziness of the runes. Hearing a noise, Luna turned her head to see a young colt studying an ancient looking book before scrutinizing the circle. As he carefully stepped into the circle, the light from the fireplace reflected off his wings, leaving Luna with no doubt about this colt’s identity. Satisfied, the colt stepped out of the circle, passing through Luna like she wasn’t even there. The lunar princess had to keep herself from stepping into the dream and stopping it. She watched silently as the young alicorn’s horn blazed, the room’s shadows fleeing for cover as the light intensified to levels that bordered on painful. With a crack, the colt was thrown backwards.

Before he could hit the couch behind him; the room shattered like glass, the shards dissolving into a new room. In it, the colt stood, looking around as if he was expecting something to jump out at him. Without warning, the door behind Luna exploded as flames belched from the opening. Without hesitating, the colt threw himself through the nearest wall, tumbling to a stop at the base of a large tree along the edge of a nearby forest. Luna felt her skin crawl as a scream of terror and agony tore through the colt’s dream, drowning out the colt’s reply as he screamed a name back at the flames. With tears streaming down his face, the colt charged the flames, his wings outstretched as he took to the air. He had barely gotten off the ground before the house exploded, blasting him out of the air and into the surrounding trees.

Around her, the trees transformed into pieces of stone with names etched into them. Before her, the colt lay before a trio of granite headstones. It took her a moment to recognize the language on the stones. As she read the three names, Luna heard a branch snap behind her. Turning her head, Luna saw three ponies standing behind her. The two adults were almost completely burned and blackened almost to the point of not being recognizable. If it hadn’t been for the odd patch of unburned fur and the marks on their flanks, Luna would have been hard pressed to even believe that they had once been ponies. Next to them, a young filly looked absolutely incensed as flames slowly consumed her body, her flesh audibly snapping and sizzling under the heat. She heard the colt whimper, and as she watched, the headstones behind him started to grow, shooting into the air and widening until they formed an impenetrable barrier that ended any chance the colt had to escape. As the ponies advanced on him, the colt slowly retreated until his back was against the wall, his words and tear soaked apologies falling on deaf ears as the trio continued their advance. As he pleaded with them, begging their forgiveness, a large hole opened in the ground next to him. Next to it, Luna could see the name Shadow inscribed in crystallic on the plain headstone.

Before he could react, the colt was thrown into the air like a ragdoll. Getting back on his hooves, he screamed in sheer terror when he saw who was standing before him. It took Luna to realize that it was her sister. Her sister towered over the colt; her eyes would have put the coldest arctic winds to shame as she glared at the colt. Her mane and tale burst into searing flames as a set of golden armor materialized over her body and face. Though she was watching from the shadows, even Luna felt a sense of barely suppressed terror grip her as she watched her sister smile, razor sharp teeth gleaming in the light from her mane. The colt tried to run, but before he could take two steps, Luna’s sister’s horn pulsed, the ground around the young alicorn erupting into walls of flames. With a laugh that sent chills down her spine, Luna watched as the ring of flames slowly closed around the young colt, the flames growing larger as the colt found himself with less and less room to move. At the last moment, Celestia yanked the colt off his hooves by his mane, holding him securely in her grip over the raging flames despite his struggling. Laughing, Celestia unceremoniously released her grip on the colt, letting him fall screaming into the flames.

As he fell, the world around Luna evaporated, only to be replaced by the mangled, flaming deck of a ship. Around the colt ponies ran; their screams unheard as the young alicorn’s attention was focused squarely on a large serpent as it rose from the water. As it came to a halt far above the stricken ship, Celestia landed on the creature’s head as lightly as a feather, a predatory smile etched on her face. Despite the distance, Luna could hear her sister’s terrifying laugh along with her taunts and insults to the colt. Before he could react, the screaming ponies leaped onto the colt, what defense he could muster useless as talons burst from his attackers’ hooves and beaks from their faces. Despite his pleas, the young alicorn was hauled bodily by a pair of gryphons, their clawed hands at his throat as they brought him before Celestia. With a final smirk on her armored face, Luna watched as her sister said something to the creature as she took to the air. Rearing its head back, the serpent took a deep breath, sucking a couple pegasi to their doom before breathing out jets of blinding white flames as the gryphons dropped their captive into the waiting maw.

Before she could react, Luna felt herself being hurled through the air, the Unicorn Range quickly retreating into the distance. Righting herself in the air, the lunar princess groaned as she saw Canterlot growing quickly in the distance. While she was able to stop herself if she concentrated, Luna held back. Seconds later, the princess passed through the wall of her room before crashing back into her body, which was still waiting for her on the sofa. Swearing in a language that had died out long before her banishment, Luna opened her eyes, rubbing the base of her horn as she felt a headache slowly form. She hated it when ponies woke up while she was in their dreams, though she couldn’t blame the colt after seeing what she had. Sighing, she slowly stood. On the wall, the clock showed that there were only a few hours to go until sunrise. There wasn’t enough time to send a couple night guards to pick up the colt. Even if there was, Luna wouldn’t have sent them. Now that he was awake, the chances that he’d fall asleep long enough for them to grab him or for her to view his dreams again were almost non-existent. On top of that, she didn’t want to spook the colt. She needed little convincing that he had the potential to be extremely powerful, and she didn’t want him to possibly tap into that power until they could figure things out.

Satisfied that they had a good idea where they could find him for the next few days, Luna’s thoughts turned to what she had seen in his dreams. Was this the pony the Sprites were after? Luna felt herself unsure as she recalled the circle the colt had been working on in the beginning of the dream. While the spell that allowed access to the Sprite’s realm required a casting circle for most ponies, so did a number of spells, and all she could tell from the dream was that the colt didn’t remember the runes for whatever spell he had been attempting. Where had he gotten that book? Why was it, along with the names on the headstones written in crystallic? Where was this colt from? If she hadn’t seen what she did, Luna would have said the Crystal Empire, but having been there several times since its reappearance, she knew that couldn’t be the case. Even if he and his family had left the Empire after Sombra’s second defeat, the colt’s accent was too different, never mind the fact that Sombra never would have let them live long enough to escape. Feeling her stomach rumbling, the lunar diarch left her room, ignoring the guards next to her. She’d tell her sister what she saw, but first she needed to think, and the best place to think with an empty stomach was the castle’s main kitchen.

Shadow’s eyes snapped open as his heart raced in terror. Igniting his horn, he bathed the area around him in light, though much to his comfort all he saw was bushes and a lone tree. Sighing in relief, the colt took several deep breathes, smiling as his heart rate slowly began to approach a level that vaguely resembled normal. Shivering as his cold sweat slowly evaporated, Shadow looked out across the land before him. Despite his professed love for the moon and the nighttime beauty before him, the colt had never in his life found himself wishing more fervently that the sun would soon rise.

Ch.6 The Road - Part 1

Shadow yawned.

Despite his best efforts, he could feel his eyelids growing heavier. Even though he knew what awaited him, Shadow could feel his will slowly crumble to sleep’s siren call. Blinking a bead of sweat away, the colt’s eyelids felt like sand paper against his eyes. How long he had been awake was a mystery Shadow didn’t care to think about. All he knew was that he had been up since well before dawn, waiting for the sun to banish the darkness that had taken on a special kind of menace that had once been reserved for the monsters under his bed. Leaning back, he basked in the shade of the lone tree along the side of the road, idly watching as the sunlight filtering through the branches danced across his body while a warm breeze played with the leaves above.

Despite the fact that the sun had yet to reach the top of the sky, it felt like all of the sun’s attention was focused on him, as if he was an ant beneath a sadistic colt’s magnifying glass. Back home, there was a common rumor that Celestia could look down from her sun and see any part of the world that its light touched. Shadow had never believed it for a second since, if it was true, the solar tyrant would have to know about their island, and she would never allow an island of her sister’s supporters to exist.

Shaking his head as the latest wave of exhaustion washed over him, the young alicorn looked at the green and blue canopy above him. Plucking one of the leaves with his magic, the colt studied the pointed, three lobed leaf; the name of the tree springing to mind unbidden. He could feel the leaves crunch beneath his hooves as he walked down the well-trod path through the forest. Overhead, his mom’s light green body was easy to spot against the early spring clouds. As he watched her cartwheel through the air, the colt couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy, knowing that flying so freely would always be beyond him. Lost in his thoughts, Shadow didn’t notice his mom slowly glide in until she was hovering above him “How you doing?” The mare laughed at her young colt’s sudden start. Despite how much he tried to hide it, she knew how much it hurt that he couldn’t be himself, how much he resented having to disguise himself. Smiling, the mare tucked in her wings, landing next to her son. “Don’t worry, last tree of the day is right up ahead,” Wrapping a wing around the colt, she pulled him closer. “Once we’re done here, it’s only a quick trot to White Head.” She laughed at the expression on her son’s face, knowing how much he treasured every second of flight time he got.

Shadow felt his chest tighten as his mom’s laugh echoed in his mind. Scrambling to his hooves, it was several moments before he stopped and looked back at the lone tree. A tree like this would have been a forest monarch back home, a tree that his mom would have gone nuts over. He could hear his mom’s squeal of delight right before she’d fly into the tree’s canopy to inspect every inch of it like it was a prized gem. Shadow couldn’t put his hoof on why he had abandoned the maple’s shade for the cloud-free sky of the fields around it. Maybe it was the memories of tapping it brought back, but despite the heat, the colt knew he couldn’t go back.

As he turned away, he could see in the distance the dark smudge that was the Unicorn Range peeking above the horizon. Slightly closer he could make out a couple pegasi flying above the town he had passed through that morning while the sun was still a distant promise. Feeling the gravel of the road crunching under his hooves, Shadow unconsciously fell into the steady rhythm somewhere between a trot and a canter that had carried him from Manehattan. Feeling his stomach rumble, the young colt tore a wad of grass from the ground with his magic, not bothering to slow down as he bit down on the grass.

Shadow had never been a fan of grass, even when it was prepared and seasoned. Forcing himself to swallow the offending food, he sent the rest of the clump rocketing into the distance. Even as he wished for something to wash away the taste, he knew he’d have to suffer for the moment. For whatever reason, everything seemed to be abnormally dry, and even the water gathering spell his dad had taught him could barely slake his thirst without damaging the surrounding fields to the point that a pony might notice, and the last thing he wanted was somepony to notice something that could lead back to him.

Resigning himself to being hungry and thirsty, Shadow let his mind wander to what Zebrica might be like. He knew from Zetani that it lay further south than Equestria’s southernmost desert town. What might he find there? The zebra doctor’s descriptions of his homeland had left the young alicorn entranced. As he had listened, Shadow had found himself standing among the grasses as tall as an elephant’s knees while trying to figure out if that sound he heard was a lion about to attack or not. He had seen himself visiting River’s Bend, seeking out Zetani’s father and telling the older stallion how his son had saved his life. Could he do it? Could he live in an entirely different country among a species that until recently he had never known existed? For sure there was the issue of his complete inability to cook, but while the thought of eating all his food raw didn’t hold much appeal to the colt, he also knew that at least he wouldn’t have to worry about freezing to death in the winter.

Maybe he wouldn’t have to hide what he was. That simple idea slowly brought him to a stop in the middle of the road. Could he live as he had always wanted, without having to hide his wings? As the thought grew in his mind, Shadow’s pace slowly increased until he found himself running flat out. Forcing himself to slow down, the colt couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer joy of the idea. Could he do it? While he hadn’t asked Zetani about his thoughts on alicorns, he doubted that Zebrica had the kind of history with alicorns that his home had. He’d have to keep himself disguised until he was sure, but if that was the case… Why couldn’t he do it? While he had heard about the tensions that occasionally flared between the species, maybe he could put his magic and special talent to use defending towns and ponies from whatever might threaten them. Smiling to himself, Shadow let his legs do their thing as his imagination slowly took over.

As the sun reached its peak in the sky, the world around the colt slowly grew quiet as the birds and insects sought shelter from the baking heat. Even the wind, weak as it was, did little to help. Accompanied only by the sound of gravel beneath his hooves, Shadow’s first thought was that what he was hearing was a figment of his mind which had finally begun to overheat. Within seconds, a brown lump slowly appeared in the shimmering waves of heat ahead of him. As he approached, Shadow could clearly hear the voice again, this time coming from beneath the now solid carriage. The young alicorn came to a stop a few paces from the wooden vehicle as the voice’s owner launched into a profanity and innuendo laced rant that left the colt wondering if anything the incensed mare shouted was even physically possible.

“Excuse me” Shadow interjected while the mare took a breath “Are you alright?” Shadow winced as he heard what sounded suspiciously like a head hitting the underside of the carriage, which was quickly followed by a string of profanity that he figured would be better left unremembered.

“No, Trixie is not ‘alright’. If she was, she’d be in Canterlot right now, not stuck in the middle of nowhere trying to fix her home!”

Shadow took a small step back as the mare unleashed another profanity filled tirade against the universe and any higher power that might be listening. “Do you need any help?”

From beneath the carriage, he heard the mare sigh “Could you give Trixie that saw by the rear wheel?” It took Shadow a moment to dig it out from the pile of tools before giving it to her. “Thank you.”

“What happened?”

“Trixie knew that her wagon needed some minor work, but like an idiot she thought she could get to her next show before she’d have to fix anything. So naturally, she runs over a small bump in the road and her Celestia-damned rear axle decides to snap in half!” From below, Shadow could hear the mare growl in frustration as the saw began to do its thing.

“Can you fix it?”

“Fix, no. Replace…” The saw flew out from beneath the wagon before coming to a stop in the nearby grass. Shadow watched the mare wiggle her way from under the wagon a moment later. “Don’t get me wrong, Trixie is glad for your help.” Walking around to the back, the blue and white mare pulled out a canteen, giving it to the colt after she was done with it. Nodding his thanks, Shadow drained the canteen dry within seconds.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome…”

“Shadow.”

“Shadow. Not to question the universe when it gets off its lazy plot and finally helps out, but is there any chance you could lift this thing?”

Shadow looked over the wagon. While it wasn’t a boulder, he doubted he could lift it on his own. Smirking, he channeled energy into his horn, smiling at Trixie’s yelp as a clone burst into existence. Without a word, the two colts lifted the wagon ten feet into the air, letting it hover for a moment before gently lowering it to the ground.

“…Never mind.” Holding the wagon still, Shadow watched as the mare ripped out the broken axle, tossing the pieces into a pile nearby. “Not the best replacement, but it is the best Trixie can do.” As the mare spoke, she grabbed a small, bark covered log nearby with her magic, guiding it into place before securing it in place. Shadow watched silently as Trixie tore the wheels and hardware off the old axle, fitting them to the replacement.

At the mare’s signal, the two Shadows slowly lowered the wagon. While it wasn’t the heaviest thing he had ever lifted, and even though it had only been in the air for a few minutes, Shadow could feel the first hints of a headache. Gritting his teeth as the new axle groaned under the wagon’s weight, the colt sighed as the former oak tree held. Smiling in satisfaction, the two colts picked up the few remaining tools that Trixie hadn’t already stowed away.

“Though she is not much of a gambler, if you had not come along, even Trixie would have put bits on her spending the night along the side of the road. Thank you.”

The two identical colts shrugged as one at the mare’s thanks. “Eh, it’s not like there was much else to do.”

“Other than head south…”

“True.”

Trixie watched the two colts’ back and forth banter, amazed at how one worked off the other, and at the same time utterly confused as to which colt was the original. “Um, not to interrupt” The showmare said at her first opportunity “But which of you is the real Shadow?” The two colts glanced at the other before looking back at Trixie and pointing a hoof at each other. Smirking at the answer she should have seen coming, the mare tossed the old axle’s remains into the wagon before closing the door. “Seeing as how my plans for today have been shot to Tartarus, if you help Trixie get her wagon to a nearby campground, she’d be more than happy to give a private performance as well as a dinner fit for royalty.”

Before he could open his mouth, Shadow’s stomach used the opening to second the mare’s plan. Traitor Shadow thought as the clone looked at him in surprise. Glancing up, he could see a knowing smirk on the unicorn mare’s face as her two questions were answered “Deal.”

Shadow smiled to himself as he felt the still warm water lap against him. Opening his eyes, he floated along the lake’s surface, his wings slowly flapping beneath him. Overhead, the night sky was ablaze with light as more stars than the colt thought possible lit up the sky. How long had it been since he had taken the time to enjoy the beauty of his Queen’s creation? Back on the Tranquility? Before that when he still had a family? Letting out a gentle sigh, Shadow closed his eyes as he left the quiet world behind, letting the lake’s gentle waves buffet him, massaging aching muscles while washing out the dust and grime from days on the road.

Quietly laughing to himself, the young alicorn couldn’t help but recall the look on Trixie’s face when his clone had abandoned any sense of restraint it had as it threw itself into the lake seemingly before the wagon was even fully on the island. The showmare’s look of indignation at the clone’s abandonment had been funny, but the way her jaw had practically hit the ground when he summoned close to two dozen additional clones, all of which immediately created a miniature stampede for the island’s small beach as soon as they spotted it, had been priceless. In truth, Shadow created those clones partly to show off to Trixie, but also because if he treated one clone better than the others, he’d never hear the end of it. Trixie, for her part, had taken the shock surprisingly well, going so far as to ask him to teach her the spell.

Flipping over in the water with a small splash, Shadow slowly paddled for the island, still feeling lethargic from the performer’s promised meal which, while not being up to what Shadow considered royal levels, had never the less been one of the best meals he could remember eating in years. While the unicorn mare had been setting her home up for her private show, the young alicorn had explored the small island, eventually coming across a number of blackberry and raspberry bushes laden with fruit. Within a minute, Shadow had stripped the plants of every last berry, bringing back a moderate sized pile of berries that had escaped his hunger.

Trotting out of the water, Shadow wings felt like somepony had tied lead weights to them. Shaking himself like a dog, everything within ten feet got an impromptu soaking as the colt relieved himself of the part of the lake that wanted to go with him. Igniting his horn, the young alicorn felt the welcome heat wash over him as he dried himself, paying special attention to his wings and his back half. A quick glance reminded him of what he had seen when he had removed his bandages. The sight of a coat of short black fur had brought the colt no end of relief, so much so that he had tossed his wrappings into the flames of the campfire before going for a swim. On a whim, Shadow sent a quick pulse of magic through his horn, conjuring a small grey cloud of smoke above him. Trixie’s show had grabbed Shadow’s attention from the first moment and had refused to let go. While he had seen a number of traveling performers back home during various festivals, none could compare to Trixie’s performance. Within seconds, she had her audience of colts mesmerized by her spells and illusions. While he had been impressed by her show, the one part that had caught Shadow’s attention the most was at the end when Trixie vanished in a cloud of smoke, only to appear at the back of her audience.

Almost as soon as he had dispelled the assembled clones, the two magic users had set to work teaching the other. Trixie’s smoke bomb spell, to hear the mare tell it, was a stroke of genius on her part as she had developed it to deal with the hassle of having to carry physical smoke bombs on her. The fact that it meant she no longer had to buy them and could use the bits for other props was an added bonus. The spell itself was deceptively easy, and within an hour Shadow had gotten acquainted with the spell to the point that the lake’s surface had become hazy. Trixie on the other hoof had struggled with Shadow’s spell. Despite her effort, she had been unable to create a single copy of herself. After several hours of frustrating failure, Shadow altered the spell slightly so that instead of creating physical copies, it would create intelligent illusions of the caster instead. Ten minutes later, the young alicorn had found himself staring at a half dozen Trixie clones, unable to tell which one was real. The mare’s ensuing laugh had brought a smile to his face.

Looking up, Shadow could barely see the lone clone standing on the edge of the strip of sand watching him. “How is she?”

“Asleep, thank Luna.” The clone replied as it fell in step next to Shadow “and thankfully, she made sure to dispel her copies before going to bed.” Shadow bit back a laugh at the clone’s report. “If she hadn’t I don’t know how long I would have lasted.”

“She’s not that bad.”

“Maybe, but would it kill her to refer to herself in the first person once in a while?” Shrugging, Shadow paused as a gentle wind kicked up out of nowhere. Taking a deep breath, both colts could smell the intoxicating mixed scent of trees and wildflowers. The clone looked over at its creator, at how Shadow held his wings out stiff, letting the wind play with his feathers. “If you want, now would be a perfect time.”

The alicorn looked over at his clone. Why not? With the only pony likely within several miles asleep in the wagon, what was stopping him? Crouching, Shadow waited for the next gust of wind before leaping into the air, his wings carrying him above the small grove of trees with their first pump. Feeling a strange pressure welling up in his chest, Shadow raced for the stars, pumping his wings as hard as he could. Below him, the ground fell away like it had just stepped off a cliff. All at once, the young alicorn flared his wings, ending his ascent as he hung motionless above the ground. Looking down, Shadow could see his campfire, now a small candle flame among a vast sea of darkness. Off in the distance, the town he had passed through that morning glowed quietly among the rolling fields while Canterlot burned brightly from its mountainside perch. Smiling, the colt closed his eyes as the wind played with his mane and tail, feeling more alive at that moment than he had in months.

Tucking in a wing, Shadow felt gravity embrace him again as he fell. Opening his eyes, a slight change in his wings sent him into a spin as the lake rushed toward him. At the last moment, the colt pulled back, limbs outstretched as he shot over the lake’s surface, the tips of his wings tapping the water’s surface with each beat. Straining what felt like every muscle he had, Shadow shot back into the air. As he rose into the air, a small shift of a wing put him in a flat spin, cartwheeling head over tail into the sky as he held his wings out erect. At the top of his arc several hundred feet above the lake, the young colt didn’t fight as the star studded sky passed over his belly as gravity grabbed him again. Through it all, Shadow had a smile plastered on his face. How he longed to do this! As he let his emotions decide his moves, the young orphan could almost hear his mom shouting his name, cheering him on as he flew in a way that neither had seen any other pegasus try. Blasting across the lake’s surface, Shadow rolled himself until one wing was pointed at Luna’s sky and the other skimmed the lake.

Pulling back, he shot into the sky once again. At the top of his final arc, he flared his wings, as he held his forelegs above his head. This is why I am so glad I named you Shadow Dancer. The simple compliment blossomed across his mind; reminding the colt of the first time he had flown like this, his mom the only pony to see the show. That had been more than enough for him as she had embraced him afterward on that moon lit night. Smiling at the memory, Shadow gazed up at the moon hanging gently overhead. On a whim, the colt lowered his head; bowing toward the symbol of the mare he called his queen. Letting gravity finally take over, the young alicorn locked his outstretched wings, in no hurry to return to the ground.

Flaring his wings, Shadow trotted to a stop on the beach. He knew the sand would absorb any sound he made, and while he denied it to anypony who said otherwise, Shadow knew that he lacked any sense of subtlety when it came to take-offs and landings. Pausing for a moment at the edge of the beach, Shadow focused on the water. A moment later, a small wave rose from the lake, throwing itself across the beach and erasing every hoof print in the sand. While he doubted that Trixie would notice anything strange about the hoof prints in the sand, Shadow didn’t feel like taking the chance. As he walked back to camp, the young alicorn could feel the proverbial curtain being drawn on his day. Across the slowly dying fire, Shadow could see his clone staring at the dancing flames. With a yawn and a smile, the clone silently nodded, letting his creator know that everything in camp was fine. Nodding his thanks, Shadow smiled at the clone’s lazy salute as he dispelled the other colt. Feeling the time spent awake over the last few days finally catching up with him, Shadow donned his vest, slipping his now sore wings into their hidden pockets. Strapping on his bags before lowering himself to the ground, Shadow yawned before closing his eyes, letting the heat and crackle of the fire lead him into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

Luna floated silently above the world. While Equestria slept below her, the moon and stars above glowed, lighting the world below with a soft, pale light. Sighing in contentment, the lunar princess flapped her wings, the ground slowly passing beneath her as she flew. Despite the joy of stretching her wings, Luna couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the current situation. Despite her best efforts, she had lost the alicorn colt’s trail. While it wasn’t the biggest issue before her, every day he remained missing added more stress to the younger Royal Sister’s duties. As Ponyville slowly passed beneath her, Luna found herself revisiting everything she had seen in the colt’s dream, hoping to find something that might help her.

From his reaction, she was almost certain he wouldn’t head for the Gryphon Empire, or rather what little remained of it, and Luna would bet a month’s worth of her royal stipend that he would avoid Canterlot. Assuming both were true, where would he go? Luna shook her head. Without more information, she could only guess, and she couldn’t keep guessing if she wanted to find him again. As the Everfree Forest gave way to grass covered plains, the princess’s mind turned to what they’d do once she located him again. Luna knew they had to talk to him, but would he come quietly? Despite her sister’s skills with dealing with other ponies, Luna was certain having Celestia catch the colt would be a mistake. The flame covered demonic version of her in his dreams made that clear. Could she retrieve him? Would he come with her or would he put up a fight? Questions swirled around her head, fighting for attention.

Below her, grass gave way to water as Luna soared over the only major body of water between Canterlot and Manehattan. Feeling her stomach rumble, the solar diarch let gravity slowly pull her down as she turned for the lake’s island. She knew it might be a longshot with the drought, but perhaps there were some berries on the island that would slake her hunger until she got to Manehattan. Gliding above the lake’s surface, Luna noticed a slight orange glow on the island. Flaring her wings, the princess landed silently on the island’s beach. Taking a moment, the princess cast a simple silencing spell over her hooves, not wanting to wake whoever was on the island.

Passing through the small stand of trees between the beach and the camp like a ghost, Luna stopped in confusion just beyond the fire’s glow. Why would somepony leave a fire burning, especially given the circumstances, if they were going to spend the night in a wagon? Luna’s ears perked up at the nearly inaudible sound. Turning her head, the lunar alicorn froze in place at the sight of the red vest. Could it be? Ignoring the spell on her hooves, Luna slowly crept around the fire, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. Barely lit by the flames, the colt she was looking for was curled up on the ground, fast asleep. Luna couldn’t believe her luck. Just as she was starting to worry, the fates allowed her to find the colt, and fast asleep no less! Standing there, the princess tried to ignore the conflict in her mind. One simple spell and the colt would find himself waking up in Canterlot, yet even as she charged her horn, Luna paused. If she took him now, what about his companion? What would they do? More importantly, what would the colt do when he awoke to completely different surroundings? Even though he was a colt, Luna had no doubt that Shadow could cause trouble if he panicked. If he knew how much power he possessed… Luna shuddered at the thought of having to fight an enraged alicorn, even one this young.

Letting her magic fade, the princess slowly stepped away from the sleeping colt. She’d have to consult Celestia before making any moves. Pausing at the fire, Luna smiled as the colt slept, seemingly at peace. She was glad that he wasn’t alone. She was also relieved that one of her hunches had paid off. If he stayed on this road, he’d pass through Ponyville, assuming he avoided Canterlot. Luna paused as a stray thought entered her mind. If he avoided Canterlot, she and Celestia could get Princess Twilight and her friends involved. If they did, they might be able to delay the colt long enough for her and Celestia to approach him. Setting a small log into the dying fire, Luna let herself blend into the surrounding shadows once more. Taking to the air once again, the princess knew that even if he wasn’t the pony the Sprites were after, they couldn’t let him wander around on his own. Innocent or not, Shadow had more potential magic at his disposal than most ponies could comprehend, and that potential had to be focused and shaped, if not for his protection, then for any pony he met. Luna smiled as a breeze sent her soaring. While she doubted he’d want to be Celestia’s student, much less be in the same room as her, maybe she could convince him to let her teach him. While it had been over a millennium since she had taken on a student, Luna felt a fire ignite in her at the thought of a new student. Having a student would be a welcomed change of pace. Looking at her moon, Luna put on a burst of speed. She’d talk with Celestia about everything she had found and her ideas, but for now she had business involving a damaged ship and its crew in Manehattan to deal with.

Colonel Ash watched as a line of soldiers hurled balls of white hot flames at pony shaped targets. As the line of troops fired as one, the sprite officer found himself wishing - not for the first time - that the targets were more than blackened slabs of pony shaped rock. Returning the range officer’s salute, the colonel smiled as he heard another round of fire hit the targets. It was no secret that he wasn’t a fan of their treaty with Equestria. While he knew a number of Sprites who felt the same, he was one of only a few in any positon to voice that opposition. Growling to himself, the officer returned a Captain’s salute as he stalked past the junior officer and her company. Caught up in his thoughts, it took the senior officer a moment to notice the sergeant in front of him, and another to notice that the sprite was marching in reverse while saluting him. “Stop being an idiot and walk normal!” The colonel barked, returning the NCO’s salute “What do you want?”

The sergeant fell into step beside the colonel. “I found him, sir.”

“Found who?”

“Him, sir” The sergeant lowered her voice “The pony responsible for the breach.”

“Where?”

“On a small island in Equestria.”

“How many know about this?” The sergeant barely heard the whispered question over the noise of marching feet.

“Just you and me, sir. I told everyone else that I had a normal patrol.”

“Good. Make sure it stays that way and you just might get promoted.”

“Yes sir.” An exchange of salutes later and the colonel found himself forced to walk to his office. It would not do for him to be seen running like a Private fresh out of boot camp. As he walked across the parade grounds, the colonel recalled the mess that was the assault. Colonel Ash knew he had blown that mission badly. This time he’d make sure it ended with the right pony dying.

Breathing out to calm himself, Colonel Ash pushed his head out of the badly burned log. The scout’s report had been accurate and he found himself glad that he had reached the fire when he had. Opening his eyes, the officer paused as his eyes adjusted to the light. Around him, the glowing coals and embers pulsed orange and black as they burned. Taking a deep breath, the sprite basked in the heat, feeling it reenergize him. Pulling himself out of the log, he crouched, letting his training take over as he scanned the area. He stopped as he spotted the lone form sprawled out on the ground at the edge of the fire’s light. Focusing energy into his clawed hand, a grape sized ball of flame burst to life in the colonel’s hand. Focusing the light on the prone form, the officer paused at the sight of the colt, cursing his luck. Turning the fireball’s light from the sleeping colt, he scanned the area, knowing that there had to be another pony nearby. As he did, he recalled the failed assault, and the sight of the young pegasus filly’s charred body. While the colonel’s disdain for ponies was well known, he detested the idea of killing children. The filly had been an unfortunate casualty, and while her death was unavoidable, the assault’s failure convinced him that if he got the chance, he’d deal with the threat himself so that only the pony that needed to die; did.

Colonel Ash paused at the sight of the wagon, surprised at finding himself sighing in relief. Going through his options, the officer realized he couldn’t simple blast the wagon into splinters. If the colt woke up, he’d be forced to kill him as well, the idea of which turned the sprite’s stomach. Praying that the colt didn’t wake, the officer stepped out of the shallow fire pit.

Shadow felt himself slowly wake. Lying still for a moment, he listened to the crackling of the fire. Hearing his back pop as he bent it, the colt groaned as he reveled in the simple pleasure that he felt as he stretched his legs. Opening his eyes, it took the young colt’s mind several seconds to comprehend what it saw. Scrambling to his hooves, Shadow’s horn burst to life as he grabbed as much of the lake as he could and threw the pony sized ball of water across the rapidly spreading flames, while his sister’s screams echoed across the island.

The lone Senior Officer stopped in his tracks. Whipping his head around, he watched in horror as the colt burst to life, screaming at the top of his lungs. Cursing his luck, the colonel felt the land’s magic swirl around his hand, a ball of fire the size of his head forming in the blink of an eye. Turning back to the wagon, the sprite was in mid throw when he felt it. While he hadn’t been present at the breach, he had committed the report and the breach’s attached magical signature to memory. Unable to stop himself, Colonel Ash shifted his target, his fireball flying just above the ground for a second before slamming into the trunk of a tree next to the wagon. Whirling around, the officer watched the shock on the young pony’s face vanish as his horn sent a ball of water crashing into the tree, dousing most of the flames. Colonel Ash barely kept himself from cursing and revealing himself to his new target. Out of all the ponies possible, the cause of all this trouble was a mere whelp of a colt! Growling to himself, Colonel Ash let the magic in his hand concentrate as he watched the colt.

Throwing another ball of water across the flames, Shadow knew he was in trouble. The flames were spreading too quickly and he could feel a headache starting to form. In the light of the flames, he saw Trixie stick her head out of the wagon “Star! Run!” He shouted as a ball of water twice his size dashed itself against the grass between the wagon and the flames. For her part, the showmare rushed to her harness, her horn burning like a star as she got her wagon moving. Shadow jumped back as a wall of fire roared through where he had just been standing, cutting him off from Trixie. Scrambling back as the flames slowly closed in on him, the colt watched as the fire seemed to chase after the wagon. Ignoring the growing agony in his head, Shadow ignited his horn, lobbing a ball of water the size of Trixie’s wagon over the fire before detonating it above the showmare and the flames behind her.

Any relief he felt at Trixie’s escape from the island quickly abandoned Shadow as the flames seemed to roar in anger around him. Turning, Shadow bolted for the lake. In his haste, the young colt forgot that the floor of the stand of trees was a tangle of exposed roots. Glancing back at the pursuing wall of flames, Shadow felt a hoof catch on a root, sending him tumbling before he could think. As he crashed to the ground, Shadow heard his left wing snap before instantly erupting in agony. Biting back a scream, the young alicorn forced himself to run, his horn lighting the way. Seeing the beach ahead of him, Shadow didn’t slow down, throwing himself into the lake moments before the flames could catch him.

Sinking beneath the waves, Shadow kicked for all he was worth, gasping for air as his head broke the surface. Extinguishing his magic, Shadow focused on swimming, kicking one leg at a time as he bit back every scream that wanted to escape with each breath. It felt like an eternity to the injured colt as the shore slowly approached. Feeling the sand beneath his hooves, Shadow dragged himself out of the water before collapsing on the strip of wet sand. How long he lay there, he didn’t know. It could have been a few minutes or a few hours for all he knew or cared. Gasping in pain, Shadow slowly trickled magic through his horn, the area around him brightening in its dim glow. Barely holding a scream in check, the young colt dragged himself up the small beach. He didn’t stop until he found himself underneath a large patch of bushes. Allowing himself a glance back at the inferno he had escaped; Shadow watched as a tree crashed to the ground, sparks shooting up into the night sky. Turning away, the young alicorn surrendered to the darkness, never feeling his head hit the ground.

The Road - Part 2

Colonel Ash was beyond livid. There were no words he knew - either in Sprite or Equestrian - that could even remotely describe his current mood. How in all of the hells that have ever existed could a snot-nosed, whelp of a colt possibly be our target?! “MOVE!” Around him, Sprites jumped at the colonel’s booming voice, scrambling to obey as they let the senior officer pass by. One look would have told even the dimmest Sprite that the colonel was in no mood to be bothered. Growling at a pair of junior officers that were a split second too slow, the enraged officer channeled a stream of magic into his clawed hand, blasting the building’s front doors off their hinges a second later.

Stalking across the building’s foyer, the officer racked his brain as he recalled every detail in the incident report. After the attempted breach had collapsed, he had led the responding strike force himself. The building itself had been surprisingly small and it had taken his team no time to locate the unicorn that was supposed to be responsible. The fact that the stallion was fast asleep at the time had been a pleasant bonus and he and the mare next to him were dead before they knew anything was wrong. After they had been dealt with, he had ordered his team to turn the building to ash. When they had caught that filly on the second floor in their flames, he had thought that the threat had been neutralized. The Sprite ground his teeth, his hands clenching and unclenching as he walked, a pair of passing lieutenants jumping out of his way as he passed.

How could we possibly miss a unicorn brat?! It’s not like he could have sprouted wings and jumped out of that room! The colonel growled as he walked past his secretary, the quickly growing headache only serving to ruin his mood even further. Without thinking, the officer blasted the large glass window behind his desk. The glass exploded into thousands of shards. As he watched, the shards ground to a halt halfway to the ground, before reversing course and returning to where they had been before he had entered the room. Within seconds, the broken window healed itself, until it was once again a single flawless pane of glass. Just like our little friend. The colonel mused as he watched. Pulling the chair out, he lowered himself into it, before turning to look out the window.

He had severely underestimated this colt, but he would not do that again. This brat had survived two assaults, and his continued existence was an embarrassment the officer could barely stand. On top of that, thanks to that damned colt, he had failed to take out the only other witness on the island. Next time will be different the colonel mused, a smile slowly growing on his face as he planned. He got lucky the first two times, but let’s see how long the bastard lasts against an entire company.

Life slowly returned to Shadow. Cracking open an eye, the colt winced as the mid-day light filtering through the leaves above him stabbed at his brain. Closing his eye, he slowly opened it again, letting himself get used to the bright light. Lying there as his eyes adjusted, the young alicorn began to recall the previous night’s events, a headache forming behind his horn as if on cue. Taking a deep breath, Shadow barely held back the scream that tried to rip itself from his throat. Gritting his teeth, Shadow rolled over onto his belly, the world around him nearly disappearing as the pain in his wing threatened to overwhelm him. Resting his head on the ground, the colt closed his eyes, letting the pain that stabbed at him with each breath slowly fade as he focused on his breathing. Slowly channeling magic through his horn, Shadow focused on forming one of his dad’s spells in his mind. Despite the growing pain behind his horn, the colt increased the energy flow before casting the spell on himself. Almost immediately, the pain radiating along his left side slowly began to vanish.

Releasing the spell, Shadow unbuckled the saddlebags he had gone to sleep wearing. The simple act sent a bolt of agony through the injured colt’s side as the weight suddenly disappeared. Barely biting back a scream, Shadow’s horn glowed to life again. Feeling the pain subside, the young alicorn wished he could use the spell on his headache. It would make what he had to do next easier, but he couldn’t take the risk. Gritting his teeth, the colt sent a trickle of magic to his vest’s zipper, gently pulling on the piece of metal. Panting as he felt his vest fall open a minute later, Shadow slowly pulled his uninjured wing out of its hidden pocket before focusing on his injured side.

Despite the spell he was using, Shadow gasped as the cooler air hit his injured wing. Opening his eyes as the pain subsided, the colt immediately wished he hadn’t. Even though his wing was folded, he could see a bulge along its leading edge that caused his heart to stop mid beat. He had heard his father talk about such injuries before and it had turned the colt’s stomach. He had then made the mistake of asking how it would be treated. His father’s reply, along with what would need to be done if the break wasn’t fixed in time, had sent Shadow scrambling for the nearest bush. Feeling the world around his starting to spin, the injured colt lowered his head to the ground before gently rolling onto his uninjured side.

Desperate for something to take his mind off what he had to do; he took the opportunity to check over his bags, which had come through the night with some minor singeing. Opening the flap on one bag, Shadow smiled at the sight of bone dry books. The protective spell on the bags was designed to protect against theft and the elements, but until that moment he had never thought about if it would protect against submersion. Unable to find anything else to distract himself with, the injured colt set the bags beneath his chin. Getting into a crouch, he slowly extended his wing, darkness eating at the corners of his vision with every heartbeat.

Lowering his wing to the ground, Shadow took a moment to catch his breath as he thought about his next move. Snapping a branch from the bush next to him, Shadow bit down on it as hard as he could. Spotting the one thing he needed, the colt poured more energy through his horn as the apple sized rock resisted his influence for a moment before ripping itself from the ground. Whimpering in anticipation, Shadow moved the rock until it hovered just above the abnormal bulge in his wing. Raising the rock into the air, Shadow bit down onto the branch before releasing the magic holding the rock above him. The stone seemed to hang in the air for a heartbeat before dropping down onto the outstretched wing. For the second time that day, Shadow heard the sound of a bone break, before unconsciousness took him.

The young alicorn lay beneath the bush for several minutes, barely breathing. Slowly, an outstretched foreleg began to move as oblivion slowly released him from its grip. Crying out around the branch in his mouth, Shadow lifted his head as he ignited his horn. Grabbing the two halves of the broken bone, he pulled them apart as much as he could before realigning them with a snap and the darkness reclaimed him yet again.

Repeating every curse and dark oath he could think of, Shadow fought against the darkness, forcing his eyes open despite everything that told him to give in. Slowly opening his eyes, Shadow lifted his head, moving his saddlebags to the side with a gentle burst of magic. Opening one of the bags, the colt removed the last roll of bandages. Sighing, he turned to look at his wing. Charging his horn, a quick check told him – much to his relief – that despite the visible swelling, the broken bone was properly aligned. Smiling in relief, Shadow winced in pain as he turned his magic on his feathers, plucking a hoof-full of tertiaries from around the break. Grabbing a few branches from the bush above him, he laid them against his wing in a crude splint before wrapping the mess with the bandages.

Gently rolling onto his uninjured side, Shadow let his mind go blank, his eyes focusing only on the sky above. As his side throbbed, his stomach decided to make its discontent known. Muttering something he had heard Zetani say when the zebra had slammed a door on his leg, Shadow grabbed a clump of grass with a hoof, ripping the blades from the ground before shoving them into his mouth in one fluid motion. Gagging on the taste, the colt forced himself to swallow the foul tasting mass. Ignoring his stomach’s protests, the alicorn repacked his bags before moving them back under his head. With everything he needed to do done, the colt closed his eyes, letting the heat of the sun’s light lull him to sleep.

From under the patch of brush, Shadow yawned as he watched the sky overhead slowly brighten. Wincing at the throbbing pain from his wing, the injured colt focused on the pain, if only to distract himself from the pain in his head. As the world around him slowly began to awake, Shadow ignited his horn, snapping a nearby sapling at the base and letting it fall next to his hiding place. Another quick burst of magic and the small tree was reduced to an oversized stick with branches. Smiling at the small pile of leaves before him, Shadow took his time, letting himself enjoy the tartness of the maple leaves while the sun slowly rose. Holding a leaf before him in his magic, Shadow let the slightly curled leaf slowly spin in front of him as he smiled, memories of sneaking maple leaf snacks behind his mom’s back filtering into his mind as he watched the sunlight play on the lone leaf. While she had never outright told him to not eat these leaves, Shadow knew his mom disapproved, maybe suspecting that he was getting them from her trees. In truth, he never ate the leaves of mature trees, instead preferring the less woody, more flavorful leaves of saplings and young trees.

Smiling at the memories of the looks on his mom’s face as he munched on a leaf, Shadow looked down at his makeshift pillow. Opening the flaps, he slowly removed everything, setting it all before him. Lifting the original of his ancestor’s diary, Shadow slowly spun the book before him, examining it from every angle, a sense of giddiness building in his chest as he failed to find any damage to the ancient text. With extra care, he gently placed it in his right side bag. Similarly checking the other three books, he felt a sense of relief spread over him as he found no damage to any of the books. Checking the coin purse and its contents, Shadow gently tossed it in the bag as well.

Sighing as he found himself staring at dirt, Shadow slowly stood, his horn alight as his saddlebags took their place, further back that he was used to as he avoided his damaged wing. Tightening the belt around him, the young alicorn slowly lowered himself back to the ground. He could leave now while it was still somewhat dark, but he was in no hurry. Parting a couple branches, Shadow looked out from the hillside hideout he had found the previous afternoon. While it gave him slightly less cover than where he had woken up the previous morning, he couldn’t deny that the view made up for the difference. Below him, he could see the lake glow like liquid gold in the early morning light, the waves shining and sparkling, while the patches of bushes around the lake offered the remains of their spring flowers to the sky.

Above the lake, the colt could see a couple pegasi lazily soaring and occasionally rolling in midair as if trying to throw off the last bits of sleep. Finding himself wondering why they were there, Shadow found his unspoken question answered as a pair of pegasi dropped from the sky, their wings flaring before landing on the island he had barely escaped. Groaning to himself, Shadow let the branches swing back into place. He had to be an idiot to think that no pony would notice the leveled island. How long would it be until Celestia found out, if she hadn’t been told already? A day? Two? Ignoring the pressure building up behind his horn, Shadow focused on his most practiced spell as he disappeared from sight.

Shadow waited until the lake was completely out of sight before dropping the invisibility spell with a sigh of relief. Beneath his hooves, the road’s gravel crunched as he walked. With nothing around to attract his attention, Shadow’s mind wandered as it had a tendency to do, to how he could improve his spells, his mind settling on the invisibility spell. How many times had he used it since he lost his family? What if he needed to use it and another spell at the same time? Could he combine the regenerative part of the spell on his saddlebags to the spell? As he walked, the colt felt the familiar flutter in his chest he usually felt when he came across something that offered possibilities.

Wrapped up with the possibilities and mental imaging of the new spell, the lone alicorn nearly missed the sign post. Pulling himself back into reality, Shadow paused at the sign. On the post, he saw three simple wooden arrows pointing in different directions. One arrow pointed to the left, another to the right and another two pointed back the way he had come. On the first arrow, he thought he recognized the name of Equestria's capital. It was hard to tell, since it seemed to the colt that whoever had painted the sign clearly didn’t know the Equestrian alphabet, having gotten some letters correct while others were completely unrecognizable to him. It took Shadow a moment to read the names on the arrows that pointed the way he had come. He didn't doubt the sincerity of the offers he had gotten to join the crew. It would only take him a few days to get back to the city, but a quick glance at the city perched on the side of the mountain to his left reminded the colt why he was here. Studying the final arrow, it took him a minute to read the name painted on the piece of wood, having to decipher the name from the mix of letters and gibberish. Ponyville. While he had learned to read and write Equestrian like everypony else, it didn't mean he was particularly good at it, especially when he barely had any need for it back home. Taking a deep breath, Shadow took the right fork.

As the sign passed by, Shadow paused to look at the mountain-side city in the distance, wondering how ponies could build a small city on the side of a mountain. He had learned about the Equestrian capital in school and had read about it in his ancestor’s diary, but he had always found himself rather skeptical about the mountain city. While he had no doubt at the time that there were buildings on the mountain’s side, he had never honestly believed that an entire city was perched on the mountain. How did they keep it from falling off? If they used magic, the power requirements would have to be incredible. The more he thought about it, the more Shadow found himself utterly confused by what he saw in the distance. Soothing the growing pain in his wing with a little magic, the young alicorn turned his head, forcing one hoof in front of the other as he continued his journey. Maybe one day he’d figure out how a city like that could exist, but he had more important concerns at the moment.

Shadow smiled as the sun light danced among the leaves overhead as the sun slowly crept closer to the western horizon. Overhead, he could see birds flitting overhead as they chased each other or paused on a branch to watch the lone pony pass beneath. Idly, Shadow wondered if he should be concerned about the birds and if they could be Celestia’s spies. He wouldn’t put it past the solar tyrant to use such a measure, but he dismissed the thought as quickly as it appeared. How would the birds tell her what they saw, scratch it in the dirt? As he walked, one of the birds swooped down, buzzing the alicorn’s head before landing on a low hanging branch. Pausing, Shadow stared at the bird, which returned the favor before belting out a few notes of its song before taking to the air once again.

As he walked, Shadow couldn’t help but be reminded of the forest behind his house. The way the forest floor was cool and peaceful, the way the woods smelled as an errant breeze filtered through the canopy, other than the distinct lack of pine on the air, the young orphan almost felt like he was home. While the other kids played together after school, because of his social standing, Shadow had almost always found himself alone. To relieve his boredom, he’d wander among the trees that stood between his home and the line of mountains that formed the southern border of the valley. Luxuriating in a cool breeze, the colt let his memory recall happier times, like when he had found a patch of mushrooms that was so large, his mom having to sell those they couldn’t eat lest his find rot. Feeling his stomach join in at the memory of that night’s dinner, Shadow plucked a few leaves from a nearby tree if only to keep his belly quiet.

Wrapped up in memories of lone days in the woods, Shadow missed the signs around him. Remembering how even the valley’s timberwolves left him alone after dealing with his shields, the colt failed to notice the birds overhead as they set up a racket, swooping in front of him and buzzing his head. Slowly Shadow noticed how quiet the trees around him had become. Looking around, he couldn’t spot a single bird, all of which had taken to the air having decided to leave the colt to his fate. Pausing in the middle of the road, the alicorn took note of how the forest’s undergrowth, which had been light at first had thickened into a nearly impenetrable wall of branches and thorns. Breaking into a brisk trot, Shadow quickly found himself constantly looking over his shoulders, a feeling of unease slowly growing in him every moment he was in a forest that had suddenly turned oppressive and threatening.

Despite his sudden attention to everything, Shadow never heard the creature. Turning his head to the side, the young colt saw a flash of brown and red fur flying through the air toward him. Time for the young pony seemed to grind to a halt as his mind took very quick note of the teeth and razor sharp claws aimed at him. Reacting purely on instinct, Shadow’s horn flared to life, a golden wall of magic bursting into existence just as the creature reached him. Unable to take his eyes off the monstrosity, the alicorn watched as the creature absorbed the sudden impact with its legs while it brought its tail swinging down from overhead, its needle sharp tip glancing off the young pony’s shield.

Feeling his heart pounding against his chest, Shadow fired the shield like an arrow, launching it and his attacker into the base of a nearby tree. The oak’s trunk cracked with the impact. Catching his breath, Shadow felt his heart stop as the creature slowly stood, shaking its head as it turned toward him. Without a second thought, Shadow threw himself into the undergrowth on the other side of the road, a thin wall of magic pushing aside everything before him. Behind him, he could hear the unmistakable noise of a large, angry cat-monster in pursuit, the sound of crashing brush and snapping branches adding speed to the colt’s flight.

Seeing a small opening between some bushes, Shadow launched his shield before leaping to the side. Without a constant recharge, the spur-of-the-moment shield carried on for another hundred yards before disappearing. Holding his breath, Shadow listened to the creature as it closed in on him and then barreled past as it followed the shield’s path of damage and destruction.

As soon as the creature was far enough away, Shadow bolted from his hiding spot. Around him, the forest’s thick undergrowth slowly thinned as he ran. Whether he was being chased or not mattered little to the colt as he ran, his sides burning in pain as his lungs screamed for air. Running down a small ridge, Shadow leapt over the small trickle of a stream. Spinning as soon as his hooves hit the ground on the other side, the alicorn charged his horn, a wall of magic erupting before him.

Panting as he tried to catch his breath, it took the young pony a moment to realize that he was alone. With his breathing returning to normal, Shadow slowly noticed the sounds of the strange woods around him. Overhead he could hear a few birds chirping. Chancing a quick glance, the colt noted a pair of squirrels looking down on him from among the gnarled branches of a tree that he didn’t recognize. Unable to spot any immediate threats around him, Shadow slowly lowered his shield, letting its magic dissipate.

Swallowing as he calmed down, Shadow looked down at the small stream before him. Watching the trees around him, he ignited his horn, a ball of water the size of his head forming before him. Remembering what his dad had taught him, Shadow focused on the water ball for a second as it glowed faintly before flashing once. Satisfied, the colt slaked his thirst on the cool water, sighing in relief as he felt its icy cool settle, then spread in his chest. Satisfied, Shadow eyed the trees around him warily. There was something off about where he was. Unlike the forest he had run headlong into, the trees here were much more gnarled and twisted, with moss hanging down from branches in curtains large enough for him to hide behind. Overhead, the sun barely penetrated to thick cover, leaving the land beneath in shadows that sent shivers down the young colt’s spine. On top of that, Shadow could feel a tingling sensation in his horn that he had never felt before. Feeling like every move he made was being watched, the young alicorn left the stream behind, pushing his way through the vines and moss that seemed to hang from every tree. As he had just before being ambushed, Shadow’s head was never still as he watched for any movement, his horn charged for another shield that he could erect in a heartbeat.

Shadow couldn’t tell how long he wandered, his mind unable to shake the feeling of being watched. By what, he couldn’t tell, but if it was anything like that creature, he didn’t want to meet it. Was this what it felt like to be prey, to be on constant guard as every shadow or curtain of moss could be hiding a predator that wanted your blood? Feeling his courage slipping, the young alicorn’s heart leapt at the sight of light shining between some trees ahead of him. Keeping his pace steady, the young pony moved toward the light, part of him wanting to run for it while his mind refused, not wanting to trigger another attack.

Blinking as his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, Shadow felt his jaw hit the ground as he tried to comprehend what he saw. On the other side of a well maintained fence, he could see row after row of trees loaded with fruit. The rows seemed to go on forever as every hill on the other side of the fence was covered with trees that glistened green and red in the late afternoon light. Before he could stop himself, Shadow reached out with his magic, plucking a piece of fruit from the nearest tree. Unwilling to believe his eyes he bit into the apple, his mind going blank as he reveled in the crispness of the fruit. Eyeing the fruit, he could barely believe how big it was. It was easily the largest, shiniest apple he had ever seen. Tossing the core into the tree line behind him, Shadow reached out for another. Hearing a noise nearby, the young pony leaped back into the trees, his horn ready to cast a shield.

From behind some brush, the colt watched as a stallion nearly as large as Brick Wall ambled out from among the trees. The bright red stallion slowly wandered among the trees, occasionally taping the trunk of a tree with his leg before nodding in approval and moving on. Shadow had no doubt that whoever this pony was; he didn’t want to be seen by him. His desire was reinforced with a glance at the stallion’s green apple cutie mark. Could he be related to Honeycrisp and her family? Before his mind could run away with the stray thought, Shadow’s head snapped as a distinctly female voice called out from a small road running among the trees. The stallion seemed to have heard the voice as well, as he turned from what he had been doing and disappeared among the trees. A minute later Shadow could see the stallion slowly wandering up the road toward a large house, a yellow and red filly sitting on his back.

Breathing in relief as the stallion disappeared into the house, Shadow slowly crept out of the trees. Opening the empty saddlebag, Shadow focused on the nearest tree, a half dozen apples tearing themselves from the tree a second later before settling themselves inside the open bag. Grabbing another pair of apples, the young alicorn walked back into the forest. While he had no love for the forest, he couldn’t eat his stolen prizes out in the open. It took some time, but Shadow eventually found a small clearing among the trees. Digging a small pit, it only took the colt a few minutes to start a small fire. As much as he would have preferred to never see another fire in his life, Shadow knew that he had to light one. While this forest reminded him a lot of the one back home, the colt had no idea what called this place home, and if something tried to attack him, he’d need to be able to see while casting a shield. Besides, from what he had heard, wild animals were almost as leery about open flames as he was; which was the only other reason for the fire. Running a stick through an apple, the lone pony looked around as the fruit slowly roasted, his mind unable to shake how vulnerable he was. He didn’t know what lived among the trees, other than that cat-like monster and timberwolves, if those tracks he saw were correct, but he was sure he didn’t want to find out.

As the trees around him disappeared in the encroaching darkness, Shadow ignited his horn, a shield glowing to life around him. Even with the modification that would power it while he slept, as he watched the flames of his fire dance while wishing he could write this shield spell down, Shadow knew that it was going to be a long, sleepless night, even if he didn’t have his sister’s screams to accompany him.

Daring Do flapped her wings, despite the chains tethering her to the wall. If she could keep the cold iron from biting into her legs, maybe she could think of a way to escape. The guards around her didn't exactly strike her as being the brightest. Maybe if she-

Luna gave an involuntary start as the doors to the throne room opened. Just when it was getting good. Sighing, the lunar princess looked up from her book to see a young mare being escorted before her. Marking her place in the book, the princess turned to the prostrate mare "Arise Miss..."

"Silver Streak, Princess."

"What brings you before us this evening?"

At this, the mare opened one of her saddle bags, letting one of her escorts remove the dispatch and deliver it to the princess. "I was asked to deliver this straight to the throne, your majesty."

Luna skimmed the letter, and then read it again much slower as certain words caught her attention. "When did this happen?"

"Two nights ago, ma'am. The delay was due to the search for one of the ponies involved. We didn't find anything."

"And the island?"

"Nothing but scorched rock and ash, Princess."

Princess Luna felt her stomach slowly sink as the mare's words and the dispatch's account began to sink in. She had to see the island for herself. If what she suspected was true, then the magical signature that would prove it wouldn't last much past sunrise, if it still existed. If what she suspected was true… fuck.

Ch.7 Firefight

Luna stood silently along the shore of Blue Lake at what had once been the only beach for the lake's lone island. The report she had received earlier that evening had been frighteningly accurate. Around her, nothing stirred because there was nothing left to stir. Every blade of grass had been incinerated; every tree on the island had been burned down to the roots. Overhead, she could hear the near-silent flaps of her guards' wings as they circled overhead. Closing her eyes, the lunar princess sighed as she blocked out what little noise she could hear. Igniting her horn, she let her magic cover the island like a blanket, letting it creep into every crack and crevice. While a small part of her hoped to find what she was looking for, she knew that she wouldn't. Luna knew that any magical signatures that might have been, had vanished before she had set hoof on the island, likely before the fire had burned itself out.

Shifting her weight, Luna heard the unmistakable crack of glass beneath her hoof. Looking down, she gently levitated a piece of the beach until it was at eye level. How hot had the fire gotten to turn the beach into glass? She knew from visits to a number of artisans in Canterlot’s arts district that turning sand into glass required high temperatures, but could an uncontrolled fire do it too? Even with the limited amount of fuel the island had? Tossing the shard of glass into the lake, the younger of the Royal Sisters crouched to take off. Luna paused, her wings extended, as she spotted the nearly invisible divot in the otherwise smooth glass beach. Igniting her horn, Luna cut around the blemish before lifting the piece into the air. Turning it over, the princess stared at the perfect cast of a hoof print.

Leaping into the air, the younger diarch placed the piece of glass into her saddlebag as she rose above the lake. Coming to a stop, Luna let her magic roam across the lake's surface before forcing it beneath the waves and all the way to the lake's bed. Smiling at finding only fish and plants, the princess let her magic explore the lake's shore. Feeling a tug on her horn, Luna let herself glide over the lake before gently spiraling to the ground. With a simple illumination spell, she found what her magic had hit on; drag marks and a pair of hoof prints in the sand. Pressing her cast into the sand, Luna smiled at the size match. Calling on the detection spell again, the alicorn let her magic blanket the area. Feeling another tug on her horn, the princess took to the air, flying over the scrub until she came to a stop above it. With a quick modification to the spell, Luna watched as a number of small black feathers floated out of the brush. So he survived she thought, before turning to the east, now I really want to meet him.

Without a word, Luna's escorts fell in beside her. Feeling the subtle tug of the moon, Luna smiled at the thought of slipping into bed, finally being able to relax after spending most of the night among ash and destruction. The smile slowly faded as she thought about telling Celestia about what she had found, knowing that it would only add to her sister's burden. While they had allowed the possibility of Shadow just being an innocent pony and not the one the sprites were after, Luna now knew that any such thoughts were folly. Of the two ponies that had been on the island, Luna knew enough about the abilities of Shadow's companion to know that she couldn’t be the one the fire sprites wanted.

Flapping her wings to gain altitude, Luna found her doubts about the cause of the fire rapidly vanish. While she couldn't find a shred of Sprite magic that would prove they had started the blaze, with the glass hoof print and feathers at her side and knowing who was there during the fire, Luna felt her final doubts vanish like fog before the sun. As she flew, the princess's thoughts wandered to how she would have responded to this if she had defeated her sister. Luna knew how her sister had forced the sprites to the bargaining table, but if she was still Nightmare Moon, would she have relented? Would she have shown the sprites mercy after all the death and destruction they had caused, or would she have not stopped until every last Fire Sprite had been dealt with? The lunar princess shook her head, banishing the thoughts. She was no longer possessed by that monster and any thought that revived it was not worthy of existence.

With Canterlot growing in the distance, Luna found herself hoping they found this colt before the sprites attacked while he was around other ponies.

Groaning, Twilight slowly opened her eyes. Feeling her body slowly awaken, she took a moment to stretch, groaning in pleasure. Sighing, the young princess lifted her head, squinting at the small clock next to her bed. 5:15. Moaning, the young alicorn’s head hit her pillow a second later. It never failed; just when she was enjoying a nice dream involving her and a good book, her mind would decide that it was the perfect time to wake up. Sighing, Twilight sat up in her bed, her horn glowing as she silenced the clock before it could go off. Around her, the room slowly started to glow as the palace detected that she was awake.

Throwing off the sheets covering her, Twilight slowly crawled out of bed. Taking a moment to stretch, she looked over herself in a nearby mirror, a comb rising into the air to attack and subdue her mane and tail. Satisfied, the princess stepped into the hallway outside her room, which darkened as she left. After a quick check on Spike, who was curled up in his basket and dead to the world, Twilight was halfway to the kitchen when she stopped in her tracks. Swiveling her ears, she could hear the fading echoes of a draconic burp, which she had long ago learned meant only one thing. Cantering toward Spike’s room, she stopped as her assistant stumbled out of his room, one clawed hand rubbing the sleep from his eyes while the other held a rolled up piece of parchment. Knocking on her door, the young dragon called out her name “Twilight?”

“Behind you” Twilight gently laughed as the young dragon jumped. “Sorry.”

“Eh. Forget it.” The young reptile replied while trying to stifle a yawn, “Letter from the princess.”

Twilight gently lifted the proffered item with her magic “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Spike yawned again. “What time is it?”

“Five twenty.”

“They make a five twenty in the morning?” The young assistant shook his head as his mind resolutely refused to think about it. “I’m going back to bed; ‘night.”

“Morning, actually.”

“Whatever,” The young dragon replied, closing the door behind him.

Smiling, Twilight turned around, the letter hovering next to her, as she headed for the kitchen. She couldn’t blame Spike for not being in the greatest of moods, especially after being unexpectedly woken so early. Yawning, the young alicorn flipped a switch on the countertop range, the pot of coffee she had prepared the night before slowly heating as the crystal beneath it glowed to life. Grabbing a bagel, Twilight sat at the room’s crystalline table, slowly nibbling on the bagel as her mind slowly woke up. Not a stranger to late nights and early mornings, Celestia’s former student still found herself struggling. Since the accident at the weather factory that spring, the country had been doing what it could to fight the drought that had set in shortly after. Yawning, Twilight looked out the window, the sun not even a faint promise on the eastern horizon. She could hear her bed calling to her, her mind being the only thing between her and sweet temporary oblivion. Shaking her head, she felt herself wake up a bit more as she began to smell the brewing coffee.

Glancing at the clock, Equestria’s youngest princess cracked the seal on her mentor’s letter. While it wasn’t unusual for the solar princess to send her letters, it was unusual for Celestia to send one so early in the morning. Her curiosity piqued, the young alicorn unrolled the single sheet of paper, a small photograph falling onto the table as she did.

Dear Twilight,

Please excuse my intrusion at this early hour, and please convey my apologies to Spike as well, but I have received information that I felt you should be made aware of. As I'm sure you know, on the road from Ponyville to Manehattan, there is a small island on Blue Lake that is a popular rest stop for travelers. I received word a few hours ago that sometime during the night before last, everything on this island was burned to the ground. At the time of the fire, there were two ponies camping on the island. One managed to escape while her companion fended off the flames so she could flee. When she returned to the island with help, the pony's companion was missing and the island was reduced to ash. A search of the island and the lake has yet to reveal a body.

I'm sorry to give such news at so early an hour, but I felt you should know that I believe that Ms. Trixie's companion escaped the island alive. I tell you this because according to some information I have received, he may have answers to a number of questions that I have and may be heading your way. Attached to this letter is a photograph of the pony in question and a description.

Twilight paused as she picked up the small color photo, staring at the young black and grey unicorn in it.

I am telling you all this because, while I do not believe he is directly responsible for the Blue Lake Island fire, there have been a number of incidents recently that have caught our attention, and he has been involved with them, one way or another. Please show this picture to your friends, along with anypony you trust. If any of them see this young colt, please let me or my sister know immediately, and please be careful if you do see him; he is extremely powerful, and may not know the true extent of his abilities. If you see him, try to delay him if possible, but do not under any circumstances detain him.

Sincerely,

Celestia

Twilight stared at the picture. What had this colt done to attract Princess Celestia's attention? He was barely older than the crusaders. Flipping the photograph over, she saw that somepony had written down everything they knew about the young pony. Name, height, age, color, cutie mark, tribe, it was all there. Before she could continue thinking about him, Twilight jumped at the sound of a hoof knocking on the window next to her. Glancing quickly at the clock, Twilight waved at the sky blue pegasus hovering on the other side of the glass. Annoyed at the lack of coffee, the young princess shut off the range before casting a temporary time dilation spell on the pot, which would now stay hot and fresh for at least the next six hours. Trotting down the staircase to the ground floor, Twilight lit her horn, grabbing her checklist as the doors slowly opened for her. Outside, she could see the town's unicorns milling around on the ground, while the pegasi hovered or circled lazily overhead.

"Morning Twi" Rainbow Dash managed to say, before yawning.

Twilight smiled at her friend, knowing all too well where she and the other ponies outside would rather be, "Morning Rainbow."

“So, what’s the plan for today?”

“Same as yesterday; water the farms and maybe the town if we have any left over.”

The unusually languid pegasus nodded before a smile slowly crept onto her face. “I have some good news: we might not have to do this much longer. I saw a large delivery flight heading straight for Cloudsdale yesterday. I couldn’t see what they were carrying, but my guess is that it’s replacement equipment for the Weather Factory.” The stunt flyer’s words caught everypony’s attention. Finding herself ignored as the assembled ponies chatted about the much welcomed news, Twilight had to flash her horn several times before the rising conversation quieted back down.

“That is definitely good news Rainbow, but until the Weather Factory is up and running, we still have a job to do.” Trotting down the palace’s front steps, Twilight slowly started making her way through town. Already a couple of windows were lit as the ponies inside started their day. As she passed the town’s bakery, Twilight could occasionally see her friend Pinkie Pie moving around in the back as she heated the store’s ovens. Looking up, she watched her energetic friend cutting through the still, cool air. Reaching a hill on the edge of town, the young princess turned to face the town. Along the river that flowed through the small town, she could see a number of small lights from Ponyville’s unicorns as they got into position to do a job that at that point, they knew like the back of their hooves. Above the town, she could see the pegasi circling overhead, waiting for the clouds to form. Glancing at her checklist one last time, Twilight ignited her horn, her magic joining the unicorns’. While it would have been easier on her to be along the river, from where she was, she could see the town and the surrounding farms, allowing her to make any changes more easily. As Rainbow Dash passed overhead with a cloud bound for Applejack’s farm, Twilight recalled the letter she had received. She’d invite Dash over for breakfast at Sugarcube Corner, which would let her tell Pinkie as well. Smiling as another black cloud formed over the town, the alicorn found herself wondering about the delivery to Cloudsdale. Perhaps she should look into it.

Shadow groaned, swatting at the light that gently filtered through his eyelids. Hearing a gentle crunch when his flailing hoof hit the ground, the young colt reluctantly cracked an eye open. Wincing at the sudden light, he took a deep breath, the smell of dirt and leaves convincing his sleep soaked mind that waking up might be a good idea. Slowly opening his eyes, it took the young alicorn a moment for his surroundings to come into focus and several more for him to remember where he was and why. As the memories of the ambush and chase filtered back into his mind, Shadow suddenly found himself awake and alert as his head shot up, surveying his surroundings.

Above him, the tops of the tallest trees swayed in a gentle breeze while the rest of the surrounding trees remained still. The forest had taken on a golden tinge and it took the colt a moment to remember the shield spell he had cast the previous night. Gently prodding the shimmering wall of energy, he felt a pulse of energy crawl up his leg when he touched the golden barrier. He knew that the shield would be there when he woke, but Shadow found himself surprised at how strong the barrier had become during the night. Shaking his head, he slowly stood, stretching his legs as he got up. How he missed sleeping in a bed. A week on the road had him wishing for the sling that he collapsed into every night back on the Tranquility. It might have been rough and uncomfortable, but at least he wasn’t sleeping on the ground. Straightening a few feathers on his right wing, Shadow examined his other wing, pleased that the bandage he had wrapped it in was still holding. The limb still hurt, though now it had subsided to a dull ache that would throb on occasion as if reminding him what had happened. Checking the books in his saddlebags, Shadow pulled a pair of apples from the left bag. He’d have them for breakfast as soon as he relieved himself. Tightening his saddlebags’ strap around him, the colt stepped through the barrier that had protected him through the night, leaving the apples behind. Pausing for a moment at the remains of the previous night’s fire, Shadow could feel a small amount of heat radiating from the ash and coals, along with a few sickly tendrils of smoke. Satisfied that it wouldn’t do anything, Shadow made a beeline for the nearest bush as nature’s call started to become more insistent.

Colonel Ash sat behind his desk, fuming as he glared at the map of Equestria on the wall across from him. How could one pony, a colt no less, escape from him? How could he let such an easy target escape from him when he had it cornered on a freaking island! Groaning, the colonel leaned back in his chair, massaging his forehead with a couple fingers as he felt a small headache form. He knew that it wasn’t what he had done days earlier that was causing the throbbing in his head. He had no doubt that no one, Sprite or pony, would be able to connect him to the island, so long as he and the scout kept quiet. Instead, he found his pain increasing as he thought about that blasted colt. How could a snot-nosed colt be strong enough to nearly open a hole into the sprite’s realm? At the time, the sprite officer hadn’t given it a thought when he had attacked the colt. The young pony’s magical signature had matched the one that had nearly ripped a hole in their world, and he had attacked out of reflex. Now that he had had time to reflect, the sprite found himself uneasy with himself. On one hand he had attacked a child, admittedly a pony child, but a child none the less. On the other hand, this pony was a threat to him and everything he held dear and needed to be eliminated as quickly as possible. Growling in frustration, the colonel hurled a ball of fire at the map in front of him, only for his attack to explode against the wall to no effect. Why did the universe seem to take such pleasure in torturing him like this?

Hearing a knock at his door, Colonel Ash sat up “What!” he barked as the pain in his head flared.

“Sorry to interrupt you sir, but there’s a message here that you need to see” The colonel’s assistant handed him the note. The officer glanced at the note once and felt his heart stop. Breach target located. Orders? He reread the four word message several more times, barely unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Was it possible?

“Who sent this?”

“Major Flare, sir.” The colonel smiled at the name. The Major was a capable officer and leader the troops looked up to. He was also present at the breach when it occurred and had been the one to get a sample of the target’s magical signature. The colonel had no doubt that the officer wasn’t mistaken about the target’s identity. “Orders sir?”

“Contact Major Flare immediately and tell him to get Alpha and Bravo companies ready to move as soon as I arrive.”

The colonel’s assistant didn’t say a word as she ran out of the room. As she left, Colonel Ash smiled, the headache he had been suffering only moments earlier a now distant memory. He didn’t like the idea of killing a child, but if doing so meant that those he loved would remain safe, he would gladly do it.

Colonel Ash felt the almost non-existent breeze play with the tip of his head as he slowly forced himself out of the still warm chunk of charred wood. What should have normally taken a few seconds to complete took him over a minute, which annoyed the senior officer to no end. As he scanned his surroundings, he smiled to himself knowing that while it was hard for him, it would be impossible for that pony loving idiot who still clung to the rank of General and had even convinced the council to make him their official ambassador to his beloved ponies. While the general had given him orders to report anything he found, he had never said how quickly. In most cases that would be a small oversight, and one worthy of forced retirement in the colonel's opinion, but to the senior officer it was a loophole he planned to fully exploit, should he get the chance. Getting to his feet, the colonel found himself wondering if it wasn’t time for the general to retire. Once he and his troops were done here, he might have to make the end of his superior’s career happen one way or another, and the colonel didn’t much care about the means. Before he could think about how he might end the pony lover’s career, or the pony lover himself, the officer heard a snap to his left, his head whipping around to face the maker of the sound.

Shadow sighed as relief washed over him. Rolling his shoulders, the young pony trotted out from behind the bush, smiling as he felt the warmth of the sun’s light splash across his fur. Opening his eyes, Shadow came to a sudden halt as he spotted the creature standing in the remains of his campfire. Could it be? Thinking back to Zetani’s description, Shadow found himself barely able to contain his excitement at seeing a Fire Spirit for the first time. The being was exactly as the zebra had described, though it looked a bit taller than the doctor had said, the creature’s eyes being nearly level with Shadow’s. As he got over his initial excitement, Shadow found himself slowly starting to panic. He remembered the doctor teaching him the traditional Zebran greeting, but now that he needed it, he couldn’t remember a single word! Silently groaning to himself, Shadow slowly moved forward. Feeling the stick beneath his hoof, the young alicorn was unable to stop himself from stepping on it, the sharp crack seeming to echo around the still, quiet woods.

In the campfire, the spirit’s head snapped to the side, its black eyes registering shock at the young pony’s presence as they made eye contact. Finally remembering the words, Shadow lowered his head, bowing to the creature as his lips began to form the words of the foreign greeting. Focused as he was on not messing things up, Shadow didn’t notice the glow in Colonel Ash’s hand. Closing his eyes as he lowered his head, the young alicorn missed the blindingly bright ball of fire the size of a grapefruit suddenly appearing in the sprite’s hand. Hearing what sounded like a quickly growing wind, Shadow looked up to see a ball of white light racing toward him. Without thinking, the colt threw himself to the side, the heat of the fireball singeing his fur as it narrowly missed him. Hitting the ground, Shadow cried out, feeling a flash of pain shoot through him as he rolled over his injured wing and bone ground against bone. Coming to a halt, the alicorn looked up at the spirit, which already had a second ball of fire growing in its hand.

Scrambling to his hooves, Shadow heard the being in front of him shouting as it pointed a single clawed finger at him. Glancing behind him, Shadow felt his heart stop as he saw Fire Spirits pouring out of a massive tree that had been hit by the attack meant for him. For a brief moment, the colt’s mind flashed back to stories he had heard told around campfires; stories of Tartarus and the creatures that inhabited its greatest depths that would drag a pony back with them if given the chance. As they poured out, Shadow felt his stomach sink as he saw their hands glowing, balls of fire growing in their palms. Without thinking, the young alicorn bolted; the spot where he had been standing exploding into flames a heartbeat later.

Twilight stepped out into the warm morning air. Behind her, she could hear Pinkie Pie shouting something to her, though whatever it was was lost a moment later as the energetic party planner greeted a pair of ponies as they entered the bakery. Behind her, the mare didn’t turn around as she heard a set of hooves approach, the wince inducing belch that would have sent Rarity into a tirade about proper manners being all she needed to identify the pony next to her.

“Nothing like breakfast at Sugarcube Corner” the rainbow-maned racer said as she joined her friend. “By the way, thanks for paying Twi.”

“No problem.” Both lapsed into silence as they enjoyed the cool morning of what promised to be another scorcher. “I still can’t think of a reason why Celestia would want that colt” Twilight said after a while. It was true for her friends as well. After dealing with watering the town’s farms, Twilight and Rainbow had gone to the bakery for breakfast, and had spent several hours trying to figure out why Celestia had sent that letter. Even with Pinkie’s random and occasionally insightful comments, by the time they had left, none of the mares were any closer to an answer.

“I don’t know either, Twilight.” The prize-winning athlete said a few minutes later. “If he doesn’t know his own strength, maybe she wants to find him before he causes more damage. Who knows, maybe she wants to make him her new student or something.” Rainbow Dash glanced at her friend’s face as a slight frown crossed the youngest alicorn’s face. While she hadn’t said anything, it wasn’t hard for the racer to see that Twilight missed the bond she once had with the solar princess. Looking off to the Everfree Forest, Rainbow saw a plume of smoke rising above the trees “Heh. Zecora must be brewing her tail off. You think she has a potion for a nice storm front?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised, though I don’t… think…” Twilight said, trailing off as she saw the thick plume of smoke. While it wasn’t uncommon to see smoke coming from the home of the town’s lone zebra, it was almost never this thick. Feeling a chill slowly crawl down her back, Celestia’s former student stopped, taking in her surroundings and ignoring her friend’s confused look. Knowing where she was in the town, she looked at the smoke plume again. Unless I’m lost, shouldn’t Zecora’s hut be over there? Twilight looked to her left to where she’d expect to see a thin strand of smoke rising from the trees.

The newest Equestrian royal wasn’t disappointed.

Feeling something catch in her throat, Twilight crouched before leaping into the air, pulling off a perfect imitation of her companion. Beating her wings as fast as she could, the alicorn quickly rose above the town, coming to a stop several hundred feet above her home. It took her a moment to recognize what she saw, and several more for her mind to comprehend it.

Tucking in her wings, Twilight plummeted toward the street below. At the last moment, her wings shot out, catching the air and sending her streaking down the street. Behind her she could hear Rainbow Dash’s startled yell, followed quickly by the athlete as she easily caught up with her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Fire in the Everfree!” Twilight quickly dodged a slow moving cart as she roared down the street. “Tell AJ, then help Fluttershy get her animals to safety!”

“On it!” Within seconds, Twilight’s friend was halfway across town.

Seeing her destination quickly growing, Twilight flared her wings as she approached her friend’s home. Skidding to a halt, the door to the Carousel Boutique slammed open under her magical influence as the alicorn rushed in. “Spike!” Not seeing her assistant in the front, Twilight raced up a flight of stairs to where she knew Rarity liked to design her dresses. To say that the young dragon and the pony of his dreams were shocked by her sudden appearance would have been an understatement. Before either could say anything, Twilight’s horn burst to life, a quill and scrap piece of paper flying into position in front of her before all but being thrown at the young dragon. “Spike, I need you to send this to the princess immediately!” Without waiting for a reply, Twilight turned and bolted from the building. She would have said more, but she had a lot to do and no checklist to help her.

Shocked and more than a little confused by her sudden appearance and disappearance, Spike un-crumpled the piece of paper before reading it. Oh horseapples. A quick breath later, the note was airborne and on its way as the room’s two occupants chased after the young princess.

Cinder, Commander of the fire sprite military and the Council's ambassador to Equestria, was not having a good day. It may have been several days, but he could still hear the words of the council as he had spent another session defending himself and his actions. Going in, he had known that it wasn’t going to be pleasant, yet he was still surprised at the raking he had received as one council member after another had vented their spleen at him. With all the barbs he had had thrown at him, the General was under no illusions of how precarious his position was, and that one mistake would mean the end of his career. The last time he could remember being in this position was as a Lieutenant when he had helped end the war between his people and Equestria. He had no doubt that Colonel Ash was behind the council’s agitation, and he had no doubt that there wasn’t a thing he could do about it without destroying his career. Sighing, the elder Sprite turned away from the massive window that dominated an entire wall of his office, affording him a view of his base and the surrounding town that most officers would kill for. On his desk sat a sizable pile of work which he knew he could easily lose himself in if he wanted. Caught up as he was with his situation, it took the officer a moment to realize that someone was knocking on his door, “Enter.”

"Sorry to disturb you Sir, but I have some news and you aren't going to like it." The young officer said as he entered the room, snapping a crisp salute to the General.

General Cinder laughed mirthlessly at this before turning to his aide, "At Ease. Whatever it is Lieutenant, I sincerely doubt it could make this day any worse."

The young officer gulped as he looked at his superior's incredulous stare. "Sir, word from one of our sources just reached us. Colonel Ash has located the pony responsible for the breach." The sprite winced, knowing what was about to come. "The target is in Equestrian territory, and the colonel is currently leading Alpha Company of Second Regiment, First Division in pursuit. Bravo Company has been activated as well, though they haven't left the base."

The Senior Officer stared at his aide as his mind got a grasp on what he had just heard. “Is this a joke?”

The lieutenant took a couple steps back, slowly raising his clipboard as the flames of his superior’s body started to grow and dance violently. “No, sir; the informant had to break her cover to get us the news.”

Outside, any Sprite within sight of the general’s office would have had a perfect view as bright green flames erupted from the room, blasting glass across the surrounding buildings. Inside, the lieutenant nervously peered over his clipboard at the enraged inferno before him. Ignoring the mess his office had become, General Cinder took a moment to calm down as the shattered remains of his windows rose from the ground below and knitted themselves back into place until the windows were as they had been before his aide had entered the room. “Are you sure about this?”

“The informant is outside if you want to question her.”

“Not enough time, Lieutenant.” The general glanced at his now bare desk, his mind racing through all of his available options. With Equestria a tinderbox because of the drought, he couldn’t send troops to stop Alpha Company without making the situation even worse. “Tell the heads of Delta and Echo companies to lock down Bravo and any Sprite from Alpha they find, and then inform the Council immediately!" The general said, barely containing his rage. "One way or another, I will have that bastard's head for this!" Without waiting for his aide's reply, Cinder stalked past the lieutenant, knowing that if there was any chance of this ending peacefully, Celestia would have to know immediately.

In Celestia’s private chambers, a quiet fireplace burst into green flames. Pushing his head out of an oak log, General Cinder took in the empty room in a single glance, cursing at the sunlight gently filtering through a nearby stained glass window. How could he have forgotten about the time difference between his realm and hers? As his language grew more inventive, the sprite dove back into the log. With the sun up, contacting Celestia was out of the question, though there was one other pony he might be able to warn, assuming he could wake her up.

Celestia quietly groaned to herself as Lord Winterbloom started to speak. Though she kept her feelings locked tightly behind the mask she wore for the nobles, she noticed a number of the younger members of the nobility rolling their eyes, or in some cases, slowly sliding down in their seats as the notoriously long-winded lord spoke. Watching the elder noble pace around the room, Celestia tuned him out as she ignited her horn, the fruit smoothie to her right slowly floating into place before her. Taking a deep pull on the straw, the princess luxuriated in the chilling feeling of liquefied fruit and ice as she swallowed. It wasn’t a great secret that this was one of her favorite things, and she didn’t care who saw her as a smile crossed her face. Mistaking her smile for approval, Lord Winterbloom continued talking. Mentally face hoofing herself, Celestia set her drink back down, giving the lord her attention as her mind wandered to possible pranks she could pull on him. Perhaps something involving itching powder?

“Your Highness” Celestia snapped out of her reverie as one of the younger nobles spoke, interrupting Lord Winterbloom, much to his annoyance. “Forgive me for disturbing you, but I couldn’t help but notice that your attention was elsewhere. If there is something of pressing concern, perhaps we could end this meeting early and reconvene at another time.” Only a pony with the intelligence of a slug would have missed the pleading look in his and several other nobles’ eyes.

As much as she would have enjoyed doing so, she couldn’t take the young pony’s offer since it would mean having this exercise in restraint and self-control some other time. A small part of her broke into tears as she shook her head. “Thank you for the offer, but I have kept you all waiting long enough as it is. Please continue Lord Winterbloom.”

Bowing his head in thanks to her, the unicorn stallion shot a glare that could have melted stone at the younger noble. As he returned to his proposal, something about raising taxes for some frivolous pet project, the solar princess found herself wondering how she had endured a thousand years of dealing with nobles like him without sending a few to the moon. Before she could dwell on the mystery much more, she felt a familiar tingle in her horn. Oh sweet Maker, thank you! Dropping her carefully developed mask entirely, Celestia smiled as a wisp of magic and green fire raced to her before coalescing into a crumpled scrap of paper. Raising an eyebrow, the princess flattened the scrap of paper before reading it.

The assembled nobles jumped in their seats as Celestia’s chair flew backwards from a telekinetic shove that sent it slamming into the wall behind her. Without a word, the solar diarch rushed to a nearby set of doors, all but ripping them off their hinges with her magic. Off in the distance, Celestia could see the plume of grey smoke rising into the air. Forgetting all matters of decorum, Celestia said the first thing that came to her mind “Fuck.” Even from where she stood, the princess could feel the waves of wild magic rolling off the distant fire. If something were to ignite that much concentrated magic at once… Celestia felt her heart skip a couple beats at the thought of how big a crater the resulting explosion would leave. The elder Royal Sister felt her heart stop completely as she felt a faint wisp of foreign magic mixed in with the Everfree’s. As slight of a wisp as it was, Celestia instantly recognized the signature. Turning around, she caught the eye of the Captain of the Royal Guard “Commander, assemble the Guard immediately! Other than castle security, I want every member of the Guard ready to move out in five minutes. Load all available chariots with medics and unicorns at once!”

“Yes, ma’am!” The pegasus saluted before galloping out of the room.

“Forgive me everypony, but I must end this meeting immediately”

“What’s going on Princess?” Celestia passed the note to Lord Fancy Pants, who took one look at it and blanched. To their credit, the rest of the assembled nobles took one look at the Senior Lord’s face and kept their protests of the princess’s sudden change in mood to themselves. Scribbling a quick note to her sister, Celestia’s horn glowed as she copied a spell onto the sheet before sending the message, hoping that Luna would forgive her for using that particular spell. Turning from where she stood, Celestia trotted out the far door, the room’s guards falling into step behind her.

It took General Cinder a few precious minutes to locate Princess Luna’s main fireplace. Dragging himself out of the log, the sprite ambassador took a moment to catch his breath. He was over a thousand years old and he was running around like a Sprite fresh out of training. Looking up, the officer sighed in relief as he saw a blanket covered lump in a bed across the room shift. “Luna!” The sprite shouted, to no effect. He repeated himself, getting the same result. Before he could try again, a golden ball of magic popped into existence next to the younger Princess’s bed before forming into a small scroll. As it hovered in the air, a pair of smaller golden balls of magic dropped from the scroll, each rolling in a different direction. Tilting his head, Cinder watched as one rolled toward him, a gentle hiss coming from the glowing orb. Feeling a growing sense of unease, the ambassador had barely turned around when his entire world became a flash of light and sound that left his ears ringing as he blinked the spots from his vision. Picking himself off the fireplace’s floor, Cinder turned to find Luna thrashing around on the floor of her room, her wings bound by her blankets. The struggle ended in a flash of magic as Luna ignited her horn, reducing the blanket to scraps of cloth. With his hearing slowly returning, the general mentally noted the lunar diarch’s colorful language in case he found himself at a loss for words. “Luna!” He shouted, her head snapping up from the scroll before her.

“Ambassador, what is the meaning of this?” She yelled, waving the balled up scroll before her.

“Please forgive my intrusion, your Highness, but we have a problem…”

Firefight - Part 2

Shadow’s chest felt like it was about to explode. His lungs were on fire while his legs felt like they would give out any second. He didn’t know how long he had been running. Hearing a roaring sound behind him growing louder, Shadow leaped to the side. A ball of fire half his size flashed past him before exploding against a tree in front of him, showering everything nearby in a fountain of flames. Igniting his horn, the colt called upon the spell he had learned only days earlier. Around him, the forest suddenly disappeared in an impenetrable wall of grey. Running through the smoke screen, Shadow barely saw the wall of rock as it seemingly leapt out of nowhere. Taking a hard left, the young alicorn ran around the outcrop, all but diving into a small opening in the rocks. Barely able to catch his breath, Shadow sat down heavily on the small cave’s stone floor. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stay there for long, but perhaps just long enough to catch his breath and think about his next move. Outside, he could hear the roar of the advancing wall of flames, the sound amplified by the rock walls until it sounded like an Ursa Major was growling at him. Looking himself over, the colt could see that he had lost more fur than he had thought from all the near misses. Was he getting slower or were those things getting more accurate?

Coughing from the encroaching smoke, Shadow nearly retched as he forced himself to hold his breath. Swiveling his ears, he could barely hear a pair of voices over the slowly growing roar of the fire. Channeling energy to his horn, the world outside the cave slowly turned grey. He could feel the beginnings of a headache, but he pushed that out of his mind. There was nothing he could do about it now. He knew he had to keep running, but as he stood, his stomach sank as his legs shook and wobbled. How far could he get like this? Groaning to himself, the colt ignited his horn once again, channeling more energy than he preferred into the spell. Around him, nearly two dozen black forms materialized. Suddenly feeling lightheaded, Shadow felt a body lean against him, keeping him on his hooves. Looking to his side, the clone looked back with a tight lipped smile, “Dude, you are so screwed.”

“Thanks.”

“What the fuck did you do this time?” One of the clones loudly whispered as it pushed its way through the other clones, stopping in front of Shadow “First a giant sea monster, and now this?!”

“Keep it down, you idiot!” The clone supporting Shadow hissed back.

“Shut it!” The irate clone replied, barely keeping itself from yelling. “Last time he was in trouble, my ship got destroyed! Do you have any idea what it’s like to burn to death?!”

“No, but I do know what it’s like to have several tons of angry tail dropped on you!”

Ignoring the clone’s reply, the clone gestured to the cave’s entrance “Last time: fire. This time?” Outside, everypony could see glowing embers raining down from above. The clone turned to Shadow “You better fucking survive, or I swear I will kill you!”

Shadow wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the statement, but thought better of it. Outside, one of the clones saw a point of light in the smoke “Hey idiots! What’s that?” Before Shadow could say anything, the clone was thrown into a stone wall before exploding in a cloud of smoke as the fireball slammed into it, its short lived scream echoing around the stone chamber.

Igniting his horn, the world became solid grey around Shadow and his clones. Not needing to be told what to do, the clones bolted from the cave, each choosing a different direction. Wincing as his body protested its abuse, Shadow was the last out of the cave. Diving into the grey nothing around him, he heard an angry shout as a flash of white exploded behind him.

Celestia barely felt her hooves leave the ground; the grounds of her home falling away as she rose into the air. The princess didn’t glance to the side as she flew; she knew that Commander Gale Force was next to her. A quick glance behind told her that everypony was airborne. Below, she could see ponies on the streets stop and look up at the naked show of force as it passed overhead. Out of the corner of her eye, Celestia could see the Commander sneaking glances at her. He was nervous. She couldn’t blame him. He had never flown at the head of a force this large before, and the last time she had, the gryphons had decided to invade. Celestia had been impressed at how quickly he had marshaled his forces. As the ground below gave way to a sheer cliff as they passed over Canterlot’s edge, the solar princess noticed that her horn was tingling with magic, the sensation growing as they approached Ponyville. How much pent up magic was the fire releasing? What would happen with all that wild magical energy being released so quickly in such a relatively small area?

In the distance, she could see her sister Luna racing to Cloudsdale, the Night Guard having to work to keep up with the younger Princess. The report she had read had said that the Weather Factory would be functional within a day or two. While she would have wanted her sister by her side, Celestia knew that Luna would be more useful in Cloudsdale, ready to provide the magical charge necessary to start the equipment as soon as it was ready. The fact that ponies were still nervous around the lunar princess years after her return was an added bonus she hoped would get the equipment operational sooner.

Hearing her Commander coughing, Celestia lit her horn; a golden bubble of magic appeared, surrounding the stallion’s head. With a burst of energy, she cast the Clear Air spell on everypony in the formation. “Ma’am” Celestia looked at Gale Force, “What are your orders?”

By the time she had stepped out of her castle, she had known where most of her forces were going, but a glance at the fire destroyed most of those plans as a stray thought entered her mind. “I want a most of the medics to set up a triage in front of the hospital, the rest I want patrolling the town.” Angling her wings, Celestia caught an updraft from the fire, sending her soaring. Behind her, her forces followed her lead. “Chariots are to fly SAR patrols, with any unicorn or pegasus not flying SAR defending the town. I don’t know how the Everfree’s predators will react to the fire, but they cannot be allowed into the town.”

“Yes, ma’am” Saluting, the pegasus fell back. As Ponyville grew in the distance, Celestia could see ponies running around in panic. Already a house along the town’s edge was engulfed in flames despite the ponies around it trying to fight the blaze. In the center of town, the princess could see a knot of ponies, a familiar purple dot in the middle. Angling her wings Celestia dove, her guards following her lead without a word.

Shadow was in trouble. Around him, the world had become a solid wall of grey that hid everything that wasn’t within a body length of him. Coughing, Shadow pushed blindly through the haze, his lungs and throat burning from the smoke as he ran. Around him he could hear voices shouting in a language he didn’t recognize, their outbursts occasionally punctuated by an explosion. Behind him, he heard what sounded like an approaching blast of wind. Without thinking the colt leaped to the side, a ball of yellow and white heat roared through where he had just been before crashing into a tree. Shadow barely managed to keep himself from crying out as pieces of flaming bark struck him in the face and along his side. Stealing a quick glance behind him, the young alicorn threw himself to the left as another fireball appeared behind him. As a tree twice as wide as him leaped out of the smoke, Shadow felt his saddlebag scrape against the bark as he ran around it, using the tree like a shield as he changed directions.

Off to his right, the colt could see the wall of smoke brightening as the flames from the fire approached. As he ran Shadow racked his brain, trying to figure out what he had done. Had he not shown enough respect to the first Spirit? Had he been too slow with the greeting? Try as he might, the alicorn couldn’t figure out why they were trying to kill him. Caught up as he was with his thoughts, Shadow never saw the terrified clone bolt out of the smoke in front of him. Crashing to the ground, Shadow screamed out in pain as he rolled over his broken wing. With his vision swimming, it took the injured pony a moment to realize that the floating sensation wasn’t in his head. “Sorry about that” the clone said as its magic picked Shadow off the ground.

“Forget it” the colt hissed as a fresh wave of agony crashed over his left side. “How many are left?”

“Besides me? One, maybe two, I don’t really know.” Shadow groaned at the news. How was he going to get out of this? Leaping to the side, Shadow and his clone dodged the fireball that had appeared out of nowhere. Whipping his head around, he saw a black line of leaves stretching into the smoke behind him, a pair of bright orange Spirits standing at the other end. “Um… run!” The clone hissed as a golden barrier burst into existence between it and the two attackers. Before he could turn, a pair of fireballs slammed into the shield, the magical barrier shattering as it deflected the hits. As the heat of the attack washed over him, Shadow’s legs seemed to move with a mind of their own as he and the clone tried to put as much distance between them and their pursuers as possible. Behind them, the colts could hear a pair of enraged shouts as the chase began anew.

Colonel Ash snarled as he watched his attack against the two colts fail. As they turned to run, the sprite officer was certain that one of them was the colt from the island. Cursing at the retreating figures, the colonel chased after them. This was taking much too long and he knew that with every passing second, the odds of being discovered grew. While the officer had no desire to go to war with Equestria, he had no doubt that Celestia and her ponies would pay heavily if war did break out. “Captain, gather the troops and cut those two off. One of them is our target and I want them both dead!” Next to him, the colonel’s companion threw a quick salute before diving head first into a flame covered tree. Turning his attention back to the two ponies, Colonel Ash hurled a grapefruit sized ball of flames at the colts, snarling as they managed to avoid his attack. The officer knew he didn’t have the time for a chase, but if the captain was quick enough… Putting on a burst of speed, Colonel Ash started to close the distance between him and his targets. One way or another, everything would end today.

Crying out as he dove, Shadow saw the fireball flash overhead. Scrambling to his hooves, the colt and his clone got clear just before a second ball of fire slammed into the open ground where they had just been. Dashing to his right, Shadow barely managed to skid to a halt as the ground in front of him simply stopped. Peering over the edge, both could see a thin, sickly ribbon of water slowly flowing nearly fifty feet below.

“What now?” Hearing a groan, the clone turned to see a pair of Spirits staring at them in the distance. As they watched, the two quickly multiplied as Spirits began stepping out from the surrounding flames. “Never mind” the clone replied as any hope of running away died.

Shadow felt his stomach sink as he saw the forest before him disappear in flames as the number of Spirits continued to grow. Any illusion he had of escape died as a lone Spirit stepped out from the crowd and pointed a clawed finger at him and his clone, shouting to the rest.

At that moment, Shadow knew that he was about to die.

As his heart hammered against his chest, the young alicorn felt an odd sense of peace slowly wash over him. Standing there, he realized that he had done something no pony back home had ever done. He had snuck into Equestria without the solar tyrant noticing. Shadow had little doubt that she had noticed the smoke and was on her way, but he didn’t feel any of the terror that he thought he would. Soon he would join his family and his only hope was that his death would be quick. Taking as deep a breath as he could, Shadow closed his eyes, silently hoping that he didn’t look scared. In his mind, he could see his sister and parents standing at the gates of the Eternal Fields, smiling at him.

Hearing a quickly growing roar, Shadow felt something slam into his injured wing. Dropping to his knees in agony, Shadow’s eyes snapped open as he unconsciously threw a shield between him and the incoming ball of fire. Unable to do anything else, the alicorn watched as a second shield joined his as the Spirit’s attack struck. Rubbing his eyes as his vision returned, Shadow felt his jaw drop as his shield glowed weakly before him, the bare rock on either side burned black by the heat. Snapping his head to the side, the colt glared at his clone. “You’re not done yet!” his copy shouted back. “There is no way in Tartarus that I’m going to let you give up so easily, so get to your hooves and grow a fucking set already!”

Shadow didn’t know whether it was the clone’s words or the fact that it had actually hit him, something no clone had ever done before, but Shadow found himself struggling to his hooves. In front of them, he could see shock ripple through the assembled Spirits as he stood. In seconds, that shock changed to anger as their leader yelled, balls of fire bursting to life in their hands. In the eyes of the lead Spirit, the colt could see his end. Even as he poured energy into his shield until his head felt like it was about to split in half, the young alicorn knew that it wouldn’t be enough. If he hadn't been nursing a broken wing, if he hadn't been running for Luna only knew how long, his shield might have held against the combined attacks. Looking up at the lead Spirit’s shout, Shadow saw more fireballs than he could count racing toward him. As he saw the balls of fire grow, Shadow turned, throwing himself off the cliff as his shield shattered behind him.

Colonel Ash could barely comprehend what he saw as the colt slowly got to his hooves. How had he survived the attack? How was that possible? “Kill him!” the officer shouted as he saw the colt strengthen his shield. If his blasted shield could barely survive one attack, there was no way it would withstand over a hundred strikes at once. With a barely contained smile, thee colonel watched as his company’s attack flashed across the short distance between them and the colts. Through the flames, the officer smiled as the colt leapt from the cliff as his shield shattered. As he hung in the air for a brief moment, the blast from the destroyed shield slammed into the colt, turning him in the air until he presented the perfect target for the colonel. The senior officer didn't hesitate as he hurled the ball of flames in his hand at the colt. The fire sprite leader watched as his attack raced across the short distance between him and his target, before slamming into the colt's saddlebag, destroying it while spraying fire across the young pony's side.

Ignoring the pony’s scream, Colonel Ash felt his jaw drop for the second time as he saw the colt drop out of sight as he fell off the cliff. How was that possible? How could he survive an attack that should have reduced him to ash? Before he could say anything, the clone turned and followed its creator over the edge. Rushing to the cliff’s edge, Colonel Ash saw the clone hit the water below and disappear with a splash. Feeling his rage growing, the officer rounded on his cheering troops. “Until I see a body, that bastard colt is still alive. Major, take third and fourth platoons up stream. First and second downstream with me. If you see the colt, kill him then inform me immediately!”

Celestia’s wings strained as she pulled herself out of the dive. Flaring her wings, the solar diarch hung in the air for a brief moment before hitting the ground with all four hooves. Around her, ponies jumped at the sound of her landing, scrambling to bow as she strode past them. At the foot of Ponyville’s town hall, the princess saw her former student look up from a map before her, relief etched on her face.

“Princess!” The youngest member of Equestria’s royalty ran to her mentor, embracing the larger royal.

Celestia smiled as she returned the hug. How she had come to miss such moments. “How’s the situation?”

“Not good” Twilight replied as she trotted back to the table. “One house has already been lost and we got two more on fire.” Twilight indicated the houses on the map as she spoke. “The fire started just over half an hour ago, and is already beyond any hope of control. Fortunately it seems to be moving away from town.”

“What about the forest’s wildlife?”

“We evacuated Fluttershy’s cottage and her animals, but other than birds and a few deer, we haven’t seen much come out of there.”

Celestia quietly sighed in relief to herself. She knew first hoof just how dangerous some of the Everfree’s residents could be and her second greatest worry had been that the predators might use the disaster and chaos as an opportunity to attack the town’s inhabitants. “Commander, send a dozen squads to protect the town’s farms and I want continuous updates on the fire’s progress.”

“Yes ma’am.” Tossing a quick salute, the pegasus officer jumped into the air before disappearing.

As the stallion vanished, the princess saw a pair of mares galloping towards her. Even from a distance, it took Celestia little effort to recognize the town’s rising fashion star and one of the most famous farmers in the country. Stopping, the two mares dropped to the ground before her, much to Celestia’s chagrin. She might be their ruler, but they had helped save her and everypony several times over. If anything, Celestia sometimes felt that she should be bowing to them.

“Princess, thank the fates you’re here!”

Celestia nodded to Rarity as the unicorn stood. “I came as soon as I heard, my little pony.”

“We’re sorry to bother ya when ya got so much on yer plate, Princess, but have ya seen our sisters?”

The eldest Royal Sister shook her head, her heart aching as she saw the two mare’s faces fall. She knew all about the two fillies in question. Looking around, she spotted a pair of pegasi guards pulling chariots trotting toward her. “Corporals” the two soldiers snapped to attention before her “We need your help…”

Shadow panicked. His mind was blinded by pain as half his body felt like it was on fire while the other half felt like it was trapped in a blizzard. Thrashing around, the colt opened his mouth to scream, only for any sound to be drowned out as water rushed down his throat. Snapping his eyes open, he couldn’t see anything more than a leg length away. He could see orange and yellow light dancing and shimmering overhead, yet as hard as he tried, the light slowly got farther and farther away. As darkness ate at the corners of his vision, Shadow felt a sense of calm settle over him. It wouldn’t be much longer until he was reunited with his family. Waiting for the end to come, the young colt found himself wondering why he was still alive. By all rights he should be dead. How did he survive that hit? Before his failing brain could try to figure out that one final mystery, Shadow felt something grab him around the chest. Fresh agony stabbed at the young colt, his mind going blank as he involuntarily tried to scream. Feeling water flood his lungs, Shadow began to thrash again. Before he could break free of whatever had him, something collided with his face, leaving him stunned as his vision blacked out.

The next thing the colt knew, his head broke the surface. Feeling the air for the first time in what seemed like an eternity as he was dragged out of the water, the young alicorn felt his chest heave as he vomited everything he had swallowed that day. Groaning, Shadow felt his body start to shake. Forcing an eye open, he could see the clone standing next to him, a small shield covering the both of them. “Can you move?”

“We don’t have a choice” He responded as he ignited his horn, a fresh wave of pain drilling into his mind as he used the pain soothing spell his dad had taught him. Slowly getting to his hooves, Shadow felt his world swim around him before the clone leaned up against him.

“What now?”

Despite the thick smoke, Shadow looked around. Behind him he could see flames rising above the trees as the fire continued to spread. He knew that trying to cross the river was out, and even if he could swim, the fire had jumped the river. “Can’t go back, can’t swim, can’t see... Hopefully this river leads somewhere that isn’t trying to kill us.” Shadow winced as he felt a flash of pain lash his mind as he put weight on his right leg. Gritting his teeth, the colt forced one hoof in front of the other.

Around them, the world was silent, other than the distant roar of the fire and the river to their left. Shadow didn’t know how long they had been walking before he heard the scream. Stopping, he almost dismissed it as a hallucination until he heard the scream again. Breaking into as fast a trot as his battered body would allow, Shadow and his clone raced for where the scream was coming from. Following the river, the two colts came around a sharp curve and stopped. Ahead of them, a trio of fillies were slowly backing into the river’s shallows as a pair of Spirits slowly closed in on them, balls of fire growing in their hands.

Without thinking, Shadow ignited his horn as he shouted at the two beings of fire. Shock was etched on the two creature’s faces. Before either being could move, Shadow jerked his head to the side, a stream of water as tall as him leaping from the river before slamming into the lead Spirit. With just a split second of hesitation, the other Spirit hurled its fireball at the colt before diving into a patch of burning grass. Before he could react, Shadow saw a wall of golden energy flash before him, the fireball glancing off the shield before slamming into a nearby tree.

Hearing a scream, Celestia looked up from the two Corporals as Rarity screamed again “That’s Sweetie Belle’s!” Turning her head to where the young mare was pointing, the princess felt her stomach drop as a shaft of white light shot into the sky, pulses of light purple occasionally flashing from the beam. Everypony knew what a unicorn emergency signal looked like, even if they had never seen one used before. It was a simple spell taught to every unicorn filly and colt that would bring any nearby help to them if they were in danger. Before she could turn to the two soldiers next to her, a gust of wind whipped across her fur as Rainbow Dash, who had arrived just moments earlier, blasted for the signal, leaving a rainbow colored contrail behind her.

Shadow winced as the fireball struck his shield before ricocheting into the forest. Behind him, he could hear the three fillies crying as they lay in the river. He didn’t know how these creatures communicated, but they had had less than a minute of peace before the spirit who had escaped had returned with its friends. What had started out as a dozen attackers had quickly ballooned into over a hundred. Slowly being forced back, the young alicorn deflected another attack, sending it into the ground in front of him. Hearing a shout behind him, Shadow looked up spotting a rainbow streaking towards them. Behind him he could hear the three fillies cheering.

Staring at the lead Spirit, Shadow wished he could do something more than defend himself with a thin magic shield, but every attack that bounced off his shield felt like a slap across the face. Feeling the pure hatred flowing from the lead Spirit, Shadow felt his heart skip a beat as the creature hurled a ball of flames as large as the colt at him. Reacting on pure instinct, the colonel’s target changed his shield’s shape into a wedge, splitting the ball in half as it struck. Ignoring his clone’s shout of annoyance at nearly getting hit, Shadow glanced up at the rainbow streak, which had resolved itself into a sky blue pegasus.

Colonel Ash saw the colt’s eye’s flick up into the sky. Following the colt’s gaze, the sprite officer spotted the incoming pegasus “Covering fire!” He yelled as he channeled the forest’s magic into his hand, a blinding white ball of heat flashing to life in his palm. He didn’t relish the idea of taking down an innocent pony. It was bad enough that there were three innocent fillies that had to die, but no pony could know that he and his troops had been there.

Shadow slammed his shield into the ground at an angle as he threw as much magic as he could into it, making it as large and thick as he could. The area between him and the spirits quickly ceased to exist as the creatures launched wave after wave of fire. His chest heaving, Shadow looked through his shield, spotting the lead Spirit who was looking to the sky. The colt felt his stomach sink as he knew what the creature was staring at. From behind the relative safety of his shield, Shadow watched helplessly as a blinding white ball of fire shot into the air, clipping the pegasus’ left wing. Behind him, he could hear the fillies scream in shock and horror. Glancing at his clone, the young alicorn bolted from his spot. His horn glowing, Shadow waited for the right moment. If he acted too early, the downed flyer would be a sitting target; too late and they wouldn’t survive hitting the ground. If he hadn’t spent most of the morning running and fighting for his life, he might have been able to catch the pegasus, but as it was, all he could hope to do was soften their crash landing. Watching the pegasus, Shadow reached out, grabbing the falling pony from the air and redirecting them into the river’s sandy bank.

Shadow fell to his knees as the mare rolled to a stop next to the fillies. His horn felt like it was on fire while his head felt like it wanted to explode. Looking up, he caught his clone’s eye. “I got this, go help them!” Unable to do much more than nod, Shadow forced himself up and stumbled towards the fillies.

Hearing an enraged shout, the young colt turned to see the spirit leader’s eyes flick from him to the fillies. Shadow’s heart stopped as the spirits attacked as one. Before he could react, both his clone’s shield and his own collapsed under the attack. Hearing a scream, Shadow’s head whipped toward the fillies before turning to the spirit’s leader as he hurled a ball of fire as large as the downed pegasus at the other ponies. Unable to do anything, Shadow watched as the clone leaped into the air, throwing itself between them and the attack.

Shadow felt something snap inside of him as the echoes of his clone’s final scream faded. He had felt this surge of power only once before, back on the Tranquility during the attack. The light from his horn made the sun overhead seem dim by comparison as he grabbed a chunk of the river and hurled it at the spirit’s leader. With no remorse, Shadow watched as the shaft of water smashed into the spirit and any Spirit unable to leap out of the way in time.

Not waiting for a response, the enraged young alicorn reached for the river with his magic, forcing it over the bank and between him and the spirits. A slight change in the spell, and the stream of water shot into the air, until it became a barrier twenty feet high and as thick as him. Turning to the fillies, he could see the shock and fear in their eyes. Glancing at the young white unicorn with the pink and purple mane, Shadow said as calmly as he could, “Get that signal back up and keep it up, or we’re all going to die.”

As if they didn’t want to be forgotten, the remaining Spirits gave a shout before resuming their attack. Turning to face them, Shadow gritted his teeth. Each strike felt like a pin prick, but he knew it was only a matter of time before they succeeded.

Back at Ponyville’s town hall, everypony held their breath as they waited. Had Rainbow reached the fillies? Why had the signal gone out? Everypony gasped as the beam lanced into the sky a second time. Rarity and Apple Jack both shouted their sisters’ names before Rarity passed out. Before panic could set in, Celestia pointed at nearby medic, “Sergeant, get on board now! You two” She pointed at the two chariot laden pegasi, “Follow me!” Without waiting for a response, Princess Celestia, eldest ruler of Equestria, leaped into the air, her escorts straining to keep up as she raced for the signal.

Shadow felt numb. He knew that he should be in agony, yet he felt nothing. Around him, the world ceased to exist as he concentrated on keeping the water shield up as long as possible. He could feel the spirits’ attack as they continued to batter the wall of water, each strike feeling like a dash of salt on an open wound as each flashed to steam on impact. Caught up as he was, it took Shadow a moment to notice the spirits’ attack slacking off before dying altogether. As the final strike flashed to steam, the colt finally became aware of the trio of shouting and cheering fillies behind him. Glancing up, he spotted a trio of pegasi flying toward them. The smile that slowly formed on his face vanished as the purple maned pegasus behind him shouted three words that he had hoped to never hear; “It’s the princess!”

Ignoring the spirits, Shadow studied the three fliers, his stomach sinking as he recognized the lead pony. While no pony back home had ever seen her in the flesh, everypony knew what the solar tyrant looked like. Behind him, he could hear the sound of wheels on wet sand and the squeals of happiness from the fillies. Shadow ignored all this as he concentrated on his shield. As he stood there, he could hear somepony slowly walk up behind him.

“It’s time to go, my little pony.”

Shadow barely kept himself from flinching. He didn’t recognize the voice, but he didn’t need to. He knew exactly what was standing behind him. Looking at the spirits hidden in the wall of flames ahead of him, the young alicorn could see the glow of his eyes in the wall of water. Perhaps it was the fact that he had spent the morning running for his life, being beaten and battered at every turn, but Shadow was in no mood to cooperate, especially now. “No.” He stated simply and without emotion. “You can run if you want, but this ends here.” Growling, Shadow’s horn brightened as he channeled every last ounce of energy he could through it. Gritting his teeth as his head felt like it was about to split in half, the young colt focused his magic on the thin band of water behind him. Glaring at his attackers, Shadow threw his shield at them. It broke apart almost immediately, but he didn’t care as he pulled on the section of river behind him, sending it arcing over him and Celestia. He knew the spirits weren’t stupid, and as the two walls of water crashed together, he saw the last attacker retreat back to where it came.

Wrapped up in his attack, Shadow hadn’t anticipated what would happen to the water once he released it. Before he could react, a wave of water half his height slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. Panting in exhaustion, the battered colt forced himself to his hooves. Taking one look at Celestia and the look of shock on her face, he turned to run. With his first step, his leg gave out and Shadow collapsed, dead to the world before he hit the ground.

Celestia looked around at the destruction the young colt had wrought. Other than the river, everything within a hundred yards of her was a torn up, burned out mess that hissed and steamed as the burned logs and stumps cooled. Beyond the scorched area, the fire raged on as if nothing had happened. Overhead, she could see a small twig flying through the air. Catching it before it could land in a puddle; the solar diarch brought the piece of wood up to her face. Within moments, a tiny pair of black eyes appeared among the small flames. The sprite looked around for a moment before noticing her towering above it. Narrowing her eyes, Celestia could see the sprite's fear and a small part of her felt glad at that. "Let me make myself perfectly clear: this. Ends. Now. The pony you are after is now in my custody." As she spoke, the princess slowly lifted Shadow out of the mud and onto her back. "By the terms of our treaty, you will end this incursion, and return to your realm immediately. If you do not, I will consider the treaty void, and I will do what I have to, to protect my citizens." She let the threat hang in the air for a moment. "Do you understand?" For its part, the sprite hastily and aggressively nodded. "Good." Celestia voice, which was already cold, dropped to a level that would have made the polar north in the dead of winter seem like a tropical paradise in comparison. "And inform General Cinder that I will be talking to him very soon." The sprite nodded furiously. "Now go." In the time it took her to blink, the sprite vanished. Tossing the flaming twig into the river behind her, Celestia looked behind her to the unconscious colt draped across her back. Above her, she could see a pair of chariots circling overhead. Crouching down, Celestia leaped into the air, her wings quickly carrying her above the flames.

Ch.8 Aftermath

Lieutenant Storm Front dove into the black wall of smoke before him, the darkness all but blinding him to anything over a few feet ahead of him. Around his head, the normally invisible clean air shield glowed pink as it worked to filter the air so he could breathe. As he flew, the thermals created by the forest fire below seemed to take pleasure in wreaking havoc with his flight plan, causing the pegasus to bounce around much more than he normally would. Behind him, the unicorn sergeant voiced his opinion about the lieutenant’s flying as he held onto the chariot the lieutenant was pulling. Storm Front ignored his friend’s comments as he punched through the column of smoke and promptly dropped thirty feet as he lost the extra lift from the flame’s heat. Behind him, his friend from boot camp screamed like a little filly on a roller coaster. Finally leveling out, the lieutenant smiled, knowing that his lone passenger was fully regretting his decision to volunteer for search and rescue duty.

Taking the moment to look around, Storm Front could see that the fire was far worse up close than it had looked flying in with the rest of the guard. Even as he had launched with Princess Celestia and the rest of his hastily assembled company, he had known that it wasn’t going to be good. From Canterlot they could see the large white plumes rising in the distance, the smell of the wind even from that distance reminding him of family camping trips when he was younger. Below, the forest was slowly disappearing as the flames advanced. Trees burst into flames seemingly as soon as their neighbor caught fire, occasionally exploding like bombs as the water inside flashed to steam in the heat. As if to illustrate the point, a large tree several hundred feet away that had probably stood for centuries detonated after it ignited, blasting its neighbors with flaming debris that set even more of the forest on fire. Down below, those animals that hadn’t run at the first whiff of smoke were panicking as they found themselves trapped by walls of flames on all sides. Turning his head, Lieutenant Storm Front banked to the left, knowing that there was nothing he could do for those animals, except hope that it would be quick.

“Sweet Celestia! Lieutenant, three o’clock!”

Lieutenant Storm Front heard the cry from his passenger and turning his head to the right nearly fell out of the sky from shock as a section of forest a mile away disappeared in a roiling fireball. Banking hard right, the pegasus managed to turn his chariot toward the fireball before the shockwave hit, his ears ringing despite the distance. From a half mile out, the lieutenant knew to expect total devastation as flaming debris began to pelt him from above, setting more forest on fire as it hit the ground. As he flew overhead, Storm Front could see that everything within several hundred yards of whatever had exploded hadn’t been spared. Looking over his shoulder, the pegasus watched as his passenger surveyed the brand new clearing.

“I wonder what it was.” The unicorn said as he turned to his friend.

“Doubt we’ll ever know for sure. Of course, this being the Everfree, it could have been anything.” Storm Front replied as he turned back toward Ponyville. Behind him, he could hear his friend sigh. The pegasus smiled, knowing that the sergeant hated a mystery, and that not knowing would bug him for the next few days.

As he flew, the lieutenant silently prayed that this wasn’t a sign of things to come. Ever since the weather factory in Cloudsdale had been crippled by the accident, Equestria had been gripped in a drought the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the weather factory opened over a century earlier. Larger towns and cities hadn’t been affected as badly as small towns like Ponyville, since they had a larger proportion of unicorns and pegasi who could use their magic to help create rain clouds, but predominantly Earth pony towns weren’t faring nearly as well. Even with the Element of Magic herself, Ponyville was barely holding its own.

“Sir, I got movement!”

“Where?” Lieutenant Storm Front yelled as he snapped back to reality.

“Two o’clock low!” The unicorn Sergeant yelled back as he scanned the forest below. “There!” He added, pointing down to an opening in the canopy. Below, the pegasus could see a pair of figures running along what must have been a trail of some kind. The lead figure was wearing a cloak that flapped and billowed as its owner ran, heedless of the limbs and bushes that tore at its cloak. Behind it was a smaller figure only a few body lengths back. He couldn’t tell much through the trees, except that it was a young pony, most likely an earth pony or unicorn, since any pegasus with half a brain would have taken to the air.

Before he could move, the lieutenant heard a howl that sent a shiver crawling down his back and wings. Whipping his head around, he could see plenty of movement behind the fleeing ponies below as a pack of timber wolves chased them, their howls making their intentions clear. From above, Storm Front could tell how the chase was going to end.

“Sergeant, cover them!” The lieutenant yelled as he banked to the right and dove, not waiting for a response.

As he dove, Storm Front saw the younger pony tumble as it tripped over a tree root while looking back at their pursuers. Before he could react, the lieutenant saw the base of a tree explode before the entire tree was thrown like a spear at the front two wolves who had decided to use the path. The two carnivores never got a chance to react before the tree struck like a bolt of lightning, shattering the two animals and sending each in multiple directions.

“Nice shot.” Storm Front yelled as he paced the fleeing ponies from above.

“That wasn’t me.” The sergeant responded as he used his magic to launch a rotting log at another wolf that dodged it at the last second.

The pegasus shook his head in admiration as the younger pony got to his hooves and raced to catch up to the other pony. Most ponies he knew, even some in the Royal Guard, wouldn’t have reacted as fast as the young pony below him had. The young unicorn’s companion stopped for a moment, seeming to have realized that they were alone. Behind them, the young pony raced to catch up, while the wolf pack followed them only a few body lengths behind. Looking over his shoulder, the lieutenant saw that his friend was studying the situation as well, as a smile slowly grew on his face. Down below, the two ponies were half way across a small clearing when the sergeant acted. Ahead of those on the ground, a tree had fallen across the path. While it wouldn’t be a problem for the older pony, Storm Front doubted that the colt would be able to jump over it, and if he tried, the wolves would be on him before he could make it over.

As if reading his friend’s mind, the sergeant focused on the fallen tree, his magic wrapping around it before hurling it at the ponies on the ground. The lead pony ducked as the tree flew over their head. Behind them the colt, who had been checking on the wolves, noticed the tree at the last second and dove beneath it as it passed over his head, before scrambling to catch his friend, while shouting something at the sergeant. Storm Front couldn’t blame the pony for being upset, though the lieutenant knew his friend would have lifted the tree higher if he could have. While the two ponies disappeared back into the forest, the tree sailed to where the trail entered the clearing, exploding as it hit the tree line and spraying the wolves with shrapnel as they reached the clearing. The sudden attack caught the wooden carnivores by surprise as several shattered from the explosion and the rest howled in pain and rage.

“What was that?” Storm Front yelled as he flew over the clearing.

“Just something I’ve been working on in my spare time.”

Before he could say anything, a howl cut through the air that froze the pegasus to the core. He knew what had made that sound, but what caught him off guard was the pure agony the howl conveyed. While his passenger was dropping trees along the path to slow the wolves should they follow the ponies on the ground, Storm Front saw a rapidly growing orange light behind the injured timber wolves. It took him a moment to see what it was, but when he did, he felt his heart stop. One of the wolves the colt had taken out had managed to pull itself back together, only to catch on fire as it chased down its pack mates. As it ran, everything it touched burst into flames, spreading the forest fire even more.

“You have got to be kidding me!” The sergeant said as he watched the flaming wolf run past its injured pack mates as Storm Front pulled the chariot higher into the air as he raced to catch the ponies on the ground.

Below, the two ponies had managed to put a fair distance between them and the wolves. While this would have most likely allowed them to escape, the lieutenant wasn’t sure it would matter much with an enraged, flaming timber wolf behind them. Fortunately, the fleeing ponies didn’t have much farther to go and within seconds burst from the tree line, still running as fast as they could. As Storm Front moved in to land, the young colt, startled by the chariot’s sudden appearance, tripped; tumbling horn over tail down the small hill. Not waiting for the chariot to stop, Sergeant Ironwood leaped from the cart. Stumbling, the unicorn guard managed to stay on his hooves as he dashed past the first pony. Ahead, the colt was getting to his hooves, though the way he favored one of his legs told the sergeant he wouldn’t be running anytime soon.

From the forest, both unicorns heard another enraged howl. The colt tried to run, only for his injured leg to give out under him, causing him to collapse and cry out in pain. Among the trees, the sergeant could see the wolf closing the distance, the forest behind it engulfed in flames. Seeing this too, the unicorn colt channeled energy to his horn, before ripping a small, half buried boulder from the ground and hurling it at the wolf like an arrow from a bow. The wolf never had a chance to react before the colt-sized rock smashed into its chest, causing the wolf to explode for the second and final time that day; the surrounding trees and brush promptly bursting into flames as the timber wolf’s remains were sent flying.

Igniting his horn, the sergeant focused on the young pony, lifting him off the ground and away from the grass that had been set on fire by the wolf’s remains. The young pony didn’t resist as he was lifted onto the guard pony’s back, too tired to struggle or care as the adrenaline he had been running on finally ran out. Turning, Iron Wood raced back to the waiting chariot as the fire behind him grew and seemed to chase after him. As he ran, the sergeant yelled at his friend, who started to move the cart as he built up speed to take off. Even though he knew he wouldn’t be left behind, the older unicorn still put on a burst of speed, leaping aboard the chariot as it took to the air a few seconds later.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Sergeant Iron Wood gently lifted his passenger off his back, passing the young unicorn to the chariot’s other passenger who started checking him over. “Sir, take a pass over the river, I got an idea.” He shouted.

Storm Front gently banked, bringing his charges over the normally wide, slow flowing river. Now it was more of a glorified ditch since the drought had dropped its water level by at least half. Lighting his horn, Iron Wood focused on the water. A wall of water slowly rose from the river, and a quick flick of his head sent it sweeping across the spreading fire along the bank, snuffing out the flames and ensuring for the moment, that the fire wouldn’t spread. “How is he?” He asked, turning to the mare next to him.

“He will be fine; though to heal, he will need expertise that I cannot claim as mine.”

It took the sergeant a few moments to mentally translate what she said. “Right, Sir-”

“Already on it” Storm Front yelled back as he turned, the river quickly shrinking as they passed over Ponyville. Below, both guard ponies could see the town was like a disturbed anthill of activity. Fellow guard members ran about, directing the town’s residents or doing any number of a thousand other tasks. Around them, chariot teams were patrolling the sky, some on SAR duty like them. Ahead, Ponyville General grew, its entrance surrounded by tents and teams of medics that even from this distance looked bored. Storm Front quietly thanked Celestia that they hadn’t been needed. Seconds later, the lieutenant brought the chariot to the ground with a bump that elicited a moan from his youngest passenger. Unhitching himself from the harness, the pegasus waved away the approaching medic, who returned to his chair with a frown. “Sergeant, take our guests to the docs, while I find the captain.”

“Yes sir.” Iron Wood responded; the young colt already on the older unicorn’s back. They had barely stepped through the front door before a pair of nurses and a doctor appeared before them with a stretcher.

“What do we have?” The doctor said, as the sergeant gently lowered the colt onto the stretcher.

“Burns and a possible broken leg on the colt; found them in the forest running from the fire and a pack of wolves.”

“Thanks Sergeant, we’ll take it from here.” The doctor said as he and a nurse pushed the stretcher into the ER, with the zebra being led to another bed by the other nurse.

“What you did was very gallant. Surely it must be your special talent.” The Zebra said as she settled onto her bed.

“Just doing my job, ma’am” Iron Wood said, blushing slightly at the automatic nature of his response to the zebra mare’s thanks.

“Even if that is so, thanks to you we may end this day with very little woe.”

“How are you feeling, Zecora?” The nurse asked as she began to look the zebra over.

“Tired and sore, though it could have been so much more.”

The nurse didn’t respond as she listened to her patient’s heartbeat. “Other than some singeing and minor smoke inhalation, you’ll be just fine. Princess Twilight will be glad to hear that.”

“Where is she?”

The nurse looked up at the sergeant, nodding down the hall as she looked at Zecora’s fur. “Waiting room 1A: down the hall; third door on your left, Sergeant.”

“Thank you, ma’am” Iron Wood said, nodding his head in thanks as he left the two mares. Stopping for a moment, he pulled aside a curtain to check on his other charge. The young pure black colt seemed to be half conscious, a bubble around his head darkening every time he breathed out. Around the bay, the doctor and a pair of nurses moved with a practiced ease that almost seemed like a choreographed dance to the sergeant. The colt looked up at the sergeant and smiled, waving to the older pony only to have his leg gently pushed back down. Iron Wood smiled and saluted the younger unicorn before letting the curtain fall back down before continuing down the bustling hall.

Taking a deep breath, Sergeant Iron Wood gently rapped on the door. He knew that the young Princess wasn’t as large as the Royal Sisters, yet he felt slightly intimidated by her. In his opinion, anypony who had heard of her exploits and wasn’t slightly intimidated by her needed to have his head examined.

“Come in.” A voice on the other side called out.

Pushing on the door with his magic, the sergeant walked into the room before stopping to salute the large, white alicorn in front of him. What was she doing here? Having been in the guard for the better part of two decades, the sergeant knew that the solar diarch preferred to be where the action was, even if she had never personally told him that.

Celestia nodded to the guard pony who immediately snapped to attention. “What can I do for you Sergeant…”

“Ironwood, Your Highness.” The unicorn said as the princess nodded, as if finally remembering his face. “I was told that that Princess Twilight Sparkle was here.” On a couch along the wall opposite the Sergeant, a purple alicorn looked up at the mention of her name, her wings currently embracing an orange earth pony and white unicorn. “My Lieutenant and I rescued a pair of ponies from the Everfree, and when we brought them here, one of the nurses indicated that the princess would be happy to hear her prognosis.”

“What are their names, Sergeant?” Twilight asked, her attention momentarily focused on the armored stallion.

“I didn’t get the colt’s name, but the other pony is a zebra mare named Zecora.”

Twilight stopped at the mention of Zecora’s name. How could she have forgotten all about the potion master? She lived in the Everfree Forest for crying out loud! Mentally face hoofing herself; Twilight gently stood, fluffing her wings before folding them. “Where is she?”

“The ER, ma’am.”

“Lead the way Sergeant.” Celestia said as she stood.

Bowing his head, Iron Wood turned and held the door open for the two royals. While the walk to the Emergency Room was short, it still gave the experienced stallion plenty of time to examine the young Princess. Though she didn’t show it, he could tell by the way she walked that she was worried. The ER quieted as the three ponies entered.

Celestia looked out across the room at the dozen or so ponies who had stopped in their tracks to take in the possibly never-before-seen sight of her in an Emergency Room. Slowly nodding to the hospital staff, the princess followed behind the sergeant who had taken the gesture as his cue to continue. As they moved deeper into the room, Celestia smiled as the ponies around the room resumed what they had been doing. Having been on the throne for centuries, she had learned rather quickly that her little ponies tended to relax when she treated a situation as if she was in complete control, even when she wasn’t. Keeping a serene smile on her face, Celestia nodded as various ponies stopped to bow as she and Twilight walked by.

In less than a minute, both Princesses found themselves walking into a curtained off bay where a lone zebra was laying on the bed and enjoying a small fruit salad somepony had brought her.

“Zecora!”

The striped mare looked up, startled at her name being called out, though she recovered quickly as she swallowed her food. “Princess Twilight, seeing you is quite the delight.” Looking up, Twilight’s friend started to scramble to her hooves before the solar princess held up a hoof to stop her.

“Please don’t get up Ms. Zecora. The sergeant informed us that you were here, so we decided to check on how you were.”

Zecora seemed to relax as she slowly let herself sink back into the bed with a groan.

“How are you feeling?” Twilight asked as she fluffed her friend’s pillow.

“I will be fine, do not fret. On that, you can bet. Though not to be terse, if you do not believe me, ask the nurse.”

“That’s good to hear, but what happened?”

“I was at home when at the door, banged a pony I had never seen before. Bearing down was a wall of flames of such great height, that we were quickly forced to take flight. As we ran, we were attacked by wolves of wood, who happened to be in the neighborhood. I do not wish to be uncouth, but what I say is the truth. If it were not for my young friend, by flame or claw I surely would have met my end.”

As she listened to the zebra’s tale, Celestia couldn’t help but be impressed by Zecora’s description of how her friend helped keep the wolves at bay. Many ponies she knew, including most of the so called nobles, would have fled at the first sign of danger, leaving other ponies to fend for themselves “Do you know where he is right now?” Celestia asked once the zebra mare’s tale was over. Zecora simply pointed with a hoof to the bay next door, which had been a quiet hive of activity the entire time she had been standing there. Nodding her thanks, the solar princess quietly let herself out, leaving Twilight and Zecora to talk. Outside, Sergeant Ironwood was at attention between the two bays. “How is he, Sergeant?”

“Battered, bruised and a little singed, ma’am. Doc says the little guy will be just fine in a day or two.”

Smiling, Celestia moved towards the drawn curtain, which parted for her under the Sergeant’s magic. On the other side, a doctor and several nurses were moving around with practiced ease as they tended to the young colt on the bed that occupied a good part of the room. For his part, the young pony sat on the bed, his head hanging as if he was half asleep. He didn’t flinch or seem to notice when a needle was plunged into one of his legs, while a nurse started to wrap another leg in a bandage. “How is he, doctor?” Looking up, the doctor finally noticed the princess.

“Very lucky, your Highness.” The unicorn said after getting up from his bow. “We’re treating him for smoke inhalation, exhaustion, some small burns and several badly pulled muscles. Overall, he’s in pretty good condition for what he’s been through.”

Nodding her thanks, Celestia watched as the doctor returned to his patient, whispering something to the young colt as he gestured towards her. Raising his head, the young unicorn locked eyes with the princess. The small smile on the colt’s face vanished in the blink of an eye as his pupils shrank to the size of pinheads. Before anypony could react, the young pony bolted; his eyes never leaving Celestia’s as he scrambled to put as much distance between them as possible. Unable to warn him in time, the solar princess watched helplessly as he retreated too far, falling off the back of the bed in his blind panic. Yet, before anypony could move, the young black unicorn fled to the wall behind him before igniting his horn, moving several heavy metal cabinets between him and the princess, spilling and scattering their contents across the floor in the process.

Celestia stood there for a moment, confused by the colt’s sudden and unexpected reaction. Why had he reacted like that? Had he done something wrong? Had she? Before any more questions had a chance to form, the sound of hooves on tile caught the princess’s attention, forcing her back to reality. A quick glance confirmed her suspicion as Twilight skidded to a halt next to her, the sight of the trashed bay leaving her speechless. As both royals took in the scene, the staff in the room wasted no time as they began to clean up the mess, piling the fallen supplies on the now vacant bed. As the pile on the bed grew, the lone doctor turned his attention to the small fortress of furniture along the wall. Celestia watched as his horn lit up, yet after several seconds, nothing had moved. After a few more attempts, the stallion extinguished his horn before turning to the princess. “My apologies, your Highness; I don’t know why he reacted like that, but I can’t get him out.”

Nodding, the solar diarch frowned as she replayed the last few minutes in her head, trying to figure out the young pony’s strange behavior. She could feel everypony’s eyes on her, especially her former student’s, but the princess ignored them for the moment. Again, the question presented itself: why had he reacted like that? She couldn’t think of anything she had personally done. She had simply stood there, the colt had locked eyes with her, then… The solar princess felt something inside her sink as the truth dawned on her. Despite knowing the what, the why still eluded her. The last time a non-criminal had looked at her with that much fear had been… Celestia’s mind went blank as she scoured her memories. The fact that she couldn’t readily recall a similar incident told her that it had to be centuries at least, but something told her that something like this had happened before. Looking down to her former student, Celestia subtly tilted her head before turning for the hallway. Having grown up around the princess, Twilight turned to follow, taking one last look at the doctor and Zecora who were trying to coax the colt from his hiding place.

Sliding the curtain shut, Twilight turned to her mentor, only to see the princess deflate before her. Most ponies would have missed the subtle changes, but Twilight Sparkle wasn’t like most ponies. Trotting up to the taller princess, Twilight leaned against Princess Celestia, the comforting embrace being returned a moment later. “What happened, Princess?” The smaller alicorn asked as she took a step back.

“I’m not sure, but I think it would be for the best if you were to try and help him instead of me.”

“Why?”

“I wish I knew why, but he is terrified of me. He might respond to you if I’m not here.”

Twilight nodded, even though she didn’t understand. “What about you?”

“I’ll be fine, Twilight.” Celestia said, genuinely smiling for the first time. “There are matters that I need to attend to until Luna arrives with more help.”

“I’ll do my best, Princess.”

“I know you will Twilight, and don’t be afraid to ask your friends for help.” Celestia replied, hugging her former student before turning to leave, Sergeant Ironwood falling into step behind her.

Turning around, Twilight took a deep breath, feeling the pent up fear and tension inside her slowly evaporate as she let the breath out. Allowing herself a smile, Twilight parted the curtain before her. Inside, the scene hadn’t changed much; Zecora was lying on the floor, quietly talking to the colt behind the cabinets while the doctor and nurses finished picking up the fallen supplies. Walking up to the now overflowing bed, the young princess started to sort the supplies alongside the doctor. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” He whispered, sneaking a quick glance at Zecora. “I told him that he had an important visitor, and he panicked after one look at the Princess.”

Twilight glanced at the small fortress, confused. What could have caused the colt to panic so badly? Setting the rolled up bandage with the rest of its siblings, Twilight slowly approached the pile of cabinets, before lowering herself to the floor. Behind the cabinets, she could see a small black lump curled up on the floor. “Hello.” The Element of Magic gently said, finding herself staring into a pair of golden eyes a moment later. The young pony shrank back slightly as he stared back, prevented from going anywhere by the wall behind him. “You don’t need to be scared, I won’t hurt you.” The unicorn seemed to ever so slightly relax a moment later, causing a small smile to bloom on Twilight’s face. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and you’ve already met Zecora.” The young princess said, gesturing to herself, then to the zebra next to her. “What’s your name?”

The young pony didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he stared Twilight in the eyes, as if trying to determine if she could be trusted. As his mouth slowly opened, Twilight saw the colt’s eyes come to a halt on her wings. Faster than she could blink, the colt’s mouth snapped shut as a golden shield sprang to life between them with a screech of metal on tile as the magical barrier pushed against the cabinets around the colt. Despite the wall behind him steadfastly refusing to budge, the colt continued to desperately try to put as much distance between the two of them as he could. Seeing the young pony suddenly panic, Twilight slowly moved several feet back. The gesture seemed to calm him down, though she could still see the terror in his eyes. Turning to Zecora, the youngest Princess could see the confusion she felt mirrored on her friend’s face. Turning back, the lone Zebra waited until her young friend was looking back at her. “Your terror is plain and all can see; yet this does not have to be. Twilight is my friend, good and true. You have my word; no harm will come to you.”

“I believe you, but I don’t trust her.”

“If that is true, why don’t you?”

“It’s a long story.”

“From where I hale, we enjoy a good tale. Though you must believe me, nowhere safer could you be.”

Closing his eyes, the young clone nodded. Opening his eyes, he watched as the object of his fear slowly inched closer until she had taken back her spot.

Twilight slowly lowered her head until she was back at eye level with the young unicorn. The smile she had planned to use to show that she was friendly died before it could form as she saw the young pony’s horn light up; the colt’s shield suddenly growing stronger. Racking her mind for some way to break the tension, Twilight said the first thing that came to mind. “Hello.”

The young pony moved his head around, as if looking to see whether somepony was still around. “What in the name of Tartarus is the solar empress doing here?” He whispered, seemingly satisfied that the pony in question was nowhere nearby.

Twilight cocked her head slightly at the pony’s odd phrase and accent. Solar Empress? “Do you mean Princess Celestia?”

“She still uses that old title?”

“Of course she does” Twilight replied, frowning. Old title? “But to answer your question, she’s here because of the fire.” If she had to judge, the unicorn seemed to mentally face hoof himself at the obviousness of the answer. “Do you want to come out of there?”

“I’m good.” He answered, sneezing a moment later from the dust.

“Don’t you want the doctor to take a look at your leg?”

“I’ve had worse.”

“Zecora told me and Princess Celestia what you did in the forest. That was very brave and must have been scary.”

The younger pony shrugged. “Not really. I’ve seen things much worse than a bunch of overgrown wooden mutts.”

“Like what?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Sighing, Twilight looked away for a moment. She remembered her foalhood well enough to understand why he was reluctant to move, but he couldn’t stay there forever. What would it take to get the young colt to budge? Looking around, Twilight watched as a nurse walked past the bay pushing a cart loaded with trays of food. Sometimes the best way to help a frightened animal is to give them a snack. Fluttershy’s words slowly bubbled up in Twilight’s mind. Would that trick work on a frightened pony? “Are you hungry?” The colt gave her his full attention as her horn lit up, Zecora’s tray of fruit slowly settling down between the two mares a few seconds later. Focusing on a large pineapple slice, Twilight picked it up with her magic before taking a bite out of it, smiling at the fruit’s slight sting. Waiting a few seconds, the town’s librarian watched as a pair of apple slices slowly lifted off the tray in a golden aura before flying out of view beneath a cabinet, only to meet a crunchy end a moment later. Soon enough, the slices of fruit were disappearing at a steady rate, eliciting a smile from Zecora. Within five minutes, the tray was completely bare. “Better?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to come out now?” Not hearing a response, Twilight glanced at Zecora.

“I would be happy to join you, that is, if you want me to.”

“Really?”

“It would be no great task. All you have to do is ask.” A few moments later, one of the cabinets shifted to the side.

“Will you?” The now fully visible colt asked; smiling as the zebra mare nodded. Pushing his way between two cabinets, the young unicorn looked around the room, wilting slightly at the doctor’s slightly less than pleased look. Glancing up at Zecora, the colt seemed to calm down again. Turning his head, the vest wearing unicorn’s horn glowed as the disheveled furniture began to float and move back to where it had come from.

Smiling at the gesture, Twilight looked at the older unicorn. “Can he go?”

“Yup, though you might want to tighten the bandage around his leg so it doesn’t come off.” He replied, as he ignited his horn to tighten the colt’s bandage.

“Thank you, doctor.”

“Thank you for your help, sir.” The colt said, lowering his head in thanks and respect to the older unicorn, “and I am sorry about the mess.”

“You’re very welcome; though please try to avoid any forest fires in the future.”

Outside, Celestia pumped her wings as she worked to gain altitude. Behind her, Lieutenant Storm Front and Captain Strong Wind were panting as they worked to keep up with their Princess. In the early afternoon light, half the Everfree Forest lay charred and barren, what few trees that hadn’t fallen were now blackened ghostly reminders of what had once been. Across the forest, a wall of fire rose above the tops of the trees as it advanced; it had slowed, from what the lieutenant could see, but it was still moving, consuming anything in its path. As the two officers worked to catch up to their princess, both ignored the minor stings of embers and debris that had been thrown into the air, only to rain down, occasionally starting small fires that were attacked by the locals with a ferocity rarely seen in civilians. Even with the help of the guard, five buildings had already burned to the ground and several more had been badly damaged. Off in the distance, Storm Front could see the Cloudsdale Weather Factory, which was still being rebuilt.

Up ahead, the lone Princess came to a halt, her wings pumping as she hovered to take in everything she saw. As memories from a thousand years ago tried to surface, Celestia forced them back, instead focusing on the slowly growing burning in her wings that promised days of soreness from the sudden amount of use. Sighing, the solar princess allowed herself a small smile at the small victory. If she was going to stop this fire, she would need to be able to focus without being reminded about what happened in the distant past, though she knew that she wouldn’t be able to stop one particular memory if it surfaced. Closing her eyes, Celestia channeled energy to her horn, her mind focusing on the Everfree River off in the distance.

She could feel the sand beneath her hooves as the breeze from the ocean failed to do anything to her mane. She stood in the middle of a large spell circle, the delicate lines and runes waiting for her cue. Looking to her right, she could see the young orange maned unicorn looking back at her. “Ready?”

“Let’s just get this over with Princess. I got a daughter waiting for me and I’d rather be with her than here with you.”

Celestia turned away from the angry mare’s gaze, though she could still feel Luna’s closest friend staring daggers at her. Ahead of her, a light orange shield formed in front of her. Waiting for a few seconds until the shield was complete; the Equestrian monarch closed her eyes before igniting her horn. In her mind she could see the spell begin to form, the magical threads forming and connecting, with threads branching off to form new connections. Frowning, she could feel the strain of the magic beginning to tell as beads of sweat started to roll down her face. With a final push, she watched the spell complete itself before disappearing from her mind. Opening her eyes, Celestia was greeted with a blast of heat that would put a raging volcano to shame, the shield in front of her deflecting most of the heat. Ahead, a large circle of flame stood before her, the heat pouring out from it melting the sand between it and Summer Breeze’s shield into glass. Inside she could creatures moving among the flames, though they came to a halt as soon as they saw her. Knowing she had to make sure she had their attention, Celestia moved to the side, giving the creatures of flame an unobstructed view of the Great Ocean. From the looks on their faces, Celestia knew that she had their complete attention.

Knowing what came next, Celestia forced back the loathed memory until she felt the river’s water rolling on its course in the distance. She felt the water start to pool in the distance as she cast a barrier across the river. Focusing on the suddenly expanding river, she diverted the water, channeling it so that it began to flow up hill and into the blackened forest, plumes of steam rising as it met burned land. As the stream grew, a slight change in magic caused the steadily thickening ribbon of water to grow in height, until it resembled a wall. Stretching the wall until it spanned across the entire forest, Celestia gave it one final shove, sending it roaring across the blackened land and straight into the raging inferno. With a crash, the literal wall of water slammed into the advancing flames from behind, extinguishing the blaze’s leading edge in the blink of an eye. As it surged across the land, the wave tore up the forest, ripping up century’s old trees like weeds, before dying like a wave on a beach.

She knew that there were other methods that were just as effective, but she hadn’t created a storm cloud in centuries, and while it wasn’t as efficient, her tactic produced much quicker results. Letting one wing dip as she turned toward Ponyville, the princess silently admitted that she stole the move from the young colt she had saved. She couldn’t deny that she was impressed by the shield of water he had created to protect himself and the others. It was a piece of quick thinking that she wouldn’t have expected from one so young. Even as she recalled the colt, Celestia felt off, as if she was missing something that was staring her in the face. It wasn’t until she locked her wings as she glided down to the hospital that the princess finally figured out what was bothering her.

The colt in the ER.

Despite the mane color, his resemblance to the colt she had saved was too similar to be a coincidence. Nodding her thanks to the corporal who opened the door for her, the princess made her way through the ER, thankful beyond words that it was quiet. Stopping for a moment, she saw that the bay the young colt had been in had been cleaned up. Knowing her former student, Celestia slowly made her way to the private waiting room as the day’s activities chose that moment to catch up with her. Grabbing the door handle with her magic, the solar princess pushed on the door, hearing the conversation on the other side stop dead as she entered. Looking up, she smiled at the four pairs of waiting eyes that had focused on her. “The fire has been contained.” She said as she let herself sink into the waiting couch as nearly everypony in the room sighed in relief. Even with the loose spring digging into her flank, it was the most welcome feeling in the world to the princess at that moment. Letting herself enjoy the feeling, she allowed herself a few deep breaths before she opened her eyes, focusing on the one pony that had yet to even acknowledge her presence.

Aftermath - Part 2

Luna stood on the cloud walkway, watching silently as the workers on the factory floor installed the final pieces of equipment. Other than orders and replies, no pony below her spoke as they rushed about their duties. Though such silence should have irked the younger princess, Luna found herself wondering if the silence was because of the situation in Ponyville, her intimidating presence, or a combination of the two. Mentally shrugging, Luna turned to a nearby window, watching as plumes of smoke billowed from the forest in the distance. In her horn, she could feel the wild magic of the forest being released by the flames. If the magic got thick enough and something set it off... Luna shook her head. She would spend a thousand years in Tartarus before that happened again. Among the pillars of smoke, the lunar princess could see flashes of light as sunlight glinted off chariots as the pegasi pulling them flew over the flames. Had there been anypony in the forest when it started to burn? Had they gotten out?

Shoving the thought aside, Luna turned away from the window. She’d learn soon enough how many of her citizens had been lost in the fire. Hearing a cough, the younger Royal Sister turned to the thestral next to her, the pony snapping a salute to the princess. “What is it, Lieutenant?”

“Progress update, ma’am” The mare replied, giving the lunar diarch a clipboard.

Luna glanced over the lone sheet of paper, “How much longer?”

“Foremare estimates that it’ll take another hour to get the last piece in position and another thirty minutes to get it secured and ready.”

“Not good enough Lieutenant. Tell the foremare she has half that time.”

“I tried princess, but she won’t budge on the timeframe. She says that the last piece is the largest and heaviest of all of them. Even if every member of the guard here right now grabbed a rope, we’d only shave maybe ten minutes off the estimate.” The mare wilted slightly under her princess’s gaze, “Her words, not mine.”

Luna sighed at the officer’s report. Eighty minutes was nowhere near good enough. How much more of the Everfree would go up in flames in that time? “Lieutenant, how much does the piece weigh?” Luna asked; looking at where the roof would eventually go.

“About forty thousand pounds, ma’am.”

“How soon until they’re ready to install it?”

“Immediately, ma’am.”

Luna slowly smiled at the mare’s response. “Tell them to clear the area.” Not sure what was going to happen, the thestral officer simply saluted before leaping over the railing and gliding to the factory floor below. Pumping her wings, Luna rose into the air as workers below cleared the floor. Ignoring the two guards that flew into place beside her, Luna hovered above the factory, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth from her sister’s sun. Looking down, she could see the final piece of machinery lying next to the factory’s main building. Igniting her horn, the princess let her magic flow over the piece of equipment, allowing her to get a feel for it. Keeping a grasp on the machine, Luna closed her eyes, calling on a second spell, one she had rarely had reason to use. To anypony watching, the princess’s eyes glowed white. To Luna, the world around her shifted slightly. Around her, she could see otherwise invisible clouds covering everything like a fog, passing through solid objects as if they didn’t exist. Next to her, clouds rolled off the wings of the guards hovering next to her. Turning to the Everfree, the world famous forest was cloaked in a cloud so thick that Luna couldn’t see anything in it. Smiling, Luna watched as the cloud obscuring the Everfree started to change, becoming an invisible stream as her spell gathered some of the excess magic and redirected it through her horn.

Gathering the magic around her, Luna focused on the machine below her, slowly lifting it into the air. As if on cue, a dozen factory workers descended from above, each grabbing one of the tow lines. As gently as a pony might build a house of cards, Luna slowly moved the thing over the roofless building, her attention shifting from the machine to the foremare’s gestures as she lowered the machine into place. Pausing at the mare’s signal, Luna held the condenser in place while ponies scrambled to bolt and weld the final piece into place. With the foremare’s signal, Luna released her grip on the machine. Gliding down, the princess landed next to the mare in charge, “How much longer?”

“Five minutes to secure it in place, ten to test everything. After that, all we’ll need is some water and we’ll be in business.”

Luna smiled at the mare’s announcement. Taking a seat, Luna closed her eyes for a moment. In her head, she began forming the spells she’d need for the next part of the plan.

Celestia stared at the room’s pure black colt. For his part, having claimed one of the room’s corners, the colt resolutely ignored the solar princess, much to everypony’s surprise. Clearing her throat to no avail, Celestia gently tapped on the colt’s shield with her magic, watching the colt slowly open an eye, only to stare at her from behind his shield. “Hello” The princess said, putting on the least threatening smile she knew. The colt said nothing, his only response being to open his other eye. Willing to take what she could get, Celestia let her smile grow slightly, “What’s your name?” The young pony said nothing, seeming to evaluate her instead. Despite his lack of years, Celestia knew he was sizing her up. It had been so long since someone had done so, that she had almost forgotten what it felt like “Where are you from?”

“The Crystal Empire, or what little’s left of it, thanks to you.” The colt said, after appearing to debate whether or not to answer. The clone knew that it probably wasn't the smartest thing in the world to speak to the solar empress like that, but at the moment he didn't particularly care. What was the worst she could do; kill him? He was still angry about being created in the middle of a forest fire, only to be forced to run for his life moments later.

Celestia sat back at the colt’s response and how it was delivered; the Crystal Empire? There was no possible way he was from the Empire. General Cinder had made that perfectly clear during their late night meeting months ago. Despite knowing this, she didn’t immediately dismiss what he had said. The way he had said it left the princess wondering what he meant, though it was clear he blamed her for what happened to the empire. Before she could say anything, the sound of an explosion rocked the room, causing the door to shake in its frame. As the sound growled and faded from existence, Celestia stared at the spot the colt had been laying, which was now occupied by an opaque dark yellow shield. Celestia watched with curiosity as the shield slowly cleared as it absorbed the sudden reinforcement from its caster. “You don’t have to be scared, it’s just thunder.” As if on cue, the sound of heavy rain filtered through the ceiling, despite the floor above them.

“I know what it is,” The clone said, annoyance clear in its voice as the shield cleared “and I’m not scared. I just don’t like sudden loud noises like that.”

Celestia watched as Zecora moved closer to the colt, her presence seeming to help him settle. “Would it be because of what happened on the Tranquility?” Celestia knew she had hit the nail on the head by the way the colt’s head whipped around at the mention of the ship’s name. “I read the report” She replied, before the colt could say anything. “After surviving something like that, nopony would blame you.”

“I didn’t survive the fight.”

“Um, sorry to interrupt, Princess, but what does he mean that he didn’t survive? He’s sitting right there.” Twilight said, gesturing to the colt.

“I’m right here, you know.” The colt replied, noting the blush on the purple alicorn’s face. “The Tranquility is a ship that was attacked by a monster and a number of clone ships were created during the attack to distract the monster. I was on one of those ships.”

“And yours was attacked?”

The colt nodded. “Mine was one of the last to be targeted.”

“What happened to the others the monster attacked?”

“They exploded.”

Twilight sat back, stunned by the colt’s story. Was this what he meant when he had said earlier that he had seen scarier?

Before anypony could say anything, a series of knocks drew everypony’s attention to the room’s lone door; the handle glowing dark blue moments before Equestria’s other diarch entered. “Good afternoon, everypony.” Everypony in the room but one greeted the princess as she took a seat by her sister. “It brings me great pleasure to say that the weather factory is up and fully operational.” Luna smiled as she looked around the room at the relieved faces, her gaze settling on the colt in the corner. “Hello, my young pony.”

The colt said nothing, too stunned by what he saw to move. Since he knew what Shadow did, the clone knew who he was staring like an idiot at. How was this possible when she was supposed to be dead?! Thinking quickly, the colt stood on the cushion he had grabbed from one of the room’s sofas and bowed to the lunar princess. Everypony in the room paused at the colt’s sudden attitude change.

“What brings you here on this interesting day” Luna listened as her sister told her what had happened “Very well done, young one.”

“Thank you, my Princess.”

Looking up at the knocking on the door, everypony watched as an older unicorn stallion walked in, quickly bowing to the assembled princesses. Before anypony else could open their mouth, two mares, who had up to this point been sitting silently on a sofa, rushed the doctor, stopping within an inch of his face. “How are our sisters?”

Taking a step back, the stallion levitated a clipboard, looking it over in an attempt to cover his shock at how quickly the mares had moved. Smiling, he looked both mares in the eyes, “They will be just fine.” He waited as the mares sat down in relief. “They’re being treated for smoke inhalation, scrapes and a few minor burns. We’ll be keeping them overnight for observation, but they should be able to leave by about noon tomorrow.”

Leading the farmer and fashionista to an open sofa, the doctor turned at the sound of Celestia’s voice, “It’s good to see you again, Lieutenant.”

The stallion smiled, bowing his head, “I’m surprised you remember me, Princess.”

“How could I forget a pony responsible for saving so many from the Endurance?”

“Excuse me,” Twilight waved her hoof “How’s Rainbow Dash.”

“Ah yes, Ms. Dash.” The doctor turned to his clipboard, flipping a few sheets of paper “She broke her wing – again – and is currently in surgery getting it fixed. She’ll be grounded for several weeks, but should be up and flying again in no time.”

“Thank you doctor” Twilight said, joining Applejack and Rarity in a group hug.

“What about the colt I brought in?” Celestia felt her heart sink at the doctor’s wince, “How bad?”

“Bad.” The stallion turned to his papers, “Minor cracking in his horn, broken right leg, half a dozen cracked and broken ribs, numerous torn muscles, internal bleeding, second and mostly third degree burns over half his body and three breaks in his left wing.” The doctor finished, trailing off at the end as he watched the princess’ reactions.

“Forgive us doctor, but could you repeat that last part?” Luna’s attention turned to the clone as the doctor obliged the royal sister. The clone seemed to shrink under Luna’s gaze as the doctor talked.

“Wait a minute.” Twilight said, jumping in as soon as the doctor took a breath. “You said he had a horn?” The doctor nodded solemnly. “Are you telling us that this colt is an alicorn?” Twilight looked to Celestia, whose face was as blank as a concrete wall.

“Yes. We’re pumping him full of antibiotics at the moment. With luck, we’ll be able to keep one step ahead of the infection he’s going to get.”

“Is there anything you can do, Zecora?”

The zebra mare looked up at Twilight, nodding. “With such severe burns, there is one potion on which our hope turns.”

“Could you make it?”

“An honor, of which, I could think of none greater. Though it will not be easy, considering my home is now a crater.”

“What do you need, Zecora.”

The shaman turned to Celestia. “For this brew, the ingredients are few. Yet what gives the potion its power is an exceptionally rare flower. With petals of orange and stripes of white, you are lucky if this plant you sight.”

“Is the flower the size of her hoof?” The clone asked, pointing to Celestia “With five petals?” The clone shook his head at the zebra’s nod. “Forget it; he’s already had that potion.”

“Really?”

The clone slowly stood. Dropping the shield, it charged its horn. In front of everypony in the room, the clone changed its appearance. The blackened vest disappeared along with most of the fur along the clone’s back half. Waiting for a moment as everypony saw the burns and seared skin, the clone let go of its magic, its skin and vest returning to normal within a few seconds.

“Is there anything else you could try, Zecora?” Luna asked.

The town’s shaman nodded, “There are a few we could try and brew.”

“If you need anything, let us know immediately and we’ll make sure you get it.”

Thanking the dark blue alicorn, the zebra mare turned to the clone, “Come young one, there is much to be done.”

Getting over the shock of what he had just seen, the doctor turned to the two younger mares as Zecora and the clone left the room. “There is a nurse waiting just outside who’ll take you to your sisters.” Watching the two mares all but rush out of the room, he turned to the three Princesses. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to prep for surgery.”

Celestia stood as the former Lieutenant saluted out of reflex. “Is there a fireplace around here?”

“Administrator’s office; back left corner, second floor.”

“Thank you, doctor. Could you also make sure that the bills for all five patients are sent to me?”

“Of course, your Highness.” The stallion said, holding the door for the three royals.

Reaching down with her horn, Twilight lifted the battered and burned saddlebag from where she had set it between two sofas. Celestia had given it to her shortly after returning from the Everfree, asking her student to hold on to it. Having grown up around the solar princess and the Canterlot court, Twilight knew from the way that her mentor had given it to her, that much was being left unsaid. Tightening the strap around her waist, the young princess marveled at the bag’s construction. Nodding her thanks to the doctor as she walked out of the room, Twilight paused as she heard her name called out. Turning, she smiled as she spotted Spike waving to her from the back of a pegasus stallion nearly as large as her brother. Trotting from her mentor, she picked the young dragon of the stallion’s back, pulling him into a hug that the dragon happily returned.

“Sorry I’m late, Twilight. Fluttershy needed my help to keep her animals calm.”

“It’s alright, Spike. Nothing much happened here.” She knew it was a lie, but she’d explain everything later.

“What’s the situation, Commander?”

“Wet and muddy, ma’am; there’s an impromptu party going on outside with ponies dancing in the rain.”

Celestia saw her former student trying not to laugh at how her friend could have such a party ready to go on such short notice. “What about the Everfree?”

“Steaming like a locomotive and hissing like a pit of pissed off vipers. I’ve got teams flying CAP over the forest, but at this rate everything should be cold by dawn.”

“Thank you, Commander. If it’s not too much trouble, could you escort young Spike to Sweet Apple Acres so he can deliver a message to them?”

“Of course, your Highness.” Nodding her thanks, Celestia ignited her horn, a sealed letter popping out of thin air a second later. Grabbing the letter, Spike snapped to attention before climbing back on the stallion’s back.

Watching her younger brother disappear, Twilight turned to Celestia, following her as she and Luna walked deeper into the hospital. “Twilight, there are some things that Luna and I need to make you aware of.”

“Do they have to do with the fire?”

“Yes, as well as the colt I rescued.”

Twilight frowned. How could the two be related? Unless… “You don’t think he started the fire, do you?”

“We know he didn’t, Twilight, but he is involved with it.”

Twilight looked down. If he didn’t start it, how could he be involved? “Is it because he’s an alicorn?”

“Partly” Luna said. “We have been following the colt from a distance since we first learned of him. We were hoping to talk with him, but every time we found him, he wasn’t alone and we did not wish to reveal his secret to others.”

Twilight nodded at Luna’s explanation. As she walked, a thought that had been simmering in the back of her mind decided it no longer wanted to be ignored. “Did either of you notice anything odd about the fire?”

Celestia glanced at her sister, who returned the nervous look. “Odd? How?”

"I didn't notice it at the time, but now that I think about it, there was something that felt… off about the fire. It didn't feel like a regular fire, magically speaking. I almost missed it, but underneath the Everfree's magic, there was another signature I've never felt before." As she spoke, the princesses walked into the administrator’s office, the door closing silently behind them.

“What do you know about the Fire Summer?” Celestia asked; glancing at Luna who quietly nodded as her horn started to glow.

"The Fire Summer, often called 'the Summer of Fire', refers to Equestria's first year after the Lunar Rebellion." The young alicorn stated, having unconsciously slipped into what her friends jokingly called her 'lecture mode'. "While not much from that period of history has survived, most reputable scholars and sources agree that while aptly named, the stories of large fires that swept the land and engulfed entire towns and villages are at best metaphorical depictions of this chaotic period."

Celestia nodded as her former student look up at her "Exactly what I would expect from my former student." The solar princess's smile slowly faded as her former student seemed to glow with pride at her teacher's praise. "If only it were all true."

"Princess?" Twilight frowned.

"Twilight, everything that you are about to learn here tonight does not leave this room. Understand?"

The frown on the young mare's face deepened. "I understand, but-"

"No buts, Twilight." Celestia said, cutting her former student off. "Under no circumstances are you to mention anything said or seen in this room to anypony, including your friends and Spike. Do you understand?" Twilight understood, but why the princess was saying this left the younger pony scrambling to find an answer. With no answer readily coming to mind, the youngest princess nodded, before motioning a Pinkie Pie Swear. Nodding, Celestia turned to her sister, as Luna finished the sound proofing spell. "Would you care to do the honors, Luna?"

"Gladly, sister."

Nodding, Celestia turned back to her former student, "Do you remember when I showed you the dark magic that Sombra once used and what it did to you when you used it?" Twilight grimaced at the memory before nodding at her mentor's question. "The spell you are about to see was invented shortly after the Crystal Empire's fall, and the knowledge of how to cast it is known by only myself and Luna."

"Why?"

"Because the Fire Summer was a direct consequence of its invention."

Twilight found herself left speechless by Celestia's simple statement. The Summer of Fire was real?! Holding up a hoof to stall the inevitable questions, Celestia looked the youngest royal in the eye. When she spoke, it wasn't as a pseudo-parental figure, or as a friend or mentor; she spoke as an authority whose order was not to be questioned

"You are not to memorize, recreate or attempt this spell. Am I clear, Twilight?"

Nodding and miming another Pinkie Promise, Twilight saw Celestia nod to Luna. Turning her head, Twilight watched the younger sister’s horn blaze as she cast the spell. Twilight could tell by the sensation crawling down her horn that whatever this spell was, Luna was throwing a mind numbing amount of magic into it. The last time Twilight could remember dealing with this much raw magic at once was during her fight with Tirek.

“This is actually a modified version of the original spell.”

“What would happen with the original spell?”

“This whole building would be incinerated by now.” Luna bluntly replied as her horn flared once before the magic faded.

“What now?”

For an answer, Celestia pointed to the darkened fireplace. As Twilight watched, one of the logs began to darken as it heated up. Seconds later, the tip of a green flame started to grow. The lone flame continued to grow and Twilight had to blink several times to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Did that flame blink? As if in response, a pair of thin green arms appeared, pushing down on the log, revealing what Twilight quickly realized was the body of a creature. “Hello, Ambassador.” The princess’s emotionless tone caught Twilight off guard.

“Celestia” The creature for his part, did not seem particularly thrilled to see the princess.

“Before we get started, I’d like to introduce my former student, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight, General Cinder, the fire sprite Ambassador to Equestria.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ambassador.” Twilight felt some of the tension she was feeling disappear as the fire sprite smiled.

“The pleasure is all mine; Princess. Celestia and Luna have told me much about you and I am glad to finally meet you.” Turning to Celestia, the smile on the sprite’s face vanished. “Before we go on, I want you to know that what happened today was not sanctioned by the council or myself.”

“Explain.” The sharpness in the solar diarch’s voice could have cut stone.

“My subordinate, Colonel Ash, received word that the pony we are after was in Equestria. By the time I found out, he had already activated two of the companies under his command and had taken one into your world. Bravo Company never made it off the base and is currently under lockdown, and before you ask, I had given direct orders to avoid going into Equestria if the target was spotted.”

“I want to talk with the colonel immediately.”

“That’s going to be rather difficult Princess, considering the bastard was killed in the assault.”

“How?”

“The colt you rescued hit him with a stream of water. Three other Sprites were lost as well when the colonel died.”

“What did the colt do?” Twilight asked.

“He nearly tore a hole into our realm using a spell that shouldn’t still exist.”

“When the original version of the spell Luna used was invented, it made us aware of a previously unknown realm.” Celestia explained. “To put it bluntly, the realm’s inhabitants didn’t take too kindly to the intrusion.”

“The Fire Summer” Twilight said as the two dots in her mind connected.

Celestia nodded. “Yes. All the stories you’ve heard about it are mostly true. Fires were appearing out of nowhere, entire towns and settlements were going up in flames, innocent ponies were dying and I had no idea why.”

“How did you figure it out?”

Celestia turned to the room’s lone Sprite. “General?”

“As a Lieutenant at the time, I was ordered to lead an attack on your capital. I was captured while torching the princess’s bedroom during the assault on the palace. As I understand it, you can still see some of my handiwork if you know where to look.”

“The then-Lieutenant and I agreed that this war had cost too many lives and had to end.”

“How did you end it?”

“She used the original spell to create an opening into our realm while standing next to the ocean.”

Twilight’s head snapped in shock to her mentor, who looked at the floor in shame. “As much as I’m ashamed to say it, it worked. During the negotiations, other than a personal copy of the spell, we agreed to destroy all copies of the spell in return for the sprites leaving Equestria in peace.”

“But now it turns out that there was another copy of the spell floating about the whole time.”

“You were there, General. We both know the erasure spell did exactly what it was supposed to.”

“Still doesn’t explain how the colt got his hooves on the damned spell.”

“Well,” Luna said, breaking her silence for the first time since she cast the spell “Silver Star always did have a good memory. Since he didn’t consider himself one of your subjects, he may have written the spell down after you left.”

Celestia rubber her forehead with a hoof; she had forgotten all about that unicorn. “What’s the situation with the council?”

“Hellish.” The General said, as he sat down on a log “Colonel Ash was a leading voice against the treaty on the council. His death has left his supporter scrambling while the rest of the council is panicking about today’s events.”

“How did such a Sprite become your second in command?” Luna asked.

“It wasn’t by choice, Princess, believe me. The colonel was ambitious and had the connections to ensure the promotion, despite my protests.”

“Where do we go from here, Ambassador?”

“Despite the chaos, the council is demanding to know how the colt got a hold of the spell.”

“Unfortunately, he’s not in any condition to answer any questions.”

“I’ve heard reports from some of the troops involved. How is he?”

“Alive, though whether he’ll survive or not is still unknown. If he wasn’t an alicorn, he’d be dead right now.”

“He’s an alicorn!” The sprite exclaimed, half rising from the log he was sitting on. “That would explain why he was able to get as far with the spell as he did. That also complicates things a bit. For the moment, I don’t think there’s much we can do, at least until he’s able to talk. Until then, I’ll be dealing with the fallout from this fiasco and making sure it doesn’t happen again. Can I assure the council that you’ll keep us informed?” Celestia nodded. “Thank you, Princess. With your permission?” Seeing the elder sister nod, General Cinder stood, tossing her a salute before sinking into the log and vanishing from sight.

“How many ponies know about them?” Twilight asked as Celestia extinguished the flames in the fireplace.

“Other than every pony in this room? My advisor, your brother and his successor.”

“My brother knows?”

“As Captain of the Royal Guard, knowledge of the sprites is a requirement of the position.”

Twilight nodded at the simple logic “So what now?”

“We wait.”

Survivors - Part 2

Nurse Redheart slowly lowered herself into the waiting seat, the chair’s slight groan covered by her sigh of relief. Leaning back, the pink-maned earth pony gently stroked her slowly growing belly as she checked the small calendar on the desk for the fifth time that morning. Three more months she thought, smiling as the child inside her kicked. She knew she didn’t have to be here. The hospital’s administrator had offered to let her go on paid maternity leave, but the mare had refused. With her husband at work all day, she’d be home alone, with nothing to do except eat, read and listen to her favorite radio programs. While she didn’t mind doing so on her days off, Redheart knew the novelty would disappear after a week, leaving her bored out of her mind for months. At least with working, she wouldn’t be bored and she’d be making more than she would on leave, though her hooves and knees were starting to make their displeasure known. Her husband had voiced his concerns as well but relented in the end, knowing how stubborn she could be.

Smiling at the thought of being a mom, the white and pink mare glanced at the small bank of screens that lined the back of the desk. Though there were a half dozen patients in the unit, there was only one that she was concerned about. A quick glance told her that nothing had changed since she had last checked, breathing was steady, heart rate was normal and brain activity was still slightly higher than the day before. Leaning back in her chair, Nurse Redheart still could hardly believe that the colt in the room across from her station was alive, alicorn or not. She had only gotten halfway through his list of injuries before having to stop. Lowering her eyes slightly, the mare glanced at the lone colt sitting outside her patient’s room. He was busy filling in a coloring book that she had gotten him, stopping briefly as he looked up at her. “Hello.” The colt’s eyes lingered for a moment longer before returning to the book before him. Sighing, Nurse Redheart noted her patient’s latest stats. Despite the colt's continued silence, the pink maned nurse felt that he was finally starting to warm up to her presence, if the lack of a shield suddenly appearing around him whenever she glanced his way was any indication.

The routine that had developed over the hoof-full of days since the forest fire continued as Nurse Redheart kept an eye on the floor’s most famous patient while his clone sat silently outside. Looking at a clock on the wall as it silently welcomed the early afternoon, the pregnant mare rolled her head from side to side, loosening muscles that had gone stiff while thinking about what was being served in the cafeteria. Pulling herself back from wondering why she had a sudden craving for double chocolate ice cream, the hair on the back of the mare’s neck slowly rose as she noted the sudden quiet in the unit. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary on her desk’s monitors, she looked up at the clone. The colt hadn’t moved from his spot all day, except to follow her into the room when she checked on her patient. At the moment, the clone was sitting upright, his eyes staring off at some point behind her. Leaning closer, Nurse Redheart could see the colt’s eyes slowly moving back and forth, as if he was reading something only he could see. Glancing quietly at the young alicorn’s monitors, she noted that the young colt’s brain activity was much higher than it had been at the beginning of her shift. Hearing something hit the tiled floor, Redheart looked up to see a couple crayons roll off the small table as the clone leaped down from the chair before walking through it and the wall behind it. Watching as the clone slowly walked across the small room, Nurse Redheart pressed a small button next to the colt’s monitors. Normally meant to answer a patient if they pressed the call button, it would also allow her to hear anything that was said.

The clone slowly walked across the room, his eyes never leaving the mass of bandages and tubes hovering in the middle of the room. Walking around the injured alicorn, the clone stopped at the end closest to the door, where Shadow’s face seemed to be the only part of his body not covered in bandages. Slowly sitting down on the cool tile, the clone quietly watched its creator’s face, noting how his eyes were moving back and forth beneath his eye lids. It ears perking at the soft groan; the clone slowly inched closer as Shadow stirred. From a few feet away, the clone watched Shadow’s eyes slowly open as the colt swore in Zebran.

“Nice to see you too, Sleeping Beauty.”

The room slowly spun around Shadow before coming to a halt. “Wha…”

“What happened?” The clone asked, “You nearly got us all killed in that fire, you fucking idiot.”

“Where are we?” Shadow croaked, wincing at the rawness of his throat.

“‘Ponyville General Hospital’” The non-injured colt replied, levitating a nearby cup up to Shadow, who sucked greedily from the straw. Sighing at Shadow’s expression, the clone rolled its eyes “We’re in a building where the sick go to get better and the stupid go to get help when they get their idiot flanks injured. Case in point…” The clone added, gesturing to Shadow.

“How?” Shadow asked, letting the straw fall from his lips

The clone’s chuckle, Redheart noted, caused Shadow’s heart rate to jump slightly. “Celestia herself personally pulled your flank out of the fire and brought you here.” The clone said, smiling. “I don’t know what she has planned for you, but I just hope I’m not around to find out.” The clone knew it probably wasn’t a wise idea to talk to its creator like this, especially considering his condition, but the clone didn’t care.

“Fuck you.”

“Bite me.” The clone said, smiling at Shadow’s response. “Unfortunately, we’re stuck with each other. You’re in no condition to dispel me and I can’t do the deed myself. On top of that, I haven’t slept in Luna knows how long.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Forget it. The sooner you get better, the sooner I can join the others” The clone replied as it stood. “Just get better.” Setting the empty cup aside, the clone turned its back to the injured colt, walking through the wall a moment later and resuming its vigil. Picking up the fallen crayons with its magic, the clone looked up at the pink-maned nurse, noting her raised eyebrow. “What?”

Nurse Redheart shrugged, letting the subject drop as she noted everything the two colts had said. The doctor would want to know everything as soon as he arrived.

Luna slowly walked down the nearly empty hallway. Around her, what few ponies who were awake paid her no mind as if she wasn’t there. Under normal circumstances, this would have irked the younger Royal Sister, but since her body was still in her room in Canterlot… Passing through a pair of doors, the lunar princess stopped to survey the ward. Like the rest of the hospital, the area was quiet, with the only sounds coming from the nurses as they went about their duties. In four of the ward’s rooms, Luna could see small fires burning calmly, the sight of which brought a smile to her face. The smile slowly died as she eyed the remaining two occupied rooms. In Shadow’s room, Luna eyed the flame above his bed uneasily. Where it had been a small inferno nearly two weeks ago, it now looked as if somepony had thrown a bucket of water on it in an attempt to put it out, only to barely fail. What little fire remained, Luna noted, burned brightly, causing her hopes to rise slightly. In the room next to the young alicorn’s, the occupant’s flames had been reduced to barely glowing ashes. Stopping to look through the glass window, she watched an older stallion sleeping gently in the room’s lone bed, knowing that he likely wouldn’t see the sun.

Turning away from the window, Luna walked through the wall separating Shadow’s room from the rest of the ward, hoping the stallion would hang on for a little longer. Despite knowing full well that he couldn’t sense her, Luna still watched where she put her hooves. Pausing for a moment to look at the bank of monitors around the sleeping colt, the princess glanced out the window at the colt’s clone, her heart stopping as the clone stared back. Luna watched, as still as a statue, as the clone’s eyes slowly swept the room. Squinting, the clone leaped through the wall, landing almost silently in the quiet room. From her position, Luna watched as the clone slowly prowled the room, clearly sensing something, but not sure what. The princess’s heart skipped a beat as the clone walked right through her before walking back through the wall, softly muttering to itself. Breathing a sigh of relief, Luna walked over to the sleeping colt. Gently smiling, Luna closed her eyes as she touched her horn to the colt’s horn. While it was true she could enter his dreams through easier methods, Luna had wanted to see the young alicorn for herself.

Opening her eyes, Luna found herself standing on the deck of a ship as it gently rolled in the ocean’s waves. Looking up, the royal sister watched the canvas sails billow in the steady breeze as the masts gently swayed back and forth with the waves. Around her, the sounds of ponies laughing and singing as they worked reached her ears. Taking to the air, Luna pumped her wings, quickly finding herself just above a low hanging bank of clouds. Luna sighed as the steady breeze played with her feathers. It was a sensation she desperately missed. While she took to the air every chance she got, it was never quite the same thing as being able to hang in midair with her wings outstretched, letting the wind do all the work. Perhaps she could convince Celestia to go on vacation; stars above knew her sister could use one, and if she could convince Celestia to leave the nobles of Canterlot for a week on a quiet stretch of ocean beach somewhere… Luna laughed to herself as a plan slowly formed. Looking down, the younger sister’s laughter died in her throat as a monstrous creature leaped out of the water, its tail snapping one of the ship’s masts. Diving down, Luna quickly noted that the ship’s crew now consisted of one lone colt. Weaving between the shattered mast and its intact sibling, Luna landed next to the colt as the creature sprayed the ship with fire, a shield barely forming in time to protect the ship.

Overhead, cracks appeared in the shield, quickly racing from one end to the other before the sound of shattering glass signaled the end of the colt’s spell. Glaring at the creature, Luna ignited her horn, slamming the monster’s jaw shut as it tried to spray the ship with fire. Launching herself from the ship’s deck, Luna flew straight at the creature before slamming her whole body into it. Rising into the air, the princess grabbed her target’s tail with her magic, spinning the creature above her head like a rope before slamming it head first into the water below. Without missing a beat, Luna grabbed the creature, shaking it like a doll before bringing it to a hover before her. “Creature of Tartarus” She called out, loud enough for the colt below to hear “BE GONE!” The royal sister released her grip on the monster as she gave it a demonstration of her infamous Royal Canterlot Voice. Instead of falling back into the ocean, the creature flew into the sky like an arrow, disappearing from view as the moon slowly rose behind it. A few seconds later, Luna watched a new crater form on her beloved moon.

Turning her back to her moon, Luna slowly descended, gently landing in front of the stunned colt. Smiling, Luna could barely contain herself as Shadow’s jaw slowly hit the deck. Sitting heavily, the young alicorn’s gaze slowly turned to the lunar princess before he scrambled to his hooves, bowing to her a second later.

Before she could say anything, the world around Luna shifted, with trees and snowcapped mountains replacing the endless waves. Before she could get her bearings, screams of pure terror and panic assaulted her ears. Finding herself alone, Luna took to the air. Above her, wave after wave of pegasus drawn chariots filled the air as the unicorn passengers rained death and destruction on the ponies below. Luna watched in horror as one particularly well aimed magical blast smashed into a young filly as she ran for cover, the echo of her scream of terror disappearing among the screams of other ponies. Overhead, the sun pulsed as a shaft of light as thick as Canterlot Castle slammed into the side of a mountain on the far side of the valley, reducing the mountain’s face to slag. Hearing a laugh that chilled the princess to her core, Luna looked up. Hovering above the carnage, a pure white alicorn smirked at her hoof-work as a second solar blast slammed into the valley’s only exit, ensuring that nopony would escape.

Barely able to comprehend the carnage that was the colt’s dream, Luna nearly missed the white alicorn dive from the sky, her horn blazing as a series of blasts slammed into the ground below, cutting off a certain young alicorn as he tried to run. Landing next to the colt unseen, Luna watched in horror as the larger alicorn slowly stepped through the curtain of flames surrounding the colt. Despite everything she knew, despite the mare’s flaming mane and tail, despite her look of barely concealed contempt, Luna knew that she was staring at her sister. “What, nothing to say to your Empress?” The faux-Celestia sneered as she casually batted away a wall of flames with her wings. “I must admit, I never knew about your little island until I found you.”

“No.”

“Oh yes.” The armored Celestia said as she slowly stalked around the colt. “Never had the faintest notion this place existed. If I had, I would have wiped it from the face of Equus long ago, but as the saying goes…” The mare leaned down until her mouth was next to Shadow’s ear “‘No time like the present.’” Leaving the colt in stunned silence, the monster that was her sister slowly sauntered away for a moment before turning back. “Ready to join those you got killed?” Not hearing a response, Celestia charged her horn.

Before her sister could do anything, Luna’s horn blazed as her attack slammed into her sister, sending the unprepared mare flying through a nearby building, which promptly collapsed. Before she could blink, the building erupted like a volcano as the deranged mare inside blasted her way free. Taking to the air, Celestia glided over to Luna, coming to a stop several body lengths away. “Luna! What a surprise seeing you here, sister. Apparently, I didn’t kill you enough last time.”

“You are not my sister.”

“I am so glad we agree. That will make this so much easier…” Luna threw up a shield between her and Celestia as the larger mare launched a spell at her. Despite the shield holding against the magical blast, Luna barely avoided a golden shod hoof as it smashed through her shield, aimed squarely for her head. Spinning on her hooves, Luna bucked her sister in the chest, sending the white mare stumbling. Taking the opening, Luna grabbed the stunned Shadow with her magic, setting him on a nearby cloud and casting a shield around him. “How cute” Celestia said as she charged, catching Luna off guard with a kick to a knee.

“You can’t have him” Luna said, blasting her sister into the side of a mountain with her magic.

“Why not!” Celestia roared as she tore through the air aiming for her sister.

“Because he’s MINE!” Luna roared, grabbing her sister from the air and throwing her into the nearby lake. Her horn blazing, Luna’s eyes glowed bone white as her moon rose over head, banishing her sister’s sun. Rising into the air, Luna called on her magic, sending everything she had into the floundering figure in the middle of the lake. Ignoring the monster’s screams, Luna didn’t relent until the thing’s scream echoed into silence.

Glaring one last time at where Celestia had been, Luna slowly walked back to Shadow, dispelling the shield around him. “That thing will not bother you anymore, my little pony.”

“Thank you, my queen.”

Luna smiled as the colt bowed. “Not a title I am fond of, but let us find someplace calmer.” Lighting her horn, the world around the two ponies dissolved as the chaos and destruction washing away, until it was replaced by a small hill with a large tree at the top. Overhead, the sun slowly disappeared below the horizon as her moon rose to take its place in the sky. Hearing a sigh, Luna looked down to her side, watching as Shadow curled up in the cool grass beneath the tree. Sleep well, young colt.

Opening her eyes, Luna looked at the small flame above Shadow, smiling at how it had grown. Knowing that he’d be safe for the night, the world around the lunar princess shifted until it was the more familiar Realm of Dreams. Finding herself surrounded by more doors than she could count, Luna looked around until she found what she was looking for. The door itself was nothing special, scratched and battered with faded paint that was beginning to peel, but Luna ignored the door’s exterior, knowing that what mattered was on the other side. Stepping through, Luna felt her hooves sink into the soft dirt of the farmer’s field. Nearby, a light grey earth pony stallion with a dark grey mane stood with his back to her, watching as a young filly and colt played on a swing set next to a beautiful farm house. Enjoying the feeling of soft dirt beneath her hooves, Luna slowly approached the stallion. Having heard something, the stallion turned around, bowing to Luna as soon as he saw her “Princess! I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you coming.”

Luna gently lifted the stallion back up. “It is quite alright, my good sir.”

“What can I do for you, Princess?”

Luna smiled at the simple request. “Tell me your story.”

The sound of the book hitting the nightstand echoed around the room as the room’s lone occupant groaned. Stretching limbs sore from the lack of use, the young pegasus mare let her head sink into the pillow as she stared at the ceiling above. One week. It had been one full week since she had broken her wing in the forest fire, and yet here she was, stuck in bed. Gritting her teeth in frustration, Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder at her injured wing, wondering how much longer she’d be stuck there. The sky blue mare could feel the itch to move around building up inside her, but she mercilessly stomped it back into submission. As much as she wanted to, no, needed to move around, she knew she had to stay in bed, if only to keep everypony happy. At first, she had spent the first day or so sleeping, which hadn’t been so bad. Everypony in town knew about her love for naps and she had taken the opportunity to catch up on her sleep, which hadn’t been as good as it could have been ever since the accident at the Weather Factory.

That had lasted for about a day, after which, Rainbow Dash found herself desperate to distract herself. At first it hadn’t been too hard, since one of the nurses brought a radio into the room for the grounded flyer to listen to. Before that could lose its appeal, her friends had stopped by, bringing her cards and balloons, or in the case of Pinkie Pie, a box filled with chocolates that she had somehow hidden in her mane. Rainbow didn’t even bother to wonder how her friend had managed to fit a box larger than her head into her mane, she had just been grateful for the sugar filled treats. Turning her head, the mare looked at the now exiled book next to her. Twilight had stopped by during her first full day in the hospital, setting the book on the nightstand as she explained how she had stopped by Rainbow’s home and had grabbed the pegasus’ pet tortoise Tank, bringing him to Fluttershy while she was in the hospital. The young alicorn mentioned that she thought Rainbow might enjoy the book, since she had read the entire Daring Do series, and this author’s work was similar, despite being science fiction. Desperate for anything to take her mind off her current situation, Rainbow Dash dove into the book as soon as the door closed behind Twilight. Within the first half hour, she had come to two, inescapable conclusions: Twilight was wrong, and this was one of the worst books the young flyer had ever read.

Over the next few days, she had tried to read the book several times, but each attempt ended sooner that the last, until she had finally given up and tossed the book away in frustration. Groaning in frustration, the mare sat up, grabbing the radio from the nightstand. Before she could turn it on, Rainbow looked up at the room’s lone door as somepony knocked on it. As she opened her mouth, the door slowly opened as Nurse Tenderheart pushed a small book laden cart ahead of her. “Oh thank Celestia!”

The green maned earth pony smiled at Rainbow Dash’s cry as she entered. “How are we doing, this afternoon?”

“Bored!” Rainbow replied as she leaned against her bed’s headboard.

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me, though I’m surprised I haven’t seen you walking the halls.”

“What do you mean? I thought I wasn’t allowed out of bed.”

Raising an eyebrow, the nurse walked over to the foot of Rainbow’s Dash’s bed, grabbing the handing chart with a hoof as she leafed through the pages. “I don’t know who told you that” she said, shaking her head as she went through the papers for a second time, “but there’s nothing in here saying you have to stay in bed.”

“Really!”

“Yup. In fact…” The earth pony mare looked over the chart one last time before putting it back in place, “We could probably remove that I.V. as well.”

Wordlessly, the room’s resident held out her leg, letting the nurse know her opinion. Rainbow barely felt the needle slide out of her skin as her mind focused squarely on her impending freedom. As soon as the nurse backed up, Rainbow Dash swung her back legs over the side of the bed. Wincing at the icy chill of the floor, she ignored it as her front legs followed suit, stumbling slightly as she stood for the first time in a week. Smiling, she looked up at Nurse Tenderheart, who was smiling back.

“You’ll feel weak at first, but that should pass quickly enough. Just be sure to stay on hospital grounds, because I don’t want to have to chase you down. Again.”

Rainbow Dash winced as she rubbed the back of her neck at the mention of that incident, “Deal.”

“Good. Now, before you leave…” The nurse turned the cart until Rainbow could see the books on it “You want a book?”

Sighing in contentment, Rainbow Dash lay on a bench in the sprawling garden behind the hospital. Despite the Daring Do book sitting next to her, she ignored it for a moment, happy to simply be out of her room and able to enjoy the sun. Looking at the cover of her book, the injured pegasus was in no rush to read it. It was the first book in the series and she had already read it more times than she could remember. Instead, she simply lay there, sighing in pleasure as a stray breeze blew across her back and played with her mane. Around her, the trees rustled and swayed in the breeze while some nearby birds sang. It was a peaceful calm she hadn’t realized she missed until that moment. Unfortunately, her stomach ruined the moment as it rumbled at being empty. Groaning, the mare lifted her head to look around. Finding herself alone for the moment, Rainbow leaned down from the bench, giving a nearby flower one final sniff before separating it from its stem with one quick bite. As she swallowed, the young flyer knew she had made a mistake as her stomach rumbled even louder. Groaning, she slowly got to her hooves, knowing she’d have to find something to eat if she was going to get any peace. Tucking the book beneath her good wing, Rainbow Dash slowly began the walk back to the hospital.

Not in any real rush to get back to her room, Rainbow slowly walked the halls of the hospital. Getting into an elevator, she pushed the button for her floor. Lost in the utterly forgettable music playing overhead, the pegasus didn’t realize she had pushed the wrong button until the doors closed behind her. Looking around, Rainbow felt a shiver crawl down her spine as she noticed the quiet and less happy atmosphere of the floor. Curious, she walked down the short hallway into what she immediately knew was the ICU, despite never having been there herself or reading the wording on the wall next to her.

Wordlessly, the normally self-assured pegasus found her confidence flagging as she walked deeper into the unit. In the back of her mind, she knew she should be here, but in one of the rooms instead of walking around outside them. When she had woken up the morning after the fire, she couldn’t remember anything from the previous day after taking off for that signal from the Everfree. Twilight had filled in the blanks, telling her friend how she had crashed while trying to rescue the crusaders and how a colt who had been with the fillies had kept her from crashing even harder than she had and how he had protected her and the crusaders until help had arrived. Now, he was here, fighting for his life when, if things had been slightly different, she could have been here as well. Sighing as the weight of the unit’s atmosphere finally hit her, Rainbow trudged down the hall, spotting a black colt sitting along the wall halfway down.

As she neared, the colt looked up from what he was doing to stare at her for a moment. Rainbow watched his eyes slowly look her over before settling on her bandaged wing. “How’s the wing?”

Rainbow Dash looked at the injured limb for a moment before answering “I’ve had worse.” She wasn’t sure what to make of the colt’s raised eyebrow, but before she could think about it, as smile slowly grew on his face.

“Been there myself. Shit happens.” The colt set his crayon aside before turning to her again. “You can go inside if you want. He’s been wondering about you, but nopony would tell us anything other than that you were fine.” The colt finished the offer with a snort and a roll of his eyes.

“Thanks.” Rainbow replied. She didn’t quite know why, but even though she had just met the colt, she liked him. Steeling herself, she knocked on the room’s glass door before letting herself in. Instead of a pony in a bed, she found herself confused at the sight of a mass of bandages floating in midair. It was only as she spotted the wires and tubes disappearing into the bandages that she realized that there was a pony underneath. “Hello?”

The floating bundle twitched as the room’s occupant reacted to her voice. “Who’s there?”

“It’s the mare you were asking about.” Rainbow turned to find the colt from outside standing beside her. “Don’t worry, she’s cool.” Smiling at the colt’s tilted head, Rainbow Dash slowly walked into the room, the sound of her hooves matching the noise from the various monitors around the room. Walking around to what she assumed was the colt’s head; she quickly found a pair of golden eyes staring back at her as she sat down in the chair in front of him.

“How’s the wing?”

“I’ll be fine.” Rainbow Dash replied, finding herself suddenly uncomfortable. “It’s not the first time I broke it, and it probably won’t be the last.” The bandaged colt smiled at her response. Feeling herself brighten slightly, the pegasus returned the favor “The name’s Rainbow Dash.”

“Shadow.”

“So, Shadow… how are you?”

“I’ve been worse, though this time it was more quantity than quality.”

“Really? What happened?”

“I don’t know. One minute I’m coming back to my camp site after relieving myself, then the next thing I know, I’m running for my life from a massive fire.” Shadow sighed, trying to ignore the itch that he couldn’t reach. “I’ve heard of forest fires before, but I’ve never seen one myself, much less seen one spread so quickly.”

“Normally it wouldn’t have spread at all, but we’ve been dealing with a drought ever since the accident at the Weather Factory.”

“What happened?”

Rainbow winced at the innocent question. “No pony knows for sure.” Rainbow sighed as she looked out the window at Cloudsdale in the distance.

“What’s wrong?”

“I should have been there.” She turned to the injured colt. “I was scheduled to be working on the main floor that day, but I accidentally overslept” She added at Shadow’s confused look. “I was on my way there when it happened. One moment everything was fine, the next… the entire building was replaced by a massive fireball.” The rainbow maned mare wiped a few rebellious tears away as she spoke. “I was the first pony on the scene, but it didn’t matter.”

Shadow watched the mare, feeling for her. Part of him rebelled at his feelings, reminding him that it could all be a set up by Celestia to get him to lower his guard, yet another part of him argued against that, saying that what she said made perfect sense, considering everything he had seen. “A couple months ago, I was sleeping when my sister woke me up, saying she smelled smoke” Shadow said before he could stop himself. “I told her to go back to sleep, but she wouldn’t.” He looked up at Rainbow and the slowly growing horror on her face “Then I smelled it too.” He shook his head at the memory. “I should have jumped out the window with her right then and gotten clear. Instead, I opened the door to look downstairs.” He closed his eyes as he heard his sister scream “I was the only one who got out in time” he whispered.

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” Rainbow smiled. “Don’t worry; you’ll be out of here in no time. Then you can help me catch up on all of the pranks I’m missing out on.”

“Pranks?”

“Oh, you know. Replacing regular ink with disappearing ink, joy buzzers, whoopee cushions, switching the apples on a friend’s tree with rubber versions… Pranks.”

Shadow smiled as Rainbow Dash’s face lit up at the topic. “That’s all child’s play.”

“Oh, really?” Rainbow Dash knew a challenge when she heard it. “And you can top those?”

“Oh, I know a few…”

“Like what?”

Shadow smirked as he spoke, “Two words: Screaming Chairs.”

“What?”

“Take a chair, and put a spell on it to make it scream whenever anypony sits on it.”

Rainbow Dash’s rough laughter filled the room at the idea “Really?”

Shadow smiled like a pony who had just aced a test “Invented it myself.”

“Nice, but wouldn’t everypony know who to blame?”

“Well sure, if I hadn’t taught it to every unicorn in my class back home.” Rainbow’s laughter increased as she imagined how useful that spell could be. “But that’s not my best one.”

“No?”

“Growing up, I was never allowed to fly out in the open, while my sister the pegasus…” Shadow knew the mare knew what he was. His clone told him it was literally written on the wall outside. “So one night, she wakes me in the middle of the night, asking if I wanted to try sleeping on a cloud. I’d never touched a cloud before, so you can probably guess my answer. I had barely nodded before she was flying out the window.” Shadow smiled as the memory played out in his mind. “I must have fallen asleep waiting for her, because the next time I woke up, there she was asleep on a cloud in the middle of our room.” He started to laugh, knowing what came next. “Star Gazer had a knack of predicting the weather and she had predicted rain the day before. I don’t know why she chose that particular cloud, but it must have been a scout for the others, because I watched as it went from a sweet, innocent white fluffball to a barely contained ball of fury and lightning. She was out cold on a small thunderhead I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole.”

Rainbow could barely contain herself as she could see where this story was going “But you did anyway.”

Shadow simply nodded. “All I had to do was give it a slight poke with my magic. The ringing didn’t go away until the next night, but as soon as I could see again, my sister was no longer sleeping on her cloud. I didn’t know where she went” Shadow mimicked the actions “until I looked up.”

“There she was?”

“There she was; clinging to one of the rafters and shaking like a leaf! It took me half an hour to pry her off the beam and get her back down. The best part is that our parents never found out.”

“Never?”

“Never; the predicted storm broke at that moment.” Shadow winced as his ribs protested his laughter, while Rainbow nearly fell out of her chair. “Oh sweet Luna, that was the best prank I ever pulled on her.” The smile on his face slowly vanished “less than a week later, I listened to her die.”

The laughter in Rainbow’s throat died at the colt’s last sentence.

The room grew quiet as the two ponies thought about what had happened to the other. Looking around, Rainbow spotted a dark red object stuffed between the side of a cabinet and a wall. Her curiosity piqued, she walked over to the hidden object, pulling out a lone saddlebag. “What’s this?” She asked as she walked back with the bag in her mouth, setting it on her chair.

“My bags!” The colt’s shout caught the mare off guard. “I thought I lost them in… the…” As he spoke, the lone bag fell forward, revealing its lack of a twin. Rainbow Dash watched the colt’s eyes shrink to pinpricks. Around the room, the various monitors slowly began to fill the room with noise. Looking at the bag, then at Shadow, she could see his chest starting to heave as he tried to catch his breath. “I need to see it.”

“What?” Rainbow asked, barely able to hear him over the noise in the room.

“The bag. I need to see it now!” The colt shouted, a bandaged leg reaching out for it. Rolling a nearby table in front of him, Rainbow set the bag on it, well within his reach. Without warning, Shadow bit through the bandage covering his hoof before placing it on the bags latch, which opened with a bang as the door behind her slammed open. Jumping at the sound, Rainbow Dash backed off as the doctor and two nurses rushed in. All of this she noticed, was lost to Shadow as he all but ripped the bag open. Almost immediately, the chaotic monitors settled back to normal as the colt started to laugh, a few tears rolling down his cheeks. “They survived. Thank Luna they’re still here.”

As the doctor and nurses checked him over, Rainbow slowly approached Shadow, wondering what was so important. Looking inside, she was greeted by four books, two of which she could tell by the smell could be classified as ridiculously old “Books?”

Shadow look up at his guest’s incredulous stare “This is literally everything I own.”

“Anything good?”

“Depends on your tastes” The colt replied with a contented sigh. Lowering his head, Shadow grabbed the smallest of the books with his teeth. Pulling it out, the book was almost immediately surrounded by a golden field of magic as the clone took it from him.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but visiting hours are over” Nurse Redheart said, making her presence known for the first time. “He needs to rest, and so do you, Ms. Dash.”

“Sure thing, see ya later kid.” Rainbow said as she was led out of the room.

“See ya.”

Luna gently stepped out onto the cloud. She knew the lone colt was aware of her; she had used none of the normal spells and tricks she knew when she wanted to remain hidden. Yet, even as she lay down next to him, Shadow didn't twitch. Not wanting to break the moment, Luna looked down. Below the cloud, smoke gently rose from homes in a town whose name she did not know, in a mountain lined valley she had never seen. In the distance, the shadows grew longer on the mountains as the day slowly gave way to her night. Against a sheer cliff face, the lunar princess saw black dots rise and fall against the stone backdrop as some chased each other while others simply rode the alpine breeze. She knew from a glance that they weren’t birds, since they flew more like pegasi, but lacked the typical variety of color of most ponies… Were those thestrals?

Before she could wonder, Luna's ears perked at the sound of laughter in the distance. Like it knew what she wanted, the dream shifted until the cloud hovered over a lone house. Around the small clearing among the trees a pair of kids, a filly and colt chased each other. Hearing an almost silent sigh, Luna extended a wing, gently draping it over the colt next to her. She wouldn't push him. She knew he'd talk when he was ready. Until then, she'd stay by his side, as they watched him and his sister play.

Ch.10 Recovery

"...and so, with Ahuizotl defeated and the sapphire statue secured, the world was safe and sound once again, thanks to Daring Do!"

Shadow slowly relaxed as Rainbow Dash closed the book’s back cover. He had started reading the book as soon as a nurse had gotten done feeding him, but he had quickly found himself struggling with the book’s Equestrian alphabet. By the end of the following day, if he could use his magic, he might have thrown the book across the room in frustration. Even after a whole day of reading, interrupted only by eating and the occasional doctor, he had barely gotten a quarter of the way through the first chapter. On top of that, the clone had disappeared as soon as had given it his dad’s potion book, leaving the injured colt to feel utterly alone.

Much to his relief, Rainbow Dash had appeared around noon the next day. Admitting his trouble reading the book, he had all but shouted yes when the older mare offered to read it to him. He had been expecting the book to be good, considering the cover’s image, but he didn’t expect it to be this good. It was so good, that he considered it almost tied with The Diary of Summer Breeze when it came to which one was more exciting. As Rainbow read it, Shadow couldn’t help but imagine himself as the title character, exploring the ancient ruins while dodging the numerous death traps in the process. Rainbow Dash had even gone so far as to change her voice while reading it, giving the characters distinctive voices and accents that had only added to the colt’s enjoyment.

Setting the book aside, Rainbow Dash surreptitiously glanced at one of Shadow’s monitors, smiling as his heart rate returned to normal. She knew he was enjoying the book, but it was only when she had glanced at the monitor during a particularly tense spot in the book that she got an idea of just how invested in the story the colt was. Glancing at the station across the hall, the injured flier saw Nurse Redheart look up at her, giving the younger mare a wink before returning to her paperwork. “So, what did you think” Rainbow asked, more than aware of the answer.

“That was one of the best books ever!” Shadow replied, his enthusiasm obvious. “It’s too bad Daring Do isn’t real, because I would love to meet her.”

The room’s lone pegasus smiled knowingly at the colt’s statement. “Oh, she’s real.”

“What?”

“Daring Do? She’s real. I met her once.”

“Uh huh.”

The colt’s disbelief, as well as his narrowed eyes, brought Rainbow Dash up short. “You don’t believe me, do you?” The colt’s raised eyebrow was his only response. Sighing, Rainbow sat back down in the chair in front of Shadow. “I first got hooked on the series when I was in here after breaking my wing when a stunt didn’t quite go as planned…”

Shadow listened to the colorful mare’s story, his disbelief slowly, but not quite totally, disappearing. “Let me get this straight” Shadow said, holding up a bandaged hoof as his guest finished her story. “Ahuizotl is real, and the only thing that stopped him from turning a valley into a desert was Daring Do, you and your friends?”

“Yep!” Rainbow replied, her chest puffing out in pride, “Pretty awesome, huh?”

“Does Celestia know about all this?”

“Of course she does.”

“Then why didn’t she do anything?!” Shadow all but yelled.

“I was wondering that myself, so I asked her at the Gala.” Rainbow Dash replied, surprised at the colt’s outburst. “According to her, she keeps a close eye on Ahuizotl, and knows that Daring Do is more than able to keep him in line.”

Shadow didn’t know how to respond to Rainbow’s explanation. From the sound of it, Celestia hadn’t changed since his ancestor’s exile, relying on other ponies to contain potential threats, leaving them to slowly fester instead of dealing with them before they could get out of hoof. If he had been in a regular bed instead of the anti-gravity field, Shadow would have probably been banging his head against his pillow at the sheer idiocy of the solar tyrant’s answer. Perhaps a thousand years of ruling an entire country by herself was finally getting to the eldest Royal Sister.

“How old are you?”

“Eleven,” Shadow answered, an eyebrow slowly rising at the subject change. “Why?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you act a lot older than that.”

“I kinda had to grow up quickly” Shadow replied, a short, mirthless laugh catching the pegasus off guard. “My sister and I were the favorite targets of anypony our age having a bad day, and the fact that we were half-breeds only made it worse.”

“Half-breeds?”

“Pegasus mom, unicorn dad; marrying outside your tribe wasn’t done, at least until my parents got married. Shortly after that, it became illegal.”

Rainbow Dash slowly sat back. She knew what it was like to get picked on, having dealt with bullies ever since flight camp who’d pick on her for everything from her tendency to crash, to her mane. They’d usually shut up after she beat them in a race, or when she let her hooves do the talking for her, but being picked on because your parents were from different tribes? She had never heard of such a thing happening.

Before she could say anything, there was a knock on the room’s door, causing both ponies to turn, or in Shadow’s case, turn his head as much as he could. Though he couldn’t see the door from where he floated, Shadow could hear two sets of hoof steps on the floor. One set had the longer stride that marked the maker as an adult while the second set was much faster and louder. There was only one pony Shadow knew who would make that much noise, purposely or not.

“Hey there, Zecora” Rainbow said, getting out of her chair.

"It is good to see you up and about. Unlike others, of this I had no doubt." The town’s lone zebra said as she closed the door behind her.

"Wait… so other ponies thought I'd lay in bed all day?! Who said that?"

"Who it was, I shall not say. I want no part in any pranks that you will play."

“You weren’t one of them, were you?” The silence from the older mare told both injured ponies what the answer was. “Sorry.” Rainbow Dash said, wilting slightly at the zebra mare’s glare. “Unfortunately, they’re going to have to wait until Shadow here is out as well” She continued, gesturing to the colt before turning to him. “I have got to see that chair prank”

“Can we continue, since on your revenge you have decided to wait? We are both tired from staying up so late.”

“Really? What were you doing?”

Instead of answering Rainbow Dash, Zecora gently set her saddlebags on the floor, opening one of the flaps to reveal a number of multicolored bottles. “We were up all night, because in brewing to help others we delight.” Taking that as its cue, the clone’s horn lit up, bottles slowly floating out of the bag a moment later. “Making new potions is a very rare pleasure. That book of yours Shadow; is quite a treasure.”

“Thanks. What did you make?”

“Oh, a little bit of everything” The clone said, setting the bottles on a nearby table. “We got stuff here for broken bones, torn muscles, burns, infection, even for re-growing fur.” The clone looked over the bottles for a moment before turning to Shadow. “Unfortunately, your dad didn’t have a potion to cure stupidity, so there’s nothing we can do about that.” The clone stuck its tongue out at its maker, mirroring the injured colt’s response.

Before anypony could say anything, the sound of a throat being cleared caught everypony’s attention. At the door, a caramel yellow unicorn stallion with a brown mane stood watching the small gathering. Raising an eyebrow at the clone, he chose to ignore the chuckle from his patient as the clone’s tongue disappeared. Switching gears, the doctor let the door shut behind him as he walked over to the bank of monitors around Shadow. “How are we doing today, Shadow?”

Shadow shrugged as much as he could, wincing at the slight pain it caused. “No complaints.”

“That’s good to hear.” The doctor pulled a thermometer from his pocket and stuck it in the colt’s mouth. Turning to the others, he looked over the other ponies in the room. “It’s nice to see you up and about, Ms. Dash.”

“Same here, Doc” The pegasus replied, holding still as the stallion checked her bandaged wing.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what brings you around here, Zecora?”

“We brought some potions for Shadow” The clone replied, pointing to the half covered table nearby.

“I hope you weren’t planning on trying them without me” The stallion replied as he looked over the labeled bottles.

“Not a chance with Nurse Eagle Eye out there watching us” Rainbow Dash said, looking out at Nurse Redheart who flashed a predatory grin at the pegasus.

Smiling, the doctor pulled the glass rod from his patient’s mouth, eyeing the red line in the middle “Elevated, though not even nearly as high as it could be.” Turning to the potion laden table, the room’s lone stallion frowned, before picking up two bottles with the same label.

“He’s not the only pony who broke something” The colt replied at the doctor’s questioning glance.

“In that case, perhaps you would like to go first, Ms. Dash?”

The downed flier eyed the bottle warily. She’d never taken a potion before, and while she trusted Shadow’s recipe and Zecora’s brewing skills, it still didn’t mean she didn’t have her reservations. Looking over at the zebra mare, Rainbow shrugged at the mare’s smile and nod. Why not? Taking the open bottle in her mouth, she tilted her head back, gulping down the contents in a few seconds. “So how long until-” Rainbow Dash winced as a brief flash of pain erupted from her injured wing. “Never mind” She said, gritting her teeth a wave of extreme discomfort rolled across her wing. While it wasn’t nearly as painful as the first wave, it didn’t need to be to catch her attention. As the discomfort passed, Rainbow Dash gently tested her wing, the grimace of expected pain vanishing as she felt none of the pain that she had come to associate with broken bones. As if to test whether she was dreaming or not, the pegasus prodded her wing, gently at first, only to get rougher at the lack of pain. Turning to the doctor, she let the stallion examine her bandaged wing.

Shaking his head, the unicorn took a step back. “We’ll get an x-ray to make sure, but I think your wing is completely healed.” Backing off to give the jubilant flyer room while she celebrated, he turned to his patient. “You want to give it a shot?”

Nodding as much as he could, Shadow watched as the doctor grabbed the first bottle with his magic. As he swallowed the concoction, the colt couldn’t help but notice the apple aftertaste. Almost as soon as the last drop rolled down his throat, Shadow gasped as what felt like a bunch of hooves punched him in the ribs, wing and legs. The noise in the room increased as a number of monitors became more active. Almost as soon as they began making more noise than usual, the room quieted back down as Shadow felt a sudden sense of warmth pervade his entire body. Gritting his teeth as the sudden warmth caused him to feel claustrophobic, Shadow sighed as he felt himself rapidly cool. It took the colt a moment to notice the sudden lack of pain from his legs and wing. Sighing, Shadow smiled as he opened his eyes, looking at the doctor. “Which one’s next?”

In short order, the bottles on the table were quickly emptied. Shaking his head at how the colt before him had gone from half dead to ready to walk in less than an hour, the doctor positioned the floor’s mobile x-ray machine, settling the cross hairs over Shadow’s wing and ribs. Standing behind the shielded controls, he hit a button, causing the machine to hum briefly. Moments later, a black and white image appeared on the screen before him, and the stallion felt his jaw all but hit the floor as he stared at the image. He had worked on this colt in the operating room. He had seen first hoof just how badly he had been injured, yet he could find no indication of Shadow ever having had broken a single bone, much less the half dozen he had come in with.

“Well?”

The unicorn leaned to the side. “Completely healed” He replied, not bothering to hide his surprise. Hitting the power switch, the stallion moved the machine out of the way, replacing it with another machine. Lighting his horn, the doctor took a pair of scissors to his patient’s bandages, gently cutting them away to reveal the burned flesh beneath. Frowning, he spread a generous amount of gel on the machine’s probe before gently pressing it against Shadow’s side. Studying the image on the monitor, he looked to the waiting ponies outside, tilting his head to let them know they could come in. Shaking his head in astonishment one last time, he hit the machine’s power button. Wiping the excess gel from Shadow’s bare skin, he looked at the burns one last time before wrapping the colt in fresh bandages. “I don’t know what to say.” He said as he started on his second bandage roll. “Your bones are completely healed and actually look stronger than before. I also couldn’t find any signs of internal bleeding or bruising. On top of that, your temperature has returned to normal and I can’t find any signs of infection.” Finishing off the second roll, he looked at the bag of antibiotics hanging nearby. Shaking his head, he grabbed another roll of bandages, this time focusing on Shadow’s formerly broken wing. While the bones had healed, they had had to pluck a number of feathers while working on him. They’d grow back in time, but he felt that keeping it wrapped for the moment would be best. “The one thing I don’t get is why the burns weren’t healed as well.”

Stopping as he heard the sound of pages being flipped, the stallion joined the rest of the room’s occupants as they watched the clone flip through the small potion book. Whether or not it knew it was being watched, the clone ignored the older ponies as it paged through the book before stopping about halfway through. Wincing, the clone cleared its throat before speaking, “‘While this potion is designed and proven to heal burns, its results have so far only been proven with normal burns. Its efficacy with magically induced burns is unknown, but based on the potion’s ingredients, is unlikely to be effective on such injuries.’” Closing the book, the clone swore before looking up at Shadow and shrugging.

“I don’t get it.” Rainbow Dash said, finally breaking the silence. “I thought all burns were the same.”

“It depends” Shadow replied. “While they’d look the same, a burn from a campfire would be different from one from a fireball.”

“But there weren’t any fireballs in that fire.” Rainbow replied, not noticing the look Shadow traded with his clone. “The Everfree used to be soaked with wild magic, so maybe that has something to do with it. Not that it matters” She added. “After what happened to it, I doubt the Everfree will be much trouble.”

“Though it has lost this bout, do not count it out” Zecora added at the flier’s pronouncement. “Despite its recent strife, in the Everfree I have seen signs of new life.”

“So what now” Shadow asked the nearby stallion.

“Now, we move you to a room with a better view.” The doctor said, taking one last note of the monitor showing his young patient’s heartbeat before shutting the machine off. “That also means we can take you off these monitors as well.”

“What about that thing” The clone asked, pointing to Shadow’s horn.

The doctor looked at the clone in confusion before seeing what it was pointing at. “I suppose we can lose that too.” Lighting his horn, the older unicorn pulled a small metal rod from a pocket. With practiced precision, he set the wrench into the small bolt holding the magic suppressor around Shadow’s horn in place. “You might want to brace yourself” He added as he removed the suppressor’s lone screw. “The sudden rush of magic can be overwhelming.”

“Voice of experience, doc?”

“I wore one for a week during med school to see what it was like. Thank Celestia I took it off near a garbage can” He added, grimacing at the memory. “Ready?”

Shadow nodded vigorously. While he hadn’t noticed his lack of magic at first, he had quickly found himself missing it as it would have helped stave off the hours of boredom. As the doctor slowly pulled the ring off, the colt could feel a lack in his horn, like something indescribable was missing, leaving his horn feeling like it had a massive void in it. Watching the doctor set the suppressor down on the table; Shadow frowned as nothing seemed to happen. He felt the same as he had five minutes earlier. Just as he started to open his mouth to ask the doctor how long it would take, the world around him suddenly began to spin like a top as the magical void in his horn began to fill. Before he could begin to wonder how long the spinning would last, Shadow’s vision began to darken before disappearing altogether a heartbeat later.

The first thing the young alicorn felt was something hard and cold pressed against his neck. Groaning, the colt slowly opened his eyes before quickly shutting them again as the world outside continued to blurrily spin. Slowly cracking an eye, he sighed as the room returned to normal. “What happened?”

“You passed out” Rainbow replied as she watched him from nearby.

“The correct term is ‘magically induced fainting’.” The doctor said as he set the suppressor in his pocket. “It’s not uncommon, especially with more magically inclined individuals. How do you feel?”

Shadow closed his eyes as he slowly ignited his horn. Opening his eyes, Shadow focused on the half dozen empty bottles on the nearby table, lifting them into the air with as much effort as if he was lifting a quill. “Normal” Shadow replied as he made the bottles perform a quick dance before extinguishing his magic.

“Wonderful.” The room’s lone stallion said, writing something on his clipboard before setting it aside. Igniting his horn, the stallion gently pulled on a tube, pulling the needle on the end from the back of the colt’s neck. Looking up as he set the used bag aside, the doctor smiled as Nurse Redheart and another nurse knocked on the door, an empty stretcher between them. With practiced ease, the three professionals quickly moved the stretcher underneath the floating colt, “Ready to get out of here?” Smiling at his young patient’s nod, he slowly released the spell keeping the young alicorn airborne. Seeing Shadow wince as he settled down, the older unicorn raised an eyebrow as he watched the colt’s horn light up. Temporarily ignored, the stallion probed the colt’s spell with his magic, finding himself surprised at the complexity of the spell. How did a colt know such a complex spell, and more importantly, why did he seem so experienced with it? “Better?” He asked as the glow around the colt’s horn faded.

“Much.”

Hearing a throat being cleared, everypony in the room looked down at the clone who casually tossed Shadow’s saddlebag onto the stretcher next to its owner. “You mind?” The clone asked, lifting an eyebrow. Igniting his horn, Shadow smiled in thanks to the clone as he dispelled it, the clone’s sigh of relief briefly echoing around the room.

“Hey Doc” Rainbow Dash asked, breaking the silence left behind by the now vanished clone “Does he have to go straight to his room?”

The room’s lone stallion paused. “Not necessarily” he replied as he gently settled a blanket over Shadow’s back. “I’d prefer it if he was in his room resting, though I suppose getting a bit of fresh air wouldn’t hurt. Why?”

“I heard from some friends that there was going to be a small concert on the first floor, and that’s got to be way more interesting than being stuck in a room by yourself.”

The doctor hummed as he thought over the mare’s words while he checked the bandages around his patient’s neck. Despite a few small reservations, he could see the pegasus’ point. An hour or two of something other than four blank walls wouldn’t hurt the colt, and would probably do him some good as well. “I don’t see why not, though…” he turned to Shadow “I don’t want you on your hooves until at least tomorrow and only with a nurse or therapist watching you. Understood?” Smiling at the colt’s nod, he stepped to the side, leaving a clear path between the Shadow and the door. “While I arrange your therapy and rehab schedule, perhaps these three fine ladies could take you to the multi-purpose room on the first floor?” Barely containing a smile at rainbow-maned mare’s cheer, he watched as the pegasus and two nurses pushed Shadow out of the room. As the young alicorn’s stretcher rounded the corner and disappeared from view, the stallion shook his head at how his young patient was leaving the ICU weeks before even his most optimistic prediction could have hoped for. Picking up the small pile of used bandages on the floor, the doctor’s mind turned to the new task of deciding which therapists he’d choose.

Shadow’s head was never still for more than a second or two as he was pushed down the hall. To his left, a new room would appear every few second, some with a pony in a bed, some empty. Overhead, the colt could see light coming from tubes in the ceiling instead of the sky lights he had been expecting. How did these lights work? Was it just a trick to hide the candles or was it some magic-based device instead? Around him, every sight left a dozen questions in the colt’s mind. Here a pony was pushing a cart made of metal instead of wood on wheels that were clearly neither wood nor metal. There, a door or countertop was made of wood that was smoother than anything the colt had seen. Beneath him, the floor was covered in something that looked like some kind of stone, yet didn’t sound like stone when something was dropped on it. The walls were covered in some kind of fabric that had a non-descript floral pattern across it instead of simple wood paneling.

Coming to a stop, Shadow nearly jumped out of his temporary bed as one of the nurses pushed something on the wall and a pair of metal doors retreated into the wall with an off-tone chime to reveal a small all metal room. With little warning, the injured colt found himself being rolled into the small room as the three mares managed to somehow fit themselves inside as well. Seeing the white and pink nurse push another button on the wall, Shadow jumped slightly as the room began to shake slightly.

“Don’t they have elevators where you’re from?” Rainbow Dash asked as she watched the colt look around.

“What in Tartarus in an ‘elevator’?” Before he could get an answer, the room came to a stop, the doors opening a second later with another off-tone chime. If she had said anything, Shadow didn’t hear Rainbow Dash as he looked around at the completely different floor. Where were they and how had everything changed so quickly? Despite his initial suspicion that it was all an illusion, a quick check with his horn told Shadow otherwise, leaving him even more confused. As he was moved down the hall, the colt slowly noticed the subtle change in the floor’s atmosphere. It was less quiet, trading the unspoken caution and uncertainty of the previous floor for a lighter sense of friendliness and openness.

Rounding a corner, Shadow’s jaw all but hit the ground as he was pushed through an open doorway. Around him, the walls of the hallway vanished as he entered the largest room he had ever seen, its size leaving the colt stunned. The one thing that immediately caught the young pony’s attention was how the room didn’t have a single pillar helping to hold the ceiling up. Back home, the largest room he knew of was the town council’s main meeting room, yet that room, which could hold a fair number of the town’s population if ponies didn’t mind getting close, was maybe three quarters the size of Ponyville General’s Multipurpose Room. As his mind tried to figure out how such a room could exist with two additional floors above, it took Shadow a moment to realize that he had come to a stop near the back of the room. Looking around, a number of patients were either sitting on padded chairs or milling about near a small wooden stage.

“How are you feeling?”

“Overwhelmed” Shadow replied, before looking at the polychromatic maned pegasus next to him. “There aren’t many rooms this size back home.”

“Really?”

Shadow shrugged as he watched a couple nurses lead a group of a dozen young fillies and colts into the room. “No real point, I guess. It would take too much effort to keep it heated in the winter and other than the odd meeting, there’s no real need for a room this size.” The colt and mare watched as the group of children got settled in front of the stage. “The only building with a room nearly this size back home is the history museum, which still has stone columns holding up the ceiling.”

“Anything good?”

“Depends on your tastes” The colt answered as the two nurses returned, pushing him closer to the stage “Weapons, armor, clothes, other artifacts that families have donated over the years.”

“Weapons?”

“Swords, spears, shields. When our founders reached the island, they weren’t the first to get there, and the locals weren’t too thrilled to see them and since their ships wouldn’t last another day on the open ocean, they were forced to take the island. They even have a room dedicated solely to the skull of Stone Crusher.” Rainbow Dash’s raised eyebrow said everything. “He was a dragon probably half the size of this town. The leader of our founders killed him in single combat near my hometown and his body was thrown in a nearby bay.”

Getting settled in her chair, Rainbow stole a glance at her young friend, who was resting his head on his hooves. Just where was he from? While she could understand having to fight because they couldn’t leave, why didn’t they get the princess involved when it came to the dragon? Surely she could have gotten it to move. Glancing again, the young athlete could see a frown slowly form on Shadow’s face as he looked around the room, no doubt wondering why he was there. Before either pony could say anything, five ponies in green sweaters trotted onto the stage, much to the crowd’s delight. Smiling at what was coming; Rainbow Dash leaned back as the show began.

Shadow’s jaw dropped as the five ponies on the stage began to sing. He had seen ponies singing acapella numerous times back home, but none of them could compete with the five ponies before him. There was an energy to their music that he couldn’t remember ever seeing or hearing back home. What’s more, this was a mixed group with no one pony overshadowing the others. While a couple of groups back home were a mix of all three tribes, like the unspoken rule of never marrying outside your tribe, the lead singer was always an earth pony, with any unicorn members acting strictly as backup. By the end of the first song, Shadow found himself tapping an un-bandaged hoof in time with the music.

Time seemed to take pity on the colt as it slowed to a crawl during the performance. Shadow didn’t know how long it had been, but as the final song ended, he knew he’d be singing the songs for days to come. Forgetting for a moment where he was, the colt tried to stand, only for a gentle hoof placed on his back to remind him why he couldn’t. Around them, ponies began to get up, some stretching while others talked to the singers or left for their rooms. Content for the moment to wait, Shadow began to hum the song the group had opened and closed with. He couldn’t remember the last time a song had gotten stuck in his head as this one had. Caught up with the song, the colt didn’t notice the other ponies around him until a distinctly feminine voice began to hum along, wordlessly harmonizing with him.

Looking up, Shadow felt his heart stop as he found himself surrounded. Of all the ponies around him, the colt’s gaze was held by the large red and orange stallion to his left. How was it possible for a pony to get so big? Until then, the largest stallion Shadow had ever seen was Brick Wall, but even he would have been smaller than the massive pony next to him. Finding his mouth suddenly dry, Shadow swallowed and, unable to think of anything else to do, said the first thing that came to mind. “You’re big.”

Behind him, Rainbow Dash’s laughter seemed to break the ice as everypony gently laughed at the colt’s observation. For his part, the stallion chuckled “Eeyup.”

“Now you know why nopony calls him ‘Little Mac’” Rainbow said, finally getting herself together. “Shadow, meet the Pony Tones: Toe-Tapper, Torch Song” Shadow nodded at the first two ponies “Big McIntosh you’ve already met, Rarity and Fluttershy. Everypony” She said, turning to the assembled singers “This is Shadow.”

“It is a distinct pleasure to meet you darling” The group’s lone unicorn said, her horn glowing as she gently smoothed the blanket covering Shadow. “You saved my little sister life during the fire and I want to thank you for saving Sweetie Belle and to let you know that if there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask.”

“You saved mah sister as well.” Big Mac added. “You have mah thanks and are always welcome at Sweet Apple Acres.”

Nodding his thanks, Shadow didn’t complain when one of his nurses excused him, saying that they needed to get him settled in his new room. Quietly sighing to himself, Shadow smiled as he was pushed out of the room. To anypony looking, the colt was smiling in contentment. In reality, he was smiling partly in contentment, but also at the fact that he was no longer surrounded by ponies he knew nothing about. The young colt had never felt comfortable around ponies he didn’t know, even when his parents had been nearby. He’d try to be friendly, but there was always a voice in the back of his mind reminding him what would happen to him and his family if his secret was ever discovered. Shadow mentally shuddered at the thought, starting slightly as somepony laid another blanket over him.

The trip to his new room was relatively short and as he was pushed into the room, the first thing Shadow noticed was the large, brightly lit window near his new bed. Feeling a cloud of magic form around him, Shadow fought the urge to kick and squirm as he was moved from the stretcher. He had never enjoyed being picked up with magic and, according to his dad, would cry if anypony did so when he was a baby. Igniting his horn, Shadow felt the sting of his burns vanish as the two nurses covered him with one of the bed’s blankets. Nodding in thanks, Shadow jumped slightly as one of the nurses turned a knob on a small wooden box he hadn’t noticed coming in, gentle music quietly filling the room a second later. Waving to Rainbow Dash as the pegasus was led out of the room, Shadow pulled on the blanket with his magic until it covered everything but his head and neck. Smiling, the colt began to hum to himself, completely ignoring the radio as he recalled one of the songs from earlier.

Recovery - part 2

Rainbow Dash shuddered as she stood with her formerly broken wing laid across the table beneath the room’s x-ray machine. Despite her best efforts, the room’s chill soaked through her coat. Huffing to herself, the flyer looked over at the technician as the mare focused the machine over the flyer’s outstretched wing. Why did they have to keep this room so cold? Looking around, Rainbow could see the offending air vent in the ceiling, a couple strings tied to the grill gently blowing in the slight breeze.

“How are we doing, Ms. Dash?”

The mare in question looked over at the doctor as he checked the technician’s work “Cold.”

The room’s lone stallion looked up at the vent above him. “Not much I can do about that, I’m afraid, though we shouldn’t be here for long.” Nodding in satisfaction at the machine’s position, he joined the technician behind a small wall, looking at his patient from behind a pane of glass. “Ready?”

“What do you think?” She knew her reply was ruder than she intended, but she could barely hold her irritation in check, knowing that she was so close to getting out of there. To the doctor’s credit, if he heard her reply, he didn’t say anything as a short buzzing sound filled the room before disappearing just as quickly as it appeared. Walking from behind the protective barrier, he tilted his head toward the wall, inviting Rainbow Dash over.

Wincing slightly as she flapped her wing a few times, the rainbow-maned mare joined the stallion as a black and white image appeared on a nearby panel. Hearing the doctor’s low whistle, she looked at the lone image, finding nothing remarkable about it. “Simply amazing” Catching the doctor’s eye with a raised eyebrow, the stallion levitated a small pointer, “You broke your wing in two places right here” he said, circling a section of bone on the x-ray. “You can see the metal plate we had to place here” he indicated the piece of metal on the image, “yet there is no sign that you ever broke anything. Hay, I can’t even see any evidence of your previous break.”

“So what does this mean for me?”

“It means Ms. Dash that you are free to go as soon as you sign some paperwork.” The unicorn looked over at the grinning mare, “Though I don’t want you flying for at least a week.”

Rainbow Dash felt something inside her sink at the doctor’s order, but the feeling didn’t last long as she came one step closer to getting out “Deal.”

Stepping out into the late afternoon light, Rainbow Dash couldn’t keep the smile off her face; after over a week of boredom she was finally free. The image-conscious athlete allowed herself a quick squeal in pleasure at her sudden freedom before quickly looking around in case anypony saw her. Sighing in relief at being alone for the moment, the pegasus slowly walked down the hospital’s front steps, enjoying the heat from the sun as it warmed her fur.

Off in the distance, Rainbow Dash could see teams of pegasi pushing clouds across the sky in every conceivable direction, the clouds pouring out of the Weather Factory barely making a dent in the line of waiting weather teams. Pausing for a moment as she rounded a curve in the road to the hospital, Rainbow took in the view of Ponyville from the small rise. Despite being cooped up in her room for a week, Rainbow’s friends had kept her up to date with everything going on in town after she had woken up the day after the fire. In the distance, she could see what was left of the Everfree forest, the blackened and charred remains of the forest’s trees a haunting reminder of what had once been one of the wildest places left in Equestria. Even now, she could see thin plumes of smoke rising from the forest as a few small fires tenaciously burned, despite the repeated soakings from the town’s weather team.

Not needing to be anywhere in particular, the cyan pegasus slowly made her way down the road. Even from a distance, she could hear the sounds of the small town life she had secretly grown to enjoy, the sounds of children laughing mixed with the shouts of the vendors lining Ponyville’s main market street. Trotting across one of the bridges crossing the river that ran through town, Rainbow stopped at the top, looking over the side at the river below. Despite the heavy rains that had been scheduled every evening since the forest fire, the river had only grown slightly, its normally crystal clear water a dark brown with a consistency that reminded her of a bad cup of coffee. Even the spitball she sent flying over the side of the bridge sounded off when it hit the water, not even remotely hitting with the satisfying smack she was used to.

Looking up at the sound of hammers as she stepped off the bridge, Rainbow Dash could see a number of ponies standing around the burned out remains of one of the homes lost in the fire. As the half-gutted roof was torn down with a tug of magic, the grounded pegasus realized she knew the two mares who had lived there. Turning away from the ruins, she mentally noted to stop by Bonbon’s shop to offer her support, and maybe buy some of the mare’s candy. Maybe Shadow would like to try some, given hospital food’s general lack of imagination.

Smiling as a gentle breeze played with her mane, Rainbow let her mind wander as she walked around town, smiling and waving to ponies who greeted her. Slowly, the athletic pegasus found herself walking past the town’s lone schoolhouse, the cheerfully painted building falling away behind her as she continued her trek along the gravel road. As the minutes slowly passed, she could see her destination slowly growing in the distance, the farm’s large red barn as readily recognized by Ponyville’s residents as the town hall or Sugarcube Corner.

Walking into the farm yard, Rainbow Dash was greeted by the calm stillness that she had come to love about her friend’s farm. It was that calm that had lured the young athlete on more than one occasion to spend an afternoon napping in one of the taller apple trees or just enjoy the sway of the branches while watching the clouds drift slowly by overhead. Approaching the farmhouse, Rainbow slowed as she spotted Granny Smith on the front porch, the light green mare sitting back in her favorite rocking chair as she enjoyed a late afternoon nap. Watching where she stepped so as not to disturb the sleeping mare, the pegasus quietly walked past the house, taking one of the numerous paths in the back. It was only a few minutes before Rainbow Dash heard the distinctive sound of hooves slamming into wood, and she knew from the pitch that it wasn’t Big McIntosh bucking the trees.

Cresting a small rise, the rainbow-maned pegasus paused as she watched her friend race toward a tree. A heartbeat before she’d run into the tree, Applejack pivoted on her hooves, bringing her hind hooves around to slam into the tree’s trunk. Rainbow quietly whistled as she started toward her friend. She knew from first hoof experience that her friend could kick holes in solid wood walls or leave a brick wall in serious need of repairs if she was upset enough.

Wiping the sweat from her face as the apples fell into the waiting baskets; Applejack paused as she looked up, a smile quickly growing on her face as she spotted the sky-blue pegasus walking down the path. “Well, ah’ll be. What are you doin’ here, RD?” She called out as trotted to meet her friend.

“What, I can’t visit one of my best friends at work?” Rainbow replied, laughing as she returned her friend’s hug.

“Not that ah’m complainin’ Sugarcube, but shouldn’t you still be in the hospital” Applejack asked, slowly backing up as she looked her friend over, quickly noting the bandaged wing. “You didn’t sneak out did you?” The farm mare asked, her glare taking the pegasus aback.

“What? No!” Rainbow shouted, taking a few steps back as she noticed her friend’s hoof slowly moving toward a nearby lasso. “The doc let me out early since my wing isn’t broken anymore.” Seeing her friend’s raised eyebrow, Rainbow Dash gave the apple farmer a quick explanation.

“Well, it’s good to hear he’s doing better.” Applejack said after hearing out her friend. “So what’s he like?”

“Pretty quiet, actually” Rainbow Dash replied. “He doesn’t seem to like being around large groups of ponies.” The pegasus smiled as she remembered something “He also met your brother today.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, he seemed pretty stunned by Big Mac’s size.”

“Most ponies are when they first see him.” Applejack replied as she lifted one of the overflowing apple baskets into a waiting cart. “What did he think of the concert?”

“He seemed to enjoy it” Rainbow said around the handle of the basket she was dragging toward the cart.

“Any word about his family?”

Rainbow Dash spat out the handle she was pulling on. “Why do you ask?”

“Twilight said the princesses think he might be an orphan, but if he isn’t, then ah can only imagine how his parents are doin’.” The farm pony tossed the last two baskets onto the cart before securing the back. “Besides, if he does have family out there, ah want to thank them mahself for raising such a brave colt.”

“Yeah…” The colorful pegasus rubbed her mane, wincing as she thought of what to say. “You’re going to be waiting for a while.”

“Why?”

“He is an orphan” Rainbow said, pushing on the back of the heavily laden cart, helping her friend to get it moving. Trotting alongside the farm mare silently, Rainbow found herself wondering how much she should share with Applejack. She knew that Shadow had told her what he had because he seemed to trust her and she didn’t want to break that trust. “He didn’t go into much detail, but he lost his entire family in a fire a few months ago.”

Both ponies walked in silence for a while, each with their own thoughts. Applejack knew the pain of losing both parents, but to lose everypony she loved? She couldn’t begin to fathom the pain the colt must have felt, what he must still be feeling.

“Where’s Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash asked a while later. “She only visited me once.”

“Considering this is Pinkie Pie we’re talkin’ about, your guess is as good as mine. All ah know is, she dropped by a few days ago askin’ if she could use our barn for a party. Ah haven’t seen her since.”

“Must be one heck of a party if she’s acting like this” Rainbow replied as she held the door of a storage barn open for her friend. “Zecora mentioned that some ponies thought I’d be a lay-about in the hospital.”

“Ah heard a few ponies whisperin’ something similar, mostly the Aloe twins and Rose…” Applejack looked up at her friend as a stray thought occurred to her “Why are you bringin’ this up?”

“Oh… no reason” The rainbow-maned pegasus said, avoiding her friend’s gaze as she held the door.

“Uh huh…” Applejack eventually said, “Whatever you got planned, just leave me out of it.” Unhitching herself from the cart, the blonde-maned mare reached into an old basket hidden behind a couple slowly rotting bales of hay, pulling out a pair of bottles. Twisting the cap off the first bottle, she handed it to her friend, the pegasus nodding her head in thanks before downing the cider in a couple swigs, a loud belch breaking the silence seconds later. “Not bad” Applejack said as she finished off her bottle. Holding up a hoof, the mare took a deep breath, letting out a belch a moment later that put her friend’s to shame with dust slowly drifting down from above as if to add insult to injury.

Rainbow Dash looked at her friend’s smug smile for a moment before narrowing her eyes “Cheater.”

Trotting down the well-worn path, Rainbow Dash smiled as the late afternoon light glistened through the leaves of the trees lining the path. The trees around her seemed to be recovering from the drought much better than the pegasus would have thought, given the severity of the dry spell. While a good number of trees were already starting to turn various shades of yellow, orange and red, they were still a small minority. Despite still being a few minutes from her destination, the athletic mare could hear the sounds of hundreds of animals from up ahead. Coming around a final bend in the path, Rainbow Dash came to a stop at the sight before her.

Seeing a number of animals around Fluttershy’s cottage was nothing new, yet unless she hadn’t seen it for herself, Rainbow never would have believed how many animals were now calling her friend’s property their home. In the front, a pair of bears were napping in the late afternoon light, completely ignoring the small flocks of birds that had decided to use them as a perch. All around, moose and deer stood or slowly walked about, watching where they stepped as hundreds of squirrels, chipmunks and various rodents ran about underneath. In the trees, every branch had a bird of some kind on it, while every bird house was well beyond capacity. Even Fluttershy’s modest cottage wasn’t immune to the chaos as the roof chirped and tweeted from the hundreds of birds that had taken up residence in its leaf covered roof. Not even wanting to imagine what it was like inside, Rainbow Dash slowly made her way down the path, finding herself growing increasingly annoyed as small animals frequently ran through where she was walking, forcing her to constantly stop lest she step on one of them, eventually reaching the cottage’s front door after what seemed like an eternity.

Inside, Rainbow could see a number of birds flying around while smaller animals ran around on the floor, yet it was only slightly more crowded that she was used to and nowhere nearly as packed as the pegasus had expected “Hey Fluttershy, you in here?” Rainbow called out, knocking on the front door’s closed bottom half. Inside, every animal stopped in its place for a moment to look at the new arrival before going back to whatever they had been doing, except for one pure white ball of fluff and attitude. The white rabbit took one look at the rainbow-maned mare and bolted for the kitchen. From outside, Rainbow Dash could hear a small commotion before the cottage’s owner came trotting out, being led by the rabbit.

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy quietly shouted at the sight of her friend. Taking to the air, the soft spoken pegasus flew over to the door, opening it for her friend, and the two dozen various rodents who used the opportunity to go outside. “How are you doing?”

“I’ve been worse” Rainbow answered, looking around. “How are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m fine” The yellow and pink mare demurred as she landed. “It’s a little more crowded than usual, but nothing we can’t handle. Right, Angel?” The white fluff ball at Fluttershy’s hooves rolled his eyes before hopping away. “What brings you around here; not that I’m complaining of course.”

Rainbow Dash smiled as she followed her friend into the kitchen. “They let me out early for good behavior, so I thought I’d stop by and see how you were doing.”

“That was thoughtful of you” Fluttershy replied as she set a pair of teacups onto a nearby table. Grabbing a hoof-full of nuts, she tossed them into the room they had just left, every rodent in the kitchen rushing out to get a snack.

“Smooth” Rainbow Dash said as she watched her friend close the door behind the last mouse out, ensuring the two ponies a few minutes of peace.

For her part, Fluttershy simply smiled at the compliment. It was a trick she had learned early on. “How’s your wing?” She asked as she sat in an open chair.

“Completely healed” Rainbow said, filling her friend in on everything that had happened that day.

“That poor colt” Fluttershy said as she heard about Shadow’s family.

“Yeah” Rainbow replied, finishing off her cup of tea, “So I start physical therapy tomorrow, and the doctor promised to arrange it so Shadow and I are doing it together.”

“That’s great.” Fluttershy said, setting the two empty cups aside, “I got a surprise for you.”

“Really?” Rainbow asked, following her friend from the kitchen and into the back yard. Pausing on the back step, the athlete looked where her friend was pointing, and felt her heart stop. Across the yard, a multi-hued green tortoise was slowly making its way toward her. Without a second thought, the sky-blue pegasus bolted from the cottage, ignoring her friend’s quiet shouts and the numerous small animals that scrambled to get out of her way. In the blink of an eye, Rainbow had all but tackled the tortoise, lifting the reptile into the air as she wrapped it in a massive hug. “Oh sweet Celestia, I missed you boy. How are you doing, Tank?” For his part, the tortoise smiled before slowly nuzzling Rainbow Dash’s neck.

“This is the happiest I’ve ever seen him.” Fluttershy said as she walked up. “He absolutely missed you.”

“Thank you for taking care of him, Fluttershy.” Tank’s owner said, not bothering to hide her tears of joy.

“It was no problem, Rainbow. It was actually nice to have him around. He’s been very helpful keeping some of the more scared animals calm.”

“You have, huh?”

Tank slowly smiled in response.

Shadow felt the sweat drip down his face as he walked on the treadmill. He didn’t know how the thing worked, and at the moment, he was too busy trying to put one hoof in front of the other to ask. Next to him, Rainbow Dash was on an identical machine walking at a sedate pace, occasionally saying something encouraging. “Just a little more, you’re almost there” A pegasus mare next to him said as he walked. How could he be ‘almost there’ when he was walking in place on a stationary machine? Shadow shook his head at the thought, sending a string of sweat flying across the room. “Five… four… three… two… and… done!” The mare hit a button above him and the belt beneath him slowed to a stop. “Very well done” She added; her horn glowing; ready to catch the young alicorn if his legs gave out.

“Thanks” Shadow said between breaths. How could he be so winded after walking at such an easy pace?

“I don’t give compliments unnecessarily.” The mare said as she helped Shadow off the treadmill, leading him to a small shower stall. “I’ve gone over your file and by all rights; you shouldn’t be alive, much less walking.” Twisting the knob on the wall, she waited for the water to warm before hosing down the colt. For his part, Shadow lay still on the small platform, his eyes closed and his wings hanging limply next to him as he let the mare do her thing.

Opening his eyes as the shower was turned off, Shadow watching with slight apprehension as the mare picked up a large folded piece of cloth, shaking it with her magic until it seemed to be bigger than him. Tensing as she placed it over his back, the colt opened his mouth to say something, only for any thoughts of speaking to be lost as a wave of pleasure raced across his back. Groaning in relief, the young alicorn lowered his head back down, enjoying the sensations of the massage as he was toweled off.

“Still with me?”

Cracking an eye open, Shadow looked at the mare.

“That’s it for today.” The mare said, gently lifting the exhausted colt out of the shower. “Get plenty of rest, because tomorrow won’t be any easier.”

Nodding his head, Shadow fell into step beside Rainbow Dash as the rainbow-maned mare led him out. The two ponies didn’t say anything as they made their way back to Shadow’s room. Opening the door with his magic, it took the colt a moment to realize that something in his room was off. Frowning in confusion, Shadow slowly approached the small cloud hovering next to his bed. Gently poking it with a hoof, his eyes grew in surprise as he felt it resist his prodding, instead of doing nothing like he had expected.

“Yeah, it’s real” Rainbow said as she finally walked into the room. “You told me that you had never walked on a cloud before, and I thought you might like this.”

Shadow turned back to the cloud, prodding it a few more times. Putting a hoof on top, he slowly put his weight on it, surprised at how soft and springy it felt beneath him. Gathering his strength, the colt leaped onto the low hanging cloud, slowly walking over it, unable to get over how it pushed back against his weight. Lowering himself, Shadow felt his whole body relax as the cloud took his weight.

“What do you think?”

“This is the most comfortable… thing I’ve ever been on.” Shadow replied after a moment. “Where did this come from?”

“I talked with a friend last night who pulled a few strings.”

“Thank you.”

Rainbow smiled at the colt’s sigh, “Not a problem. I also brought you a book to read.” Stretching out her good wing, the pegasus set the book in question onto the bed next to Shadow.

Looking at the cover, Shadow could see an image of Daring Do standing on her hind legs, holding an image of a flower above her head “Thanks.” Could he trust her? Looking at the sky-blue mare, the colt felt something inside pushing him to decide. “I got something for you too.” Gesturing to the lone saddlebag on the nightstand, Shadow watched as Rainbow Dash brought it over. After the concert, he had taken some time to go over the surviving clone’s memories. He held nothing against the clone for how it had acted around him, given what it had gone through. He had even spent a few minutes quietly laughing at how Twilight had reacted to the clone’s blatant lie about what would have happened if she had opened the bag.

Shaking his head, Shadow placed his hoof over the lock, while at the same time channeling some magic through his horn. Smiling at the audible click of the latch, the colt flipped the top over, revealing everything inside. Gently setting the bag of coins on the bed, Shadow pulled one of the books out before setting the coins back in and resetting the latch. “If you want something to read…”

Looking at the cover, Rainbow could see an orange and yellow mare facing off against a menacing army, her horn alight as a shield glowed before her while a dozen arrows arced toward her.

“…Though you might not be able to read it” Shadow finished, almost apologetically.

Rainbow Dash looked at the writing on the cover “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Really?”

“I may not be able to read crystallic, but I can get a translator lens that will let me read it.” She stretched out her good wing, scooping up the colt’s book.

Panting for breath, Rainbow Dash slowed down as she neared Twilight’s castle. After spending a little more time with Shadow, she had all but run all the way from the hospital to the crystalline tree. Pushing against the front doors, the winded athlete was surprised to see Spike walking by. “Hey there, Spike.”

The young dragon jumped slightly. “Hey Rainbow Dash, you’re back early.”

“What do you mean, it’s five-ten.”

“Earlier than I expected.” Spike corrected. Noting the older pony’s heavy breathing, the dragon raised an eyebrow “You alright?”

Getting her breathing under control, Rainbow swallowed against her suddenly dry throat. “Yeah, I just ran here from the hospital.”

“Why?”

“Got a new book that I can’t wait to read.”

Spike shrugged. Having lived with Twilight for his entire life, he knew that sometimes, you didn’t get between a pony and their book. “Get comfortable and I’ll bring you something to eat in a bit.”

“Thanks.” The pegasus sat down on a nearby couch “Has Twilight ever told you how awesome you are?”

“She could stand to say it a little more often” Spike replied with a chuckle.

Sighing in relief as she lay back on the couch, Rainbow grabbed Shadow’s book from the nearby table as soon as she was comfortable. Studying the cover image, she placed the translator lens she had gotten over the title, slowly moving it as she read. “The Diary of Summer Breeze” Shrugging at the title, the mare flipped the cover, setting the lens on the first page.

Dear Diary,

I know it’s technically not my birthday for another few hours…

March?:

… One of my guards told me that some the Canterlot nobles were discussing what to do with my baby once I give birth! What to do?! I'll tell you what they're going to do: leave her the fuck alone! First I lose my home to a monster, then my best friend and my husband on the same night to Celestia, and now this?!

No!

They can NOT have my child. If those plot-sniffing, manure-eating bastards think that they can just steal my child from me and claim that they're only doing it ‘for the sake of the foal’, believe me when I say this diary (and whoever else reads this): if they think that they can just take my baby from me, they will have to kill me first, and they better have Celestia and the entire Equestrian army behind them (and I am not being metaphorical). It took that bitch Celestia herself to stop me when I lost my Umber. If anypony tries to take my child, Celestia herself won't be able to stop me from getting my child back, and if they try to run, I swear that they will have to invent new laws to criminalize what I will do to the pony who takes my child.

My mom is telling me not to worry, that it's just nasty rumors the guards made up. Easy for her to say, she isn't about to give birth. I got word from the others - don't ask me how since I won't tell - that if anypony tries to take my child, they will gladly rise up against the guards. Hearing that, it made me smile diary, knowing that everypony still supports me. I wonder what they'll do when they come for you diary…

… Well, that was quick. It wasn't an hour after they took you from me that my mom and I were being escorted to see Celestia. They shackled mom, but I was left unbound, except for the suppressor on my horn. I guess they figured that my being pregnant would work against me should I try to escape. As soon as we were alone with her, Celestia assured me that nopony would take my baby from me. This coming from the pony who had waited to do something about Sombra while innocent ponies were being murdered. I don't think I need to say how little faith I put in her words. I said as much, and told her that the only way I might believe her was if she made it clear to everypony - especially those head-up-their-plots nobles - that my foal was off limits. Less than an hour later, she was doing exactly that.

I don't know if it was the threat of a prison uprising or the possibility of having to face an enraged widow who just had her only foal taken from her, but something seemed to have spooked the great and almighty Celestia. I don't know and I don't really care at the moment. This kid is kicking up a storm and is keeping me awake. I think I'll spend some quality time with my foal-to-be and pray to Luna that it calms the kid down; I could use the rest. And pickles.

Rainbow Dash felt a chill slowly crawl down her spine as she read the entry. She could feel Summer Breeze’s anger and rage, even though the mare wasn’t real. Normally, the young flyer would have been turned off by the book’s title, assuming that since the word ‘diary’ was in it; it would have been a hard bound sleeping pill about makeovers, dates and other decidedly girly things. Never had Rainbow Dash been so happy to be so wrong. The colt’s book was the exact opposite of what she had expected, as if the author shared her feelings and had decided to throw those expectations out the window by writing one of the best books the pegasus had ever read. Needless to say, it had hooked her almost immediately.

Hearing the sound of a page turning, Rainbow looked to her right, barely able to keep herself from jumping at the sight of Twilight sitting in a nearby chair. “How long have you been sitting there?”

The book hovering before Twilight shook slightly as the young alicorn tried to hide her shock at being noticed. Lowering the thick tome, she looked at the clock above the front door “About an hour” She replied, slowly rising from her chair. “You had your nose so deep in that book you didn’t even flinch when I tapped your shoulder.”

“Yeah… sorry about that” Rainbow chuckled, scratching the back of her head. “I guess I got a little lost while reading this book.”

Twilight looked at the battle scene on the book’s cover, frowning at the crystallic title. “So I take it its good?”

“I don’t know who wrote this, but they’ll give the Daring Do series a run for its money.”

“That good huh?”

“You need to get a copy for the library first chance you get Twi, though since it’s a new book out of the Empire, I’m not surprised you don’t have it.”

“New book, huh?” Twilight caught the book in midair as her friend tossed it to her. Looking closely at the cover for a moment, the youngest Princess opened the book, focusing on the cover page. Frowning, she re-read the page a second time, then a third; just to be sure she hadn’t missed anything. “This book isn’t from the Empire.”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked, frowning at her friend’s pronouncement “It’s written in crystallic.”

“I know, but according to the date inside, it was printed five years ago.”

“So somepony got the date wrong; big deal.”

“Rainbow, the Crystal Empire hasn’t been back for even half as long as this book has been around.”

“I was there with you when Princess Celestia sent you to find the Crystal Heart, Twi, remember?”

“I know that, but even if this date is wrong, the wear pattern on the pages says the same thing.” Twilight said, returning the book to her friend.

“How can that be, Twilight? You had never heard of the Crystal Empire until it reappeared. If you didn’t know about it before then, who else did?”

“I don’t know, but…”

“Not only that, this book mentions specific ponies and includes how Sombra took over. How could it be that detailed?”

“Nopony knows for sure how Sombra took over. That could just be speculation.”

“What about the other ponies mentioned?” Dash looked her friend in the eyes. “How could whoever wrote this know the names of ponies who had disappeared a thousand years earlier?” Without waiting for an answer, the downed flier opened the book in question, leafing through the pages until she found what she was looking for. Grabbing the translator lens, she placed it over the page before giving the book back to Twilight.

I don’t know how she does it, but I swear Precious Tome knows the name of every book in this library and where they are at all times. Not that I’m complaining, diary. She has been a big help when it comes to finding the books the princess needs…

Rainbow looked up at her friend, frowning at how her eyes had gotten that glazed over look they tended to get when things didn’t seem to add up “Twi?”

The alicorn shook her head as she returned to reality, reading the page again. “How could they know her name?”

“I don’t know, Twi.” The rainbow-maned pegasus said as she yawned. “But we’re flying in circles at this point. Why don’t you just ask Shadow? He’s probably an egg head like you.”

“What makes you say that?” Twilight asked, her eyes narrowing at the loathed term.

“He had three other books in his saddlebag and nearly had a heart attack when he thought they had been lost in the fire.”

“Wait, he had books in his saddlebag?!” Twilight said, nearly shouting as her head snapped up at her friend’s words. “What did they look like?”

“Two were a couple years past ancient while the other was his dad’s potions book.” Rainbow Dash shrugged “Don’t ask me for the names, they didn’t have any that I could see. What’s it matter, anyways?”

Twilight slowly sank back as she scrambled for an answer. What could she say? She couldn’t mention the Fire Sprites, and if she said the wrong thing, Rainbow might distance herself from Shadow, when that was the last thing Twilight needed.

“Don’t sweat it, Twi.” Rainbow Dash said. “Probably some super-secret Princess stuff you can’t talk about, right?” Twilight silently nodded. It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was close enough. “I also found this…” Rainbow added, tapping a folded sheet of paper on the nearby table. The flier watched in silence as her friend picked up the note, gently unfolding it with her magic before reading it. “Is it true?” She asked a few minutes later. Feeling a knot form in her stomach as Twilight nodded, she felt herself ask the one question that had been bugging her since she had found the note stuck between two pages. “What happened?”

Ch.11 Welcome to Ponyville

The crayon hung in the air, gently spinning as its young user focused on it. Focusing on the lone object, Shadow slowly ignited his horn, gently channeling a trickle of magic into the crayon, heating it up until the wax started to melt. As he reformed the tip of the heavily used colored stick, the colt could still barely get over the sight of it. His magic therapist had suggested using them to rebuild his stamina and control. The stallion, who was only a few years younger than Shadow's father, had also admitted to the colt that coloring was a great way to pass the time. Opening the brand new box as soon as he had gotten back to his room, the colt had been left speechless by what he saw. Unsure of whether he was seeing things or not, Shadow had picked a bright yellow stick from the box, feeling it with his hooves and even gently biting it, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Back home, wax was one of the most expensive commodities on the island, since the island’s bees tended to swarm and mercilessly sting anypony that got within twenty feet of a hive. Consequently, any wax that a pony managed to gather was used for things like candles and for sealing jars. The idea of dyeing it different colors and letting fillies and colts color with it would have been ludicrous at best.

Satisfied with his tip, Shadow set the green stick back in its place before picking a different color. “Good afternoon Equestria!” Shadow’s ears perked at the mare’s slightly scratchy voice as it filled the room. Setting the new crayon aside, the young alicorn looked at the wooden box on the nightstand next to his bed. With a slight burst of magic, the radio’s volume rose. Of all the things that he had seen so far, this ‘simple’ device was probably the most fascinating to the colt.

His first thought had been that it was some sort of record player, having seen one once back home, but its small size and lack of any records quickly ended that thought. Likewise, the thought that there was a tiny pony inside playing the music died almost as quickly when he realized that, even if there were ponies that small, there was no way to feed them if they were inside, much less for them to play a dozen instruments at once. He had seen a pony back home using an odd contraption that allowed him to play a half dozen different instruments at once, but a pony would be hard pressed to call the noise that resulted ‘music’.

Unable to figure it out, he had opted to simply use his magic to bring the strange device closer. Even up close, he was no closer to an answer. The box was made of two pieces of wood screwed together, with a couple knobs and a dial on the front as well as two large holes that the music came out of. Pulling on it a little more, Shadow had nearly jumped out of his bed when the music suddenly died. Spinning the thing around in the air, he had felt a growing sense of panic as he tried in vain to figure out how he had broken it, only for that sense of panic to shatter at the sound of Rainbow Dash’s laughter. “Calm down kid, you just unplugged it.” The look he had given her stopped her laughter as she stared back in equal confusion, “You know, from the wall?” At his uncomprehending stare, the athlete pointed to the socket in the wall “It won’t work without electricity.”

When he then asked what electricity was, Shadow had thought for a split second that the flyer might faint from shock, though she had stared at him for several seconds like he had asked her what the sun was. What had followed was an interesting and rather painful attempt on the part of the pegasus to explain what electricity was and answer the colt’s numerous questions. It had ultimately ended with Rainbow Dash admitting that she wasn’t the pony to ask and that Twilight would know more.

Despite her failure to explain it to him, Rainbow Dash did mention that the lights also ran on electricity, inadvertently answering one of the questions that had been floating in the back of Shadow’s mind. He had seen the overhead lights throughout the building, yet had never seen them flicker or wave, like a candle. Even a quick check with his magic had only told him that there wasn’t any fire involved.

Shaking his head at the memory, Shadow focused on the radio as the mare continued to talk, “Vinyl Scratch here at KPNY radio with the latest hits to get you through your day.” Shadow smiled at the mare’s voice. He didn’t know what she looked like, but he liked her enthusiasm and energy. “Now, before we get back to the latest hits, including Countess Coloratura’s newest single, we got some news for anypony in Trottingham or Manehattan. In a press conference earlier today, Princess Celestia announced the planned construction of two new weather factories-” Anything else the mare had to say was lost when Shadow twisted a knob with his magic, flying past a dozen stations before landing on a slightly static-y one that specialized in country music. Shadow didn’t care what else she had to say. The less he heard about the solar tyrant, the better.

Cheerilee stood outside the door, her hoof raised to knock. Swallowing against the slight nervousness she felt, the mare brought her hoof against the door, rapping gently against the wood. Why she was nervous, she couldn’t quite tell. Smiling at the sound of a lone voice calling out from inside, the earth pony slowly opened the door, letting herself in before gently closing it behind her. Turning around, the mare paused at the sight of a young colt lying in the lone bed on the other side of the room. For a moment, the two ponies simply stared at the other. Cheerilee could see that the young colt was nervous. It didn’t take a genius to notice the wider than normal eyes, the slight increase in breathing or how the crayon hovering by the colt’s head slowly settled back down onto the bed, as if the colt was afraid to make any sudden moves. Putting on what she hoped was a friendly smile; Ponyville’s lone teacher greeted her newest student.

For his part, Shadow didn’t say anything at first. Cheerilee found this rather odd, since most fillies and colts she knew had a tendency to be outgoing and friendly. Instead, she got the distinct impression that the colt was evaluating her, sizing her up as if she was a possible threat. Had she done something wrong? Had she said something wrong? As she stood there, letting the colt get used to her, she recalled what had happened a several days earlier.

She had been sitting at her desk in the town’s schoolhouse putting the final touches on her plans for the new school year nearly two weeks earlier when she heard a knock at the door. Looking up, the mulberry colored pony had been surprised to see Princess Twilight standing in the doorway. The two mares had talked for a while, with Princess Celestia’s former student telling her about Shadow. Cheerilee had heard from a number of ponies that there was an alicorn colt in the town’s hospital, but she had originally chalked that up to the post-forest fire hysteria and the town’s active rumor mill. To hear the same thing from Princess Twilight on the other hoof… She had been surprised to hear that he would be staying in town for the foreseeable future. When she told the youngest Princess as much, Twilight agreed, adding that for whatever reason, Celestia and Luna had decided that Shadow would be better off in Ponyville for the time being.

Not being one to question the princess’s decision, the town’s lone teacher had been more than happy to help Twilight get Shadow enrolled, though there had been some issues when it came to the part concerning his parents. Twilight had admitted that they suspected he was an orphan, though they were still hoping to find his parents or a family member. Having somehow known that this might be an issue, Twilight gave Cheerilee a letter from Princess Celestia asking that Shadow be admitted into her class.

Hearing the sounds of Sapphire Shore’s latest hit, the teacher returned to the present in time to see the young colt still staring back at her. Taking a look at him, Cheerilee was surprised at his condition. When she first saw him, she had thought that Shadow’s coat was black and white which, while not unheard of, would have been unusual. Instead, a quick glance confirmed that it was white bandages that covered him from just behind the shoulders to his tail, or what was left of it; she couldn’t see any hair coming out of the bandage-wrapped stump. Taking a slight step back as Shadow’s horn began to glow, she watched as a blanket gently covered him from the shoulders down.

“Can I help you?”

Cheerilee blinked as she realized her mistake, which was confirmed by the look of slowly growing annoyance on the young alicorn’s face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare” Cheerilee said as she moved a chair closer to Shadow’s bed. “I’m not used to being here, or seeing ponies in here. Mind if I sit?”

Seeing the colt shrug, the mare lowered herself into the chair with a frown. Most ponies wouldn’t have noticed, but the way Shadow had shrugged spoke less of not caring, but rather suggested he thought he didn’t have a choice in the matter. Relieving herself of her saddlebag, the teacher set it on the floor before turning to the room’s sole resident. “How are you feeling?”

Shadow barely managed to suppress the groan that threatened to escape. She had to ask the one question everypony and their cousin would ask whenever they came into the room. Even if they had asked him five minutes earlier, the first question out of the nurses’ mouth would inevitably be: ‘How are you feeling’? Despite his loathing for the hated question, Shadow didn’t hold it against the earth pony mare for asking it. “Bored” Shadow replied as he set the crayon back in its slot.

Cheerilee smiled at the colt’s frank answer, knowing from experience how boring being stuck in bed could get. “Well, maybe this will help…” She said, reaching into her saddlebag. Pulling a small stack of papers out, she shuffled them a little, noting with a small smile the look of curiosity on Shadow’s face. “I was told recently that you’d be staying in Ponyville for a while and that you’d be joining my class.”

Shadow felt something inside him sink at the mare’s pronouncement. How could he have been so stupid? He had originally planned to put as much distance between him and this town, as well as the solar tyrant, as possible the first chance he got, but the teacher crushed that plan like a bug with that one sentence. How would he disappear if he was going to be stuck here? How could he when other ponies would expect to see him? If he tried to slip away unnoticed, how far would he get before somepony noticed? How long would it be after that before Celestia herself descended on him from above? A few particular phrases came to the young colt’s mind but he forced himself to keep quiet. He didn’t need to let the mare sitting next to him in on his busted plans. On top of that, she was an earth pony, and he couldn’t lose control in front of her, or let her in on his true feelings.

“…normally getting your school records wouldn’t be a problem, but since we don’t know where you’re from, I need to know where you stand relative to your classmates.” Looking up from the stack of papers, Cheerilee tilted her head at the colt’s slight frown, “Everything alright?”

“Yeah” Shadow responded, waving a bandaged hoof like he was swatting at flies “I’m just not fond of tests.”

Ponyville’s head teacher laughed. “Don’t worry about it; most ponies I know aren’t, including the adults.” Seeing a faint smile, the mare set the dozen sheets of paper on the bed in front of Shadow.

Shadow felt the smile on his face vanish as the stack of papers was set down before him. Groaning silently to himself, the colt picked up the top sheet, what confidence he had faltering at the sight of what was printed on it. He knew at a glance that the sheet was filled with math problems, the pluses and minuses made that clear. He had no doubt he could solve the problems. The thing that left him feeling nervous was the fact that the numbers were in Equestrian. Thinking back, Shadow couldn’t remember a single time in the last year when he needed to read a number in Equestrian. Like every other pony back home, he had learned how to read, write and count in Equestrian and, like most of the island’s residents, didn’t bother to try and remember any of it. Why should he remember something that he was never going to use anyway?

Cheerilee watched as the colt’s face slowly soured as he looked over the first sheet. A few minutes later, a crayon slowly rose from its box as her new student seemed ready to answer the first question, only for the piece of wax to come to a rest on the bed a moment later. “You don’t have to worry about being graded; this is just to see what you know.”

“That’s not the problem.”

Cheerilee chose to ignore the slight testiness of his reply. “What is it?”

“The last time I had to use Equestrian numbers was at least a year ago in school when we were learning them.”

“Really?” Cheerilee’s eyebrow quirked at the colt’s statement; where was he from? Everypony knew Equestrian; it was practically an international language. “Where are you from?”

“Very far away” Shadow replied, sighing as he looked at the sheet.

The teacher pursed her lips at the colt’s less than informative answer. “How about this…” She picked up the sheet, “two plus two.”

“Really?” This time, Shadow didn’t bother to hide his disbelief. Seeing the mare’s raised eyebrow, he sighed in resignation “four.”

“Four plus ten?”

Time seemed to fly as the two ponies worked through the pile of paper. Glancing at the room’s clock, Cheerilee stood, feeling a few joints pop. “Since it’s starting to get dark, I’ll let you get some rest” She said as she put the papers in her bag, ignoring the colt’s sigh of relief. “Get well soon; I can’t wait to see you in class, Shadow.” With a parting smile, the teacher let herself out of the room, nodding to the nurse in the hall. Mentally going over his answers, Cheerilee was glad to know that Shadow was about average for his age when it came to math. As she held the door for Rainbow Dash, Cheerilee smiled at how Shadow tore through the rest of the stack, relatively speaking. She’d have to borrow a translator lens from Princess Twilight, but she had little doubt that his ‘grade’ would be similar to his math score.

Shadow’s sigh of relief practically echoed around the room as the door clicked shut. Feeling his heart stop at his mistake, the colt warily eyed the door, the lack of any response eliciting a smaller sigh of relief. The mare had seemed nice enough, but if experience had taught him one thing, it was that you could never be sure about a pony, especially earth ponies. Sure he had met a number of earth ponies who acted differently than he had expected, members of the Tranquility’s crew coming readily to mind, but while they had quickly more or less accepted him as part of the crew, Shadow chalked that up to the fact that he had been working alongside them as soon as the ocean had calmed down enough. Even the nurses who pestered him with repetitious, idiotic questions weren’t as he had expected, though he wasn’t surprised. Even back home, ponies showed at least a little sympathy when they heard somepony was sick, even if they weren’t in the same tribe. Shadow had no doubt that part of the reason the nurses were so nice was the fact that they worked around sick and injured ponies everyday. He also wouldn’t have been surprised if Celestia had told them to be nice to him. What better way to try and trick him into revealing things?

Shadow let out a mirthless chuckle at that last thought. The idea made the colt wonder if Celestia hadn’t originally been an earth pony, since it was exactly how he’d expect to be treated back home. Shrugging, he returned to the half-finished drawing before him. Hearing a knock on the door, Shadow set the crayon down as his stomach growled please be dinner “Come in.”

The injured alicorn smiled at the sight of the rainbow mane and its owner walking through the door. His smile increased even more when he noticed the covered tray on the mare’s back. “Hey kid!”

“Please tell me that’s food!”

Rainbow Dash laughed as she turned to close the door behind her, only to feel the weight on her back disappear. “Of course it is, but it’s not yours.”

The airborne tray, as well as the smile on Shadow’s face, froze in place as her words seemed to echo around the suddenly quiet room. Turning back to her young friend, Rainbow noticed the slowly growing look of disappointment on the colt’s face as he floated the tray to a nearby table. As she approached his bed, the older flier’s smile grew as Shadow sniffed the air, his ears perking up as he began to notice the new scent that was quickly filling the room. Trotting over to the window, Rainbow Dash cracked it open, knowing what she had planned was technically against the hospital’s rules. Pushing a small table to the foot of Shadow’s bed where he lay, the mare looked at the young colt and tapped her saddlebag with a wing.

Frowning slightly, Shadow understood the silent message, undoing the bag’s strap with his magic. Opening the bag’s flap, the colt’s head rocked back as he got a face full of the mysterious scent. Reaching into the saddlebag, he pulled out a greasy looking paper bag with something printed on the outside that he couldn’t identify. Turning to his guest, the colt’s frown deepened as the mare offered him the tray she had arrived with, minus the food which she had set on another table. Taking it, Shadow opened the bag and dumped the contents onto the tray.

“I figured you might want something other than this… stuff” Rainbow explained, pointing to the extremely plain dinner on the table.

“What is it?”

The polychromatic athlete felt her jaw drop at the simple question. What is it? “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of daisy burgers and hay fries.”

“Of course I’ve heard of them” Shadow said as he inhaled the smell of grease covered daisies and hay “I’ve just never seen one before.”

Rainbow Dash smiled as the colt seemed to be torn between savoring the smell of the food before him and tearing into it. “Word of advice, Shadow” She said, peeling the cover off the jello cup before her, “They don’t taste so good when they’re cold.”

Lifting the burger up to his nose, Shadow took one last sniff before biting into it. The world around the young colt virtually disappeared as his mouth came alive with flavors. How could something so plain as daisies and hay taste so good? Shuddering slightly as a wave of pleasure rolled over him, the colt took another bite, having barely swallowed the first. Of all the things he had seen and done in Equestria, the memory of this meal would likely be the best of them all, which made the colt enjoy the food even more, since one way or another, he didn’t expect to be around for long.

The two fliers continued their meal in silence for the next few minutes, with Shadow enjoying his dinner and Rainbow Dash wondering if she shouldn’t have bought another burger for herself. “Not that I’m complaining” Shadow said as he dipped a couple fries in a puddle of ketchup, “but what are you doing here? I thought you’d be flying.”

“I am, though the doc wants me to take it easy for a while until I build my muscles back up.” Rainbow said, stuffing her garbage into the grease covered bag “besides dinner, I wanted to return your book.”
“Did you enjoy it?” Shadow asked around his final fries.

“Bucking loved it!” Rainbow Dash enthused, nearly leaping from her chair. “It is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read.” She grabbed the book from the nearby table, looking over the cover. “Though it got a lot darker than I was expecting; not that I’m complaining. Probably a good thing it’s fiction.” She added as she set the book back down.

“Who said anything about it being fiction?” Shadow said; a knowing smile now firmly planted on his face.

“Wait…” Rainbow said, trying to process what Shadow had said. “How much of it is real?”

“All of it.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Yep” The smile on Shadow’s face seemed to want to grow even more, despite the lack of room. “Back home, there’s an island history museum, and she has her own wing.”

“Her own wing?” Rainbow asked incredulously.

Shadow nodded as much as he could, “I’ve also been to her grave and read about half of her complete diary.”

“There’s more!”

“Of course there is. You didn’t think they’d put everything in the school version, did you?”

“School version?” Shadow nodded again as his guest looked at the book again. “How much more is there?”

“That’s only about a third of her diary.”

“A third! Great” Rainbow said, pouting after she had a chance to think about it, “Now I’ll never know how it ends.”

Shadow felt for the pegasus mare. He hated not knowing how a book ended as well, but he couldn’t tell her how it ended. Doing so could reveal his connection to Summer Breeze, and even though she didn’t look like the kind of pony to rat out another, Rainbow Dash was one of Celestia’s subjects and would tell the alicorn the truth if she asked. Also, since he had the original version and not a copy, anything he told her might put it in danger.

“I bet you’re excited” Rainbow said, trying to change the subject.

“About what?”

“You know…” The older mare replied, slowly frowning at the colt’s raised eyebrow, “about getting out of here?” Shadow’s raised eyebrow told her everything. “Nopony told you?”

“Considering I found out less than an hour ago that I’d be going to school here, I’m not surprised that everypony knows before I do.”

“Huh… So that’s what Cheerilee was doing here.” Rainbow said, as she recalled seeing the town’s teacher at the entrance.

“She seemed nice.”

“She is” Rainbow replied, “But from what I’ve heard, odds are good they’ll let you out of here in a couple days.”

“Where am I going to stay?”

“With Twilight of course… I suppose nopony told you that either.”

“Nope.”

“Huh… I’m going to have to talk to Twilight about that.”

Across Ponyville, Twilight stood in the middle of one of her home’s many rooms, looking over the changes and comparing what she saw to what was on her checklist. The room itself had been nothing spectacular, as far as crystal-lined rooms went, and for the most part had been left vacant since she had had no need for it. Beneath the large window overlooking the town, a bed stood ready for its new owner when he arrived. Covering it was a set of sheets that Rarity had insisted on making, much to Twilight’s relief. With the bits she had saved thanks to her friend, the alicorn had bought a nightstand, along with a lamp and, at Rainbow Dash’s insistence, a small radio. Not that anypony would see it Twilight smirked as she crossed off the box on her list. What little space that was left on the nightstand was filled with more cards than Twilight had thought could fit. She could see cards from a good number of the town’s residents, Luna and Celestia, Cadence and her brother, as well as her friends, including two from Pinkie Pie, one of which promised as much fudge as the card’s bearer could eat.

Twilight shook her head at the thought of Shadow trying some of Pinkie’s fudge. As she smiled at the thought, the young alicorn felt the sense of uncertainty that had become all too familiar creep into the back of her mind again. There was still so much they didn’t know about the colt, and what they did know left her with even more questions. Thanks to Rainbow Dash, they knew he was an orphan, but that had left her wondering why Shadow would try such a dangerous spell in the first place.

Across the room’s walls, posters donated by her friends, depicting everything from an art deco style Manehattan skyline to a signed Wonderbolts poster had been hung. Despite her continuing doubts with the clone’s claim, a large Crystal Empire flag hung above the lone bed, thanks to a letter to her brother. Looking over her admittedly short list one last time, Twilight left the room, pausing at the door just long enough to cast a dust-free spell over everything. The first thing she didn’t want Shadow to see was a fine layer of dust over everything.

“Keep it up Shadow; less than a mile to go.”

Shadow barely acknowledged the older unicorn’s statement with a grunt as he forced himself to keep up the steady pace, despite the burning in his legs. Igniting his horn, the colt grabbed a nearby towel, wiping his face before tossing it back on the waiting chair. How far had he gone so far on this Celestia-damned machine; four miles? Five? While he had relished the idea of walking a few weeks earlier, the young alicorn had quickly come to loathe the treadmill, and the fact that he didn’t know how to make it slow down only added to his hatred for the machine.

“Almost there kiddo; only half a mile left.”

Hearing a strained cheer, Shadow looked over to his left at the rainbow-maned pegasus as she held most of her body off the floor using only the tips of her wings and back hooves. As he watched, Rainbow Dash quivered slightly as she lowered herself to the floor before pushing herself back up again. Every time she got to her maximum height, the mare would count off, letting everypony in the room know how many she had done. After the first couple dozen, Shadow had tuned the athlete out as he focused on not letting the discomfort in his legs show. The young alicorn shook his head as he listened to his older friend’s count which had somehow gone from reasonable to completely unrealistic. Shadow suspected that she had inflated her numbers when she noticed he had stopped paying attention; not that he blamed her. Pegasi were naturally competitive and tended to try and out-compete each other in contests of strength and endurance. On more than one occasion, Shadow had seen these contests devolve into shouting matches as two pegasi would accuse the other of cheating. The shouting match would usually end with a unicorn judge making the final call, since neither pegasus would trust an earth pony or another pegasus, since one would likely lie and the other would side with whichever pony they were closest to. Shadow’s smiled to himself as he remembered how Star Gazer had systematically challenged every other pegasus in their class, until she had beaten every last one.

The young orphan felt himself hitch, barely catching himself in time as he stumbled. Hearing the larger unicorn next to him say something, Shadow mumbled something about being fine. The last thing he needed was for somepony to get too nosy and find out what had caused him to stumble. Shifting his eyes, Shadow looked into the nearby mirror that ran the length of the room, watching the room’s two unexpected guests. One was his doctor, who had decided to see for himself how his star patient was doing, but it was the multi-hued purple alicorn mare next to him that Shadow was interested in.

Princess Twilight Sparkle had visited a couple times during the past few weeks, and each time, Shadow had made a point of knowing where she was at all times. He knew from talking with Rainbow Dash that she was Celestia’s former student and that was more than enough to convince the colt to not trust the mare. That was assuming he trusted the room’s other alicorn in the first place. For the moment, she and the doctor were talking and that was just fine with the young colt. While he couldn’t hear what they were saying, Shadow had few doubts that his name was being used fairly often.

Feeling the treadmill beneath him slow, the young alicorn looked up to see his therapist’s horn glowing as the stallion brought the machine to a stop. Looking up in confusion, Shadow saw the smile on the older pony’s face. “Well done kid; go hit the showers.” Smiling slightly, Shadow hopped off the treadmill, pointedly ignoring the feeling of Princess Sparkle’s eyes on him as he crossed the room. Smiling to himself at the thought of his lack of reaction to her, Shadow made a beeline for the shower stall furthest from the attached room’s door. Grabbing the knobs with his magic, the alicorn turned the knobs until the water coming out was just slightly above freezing. Stepping beneath the freezing spray, Shadow sighed in relief as he felt the aching in his legs and back disappear. Lowering himself onto the nearby bench, the colt slowly lay down beneath the cold water. Closing his eyes, Shadow felt his mind wander as he thought about what was coming next. He knew from Rainbow Dash that as soon as they let him out, he was going to be living with Princess Twilight and yet Shadow hadn’t been surprised by that news. Since she was Celestia’s former student, the solar tyrant could trust the purple alicorn and since she was an alicorn like him, he might be less intimidated by her. Shadow huffed at this. If half of what Rainbow had told him was true, Princess Twilight was easily one of the most intimidating ponies Shadow had ever met, which made him wonder why Celestia hadn’t taken him as soon as it was clear he was going to live. It wasn’t like he could stop her, so what was she waiting for? Was she trying to be subtle with her snooping or was she just waiting for him to get stronger before she disappeared him?

Feeling himself start to shiver, Shadow adjusted the knobs on the wall until the ice-like water was as hot as he could stand and steam slowly obscured the stall’s three walls. Despite not trusting her, Shadow couldn’t help but feel slightly drawn toward Princess Twilight. Unlike most ponies, she didn’t ask him how he was doing every few minutes and didn’t try to fill the inevitable silences with noise or pointless talk, instead opting for one of the books she always had in her saddlebags. That alone had gotten the young colt’s attention, yet even when nothing was being said, he never felt completely comfortable around her.

Before he could think about the princess any further, the sound of another pony entering the room caught Shadow’s attention, his ears perking as the sound of hooves hitting the tile floor. He didn’t need to guess who it was, since there was only one pony he knew whose hoof falls fell in that particular cadence.

“You still alive in there?”

Shadow snorted, smiling at Rainbow Dash’s question, “Yeah.”

“Must be pretty excited” the colt’s companion said over the sound of both showers. “I overheard your therapist and doctor talking. From the sound of it, you’re finally getting out of here today.” Running the bar of soap over her battered wing, the older flier paused at the lack of reaction from the shower stall next to hers. “You okay over there?”

“Yeah.”

Rainbow Dash sighed in relief at finally getting a response, though she didn’t miss how long it took for him to respond “Everything alright?”

“Yeah.”

The rainbow-maned athlete snorted at the response. “We both know that’s a load of horseapples kid.” The mare said as she held her soap-covered wing under the warm stream of water, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know” Shadow said after a while. Rainbow Dash could hear the weariness in the colt’s voice and decided not to push him. “First I lose everypony I ever loved. Then a week after having to leave my home, the ship I’m on is attacked and I’m damn near killed. I eventually make it to Equestria only for the universe to try and kill me three more times.” In the other stall, Rainbow could hear the shower go silent. “Now I’m stuck in a town where I have no friends, know next to nopony, and am having every decision made for me.”

Rainbow smiled at the young alicorn’s complaints. “I know a bit about how you feel, though you’re wrong on a few things.”

“Such as?”

Rainbow Dash ignored the snark in Shadow’s reply. “You have friends here, kid.” The mare said as she turned her shower off. “Yours truly, for one” Rainbow reached for the towel hanging nearby “plus three certain fillies you saved, along with their families.” The recovering athlete went to work on her waterlogged mane as she spoke “Though if you give it time, you’ll make plenty of friends at school.” Tossing the towel aside, the mare walked out of the stall, stopping to look in on Shadow’s. “Can I ask you something?”

“I don’t know, can you?”

Rainbow Dash winced at having walked right into that response. “I was there for the Everfree fire and I know about the island fire, but what was the third thing you mentioned?”

“I don’t know what it was, but it was shortly after the island fire…” As he related the ambush, Shadow ignited his horn. Around him, all of the water on the walls and floors started to swirl around the stall as the colt’s magic dried the small area. At the same time, the spell pulled at the water trapped in his mane and coat, leaving the young alicorn completely dry as it added the extra water to the thin sphere of water around Shadow. With a thought, the bubble of water shrank into a hoof-sized ball behind the young magic user before falling onto the floor drain with a small splash.

“Impressive” Rainbow said as Shadow finally joined her.

“Thanks.”

Shadow held out his formerly injured wing as the doctor gently examined it, gingerly holding it with his magic as he peered closely at it. “Well” he said after a few silent moments, “I can see hints of new feathers growing, but you won’t be airborne for at least another month or so.” Seeing his young patient smile, the stallion let go of Shadow’s wing, shifting his focus to the colt’s numerous burns and scars. Smiling at the sight of the first hints of fur, the room’s lone unicorn motioned for Shadow to stand as he levitated a small pile of bandages over from a nearby table. With skill from years of practice, the stallion wrapped his young patient, covering everything from Shadow’s shoulder blades and back, along with his damaged wing. “How’s it feel?” Shadow shrugged as he tested the wrappings around his hind legs. “I’ll take that as your approval” The stallion said, smirking as his patient trotted around the room. Igniting his horn, the doctor smiled at Shadow’s slight yelp of surprise as his bandages changed color, darkening until they matched the color of his coat. While he didn’t say anything, Shadow wasn’t the first burn victim he’d treated, and if past experience was anything, the colt wouldn’t want to walk around covered in highly visible bandages.

“Anything else?”

“Just his discharge paperwork, Princess” Before he could turn around, the stallion heard a slight pop followed very quickly by a small stack of papers landing on the nearby table, “Which to the surprise of absolutely nopony, is already filled out and signed.” Looking up as he skimmed the stack of paper, he noted the smirk on the alicorn’s face. Spotting his patient standing nearby, he nodded to the younger alicorn, “Congratulations young stallion, everything is in order and you are free to go.”

To the surprise of the three adults in the room, Shadow didn’t shout for joy or show any emotion at all. Instead, the colt simply nodded as he turned to grab his saddlebag, which he had brought to every therapy session. As he approached, a purple haze began to envelop the lone bag. Igniting his horn, Shadow’s magic quickly took control of the bag, his wordless message clear to everypony in the room. Wincing slightly as the familiar weight settled on his back, the colt tightened the strap as far as he could stand. As his back was turned, Twilight glanced at the doctor, who only shrugged at her raised eyebrow. Without a word, the Princess and her friend joined the young colt, leading him out of the room. As he watched them disappear from view, a smile slowly grew on the doctor’s face, a sense of pleasure growing at having seen another patient walk out on their own. Turning to the table, he felt a little bit of that pleasure drain at the sight of the waiting paperwork. Rolling his eyes, the stallion sighed as he grabbed the papers with his magic. If he had to do an hour of paperwork for every patient of his that walked out the front door, he’d gladly satisfy the bureaucracy.

Welcome to Ponyville - Part 2

Shadow ducked his head as the small group stepped out of the shadows and into the early afternoon sunlight. Pausing for a moment, he took a deep breath, the scent of flowers and trees on the wind. Oh how he had missed this! With a nearly silent groan of pleasure, the young alicorn found himself in a crouch, his wing spread out and ready to fly before catching himself. Next to him, his slip up had not gone unnoticed as the rainbow-maned pegasus laughed gently at his mistake. “Trust me Shadow, I know how it feels.” Seeing the colt’s face sour at his mistake, Rainbow Dash ran a hoof through his short mane before turning the mane ruffle into an impromptu noogie, “But you’ll be airborne before you know it, and I’ll finally be able to fly next to an alicorn who doesn’t need to complete a checklist before take-off.” The older flyer added, looking over at her friend. Seeing her friend’s raised eyebrow, Rainbow laughed nervously. “I’d stay with you guys, but unfortunately I have to be elsewhere. See you two later.” Not waiting for a response, the mare leaped into the air, her wings already cutting through the air before gravity could try and bring her down again.

Shadow watched Rainbow Dash live up to her name as she rocketed away. The way she had left, by jumping into the air and leaving everypony else in the dust reminded the young orphan of his sister and how she’d do that more often than not, especially when she wanted to make a point. Feeling his stomach sink, the colt turned to Twilight.

Next to him, the older alicorn was simply shaking her head. Seeing her young charge’s questioning look, Twilight shrugged, “For as long as I’ve known her, Rainbow Dash has never been one to stay in one place for too long, especially when she thinks she might be in trouble.” Tilting her head, Twilight trotted down the hospital’s front steps, stopping at the bottom partly to make sure Shadow was following, and partly to make sure he could handle the steps. Smiling at how the colt casually defeated the admittedly minor challenge, Twilight turned back towards town, falling into step beside Shadow.

For a while, the two ponies didn’t speak, one simply content to let the silence continue for as long as possible while the other had more questions than she knew how to deal with, but didn’t want to possibly upset the only pony who could answer them. As they walked, Shadow couldn’t stop looking around at the town around him. Around them, ponies came and went, some occasionally waving at him and Twilight, while most seemed content to ignore them. Shadow wondered if this was normal or if the townsponies were obeying some order to give the two alicorns room. Passing a couple stalls, the colt could see a couple ponies buying or selling, occasionally haggling over the posted price. Where ever he looked, Shadow couldn’t stop noticing how Ponyville was so similar, yet so different, to what he had grown up with. The buildings around them had exposed wooden beams with a white material forming the wall. Shadow found himself wondering how well the walls held in the heat during the winter, though he doubted it mattered much when he noticed how the roofs were thatched instead of made of something more sensible, like wood or stone shingles.

“I hope I’m not getting too personal” Twilight said after a while, as the pair turned down a less crowded side street, “but I’ve been wondering what led to your ascension.”

“My ascension?”

“You know” Twilight replied, slightly confused at Shadow’s response, “What did you do to become an alicorn?”

Shadow frowned to himself at her question. What did she mean? “What’s your story?”

Happy to get more than two words out of him; Twilight happily obliged by recounting her story. Shadow listened in slowly growing disbelief as the older alicorn talked. “So let me get this straight” He said after a few minutes, “Your ruler and teacher gave you a book with an unfinished spell, not knowing what it did, while knowing full well you’d try to solve it, and yet she didn’t even warn you about possible consequences?”

“No, but considering how much I know about magic, Princess Celestia probably figured she didn’t need to.”

Shadow chose to not voice what he actually though, “and yet, you still wound up screwing up your friend’s cutie marks and this entire town in the process.”

“Yeah” Twilight winced at the memory, “I’ll admit, it probably wasn’t one of the smartest things I’ve ever done, but I still fixed it in the end, inventing a new kind of magic and ascending in the process.” Shadow didn’t miss the note of pride in her voice, sighing at how dense some ponies could be. “Oh, we’re here already? That took less time than I thought.”

Looking up as Twilight spoke, Shadow found himself standing in front of what had to be the most garishly decorated building he had ever seen. Following Twilight inside, the colt wasn’t surprised to see that the inside hadn’t been spared either, though it was more toned down than the building’s exterior. Looking around, Shadow looked uneasily at the frozen pony shaped figures around the room. While he had seen a few in a storefront in Manehattan, he still found himself approaching one of the figures with a little apprehension. Reaching out a hoof, Shadow gently pushed against the figure, feeling the silky-smooth cloth draped over the model’s haunches. Sighing to himself that the ponyquins were exactly as they appeared, the slightly emboldened colt took a closer look at the cloth. The dress the figure was wearing was a riot of colors that would no doubt make the eventual owner stand out in a crowd. Slowly shaking his head, Shadow wondered to himself how much this dress cost.

As he inspected the dress, the young colt froze at a flash of movement just on the edge of his vision to his right. Slowly turning his head, Shadow felt his heart slowly start again as he spotted the pure white cat curled up on the windowsill, watching his every move. Lowering his hoof, the lone alicorn slowly approached the cat, lowering himself until he was eye level with the feline. “Hello” Shadow whispered, slowly raising a hoof. Letting the cat smell him, he slowly moved his hoof, gently brushing the animal’s fur. “You were so quiet, I didn’t see you.” Moving towards the cat’s neck, the colt gently scratched, smiling at how the feline obligingly raised its head. Spotting a piece of metal, Shadow lit his horn, turning the tag until he could read it. “Opales… Opalesce… Opal… What a beautiful name for such a regal lady.” The feline purred, seeming to approve of the colt’s compliment. “You know, I had a cat back home, and you would have had him wrapped around your paw.” Seeing the cat look at him, Shadow nodded. “Oh yeah, he would have fallen head over tail for you. He would have made an absolute fool of himself if he thought you would have approved. Of course, so would every other male cat in town if they saw you…”

Twilight watched as Shadow slowly approached one of the ponyquins. The colt seemed unsure around the thing, and Twilight wondered if he had ever seen anything like it before. As her young charge gently prodded the ponyquin, the young Princess silently excused herself, her horn glowing as she magically silenced the hinges on the door that led into the boutique’s main back room. Gently closing the door behind her, the alicorn turned around to find the walls of the small room covered with drawings. Picking up one of the many drawings on the floor, Twilight was surprised to see a half-drawn vest for a pegasus on it. Setting the sheet back where she found it, the princess picked up another sheet, this time with a vest wearing unicorn on it. Setting it aside with the others, Twilight quickly trotted up some nearby stairs, resisting the urge to call her friend’s name out “Rarity?”

“In here, darling.”

Twilight stuck her head through the door, unsure of what to think. Every surface of the room was covered in fabric; even the open air hadn’t escaped Rarity’s burst of inspiration as at least a dozen vests gently hung in the air around the room. As she watched, a number of pieces of ribbon floated from a nearby table only to quickly find themselves being stitched to a waiting vest. “Get a large order?”

“I wish, Twilight” Rarity replied, glancing over her glasses for a moment as she eyed her latest work. Apparently unsatisfied, the town’s fashionista pulled the thread with her magic, tossing it into a nearby waste basket before setting the now free ribbons aside. “Custom orders have been a little slow recently” The white and purple mare said as she eased her way around a couple floating vests, as if simply brushing against them might damage them, “Not that I’m complaining of course, since it’s given me time to work on my latest line.” The unicorn gestured to the cloth-covered room around her.

“Vests?”

“Why not, Twilight?” Rarity asked at her friend’s incredulity. “Dresses are fine for formal occasions, but vests can be worn anytime, making even the plainest pony into a trendsetter.” Having freed herself from the room, the two mares walked up the stairs into Rarity’s kitchen. “So what brings you here? I thought you’d be at the hospital with our young hero.”

“We were.”

“We?”

“They decided to discharge Shadow, so I thought I’d show him around Ponyville before bringing him to the castle.”

“He’s here?”

“Last I saw…” Twilight replied, trailing off as she saw her friend’s eye twitch “Rarity?”

Without warning, a number of combs and brushes appeared seemingly out of thin air before attacking Rarity’s coat and mane. If Twilight hadn’t known better, she would have suspected that her friend had teleported them from wherever she kept them. It would have surprised the alicorn if her friend hadn’t strategically placed a number of beauty products around her the boutique in the event she needed them on short notice. It reminded her of a certain pink mare who had emergency stashes of random items scattered around the town. “How could you not warn me, Twilight? I thought we were friends.” Rarity chided as she held her head stiff while a comb and brush worked her mane. “If I had known you were bringing him over, I would have cleaned up and made myself somewhat presentable.”

Twilight shook her head at her friend’s complaints. “If I knew they were going to let him go today, I would have let you know.”

“I know you would have, darling. I’m just not fond of getting such little warning for things like this.” Apparently satisfied with her appearance, Rarity left the small army of hair products on the table as she trotted out of the room, with Twilight following right behind. “You have to tell me what he’s like.”

“Quiet.”

“Really?” Rarity paused mid-stride at Twilight’s pronouncement “He seemed fairly talkative when I met him.”

“Maybe it’s just me” Twilight replied, “But unless I’m wrong, I think he’s afraid of me.” Seeing the unicorn’s raised eyebrow, the Princess of Friendship sighed. “I’ve been watching him for the past week and he seems the most comfortable around Rainbow Dash. Even during therapy, he’s more open around her or his therapists. Around me…” Twilight shook her head, “I’m lucky to get three words out of him.”

Rarity chuckled at her friend’s words. “While he might be afraid of you, I think you might be missing something, darling.”

“Like what?”

“He might be like that because you intimidate him.”

“Me? Intimidating?”

“Don’t sell yourself short, dear.” Rarity said as she shifted a number of vests around her work room, “How many unicorns-turned-alicorn have faced Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Changeling hordes and Tirek?”

“But I wasn’t alone during any of those.”

“True, but how many of us became alicorns?” Smiling at her friend’s slowly dawning comprehension, Rarity returned to searching the room. “I have no doubt that Rainbow Dash has been telling our young friend all about you and our adventures.” Finding what she wanted, the unicorn briefly lifted a dozen vests off the relatively small box, before setting them back. “On top of that, look at it from his perspective, Twilight. How many alicorns do you think he’s ever met?”

Twilight paused at her friend’s simple question. How many had he met? While rarity’s explanation made sense, it still didn’t explain why the clone reacted in pure fear at the mere sight of Princess Celestia, or herself for that matter.

“Everything alright, dear?”

Twilight nodded out of habit “Just thinking.”

“You have plenty of time to think later, Twilight.” Rarity said, trotting for the stairs, “There’s a colt downstairs I’ve been waiting for over a month to properly meet.”

Following her friend, the alicorn held the door for Rarity, coming to a stop next to the unicorn, finding herself just as slack-jawed as her friend at the sight before them. Around the room, Shadow was slowly walking; a normally temperamental white cat calmly perched on his back, curled up as if this was the most natural thing in the world for her. Occasionally, Shadow would tease the feline with a black feather, earning him a playful growl and an occasional swipe. The two mares simply watched in silence at the display, both unable to comprehend what they were seeing. While Twilight was surprised to see the seemingly nervous colt smiling and laughing as he played with the cat, Rarity was in shock that Opal not only tolerated the colt, but seemed to actually enjoy his presence and actively played with him!

The two mares watched in silence for several minutes as Shadow and Opal played, the colt occasionally nuzzling the cat while talking almost the entire time. As Shadow turned, Twilight and Rarity saw Opal’s attention zero in on them, a growl and hiss letting them know the cat’s feelings about being spied on. With a final hiss, the temperamental ball of fur leaped from the colt’s back, her tail raised as she resumed her position in the window.

Shadow frowned at Opal’s sudden mood change. Had he done something wrong? Catching a reflection in the windows, the young alicorn spun around, finally seeing the two mares in the back. How long were they watching me?

“Sorry about that darling” Rarity said, seeing the colt frown. “We didn’t say anything because, quite frankly, we were surprised that Opalescence was being so friendly and we didn’t want to interrupt you two.” Seeing the colt relax a little, the unicorn slowly made her way into the room, the box balanced on her back. “I heard you just got out of the hospital. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“The fresh air must be nice.” Seeing the young alicorns shrug, the older mare smirked. “I know we didn’t get to talk much a couple weeks ago, but I wanted to give you something to properly thank you for saving my sister Sweetie Belle’s life.” At this, Rarity ignited her horn, bringing the unassuming box around and setting it on the floor before Shadow.

Looking at the mare with a raised eyebrow, Shadow focused his magic on the box, pulling on the unnecessarily large bow on top. Setting the ribbon aside, he slowly opened the box, his heart all but stopping at the sight of what lay inside. How? I thought I lost this? Shadow lifted the red and black vest out of the box like he was lifting an egg. Gently unfolding it, he could barely believe his eyes. How had she gotten her hooves on it and, more importantly, how had she made it look brand new? Shaking his head in confusion, Shadow asked.

“I had all of the material I needed here.” Rarity replied as Shadow draped the vest over his back, sliding his free wing into one of the inner pockets. The mare didn’t need her years of experience to know what he was going to say next. The frown on Shadow’s face as he adjusted himself told her everything. “Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about the original, so I did the best I could to make as perfect a copy as I could.”

Shadow felt his stomach sink, “The original?” Rarity nodded grimly as her horn burned to life, a lightly wrapped black package floating over from one of the room’s corners. Shadow’s vision blurred as the older mare set the package down, silently opening it to reveal his original vest. Shadow had always loathed the thing, telling it multiple times how he would have loved to toss it in the fire and watch it burn. Now that it had more or less come true, Shadow felt a piece of himself shatter, as if a friend had died. Just a quick glance told him that Rarity wasn’t joking. If he hadn’t worn it for so long, he might not have recognized the burned and blackened scrap of cloth. Rubbing it with a hoof, he could see a little red showing through. Taking a closer look at her vest, Shadow felt a smile gently tug at his face, knowing how his mom would have peppered the mare with sewing-related questions. “Thank you, Ms. Rarity. It’s just like how my mom would have made it.”

“Your mom?”

“She made all my vests so I could have a normal life.”

Unnoticed by Shadow, Rarity glanced at Twilight, mouthing her question; normal life? Seeing the alicorn shrug, Rarity decided to let the question go. “If you want to keep it, you can take it with you, though judging by your bag” Rarity leaned over, glancing at the colt’s bulging saddlebag, “you might not have room for it.” Smiling at his groan, the unicorn lit her horn again, pulling another package out of hiding. Seeing his questioning look, Rarity opened the box, revealing the brand new saddlebag. Floating it over, she smiled as Shadow all but grabbed it with his magic as he scrutinized it from seemingly every possible angle. “I figured you could use a new bag since you lost the other one…” Shadow glanced at the bare side of his harness. “Though I couldn’t find the same… material… as the original…”

Shadow silently laughed to himself; if only she knew where his mom had gotten the material for his bags. “I don’t think anypony could get their hooves on the same material at this point. I think mom used the last of it to make bags for me and my sister.” Strapping it to his harness, Shadow opened the top flap with his magic, reverently setting the remains of his vest inside. First chance he got, he’d check to see if any spells were attached to the bag. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Rarity, but even though she was a unicorn, she was also apparently friends with Princess Twilight and he wouldn’t put it past the purple mare to try and add a spell or two to the bag to let her get in it whenever she wanted to. Turning to the boutique’s owner, Shadow lowered his head in respect, “Thank you Ms. Rarity for the vest and bag.”

“Think nothing of it, darling. It was the least I could do after you risked your life for my sister. You are always welcome here, and I’m sure Opal wouldn’t mind seeing you again.” For her part, the feline glanced up at the mention of her name before returning her attention to the world on the other side of the glass, pointedly ignoring the talking ponies.

Shadow winced as he and Twilight stepped out into the mid-afternoon sunlight. Around them, the few ponies walking by still paid them no mind, much to the colt’s relief. Following Twilight, the colt took in everything he saw as they walked through the town. Ignoring most of what Twilight said, Shadow instead focused on the vest he was wearing. When Rarity said she tried to copy the original as closely as possible, she wasn’t joking. Everything about it was the same as the previous vest; even the stitching, though the vest felt a little large. Had she made it slightly larger so he could grow into it, or had he lost weight?

“So” Twilight said, finally getting Shadow’s attention, “You never answered my question.”

“Sorry” Shadow replied as they walked past a booth laden with apples, “What was the question?”

“What did you do to ascend?”

“I was born.”

Twilight stopped mid stride at the colt’s answer. Born? “What do you mean?”

Shadow shrugged. “I was born like this.”

Twilight shook her head “I’ve never heard such a thing. Even the princesses ascended.” Shadow doubted that, but said nothing. Who was he to ruin other ponies’ delusions? “If it’s not too personal, why do you hide your wings?”

“I had to hide them to protect myself and my family.”

Twilight frowned “From what?”

“You don’t want to know.”

The older alicorn sighed to herself as one question was answered, only to be replaced by new ones. How could a pony be born an alicorn? Was he immortal? Why would he need to hide what he was? Groaning at the latest additions to her growing list of questions, Twilight looked up as their final destination, a gaily painted red building familiar to the town’s residents grew in the distance. Twilight sighed in relief to herself as they approached the quiet schoolhouse. Besides giving Rarity a chance to give Shadow his vests, Twilight had also used the opportunity to keep Shadow away from the schoolhouse. Cheerilee had wanted to show him around before he started school, and both mares had decided that it would be best if there weren’t any other students around. While Twilight had no doubt the other students would be more than welcoming, they might be a little too welcoming, possibly overwhelming the young colt. Pausing at the school’s front sign, the princess let Shadow look around while also letting him catch his breath.

Shadow knew the building they stood next to was a school. Even if he could barely read the sign in front, he didn’t need to know Equestrian to recognize a schoolhouse when he saw one, especially when it looked almost exactly like the one back home. The building itself looked to be in good shape, if the fresh coat of paint was any indication, though one look at the utterly devastated playground left the colt wondering who was in charge and how they could have such screwed up priorities.

Following Twilight through the front door, Shadow was struck by how different it was. Across the walls, papers covered in a riot of colors and shapes flapped in the slight breeze. That alone was a surprise to the colt, since paper tended to be expensive and using one sheet, let alone multiple sheets, for something like this would have been considered a waste. Deciding to keep the observation to himself, the colt followed Twilight to the front of the school’s single room, where Cheerilee sat behind her desk, watching her newest student.

“Welcome to Ponyville Elementary, Shadow.” Smiling at the colt’s polite nod, the mare walked around the desk “I don’t know what school was like for you back home, but the schedule is fairly relaxed and routine.” As he listened to his new teacher, Shadow took a closer look at the room. Most of the room was taken up by nearly three dozen desks, which Shadow found comforting, since it meant that there were probably other unicorns in the class besides Sweetie Belle. Along the walls were a number of cabinets and shelves loaded down with various books. Through the large windows, golden light streamed through, guaranteeing that the room always had plenty of light. Following Cheerilee, Shadow found himself standing next to a large pile of pillows on a small, low platform. “Since you still can’t sit yet, and since I’m not going to make you stand while everypony else sits, this was the best Twilight and I could come up with.” Taking her cue, Shadow climbed into the small nest of pillows, adjusting a few until he was comfortable. “The class was curious about it, but all I told them was that it was a surprise for Monday.”

Smiling at how he could imagine the other students reacting, Shadow slowly stood, thanking Cheerilee for the pillows. Following the two mares to the door, he bowed his head in thanks a final time before leaving with Twilight, waving one final time before his new teacher returned to her work “Where to next?”

Twilight didn’t miss the hint of sarcasm in Shadow’s question. “Fortunately” The older alicorn said, “We have nowhere else to be other than going home.” Twilight heard the barely suppressed snort from the colt, and she mentally kicked herself for her choice of words. Since when would he consider Ponyville home, when he had no family to go home to? “Sorry. We’re going to my home and since you’ll be staying with me, I’d like to try and make it as close to a home for you as possible.”

Shadow didn’t say anything, shrugging an acceptance to her apology. No place can be home without my family, and reanimation magic was banned for a reason the colt thought as the two walked in silence. Shadow wasn’t sure where they were heading until he saw the crystalline castle glinting in the distance. Back home, he had often imagined what an entire building made of crystals would look like, and as he walked toward one such building, Shadow found all that he had imagined sorely lacking. The first thing that caught his attention was how the light played off the castle’s numerous facets, bathing the land around it in a rainbow of colors. The second thing that stunned him was that the building wasn’t made of one kind of crystal. The base of the crystal tree was one color, while the trunk was another and the actual living area was yet another color.

“Welcome to my home, Shadow.”

Shadow didn’t know what to say, opting to keep quiet, lest he say something that made him look like an idiot. How did they make this building out of crystal? Why did they use crystal? Was it because somepony important lived here and everypony in town needed to be constantly reminded for some reason? Watching as the large oak front door parted for them, Shadow felt his legs grow weak at the sight that greeted him. Around the inside of the crystalline trunk, wooden shelves loaded with books circled the room, rising from the floor all the way to the ceiling. He had thought that the library back home had a decent collection, but one glance told him that all the library books back home could have fit on the first level’s shelves and there still would have been plenty of room for more.

"Hey Twilight, you got a letter from Cadance-"

Shadow jumped at the voice that greeted the pair as they walked in. Turning around, Shadow froze at the sight of the creature running towards them, his heart stopping for a split second. The young alicorn didn't hear anything the lizard said as it approached. All he could see was the pointed tail, the reptilian eyes, the scales and its claws. Before anyone could react, Shadow's horn flared as the strongest shield the colt could create slammed into place over the reptile so quickly that the lizard ran face first into the shield’s wall before it could stop. Though he had never seen a live one, Shadow knew what he had just trapped. Everypony back home would have known. Slowly stalking toward the trapped monster, the colt smiled to himself as the lizard pounded futilely on the shield. It could pound on it for the next week for all the colt cared and it still wouldn't break free. Finally seeming to notice Shadow, the young reptile stopped beating the shield as it focused on its captor. Approaching the trapped creature, Shadow slowly started to circle his shield, his eyes never leaving his captive.

"Hello… Dragon."

Ch.12 Settling In

Twilight stood frozen in place, her mind trying to comprehend what had just happened. Shaking her head to try and clear her mind from the sudden burst of magic from Shadow’s shield, the older alicorn felt her heart race at the scene before her. Spike stood under a golden dome, his fists pounding uselessly against the shimmering barrier while tears streamed down his face. She could see that he was shouting as well, but whatever he was saying was completely blocked by the shield. Seeming to realize the futility of it, Spike quit pounding on his prison, choosing instead to watch his young captor.

Shadow slowly paced around the shield, circling it like he had captured a dangerous creature and was making sure its cage was both secure and strong enough. Twilight frowned as she watched the scene, something less than obvious about it catching her attention. It was as Shadow completed his second circuit around Spike’s prison that she realized what it was: Shadow never walked next to his barrier. The colt never got closer than a few feet from the shield. The princess felt her jaw slowly drop as she looked at Shadow’s face and the final pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

Shadow wasn’t just scared of Spike; he was terrified.

She had only to look at the colt’s large, shaking eyes to confirm her suspicion. Though it was a small detail that most ponies would miss, it stood out like a sore hoof to the alicorn. The face of barely concealed terror was one she knew quite well, having worn it herself on several occasions, most recently during her battle with Tirek.

“Dragon.”

Twilight froze at Shadow's single, venom-laden word. She didn't need magic to sense the colt's hatred for Spike; she could practically feel it radiating from him. So it’s not just fear that caused him to trap Spike under a shield, Twilight thought as the way he had hissed that one word spoke volumes to the princess. Igniting her horn while his back was turned, Twilight experimentally tapped the shield, her head rocking back slightly at the nearly instant magical backlash. Dousing her magic for the moment, the mare slowly approached the colt while he stood glaring at Spike, who had his back to the shield’s far wall, trying to put as much distance between him and Shadow as he could. “Shadow” Twilight said gently, not wanting to spook the colt, “Could you please let Spike go?”

“No.” Shadow never took his eyes off the lizard as he replied.

“Why not?”

“He’s a dragon.”

Twilight frowned at the venom in the colt’s voice “He’s my friend.” Not seeing the colt even twitch, Twilight moved a little closer, “He’s also my assistant and kind of like a little brother as well.”

Shadow turned to look at the other alicorn in the room. “He’s a vicious, fire-breathing dragon” He replied, as if his reasons should be perfectly obvious.

“Yes he is a dragon and he does breathe fire, but he is not vicious.” Seeing the colt’s incredulous look, she added, “I promise.”

“You promise.”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Twilight replied, going through the motions.

Shadow didn’t know what to think of the display. “What was that?”

“A Pinkie Promise” Twilight replied, “And breaking a Pinkie Promise is the quickest way to lose a friend.” Shadow snorted at her explanation. Since when in any way were they friends? Seeing that he was still unconvinced, Twilight sighed. How was she going to convince him to drop the shield? “I swear that he is no threat, Shadow.”

The young alicorn turned to face Twilight. “You swear?”

Twilight swallowed nervously “Yes?”

“Do you swear on your life?”

“Yes.” Twilight saw the colt’s eyes narrow.

“Do you have any family?”

“A mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law.”

“Do you swear on their lives, on Rainbow Dash’s life, on the lives of all of your friends?”

“Yes.”

Shadow glared at the princess. Normally he would have continued, but considering her position and where she lived, Shadow doubted that Twilight was overly attached to her possessions, since she could probably replace them quite easily. Giving a final huff, Shadow flashed his horn, the golden dome around Spike vanishing a second later. Unsurprisingly to Shadow, the dragon immediately grabbed the opening and dashed behind Twilight. Without another word, Shadow turned and walked away.

Twilight watched Shadow stalk off to the nearest bookshelf. Sighing in relief, she turned to the young dragon behind her, whispering to him. “Are you alright?” Seeing Spike nod, Twilight picked him up with her magic, setting him on her back before trotting for the nearby staircase. The journey to the castle’s kitchen was an unusually quick one, borne by Twilight’s desire to get as much distance between Shadow and Spike as possible.

For his part, Spike managed to keep quiet until the kitchen door clicked shut behind them. “What in Tartarus was that all about!” He exploded.

“I don’t know, Spike.” Twilight replied as she let him down. “Believe me, I had no idea he would be like this. If I did, I would have handled your introduction much differently.”

“I believe you, Twilight, but why didn’t you free me?” The dragon groused as he pulled a gem covered cookie from his private stash. “You are the Element of Magic after all, so it shouldn’t have been a problem.”

“I could have, but I would have just made things worse if I had.”

“Worse?” The young drake asked, clearly not convinced “How?”

“Do you remember that letter you got from Princess Celestia the morning of the fire?”

Spike nodded before looking up at Twilight, “Wait. Is he the one the letter was talking about?”

“Yes” In all of the chaos during the fire and after, Twilight had never had a chance to show the picture to Spike and had forgotten until that moment. “He’s the one the princesses wanted to talk to, but I doubt he’ll say anything until he feels comfortable and taking down his shield wouldn’t have helped. On top of that, I think you scared him.”

“I scared him?”

If she hadn’t seen it for herself, Twilight would have shared in Spike’s disbelief. “I believe so. You wouldn’t have noticed it, but when he trapped you, he put way more power into that shield than he needed. Not only that, I watched him watch you and I could see the fear in his eyes and in how he circled you.”

“Huh.” Spike looked down as he mulled over Twilight’s words. “I just hope you don’t expect me to forgive him.”

Twilight sighed. She knew that Spike could hold a grudge when he wanted, and Shadow had more than gotten under the young dragon’s scales. “No, but I’d like you to try and cut him some slack.”

“Why should I?”

“Because he’s been through more in the last few months than most ponies go through in their entire lives.” Seeing Spike’s raised eyebrow, Twilight continued. “He watched his parents and twin sister die in a fire while barely escaping himself. After that, the ship he was on got attacked by what could easily be described as a sea dragon and he was nearly killed fighting it.” Twilight could see that what she was saying was getting through to Spike. “After reaching Equestria, he barely survived two more fires and if Rainbow Dash is right, a manticore attack.”

“Are you trying to convince me to forgive him or to keep my distance?” Spike turned away, rummaging through a nearby cabinet, “I suppose I can cut him some slack, all things considered” he said, pulling out a couple potatoes, “But don’t expect me to just forget about this.”

“Thank you, Spike” Twilight said as she nuzzled her number one assistant. Letting the dragon playfully push her away, the alicorn ignited her horn, disappearing from the room with a flash. Hearing something heavy hit the ground as she reappeared, Twilight looked around, quickly spotting Shadow as he picked himself off the floor. Rushing over, Twilight backed off as the colt brushed her hoof aside “Are you alright?”

“Yeah” Shadow replied, calling on his pain relief spell to deal with the pain from where he had hit the bookshelf. Sighing in relief, he turned back to Twilight “What was that?”

“What?”

“How did you just appear out of nowhere?”

“Oh, that?” Twilight said, smiling at the younger alicorn’s attitude change, “I just teleported from the kitchen.”

“Teleportation is impossible.”

Feeling the smile on her face grow, Twilight charged her horn, disappearing with a flash of magic before appearing in midair two stories above the colt. Before gravity could take over, Twilight’s horn flashed again and she was one floor lower, next to a loaded bookshelf. By the time she returned after another half dozen teleports, Shadow’s jaw was slack in disbelief.

“You have got to teach me how to do that.” Shadow said as soon as his mind started to work again. Frowning, Shadow’s head tilted to the side as something came to mind, “This might actually explain somethings…”

“What?”

“Back home, there were a couple times when I went to sleep in my bed but woke up in the woods around my house.”

“Couldn’t you have just sleepwalked?”

Shadow shook his head. “The doors and windows were always locked in the morning, and there were spells on all the locks to keep anypony from leaving the house in their sleep, since that last thing you wanted to do was sleepwalk straight into a pack of hungry timber wolves.”

Thinking about it for a few more seconds before shrugging, the colt ignited his horn, picking up the book he had dropped with Twilight’s sudden appearance. Looking over his shoulder, Twilight raised an eyebrow at the cover’s title, Letters for Little Learners.

“I know what you’re thinking” Shadow said, catching Twilight off guard. “I know this was written for foals.”

Twilight wondered if it was the foal on the cover or the large letters with simple images next to them that hinted at its target audience. “Then why read it?”

“Because my Equestrian is pathetic at best, and I won’t even mention modern Equestrian.”

“‘Modern Equestrian’?”

“How can I read anything here” Shadow gestured to the hundreds of books around them “If I can’t read this” He gestured to the book. “It’s kind of amazing how much Equestrian has changed over a thousand years, yet how it hasn’t.” Shadow opened the book to the first page “This letter I recognize, while this one…” He flipped a few pages, “I never would have guessed.”

Twilight nodded at his logic. “So you like books?”

“I suppose” Shadow said as he set the foal’s book back where he got it from.

Twilight smiled. Though he tried to hide it, she could tell that he had an interest in books. “Well, now that you live here, you have access to every book in the library.”

Shadow spun around at her statement, surprise and disbelief in his eyes. “Wait; really?”

Twilight shrugged “Of course.”

Shadow craned his neck, to try and see all the books. He could read any of these he wanted? “I swear no harm will come to any book I borrow.”

Twilight’s eyebrows quirked at this, “Why do I get the feeling there’s a story behind this?”
"Last year, my class went to the town library to do research for an assignment. During the trip, one of the other students somehow destroyed a book. To avoid the librarian's wrath, they had to blame somepony else. Three guesses who they picked."

"You?"

"When in doubt, blame the only half-breed in town who has an interest in books."

"What happened?"

"I tried to explain things to my teacher, but she sided with the students from her tribe who blamed me. I was immediately banned from the library and forced to wait outside in the rain." Shadow gently returned the book to its place on the shelf "Got plenty of shield practice that day" he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Couldn't they just replace the book?"

"Sure, but it would take at least six months to get a hoof made copy. Needless to say, books tend to be rather expensive and well protected."

Twilight found herself uneasy with what Shadow had casually said. How could they blame a pony just on the words of a couple other kids? While the injustice of the situation and Shadow’s casual dismissal of the incident rubbed her the wrong way, Twilight couldn’t keep what else he had said from bouncing around her head, sided with the students from her tribe. Why would she side with students from her tribe? Didn’t she care about the truth? Was she a tribalist? Twilight felt a knot form in her stomach as she watched Shadow peruse the books. The way he had spoken about the incident like it was perfectly normal… Could he be a tribalist as well? Deciding to leave it alone for the moment, Twilight walked over to Shadow, "Why did you trap Spike in that shield?"

"He's a dragon."

Shadow's matter-of-fact reply caught the young Princess off guard. "He's a baby dragon."

"For now" Shadow said, setting the book down before turning to face Twilight, "But he'll get bigger. While he can't do much damage now, when he's full grown, he could sneeze and wipe out an entire village. The last time there was a dragon back home; over a hundred ponies were killed in one blast."

"When was that?"

"A thousand years ago. Needless to say, we learned our lesson very quickly."

"Spike isn't like other dragons." The young alicorn shrugged. “Do you think you’ll be able to get along with him?”

Shadow seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding. “You swore he’s not a danger, and since I have no choice, I have to believe you.” Twilight winced at his words. “Besides, he’s still young, so I doubt he’s much of a threat… for now.” The princess silently groaned to herself. This was not how she had hoped for this conversation to go, but considering what had happened less than an hour ago, this was an improvement and for the moment, she’d take what she could get.

Twilight bit down on the noodle-laden fork as she mulled over what Shadow had said earlier. Like almost every other pony, she had had no inkling of the Crystal Empire’s existence until her then-mentor had sent her and her friends to help Shining Armor and Cadance. After Sombra had been defeated and she and her friends had returned home, she had made it her mission to learn as much about the Empire as she could. The resulting chaos of books and scrolls had left Discord wondering if she was studying chaos magic, much to the then-unicorn’s annoyance. Yet despite all of her studying, Twilight couldn’t recall a single mention of a dragon attack in over three thousand years of Crystal Empire history. Perhaps Cadance might know something the young Princess thought, mentally noting to send her sister-in-law a letter.

Glancing up from her plate, the older alicorn glanced over at the colt sitting across from her. After his less than satisfying reason for trapping Spike in a shield, Twilight had decided to change the topic to a less potentially problematic subject, instead asking Shadow to recall all the times he had woken up somewhere other than his bed. She had asked him to try and remember every detail he could, no matter how small. To neither alicorn’s great surprise, Shadow couldn’t recall any details about the half dozen incidents, except where he had eventually woken up. Twilight had known it was a long shot, but she had been hoping to find something similar about the incidents that could lead her to a trigger. After that, the two alicorns had spent the rest of the time before dinner going over the basic theory of teleportation. To the princess’s surprise, Shadow was – while not overly eager – an attentive student who had asked her more than a few good questions. By the time they had stopped for dinner, Shadow seemed to have a grasp of the basics of how teleportation worked, as well as the numerous safety measures in place to prevent accidents.

Unlike what had happened when Shadow had seen Spike for the first time, dinner was a thankfully quiet affair. Shadow hadn’t said two words since the two alicorns had walked in to find Spike wearing the apron and chef’s hat that Pinkie Pie had gotten him as a Hearth’s Warming present. While dinner had been uneventful so far, Twilight could see lingering tension from earlier in the castle’s two other residents. The princess would occasionally catch her assistant stealing a glance at Shadow and every time she did, Twilight could see a mix of fear and resentment on the young dragon’s face. Shadow on the other hoof, had opted for a more subtle approach. He studiously avoided looking at the dragon, yet she could see him watching Spike’s reflection in the nearby wall. Though she didn’t say anything, Twilight had also noticed how Shadow didn’t touch his plate until she had taken a couple bites from hers.

For a while, the dragon and two alicorns ate in silence; two content to let the silence continue for as long as possible, while the third watched them with concern. Despite everyone going back for seconds, or for thirds in Shadow’s case, the meal slowly wound down, with no one wanting to be the first to leave. Unable to sit because of his burns, Shadow stood at the table, an unfamiliar but not unwelcome feeling of lethargy and fullness filling him. Sighing in unconcealed pleasure, the colt let out a belch that all but rattled the glasses on the table.

“Feel good?” Twilight asked, wondering if he picked that up from Rainbow Dash.

“After a good meal, it always feels good” The young alicorn replied as he slowly moved to set his plate by the sink.

“So you liked it?” Spike asked, addressing the colt for the first time.

Twilight saw Shadow’s slight hitch at the dragon’s question. “That was one of the best meals I’ve had in months.” Shadow said, leaving out how little he had eaten after the barely edible slop on the Tranquility.

“Well I thought it was a great dinner Spike. Thank you” Twilight said as she stood, smiling at how the young dragon seemed to grow at the two compliments.

“It was nothing” Spike said, setting his plates with the others.

“Would you mind doing the dishes while I show Shadow around?”

“Sure thing Twi” The young drake said, tossing a casual salute as he filled the sink.

Seeing Twilight tilt her head, Shadow followed her out of the kitchen. As he left, the colt looked back at Spike, watching as the dragon flicked a switch on the radio on the countertop, strains of Sapphire Shores’ latest hit filling the room as the door closed behind the colt. For a few minutes, the two alicorns walked in silence, the sound of the hoof steps echoing around them; Twilight’s a steady rhythm while Shadow’s was more irregular as he limped along beside her. Around him, the colt couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between what was around him and the trunk of the castle. Unlike the warm and inviting atmosphere below them, the walls of the hallway were completely barren, giving the place a cold and almost sterile feeling.

“Thank you for complimenting Spike’s cooking. I know it meant a lot to him.”

Shadow shrugged. He hadn’t been lying about what he said. He also hadn’t been planning to compliment the lizard, but since he was stuck there until the solar tyrant made her move, having one less thing to worry about would be a bonus. Shadow paused mid-stride as they walked by a pair of open doors; something inside having caught his attention. Slowly limping in, Shadow felt his jaw drop at the sight of the chandelier that dominated the room’s ceiling. Back home, there had been a few things that had left the colt with the same sense of disbelief; a couple pieces of pottery in Dragon’s Bay and the first time he saw Whitehead Falls came readily to mind, but what he saw now was in a category all its own. Behind him, he could hear the sound of Twilight stop as she realized he wasn’t with her, followed shortly after by her walking up behind him. As she entered, the room lit up, crystals in the ceiling glowing to life as if they sensed her presence. As the room brightened, Shadow felt his jaw drop as the light hit the numerous gems hanging from the chandelier’s limbs, spots of color dashing across the room’s walls as the gems slowly twisted in a slight breeze.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Shadow silently nodded as he took it all in. With the light, the colt could see that the chandelier wasn’t metal or crystal like he had expected, but was instead the bottom half of what used to be a very large tree. Hearing a nearly imperceptible sigh, Shadow looked up at the alicorn next to him. “What happened?” If the sigh hadn’t been enough, the hidden look on her face, followed by the shock of his question, told him that the room held a special significance for Twilight.
“I was so stupid” Twilight whispered, a few tears slowly rolling down her face “I shouldn’t have interrupted myself... I should have paid more attention…” Watching, the few tears Twilight had already shed were joined by more until they became a small stream. “No pony, not even the princesses knows how he escaped Tartarus” Twilight began, her eyes looking over each gem. Shadow felt his stomach drop as she spoke. Nothing good ever came from a story that started with something escaping Tartarus. "… I had barely gotten out with Owlowiscious when Tirek's attack hit. Other than a hoof-full of books, everything inside, everything I owned, was destroyed."

"What happened to the bastard?"

"He's locked in a cage in Tartarus for the rest of eternity." Twilight said, smiling slightly “Unfortunately, the fight between me and him caused a lot of damage around Ponyville. You saw some of it when we visited your new school. We’re still working on replacing the playground equipment” She added as she turned.

Shadow barely flinched as Twilight’s hoof came down on his shoulder, gently nudging towards the doors. So she’s lost her home too the colt thought as the pair walked into the hall, the room behind them darkening behind them. How could Celestia send an unreliable agent – not to mention a former enemy – to deal with such a threat and expect it to work out? Why didn’t she deal with Tirek herself when the threat he posed was so low? Shadow shook his head at the question. He’d never understand how the solar tyrant thought, though he’d probably get a chance to ask her soon enough.

Looking up, Shadow stopped alongside Twilight as the older alicorn stopped at an unmarked door. With a simple push, Twilight opened the door, standing aside to let the younger alicorn in first. Stepping through, Shadow managed to keep from jumping as the smaller room’s lights burst to life.

“What do you think?”

Shadow looked back at Twilight, noting the hopeful look on her face before turning back to the room. He knew it was his bedroom, the bed along one wall making that obvious. What caught the colt’s attention were the numerous sheets of paper covering the walls. Walking deeper into the room, Shadow stared at the posters, one with a stylized depiction of Manehattan’s skyline, while another showed Canterlot sitting on its mountainside perch, the white of the city’s marble contrasting against the green of the mountain behind it. Why would somepony cover walls with paper, especially when the walls were made of crystal and more interesting than most of the sheets of paper covering them? Above the bed, somepony had hung a large flag on the wall. Shadow couldn’t place the flag, but he knew it wasn’t the Equestrian flag, which he had seen plenty of times since waking up on the Tranquility.

“So?”

Shadow looked over at the hopeful alicorn standing on the other side of the door. “It’s definitely… colorful.” He replied after a moment.

“Thanks” Twilight said, taking his reply as permission to enter “I’ve never decorated a colt’s bedroom before, so I didn’t know what would work. Fortunately, I had my friends to help me.” The alicorn paused as something came to mind. “Now that I think about it, I should probably cast an anti-teleportation spell on this room while I’m here.”

“Why?”

The sudden suspicion in Shadow’s voice caught the young Princess off guard. Had she said something wrong? “You’ve admitted that you occasionally teleport in your sleep, and while more training will stop that, it would probably be best to prevent you from teleporting while in here, unless you want to risk teleporting twenty feet that way.”

Shadow looked over at the window fifteen feet away that Twilight was pointing at. Outside, both alicorns could see the lights of Ponyville from several stories up. “Oh… right.” Stepping back as Twilight ignited her horn, Shadow watched the larger alicorn, his own horn glowing slightly as he felt her magic, analyzing the spell. To the colt’s surprise, in the end it was a relatively simple spell; a simple shield spell matrix with one attachment to make it invisible, another to attach it to the room’s walls while leaving the doorway alone, and a third attachment that Shadow didn’t recognize, but could only assume would prevent anypony in the room from teleporting.

Completing the spell, Twilight turned, knowing that Shadow had analyzed the spell as she had cast it. Why didn’t he trust her? Tossing that question with all the others, the purple alicorn took another look around the room. “I’ll leave you alone to get settled in. The bathroom is down the hall” She pointed to her left “and my room is two doors down” Twilight added, pointing to her right. “The kitchen is all the way down the hall, so don’t hesitate to get something if you’re hungry, though don’t be surprised if you find Spike eating as well.”

Nodding, Shadow loosened the strap around his waist, letting his bags gently hit the floor. Stepping out of the room, Twilight heard the sound of the radio come to life as she walked back to the kitchen.

Twilight sat at the desk of her small study, a good portion of the nearby candle having disappeared over the last few hours. In front of her, the letter from Cadance sat, its words confounding the alicorn:

Twilight,

I took a look and there have not been any reported house fires in the Empire since its return. On a hunch, I had an aide look into missing pony reports, but none match your mysterious colt's description, and all are for ponies that disappeared before the Empire fell. I wish I could help more, but this is all I have at the moment.

Cadance

P.S. Shiny says hello.

Ponyville’s oldest alicorn groaned again as Cadance’s words played out in her head. She had no reason to doubt Cadance, which meant that Shadow couldn’t possibly be from the Crystal Empire.

Yet…

If he wasn’t from the Empire, how in Celestia’s name was he fluent in Crystallic, and what in Tartarus did he mean earlier by ‘modern Equestrian’? Massaging her forehead with a hoof, the alicorn slowly stood, opening the nearby window with her magic so Owlowiscious could get in. Cracking her neck, she ignited her horn, the familiar feeling of magic embracing her as she disappeared from the room, only to reappear in the kitchen a moment later. Yawning, she slowly shambled down the hall, her bed calling for her. Pausing at the door to her room, the alicorn’s horn gently glowed as she checked on Shadow’s room. While it had initially felt wrong to her, she had altered the blocking spell she had cast. The slight change would not only let her know if anypony tried to teleport in the room, it also let her know if he was in the room at all. Fortunately, the spell told her that he was in his bed and sound asleep, having fallen asleep while listening to some music.

Closing the door behind her, Twilight slowly walked through her room, not bothering to turn on any lights. One of the first things she had done when she moved in was alter the spell for the light crystals in the ceiling so that she could control them with a simple switch she had mounted by the door, just above the floor. Sensing her bed before her, the young Princess pulled back the covers with a hoof, before slipping under them. Sighing in relief, the alicorn closed her eyes, glad the day was finally over and hoping that Princess Luna would stop by her dreams. She had some things she needed to talk to the older alicorn about.

“Very good” Twilight said, watching Shadow from a distance as the young alicorn focused his magic. “Now close your eyes and visualize where you want to appear.” One of the colt’s eyebrows rose at the princess’s first instruction, though he silently obeyed, his eyes closing a moment later. Twilight quietly sighed to herself at this. When she had gotten up, she had hoped that he’d warm up to her, but any hope of that had been strained during a breakfast that had been nearly as tense as dinner the previous night. As usual, Spike had gotten up before her, already half way through preparing breakfast when she had walked in. By the time everything was ready, Shadow had arrived, appearing as silently as his namesake before Twilight could go wake him up. The meal that had followed had been only slightly less tense than dinner the previous evening, with Shadow carefully watching Spike, though she had felt his eyes watching her on more than one occasion as well.

Both she and Spike had tried to get the colt to open up, but other than one or two word answers, Shadow had remained stubbornly silent. Breakfast had lasted like that for another half hour before Spike set his plates in the sink, announcing that he was heading over to Rarity’s to help the unicorn. Twilight had known about his plans since yesterday, but her assistant’s early departure left her wondering if he had used it as an excuse to get out of the castle and away from Shadow’s constant gaze. Yet, she had noticed that as soon as the young dragon had left, the tension coming from the castle’s newest occupant seemed to drain a little.

After helping to clean the few dishes in the sink, she and Shadow made their way to the library, Twilight quizzing the colt on what they had gone over the previous evening. The princess couldn’t help but smile as the younger alicorn recalled everything they had talked about. Not sure how to go about teaching such a relatively complex spell to a colt so young, Twilight had settled with creating a small target zone for Shadow to try and teleport into, which she had created by setting a couple pillows on the floor in a rough square shape. Across the room, Shadow had watched her, his eyes never leaving her once. While she appreciated his rapt attention, Twilight found it a little unsettling as well; like he was watching to make sure she didn’t try anything.

As she explained the basic mechanics of teleportation, she had watched Shadow’s face fall, as he seemed to realize that this wasn’t going to be as simple as levitating a book. His greatest resistance had come when she had explained how it usually worked best when the caster closed their eyes when they visualized their destination. Whether it was because of her or because of something else, it had taken Twilight close to ten minutes to convince Shadow that it would be easier for him if he closed his eyes. He had even managed to extract a promise from her that she would not move while his eyes were closed, which was what led to her current position of sitting in the middle of the library’s main floor, with Shadow on one side and his target on the other.

“Do you got an image of your target in your mind?” Twilight asked, raising her voice to make sure she was heard. Seeing the colt nod, the princess smiled “Good. Now visualize the spell matrix I showed you while keeping the previous image in mind.” As she watched, she could see Shadow’s horn start to glow with a golden aura that reminded her for some reason of topaz. Shaking her head at the stray thought, Twilight watched as the glow intensified, the light coming from his horn forcing her to squint. Before she could say anything, Shadow disappeared in a burst of smoke and sound that left Twilight coughing as her ears rang from the bang that still echoed around the castle. As her hearing began to return to normal, the princess noted the sound of coughing coming from where Shadow had been, along with a number of curses. Igniting her horn, Twilight opened a small portal over their heads, the smoke filling the room rushing into the hole in the air as the spell created a slight increase in air pressure in the room. “For a first attempt, that wasn’t too bad” Twilight said as the final wisps of smoke disappeared “though I think you put a little too much power into the spell.”

“Is there supposed to be so much smoke?”

“Normally there isn’t supposed to be any smoke” Twilight frowned as a thought occurred to her “did you happen to be thinking of any other spell when you were trying to teleport?”

Shadow opened his mouth to tell her no, but he paused. Closing his eyes, he tried to recall everything he had done up until the attempt failed. He had had a clear mental picture of where he wanted to go and had seen the spell matrix overlying the mental picture as he had cast the spell. As he had begun to cast the spell, he had let his mind wander to how much he would have benefited from knowing this spell back home, how he could have avoided so many beatings. That thought had led to thinking about Trixie and how useful her smoke bomb spell could have been as well… Shadow groaned as he connected the dots. “Yeah, I was thinking about a smoke bomb spell I could have used back home as I tried to teleport.”

Twilight nodded from where she stood. “One of the drawbacks of teleportation is that if you think about anything else, it can interfere with your spell. I remember one time when I was learning this from Princess Celestia, I thought about my family’s trip to the pool the previous day and instead of teleporting a pillow, I ended up draining half the pool into the room that Celestia and I were using.”

“What’s a pool?”

Twilight found herself slightly shocked at the colt’s question. How could he not know such a universal term? “Imagine a small, artificial pond meant for ponies to swim in.” Seeing Shadow frown, she made a mental note to show him the town’s public pool “Ready to try again?” Seeing the colt nod, Twilight smiled “Just remember to think about the spell and just the spell. Also, you only need to use maybe half the power you did last time to successfully teleport.”

“What if I want to go a longer distance?”

“The power needed to cast the spell has a linear relation to the distance of the teleport, but since you’re not going far, you don’t need much power.” Seeing Shadow’s confused look, she mentally face hoofed at the technical nature of her answer. “Longer distances need more power than shorter distances.” Sighing in relief at his understanding, she resumed her earlier position. “Close your eyes and visualize your destination.” A smile slowly blossomed on her face as Shadow’s horn came to life, its intensity less than half that of the previous attempt. Feeling the power build, Twilight jumped as somepony suddenly chose that moment to rapidly knock on the castle’s front door. With a bang that left the book cases on the third level rattling, Shadow disappeared from sight as his horn flared at the sudden interruption.

Twilight spun around at the colt’s disappearance, a sense of terror slowly growing in her when Shadow failed to appear where he was supposed to. Where had he gone? A week earlier, she had gotten a letter from Princess Luna that had contained everything she knew and suspected about Shadow and had expressed the lunar diarch’s concern that Shadow might be a potential flight risk. Would he try to run now? Before she could think, whoever was at the door began knocking again in a fashion that would put a woodpecker to shame. Grumbling, Twilight teleported over to the door, yanking it open with her magic before whoever was on the other side tried to knock again.

“Hi Twilight!”

Ponyville’s original alicorn leaned back at her friend’s enthusiastic greeting. “Pinkie, what are you doing here?”

“Delivering invites of course!” The perpetually happy earth pony replied as she reached into her tail, retrieving a pair of envelopes.

Twilight frowned as she took the waiting envelopes “To what?”

The smile on Pinkie Pie’s face grew at the question “To the party of course!”

“What party?”

“Geeze Twilight, where have you been? To my Thanks-for-Saving-Ponyville-slash-Welcome-to-Ponyville,-Shadow party.”

Twilight paused as she tried to get her head around what her friend had said. “I thought that party wasn’t until later?”

“It was, but then I heard that somepony got out of the hospital early, and I thought ‘what better way to celebrate than moving up the date of the party’.” Ponyville’s perpetually energetic party planner craned her neck around Twilight, trying to look into the castle, “So where is he? You, Dashie, Rarity and Cheerilee have already met him, but I haven’t yet, so where is he?”

While he had yet to meet Applejack as well, Twilight had wanted Pinkie to be last, if only so Shadow could get used to Ponyville a little before meeting the town’s living embodiment of a sugar rush. “Actually” Twilight said as she backed up, allowing Pinkie Pie in, only to watch the mare zip around the library, “I’m not sure where he is at the moment.”

Pinkie Pie stopped mid stride at Twilight’s words. “Are you playing Hide and Seek? Ooh, can I play too? Can I? Can I? Can I?”

Twilight closed her eyes, feeling herself getting slightly nauseous watching her friend jump up and down. How could she explain how she’d lost him while trying to teach him? “Don’t you have more invites to deliver?” She asked as a thought occurred to her.

Against every law of physics that Twilight knew, Pinkie froze halfway through a jump as Twilight spoke. Gasping, the pink mare reached into her tail, pulling out a number of envelopes, “You’re right Twilight! I got to get all these out before the party tonight!” With a sound similar to that of an arrow narrowly missing a pony’s face, Pinkie Pie disappeared, leaving a cartoonish silhouette of herself where she had been a heartbeat earlier. Sighing, Twilight teleported the two invites onto the kitchen table. As much as she loved Pinkie Pie, the mare had a penchant for appearing unexpectedly, even when it wasn’t the best time to do so. Sparing one last thought for her friend, Twilight trotted toward the staircase. If Shadow wasn’t in the library, hopefully he was somewhere else in the castle.

Settling In - Part 2

Shadow didn’t move a muscle as he felt the spell’s magic fade. For a moment, the colt wondered if the spell had even worked. Sure, there was a lack of smoke and coughing, but other than that, Shadow didn’t notice anything different. Feeling a small breeze gently play with his mane, Shadow opened his eyes, wincing as the bright midmorning light burned his eyes. Squinting, the colt lifted a hoof, shielding his eyes as they adjusted to the sudden brightness. Below him, the thatched roofs of Ponyville lay before him, the town a hive of activity as ponies of every color walked along the streets while foals ran laughing and screaming around the slower moving adults. Beyond the town, he could see the charred remains of the Luna-forsaken forest that had nearly killed him. How anypony, much less an entire town, could live next to someplace so dangerous was beyond the colt. Looking down, Shadow backpedaled at the sight of a multi-story drop inches in front of his hooves. Catching his breath at the sudden shock, the colt looked around; finding himself alone on what he could only guess was the castle’s roof. Closing his eyes, Shadow sighed in pleasure as he extended his unbound wing, the breeze whispering in his ears as it played with his feathers and what little of his mane he had. Glancing behind him, Shadow looked at the wrapped stump that was his tail. At first, he had been more than a little disturbed at the loss of it, but the doctor had assured him several times that the hair would eventually grow back, likely before the first snowflakes fell.

Smiling at the thought of getting his tail back, Shadow didn’t notice that he was no longer alone until the mare behind him spoke, “Well, this is an odd place to find you.”

Shadow jumped at the slightly coarse voice, turning to face his guest as soon as his hooves hit the crystal roof. “I’ve found myself in stranger places” He replied, smiling as Rainbow Dash landed next to him. “What brings you around here?”

“I saw a flash while patrolling for stray clouds and thought you were Twilight.” The sky blue mare stretched as she spoke. “So what are you doing up here, besides admiring the view?”

Shadow shrugged as he turned to look over the town, “Twilight was teaching me how to teleport and I kinda…” Shadow paused as he looked for the right words “Overshot my target.” He looked over the roof’s edge at the ground below, “By a couple stories.”

Next to him, Rainbow Dash snorted, “I’ve done that a couple times with high speed landings. It happens.” The mare smiled as she looked over the town she called home “So what do you think of this place?”

“It’s different” Shadow replied after a while. “It reminds me a bit of home, except there aren’t any mountains and timberwolves aren’t the worst thing you have to worry about in the woods.”

Rainbow nodded absently as she listened, “And Twilight?”

“She’s alright, I guess.” Shadow could practically feel his companion’s raised eyebrow. “I’ve never met another alicorn before and I’ve always identified as a unicorn?”

“So nopony back home knew about your wings?”

Shadow shook his head. “Wings are easier to hide than a horn.”

“Why hide them in the first place?”

“It’s not a pleasant story.”

Rainbow Dash looked at her companion, eventually letting the question on her lips go. She didn’t need to pry; he’d tell her when he felt like it. “What about Spike?”

“That was… interesting” The young alicorn said after a while.

“How so?”

“Remember when I mentioned Stone Crusher?” Shadow saw Rainbow Dash nod “He was killed after torching two ships full of innocent ponies, and is the only dragon I’ve ever heard of.” Shadow stared out at the town below as he recalled the previous evening’s incident. “Now imagine how you’d react in my position knowing that, and then suddenly seeing a dragon running toward you.”

Rainbow winced as she imagined what happened, “How bad was it?”

“Let me put it this way, it’s a very good thing my special talent is defensive based magic and not offensive based.”

The polychromatic-maned mare cringed at the thought, “I’ve known him since he and Twilight first came here, and you can believe me when I say that’s he’s no threat.”

“Twilight pretty much said the same thing.”

“And?”

“I have little choice but to trust her judgement, though that doesn’t mean I’m going to lower my guard anytime soon.”

Rainbow sighed. If what Shadow had told her was true, she couldn’t blame him for feeling like he did, though that didn’t mean she liked it. Silently, the mare hoped he’d warm up to the little dragon. Celestia knows Spike had done more than enough to earn everypony’s respect. “So where’s Twilight right now?”

“Down below, more than likely looking for me.”

“Why didn’t you just teleport back?”

“This is the first time I’ve successfully teleported on purpose, and I wound up here.” Shadow looked at the mare next to him incredulously, “If I tried again, who knows where I’d find myself.”

“Well then” Rainbow said as she took to the air, “let me help you down.” Seeing the colt fold his free wing, Rainbow gently grabbed him around his upper body, making sure to avoid anything that was wrapped in bandages. With a single pump of her wings, she lifted the injured alicorn off the roof, his hooves dangling as she flew them over the edge of the castle. Locking her wings, the pegasus set herself into a simple glide, smiling as her passenger extended his wing too. She had watched him for a moment after she knew it was him. It didn’t take a genius to see his desire to fly, and his frustration at not being able to. As Rainbow slowed down to land, a smile slowly grew on her face. It would be a couple months before his feathers grew back enough to fly, but she couldn’t wait to see how he flew. Who knows, maybe he can help Scootaloo get airborne…

Shadow slowly walked along the gravel road, his mind barely able to comprehend the seemingly infinite rows of evenly spaced trees around him. When he had seen the farm from the Everfree, he hadn’t given much thought about how many trees had been planted. He had been more interested in their fruit, since it was either that or eat grass. Now that he had a chance to take a good look, the colt was staggered by the mind numbing number of trees he saw. Back home, the Apple’s had at least five hundred trees on their farm, according to their estimate, but one glance told Shadow that Sweet Apple Acres probably had over ten times that.

Twilight smiled as she watched the young colt look around “So, what do you think?”

“How many trees are there?”

“A couple thousand at least” Twilight said, shrugging. “I don’t honestly know, but I’m sure Applejack would.”

“Why are there so many trees?”

“The Apple family has been growing apples for centuries, and Sweet Apple Acres happens to be the single largest producer of apples in Equestria.”

So they are Apples Shadow thought as the two alicorns walked. The colt wasn’t surprised. I wonder if they’re like the Apples back home and talk about nothing but apples he mused. It was common knowledge that the Apple family grew all of the apples on the island and maintained an iron grip on the supply, despite numerous attempts by other ponies to cut into their monopoly. Coming around a turn in the road, Shadow felt the all too familiar sense of his jaw hitting the ground at the sight of Sweet Apple Acre’s main barn. What caught Shadow’s attention wasn’t the fact that Equestria had barns similar to those back home, but instead the sheer size of the structure. The monstrous building was at least twice the size of the largest one back home. On top of that, not only was the building all wood, but it had been painted an unsurprising apple red as well.

“Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres.” Twilight said as they stopped next to the farm’s well. Next to her, Shadow seemed to be having trouble believing what he saw. Looking around herself, Twilight was amazed at how well Applejack’s farm had weathered the forest fire. Other than a dozen or so trees, the family had gotten through the fire without any losses, despite being right next to the Everfree Forest. If Twilight knew her friend, AJ would have a dozen replacement trees ready to be planted by the time winter was wrapped up.

As a couple party goers walked into the barn, Twilight noticed the rodeo mare step out, taking a moment to fan herself with her trademark Stetson. The orange mare looked around at her farm in the fading light, almost overlooking the two alicorns. Smiling, she set her father’s old hat back in place before trotting over to her friend. “Well howdy, Twilight. What are you doing over here? Ah swear, Pinkie Pie is practically bouncing off the walls.”

Shadow’s head snapped up at the sound of another mare’s voice, his attention now focused solely on the approaching earth pony mare. Next to him, Twilight chuckled as she replied to whatever the other mare had said, but whatever she had said had been lost on the young colt. Watching Twilight and the hat wearing mare talk, Shadow slowly backed away, trying to put Twilight between him and her friend. Hearing his name, the colt froze as he felt the earth pony mare’s eyes fall on him.

“Well howdy there, Sugarcube.”

“Hello” Shadow replied, wondering why she was referring to him with a piece of food.

“Ah’m glad to see you up and about.” The colt watched as the mare removed her hat, holding it gently to her chest as she bowed her head to him “Ah just want to take this chance to thank you for savin’ mah sister Apple Bloom. If you hadn’t been there…” A few rebellious tears tried to escape from Applejack’s eyes, only to be hastily wiped away. “But you were, and you nearly died because of it.”

“It’s nothing.” Shadow replied, feeling uncomfortable at the mare’s attention.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at the colt’s reply, nothing mah plot. “Perhaps to you, sugar, but AB’s mah younger sister and ah don’t rightly know what ah would have done if anythin’ had happened to her.” Putting her hat back, the farmer looked down at the vest wearing colt with a broad smile. “No words can express mah gratitude, so if there is anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask; yah hear?”

Shadow nodded, a smile slowly growing as a thought occurred to him “You wouldn’t happen to have any apples, would you?”

Both older ponies stopped at his question. A second later, Applejack was laughing hard enough to be heard inside the barn, “Oh sweet Celestia; that was a good one.” Wiping a few tears, the mare extended her hoof to the colt, “The name’s Applejack.”

Shadow took her hoof before shaking it, “Shadow.”

“Ah don’t got any on me, but ah know there are a bunch in the barn.” Applejack answered, turning toward the large building. Falling into step next to Twilight, Shadow tuned the orange mare out as he found himself slightly confused by the mare’s behavior. She was nothing like the Apples he knew. Instead of being stuck up and lording her position over everypony else, this mare seemed to be much more friendly and welcoming, almost as if she was a unicorn or pegasus stuck in an earth pony’s body. If her name didn’t make it clear, the trio of apples marking her flank left no doubt that she was an Apple, which left the young alicorn all the more curious how distantly related she was to the Apples he knew.

Shelving that line of questions for the moment, Shadow stepped through the open door, his jaw scraping the ground once again at the sight before him. Not hearing the gentle chuckle of Applejack behind him as she and Twilight walked in after him, the colt tried to wrap his mind around everything before him. Unknown to the colt, Pinkie Pie had over a month to plan this night, and she had not wasted a single moment of that time. From the ceiling, a banner stretched from one side of the barn to the other, with the words Thanks for Saving Ponyville and Welcome to Ponyville, Shadow painted in multiple colors on the oversized sheet of paper. From the rafters, streamers of various colors hung or fluttered in a breeze stirred up by the several dozen pegasi fluttering or hovering above the barn floor. Hanging in the air, a dozen large tables had been enchanted so that they floated among the rafters. As he watched, a pegasi couple fluttered over to a pair of open chairs next to one of the enchanted tables, the two ponies quickly claiming the chairs, their hooves swinging freely beneath them as they talked.

On the ground, Pinkie had set up a number of long tables where ponies could sit and eat, while another area nearby had been left open, the only indication that it had been on purpose was a bunch of equipment sitting nearby seemingly unused except by a white unicorn mare with a vividly blue mane and tail who was bobbing her head to something only she could hear through her headphones. In between the two areas, a pair of long tables had been set up, and on top of them was more food and snacks than Shadow had ever seen before. Each table had a large cake at either end with everything from raw apples and various fruits and vegetables to cookies covered in frosting, cupcakes, muffins, brownies and other sweets that Shadow had no name for seemingly covering every inch of open table. Already, a number of ponies had lined up to sample the fare, a few impaling their fruit slices on sticks before dunking them in a fountain of brown liquid that Shadow thought smelled suspiciously like chocolate.

“So, what do you think Sugarcube?”

Shadow working his mouth, trying to give voice to what he thought. After a minute of being unable to speak, the colt said the one word that he could think of, “Wow.”

Both mares behind him chuckled at his understatement. “Pinkie Pie really outdid herself this time” Applejack said as she led the two alicorns along the wall, skirting the main eating area. “Normally ah would have expected something a little more… Pinkie” the farm-mare continued, “but this is actually a refreshing change of pace.”

“Really?”

Applejack smiled at Shadow’s question “Eeyup. Normally Pinkie’s parties involve a lot of loud music, confetti and partying, so this is much more calm and relaxing in comparison. Not that ah’m complainin’, mind you.” The older mare added hastily, as if somepony might think otherwise.

Coming around a large support beam, Shadow froze in his tracks at what lay ahead. While the three large eating tables on the ground had been set up in a roughly horseshoe shape, the open side, which had been hidden from Shadow’s view by a support beam had been filled with a number of hay bales that had been set up like a small platform or stage. On that stage, three ponies sat, relaxed and chatting with each other. It took Shadow no effort to recognize Rainbow Dash, the sky blue mare’s rainbow mane unmistakable, even from halfway across the barn. Next to her lay a larger mare, her black and blue body contrasting against the hay’s tan while her mane seemed to flow in some unseen breeze. When he had gone over the surviving clone’s memories, Shadow had dismissed the memory of Princess Luna, chalking it up to either exhaustion or a trick on the solar tyrant’s part. Seeing her sitting there, part of Shadow seethed at the audacity of Princess Celestia to try and cover her crimes with such an obvious fake of her sister. Behind the faux-Luna, she sat, as relaxed as everypony else as she talked with Rainbow Dash.

Shadow felt his heart stop as the solar tyrant’s gaze shifted, focusing on him and the two mares next to him. The eldest alicorn did nothing, instead saying something to Rainbow, whose head whipped around, spotting him and his escorts, a smile blossoming on her face as she stood. Shadow wasn’t surprised at Celestia’s actions. Even here, there were too many ponies for her to do anything to him, which, to the colt’s great relief, meant that he was safe for the moment. Sighing in relief to himself, Shadow smiled as the one pony in the town that he considered his friend approached.

“Hey kiddo, how’s it going?” Shadow shrugged, not sure how to respond. “You haven’t been causing Twilight too much trouble, have ya?”

“Give it time” Shadow replied “I’m still getting settled in.”

Rainbow Dash cackled at his response, as well as Twilight’s glare. Getting control of herself a couple seconds later, the mare tilted her head before turning to lead them to where she had been a moment earlier. As they approached, Shadow eyed the pair of golden armored guards standing behind the older Princesses warily, his attention turning back to the two royals as he saw the three mares bow. Following their lead, the colt bowed as well, though he had turned himself slightly so that he was facing the clone of Luna when he lowered himself. She may have been a fake – albeit a good fake Shadow had to admit, now that he was closer, - but that still didn’t excuse any disrespect to her memory, even if it meant bowing to a fake.

Getting up after a moment, Shadow resisted the urge to struggle as a cloud of magic enveloped him, lifting him into the air before gently depositing him next to Luna. “It is good to see you here.” The faux-Princess said as Rainbow Dash got comfortable next to Shadow. “We had feared that you might not survive your wounds.”

Shadow shrugged, the move hiding his nervous gulp. He had no doubt that Celestia was somehow controlling this clone of her sister, but he didn’t want to let the white alicorn think he suspected anything. At the same time, he knew he couldn’t afford to look weak. “Thank you, ma’am” He replied, “I’m a lot tougher than I look.”

“Indeed.”

Turning his attention back to the party around him, Shadow watched as Twilight and Applejack walked to a comparatively well-dressed tan and grey mare. The older mare looked over at Shadow and the mares next to him before nodding to Twilight and Applejack. Stepping away, she moved into the open space in front of the eating tables, the general noise level in the barn fading away as she did. “Mares and gentlecolts” She began, raising her voice so that everypony could hear “We are here tonight to celebrate, not just a new pony becoming part of our community, but also our deliverance from that terrible fire by him and the other heroes we honor here tonight.” Around them, ponies clapped or stomped their hooves in approval. “We are here to honor Princess Celestia, who not only tamed that fire, but also helped save the lives of five ponies, two of whom we also honor tonight.” The princess in question nodded at the mare’s words, a faint smile on her lips. “We are here to honor Princess Luna, who got the weather factory in Cloudsdale working again, breaking the historic drought and ending the Everfree fire.” The cheers of the crowd were just as loud for her as it had been for her sister. Like her sister, the dark blue mare nodded at the speaker’s generous words. “Tonight we honor Rainbow Dash, who, with no thought of her own safety, flew into the thick of the fire when three young fillies were in danger.” A couple ponies whistled as everypony cheered; one pony in particular, a purple-maned orange pegasus filly cheering loudly enough to be heard above the crowd. “Last, but by no means least, we are gathered here tonight to honor Shadow Dancer, who is not only becoming a part of our little community, but who also saved Rainbow Dash when she was overcome by smoke and three young fillies who had been trapped by the flames. Without him, we would have lost four beautiful lives, and the world would have been less as a result.” The barn shook under the resounding pounding of hooves and cheers, dust gently falling from the shaking rafters. Lifting a glass, the mare turned to Shadow and the ponies next to him, the crowd doing likewise until everypony had a cup raised in the air “To the four heroes of the Everfree Fire!”

“Hurrah!”

Shadow felt his ears pin themselves against his head at the unified roar of the crowd. As everypony took a sip from their cup, the magic of the moment seemed to linger as everypony returned to what they had been doing before. As the older mare approached Princess Celestia, Shadow found himself relaxing as everypony’s attention shifted to something other than him. “So, what would you like to eat?” Shadow looked up at the dark blue clone next to him. “There are tables full of food, and it would be rude of us if we did not try to put a dent in all that food.”

Shadow frowned slightly. He hadn’t gotten a good look at the food, but Applejack had said that there were apples “Anything with apples.”

‘Luna’ nodded at his simple request, “And what about you, Rainbow Dash?”

“You don’t have to get anything for me.”

“Since you served our little ponies so valiantly during the fire, I insist on serving you.”

Rainbow Dash smiled at the larger pony’s insistence, “If that’s the case, then whatever looks good. Considering the ponies who made that spread, Fates know that it’s all going to be good.”

Smiling, the dark blue alicorn excused herself, one of the golden armored solar guards falling into step behind her.

“So what do you think of this party?”

Shadow looked around the barn before turning to look at the athletic mare to his right, “I’ve never been to a party this big, let alone been one of the ponies being honored.”

“Really?”

Shadow shrugged. “My family was never the most popular in town, so we almost never got invited.” The colt frowned as he thought about it, “I think the last party we attended that wasn’t at home was one thrown for my dad after he helped stop an outbreak of feather flu.”

Unnoticed by Shadow or Rainbow Dash, Celestia had heard everything the colt had said, despite talking to Ponyville’s mayor the entire time. Most ponies she knew liked to brag how well they could multitask, but with over a thousand years of practice, if a pony could get a degree in multitasking, Princess Celestia would have not only had a doctorate, she would have written the book on the subject as well. Smiling at the mayor as the mare excused herself, Celestia turned to look at the two ponies next to her, noting that her sister was coming back with three trays of food so heavily loaded, that the elder sister doubted that anything else would be able to fit. As Luna returned, Celestia quietly excused herself. While Luna had the freedom of being able to mingle with whoever she wanted, Celestia wasn’t so lucky, not that she minded in this case. The citizens were the complete opposite of the nobles she dealt with every day, which made opportunities like this all the more precious to her. As she slowly made her way to the food, the eldest sister smiled to herself. This, the mingling with her subjects, her ponies, is what made putting up with the nobility worth it.

Shadow suppressed the urge to move as he felt a shiver crawl down his spine. He knew the solar tyrant was looking at him, but he steadfastly refused to grant her even the most minor of victories, instead focusing his attention on Rainbow Dash, who was regaling him with the story of how she earned her cutie mark. Despite how earnest she was, Shadow didn’t believe her. Everypony knew that the Sonic Rainboom was just an old mare’s tale. Noticing that her attention had turned, Shadow turned to follow Rainbow Dash’s gaze, his eyes bugging out slightly at the sight of the three trays of food next to Luna. In a skilled display of magic, especially for a clone, all three trays came to a rest in front of them. Rainbow Dash’s tray was loaded with cookies and fruit, while the faux-Luna had taken Shadow’s request seriously as she had filled his tray with a sample of every apple-based confection she and Applejack could find.

Without waiting for permission, Shadow ignited his horn, an apple fritter meeting its end a moment later. Enjoying his piece of apple and sugar bliss, Shadow glanced to his left as ‘Luna’ nibbled on a cookie with chocolate frosting. Slowly, the sense of joy he felt faded as he thought about where he found himself. He knew that the mare next to him was not Luna. He was sure of it. Yet around him, everypony accepted the fake as if she was the real thing. Looking around, only a complete idiot wouldn’t know that it had taken a lot of effort to put this party together, and Shadow knew that what he was about to do would likely ruin it. Closing his eyes, the colt ignited his horn, blasting the barn with the spell he used to dispel his clones, along with an anti-illusion spell Trixie had taught him as well.

Opening his eyes, Shadow felt his jaw drop as the faux-Luna blinked rapidly, her eyes eventually focusing on Shadow, a smile on her face. Completely unable to comprehend what he saw, Shadow slowly reached out, gently poking the larger mare with a hoof. Feeling the natural resistance of flesh and bone, Shadow poked a few more times, not sure if he was dreaming or not.

Next to him, Luna smiled as she popped another cookie into her mouth while Shadow prodded her. Ever since she had seen the monster that resembled her sister in his dream, the younger diarch had been thinking about the thing’s words. What had that monster meant by ‘not killed you enough’? She had just gotten her answer with Shadow’s spells. Even though she had been gone for a thousand years, the younger Royal Sister had all but thrown herself into catching up on everything she had missed when she had returned, including the latest spells and charms. Thanks to her studies, Luna knew that he had used an anti-illusion spell, while the other one she could only assume was his anti-clone spell. So he thought I was an illusion? Looking down, her smile widened as the young colt poked her one final time before slowly looking up at her. Chuckling, she swallowed her cookie, “Yes my little pony, I am real.”

Gently pulling his hoof away from the very real Princess Luna, Shadow felt the world around him spin. How could she be real? She was dead! That was the only explanation; right? Unable to take it anymore, the thoroughly confused alicorn laid his head on his hooves, wishing the world would stop spinning and that it would start making sense.

Celestia walked among the ponies of the party, a mug of Sweet Apple Acre’s finest cider floating nearby as her subjects smiled at her or occasionally waved. This was something she had missed since her and Luna’s ascension, the ability to mix and mingle with other ponies without them bowing or scraping to her or having them approach her with one proposal or another. Coming up short, the princess looked down to see a young filly looking up at her, the young pony’s eyes the size of dinner plates. Without warning, the filly rushed up to the princess, wrapping herself around one of Celestia’s legs, giving the diarch what the filly probably assumed was the biggest hug possible. Igniting her horn, Princess Celestia lifted the young filly into the air so that she could hug her young admirer back. Setting the giggling filly down a moment later, Celestia tried not to laugh as the young pony darted off with the speed of a small child, squealing in delight that the princess had hugged her.

“I think you just made her year, Princess.”

Celestia turned to the lavender mare next to her, “And she may have just made mine.” Turning to her former protégé, each mare embraced the other. “How are you doing, Twilight?”

“Better” Twilight admitted as she led her mentor away from the crowd, “nothing relieves stress more than one of Pinkie’s parties.”

“I’ll have to thank Pinkie later for this wonderful party” Celestia replied as she walked. “So how is our youngest hero settling in?”

“All things considered, it could have gone worse…” Twilight said after a moment to consider her words. Seeing her Princess’s questioning look, she related the previous night’s incident.

Celestia listened, a sense of dismay growing at her student’s words. “Oh dear; I hope Spike is alright.”

“He’s fine, though he’s still nursing a bit of a grudge over the incident” Twilight finished.

“Have you learned anything new about him?”
Twilight shook her head “Not really, though I am fairly confident that he isn't from the Crystal Empire, like his clone said."

"But..."

Twilight looked up at the Princess "How did you know?"

Celestia smiled knowingly "When you've been at this as long as I have, you learn that there's always a ‘but’."

"But" Twilight continued "There are a number of inconsistencies I can't account for."

"Like what?"

"He's fluent in Crystallic, like he’s used it his entire life. I had Cadance send me something to test him with, and he translated the text she sent like it was nothing. Second, he loaned Rainbow Dash one of his books, which was not only written in Crystallic, but it took place in the Crystal Empire and was printed years before the Empire returned."

"Interesting" Celestia said, glancing at the colt.

"That's not all."

"There's more?"

Twilight nodded. "According to Rainbow Dash, the book he loaned her contained names no one would know unless they had an intimate knowledge of the Empire before it fell, as if they had lived there." Twilight frowned as an idea slowly grew in her mind. While she had never seen any proof for it, it could provide an answer to a few questions. "Princess, did any ponies escape the Empire before it disappeared?" The signs were subtle, even for Twilight, but the larger alicorn's shock didn't escape her former student's notice. Lowering her mug of cider, the Princess's expression told Twilight everything.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Leading Twilight to a quiet corner of the barn, Celestia sighed as she sat down on a nearby hay bale. "We first learned about the Empire's fall to Sombra a few months after it happened when a small band of Crystal Ponies staggered into Canterlot one night. We couldn't do much about it at the time because of the approaching winter, but by the start of spring, Luna and I led the army to retake the Empire." Celestia shook her head. "We failed. Hundreds of ponies on both sides died in the fighting, but Sombra still won in the end." Twilight could see her former teacher close her eyes as she clearly fought against the memories of the fighting. "But before it disappeared, the group of survivors that told us of Sombra's takeover made it into the city and managed to free several hundred ponies that had been enslaved, leading them to safety before that bastard's curse took over."

"What happened to them? Why didn't I know about them before now?"

"You didn't know about them because they only spent a year or two in Equestria after the Crystal Empire disappeared before leaving."

"Why did they leave?"

"They blamed me for the loss of their home. After the Lunar Rebellion, they blamed me for Luna's fall as well" Looking up, Celestia watched Shadow as he talked to Rainbow Dash "Not that I blame them. It could very well be that Shadow is a descendant of one of those survivors. If that's the case, it would explain much." Celestia knew she was leaving a lot out of what she told Twilight, but for the moment, Twilight didn't need to know every detail of how she had failed - both the Crystal Empire and her sister - so badly.

"Does the name Summer Breeze mean anything to you?"

Celestia nodded. "She was an Imperial Knight and the leader of the ponies that warned us of Sombra. Why?"

"The book that Shadow gave Rainbow was a supposed copy of her diary."

"Have you read it?"

Twilight shook her head "He still doesn't trust me."

"Give him time, Twilight. He has been through much." Celestia paused as she considered her next words. "If he lets you read Summer Breeze's diary, please keep your mind open." The eldest Princess hoped Twilight wouldn't lose too much faith in her if she ever got the chance to read that book.

Twilight frowned at Princess Celestia’s words. Why would she ask her to keep an open mind? Was there something in his book that she might not like? While she now wanted to know even more than before, the young alicorn clamped down on the building desire. It wouldn’t matter if she couldn’t read the book, and she wouldn’t get the chance if Shadow didn’t trust her. As she watched, a pair of pegasi approached Rainbow Dash and Shadow. At first Twilight couldn’t place their faces, but as soon as she saw Scootaloo in between them, she recognized them instantly. “Cadance will want to know about this” She said after a while, her mind already composing the letter to her sister-in-law.

“True” Celestia replied as she stood, “But I think it can wait until tomorrow.”

Smiling, Twilight followed suit, joining her mentor as they both returned to the party.

Twilight slowly walked down the road, the sound of gravel crunching beneath her and Princess Luna’s hooves the only noise disturbing the otherwise pleasant silence of the night. On her back, Spike lay curled up in a ball, the young dragon out like a light after having spent the better part of the night partying. Likewise, Shadow lay draped across Luna’s back, though for him, his sleep was less pleasant as he occasionally moaned.

“Who knew you could stuff yourself on apples” The young alicorn moaned, before letting out a small belch a second later. Smiling, Twilight easily recalled how Applejack had introduced herself and her family, and had then proceeded to nearly make Twilight sick with all the apple related products her family produced. Sighing in relief, Shadow seemed to settle back down “I regret nothing.”

Both Twilight and Luna chuckled at this, the larger alicorn turning to look at her passenger as she walked, “We are happy to hear this, but if you are going to be sick, please warn us so we may point you in the right direction.”

Though she couldn’t hear exactly what he said, Twilight thought it sounded suspiciously like yes, my Queen. Next to her, Luna smiled as the young alicorn fell asleep. For a while, the two Princesses walked in silence. As they did, Twilight could feel one of the biggest questions on her mind pushing at her. Stepping into the main section of Ponyville, Twilight finally couldn’t stand it any longer. “Princess, I hope you don’t mind my asking this, but does the name Summer Breeze mean anything to you?”

Next to her, the lunar diarch froze at the name. Catching herself a moment later, Luna nodded as she slowed her pace, "She was one of the few ponies I truly considered a friend before my fall. Why do you ask?" As Twilight explained to the princess her theory of Shadow’s history, Luna looked at her sleeping passenger. “You may be more right than you know, Twilight.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have been watching our young friend since we first learned of him, and there have been some things about him that have struck us as odd.”

“Like what?”

“Like his addressing me as ‘Queen’ for one; as far as I can recall, he is the first to do so in a thousand years. As well, at the party, he bowed to me and not to Celestia and I don’t know if you saw it but we suspect that he may be afraid of our sister.”

“Why would he be afraid of Celestia? No offense, but wouldn’t it make more sense if he was afraid of you?”

“It would, unless…”

“Unless…?”

Luna frowned as the idea in her head solidified, “Unless he was raised as a Lunar Loyalist.”

Twilight frowned at the unfamiliar term, “Lunar Loyalist? Like Pipsqueak?”

Luna smiled at the mention of the young colt’s name. “No. If anything, he is more of a devoted fan. I assume you’ve heard of the Solar Guard?” Luna wasn’t surprised to see her sister’s former student nod at the mention of her older sister’s devoted followers. “Think along those lines, but more fanatical and devoted to Nightmare Moon.”

“Who would devote themselves to such a monster?” Twilight asked, “No offense” she added a heartbeat later.

“None taken, Twilight” Luna replied, acting like the younger mare had never made the comment. “As for why, that is a story that is best reserved for after we get the two young ones to bed.”

Reaching her home, Twilight held the door open for the princess and her two Night Guards who had been flying overhead the entire time. As she led the princess up the stairs, Twilight ignited her horn, quills and sheaves of paper already flying through the air. She didn’t want to miss a single detail.

Ch.13 A New Life

Shadow yawned as he stood in front of Ponyville’s Crystal Castle. Ignoring the sound of a heavier set of hooves stopping next to him, the colt arched his back, feeling a couple joints pop as he stretched, his horn seeming to come to life on its own as he felt his burns sting in a couple places. Twisting his neck, the young alicorn looked to the older alicorn next to him, slightly confused by Twilight’s gentle smile, “Ready?”

Shadow shrugged before turning the gesture into a stretch as he rolled his shoulders, “Do I have much of a choice?”

“Not really” Twilight replied, laughing slightly at the colt’s question. Seeing her young guest shrug, the youngest Equestrian Princess followed the colt down her home’s front steps, ready to catch him if he tripped on the way down. As she watched him, Twilight couldn’t help but be impressed by the young colt. Sure he had an issue with Spike and he was extremely reticent when it came to any topic about him or where he was from, but despite that, Twilight was surprised at how polite the young alicorn was. He always cleared his plate during dinner, never leaving a scrap of food behind, despite Spike doing most of the cooking. While he was quiet and generally reserved, Twilight couldn’t help but find herself hoping that any child she had would be like him when it came to manners.

Shadow tried to ignore Twilight’s presence as the two alicorns walked through town. Looking around, the colt could barely contain his surprise at how similar Ponyville was to Red Lake. Around them, ponies were waking up to start the day, the sun barely clearing the thatched roofs of the nearby houses. Nearing the town’s center, Shadow could see a number of vendors working to set up their stalls, an array of products and produce being put out for the day. Here, bundles of carrots were being set up to display their color. Across the street, Big Mac was arranging a variety of products in his family’s stall; large jugs of juice lined the swept floor as numerous baked goods filled the shelves while a display of raw apples glistened in the sun as the morning light caught the fruit’s waxy skin. As the surprisingly gentle giant spotted the two alicorns, he nodded to them before casually flicking his tail, sending a pair of bright red apples rocketing toward them. Catching the fruit with his magic, Shadow nodded his thanks to the large red stallion as he turned back to setting up for the day. Biting down on his apple, Shadow didn’t bother to hide his smile as the apple’s flavor flooded his senses. Next to him, the second apple met a similar fate as Twilight enjoyed her treat.

As the two ponies left the town behind them, Shadow heard the familiar sound of a bell ringing in the distance, the sound coming from their destination. Cresting a small hill, the younger alicorn stopped as he surveyed the activity before him. Ahead, Ponyville’s lone school stood, its red exterior shining in the early morning light. Around the building, he could see the bright colors of fillies and colts as they ran across the grass or flew through the air, some chasing others while some were just content to enjoy the early fall morning. All at once, the students stopped what they were doing, seeming to hear a voice that drew them into the lone building. Looking up at Twilight, Shadow fell into step beside her as the pair finished the rest of their journey in silence.

Just over the sound of the gravel beneath their hooves, Shadow could hear the sound of a dozen bits clinking together in his saddlebag. The day before, he had gone over the bag with a fine toothed comb, hitting it with every spell he knew. Several hours later, the colt had come to the conclusion that despite his well-founded concerns, the saddlebag was just that, a bag made of cloth and thread. He had found no spells or charms on it anywhere. While he felt a certain amount of relief at that, he wasn’t a pony to trust appearances, even if he had checked it with his magic. Rainbow Dash had told him how experienced Twilight was with magic, so it wouldn’t surprise him if there was a spell on it that he couldn’t detect. Not that it had mattered much to the young pony, since he didn’t plan to keep anything he truly valued in the bag anyways. With his mind slightly more at ease, it had only been the work of a couple minutes before he had placed every protective spell he knew on it.

Approaching the school yard’s front gate, both alicorns could hear Cheerilee’s voice as she greeted her slightly less than enthusiastic group of students. The mulberry earth pony mare surveyed her students. She wasn’t surprised to see that a number of them were still trying to wake up. Most students she had taught would have preferred to be back in bed than here, not that she blamed them; there were a couple times she felt the same. Looking up at the open door in the back of the room, the mare smiled as Twilight and her newest student materialized, the two ponies standing unnoticed behind the students. “Before we get started this morning, I believe some of you are still wondering about what all of that is for” She said, gesturing to the pillow covered platform by the window. Seeing a number of her students nodding while a certain trio of fillies smiled eagerly; Cheerilee looked up at Shadow, tilting her head to invite him to the front of the class.

Seeing nearly thirty heads turn at once to stare at him, Shadow felt his ears drop at the sudden feeling of vulnerability, despite his confidence that he was probably more magically talented than anypony else his age here. Feeling a gentle push from behind, Shadow slowly walked down the center of the room, trying his hardest to ignore the numerous eyes following him. Reaching the front of the room after what felt like an eternity, the colt turned to stand next to Ms. Cheerilee. Before him, everypony stared at him, but he had been expecting that. What he hadn’t been expecting was seeing, and what he would later admit shocked him the most, a pair of unicorns sitting in the front row, with a pegasus colt and a few earth pony students claiming the second row. Were these the smartest students or were they the troublemakers and she kept them up front to keep a close eye on them? “Class, this is Shadow Dancer” Cheerilee said, pulling the colt back to reality as she gingerly set a hoof on his shoulder “he will be joining our class and I expect everypony here to make him feel welcome.” Near the middle of the room, a lanky dark yellow unicorn colt raised his hoof. If Shadow had to go off his first impression, the colt didn’t strike him as the brightest candle in the room.

“What does he got to do with that stuff?” The colt asked at his teacher’s nod, pointing to the mass of pillows.

“Good question, Snails.” Cheerilee replied. “I’m sure you all remember the fire, right?” Seeing her students nod, the mare continued “What you may or may not know, is that Princess Celestia didn’t just save Rainbow Dash and the Crusaders. Shadow was there as well” She continued, seeing a number of students turn to look at the three fillies in question. “In fact, he was there when Rainbow Dash crashed and saved her and the Crusaders, keeping them safe until the princess rescued them.” Around the room, ponies fell silent at their teacher’s words, though Shadow noticed that the looks directed at him ranged from awe to barely concealed skepticism. “Unfortunately, Shadow was badly injured and in fact, just got out of the hospital on Friday.” At this, Shadow flashed his horn, the illusion spell on his bandages vanishing a heartbeat later. While he hadn’t been expecting to do this, the colt didn’t like the skeptical looks from a couple of the students. “As you can see” Cheerilee said, not missing a beat, “he’s still recovering, so I expect everypony here to help him if he asks.” Seeing her students nod, the mare nodded at the pegasus colt in the second row, “Yes Rumble?”

“Is it true that you’re an alicorn?”

Shadow felt his heart jump at the innocent question. Twilight had told him that he’d probably be asked, but even having advanced warning didn’t stop the colt’s heart from stopping for a second at the question. Wordlessly, Shadow used his magic to unzip his vest, his eyes not missing the growing excitement on the faces of several of his classmates. Keeping the vest over his bandaged wing, the young alicorn extended his good wing. Looking across the class, Shadow felt a small smile form at the sight of several jaws hitting their owners’ desk. Almost at once, half the students shot their hooves into the air. Feeling a gentle nudge, Shadow looked up to see his new teacher pointing to his seat. With a quiet sigh of relief, the colt slowly walked over to the platform, gently removing his saddlebag before setting it next to him.

“Where are you from?”

Shadow leaned back to look at the filly who had all but shouted the question across the room at him. Looking at Cheerilee, the mare seemed to know the colt’s wish as she grabbed a rope hanging above the chalkboard, a map of Equestria unrolling before the class. Lighting his horn, Shadow placed a small golden ball of light over Ponyville, before moving the ball to Manehattan. “Go west until you get to Manehattan” Shadow held the ball over Equestria’s largest city for a moment “find a ship and sail west.” On the map, the ball slowly floated over the Great Ocean “Assuming you have the right heading and you survive the trip, you’ll find the island I’m from.”

Around him, the other fillies and colts stared slack-jawed at him as they tried to comprehend how far he had traveled. The silence, much to Shadow’s disappointment, only lasted for a few precious seconds before his new classmates returned to reality and began pelting him with more questions, to the point that some felt the need to shout to be heard over the others. “You are no doubt all eager to ask Shadow more questions” Cheerilee said, her voice raised as she stomped her hoof on the wooden floor to get her students’ attention, “but I’m sure Shadow wouldn’t mind if you gave him time to settle in before pelting him with more questions.” Around him, the other students lowered themselves back into their seats, some looking a little ashamed at their actions. Sighing to himself, the young alicorn turned his attention to the front of the room where Cheerilee was rolling up the map. Catching her eye, he mouthed a silent thank you, getting a smile and slight nod from the earth pony mare as she got her class focused.

Even though he had been expecting more attention than he was used to, the level of attention he had gotten was far beyond what he had expected, even with Princess Twilight’s warnings. It was almost as if they’d never heard of an alicorn their age. Shadow frowned as Cheerilee turned to write something on the chalkboard. He wasn’t surprised that he was the only alicorn on Crystal Island, since the island’s pony population was less than forty thousand, but Equestria was far larger than his home, and had far more ponies than Crystal Island living just in Manehattan, if what Sea Breeze had told him was true. If that was correct, and he had no reason to believe otherwise from what he had seen, then why had his classmates practically mobbed him? Were alicorns that rare? Shadow felt a shiver race down his spine as a thought occurred to him; or were they more common than ponies thought, but nopony knew that because they didn’t survive long enough for other ponies to find out about them?

Looking around, he could see a couple of the other students sneaking glances at him as the teacher’s back was turned. Turning his attention back to Ms. Cheerilee, Shadow forced the unpleasant thoughts from his mind for the moment. He’d need to pay attention if he had any hope of remembering what Ms. Cheerilee said, and thoughts of a possible secret alicorn genocide wouldn’t help.

Shadow sighed as he felt the welcome chill of the shaded grass seep through his bandages as he settled down beneath the tree. Around him, most of the other students ran around, laughing and screaming as they chased each other, everypony seeming to avoid the damaged playground equipment. Overhead, the grounded flyer watched as a half-dozen pegasi raced through the air, playing games of tag in a three dimensional world lost on the ponies below them. Smiling in contentment, Shadow tilted his head back, twisting his neck in an attempt to work out the kinks that had developed from having been in that one position for so long. Feeling his stomach rumble, the alicorn reached over to the saddlebag next to him, channeling magic through his horn as he touched the bag’s lone buckle. Feeling the spell protecting his bag power down, he opened the bag with a flip of his hoof, his horn already glowing as he pulled out his lunch. Looking over the fare before him, the colt set the two golden yellow apples aside as he picked up the lettuce and tomato sandwich with his magic. If he’d had his way, his entire lunch would have been apples and apple related products, but Twilight had insisted that he bring something more ‘substantial’. How could a sandwich be more ‘substantial’ when an apple weighed more than the sandwich? The colt’s eyebrows tabled at the memory of asking the older alicorn just that and getting a lecture on nutrition – whatever that was – only to find himself completely lost seconds later. As it was, Shadow considered himself extremely lucky to have gotten out of that lecture, if only by agreeing to Princess Twilight’s suggestion so she’d stop talking.

Feeling the lettuce crunch in his mouth, Shadow looked up as a familiar trio of fillies walked toward him. “Mind if we join ya?” The lone colt shook his head as he swallowed, gesturing to the shaded grass around him. As the fillies sat down, a light breeze sprang up, playing with the yellowing leaves overhead, causing the fillies and colt to sigh in pleasure. “Ah know we’ve met before, but mah name’s Apple Bloom.” The yellow and red filly said, using the introduction to break the ice. “This is Sweetie Belle and this is Scootaloo” She added, gesturing to the unicorn and pegasus next to her.

Shadow nodded as he swallowed. While he knew about them from what his clone had learned and had met them at the party two days earlier, he hadn’t been able to pay much attention with all the ponies around him and the constant need to know where Princess Celestia was at all times. Now that things were decidedly calmer and quieter, Shadow found himself looking over the three fillies. Even if nopony had told him, the name and accent would have told Shadow enough to suspect that Apple Bloom was related to Applejack. To her right, Sweetie Belle was sitting quietly, chewing on an oversized carrot. The young unicorn ate with manners that reminded him of Rarity, though that and her coat color were the only things that he could use to connect her to her older sister. On the other side of Apple Bloom, the colt caught the purple-maned pegasus staring at his vest. Though he didn’t say anything, Shadow could see the gears turning in Scootaloo’s head as the filly tried to figure out his vest.

“How’s it fit?” Scootaloo eventually asked.

Shadow shrugged, flexing his good wing. “Not bad. A little big, though I suspect that’s on purpose.”

“It is” Sweetie Belle said around her carrot, “Rarity thought you’d want a vest that you could ‘grow into’, though she couldn’t figure out why you wore one in the first place.” At this, three sets of eyes focused on the lone colt.

“It’s a long story” The alicorn said, hoping that that would be enough. While it seemed to have become his default explanation for that particular question, Shadow knew that at some point, it wouldn’t be enough. Yet he hoped that that future point would never come, since that would mean not having to explain how getting found out would have threatened the lives of his parents and his sister. Looking at the fillies, he was relieved to see that they seemed content enough to let him keep his secret.

Hearing a groan, Shadow looked at Scootaloo, before looking to where she was glaring. Across the playground, he could see a pink furred filly trotting toward them, a grey filly with a silver mane trailing close behind. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Cutie Mark Failures…” the filly said as she approached.

“What do you want, Diamond Tiara?” Scootaloo growled as the pink filly approached. While he didn’t know what was going on, Shadow knew enough from experience that it would be in his best interest to remain as quiet and invisible as possible.

“From you? Nothing, other than an explanation for why you’re annoying Shadow here.”

“We weren’t annoying him” Apple Bloom said, turning to face the new arrival “We thought we’d join him for lunch and get to know him.”

“Did you ever think that perhaps he wouldn’t want to associate with ponies with flanks as blank as yours?”

“Who asked you?”

Shadow tried to ignore the arguing fillies, his attention more focused on the final apple left. He didn’t know what was going on between the three fillies and the new arrival, but the way Diamond Tiara had less than subtly pointed out their lack of cutie marks and their subsequent responses suggested that whoever this Diamond Tiara was, she wasn’t a pony he probably wanted to be around. Biting into the apple, the colt watched as the argument continued, noting that it was starting to draw a crowd as the other students noticed what was happening.

“What do you think, Shadow?”

Shadow stopped mid chew as he heard Sweetie Belle say his name. Finishing off the apple, Shadow shrugged as he slowly stood, wincing as his burns protested. Igniting his horn, Shadow waited until the pain passed before speaking. “I don’t know what it’s like around here, but I was taught not to get between two ponies arguing.” Taking a few steps forward, Shadow stopped in front of Diamond Tiara. “I don’t know who you are, and frankly, I don’t really care to know who you are, Diamond Tiara.” Seeing the rising indignation in the filly’s face, the young alicorn continued before she could speak. “That being said, what I have seen so far tells me that you are nothing but a small dog barking at the top of your lungs, trying to make yourself look more important than you actually are.” Around him, a number of fillies and colts gasped. “My sister; Luna bless her memory, was a blank flank and got picked on every day by bullies like you.” Shadow leaned forward, until his face was less than an inch from Diamond Tiara’s “But compared to them, you are nothing more than a fly buzzing around a pony’s head like an annoying pest. I don’t know much about you, and from what I’ve seen so far, I doubt there’s much else for me to learn.” Glancing around, the young alicorn could see everypony within hearing slack jawed as he pushed back “Now I would suggest you leave us alone and go get a personality, because I have no interest in hanging around with a pony like you.” Turning around, he picked up his saddlebag in his magic, the sound of sputtering indignation warning him that Diamond Tiara wasn’t done with him. “I should also probably mention” he added, loosely tightening the strap around his barrel “you don’t scare me. I have seen things that would make you afraid of anything larger than a puddle. I have survived things that would have left you curled in a ball sucking on your hoof like a baby. You have nothing to use against me and nothing of worth to offer me, so please leave me alone.” Not waiting for a response, the injured colt walked through the crowd around them, his classmates making a path for him, as he made his way back to the school.

Shadow stretched as he slowly stood, the mid-afternoon sun lighting everything in the single room in hues of light yellow and orange. Around him, his classmates were cleaning up their desks, or putting things around the room away as the final few minutes of the school day ticked away. Making sure to stay out of his classmates’ way, the young alicorn stood by his desk, feeling his limbs slowly come back to life. As enraptured as he was with watching how the others cleaned up, Shadow considered himself fortunate that he only jumped a little as the older mare next to him spoke. “So, what did you think of your first day?”

The colt shrugged. Somehow, he was the most popular kid in class, seemingly only because of what he was. On top of that, his new found popularity only seemed to have grown since his public response to Diamond Tiara. “It’s definitely different from what I’m used to” He eventually said.

“How so?”

“I’m not used to so much color for one thing” He gestured to building around them. “Back home, the school house is painted white, and so is the inside. We also don’t have sheets of paper hanging from the walls.”

“Really? Why?”

“Paper is expensive” The colt said matter-of-factly. “It’s used mainly in books, which are also expensive, so all of this” he pointed to the colored drawings hanging around the room “would be seen as an extremely excessive waste of paper. On top of that, the only books in the building would be school related.” The teacher and her newest student watched as a pair of unicorns swept the floor. “I’m also not used to getting out on time.” Shadow could practically hear his teacher’s eyebrows rise. “Back home, we’d usually get out half an hour later than we were supposed to most days” He continued, glancing at his teacher. “The only day that I remember getting out early was my last day of school. Of course, it was a three day weekend because of a holiday, so we had plenty of reason to try and get everything done quickly.”

Cheerilee pursed her lips as she pondered what he had said, something about what he said not feeling quite right. “If paper is so expensive, how did you do homework?”

“On slate tablets with chalk?” The colt said, shrugging again. “We normally didn’t have homework; we were just constantly quizzed on what we were learning.” Shadow paused as a couple students waved at their teacher before leaving for the day. “Of course, those quizzes weren’t that hard if you paid attention.”

“So you have a good memory?”

“You have to if you don’t want ponies being constantly annoyed at you.”

“Which means I don’t have to worry about you forgetting to do your homework?” Cheerilee laughed as her new student realized how he had just blown a possible excuse for missing homework. “Don’t worry about it, Shadow. I don’t usually give out too much homework, and what I do give out isn’t too hard most of the time” She added, patting him on the shoulder. “Why don’t you grab your stuff and get going. I’m sure you want to spend some time enjoying the afternoon.” Seeing her lone student smile, the older mare smiled as Shadow gently tightened the saddlebag’s strap around his barrel. “I’m glad to have you in my class and I can’t wait until tomorrow.”

Pausing at the door, Shadow turned, bowing in respect to his teacher for a moment before turning to leave. Cheerilee sighed, smiling as he vanished into the afternoon light. Celestia knew how much she loved to teach, and it was moments like this that reinforced that love. Now only if every student of hers was more like him…

Pausing at the foot of the school’s steps, Shadow took a deep breath, the slight crispness of the air a refreshing change from the warm air of the schoolhouse. Taking a final deep breath to chase away the lingering bits of soreness from his limbs, the vested alicorn had barely taken a step before noticing the trio of fillies standing by the school’s sign along the road “Howdy.” Shadow frowned slightly as the ‘Crusaders’ as he had learned they were called approached him. Had they been waiting there for him to come out? “The girls and I were wondering if you had anything planned for this afternoon?”

“Not really” Shadow said, shrugging as he turned to walk down the road toward Ponyville, Apple Bloom and her friends falling in next to him. While he had been planning to go back to Twilight’s castle to work on his Equestrian, he didn’t exactly find the prospect of reading books written for foals particularly appealing; despite how necessary he knew it was.

“Wanna join us at Sugarcube Corner, then?” Scootaloo frowned at the colt’s look of confusion. Had she said something wrong? “You know; Sugarcube Corner? The bakery?” Seeing the continued look of confusion, Scootaloo sighed. Granted he had spent almost a month and a half in the hospital, but how had he not heard of Sugarcube Corner? “Girls, I think we have to introduce him to the greatest bakery in Equestria.” Seeing her friends nod, the orange pegasus filly took the lead, as the four ponies walked by the houses on the edge of town.

As they walked, Shadow’s head and eyes moved constantly as the colt surveyed the town. Sure he had done much the same when Twilight was showing him around after getting out of the hospital, but that had been a bit later in the day and there hadn’t been nearly as many ponies then as there were now. Around him, everything the colt saw reminded him of his old home, and yet, besides the fact he was in another country, it all felt so foreign. Around them, ponies freely conversed with other ponies, regardless of their tribe. Here a unicorn mare was taking with an earth pony stallion, while a unicorn stallion was talking to a pegasus mare as he walked down the street while she hovered nearby. Passing by a street full of vendors, Shadow found himself getting even more confused as ponies of different tribes interacted with each other, laughing and joking and generally acting like there were no obvious differences between them. Hay, for the most part he couldn’t see anypony trying to haggle over the price of something they wanted to buy.

Slowly shaking his head in disbelief, the colt and three fillies passed by the large circular building in the middle of the town, which Twilight had explained to him was Ponyville’s town hall, only for Shadow to feel his jaw all but hit the ground. Sitting on the town hall’s front steps, a caramel colored earth pony stallion was sitting next to a light blue pegasus mare with a yellow mane and the two were rubbing noses! Looking around quickly, Shadow felt his heart rate return to normal as he noticed that he had fallen slightly behind the Crusaders and that no pony was paying them or him any attention. Quickly checking that nopony was looking his way, Shadow took a slightly longer look at the obvious couple, his mind all but grinding to a halt as the stallion and mare kissed. In public no less! Rejoining the three fillies, the alicorn felt his head spin as he tried to get a grip on all the questions he suddenly had. Why were the three tribes so friendly with each other? How could they be? Everything that he knew told the colt that it shouldn’t possibly be so. The only reason that the pegasi back home had anything to do with the unicorns was that the earth ponies outnumbered the other two tribes and the two lower tribes needed to stick together, even if they didn’t quite trust the other, if they had any hope of keeping the earth ponies from running roughshod over them.

On top of that, it was obvious to the colt that those two were a couple. How was that possible as well? Sure, the mare could be trying to marry up, but unless that stallion was a complete idiot, there was no way he’d let it go on for much longer. Not only that, they were showing their feelings for the other in public, when something like that should have been done in private, lest they invite the wrath of their parents and tribes. Even as these thoughts swirled around his head, Shadow couldn’t help but recall his parents, who had bucked the island’s unspoken rule when they had dated, only to get married a year later. Could something like what his parents had done be considered normal in Equestria? If so, what did that mean about his home? What did it mean about how he had been raised? Sure, he knew why the earth ponies controlled everything of any real importance – Luna knew they reminded everypony else every chance they got – yet, while one part of him resented the treatment, another part had come to tolerate it, even accept it since the earth ponies had suffered the most under Star Trail.

“Everything alright?”

Shadow started as the simple question caught him off guard. Looking up, Sweetie Belle and her friends were looking at him, concern etched on their faces as they slowed down until he was back among them. “Yeah” the colt said, even though it was a lie “just a little overwhelmed by everything.”

“Then you better brace yourself” Scootaloo said “because we’re here.”

Shadow found himself once again confused by what he was looking at. The building in question looked like somepony had taken one look at a gingerbread house and, thinking that that would make a good building, had actually tried to build it, while tossing in some candy canes and a cupcake with candles on top for good measure. While Rarity’s boutique took the prize for most garish, in Shadow’s mind, this building easily took the prize for oddest design ever. Finding himself silently hoping the building was more stable than it looked, the colt followed the three fillies in.

The inside of the questionably designed building was decorated much like the outside, which Shadow found less surprising than he probably would have under normal circumstances. A number of ponies were milling around inside, some sitting at tables along the walls while a couple stood in line; a pink mare working behind the counter to fill their orders. As he watched, Pinkie Pie’s legs seemed to become a blur as she grabbed a number of sugary confections from behind the glass display case, wrapping them in paper before depositing them in a bag, all the while chatting with the customer at a normal speed. Shaking his head as he resolutely refused to try and figure the mare out, the colt joined his guides in the line. Before he knew it, the unicorn stallion before them left, a bag of doughnuts gripped in his magic. Behind the counter, Ponyville’s most mysterious resident smiled at the four young faces, “hey there girls, hey there Shadow. What can I get ya?”

The lone colt stared at the glass display case, his eyes growing at the sight of fresh baked muffins and all the doughnuts, rolls, eclairs and other assorted pastries dripping with frosting. Looking over the sheer variety to choose from, the alicorn frowned slightly at the sight of a single price next to each type of pastry. Did everypony pay the same price, or was it like back home, where what you paid depended on the seller’s mood and whether or not you had wings or a horn?

Looking up, Shadow felt his ears flatten against his head as he found four pairs of eyes staring at him. Unable to think of anything to say, the cornered colt fell back to the one gesture he seemed to be relying on more than any other, and shrugged.

Pinkie Pie smiled at the colt’s clear indecision “That’s not a problem. Why don’t you four grab a table and I’ll bring you something yummy.”

Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Shadow followed the three fillies over to a table by one of the windows. As they approached, he saw a yellowish magical field envelop the table’s four chairs, pulling them away and setting them aside nearby. Sweetie Belle and her friends didn’t say anything, only smiling as they stood around the table, making room for him. Shadow knew why they had done it, inconveniencing themselves so he didn’t feel singled out, and while it annoyed him that they felt they had to do it, he absolutely appreciated the simple gesture.

“So, what do you think of Ponyville?”

Shadow looked at the three Crusaders, who had turned their attention to him. “Honestly? This town reminds me a lot of home, yet so many things are different.”

“Like what?”

Where do I begin Shadow wondered as he looked around. “Well, for one thing the bakery back home isn’t nearly this big.”

“Really?”

Shadow nodded. “If I had to guess, it’s probably about half the size of this place, but I can’t say for sure, since I’ve never been in there before.”

“Why not?”

The lone colt looked at Apple Bloom, her head tilted in confusion. “Mr. Angel Food likes to exercise his right to say who can and can’t come in, and I happened to be on the jerk’s list of those not allowed in.” Shadow wanted to add a few choice epithets about the despised baker, but a quick glance at the other ponies at the table stayed his tongue. While he didn't care as much about what Apple Bloom thought, he did care about what the other two fillies thought. If he alienated them, word would get back to the other foals at school and he'd find himself very much alone. If that happened, Celestia, who he had no doubt was watching him, would seize the opportunity to make him vanish. On top of that, Apple Bloom was the sister of Applejack, who along with her brother, controlled the town's apple supply, and if others were to be believed, a good part of Equestria's apple supply as well. If he let his dislike for earth ponies get out, he'd find himself unable to get his hoof on a rotten apple, much less a fresh one, faster than he could blink.

“Why would he do that?”

Shadow shrugged, if only to keep him from telling Apple Bloom and alienating himself. Being an earth pony like that broom wielding dirt kicker, she wouldn’t understand. “If he wants to stab himself in the hoof by refusing to serve part of a rather small town, who am I to stop him. Besides, it’s not like we had money lying around at home, so even if I could go in there, I could only ever look.”

“How small was your home town?”

“About half the size of Ponyville” He replied.

Before he could continue, Pinkie Pie walked up to their table, a tray perfectly balanced on her back. With a sweep of her tail, the all pink mare slid the tray onto the table, before sweeping up the hoof-full of bits on the table in one smooth motion. “There you go: two doughnuts for Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, a blueberry muffin for Sweetie Belle and one extra-large apple fritter for Shadow.”

Thanking the perpetually peppy mare, the four ponies fell silent as they ate the offered pastries. Shadow smiled; his face lighting up as he bit into his fritter, the taste of cinnamon apple exploding on his tongue.

“So what else is different about Ponyville?”

Tossing the rest of the fritter into his mouth and swallowing, Shadow ignited his horn. Above the table, the illusion spell he had been working on for the last few weeks came to life. The illusion started out with a pegasus’s-eyed view of the ocean from the air. As the spell played, the view changed as dark stone ridges grew out of the water, a town backed by mountains quickly appearing. Passing over the town’s wharf, the crusaders could see hundreds of ponies, some working on or around the ships, while many others walked or flew over the town’s cobbled streets. As Dragon’s Bay fell away, Shadow couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as he noticed the enraptured fillies tilt their heads in time with the illusion as it tilted to the side, like they were banking to the side. Along the ground, trees whipped by as the ground rose up, before falling away as they passed through the gap that separated his home from the rest of the world.

Trotting to stand behind the three Crusaders, Shadow couldn’t help but admire his work, even if it looked a little rough to him. Before them, his home valley opened before them in an expansive view of what he imagined it would look like from that particular angle. The illusion dove as it reached Red Lake, ponies in boats working the water flashing by as his old schoolhouse grew in the distance. Pulling up, the illusion lost speed as it gained altitude, before coming to a complete stop, allowing the three fillies and the assembled ponies behind them a perfect view of the valley, from his hometown to the sharp, snow-capped mountains that formed most of the valley’s walls.

Much to everypony’s disappointment, the spell died a minute later, the final image of the seemingly idyllic town burned into everypony’s mind. “Wow.”

Shadow jumped as he and the three Crusaders turned around to see Rainbow Dash standing behind them. The colt couldn’t quite read the flyer’s expression, but if he had to guess, it was a combination of shock and wonder “Hey there Rainbow Dash!”

“Hey there, Squirt” the mare replied, before turning to Shadow. “Was that your home?” Seeing him nod, she let out a low whistle. “It looks beautiful; impressive spell.”

“Thanks. I’ve had plenty of time on my hooves recently.” Shadow replied, not bothering to hide the smile from her compliment. “What brings you here?”

“Besides the awesome food? I was hoping to find you.”

“What for?” Apple Bloom asked, worry tingeing her voice.

“I’ve got some unfinished business, and I need his help.”

Ponyville’s most infamous trio of fillies looked at each other. They had all heard that tone before, and knew that if they wanted to avoid the trouble that was sure to follow, they had to make themselves scarce. Convincing absolutely nopony, all three looked at a clock hanging on a nearby wall before acting shocked at the time. “Is it that late already?” Apple Bloom said as she raced to get her saddlebag strapped on. “I have to get home before Applejack gets mad.”

“I got to help Rarity.”

“And I got homework to do.”

“Bye!” As one, the three fillies fled the bakery, not waiting to see if Shadow or Rainbow Dash responded. For his part, Shadow felt that Scootaloo’s excuse seemed a bit unconvincing, especially since Cheerilee hadn’t assigned any homework. Turning to Rainbow Dash, he could see his confusion mirrored on the older mare’s face as she stared at the shop’s front door.

With a shrug, the sky blue flyer turned to her young companion who was clearly wondering what she wanted with him. “Remember when you mentioned that chair prank a couple weeks ago?” Seeing him nod, Rainbow led them both out the door, waving to Pinkie Pie as they left, “I think now is a perfect time to see it in action.”

Shadow pursed his lips as he thought about it. It had been months since he had seen the spell used, and even longer since he had used it himself. While he could cast the spell just fine, it would take a little longer than usual, since he hadn’t used it for so long. Sure, he could have used it on High Tide on several occasions – Luna knew if any pony deserved it, it would have been him – but the only reason he hadn’t done so was that it wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure out who was responsible. “Who do you have in mind?”

Pausing at the street corner, Rainbow Dash pointed to a pony halfway down the street. Her target was an off-white earth pony mare with a two-toned red mane and tail operating a flower stand. As he watched, the mare got off the stool behind her cart as she helped another mare pick out some flowers. A smile slowly grew on the colt’s face as a plan slowly formed in his mind.

“Can you do it?”

Shadow nodded. He wasn’t used to casting this particular spell from this far away, but if it made Rainbow Dash smile, he’d cast it from Canterlot if he had to. “I just need you to do one thing.” Moments later, he watched his friend trot off toward the cart, a look of pleasure, seemingly at the beautiful weather plastered on the flyer’s face as she approached the mare’s cart. Stepping into the darkness between two nearby buildings, Shadow began to charge his horn, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The moment came a couple seconds later as the mare rose to greet Rainbow Dash. As soon as she stood, the alicorn released the spell, watching with barely contained glee as his magic enveloped the mare’s stool with a barely noticeable flash.

Moving out of the shadows, the colt trotted down a parallel street, making his way to where he and Rainbow Dash would meet up. Turning around a corner, Shadow couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at the smile on the older mare’s face “So how long until it goes off?” Before he could reply, both ponies jumped as a high pitched scream split the afternoon air. Racing around the corner, both stared at the luckless earth pony mare, who was clinging to a flagpole that was hanging ten feet above the ground. Below her, her stool rolled around on the ground, begging for mercy while simultaneously asking what it had done to earn her wrath. Around her, a couple ponies were clearly confused while a few tried to hide their smiles at the obvious prank. For her part, Rainbow Dash snickered quietly, tapping her newest pranking buddy on the shoulder, leading them away before anypony could think about suspecting them.

A New Life - Part 2

Twilight grumbled as a wall of ice cold rain slapped her across the face, the feeling of ice water running through her mane and fur adding speed to the alicorn’s hooves as she ran the final distance to the hospital. It wasn’t just the ice cold soaking that had the youngest Princess in a less than pleasant mood. Somewhere, somepony whose name Twilight wish she knew so she could send them a strongly worded letter had managed to get their weather orders scrambled. As a result, a cold front that shouldn’t have been released for at least another month had been allowed to fly down from the north. When it had hit the warm air over Equestria, the results were a series of storms that most local weather teams, including Ponyville’s, couldn’t handle. The final result had been a week of unstable weather, including high winds that had managed to strip a good portion of the leaves from the trees, much to the disappointment of everypony who was looking forward to the annual Running of the Leaves.

Slowing down the last few feet, Twilight trotted into the hospital’s main lobby, her horn already glowing as she used her magic to wring every last drop of water from her mane and coat, contemptuously sending the resulting ball of water flying outside. Shaking her mane one final time, the alicorn trotted down a nearby hall, her mind only paying partial attention to where she was going. With barely a thought, she pushed a door to the side, smiling at the sight of Rainbow Dash as she lay on the floor, doing sit ups.

“Hey Twi” The rainbow-maned athlete grunted as she pulled herself off the ground “How’s the weather outside?”

“Cold, wet and miserable” The alicorn replied as she set her saddlebag along the wall.

“Kinda figured, which is why I stopped by earlier than usual. Fortunately, this mess should be gone in a day or two.”

“That’s good to know.” Twilight looked around, nodding at Rainbow’s therapist who was watching the mare. Other than them talking, the large exercise room was mostly silent, save for the sound of the rain hitting the roof. “Where’s Shadow? I thought he’d be here with you.”

“Oh, he is” Rainbow Dash grunted, her pace seeming to slow.

“Where?” Before her friend could reply, Twilight jumped, barely suppressing a scream as she felt what seemed like snakes and spiders crawling through her mane. Spinning around, the older alicorn barely heard Rainbow Dash’s laughter as the purple mare glared at the black and grey alicorn colt hovering unsteadily before her, his horn wrapped in a golden aura. As much as she wanted to be mad at him, Twilight couldn’t help but smile as Shadow quickly rose out of reach, a pegasus stallion following behind him. Standing there, the purple alicorn watched as he slowly flew around the room, occasionally pulling small dives as he worked his wings.

“He’s barely touched the ground in the last three hours” Rainbow said, panting as she stood next to Twilight. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy.”

Twilight nodded silently as she watched. For the past few months, the most she had gotten out of Shadow was a few minor smiles, and even those hadn’t lasted very long. Here, he was smiling and laughing like a normal colt his age as he made room’s small airspace his own. The sense of happiness and satisfaction Twilight felt at the sight before her chased any lingering chill from her run in the rain fleeing. They’d eventually have to brave the storm outside again when they left, but Twilight pushed those thoughts aside for the moment, content to watch from below as Shadow flew and enjoyed himself.

An involuntary shiver ran down Celestia’s back, despite her lying in front of a large fire. Sighing in relief at the end of another long day, the eldest Princess stared at the flames as they danced, her eyes unfocused as she listened to the crackling of the logs instead of the rain from the unplanned storm pounding against the nearby glass windows. Smiling to herself, the alicorn forced herself a little deeper into the pillows around her as she closed her eyes, trying to let all the stresses and problems of the day melt away, if only for a while.

Opening her eyes as she finally felt herself relax; Celestia looked over at the steaming mug next to her, her horn already picking it up with her magic. Taking a sip, she winced as the heat of the chocolate tried to burn her mouth and throat on the way down, but being the Princess of the Sun, she was naturally more heat resistant than any of her ponies, or most any other creature for that matter, except for the fire sprites. Groaning to herself at the thought of them, Celestia recalled the letter she had received the day before from General Cinder. While it had been as professional as one would expect from one national leader to another, she was more than able to read between the lines of the officer’s neat handwriting. If what she had read was correct, the general’s choice for Colonel Ash’s replacement had been approved by the sprite council, and Major Flare was now a full Colonel, yet what the general had left out was how proud he was to see the major promoted. Celestia for her part, hoped to meet the newly minted Colonel soon. The rest of the letter had been the typical whitewashed news that she had come to expect from the general when it came to the comings and goings in his realm. He had mentioned how the council was starting to try and pressure him about Shadow, but his letter had made it clear that it was usually minor and he just had to remind any sprite who got a little too bold about what had happened a few months earlier to get them to back down. For that, Celestia couldn’t express her gratitude.

Sighing, the solar princess winced as she took another sip of her hot chocolate, more than glad at the moment that she had managed to get the chef who made this to quit his previous job in Manehattan and join her kitchen staff. Celestia wished she had more to show the sprites about her efforts to get answers, but she still barely had anything of real value, despite the nearly month and a half Shadow had been out of the hospital. It had been at Pinkie Pie’s party, with the colt’s near constant eye on her, that she had realized that if she hoped to learn anything that might let her help him, she’d have to take a much more hooves off approach than normal.

To that end, she had had to recruit her former student. Twilight had been willing to help, even before Celestia had explained what was potentially at stake, but like her teacher, the younger alicorn wasn’t particularly thrilled at what was being asked of her. Despite that, Twilight’s efforts had resulted in some minor rewards. Thanks to her, they had been able to confirm that the three ponies killed during the sprite’s initial assault had been Shadow’s family. On top of that, she had also relayed some information that had helped Celestia and her sister answer a few questions they had had.

Setting the mug back down, the eldest Royal Sister reread the letter she had gotten a couple hours earlier from Twilight. Needless to say, it had made the princess smile to read that the young colt was airborne again and that his fur and tail would have grown back in by the time Hearth’s Warming rolled around. Next to that letter was another that she had received around the same time. Looking at it, the smile that Celestia had gotten from Twilight’s letter slowly faded as she read the second letter, not because of its content, but because of the fact that its existence was necessary in the first place.

Surprisingly, it had been Luna who had first suggested sending the undercover guards to Ponyville to watch Shadow. At first Celestia had balked at the idea, since Twilight and her friends would be enough to keep an eye on him. With that, Luna had spent the following half hour explaining in detail about just how much Shadow feared Celestia, even going so far as to show her part of his dreams that featured the flame-wreathed demonic version of her. Luna had also pointed out that, knowing how he saw her and felt about her, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to think that he might decide to disappear, and that once he could fly again, he could put much more distance between him and them, making a search that much more difficult.

Celestia had eventually agreed to the idea, so long as Twilight knew about it as well, but it wasn’t just to keep him from running that she had agreed to it. Fancy Pants had let her in on some of the recent rumors floating around the nobility, several of which included word of an alicorn colt being found. While she had made sure to keep Shadow’s presence as secret as possible, Celestia knew that it wouldn’t last forever, and that once the nobility found out about him, they would try to use him for their own ends. Besides watching him, the other main duty of the four undercover guards in Ponyville was to protect him as well.

Celestia sighed as she finished off her hot chocolate. While she would have loved to tell the nobles to back off when it came to Shadow, she knew she couldn’t. While she doubted they’d do anything if she made it clear he was off-limits, confirming his presence to the nobles would only make him known to the rest of Equestria, which could make him nervous enough to try and run. Looking out the window, the princess watched the storm beat itself against the glass, the rain running down the large windows in sheets. She trusted Luna with her life and knew that it was for the best that she was taking the lead with Shadow, yet part of Celestia silently hoped that she was doing the right thing.

The crystalline room lay quiet and dark, the only violations of that peacefulness came from the dying remains of the fire the castle’s occupants had built a few hours ago. Now, two of them lay asleep in their bed, while the castle’s newest occupant lay in front of the fireplace, still awake. Shadow stared at the glowing embers, his eyes trained on the few tenacious tongues of fire that had so far refused to die. Despite the warmth and the constantly shifting patterns of red and black on the glowing embers, the young alicorn refused to let himself be hypnotized by the glowing light’s movement. Glancing to the side, Shadow looked at the book next to him, Daring Do smiling cockily at him from the cover. It was the third book in the series, and would be the first real book written entirely in Equestrian that he’d finish on his own. The colt felt more than a little satisfaction, seeing as how he could barely read Equestrian only months earlier.

Glancing back at the slowly darkening fire, the alicorn recalled how the fire had originally been Twilight’s idea, since colder weather was scheduled to move in soon and she wanted to get some practice with starting fires in her new home. For his part, Shadow had no problem with her plan, so long as he was nowhere nearby. If he had learned anything from recent events, it was that him and open flames didn’t mix, and he had no interest in seeing history repeat itself yet again. The young Princess had been saddened by his decision, but had ultimately respected it. Shadow had spent the next two hours working his way through his book’s fourth chapter, before a combination of boredom and frustration convinced him to find Twilight and Spike.

Initially, the two had been surprised to see him, though neither questioned him when he chose a spot as far from the fire a pony could get, while still being in the same room. Slowly, the night had worn on, with Twilight eventually excusing herself for the night, leaving the colt and young dragon eyeing each other warily as she left. For a while, the two worked to ignore the other, Spike returning to his comic books while Shadow continued with his book, each occasionally looking up to check on the other. Spike had been the one to eventually break the uncomfortable silence as both dragon and colt accidentally locked eyes with the other for the tenth time in two hours. “Why do you keep looking at me like I might attack you?” For his part, Shadow had immediately looked away, focusing his attention on the fire instead of the look of pain and anger on the dragon’s face as he replied that it wasn’t anything personal. “Yeah, and I’m sure the shield you trapped me under wasn’t personal, either.”

Shadow knew he should have ignored the dragon’s snark, but he only realized it after he had gotten to his hooves and marched over to the reptile, stopping just outside the range of his breath “You want to know why I’m scared of you? It’s because the last time anypony back home had to deal with a dragon, this happened!” At this, Shadow’s horn flared, an illusion of an undeveloped Dragon’s Bay appearing above the floor. As Spike watched, an absolutely enormous red dragon dove from the sky, its breath completely engulfing one of the ships below, while another ship burst into flames simply from being too close. Shadow let the screams of the miniature ponies linger for a moment before ending the illusion.

Spike looked more than a little sick as he turned to Shadow, tears in his eyes, “I would never do that!” Shadow watched the young dragon, not quite sure what to think as he saw Spike tear up. “I mean, sure there was that one incident a while back, but I’m better than that now and there’s no way Twilight and the other girls would ever let me get like that again.”

Surprised, Shadow studied the young lizard for a moment. Of all the things he had expected, having Spike honestly admit that he had once gotten out of control wasn’t one of them. Hell, most ponies back home would have avoided admitting they were wrong like the plague. Sighing, Shadow very gingerly sat down “Look” he said, meeting Spike’s eyes with his own “I’ll admit that I might have overreacted a bit when I first saw you” Shadow ignored the dragon’s crossed arms and raised eyebrow, “but unless you want things to continue like they are now, we should probably let the past stay in the past.”

Shadow smiled at the memory, remembering how they had hoof bumped on it, the tension in the room slowly vanishing like the logs in the fireplace. While he had meant what he had said about leaving the past alone; that still didn’t mean the colt was suddenly comfortable around the young fire breather. He had also proposed the truce because he was getting tired of constantly monitoring Spike’s whereabouts, but the young dragon didn’t need to know that. Yawning, the lone alicorn slowly stood, eyeing the glowing coals before him. In the back of his mind, Shadow knew that they didn’t pose a risk since they were surrounded by crystal, but he didn’t move an inch as he ignited his horn; a shield bursting to life over the fire’s glowing remains a moment later. As far as the colt was concerned, it didn’t matter. He would never make that mistake again.

Shadow watched as smoke from the coals filled the small area covered by his shield, until he could only see a slight glow from the grey cloud before him. Waiting for a few more minutes, Shadow let a hole form in the top of his shield, allowing the smoke to pour into the chimney above. Turning to a nearby bucket, Shadow picked up the water in it with his magic, forming it into a ball that he then threw into his shield, the sound of the coals hissing at the sudden bath reaching his ears as he kept the water and resulting steam trapped under his shield. Eventually finding himself satisfied with his work, the colt left the room, his improvised fire extinguisher still in place above the now dead coals.

Fighting back another yawn, the young orphan slowly made his way to his room down the hall, his horn gently glowing above him, its light casting shadows that seemed to dance as he walked by. Quietly pushing his door open, the alicorn let the glow from his horn fade as he saw that, thanks to the bright moonlight streaming through his window, he could see everything just fine. Smiling, Shadow walked to the large window, pushing it open to find himself greeted by a cool autumn breeze. Feeling himself waking back up, the lone colt surveyed the town before him, finding the sight of Ponyville slumbering beneath a slightly cloudy moon-lit night sky strangely relaxing. Taking a deep breath of the night time air, Shadow looked behind him, his wings already half spread. Smirking, he gently set his book on the nearby bed before launching himself out of the open window.

Hearing the familiar rush of air as gravity pulled him down; Shadow spread his wings, wincing as he felt them strain to change his course. With a little more effort than he was used to, the young alicorn pulled up from his dive with a few feet to spare, shooting into the air, the ground and castle quickly dropping away. Getting another taste of the freedom he hadn’t fully enjoyed since the night of the island fire, Shadow pumped his wings, ignoring the growing burning sensation as he shot into the air, his altitude growing by hundreds of feet every minute. Flaring a wing while tucking in the other, the colt rolled in the air as he reached the apex of his climb. Below him was the ground, above him the moon and for the moment, everything in between was his.

Letting gravity take over for a moment, he let his horizontal spin continue, his speed increasing until he opened his eyes and wings at the same moment, the movement of his wings sending him into a horizontal cartwheeling spin across a small piece of Ponyville airspace. Tucking his legs back in, the colt pulled up, sending himself into another dizzying spin. Feeling himself go weightless for that one single moment when gravity wasn’t yet in control, Shadow smiled to himself. This was what flying was to him. He would have been the first to admit that a pair of wings was the best way to get around, but up here, with nothing but himself, the open air, and the stars and moon as his audience; this was what truly made him feel alive again. Spotting a house-sized cloud nearby, Shadow dropped like a hawk on an unfortunate mouse, his horn glowing as he used his magic to force the cloud to shrink and condense. At the moment where the cloud would become a very small thunderhead, the young alicorn hit it at full speed, the cloud vanishing as its condensed water soaked the colt. Pulling up, Shadow threw himself into the hardest cartwheel he could manage. Stopping himself at the critical moment, the night dancer froze in midair, while the water that he had gathered on his wings and body flew off, arching through the air, the moon’s light catching the water in the air, creating the most perfect moonbow he had ever seen.

Panting, Shadow slowly lowered his raised hooves. Looking around, he could see what seemed like all of Equestria before him. Beneath him, Ponyville lay peaceful and silent, blissfully unaware of the performance it had just missed, while next to the town, the Everfree Forest stood like a silent corpse, its burned and scarred trees unmoving in the night’s gentle wind. Beyond the town, the fields rolled on silently, the year’s final crops waiting to be harvested. Spinning around, Shadow could see the glowing mass of clouds that marked Cloudsdale, while beyond that, Canterlot clung to the side of its mountain like a yellow gem in a necklace.

Smiling at the beauty around him, the colt’s eyes fell on the horizon, that familiar ache rising in him again. He had felt it every day he had been trapped in the hospital and, until recently, every day he had been trapped on the ground. He could feel the ache tugging at him, urging him to listen and follow his desires. He could feel himself being drawn to the southern horizon, and Shadow knew it wouldn’t be that hard, compared to what he had gone through before reaching Ponyville. With everypony in town asleep, it would be the work of a minute to grab his saddlebags and by the time anypony noticed him missing, he’d be miles away, and now that he could fly, he could cover more ground faster, making it harder for anypony pursuing him to find him, let alone catch him.

And yet…

And yet, despite every instinct in him screaming at him to grab his stuff and make a beeline for the rainclouds in the far distance, Shadow hesitated, the beat of his wings slowing until they flapped just fast enough to keep him aloft. Why didn’t he go? Why didn’t he take the perfect opportunity the universe had presented him and put as much distance between him and Celestia as possible? Sure, he had no doubt that he was being watched, but what were the chances that they were watching him now, and, even if they were, what where the odds that anypony, even Royal Guards, could catch a black and grey alicorn colt when his namesakes was all around, waiting for him to hide among them? Slowly, thoughts of the ponies below began to fill his mind. Below him, the ponies of Ponyville had opened their lives to him. Sure he had helped save a number of its residents, but even ponies not directly affected by his actions that day still smiled and waved to him. Those simple gestures he got everyday were more than what he had gotten back home in a couple months. These ponies had welcomed him into the town, thrown him the single greatest party he had ever attended, and had made him feel welcomed outside of his home for the first time in his life. Beyond that, they all knew exactly what he was, and yet they had never so much as batted an eye whenever he walked by. Was it because of Twilight living in town? Was it because they never had to deal with an alicorn like Star Trail or the results of her madness?

In the distance, he could see Sweet Apple Acres and Apple Bloom’s house, silent and dark like the rest of the town. Turning his head, the hovering colt could see Rarity’s boutique, where Sweetie Belle was spending the weekend while their parents were out of town. A couple blocks away, Scootaloo’s house added to the surrounding peaceful calm. If he vanished, what would his friends think? How would they react when they heard the next morning that he and his saddlebags were gone? As if he needed any help, he could practically hear their pained voices, asking Twilight and Rainbow Dash why he had left so abruptly, asking them where he had gone. Shadow felt his heart sink as their imagined questions ripped at him, his spirit flagging at what they and Rainbow Dash would look like when they realized he wasn’t coming back. What would Rainbow Dash think? She had been the first pony in the town to visit him in the hospital. She had spent hours upon hours of every day sitting by his side as he recovered, reading him books and telling him tall tales of the adventures of her and her friends and the exploits they claimed as theirs. Shadow knew he had gained Rainbow’s respect. He could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. What would she think of him if he ran away? Would she understand? Or would she consider him a disappointment who was ultimately unworthy of her respect and completely uncool?

Turning in the air, Shadow gazed at Canterlot in the distance. Was this what she wanted? Was Celestia watching him at this very moment, waiting for him to make his move? Was she hoping that he’d try and run, so that she could finally swoop in and snatch him in the dead of night, with nopony the wiser and, thanks to him, a perfect excuse ready for anyone who asked about him? Part of him wondered why she was taking her time, but Shadow ignored the persistent question. It wasn’t important at the moment. Would leaving mean abandoning his Princess, his Queen? Even though he would remain loyal to her until the day he died, what would Luna think if he fled? What if Celestia turned on her again, and she spent another thousand years on the moon because he hadn’t been there to help defend her?

Shadow frowned as questions began to grow in his mind. Why was everypony nice to him, even though he was very clearly not one of them? Why didn’t they treat him like royalty, like they had when Celestia and Luna were in town? How much of what he knew about Equestria was correct? What percentage was true and what percent was false? What about Twilight’s ascension? Why didn’t they hear about Luna’s return? Did the adults back home know the truth, but kept it from the kids, or did they not know themselves? Hovering there in the night sky, Shadow looked across Equestria, conflicted and unsure what to do.

Luna soared over Equestria. Below her, the land lay in slumber, her subjects enjoying their rest in peace and comfort. Turning from Canterlot, the youngest Royal Sister flew over the city’s edge, the forest below slowly rolling by as she headed for Ponyville, the town that had been the first to welcome her back after her return, and the town that seemed like her second home. Luna closed her eyes as she flew, taking the chance to enjoy the sense of freedom that only an astral form could give, though she sorely missed the wind in her mane. Seeing the beloved town growing in the distance, the Princess of the Night slowed as she thought she saw something shoot into the night sky above the town. Curious, the elder alicorn glided toward the sleeping town, her eyes searching for whatever she had just seen. Looking up, she felt her jaw drop, only for it to become a smile as she watched a particular black and grey colt flying above the town, cutting through the air as silently as an owl as he swooped and dove and spun. Luna had been overjoyed a week earlier to hear that he had started flying again, but to see it for herself, and to see him do it so fluidly and gracefully? This was a sight she knew that she would treasure for years.

As she watched, Luna almost clapped at the routine’s finale, the light of the moonbow shining down on the town, but she held back, knowing full well that the gesture was wasted, since nopony would hear her. Framed by the bow, she could see Shadow, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. Moving closer, Luna watched as her potential future student took in the land before him, his eyes eventually settling on the horizon to the south. Uh oh Luna didn’t need her magic to know what he was thinking, his eyes told her everything. Yet, he didn’t make a move, instead seeming to slowly rotate over the land, taking it in again. Would he run, or would he stay?

Slowly, the lone pony lost altitude, his wings locked into a simple glide as he bled excess altitude in favor of steady speed. Smiling, Luna pulled up alongside the colt, her eyes reading the tension in his muscles and conflict in his mind as he flew over the town and surrounding farmlands. Banking with him, she followed Shadow as he finally approached the Crystal Castle. Falling back, she hovered, watching with uncertainty as the young alicorn hovered before the open window before crawling through it.

Slowly, a smile grew on the princess’s face as a golden glow enveloped the glass window, closing it and shutting the room off from the outside world. With a flick of her wings, Luna passed through the solid crystal wall, her smile growing as Shadow crawled into his bed, his breathing becoming slow and steady moments later. Sleep well, my little pony. I shall see you soon Luna thought, her astral form vanishing a moment later.

Shadow huffed as he stomped his hooves in an attempt to stave off the cold from the snow he was standing in. Around him, Ponyville lay under a foot thick blanket of powder and fluff, much to many ponies’ surprise. Despite the dusting the weather schedule had called for, the alicorn had known as soon as he had seen the clouds moving in that they were going to get more. Shadow tried not to laugh too hard at the memory of the look on Twilight’s face that morning when she opened the front door, only to find her trust in Cloudsdale misplaced.

Despite the scarf around his neck and his seemingly iconic red and black vest, the colt still found himself pacing back and forth in front of Scootaloo’s house in an attempt to stay warm. What could possibly be keeping her? Like always, he had walked to Scootaloo’s house to join her on the walk to school, and like always, he was waiting for her outside. Normally he didn’t mind too much, since Equestria’s weather was much more mild and predictable compared to what he was used to back home, but just because he didn’t mind waiting didn’t mean he didn’t find it annoying when she was late, which she usually was.

Finally resolving to knock on her door and ask if he could wait for her inside, Shadow had barely turned when the door behind him burst open, an orange and purple blur barely missing him as it shot out of the warm house with a very familiar buzz. “Sorry! Sorry! I overslept and-” Scootaloo paused mid-apology as she finally noticed how much snow she was standing in “Where the hay did all this come from?!” Shadow couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction. Seeing her look at him, the colt pointed at the sky above them. The filly took one look up before fixing him with a glare that told him precisely what she thought of his answer. Yawning, the two young ponies started for Sweetie Belle’s house, with Shadow’s horn glowing as he used a shield to cut a path for them. “Dude, you’re good with magic right? Don’t you know a spell or something to get rid of all this snow?”

Shadow smiled at his friend’s complaints; of course he knew a couple spells that would work. “Of course I do, but three wouldn’t work fast enough, two would leave too much ice behind, and the last one shouldn’t really be used near buildings. Besides, this is great shield practice.” The colt laughed as he heard his friend mutter something about excuses. He had never told her or anypony else, but it was moments like this that she reminded him of Star Gazer, and his chest tightened every time she did.

“Hey, you still got any Nightmare Night candy left?”

Shadow didn’t bother to hide the smile that he always got when he remembered the single greatest night of his life and how Princess Luna and her guards had reacted when they saw him dressed up as a smaller male version of Nightmare Moon and the half-dozen armored thestral clones with him. “Of course I do.” Since candy and other sweet treats were an extremely rare treat for him back home, he had never quite developed a sweet tooth like his classmates. While he enjoyed candy as much as the next pony, he didn’t have as high a tolerance, which naturally meant he still had candy left over when everypony else had finished their off weeks earlier. “Why?”

“Wanna trade?”

Shadow looked behind him, “What do you got?”

“Hey ya two!”

The alicorn and pegasus turned to look at the yellow and red earth pony filly who had shouted to them, Sweetie belle trotting along behind Apple Bloom. “Morning” the lone colt replied as he yawned yet again.

“What took ya two so long?” Silently, Shadow looked behind him at Scootaloo as they walked “let me guess, ya overslept again?”

“Yeah” For her part, the pegasus at least looked sorry.

Shaking her head with a smile, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle joined Scootaloo and Shadow, with the colt still in the lead. As he walked, the colt only paid half attention to what the three fillies were chatting about. No doubt they were talking about finding their cutie marks, like always. Silently, Shadow wondered if things had been a little different and he and his sister had lived here, would she have become a crusader. Before he could think about it much more, Shadow hissed, gritting his teeth as something large and cold slammed into his side and exploded. Whipping his head around, the alicorn moved his shield, the wall of magic intercepting the remaining snowballs that had been launched at them. In between two nearby building, the colt and three fillies could see a certain pair of fillies laughing at them. Shadow’s horn brightened slightly as he called on his magic to soothe the pain in his side. While his burns had healed and his fur had mostly grown back in, he was still more sensitive than usual where he had been burned. These two fillies knew it as well, which was probably why they had hit him there. For whatever reason, Diamond Tiara treated him like she did the other crusaders. Shadow suspected it was because he had publicly stood up to her on his first day of school, and had damaged her image as a result. It didn’t matter much to the colt as he gazed narrowly at the bully and her crony. “Are you alright Shadow?”

The young alicorn glanced over at Sweetie Belle, who was looking at him with concern. Smirking, the colt placed his shield between them and the two other fillies. “In a moment, I’ll be more than alright.” Flaring his horn, Shadow whistled, the short blast echoing around the small square. A second later, several dozen snowballs rose into the air, each surrounded by a thin aura of his magic. Smiling like a cat that had cornered a mouse, the colt whistled again while raising a hoof to point at the two fillies. For their part, the two targets had the sense to run when they realized they were suddenly outmatched. At once, half of the snowballs streaked after the two, while the other half shot into the air to chase from above.

The whole exchange had taken less than two minutes, and as Diamond Tiara’s screams faded into the distance, Shadow found his three friends staring at him with a combination of shock and awe. “Remind me never ta get inta a snowball fight with ya” Apple Bloom said. In the distance, all four ponies could hear the school bell ringing and they took off, running as fast as they could with Shadow still acting plowpony.

Reaching the front steps of the schoolhouse, Shadow and his friends trotted the last few steps into the building, all four sighing as the building’s heat washed over them “Morning you four.” Looking up, the four students greeted their teacher, with Shadow bowing his head. “You don’t happen to know where Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are, do you?” All four shook their head. While they had seen them, they could be anywhere by now.

Looking out a nearby window, Shadow smiled at the two rapidly growing figures in the distance. “They’ll be here in a minute” He replied. As Cheerilee walked to the front of the room, Shadow closed one of the front doors, much to Diamond Tiara’s shock.

“Let us in, let us in!”

“Shut the door, shut the door!” Somepony behind Shadow called out.

Ignoring the heckler, the school’s lone alicorn held the other door, slamming it shut as soon as Silver Spoon’s tail cleared it. Silently, everypony listened as the two doors were pelted by the snowballs that had been chasing the two tardy fillies. Forty-six, forty-seven Shadow frowned shouldn’t there be one more? As if on cue, another thump signaled the end of the final enchanted snowball. Turning to the two panting fillies next to him, the colt offered his hoof to Diamond Tiara, who took it, much to everypony’s surprise. Helping her up, Shadow leaned forward, until his mouth next to the bully’s ear “Next time, I won’t miss.”

Cheerilee watched everything from her desk. While she didn’t know the details, she had no doubt that Diamond Tiara and her friend had tried something, only for it to backfire on them. Normally she would have asked for details, but since it was the last day of school before the holiday break, and since nopony had gotten hurt, she was more than willing to let it slide. “Alright everypony” She said as her students took their seats “We got a few things to go over this morning; then we’ll go to the library for the rest of the day to work on your reports, where I’ve also arranged for a special surprise.”

Around the room, the fillies and colts whispered to each other, speculation about the surprise running rampant. Even Shadow was as in the dark as everypony else, which more than a few classmates found hard to believe, since he lived at the library.

“Settle down everypony.” Cheerilee said after a moment “The sooner we get done here, the sooner you can see the surprise.” The teacher wasn’t surprised when she suddenly found herself facing a couple dozen perfect angels. Smiling, she picked up a piece of chalk with her fetlock as she turned to the chalkboard behind her. She couldn’t wait to see their faces.

Sighing in contentment, Shadow settled down on the chair. Of all the possibilities he could think of, a party catered by Pinkie Pie waiting for them at the library was not one of them. Leaning back, the colt burped, smiling at all of the amazing food around him. Pinkie Pie had outdone herself in his opinion. Not only was there a small mountain of baked goods in the middle of the ground floor but around the room, the pink mare had placed tables covered with various dishes and foods, ensuring that no pony went hungry. Around the library, his classmates worked on their history reports, some doing so while still snacking. As Ms. Cheerilee had put it, the purpose of the report was to help her students get a deeper grasp of their country’s history, by focusing on ponies that had made an impact on the nation, large or small, good or bad. She had gotten the idea from Granny Smith after the mare’s history lesson on Family Appreciation Day the previous year. Closing his eyes, Shadow focused on the clear crystal before him, ignoring the faint glow coming from it.

The moment he had heard the report’s topic, there was only one pony he wanted to do his report on. His teacher had also stressed that she wanted each report to be as unique as possible, with more points for creativity, which had only made the colt’s smile grow. Taking a deep breath, Shadow ignited his horn, the matrix of the fragmented spell held in the crystal appearing in his mind’s eye. Around him, he could hear everypony talking, but it was the sound of Princess Twilight and Ms. Cheerilee talking that grabbed his attention.

Standing by the still oversized mound of pastries, he could hear his guardian talking about her holiday plans, how they were going to the Crystal Empire to visit her brother and his wife, then stopping in Canterlot on their way back to see her parents. Snorting to himself, Shadow tuned the two older mares out. Crystal Empire? While there were several book in the library about the fallen Empire, everypony he knew acted like the place still existed, instead of having disappeared a thousand years ago. Frankly, the young alicorn wouldn’t have been surprised if it was like that Whinny Land tourist trap he had heard about, only based on a ‘long lost Empire of crystal ponies’ instead of rides and attractions. Focusing on his project, the colt agreed with Princess Twilight on one thing: this ‘Crystal Empire’ was certainly going to be interesting.

Ch. 14 The Crystal Empire

Yawning, Shadow looked up from his book. Across the aisle, Twilight sat on her padded bench, her nose buried in one of the library’s thicker tomes, while next to her, Spike was curled up in a ball, fast asleep. Shaking his head at the sight of the sleeping dragon, Shadow immediately regretted the action as he felt his head swim while a fresh wave of nausea crashed over him. How Spike or anyone for that matter could sleep on a train was beyond the colt. Of all the ways he knew that a pony could travel, trains were the worst as far as he was concerned. They were dirty, loud, noisy machines that traveled way too fast and as if that wasn’t enough, the way the cars swayed from side to side only aggravated the colt’s motion sickness, and trying to take his mind off it by looking out the window didn’t help as it seemed to only make things worse for the disguised alicorn. What he would have given to be back on the Tranquility. Even if sailing was more dangerous than traveling by train, at least there he was able to adapt to the slower rocking and rolling of the ship’s deck. Silently groaning to himself, the colt set his head down on his book, knowing that whatever nausea he felt would pass after a while.

Around him, ponies of all shapes and sizes chatted while the hoof-full of fillies and colts laughed and played, the general noise of the car helping to drown the constant clacking of the wheels outside. Focusing on the sounds around him, Shadow could pick out parts of individual conversations. Here, two oddly dressed stallions were talking about their latest invention, seeming to work on some kind of rhyming pitch that involved singing. On the other side of his bench, the colt could hear a pegasus couple talking quietly, wondering what the Empire was like during the winter and if Princess Cadance was showing yet. What this ‘Princess Cadance’ was supposed to be showing was beyond the colt. Turning away from his eavesdropping as he felt better, the young alicorn opened his saddlebag, pulling out the last piece of Nightmare Night candy, staring at the chocolate and caramel streaked concoction before tossing it into his mouth.

Smiling as he felt the sugar wake him up, the colt turned back to his book. This wasn’t the first time he had read this particular passage, but for some reason it stuck out to him. Maybe it was the obvious pride Summer Breeze had felt for becoming a mother, or maybe it was how that pride quickly turned to worry and fear at what the future held for her and her daughter. When Cheerilee had announced the project, Shadow had found himself conflicted. On one hoof, he had idolized his ancestor for as long as he could remember and being a direct descendent, knew more about her than almost anypony back home, which made the young alicorn confident that his report would be the best. On the other hoof, a few discreet questions had told him that nopony had ever heard of her, which didn’t surprise him. What did surprise him was the fact that everypony seemed to think that the Nightmare War – rebellion, he corrected himself – was a small incident where the rebels were quickly overpowered and subdued. While he didn’t doubt anything he had read, part of Shadow wondered how well his correcting of history would be received by his class. Would they believe him, or would they call him a liar? On top of that, there was also a certain white alicorn in Canterlot for the colt to worry about. While Celestia hadn’t made her anticipated move yet, Shadow knew that she would almost certainly react when she found out about his subject. Distantly, Shadow wondered how the princess would react when she discovered his connection to Summer Breeze.

Sighing, Shadow marked his place in the book before returning it to his saddlebag. It didn’t matter much at that point as far as he was concerned. He was tired of waiting for the almighty Celestia to make her move, to make him disappear when he wasn’t expecting it. What was she waiting for? She had plenty of opportunities when he was stuck in the hospital, yet she hadn’t done a thing. The stress of waiting and wondering was getting on the colt’s nerves. If she wasn’t going to make her move, he’d force her, if only so he could finally stop wondering. Yawning again, Shadow’s mind turned to what lay ahead of them at the end of the line. It had come as something of a surprise when Rainbow Dash recognized the lettering on the book he had loaned her. How could she recognize lettering from a language that had vanished a thousand years earlier? After he had gotten out of the hospital, on a whim, he searched the library for anything related to his ancestral home. To the alicorn’s shock and amazement, he had found dozens of books on the Empire, the topics ranging from learning how to read Crystallic to ‘histories’ of the Empire that seemed to have been written by ponies who made it seem like the Empire was a small sub-kingdom of Equestria. If that was the case, how could it be called an Empire? Worse yet, at school he had heard a number of students mention some place called Whinny Land, which he quickly learned was an ‘amusement park’. Hearing this had left him wondering if the Crystal Empire he had heard about from Twilight and others was something similar, except instead of rides, it was based around a fabled ‘land of crystal ponies’, with a royal couple to complete the illusion.

Feeling the train slowing down, Shadow found himself wondering what Twilight’s brother Shiny was like. Based on what he suspected, the colt figured that the badly named stallion was a thin, lanky pony who managed to finally make his family proud of him by landing the role of the husband of the Crystal Empire’s ruler. Silently, Shadow hoped that ‘Shiny’ was just his stage name, since it was a terrible name, whether in real life or as a supposed crystal pony. The colt snorted as he sat up. Naming a crystal pony ‘Shiny’ was like naming a foal ‘Red’ simply because they had a red coat. Looking out the window for the first time since shortly after leaving Ponyville, the world had changed dramatically. Beyond the heavily frosted window, Shadow couldn’t see a single tree, the ground as flat as a snow covered plate. Turning his head, Shadow could see the locomotive as it rounded a curve in the track. As it disappeared around another curve, the colt could see something tall in the distance, the bright morning light shining off it making it impossible for him to tell what it was.

As his car came around the final curve, Shadow felt his eyes widen at the sight. While their ultimate destination was still a ways off, he could clearly see that whoever had built the place had at least done their research. Rising above the crystal houses was a palace, its facets catching and reflecting the sun’s light. Despite the disgust he felt at the clear exploitation of his heritage, the alicorn had to admit that it looked something like what he had always imagined the Crystal Empire had looked like before its fall. They had even gone so far as to make the train station out of crystal.

Standing as the train came to a halt with a screech, the young alicorn arched his back, feeling his muscles loosen as ponies around him gathered their belongings. Grabbing a scarf from his saddlebag with his magic, the colt quickly strapped the dragon hide bag to his waist. Across the aisle, Twilight was doing the same thing with her bag while nudging Spike with a hoof. Raising his head, the young dragon looked at the activity around the car before sitting up and stretching, his yawn showing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

Waiting a couple minutes for the car to empty, Shadow followed Twilight onto the platform, glad that he had put on the scarf as a wall of snow slammed into them, the cold quickly eating through his coat. As they worked their way through the mass of ponies, the younger alicorn wondered why the weather was so much wilder than in Ponyville. If, for the sake of argument, this was the real Crystal Empire, why didn’t it have its own dedicated weather team to deal with whatever came down from the north? “Shiny!”

“Twiley!”

Shadow’s head jerked up at the sound of the stallion’s voice. Striding toward them was a white stallion with a multi-hued blue mane. What was more, this stallion was the exact opposite of what the colt had expected; the well-conditioned body and muscles taking the alicorn’s expectations and beating them to a pulp. Hanging back, Shadow watched as Twilight embraced her older brother, the stallion returning the affection before turning to Spike, trading hoof bumps with the dragon before giving him an impromptu noogie. From where he stood, the disguised alicorn couldn’t help but smile at the display of sibling love as Spike scrambled off of Twilight to avoid her brother’s hoof. Inside, he could feel something stir. Before he could think about it, Shadow froze as he saw Twilight turn, drawing the older stallion’s attention to him with a sweep of her hoof. Gulping, the colt slowly walked forward, his eyes never leaving ‘Shiny’.

For his part, Shining Armor never lost his smile as the reserved colt approached. “So you’re the colt my sister won’t stop talking about” The prince’s smile grew as he offered Shadow his hoof “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Taking the offered hoof, Shadow half paid attention to Twilight as she introduced them to the other; “Wait” Shadow said as Twilight finished “Your name is Shining Armor?” Seeing the stallion nod, the colt sighed in relief “Oh thank Luna.”

“Let me guess” Shining Armor said as he led them to a waiting sleigh “She never used my real name.”

“Nope.”

Looking around as they started to move, the colt was surprised to see that their ride was being pulled by a pair of armored earth ponies whose coats sparkled in the sunlight, exactly like drawings he had seen at the museum back home. If you have to bluff, don’t be halfhearted about it. Smiling as he remembered Sea Breeze’s advice, Shadow looked around as their sleigh approached the city’s gate. Passing between the two story tall crystal spires, the young alicorn craned his neck back, watching the trio of crystals floating between the two posts bob gently in the wind. The colt felt his jaw drop as their sleigh passed by the outer most houses and entered the city itself. All around them, ponies mingled, some with coats like his and Twilight’s, while many others had coats like the two stallions pulling the sleigh. Is there anything whoever designed this place didn’t think of? Along the city’s streets and in the air above, hundreds of ponies sparkled as they moved; the sun’s light shining off the facets of their coats.

Thoroughly impressed, the colt frowned as they passed an oversized statue made of pure quartz that looked suspiciously like a familiar young dragon holding a replica of the famed Crystal Heart. Turning to Spike, Shadow instead found himself looking at an empty seat. Before he could feel a sense of panic, the colt spotted as familiar arrow tipped tail sticking out of a blanket next to their luggage “Spike?”

“Did they see me?”

Frowning, the young alicorn turned to look behind them, watching as a pegasus mare used her wings to blow some snow off of the statue. “Not that I can tell” he said, turning around “But why are you hiding.”

“Because the last time I was here, I got mobbed by them.” Spike said as he uncovered himself. “Sure it was fun at first but…” He trailed off, opting instead to stare at the colt sitting before him, much to the colt’s growing discomfort.

“Um, Spike? What are you staring at?”

Ignoring the colt, Spike reached behind him, tapping Twilight on the shoulder, his eyes never leaving Shadow “Hey Twilight? You might want to see this.”

“See what?” Twilight asked; only to find her question answered as soon as she turned around.

Sinking back slightly as two sets of eyes stared at him, which quickly became three as Twilight’s brother turned to look as well, Shadow forced back the growing urge to panic and run. He’d been sitting there since they left the train station; he couldn’t have done anything, right? “What are you guys looking at?”

“Amazing” Twilight breathed, her eyes examining the disguised alicorn “I was not expecting this.”

“Can somepony please tell me what you’re all staring at?!” Shadow asked, all but shouting the question.

“Dude, look at your coat.”

Frowning in confusion at Spike’s suggestion, the distressed colt looked at his leg, his jaw hitting the floor a moment later. Holding his leg out, Shadow slowly turned it, the bright morning light sparkling off the numerous facets. “How did this happen?”

Twilight slowly shook her head as she scanned the confused colt with her magic. “I don’t know. You said you were from the Crystal Empire, but Cadance couldn’t corroborate anything you said.” The older alicorn frowned as an idea slowly formed.

“Why did I change, but you guys didn’t?”

“We didn’t change because we’re not from the Empire.” Twilight eventually responded. “The Empire’s magic must have reacted with something in your genetic structure to change your coat like this. It’s the only explanation.”

“In Equestrian; Twiley?”

“We didn’t change because we’re not Crystal Ponies, genetically speaking. Shadow on the other hoof, must have enough Crystal Pony in his ancestry that the Empire’s magic doesn’t see him as anything other than a citizen of the Empire.”

As Twilight tried to wrap her head around the sudden development, Shadow continued to look himself over. Whipping his head around, he stared at a reflection of himself in a nearby building, a strange, yet familiar crystalline colt staring back at him, a smile threatening to split his face.

It was real.

It was all real!

The Crystal Empire was no longer lost, and he was in it. That was the only explanation Shadow could think of to explain everything around him. This wasn’t a cheap Whinny Land knockoff. It wasn’t even an expensive knockoff. This was the real, honest-to-Luna Crystal Empire! In the back of his mind, part of Shadow thought it was nothing more than an elaborate setup, but the colt quickly squashed the thought. On the street around them, a number of ponies jumped at Shadow’s sudden shout as the colt couldn’t hold himself back, a good number of passersby watching the laughing colt as his sleigh passed by. Settling back down, Shadow couldn’t help but smirk at Twilight as she looked at him, believe me now?

By the time the sleigh reached the center of the city, Shadow had managed to contain his excitement, though the smile on his face made it clear that it was only contained by the narrowest of margins. Looking up from the sunlight shining off his coat, the colt’s jaw dropped as the sleigh approached its destination. For as long as he could remember, Shadow had heard descriptions of the Crystal Palace. Some had said it had been the tallest building in the world. Others had said that its design had made it the Empire’s second crown jewel, the Crystal Heart being the first, and that its beauty had made the rest of the world jealous, which led more than one pony to speculate that that was one of the reasons Celestia waited for so long before responding to Sombra. Shadow could recall the descriptions of the palace from his ancestor’s diary, but everything he had ever imagined paled in comparison to the towering structure before him.

As their ride came to a stop under the palace, the colt watched in fascination as a pair of guards trotted up, coming to attention as they held the sleigh’s door. Smiling, Shining Armor returned the guards’ salutes as Twilight and Spike got out. Tilting his head, Shadow eyed the two guards. He had seen a couple samples of Imperial armor at the museum back home, but they had lacked the shining, almost crystalline, quality of the armor these two stallions were wearing. On top of that, the coats of the two guards were the exact same shade of purple, which only added to the colt’s confusion.

Hearing his name, the young alicorn hopped down from the sleigh, quickly checking his saddlebag’s strap before trotting to where Twilight and Spike were waiting. Following the older stallion, the colt’s neck quickly grew sore as he looked around. Only half paying attention to Twilight’s conversation with her brother, Shadow’s eyes roamed over the white crystal walls of the hall, his mind ignoring the two guards behind him as it noted the perfect facets of the crystals that grew out of the walls. Wrapped up as he was, it took the colt a few minutes to realize that they had yet to pass a window, yet the hall was lit like there was an open window every few feet. Before he could start to ponder what kind of spells had to be at work, Shadow felt a claw gently tap his shoulder. Looking to his left, the young alicorn caught Spike’s tilted head before nodding his thanks and turning to follow the young dragon into a room that the colt had nearly walked past.

Stepping into the room, it wasn’t the food covering the table that had the colt’s full attention. Neither was it the spectacular view of the city the room’s expansive windows allowed or the smell of pancakes and syrup. Instead, Shadow found himself hesitating at the sight of a pink alicorn as large as Shining Armor doing a rather strange dance with a comparatively smaller Twilight. Watching from where he stood, it was obvious that the two older alicorns knew each other quite well. Watching the strange greeting come to an end with a shake of the alicorns’ back ends, Shadow felt his muscles tighten as the pink alicorn spotted him, a gentle smile on her face as she stood back up to her full height. “Hello.”

“Hello” The young colt replied a couple seconds later. Not sure what he was supposed to do, Shadow felt a rush of relief as Twilight chose that moment to introduce the two alicorns to each other. Despite his reservations about alicorns, the young orphan found himself quickly warming up to Princess Cadance. Somehow, she seemed to sense his nervousness and, instead of approaching him, kept her distance, allowing him to get used to her. It was a gesture that wasn’t lost on the young alicorn.

Keeping the gentle smile on her face, Cadance gestured to the waiting table. Taking one of the padded chairs for himself, Shadow sighed in relief as he sat. Despite his burns having healed months earlier and the return of his coat, the colt still found it slightly painful to sit on something that wasn’t padded.

“So, what do you think of the Crystal Empire?”

Glancing up from his small stack of pancakes, the lone colt looked up at Princess Cadance as she used her magic to cut her food, while her attention was on him. “I grew up hearing about the Empire,” Shadow replied, before taking a bite and swallowing, “but what I’ve seen so far is more than I ever dreamed of.” His answer seemed to please the larger alicorn. Examining his food, Shadow found himself frowning slightly at the small pile of berries left on the top pancake. If he had seen them back home he would have assumed they were poisonous, but having tried them, he found himself pleasantly surprised by their taste as well as the slight crunch they made when he bit down on them. As he was thinking about how he wanted to finish off his pancakes, the colt felt his ears perk up; his head following a moment later as something Twilight said caught his attention. While he hadn’t been paying much attention, that had all changed when Twilight mentioned an agreement between the Empire and Equestria. Why would Celestia want a trade agreement with the Empire if it was part of Equestria? Thoroughly confused, the colt looked up at Princess Cadance, who smiled at the young alicorn’s sudden attention.

Cadance couldn’t help but laugh at Shadow’s innocent question. “The Crystal Empire is an independent nation, just like it was a thousand years ago.” The alicorn took a sip from her glass as she continued, “I remember a few Canterlot nobles proposing to annex the Empire, but Aunt Celestia shot down that idea rather quickly.”

“Aunt Celestia?”

“If anything else, it’s more of a title. It’s like how Shiny and Spike are brothers, even though they aren’t related.”

Seeing the disguised alicorn nod, the princess smiled. While she would have liked to ask him some questions, Cadance decided to keep a tight leash on her curiosity. The reports she had gotten from her aunts, as well as Twilight made it abundantly clear that it took time for the young colt to warm up to another pony, and if she pushed, she could end up damaging the progress that had been made so far. Besides, Cadance thought as she refilled her glass of juice, there will be plenty of time to talk to Twilight about him at the spa.

Smiling as he felt the sun heat up his coat, Shadow paused to stretch as he and Shining Armor stood at the base of the palace. Unable to get over how his coat sparkled, the colt fell into a steady pace as the older stallion led them, without a guard escort, toward the city. As they walked, Shadow couldn’t help but constantly sneak glances at Shining Armor. He reminded the colt of a much more open Brick Wall. Back home, he had learned how to tell when a pony wasn’t being sincere, especially when it came to whoever they were with, but he couldn’t see any of the typical signs with Shining Armor. At first, when he had volunteered to be the colt’s guide, Shadow had assumed it wasn’t just because he wanted to let his sister and Cadance have time alone together, but now that he watched the stallion, Shadow found himself rethinking his assumption, hoping that he had been wrong. From what he could tell, Twilight’s brother wasn’t a pony to hide his motives, which the colt found refreshing. “Why do the guards salute you? I thought they only did that with anypony that outranked them?”

“Because I do” Shining Armor replied as he waved back at a couple crystal ponies. “Not only am I technically a Prince, I’m also the head of the Imperial Guard.” Shadow couldn’t help but whistle in amazement. “Of course, I got plenty of practice when I was Captain of the Royal Guard.” The whistle on Shadow’s lips died at the stallions off-hoof comment. He was Captain of Celestia’s Royal Guard?! Great the stunned colt thought. This could get interesting.

While he had initially been suspicious whenever anypony in Ponyville mentioned the Crystal Empire, the colt had realized during breakfast that, since the Crystal Empire was real, he could fill in a number of holes in his project. Shining Armor for his part had been more than happy to lead the colt to the library that dominated an entire city block. Turning a corner, Shadow was surprised at how he found himself surprised at the size of the famed library. Despite Hearth’s Warming Eve being the next day, there was a steady stream of ponies; both crystal and non, coming and going from the library’s entrance, more than a few stopping to rub a talon of one of the griffon statues that guarded the front doors. Following his guide, the colt felt his jaw hit the ground as they walked into the building. As far as he could see, books lined every wall of the library’s interior, the shelves going from the ground floor to the ceiling, which had to be at least fifty feet overhead, while numerous bookcases stood in neat rows along the library’s main floor. Above them, Shadow could see dozens of pegasi floating overhead, some searching for books while others returned books to their shelves.

“You remind me of Twilight.” Shining said as he led the stunned colt off to the side. “She told me that when she first saw this place, she nearly passed out.”

“Somehow I don’t doubt that.” Shadow whispered as his mind slowly caught up with reality.

“So… where to first?”

Earning a laugh from the former Royal Guard Captain as he shook his head, Shadow looked around before trotting over to a map of the library that somepony had posted on a support column. “First I need to find a pre-fall map of the Empire” the young alicorn said as he looked over the map. “Then I need a directory with names and addresses, along with guard records, birth records, cutie mark records…”

April 4th

Dear sweet Luna I wasn’t prepared for that. With everything mom told me, with everything the other mothers in here told me, I thought I was prepared. How wrong I was, Diary. I am no stranger to pain my friend. From getting so beaten up during training that I just wanted to curl up and my coat practically turning black and blue from all the bruises, to having a spear put through my shoulder while fighting for my home, I thought I knew pain and that I could handle it.

How wrong I was.

I would rather spend a full day and night going hoof to hoof with Drill Sergeant Rough House or fight the whole Equestrian Army while armed with nothing but a butter knife, than go through that kind of pain again. But Fates know that, without my Umber, I’ll never have to. Despite all of the pain and the screaming, Sweet Luna the screaming, it was all worth it. I know this because all I have to do is look down at the little sleeping bundle of brown fur next to me.

That’s right Diary; I’m a mom!

Please forgive me for the tear stains, Diary. Something got in my eye again. For her part, mom is still practically bouncing off the walls of our cell. Honestly, I swear she’s worse than a mother hen sometimes, but as annoying as her attention can be, do not think that I don’t appreciate it.

Sorry for the new tear stain; my daughter just yawned and something got in my eye again. Stupid dust. I decided to name my daughter Burnt Sienna, partly after her coat but mostly after her father, who she’ll never know, thanks to that bitch Celestia.

I miss him, Diary. Sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night, the pathetic excuse for a pillow I have being completely soaked. I thought I knew pain, but what I thought I knew was nothing compared to what I feel every time I look at my daughter. Every time I do, I see her father; I see his smile turn to horror right before he tackles me, pushing me to safety before taking the spear that was meant for me. I can still feel him go limp in my legs, still hear his final breath, never knowing that he was going to be a father, the one thing he wanted most in this world. As I watch our daughter sleep, I can see him so clearly in her, in her voice, her coat. Hay, she even yawns like him, but she seems to have my eyes, though hopefully not my personality.

When I went into labor, I was fortunate to have Night Wing and Silver Star in my cell. Between Night Wing’s experience as a midwife and Silver Star’s magic – plus my personal threats of bloody retribution – they were more than enough to keep that mule of a royal doctor or the guards from trying anything. Right now, they’re back in their cells, having only been allowed to join me when I needed them.

I used to not worry about the future much, figuring that everything would work out in the end. Now I can’t help but worry. What if Celestia and her guards come for Sienna? What if they never let us out, leaving her to rot here with us as punishment for our ‘crimes’? I don’t know Diary, but I suppose worrying won’t help much, since I’m not in any kind of position to do anything. Right now, my daughter is sleeping soundly and I think I’ll follow her example. Luna knows I could use the rest.

Shining Armor yawned as he looked up from the book Shadow had given him. Across the table, the colt in question had apparently picked up a couple of Twilight’s less savory habits, if the slowly growing book fort around him was any indication. It had taken the two nearly an hour to find half of what Shadow had wanted, and multiple trips to bring everything they found to a table that Precious Tome, the library’s head, had been happy to set aside for them. Seeing that his research could take a while, the colt had loaned his older companion the school copy of the diary that Twilight had mentioned. This had surprised the stallion since, if his sister’s letters were any indication, Shadow would only do so with somepony he trusted, which was something since Twilight had yet to read it. The former Royal Guard Captain looked across the library at Precious Tome as the older mare organized a cart of returned books. While Twiley had expressed her doubts about what she knew about the book; Shining found himself more accepting of what was inside. How could whoever wrote this get so much about the Empire right if they had never been there, though there were a few things that had left the prince with questions.

The first was what had happened to the royal family when Sombra had taken over. While the author had made it quite clear what that bastard had done during his take over, the only mention of the royal family the author had made was that Sombra had ‘publicly dealt with them’. The stallion found himself hoping it wasn’t true, since if it was, it would explain why he and Cadance had never heard of their predecessors. The second issue that he had was where the bodies Sombra had left behind were buried. The book only said that they had been buried in a mass grave, but Shining found himself wanting to know where that grave was, if for no other reason than to try and get a memorial erected there.

Stretching a leg behind his head to loosen it, the stallion smiled as his young companion yawned, closing the book in front of him before levitating it onto a nearby pile “Anything else?”

Yawning again, Shadow shook his head as he looked at the mid-afternoon light streaming through the library’s ceiling. “No. I think I’ve found everything I can here, though there are a few places in the city I need to check out” the young alicorn looked at the pile of books with a mixture of scorn and annoyance, “though that might have to wait.”

“Don’t worry about putting those away” Shining said as he stood, feeling the life rush back into his legs “I talked to the head librarian and she said she’d clean up after us.”

Shadow looked at the stacks of books around him again, his annoyance being replaced with relief, though the scorn remained. Before he had been banned from the library, it had been all but beaten into him and the rest of the class that if you took a book off a shelf, you damned well put it back where you found it. Sighing, the colt stood, rolling up his notes before placing them in the replacement saddlebag Rarity had made for him. He had brought it along to the library while his original bag lay under a couple shield spells back in his room at the palace. Looking over everything one last time, the colt followed Twilight’s brother out of the library, only stopping to bow in respect and thanks to the library’s head.

Outside, the number of ponies out on the street had only increased, leaving the two with less room to move, eventually forcing Shadow to follow directly behind Shining Armor. “Why don’t you have a couple guards with you?” Shadow asked as the two stepped onto a side street. “I’d think that would make traveling easier.”

“Most ponies would think that, but it usually doesn’t.” Shining said as he sat next to Shadow while the colt studied a map. “It would draw too much attention to us and would actually slow everypony down.” The stallion watched as the colt traced their path from the library to where they currently sat “Where to now?”

“If that address list was right” Shadow tapped an area circled on the map “Then it should be a couple blocks that way” the colt finished, looking down the street. Letting him take the lead, Shining Armor followed Shadow as the colt wove his way through the crowds of ponies around them. Within a couple minutes, the two turned onto a quiet street, the houses a mix of pink and blue crystal. “Fifty-nine… sixty-three… sixty-five…” Shadow muttered to nopony in particular as he read the house numbers. If he was right, then his ancestor’s house should be “there.”

Halfway down the street, the colt and stallion stopped, a pile of blackened and half melted rock lying where house number seventy-one should have stood. Staring at the wreckage, Shadow slowly sat down. While this hadn’t been mentioned in his ancestor’s diary, he wasn’t surprised at what Sombra had had done to the house. If anything, he probably should have expected him to make such a move, since Summer Breeze painted the former Prince as a pony with a delicate ego who didn’t take failure and rejection well.

“Who lived here?” Shining asked as Shadow slowly stood.

“My ancestor” Shadow replied as he walked through the snow covering the front yard.

“What happened?”

“If I had to guess, Sombra had the place destroyed after she fled the Empire.”

“Why?”

Shadow blew the snow off a collapsed section of roof with a quick spell. “He had a thing for her, but she didn’t feel the same way.” Peering at a melted portion of the roof, Shadow ran his hoof over the smooth stone, a smile slowly growing on his face. Ignoring Shining Armor for a moment, he dusted off a broken section of wall, finding a similar melt pattern. “How strong are you?” The colt asked as an idea formed in his head.

“Why?”

“I need your help moving this” The colt patted the piece of roof he had cleared off first “Because if I’m right, this is where my ancestor’s bedroom was, and Sombra’s goons tried to burn the place after leveling it.”

Shining Armor thought about Shadow’s request. While his order of events looked right, the stallion wasn’t sure what the colt hoped to find. Figuring that it probably wouldn’t hurt, the prince ignited his horn, joining his magic with Shadow’s to lift the multi-ton slab of crystal before setting it aside. Before he could stop him, Shadow jumped into the opening, nimbly avoiding numerous jagged edges. Shining Armor nearly yelped as the young colt crawled halfway into a gap between two broken walls. Igniting his horn in case he had to pull the colt out, the prince sighed in relief as the young alicorn backed out of the hole a few minutes later, his horn glowing. The reason why quickly became apparent as a small wooden box slowly floated out of the hole, safe in Shadow’s grip. Smiling like he had just won the lottery, the colt made his way out of the rubble, gently setting his prize next to the older stallion “Find something?”

“Yup” Shadow replied, grinning like an idiot. Gently lifting the box’s lid with a hoof, the colt’s smile threatened to split his face as the figure of a dancing, dress-wearing mare rose from inside. As the lid opened, both ponies heard a small click from inside the box, the dancing mare starting to turn to an off-tune melody a moment later.

“A music box?”

“Yup” Shadow replied as he watched the yellow and blue mare slowly spin. “I was right. If they had set the place on fire first, this wouldn’t have survived. They must have tried to melt the place afterward, but couldn’t.” If that’s the case, then… Shadow looked behind him. Across the street, another house stood abandoned, the blackened scorch marks rising from the windows making it clear why. “They hit her house first; then went after the one across the street.”

“Who lived there?”

“Her coltfriend.”

Shining armor paused as he watched Shadow examine his find. The stallion still knew almost nothing about the Empire’s former dictator, even after living there ever since it reappeared. What little he did know painted the dark stallion as a psychopathic tyrant who favored punishments that far outweighed the crime. On top of that, when asked, no pony would say anything about the dictator, as if the mere mention of him might bring the bastard back, even though the prince had been one of the ponies to confirm the dark unicorn’s death. Frowning, Twilight’s brother watched as his young companion wrapped the music box in one shield after another. Who could be so important to Sombra that he’d go through the trouble of destroying two homes? Slowly, the stallion felt the puzzle piece fall into place, his jaw slowly dropping in the process. Summer Breeze is Shadow’s ancestor! Closing his mouth, the older unicorn’s mind started to fill in the other pieces of the puzzle that was Shadow as the colt placed his find in an empty saddlebag. I’ll have to check with Cadance, but this would explain more than a few things.

The Crystal Empire - Part 2

Waiting for a break in the traffic, Shadow couldn’t help but smile at all of the ponies around him. Everywhere he looked; ponies were out and about, some getting ready for the upcoming holiday by doing some last minute shopping, while the better prepared strolled along the sidewalks, gawking at the window displays. From his vantage point along the curb, the orphan couldn’t help but notice the filly across the street, or more precisely, he couldn’t help notice the suspiciously familiar young dragon riding on the filly’s back. Trotting with Shining Armor across the street, Shadow tried to not look too obvious as he looked at the filly’s passenger as she trotted by him, a smile growing on his face as he took in the details. Oh this is too good! Somehow, somepony had gotten Spike’s measurements, or at least a very good set of photos, and had made a perfect plush replica of the young dragon. While he found it rather odd, Shadow couldn’t say that he wasn’t surprised, considering what Shining Armor had told him about Spike’s exploits. If Twilight’s brother was to be believed, and the colt found no reason not to believe him, Twilight’s assistant had not only helped save the Empire when Sombra returned, but had also saved a number of ponies during the previous year’s Equestrian Games. Mentally, Shadow noted to himself to find something special for Spike to thank him.

Looking up, Shadow couldn’t help but admire the stallion next to him. Here was a pony who had not only seemed to somehow keep his mind free of Celestia’s influence, but had also married a Princess, defeated a surprise invasion, and was probably the only pony to go hoof to hoof with Sombra and survive when thousands of others hadn’t. The young alicorn found himself hoping that he could become half the pony Shining Armor was.

Pausing at a window display, Shadow’s face practically split in half at the stuffed dragon sitting in the window. Tapping the prince on the leg, the colt pointed at the dragon, the sparkle in his eye combined with his smirk telling the stallion everything he needed to know. A couple minutes later, Shining Armor and Shadow rejoined the crowds outside the store, a stuffed version of a certain young dragon firmly secured to the colt’s back with a spell. While he had no plans on giving the young dragon the toy, finding the idea of the dragon having a stuffed version of himself rather creepy, he couldn’t wait to see Spike’s reaction when they got back to the palace.

Stepping out of the tunnel, Shadow felt his jaw hit the ground again at the first glimpse of the inside of the Crystal Empire’s stadium. It had never occurred to the colt that somepony would have the bright idea of building several stories of seats around a single field. Craning his head back as they walked out onto the field, he could see an entire wall of glass wrapping around the top of the stadium, allowing the late afternoon light to bathe the field and eastern half of the stadium’s seats, while everything above it was open air. Lowering his head, Shadow noticed that, besides him and Shining Armor, the only other creatures on the field were a half-dozen ponies in armor, an even mix of pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies, and one older earth pony stallion who was currently chewing out the other six.

“-sweet Celestia, just what in Tartarus was that? Are you six trying to be the most pathetic, plot backward recruits I’ve ever seen?!”

As he and Shining Armor stood off to the side and watched, Shadow couldn’t help but smile at the older stallion’s tirades. “He reminds me of the Tranquility’s Second Mate” Shadow said, wincing as the drill instructor laid into his recruits again.

“Really?”

“Yup; if I didn’t know better, I’d have thought he had High Tide as a mentor.”

Shining Armor’s head whipped around at the colt’s comment. Wait. High Tide?! “Yellow coat, black mane-”

“-Petty, bad with the mares, disturbingly good with a violin?”

“Yeah, that’s him” Twilight’s brother said, smiling. “He was my DI back in basic, and I always wondered what happened to him.” Shadow’s head canted at this. As far as he was concerned, it explained a lot about the Tranquility’s second most loathed crewmember.
"Are you joking recruit?! If you hope to have even a snowball's chance in Tartarus of beating any of her records, you better fucking improve!" Both observers looked up at the sergeant as he focused his ire on one particularly unfortunate recruit. As they watched, both ponies frowned as the instructor roared, making some more references to her. “Dear sweet Luna in a fucking cradle; go run laps until I tell you to stop!”

Falling into step alongside Shining Armor, Shadow was surprised at how quietly the stallion could walk across the snow, the sound of the colt’s steps seeming to echo around the stadium compared to the sound Shining Armor made. As they approached, Shadow saw the sergeant’s ears turn as the colt’s hoof broke through a particularly noisy patch of crusted snow. As the older stallion turned around, the young alicorn was shocked to see that the larger earth pony had a large scar running down the front of his face from his ear to his nose, with the only interruption in the pink line being where the stallion’s left eye should have been.

“Sir!” The stallion rose to his full height as he saluted Twilight’s brother.

“As you were, Sergeant…” Shining Armor said, returning the salute.

“Rough House, Sir.” The scarred soldier relaxed as he moved closer. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Not a problem Sergeant. I was just giving Shadow here a tour of the city.”

Shadow shrank back slightly as the weathered stallion looked down on him, though his apprehension quickly passed as the sergeant smiled. “You got a bit of growing to do, but I’m sure I could whip you into a proper soldier in no time.”

Shining Armor couldn’t help but laugh with the sergeant at Shadow’s reaction. “That won’t be for a few more years” He eventually said. “We managed to catch a bit of your performance Sergeant, and I was wondering who you were referring to.” The prince said as the colt and two stallions watched the recruits complete their first lap.

“Oh her” The sergeant’s smile faded as it took on a less joyous feel. “I was just trying to motivate these slackers by letting them think they actually stood a chance in Tartarus of beating the mare who still holds practically half the records in the Imperial Guard.”

“What’s her name?” Shadow asked.

“Summer Breeze” The colt’s heart practically stopped at the mention of his ancestor’s name and the fact that the sergeant held her in high regard, if the tone in his voice was any indication. Stunned as he was, the colt didn’t notice Shining Armor’s glance. “Please believe me when I say that she was the most gifted swordsmare I have ever seen, sir. If she hadn't been killed by Sombra while trying to get help, she'd probably be your second-in-command.”

“She was that good?” Shadow asked, barely able to contain himself, now that he was talking to somepony who knew his ancestor.

“That she was” Rough House said, the smile returning to his face. “She was young, reckless and more than willing to get into a good scrap, but I’ll be damned if she wasn’t one of the best guards I ever had the pleasure of training. She always carried a pair of swords with her, and I swear she could make those things sing when she practiced. She liked to enhance her blades with her magic, no mean feat considering she'd be doing that while using her magic to swing the blades, and could bury them up to their hilts in a solid oak log; then yank them out like she was pulling them from a hay bale.” The sergeant’s smile grew sad as he watched the half dozen recruits run. “She was a joy to train, though I’m sure she felt different. Unfortunately, she was killed by that fucker Sombra.” The soldier’s teeth ground as he spat out the dark unicorn’s name. “I’ve heard rumors that she survived and was with the Equestrian Army when they tried to liberate us, but since I was cooling my hooves in a dungeon while waiting to be executed for ‘treason’, I can’t say if those rumors are true or not, though I doubt they are. If she had been there, that bastard never would have won.”

Sighing with a shudder, the sergeant looked down at Shadow, his eyes noting the colt’s cutie mark, “So what’s your talent?”

“Defensive magic” Shadow replied, glancing at his flank.

“Shields?” Smirking, Shadow ignited his horn, golden dome of magic as large as himself bursting to life in front of the sergeant. “How old are you?”

“Eleven.”

“Not bad” He said, slowly circling the colt’s shield. A little more energy than what’s probably necessary, but not surprising given his age. The sergeant poked the golden barrier, surprised at the shield’s rigidity. “What spell are you using?” The older stallion couldn’t help but smile as the young colt projected the spell’s design. Looking over the crystallic text, the sergeant frowned. While he didn’t recognize a few of the words, what caught his attention was the second spell matrix attached to the shield’s matrix. Even though he couldn’t use magic himself, that hadn’t stopped him from learning everything he could about magic. “Interesting design; I take it you modified it?” Seeing the colt nod, the stallion nodded. “Not bad overall, though if I had to change one thing, I’d reduce its rigidity.” Seeing Shadow’s raised eyebrow, the stallion explained “Even though they’re made from steel, the best swords flex. It allows them to take the blow, but if it doesn’t flex enough, even a sword made from the best steel in the world will still shatter. The same principle applies to shields.” As if to drive in his point, the large earth pony spun on his front hooves, shattering the shield with a single buck.

Shadow frowned at the sergeant’s words as the shards of his shield vanished. Even though shields were one of his favorite spells, he had never thought about making his shields flexible, since the idea ran against everything he knew about them, as little as that knowledge was. Usually, a rigid shield served its purpose admirably when somepony decided to take their frustration out on him or his sister. Shrugging, the colt focused on his shield, altering the spell forming it.

Seeing the colt look up at him, the sergeant poked the new shield. Smiling at the improvement, he bucked it. Stumbling as the shield absorbed his blow and returned it, the soldier nodded in approval. “Much better” he said as an idea formed in his mind “Care to give it a proper test?” Seeing the colt shrug, the older stallion brought a hoof to his lips, his shrill whistle shattering the stadium’s silence. Seeing his recruits galloping toward him, the sergeant glanced at Shadow “You know how to sling a snowball?” Seeing the colt nod, the stallion smiled “Think you can take them all on?”

Shadow looked over the six recruits as the stood in formation, trying to catch their breaths “Oh yeah.”

“Good. Listen up you pathetic lot.” The six huffing ponies looked nervously at their instructor. “Since tomorrow is Hearth’s Warming Eve, I got a little present for you six. Shadow here needs to test his shields, so I volunteered your pathetic plots. If you can beat him, I’ll give you a day off of training.” This caught the recruits’ attention as they held their breaths. “Of course, if you lose…” Shadow smiled innocently as the recruits looked at him nervously, while the sergeant continued, “The rules are so simple, even you six probably can’t fuck it up: take snow, make ball. Throw ball at opponent. Hit him and win. He hits you, you’re out. Understand?” Seeing them nod, the stallion pointed to the open field. “Try not to embarrass yourselves too badly.”

Trotting to his side of the field, Shadow smiled as he overheard the confused whispers of the recruits. Some thought the sergeant was playing a sick joke on the colt, while a few regarded Shadow warily, clearly wondering why the most notorious DI in the Empire would pit one colt against them.

“Ready?” Seeing his recruits and Shadow nod, the sergeant shouted at the top of his lungs, “Go!”

Grinning, Shadow’s horn burst to life as he called upon the smoke screen he had learned from Trixie. Blowing away the smoke with a quick breeze a few seconds later, the colt’s grin turned predatory at the confusion and shock of the half-dozen recruits in front of him. Without warning, two of his clones, both missing their horns, leaped into the air, their wings swiftly carrying them up until they were level with the highest seats in the stadium. On the ground, Shadow and the other three clones created dozens of snowballs before launching them into the air. Overhead, the two airborne clones waited for the balls to reach them. As the snowy projectiles paused in midair, the two clones clapped their wings together in front of themselves, the blast of air sending the snowballs screaming for the recruits below.

For their part, the recruits managed to quickly gather their wits, all six dodging the sudden barrage, some by nothing more than a hair. As fast as they were, speed wasn’t enough for one recruit, as the pegasus mare barely managed to get off the ground before being shot down by a dozen balls of snow from the ground-bound colts.

Shadow smiled to himself as the tagged mare got herself off of the field. The young alicorn hadn’t expected the move to work. It had originally been Star Gazer’s idea and they had been working on it for a few weeks before the fire, hoping to use it during the next town-wide snowball fight as a way to take out as many earth ponies as quickly as possible since, like school, what team you were on was determined by your tribe. Sparing a quick glance to the side, the colt could see the mare doing push-ups with her wings while Sergeant Rough House eyed her, practically daring her to think about stopping. Jumping at the sound of a snowball hitting something solid, Shadow turned to see a wall of gold between him and the recruits, the offending snowball slowly sliding down the wall of magic. Nodding his thanks to the clone, the colt turned to the five older ponies. First he’d have to deal with the remaining pegasus, and once he was out, then the fun would begin. Letting the predatory grin return to his face, Shadow ignited his horn, a gleaming shield stopping another barrage of snow as a dozen snowballs floated next to him.

Rough House had to work to keep the surprise off his face as his impromptu combat exercise started in earnest. The stallion prided himself on being able to read other ponies, and while that particular skill hadn’t helped much with the failed uprising against Sombra, it had helped in the time since the Empire’s return, helping the NCO find ponies who could help rebuild his home’s shattered military. Unlike most ponies, Shadow had been a refreshingly open book to the sergeant. One look had told him that the colt had been through more than most ponies and that there was more to him than most ponies saw; the five clones that the colt was using to drive his opponents back being a good example. Watching another barrage of snow pelt his recruits, Sergeant Rough House couldn’t help but whistle at the colt’s ability to sling snow. Even if Shadow won, this would still be good evasion practice for the five older ponies on the field. “So” the sergeant said, leaning over to Shining Armor “Where exactly did you find this kid?”

“I didn’t” Shining replied as the colt in question changed the shape of his shield and spun it like a fan, tearing apart the hoof-full of incoming snowballs. “He’s visiting with my sister, and Princess Celestia pulled him out of the Everfree when it was burning.”

The sergeant nodded. “That explains the burns.” Sensing the prince’s raised eyebrow, the older stallion explained. “Growing up, I had a unicorn friend who decided one day he wanted to be a pyromancer.” Glancing to the side, the drill instructor could see Shining Armor wince. “Needless to say, things didn’t go quite as planned.”

“Did he survive?”

“He did” Rough House replied “Though he was never quite the same. His coat eventually grew back, but you could tell something had happened by the way he walked and moved.” Together, the two stallions watched the snowball fight for a while, their concentration broken by the sound of the nearby recruit doing pushups. “Out of curiosity” Rough House eventually said, “where is he from?”

Shining Armor shrugged. “We don’t know. All anypony knows is that he’s from an island outside of Equestria. Twilight’s current theory is that his ancestors escaped the empire before it disappeared, which seems to be all but confirmed at this point.” As if to illustrate his point, Shadow’s black coat glinted like a freshly knapped obsidian arrowhead as the colt threw himself into the fight. “Care to bet on who’ll win?”

Rough House looked at the conspiratorial smile on his Prince’s face. Chuckling, the scarred stallion shook his head “Sorry sir, but I’m betting on the colt too.” Watching another recruit drag himself off the field, the sergeant sighed “While these six will make decent guards with some more work, they never had a chance against your young friend.”

“Then why are they out there?”

“Mainly to remind them that there will always be somepony better out there, and to motivate them to train harder. I also wanted to see what Shadow could do” The older pony shrugged as recruits number three and four removed themselves from the field. “The fact that this is fucking entertaining is just a side benefit” He added with a smile.

Definitely like High Tide Shining thought as the snowball fight continued. Ever since the Everfree fire, the stallion had come to expect a steady stream of letters from his sister about the young colt. From those letters and the Tranquility report, he knew as much about the young alicorn as anypony else, leaving the younger stallion to think he had a good grasp of the colt. Shining Armor was glad that Shadow had upended those assumptions. I wonder if he’ll teach me a few of his tricks, the prince thought as he watched a snowball chase after a fleeing recruit before splattering itself against the unicorn’s flank while Shadow’s last remaining clone burst into a cloud of smoke as it took a snowball to the face. Considering that his soon to be born child could be an alicorn as well, Shining Armor knew he needed all the help he could get.

Shadow huffed as he tried to catch his breath. He had lost track of time a while back, but judging by the lengthening shadows crossing the arena’s field, he didn’t have much time left if he wanted to get back to the castle in time for dinner. Across from him, his lone opponent stood, the grey and blonde unicorn stallion panting just as much as him. Grinning, Shadow launched a stream of snowballs at the stallion, only to watch them splatter against the older pony’s shield. Grumbling, the colt prepared a shield, knowing that while the stallion couldn’t attack and defend at the same time, his counter attacks would be painful if they connected. Secretly, Shadow was glad that Rough House had sprung this fight on them. Back home, he had been excluded from the snowball fights at school since he had turned eight. Most of his classmates claimed that it was to keep things fair, though anypony with wings or a horn knew otherwise. Ponyville on the other hoof, had been much more inviting, with more than one shouting match breaking out over which team he’d be on.

Watching his opponent, Shadow didn’t flinch as the stallion used his magic to send a dozen balls of ice and snow at the colt. At the last moment, the disguised alicorn leaped to the side while changing his shield’s spell. Like the morning of that fateful spring day, Shadow’s shield redirected the snowballs, sending them spinning faster and faster around the colt’s body before launching them at the stallion. The larger pony didn’t stand a chance. The first two balls hit the unicorn in the chest, forcing him to turn, which only presented a larger target for the rest of the balls. Within a second, the ten other balls of snow had slammed into the stallion’s side, leaving a line of snow running from his chest to his dock. Sighing in relief, Shadow sat down, reveling in the snow’s chill.

“Not bad recruit” Rough House said as he, Shining Armor and the other recruits walked back onto the field. “In fact, you six did so well that I’ve decided to give you tomorrow off as an early Hearth’s Warming present.”

Watching the sergeant and his recruits leave, Shining Armor could barely contain his laugh. Present my flank, they had tomorrow off anyways. Seeing Shadow’s head tilt, the stallion shook his head, instead leading the colt to his waiting bag, his stuffed Spike and the two clones guarding them. Watching the two clones fade out of existence, Shining Armor turned, leading the way back to the castle. For a while, the two simply basked in the late afternoon light, content to let the descending calm do all the talking.

“There’s one last thing I need to get” Shadow said, finally breaking the silence a couple blocks from the castle. Shrugging, the Crystal Empire’s Prince followed the colt to a flower booth. The mare in charge had arranged the hundreds of flowers by type and color, the walls of her stall covered in a fragrant riot of color. Slightly confused, Shining Armor watched as Shadow looked over the selection, the way he eyed the flowers and examined them telling the stallion that this wasn’t a spur of the moment thing. Within a couple minutes, the colt had a trio of flowers, a rose, a tulip and an iris, safely in his magic, thanking the vendor as she collected his bits.

“Who are the flowers for?” Twilight’s brother asked as they started back for the castle.

“You’ll see” Shadow replied, his eyes fixed firmly on their destination.

As they trotted onto the plaza surrounding the Empire’s tallest building, Shining Armor was surprised to see Shadow veer to the right instead of heading for the stairs in the castle’s legs. Intrigued, the stallion followed silently behind. The one thing that became immediately clear to him was that Shadow was on a mission. Without warning, the colt came to a sudden halt under the castle’s grand balcony. Confused but knowing he’d find out soon enough, Cadance’s husband watched as the young alicorn delicately grasped the three flowers in his mouth. With a burst of magic, Shadow sent a quick breeze flying across the pavement, blowing the snow off of everything within fifty meters. Before the snow had even begun to settle, the young alicorn looked down, clearly searching for something on the pavement. Unsure what to do, Shining Armor opted to silently follow the colt. A couple minutes later, Shadow slowed before stopping entirely, his eyes focused on a patch of cracked stones. Following the colt’s gaze upward, the prince found himself standing almost directly beneath the balcony’s railing. Silently, Shadow set the three flowers down on the snow-filled cracks, before taking a step back and bowing to the flowers, his lips moving silently as he said something.

“What was that about” Shining asked as he and Shadow turned for the castle’s entrance.

“You remember that book I let you read earlier today?”

“Yeah…” Shining Armor glanced back at the three flowers and the pair of cratered stones, feeling his stomach lurched as he understood what the colt was saying. Not knowing what to say, the stallion turned his attention back to where he was going. He’d talk to Cadance later that night, knowing that she’d have no problem with what he had in mind.

Shadow slowly walked down the silent hall, the thick blue rug silencing what little sound his hooves made. All around him, the palace lay in silence as most of the building’s staff spent the day at home with their families, while only a small contingent of guards roamed the halls, their silver armor decked out with small bits of tinsel or other assorted Hearth’s Warming materials. Slowing his pace, the lone colt looked at the paintings lining the walls. It took the young alicorn little effort to realize that each painting was of one of the previous royal families. Taking his time, Shadow studied each family portrait. The first portrait featured a somber looking white coated, crown wearing stallion with a black mane sitting next to an equally unsmiling pink and yellow mare. Between them, a young filly sat stiffly, though Shadow wondered how they got a filly that young to sit still for five minutes, let alone long enough for a painting. In the next painting, he could see the filly, now a full grown mare, staring out at him, her husband and three children surrounding her.

The family portraits continued like this, one painting showing the Empire’s ruler and their family, followed by one of their children and their family. Below each portrait was a small bronze plaque inscribed with the names and dates of everypony above it. Not knowing what time it was and not caring, Shadow let himself be drawn into the history before him. Now, for the first time, he could add a face to some of the names he had grown up hearing. Emperor Quartz: who led a campaign against the Gryphon Kingdom after the gryphons declared war against the Empire and Equestria. His daughter, Crown Empress Mountain View, who helped to end the first Gryphonic War, then succeeded her father ten years later. At the last painting, the colt paused, confused by the words on the plaque beneath: An unknown imperial family. ‘An unknown imperial family’?! How could they not know who any of these ponies were? Looking up, Shadow studied the final portrait, his eyes playing over Emperor Citrine’s smiling features, the lines on the stallion’s face showing that he had spent a good part of his life smiling and laughing. Next to him, his wife Amethyst sat, a smaller but no less pleasant smile gracing her face. In front of them, their two children sat, Crown Princess Crystal Rose seated firmly between her parents, her smile mirroring that of her father. Sitting next to her, a colt the same age as her with grey fur and a black mane and tail stared back at him, the faintest hint of a smile on his face.

Shadow’s face soured as he stared at the grey and black colt. Did his family suspect anything? Did they have any hint at the monster they were raising? About what he’d do only a few years later? Ruffling his feathers, the young alicorn forced himself to look away, his eyes falling on a small signature in the painting’s bottom corner. He couldn’t have been much older than them Shadow thought as he read the signature of Summer Breeze’s future husband.

“There you are.”

Shadow didn’t even flinch as Princess Cadance broke her silence, silently walking up next to him. Despite his initial reservations and silent curses at Twilight’s lack of warning, he had warmed up to the Empire’s ruler fairly quickly, the numerous stories she told of growing up in Canterlot, foalsitting Twilight and dating Shining Armor wearing down his defenses. The final bits of rubble had crumbled to dust when she recounted how Sombra had been defeated for the second time. How could he not respect her and even like her after she’d been foalnapped by Changelings right before her wedding, then going on to rescue an entire Empire shortly after that?

“I see you’ve found my favorite portrait.” Laughing at the younger alicorn’s response, the pink alicorn nodded. “Despite a certain future tyrant in it, I can’t help but smile every time I pass it. I think the artist did an amazing job capturing the family. The fact that theirs is the first family portrait where ponies are smiling is just a bonus.” Turning to leave, Shadow fell in step next to her. “I just wish I could find the artist who painted it.”

“You won’t.” Shadow replied, pride and sadness mixing in his chest as he walked. “He died a long time ago.”

Cadance nodded sadly. “I was afraid so. I wonder what he did to anger Sombra.”

“He survived that bastard” Shadow said as the two alicorns rounded a corner. “He was killed during the Lunar Rebellion” he finished, the Equestrian term for the Nightmare War feeling strange on his tongue.

“How do you know?”

“I’m his only living descendant.”

Cadance frowned. “I thought Summer Breeze was your ancestor.”

“She is” Shadow said “and she married Burnt Umber after the Empire fell.”

Cadance fell silent as she thought about what her young companion had said. While Shining Armor had told her who Shadow’s ancestor was, he hadn’t said anything about her husband. Though she had never had that great of an interest in history, she often found herself wondering how the Empire’s previous rulers might have handled things in her place.

Any further opportunity to ponder the potential actions of long dead rulers ended as she opened the doors to the Royal Apartments. Inside, Twilight and her brother were hanging the final decorations while Spike lit the numerous candles around the room, their green flames a nice change of pace from the usual orange and gold. Across the room, a fire burned steadily in the fireplace, filling the large room with warmth and golden light. Sliding next to her husband, Cadance planted a quick kiss on her surprised husband’s cheek, mentally noting the sound of Shadow’s hooves on the hardwood floor as the colt walked around the outside of the room to get to his room, instead of taking the more direct path that passed in front of the fireplace.

“So, where did you find him?” Shining asked as he returned his wife’s affection with a kiss of his own.

“Looking at the portraits of our predecessors” Cadance replied as she plucked a cheese cube from the table and popped it in her mouth. “Turns out one of his ancestors painted the final portrait.”

“Interesting” Twilight’s brother said as he grabbed a carrot “A final present from your aunts came while you were gone.”

“Really? They usually get their shopping done early.”

“Well, it had a certain colt’s name on it, so who knows what it is.”

Nodding, the rest of the conversation ended as the colt in question joined them, along with Spike and Twilight. The table before them had been covered with food, with no square inch spared as Cadance and Spike had spent the previous afternoon and most of the next day baking and cooking the small feast. For Shadow, he couldn’t remember the last time he had seen so much food on Hearth’s Warming Eve. Before him, a dozen different cheeses had been cubed and skewered with toothpicks, while a large salad waited tantalizingly nearby. A full half of the table was covered in platters and trays of cookies, ranging from plain sugar cookies and gingerbread ponies to iced and candied molasses trees similar to the one that stood in the room’s far corner, a small mountain of wrapped gifts waiting underneath to be opened.

Sighing in appreciation as he chewed on six different kinds of cheese at once, the young orphan tried to ignore the slowly growing pain in his chest. All around him was a reminder of everything he never had back home. Before today, the most he had ever expected during this holiday was a small meal with his twin sister and their parents, possibly followed by a small present if their parents had scraped up enough silvers. In truth, Hearth’s Warming wasn’t as much a holiday to the colt as it was an excuse for those with more to lord it over the other two tribes. The only upside of the week-long celebration was that there was no school, letting the young alicorn sleep in. Setting the toothpicks aside, Shadow mentally clamped down on the growing ache in his chest, as he did every time he thought about everything and everypony he had lost. Slowly, the ache subsided, though it didn’t go away completely. It never did. Instead, it retreated, waiting for the next opportunity – a smell, a laugh, a pony that looked eerily familiar from the right angle – to come roaring back, threatening to overwhelm him.

In what seemed to be only an instant, the youngest alicorn in the room looked at the wall, the nearby clock telling how many hours had passed. Glancing out the window, the sky had darkened long ago, the thousands of stars hidden behind a thick layer of clouds that let out a steady stream of fat, heavy snowflakes that drifted lazily to the ground. Clamping down on his feelings before they could try anything, Shadow trotted over to the tree where everypony had gathered, wrapped gifts already being passed around. Nodding his thanks, Shadow carefully opened Twilight’s gift, not surprised that it was a set of books, but caught off-guard by it being the complete Daring Do collection, with each book signed by the author herself. Looking up, he didn’t need to say anything, the knowing smile on Twilight’s lips saying everything. In turn, the colt gave Twilight her gift, a horn written copy of his father’s potion recipes, which the colt had translated into Equestrian. It was one of two copies he had made, with the other copy going to Zecora.

All too soon it seemed, the mound of gifts disappeared, until one final one remained. Shadow’s eyes grew as the paper wrapped object floated over to him, safe in Cadance’s magic. Smiling and nodding in thanks, the colt flipped the gift over, carefully undoing the wrapping, oddly unwilling to damage the beautiful paper more than he had to. Frowning at the picture frame’s back, the young alicorn turned it over, his heart stopping an instant later. From behind the glass cover, Shadow could see himself smiling back, his sister above him, her wings frozen mid-beat as their parents stood behind Shadow, his multicolored vest standing out in the afternoon light.

He remembered that day like it was yesterday. He remembered how his dad had told them that morning that he had used some silvers he had been saving to pay Shutter Speed to take a family picture of them. He couldn’t help but smile at how he had come out from their makeshift shower shivering uncontrollably after attempting to scrub every last speck of dust and dirt from his coat and mane. Unnoticed by him, a few tears hit the glass as the shine in his coat disappeared, the room around him darkening noticeably. In an instant it was gone. Like that late spring night, the shield he had built to protect himself shattered. As it did, he could feel everything he had tried to bury, his rage, his grief, his anger at his greatest failure flood in. As the emotions hit him, Shadow could feel the tears start to stream down his face, to land on the picture of his family. He felt somepony embrace him and with that one simple gesture, the last shred of control he had evaporated, finally allowing him to release all the pain and anguish he had been holding back, for everyone to see and hear. He buried his head into whoever was holding him, and just let himself go.

Author's Note

Shadow donated the stuffed Spike doll to Toys for Foals.

Ch. 15 Revelations

The young colt lay on his side, his mind blank as he watched the bit-sized snowflakes falling outside the window. Heaving a sigh Shadow slowly rose, quietly jumping from the extremely plush bed. Freezing at the sound of his hooves hitting the crystalline floor, the young alicorn sighed in relief as the room once again grew silent. Shadow didn’t know what he was so worried about. With Twilight and Spike sharing a room, he had been given his own which, while small by palace standards, was still larger than his room back in Ponyville, never mind the one he had had back home.

Slowly walking over to the doors that led to the room’s small balcony, Shadow stood there, the sound of his breathing the only thing breaking the night’s silence. Outside, the white fluff continued to fall, having never let up once since noon the previous day. From his vantage point, the Crystal Empire lay dark under a slowly growing blanket of snow, the light from the numerous streetlights being the only thing marring the night’s darkness. Flipping the latch on the door with a burst of magic, the colt stepped out onto the balcony, his hooves sinking into the fresh powder. Outside, the world was just as quiet as his room, the only sound he could hear coming from the snowflakes as they hit the balcony.

Standing still, the young orphan watched as his breath billowed out, the small cloud of warm air quickly vanishing. He didn’t bother to try and stop the memories of the past as they rose up. If he was still back home, him and Star Gazer would be taking full advantage of an opportunity like this, their wings cutting through the still air as they claimed the sky above the town’s forest for themselves, ducking and weaving as they chased each other while trying to avoid getting hit by the falling snowflakes. Shadow couldn’t help but smile at the memories of flying with his twin, how she’d always push him to keep up with her, but never leaving him behind, even though there was nothing he could do if she wanted to.

The colt wiped a couple rebellious tears aside with a leg. All his life, there were two times he looked forward to the most: the night and heavy snowstorms like this, since both meant that he could fly without having to worry about being seen by anypony. Snowstorms held a special place in his heart, since they allowed him to fly during the day and not have to worry about suddenly finding a tree in his way.

Ruffling his wings as he felt the snow slowly building up on him, the young alicorn slowly spread them before pushing down with a single stroke like Rainbow Dash had showed him. A heartbeat later, the balcony was barely visible to the colt through the snow as he shot into the air, the Crystal Palace’s spire quickly falling away a moment later. Rising into the air, the young pony pointed his face toward the low hanging clouds, his mind blank as he shot through the air. Closing his eyes against the falling snow, Shadow flew higher, his mind focused on nothing but the air around him. Beating his wings, the colt felt himself hit the cloudbank, his passage leaving a small hole that quickly disappeared. Letting his senses spread out, Shadow could feel the moisture around him, his mind unconsciously telling him that the snow storm would likely last until the middle of the day at the very least. Was this what it was like for his sister? Was her ability to predict the weather back home based on her ability to tune into the world around her better than everypony else? The filly had tried to explain to him once what it was like for her, but much to his shame, he hadn’t paid much attention at the time. It wasn’t until Rainbow Dash had explained a pegasi’s ability to manipulate the weather around them that he had remembered what Star Gazer had told him.

Feeling himself break through the clouds, Shadow opened his eyes, smiling at the sight of the moon shining overhead while the sky above was painted with stars. Relaxing his wings, the alicorn felt his momentum slow; then disappear as he finally stalled. Letting himself roll a few times for the fun of it, he spread his wings as gravity embraced him. Locking his wings, the young flier put himself into a gentle glide, enjoying the feeling of the wind in his mane as he slowly lost altitude. Pulling up after a minute, Shadow bled off the last of his speed, the clouds beneath him taking his weight as he landed on them. Lying down, the lone colt let himself marvel at the beauty of the sky above him. If he hadn’t known better, he’d have thought that Princess Luna had put extra effort into getting the night sky just so.

For a while, Shadow ignored the world beneath him as he relaxed. More than once, he found himself wishing he could stay up here, the worries and concerns of his life on the ground staying there. Up here, there were no worries about the solar tyrant; there was no school, no pain. There was just him and the air around him, with the sky above him and the ground and all its problems far below. As much as he was tempted by the fantasy, Shadow knew it could never be more than that. He’d have to go back to the palace eventually, but now that he didn’t have to hide what he was, he could always take to the air when the world around him became too much.

Slowly standing an hour later, the alicorn smiled before blasting a hole in the cloud beneath him. Throwing himself into the hole, Shadow felt his eyes water as he plummeted, his wings ready to catch him. Shooting his wings out a moment later, the colt gritted his teeth as he caught the air, straining to slow himself down. Banking, the flyer silently glided over the sleeping city beneath him. Flapping his wings every now and then as snow built up along the leading edges, Shadow took his time, his eyes noting how the glow from the street lights gave the city a peaceful, almost painting-like quality. All too soon it seemed the solo flight came to an end as he landed on the balcony.

Shaking himself free of any lingering snow, the colt walked into his waiting room, the palace’s warmth a welcome change from the cold outside. Locking the balcony door, Shadow crawled back into his bed, feeling like he could finally fall asleep.

Twilight felt the seat beneath her vibrate as the train pulled them up the side of the mountain. Other than the rumble of the engine and the sound of the wheels on the tracks, the car was silent. On the seat next to the young Princess, Spike lay under a blanket as he slowly paged through his newest Power Ponies comic, completely absorbed by the book’s colorful pages. Looking up from her book on defensive magic, Twilight eyed the car’s only other occupant. Curled up against the car’s wall and his seat’s backrest, Shadow hadn’t moved in hours. Despite Cadance’s advice two days earlier after he had cried himself to sleep and she had put the colt to bed, Twilight didn’t know what to do. After leaving the Crystal Empire the following morning, the orphaned alicorn had parked himself in his current spot and, other than getting up to use the bathroom, hadn’t moved from that spot. Neither the offer of food, nor the loss of his crystalline coat, had gotten so much as an ear flick from him.

Marking her place in her book, Twilight slowly stood, taking a moment to stretch her legs. Ignored by Spike, the older alicorn walked across the passenger car’s aisle, settling down next to the young colt. Gingerly, the young Princess slowly wrapped a leg around Shadow, following Cadance’s advice of letting him know that she was there for him. In a response that surprised the older alicorn, Shadow leaned into her, his head buried against her side. As they lay there, Twilight slowly rubbed Shadow’s shoulders, his back shuddering as he cried against her, his muffled sobs drowned out by the slight noise of the car around them. Feeling her fur starting to get wet, Twilight sighed to herself, wishing that her friends had been with her. Fluttershy would no doubt have a better idea than her of what to do, while Rainbow Dash would be able to keep Shadow’s spirits up better that she could.

Staring out the window, Twilight watched as the side of Canterlot Mountain whipped by the car’s window in a grey blur. Through the window above Spike, she could see the plains beneath the mountain spreading to the horizon, the normally waving sea of grass and flowers silent under a thick blanket of blinding snow. In the distance, she could see the remains of the Everfree, the greatly diminished forest silent as a grave under its wintry blanket.

As the train rounded a bend, Twilight got her first real glimpse of her foalhood home, the early morning sunlight shining off the white and gold spires of the quite literal mountain-side city. Turning away as her former home disappeared behind a stand of pines; the alicorn looked down at the young pony next to her. Slowly, Shadow’s back stopped shuddering. “Feeling better?”

The younger alicorn shrugged as he wiped his nose across a foreleg. “Tired” he eventually said as he dried his eyes with his other foreleg. “Empty.”

“You’ll feel better eventually” Twilight replied, rubbing his back.

Shadow sincerely doubted that. How could he ever feel better, when every thought about his family practically had him crying like a filly? “How much longer” He asked a few minutes later.

“Probably another ten minutes or so.”

Nodding, Shadow slowly stood, mumbling a barely audible thanks to Twilight as he left. Watching him disappear into the car ahead of theirs, Twilight looked beneath the seat, surprised to see the saddlebags that Shadow protected so fiercely laying on the car’s floor. Did he forget to take them with, or did he leave them because he trusted her? Igniting her horn, Twilight silently scanned the bags, not at all surprised to find the protective spells on them at full power. One wrong move and the resulting backlash would probably knock me out. Leaving them where they were, Twilight went back to her seat, more than a little happy to see that Spike was still engrossed in his comic book.

Feeling like he was back on the Tranquility, the young colt moved in time with the sway of the passenger car, deftly avoiding the numerous ponies around him. Reaching his destination, Shadow ignited his horn, the door to the bathroom opening for him. Locking it shut behind him, the disguised alicorn turned to the nearby sink, finally getting the first good look of himself in two days. I look like shit. Shadow barely recognized the pony staring back at him, the bags under the puffy, bloodshot eyes matching perfectly with the unkempt grey mane that hung limply over his face. Turning the faucet’s lone handle, the colt let the water trickle for a few seconds before gathering some and splashing his face. Wincing as the ice cold water hit him; Shadow grabbed a nearby towel with his hoof, using it to scrub his face until it looked like something approaching normal.

Yawning as he walked out of the small room a couple minutes later, the young pony finally noticed the other ponies in the car. Most of the mares and stallions around him looked like they wanted nothing more than to be somewhere else, while one couple was trying to keep their two foals occupied. In the back, ensconced by more luggage than Shadow thought was necessary for anypony, was a pair of rich-looking unicorns who took one look at him, before turning their noses up at him. The disguised alicorn frowned as he walked back into the last car of the train. In Ponyville, he had overheard more than one resident talk about the nobles of Canterlot in less than glowing terms, with several referring to the nobility in general as having their horns up their own plots. At first, the colt had brushed the comments aside, dismissing them as earth pony envy, but hearing the same types of comments coming from fellow unicorns had brought him up short. He had almost dismissed them as well until he heard ponies like Rarity and Lyra gossiping about the latest scandal among the nobility and how they seemed to take secret pleasure in the nobles’ misfortunes. He hadn’t wanted to believe them, but as the two rich ponies turned their noses up at him, a fellow unicorn as far as they were concerned, he couldn’t help but wonder how much of what he had heard was true.

Igniting his horn, Shadow opened the door leading back to Twilight’s private car. As he stepped through, the colt flicked his tail at the two encamped unicorns in a way that, if he had done so back home, would have earned him a well-deserved beating if he had been caught. Smirking to himself, the young alicorn let the door close behind him as he stepped into the train’s final car. Watching for a moment as Twilight carefully stowed her book in her saddlebag, Shadow slowly walked over to his bench, his bags right where he had left them. Feeling the car slowing down, the lone colt levitated the bags onto his back. Behind him, he could sense Twilight doing the same with her bags while Spike was busy putting his comic book into his custom made backpack that Rarity had made for him.

“So, what’s the plan” The young dragon asked as he slung his bag over a shoulder.

“You’ll show Shadow around town so he can finish his research, while I visit our parents.” Twilight said as she tightened the strap around her waist. “We’ll be having dinner with Celestia and Luna as soon as the sun sets and we’ll spend the night at the castle, before catching the train back home tomorrow.”

“I don’t get why we can’t join you with mom and dad.” Spike whispered as he helped Twilight adjust her bags.

“I wish you could too Spike, but…” The youngest Princess glanced over at Shadow “Considering everything he’s been through, I don’t think it would be a good idea to remind him of everypony he’s lost this year.”

Spike seemed to consider Twilight’s reasoning for a moment. “Makes sense” he eventually said, as the car around them slowed down. “Give my best to mom and dad.”

“Will do” Twilight replied, giving the young dragon a quick nuzzle.

As the train screeched to a halt, Shadow fell in line behind Spike and Twilight as the larger alicorn led them off the train and into the bustling station. Stepping to the side, the young colt and dragon waved at Twilight a final time before she disappeared into the crowd. “Is it always this busy?” Shadow asked as they stood unnoticed by the ponies around them.

“More or less” Spike replied as he stepped into the crowd, with the young alicorn on his tail. “This place tends to be pretty busy every day, since this is Canterlot we’re talking about, but things tend to get a little crazier around all the major holidays.” Stepping into the station’s main lobby, the dragon led his companion over to a wall-sized map of Equestria’s capital “So, where to first?”

Shadow scanned the wall for a moment. How much had the city grown over the past thousand years? “We should probably start at the Royal Library” He said after a while.

“Sure thing” Spike replied, leading the way out of the station.

Trotting down the steps leading up to the station’s entrance, the two paused, squinting as the morning sunlight flashed off a nearby roof that somepony had covered in a layer of gold. Igniting his horn, Shadow cast a darkened shield above them, blocking out the offending light and allowing them to see again.

The first thing Shadow noticed was how nearly every pony he saw was wearing something, either a hat or in many cases, full blown dresses and suits. The very idea that anypony would voluntarily wear clothing everyday left the colt speechless. That speechlessness quickly soured as he wondered how much each dress he saw cost. All he had to do was imagine the overdressed unicorns without their horns and he could almost see himself back home. If they had a little more money, the young orphan didn’t need to imagine how the earth pony majority would wear clothing to lord their status over the other two tribes. Shaking his head, Shadow trotted to catch up to Spike. He wasn’t back home, he was in Canterlot, and these weren’t earth ponies; they were unicorns. While he didn’t know any of them, the colt couldn’t help but think that these ponies would be different than the ponies back home, or the two rich snobs on the train.

Twilight trotted down the cobbled street, her eyes roving over every building and pony she passed, a smile growing on her face as got closer to her old home. While she loved Ponyville and everypony who lived there, Canterlot would always occupy a special place in her heart. Maybe it was the familiar sound her hooves made as she made her way down the street, or maybe it was how everywhere she looked, she could recall something from her foalhood; whether it was playing in the park with Cadance, or going out for ice cream with her family on a warm summer evening. Whatever it was, Twilight knew that she would always love this city.

Rounding a corner, the young Princess had to force herself from breaking into a gallop as she spotted her old home in the distance. While she didn’t care about what other ponies might think or say if they saw her running, she didn’t want to ruin the day with her parents by slipping on a patch of ice and spending most of the day at the hospital. Feeling her smile grow as she reached the front gate of her parent’s house, Twilight spread her wings, a quick pump of her newest appendages sending her soaring into the air and over the gate and fence. Landing on the front steps a moment later, the young alicorn took a second putting her mane back into place before gently knocking on the door.

Twilight could barely contain herself as she heard her father walking toward the door. While she couldn’t see him, she would have recognized the offbeat gait he had gotten from a high school hoofball injury anywhere. Seeing the door open, it took everything Twilight had to stay where she was.

“How much for a case of thin mints?” Night Light asked as he spotted his daughter.

Twilight couldn’t help but giggle at her dad’s humor “Dad, you know I was never a Filly Scout.”

“It’s still a legitimate question” the older stallion said as he embraced his youngest child “How have you been Sparky?”

“Busy” Twilight said as she hugged her dad. Pulling away after a moment, she noticed her dad looking around behind her. “It’s just me dad. Spike’s showing Shadow around the city.”

“Pity” Night Light said as he stepped aside to let his daughter in “I was hoping to meet the little guy.”

“I know” Twilight replied as she removed her scarf “but there was a slight complication in the Crystal Empire.”

“Well, let’s get you to the kitchen so you can take a load off and tell us all about it.”

Twilight smiled as she followed her dad into the house. Maybe her parent knew of something that might help Shadow…

Standing at the base of the steps of the Royal Library, Shadow gawked at the massive building before him and Spike. Like nearly every other building they had seen, the library was covered in what looked like a single slab of white marble, as if the entire building had been carved from a single massive block of stone. Ignored by the ponies around him, the young colt craned his neck, the pony gargoyles around the base of the roof clearly visible; thanks to the decision on somepony’s part to not cover the nearby roofs with gold. Trotting up the short set of steps, the young pony’s eyes soaked up the details of the statue next to him, the unicorn mare’s head lowered as if she was pointing her horn at a distant enemy while her main billowed behind her. Wanting to know more about the statue and its twin, the disguised alicorn mentally noted to himself to ask Twilight about them.

Holding the door open for Spike, Shadow felt his jaw hit the ground as they stepped out of the low ceilinged entrance and into the library’s lobby. Whoever had designed the building had clearly wanted to impress any creature who walked in, and the trick of having the library seem to explode in size after the low-ceilinged entrance was a stroke of genius as far as Shadow was concerned. All around them, every wall was hidden behind shelves of books that stretched from the ground floor to the ornate ceiling far above them, the columns of shelves only interrupted by the building’s other floors.

“Where to first” Spike asked, breaking his companion from his silent awe.

“Probably non-fiction to see what they have on the Lunar Rebellion” Shadow replied. “Then I need to see how far back their city records go” the colt paused as something occurred to him. “Not to be rude or anything Spike, but why are you allowed in here?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Shadow winced at the young dragon’s irritation. That could have been worded better. “What I mean is, nearly all of the books in the Imperial Library are made from crystal, which is naturally flame proof, but everything here…” The colt swung a leg, gesturing to the thousands of shelves of paper.

“Oh, that. Magic” Spike said, smiling as Shadow mentally face-hoofed at the obvious answer. “Considering that this is one of the biggest libraries in Equestria, somepony thought it might be a good idea to make it impossible for fire to burn anything but candles.” Making their way to the second floor, Spike continued “On top of that, the building itself is protected by numerous anti-fire spells. There are so many different spells in place that I couldn’t burn anything even if I wanted to.” To demonstrate, the dragon took a deep breath before blowing out like he did when he wanted to light something on fire. Instead of the bright emerald green flames that Shadow had come to expect, nothing happened, except for Spike’s breath to ruffle the pages of a nearby book that somepony had left open.

Pausing for a minute to look at a large vase that was in a display case, Shadow followed his draconic guide deeper into the library. Reaching the floor’s history section, the colt opted to follow Spike, picking up with his magic every book the dragon offered. While he could have helped with the search, both had silently agreed on the current arrangement, much to Shadow’s relief, since it meant he wouldn’t be spending several precious minutes trying to read the title of one book, while his companion gathered a dozen more in the same amount of time.

Slowly backing his way out of a narrow aisle between two large bookcases with a towering column of precariously stacked books in tow, Shadow walked over to Spike, who had managed to locate an empty table. Setting the books into smaller piles across the table, the world quickly vanished for the pair as they slowly worked their way through the stacks of books. Occasionally one of them would find a book with something interesting, but much to Shadow’s growing annoyance, nearly every book they had found never bothered to look at the Rebellion from any point other than the victor’s. Placing the rejected books in a stack on the floor, the column quickly grew and multiplied as the lone alicorn rejected one book after another.

Slamming the cover shut on one book whose author insisted that the idea that Nightmare Moon had help during her rebellion was nothing more than a thinly veiled lie to explain away her early successes, the colt set it on top of another book that insisted that those very same successes were due in large part to ‘a large number of Equestria’s criminal underclass’. You have got to be fucking kidding me Shadow thought as he slumped in his seat with a groan as he stared at the bottom of the floor above him. How was it that no pony in over a thousand years had never even bothered to look at the Nightmare War from the other side’s perspective? Letting his eyes fall on the half-dozen books left, the colt felt his mood sour at the ‘objective’ books, which in his opinion, was being generous. While they weren’t as blatant as the rejects piled next to him, Shadow held out little hope for them. Glancing at a nearby clock, the alicorn felt his stomach rumble as the morning officially ended and the afternoon began.

“Any hope?”

Shadow shook his head as he quickly scanned the remaining books, before sending them to join their siblings on the floor. Even the ones that had survived the initial cull had dismissed Nightmare Moon’s supporters as either deluded opportunists or brainwashed minions.

“What now?”

The colt sighed as he massaged the base of his horn. “Take a look at the city records” he eventually replied; “though I suppose we have to put these away first, which is going to take forever.” Shadow added, a look of loathing crossing his face as the two looked at the nearby stacks of books.

“Follow me” Spike said, the knowing smile on his face leaving the young colt curious as he followed with the dozens of books following in his wake. “Put them in here” Spike said a minute later, gesturing to a large, three sided metal bin. Doing as he was bid, Shadow set half of the books he had in the bin. Theatrically cracking his knuckles, the alicorn’s companion pressed a nearby button marked ‘return to shelf’. With a small pop, the books vanished, much to Shadow’s shock. “This is a little something Twilight created when she went to school here” the young dragon smiled at the colt’s stunned silence. “She got tired of having to return her books to the shelves, so she created this thing. Now, instead of taking two hours, the same task takes two seconds.”

Shadow couldn’t help but be impressed. Smiling, he placed the rest of the books in the bin, and then hit the button himself, his smile growing as the books vanished. With a sigh of relief, the disguised alicorn followed his guide to the library’s fourth and final floor, which also turned out to be the building’s smallest. Wandering alongside Spike, the colt read the labels on the floor’s bookcases, a sense of despair slowly growing inside him as he saw the years marked on the shelves slowly crawl upward. Finding himself back where they started a few minutes later, the colt wondered if it was coincidence that he couldn’t find anything he wanted or if there was somepony behind this.

“Wait here” Spike said, before dashing off to a nearby desk. Shadow watched as he spoke with the young stallion on the other side, the older pony shaking his head a moment later. “I got good news and bad news” Spike said as he returned. “The bad news is they don’t have any records here over two hundred years old, but the good news is that everything older than two hundred years is in the Royal Archives.”

“Which is where?”

“The palace.”

Of course it would be there Shadow thought as he and Spike walked down the stairs. What better way to keep an eye on them than keep them where you live. Stepping outside, the colt shivered as a breeze blew across his fur. Next to him, he could see Spike blowing into his hands, a green glow emanating from between his claws with every breath “Which way?”

“That way” Spike replied, tilting his head to the side, his voice muffled by his hands, “But we need to hit one other place along the way” he added as the two walked down the library’s front steps.

“Where?”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry.” Following in silence, the question on Shadow’s mind was answered two minutes later as the colt and dragon stepped into a small building that had windows along the two sides facing the outside. As soon as they stepped inside, the colt’s stomach refused to remain silent as the variety of scents washed over him.

“Well, well, well, look what the wind blew in.” Behind the counter, the apron-wearing unicorn stallion smiled as the two walked in. “What brings you here today, Spike?”

“Hey Joe” The dragon replied as he rubbed his hands together. “We just needed to get out of the cold and get something to eat.”

The tan and brown stallion smiled. “What’ll it be?”

“Two large hot chocolates, an emerald and ruby doughnut and…” Spike looked over at Shadow, who was pointing at an enormous muffin “One of those things.”

“Latest creation” the stallion said as he filled the dragon’s order. “That’s my double XL, triple-berry muffin.”

“Are they any good?”

“I can barely keep them on the rack” the stallion deadpanned as he bagged the doughnut and muffin.

Setting a half-dozen bits on the counter, Shadow grabbed the bag with his magic and nodded his thanks before trotting out behind Spike. “I like him” Shadow said as they crossed the street.

“Joe’s pretty cool” Spike replied as he sipped from his cup. “I don’t care what anypony else says; claws down, outside of the Royal kitchens, he has the best food in Canterlot.” Shadow was more than happy to agree as he tested the hot chocolate floating next to his head. While he had gotten his first taste of the stuff from Sugarcube Corner, the colt found himself preferring Joe’s version more, though he mentally noted to keep that to himself. The oversized muffin on the other hoof filled the empty hole in the colt’s stomach that he hadn’t realized existed until just then. I hope I live long enough to try another one of these Shadow thought to himself as he tossed the remains of the muffin into his mouth.

Looking up, the young alicorn felt a sense of nervousness grow in him as they neared Celestia’s palace, the building’s spires looming far overhead. Trying to look as unassuming as possible, the young alicorn followed his dragon companion through the front gates, the golden-armored guards on either side never even glancing their way. Walking through the main entrance, the colt was surprised at how different it was from what he had imagined. While there were a number of ponies in the foyer, most of them were regular looking ponies, instead of the numerous guards he had expected. In fact, the only guards he saw were the two standing by the main door, and two more that seemed to be passing through as they worked a patrol. Keeping his mouth shut, the disguised alicorn followed Spike down a series of stairs and hallways, every new hallway quieter than the one before.

As he began to wonder if this wasn’t anything more than an elaborate trap, Shadow blinked in surprise as he stepped through an open doorway and into a room that was the exact opposite of the Royal Library. Around the room, the aged shelves bowed and silently groaned under the weight of thousands of scrolls and documents. Each row of shelves was marked with a year, but other than that, the colt couldn’t discern any kind of filing system, with scrolls piled on papers, and papers draped over scrolls. About the only thing that held true throughout the room, other than the seeming lack of organization, was the dust that covered everything. Grimacing, the colt walked deeper into the large room, the layers of dust visibly thickening the farther they went. “If you find a solid grey pony, it’s me” The alicorn muttered to Spike as they neared the back wall.

The dragon snorted. “Now you know why I never liked this place.” He looked around “What are we looking for, again?”

“Any city records for the first few years after the rebellion that mention a mare named Crystal Clarity.”

“Who was she?” Spike asked as he read the tag on a scroll.

“An ancestor” Shadow replied as he shook the dust off a dozen scrolls. For a while, the two looked in silence, the only sounds disturbing the silence coming from anything they moved or when they sneezed, which was often. Glancing to the side, Shadow watched as Spike sneezed for the hundredth time, his flameless breath sending even more dust into the air. Guessing that the room had the same spells in place as the library, the alicorn carefully lifted a decrepit looking bound stack of papers. Leafing through it, the colt paused as he his eyes fell across a name he hadn’t really expected to see. Barely breathing; lest a stray breath cause the piece of paper to crumble to dust; Shadow read the half-page summary of his ancestor.

Date: 27 Jul 1CE

Name: Crystal Clarity

Gender: M

Age: 63

Tribe: Unicorn (crystal)

Cause of Death: Suicide.

Notes: The decedent was found alone in her home with a rotted rope around her neck after neighbors complained of the smell. The single mare lived alone and appears to have kept to herself. Neighbors mention that the decedent’s daughter was exiled for her participation in the failed Rebellion a year earlier. Despite her daughter’s treason, Ms. Clear was allowed to stay in the city. At the request of Princess Celestia, the decedent’s body was released to the palace for burial in the Royal Cemetery.

Shadow felt a few tears streak down his face as he read the page again.

Suicide.

The single word blazed in his mind as he blindly sat down. How long had she lasted after Summer Breeze had been banished, taking her newborn daughter with her before she decided to end it all? After all she had been through, the loss of her home, her friends, her husband and then her daughter and granddaughter, what had been the final straw; the final thing that pushed her over the edge? “I found her” the alicorn eventually said, his whisper just loud enough for Spike to hear.

Wordlessly, the dragon walked over to the sitting colt, reading the offered page, his fins sagging as he reached the end. “What now?”

“I have to find her” Shadow replied after a while.

“I know where she is” Spike said, rubbing the colt’s back in comfort.

Looking up, Shadow stared at himself in the mirror, the young pony looking back slowly starting to look familiar again as he worked to scrub the dust from his mane and fur. Grabbing a towel, the colt scrubbed his face a final time, the pure white towel coming back an off-white instead of grey, like its brothers.

Tossing it onto a pile of its siblings, Shadow ignited his horn, focusing his magic on Spike to help the young dragon get dry again. Wordlessly, the pair left the small bathroom, with the young alicorn once again following his reptilian companion. As they walked, Shadow’s thoughts turned back to his ancestor, Crystal Clear. What had it been like for her? How did she handle getting swept up in two wars, only to lose everything and yet last as long as she had?

How had he?

If he was honest, Shadow didn’t know how he had survived to this point. Almost as soon as he had woken up that first morning, everything he had done, everything he had thought about, had been about seeing him through to the next day. Everything else, his feelings, thoughts of his family, had been relegated to the back of his mind. It hadn’t been until he had gotten that photo of his parents and sister a few days earlier that he had truly thought about them since he left home. What would they think of him now? What would they say? As Spike disappeared around a corner, the young orphan stopped to wipe his eyes, banishing the hoof-full of tears that had come out of nowhere.

Trotting to catch up with Spike, the colt winced as he stepped into the castle’s main foyer, the afternoon sunlight streaming through the glass around them, colorful images splashed across the floor as the stained glass glowed in the light. Looking around as he caught up to Spike, the colt stopped in his tracks. Across the lobby, a pair of golden armored stallions were talking, but what had caught the young alicorn’s attention was the third pony in the group. Standing in the shadows cast by a pillar, the lone mare smiled as she chatted with her companions. The dark grey mare’s fangs gleamed as she laughed, her mirth clearly filling her from her tufted ears to her bat-like wings. Knowing full well that he was very obviously staring, the colt jumped slightly as he felt a dull claw poke him in the ribs.

“No need to freak out, dude” Spike said as he moved to stand next to his companion. “Everything alright?”

“I’m fine” Shadow lied. How could he be fine, when there was a thestral in full Night Guard attire chatting with a pair of Solar Guards fifty feet away?

“Uh huh” Shadow winced at the dragon’s expression. Spike looked across the lobby at the trio of guards. “I’m guessing you’ve never seen thestrals before” he added as the lone mare’s laugh filled the foyer. Shadow didn’t know what to say. While he had grown up around the tribe and considered a thestral a close friend, would Spike believe him? “I can’t blame you” Spike continued as he led the stunned colt out the front door “After all, she’s one of only a few thestrals in the guard.”

“Really?”

Spike shrugged. “It’s not that big of a surprise when you consider that until recently, they were thought to be nothing but myth.”

“What happened?”

“Daring Doo happened” Spike replied with a smile as they crunched through the snow. “Apparently during one of her adventures, she stumbled across an entire colony of them living along Equestria’s far southern border. According to Twilight, Daring was being chased by a horde of hydras, when a group of thestrals dropped in out of nowhere and sent the hydras running. Long story short, they invited her back to their colony, and after she could fly again, she flew straight to Canterlot to tell the princesses what she had found. Within a week, Princess Luna was out there, meeting with the colony’s leaders. While they weren’t too keen on becoming part of Equestria for some reason, more than a few colony members offered to join Luna’s Night Guard.”

Shadow thought about what Spike had said. He had always known that there were more thestral colonies out there than the one back home. It was something that everypony on the island knew, but what had really caught his attention was the fact that some of the colony’s members were willing to become part of the guard that had so utterly failed them in the past. Could Equestria have really changed that much? If it had, what did that mean about Celestia and everything he thought and believed about her? “How many are there?”

Spike looked up as he thought “About a dozen or so” he replied a moment later. “They’re all in the Night Guard since they have trouble with bright light, but according to Twilight, Canterlot’s crime rate has already dropped thanks to them.” Shadow wasn’t surprised; there was a reason ponies back home treated thestrals with respect. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, the colt looked over to Spike, who gestured to something up ahead with a nod. Looking up, the young alicorn realized they had finally reached their destination. “I’ll wait here for you” Spike whispered as he planted himself on a nearby bench.

“Thanks.” Now alone, Shadow slowly walked through the ivy-draped arch that acted as the entrance for the Royal Cemetery. Around him, the world was perfectly silent, as if it didn’t want to intrude on the moment. Stepping through the fresh snow, the colt slowly walked deeper into the cemetery, the headstones getting older and less ornate as he did. Feeling a lump in his chest, Shadow paused at a plain, yet oddly fresh-looking headstone. To his surprise, he could easily read the inscription on the white marble slab.

Crystal Clarity

B. 62 BCE

D. Jul 1 CE

Wife, mother, grandmother,

Your memory will never fade

Slowly, Shadow lowered himself until he was sitting in the snow. Despite the cold around him, he felt none of it as he stared at his ancestor’s grave. Ever since he had learned about his family’s history, he had always wondered to himself what had happened to Summer Breeze’s mom. Now he knew and, as odd as it felt, he felt strangely happy to know that she rested here, in what was likely the most exclusive cemetery in Equestria. Why had Celestia let her be buried here, since it was by her permission only that a pony could spend eternity here? Shadow didn’t bother to try and understand the princess’s thinking. The young alicorn felt that he should say something, but what did one say to an ancestor who’s been dead for over a thousand years? “I’m sorry” He eventually said. “I’m sorry you lost everything and everypony you loved. I’m sorry you died alone, but I hope you can take some comfort in where you rest. I doubt even Summer Breeze would object to this place. I guess it’s better than a random forgotten unmarked grave somewhere.” Feeling a slight breeze play with his mane, the young colt smiled. “I honestly never expected to find you. If anything, I thought that it would have been asking too much. I’m sorry that you’ve spent the last thousand years alone, but now you aren’t alone anymore. I promise to visit you as often as I can. Until I can finally meet you and see my family again, could you keep an eye on them, especially Star Gazer? Fates know she needs somepony to keep her from being too reckless.” Laughing gently to himself as a couple incidents came to mind, Shadow slowly stood, his leg protesting the sudden movement. Pausing for a moment as he reread the fresh headstone, the colt slowly bowed to his ancestor’s grave.

Rising to his hooves, Shadow slowly made his way back to the cemetery’s entrance, his heart feeling strangely light, knowing that he now had a link to his past that he had never expected to find.

“Feeling better?”

Shadow nodded as Spike hopped off the bench. Trudging through the unblemished snow, Shadow barely paid attention to the dragon behind him as he went over things in his mind. Why would Celestia let the mother of a sworn enemy be buried here? Was it so that she’d be reminded of all of her failures every time she looked out the window, or of all her triumphs? Why had the headstone been replaced? Shadow sighed, growling to himself as the numerous new questions swirled in his head. While he knew he should just be glad that he had a family member he could always visit, the more suspicious part of him demanded to know why she was here at all.

Rounding the corner of a tower, the young alicorn stopped in his tracks as he stared at the large number of armored ponies in the large field before him. Around the field, groups of armored stallions and mares faced each other, the afternoon light glinting off their swords and armor as they fought. Frowning as he wondered how he didn’t hear all of this noise earlier, the colt watched as a mare and stallion nearby exchanged a furious volley of strikes, the sound of steel on steel ringing across the training grounds. As he and Spike watched, the mare ducked under her opponent’s swing before pivoting on her hooves and bucking the larger stallion in the chest. The fight ended abruptly as the mare swept the legs out from under her opponent who laughed, even as his opponent held the edge of her blunted blade to his neck.

His head canting in confusion, the two watched from the sidelines as the stallion accepted the mare’s hoof as he got back up, the stallion’s good natured promise of retribution leaving the colt confused at how he could brush off such a defeat so easily. While everypony knew that mares were generally more flexible and maneuverable than stallions that didn’t make it any less humiliating when a stallion lost to one. If anything, it usually ensured that that unfortunate stallion would face weeks of jabs and snide comments and questions about his stallionhood and whether he lost on purpose or was just getting soft. Was this stallion trying to save face in front of his fellow guards, or was there another reason he was laughing it off. Next to him, Shadow felt a brief burst of heat as Spike blew flames into his hands as a breeze sprang up and the temperature promptly plummeted. Ignoring the young dragon, Shadow watched as two stallions, an earth pony and unicorn squared off against the other, using no weapons other than the hooves they had been born with. From where he stood, the colt couldn’t help but feel more than a little pride as the unicorn held his ground against his opponent, even though his horn remained unused. The fact that the unicorn was holding his own without having to rely on his magic told the colt that this unicorn was not one he’d like to cross. That thought sent a chill down the alicorn’s spine. If this unicorn was able to do such a feat, what did it mean about every other pony he could see on the field? If they were so well trained that they didn’t need to rely on their magic or their wings, what would it mean for his home if Celestia found out where it was and decided to invade it?

"For spies, you two are doing a remarkably poor job."

Shadow and Spike jumped at the sound of somepony speaking behind them. Spinning around, Shadow raised a leg to shield his eyes from the light gleaming off the polished armor of the stallion standing before them. "Hey Commander, how's it going?"

To the colt's surprise, the imposing stallion, whose face seemed to be carved out of solid granite, broke into a broad smile at Spike's casual greeting. The young alicorn was shocked even further when the larger stallion bumped an armored hoof against Spike's waiting fist. "Not bad, if I do say so myself Spike, though you might want to get your eyes checked."

"Why?" In response, the armored earth pony angled himself a little so the two could get a better look at him. For his part, Shadow couldn't figure out what the stallion was talking about, but Spike apparently had, since a low whistle escaped the young dragon's lips. "Since when did you get the fourth bar, Captain?"

"Almost three months ago. I'm in Canterlot until they finish building my first command."

"Well, congratulations. I bet Shining Armor was thrilled."

"Since he was there when I got promoted, I think it’s safe to say that he was." The Captain smiled as he polished his new insignia. "So who's your young friend, Spike?"

Spike face palmed at the stallion's question "How could I forget. Captain Steel Gaze, this is Shadow. Shadow, Captain Steel Gaze."

Shadow took the officer's proffered hoof and shook it. "It's an honor, sir."

"Interesting accent; I take it you're not from around here."

"He's not" Spike answered. "He's visiting a distant relative in the city and I was showing him around town." Internally, Shadow sighed in relief at the dragon's cover story. While it was mostly true, the alicorn was glad that Spike had left out the details, allowing the larger pony to fill them in himself.

"Then allow me to officially welcome you to Canterlot." Steel Gaze said as they surveyed the Royal Guards' training grounds. "What do you think so far?"

"It's a lot bigger than I was expecting."

“I know what you mean” the officer replied as he surveyed the field “I can still remember how surprised I was when I arrived for basic. Harmony Bay isn’t much larger than Canterlot, but I still couldn’t believe how you could fit an entire city on the side of a mountain.” The Captain shook his head, smiling at the memory.

“So what brings you down here?” Spike asked, blowing into his hands again.

“Officially, I’m here looking for possible crewmembers. Unofficially, I’m avoiding a certain pain-in-the-dock royal who insists on following me everywhere I go.”

Before Shadow or Spike could ask who that pony might be, a pompous-sounding voice cut through the cold air. High stepping through the packed snow like it might stain his white coat, a blonde-maned stallion quickly trotted over to the three spectators. “For a moment, I thought I lost you Captain.”

Seeing Spike trying to hide a snicker, Shadow frowned as he studied the new arrival. The stallion, his flanked marked with a compass rose, didn’t strike the young colt as anything special. If anything, the blue-eyed stallion seemed perfectly normal, which only confused the alicorn even further as to why the officer would actively avoid him. The new stallion, having caught his breath, looked down, finally noticing the colt and dragon. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, Captain. I didn’t know you had company.”

Didn’t know my flank Steel Gaze thought as he composed himself. One couldn’t stand out against the snow more if he tried, and the other’s a freakin’ dragon! “My apologies, your Highness” The officer replied as he bowed his head “I ran into Spike and his companion Shadow as I was looking over the latest batch of recruits.” The older unicorn turned to look over the two smaller members of the group. “Prince Blueblood, Shadow. Shadow, Prince Blueblood.”

Shadow barely noticed the lazy salute Spike tossed at the royal, his mind having ground to a screeching halt at the Captain’s introduction; Prince?!? Feeling the gears in his head finally start to turn again, Shadow took a longer look at the stallion before him. From his mane to his fetlocks, the colt couldn’t find a single out of place hair on the prince. In fact, everything he saw seemed to speak of nobility. Even the crisply folded blue bowtie around the stallion’s neck only seemed to enhance that sense. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, your Highness” Shadow said as he bowed.

“I assure you, the pleasure is all mine” Blueblood replied, nodding his head in approval at the colt. “It’s not often I meet a pony such as yourself, who knows how to properly act around nobility.”

Shadow smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

Smiling, the prince turned to Steel Gaze. “I am sorry to interrupt, but I believe I may have found a couple potential candidates for your crew.”

Seeing no way out, the captain sighed to himself, though he made sure to keep his feelings masked, “Then by all means, my Prince, please lead the way.”

“Poor bastard” Spike whispered to Shadow as the two waved at the retreating figures.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s stuck with Blueblood” the dragon replied as the pair made their way around the training grounds to a non-descript door in the castle’s wall.

“So?”

“Sure he seems nice to those who don’t know him, but once you get to know him, you quickly learn that Prince Blueballs is one of the biggest plot heads in Canterlot, which is saying something.”

“Well, I’m sure that that’s just your opinion” Shadow replied testily. The colt didn’t care what Spike said. Prince Blueblood seemed like a perfectly respectable unicorn. The fact that he was a noble as well only served to increase the colt’s admiration, and nothing anypony – or any dragon – said would persuade him otherwise.

Revelations - Part 2

For a while, the dragon and alicorn wandered the castle’s halls, with Spike resuming his impromptu role as guide, leading his companion around the world famous building’s numerous halls and corridors. As they walked, Shadow couldn’t help but enjoy the young dragon’s stories of growing up in the castle. One thing that Shadow noticed was that no matter where they were, there were pieces of art everywhere, whether it was a six hundred year old vase in a glass display case or a painting on the wall that had been created five years earlier by an up-and-coming artist.

Shadow couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed and more than a little confused. Everything he saw went against everything he had grown up knowing, everything he had accepted as truth. Why would Celestia amass such an extensive collection, only to turn around and put it on permanent loan to the Equestrian Art Society? While he could see her doing it to influence her subjects, was that also why anypony could look at the collection without having to pay an entrance fee? If anything, he had expected for the solar diarch to have an entire museum built to house her collection. Exiling those questions to the back of his mind, the colt turned his focus back to trying to remember what was around him.

Pausing mid-step as they passed a large pair of double doors, Shadow felt his jaw drop at the sight of multicolored beams of light playing across the white marble floor of the room, and the long red rug that led to Celestia’s throne. Tapping Spike on the shoulder with a quick burst of magic, the colt tilted his head to the empty room. He had to see this. Walking in, the young alicorn heard his muffled hoof steps echo around the room. He had seen a number of drawings and paintings of Celestia’s throne room back home, but none of them came even remotely close to doing the room justice. For a moment, the alicorn simply stood there, letting himself soak in all of the beauty around him. If he had been asked to voice his thoughts at that moment, words would have failed the colt.

Igniting his horn, Shadow opened one of his saddlebags and pulled out a bright purple crystal. One of the gifts he had gotten from Princess Cadance had been a large set of memory crystals. The stone points had been enchanted to record a pony’s memories using a simple spell, allowing the owner to replay the memories anytime they wanted. While he hadn’t had the chance to do anything with them yet, Shadow knew that he was going to fill most of those crystals with memories of his family. He couldn’t wait to show Rainbow Dash his memory of the thunderhead prank he had pulled on his sister. Calling on the spell that came with this particular crystal, Shadow slowly walked around the room, his eyes covering every inch as everything he saw was recorded to the piece of amethyst. Next to him, he could hear Spike yawn as the young drake grew bored. “Done yet?”

“Almost” Shadow replied as he finished his recording. As he set the crystal back in his bag, a stray thought occurred to him “Hey Spike, do you know anything about any crystal mines in the area?”

“You mean the ones under the castle?”

The colt’s head whipped around at the dragon’s innocent question. “You mean they’re literally beneath our hooves?” Seeing his companion nod, the young alicorn felt his chest tighten as another thought struck him. “Is there any chance we could see them?”

Spike shrugged. “I don’t see why not” he said as he led the way out of the room, “though I don’t know what you’d find so interesting about them. They’re kinda boring if you ask me.”

Shadow highly doubted that, but he held his tongue as he followed the dragon. Like earlier when they were going to the Royal Archives, the world around them quieted as they traveled deeper and deeper into the castle’s. As they got closer to the castle’s foundation, the lone alicorn noticed that the air around them had gotten subtly, yet noticeably colder while the halls had gotten darker. Coming to a halt as Spike stopped at a completely unremarkable door, Shadow felt his eyes grow wider as soon as the dragon opened the door to reveal a set of stairs descending into a pit of pure darkness.

“You mind?”

Shaking his head, Shadow ignited his horn, the golden light brightening the hidden staircase. The young alicorn swallowed nervously as he followed the dragon. Why was he nervous all of the sudden? He had known about these caverns for his entire life. Maybe it was the stories he had heard about the Changeling queen having used the place to imprison Cadance and then Twilight, but hadn’t Twilight said that Luna and Celestia had made sure to clear out and secure the caverns as soon as the surprise invasion had been crushed? Even if they ran into a couple changelings, what could those parasites do against a fire breathing dragon and an alicorn that had faced much larger monsters and survived? Stomping down on his growing sense of ill ease, the lone alicorn focused on keeping everything around them well-lit as they descended, the walls of the surprisingly wide staircase quickly changing from marble to the granite of the mountain itself.

After what seemed like an eternity, the two knew they had reached their destination as the stairs ended while the walls around them suddenly opened up into a vast cavern. Channeling more energy through his horn, the omnipresent darkness fled as Shadow bathed the area in light, the crystals lining every available surface glittered as the glow from his horn reflected against and inside the surrounding crystals. Letting out a low whistle, the colt slowly wandered to a nearby crystal that was at least as wide as he was long and stood at least fifteen feet high. Looking into the light green crystal, Shadow could see the light of his horn play against the minute imperfections in the stone.

“So why did you want to come here in the first place?” Turning around, Shadow noticed how Spike looked distinctly uncomfortable as the dragon slowly walked over to the young alicorn. “I mean, yeah the crystals are kinda cool and all, but if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.”

“I have to admit that part of this was to see this place for myself, since I’ve heard legends about this place for as long as I can remember.” The colt replied, feeling his neck start to cramp as he looked at the crystal-lined ceiling far above them.

“How could you know about this place?” Spike asked as he walked next to the colt as the two traveled deeper into the caverns. “No pony knew about this place before the invasion. Even the princesses forgot all about them.”

“That’s the other reason we’re down here” the alicorn admitted as they wandered through a couple smaller chambers. “I have some family history with this place and I was hoping to include these caverns in my presentation.”

“What kind of history?” Spike asked, his attention now focused on something other than the Celestia forsaken mine around them.

“The kind that gets ignored by the history books” The young alicorn replied cryptically. For a while, the two wandered in silence, Shadow’s horn flashing every few seconds as he marked their path. Pausing mid-stride, the colt blinked rapidly before focusing on a nearby curtain of opaque crystals. Was I imagining things? Trotting over to the wall, the alicorn frowned before focusing the light from his horn on the wall. Turning to leave, Shadow paused again as he noticed a narrow line of darkness disappear behind an oversized crystal as he moved. Frowning, the colt walked over to the crystal, Spike remaining silent as the young dragon followed. Running his hoof across the wall, Shadow stumbled as, despite appearances, the wall suddenly disappeared. Feeling his heart flutter, the world around the colt vanished as he slowly walked into the hidden passage, his hoof guiding him every step of the way.

Following a couple twists and turns, the young alicorn’s jaw dropped as he and Spike turned a corner and the passage suddenly opened into a moderately sized room that had clearly been carved out of the surrounding crystals. The room itself was roughly the same size as the ground level of Twilight’s castle, and the walls were the same color as every other crystal they had seen so far, but the single thing that held the colt’s attention above everything else was the solid crystal table in the center of the room. Ignoring the dragon next to him, Shadow walked up to the table, his hoof carefully brushing it as if it would disappear at the slightest touch.

I found it! I can’t believe I found it! Scrambling for his saddlebag, Shadow pulled the recording crystal out; his horn glowing brightly as he magically burned everything he saw onto the crystal hovering before him. Not hearing the questions Spike was asking, the colt focused his attention on the table, his eyes focusing on the numerous carvings and designs imbedded under the crystal table’s smooth surface. Taking up a majority of the table’s surface was a night scene, with Luna standing triumphantly in the throne room above them, while ponies from all four tribes bowed to her, the moon burning brightly behind her, its rays bathing the room in its light. Around the edge, whoever had carved the main scene had also carved images of the moon and various creatures of the night, including a couple thestrals. Why would they decorate it? He wondered as he brushed his hoof against the table’s top, before following the table’s lone pedestal to the solid crystal floor below. Feeling something brush against his shoulder, Shadow jumped, his head hitting painfully against the bottom of the table.

Muttering a few obscenities, the colt glared at the dragon next to him. For his part, Spike glared back, not feeling much sympathy for the colt who had been ignoring him for the last ten minutes. “What is this place?” He finally asked, seeing that he had the alicorn’s full attention.

“Couldn’t you have waited until my head was clear of the table?” Shadow muttered as he rubbed the lump that was growing on the back of his head.

“If I did, we’d have been down here all night” Spike snarked as he gestured to the room. “So what is this place” he asked again.

“You know the Lunar Rebellion?”

“Yeah…”

“This is where it was planned.”

Spike frowned at the colt’s breathless pronouncement. “How do you know that? And what does that have to do with your family?”

“Come to school on Monday with Twilight and find out.” Shadow teased, smirking as he set the purple crystal back in his bag. Standing back up, the colt took one last look at the large fragment of crystal hanging over the table. “We should get back before Celestia sends the Guard after us.” The colt knew he could spend hours, if not days, exploring the caverns, but they had other places to be, and he knew they were pushing their luck as it was.

Feeling Spike grab his tail, Shadow led the way through the hidden passage back to the larger cavern outside. Turning right, the two followed the blinking balls of light on the ground, their progress much faster than before as they made their way back to the secret staircase. Pausing at the base of the stairs a couple minutes later, Shadow grabbed a couple transparent, hoof-sized bright green crystals from the ground, stuffing them in his saddlebag before following Spike up the stairs.

Breathing a sigh of relief that no pony had been around when they had opened the door, Shadow let his draconic companion lead the way. Glancing out a nearby window, the young alicorn was surprised to see the sun’s last rays fading beyond the horizon as the day gave way to the night. How long were we down there?

“There you two are!” The two young explorers jumped at the voice behind them. Spinning around as soon as they hit the ground, both were relieved to see Twilight striding toward them. “I’ve been looking all over for you two! Where have you been?”

“Exploring” Shadow replied matter-of-factly, as if it should have been obvious.

“Well I hope you saw everything you wanted, because if we don’t hurry, we’ll be late for dinner with the princesses, and we can’t leave them waiting.”

Following behind her as Twilight led the way, Shadow raised an eyebrow at Spike, who had taken his place on the older alicorn’s back. For his part, the dragon rolled his eyes as he shook his head slightly. Both figured that the princesses wouldn’t mind if they were a little late, but both silently decided to keep that observation to themselves. Trotting to keep up with Twilight, Shadow’s head never stayed still as the colt took in everything he saw. In what seemed like no time, the young alicorn followed his guardian through a door that was so non-descript, that the colt never would have given it a second glance, if it hadn’t been for the pair of Royal Guards standing on either side. Eyeing the two armored stallions warily as he walked between them, Shadow found himself wondering if he would have preferred to be outside with them instead as he entered the room. Seated at a table near the room’s far wall, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna looked up from the sheet of paper they had been working on, a quill floating lazily by Luna’s horn.

“Welcome.” Not knowing what else to do, Shadow quickly bowed to the Royal Sisters, much to their amusement. “You don’t have to bow” Luna said as she set the sheet of paper and quill aside “In this room, the usual formalities end at the door.”

“What is this place” Shadow asked as he relieved himself of his saddlebags, though he made sure to set them where he could easily reach them if he had to.

“Our private dining room” Luna replied, noting the young alicorn’s curiosity. “Other than our private rooms, this is one of the few rooms where we can ‘let our manes down’ so to speak.” Behind them, the sisters’ manes continued to wave in the unseen breeze that only their manes obeyed.

“Few ponies know of this room, and even fewer have eaten here” Celestia said, chiming in for the first time. As if on cue, a pair of unicorns dressed in white aprons walked in through a hidden side door, pushing carts loaded with covered trays. Setting the silver trays on the center of the table, the two unicorns lifted the lids, revealing a small pile of daisy burgers on one tray, and a mound of hay fries on the other. Underneath the third silver lid lay an entire cake covered in white and dark blue frosting.

Seeing the colt’s surprise, Luna chuckled “Like I said, this is where we can be ourselves, and also where we can eat what we want without having to worry what others may think.” As if to lead by example, the lunar diarch grabbed a pair of burgers and then proceeded to bury them in hay fries. Not seeing any reason why they shouldn’t, the royal sisters’ three guests followed suit, the four alicorns and one dragon quickly digging into their steaming dinners. “So” Luna said after a while, as everyone’s attention slowly turned to the lone cake “What do you think of Canterlot?”

“It’s bigger than I expected” Shadow replied as he leaned back in his chair “Though I have to admit that it’s almost impossible to find anything in your Royal Archives.”

“Tell me about it” Luna said as she mopped up her ketchup with a few remaining hay fries. “What were you doing down there?”

“Looking for anything I could find about my family’s history in Equestria.”

“What did you find?”

Shadow’s eyes shifted to the largest alicorn in the room. How much should he say? “Not much” He eventually replied, looking at Celestia the entire time. “Interestingly, there’s almost nothing about their time here. I guess I should be thankful that I found anything at all, since the city library had nothing useful.” As he spoke, Shadow thought he saw Celestia twitch at his veiled jab, though that could have been his imagination.

“Is there anything specific you were hoping to find?”

Shadow shook his head as he turned to look at his queen. “I doubt any records I could use are still around and the one I did find was practically falling apart.” For a while, the five diners worked on turning the cake into a delicious memory in silence. As they ate, the young orphan took the chance to study the table they were using. The thing that struck him the most was how ordinary the table was. It was nothing like he had expected or heard tales of. If his parents had had some extra silvers, he could have seen them getting a table just like this one. Hay, he could see any of his friends in Ponyville having a table like this at their house.

“Despite what you may think” Celestia said, catching the young alicorn off guard as he studied her table “this table is about five hundred years old.”

“Really.”

Celestia nodded as she took a second slice of cake. “I was walking through the market one morning and I fell in love with it at first sight. I’ve made sure to take good care of it since then.” If the solar princess was expecting any praise or compliments, she would be sorely disappointed. Instead, she noticed the room’s atmosphere subtly darken as her youngest guest’s mood seemed to darken as well.

“It’s beautiful.” Shadow eventually said.

“Thank you.” Though she kept her reply light, Celestia couldn’t fail to notice the silent change that had come over the colt. Had she said something wrong?

“What’s next on the agenda, Twi?” Spike asked, before letting out a belch that lit up the room. Raising a fist, he bumped it against Shadow’s outstretched hoof, glad that he had managed to cut the tension that had been building.

Twilight shook her head in amusement as the two bumped hooves. “Actually” She replied, glancing over at the two other alicorns at the table “There are some things that the princesses and I need to discuss with Shadow in private.”

The young dragon seemed to think it over for a moment before shrugging. “I was going to show him some of my comics, but I suppose that it can wait a while.”

Leaving the room, Shadow watched the dragon’s retreating figure disappear around a corner, before turning to follow Twilight. I wonder what they’ll tell him and the others the colt thought as the four alicorns walked down the hall. Probably that I went to live with some very distant relatives on a farm somewhere. He idly wondered if that phrase meant the same in Equestria as it did back home. Still… at least they let me have a decent last meal.

The colt knew they had reached their final destination when he spotted the pair of guards standing at attention in front of a pair of doors with a large sun similar to the one on Celestia’s flanks inlayed in the wood. Quietly, Shadow wondered how much trouble the guards would be if he suddenly came bursting through the doors. Would they chase him immediately, or would he get a few seconds head start while they tried to figure out what was happening? Either way, the young alicorn knew he’d have to get outside as soon as possible if he was to have any shot at seeing the sun rise.

Leaving the hallway, Shadow’s mind noted every detail of the room around him, from the two fire places and the nearby desk overflowing with various sheets of paper, to the large glass and metal doors that opened to a balcony that overlooked all of Canterlot and the valley the mountainside town overlooked.

“Please make yourself comfortable” Celestia said as she drew the curtains across the windows around the room. “We’ll try to make this quick, though I can’t guarantee that it will be pleasant.”

Shadow rolled his eyes. Just get it over with already he thought while claiming the pillow that looked the most expensive. Perhaps he could take it with him when she final dealt with him.

“I know this question is painful and unpleasant, but I have to ask” Celestia said as soon as everypony had gotten settled around the fireplace that had a fire in it, “but do you remember the night you lost your family?”

What the hell is this? The young orphan wondered, an eyebrow rising to betray his feelings. “Considering it’s the single worst day in my life so far, of course I do.”

“Do you remember the spell you tried to cast that night?”

Shadow’s face settled into a scowl at the question. “How do you know about that?”

“That would be my fault” Luna said “I saw you standing in a casting circle in a number of your dreams and the spell we’re wondering about requires one. Do you know of the spell I’m talking about?”

Shadow nodded. He hadn’t looked at that Luna damned spell since the fire.

“Do you know what it’s supposed to do?” Twilight asked quietly.

Seeing the colt shake his head, Celestia sighed out of a mixed sense of relief and frustration. On one hoof, it meant that she could plead ignorance before the Sprite Council, but on the other hoof, he attempted to cast a highly advanced spell without fully understanding what its purpose was. “How did you get your hooves on the spell?”

“I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re thinking” Shadow growled, recalling what the two thieves had mentioned when he had ambushed them in his dad’s apothecary. “I got the book it was in from my teacher. She suggested I try and see if I could do it over the weekend.”

“Did she know what the spell was for?”

“No.” The youngest alicorn replied, not noticing the glances the three Princesses were sharing. “She’s an earth pony and she got the book for me because she wanted to give me a challenge.”

Celestia shifted on her pillow. Why would she give him a spell to try if she didn’t know what it did? The eldest Princess frowned at how something felt off. “Do you still have the book?” Seeing the colt nod stiffly, she felt her stomach churn. “May I see it?” For what seemed like an hour, but was likely no more than a few seconds, the princess felt Shadow’s eyes boring into her as deeply as an eleven year old’s eyes could. She couldn’t understand why he didn’t trust her, but she held her composure while trying to be as non-threatening as she possibly could. “I just want to see it; nothing more.” Her eyes flicked to the colt’s horn as he opened the most worn of his two saddlebags, an ancient and beaten up book slowly floating out of it a moment later. As she watched, the book slowly floated over to her sister while his eyes never strayed from her once.

“Thank you” Luna said, completely ignored by the colt. Igniting her horn, she gently opened the book, carefully turning each page as she searched for the spell. For a few minutes, the room lay thick with tension as Shadow all but glared at Celestia, while the only sound in the room came from the nearby fire and the occasional sound of a turning page. “I found it” Celestia’s sister said a couple minutes later, the book floating over to the solar diarch a second later, the spell in question exposed.

Celestia closed her eyes at the sight of the spell. What the fuck was Summer Breeze thinking?! She knew how dangerous this Tartarus damned spell is, and yet she still made sure to preserve it!! The oldest princess slowly breathed in and out a couple times to calm herself down. Anger would not serve her well here. Looking at the open book, the princess frowned. Something about it felt off. It wasn’t the spell itself, since she had seen it enough times to know if something was wrong. Instead, whatever it was that she felt was extremely subtle, so subtle in fact, that she had nearly missed it herself. “Twilight, do you notice anything odd about this book?”

Getting up, the purple alicorn walked to her ruler’s side, her attention focused on the book. A couple minutes passed in silence before she shook her head. “Other than the insane power requirements needed for this spell, I don’t see anything that stands out.”

“Luna?”

“I found nothing out of the ordinary, sister. Why do you ask?”

Silently, the princess turned the book around so everypony could see it from where they sat. Without a word, she channeled some magic through her horn and into the book, which began to glow a gentle golden color. As everypony watched, ink began to appear on previously blank sections of the two pages. “Just as I thought” she said, as her horn returned to normal “somepony tried to erase some text.”

“What does it say?” Twilight asked as she stared at the newly revealed text.

“This spell is strictly theoretical and should not, under any circumstances, be attempted. Failure to heed this warning will almost certainly result in the death of the caster, as well as any pony nearby.”

The room fell silent as Shadow’s words echoed in everypony’s head. Glancing to her left, Luna could see the young orphan next to her shaking. “Why” he asked after a moment, scrambling to his hooves. “Why did they erase that warning?”

“If you had seen it-”

Whatever else Luna’s sister might have said remained unsaid as the colt’s simmering anger flared. “Would I have tried it? I might be only eleven, but do I look like a fucking idiot?! If somepony says don’t fucking try this spell, you fucking listen!”

“Why would they erase it?”

“How in Tartarus should I know?!” Shadow snapped, turning to Twilight, who shrank back slightly at the colt’s anger. “That book is over seven hundred years old. There is no way that mule of a librarian would let it out of the building, much less let somepony with a lifetime ban from the library near it.” The young orphan stomped around the room, and nopony stopped him, all three Princess more than willing to let the floor take his abuse. “The only pony in town who would dare to use a spell on a book this old would be that old goat, but he'd never do such a thing” Shadow explained through gritted teeth. Slowly his pacing came to a halt “unless…”

The single word was barely whispered, but everypony in the room heard it. Glancing at the princesses, Twilight asked the one question on their minds, “Unless what?”

"Unless somepony gave him a very good reason to" Shadow felt his chest tighten as his mind came to the only possible conclusion he could think of.

“A reason like…”

Shadow's heart all but stopped as he forced himself to speak. "Like if somepony discovered my wings."

The room grew silent, save for the crackling of the fire, as his words sank in. Eventually, Princess Celestia broke the silence, voicing what everyone else was thinking. "Why would anypony want to kill you for being an alicorn?"

Shadow slowly turned to face the eldest Royal Sister, the look on his face telling Celestia that she was not going to enjoy the answer. "Because, Princess, five hundred years ago my home survived a bloodbath the likes of which you can't even begin to imagine. Star Trail started off as a normal unicorn with the exception of being extremely gifted, magically speaking. She also happened to be a popular and charismatic leader." Celestia felt her chest tighten as she felt a few pieces to a five hundred year old mystery fall into place. "No pony knows how she did it, but somehow Star Trail managed to ascend in front of a crowd of her supporters." The cold smile on his face sent a chill racing down the princess's spine. "After she became an alicorn, the ranks of her followers swelled and within six months, she became the first -and last- island leader. Her rule started off well enough, but within a year, anypony who didn't praise anything she did was punished, along with their family."

"Punished?"

"Whipped or beaten, usually. What nopony knew until it was too late, was that Star Trail was a bat shit insane psychopath, and getting a pair of wings only made her worse. Within months, ponies were being rounded up for the most minor of things. Some were beaten, other whipped while the less fortunate had their heads shoved underwater until they stopped twitching or were burned alive. She liked to get in on this and she liked to prolong her victims' suffering. By the time she was finally taken out, thousands of innocent ponies -stallions, mares and foals- were dead. There’s not a single pony alive today back home who didn't lose at least one ancestor to that psychotic bitch, and it’s all your fault, because if you had been paying attention and not sitting on your plot like usual, none of that would have happened!" Shadow finished, screaming the last part at Princess Celestia.

"My fault?"

“Yes, your fault” The colt replied mockingly. “Twilight told me all about her ascension. She told me all about how you were there to guide her through the process, which means that you had to know about that manure licker Star Trail. So that means you either knew what she was or you ignored what she could become. Either way, my home is still recovering from her!” The colt hissed at her, his anger barely in check. “Because of her and what you did to your own sister when she tried to claim the respect she was owed, being called an alicorn is the single worst thing you could call another pony back home. If you had paid even the slightest bit of attention, I never would have had to hide what I am, knowing that if I was ever discovered, I would be lucky if I was the only one killed!”

“Why would they kill you?!”

“One alicorn killed her sister because that sister became a problem, then allowed a psychopath to ascend, who then proceeded to murder thousands!”

“Centuries ago” Celestia said as soon as Shadow finished “I felt a presence in the Realm of Ascension. When I arrived, there was nopony around and I could never explain it until now.” She looked the incensed colt in the eyes “I swear; if I had seen her, she never would have gotten that far.”

“Incompetence is no excuse.”

Twilight and Luna shared the same look of pure shock at Shadow’s reply. Nopony in all of their years had ever talked to Celestia like that. For her part, Celestia leveled a glare at the colt that would have sent the most self-assured noble fleeing. It had absolutely no effect on the colt.

“Sister” Luna said; interjecting herself before things could escalate further. “We have to tell him.”

“Tell me what?”

“The ambassador needs to know, sister.” Luna continued, ignoring Shadow’s question.

Closing her eyes, Celestia sighed, letting her feelings toward Shadow drain from her before nodding her head. Silently, Luna stood, moving toward the cold fireplace, her horn already aglow with her magic. The oldest alicorn in the room silently thanked her sister for stepping in when she had. In front of her, the room’s youngest alicorn shook his head as he felt the waves of magic pulsing from Luna’s horn.

As he watched, nothing seemed to happen in the cold fireplace. In the roaring fireplace nearby on the other hoof, the orange and yellow flames changed color in the blink of an eye to flames that ranged in color from light green to dark emerald. Amazed at the sight, Shadow slowly inched closer, only to feel his heart stop as a clawed hand shot out of a burning log. Despite how little he could see, Shadow knew what was about to appear. So this is how she plans to end me Shadow thought as the demon pulled itself out of the log, by having another creature do her dirty work. Glancing around, his eyes fell on a crystal pitcher of water nearby.

Like hell.

Finding himself temporarily ignored, the colt slowly charged his horn. He’d only get one shot, and he couldn’t afford to miss. As the creature bowed to the eldest Princess, Shadow’s horn flashed as he struck. The pitcher leaped from the floor, flying straight for the demon in the flames.

It never made it.

Feet from its intended target, the pitcher shattered against a trio of shields, spraying its contents everywhere except the fireplace. Before he could fully grasp what had happened, Shadow felt his legs get yanked out from under him as somepony’s magic bound him more thoroughly than any rope ever could. Quickly finding it pointless to struggle, the young alicorn chose instead to glare at Celestia as he was dragged toward the fireplace before being unceremoniously, but gently, dropped before the Fire Spirit.

“Care to explain, Princess?” The creature asked; crossing its arms as it turned to the white alicorn, its eyes smoldering in anger.

“General Cinder, this is Shadow Dancer, the colt your forces have been hunting for the last few months. Shadow, this is General Cinder, the Fire Sprite Ambassador to Equestria.”

“I know what he is” Shadow grunted, his forehead sweating from the fire’s heat. “I saw enough of them when they tried to kill me for no reason. And to think” he added, turning his gaze to the Ambassador “I actually wanted to meet one of you once. Just make it quick.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you too, Shadow, though I must admit that I’m a bit confused. What do you mean by ‘make it quick’?”

“What do you think? You were summoned to kill me, so do me a favor and quit stalling.”

The shock on the Sprite’s face was mirrored by the other three alicorns in the room. Feeling the magic binding him falter, the young alicorn bucked his hind legs, shattering the magical restraints. Scrambling to his hooves, Shadow’s horn glowed, his magic drawing out every last drop of water from the carpeted stone floor. Instead of hurling it at the creature in the fireplace, the colt formed the water into a ball the size of his hoof and held it against his forehead; the water’s chill a welcome relief from the fire’s heat.

“Why would she want me to kill you?”

“Because I’m not one of her citizens?” Shadow suggested, tossing the water ball aside a second later. “Maybe because I’m an alicorn who doesn’t fawn all over her and praise her every move and decision?” The alicorn glared at the larger white alicorn “or perhaps because she vowed a thousand years ago to kill any member of my family that ever stepped hoof in Equestria again.”

Celestia frowned, the colt’s words sounding more like paranoid ramblings than what she had thought to expect from him. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten all about her, your Highness. When she and her group of survivors came stumbling into Canterlot one night, fleeing the Empire after it fell to Sombra, your response was a very loud ‘it can wait’! Hell, it was only after the other prisoners threatened to riot and my ancestor promised that not even your entire army could stop her that you finally took notice." Shadow watched as recognition slowly bloomed on Celestia's face. Seeing her slowly shake her head, the colt slowly smiled "and just like that, the candle of recognition sputters to life.”

“What is he talking about Princess?”

Princess Celestia’s gaze had lost focus, as it did when a pony tried to remember something from decades, or in her case, centuries, ago. A moment later, a single whispered name broke the room’s silence. “Summer Breeze.”

“Bingo.” Shadow replied, a smirk slowly growing on his face.

“What does she have to do with all this?”

“When you met her General, she had already been exiled for nearly a year for helping to lead my sister’s uprising. Shadow here, is her direct descendent.”

“Correction: her only descendent.”

The ambassador thought about it. He could definitely see some of the fiery mare in the colt, especially when it came to his attitude toward a certain alicorn. “That is interesting and all, but what does that have to do with you calling me here?”

“Nothing Ambassador” Luna said, once again injecting herself between her sister and the young colt. “We called you here because we discovered something you need to see.” Grabbing the book with her magic, the princess showed the Sprite the page in question, explaining how somepony had tried to erase the warning.

“Are you telling me that somepony tried to use us to kill him?” The general’s flames were dancing violently as he pointed at Shadow.

“No, she’s saying somepony played you like a fucking fiddle to try and kill me.” Shadow replied, stalking toward the fireplace. “Though what I would like to know is why my family had to die too. Why did you have to burn my home to the ground instead of killing just me?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Don’t give me that manure” Shadow spat. “The fact that you didn’t start throwing fireballs the moment you appeared means that you can identify individual magical signatures.”

“You’re right” The ambassador sighed as he sat down “we can identify individual signatures, but unfortunately, that doesn’t mean much when most things in your world react poorly to us.” As if to demonstrate, the elder Sprite held his hand near an unburned twig, which promptly burst into flames a couple seconds later.

“Perfect. Just fucking perfect” Shadow muttered. “You can’t kill a single defenseless colt without murdering his entire family and you” he turned to glare at Celestia “could have prevented all of this if you had simply bothered to take your head out of your own plot for one second a thousand years ago!” In all her years ruling Equestria, Princess Celestia couldn't recall the last time somepony other than her sister had talked to her like this. If Shadow had been any other pony and had accused her of such things as he had so far, they would have found the consequences unpleasant. Yet the eldest Royal Sister held her tongue. She let the colt vent himself against her. She could tell that this had been brewing for a while and she knew he had to let it out.

“If you hadn’t been so in love with yourself, you would have seen Sombra for the threat he was and you would have ended him before thousands of ponies died needlessly. Even if you hadn’t and the Empire still fell, if you had bothered to open your eyes and paid attention, you would have noticed how miserable your sister was. If you had, she wouldn’t have had to rebel against you, you wouldn’t have had to banish her and then my family. If you had just paid a little fucking attention, Star Trail never would have ascended, thousands of ponies wouldn’t have had to die at her hooves, and I never would have had to listen to my sister scream as she burned to death!” The colt’s throat felt raw as he finished screaming at the larger alicorn. In the back of his mind, Shadow knew that he probably shouldn't be talking like this to a pony who could crush him like an ant with just a thought, but he was beyond caring by that point. “But what does it matter? Sombra still happened, you banished your sister and my ancestor and while that bitch was leaving bodies everywhere she went, you were out furniture shopping, blissfully unaware of the innocent ponies being brutally murdered.”

In silence, everyone except the ambassador watched as the young alicorn stormed out of the room, his horn glowing as he tried to rip the doors off their hinges on his way out. Silently, Celestia breathed a sigh of relief that she had had the doors enchanted to prevent such a thing from happening. As it was, the doors opened, but much less forcefully than the colt seemed to expect, which only served to infuriate the young alicorn further.

"Everything alright, your Highness?"

"Yes" Celestia replied while massaging the spot between her eyes. "When you return to your post, please let the rest of the guard know to give him his space"

"Yes ma'am" The guard replied, gently closing the doors behind him a moment later.

"So… that happened" The ambassador remarked as he stepped out from the log he had hidden behind.

“What now?” Twilight asked; her mind unable to completely comprehend what had just happened.

“We find the pony responsible and deal with them” General Cinder replied; the flames of his body dancing in anger. “But first, we deal with that” he pointed a clawed finger at the book Shadow had left behind. Seeing her sister nod, Luna ignited her horn, the book glowing in her magic. Before their eyes, the ink showing the casting circle and its runes, as well as the casting instructions lifted off the page, until all that was left were two blank pages. Above the book, the individual drops of ink coalesced into a small ball, before vanishing in a flash of light. Looking at the pages, the Fire Sprite Ambassador saw two blank pages that looked as if nothing had ever been written on them. “Thank you.”

Luna nodded in reply. “Before you go, if you find the pony responsible, please let us know. There is some business I have to attend to on Shadow’s island, and I want to deal with this pony myself.”

The lone Sprite nodded. “I will take your request into consideration. If we let you deal with them, don’t leave us out.” Seeing the dark alicorn nod, the sprite stepped into the nearby log. The emergency council session was going to be a nightmare, but before he had to deal with that, he had scouts to activate.

Shadow was furious.

Not caring where he went, Shadow stormed down the castle’s numerous halls. Somepony had discovered his secret and had tried to kill him! While he could understand why, that understanding only served to enrage the alicorn further. Whoever it was, they had decided that his family had to die too, when their only crime was not having left him to die in the woods when he was born. What was worse, his teacher, the one earth pony he had truly trusted had been in on it! How could she not be? She had been the one to give him the accursed book! Blinking back tears, Shadow couldn’t help but imagine how easy it must have been for her. All she had to do was compliment him on his skills, offer him a challenge, then bait the hook with a couple silvers, which she knew he couldn’t resist, since even a hoof-full of silver would help his family. What an idiot he had been! How could he have not seen that something was up? While she had complimented his grades in passing in the past, she had never bothered to give him anything extra before. That should have been his first clue that something was up. The money should have been the second.

Not noticing how the castle’s security details moved to the sides of the hall as he passed, the alicorn broke into a gallop, tears stinging his eyes as he bolted for the front door, not noticing how the guards opened it for him. He didn’t know how long he ran. It wasn’t until he face planted in the snow after tripping on something that he finally noticed where he was. Picking himself up, the young orphan slowly walked through the cemetery’s arch, his hooves automatically taking him to the only reason he would be there, fresh tears streaming down his face.

Twilight groaned as she entered the suite she, Spike and Shadow were staying in. While she would have liked nothing more than to fall into her bed and try to pretend that the last few hours were nothing more than a horrible nightmare, she knew she couldn’t. Gently kicking the door shut behind her, Equestria’s newest Princess slowly dragged herself over to the nearby couch, not even noticing the shards of gems scattered over it and the nearby table. Normally she’d be mad at Spike about the mess, but at the moment, she didn’t care. Flopping onto the couch, the purple alicorn simply lay there with a leg over her eyes as she tried to comprehend everything that had happened.

“Twilight?”

The lone pony’s ears twitched at the sound of her name being called out. “Hey Spike.”

“How did the meeting go?”

“Imagine being able to confirm a hunch, only to have it and everything around you explode in your face.”

“That bad, huh?”

“No. It was worse.” Opening her eyes, the young princess stared at the ceiling as she told Spike everything about the meeting, while leaving out anything related to the general.

“So where is he now?” Spike asked once Twilight finished her story.

“I don’t know, though Celestia and Luna promised to keep an eye on him.”

Spike thought about Shadow. He couldn’t blame the colt for what he had done. He probably would have done something similar if he had been in the alicorn’s place. “Is there anything we can do?”

Twilight shook her head. “Not until spring at the earliest” she said, recalling the plan Luna had outlined after the Sprite Ambassador had left. “Could you take a letter for me?”

“Sure thing, Twi” The young dragon rushed into their room to grab a quill, ink and some paper, setting it all on a nearby table “Shoot.”

“Dear Shiny and Cadance…”

Luna watched her advisor move the black pawn forward a square. As she studied her possible moves, Luna had to admit that Honest Truth was getting good at this game. At this rate, she might start winning in a few weeks, which the lunar alicorn found herself looking forward to, though tonight promised to be as one sided as usual. Hearing the door at the far end of the hall open, the alicorn looked up, surprised to see a certain disguised alicorn slowly trudging toward her. Her advisor noticed as well, and with a tilt of her head, the chess set quickly found itself back in its box, the young mare excusing herself as she suddenly found herself with work that need to get done.

Standing up, Luna slowly flared her wings, stretching muscles that ached from lack of use. Stepping off the dais, the princess ignited her horn, gently picking up her young visitor, depositing him on her back. She could tell from the look on his face that he wanted – no, needed – to talk. She would give him all night if that’s what he needed, but while the throne room was alright, Luna felt that he needed somewhere more private, and the best place she could think of was the one room in the entire castle that she could call her own.

Ch. 16 Witness to History

The train rolled down the tracks, the sound of the wheels on the cold rails lost on the ponies in the dozen cars. While most of the passengers were glad - if not somewhat reluctant - to be going home and were talking about their holiday, one particular pony wasn't part of the post-holiday atmosphere. The young colt stared out the window next to him, his eyes unfocused on the landscape as it blurred by. Despite the bags under his eyes, he didn't sleep. Despite the protests from his stomach, he didn't eat. Twilight looked worriedly across the aisle at Shadow, not knowing what to say. What could she say?

As far as she could tell, he hadn’t slept at all since the meeting. It was only after breakfast the morning after the meeting that he had finally returned to their suite, only to join her and Spike for the trip to the train station. Along the way, she had only managed to get a hoof-full of full words out of him, with the rest of his answers quickly devolving into a series of barely enthusiastic grunts. The moment they had gotten to their private car, the colt had relieved himself of his saddlebags and had retaken his position next to the window. Other than occasionally getting up to relieve himself, Shadow hadn’t budged from his spot. Twilight had set a tray of food next to him, but when she had woken up the following morning, it was still where she had set it, completely untouched.

How much sleep has he gotten? Twilight wondered as she tried to mentally calculate the answer, not liking what she arrived at. The lack of sleep didn’t particularly surprise Equestria’s youngest Princess. Would I react any differently in his place? The purple alicorn couldn’t honestly answer that question. How would she have reacted to learning that she had lost her entire family because somepony wanted her dead? Twilight looked down at the rolled up letter next to her. Spike had burped it up the previous morning as their train had reached the base of the mountain that Canterlot resided on. She had been surprised to get a letter so soon after leaving the city, but that surprise had been replaced by the shock of seeing the dark blue wax seal of Princess Luna. Inside had been a detailed report from the lunar princess of what she and Equestria’s youngest alicorn had talked about. Twilight had been more than a little shocked to read that Shadow had talked about his family, even going so far as to tell the princess a couple stories from his previous life, including how he got his mark. He had never told her that story. Whenever she had asked him about his mark, the colt simply brushed it off, or suggested she ask again later.

Picking up the letter, Twilight reread it again for the umpteenth time. Other than the stories of his family, most of the night had involved the young alicorn asking Luna about his ancestor, Summer Breeze. Twilight frowned at the name. Who was this mare and why was she so important, beyond the fact that Shadow was her direct descendent? Twilight couldn’t get the look of her teacher’s shock at the revelation of Shadow’s ancestry out of her mind.

Getting to her hooves, Ponyville’s resident Princess moved to sit next to Shadow. The colt didn’t even flinch as she sat. He didn’t move a muscle as she gently set a hoof on his shoulder. It was as if everypony and everything around him didn’t exist. Looking across the aisle, Spike shrugged, the look on his face mirroring her own. In the window, she could see the vacant look in the colt’s eyes. It was a look she had seen before. When she and her friends had been interviewing the crystal ponies after the Empire had returned, a number of ponies had developed the same look as they recounted the things that they had seen. It was a look that was burned in her memory. It was a look she had hoped to never see again. Now she was seeing it again, this time on a young pony she cared about, and she had no idea how to help him.

Running her hoof down his back, the older alicorn did what she could to try and let him know that she was there for him. For his part, Shadow simply blinked as he continued to stare out the window. Sighing, Twilight gently patted the young orphan’s shoulder before moving back to her seat.

“How is he?”

Twilight shook her head as she got comfortable. “I don’t know, Spike. He’s here, but mentally, it’s like he’s on the other side of the world.”

“Anything we can do?”

“I don’t know” Twilight whispered. While there were a number of books in the library on grief and loss, she doubted they’d be much help in this case.

For a while, the final car in the train fell into silence as two of its occupants thought about the lone colt. Hearing the screech of brake pads on wheels, Twilight sat up. Outside, she could see her home rapidly growing. It always brought a smile to her face every time she saw the town rise up from the surrounding farm fields. This time was no different, though she had another reason to smile. Now that she was home, she could turn to her friends for help. Privately, Twilight wondered what Applejack would have to say. Even though she had never talked to Twilight about them, the purple alicorn knew that her farm friend had lost her parents when she was around Shadow’s age. How had she dealt with it?

Feeling the train slow as it rounded the final turn and came into the station, Twilight felt her stomach sink. Even from her position, she could see a rather distinctive mare standing on the platform, her purple mane as well maintained as ever, while her winter vest and matching set of boots were a stylish combination of form and function. Next to her ever fashion conscious friend, the alicorn could see three particular fillies standing as still as could be expected, excited smiles plastered on their faces. This is going to be interesting. “Hey Spike, could you make sure Shadow gets back to the castle?”

“Sure thing, Twi” Spike said as he stood and stretched. “What about you?”

“I’ll try and keep you two from being mobbed.”

“Good luck” Spike replied, looking out the window, knowing firsthand how determined the crusaders could be when they got an idea stuck in their head. Seeing the older alicorn head toward the door as the train crawled the last few yards, the young dragon looked over at the car’s other passenger. How could he get Shadow’s attention when Twilight couldn’t? Sucking on a claw as he studied the lone alicorn, the young drake’s attention settled on one of Shadow’s ears. Frowning, Spike pulled the claw from his mouth, a couple drops of saliva dripping tenaciously to his scales. Feeling an idea form, the dragon walked over to the unsuspecting colt, fervently hoping he’d be forgiven for what he was about to do.

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Twilight forced herself to smile as the door opened for her, wincing as the cold air hit her face. Around her, the world went about its business, though she could feel more than a few eyes staring at her from the train’s numerous windows “Twilight, darling!” The alicorn felt her forced smile melt into a more genuine one at the sound of her friend’s voice.

“What are you doing here, Rarity?”

“Welcoming you back home, of course” the perpetually elegant mare replied, returning the alicorn’s hug. “So, how’s the family?”

“Mom and dad are fine.”

“What about your brother and Cadance? Is she showing yet? We’re going to have to set a spa date so you can tell me about everything…”

Twilight frowned as her friend’s voice trailed off. Turning to see what had caught her friend’s attention, the mare felt her ears drop. Picking his way around some waiting freight, Shadow exited the train, a hoof absently rubbing at his ear for some reason. Behind him, Spike followed. The young dragon glanced over at his friends, waving slightly before jogging to catch up to the young alicorn, who had neither glanced their way or had given any indication that he knew they were even there. Igniting her horn at the sound of a dozen hooves hitting the wooden decking, Twilight levitated the crusaders as they tried to chase after their friend. If it weren’t for the circumstances, the purple mare would have found it funny how they continued to run for a few seconds until they realized they weren’t going anywhere. “I’m sorry girls, but you might want to give him his space for a while.”

“What happened Twilight?”

“Yeah; why does he look like Santa skipped him?”

“That’s a long story but please trust me on this.” Seeing the three fillies sag, the alicorn lowered them to the ground “Maybe later?” She asked, turning to her friend.

“O-of course Twilight, but-” Rarity’s eyes widened as her friend mouthed a very obvious later, before teleporting across the platform to join Spike at Shadow’s side.

“Hey Rarity, what’s going on?”

The fashion designer barely registered her younger sister’s question as she watched the two alicorns and dragon disappear around the corner. What was going on? He looks like somepony just died. Feeling her stomach sink, the unicorn turned to shepherd her charges back into town, a sense of dread slowly filling her as she thought about what Twilight might tell her.

Shadow collapsed into his bed with a sigh. He could feel the strap of his saddlebags digging into his scars. It didn’t matter. Nothing did. His throat felt like paper and his stomach complained loudly about the lack of food, but he didn’t care. Igniting his horn, the young alicorn undid the buckle for his saddlebags before setting the bags on the ground. For a while, he simply let himself lay there. Try as he might, he couldn’t bury the memory of seeing that warning appear in that accursed book. How could he not have seen that something was up? It should have been so obvious! Groaning, the colt lifted his head, shifting around until his chin rested on his pillow. A stray thought flitted through his mind and a moment later, his vest found itself on the floor next to his saddlebags.

Feeling fresh tears slowly sliding down his face, the young orphan ignored them as they stained his pillow. What was he going to do now? Feeling his emotions tear through the poorly constructed dam he had been trying to hold them back with, Shadow blindly reached for a nearby pillow, burying his head under it a second later as he vented his pent up pain and emotions.

Tossing the pillow covering his head across the room, Shadow rolled over onto his back, his mind blank as he stared at the crystal ceiling above. What had his parent been thinking when he was born? Why didn’t they leave him for the wolves the moment they saw his wings? If they had, they’d still be alive.

“True, but then you wouldn’t be.” Starting at the all too familiar voice, Shadow bolted upright, his jaw slack at what he saw. The light green pegasus mare smiled at him as she settled herself next to him on the bed. “We never even thought about leaving you to the wolves because we loved you too much.”

“Wha-” The stunned orphan looked at the faces of his family “How?” Feeling an elbow nudge him in the ribs, the colt looked over at his twin, who simply tapped her forehead. Groaning, the colt let himself collapse back into his bed, his forelegs splayed out “Of course.”

“It’s not your fault, you dummy” Star gazer said.

“…Says the clone of the filly whose screams still haunt me.”

“She’s still right” The room’s lone stallion said. “You’re not psychic. You couldn’t have possibly known.”

“That doesn’t make them any less dead.”

“True” the Willow clone said “but you know your parents wouldn’t want you beating yourself up like this.”

“Not to say anything about me” Star Gazer added, glaring at Shadow. “Look at where you are! Look at what you’ve done! You fought an honest-to-Luna sea monster! How many lives have you saved so far? Huh? Yeah being dead sucks, but what if that fire never happened? We’d still be getting up every morning, wondering if today was the day somepony discovered your wings.”

“Shut up, Star.” Shadow whispered.

“Look at you now” his sister continued. “You’ve gone farther than anypony from our island ever has. You have friends who know exactly what you are, and don’t care!”

“I don’t care!” Shadow exploded, rolling out of bed a moment later. “I lost everything that night, and nothing you three say will change that! I would gladly give my life if it meant they could come back!” Growling, the colt all but ripped the door to his room off its hinges as he stormed out. Charging his horn, the colt disappeared in a flash of light and magic a moment later.

“… and after that, he stormed out” Twilight said, staring distantly at the cup of tea before her that had long ago gone cold, as she concluded her tale. She had left out quite a bit, but she had told Rarity everything that mattered. Across the table from her, Rarity sat stunned, her jaw scraping the table in shock. “We didn’t see him again until Spike and I were getting ready to catch the train. Since then, I don’t think he’s eaten or slept.”

“That is absolutely terrible, darling” Rarity said, once she found her voice. “Why would anypony want to kill such a nice colt?”

“I don’t know” The lone alicorn replied, slumping in her chair, “but from what little he’s said, Shadow’s home hasn’t had the best history when it comes to alicorns.”

“How so?”

“Apparently Shadow’s family sided with Luna during her rebellion a thousand years ago and were banished as a result. Luna’s supporters eventually settled the island he’s from and have held a grudge against Princess Celestia ever since.” Twilight absently sipped at her tea, a look of disgust crossing her face at the taste of the cold liquid. While she didn’t have anything against iced tea, this particular blend didn’t lend itself well to being consumed cold. Igniting her horn, the alicorn reheated her tea; steam slowly wafting into the air seconds later. “There’s more” Twilight said, finally enjoying her drink “but I’m sure Luna wouldn’t appreciate having to deal with the nightmares you’d have if I told you.”

“That bad?”

“Worse” The alicorn replied, staring pensively into her cup.

“How did they get him to try the spell?”

“Whoever’s responsible got an adult he trusted to convince him to try it.” The former unicorn set her tea cup back on the table with a sigh. “I just don’t know what to do, Rarity. I’ve read every book in the library on child psychology, but none of them are any help right now.”

“I wish I could help you, darling, but this kind of thing is well outside my forte.” The alabaster mare smiled thinly at her friend. “Though if the situation was reversed, I know I wouldn’t be doing half as well as he seems to be.”

“The key word there is ‘seems’.”

“Obviously we can’t replace his family” Rarity said as she stood to clear the table. “Unless we can find another pony who’s gone through the exact same thing, which is highly unlikely, the best we can probably do is simply be there for him. He probably thinks he’s alone in all this, but if we let him know that we’re here for him… who knows.” Setting the tea set aside for later, Rarity sat back down at the table. Across from her, Twilight seemed to be thinking about the fashionista’s advice. Rarity watched, hoping that it was enough.

“Thanks for listening” Twilight said after a while.

“Of course, darling. What are friends for, after all?” Rarity gently smiled. “Do you know what you’re going to do?”

“Not quite yet” Twilight said, her horn starting to glow. “But first, I think there are three other ponies we should talk to.”

On the other side of the room’s closed door, Rarity heard the sound of three distinct voices yelping in surprise. A moment later, the door opened under Twilight’s magic, Sweetie Belle and her fellow crusaders floating through a moment later “Sweetie Belle! Were you and your friends spying on us?!”

“Sorry, sis” The small white filly said as she was set on the floor in front of the two adults. “We saw that something was wrong with Shadow, and we didn’t know what it was.”

“We promise not to tell anypony what we heard” Scootaloo quickly added, making the motions of a Pinkie Promise as she spoke. Next to her, her friends followed suit.

“So” Twilight said, her horn glowing as she maneuvered a couple chairs so the Crusaders could join her and Rarity at the table. “What do you think we should do?”

Rainbow Dash tore through the sky. Below her, the ground was an indistinct blur of white and grey, interrupted on occasion by the brighter colors of a pony out enjoying the cold winter’s day. Angling her wings, the world flashed around the athlete as she executed a rapid series of barrel rolls that would have left most other pegasi dizzy, if they were lucky. Pulling up, Rainbow felt the muscles in her wings strain at the sudden change of direction. Smiling, the mare rocketed into the sky, the low hanging clouds she had helped the Weather Team set up providing not even a token amount of resistance as she punched through the grey barrier.

Breaking through the top of the clouds, Rainbow Dash felt her smile grow as she felt the sun’s light warm her fur. This is what she loved so much about flying; pushing herself to her limits, with nothing between her and the ground except several thousand feet of air. Pumping her wings, the lone pegasus shot higher into the air. Shifting her wings slightly, the world once again danced around the athlete; the sky and clouds rapidly trading places as she threw herself into a vertically oriented flat spin. Reaching the top of her arc, the lone flyer let her outstretched wings catch the still, cool air around her. Aww, yeah the blue mare thought as she caught her breath. I wonder what I should call that move… Shrugging, the living embodiment of loyalty let gravity take over as she slowly lost altitude, her wings locked in a gentle glide.

Breaking through the bottom of the solid layer of clouds a couple minutes later, the flyer adjusted a couple feathers, slightly altering her flight path so that it took her around the town she called home. Below her, Ponyville lay under a thick blanket of snow, the roofs of the towns buildings looking comically oversized thanks to the thick layer of snow that had built up over the last few months. On the ground, ponies smiled as they went about their business, warmly greeting each other as the post-Hearth’s Warming buzz refused to leave the air. Passing over the Everfree, Rainbow Dash felt a shiver crawl up her spine. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t quite get over how close she had come to dying that day. Below her, the infamous forest lay silent, having lost none of its well-earned menace, despite the hundreds of burned trees reaching for the grey sky, their blackened bodies and limbs contrasting sharply with the white of the surrounding snow.

Dipping a wing, the lone mare turned, her wings beating as she put as much distance between her and the forest as she could. Get a grip Rainbow the mare thought, chiding herself That Celestia-damned forest isn’t going to hurt you, and it certainly isn’t as dangerous as it was before. Rainbow Dash felt an involuntary shudder pass through her. It had come as a shock to find herself waking up in a hospital bed the morning after the fire, and it had been even more heart-stopping to find out how she had gotten there, especially when the only thing she remembered from that day was waking up to help water the local farms.

Seeing a bright flash in the distance, a smile slowly grew on the mare’s face. She didn’t know what Twilight was doing in Whitetail Woods, but the athlete was never above pranking her friends when the mood struck her and opportunity decided to cooperate. Angling her wings, Rainbow Dash soared over the edge of the woods, her eyes searching for the purple of her friend’s coat and mane. Frowning in confusion, the flyer came to a halt a hundred feet above the trees. Below her, instead of finding the town’s resident Princess, the mare saw a small black and grey figure curled up at the top of a small hill that dominated a minor clearing in the woods. Silently losing altitude, Rainbow knew instantly who it was. What is he doing out here?

Landing with a slight crunch, just feet from the lone colt, Rainbow was shocked to see Shadow’s body shaking and heaving. The mare’s ears twitched as she heard the colt’s full-throated wails. Trotting over to her young friend, the flyer settled herself down into the snow next to the colt, extending a wing to cover her heartbroken colt. A heartbeat later, the young alicorn had sidled up next to her, burying himself into her wing.

“Shh” Rainbow said, gently stroking her wing against the colt’s back. “You’re okay. Everything’s gonna be fine.” Beneath her wing, she could feel Shadow slowly shake his head.

“No it’s not.”

“Of course it is” Rainbow said.

“No it’s not” Shadow replied, a little more forcefully. “They’re dead and it’s all my fault.” With that, the colt crumbled under a fresh wave of pain and guilt; his cries renewing themselves.

Frowning, Rainbow Dash held her ground as her young friend emptied himself against her. What did he mean by it being his fault? While she knew about how he lost his family, she couldn’t see the colt being a pyromaniac. For a while, the mare simply lay there, the air’s chill slowly cutting through her coat. As the sun began to sink toward the horizon, the athlete gently lifted her wing, the colt beneath it having cried himself to sleep an hour earlier. How long has he been up? Rainbow wondered at the sight of the bags under his eyes. On top of that, his mane was a mess, and if she had to guess from the smell, he probably hadn’t showered in the last few days. Sighing, she slowly stood, wincing as her muscles, which had gotten used to lying there, protested the sudden movement. Quietly moving her legs to get her blood moving again, she cautiously stepped around the sleeping colt, until she was standing directly over him. Extending her wings, she slowly rose into the air, her hooves sliding under Shadow until she had a firm grip on him. With a strong grip on the sleeping colt, the mare quickly took to the air, the effort of carrying a sleeping passenger not even registering with her as she flew. Below her, Ponyville quickly passed by, completely ignored by the town’s resident Wonderbolt as she aimed for Twilight’s Castle.

Pulling up short of the distinctive building’s doors, Rainbow had barely had a chance to lift her hoof before the doors glowed in a well-known purple aura, opening a second later to reveal a relieved Twilight and Spike.

“Where did you find him?” The older alicorn asked as she gently relieved her friend of her sleeping passenger.

“Whitetail Woods” Rainbow said as she stepped inside. “He was crying his eyes out. What happened, Twi?”

Twilight disappeared in a flash, much to the pegasus’s annoyance, only to return a minute later. “It’s a long story” Twilight replied. “Is there any chance you could get the rest of the girls and bring them here?”

“Sure thing, Twi” Rainbow replied. Normally the experienced flier would have pushed for an answer to her question, but something in her friend’s voice had told her to hold off. Taking to the air, she set her sights on Rarity’s boutique. If somepony tried to hurt him, Celestia help them.

Shadow lay in his bed, his eyes unfocused as he stared at the darkened ceiling above him. How long he had lain there, unmoving and uncaring, was beyond him. In his mind, he replayed every memory of the day he had lost his family, his mind searching for anything that he missed, anything that might have told him something was up if he had been paying more attention, yet, other than the bet his teacher had supposedly made, nothing stood out to the colt. Rolling over, Shadow felt a couple tears roll down his cheek, his nose already starting to run as he whispered to the empty room, “I’m sorry.”

For a while, he simply lay there, letting the tears soak his pillow while he tried to forget how much of a foal he had been in front of Rainbow Dash. Even though she had barely said anything, he had heard the pity in her voice, had felt it in her gaze. The memory made the young colt’s stomach turn. How could he have been so weak in front of one of the strongest ponies in the world?

Groaning as his stomach protested its seeming abandonment by him, Shadow slowly sat up, not bothering to light his horn since he had long ago gotten used to the darkness. Quietly getting out of his bed, the young alicorn slowly opened the door to his room. Lighting his horn, the colt crept down the hall; not wanting to wake the castle’s other residents. He didn’t want to see, much less talk, to Twilight at the moment.

Feeling a sudden breeze ruffle his mane as something passed by overhead, the young orphan channeled more energy to his horn, the resulting light banishing the shadows that had overtaken the long corridor. Wheeling overhead, the large owl turned in the air as it realized it had been busted. Sighing in silent relief, at what he wasn’t sure, Shadow reduced the magic in his horn, allowing his namesake to reclaim much of its lost territory. Glaring at the large bird, the colt managed to hold the glare for several seconds before a small smile slowly grew on his face “You trying to scare me or something?” Above him, the owl lost altitude as it came in to settle on the young pony’s back. “First you try to scare me and now you want a ride?” The owl hooted softly. The colt smirked at the owl’s apology “It’s nice to see you again too, buddy.” Continuing his journey, Shadow walked in silence, his passenger deciding to hold his beak. Pushing a door open with a hoof a few minutes later, the alicorn felt a sudden loss of weight as Twilight’s feathered assistant took to the air briefly before perching on the back of a chair, silently watching the colt walk around the kitchen.

Ignoring his unexpected companion, Shadow opened the refrigerator, wincing at the sudden, blinding light. Grabbing a jar, the colt quickly shut the door, setting the jar aside on the counter. Grabbing the nearby loaf of bread, the young alicorn silently spread a generous helping of the strawberry and apple jam across a slice of bread, before covering it with another slice. Pausing as an idea flashed across his mind, the young colt grabbed a small bowl from a nearby cabinet. Setting the jar back where he found it, he opened the door to the freezer and pulling out a small bucket of ice cream. Never in his wildest imagination had Shadow ever thought it possible to create a sweet, ice cold treat that could be enjoyed even during the hottest days of the year. He had gotten his first taste of the sweet, frozen treat while in the hospital and had been hooked ever since. Using his magic to remove a more than generous portion, he set it in the bowl before returning the bucket to its frozen home. Grabbing a spoon, the colt took his impromptu meal to the table, noting his companion’s raised eyebrow. “Don’t give me that look” Shadow said as he settled into his chair “After everything I’ve had to deal with over the past few days, I’ve earned this.” Seeing the unconvinced look on the bird’s face, he loaded the spoon with some of the frozen treat before levitating it over to the owl. “Besides” Shadow said, taking a bite from his sandwich “I’d be more than happy to share.”

The two whiled away the rest of the hour together, sharing the ice cream while Shadow made short work of his sandwich. Sighing in relief as his stomach finally decided to settle down, the alicorn quickly disposed of the evidence, silently washing the bowl and spoon. With the owl on his back once more, Shadow slowly walked down the hall back to his room. Stepping inside for a moment, the colt grabbed his saddlebag before turning around and making his way to the library. “Hope you don’t mind if I leave the lights off” He said to his feathery companion as they reached the library’s main floor. Taking a seat in his favorite chair, Shadow opened the bag Rarity had made him, removing a number of crystals.

Igniting his horn, the colt activated the spell on the amethyst crystal that would play back everything he had recorded onto it. As the spell took over, the dark purple crystal slowly floated into the air, until it hovered just to his left. Around him, the crystal played back everything on it, images of the throne room and the crystal caverns filling the air around Shadow’s chair. Letting it play on a loop, the young alicorn grabbed the large quartz crystal before him. Closing his eyes, Shadow felt his magic connect with the dormant spells in the crystal. In his mind, he could see the spells’ matrices and the numerous connections between them. Sure he could have gone for something less complex, but Ms. Cheerilee had stressed how she wanted each project to be unique. What could get more unique than this? During their work time, he had overheard a number of his classmates talking about what they planned to do. Diamond Tiara had been especially vocal about how she was going to get the most points for creativity and how her project was going to be the best of them all. This had earned her more than a few glares and snarky comments from the other kids, especially Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. For his part, Shadow had remained silent. What did he care about what a noisy braggart was saying? If anything, her words only encouraged him.

For the next few hours, the alicorn and owl sat in silence; Shadow working on his project, while Owlowiscious read a book he had grabbed from a shelf, occasionally glancing over at the young alicorn. Outside, the darkness of Luna’s night slowly gave way to the light of her older sister’s sun. Hearing the sound of hooves on wood, the large brown owl looked up from his book, watching in silence as Twilight slowly walked down the stairs, her eyes shifting from the owl to the young colt who hadn’t moved from his spot since he had sat down.

“How long has he been there?” Twilight asked, moving to stand next to her feathered assistant’s perch. From her position, she could see a number of images slowly flicker in and out of existence around her young guest’s chair. Recognizing a number of scenes from Canterlot, Twilight tilted her head as a large green crystal table appeared in one of the images, disappearing before she could note the details. Letting her horn come to life, the older alicorn gently probed the younger alicorn’s magic. Letting her magic go dormant again a moment later, Twilight frowned. While she didn’t recognize the spells he was using, she could tell that while they seemed to be relatively simple in nature, Shadow had combined a vast number of them in a series of matrices more complicated than she had ever expected to see from somepony his age. “I’m going to get breakfast ready” Twilight whispered to her feathered friend before making her way to the stairs. The young Princess knew that Owlowiscious would make sure Shadow got something to eat.

Hearing the eggs sizzle, Twilight took the spatula to the skillet, moving the yellow and white liquid inside around. Grinding a generous pinch of pepper into the mix, the mare stirred the mixture one last time before setting it aside on the stovetop to finish cooking. Grabbing a pair of apples, the princess had barely gotten them cut in half when her ears rotated at the sound of the door behind her opening. Looking behind her, the purple alicorn smiled at the sight of Shadow walking into the kitchen, barely hiding a yawn while Owlowiscious rode on the colt’s back, the owl not even bothering to hide his tiredness “All done?”

“Barely” Shadow replied, letting his head rest on the kitchen table as soon as he claimed a chair. His passenger had claimed the same chair’s backrest as his perch and had seemed to decide to take the chance to sleep. “You would be surprised how much I had to change.”

“Try me” Twilight said, splitting the pan of eggs onto two plates.

“More than half” Shadow replied, nodding his thanks as he took a plate with his magic.

“Ouch.” Twilight commented. “I remember having to rewrite an entire twenty page report once when I found a book that led me to a completely different conclusion.” The mare silently shuddered at the memory. “That was not fun” She added.

The two alicorns finished the rest of their meal in silence, one wondering what the other’s project was about, while that pony silently hoped he didn’t fall asleep during class. Quickly cleaning their plates, Twilight followed Shadow out of the kitchen, her faithful owl silently clinging to her back. Leaving him to a well-earned rest in his own small room, the older alicorn made her way to her home’s front door, settling her saddlebags across her haunches while Shadow stifled another yawn. Normally she’d have stayed behind to run the library, but after hearing the nature of the project, she knew she couldn’t miss attending Cheerilee’s class today.

Closing the door behind her as she followed Shadow outside, Twilight barely held back a laugh as the young orphan set an errant hoof in the snow bank and yelped at the sudden cold. “Are you awake now?” The colt’s glare was well worth the comment.

Sighing in relief as the building’s warmth washed over him, Shadow kicked his hooves clean of snow before making his way to his desk. Setting his saddlebag next to him, the colt settled into his seat, letting his head rest on the desk’s top while the other students trickled in. Watching from where he sat, the young alicorn could see that he wasn’t the only pony fighting back yawns. On the other side of the room, he could see Snails unload a number of rolled papers from his bags, the sound of the dull-witted unicorn’s yawn filling the schoolhouse as he did. Glancing to his right, Shadow could see Twilight talking to Ms. Cheerilee. The colt didn’t know what it was about, but considering the number of glances that the two mares were sending his way, he doubted he’d have to guess too hard.

Hearing a commotion behind him, Shadow lifted his head, only to watch as Diamond Tiara strode in, an elderly stallion who looked like he should have retired long ago, pulling a small cart behind her. As her servant unloaded the cart, the pink filly scanned the room, her eyes falling on Shadow. The colt glared back at the self-important annoyance. What in Tartarus does she want? Seeing Diamond Tiara walking toward him, the colt silently cursed under his breath. I just had to ask, didn’t I?

“Don’t tell me you forgot your project.” Smiling to himself, Shadow opened his bag, pulling out the single large crystal he had been working on. “That’s it? How pathetic.”

“At least he didn’t have to pay a servant to haul it for him.” Behind the antagonistic filly, a certain trio of fillies stood, glaring at their mutual enemy.

“Besides, Ah bet his presentation’s a thousand times better than yours, Diamond Tiara.”

“Somehow I doubt that” The pink coated filly replied, looking down her nose at the three fillies like they had stepped in something unspeakably gross. “Besides, he looks like he’s about to fall asleep right now. Ten bits says he falls asleep halfway through his presentation.”

“You’re on!” The fuchsia-maned pegasus next to Apple Bloom shot back. For her part, Diamond Tiara simply smiled as she sauntered off to sit next to Silver Spoon. “Are you alright?”

Shadow nodded as he slowly sat up, not bothering to hide how tired he was. “Yeah, I’m fine” He said, feeling a couple joints pop as he stretched. “I haven’t slept much the last few days. My break wasn’t that pleasant.”

“We heard” Sweetie Belle replied. Seeing her friend’s confusion, she explained.

“So if anypony gives you any horseapples” Scootaloo said, glaring at Diamond Tiara as she spoke “let us know, and we’ll deal with them.”

“Thanks” Shadow couldn’t help but chuckle at the offer. While he didn’t need others to fight his battles for him, it did lift his spirits a bit to know that he had friends willing to do so, even though two of them were from different tribes.

“Alright everypony, take your seats” Cheerilee called as the clock hit nine. “I hope everypony’s holiday was a fun one.” Across the room, her students nodded enthusiastically, with the noticeable exception of a certain alicorn colt. Considering what Twilight had told her, this didn’t surprise her in the least. “So, since you all seem so eager, who wants to go first?” Just as it had been like when she went to school, the enthusiasm her students had just had suddenly disappeared, the room growing suddenly quiet as several students quickly found something more interesting than their teacher to occupy their attention. Looking across her students, the mulberry earth pony was pleasantly surprised when a pink hoof rose into the air. Smiling, the town’s lone teacher nodded to the filly. “Are you ready, Diamond Tiara?”

“Yes, Ms. Cheerilee.”

“Then come up here and show us what you got?”

Sliding herself out from her seat, the most loathed filly in the class sauntered up to the front of the class, her servant following a moment later with a number of objects covered in white sheets. Behind him, Shadow could hear a couple of familiar voices whispering. Sparing a quick look as Diamond Tiara got set up, the colt saw Twilight’s friends sitting in the back of the class. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were whispering to each other, while Rarity filed one of her hooves, eyeing the appendage like it was a gem. Next to her, Fluttershy sat, looking nervous, but less so than he would have expected. In between Applejack and Rarity, Pinkie Pie sat, a large grin plastered on her face as she seemed to vibrate in place looking like she wanted to be racing around the room but was using super pony strength to remain in place. When did they get here? Shrugging to himself, the alicorn colt turned to face the front of the class.

“For my presentation, the pony I chose was my great-to-the-nth-degree-grandfather, Captain Steel Hoof.”

Fuck.

Shadow barely heard anything the pink bully said. Throughout her presentation, the stallion’s name kept repeating in his head, barely allowing any other thought to get through. Of all the ponies in all of Equestria’s thousands of years of history, she had to go and pick him. As if that wasn’t enough, she was related to the bastard! If he hadn’t been surrounded by a bunch of other ponies and if it wouldn’t have attracted everypony’s immediate and undivided attention, the alicorn would have started banging his head on his desktop in sheer frustration. Barely managing to rein himself in, the alicorn forced himself to pay attention to the snobbish filly’s presentation. Unsurprisingly, the bully painted her ancestor as being one step below the Royal Sisters in terms of honorability and nobility, painting the stallion as a hero as she explained how he selflessly gave his life during the final battle of the Lunar Rebellion to help end the fighting and restore peace. Next to her, a framed painting of the stallion in question rested on a stand, his stern, cold gaze seeming to sweep across the room, practically daring anypony to question what Diamond Tiara said. To her left, a flawless guard helmet sat on a small table, the morning light shining off the mirror polish and filling the room with a golden light.

Ten minutes after she started, the pink filly gave an exaggerated bow before strutting back to her seat, leaving her servant to put away everything up front. Around her, everypony gave a polite round of applause, though the colt couldn’t help but notice how the slightly more enthusiastic clapping came from the adults. For his part, Shadow went through the motions, letting his claps join the noise.

“Shadow” The colt looked up at his teacher, who only smiled. “You’re next.”

Groaning to himself, the young alicorn didn’t move from his seat. “Is there any chance I could go after lunch Ms. Cheerilee? Mine will take a while to set up.”

“Sure” The teacher said, skipping to the next student on her list.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the colt slowly slumped in his seat. What was he going to do now? Slowly, the day crept by as one student after another gave their presentation. While most of the ponies being talked about held little to no interest to Shadow, he found himself sitting up a little straighter as one by one, Twilight’s friends came to the front, apparently as the subjects of a number of presentations. The alicorn wasn’t surprised in the least that his three closest friends had chosen their sisters, though he found himself paying more attention than he had earlier that day as they related their accounts of how they had saved Equestria, and the world if they were to be believed; on several occasions.

Finally, mercifully, as the arms of the classroom’s clock came together at the top, Shadow’s teacher called a timeout for lunch and recess, the building quickly emptying until only Shadow, Twilight and Ms. Cheerilee remained. The two mares shared a glance. They had both noticed that something about the colt had changed when Diamond Tiara had presented her report. “Is everything alright, Shadow?”

“Not really” The colt replied as he walked up to the front of the class.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Twilight ventured.

“Could you move all the seats off to the sides and close the blinds? I need to make some emergency changes.”

“Why?” Cheerilee asked as she pulled the room’s shades. Nearby, Twilight’s horn glowed as she effortlessly lifted every desk in the schoolhouse and lined them up along the walls.

“Because Diamond Tiara’s ancestor killed one of mine, and he’s mentioned by name in my project.”

The two mares looked at each other at Shadow’s announcement. Glancing behind her, the glow from the young alicorn’s horn lit the room as it plunged into darkness.

Outside, Shadow’s friends looked at the schoolhouse in concern. “Do you have any idea what he’s up to, Darling?”

“Ah’m just as in the dark as you, sugarcube” Applejack replied as she pressed herself a little closer to her younger sister. “What about you, RD?”

The rainbow-maned mare looked across the schoolyard from her perch in the tree she and her friends had settled under. “I think I know what’s going on, but if I’m right, then it’s probably better that I don’t say anything.” The blue pegasus had instantly recognized the name of Diamond Tiara’s ancestor, not from any history book, but from the book that Shadow had loaned her, where he had been mentioned several times, mostly in less than flattering terms.

“Do you know who he chose to do his report on?”

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Probably, but I’d hate to spoil it for you. If I’m right, I have no doubt that he’s going to blow us away.”

Before they could speculate any further, the group of friends spotted the school’s doors open; with Twilight stepping out into the cold sun a moment later “Hey girls.”

“Is everything alright, Twilight?”

The purple alicorn nodded, smiling slightly as she sat next to her friends. “Yeah, Shadow’s just making a couple last minute changes.”

The group of six friends fell silent for a while, content to enjoy what little heat they could feel from the sun while watching the town’s children play. As the half hour of free time came to a close, the mares helped Cheerilee round up her students, watching them as they milled around the school’s entrance, much to many pony’s confusion. Once she was sure that everypony was accounted for, the school’s lone teacher gently knocked on the door. The doors glowed with a golden aura for a moment before opening. Inside, the schoolhouse was pitch black, the light from the open doors barely reaching halfway across the open floor. Smiling gently at the sounds of confusion and fear in a couple of her students, Cheerilee gently ushered them inside, the doors automatically closing behind them a moment later, plunging the entire room into total darkness.

Ch. 17 Nightmare War

“We never figured out how he did it” Summer Breeze said, tears streaming down her eyes as she spoke. “I later asked Silver Star, and even he had no idea, though he admitted that such a spell would have taken weeks, if not months, to set up.” The world around the class faded, returning a moment later. “We barely had time to comprehend what had happened, barely had a chance to bury our dead, before the weather moved in.” Around them, despite it being the middle of spring, snow buffeted the caravan of ponies as they slowly fled south. “Besides protecting the Empire, one of the greatest things about the Crystal Heart was that it made it possible to live so far north. It tamed the wild magic of the land, making it pliable to our needs, which in turn allowed us to farm. Without it, nature didn’t hesitate to reclaim what had once been its own.” Around the group, ponies knocked snow off their tents as they broke camp. “Of course, I heard about all of this second hoof. For my part…” The view changed to the inside of a large tent. Along the walls, dozens of ponies, both crystal and equestrian, lay on cots, all covered in bandages to various extents. Coming to a stop at the foot of one cot in particular, the assembled ponies could see Summer Breeze’s colt friend, his hooves wrapped around one of hers, the bags under his eyes telling everypony how much he had slept. For her part, Shadow’s ancestor lay there, dead to the world, the rise and fall of her chest being the only indication that she was even alive.

“Remember what I said about Silver Star being a genius?” Next to her downed self, the group’s guide materialized out of thin air. “Please believe me when I say that I am not the only pony who owes their life to him and that brain of his.” Next to the mare, a map appeared, a red line showing the route from the Crystal Empire’s capital to Canterlot. “Normally, after a major battle, where an opponent has been utterly crushed, the winning side would usually stay in place for a few days to allow the wounded to heal enough to survive the trip back. Unfortunately, the rapidly deteriorating weather wouldn’t allow that. Silver Star knew this and had spent the previous night coming up with a solution.” Following their guide outside, the group could see groups of wounded ponies being loaded onto flatbed carts, each of which had a pair of pegasi harnessed to the front. “What he did, was to create a spell that not only reduced a cart’s weight to a fraction of what it should have been, but also allowed the cart to fly if it was hooked up to a team of pegasi.” As the group watched, once the final patient was loaded, the two harnessed stallions broke into a trot, then a run before extending their wings and taking to the air. Behind them, the cart followed suit, following the two flyers like a dog on a leash as the pegasi turned south. “Of all of his spells, this one saved hundreds of lives, and history seems to have seen fit to forget his name.” No pony could ignore the bite in the mare’s voice.

“It took the princesses almost two months to lead their combined forces back to Canterlot, and that was one of the longest times of my life.” Around the school group, the snow and mountains vanished as the northern wilderness was replaced by a room full of warm sunshine and walls of white marble. Around the room, dozens of ponies milled about, some using crutches while others sat or lay on their beds. “Thanks to Silver Star, everypony who was wounded during the battle made it back to Canterlot alive. Once the nurses let me out of my bed for something other than relieving myself, I would go down to the training grounds where I would spend hours practicing with both sword and spear. I did it partly to stave off boredom, but mainly because when I focused on my sword work, I wasn’t focused on the loss of my home. When I sent a spear smashing through one of the targets, I wasn’t wondering if Umber had survived or not.” The mare’s voice hitched as her duplicate smashed a wooden target with a spear from fifty paces. “It also helped to keep my mind off the fact that my coat had lost its distinctive shine. Without the Empire’s magic to influence the world, our coats became just like everypony else’s. It was as if the universe decided to make our loss complete by taking away the one thing that set us apart from every other creature in the world.”

The mare sighed as everypony watched her counterpart slowly sink to the ground, tears streaming down her face. “As you can probably guess, the army eventually made it back, and my Umber was one of the first ponies through the city gates. I won’t go into details about what that night was like for us, but believe me when I say that it was one I carried in my memories for the rest of my life.” Overhead, the sun and moon traded spots in rapid succession, until the moon and stars hung over the city. Below the castle, a pair of now familiar ponies walked, the young stallion’s pace slow and sedate as his mare friend limped next to him. The pair slowly wound their way through the moonlit garden, the world around them silent. Settling themselves onto a bench next to a large fountain, the two relaxed, the flowing water providing the only sound. For a while, the two simply sat there, the mare’s head on the stallion’s shoulder. Eventually, the dark red stallion eased himself from the bench, only to kneel before the mare. From beneath a nearby bush, he pulled out a small wooden box, a pair of crossed paintbrushes over a shield carved onto the lid. Lifting the lid, Burnt Umber revealed its contents, the simple ring shining gently in the moonlight. “The day I got out of the hospital, Umber proposed to me” Before the group, the mare all but launched herself from the bench before wrapping the stallion in a hug. “I think you can guess what my response was.”

The empty garden quickly became anything but as what seemed like hundreds of ponies filled it and the sky above. In front of the fountain, Summer Breeze stood tall, her armor gleaming brightly in the moonlight as she stared into Burnt Umber’s eyes. Between them and the fountain, Princess Luna stood; her lips moving silently as she spoke to the assembled crowd. Nodding her head to the couple, she stepped aside as the bride and groom kissed, the world erupting around them as everypony filled the air with flower petals that danced on the gentle breeze.

“For that first year, we tried to start our lives over in Equestria” The group’s guide said as the ponies around the garden stomped their hooves. “After all of the chaos of the failed invasion died down, Celestia had offered me and every crystal pony sanctuary and citizenship. While Umber and I gladly accepted sanctuary, I wasn’t ready to become an Equestrian. The loss of our true home was still fresh on my mind, as it was for many of the survivors. On top of that, I couldn’t forget Celestia’s response the night we had arrived at the gates of Canterlot, how she had refused to do anything until the sun had risen. If it had been Princess Luna who had offered us citizenship, I probably would have accepted, but it hadn’t been.” Around the garden, ponies faded out of existence. “Like I said, we tried to start over in Equestria. Luna made sure that I got into the Royal Guard and my husband” the mare’s voice seemed to develop a slight flutter at the mention of the h-word “quickly established himself as an up and coming artist, especially with the nobility.

“I wish that I could say that the transition was a smooth one, but I can’t.” From the wall around the castle’s training grounds, the class watched as a group of guards surrounded Shadow’s ancestor. Nopony could hear what was said, but Summer Breeze’s response left little doubt about what was said as she drew a sword and launched it between the heads of two of her harassers. The razor sharp blade buried itself into the granite wall behind them with enough force to loosen the weapon’s handle and cross guard. As the lone mare turned away, everypony watched as one armored stallion after another tried – and failed – to pull the sword from the wall.

The world around the group blurred as the scene changed, the blue sky and open field being replaced by a small bedroom surrounded by gold and white marble. In the room’s lone bed, the young couple held each other, gentle snores coming from the stallion while the mare stared out the nearby window. From somewhere above them, everypony could hear two voices yelling. Nopony had to ask who was arguing. They had all seen the owners of the voices in the flesh multiple times. In the bed, the stallion stirred, his eyes opening as his ears twitched at the sound filtering from above. “What are they arguing about now?”

“Princess Luna’s pissed at how her night court is a joke, and Celestia has her head so far up her plot, she can’t see her own sun, let alone that her sister’s right.”

“Why doesn’t Luna do something about it then?” Umber said around a massive yawn, his gentle snores returning moments later as he fell back asleep.

“To be honest” Summer Breeze said, the mare appearing behind the group “I had been wondering the same thing for a while. Supposedly the two sisters ruled the country as equals, but any pony with half a brain could see that their rule was anything but equal. Anything of significance somehow found its way to Celestia, while anything menial or mundane wound up in Princess Luna’s hooves. While I had gotten close to the younger Princess, I had never gotten a chance to broach the subject. I got that chance a week later…”

The darkened bedroom gave way to a deserted hallway, with Shadow’s ancestor the only pony around. The lone mare slowly made her way down the hall, her chest and left leg covered in bandages. “There had been an… incident… earlier that day, and I had just been released from the infirmary after getting my burns tended to, when I ran into Princess Luna or, more precisely, she almost ran into me.” At an intersection, Summer Breeze ground to a halt, barely stopping in time as the princess of the night came around the corner, the two nearly colliding. For a minute, the two mares stood there, exchanging pleasantries as the princess asked about the younger mare’s bandages. The scene followed the two as they walked together down the hall “After she had nearly run me over, Luna invited me to share some tea with her in her room. With Umber working late, I was more than glad to accept.” From where he stood, Shadow couldn’t help but smile at the faces of his classmates as the doors to Princess Luna’s room opened and they saw what lay beyond. “For a while, we sat on the balcony, as I shared stories from the Empire; how I had gotten my cutie mark, how I had met my future husband, how Crystal Rose and I had become good friends despite our different stations. As we waited for some water to boil so we could enjoy a pot of tea from the Empire, I made an off-hoof comment about how beautiful the night was, which, to my shame, I had been neglecting for some time.” From where they stood, everypony could see the tears roll down the lone alicorn’s face. “As we enjoyed that mind-numbingly expensive blend, Luna confessed to me that she was tired of being a second-class Princess. She spoke of how the Night Court was a joke, of how everypony went to Celestia for advice, but never to her.”

“I must confess Summer, I have grown weary of this exercise in futility that is my court. I am tired of not getting the respect that I have earned. According to the rumors of the court, the Empire would still be around if Celestia had left me back in Canterlot.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know” the Princess said as she gazed into her cup “but I will not stand for this disrespect for much longer.”

“I’m with you, Luna.”

“After I left, I told my husband what we had talked about and he joined us immediately.” The darkened room changed to the throne room that every Equestrian was familiar with, whether personally or through pictures. “The following morning, I found that I had been transferred to Luna’s personal guard unit.” Outside the room’s massive windows, the moon slowly soared across the night sky while the stars broke up the otherwise featureless black void. Standing next to the throne, Shadow’s ancestor talked with Equestria’s younger Princess, their hushed whispers barely reaching past the dais. “For the first few weeks, Luna and I tried to come up with ideas on what we could do. Unfortunately, those weeks were spent for naught, since one idea after another got rejected for one reason or another.” On the throne, everypony could see the Princess’s mood slowly darken as the night wore on. “One thing that I found out rather quickly was that Luna’s desire to be seen as her sister’s equal wasn’t a recent thing. In truth, it had been festering for years, if not decades. According to her, she and her sister had once been equals in the eyes of everypony, but that had been shortly after their ascensions. Once they had been crowned as Equestria’s rulers, things changed, with Princess Celestia receiving more and more attention, while Luna seemed to fade into the background.

“Then Discord happened and Equestria remembered that they had two Princesses. Unfortunately, ponies seem to have rather poor memories since, once the two Princesses had dealt with Discord, things went back to as they had been before, with Luna looking on as everypony ignored her in favor of her older sister. In truth, I could see the same thing slowly happening to me and the other ponies who managed to escape the Empire. After everything we went through and despite everything the Empire had contributed to Equestria, we were just as invisible as Luna.

“Surprisingly, it was one of Luna’s personal guards who had made the suggestion that the princess rise up against her sister. I had thought that we were being discreet, but apparently thestral hearing is much better than most ponies realize. It turns out that the throne room’s night guards had been listening the entire time. By the time the moon set the following morning, every last one of them stood with Luna. That morning, I made a few discreet inquiries among the other night guards and within a week, every member had personally pledged their loyalty to Luna.”

“Why would they turn against Celestia?” Though she tried to be quiet, everypony heard Twilight’s whispered question to Rainbow Dash.

The lone clone turned her head to look at the young Princess "Because she never lifted so much as a feather to help them.” Seeing the frown on Twilight’s face, the clone sighed. “A thousand years ago, there were six classes of ponies; you had Celestia on top with Luna supposedly beside her, followed by the nobles. After them came the ponies in the guard, then the merchants, with most of the rest of Equestria's citizens making up the second lowest level. At the very bottom, were the thestrals.

Every.

Last.

One.

“Unlike every other tribe, if you were born a thestral, there was only one career you could reasonably pursue: Lunar Guard. Sure, you could try to be an artist or a merchant, but you would never make it because of the distrust and outright hatred ponies felt for thestrals. Because of their eyes, thestrals can't stand bright light, which forced them to be nocturnal. Combine that with their dark colors and their fangs, which were not used to suck blood; it doesn't take much effort to imagine how they quickly became associated with the night and everything in it that supposedly wanted to prey on innocent ponies.

“With nopony willing to trust them, any thestral that tried to strike out on their own quickly found themself out of business as soon as ponies found out what they were. I met one pony who could sing the birds out of the trees, but couldn't perform in public because nopony would come, simply because she was a thestral. There was a guard I knew who could have been one of the best painters of his time. He had tried to sell his works by having an earth pony sell them. That lasted for all of six months before the plot-headed mare demanded a seventy five percent cut of the profits. When my friend refused, she stole all of his paintings, kept the bits and once the last one had been sold, told everypony who, or more precisely what, had painted them. This young stallion never sold another painting in his life.” The mare glared at Twilight

“On top of that, it was pretty much open season on thestrals as far as everypony else was concerned. You could publicly beat the ever living horseapples out of a random thestral and no pony would stop you. If your victim tried to press charges, even if you didn't show up to court, every charge against you would be dropped, simply because of what your accuser was, and you wouldn't have to worry about Princess Luna getting involved, since you could always get Celestia to overrule anything her younger sister decided by lying through your teeth.

“Because there were nearly twenty thestrals in Canterlot for every position in the Lunar Guard, they had the highest poverty rates, the highest representation in Equestria's dungeons and the highest suicide rate of any tribe.” The clone of Summer Breeze looked at Twilight. “If your family was starving, ponies you knew were spending years locked up for minor crimes and you couldn't get a job to save your life, would you turn down a chance to change everything for the better?”

Seeing no answer coming, the clone turned back to Shadow’s classmates. “Once the thestrals had joined, we needed a new place to meet, someplace nopony knew about.” Around the assembled fillies and colts, the throne room dissolved, the walls vanishing as the ceiling began to fill with large green crystals. “Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem for long. While doing her rounds, a night guard happened to open a door that she had spent years walking past. That door happened to lead down to a massive series of caverns located well below the castle’s foundations.” Unseen by all but her friends, Twilight gave an involuntary shiver at the sight of the oversized crystals.

“A friend of mine once said that scarcity breeds competition. With the thestrals, that meant that as soon as they were no longer foals, every child began guard training, in the hopes that it would get them a position in the guard, which would in turn help their family and their community in general. I think it goes without saying that, within a few generations, thestrals in general gained a reputation for being tough, extremely violent fighters, who would attack you at the slightest provocation. While their training and their reputation helped a lot, Luna and I both knew it wouldn’t be enough. What we needed was more ponies.” The clone of Shadow’s ancestor slowly smiled. “Remember when I said how us Crystal Ponies had been all but forgotten shortly after losing our home?” Around the room, a number of watchers nodded. “I wasn’t the only one of us to notice it, and I certainly wasn’t alone in my resentment.” Around the crystal-lined room, hundreds of ponies faded into existence. “We had to work slowly and carefully, since a number of survivors had decided to accept Princess Celestia’s offer of citizenship. During the battle against Sombra, we had managed to free several thousand ponies from the city’s dungeons. When you didn’t include those that had accepted Equestrian citizenship, those too old, too young, unable or unwilling to fight for Luna, we still managed to get over three thousand ponies to join us.”

Around the classroom, time seemed to fast-forward as ponies went about their duties. The original room quickly changed as well as it was expanded and a large table was carved out of a single crystal in the center of the room. Around the table, Summer Breeze, Silver Star and a number of unidentified crystal ponies and thestrals stood alongside Luna as they planned their rebellion. “From these long forgotten caverns, we spent over a year planning and preparing. When I wasn’t helping to plan, I was training every loyal Imperial how to fight, whether it was in sword or spear or hoof-to-hoof combat. As the months passed, our cache of weapons and supplies grew. Luna herself was never one to sit back and wait. Shortly after we started planning our rebellion; she all but stopped showing up to the throne room at all. If anypony noticed, nothing was ever said of her absence. Instead, she divided her time between helping to plan and working on her skills in combat magic. Everypony knew that in the end, she would be the one to face Princess Celestia. To that end, Sliver Star practically became her instructor and, just between you and me, I don’t think I had ever seen him happier since the loss of our home.”

The crystal-lined room around the assembled ponies vanished. Taking its place was a single cavern so massive that only the most massive crystals that formed the ceiling were even visible. Across the chamber’s floor, thousands of ponies stood in formation while the light from hundreds of torches shimmered off the crystals, filling the room with a strange green glow. In front of the assembled ponies, a platform had been erected. On it stood Princess Luna, with Summer Breeze standing just off to the side. Nopony could hear what the young Princess was saying, but they didn’t have to, as the assembled warriors shouted and stomped their hooves in approval. As the crowd cheered, Princess Luna threw back her head, her horn glowing brightly. Before everypony, her magic rose into the air, before descending upon her and covering her like a blanket. As the magic faded, a pony emerged, the likes of which Equestria had never seen before. The alicorn that had taken the Princess’s place was pure black. The mare’s ethereal star-filled mane was the same as Luna’s, but what stood out in particular were the mare’s eyes. They were the same turquoise color as Luna’s, but where the neglected Princess had normal pupils, this new mare had slits. As everypony watched, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.

“We thought of everything we could, planned for every detail and contingency we could possibly imagine. All that was left was to pick a date to strike. Interestingly, my husband had been thinking about that particular problem and when he suggested a date, everypony loved it. I mean, what better day to announce your dissatisfaction in Princess Celestia than on the one day of the year when the eyes of the entire nation would be watching her?”

The green crystals of the cavern turned to marble and gold while the walls closed in, with stained glass showing the fading moonlight outside. At a glance, nothing looked out of place. The thestrals of Luna’s personal guard stood at attention, while the princess looked as bored as ever. As a clock gently chimed in the background, the lone alicorn’s horn glowed. Outside, the moon slowly slipped below the horizon while the sun slowly rose. Inside however, it was as if everypony had received a sudden shock. Nodding to Summer Breeze, Luna quietly stood, nodding to her guards before making her way to a room hidden behind the throne. Silently, Shadow’s ancestor left the dais, trotting down the room’s length. As she approached the large doors that formed the room’s main entrance, she paused before bowing as the doors opened. Through them, Celestia strode in, her guards standing at attention, exchanging barely concealed glares with Luna’s Night Guard.

“As planned, I bowed to Celestia and informed her that Luna wished to speak to her in private. It nauseated me as I did. Here I was bowing to the one pony who could have prevented thousands of needless deaths. As the official representative of the Imperial Refugees, I was in a technical sense a low ranking noble, which should have meant that I could talk to either Princess.” The clone’s barked laugh echoed around the room. “Despite my efforts, the only time I ever saw Princess Sunplot was at official events and functions, and even then whenever I went and talked to her directly about getting a meeting with her, I’d get shunted to an aide. If it had been up to me, I never would have bowed, but as it was part of the plan and required by my position, I did what I had to.”

With a glance, the elder Princess dismissed her escorts. Igniting her horn, Summer Breeze walked through the throne room’s entrance, shutting the doors behind her. In the hallway, the line of Night Guards glared silently at the line of golden armored guards. In the background, everypony could hear a clock ticking away the minutes. From his hidden position, Shadow slowly smiled as, one by one, Rainbow Dash, her friends and a number of his classmates looked up, noticing the nearly dozen thestrals hovering silently overhead.

From beyond the door, the sound of breaking glass shattered the tense quiet of the hallway. As Celestia’s guards turned to rush the throne room, their nocturnal counterparts hurled themselves across the hallway, slamming themselves and their targets into the solid stone wall. Overhead, the hovering thestrals dove like hawks on unsuspecting mice. Through the fighting, one solar guard took to the air before tucking in his wings and slamming into the throne room’s doors. The pegasus stallion had barely gotten to his hooves before Shadow’s ancestor hit him with her magic, dropping him where he had landed.

On the far side of the room, Celestia stared in naked shock at the sight of her sister, the dark mare’s face showing nothing but contempt for her older sibling. Before she could react, Celestia was sent flying into a nearby column as Nightmare Moon’s blast connected solidly with the white alicorn’s chest. Next to Summer Breeze, the downed pegasus stirred. Sparing her nearby foe a quick glance, the mare bucked the stallion in the face, the guard’s helmet denting under the twin impacts.

Her horn still aglow, the yellow and orange mare rushed toward the dais. In the blink of an eye, an orange shield intercepting the battered Princess’s magic before it could reach the dais. To her credit, the solar princess got over her shock quickly as she scrambled to her hooves, a shield instantly appearing between her and the other two mares in the room. Pumping her wings, the larger alicorn fled the room, barreling through a couple thestrals as she blasted a hole in the wall ahead of her, the shield behind her absorbing the near constant barrage of magical blasts from the throne room as she fled her castle for the relative safety of the air outside.

“By mid-morning, the castle and all of Canterlot was under our control. It would have fallen sooner, but some of guards that the Celestia had abandoned had decided to make a final stand. They didn’t stand a chance and eventually fell. Subduing them had taken longer than I would have liked, but not as long as we had planned.” Around the school group, the world grew dark and damp as the throne room faded, only to be quickly replaced by two long rows of cages. “After we had secured the capital, one of the first things we did was round up every last ‘noble’ and tossed them in a couple of cells in the city’s dungeons. These ponies had used their positions to oppress the thestrals and had started to take advantage of my people as well. While I would have preferred a much swifter form of justice, Princess Luna, or Queen Nightmare Moon as she now called herself, wanted to wait until Celestia had been defeated before making a public spectacle of their punishments.”

Shadow’s ancestor reappeared before the assembled ponies, her armor shining bright in the mid-day sun as they stood outside the castle. “Overall, the initial takeover had gone off without a hitch, except for one rather major exception: the Elements.” In a room the size of the schoolhouse, Nightmare Moon strode in, her head held high as she glanced at the bound and gagged Solar Guards. For their part, the subdued guards stared on in shock as the black alicorn walked past them. Along the far wall, a pair of doors stood resolutely shut, the scorch marks marring the white walls around them a testament to the tenacity and numerous failures of the unicorn stallion standing before them. Silver Star looked up at his Queen, before stepping aside at her gesture. With a single blast, Equestria’s queen reduced the doors to splinters. On the other side, a single large chest stood on a pedestal. His horn glowing, Silver Star focused on the lone object for several minutes before lifting the chest and setting it before his ruler with a bow.

Lifting the lid, Nightmare Moon stared in silence. Without warning, her horn flashed as she sent the wooden box hurling through the air, a pair of tied up guards barely ducking out of the way as it smashed itself to pieces against the wall they had just been sitting against. “When we were planning for this day, we had thought about the possibility that Celestia might have moved the Elements of Harmony in secret and, while we planned for the possibility, nopony thought much about it. Since Luna wielded half the Elements, why would her sister move them without telling her?” The clone shrugged. “Apparently Celestia had as much trust in her sister as everypony else did.”

“Despite the setback, this day was an unbelievable success. Canterlot was ours. The castle was ours. Celestia was on the run without her full complement of guards, instead managing to flee with anypony she could find.” Around the school group, there was a massive celebration going on that was a strange mix of joyousness and nervousness. “While my people patrolled the city and castle and the thestrals waited for the sun to set, I found my husband celebrating with some of his friends.” In front of the castle, the stallion in question raised an overflowing mug of beer into the air, his companions doing likewise was they banged their drinks together, sloshing their contents and soaking the ponies below. From behind, Summer Breeze trotted up, her horn aglow as she grabbed her husband’s mug before he could take a drink. Turning around, the stallion was greeted by his wife who silenced his growing confusion with a kiss that lasted for several seconds. Breaking away so they could breathe, Summer Breeze downed half the mug before leaning forward and whispering in her husband’s ear. Nopony could hear what she said, which the adults in the room figured was a good thing, if the rapidly growing blush on the stallion’s face was any indication.

As Summer Breeze and Burnt Umber trotted into the castle, the frown that had appeared on Twilight’s face a while back deepened. Growing up, when the Lunar Rebellion had come up in class, it had always been glossed over, with the story of Princess Luna’s fall and transformation into Nightmare Moon all but ignored in favor of how Celestia practically ended the rebellion by herself. At first Twilight had never questioned what she had been taught. Why should she, when she went to a school where Princess Celestia helped determine the curriculum? It wasn’t until she had started her research on Nightmare Moon before the thousandth Summer Sun celebration that she had gotten the first inkling that there was more to the rebellion than what she had learned. She had planned to look deeper into the rebellion once she had gotten back from her assignment in Ponyville, but had forgotten those plans the moment the sun had failed to rise that fateful morning.

From where she stood, the young Princess’s frown deepened, not from how many holes she found in Shadow’s presentation, but from how few she could find. It all made too much sense. By herself, Princess Luna never would have stood a chance. Even if the Solar Guard didn’t get involved, she would have been no match for Princess Celestia. With an army of alienated and disaffected ponies behind her on the other hoof… She made a mental note to herself to ask Shadow about how he knew all of this.

“For a while” Summer Breeze said, the sky glowing brightly to the city’s west “everything was quiet. Celestia had escaped the city with a decent part of the Solar Guard following in her wake, and no pony had any idea where she had gone.” Standing with her husband in the garden they had gotten married in, the young couple looked up as a pair of pegasi materialized out of the slowly setting sun. Before the unicorn mare could react, the lead pegasus fell from the sky, crashing into the manicured grass and rolling to a stop in a patch of bushes. Her companion fared slightly better, managing a hard landing that sent her skidding across the grass, only to face plant into the fountain when she ran out of room. “That quiet didn’t last long” Shadow’s ancestor said as she talked to the two mares before they were taken away on stretchers. “The moment we had secured Canterlot, Queen Moon had sent out scouts to find her sister. It had taken a week, but by sheer luck, a team of scouts had stumbled upon Celestia and her forces at an old castle in the Everfree Forest. Unfortunately, they had been spotted and those two mares you saw were the only ones to make it back to Canterlot alive.” Summer Breeze closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, there was a steel behind them that caught Twilight off guard.

“When their report was delivered to our Queen, she ordered an immediate attack on the old castle.” Around the castle in Canterlot, ponies in armor ran or flew around as carts and chariots were loaded. “In private, Luna admitted that she had never thought of looking there. She and her sister had all but abandoned the place after Canterlot had been built, and on the few trips she had made back to their old home, the surrounding forest had taken full advantage of their absence. Without the constant presence of ponies, the forest had grown wild and animals of every kind had decided to call the place home. In a couple centuries, what had once been a beautiful forest had gone to seed and had become a home to highly lethal carnivores and plants that were only slightly less so. In other words, one had to be extremely desperate to voluntarily enter that outgrowth of Tartarus.” The group’s narrator turned to the assembled children and adults “Since we were about to assault that hellhole, what did that make us?”

“Fortunately” Summer Breeze said as one heavily laden chariot after another took to the air “while some of us were out celebrating our first taste of victory, others had kept doing what they did best. When this little war had started, it would have taken a full day to get down the mountain and a week just to get to the outskirts of the Everfree. Who knows how long it would have taken to force our way to the old castle, or if we would have made it at all?” The mare smiled as she shook her head. “I’m sure Celestia was planning on us taking the long way, but when it comes to fighting, you use every advantage you have. In this case, thanks to Silver Star and a couple other ponies who together had more brains between them than half the Solar Guard, instead of taking weeks to get there, we’d be there within hours and we’d be on them long before they’d expect us.”

Below the school group, the edge of the city suddenly dropped away, revealing trees and plains as far as the eye could see. Looking out the back, Equestria’s capital was practically on fire in the late day sun, the red and yellow light playing off the city’s marble buildings like liquid flames that illuminated the entire mountainside. Almost immediately, the squadrons of chariots and their thestral escorts dropped out of the air, plummeting to the ground far below, only to pull up at the last second as they skimmed the fields of grass that surrounded the mountainside city. “The flight itself took less than two hours, and we spent it barely flying above the ground since we’d lose any element of surprise if they spotted us coming.” The plains flew by underneath, the sound of grass hitting the wooden wheels telling everypony just how low the chariots really were. Within minutes, Queen Moon and her forces pulled up, the bottom of the chariots scraping the tops of trees as they flew over the Everfree Forest.

As the Queen’s forces flew, the world above the Everfree dissolved. Around the students, thick moss-covered trees appeared out of the gloom. Around the trees, heavily armored ponies moved as quietly as heavily armored ponies could. Overhead, thestrals flitted from tree to tree, their dark armor glistening in the moonlight as if they were oversized insects. “Normally we would have planned this assault like we had with Canterlot, but fate it seems had decided otherwise. Overall, the plan we had thrown together, while admittedly rushed and very last minute; was elegant in its simplicity.” As Summer Breeze spoke, the trees and the ponies sneaking through them came to an abrupt stop. Before them lay an immense clearing. From where they stood, the class could see that hundreds of trees had been cut down; increasing the size of the clearing and ensuring that anypony trying to sneak across would be spotted. In the middle of the clearing, a large stone castle stood, its dark shape silhouetted against the stars in the sky, its size only discernable by the sheer number of stars it blocked from sight.

From the trees, scores of thestrals took to the air, the sound of them leaving cover the only noise they made. For a while, the only sound anypony could hear was the wind rustling the trees and the occasional sound of metal on metal as somepony moved. At first, the sound was all but drowned out by the evening breeze. Then, one by one, the ponies around the school group perked their ears. Moments later, giving her husband a final kiss, Summer Breeze gave the signal, a sweep of her leg toward the castle. As one, the forces of Nightmare Moon moved out of the trees. As they moved, the forces which had been spread out across the tree line converged, until it was a single large column of charging ponies, with their Queen and Shadow’s ancestor in the lead. Nearing the castle, even above the thundering of thousands of charging hooves, Twilight and her friends could hear the sound of ponies fighting. Ahead, half a dozen lanterns were hurled over the castle’s wall, shattering unheard against the ground, but their quickly spreading flames illuminating a drawbridge that was not only down, but completely unguarded.

Crying at the top of their lungs, Summer Breeze and her Queen charged into the unguarded opening, their horns glowing as they cast shields above the screaming ponies behind them. Within seconds, the world around them dissolved into chaos as ponies clad in silver and black armor fought against ponies in gold. “I will give this to them” Summer Breeze said, materializing out of nowhere to stand next to Cheerilee “despite the suddenness of our attack, the Solar Guard rallied faster than anypony would have expected.” The view of the battle shifted until the teacher and her students were looking down from the air. Below them, the forces of Nightmare Moon continued to pour through the castle’s entrance. Initially, the fortress’s defenders managed to hold their ground, but that didn’t last long as hundreds of charging ponies quickly overwhelmed them. “Within minutes, the castle’s entrance was ours and we quickly gained the upper hoof as we pushed Celestia’s forces back. Through it all, Umber and I never left each other’s side. Where one went, the other followed. When I got in trouble, he was always there to help me out.” The world narrowed until it focused on the young couple as they and a group of crystal ponies fought along the base of a wall. “At first we had tried to stay next to our Queen, since she’d be the most obvious target, but that plan quickly went to Tartarus when we were charged by a dozen guards. By the time we were able to look around; my closest friend was nowhere to be seen.”

As the fighting along the wall continued, the group’s guide gestured to a large wall across a nearby courtyard. Through the windows, flashes of light could be seen along with the odd silhouette of a pony with both wings and a horn. Within seconds, one of the stained glass windows shattered as Nightmare Moon was thrown through it, her unexpected flight stopped by an unsuspecting Solar Guard. Shaking her head, the dark alicorn leaped into the air, throwing herself through the new opening in the wall. As the last defender fell to their group, Summer Breeze and Burnt Umber stopped to stare at the battle between the two alicorn sisters. By this point, every window had been reduced to colored shards. Without warning, a beam of magic blasted away part of the roof. Out of it flew Princess Celestia, with her younger sister hot on her tail. Overhead, the two sisters fought, with the older sister barely dodging the blasts of the younger one. The chase lasted less than a minute before Nightmare Moon’s aim found its mark. With a scream, Celestia fell from the sky. Below, Shadow’s ancestors and everypony around them cheered as overhead, their Queen laughed in triumph. The cheers quickly faded as Celestia slowly arose from the castle, a band of multicolored light spinning around her. With tears glistening in her eyes, the older alicorn lowered her horn at her adversary, a rainbow beam of light erupting a heartbeat later. Igniting her horn, Nightmare Moon fired back. The two blasts of magic met in the air.

The battle between the two sisters ended abruptly as Celestia’s magic surged through her sister’s defenses. With a scream, Nightmare Moon took the blast in the chest, the magic washing over her as she was launched into the air. As everypony watched, the dark alicorn disappeared from sight. Moments later, a series of dark craters in the shape of a mare appeared on the face of the moon. For a moment, nopony moved. Before she could move or even think, Summer Breeze was thrown bodily across the ground by her husband. The world around the assembled ponies went dark; the only sound that could be heard was the sound of something solid impacted flesh, followed by a gasp. The world returned to as it had been. Scrambling to her hooves, Summer Breeze raced to her husband, who had fallen to the ground. Though Shadow had decided against showing the act, the shattered spear next to his ancestor’s body left no confusion about what had just happened. Looking up, Summer Breeze screamed at a dark figure on the wall above them. Without warning, as the world around the class faded once again, the mare’s mane and tail burst into flames as the newly created widow’s screams filled the air.

“I don't remember much after that.” Summer Breeze said, slowly fading into existence again, this time sitting on the floor in front of everypony. “The next thing I knew, I was waking up in one of the dungeons beneath Canterlot Castle.” The mare slowly got to her hooves. “It wasn't until later that I learned the identity of the pony who took my Umber from me, and that in my rage I had dropped half of the northwest tower on him.” The clone looked up at the children. “I guess after that, after losing my home, one of my closest friends and my husband, I lost it. One of my cellmates later told me that it took Celestia herself to stop me.”

Around the room, the world returned to the dungeon cells beneath the castle. “I don’t know how long they initially left us down there. The only way I was able to tell time was that the guards showed up at the same time twice a day with breakfast and dinner, which was nothing more than a plate of raw hay, a stale bun and a mug of water. After what seemed like months, but was likely only a couple weeks, I was dragged out of my cell, along with a number of others to stand before Celestia.”

The world around the classroom slowly changed as it followed the chained mare and her friends, the sounds of their chains echoing across the hallways. As they entered the throne room, everypony was greeted by the sight of hundreds of ponies lining the narrow strip of carpet that led from the door to the dais, where Celestia stood surrounded by guards. Making their way down the long aisle, everypony could hear the insults and slurs those in attendance hurled at the chained ponies, only for them to stop as the lone Princess spread her wings.

“Summer Breeze, you and your companions stand accused of treason against Equestria as well as leading a rebellion against the crown. How do you-”

“Not guilty.” The room erupted in shouts as the defiant mare interrupted the nation’s sole ruler. It took the princess over a minute to restore order. “Unless you forget, Princess, I am not one of your citizens. I never was, and you and your nobles made sure to remind me of that fact every chance you got. When the Empire fell to Sombra, we fled to Equestria looking for help. Your sister was the first to show us any kindness. Do you remember what you shouted at her when she informed you that the Empire had fallen and that the entire Imperial family was dead? It can wait.” The mare hissed the words at the white alicorn. “On top of that, you waited to respond to Sombra’s crimes, which cost thousands of innocent ponies their lives, or have you so quickly forgotten the horrors that awaited us outside the Imperial Capital?

“Through all of it: the training, the marching and the fighting, Luna was there for us. She was the only one in Equestria who seemed to give two horseapples about us and the Empire. As if that wasn’t bad enough, whenever something important happened, there you were; the focus of everypony’s love and attention, but where was your sister? In the shadows, being ignored and looked down upon by the very ponies who worship the ground you walk on. Many of them are here right now and I have no doubt they would gladly lick your plot if they thought it would please you!” Smiling at the uproar around her, the chained mare turned back to the lone alicorn. “Since you couldn’t get you head out of your own plot for five seconds to see what was going on around you, is it any wonder why we answered your sister’s call for help? Is it any wonder why we returned the love and kindness she showed us?”

Around the throne room; what little pretense of order that had existed, shattered. On the dais, Celestia rose on her hind hooves, before slamming her front hooves down, shattering the solid stone beneath her as she bellowed. “ENOUGH!” In the silence that immediately followed, the irate alicorn looked down on Shadow’s ancestor, who defiantly stared back “Guards, escort everypony but her back to their cells. I will speak to her in private.”

The sea of angry ponies faded as they were once again replaced by the rows of cells. Leaning against the back wall of her cell, Summer Breeze lowered her gaze from the ceiling to look at her guests. “Though she didn’t say it, what you saw was not what good ol’ Celestia had expected. Admissions of guilt? Pleas for mercy? Sure, but outright public defiance?” The mare chuckled mirthlessly. “After our little private meeting, I was sent back to join my friends in the dungeon’s stench. While we waited for Celestia to deal with us, I had time to think. One of the things I quickly realized was that during the final battle, we faced half our number, which didn’t make any sense. Even at half strength, Princess Sun Butt should have had twice the number of ponies under her command than her sister, so why did we fight only a quarter of that?” The lone mare traded her spot on the floor for a spot on her bed. “Simple. It turns out that once she had rallied her forces, Celestia had left three quarters behind to watch Canterlot and to take it if the opportunity ever presented itself, which it did when we left to go after her.”

The mare sighed as she stared off into the distance for a moment. “Fortunately, not everything went to Tartarus that night. If you could look around” Summer Breeze said, gesturing to the illusionary dungeon, “you’d quickly notice that while everything from fillies and colts to ponies old enough to be my grandmother were here, the one thing you wouldn’t find would be thestral families.” Seeing the confused looks on the ponies around her, Shadow’s ancestor smiled. “Evening Breeze was the name of the head thestral in Canterlot. During the year we were planning our little coup, she and I came up with a number of contingency plans. One of them was that as soon as Canterlot was ours, the thestrals would leave the city. Originally their movement in and out of the city had been restricted for some reason I’m not even going to try and understand, but we both knew that if things with south, it would be open season on every thestral in the city, and ponies wouldn’t stop just because their victim happened to be a child.”

Noting the look of horror on the adult’s faces, the mare smiled gently “Fortunately, that particular plan went off without a hitch and, when Canterlot was retaken by the Solar Guard, there wasn’t a single thestral in the city.”

Sighing, the mare sat up in her bed. “Of all the things I missed the most down here was the sound of children laughing.” A sad smile flitted across the unicorn’s face. “After we had gotten married, Umber and I had talked about starting a family of our own. Those plans had been put on hold while we planned the rebellion, but as we waited for that fateful day to come, we had wandered back onto the topic of starting a family. The night before the coup, we had agreed to try and start one after everything had settled down.

“For a while, I had thought that that dream was now forever out of reach.” The lone mare shook her head as she smiled knowingly. “Let me tell you, morning sickness is not fun at all. At first I thought it was just some bad hay or something in the water, but after a week of it, my mom, who they had put in my cell with me, realized what it was. One visit from Celestia’s personal physician later and it was confirmed: I was pregnant! I was going to be a mom!” The excitement in her voice died as she sank against the wall behind her bed. “Unfortunately, while they wouldn’t do anything to me now that I was expecting, there was no telling what they would try to do once I gave birth. In all likelihood, they’d try to take my foal.” The glint of steel in the mare’s eyes returned at the suggestion of taking her foal. “The only thing they let me have down here was my diary, which I’d write in to break up the monotony. I knew it was being read, so I made sure to make it clear that my child was off limits.” The mare’s smile turned predatory before softening again “It worked. I got Celestia’s promise and vow in open court that my child was off limits.”

The world changed slightly until everypony from Ponyville was standing outside the cell. Inside they could hear a stallion and an older mare talking over Summer Breeze’s barely restrained screams. As the younger mare screamed, the wails of another much higher pitched voice erupted, drowning out the other three. From where he was hidden by his namesake, Shadow could see a number of his classmates smile at the baby’s cries. Behind his classmates, Rarity didn’t even bother to try and hide her tears. “I decided to name her Burnt Sienna, after her father and the color of her coat.” The cell’s bars dissolved as mother and daughter were revealed for the first time. Held gently by her mother, the young foal slept soundly. “I didn’t know how long we’d be down here. It had already been almost a year by the time this little one came into the world, and growing up in a dungeon was no way for a filly to live.” The lone mare smiled as she looked down on her child. “Apparently somepony else agreed with me, since we were released a week later.”

The world brightened considerably as the dungeon disappeared, the walls and cells being replaced by the marble and gold of the city’s buildings. Along the streets, the city’s residents had lined the sidewalks. Down the center of the street, hundreds of ponies marched or rode in carts. The line started at the city’s entrance and wound its way to the front gates of the castle. At the top of the front steps, Celestia stood, flanked by guards as she watched the proceedings. Below her at the base of the steps, Summer Breeze embraced her mother, before gently lifting up her daughter with her magic. “When we had lost our home and Celestia had offered us citizenship, my mom had been one of the few to accept. When we were planning the coup, I had made sure to keep my mom out of it. She had seen enough and deserved to not be drawn up in it. That was one of the smartest decisions I made in my life. While everypony involved in the rebellion and their families were being banished from Equestria, those who hadn’t participated were allowed to stay. While it meant that I’d never see her again and that she’d never see me or her granddaughter again, I was glad my mom was staying behind. She was getting on in years and, while not exactly old, she more than deserved to live the rest of her life in one place and in peace, instead of spending every day on the road, traveling from one place to another.” Embracing her daughter and grandchild one last time, Summer Breeze’s mom watched as her daughter took her place on the back of the final cart to leave. As the cart made its way through the city, the barely restrained anger of the city’s citizens broke at the sight of the one pony they blamed above all else leaving with her freedom. Igniting her horn, Summer Breeze cast a shield over her cart as ponies hurled items at her. As the cart crossed the city’s front bridge, the world faded to white, the image of a lone mare standing at the city entrance as she watched what remained of her family leave remained for a few seconds before fading as well.

“Thank you for letting me tell you my story. While I won’t say that I’m guiltless, I hope you will be able to understand why I did what I did. This isn’t the end of my story. We eventually found a new land to call our own, but the story of how we got there and how I had to fight a dragon for it is a story for another day. Thank you.” Bowing her head, the mare faded from existence.

“Well… that was unique.”

Celestia couldn’t help but nod silently at her sister’s assessment. In truth, the eldest Princess was rather surprised at how accurate the report was. While she couldn’t vouch for a number of spots, those that she had personally witnessed had been depicted too accurately to be a coincidence. “Indeed” She replied as the clone of Summer Breeze faded away. Beneath where the clone had been standing, the bright green crystal darkened as the spells etched into its matrix ran their course. “Frankly, I’m surprised at how close to the truth it actually was.”

“Indeed” Luna replied. “Despite our friendship, Summer Breeze never went into detail about why she hated Sombra so much. I thought her hatred for him stemmed from the murder of his family, but after what he did to her…”

Celestia nodded silently. After what she had endured for a week straight after he had taken over, the princess couldn’t blame the mare for harboring a vendetta against that bastard. “I hope what we saw wasn’t what he showed for his presentation.” Next to her, Luna picked up a scroll that had appeared during the middle of the clone’s presentation. While unexpected, what had caught both sisters off guard was how the clone of Summer Breeze stopped mid-sentence as the letter from Twilight appeared and had watched the princesses set it aside for later before starting where she had left off. Even the raised eyebrow and sigh that had followed the letter’s appearance had strongly reminded the elder sister of the mare she had known.

“Apparently Shadow got full marks for his presentation.” Luna said as she scanned Twilight’s letter. “It also appears that we got the adult version.” The darker alicorn rolled up the letter before passing it to her sister. “So…” Luna said, looking at the nearby roaring fire “What did you think of it?”

“Honestly? I found it kind of refreshing.” Celestia replied as she scanned Twilight’s letter. “I’ve seen a number of presentations that foals have sent me over the years and they all tend to be heavy on the praise. If anything, this shows me just how blind I was back then.” Extending a wing, the white alicorn draped the feathered limb over her sister’s back. “I was so caught up in my own importance back then that I couldn’t see past my own nose. I’m sorry Luna.”

“We’ve been over this before sister, we’re both at fault and we’ve already forgiven each other.” Luna smiled as she leaned against her sister “Although, if anything, this little presentation explains much.”

“Like what?”

“Like why Shadow feels about you the way he does?” Celestia nodded as she recognized what her sister was saying. Considering everything that Summer Breeze had gone through, it wouldn’t have surprised the princess if what he had presented was taught in school. Given enough time, a tragedy like this could easily fuel a sense of resentment and suspicion.

“I wonder how he could have been so accurate with events.”

“Twilight mentioned that as well. Apparently he has Summer Breeze’s original diary and based his entire presentation off of it.” Stretching, Luna slowly stood, loath to leave her spot next to her sister, but knowing that she had no choice. “Unfortunately, I have duties to attend to.”

“Be sure to pass along my compliments when you talk to him” Celestia said as her sister made her way to the room’s door.

“That I will” Luna replied, the door closing silently behind her.

Luna smiled at the sight of an endless field of stars that greeted her as she opened her eyes. Rolling her shoulders, the princess ignited her horn. Before her, thousands upon thousands of doors blurred past her. Without warning, the line of doors came to a sudden halt. Before her, a simple wooden door stood before her, silently obeying her magic a moment later as it opened for her. Stepping through, Luna found herself standing in mid-air, her mane fluttering gently in the breeze. Below her, Ponyville lay quiet under the mid-day sun while over the town, cumulus clouds lazily drifted overhead. Spreading her wings, the lunar diarch took to the air. Settling herself onto a particularly fluffy cloud, it took the princess less than a minute to spot the dream’s creator. Not far away, a black colt burst from a cloud, a visible trail of fluff following him as he exploded from the cloud’s top, gaining hundreds of feet of altitude every second. Without warning, the young flier threw himself into a vertical flat spin before plunging for the ground a heartbeat later.

Luna smirked as she watched Shadow’s dream. Igniting her horn, a bowl of popcorn materialized next to her. She’d congratulate the colt on his presentation later. For now, she would just sit back and enjoy the show.

Ch. 18 Past Actions, Future Consequences

Lieutenant Scorch leaned back, the relative coolness of the fireplace's brick wall a welcome contrast to the heat from the blazing log above him. Stretching, the sprite officer smiled as he settled in. Outside of his hiding place, a lone mare lay on a rug spread across the wooden floor, a thick blanket wrapped around most of her frame. Above her, the darkened window rattled slightly as the wind sent a wall of snow into the side of the small home. The lone Sprite shuddered. How any creature could survive, let alone live, where the temperature routinely got cold enough for water to freeze solid was beyond him. Next to her, a young filly played with a set of wooden blocks, babbling incoherently, before squealing in delight as she sent her block tower tumbling to the floor with a swipe of her hoof. The lieutenant couldn't help but smile even more at the simple scene. It reminded him a lot of home, watching his sisters grow up, how they acted just like this filly when they were her age, though their toy blocks had a tendency of winding up partially melted. Just beyond the hidden officer's view, he could hear the sounds from the kitchen die down as the home's lone stallion finished cleaning up dinner. A couple minutes later, the grey and black earth pony stallion hobbled into the larger room, a hoof wrapped solidly around a wooden mug. The lone Sprite watched as the stallion set the mug next to his wife before joining her under the blanket as he lay down next to her; only to become the center of the filly's world as the young pony suddenly found her father more interesting than her blocks.

“How are you doing?”

“I'm fine” The mare said, sipping from her mug.

“Sure you are” The stallion said as his daughter started to climb across his back. “You haven't been fine since Ascension Day.”

“I know… It's just...” The pink maned mare gazed at the fire. “I can't stop thinking about what happened, about what their final minutes were like.”

For a while, the room fell silent as the stallion comforted his wife, the snap of the burning logs and their daughter's cooing the only things breaking that silence “How are the expansion plans coming along?” The stallion eventually asked.

“Alright; the mayor has been particularly helpful.”

“I'll say. I can't remember the last time that old miser was so willing to spend so much silver before. I've even heard a rumor that the library is next.”

The lone scout frowned. He knew of the pony they were talking about. He had spent a week watching the older stallion, and to call the pony a bit pincher would have been an understatement. That stallion had turned frugality into an art. Leaving his spot, the lieutenant crawled through the glowing cinders that littered the floor of the fireplace, coming to a halt just inside the wall of flames that separated the fire from the rest of the world. Outside, he could hear the two ponies talking, but he paid little attention to them. Why would the mayor spend money so readily? When he and the other scouts had been given their assignment, General Cinder had made it clear that this mare was involved in the incident early the previous year, but that she wasn't the one who had orchestrated it. Likewise, the town's librarian was involved as well, though his role in everything was probably less than the teacher's. From where he lay, the sprite watched the blue and pink mare. Despite her best efforts, he could clearly see the stress eating at her, the bags under her eyes told him she hadn't been sleeping well for some time. Why would the mayor get so involved with these two?

Because he's in on it.

The single thought rocked the lone scout as a bunch of mental puzzle pieces fell into place. Groaning to himself, the hidden officer slowly backed away from the edge of the fire. It all made sense. From what little he had seen, the lieutenant knew that the ponies in this town lived in a highly stratified society, and that even though she was an earth pony, the town's teacher didn't hold enough sway over the unicorn librarian to get him to alter that spell, but the mayor on the other claw…

Reaching his original hiding place, the sprite took one last look at the small family before leaping into the half incinerated log. The general would have to be informed immediately.

General Cinder listened as the lieutenant made his report. As he listened, the older Sprite tried to mentally poke holes in the younger officer's arguments, but found that he couldn't. They made too much sense. Sighing as the scout finished, the general closed his eyes to think. “Good work, Lieutenant” He said after a moment. “I'd like you to get back to your post and keep an eye on the teacher.”

“Of course, sir. What about the mayor?”

“I'll be assigning a few more scouts so that these two are never out of our sight.” Returning the lieutenant's salute, the older officer watched the scout leave. As the door closed, the general leaned back in his chair, mentally replaying everything he'd just heard. I must be getting old the sprite mused to himself. I would have figured this out a lot sooner when I was the lieutenant's age. Pushing back on his chair, the lone officer stood, looking at a nearby clock as he did. He'd have to check with Celestia and see if she could get any information out of the colt, but in his gut, the general knew that the mayor was the one most involved. If that's the case, then I can't wait to meet him...

The air around Ponyville was alive with excitement. On the ground, ponies trotted about, many with an extra spring in their step, as they went about their duties. In the air, the town’s pegasi flitted about as they dispersed the clouds that had been covering the town for the last several months, or helped direct the different species of birds that were starting to arrive after flying from the south.

Above it all, Shadow hovered on a gentle breeze that had been set up to help disperse the town’s cloud cover. Angling his wings, the young alicorn gained altitude as he soared over one of the numerous farm fields that surrounded the town. Against the dark brown of the dirt, he could see earth ponies and unicorns working side by side as they worked to remove the excess snow blanketing the ground. Not far behind them, teams of ponies followed, pulling strange contraptions that tilled the earth, planted seeds and covered them in one pass. Silently, the colt was glad that he was so far above everypony else. Being this high meant that nopony would see the utter confusion that had filled him since he had first heard about the whole idea of ponies wrapping up winter. Why did ponies need to wrap up winter when everything would eventually take care of itself? To the colt’s chagrin, he had made the small mistake of asking that very question during class the previous week when Cheerilee had been talking about the yearly event. The utter silence that had immediately followed, along with the looks from his teacher and classmates, had left the young alicorn more than a little uncomfortable.

The discussion that had followed after everypony had gotten over their shock had been less enlightening than he had hoped. It seemed that nopony knew why ponies had to wrap up winter. Even Twilight didn’t seem to know why ponies had to be involved. When they asked him what ponies did where he was from, Shadow had to explain that there was no need for the island’s residents to get involved, since nature took care of itself for the most part. The colt also explained that the most involved that ponies from his hometown got with helping the seasons change was to band together to clear away the snow that would avalanche into the gap that the town’s only road out ran through. He had gotten more than a few oohs and awws when he had played a short illusion of one such avalanche that he had witnessed a year earlier, along with what it had taken to clear it away. What he had left out was that this was one of the few times when everypony seemed to set their differences aside, if only for a while, which only made watching a unicorn and earth pony working side by side while joking and laughing all the more interesting for the colt.

Shaking his head at the memory, the colt tilted his wings, banking away from the field. The equestrians’ seeming need to control nearly all aspects of nature baffled the young colt. From when the birds migrated south and when they returned, to the very weather, it seemed that one could find ponykind’s hoofprint on everything. In the distance, Shadow could see large chunks of ice gently bobbing along the surface of the town’s lakes like giant ice cubes. Laughing to himself at the comparison, the airborne alicorn let himself slowly shed altitude as he soared over the town and its surrounding land, silently observing everything below him.

Passing over the edge of town, Shadow couldn’t help but be amazed at the ingenuity of some of the town’s residents. With everything that needed to be done, it was no surprise that everypony who could help would be needed, which was a small problem for residents with children who were too young to help their parents. That problem had been solved by setting up an impromptu daycare at Ponyville’s main park. Besides the ever present swing set and jungle gym, somepony had had the bright idea of bringing in some of the clouds that needed to be busted, allowing Ponyville’s young ground-bound fliers a chance to walk and play with clouds, which was apparently a first for some of them. To the surprise of probably no pony, the clouds proved to be of immense interest to all of the young foals.

Chuckling at the sight of dozens of younger kids playing on or in the clouds, Shadow turned toward Ponyville. Below he spotted a hoof-full of lone clouds that had been left behind by somepony. Smiling, the colt tucked in his wings. Feeling the wind whip past him as he dove, Shadow blinked the tears out of his eyes. At the last moment, the young alicorn extended his wings, slowing himself down while also sending himself into a barrel roll at the same time. In the blink of an eye, the colt had blasted through the first two clouds, reducing them to nothing but vapor and memories. Pulling up, he threw himself into the third cloud, which broke into multiple pieces moments later. Standing himself on his left wing, Shadow banked hard to the left, aiming for the fourth and final cloud, which was by far the largest that had been left behind. With a laugh, the colt slammed into the cloud back first, his mind barely registering the cloud’s slight resistance before he came barreling out the other side. Regaining control, Shadow looked back, not even bothering to try and contain his laughter as he spotted the alicorn-shaped hole that he had left behind.

“Not bad kid, though it’s still intact.” Getting a hold of himself, the colt looked above him as Rainbow Dash came to a hover. As they watched, a few small lumps of fluff floated off the cloud. “Well… mostly intact” Rainbow amended a moment later.

Pulsing his horn, the young alicorn’s smile grew as the small shield bubble he had placed in the cloud silently detonated, reducing the lone cloud to vapor a heartbeat later. “What about now?” Shadow asked, looking back up at the mare.

“…Never mind.” Shaking her head as she got a hold of herself, the rainbow-maned flier turned to her young companion “Not that I’m complaining about you having fun with cleaning up our mess, but aren’t you helping Twilight?”

“I am” Shadow replied as he eyed a few stray cloud puffs. “She wanted to know how everypony was doing and I volunteered to take a quick look.”

Rainbow Dash nodded at the colt’s explanation. “So what do you think of Winter Wrap-up so far?”

“I have no complaints.”

“Especially since it means a four day weekend?”

“Like I said; I have no complaints.” Shadow replied, the smirk on his face matching his companion’s. Lowering his gaze slightly, the alicorn frowned at the sight of a number of small objects heading toward them. The frown was replaced with a smile a moment later as he recognized the stallion in the lead. “Looks like we got incoming” He said, pointing a hoof to the south.

“About bucking time” Rainbow muttered as she surveyed the flight of pegasi. “Fluttershy’s been getting nervous wondering where all the birds were.” Glancing over to Shadow, she could see the colt’s wings twitching. “You want to go meet them?”

“Sure, if you want to tell Twilight that the north fields are done and the western and southern fields should be done by the end of the day.”

“Sure thing; see ya later kid” Rainbow Dash replied, tossing Shadow a lazy salute before turning to glide into the area in front of the town hall where Twilight had set up what more than a few of the town’s residents had come to refer to as her ‘command center’.

Watching the colorful athlete fly off, Shadow turned to the south, pumping his wings as he put as much speed as he could into his flight. Slowing down a dozen minutes later, the colt gently banked, reversing his line of flight as he slowly lost altitude to slip next to Thunderlane, who was at the head of the formation.

“How’s everything in town, Shadow?”

“Almost wrapped up” the young alicorn said between breaths. “Planting is almost done, and all that’s really left is for you guys to finish your job.” The colt shot Rumble’s older brother a mischievous look “Which is probably why Twilight and the mayor decided to hold off on setting up the refreshments until this afternoon. If they hadn’t, your group probably wouldn’t have gotten any.”

“Refreshments?”

“Eyup” Shadow’s smile grew as he saw that everypony’s attention was now on him. It was an idea the town’s two most responsible mares had developed shortly after the previous year’s wrap-up. Officially, it was a way to thank everypony for all of their hard work, while unofficially being a low-key party to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Twilight had talked to Applejack, who had been more than happy to set aside a dozen barrels of cider for the event. Of course, the real challenge had been Pinkie Pie. The moment the overly energetic mare had heard of the plan, she had all but demanded to cater the event. While the mayor and Twilight had no problem with that, it had taken both mares a considerable amount of time to convince Pinkie to keep the affair more low-key than her parties normally were. For her part, the pink party planner had spent the last two days baking.

“You hear that everypony?” Thunderlane called out “The sooner we get back home, the sooner we can party!” As if by unspoken agreement, everypony seemed to surge ahead slightly.

“Mind if I help?”

“Not at all.”

Rolling onto his back, Shadow looked at the hundreds of birds following behind Thunderlane and his group. “Alright; anybird going to Fluttershy’s, follow me.” Tossing a salute to the flight’s lead stallion, Shadow banked away. Looking behind him, he could see dozens of birds working to keep up. Not in any particular hurry, the colt slowed his pace slightly, smiling at the dozens of chirps in thanks that he heard behind him. Enjoying the slight cross breeze, the alicorn locked his wings a few minutes later, setting himself into a gentle glide as he soared over the small creek that ran in front of Fluttershy’s cottage. Barely passing over the cottage’s roof, the colt banked, bringing himself in for a landing. Trotting to bleed off the last bit of momentum, Shadow ruffled his wings before tucking them into his side. Walking around the house’s side, the lone colt stepped up to the cottage’s front door, gently rapping a hoof against it a moment later.

“H-hello…” Shadow barely managed to keep the amused eye roll in check. Ever since he had first met the pink-maned pegasus, he had been fascinated by her. For all his life, every pegasus he had known had fit the pegasus stereotype of being energetic, athletic, brash and loud. This mare was the exact opposite of everything that he had expected and that drastic difference appealed to the colt. So much so in fact, that he found himself hanging around her cottage more often than he would have expected. “Oh, hello Shadow. What brings you here?” In response, Shadow extended a wing, a cardinal and blue jay landing on it a second later. Seeing the older mare smile, the colt stepped back, allowing Fluttershy to step outside to see the dozens of birds resting in the trees around her home. “Thank you for bringing them home.”

“No big deal” Shadow said as he glanced at all of the birds around them. “Are you coming to the party?”

“Probably not” Fluttershy said as a couple birds landed on her back and head.

“Pity. Still, I’m sure Pinkie will stop by later with something for you.”

“Probably” Fluttershy replied. “Would you like something to drink?”

“I’m good”. It was a small lie. While he was thirsty, the young alicorn had heard too much about Sweet Apple Acre’s cider to want to risk not having enough room for the famed drink. Bobbing his head in respect to the mare, the colt leaped into the air, his wings quickly carrying him above the tops of the trees. Catching a breeze just above the trees, the ground quickly fell away as Shadow shot into the air. Closing his eyes, the young flier savored the feeling of the cool air passing over his coat and through his mane. While it was a sensation he had felt often enough on the ground, there was something about feeling it while being so far above the ground that made it all the more pleasing in the colt’s opinion.

Opening his eyes, Shadow quickly noticed that he had somehow drifted over the Everfree Forest. Below him, the famous forest was still in the bitter grip of winter. Where patches of snow were a now rare exception in and around Ponyville, the exact opposite was the case within the foreboding woods’ boundaries. From above, the burned out husks of the forest’s trees stood out in stark relief against the brilliant white of the snow that blanketed the Everfree’s floor. Shuddering as a number of unpleasant memories bubbled to the surface of his mind, the lone alicorn banked sharply, changing his course until Ponyville was before him and the Everfree was behind.

As he flew, Shadow couldn’t help but think about the town before him that had practically become a second home for him. Here, he could be who he was. He didn’t have to hide what he was from everypony. Everypony knew what he was, and after a few weeks had treated him like having wings and a horn wasn’t out of the ordinary. On top of that, within a month of starting school, he had more friends than he ever had back home, and they treated him like another regular pony. He could fly with his pegasi friends, help his unicorn friends with their magic and as for his earth pony friends… Shadow slowed to a halt in the air as he thought about those three words. Back home, the very idea of becoming friends with an earth pony, much less more than one, had been beyond laughable to him. Why would he want to associate with plot-hole dirt kickers who routinely used their subjugation under Star Trail as an excuse to use and abuse their fellow pegasi and unicorns? If somepony had told him that he’d count a number of earth ponies as his friends, he would have laughed in their face. Now… Now isn’t the time to think about this Shadow chided himself. Even if everypony accepts you, even if this is the most accepting town in the world, it isn’t home and it never will be.

It was a feeling that had been at the back of his mind ever since he had gotten out of the hospital. Everypony had been so warm and welcoming. At first, it was something he had somewhat expected. He had been injured in the fire. He had nearly died saving the lives of four of the town’s citizens. Of course ponies would be nice to him, and yet… Yet even after his feathers had grown back in and his burns had scarred over and were later covered by his regrown coat, everypony still smiled at him. They treated him like he was one of them, like he was a citizen of the town and always had been. It had been a shock to the young orphan. At first, he had thought that he’d never get used to it, and yet he eventually had. Now, if somepony treated him otherwise, instead of assuming that they were being a typical earth pony, he’d wonder what their problem was.

Sighing as he again had to adjust his course; the young alicorn frowned as he spotted a dark object heading toward the town from the north. Groaning as his wings protested, the colt banked slightly as he pumped his wings as he flew toward the incoming object. Several minutes outside the edge of Ponyville, Shadow felt his already rapidly beating heart suddenly beat faster. In the distance, he could see a dark blue and black carriage drawing closer, its owner known to everypony in Equestria and especially in Ponyville. Unable to hide his smile, Shadow put everything he had into his wings, closing the distance as rapidly as he could before throwing himself into a hard turn to reverse his course and join the carriage and its owner on its flight to Ponyville.

Waving a hoof, Shadow’s smile threatened to split his face as Princess Luna waved back before gesturing for him to come closer. Angling his wings, the young alicorn quickly pulled alongside the darker alicorn “Afternoon Princess.”

“Good afternoon, Shadow. It is good to see you again.”

“What brings you to Ponyville?”

“Business, unfortunately. How do things go in town?”

“Winter Wrap-up is on schedule. Does Twilight know you’re coming?”

“No. There are some things we need to discuss with her” Luna said “and you as well” she added.

“Fates know Twilight’s going to freak when she sees you” A smile slowly grew as an idea quickly formed in his mind. “Hey Princess, want to have a little fun?”

Luna smirked at the predatory smile on the colt’s face. She didn’t need to be over a thousand years old to see where the young alicorn’s train of thought was heading. “What exactly do you have in mind?”

Shadow’s horn glowed as he called upon one of his favorite spells while he explained his plans “…You’ll know when the time is right.” Smiling to himself, the colt silently thanked the two thestrals pulling the Lunar Princess’s carriage as they slowed down to fall in behind him. Passing over the edge of Ponyville, the colt led the now hidden princess in a wide loop around the town, partly so she could see how everything was going, but also so they could hide her carriage. Angling his wings, Shadow locked himself into a gentle glide, his hooves hitting the ground a minute later. Behind him, he could hear the crunch of gravel as four wheels hit the ground. Looking behind him, he listened as the carriage squeaked as his princess got off and her escorts unhitched themselves. As he watched, the carriage slowly materialized as Luna and her guards approached him.

“Lead on.”

Bowing his head and smiling, Shadow turned and trotted toward the town hall. Glancing behind him, the only indication that there was anypony with him was the sound of hooves crushing gravel. It had taken several months, but with some help from Twilight, Shadow had managed to improve his invisibility spell to the point where a pony didn’t have to worry about possibly being noticed unless they started galloping.

“There you are!” Jumping, Shadow looked up at Rainbow Dash as she came to land next to him. “Twilight’s been wondering where you were and I was about to go searching for you.” Shadow smiled as he thought about what was about to come. “Okay. You got something planned, don’t you?”

“Maybe…”

“Who’s your target?”

“Watch and see…” Rounding Ponyville’s town hall, Shadow could see that Twilight had somehow managed to add another table to her command center since the last time he had been there.

Before he could say anything, Ponyville’s resident princess looked up. “There you are! Where have you been?”

“I helped deliver a bunch of birds to Fluttershy’s.”

“You did?” Seeing the colt nod, the purple alicorn ticked off a box on a rather lengthy scroll. “Once the southern and western fields are planted, winter should be officially wrapped up.”

“That is very good to hear, Princess.” Everypony nearby jumped at the easily recognized voice.

Igniting his horn, Shadow dispelled the shield cloaking the dark alicorn and her guards. “Oh yeah, I also ran into Princess Luna on the way here.”

“P-Princess?!” Around them, everypony bowed to the younger Royal Sister; except Rainbow Dash. She had fallen to the ground laughing as soon as everyone had reacted to the princess’s voice.

“Princess Luna, it is truly an honor for you to grace our town with your presence. If I had known, we would have arranged a more appropriate reception.” The town’s mayor said, casting a glare at Twilight, then Rainbow Dash as she spoke.

“It is alright madam Mayor. In truth, I hadn’t planned on coming, but circumstances and some royal business decided otherwise, not that I am complaining.”

“O-of course, Princess. Perhaps once your business is concluded you would like to join us at the Winter Wrap-up party we have planned.”

“It would be my pleasure.” Nodding her head toward the grey-maned mare, the princess turned to Twilight who had been watching nervously nearby. “Princess, perhaps we could talk someplace more private.”

“Of course Princess” Breaking into a trot, Twilight led the princess and her guards to her home. Silently, Shadow fell into step a couple paces behind the darker alicorn and her two escorts. “What brings you to Ponyville” Twilight asked a couple minutes later as Shadow closed the castle’s door behind him.

Luna didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he horn glowed as she cast a barrier around the castle’s ground floor. The room’s other two alicorns quickly noted that the barrier would block any sound they made. Moving to a nearby chair, the princess gestured for Shadow and Twilight to join her. “There was a recent development regarding young Shadow here.” Turning her head, the princess looked at the colt in question “How well do you know the mayor of your hometown?”

“Personally? Not at all” Shadow replied. “I might have talked to him once or twice, but he usually talked to my dad.”

The princess seemed to pause as she thought about his answer. “How would you describe him?”

“Generally fair, all things considered.” Shadow leaned back as he thought about his Princess’s question. What did he have to do with anything? “Pretty much like the mayor here, except more of a silver pincher. Why?”

“We got an unexpected visit from General Cinder last night. Ever since our meeting in Canterlot a couple months ago, the general has had agents watching the mayor, as well as your former teacher and several other ponies in your hometown. Sometime last night, your teacher mentioned expansion plans.”

Shadow nodded. “There had been talk of expanding the school for years.”

“In her conversation, it was also mentioned that the town library was next.”

“About time. What does this have to do with me?”

“At first glance? Nothing, but in her conversation, your teacher’s husband referred to the mayor as ‘that old miser’ and you just described him as a ‘silver pincher’.”

“So why would such a notorious bit pincher suddenly spend so much?”

Luna looked over at Twilight “Exactly. How would you describe your hometown’s librarian?” She added, turning to Shadow.

The colt leaned back, crossing his front legs over his chest. “There are plenty of ways I could describe him, though I wouldn’t repeat half of them in polite company.”

“If you had to…”

“Plot-head. Jerk. Close-minded, book-obsessed sun-lover… Hay, the bastard slapped me with a lifetime ban for something I didn’t do.”

“Are there any books on magic in the library?” Seeing the miffed colt nod, Luna continued “Would he willingly do anything to those books?”

Shadow opened his mouth to answer, but paused. Something wasn’t adding up. Why would the mayor suddenly go on a spending spree? There had been talk about expanding the school for years, but he had always responded that it was large enough. He had always said more or less the same thing when it came to the town’s library. Would he willingly do anything to those books? The princess’s question bounced around the colt’s head. Almost on instinct, he had said no, but the more he thought about it, the more Shadow wondered. The old librarian was known to be extremely protective of his books, but the one thing that he probably obsessed over more than his collection was where it was housed. He had fought for years to expand the library, and the numerous arguments he had had with the mayor had left more than a little bad blood between the two stallions. Why would the mayor suddenly give into that manure-eater’s wishes?

“That fucking bastard” Shadow whispered as his mind slowly connected the dots.

“Excuse me?”

The lone colt looked up at Luna, his rising anger barely kept in check. “He’s involved. They’re all involved!” Hearing Twilight open her mouth, Shadow looked over at her. “Think about it. Why would the mayor spend that much silver all of the sudden if he’s been avoiding it for years?” Sighing, the young orphan leaned back as he focused on getting rising anger under control. “You two know about my home’s history when it comes to alicorns. Put yourself in the mayor’s chair. Imagine if one day you found out that one of your residents happens to be an alicorn in disguise. How would you react?”

“Fear” Luna said a moment later. “If I were in his position, I’d want to deal with that kind of threat at once.”

“Now how would you deal with a young alicorn who is well known around town as having a talent for magic?” Looking at the two princesses, Shadow answered himself “Give him something he couldn’t resist, like a book of advanced spells. The only problem is, the one spell that will most likely solve your problem is clearly labeled with a warning explicitly saying to not attempt it. No problem. You’re the mayor. You control the town’s purse strings. Talk to the librarian, make a promise or two, and suddenly that warning disappears. Now you just need to get it into the little half-breed’s hooves.”

“So you promise his teacher to move forward with expanding the school if she helps you” Twilight said, seeing where Shadow was going.

“That is most troubling” Luna said. “Unfortunately, the general came to the same conclusion.”

“So what now?”

The younger Royal Sister sighed at Twilight’s question. “For the moment, the sprites are holding back, but only because I told the general that I wanted to deal with the pony responsible for all of this trouble myself.” Turning to look at Shadow, the princess’s face softened. “As much as I wish it was otherwise, I could use your help.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Of course. While I could complete my mission without you, it would go a lot smoother and probably much quicker if I had you by my side to guide me.”

Shadow groaned. He didn’t want to go. There was nothing but pain and misery waiting for him back home and he would have had no problem avoiding it entirely. Yet he hadn’t said no. While every instinct in him screamed to not go, they were drowned out by the fact that Princess Luna was asking him for his help. Could he really turn her down? Sighing in resignation, Shadow whispered “I’m in.”

Shadow sat alone at the table, his chin resting on the table’s top as he watched everypony around him. Around the park, the town’s residents chatted and laughed. In the background, the colt could hear the high pitched screams and laughs of foals as they played on the park’s jungle gym. A couple tables away, he could see Princess Luna talking with the mayor. What it was about, Shadow didn’t know, and he couldn’t have cared any less. Sighing, the young alicorn closed his eyes, trying to focus on the mid-afternoon sunlight and the warmer temperatures that had come as a welcome change from the winter they had just wrapped up.

Why had he said yes? Luna knew he didn’t want to go back. She had made that clear by giving him a way out, and yet he had gone against everything he wanted to do, and had said yes. He had said yes to going back to the one place that he didn’t want to go. Why? Was he that unable to say no to her? Did Luna know that? Was she counting on that when she had asked him? Growling, the colt mentally blasted the treasonous thought into oblivion.

Overhead, Shadow could hear a pair of wings beating as their owner came in to land next to him. The colt didn’t even twitch his ears at the sound. He didn’t need to. Simply from the way the wings beat the air, Shadow knew who was about to join him. After all, of all the fliers he knew, only Equestria’s greatest flier could be this obvious. “Hey Rainbow” Shadow murmured as he heard hooves hit the ground.

“Hey yourself” The mare said as she set a wooden mug of steaming cider next to the colt “drink.” It wasn’t a request. Picking his head off of the table, Shadow ignited his horn. Bringing the mug to his lips, the colt sampled the cider. Seconds later, he set the drained mug back on the table, his belch catching several nearby ponies off guard “Heh. Though you might like it” Rainbow said as she worked on her mug at a slower pace. “What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“That might work on some ponies, but not me, Shadow.” Rainbow said, setting her mug aside. “When Princess Luna arrived, you were smiling and using her to prank Twilight. Then you and Twilight go to that meeting with her and the next time I see you, you look like… well… like this” She added, gesturing to the colt, who had returned to the same position he had been in when she had arrived.

Shadow sighed. Of all the ponies who had noticed his mood, she was the first to ask him about it. Sure, Apple Bloom and the others had asked him what was wrong, but had decided to leave him alone when he had said that he didn’t want to talk about it. He should have known that Rainbow Dash wouldn’t be so easily discouraged. Watching as everypony around them celebrated the end of winter and the beginning of spring; Shadow related everything that the princess had told him and Twilight. “I knew that my teacher was involved, but now I know why she did it.”

For a while, the rainbow-maned mare remained silent. “I wish I knew what to say” She said after a while. “I’d offer to join you and Twilight, but I have a Wonderbolt training camp that I have to attend.”

“Thanks” Shadow replied, knowing that she meant what she said, “but I’m glad you can’t come. Truth be told, I don’t want to go.”

“And yet you are.”

“And yet I am.”

The two sat in silence for a while, watching life go on around them. “If it’s any consolation, you won’t be going alone. Since the princess is going, that means she’s going to have a bunch of guards with her. Twilight and Spike are going as well, which means that you got two alicorns, a company of Royal Guards and a dragon backing you up. Who in their right mind would be stupid enough to try something with that at your back?”

“I suppose” Shadow said, a smile slowly growing on his face. He could only imagine the looks on certain ponies’ faces when he saw them again.

“Don’t worry, kid” Rainbow said, wrapping a leg around the colt’s shoulders “you’ll be fine.”

“…Thanks.”

Cheerilee couldn’t help but smile at the pounding of excited young hooves on well-worn floorboards as her students bolted for the school’s exit. In truth, she didn’t blame them. Normally, she’d chastise them for running in the schoolhouse, but she held her tongue. School let out for the summer only once a year, after all. She remembered her foalhood quite well, and she could still fondly remember every time this day came around; how she’d rush out of school with her friends, plans for the long summer months already on their minds. Having been a teacher for several years now, the mare was well aware of how her teachers must have felt as well. Sighing, the town’s lone teacher surveyed her domain. All of the walls had been cleared, the windows cleaned, the floors and bookcases swept and dusted. In a few minutes, she’d have twelve weeks all to herself, with not a test or scrap of homework needing grading in sight. All she needed to do was usher her newest student out and she could start planning her trip to Whinnypeg.

Cheerilee froze midway through packing her saddlebags. Looking out from her desk, she could see that Shadow was still there. In fact, he was still in his seat, his attention focused on something off in the distance. The mulberry pony frowned. She had noticed a change in the colt shortly after Winter Wrap-up. Instead of his slightly reserved but otherwise friendly demeanor, he had seemed to retreat back into himself. She had found it increasingly difficult to get the colt to join in when it came to group activities and, like now, had found him off in his own world on more than a few occasions.

She couldn’t blame him. After she had noticed the change in him, she had gone to talk with Twilight. The young princess had told Cheerilee about what they had recently learned and what was planned. Setting her last few items aside for a moment, the teacher quietly walked over to the desk next to Shadow’s. Lowering herself into the seat next to his, she gently lay her hoof on his shoulder, which elicited an almost immediate yelp as the young alicorn jumped at the unexpected contact. The startled colt looked around before slowly focusing on his teacher. Cheerilee couldn’t help but smile as Shadow’s ears slowly pinned themselves against the back of his head. “It’s nice to have you back” She said, chuckling “Though it’s a little late. Everypony else has already left.”

Shadow looked around, finally seeming to notice how alone they were “Oh. Sorry.”

“It’s alright. You’ve been more than a little distracted lately, and considering everything, it’s quite understandable. I’d probably feel the same if I was in your position.” Getting up, she trotted to her desk. Stuffing everything into her bags, she trotted back to her waiting student a moment later. Gesturing, she watched as the colt gathered his things before joining her on the final walk to the door. “I won’t say I know what it’s like to be in your position” Cheerilee said as she locked the schoolhouse for the summer before turning to leave. “I can’t begin to imagine what you’ve been through. I’ve heard some things from Twilight and you’ve mentioned some stuff as well, but I’ll be honest; every time I think about what I’ve heard you’ve been through, I shudder to think about how I’d react in your place. I know you’re worried and I don’t blame you, but I think you should keep something in mind.” She turned to her lone student “Even though you’re nervous about what lies ahead, you will have plenty of friends with you. Not only are Princesses Luna and Twilight coming with you, but Twilight told me that her brother and Princess Cadance are joining as well. On top of that, you will be traveling with Royal and Night Guard escorts.” Stopping in the middle of the road that led to the school, she looked at her young companion “I don’t know what lies out there, but what I do know is that if there’s anything or anypony who wants to get you, they’ll have to go through everypony around you first.”

Next to her, her words seemed to have their desired effect on the colt as Shadow’s ears slowly perked up while a small smile grew on his face. “I’d keep trotting with you, but I think a certain group of fillies have their own plans for you.” Just down the road, both teacher and student could see the most infamous trio of fillies in Ponyville waiting for them. “See you in the fall Shadow.”

“See you then, Ms. Cheerilee” Shadow replied, though his enthusiasm betrayed his true feelings.

Watching as his teacher trotted away, Shadow sighed to himself. If anything, he didn’t feel like spending time around anypony. He had a few hours left until he, Twilight and Spike had to catch the overnight train to Canterlot, yet he knew his desire to be alone was not to be. He may have known the Crusaders for only a few months, but he had quickly learned that when they were determined to do something, nothing short of the princesses or their family could stop them. Slowly stepping off from where he stood, the young alicorn quickly found himself joined by his three friends.

“So, how long until your train leaves?”

“A couple hours” Shadow replied to Sweetie Belle.

“Ya got any plans?” Shadow shook his head. “Good, ‘cuz we do.” With that, the three friends surrounded their newest friend, effectively cutting off any chance the colt had of escaping. As he was led into town, Shadow couldn’t help but smile. Sure he had a lot on his mind, but even though his friends knew it, or probably because they knew it, they seemed determined to help him take his mind off it, if only for a while. As they trotted, it became clear to the lone colt that his friends had been planning for this for a while. The group slowly made their way through the small town, stopping to chat with a number of ponies along the way. An hour later, the young alicorn found himself walking through the front door of the town’s bakery. Waving to Pinkie Pie, the four made their way to an empty table.

Looking around, Shadow was a little surprised at how busy the place was. Despite how early in the afternoon it was, a fair number of the bakery’s tables were filled, mostly with fellow classmates. Hearing a set of four hooves bouncing toward them, Shadow turned to watch as the town’s premier party planner pronked toward their table, a tray safely wrapped in her tail. Without the slightest hesitation, the pink mare swung her tail around, depositing four steaming pastries before Shadow and his friends. It had been a bit of a challenge for the young alicorn not to be weirded out by the extremely friendly mare. Setting aside the fact that she was an earth pony; the fact that she seemed to have abilities that spat in the face of logic disturbed the colt beyond his ability to explain. At first, he had tried to understand the strange mare. Several migraines and a number of warnings from the ponies around him later, the colt gave up on any ideas of understanding the mare. Instead, he had to force himself to accept the mare as she was, not that he had much to complain about. Despite her odd and occasionally erratic behavior, Pinkie seemed to know his likes without him having to tell her, if the apple cobbler lying before him was any indication.

“So” Apple Bloom said around her pastry “Ah’d ask how you were doing, but Ah think it’s fairly obvious.”

“Yeah” Scootaloo replied “I’d be thrilled to be going on an adventure like this.”

“Considering the last adventure I was on wasn’t by choice and nearly got me killed four different times…” Shadow looked around the small eating area. “I guess part of it is how different Ponyville is from my hometown and how much I like this town more.”

“What do you mean?”

Shadow’s face soured. “Long story short, if this was my hometown, none of this” he gestured to the four of them and their surroundings “would be happening. We wouldn’t be sitting here, and we certainly wouldn’t be friends.” The colt looked at the shocked faces of his friends “Well, except for me and Sweetie Belle, but that would only be because I’d be hiding my wings from everypony. You” he looked at Apple Bloom “would be a member of one of the most powerful families on the island, with all the attitude and grace of Diamond Tiara.” Seeing the look of disgust on her face, he turned to Scootaloo. “Meanwhile, you’d be the biggest outcast in town.”

“Why?!”

“Because you can’t fly” Shadow replied neutrally. Seeing the pained face on his friend, the colt sighed. “Unlike here, most ponies back home are rather… loyal… to their tribe, and look down on the other tribes. Since you can’t fly, every pegasus except maybe your parents would see you as nothing more than an earth pony with wings, while the earth ponies would see you as a freak.”

“What about the unicorns?”

“They’d see associating with you as social suicide.”

For a while the four friends simply sat there. Shadow knew they were thinking about what he had said and was more than happy for the silence to continue. “No wonder you don’t want to go.”

Shadow snorted. “There’s more to it than the tribalism, but it’s probably better that you don’t know, at least not yet.” Stiffening as he felt something gently wrap around his neck, the colt kept himself from igniting his horn as he noticed the bright pink legs embracing him “Thanks Pinkie.”

“No problem” The mare said, before releasing him a moment later. “Just know that I got a surprise waiting for you when you get back.”

“What is it?”

Pinkie Pie snorted “Well if I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it?”

“I guess not.”

“I know not.” The mare said seriously. “I’ve seen ruined surprises. They’re no fun.”

Looking up at a nearby clock, the colt sighed to himself. “I need to get going or else Twilight will have a fit.” He wasn’t kidding. He had seen how the purple alicorn lost it when plans went sideways or somepony didn’t arrive exactly when they should and no matter how entertaining he sometimes found it, he had no desire to see her lose it. Hearing the scrape of chairs, Shadow watched his three friends stand as well. Smiling, the colt levitated a dozen bits onto the table before leading his friends out of the bakery.

Past Actions, Future Consequences - Part 2

Shadow winced as his ears pinned themselves against his head as the train’s wheels screeched against the rails. Looking across the private car’s aisle, he could see Twilight reacting similarly. Spike on the other hoof, who had been sound asleep as their train made the final turn into Canterlot, was picking himself off the floor while trying to block out the noise with his hands at the same time. Glancing outside, the colt could see Equestria’s capital approaching, its marble clad buildings and golden roofs gleaming in the morning sunlight. Yawning as he felt the train start to slow down, the colt quietly got off the padded bench he had slept on, before fanning out his wings as he stretched. Maybe it was a combination of the stress of the last few weeks along with the lack of sleep from the past few nights, or maybe it had to do with the gentle swaying of the car that reminded him of the Tranquility, but whatever it was, Shadow was sure that, as soon as he had closed his eyes, he hadn’t so much as twitched until waking up just over an hour ago.

Seeing a number of buildings whipping by out of the corner of his eye, the young alicorn reached under his bench, pulling out his saddlebags and his vest. His loathing for the thing had only increased since his time in Ponyville. Here he was, living in a town where everypony knew about his wings and didn’t care a bit, and now he had to hide them. While part of him understood the reasons behind having to do so, it didn’t mean he liked those reasons. Hearing a few final stubborn pops from his neck, the colt donned the vest, slipping his wings into their hidden pockets before adjusting the loops that went around his front legs and finally zipping the front together.

Wincing as the train’s wheels gave a final screech before coming to a stop, Shadow turned to Twilight as he tightened the main strap of his saddlebags. For her part, the young princess had been ready to go as soon as she had seen her foalhood home in the distance. Feeling her legs bend slightly as Spike climbed onto her back, the older alicorn led the way off the car. Around them, the platform was a hive of activity as ponies went about their business. Some waited patiently for the train’s passengers to disembark, while others, mostly earth ponies in uniforms, worked to unload the hundreds of pieces of luggage that came with the train and its passengers. For his part, the disguised alicorn stuck close to Twilight’s side, following her while taking in everything around them. For the most part, the hundreds of ponies on the platform completely ignored them, though Shadow saw that more than a few had noticed them, earning them a number of stares.

Stepping out of the station, the colt couldn’t help but marvel at the city around them. While Canterlot had more than impressed him the last time they had been there, the change of seasons had only helped to accentuate the city’s magnificence. Overhead, the white and gold of the city’s buildings contrasted pleasantly with the bright blue of the cloudless sky. Around the streets, flags waved in the gentle morning breeze, while the air itself was perfumed with the scent of thousands of flowers that had been planted in containers that sat along the streets, next to building entrances or in boxes that hung under windows. Feeling the last lingering bits of sleep fade from his mind as he took everything in, Shadow couldn’t help but bounce a little as he trotted next to Twilight.

Taking in the sight of Canterlot in early summer, Shadow followed silently behind Twilight. For a while, the two alicorns walked in silence. Distracted as he was by everything around him, Shadow never noticed the numerous glances Twilight gave him after slowing down so they could walk side by side. Following his guide down a side street, a smile quickly took over Shadow’s face as he saw the unmistakable diner that sat at the end of the block. Seemingly before he could blink, the two alicorns and dragon were walking through the eatery’s front door. Behind the counter, the diner’s owner smiled. “Well, well, if it isn’t Princess Twilight herself. What brings you here today, kid?”

Twilight laughed, ignoring the looks of the other ponies sitting along the walls. “Breakfast, Joe.”

“Breakfast I can do. Let me guess: large black coffee, one doughnut with extra sprinkles” the stallion glanced at Spike “an emerald and ruby doughnut and…” he turned to look at Shadow “one of my patented double XL triple-berry muffins.”

Twilight and Spike nodded while Shadow looked confused “Are you psychic?”

The stallion and Shadow’s companions laughed at the question. “No, I just have a good memory when it comes to my customers, especially the more memorable ones.”

“And here I thought it was because of all the hours and bits I spent here studying.”

“That may have helped…” the stallion admitted as he gathered their orders.

“Thanks, Joe” Twilight said, smiling as she placed some bits on the counter.

“Anytime, princess” The stallion replied, picking the money off the counter with his magic. “Don’t be a stranger.”

Raising her cup, Twilight led Shadow and Spike off to the side, taking a moment to enjoy her coffee. Sighing in relief as she finally got her morning caffeine fix, Equestria’s newest princess led her companions outside. In no particular rush, the three slowly made their way through the city toward the palace, taking their time to enjoy both the weather and their breakfasts.

“So, what’s the plan?” Spike asked as they stood inside the palace’s main foyer. Around them, the castle’s staff went about their business, seeming to completely ignore the princess in their midst. The guards on the other hoof, continued to stand at attention, as if they had been carved from stone and placed in their current positions. Though it was subtle, Shadow had noticed how the golden armored guards had seemed to straighten ever so slightly, how the grip on their spears imperceptivity tightened whenever Twilight glanced in their direction. Even the guards standing at attention outside the front gate had stood even straighter as they had approached.

“Well” Twilight replied as she looked around “The princesses need my help with something before we leave for Manehattan.”

“Which means you’ll be needing my help.” Spike added.

Twilight smiled as she nodded “Though that means you will be on your own for most of the day, Shadow.”

“That’s not a problem” Shadow replied as he looked around “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Princess Twilight, it is a pleasure”

Both alicorns turned to look at the stallion who had called out to them from across the foyer. Glancing at the guards, Shadow could see a couple roll their eyes. Next to him, Twilight’s body language was unmistakably that of somepony who desperately wanted to be anywhere else at the moment. Yet despite that, the purple alicorn smiled at the approaching stallion. “Prince Blueblood, what brings you here?”

“I was just on my way from an early morning meeting, when I saw you standing here. I only felt it appropriate to greet one of our nation’s princesses.” Shadow couldn’t fault the noble unicorn since, after all, they had been standing there for several minutes and nopony had said anything to them. Unnoticed by the prince, a lone mare trotted up behind him. The colt immediately noticed that the earth pony was winded, from what he didn’t know, and that her mane was a disaster, with stray hairs sticking out everywhere.

“Thank you for your concern, Prince Blueblood” Twilight replied, a wince crossing her face as she continued “Unfortunately, you caught me at a bad time. There are some things the princesses need me to do before Princess Luna and I leave Canterlot.”

“Ah yes. There have been a number of rumors floating around the palace about the mission you and Auntie Luna are going on.” Shadow’s face gave an involuntary twitch; Auntie?! “That being said, I won’t keep you any longer and I hope your mission is a success. Though if you don’t mind my saying, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation just now, and I would be more than glad to take young Shadow under my proverbial wing for the day.”

Glancing at Twilight, the colt could see that the princess was torn. She clearly didn’t think it was a good idea for some reason, yet it didn’t seem she could say no. “If you don’t mind, I would love to follow you around” Shadow said.

Nodding gracefully, the stallion turned to Twilight, bowing his head to her before walking away, with Shadow falling into step beside him and the ragged-looking mare following a few steps behind.

“So” the prince said a couple minutes later as they walked down a corridor “maybe you could enlighten me as to what kind of mission would require both Auntie Luna’s and Princess Twilight’s attention.”

Shadow managed to keep his face from twitching this time, though it was a close thing. Was Prince Blueblood really related to Princess Luna? The young alicorn didn’t know, but for whatever reason, the way the older stallion referred to the princess as ‘Auntie’ felt wrong on a couple levels. “The princesses recently learned of a previously unknown island that is home to thousands of ponies.”

“Ah yes, another one of those missions.”

“Those missions?”

“Auntie has gone on a number of diplomatic missions recently to Thestral colonies outside our borders. This is probably another one of those missions.” The prince fell silent as they turned a corner, walking past a lone thestral guard without acknowledging the mare’s nod. “Frankly” the stallion said a few moments later “I don’t understand why Auntie Celestia is even allowing this, seeing as how those cave-dwelling freaks joined forces with Nightmare Moon.”

Cave-dwelling freaks?! Shadow mind could barely process what the prince had said. How could he say that? He made it sound like thestrals were primitive savages. Having spent over a week at the colony back home helping his dad, Shadow knew it they were anything but. “-though I suppose there is something to say about how effective they’ve been when it comes to crime in the lesser parts of the city.”

“Lesser parts?”

“Where the common ponies live and work.” Blueblood explained, hardly skipping a beat “I just hope Celestia can keep a tight leash on them. Fates only know how sympathetic Auntie Luna might still be.” Tuning out whatever else the prince said, Shadow felt his mood souring. How could he say such things without knowing the ponies in question? Looking up, the disguised alicorn found himself standing before a set of impressive looking oak doors. “Unfortunately, I must leave you here for a while. This is a private meeting.”

“I understand, Prince.” Shadow said, bowing his head. Even as he made the motion, he found it harder than it previously had been.

“I’m glad to hear that” The older stallion said. Next to him, the ragged unicorn mare ignited her horn, a crystal wineglass appearing before the prince. Without a glance, the noble unicorn grabbed the glass from the air before swallowing nearly all of the red liquid in a few gulps. Carelessly tossing the glass to his assistant, the stallion swished the last bit of wine around in his mouth before spitting it out onto the carpet that ran the length of the hall. As if nothing had happened, the larger unicorn turned to face the doors, which opened under the mare’s magic.

As the doors closed behind the two unicorns, Shadow slowly sat down on the bench near the door. How could a unicorn act like that?! Did he have no pride? How could he be as casually cruel as the earth ponies back home? As his mind tried to understood what he had seen and heard, Shadow felt his mood sour even more, his ire finding a focus on the stallion he had looked up to.

“Oh sweet Celestia; not again” The lone alicorn looked up at the maid who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

“Again?”

“Yeah. I swear Blueba- Prince Blueblood gets some kind of pleasure out of this.”

“You mean he does this a lot?”

“Everyday” the maid replied as she searched her cart. “More than a few staff members have quit because of him.” Seeming to find what she was looking for, the earth pony mare started to scrub the bright red stain.

As he watched, Shadow’s mind began to turn. How could he have looked up to this plot head? Why hadn’t he listened to Spike, or taken the hint from Twilight or the guards? That was a mistake he’d have to atone for, and he had a good idea on how to do so. “Let me help you” Shadow said, as he ignited his horn. Focusing on the stain, the colt slowly massaged the wine out of the carpet. As the last drops leaped from the carpet a few minutes later, the alicorn tossed the ball of red liquid into the pot of a nearby plant before turning to the mare “How would you like to get some payback?”

The maid looked around to make sure they were alone “What do you have in mind?”

From a balcony on one of the palace’s tallest towers, Celestia and Luna stood silently. Below them, Canterlot was a hive of activity as thousands of ponies went about their lives. From this far up, the city’s residents looked like nothing more than brightly colored ants, though both princesses knew that they were anything but ants. “How are final preparations going” Celestia asked as the breeze tried to play with their manes.

“As well as anypony could expect.” Luna replied. “Captain Steel Gaze assures me that our ship will be ready to depart as soon as we are on board.”

“That’s good.”

Luna looked over at her sister. “Sister, I am getting the feeling that you asked to speak with me for more than simple small talk.”

Celestia smiled. You’ve always been the more perceptive one. “There is, Luna.” Turning around, Celestia beckoned her sister to follow. “To tell the truth, I’m worried.”

“About Shadow?”

“Among other things, yes, though not as much as you might think. I know that between you, Twilight, Cadance, Shining Armor and everypony onboard, he’s in good hooves.” Settling into a plush sofa, the larger alicorn pushed a rolled up scroll over to her sister. Silently, she watched as her darker sibling opened the report and read it.

“Another ship?”

Celestia nodded “With all hooves onboard.”

Luna looked over the report one more time before setting it on a nearby table. “Believe me sister, if we see that thing, I will deal with it.”

“I have no doubt, Luna, but there is something I want to show you.” At this, Equestria’s Solar Diarch ignited her horn, bathing the room in golden light for a moment. As the light cleared, a scroll lay next to Luna.

“What is this” Luna asked as she looked over the arcane sigils on the scroll.

“It is an extremely powerful spell I created centuries ago.”

“What does it do?” The younger alicorn had a vague idea of what the answer was, but she had asked anyway, hoping that she was wrong.

“It takes the life-giving power of my sun, and turns it into a tool of pure destruction.”

Luna looked up at her sister in shock before turning back to the open scroll. “How powerful is it?”

“Do you remember New Dawn Island?”

Luna nodded. “I’ve been meaning to visit it but...” the dark alicorn’s voice trailed off. “What do you mean, ‘remember’?”

“When I developed this spell, I needed to test it someplace remote and… well… there’s a reason why you can’t find New Dawn on any modern maps.” For her part, Celestia didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about the revelation.

“New Dawn was over two square kilometers in size, sister” Luna said as she absorbed what Celestia was saying. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but have you ever had to use it since then?”

“Only once and, thank the fates, it wasn’t in battle.” As if sensing her sister's next question, Celestia continued. “Roughly six hundred years ago, the Gryphon Emperor began making threats against our land. I initially brushed his threats off as the empty, hollow words they usually were.” Celestia shook her head. “It wasn't long after that I began to receive word of the Gryphon military being mobilized. Our military has never been considered incapable, and I still have no doubt that we would have won the war, though it would have taken years and countless lives.” Celestia closed her eyes as if reliving the moment. “On the night before the first battle, I asked for a meeting with the Emperor to talk peace. Unsurprisingly, he was interested in what I'd be willing to give for him and his army to march home. I told him that if he and his army left Equestrian territory at daybreak, I'd let them live. Naturally he scoffed.” Celestia shook her head as an amused parent might; chuckling at the memory. “In the far distance, there was a lone mountain that had served as a landmark since the time of Clover the Clever.” The smile on the older alicorn's face vanished as she looked away from her sister. “I reduced it to a mile deep crater in less than a second and every creature in the valley saw it happen. The Gryphon Emperor and his army were back in their territory by noon.”

Luna left her spot and sat down next to her sister, wrapping her legs around her a second later. “Does anypony else know about this spell?”

“No” Celestia replied a couple moments later. “I was never really proud of it and at the time, I figured that it was too dangerous for it to be common knowledge.” The solar princess chuckled mirthlessly “Not that it matters much. You and I are the only ponies who could use it, and I would know immediately if anypony tried to use it.”

From where she sat, Luna looked at the spell-containing scroll. “Thank you for trusting me, sister. I hope I never have to use it.”

“I hope so too, but I didn’t want you to go without knowing it.”

“Thank you, though I think you’re worrying too much. My ship has the latest in shield spells and arms. If anything, I’d worry less about me and more about whoever tries to do something stupid.”

Celestia chuckled. “I’ll try.”

Shadow sat alone on the bench, slowly munching on a cookie. Next to him, a small silver tray sat uncovered, half its contents having disappeared as the colt waited for the prince. The maid had been surprisingly eager to help him get back at the egotistical stallion. As he had explained his plan, Shadow quickly realized that they would need help. Sure, he could have taken off his vest so he could fly and get what they needed, but both Twilight and Luna had suggested that he hide his wings to avoid attracting any unnecessary attention. The maid, Sparkle Shine, had solved the minor problem by enlisting the help of one of the palace’s window washers, who happened to be a pegasus. After that part of the prank had been dealt with, it had become a matter of marking the prince as the target. Again, Mrs. Shine had the perfect answer to their problem. Taking a break from her duties, the maid led Shadow to the palace’s kitchen.

To say that he had been overwhelmed as soon as he stepped into the kitchen would have been an understatement. For a couple minutes, Shadow had simply stood there; images of Sugar Cube Corner’s kitchen springing to mind as he watched the palace’s cooking staff prepare hundreds of meals in a space that had more room than his home had. The two unexpected visitors had stood to the side for a couple minutes, watching the aproned staff banter back and forth as they worked in a manner that spoke of years of experience. Eventually, the two had been spotted by the head chef, an aged mountain goat with a goatee that had started to turn white. Though he probably shouldn’t have been, Shadow had been surprised to learn that the chef had a bone or two to pick with Prince Blueblood, and was more than happy to help them. The results of that help were now sitting next to the colt as he waited.

Yawning as he finished his latest treat, Shadow started as the door next to him opened. Through it strode a number of important looking ponies. While he didn’t care about them, the young alicorn noticed that not only were they all dressed, they were all unicorns. Near the end of the procession, Prince Blueblood slowly walked out, still deep in conversation with another noble. Sitting up, Shadow watched as the two spoke for a couple minutes before parting ways. Knowing that everything was in place, the colt smiled. This was going to be fun. “Good afternoon, Prince Blueblood.”

“Good afternoon, Shadow. I hope your wait wasn’t too boring.”

“Not at all, sir. When a passing maid told me how long your meeting was going to be, I decided to explore the palace.” Seeing the prince nod, the colt levitated a small covered platter. Pulling the cover off, Shadow revealed a half dozen miniature muffins. “I may have accidentally wandered into the royal kitchens and instead of being mad, the head chef gave me a quick baking lesson.” The alicorn gestured to the muffins.

“You made these?”

Shadow nodded “With a little help.” It was a bald-faced lie, but the colt didn’t care. He could see the older stallion looking at the offered treats with barely contained desire. “The chef said I need to practice, but I got some talent.” Seeing the prince’s resolve crumbling, Shadow created an almost imperceptible breeze that blew over the muffins and the across the larger unicorn’s face.

“I suppose one wouldn’t hurt” Blueblood said as he gently picked one off the tray with his magic. Watching the older pony eat the muffin, Shadow could barely contain himself. While he had been waiting, he had cast a small spell over the muffins. “Not bad” the prince eventually said, after downing two more muffins.

“Thank you, my lord” Shadow replied, bowing his head. Mentally, he was counting down the seconds they had left until the spell took effect. “What do you have planned now?”

“Hmm” The lone prince seemed to contemplate the question. “Since I don’t have any meetings for the next few hours, how would you like a proper tour of the palace grounds?”

“That sounds wonderful, sir.” Inside, Shadow was practically dancing.

“Excellent. If you’ll follow me…” Turning to follow the prince, Shadow looked back at the ragged mare who had gone into the meeting with the prince. If anything, she looked even more worn out and it was barely past midday. Catching her eye, the colt pointed to the tray of cookies he had left behind before winking and mouthing a very obvious all yours before grabbing the muffin laden tray. It might have been his imagination, but Shadow thought he saw a tear run down the mare’s cheek.

As they passed a stationed guard, Shadow glanced at the armored stallion, trading a small nod with him. Glancing back as they rounded a corner, the colt watched as the guard brought a hoof to his helmet before whispering into it. Any second now…

As if they had heard him, a half dozen pitch black storm clouds quickly turned the corner Shadow and Prince Blueblood had just taken. Ladies and gentlecolts; let the fun begin. For the first few seconds, nothing happened as the clouds slowly stalked the two lone ponies. Smiling to himself, Shadow stepped to the side, a smile on his face as his guide continued on, oblivious. Igniting his horn, the young alicorn waited until the last cloud had passed him before triggering the simple spell. Immediately, the clouds spat out bolts of lightning, the resulting thunder leaving the colt’s ears ringing.

Jumping at the sound, Blueblood turned. Like a pack of timberwolves, the six clouds leaped at the lone Prince. While he may have been the bane of the palace’s staff and a general annoyance to everypony who had to deal with him, Prince Blueblood wasn’t a pony to let his position go to his waistline. As such, he made sure to keep himself in shape, lest he became slow and ponderous like so many of the less worthy nobles he had to deal with on a daily basis. This constant training was the only thing that kept the stallion from being surrounded by the attacking clouds. Letting out a scream reminiscent of a small filly in a haunted house, the noble unicorn bolted down the hall, his young charge completely forgotten as the clouds chased him.

Laughing, Shadow tore off down the hallway as fast as he could, trying to keep up with the prince.

Celestia slowly strode down the hall as her main attendant updated her on the results of the noble meeting that had ended a couple minutes earlier. Next to them, the pair of guards glanced at each other. It was a minor thing, but the solar princess noticed it. “Is everything alright, sergeant?”

The pegasus mare on the princess’s left jumped slightly at suddenly being addressed. “Yes, ma’am…”

“But…” Celestia stopped at the distant sound of thunder. I thought the schedule was for clear skies today. Glancing at the mare next to her, all the princess got was a shrug. As if to answer her, there was another crack of thunder, this time much louder. Trotting to the intersection ahead of them, the princess got her answer as her nephew raced past her, his blonde tail ending in several inches of scorched hair. Behind him, a number of clouds chased after him, spitting small lightning bolts every few seconds.

Seconds later, a familiar colt tore past her before skidding to a halt. “Hi princess” Shadow said, trying to plaster the most innocent looking smile on his face. In the distance, everypony heard a series of thunder cracks echo down the hall “Um… bye princess!” Without waiting, the colt turned and ran down the hall.

Princess Celestia looked down at her assistant. “So… Where were we?”

Prince Blueblood could barely breathe. Panting, the stallion raced around another corner, barely missing the edge of the wall, but not the vase that had been on display there. Barely hearing the sound of two hundred year old porcelain shattering against the floor, the prince didn’t miss a step as he raced down the hall. Behind him, he could hear the thundering rumbles of his pursuers. Why he was being chased by enraged thunder heads was well beyond the stallion’s thinking at this point. Taking another corner too wide, Blueblood barely managed to jump over the large potted plant that had suddenly appeared in his way. Occupied with nothing else but escape, he didn’t notice how his back hooves connected with the plant, snapping it and sending it and the dirt in the pot flying across the carpeted floor.

Spotting a series of windows, the lone noble felt his heart leap. He knew where he was in the palace. If he could just get outside, maybe he could turn his magic on these infernal clouds. The smile that had started to grow on his face froze before vanishing. Outside the window, a pair of clouds hovered threateningly just on the other side of the enchanted glass. Just need to get… to… The stallion’s thoughts ground to a halt as a member of the palace’s cleaning staff opened a window ahead of him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pair of dark grey blurs streak by as the two clouds outside raced past him, before flying through the open window, cutting the stallion off.

Skidding as he tried to stop, the prince saw an open hallway flash past him. Beyond thinking, he ignored the sudden pain in his side as he slammed into the hallway’s side. Taking a quick glance behind him, he groaned as his pursuit followed. Taking another corner, the stallion’s long run came to a sudden halt. Ahead of him, the hallway ended in a wall of marble. Spinning around, he felt his heart stop as the clouds that had been chasing him filled the hall behind him, cutting off his only escape.

Panting, Shadow paused to catch his breath. Finally able to breathe again, the colt admitted to himself that, even for a pompous windbag, Prince Blueblood could run. Just down the hall, he could hear the final part of the prank playing itself out. Now that they had cornered their prey, the spells controlling the clouds brought everything to a head, ensuring that the prince wouldn’t forget this moment for a long time. Tiphoofing his way down the hall, Shadow peaked around the corner. Backed up against a wall, Prince Blueblood was cowering on the floor. Around him, the clouds shot bolts of energy every time he moved. Unable to so much as twitch, the stallion was forced to take the tongue lashing of the one pony who frightened him above all others, though he would never admit it: Princess Luna.

Unable to contain himself, Shadow pulled himself behind the corner before all but collapsing as he laughed. He had first thought of this prank over a year ago, after a particular unpleasant incident involving him, his sister and a group of bullies. Oh Star, I wish you were here to see this. Opening his eyes, the colt’s laughter died as she stared at the bright silver-colored shoes standing before him. Slowly looking up, Shadow swallowed nervously as he followed the dark blue fur of the shoes owner. Remembering where he was, the young alicorn scrambled to his hooves, smiling nervously “Hello, Princess Luna.”

“There you are” Luna said, raising an eyebrow. “We have been looking all over for you. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor arrived a short time ago and-” anything else the lunar princess said was lost as the nearby clouds erupted in a display of light and sound that left the two alicorns and the princess’s escorts blinking rapidly as their hearing returned. Holding up a hoof, Luna stuck her head around the corner, taking in everything before her in a single glance. Pulling back, she glanced at the young colt “I take it you saw how he treats the palace’s staff?”

“Yup.”

“Pay back?” Around the corner, one of the clouds cracked with thunder before laying into the cowering noble with Luna’s voice. Seeing the young alicorn nod vigorously, the princess slowly smiled. “May I?” Nodding her thanks as Shadow swept his leg, the dark alicorn took a moment to compose herself. Taking a deep breath, Luna strode around the corner, well aware that she was being watched. Igniting her horn, she dispersed the dark clouds with a sweep of her head. Before her, her ‘nephew’ lay cowering on the floor. “In all my years, I have never seen such disrespectful and ignoble behavior from somepony with your rank! DID YOU THINK I WOULDN’T NOTICE? DID YOU THINK I WASN’T WATCHING YOU?” Luna’s Canterlot voice echoed across the palace. “WE HAVE SEEN HOW YOU TREATED OUR STAFF. WE HAVE WATCHED AS YOU USED THEM AND ABUSED THEM FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO HIRE GOOD STAFF THESE DAYS WHEN YOUR REPUTATION TAINTS EVERY INTERVIEW?! WE HAD HOPED THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE YOUR WAYS ON YOUR OWN, BUT APPARENTLY WE WERE WRONG! I DOUBT A SLUG WOULD BE AS DENSE AND THICKHEADED AS YOU!” Luna leaned down until she was less than an inch from her cowering nephew. “I will only say this once, so you better listen” she whispered. “You will clean up every speck of dirt you spilled, every mess you made, and you will do it without magic. I will have the palace cleaning staff watch you, and if you complain, or use your magic, or do a less than perfect job, I will know.” The tone of Luna’s voice dropped until it could have frozen a desert oasis solid. “If I ever hear that you have abused even one more member of the staff, or if you fail to completely clean up the mess you made, I will make such an example out of you, ponies centuries from now will use you as an example of what happens to those who anger me. Understood?” Seeing the prince nod, she smiled. It was not a comforting smile. “Good. Now get out of my sight.”

Without a second’s hesitation, the prince vanished.

Sighing to herself, Luna turned and trotted past the stunned colt and pair of guards who had watched the whole thing. Hearing them fall into place next to her, the princess took a couple seconds to compose herself. Though she wouldn’t admit it, lest she encourage him, she was impressed by the prank that Shadow had pulled. It showed creativity and resourcefulness. She had never heard of such a use of clouds, and she sincerely doubted that she’d see its equal for quite a while. “That was a most… interesting prank and-” Luna paused mid-sentence as the colt levitated a scroll from one of his saddlebags. Taking the offered scroll, the princess unrolled it, glancing at the instructions and diagrams on the paper. “Thank you” she said as she rolled up the scroll. She’d study it more later but she could already feel herself thinking of ways to use this on Celestia.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Luna increased her pace slightly as she lead the colt and their escorts down a flight of stairs. “As I was trying to say earlier, we have a train to catch.”

Ch. 19 Fight and Flight

Suppressing a yawn, Shadow glanced at the spotlessly clean metal door in front of him. In the door, he could see Princess Luna’s reflection as the larger alicorn stood silently next to him. Letting his gaze fall over the princess for a moment, the colt’s eyes wandered to the other two passengers in the elevator. The two thestrals stood silently at attention, as if they had been carved from stone and then trained by the Royal Guard. To Luna’s right, a dark grey stallion nearly as big a Shining Armor stood, his eyes resolutely focused on the closed doors ahead of them. From where he stood, the young alicorn had a more than generous view of the older pony and the numerous scars that crisscrossed his body. Though the stallion had only glanced at him once before taking his place by his princess’s side, Shadow couldn’t help but feel utterly intimidated by him.

Next to the silent stallion was another thestral. If anything, she was about as different from her companion as a pony could be. Where the stallion stood rigidly, the mare’s stance was more relaxed, though no less on guard. From where he stood, Shadow could see how her armor seemed just a hair too loose, the straps just a bit too long. Letting his gaze drift up, Shadow felt his heart stop for a brief moment as he locked eyes with her reflection in the doors. His heart started beating a second later as she winked at him before quickly sticking her tongue out at him. Blushing, the colt’s eyes snapped back to focusing on the metal before him like it was the most interesting thing in Equestria. If my family could see me now…

Looking above the doors, Shadow watched the dial’s hand slowly reach the two o’clock position. When Princess Luna had told him that Cadance and Shining Armor had arrived, he had thought that they’d be heading for the train station. Instead, he had followed her and the two thestrals down a couple flights of stairs to an elevator. An elevator that the colt was hard pressed to prove was even moving at all. Despite his admittedly small experience when it came to these small moving rooms, Shadow was pretty sure that one should be able to tell that the room was actually moving. As it was, whoever had designed this thing had done their job so well that the only way the colt could tell that they were moving at all was the slow pace of the dial above the door and the change in pressure that messed with his hearing.

As the silence around them continued, Shadow’s mind slowly turned to what faced him. While his friends back in Ponyville hadn’t been wrong about his fears about what ponies back home might try if they saw him, they were only half right. In truth, he wasn’t too worried about his safety while Princess Luna was nearby. Only a completely suicidal idiot would try to hurt him while she was around. What scared the young colt the most was what might happen after their business with the mayor was concluded. Would he be returning to Equestria with Luna and the others or would he be left behind once his usefulness had come to an end? That last scenario seemed even more possible to the young alicorn if they found out about his grandparents. If he was left behind in their care… Shadow shook his head. There was no way in Tartarus that he would voluntarily stay with those asses. If he had to, he’d grab a passing cloud and ride it all the way back to Equestria. The colt was under no illusions about how low his chances of survival were if he tried to leave the island on his own, but he’d likely live longer trying to cross the Great Ocean than if he stayed with his grandparents.

Luna sighed to herself as her gaze fell on the young alicorn. She could see in his reflection that his mind was elsewhere. Where was anypony’s guess, though if she was a betting mare, the youngest Royal Sister would have bet that it wasn’t on anything pleasant. Glancing to her right, she caught her two guards’ eyes reflecting back at her. They had noticed too and were wondering what to do. Before she could do anything, the princess felt the elevator come to an almost imperceptible stop, the polished doors opening silently a heartbeat later. Glancing at the two thestrals, the larger alicorn simply tilted her head toward the waiting train. Watching as they left, Luna turned to look down at the colt next to her. Despite the doors being wide open, Shadow hadn’t made a single move, as if he had yet to notice that they had even opened. Smiling slightly, the princess extended a wing, letting it gently drape over the entranced colt. The simple move had its intended effect, as Shadow jumped slightly at the sudden contact. Luna felt her smile grow as the colt looked around before looking up at her “Come” she said, tilting her head toward the open doors “we have finally arrived.”

Nodding silently, Shadow trotted out of the elevator alongside his princess. Falling slightly behind the larger alicorn as he took in his surroundings, Shadow could barely hide how underwhelmed he felt. Unlike the regular train station in Canterlot, which was covered in white marble and large murals, this private station, if it could even be called that, didn’t even begin to compete with the other station far above them. Instead of the white marble that he had come to see as Canterlot’s signature look, the walls around them were the same rock that made up the mountain the city was perched on, though, if he was being fair, the polished swirling pink and black patterns of the stone was more interesting than blank white walls.

Lowering his gaze from the platform’s ceiling, Shadow stopped in his tracks. Gleaming under the hidden ceiling lights was a locomotive like none he had ever seen before. It had become something of a habit back in Ponyville that anytime he wanted to be alone; he’d grab a cloud and lounge around on it. Sometimes he’d set it above Whitetail Woods, other times he’d spend his alone time over Sweet Apple Acres or the town’s small beach or one of the many farm fields around his adoptive home. For the past few months, he had been spending his time a couple hundred feet above Ponyville’s train station. He didn’t quite know what it was, but for whatever reason, he found watching the trains rumble by beneath him oddly relaxing. In all the time he spent watching the trains come and go, they all looked the same: a cylindrical boiler that would occasionally vary in length with a box-shaped cab in the back. The locomotive before him on the other hoof looked as if somepony with an art degree had taken one look at a regular locomotive and had taken it upon themselves to design something that a pony would stop to look at. In the magically created light, the long hood of the engine glistened; the light reflecting off the vehicle’s hundreds of facets. If he had to pick one word to describe what he was looking at, Shadow would have had to pick sleek. Along the side of the engine, a streak of purple started at the nose, following the length of the locomotive until it ended at the back of the cab. If anything, in Shadow’s estimation, the minor detail made it look like the engine was in motion, even though it was completely still. Letting his eyes wander over the rest of the train, the colt wasn’t surprised to see that the engine’s design had been applied to the cars as well. The cars were less boxy than usual, with the only interruptions in the cars’ rounded exterior being the numerous windows along the sides.

Near the back of the train, Shadow spotted Twilight chatting with Princess Celestia. Feeling himself hitch for a moment, the young alicorn forced himself to put one hoof in front of the other as he worked to catch up with Princess Luna. It had been months since he had given his presentation about his ancestor, and yet the eldest Royal Sister had done nothing, other than send him an unexpected letter detailing everything she remembered about Summer Breeze. The fact that she hadn’t stopped him from giving his report had surprised him, but the letter that had arrived two days later had caught him completely off guard. In fact, her whole attitude toward him had eventually given him pause. He had been so sure that he was as good as dead the moment she found out his connection to Summer Breeze and the fact that he would never blindly bow to her. He had been so sure that that night in her bedroom would be his last.

Yet he had walked out of the room alive.

When he began to think about it days later, he hadn’t known how to feel. At first he had been suspicious, wondering to himself if this was all part of her plan. Yet as the days turned into weeks, his thoughts slowly changed. Why would she wait so long to act? Everything he had been taught, everything he had known growing up, told him that the solar tyrant would brook no dissent, would not tolerate anypony who didn’t kiss her hoof. As the weeks dragged on and the weather slowly warmed, a single idea slowly took hold in his mind. It had started as a fleeting, traitorous thought: what if everything he thought he knew was wrong? At first he had dismissed it, yet it never truly disappeared. Every time his thoughts turned back to why she hadn’t done anything yet, that idea would always return; small and timid at first, with the voice of Fluttershy, before eventually changing to sound like Rainbow Dash when it seemed to notice that he wasn’t immediately dismissing it. Could he have been wrong? He wasn’t ready to accept such a conclusion just yet, but he knew it was a possibility.

“There you two are” Celestia said, turning to face the newly arrived alicorns. “What took you so long?”

“Our apologies, sister” Luna said, a smile playing across her face. “It took us some time to find our young friend here; then we had to take a couple minutes to deal with our dear nephew.”

“I hope he’s alright” Celestia replied, an eyebrow slowly rising as her gaze slowly shifted toward Shadow. “Last I saw him; he was running from a group of small thunderheads.” Next to her, Twilight looked confused while Shadow studiously observed the pink and black swirling stone beneath him.

“If he’s smart, our dear nephew will be more than alright by the time we return.”

Glancing up, Shadow noted that, while her raised eyebrow didn’t so much as twitch, a ghost of a smile flitted across the largest princess’s face. “Then I shall not keep you any longer” She said, stepping aside to allow the two newly arrived alicorns to pass. “I can’t wait for you to return.” She lowered her head as Shadow passed by. “That includes you too. I heard that Pinkie Pie is planning something big, and I’d hate for you to miss it.”

Shadow paused mid-step. He wasn’t sure how to feel about what she just said. While it could have been a line delivered by some two-bit hack villain, there had been more than a little genuine sincerity in her voice. Did she really want him to return for a reason other than finally dealing with him? Lowering his raised hoof, the colt took a step back before slowly lowering himself in a bow. “So would I, Princess.” Focused on what he was doing, the colt didn’t see the looks of shock and disbelief that Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle traded.

“Then you better get going” Celestia replied, hiding her surprise with a polite chuckle.

Taking the hint, Shadow stood back up before trotting for the nearby car’s open door. Stepping inside, he wasn’t disappointed. Just like the outside, whoever had designed the train had paid attention to the inside as well. Whereas he was used to rows of half-padded benches filled with ponies and barely cleaned walls, the inside of the car glistened as light bounced off the crystal and polished steel interior.

“Nice isn’t it?”

Shadow turned around, a smile already on his face as the stallion strode up to him. “I’m not going to complain.”

Shining Armor chuckled. “I will admit; being married to a Princess has its perks. It definitely beats the alternative.”

“Indeed it does” Luna said as she followed Twilight into the car, the door silently sliding shut behind her. “Even though it is less direct, it is much more comfortable.”

Shadow slowly walked around the car, his attention focused on everything around him. Catching something in the corner of his eye, the colt turned to find the crystalline version of himself staring back from the wall. I wasn’t expecting that. Hearing nothing but silence, the young alicorn turned to find everypony else staring at him. “Where’s Spike?”

The question seemed to do the trick as the three princesses and Shining Armor blinked, as if finally realizing that they had been staring. “He’s in the next car forward helping the chef prepare dinner” Shining Armor said a moment later. “I think he mentioned something about daisy burgers and hay fries.”

Turning to look out the window, Shadow watched as the train pulled out into the fading light. I have got to meet whoever designed this thing Shadow thought as Canterlot shrank in the distance. Despite seeing the landscape whipping by outside, if he closed his eyes, the colt would have been hard pressed to even tell that they were moving at all.

Ignoring those around him, Shadow settled down on a padded bench next to a window. Placing his saddlebags and his vest next to him, the colt stared silently out the window, letting his mind go blank as the train carried them into the night. Outside, the sun was a blazing fire slowly sinking in the sky, its fading light bathing the land in oranges and reds. As the last light of the day vanished behind the horizon, the young alicorn could feel a buildup of magic behind him. On the other side of the window, the dark sky blazed to life as countless numbers of stars burst into view while a bone white circle started to peak above the horizon. Despite everything he had been thinking and feeling, the young orphan couldn’t keep himself from smiling a little.

“I thought you might like that.” Turning his head, Shadow watched as his favorite princess took a seat next to him. How could he not? Celestia just had the sun, while the princess next to him had the moon and thousands of stars. Sighing slightly, the colt returned to looking out the window, the two alicorns falling into a mostly comfortable silence. Sitting next to the young colt who she hoped would be her student one day, a single glance told Luna that his mind was elsewhere. She couldn’t blame him. After everything he had been through, if she was in his shoes, the last place she’d want to go would be back home. Smiling gently, the lunar princess slowly extended a wing, laying it across the young orphan’s back. To her surprise, not only did Shadow not flinch at the sudden contact, he shifted himself so that he could be closer to her. Luna’s smile grew.

Luna couldn’t help but smile as the wind played with her mane. Far below her, the ocean crashed against the ancient granite that formed the walls of the fjord. Angling her wings, the princess rolled over onto her back before plunging toward the water below. All she could hear was the whistling of the wind in her ears as the ocean raced up to meet her. At the last moment, the dark blue alicorn pulled up, her barrel just barely skimming the water’s surface. Letting out an extremely un-princess-like laugh, the lone alicorn kept her wings in place as she glided above the water. Feeling her momentum finally slow, Luna flapped her wings as she began to run. If there had been anypony watching, it would have looked like she was running on the ocean’s surface in an attempt to take off. Yet there was no pony to watch her, and she was perfectly fine with that.

In the distance, she could see the end of the fjord and the decent sized town that lay along the shore. As she neared the town, the tempo of Luna’s wings changed. Gone were the carefree strokes of a mare enjoying herself. In their place, the wings carved through the air as their owner pushed them for all they were worth.

Something was wrong.

Initially, the dream had been pleasant; idyllic even. A warm sun overhead, combined with a gentle breeze off the ocean would have made it the envy of any creature with wings, but something had changed. It wasn’t a change that she could see, but the lunar princess could sense that something was dangerously off. She could feel an overwhelming sense of fear and dread coming from the town before her. Pulling into a sharp climb as she reached the docks, it didn’t take the alicorn long to spot the trouble. In the center of the town was a large plaza, its bricks carved from the same rock that formed the fjord’s walls. Around the edges, hundreds, if not thousands, of ponies had gathered; their colorful coats and manes contrasting brightly against the grey stone. In the center of the plaza, a lone colt stood. Even if she couldn’t see him, Luna knew that it was Shadow. As one, the crowd slowly started to move in, the open area around the colt shrinking rapidly. Slowly gliding down as she watched everything unfold, Luna could tell that the young colt was on the verge of panicking and was completely unable to end the dream himself. Nearing the ground, she began to hear the voices of the crowd as they hurled insults and slurs at the lone colt. Before she could react, a large stallion burst from the crowd. Shadow had barely turned to look before the stallion’s front hoof connected solidly with the colt’s face, sending the youngalicorn tumbling into the legs of the crowd. Before he could move, a faceless mare spun on her hooves, bucking the colt in the gut and sending him flying into the open area before the crowd. Below her, the gathered ponies cheered as the insults grew.

Slowly, one pony, a rather well-groomed mare slowly stepped out of the crowd, her eyes locked on Shadow. Out of thin air, the mare pulled out a coil of rope, before tossing it before the downed colt. On the end of the rope, a noose had been expertly tied.

Oh, like hell.

Before anypony could make a move, Luna’s horn glowed as she banished the spell that kept her from being spotted by the dreamer or anypony in their dreams. Coming to a stop above Shadow, the princess dropped the last twenty feet to the ground, the plaza’s stones cracking as she landed. Around her, no pony moved. Igniting her horn again, the smile on Luna’s face caused everypony nearby to scramble backwards as the pile of rope burst into flames. “He’s. Mine.” The two words came out as a growl.

To her left, a rough-hewn door appeared out of thin air, before opening to reveal the dream realm on the other side. Luna didn’t say a thing. She didn’t need to. Hearing the young colt scramble for the door, the princess waited until he was out of sight before releasing a final spell that sent everypony fleeing in panic.

Slamming the door shut on the terrified screams of the dream ponies behind her, it took the princess little effort to find her companion. Shadow had parked himself next to a pink door with a crystal heart on it. Even from a distance, Luna could tell that he was barely holding back the tears that were trying to escape. Settling herself next to him, she gently embraced him with her wing, happily ignoring the feeling of her coat getting wet as the last shreds of the young orphan’s self-control evaporated.

As her horn glowed, the world around them dissolved, the stars beneath them slowly disappearing as a grass covered hill took their place. Feeling a gentle breeze blow through her mane as the leaves of the tree next to her rustled, Luna pondered what she had seen. While she had seen more than a few dreams where their owners were killed, she had never seen one so detailed or in a pony so young. Why had he been all alone? Luna didn’t know, and felt a sneaking suspicion that she didn’t want to know, but she did know one thing: she would gladly fall back into her madness before she let anything happen to him.

From where he sat in the observation car, Shadow had a perfect view of Manehattan. On the other side of the large glass dome, the city’s buildings grew, going from small single family homes, to apartments to finally the large skyscrapers that had left him in stunned silence when he had first set hoof in Equestria. Not far from the tracks, concrete walls began to grow out of the ground as the train began to sink below street level. The new day had barely been a smear on the horizon when he had found this car. As the sky had lightened, the scenery around the train had ensured that nothing short of food or a bathroom break would tear him away from his seat. The train had continued non-stop on its journey. By the time the sun had risen enough for anypony to see, they were well into the Unicorn Range. Around the train, the world was one idyllic scene after another. One moment they were rolling through a large meadow of wildflowers. The next, they were roaring out of a tunnel, a waterfall on one side, while on the other, a thousand foot drop that offered breathtaking views of tree filled valleys surrounded by the imposing snow-capped mountains that made the range world famous.

Sighing, the young colt returned to reality. Around him, the streets had risen until they were at the same level as him. Along the fence line that kept ponies from falling onto the tracks, ponies stopped to stare as the crystalline line of cars rolled past. Overhead, more than a few ponies lined the sides of the bridges that straddled the artificial canyon, some with their cameras flashing, while most were simply content to watch or wave. Waving back, Shadow felt his ears swivel as somepony almost silently climbed the stairs behind him. “I take it you approve of this car.”

“I can’t complain much” Shadow replied, smiling weakly as the lunar princess settled down next to him “though I preferred the mountain scenery to here.” The smile faded from his face. “I guess it reminded me of home.”

“I can’t say I blame you. If what I’ve seen in your dreams is any indication” Luna said as she rubbed a hoof against the colt’s back “I can’t wait to see your home for myself.” Her heart lifted slightly as the ghost of a smile flitted across his face. “Once we get everything wrapped up, perhaps you can show an old princess where she can stretch her wings?” The smile on her face mirrored the one on her companion.

“Oh, I might know a place or two…”

“That’s what I thought” Luna replied, patting the young orphan’s shoulder before standing. “For now though, you should get ready. We’ll be arriving at the docks in a few minutes.”

Following his princess’s lead, the lone colt slowly stood, taking a moment to stretch his wings before following her down the stairs. If he was honest, he wasn’t sure how he felt about going back to sea again. Sure he was going to be on what was probably the safest ship in the world, but while there were a number of things he enjoyed about his time on the Tranquility, any good memory he had about that time was tainted by that thing and what it had done. Trotting behind Princess Luna, Shadow wasn’t surprised to quickly find himself in the car he had spent most of the previous evening in. Along one wall, Twilight and Princess Cadance were chatting, about what he didn’t know, but judging by the amount of giggling going on, he figured he didn’t want to know. On the other side of the car, Spike and Shining Armor were engrossed in some role playing game that had taken over every square inch of the table’s surface. They had tried to get him to join them as a member of their party, but nothing about the game appealed to the colt, who had eventually decided to continue reading his ancestor’s original journal.

Leaving Luna, who had gone over to see how Spike and Shining Armor’s quest was faring, Shadow walked over to the seat he had set all of his stuff under. Igniting his horn, the colt set the vest over his back, slipping his wings into the hidden pockets before zipping the front shut. Beneath it, his saddlebags lay exactly where he had left them. Picking them up, the young pony had barely tightened the strap around his barrel when a glance out the window left his jaw on the floor. Outside the window, the mid-afternoon light glistened off the glass windows of the skyscrapers in the distance. While that in and of itself was a spectacular sight in most pony’s opinions, what had caught the colt’s attention was much closer.

Outside the window, the docks were a hive of activity, but these were not the docks the colt had been expecting. While he could see the open ocean less than a mile away, there were no ocean-going vessels in sight. Instead, the entire area was a sea of concrete. Every couple of hundred feet, a faintly ship-like wood and metal structure sat, surrounded by temporary scaffolds and frames as ponies worked on them. Distantly noting that the train was slowing down, Shadow’s attention was absorbed by the two strange objects sitting at the end of the dock. Both had the same wood and metal structurehe had seen along the dock, but what held his attention above all else were the large metallic structures hovering above the strange objects like balloons that were being denied their freedom.

“Quite the sight isn’t it” Luna said, as she joined the colt next to the window. “Take in the view; not many ponies get to see things this close.” From where he sat, Shadow took in everything as the train slowed to a crawl before stopping altogether at what he suspected was a platform meant to be used to unload cargo. Waiting for them were a half dozen ponies. Shadow smiled as he recognized one of the four ponies in armor. Standing up, the colt waited a few moments before falling into step next to Shining Armor. In front of them, Princess Luna led the way, followed by Cadance and Twilight. “Captain, it is good to see you again.”

“Thank you Princess, though I think the pleasure is all mine.” Shadow couldn’t help but smile as Captain Steel Gaze’s eyes locked on him and widened slightly in recognition. “Forgive us Princess, but your arrival caught us a little off guard. We weren’t expecting you for a couple more hours.”

“There is no need to apologize, Captain. We made better time than we expected.”

“Of course, your Highness. I’d like to introduce to you my Executive Officer, Commander Sure Shot.” Next to him, a pegasus mare in polished armor took a step forward, raising a hoof to salute the largest Princess. Seeing the dark alicorn nod in approval, the mare stepped back in line as the captain introduced the two unarmored ponies.

Feeling his attention slipping, the disguised alicorn looked to his right. Next to him, Shining Armor leaned down, whispering as everypony else talked “I remember hearing about the plans for these, but I never thought I’d actually get to see them.” Seeing his young companion’s lack of understanding, the older stallion nodded to the two ships at the very end of the docks. “First of a new class of airships” he said, the pride in his voice not even remotely concealed. “They remind me of the first ship I ever served on, though they’re better built and more heavily armed than the Endurance ever was.”

Shadow didn’t know what to say. He had read about the Endurance and the disaster that was named after the ill-fated ship, but he had never suspected that Shining Armor had been on board when the horseapples had hit the fan. Fortunately for him, he didn’t have the chance to say anything as Princess Luna turned back to Captain Steel Gaze “Where are we when it comes to preparations?”

“Almost completely loaded ma’am. We had to make a few repairs after our final series of air trials last week, which cost us a few days, but we should be ready to take off in an hour or so.”

“Good.”

“While we wait, I’d be more than happy to give you a tour.”

“Lead the way, Captain.” Though he couldn’t see the smile on her face, Shadow doubted that anypony missed the barely concealed glee in the royal alicorn’s voice.

Breaking into a trot to keep up with the adults, Shadow could barely keep his chin from dragging on the pavement as they neared the only complete ship in the dock yard. The ship in question was positively huge, easily twice as long as Twilight’s castle was tall. “Your Highnesses, I present to you the Lunar Diarch.” Shadow couldn’t help but smirk as he trotted up a ramp and onto the ship. No wonder Princess Luna is so giddy. “As you could see from the ground, the Diarch class is an improvement on the previous Celestial class of airships. At half again the length of its predecessor class, the Diarch class has a wider beam, thicker armor, better engines and is much more customizable for a given mission. Take for example the differences between this ship and its sister ship in the next berth over, the CelestialDiarch. Both follow the same design, but whereas the Celestia is lighter and faster, the Luna is much more heavily armed and armored.”

“How heavily armed are we?”

“Each of the three main gun decks contains thirty twenty pounders for a total of ninety guns, with an additional six located on the bow and four on the stern for rear action if required, making it a total of one hundred guns, which is twice the firepower of the Celestia. All of the main guns have a range of five kilometers, while the bow and stern guns have a range of eight klicks.”

“What about protection?”

The captain smiled at Shadow. “This ship has the latest type of armor installed across the main body as well as the balloon. On top of that, we have the latest shield spells installed.” Following the group, the captain led them to one of the three gun decks. Breaking off slightly, the colt walked over to one of the cannons. The gun currently sat in its traveling position, with wooden blocks in front of and behind its wheels. Looking at his reflection in the weapon’s polished bronze, the colt walked to the front, pulling out the wooden cap that blocked the front of the cannon’s barrel. Igniting his horn, he looked down the barrel, noting the lines that rotated around the inside of the barrel.

Returning to the group, the young alicorn followed everypony up a narrow set of stairs onto what could only be the bridge. Around the relatively large room, a couple of ponies stopped what they were doing as they bowed to the trio of princesses. Ignoring the captain for the most part, the colt’s gaze wandered about the room, eventually settling on a large globe floating in the center of the room. “… and finally we have this little beauty” Captain Steel Gaze said, patting the globe affectionately “which lets us pinpoint our exact position anywhere in the world.”

“I must say Captain, I am impressed.” Luna replied, gazing about the room.

As she spoke, a number of armored ponies walked onto the bridge, their conversations dying at the sight of their guests. Taking a step forward, Commander Sure Shot snapped to attention, saluting the princesses and her Captain. “Your Highnesses, Sir. It’s my pleasure to report that all crew and provisions are aboard and stowed. We are ready to take off at your command.”

Princess Luna looked over at the captain, who read the alicorn’s desire in a single glance at her eyes. Smiling, the stallion swept a hoof around the room “The Lunar Diarch is all yours, Princess.”

Struggling to contain her smile, the princess looked at the assembled crew members. “Take your stations.”

“I may be mistaken” Shadow said, whispering to Shining Armor who stood next to him, “but I think the princess has been looking forward to this.” The larger stallion simply snorted.

“Bring engines online” Luna said; the note of authority in her voice unquestionable. Seconds later, a low rumble sounded throughout the ship as a slight tremor could be felt underhoof. “Release all mooring lines.”

“Mooring lines released, ma’am.”

“Helm, take us out of here, nice and steady” Luna looked over at the stallion standing at the helm “and try not to scratch the paint.”

“Aye, ma’am” the stallion replied, smiling.

Stepping outside onto the walkway surrounding the bridge, Shadow leaned over the railing, watching as the berth and the ground slowly fell away. Stepping back onto the bridge a few minutes later, the colt couldn’t help but smile at Princess Luna’s barely contained giddiness, especially as she gave her final orders “Helm, set course to two-seven-zero degrees. Increase to half speed and take us to one thousand meters.”

“Two-seven-zero degrees at one triple-zero meters, half speed aye, ma’am.”

“Yeah, she’s enjoying herself” Shining Armor said as they watched from the sidelines.

Fight and Flight - Part 2

…As I watch my daughter and her new husband dancing, I can't help but be reminded of the long, painful journey that got us to this point. Among the faces of the village, I can't find a single pony who hasn't sacrificed something or lost somepony special. With the gryphon threat permanently eliminated and the dragon's remains dumped in the bay a day’s trot from here, the waters of the lake that gave this town its name still grow bluer by the day, the fire lizard's blood still slowly washing away, even after all these years.

Seeing Siena happy, I can't stop myself from seeing my Umber, forever young, walking among the crowd, talking to ponies as they congratulate him, laughing at his terrible jokes. What I wouldn't give, Diary, to be able to go back in time. If a pony gave me a spell that would send me back into the past, I would take it, but where, or rather when, would I go? Would I go to Equestria before the war to try and stop myself and Luna from making that decision that cost my only child her father? Or would I go even farther, back to the Empire before it fell? If I had been there to stop that bastard Sombra… but I can't. Time travel is impossible, so I will have to live with my decisions, my mistakes, and what they cost me and everypony.

Above us, I can see our Luna looking down from her prison. How I miss her, Diary. I know she would have loved to be here. She would have loved to be the one to wed my daughter and Steady Beat. If she was here, I would give you to her as a wedding gift. Perhaps one day you would be published, so other ponies could read you and maybe understand why we did what we did. Perhaps one day you still will. Forgive me for leaving things here, Diary, but I can see my daughter and my new son-in-law heading this way, and I will not deny them a single second of my time. Not on this most special of nights. Until next time.

- Summer Breeze

Shadow doused his horn. Looking around in the muted light, he could see Twilight quietly sleeping in her bed on the other side of the cabin. In the corner, Spike was curled up in his basket. Not bothering to stifle the yawn, he slowly stretched, allowing the simple move to wake him up further. A quick burst of magic sent his sheets rolling to the foot of the bed as he sat up. Living up to his name, the young colt made it to the hallway outside without disturbing the princess or her dragon.

Making his way through the nearly empty corridor, he found himself thinking about what was coming. He couldn't honestly say that he was excited by the prospect of returning home. How would all the ponies he knew back home react? Shock, definitely. Most likely followed by suspicion he figured, which would only be fueled by the revelation of what he was. Shadow shrugged as he grabbed the handle of a hatch that led outside with his magic and pulled. The wind was a cold slap across his face that drove away any lingering sense of sleep. Taking a deep breath of the salt laden air, he allowed himself a small smile. Even if they were less than welcoming, what could they do? He had his defensive spells, and Luna said that she would accompany him. That last thought widened his smile. Would they try anything with her and her guard around? Not likely.

Gradually he made his way to the airship's bridge. Inside, the captain was slowly walking the length of the room, talking to the occasional pony as he made his tour. Deciding that he didn't want to interrupt, Shadow made his way to the floating globe, where a small dark blue dot representing the ship was slowly making its way across the ocean that separated the continent from his island home.

“Excited?”

Glancing at the larger pony next to him, the young colt regarded the ship's master as the stallion studied the chart in front of them. It had been a bit of the shock for the captain when he learned in a meeting after they had gotten underway that not only was the colt the reason for their mission, but that he was more than just a unicorn. Even now, after just over a week of flying, Shadow could still feel the occasional set of eyes on him and his wings whenever he walked about the ship. “Not particularly.” The young colt finally replied, if only to break the silence. “I wasn't exactly the most popular pony in town before I left.”

“Any family?”

“Grandparents, not that their daughter's 'little abomination' was their particular favorite, or welcome.” Shadow looked at the captain, who raised an eyebrow at that last sentence. “Their words, not mine.”

“Their loss” The officer replied.

Not wanting to be reminded about the inevitable, Shadow left the globe in favor of wandering around the bridge. Along the far left, he spotted a brass telescope mounted on a pole along the outer railing. Leaving the warmth of the bridge, the cold air slapped at him again, making his burns itch. Maneuvering a small step stool next to the telescope, Shadow grabbed the instrument with his horn as he began to scan the endless waves around them. Below, he could see a pod of dolphins swimming east, their sleek bodies launching out of the water as they swam.

At first he thought it was a flash of light off of a wave in the distance, which was why he almost dismissed it but then he saw it again, and again. Whatever it was, it was far too regular to be a wave. Adjusting the eyepiece, Shadow zoomed in on the flash. Off in the distance he could see a ship, the morning light bouncing off the main cabin's windows having been what caught his eye.

Something felt off as he scanned the ship. Moving to the stern, he could see the wheel, but nopony at it. For that matter, he couldn't see any movement on the deck. As he swept the deck, it took him a few seconds to realize something very important was missing: the mast. This ship had no mast. How was that possible? Ocean going vessels such as this needed one if they wanted to go anywhere. The ship rolled in the waves, and he got his answer when he saw the gaping hole in the middle of the ship's deck. The ship's bow was a mangled wreck; the bowsprit was missing completely, along with most of the bow itself. Across the deck, he could see shredded sections of canvas sail strewn about.

Turning around, the young colt yanked the door open and yelled, “Captain, I got something you need to see!”

Striding to the port side hatch, the ship's master chuckled to himself. Probably wants to show me some whales he spotted. “What do you got?” He asked. Looking through the proffered telescope, his sense of humor disappeared faster than a flock of birds before a squall. Horseapples “Helm, increase to flank speed, bring us about to one-eight-zero degrees and drop us to two hundred meters! Commander, sound general quarters and load all guns! Have medical teams on standby!”

“Course one-eight-zero at two-zero-zero meters sir, flank speed aye!”

“General quarters, aye!” Sure Shot called as an alarm began to blare throughout the ship. As the captain returned to the bridge, barking orders, Shadow grabbed the telescope again. Ignoring the damage, something felt familiar about the ship, yet he couldn't quite put his hoof on it. Jumping as something sounding similar to a small explosion erupted behind him, Shadow looked behind him to see the main hatch bounce off the wall it had been slammed into, a clearly unhappy Princess Luna striding onto the bridge, followed by Twilight and Spike, who was trying to block out the noise with his hands.

Ignoring everything going on behind him, Shadow continued to scan the distant ship. He knew this ship. How did he know this ship? Glancing behind him, he watched as Shining Armor and Princess Cadance trotted onto the bridge. Turning back to the telescope, Shadow’s world shrank until it consisted of everything he could see through the eye piece. Feeling a hoof tap him on the shoulder, the colt pulled himself away long enough to see Cadance’s husband standing next to him. “What’s going on?”

“Ship in distress” Shadow replied, returning to look through the telescope. Without any masts, the ship foundered in the gentle swells, turning in any direction the waves pushed it. As he watched, the ship’s stern slowly turned toward him. As it did, Shadow felt his heart stop. Even though he couldn’t completely read the ship’s name, he could see enough. Igniting his horn, Shadow disappeared, leaving Shining Armor and a clone coughing on the accidental smoke screen. Recovering quickly, the former Royal Guard Captain peered through the telescope, the name Tranquility emblazoned across the ship’s stern.

Popping back into existence, Shadow had barely felt the tug of gravity before pointing himself toward the waves far below. Stretching himself out, the colt plunged from the sky, his wings out, but close to his body, allowing himself to turn if he had to while sacrificing little in terms of speed. As he fell, the young alicorn mentally berated himself. How could he not recognize the Tranquility? How could he not recognize the ship that had taken him to Equestria? As the broken ship grew below him, Shadow couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong about the whole situation. Why was there no pony on deck? For that matter, where was everypony? Gritting his teeth at the sudden strain on his wings, Shadow pulled out of his dive, his chest getting splashed by an errant wave. Shooting into the air, the young flier made for a small nearby cloud. Feeling it give as he landed, the alicorn stared over the side. Igniting his horn, Shadow didn’t turn away as a clone burst into existence. “You better have a really good explanation” the clone whispered as it joined its creator. “Everypony on the bridge saw you take off, and the princess is not happy.”

“It’s the Tranquility.”

“And now you know why Princess Luna hasn’t had Twilight yank you back already.”

Shadow opened his mouth to respond but froze before he could speak. Looking at his clone, the alicorn knew that he hadn’t been the only one to hear something. Despite the gentle wind at their altitude, they had both heard somepony whisper and what’s more was that the voice came from below them. With nothing but a shared glance, the two colts turned around. Nodding, the pair ignited their horns at the same moment. Below them, the section of cloud just in front of their hooves rolled away like a blanket. Below it, nearly a dozen ponies recoiled at the sudden brightness. For a moment, the mix of pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies stared back at the two alicorns “Shadow?”

Seeing recognition dawn on the ponies below him, the colt turned to the ship’s navigator, whose name it took him a moment to remember. “What happened” he loudly whispered.

“That… thing… attacked us again two weeks ago” Star Chart said, fear, shock and confusion fighting for control of his voice and face. “We managed to evacuate some of the crew, but…”

As he listened, Shadow’s mind raced. If some of the crew were here, how many were left on the crippled ship below? What should he do now? He had teleported himself off the Luna without a plan. “How many fliers do you got?”

“Three, but-” The look from the colt above him cut the stallion off.

“There’s an airship that way” Shadow pointed to his right. “Get everypony out of here.”

“When did you become an alicorn?”

“Not exactly the time for that!” The colt hissed, a little harsher than he wanted.

“Right” Star Chart and two other pegasi flew out of the hole and started pushing the cloud toward the incoming Luna. “One more thing” the navigator said as Shadow and his clone took to the air “It is still in the area.”

Of course it is! Pointing to the Luna, Shadow and his clone dove for the lone ship below. Flaring his wings, the two alicorns set hoof on the deserted deck without a sound. Around them, the Tranquility lay silent, the sound of lapping waves and a gentle breeze being the only sounds around them. Pointing at the clone, Shadow gestured to his head, then the approaching airship. The clone nodded, closing its eyes for a second as it talked with the other clone. I told them about the incoming survivors and the ones left on board. They got chariots ready to go. Nodding, Shadow slowly crept toward the door that led below deck. Glancing at his clone, Shadow watched as his clone’s horn glowed, a golden field of magic appearing over the door’s hinges. Grasping the handle with his magic, the real alicorn gently opened the door, silently glad that he had learned that soundproofing spell. Seeing nothing on the other side, Shadow slowly made his way down the steps, his clone staying behind as a look out. Rounding the corner at the bottom of the stairs, the colt froze as he spotted the ship’s crew.

One by one, the stallions and mares that crewed the Tranquility looked up at their guest. Across their faces, Shadow could see shock, confusion and relief play out. Before he could open his mouth, the colt felt a hoof grab him by the shoulder and spin him around. Regaining his balance, the young alicorn followed the white hoof up its owner’s leg, only stopping as his eyes connected with those of the ship’s first mate. “What in Tartarus are you doing here?!”

“Saving you!” He whispered back, his voice barely audible.

“How?”

“There’s an airship nearby” Shadow explained, raising his voice slightly so everypony else could hear him. “How many are there?”

“Just what you see” Sea Breeze said, glancing at the just over half dozen ponies around them.

“Zetani?” Shadow felt his heart start to pound in his chest as he failed to spot the zebra.

“He didn’t make it.”

The colt felt his heart stop mid-beat at the officer’s words. “Get everypony-” Before he could finish, the ship lurched to the side. Shadow didn’t bother asking what that was. He didn’t need to. He and everypony around him knew exactly what had happened. “Get everypony ready to move!” The colt hissed as he returned to the stairs. At the top, he spread his wings and took to the air, his clone following a couple seconds later as it silently ripped the door off its hinges.

Coming to a stop several hundred feet above the ocean, Shadow looked down and felt his heart skip a couple beats. It had yet to breach the water, but from the air, he could see the creature circling the Tranquility, the ship jumping like a bobber every time it brushed against the hull. “What do we do?” The colt looked over at his clone. He had no idea what to do. What could he do? The last time he faced this thing, it had turned him into a living, screaming bonfire.

From their vantage point, the two colts watched in horror as the creature finally broke the surface. Around the crippled ship, a hoof-full of scale covered mounds rose out of the water asthe thing encircled its target. Along the Tranquility’s starboard side, the water bubbled and boiled before the creature’s head shot out of the water, coming to stop fifty feet above the ship. Unseen where he hovered, Shadow racked his brains. If they had been crippled two weeks ago, there was no telling how much longer the thing would stick around. The fact that it was still around told the colt that it recognized the ship from the previous year; and that it was finally getting its revenge. Looking around desperately, the young alicorn’s eyes came to a stop on the ship’s mast, which was floating behind the monster. Looking up, he could see the Lunar Diarch moving in, turning so that its port side guns were trained on the creature. Catching his clone’s attention, the colt pointed to the mast and gestured his plan to the clone. For its part, the clone closed its eyes for a moment before looking back at Shadow, its nod telling the colt that everypony was waiting on him.

Swallowing against a suddenly dry mouth and throat, Shadow closed his eyes, clearing his mind as much as he could. During his time in Ponyville, he had not been idle. Between school and spending time with his friends, he had been spending a not insignificant amount of time with Twilight, absorbing everything she taught him as she worked to help him control the immense power that was available to him. Once she was confident that his control was good enough, Twilight had taught him how to tap into the power that lay inside him. It was the same well of power that he had discovered the night he had been orphaned. At first, it had been all but impossible for him to access the energy. With all the practice he had gotten over the winter and spring, it had gone from a nearly impossible task to merely an incredibly difficult one. Feeling his mind go calm, the colt sensed the power in him. He could feel it in him, waiting for him. Feeling as if he was pushing through a wall of bubble gum, Shadow mentally extended a hoof. In his mind, he could see his hoof outstretched; the golden ball of power shifting and deforming as it reached out to him. As the two connected, Shadow’s eyes snapped open, his pupils gone as his eyes glowed for a moment. Inside, he could feel a sense of immense power in his chest, barely contained and straining to be released. On more than one occasion, he had lost control and Twilight had had to intervene before his magic got out of control. In the back of his mind, the young alicorn could feel a clock ticking, reminding him that he didn’t have much time before he either lost his grip on the extra power, or he lost control of it entirely.

Focusing his attention on the mast, Shadow channeled his magic through his horn, focusing it on the few remaining yards that had managed to remain attached to the mast. Snapping those off like twigs, the colt stripped everything else off the mast, until it looked like a tree that had been stripped of its limbs and bark. Changing his focus slightly, Shadow felt himself start to sweat as he slowly lifted the mass of wood out of the water. The fact that he was even able to lift it at all was a testament to his hours of practice. As the mast rose into the air, Shadow slowly moved himself until he was directly behind the massive serpent’s triangular head. Feeling the mast float into position, the colt took a couple deep breaths, preparing for the chaos he was about to unleash.

Of all the things he had learned about while in Ponyville, one of his favorites was baseball. Twilight had taken him and Spike to a game between Ponyville’s team and that of a nearby town’s and the colt had been instantly hooked. What could be simpler, or more fun, than a game where you hit something with a bat? Bats, the colt reasoned, are nothing more than shaped pieces of wood.

So are masts.

At first, the mast started slow; agonizingly so. Slowly, the long piece of wood gained speed as the colt swung it. From where he floated, the colt grinned darkly as the oversized bat connected with the monster’s head. The creature, caught completely unaware, slammed into the water with a splash that rocked the Tranquility and sent the ship tilting dangerously to the side. Maintaining the mast’s momentum, the colt directed the far end into the air. Below him, the creature shot out of the water, shaking its head as it furiously searched for its attacker, its four eyes narrowing as it spotted a pair of airborne black specks in the distance. Before it could move, Shadow brought the mast crashing down on the serpent’s head. The creature’s body seemed to compress slightly as the impromptu weapon snapped in half from the impact. Hissing in anger, the creature abandoned its prize as it charged the colts. Pulling the remains of the mast close to him, Shadow watched as the creature closed in on him. As it opened its mouth and started to inhale, the alicorn threw the mast’s remains, launching it like a spear, straight down the monster’s throat.

From where he hovered, Shadow watched with a sense of satisfaction as the thing stopped mid-stroke, coughing and gagging furiously. Shaking its head, the creature finally dislodged the obstruction, shattering the mast with a single snap of its jaws as it glared at the colt. Igniting his horn, Shadow flapped his wings, magically enhancing his speed as he closed the distance between him and the giant serpent. Focused on its tiny attacker, the creature didn’t see the chariots launch from the ship behind it, it didn’t see them land on the crippled ship’s deck and evacuate the remaining survivors. With its attention so focused, it didn’t see Shadow’s magic pick up one of the yards that he had snapped off of the mast earlier. Pulling up at the last moment, Shadow spun around in midair, watching with satisfaction as the smaller piece of wood smashed into one of the creature’s eyes.

Racing to gain altitude, the colt felt his ears ring as his target roared in pain and rage. Slowly backwinging toward the Tranquility, Shadow watched as the creature’s three good eyes locked back onto him. With speed that belied its immense size, the Tranquility’s attacker lunged at the colt, its mouth wide open as it inhaled. Igniting his horn, the young alicorn waited until he saw the thing’s throat begin to glow. The moment it began to exhale, Shadow released the spell that had been building in his horn. Around the creature’s head, a golden bubble of magic burst into existence. A heartbeat later, the monster’s head disappeared as the shield contained the creature’s fire.

Feeling a hoof grab him, Shadow felt himself being dragged backward. Righting himself, the colt silently nodded as his clone pointed emphatically at the nearby airship. Flinching as his shield shattered behind him, the two fliers felt the air beneath their wings change as the monster behind them screeched in pain and unmitigated fury. Unable to fly, the two plummeted toward the ocean. Above them, they watched as the creature’s screech blew out every window on the Lunar Diarch’s port side. Spreading his wings, Shadow caught his clone and ignited his horn, teleporting them several hundred feet above the lone airship. Locking his wings into a sharp glide, the young alicorn released his grip on the power inside him. Almost immediately, his wings faltered as the magic left him and he got hit by all the strain and effort the magic had been masking. Coming in for a landing, the two colts watched as their target fell backward, the bulk of its body crashing down on the Tranquility, crushing the ship.

Gliding past the front of the bridge, the two colts came to a halt just above the outer walkway, dropping the last few feet. Almost as soon as their hooves touched metal, they heard the ship’s Captain shout. The ship rocked to the side as, deck by deck, the Lunar Diarch’s cannons roared. Down below, the target of the airship’s guns lurched as round after round struck its body and bounced off into the surrounding ocean.

“You have got to be kidding me!”

Shadow couldn’t help but agree with Twilight’s sentiment. Even with everything he had done, all he had managed to do was anger and distract the thing. In the ocean below, the creature took one hate filled look at them and dove headfirst into the water, its tail lashing the Tranquility’s shattered pieces. For a moment, the bridge was as silent as the Tranquility’s deck when Shadow had arrived. Behind him, ponies started cheering, slowly at first, but soon nearly everypony was stomping their hooves on the floor.

Nearly everypony.

Shadow wasn’t one of them. Leaning over the railing, the colt felt a subtle tug on his tail, a small reminder that there was no way anypony would let him pull such a stunt again, but he ignored it. Surveying the floating scene of destruction, the young alicorn frowned. Why had it fled? Compared to the last time he had faced the thing, he had merely slapped it a couple times this round. Last time, it took a number of ships exploding in its face to send it swimming. In the middle of the Tranquility’s remains, the water began to bubble and boil. Oh fuck. Below the Lunar Diarch, the creature breached the ocean’s surface, shooting out of the water like an arrow. As one, both Shadow and Shining Armor - who had noticed the colt looking over the railing and had come over to see what was wrong - turned and shouted at the top of their lungs.

“SHIELDS!”

Without waiting, Shadow spun around, his horn flaring as he sent every last ounce of magic and energy through it. Along the side of the airship, a golden wall of magic burst into existence. This wall was quickly joined by a dozen others as Shining Armor, Twilight, Cadance, Princess Luna, and a number of bridge crew members added their own shields to his.

A single heartbeat after the last shield was in place, the creature’s enormous head was level with the airship’s bridge. Its mouth already open, everypony had a perfect view of the building fire in its throat. Unable to move or do anything, the Lunar Diarch hung in the air as the giant serpent exhaled, spraying fire across the ship’s side. For a moment, Shadow’s shield held against the onslaught. Feeling his grasp on the spell slipping, the colt tried to clear his mind, trying to tap into the magic he had been using just a minute earlier. Unlike before, the power he sensed wasn’t interested in helping. He mentally reached out for it, all but begging for its help. The energy inside him refused to budge. Shouting, Shadow fell to the floor; his head feeling like somepony had driven a stake between his eyes as his shield shattered and evaporated in the space of half a heartbeat.

For what seemed like an eternity, the world around the colt was pure white. Squinting, the young alicorn could see Shining Armor towering over him, his horn glowing as everything but his mane, tail and eyes seemed to merge with the white of the flames around them. Turning his head, he could see Twilight, her horn ablaze with magic. Next to her, Princess Cadance stood strong, her horn a blinding torch of light and magic. Just behind them, Shadow’s focus was drawn to Princess Luna. Standing above them all, her horn glowed a deep blue, while her mane whipped about like a flag in a hurricane. What caught his attention the most was the dark alicorn’s eyes. They were like twin blazing stars that vowed a very painful retribution.

Almost as soon as it began, the attack ended as gravity remembered its job and pulled the enormous serpent out of the air. Around him, more than a few ponies were groaning from the effort of protecting the ship. From where he lay, Shadow could see that the coats of everypony near him were smoking from the heat. Looking up, he could see the metal of the ship’s balloon glowing bright red “Captain!” Luna’s command captured everypony’s attention “Get this ship out of range and back on course. That’s a direct order!” Not waiting for a response, Luna strode through the door next to Shadow. She paused to look at the clone who had been on the ship the entire time. “I need your help.” The clone said nothing, instead opting to spread its wings and smirk.

Luna soared above the watery battlefield. Beside and slightly above her, the clone flapped its wings as it kept pace with her. If she was perfectly honest, the princess didn’t know how she felt about what Shadow had done. On one hoof, he had recklessly thrown himself head first into a situation he had no information about. Just on that alone, she had almost teleported him back to the ship. She still had half a mind to give him a good chewing out for what he had done. On the other hoof, he had located the ship’s surviving crewmembers and had kept this creature more than distracted enough for the Guard to evacuate the survivors still trapped onboard. Glancing over at the clone as it lost altitude to fly next to her, she could read the clone’s thoughts in a single glance as it locked eyes with her. He can be reckless, but who isn’t at his age? He’ll definitely make an interesting student. The small smile that flashed across her face vanished as she looked down; spotting a section of ocean that was bubbling and boiling.

Igniting her horn, the lunar princess created a bubble of magic in front of her. The object was twice her size and once it was completed, she released her grip on it, letting it drop. Looking over at the clone, she didn’t need to say anything. Nodding, the clone shot into the air, making itself scarce. Below her, she heard a distant explosion as her shield bubble detonated against ocean’s surface. For a moment, except for the bubbles vanishing, nothing happened. Without warning, the creature’s head shot out of the water, looking in the opposite direction of the princess as it searched for whatever had disturbed it. Hanging in the air, Luna waited as the serpent slowly turned, its four eyes locking onto her “CREATURE OF THE SEA!” Luna shouted, employing her infamous Canterlot Voice. “WE WOULD HAVE WORDS WITH THEE. YOU HAVE BEEN ATTACKING OUR SHIPS AND WE DEMAND THAT YOU CEASE THESE UNPROVOKED ATTACKS AT ONCE!”

Glaring at the pony that shouted at it, the creature opened its mouth, its fangs locking in place as it launched itself at the princess. Her horn glowing, Luna’s telekinetic response sent the creature crashing to the side. “IS THAT YOUR ANSWER?” Hissing like a boiler on the verge of exploding, the serpent launched itself at Luna again. Gliding to the side, Luna redirected the monster, sending it slamming into the remains of the Tranquility. “Tell the captain he has thirty seconds to get as much distance from this place as he can. He shall not turn around to help. Understood?” The clone silently nodded as it closed its eyes, sending the message to its counterpart on her ship.

Igniting her horn, Luna felt her skin crawl as she called on the spell Shadow had taught her. Despite its difficulty, she was more than satisfied with the half dozen clones of her that appeared around her. As one, they tore through the sky, leaving her behind as they began to circle around the creature in the distance. Silently, Luna watched her clones keep the creature distracted. When she had last talked with her sister, Celestia had shown her the spell that she had created. At the time both sisters were united in the hope that Luna wouldn’t need to use it. Unfortunately, Luna thought as she charged her horn, it looks like we hoped in vain. Please forgive me, sister.

Onboard the Lunar Diarch, the princess’s orders were received about as well as one would expect. The ship’s Captain didn’t like them one bit and he made his distaste for them known, but at the same time, he ordered the helm to increase speed to maximum and to put as much distance between them and their princess as possible. As the ship tore through the air, the ship’s master walked over to the small group of passengers, joining them at the railing as they watched the princess shrink in the distance. He didn’t know what spell she was using, but if it wasn’t for the glow from her horn, she would have already been out of sight. “What is she planning?”

“We don’t know” The clone said, fear and concern evident in its voice. “Whatever it is, she sent her clones out to distract that thing while she prepares.” The clone paused, its head tilting to the side slightly. “Captain” the clone turned to him “Princess Luna says to hold onto something and to look away!”

The earth pony stallion didn’t question the colt. Turning, he barked out an order and a second later, the ship’s collision alarm was blaring throughout the ship.

As long as Shadow lived, whenever he thought about this moment, the one detail that he would forever associate with what he saw was silence. The lunar princess' attack made no sound, at least initially. One moment, the creature was lunging out of the ocean at the princess’s clones. The next, it was gone, consumed by an immense shaft of light brighter than a thousand suns. The column of light struck the creature faster than an eye could blink. Everything within several miles of the floating battlefield ceased to exist in one brilliant flash. The shields around the ship had immediately darkened until they were nearly opaque, yet it hadn't happened fast enough. Shadow rubbed at his eyes, spots dancing wherever he looked and judging by the groans and curses from the ship's crew, he wasn't alone. Before he could move, the entire ship was hit by a crack of thunder - Shadow didn't know what else to call it, but knew that it wasn't nearly descriptive enough- so loud that many of the guard around him dropped to the floor out of pure instinct as the ship was thrown about by the sound and near simultaneous blast of wind. Rushing back to the window, Shadow saw an unfathomably huge column of steam rising from the ocean where the Tranquility and its attacker had just been. Through the haze, he could see the lunar princess winging her way toward the ship.

Feeling his legs beginning to shake as he ran out of adrenaline, the colt slowly sank to the floor, laying his head on the cool metal, his eyes starting to burn as everypony around them got to their hooves and the captain ordered the engines to be cut. Feeling somepony rub his back, Shadow sat up, groaning as he tried to blink. He instantly regretted it as it felt like he was rubbing hot sand against his eyes every time he did. Sensing a field of magic around him, the colt didn’t struggle as somepony lifted him off the floor and laid him on their back. He could tell just from the muscles that he was riding on Shining Armor. “Thanks.”

“No problem, kid” Cadance’s husband said, as he left the bridge. “Let’s get you to the infirmary.”

Taking her time as she approached her ship, Luna flew around the stationary airship, surveying the damage. For the most part, she was impressed by how well it had handled the fight. Every last pane of glass on the port side and the bridge had been blown out during the fight and the shipyard would be busy for a while repairing the damage to the balloon, but overall, the ship had weathered the fight pretty well. Making a final pass, the princess flashed her horn, teleporting onto the walkway outside the bridge. Walking inside, she could see a number of crew members rubbing their eyes and groaning as they went about their duties, while Twilight took the opportunity to pick up the shattered glass that had scattered across the floor. Nearby, Spike rode on the back of Princess Cadance; both looking unsure of where they should be or what they should be doing.

Walking over to her niece, Luna wrapped a wing around the smaller alicorn. “How is everypony?”

“Shining took Shadow to the infirmary to get his eyes checked out and I think a couple of the crew wouldn’t mind getting looked at as well.”

“Why don’t you go find somepony who can help them” Seeing her niece nod and trot away, Luna lifted Spike into the air. “I need you to stay by my side” She replied at his questioning look. “I suspect we’ll be getting a message from my sister soon.” As if on cue, Spike’s cheeks bulged. With a belch, the young dragon coughed out a cloud of green magic, a scroll bearing Celestia’s royal seal solidifying a moment later. Grabbing it out of the air, Luna broke the seal.

Luna,

What the fuck just happened?

Tia

Luna sighed. This was going to be fun to explain. Igniting her horn, she teleported a sheet of paper and writing material to Spike “Spike, take a message…”

Rubbing his eyes, Shadow kept his eyes closed as Shining Armor made his way to the infirmary. Around them, he could hear snatches of conversations as crewmembers trotted or ran past them. “We’re here” Shadow’s ride said a couple minutes later as he turned.

Perking his ears, the colt could hear a number of voices talking. The voices quieted as the two entered. Uninterested in resisting, the young colt didn’t move as he was picked up and set down on an open bed. “What do we got here?”

“I saw the light” Shadow said; turning his head to where he thought the speaker should be “and it feels like I got a face full of hot sand.”

“Let me guess” the unseen mare said Shadow felt her magic sweep over his head “It feels like hot sand against your eyes every time you blink.” Shadow nodded. “You’re not alone” she said. “Can you open your eyes?” Smiling gently as the colt looked at her, she didn’t flinch at the red around his pupils. “Arc burn” she said a moment later. “There’s not much I can do about it, except help with the discomfort. It should clear up in a day or two.”

Sighing, Shadow held his tongue as he felt her magic go to work, he eyes starting to feel better moments later. Feeling her pat him on the shoulder, the colt and the stallion watched her walk off to help others.

“If it isn’t the pup and everypony’s favorite stowaway” Groaning to himself, Shadow turned his head to look at the yellow and black unicorn stallion who had spoken.

Next to him, Shining Armor smiled “If it isn’t ol’ Bloody Tide.”

To the colt’s surprise, the two stallions bumped hooves “What are you two doing here?”

“Getting Shadow checked out. You?”

“Broke a couple ribs when that overgrown worm with an attitude attacked.” The Tranquility’s Second Mate winced as he took a breath.

“How’s the crew?” Shadow asked.

The stallion’s face fell. “We lost nearly a dozen crewmembers during the attack. The damn thing ambushed us and most of them wound up in the drink before they could react. Rain managed to cast a long term cloud-walking spell on a bunch of the crew and managed to get them off the ship and out of range before it got her too.”

“How?”

“She got hit by a falling yard from the main mast. It was quick, thank Celestia.”

Shadow didn’t bother trying to hide his tears. Of all the crewmembers, Spring Rain had been one of the first to accept him as part of the crew. “What about Zetani?” He asked after a while?

“Killed during the attack. Never knew what hit him.”

Swiveling his ears as somepony stepped into the room, Shadow didn’t need to look to know who it was “Princess!” The medic who treated him and High Tide said in unison, bowing to the ruler of the Crystal Empire.

“Please, don’t” Cadance said, smiling as the two stood up, before turning her attention to the mare “There are a couple crew members on the bridge that could probably use your help.” Without a word, the mare nodded, collecting an emergency bag of supplies before trotting out of the room. “How is everypony” She asked, her voice lowered so that only Shadow, High Tide and her husband could hear her.

“Not good, but better than it could be.”

The pink princess nodded as she absorbed the frank assessment. “Princess Luna has invited you and any member of your crew who can make it, to the bridge. There’ll be a short memorial before we get underway.” Nodding his thanks, the normally insufferable Second Mate turned to talk to the other members of his crew in the room. “There’ll also be a meeting afterward. Auntie Luna wants to go over everything before we get back underway.”

Sniffing as he wiped his eyes dry, Shadow slowly stood, shrugging off the help as he got off the bed. “I have to get something from our room” he stated simply. Cadance and her husband looked at each other. Silently agreeing, they left the room and turned down the hall, letting the colt be.

“… and so, we commit our fallen brothers and sisters to the sea. Though we do not have their bodies to give them a proper send off, we commit their names to our memories. For no pony is ever truly gone, until everyone who ever knew them or knew of them is gone as well.” Shadow stood, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill as Captain Main Stay spoke. Around the bridge, the Luna’s crew stood at attention, while along the walkway, the survivors of the Tranquility stood in various states of shock and grief. The Lunar Diarch hung silently in the air. Not even the wind blew, seeming to join everypony in a moment of silence. As the captain continued to speak, he began to name the fallen. With each name, Shadow could see a face before him: a pegasus mare who never stopped laughing, a ship’s cook who could burn a salad, a unicorn mare who showed a recently orphaned colt a bit of kindness when he was at his lowest point, a zebra doctor who gave up nights of sleep trying to keep an injured orphan alive.

Finishing with the lost members of the Tranquility, Main Stay continued to speak, not stopping as he continued to list names. Shadow recognized none of the ponies the stallion named, but apparently the Tranquility’s captain did as, with every name, it seemed to take the stallion just that much more effort to say the next. After a couple minutes, the stallion, who was holding back his grief about as well as Shadow, bowed his head, before turning to stand by his wife’s side. Next to Shadow, Princess Luna glanced over at Captain Steel Gaze, giving the stallion the slightest of nods. Nodding in reply, the stallion nodded to his First Mate, before descending the stairs to the gun decks below. For a moment, the world was silent. From below, everypony on the bridge heard the Captain shout. The shout was quickly drowned out by the roar of the cannons, as the ship’s gun crews fired each gun one by one. As each cannon sounded, the Tranquility’s survivors shuddered. Some openly wept, while others tried to keep their composure.

As the final gun’s roar echoed into silence, Shadow buried his head into Twilight’s side, barely holding himself together as she wrapped a wing around him. Feeling the ship rock slightly as the cannons were rolled back and secured, the colt looked up as Main Stay and Sea Breeze walked toward him. The two bowed to the princesses before rising. “Thank you for rescuing us, your Highnesses.”

“You are welcome, though if anypony should be thanked, it should be Shadow.” The two officers looked at the colt as Luna spoke. “He was the one who first spotted your ship and was the one who kept that thing distracted while you were evacuated.” Shadow looked up at the two, who silently nodded their thanks. There were no words they could say to properly express their gratitude, and the colt knew it, as he nodded in return. “Unfortunately, we can’t return to Equestria at the moment. We were on our way to Shadow’s home island when you were spotted. You and your crew are of course welcome to remain onboard until we return home.”

“Thank you Princess” Sea Breeze said as she wiped away a few tears. “I’ll let the crew know and I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.”

Luna nodded. “I’ll have the Captain make arrangements for you and your crew. There’s going to be a meeting in an hour or so, and I’d like you two and your Second Mate to join us.” Seeing the two nod, Luna offered a small smile. “See to your crew, and if you can get me a list of the lost and their next of kin, I’ll get it to my sister, who will see to notifying their families.”

As the adults talked, Shadow silently excused himself, walking around the numerous adults as he made his way to the walkway. Feeling the breeze slowly pick up as the Lunar Diarch began to move, the colt stared out across the ocean as it glistened in the setting sun. Behind him, he could hear Princess Cadance approach. For a while, the two alicorns said nothing, content to watch the sun set. Feeling a pink wing drape itself over him, what little that was left of his composure vanished as the colt leaned against the princess and cried.

Ch. 20 Homecoming

The conference room lay silent as Princess Luna explained to the Tranquility’s officers what her mission was. Silently, Shadow was surprised at how accurate the explanation was. While she didn’t mention the Sprites, Luna explained how he had been tricked into trying a cross-dimensional spell that resulted in the deaths of his family when the beings on the other side took exception to the accidental attempted intrusion. She went on to explain how the beings had followed him, resulting in the destruction of Blue Lake Island and a good chunk of the Everfree Forest. Luna eventually wrapped up the story by saying that her mission was to track down the ponies responsible.

“Why would they want you dead?” Cadance asked.

“Because of these” Shadow replied, extending his wings.

“Why would they want to kill you over your wings?”

“Long story short, Princess” Sea Breeze said, speaking up for the first time “his home doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to alicorns. Believe me when I say that you do not want the full story of what happened on the island five hundred years ago.”

The head of the Crystal Empire contemplated the mare’s words before turning to the youngest pony in the room. “What would have happened if you had been caught before getting off the island?”

“You don't want to know” Shadow replied.

“Perhaps not, but we need to know.”

Shadow sighed. “Assuming I was stupid enough to let them take me alive and that they didn't kill me right on the spot? The first thing they'd have done was throw me into a holding cell.” Shadow left out that he wasn't being metaphorical about being thrown. “Within a few days, I'd be taken to Dragon's Bay to stand trial” The colt rolled his eyes at the last word. “It would be short and the verdict would be obvious to everypony before the show even began.” Shadow looked around at the raised eyebrows. “Sombra supposedly tried to become an alicorn and murdered his entire family when he took over. Celestia banished you” Shadow pointed to Luna “to the moon when you tried to claim what was rightfully owed to you. Then she killed you, or so most ponies believe, when you escaped. Five hundred years ago, Star Trail took over the island, somehow became an alicorn and by the time she was taken out, over ten thousand ponies were dead, and those are the ones we know of!” The young alicorn leaned back in his chair, ignoring the small headache that had formed “So, yeah. Take that and add to it that everypony in town would know about my skills with magic and that I alone survived the fire that killed my family and I'd be found guilty before lunch.”

“What would happen then?” Princess Cadence looked almost sick as she asked.

“Since I'd be guilty of being an alicorn and triple murder as well...” Shadow didn't say anything, instead opting to act like he was choking while something was pulled tightly around his neck. “At noon the next day, I'd be led to the center of town, most likely still in pain from whatever beating I got the night before. Before the crowd, and it would be a big one, my horn would be snapped off,” Shadow noticed everypony in the room with a horn wince “then my wings would be broken and plucked” The room's pegasi winced as well. “After that, I'd be taken to the gallows, the crowd would be allowed to throw stuff at me, they'd place the noose around my neck, then...” Shadow simply finished by drawing a hoof across his neck.

“After that?”

“I'd be left on display until sundown, when they'd tie rocks to my body and unceremoniously toss me into the ocean.”

The room remained silent as everypony digested what Shadow had said. “Sucks to be you” High Tide said, eventually breaking the silence.

“No fuck.”

“What about your grandparents?”

Shadow snorted, before looking up at the Luna's Captain. “What about them? Since they knew what I was since I was born, they'd be too busy trying to cover their own plots by lying about me on the stand.”

“I don’t think I need to say this” Luna said, looking at the dispirited colt, “but there will not be any hangings while I’m there. To that end, you’ll have an escort with you as long as we’re there.” Shadow nodded silently, though he knew that it would draw a lot of attention to him.

“Princess Luna?” Everypony looked over to the two highest ranking members of the Tranquility’s crew. “We’d be happy to give him an escort. Ponies in golden armor might draw too much unwanted attention.”

The lunar princess seemed to mull the proposal over. “Very well” She said eventually, before turning to Shining Armor. “I’d like you to join them as well, Captain. I doubt anypony would willingly try anything for long if you got involved.” Seeing the former Captain of the Royal Guard nod, the dark alicorn turned to her ship’s master “How bad is the damage?”

“Pretty light, all things considered” The stallion said as he leaned back in his chair. “We lost all the glass on the port side and the balloon took some damage during the attack. The engines also sustained some minor damage when you ended that thing but they should be repaired by dawn. While it’s not strictly necessary, I’d prefer to do what repairs we can before we reach our destination. I’d like to look as strong as possible when we arrive.”

“What do you think?”

It took Shadow a couple seconds to realize that Princess Luna was addressing him. Looking over at Main Stay and Sea Breeze, he shrugged. “I honestly can’t say. The captain has a point about putting up a strong front, since things will get rather interesting when we arrive. At the same time though, looking a little roughed up might work to our advantage. Showing up in a pristine ship would suggest that you won and are arriving to reconnect with your loyalist subjects. Coming in as we are now would likely suggest that you’re still fighting your sister. I wouldn’t be surprised if ponies dropped what they were doing and started to volunteer to join the fight.”

“How would we explain the damage” Steel Gaze asked as he thought over the colt’s words.

Shadow shrugged. “We could always say that we were attacked by a dragon. Seems close enough to what actually happened.”

“If anypony asks, we’ll go with that” Luna said after thinking over the cover story. “Niece Cadance will be easy enough to explain, but what about Twilight Sparkle?”

Shadow leaned back as he thought about the problem. How could they explain her wings without causing a panic from the sheer number of alicorns that had arrived? “What if we say that she ascended while working on high level magic for you?”

“That might work” Luna admitted.

“Spike on the other hoof could be problematic.”

“What do you mean problematic?”

Shadow looked over at the indignant dragon. “When she took the island, my ancestor had to fight a dragon to the death. On top of that, we fought a sea dragon today. Do you remember what happened the first time I saw you?” From the look on the dragon’s face, he did. “I trapped you under a shield. Now imagine a whole island of ponies who might react less defensively and more offensively.” Spike and Twilight blanched at the thought “Exactly.” Sighing, the colt rubbed his forehead. “Since we won’t be there for hopefully more than a few days, either you could spend the entire time on the ship, or we could say that Twilight hatched you after she ascended and that you’re loyal to her and Princess Luna alone.”

Looking at Twilight, Spike voiced his opinion. “I’ll go with the second idea. There’s no way I’m flying halfway across the world and not seeing your home.” At this Shadow couldn’t help but smile.

“Anything else?” Luna asked, looking around the table. Hearing nopony speak, she nodded. One by one, everypony filed out of the room.

Everypony but Shadow.

The colt simply sat there, his attention focused on the polished table in front of him. Taking a moment to stretch as she stood, Luna walked over to the young alicorn, claiming the seat next to him. For a couple minutes, the two simply sat there, the colt lost in his thoughts, and the princess simply there for him. “Princess Luna” Shadow eventually said, breaking the relative silence that had settled over the room “There’s something I’d like to give you.” Igniting his horn, the colt levitated his saddlebags onto the table. Pressing his hoof against the lock on one of the bags, Shadow lifted the bag’s flap, reverently pulling out a blue crystalline book. “I finished reading this this morning, and I’d like you to have it.” Luna carefully accepted the book from the colt, her heart pounding in her chest as she gazed at a book she hadn’t seen in over a thousand years, but recognized instantly. “This has been preserved and passed down from one generation to the next in my family.” Luna set the ancient tome down before gently opening the cover, her eyes instantly recognizing the original owner’s horn writing. “At the very end, Summer Breeze wrote that she wished that she could have given this to you at her daughter’s wedding.”

Luna slowly looked up at the young alicorn. What could she say? This was the single greatest possession he owned, and he wanted her to have it. Glancing down, the princess wiped a few stray tears away before look back up “Thank you.”

Smiling sadly, Shadow watched his princess look at the book. “There’s one more thing” He added, catching the other alicorn off guard. “When all of this is over and we leave…” Shadow felt his throat tighten, but he forced himself to keep speaking “I’d like to bring my family along. My parents were outcasts because they married outside their tribes, and my sister and I were bullied for being half breeds. If they knew what I know now, I’m sure they would have done everything they could to get off the island and move to Equestria. If they didn’t hear about the empire, I like to think that we’d have settled in Ponyville.”

Luna looked at the colt, noting the unshed tears in his eyes. While some might say that he bribed her with the book, Luna knew that she would have given the same answer even if the book wasn’t involved. “Of course” she said, a smile slowly growing on her face. “I’ll make sure it happens.”

“Thank you, Princess.” Shadow said, bowing to her as he got to his hooves.

Watching the colt walk away, she couldn’t help but notice that a weight seemed to have been lifted from his shoulders, if she were to judge by how he seemed to walk a little lighter. Smiling to herself, she carefully levitated the book as she made her way to her private quarters. First she’d have to write a letter to her sister and find Spike to send it, but once that business was over, she’d spend some quality time getting reacquainted with an old friend.

Shadow sat in the ship’s small library. Around him, his namesake jumped and danced as he moved his head, the tip of his horn glowing gently. Sitting at the small desk, he tried to think about what he should write. He had only gotten the first word of the letter down before running into a major roadblock: what were his parents’ names? In the short time he’d spent on the Tranquility, Zetani had to have mentioned his parents at least once, right? Groaning to himself, the colt decided to skip that part for now. He could always ask Sea Breeze in the morning.

Yawning as the previous day caught up with him, the lone alicorn looked at the blank paper. Growling, he picked up the quill and began to write, hoping that his mouth writing was as legible as his horn writing.

Dear

We’ve never met, but my name is Shadow Dancer, and I knew your son…

An hour later, Shadow looked over what he’d written. Satisfied, he put the cap back on the inkwell before leaving. Watching his steps, the colt returned to his cabin. He’d send the letter later, but for now he felt like he could finally sleep.

Celestia reread the letter that had coalesced in front of her a couple minutes earlier. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand what her sister had written, but that she couldn’t quite believe what she had written. A smile slowly grew as she reached the end of the letter. Even though her sun had yet to be raised, she couldn’t sleep that night as her sister’s initial report about the fight had kept her up. While the loss of life saddened her, the princess took what solace she could in the fact that the threat had been dealt with. Silently, she hoped that the number of missing ship reports would drop. Shortly after she had finished with the first letter, a second had arrived, this time bearing the names of those on the Tranquility who had been killed. She’d see to the notifications later in the morning after she had raised the sun. Now she had a third letter.

Smiling, she set the piece of paper aside. It was still too early to do anything, but as soon as the sun was on its daily journey, she’d make sure everything was ready for when her sister returned.

Standing on the bow of the Lunar Diarch, Shadow ignored the gentle wind whipping through his mane and tail. In the distance, he could see the snow covered peaks of the mountains of his island home breaking the otherwise flat horizon. Behind him, the disguised alicorn could feel the slight magical buzz of the shields that he had installed to temporarily replace the windows that had been blown out during their fight.

Sighing, the colt’s ears turned as he heard somepony walk up behind him, coming to a stop next to him. Not turning his head, he knew who had joined him. “How are you doing?”

To be honest, Shadow had no idea. While he knew that he wouldn’t be left behind, the fact that he was even here in the first place didn’t sit well with the colt. If given the choice between coming here and being told to walk across the entire Gryphon Empire, insulting every bird brain he saw, he’d have picked the gryphons any day. Sighing, the young alicorn simply shrugged.

“Don’t worry” Sea Breeze said as she wrapped a leg around the colt’s shoulders “We won’t be here for long, and no pony will even think of laying a hoof on you if Luna and I have anything to say about it.” Looking up, the mare frowned slightly as she spotted a pegasus in the far distance wheel around and bolt for the island like it had a wyvern hot on its tail. Here we go she thought as she gently pulled her quiet companion back inside.

Stepping onto the bridge, Sea Breeze whispered to Shadow, smiling slightly as the colt nodded before silently walking off. “How’s she handling?”

Star Chart couldn’t contain his smile as he held the Luna’s helm steady “Is there any chance the Tranquility Two could be an airship?”

“I’ll think about it. Just watch out for the cross winds in the fjord.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

Laughing to herself at how her navigator was enjoying himself, the former first mate walked over to stand next to the airship’s Captain “We’re almost there and they know we’re coming.”

“Look out?”

The mare nodded. “The Island Guard keeps a small look out on the eastern side, though whoever’s on duty right now is probably wondering what they’re supposed to do.”

Steady Gaze snorted. He didn’t know how much of a threat this Island Guard was, but if what Sea Breeze said was true; he doubted they’d be much of a threat if they tried anything. “Somepony should let Princess Luna know we’ve arrived.”

“Already done” Sea Breeze said, before turning around to watch the growing island in the distance. It wasn’t every day she got a view like this.

Keeping to the side, Shadow slowly walked down the hallway. He could feel the glances the ponies around him were giving him, but he ignored them. Turning a handle with his magic, the colt stepped into the small private mess. Around the oversized table, the ship’s three other alicorns sat, nursing steaming mugs of coffee, while Spike worked his way through a plate of waffles covered in small chips of rubies and emeralds. Next to the dragon, Shining Armor worked on the crossword puzzle in that morning’s edition of the Equestria Daily.

“The island’s in sight” Shadow said as everyone looked at him. “We were also spotted by a sentry.”

“So they know we’re coming.”

Seeing Shadow nod, the lunar princess smiled. “Then we had best not disappoint them” She replied, smiling as she slowly stood, her back cracking a couple times as she stretched. As the others worked to finish their breakfasts, the eldest princess strode across the small room, extending a wing around the young colt in a silent gesture to follow her as she left.

The walk back to her private quarters was quiet and short. As the door closed behind her, she didn’t bother asking her young companion how he was doing or how he felt. The look that had stubbornly settled itself on his face over the past week made his feelings abundantly clear. “What can you tell me about your grandparents?”

“They loved my mom, adored my sister, loathed my dad and absolutely despised me. Why?”

“You weren’t the only pony to lose family that night, Shadow.” Luna replied as she scrubbed her face with a washcloth. “They deserve to know as much of the truth as possible.”

“I just hope you don’t plan on telling them about me.” Despite his effort, the colt couldn’t keep his feelings about his grandparents from tainting his reply.

“Unless they ask about you or you reveal yourself to them, they shall never know you are here.” The silence coming from her companion told the princess everything she needed to know. While she understood why he felt how he did about his grandparents, if there was any chance that she could help them reconcile before their ship left, she would take that chance. “But that won’t be for a while” Luna said, smiling as she turned to face the colt. Igniting her horn, the princess gently pulled a dark blue sheet off a full set of armor in the room’s corner “Care to help?”

Shadow couldn’t help but grin at the invitation. The suit of armor the princess revealed had been forged at her behest. Despite Celestia’s amused reminders that they didn’t need such armor since things had changed dramatically over the last thousand years, Luna would not be dissuaded. Even though the room was dimly lit, the set of armor seemed to shine on its own. That wasn’t a trick of what little lighting the room had. Having been forged by the best metalsmiths in Equestria, the individual components had been etched and scribed with countless runes that would help the wearer cast spells as well as channel the numerous protective spells that had been cast on the pieces. Luna had revealed the set of armor after they had settled in and during the week and a half before running into the Tranquility, Shadow had, with the princess’s permission, spent most of that time going over the spells on each piece. While he would have loved to add his regenerating shield spell to it as well, he held back, not knowing if doing so would affect the other spells.

Accepting the helmet that the princess handed him, the young alicorn watched silently as the larger alicorn used her magic to cover herself with the suit, each piece held in place with leather straps. The silver metal contrasted sharply against her dark coat and even though the plates along the back of her neck didn’t have any holes for it, the princess’s mane floated through it like there wasn’t anything in the way.

Turning to her guest, the dark princess couldn’t help but gently laugh at the slack jawed amazement on the colt’s face “So. How do I look?”

“Intimidating” Shadow replied, finding his tongue after several seconds.

While that wasn’t quite the response she was hoping for, the princess would take it. Taking a moment to test the snugness and range of her armor, Luna couldn’t help but smile. If only my last set fit this well.

Stepping onto the bridge, Luna was amazed by the vertical granite walls that towered over them. Around the bridge, the Luna’s crew focused on their tasks, though the ship’s namesake didn’t miss the slight air of tension filling the room. She didn’t blame them. Word had gotten around fairly quickly after they had left Manehattan that they might not be very welcomed at their destination. The battle with the sea dragon had only served to heighten the tension. Around the ship, dozens of pegasi in silver armor slowly circled, giving the strange ship a wide berth, while letting everypony on board know that they were being watched closely. Along the walkway outside the bridge, a number of Royal and Imperial Guards had been stationed. The mares and stallions stood at attention, their armor shining in the midmorning light. Along the back wall of the bridge, the dozen thestral members of the Night Guard stood. Time to introduce ourselves Luna thought to herself as she turned, placing the helmet that Shadow offered her on her head. Nodding to her guards, the thestrals donned their helmets as one, the shield spell built into the front darkening as it compensated for the bright light streaming into the room.

Surrounded by her guards, Luna ignited her horn, teleporting herself and the thestrals off of the bridge. Opening her eyes, the lunar princess struggled not to smile as she stood on the top of the airship’s balloon, her guards arrayed around her. Taking a deep breath, the princess extended her wings. Without turning her head, Luna watched as a pair of stallions angled to get a closer look at her. Even from a distance, she knew the moment she had been recognized when both pegasi wavered in the air. Banking away, one tore through the air, aiming straight for the small town in the distance while the other no doubt informed his companions who she was.

Ten minutes later, as her ship began to descend for the docks along the waterfront, Luna sighed to herself as she teleported herself and her guards back onto the bridge. While she would have loved to have spent more time soaking in the kind of scenery she had yet to find back home, she didn’t have the time. Joined by Shadow and the others, Luna led the way through the ship to the front gangplank. Around her, nopony spoke, all clearly nervous about what was about to happen. Around them, the group could hear the sounds of the ship as it finished its descent. From the rear came the sound of chains rattling as the rear anchors were lowered into the water, while ropes in the front were no doubt being tied to the dock. After a few minutes, the ship grew quiet as the engines were shut down. Turning an ear, the princess looked behind her to see Captain Steel Gaze fall into formation near the back of the group. Taking a deep breath to steel herself, Luna hit a button next to her as soon as the light over it turned green.

Silently, the door lifted itself out of the way while the gangplank slowly extended itself. As soon as her eyes adjusted, Luna felt her heart start to race. While the small delegation of officials waiting for them at the foot of the extended walkway was expected, what caught the princess off guard was the crush of ponies behind the three officials before her. Absolutely aware that every step she took was being watched and scrutinized, the lunar princess slowly strode down the gangplank, ducking her head so she didn’t hit her horn on the overhead door. As she walked, the princess was all too aware of the hundreds of eyes focused on her. Even the wind had died, leaving the sound of her hooves on the metal walkway to echo across the nearby buildings.

Reaching the bottom of the walkway, Luna stopped as the trio of ponies waiting for her bowed. Glancing up, she watched as hundreds of ponies knelt, while the pegasi hovering overhead landed anywhere they could find room and followed suit. Noting that Shadow was standing just behind her to her left, the princess ignited her horn, slowly lifting the helmet off her head before giving it to the colt. “Please, stand” She said, silently savoring the small breeze that blew across the assembled ponies as her unamplified voice carried across the docks. As they stood, the royal sister could see a range of emotions on the nearby crowd.

Fear.

Suspicion.

Curiosity.

Hope.

The last emotion was the one most visible. Across the crowd, the look of hope occupied the faces of ten ponies for every other emotion. “My Queen” the mare closest to her said; her voice barely audible while her eyes shone “Forgive me, but I’m not sure what to say. I honestly never thought I’d see this day.”

“There is nothing in need of forgiving, Mayor Jurisprudence” Luna said, barely managing to not laugh at the mare’s expression at the use of her name. “In all honesty, until recently, I felt the same way.” Looking up at the expectant crowd, the princess smiled. “Attention citizens of Dragon’s Bay!” She shouted as loudly as she could without using her Canterlot Voice, “I, Luna, Princess of Equestria, have returned!”

If anypony noticed what title she used, they didn’t show it. Behind the mayor and her aides, the assembled ponies broke out into cheers as they stomped their hooves in celebration that left the princess wondering if the rest of the island had heard them. Overhead, the town’s pegasi took to the air, while the town’s unicorns provided a small fireworks display. One particularly clever pony used a spell that produced an unending shower of confetti, which quickly blanketed everypony.

Unable to contain herself, Luna let herself laugh at the happiness of the town’s citizens. Containing herself, she turned, bending a leg to point toward the floating ship. Practically bouncing like Ponyville’s number one party planner, the mayor had to force herself to walk as she and her aides followed the princess onto the ship.

In the entryway, everypony moved to one side, allowing the lunar princess to introduce everypony one at a time. In the front, Princess Cadance looked radiant, her gold peytral polished to a mirror shine, while her coat glistened as the sunlight bounced off the hundreds of facets that appeared whenever she wore her official crown. Next to her, Shining Armor looked duller by comparison, despite wearing his official Royal Guard armor. For their part, the mayor and her aides took the introductions and titles well, though their posture became noticeably stiffer when the princess introduced Spike. As the introductions continued, Shadow caught the look of shock and pain on Spike’s face. Patting the dragon on the shoulder as he passed by, the colt made a mental note to himself to give a full explanation for their fear of him on the flight back.

“I am honored beyond words, my Queen” Dragon’s Bay’s mayor said as the introductions came to an end, “But why did you come to us? And how did you find us?”

“I promise to answer your first question in time” Luna replied, nodding her head toward the lone colt standing behind the town’s delegation, “but as for your second question, you can thank my young student here.” Behind the colt, his friends looked shocked at her declaration. For his part, Shadow’s eyes seemed to double in size. “He was born and raised on this island and several months after being orphaned, we discovered him wandering Equestria.”

“It’s true” Shadow said, speaking for the first time, not trusting himself to say any more.

The three guests eyed the colt for a couple long moments before turning back to Princess Luna. “How may my citizens and I be of service, my Queen?”

“There are two things I was wondering if you could help me with. The first is that I would like to address the mayor of every town on this island at once. I have no doubt that word of our arrival will soon reach them, and I would like to speak with them before any unfounded rumors take hold.”

“Of course, your Highness, though informing them and getting them here will take time.”

“Understandable, though we may have a way to expedite matters” Smiling, the princess turned to her ship’s Captain.

“Chariots are harnessed and ready to go at your word, ma’am.”

“If you could write a summons for each official, with an escort, my guards will ensure their delivery.”

“Of course” Behind the mayor, one of her aides silently slipped away, following a faceted stallion to the library “And the second thing?”

“If possible, I would like to speak to two of your citizens, a Mr. Sage and a Mrs. Thyme. I understand they operate a restaurant in town and one of the reasons I’m here involves them.”

“I’ll see to it at once, my Queen.” Bowing to the large alicorn, the unicorn mare and her remaining aide turned and broke into a gallop the moment they were on solid ground.

Smiling as everypony around congratulated him, Shadow walked up to his princess. “Do you really want me to be your student?”

Luna nodded “Only if you want me to be your teacher.”

The young alicorn smiled “I’d be stupid not to.”

Luna’s smile matched her new student’s as she embraced him in a hug. “Though it will not always be easy or pleasant, I promise to do my best as your teacher.”

The two older pegasi slowly walked up the gangplank onto the silent airship gently floating next to the docks. When they had heard about the incoming airship, they had nearly panicked like everypony else. They had heard from the odd Equestrian patron about the fantastical ships, but who would bring one to their home but the solar tyrant? Even with every member of the island’s guard, both current and former, the couple knew that if things turned hostile, they didn’t stand a chance. When word had later come that Queen Moon had returned and was on board, they had nearly rushed out of their small restaurant to join everypony else, only stopping when they realized that if they left, the food they were cooking would likely burn, possibly taking their business and home as well. Despite the setbacks, here they were, their presence personally requested by the Queen herself!

At the top of the ramp, the pair stopped at the sight of a large white unicorn stallion in purple and gold armor waiting for them “Sage and Thyme?” Swallowing nervously, the two pegasi nodded, silently breathing a sigh of relief as the intimidating stallion turned and bid them to follow him. A couple minutes and a flight of stairs later, the pair found themselves standing in front of a pair of dark wood doors that had an inlaid crescent moon.

Knocking on the doors, the two islanders nearly jumped at the gentle voice from the other side. Looking at each other, Sage walked in first, the doors held open by their silent escort. Waiting for them on an oversized cushion, their Queen smiled as they entered, gesturing to the two smaller cushions before her. “My Queen, we are honored to simply be in your presence.”

Luna smiled, or at least pretended to. If half of what Shadow had told her about them was true, it would take considerable willpower to not let them know exactly how she felt about them. “I am sorry for disturbing you two, but one of the reasons I am here involves you.”

“The mayor told us as much, but how are we involved, your Highness?”

“Just under a year ago, there was an unexplained fire on an island on a lake” Luna said. “A couple days later, the Everfree Forest was nearly leveled by another massive fire. If it had gotten much worse, the magic that was released by the fire would have detonated, taking a sizable piece of my country along with it. Fortunately, we were able to prevent this from happening.” Luna easily recalled the haze of magic she had seen while getting the Weather Factory operational that day. What she left out was how close the Everfree’s magic had come to exploding. Before her, Shadow’s grandparents sat stunned, clearly not understanding their connection to the mentioned events, but too stunned by her words to speak. “During our investigations of these events, we discovered that they were not only linked, but that they were in fact linked to another fire months earlier on a previously unknown island far across the ocean. That first fire, as I understand it, claimed the lives of your only child and her family.”

Tears slowly crawled down Thyme’s face at the memory of the day they learned their daughter’s fate. “Our daughter was killed almost a year ago when her house caught fire. Her husband and our only grandchild were killed in the explosion as well. Do you know what caused it?”

“We believe that it is not a question of a what, but of who. I do not know what you were told, but it is almost certainly a lie.” The stunned look on their faces spoke volumes. “While I can’t give you any names since we do not have all the information yet, I wanted to meet you and let you know that justice will be served.”

“Thank you, your Majesty” Sage said as he wrapped his wife with a wing. “I just wish our daughter and granddaughter were here to see you.”

“As do I” Luna said, her armor quietly clinking as she stood. In front of her, the two pegasi stood as well. “I share your pain, and I hope that you take comfort in knowing that your daughter and her family will soon be able to rest in peace.” Smiling, the dark princess walked the two the few short paces to the door. Opening the door, a thestral in full armor waited, saluting as the door opened. “Please escort these two back to their restaurant for me.” The armored mare nodded, gesturing down the hallway with a hoof before leading the pair away.

Closing the door, Luna made her way back to her cushion before sitting down heavily on it. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, her student had been right. They had never mentioned him once, and only referred to his dad as her daughter’s husband. Opening her eyes as she twisted her neck, Luna looked over at a seemingly empty corner of the room. Before her eyes, the invisibility shield hiding Shadow faded, revealing the colt who had been seated on another cushion and had seen and heard everything “I’m sorry.”

“I wish I could say that I was surprised, but that wouldn’t have happened unless they mentioned me and called me their grandson.” Silently, the young orphan let himself out of the room.

Luna sighed.

Homecoming - Part 2

“I’m sorry about your family” the Mayor said as she and Shadow stood on the bow of the Lunar Diarch. Below them, the tiled roofs of the Mayor’s town quietly slipped by as the airship floated overhead, slowly heading deeper into the island. “Quee- I mean Princess Luna told me about what happened and what you’ve been through since then. To be honest, I’m still finding everything she told me hard to believe.”

“I know how that feels” Shadow said, waving to a group of ponies below them “but all of it, her restoration, Princess Celestia, the Crystal Empire… all of it is true. Twilight and her friends freed Princess Luna, then helped rescue the Empire from Sombra when he returned. I’ll admit; I didn’t want to believe any of it. I was sure it was all a trick, a trap to get me to tell them about my home.”

“What changed your mind?”

“Princess Celestia” Shadow replied. “My ancestor stood by Queen Moon’s side and openly rebelled against Princess Celestia. When I revealed my connection to Summer Breeze, I was sure that she’d kill me right there, or maybe torture me first, but she didn’t. Instead she let me storm out of the room alive. Even when I revealed what actually happened a thousand years ago, she didn’t stop me. She could have if she wanted to, but she didn’t.”

“And now you’re back where you started.” Shadow nodded, watching silently as the last house passed below them. Ahead of them, the pass that led to his hometown beckoned. “I know that I don’t have all the information you do, but I hope you get justice for your family.”

“Thanks.” Settling back down on all fours, the disguised alicorn led the mayor onto the bridge. Around the room, every member of the crew was in full armor, while the ship’s pegasi circled the ship outside. Turning around, Shadow watched in silence as the airship cleared the pass. Looking out the empty window frame next to him, he could see a few freshly torn up trees lying on their side along the pass’s steep side. The colt silently wondered to himself how big this year’s avalanche was.

Below them, the ground fell way as the airship entered the mountain valley. In the distance, the colt could see his hometown, the blue lake glistening in the midday light. Along a sheer rock wall in the rear of the valley, Shadow could see hundreds of black dots flying around, reminding him of a disturbed bee hive. Almost as one, the hundreds of thestrals broke away from their colony, breaking into the light as they closed the distance between them and the airship.

“Hold your positions” Luna ordered as she stepped onto the bridge. Around the ship, the pegasi guards didn’t falter as they continued to circle. As everypony watched, the swarm of thestrals broke in two, flying on either side of the ship as they passed. Watching from where he stood, Shadow couldn’t help but be impressed. He had seen the island’s thestrals practice their formations a couple times, but he had never seen them put on such a display of force before. Next to him, Luna donned her helmet before teleporting onto the ship’s balloon. Just like earlier that day, her appearance caught the arriving ponies off guard, though to their credit they hid their surprise better. Ahead of her, she could see several hundred ponies gathered in a field at the far end of the lake. Taking a deep breath, the princess roared in her famous Canterlot Voice, “CITIZENS OF RED LAKE VALLEY! I, LUNA, PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA AND MISTRESS OF THE MOON AND STARS HAVE RETURNED!”

Even from as far away as she was, the alicorn could see the town’s citizens celebrating. Though she would never admit it to anypony, the reactions of the island’s residents was a refreshing change from what she was used to. While nopony in Equestria seemed to hate her, she couldn’t help but notice how reserved they were around her, even with her being back for a couple years. Here, they weren’t afraid of her or what she nearly did a thousand years ago. Instead, they actively celebrated her arrival and presence, if the parties on nearly every street corner in Dragon’s Bay was anything to go by. Seeing a pair of armored thestrals break off from the main group and angle for the bridge, the princess teleported back, reaching the bridge a couple seconds before the thestrals.

Back winging for a moment, the two armored fliers allowed themselves to be escorted onto the bridge by a pair of Royal Guards. From where she stood, the lunar princess could tell that despite the pair being a stallion and mare, the mare was clearly the one in command. Stopping before the alicorn, the two fliers bowed. “Stand, please.”

The two ponies stood, lifting the tinted visors on their helmets. “My Queen, my name is Eclipse and I am the chief of Crystal Island’s thestral colony. It would be an honor to escort you and your ship into town.”

Shadow didn’t move from where he stood, but he knew that his friend’s mother had seen him. “It would be an honor, Chief Eclipse” Luna said, jolting the colt back into reality. Giving a smile that revealed a pair of fangs, the pair dropped their visors back into place before trotting over to the railing and leaping over the side. Before she could say anything, Luna felt the ship turn as the helmsmare turned the wheel, following the growing line of thestrals around the lake.

Striding down the gangplank, Luna was greeted by another crowd of cheering ponies. Standing before them, a well-dressed earth pony stallion waited; a gentle smile on his lips. If they were right, this was the pony ultimately responsible for Shadow’s orphaning and everything that had happened since then. Luna smiled as she approached the mayor and the crowd, not because they bowed to her, but because if their suspicions were right, she was going to make this stallion pay.

“Welcome to Red Lake Valley, my Queen” the stallion said as he rose at her gesture. “This is truly an historic day.”

“Indeed” Luna replied. “I believe you know my companion” she continued, gesturing to the mare next to her.

“Mayor Jurisprudence; it’s been too long.”

“Oh please, you silver-tongued rogue, we saw each other at the annual council meeting two months ago.”

“Like I said, it’s been too long.”

“Before we get down to business, there are a few things” Luna said, gesturing to the ponies and dragon behind her. The introductions went as smoothly as earlier that day and were over in a couple minutes.

“How may we serve you, my Queen?”

“Before anything else, there is an old friend here that I would like to visit.”

“Of course, your Majesty. If you’ll follow me” the mayor said, knowing full well who Luna was referring to.

Hidden by his invisibility shield while stand among his namesake, Shadow watched as Princess Luna and everypony but Shining Armor followed the mayor. A few of the townsponies lingered, taking the opportunity to get a good long look at the airship. Within a few minutes, they left as well, either returning to town, or following the mayor to the town’s cemetery. “We’re clear” Shining Armor said after watching as the last of the town’s citizens disappeared. From where he stood, Shadow dropped his shield. Behind him, he could hear the rattle of a large cart followed by a couple ponies. Turning around, the colt saw that Main Stay was hooked up to a large cart, while Sea Breeze and High Tide walked alongside. The young alicorn couldn’t help but smile. While he hadn’t expected it, given the situation, when he asked Princess Luna if he could borrow a cart while they were here, he shouldn’t have been surprised that she’d talk to his escorts “So, where to kid?” Main Stay asked as he adjusted his harness. Smiling to himself, the colt took off at a trot, Shining Armor easily keeping pace next to him as did the others.

After a couple minutes, the group found themselves walking through the nearly deserted town. While they could see the odd pony walking along the cobblestone streets, nopony paid them any attention, which was something the colt was extremely grateful for. Taking a left, Shadow found himself slowing down as they walked along one of the town’s busiest streets. Like everywhere else in the town, the street was completely deserted. Passing a side street, he could see his father’s potion shop a couple blocks down. Whoever was running it now seemed to be doing pretty well for themselves, if the larger sign and fresh coat of paint were any indication.

As they walked, the young orphan couldn’t shake the feeling of how odd he felt walking these streets again. Even though he had walked these same streets hundreds of times, they all felt strange, almost foreign, to him. Looking around, he could see the alley where he had gotten his cutie mark defending his sister. Half a block away, the colt could see where Honeycrisp’s brother and his friend had ambushed him on his last full day in town. At the far end of the road, he could see the town’s bakery, and the notorious baker’s broom lying on the ground where it had fallen, no doubt from when its owner rushed to see the incoming airship. Even though he had grown up in this town, it felt different to him, like he was a stranger visiting a strange town. Picking up his pace, the disguised alicorn thanked his lucky stars that his friends didn’t say anything.

The sooner they were done and out of here, the better.

Walking among the rustling trees, Luna couldn’t help but smile to herself. Of all the places her closest friend could have picked to settle, the princess couldn’t help but think that she had found the best spot. Behind her, her guards, along with the island’s thestrals, kept the valley’s residents a respectful distance behind her, leaving her alone with the town’s mayor. The stallion seemed to sense the alicorn’s mood and remained silent. For a few minutes, the two ponies walked in silence, the only sounds coming from the wind blowing through the trees and the birds singing in the branches. Coming to a stop alongside the mayor, the stallion pointed to a small monument, the bright pink stone standing out among the other headstones and monuments. Thanking the stallion, Luna moved up the hill by herself, the mayor promising to wait for her. Looking at the numerous headstones she passed by, she could easily read the Crystallic names and dates carved into their stone faces.

Coming to a stop in front of the largest monument in the cemetery, the lone alicorn read the writing on the stone, which still looked as sharp and crisp as the day it was carved:

Summer Breeze

17 BF – 67 AF

Mother, Wife, Daughter, Warrior, Liberator

You will forever live in the memories of everypony you knew

and in the hearts of everypony to come

Feeling a couple tears roll down her face, the princess lowered herself, sitting herself down next to her friend. For a while, she said nothing, content to listen to the wind and the birds. “I never forgot you, my friend” She said, eventually breaking her silence. “Even while I was imprisoned on the moon, in my rare moments of lucidity, my thoughts turned to you, how you were, what happened to you, if my sister let you go and where you went if you had been released.” Looking up at the cotton-like clouds slowly passing overhead, the alicorn blinked back a few tears. “I am so sorry. If I had taken a single moment to think, taken a single heartbeat to see where my plans were leading us, I’d like to think that I would have changed course, called the whole thing off. Instead, I rebelled against my sister, and you and your friends were right there beside me, showing me the loyalty I did not deserve, and for what? In the end, despite all the pain you suffered and all the loyalty you showed me, you were banished, forced to never see your home or Equestria again. Forced to settle in a strange land after having to once again fight and bleed for those around you. If anypony deserved peace, it was you. I am glad beyond measure that you finally found it, that you got to have a daughter, that you got to see her grow up and get married, eventually blessing you with grandchildren.”

Luna sighed, wiping away her tears as she smiled. “I met your descendent, Shadow Dancer. In so many ways, he is just like you: impetuous, loyal, fiercely protective of those he values. If you could meet him, I know you would like him. I don’t know if you know, but I made him my personal student. I promise to do better by him than I did by you. I’ll watch over him, protect him whenever I can, teach him everything I can. I know he’ll make you proud.” Going silent, the princess listened to the rustling of the leaves overhead as a breeze sprang up. “Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for being there for me when I felt all alone. I promise that you will never be forgotten. The sun may burn out and my moon and stars may go dark, but as long as I breathe, I will always remember you, and so will many others. Shadow gave me your diary, saying that it’s what you would have wanted. When I get back home, I will make sure that it is published, so that everypony in Equestria will know what you went through, what we went through. You and your ponies were forgotten by history. I promise to fix that wrong.”

Igniting her horn, Luna watched as dozens of flowers slowly grew out of the ground around her friend’s monument, their petals closed against the daylight. These flowers were a rare species once only found deep in the Everfree Forest. Back in her younger days, the dark alicorn had stumbled upon them and after seeing when they blossomed, had taken it upon herself to find out exactly what they needed to grow. She had succeeded and before long, they were growing alongside their daytime counterparts in the Royal Gardens. Even after her banishment, they were still there, giving off a gentle blue glow only at night when the moon was out. Summer Breeze had stumbled upon the flowers one night while walking in the garden and had fallen in love with them. Feeling like she had said and done everything she needed to, Luna felt much more at ease. Before she re-joined the mayor, she’d find Shadow’s family and mark their graves for the guards to come, but for now, she’d spend some time with her best friend.

Coming up the final rise, Shadow came to a stop. Ahead of him, the trees around them opened up into a large clearing. Even after a year, he could see the scars of that night; the broken and damaged tree limbs that lay scattered along the tree line, the odd piece of debris still hanging in the surrounding canopy, the oversized crater where the house he had been born in and grew up in had been…

Feeling his heart race, the colt was on the verge of hyperventilating. Next to him, Shining Armor gently laid a hoof on the colt’s shoulder, the simple gesture calming the young orphan. The stallion couldn’t imagine how he felt or what he must be going through, but he wouldn’t let Shadow go through it alone.

Shaking his head, the lone colt turned, heading for a hidden cart path leading into the forest. For a few minutes, the group of ponies walked in silence, the sound of their hooves on last year’s leaves all that they could hear. “We’re here” Shadow said as they reached a dead end.

“I don’t see anything” Sea Breeze said looking around.

“Exactly” Shadow replied, his horn glowing. To their left, the colt’s magic kicked up a small storm of leaves and sticks, cleaning off a large boulder. At first, Shadow tried to lift the large stone by himself. Within seconds, three other magical signatures joined his, the boulder lifting clear of the ground and the hole behind it.

Setting the giant stone aside, Shining Armor looked at the hole “What is this?”

“Our cellar” Shadow replied, his horn glowing brightly as he stepped inside. “This is where my parents stored our extra food and any potions that needed to be kept cool.”

“So why are we here?”

Looking behind him, the colt levitated a glass jar to the Tranquility’s first mate, its amber colored contents glowing yellow in the sunlight. “This is probably the only reason anypony talked to my mom. While my dad could fix almost anything with one of his potions, my mom was probably the single largest supplier of maple syrup on the entire island.”

“What do you want to do with all of these” Main Stay asked, eyeing the line of hundreds of jars that vanished into the cellar’s darkness.

“Take them all back to Ponyville. I’m sure Pinkie could do something with them. Even if she can’t, I’m sure everypony back home would like a jar or two.” Lifting a dozen jars to Shining Armor, Shadow watched the stallion pass them to High Tide, who in turn passed them to Sea Breeze who loaded them into the cart. Working in silence, the group of unicorns slowly emptied the shelves. Nearing the end of the line of shelves, Shadow paused. Behind a pair of large jugs, a large coin purse lay covered in dust. Pausing what he was doing, the colt picked the bag off the shelf, the sound of a large number of coins reaching everypony’s ears. Setting it on the floor, Shadow slowly opened the bag, the sight of several hundred silver coins greeting him. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say or think. Where had all of these coins come from? There was no way somepony would leave them here. If anypony had found this place, they wouldn’t have left a single jar behind, let alone hundreds of silvers. “Captain” Shadow asked as a painful idea slowly formed in his mind “How much would you charge for passage off the island?”

Main Stay hummed as he thought “Under normal circumstances, around a thousand for an adult, half that per child. Why?”

Shadow brought the bag out into the light. Lifting the coins into the air, he eyes darted back and forth as he calculated their value. Three hundred he thought, the coins slowly settling back into the bag. They just needed three hundred more silvers. “They were planning to leave” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “They were three hundred silvers short of getting me and my sister off this island. They knew we couldn’t stay here forever, not for long. Somepony would discover my wings and then…” The colt shook his head. They must have started saving the moment I was born. They almost had enough.

Tossing the coin bag aside, the colt strode into the improvised cellar, sidestepping the silent Prince. Igniting his horn, Shadow picked up the remaining four dozen jars at once, passing them to Shining Armor, barely letting the stallion get a hold of them before releasing his grip. Letting his horn glow, the silent colt walked deeper into the cellar, his eyes roving the floors and walls for anything he might want to take along. Seeing nothing, the young alicorn called on his magic, one shield bubble after another forming as he walked back toward the entrance and the ponies waiting for him. He could see the looks of concern on their faces, but they didn’t say anything and neither did he. Helping Main Stay get the heavily loaded cart a safe distance away, the colt looked back, his horn pulsing once. Behind them, the forest floor erupted in a series of small explosions as his shields detonated, shattering the walls and ceiling, causing his parents’ cellar to collapse.

Satisfied with the destruction, the young orphan grabbed the bag of coins before gesturing for the others to get close to him. Sure they could make their way back to the airship by hoof, but teleporting was faster and also came with the added advantage of not having to walk through town. The sooner they were gone, the better. Igniting his horn, the young alicorn and his companions vanished from the forest with a pop, never to return.

Setting the last of the glass jars aside, Shadow stepped back, taking in the sight. Why didn’t his mom sell all of them? If she had, they would have had more than enough silvers. If she had, they could have gotten off this Luna forsaken island and he’d still have a family. Shaking his head, the alicorn banished the thoughts as he ignited his horn instead; casting a number of protective spells he had learned over the jars so that they all survived the trip back to Equestria. Sighing, the colt turned around, noticing Twilight standing at the door of the small hold for the first time.

“Shiny told me what you found” The older alicorn said, quietly entering the room. “What are you going to do with the money?”

“Give it to Main Stay and Sea Breeze” he said as he checked his protective spells one last time. “I thought about going back into town and spending some of it at the bakery, if only to see that plot head baker squirm at seeing me and learning who my companions were” the colt shook his head. “Then I decided I knew a group of ponies who could put that kind of money to better use than that ass hole.”

Twilight nodded. While she didn’t particularly approve of what he had planned to do, if only for the reasons, she was happy to see that he had changed his mind. “I’m glad you changed your mind” She said, wrapping a leg around his shoulders as she led him out of the hold. “Luna sent me to tell you that she and the mayor are waiting for you.”

Shadow silently nodded. Of all the things he wasn’t looking forward to on this trip, this had to be the biggest thing of them all. It wasn’t that he was afraid of the mayor or what the stallion might try to do to him. If anything, it was the exact opposite. If he was right, he was about to confront the pony responsible for getting his parents and twin sister killed. He couldn’t even begin to predict how he might act “Thanks. What about you?”

“There’s a party that’s being planned for later on and Princess Luna wanted me and Cadance to oversee everything.”

Following the purple alicorn off the ship, the young alicorn ignited his horn as soon as their hooves touched grass. Opening his eyes, Shadow found himself and Twilight standing in front of town hall, the wood and stone structure exactly as he remembered it. Nodding to the pair of thestrals standing outside the front doors, the colt let himself in. Suspecting where he’d find the princess and the mayor, the young alicorn trotted down the hallway, quickly finding himself standing before the oversized oaken doors at the end. Taking a deep breath, the young pony rapped a hoof against the door. Maybe it was the fact that he had spent so much time around her recently, but the colt was not surprised to see the doors glow a dark blue as they opened on their own.

Across the room, the young alicorn saw the mayor sitting in his chair, looking all too at ease behind his oversized desk “You summoned me, Princess?” Seeing the mayor twitch at the sound of his voice, Shadow knew the stallion was guilty. A quick glance at the princess told him that she saw the twitch as well and also told the colt to leave everything to her.

“Indeed I did” Luna replied, watching her newly appointed student walk into the room. “I believe you know the mayor?”

“Not personally.”

“Though I’m sure you know our other guest” The princess added, gesturing to the blue and pink mare sitting in a chair to her left.

The disguised alicorn locked eyes with his old teacher, and felt a small amount of satisfaction as the blood slowly drained from her face “Mrs. Pie.”

“Forgive my impertinence, your Majesty, but what is the reason for this meeting.” If he were to judge from where he was standing, the mayor looked distinctly uncomfortable to Shadow.

“There is just one more being we need to wait for.” As if hearing Luna’s words, the flames in the fireplace roared, instantly heating the small room before dying back down as they turned a brilliant green. Knowing what came next, Shadow wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Ambassador Cinder pull himself out of one of the burning logs “Ambassador.”

“Princess” the Sprite said, before looking around at the assembled ponies. “I’m glad you didn’t forget me.”

“Mr. Mayor, Mrs. Pie, I’d like to introduce you to Cinder, General and head of the Fire Sprite military, as well as their Ambassador to Equestria.” The two ponies stared slack jawed at the Sprite, while the General crossed his arms and glared back at them.

“Getting back to your question Mr. Mayor, we are here to get to the bottom of a series of events that have been plaguing Equestria recently. Last year, an island in Equestria burned to the ground, the two ponies on it at the time barely escaping with their lives. Just a few days later, a large portion of one of the most dangerous forests in the world went up in flames as well, nearly taking the lives of five ponies in the process.” Luna looked at the shocked expressions on the teacher and the mayor. In the fireplace, the lone Sprite simmered. “Now, as tragic as these two incidents were, they could have easily been written off as coincidence, since we were dealing with a drought at the time. They could have been, but they each had two things in common. One, they were both started by a Sprite under the General’s command who had gone rogue. Two, they were both started in an attempt to kill my young student here” princess Luna continued, gesturing to Shadow.

“Ignoring the amount of destruction for a moment, the fact that so many lives were nearly lost caught our attention, so my sister and I looked into the matter ourselves. As it turns out, the Sprites were after Shadow because he attempted a spell that shouldn’t even exist.” At this, the princess’s horn pulsed, an ancient looking book landing on the mayor’s desk a moment later. If it was even possible, the sight of the book caused what little blood was left to drain from both of the older ponies’ faces. “I’ll give you a chance to explain your role, since you are clearly involved in this mess, Mayor” Luna said. “But before that” she turned to look at Shadow’s former teacher “Care to explain how this got into Shadow’s hooves?”

“I gave it to him” Honey Pie whispered, burying her face in her hooves. “I gave it to him, knowing that it would likely kill him.”

“Why?” Shadow’s question came out as an angry hiss.

“Because you’re an alicorn. You know as well as I do what alicorns have done. Sombra, Star Trail, Celestia-”

“You had best watch thy tongue” Luna growled.

Shadow’s teacher heeded the warning before continuing “I didn’t want to believe the mayor, but he showed me proof. He had photos of you and your wings. After that, I couldn’t deny what you were. I couldn’t deny the threat you were to the other students, to this island, to my daughter.”

“So you decided I had to die” The teacher sank in her chair, nodding miserably “along with the rest of my family.”

To her credit, the accusation seemed to rouse the mare, if only a little. “I didn’t mean for them to die as well. I was told that only you would die. If I had known, if I had even suspected, I wouldn’t have given you the book.”

“And the bet?”

“A lie I came up with.”

The room grew silent, save for the crackling of the fireplace, as everyone contemplated the mare’s words. Other than his teacher, everypony slowly turned to look at the Sprite Ambassador. The general’s response was swift. In the time it took Shadow to blink, a ball of green flame the size of a large strawberry had formed in the Sprite’s hand and before the colt could react, the angered Sprite had hurled the fireball across the room, catching the motionless teacher across the flank and barrel. “Consider yourself lucky” The Sprite said, his words cutting through the mare’s screams. “If it wasn’t for your daughter, you’d be dead right now.”

Trotting across the room, Shadow helped his former teacher to her hooves, glaring at her before she could open her mouth “Don’t. Say. A. Word.” Igniting his horn he teleported the both of them out of the room and into the Luna’s infirmary. Leaving her behind as the medics attended to her, his horn flared again as he teleported back to the mayor’s office.

Opening his eyes, the colt almost felt sorry for the seated stallion.

Almost.

“Mr. Mayor, perhaps you could answer a few questions we have” General Cinder asked as he glared at the sweating pony.

“Indeed, like: how did you know about Shadow’s wings?” Unable to respond, the mayor’s mouth flapped uselessly. Standing before the mayor, Luna’s frame towered over the seated pony and his desk. Shadow took an involuntary step back as the Princess of the Night ignited her horn, the room quickly darkening until the only light came from the Fire Sprite ambassador. Snapping open, the princess's eyes were as white as the moon, and were focused on the older stallion with the same unforgiving coldness. "How did you know about Shadow?" Her voice echoed around the room, thanks in part to the sound proofing spell she had cast earlier. The mayor's response was an unintelligible whimper. "SPEAK!" Still unable to utter anything remotely coherent, the mayor ripped out a drawer from his desk, dumping its contents across the top of the desk. Ripping an envelope apart, the terrified stallion spread the photos before the enraged princess. "Where did you get these?"

"They were given to me by Shutter Speed." The terrified pony stammered out. "He only took pictures, I swear!"

Luna's closed her eyes for a second, thinking. When she opened them, they had returned to normal “Where did you get the book?”

“The library” the thoroughly terrified pony replied. “I found it while looking at spells.”

“Even though you could never cast them yourself.”

“I’ve always had a fascination with spell craft. Even as a foal, I found magic and the concepts behind it fascinating.”

“So you found out about Shadow and knew of a spell that would take care of him?” The mayor nodded “And his family as well.” The stallion nodded again.

“Why?” The younger alicorn quivered, his rage barely contained “Why did they have to die?!”

“It was too much of a risk. If your parents or your sister ever had a foal, it could have been an alicorn like you.”

“Mayor, your crimes are unspeakable. If we were in Equestria and you were lucky, you’d be a pile of ash that got dumped in the nearest garbage can, but as young Shadow here pointed out on our way here, this is not Equestria. Since this island is not part of our territory, our laws do not apply here, and to apply our laws to punish you as you so richly deserve for your crimes would not be possible." Shadow watched the mayor sag in relief at Princess Luna's statement. The stallion's relief sickened the colt, who put everything he had into not attacking the mayor where he sat. "However..." The single word caught the attention of every being in the room, "Since this is not Equestria, just as you are not subject to our laws, neither are you protected by them or by any treaties between my nation and others." Everyone in the room looked at the princess for a moment before turning to the ambassador. "Ambassador, I trust that based on what we have heard, you would agree that Shadow is innocent in all this?"

The Fire Sprite ambassador slowly nodded "Shadow was an innocent victim in a failed attempt on his life. Based on the evidence, we hereby drop our claim against him."

"Thank you Ambassador" The lunar diarch nodded to the elder Sprite. "I am sure that you will wish to speak to the mayor in private?" The lone Fire Sprite nodded, his gaze never leaving the older stallion once. "Then we shall leave you two alone; Shadow?" Luna opened the door with her magic. Pausing in the doorway, Shadow ignited his horn, grabbing the photos from the mayor's desk as well as the pitcher of water that had yet to be touched and carried them out of the room.

As soon as the door clicked shut, the ambassador stood before stepping out of the fireplace. "I believe you and I have some things to discuss Mr. Mayor." Beneath the ambassador, the office's wood floor began to smoke.

From where he stood at the stern of the Lunar Diarch, Shadow slowly watched his old home slowly sink in the distance. Shortly after leaving the mayor and the ambassador alone, to neither alicorn’s surprise, the mayor’s office erupted in a wall of green flames, the heat forcing ponies back and preventing anypony from putting the fire out for several minutes until the green flames suddenly switched back to the colors everypony was used to. Thanks to the building’s design and construction, the fire didn’t spread beyond the office. By the time anypony could enter the room, nothing but melted rock remained.

The mayor’s sudden death cast a pall over the very public emergency council meeting. There had been a raucous round of cheering and applause when Princess Luna had been introduced. That energy quickly faded as Princess Cadance and her husband were introduced, followed by Princess Twilight and Spike. By the time he had been introduced to the crowd, not a single pony moved. It might have been the shock of the townsponies seeing him alive when they had been told he was dead, though if Shadow had to guess, it was probably his set of wings that were on full display for everypony to see.

Before anypony could say anything, Luna, using a slightly powered down version of her Canterlot Voice, explained to everypony present what had brought her here and what had happened during her meeting with the town’s former mayor. The entire time she spoke, nopony dared to move. After she had explained the reason for their arrival, she and Princess Cadance spoke about the Crystal Empire, about its return and rescue from King Sombra. From where he stood, Shadow could see many of the ponies he had grown up with looking at the two younger princesses in a new light. Even Shining Armor and Spike got a number of silent nods of approval. Once the tale of the Empire’s return was over, Princess Luna proposed a series of options to the assembled mayors and the crowd around them. If they wanted to, they could join Equestria or the Crystal Empire and become full-fledged citizens of the respective nation they chose, or they could remain independent.

Ultimately, it was decided to give the decision of what to do to the island’s citizens. It had taken the better part of a week, but in the end, the ponies of Crystal Island had voted, albeit narrowly, to remain independent, though joining the Crystal Empire had come in a very close second. Joining Equestria had garnered less than a half dozen votes. Honoring their citizen’s wishes, the council told Princess Luna their people’s decision, though they freely admitted that they were more than open to the idea of opening trade relations with both nations. It was more or less an open secret that they already traded with Equestria, but the mayors felt that it was time to make that unspoken knowledge official.

Sighing, Shadow watched the island slowly sink into the ocean.

"Are you going to miss it?"

Shadow turned to his guest as Cadence moved to stand alongside him.

Would he miss it?

Turning back to watch the island slowly sink beneath the horizon, Shadow honestly didn't know. He had grown up on the island and until recently, it had been his entire world, but would he miss it now that he was leaving it, possibly for good? Sighing, the young alicorn watched the tip of a mountain disappear, his former home now beyond the horizon.

Would he miss it?

"I don't know."

Epilogue

Ponyville lay peacefully beneath the bright midmorning sun. In the town, ponies went about their business like every other day, while foals filled the air with their laughter as they ran about, filling the all too short summer days with as much fun as they could. Overhead, clouds slowly passed by. Among the clouds, the town’s pegasi flitted and soared. Some rested on the clouds, content to enjoy the steady breeze and warm sun, while others soared or raced about. It was, as had been promised by the Weather Bureau, a perfect day.

From the north, one lone pony flew. Even though he had things he needed to attend to, the young stallion couldn’t help himself as he executed a couple of lopsided barrel rolls. He had spent the last few days in Canterlot, meeting with the princesses and now, he was on his way back home, but his train wouldn’t depart for hours. Sure he could have flown the distance from Canterlot to the Crystal Empire. It would have been more direct and he had done so before, but not this time. He had business in Ponyville. He had ponies to see.

Righting himself, the black and grey stallion flapped his wings, the ground dropping away as he caught a steady breeze and soared. In the distance, he could see Ponyville. He could see the town that had welcomed him with open arms all those years ago. In the distance, he could see Princess Twilight’s tree shaped castle, its crystal facets gleaming and flashing in the light.

Smiling, the flier’s mind couldn’t help but go back in time, to when the greatest adventure of his life finally came to an end. From his altitude, he could see the path the airship had taken as it flew through the air for the small town. He could still feel the wind blowing through his mane and tail as he stood in front of the bridge. As a colt, he had stood there silently, watching the land slowly pass by. It had been nearly two months since he had left Ponyville with Twilight and Spike, who had joined him on a mission to his former home to once and for all settle the threat he had accidentally unleashed. To say that it had been a rough trip would have been an understatement. Between the fight they had gotten into while at sea and the emotional rollercoaster that had been the return to his birthplace, the colt was more than ready to put everything behind him. But he couldn’t do that just yet. There was still one last thing he had to do.

In the distance, he could see a light blue pony streaking toward them, the rainbow-colored contrail she left identifying her, even from several miles away. The colt couldn’t help but smile as the energetic mare circled the slightly damaged ship, bleeding off excess speed before landing next to him, her numerous questions battering the colt before her hooves had even touched the deck.

The moment he was able to get a word in edgewise, the young flier explained the blown out windows and the damage to the balloon. For the rest of the trip, the two fliers stood silently on the bow, the colt lost in his thoughts of what was about to happen, and the mare more than happy to respect her friend’s unspoken need for silence.

As the ship made its final turn, its course generously avoiding the notorious Everfree Forest, everypony on the bridge and bow could see the reception waiting for them. In a field on the outskirts of the town, hundreds of ponies stood or hovered in the air, while banners welcoming the ship home from its maiden voyage fluttered in the morning breeze. Sighing, the colt turned away as he felt the ship begin its descent. Behind him, he could hear his companion follow.

Leading the way, the young colt made his way to the hold. At the door, he found himself surprisingly unsurprised at the sight of three princesses, a prince and a dragon waiting for him. Swaying slightly as the ship finally landed, he smiled slightly and nodded. Igniting his horn, the colt undid the spell on the door’s lock that he had placed before they had left the island he had been born on. Inside, the sight of three flag draped coffins greeted the ponies and dragon. His horn glowing, the colt reverently lifted the smallest of the coffins before gently floating his twin sister out of the darkened room. Already he could feel a few tears dripping down his cheeks, but he didn’t bother trying to hide them. He didn’t care about that anymore.

Watching as Cadance and Twilight levitated his parents, the colt followed behind Princess Luna as the larger alicorn led the way to the boarding ramp. Turning the final corner, the colt could see sunlight streaming through the open doorway as the sounds of hundreds of cheering ponies drifted through the air. Taking a deep breath, the colt slowly made his way down the ramp; his sister’s remains floating in front of him. To his surprise, at the base of the ramp, a dozen guards were lined up; golden armored Royal Guards stood at attention while their Imperial counterparts mirrored them on the right.

The crowd roared at the sight of their Princess of the Night returning. The roar died as the colt and his friends stepped into sight. Silently, the crowd parted for them, everypony bowing their heads as the four alicorns passed by. In the back of the crowd, Princess Celestia waited, a pair of black armored guards hitched to a cart stood silently next to her. Gently setting his sister’s coffin in the cart, the young alicorn stepped aside before bowing to the oldest princess. Hearing her say his name, he looked up to see her extend her wings and embrace him in a hug. Silently, the undisguised colt returned the hug, the tears still running down his face.

Wiping his eyes with a leg, the airborne stallion slowly lost altitude. Below him, the grasslands that filled in the miles between Canterlot and Ponyville changed to farmland as he crossed the town’s outermost border. Around him, row after row of corn and wheat and hay nodded in the breeze, the rustling of their leaves and stalks adding to the sound of life around him. Feeling his barrel brush against a couple corn stalks as he passed over the field’s far edge, the stallion landed with a small crunch as his hooves scraped against the road’s gravel. Fluttering his wings, he broke into a gentle trot, his adoptive hometown laying less than a mile away.

The day of his return was easily one of the hardest of his life. Though he had his friends around him, he would have gladly fought a dozen cerberi on his own instead. The funeral had been a thankfully quiet affair. Besides his friends from Ponyville, the four princesses, Shining Armor, the mayor and the crew of the Tranquility attended as well. For a while, Shadow recalled his family, telling everypony about them. He told them about his mom and how she had steadfastly refused to do what any other pony on the island would have done if they had had an alicorn foal. He told them about her love of trees, especially maples, and how she made the best maple syrup on the island. He told them about his dad and how he had helped everypony who walked into his shop. He recalled the time he had helped his father end the Feather Flu outbreak at the nearby thestral colony. With his sister, Shadow couldn’t help but laugh at the memories of how energetic and competitive she was, how she would make everything she could into a competition of some kind, even something as mundane as who could finish their chores first.

As he remembered his family, the colt’s horn glowed. Next to each coffin, a clone slowly appeared. Together, the colt and the clones of his family turned to the assembled princesses. Bowing his head in silent thanks, the young alicorn and his clones bowed to the princesses; to Luna and Cadance and Twilight.

And to Celestia.

That night, the party welcoming them back was a much more subdued affair; thanks to the wrench Equestria’s youngest alicorn had thrown into the mix. Fortunately, that had not been the party Pinkie Pie had told him about before he had left. That party had come a week later when he had stepped into Sugarcube Corner to find a banner congratulating him on his twelfth year of life. Far and away, it was the best party he had ever had the pleasure of attending. Even a decade later, he could still taste the cake and he still cracked up every time he remembered Rarity’s reaction to finding Pinkie’s pet alligator in the punch bowl.

Slowing his trot to a sedate walk, the alicorn stallion slowly wandered his way through the town. Not much had changed since the day he had finally been able to properly lay his family to rest. Cheerilee still taught at the schoolhouse, though they had had to expand the building and hire another teacher as the town’s population grew when word of two alicorns living in Ponyville had gotten out. Sugarcube Corner still produced the best treats in Equestria, going so far as to include a small line of maple syrup based treats after getting a number of jars of syrup from the young alicorn. It had taken a few years, but even the Everfree Forest had recovered from the devastating fire, eventually returning to its infamously foreboding self.

Breathing deeply, the stallion made his way to the far side of town. In the distance, he could see the gingerbread shaped building that housed the town’s world famous bakery. Silently, he mentally reminded himself to stop by and pick up a box of treats. If he didn’t, Fates knew how his twin pegasus fillies would make him regret such a mistake. Though they were angels most of the time, Evening Breeze and Summer Star could give the demons of Tartarus a run for their bits when they wanted to. Even his wife would give him grief, claiming he had bought a box of Sugarcube’s finest, but had eaten it all on the ride back. Though he would never say it out loud, since his wife was eating for two, he would have been more than willing to blame the hormones.

Chuckling to himself, he made a mental note to stop by the library to see Spike, along with Sweet Apple Acres and Apple Bloom if he had the time. But first, there were three ponies he hadn’t talked to in a while. Clearing the town proper, the stallion could see his destination a couple hundred feet away. Opening the well-oiled gate, the young alicorn silently walked among the well-tended gravestones. Along the edges of the cemetery, trees gently rustled in the wind, adding to a sense of peace that blanketed the area.

Smiling, the stallion stopped in front of a trio of granite headstones, the Crystallic etched into them still sharp and easily read. Settling himself down, the lone alicorn sighed in relief as he removed his saddlebags, which were the same ones he had had since moving in with Twilight. “Sorry I’m late, but you guys are going to flip when I tell you the good news...”

Author's Note

To everyone who has put up with my writing and made it to the end, I only have two words for you: Thank You. Thank you for reading (and hopefully enjoying) my work.

When I started writing this story, I did it mainly as a way to get an idea out of my head so that it would leave me alone. I had no idea at the time that this would become the longest story I have ever written, or that it would take me nearly three years to write. I thought of writing an entirely separate story about Shadow's ancestor's journey from the Crystal Empire to Crystal Island, but as I began to realize how long this story could eventually become, that plan fell by the wayside and I incorporated her story into this one, in the form of Shadow's presentation.

I have a few potential future story ideas kicking around my head right now, but only time will tell if anything comes of them.

Once again, from the bottom of my heart, Thank You for reading this.

Ch.1 Red Lake Valley - Part 1

The sun slowly rose over the valley, its light slowly chasing away the night’s shadows as it began painting the surrounding snow-capped mountains in purples and blues. At the base of one of the mountains lay a simple wood and stone house, its chimney just starting to emit the first ghostly tendrils of smoke into the cool air as one of its occupants began to start the day. In the room above the kitchen, a young filly’s head slowly rose over the side of the other bed, her sleeping target still blissfully unaware. Barely managing to stifle a giggle that threatened to ruin her plan, she raised one of her wings and slowly brought the tip to the sleeping colt’s nose.

At first, nothing happened. Moving the wing’s tip around, the colt’s nose twitched at the irritation. Pulling back slightly, the young pegasus waited until her brother stopped moving before moving in again. As her target’s nose twitched, she could see the pressure building, before exploding a second later in a sneeze that left her ears ringing.

Opening his eyes, the young colt’s view was blocked by a pair of large green eyes that he’d recognize anywhere. Lifting his head slightly, the colt’s horn lit up briefly, his pillow flying off the bed and straight into the offender’s grinning face, knocking her back onto her tail.
Rubbing her nose with a hoof, she glared at the young magic user. “What in the name of the Lunar Queen was that for?”

“What do you think; for waking me up and ruining a great dream!” the colt said, his pillow flying back to its former position as its owner turned his back to her.

“Did it have anything to do with Honeycrisp?”

“It’s not smart to tease your older brother, Star.”

Star Gazer snorted, “By two minutes, maybe.” Not getting a response, the pegasus returned to looking out the window at the slowly brightening sky, her breath hanging on the still air like a lone cloud. Another smile slowly lit up her face as an idea began to form. “You know, I was hoping on doing a little flying this morning.” Looking back at the occupied bed, she saw that her brother’s ear was turned toward her. Gotcha. “But you know mom’s rule, so unless I can find somepony to come with me, I can’t go, and since I don’t want to wake up dad or bother mom…”

“You’re not going to give up, are you?”

“Nope!”

“Or let me sleep?”

“Correct,” she replied, smiling.

Sighing, the young colt turned over in his bed, trying to give his sister the harshest glare he could, only to fail miserably as she broke out laughing. “If I go, will you promise to let me sleep in from now on?”

“Filly Scout’s honor,” the young pony responded, solemnly lifting a hoof.

“I thought they wouldn’t let you join?”

“Not because of anything I did.” Her face darkened as that unpleasant memory surfaced. “But I promise not to wake you up early…for now.”

Knowing that was the best he was going to get, the young colt sat up in his bed, yawning as he threw off the heavy quilted blanket. Jumping down to the wood floor as quietly as possible, he arched his back like the orange cat that was currently curled up under his bed. As he stretched, he let his wings slowly unfold, the simple move eliciting a small moan of pleasure as the muscles loosened. Straightening out a few rebellious feathers, the black colt looked up at his roommate, who simply stared back with an arched eyebrow. “What?”

“Nothing. You ready?”

“Can’t a pony stretch first?”

“Not if they want to get in some flying today.”

“Fine, but if I pull something and have to walk back, I’m blaming you.”

“If that happens, I’m not the one who didn’t stretch,” she replied, not waiting for her brother’s response as she jumped out the open window. Muttering a few choice words better left unheard, the young colt ran toward the window, leaping through the opening. As he cleared the window, he felt a familiar thrill flutter through his chest as gravity took over before he spread his wings, feeling them catch the crisp morning air. A few beats later, the tree tops passed underneath, the top most leaves gently brushing his underbelly. Out ahead, he could see his sister hovering in the air, waiting for him. “About time,” she said as he caught up. “I’ve been waiting forever.”

“Ten seconds is not forever.”

“It was twenty, and it can be, especially when you’re involved.”

“Are you saying I’m slow?”

“No, but I have seen butterflies fly faster than you.”

“What’s the challenge?” Shadow asked, knowing what she was getting to.

“First pony to White Head Glacier wins. Hard deck at five thousand. No magic.”

“Won’t help you Star, I’ll still kick your flank.”

“Tell that to my tail, which is all you’re gonna see.”

“On three?” he asked.

She smiled, “One.”

“Twothreego!” the young colt yelled, not waiting for his sister to start the race as he blasted past her. Below him he could hear her cry out as she chased after him. She’d call him a cheater the first chance she got and probably wouldn’t let it go until recess, but Shadow didn’t care. Unlike him, she could fly in the open, so if he wanted any chance of winning, he needed to take every opportunity he got. As he climbed, he could feel the air getting colder as it started to bite at his fur, his breath trailing him as he pushed higher and higher. Looking behind to see his sister steadily gaining, Shadow forgot to pay attention to the currents around him, and was promptly rewarded for violating his mom’s first rule of flying when a cross breeze slammed into him and sent him tumbling.

Below, Star Gazer wanted to shout at her brother to watch the currents, but saw him go tumbling before she could call out to him. Without thinking, a slight change in the angle of her wings sent her to the left, barely in time to avoid a mid-air collision. Pulling out of her climb, she hovered for a second, trying to find her twin. As she was preparing to dive to save his flank, she saw him flare his wings, breaking his fall as he regained control. Sighing in relief as he began to climb, she rocketed towards the finish line, having decided that since he was fine, the idiot could eat her contrail as punishment.

Flaring his wings to stop his free fall, Shadow shook his head, trying to make the world stop spinning. As the world graciously complied, he spotted his sister flying off with a lead that he couldn’t hope to beat. Mentally slapping himself for forgetting something so simple, he had to admit that the accident did have its reward. Slowly rising, he watched his sister reach White Head glacier, a large tongue of ice that started deep in the island’s jagged western mountains and slowly inched its way toward its end at Red Lake Valley. At the foot of the glacier, Shadow could see chunks of ice the size of his house break off the face and crash into the green lake at the glacier’s base. Located atop a large cliff, the lake’s water roared over the cliff’s face, slamming into the jagged rocks hundreds of feet below, before gently winding its way through forests and fields until finally ending in the large blue lake in the center of the valley.

Out on the lake, he could already see a few small boats plying the calm, fog-covered water, their owners going out to check the nets laid out the previous day, their wake shattering the lake’s otherwise mirror like surface. In the town along the shore, plumes of smoke were already rising from the numerous houses and businesses that made up the main part of the village as the residents began to stir. Shadow could see a few early risers gently walking along the grey cobblestones of the main road that passed through the town. Following the road’s path, he could see it gently snake into the surrounding forest as it headed for its end at the thestral colony, their caves dotting an otherwise pristine grey vertical mountain face.

Returning to reality, the young colt began the flight to the glacier, allowing himself a few lopsided barrel rolls just for the fun of it. Below, the forest canopy remained as impenetrable as it always was. Passing over the glacier, he shuddered at the freezing air rolling off the river of ice. Reacting on instinct, Shadow tucked in one of his wings, rolling to the side as a small object rocketed past his face. Below, he could see his yellow maned attacker. Even as he recovered, she had already launched another half dozen frozen white missiles his way. Hastily tossing up a shield, the snowballs spun around their target before zipping back to their sender faster than they had been launched.

Star Gazer jumped out of the way, the snowballs cratering into the spot where she had just been standing. Ahead of her, she could see her brother hit the snow, a golden shield already up. Grabbing the rest of her stash, she leaped into the air, barely avoiding her target’s return salvo. Closing the distance in a heartbeat, she launched her attack, firing her ammo at her brother’s unshielded back and flanks. Before the snowballs had traveled half the distance, a shimmering citrine wall of magic appeared, stopping the balls well before they could hit. Screaming in frustration, she banked, trying to get out of range.

With a smile better suited for a predator, Shadow’s horn glowed. Dozens of hoof sized snowballs formed, and then began floating in the air. A heartbeat later, the icy missiles were hurtling toward his sister in a seemingly solid line that followed her flight path. He could see her heading for the ground, so he sent half a dozen rounds towards her landing zone. Moments later, he could hear her scream as they hit, drenching her coat in ice and slush. Keeping his shield up, he leaped into the air. Hovering for a second as he gathered more rounds, he imagined that he looked like some kind of god bent on vengeance. Flying as fast as he could, he launched the snowballs at his attacker, who barely managed to dive for cover behind an outcrop of solid ice.

The salvo hammered where she had just been, and Star knew she couldn’t stay there. It would take him a few seconds to gather more snow, and then she would be doomed. In a heartbeat, the young filly knew what she had to do, though it disgusted her to no end.

She fled.

She bolted from her shelter, not bothering to grab any snow; it would only slow her down. She could hear her brother’s shout of surprise as she flew. Trying to put as much distance between her and the black and grey maned snow throwing demon that was her twin, she blasted across the glacier’s frozen surface. Knowing that until she was out of his magically enhanced range the open sky was her enemy, she flew low, hugging the jagged contours of the glacier.

Smiling as he saw her flee, Shadow released his grip on all but one of the snowballs hovering nearby, hearing them gently plop to the ground. The lone snowball hovered nearby, practically begging to be thrown. It wouldn’t take more than a spell or two to hit his sister from this distance. Letting his shield dissipate, he took to the air, leaving the snow behind. He didn’t need to rub her defeat in her face with another round; he had all day to remind her. Rising into the air, he could see his sister disappear into the distance. Knowing he could never catch her, he still chased after her. The trip back home was short, and as he glided in, he gently banked to the right. Hidden among the trees was a small stream that his dad had diverted slightly, creating a small waterfall that proved useful when a pony needed to wash off.

Trotting the last few feet to bleed off excess speed, Shadow stepped under the curtain of water. Gasping at the expected cold, he wiggled under the sheet of water, working as fast as he could. A minute later, he fled the simple shower, shaking his body like a dog, followed by his wings. Flapping his wings a few times to dry them out, he leaped into the air, reaching the open second floor window a moment later.

On his bed, he could see the curled up ball of fur that was his cat. Quietly walking up to it, he gently stroked the feline’s head. “You were just waiting for me to leave, weren’t you?” he asked. The orange tabby looked up at his owner for a second, as if contemplating an answer, before laying its head back down. “Yeah, yeah I know that ‘let-me-sleep’ look. You cats have it so easy,” Shadow answered as his horn lit up.

Hanging on a post by the door, a red and black vest floated toward him, a look of disgust and loathing passing across Shadow’s face as he put it on. Sliding his wings into the two pockets on the inside, he zipped it shut a few seconds later. Staring at himself in a mirror, as far as anypony was concerned, he looked like any other normal unicorn. Opening the door, Shadow’s nose was assaulted by the scent of fresh pancakes. A second deep breath told him that blueberries were involved as well, causing the young colt to practically gallop down the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs, he could see his sister sitting in the kitchen, wolfing down her plate of pancakes. Next to her stood their mom, who was giving her young son one of her looks. “Shadow Dancer, what have I told you about galloping down the stairs?”

“Not to,” he responded, his ears flattening when he heard his full name.

“Did you forget that particular rule?”

“No…”

“Then why did you?”

“Blueberries,” he said, as if the answer was obvious. “If I didn’t hurry, Star Gazer might not have left any for me.” Behind her, his sister stuck her tongue out, which quickly disappeared as their mom turned around to look at her.

“Fair enough,” their mom said, having thought over his response for a few seconds. “Get over here and eat or you’ll be late for school.”

Trotting over, he jumped into the open chair, his fork already cutting into the syrup laden pancakes. Across the table, his sister wasn’t too happy to see him, if the dirty looks and the odd stuck out tongue was any indication.

“Ahem.”

Shadow looked up at his mom, whose gaze was solidly fixed on her young daughter. Glancing up, Star saw her mom’s raised eyebrow. The tongue disappeared in the blink of an eye and she suddenly developed an interest in the breakfast on her plate. Hearing a noise behind him, Shadow swiveled his ear, recognizing the sound a moment later. “Morning Dad,” he said around a mouthful of breakfast.

“Good morning, my young stallion. And how are my two favorite mares in the world doing this morning?”

“Just fine, thank you,” Willow said, as her husband walked in and planted a kiss on her cheek.

“Hungry,” Star responded, gulping down her water.

“I see,” Silver Maple said, watching his daughter.

Looking at the clock on the wall, the pegasus mare walked over to the pair of saddle bags sitting on the floor by the front door. Picking them up, she laid them next to their owners, “Time to get going you two.” Her children’s response was to shovel as much food into their mouths as possible as they left the table. Tightening the strap of his bags, Shadow felt the weight of the bags on his haunches, doubting that, even if he was allowed to fly into town, he could with all this weight.

Waving to their parents as they left, the twins started trotting down the road that led to town. “You just had to cheat, didn’t you?” Star Gazer said as soon as their home was out of sight.

“Come again?”

“You cheated.”

“How?”

“You used magic.”

“No I didn’t.”

“Yes; you did. My flank has the welt to prove it.”

Sighing, Shadow looked at his sister. “You never said anything about not using magic on the glacier, only during the race to it.” The look on her face told him all he needed to know. As they walked, they came to the top of the final foothill. Stopping at the top, Shadow looked down at the valley, which was only now starting to be bathed by the sun’s light. Off to the east, he could see hints of the first clouds of the day as they began to form above the mountain gap that the town’s only road out passed through to get to the ocean. Breaking into a trot, he raced to catch up to his sister, who hadn’t bothered to stop.

Smiling to himself, he looked at his sibling. “Clouds are forming over the gap. Think it’ll rain?”

Taking a deep breath, Star glanced to the east for a moment “Nah; wrong type, wrong smell. Probably get rain in two or three days, possibly some hail too, but not today, fortunately.”

“How is weather prediction not your talent? You’re almost always right!”

Star shrugged. “How in Tartarus should I know? My flank is still empty so it must not be.”

The rest of the trot into town passed by in silence, allowing the colt to think. If weather prediction wasn’t her special talent, what was? He figured that it had to be weather related, because her predictions were too bucking accurate to be coincidence. Glancing at his sister, Shadow knew the lack of a mark bugged her, no matter how much she tried to hide it. She’d joke about it, laughing it off as only being a matter of time, but he could tell that it ate at her. Her smiles never quite reached her eyes when her cutie mark was involved, and the bullies didn’t help the matter much either. On more than one occasion, he’d had to jump in and defend his only sibling, throwing up a shield around her that only he could pass through.

The bullies had dropped their blank flank remarks against him when he got his mark – a shield with a red and yellow starburst in the center – defending his sister, but they only had to switch tactics for him, giving both him and his sister flak for having a unicorn for a dad and a pegasus for a mom. They hadn’t given him a moment of peace since then. On more than one occasion, they decided to get physical, but Shadow usually managed to toss up a shield, or more recently, create a hoof-full of clones that would go in different directions, giving him a chance to escape.

As they entered the town, he could smell the scent of bread being baked. Stopping to glance in the shop’s window, he could see dozens of golden brown loaves cooling on the other side of his reflection. Glancing at the sign next to the door reminded him that he wasn’t welcome. The image of a horn and a pair of feathered wings with large red Xs over them under a line made that notion clear enough for a foal to understand. Enraptured by the cooling bread, Shadow didn’t notice the shop’s owner, a slightly overweight earth pony standing behind him. “Get moving you little bastard. You’re blocking the customers’ view.”

Feeling a shiver slowly crawl down his spine, Shadow slowly turned to face the frowning shopkeeper. “Um, not to be rude or anything,” he said, looking around, “but what customers?” Indeed, there weren’t any other ponies standing at the window, though a few were watching the pair from a distance. The shop owner’s left eye twitched for a moment before he reached for his trusty broom. Knowing what was coming; Shadow jumped to the side and ran, narrowly avoiding the broom’s welt inducing smack.

Once he was a safe distance from the shop, he stopped to look back. Behind him, the shop keeper was sweeping the front of his store. Looking up, he spotted Shadow and shook his broom at the young colt, as if daring him to try something. Sticking his tongue out at the earth pony, Shadow turned to head to school. “Sun loving plot head,” he muttered under his breath. Looking around, he could see the looks on the faces of the other ponies. They said what the ponies wouldn’t.

Idiot.

Fool.

Did the half breed expect something else to happen?

Poor colt, you can’t expect a half breed to pick up on things normal ponies would.

He had learned early on not to expect any sympathy, and he got none. Realizing that his sister had continued on without him, he trudged toward the school house, feeling slightly lonelier than before.

Off in the distance, he could hear the school bell tolling. Spurred on by the single off-key note breaking the morning’s silence, the young colt broke into a gallop, the staccato of his hooves on the cobblestones an early warning for all those around. Focused on the sound of the bell, Shadow didn’t notice the cart slowly backing out of a nearby alley. Glancing back at a parked cart he had had to dodge, Shadow barely turned his head in time to see the new obstacle in his path. Unable to run around it, he turned slightly to come at it at an angle before diving beneath it. He could feel the bottom of his vest scrape along the unforgiving stone street before catching on the exposed edge of a cobblestone, sending him tumbling.

Coming to a halt a few feet from the cart, he shook his head to clear it before bursting back into a full gallop. Behind him, he could hear somepony, probably the cart’s owner, yell something, but the object of the owner’s anger was around the corner and out of sight a second later. In the distance he could see the white, slate-roofed school house. The building sat on the top of a small grass covered hill next to the lake. Along the shore was the playground with the standard set of swings and jungle gym. Putting on a small burst of speed, Shadow could see his teacher, Mrs. Honey Pie at the base of the school’s bell tower, rhythmically yanking on the bell’s rope with her mouth.

As he approached, he could see the last few stragglers trotting through the school’s door. Finally slowing to a trot, his teacher gave the bell a final yank before spitting out the rope. Spotting one of her star pupils, she smiled as he approached, though the smile faded somewhat when she saw his vest. “You alright, Shadow?”

“Huh?” Mrs. Pie gestured to the front of his vest. Looking down, he could see streaks of dirt and mud running down the front of his chest. “I kinda tripped.”

Raising an eyebrow, she knew that his explanation was a lie, but she didn’t push it. Figuring that a few older colts had decided to rough him up, she let the topic drop. As long as he was under her school roof, he was safe, and if he needed any help with bullies, he could always come to her. She had told him as much on multiple occasions. “You might want to clean yourself up before you come in,” she suggested.

Nodding, he started to channel some energy through his horn. Around him, the grass perked up slightly as the dew was lifted off the ground. A slight shift in magic, and the millions of tiny droplets rushed together to form a ball of water the size of his head. Turning his body so he wouldn’t hit his teacher, Shadow channeled the water into the space between the vest and his body. Another slight shift in magic sent the water bleeding through his vest, taking most of the mud and dirt with it. Sending the excess water flying into the lake, he finished with a simple heat spell that his dad had shown him. In seconds, his vest was as dry as it had been when he put it on.

“Small wonder you’re acing your magic class,” she commented dryly, as she nodded her head towards the open door. With a slight spring in his step, Shadow walked up the building’s faded pink stone steps. Taking a left halfway down the hall, he could hear the chatter of his classmates, which died a little as he entered. Up front, several of the earth pony students glared at him, and he responded in kind, silently telling them where they could take their thoughts and shove them. Shucking his saddle bags, he sat at his beaten desk along the back wall of the room, where he and the other half dozen unicorns of his class had been assigned.

Next to him, his desk mate stretched. “What happened?” he asked around a sizable yawn.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re late. You’re almost never late.”

“Yeesh, first the teacher and now you? Should I expect an interview with the town paper later?”

“Hey, no need to take my head. Just concerned, is all. We unicorns have to watch out for each other, after all.”

Shadow sighed. “I stopped at the bakery, and Mr. Food saw me.”

Shadow’s friend winced in sympathy. “Since you’re sitting, should I assume that he missed?” Shadow nodded as he levitated a few books from his bags. “Lucky.”

“Serves you right for not keeping up; cheater.” In the shared desk ahead of him, Star Gazer used a front leg to pull the other behind her head, a small pop coming from her shoulder as she stretched.

“Maybe, but Ididn’t run like I was auditioning for the Solar Guard this morning.” He knew he had struck a chord when she suddenly stopped moving and her face grew a few shades redder.

Before his sister could respond, Mrs. Pie walked in, a large box balanced on her back. “Morning class,” she called out as she reached her desk.

“Good morning, Mrs. Pie.” The reply was much more enthusiastic than normal, and did not go unnoticed by their teacher.

“My, aren’t we full of energy this morning?” the blue and pink earth pony commented. A few students giggled at this. “Is it because you’re all excited to learn?” A few of the more sarcastic fillies and colts cheered. “They have the right idea. Is it because of the three day weekend coming up?” More students cheered. “Could it be because of tomorrow?” she asked rhetorically. “What is tomorrow again?”

The entire class exploded as one “Ascension Day!”

Mrs. Pie looked at a nearby calendar dramatically. “So it is! Thanks for reminding me. I was wondering why I picked these up this morning.” At this, she pulled back the cover on the box, revealing two dozen freshly baked doughnuts. Her student’s response made their last outburst pale in comparison. As they celebrated, she slowly made her way around the room, each student grabbing a steaming pastry as she passed. Relieved of her sticky burden, she slowly made her way back to the front, enjoying the faces of her students as they savored her little gift. “I’ve got a proposal for you,” she called out from her desk. “If you behave and we get through today’s lesson plan quickly, I’ll let you out early. How does that sound?”

At first there was a silence that could only be described as stunned. Several students looked at their neighbor as if they weren’t sure they heard her correctly. Get out early? That never happened. They almost never got out on time. Shadow looked at his friend, who was smiling like an idiot. He raised his hoof to his friend “Best Ascension Day Eve ever.”

“And it’s barely even begun” His friend added, bumping Shadow’s hoof.

“So, I gather from your expressions that we have a deal?” Mrs. Pie asked, drawing Shadow’s attention back to the front. “I want everypony to open their copy of The Diary of Summer Breeze to June 20th.” Smiling at the enthusiastic sound of books opening, Honey Pie moved to the chair behind her desk. “Who wants to read it for the class?” Looking across the forest of raised hooves, she closed her eyes and pointed at a random name on her attendance list. “Night Hunter, go for it.”

Smiling, Shadow got comfortable as his friend cleared his throat. This was his favorite part of the book.

June 20th:

So much has happened today that I can barely sit still! Our plan was perfect and thanks to everypony involved, especially Luna, we succeeded.

The castle is ours!

That bitch Celestia never saw it coming and was caught completely unprepared, but I should probably explain. First, I must apologize for not confiding in you diary, but I couldn’t take the risk. The best security charm I can cast could have been broken, and if they had read you, all would have been lost. We started planning shortly after our beloved empire disappeared. Leading up to that horrible day we had been training hard, waking before the crack of dawn and collapsing into our beds at night, sometimes not even bothering with minor things like dinner or taking off our armor. Even then, from our beds we could hear them arguing and yelling. Luna and her sister would go at it for what seemed like hours, their shouts slowly fading into the background as we finally surrendered to the sweet call of temporary oblivion.

After the loss of our home, things only got worse. The sisters’ conversations would quickly devolve into shouting matches, seemingly sooner than the last one. Within a week, they had stopped talking to each other entirely. It was after one particular shouting contest that I’m sure all of Canterlot heard that Luna came to me. I had just been released from the infirmary and was on my way to the room Burnt Umber and I shared when Luna and I ran into each other (though not literally, fortunately).

I quickly found myself in my Princess’s room, settled comfortably on some pillows as she prepared some tea. As we waited for the water to boil, I happened to glance out the window and was left breathless by the beauty of the night sky. It pains me to say that I had been neglecting Luna’s night. The stars burned with a passion I had never seen before, their glow lighting the world below so that a pony could travel from Canterlot to Phillydelphia without needing a lantern. I made an off-hoof comment about the night’s beauty and it took me a moment to notice that my friend hadn’t responded. Curious, I turned to look at her.

She was crying!

Luna confided in me that she was tired of her treatment. Her night court was a joke, an exercise in mind numbing futility since everypony was asleep. She was fed up with how she and her night went unappreciated, while Celestia and her sun were practically worshiped.

All this you already know diary, but what came next I left out until now. After pausing to enjoy some now extremely rare and mind numbingly expensive Crystal Empire tea, Luna confessed that she had been thinking about finally doing something about her situation. As she talked, I could see that she had been giving this some considerable thought. When she was done, I pledged myself to her cause. You might think me rash diary, but Luna is my friend and was the first pony to help us when we fled Sombra.

As the weeks passed, what started out with just me and Luna grew. Burnt Umber joined as soon as I told him what Luna had said. A few discrete inquiries among the thestrals soon saw them joining in. Considering how they and their families had been treated under Celestia, I guess I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was when every last Thestral pledged their support. Our small band of survivors, along with those we managed to free during the chaos of the battle, also joined in. Our plan was conceived in Luna’s room and perfected in the crystal caverns below Canterlot.

My beloved Umber suggested we strike on the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration and once everypony saw the irony, they agreed. That was our last meeting. I must confess that I could barely contain myself during the week leading up to the planned date. The week seemed to drag, but it passed, albeit with much reluctance and hoof dragging. That night, I took my position as personal guard to Princess Luna, joining her as her night began. After dinner, we retired to the throne room.

Court that night went like all the others before it. I lost five straight rounds of chess to the princess before I conceded defeat. I would have gone on longer diary, but I didn’t want to run the risk of my bad luck rubbing off on our plan. Eventually the night passed, and as usual, Luna gently lowered her moon beyond the horizon. At that moment, the plan went into action. As planned, my Princess left the throne for the lightly used passageway behind it. Moments after she disappeared, the doors to the great room opened in a glow of magic, allowing in Princess Celestia, who strode in like she owned the place. Knowing what I had to do, I approached the ruler of the day and bowed, much as it sickened me, telling her that Luna wished to speak with her privately. Nodding her thanks in that stomach turning benevolent way that she had perfected, Celestia dismissed her guards with a nod and as they left, I followed close behind, closing the doors behind me.

What was said between the two sisters remains a mystery to me, but the calm didn’t last long. About a minute after I closed the door, there was a tremendous crash and as one, the Solar Guards turned to charge the throne room doors.

The foals never got the chance.

Before they could take one step forward, Luna’s Night Guard attacked, jumping them from the sides and from above. The fighting was violent but brief as the Solar Tyrant’s guards fell quickly, save for one who managed to make a break for the doors. Before I could stop him, he flew over my head and threw himself into the doors, slamming them open and crashing to the marble floor on the other side. As the thestrals were occupied, I chased after the lone pegasus. Thinking quickly, I fired a spell at him as he stood, hitting him squarely in the face. He was unconscious before he hit the ground. Looking up, I could see shock clearly etched on the Solar Princess’s face. Behind her stood our beloved Queen Moon, who used the momentary distraction to hurl a spell at her older sister, sending the white alicorn flying across the room. As my queen moved towards her fallen sister, the pegasus at my hooves started to moan and move. A quick buck to his armored face kept him quiet for the next few hours.

Getting back up, Celestia turned to face her sister. Sensing a buildup of magic, I threw a magical shield in front of my queen, who laughed as her sister’s attack splashed harmlessly against my barrier. As the truth finally dawned on the former Princess of Equestria, she fled for the door, casting a shield to deflect the spells that my queen and I threw at her. She didn’t even slow down as she ran like a coward past her guards, who had at least put up a fight.

The rest of Canterlot Castle fell in short order, and by mid-morning, the last of the free Solar Guard had fled, their princess having retreated to the old Everfree Castle long before.

I’d go into more detail diary, but I wish to celebrate with my husband. Judging by his behavior, I know exactly how he wants to celebrate, and I have no intention of denying it to him, especially today.

The young unicorn looked up at his teacher, who nodded her thanks to the smiling young colt. “Well done, Night Hunter.” Turning back to her students, Mrs. Pie looked over her charges. “So, can anypony tell me how long the war lasted?” She nodded at a young earth pony filly in the front row.

“A week.”

“Correct. After the fall of our beloved queen, what happened to her supporters?”

“They were banished.”

“Yes, eventually making their way to our island, the founding of which happens to be our history lesson today. Now, can any of you tell me how long it took for our ancestors to cross the Great Ocean?”

Hours later, Shadow found himself lying on the grass by the playground, enjoying the cool breeze rolling off the mountains as he dug into the lunch his mom had packed. Above him, Star Gazer lay stretched out across a large tree branch, noisily munching on a few crackers. Looking across the playground, Shadow watched some of his classmates sail back and forth on the swings, wishing he was there now. Sighing, he turned his gaze to the lake instead. He knew it wouldn’t do him any good wishing for something that wouldn’t happen. Thanks to their proximity to the door and individual desks, the earth pony students had all bolted from the classroom within five seconds of being dismissed for recess. By the time he had gotten out, all of the swings were occupied and knowing that none of the swingers would voluntarily give up their seat for a unicorn, even if he asked, Shadow opted for the tree’s shade instead.

Hearing a belch from above that he was sure could be heard miles away, Shadow looked up to see his sister licking her lips. “Beautiful. Did Dad teach you that?”

“Nope,” his sister responded as she stretched her wings, “Learned it myself.”

“Not very mare-like.”

“Do I look like I care?”

Before she could continue, Star noticed a black-maned brown filly trotting towards them. It took her a second to recognize Honeycrisp, but a quick glance at her brother told her that he knew who it was, judging by how stiff he had suddenly gone. A smile slowly grew on Star’s face. Shadow and the filly of his dreams talking together; this was too good to miss.

“Hey Shadow.”

“Hey Honeycrisp,” Shadow replied, trying to loosen his suddenly tight muscles to no avail.

“I was wondering if you had any plans for tomorrow.”

Star stopped breathing, desperately hoping she had heard correctly.

Shadow coughed, trying to cover his surprise “Tomorrow? Not that I can think of…why?”

“Some friends and I are planning to get together and spend the day at the fair, and I just thought….”

“Uh…yeah, sure” Shadow stammered.

The filly smiled. “Awesome. Meet you here at ten?” Shadow nodded, suddenly speechless. “See you then.” Honeycrisp turned around and headed back to the playground.

Above, Star couldn’t contain herself any longer; rolling onto her back, she broke into peals of laughter. “Oh sweet Luna, that was perfect! You and Honeycrisp!?! Did you invent some kind of luck spell, because we got a test coming up that I could use some help with.” She paused, wheezing as she tried to catch her breath. “If you want, I’d be glad to give you a few tips bro. Luna knows you’ll need them.”

Below, Shadow wasn’t as amused as his sister seemed to be. Standing suddenly, he turned, slowly heading for the lake shore. As he did, his horn lit up, a ball of water launched itself from the lake, whizzing past him to explode against the limb his sister was on. Behind him, he could hear her sputter a final question.

“Is that a no?”

Ch.2 Tartarus is Real - Part 1

“Celestia?”

The princess in question sat at her desk, frozen like one of the many statues in the garden outside. Her mind had ground to a halt trying to comprehend the news. How was this situation possible? Shortly after the treaty had been signed, she had made sure that that spell had been erased from existence. Her magic had seen to that. The copy of the spell she had with her at the time disappeared when she cast her magic that day a thousand years ago. That had satisfied the Fire Sprite delegation and they had returned to their realm shortly after that.

“Celestia.”

It didn’t take much effort for the solar diarch to imagine what could soon happen. If the general was right, then the Sprite council might decide that the treaty was no longer in effect. If that happened… Celestia’s heart stopped for a brief second. She didn’t need to imagine the destruction that could result. Despite her best efforts, she could still remember what had happened in the past. She could smell the stench of burning homes; feel the thick smoke from the burning fields and forests that choked the sky as she raced from one town to the next with the Royal Guard behind her. If she closed her eyes, she could feel the overwhelming heat of the fires that ravaged the young nation and hear the screams of innocent ponies who couldn’t escape in time. Sometimes, looking out from her balcony at night, she could see the orange and yellow glow of the horizon as her nation burned. Even after all those centuries, she still had nightmares about those months.

Fortunately, most ponies thought that those fires were only legends, fanciful anecdotes of how troubled the young nation had been shortly after the Lunar Rebellion. Celestia had never denied those assumptions and had even fueled them on occasion. If history was about to repeat itself…

“Celestia!”

The princess’s head snapped back up, her eyes focusing on the flaming creature in the fireplace that had shouted her name. He looked back at her, concern and fear battling for supremacy behind his black eyes. Fear of what, she didn’t know, though she could make a few guesses. Shaking her head, she lay down in front of the creature so that they were eye to eye with each other, an act she knew the Sprite ambassador appreciated.

“What’s happened General?”

The raging green flames around the creature slowly shrank, calming as the general took a moment to collect his thoughts. “About an hour ago, a pony tried to create an opening between our realms using that spell. Our mages detected it as it formed, but it collapsed before they could close it. Needless to say, the council was immediately informed, and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. A few of the older members retired a couple years ago and their replacements are younger, more aggressive and hotter headed. They are a vocal minority who resent the treaty and would like to see it ended. The council was in session during the attempted incursion and, well, you can guess what happened next.” Celestia didn’t need to. “Needless to say, I was called before a council that was demanding an explanation I didn’t have. When I couldn’t answer them, they immediately ordered an attack, though I managed to temper it by convincing the younger members that a limited incursion was better than a full invasion of the pony settlement. I came here the first chance I got.”

“Thank you for your efforts General” Celestia said as her mind raced. Would this placate the council or would they demand more? Would they consider the treaty void and this act just the first battle of a new war? Grabbing a map, the princess floated it across the room to her side, laying it out between her and the ambassador. “Do you know where the spell was cast from?”

Nodding, the general looked over the sheet of paper. “How old is this map?” He asked as he looked it over.

“A few years.”

“Are all of your colonies on here?”

“We haven’t had a new colony in almost two hundred years, General. Why do you ask?”

“I ask because if this map is correct, then the attack originated outside of Equestria.”

For the second time that night, Celestia’s heart stopped; outside Equestria? How was that possible if there weren’t any pony settlements outside of her nation? If a new town had been established, how had she not heard of it? More importantly, how had they gotten their hooves on this spell? “General, if the spell wasn’t attempted by one of my citizens then the treaty is still valid, since it only applies to me and my citizens.” Before she could continue, the princess noticed a small tongue of flame growing from an unburned piece of wood in the general’s fireplace. Seconds later, a bright orange Sprite emerged, its color contrasting with the older General’s green. Falling to one knee, the younger creature spoke quietly and quickly to the ambassador, casting the princess a look of barely contained terror before leaping into a nearby log and disappearing.

“My apologies Princess; that was a messenger from the council, the attack ended a few minutes ago. Three ponies were killed. Unfortunately I’m needed back at the council; otherwise those young hot heads might cause more trouble. I will keep you updated as best I can.”

Celestia nodded to the ambassador who vanished a moment later, the green flames around him flashing to orange and yellow the moment he disappeared. Staring at the now unoccupied fireplace, the solar princess found herself gripped by a sense of nervousness and fear that she hadn’t felt in centuries. As she got up and stretched, she realized that things weren’t going to be quiet for quite some time. Slowly striding over to her desk, the princess was already thinking about her options. If the general was right, then the treaty had a good chance of surviving this incident. A feather quill slowly rose from the inkwell it had been sitting in, its pointed tip scratching out a message under the princess’ gentle magic. Two more letters later, the solar diarch set the quill aside. Picking up the three sheets of paper, Celestia reread them one last time. With a burst of magic, two of the sheets burst into clouds of golden smoke before rocketing away from her. One would find itself in front of her sister Luna in less than a minute, the other would shortly be read by her advisor, Lord Fancy Pants. The final sheet gently floated in the air next to her. Rolling it up, Celestia gently set it aside, praying that she wouldn’t have to use it to summon her former student and her friends. She would have sent out a fourth summons, but the new Captain of the Royal Guard was with his wife who had given birth to their first foal that morning and Celestia didn’t want to tear him away so soon. She would tell him the situation when he returned to duty in a few days, since there wasn’t much they could do at the moment.

Moving to a dusty cabinet, the princess gently opened the wood and glass doors, a half full bottle of hard cider gently floated out to pour itself into a waiting glass. Replacing the bottle and closing the cabinet’s door, Celestia slowly walked out onto her balcony, her memory drifting back to the fires all those centuries ago. Taking a sip of the golden liquid, she could feel it burn as it went down her throat. She relished the feeling as she admired the beauty of her sister’s night sky, a quality that had been sorely lacking during Luna’s absence. As one, the stars pulsed brighter for a brief moment, a not-so-subtle sign that Luna had gotten the letter and read it. Sighing, the princess gulped the rest of the cider in one shot as she returned to her room, wincing as fire poured down her throat. This was going to be a long night.

Despite his age, General Cinder could move when he wanted to. He had long ago learned to keep his true abilities hidden, so others would underestimate him. It brought the aging Sprite no small amount of satisfaction to see the two guards at the closed entrance to the Council’s chambers hastily snap to attention as he appeared. Snapping a quick return salute the general paused, half faking the need to catch his breath. “How’s it going Private…”

“Crisp, sir; so far, everything’s been quiet out here.”

“Inside?” The private’s sigh told him everything. “Big surprise; keep up the good work you two.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The general returned their salutes a final time before walking through the open door. Across the room, he could see that the council’s two factions were barely restraining themselves as both sides sniped at the other across the black solid stone table that dominated the room. Channeling a trickle of energy into his hand, the elder Sprite tossed the handful of grape sized balls of flame behind him. With a smirk, General Cinder snapped his fingers, the sound of the exploding fireballs echoing around the room. “I hope I’m not too late, I got here as quick as I could.”

“Not at all, Sir” one of the younger council members replied. Cinder looked at the colonel who had spoken. No Sprite in the room missed the unspoken message behind Colonel Ash’s reply.

“That’s good to know. After thirteen centuries, I’m still surprised I can move so quickly.” The general mentally noted the colonel’s barely concealed eye roll. “How much have I missed?”

“Just the usual bluster and posturing” The lime green Sprite next to the general said, holding up a clawed hand to forestall the inevitable backlash from across the table. “As much as I enjoy… debating as the next Sprite, I am curious about what the princess had to say.”

“Celestia denied any connection to tonight’s event and after consulting with her, I believe her when she says the spell was attempted outside of her country.”

At the general’s words, the opposite side of the table erupted, “How convenient!” The ambassador to Equestria looked over to the colonel who had been promoted – despite his objections – to be his Second in Command a year earlier. “Of course she would say that it happened outside her territory. She doesn’t want us to think she broke the treaty, so naturally it happened outside Equestria.”

Holding up a hand for silence, General Cinder looked over his Colonel, “So what do you suggest, Colonel?”

“As far as I'm concerned, this farce of a treaty has hobbled us for too long.” Several of the council members slowly nodded at this. “This attack, while a failure, clearly shows that Celestia lied a thousand years ago about wiping that spell from existence! I have lived my entire life with the threat of our annihilation hanging over our heads. This attack could be just the first shot in a war against us, and I say we strike back before she can try again!”

“Says the biggest war-mongering failure in the history of the council” The room fell silent at the quiet muttering of the dark green Sprite a couple seats to the general’s left.

“Excuse me?” No Sprite missed the barely concealed anger in the colonel’s voice.

“Have you gone deaf? Everyone here knows your assault was an utter failure.” The elder Sprite looked unflinchingly at the much younger officer. “You and your strike force attacked a single pony house and managed to kill two adults and a filly. Two of the dead were pegasi and the other was a unicorn stallion whose magical signature didn’t match the one detected during the attempted breach. Unless I am wrong, that would mean you managed to kill three innocent civilians, while letting your real target slip through your claws.”

“Enough” The highest ranking officer in the room said, preempting his Second-in-Command’s reply. “Colonel Ash, you are young and your flames burn hot,” General Cinder gestured to the melted section of stone beneath the younger officer’s hands “so I will chalk up your suggestion to youthful exuberance… but know this: I have been leading Sprites since before you were a thought. I personally witnessed the devastation we caused to Equestria during the war; hell, I helped cause some of it. I know for a fact that Celestia is still haunted by her memories of that time and has no desire to see it repeated. If we attack, she will not hesitate to carry out what she threatened to do a thousand years ago. As head of the military, I will not order a full scale assault or an invasion until I have all the facts. I will not casually throw away a treaty that cost numerous lives on both sides, just because you think that Princess Celestia is lying. If and when I get enough evidence that this was a deliberate attack, I will reconsider. Until then, you and your forces are to keep an eye out for the pony responsible. Hopefully they'll stay outside Equestria and we find them.”

“If we do?”

“Kill on sight.”

“And if we find them in Equestria?”

“Celestia wants this treaty to stay intact as badly as I do. If we find them in her territory, she'll capture them for us. Then, we'll deal with them.”

The sun slowly rose over the mountains, its light casting the valley below in hues of gold, as the shadows retreated for another day. Already ponies were in the streets, talking to each other and gossiping about the source of the noise that had rattled windows and woken up half the town. Off in the distance, they could see a thin plume of smoke rising into the air, which only added to the mystery and the ensuing gossip. Among the tree covered foot hills, the mayor stood, surveying the smoldering, charred remains of what used to be a house. Looking up, he watched as a pair of pegasi moved a cloud into position before jumping on top, drenching the remains below and casting another plume of steam into the air.

On the other side of the clearing, he could see a pair of cloth draped bodies lying under a tree. They had been burned beyond recognition but everypony knew who they were. The fact that they were a unicorn and a pegasus and had been found together only confirmed their identities. Even if they hadn’t been found together, they were the only mixed tribe couple on the island. Hearing a twig snap, the mayor turned his head. Behind him, a pair of yellow eyes stared back for a second before their owner stepped out of the still dark forest. The thestral appraised the earth pony before moving to his side.

“We found another body” She stated matter-of-factly.

“Who?”

“Star Gazer.”

“How?”

“Does it matter?” She growled, not looking at the mayor.

“Yes.”

She sighed; “Burned to death. Doc says it would have been quick, thank Luna. Not that you care” She added.

“I do care, Eclipse…”

The thestral whirled in place, grabbing the earth pony’s tie and pulling his face within an inch of hers “Don’t you fucking dare give me that manure!” The black mare hissed; her eyes ablaze with anger. “Thanks to you, three innocent ponies are dead. Thanks to you, your town and my colony are going to suffer if we don’t get a competent alchemist before winter. When I agreed to this, you promised me that only Shadow would die. Thanks to you, their blood is on my hooves as well, and now I have to go home and tell my son that his best friend and his family are dead. On top of that, I have to look him in the eye and lie to his face!” She finished, letting the stallion’s tie go, only to punch him in the face a moment later. Without a second glance, she leaped into the air, her bat-like wings digging into the still cool air as she flew away.

Glancing up, the mayor watched the Night Guard’s figure retreat into the distance. Probing his jaw with his tongue, he could feel a few teeth shift in their sockets. Lowering his gaze, he watched as a unicorn gently laid the young filly’s body next to her parents’ before covering her remains with a sheet. Leaving his spot, the earth pony started the long walk back to town. Eclipse had been wrong; he did care. He was sorry that an innocent pony had been killed because of a choice her parents had made over a decade earlier. She deserved better but her parents had decided to marry, breaking the unspoken rule that had existed for centuries. Ultimately, she died because of their actions, not his. Pausing for a moment, he felt a little sorrow for Willow and Silver Maple. The head of the Night Guard had been right when she said they would suffer without an alchemist, but that was already being dealt with. He was also going to miss the maple syrup Willow was known for. The pegasus had somehow known when to tap the trees to get the best syrup possible, and this year’s batch had been the best yet. Shaking his head he continued the trek back to town, already composing what he would tell the town. While they hadn’t found Shadow’s body, the mayor figured it was only a matter of time. They’d find his remains in the charred ruins of the house, and everything would be closed.

As the gravel crunched beneath his hooves, the mayor knew he’d have to honor the promises he’d made to the librarian. That old mule of a unicorn hadn’t wanted to part with his precious tome, even after being shown Shutter Speed’s photos. To him, the book was ‘too valuable’ to sacrifice. It was only after promising more funding for the library, among other thing – and putting the promises in writing no less – that the stubborn unicorn had parted with the book – after magically erasing a few notes left by whoever had copied the book from the original. Allowing himself a quick smile, the mayor turned onto the main road through town while the words of what he was going to tell his town began to form in his mind.

Shadow slowly felt himself awaken. Groaning, he opened his eyes, wincing as the morning light stabbed at him while every part of him ached. Looking up, his vision was blocked by a large brown trunk that seemed to scrape the sky above. Slowly sitting up, the young alicorn leaned against the nearby tree, trying to remember what had happened. Yet, try as he might, he couldn’t. He could remember the day before, from the moment Star woke him up to just after the spell backfired, but anything after that seemed to be locked behind a stone wall in his mind.

Getting to his hooves, Shadow only got a few paces before collapsing. Looking down, he saw patches of charred fur and angry red skin on his back legs. Channeling some energy into his horn, he focused on his legs, the spell gently soothing the tortured flesh and temporarily banishing the pain. For a while he lay there, letting the spell do its work. Shadow knew it wouldn’t heal the burns, but it would have to do for the moment. As he lay there, the young colt looked himself over, gently pulling numerous thorns and stickers from his coat.

An hour later, he let the spell slowly end, the pain having been reduced to a dull throb. Gingerly picking his way out of the dense thicket he had woken up in, the young colt could feel the bushes’ thorns pulling at his coat. Out of habit the colt stopped, trying to see if he could hear anything, despite the ringing in his ears. His parents had warned him and his sister about going into the forest alone. There were creatures that would see him and his sister as a tempting meal, they had said. Pushing back a clump of branches, Shadow stopped for a moment to stare at the scorched piece of wood hanging from a tree ahead of him before continuing.

Not trusting his ears, Shadow slowly exited the thicket while looking around nervously. Ever ready, his imagination happily took over. Mental images of wolves made of stone or wood flooded the young colt’s mind. Barely hearing a branch snap behind him, Shadow threw himself into a nearby bush, images of his mangled body flashing across his mind. Twenty feet away, a small rabbit quietly leaped out from behind a small bush.

Mentally chiding himself, Shadow crawled out of his bush, the nearby rabbit watching him. Looking at the animal for a second, the alicorn turned to leave. Involuntarily jumping as another branch snapped, he turned to glare at the light brown ball of fluff who was laughing as it snapped another branch. A moment later, the creature found itself flying through the air as Shadow released the spell he had used to lob the annoying rodent into a nearby stand of thorn covered bushes.

Leaving the rabbit to shout at him, Shadow turned to slowly make his way home, wincing as a small headache started to grow at the base of his horn. This wasn’t the first magic induced headache he had gotten. They usually happened when he had over exerted himself while casting a spell, which left him wondering all the more what had happened that night. He could remember picking himself up off the floor after the spell Mrs. Pie had given him failed, but doubted that it was the cause of his headache, since it had just appeared. What happened last night? Did I cast a spell in my sleep again? He snerked at this; it wouldn’t be the first time something like that had happened. Neither was this the first time he had woken up in the forest after falling asleep in his bed. Shaking his head, he laughed a little, figuring that his mom and dad were probably freaking out. Fortunately, it was a long weekend so he didn’t have to worry about school.

Turning left at a particularly gnarled oak, Shadow could see a familiar low rise that hid his house from view. Breaking into a slow trot, Shadow looked up through the forest canopy at the light blue sky above. Through the leaves, he could see a pair of pegasi pass overhead. At this, the young alicorn flared his wings slightly. It was a habit he had picked up that reassured him that his vest was in place. Feeling more movement than normal, the young colt dashed beneath a large pine when he realized that he didn’t have his vest on. Shedding his saddle bags, he knelt down, touching his horn to the clasp of one of the bags. Allowing a small amount of magic to build, he released it into the clasp, breaking the magical seal on it. Reaching inside, he gently pulled out the ancient book that his vest was wrapped around. A minute later, a young pony stepped out from under the tree, a unicorn as far as the world was concerned. Breaking into a trot, Shadow smiled as the distance between him and home shrank. His mom was probably flying a quick search over the forest looking for him, while dad was likely at home in case he came back on his own. Wouldn’t they be surprised when he trotted in? This would probably be a new record distance for him.

Reaching the top of the rise, Shadow stopped in his tracks. His house was gone. The entire building was gone. Where his home should have been was a blackened hole. In the center was what had once been the basement, the large stone blocks that made up the walls were now shattered and cracked rubble. Looking around, he could see a group of unicorns lifting mangled wreckage from the forest floor. What happened? Who were all these ponies and where were his parents? Where was his sister?

Across the clearing, he could see a trio of objects under sheets beneath a tree. Nearby, a lone unicorn stood, as if guarding them. Why would they have somepony guard debris? Was it debris? As he watched, the guard glanced at the three sheets before sadly shaking his head as he wiped his eyes with the back of a leg before regaining his composure. Shadow could feel something grab his heart and squeeze. Why would a pony shed tears over debris? They wouldn’t unless… Shadow felt his legs weaken. That wasn’t debris, that was… is… As if on cue, a sudden gust of wind whipped down from the nearby mountains, hitting the clearing and blowing at the sheets to reveal a blackened pony-shaped body.

Whipping his head around, Shadow bolted into the nearby forest. As he ran, his mind decided to betray him yet again. He could see it all. He could see his room seemingly burst into flames as he jumped from the open window. He could feel the blistering heat around him as his flesh burned. Despite the ringing in his ears, he could hear his sister scream in agony. Not watching where he was going, Shadow didn’t see the root that snagged his hoof, sending him crashing into the ground. Like a nightmare he couldn’t stop, Shadow watched his house explode, his shield disappearing right before being thrown into the woods like he was nothing. Over and over, the scene repeated itself. Through it all, the only thing the young orphan heard was the sound of his sister’s screams; the bone-chilling sound seemingly stuck on a vicious, never ending loop.

Shadow wept.

He lay where he landed, not moving from that spot as he curled into a ball and cried. He cried for his family, for his cat, for his life which he knew he could never go back to. He knew that he couldn’t go back. If anypony saw him, he knew that they’d blame him. It wasn’t exactly a secret that he was rather gifted when it came to magic. They would see him alive, his family dead, and it wouldn’t take them long to discover his secret. Despite his ten years, Shadow was under no impressions about how the town would react when they discovered that he wasn’t just a unicorn.

As he lay there, the names of three of the greatest villains in the island’s history slowly grew in his mind. Sombra had killed his entire family, stepping over their bodies on his way to the throne. Celestia had banished her sister to the moon for a thousand years, only to kill her when she finally escaped. Star Trail had tried to take over the island, killing and enslaving any who stood before her. One was an alicorn; two had tried to become one. One had succeeded. The town would see his wings, his horn, and he’d be lucky if he didn’t live to see the sunset. They had never shown him much mercy when they saw him as just a unicorn, and they wouldn’t show any if they caught him.

As he lay there, Shadow could feel himself begin to panic. Gripping his head, he barely bit back a scream as he felt a knife stab itself into his mind. What was he going to do? Where was he going to go? The two questions swirled around in his head while his mind replayed the previous night’s events over and over. Fire. His sister’s screams. An explosion. Each one taunting him, while twisting the knife in his head every time they appeared. Barely able to catch his breath, Shadow looked up at the clear blue sky. “Luna” he managed to croak, “Help me. Watch over me and guide me. Help me to see my family again. What do I do now my Queen? Where can I go now?” Above, a breeze stirred the trees around him, their leave rustling under the late spring sun. Unable to stop it, Shadow felt the darkness which had been gnawing at his vision finally claim him.

Ch.4 A New World - Part 1

On Tranquility’s main deck, chaos reigned. Across the deck, most of the crew ran about as they attempted to control the flames slowly engulfing their ship. High Tide leaped back, barely avoiding the fore boom as the large piece of wood crashed onto the deck. A quick glance confirmed what he heard as the fore sail flapped in the breeze, now free of the boom that had been holding it taught. As it flapped, the inflamed sheet of canvas slowly set more parts of the Tranquility on fire as it sent drops of fire spraying across the deck. Above him, the second officer heard a pony shout. Looking up, he watched the ship’s navigator drop like a hawk toward the sea below. A heartbeat before he would plow headfirst into the Great Ocean, the pegasus pulled up, barely missing High Tide’s head as he tore through the smoke filled air. Without slowing down, the young stallion pulled the hardest turn the officer had ever seen around the Tranquility’s fore mast. Ahead of the navigator, an earth pony abandoned her position as the flames around her closed in. Screaming in terror, the mare threw herself off the side of the ship as flames licked at her hooves. Before she could hit the water, Star Chart pounced on the mare, throwing his legs around her as he grabbed her before she could hit the water.

Coming back to reality, High Tide waited until the mare was back on board before returning to the situation before him. Staring at the burning sheet of canvas, the unicorn’s horn glowed as his magic grabbed the sail and pulled it taut while shouting to the pony behind him. Overhead, a group of pegasi flew by, throwing buckets of water onto the sail to little effect, as the water only seemed to spread the flames.

Jumping at the sound of her name being shouted, Spring Rain looked at the second mate for a moment, her mind barely registering what he yelled as it tried to deal with the chaos around her. It took her a few precious moments before she comprehended what he was yelling at her. Nodding mutely, she focused on the sail above them. Channeling energy to her horn, the mare forced the magic into the form of a hook shaped blade. Without hesitation, she set the magical blade against the far end of the sail and pulled, cutting the canvas sheet in half. Before it could hit the deck, High Tide redirected his magic, sending the burning piece of sail overboard.

Backing up a step, High Tide jumped as he stepped on something soft that cried out. Whipping his head around, the officer saw a younger earth pony stallion curled up on the deck, his eyes clearly focused on something else as he shivered uncontrollably. High Tide stared at the pony before him, his mind blank for several moments before he remembered the young stallion’s name. The second mate shook his head, not wanting to believe that the name belonged to this pony. This couldn’t be the same stallion that had helped defend the ship from a band of gryphon pirates a year earlier. Taking a closer look, the older stallion groaned as he realized that it was the same earth pony who had bucked one of the pirates so hard in the face that the gryphon was sent crashing into the ocean after flying over both the Tranquility and the attacking ship. Feeling his opinion of the younger pony sinking, the yellow and black stallion looked over at the mare next to him. Swearing like the veteran sailor he was, High Tide grabbed the mare, slapping her across the face with a hoof.

Sputtering in shock, the unicorn mare shook her head before glaring at the stallion, “What the fuck was that for!”

“How else was I supposed to get your attention, by kissing you?!” Ignoring the look of absolute disgust that crossed her face, the stallion took a final look at the pony curled up at his hooves. “Look, if you want curl up like a foal and piss yourself in fear like him” the officer gestured to the younger pony below him “do it on your own time! Right now I need you here, and if I have to slap you, I will!”

Rain wanted to punch the older stallion in the face but didn’t. As much as she would enjoy it, she knew he was right, no matter how much she hated admitting it. Instead, she turned to face the older pony. “So you got a plan?”

The second mate looked at her, his glare telling her everything he thought about her sarcastic question. “Just follow my lead.” Powering up his horn, the stallion focused on the ocean to the ship’s starboard side. A column of water as thick as a pony erupted from the water, arching over an intact section of railing before throwing itself against the ship’s burning deck. The seawater crashed into the inferno, hissing and steaming as it met the flames. The officer felt his stomach sink as instead of going out, the flames floated on the water like miniature versions of the Tranquility. The string of profanity that followed lasted for several seconds before he felt a second magical presence join with his. Glancing at the mare, he saw her horn shining brightly as a smirk slowly grew on her face. Turning back to the fire, High Tide watched as more water poured onto the ship’s deck, until it was deep enough to reach his barrel if he had been down there. Next to him, he could hear Spring Rain muttering as she focused on the water. Around the fire, walls of water began to rise in between the flames and the ship. Realizing her plan, the stallion smiled as he switched his focus to the water on deck. Remembering a trick he picked up in the Royal Guard, he cast a shield beneath the seawater, shaping the magical barrier until it formed a rough bowl shape.

The two unicorns jumped as they heard and felt another ship explode. Glancing behind him, High Tide watched as the creature writhed in anger and pain as it got pelted with debris. “Celestia’s pearly tits that thing is annoying.”

“No fuck but we got other things to deal with!”

As she spoke, the officer felt an idea form in his mind that sent shivers down his spine. Turning back to the magical bowl of liquid fire, he heard the creature roar behind him. As the idea solidified in his mind, he turned to the mare next to him, a smile slowly growing on his face. The mare took a step back out of pure instinct at his predatory smile. Glancing at the contained fire, she turned her head to look at the monster several hundred yards ahead of them. Turning back to the officer, his plan started to dawn on her. She felt a smile grow on her face too.

“You fire, I aim.”

“With pleasure” She replied. Together, the pair slowly maneuvered the bowl of fire between the fore and main masts until it hung over the ship’s port side. As they brought it over the bow, High Tide was pleased to see that the ships around them somehow knew to do the same thing. A part of him wondered about that but he pushed the thought aside. Stepping behind the mare, the second mate could barely look at Spring Rain as her horn blazed like the sun. Squinting, he took a moment to adjust the projectile before casting a shield around the entire thing.

“Ready?”

The mare’s smile was all teeth.

“FIRE!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, so every ship in range heard him. As one, a dozen balls of water and fire were launched into the air. High Tide watched their round arc towards the creature, his horn glowing as he kept it on course. Just before impact, the stallion dispelled the shield around the ball of flaming water. The creature, still reeling from the latest explosion, never saw the attack coming. It roared in pain as the Tranquility’s round struck, the liquid fire rolling down its head and back. Roaring loud enough to be heard miles away, the sea monster dove into the ocean, its tail lashing a nearby ship in half as it fled.

His ears ringing from the final explosion, High Tide turned to the mare next to him, only to find himself staggering backwards as she grabbed him in a massive hug. As his hearing returned, the second mate could faintly hear the cheers of the Tranquility’s crew over the mare’s screams of victory. Before he could react, the stallion found his lips locked with hers. The kiss lasted for several seconds before Spring Rain opened her eyes. Seeing who she was kissing, the mare yanked her head back as she pushed against the stallion, knocking him to the deck.

“If you tell anypony that happened, you won’t live long enough to regret it.” She growled at him, before turning her back to him and walking away.

High Tide smiled as he sat up, deciding to keep what happened to himself. He knew from experience that she’d follow through with her threat if he talked but she never said anything about reminding her about it. Glancing to his right, he watched the young earth pony stallion continue to stare off into space as he remained curled against the bow’s railing. Groaning as suddenly sore muscles protested, the ship’s Second Mate slowly stood, surveying the cheering, ecstatic crew. “Come on you” he said as he picked up the cowering stallion with his magic, “Let’s see if somepony can beat some sense back into you.”

Trotting up the steps that led to the main deck, Sea Breeze never saw the one step that tried to trip everypony onboard until it was too late. Rubbing her jaw as she picked herself up, the image of a badly burned alicorn colt that had been stuck in her mind slowly faded as reality finally forced itself upon the first mate. Shaking her head, the blonde maned unicorn climbed the rest of the staircase two steps at a time. Walking out into the open, the officer found herself stunned by the damage to her floating home. Between the Tranquility’s two masts, the deck simply ceased to exist, a large, jagged hole having replaced most of the deck. From above, a pair of pegasi swooped down, their watery payloads flashing to steam with a hiss as they hit the charred sections of remaining deck. Along the empty armory wall, a number of crew sat or in a few cases lay while a trio of crewmembers slowly tended to them.

Turning her head, Sea Breeze frowned as she stalked toward a certain officer who was yelling at the top of his lungs. Walking up unheard behind the raging stallion, she watched as the ponies High Tide was yelling at shuddered under the verbal onslaught, curling into even tighter balls as the cursing continued. Rubbing the side of her head as a headache formed, the female officer waited a moment for High Tide to take a breath. In the moment of silence between verbal lashings, the mare ignited her horn, magically silencing the larger stallion. Unable to vent his spleen upon the ponies before him, the stallion turned to face the only pony on the ship bold enough to silence him like that. His glare, which in the past had caused multiple victims to wet themselves in fear, had absolutely no effect as the mare stared back incredulously. “Don’t give me that look; we both know it won’t work.” Sea Breeze watched as the enraged stallion’s glare slowly cooled. “If you’d thought for a moment, you would have realized that yelling is not going to get these ponies back together. It’s not direct enough.”

Turning her gaze upon the quivering pile of ponies, Sea Breeze channeled energy into her horn. Grabbing a ball of sea water as large as her, she unceremoniously dropped it onto the ponies before her. Not waiting for a reaction, a bolt of energy lanced from her horn. The quartet of ponies jumped and yelped as the miniature bolt of lightning arced between them, leaving them stinging and sore. Finally being dragged back to reality, the group looked up to find the two officers glaring back at them. “Get to your hooves and get to work before I throw you to whatever the fuck that was!” The mare screamed at them. Not waiting for her to follow through, the group scattered. Taking a moment to calm down, Sea Breeze turned around to survey the deck. “So just how fucked are we?”

“Not quite prison level, but close” The second mate replied. “Half of the main foresail was lost to the fire, along with the fore boom. The fore mast is burned and has a crack running up half its length. The main mast is slightly charred but otherwise good, while the main sail somehow escaped serious damage. The bowsprit is completely gone, and the main deck is, well…” High Tide trailed off as he gestured to everything around him. “By all rights, we should all be dead, but thanks to the stowaway we’re not.”

“His name is Shadow” The mare growled. “How’s the crew doing?”

“Other than a few taking a quick mental vacation, pretty good all things considered. A couple crewmembers were injured, but nothing more serious than minor burns and a broken leg. Jet Stream and Sail were popular among the crew. Their loss will hit everypony hard.”

Sea Breeze nodded silently as she recalled the faces of the two ponies, their screams echoing in her ears. Before she could say anything, a young stallion, one of the ponies she had just zapped, skidded to a halt before the two officers.

“Ma’am, we’re taking on water in the hold!”

“Show me.” The mare growled as she and High Tide followed him. Standing along the crumbling edge of the deck, the three ponies looked down into the main hold where a few ponies were moving about in the chest deep water. Without a word both officers ignited their horns, channeling their magic to form a pair of water columns that drained the hold within seconds. Even as they drained the water, they could see streams of water spraying into the hold from the hull. “You said something about not quite prison level?”

“Still not there yet” The yellow and black stallion replied as he surveyed the damage. “I’ll deal with this.” Without another word, the second mate spun on his front hooves, all but bucking the young stallion over the shattered deck’s edge. Before his ‘volunteer’ could scream, High Tide ignited his horn, catching the unfortunate pony a hair’s breadth from the cluttered deck below. Glancing over at the officer next to him, the older stallion raised a lone eyebrow, “What?” Smiling at the sound of a splash as he released the younger pony from his magical grip, High Tide jumped into the void before him, his horn glowing as his fall quickly slowed until he landed with a slight bump. Taking a moment to shove aside the unlucky earth pony he had sent before him, the older stallion started to bark at the ponies around him. Within seconds, the officer’s threats and targeted innuendo had the crew running around. Igniting his horn, the stallion sent crates flying as he moved the ship’s cargo around, exposing numerous cracks and fissures in the hull. Taking a moment to catch his breath, a smile slowly grew on his face as High Tide surveyed the damage. Other than a hoof-full of cracks, most of the damage seemed to be confined to the joints and seams of the hoof thick planks that formed the Tranquility’s hull. Channeling energy into his horn, a glittering yellow shield formed before the unicorn officer. Taking a moment to shape it, High Tide moved the shield into place against the wall of the hold. He knew it wouldn’t be as good as pitch and tar, but it would more than do for the time being.

Despite his habit of hitting on the ship’s mares, as she watched from above, Sea Breeze was glad that they had hired the stallion. Overhead, the Tranquility’s pegasi made another run at the deck, dropping the contents of their buckets across the blackened deck. One pegasus, having come in a little too fast, released her payload a split second too late. Instead of hitting the smoking section of deck, the volley of water missed completely, flying into the large hole in the deck. From below, Sea Breeze heard a string of rather interesting expletives and sexual innuendo from a certain officer who had just received an unexpected soaking, before a shield shimmered into existence just below the missing section of deck.

Walking to the back of the ship, Sea Breeze saw the doctor standing in the open doorway, his eyes closed as he took a moment to enjoy the breeze rolling across the deck. Walking to the zebra, the unicorn mare watched the doctor crack his neck as he fell in beside her. “How is he?”

“For the moment he’s stable. He was conscious for a few minutes so I was able to give him a painkiller laced with enough sedatives to take out half the crew. He won’t be waking up for a while. As for his injuries,” Zetani said as he started to inspect the medics’ hoof work “by all rights he should be dead right now. No pony short of the princesses should have survived something like that.”

“Well, he is strong for his age.”

“Maybe, but I hope he didn’t use up all that strength.”

Sea Breeze felt something inside her slowly sink. “Why?”

Zetani looked up at the mare. Giving the stallion sitting before him a pat on the shoulder, the zebra walked to her, subtly nodding his head for her to follow. “I didn’t want to say this in front of the crew since they don’t need this added on top of everything else from today but if we don’t do something, Shadow won’t see the end of next week.”

“What do you mean?”

“Believe me when I say that, alicorn or not, he should not be alive right now. He’s got third degree burns to over half his body and while I’ve heard of ponies surviving worse, they were in hospitals that could deal with any infections. He’s not that lucky. I’ve got enough potions and supplies to keep any infections under control, but, and I can’t stress this enough, it won’t work forever. The rest here will be fine though I’ll dose them as a precaution. Unfortunately, I don’t have what I need to heal his burns. Unless I heal those burns, anything I give him for the infections he’ll get will only be temporary, and I’ll either run out of supplies or the infection will become immune to my potions. Either way, he dies.”

“What do you need?” Her question was as cold as it was simple.

“There is a rare flower with certain properties. The good news is that we should be able to find it if we change course.”

“Where?”

“Remember when we had to take shelter at that small island because of the brewing storm when we were heading to Crystal Island?”

Sea Breeze nodded as the island Zetani was talking about came to mind. “There?”

The doctor nodded. “I found some while exploring the island. I didn’t take any at the time because it doesn’t last long and we didn’t need it then.”

“Consider it done. You just make sure he gets to that island alive.”

The ship’s lone zebra nodded as he turned toward the injured crewmembers. “I don’t know if you believe in prayer, but if you do, he could use some.”

Sea Breeze watched the ship’s doctor walk back to the group of injured ponies. Above she could see the pegasi forming up for another pass while a pair hovered hundreds of feet above the ship, apparently on sentry duty. As the pegasi shot over the damaged ship, the mare yelled out to one of them. The pony in question abruptly pulled into a vertical ascent, bleeding off excess speed before gliding down to land next to the first mate.

Star Chart nodded his head in respect as he worked to catch his breath. “You called, ma’am?”

Sea Breeze nodded. “We need to change course.”

“Where to?”

“That small island we took shelter at on our way to Crystal Island.”

The pegasus walked up the stairs to a heavy oak table behind the captain. Sea Breeze watched the pony study the maps, along with the first stars of the evening as he muttered to himself. “It shouldn’t be too hard to get there” He said a few minutes later, much to the mare’s relief. “How soon do we need to be there?”

“Yesterday.”

“Not a chance, ma’am.”

Sea Breeze frowned. “Why?”

Star Chart sighed. “If we hadn’t been attacked, it would take us three, probably four days to get there if we were at full canvas. But as it stands, there’s a crack running half way up the fore mast wide enough to stick my hoof in. Unless you want to risk losing that mast altogether, and possibly the ship, we’ll have to pull all the canvas, lest an errant breeze snaps that thing like a twig.” An image of the front mast snapping and taking the main mast with it crossed unbidden through the officer’s mind. “On top of that, we have another problem.”

“What now?”

Star Chart glanced at the only other pony within hearing range. “I know you’ve been busy ma’am, but since the attack, the captain hasn’t moved from the wheel. He hasn’t said a word or shouted an order… if he didn’t occasionally blink you’d be hard pressed to prove he isn’t a statue.”

Sea Breeze stared at the frozen back of her lover. Other than him gently breathing, he didn’t so much twitch an ear. It was a stark contrast to the stallion she knew. This wasn’t the stallion who mangled sailing ballads while guiding his ship through storms that sent other ships fleeing for shelter. “Have you ever taken a turn behind the wheel?”

“Once. For about five minutes.”

“It’ll have to do.” The mare muttered bitterly as she plotted her next move. “I’ll deal with the captain; you take the wheel and get us to that island.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Sea Breeze slowly sidled up next to her lover, gently bumping into him. Main Stay didn’t twitch a muscle. Leaning over, the mare looked into her stallion’s eyes, only to find that they had shrunk to pinpricks. Getting no response by waving in front of his face, the mare narrowed her eyes, thinking for a moment before leaning over and gently whispering into his ear. What she said was between her and Main Stay but her voice acted like magic as the captain slowly came back to life. Turning to her, his raised eyebrow was met with a pair of eyes that told him everything he needed to know. Star Chart watched the captain follow the mare down the steps and into the ship as he took the older stallion’s place.

As the Tranquility subtly changed course, Sea Breeze led Main Stay into their small cabin, the stallion following close behind. Turning, she locked her lips with his; letting all the tension and stress from the day melt away in his embrace. Igniting her horn, she picked him off the floor only to gently toss him into the room’s lone bed a second later. Excusing herself with a short whisper and a longer kiss, Sea Breeze smiled as his gentle snores began to fill the room as she silently closed the door behind her.

From above, the shouted two word call’s effect on the crew of the Tranquility was like a bucket of ice water being emptied over the head of a sleeping drunk. Along the deck, everypony that could ran to lean over the railing in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the welcomed piece of land while anypony with wings took to the air to do the same. Sea Breeze smiled for the first time in nearly a week as the crew ran around the deck, preparing for landfall. All across the deck, tools and equipment were collected and stowed as a group of unicorns led by High Tide started to lift a number of battered crates out of the hold. Glancing at the captain, the mare was pleased to see that the haunted look that had settled over his face after the attack had finally disappeared. While he wasn’t the same stallion he had been before, she could see bits and pieces of him shining through as he shouted orders to the racing crew below, laughing for seemingly no reason other than because he wanted to.

Smiling, Sea Breeze trotted down the steps to the main deck as the freshly replaced door leading into the ship opened to reveal the ship’s doctor. “How’s our patient doing doc?”

Zetani smiled, breathing deeply as the morning sun warmed his fur. “Just gave him the last of the anti-infection potion I had.” The smile slowly faded. “He’s lucky to have made it this far, but without more…” He didn’t need to say the rest.

“Timing couldn’t be better then.” The first mate replied as she gestured to the crew. “One of the sentries just spotted the island. We should be there before noon, and after we beach the ship, I’ll help you with Shadow.”

“We’re beaching her?”

“We have to. There are a number of cracks in the hull below the waterline and if we want to make it to a dry dock in Manehattan, we have to patch them, which we can only do if they’re not spraying water.” The mare said, shrugging. “Besides, we should be safe from that thing as long as we’re grounded.”

Zetani slowly nodded. “If that’s the case, then I got a patient and supplies to prepare.”

As the sun approached the top of its daily climb, the island’s sole mountain loomed over the Tranquility as the ship passed between the two tree-covered ridges that formed the outer barrier of the island’s lone bay. Across the main deck, crewmembers raced to secure any loose objects as their ship limped toward a stretch of empty beach. Sea Breeze was disappointed that the scouts had reported the island was deserted. While most ponies didn’t know about the island, and likely wouldn’t have cared if they did, those that did know about it tended to stop by whenever they were in the area. Beside the opportunity to get news of the outside world, Sea Breeze had hoped that a ship would be there so they could trade for supplies.

Glancing behind them, the mare could see a pair of clone ships had followed them into the bay while the rest gently rolled in the waves outside. From the bow, she heard High Tide call out a final warning to brace as the bay’s depth rapidly decreased. Aboard the two other ships, she watched the crews race to find something to grab onto. With seconds to go before impact, both mates shouted at the same time, before Sea Breeze dropped to the deck, joining Zetani to hold Shadow, who was laying on a stretcher, with only his head left uncovered by the blanket covering him.

The crew of the Tranquility felt the keel dig into the shallows a moment before the bow plowed into the beach; sand flying as the ship shuddered and groaned before finally grinding to a halt. As the crew started to stand, a series of loud cracks pierced the still air as the fore mast snapped a dozen feet above the deck to fall crashing onto the beach.

Looking over at the zebra next to her, Sea Breeze sighed as she got to her hooves. Before she could say anything, a pair of cracks echoed across the still bay as the front mast on both of the clone ships fell too. As the echoes died, High Tide’s voice carried across the deck, the crew jumping into action as the second mate cursed and insulted them. With the young colt and his stretcher wrapped safely in her magic, Sea Breeze walked to the empty bow before grabbing the ship’s doctor and lowering them both to the sand below.

As Zetani secured his patient, the Tranquility’s First Mate joined the ship’s unicorns as they lifted repair supplies onto the beach while the pegasi airlifted the earth ponies off the ship. Looking up, Zetani watched the crew of one of the clone ships disembark as well, the unicorns helping to lower the non-winged crewmembers to the beach, among them a black colt and a zebra who ran over as soon as they hit the sand. The doctor found it disconcerting to watch himself and a healthy Shadow skid to a halt next to him. Shaking his head, Zetani pointed to the healthy Shadow, “There’re two boxes with my name on them” he pointed to the small mountain of crates and tools that was sitting next to the Tranquility “I need you to go get them.” Without waiting, the clone tore across the sand.

“Anything I can do?”

Zetani looked up at himself, thinking. “Do you know how to mix potions?”

The clone shook its head. “I only know what he does” it said, gesturing to the unconscious Shadow.

The doctor looked over to the Tranquility as the three crews mixed and mingled. “I’m sure they could use your help.”

“Take care of him, doc” The clone said as he left for the mound of supplies next to the Tranquility.

Zetani watched his clone walk off; exchanging a few words with the two Shadow clones as they came back with Sea Breeze close behind them.

“You ready to go?” The mare said as she approached.

Zetani looked over the items gently hovering above the two smaller clones “Yup.”

“Good, let’s go.”

“I take it they don’t need us?” Zetani said, looking over at his home. Already a number of long, thick ropes had been thrown off the bow. With the unicorn crewmembers lifting the ship, the three crews began hauling on the lines as somepony began to chant, the crews soon pulling in time. “Guess not.”

The noise from the beach quickly disappeared as the group moved deeper into the island. Looking up, Zetani was reminded of some of the forests he had visited while on shore leave. The trees towered over head, the leaves rustling in a gentle breeze that didn’t reach the ground as birds called down from above. Growing up on the grasslands, the doctor had heard of forests, but had never really appreciated them until he had actually walked through his first one.

Pushing through a clump of bushes, Zetani stopped, a smile quickly growing as he surveyed the small clearing. From one side to the other, the ground was hidden under a blanket of orange flowers larger than his hoof. Lowering his head to inspect the nearest one, the doctor’s smile widened as he saw the two white stripes that ran the length of each petal. Behind him, he could hear the others stop as they pushed through the wall of bushes.

“This the flower?” Sea Breeze asked as she took in the view.

“It is, and there’s more than enough.”

“Good.” She set Shadow down in the forest’s shade. “What now?”

Within minutes, the two clones had collected a pile of sticks as tall as the doctor while the two adults set up a large cauldron. Stepping away for a moment, Sea Breeze returned with a ball of water as large as her floating next to her. “Anything else” She asked as a few small tendrils of smoke started to billow from beneath the pot.

Zetani shook his head. “It’ll take a while for the water to boil, so if you want to go check on repairs…”

Sea Breeze thought it over before nodding. “I’m curious” she said, eyeing the cauldron, “once the potion’s ready, does he have to drink it all, or do we have to dunk him in it?”

The doctor shook his head, chuckling at the mare’s suggestion. “He shouldn’t have to drink more than a bowl or two. I figured that since we’re here, I’d make a large batch and save the rest. I’ll keep some just in case and sell the rest when we get to Manehattan to help with the repair costs.”

Watching the first mate and the clones leave, Zetani loosened the strap around his waist, letting the saddlebags hit the ground with a sigh as he was relieved of the weight. It must be nice being able to lift things with your mind the doctor mused as he pushed through the bushes to check on Shadow. While he could have had the injured colt closer to the fire, the doctor left him where Sea Breeze had set him along the outskirts of the clearing, figuring that a small field of flowers was a better sight than a bunch of trees.

Skirting the bushes, Zetani paused as he approached the steaming cauldron, suddenly feeling off, as if he wasn’t alone. He quickly dismissed the idea of something hiding in the undergrowth, since it wasn’t tall enough to hide anything larger than a newborn foal. As he stood there, the doctor’s hoof slowly rose toward the knife he had started to keep strapped across his chest. He heard nothing as he silently made his way to the fire. At the fire, the feeling was almost overwhelming. Slowly drawing the knife from its sheath, the zebra unconsciously started to crouch. It was a stance that had been drilled into him by his father out on the Zebrican plains. Glancing down, Zetani felt his heart stop for a moment. Ignoring the heat, the doctor leaned closer, his eyes focused on a small patch of flames. Among the dancing tongues of fire, one tongue danced slightly out of sync with the others. Feeling his heart start beating again, Zetani sheathed the knife, quietly sighing in relief as he did.

“Siku kuheshimiwa nzuri roho” He said to the fire, bowing his head. A few heartbeats later, a pair of eyes appeared on the rogue tongue of flame. The eyes evaluated the doctor for a moment before the flame slowly grew.

“Siku njema rafiki pundamilia” The creature replied, bowing its head before cautiously looking around. Satisfied, the creature pulled itself from the small branch it had been hiding in.

“Do not fear friend Spirit, we are alone.” Zetani said, smiling as the creature relaxed, “What brings you to this island?”

The Sprite reached down, snapping a twig half its height from the branch it sat on. “We detected a fire on a supposedly uninhabited island and since the volcano isn’t due to erupt for another century or so, I was sent to investigate.”

“Wise.”

The creature shrugged as it gnawed on the twig. “Eh. It was either this or sit around and be bored.”

Zetani chuckled. “So how go things in the Spirit realm?”

“Oh the usual: the elders bicker among themselves, while the young compete with each other to be picked for The Burning.”

The doctor’s ears perked up at this. “Have they set a date?”

The Sprite shook its head. “Not yet. Your chiefs are still working it out.”

Zetani nodded, having been to a few of those meetings because of his father. The zebra physician never understood why it was so much work to simply pick a date for The Burning. Looking down, the Sprite rolled its eyes knowingly.

“What brings you to this rock in the middle of nowhere?”

“Our ship was attacked last week, and we have to make repairs.”

“And the pot?”

“Potion for an injured crewmember. Severe burns.”

The Sprite winced. “Ouch. Hope they get better.” The creature stood up, finishing off the rest of the twig in one bite. “I’d love to stay and talk, but my bosses don’t like being kept waiting.”

The doctor nodded. “Then go in peace and long life.”

“Gentle rains and bounty to you” The Sprite replied, one foot already in the branch.

“Oh, one more thing” Zetani said. “Any chance you could deliver a message for me?”

“Sure, don’t have much else to do.”

“Could you please tell Zona of River’s Bend that his son Zetani is alive and well?”

The Sprite smiled “Of course, friend Zetani” and with a flash, disappeared.

Zetani smiled as he stood. It had been years since he had seen or talked to a Fire Spirit. Stirring the simmering water, the doctor easily recalled the first time he had met one of the Spirits. He may have only been Shadow’s age but he could still feel the heat of the fire on his face, his face sweating as he inched closer to the flames, his eyes wide as a claw tipped hand reached out of a log, its owner quickly following. It took him little effort to remember how the Spirit’s stories came alive in the flames, as he and the other children of the village watched the characters dance and move among the flames.

Crushing a number of herbs together, the doctor dumped the mix into a mortar before grinding the fragments to dust, the scent bringing back memories of watching his older sister learning the skills of a shaman. She had made it look so effortless and simple, to mix a few plants and heal a sick creature, that out of jealousy and awe, he learned how to brew potions as well, a decision that had pleased their father. Eying the fine powder carefully, Zetani dumped it into the bubbling water, which slowly started to turn a dark green. As the potion’s base brewed, the doctor took the moment to check on his young patient, who was, much to the stallion’s relief, soundly asleep for the moment. Plucking a half dozen of the orange flowers, Zetani was surprised when he returned to see the potion glowing a shade of green that reminded him of a fresh spring leaf. He wasn’t expecting the reaction to occur so quickly. Had the Fire Spirit used its magic to heat the water even further? The zebra didn’t know and didn’t particularly care.

Pulling the petals from the flowers, he eyed the potion as it turned a brilliant shade of yellow. Tossing the petals into the stone grinding bowl, he ground them into an orange pulp as he waited for the potion to become clear. Checking the brew every few seconds, he could hear the words of his teacher, a mare old enough to be his grandmother and who had zero patience for any sass. As he watched the potion lose its color, he could hear her gentle instructions, telling him to wait for just the right moment in that rhyming way that all shamans seemed to naturally possess. Dropping the mass of flower pulp into the boiling cauldron, Zetani leaped back, knowing from experience that the reaction would be swift and that any fur it took with it would take months to grow back.

As he skidded to a stop, the cauldron belched, a plume of bright orange steam jumping into the air. Approaching the brew with the caution and respect of one who had learned to do so the hard way, Zetani smiled at the bright orange color as the reaction settled. Tossing a bag of powder onto the fire to put it out, the Tranquility’s doctor smiled at his work, hoping that his teacher would be proud of his brew. Watching it steam, he could hear her words of caution echo in his head: Use this brew with great care. Twice with one pony, you do not dare.

Dipping a bowl into the brew, the snap of a branch a moment later caused him to turn his head as Sea Breeze and her two clone helpers walked up the small hill. “How are things going?”

“I’ve seen worse.” She said, setting the dozens of jars above her on the ground next to the fire. “The crew is doing most of the repairs, while the others keep them supplied. We should be seaworthy – more or less – by nightfall, though we’ll have to wait until morning for the tide.” Zetani nodded. He hadn’t stepped hoof on land in weeks and as far as he was concerned, a night on land would be more than welcomed. “So, what do you need me to do?”

“Start filling the jars while I heal my patient.”

Shrugging, the mare nodded to one of the clones. Walking up to Shadow, Zetani smiled as the colt looked up at him. Lowering the bowl, the zebra didn’t need to say a thing as his patient grabbed the bowl with his magic, draining it and the second bowl in seconds. “How do you feel?”

Wincing, Shadow hissed as he felt his skin itch and crawl. “Been worse” He said, clenching his teeth as he put everything he had into resisting the urge to scratch. Fortunately for him, the sensation passed a few minutes later and with a sigh of relief took in his surroundings for the first time since the attack. To say he was stunned would be an understatement, as he felt his jaw dig into the dirt.

“Beautiful isn’t it?”

Shadow nodded. “Certainly better than…” He trailed off as he looked up at himself. “Uh…”

“A week ago during the attack” The clone said, answering Shadow’s questioning look, “Along with about thirty others. Nice touch making the ships explode by the way.”

“Explode?”

“Yeah, when they got hit; made that thing think twice pretty quickly.”

Shadow tried to remember the attack, only getting as far as his shield failing. “I don’t remember making any clones, and they definitely shouldn’t have exploded.” He looked up at their stunned expressions. “I am not looking forward to meeting the clones that got killed.”

Tapping the clone on the shoulder, Zetani tilted his head toward the small camp. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” Shadow watched the zebra as he loosened the bandages covering Shadow’s burns. “Who were you talking to back there a while ago?”

Zetani paused. How had Shadow heard that? Hadn’t he been unconscious then? “Just a friend.”

“Uh huh.”

Shadow’s expression told the zebra that that wasn’t going to be enough. “It was a Fire Spirit from my homeland. He wanted to know why there was a fire here.” Zetani explained the history of his species’ relations with the Fire Spirits, how they had first encountered each other, and how their relationship helped everyone. As he described The Burning, how the Spirits would set the savannah ablaze, how the flames would rise hundreds of feet into the air as they spread, he could see that he had Shadow’s complete attention. Looking over the colt’s injuries, Zetani was amazed at how well the potion had worked, the formerly blackened flesh was now a bright red, though that would eventually heal on its own as his fur grew back.

“How’s it look?”

“Much better” The doctor said as he stood. “Think you can stand?”

Wordlessly, the colt rolled onto his stomach, wincing as his tortured flesh stung. Pushing against the ground, Shadow slowly forced himself up, leaning into Zetani has his head swam from the move. “So why do they burn your home?”

“The fires help keep weeds under control and help a number of plants to eventually grow.”

“These Spirits sound interesting. I hope I get to see one.”

At this, Zetani smiled.

Ch.9 Survivors

Applejack sighed as she lowered her head, resting her chin on the side of the bed. In front of her, Apple Bloom lay silently, her chest slowly rising and falling as she slept. For a while, the farm mare watched her sister sleep, focusing on the her sister’s breathing despite the minor background noise from the room’s monitors and the chainsaw-like snoring coming from the bed behind her. As she watched, Applejack felt some of the weight that had been crushing her slowly disappear. How close had she come to losing her sister? She had known that her sister and her friends were going crusading that day, but what possible cutie mark could they earn in the Everfree? At the first whiff of smoke, her first thought had been about Apple Bloom. When she saw that light signal from the Everfree and heard Rarity shout her sister’s name, Applejack’s heart had nearly stopped.

Looking behind her, the mare watched Scootaloo sleep, the filly’s mouth hanging down as she snored. Around her head, the magic bubble glowed as a steady stream of black… something, snaked out of the filly’s mouth like smoke from a dragon’s snout, only to disappear as it hit the bubble’s walls. Turning back to her sister, Applejack stopped at the sight of her sister’s bow. The simple piece of ribbon that was as readily associated with her as a scooter was with a certain pegasus filly had seen better days. The pink bow had been blackened by ash, and numerous holes had been burned into the fabric by ash and debris. Setting her chin back down, Applejack couldn’t help but think about their parents. Though she hadn’t been much older than Apple Bloom was now when they had died, she couldn’t help but think about that day, about how she had found out.

That one day had nearly crushed her. She barely ate or slept for weeks afterward, only leaving her room when she had to, otherwise spending her time staring out her window or curled up on her bed crying. She had only survived thanks to her family and friends. If something had happened to Apple Bloom… Applejack shuddered at the thought. Being honest with herself, if her sister had been hurt or worse, the mare didn’t know how she’d recover, or if she even would. She knew her friends and family would be there for her, but would that be enough? The farmer silently shook her head. Grinding her teeth as she clamped her eyes shut, Applejack knew losing her sister would have crushed her more easily than an eggshell under a cart’s wheel. Wiping the tears from her eyes, the rodeo-mare watched as small clouds of whatever her sister had breathed in during the fire vanished against the bubble’s walls. She knew that from the outside her sister was fine, but what about inside? Could all that smoke and ash have done something to her lungs? Her mind?

Applejack felt a few tears roll down her cheek at the thought. Inside, her chest felt like it was going to explode from all the stress. Whipping her head around as she felt something brush against her back, Applejack barely felt the blanket settle itself around her shoulders as she looked up at the tired smile on Rarity’s face as the mare settled into a chair next to Sweetie Belle’s bed. “Thanks.”

“Think nothing of it, darling” Rarity said, setting the steaming cup of coffee on the nightstand next to her. “You looked like you could use it.” The two sisters fell silent as they watched their siblings sleep. “How are you doing?”

Applejack shook her head as she wiped a few rebellious tears away. How could she answer her friend, if she herself didn’t know the answer? “Ah don’t know” She said after a while. “Ah keep going over today and what happened, asking mahself what in tarnation they were doing in the Everfree.” Applejack looked over at her sister. “We nearly lost our sisters today, and ah don’t know if ah could have handled that.”

“But we didn’t” The blond maned mare looked up at the fashion designer across the room. “While I can’t imagine what I’d do if I lost Sweetie Belle, I don’t have to, and neither do you with Apple Bloom, thanks to Princess Celestia.” The white and purple mare took a sip from the cup hovering next to her “The doctor said that our sisters will be fine, and I have to believe him. Otherwise I’d be tying myself into knots thinking about the what-ifs. Then I’d be useless to everypony, especially my sister when she needs me the most.”

Applejack shook her head at the truth and wisdom of her friend’s words. “Since when are you the level headed one of our group” The farmer asked as a smile slowly grew on her lips, “Ah thought that was mah job.”

Rarity chuckled at the remark as she stirred her cup, ignoring a couple rebellious strands of hair that hung from her mane. “I guess we’ve been friends for so long that you’ve started to rub off on me.” Draining the rest of her coffee in one go, she set the empty cup in the waste basket next to the nightstand, “You know; you could go home for the night if you want. I’m not going anywhere.” The look on Applejack's face made Rarity feel as if, despite the distance between them, she had just slapped the rodeo mare.

“Ah ain’t abandoning mah sister.”

Before she could say anything, Rarity felt her sister shift in her bed. Moving closer, she grabbed one of Sweetie Belle’s hooves as the filly’s eyes slowly opened, slowly scanning the dimly lit room “Rarity?”

“I’m here, Sweetie” Rarity said as her sister’s eyes finally found her. “How do you feel?”

“Sore” Sweetie Belle croaked as she rubbed her eyes, “and thirsty.” Within a few seconds, the filly found a cup hovering in front of her. Grabbing the straw with her lips, she drained the cup in a heartbeat. “Thanks. Where’re Apple Bloom and Scootaloo?”

“Sleeping over here, sugar cube” Apple Jack said; waving to the crusader as the filly looked.

“What happened, Sweetie?” Rarity asked as she refilled her sister’s cup.

“We were crusading for our cutie marks. I wanted to try our hooves at baking, but Scootaloo and Apple Bloom out voted me.” Sweetie Belle shook her head as the memories of the day started to come back. “We barely had any warning. One moment everything was quiet, and then we were nearly run over by a stampede of animals. We had barely gotten to our hooves when we saw the flames. We tried to follow the animals, but we couldn’t keep up.” The pink and purple maned filly sucked greedily on the straw. “Before we knew it, the smoke was so thick we could barely see five feet in front of us. I don’t know how long it was before we found the river. By the time we reached the shore, the trees around us were on fire. Apple Bloom was the first to spot them.”

“Them? Who?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “I don’t know. There were creatures in the flames. They saw us and started chasing us. Out of nowhere, these two colts appeared and sent the fire creatures running after hitting one of them with water from the river. Before we could catch our breath, more of those creatures appeared. I don’t know what we did, but if those colts hadn’t been there…” Sweetie Belle shivered at what was left unsaid. “Then Rainbow Dash crashed and one of the colts threw himself in front of a fireball.” Sitting up suddenly, the filly frantically looked around the room, “Where are they? Where’s Rainbow Dash? Where are the colts?”

Rarity put a hoof on her sister’s shoulder, gently forcing her to lay back down. “Rainbow Dash broke her wing in the crash and is in another room. The colt is here as well.”

“What about the other one?”

“Princess Celestia only brought one back. If there was another colt, she would have brought him back too.”

Sweetie Belle covered her eyes with a leg as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Not knowing what to say, Rarity gently hugged her sister, stroking her mane until the filly had cried herself to sleep. Looking up, she watched Applejack move a chair next to hers. For a while, the two sisters sat silently, taking comfort in each other’s presence as they watched the three fillies sleep. “About earlier-”

“Forget about it, sugar cube” Applejack said, interrupting her friend. “Ah ain’t abandoning you or mah sister, not now.”
"I wasn't suggesting that, darling. All I'm saying is at least go home and let them know what's going on. We know that Celestia sent Spike to tell them what happened, but they're probably still up, waiting for you, and while you're at home, you can get a few things to make your stay a little more comfortable." Applejack sat back, considering the mare’s words. As she did, she mentally kicked herself, knowing how true they were. Having run off to find Apple Bloom when she saw the smoke, she could only imagine how Big Macintosh and Granny Smith were doing, wondering how she and her sister were. Looking up, the farmer felt a small smile grow on her face as she saw her friend’s tired smile. “Go.”

Nodding silently, Applejack slowly stood, finally feeling the effects of all the running and sitting she had done that day. Stopping by her sister’s bed, the mare gently kissed her sister’s head before letting herself out, making sure the door closed silently behind her.

Stepping outside, the first thing that Applejack noticed was the chill in the air. After several months without rain, the sudden cool down left the farm mare shivering in the sudden chill. Taking a deep breath, the mare smiled at how everything suddenly smelled fresh and new. Trotting down the hospital’s front steps, the feeling of wet gravel under hoof nearly added a spring to her step, until she remembered why she was there in the first place. Looking up as she walked toward Ponyville, Applejack let her eyes follow the dark shape of a Lunar Guard as it flew in front of the full moon. Following the flyer, the mare could see clouds pouring from the rebuilt weather factory, flashes of light among the new clouds leaving no doubt about their purpose.

As the sound of crunching gravel accompanied her, Applejack surveyed the small town’s center. Despite the chaos from earlier, other than a few chariots parked near the central fountain and a couple vacant tents, nothing seemed out of place. Nodding to a pair of Solar Guards as they walked by, the farm mare soon found herself walking by the spot where town’s former library had once stood. Despite the fact that it had been a shadow of its former self, no pony in town had wanted it gone. Most, Applejack included, had grown up with the tree being a constant and inviting landmark, making any suggestion of the tree’s removal at the town council meetings a sure way to earn a cold shoulder from everypony in the room, which had made it all that much trickier when she and her friends had talked to the mayor about what they wanted to do with the tree.

Looking up, Applejack found herself standing in front of Ponyville’s new library, the facets of the tree’s crystals glinting gently in the moon’s light. Knocking on the castle’s doors, the mare’s ears perked at the sound of a yelp moments before the doors opened. “Evening, Twi.”

The young alicorn mare looked up at her friend “Applejack! What are you doing here?” The young Princess said; confusion etched on her face as she trotted over to the farmer. “I thought you’d be at the hospital.”

“Ah just stepped out to get some fresh air and a few things from home.”

“How are they?” Twilight asked, draping a wing over her friend as she led the mare inside.

“Asleep. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are out cold. Ah don’t know what spell the doctor used to clear their lungs, but all three are making more smoke than the Manehattan Cannonball.”

Twilight snerked slightly at the description; even though it had been out of service for years, the Manehattan Cannonball was still legendary. Originally meant to carry mail and passengers non-stop between Canterlot and Manehattan, the train had quickly earned a reputation for how much smoke it put out. It was said that, even if a pony had never seen it before, they could still recognize the Cannonball by its smoke trail. Having traveled on the train herself several times, Twilight could attest to the famed train’s speed and smoke.

Stopping for a moment, Twilight picked up a nearby book with her magic. Opening it to where it had been bookmarked, the alicorn showed the spell to her friend. While she knew her friend occasionally snarked about there being a spell for even the easiest tasks, Twilight could see some of the tension in Applejack’s stance vanish, as she read what the book said. While medicine and technology were starting to catch up, there was still nothing better for removing smoke from lungs than this spell.

“Better?” Twilight asked after a while. Seeing her friend nod, the mare guided her over to a nearby sofa. Teleporting to the kitchen, the former student of Celestia reappeared a moment later, two steaming mugs of coffee hovering nearby. Giving one to Applejack, she watched as her friend relax as the farmer downed half the mug in one go. “How are you doing?”

Applejack lowered the mug, feeling herself wake up as the caffeine hit her system. “Better.” The mare replied. “Ah’ve spent the last few hours next to mah sister, watching her sleep, praying that she’d ignore what the doctor said and open her eyes, even for a moment.” Applejack slowly shook her head. “As ah sat there, ah couldn’t stop thinking about our parents. If anything happened to Apple Bloom…” The farmer hitched at the thought. Shaking her head as if to clear away the thought, the farmer took another sip from her mug, “Sweetie Belle woke up for a little bit a while ago.”

“How is she?”

“Much better than she coulda been. She doesn’t remember why they were in the Everfree, but she said they saw creatures in the fire.”

“Creatures?”

Applejack nodded. “She wasn’t long on a description, but from what she said, they were none too friendly. She said they were saved by a pair of colts, but that one of them took an attack meant for the crusaders and RD.” The farmer thought about it for a moment. “Could that have been another clone?”

“It’s certainly possible” Twilight said as she set her empty mug down. “There’s no telling how many he created and if any more survived the fire.”

“How is he doing?”

Twilight sighed as she recalled the surgeon’s report. “He’s alive, which is more than anypony could have expected given his injuries. They have him in Intensive Care at the moment, though they aren’t sure if or when he’ll wake up.”

“Damn.”

Twilight nodded. “Rainbow got out of surgery a few hours ago, though they’re keeping her sedated until tomorrow so her body has a chance to start healing. She’ll need some therapy for her wing, but the doctor is confident she’ll be back to normal in a few months.”

The room grew quiet as the two friends lapsed into silence. “How are you doing, sugar cube?” Applejack asked, eventually breaking the silence.

Twilight groaned, not sure how to answer her friend’s question. How did she feel? “I feel like I could fall asleep at any moment, yet at the same time, I could stay awake until tomorrow evening.” The youngest princess sighed as her friend chuckled. “At the end of our meeting, Celestia left me in charge of the colt’s saddlebag and vest.” Twilight pointed to the two items on a nearby table. “I’ve been trying to get the bag open for the last few hours, but whatever spell he put on it won’t let me in.” As if to emphasize her point, the alicorn pointed to her horn, which was now blackened and singed around the tip.

“Are you sure that’s a wise idea Twi? Ah mean; if what Sweetie Belle said is true, then he nearly got killed defending them.”

“I know what you mean AJ, but other than a name, we know next to nothing about him. No pony knows where he’s from, how old he is, or if he has any family. The princesses think he might be an orphan, but if he isn't and I can find something that tells us where he's from…”
Applejack thought over what Twilight said. While she was uncomfortable about going through his bags, if doing so got them the name of a family member… "Why don't you ask the clone?"

Twilight sighed. "If I thought it would help, I would. He's clearly scared of Celestia for some reason, and nearly screamed when he saw my wings in the ER. Plus, I don't know if I could trust anything he said. He said he was from the Crystal Empire, but his accent says different, and if he was, why isn't he all… well, shiny?" Twilight shook her head. “On top of that, he and Zecora are down in the basement working on potions for Shadow.”

“Shadow?”

“The colt that Celestia saved; his full name is Shadow Dancer, but that’s pretty much all we know about him and his clone won’t say anything else when asked.”

“Can’t you just blast his bag with a spell or something?”

Twilight shook her head. “That was the second thing I tried. Whatever spell he put on his bag redirects any magic used against it back to the caster. On top of that, I can’t just analyze the spell, because I’d have to get past it first.” The purple alicorn grumbled as a few sparks shot out of her horn.

Chuckling at her friend’s predicament, Ponyville’s head apple farmer slowly got to her hooves. “Ah’d stay and help, but ah don’t know much about magic and ah have to get going.” Waving as Twilight closed the door behind her, Applejack broke into a trot. Quickly passing through the small town, the mare felt her heart start to race as she reached the edge of town, the Everfree’s skeletal remains smoking in the distance. Despite how little danger the forest now posed, the mare still felt a shiver of fear race along her spine at the sight of the burned trees. Walking along the road that led to her farm, Applejack looked up as something overhead caught her attention. Above her, a Lunar Guard slowly paced her, tossing a casual salute as she looked at him. Feeling her nerves calm down, the blond-maned mare quietly followed the dirt road back home. Looking up as she reached the nationally famous farm, Applejack waved to her escort, who waved back before silently flying back to Ponyville.

Allowing herself a moment to smell the apple trees, the lone mare walked past the quiet barn. Ahead of her, she could see two ponies sitting by the only lit window in the farmhouse. Pushing the front door open a few minutes later, Applejack found herself being soaked by the tongue of her beloved border collie. Scratching the dog behind her ear, the mare looked up to find her brother watching her with a mix of worry and relief on his face that only those who knew him would be able to spot. Feeling the weight of the day crashing down on her, Applejack threw herself into her brother’s embrace.

Twilight glared at the lone saddlebag. What kind of protective spell had been cast on it? Picking the bag off the floor, the young alicorn slowly rotated it in the air before her. Before she could react, a small bolt of electricity leaped from the bag, arcing through the air and into the tip of her horn before she could blink. Hearing the accursed object hit the ground as her magic gave out, the princess sat down heavily as she felt the discharge play across her coat and mane. Glaring at the bag, she could feel it recharging and she knew that there was nothing she could do about it. It was well known that Twilight could be obsessive when it came to solving a problem. As she sat in the middle of the room watching the bag, she could feel that side of her starting to well up inside her. If only she knew what spell the colt had put on the bag.

Before she could try opening the bag again, Twilight’s ears turned as she heard somepony knocking on the door. Taking the interruption to stretch, the former unicorn yawned as she turned her back to the source of her current problems. Ahead of her, the castle’s doors slowly opened under her magic, revealing the lone white and purple mare outside. Teleporting across the short distance between them, Twilight embraced her fashion-conscious friend in a hug. “What are you doing here Rarity? I thought you’d be with Sweetie Belle?”

Rarity smiled as she stepped inside. “I am, darling. Applejack came back a few minutes ago and since my sister and her friends are sound asleep, I thought I’d get some fresh air.”

Leading her friend to the nearby sofa, Twilight ignited her horn, a pair of steaming tea cups flashing into existence a moment later. Letting herself get comfortable, Twilight watched her friend for a moment. “How are you doing?”

For a while, the town’s rising fashion star didn’t say anything, opting instead to stare at her tea while absently stirring it. “I don’t know” She said after a few minutes. “I keep going over what happened today, wondering if there were any signs that something might happen.” The purple-maned unicorn sighed as she took a sip from her cup. “I keep thinking about everything we’ve gone through together, Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, Sombra, Tirek, and how none of them scared me more than the sight of Sweetie Belle’s signal.” Twilight nodded, deciding that silence on her part for the moment would be better. “She was so proud of being able to do that simple spell that she rushed over after school just to show me.” Rarity shuddered. “I never thought she’d have to use it.” Twilight could recall learning that emergency spell when she was Sweetie Belle’s age, and how excited she had been when she showed her own parents. “Then Rainbow Dash was over the Everfree before I could take a step.” Rarity sighed as she let her head rest against the padding behind her, “Now all four of them are in the hospital.”

“And they are going to be alright, Rarity.” Twilight said, setting her now empty cup aside. “Applejack said that Sweetie woke up a while ago?” Rarity nodded. As her friend told her what the filly had said, Twilight felt her stomach sink as her friend mentioned the creatures Sweetie Belle had seen. Could they have been Sprites? If so, why would they go after the crusaders?

“… Sweetie eventually cried herself to sleep over the colt she saw get hit.” Rarity said, setting her cup next to Twilight’s, “Another clone?”

“Probably” Twilight said.

“I’ve never heard of such a spell, but magic isn’t exactly my forte. I’m surprised you haven’t used this spell yet, Twilight. Imagine how much you could get done with a few more yous running around.”

“Honestly? Until today, I had never heard of such a spell. I wouldn’t even know where to begin if I wanted to create such a spell.”

“Could they just be illusions? We’ve both seen those plenty of times.”

Twilight shook her head. “These aren’t illusions. Illusions are just light and magic; they can’t interact with their environment.” To make her point, the town’s only conscious alicorn’s horn glowed, a small blue ball glowing into existence in front of her a moment later. Gently lobbing the ball at her friend, both mares watched as it hit Rarity’s chest and disappeared as it went through her. "This clone can. I was watching it, and while its sinking into the cushion could have been an illusion, its shield wasn't. I could feel the shield's magic. No illusion, no matter how good, could use magic. Plus, it reacted to unexpected events like a real pony would, like how its shield went opaque when that clap of thunder startled it. I saw that happen at school, growing up. It's happened to me." Twilight shook her head, “Whatever spell Shadow used to create it, that clone is no illusion.”

“Why don’t you ask the clone? I’m sure he would know more.”

“It and Zecora are down in the basement right now, and I don’t want to disturb them.” Twilight left out the fact that the clone was afraid of her and likely wouldn’t answer any questions she asked.

“Then I guess you have a mystery to solve, darling.”

“I’ll add it to the list.” Twilight snarked as she teleported the pair of tea cups into the kitchen sink.

“What do you mean?”

Tilting her head, Celestia’s former student led her friend to where the lone saddlebag sat on the floor. “Celestia left me in charge of Shadow’s things, and I’ve been trying to get into his saddlebag for the last few hours. I would love to analyze the spell protecting his bag, but I can’t until I get his bag open, and I can’t get it open because I can’t get past the spell.”

“Are you sure that’s a wise idea, Twilight?”

“Applejack asked the same thing, and up to that point, I was. Now…” Twilight looked up at her singed horn.

Following her friend’s eyes, Rarity finally noticed the blackness that coated the top half of Twilight’s horn. “What happened?”

“The spell attacks anypony who tries to open the bag. I don’t know what it would do to an earth pony or a pegasus, but apparently it likes to throw miniature lightning bolts at unicorn horns.”

Walking over to the slightly faded red bag, the fashionista waved her friend’s words of caution off as she approached the bag. While its construction was the same rather basic design of most saddlebags, something about the bag caught her attention, though she couldn’t quite tell what. Bracing herself as she gently lifted the bag by a corner, both mares were surprised as Rarity set it down on the nearby table without getting zapped. Sighing in relief, Rarity inched closer to the bag, silently wishing she had her glasses with her. Feeling the fabric with a hoof, she felt her heart skip a beat as she realized that she had felt the strange texture before. Bringing her eyes up close to the bag, Rarity felt her stomach churn “Twilight?”

“Yeah, Rarity?”

“This bag is made of dragon hide” Rarity whispered, turning to her friend, “and not the fake kind, either.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight whispered back as she stood next to her friend, eyeing the bag with unease. Her thought had originally been dragon hide, but she had dismissed it as synthetic, since no pony in their right mind would make a saddlebag out of the hide of another creature.

“Positive.”

Twilight rubbed the bridge of her nose as a small headache formed. Where had this colt gotten the dragon hide for the bag? How had he gotten it? While she had seen the report on the Tranquility from Luna, Twilight knew he couldn’t have gotten the hide on his own. As she thought about it, the young Princess could feel a few puzzle pieces falling into place. Whether he knew it or not, by combining his spell with a bag made of dragon hide, which was naturally highly resistant to magic, Shadow had created a bag that nopony short of the Royal Sisters could possibly open. Grabbing a scrap sheet of paper, Twilight quickly wrote down what she had found.

“Is this everything?”

Twilight looked up, shaking her head “He was also wearing this when Princess Celestia rescued him” she said, picking up the tattered remains of Shadow’s vest.

Grabbing the vest in her magic, Rarity felt her heart sink as she inspected its remains. Despite the burns and singing, she could see in her mind how it must have looked in its prime. Inspecting the fabric, the mare nodded in approval at the choice, knowing from experience how durable it was. While it wouldn’t have met her standards, she could tell that both sets of stitching would have been more than adequate. Both sets? Eying the vest closely, she could see where somepony had replaced part of the back end with newer material, using a different stitch and thread than what was used elsewhere. Letting the vest float in front of her, Rarity felt a sense of sorrow as she manipulated the scrap, seeing how one side all but ceased to exist after a certain point. “What happened to him?” Rarity asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” Twilight said, silently examining the vest as well. “All we know for sure is what the doctors had to fix, and that is a list I don’t want to go over again.” Twilight shuddered, knowing that the sprites almost certainly caused the damage she was seeing. “We can only hope he eventually wakes up.”

Rarity nodded silently as she evaluated the vest. “Is there any chance I could borrow this, darling?”

“Sure, but why?”

“While not even I could repair this kind of damage, I’m sure our little hero wouldn’t mind waking up to a new vest or two.” Plus, with a few modifications, this could become the newest trend. Rarity thought as she folded the vests remains. Looking at a nearby clock, Rarity groaned at the time. “I’m sorry to run out on you so soon, Twilight, but I have to get back to the hospital and I have to stop by the boutique first.”

“Not a problem, Rarity.” Twilight said as she opened the door for her friend, “and say hi to Sweetie for me.”

“Of course, darling” Rarity replied, hugging her friend before leaving.

Closing the door behind her friend, Twilight glared at Shadow’s saddlebag. With a burst of magic, a pink shield surrounded the table and the bag. Satisfied, Twilight slowly walked up the stairs to her room. She’d deal with that bag in the morning but for now, she’d earned her rest.

Settling into the chair next to her sister’s bed, Rarity watched Sweetie’s chest gently rise and fall as she slept. Alongside Apple Bloom’s bed, Applejack was curled up on a bed roll, her ubiquitous hat on the nightstand next to her. Satisfied that everything was fine for the moment, Rarity picked up a pad of paper and a pencil with her magic. Looking down at the burned wreck of a vest next to her, the mare gently picked it up with her magic. Now that she had more time to study it, she could pick out details that had previously gone unnoticed, like how most of the stitching was uneven, yet mostly straight, telling the fashionista that it had been had most likely been hoof or wing stitched, since a machine stitch would be evenly spaced and straight, while a horn stitch would have only been slightly less so. Turning the vest over, Rarity noted the pocket inside, her mind puzzling at its purpose until she noticed the pocket’s shape. Why would he hide his wings? Shaking her head, the mare dismissed the question. The why didn’t matter to her, so much as the fact that it was there in the first place. Glancing up, Rarity watched as Scootaloo slept in the bed next to Sweetie Belle’s. I wonder if her parents know she’s here Rarity thought as she watched a stream of crud disappear against the bubble around the young filly’s head. Scootaloo’s parents had gone on a business trip to Trottingham, while leaving their daughter with Rumble and his family while they were gone. Resolving to talk with Twilight in the morning, the older unicorn found herself wondering if she could get Scootaloo to model for her, if only for Shadow’s new vest. They were about the same size after all… As she thought about it, she could feel the ideas competing for her attention in her mind, but before she got to them, there was a young colt who needed a new vest.

Twilight slowly walked down the hallway, the sound of her hooves echoing slightly off the walls of the otherwise silent corridor. Yawning as her body protested the lack of sleep, Twilight found herself silently wishing she could let somethings go unsolved for a while. Despite her resolve earlier that morning, she had spent about an hour tossing and turning in her bed, her mind refusing to go to sleep as it tried to figure out the spell on Shadow’s saddlebag. Resigning herself to the lack of sleep, she had spent the next few hours studying the bag under the few machines she had been able to salvage from her old home’s basement. Even her machines, as delicate and sensitive as they were, couldn’t tell her anything about the bag except that it was a bag and that there was a spell attached to it. It was only as the sun slowly began to rise that she had finally given up on getting any answers from the bag on her own.

As soon as it was light enough outside to see, Twilight had set out for the hospital, the mysterious saddlebag strapped around her waist. Stopping mid stride, the young princess looked back at the bag hanging next to her own. Why hadn’t it zapped her yet? Refusing to take the bait, Twilight mentally filed the question away for later as she stepped into the nearby elevator, pressing the button with Intensive Care printed next to it. Feeling herself nod off at the bland music softly playing overhead, Twilight shook her head, trying to resist the siren call of sleep. Stepping out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened, the first thing that the young alicorn noticed was the sheer silence of the floor. Unlike the other floor which anypony would have considered to be quiet, the silence here was so intense that if somepony dropped a pin, Twilight was almost certain she’d have heard it from the other side of the unit. Taking a deep breath, the princess forced herself to take one step after another, every step sounding like a stomp to her as she left the comfort of the elevator.

Rounding a corner, Twilight came to a halt mid-step. On a bench just down the hall, the clone sat in front of the room Shadow was in, the clone’s attention focused on something sitting on a nearby table. Suddenly aware of just how quiet it was, Equestria’s newest Princess gently put one hoof in front of the other, the distance between her and the clone slowly vanishing as she approached. Twilight held her breath as she saw the clone’s ear turn toward her, its head following a moment later. Time seemed to slow to a crawl for the purple alicorn as the clone stared at her. “Hello” Twilight said, letting out the pent up breath as her brain reminded her to breath. The clone said nothing, its stance unchanged as it watched her. Slowly moving forward, the princess watched as the clone’s horn slowly started to glow, its brightness increasing as she approached. “How are you doing?” The clone’s face gave nothing away as its owner remained silent. Coming to a stop a few feet from the clone, Twilight slowly ignited her horn, the clone’s attention never once leaving her as she very deliberately unbuckled the strap of Shadow’s saddlebag.

Gently bringing the bag around her, Twilight found herself taking an involuntary step back as her magic around the bag was suddenly replaced by the clone’s. The clone held the bag in the air, spinning it as it inspected it. Bringing the spinning bag to a halt, the clone glanced at Twilight, “How long did it take for you to give up?”

“What makes you think I –” Twilight stopped mid-sentence at the clone’s raised eyebrow. Without a word, the clone tapped its own horn in response. Twilight groaned to herself for forgetting something so obvious. “Six times” She replied.

“Everypony else gave up after the first try” The clone looked over the bag once more before setting it down on the bench. “Though count yourself lucky you didn’t get it open.”

“Why?”

“It would have exploded” The clone said, its eyes never leaving Twilight’s. “It would have taken out anything within two meters, and since you need to be touching it to open it…”

Twilight felt her stomach sink as an image of it exploding with her next to it invaded her mind. Shaking her head to clear the mental image, Twilight turned back to the clone only to find herself alone. Not seeing it nearby, Twilight looked through the glass wall between her and Shadow’s room. Inside, she watched the clone gently set the bag down on the floor before turning to its creator. If she hadn’t known it already, Twilight would have found herself hard pressed to believe that the mass of tubes, wires and bandages floating in the middle of the room was a pony, let alone another alicorn. The clone stopped at what Twilight assumed was Shadow’s head. Through the window, the young Princess could see the clone’s lips move briefly, before it turned to leave. The elder alicorn took a few steps back in shock as the clone, completely ignoring the room’s door, walked through the glass wall and bench like neither were even there. Jumping back onto the bench, the clone got settled before turning back to Twilight.

"… and if you're going to ask me to open it for you, forget it. The only pony on Equus who can open that thing is over there" The clone added, pointing to its unconscious creator before turning its attention back to the coloring book.

Witness to History - Part 2

Just as the novelty of the darkness began to wear off, a small ball of light appeared in the air before the students and adults. The orb quickly grew, until it was as large as Twilight. With a flash, the ball of light disappeared. As everypony’s eyes adjusted, they stared in confusion at the sight of a mare standing where the ball of light had been. The mare wore her mane short, which strongly reminded Twilight of the Royal Guard, while her crystalline yellow fur glinted. “Hello” The mare said, the gentle smile on her face extending to her green eyes.

Looking over to her side, with the exception of Rainbow Dash, her friends were just as confused as she and everypony else was. Rainbow on the other hoof, bore a quickly growing smile and seemed to be doing everything in her power to keep from bouncing in place like a certain pink party planner was known to do. “Hello” Twilight replied, not sure what else to do.

The yellow furred stranger’s smile grew. “I understand your class is working on Equestrian history” Seeing Cheerilee nod in shock, the crystal mare chuckled. “You might be surprised to learn that I was involved in one of your nation’s biggest historical moments, but before we get to that, I suppose I need to explain how I got involved in the first place, and to do that, we need to start at the beginning…” Around the room, the darkness vanished as everypony suddenly found themselves standing in the middle of a busy street. Around them, buildings made of large slabs of crystal lined the street, while crystal ponies walked around them, going about their lives as if the seven adults and couple dozen children didn’t exist. From his place among the crowd of crystal ponies, Shadow couldn’t help but enjoy the looks on everypony’s faces, especially the look of annoyance on Diamond Tiara. Around them, a warm breeze blew down the street, ruffling everypony’s mane while above them, the purple and white imperial flags that seemed to be hung every ten feet fluttered in the gentle wind. “I should probably introduce myself” The mysterious yellow and orange mare said, materializing before the group again. “My name is Summer Breeze and at this point of my story, I had just turned seventeen.”

The world around them changed again, the building lined street and dozens of ponies disappearing, only to be replaced by a small bedroom. The room was surprisingly sparse, compared to what Shadow had found to be considered normal in Equestria. The walls were empty, and the only major piece of furniture was a small stone dresser. On top were a few combs, and most notably, an expensive looking music box. Summer Breeze gently lifted the lid, letting the pony inside dance as the gentle tune softly filled the room. As the music played, the room’s owner moved to a small stand where a complete set of silver armor sat on a pony shaped stand. “In case you’re wondering, I happen to be a member of the Imperial Guard and, more specifically, part of the detachment tasked with protecting the royal family” Summer Breeze said as she slipped into her armor, tightening the straps as she tested the fit. “I joined the Guard because my talent deals with using magic to attack my enemies and defend others” The armored mare said, turning to show the assembled ponies the image of a pair of crossed swords over a shield emblazoned on her flank. “I got this on my tenth birthday when I beat the ever loving horse apples out of a group of bullies when they decided to harass a filly my age.” On the wall, a small scene of a group of tough looking older fillies and colts closing in on a well-groomed unicorn filly played out. Out of nowhere, a much younger version of Summer Breeze appeared out of nowhere wielding a pair of sticks in her magic as she laid into the group of bullies. Very quickly, the older ponies turned to run, their flight out of the alley attracting the attention of a squad of soldiers. “What they and I didn’t know at the time was that the pony they had cornered happened to be the Crown Princess, Crystal Rose.” Summer Breeze smiled as the rest of the scene played out on the wall as she and the young Princess were escorted to the Palace; the wall went blank as they were led into the Crystal Empire’s tallest building. Satisfied with her armor, the mare trotted out of the room, the world around the students and adults changing as it followed the unicorn mare. “Needless to say, what I did caught everypony’s attention, not the least of whom happened to be Crystal’s parents, Emperor Citrine, his wife, Empress Amethyst and worst of all…” Summer Breeze shuddered slightly, “my mom.”

Stepping out onto the street, the group followed their guide, who nodded and greeted ponies as they passed by, an unmistakable bounce in her step. “I swear, my mom just about had a heart attack when she was summoned to the throne room and saw me standing before the Emperor and his wife.” Summer Breeze bounced slightly, smiling at the memory. “Fortunately for everypony, the Emperor happened to be a pretty laid back pony and actually got off his throne to personally thank me for protecting his daughter.” Their destination became apparent as they rounded a corner and the Crystal Palace loomed in the distance. “That night, I discovered my cutie mark, and the rest as they say, was history.” The group followed their guide as she made her way into the Palace. Around them, numerous crystal ponies, both armored and non, hustled about as they went about their duties. Along the way, a number of armored ponies stopped to trade hoof bumps with Summer Breeze. Walking into an unmarked room, the armored mare trotted over to a small locker, pulling out a pair of sheathed swords from inside. Setting one of them aside, she unsheathed the other, the sound of steel on leather briefly filling the room. Turning to her group, Summer Breeze held the sword in her magic so that everypony could get a closer look. The weapon itself wasn’t that remarkable until one looked at the blade. Instead of the typical silvery metal, the blade was a combination of light and dark metal that swirled about. “When I graduated basic training, my best friend and future assignment Crystal Rose gave me these two beauties. It had been noted early on in my training that I had an unconscious tendency to combine my magic with whatever weapon I was training with. For somepony like me, the best kind of steel for that type of fighting is mountain fold steel, which happens to be at least ten times more expensive than regular steel. Normally that would have meant I got a pair of regular swords, but when your best friend happens to be next in line for the crown…” Returning the sword to its sheath, the mare strapped in and its twin to her armor before donning her helmet; completing the ensemble.

“Now, normally my day would usually consist of following the Crown Princess wherever she went, followed by training in the afternoon with the most sadistic Drill Sergeant in the guard, but on this particular day, Crystal had arranged for me to stay with her all day.” The room around them disappeared, being replaced by a long hallway, a royal looking unicorn being escorted by a lone guard walking by. The lone unarmored unicorn was chatting animatedly with her escort. “Turns out, she had the day off from her usual duties and wanted to spend it with me, partly as an excuse to get out of the palace and also apparently as an apology for getting hammered on my birthday.” Summer Breeze snorted in amusement. “I swear that girl was a lightweight when it came to drinking but considering I can’t exactly remember everything that happened that particular night as well…” The now unarmored mare looked over at the adults in the group “Take it from me, unless you want to wake up in a cell with the mother of all hangovers, avoid the dark ales next time you’re in the Empire.”

“That was one of the best days I had with my friend” Summer Breeze said. Time sped up around the group as the armored mare and her charge went about their day, visiting a number of shops and vendors. Throughout it all, despite spending the day with one of her closest friends, Summer Breeze’s eyes were never still as she constantly scanned the crowds around them. “We spent the entire day shopping, or rather, she spent the day shopping.” The armored narrator smiled as the two unicorns returned to the Crystal Palace, a small army of bags in tow behind them. Following the two mares into the palace, the lone guard stopped at the sight of a reddish-brown earth pony stallion holding a bouquet of flowers waiting for them outside the princess’s chambers. Unable to contain herself, the armored Summer Breeze set her bags down before rushing into the stallion’s embrace, locking lips a heartbeat later. “Leave it to Crystal Rose to surprise me with a dinner with just her, me and my coltfriend, Burnt Umber.” The two lovers stayed in that position for a full minute while the princess silently excused herself, dragging her bags into the nearby room. Behind the students, Shadow could see Rarity wiping a few tears.

The scene dissolved, only to be replaced by the three teens sitting around a small table that was covered with dirty plates and forks. “Have you seen your brother lately?” Summer Breeze asked, leaning back in her chair as she nursed a light amber-colored beer.

“No.” The princess said, looking down at her own half empty mug. “We rarely see him at breakfast, and when we do, we can barely get two words out of him. Mom and dad are starting to worry.”

“I wouldn’t worry about him too much” Burnt Umber said, draining the rest of his mug in one pull. The young crystal stallion looked over at his filly friend, a mischievous grin on his face “I remember my grandfather talking about when he was the prince’s age and-”

Summer Breeze gasped, grabbing a half-eaten loaf of bread in her magic. Ripping a chunk out, she hurled it at her colt friend, who caught the chunk of bread in his mouth, smiling at the annoyed look on her face. “Don’t you dare bring that time up. Do you know how drunk I have to get to forget what he said he was like back then?” For his part, the lone young stallion worked on eating the piece of bread she had thrown, though the mischievous glint in his eyes never left.

“That was probably the best dinner I had with my two closest friends, and who should show up at that moment to almost spoil the whole thing?” Behind the princess, a pair of doors silently opened, admitting a single pony who looked about the same age as everypony else at the table. The stallion’s mane was a dark black while his coat was a slightly lighter shade of charcoal. His red eyes roved about the room until they fell on the Shadow’s ancestor. “Only the most handsome, talented, eligible, egotistical, narcissistic, head-up-his-plot stallion in the Empire:” Summer Breeze explained, clenching her teeth as she seemed to force the name out “Prince Sombra.”

“Don’t get me wrong” Summer Breeze said as the shocked gasps of the group died down. “When I say he was talented, I’m not joking.” Before them, the three diners seemed to talk cordially with the new arrival, though the adults couldn’t help notice the tension in Summer Breeze’s body. “If there was one good thing he did well, it was strategy. He could outplay and outmaneuver nearly everypony when it came to games of strategy. When it came to putting his skills to the more martial aspect of Imperial life, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when I say that there’s a reason he was a junior strategist in the Guard. Unfortunately…” Before them, the Summer Breeze seated at the table seemed to finally have had enough as she grabbed her mug, hurling its contents all over the royal stallion’s face before storming out of the room, her two friends quickly following “He had developed more than a bit of an ego, and thought he could have any mare he wanted. As you can see, he wanted me.” The narrating Summer Breeze visibly shuddered at the thought.

The room around them vanished, a darkened street lined with stone houses replacing it. “Fortunately” Summer Breeze said, a smile growing on her face as she watched the scene play out “Umber had known me long enough to know how to calm me down.” In front of the house the group had started out at, the two lovers traded a final passionate kiss that lasted several minutes. As the moon slowly rose over the mountains in the distance, the young couple finally broke apart, the stallion crossing the street for his home while Summer Breeze stumbled slightly into hers, a pair of voices welcoming her home.

The group’s guide slowly turned around to face them, the smile on her face slowly vanishing. Overhead, the moon crossed the night sky as time passed by, until it had started to sink below the western mountains, while in the east, the sun slowly began the day. Yet something was off. Instead of a clear sky that should have been blue, clouds filled the sky, the normally white piles of fluff stained red by the morning light, which in turn cast an unsettling glow over the city. In the house, the children and adults could hear movement. Stepping outside, an armored Summer Breeze looked at the sky, unease written across her face. Behind her, her feelings were mirrored by an older stallion and mare. Igniting her horn, the armored teen removed the swords she had worn home the previous evening, giving them to the stallion behind her. “If anypony asks, these aren’t here.” Even though the school group was standing in the middle of the street, they heard her whispered words like she had been standing in the street with them. “Lock the door and stay out of sight.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know mom. Something’s not right and I need to get to the palace. Stay here and don’t answer the door for anypony except me, understand?” Sparing a single glance back at her worried parents, the young mare jumped down the front steps, racing for the palace. Around her, ponies were staring at the sky, some openly calling to her about what was going on. They were completely ignored by the young mare as she galloped down the street, dodging around a number of ponies who had decided to stand in the middle of the cobblestone street. Several blocks from the palace, Summer Breeze came to a sudden halt as hundreds of ponies blocked her way. Growling in frustration, the armored teen pushed her way into the crowd, forcefully shoving aside dozens of ponies. Behind her, Shadow’s classmates watched in silence, none moving as they passed through the crowd like ghosts.

After several minutes of pushing, growling and a fair number of curses, Summer Breeze forced her way to the front of the crowd. Before her, a line of armor clad stallions stood, spears held securely in their hooves as they pointed the razor sharp ends at the crowd. Stopping at the line of wood and steel, the young mare looked up at Royal Balcony far above. Around it, a dozen pegasi archers hovered, arrows already nocked as they surveyed the gathered crowd. Around the class, the assembled ponies were murmuring to each other. That slight noise died abruptly when a dark figure stepped out into the open above them.

The older stallion stood tall, his black mane waving in the breeze. His grey horn glowed menacingly as he used it to keep the crowd’s attention “My… subjects. I wish I could bring you good news this morning, but it is my solemn duty to tell you that my father, Emperor Citrine, died suddenly late last night.” The crowd gasped at the dark stallion’s words. A quick blast of magic from his pulsing horn into the ground below the palace silenced them. “As troubling as this is for all of us, with his final words, he named me as his successor. As his only son, and with great reluctance, I humbly bow to my father’s dying wish.” Behind Sombra, a pair of servants walked onto the balcony. Between them, they carried a distinctive red cape, its hem lined with white fur. Draping it across his back, one of the servants moved to fasten it around his neck, while the other took to the air, setting a silvery crown on the stallion’s head with all the precision of a pony not wanting to wake a sleeping dragon. Bowing low to their new liege, the pair retreated, disappearing back into the palace.

“ALL HAIL EMPEROR SOMBRA!” A large stallion next to the newly crowned ruler bellowed to the crowd. When nopony below spoke, the line of guards took a single menacing step forward. As if on cue, the crowd began to chant, repeating the stallion’s words.

The chanting lasted for several minutes. With a raised hoof, the newly crowned king got complete silence. “Thank you my… subjects. Before you can go and celebrate this momentous day, there is one last piece of business to attend to.” Behind him, a pair of mares were dragged out, the sound of chains echoing across the crowded plaza. “Despite my father’s final wishes, my mother and sister didn’t agree. In fact, they conspired to place my sister on the throne. Fortunately, I was aware of their feelings, and they were captured before they could act.” Turning to the crowd, the stallion roared to the assembled ponies “Let it be known: I will not abide treason, even from my own family!” Spinning around, the stallion swung his hoof. While nopony on the ground could see what happened, the scream of pure agony that cut through the still morning air left little doubt about what had just happened to the young princess’s horn. Igniting his own horn, Sombra lifted his writhing sister into the open air above the plaza. With a tooth filled grin, he cut the power to his horn, Crystal Rose’s scream of agony immediately switching to one of pure terror.

Behind the assembled students, a lone pegasus leaped into the air, her wings beating as fast as their owner could make them as she raced to intercept the falling Princess. The mare barely made it halfway across the open ground before silently tumbling to the ground as a half dozen arrows found their marks. Blocked by the crowd, none of the ponies from Ponyville saw or heard Princess Crystal Rose hit the unforgiving pavement as Summer Breeze’s scream covered the sound of impact. Because of the ensuing shouting and movement of the crowd around them, none of the group saw Sombra as he ensured that his mother shared her daughter’s fate. Ahead of them, Summer Breeze ducked under a spear that had been leveled at her throat. Spinning on her front hooves, the enraged mare bucked the nearest guard, the unfortunate stallion flying several feet before hitting the ground. The young guard managed to buck one more guard in the chest before she was overwhelmed by her former allies.

The crowd and plaza faded to black. As Summer Breeze’s scream of rage faded, the world around the stunned children and adults brightened slightly, revealing a badly beaten Summer Breeze chained upright to a wall, her legs outstretched, ensuring that she wouldn’t be able to do much more than struggle slightly. Everypony jumped as a door behind them opened, revealing a smiling Emperor Sombra “What do you want you bastard.”

“From you? Nothing. Don’t worry Breezie, I’ll let you out of here, but before I do, there’s the matter of the two guards you knocked out earlier today.” As the stallion removed his armor, the room retreated into the distance, the assembled students looking around as they passed through walls of stone. Behind them, the seven adults looked uncomfortably at each other. When he had been working on this, Shadow had wondered how he was going to include this scene without getting in trouble. In the end, he had decided to leave what happened up to the watcher’s imagination, though from the looks on Ms. Cheerilee, Twilight and her friends, they knew what was happening.

The world eventually came to a halt in front of Shadow’s ancestor’s home. Overhead, the moon and stars shone down on the world like they always did, as if nothing had ever happened. “This was one of the worst days of my life” Summer Breeze said, the mare sitting dejectedly on the front step of her house. “Sombra hadn’t been lying when he said that the Emperor had died suddenly. Knives to the chest tend to be good for that kind of thing.” Through the darkness, a lone figure could be seen making their way slowly up the street. Pausing under a street lamp, the assembled ponies could see that it was Summer Breeze. Leaning against the lamp pole for support, the mare took a moment to catch her breath before forcing herself to continue the clearly agonizing stumbling walk to her house. As she got closer, everypony could see that her formerly yellow coat was covered in black and blue bruises, while one eye was all but swollen shut.

Watching in silence, the ponies unconsciously parted for the mare, allowing her an unobstructed path back to her home. The beaten young mare slowly forced her way up the front steps, her hoof barely making a sound against the wooden front door. It must have been enough, since moments later; the door opened a crack, before flying open a second later as the pony on the other side saw who had knocked. As she all but collapsed into her father’s embrace, the final vestiges of the young guard’s strength vanished as she broke down, her sobs echoing up and down the street of darkened homes. “In that moment, Sombra had won. In that moment, he had broken me.” Behind them, their unmarred guide spoke, her voice a chilling, emotionless flat tone. “While we were alone, my best friend’s younger brother told me how he had been planning this day for months, how he had built his support among the lower rank and file members of the guard. He explained how he had found a spell that would allow him to reach his full potential, both physically and magically, in a matter of minutes, instead of having to wait years. I won’t burden you with the details of how he revealed himself to his family, but he and his minions pulled off their coup in a matter of hours, taking first his family by surprise, then their closest friends and supporters, followed by the officers most likely to oppose him.

“Before he let me go, Sombra told me that my Umber’s life and the lives of everypony in his family were in my hooves. If I didn’t do what he said, when he said, he’d ensure that they died slowly and that I’d be forced to watch. If I tried to warn them, they’d die. If I talked to them, looked at them or ever thought about trying to stop him…” Passing through the house’s walls, the group watched as the bruised mare settled onto the sofa. “As I tried to get some sleep, I knew that I couldn’t stay in the Empire, and neither could my family or my coltfriend and his family. We’d have to get out the first chance we got, but like I said earlier, Sombra was smart. Threatening Umber’s life was part of his strategy. The other was to lock down every way out of the city.” Outside, the darkness gave way to light, which eventually gave way to night. “By the end of the first day, over four dozen ponies had been caught trying to flee the city.” The clone looked away as she spoke “Their deaths were as unimaginable as they were public.”

Outside the window, the night sky flashed as a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky, the ensuing clap of thunder shaking the house. Springing from the couch she had been laying on, the battered mare grabbed a trio of saddlebags from a nearby closet, filling them with every piece of food she could find, along with a set of maps and a couple bags of money. Nearby, her parents watched in confusion “We’re leaving; now!” Her parents sputtered in protest, but the enlivened mare spun on her hooves, glaring at her father. “If we don’t leave now, we never will. If we don’t take this chance, we will all die at the hooves of that psychotic ‘king’. You will die. Mom will die. I will die. Everyone we know and love will die.”

“Where will we go?”

“Equestria” Summer Breeze said, not looking at her mom as she answered. “The Princesses and Crystal’s family were always close. If we have any hope of ending Sombra, we’ll need their help.” Beside her, the room’s lone stallion appeared to mull over his daughter’s words before silently leaving the room. He returned a moment later, a pair of sheathed swords floating next to him.

“While the storm raged overhead, soaking us to the bone before we got halfway across the street, we made our escape, only stopping once to convince Umber and his family to join us.” The world around the ponies blurred as the small group of escapees fled the city, the thunder covering any sound they made, while the rain destroyed their tracks.

From where he lay hidden from the rest of his class, Shadow watched as Rainbow Dash leaned over, shaking her head as she whispered into the purple alicorn’s ear. Probably telling her how I’ve altered a few things Shadow thought. It was true. He had known from the moment he had chosen his ancestor that he’d have to alter quite a bit of her story if he didn’t want to get in trouble. The scene before them was one of the biggest that he had altered. In reality, there had been no storm that night, and they hadn’t escaped by running. They had had to sneak their way out, leaving a number of bodies in their wake.

“I don’t know how long we ran” Summer Breeze said, the world around the fleeing ponies brightening as the sun rose behind the thick storm clouds. “Eventually, we made it to a series of small caves in the foothills near the mountains. Along the way, we ran across a number of other ponies who had used the storm as cover as well. Of all the ponies who joined our growing group, I was most thankful for Silver Star” the presentation’s focus shifted to a silver-maned stallion resting next to Summer Breeze and Burnt Umber. The stallion’s bags were bursting at the seams with books and sheets of paper. “Of all the ponies I ever knew, this unicorn was probably the smartest and most talented of them all. If you needed a spell, you went to him. He was originally employed by the Imperial family as a theoretical magician and part time instructor at the academy. One of the things that I admired most about him was that unlike some other unicorns I could mention” the mare gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like Starswirl “he liked to test his theories, instead of leaving them for others to figure out.

“By the time we left that evening, there were over a hundred ponies who had managed to escape the Empire with us. It took us the better part of three months to make our way to Canterlot. Along the way, we managed to gather hundreds of more ponies until we were nearly a thousand strong, though that doesn’t mean we didn’t lose ponies along the way, including my father.” As the assembled ponies walked, a number of them slowly faded from existence. Around the room, the world changed, the trees shifting from pines to more temperate varieties like maples, oaks and cottonwoods. The land itself also changed, slowly going from rocky and mountainous to expansive forests that sent emerald green light filtering down to the forest floor to plains that a pony could spend a week walking across, never seeing a single tree the entire time. Through all of it, Summer Breeze was everywhere. When she wasn’t leading the band of refugees, she was conferring with her coltfriend and Silver Star, or helping to get a stuck cart moving again.

“It seemed like forever, yet in what felt like a heartbeat, we found ourselves making camp below the mountain that Canterlot resided on.” From the air, the ponies in the schoolhouse could see a small sea of fires blazing against the pitch black of the fields around the refugees. “We started up the mountain at first light and spent the entire day climbing.” Time sped up around the group, the refugees finally reaching Equestria’s capital long after the sun had gone below the horizon. “The city guards were understandably shocked at the sight of nearly a thousand ponies approaching the city’s entrance.” Summer Breeze approached the drawbridge, only for her progress to be checked as a squad of golden armored guards leveled their spears at her, their tips mere inches from her unarmored chest. “It took the better part of an hour for me to convince the guards that we weren’t a threat. Eventually, they agreed to let us set up camp outside the city, instead of forcing us back down the mountain.” Before them, the guards lifted their spears, allowing Summer Breeze into the city. “They even agreed to let me into the city to talk to the princesses, though they insisted on an escort.” Surrounded by half a dozen guards, the lone mare cantered into the city. “While I don’t doubt that having a guard escort you was protocol, having six do so seemed a little excessive. Personally, I took it as a compliment, either because they thought I might be important, or because they saw me as a potential threat. I really didn’t care either way.”

The mare and her guards quickly made their way through the city. While the gazes of the armored mares and stallions barely shifted, Summer Breeze’s was hardly still as she surveyed the famed Equestrian city. “I’ll admit; Canterlot blew away every expectation I had for it, even though it was deserted. I always thought my hometown was the most beautiful, and it always will be as far as I’m concerned, but Canterlot has a beauty to it the Empire could simply never match. Unfortunately, my friends seemed to be in a rush…” Shadow heard more than a few ponies snigger at his ancestor’s sarcasm. Trotting up the steps, the group headed straight for the throne room. As the two large doors swung open, the hidden colt couldn’t help but smile at the sight that greeted everypony. He had taken the recording he had made of the room and had modified it based on his ancestor’s descriptions. At the far end of the long room, a pair of large stone chairs sat. The throne on the left was made of pure white marble while the throne on the right was made of a stone whose name Shadow didn’t know. The seat was a deep blue, while lines of white quartz crisscrossed throughout the stone, giving the impression of a lightning streaked storm turned solid and made into a seat fit for royalty. As if it wasn’t clear enough to everypony who sat where, behind each throne was a large banner, a white one with a golden sun behind the unoccupied throne while a black and blue banner with a crescent moon among a field of stars loomed behind the princess it represented.

The princess in question had her nose buried in a thick tome. As they approached, Princess Luna looked up, confusion etched on her face. As one, Summer Breeze and her guards stopped as one a dozen feet from the base of the royal dais and bowed, though no pony missed how the unarmored mare’s bow was deeper than those of the guards around her. “Arise” Luna said, waving the unicorn mare forward. “What brings you to us this evening…”

“Summer Breeze, your Highness.”

“Summer Breeze.”

“The Crystal Empire has fallen to a mad pony and my party and I have risked our lives to ask for Equestria’s help.”

“What about Emperor Citrine? Why is he not here? Why did he not send us a message?”

At this, the armed mare ignited her horn, her eyes never leaving the lone Princess as she slowly opened her saddlebag, a crown and a pair of tiaras silently emerging. Without a word, Summer Breeze levitated the silver and gold head gear over to Luna. Wordlessly, the lone alicorn accepted the items, a couple tears streaking down her cheeks as she inspected the symbols of Imperial power. “How many ponies are with you?”

“Nearly a thousand, Princess. We’re camped outside the city since your guards wouldn’t let us all in.”

Princess Luna’s face darkened. “Sergeant” Next to Summer Breeze, a stallion straightened “Get our personal physician and a score of medics down there at once.” Silently, the pegasus turned to leave. “The rest of you, see to their immediate needs.”

Finding herself suddenly unguarded, the crystalline mare looked up to the princess, who gestured for her to sit. As she did, a page appeared bearing a platter of fruit and bread. “Wait for me here, Lady Summer Breeze. We must bring this to our sister’s attention immediately.” Bowing as the princess left, the mare had barely gotten through her first loaf of bread before jumping as a voice rocked the palace, the words it can wait echoing around the nearly empty hall. Next to the dais, a pair of thestrals groaned, rubbing at their ears. A minute later, Princess Luna walked, or rather, stalked, into the hall, her mane fluttering behind her like a flag caught in a hurricane. “Follow us” she said, not stopping as she walked by Summer Breeze. The crystalline mare didn’t say a word, instead opting to grab everything from the platter before falling in line next to the clearly irritated alicorn. Without a word, a dozen armored thestrals formed up on the pair.

Following the sparkling-maned alicorn, Summer Breeze found herself having to work in order to keep up with the larger Princess. In what seemed like no time at all, Summer Breeze was walking out of Canterlot, leading the lunar princess and her guards to the fire that her mom and their friends lay around. The encamped ponies turned to watch as Equestria’s youngest ruler strode by, gracing the tired refugees with a smile and a promise of help. Reaching their destination, the princess held up a hoof to keep the ponies around the fire from rising as she took a seat next to Crystal Clarity.

“The younger sister, Fates bless her, spent the entire night with us, listening to us as we told her everything that had happened, where we had been on that fateful day and what we had seen. While I told her everything, when it came to what that bastard had done to me in that dungeon, I kept my tongue, though I didn’t need to. I could see on her face that she had guessed what had happened.” Overhead, the sky slowly brightened as the moon sank in the west and the sun slowly peaked above the horizon in the east. As the ponies of the camp began to stir, there was a commotion by the city’s drawbridge. Everypony’s attention turned to the drawbridge as it lowered, revealing a large white alicorn surrounded by armed, golden armored guards. All around them, ponies stopped what they were doing as the eldest Royal Sister strode into the camp.

“How nice of you to finally join us, sister” Luna said, not bothering to hide her feelings as the larger alicorn joined them.

“We missed you at breakfast, Luna.”

“That could wait. Nearly fifty score imperial refugees couldn’t.”

“What happened?”

Summer Breeze tossed the three royal crowns onto the grass before the elder Princess. “The Royal Family was murdered and the Empire is now in the hooves of a psychopath.”

Princess Celestia picked up the crown that had been worn by the Emperor. “Join us in the throne room in two hours” She said before standing.

“I think it goes without saying that I was standing outside that room with half an hour to spare” The narrating clone said. “What followed was the greatest exercise in controlling my temper that I ever experienced. Princess Luna and I advocated for an immediate attack against Sombra to retake the Empire. We were thoroughly shot down by nearly everypony else in the room. The kiss-flank nobles wanted to try and negotiate with that bastard. Negotiate! After everything he had done, and after everything I had said, they wanted to talk with him!” The crystal mare snorted. “As far as I was concerned, when I found him, I’d let my swords do my talking for me.” The mare shook her head, as if trying to clear her thoughts. “If the so called nobles were bad, the princess’ military advisors were almost as bad. Except for a few junior officers, they over-ruled me and Princess Luna, advocating that Equestria strike in the spring. It didn’t matter what I said, it didn’t matter how many ponies would starve from a lack of food during the long winter, they wouldn’t budge and, unsurprisingly, Celestia listened. About the only good thing that happened as a result of that manure-filled meeting was it gave us a chance to rest and prepare.”

The world around the class sped up. The seasons changed in the space of a couple minutes, the deep green of the summer leaves giving way to the reds and golds and oranges of fall, which in turn gave way to the barren starkness of winter. Throughout it all, everypony could see that Canterlot was a hive of activity as the Royal Guard trained and prepared, their numbers bolstered by hundreds of Imperial refugees. “Before I knew it” Summer Breeze said, appearing before the group once again, this time clad in grey armor, “winter was wrapped up and we were on the march, leading the princesses and the Equestrian Army north.” From a large outcrop just above the road leading to Canterlot, the citizens of Ponyville watched as thousands of soldiers passed by. The sound of their hooves hitting the ground as one echoed all around them, while the squeaking of the supply carts drowned out any chance of anypony’s voice being heard. Overhead, waves of ponies soared, the golden armor of the Royal Guard shining in the morning sunlight. From the air, the whole procession looked like a silver-headed golden snake slithering its way down the mountain. At the head of the assembled forces were the Royal Sisters, clad in their own distinctive sets of armor. Celestia armor was golden, similar to the kind worn by her guards and the army. Luna’s armor in contrast was the complete opposite. Where the eldest sister was covered in armor that looked like sunlight made solid, the younger was encased in dark blue armor that was only a shade lighter than her mane and fur. Silver trim around the edges and a silver crescent moon on the chest completed the ensemble. From what the Princess had told him, she had heard one pony describe her as if she had taken the night and draped herself in it. From where he stood, Shadow could hear Rarity whisper something positive about Luna’s taste in style.

“What took us three months to cover the year before, the Royal Sisters and their army covered in half that time.” Around the room, while the sound of hooves hitting the ground never ceasing or breaking tempo, the land changed as the army marched, the plains gave way to deciduous forests, which in turn gave way to pines. Through it all, Summer Breeze marched at the head of the army, just to the left of the Princess of the Night. “When we finally arrived back home” Their narrator stopped, clearly wanting to say something, but was also just as clearly unable to do so. “While we were gone, he had not been idle.” Around the school group, the Crystal city rose above the horizon, though it was nothing like it had been at the beginning. Overhead, the sky was tinted a sickening red, the light changing and darkening the landscape. The previously vibrant city lay silent, the flags that had once lined the streets and houses long gone. As the view reached the other side of the city, the class was treated to a field strewn with large black crystals. As the wind blew, the manacles hanging from the crystals rapped against the cold black stone, their off-key notes echoing across the lifeless city. This was another scene that Shadow had wondered about doing. Ultimately, he had decided to not include the hundreds of victims that had been chained to those crystals, left by their tyrant ruler to slowly die of exposure.

“That night, as we were making our plans, Sombra made the first move.” In a large tent, Summer Breeze and Princess Luna looked over a map of the city, while Celestia talked with one of her generals. Everypony looked up at the sound of the tent’s flap being opened, a pair of thestrals entering a second later, a lone pony between them. The half-starved mare walked in with her eyes to the ground. Looking up at the assembled ponies, her eyes lingering on the only armored crystal pony a second more than the rest, before turning to Princess Celestia.

“Who are you” Celestia asked.

“Who I am is of little concern. What matters is that I carry a message from my lord, Emperor Sombra.”

Walking around the table, Summer Breeze stood before the earth pony mare. Sticking her nose in the other pony’s face, the younger mare hid her surprise at how the other pony didn’t even flinch at the sudden invasion of her space. “Drop the act, you bastard. I know it’s you.”

To the surprise of everypony, the mare smiled as she stood taller. Next to her, the two thestrals slowly backed away, their spears dropping until the tips hovered mere millimeters from the mare’s chest. “I see you haven’t forgotten me, Breezie.”

“What do you want?” The young mare’s reply was as cold as the arctic winds in the middle of winter.

“To give you all this chance to turn around and leave” The nameless mare glanced at the two Princesses. “There is nothing of value for you up here, so why waste your soldiers’ lives.”

“You’re wrong” Luna said. “There is something up here we want: you.”

The possessed mare smirked. “Then I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. You can have this slave” she added, turning to Shadow’s ancestor. “She’s of no more value to me.” At this, the mare collapsed. Igniting her horn, Summer Breeze caught the abandoned messenger before she hit the ground.

“We had been hoping to scout the city, maybe find some ponies that could give us information” Summer Breeze said as the sun slowly rose outside the tent. “With our cover blown, we had no choice but to meet Sombra on the open field.” Around them, armored ponies rushed around, the sound of shouting, running hooves and armor reaching almost deafening levels. Before long, the Equestrian army was lined up on the field. In the middle, Shadow’s ancestor stood with the armored Princesses and the other crystal refugees. For over a mile in either direction, mares and stallions in gold armor stood at attention, their eyes fixed on their enemies as they waited for orders.

Across the open field, Sombra’s army was smaller, though that didn’t seem to matter to the King. Around him, ponies also stood in formation; the dark grey of their armor contrasting sharply against their natural fur color. From a distance, no pony could make out much else about his army, but what no pony could have possibly missed, were the trio of fully grown dragons that formed the center of Sombra’s line. The dragons’ naturally rock hard skin were covered in grey armor plating that covered every conceivable weak point. Even their pointed heads were protected by massive helmets that only had openings for the dragons’ neck spikes and eyes. On the head of the largest dragon, Sombra stood, his red cape billowing in the morning breeze.

For a while, the two armies faced off from the other, their leaders staring unflinchingly at the other, as if daring the other to back down first. With a roar from the largest dragon that would have shaken the school’s floor, the crystal army surged forward. With a cry from the princesses, the Equestrian army replied, shouting as they charged toward the city, the front line leveling their spears as they ran. Within moments, the two sides clashed into each other, the dual charges grinding to a halt as sword and spear clashed. Overhead, pegasi and thestrals pounced on Sombra’s meager air force.

As the two sides fought, the grey armored crystal ponies finally moved. Halfway between where they had started and the raging battle, Summer Breeze’s group split into two, with each half circling around the fighting. Their intent became clear a minute later as both halves reformed and charged straight for the city. In the front, Summer Breeze ran as hard as she could. At the outskirts of her home town, the mare drew a sword, its blade shining bright under her magic. Within seconds, the group encountered their first sign of resistance as a squad of dark armored ponies charged down a side street before turning and aiming straight for them. The squad never stood a chance. With a scream, Shadow’s ancestor brought her sword down against the lead enemy and in the blink of an eye the charging force was past, the squad no longer in sight.

Reaching the Royal Plaza, the force of crystal ponies broke apart again, with Summer Breeze leading her half into the palace while the other half charged off into the city. As the echoes of the charge faded from the plaza, the world around Shadow’s classmates shifted back to the main fight. Overhead, the sky belonged unquestioningly to the thestrals and pegasi of Equestria. The situation on the ground, on the other hoof, wasn’t as clearly decided. While his force was smaller and less trained, the three dragons under Sombra’s command held the line, their flames sending armored ponies leaping out of the way as half the army faced the fiery threats.

Behind the Equestrian army, the princesses were engaged as well. The first King of the Crystal Empire’s horn glowed darkly as a pair of swords whirled around him, striking out at the princesses. The sisters themselves engaged Sombra with swords of their own, the weapons made of magic that reflected the personalities of the wielder. Celestia brought her golden sword down, aiming its blade for Sombra’s head. Next to her, Luna leaped to the side, her shorter sword flying like an arrow as she aimed for her opponent’s side. Neither sword succeeded as each weapon was intercepted, Celestia’s swing narrowly missing the dark unicorn’s head while her sister’s thrown sword was sent spinning away, only for it to reappear next to Luna an instant later. As the sister’s fought, the sun slowly arced across the sky until it stood at its daily peak.

“In the months we had spent planning for this day, we had known from the beginning that us Imperials weren’t going to make much of a difference on the field” Summer Breeze said, watching the pitched battle below. “Instead, we were sent into the city itself with two goals: locate and retrieve the Crystal Heart and get as many civilians out of the city as possible.” The mare shook her head as she turned to face her audience. “We failed miserably when it came to the Heart. No matter where we looked in the castle, we couldn’t find it. We knew it had to be either there or somewhere close by, since it was the most powerful magical artifact in the Empire, its power said to rival the Elements of Harmony themselves, and there was no way in Tartarus that bastard would let such a thing out of his sight. We practically tore that castle down to its foundation looking for the Heart, but my group never found it.”

A smile slowly grew on her face as she pointed to a stream of ponies running as fast as they could from the opposite end of the city. “Fortunately, while we seemed to be cursed with all the misfortune, Umber and his group had all the luck in the world. They had somehow stumbled upon a large prison where Sombra had been holding his… workers… and after a short fight with the guards, managed to free over two thousand captives.” Before her audience’s eyes, Summer Breeze’s group rejoined her colt friend’s. As the group made their way out of the city, they watched as the mare briefly kissed her colt friend before turning around and running back into the city. “While I would have loved to stay with Umber and help him get the freed prisoners clear of the city, I couldn’t. There was something, or rather somepony, I wasn’t done with.” Summer Breeze tore through the deserted streets, the sound of her hooves against the cobblestones echoing off the silent buildings. As she approached the weakened remains of Sombra’s forces unseen from behind, she drew both of her swords, their blades blazing like miniature suns. The lone remaining dragon turned its head, finally taking notice of the lone mare charging it from behind.

It was too late.

With a scream, Shadow’s ancestor hurled her sword at the dragon, its tip catching the underside of the fire breather’s jaw. In less than a heartbeat, the blade tore itself free of the dragon’s skull. As it fell lifelessly to the ground, the crystal mare bolted across the dragon’s back, using its body as a bridge across the chaos below. Up ahead of her, the Royal Sisters were still engaged with Sombra, neither side having given an inch, though the fighting was clearly starting to take its toll on all three. Reclaiming her thrown sword, the armored mare charged her best friend’s murderer, launching her other sword at the dark stallion as soon as he was within range.

The weapon barely missed the unicorn’s skull, its blade shaving a section of his mane down to the skin. The sudden appearance of the swordsmare was all the opening the princesses needed as Luna blocked Sombra’s attacking swords, while Celestia sent the dark unicorn flying with a telekinetic blast to the chest. The Empire’s newest ruler had barely gotten to his hooves before Summer Breeze was upon him, her blades barely visible lines of light as she slashed at him. With the princesses providing support, Sombra quickly found himself losing ground as he was pushed back toward the city. Concentrating on his attackers, the unicorn stallion didn’t see the fallen pony behind him. As his back hooves hit the body, Summer Breeze surged forward before spinning on her front hooves and bucking the former prince in the face. Before he could recover, Summer Breeze’s swords flashed across his vision, his two swords flying away. For his part, the beaten tyrant didn’t move as Shadow’s ancestor level both of her weapons at him, their tips against his throat. No pony watching would blame him, since it was clear to everypony what she’d do if he so much as twitched.

“Sombra, you are defeated” Celestia said, the point of her own sword finding an opening against her opponent’s jaw. Next to her, the tip Luna’s sword pressed against the spot where Sombra’s neck met his body.

“So it seems” Sombra said, swallowing as he tried to catch his breath. “I surrender.”

“Too bad that doesn’t matter” Summer Breeze said, her blades drawing blood as she slowly pressed down. “Of all the ponies I would take prisoner, you are not one of them.”

“Stay your sword Summer Breeze!” Celestia shouted, her sword moving to push the younger mare’s blade away. “The Empire will get justice, but not here.”

“Where then? Canterlot?” The mare spat back, her eyes never leaving her enemy. “We are not dragging him all the way back.”

“You are not going to kill him here.” Celestia said, her sword now against Summer Breeze’s as it tried to force the other blade aside.

“This is not Equestria, Princess. You do not make the rules here, the Emperor does.” Summer Breeze hissed, biting back at the taller mare. “Unfortunately, he’s dead and this bastard killed him, so no, he’s not getting a trial in Canterlot.”

“What will you do, then?”

“We’ll take him back to the palace and see if he can fly.”

“In that moment” Summer Breeze said to her audience “I made the biggest mistake of my life: I took my eyes off Sombra.” As they watched, the crystal mare glanced at Celestia, her eyes radiating her hatred for her bested foe. It was all the opening the stallion needed. Igniting his horn, the unicorn grabbed a nearby spear, thrusting it through the distracted mare’s shoulder an instant later. In the same instant, he hurled Summer Breeze into Princess Luna, before rolling out of the way of Celestia’s attack.

As her older sister fought Sombra, Luna slid the fallen mare off of her. Looking over Summer Breeze, the princess snapped the spear’s shaft just above where it met the mare’s armor. Sparing her sister a quick glance, Luna opened her mouth to call for a medic, but found it unnecessary as a half dozen ponies in gold armor ran towards her “Captain, report!”

The stallion in question gave a quick salute before speaking, “We’ve taken the field, Princess.”

“Prisoners?”

“Hundreds.”

“Good. Get them and our forces back to camp.”

“What about you and Princess Celestia?”

“We got this.” Without waiting for a reply, the dark blue alicorn took to the air, her wings pumping. Spotting her chance, Luna fired a blast of energy from her horn, sending her sister’s opponent flying. Below, Celestia took to the air, settling in next to Luna a moment later. Neither sister spoke as the watched Sombra get to his hooves. Neither sister needed to. They knew what came next. Charging their horns, the two alicorns focused their magic. Overhead, the sky grew dark. Below, Sombra charged his horn as well. It made no difference. As one, the two sisters fired their spells at the lone unicorn. On the ground, Sombra released his spell at nearly the same moment. The magical blasts met in the air. For a single, fleeting moment, neither side lost ground. An instant later, Equestria’s rulers poured everything into their horns, smashing Sombra’s attack. From where they stood on the far outskirts of the city, Shadow’s class could hear the stallion scream, which caused everypony around them to stop and watch.

In the distance, it was as if pure light and pure darkness had joined forces as both princesses were consumed by the light of their spells. The display of raw power lasted for several seconds before it began to fade, the sky above slowly returning to a normal shade of light blue.

Around the camp, ponies, both Crystal and Equestrian; broke out in cheers, with the coats of every Crystal pony shining brightly at the defeat of the hated tyrant. The celebrations lasted less than a minute. Before anypony could react, the ground around the liberated city bucked and heaved. In the distance, plumes of dust could be seen as the mountains rumbled and cracked, sending the largest rock slides ever seen by ponies roaring down the mountainsides. Around the camp, everything was chaos as medics tried to secure the wounded, guards tried to keep their prisoners from fleeing and everypony else tried to simply stay on their hooves. Before anypony could react, a shaft of light lanced from the top of the Crystal Palace and into the sky. An instant later, the shaft of light grew, slowly at first before speeding up. Within seconds, the entire city was engulfed in light as the shaking reached its crescendo. As suddenly as it started, the chaos stopped. The ground became still once again, leaving an eerie silence to descend on the camp as everypony waited to see what would happen next. As the light from the city faded, every crystal pony that could stand ran as fast as they could for the ridge that separated the camp from their home.

The sight that greeted them, Shadow had read in his ancestor’s diary, was one that would haunt the surviving crystal ponies for the rest of their lives. Where once a city had existed, the likes of which were unheard of, nothing remained. There was literally nothing of one of the most magnificent cities in the world left. Everything the light had touched had simply ceased to be. Where the capital of the Crystal Empire had once stood, now only a perfectly circular patch of dirt miles wide remained.