Shadow woke up like she had been for the last 22 years of her life, with a start and at a minute before six am. She continued on to take a shower, brush her teeth, and get ready for work and all within 30 minutes. As she left she looked at her husband with two emotions fighting for control, one being disappointment that he hasn't woken up from the filter that affects to her knowledge everypony, the other being affection for even though he has not embraced the full reality that doesn't mean they don't still share a bond. The pony soon left the room and into the hallway in which she stumbled across the empty room of her daughter. At the thought of her daughter she was once again filled with varying emotions but instead of disappointment it was fear and hope. Fear at the thought that she didn't teach her daughter well enough to avoid the film of pacification and hope at that since she was in a vital position to that tyrants plans that she could possibly help dismantle the system. But she didn't let herself get too lost in her head as she trotted to the front door and off to the restaurant she worked at. While she was walking as she had as she done all the times she made this trek she went into autopilot trying to avoid the potholes from the recent attack on the capital. that continued until she ran into another pony.

"Oh I am so sorry here let me help you." Shadow said to the mysterious mare as she noticed that the mare had been carrying groceries.

"Oh no need I've got it but tha-" the mare paused as she looked into Shadows eyes with what seemed like recognition. "hey you know I go this book meeting and I think you would be a good fit in there." the strange mare said as she hoofed over a business card which only said an address and the words "every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 7 PM". Shadow tried to look around for that pale lilac colored pony but she was gone from Shadows view. She then realized that she still had to get to work so she booked it to her work place.

As Shadow worked away as a waitress her thoughts keep lingering back to the strange pony and her business card. On one hoof it could be the ESS trying to secretly subdue her as a reward for her 5 years of service with them, but on the other hoof that was not how the ESS worked while she was there and it could just be a normal book club which would help put her mind at ease. All of this thinking was put to an end when during her 15 minute break in which she smoked a cigarette in an ally she saw a pony walking across the street while looking around like they were being hunted. They continued like that until they were dragged into a different ally by two ponies. One of the the two ponies then looked out to see if anyone was paying a little too much attention but Shadow had already put on a face of ignorance. Once the pony who was looking stopped and went back to the darkness did Shadow drop her facade, but at the moment she did she decided to say screw it and that she would go the said meeting.

So Shadows day continued on from there. she continued to listen to ponies speak about recent event which more and more tended to the mundane as even the invasion of canterlot would not stick in the minds of those under the effects of whatever the tyrant used to keep the populations minds off of horrific reality that surrounded them. She continued to work until her shift came to an end at 6:45 pm. At this time she would normally head on home but today was not an ordinary day as she made her way to where the address said to. The first thing she noticed about this place was that the place was in a ally, an extortionary clean ally that while normally would be nothing out of the ordinary considering recent events it made it stick out. The second thing she noticed was a metal door which other then a metal slot for a pony to look in and out of was completely unnoteworthy. Shadow took a look around to see if there was anything else of note, but as she didn't see anything she decided to go and knock on the door.

"hello anypony there? I am here for the book club." she said after the pounds of her knocking didn't get any attention. She stood there for a while until a colt opened the view latch.

"Do you work with ESS?" he said in a monotone voice.

"No"

"Do you have any loyalties to the crown?"

"No" she said before realizing what she had just said, which filled her with dread and fear but before she could do anything the colt interrupted her.

"Then welcome." he said as he opened the door. Shadow was confused at first but decided to go along with what was expected of her to do. "Please look to your left." The colt said as he closed the door leading to this corridor and she did as the colt told her to do and was rewarded with a runic symbol that she had never seen before flashed into her retinas. "don't worry it will fade." he said a he opened the door that led to larger gathering area. Once the symbol had disappeared from her vision she immediately noticed that the same pony she had ran into earlier was sitting on a sofa. The pony didn't take long to notice Shadow as well as she ran to her with a smile on her face.

"Ah glad to see my hunch was right about you." she said as she put her hoof on my shoulder and walked the only other door that was in this waiting area. "oh but before we get on with tonight's activities allow me to introduce myself. Hello I am Starlight Glimmer and welcome to-" she said as she opened the door. "the cult of Humanity!" she said as Shadow fully say the huge gathering hall that had tables dotting throughout the area and there were a good chuck of ponies and even a couple of zebras and griffins. At the end of the hall was big torch that held not fire but a rather large glowing crystal. and behind that held three red banners.

"What is this place" Shadow asked with confusion written all over her face.

"Oh well... oh I just remembered I never got you name."

"Oh it uh Shadow Mist"

"Right well Shadow this is a place dedicated to the two humans that have blessed our mortal plane. The first being the strong but kind Knight of Direwolf whose armor was sharp and jagged like a Direwolf and as dark the darkest night. The second was the knightess of Frozen North who led the armies of the said north to combat against Celestia. Now unfortunately both have failed against the tyrant of the sun but with reemergence of Luna we hope that signifies the upcoming dawn of the third human to grace our lowly life's."

"I... I.. I don't know what to say."

"And I won't tell you what you need to say but if you have any morality in you're heart you should join us for we are about to start."

"It... it's just that I am worried about my daughter and how this will affect her."

"And who is your daughter, if you mind me asking."

"My daughter is." she paused while thinking on whether or not she should say the truth or lie about her daughter, but in the end she was already committing high treason by attending this meeting so decided once again to say screw it. "My daughter is Rainbow dash." The moment Starlight recognized the name her face went through a whole range of emotions but what she landed on surprised Shadow as it was delightful intrigue.

"By the gods I knew I had a hunch but this.. this is Great. With you at our side we have a dagger aimed directly at the heart of both the Great barrier and Celestia. But this just reinforces my point tenfold in that you have any sparks of justice in your heart you have to join us." She said as she held out her hoof. Shadow pondered on what to do, but with instance after instance of injustice's that she is forced to face regularly and the fact that ever since she left ESS she has been living in constant fear of being sent to the north she quickly decides on what she is going to do. Shadow grips Starlight's hoof with a determined look in her eyes

"I'm in." Shadow boldly exclaims, and soon she too will be working with

Cloak and Daggers

Author's Note

well I'm back and to answer a couple of questions I know will pop up

Q: Why is Starlight's secret society so lax with their recruitment

A: That is because starlight has a couple of secrets that so far Shadow doesn't know of but will be revealed next time we jump back to Shadows world

Q: how old is Rainbow dash in this universe

A: she is 20 years old and Shadow is 40 years old

and that's all I could think of that remain most pertinent but without further adu here is this chapters Song