Author's Note

Sorry if this took a little long like what I did to Rarity's story because I almost ran out of ideas. Here is part 1 of this chapter working on the next ones now.

A Growing Shadow Part 1

Lunch ended when Onyx and Applejack recalled on their reunion during freshman with Rarity and hearing Frostbite’s ridiculous story he pulled off at Ms. Cherilee and after the last of your classes, instead of hanging out with Sunset and her friends, you walk the halls of Canterlot High and left the building. You started approaching the Wondercolt Statue where it all started. After a while of recalling some memories, you left and head to the parking lot where your black motorcycle is. You hop on your vehicle and drove off but not back to your place, but somewhere else that is also familiar.

Few minutes of your ride, you parked outside and what it looks like the amphitheater. You remember this is where the final round of the Battle of the Bands was held and Sunset and her friends defeated the Dazzlings. You entered the area and looked around. All of this brings back memories and it's been long already and Sunset has left her past and moved on, now with her friends by her side. Every person does deserve a second chance and it’s better to ‘Forgive than to Forget’ like the saying goes and that you are happy for her.

You are getting off the stage as you turn around to have another look but then something sparkly caught your eyes beneath the stairs to the stage. Out of curiosity you check to see what it was as you approach the steps. You found the little thing that sparkled as you held it in your fingers. From what it looks like is a red shard which is somewhat familiar, but you begin to wonder on why something like this is there. Then it popped up in your mind. The Dazzlings did wore three red necklaces and after the Rainbooms defeated them, they were shattered. You guess that Sunset and her friends may have missed getting rid of what remains of the necklaces. Since the Dazzlings have lost their powers already and the shard did look kind of pretty, you decided to keep it since it is now a harmless piece of jewel as you kept it in your pocket and head back to your motorcycle in the parking lot.

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The next day you are at your apartment room while playing Halo Wars 2 coop with Sunset Shimmer. A funny thing is that all of you know even how serious and selfless Sunset is, she does have some anger issues and doesn’t like losing. Maybe you and her friends should start on that, but you let it slip by.

“3 scarabs!? Okay now this guy is just an ass****.” You hear Sunset screamed on her mic since she is the one who thought of playing this game and both of you are on the final mission in heroic.

“Calm down hothead,” You said trying not to laugh. “Just send your condor on the left side and I will bring the vultures on the other side. Make sure to activate your leader powers also.”

“Shut up, I know that!”

After the last stressful and hilarious seconds of the countdown, the two of you finally finished the last mission of the entire campaign.

“Phew, that was close.” Sunset said while the two of you are watching the cutscene and the credits. “Let’s do the dlc campaign next time for now how about come to my room for a little snack break?”

“Okay, I’m coming downstairs.”

It's funny that the apartment complex you are staying is actually the same one Sunset lives.

It started when the owner of the last apartment you stayed increased your rent so suddenly which is not part of the agreement. Being fed up and cheated, you left. Luck was on your side when your new landlord showed you this apartment and its room, then you heard Sunset’s voice coming from downstairs. You didn’t believe at first but was amused that Sunset is a tenant here and you and her became neighbors.

Hours later after you had your little snack break with bacon hair, it is now night time just an hour before midnight. You are tossing yourself back and forth on your bed while hearing some sort of noise. As you immediately opened your eyes...it was just your stomach making those growling noises, you have this feeling to take a shit.

After a while of releasing what is inside of you and got out of your bathroom you see that your drawer on your desk is opened. You never recall opening it as you approach your desk. You see the red shard you picked up the other day as the moonlight from your window shone on your desk table. After closing it and when you turned around your eyes went wide as you backed up and hit your desk. You see some sort of shadow figure. The thing opened its eyes and you see only a green glow with no pupils nor iris.

“Sunset,” The unknown figure keeps repeating your friend’s name in a lowly tone which you can hear.

“Sunset, wait what about her. How do you know her?” You asked but no response. “Who are you?!”

The figure then grabbed both of your wrists with its three claws as it moved closer to you. You couldn’t even have it to let you go and your squirming was useless.

“Her worst nightmare.” The figure then immediately engulfs as you called out your friend’s name.

“SUNSET!”

“Dusk!” Sunset immediately woke up from her sleep. Breathing heavily and sweating, but the odd part is why did she had a nightmare about you. She sees the sun is shining from her window and her alarm clock hasn’t ringed yet. “Okay that was weird?”

Instead of getting back to sleep Sunset got out of bed as she prepares herself for another day at Canterlot High.

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After classes you are with Sunset and her friends and heading to Sugarcube Corner. While you are passing by some stores, all of you are passing by one of them until Sunset notices your reflection on the glass window is not exactly you. She wonders if she was just seeing stuff as she caught up with her friends.

At Sugarcube Corner

“Now how am I supposed to be there, when I am with you guys all along?” Frostbite said.

All of you wondered after Pinkie told a silly story on Mrs. Cake seeing Frostbite at Canterlot Mall earlier during school hours, but he was with you guys all along. Even yesterday when Onyx got hit twice in a row, first a soccer ball to the head then getting hit by Applejack’s family truck. Then some of you notice that there is something in Sunset’s mind.

“Sunset darling, is something the matter?” Rarity asked. “Earlier when you came in to class, I notice that same expression you are showing right now.”

“Rarity it's just...I had this bad dream...” Sunset states.

“Really, a bad dream?” Rainbow Dash interrupts her words.

“Not now Rainbow,” Applejack said. “Go ahead sugarcube, what was the dream about?”

Sunset recaps what she remembered, about you being confronted by some shadow and says her name repeatedly to you. Then it grabbed and engulf you until she woke up after you screamed her name.

“Uhh okay? Now that you mention about it...” You said until all of them turned their attentions to you. “All I remember yesterday is that I need to use the bathroom then after that I went straight to bed. When I woke up, I was actually sleeping on the floor all of a sudden.”

“Uhm, could it be because you also had a bad dream and that is why you fell from your bed?” Fluttershy said.

“No, I don’t remember having one. But I did not fell from my bed, I was laying down near my desk table.”

All of you are now puzzled on what is going on. Twilight conclude that Frostbite’s is that Mrs. Cake is just over working herself, Onyx was just lucky and for you and Sunset is that you two maybe exposing yourselves to one of the causes which is watching or playing games which has a horror genre. The last time you and Sunset recalled is that you two played a game called ‘The House of the Dead’ was way back after she knew your liking in video games like her.

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It is now Saturday, you had fun yesterday after you joined Sunset and her friends at Canterlot Mall. Your most favorite place was the arcade, obviously. You and Sunset won against Rainbow Dash and Applejack in Power Stone 2, Pinkie Pie beat you in Drum Mania by a few points, and Rainbow Dash won against Sunset in Guitar Hero. Besides winning matters but also having fun is most important.

You are finished getting in your work clothes and since it’s a bit early, you will drop by at Sugarcube Corner to grab some hot chocolate for take-out then to head to Canterlot Mall to this game shop to set things up before opening. But it came to your mind when Sunset gave you a call yesterday since you went home earlier than she did for personal reasons. After locking up your room you went downstairs and waited for Sunset outside hers.

After a while both of you exited your apartment complex and hopped on your motorcycle. She told you the directions to Twilight’s house which you asked why but she said she will explain things once both of you are there. Both of you are at Twilight’s house. Sunset explained that Equestrian magic enchanted each one of the boys' items who are close with her friends.

“Dusk, did you happen to have something that looks like it has Equestrian magic or something that looks odd?” Sunset asked.

“Well, I did find something.” You grabbed your bag next to you as you rummage through it. You then hand over Sunset the shard you found the other day.

“Ohh that is a sparkly stone you have, where did you get it?” Pinkie asked.

“You remember when you girls faced the Dazzlings, right? Maybe you must have missed cleaning up their shattered necklaces and I found this. I just kept it in my drawer until you mention this meeting and it’s better if I show this to you”

“Hmm, but we fought the Dazzlings a long time ago. That simply cannot be just lying there and we did not see it. Twilight, you don’t mind and checking this out.” Sunset hands Twilight the shard.

After checking some of the boy’s items, yours is next. Twilight stated that the red crystal you found at the amphitheater contains shadow magic. You remember Sunset stating according to Princess Twilight that the sirens used their singing to cause disharmony, so it seems that the shard you found has no relation to the Dazzlings powers.

“It says on my analysis that you can also become a shadow and can control other people shadow’s as well.” Twilight states as the results came out for you.

“Kind of creepy when you explained it.” You said then an idea hits you. “You don’t mind if I try it a little?”

“Sure.” Twilight hands over the red shard to you. You held it in your fingers for a while but nothing happened. “Try focusing a bit more and image it in your mind.”

You did as Twilight tell you. A little while the red shard glows and your shadow underneath your body you fell into it. The others gasp that you disappear in your own shadow. Twilight checked to see if you are doing okay until your shadow moved to Rainbow Dash’s and begins to panic on what you are thinking. Then her body begins to pose; laying on her stomach while her feet are up, her chin on one hand and using the other hand while moving her index finger, she even gave all of her friends a wink making most of them snort while holding their laughter on how she never acts like this. But Rainbow Dash regained her senses and realize her position right now.

“H-hey guys what is going on and why am I posing!” Rainbow Dash said panicking but she still cannot move her body.

You immediately separated from Rainbow Dash as she broke her position as she slumps to the floor.

“Sorry about that Dash.” You said as you reveal yourself. “Guess I can control more of the person’s body than the mind.”

“I am so going to make you pay for that.”

Twilight jotted down what you did on her notebook. But she notices how Sunset was uneasy about her friend’s powers.

“I something the matter Sunset?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, I just have a bad feeling about when you mention Dusk’s is shadow magic,” Sunset said. “You don’t mind if I observe how, he controls his? Also, its better if each of us is assigned to one to make things less difficult.”