A Walking Shadow

Chapters

1. Dafuq am I?
2. Half Eagle Or Half Chicken?
3. Check Please

1. Dafuq am I?

Dafuq am I?

'Ow my head!' I wake up with a brain four sizes too large. Did I drink last night? I don't think so, seeing as though I don't drink. And I'm not one to do drugs either. I flutter my eyelids open, it was harder than it should have been. To my surprise I stare at the sky.

'Okay, maybe I did have something last night. So what the hell was it? I don't even remember going to a party let alone doing anything out of my usual norm.'

The groud feels oddly soft. Really soft. Pain shoots through my head again. I close my eyes tight and press a hand to my forehead.

"What the...?" Instead of feeling a fleshy palm, I felt something hard and smooth. And there was something weird on my face. I open my eyes one at a time to see what it was on my hand. But it wasn't something that was on my hand, it was my hand. My eyes soon shot wide open as I saw it.

"The hell?" It was gold, shiny, and plated. What the hell? I didn't have skin, I had scales! Claws and scales that ran from the tips of my four fingers all the way to to my shoulder, then my chest, and--Four fingers?!

I had four fingers! What the hell happened to my fifth? In fact which one was I missing? Pinkie? Middle? Ring? Gah! I don't know! Speaking of missing appendage, I seem to missing my toes. Why don't I have all my digits? Why? I only have three toes one each foot!

I try standing up, doesn't work out so well, it seems that my heels have been heightened too, so now it seems that I have to walk on my toes. Fan-freaking-tastic.

"Okay man, just calm down and figure out what happened to you." I say to myself trying to do everything to not have my brain explode. My entire body was covered in golden scales, hands, arms, body, legs, head, everything. So that means I'm obviously some sort of lizard.

......... What was on my back?

I slowly turn my head to look behind me to the best of my capabilities. There were two large wings, but they didn't match my body. They were feathered, orangey-red coloured had feathers, and there was something else there, lower down. A tail. I had a tail with fins at the top splitting off in a V-shape from the tip to the base. But the tail was matched to my body, golden and plated in scales. Wow, gloves really came off there.

"I'm okay with this." I'm oddly calm about knowing that last part. And kind of happy. Wings and a tail, that's pretty awesome actually.

I no longer had nails, now I had sharp claws that glittered off the edge from the sunlight. My face wasn't flat any more, now I had a snout. So yeah, I was definitely some kind of lizard, but with lips. There were very sharp teeth inside my new mouth. And hair? Hey, I actually still had hair! Thank you for small miracles. I don't even know the logic or the possibility of how the hair would be able to grow from a lizards' head, but you know what? Fuck it. I'm just too surprised and everything about the new me that I'm not even shocked about anything else.

So any ways, my hair was longer than I usually kept it. It was mid to short in length, went down a little past my shoulders, and resembled closer to my wings rather than my scales, it was orange-redish, not yellow, or black like how my hair's supposed to be. And it's shiny. I really don't know how any of this is possible.

But you know what the oddest part about the whole thing was? I'm now a cartoon. Solid colours, outlines, and everything. The works man.

'Okay man, just calm down and think about what you remember before this happened.'

"You mean to say that it's possible for you to send me to Equestria?" I ask this hot chick that randomly decided to talk to me. Don't think that I don't want her company, I just find it a little strange for a chick this hot to be talking to a stranger so suddenly. "You do realize that this sounds just like pretty much every Human in Equestria stories start, right?"

"Pretty much. So, yes or no?" No asks plainly.

"Yeah, I'd love to go."

"Yay."

'... And then if I remember correctly, she sucker punched me and then his. So maybe it wasn't all that important to recall and very brief, but at least I remember what happened last. So does that mean this is real life or I'm just unconscious? And in worst case scenario, she drugged me and I'm just trippin balls. Doesn't feel like it's a part of my subconscious, feels completely real. So this is real then? Because I really hope it isn't the other one.' I go over the last of my thoughts as to what happened when my brain finally catches up to speed and I ask a very obvious question. "Where am I?" I meant specifically, I was in Equestria I knew that much, I hope, but what was this extremely soft substance I was standing on?

I look down to my feet to see a white fluffy substance. 'Wait, snow? No this isn't cold. Then what is--!'

"GAH!" I jump back, scared out of my wits. I was standing on a cloud! 'Holycrapholycrapholycrapholycrap.' I poked my head over the edge to see solid ground. 'HOE. LEE. CRAP!'

"Okay let's see here, I am in Equestria, this may or may not be a real, I'm a dragon, and I'm on a cloud!" I slowly stand up, shoot my fists above my head, and shout three words for all the world to hear. "BEST. DAY. EVER!"

And Discord was right. These things ARE soft!

2. Half Eagle Or Half Chicken?

Half Eagle Or Half Chicken?

Well it took a lot of practice (and even more face planting), but I finally managed to learn how to fly. Once you get the hang of it, it's actually quite easy.

I never knew how much fun flying could be. I tried doing some tricks, loops, nose dives, and doing a barrel roll. Suck it Fox McCloud! I even learnt how to fly backwards, it's easier than you'd think. Maybe has something to do with the laws of physics of cartoons seeing as though only a bird that can fly backwards is the hummingbird. Hey wait, laws of physics of cartoons? Is that what Pinkie Pie follows instead of the actual laws of physics like what everyone else does? Because that would somehow kind of explain things.

I see a city on the horizon. What luck.

'Wait, is it luck or preordained planning?' I've come to the conclusion that this is, in fact, real. Clouds may be soft, but they have a second, harder layer beneath the softness. Maybe that's why pegasi hooves don't sink into the cloud when they stand on them. I know it had a harder layer underneath because it was rather painful from constantly face planting every time. But pain is a good thing, that means I'm alive. Therefore, if I'm alive then this is real.

Hellz yeah, this is real!

I sit on a lone cloud and give my wings a rest. 'Well, should I go into the city and see how ponies react to me? Or should I skip it and find something else to do?' I sat there for a while contemplating what to do. 'Ah screw it, I wanna see their faces.' I take off towards the town, ready for anything.

I spot a bill board on the ground and land in front of it, reading it to myself. "Welcome to Manehattan." It read. A smile comes across my face. 'Heh-heh, let's have some fun.'

I stroll into town like an everyday event for me. Everyone that saw me suddenly stopped whatever it was that they were doing and gawked. I'm not sure whether it was from shock, bewilderment, astonishment, or even fear. I quietly chuckle to myself. Could have been all the above. I pass through taking in the sights. Everywhere I went ponies would stare at the oddity that was me.

"Aw, come on sweethearts. It's good pay." I hear a voice from an alleyway.

"Look buster, we told you before, 'no'. Now leave us alone." A woman's voice. Or maybe a damsel in distress?

"Look, we been playin' it nice with you. Now why don't you come with us and we'll show you what'cher missin'. Wouldn't the pretty ponies like that?" Okay, I've heard enough of this. I wanted to escape my everyday life for adventure. To help people. And now I have the chance. Besides, what kind of man would I be if I don't help some ladies in need.

I walk into the alleyway to find a griffin talking to two mares. Another two ponies were beside him and a diamond dog that looked like a German Shepard behind the mares, cutting off their escape. I place two claws on the building next to us, carving two lines as I passed by. "Nah, the pretty ponies wouldn't like that." I mimic his tone of speech, kind of like a gangster. Not those big tough guys that are intimidating as hell, but just a punk really.

Everyone's attention is on me, everyone but the dog's eyes go in that same usually wide eye'd expression. The diamond dog's were actually of disdain, like he was king and I was about to usurp him, which, is kind of like what's going to happen if things go south.

The griffin looked like one of those pretty boys who gets away with everything because mommy and daddy are loaded with cash. How people like him disgust me.

"What the...? Hey Sting, what is that thing man?" The unicorn to his left asks the griffin. Sting, eh?

"I dunno. But it don't look like anything I ever seen." The griffin called Sting informs the unicorn.

"Why don't you four fine gentlemen finely apologies to these two mares for bothering them and finely be on your merry way before I have to finely kick your asses to next week." I threaten them and put on a menacing scowl. I know how to fight and defend myself, I'm just not sure how well I can fight in this new body. It's basically like my old one, except with scales, feathers, loss of a few digits, and the change of my entire anatomy.

"Wha? Hey you threatenin' me?" Sting growls back at me.

"No. I'm asking you to got to the ball with me, numbnuts."

"Oh, that is so it. Gruff, teach this freak a lesson." The diamond dog step forward and pulls out a huge two handed sword from his back. Okay, maybe I went over my head in this. He brings the sword high over his head and down on me. I dodge to the left, the sword sliding right past me and making a divot in the ground. He wastes little time and swings diagonally up at me. I bend back and watch the blade cut through the air right above my face.

'Wait, what did that guy say about my scales? That just about nothing will get passed them?' I think back to when I was talking to the guy who sent me here. 'Well I sure as hell hope he's right about that.' I put my arms over my head in a cross, just in time as the sword came down once more over me. The sword snapped in half as it came crashing down on my arms. They work like a charm.

The diamond dog looks at his broken sword in bewilderment then back at me. "My turn." I grab his vest and pull him towards my fist. You know, the fist already on its way to his face. I let go of him as my fist comes into contact with his face and send him lying in the dirt by his colleagues feet.

"What are ya doin' you idiot!? Get 'im!" Sting yells at his disorientated friend. He picks himself up an dives at me, claws extended. You know what the problem is with not having wings? You can't change direction once you're airborne. I crouch low to the ground so he flies over me. But I don't let him keep going, I push myself up and punch him hard into his stomach. If he could breath right now, then he'd have enough air to howl in pain. I grab his vest and send him face first into the dirt and push him onto his back. I fly parallel to the ground keeping a hold on Gruff's vest, all the while, his back was being pushed into the ground. Must have been rough on the back. With a great swing, I throw him head first into a brick wall and hear a woman's muffled scream on the other side. He went limp after what sounded like a frying pan hitting his face. I don't even wanna know.

By this point I wasn't exactly me at the moment. I knew what I was doing and who I am, but I felt more like a beast; brutal, strong, and just wanted to fight. I turn to the other three idiots, a wicked grin across my face.

"Well? What're you idiots waitin' for? Get 'im!" Sting yells at the two unicorns beside him.

"But Sting, didn't you just see what he did to Gruff? I don't know about this." One of them begins to shy away.

"Morons! You got magic. Just blast 'im!" The two unicorns looked at each other, wondering why they hadn't realized that sooner. I see their horns charging up with that aura that appears when a unicorn performs magic. I put up my hands to block a yellow and grey beam. I was pushed back by the force of collision. But not by much.

I push against the beams, one heavy step at a time. The closer I got the more the beams wavered and weakened, the unicorns were getting skittish. I grab them by the horns, feeling something like electricity course through my body. The two unicorns on the other hand got it much worse, they seemed to receive some sort of magic backlash when I grabbed them and were having some type of seizer. That guy said that magic had little effect on me. Think about it like this, a bucket is constantly being filled with water and there is a hole on the side emptying water from said bucket just as fast as it is being poured in. When you place something like, say a cork in the hole, it stops the only place for water to escape from. If the hole is plugged, and water keeps getting poured in and keeps filling up, where does the water go? It overflows the bucket. So I'm sure you've all caught on as to what I'm getting at here, but just to make sure, let me dumb it down for you. Magic is the water, the bucket are these moron ponies, and I'm the cork. So whatever happens to an overflowed bucket is happening to these two. I smash their heads together knocking them out just like that diamond dog. That time was an act of mercy.

This is too easy.

"Aw, screw this, I'm outta here." Sting turns tail flies away. The coward! Acts all high and mighty, gets others to do the dirty work, then runs for his life when things go to hell. I don't care if he can fly or not, this is the real Scootaloo.

Something boils inside my gut as my anger grows. My body is full of life and it wants to be let out, it wants to be known. Without warning, knowledge, or thinking, I open my mouth wide. My soul is screaming to be let out, and I listen to it. A spray of fire comes out of my mouth, white fire.

"Gah!" Heh, got his wing. Sting begins to fall as his left wing is now useless. It wasn't on fire or burning, but he was going to be incapable of flight for a long time. I push myself up with my wings and catch him in his free fall. I'm not trying to save the guy, no no no, I have something much better. I wrap my arms around his chest, trapping his wings and arms and squeeze tight so he can't escape, I have one good shot at this and I need to make it count. I nose dive us to the ground, increasing velocity for maximum damage. I let go of him at the last second and pull up. Jeez this is difficult.

He crashes to the ground looking beaten and bloodied while I rise to the sky unharmed. He'll live, and nothing looks to be broken... yet. I fold my wings and let myself free fall over top of him. I land on his unburned wing, feeling a nice snapping under me. He lets out a shriek of pain, music to my ears.

He's bloodied, beaten, broken,and worst yet, humiliated. I step off his broken wing and grab his head, facing him to the two mares that he was bothering. "Now what do you say to the pretty ponies?" I ask him.

"I-I'm sorry." He whimpers.

"And...?"

"I'll leave y-you alone. It'll n-never happen again."

"Good job." I give a friendly smile showing how pleased I am with him. Then when he feels safe and secure that I'm happy, I smash face into the ground.

I let out a content sigh. That was absolutely invigorating. I notice a small bag under his broken wing. I pick it up and jingle it around, a rewarding smile comes across my face as I hear the sweet chime of coins. "One more thing, I don't have any money, so I was wondering if you could provide a few bits for me?" I asked the unconscious griffin as if he were still awake. "Really? The whole thing? Hey thanks man, I knew I could count on you."

I take a glance to check how the ladies are doing. Well, well, well, if I'm not mistaken these are the two pegasi Cloudchaser and Flitter. First (and so far only) appearance in Hurricane Fluttershy. Wonder what these two are doing here?

They stare at me, jaws hanging and eyes wide. They have a mixed expression of fear, amazement, shock, and worry. I pay them no mind and walk away. I didn't expect a thank you in the first place.

'Damn that was fun!' I juggle the bag of bits in my hand. 'Saved two people, er ponies, and I was able to breath fire as a bonus. But how'd I do it? I'll need to learn how to do it consciously, it'll come to me sooner or later, if you can do it once, you can do it twice. But you know what, something doesn't feel right. It feels like I'm missing something.' I couldn't put my finger on it. What was I missing?

I pass by a window and see my reflection. First time I had a good look at myself, no wonder ponies looked scared of me. Even I was a little shaken at my appearance. My eye were a different colour too. My pupils were vertical and pointed, not round. And blue irises, they looked nice, very nice. Then it hits me.

'Clothes.' Sure, dragons, and most of the time ponies don't wear them. But hey, to each his own.

I finally find a place to someone who could get me an outfit. It took forever to find. It's difficult for even a pony who's not accustomed to the big city to get directions, so don't let me start on how long it took me. I open the door to the store to hear a bell chime. "I'll be with you in a minute." A man's voice comes from the back room. I take the time to look at what's on display. Whoever it is that makes these is an artist. They know just what to add whatever the style.

"Hello, and welcome to-WHOA!" His voice goes into alarm when he saw me. He stares at me dumbfounded. Okay this is getting really old really fast.

He was a light brown unicorn who looked to be middle-aged with black short hair that was slicked back. He had a measuring rope cutie mark on his flank. Well where else would it be?

"Uh, welcome to the Stitch Twitch. How can I help you?" He asks sceptically.

"Hey, I was wondering if you could make something that could fit me. Nothing fancy, just comfortable and easy fitting." I give him a warm smile to make him feel more comfortable.

"Well, uh, you got any bits? I don't work for free." I toss him the coin purse I got off of Sting. After a close inspection he hands it back to me. "Alright, I'll do it. Stand over there while I take your measurements."

I stand in a clear area, he levitates a measuring tape to take my measurements. "So how long have you been doing this?" I try to pass the time with a conversation.

"Twenty-three years." He says flatly.

"Enjoy it?"

"Yep." Okay, I'm obviously not going to get much out of him. I stand there in silence as he continues the measurements.

"So what's a... what are you? Some sort of dragon?" He asks breaking the tension.

"Well you're half right, I am a dragon, or at least half of one. I'm a cross species of a dragon and phoenix. And don't ask me how it happened because I don't even know."

"Right, so what are you doing here if you don't mind me asking?"

"Not sure. Just passing through I suppose. Maybe go explore, learn new things, meet ponies. Maybe even make a name for myself. I honestly can't tell you for sure really."

"Well if getting noticed is what you want then I don't suppose that will be hard for one such as yourself. But if you want my advice: don't. It'll get you nothing but trouble. Especially in this city." We hear the bell from the door chime again as someone enters. "Excuse me."

He walks to the entrance. "Hello and welcome to the Stitch- What in Celstia's name happened to you four? You look like you've been dragged through the bowels of Tartarus and back."

"Don't wanna talk about it. You got our bits?" Hey! I know that voice.

"Look business has been slow. Just give me another week and I'll have them. I just need a little more time is all." The older unicorn sounded fearful.

"look, I've been havin' the worst day of my life. We've had our asses handed to us on a silver platter, I struck out on trying to pick up some chicks, I got one wing broken and the other scorched, and I've been mugged. Now if you don't have those bits I can't be responsible for what may happen next."

"Sting you third-rate excuse for a punching bag, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I yell at the griffin as I spot him and his crew at the door. Their eyes shoot wide with fear when they see me. Even the Diamond Dog. They truly looked like they were in a fight. Well actually, it was more of a beating than I fight really. Sting's wings are bandaged from before and the others don't look any better.

"Sting! It's him!" One of the unicorns points at me with a shaky hoof.

"I can see that! Look man, we're not looking for trouble, we're just here to collect some... things is all." He backs away putting emphasis on 'things'.

"You mean getting your protection money! First you go around harassing ponies, now you're forcing them to pay you? You truly are scum." He stutters, trying to say something in his defence. "Tell me. Do you miss flying?" I look him square in the eye. He nods his head slowly.

For most ponies outside, it was just another ordinary day for them in Manehattan. That is, until a griffin is thrown through a door while a diamond dog and two ponies run for their dear lives' right after him and something that looks like a dragon with feathers exiting after those three.

I make my way across the street to where I flung Sting. He's covered in new cuts and bruises. "Now you listen here you poor excuse of a griffin. If I ever see, hear, or even think that you're harassing anyone ever again , I'll rip out all your feathers one by one, making it as painful as possible! Then I'll burn your entire body with my own fire, making sure none of you're fur or feathers ever grow back! But I won't let you die. Oh no! I'll just make sure that'll you'll forever be known as a bald, disfigured, flightless freak for the rest of your life! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!?" I've been shouting at him so much that my own saliva is now splattered on his quivering face.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes sir." He whimpers. I gesture for him to beat it. He didn't waste a second and runs off like his tail was on fire, leaving behind a yellow puddle.

'Hot damn! Was I really that scary?' Ponies talk amongst themselves, not sure as to what just happened. They stop talking and walk away rather hastily when they notice me looking at them.

I walk back into Stitch Twitch, the door now shattered. The middle aged unicorn's jaw was hanging so low that it was threatening to hit the floor. "Uh, sorry about that. And the door. Guess I'll be paying for that too."

"Sorry? Pay? Kid, I'd break your arm before I'd let you do anything like that! You just did for me and the next five blocks the biggest favour of our lives. Sting and his gang have been squeezing us of our bits for years now." He had a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Well, guess your not going to have problems any more then." I cheer up knowing that I helped a lot of other people.

"Heh, guess not." He says it to me like he really won't have trouble. But the tone in his voice said otherwise. Something wasn't right. "Come on, I have to finish your measurements. The names Tailor by the way." Are you serious? A tailor named Tailor? That's actually the one thing I had a problem with the show. Their names related to their cutie mark, before they get the cutie mark! "So you got one?"

My name? Good question. Should I go with my human name? No. Back home I couldn't be who I am. I couldn't be the true me without any form of the government not approving. This is the real me though. The me that can make a difference, the me that can help those in the way I see fit. The other me was just a shadow of who I truly am. A shadow?

"Me?" Pause for dramatic effect. "I'm Shadow."

3. Check Please

Check Please

Tailor grew up in Trotingham but moved here to Manehattan to start his career. He worked for various companies before he was able to make enough bits to set up Stitch Twitch. After kicking Sting's ass for a second time today, he became more open with me. We shared as few laughs as he worked on the measurements.

"All right, that should do it. Drop by tomorrow morning and I'll have it ready for you." He says putting away the measuring tape. "And thanks for the help."

I make my way through the streets, ponies crossing the street when they saw me. It bothered me a little that they looked at me like that, but hey, if you saw something like me casually walking down the side walk you'd want to stay away from it too. I realise that it's about mid evening and I haven't had anything to eat since I came here. I'm hungry.

I find a restaurant and go inside for something to eat and plan out what I'm going to do next. the place was an assortment of chatter and pleasantries, you know, the second before I walked inside. Now it was eerily quiet. "Hello, how can we help you?" A turquoise mare that looked like that girl from Cooking Mama asks me. She gave a forceful smile to make it seem like nothing was the matter, but looked rather fearful of me.

"A table for one, is there anything next to a window?"

"Y-yes, right this way please." I follow her through the restaurant, everyone looks at me and instantly away as to not make eye contact. "Here you are. Can I get you anything to drink?" I sit down in a chair facing the window.

"Just some water." And just like that she was gone. Other ponies begin to leave in a hurry, especially those with children. I lean back in the charge and think things through in my head. 'Maybe my next move should be doing something to show that I don't mean harm. But what?'

"Oh uh, hey there." I turn around to see two familiar mares. Cloudchaser and Flitter.

"Hey. Didn't expect to see you two again." I say to them pleasantly.

"We're glad we bumped into you again. We never thanked you for helping us back in the alley." Flitter says.

"Yeah, if it wasn't for you who knows what would have happened to us. So thanks dude." Cloudchaser finishes.

"Well by the way he was talking to you and that way he looked at the two of you, I could think of a few things." They shudder at the same thought.

"Yeah, that." Cloud says coming out of her shudder. :Anyway, we feel like we owe you one."

"That's unnecessary, I didn't do it for a return favour, I just wanted to help out."

"Well at least let us pay for your bill." Flitter suggests.

"Are you going to leave if I say no?" They shake their heads. "Then you might as well pull up a seat and order something yourself." They do just that, Cloud on my left and Flitter to my right. "So, can I get a name from my rescuees?"

"I'm Cloudchaser."

"And I'm Flitter." I'll let you decide who said which.

"Cool names, by the way. Are you two sisters?" This has been bugging me. Are they sisters because their coat color are identical, Cloud's is a bit darker though. But their irises are the same. It's always been bugging me if their sisters or best friends for the fans to ship. I actually don't get shipping, it's like some weird fetish or something.

"Yeah, we're sisters. Why do you ask?" Cloud answers.

"No reason." I say quickly. Well, I guess this means incest shipping. Facepalms all around. "So anyways, how'd you two meet an ass like Sting?"

"We went to a club the other night, you know, just wanted to have a good time." Cloud starts.

"Then he showed up, offered us some drinks, we accepted, and actually had a fun time meeting him." Flitter adds. "We danced, laughed, talked, had a few more drinks and he started smooth talking us. After a while he suggested we go to his place."

"We may like to have fun, but we are not those kind of mares." Cloud continues on. "He took it as an offence and started saying we owe him for those drinks. We owe him? He was the one who offered them to us. After that he began saying some pretty harsh things."

"The next day he and those other three found us. He said that he wanted repayment. It was either our money... or us." Flitter finishes the story uneasy.

"And that's where I came in." A proud smirk creeps across my face.

The waitress comes back with my water. "Here you are, sorry it took so long." She sounded like he was apologizing for her tardiness out of fear rather than actually being tardy.

"No problem. We'd like to order. What would recommend that's not not one hundred percent leaves, hay, or flowers?" I ask the waitress.

"Uhh, the lasagna?"

"Perfect! Ladies?' I turn to the other two.

"Petunia salad." Flitter says.

"I'll have the same." The waitress take sour orders and hastily rushes off to the kitchen. I take a sip of the water and my eyes shoot wide. This was by far the greatest water I've ever tasted! So clean and pure!

"So where are you from? And who is it that we have to thank exactly?" Flitter asks putting on a pleasing smile. Crap, what do I say? The truth? no that's stupid... or maybe not.

"You can call me Shadow. I live far north of Equestria, past the Crystal Empire. My race has stayed hidden from everyone else, we rely on no one but ourselves. As far as I can tell I'm the first to leave. We're actually a very advanced race despite being disconnected from the rest of the world." That's the truth with a few details missing, and stretched. I mean sure, it seems a little far-fetched, but it makes sense doesn't it?

"So what exactly are you? You look like a dragon, but you've got feathers all over your body, and not to mention your wings. I've never seen a dragon with feathers before." Cloudchaser examines my naked body curiously, trying to figure me out. Okay, what do I say this time? More stretched out truth?

"I'm some sort of dragon-phoenix hybrid, a dragonix if you will." Shadow the dragonix, kind has a nice ring to it. "Don't ask me how my parents were able to do it, but they did, and don't ask me who was the father and who was the mother, I didn't even know them."

"You have no idea who your parents are? That must have been harsh for you growing up." Flitter says sympathetically.

"Yeah, it must have been." Cloud doesn't sound like she's buying it. Damn, she must know something's up. Our food arrives. Oh good, maybe I change the subject. I grab a fork and dig into the lasagna. Not half bad. Made from reel cheese, not that pre-made crap you find in the frozen section of a store.

"So what do you eat? I mean you are a half dragon and half phoenix, so you must have some odd eating habits." Cloud says munching on her salad.

"Not really," I say with a mouthful of lasagna. "I'm an omnivore. I eat fruit, vegetables, dairy, and uh..." I stop before saying the last thing and swallow the lasagna. Meat. Think about it, I'm sitting with two ponies having a pleasant conversation with a dragon-like creature, and I'm think something like ponies is a dragon's natural diet. How would you like it if you're having a casual meal with someone and they instantly say 'Yeah so, I eat human flesh, better than chicken.' You'd get pretty freaked out too.

Flitter puts down here fork. Hey wait, how did she even hold it with those hooves? Meh, probably another thing that follows the laws of physics of cartoons. "It's fine, we understand. Different bodies need different substances to keep them healthy." She doesn't look at me, but she sounded like it was okay. Uncomfortable, but okay.

"Thanks." For the first time in my life, I'm actually sorry I eat meat.

"So what about gems? You eat them?" Cloud asks me again.

"Gems? I'm not sure. Maybe." I scratch the side of my head wondering if I do. I'm half dragon so, yes right?

They smile at me, a reassuring smile like everything is okay. Like they trust me, that I mean good. I guess this is proof that I can be accepted by ponies. I just need to figure out how to do that.

Meanwhile Flitter and Cloud are still holding those forks with their hooves'. "How- How are you holding those forks?" They look at their forks, at each other, and then me.

"We're... Not sure."

************************************************************************************

"So then he says, 'To the train station!'" I spit my water back into the glass and laugh uncontrollably. Oh god, that was one of the funniest jokes ever I've heard in my life.

"Excuse me, but I'm afraid we're closing right now." The waitress come up behind us.

"Really? Hehehe. Okay, we'll be gone in a minute." I wipe a tear from my eye and catch my breath. It's gotten dark out, how long have we been here? I feel bad for having these two pay for me. It's rather late out, we stayed at the restaurant longer than I expected.

"So Shadow, what's happening tomorrow?" Cloudchaser asks me as we step outside.

"I was going to pick up some supplies and start my journey, then head to Cloudsdale. There's something in that town that I wanna try." A smirk grows on my face and rub my hands together thinking about it.

"Clousdale? Hey we live near that place." Flitter says. "we live in the town beside it, Ponyville. We were planning heading home tomorrow."

"Why don't you come with us?" Cloud suggests. "We can probably help you with whatever it is you need to do there."

"That may not be such a good idea. The thing I have in mind involves... ignoring some rules." They look at me questioningly. They're probably thinking I'm going to do something really bad. "Don't worry, no one's going to get hurt or anything. At least I hope not. I just want to break into the Weather Factory." That just made things seem worse. "Okay let me rephrase that. I'm not going to rob the place, sabotage anything, or destroy anything. All I want to do is sneak in and taste a rainbow."

They look at me confused. "Why would you want to taste a rainbow?" Cloud asks.

"Or break in to do it?" Flitter adds.

"Well, being part dragon, fire and heat doesn't effect me, And I've heard that rainbows are very spicy. So I want to to put that to the test." I explain my interests to them. It's true, I really do want to know what a rainbow tastes like. In the episode when Dash performed her second sonic rain-boom, Pinkie Pie tasted a rainbow, her face turned like seven different colours, she spat fire, and said it was spicy with a hint of horror in her voice. And let's not forget that this is the mare that dumped half a bottle of hot sauce and coated a cupcake with it, only yo say it was good. Not even asking for water or anything.

"Then why break in?" Flitter asks again.

"Because I don't think they'de let just anyone in for a tour of the factor. Plus, I'm not exactly normal. They will have their suspicion. Besides, it's more fun when there's a chance of getting in trouble." I snicker.

"Well if that's the truth, we may know of a way to help you out. We know three guy who work there." Cloud offers.

"Oh no! I am not running the risk of getting you two in trouble." I protest. "You owe me nothing! It's nice that you'de like to help, but you can't do this."

"Well, what if we just 'happen' to ask for a private tour of the factory during the same night you just 'happen' to break in? Besides, it's more fun when there's a chance of getting in trouble." Flitter says using my own words against me.

"If this is about paying me back, then forget it. You really don't owe me anything."

"Good, because this isn't about paying you back. This is about helping out a friend." Cloud lifts her nose a little and smirks. She's not taking 'no' for an answer.

Karma, they say if you do something bad, something bad will happen to you. And if you do something good, something good will happen to you. So where does it say that you're not allowed to refuse the return favour?

"So where are you staying?" Flitter asks changing the subject.

"No place particular. Besides, I doubt a bed built for a pony could fit me."

"Hey, you can crash at the motel room we're staying at. You'd have to sleep on the couch though." Cloud offers me.

"Nah, it's fine. Besides, I see a cloud with my name on it. Those things are unbelievably comfortable." I spot a lone cloud hanging over the city, not moving or anything. Of course it's not moving by itself, pegasi do that.

"Yeah sure?" Flitter pushes.

"Yeah, it's fine." We say our goodbyes and promised to meet again at that spot in the morning. Well, day one in Equestria: beat up a thug, got on some peoples good side, and I'm getting some knew threads tomorrow. Cool!

'... Did she call me a friend?'