Fanfic Snipsby RangerBeefChaptersOne Last PartyHelp Is On The WayLetters to Celestia: SpikeShadows Never Leave YouA Darker PlaceComing HomeComing Down the MountainOne Last PartyPinkie Pie threw me one last party today. In the planning process someone told Pinkie it was supposed to be a serious and somber occasion and she was disappointed. I told her to "Pinkie" it up. Which brought her curls to their bounciest bounce. I did ask for no streamers or confetti. I think she'll still use the confetti. She knows I've always liked it. Some days I walk along this beach and watch as my hoof prints disappear back into the sand as the surf washes over them. It wasn't until recently that I realized how metaphoric this was of life. We're here one minute, solid and undeniable, and in the next, we're gone. Fading from memory until we disappear completely. I miss the days when I didn't think about that. When the sand was just the sand and the surf was just the surf. And they both felt good against my hooves. I suppose they still do. Some things will never change, no matter how much we do. So Pinkie threw my last party. And she really outdid herself. Even on what is normally an unhappy occasion ponies are smiling and laughing. Sharing good natured stories about the guest of honor. I even shared a few of my own that most don't know. It's weird to think that by this time next week I won't be here. Don't let that statement get you down, we're still here for a good time. And it's not as if I'm unprepared. I've said my goodbyes, given the tightest of hugs to the ponies that mean the world to me, and even took the time to tell a certain lady how much I was going to miss her. I stole a kiss too. She still slapped me. Sorry, Rare. I can't say I don't love the idea of having this party. And I really love that I've had time to say what needed to be said. But next week, when you're all doing this for real, remember, this is a party. I don't want my friends to leave too soon. Because I still want to play. Pinkie, go ahead and hit me with that confetti you've got saved up. You throw one heck of a funeral. Author's Note Written and uploaded from my iPhone. Help Is On The Way"You've failed, detective! There's nothing left for you to do! There's no one left to save! Accept you death with a little grace and humility." The grey earth pony shouted, his white mane swishing has he walked and shouted. "You're wrong. There's always someone left to save." Shadow coughed from his position curled on the floor. "There's always someone left to fight as long as there's someone left to do the fighting. And I'm still standing." "Quite the contrary, detective. You seem completely unable to stand. And where you lay is where you will rot. We've taken everything you care about in this world. Canterlot will not survive the night. Our dragon friends will be here any moment to wipe this pitiful city from the face of the planet. For that reason, I must leave you now, detective." The earth pony left Shadow's cell, slamming the door behind him. Shadow couldn't help but smile as a song he had heard long ago flashed in his mind. "I've got my mother's dreams. I've got my father's eyes. You can't take that from me. Just go ahead and try." Gritting his teeth, Shadow rose slowly to his hooves. "The Crescent City sleeps while giants in the sky, preparing to unleash, let loose a mighty cry." As if on cue a thunderous roar echoed through the halls of the prison and Shadow could only smile further. Pressing his neck to activate his communicator he spoke, "Shimmer. Dragons. More than one. Send in the Shadowbolts." "They're already en route," said the feminine voice in his ear. "Who's leading the charge tonight?" "The best flyer we've got." "I was just singing about her." Shadow closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Tell her I'm sitting this one out. And tell her... Tell her to make her dad proud." Moon Chaser banked to her left and closed in with the rest of her squadron, barking orders, "Alright, boys and girls, we're going up against the real deal tonight. Dragons will be in Canterlot airspace. I want you fast, agile and strong. It's not just our lives at risk if we fail, it's all of Canterlot. Get me?" A motivated "Yes ma'am" left Moon with a sense that her squadron would be fine, but dragons were the top tier of threats when it came to combat flying. Any mistake could mean death. Focusing forward and pushing ahead Moon's ear crackled momentarily and she dropped from her lead position, letting her second in command take over the flight. Rubbing her ear for a moment she waited. In seconds there was another crackle of static accompanied by an all too familiar voice. "Moon, can you hear me?" "I can hear you, Shim. What's my old man need now?" Moon was cocky because she'd been called upon several times to aid her father in his covert spy missions. There was a long pause in her ear and her suspicions were raised before Shimmer said, "He's sitting this one out, Moon. He'll be alright but he just wanted to wish you luck." Moon came to a complete stop, hovering in the air. "Where is he?" "Moon, you can't waste time trying to get to him. Canterlot needs you more than he does." "To hell with Canterlot. Where is my father, Shimmer?" "He's being held in the old cliff prisons below the castle, but Moon.." Moon took off, heading directly toward the castle, before banking around toward the cliffs. Scanning the sheer wall in front of her she couldn't notice a difference in the wall to indicate the entrance. "What's it look like, Shimmer?" Silence. "Shimmer! Of all the people in this world who would understand me right now, you should be right at the top of the list. Now help me find him!" Moon shouted louder than she intended and caused some feedback in her own ear as a result. Waiting just a moment more Moon's ear crackled. "Head to the base of the cliff, 50 meters off the water you should see a rock darker than the rest, press it." Moon moved with a speed and determination she didn't know she possessed. Following Shimmer's instructions she found the correct rock and pressed it, and watched shocked as the entire rock wall in front of her seemed to shift. Windows appeared, all adorned with bars, and from one of them she saw black flashes emanating. She'd know her father's magic on even the darkest of nights. Dashing to the window, she smiled and felt herself soften, the way only her father could make happen. "Dad! How do I get in there?" "You don't. Get away from the window." Shadow seemed unsurprised by her sudden appearance. "Dad.." "Just do it, Moon." He issued the command not as a superior but as a father. Moon turned and flew away from the window, hovering at a safe distance. She was waiting for something less than what she got. The window she had just been hovering by was soon blasted out of the wall. In fact, the entire wall attached to the window came with it, leaving a rather large hole in the back of Shadow's cell, who now lie motionless inside. Moon once again dashed to her father, clearing some debris away from him. "Dad!?" Shadow rolled over and groaned softly, before reaching and stroking a hoof over his daughter's face. "Twilight always said to never use that one in an enclosed space." His face turned to a wide smile and for a moment, they shared a laugh. "Come on, help me up." Shadow rose slowly, dusting himself off and stretching. His age was beginning to show after all these years. "Alright, I'm saved, now go save the rest of Canterlot." "Saved? You're sitting in a hole in the wall, 75 meters above the ocean. You're not saved." "Oh, daughter, you think this old stallion has run out of tricks? Not by a long shot, my dear. Not by a long shot." Shadow cast another spell, one of his oldest and favorite. Without pause he stepped forward to the edge of the hole and stepped out and down onto the wall. Moon moved quickly to grab him but she soon became aware that he wasn't falling. "How..?" "The first spell Twilight ever taught me. Back before she was a princess. I told you I still had a few tricks." Shadow gave her a wink and a smile. "Now, go. Go save the rest of the world. I'm going on vacation." Moon couldn't stifle her laugh, and she hugged her father, hovering over the ocean while he stood on the cliff. "Love you, Dad." In a flash, she was gone. Shadow watched her fly off into the night, knowing she'd be just fine. "I love you too, sweetie." As he began his trek down the wall, Shadow reached the chorus of his song. "Help is on the way...." Author's Note If I ever write another Shadow Chaser story, expect to see this in it. Letters to Celestia: SpikeDear Spike, Is it hard to be the only dragon in Ponyville and would you ever want to leave for more grand work? Most days I do what I can to keep busy, but sometimes working for Twilight just isn't rewarding. I mean, sure I get to go on some crazy adventures with her but most days I'm left to my own devices at the library. Left to clean and do chores. To do the shopping we need in Ponyville. I don't mind it all but I've always wanted something more. Not the dragon colony. That wasn't my style. I fit in here and that's okay, but just once I'd like to have my own adventure. Without Twilight and the gang. There was the time with the diamond dogs but I needed help on that. Twilight says this is all just part of me growing up. I think I'm just restless. Aren't dragons supposed to be out in the world? I get kinda lonely too. The first time I ever felt like I mattered was when Fluttershy asked me about my life's story. Twilight never asked me about my life. Then again, she has been there my whole life. She's always been there for me. Them and Applejack, we don't talk much but I know she cares. Like when I got my ticket for the Gala, she was waiting outside for me, and she was all smiles. I can't believe I almost kissed her though. But speaking of kisses.. Rarity's kisses are the best. So maybe they're always on my cheek but that's okay. I know she cares for me. I can't believe I almost crushed her on my birthday. She really saved me. Rarity saved me and then Dash saved both of us. Dash has saved plenty of ponies though. She's a pretty good practical joker too. I still laugh remembering Twilight's hair on our first trip to Ponyville. But the prank queen is Pinkie Pie. The prank and party queen. She's always good at cheering me up. In fact, they're all great at cheering me up. They're all just great. To answer your question, Princess Celestia, yes, some days it's hard to be the only dragon in this town and some days I wish I could do more in my life. But I just couldn't leave them. Even if I wanted to. Shadows Never Leave YouThe new class of Cheerilee's student sat in their seats as the bell rang. As was the usual, everyone seemed awkward and shy. For most fillies and colts, this was their first time on their own in a social setting. Even those who were friends before this class now seemed strange to one another. This included two particular pegasi sisters. Sky and Moon Chaser. Sky was the older of the two. With a cyan coat and a similarly colored mane should be all but invisible flying in the sky, except for the single patch of black in the front of her mane. Which appeared to be the only thing she had inherited from their father, Shadow. Beyond that one tuft of hair it was easy to tell she was Rainbow Dash's daughter. Even sitting at her desk, nervously glancing around, she still fluttered her wings. Cheerilee prepared herself for a hooffull, remembering her times with Scootaloo and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders. Moon, however, took after her father a bit more. With a dark purple coat and black and purple streaks throughout her mane, Moon would've been just as invisible as Sky during the night. She, however, had inherited a trait that made her father so good at his detective work. She was personable. She could make any pony tell their whole life story with bare so much as a hello. And her demeanor reflected this. Sitting upright at her desk she looked around to each pony smiling happily at all the potential new friends. Cheerilee cleared her throat and the class gave her their full attention. "Alright, class. I know it's your first day and some of you are a bit nervous. But I assure you, this year will be lots of fun. We will be learning lots of new things. Like how to spell our names and all kinds of new games that I know you fillies and colts haven't played before." The mention of games seemed to spark the interest of most and Cheerilee smiled at their enthusiasm. "Okay, now, I know that a lot of you don't know each other and to help with that, I want us all to come up, one by one, and say our name and something that we like, something that we don't like, and something we fear. And we'll use those things to find out that everyone in class has at least one thing in common." This time their faces reflected their fear. No one liked public speaking, especially for a bunch of strangers, but Cheerilee's years of experience taught her that making each pony confront that nervousness helped the children to relax with one another easier and help for bonds just a little faster. "Just to show you how easy it is, I'll start. My name is Ms. Cheerilee. I like meeting new fillies and colts every year. I dislike when it rains for too long. And I'm afraid of thunder storms." Some of the children giggled at her fear, a clear sign they had already begun to take interest in who would be next to speak. "Now, who would like to go first?" Every pair of eyes, save one little pegasus hit the floor. Moon Chaser looked around and at Cheerilee, waiting for whomever would be called upon or volunteer. Looking down at her seating chart, Cheerilee recognized one name. She'd met the filly once in the market with her mother and she had seemed very bubbly at the time. "How about miss.. Dinky Do? Would you come up and introduce yourself?" Dinky moved slowly from her desk and walked in front of the class, turning and standing next to Cheerilee. Cheerilee could almost see the poor dear shaking, and coached her appropriately. "So, what's your name?" Cheerilee smiled at the little filly. "Dinky Do," she said almost inaudible. "Well, Dinky, what's something that you like?" "Umm.. I dunno." Her face was turning red with embarrassment. "You don't know? Well, what about ice cream? Do you like ice cream?" Dinky nodded a little. "But I like muffins more." Cheerilee smiled. Like mother, like daughter. "I like muffins too. What's your favorite kind?" "Blueberry." Dinky seemed to relax the more she spoke and the children of the class didn't giggle at her bashful nature, for they too were worried about speaking in front of the class. "Alright, so that covers the like. What's something you don't like, Dinky?" "I don't like spinach. It always tastes terrible." This brought a smattering of giggles from the class but some appreciative nodding as well. Even in Equestria, no one liked spinach. Cheerilee laughed, herself. "Alright, Dinky. And what's something you're afraid of?" "Nightmares. They're always so scary." This brought more nods from the class. "Very good, Dinky. Class do you think we can give Dinky a little round of applause for being so brave and going first?" There was a light clapping from the class and Dinky went back to her seat with a smile. As she passed, a seated filly whispered, "I hate spinach too." The both giggled and Cheerilee smiled. This exercise always worked like a charm. And that was most of their day. The children came up, one by one, telling their likes, dislikes and fears. When she had exhausted the rest of the class she came to her last two fillies, Sky and Moon. "Alright, Sky. You're turn." Sky nearly jumped out of her chair. She'd be ready to go for some time now. Turning to face the class, she spoke confidently, "My name's Sky Chaser. I like flying and playing with clouds." After a few giggles, Cheerilee spoke up. "And what do you dislike?" "I dislike when cloud get all rainy cuz they're not as much fun to play with." More giggles. "And what are you afraid of? Certainly not heights." Sky shook her head. "Nah. Heights don't bother me. But when it's super dark at night, that always kinda scares me." "Well, it looks like you and Hay Seed have something in common, doesn't it?" Sky nodded and Cheerilee directed her back to her seat, calling the last remaining filly to the front. Moon moved happily and without fear. She'd have been just as happy to be first. Taking her position next to Cheerilee, she spoke. "My name's Moon Chaser. I'm Sky's little sister. I like the stars that come out at night. And I dislike really cloudy night when I can't see them at all." "And what are you afraid of?" Cheerilee asked. "I dunno. I'm not really afraid of a lot of stuff." Moon said, glancing up at Cheerilee. "Well, what about the dark, like Sky?" Cheerilee offered. "Nope. I was never afraid of the dark, because my daddy showed me his shadow. And shadows only hang out in the dark, and everything in the dark was way too afraid of his shadow so they all went back to the light. So I didn't need to be afraid of the dark because the only thing in it was my daddy's shadow." Cheerilee was caught by the logic of what Moon had said. "But what about when daytime comes? Where does his shadow go then?" "It goes back to following him around. He said him and his shadow have a deal. When he's in trouble or scared, his shadow is there to keep him company and scare off anything that might try to hurt him. He said he got my shadow to make him the same deal so I never have to be afraid as long as my shadow is around." Moon spoke with all the conviction of someone completely convinced by her own words. Innocent logic aside, Cheerilee had to admit that this was an excellent way to deal with the fears of a child. "Well, ask him if he can make the same deal with my shadow. I'd like to not be alone during thunderstorms." "But you're never alone, Ms. Cheerilee. When it gets dark your shadow just takes up more room to keep all the bad stuff away. When it storms and gets really dark, your shadow is wrapped all around you, like a big blanket. It keeps out the bad stuff and lets the good stuff in, cuz good stuff always happens in the light and he always makes a hole for it." Cheerilee blinked. She had sincerely never thought of anything like this. Perhaps this would help quell her fear the next time Ponyville had a storm. "Well, thank you, Moon. I feel much better knowing that." Sky raised her hoof from her desk. "Yes, Sky? Do you have a question?" "Yea. Can I change my fear? I'm not scared of the dark anymore." "Me either," said Hay Seed from across the room. A Darker Place~Anthro-Shadow Chaser world~ Shadow stood at the grave, his black trench coat flapping in the winds. He had stood at this grave every day for the past month and simply stared in disbelief. He ran a hand through his black hair before replacing his authentic Sherlock Hooves hat back on his head and sighing heavily. When he felt a presence behind him he began hoping it would be the shadow of death to usher him on like he so desired now. The soft country drawl of a girl still grieving the same loss he was carried over his shoulder and even on this blustery, overcast day it somehow brought a warmth to his heart. "How long have you been out here?" she said, just loud enough to be heard over the wind whipping around them. "Not long," he lied. "Just a couple of minutes." "You know better than to lie to me," her voice was closer now. "You been coming out every day?" "Not every day," he lied, again. He really did not feel like answering questions. Especially not questions about his safety and well being. He was well beyond the point of caring about his well being. "Stop it, Shadow. You can't keep pushing us all away. She was our friend too." Her voice was now just behind his shoulder. He whirled around in anger. "What do you want me to say, AJ!? Do you want me to tell you that I've been out here every day for hours on end in hopes that she'll somehow come back!? To tell you that I'd rather die where I stand just to be at her side again!? That I would give anything to get just another minute with her!? Because that's where I am. So unless Twilight has come up with a way to revive her or kill me, I'm really not in the mood to be worried about!" Shadow immediately regretted his words. He'd done well up until now to conceal his anger toward his friends and their worries about him. He knew Applejack meant no harm but his temper had finally caught him. Applejack, however, never flinched at his words. She stared at him evenly for a long silent minute. As if waiting for him to continue and being polite enough to allow him to continue berating her. Shadow sighed in exasperation. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just.. I don't know what I'm doing anymore, AJ. I'm lost without her. She was my light. My world is immensely darker without her. What do I even do now?" He looked at the ground as he asked his final question, looking more defeated than Applejack had ever seen. Without a moments hesitation she hugged him. As tightly as she could. And he reciprocated in kind. He rested his chin on top of her head and began to feel the wet spots forming on his shirt. Most of the girls hadn't really had time to grieve properly and sought Shadow for comfort and answers as if he had any answers to offer. He had long since run out of tears. They stood in a silent embrace for a few minutes before Applejack pulled her face away. Wiping the tears away like she expected to trick him into thinking she hadn't been crying. "So, what do you do out here? Just stand here?" Shadow nodded. "Does it help?" "Not at all. But maybe it works when there's two of us. Would you like to sit down?" She nodded and Shadow took off his trench coat, laying it at so they had a clean place to sit. This was ironic because they both loved nothing more than being just a bit dirty. As they sat Shadow put his arm around Applejack and once more they sat in silence simply staring at the stone before them and missing their rainbow haired friend. Coming HomeI sat along the wall, on a bench that had no business being where it was, and watched people as they passed. Everyone seemed to be in such a hurry. I was happy to not be among them today. Bustling this way and that was never really my style. I sat idly and played with the tic tac in my mouth and lamented the flavor. Wintergreen. Terrible. The airport gift shop had apparently just run out of my usual orange. But I never bought them for the flavor. They were a habit that formed early in childhood and never left me. As if anyone ever wanted to have orange flavored breath. We all knew they were candy. We all didn't care, either. Rainbow always told me they made my mouth taste terrible. I suppose she was right but it was a harmless habit and she didn't really mind. Rainbow. The unruly woman I had somehow tied my life to. To this day, I still don't know how we ever got together. Let alone how we stayed together. Probably the one mystery I would never solve. We made it work though. And here I was. Sitting in an airport on Christmas Eve, waiting for her to fly in so we could go home and do nothing until the new year. It's really the only time we ever see each other for any real length of time. Ten days. That's the longest we see each other all year and somehow we're both okay with it. It's all we need. Time enough to run out of competing stories for crazy. Time enough to eat all the great holiday food we miss out on all year long and enjoy the associated food coma. Time to get just comfortable enough with home life before it all gets ripped away by our respective careers. Don't let that last one fool you. We wouldn't trade what we've got for the world. Besides, something would be different this year. This year, I was hanging up my hat and magnifying glass and retiring from the detective business. So there I sat. Staring out the plate glass window. Watching the snow fall in puffy white flakes. Much as I hated the cold, I always loved to just stand outside when it was snowing gently like this. The world always seemed quieter. More serene. As I stared at the snow absentmindedly, I began to wonder if I had made the right decision. My mind wandered to all my old cases. All the lives saved or changed by my actions. All the aches and pains that carried me from place to place. All the barroom brawls. All the running. God, so much running. There's an old saying my pop used to tell me. "Never pick a fight with an old man. Because if he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you." It was funny as a kid. It was funny as an adult. Now that I'm an old man, it's less funny. I think about it a lot whenever I feel a fight coming now. Will this be the time I just kill this guy without caring? It's not really a pleasant thought. It didn't matter anymore. I'd made my choice. I chose my family. I looked up suddenly on instinct. There she was. Just as beautiful as the first time I saw her in school. Her hair was beginning to fade from her natural rainbow colors, to a subtle gray. She didn't like it. I told her it would better match mine and she felt a little better about it. She smiled when she spotted me across the busy airport. She wasted no time in pushing her way through the crowd as I stood to embrace her. She kissed me quickly and paused afterward. "Minty." I stuck my tongue out with the tic tac on it. "Decided to switch." She smiled and shook her head at me. "Don't tell me that's the big surprise change you have for me." "I suppose I could come up with another. Let's go home before we get snowed in here." We started walking hand in hand to the exit and out into the cold but quiet night. The first night that would become the rest of our lives completely together. Coming Down the MountainSo here I sit, on this lonely mountain top, in some forsaken cave, trying to stay warm enough to make it just one more day. Even as I write this I feel myself leaving. My soul yearns for freedom. Freedom from this cold and dreadful place. Yearns to fly as far from here as physically possible until my fragile wings give out once more and I plummet back to the earth in a final swan dive show. But it's not a show. It's a lonely and forgotten pegasus that can't handle it anymore. And as much as my soul yearns for that freedom, for that sweet release I feel my body fighting on. It holds tight to my soul, never wanting to relinquish it's firm grasp. My mind will not let me give up. I suppose my will to survive is stronger than I anticipated. I was never afraid of death. I wanted it. Stared it in the face, never blinking. I welcomed its cold embrace. But now, in this place, in this frigid tomb on the fringes of the world, I find myself fighting. I won't give up. I can't give up. I owe that to myself. If I die, then I will die fighting. I won't lay down for anyone, that's just not who I am. I've never been the bravest or the strongest, and I'm not the fastest by a long shot. But I will never bow my head in shame, never admit defeat, because there will always be more races. More chances to prove myself. And what would I have become if I give up now? It's only snow. I just have to get up and shake myself off. Keep moving and stay warm. I can make it through tonight, and come the first warm ray of sunshine in the morning I will take off once again. Soaring like an avalanche coming down the mountain and I will fly my way home. I'll make my apologies. Let them know where I've been and what I've seen. Tell them about this place that they might come visit one day. Perhaps on a day when it's warmer. Even as I write this I feel my soul slipping away from my body. The cold is taking me. Tell my family I died peacefully and with no pain. Even now, hoof shaking as I write this, nothing hurts. I actually feel kind of warm. Tell them I was warm. And Rarity, my sweet and secret jewel, tell her I lo..... "The rest is unreadable. It looks like he died while writing it." "What should we do with it?" "I'm thinking it belongs in a history museum. And who's Rarity?" "The only one I knew of was from that Element of Harmony story they told us as foals." "That's just a children's story." "What if it wasn't?" "Then I guess she never found out how he felt."
One Last PartyPinkie Pie threw me one last party today. In the planning process someone told Pinkie it was supposed to be a serious and somber occasion and she was disappointed. I told her to "Pinkie" it up. Which brought her curls to their bounciest bounce. I did ask for no streamers or confetti. I think she'll still use the confetti. She knows I've always liked it. Some days I walk along this beach and watch as my hoof prints disappear back into the sand as the surf washes over them. It wasn't until recently that I realized how metaphoric this was of life. We're here one minute, solid and undeniable, and in the next, we're gone. Fading from memory until we disappear completely. I miss the days when I didn't think about that. When the sand was just the sand and the surf was just the surf. And they both felt good against my hooves. I suppose they still do. Some things will never change, no matter how much we do. So Pinkie threw my last party. And she really outdid herself. Even on what is normally an unhappy occasion ponies are smiling and laughing. Sharing good natured stories about the guest of honor. I even shared a few of my own that most don't know. It's weird to think that by this time next week I won't be here. Don't let that statement get you down, we're still here for a good time. And it's not as if I'm unprepared. I've said my goodbyes, given the tightest of hugs to the ponies that mean the world to me, and even took the time to tell a certain lady how much I was going to miss her. I stole a kiss too. She still slapped me. Sorry, Rare. I can't say I don't love the idea of having this party. And I really love that I've had time to say what needed to be said. But next week, when you're all doing this for real, remember, this is a party. I don't want my friends to leave too soon. Because I still want to play. Pinkie, go ahead and hit me with that confetti you've got saved up. You throw one heck of a funeral. Author's Note Written and uploaded from my iPhone.
Help Is On The Way"You've failed, detective! There's nothing left for you to do! There's no one left to save! Accept you death with a little grace and humility." The grey earth pony shouted, his white mane swishing has he walked and shouted. "You're wrong. There's always someone left to save." Shadow coughed from his position curled on the floor. "There's always someone left to fight as long as there's someone left to do the fighting. And I'm still standing." "Quite the contrary, detective. You seem completely unable to stand. And where you lay is where you will rot. We've taken everything you care about in this world. Canterlot will not survive the night. Our dragon friends will be here any moment to wipe this pitiful city from the face of the planet. For that reason, I must leave you now, detective." The earth pony left Shadow's cell, slamming the door behind him. Shadow couldn't help but smile as a song he had heard long ago flashed in his mind. "I've got my mother's dreams. I've got my father's eyes. You can't take that from me. Just go ahead and try." Gritting his teeth, Shadow rose slowly to his hooves. "The Crescent City sleeps while giants in the sky, preparing to unleash, let loose a mighty cry." As if on cue a thunderous roar echoed through the halls of the prison and Shadow could only smile further. Pressing his neck to activate his communicator he spoke, "Shimmer. Dragons. More than one. Send in the Shadowbolts." "They're already en route," said the feminine voice in his ear. "Who's leading the charge tonight?" "The best flyer we've got." "I was just singing about her." Shadow closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Tell her I'm sitting this one out. And tell her... Tell her to make her dad proud." Moon Chaser banked to her left and closed in with the rest of her squadron, barking orders, "Alright, boys and girls, we're going up against the real deal tonight. Dragons will be in Canterlot airspace. I want you fast, agile and strong. It's not just our lives at risk if we fail, it's all of Canterlot. Get me?" A motivated "Yes ma'am" left Moon with a sense that her squadron would be fine, but dragons were the top tier of threats when it came to combat flying. Any mistake could mean death. Focusing forward and pushing ahead Moon's ear crackled momentarily and she dropped from her lead position, letting her second in command take over the flight. Rubbing her ear for a moment she waited. In seconds there was another crackle of static accompanied by an all too familiar voice. "Moon, can you hear me?" "I can hear you, Shim. What's my old man need now?" Moon was cocky because she'd been called upon several times to aid her father in his covert spy missions. There was a long pause in her ear and her suspicions were raised before Shimmer said, "He's sitting this one out, Moon. He'll be alright but he just wanted to wish you luck." Moon came to a complete stop, hovering in the air. "Where is he?" "Moon, you can't waste time trying to get to him. Canterlot needs you more than he does." "To hell with Canterlot. Where is my father, Shimmer?" "He's being held in the old cliff prisons below the castle, but Moon.." Moon took off, heading directly toward the castle, before banking around toward the cliffs. Scanning the sheer wall in front of her she couldn't notice a difference in the wall to indicate the entrance. "What's it look like, Shimmer?" Silence. "Shimmer! Of all the people in this world who would understand me right now, you should be right at the top of the list. Now help me find him!" Moon shouted louder than she intended and caused some feedback in her own ear as a result. Waiting just a moment more Moon's ear crackled. "Head to the base of the cliff, 50 meters off the water you should see a rock darker than the rest, press it." Moon moved with a speed and determination she didn't know she possessed. Following Shimmer's instructions she found the correct rock and pressed it, and watched shocked as the entire rock wall in front of her seemed to shift. Windows appeared, all adorned with bars, and from one of them she saw black flashes emanating. She'd know her father's magic on even the darkest of nights. Dashing to the window, she smiled and felt herself soften, the way only her father could make happen. "Dad! How do I get in there?" "You don't. Get away from the window." Shadow seemed unsurprised by her sudden appearance. "Dad.." "Just do it, Moon." He issued the command not as a superior but as a father. Moon turned and flew away from the window, hovering at a safe distance. She was waiting for something less than what she got. The window she had just been hovering by was soon blasted out of the wall. In fact, the entire wall attached to the window came with it, leaving a rather large hole in the back of Shadow's cell, who now lie motionless inside. Moon once again dashed to her father, clearing some debris away from him. "Dad!?" Shadow rolled over and groaned softly, before reaching and stroking a hoof over his daughter's face. "Twilight always said to never use that one in an enclosed space." His face turned to a wide smile and for a moment, they shared a laugh. "Come on, help me up." Shadow rose slowly, dusting himself off and stretching. His age was beginning to show after all these years. "Alright, I'm saved, now go save the rest of Canterlot." "Saved? You're sitting in a hole in the wall, 75 meters above the ocean. You're not saved." "Oh, daughter, you think this old stallion has run out of tricks? Not by a long shot, my dear. Not by a long shot." Shadow cast another spell, one of his oldest and favorite. Without pause he stepped forward to the edge of the hole and stepped out and down onto the wall. Moon moved quickly to grab him but she soon became aware that he wasn't falling. "How..?" "The first spell Twilight ever taught me. Back before she was a princess. I told you I still had a few tricks." Shadow gave her a wink and a smile. "Now, go. Go save the rest of the world. I'm going on vacation." Moon couldn't stifle her laugh, and she hugged her father, hovering over the ocean while he stood on the cliff. "Love you, Dad." In a flash, she was gone. Shadow watched her fly off into the night, knowing she'd be just fine. "I love you too, sweetie." As he began his trek down the wall, Shadow reached the chorus of his song. "Help is on the way...." Author's Note If I ever write another Shadow Chaser story, expect to see this in it.
Letters to Celestia: SpikeDear Spike, Is it hard to be the only dragon in Ponyville and would you ever want to leave for more grand work? Most days I do what I can to keep busy, but sometimes working for Twilight just isn't rewarding. I mean, sure I get to go on some crazy adventures with her but most days I'm left to my own devices at the library. Left to clean and do chores. To do the shopping we need in Ponyville. I don't mind it all but I've always wanted something more. Not the dragon colony. That wasn't my style. I fit in here and that's okay, but just once I'd like to have my own adventure. Without Twilight and the gang. There was the time with the diamond dogs but I needed help on that. Twilight says this is all just part of me growing up. I think I'm just restless. Aren't dragons supposed to be out in the world? I get kinda lonely too. The first time I ever felt like I mattered was when Fluttershy asked me about my life's story. Twilight never asked me about my life. Then again, she has been there my whole life. She's always been there for me. Them and Applejack, we don't talk much but I know she cares. Like when I got my ticket for the Gala, she was waiting outside for me, and she was all smiles. I can't believe I almost kissed her though. But speaking of kisses.. Rarity's kisses are the best. So maybe they're always on my cheek but that's okay. I know she cares for me. I can't believe I almost crushed her on my birthday. She really saved me. Rarity saved me and then Dash saved both of us. Dash has saved plenty of ponies though. She's a pretty good practical joker too. I still laugh remembering Twilight's hair on our first trip to Ponyville. But the prank queen is Pinkie Pie. The prank and party queen. She's always good at cheering me up. In fact, they're all great at cheering me up. They're all just great. To answer your question, Princess Celestia, yes, some days it's hard to be the only dragon in this town and some days I wish I could do more in my life. But I just couldn't leave them. Even if I wanted to.
Shadows Never Leave YouThe new class of Cheerilee's student sat in their seats as the bell rang. As was the usual, everyone seemed awkward and shy. For most fillies and colts, this was their first time on their own in a social setting. Even those who were friends before this class now seemed strange to one another. This included two particular pegasi sisters. Sky and Moon Chaser. Sky was the older of the two. With a cyan coat and a similarly colored mane should be all but invisible flying in the sky, except for the single patch of black in the front of her mane. Which appeared to be the only thing she had inherited from their father, Shadow. Beyond that one tuft of hair it was easy to tell she was Rainbow Dash's daughter. Even sitting at her desk, nervously glancing around, she still fluttered her wings. Cheerilee prepared herself for a hooffull, remembering her times with Scootaloo and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders. Moon, however, took after her father a bit more. With a dark purple coat and black and purple streaks throughout her mane, Moon would've been just as invisible as Sky during the night. She, however, had inherited a trait that made her father so good at his detective work. She was personable. She could make any pony tell their whole life story with bare so much as a hello. And her demeanor reflected this. Sitting upright at her desk she looked around to each pony smiling happily at all the potential new friends. Cheerilee cleared her throat and the class gave her their full attention. "Alright, class. I know it's your first day and some of you are a bit nervous. But I assure you, this year will be lots of fun. We will be learning lots of new things. Like how to spell our names and all kinds of new games that I know you fillies and colts haven't played before." The mention of games seemed to spark the interest of most and Cheerilee smiled at their enthusiasm. "Okay, now, I know that a lot of you don't know each other and to help with that, I want us all to come up, one by one, and say our name and something that we like, something that we don't like, and something we fear. And we'll use those things to find out that everyone in class has at least one thing in common." This time their faces reflected their fear. No one liked public speaking, especially for a bunch of strangers, but Cheerilee's years of experience taught her that making each pony confront that nervousness helped the children to relax with one another easier and help for bonds just a little faster. "Just to show you how easy it is, I'll start. My name is Ms. Cheerilee. I like meeting new fillies and colts every year. I dislike when it rains for too long. And I'm afraid of thunder storms." Some of the children giggled at her fear, a clear sign they had already begun to take interest in who would be next to speak. "Now, who would like to go first?" Every pair of eyes, save one little pegasus hit the floor. Moon Chaser looked around and at Cheerilee, waiting for whomever would be called upon or volunteer. Looking down at her seating chart, Cheerilee recognized one name. She'd met the filly once in the market with her mother and she had seemed very bubbly at the time. "How about miss.. Dinky Do? Would you come up and introduce yourself?" Dinky moved slowly from her desk and walked in front of the class, turning and standing next to Cheerilee. Cheerilee could almost see the poor dear shaking, and coached her appropriately. "So, what's your name?" Cheerilee smiled at the little filly. "Dinky Do," she said almost inaudible. "Well, Dinky, what's something that you like?" "Umm.. I dunno." Her face was turning red with embarrassment. "You don't know? Well, what about ice cream? Do you like ice cream?" Dinky nodded a little. "But I like muffins more." Cheerilee smiled. Like mother, like daughter. "I like muffins too. What's your favorite kind?" "Blueberry." Dinky seemed to relax the more she spoke and the children of the class didn't giggle at her bashful nature, for they too were worried about speaking in front of the class. "Alright, so that covers the like. What's something you don't like, Dinky?" "I don't like spinach. It always tastes terrible." This brought a smattering of giggles from the class but some appreciative nodding as well. Even in Equestria, no one liked spinach. Cheerilee laughed, herself. "Alright, Dinky. And what's something you're afraid of?" "Nightmares. They're always so scary." This brought more nods from the class. "Very good, Dinky. Class do you think we can give Dinky a little round of applause for being so brave and going first?" There was a light clapping from the class and Dinky went back to her seat with a smile. As she passed, a seated filly whispered, "I hate spinach too." The both giggled and Cheerilee smiled. This exercise always worked like a charm. And that was most of their day. The children came up, one by one, telling their likes, dislikes and fears. When she had exhausted the rest of the class she came to her last two fillies, Sky and Moon. "Alright, Sky. You're turn." Sky nearly jumped out of her chair. She'd be ready to go for some time now. Turning to face the class, she spoke confidently, "My name's Sky Chaser. I like flying and playing with clouds." After a few giggles, Cheerilee spoke up. "And what do you dislike?" "I dislike when cloud get all rainy cuz they're not as much fun to play with." More giggles. "And what are you afraid of? Certainly not heights." Sky shook her head. "Nah. Heights don't bother me. But when it's super dark at night, that always kinda scares me." "Well, it looks like you and Hay Seed have something in common, doesn't it?" Sky nodded and Cheerilee directed her back to her seat, calling the last remaining filly to the front. Moon moved happily and without fear. She'd have been just as happy to be first. Taking her position next to Cheerilee, she spoke. "My name's Moon Chaser. I'm Sky's little sister. I like the stars that come out at night. And I dislike really cloudy night when I can't see them at all." "And what are you afraid of?" Cheerilee asked. "I dunno. I'm not really afraid of a lot of stuff." Moon said, glancing up at Cheerilee. "Well, what about the dark, like Sky?" Cheerilee offered. "Nope. I was never afraid of the dark, because my daddy showed me his shadow. And shadows only hang out in the dark, and everything in the dark was way too afraid of his shadow so they all went back to the light. So I didn't need to be afraid of the dark because the only thing in it was my daddy's shadow." Cheerilee was caught by the logic of what Moon had said. "But what about when daytime comes? Where does his shadow go then?" "It goes back to following him around. He said him and his shadow have a deal. When he's in trouble or scared, his shadow is there to keep him company and scare off anything that might try to hurt him. He said he got my shadow to make him the same deal so I never have to be afraid as long as my shadow is around." Moon spoke with all the conviction of someone completely convinced by her own words. Innocent logic aside, Cheerilee had to admit that this was an excellent way to deal with the fears of a child. "Well, ask him if he can make the same deal with my shadow. I'd like to not be alone during thunderstorms." "But you're never alone, Ms. Cheerilee. When it gets dark your shadow just takes up more room to keep all the bad stuff away. When it storms and gets really dark, your shadow is wrapped all around you, like a big blanket. It keeps out the bad stuff and lets the good stuff in, cuz good stuff always happens in the light and he always makes a hole for it." Cheerilee blinked. She had sincerely never thought of anything like this. Perhaps this would help quell her fear the next time Ponyville had a storm. "Well, thank you, Moon. I feel much better knowing that." Sky raised her hoof from her desk. "Yes, Sky? Do you have a question?" "Yea. Can I change my fear? I'm not scared of the dark anymore." "Me either," said Hay Seed from across the room.
A Darker Place~Anthro-Shadow Chaser world~ Shadow stood at the grave, his black trench coat flapping in the winds. He had stood at this grave every day for the past month and simply stared in disbelief. He ran a hand through his black hair before replacing his authentic Sherlock Hooves hat back on his head and sighing heavily. When he felt a presence behind him he began hoping it would be the shadow of death to usher him on like he so desired now. The soft country drawl of a girl still grieving the same loss he was carried over his shoulder and even on this blustery, overcast day it somehow brought a warmth to his heart. "How long have you been out here?" she said, just loud enough to be heard over the wind whipping around them. "Not long," he lied. "Just a couple of minutes." "You know better than to lie to me," her voice was closer now. "You been coming out every day?" "Not every day," he lied, again. He really did not feel like answering questions. Especially not questions about his safety and well being. He was well beyond the point of caring about his well being. "Stop it, Shadow. You can't keep pushing us all away. She was our friend too." Her voice was now just behind his shoulder. He whirled around in anger. "What do you want me to say, AJ!? Do you want me to tell you that I've been out here every day for hours on end in hopes that she'll somehow come back!? To tell you that I'd rather die where I stand just to be at her side again!? That I would give anything to get just another minute with her!? Because that's where I am. So unless Twilight has come up with a way to revive her or kill me, I'm really not in the mood to be worried about!" Shadow immediately regretted his words. He'd done well up until now to conceal his anger toward his friends and their worries about him. He knew Applejack meant no harm but his temper had finally caught him. Applejack, however, never flinched at his words. She stared at him evenly for a long silent minute. As if waiting for him to continue and being polite enough to allow him to continue berating her. Shadow sighed in exasperation. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just.. I don't know what I'm doing anymore, AJ. I'm lost without her. She was my light. My world is immensely darker without her. What do I even do now?" He looked at the ground as he asked his final question, looking more defeated than Applejack had ever seen. Without a moments hesitation she hugged him. As tightly as she could. And he reciprocated in kind. He rested his chin on top of her head and began to feel the wet spots forming on his shirt. Most of the girls hadn't really had time to grieve properly and sought Shadow for comfort and answers as if he had any answers to offer. He had long since run out of tears. They stood in a silent embrace for a few minutes before Applejack pulled her face away. Wiping the tears away like she expected to trick him into thinking she hadn't been crying. "So, what do you do out here? Just stand here?" Shadow nodded. "Does it help?" "Not at all. But maybe it works when there's two of us. Would you like to sit down?" She nodded and Shadow took off his trench coat, laying it at so they had a clean place to sit. This was ironic because they both loved nothing more than being just a bit dirty. As they sat Shadow put his arm around Applejack and once more they sat in silence simply staring at the stone before them and missing their rainbow haired friend.
Coming HomeI sat along the wall, on a bench that had no business being where it was, and watched people as they passed. Everyone seemed to be in such a hurry. I was happy to not be among them today. Bustling this way and that was never really my style. I sat idly and played with the tic tac in my mouth and lamented the flavor. Wintergreen. Terrible. The airport gift shop had apparently just run out of my usual orange. But I never bought them for the flavor. They were a habit that formed early in childhood and never left me. As if anyone ever wanted to have orange flavored breath. We all knew they were candy. We all didn't care, either. Rainbow always told me they made my mouth taste terrible. I suppose she was right but it was a harmless habit and she didn't really mind. Rainbow. The unruly woman I had somehow tied my life to. To this day, I still don't know how we ever got together. Let alone how we stayed together. Probably the one mystery I would never solve. We made it work though. And here I was. Sitting in an airport on Christmas Eve, waiting for her to fly in so we could go home and do nothing until the new year. It's really the only time we ever see each other for any real length of time. Ten days. That's the longest we see each other all year and somehow we're both okay with it. It's all we need. Time enough to run out of competing stories for crazy. Time enough to eat all the great holiday food we miss out on all year long and enjoy the associated food coma. Time to get just comfortable enough with home life before it all gets ripped away by our respective careers. Don't let that last one fool you. We wouldn't trade what we've got for the world. Besides, something would be different this year. This year, I was hanging up my hat and magnifying glass and retiring from the detective business. So there I sat. Staring out the plate glass window. Watching the snow fall in puffy white flakes. Much as I hated the cold, I always loved to just stand outside when it was snowing gently like this. The world always seemed quieter. More serene. As I stared at the snow absentmindedly, I began to wonder if I had made the right decision. My mind wandered to all my old cases. All the lives saved or changed by my actions. All the aches and pains that carried me from place to place. All the barroom brawls. All the running. God, so much running. There's an old saying my pop used to tell me. "Never pick a fight with an old man. Because if he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you." It was funny as a kid. It was funny as an adult. Now that I'm an old man, it's less funny. I think about it a lot whenever I feel a fight coming now. Will this be the time I just kill this guy without caring? It's not really a pleasant thought. It didn't matter anymore. I'd made my choice. I chose my family. I looked up suddenly on instinct. There she was. Just as beautiful as the first time I saw her in school. Her hair was beginning to fade from her natural rainbow colors, to a subtle gray. She didn't like it. I told her it would better match mine and she felt a little better about it. She smiled when she spotted me across the busy airport. She wasted no time in pushing her way through the crowd as I stood to embrace her. She kissed me quickly and paused afterward. "Minty." I stuck my tongue out with the tic tac on it. "Decided to switch." She smiled and shook her head at me. "Don't tell me that's the big surprise change you have for me." "I suppose I could come up with another. Let's go home before we get snowed in here." We started walking hand in hand to the exit and out into the cold but quiet night. The first night that would become the rest of our lives completely together.
Coming Down the MountainSo here I sit, on this lonely mountain top, in some forsaken cave, trying to stay warm enough to make it just one more day. Even as I write this I feel myself leaving. My soul yearns for freedom. Freedom from this cold and dreadful place. Yearns to fly as far from here as physically possible until my fragile wings give out once more and I plummet back to the earth in a final swan dive show. But it's not a show. It's a lonely and forgotten pegasus that can't handle it anymore. And as much as my soul yearns for that freedom, for that sweet release I feel my body fighting on. It holds tight to my soul, never wanting to relinquish it's firm grasp. My mind will not let me give up. I suppose my will to survive is stronger than I anticipated. I was never afraid of death. I wanted it. Stared it in the face, never blinking. I welcomed its cold embrace. But now, in this place, in this frigid tomb on the fringes of the world, I find myself fighting. I won't give up. I can't give up. I owe that to myself. If I die, then I will die fighting. I won't lay down for anyone, that's just not who I am. I've never been the bravest or the strongest, and I'm not the fastest by a long shot. But I will never bow my head in shame, never admit defeat, because there will always be more races. More chances to prove myself. And what would I have become if I give up now? It's only snow. I just have to get up and shake myself off. Keep moving and stay warm. I can make it through tonight, and come the first warm ray of sunshine in the morning I will take off once again. Soaring like an avalanche coming down the mountain and I will fly my way home. I'll make my apologies. Let them know where I've been and what I've seen. Tell them about this place that they might come visit one day. Perhaps on a day when it's warmer. Even as I write this I feel my soul slipping away from my body. The cold is taking me. Tell my family I died peacefully and with no pain. Even now, hoof shaking as I write this, nothing hurts. I actually feel kind of warm. Tell them I was warm. And Rarity, my sweet and secret jewel, tell her I lo..... "The rest is unreadable. It looks like he died while writing it." "What should we do with it?" "I'm thinking it belongs in a history museum. And who's Rarity?" "The only one I knew of was from that Element of Harmony story they told us as foals." "That's just a children's story." "What if it wasn't?" "Then I guess she never found out how he felt."
