Chapter 4 : What can possibly go wrong?

Shadow raced onward towards town, determined to find any clues as to where the elements are. As soon as he hit town square a sky blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail landed in front of him. She said, in an aggressive tone, "You new around here?". The night was growing cold, nopony should be awake. Shadow relaxed and proceeded to roll his eyes. This pony looked him up and down and asked with a distinct ferocity in her eyes, "Do you like to race?". Oh joy, another hothead here to pull me away from my eventual goal. Shadow frowned. "I don't have time for this." The pony was eager to do something. "C'mon! I have no one else to practice with!" Shadow looked around, she was right, there wasn't anypony else up. "Hey, what's your name, slick?" Shadow moved his eyes over the pony.  "I am Shade Shadow, but Shadow is fine by me." The pony puffed out her chest, attempting to look tough. "The name's Rainbow Dash!". Shadow noticed the stars coming out. "Say... Dash, what are you doing awake?". Rainbow Dash looked at him suspiciously. "What are you doing awake?" Shadow hesitated. If I tell her, could she help me out? "I'm looking to find those who represent the elements of harmony." Rainbow Dash put on a huge grin. I'll only tell you about them if you beat me in a race!

Rainbow Dash had started ranting about how lame it was to race on hoof instead of in the sky. Shadow had long tuned out from her speaking, and began to take her cutie mark and wings. Rainbow Dash stopped talking mid-rant when she noticed that their cutie marks were identical, and that Shadow had grown a pair of brilliant wings. Shadow stretched his new wings, and asked, " Do you like to race?". Rainbow Dash smiled, "Let's see how you fly!" She darted into the sky at incredible speed. "Get back here!" And with that, Shadow chased after her with a similar speed. Shadow made sure to keep up with her, and was having a lot of trouble doing so! She quickly weaved through a group of trees, Shadow followed perfectly. Shadow noticed Rainbow Dash started turning clouds around and around, he did the same, with excellent precision. She then put both hooves in front of her, and a very peculiar white cone was starting to appear around her. What in Equestria is she doing? Shadow thought. All of a sudden, a large explosion came out from around her, making a ray of colors as far as the eye can see, and leaving a solid rainbow in her path. Shadow was determined to win, he had to win! Shadow copied her hoof routine, and sure enough a cone started forming around him. Rainbow Dash looked back with a grin on her face which quickly turned into total fear. Another explosion erupted from Shadow, him right on her tail. She started to panic and muttered, "Are you kidding me?". Rainbow Dash started to panic, and because of that, she made large errors in flying. Shadow quickly took the lead and was seconds away from the finish line, he looked back, and, tears were flowing out of her eyes. Shadow abruptly stopped, and let her win.

Rainbow Dash flew over to him, with a confused look on her face. "Why did you let me win?" Shadow gave her a smile, "Your powers are not mine. You won that race; fair and square." Rainbow Dash smiled back, "Thanks, it's great to hear that." Shadow looked into her eyes, "You were going to tell me what you knew about the elements of harmony; weren't you?" Rainbow Dash jolted upwards, "Oh, uh, yeah. What do you want to know?" Shadow's expression turned serious, "Where are the elements being kept?" Rainbow Dash looked at him with ignorance. "I can't tell you that! I can't betray my friends!" Shadow's eyes pulsed a blood red, "Where are the elements being kept?" Rainbow Dash nearly collapsed under his stare. "In the town... library..." She fell to the ground, void of the brilliant colors that once thrived. Shadow knew where the elements were. Equestria was as good as his!