From the Shadows

by Cosmic_Spark

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Zecora, Sad, Main 6, Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Adventure
Length: 22908

Is Equestria as golden as some believe?

Many in major towns of Equestria see it as a golden land where everypony has a chance to thrive! Many do not know of the lost towns, abondoned by the progress of society, or just being placed in areas that do not get much traffic. Two brothers who came from the edge of Equestria took totally different paths in life, and now their paths collide with the Elements of harmony. Will these brothers meet again? What will these events teach the likes of the mane 6? or Equestria as a whole?

Published 2013-03-06 20:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-03-06 20:10:01 UTC

Prologue: information on placing

This is a Pre-story document for the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fanfic I am going to be posting on DA soon as I develop it. This basically is a list of warnings, and a list of details befiting the setting of the story, and what it does and does not follow.

Content: This story is what I would rate to ranging from Pg13, to X (in some chapters though admitingly likely very few) It contains dark themes such as rejection, hatred, betrayal and bitterness. It contains adult subject matter along the themes of relationships, intimancy (aka sex for the less informed), family ties, social class and so forth. Other materials that may be questionable include; blood (and gore, to a limited extent, depending on how wide of a scope your veiw of what “gore” is, as the few times I involve such a detailed description of ones body in a rather “gorey” way is more medical and linked to a characters subplot) cursing (to an extent mostly amoungthe the FCs more then the OCs) and negative habits such as (possibly) smoking and drinking.

Story in relationship to the episode list: As of this document only 10 episodes of season 2 have been aired, due to a lack of seasonal information in any ep but for the most recent, seems to have happened before Twilight's first full year in ponyville has come to passed, meaning that it is late spring nearing summer, and as such, the Summer Sun celebration. Though some may question the placement of “Nightmare Night” as meaning we would have to, I would actually like to say, that Nightmare Night, has happened prior to Winter Wrap Up of the first year, which as many timeline theorist will point out is fairly late into Twilight's first year in ponyville. This is to explain Luna having been around more into the public eye and establishing things from Nightmare Night as having been seen for enough months to explain key elements of the story. For a more explained idea of how I forsee the story, eps 1-2 take place as though summer is only a month in, the first month deals with most of the early episodes, such as Applebuck Season and the Young Flyer Competition. As Summer passed they delt with the meeting with Zecora, the red dragon, Owlicious' arrival, and the forming of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Fall Weather Friends puctuates the arrival of Fall, in which Nightmare Night happened, as well as Suited For Success, Green Isn't Your Color and Feeling Pinkie Keen. Winter Wrap Up passes over the Winter season. Though, animated without snow, I feel that events that would of transpired in this season that could fit are; the gala, Swarm Of The Century, Stare Master and A Dog And Pony Show. With the arrival of new Spring came Disqord and all missed season 2 episodes. I know this does not include a lot of refinment, but if you would rather adjust things slightly as to when key episodes happen, it is fine with me, just know that pretty much everything but episode 10 has happened, as the girls have not been doing as much and have been busy sense, to do said play the first year after becoming the carriers of the Elements of Harmony, as well as having had the gala and Rarity's visit to canterlot which I feel would have been influenced the princesses choising them the year following.

FC characters by name and some info.

Age comparison (as I do not fully know the real ages of the girls comparitivly I derived a sort of chart, much like explaining the episodes, this is how I explain their ages. For explaining FC ages and how it will relate to their actions.) For short hand we will go with this assumption, Rarity is the eldest, as she owns a full on store and comes off as the eldest in attitude and what she actually does. Twilight is a year younger then her, having a more adult outlook on things, even if a shut in adult outlook, and sounding quite well up in years compared to the most energetic and less developed of the main 6. Fluttershy and Applejack are both a year behind Twilight, while Fluttershy takes care of herself it is arguable due to her soft voice and her way of life just how old she is, as she seems to be able to make well enough dispite any inherent issues that might come with age. Applejack, while strong, is the middle child, and has a lot of youth to her strenght, while still being more mature then the last 2, but still at times very immature when dealing with Rarity's upper class attitude at times. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are both the youngest, we do know, atleast through episode 6, that Fluttershy IS atleast 1 year older then Pinkie, this is the ONLY stated bit of evidance I know to suggest any age comparisons. Also she comes off as the arguable least mature of the group, completely oblivious to the real world and due to having arguably the youngest pet, in her baby gator Gummy. Rainbow Dash is also this young for a few key reasons, arguably the “young flyer competition” is held for the younger fliers, judging by the voices of Pegasus Hooves and Leeroy Wingkins, we can assume to some extent that these fliers are younger, probably in the mid to late teen range to possibly young adults. While none of the girls are old persay, we can assume that there is a cutoff age that, if anything like our own world (which shows like this tend to use some human standards on a non-human world to appeal to the human audience) the cut off age would probably of cut Rarity off if she was just a year older (as if we where to assume that Rainbow is, say, 17, Rarity would be 20) Beyond this, other things such as her pranking nature, and her quick to confrontation with others, would also suggest a lack of full on maturity, as well as how often she tries to brag and play off anything that bugs her. Also her young and almost juvinal admoration and/for reaction around the Wonderbolts befits that of a teenaged girl. For the most part we can assume the Cutie Mark Crusaders and all ponies in their class are roughly the same age, so let us go with Rainbow Dash to Rarity of 17-20, and mark the Cutie Markers at the age of 10, with Big Macintosh being roughly the same age distance from AJ as AJ is to Apple Bloom, which would put Big Mac at 26 years old being 8 years older then AJ and 16 over Apple Bloom.

Name: Cosmic Stream
Age: 19
Species: Pegasus
Eye color: Dark Blue
Main coat color: Black
Mane color: Blue, long and unkept, similar to Soarin's but longer in nature
Cutie mark: A blue storm cloud shooting red lighting (some believe the colors are this way to stand out from his dark coat)
Special physical attributes: In the night sky, specially on a New Moon, it seems like you can see stars in his fur, seemingly reflecting the night sky (seeing as its strongest on a New Moon)
History: (This is of course what I feel would help you understand the character prior to story start) Cosmic Stream is the younger brother of 2, his father was a unicorn who worked in the mines using his magic to carve through the rock and dirt to unearth coal and other common ores, scratching enough for them to survive. His mother was a pegasus who use to be a weather team captain until her wing was permanently damaged from a crash. Stream had a strong set of wings but with complications, as well as the fact the town they lived in was on the edge of Equestria's known territory, lead to him not being noticed for his gift. Cosmic Stream seeks to find a way to correct this.

Name: Cosmic Spark
Age: 21
Species: Unicorn
Eyecolor: Light, almost Baby Blue
Main coat color: Black
Mane color: Blue, short and kept trim, tends to stand up when very short but some times is allowed to grow out long enough to sit down on his neck like Big Macintosh's
Cutie mark: A red 4 point star similar to Twilight's with a blue mini star at the very end of each point.
Special Physical Attributes: In the night sky, specially on a New Moon, it seems like you can see stars in his fur, seemingly reflecting the night sky (seeing as its strongest on a New Moon)
History: Sparks is the older brother of 2, his father is a miner unicorn and his mother an injuried pegasus. He hasn't been home in years.

Name: Night Fury
Age: 18
Species: Pegasus
Eye color: Unknown
Main coat color: A sort of gray-muted yellow
Mane color: A sort of light blue with dark blue trim that looks like a blue fire, similar in style to that of Spitfire.
Secondary coat color: Unkown if she has one.
Cutie mark: Even more unknown
Special Physical attributes: She has the ability to just glare the most confrontational ponies down, even through the thickest of goggles or shades. She has a very unhappy look that speaks volumes to what she thinks of those around her or what she will do to you if you where to cross her with any attempt to harm or humiliate her.
History: Night Fury is a pegasus filly who lived in a town once a large hub of Equestria during her grandparents time, but now, it is pratically a ghost town. Only a handful of families stay there living out a rather sad existance, forgotten in the town as Equestria changes, in social and economical progress, have left this like many other towns, unnecessary and lost.

Author's Note

When i first wrote this fanfic awhile back it was during the mid point of season 2, because i knew this was going to be a minor issue as i do like stories that try to stick to continuity with minor references to events or full on explaining how those events impacted this one, or how the fanfic would impact cannon. I decided to write up a prologue to better explain the mind set of how the world works and what has or hasn't happened by this point. Please give it a chance and comment on how i might improve on explaining or telling stories as this fanfic goes on. Arigato.

Chapter 1

Canterlot: The Wonderbolt race track, Royal VIP box.

Twilight Sparkle and her 5 friends where taking up seats near the edge, as behind them sat the regal forms of the white sun goddess, and dark blue moon goddess, the princesses had invited them to Canterlot for a week to relax and get away from it all, not only for the girls, but for the princesses themselves. The idea had really been Twilight's. Since Nightmare-night, she had been talking not only to Celestia, but also to Luna, and gotten to know the younger of the princesses more. She found the idea of a mini-vacation to be something that both her beloved mentor, and newest friend needed from their hectic lives of running the nation of Equestria. This really was something she had been looking forward to though, since Rarity’s visit to Canterlot last week had gone so poorly, a second chance to just relax and have some proper fun sounded good to the recovering socialite she called a friend.

As they prepared to watch the 6 Wonderbolts, including, as Dash had informed Twilight, Spitfire and Soarin, though she didn't immediately know the names to the other 4, race it out. A number of thunder claps cut the crowds murmurs to minor panic, as a small group of Pegasus dragging a set of black clouds neared the track.

“I would think that if there had been plans for a storm, it would not be at the same time as a race,” Said Rarity, while Twilight noticed the confused glances traded by the Princesses. Then Twilight felt herself, like Rainbow beside, her gasp at the sight of what the pegasi where wearing.

“T-the S-sha,” Rainbow stammered out as Luna stood up fully from her seat
“The Shadowbolts?!” She said nearly using her royal Canterlot voice as the lead 3 landed in front of the line of Wonderbolts, stopping them dead in their tracks.

“Guards!” Said Luna pointing, as suddenly Celestia stuck her leg out to stop her sister and the guards.
“Sister?” Questioned Luna, wondering if they could let these trespassers go just for that, let alone the uniforms they wore. Curious as to her mentor’s choice and to the arrival of the pegasi, Twilight focused on the scene below.

“Just who do you think you are barging in wearing those knock off uniforms and stopping our race with your racket!” Demanded one of the Wonderbolts. The leader of the 3, a Black colt who was quite tall and thickened for a pegasus, arguably not as big as Big Macintosh and other such stallions, he was no light weight either, would look through the goggle/glasses of his uniform at the questioning Wonderbolt, and spoke.

“My name is of no importance, I am the leader of the Shadowbolts!” He was interrupted by another Wonderbolt before he could say anything
“And just what ARE the Shadowbolts, besides wannabe second raters?” The dull yellow filly to the black colt’s right just scoffed at the insults clearly glaring through her yellow goggles. The colt spoke,
“We are the fliers of Equestria's shadows! We come from the lost and forgotten towns, that neither the upper class or Wonderbolts ever visit, the gifted fliers never found and left to rot in the uncared for and ignored shadows of Equestria's territory.” Luna was left with her jaw just open thinking about how the name was nowhere near what she had feared it would be used for, but still, how did they come across the uniform designs, and the name? Or was the name just a chance that they had chosen based on the design?
“So, then what do you want with us?” Said Spitfire calmly towards the colt, as the blue uniformed colt to his right smirked to the question.

“We wish to prove we are the better fliers.” The other 4 Wonderbolts just burst out laughing as well as most of the stadium. These ponies better then the Wonderbolt's?
“Oh yeah, like upstart no-ponies like you are going to compete with us! Oh Celestia my sides, my sides hurt,” Said one of the laughing Wonderbolts. The Shadowbolts at the clouds where starting to stretch them out, lighting their tone till they had a massive stock of white cloud to work with, as Celestia stood up. Twilight and the others watched the Princess near the edge of the booth, and using a powerful voice only known once to them as
“The Royal Canterlot Voice,” Spoke to the crowds. “I approve of your challenge, see to it that rule changes are stated before you begin!” The resulting silence across the stadium only sought to bring smirks to the faces of the Shadowbolts.

The Shadowbolts in the clouds began to tear into the track, pulling it apart and molding new parts to it out of the clouds they had brought with them.
“Then, first things first!” Declared the colt strongly, “This track is only a show of speed! A pegasus has so much more to spread their wings then with just their sheer flight speed!” The track got a massive peak up, had sharp turns and key curves into its sides that where clearly design to test not only just sheer turn speed, but their ability to adapt their turn radius and skid on the clouds. Next was a straight up loop-de-loop, the purpose of this was clear, can you make a full 360 circle going straight, and then finally a bent outward that also dipped down and back up on its way back into the main track, that also like the peak up and down, had key types of turns on it.

“Next, if a bolt, wonder or shadow crashes through or off the track, that is it, no getting back on!” Celestia would order her guards to sit around the track to make sure to enforce this rule much to Luna’s protesting eyes. Twilight could not blame Luna for wanting to protest her older sister’s allowance of this. These where fliers who not only interrupted a high class event, which to Twilight’s knowledge, it was a massive insult and even a straight up felony to interrupt back then, let alone just the trespassing and the interruption of a organized sport in such a manner was still considered an offense, but the uniforms where a visage of a dark time in Luna's life. Whether they knew it or not, that may be a massive insult to the princess. As the 9 bolts began to make a line at the start, the colt said 1 more thing as all the wings unfurled,
“2 laps around, we shall see how many of you make it.”

They where off, well 8 of them, the black colt was stuck on the start line wings locked up his teeth gritting, some might think he was just going to try to completely upstage all the others by letting them get a head start, but something in Twilight's gut told her something was wrong. As the 8 began their course up the peak, one Wonderbolt shot off the side, hard, from a sharp turn, trying to get back on, only for the guards to point him back to the stands to wait. Spitfire and the Shadowbolt filly came over the top and shot down first, neck and neck. Soarin was behind them, then another Wonderbolt, then the blue colt Shadowbolt, and the last current Wonderbolt, as they did, the black colt finally shot from the start line with a tremendous wave of air shooting behind him. During the loop-de-loop, the 2 in the lead shot through, at first one might think the under trained Shadowbolt filly might end up crashing them both out of the race. As the idea of a completely independent group of fliers this hot headed might be able to keep up without crashing into a pegasus they have never worked with before was honestly laughable, but the 2 kept going side by side unwavering. Soarin did the same, but the Wonderbolt behind him. When he went through the part where he was upside down, for some reason he flipped up in some sort of instinctive auto-correct and crashed through the back, leaving the blue colt Shadowbolt and other 2 Wonderbolts to catch up to Soarin. The 2 came out of the final bend out with Spitfire showing she was edging out on her Shadowbolt competitor. The filly dropped back and took up a position behind Spitfire nearly sending her hind hoofs into Soarin's face.

“Smart,” Said Rainbow, to which Twilight responded,
“What do you mean?” Rainbow would tap her chin with her hoof,
“Well who ever that filly is, she realizes that Spitfire’s going to eventually overtake her in the second lap, and lose more energy in it then she’d lose just getting behind her.” Twilight would think watching, as the 5 of them crossed the start/finish line into lap 2. The black colt leader was shooting out of the bend. Drafting, that's what Rainbow meant, the filly was drafting behind Spitfire, allowing Spitfire to keep at full speed to keep ahead but waste a lot more energy in doing so then the Shadowbolt was. As the lead 3 shot over the peak, the 2 Wonderbolts tried to block the nearing leader as the Shadowbolt had ended up crashing into one of the poles and knocking himself out of the race and almost unconscious. The two tried to push him back but when he got between them, they tried to just slam into his sides. He cut his speed as they hit each other and smashed through the clouds beneath them before shooting back into the race at full speed, creating another wind blast. Soarin heard him coming,

“Aw no buddy you are not getting past me, sorry.” The Shadowbolt smirked as he shot under Soarin and did the loop-de-loop with him shooting in front of him,
“I don't recall giving you any say in the matter, 'buddy'” He retorted as he shot up behind the filly and Spitfire as they where going into the bend, all 4 in a single file. The final stretch came as the filly broke to the left, the colt to the right, they shot forward catching up to Spitfire. Soarin pulled up some as he seemed to wobble, falling behind the other 3. They had created a draft vacuum of some kind, Twilight figured, and when they had broken off, the impact on the air in front of Soarin must have thrown him off entirely. They where nearing 3 wide for the finish line, it was going to be literally a photo finish at this point as they could not tell who was pulling fully ahead of who. The flash, the passing, the cheers of the crowd who had been watching intently! It was clearly a rush of emotions as the photographer would wait for the picture to form while the Shadowbolts rushed to their leader, who looked absolutely exhausted, almost unhealthy so, as the filly though panting did not look half as winded as the black colt.

The photographer and officials pooled over the image and seem to be drawing lines down it to literally mark who was just how far ahead. Finally, one stood up,
“We have confirmed our findings, the winner is….The Shadowbolt filly! With Spitfire in second and the colt in third!” The uproar was a mix of cheers and boos as the royal sisters descended. Celestia would smile, the silence following her landing, allowing her to speak,
“I must congratulate you on your efforts in finishing the race and in placing so highly against the well renowned Wonderbolts. You have shown a strong will to compete.” Spitfire would near the Shadowbolts,

“You really strutted your stuff out there, and now I understand your complaint about the short track. Indeed it was not enough to show just how fast a pegasus can go but how agile they are, giving them the room to out play their opponents like that.” The Shadowbolt filly neared, her eyes locked on Spitfire, though you got the vibe she wasn’t exactly as happy-go-lucky sports-mare as her Wonderbolt counterpart.
“I won and that is all that I feel matters. You are the stronger flier and you likely always will be. Even if we had lost, this would not have been the last of us. So next time, I expect you to bring that challenge again.” Spitfire nodded smiling despite the rather threatening tone of her competitor.
“Before you go, I must ask, what is your name?” The filly focused on her, reaching up slowly to take her goggles off, showing deep orange eyes that burned with a passion,
“I am Night fury, remember it well.” She put her goggles back on as the Shadowbolts flew off.

Author's Note

I do want to mention that i did have an editor to help me during most of this, she also did my title card on the front and is a good friend of mine. I hope you all enjoy this, comments on how you felt or how you feel i could improve are much appreciated.

Chapter 2: A Night's Fury

Location unknown: Shadowbolt Hideout

Night Fury was pacing around angrily as she put her goggles aside and pealed the top off her uniform revealing the full face of her form. She had a strong yellow color to her but was muted with this kind of gray smoky coloration over the top of it. She inhaled turning her head to the slowly undressing black colt who was still wearing his goggles even though his uniform was half way down his body,

“You, Bumbling, Fool!” She was on the verge of just straight up screaming at him.
“You should know better then to push your body that hard! To use that boost thing of yours that often!” She was breathing hard as the colt just looked at her, fully removing the uniform from his hind legs calmly before hanging it up in his locker slamming it.
“We have been thou-,” He was cut off by his second in command,
“I Do Not Care!” she said punctuating every word with a angry hoof stomp.
“Your heart cannot keep taking this abuse! You already told me just how bad they where on you during your childhood! And now!” The colt turned to his filly companion only to be greeted with an unusual sight for her. She looked like she had tears at the edges of her anger filled eyes.

“Night fury...” She would shove a hoof into his chest to stop him,
“Stream, you Have to take it easy! Atleast until you have had time to recover some from all this...” She would turn away blinking the water out of her eyes and taking a few slow steady breaths to get her bearings.
“Look Cosmic Stream, this group looks up to you, even if you are an arrogant self centered colt crudder!” She felt her anger rising trying to stay from losing it right now.
“For their sake, try not to kill yourself okay?” He smirked,
“Oh it sounds like you actually do care a little there Night Fury, hmm?” Her cheeks reddened as she growled at him glaring right into his eyes,
“If you weren't a colt I'd - I'd!” she was trying to find the right word, only for Stream to speak,
“Kiss me?” Ka-Smack!

Night Fury was stomping through the base as pegasus, unicorn and earth ponies where walking around the base, many staying right out of her stomping line.
“Why that arrogant, self-centered, air headed, Rrrr!” She was not happy with Cosmic right now. That attitude was just like the last 3 colts she got close to, all they wanted was her body, they didn't care about who she was just that she had all the right curves. This is why she gave up colts and decided to go with other fillies, as they where not so shallow and into her just cause she had a nice flank. She finally arrived to her quarters entering, as the second in command of the Shadowbolts, she was the only filly with a room all to herself right now, as they didn't have a lot of room for everypony, they had to get by after all. She got on her bed and began to fully peal her uniform off.

She had thought to before Cosmic had left her frustrated and grumpy but atleast here she was alone. Slowly it came down as a long scar showed on her chest as she pulled her forward body, and front legs out. The scar continued from her chest down to just past her ribs, as she pealed the single piece away groaning as she felt the rush of fresh cool air hitting her sweating, overheating fur. She would continue to slide the uniform down past her round flanks, revealing a cutie mark, two storm clouds with a full moon rising in the middle of it and a lighting bolt coming out of one. She would use her teeth to grip her uniform and fling it into a chair across the room to let it air out as she stretched out on the bed. Tired and aching across her spine and wings, she laid out on the bed pulling the pillow under her head and letting out a deep slow sigh.

The memories where still fresh in her mind despite how long ago it felt. She sat in the park of the mostly abandoned town of Cherry Grove, one of the former jewels of route 6. She was watching the few families there play as one colt ran by snatching a mare's purse right off her back, “Stop thief!” She screamed as Night Fury shot out from under the tree after him, she was too fast for him to get away so he tried to draw a switch knife out on her. He meet with a pair of hind hoofs smashing his chin and side of his face by another colt, a black pegasus with a wild blue mane, right as Night fury had snatched the bag back. Night Fury returned it back to the mare quietly, while the black colt had the thief in a head lock waiting for the local police.

Night fury sat there with the colt a good hour later after giving their reports. The colt had not said much to her so far as he turned to her,
“You are quite the flier too huh?” She nodded slowly,
“Must suck living in the shadows all the time, a forgotten town. The best in Equestria never come to towns like this.” She felt a hatred in her chest build up, pointing out the obvious Mr. Hero!
“That is why I am making a group of ponies, from the shadows, the lost towns, to get noticed. Night Fury would look at him,
“Name's Cosmic Stream, and I would like it very much if you would join us,” He smiled as Night fury felt an odd flush run up her neck and cheeks.
“The name's Night Fury, and sure, I will join, if it means getting out of here,” She said, and muttered, “And away from my Ex's.”

Author's Note

Ya know ya'd think a filly with sun fire orange eyes and a mane that looks legitly like blue fire would be calmer. I always had an issue with how short this chapter came out but i could never figure out what else to put and i figured better put what is really in your head and not try to drag it out and ruin it. Comments are still welcomed.

Chapter 3

Canterlot: Royal Palace.

Twilight was with her friends in the Grand Hall of the palace waiting for the return of her mentor and her sister. Twilight was still replaying the events from mere hours ago in her head while her friends talked about them with a quite varied set of emotions. “I cannot believe those upstarts!” Yelled out an angry Dash, “Doing that infront of hundreds of noble ponies to the Wonderbolts of all pegasi!” Clearly she did not take her childhood heroes losing well and no pony could blame her really. “Though ya'll gotta wonder, where they got the uniform idea,” Said Applejack, taping her hoof to her chin looking to Dash. “What are you looking at? I didn't give it to them!” Rarity clearly realized something, “But we did dear! Your Nightmare Night costume was the Shadowbolts!” Rainbow Dash's face fell realizing that Nightmare Night was a big deal in the newspapers and tabloids because of Princess Luna's arrival and actions, meaning her costume might of shown up all over Equestria! Fluttershy meekly spoke up at finally, “I - I did happen to notice they didn't have any markings over their flanks.” This did make Twilight, and Rainbow Dash begin to realize that she was right, judging by Rarity's and Applejack's reactions, it suggested they had realized this too. Pinkie would give a rather thoughtful “Hmmmmm,” Which usually meant Pinkie logic was bound to leave the rest of them completely confused. “Oh I know why!” The groan from Rainbow Dash went unheeded, “It's because they feel like they are not noticed and thus aren't recognized for their talents, much like a young filly who hasn't found their special talent and thus their cutie mark!” Silence permeated the room followed by the other 5 trading stunned glances at just how simple and yet, accurate, that seemed considering the speech by the leader that was now ringing very vividly in their collective minds.

“That would be a fair concept Miss Pie, though a presumptuous one. From what little we know, I would agree.” The voice of the younger Equestrian princess rang into the mare's ears as they all turned and bowed to the arriving royals. “At ease my little ponies,” Said Celestia gently, as they sat properly looking at them as they took pulled some thicker cushions to themselves with their magic, sitting with them. At first no pony wanted to speak about the events of the race due to not knowing how the princesses felt on it. Twilight inhaled slowly and began, “Princess Celestia I must ask,” Celestia's gaze stopped her from finishing. The motherly royal smiled, “You want to know how we feel about the sudden, if very bold, appearance of these “Shadowbolts”, am I right?” Twilight nodded. “I know this maybe surprising to you girls, but I whole heartedly endorce what they are doing.” The 6 mares shared a collective look of shock and/or confusion. “Beg ya' pardon princess but I can't help but wonder why?” Said Applejack getting agreeing nods from Rainbow Dash and Rarity. “This is not the first time this has happened,” “It would be the third,” Said Celestia calmly as the girls looked amongst themselves considering that. “Third? Dear sister,” Questioned Luna as her elder sister nodded, “The second time was roughly seven hundred years ago.” “Oh...” Responded Luna as Twilight watched a little saddened by the droop in the younger royals ears, knowing how she felt about that expanse of time she missed due to their recent letters to one another. “I understand that you may not fully appreciate or understand their plight, most mortal ponies long sense forget the cycles of a society as I have observed them during my long tenor as Equestria's Princess.” The girls would focus their attention on the Sun goddess, wanting to understand as she did.

“During the first few centuries of our rule, cleaning up the mess Discord left behind, it became easy for the successful and rich to begin to rise to power and influence, as they had the most to spare. Ponies would side with them quickly in favour of gaining supplies from them. Over time however, they successfully became the noble families of Equestria, spreading their class and influence in ways that benefited them the most, beginning to surrogate the lower class ponies from their own society.” Twilight remembered how the high society life had begun to effect Rarity all of a week ago, driven to such lengths to try to get the recognition of the high society, that she felt embarrassed by her Ponyville roots, and friends.... She could understand that perhaps the nobles and rich had a tendency to do that, not just now but for a very long time.

“If I may um ask,” Started Fluttershy, showing that her assertiveness was still developing when it came to talking up to the princesses. “How come you didn't do anything to stop it?” Luna's brow furrowed a bit at the question clearly not liking it, which made Fluttershy squeek and duck behind Dash some, while Celestia slowly sighed. “I often wish I could have, but it was the early centuries of our work, we were not practiced in the position of leadership as I have come to be over the last millennium and a half. We had begun to notice unrest but we had hoped that such actions were beyond our little ponies, seeing that harmony and peace where so welcomed when we came into the rolls.” Luna would nod slowly, “I was also a much younger mare, almost still filly like in appearance and attitude. It did not help matters as I often was more then willing to be blissfully ignorant to the idea that our subjects would behave in such a manner.” The girls would trade looks as they began to process this in their own ways. “So what happened?” Asked Rainbow calmly, “Rebellion?” The girls where a little uneasy at their friend's suggestion, looking to the princesses. “Almost, there were some protests and few riots, atleast few by the standards of Equestria today. Fortunately that opened our eyes and allowed us to make the necessary changes to the social and government systems to better help the lower class support itself without need to be practically enslaved by the elites and nobles.” After a bit of time to process all this, the obvious question came up, this time though from Luna. “Sister I must ask, after the first time, how did it come to pass again only two to three hundred years after....” Celestia gently slide her leg over Luna's shoulders comforting her sister gently.

Luna could not help but lean into her sisters chest and relax. “It was because of those events sadly.” She said trying not to impose any sort of blame or guilt onto her younger sister. “I was just in an emotional haze for quite some time after that, and the nobles and elite realized how easy it would be to manipulate the system for their benefit at the time.” Luna looked up to her sister sadly with those soft blue eyes of hers as Celestia smiled softly, “Don't look so sad sister, it seems to me, that really it is a cycle of society that the upper class becomes self-centred due to their privileged lives and they will, at times, try to take the power they feel entitled to.” Luna nodded slowly, “I do not like it but I think some cycles are just going to repeat, something I have noticed happening again to an extent.” A loud and long yawn punctuated the scene as Pinkie sat there rubbing her eye some as her stomach growled angrily, “Oh my, it seems time has gotten away from us all, I believe we should retire to the dinner hall and have something to eat before we all retire for the day, we can pick up this conversation tomorrow if you girls are still curious.” Said the princess smiling.

Twilight was wandering around Canterlot castle, lost in her thoughts, long after dinner. Most, if not all, of her friends where asleep by this point, but some nights it has been proven she did not sleep when there was a lot on her mind. She passed through a hall realizing she didn’t recognize the décor right away. She realized then where she was, it was a section of the castle that had been forbidden for as long as she had been Celestia's student. So how did she just wander in without noticing the barrier? “Twilight Sparkle?” She turned to the voice seeing the flowing blue mane of starlight energy, “It is not often a pony wanders through my corridor, what brings you here so late?” Twilight looked at her as she processed what Princess Luna had said, her corridor, that meant the forbidden part of the castle was basically the paths that lead to what use to be Luna's bedroom and other such rooms. “I am sorry if I woke you princess, I was just wandering around, when I have a lot on my mind, I tend not to sleep.” Luna would nod slowly as she understood, she was the princesses of the night, night-time sleep was something she appreciated but often skipped as she and her sister where able to nap during the day time to time, just made sure they had alarm clocks that alerted them to the proper time to do the rise and set cycles of their respective celestial bodies.

Luna felt her ears lay back some despite how casual the following offer should have been, “Would you, like to come to my room? Have some tea with me?” Twilight would blink wondering why the princess looked so, nervous? “Sure princess, I would like to talk to you anyway about all this.” Luna would nod, “It's just Luna, remember? No need to be so formal when it is just the 2 of us after all.” Twilight smiled as she followed Luna through the double doors with her cutie mark serving as the main coloration with the crescent moon serving as the handle. Luna pushed the doors open with her magic allowing Twilight into her quite large, luxurious room. It had everything, a main area which also contained a bed and a couple couches, an area that broke off a little to become a sort of mini kitchen area with a fridge, an oven though, admittingly, not large one by a house' standard and a large bathroom through a golden doorway, which was open at the time, hence Twilight being able to see it as the bathroom. Luna set a pot on the oven beginning to let it heat for their tea calmly as she sat on one of the couches as Twilight would take a chair not far from her smiling softly. “You have a very nice room Luna, I do hope I am not intruding.” Luna smiled some to the compliment, “Not at all Twilight, I am glad to finally get to talk to you face to face like this, we have not had much conversation sense Nightmare Night, outside of the letters we have sent to each other.” Twilight nodded as Luna opened the fridge with her magic, “Care for a snack? I have apples, carrots, some soft hay and some chocolates that I managed to sneak past my sister.” She had a devious little smile on her lips from saying that as Twilight would think, “Just some carrots if you don't mind, maybe some ranch dressing to dip?” She licked her lips some realizing how hungry the thought made her. Luna would nod getting some apples and carrots with a dipping cup, filling it with ranch and floating it onto the table between them as the tea pot steamed out as Luna poured the water into some cups, pulling out her selections of teas for Twilight, picking a simple green tea which Twilight also picked.

After a few minutes of snacking on their respective snacks and drinking a cup or two of tea, the pair would relax into a comfortable silence. After mulling her words over in her head, Twilight spoke first, “Luna, I am curious as to how you feel about these pegasi calling themselves Shadowbolts.” She watched Luna inhale slowly as she was clearly thinking over her response. “I am not sure how I feel about it, or even how I should feel about it.” She sighed gathering herself, “I understand that they are, though how limited I am in knowing to them, my fault. Atleast in their design and possibly name. However, given the changes to the outfit such as having no mark on their flanks, and their over all demeanour, it could be possible that I just gave them a form in which to show their unity and that I should be to some extent proud that I helped my beloved subjects.” Luna looked out the main window above her bed looking at the waning moon cycle nearing a new moon. Twilight decided to move to a different topic, talking to Luna mostly asking about what it was like to be a princess, and letting Luna ask her about her recent activities in Ponyville sense Nightmare Night and so forth.

After an hour or so, they where contently sipping at their 5th or so cup of tea and the snacks fairly depleted, much to their joint enjoyment, as one question came rather unexpectedly from the princess. “So Twilight,” She paused for a second, for what Twilight wasn't sure, “Do you happen to have any colt-friends or perhaps filly-friends,” She said the last part a little more in a low tone but Twilight heard it well enough to cover her mouth to stop herself from spitting her tea out in surprise. Luna's ears flatten back some looking down, “I - I am sorry. I did not mean to insinuate,” Twilight raised an eyebrow, did Luna think she had insulted Twilight just for suggesting she may like other mares? I mean Lyra and Bon-bon where very well known couple in Ponyville and they were both mares. Twilight however reminded herself, that much like with her actions on Nightmare Night, Luna may simply be stuck in the past and perhaps then the concept of same-gender couples was not as accepted as it was now. “Princess it's okay, please calm down,” Twilight said worried. “Y - you are not upset?” Asked Luna as Twilight smiled, “Why would I be?” Luna's ears perked up some communicating that Twilight had indeed atleast to some extent communicated what she had wanted to. “It's... nothing, never mind, an old thing,” Said Luna smiling some as Twilight would nod taping her hoof to her chin faux thinking, “Well I can't say I do have anyone special in that regard,” Luna would blink, “A kind-hearted and beautiful mare like you? Single?” Twilight found a flush creeping across her cheeks, was she really beautiful? I mean sure her friends often called her pretty as a friendly compliment and Rarity often complimented their beauty when it worked with her dresses, but was she really genuinely beautiful? Luna seem to think so and, for some reason, that pleased her.

“Well, as I have said in my letters, I hadn't put a lot of thought into even friendship until recently, so therefore I really have not had any interest in such things as love and relationships either, nor do they really come up that often.” Which outside of any conversations about book selection with Rarity, which true, Rarity would bring up romance novels and talk about how wonderful the idea of the perfect romance would be with “the perfect stallion” and so on. Luna seemed interested in this, “So, do you even know, which one you like?” Twilight this time was legitly in thought, as she tapped her hoof on her chin, “Can't really say I do, I've just never put any thought into it and I've never had any real reason to put the subject high on my studying list.” “So would you ever consider, you know, going with a mare?” Luna was starting to pry but for some reason she was running with this topic. Twilight found herself flushing a little again as she would think about it, “I can't say I would know right now, I would have to have more time to consider it all, before I decided what it is I would want in a relationship.” Luna nodded slowly as Twilight felt now was her turn, “So princess, have you ever considered being with another mare?” Luna had a deep pink colour spreading across her cheeks now. “Well I - you see...” She found herself tripping over her own thoughts. Twilight giggled getting out of the chair and going to the princess, gently placing a reassuring hoof on her shoulder, “Well whoever it is, they must be quite somepony to gain the affections of the princess of the moon,” She smiled and yawned gently, “But it is late Luna, I think I shall finally retire to my room and get some rest.” Luna nodded still flushed as she watched Twilight leave her room the doors being shut behind her with her unicorn magic. “Indeed she is somepony, my stars of escape.” Said Luna before she laid on her bed having floated over from the couch and would rest her head, allowing herself a few hours or sleep before the dawn, when she and her sister would have to lower the moon, and raise the sun of the new day.

Chapter 4: Shadow Do Well

Ponyville 10 days after the Shadowbolt's interruption of the Wonderbolt Derby

Twilight was sitting in the park with Rainbow Dash shooting over head doing her daily rounds in her weather patrol job. She was reflecting once again on Celestia's words,
“I know you all wish I had more to tell you but, as of right now, my best advice is just to watch and listen for more of these Shadowbolts, until we fully understand who they are and what they want. We cannot do much for or against them as we do not know what would truly help.” She could not help but sigh every time she remembered that, as it meant that they were just being extra eyes for now. Twilight got up and began to walk her way through the park, lost in her thoughts.

“Stop Thief!” Rang through the air as a strong built earth pony stallion ran by a unicorn mare snatching her saddle bags off her back. Criminals where rare in Equestria but that did not mean they did not exist entirely. Twilight turned her body to follow the thief when she was beaten to it. A black and purple blur tackled the earth stallion to the ground wrestling him. Twilight was stunned watching what could only be called a “Shadowbolt coloured Mare-Do-Well who was a colt” Physically man handling the thief while another Shadowbolt landed with a second one, this one having its hat float off revealing a unicorn filly in the costume with the red filly flier pulling out several ropes that the unicorn used to tie up the thief in question. The scuffle ended quickly now as the thief struggled against his bindings as the Colt-Do-Well stood up fully. Twilight realized this one was an earth pony, as the filly put her purple hat back on with her magic while the colt carried the bags back to the mare who the thief had taken them from, “I believe these are yours ma'am,” He said carefully hefting them back onto her back as she smiled,

“Thank you so very much!” She kissed his cheek and went on her way. A young pegasus colt walked up to the Colt-Do-Well holding a black hat, much like the purple one the unicorn filly had,
“I think you dropped this mister,” He said as the colt would nod putting it on,
“Thank ya kindly,” He wold join the other two as they headed off quickly together leaving a small crowd of stunned and impressed ponies in their wake.

“So ya'll saw them Shadowbolts having earth ponies and unicorns in their group?” Asked Applejack as she pushed a cart with some snacks and juice to her friends at the table. They had decided to meet up here when Twilight called an emergency meeting.
“That's what I said,” Twilight said slightly annoyed at being asked to confirm what she just explained,
“And they where using the Mare-Do-Well costume we designed but with the shades of purple and black of the Pegasus Shadowbolt uniform?” Asked Rarity earning an eyebrow twitch from her fellow unicorn,
“Yep.” Pinkie spoke up next,
“Oh oh and they have chosen different hat colors to show which members are earth ponies and which ones are unicorns right?!” She said energetically as Twilight nodded,
“It would appear so.” Rainbow Dash looked down slowly sighing, receiving the collective attention of her friends.
“It seems like they wear the forms of things related to me, doesn't it? The Shadowbolts where both used to try to turn away from saving Equestria, and then my Nightmare-Night costume, and the Mare-Do-Well was what you girls did to help me realize how foolish I was getting.” They looked at each other wondering if Rainbow was some how blaming herself for all this.

“Dash they just took the idea and ran with it. This has nothing to do with the fact we had any hand in it,” Said Twilight putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder, trying to comfort her. Dash looked at them as they where all smiling at her trying to take that worry out of her mind as she slowly smiled,
“Yeah I guess you girls are right. It just is odd that they use both of those uniforms after all they mean to us and what we have done.”
“Ah reckon I understand that Rainbow, but just may be me but if they are using the Mare-Do-Well outfit, and stopped a thief like that, I can't say we have to worry about them being evil or what not.” Fluttershy nodded,
“I mean maybe they are trying to get recognized for their own talents and some of them are trying to use the secrecy of their uniforms to be heroes which might be a life goal for some.” With little else to go with, the girls just agreed to keep an eye out for more of these “Shadow-Do-Wells” and Shadowbolts and watch their actions carefully.

They did however not have to wait long. Later that Day, a tour trolly broke off its pullers and tumbled down the side of a hill, very dejavu for Applejack watching it as she was about to leap into action when a black hatted colt jumped in and body slammed into its front as he pushed against it, being forced down the hill side with it. However the faulty harness was not the only weak point. The back wheel axel snapped on the way down, sending both back wheels flying off and wood shrapnel in multiple directions but it allowed for the trolly to drag itself down as much as the earth pony colt. After some of the ponies got off, the colt staggered slowly as he turned blood dripping onto the grass soliciting a scream from a very faint unicorn mare.

A solid section of the axle had shot out from under the trolly when it broke and lodged itself firmly into the colt's left side, much to everypony's horror. A black unicorn colt with a short well kept mane got off the trolly quickly with heavy saddle packs on, “Give me space everypony! I am a trained physician!” He said as he put his hoofs carefully around the wounded colt's injury asking for another colt to help him lay the wounded hero down. He shrugged off his bags quickly once they had him on the ground as he began using his magic to pull out key objects. Applejack recognized gauz, what appeared to be rubbing alcohol, 2 differently worded kits, both probably medical, and scissors. The medic colt bit into the uniform carefully pulled it away from the wound, using his magic to make the scissors cut. He then began to use his magic to trace a cut from where he started to the wound, slowly making the cuts so not to disturb the wound worse.

Applejack would notice the crowd forming and decided to do something to help by trying to get them to back up and give him space to work as she tried to keep an eye on it as well.
“Sir, I need you to focus on my voice for a bit,” Said the medic getting AJ's attention. She noticed the colt under the Shadow-Do-Well uniform was white furred, as the medic had lifted his mask past his muzzle but still hiding most of his face with it bringing a white rag to his mouth,
“Please bite into this to help endure the pain of this, I do not know how deep the object has penetrated so this could be very unpleasant.” AJ noticed just how calm and almost cold the unicorn seemed saying this as the earth pony colt bit into the rag hard. She noticed that the uniform was fully pulled away from the wound, revealing that the wood spike had some how stopped him from bleeding. AJ didn't fully understand but while being a rough type, she had rarly seen any sort of impaling injury, not aware that with enough force such a injury would inherently put pressure on the area stopping blood flow until it was removed. The unicorn had opened both of the medical kits, which one had a set of needles and thread as well as some knives. Applejack did not recognize and other materials as the unicorn carefully felt the area around the wound,

“Okay sir, now I need you to relax, on the count of 3, I am going to remove the spike.” He said pouring some of the alcohol on a thick cut of gauz preparing it with his magic quietly.
“Okay sir, 1” He started lowering his head close to the spike,
“2.” Applejack watched as soon as he finished the number his teeth instantly sank into the spike and yanked it straight out as the gauz pressed against the wound quickly adsorbing a good amount of blood. The earth pony colt growled into the rag in pain as the unicorn would spit the spike out onto the grass.
“You must forgive me but through my study of the many patients that I have taken care of, I know one relaxes most just before it happens but tenses right when they expect it. To make it easier on your system, I waited until you where at your most relaxed.” He would pull out one of the needles and a set of thread calmly as he would remove the gauz slowly, checking the wound while using some fresh water from a new bottle, he would gently wash out the wound,

“It seems you are very lucky sir. The wound is fairly shallow compared to how bad it could have been.” He would begin to use the needle to literally sew him up, which made Applejack blink. She had seen stitches before but she had never seen a pony actually making them on another pony. As he finished and sniped the end of the thread about a half dozen Shadowbolts arrived 2 where ground, one a unicorn, one an earth pony, another 4 were pegasi and 2 where pulling a cart, clearly having been rigged up to carry their wounded ally. Applejack instantly recognized the one leading them as Night Fury, the winner of the Wonderbolt Derby almost 2 weeks prior.

Night Fury seemed a bit livid about the situation as she had the 3 not pulling the cart carefully put the wounded Shadowbolt into it to take him back with them.
“You have a lot of strong willed ponies in your group miss,” Said the unicorn, having repacked his saddlebags and put them back on with his magic,
“I am just glad I could help the stallion who saved my life in return. It is not often I can use my medical knowledge so readily like that.” She would look at him slowly, getting the odd sense of dejavu.
“Black coat, blue mane, blue eyes, if he had wings and not a horn, without staring directly at his cutie mark I swear im staring at Stream.” She thought to herself just nodding to his words,

“Well it is fortunate that you could help him, I do not think any of ours are trained to deal with such an injury.” He smiled kindly tipping a invisible hat to her,
“Happy to help Ma'am, The names Cosmic Spark,” Night Fury felt this odd wrench in her gut, Cosmic? His first name was Cosmic too?
“Something wrong miss?” He asked seeming to notice her facial expression through what little he could see,
“No,” She said keeping her composure as best as she could,
“You just remind me of someone is all.” He smiled,
“Well if you travel a lot I am sure you are bound to run into similar ponies over time.” He smiled before his face softened some,

“Though, I do have a younger brother....” He seem to grow rather sorrowful saying that,
“Have not seen him in... 3 years. I think if he is still out there...” Night Fury's brow furrowed under her uniform as she ordered her team to take the wounded colt back to base. She turned back to Spark calmly,
“Well, I am not for sure of this but I may have met him, if your brother is a pegasus, with a rather unkempt mane.” Spark's ears went from a neutral to very perked up and attentive state at that.
“Was his name Cosmic Stream?” He said as Night Fury felt a knot in her gut. She wanted to scream yes for some reason, just drag him to Stream right hoofen now!
“I believe it was, I only ran into him like, twice I think” She said able to keep her calm mask despite all of this seeing the unicorn's ears droop.
“Oh... well um, if you see him again could you please tell him, that his older brother is looking for him? And misses him greatly?” Night Fury nodded slowly,

“Sure I will pass it on if I ever do see him again.” Night Fury quickly did excuse herself to follow her fellow Shadowbolts back as she was now nursing a rather large amount of anger for Stream. When she got back there was going to be yelling, lots and lots of yelling.

Author's Note

well this should be interesting, another black stallion with a blue mane?

Chapter 5: A Cosmic Fury

Warning: this chapter contains pretty high levels of swearing.

Shadowbolt HQ - Outside Canterlot.

“Where is he!?” Night Fury was stomping her way down one of the halls as every pony in their right mind was getting the fuck out of her way. She found her target in one of the work rooms and her anger practically doubled on sight! He was laying on his belly, hind legs stretched out, forelegs crossed singing mostly to himself, with a mare over him that can best be called 'deep grape' in color with a folded towel cutie mark, massaging his back with her fore-hoofs.
“Still can't remember what happened in September, back when everypony died trails of blood during my stride.” He sang out before a loud audible pop rang from him as he went pretty limp giving a relaxed groan. Clearly this mare had skill in her craft because it almost made Night Fury forget why she came in here just seeing how quickly she just broke all the tension from Stream's body. Almost.
“You shit eating son of a,” She started getting the pairs attention. The complete fear on the mare's face and the sheer confusion on Steam's maked her inhale deeply glaring through her goggles.

Stream motioned with a hoof for the mare to leave, which she quickly did, grabbing her few things and bolting.
“First you tell me to take it easy and then come banshee screaming during a massage? This better be about something good or you are not the only one going to be screaming soon.” He said his blue eyes showing a strong amount of annoyed resentment.
“Why didn't you fucking tell me you had a brother!?” Stream froze on the table where he was.

“Because,” He paused inhaling,
“I don't have a brother,” He said strongly, as she yanked her goggles off showing her burning orange eyes.
“Horseshit!” She said stamping her hoof down hard,
“I met him just earlier today! Black fur, blue mane, blue eyed unicorn with a 4 point red star on his flank with 4 smaller stars on the points of that one!” Stream clearly was weakening to this as he shifted back on the table some looking both angry and abit afraid. “Cosmic Spark told me to tell his brother he is looking for him and has been worried about him.” Said Fury with an unusual level of calm trying to force herself to keep any tone of hatred out of the message despite how much she wanted to just tear into Stream right now. Stream would begin to tremble as he suddenly shot off the table landing in front of her with his wings furled out,

“LIES!” He screamed.
“I don't have a brother! I never had a brother! Brothers don’t end up going off to be a great student at Canterlot while you sit around in a nowhere edge town being told you can't even fly like any other pegasi because you have a heart problem!” Night Fury would growl,
“So you are mad at him just because he got lucky?!” Stream's eyes widened with burning rage as he reared up and brought his hoof down. Fury closed her eyes expecting him to slap her across the muzzle like so many stallions before him, but the blow never came. Night Fury slowly opened her eyes not sure how long she had kept them close but it had been enough time for Steam to sulk his way onto the table, back to her, his wings drooping as she could swear tears where hitting the table itself.

“When mom and dad died, the towns folk helped take care of me for months.” He inhaled slowly then exhaling weakly as she knew his heart had to be flaring up.
“Months had passed and they said that he simply must of moved on, how lucky he was to be going on his own in Equestria.” He trembled as she was listening,
“What kind of brother, abandons his only remaining family like that? For a future in Equestria's high society while his only remaining relative rots in a nowhere town with no family to turn to and a busted heart, both physically and emotionally?” Night Fury would slowly near but stopped herself sitting there as Stream would peak over his shoulder his eyes blood shot,

“So yeah, to me, I haven't had a brother sense he left for Canterlot University, as that was the last I saw of him. He spent the years there sending letters about how awesome it was and the friends he made and the grades he got, making mom and dad so proud and what not but... he just forgot I existed.” Night Fury picked up her goggles putting them on calmly heading to the door.
“Well I am not going to settle for half of a coin, I am going to, as you would say “get the flip side” of this story, or something like that,” Said Night Fury calmly as she left Stream there, walking out of the base as everypony still got out of her way.

Ponyville

Night Fury was scanning the small quiet town late at night looking for Spark. Her luck proved good tonight as she spotted him alone at the park, under a tree with his horn a glow with a blue light, he was reading something, the heavy saddlebags from earlier besides him. She landed not far from him as he looked up hearing the sound of impacting hooves on grass.
“Well we meet again so soon Miss Fury, what brings you out here so late?” He smiled though he could feel the strong glare through her yellow lens goggles.
“Okay Spark, lets hear your half of it,” He blinked,
“I am sorry but my half of what exactly? That sentence has no real context.” Her brow furrowed,
“Your side of the story, what is your deal with your younger brother Stream?” He was left gaping like an idiot when she said Stream's name as he was clearly taken aback by the boldness of her question. He gathered himself mentally inhaling deeply, he had to understand that she indeed did know his younger brother, but clearly something was wrong if she was here for a story, his side of things suggested she knew Stream well enough to get his side and that did not sound like it was pleasant.

“When we where growing up, my father worked hard in the mines to make sure we had food and a home.” He would take a slow breath,
“When my magic began to manifest so strongly they worked as hard as they could together to send me to Canterlot, wanting to give me a chance to fully explore my gift.” He remembered the day as the young colt foal with his bags, having finally arrived there sadly, scared of the new city.

“I however made a friend when I arrived,” The image of a young foal filly with a soft powder blue coat would smile to him,
“Hi, I am Snow Dust.” She said as the memory faded from him.
“The next few years I made many “fans” as I have come to believe of them now, but only one true friend. I sent letters, trying to make my folks proud, trying to give Stream a brother to look up to, a reason to stride to do his best.” He chocked back a desire to cry remembering that letter,

“Then I was told of Stream's condition, and I felt my world shatter.” Night Fury would blink, slowly removing her goggles as she sat down slowly, having been keeping that strong glare going the whole story. She would relax a little as Spark offered her a bottle of water, which she was quite gracious for when she realized how dry her mouth was as she took it carefully in her hooves and drank.

“So what happened to you?” She asked after wiping the drips off her muzzle from the water.
“I became a shut in. I lost all care for crowds, for attention, for anything.” He exhaled as he remembered all those days slaving away at book after book, reading and re-reading everything he could find.
“I turned my focus from just any magic I could learn to one thing, medicine. I was determined to find a way to help my younger brother, at all cost.” He remembered all those who had become his “friend” slowly leaving him in chunks, until there was but 1.
“But she stayed with me longer then anyone else,” The memory flooded his mind as Snow Dust would be at his side,
“Spark! You need to rest, your running yourself ragged!” She had tears in her eyes, looking hurt at his actions,
“NO!” He screamed at her face, growling,
“Not yet! I am sure I will find something soon, I can feel it!” He said going back to the books.
“Spark... you are not helping anyone running yourself this hard, please, for me?” He stopped for a second and turned to her confused,
“For...you?” Her face paled some as his eyes burned with rage,
“For you!?” He stomped his hooves down hard,
“This isn't about you! This is about my brother!” She turned and ran out, crying hard, sobs echoing through the halls as Spark slammed the doors behind her with his magic, hard.

Tears streamed down Spark's face as Night Fury felt something she had not felt in years, genuine sympathy for another pony.
“What happened, after that?” she managed to ask as Spark looked at her,
“I never saw Snow again, I put all myself into my grades and my studies of medicine, earning money to buy supplies on the side and store them away. I realized quickly that a lot of practices had stopped being used or just not been developed further because times where good enough without them, and that I would never be able to save my brother with conventional medicine, no pony with a heart condition could be.” He felt his frustration again,

“I began to restudy old practices and began to push the boundaries of existing medicines in my studies but there was only so much one could do without actual work in the field.” He would recall him getting his graduation certificate,
“I pushed myself to graduate earlier and then set out to Equestria to learn all I could through the actual pratice of medicain. I quickly found myself however running into a lot of the small problems, things I could cure with a simple medicine.” Night Fury nodded,

“I once stopped here and became friends with a medicine zebra named Zecoura that to my knowledge has actually become part of the town through the help of new friends she made in the last year.” Night Fury would tilt her head having never actually met a zebra face to face.
“From her I learned of even more effective uses of herbs and medicines even though they where not what one would call modern medicine, and that is what elicited me to try pushing the limits of medicine to the limits I have. All of it in the end is more to learn to push it to where I can finally help Stream, and finally I believe I have found out how.” The instant grab of attention he gained from the muted yellow mare showed he had a hook.

“What? How?!” She said not sure exactly why this mattered to her.
“A heart transplant,” Night Fury tilted her head,
“a heart whatplant?”
“Transplant, you know, like how some orchards and farms transplant trees from one farm to another?” She blinked,
“But that would mean you would basically be taking out his heart, and putting a...” She had to stop herself, no that was madness, no doctor had done something like that ever! He was either a genius or a insane pony to think of such a thing!
“Organ transplants where actually done a century ago, when population was low, they began to transplant organs that where easier to reach for some patients to keep them alive. The main ones where, stomach, liver, kidneys, some time intestines when injuries called for it, as they had to harvest the organs from ponies on the way out with their consent, but for some reason the nobles actually put an end to the practice a century ago, gaining the support of the common pony to force the governmental body to deem it, morally incorrect to take parts from one pony and put them in another.”

Night Fury blinked, she wasn't sure how to feel about it,
“Do you think it is?” She asked,
“Only if you are stealing organs from the dead. If the pony is willing to give up what they have because they won't be around much longer, so some other pony can get the chance, then let them. It's their body, they can choose if someone else can do something with it if you ask me, and you did.” Even with his sense of class and manners she could hear that edge of sarcasm that linked him to his brother.

“Did you..get a heart?” She was now in too deep to be afraid to ask, as Spark nodded slowly while they both drank some water quietly.
“I began to actually practice some of these riskier procedures hence how I knew how to help your wounded earth pony comrade with the spike in his side.” He had managed to pack his stuff with his magic as they had been having this talk,
“I have actually done heart transplants, a total of 4 but sadly only 1 has survived. The first one did not take to the new heart and unfortunately crashed the night after. The second died on the operating table, when I had gone in I did not notice the damaged kidneys and, sadly, there was nothing I could do for her.” He would feel that lead weight in his stomach remembering all the ponies who he felt he had let down in the end from his failures, even when he knew well intellectually he could not of done anything for them.

“The third one is still alive living a quite happy life from what I understand in Chicoltgo, the last one was the most difficult for me I believe to lose.” Night Fury would gently lean in trying to silently press him on.
“The surgery went well, the heart seem to be taking but the stallion was up in his years and in the end his body and his health where just not strong enough. He had fought but in the end he just did not,” He was cut short by a hard choke in his throat as tears fell down his face quietly. Night fury would slowly near him sitting beside him and put a leg around his shoulder some,
“You really are trying to do this for the good of others... you would of fit in with a lot of our members if you simply had not been in Canterlot and all that upper class stuff. Our goal is just to help small town stars get their talents noticed, find jobs or places where they can unleash their talents and professions and actually make a life for themselves beyond the small towns they come from.”

Spark looked at her some smiling,
“That came from my bro didn't it? It would be like him to be focused on not only getting his talents but others noticed. He was always a brash but big hearted colt, no matter how gruff and rough he acts.” He would dab his face with a napkin from his bags gently with his magic,
“I did get a heart, a rather well built earth pony stallion. He suffered a serious injury to his back legs and organs, I had tried to help him but in the end all I could do was manage his pain with some medication and make it easier on him, in the time while he passed we talked about our lives much like you and I, I told him why I got into medicine and when I told him of my brother's condition and my desire to master the art of organ replacement, he offered his to me, told me that if it would help me learn how to save more ponies like I tried to save him, then it would be the least he could do...” He smiled,

“I stored it with magic in a special container that keeps it ever so slowly pumping with a set of tubes that pump blood through it. I have found some special gems that generate electrical current, for which I have found a few medical uses for.” Night Fury would slowly nod as she put her leg down and remembered one thing that some how hadn't come up,
“There is one thing I got to know before I feel it safe to try to bring you two together, why did you not go home after your parents died?” Spark froze as tears began to refill his eyes, quite strongly this time, not like the light choking here or soft tears there, this was a very strong very pained level of sorrow.
“I did not know they had passed, until a year after the fact....” He pulled out another napkin and blew into it using another to clean his face of tears trying to keep his composure,

“I am sorry, this is, still a very bitter subject,” He inhaled,
“See news reached us slowly, and at the time I did not check my mail that often, I often let it pile off to the side while I studied. So the letter to inform me of this was only written 2 months after it, and arrived another 2 months after it was written...” He suppressed another wave of sobs with what strength he had left right now,
“I did not open it until 3 months after it arrived, that was what pushed me to graduate early the most, but by the time I got home, it was a total of a year after they had passed...” Night Fury felt a swirl of emotions, strongly first came sorrow. She felt his sorrow strongly a level of empathy she did not even know she could reach, she felt anger that they had taken a total of 4 months to even reach him about it, she felt pity, that he had never even had a chance to be at the funeral, she felt an understanding frustration, that he had poured himself so much into what he was doing to let the mail slide that much, but still to do so was a bit much.

“If your wondering, Steam left 3 months after they passed, even if I had opened the letter when I got it, I would have been a month to late. I still did not give up though, I had to find him, and I had to get better at my craft.” He stood up slowly,
“If you won't take me to him then I will continue to search for him, but I won't stop until I find him, and do all I can to help him.” He pulled his saddlebags on with his magic calmly as Night Fury knew what she had to do.

Author's Note

passing the half way point, what do you guys think so far? comments still welcomed.

Chapter 6: the past is a fickle thing

Shadowbolt's HQ - Outside Canterlot

Night Fury walked towards Stream's room quietly with a single bag slung over her back the strap against the lower part of her neck holding what she hoped to be everything she needed to make this work.
“These letters I kept all these years... I believe these encompass the problems with all of this, please let him read these and hopefully he will understand.” These were the words she was carrying with her from Spark, backing her desire to make this work. Most would not think Night Fury as a mare who would give this much effort for other ponies problems specially Stream, they smacked heads so often, arguing, yelling and so forth, that any outside observer would never understand this sudden effort and desire to bring two brothers together like this. The answer was not a short one, but one could try to compact it as best they could. Stream was the one who planted the seeds to become more then just the child of a washed up town doomed to stay there till they to passed. Stream was the one who when the chips were on the table and things looked hopeless for the first group of Shadowbolts to survive and make any impact in Equestria, rallied them together and gave them the hope and spirit to continue through one harsh month after another scratching together to survive.

Stream was the only one who would stand up to her when her temper got the better of her. Stream was the only one who was who he was, he wasn’t a faker who was nicer then he really was, the jackass he was, was who he projected and he admitted to being the kind of colt he was. She stopped outside of his room and would stop realizing where her thoughts were going, slowly she sat down and would look up at the ceiling out of habit.
“Guess if I am going to do this I should take the time I need to come to grips with this...” She inhaled slowly and exhaled slowly as well.
“Just when I thought I had kept my promise to myself not to go down this road again.” She knew what was on her mind, and she wasn't very happy with it.

Stream was both the same and wildly different from the two colts she had dated before. First and foremost Stream wasn’t a faker like them, where they had acted a lot sweeter and been all hearts, flowers and sugary coated emotions on the surface to get close and then turned around and become clingy, possessive, even dominating jerks once they had her hooked. Stream was from day one, an openly admitted jackass, his words not hers. She thought back to the end of the day she meet him, her saddlebags packed and on her back as she ran up to him as he was leaving,
“So you coming along after all?” He asked smirking as she nodded, glaring at that smug look on his face.
“Oh if your reacting that way now you and I are going to make the most dysfunctional couple ever, I am quite proudly a jackass, I am crass, rude and I will push your buttons. You better have some thick skin girl because I am not taking it easy on you just because you've got a pretty flank.” He had been true to his word, they argued, often, he pushed her buttons, got under her skin any way he could, and he did not show her any special treatment either. He ribbed all of the new comers when they arrived, he pushed them to their limits, grated on them, made sure they understood what was at stake and who they where joining. The only reason they still argued was easy, they where co-leaders and the only ones to police each other as no one else in the Shadowbolts would stand up to them. No, that wasn't entirely why, the truth was that Stream had made it very clear how he felt about her. She remembered it vividly because it was one of the few times she felt fear as strong and as genuine as she did that day.

The sun was shining through the clouds as Stream, Night Fury and 3 other early pegasus members of the Shadowbolts where running drills through the clouds they had set up. Stream was leading them through when suddenly he coughed hard and began to just veer off in a random downward sloop. Night Fury and the others did not immediately react, trying to fully grasp what just happened to their leader. Night Fury was first to bolt out of formation and dive bomb for him as his wings had fully given out and he had gone from a sloop to just plummeting like a sack of rocks. Night Fury managed to catch up and wrapped her foreleg around his mid section trying to decrease their speed rapidly as she curved their decent as well hoping to at least land somewhat softly not knowing Cosmic Stream's condition. After the lifetime it took to reach the ground, Night fury felt the weight of her comrade tumble out of her legs, sending her jolting forward and smacking into the ground, tumbling head over flank as she came to rest about 5 feet from where Stream laid. Night Fury can barely recall the events between the landing and waking up in a room with just her and Stream, who was awake. They where both bandaged where they had been injured from the fall as Stream was staring at her,
“Thank you.” She looked at him as she nodded slowly,
“Are you okay? What happened out there?” He would sigh,

“I was going to tell you this but when I was more prepared to,” Night Fury did not like the sound of that.
“When I was young, I was diagnosed with a heart defect that strains my heart and makes it beat “irregularly” I believe is the word they used. The problem came and they basically shut down my life because of it.” He would breath slowly,
“It wasn't fair, just because I have a heart problem means I have no say in what I can and can't do with my life? Its my heart for Celestia's sake. I think I have the right to chose if I fuck with it or not, I don't care what some doctor thinks.” Night Fury felt her eyes focus hard on Stream as she glared,
“I know, I was going to tell you... all,” The pause was not something she picked up right away, but in remembering it, she began to realize the meaning behind the pause.

“I just wanted to do it when I was ready, not like this.” Night Fury sat there in front of his door pealing her uniform off slowly, thinking now and realizing things that probably had seemed so obvious to an outward observer. The way he stood closer then before, the flirting he started, which she had just added to “part of their dynamic” when it started. The winter where he'd keep giving her his blanket only for her to have to yank him underneath their joint blankets to stay warm or risk him getting sick. She sighed as she got the uniform past her ribs and remembered just why she had not put this much thought into this sooner despite how long they had known each other.

It was New Years Eve, Night Fury was hammered beyond all belief that the night had been a blur. She remembered the noises and being lead out of the party by someone. When she finally came to suffering a hangover that felt like a manticore had torn her skull in half, she found herself in Stream's bed. When Stream came out of the bathroom from a shower, she exploded on him. Ranting and raving about him taking advantage of her, not listening to any defense he put up or anything he said. At the time, after she stormed out or staggered really, she had thought he truly was no better and that his defense was 'a pathetic attempt at justification' at the time. Though once she had calmed down and given herself a once over she found absolutely no sign of such, outside of the headache the only damage was a bruise that was far to small to be from a hoof or a leg holding her down or anything. She found out later that she had smacked herself pretty hard against a table edge and the bruise was the right thickness to be so. The problem was she was too proud, too proud to admit she was wrong, let alone she was wrong to a colt. It was only now though on this night of reflecting that she fully realized the result of what she did. He had stopped standing so close to her, his flirting decreased and became more joking sarcasm then it was before, and she could only imagine when winter came if this kept up, his generosity for her health might not be as high.

“You're an idiot Fury,” She muttered to herself as she slide her uniform all the way off, exposing her flanks, A full moon, rising over 2 dark storm clouds with lighting bolts crossing into an X beneath them. Fury inhaled slowly gathering her courage. It was time to realize the truth and make things right, for not just Stream and Spark, but for her and Stream.

Night Fury opened the door pushing it open slowly as she walked in. Stream turned his head looking at her,
“Oh, hey Fury, didn't expect to see you here,” He said kinda slowly and in some sort of dulled surprise. She closed the door behind her noticing how much of his body was covered in the blanket, which was odd considering she rarely felt cold in the base.
“You are actually out of uniform,” He said seeming to hold something along the lines of sheer surprise being dulled by how tired he was.
“That is really rare for you.” She would nod slowly as she began to realize the room felt oddly chilly.
“Is it always this cold?” She asked as Stream shrugged,
“I guess but I am more use to it.” He said before his body shivered against his will revealing to Fury the living conditions he had put himself through. He was right her uniform rarely came off, which meant all the body heat stuck to her a lot better in this cold room, something she realized she had been taking for granted for months now.
“Stream we need to talk.” He looked at her a bit more focused by her tone as another shiver ran through him as she took the seat next to his bed slowly pulling the bag off.

“I know what happened Stream and trust me I understand why you are upset with Spark.” The name caused him to glare rather strongly at her. “Look, please just hear me out on this okay? I understand that can be hard since I did never hear you out those months ago.” She said trying to apologize in her own way which seem to resonate a little with his soften but still strong gaze.
“I talked to him, he has been searching for you for years, after he finally heard what happened and he graduated.” She inhaled realizing that may of come out wrong.
“He never had as many friends as he thought, he only had 1 true friend and after he heard about your heart, he put so much of his time into learning about heart problems and figuring out how to help you that he even drove her away.” Stream would blink, his rage now replaced near instantly with confusion as he absorbed her words.
“He drove 'her' away?” he whispered out as she saw he as realizing the implications here. His own brother pushed away not only his only true friend but a filly who cared for him? Maybe even loved him? For Stream? Another shiver shot through him as Night Fury's brow furrowed as she slowly got on the bed getting beside him much to his confusion.
“Move, you need to stay warm.” She stated as he shivered letting her on.

Stream felt a yawn cut through the air as he grumbled, he was exhausted and the cold wasn't helping. Fury realized she wasn't going to get far tonight but maybe tonight she could begin both paths of healing.
“Stream, move so I can get the blanket over me.” He blinked looking at her stunned,
“Uh, wait, what?” She looked at him with a level of softness he had never seen in her before. She got under the blanket keeping their eyes locked together as she got on her side gently pushing him on his,

“I am sorry Stream,” She said softly blinking back moisture in her eyes.
“You came late in my life, I had 2 colt friends who won me over by being sweet, they showed me flowers and gifts, getting me soft and then turning into the true jerks they where.” She gently rested her for hooves on his chest.
“I hated colts, all colts, because of them. I thought I hated you too, you where a jerk, you admitted being a jerk, you where just as arrogant and self-righteous and stubborn.” She gently traced a circle on his chest with one hoof,
“But you were different, you were aware and embraced it, you didn't hide from me who you were, you let me know just who you were inside at all times and you made it clear to me how you felt, even when I was joyously or ragingly ignorant of your feelings.” Stream felt his heart pounding in his chest like a drum.

“But even then I think I knew inside I cared for you too, you are strong, confidant and when the situation is right you are a kind hearted stallion under all that rough exterior. You protected me that night from the other stallions, took me to your room and let me sleep like the drunkard bitch-mare I was.” She felt the guilt finally coming to a head in her,
“And how did I repay that? I screamed at you, accused you of such vile things and I just thrashed you for being a colt. I had no reason to do that to you and I am so very sorry.” She said as she buried her face against his neck and shoulder gently. Stream was just utterly baffled and left stunned as he slowly gently put his forelegs around the silently weeping mare.
“I understand Fury, I know a lot of mares out there grow to hate any and all colts they run across because of how bad a few of them were when they where younger, during a time they were far to easily influenced by the outcome of things so early on. To hear you say these things, to open up to me, explain to me and apologize to me like this. You said I actually was nice and I don't get it, I only see a jerk myself, a pony who can not and will not accept anyone being better or being bossed around. A colt who will yell and pitch a fit and do as he wills.” Fury would gently bump his chin with the top of her head,
“But it is that never give up attitude that is one of your few charms. Even in the worst of times you always rallied us, you always gave us something to hold together with, kept us in spirits.” She smiled,
“You were always by my side, keeping me warm.”

The two ponies laid together in the sort of soft bed, under the kind of thick blanket. “Tomorrow morning,” Started Night Fury as she slid her forelegs a bit tighter around Cosmic Stream's body pulling herself closer.
“You and I will go through the letters Spark gave me and we are going to talk about this. I understand why you are upset, but you need to understand what happened to him too and how he feels.” She hid her face in his chest some,
“Oh Stream if you could of seen his eyes when I told him about you and as he told me what happened.” She choked up some allowing Steam to tighten his forelegs around her, keeping her as close as possible, relishing in her warmth, her closeness, how soft her coat was.

“You truly feel that way Fury?” He asked softly of the mare,
“If I didn't I don't believe I would of ended up here Stream.” She smiled weakly mostly because she was not use to it,
“But I am glad that I did.” She gently lifted her snout rubbing her nose with his, before gently pressing her lips to his,
“Because I like where I am, much more then I ever did with them and I don't want to lose that to some bad heart muscle.” Stream was burning across his cheeks from the kiss as he just smiled, happily nodding slowly.
“Sleep well, my sweet mare,” He nuzzled the top of her head,
“Sleep well, my gallant stallion,” She cooed back as their eyes closed together, slowly embracing sleep together.

Author's Note

I don't honestly know if this reflects well on me or poorly on me as an Author, but i genuine had trouble writing this cause i kept tearing up on myself. Comments still welcomed

Chapter 7: a moment of bliss

Warning: This chapter contains adult themes: primarily intimancy, and mild gore (mild by my standards atleast) You have been warned.

Shadowbolt's HQ Outside Canterlot

Stream began to drift awake, not opening his blue eyes as the room was not bright enough to warrant it, his curtains keeping the harsh beams of the morning sun from hurting his eyes. What was this in his forlegs? It was soft, it felt warm and had a soft breath. Its soft fur lead to two similarly soft wings with feathers that tickled his legs gently. He ran his hoofs down it some more stopping above a thick tail that flicked against the body some,

“Watch those hooves lover-colt just because I like you does not mean I wouldn't slap you for grabbing me where I don't like to be grabbed,” Came a soft version of a voice he knew so well.
“So last night really happened?” He heard a soft giggle from the mare in his forlegs,
“Can't believe it either huh?” Night Fury gently nuzzled into his chest, resting her ear against it as she listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart. Cosmic buried his muzzle into her fire-like blue mane, taking a deep breath of her scent which made her cheeks burn a bit. She hadn't washed off sense the night before yesterday and had worked herself hard sweating up an absolute mess of herself.
“Stream don't do that I probably smell like..” She got interupted,
“I could care less how much like sweat you smell, you always had a distict smell that I have always enjoyed... it is one reason I was glad I could spend so much of winter so close to you.” He said as flush burned across his cheeks remembering when he first saw her.

To him it was like seeing an angel-pony. He was entranced with her from the start. He knew it was silly, that true love was a fairy tale and that love at first sight was silly. Even with all this in mind, he never let go of her, never let go of his desire to be with her. As she proved to be the best companion he could ever ask for, even after she had hurt him with such accusations after that one night. Now here she was, comfortable between his forelegs, her ear on his chest, her body resting against his, everything he could ask for really. He was not one of those shallow colts who desired one end goal and cared little for the rest of it, no Stream wanted this more then anything, the feel of love, the feel of belonging that he had lost when he lost his parents those years ago. Fury on the other hand, as much as this was wonderful, felt something burning inside her, to the point she could not hold it back. Stream found himself on his back with Fury ontop of him, her body resting against his as a burning fire shimmered in her eyes.

“Fury, w what are you--?” He was cut off by a passionate kiss from his smoky-yellow mare.
“I want you Cosmic Stream,” She cooed softly at him rubbing her muzzle with his, as her hips where pressed against his, much to the stallion's surprise.
“B but F Fury, I” She would look at him with a pleading in her eyes,
“Stream, please!” She licked his muzzle gently,
“I never felt this before, with them, they always started it and they pushed my buttons to get me in the mood but now I want it, I want you!” She let her tounge run across his outter ear. Stream felt his body beginning to react to her only making the red color burn harder across his muzzle,
“But Fury, I, um... well.” Oh this could not be, her Stream was a virgin?

“You are telling me you, never have?” She was chewing her lip some as some part of her was beging to burst into a fit of roaring laughter.
“Well, there was, one time, with this older mare, but it was very embarashing.” Night Fury would only sit there on him with a raised eyebrow questioning the statement.
“Well I just couldn't last,” He said his ears drooping back as he looked away. Night Fury's first had that problem, she hated it to, he always pushed her buttons riled her up, but once he was done, he was done, whether she was or not. Oh, wait, she bitched about this to Stream a few times to... Well horse shit.
“Babe, you won't let me down, I know you would never stop until I was happy,” She kissed him gently,
“we will take it slow at first let you get into the grove. I know you have a lot of stamina in you, we've just got to adjust it in.” He looked at her, her smile was so soft, warming, he could not help but smile, to kiss her, nodding.
“Okay Fury, if you're sure, then I'm sure.”

If anyone had a clock in the room, then the two panting, exhausted ponies would know that they had been at it for nearly 2 full hours.
“Phewww, how long have we been here.” Wheezed out the black furred stallion.
“Longer then I ever been before that is for sure.” Replied the smoky-yellow mare. Kind of wishing she hadn't just made a comparison in that remark.
“I did not know you where so bucking big though, I mean, sweet Celestia that thing was.” She gave a long exhasted whistle from the thought, earning her a chuckle from her stallion.
“Am I really that big or you just trying to stroke my ego?” He asked half sarcastic half genuinely curious.
“If I may, um, compare.” She started as he nodded smiling gently, nuzzling her cheek,
“Don't think I get upset about your past, you are mine now and that is what matters the most to me.” She smiled, if she had anything left to spare she might be crying but she had long sense exhasted her body in most to all regaurds.
“You where considerably larger then either of the last two, it honestly felt like my first time all over again, your size stretched me to lenghts I never knew I could handle and oh sweet celestia I LOVED it.” She nuzzled into his neck and shoulderblade gently a smile across her lips, dispite how sweaty and coated she felt, she didn't care, she had the best experience in her life as far as she was concerned.

They where not to sure how they managed to finally get out of bed and into the big tub Stream had in his bathroom, though Fury was thankful that it had hot water.

Author's Note

i feel odd that i left the chapter name the way it is when this chapter's intention ends up mostly in the next chapter.

Epilogue

Epilogue - Two months following Cosmic Stream's heart transplant surgery.

Sweet Apple Acres

Applejack would be walking to the cloud hovering over some of her trees with saddle bags full of some supplies.
“Hey Night Fury!” she shouted up as the yellow pegasus mare stuck her head out of the cloud bottom seeing her,
“Oh Applejack,” She floated down, her wings outstretched to allow for a smooth decent. “What brings you to us?” She asked seeing the bags, a thankful smile crossing her lips as Applejack smiled back seeing the tired look in her eyes.
“Spark stopped by dropping off some bits for you and a small list of things he thought you would need.” Night Fury nodded smiling, ever sense the surgery Spark had been a busy stallion, news of his work had hit Canterlot shortly after due to Twilight sending a letter to the Princesses about it. They had asked him to come to Canterlot for a council wanting to know a lot more about what he was doing and how he had learned so much. The backlash however was not all pleasant, and as such he had little time to work in Ponyville. Though somehow, he was picking up bits from something he was doing, likely from the Princesses, as Twilight had gotten a letter from Princess Luna informing her that Cosmic Spark had begun to write proper and full books on his research, as well as going to many conferences held by ponies all over equestria, not all of them pleasant mind you.

Applejack carefully shifted the bags off her back and onto Fury's gently.
“So, how ya'll holding up?” She asked trying not to step on a hoof here,
“Oh well enough, its not that easy but, we all persevere when we try hard enough.” Applejack nodded seeing the bags under Fury's eyes trying not to let her friendly smile fade and upset her new friend.
“Well you are a strong mare, you where not the second in command of the Shadowbolts for nothin'” she said gently putting a hoof on Fury's shoulder,
“Yeah but, its one thing to help a lot of ponies get themselves on the right paths to get their talents noticed,” She paused inhaling and exhaling slowly.
“It is another to deal with an ever restless pegasus stallion with a heavily bandaged neck begging to be allowed to go flying for hours and just over all exert himself when he is not suppose to.” Applejack couldn't help a soft chuckle at that, Ever sense the surgery, Stream had been ordered to stay out of the sky outside of short bursts for example getting to and from his small little cloud shack that Applejack had let the couple make over her farm till a better option could be found. Spark was working on saving up bits, as Applejack read in a letter he sent to her from Canterlot, in hopes of buying a proper full house for himself, Stream and Fury, even though most of the empty houses where in rough shape because they havn't been touched in the last few years sense the mass migration out a few years ago. Still Applejack felt they could get the town behind restoring a house if they actually bought it and poured some bits into the materials. Spark just had to make the purchases, the town would be more then willing to put in the pony power behind the efforts.

Especially after the speech he given the town not a week after the surgery, when the town had grown conflicted about what he had done and what he was, he had been called to defend himself in order for the town to allow Stream and Fury to stay, even if Applejack had allowed them safety on the farm, she was still bound by the town halls rulings as much as it was stupid.

Spark was on the stage with the mayor as the town was restlessly watching.
“What he did was unnatrual!” Yells one stallion,
“But he saved his brother's life and he could save more!” rebutted a younger stallion, just out of adolecense. The arguing really started as Spark would use his magic to hold an air horn and blast it making most of the crowd fall silent.
“Listen, I am very aware of all the arguments here, for and against my work. I spent years debating this against myself!” He would step back and forth slowly on the front of the stage.
“But what is wrong about what I did that is not already done in other ways in modern medicine?” One pony went to raise his foreleg. As Spark looked at him as he shrunk some.
“No, go ahead, ask your question.” The stallion nodded standing up,

“A ponies heart isn't just another body part, its their heart, ya know? Ugh that sounded better when I was thinking it.” Several started to laugh but Spark air horned them silent.
“You all probably know the old saying,
“Trust your gut, right?” Mass nodding from crowd,
“Did you know many ponies survived over 100 years ago through organ transplants of the kidneys, liver, even the stomach and large intestine in rare cases.” Murmurs ran through the crowd,
“But those ponies still could “Trust their gut,” as it were, the saying is not about literally listening to your stomach, save when you are hungry.” That got some soft chuckles as Spark smiled,
“It is about listening to your instincts, but often when our instincts have things to tell us, warnings for us to heed, it manifests in sensations in our “gut” which is why the saying exists.” There where more murmurs as small conversations came from the interpration.
“If what I do is to make any great impact on medicine, then Equestria must also realize the same goes for their other organs, as there is a clear difference between the blood pumping muscle called a heart, and the emotional core of a pony called a heart.”

He watched many heads nod smiling, feeling his words where being heard.
“Yes I understand it's new, and for the longest time it was deemed impossible, but the train was also deemed impossible once, so were modern electrical appliances such as sewing machines and various cooking machines. So we will adapt like we always have, but I understand that these are not the only issues, there is also the schism that may come from it.” There was a mixture of worried and confused murmurs.
“Some of you have read in the paper that the surgery was deemed “only achiveable through magic,” because of the difficulty and the tools I had to have to achive it, to be honest, it would be fair to say only unicorns could do this.” This time murmurs mixed between various levels of frustration and confusion.
“Yes all ponies have always had things about them the other two kinds could not do, but thanks to Princess Celestia and the social progress we have made has kept a fair level of peace, and most modern things have never been necessarily species exclusive. While unicorns have always had magical benefits, the natrual attunity of earth ponies and the flexible bodies and positioning abilities of pegasi have kept things balanced, technology, modern medicine, art, music, fashion, nothing has truly had anything exlusive to any one species for the longest time.” He would sigh,

“But for once the truth is quite simple, without magic what I did was impossible. It is impossible with pony physical anatomy to get the tools in there and control them without magic, without the magic to see through to the organs themselves, without the precise control of magic, the ability to warp the old heart out and the new one in. I KNOW, I just KNOW, not only will those who harber issues with unicorns use this, but unicorns with egos bigger then Princess Luna's moon are going to try to hold this over the others.” He inhaled slowly and exhaled,
“But should good lives suffer from things that could save them be thrown away, just because ponies wanna be stuck in the wrong ways? Well I sure as tartarus am not going to deny them myself, and I don't think anyone in this good town would do it either!” Murmurs shot through the crowd as he smiled enjoying the words he could hear again and again.
“I hope this has illuminated much for you all, and while I will take questions, I may not answer them all.” He would let the talks die down some, getting a drink of water while he waited for the questions. Finally one poped up,

“Why did you decide to study this branch of medicine exactly?” Honestly who would not see that one coming?
“I must admit my reasons can be considered selfish by some. Others would say they are perfectly rational and the fact I achived it makes me some sort of star-child.” He inhaled,

“When I was young I lived in the ass end of Equestria, my father was a miner and my mother a former weather captain, who couldn't fly anymore. I demonstrated great magical power and they scratched what they could together so they could send me to Canterlot Acadamy, in hopes I would find my true calling in magic, and a better life. What happened after is where things get hard for some to hear, as my brother was diagnosed with a weak heart. To put it the simply, the doctors where impersonal and offered nothing but advice to keep him from “killing himself with unnecessary exertion,” Yeah, tell a young pegasus foal he is straight up not allowed to fly, not because his wings are broken or something but just cause his heart is bad.” There was a hush in the crowd as he would drink some more water before continuing.

“I got wind of the news and, that's when things changed, being told my brother, my own brother, was not going to be allowed to choose his path? Because of a bad heart? I foregone further interaction with fellow students, I began to pour myself into finding out what could be done for him, the last thing I was going to do was let some wandering ass end doctor tell me my brother couldn't be helped.”

Murmurs went through the crowd, some where infuriated by the fact the doctor was so callous about it, others where wondering how anypony could live with being told something like that.
“The last few years of my time in the acadamy was spent losing all connection to the world, all that I cared about was fixing my brother. I had come to realize early why heart transplants didn't exist in modern Equestria, nopony was A) willing to risk it or B) truly knew how to actually reach the heart, since there are problems with the rib structure we have that prevents us from just cutting them out, and then putting them back later.” He saw some nodding, realizing that problem, others were talking about it or just being lost.

“Eventually I studied ways around them, the issues rose when I found out near the end of my tenure at the acadamy, that my parents had passed. Between when they had passed, before a letter was even sent and how long I had ignored letters, they had been passed for some time, and my brother had left our home. Feeling I had not returned and abondoned him, not knowing I truly just did not know.” He inhaled speaking before the murmuring could get out of hand.
“I decided to go after him after I had graduated, but having no information I decided since I was never sure I would find him, to try what I had learned to save other ponies as I could. So far I have only preformed this operation 5 times, and only 2 have survived, not very promising but most modern medicine does not start off great. So I know I have to be firm in this, or not only will heart transplants never take off, but possibly other treatments for less severe conditions on the heart, and even lungs, may not be tested or become part of our medical pratices.” He exhaled and would pant lightly, he felt genuine exhasted now.
“Thank you all for hearing me out, but I am tired, I need to rest, good day.” He would slowly step off the stage heading off as he heard the slow steady rise of hooves clapping behind him, causing him to smile some.

Night Fury would stretch,
“Thanks for the help though Applejack, I will come talk to you once I get Stream to get some rest, I enjoy talking to you when I can.” She would fly up to the cloud smiling as Applejack would head back to the barn. She could only hope things would be quiet while Spark was away. Of course life in Ponyville was rarely quiet.

Author's Final notes.

If you may remember when I started only up to episode 10 of season 2 had aired, so that is pretty consistant with what has been in this story. Most of the remaining second season will be happening in between the end of “From The Shadows” and the sequal story “From The Heart.” I wanna thank all of you who have read, commented, and given suggestions or just minor bits of critic that have helped me work on this.

Special thanks to

Lauren faust For making MLP and the enjoyable settings and characters.

Snow flakes For being my editor, and the artist behind the title cards.

Anadrus for being a general pain in my side helping me learn how to over all write better leading to me finishing a fanfic for once.

Author's Note

So the first story comes to an end, but the story itself is not over. I Welcome comments, i am still working on From the Heart, slowly, mostly due to motivation, i hope comments and critics here might help remotivate me, cause this is the first fanfic i ever actually finished, and i would like to do more.

Chapter 8: A heartfelt reunion

Ponyville Park roughly eleven am.

On a lone bench on the main path of the local park, a black coated unicorn wearing a red hoodie was looking around slowly, earlier several dozen ponies had passed by going along the different pathways in all respective directions to their daily rotines. The colt would run a hoof over the back of his blue mane slowly in thought, Could Night fury deleiver on her promise? Considering how strong willed Stream could be Spark wondered if she could truely get him to listen.
“Beg ya parden,” The sound of the cowpony drawl hit his ears. He turned seeing a mare he did not recognize right away,
“Morning,” He said calmly.
“What are ya'll doing here alone this early in the morning Mr.” She asked calmly.
“Waiting for somepony,” He said looking around again, as the blond maned Mare took a seat beside him on the bench.

“That's cool I guess, mind if I wait with ya?” He blinked confused.
“No, I suppose I don't,” He said confused looking at the mare from her cowpony hat, to her long thick tail. He noticed the trio of apples making up her cutie mark and remembered easily that the farm Sweet Apple Arces, was a prodominate piece of ponyvilles history and long running economics.
“So you are the unicorn from the other day if I recall, the one who helped that injured shadowbolt.” She said there was a hint of eager curosity that got Spark's attention.
“Yes, I am, and you are?” Applejack smiled lifting her hat.
“Name is Applejack head of Sweet Apple Arces, I saw you save that stallion's life and I must say, I am mighty impressed.” Spark felt a slight flush rise across the back of his neck as he coughed against the side of his hoof calmly.

“Nothing to be impressed about, it was simply the right thing to do, anyone with my medical trianing would of, and should of done the same.” Applejack smiled lightly, a modest unicorn, she sure did like meeting more of those.
“So, why are ya'll sitting here alone? Just who are ya'll waitin' for?” Spark looked at her calmly, as she smiled at him her green eyes showing brightly in the morning rays.
“Oddly I feel no harm in telling you,” He said calmly as Applejack nodded,
“Well I am not the element of honesty for nutin' if ya'll need to get something off your chest then I am the pony to see.” Spark nodded, feeling something like that about her.
“Well, I am waiting for, hopefully, my younger brother, and his second in command.” Applejack blinked,
“Well you sound oddly hopeful like you all ain't sure they are going to show up.” Spark would nod slowly,
“That is, exactly what is going on, I have not seen my brother in years, I am hoping that Night fury can, follow threw and bring him to me, if he will listen.” Applejack perked an eyebrow up slowly,

“Now why would ya'll seem so worried? I mean ya'll are family right?” Spark felt a frown slowly fall his lips looking down.
“Sadly we are the only family either of us have left, and because of events beyond my knolowage or control, my brother hates me.” Applejack felt her jaw slack and nearly drop open in shock. How could any pony come to hate their own brother? Family was ment to stick together through the best and the worst.
“Now why is that? Ta me that seems just wrong. Family is suppose to stick tahgether.” Spark looked at her nodding
“Yes, but because of the town we where in, after my parents passed they tried to hide it from me, wanting me to focus on my education in canterlot, but nopony informed my brother of this, so he thought I wasn't coming back cause I wanted to learn more then I wanted to be with him...” Aj clenched her jaw,

“What in tarnation kind of backwards stupid thinkin' is that! If ya parents had died they should tell ya! It ain't right to do thato anypony specially if he has family who need them!”
“I Agree” Said another mare as a pair of Pegasi neared wearing black and purple full body uniforms. The face hoods pulled down and back allowing the black wild blue maned colt, and the smoked yellow blue fire maned filly stand there as the two on the bench turned ot them. Cosmic Spark got off the bench and neared them slowly.
“Wow... you have grown so much sense I last saw you...” He felt pain in his chest

Stream would nod feeling weird, last he saw spark the older unicorn was towering over him having hit puberty, but now he sat a good two or so inches taller then his own older brother before suddenly hugging him knocking the two to the ground. Stream let tears fall from his eyes as Spark slowly hugged him gently rubbing his upper back gently
“It's okay bro, i'm here, it's going to be okay,” the two mares where smiling Nightfury was sad to see Stream breaking down but Applejack was just glad to see a happy ending for the two. After a few minutes to calm down properly standing up Stream inhaled slowly and exhaled slowly,
“Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,” He was not sure how to start this. Spark inhaled,

“I understand the idea that I could fix this is, not easy, cause of how doctors have failed to do more then just tell you are doomed, but I have put my life into this brother, I will not be content if I do not get to try to save you.” Stream nodded tears returning to his eyes as Spark gently brushed them away. “I would like to take this to the hospital, if you are okay with it.” Stream slowly nodded as he and night fury got their saddle bags properly as they began to move as Spark turned
“You are welcome to follow miss Applejack,” He said smiling as they began heading ot the local hospital, Applejack would get off the bench and follow.

Spark was sitting with his brother having talked with the local doctor about what it was he needed, and what it was he planned to do, Applejack at watched more then heard and noticed said doctor was very uneasy about what ever it was Spark was asking for, but he eventually relented to Sparks request. Stream was fiddling some having removed his shadowbolt uniform night fury packing it in her saddlebag for now.
“So yeah, thats why I left home,” Said Stream having been explaining how he felt everypony was smothering him, and had left him to believe Spark had choisen his education over coming home. Spark would rub his back as Stream laid his head down slowly on his forlegs.
“I am truely sorry Stream, I,” He got cut off by his younger brother,
“For what? You didn't know, this isn't your fault Spark, as much as I thought so at first, those letters, and Nightfury... I understand now that you had no clue, if anything, I am sorry. I am sorry I doubted you and ever thought you where putting education before family...” Spark gently laid his head over Streams neck gently,

“Yeah... I suppose you are right.” The two smiled confortable together as the two mares smiled Nightfury gently rubbing Streams side being with him as Aj was in a chair.
“So, bro, how exactly is this, whole, saving me thing going to work?” Asked stream as spark got up slowly opening his bag and pulling out the box that gave off the heart beat as the 3 of them blinked. Stream felt weird Nightfury was just confused and Applejack wasn't sure if this was even real.
“Yes this is what you all probably think it is, it took a lot of study to find magic that could substain a organ outside of a living pony, whichi think is why the operations are a lot harder to succeed at the first few I had.... I have worked hard at this, to refine this art not only for you brother, but for the betterment of equestria medical science...” Stream was a little weirded out as spark would then take out some sort of drawing utenzial,

“please roll over.” he said calmly as Stream slowly did blinking,
“what is that?” He asked pointing at the thing,
“Oh, it's a magic marker. Why do you ask?” Stream looked at him increjulously,
“Seriously? A magic marker?” Spark was rubbing the back of his head,
“What? Is there a problem with that?” Stream facedhoofed,
“Somewhere out there somepony is getting the joke.” The other three where a little confused as Applejack kinda found it funny the magically held and fueled art tool had magic in its name.
“Well then,” Spark gave a cough against his hoof getting back on topic,
“The key issue with this kind of surgary has always been the ribs,” He carefully drew a magic line across Streams chest from left to right.

“The barrel shape, and the over all healing manner makes it impossible to simply remove them, reach for the heart, or lungs if that was your target, and then put them back to heal. Because the ribs are needed for the contractions of inhale, and exhale of air, such a move will make properly breathing very difficult if neigh impossible.” He said as They listened.
“So what I have developed is a way to see through the ribs,” He pulled out a pair of goggle like, things, they had a simple but tight strap to fit to the back of his head, and looked like a pair of mini backwards telescopes cluged to a thick eye shade you would use during sleep.
“Of course this device only works with, well, magic.” he said sighing.
“Now why yah being down about that?” Asked Applejack which was a thought shared by the two pegasi in the room.

“Well, mostly because it means that this can only be done by Unicorns, and being someone who perfers the unity and progress of Equestria, it feels as much a step backwards as it does progressive because of this.” Stream shrugged,
“So what, I mean pegasus can fly unicorns do magic, and earth ponies are able to do work that would break the other 2, has kinda been that way all this time bro, even if it has never hindered some jobs from being cross species, some things just have to be, the others lack what that 1 has.” Spark laughed lightly,
“I go away for nearly a decade and you become all introspective and insightful and stuff, and here I was hearing you where just the same old adventure seeking young colt you where when we where foals.” The unicorn would put the goggles down smiling as he put an X over his heart and then drew a line to his neck slowly,

“Back on topic” He coughed.
“The heart has 4, to put it simply, paths that help it pump blood in and out, though that is basic anatomy, the problem is reachign them.” Night fury nodded,
“Even if you can see it, how do you get at it?” Spark nodded,
“I have to open up a way into the rib cage, here, at the buttom fo the neck, to allow the tools in, once they are in my magic will have gotten inside, From there I can apply the clamps and cut the pathways, and use magic to teleport the old heart out, in one move, then bring the new heart in, and use magic to reattach the pathways, and unclamp them, this part however is something that is very time spesific, if I dont properly heal all the paths onto the heart while it is still beating, it will begin to fail and there is no garentee it will restart with eletric shock magic.” He said as the unease in his voice was creeping in. Stream slowly nodded before groaning as spark gently put a hoof on his chest, feeling the heart straining.

“I trust in ya big bro... You put a lot of thought and work into this... and,” He sat up as the marks from the marker vanished as he hugged his big brother tightly.
“If, it does not work, atleast you tried, and you will be able to use this for other ponies... I am lucky to even be alive for you to find me, so I am glad I managed to hold out long enough to see you again.” Spark felt tears running down his face hugging his younger brother.
“I need to have them prepair the O.R. So, I need to get up.” He said as they slowly let go as Nightfury would sit with Stream conforting him gently with a wing over him as Spark stood up gathering his materials slowly.
“I will have a nurse come and fetch you when the time is ready, just try to relax and take it easy.” He walked off as Stream would kiss Nightfury's cheek.
“I want you to know, what ever happens, to move on if, well...” She cut him off with a kiss gently parting their lips as she smiled weakly.
“It will go fine Stream, I know it will, I will be here when it is over okay?” She felt her heart in her throat trying to stay strong for him, knowing the idea alone had to be terrifying him worse then it was her. Applejack could only try to fully understand not only what Spark was talking about but what this must feel like for all involoved. Spark would prepair the Operating room quietly, there was no backing down now though.

Stream laid there his wings and legs carefully pinned by restrains as the face mask had him fast asleep thanks to the gas.
“Okay Ponies, this is going to probably be one of the hardest things you have ever done, and I thank you all for joining me on this task.” He said to the fellow surgeon and 2 nurses that he had gained the support from. He started slowly cutting the buttom and top of streams neck carefullly, then cutting a line down and opening the way up, exposing his wind pipe and vocal cores. He slowly used his magic to move the first tools through the gap that now appeared, into his rib cage slowly, not wanting to risk a stray cut on anything.

“I am in, nurse, clamps,” He said calmly as the nurse brought the tray with the 4 clamps that he would use his magic to lift up and bring in though the top of the rib cage as he carefully latched them around the Arteries cutting blood flow to and from the heart.
“Clamps are secured, beginning to server the heart.” he said as they watched best they could as Spark felt the scaple slowly cut each of the Arteries as he wrapped the heart with his magic and focused teleporting the still beating muscle out as one of the nurses nearly fainted as the surgeon had to cover his mouth a bit in shock as the muscle was losing its speed quickly as it had no blood and now no eletrical current, Streams body began to shut down. He ploped the old muscle into the tray as he manually picked up the box that still gave the rythmic sound of a freash heart. He opened it using his magic to lift it out as it squirted a bit of the blood from its container around getting it on Sparks surgeon gown.

“What a mess” he said as he focused, he had to be careful warping the new heart in, one inch to far, he could hit the lungs, or merge it with the ribs themselves, screwing all his work up. It vanished in a flash as he felt it in his brothers chest.
“Begining to graft the Arteries to the new heart.” he said uneasily, this was always the dangerous part, as the new heart was still beating strongly he had to carefully use his magic to merge its tissue with the previously servered arteries. One, Two, Three, Spark was going cold and the heart was slowing down. “Come on bro, just a little longer, don't leave me now.” he said merging the last one. Oh man the heart was losing speed fast as he losened the clamps in hopes that freash blood would. No. something was wrong, it stopped! He quickly removed the clamps from the arteries to get blood flow and retrived them and his tools from the ribs through the entrance in the neck as he grabed a pair of stones from his saddle bag that had eletrical energy flowing in them rubbing them together.

“Clear!” he pressed them on his brothers chest as a shock ran through him making his chest jolt upward. Spark didn't hear his heart beating rubbing them again with his magic trying to get a stronger charge,
“Clear!” Shock! This couldn't be happening, not like this, he had come so far, was so close!
“Stream don't leave me!” Panic filled the unicorns tone as he tried again....

To be continued.

Author's Note

The end of From the Shadows, but that is not The end of the story, comments still welcomed.