The Tale Of A Shaded Comet

Chapter 5 - The Heartbreak

Rainbow Dash couldn't have been any more correct. Playtime was over. No more messing around; this was an act of war against Equestria. The Changlings had taken it too far. Attacking Canterlot and Cloudsdale was unacceptable, unforgivable and unquestionably stupid.

Not only did the Changlings have an entire population of particulary angry, and not to mention somewhat powerful ponies to face down, they now had it's extremely angry and extremely powerful goddess rulers to deal with.

Luna was very angry, which in all fairness, was an extreme understatement. Her horn blazed with energy, and the floor cracked around her when the news was brought forward. Her wings were spread wide, making her seem larger than she actually was.

If it was even possible, Celestia looked even angrier, though she was a lot more careful in how she showed it. Her eyes glazed over, and some of the light disappeared from her normally luminous irises. Adopting a cold and very harsh stare, she looked into the distance.

Shaded followed her gaze. She seemed to be staring at Manehatten. It was only just visible in the landscape, and seemed to be aglow with life.

She sighed, "May I speak to you in private, Flight Commander?", beginning to calm down. Shaded nodded, still slightly depressed from their defeat in Cloudsdale. He had not only missed an opportunity to kill the Changling Queen, but he had also placed Equestria's population into a war for survival that they didn't want by losing the city.

The Pegasai not present at the battle were furious, and took out their anger on the remnants of the Battalion that Shaded commanded. He had lost the city. Not anypony else. By now, he was despised among the ranks of the Battalion for deserting them, who were resented because he lost the city.

Even though he single hoofedly took on Chrysalis and sustained injuries that had almost killed him, he had still deserted them, and as a result was more or less shunned by many members of the Pegasus community. Even Rainbow Dash was partially against him.

Sometimes he was even attacked. For instance, he had a check up at Canterlot hospital a few days ago, and was savagely confronted by a group of Pegusai when he left. He had disarmed them, and when they still continued, knocked them out. He even broke a few of their bones, particularly when the leader had charged him.

Shaded had grabbed him by the hoof, and twisted him over his shoulder into the ground, hearing a sickening and very audible crunch as he shattered every bone in his right foreleg and wings.

Following Princess Celestia out of the throne room, Shaded considered asking her to talk to the Pegusai. After all, they would have to listen to her, as she was their Princess, their ruler, the one they trusted.

But no, it was his mess. His failure. Even all of the Wonderbolts, apart from Soarin', had rejected him, regarding him with icy stares that froze him to the bone. Soarin' had even explained that Shaded and Rainbow Dash had saved their lives, with the help of one certain blood red pegasus, but they still shunned him and Rainbow Dash.

The Princess had stopped in the Chamber of the Elements, the stained glass windows depicting famous events distorting and colouring the light that streamed inside. Turning to face Shaded, Celestia let her head drop.

"Shaded. Can you go to Manehatten as soon as possible? I have reasonable sources and theories that all hint towards the Changlings attacking there next." She seemed to not want to say it, regretting the question as soon as she had said it.

Shaded Comet walked to the window, deep in thought. He came to a decision.

"I shall. But I won't get any willing help from Pegusus residents. Not after losing Cloudsdale." Celestia closed her eyes, leaving her in the confines of darkness, alone with her thoughts. One in particular stood out to her.

"I can supply you with a magical disguise. Only those who have control over magic, that is to say, Unicorns, will be able to see through the ruse. But there is a problem..."

Shaded curiously looked back at her, discussing the problem with himself mentally. "Okay... What is it?"

"Your cutie mark will stay the same, and any major physical alteration to the disguise will render it useless." Celestia answered with a tone that Shaded found disturbing.

"You make it sound as if I will be ripped apart by Pegusai if it fails." He muttered, trying to keep the rest of his opinions in his head.

"Only if you get wounded in battle." Celestia retorted, hearing Shaded talk to himself.

"Or in a fight if they see my cutie mark." Shaded shook his head in sadness. "I've lost the support of most Pegusai in Equestria. Rainbow Dash is literally the last one left who still believes in me, and even she is close to the limit of her trust."

Celestia didn't say anything. With a sigh, he turned back to the window.

"Do it."

The room flashed with a bright white light, and there was silence.

Rainbow Dash, Twilight and the other Elements were talking in a low-key, hush-hush sort of style. Twilight in particular, looked really guilty about the nature of the conversation, whilst Rainbow Dash just ranted on. And on. And on. The rest more or less just stood there, not contributing, thinking about who the agent that was being sent to Manehatten could be.

"For the love of Celestia, Rainbow Dash! He tried his best!"

"No he didn't! The idiot let us down!"

A lone brown pegasus stood nearby, listening intently. His blond mane rippled in the breeze from the open windows, and his blue eyes were beginning to go red from silently crying. A blue fireball with a grey core adorned his flank.

"Dash! He loves you for pony's sake! He might be listening!"

"He won't be, he's too busy talking to the Princess."

The cyan mare looked really angry, and was on the verge of tears. Her wings hung limp at her sides, and she was trembling ever so slightly.

"Are you saying you don't actually love him? For hoof's sake! You slept with him!"

Rainbow Dash was silent, and her shoulders sagged. "I'm an outcast now, Twilight. The pegasus population in Canterlot made that pretty clear. Even the Wonderbolts hate me." She was crying now. "He's ruined my life..."

Shaded couldn't take it anymore. Openly crying, he rubbed his hooves against his eyes. Beginning to stop his tears, he walked round the pillar he was standing behind. He didn't even raise his head as he approached the group.

Twilight and Rarity looked at Shaded, and immediately saw through his disguise. Gasping, Rarity turned away in shock. Twilight almost made the transition between purple and bone white as her eyes opened in fear. The others were quick to follow. With the lone exception of a certain cyan pegasus and Fluttershy...

Rainbow Dash looked round at the newcomer. She didn't know who he was, nor did she care. Until she saw his eyes. They were bloodshot, and filled with tears. His wings were open, ready to fly off at a moments notice. Maybe he just recieved some bad news.

"If...If that's how you really feel Dash... I'm sorry..." The brown pegasus stallion spoke in a low voice, barely louder than a whisper. She couldn't understand the sentence, but everypony else stood there, dumbfounded by the statement.

Before she could say anything, the brown pegasus turned away, tears streaming down his cheeks. And then he was gone, sailing into the wind, his blond mane pulled back from his head.

"Who was he?"

Rainbow Dash glared at the others, waiting for an answer. Twilight gave the answer, in a really sad, almost sympathetic voice.

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash... But that was Shaded."

Rainbow's eyes opened in shock, and she recoiled in fear of the situation. Her eyes quickly scanned the horizon for any sign of him. "You're lying..." She whispered, her voice hoarse.

Twilight shook her head slowly. "No... I'm not." Rainbow Dash turned to Applejack, her eyes begging her. "Is it true...?" Applejack nodded, not looking up from the floor.

Rainbow fell to the floor sobbing. "No..." She whispered to herself. Shaking uncontrollably, she lay there, the others trying to comfort her as she began screaming with the force of her sobs.

I should have listened to my common sense instead of my heart. His tears had long since dried away, and there was no more to be shed. His eyes stung from the speed he was travelling at, speeding away from the castle.

Manehatten was in the distance. The lights of the industrialised city lit up the night sky like a beacon. Celestia's offer now seemed more appealing.

Princess Celestia looked at the pegasus. The brown pegasus returned the stare. Celestia broke the silence.

"Perfect. You are now a completely different pony. Pegusai won't be able to see through your disguise."

"What about Earth Ponies?"

"I altered the spell so they could differentiate your normal self from your disguised self. So yes, they would be able to see you."

Shaded sighed. He needed to make up for his failure. He was the agent Celestia was sending to Manehatten, to organise a defence. He was also being sent alone, as to not arouse unwanted attention. This could be the last time he saw Rainbow Dash.

"Can I speak to Rainbow Dash before I leave?"

Celestia immediately frowned. "Are you sure? I can read her mind, and you're not going to like what she saying."

Shaded nodded mutely. "I'm going to talk to her. But if I send you a message asking you to, when I arrive in Manehatten, can you erase all memories of me from her and everypony else's minds?"

Celestia nodded in agreement. "That may be for the best. Even Rainbow Dash?"

Shaded nodded again. "Especially her."

"If a push comes to a shove, would you like me to give you a completely new life Shaded? So you can start again." Celestia asked cautiously.

Shaded stared at the sky with uncertain eyes, thinking.

"Only if I ask."

Manehatten was below him now, the skyscrapers piercing the clouds. The lights of the city illuminated the ponies below in multiple colours. As he landed, he noticed a stand that looked out of place.

It was selling cloaks. And it was perfectly convenient. The vendor, a female earth pony, regarded him as Shaded browsed for something to cover his cutie mark. A black cloak caught his eye, and he pointed towards it.

"How much?" He asked the vendor.

"Ten bits." She sighed erratically.

"Bad day?" Shaded questioned the vendor, curious.

"Yeah... You're actually my first sale." She replied, obviously bored.

Shaded Comet pushed 25 bits towards her, and took the cloak, putting it on before she could try to give him the money back. Smiling at her, he refused her offer to give the money back.

Walking away, he decided to find a hotel for the night. Price was irrelevant, as he had 500 bits for supplies from Celestia. Seeing a candidate, he entered.

The atmosphere was one of friendliness. But there was a heated debate between a familair white unicorn and an extremely angry blue pegasus mare, who happened to have a crowd surrounding her,  watching with excitement.

"He did all that he could, Stargazer. It wasn't his fault." Frostbite stared cooly at the mare.

"He let Cloudsdale fall! He's a disgrace to the pegusai!" A murmer of agreement fell over the other pegusai in the crowd. Shaded felt eyes fall on him as he walked past.

"Hey you!" Shaded cursed at Stargazer for bringing attention to him, frowning in annoyance at the group as he turned around to face them. "What do you think about the deserter, Shaded Comet?"

Shaded politely coughed. "Excuse me? Who is Shaded Comet? And how did Cloudsdale fall?" He asked, adopting a higher voice and trying his best to seem confused, whilst looking at Frostbite intently.

"Shaded Comet is the Flight Commander of the Pegasus Airborne Battalion designed to protect Cloudsdale from the Changlings. He deserted the pegasus fighters in the middle of the battle, and wasn't seen until afterwards, when they had lost, where he was attempting to hide the Wonderbolts' dead bodies!"

Frostbite looked at Shaded, recognising him instantly. "I think there are missing facts to the story." He looked Stargazer in the eyes.

She immediately looked angry, and cursed loudly.

"I think that you don't even know what you're talking about. I bet you weren't even there." Shaded continued persistantly.

She glared at him. "Why are you hiding under that cloak?" She asked, honeying her words and batting her eyelashes, hoping to get him to confess.

"It's cold outside. Nothing else." He replied with an purposeful air of arrogance.

Stargazer scowled, and shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever." She and the others promptly left the hotel.

Frostbite laughed. "Cold outside?" He sniggered.

"Alright, you got me. Why were you defending me though?"

Frostbite smirked. "I defend my friends. Nothing more." He continued to smirk until he saw Shaded collapse and begin to sob. "Dude? You alright?"

Shaded answered with a simple sentence, the likes of which he would never say again.

"Rainbow Dash hates me."

Frostbite's mouth fell open.

"How do you know?" He asked, almost wishing he didn't.

"You really don't want to know." Frostbite winced at the venom in Shaded's voice.

"Listen, I have a room. Do you want to stay with me tonight?" Frostbite practically cornered him. All Shaded wanted to do was cry, but first, he needed rest, and he was about to collapse.

Shaded nodded weakly, eyes burning again. As they ascended the stairs to Frostbite's room, one thought continuously penetrated his mental barrier.

Dashie.