//------------------------------// // Chapter Forty-four, Shadows Among Us // Story: Bubblegum's Adventure // by MLP Sparkle Star //------------------------------// Bubblegum couldn't help but wonder what happened yesterday? Who controlled her and why. She pondered on this for a while. It wouldn't be Shadow since he's now reformed... She thought. Who, or maybe what, could it be? Beastman sat beside her, licking his ice-cream. He looked over at her, knowing something was not right. "What's wrong, Bubbles?" "Well," She started, "I don't know what happened yesterday when me and Rainbow Dash fell into that portal thing." He sat there, knowing it was bothering her. "Whoever, or whatever, it was, I won't let it hurt you like that ever again." She came up with another question. "How long were we away?" "How long?" "Yeah." "Well, I had just gotten done with watching the Wonderbolts show when I came down and saw a portal opened. I looked down inside and saw you guys. When did you fall into the portal?" Bubblegum was amazed. How come it felt like hours of them being in there if it was only a couple seconds? "Right after the show. But we were in there for hours!" "I don't know about that... It may have been hours for you, but, it was only a few seconds here. Sometimes, in different dimensions, there are different rules and times." "So, it's like Narnia?" "Exactly." She now knew how come it felt like hours, but, her first question was still not answered; who controlled her? "Thanks anyways, Beasty. I'm... Gonna go to my castle." "Ok." ~~~~~~~ "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!" Shadow yelled, mysteriously. "We made a deal, remember?!" "I understand that, sir, but I was only following orders-" "OLD orders! If you keep this up, you'll get fired!" "Yes sir." The strange figure said. "But-" "No 'buts'. Now leave!" As the figure he was talking to left, he face-hoofed himself. "Stupid peasants can't seem to listen, can they?" ~~~~~ After a little walk, Bubblegum unlocked her door to see John cleaning the floors. "Hello, your majesty." He said, smiling. "What's going on?" "I thought, since you've had a long day, it would be nice to clean up your castle." Bubblegum knew something was up. For the past month he had been living with her, he never, and I mean never, did anything this nice. "What's going on?" She asked again, hoping for an honest answer. "I already told you." "I know something's up. You've never wanted to clean!" "Alright fine!" He admitted. "I invited some of your friends over to help you feel better." "Friends?" "Yes. Don't you have friends?" "Well, besides Twilight and the others, no." "Oh. I thought you knew Snowgirl, Cupid, Physco, and Pink Vanilla?" "I have only talked to them once or twice and who's Pink Vanilla?" "Pink Vanilla? Used to be in the army...? Ring a bell?" She shook her head. "I invited them all to a party at your castle. Just a small one." He grinned. Bubblegum was infuriated that he did this without her permission. "Are.... You.... Kidding me?! I cannot believe you just invited ponies over for a 'party' without my permission! Don't you remember this is my household?!" Suddenly, she grew thin, sharp fangs. "THIS IS MY HOUSE! THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO JUST INVITE PONIES, EVEN SOME I DO NOT EVEN KNOW, OVER! CALL THEM ALL BACK AND TELL THEM THE PARTY IS CANCELED!" "But, ma'am-" "NOW!" She breathed heavily as the fangs turned back into normal teeth. "Now..." As John left the room, Bubblegum began picking up the party supplies scattered all over the place s she sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't've yelled at him. But, he need to say sorry first. I would't've yelled at him if he never did that." John came back into the room. "It's done. I've called them all and told them the partys' canceled." "Good." Bubblegum said with a small feeling of guilt. "Is there just something with you guys?" "Huh? What do you mean?" "You just do things without permission?" She sighed as she ran outside. Bubblegum Half past twelve Watchin' the late show In my flat all alone How I hate to spend the evening on my own Autumn winds blowin' outside the window As I look around the room And it makes me so depressed to see the gloom Is there a man out there? Someone to hear my prayer? Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me Chase the shadows away Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness To the break of the day Movie stars On end of the rainbow With a fortune to win It's so different from the world I'm living in Tired of TV I open the window And I gaze into the night But there's nothing there to see no one in sight There's not a soul out there No one to hear my prayer Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me Chase the shadows away Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness To the break of the day Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight There's not a soul out there No one to hear my prayer Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me Chase the shadows away Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness To the break of the day Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Won't somebody help me Chase the shadows away Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight Take me through the darkness To the break of the day Bubblegum stopped when she figured out that it was, in fact, after 12 in the morning. She decided to just go ahead and go to her bed.