//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: A Day in Ponyville Part 2 
// Story: The Black Arrow 
// by serobo22 
//------------------------------//

 En route to Sugarcube Corner, Rainbow Dash had thought she had gotten to know Shadow pretty well. She knew his lifestyle, favorite hobbies, and all sorts of things about him. But there was one thing she had forgotten to ask him. She had no idea who this stallion's family was, and little did she know that he didn't either. She stopped, and Shadow did too. He turned to the rainbow mare and gave a look of slight confusion, speaking soon after.

"Something wrong, Dash?" Said Shadow, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Hey, Shadow, can I ask you one more question?" Said the speedy flyer, looking at the ground as she spoke.

Shadow gave a half-grin Rainbow Dash. "Sure! Lay it on me."

She looked up at him with a very confused look. "Who's your family?"

Shadow's half-grin instantly turned into a frown, and he turned away from his cyan and rainbow colored friend. He thought to himself for what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only 2 minutes. He remembers waking up in a hospital and being told he had crashed into a tree, and may have lost a portion of his memory. Until now, he didn't know what he forgot. He tried to remember his family, his original home, his childhood, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't. He turned to face Rainbow Dash once more.

"I.... I don't know...." He looked down, still trying to remember.

"You don't? How could you forget your family?" Said Dash.

"Well, I was told I got into a pretty bad crash the day I got my cutie mark. They said I flew a few inches deep into a tree, and went into a coma. When I woke up, they told me I may have lost a portion of my memory and may never remember. Until just now, I didn't know what I had forgotten." He looked back at Dash. "But thanks for asking, Dash. If it weren't for you, I'd have never known what it was that I still can't remember..."

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but regret asking. She didn't show it on the outside though. On the inside, she felt like she gave a friend a lifetime of trouble and questions. Shadow turned from his friend and walked a little further, not noticing she hadn't moved. He walked back to her and smiled.

"Hey, Dash. Get your head out of the clouds and show me to Sugarcube Corner. I still wanna meet your friends, y'know?" He said jokingly.

Dash snapped back to reality and smiled. "Oh yeah, right. Sorry."

After a few minutes, they arrived at Sugarcube Corner. Dash was the first to walk in, and in doing so, was ambushed by a pink earth pony who was teeming with happiness. Everything this mare did and said was mostly from excitement and happiness. This strangely put a smile on Shadow's face, and he couldn't help but laugh a bit. It took him a while to notice Dash smiling, enjoying the suprise her pink friend gave her. Soon, the earth pony turned and saw Shadow. She instantly jumped in the air and gave a loud gasp. Rainbow quickly flew up the pink ball of excitement and held her up in mid-air.

"Pinkie, no party." Dash moved her head closer to Pinkie and whispered in her ear. "Yet."

Pinkie giggled. "Oh, don't be silly, Dashie. I just wanna meet this new pony!" She squirmed out of Rainbow Dash's grasp and hopped over to Shadow with a big smile.

"Hi, you must be Pinkie Pie. Dash told me you'd always be happy and always act very silly." He said with a smile.

"Yeperoo! I just love to see other ponies smile!" She said as she hopped in place in front of Shadow.

"Heh, that's nice." He said to the pink mare. "Hey, Dash, can I see you for a sec?"

"Hmm? Oh sure." She flew over to Shadow with a confused look. "What's wrong? You don't like her?"

"Heh, no. I just want you to know that I'm going to try to match her excitement and happiness for fun and to see what will happen." Said Shadow with a big smile.

"Oh, wow." Dash tried not to laugh. "Have at it."

And with that, Shadow tried to match Pinkie's excitement. It was filled with great destruction and tons of fun. Everything Pinkie got excited about, Shadow tried to be more excited. It was all fun and games, but everypony knows Pinkie won the challenge. Shadow had gotten as excited as he could, but Pinkie blew it out of the water when she broke through the 4th wall. At the end of it all, each of them were laughing loudly, but Shadow was exhausted 

"That was SOOO MUCH FUN!!!" Exclaimed Pinkie.

Rainbow Dash could hardly breath from all her laughing, much less speak.

"Heh.... Yeah.... It was...." Said a very tired black and grey pegasus, trying to catch his breathe.

After their great amounts of fun, they started to get to know each other. After hours of fun and talking, both ponies became good friends and made sure to spend lots of time together. Pinkie pulled Rainbow Dash aside and assured her there would be a suprise "Welcome to Ponyville" party for Shadow Strife. When Dash and Shadow left, Dash decided she wanted to stop and talk with Shadow some more. She had the strange feeling that she had to do it or something might go wrong, and she didn't know why she had this feeling. She stopped in mid-walk again, and Shadow realized much earlier this time.

"Another question?" Said Shadow as if he knew what the question was.

"N-no, just a weird feeling that we should talk some more. Don't know why though...." She started to trail off a bit, but snapped back. "So, do you want to?"

Shadow gave a smile. "Sure, I don't mind."

In Shadow's head, he was thinking it was a date or something of the sort. In Dash's head, she didn't know what to think of it. She couldn't tell if she had asked him on a date or it was just two friends getting together for an intermission of some kind. Either way, they both enjoyed themselves and had a great time. They really bonded, but then they realized it was starting to reach noon, so they hurried over to go meet Rarity. On their way, they stopped to meet several other ponies, like Derpy, Carrot Top, Octavia, and Doctor Whooves, who strangely warned Shadow not to go to Sugarcube Corner in three days. Shadow didn't know why, but he would try to remember that. By the time they reached Carousel Boutique, Dash gave a noticeable shiver.

"You okay?" Asked Shadow.

"No, its just that Rarity has been begging me to get a hooficure, and no matter how much I say no, she still asks." Said Dash, giving another shiver.

Shadow tried his best not to laugh. He tried to imagine Rainbow Dash getting a hooficure. He couldn't hold it in any longer he burst out laughing. Dash quickly hit his side with a smile.

"Quick imagining me doing things I don't plan on doing anytime soon." Dash's cheeks turned dark red after that.... And Shadow's face had turned purple.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!! AHH, MY SIDES ARE KILLING ME!! HAHAH!!!!" He said, nearly falling over.

After some laughs, both pegasi didn't notice the white unicorn with a stylish, purple mane opened her front door to a blushing Rainbow Dash and a dying Shadow Strife. She cleared her throat and both ponies took notice. Now that she had their attention, she could finally speak her mind.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, darling, I see you still haven't gotten a good hoofi-" Her sentence was cut off by Dash's glare at the fashionista... And the continuation of Shadow's laughing.

"Stop it, you're gonna kill me! HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!" They were a few ponies nearby who took notice of his laughter.

"Don't. Say. Another. Word." Dash said, glaring daggers at the white unicorn.

Rarity stood there, trying to figure out what she should say. "Well... Uh, why don't you two come in. Surely, you'll introduce me to your friend here..." She looked at Shadow like he was a tuxedo that was completely disastrous, and it was SHE who had made such a horrible outfit.

Finally able to breath, Shadow followed behind both mare's into the boutique. He looked around as he saw sewing-machines, dresses and tuxedos, and many other things affiliated with fashion. Shadow definitely didn't want to show that side of himself. After being properly introduced to Rarity, the two began to get to know each other over a few cups of tea that Sweetie Belle had made. Of course, neither of them drank more than one sip of the tea Sweetie made, mainly because it tasted like an old goat. With a pig. And a cow. And it did NOT taste good, so Rarity decided to make some tea that didn't taste like barn animals. Rarity talked on and on and on and on and on about how she should be living in Canterlot, but also how much she'd miss her friends if she did leave. Dash had fallen asleep at the point where she started talking about fashion design, though Shadow listened through most of it. Later, Rainbow Dash woke up from a nap that seemed to last forever because all she could here whilst she was asleep was anything and everything about fashion. The first words to come from her mouth when she woke were: "Needs more rainbow colors." When they left, Dash was still a bit drowsy, and was stumbling a little as they walked. Suddenly, a strange noise came from Rainbow Dash and she realized that she hadn't eaten lunch yet.

Shadow looked at the speedster. "Hungry?"

"Yeah, wanna get some food or something? I'm totally good for anything right now."

"Eh, we'll figure it out. Maybe we'll find a place." Replied Shadow.

The two looked around for a while and found a small place to eat and shared a few more laughs and good times. After they started heading for Fluttershy's small cottage. Since they were tired of walking, so they both flew the rest of the way. When they arrived, Rainbow Dash stopped Shadow at the bridge. She had a very serious look on her face, which meant there is no joking.

"You have to promise me you will NOT scare Fluttershy. Promise?"

"Promise." He quickly said to his rainbow friend.

"Okay." Rainbow flew over to Fluttershy's front door with Shadow behind her.

Dash knocked on the door lightly with a hoof. Soon after, the door opened a crack, and an eye could barely be seen through the crack. The mare opened the door slightly once she saw her friend, but shrunk back at the sight of Shadow.

"Oh, hi Rainbow Dash. Um... W-who's your friend? If It's okay to ask." Whimpered the shy pegasus.

"Fluttershy, you mind if we come in?" Asked Dash.

Fluttershy slightly opened her door some more. "Oh, sure. Sorry to make you wait, but um.... You still haven't told me who your friend was..." She replied softly, closing the door about an inch or two.

"Oh right! Fluttershy, this is Shadow Strife." She looked back at Shadow. "Shadow, Fluttershy." She gestured to the yellow pony trying to hide behind her long, pink mane.

At that moment, Fluttershy opened her door to let them both inside her small cottage. Inside, there were a considerable amount of animals. They were rabbits, mice, squirrels, a goat, and several other woodland creatures. Shadow looked at each animal with great fascination. When he saw Fluttershy tend to her rabbit, Angel, he witnessed her talent as she met the needs of each other animal. He was simply amazed, but when the time came to speak with the shy pegasus, she turned into a complete doormat. The three pagasi sat on Fluttershy's couch, with the guest of a very awkward silence. Shadow, still hating awkward silences, broke the uncomfortable silence.

"So..... Fluttershy. I see you like to take care of animals..." He felt stupid for stating the obvious, but the shy pony's eyes widened at his words.

"Oh yes. I do whatever I can to help these poor creatures. Though sometimes I do spoil them a little..." Fluttershy shrunk back after finishing.

"I see...  So.... Which one have you had the longest?" He asked. This time, Fluttershy shrunk behind her mane, hoping not to have to respond to him.

A small, soft whimper came from her, as if trying to say something. Shadow could have expected this from what Rainbow had rold him. He asked her to speak up, and finally got an audible reply.

"I've had Angel the longest...." She said in a very shy and soft voice. She shrunk back more, seeming like she wanted to be as small as the mice that scurried around on the floor on occasion.

The time spent at Fluttershy's was quiet. After an hour, Rainbow Dash and Shadow Strife decided to leave. The day seemed like it was coming to an end fast. Meeting all of Dash's friends was quite a great time for Shadow, but in his mind, he had to make the decision of prolonging his stay or not. He thought long and hard, weighing how his decision may affect his life. Many things were racing through his mind faster than he could fly. Finally, he made his decision, the ultimate choice to affect his life. He stopped before they could get any closer to Rainbow Dash's cloud home. Dash took notice and looked at him.

"Hey, c'mon we're not getting any closer by flying still y'know?" She said, but then she saw the expression on his face. "You okay?"

"Yeah.... Hey, Rainbow Dash..."

"Yeah?" She simply asked.

"I.... I think I'll stay in Ponyville a little longer. I think It's high-time I made a change." He said, his expression changing as he looked up at Rainbow.

In her mind, she was happy, but she didn't show it on the outside. "Cool. Looks like i got a new flying buddy."

"Speaking of flying...." He had a large grin on his face, and Rainbow knew just what this meant.

Without warning, both pegasi took off at astonishing speeds. Though there was a change this time around. Shadow and Rainbow Dash had both used their special talents. Though Shadow's version of the sonic rainboom never had a name, it was silent and just as fast, and Rainbow helped him name it after the nickname many ponies had given him in the past. He thought it fit, so in that race, he performed the Black Arrow and Rainbow used her Sonic Rainboom. The results of the race were the same as the first: a tie. Finally, they both returned to the cloud home, the day coming to an end rather quickly. Rainbow was in her room, and Shadow in his now official room. They were both in their beds, lost in thought about how great the day went.

"Today was amazing." They both said to themselves.

"Rainbow's friends are really something. That could possibly have been one of the greatest days in my life." Shadow said to himself.

"Shadow seemed to like my friends, though being at Rarity's and Fluttershy's was really boring." Rainbow shuffled in her bed a but.

"I'm glad I chose to stay."

"I'm sorta happy he chose to stay."

And with that, they both went to sleep, thus ending the day....