"Oh I'm so excited!" Fluttershy said, standing at the train station. It was early in the day and ponies were walking to and fro in the train station, waiting to go wherever the ticket declared.
"I still can't believe you have a brother and you never told us before." Twilight Sparkle said, smiling at the yellow pony's enthusiasm.
"Oh, I'm sorry girls. It's just, I haven't seen him in so long that I guess I forgot to mention it." Fluttershy scratched the back of her foreleg with a hoof guiltily.
"It's quite alright, Fluttershy. What matters is that you finally get to see him after such a long time." Rarity said, placing a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder.
"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Though how I never saw him at flight school is pretty weird if you ask me." She said, scratching her chin with her hoof.
"Well Ah'm sure it's 'cause he's prolly' just as skittish as Fluttershy." Applejack said.
"Oh, no. He's actually quite-" Fluttershy didn't get to finish her sentence as the train whistle sounded behind her.
"Oh my gosh, the trains almost here! Have-you-ever-been-this-excited-before-cause-I-haven't-well-except-for-this-one-time-where..." Rainbow Dash stuffed a hoof in Pinkie Pie's mouth before the hyperactive pony continued her warp speed explanation. As the train came to a stop, the doors opened, and the ponies from Manehattan stepped out.
Fluttershy eagerly looked around for her brother, her head snapping in all directions. As the last pony stepped out, Fluttershy's smile started to fade. "But... He said he would be here today..." Fluttershy whispered as her eyes started to water.
"Aw come on, sugercube. Maybe he missed the train and had to get him a new ticket fer the next one." Applejack said, hugging the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy nodded, her head hanging low as she started to walk towards the exit.
As they walked away, they heard a gruff voice say "Hey kid, wake up. Trains bout ta leave." Fluttershy looked back at the train's compartment to see a light brown earth pony rouse an unseen passenger as he moved the new passengers luggage to the storage compartment. A yawn sounded from inside the train and a light black pegasus with a messy two toned black and shadow mane and tail stepped out, draping his saddlebag over his back.
"Shade!" Fluttershy said excitedly, as she ran towards the dark colt.
"Shy!" he said, as the canary yellow mare tackled and hugged him.
"That's Fluttershy's brother?" Rainbow Dash said quizzically, looking at her other friends. "They look nothing alike."
Twilight shrugged her shoulders and walked towards the two pegasi. "Is this your brother Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, yes. Everyone, this is my brother, Night Shade. Night Shade, this is Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie." Fluttershy said, pointing to each of her friends as she named them.
"Hey. Nice to finally meet all of Fluttershy's friends. Well other than her animal friends that is." Night Shade said with a smile.
"Well howdy there, Mr. Night Shade." Applejack said, returning the smile. Night Shade blushed slightly at the formal title.
"Please, just call me Shade." he chuckled.
"Oh-my-gosh-this-is-so-cool-we-should-totally-throw-a-party-for-Shade-I-need-to-get-to-work-pronto-BYE!" Pinkie said at top speed before taking off into town. Shade leaned toward Fluttershy, a look of amusement and confusion on his face.
"Does she always do that?" Shade asked.
"Oh, no. She usually talks slower than that." Fluttershy said, smiling.
"Well what'r we all just standin' 'round here for? Why don't we all show you 'round? We can give yeh the Grand Tour of Ponyville and I'll be darned if I let a new friend of ours go without a taste of the Apple family's famous Apple Fritter." Applejack said with a wink.
"Great idea Applejack! A tour sounds perfect." Twilight said.
"Oh, yes. A tour does sound nice. Well, you know, if that's ok with you." Fluttershy smiled meekly.
"Sounds good to me." Shade said with a nod.
"Oh and maybe afterwards we can visit my boutique and find you a handsome ensemble. I'm sure you will have all the young fillies clamoring over your attention once I fit you in one of my fashionable, yet modest, outfits." Rarity said, looking shade up and down as if she was already taking his measurements. "And maybe a new mane style." she added, taking in the young colts spiky, flyaway mane.
Shade laughed at the white mares eagerness to get him all dressed up. "I'm sure I can find some time for that, though my budgets a little limited at the moment." Shade said, scratching the back of his neck. "Oh nonsense, darling. It would be my absolute pleasure to make you an ensemble, free of charge!" Rarity said excitedly.
Applejack chuckled and leaned towards Shade. "Watch yerself. She'll probably use you teh make a new line o' fancy clothes." She whispered. Shade laughed quietly.
"Shall we get going then?" Twilight said with a smile.
"Oh, yes." Fluttershy agreed.
Shade stretched his legs and wings one last time, shaking out his messy black mane. "Lead on." Shade said, shifting his saddlebags around. As they left the train station, Shade looked behind him, feeling as if something was watching him.