//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 (revised) - The truth is revealed // Story: A New Shade of Black // by Blueball-Blitz //------------------------------// After some time Nightshade and the rest of the Shadowbolts had made there way across town to the oak tree library, Nightshade knocked on the old wooden door of the library and waited, just a few moments later a noise could be heard from inside. "Spike could you get that please" a voice said, afterwords footsteps could be heard from inside the house and the door swung open. Nightshade didn't see anypony, but when she looked down she saw a purple and green dragon. "um hay there little guy is this the residence of the pony known as Twilight?" Nightshade asked, the small dragon nodded. "hey Twilight there's some uh ponies here to see you" the small dragon said. Spike stood aside so that five other ponies could enter the small tree house, Nightshade found a lavender unicorn on the wooden floor reading a book, she looked up to see Nightshade standing over her. "Are you the one known as Twilight" Nightshade asked the unicorn she nodded and stood up. "Yes thats me, what can I help you with, are you looking for a book?" Twilight asked. Nightshade sighed and shook her head,"we wish to speak with princess Luna immediately" She said, Twilight was taken back by this slightly. "May I ask why?" Twilight asked looking at Nightshade and the other four ponies in the room, Nightshade looked slightly shocked "Do you not recognize us?" Nightshade asked, Twilight put a hoof to her chin, she narrowed her eyes as she pondered,finally she shook her head. "No i'm afraid not" Twilight said, to her surprise Nightshade stepped back slightly. "You mean to tell me that you do not recognize the leader of Luna's royal air force guard?" Nightshade asked in a shocked tone, she knew that she was well known throughout Equestria, Twilight shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't but if your that important I guess I can send a letter to the princess" Twilight said, Nightshade sighed in relief. "thank you Mrs Twilight" Nightshade said. Twilight nodded "may i ask what your name is" Twilight said, Nightshade turned back to face the unicorn. "It's Nightshade" she said. Twilight smiled and called for Spike and soon the little dragon came running in with an ink and quill, Twilight levitated the quill and began writing. 'Dear princess Celestia Today i have been visited by Luna's royal air force leader by the name of 'Nightshade' who has asked to speak with your sister immediately , i do not yet know why Nightshade has asked for your sisters presence but it sounds very important, i will wait on your reply your faithful student Twilight Sparkle.' Twilight levitated the scroll over to Spike who breathed in before blowing the scroll into flamed fragments as the letter was sent on its way, Blitz looked over and saw the small dragon standing next to the lavender unicorn, she gasped and zoomed over to him. "awwwww your so cute" Blitz said, smiling, Spike smiled back slightly blushing from embarrassment, Blitz curiously touched spikes chest with her forehoof, the electrical current sent from blitz's hoof sent spike crashing into a wall. Nightshade turned around, "Sweet luna Blitz what did you do this time!!" She demanded. Blitz looked at her captain with a sheepish grin "oopsie" Blitz said. Nightshade facehoofed, Twilight went over to her fallen assistant. "are you ok Spike?" Twilight asked hesitantly, Spike just groaned rubbing his head with his claws , Nightshade walked up to the scene an looked the dragon over "he'll be fine trust me just make sure he doesn't go near any more you know, lightning" Nightshade finished of with a slight chuckle, just then spike burped and a letter appeared in front of him , Nightshade raised an eyebrow as Twilight levitated the scroll "um is he supposed to do that?" Nightshade asked.cTwilight nodded before she opened up the scroll and began to read 'Dear Twilight I have read your letter and i must say this situation is very complicated , i have talked with Luna and we have decided to come and deal with the situation directly, may i ask that you gather the rest of the elements of harmony before we arrive shortly Celestia.' Twilight looked over at Spike who by now had gathered himself up but was still rubbing his head painfully "Spike I need you to go find the others and bring them here immediately" Twilight said, Spike nodded before waddling out of the library in a dazed state "Are you sure he'll be okay ?" Twilight said looking over at Nightshade who by now had seated herself on the wooden sofa in the middle of the library "He should be, I get woken up nearly every second day by that" Nightshade said, she frowned as Blitz started to giggle. Not to long after he left ,Spike returned with another five ponies in toe, two of which nightshade had already met. they came into the small library and glanced looks at Nightshade and her team. "Um Twi, who are these ponies?" the cyan mare said to Twilight , Nightshade could see from her cutie mark she was a fast flier "Oh um I guess I'll introduce you, um Nightshade these are my friends : Rainbow dash, Rarity , Pinkie pie, Applejack and Fluttershy" Twilight said pointing each one out with a forehoof, "Friends this is Nightshade and her flight team, there part of Luna's royal guard" Twilight said. Nightshade didn't respond and simply nodded her head, an awkward silence came over the room, that is until Rainbow dash spoke up "So are you guys like the Wonderbolts ?" the cyan mare asked with a hint of excitement in her voice, Nightshade was taken back by this slightly "What you mean those sun loving pansies who think they know how to fly" Shockwave blurted out to everyone's surprise, the cyan mare threw a look of disgust at Nightshades lieutenant. "what! ,they are the best fliers in all of Equestria" the cyan mare said, Nightshade stood up "whoa everypony just settle down" Nightshade said motioning for everypony to sit , just then a knock came at the door, Spike got up and slowly walked over still dazed slightly from his earlier incident with Blitz, he opened the door to reveal the two royal sisters of Equestria, Spike didn't speak and just let them into the library "Princess Celestia" Twilight said trotting over to greet the ruler of Equestria "Hello Twilight sparkle it has been quite a while since i have seen you last" Celestia said greeting her student, Luna walked pasted the pair to see the five Shadowbolts gathered around the sofa , Nightshade stood up and saluted her, Luna smiled "at ease Nightshade, its been awhile" Luna said, Nightshade grinned, but to her surprise Luna's smiled faded quickly, Celestia walked up from behind them "Nightshade it has been a thousand years since i have st she seen you like this" Celestia said towering over Nightshade, normally the Shadowbolt leader wouldn't be intimidated by her, but when Celestia said those words Nightshades world came crashing down like someone had just hit the kill switch inside her brain "a-a thousand years ?!?!" Nightshade stammered, she looked back at her team who were also in shock from the news, Luna stepped forward "yes Nightshade it has been a thousand years, and Nightmare moon is no more" Luna stated, Nightshade felt like fainting at this point, she fell back onto the sofa and put her forehoofs on her head trying to comprehend what was being told to her. Everything Nightshade had worked for at the academy , all the battles she had fought , and all the comrades she had lost with them was all for nothing, she glanced a look over at shockwave he had a shocked expression but his eyes showed anger , before nightshade could go any further in her thoughts Celestia spoke up again. "After I defeated my sister all of the shadowbolts where sent to the Canterlot dungeons after there crimes to Equestria ,afterwords we found out we where missing one flight team ,which turned out to be the most dangerous of all the others and that happens to be your flight team Nightshade" Celestia said, Nightshade felt the words hit her brain like a steal hammer , she shook her head and looked up at Celestia, she had a sorrowful look on her face. "so what happens now" Shockwave said speaking up, all eyes where on Celestia "I have discussed this with Luna at length and because of the current situation our decision is to give you five a chance to prove that you can live peacefully in Equestria" Celestia said looking around at the five Shadowbolts, who by now all still had shocked expressions on there faces "you will join my royal air force and protect Equestria under the leadership and guidance of captain Spitfire herself once me and my sister can be sure that you will not harm any pony you will be aloud to roam Equestria as you wish" Celestia said plainly, Nightshade sighed. She took he half circled, yellow tinted goggles of her head, to reveal her golden irises , she stared at them as memories of her parents and the academy came back to her in a cluster of images and then came all the battles she had fought against Celestia's air force, and all the ponies that they had taken with them, she griped the goggled tightly in her hoofs , suddenly Shockwave spoke up "I do not except to work under the leader of the Wonderbolts nor do I except to become one of them" Shockwave spat, he got up and faced Luna pointing an accusing hoof in her direction "you were the on who drilled it into our heads that doing anything Celestia says or does is wrong, and you expect us to just get up and follow her orders , i lost my brother to those hot shot Wonderbolts and i don't intend to show them any praise for that" shockwave said angrily, Luna had a shameful look on her face and lowered her head in shame, Nightshade narrowed her eyes and stood up "alright that is enough!" Nightshade said turning to face her team. "do you not understand guys, we're being given a second chance in life, I mean look at us, we are five world renowned terrorists, we don't have a choice in this unless you want to spend eternity in the Canterlot dungeons, well i for one don't and if you guys have any common sense you'll join me" Nightshade said almost pleadingly. She looked at all the faces of her team mates, Stealth smiled and nodded giving a boost of encouragement, she looked at Blitz and Firefly who also gave her confident nods in approval, Nightshade then hesitantly turned around to face Shockwave. He looked back at her his eyes full of confusion, eventually he let out a long sigh and nodded slowly, Nightshade sighed in relief and turned around to face the rulers of Equestria. "I never thought i would say this but we...we will except your offer" Nightshade said, she was still all to confused about this but couldn't leave the opportunity alone, it felt weird in her brain after being told for many years that this was against all protocol of the shadowbolts to join the enemy team, she'd even sworn by it a few times, she just tried to push those thoughts out of her head for now, another few moments of silence filled the crowded library "so what now?" Firefly finally said breaking the quietness in the room, Celestia looked over at the Shadowbolt scout "you will report to the Wonderbolt headquarters in Cloudsdale, I will let Rainbow dash and my royal guards escort you there personally" Celestia said, she turned to dash who nodded in approval "well if you'll excuse me I have to be getting back to a meeting in Canterlot i will await to hear from you Rainbow dash" Celestia finished , with that the royal sisters left after saying there goodbyes leaving a very shocked set of Shadowbolts "well we may as well get going" Rainbow dash said, she lead the shadowbolts out of Twilight's tree house and back onto the main street of Ponyville were 3 guards where there waiting for them, Shockwave walked in front of Nightshade and stopped her "I'm still unsure about this night, I've been a Shadowbolt for most of my life and i only take orders from one pony" Shockwave said proudly, Nightshade grinned and nodded "very well then, I'll see what I can do, besides its about time these Wonderbolts got A New Shade of Black.