//------------------------------// // The Shadow // Story: The Moon and the Star // by Ashura //------------------------------// Chapter 8 : The Shadow Luna and Celestia were half way to the crystal empire, they could have completed the trip in a day by flying and in a minute by teleporting. But the Royal Army did not move so quickly. They still had a long way to go. To make things easier. Luna slept during the day in a chariot while the army progressed. Luna was not letting herself dream as she thought it best she not get distracted with the battle she and Celestia would soon have to fight lurking ever closer. All of a sudden, a giant pony shaped shadow leapt out of the darkness of her dream and emitted a maniacal laugh that sent a chill down her spine. Luna woke with a start, not knowing how that could be possible, her sleep was suppose to be peaceful and undisturbed. Where could that shape have come from? It was not of my doing, which means an exterior force has found it's way into my dreams. I must warn Tia! she thought. Luna flew out of the chariot and headed for the front of the army as fast as she could, time could be of the essence. Luna saw Celestia below her and she dived towards the ground. “Luna? I thought you were resting?” asked Celestia “I apologize but there is no time for pleasantries, I believe that our home is facing a threat more severe then King Sombra.” stated Luna. “What do you mean? What could be more dangerous the Sombra?” asked Celestia “I do not know, but I think this may something to do with Discord.” said Luna “But we turned him to stone, it cannot be Discord.” said Celestia “Maybe he left a trick or trap somewhere in Equestria that has only now resurfaced?” wondered Luna “Whatever the threat, you have never yet been wrong about its magnitude. Sombra will have to wait, you must return at once.” said Celestia, immediately taking control of the situation. “You must teleport back to the castle while I keep heading for the Crystal Empire.” ordered Celestia “But... This threat is apparently more powerful then Sombra, and it would take two of us to defeat him!” exclaimed Luna, panic making itself apparent in her voice. “I know, but I cannot leave our forces here alone so near to the Crystal Empire.” answered Celestia “...You're right, but how am I to defeat this threat alone?” asked Luna “I am confident that you will find a way to succeed.” answered Celestia “Now go, our ponies may need you now.” Luna fired up her horn and teleported away. Luna reappeared in the middle of ruined houses and streets, thinking at first that she had somehow been transported to the wrong place. She was looking about her in confusion when somepony shouted out her name. “Princess Luna! Thank Celestia!” Luna turned around ans saw a young colt run towards her. It was Golden. “What happened?” asked Luna “It was an Ursa Major! It came and destroyed half the town, and it fillynapped somepony!” spouted Golden “It fillynapped? Ursa's don't usually do that, who was it?” asked Luna “A filly called Double Star.” answered Golden “It took Star?” asked Luna “Yes, it headed into the Everfree Forest! You have to hurry, who knows what it could have done to her by now!” said the young colt. Luna spread her wings and leaped into the air, turned to face to dark and dangerous forest, and sped into it's depths with all the haste in Equestria. Star was staring at herself in horror, except it wasn't her, it couldn't be! Star didn't even notice when the Shadow Pony snipped of a piece off of her now changeling mane. “At last! I shall now be powerful enough to defeat Luna and Celestia and rule over Equestria!” the Shadow Pony laughed, but Star didn't even hear it. However, a certain alicorn Princess did hear the laugh. Luna had left the castle over an hour ago and still hadn't seen any sign of the Ursa or Star. The Ursa's tracks had lead her all the way to the center of the forest but then they just vanished with no explanation. Luna did not understand, but she knew that Star had to be around here somewhere, she was flying over a particularly dense bunch of trees when she heard an sinister laugh coming from bellow. Luna slowed down and quietly landed in one of the trees, hoping that she wouldn't be seen. When she observed the scene below her, all she could see was a mysterious shadow and a changeling. What is going on here? she wondered Changelings usually stay in large groups, why is this one alone? And what is that shadow, hiding in the dark? Luna fell silent and listened as the conversation between the shadow and the changeling resumed. “Discord! I am no longer your creation! You are no longer my master!” shouted the Shadow Pony at the sky “And know thanks to you, my dear filly, I shall become the most powerful being in all of Equestria!” Luna was shocked when she heard the shadow described the changeling as a filly. She fell quiet, her mind thinking about the implications of the shadows words. The shadow called that changeling filly, there's only one pony missing from the castle, and that's Star. Could that changeling be Star? But that can't be! Star is a pony! Luna swore that if she got out of this alive, she would question Celestia further on the matter.Star stared at the Shadow Pony, thinking very quickly. Luna isn't here and I'm the only one who knows about this. I have to do something! she decided But what? Star noticed a small table with what looked like a potion. That's it! If I spill it, he can't drink it! And before he can gather all the ingredients again, Luna and Celestia will be searching the forest for any strange magic. And they'll find him! But they probably won't find me, he's still powerful enough to get rid of me... Star filled up with with determination as these thoughts crossed her mind, and sadness, because she would never see Luna, Golden or any of her friends again. The Shadow Pony had his back to her, about to put the last ingredient in the potion. Star prepared to charge, planing to knock the table over and send the potion falling to the ground. Luna, on the other hoof, saw and quickly understand what Star was planing to do. From her hiding place in the trees, Luna watched as the changeling, who was Star according to the shadow, got closer to the pony. What should I do? In the end, the only thing Luna could think of doing was distract the Shadow Pony while the changeling destroyed the bottle. “Hey!” shouted Luna at the top of her lungs as she launched herself of her perch. The Shadow Pony turned it's head towards Luna, recognized her and hissed. Just then, Star had reached the table and sent it flying through the air, the potion still on it. “NO!” screamed the Shadow Pony. Star starred at the bottle with a grin as she watched it fly through the air, then her eyes met Luna's. And she gasped, hoping that Luna wasn't about to attack her as well. Luna starred into the changeling’s eyes and she saw something that made her hesitate about knocking out this changeling, there was joy in those eyes, but an equal dose of fear. This changeling was happy to see her, but also afraid of her. And then the potion bottle smashed on Luna's head, it's contents pouring all over her. “Luna!” screamed the changeling It was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness. When Luna woke up, she could see the Shadow Pony inching closer to the changeling. “I may not be as powerful as I would have been if I had drunk that potion, but I am still powerful enough to defeat one alicorn! And she is no longer a threat! Seeing as I still need you for the ritual, I shall have to keep you alive, but make no mistake... When I am powerful again, I shall dispose of you!” screamed the Shadow Pony. Luna watched helplessly as the Shadow Pony slowly lifted it's hoof, dark magic covering it's whole surface. Luna had to do something, and fast! Or who knows what would happen to this strange changeling. Luna tried to force herself on her hooves but she fell back to the ground. Determination filled her up, and then, she felt a change happen inside of her. It felt like her magic was changing, becoming different. Luna got up on her hooves and fired up her horn. The Shadow Pony was getting closer to the changeling that had ruined his plans, planning to turn her into his slave. Just as he was about to make contact with it's forehead, he felt a strange change occur. If he could define it, he would swear that magic in this part of the forest was evolving, changing somehow. He turned around and saw Luna standing tall, except it didn't look anything like Luna. The potion! he thought It must have amplified her powers somehow! She is now more powerful then me! She has become an irregularity in this world! A nightmare! That potion was meant for shadows like me! Who knows what the potion did to her! The Shadow Pony stared at the changeling, then back to the thing that Luna had become, and decided that fleeing was the only option left. The Shadow Pony started running but it wasn't fast enough to escape. Luna's horn shot a beam of light that engulfed the Shadow Pony in it's entirety, the pony of shadows disappeared with a shriek, never to be heard from again except in myth and legend, for the events of that night were hidden from all. Only three ponies in all of Equestrian history knew the truth about that night. And one would be leaving Equestria very soon.