Shadowbolts: Origin

by ToneCraft

Under the Stones

Midnight Shadow looked frantically around, "Is anypony here?" He called, louder than he probably should have. He heard something growling from the forest behind him. The colt didn't even take the time to look, bolting from the area as fast as his hooves could carry him. He still had a dull ache in his side, preventing him from effectively spreading his wings.

He walked through the forest, hoping to find somepony who could help him, and eventually saw a hut, carved from a mangled tree, with masks around the door and jars hanging from the branches. The nervous pegasus approached and knocked softly on the door.

There was no answer for a few minutes, and Midnight was afraid to stay in the same place for long in this forest, so he turned around to leave. Then the door opened. Midnight turned around and gasped. The zebra he saw in front of him towered over the little colt, and she didn't look too friendly to him. She looked down at him, "I thought the danger of this forest was understood. What brings a colt like you into these woods?"

The gold bands on her right forleg jingled as she took a slight step towards Midnight, who turned and started galloping. The zebra's eyes widened and she tried to give chase, calling out to him, "Child, stop! I tell you, wait! Come back now before it's too late!"

Midnight was the faster and more manuverable even on land, and he got away from the zebra, only to find that he was even more hopelessly lost than before. There were some cliffs on his left, and at the top, unknown to him, were several loose stones that were less stable than before, due to the massive storm.

He finally stopped to rest, looking at the sky for any pegasus who might help him. Then the explosion happened. Some kind of rainbow spread across the sky and knocked the rocks out of place. Midnight ran to try and avoid the falling stones, but a large one landed on his right hind leg. He heard a crunch, and found himself trapped by the rocks. He screamed in pain, his voice echoing through the entire area.

-----

"He's what?!" Soarin turned in surprise to Golden Ticket. The candymaker was looking down, the look of a father worried about his son, having decided to go for help.

"Midnight Shadow got caught in the storm. We think he may have ended up in the Everfree forest. Please, help us find him." Ticket said, looking up at the Wonderbolt in front of him, "Silver told me what happened and then left as soon as I got home from work."

Soarin nodded, "Of course I'll help you. Go to the same area with your wife." He turned around and went inside the headquarters. "Thundercloud, go get the others."

"Yes sir!" The black cadet saluted and flew through the building. Minutes later, there were several members of the team in front of Soarin. "Spitfire, go to the Southeast section of the forest and search there for a colt, midnight blue, still a blank flank, with a black mane and tail. Misty Fly, search the Southwest. Thundercloud, you're in charge of communications. I'll be taking the central area. The colt's parents are searching the Northwest, so all we need now is somepony to search the Northeast."

Misty Fly rose a hoof, "I think I know somepony, Captain."

"Who is it?" Soarin asked.

"His name is Rainbow Star."

"Then go ask him before going to your section of the forest, Misty Fly."

"Yes sir!"

"Move out!" Soarin said, "Come back here with him if you find him, and let Thundercloud know so that he can tell the rest of us."

They all saluted, "Yes sir!"

As all the pegasi took off, none heard the crashing of the rocks beneath them.

Author's Note:

Three guesses as to who Rainbow Star is.